TUTORIAL: “WTF! COMM” – A Newbies Guide to Commanding

[Uruk Hai]

Link for a clearer version: Uruks Guide



“WTF! COM” – A Newbies Guide for “WTF is the Com is doing now?”, and why he apparently hates you.
Updated Oct. 11th, 2006

By Uruk Hai
with born_to_be_noobish

I don’t know if this has been done elsewhere.  If it has, my apologies.

I have written this to help new players avoid problems during the course of a normal game.  This is not a guide on how to ‘COM’ or command a game.  I don’t want the ‘Miss Manners label here either.

Keep in mind:

Not all COM’s are considered equal.  Some are great at some maps, while others will suck.  Just like people, COM’s can make mistakes too.  But if you follow these simple concepts, it will help your team and keep your COM sane.


Uruk’s Basic Newbie Rules regarding your COM

• Read the chat box & mini-map during warm up and at games start.  This is where a good com will write what your plan for battle might be.
• Listen to the requests the com makes, and act on them. Answer back that you are doing something unique to let them know you are doing it. (check BD, laying sensors, grabbing flag, etc.)  Communication is essential. Skilled players do this without thinking.
• BUT DON’T SPAM Your COM. Keep in mind, there will be MANY OTHERS communicating with the com.  If you want his attention – use voice chat ‘U’. 
• Keep an eye on stone and gold levels. Look at those levels before you ask for something.  Every building costs stone, garrisons and towers cost additional gold as well.  Knowing the costs will help you. 
• Don't start an Impeach Vote, just becasue you can, As a newbie, you probably don't understand everything that's going on.  Don't impeach or kick because you can't be an officer, get a buff or that shiney new 'bow with scope'.  Stay calm, play, and all will be fine in the morning.  Leave the Impeach and Kick votes to the Vets.
• Use voice chat sparingly. “The enemy’s Lair is burning!” is cool, but not during the first 60’seconds of game play.  Ignore *Spank My Monkit” comments from RADar.  The player’s real name is Senator Tom Foley.  This is normal, and happens in every game.
• Don’t whine.  It won’t change what’s happening. 
• Don’t ask for Marksmen Bow.  It’s the one human weapon that does not generate gold, and is brought out only on certain maps in very rare conditions.  In fact, don’t even bother with using it.  It’s a game killer.
• Never, ever, ever, ever mine gold. It’s a waste of your time.  I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.  If your com needs gold, hunt monkits (best return on an unarmed nomad’s attack) – or better yet – attack your opponent.  There’s gold in them there hills! (enemy characters and buildings).
• Don’t waste team gold.  Replace what you use, by either mining NPC’s or stealing gold from bmf!’s kills.  He doesn’t mind you doing that at all.  Leave wasting to the professionals, like me.
• Do not use siege to kill NPC’s.  Nothing shouts ‘Newbie’ more than a Behemoth that gets taken down my oschores.
• Wasting mines, sensors, wards etc.  Think before you drop. It’s simple – if you are about to die, don’t run in one direction scattering items in a line.  We will know.
• Never jump into COM during a game. Ever.  This is for skilled players only.  The com may jump out from time to time – but this is not an invitation for you to learn how to com in the middle of a 3-hour game.

Here are the most common area’s where as a new player, you might be confused:

When a COM decides to construct a building:

1.   Get out of the way. Your nomad/scav may be blocking the placement.  A delay in placing the building may dramatically affect the game.  Buildings, when placed properly can serve a number of functions, including defense.  Most notably, a well positioned garrison can add protection, be a power-mining site, act as ‘meat shield’, and look aesthetically pleasing all at the same time.
2.   BUILD when he says BUILD.  Often if you are the only builder on a garrison or sub lair, getting it up is the only chance you will get reinforcements to save it from the incoming horde of Demon Clan members.  Nothing angers a horde of clan members more, than you successfully getting up that gar at the last possible second.

Addendum:  Building a Sneak Garrison or Sublair
Build, Build, Build.  Defend yourself by engaging in combat only when your com tells you too.  A good com is watching over you during the sneaks construction and will warn you (usually).  Unless you are playing for GIR – in which case, you are on your own.

Tactics, and game play styles will effect a COM’s decision to build anything.  Rushes (when you use a single weapon type to attack early), or Skips (purposely NOT building a class type, item or weapon) will alter what gets built when.

Why a COM won’t build ‘a garrison’ or ‘sublair here’:

1.   Look first at the stone available.  Often there is a method to the com’s madness.  First of all, you need 1000 extra stone and 1500 gold to build it.  In many cases. COM’s like to have that as a reserve for future use.  If you have 2 or more mines actively defended and being mined, chances are you won’t be asked in an early game to build another.
2.   Also consider if you COULD actually get the building up. The COM in many cases can see more than you can.  I prefer not to attempt a garrison in emeny territory unless I have a reasonable number of people to help build.
3.   Also consider if it can be defended, once it’s up.   Building spires or towers is not always the answer.

Why a COM won’t get a particular item or building:

This will perplex even the most dedicated player.  IN most cases, this is a resource issue more than anything else.  But here are some general things which affect that decision:

1.   A good com can squeeze the entire tech list out of 2 mines. (Please refer to Uruks Rule #7 for marksmen bow).  Check stone levels – tech costs stone too.
2.   Some COM’s won’t build certain techs because they themselves don’t like that tech.  This is a fact of life.  Ser Luci@no, for example will not build chem. weapons because in his mind they are ‘gay’.  He’s a good com, but usually has to be badgered by skilled players to get them.  This is unfortunate – but as I mentioned at the start, COM’s are human.  They make mistakes too.
3.   Lastlty, reminding a COM is not bad either – they sometimes think they have initiated a research or build, and may have forgotten.

Another good point regarding MM Bow and Lightening:

imitating a newbie : "but why does the beast get the lightning then?"

Lightning is more effective then mmb and beast usually have more redstone then hummies. Also, beast performance is not damaged by a few lightning newbs who get slaughtered by the occasional lego. While hummie team can loose cause of it. A newb sniping is like a free health/stamina boost for rabid/carn beast. Also, a sniping Hummie is unaware of his surroundings, beast com can gate right next to a sniping hummie without the gate being noticed. In case u dont know what a gate is, dont even bother about playing the game yet, go find some more tutorials to read. Lightning goes pretty well together with the beast meelee. As support i mean. Whereas mmb is crap, compared to that.

Why a COM won’t let you be an officer:

There are a number of reasons why this happens, but it basically comes down to this:

1.   Officers are general front-line players, with proven skills.
2.   They are friends whom the COM trusts (fellow clan members for example) – that while they may not be good fighters, might be awesome sneaks, or can use voice-chat effectively to guide others in battle.  The game is not just about killing.
3.   You whine too much, and you suck.  Having a 1-45 ratio every game may say something about your playing skills.

Why a COM won’t give you a buff, give gold, or a particular item or character:

COM’s have the power to restrict what you can buy, although if you’re getting your own gold, you can get pretty much anything you want.  When it comes to buffing however, we consider it game courtesy to leave it for the people who need it.

Addendum: ' How to get gold easily '
Beast players can kill nearly every npc with ease with carn. Also, another very good npc to grind for gold is the mudent. A lego can meelee a mudent without being hit (by evading his attacks, he moves slowly, your swing circle is much bigger.) to get the gold for the lego to grind mudents, kill a few with incinerator or meelee em with a nomad (use the block! rightclick)

If the COM has made buffs available, you are free to use them if necessary.  Killing monkits does not count.

Auto-Buffs can be preset in your settings.  Don’t abuse this, because your com can actually prevent your requesting a buff at any time in the future with 1 click of the mouse.

If your COM has blocked you for some reason – it’s probably a valid one.  Ask him why after the game.


I apologize for the long winded guide for dealing with your COM.  In most games, your COM is your best friend, and you should treat him with the same lack of respect you would a real friend.  But truthfully, you will LEARN a lot from a good com.  Watch for them, and see how this game can be a lot of fun.

PAX

Uruk Hai


... oh, and a *tip of my Hat* goes out MNKyDeth, Ser Luci@ano, Gir, and all the others that COM while getting yelled at by the newbs and occasionally by me.  You put up with a lot of crap, and still give us a great gaming experience.  Thanks!  .... except for Luci@no when you don't get chem weapons.  For that, you suck monkit balls.

[cutter]

great guide

it was all true, and the added humor was cool 2

[KuJa]

gj man! 

this should be stickied IMO!

now i can make another bind for the new ppl 

[born_to_be_noobish]

good topic
now we only need to get the newbs to read it.
Going to give some additions, if i may.
and boy, i should really continue working on the tips for newbs and noobs topic. I ll get to that after this.

• Don’t ask for Marksmen Bow.  It’s the one human weapon that does not generate gold, and is brought out only on certain maps in very rare conditions.  In fact, don’t even bother with using it.  It’s a game killer.

imitating a newbie : "but why does the beast get the lightning then?"

lightning is more effective then mmb and beast usually have more redstone then hummies. Also, beast performance is not damaged by a few lightning newbs who get slaughtered by the occasional lego. While hummie team can loose cause of it. A newb sniping is like a free health/stamina boost for rabid/carn beast. Also, a sniping Hummie is unaware of his surroundings, beast com can gate right next to a sniping hummie without the gate being noticed. In case u dont know what a gate is, dont even bother about playing the game yet, go find some more tutorials to read. Lightning goes pretty well together with the beast meelee. As support i mean. Whereas mmb is crap, compared to that.

• Never, ever, ever, ever mine gold. It’s a waste of your time.  I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THIS.  If your com needs gold, hunt monkits (best return on an unarmed nomad’s attack) – or better yet – attack your opponent.  There’s gold in them there hills! (enemy characters and buildings).

beast players can kill nearly every npc with ease with carn.
Also, another very good npc to grind for gold is the mudent. A lego can meelee a mudent without being hit (by evading his attacks, he moves slowly, your swing circle is much bigger.) to get the gold for the lego to grind mudents, kill a few with incinerator or meelee em with a nomad (use the block! rightclick)

• Do not use siege to kill NPC’s.  Nothing shouts ‘Newbie’ more than a Behemoth that gets taken down my oschores.

well, theoreticly, if there are like 10 mudents, it can be useful if one balli takes em out, team grabs gold, respawn, wipeout, goldgrab, repeat. It goes faster then killing them with incinerator or nomads. But that's only on a few maps. very few. And only if there is a gar nearby. And only with a balli. Beast dont need that, they got carn.
So in short: dont do it. Ever.

Behe taken down by oshores lol. I havent seen such a thing yet, but it sure is one of the more newbiest things doable.

and something that's missing:
# Dont call impeach, kick or mute votes against your com for stupid reasons such as not researching mmb or not getting officer.
Com impeaches should only be done if the com is newb.  Com mutes are not done. Never. Not a chance. It's problably one of the faster ways to get kicked off the server.
As a newb, u dont impeach the com. Never. Cause there is also a silent agreement, that says that the player who impeaches com midgame should take com if there is nobody else. the idea behind it is 'dont impeach if u cant do it better yourself'.

[Mr_Matt]

melee em with a nomad (use the block! rightclick)

its possible to melee mudents with nomad/scav without taking damage

[born_to_be_noobish]

Not for a newb, no?
Not taking damage is easier with a lego, allthough even that might be too hard for a newb.

[cutter]

melee em with a nomad (use the block! rightclick)

its possible to melee mudents with nomad/scav without taking damage

heh..it is? how?

i can do it w/ blocking..but not even getting hurt?

[Uruk Hai]

Thanks everyone - and I will do an addendum about calling votes etc.  Very good points!

[Mr_Matt]

melee em with a nomad (use the block! rightclick)

its possible to melee mudents with nomad/scav without taking damage

heh..it is? how?

i can do it w/ blocking..but not even getting hurt?

ask me to show you ingame

[Taggi]

/ref slay mudent

[hell']

/ref slay mudent

lol - GG 

[born_to_be_noobish]

little question, why do some coms let redstone pile up in the beginning of the game?

Sometimes, when the team powermines well and such, there is like 5k of red in stock.
Why doesnt the com use it? I can understand that a com has a path that he follows, but with such a stock of red, u can do multiple steps of your planned path at the same time, no?
what's the point in waiting with demo packs till your path reaches it? (demo packs nearly allways come to late in game in my opinion)
why wait with building elec if u have 5k in stock?

It ruins the whole powermining if the com doesnt use it. I thought the whole idea of powermining was to get your tech done fast and make more gars/subs faster. Not to not use it.

[Django]

Nice i'll sticky it

[Shamoke]

little question, why do some coms let redstone pile up in the beginning of the game?

Sometimes, when the team powermines well and such, there is like 5k of red in stock.
Why doesnt the com use it? I can understand that a com has a path that he follows, but with such a stock of red, u can do multiple steps of your planned path at the same time, no?
what's the point in waiting with demo packs till your path reaches it? (demo packs nearly allways come to late in game in my opinion)
why wait with building elec if u have 5k in stock?

It ruins the whole powermining if the com doesnt use it. I thought the whole idea of powermining was to get your tech done fast and make more gars/subs faster. Not to not use it.

Depends on the situation. For example, in my case, sometimes I know that the powermining goes so fast I can't catch up :p (I remember that game when I had 2 Powermining gar and had 12K stone in 2min).

But most often, it's very useful to get level 3 asap, which costs 1,5k stone; adding on it probably a sneak/fwd gar, and that's 2,5k. the last 2,5k stone will be for the lego (1,2k), one or two level 3 weapon. And that's it, the stone is gone.

And all of this happens in a very short duration, +/- 2min. That's why you shouldn't urge the comm if he has 5k stone for 1min or so, spending them takes no times at all.

[born_to_be_noobish]

So if he has 5k red and tech 3 and lego and only one weapon tree, then i can whine?