CEPs

[Hamma]

Unfortunatly we dont know a ton about CEP's

[Sputty]

...Maybe we'll learn more soon

[glsauron]

I like only commander gets credit. The grunts are there for that, doing the grunt work. Also limits the number of people you see running around with super duper maxxed out CEP badges, you know?

Its a status symbol, I've been good enough as a commander to max my CEP, so I've been good. You, OTOH, have decided you want to kill people. Nothing wrong with it, but you dont get the CEP boss status. Just like a good commander wont be fighting and get BEP status.

People will find that the good commanders will find time to cap lots of bases, so they get more rank. If no good, will only cap a few, so they won't rise in rank. And you can't steal caps either

[NapalmEnima]

Oh but you CAN steal caps.

Say you've got a multi-squad group capping a base. One squad's staying outside, keeping reinforcements at bay, one is keeping the spawning tubes bottled up, and the last one is in charge of actually taking the base.

Only the outside squad's commander is sick of everyone else getting all the glory... so he sends all his guys in to cap the base in advance. They take turns TKing so no one guy gets too many grief points. You get the idea. So they weaken the empire's effectiveness as a whole for the personal glory (or at least CEP) of their squad's commander. Only now no one's outside, reinforcements show up unopposed (and without warning), and NO ONE gets the CEP.

I think we can all agree that would suck.


But wait there's more! What about defense?

What motivates a commander to hold what he's (or she's) taken? Jack sheet. So the offense is organized, and the D is just whoever happens to be there. Not much fun taking bases away from disorganized rabble. All everyone will ever do is attack. Defence is for people who aren't interested in command points.

Suck? Yup.

I raised this issue on the official boards earlier. I see a problem with the only command points coming from offense. Smokejumper replied only that they were aware of the issue and were working on it. And that I was obviously a brilliant person for thinking of the problem in the first place.

Suits me.

Not that I wouldn't mind more details, but if that's all they can give me at this point, so be it.

[Airlift]

So they could just give a very few cep to all squad leaders inside the base (or its soi) for taking the base and give more over time to all squad leaders near the base based on the amount of action in a soi.

Or they could give no cep immediately for taking a base, then give the cep over time to the commander(s) who captured the base.

[SmokeJumper]

Hey there, Napalm. It's been a while since I responded to one of your discussions, so here goes:

1) Can't steal caps. Facilities currently have to be "claimed" by someone in order for the cap to generate experience. This system is still imperfect and that's why we haven't elaborated on it, but we are working to allow squads or platoons to "claim" a facility and then get the chance to cap it within a certain window of time. If they fail, then the claim can be taken by someone else. There are obvious annoyances with this scheme and it's subject to change/refinement, but we realize the problem with "stealing caps".

2) Defense is cool. But you're right...I don't think we'll see much in the way of static defense (as you would in Tribes 2) where players camp out and do nothing but deploy defenses and fight incoming enemies. My guess is that we'll see more of "roving patrols". Squads, or half-squads, that patrol in Deliverers, tanks and buggies, who respond to "The XXXX facility has been hacked" messages and fight back against folks trying to attack those bases. We'll see. What's the advantage to defense? Your targets come to YOU and you can shoot at them from behind walls and from within your nested defenses. I know that *I* would play Defense for a while if I got spanked in Offense or I just wanted a change of pace. And the battles will be very easy to find soon. We have some new stuff going in soon that will help folks find the great battles (useful for defense AND offense).

By the way...nice eye for tactics assigning someone to the spawn tubes to keep defenders from respawning there. It's suprisingly difficult to do, but a good tactic. Defensive AMSs are pretty useful for getting around this tactic...but then again...if they respawn at an AMS, they're not in the building with you anymore...

P.S., If there are three squads taking over a base, they should probably join together as a platoon so they can all get CEP and BEP. I can't help you beyond three squads, but platoons are useful for that number of squads and below.

P.S.S., Answering the original post on this thread: Yes, you can max out in both BEP and CEP. You can work on gaining either of those totals at any time during your career, at any time. No restrictions. (Don't worry though. If your concern is "What do I do after I cap out?" we have lots of things planned for you. Details on those items will have to wait however.)


Edit: I removed the comment about vets and newbs. Upon further reflection, I felt it was innappropriate and not even accurate, so I took it out. (Was under the paragraph about defense.)

[Camping Carl]

All hail Dave!!!

[Hamma]

So Platoons have been added

Thanks for the reply dave

[Navaron]

So there's nothing bigger than platoons, I wonder if this is because of the fact there will be too many places to defend, so it will be impossible to gather that many people or just so there are UBER brigades.

[powdahound]

!!!

[Airlift]

Anyone know how many people make a squad?

[Sandtaco]

[Airlift]

I'm going to guess 15 for a squad so no one on a loaded galaxy gets left out of a squad?

[Hamma]

Somewhere around there, 10-15

[Airlift]

So, assuming that 3 squads is a platoon, that makes the most BEP/CEP efficient operating group 30-45 people based on those numbers.