Squad and Platoon leaders

[DviddLeff]

This command overhaul is designed to encourage those who are best at leading to carry on leading, not simply retire at CR5 and use their OS to get cheap kills once a play session and use commander chat as a place for idle spam and idiocy. This ties into having command rank cost cert points; requiring dedicated commanders to sacrifice other roles in order to lead squads to the best of their ability. The changes make commanding a much more interesting role providing players with new game play. For example platoon commanders would have real time strategy style controls when they choose to. Squad Leaders would have a much more tactical experience than before also and would be able to have a greater ease directing their troops. All these changes are designed to increase in game coordination between troops and are based around PS1's command system. This is a repost from my upgrade website, although I have cut out a few features.

New Commander Features

Command Rank Certifications
Commanding will become a full support role, requiring a 3 cert investment (Basic Command) to gain access to the CUD, Command Terminals and Command Vehicle. To access orbital strikes and become a platoon or company commander you must invest a further 2 cert points (Advanced Commander). Note that even without investing a player can still lead a squad, and thereby earn command rank up to level 3, however the benefits of CR 4 and 5 will only be unlocked when they have both earned the experience and purchased the certifications.

Ability to vote out Squad/Platoon Leaders
With Squad/Platoon leaders, sometimes it is necessary to remove them from command. Their Squad or the Squad leaders or Platoon Leader would be able to attempt to vote them out of power once every 15 minutes and replace him with another player in the Squad or Platoon. This would require a majority vote for success.

Command Vehicle
The Command Vehicle is a vehicle that has sacrificed one of its medium weapon slots to equip a Command Uplink. From within the vehicle the Commander can assign missions to squads, use his CUD, request reinforcements and send general orders to the troops. He can also control Camera Drones (see below) from the Command Vehicle to get an overview of the battlefield.
The vehicle Command Uplink can only be used by a leader with a command rank of 3 or above.

Command Uplink Device Change
The CUD would only be able to be used and acquired if the commander was in command of a squad or platoon. This will drastically reduce the amount of orbital strikes eventually seen on the battlefield when combined with command rank costing certification points.

Shoulder Aerial for Squad and Platoon Leaders
Squad Leaders would have an aerial projecting from his shoulder, and a Platoon Leader gets an aerial on each shoulder to differentiate them from the troops.

Camera and Defence Drone
CR4s would receive a Camera Drone, which could fill a pistol slot. This drone would be controlled like an aircraft, and would show the player a view in a window on his HUD. The player could use it to provide recon for his squad and spot targets for artillery much like a laser pointer. The drone could be shot down by accurate fire. Squad leaders could also choose to have a Defence Drone hover after them, essentially providing the service of a mobile Spitfire turret. This would be optional as it would reveal their position and status as a squad leader.

Scout Video Feed
Commanders using either base CCs or Command Vehicles can view video feeds from friendly scout vehicles in the area. Also, commanders at base CCs can view video feeds from the base turrets. These video feeds would display in adjustable windows on the HUD.

Resupply Station
Commanders could set up resupply stations in the field, which would allow troops to replenish their ammunition only. Each commander could only set up one station at a time if they are CR2 or above.

Squads

Squad Leader Context Sensitive Orders
Squad leaders can use a new key to give his squad quick specific orders on the battlefield. The object of the orders would glow to squad mates nearby, as well as a brief written command in the HUD top centre. This could be used to order the squad to move to an area, target a specific enemy, hack a door/CC/terminal, support a friendly, etc.


Approaching a locked door a squad leader decides whether to stealthily hack the door, or breach it with explosives.


Whilst moving through a wood a squad sergeant directs his squad to particular areas of cover.

Spotting
Squad members would be able to spot enemies on the battlefield by simply aiming at them and pressing a key. The enemies position at that point of time would then be displayed on their platoons HUD for the next ten seconds. Note that this would not work through any sort of cover to prevent people spamming the key to locate enemies. This is intended to encourage players to join squads and ease the flow of information on the battlefield without forcing players to use voice communication needlessly.


Base Commanders
Platoon Leaders can take control of base fights, allowing that commander to send base wide commands to the friendly troops (even those not in their platoon). They can also assign missions to the defenders or attackers of the base, and request reinforcements, and earn CEP rewards for those squads completing them. They also earn CEP by capturing the base or successfully defending.
When defending, the base commander must be at the main Control Console of the base or at a new, secondary, emergency Command Console (current CC for most bases) in the basement to issue his Platoon mission orders and view video feeds from around the base.
When assaulting a base the commander must deploy a Command Vehicle within the SOI of the base, and stay within it to work as the Base Commander (details on Command Vehicles above) and issue missions to his platoon.
From the CC or Command Vehicle, the Base Commander can use their CUD as if they were outside, being able to use Reveal Friendlies, Enemies and Orbital Strikes. They can also use new commander features. The camera drone feature will enable the base commander to direct their squads via real time strategy style controls. From either console the base commander would get alerts when a door is breached (but not hacked), equipment damaged or destroyed and viruses deployed.

To avoid clutter on the map/radar, players in platoons can toggle their HUDs to show only their squads troops. They could also set it to only show the separate squad/platoon leaders, or their squad centre points.

[Crator]

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

Camera and Defence Drone
CR4s would receive a Camera Drone, which could fill a pistol slot. This drone would be controlled like an aircraft, and would show the player a view in a window on his HUD. The player could use it to provide recon for his squad and spot targets for artillery much like a laser pointer. The drone could be shot down by accurate fire. Squad leaders could also choose to have a Defence Drone hover after them, essentially providing the service of a mobile Spitfire turret. This would be optional as it would reveal their position and status as a squad leader.

So you mean like a UAV then?

Originally Posted by DviddLeff

Resupply Station
Commanders could set up resupply stations in the field, which would allow troops to replenish their ammunition only. Each commander could only set up one station at a time if they are CR2 or above.

Squads


Approaching a locked door a squad leader decides whether to stealthily hack the door, or breach it with explosives.

I like all the ideas except for the ones I quoted above. These above are more Engineer abilities then squad/command leaders abilities.

[Infektion]

breaching the door... I can just imagine the twisted metal and shrapnel blast. I like it, might not be very practical. The game is going to be quite fast paced indoors.

[Draep]

Good read, I hope the game has something similar. I also hope there are abilities for outfit leaders, like investing in these outfit specific skills they keep talking about, or being able to semi-permanently deploy a HQ inside of a base or city.

[DviddLeff]

Crator the door opening options are for the squad leaders to direct his squad; it would send a message to his troops telling them to hack it or blow it open, if they have the gear.

The resupply terminal can go to engies, but with squad leaders able to deploy it it lets them decide where to focus the squad without telling the engineer; no big issue.

[Talek Krell]

Would you make any compensation for the change to how cert points work? I'm a big supporter of the idea that high level commanders could access an RTS view. I'd like to see it tied into assorted sensor platforms for the empire so that they could send a couple of scout planes over an enemy base and plan an assault based on what shows up on the strategic map.

[Crator]

^^^ Yes plz!

[SavageB]

IF a squad leader can tell his troops to blow the door open then are you saying the opposing faction can seal it shut


Maybe Commanders can have a base defensive interface on the main control panel to be able to designate which doors can be less accessible without the opposing team having the right certs for the job. Obviously you cant have something like this applicable to all the parts/doors of a base where some may not have the correct certs/skills to get through etc.

[SgtMAD]

all I need is either TS/Mumble or Vent, whichever is going to handle approx 160 ppl,the leading part is the simple,I have been yelling at ppl for three decades now,I can herd nerds with one hand behind my back LOL

[Xyntech]

Originally Posted by HtSgtMAD

all I need is either TS/Mumble or Vent, whichever is going to handle approx 160 ppl,the leading part is the simple,I have been yelling at ppl for three decades now,I can herd nerds with one hand behind my back LOL

I'm assuming that PS2 will include it's own voice software, but that aside, I think that you can go a lot further than voice chat to organize people. What if they aren't in your squad? Why not be able to rally everyone in your empire who wants to help?

Obviously for those who wish to command a smaller group, voice chat will be more important, but I think that some of these ideas would be useful for them as well. Create objectives that everyone you are commanding can see up until the moment they are completed without having to voice a command in the middle of a heated situation, repeat the command when some people didn't hear it, etc.

Voice chat is most important, but I think that the more options commanders have to help them lead, the better. Not everyone has to take advantage of every option. Taylor what you use to your leadership style. Customization.

[DviddLeff]

Exactly; voice chat is there for the more organised groups, but the mission system as well as the orders key I detail is there for a permanent reminder on the HUD about what needs to be done, and helps commanders command effectively.

It also helps zerg herd; even with in game voice chat many will turn it off; playing Dead Island for the first time I was joined by some kid arguing with his mum about cleaning his room and its been turned off ever since.

[Graywolves]

Sounds cool.


I usually jump in the seats next to drivers whenever I'm SL or PL with the thought that I should be in the commander's seat.

Gotta be lookin at dat map and plannin and shiz.

[Xyntech]

I would love if commanders had enough strategic depth that you could have people who were so busy leading that they never actually got into a firefight themselves.

Obviously that level of dedication shouldn't be mandatory and there should be plenty of options for squad leaders to both direct their squad mates while still contributing to the battle more directly, but I think the option to have a lot of command related tasks if you chose to be more hands off would be pretty awesome.

Dedicated commanders could become more of a support role. Obviously if nobody chose to follow their orders, they would be pretty useless and boring to play, so only effective leaders would gravitate towards that.

[DviddLeff]

That's exactly what I want; squad leaders should spend the majority of their time directing their troops towards their specific mission objectives and helping them to achieve it.

Platoon leaders should be spending their time coordinating their squad leaders to tackle bigger missions, such as capturing entire bases and areas.