Marine Combat Guide (General Tactics and Strategies) (In Progress)

[apophis775]

So, a whole BOATLOAD of people, complain the marines can never win, but that's not true. Currently, the ratio is 1:1 (28NOV2015), and with some adjusted tactics, it's possible to make the marines win EVEN MORE. I'll go over those tactics, and strategies, in this guide. Also, this is IN-PROGRESS, so expect it to be shifted and changed every so often.

FIRST AND FORMOST: This guide, is an actual guide, assuming your not some metagaming or powergaming fuck. It's ASSUMING that you are actually playing the game as intended, meaning your not pre-planning how to fight the aliens, or even under the assumption that the aliens are there.



1. Squad Deployments and You.

Squad Deployment is one of the MOST IMPORTANT things nearly every commander gets wrong. The absolute BIGGEST mistake i ever see commanders or squads make, is picking a squad for the FOB. Yes, the FOB is a GREAT WAY to have somewhere to retreat and fall back to, but at first landing, it's NEVER necessary. First priority, should be recovering SURVIVORS and getting them back to the Sulaco. Remember, this is a RESCUE mission, planning like that, will allow you to typically rescue more survivors, and if people shift to this tactic, will increase survivor survival by a LOT, because they won't be funneled into barricading engineering or the nexus since the marines IGNORE everything else. So, with all that in mind, these are some VERY effective deployment orders. You may recognize them some of them.

Initial Deployment:
2 Squad: Sweep and clear Nexus, secure it (but don't start building) quickly and report back to command. Send the shuttle back up the MOMENT it's empty.
1 Squad: Take Drop-pod down, secure engineering and activate the generators. Make sure the SMES is online and that your pumping juice to the lights. Send the drop-pod back up the MOMENT it's empty.
1 Squad: Stay in reserve on sulaco and wait for Drop-pod and Shuttle to return.

Adjusted deployment (once nexus is safe and power is back on)
2 Squad: Sweep the Colony for survivors. Best to have the engineering squad sweep east while one nexus squad sweeps west.
1 Squad: Clear the perimeter. This squad, will be your EARLY WARNING. They should do at least 2-3 laps around the entire facility (not crossing the river) and report any contacts/survivors.
1 Squad: The squad that was on the Sulaco should deploy where needed. If the engineering squad encountered problems, they should take the drop-pod and reinforce them. Otherwise, they should take the shuttle, and move into the Nexus to retrieve survivors. SURVIVORS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BRING BACK WEAPONS TO THE SULACO AND SHOULD BE SEARCHED. If a survivor is bringing an SMG and ammo back to the Sulaco, it's wasting materials you could be using on the planet. If possible, strip survivors down to just their jumpsuit and keep anything else useful. They shouldn't need it on the sulaco.

No-contact Deployment (Once the survivors are rescued, power is secured, and the colony sweep clean, but no enemies have been seen)
2 Squads: Perimeter Guard. Going opposite directions, they should patrol the perimeter
1 Squad: Scout Team. If there were survivors, you should have an idea that there's "something" around. This team, will search for that "something". They should break contact if engaged and report back.
1 Squad: Investigate/Gather. This squad, should be searching the facility and gathering and supplies or information (including recovering bodies).

At the moment of aggressive contact (or if survivors explain the situation) deployment should shift:
1 Squad: Hold the Nexus. Place hasty defenses (tables, maybe barricades, but not major constructions). Order some landmines. The goal shouldn't be to build an impenetrable castle, it should be to "funnel" any enemy to where you want them. Battlefield control is KEY. If you let the aliens take control of the battlefield, you WILL lose.
2 Squad: External Alert teams. These squads, will be on the outer perimeter. They server 2 purposes. First, to fall-back if they are attacked from the front, giving the FOB an early warning. Second, they can "pincer" back on any forces that get past them and attack the fob, killing escaping Xenos
1 Squad: Cleanup/Gathering. This squad should be gathering metal/materials from anywhere they can get access into. They should also be welding doors of anywhere they clear out to limit movement of the enemy.

Offensive Deployment:
1 Squad: Hold the Nexus. Place hasty defenses, but nothing that will inhibit quick movement of marines in and out of the fob.
2 Squad: Advance Team. These squads primary job will be to push on the aliens. Hopefully, there was a successful scouting or general "Idea" where the aliens are. The should focus on flanking into the hive from several positions.
1 Squad: Rescue/Support team. This squad, will move with the advance teams, but will hang back. If people start going down, it will move in to support and assist in recovery. Preventing aliens from getting marine bodies should be TOP PRIORITY.

Defensive Deployment:
1 Squad: Early Alert/Perimeter Guard. This squad, should be patrolling the area between the believed Hive location and the FOB as well as checking any holes that are found.
2 Squads: Hold the Nexus. This is where you start building multi-layer defenses to cover your escape.
1 Squad: Supply/Gathering. Move around Lazarus landing and get anything you can to assist in the defenses.





2. Key points to Not losing:
HOLD YOUR GROUND. If you lose the planet, you will probably lose the game. Once the planet is lost, the aliens are able to gather their forces and prepare. To minimize that chance. Your PRIMARY GOAL should be keeping a foothold. Get new marines down to the planet as QUICKLY as possible. Once they are down there, have them wait at the fob for their squad to return, or go in a group to their squad. A solo marine is a dead marine, and coincidently, probably an alien.

TRIAGE. This is the MOST IMPORTANT thing for a marine medic to learn. Don't just BLINDLY inject people with stuff. Scan them and inject what's needed. Tricord can be useful if there's different types of damage, but if it's just brute, Bicard can be MUCH more effective. Quick-clot ONLY for internal bleeding, use bandages for external. Also, don't make the mistake of grabbing a medical belt. Grab the COMBAT LIFESAVER belt. It contains everything you need to pretty much fully stabilize 2 marines.

SUPPLIES. Command needs to keep a CONSTANT STREAM of supplies heading to the FOB. Metal, Bullets, Medical Supplies, everything. If you have replacement supplies on-hand for your medics, they can get people stabilized much faster and they'll be able to get treated by your doctors much faster as well. Any squad that's at the Nexus should establish a "supply Depot" where supplies can get dumped.

SHUTTLE CONTROL. Send the shuttle up/down in groups. Never waste shuttle trips with single people. Send the shuttle down to the planet, loaded with supplies and fresh marines. Bring it up, with wounded and dead. If it doesn't need to move, keep it LOCKED DOWN on the Sulaco.

USE CARGO POINTS. You should NEVER have more than 100 points for Cargo. Keep a CONSTANT STREAM of supplies moving. Metal, Explosive Crates, Medical Supplies. Keep anything that gets used up constantly refreshed. Also, to "save" points, load it into lockers and have your Cargo Tech transport it to the planet, empty the locker by the marines Supply Depot and load it back into the shuttle. If your REALLY USEFUL, maybe a Cargo Tech deploys to the planet to track what equipment they have/need and relays it to the RO to keep it ordered.




More to come, including some layouts for optimum defense.

[Lostmixup]

Please make sure to note how girders are literally a godsend most of the time when used properly, fake walls as well, whenever you make the defense update to this.

[Derpislav]

Problem is, with the current community mindset, if you try to follow these as any command role, you will be called a shithead trying to help aliens win. Even if it makes way more sense than sitting in a single narrow corridor for the entire round, where you can't shoot past each other, but you're open to all types of charges or spit - which are only a smoke screen for half the hive acidin' in from the sides.

[ChickenShizNit8]

Apop, this is a great guide except for one thing....

A- Marines don't want to work for a win. They want to deploy, steamroll and kick ass, not "follow orders"

B- Marines don't want to follow the orders of some pencil pushin' sissy!

To be honest, this IS a good strategy, and if used it could pay off, buuuut no one ever will, and if they do, they will be ignored.

[Sargeantmuffinman]

It will always depend on the competence of the marines and their willingness to follow orders.

[hall]

great guide but this is for hevy rp not for a medium hevy

[Jack McIntyre]

Good planning by Apop, as the others have said it is hard when the marines have the mindset of never wanting to leave the F.O.B. This is either after a failed assault or just reaching planet. I have had times where I try to get a squad together to keep probing the xenos lines and to just go a hit and run tactic at different places before going back to resupply before going back out. I just feel like the people just need to listen more to people who know some combat tactics. Good guide though.

[Derpislav]

great guide but this is for hevy rp not for a medium hevy

Not with that attitude.

[MamuelMamington]

You have no idea how many times I have tried to encourage marines to FLANK aliens. That is probably the hardest thing for anyone to understand. Marines can usually pin aliens down but have a real hard time manning up and actually going in to eliminate them. Own life>Actually getting shit done for most marines

[Toroic]

You have no idea how many times I have tried to encourage marines to FLANK aliens. That is probably the hardest thing for anyone to understand. Marines can usually pin aliens down but have a real hard time manning up and actually going in to eliminate them. Own life>Actually getting shit done for most marines

I would love seeing a round of CM with only the best players on each team. Best in each role, and best commander.

Every xeno would be deadly, and coordinated, and every marine would follow orders.

I'm pretty sure marines would win every round, but by god it would be beautiful to watch.

Note: They would win every round because the ratio was 50/50 on the old map and marines on average are unrobust chucklefucks more often.

[Jack McIntyre]

XD toroic don't give the staff ideas

[Toroic]

XD toroic don't give the staff ideas

See, normal SS13 works because nothing is reliable round to round, and the traitor going after easy targets is no big deal.

In CM, good players have much more impact than bad players. One "Dragon" is worth a full squad of standard marines. One halifer is worth half a dozen xenos, and 2 dozen rambo runners.

Put SAS, Sisereth, You, and some other robust players on a squad and you have something truly fun to fight as a xeno. Put some good xenos on a squad and you have a challenge even for that sort of team.

Imagine the strategies and complex rollouts you could pull off if half the marines didn't have the motor skills and ability to follow orders of preschoolers!

Imagine how scary xeno team would be with 15 xenos who always stick together, so boilers can actually siege positions, crushers block bullets so carriers can snipe, etc etc.

Every game could be different, and you wouldn't have to worry about a bad queen or a bad CO ruining a 3 hour match via incompetence and dooming their team.

[Jack McIntyre]

Your tunnels already give me a headache enough mate when I know I hear on the comms that our lines are being breached because you keep getting bloody xenos to right near our lines that they can just do a quick attack . You guys have some fun guys on the xeno side, but yea I would agree. Something like that would be quite enjoyable to do.

[Toroic]

Your tunnels already give me a headache enough mate when I know I hear on the comms that our lines are being breached because you keep getting bloody xenos to right near our lines that they can just do a quick attack . You guys have some fun guys on the xeno side, but yea I would agree. Something like that would be quite enjoyable to do.

Maybe some day we can pick a day to get a bunch of good players all on at once? A sunday afternoon would accomodate the EU and NA players, and if we pick a time we could get a better ratio than normal.

Even if we got a crazy high-pop, having that many good players and a bunch of cannon fodder will still make for a fun time.

I love seeing some of the tactics and defensive options that marines throw up, and I'll never forget several perfect OBs.

[Egorkor]

You have no idea how many times I have tried to encourage marines to FLANK aliens. That is probably the hardest thing for anyone to understand. Marines can usually pin aliens down but have a real hard time manning up and actually going in to eliminate them. Own life>Actually getting shit done for most marines

god, yes, it's VERY hard. I feel your pain.

[Durper]

I've never witnessed a round that fallowed these guidelines, like ever, its always:

-make a fob
-wait for command or someone to coordinate an attack
-banzai charge the hive
-50/50 we win or we die horribly
-surviving marines retreat to FOB
-Command tells marines to go back to Sulaco
-Marines get back to Sulaco
-Queen uses console
-Command tells marines to set up uber defences in hanger
-Aliens arrive
-50/50 Aliens get beaten back or hanger gets overrun
-marines fall back to briefing
-somehow briefing has already defenses or engi's and MT's are working on it
-Queen makes Hive in hanger
-Aliens then attack either from medical ladders or at engineering ladders
-50/50 Marines kill all the aliens or Aliens kill all the marines
-GG all the salt to whoever won calling them OP

I really wan't a round that uses proper tactics, I want command to be more active.

[KittyLava]

I really wan't a round that uses proper tactics, I want command to be more active.

The tricky part is getting marines to follow those proper tactics, they won't always follow what command says, and yet it plays partly upon how much infomation they get back, providing you even have a full team of bridge officer and the CO/XO coordinating by over-watch if not one of the two deeming it required to head down and do field command there rallying marines around. At times you're lucky to get marines not fleeing away from advancing forces or things getting bad, friendly fire as they walk into other marine's firing lines, minus smart gunners whom might be best around back, one marine/specialist in heavy armor or at least holding the riot shield to have a firing line taking point, and others going with flanking options/coordinating. It's rare to even get them to coordinate flank at times if not listen to others about the tactical assessment where it feels like they're baiting you out. spread thin on top of leaving one flank open.

Not to mention when one marine gets hugged, others don't pull them back to get it off but often get in the way instead of assisting/covering whomever is on it. Tactics would really answer problems upon the station/prison when deployed but after that when marines are forced to fall back instead of holding for whatever reason based on infomation command gets being often limited, general tactics fall back into turning that dropship into a shooting box quickly prepared once said queen calls the shuttle down to them.

Then there may be other matters to worry about upon the ship itself ranging to some crazy marines, SM, RP related matters, etc that'll draw command's attention away perhaps. Another problem is your marines going possibly rumbo at times and ignoring command if not falling for bait tactics into being pulled out thin then captured; often chasing after them.

[Bath Salts Addict]

Here's a tip as field medic.

You see a guy get hugged? Get the hugger off and patch up his face. Hugger removal does 25 brute to the head. If that Marine goes untreated and gets hugged again where the hugger is removed a second time, HIS FACE WILL BREAK.

Any Carrier worth their salt (pun intended) won't hug to infect and take to the nest, but to rely on unobservant medics to fail to take preventative measures for bones to break so they can force Marines to retreat and pick off the stragglers.

[Hycinth]

Here's a tip as field medic.

You see a guy get hugged? Get the hugger off and patch up his face. Hugger removal does 25 brute to the head. If that Marine goes untreated and gets hugged again where the hugger is removed a second time, HIS FACE WILL BREAK.

Any Carrier worth their salt (pun intended) won't hug to infect and take to the nest, but to rely on unobservant medics to fail to take preventative measures for bones to break so they can force Marines to retreat and pick off the stragglers.

Broken faces are how I cause retreats.

[Grypho]

I tested this guide when I played as commander and can confirm that making a FOB in the beginning is not worth it. We achieved almost full victory within the first hour by just getting the marines look for survivors. Aliens kept escaping until they were killed off in the shuttle by a squad of 8 marines. Splitting all of the marines to two groups is a very effective way to obtain results.

[Boltersam]

I tested this guide when I played as commander and can confirm that making a FOB in the beginning is not worth it. We achieved almost full victory within the first hour by just getting the marines look for survivors. Aliens kept escaping until they were killed off in the shuttle by a squad of 8 marines. Splitting all of the marines to two groups is a very effective way to obtain results.

That is, if you have the skill to herd that group of buffallos *cough* trigger-happy teenagers *cough* MARINES! that's the word, then you sir, are a hero.

But it definitely depends on your ability to herd trigger-happy children dressed up as soldi- ehhhhh....Marines.

[NumerousPotatos]

What the hell? NO. People complain le ALIENS can't win.

[Feweh]

This is out of date and requires updating, its been unstickied.

[Mister Jeether]

This guide is really good for command,but thing is:

1: Most marines don't like to follow orders that they take ''different'' from the standard ol' strategy : build in nexus ONCE they land,if you try something that collides with that,the marines will just call you ''cuck'' and do whatever they want. Remember,you don't have ANYONE to enforce the following of orders in the ground,If you lead an army and this army doesn't take orders from you,who they will blame when they need to fall back to the Sulaco?

Exactly,You.