Marine Quickstart Guide

So you've just joined for the first time as a Marine? No idea what your doing? This Starter Guide to Space Station 13 is pretty good as an introduction to the interface! Otherwise, let this guide get you up to scratch!

As a foreword, rounds on this server usually last between two to three hours! Make sure you have the time commitment to sit a full round.

The Rules

While it's not fair to shove the rules down your throat, Aliens: CM is a roleplay focused server and as such has an extensive list of Rules. It's highly recommended you spend some time reading the rules to ensure you don't accidently break any. Thank you.

Character Setup

For the most part this part is simple, you'll create your character on the setup character page.

Do take note of the 'occupation' roles. For now you'll just want to set 'Marine' to your highest role. All other roles require a more robust knowledge of the game.

Your First Game

For your first run, try and join a round before it starts. It's no big deal to join in the middle, but starting a round will ensure you aren't born into a difficult or deadly situation. First, we'll discuss some basics.

Who Orders Who

As a Standard Marine you're on the bottom rung of the chain of command. You take your orders directly from your Squad Leader, who takes his or her orders from the Commander and the command staff respectively. At round start you are assigned to one of four Marine squads. Alpha (Red), Bravo (Orange), Charlie (Pink) or Delta (Blue). As such you only take orders from your teams Squad Leader, at least outside of extraordinary circumstances.

Should your Squad Leader die or otherwise be incapacitated you'll be taking your orders from either your teams Specialist (who is technically the second highest ranked soldier in a squad) or whomever the Squad Leader or Commander names to take over.

You are to obey any orders given to you by your Squad Leader at all times. The only exception is if your given orders violate Marine law or the rules. However instances of illegal orders being given are very rare.
NOTE: There is a BIG difference between an order that violates MARINE LAW versus one that violates the RULES. Orders that break Marine Law are considered an In Character issue and are thus something you may resolve in game so long as the situation is role played, orders that break the server rules are a Out Of Character affair. Should you be given orders that would violate the rules then you should contact the admins.

Your Display Screen

The Tabs

Let us introduce to you what you are seeing, starting from the tabs located in the upper right corner:

Text: Shows game log all the way up.
Info: Opens the info-section with in-game tabs.
Wiki: Opens the game wiki in your internet browser.
Forum: Opens the game discussion forum in your internet browser.
Rules: Opens the rules.
Changelog: Opens the changelog.

The In-Game Tabs

Status: Lists various points of interest such as orders from the Queen and your current status.
Admin: The first option in this tab, 'Adminhelp', is something that should always be remembered, adminhelp sends a direct message for questions pertaining gameplay. 'Adminwho', gives a list of in-game admins.
IC: Gives a list of In-Character actions that can be done at the moment.
OOC: Gives a list of Out-Of-Character actions, which are anything outside of the current game.
Preferences: Gives a list of toggleable out-of-character settings.

The HUD

There should be two indicators on the right hand side of your screen. The green man shows your health. It fades to orange, then red, as you take more damage. The letters CRIT mean you are currently dying. You can be saved if someone administers medical treatment in time. It will say DEAD if you are dead. (Marines can sometimes be revived or cloned if they're DEAD, so consider sticking around in the body.) The gas mask and oxygen tank show whether you have this kind of equipment running.

The Buttons

The bottom of the screen has two buttons for your hands. There's a button that changes your movement speed from fast to slow. There's a button that changes your intent. There are four intents: Help, Disarm, Grab, Harm. These are very important for interacting. If you charge a Xenomorph with your Help intent active, you're gonna have a bad time. Another indicator shows your body target. This is the part of the body you'll attempt to interact with when you click on another player, Marine or Alien. There's a [Resist] button to free yourself if you've been restrained, a button for dropping things from your hands, and another button for throwing them. All the other stuff shows your equipment.

How to Communicate

Communication is very important! Use the box at the bottom of the screen. There are several methods, but just know three for now:
(1) Use your headset to talk to everyone in your squad. Alpha is :q, Bravo is :b, Charlie is :c, Delta is :d. Examples:

Say ":q Marine reporting to Alpha squad."
Say ":q There are multiple aliens in Medbay."
Say ":q We are under attack from the south!"

(2) Talk to any Marine around you on the map. Examples:

Say "Please grab that gun."
Say "Follow me."
Say "What should I do?"

(3) Talk out of character (OOC) or local out of character (LOOC) to ask questions about the game and how to do things. You can toggle OOC chat in the menus if it's distracting. Examples:

OOC "How do I eat this MRE? How do I do X?"
OOC "Why is there so much lag?"
LOOC "Did you see the touchdown in the Seahawks game?"

Waking Up

At the start of a shift you'll wake up in the ships cyro sleep quarters alongside all the other Marines, you'll be in your marine issued pajamas. The first thing you'll want to do is to hop over to the Canteen to the south and chow down, as cyro sleep will have left you very hungry. Stand next to the vending machines and click them until you find something delicious. Or at least edible. Click the food and drink items that are vended until you're holding it in your active hand. To eat or drink the item in your active hand, click the icon representing your marine in the middle of the display with the Help intent active. Find a garbage can if necessary and try not to litter.

After you've eaten, you'll want to head south to your assigned squad's equipment room so you can suit up.

Marine Equipment

The key to success is ensuring you're well equipped, these next steps will show you one of the more optimal ways to equip and prepare yourself for combat.

Since you've just joined, go down to an equipment locker and get your marine uniform, combat boots, combat gloves, M3 armor, helmet, marine belt and a radio headset.
Go north to any free equipment dispenser.
Get a M41A Pulse Rifle and put it in your armors exosuit-slot.
Get a M4A3 Pistol and place it inside your armor.
Get a M11 Combat Bayonet and slot it inside your combat boots.
Take as many magazines for your primary long arm as you can fit into your belt and backpack. Exception below
Try to hold around two to four flares.

Alternatively you can exchange your M41A for a Combat Shotgun or an SMG. You can even decide to not take your backpack and instead use it to hold a second weapon, such as an M41A and a Shotgun. However that can be risky as losing out on your backpack means less ammo and items you can hold.

Attachments

After gearing up you should now head down to the requisitions office (east of the mess hall) and get in line to receive your attachments. Attachments are items you can attach to your weapons to either enhance their capability or to add new unique functions to them.

Because you are a Standard Marine you can only be issued up to two attachments normally. The attachments page can give you a guide on what attachments you should consider getting. The Standard Marine page also has a small guide on useful attachment loadouts.

Briefing Room

Once you've finished getting geared up your last task is to head to the briefing room, due west of the mess hall, and find a seat in your squads seating area. Soon the Commander will detail the situation and his overall game plan, as well as issuing your squad their initial orders for the mission.

Listen to what your Commander has to say, listen to your Squad Leader and overall watch your fellow Marines backs. Stay with the team and you'll do fine.
Hopefully.

Additional Reading

The following are some good guides and examinations that go further into explaining the details of the game and some other Marine roles.

Standard Marine Wiki Page: Provides some quick tips.
Marine Equipment Wiki Page: Allows you to see all weapons and attachments the game has to offer.
Specialist Guide by Steelpoint: A guide on the Specialist role, provides a overview of the role's weapons, loadout and expectations.
Comprehensive Combat Medic Guide by Jess: Provides a very in depth examination of the Combat Medic and a optimal load out and examination of the Medics tools and items, as well as procedures to triage casualties.
How Not To Suck At Combat Engineer by Surrealistik: A questionable but nevertheless ok guide to being a Combat Engineer.