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recurvedshedua has Insurgency: Sandstorm

Feb 10, 2019 @ 6:25pm

coop commander advice (over 675 support calls)

I'd like to share some quick coop commander advice. What gives me the right? 300 hours of game time (99 ranks in beta and 77 ranks post launch) and more than 675 commander support calls.

When to be a commander? It takes a long time to be a good commander. Probably a good 20-40 hours. This is because it takes a long time to learn the maps, where enemies come from, ai behavior, etc. It is worth noting that during defense waves, viewing the map shows red shields. (well at least my enemy color is set to red) These shields are spawn points for the enemy so if map knowledge is not good, send support calls near the red shields and chokepoints between them and the team.

Learn the support calls. It would be a great idea to learn what each support call does before selecting commander in a public match. Try the single player mode as commander and run around calling supports. The AI observer is really good about hanging nearby, and comes running when you need it.

Don't call in support on top of your team, the defending objective, etc. (except for MINIGUN or maybe SMOKE MORTARS which are super situational) The biggest problem I run into is newbie commanders calling GUNSHIPS on the team's location. GUNSHIPS come in with a heavy rocket strike fired from the approaching helicopter. MINIGUN helicopter can be called right on top of the team with no issue, MINIGUN is a support call. (not a airstrike plus support call like GUNSHIP) MINIGUN is good for getting heat off from the team.

Please please please stop calling EXPOSIVE MORTARS on top of the defending objective. The veterans on the team may be defending outside the objective. It is not necessary to be inside the objective to win, it is only necessary to keep the enemy out of it. And the unhappy veteran that was probably carrying the team just ate a mortar from his own commander while he was single handedly keeping waves of enemey reinforcements out of the objective.

Use smoke. Need smoke. Use smoke. (over the radio comms) Why doesn't my commander use smoke? I've almost never called smoke. Right now in the game smoke does more harm than good. This is especially true because most of your team (when security team) does not have a gas mask equipped. When they are running around coughing from the smoke they are real easy targets for the AI. AI is too good when there is smoke around, and there is no point in messing up your entire teams visibility on the battlefield.

Why doesn't my commander call for support? I've seen good observers switch roles because I didn't make a support call. It is not necessary to always make support calls. A good team of veterans that are covering eachother and moving fast do not need to be hampered by a bad support call. Most of the air support calls take awhile to call in, and forcing a call just to make one is only going to hamper the team. Air support is there if we need it and sometimes the team works so good together it is not necessary. And in some cases if the commander knows the team is struggling they may be saving calls for the final defense wave, for example the helicopters. Also, maybe the commander and observer are having a hard time getting together on the battlefield, or in some cases maybe the team is spread out too much on the map and the commander didn't want to teamkill anyone by accident.

Observaaaaaaaar! I need youuuuuuuuu! Observers do not need to run up the butt of the commander. This is a good way to get the commander killed. Door humping, hall blocking, body blocking, etc. A good commander does not need the observer up his/her butt. Also, a good commander is not going to always be on the objective. And a good observer will be willing to follow him (especially a high ranking commander that knows what he is doing) off in some other direction to make a call. I have learned that in order to get some good sight lines and amazing air strikes it is necessary to find those rooftops that the developers left for us and hope the observer is following. (spoiler alert the best calls cannot be made from the objective) Being a good commander and observer isn't about being on the top of the scoreboard or getting the most kills, it's about controlling the flow of the enemy and funneling them toward your teammates. (or even redirecting them away to buy what's left of your defending squad some time to reload and regroup)

Why is my commander always dead? (same goes for the observer) We have learned that the AI prefers to target the commander and observer classes above all others. This means that the AI has a threat meter and it's basically pegged for these two classes. If you have a commander and observer it wouldn't hurt to help them out on the battlefield, chances are when you've scoped a bad guy he isn't paying attention to you. (he's shooting at the commander) While we need definite clarification from the developer we have play tested enough to see that these classes are priority targets for the AI and the hardest classes to try and stay alive with on the battlefield.

Hopefully some of this advice is helpful. We've had (me and the observers) some amazing runs getting 25-35 air support kills. Always thank your observer. Being a good observer is almost as difficult as being a good commander and it is all done without credit, most of the time.

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Showing 1-10 of 10 comments

p0tat0b

Feb 10, 2019 @ 6:30pm

Great guide, lots of info! You should copy and paste this into a steam guide, it will last longer there and gain more support!

Karnosaur

Feb 10, 2019 @ 6:56pm

I'm always observer :)

woodsmanac has Insurgency: Sandstorm

Feb 10, 2019 @ 6:58pm

Takes one to know one.
Good stuff.

Fran

Feb 10, 2019 @ 8:09pm

This is some GOOD info. I'd like to see some cleaner formatting and some screenshots. I'm not a new player, but I'm struggling as Commander because I just don't know where to place the call-in marker most of the time. I've learned from some Demos and teammate perspectives when Commanders have really powerful positions and make call-ins just in front of enemy spawn. But when a Commander doesn't have the time to do all of that and still succeeds? it boggles me.

p0tat0b

Feb 10, 2019 @ 8:15pm

Originally posted by Fritz the Dog:
This is some GOOD info. I'd like to see some cleaner formatting and some screenshots. I'm not a new player, but I'm struggling as Commander because I just don't know where to place the call-in marker most of the time. I've learned from some Demos and teammate perspectives when Commanders have really powerful positions and make call-ins just in front of enemy spawn. But when a Commander doesn't have the time to do all of that and still succeeds? it boggles me.

He should just make it into a guide