Commando Archive
Thread: Field tactics. Just aint right...
I know you all probably had this debate 1000 times but I'm new to the forums and would like to get my two cents in. I have some issues with the commando profession (don't we all?) but its not with the weapons, its about the Field Tactics skill tier. This tier has some major issues with it. It should be made to reflect a commandos training and abililites of a real life commando. "But this isn't real life" one might argue. Yes I'm aware we are playing in a wondorous scifi atmosphere, but the proffessions in the game are based on ones in real life. Doctors heal, entertainers entertain, and brawlers brawl in both worlds. So why isnt the commando the same as in real life? Which brings us to our next question, how are commandos in real life?
Commandos are special op's agents who support their side (faction) by sneaking (or fighting) their way behind enemy lines to scout enemy positions, painting targets, sabotaging, attacking targets of opportunity and conducting lightning raids on enemy targets (the entire time doing these things with little support, usually only from other commandos). To perform these insanely dangerous missions commandos need the best training and combat education available, something that an ordinary grunt does not possess. They need to think fast, be self-reliant, and exploit every possible advantage to overcome unbelievable odds.
At first glance you would assume these types of skills would be present in some form in the Field Tactics skill tier, but when you take a closer look there is very little that would show a commandos mastery and understanding of combat. Despite a +5 to melee/ranged/knockdown defense, all there is are grenade certifications. This is where my beef starts. First of all most grenades should be usable by most people, not limited to commando. Grenades aren't that complex, you push a button (leia demonstrated this in episode 6) to arm, then you throw the **edit** thing. Plain and simple. Next what does grenade accuracy and speed have to do with Field tactics? Understanding of Field tactics wouldn't be anymore beneficial to grenades then any other weapon. Why no bonuses to pistol accuracy and speed? Why not carbines? What the Dev's should do is put grenade certifications with the bonuses in Ranged Weapon Support (marksmen tier). The tier is next to useless anyways, although I'll admit that Threaten Shot saved my behind a couple times. Grenades would be perfect there, as they are support weapons (noone would use grenades as a primary weapon, as that would mean certain death) not to mention they are in fact ranged weapons. It would make alot of people happy as well, since grenades are a valuable weapon in the right circumstances. Although they could keep a few of the more powerful ones for commandos, maybe imperial detonators, to satisfy the hard hitting persona of a commando.
So what would happen to the Field Tactics skill tree? The answer is the skills that would make a commando a commando (apart from heavy weapons usage), his survivabiltity and combat training. I'm not talking about making an unstoppable fighting machine like you would see in the movies, just something that would allow him to perform his unique roll. Commandos need to beable to stand against (not necessarily defeat) multiple opponents, so how about giving him a + 5 to ranged defense per skill level. Why not? A self defense practioner (TKA) that we see so often seems to get alot of that for some reason. How about a + 5 to melee defense for Field Tactics 2 and 4 to represent his valuable self defense training. Green Berets get some of the best unarmed training that exists, and theyre defintitly similar if not actually considered commandos. How about some terrain negoiation bonuses to represent his fleet of foot when running through the wilderness conducting sabotage and raiding missions. Not much though, if wouldn't be fair to the scouts and rangers out there. Maybe a bonus to their burst run to show for their intense physical training they would have to go through.
There are alot more things that could be put into Field Tactics. Some ideas would be being able to make a device that "paints" target installations (like a glow trap, just for buildings. Something like a laser range finder) so the commandos group can hit it easier or do more damage to it. Or how about a survey device that surveys for enemies in the area. The Higher your skill level the further you can scan and the more information you get about the enemy.
I really think the commando should get more combat bonuses. Otherwise they don't deserve the name Commando. It should be demolitions expert or weapons specialist, which the commando is more. Putting the grenades in the marksmen profession would balance out the skill bonuses given to the commandos to make them more like how they should be. I also think the dev's had the right idea of making slow waiting times inbetween ability uses with most of the heavy weapons, as the commando is meant to hit hard fast, not stand there and dish it out slowly over time (lol and please flames on me will not be welcomed for that statement, its just what i think). Please excuse the length of this thread. I would appreciate some thoughts on what I've said and about the topic.
Yes my friend i think we've got a winner!!!
Nice thoughts and your statement is the exact reason i havent been training anything but theheavy support weapons tier. For one the grenades are weak, slow, and what does that tier give ya, well grenades.
As for the HAR and the Flame Thrower weak, slow, inaccurate,and basically melee weapons. Oh lets not forget you get specials with the HAR and the Flame Thrower (hardhitting???, andslow=dead). Well thats greatbut why not give us a piano string with special move decapitate at that range.
Well thats about it from me ive posted enough today (Commando heavy weapons or melee?). After a day of playing i still wonder why im fooling with this weak class.
Obevacca (radiant)
They should think twice about dropping those defense bonuses. If they change that then they can go ahead and change the profession name too, because it wont be a commando anymore.
Honestly, Commandos in SWG arnt really much like commandos should be, they are just Heavy Weapons Specialist. Which is why I made a post detailing what I think a Commandos skill trees should look light, but youbring up a point, the lack of good defense mods(and they are threatening to take them away anyways), that I seemed to have overlooked as well. I included the ones that were already there except Knockdown which I forgot for some reason, but they could use more then that. But, I would like to get more comments on my suggestions, as radical as they may seem I think it would make for a better commando.
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/board/message?board.id=commando&message.id=8809
We don't need a KD cause if we get one we will eventually end up getting nerfed.... trust me.... it would eventually happen....
Anyways... they should just rename us Heavy Weapons Experts.... thats what we are... might as well be name that.... or come up with a better name other than Commando....
Ino - Commando - 
Some of your suggestiosn are good eelektrik, but I dont think the commando should get bonuses to rifles and pistols. Bounty hunters are the multiple small arms specialists of the game, and commandos getting bonuses to those weapons would infringe on the bounty hunters uniquness. Besides they shouldn't have to use those weapons since the heavy weapons they possess are better (or should be if they ever get properly working).
Yrthegoodnamestaken, I agree with you to an extent, I think Pistol and Carbine would be a better combination for a Commando, but as you said, that would too similar to Bounty Hunter, Pistol and Rifle is a good combination though too and slightly different. Still, the two profession would be different enough, for one, if you look at the skill mods I listed on my thread, they arnt quite as high as bounty hunters get. And Bounty Hunters get their missions and special droids. Commandos get a wide variety of heavy weapons and grenades, so the two would be different enough to not encroach on each other too much. Besides, Bounty Hunters will most likly eventually get player bounties at some point, and there are some people that would pick BH over commando just for that, just like there are some people that would go with Commando for its unique weapons like Flamethrowers.Still, Commando should at least get pistol bonuses and specials, and UA bonuses and specials, being that they already have the Launcher Pistol, and the currently useless UA requirement.
Your right about us not needing small arms.As for are weapons being better, come on who are you fooling.
obevacca (radiant)
Dude get off the small weapons kick if thats what you want to specialize in the cusomtize your own character. As for us disappointed commandos that would like to pack some real Heat,we'dlike to just get the ones we have working right.
Obevacca (radiant)
If commando's are to get any bonuses to any "normal" weapons tree, it should be rifle and/or carbine, as they are considered medium weapons... Pistols are light weapons, and thats not what the Commando is about. As for better training, I agree. UA is a completely irrelevant pre-req. If anything the Scout's "Terrain Negotiation" would be a much better choice instead, and give a slight extra bonus (not as good as Ranger's) to it. Also, we should be able to fight against multiple targets at one. While maybe not taking all of them out, but it will allow us to survive to take out the one we want, and possibly escape if need be.
As for the special abilities delay, I disagree. The problem is our weapons don't hit hard, and with the 12 second delay, we hit for even less. What must be done is up our weapon's attack about 100-150 damage, and reduce the special abilities delay to6 seconds. The way it is now, I fire Flame Single 1, and if I miss, I'm dead. Not to mention, if I do hit anyway, the dot isn't any stronger than the regular attacks, and I'm still dead or close to it, from one newbie mob at that!
When we reach Master Commando, we should be extremely tough to kill. Bounty Hunters are tougher attack wise, and can hit to upwards of 1500 damage or so. Commando's should be tough againts attacks. At master, we should only have at most a 20% chance to be knocked down, skillfully trained to use the terrain to defend against enemy attacks, run faster on the roughest terrain that a Scout with TN 4, stealthly sneak past enemy defenses (but we have our hulk weapons in case we are detected), at have a boost to armor defense and decrease in encumberancwhen we equip them (or have a full set of armor that has a decent defense bonus and low encumberance, that only Commando's are certified in).
Maybe some of those ideas aren't possible due to balancing issues, but the fact remains that we should be tough to kill, since Q-3PO clearly stated that our weapons aren't supposed to be strong.
"As for the special abilities delay, I disagree. The problem is our weapons don't hit hard, and with the 12 second delay, we hit for even less. What must be done is up our weapon's attack about 100-150 damage, and reduce the special abilities delay to6 seconds. The way it is now, I fire Flame Single 1, and if I miss, I'm dead. Not to mention, if I do hit anyway, the dot isn't any stronger than the regular attacks, and I'm still dead or close to it, from one newbie mob at that!"
PREACH IT TO THE CHOIR!!!!