Commando Archive

Posted elsewhere, this is an attempt at direction toward Commando profession pre-requisites and purpose.

Commando is part of the GCW

The fact is, how were you trained as a Commando unless you were trained as part of the opposing forces of the Galactic Civil War. This is where I recommend that a pre-requisite to becoming a Commando be added. That the Commando must be factionally aligned at the time of becoming a Novice. This does not say that they cannot switch sides, or cannot become neutral later.

This does say that to become a Commando, you have to be trained as a Commando as a member of one of the existing military forces.

Commando is Heavy Weapons Support

It has been made plain by the DEV team that the Commando is not supposed to consistenly solo any given creature of any given level, but is to be the heavy weapons support element of an army in motion. (Whether Imperial or Rebel).

This may change, but it helps to define what the Commando IS.

Commando Missions

Given the above, it can be reasonably expected that Commando missions will be an addition to the game.

I forsee them taking the following path:

Commando missions will be designed with the Commando player as support of an NPC force with a purpose. That purpose is defined by which side of the GCW the player has chosen.

As a Rebel Commando, it would be likely that any given mission will entail you being tasked to the destruction of an Imperial Facility of some sort, in support of NPC elements, with you as the defining factor of the mission. If you fail to accomplish your mission, the NPC team will also fail.

As an Imperial Commando, it would be likely that any given mission will entail you being tasked to the defense of an Imperial Facility, in support of those NPC elements defending that facility.

As a mission is generated in the Commando Mission System, then, an opposing mission for the opposite faction is also generated. It is conceivable that opposing Commando players involved in the GCW will meet each other in factional combat during one of these missions.

There will be a time limit on each mission to mission start. If a Commando player and an Imperial player both are assigned to the same mission, then, and one has logged off or hasn't met up with their team after a certain given amount of time, the mission will begin without that player and proceded normally.

The waypoint to the mission, then,is the waypoint to the locationof the team you are to support. As a Rebel, upon arrival the waypoint switches to the objective. As an Imperial, the waypoint remains. (assuming that you are tasked with defense of an installation as an Imperial, this may not be the case, but is more likely to occur as an Imperial than a Rebel.

Completion of the Mission Objective Defined

As an attacker, completion of the objective is determined by elimination of the opposing player, if one is available, and/or the destruction of the objective.

As a defender, completion of the mission is entirely determined by the death of the opposing player, if available, OR the destruction of the team attacking if no other player involved.

New Abilities to the Task

To address the needs of realism concerning assault on an installation, then, new abilities need to be discussed.

The attacking player is hard to spot on radar. An extremely limited range to that radar attempting to detect the attacking player should be instituted. This also applies to the attacking team, and represents superior cover ability while on the move, one of the defined advantages of Commando training.

The attacker also should have new abilities. To enhance the cover aspects of the player attacking, he or she also has the ability to 'sneak' undetected into a facility, and place explosives at the objective. A countdown timer is then applied in which the attacker can escape the destructive powerof the explosives (this code is already in place in some missions in game). This should not be your standard explosion, but a tremndous display of pyrotechniques shown graphically as the objective is destroyed.

The defender has the ability to place minefields and other traps around the facility in the limited time they have to set up those defensives. Once they reach the objective, avenues of approach can be mined, as an example, perhaps helping to discover the direction the attacking team is taking to the objective.

Mission Payout Structure

The Commando should be compensated for completed missions more with faction points and perks than with money. This represents the opposite viewpoint of the Smuggler, and addresses the needs of Commandos in acquiring new and better equipment from their factions. These missions should pay considerably more in faction points than normal factional related missions.

This equipment needs to be enhanced, and Commando Only perks set aside for their use as a result of purchasing said equipment and perks from the factional recruiter.

New Objectives Defined

The Commando will have new objectives designed for their missions. A couple examples of these would be Tie Hangars, and Supply Depots. These objectives will be significantly larger than normal factional bases, and their destruction will give much larger results in the arena of graphics and pyrotechniques.

Their defenses will be designed around the capabilities of the Commando Player, rather than the abilities of other combat professions.

They will be unavailable to attack, and all factional NPC personnel involved will appear white on radar, and unattackable, to those not involved in the mission.

The objective itself must be careful addressed, as its destruction defines mission completion. Clear and separate means of approach and concealment need to be included in the design of these facilities and their associated objectives.

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I hope all this helps out. Just an idea of mine as to the end-game, and what certain professions should be able to expect from pursuit of them.