Development Cycle Archive
Thread: IC 1-5: Combat Roles; Commando
What defines theCommando role in combat?
The commando is the one who is hard to dectect and slips past the main force to take down the hard targets.(Turrents and At-Sts).
What basic combat elements should they possess?
To be able to perform multiple roles in combat. Infantry suport, stealth and hvy weapon support.
What offensive abilities?
To hold ones own in one on one combat, deal the big dmg against hard targets and to stealth past enemy lines.
What defensive abilities?
To have a blanaced mix of range and melee defence. Also to have small bonuses with counter and block.
What unique abilities?
Stealth: Something that would shield them from the personal radar would be a good way to do this or make them dissapear from view but stay on radar.
High Damage: Variety of weapons with AP of various levels. Cone attacks which can do alot of dmg over an area.
Swiss Knife of combat: To have different weapons that can help in different situations. Melee weapon, infantry weapon and "tank killers"
Should add what advantage or asset in group combat?
Ability to scout ahead and protect other scouting types. To be able todeal damageto large number of npcs. To act as a multipurpose player ie get into melee to hold agro, move to a fast firing weapon to deal with single targets or to lay down aoe attacks to assist in taking down multiple npcs quickly.
How could/should they interact with other professions?
To be able to give protection to the other professions, pretty much through weaponry. We would need smiths for various weapons and armours which would be our main avenue then buffs and healing from the medics and lastly BF and mind bonuses from entertainers.
What interaction / dependencies should exist with other combatants?
Be dependant on Medics for buffs and healing. To be the guyeveryone wants to be on their side when they go into a base, dungeon as close spaces should not disavantage the commando.
What should be their unique role in the Galactic Civil War?
To be the one you call to help take down the big targets like turrents, bases and At-Sts.
The commando is a front-line damage dealer class. Not a "tank" class per'se but more of hybrid tank who can tow the line in a pinch but who's primary job is to do big, devastating damage quickly and efficiently. Leave it to the brawlers to be the actual "tanks".
What basic combat elements should they possess?
Commandos, much as they are now, need to have and keep dominion over extreme damage, heavy weapons. They also, however, need a better variety of weapons as well as a few added hand-to-hand tactics. (See below)
What offensive abilities?
The first thing that commandos need is weapons that work as intended...and if they are working as intended...umm...change them. The HAR is a joke and mines are currently laughable. Where's the Star Wars equivalent of the modern M-60 machine gun, the SAW or the automatic grenade launchers? Weapons that actually fired with cone type AOE would be appropriate to a commando.
The commando profession needs more specials added to their weapons. They are the only people in the game that use them, excluding Bounty Hunters that use the LLC, and as such are masters of their craft. The weapons of the "heavy weapon" catagory should also all carry armor piercing properties of AP1-3. After all, isn't it worse to be hit with a rocket than a bullet?
As far as hand to hand tactics that need to be added, a commando should be able to have moves available such as "Leg Sweep", "Head Butt" and "Butt Stroke". These moves could cause the effects of stun, dizzy or blind, and knockdown. These are all moves that are taught to basic soldiers, let alone elite paramilitiary units.
Finally, a bayonet feature on weapons would be nice for realism, and would give the commando access to a possible bleed attack should they get someone down and decide to start stabbing them.
What defensive abilities?
I would like to see a sort of flame wall ability added to flamethrowers that could be used in retreat situations. Light an area on fire and anyone who attempts to get through, regardless of side, gets ignited with the flame DOT.
I would also like to see the commando given anti-personel mines that can only be detected by other commandos. If an enemy unit crosses the mine, or the area of the mine if they work by proximity, the mine(s) goes off and have them cause at least respectable damage. It's an explosion for goodness sake, blast damage anyone? Mines dismember people. Currently people in the game set them off for fun. That's messed up.
What unique abilities?
In addition to what is mentioned above in the offense and defense catagories, I would like to see satchel charges for taking down turrets and possibly, eventually, for use on space vehicles. Satchel charges should be detectable by other commandos and disarmed. These weapons should have the option of remote detonation and timed detonation. Also, if flying vehicles will be allowed to enter the GCW and engage ground combatants (as the should) the commando should be there to equalize things. The rocket launcher of the commando should be able to bring an enemy craft down.
Should add what advantage or asset in group combat?
In group combat the commando is the guy that should be dealing the big damage to bring mobs/players down fast. The abilities I mentioned eariler would flesh out their role in different stages of combat.
How could/should they interact with other professions?
A commando should interact basically as they do now with the possible exception of commando's and Squad Leaders together. A SL combined with a Commando should be able to do more damage, set up high powered field artillery (like some kind of Ion Cannon maybe) and make defensive perimeters.
What interaction / dependencies should exist with other combatants?
Nothing further to add here.
What should be their unique role in the Galactic Civil War?
Their role in the GCW should mainly revolve around bringing down base defenses and the base itself as well as being able to skirmish with defenders. The commando seems to be the offensive expert where the Squad Leader would be more the defensive. The commando role in the GCW is already pretty well defined, it's simply get in there and do damage.
Side note: All these profession issues are pretty simple really. If you take a pure combat profession and give them skills that players will recognize on the battlefield and instantly want to kill that player because of those skills, you've done a good job. This should be especially true of classes like Commando, Squad Leader, Bounty Hunter and of course Jedi. The first three professions I mentioned have invested a ton of points into becoming what they are. That needs to be worth something. The Jedi should be respected and feared for it's own reasons.