Remember that CO post I made a while ago? Well I’m gonna hold off on applying for CO for a while. Because I’ve found a new role that is really fun to me, and that’s comtech!
Comtech is a pretty complex role, there’s lots of tools to carry and things to learn (APC fixing, generator fixing, breaking walls, making good cades, etc.)
So my question is, any tips on how to make good cades and be a good comtech in general?
Found my new fav marine role to play right now though. This is basically a comtech discussion fourm.
Oh and one thing. What use do plasteel cades (not plasteel foldables) have?
Well there are much better lads to give tips on how to make good cades. The one tip i can give you is that as long as you are not putting critical issues in your line, your many time better off to get things done a bit speedier. so what i am saying is good enough is fine most the time. except for Fob that is, but that’s due to the fact a issue in the fob will tend to snowball due to how big fobs can get. Also the fact, there really is not a need to rush things.
Anyhow the other tip i can give you about making good cades line is to visualize the firing lines your going to get, if are seeing the firing lines are leading into the cade line then there is likely a issue with the placement.
EDIT: just to clear up why a level of speed is good is the fact the efficacy of a line is lowered massively if there is even one hole in it. after all if the xenos can just pour pass your line though the gap it kinds defeats the point of building it in the first place.
When you have a choke point into a large open area, try not to put cades on the inside of the choke, but instead protrude them outside in a square. If Marines have to hold cades, structure like this allows them to bundle up many more marines with their firing lines to cover a shitload of effective ground.
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Easy exceptions are when you expect the Cade to be unmanned (backside of the force) since an unmanned Cade is basically just a lurker/runner deterrent and determined of those will just break it, and also when it’s a long hallway and you cannot safely build on the other side of it
Plasteel cades are stronger having x2 HP than metal cades. Also portable generators, even when they generate power for the whole map they are still worth setting up and could prevent comms outage
-Trappers are the fastest cade destroyers, killing all cades in a 3 by 3 block. Space out the cadelines so no 2 cadelines are able to be hit by a boiler.
-Make concave cadelines for choke points to try and maximize the amount of marines that can shoot the xenos.
-Plasteel is rare-ish. They are put on folding cades because the folding parts cannot be upgraded, and thus are the most vulnerable. If you somehow have extra, sure make some normal cades into plasteel.
-Upgrades are usually held back until you know you are getting spitter/boiler harassed, or just xenos poking in melee. If you have extra you can try to take a guess though.
-when cades are under heavy attack, you can burn mats with the nailgun to quickly repair cadelines. The other option is to make a cade behind areas being attacked, unanchor it, move it into holes that the xenos make in the cadelines, then anchor them back.
Corner folding cade meta has been cancer to how older comtechs were taught how to build.
The biggest thing to consider is to build with flowpaths in mind. To make sure marines can go from one cadeline to the next cadeline in a straight line without shuffling or bumping each other.
Another thing I’ve done that has saved FOBs was build a cade line behind a falling cade line. If you know xenos are hardpushing a cadeline or trying to, build cades behind the marine’s current line for them to fall back to, you can patch the gaps later.
Also another key thing most comtechs should know, NEVER build on the corner of a wall tile, if you do that a xeno can hit the cade while in cover of a wall, make sure you are always 1 tile back from corners as you can help it. Sometimes you don’t have an option but make sure you do this as much as you can
Know apc repair off by heart. Do not be the tech that needs your gunny to step in and handle the apc. Know the difference between destroyed and damaged and their repair.
One requires effectively disassembling it, and rebuilding it. The other just needs wire cutters and a screwdriver.
Know how to insert a battery, (crowbar battery crowbar) and open the cover to actually turn the things power distribution on.
If power is limited turn off everything except equipment to make it last. If its not, turn it all on. Lights good. If you want, genuinely light repair is often worth it for sight in areas being guarded. E.g comms.
Cade theory wise im no expert but: do not place cades flush, it makes awkward spots where xenos can hit them but not get shot.
Build a little inverted box if possible. Maximises the amount of people that can shoot.
Do not put them so close together that a single boiler, king stomp, or trapper can wipe them.
Folding cades at the end. If a tank is about remember it needs a three wide gap to pass. Can either be three metal folding all manually lowered or one big linked plasteel folding. You can merge plasteel folding with a crowbar.
You tend to use plasteel to either really reinforce an area, like fob, sensors, comms or a vital choke, or far more commonly to make plasteel folding cades, because metal folding cades are significantly more vulnerable than metal cades.
Also remember. You are effectively the synths medic. They can likely self heal but if badly damaged, help is appreciated, and if disabled, it takes someone engineering trained to use their key and reboot them after repairing them.
Expect your Cades to be destroyed. Yes I know you put time and effort into them, but especially on frontlines? Most cades will be destroyed, it’s just part of the game.
Always keep spare flares so you can keep your fire base/fortifications seen by friendly forces
In terms of defense, I think the sniper sentry is your best bet. It can cover pushes and your barricades, and doesn’t have lingering fire.
As said above, memorize APC repair. No one wants to wait on comms while you pull up the wiki.
Know when to scavenge. Sometimes the areas too hot, and although you can get a lot of metal, don’t die over it.
The nailgun is your GOAT. Keep it on you with at least 1 spare magazine.
Boilers are your hard counter, if your cade line is being gassed, know when to cut your losses and set up a fallback point.
Defense in depth. If you have a mission critical area to hold, it couldn’t hurt to set up a backup line, this also helps to combat flanks.
Use the terrain to your advantage. Door nearby? Shock and bolt it. Reinforced wall? Make it part of your base. Cave wall? Make that one “side” of your base. The less metal you use the better.
Traffic in firebases is important. Keep folded cades on a line, so people don’t have to shuffle through each other to get in/out.
Try to save plasteel only for folding cades. Metal folding cades are weaker than standard Cades.
See an M56D with no tripod? You can make em. Make 5 plasteel rods (like how you make metal rods) and use 10 metal on it, then weld. Boom, working M56D