Stop putting Bravo on FOB: How to play FOB Rework (as CIC) (in my opinion)

General Discussion
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This isn’t a high-effort post so I won’t put it under guides, but I do hope to inspire CIC players to play a different way, while also recognising the demand meta puts on CIC players to conform to the same-y tactics.

1. What is FOB Rework

FOB Rework adds several crates to the Hangar. These are loaded onto the Alamo, and are deployed around the LZ. Doesn’t matter what it is, all you need to know is that LZ is completely immune as long as you hold the power generator (“transformer”) off the LZ. It’s one of the icons on your side of the map, that isn’t Comms. Maybe I’ll attach a picture later.

2. I’m stuck in Bravo FOB meta, what can I do here?

Use Echo:
1-3 (pop dependent) Comtechs (preferrably from Bravo)
Any volunteers that want to be on FOB Duty

Orders

Alpha-Bravo-Charlie-Delta: Move to Xeno metahold
Echo: Set up Transformer and barricade it.
Intel: Set up Comms
Chief Engineer & Maintenance Technicians: Set up LZ

Why can I get away with very few Marines on Transformer?

  1. Close to FOB (immune)
    1.1 FOB is immune. FOB Defenses 1-shot everything in the game.
  2. Transformer takes 10 seconds with a welder to fix, from there, it’s up to Comtechs how to reinforce it. It requires no maintenance.
  3. Only T3s can break the Transformer (i.e backliners don’t matter)
  4. Comms is a fake objective that doesn’t actually matter, and Comtechs can walk over & fix it if need be.

I’ve got no shipside Engineers

Make Echo set up LZ too, then move to Transformers. It takes me ten minutes alone to set up the equipment on a big LZ, they can do it.

I’ve got no Comtechs

Sob a little. Then ask for a volunteer, hand them a powerloader license from Requsitions. Ask an FTL, SL or IO to weld the transformer.

How do I activate Echo?

It’s in the groundside console in the bubble.
Transfer button is in each overwatch console, as well as several hand-scanning transfer consoles in CIC and the MP bubble in the Briefing Hall.

Why should I move Bravo off of FOB?

TLDR: You’re wasting Marines on guard duty that can be used to win the game for you in the field

Long Version: You’re wasting Marines, some of which are important, (SL) (FTL) (Corpsmen) on the FOB when they could be in the field winning the game for you. As well as this, you’re sending Marines to the front (SG) (Spec) without squad comms, and with no real leadership or idea what’s going on. Bravo SG and Bravo Spec are left blind if they don’t have the initiative to take a radio key.

Instead, you’re now sending a near-full co-ordinated squad to the front led by a competent SL (unless they volunteered for Echo)

Tip: Tell Bravo A.S.A.P. that they’re not on FOB, so they don’t gear up for it - take any volunteers into Echo.

Tip: Accept anyone into Echo, if they volunteer for FOB then they want to be there and should be allowed to be there.

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I agree with this from this point, though I am still personally against the FOB rework which is a different topic.

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instructions unclear, put delta on fob and they mutinied

it’s probably too bigbrained for CM but i’d be interested in seeing bravo utilized as a second layer who covers the rear and can peel off for QRF duty as needed. most bravo ppl are at the very least prepared to have to leave the fob /eventually/ as reserve and then there’s obviously backliner bravos, so i wonder how to best play into those things while making the most of the whole squad :thinking:

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Hmmm. Considering FOB is invincible when the transformer is up, this might be a good suggestion.

Though intel being on comms would mean there’s no one to guard comms, as intel has to walk across the whole map to find goodies.

Maybe bravo can be split into a fireteam, based on who wants to unga in the front and who wants to secure transformer or comms.

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Comms is NOT an important objective at any level. It is NOT worth garrisoning, and garrisoning often leads to the capture of these Marines. Repairing Comms requires a basic toolbelt and nothing more, and its loss is not detrimental at any serious level.

Again, this is covered. Any volunteers for FOB Duty can be moved to Echo. Bravo itself should be on the frontline same as Alpha-Charlie-Delta.

I want to stress this: Only the bare necessity for LZ Defense, all hands should be on the front line to break the Hive in the field rather than at the FOB.

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I might be old fashioned but I’d prefer if we can actually communicate on comms for a few reasons.

Firstly, since I main medic, Im well aware of how medics have to keep in touch with the GP to ask for medevac. I bring radio bags for the op but most medics i’'ve seen dont and they would be forced to walk all the way back to fob to medevac and risk being picked off by backliners.

if we want to push into caves, we also have to consider calling in OBs. Comms is especially important in lowpop as I know that there arent always an SL in each team so the aSL gets delegated to a spec or SG who dont always have a radio bag with them to ask for OB support to secure a push. We can argue that they can look for someone with a radio bag to relay the coords, but by the time they actually find someone, those coords might not even be relevant anymore as the xenos have already moved to a new position.

Comms also help SLs maintain unit cohesion and tell them where to push, compared to telling them in-character where only the nearest marines can hear while the others who might have lagged behind or pushed elsewhere would stay uninformed.

When we do want to go for an all-in push into their hive, relaying information over the radio help us keep track of any flanks thats happening as well. One thing thats always been a risk for an all-in push are backliners or flanks picking us off one by one, and having no comms make it especially harder to coordinate a counter to that.

We can gamble that a hell push to their hive might succeed but doing so without the capacity of having teamwide communucation makes it especially more risky, because we are forgetting the reasons why some hellpushes failed in the first place.

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This man gets it. I will gladly shake my can with you!

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To clarify, this isn’t a call to completely abandon Comms. However it can be maintained (through batteries or repairs) by a small walk off the transformer. My overall point leans more that a dedicated garrison pulls Marines off the front and risks trapping them for an easy capture if backliners get their act together.

I just don’t see it as an objective on equal importance to transformer.

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