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Tuesday, August 22, 2000, 17:19
Everyone can be tactful when they play, but is it
possible to use team tactics with other players on a
server whom you don`t know and have limited
communication with? In the past the answer would had
been no. Most games like Quake (1,2, and 3) could
produce strong teams from individuals on public servers.
Quake2 CTF the first game I really got my teeth into
forced you to use teamwork. Some had to defend, and
others attack, while support to the flag carrier when he
left the enemy base with the enemy breathing down his
neck was the key to winning in CTF. The problem was most
players back in the days when Q2 CTF was highly popular
saw it as deathmatch. Their aim was to frag as many of
the other players as possible, and tactical thinking,
i.e. working out tactically how they could help the team
did not cross their minds. All that counted was their
own score, and the higher it went the more they enjoyed
the game for themselves, but the team would suffer, and
although the player would probably score highly, in the
end their team would usually lose against a side who
worked as a team.
A few years have passed since
my early days of Quake2 CTF, and from the look of it the
situation has changed. More players seem to know how to
think tactically, and working as a team is easier to
achieve on a public server more than ever before. I
could pick any game, but for this update I`ll stick with
counter-strike since it`s based on realism, and the
creators planned to make it a strong team play
MOD.
Another thing about tactics is taking a look
at how the real special forces operate, and how they
work as a team. I`ve done some research into how the SAS
(UK) and SWAT teams/Navy Seals (USA) go about dealing
with situations, and most of what they do can be used in
a game of counter-strike to help you over come the other
team, and here`s how...
Commonly
used throughout the Special Forces and police teams. The
buddy system works as follows:
" One of the team`s
basic movement techniques is a version of a technique
the Army and Marines call "bounding overwatch" (Other
forces call it simply "The buddy system"). As used by
SWAT units, this technique involves two officers
alternating between point and cover positions. The
officer on point will move forward, staying at a low
crouch, while the other officer provides cover from a
doorway or a corner. When the point-man reaches cover
(another door or corner) he signals the other officer
forward and they trade roles; the officer on point now
becomes the cover-man, and assumes a good firing
position. The cover-man passes him, becoming point,
moves deeper into the building, and takes up a firing
position behind suitable cover. It is a technique that
works while advancing and retreating "
Source - SWAT TEAM Police
special weapons and tactics (ISBN:
0-87938-877-3)
Ok now you`re in a
"game" of counter-strike. Can this system work? The
answer is yes, and what is surprising is you don`t have
to work with a clan mate, or a good friend. You can work
with a total stranger on a server to achieve this
covering system.
Example:
Date: weekend
(20-21st)
Map: cs_backalley
 
I
joined the server mid game, with the
Counter-Terrorists (CTs) wining by a large score. In
this case (because I was taking notes and not really
playing) I went straight to the window ledge and
stayed around that area to hold up any CTs who would
try to pass below me. 40 seconds or so into the game I
saw (from pic 1) 2 CTs in the room. A teammate was
holding them off with an ak47 in the room opposite
(pic 2). Now I could had joined him in the window
area, and try to shoot back like he was doing, but I
had a think. One of the key things taught in any game
involving strategy, be it chess or a real life
soldier, is to hit the opposition from an area they
would not expect to be hit. In this case I jumped down
off the window ledge and made for the ladder
(indicated by blue line). At this point my team mate
saw me below and started to fire his ak47 full burst
at the room with the CTs in (by this time there was
only one left). As he fired I ran up the ladder and
took the CT by surprise and killed him.
Example:
Date: weekend
(20-21st)
Map: de_aztec
Half
way through a round [~T~]Wolfy and myself broke
through the terrorists and made our way to their start
point. Here a lone terrorist was camping behind the
far pillar (shown by the X in the pic) and armed with
a sig commando. I started to fire (red arrow), which
kept the terrorist pinned down (if he tried to take a
shot he would of got hit). I then reloaded. As I
started to reload [~T~]Wolfy started to fire (now
having moved forward shown by blue arrow). As he ran
out of ammo I lobbed a grenade towards the terrorist
and started to open fire again (pinning the guy down
so [~T~]Wolfy could reload), as [~T~]Wolfy started to
fire for the 2nd time we had both advanced to the
second pillar, but by then the grenade had gone off
killing the terrorist.
These are not one off
examples. I could name loads more, as could most other
CS players. If you want to try it out simply follow a
teammate, or just hang around a teammates area. If a
teammate is in a room where say the hostages are
hiding, help him out. Cover an area where he would
have trouble dealing with if the someone from the
other team came in. Or position yourself so that if a
enemy player walked in he would instantly see one of
you and fire, while you or your team mate who is not
been seen can then fire at the CT catching him by
surprise.
You`ve
all seen films where a police team rush into a building
and check each room shouting "clear" as they move
throughout the building to secure it. The area of
responsibility is basically an area, which each team
member is responsible for. While one man covers the left
another is covering the right and so on. Each man
concentrates on his own area and this ensures the team
can`t be surprised or assaulted from one area which is
not covered.
The
Team
- Point
man
First guy in (in CS there`s a radio
command "You take the point"). When rushing into a
building he`s the first to fire and first to get shot
at. His job is to scan around the room and ensure no one
is nearby to harm the rest of the team that
follows.
(In CS this would easily be the first guy
into a doorway/window/vent with the other players behind
him providing cover or ready to rush in behind
him).
- Cover-man or
Post-man
The second man who enters the
building, and follows behind the point man to provide
him cover, and guard attacks from the flanks.
" So while the
point man moves forward, the cover-man and post-man
guard against threats from his "flanking unknown" the
unsecured area on the point man`s side and rear... ...
"If I see my point man has his weapon pointing to the
right, as we go into a room," one team member
explains, "I scan the area to the left. As he checks
out the unknowns on the other side of our AOR" ...
"Post-men slide into positions at the corners of
hallways, while the point-men move forward to clear
the hallway, then stop to evaluate and bring up the
cover element for the next bound. The point-men use
hand and arm signals to describe danger areas, and to
ask for cover. "
Source -
SWAT TEAM Police special weapons and tactics (ISBN:
0-87938-877-3)
- Pickup-man
Then next member of
the group is the "cleanup" member. He covers the group`s
back and replaces any one of the
point-men/cover-men/post-men that have been
shot/killed.
- Rear
guard
Stays slightly back away from the main
team and covers their rear.
Thanks
to Cheesebury, Devilman, Dingle, and Joker for taking
part in the pic :)
The map cs_assault is a good
example where players on the CT team are forced to think
tactically. There are only 3 ways in (small vent, side
door, and main entrance which is shown in pic) all are
in LOS (line of sight) of the terrorist players, and the
job is very difficult for the CTs who must somehow break
in and rescue the hostages.
Example:
Date: weekend
(20-21st)
Map: cs_assault
The terrorists had
the building well covered, and no Counter-terrorist
players could get in no matter what they tried. After
the 5th round Dr^Duck tried to rally the team, telling
them to assault one area instead of splitting up. At
first no one listened, but after the CT team was again
wiped out I started to talk to the CT team when they
where in spectator mode and made a plan. As the next
round started Dr^duck shouted out for support and to
attempt a frontal assault as a whole team. I backed
him up telling everyone to get ready and launch the
attack when the timer was on 4.00 i.e. 1 min after the
round started. Everyone was still alive at the 4.30
mark and most had used the radio comm "I`m in
position", with Dr^Duck issuing a few more supportive
words, I started a countdown. As we hit the 4.00 mark
Dr^Duck issued the "GO GO GO" command and everyone
(remember this is a 9 man team all who are individuals
and have never met each other before) went into
action. The vent team went in (could hear the gun
fire), and in went the frontal assault. 5 of us ran
in. Two of team were picked off by snipers, while the
rest charged on and we made it inside, BUT the plan
failed as we where not covering all the areas in the
building (i.e. our own assigned AOR`s) and we ended up
all facing the top walkway while Terrorists behind us
wiped us out.
The pic above is an
example of what the assault looked like to the
terrorists. Although it failed we did for the first time
enter the building, and did try it 3 more times (all
waiting until 4.30 this time, then attacking as one),
and in the end got a win, but who knows. If we had time
to assign AORs to each member in the frontal assault
team we may have succeed more often?
Does
exactly what it says on the tin. If you`ve ever been on
a map where a sniper is constantly sniping away then a
counter-sniper will have the job of pinning the guy down
(allowing the rest of his team to advance) or try to
take him out. Usually one lone sniper trying to do this
only has 50% chance of winning as in any 1 v 1 situation
however...
Example:
Map: cs_italy
On
part of the map is a long ramp, which leads up to the
hostage room. From there the terrorists can snipe at
any CTs attempting to race up towards them. The only
way to get up there is usually to sniper back at the
terrorists, and allow team mates to move forward as
the counter-sniper pins the terrorists down. Teammates
can help by firing at the terrorists positions as the
counter-sniper pops out to take a
shot.
One simple rule and
it`s hammered into every police office, and soldier.
NEVER turn your back on cover that you`ve not checked or
secured. Although you may rush down a corridor to a
place you know the enemy usually hang out in, you can
never know for certain that there are no enemy players
holding out in usually unpopulated areas. One good
example of this is cs_backalley. There are two rooms
(where the terrorist start points are). Usually these
are empty and I`ve seen CT players run right past them
without checking these areas, however sometimes there
will be a terrorist hanging around waiting for
them.
- Who dares wins?
Not only is it
the SAS`s motto it also makes sense. At the end of the
day you`ll come across situations where you have to make
a daring move, or turn a corner where you know the enemy
are waiting, but you think you can make it and kill them
before they kill you. If you don`t make a move in some
points in the game you`ll be flanked or attacked from
behind.
- Confusion
Stun grenades in CS
are a good example, where lobbing a few into a room then
rushing in will leave the other players blind and unable
to fight back. Another way to confuse others is to
appear in one place, then quickly make your way around
behind them or into another position. If done quick
enough you can make a surprise attack as the enemy will
think your in the same place as they last saw you in
only seconds before. This can be helped by lobbing
grenades so they bounce off walls and land quite far
away from your position. The enemy will head for the
explosion and again (since your not near the area) you
can lie in wait to surprise them.
- The unexpected
How many times
have you entered a room and known the usual spots where
players will camp? These can range from directly behind
the door (so when it opens the enemy player is hidden
from view), or an object in the room that gives the
enemy player cover to fire behind from. However a lot of
rooms and areas on a map are not commonly used and this
is where you can gain an advantage. Most players will
enter areas and instantly think "someone could be here,
there over behind..." and so on, but due to the pace of
the game their minds won`t necessarily check places
where players don`t usually hide. It`s hard to pick an
example, but if you`ve played CS a lot you`ll always
remember a time when you curse yourself for being killed
after having not checked an area that seemed so obvious
after you see where the player killed you
from.
All these examples are from my POV over
only one weekend of gaming, and every CS player should
have there own stories to tell of similar things
happening to them. Gone are the days of the lone gunman
and his sole aim of getting the highest frag count,
nowadays there are a large proportion of gamers ready
and willing to play as part of a team. Team play (as I
keep going on about) is the future, and with more
players than ever before having team play like abilities
future team games should provide even more exciting team
play possibilities.
I`ve not read books
in ages. Having access to the net means I have a lot of
info at hand and can read it for free, but recently I`ve
been hooked. Amazon did not help
matters by making finding a book way to easy :). Here`s
what I`ve bought so far (some books might interest
you)
1.
The Art of war (Sun Tzu) ISBN: :
0340276045
An excellent book that has been
used by armies for thousands of years, and is still in
use today. I bought the book after playing "Shogun:
Total War" which strategy is taken from Sun Tzu`s book.
It has a lot of interesting info, and a lot of real time
strategy gamers would love this book to pieces. The book
gives info on setting up ambushes. How to win every
battle, basically giving ideas and tactics on a range of
issues.
There is also a large text document,
which I`ve found given some details that are in Sun,
Tzu`s book: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/usr/jch/netrek/art-of-war
although it`s not as detailed as the book
itself.
2.
The fighting skills of the SAS and
Special Forces ISBN: 1854879448
The title says
it all :). I`ve been asked about the SAS hundreds of
times, and to be honest I did not know exact details of
what they do, until now. This book outlines everything
and even gives details on "Boarding aircraft flying at
130mph", "Planning a raid on a enemy base", "Entering a
submerged submarine" and lots more. From a gaming point
of view I`ve learned a few tactical ploys and manoeuvres
I can pull off, and they work quite well :), but this
book is only good if you`re interested in how the
Special Forces operate.
3.
Swat Team : Police Special Weapons
and Tactics ISBN: 0879388773
If you`ve ever
wanted to know how a SWAT team operate this is THE book
you can buy, and a lot of counter-strike players will
love this book due to it`s attention to
detail.
I`m still on the look out for a book on
military type tactics, but from what I`ve found so far
it`s impossible (due to security reasons) to find any
books outline how any kind of military operations are
carried out. However If you do know of any then give me
a shout :).
The
BarrysWorld Counter Strike league is in standby at the
mo waiting for the release of Beta7 (this was a joint
decision between Cheesebury and I). There are possibly 2
maps that will make it from beta7 into the BWCSL, but
these won`t be played until near the end of the season,
which will give clans a chance to practice on them and
draw up their own tactics :).
As for news on
beta7, the official word is it is out "soon".
email SAS
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