What the FOB?!

[Tetrino]

You've seen it, I've seen it. Falling back from the xeno onslaught, two splints weighing you down while you drag a battle buddy back to the LZ. After a solid hour of fighting, you know that the FOB is your best hope for breaking the lizard momentum, only to find...



Shit.



Like.



This.

So share them! Show us the worst FOB setups you've witnessed, when all you can do is shake your head and laugh. Because we've all had those moments that make us think, "What the absolute fuck is this?"

[xXen0zS1ay3rXx]

The sentry pointed at the wall in the second picture is a nice touch

[BillyBoBBizWorth]

Id still prefer that over some of the rounds wheres theres no FOB or defences at all.The mine field is interesting, i wonder if it worked, but i assume the xenoes probably just avoided that area altogether and used a weaker flank.

[David Stormwell]

Wow if I saw this I would prob just give up

[gjuro_andrija]

We had something similar a while ago.

► Show Spoiler

Note, this was way before the cade update.

[Gigazer]

We had something similar a while ago.

► Show Spoiler

Note, this was way before the cade update.

Like, what was the logic for that?

[Pedr007]

Yo Scrublord thats my FOB at LZ2 there, I was made most of it during lowpop. And it killed a shit ton of xenos simply becaause: They havent played it 1 milion times and didnt know how to attack it properly. As for Walls in pic 2: You can guess that the 56D took care of those eventually. C4ed the 2 wall tiles at the entrance to engineering later and completely closed the cades south too. We killed like 5 o 8 beanos holding that FOB, Easily.

I would take this set up over LZ1 FOB atm any day, simply because less played = less shitty established meta. If you dont do shit 1 milion times, you make mistakes.

[Avalanchee]

Call me John Murry,
Viva la Brazil

Who gives a fuck

[BillyBoBBizWorth]

Yo Scrublord thats my FOB at LZ2 there, I was made most of it during lowpop. And it killed a shit ton of xenos simply becaause: They havent played it 1 milion times and didnt know how to attack it properly. As for Walls in pic 2: You can guess that the 56D took care of those eventually. C4ed the 2 wall tiles at the entrance to engineering later and completely closed the cades south too. We killed like 5 o 8 beanos holding that FOB, Easily.

I would take this set up over LZ1 FOB atm any day, simply because less played = less shitty established meta. If you dont do shit 1 milion times, you make mistakes.

Well theres the answer, good to know the fob did get some kills, ive never been a big fan of big red LZ2 fobs but theres only so many ways you can go about it, and this is one them, sometimes its effective and sometimes not.

Your point on repetition is a good one and something people should be acknowledging though.

Something else thats taking longer to catch on than i would of thought but slowly is, is that you cant multi-cade like we used to anymore, because now the more cades you have in series the more bullets that get caught by them, rendering that tactic no were near as effective as it used to and more detrimental to the marines themselves.

We had something similar a while ago.

This example is somewhat funny, but i can see what they were trying to pull off, i think? Might have to sit on that one for abit.

[CABAL]

I was always wondering why marines on Big Red are doing FOB defences past the hangar (LZ1). Building gives reinforced walls, few entrenances, less metal to waste and an open field behind and next to where you can maneuver and where you can kill xenos that can't hide behind anything. All that advantage is scrapped just for mortar to shot?

[ChengChan]

Bad FOB. The Xenos just overrun us in 3-5 minutes on that round. :3 wasting too much materials.

[immaspaceninja]

I was always wondering why marines on Big Red are doing FOB defences past the hangar (LZ1). Building gives reinforced walls, few entrenances, less metal to waste and an open field behind and next to where you can maneuver and where you can kill xenos that can't hide behind anything. All that advantage is scrapped just for mortar to shot?

You can shoot mortar from inside the hangar.

Building outside is still better. You get some control over that huge open field outside, preventing xenos from freely roaming it. There is no cover for xenos aside from the resin walls they build.

The reinforced walls are not an advantage for marines, but a free cover for xenos to use during an assault. They can melt holes in said walls and use them to quickly run in with a screech, break stuff and retreat to cover.
They can also hide behind the rock walls at the right side of the hangar entrance.

Thats pretty much what was happening with the old version of big red hangar, when marines were relying more on securing it from the inside. It was worse.

[Pedr007]

Bad FOB. The Xenos just overrun us in 3-5 minutes on that round. :3 wasting too much materials.

Nah actually it was like 15 mins vs 30 Xenos and we cost em. Even the damn u571 got a kill. Honestly, Ive been spectating your amazing LZ1 FOBs for 30 to 45 Mins and you get like ... 0 to 1 Alien kills there. Not even worth it anymore due to guys know the map in and out. So whats the point in making 3 or 4 rows of cades at LZ1 when you get 1. Flanked forsure anyways and 2. Costs you a ton more materials, time and manpower. Weve built this FOB with 3 guys and Bang for the Buck wise it rewarded us quite well. This was like 30 to 45 Mins building, and I was the only cade constructor, the rest of the guys just mined, like, everything. Then we waited for salty Ghost Avalanche to show up with 29 xenos in tow cuz their metarush into the caves failed, big surprise.

The big merit of LZ2 is that its extremly difficult to break into it via caves. Flanking is near impossible. And due to being so close to the DS, when the DS landed it landed and covered us pretty well with the turrets. So we had additional firepower there. Im gonna go out on a limb and say this is a decent fob but we lacked the manpower and time to expand the machine gun nests into cargo a bit. Woulldve been nice.

Oh and remember the new nice beano strat of queen rushing console killing you all at LZ1? Guess what? Not possible at LZ2. No console.

Oh and remember the new beno strategy to rush Engineering and wipe out Delta/Charlie early game on high pop asap? Also not possible with LZ2 FOB. Or extremly difficult.

So yeah all in all, this FOB is probably better than any LZ1 right now on my big red acorn!

Who gives a fuck

Hey Bill Murry, when are we gonna roll Lurker gang again? Hit me up on discord pregame!

[Avalanchee]

Hey Bill Murry, when are we gonna roll Lurker gang again? Hit me up on discord pregame!

are you really salty because you got outrobusted?

[Gnorse]

Minefield was the big bad.
Xenos tripped the claymores but no one was there to claim the kills.

[Madventurer]

I think I was the Queen on that LZ2 FOB....

I'm pretty sure nobody had any clue how to attack it properly so a lot of them just ran into the killzones and got murdered.

[Pedr007]

I think I was the Queen on that LZ2 FOB....

I'm pretty sure nobody had any clue how to attack it properly so a lot of them just ran into the killzones and got murdered.

And this kids, is why you need to randomize the LZs and gameplay. Thank you

[Avalanchee]

And this kids, is why you need to randomize the LZs and gameplay. Thank you

It doesn't work like that,
The maps are made for LZ1 FOBs.
That's why T-Comms are where they are.

I am glad Chubs the CO said;
"This is why we don't listen to ensigns"

[Tetrino]

If you need to rely on xeno unfamiliarity to compensate for your FOB configuration you have a long way to go. Tips for next time, since you do seem earnest about this:
1. In the first picture, plant the mines in visual range of the cadeline and MG. Shots that aren't specifically clicked on a downed xeno will just zip straight over them.
2. Never leave open gaps. Most egregious in pictures 2 and 3, a queen screech or boiler cloud is all it takes for xenos to flood an opening.
3. In the third picture, pushing the cadeline eastward one tile to make it flush with the wall gives more space in the FOB. The south end should have a plasteel gate too. The cades at the window frame are useless.

Onto our next episode! This one's an oldie, but boy is it a doozie.

[Pedr007]

Herpaderp look at my pretty FOB

I do not compensate for lack of skill here, Im applying a game theory called unpredictablilty that is universal to any game.
Baseball, Football, whatever.

The whole Idea of shuffling up your decisions is a strategical one. In the long run choosing the LZ should not matter, because if we did it ideally then it would be a 50:50, a pure exquilibrium.
Since we DO NOT do that, theres a good chance for some nice payoff to choose LZ2 as main LZ on ANY map.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXH2EGjRpY4

LZ2 FOB on Solaris Ridge is also a good counter to the current meta:

1. Xenos tend to sit in Caves, which LZ2 has good access to 2. Xenos tend to metarush Engineering to wipe squads early game, LZ2 fob counters 3. Xenos tend to have supply lines to LZ1 figured out perfectly and ambush them a lot, which LZ2 FOB also counters

Ideally, if the marines get shit on LZ1 too much on any map, because the Xenos figured out how to play that round, then they should switch to LZ2 for a couple of rounds. Xeno guys will then adapt their metagame, by settling the hive further from LZ2 to compensate for the changed game. Now in return, marines need to switch back to LZ1.

Dont get me wrong, Im not trying to powergame my way through the round with this decision making. Its purely to induce randomness into the round and add replayability to rounds, something which will make rounds more interesting for everyone.

And yes I am aware that certain LZ2s, like solaris ridge or Prison Station have the disadvantage of not being next to Telecommunications, a crucial game component. However, I still believe that you can and should work around this poor map design choice, as Xenos tend to rush down communications ANYWAYS on both maps, making them de facto useless lategame.

Whenever you play Ice, Solaris or Prison station, Xenos will typically knock out comms lategame anyways as it is naturally in their way between you and the dropship. Again, poor design choice on the map designers part but something you as player can play around and adapt to.

Finally, if you Avalanche and Tetrino are such robust engineers, then it doesnt matter on which LZ we drop anyways, because due to your robustness you will construct a good FOB on ANY LZ. Youll simply take your mad engineering skills and apply the same principles but at LZ2, Amirite?

TL;DR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJZNVGpuQ7o

[Avalanchee]

Finally, if you Avalanche and Tetrino are such robust engineers, then it doesnt matter on which LZ we drop anyways, because due to your robustness you will construct a good FOB on ANY LZ. Youll simply take your mad engineering skills and apply the same principles but at LZ2, Amirite?

Ok Mr. Brazil,
I will be honest with you.

Robust or not, Tetrino is one of the best engineer mains here with Brad Silver and Tyrone Keeper,
I am pretty sure that we're able to make a proper retard-proof FOB anywhere with the right people and supplies, but that doesn't change the fact that LZ2 fobs are shit.

And talking about you, from what I saw (2 GAUs on one dropship, smoothbrain XO strats with shitty communication) you are a very skilled player

And now the FOB part,

It was said multiple times, maps are not made for LZ2 FOBs, if you say otherwise then look where the DS1 console is.
You can build a fucking autism fort from 4 million metal sheets at LZ2 but every average queen will go around to LZ1, call the Alamo and fuck over the almayer before you can even dismantle the first cade line.
Also good luck having a LZ2 FOB without comms (Big Red, Prison, Ice)

[Pedr007]

Ok Mr. Brazil,
I will be honest with you.

Robust or not, Tetrino is one of the best engineer mains here with Brad Silver and Tyrone Keeper,
I am pretty sure that we're able to make a proper retard-proof FOB anywhere with the right people and supplies, but that doesn't change the fact that LZ2 fobs are shit.

And talking about you, from what I saw (2 GAUs on one dropship, smoothbrain XO strats with shitty communication) you are a very skilled player

And now the FOB part,

It was said multiple times, maps are not made for LZ2 FOBs, if you say otherwise then look where the DS1 console is.
You can build a fucking autism fort from 4 million metal sheets at LZ2 but every average queen will go around to LZ1, call the Alamo and fuck over the almayer before you can even dismantle the first cade line.
Also good luck having a LZ2 FOB without comms (Big Red, Prison, Ice)

So bypassing the entire marine force as queen to launch and force shipside engagement is good? Not necessarily. LZ without comms is unplayable? not necessarily.
Listen Mr. "Ive played 1 milion hours, my way or the highway".

Randomization and freedom of choice are good things for any video game and make rounds more interesting and engaging. Wether or not the alternative choice is truly better remaind up to debate. Quite frankly, due to thick skulled individuals like yourself, we do not possess enough data to draw any kind of conclusions. And do not pretend that your methods are based on skill. Theyre based on habits and lazyness.

[Avalanchee]

LZ without comms is unplayable? not necessarily.

1.) Deployment isn't just FOB

2.) I know that nobody listens to you anyways but other non-braindead squads actually rely on comms to succeed in their assaults and that involves cooperating with the command team.
People also need supplies (that includes your toptier FOB), medevacs and OBs or CAS strikes - Good luck doing that without comms.

3.) Queen and the entire hive will just go to LZ1, call down the Alamo and fly away.
bye bye all the metal and shit you wasted with your toptier masterpiece you made at LZ2, you don't have enough time to grab all the supplies, dismantle all the cades, sandbags and mounted weapons before Alamo hits Almayer.

4.) Randomization blah blah - yeah it all sounds fucking lit but it doesn't work

[Pedr007]

1.) Deployment isn't just FOB

2.) I know that nobody listens to you anyways but other non-braindead squads actually rely on comms to succeed in their assaults and that involves cooperating with the command team.
People also need supplies (that includes your toptier FOB), medevacs and OBs or CAS strikes - Good luck doing that without comms.

3.) Queen and the entire hive will just go to LZ1, call down the Alamo and fly away.
bye bye all the metal and shit you wasted with your toptier masterpiece you made at LZ2, you don't have enough time to grab all the supplies, dismantle all the cades, sandbags and mounted weapons before Alamo hits Almayer.

4.) Randomization blah blah - yeah it all sounds fucking lit but it doesn't work

Yeah it doesnt work cause of people you that think they know all the answers.

From the little Data I got so far from LZ2 FOB on LV624 and Solaris Ridge, they actually worked pretty well. Promising. Im gonna roll XO sometime n force LZ2 FOBs more to shuffle gameplay. The eventual goal is to remove Telecoms off map, like on LV624 and remap both LZs so theyre roughly equally viable in terms of protection and distance. Once that is done, the remapping part, you can actually truly enjoy egalitarian LZ deployment. Would be great. But that something I have to do somewhere else than here.

[Avalanchee]

Yeah it doesnt work cause of people you that think they know all the answers.

From the little Data I got so far from LZ2 FOB on LV624 and Solaris Ridge, they actually worked pretty well.

Literally DM Devs or any engineer mains and ask them if you don't trust me.

LZ2 LV FOB is pointless because it has basically the same layout as LZ1 but it's MISSING THE DROPSHIP CONSOLE

and Big Red LZ2 FOB just shouts "go around me, destroy T-Comms and steal the metal bird"