Company of Heroes: Eastern Front

Other discussions (Read-Only) => Off Topic => Topic started by: pariah on July 22, 2011, 02:53:51 PM

Title: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 22, 2011, 02:53:51 PM
Rather than derail that campaign topic further, i decided to create a new 1 about the Captain. In my experience, he is the most worthless unit in terms of cost-usefulness ratio.
The only thing Captains are good for is teching to tanks. THAT'S IT! Admittedly, Victor Target can come in handy, but it will most likely get the Cappy killed. And his defensive bonuses are so useless... ::)

Woah woah mate, no. No insulting the Cpt. His defensive bonuses are immense. With a vet2 captain in the friendly sector you're basically immune to suppression. You also take FAR less damage. Vet 3 gives extra resources so you spam even more FOOs and victor target basically doubles your arty's rate of fire.
I have no idea what a "FOO" is, so let's talk about vet. How are they supposed to get even vet 1 when you have to keep them out of combat?

And his defensive bonuses. How are you supposed to use them when you need to keep him safe behind the front line? Most territory sectors are way too small for the bonuses to have any affect!

From what i've seen, the Captain is almost as useless as a Kangaroo Carrier. Prove me wrong, forum! :P
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 22, 2011, 03:22:47 PM
FOO is the Forward Observation Officers ability from the Royal Arty doc that allows Lt and Cpt to call in arty strikes.

Cpt bonuses:
Vet 0 (base) - 0.5 suppression (infantry)
                   - 0.8 damage (infantry)
                   - health regen (infantry)
                   - 1.25 health (emplacements)
Vet 1           - 20hp (Cpt)
Vet 2           - 0.5 suppression (infantry
                  - 1.15 health (infantry)
                  - more health regen (infantry)
                   - 1.15 health (emplacements)
Vet 3           - 66% increased resources (sector he's in)

The bonuses affect all applicable units in the entire sector. He also gains vet from all units within 40 range (longer range than small arms etc.). The Captain can be garrisoned or in a vehicle and still provide/receive bonuses.

Not to mention retreat to captain is one of the best ways for a Brit player to avoid a HQ firestorm.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 22, 2011, 03:32:50 PM
Withdraw ability would often fuck me up because relic were too lazy to make it queueable. ::) Eastern Front has fixed that though, so it's alright now.

Forward Observation Officers has the same problem as Victor Target - You have to get close to use it, and you have to keep your Captain safe, hence the unit and ability conflict.

And as stated before, most sectors are too small for his bonuses to be useful. The ONLY reason i ever buy a Captain is to get tanks. It's really all he's good for...
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 22, 2011, 03:38:03 PM
You don't have to get that close. You can actually use the ability from out of sight range of normal units, let alone their weapons range.

I rarely have LTs or Cpts die when I play Brits yet always have them close enough to give their bonuses. Maybe it takes a certain degree of micro but I've never found it hard.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 22, 2011, 03:49:39 PM
My main problem is Pumas and Armored Cars; In just about every game, my Captain will die to 1 of them at some point. Hell, they will often rush my Field Support Truck and start hammering away before the Captain is finished! Needless to say, when he is finished, he will last but a few seconds before dying to those fast armored Snipers. ::)

Yes, having good micro certainly helps keep your units alive, but in the case of the Captain, there's really nothing you can do to keep him alive against those armored cars. >:(
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Tankbuster on July 22, 2011, 06:43:23 PM
At least the captain bravely struggles against the AC with his.... Pistol. WTF, the captain really is useless.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Tico_1990 on July 22, 2011, 06:48:12 PM
At least the captain bravely struggles against the AC with his.... Pistol. WTF, the captain really is useless.

Have him pick up a shreck or piat
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: HyperSniper999 on July 22, 2011, 06:51:18 PM
Maybe Relic should've gave him something like a Tommy Gun?
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 22, 2011, 07:30:43 PM
I think the Captain should give his bonuses to units everywhere, no matter what territory they're in.

But nonetheless, these officers just don't fit Company Of Heroes gameplay. The Leutnant works alright, because a) he's not required for teching, and b) his abilities are actually of some use.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Strayker on July 22, 2011, 08:35:28 PM
because a) he's not required for teching
Nope he actually is required for teching to Field Support Truck.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 22, 2011, 08:41:15 PM
Leutnant, not Captain. ::)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Strayker on July 22, 2011, 08:43:21 PM
Leutnant, not Captain. ::)
Yeah, Lieutenant is required to tech to Field Support Truck, not Captain. Captain is required for teching to Armored Command Truck.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Blackbishop on July 22, 2011, 09:25:11 PM
Correct ;D... each officer is needed to deploy the next truck, besides the captain is needed to deploy stuarts.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 22, 2011, 09:28:46 PM
Leutnant (Deutsch) = Wehrmacht
Lieutenant (English) = British
 ::)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: otto man on July 22, 2011, 11:59:31 PM
I use the captain as a way for my troops to get to the battle quicker (retreat)

but I have noticed that he is incredibly weak, maybe if you could tweak his gun to make it stronger like the lieutenant or something, that could make all the difference
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 23, 2011, 12:03:32 AM
Yeah, it's a huge Webley revolver! I think it should do a good deal of damage...
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: cephalos on July 23, 2011, 12:13:01 AM
Terminator Captain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQajy9tWTQ#)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 23, 2011, 12:46:02 AM
Captain is overpowered! Somebody please nerf it! ;D
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: HyperSniper999 on July 23, 2011, 03:16:50 AM
Captain is overpowered! Somebody please nerf it! ;D
I like how it survived all that, only to get ran over. :D
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Cranialwizard on July 23, 2011, 03:54:41 AM
Terminator Captain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQajy9tWTQ#)

Christ, wish my caps were that lucky.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 23, 2011, 06:49:06 AM
It was a bug in a past version. Incredibly fun. I've had a Cpt kill a KT, numerous Panthers/P4s and started attacking the enemy base before finally dying.

A vet 2 Cpt makes all infantry in the sector have +38% effective health, receive 25% of normal suppression and regenerate health. That's like getting Vet2 infantry for Wehr plus additional suppression resistance to make them almost immune to it. Vet Cpt + Vet Lt gives Tommies more powerful vet than Wehr to all units within their aura/territory.

The Captain is also the only British unit to have a 1.5 capping speed.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Paciat on July 23, 2011, 07:49:50 AM
I use the captain as a way for my troops to get to the battle quicker (retreat)

but I have noticed that he is incredibly weak, maybe if you could tweak his gun to make it stronger like the lieutenant or something, that could make all the difference
He is not a combat unit and thats why he needs less xp than an LT to get to vet 3. Without officers Brits would be the least intensive micro fraction and they are there on the field to make your life harder and to make you waste ammo on casualty clearing station healing.

Captains role is to protect infantry from being base raped. When they get killed faster than they reinforce (locked down PzIV, MP44 spam, etc) you can retreat to him, reinforce (maybe call in a Churchill) and retreat back to the HQ. This works great with high retreat bonuses (0,25 recived acc) that are unique for the British.

I dont mind him being weak, one thing I wish he was better at is healing. He ralelly is in the same friendly territory as his troops, and when he is he grands only 2 HP/min (5 time less than Wehrmacht has on all vet 1 infantry).

One more thing.
Captains Webley revolver has the same 55 max range as a Firefly! but its accuracy is very low then (0.05).

Edit: I just noticed in Corsix (EF module) that British Officers have somekind of HP regeneration (was that added?) but KCH dont (in 2.602 they recived HP regeneration at 20HP/min regen vet 0 in addition of 10HP/min that all German infantry get at vet 1).
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Tankbuster on July 23, 2011, 08:25:46 AM
Terminator Captain: 8th wonder of the world.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Blackbishop on July 23, 2011, 05:15:07 PM
@Paciat

RMC's Lts. have regeneration.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 23, 2011, 05:17:05 PM
What about Captains? Are they in the Royal Marine Commandos?
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: HyperSniper999 on July 23, 2011, 06:30:41 PM
What about Captains? Are they in the Royal Marine Commandos?
Yes.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 23, 2011, 06:31:42 PM
Do they have any changes?
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Blackbishop on July 23, 2011, 06:59:57 PM
Do they have any changes?
Don't remember... perhaps more health.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 23, 2011, 07:23:24 PM
That would be good, but i think a damage increase would be good, too.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Sommarkatze on July 23, 2011, 08:20:19 PM
Can the Captain pick up weapons? If so, Jesus christ give him a Bren or something and he can rebel a whole army himself! XD
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 23, 2011, 08:27:24 PM
I believe so, yes, but the problem with that is that you can't tell your Tommies to drop the Bren. ;)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Paciat on July 23, 2011, 08:53:05 PM
Jesus, Captain is a command unit. The better weapon he has, more likelly he will be focused fired at. Keep him out back and dont use him as a blob enhancer. That is not his role.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: RedGuard on July 23, 2011, 08:57:32 PM
Captain is a command unit.  dont use him as a blob enhancer. That is not his role.

all the captain does in enhance blobs. blobs of infantry or blobs of emplacements dummy
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 23, 2011, 09:31:51 PM
I think he should deal more damage for defense, rather than offense. If you want to use his abilities, you simply CANNOT keep him back. His radius is just too small.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Paciat on July 23, 2011, 11:28:44 PM
I think he should deal more damage for defense, rather than offense. If you want to use his abilities, you simply CANNOT keep him back. His radius is just too small.
...dealing damage is allways offense. Avoiding damage is defense. ::)
His abilities arent meant to be used often. He should be the last man that you can count on when everything else fails, coordinating what is left, adding morale etc. If you have the highest military rank that dosnt mean you have the biggest gun. Its his brain and leadership skills that made him the Captain.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 12:22:01 AM
What do you do when the enemy attacks? Kill them with sand bags? ::)

I don't want him to have "the biggest gun"; Just some usefulness. If it weren't for the teching ability he provides, nobody would buy him. His abilities are mostly just useless.

That video posted by cephalos earlier sums up my opinion on the British army perfectly - They have good defense, but shitty offense. Playing as the Brits is more a game of 'hold on for as long as possible', rather than 'kill the enemy'.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Rainbow Dragon on July 24, 2011, 12:39:30 AM
maybe captain can call in air strikes too? and maybe have flares to see through for of war for limited amount of time?
 :)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 12:49:40 AM
Those would probably be some good buffs.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Rainbow Dragon on July 24, 2011, 12:57:18 AM
YEY!  :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 01:03:13 AM
Calm down, dude. I don't have the power to make that happen. ::)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 24, 2011, 03:22:45 AM
Not gonna happen guys. Cpt is fine how he is (apart from using the flawed British vet system).
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 03:24:33 AM
Man, i would so love to see how you play as the Brits. You have a totally different opinion to me. ;D
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 24, 2011, 10:40:56 AM
Yeah I got position 60 Brit without using roos or BiB before I got bored :P. My win:loss is about 25:3 I think.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Paciat on July 24, 2011, 11:04:08 AM
Yeah I got position 60 Brit without using roos or BiB before I got bored :P. My win:loss is about 25:3 I think.
How did you defend from Piospams?
Even with all the 2.602 teching nerfs to this kind of build order 5 Pio T2 strat is still OP vs Brits.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 24, 2011, 12:48:22 PM
Dunno, I just have good infantry micro I guess. I played against KingOwl who was number 1 Wehr at the time too and only lost once KT hit the field. He piospammed to T2 terror grenspam which was a bitch to deal with.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 04:36:26 PM
Well in whatever patch i've been playing (Opposing Fronts - Tales Of Valor), Pioneers just get slaughtered by Infantry Sections, even without a Lefty nearby. Spamming Pioneers is like the worst thing you could do...
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Paciat on July 24, 2011, 05:29:49 PM
Well in whatever patch i've been playing (Opposing Fronts - Tales Of Valor), Pioneers just get slaughtered by Infantry Sections, even without a Lefty nearby. Spamming Pioneers is like the worst thing you could do...
You never faced a pio spam? Heres a video how 5Pio T2 strat works:
[COH] #41 - GR Tournament - S1mon (Wehr) VS RUKAclKot (Brit) Semi-Finals Game: 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYIXM7XIO9I#ws)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 24, 2011, 05:30:13 PM
Piospam is an almost guaranteed win against an even skilled Brit player.

What an idiot trying to play Brits in a tourney.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 05:35:46 PM
Which is why i say in the patch i have - Pioneers are useless against Tommies. 2 Guys with short-range submachine guns v.s. 5 guys with medium-range rifles. It's pretty obvious who would win... Why relic decided to make the Brits weaker (or Wehrmacht stronger) i have no fucking clue. ::)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 24, 2011, 05:42:58 PM
3 Pios (360MP) > 1 Tommy (450MP)

Flames are also excellent against the Brits who don't benefit from their soldier armour against fire. It is also useful against trenches, buildings and emplacements that Brits love to use.

It allows you to completely dominate the map control due to high numbers of squads, further crippling the Brits. This also opens up perfectly for a T2 spam where you can just produce grens (Vet2 grens(300MP) > tommies (450MP)) because of your map control and access to fuel for vet.

Brits have very few good weapons against elite armour which makes grenspam or vetted piospam very deadly. The KKC can't be produced without another building now though so early vetted piospam isn't as threatening.

Piospam is also very cheap, allowing you to float quite a bit of MP to spend on gren squads or OPs very early. Putting up a few OPs combined with already extensive map control allows the Wehr player to spam a LOT of firestorms or flamethrowers which can be deadly against a Brit.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 05:48:04 PM
Yeah, Flammenwerfers are very good against Brits. But they have the advantage of range - Just stay away from the Pioneers (using cover helps a lot, too), and they won't be able to shoot you. You should be able to take down a squad member (forcing a retreat) in a few seconds.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Paciat on July 24, 2011, 05:49:23 PM
Also soldiers armor dosnt work vs PioMP40.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 24, 2011, 05:52:25 PM
Good in theory pariah, but when 3-10 pio squads mob you with flamers and elite armour you don't really have time to kite them back.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 05:58:23 PM
Woah, 10 Pioneer squads?! :o Obviously their teching will be delayed a hell of a lot, so it shouldn't be too hard to out-tech them, even as Brits.

In my experience, spamming low-level units is never a good move. Teching up is of the utmost importance! What are all those Pioneers going to do against a Bren Carrier, or Stuart? ;)

(Also, isn't it ironic that i have now started trying to defend the crappy British army? ;D)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: GodlikeDennis on July 24, 2011, 06:04:09 PM
2 Tommies + LT + Free recon section = 1180MP 15FU

10 Pio squads = 1200MP

10 is excessive if you're not going to get support vet later on. If you plan on grenspamming, 5-6 pios is fine and will still yield map control.

A stuart will never be an issue because you will already have the majority of the fuel. A bren may hurt you but you can tech to T2 so quickly you can go HT first which will easily beat a bren 1v1. Remember that without a T1, you save 15 FU. This speeds up T2 considerably.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 24, 2011, 06:15:00 PM
Yeah, plus you need to spend 45 Fuel on a useless Captain to get a Stuart (45 Fuel, if i recall), which in turn is of somewhat less use without the Command Tank (forget how much they cost). Goddam i hate the Brits... ::)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Pac-Fish on July 29, 2011, 01:04:18 PM
Why not build HMG emplacements  :P? I would think that would help secure territory. Coupled with brens or recon tommies of course. This replay had not 1 building until near the end when he desperatley tried(Truck does not count)
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Cranialwizard on July 29, 2011, 03:11:17 PM
Why not build HMG emplacements  :P? I would think that would help secure territory. Coupled with brens or recon tommies of course. This replay had not 1 building until near the end when he desperatley tried(Truck does not count)

Because HMG emplacements are fixed and delay unit production considerably for the british because their Inf section is 450 mp. A HMG emplacement is easy to destroy if you have 5-6 pios running around and 1 or even 2-3 have flames with them.

Plus, they can be captured if the crew is killed. Normally I just destroy it.
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: pariah on July 29, 2011, 04:13:32 PM
Vickers Emplacements are good for defending choke points, and sometimes valuable Points, but they're really too expensive to be placed multiple times, just like every other British thing ever (aside from Trucks). Or maybe their upkeep is just too low, i dunno...
Title: Re: British Captain
Post by: Cranialwizard on July 29, 2011, 04:17:51 PM
Vickers Emplacements are good for defending choke points, and sometimes valuable Points, but they're really too expensive to be placed multiple times, just like every other British thing ever (aside from Trucks). Or maybe their upkeep is just too low, i dunno...

They're good if you're moving your HQ up to the front lines in an effort to defend from HMG attacks but to be honest it can be a complete waste, it delays more infantry power by quite a bit.