Why is vanilla soldier worthless?

(funkPig) #1

I have moved this out from the “rambo” medic thread in hopes of clearing up some things.

As I ask in the subject line: why is the basic soldier so wimpy? Don’t tell me that the soldier is only for beginners or some crap like that. I believe that the soldier should be the “meat” of the team not ignored so that every one is a field ops or medic (rambo medic in some cases)

I just think that the basic soldier should be reworked to refelct his importance. The soldier should be the one that gets to go “rambo” not the medic.

(SCDS_reyalP) #2

It’s nice that you believe that, but it is not true in RTCW or ET. Medics and Fops are the backbone of every team. The other classes are specialists, used as required. Except the SMG soldier, who is useless.

That’s the way it is. You are free to think it should be some other way, but it’s not. :moo:

IMO, it is good that the SMG soldier doesn’t get any real advantage. It encourages soldiers to use the heavy weapons, which is their specialty. The other classes can provide SMG fire where requried. I’d be happy if you couldn’t select soldier+smg at all, although it is fine for complete noobs who just want to get into the game and frag. Anyone who is that new isn’t going to be much of an asset to their team, so it doesn’t matter what class they choose.

Perhaps you feal that it would be more ‘realistic’ if the backbone of the team was grunt soldiers, but this is a game. If soldiers were the main class, it would be a different game.

(nodgam) #3

:blah:

(funkPig) #4

ok, i dont know what the manual has to do with it. except for the fact that you will find that the smg soldier gets nothing (except battle sense) from experience. I guess that I am saying that I don’t understand why they would add such a worthless character. They could have easily removed it or given them a speparate new heavy weapon. It just seems that they added for a reason and I dont think that it was added so “newbies can have something to play” . Although it does work out well in that aspect. I do agree that the medic and FO are the backbone (if played right, but that is a whole new thread :smiley: )

(Pamper) #5

The reason for SMG soldiers is so that soldiers can have SMGs. Sounds like a stupid reason, but soldiers are allowed SMGs so players who’ve run out of ammo for MG42/Panzer/Mortar can grab a tommy if one is lying around when the enemy shows up.

Since soldiers have to be able to pick up SMGs, it only makes sense that they are allowed to spawn with SMG. This can rarely be useful- if you need a panzer to break through a choke, but some idiot has claimed the only one allocated to your team, then you can be an SMG soldier and wait for a chance to grab a good weapon.

However, I think that making SMG-soldier the default was a mistake. Newbies should play medic- with more HP, they’ll last longer before dying.

(Cosmos) #6

The soldier class is not worthless, we need things like the panzer to damage tanks and loads of incoming forces. We also need their heavy machine gun to provide faster fire rate which acts as a good defence. The flamethrower is useful for when enemies come round corners. And the addition to be able to pick other weapons up from dead enemies and teammates is extremely useful. I think we can say that the soldier is very useful, we could get by without him but it would be harder.

(Pamper) #7

You didn’t read the topic. What is worthless are SMG Soldiers.

we need things like the panzer to damage tanks and loads of incoming forces.

Not really. Panzer is best for killing loads of defending forces. It’s OK for incoming troops, too, but shooting tanks is basically a waste. You need 3 panzers to stop a tank, which takes about 30 seconds (IF you’re high level), which is useless. Only a Fieldop can stop a tank effectively, although an engineer throwing 5 grenades on a tank will damage it faster than panzerfausts could.

(Dynomyte001) #8

why are vanilla soliders useless? it’s pretty obvious… they are plain, like a medic or any other class w/o any abilities. Only a n00b would play solider with smg because he does not know any better.

(Englander) #9

SMG soldier is there for the people who have never played RTCW or ET before,its a starting point from which they can get to grips with the game and improve their aim ,once they feel they are at home inside the game and have seen the other classes working there stuff they then can start to help the team by picking a class what will help the team out.

But without the option of playing the simple SMG soldier alot of potentialy good players maybe put off playing and drop the game due to the added functions the other classes perform.Remember everyone as to start somewhere and some of the other classes will look very complicated for people who are brand new to the game.The SMG soldier is a good starting point for the novice.

(Rippin Kitten) #10

SMG soldiers are also good for people playing while heavily intoxicated. When I play SMG soldier, I’m basically telling my team that I know the game and what’s going on, but my reflexes and aim are not doing so well so don’t expect too much from me. =)

RK

(blushing_bride) #11

i agree with englander, nearly all noobs pick soldier because they don’t know what they’re doing. If they picked another class instead they still would’nt know what to do only now people would swear at them, call them noob and be abusive to them becuase they’re new and un-experienced. being a soldier with SMG is a clear sign of noob status and as they have no real team responsiblities then the cranky old vets will ignore them rather then swear at them as i have witnessed on many occassions.

(funkPig) #12

I thought that the covert ops with sniper was the best choice for newbie :smiley:

Sure, it makes sence that NOW people expect a newbie to take the smg due to ease of learning, but was it really designed that way?

(Englander) #13

Iam pretty sure it was.

(Englander) #14

It could be ,but does he know how to scope ,does he know how to take a uniform and open team doors with it, does he know he can blow secondry objectives with the satchel.The simple SMG soldier holds none of these functions and bacause of that he wont recieve any comments from any other players like “Blow thier Command Post with your satchel you F#@?*#G NOOB”.

The SMG soldier is the perferct start for NOOBS.

(funkPig) #15

I don’t think newbies pick it though (hence my comment on cvt ops) usually they see all the cool things a field ops is doing and chooses them and winds up killing half his team before he even knows there is a “Sorry”
or runs around with the panzer fragging anyone that moves.

(ETplayer) #16

smg soldier should be taken out, first off its a LIGHT WEAPON, a soldier uses heavy weapons…
(what amazes me is that u get NO EXPERIANCE in the heavy weapons when u use a smg as a soldier :eek2: …)

Dont use a msg soldier, use a medic/engineer/fieldops instead

MSG soldier =

(BlackDeath) #17

You really couldn’t have contradicted yourself any more in those two statements…

1.) I never really thought of the SMG soldier as a really good starting point. I guess it makes sense. Giving new players panzerfausts probably isn’t a good idea, although they choose it anyways :slight_smile:

2.) New players need to have a simple choice. Because ET is a free game, you will get players who have never played FPS before. Giving them the ability to airstrike, snipe, smoke grenade, dynamite etc. is overwhelming to first time players. Give them time to understand the game more through the simplest option, SMG soldier.

(Englander) #18

SMG is a light weapon so it would be stupid IMO if it gave XP to heavy weapons.

(WiGgLeRiCe) #19

Actually I dont thing the SMG soldier is useless at all , I have seen lots of people who are really good SMG soldiers and what war would be complete without the meat and potatoes SMG soldier.

(linkin90) #20

yeah but they could also just be a medic or a field op and have the same gun. an smg soldier is useless, no newbs use it. I didnt, I was field ops when I first started. Who is going to be the smg soldier for a while until they learn about the game, no one. They will pick the other classes to learn about them also. Just bring back the venom and replace it.