Leading the Pubbers.

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Mr.X

Have you ever been in a battle server where you KNOW your team could own the other team if only the mob had half a brain? I sure have, and I've come up with a great way to get pubbers under your command. You don't have to have the best score, but it helps if your score is decent.

So the common mistake I see when people try to command pubbers is that they start too big. Before even establishing themselves in the server, they try to get the ENTIRE team to follow them. This is stupid because who's gonna follow some random guy shouting in all caps who just joined the server? So the first step is to establish yourself on the server. Say hi, say gf, ns, etc. Using the players name as in 'nice shot mr. X' helps your team get to know you and establishes a better relationship.

The next step, going off what I said before, involves getting 3 or 4 people to follow you, not the whole team. So tell those guys who you said 'nice shot' to to come with you as you guys flank or get better cover. The idea the first time is to have your group STAY ALIVE. Since you're on the losing team, mst likely, if you play it safe, you'll be the last people alive. Play the end as best you can as a team. When your dead teammates see you doing well, they'll begin to join you and your group.

It seems quite simple, and it really is, but it works. On USA_Central_POM, I've used this very method to lead nords to victory against swadia on random plains. I've led a 7-0 rhodock team to end the match 7-6 vs. Vaegirs on ruins. Anyone who's seen me in that server can tell you how I've used this method successfully. My hopes, in explaining this, is that public battles become more complex.

One last thing about commanding, is you have to know what you are doing. Even if you do all this, if your battle plans are 'camp and rush motf' you'll still find it a tad difficult to lead the team.

PS On the note of camping: I have once, through the means explained above, gotten my team to camp, though that's generally harder to convince people to do than actual battle plans. Generally camping is NOT the best choice for any team when coordinated combat(like the ones established through my method) is available. It is a rare occasion that camping is a good idea so I suggest that you do not waste your time with my method if that's the best you can come up with.
PPS I'm officially dubbing this 'The X Method'

Helpful tips from the comments below:
Scorch! said:
Being a regular on a server helps when it comes time to reign in the masses and give them some direction.

Start off with simple things that everyone should know (but regardless some completely disregard) like: "Don't charge into the open, they have cavalry". Or "Stick with your team and don't move in between the enemy archers".

Simple tips help immensely, then when people start listening to you, start ordering them around a bit more.
 
This reminds me, earlier I was playing in East POM, it was Nords Vs Rhodoks, Random Plains, Total nord massacre, I was telling my team to get spears, but they all went achers... I was so pissed that I left the server :b
 
The X Method has been tried and tested, and worked EXTREMELY WELL for me and I'm sure it'll work for others.
 
Being a regular on a server helps when it comes time to reign in the masses and give them some direction.

Start off with simple things that everyone should know (but regardless some completely disregard) like: "Don't charge into the open, they have cavalry". Or "Stick with your team and don't move in between the enemy archers".

Simple tips help immensely, then when people start listening to you, start ordering them around a bit more.
 
Aye, I tend to chant those constantly, to the point of getting consistently type-killed. I'll add that to the op when I get access to a proper computer.
 
Cool thoughts MR X, I do something similar occasionally. Sometimes I'll be on a team thats archer heavy, and they will always stay bunched together. I'll tell them to stay spread & keep line of sight, which is highly effective. Other times people ask why & there's no use in even trying at that point lol.
 
The extent of the leadership i can ever muster up is pointing out enemy movements so the team reacts,  or at the start of a new round saying what went wrong and suggesting a new course of action.
If I'm in a game with other veteran players we can end up getting some good teamwork going, and the new guys will quickly follow suit, but thats kinda rare these days.
 
Play with friends so you will form a small group of people, then people will join you instead of going solo.
 
Nice thoughts there Barron, although I tend not to get quite so wound up about it seeing as once they start losing they rage quit and some slightly more intelligent players step in. Sounds like an adverisement...
 
What really kills the multiplayer team work experience(in my opinion and a few others) is the few jackasses that always seem to be on POM promoting naked lance battles, naked fist fights, naked 1h no shield rushes, and so on and so forth. Another thing to do is to condemn these peoples actions  then try to bring the flock back into a team strategy that works. It's all fun and games for 1/3 of the team playing naked lulz until it leads to 0 wins and low overall scores for the rest of the team really trying.

Another thing to keep in mind while leading is the enjoyment of the opposite team, don't get everyone to camp inside a barn at spawn or behind a building at spawn. Try to use tactics that keep the game fun for both sides while still giving your team the upper hand.
 
RossaK said:
What really kills the multiplayer team work experience(in my opinion and a few others) is the few jackasses that always seem to be on POM promoting naked lance battles, naked fist fights, naked 1h no shield rushes, and so on and so forth. Another thing to do is to condemn these peoples actions  then try to bring the flock back into a team strategy that works. It's all fun and games for 1/3 of the team playing naked lulz until it leads to 0 wins and low overall scores for the rest of the team really trying.

Another thing to keep in mind while leading is the enjoyment of the opposite team, don't get everyone to camp inside a barn at spawn or behind a building at spawn. Try to use tactics that keep the game fun for both sides while still giving your team the upper hand.

Another good reason why camping isn't the answer!
+1
 
Actually, by screaming in caps, I'm either told to stfu or everyone listens to me. Usually the latter.
 
Forethought said:
In short, know your goals, know your men, and communication is key.

It'd be nice if other players could make a mark somewhere indicating they are following a leader. Then others could see some change to the icon over the leaders head indicating you have folowers, making it easier for others too see what is happing around them, and follow a lead in progress. A clever team would  then break off into several teams and each of the leaders could communicate to the whole rest of the team, including other leads, as to what is going on on several fronts. Perhaps as a convention followers could just chat a line saying "im following Forethought", etc. 

Cheers
 
What servers do you frequent Mr.X?  I'm kind of tired of the mob scene on pubs and would enjoy some co-ordinated tactics.
 
That's some solid advice. Especially the part about establishing yourself. It goes a long way getting to start conversations with people in the server. Might even make a few friends that way.
 
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