[Narwhal]

Hi there,

I keep reading that Command was stupid in FS 1 and even more in FS2.
While I see that it does mistakes, and often understaff its strike forces, what are according to you Command "blunders" ? I mean - real blunders, being stupid - , not "mistakes" like underestimating a Shivan force by lack of information (in FS and in FS2)

[General Battuta]

I honestly can't think of any.

Command lays multiple contingency plans for worst-case scenarios and performs heroically under extraordinarily trying conditions.

[The E]

I think the impression that command is stupid stems in large part from its apparent unwillingness to commit large forces to a battle that (at least in the eyes of a player) would require it.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

The best example I can think of is that you're ordered to fly into the Lucy fighterbay in FS1. Apparently, they think that you will be detected by fighters flying around, but not when you fly into a fighterbay. Ah well, gameplay, I suppose.
Many other arguments have proven to be invalid by Windmills...

[Goober5000]

How does Windmills prove anything about FS1/FS2?

[SpardaSon21]

A big blunder by Command would be "Slaying Ravana".

[General Battuta]

A big blunder by Command would be "Slaying Ravana".

Really? They committed a destroyer, a corvette, at least one (more than one?) other warship, and multiple fighter and bomber wings.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

How does Windmills prove anything about FS1/FS2?

Well, IMHO it gives one more understanding of what Command decides at times. Like... err... Well, decisions that may seem strange at mission-theater level, suddenly make sense when you view them at system-wide level, or even just from the position of the one giving the orders... Which is pretty much what Windmills makes you do.

[SpardaSon21]

Do I have my missions mixed up?  I thought there was a mission where Alpha Wing, a few fighters, and a Sobek corvette is assigned to take down this Shivan vessel in the nebula after it pops either the Actium or the Lysander in the previous mission.

[terran_emperor]

Thats Slaying the Revana

Command made sensible decisions for the whole battle, but the revana cut through the GTVA forces.

the Characters of Command (FS1: Admiral Wolffe lookalike (Popollion?), FS2 Black bald guy and the Zod) are quite intelligent and dont make mistakes. They get stupid orders to pass onto you. So the ones giving Command the orders are the ones making the mistakes

[Kie99]

The only bat-**** mental decision fro command was 'see if you can fly into the Lucifer's fighterbay', other than that, and not detonating the Gamma Draconis-Capella node when it became apparent that a Juggernaught armada was about to come through, there's nothing that I can recall.

[eliex]

Most of Command's decisions only look stupid (from the pilot's view of the situation) in an Easy to Medium difficulty. Once in Insane, their tactical decisions are surprisingly quite good.
Aside from that, I have to agree that the "Lucifer hangar-bay order" was plain silly. 

[Thaeris]

It's silly, yes, but it makes sense.

Well, we got this far... let's take it further!

[Aardwolf]

I don't get it, what's so dumb about the Lucifer fighterbay thing?

It seems pretty obvious it was about determining how many fighters/bombers the Lucifer had.

I wonder, was that sexp'd just using a direct distance comparison, and taking advantage of the fact that the fighterbay is dead centered in the model's coordinate space?

[Kie99]

I don't get it, what's so dumb about the Lucifer fighterbay thing?

It seems pretty obvious it was about determining how many fighters/bombers the Lucifer had.

I wonder, was that sexp'd just using a direct distance comparison, and taking advantage of the fact that the fighterbay is dead centered in the model's coordinate space?

The Lucifer's fighterbay has an invisible wall over the entrance.

[Dilmah G]

A big blunder by Command would be "Slaying Ravana".

Really? They committed a destroyer, a corvette, at least one (more than one?) other warship, and multiple fighter and bomber wings.

Yes, but not when they wanted to deal the destroyer's death blow. I mean, seriously, what kind of blunder resulted in heavy bombers attacking without a fighter escort? That's basic stuff they missed, and you sure as hell needed a fighter escort for that mission on higher difficulties. Well, it's do-able, but it'd be a little easier with a competent escort. And I mean, it's a FRAKKING DESTROYER! It should've turned around and given that Sobek a wake-up call, and on that note, I don't think it sortied any bombers to deal with it either. Really, it's a major ship, and being taken down by a wing of bombers, Serapis fighters, and a lone corvette that was barely trying is shameful at the least.

If computers were more powerful at the time, I see no reason why it shouldn't have turned into a larger engagement. And when the Ravana realises it's getting its ass handed to it, it should just power up the drives or call in some backup.

[karajorma]

Most of Command's decisions only look stupid (from the pilot's view of the situation) in an Easy to Medium difficulty. Once in Insane, their tactical decisions are surprisingly quite good.
Aside from that, I have to agree that the "Lucifer hangar-bay order" was plain silly. 

They probably figured that they were risking one ship and one pilot in order to gain a chance at a wealth of knowledge about the Lucifer. Bear in mind that at that stage command may have believed that a scan of the Lucifer from the inside would reveal how to take down its shields.

That alone is reason enough to risk it.

[General Battuta]

A big blunder by Command would be "Slaying Ravana".

Really? They committed a destroyer, a corvette, at least one (more than one?) other warship, and multiple fighter and bomber wings.

Yes, but not when they wanted to deal the destroyer's death blow. I mean, seriously, what kind of blunder resulted in heavy bombers attacking without a fighter escort? That's basic stuff they missed, and you sure as hell needed a fighter escort for that mission on higher difficulties. Well, it's do-able, but it'd be a little easier with a competent escort. And I mean, it's a FRAKKING DESTROYER! It should've turned around and given that Sobek a wake-up call, and on that note, I don't think it sortied any bombers to deal with it either. Really, it's a major ship, and being taken down by a wing of bombers, Serapis fighters, and a lone corvette that was barely trying is shameful at the least.

If computers were more powerful at the time, I see no reason why it shouldn't have turned into a larger engagement. And when the Ravana realises it's getting its ass handed to it, it should just power up the drives or call in some backup.

There were Serapis fighters in the area flying SEAD. They just got owned.

Odds are the Ravana's ready bombers were already neutralized in the engagement.

[Dilmah G]

Yeah, SEAD is all well and good when there are no fighters flying CAP over the target. Best bet would've been a fighter sweep before the Serapis wing went in to clear out the air defences. Those fighters never should've been up there, because if there was a fighter sweep, it was obviously ineffective. Command could've guessed with its eyes closed that the Ravana would have scores of ships. Mmm, but still, I don't remember the Ravana's engines being down upon the beginning of the mission, it could've easily turned around and blown the Sobek out of the water.

[deathfun]

I wouldn't really consider it a mistake of underestimating the Shivans. Just a cocky "We got beam cannons, nothing can stand in our way!"

Spoiler:

However, when I was flying in the Nebula during one of the tag missions where the missing wing sent a message and they then told you to disregard the message even though it was clearly a GET THE HELL OUT BECAUSE THERE IS A MASSIVE THING IN THERE and made it classified... they basically put everyone in there at risk. Almost as though they were all expendable.

Spoiler because it just feels right to put one in