Disclaimer: These concepts are for entertainment only and are in no way an official SONY concept for Planetside.

Selecting a heading below will jump you to that section.

Command Squads (by ZeusPrime and Hayoo) UPDATED!
Squad Interfaces NEW!
Command Vehicles and Equipment
Command Centers
General Command Abilities

In-progress updates on Command Abilities can be found on Idealab Forums.

Command Squads and Task Forces v3.0
by ZeusPrime and Hayoo
[updated 1.15.2006] - Update in Progress!

Some items may change to match latest concept.

Forum thread for comments may be found here.
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1) Commander's Window
2) Task Forces and Command Squads
3) Creating Command Squads
4) Creating Task Forces: Inviting Groups
5) Creating Task Forces: Inviting Individuals
6) Commanding Task Forces
7) Communicating in Task Forces
8) Communicating in Task Forces: Task Force Chat
9) Communicating in Task Forces: Division Chat
10) Communicating in Task Forces: Chat Hierarchies
11) Communicating in Task Forces: Non-Task Force Players

1 ) Commander's Window

Commander's Window

By clicking the Command button at the top of the map screen, unit leaders can choose to display a command side bar next to the map, or open up the Commander's window.

The Command Side Bar shows basic information such as the Order of Battle (aka Commander's List) for the units they are in, objectives in a task list, and a chat window.

Commanders can then choose to expand this side bar, via the arrow on the border, or click the Command toggle and choose the Commander's windows, shown below.

The Commander's window shows players who are leading Squads, Platoons, and Task Forces on a continent. Units will either be listed as part of a Task Force, Looking for Commander, or as an Independent unit. Each squad may also designate themselves by type for a particular role. The number of troops in each unit will also be listed. The Commander's List is a useful tool in finding a unit to join or in recruiting squads to form a platoon or a larger task force.

Below are two charts showing how Task Forces are organized

Overview Diagram | Task Force Symbols

Inthe next section, we will see how a Task force is created or joined.

2 ) Task Forces and Command Squads

A Task Force is the union of several Squads, Platoons, and individuals that join together for cross-continent or global campaign-sized team operations. Task Forces are created by first forming a Command Squad, the administrative core of leadership for all task force operations.

3 ) Creating Command Squads

Any CR, wherever they are, can attempt to form a Command Squad (CS).
Formation requires at least one other CR to join the squad through a /csinvite command.

Command Squad invite
Command Squad composition chart

There are only 5 total member slots available in a Command Squad, including the Leader (Task Force Leader).

When a player joins from an invite, a Command Squad is created and placed in the Looking for Commander window. From here, squads and platoons can select the CS and join up to form a Task Force.

Command Squads can list the types of units they need, such as Air, Armor, Support, etc.

Each command squad member can also create a Division, or sub-unit of the Task Force, with it's own arrangement of units and volunteers group. This allows for large Task Forces to be spread out among different continents or missions while maintaining a chain of command.

4 ) Creating Task Forces: Inviting Groups

Once the CS has been formed, the CS Commanders are able to create a Task Force (TF) by sending a /tfinvite to a unit leader or individual.

Task Force invite
Task Force composition chart

Each squad/platoon in the TF can assign themselves to a division or type designation (Air, Armor, Infantry, Support, Scout, Special Ops) by their SL/PL. Members of the CS are able to search for troops based on their designation and can select and invite/boot SL/PL to join the TF at any time, like-wise a SL/PL can ask to join/or leave a TF at any time.

Each CS Commander may create a name for their Task Force. This name is permanent for as long as the Commander is leader of the TF. If another takes his place, the new CS Commander has the option to change the name.

Image coming soon

Task Force composition chart

5 ) Creating Task Forces: Inviting Individuals

Individual players invited into a TF are automatically placed into a new group called Volunteers (aka Operatives or Reserves). This group does not have a unit leader but they can take orders directly from the CS via /re chat and hear all /tf, cont, and global chats of the CS commanders, but not standard command chats unless they have the appropriate Command Rank. Troops do not receive Squad XP benefits for being in the Operatives group. Each Volunteer can choose a personal designation (Air, Armor, Spec Ops). This position (Reserve) is created for the "Lone Wolf" players that are still interested in being part of a TF. If a Volunteer joins a squad within the same or other TF at any time, they are then identified with that squad regardless of which TF they were in when they joined.

Task Force invite for individual player
Task Force composition chart

For example:
ZeusPrime is soloing as an AA MAX unit. Hayoo /tfinvite's him into the "Eagle" TF, placing him automatically in the Volunteers group. A few minutes later webRat who is a PL in the "Psycho Jedi" TF invite's ZeusPrime into his squad. ZeusPrime accepts and automatically become affiliated with the "Psycho Jedi", since SL/PL membership overrides Volunteer status. ZeusPrime also has the choice of leaving the squad for the operatives group, or to quit the task force all together. This enables Volunteers to move freely from solo to TF to squad and back again without having to use any complicated interface.

6 ) Commanding Task Forces

The main command interface is the commander's window, accessable from the map or from a hotkey in your HUD.

The Order of Battle window shows the composition, hiearchy, and assets of your Task Force and other forces on the same continent.

Clicking on a squad will display its commander, position in the unit, number and role of members, and whether they have advanced support certs.

The next tab is the Continent Forces window. This shows known Friendly and Enemy assets on the continent. Enemy forces are only shown if revealed by a detection source (towers and scouting units) from the Tactical Overlay. So long as enemy units stay out of site and away from unfriendly towers, they will remain undetected.

The Campaign Reports tab shows various stats for current and recent campaigns. A campaign starts when an opposing empire hacks the first base on a continent (this definition is subject to change).

In this window you can view casualties incured during the campaign, as well as the number of assets destroyed and created, facilities captured or resecured, number of squads or outfits present, top outfits for the campaign, and other information. A list of the last twenty campaigns appears on the right, while Yesterday's winner is shown below.

Task List Tab: description coming soon

Sitrep Tab: description coming soon

Outfit Deployment Tab: description coming soon

 

Overhead Map with Command Squad symbols

Each CS Commander can set 4 type-specific WPs and has direct communication with the SL/PL in their TF that are designated as a particular type via /division /d chat. Command WPs only show up on the map, no spinning beam of light in game.

CS Commanders can ally with other Command Squads and share unit location data through a toggle. Squads and Platoons that are not in a Task Force can be seen by the highest commanders in respective groups.

E.g. only members of the CS can see the location of Independent platoons and squad leaders on a continent. Squad and Platoon leaders within the same TF cannot see the map locations of Independent platoons and squad leader locations unless those units have toggled the "share unit location" button; otherwise their locations are anonymous and their names only appear on the Commander's List. Independent unit leaders can see other Independent unit leaders and TF leader locations, but not the TF subordinate unit-leaders unless the CS has toggled the "share unit location" button. Leaders will only see these external units as grayish numbers or symbols, signifying that they are under another commander's control.

7 ) Communicating in Task Forces

CS Commanders can chat directly with everyone in their command squad, and can chat with other CS commanders. They can do a /sanc for reinforcement calls. /global is only seen by members of that Task Force, not by other troops. /cont works like /global, just on a smaller scale. The point being that the common soldier in a TF will get his orders from one place and the CS commander will be able to know which forces are going where at all times.

Also, when a commander sends a chat message, a maximum of 2 small symbols can appear with his or her name in the chat box. The first symbol will denote whether that person is leading a squad, platoon, or TF. The second symbol denotes command rank: 1 chevron for CR1, 2 chevrons for CR2, 3 chevrons for CR3, 1 star for CR4, and 2 stars for CR5. A third symbol may appear, that of an outfit's decal, if an outfit leader makes a post in outfit chat.

8 ) Communicating in Task Forces: Task Force Chat

Essentially, /tf acts as a /sitrep channel for all commanders, but the higher CR you are, the better you will be able to respond to it. This of course changes if a CR is in the Command Squad, in which case he can communicate to all TF squad and platoon leaders anywhere, regardless of command rank.

A CR1 Squad or Platoon leader cannot hear /tf chat of another SL or PL.

A CR2 Squad or Platoon leader's /tf chat reaches other unit leaders in the TF, but only in a SOI-sized radius out from the sender.

A CR3 Squad or Platoon leader's /tf chat reaches other unit leaders in the TF from a larger radius out from the sender.

Volunteers can use /tf but it only sends a one-way tell to the CS commanders. Operatives can use /re to speak to one another, but only in a CR3-wide area. /tells are still available to all. When the Command Squad chooses to do a /cont or /global, all Task Force members in that area can hear it, but /tf chat is the normal method for Command Squads to direct troops.

9 ) Communicating in Task Forces: Division Chat

/d or /division chat allows task force commanders to reach unit leaders and operatives under their Division.

CS commanders can still use the /tf chat to make requests, but can choose to make directed requests via /d chat so the channels do not become too cluttered.

10 ) Communicating in Task Forces: Chat Hierarchies

This system adds 3 new chat channels: /tf, /d, and /op

• /t - /tell chat works as normal
• /s - /squad chat works as normal, also allows CS members to talk to one another privately.
• /p - /platoon chat works as normal
• /sl - /squadleader chat workds as normal; reaches all SL on a continent
• /tf - /task force chat, allows TF unit-leaders to reach other TF leaders according to their CR. Allows CS commanders to reach all Task Force unit-leaders globally.
• /d - /division chat, allows typed-commanders in the CS to reach unit leaders esignated as the same type (e.g. the Air commander can send objectives to unit leaders and operatives designated as Air Division).
• /re - /reserves chat, allows players grouped in the Reserve division of a Task Force to communicate to one another within a large radius.
• /global - /global chat, allows any CR5 to reach all Task Force unit leaders globally. Allows CS commanders to reach all forces globally, both leaders and troops (for general information)
• /cont - /continent chat, allows any CR4 to reach all Task Force unit leaders on continent. Allows CS commanders to reach all forces on a continent, both leaders and troops.
• /c - /command chat still works as normal, each rank able to talk amongst themselves regardless of TF, CS, or Op Group. This is one of two standard ways for CS to communicate with other Command Squads and commanders. The method is through /sl chat.
• /sanc - /sanctuary broadcast allows CR to call for reinforcements at the Sanctuary.
  

11 ) Communicating in Task Forces: Non-Task Force Players

If a non-squad CR or non-aligned unit leader wants to know what's going on, he can look up a commander on the Commander's List and send a /tell or create a squad himself and flag himself as "Looking-for-Commander" to be invited as part of the Task Force's communication.

If a solo player wants to know what is going on, he can solicit a nearby player, outfit member, or passing commander for info, ask for an invite into an Operatives Group of a Task Force.

If you would like to comment on this concept, please visit the Command Squads thread here

Squad Interfaces

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1) Squad Members window
2) Squad Roles windows
3) Find Squad windows

1 ) Squad Members window

2 ) Squad Roles window

coming soon

3) Find Squads windows

Command Vehicles and Equipment

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1) Command Vehicle
2) Commander-Occupied Vehicle
3) CUD secondary mode: Laze pointer

1 ) Command Vehicle

Provides Commanders and Comtechs with a mobile Command Post with comparible (but shorter range) abilities for the overhead map, communications, radar coverage, recon drones, etc.

In-Progress

2 ) Commander-Occupied Vehicle

The Concept: When a player with Command Rank enters a vehicle in the gunner or passenger seat, he or she will now be able to access an onboard CUD and it's functions according to their rank. This CUD may be engaged by switching firemodes with the right mouse button.

Concept Details (Idealab Forums)

3) CUD secondary mode: Laze pointer

 

Command Centers

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1) Facility Command Center
2) Command Post Emplacement
3) Outfit Headquarters Features

1 ) Facility Command Center

Several command stations inside bases that leaders can sit at and gain increased map and communications abilities, such as Real-time Reveal Friendlies, faster updates on SOI Enemy positions, etc.

More details

2 ) Command Post Emplacement

See above

3 ) Outfit Headquarters Features

Cooperative Base Ownership. Up to 10 Outfits have the ability to temporarily headquarter their unit at a single facility or tower, each unit having the option to activate one special facility feature such as spawn-to-lobby teleporters, machine-guns atop walls, upgraded turrets, and others.

Alternatively, each outfit will be able to purchase a permenant Barracks in their Empire's sanctuary, with the ability to acquire perks and fun features.

More details

Featuring New Flash Demo (OHQ upgrades so far)

General Command Abilities

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1) Communications Features
2) Organizational Tools
3) Map Tools
4) Incentives

1 ) Communications Features

- Orders pop-up text. A squad or platoon leader may type in /orders "texthere" and a short line of white text will briefly appear on all member screens as well as in the chat window, similar to the red deconstruction warning for vehicles.

See Also Details on Sitrep/Task List Concepts

2 ) Organizational Tools

See Command Squads

3 ) Map Tools

Various tools for batlefield awareness of commanders and their forces

 

4 ) Command Incentives

Various risks and rewards for leading troops. Coming soon.