Van Hemlock

So you’ve kitted up, spawned into battle and seen first-hand the carnage and pandemonium of the typical base battle in Planetside. You’ve charged about, shot at people, and been killed lots. You may have even killed some people yourself, but mostly you’re confused, somewhat lost and probably asking yourself what the hell is actually going on here?

Well, despite the almost total anarchy of moment-to-moment fighting, there is a bigger plan in progress; one that is second nature to most Planetside veterans, to the point that no orders are felt necessary. Understanding the timeline of the typical textbook base assault can make a world of difference to playing Planetside, as it allows you to know where you need to be, and when, to get the most out of your chosen role.

Planetside revolves around territorial conquest – the ‘Daily Winner’ is decided by which team holds the most bases for longest, and in general, the bases provide both a focus and a reason for the fighting. You win by taking and holding bases, and the typical base capture works in distinct phases.

• Invasion

  The attacking force starts at the previous base fight, having just won. Having resupplied and rearmed, they begin to move to the target base, overland. This is a very outdoor stage, and is largely dominated by the MBT tanks, and Air units. The other grunts should ideally be passengers in vehicles for this trip. With the exception of Snipers and dedicated AV troops, being on foot is a bad thing here – mobility is needed most of all here, in out in the open you are vulnerable. The real objective here however, is for the attacking team to get as many AMS trucks to the target base’s Sphere of Influence (SOI), ready to deploy, as possible. Tanks and planes should be covering this advance, and dealing with defending tanks and air. Meanwhile, attacking Combat Engineers should be setting up mines and spitfires around the base they are attacking from – this is the key resupply point and must not be left unguarded. Any other towers in the vicinity should be secured by air recon troops, allowing nearer resupply of MAX units, and Air Towers especially should be secured for Mosquito and Reaver repair and rearming.

  Defending troops should be trying to harry this advance as best they can, using fast assault vehicles, Reavers, Mosquitoes, Tanks, etc. In particular, AMS trucks should be high priority targets, and minelaying along the roads between the two bases is important. Defending Snipers can cause havoc with foot-zerging attackers, (which are generally plentiful), and AA MAX and Skyguards are a must too. Being on the defensive allows the setting of numerous traps, ambushes and choke-points in the terrain between bases. Defending Combat Engineers should also be using this lull to fortify the target base with mines, sensors, etc. Now is a good time to ensure the NTU Silo is full – this might be your last chance to get an ANT fuel truck in.

  The defending team can reverse the assault by pushing back hard enough at this stage, carrying the attack to the attacker's supply base.

• Tower

  The attacking force is now mostly at the target base. The first job is to secure the base’s adjoining tower, providing a solid respawn point, and access to MAX suits for the main assault. AMS trucks should be deployed nearby, and the indoor-geared Heavy Assault troops will need to be charging in. Snipers should cover the tower doors to keep the defenders contained inside, and hotdropping assault or infiltration troops can try landing on the roof to split the forces inside. In general, Galaxy Drops should be saved for the main base, rather than the tower. The object is to hack the control panel, half way up, while containing the flow of troops coming up the stairs from the basement. Plasma Grenadiers are particularly useful at this, and tank gunners can camp the doors to help with containment. Mostly though, this part is about the sheer press of bodies and attrition.

  Meanwhile, the tanks and planes should be attempting to prevent defending vehicles from leaving the base, and breaking the siege on the tower. AMS trucks should be setting up near the tower, and as close to the base’s back door tunnel and main gates as possible, while keeping solid cover, rocks, etc, if available.

  Defenders should be trying to push out of the tower where possible. The tower supplies MAX suits, while the attackers are unlikely to have any, so these should be used. Defending tanks and planes should use this last chance to try and find, and kill, as many AMS as possible. In the base, teams should be setting up killing fields near the doors, and generally trying to slow the advance down. Snipers should now be on the base walls, and Infiltrators should be roaming, looking for AMS and reporting back the locations.

  The Defenders can reverse the assault here by eliminating the AMS trucks supplying the tower assault.

• Courtyard

  Once the tower has fallen, it can now supply MAX suits for the main advance on the base proper. The object now is to push the defenders inside the base buildings, and gain control of the courtyard area, inside the walls. This can be bloody, and requires a strong vehicle push, with foot-troops doing minesweeping with EMP grenades. Snipers should now be trying to clear the defenders off the walls from the surrounding ridgelines an tower roof, and AV troops should be keeping the wall turrets down. Grunts should now be pushing from the tower, and attacking at least one main gate, and using AMS to begin forays on the back door tunnel too. Air superiority is absolutely required here. Courtyard dominance can be claimed when the attacking team has at least one AMS deployed inside the courtyard itself, and aircraft can hover over it without being shot at. This effectively cuts off the defenders access to vehicles, and moves the fight inside.

  Defence is now difficult, as the tower is a very strong spawn point, and there may be several AMS also providing spawning around the SOI. Defenders should man the walls, and trap the entrances. It is vital to keep enemy vehicles out of the courtyard, where they can cause a lot of damage. Defending assault troops and vehicles should be trying to push at the tower, which is the main threat at this point. Defending Snipers are vulnerable, but they, and grenade troops, can use the walls to slow the foot troop advance considerably. Wall turrets can be useful if tended by engineers. By now, solid lines of defending MAX and grunts should be in place at the back door tunnel and main base entrance lobby, with attendent medics and engineers. With the vehicle terminal compromised, drivers and crew should now be respawning at the next base back and bringing the vehicles back to the siege overland.

  Defenders can reverse the assault at this stage by pushing out and retaking the tower, and clearing surrounding AMS trucks, but with multiple spawn points entrenched, it becomes very difficult.

• Assault

  The fight now moves inside. The attacker’s objective is the Control Console (CC), whose location varies by base type. They need to get some troops in here and hack it. This is a lot easier if they can reach and control the Respawn Room, which will stop defenderfs respawning there and leave an empty base. The defenders will be pouring out of here though, so the tertiary target should be the Generator Room. If the spawn cannot be taken in a reasoinable length of time (10 mins or so), the generator should be destroyed, which will also stop defending troops respawning, but will prevent attacking hackers being able to hack the terminals open. From here on in, the battle is down to the AI Max units, Heavy Assault guys and Grenade Spammers. Vehicle crews should either get out, use the courtyard AMS to reequip and help, or take the vehicle out of the CY and prepare for overland vehicle counterattack form the next base along. AMS drivers should continue to keep bringing them from their nearest base, as the defenders may push out and destroy the existing ones. The indoor fighting is very fast paced, and very ugly.

  Defenders should try to set up kill zones inside, and defend the three critical locations, CC, Spawn and Generator. Look for natural chokepoints, doorways, stairwells, etc, and try to push out if possible. Vehicle specialists are wasting their time respawning into the melee here and should regroup at the next base back where vehicles are still available. It will be down to you to try to break the siege from outside while all the attackers’ attentions are focused inward. AMS and the tower are the priority targets, and a ten-man Galaxy Paradrop on the tower at this point is almost certain to capture it swiftly, and deny the attackers MAX suits.

  To be honest, defenders are unlikely to be able to turn a base assault at this point, but look to seize on poor logistical planning on the attackers part here – insufficient AMS, etc. The assault can be reversed if the courtyard can be cleared and resecured, but at this point, it is extremely unlikely.

• Capture

  The attackers now have to defend. Depending on base type, two things can happen here.

  • For a 'Hack and Hold' bases (Clock), the attackers must now guard the CC for 15 minutes. Many base captures fail here, as players get bored standing around and leave the terminal unattended, allowing ninjas to get in and resecure. Ideally the spawn room should be destroyed by now. If not, the possibility over being overrun is high. Attackers should now be very alert to counterattack from the next base. Vehicle crews should be roaming the terrain between bases and trying to intercept AMS and Galaxy transports. With the spawn down, attention should be on the skies, and the next base along. Do not leave the CC unguarded however.

    Defenders should avoid spawning at the base now, as while hacked, the equipment terminals no longer work without being individually hacked by an expert, and are likely to just be gunned down on respawn. Use nearby AMS, the tower if possible, or the next base back. Resecure attempts work best if done with the right equipment and in numbers, so regroup and use transport - Deliverers, Sunderer, Galaxy.

  • For LLU (Latice Logic Unit) bases (Flag), the CC must be guarded as above, AND the LLU carrier needs transport. Buggy drivers should be on hand, with an intact vehicle ready, to help with this. LLU carrier cannot drive, and cannot enter a plane, so Buggies and Tanks work here. Skyguards and other tanks should be ready to form up as escort for the LLU, as the defenders WILL be trying to waylay it with air units.

    Defenders should be trying to resecure as above, but can also tie up and camp the LLU in the field, with a strong air assault, or by flanking the tanks. Unless the LLU makes it to the attacker’s nearest base, the whole assault stalls, and ultimately fails. The attackers must split their troops between CC guard and LLU escort – capitalise on this, and fast air units should anticipate the route the LLU will travel.

  The Defenders can reverse the assault here by getting a hacker to the CC and shutting the countdown down, but pushing back out again afterward is a big job, and will need vehicular help from outside.

• Repair and Rearm

  Congratulations! The attackers have won. Engineers should now ensure that the Generator and Spawn Tubes are repaired after the assault, then the equipment and vehicle terminals, and finally the wall turrets. An ANT fuel truck should be supplied as the base will have drained considerably during the fighting, and ACE deployables should be set up at the base and tower. This solid footing will shore up the push on the next base. Everyone else should be getting their vehicles and gear ready for the next push.

  Defenders should be bracing themselves for the next push, but this period of relaxed inactivity on the attackers team can be used, and a hard and sudden assault on the recently lost base can be very effective, and put the now-sated and somewhat docile attacking team on the defensive very quickly.

  The defenders have lost the base, but can very easily reverse the overall assault by pushing hard and fast on the lost base as quickly as possible after it goes down. Have vehicles ready, and get some AMS to their tower!

And there you go. Many subtle variations on the above exist, including back-line sabotage and hold, ninja death squads, bridge battles, amphibious assault, carpet bombing suppression, Capitol Force Domes, Battle Islands, Caves, artillery, and the special circumstances when the attacker has no base on that island to launch from, but the overall framework is there, and makes up the bread and butter of daily Planetside. Follow that basic plan, and indeed, all their bases are belong to you, but the key to a happy Planetside session, is understanding the above, and where you fit in it all…

Planetside week continues next time with a look at squads, outfits, command and psychology. Who is really in charge, and why?