So I was trying to participate in the CW the other day. I died too often and did too little damage to be effective, but I noticed just how very chaotic the whole situation is, and that coordinating other players for any kind of tactical orgination is an exercise in futility, or near.

Poor Daisuke and Jester have so much trouble, especially, trying to get the troops rallied, so-to-speak. Apart from the biggest problem--namely, lack of participation--the craziness ensues when either of them attempt to bring some order to the battlefield. I am speaking of the Bellato CW efforts on Water, BTW, but I am certain the same maladies afflict other servers and other races as well. Though recently the Accretia on Water server have been doing quite well. Kudos to them.

The primary affliction, here, I think is knowledge. Tactical savvy and military conquest are not necessarily my strongest points, either, but I do understand the basics of battlefield effectiveness. A lot of Bellato are really foaming at the mouth about the recent MAU nerf and the recent inundation of quokes about support roles and purposes the MAU serve from other players on the forums. Thing is, the MAU is most definitely a support mech, and it is not designed to go one-on-one. It's too slow, it is designed for behind-the-lines damage only. However, since few Bellato break out their MAU/BMAU during the CWs these days, the entire balance has been undermined. Of course, it does not help that these specialized skills have been nerfed, or the mechs themselves at least. But tactics is key, not one single BMAU, summons, or launcher.

I was watching Immigrant the other night during the CW he was rallying, and he actually did quite well. I think what helped him most to win that particular battle was those who followed him were sufficient in number and largely listened to his commands. Kudos to Immigrant, for a job well done, but also it helps greatly when you have troops who obey orders and know what role their characters play. Again, knowledge is the best upgrade your character can have, and knowing what your character is best suited for is key to successful tactics.

Aside from actually getting players to participate, a constant thorn in the side of any battle commander, it seems like spreading a little knowledge around so that players get more from this game will help. It will help everyone if you play the role best suited by your skills and character class, you'll get more out of your game and enjoy it a whole lot more. I'm sure that the original designers of the game anticipated having thousands of players, of all class descriptions populating the servers, and it is possible that--like any famous battle--numbers alone can win, tactics become not only necessary but vital for small numbers of troops. There aren't a whole lot of players left, and Daisuke, Jester and Immigrant--and those like them--who try to rally the troops in an effort to command a strong presence on the field can't do it all by themselves. They need their troops to know their jobs, what they are class-specialized to be good at, and how best to exploit it.

I think it's important to:

A). Know what your class is designed to do. Are you offense, defense, or support?

B). Understand basic battle formation, i.e. MAUs/BMAUs do not typically belong on the frontlines, neither do summons or launchers. These are all 'big guns', and therefore big guns are behind frontlines, lending support to ground troops who really do the brunt of the work. There are always crafty implementations and unorthodox tactics that would allow for these big guns to exist and perform outside their supportive roles, but I leave it to tactical geniuses to work out the details.

C). Every player has a character that can perform other roles, if one class is too prevelent. It perhaps may be true that there are more Bellato drivers/armor riders than there are other classes, but it isn't a stretch to assume another role if there are too many of one class. This is why PT and skills are so important. If you cannot assume another role, if need be, because your skill and/or PT are insufficient this will affect the commander's ability to perform successful text-book tactics. Obviously, an in-the-know commander can adapt and make necessary changes to his battleplans in order to compensate, thus any good battlefield lieutenant could tell you. Know your character's primary function in battle, but be flexible with it as best you are able.

I don't have all the answers, of course, but I know many players do not participate because they feel they are ineffective. I know, because I am one of those. I will try once in a while anyway, but my character often gets left by herself and doesn't stand a chance against higher level Accretia or Cora. I can sometimes survive if I am in the thick of it and 'get lost' among the swarm of Bellato hitting on a CC or enemy. But most often I get picked out and dispatched with a single hit. Obviously, everyone is aware that balance in this game can and often is severely scewed, and that is in-and-of itself a major mountain for any commander to overcome. But equally important is for players to feel they can contribute, to get more from their game, and not be deadened to an incessant never-ending grind of PTing and leveling.

Anyway, if I have time, maybe I'll append to this thread of what roles the classes play, if the interest is there. It should be obvious for some classes, but perhaps not so for others. My $.02.