Tips & Tricks for New Players - 2024 Supreme Commander Forged Alliance

[@kwwball]

Is there actually a community who plays this often? Also why this instead of Planetary Annihilation?

[@TheGreenSquier]

Definitely! The community is super active through Forged Alliance Forever (link in description), a community driven client with years of balance patches, performance improvements, an elo ranking system, simple mod integration, etc. I might make a video about FAF since this question comes up a lot, but there's never been a better time to play than now!! Planetary Annihilation can be fun, but there's only 1 faction with no backstory and pretty generic units. There's significantly more gameplay depth in Sup Com, along with a fun singleplayer campaign (that is co-op through FAF!) Hope to see you around! :D

[@ZLO_FAF]

PA has like 1 faction only, it is less deep, and i personally just don't like that i don't see the whole playable area when zoom out. FAF has tons of maps, game modes, mods, coop campaings, more missions and just more people and more content

[@distrologic2925]

PA has less nuanced units and is more buggy.

[@simonwills540]

My issue with PA was how it would run super slow when you had too many units. FAF doesn't so that's nice. I do miss the interplanetary battles tho

[@zetetick395]

You could try Gyle Cast: He's a great Sup Com commentator 😸_👍 kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3indKCvZa53jJY

[@mjohns6636]

Ok that spread bomber attack is really awesome. I didn’t know that after all these years of playing. Really helpful.

[@austinwilbanks4777]

That key bind didn't work for me, any idea what this keybind is called in the settings?

[@bulczanabula]

​@@austinwilbanks4777 i know its a very late reply but he said that ctrl+G is a default keybind without FAF. Try it, maybe thats the issue

[@bulczanabula]

​@@austinwilbanks4777and the FAF one is ctrl+Z

[@icyknightmare4592]

More tips and tricks: 6:03 At this point, you can take a clump of engineers and queue up assist orders on all of the paused mexs to have them upgrade automatically. On FAF, you can then use shift-rightclick on t2 and t3 mexs to auto-place a mass storage template around them. UEF has the game's only flying engineers, as drone upgrades on the ACU (t1), SCU (t3), and kennel drones (assist, repair, reclaim only). All non-Aeon t1 submarines have a deck gun. Use it to kill hover engineers (Aeon, Seraphim) or raid coastal mexs. The deck gun has a longer range than a frigate's gun, so you may be able to reach some targets the frigate can't hit. Overcharge on FAF has four additional quirks: 1. Its damage scales with the amount of energy storage you have. In the late game you need more e storages if you want to keep using it against higher tech units. In general: 1 e storage at T1, 2-3 at T2, 5+ at T3. 2. OC does static damage values to buildings and enemy ACUs. I believe it's 500 to ACUs and 800 to buildings. 3. Right click the overcharge button to make it auto fire. Auto OC is a good APM saver, but fires slower than manual if you have the energy, and may not always hit the best targets. If you can afford to micro your ACU, manual OC is always better. 4. If you pop a mobile shield bubble with an overcharge, the mobile shield generator also dies. Additional factory tricks: * You can have transports assist your 'main' factory, and they will auto ferry units from the factories to the main factory's rally point. (obviously, don't do this without air control) * If you set a factory's rally point as an attack move near reclaim, engineers built from that factory reclaim at longer range until manually given a different order "Hidden" unit abilities: * The seraphim t1 air scout leaves vision for about 20s on death, making it by far the best t1 air scout. * SCUs will auto-rebuild any structure they are assisting if it is destroyed. If you have idle RAS SCUs in the late game, spread them out and have them assist important stuff.

[@TheGreenSquier]

Great tips! Mind if I use these in a future video? Cheers!

[@icyknightmare4592]

@@TheGreenSquier Use whatever you think is good :)

[@wkeil1981]

My god thank you this was the info I needed!!

[@GeonXP89]

The spread attack tip is extremely useful, I never heard of it I did discover the factory assist option by accident a couple of years ago, it should also be noted that telling a factory to assist another while it's building something will cancel it ; however, telling a factory to build something while in assist mode will let it finish its current production then build whatever you tell it to do.

[@terror.australis]

Note it's shift G for the default hotkeys, shift Z for the hotbuild preset

[@Stickleback]

Tips and tricks for new players in 2022, just shows what a legendary game this is

[@jamesgolding1458]

Can't believe you missed the coolest bit about the factory assist function. Take one of the assisting factories and queue something up on it, say like you need some extra engineers, the factory will start making whatever you queue up on it once it has finished its current unit. Once it has finished what you've queued up it will go back to building whatever the factory that it is assisting is creating. Looking at your factory build UI you use hot building, and have the upgrade building button mapped, instead of the upgrade all mexes and pause trick, it is easier to bind the "select nearest lowest tech mex" to a key near your upgrade building key and then to upgrade a mex you just hit it then upgrade a mex key in quick succession.

[@SuperYtc1]

Ooo that's such a good tip. Thanks! Pretty much all the time I want to build say, a couple engineers, then return to building what I was doing. It was a pain before, but now with that tip it should be easy!

[@Kjjjay]

I love how this game and community is still alive and flourishing. Great content

[@TheDuelist]

Worth mentioning, (if you didn't later) that all these hotkeys are changeable.

[@leofkay]

How?

[@Scourge24]

Suggestion for a future video: order cloning. This is a method of quickly issuing orders to individual units without having to select each unit individually. 1. Select the units you want to issue individual orders to. 2. Issue an order to the entire group. 3. Deselect one unit (shift+right click a unit type in the selection bar to deselect a single unit of that type). 4. Repeat from 2. The deselected unit will follow the first order while the remainder of the group will follow the new order. Note that "improved unit deselection" must be enabled in the Interface settings in order to deselect individual units. Demonstration: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bH3Ok5yEoqh_hZY

[@sebastijansekol6710]

That was amazing! Looking forward for more tips like this! :) Thanks!

[@TheGreenSquier]

Well you’re in luck cuz I already released part 2! :D kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4q6iIusicZgnJI

[@sebastijansekol6710]

@@TheGreenSquier thx, subscribed! Tried shift+z and it didn‘t work. I read somewhere under the comments that it could be due to original SC and I need to reset it? Any thoughts? Thx again and keep up the good work!

[@sebastijansekol6710]

UPDATE: I found the reason why it didn't work and it is working now! Under the "Hotkeys" I had to choose FAF Hotkeys and now it works! Thanks, sharing your videos with my group of Commanders :) Cheers!

[@NatanStarke]

Instalike because of the video intention

[@leofkay]

Best video. Just simple basics everyone new should be taught

[@PrimeSniper7]

I'm on FAF and Shift+G still works for multi-attack

[@pierre-mariecaulliez6285]

An added detail : if you plan to fully upgrade your commander, start with the tech upgrade(s), as they make the other upgrades go faster. For instance, installing a laser on your Cybran commander takes 20 minutes. However, if you have installed the tech III builder, it only takes 5 seconds... And absolutely TANKS your economy for that period of time ;7 (so more like 20 seconds)

[@duskyracer8800]

Im pretty sure I just did that and it takes like 1 min if you have the eco not to stall

[@Blake-lg1nb]

or dont and just assist w engineers for the exact same effect but more efficient

[@jeffa.2092]

Just bought the game after building my first beast PC rig. Thanks for the tips

[@SuperYtc1]

Congrats! Are you enjoying the game? I'm new to it. But can't get fully into it yet until I've finished my studies.

[@mariomarques7109]

Amazing video, thanks!

[@Boneless_Water]

Wow i never would have known about the spread attack, thats insane 😮

[@hectorgarza6679]

Excellent. I didn't know you could spread attack.

[@joostvandervelde]

Thank you for this video!~ For a future video could you show how to handle air micro?

[@moistmike4150]

Thanks for this!

[@Anthrofuturism]

Awesome man thanks for this

[@Boneless_Water]

Yeah the cybran destroyers are some of my favorite units in the game, it can single handedly replace half of my army cause they can basically do everything, i love the cybran

[@Momchilsky]

Great video, helps a lot!

[@BrokenCowboyy]

Bro i've been playing the game for 10 years I didn't know about spreak attack 😭

[@maxrander0101]

the best tip i can give as a player with over 1millon hrs in the game is engineer rushes are good for messing with enemy units and bases the tier 3 transport and a mix of tier 2 and 3 engineers lets say around 50-60 can really mess up an enemy at any point of a game as they can be grouped and told while paused to take as many buildings and units as you can the number it will let you waypoint are related to twice the number of engineers you have in the group they will all help to take each one and do it at a fast rate due to the number any enemy defense will fire through their own buildings and units to hit your engineers

[@sevenomad]

1 million hours is 114 years. 😂 Did you join Kirk and Spock on when slingshotting around the sun? I can’t believe they left you behind! Also, do you have any of those liver pills? I love the tactic tho!

[@aleserban947]

Interesting how Beyond All Reason is already so much ahead in terms of graphics

[@HeXetic]

I mean I know that when *I'm* playing FAF I am constantly zooming in and out all the time... but it does not work if you're trying to present something to an audience. It's nauseating.

[@JoeUseres]

is possible to implement another engineer in a building queue??? for example, with one engineer put in queue 10 power in line, u can see these in yellow by pressing shift. Ok, now implemente another enginner in this queue, maybe in middle or end, or maybe a key for build one of these from anoter unit.

[@PlatinumWolf327]

For bombers... wouldn't shift + A work as well instead of queing up multiple attacks and then shift + g/shift + z?

[@thygrrr]

Wasn't there Shift-CTRL or Shift-ALT for spread attack? Guess I need to go back into the code base and reinstate that. It was even in Vanilla. I think the rule of thumb was: add CTRL to a command to make it more controlled/strict, like a force move. Add ALT to make it alternative/more flexible, like spread attack. Add CTRL+ALT to make it both, for example in attack orders this used to be the old (and in the early days often buggy) synchronized attack feature where all units try to hit each of their targets at exactly the same time (basically a combination of timed wait/formation move and spread attack)

[@ThePatriotSlinger]

Where would you find all key commands for the game?

[@Dude29]

14:21 is this screen from a mod? Nice video btw

[@TheGreenSquier]

Turn Cheating -> On when you're in the lobby, then press Alt + F2 in game to bring up the menu. Cheers!

[@peppernuts1129]

Pls make more of this

[@TheGreenSquier]

Way ahead of you, I have a whole series of Tips & Tricks videos ;) kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4q6iIusicZgnJI

[@qdogggaming9741]

how is your ui on the bottom?

[@lettomobile98]

How can I implement the banner you have above each structure which shows energy and mass consumption?

[@TheGreenSquier]

I go over it in my 1st Beginner’s Guide video here! It’s a button that you can toggle on the top left of the screen kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJSQpYiGqa6ZndU

[@skoub3466]

for the arty raid having the target focus mod would do the same whit less click ;)

[@TheGreenSquier]

Oh cool! Can you use that on ranked games too?

[@Al-.-ex]

@@TheGreenSquier yeah, all UI mods can be used on ranked too:)

[@alek-x4.G]

Tip 1: is a legit bombing run cool

[@amzarnacht6710]

A rather useful suggestion is how to get FAF installed and working. It want's a damn login and no matter what I've done it always fails. How does one set it up standalone?

[@ivanwork7224]

I dont think you can make it completely standalone. The loging you need probably is here: www.faforever.com/ Just make an account here and be logged on :)

[@vemireddyp]

There is a 'Play Offline' bottom at the bottom on the start up screen. Not sure how long that option has been there, it may be new.

[@___________S_t_a_s___________]

👍

[@M4gl4d]

1- its called a ZETA, not a "ceee" 2 -You kept saying ctrol cee and then sometimes shift ceee... which one is it, ctrl or shift?

[@ByronBryant-xp9cz]

this is forged alliance forever GOLD!!!! Thank you so much TheGreenSquier! PLEASE LIKE AN SUBSCRIBE TO THIS CHANNEL HIS INFO IS SPOT ON!!

[@SinnerD2010]

I was hoping I'd learn something, but alas I already know all this stuff, and I still suck. 😂

[@SinnerD2010]

@The Cash Cow Piñata - Hit Me To Get Money Hovering around 700r and 550-600games. usually mix between custom team battles and survivals.

[@rme8554]

Lol. I have 3000 games and still 900. Keeep playing. And study the game. I don’t cause I am lazy but knowledge and having a strategy before each game will bump your game 400-500 more rank

[@SinnerD2010]

@The Cash Cow Piñata - Hit Me To Get Money Yeam i'm aware. do those just for fun.

[@Innomen]

A lot of this stuff needs to be baked in. It bothers me how much best practice that literally all skilled players are expected to do and know isn't automated. And I think this contributes to why playing vs AI is no fun because AI doesn't do these things and is thus extremely weak for it. It ruins immersion for me when best practice isn't automated because it reminds me this isn't a real living society, these units aren't alive, don't evolve, don't think, etc. On thing PA does better than FA on this front is structure commands and area targeting. At least in this way I can fake some best practice by say making a factory with orders to reclaim the entire planet/map. Then, every fab I make in that plant comes out and tries to hoover up everything, which is what you'd expect from a basic war standing order like "bring me metal." I feel like this game would be a lot more popular if we would just promote the humans to officers, and let them focus on the higher level play rather than APM micro and best practice chores. FA having build templates is the most promising aspect of the game on this front that is basically squandered by the contradictory demand for APM and micro.

[@TheGreenSquier]

If you're looking for better AI, I recommend 10,000% for you to try the M27 AI mod on FAF. It doesn't cheat, and it's about as good as 1,200-1,500 elo. Seriously, it's an excellent AI mod, hope you give it a shot

[@Innomen]

@@TheGreenSquier ok I will but I mean all the stuff above still applies, like my fabs just stand in a pile of metal unless ordered to reclaim, that's stupid.

[@Innomen]

@@TheGreenSquier That AI exposed a big flaw in FAF. I learned that FAF doesn't understand physics. It's literally impossible to stop arty in FAF because overlapping shields do not distribute damage absorption capacity. I never noticed because stock AI never managed to get arty built fast enough. If you have one shield over a target the arty will hit for 90% damage, if you have 4 shields it will hit all 4 for 90% damage. That's not how anything works. It makes the game unplayable as anything but rush because nothing can be meaningfully protected regardless of investment/planning, and it's weird that the community hasn't discovered the flaw and forced it to be the meta. Now I understand why scathis is so effective if you can get it built, there's literally no defense except offense. I could have literally one trillion shields stacked in the same square and two rounds would penetrate them.

[@explosive3891]

tutörial ':D

[@nathanneugeboren6207]

Omg that’s such a good video!!! It’s so good I’m going to date your fiancé’s sister!!!!