Supreme Commander

Every map has its own unique characteristics, and the bird's eye view can skew your perspective on distances. There is nothing quite more annoying than to have a gorgeous queue including move orders, and realize one of your move orders were off! In that case, you can only decide to allow the flawed plan to continue with a few seconds lost, or stop your commander and remake the commands. To understand the importance of move orders previous to build orders, please refer to Artistic's Guide.

This cheat sheet shows starting positions, and the unique properties of their initial four mass extraction points. You might have a great ability to gauge distances, and in that case this guide will likely not benefit you. Perhaps you can plan out mid points to make two mass extractors without moving, but you have never tested out which mass extractors can be build right from starting position... in that case watch the green dots and you'll instantly know which are within reach at the get-go.

However, if you really want to plan out your routes, and have a desire to know the advantages that come with each side and the most optimal standing point to build, then this guide is right for you! I will post 2 maps each evening working from 2 player maps on up (alphabetically in order after player size). My focus will be on all starting positions for the 2-4 player range, and the principle beginning points for ranked matches on larger maps.

I'm not certain if there is a demand for this type of guide. I imagine the top tier players already have this memorized for the most common maps and positions.. and that the more casual players don't care. Because of this, I'd like feedback whether or not this information is useful to the community. If so, I will continue the guide to its completion... if not, I will discontinue it.

Radius Points



Every map you will teleport in and create circular scars in the landscape. These are great visual aids for your starting build. The central area is flat, with the green circle representing your initial point. This circle ends in a ridge which is labeled yellow. After the ridge is a concave circle labeled red. There is then another ridge labeled purple, and finally the outlying scars. I will use these zones and zone lines as a visual aid, as well as to determine the most advantageous side on a map from the perspective of opening build speed.

My use of numbers to rate spawn locations is the number of rings traveled from the central point in order to build. A score of 1 would be that you have to stand on the first ring to start a mass extractor. This is to be a rating system to show which side has the greatest advantage, and also to be a quick memory aid for where to send your commander (I know to move 2 rings SE for a combo build on Finns South).

Mass extraction points that can be built without moving in the very beginning will have a green dot next to them. This is *THE* most important thing to memorize. All the other facts are secondary. Red dots show the closest point which you can build the mass extractor from for which the line points to, and yellow dots are the earliest points you can build two mass extractors.

Two Player Maps

Canis River

South Spawn

Initial Builds: None
NW: 1
NE: 3
SE: 2
S: 1.5
Individual Distance Score: 7.5

Combinations:
S/SE: 3
N/NW: 3
Combination Distance Score: 6

North Spawn

Initial Builds: N
NW: 3
S: 2
SE: 2
Individual Distance Score: 7

Combinations:
S/SE: 3
NW: 3
Combination Distance Score: 6

Conclusion:
Canis North has a slight edge due to a single point that can be build with no movement, but with proper middle point combinations each side is about even.


North Spawn

Initial Builds: None
N: 2
E: 1.5
S: 2
W: 1
Individual Distance Score: 6.5

Combinations:
W/S: 3
N/E: 3.5
Combination Distance Score: 6.5

South Spawn

Initial Builds: None
N: 0.5
W: 0.5
S: 1
E: 1
Individual Distance Score: 3

Combinations:
N/W: 1
S/E: 2
Combination Distance Score: 3

Conclusion:
Finns South has a huge advantage on move times. The N/W Combination point is half a stride for the commander, and is suggested as the opening build point for your first two mass extractors.


North Spawn

Initial Builds: None
NE: 2
NW: Outer Scar (4)
Trial Run Individual Build: 1:05

South Spawn

Initial Builds: None
SW: 2
Trial Run Individual Build: 1:05

Combinations: SW/SE, NW/NE
Trial Run Combination Build: 1:06

Conclusion: Despite these spawns looking vastly different, their build times are similar. South has an advantage of a combo build point that adds flexibility, but both spawns have a first build point 2 rings away from starting position. According to your build order, the side you spawn on won't have a significant impact. Check my replay for Theta North to see how to tweak the move order from the point you know *does* work to a point directly between you and your current position.

West Spawn

Initial Builds: NW, SW
SE: 3.5
NE: 4.5
Individual Distance Score: 7.5

Combinations:
SW/SE: 3.5
NW/NE: 4.5
Combination Distance Score: 7.5

East Spawn

Initial Builds: SE
NE: 0.5
SW: 1
NW: 4
Individual Distance Score: 5.5

Combinations:
NE/SE: 0.5
SE/SW: 1
NW/NE: 4
Combination Distance Score: 5 (SW/SE + NW/NE)

Conclusion:
At first blush, Winters West has an advantage of two initial build points instead of the single point east does. After analysis, however, East has closer combo points. If you spawn on east, take advantage of your ACU's facing and take a step SW to combo the southern points, then swing up north to combo the northern ones (adding in a reclaim on the ice mound). If you spawn on west, it might be well worth your while to leave the NE point to an engineer due to the great distance just to build one point.

Three Player Maps


South Spawn


Initial Builds: NW
NE: 0.5
SW: 1.3
SE: 1.5
Individual Distance Score: 3.3

Combinations:
NW/SW: 1.3
NE/SE: 2.2
Combination Distance Score: 3.5

West Spawn

Initial Builds: NW, NE, SW, SE
Individual Distance Score: 0

Conclusion:
Simply jaw dropping differences here. West is a powerhouse for build speed with four instant builds from spawn. South, on the other hand, will take some care in the placement of your build points to utilize. Fortunately for South, the hydro plant is to the west, which is along the way to a standard offensive commander choke point at the pass or valley. This allows the commander to assist in the creation of the plant instead of spending time in base getting the first pgens up. North on the other hand has a hydro to the north, which is more sheltered by out of the way. Either way you cut it, though, West is a distinct advantage.

-Feinam

This post has been edited by Feinam: Mar 14 2007, 00:24 AM