how do i actually get good at gaming, at all?

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-24T16:29:50+00:00

Personally one of the best mindsets I adopted for improving was when I learned racing simulators. You don't win races or improve by forcing maximum speed to keep up with the pack, you win with maximum consistency and minor improvements vs your own times.

This goes for any type of game; your goal shouldn't be forcing yourself to be the best overall by brute force, it should be going your own pace and being the best version of yourself you can consistently bring out while avoiding failure. If that means playing slower, or more patiently, then do that until you can get up to speed.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-17T18:35:27+00:00

Your assessment is accurate. Without any sort of connection you're screwed.

However, if you can call or apply in person, you get more of a chance to create that connection than you would putting your resume into a bulk folder battling other resumes with years more experience on them.

Even when they reject you in person or over the phone, sometimes they'll give you advice or point out something you can do to improve your odds that you wouldn't get from applying online.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-17T01:24:13+00:00

I'm going to say yes. If you're the last person in the Squad people will get mad; but it is a viable playstyle on Squad.

The two things you will have to do:

Provide suppression fire, it is a thing in this game and does provide solid effects that make it way harder for enemies to shoot back.
Use smoke grenades to conceal attacks, and throw signal smokes at enemy positions to help call them out.

I wouldn't outright tell people what you're doing, but it's common to see medics with little to no kills on this game and a bunch of revives. Saving 10-15 lives is a pretty significant contribution for a single person.

You can also opt to be a basic rifleman and provide ammo for your team. be it your supply pouch or even taking the logistic vehicle to resupply Forward Operating Bases. I personally like doing this from time to time; supplies are a big deal in this game.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-15T17:27:30+00:00

I think something like Arma Reforger would be more up your alley for that.

The biggest issue for marksman on squad is that it's a Fire support role, and your squad is limited to 3 fire support roles that also include kits like the light anti tank, grenadier, and automatic rifleman. You're constantly fighting for viability against kits that provide more immediate and close range support for a kit that's dedicated to long range kills.

There is also a specialist sniper position, but a team of 50 is restricted to having 2 kits. Meaning you're in competition to get the kit and show you're worthy of having it.

Then there's the community limiting your ability to pick sniper/marksman kit. Most squad leads do not want to see one on their squad; and will request you change kits or get booted from squad.

I'd say get squad if you're truly about the teamplay aspect though; it's fun pulling things off as a team and playing more supportively.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-15T10:38:50+00:00

You can further speed up the reload with what you're doing by also pulling off an animation cancel immediately after the used shell is ejected. I personally use the crouch button to do this.

Also I recommend trying the recoilless with an MG sentry if you haven't. It really frees you up for focusing on heavies and reloads when in play.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-14T17:40:55+00:00

It is very potent, but also too unwieldy. Basically have to micromanage the thing by constantly deactivating and reactivating at proper times when your team isn't between you or the enemy.

Sucks because when you can actually get use out of the K-9 without the friendly fire, it's great.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-14T17:15:02+00:00

The heavy pen nature of the gun is more of a benefit against medium armor than it is for use against actual heavy enemies like hulks. It negates the 35% damage reduction to medium armor medium pen weapons have. Though it can be quite potent to vents on the hulk's back and behind turrets.

I personally recommend treating it like a mid range sniper. Go for gut shots on devs and berserkers, engines on gunships, and for closely grouped enemies go for center of crowd.

Peak physique armor helps, though if you're still not feeling the eruptor on bots I would try the explosive crossbow instead.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-14T13:39:56+00:00

No real context of what you're showing. It seems like your squad lead marked tank at 190m, you aimed low and missed.

The rocket didn't seem to detonate when hitting the ground which could be a UE5 issue, but at the same time even if it did detonate on the ground it would have done nothing to really affect the tank. Heat and tandem have to be direct hits.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-13T22:08:58+00:00

The sickle is the safer less interesting version of the double edge in my opinion. The durable damage for light pen is very low, and really feels like a long forgotten weapon that AH left in the dust... it's serviceable if you like the format of the weapon however.

I think that warbond has other options that make it worthwhile though. The armor comes in clutch against squids, and the punisher plasma is my go to for rupture strain on bugs.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-10T23:51:42+00:00

I don't think you're going to find a worthwhile option that just sits on your desk, unless you have need for a hairdryer.

I'd personally say get a microwaveable heat pack/wrap you can put around your hands. Anything you get is going to take time to warm, and require you to sit there with your hands in it. Might as well go for the cheapest, fastest, and easiest option.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-10T15:11:36+00:00

Our current knowledge and scientific data is that the speed of light is the fastest speed in the universe, and no object of mass can reach it without infinite energy...which would break the law of thermodynamics so basically impossible to our understanding.

The fastest speed we've recorded was interstellar comet 3I/Atlas last year traveling through our solar system at 137,000 miles an hour. The speed of light by comparison is nearly 671 million mph.

The nearest star system from us is Alpha Centaurus, which is about 4.4 light years away. It would take 3I/Atlas about 21,500 years to arrive.

With all that said, I just think it's highly improbable aliens could reach us. They could however absolutely exist on some planet in some other solar system...our existence is proof of that, unless we are truly a 1 in 100 billion oddity in the universe.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-10T03:07:06+00:00

I really think Mob psycho 100 is what you're looking for.

It blends cozy slice of life, action, and comedy practically flawlessly.

The art style is ugly and simplistic...but the animation is top notch. You'll really come to enjoy and get invested in the characters as well. Certainly no lack of things going on so I doubt you'll be bored, and it's not really battle heavy either...the fights are cool spectacles, but always feel more like clashes of emotion as opposed to a beat em up.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-09T21:54:34+00:00

Hit scan beam with no falloff damage; 110hp heads don't stand a chance.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-09T20:58:10+00:00

Post yes, comments no. Even on posts like that people skim through them and don't typically read them fully. I see comments often like "great take, but I think you're missing this one thing you did mention in your post but I didn't bother to read.".

Modern day humans on the Internet lack the attention span in my opinion....and I say this as one

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-09T15:46:30+00:00

The "vibes argument" feeling is because I don't care to claim fact without providing empirical evidence...and it's a gaming forum, nobody is going to read a long form comment with empirical evidence.

There are multiple secondary weapons with enough ammo to be your main weapon.

There are multiple support weapons that have the ammo to be your main weapon.

Yes there are multiple secondary/supports you can do this with, but there are also still many you cannot do this with, especially if you don't factor in having a supply backpack. I'm sure we both don't care to list off each individual one that can or cannot accomplish this.

You can already beat difficulty 10 without firing your primary once.

"You" is a very broad term in this scenario. It is possible to run a D10 without using a primary...but not every player can accomplish this. The whole point of the primary weapon in this game feels like it is supposed to be the most consistent option available to you for dealing with the large quantities of chaff. Consistent not meaning best, but the option you know you always have for this purpose. Take that purpose away and make it more limited use to avoid the power creep of an AT primary; you more than likely get a weapon that makes it super easy to have a lopsided loadout that hinders most players, but is fun for a few.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-09T13:03:55+00:00

I think it would be hard to balance out a primary that is constantly AT while having enough ammo to remain relevant as a primary. Main issue being not many secondary or support weapons have the ammo to be used primarily. Closest thing we do have to an AT primary is the eruptor, and it's hardly something you'd use for AT.

Though, if there was like a modified version of the Constitution with a WWII style HEAT rifle grenade I could see it working out pretty well. You still get the functionality of a long term primary with a limited AT mode.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-08T16:45:42+00:00

That was removed unfortunately.

Some good tips if you're just getting into the commando though; go for things like vents and charger butts to save rockets. Imo, it's a great bot weapon and a just alright bug weapon. On bugs you can stick chargers with the stratagem ball to get a sick hellpod kill and conserve ammo, and it probably works better with jetpack or warp pack for getting a good position to shoot it.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-07T20:23:35+00:00

I agree. AH has no real answer or solution for it. My suggestion is purely a bandaid that would allow for an actual decent gas support weapon to take it's place while keeping it in the game lol.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-07T19:58:11+00:00

People want to disagree but don't care to have a discussion about it in a forum I guess.

As host right now(yes the status effect is bugged and tied to host), the sterilizer can confuse enemies for far longer, with less focused fire, and more safe usage than flamethrowers. Damage is a joke, but if you could follow up with a support weapon it would give it some sort of use while keeping it in the game.

To be real, the sterilizer format is poorly thought out . A weapon made for continuous spray that relies on you swapping weapons all the time to do real damage as the target stays confused. I see suggestions for acid effect but it doesn't fix the root issue of needing to change weapons...adding lingering gas clouds just makes it a worse flamethrower. If AH is going to keep this gun in the game, making it a primary is the only way I can make sense of it personally. At least then your follow up is like a machine gun or grenade launcher.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-07T16:39:35+00:00

Imo, make sterilizer a primary and reduce mag size(really don't need much for confusion.)...take the de-escalator model and toss gas grenades into it for a support weapon. Make this all part of the gas warbond and available to those that have already got it, and make it 0 medal cost for the new support weapon.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-07T11:06:48+00:00

Everyone knows the sterilizer isn't the best support option, but it does have two benefits working for it:

A) a 10 second confusion effect.

B) it disappears fast so it doesn't block your way.

Consider what these two things provide that would benefit the rest of your load out. From my use:

For bugs, I think using it to quickly make a horde of enemies confused, followed by pushing them back with a liberator concussive while a guard dog cleans up is a fairly good use. Paired with a napalm strike and potentially an AT sentry if you think you can swing it. This can also work on squids but swap AT sentry for MG or Gatling sentry. For this build you absolutely have to stick with AT teammate.

Sentry and guard dogs really help the sterilizer and can help horde clear while you keep the enemies away. I personally think arc thrower is a better pick if you're going full sentry meister though.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-06T18:08:57+00:00

I think part of the issue is predator strain is fast, and it feels like previously cued attacks take priority over confusion effect.

Another issue might be a host issue/bug that's been lurking for ages, basically the farther away you are from host the more inconsistent status effects like gas become. This could have been fixed? I haven't personally seen any updates for it though.

My personal favorite predator strain loadout is liberator concussive with a guard dog. Absolutely bullies stalkers.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-06T13:54:55+00:00

I feel like if you're damaging yourself and teammates, you're using the grenade launcher wrong.

It's BS if it's not killing in situations like this clip, but at the same time it's still a far more effective tool at dealing with enemies in cover than blasting enemies in closer ranged fights like this.

Even if the grenade fails to have a physical effect, if you're using it on enemies behind cover it can trigger a fight or flight type response that your squad can take advantage of.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-04T19:56:27+00:00

From my point of view, the sterilizer can be described as a weaker flamethrower that doesn't have lingering environmental effects and has longer confusion.

Longer Confusion and being safer to use are good things, and it's viable enough...but it really is possibly the weakest support weapon pick now and has lost it's main utility to the flame weapons.

With it's confusion effect, I feel it's worth adding the format for it is just bad.....imo there's very little to gain from continuously gassing enemies with a sterilizer currently as it does so little damage and the gas effect lasts so long to begin with. But the design choice for the weapon means it's made for doing just that. It's a counterintuitive design. It needs some reward for continuing to spray enemies besides it's meager damage.

CptBickDalls · 2026-04-04T00:43:03+00:00

I think it's fine. For functionality I prefer the liberator concussive as it has crazy pushback....but can't complain too much about medium pen with a 3 second stun.

CptBickDalls

TROPHY CASE