So You Want To Play More Battle Nights

[Jam Cliché]

The following is a summary of things I've heard from Anarchy, Phoenix, and RaZ, and things demonstrated by the same folk, about how to make Battle Night run smoothly. First, a step-by-step. The steps below are the ways I have been shown and believe the best method for avoiding connectivity issues and human error delays.

0. To the War Council:
Remain calm and be patient with your faction members, but do not tolerate incompetence. You're in charge, you're doing the work, and I'm not about to tell you how to get things done.
1. To All Members:
Get off the War Council's back - especially your faction leader. The more impatient you are, the more you are going to ruin Battle Night for someone else. That will come back to bite you next time you want to get a match sooner than called for.
2. To Team Leader Whose Side Picks Game:
Organize your team and have your gametype picked as soon as possible. When you are invited by your faction leader, join alone, and tell your faction leader your gametype choice so he can set it up and leave to set up the next game. After he leaves, invite your team one-by-one. When everyone is in, ask for a sound-off/roll-call/ready-up, then get started.
3. To Team Leader Whose Side Doesn't Pick Game:
Organize your team, be ready for your faction leader's invite. Join alone, then confirm with your faction leader that your team is ready so he can leave and set up the next game. After he leaves, invite your team one-by-one.
4. To Team Members:
Get in the lobby, but don't try to bring a party. Join alone - your team leader will invite everyone, it isn't your job unless asked of you. When you are in the lobby, shut up. No really, shut up until the ready-up is done. You have enough time when the match opens to recap opening plays, so wait. And don't be in party chat - that shit aint right.

This is a system we worked out by the second half of battle night. I have only recently been put in charge of a Company (which is largely self-running anyway), but I checked and double checked the progress of everyone in my Company to see that teams were in order. I didn't have to do anything for the most part. What I was personally involved in organizing was the status of Cyberdyne, the Squad I'm actually in, and together with Myth and Silversleek, we maintained two teams all night and played the most games out of BLUE by a factor of double.

The three of us were on Skype with our High Council all night. So were most of BLUE's team leaders, and I'm sure REDD's got something for centralized communication, too. If you're not in on it, contact someone to get there. Team leaders especially should find some way to be in contact with their faction leader. Skype's faster than XBL messages, and can be checked even during a game if it takes that.

What to do between games:
Refresh the map.
Go potty.
Check on your fellow teams.
Choose your next gametype, if applicable.

What about connectivity issues?
Members from both Cyberdyne teams had trouble connecting to Phoenix. That's why we had him invite a ranking member of each team then leave so everyone else could join. We also lost people along the way, but maintained two teams of 4 by staying in contact with other Squads. Last week, I stood down because my connection was crap. You should be prepared to make the same sacrifice. Death753 had the same connection dropping issue last night, and he agreed to stand down, too. I didn't like asking that of him, because he's one of our most active people, he's played with Cyberdyne a lot, and he was about to sub-in with us again last night if not for said issue. But he did it anyway.

These issues must be handled as they come up, but if you follow the guideline above, you can avoid problems and shave valuable minutes off the schedule and stay ahead of the clock so we can all play more.

The only other set of teams that got in 10 or more games than Cyberdyne was Redwatch, and you know what? It doesn't surprise me they got to play a lot. When we faced them, I noticed that they were in the lobby post-haste and ready to go with no bullshit, and they kept their teams online the whole night.

There's not much else I can say. Show some hustle. I have already chatted with some people about their team not getting to play many games, and I've seen one legit case of a Squad being ignored. So yes, the WC isn't perfect, but it's not an us vs. them thing - not with the WC or even the REDDs and BLUEs. Everyone needs to do their part to make battle nights fun for everyone. I think each one of us owes all of us that much.

I don't speak for anyone in my faction's High Council or the War Council as a whole. I just wanna give my input and share the objective knowledge I've gained from experienced members of the community.

[KazuhLLL]

This man speaks the truth.

[GhostHammer]

So much logic. I'm stunned. Well said sir.

[OPOC1L1PSE]

Let US worry about the way we run OUR army. This should have been a BLUE post, not available to the entire public... Army affairs are dealt within the army they concern, are they not? I know for a fact that the platoon I am in had FOUR teams of 4 at ALL TIMES, all waiting to get in a game. We were patient and respectful when we got in. So once again, worry about yourself and YOUR teams and we'll worry about ours.

[Sicarioano]

Let US worry about the way we run OUR army. This should have been a BLUE post, not available to the entire public... Army affairs are dealt within the army they concern, are they not? I know for a fact that the platoon I am in had FOUR teams of 4 at ALL TIMES, all waiting to get in a game. We were patient and respectful when we got in. So once again, worry about yourself and YOUR teams and we'll worry about ours.

He's simply making a suggestion for everyone in FC to sorta follow, or base what they do off of. He's trying to make things better, not worse. And we're all one community, sometimes armies need help with certain things, and that's what this man is trying to do.

[VerbotenDonkey]

Let US worry about the way we run OUR army. This should have been a BLUE post, not available to the entire public... Army affairs are dealt within the army they concern, are they not? I know for a fact that the platoon I am in had FOUR teams of 4 at ALL TIMES, all waiting to get in a game. We were patient and respectful when we got in. So once again, worry about yourself and YOUR teams and we'll worry about ours.

We're a community and he's well within his boundaries to try to set some standards and give some helpful hints for everyone. He wasn't pointing fingers at REDD, both sides have this problem.

[PhoenixPrime(GEN)]

Let US worry about the way we run OUR army. This should have been a BLUE post, not available to the entire public... Army affairs are dealt within the army they concern, are they not? I know for a fact that the platoon I am in had FOUR teams of 4 at ALL TIMES, all waiting to get in a game. We were patient and respectful when we got in. So once again, worry about yourself and YOUR teams and we'll worry about ours.

And you'll watch what you say to any officer in this community, regardless of army status. What he says is applicable to both armies, even if it is already being used. To ignore it, or dismiss it, is folly.

He wasn't pointing fingers at REDD, both sides have this problem.

Good post Jam.

[Jam Cliché]

Let US worry about the way we run OUR army. This should have been a BLUE post, not available to the entire public... Army affairs are dealt within the army they concern, are they not? I know for a fact that the platoon I am in had FOUR teams of 4 at ALL TIMES, all waiting to get in a game. We were patient and respectful when we got in. So once again, worry about yourself and YOUR teams and we'll worry about ours.

I meant no offense. My Squad had problems in those guideline areas too. Chatty, indecisive about gametype, etc. I want to help. FC is what keeps me playing Halo 4. I don't want Battle Nights to be the reason someone else quits.

[Al Capone111]

Blue Phoenix already does this. We all sit in the lobby and divide up to different fire-teams and await the call. We go over call outs, run through the map(s), and play some serious games to warm up along with one or two fun ones to take the edge off. But honestly, waiting an hour and a half to get into our first game is uncalled for. If all squads did this in both armies, things would flow a lot smoother.

[xXReiBearXx]

We're a community and he's well within his boundaries to try to set some standards and give some helpful hints for everyone. He wasn't pointing fingers at REDD, both sides have this problem.

^This