Shared Armies toggled on: Etiquette

I've noticed that there are two major categories that players fall under in shared army games, at least in the public sense:

1. Thinks he is playing without teammates
Pretends he's playing as a single army and tries to control every last unit with the team's color; reroutes fabbers that you have working on something so that they can do what he wants with them (his plans are more important); makes it impossible to defend yourself because he wants your defenses doing other things; hijacks units you send out and tries to command the attack you planned himself

(tl;dr: Makes the team dysfunctional- wrestles you for control over any given unit so that he can do everything his way)

2. Thinks he is playing team armies with shared off
Has been screwed over by 1 too many times; decides that certain units are "his" and that nobody is allowed to touch them; has a separate plan from the team and refuses to help with the team's plan; gets incredibly pissed if anyone touches "his" units (sometimes to the point of self-destructing all of the commanders if interference persists); refuses to share what he has planned and doesn't let his teammates help with it

(tl;dr: Makes the team weak- refuses to cooperate and does his own thing, entirely separate from you)



I recognize that not every player falls under these categories, and there are some players who cooperate fully with their teammates and make plans with them and carry everything out without a hitch. But I'd argue that the vast majority of players (when playing in publicly hosted matches with teammates they've never met) display at least some characteristics of one of these categories. I, for one, freely admit that I resemble a 2 in that I have a hard time communicating my plans with my teammates and instead try to carry out my own plans completely separate from what they're doing.

Yeah, you thought this thread had a point, didn't you? Nah, I'm just sharing my observations to see what you guys think about them. *braces self to have this post shot down by someone way smarter than me*

I love shared armies and I love alliance too. Both you have to adapt different strategies.

3. The Idler
Joins game, clicks ready and lets the game begin. Than when it comes to choose your spawn all players are left waiting for the next 5-6 minutes because he is afk and the only way to proceed is an auto start. You are left with two coms on one point and you to control both of them.
4. The Anti-Eco
Builds one mex in the begining and will refuse to do any other eco later on. Just starts pumping factories and defends only his base. Leaves you constantly pumping power gens without much room for units.

Feel free to continue on...

A smell a youtube series that parodies TF2's "Meet The x"

5. The control freak
The guy who knows that he is playing with other players and trys to make a plan for everything. Then gives everyone a role without them agreeing with him. This person will then give himself the role of something arbitrary like expansion and then yells at anyone who expands. Ends ups with a dysfunctional team that gets steam rolled 10 minutes in

I feel like the point of this thread is being missed.

I never play team games without being on comms with them.

Communication is way too important and fast paced to trust text chat or randoms.

6. The doormat
Doesn't want to step on anyone's toes by messing with units they're trying to control, even their 'own' units. Builds very little the entire game to avoid conflict with teammates' plans, electing to micro units the whole time instead.
This is me when playing team armies with randoms, because no one on my friends list has PA but me


Thankfully we have allied teams now as well, so I don't have to worry so much about stepping on toes
Instead, I have to worry about about being teamed with someone who is AFK from the start of the match.

it's been said over and over by me every time this is brought up that shared armies is meant to be played with a buddy on voicechatt.

You can make that list run on forever otherwise. go ahead. be my guest.

But the solution isn't going to fall from the sky except if by solution you mean me and repeatedly you need either play team armies in voice chat with someone you trust. or play alliances the choice is yours.

I have patented that idea!

I just had a game with a stranger on regular text-chat with shared teams and it was amazing . I have played on voice before and this game was alot better than most ;0. You just gotta find the right person to play with, all about your situation. I must admit however voice with a good friend usually comes out on top.

Also sometimes friends dont have time so you just gotta play with randoms. I rather play shared as then I would atleast have an attempt at stopping them from doing something dumb. But then again it also comes with downsides as the ones listed above lol.

Comms as in razer comms (best software imho) or voip in general?

Normally I use Team Speak.

if you log into the official PA RIC, or the official PA teamspeak, or the teamspeak and mumble of a PA clan you'll find plenty of people to play with at any time of the day

I am so nooby, lol I didn't even know we had a dedicated PA ts, *facepalms vigorously* probably because ts is not my go to com but might be soon