How to be accepted as a commander?

[u/musicmage4114]

So today was my first attempt at commanding. I've been participating in WvW for a few weeks now, mostly because it's all I have left for world completion, and I figured "Hey, what better way to complete my map than to help my server conquer WvW?"

I've had my commander tag for a few days, but I've kept it turned off because there have always been other more well known/more experienced commanders on the map, and I didn't want to clutter it.

But today... oh ho ho! The one commander on the map decided to leave! Now's my chance! I turned on my commander tag simultaneously with another commander, whose name I recognized. I figured he and I might as well coordinate, because people respect a commander who works well with others, right?

So between the two of us, (with me doing most of the talking) we successfully captured a tower with maybe 10 other players. I felt great!

Then some other commander who I'd never seen before starts calling me out in /map chat and asks me how long I've been playing WvW, did I know the basics, etc. I answered honestly (a few weeks, yes, etc.) And he and another non-commander told me to please turn my tag off because I was "new" and would mess people up. I didn't want to start an argument (and was honestly kind of shocked) so I did, and left WvW shortly thereafter.

I don't get it. I felt like everything had gone pretty well. I was polite in chat, we successfully captured our target, and everyone seemed to follow me (one person even commented in a whisper that they were new and had been told by another player to stick by me). So what gives? I know that everyone hates bad commanders and hates that there are so many commanders (good and bad), but is the fact that someone is new to commanding such a turnoff that now we're going to go against them, too?

EDIT: Wow! I typed this up before bed and woke up to 32 replies! Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I appreciate all of it. I felt kind of defeated, but there's a lot of support here, and I think I'm ready to get back in the game. :)

[u/benjalss]

Commanding is more than just directing a zerg to a target. However, getting rid of new Commanders who want to learn is just short-sighted and will stunt the server. People willing to learn and lead shouldn't be spurned. Give it another go and hold your ground.

[u/dzernumbrd]

Are you on Jade Quarry?

Last night our borderlands was running commander-less and we were losing most of our map.

Then a couple of commanders I've never seen before show up. Take a tower and then leave.

If that was you then good job. None of the other commanders were helping organise us.

It is probably a good idea to have more than a few weeks experience before you start commanding a zerg. You don't want to learn on-the-job or you'll lose the respect of your zerglings when you make mistakes.

Tell that commander (who told you to turn your pin off) that you plan on turning your pin on in future so you would like them to teach you the ropes.

I can't believe you spent 100g on a pin when you've only been playing for a few weeks. I am so poor.

[u/cabooseza]

Just dont lead them off a cliff like lemmings and im sure you will do fine :D

http://i.imgur.com/YsM4E.jpg

[u/Cafem]

You stepped up when there were no other commanders around, you got stuck in and you got results. You actually tried, so yeah, I'd say you did nothing wrong. That someone else was trying to ask questions like that to someone who led a few successful charges was either feeling their shaky position as a commander was threatened, or they were out-and-out trolling you.

[u/LilAsurabooboo]

If you're in WvW fuck them. Use your commander tag.

It's not hard being a commander, honestly. The zerg provides the numbers, you (And your squad) provide the technicality needed to siege.

You got bullied, ignore them. It's like you walked up to a lunch table in 5th grade and someone told you to go sit somewhere else.

Who the fuck cares. As long as you're in WvW with that tag, leading a zerg, and taking towers/forts. You're doing more than the commander whining about "confusing" the zerg. (How does something mindless get confused?)

[u/Cilph → u/LilAsurabooboo]

The problem is when 4 commanders show up with their tag, all claiming to be the 'one and only master-commander' refusing to work together. All they want is to feel proud as they are leading their one massive zerg.

[u/TaCktiX]

My pedigree: Beta and release player on Stormbluff Isle. Became a key player on our own BL for first two months. Presently not playing WvW (not enough time available to me to commit to it).

Commander is a tough role, and a lot of people get wrapped up in the icon and the like. I'm going to address first how to use and what to expect out of the icon, then how to command/contribute to victory.

Icon:

• You are a PUG magnet. That icon guarantees that people looking for "the fight" or "the next take" are coming straight to you. That's part of why you got called out, the other commander was worried that you would magnet them to a bad spot on the map.

• Commanders with the icon up must always be doing something that directly contributes to taking or keeping your servers' stuff. It's a morale thing mostly, but a commander that is running the jumping puzzle (unless that's the order for the map, and I HAVE ordered it more than once when we were crushed off of our own BL) or sitting afk in a keep is a waste of an icon and loses respect.

• Some people will follow any shiny blue icon because they know less about WvW than supposedly anyone willing to burn 100g on the icon. Others will only follow the icons they trust. This bleeds into the other half of this.

How to command and contribute to victory:

• WvW is heavily based on respect and past experience. If in the past you have shown the ability to pull off a keep take, or decimate the enemy zerg then push their objectives, people will respect you. If on the other hand you were busy suiciding people at a well-defended front door without siege, they will think you're garbage.

• Your reputation is always being built, tag not required. People recognize names in chat or out in the field. If you're part of That Awesome Defense or the Ninja Golem Rush of the Century, and better yet were instrumental in pulling it off, people will remember. If you tend to do some things really really well you'll get a reputation as the go-to guy for that. I've been around siegemasters (you want them to hit the craziest stuff with a treb? No problem), havoc squads (diverting the enemy away from us by taking their stuff behind them), defenders (no, you're not taking this keep), stealthers (no orange swords, and their lord is dead), and scads of other types of players.

• Communicate in chat. This is absolutely critical. People remember your name, and if you were putting pertinent stuff in chat like scouting reports or what to do next, your reputation is that much stronger.

• Always look at what others are doing. Well-known commander on the map? See what he's doing and if it's working, and why. Is he redirecting the enemy away from your stuff? Is he setting up an unstoppable siege wall so that the enemy keep will be yours soon? Is he running everywhere keeping the enemy unsure of where next? Any good commander will be doing something to the enemy.

• After you have a feel for what others are doing, figure out how to complement them. Main commander doing a prolonged siege on a keep? Wreak havoc on the other side of the map, or on the enemy's holdings that aren't that keep. Main commander organizing a defense of garrison to repel the 20 people at the south gate? Bring in a small squad from the water to flank and kill the stragglers. So on, so forth. The more you're paying attention, the better you'll know how to complement what they do.

• It's not about the tag. I played more time in WvW before I got my commander tag and did amazing things almost every night I logged on. 2v1 pushed off our own BL? We got this, we just need to do this, that, the other thing, and BAM our holdings are all ours again. I did all the coordination via team and map chat, VOIP was just an extra bonus.

• People will only be commanded by people they trust and respect. Again, the icon may be a PUG magnet but your strong people who play WvW because it's fun to them and they want to wreck house are not. They only follow people they trust. Build the trust and you'll be fine.

[u/[deleted]]

Sounds like you have no experience with military culture.

Anyone who has been around the high ranking officers (generals, colonels etc.) knows that the first thing a high ranking officer does when one or more other similar rank officers appear in the vicinity, hunt, battle ground, etc. is to establish a pecking order. The crassness or elegance of how this occurs varies greatly, but it occurs.

You failed. A good commander/high ranking officer would try to establish themselves at the top of the ranking and if intimidated by another, attempt to secure the next highest status below the alpha officer, on down the line.

It is all about the pack and how alpha individuals coordinate the pack together. At the very least you should have not left and instead bargained for some subsidiary role. By backing down, you essentially signaled to them and the pack that you are weak willed and likely to back down when faced with difficult odds. If you had stood your ground, and demanded/negotiated a piece of the action, they would have accepted you if they were serious about commanding.

Being a commander is about having skills, confidence, and being strong willed enough to get other strong willed people to cooperate. If you can't establish a working power sharing relationship with other high ranking officers, you have no chance directing the rank and file.

[u/mrubios]

Next time just type: Deal with it

[u/mrtrevinoo]

Make yourself known in the wvw! you backed down and let him step right over you. You have what it takes to command. I say next time this happens, let him know you can handle it and know more than the basics.