CIC Communications Tweaks: Part 1

[matttheficus]

About the pull request

The first of a few changes aimed at tweaking the way Marines communicate from the Ship to the Field.

This part hits a few sections:

Direct Squad Lead Orders Bypasses Garble

Thanks to some slamming some more juice into the transmitter array on the Almayer, Direct-to-SL orders can be sent at all times to the SL/aSL, no matter the garble status or their gear (see below).

This will allow CIC to still get orders to the ground, but if a Squad is working together, near the SL, and is actually listening to them, they can relay said orders to whatever degree their on-ground leadership skills allow them to do so.

Stick near your SL or be left in the dark!

Direct Squad Lead Orders Bypasses Garble

Additionally, RTO bags will allow their wearers to hear all Squad Announcements as well, regardless of comms status. This does not include overall Announcements, which will still be garbled. If Command wants to get something important to the TLs and SLs, that's up to them to use the Overwatch and do so. This will be coupled with:

RTO Changes

RTO packs as a whole are now MUCH more rare. In general, the only places you should be able to get them from are:

• Being a CIC Command Staff member.
• The CE (since they can deploy)
• SLs
• FTL (who now get a whistle and RTO pack
• IOs
• Taking a JTAC Kit from Requisitions

Command Comms

Command Comms has been reduced to just those that are leading the active groundside operation. This includes:

• The CO
• The XO
• Heads of Staff
• SOs
• SLs/aSLs
• The Synthetic
• The Corporate Liaison (whose access is now via an encryption key, which could be taken away if they misbehave.

You will notice that this means Pilots, IOs, MPs, MST, and Cargo Techs have lost Command Comms. All of these roles, minus IOs, have direct access to a phone at nearly all times or can just use General Comms.

• IOs have Intel Comms, youve got your own channel.
• MPs have their own comms, if Command needs you they can call for you.
• Pilots, you have JTAC comms.

Command will also be given 3x handheld Command Radios that start with the Tablet + Command Headset in CIC to give out as they see fit if needed operationally.

SLs now have access to CIC for Pre-Drop planning. Do remember that access != authorization. If you act like a chud in CIC expect to get brigged or told to kick rocks.

Scout Comms

The Scout now gets all Squad +JTAC comms. Planning crazy ideas with the Scout should be easier and giving them a wider view of whats happening between the Squads gives more awareness of where theyre needed. If they want to assist Intel they can get another key from Req/pointbuy.

Explain why it's good for the game

Communication is a key part of CM. The tools that can be used should be both powerful and depend on the actions on the ground AND leadership decisions shipside. Moving Command Comms to being Operational Only should clear the radiowaves of any unimportant information.

Many players tend to just ungaball with the front. These changes should push players who WANT more information on the ground to take roles that either come WITH communication boons or enable CIC to target information at players in leadership positions.

There's also a drastically low use of Telephones shipside. Youre not under a time crunch with most shipside roles, you can either phone it in or walk to whoever you need to speak to and actually RP with them.

Testing Photographs and Procedure

Screenshots & Videos

Put screenshots and videos here with an empty line between the screenshots and the <details> tags.

Changelog

🆑
add: Scout now gets their own encryption key with expanded comms access.
code: Direct SL Orders now always go to SLs regardless of garble.
code: Squad Orders now go to RTO wearers regardless of garble.
del: removed a number of roles from the Command Comms channel.
add: Command Channel handheld radios.
del: removed RTO packs from a number of roles.
add: SLs get CIC Access for Briefs/Planning if needed.
/:cl:

[matttheficus]

There's no "tweak" changelog reason so lemme know if any of that is bad and I need to reword it,

[TheManWithNoHands]

The changes to who has access to command might be a bit much. Many of those roles require access to the information in it to be able to reach their skillcap. For example: IOs needing to know where front is moving to to know where its safe to gather intel.
Could easily cause frustration to put such a roadblock in it.

[Detective-Google]

Make a fluff title for FTLs that allows you to pick between FTL, JTAC Operator, and Radio Telephone Operator (like how Doctors can choose "Pharmacist").

should be atomized and not included here

MPs have their own comms, if Command needs you they can call for you.

MPs have all comms p much because they're meant to be able to see if people are threatening each other etc, if they are yapping and are ordered to shut it they are required to as well, they should retain their command comms.

The Scout now gets all Squad, Command , JTAC and INTEL comms. Planning crazy ideas with the Scout should be easier.

restricting command comms to most other enlisted jobs and then randomly giving access to a squaddie doesnt make sense, esp. since they have a special phone for this task now. Same with intel etc keys which they can buy if they want/need or get from req.

[matttheficus]

should be atomized and not included here

Removed the TODO, Ill break it out into its own PR.

MPs have all comms p much because they're meant to be able to see if people are threatening each other etc, if they are yapping and are ordered to shut it they are required to as well, they should retain their command comms.

Forest mentioned this as a "maybe" to remove Command Comms from them when I brought it up to the Council. Im curious to see how it would do in a TM. Command can already report stuff to the MPs and IMO Command should be policing their conduct more. If you wanna play babysitter to CIC I think CMP or XO should be that direct role, which can order the arrest of goobers in Command comms if needed. LowPop would be the main time I would have concerns about, but there's rarely MPs on during that time anywho.

restricting command comms to most other enlisted jobs and then randomly giving access to a squaddie doesnt make sense, esp. since they have a special phone for this task now. Same with intel etc keys which they can buy if they want/need or get from req.

Removed Command + Intel. Agreed, they can get Intel keys if they need/want to help intel. I still think giving them all Squad Comms allows for more backline info, so I would like to keep that part of the key in.

[kitchenenthusiast]

don't forget to prune command comms from combat corres too