Frontiersmen Data :: Commander: Choosing a Commander
Summary: Any marine may become commander. Frontiersmen deploy according to the Hirshelm Doctrine of Tactical Flexibility.
When arriving at the starting base, any marine may choose to enter the command console, and plug into the network. The Frontiersmen adhere to the Hirshelm Doctrine of Tactical Flexibility, which advocates that while a command structure is necessary off the battlefield (to avoid the endless debates of boardrooms and parliaments), it is better for squads to evolve a hierarchy organically – favoring those best suited or prepared for each situation over pre-selected officers. It is specially designed to allow rapid training and deployment of troops – the standard is 100 hours simulator training, and 100 hours classroom time before being promoted to the field. This also allows impromptu squads of all sizes to form and head into combat with little preparation, while decreasing the severity of losing an officer. With the Frontiersmen, mobility and flexibility is the order of the day. What this means is that, usually, the individual with the best odds of leading the team to victory in each situation will take control. To quote Sergeant Haverhill, principle instructor at TSA Headquarters, "A Frontiersman must not surrender to ego, greed, or power-lust. Remember who the bad guys are. The reason the TSA has been kickin' ass for the last decade, is we don't having pissing contests when lives are at stake. We get the job done, with extreme effectiveness. Then we kick back and brag." If no one steps forward to fill the command role, someone will usually volunteer for the sake of the group. Those with the desire to learn command tactics can only do so much in training – sooner or later they will have to just jump in and begin gaining experience. What this also means is that you don't have to listen to your commander. But the numbers from the field tell the story: your odds of survival on your own are minimal-to-none, and a team that isn't working closely with a commander is, in every recorded instance, doomed.
Voting out a Commander