Forum

I’m a firm follower of calling everything you see regardless whether you think some one else has seen it, nmes über status, hp of somethings that killed you, or if you’ve killed something, potential and actual threats, your own spawn time. The key is comming things early and making your comms simple! As medic I just shout SCOUT over and over when I’m in danger.

Simple things like there’s stickies behind you help so much as your team knows you can’t follow and the player in question can’t walk back etc (as med).

Calling pushes etc are slightly different, you shouldn’t have to tell people where to go as this should be covered by your tactics, unless you want to try something new :)

From a more holistic angle than specific comm technicalities, is the benefit of a positive environment. Having trialled/merced a lot this week it’s highlighted the contrast between how positive some teams are to each other compared to others.

Watch a top premier league footie team and encouragement is displayed everywhere by players even f***-ups are met with an “ok forget about it” attitude – Spain at euro 2008 were a good example of this too (helps when your players are world class in any type of competition of course). You’re more likely to see finger pointing in the lower leagues and training ground violence at teams doing poorly. Chicken or the egg which comes first.

Where there is big money involved and every possible advantage is explored, sports psychologists are used and their research shows improved performance when a positive environment is established as it breeds confidence. In many ways confidence is the opposite of stress in terms of brain chemistry (the hippocampus I think) and enough stress/pressure can make potentially anyone perform like a retard – watch some world cup penalty shootouts for further examples.

Or watch a fatal1ty comeback as a formerly strong opponent starts to crumble and lose. In 1v1 you’re in charge of your own head but in a team the other guys can mentally help or hinder you.