Companions in combat too dumb- need to Stay Put

[marshill88]

Really struggling with managing companions....they are too stupid always charging into battle.   If I set them for "defensive" they do nothing until I tell them.  

 

Please consider an in-between command-

I order Compaion to STAY PUT at spot X and  

If  I am in combat = TRUE and Enemy LOS = TRUE then FIRE ON IT, but don't move anywhere

[Mister Holdout]

Are the companion commands not working well?

I don't use them but I've heard they work pretty well.

My character is a super soldier, so really I only use companions as bullet sponges (and companionship).

[Ommamar]

I think some companions are designed for certain tactics.  So far I have only dealt with two the engineer girl seems more ranged although I agree she doesn't seem to  react to fire well rushing opponents even when I place her behind cover.  Then the Vicar guy just seems to want to close to melee range (he kind of reminds me of the Deathclaw guy from FO2 as far as tactics for combat).   I was expecting more of a mass effect type of control scheme but doesn't seem to be as flexible.  Maybe if you put more points into you character to support companions it will get better on my first play through and kind of making a balanced good for anything build as I have to get more experience with the game mechanics.

[Omgilovesteak]

I have the engineer girl and no matter what i do i cannot get her to do her skill

[Ommamar]

2 hours ago, Omgilovesteak said:

I have the engineer girl and no matter what i do i cannot get her to do her skill

If you are talking about the special it looks like you have to put skills into leadership to unlock that ability.

[Mike Harrington]

So...I read that you should *always* give the highest dps weapons you're not currently using to your companions. These typically are heavy weapons, right? So your companions close to short range with them.

I experimented. I gave plasma rifles to my companions. They *still* closed to short range anyway.

I re-experimented, and told my companions to stay at one spot, with a clear LoS, and I opened fire at range with my own plasma rifle. THIS is where it got good! My companions opened fire as the outlaws ran towards our position like the imbeciles that the horrible npc combat AI makes them, and it turned into a cake walk!

Sorry to necro the thread, but this is for anyone that picked up the game on sale like I did and might be looking into why their companion toons are suicidal morons. 

Peace!

[BHarger]

Machine guns. Give your crew machine guns. High rate of fire. Never run out of ammo. Keeps them safely away from the grinder. Just set them to ranged combat only if you still have trouble. Make sure their armors are up to snuff tho because at melee distance they won't be able to defend properly. In most cases though it's not a concern as 2x2 choppers means the baddies are snausage before they can close the distance.