General SM Guidelines

[[T]Terranova7]

Here's some general guidelines that I believe should be observed as an SM. Nothing too fancy, but I think following these helps bring the PR experience to the highest level of teamwork and fun.

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1. If you've just joined the server, avoid spawning immediately. Find the squad you wish to join. Ask the SL if he/she needs any particular kit.

If you're assigned a particular kit, try to stick with it unless instructed to take another one. Basically if you're the squad medic, don't change up to a rifleman when you die or something. It is good to make a suggestion as to another kit you may think would serve the squad better.

If the SL doesn't request a particular kit from you, do the squad a favor and take the time to analyze and observe the current situation and load out. If you see that there's no medic, spawn in as a medic. See someone in the squad with an Anti-Tank, Anti-Air, Engineer kit? Yet don't see an ammo or automatic rifleman? Spawn in as an ammo rifleman and/or grab a automatic rifleman kit. Maybe your squad has been engaged by enemy vehicles/armor, help them out by grabbing an AT kit.

But please, avoid grabbing your favorite marksman or sniper kit when it's not needed. Another big no is not to grab a vehicle unless your given an okay by the SL and/or joined a specialized squad (such as an all transport chopper squad or armor squad).

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2. Upon spawning, unless your instructed to do something else your first priority should be regrouping with the rest of your squad. Don't try and do your own thing.

Same thing applies even once you've regrouped. Stay with your squad unless your tasked to do something else. If the SL stops at a certain point, stop with him/her.

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3. Maintain fire discipline, especially when traveling with the squad. Unless your fired upon (or the enemy has a visual of your location), don't shoot at everything that moves (Or anything that doesn't move or live). Doing this only jeopardizes your squad's position, and you could end up getting your own guys killed. In fact, try to avoid being seen at all, as to keep enemies from possibly tracking your position and finding your entire squad.

The best thing to do if you spot an enemy, is to first inform the squad and the SL that you've sighted enemy target(s). Identify what exactly it is (Be it enemy infantry, vehicles, armor etc.) and their bearing on your compass. Be smart, and let them go unless you think they're an immediate threat. Otherwise if you do think it's a threat you can successfully eliminate, ask permission to engage.

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4. This mainly applies to infantry. But when moving as a group, avoid looking the same direction. You can increase the squad's awareness by keeping your eyes pointed where everyone else isn't looking. If you're sprinting, take a quick moment to stop, and check your left/right/rear before continuing.

Also when moving, especially across open terrain such as a road, be the guy that lets everyone else cross while you provide overwatch/covering fire. Try to avoid moving with the whole squad across at once.

Also, try to keep some spacing between you and your buds. It's pretty basic stuff that's usually mentioned in all infantry tactics but I felt compelled to mention it here. Reason being is that one grenade, AT round etc. has the potential for taking you all out.

Another pretty basic thing, don't follow the SL in a straight line. Unless moving through an urban environment with narrow alleyways and corridors, try to keep at least a 5 meters spacing from other members (both vertical and horizontal).

And unless your carrying a crucial kit (Such as Anti-Tank) volunteer to take point during movements in order to increase the SL's survivability.

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5. Should you die and respawn, before moving to regroup with the rest of your buds, check the squad screen to see if anyone else was killed. If so, wait for them to spawn in so you move together.

I think most importantly, if you're SL dies during a movement and you cannot revive him/her, hold position and wait for the SL to respawn and regroup. Nothing worse than a squad on the move without the SL IMO.

That's all I got. Feel free to add anything you wish.

[MirindoR]

it'd be nice to do all that, but its usually much harder: i'm talking about squad leaders locking squads or kicking players, voip not working (for me at least), lack of overall coordination done by a decent commander, and n00bs in general that ruin the gameplay. most of the times those couple of players that get a tank own all and it takes a LOT of time, lives and tickets for an average team to take out a tank. This not to mention some retarded admins that kick people that get tk'd for teamkilling...
in anycase i think this mod is the best ever, that its 10000000 times better than vbf2, and that it'll get even better in the future releases.

[Cyrax-Sektor]

Good tips, but in-game, I seem to forget them. I'll try to implement them in my next PR session. Got some decent teamwork this morning, even without mics.

[Halfyon]

Im really trying to follow these Rules, but it only works if the Squadleader is doing a good job too.

I find it pretty hard to estimate the situation correctly always and act in the proper manner.

Just a few Days ago i joined a squad mid-game that was trying to retake the Train Station from the Militia:
RP about 200 meters to the East on high ground - Technical with PK near the Railway, pretty far away, pinning us down - we always ran alone or in Pairs down to the station...and been shot from the hills to the south where an Miltia squad was just about to flank us - cover fire didnt worked.

The right decision would have been to withdraw and lose contact with the Militia for the moment, we had no chance in that situation BUT neither me, nor the Squadleader or anybody in the squad realised that in the specific situation because we have all been too busy with getting killed or healing each other...until the Milita came over us - overrunning our Rally with little casualities.

The Point is - Being aware of the tactical options in a specifc situation needs some experience...and even if you know it in Theory it doesnt mean that you will realize it when it counts..at least I often realize what went wrong not until some time after the game...

[[R-DEV]fuzzhead]

Great tips Terranova, if even a quarter of the players who play PR actually followed these tips, the gameplay would be improved TEN FOLD!!! These are so good Im actually going to put them into the PR Tips that are displayed on the map loading screen! thanks man nice work!

[Zimmer]

Some of these can also apply for the sl as not everyone moving over open ground in a group also reroup after one or two is dead

[[T]MLPatriot]

good read

[JTF2-Machina]

these things are all nature to me and I do them anyway...but thats just cause I've taken courses on the real thing


To add on the spacing idea, generally you always keep atleast 5 meters between you and the next person whether they are in front, back or to the side. When moving through a street, you do staggered on either side of the road, but moving up a hill, through forest/jungle or open field, you do an extended line, which is just stand beside each other with 5 meter spacing, reason being if you spot an enemy at the front, you are already in the proper position to fire, you will maximize damage, and have the least amount of chance to get wiped out...if you are in a single file line, and the person in the front spots an enemy, well everyone is going to have to run up and prone to get in position to shoot the enemy, and most likely will not use proper spacing when doing that, or if the enemy spots you in a line, a machine gun burst can take you all out, but if you were side to side in an extended line they could only take you out one at a time.
This is more important than you think, its hard to do with people running and sprinting around, but if everytime you meet the enemy out in trees, or a field...you will be a lot more effective if you have an extended line.


Another thing is when you do spot an enemy, dont just say "enemy spotted" or "enemy by that building". Everytime you call out an enemy location, say "enemy at 145º", that way everyone will know exactly where the enemy is. When engaging an enemy, wait for your squad mates to acquire the target. The idea behind squads/sections and rifle attacks is you increase the effectiveness in groups. If you spot an enemy 500m+ away, if you fire one or two shots and miss, and he backs up and hides behind something, well you didnt get the kill, you might have given away your position, and the enemy now knows you are nearby. If everyone aims at the same thing, and you all open fire at once, chances are you will take it out.

Also keep important kits, if a medic goes down, grab his kit, same with an automatic rifle...You may not notice it in game, but a M249 has the equivalent firepower of 3 M16's...it is your main tool for taking out enemies, M16's are backup, and other kits like AT, or Sniper will be important in different circumstances.

[daranz]

I like to consult with my SL every time I die and can't be revived. I'll ask him if he plans to drop a rally soon or if I should respawn on the old location. With the new rally system, the rallies can be moved up pretty much at SL's discretion, so it might be useful to give your SL that option before you spawn.

Also, informing your squad that you're down as the medic is also useful. People will hold for revives, but many don't check the capslock screen, so informing them that they might as well give up can be helpful.

[LithiumFox]

maybe these tips should make the tip window? =D