Fuzzhead's Squad Leading Tips for Project Reality v0.8

[Outlawz]

Originally Posted by daranz

it's easier to call out a descriptive contact report rather than a bearing, even for longer distances.

Every time I do that, there's always someone in the squad who won't recognize the area even if it's in front of him :/

"Enemy behind that dry bush!"
*points at the only bush in the middle of nowhere*
"Where? Behind that rock 800m away? Where is that bush, I can't seem to find it..."

[Edward]

Originally Posted by Outlawz

Every time I do that, there's always someone in the squad who won't recognize the area even if it's in front of him :/

"Enemy behind that dry bush!"
*points at the only bush in the middle of nowhere*
"Where? Behind that rock 800m away? Where is that bush, I can't seem to find it..."

Sometimes there's no helping the elser-sighted (neither near nor far, but just elsewhere. I had a few other thoughts on the less-apt PR players (like myself, but without the shader and MD5 issues) in the thread @ <http://www.realitymod.com/forum/f143-squad-leader-tactics/44725-suggestion-becoming-prc-sl.html>

[vilhelm123]

Would recommend that this is sticky because it'd be good to have a thread with some good strong tips for budding squadleaders to see straight away when they look here

[Ablack77]

I'd like to add, DEFEND DEFEND DEFEND

So many times I check the map only to find the whole team on the attack and usually when there's two flags that need to be defended.

There's no point in attacking a flag in front of you if two flags behind you are being capped by the enemy.

As I go into a battle I pretty much expect that our squad will end up defending because if we don't then no one will.

So check the map, there should almost always be at least one squad defending.

[Bushrag]

Great guide man, I'll be sure to use it next time i'm running a squad...

On another note, defense is key... I was in a squad the other day playing Qui River I think it's called, we had a great SL, we set up defensive position as the PLA defending a southern fort, not sure the exact name. Our SL placed 1 .50 cal overwatching the bridge leading to the fort and we had the road mined, to say the least, no americans touched that fort. The one Humvee that tried got hit by a mine, a US squad tried to attack, but we spotted them coming from across the valley and had our .50 cal engage, we directed the .50 cal fire with binoculars since it was just at the end of viewing range for our guy on the .50.... To say the least, defense can be fun when done right.

[Edward]

Originally Posted by Bushrag

.... To say the least, defense can be fun when done right.

Sounds like a fun match. Those are the matches I'm still trying to find, mixed mostly with an assorted mash of people eager to follow, and few (including myself) willing but still unable to lead properly.

The best SLs will really shine when they have a good commander and can communicate their status to the rest of the team, otherwise all they do is wander as a one-squad army. That's where the dynamic of being a SL is most challenging. In many ways SL is harder than commanding, because you have to provide guidance to keep your fireteams moving while following orders yourself and communicating battlefield status to the commander. This is a great role too for people who are sick of the long-winded BF2v rambo-elite. The BF2v rambo-elite have huge obstacles to becoming good SLs; namely their ability to DELEGATE, and to SHUT_UP and listen.

Questions:
-How involved should a SL be with squad actions?
-Are there some standard roles that SLs should avoid? Example: no shovel in the officers kit, so overwatch while squad constructs is sensible.
-What other roles?
-Should SLs be last into a building, listening from cover and coordinating while the fireteams work?
-When is it appropriate for the SL to leave a squad to its devices? Example: All those times when the SL is the only one capable of reloading that supply truck or picking up a straggler (playing the cabbie).
-Scouting: How far afield have any of you found is too far to send squad members on scouting or maneuvers? Any rule of thumb (such as, we should stick to within a single sector/square)

[Skodz]

Very good guide.

Edward, an infantry SL should not operate armor, plane, helicopters, etc. since he need Officer kit. Except if he lead an Armor or Air Squad...
Preferably, SL should not be the first one in the formation since the first one is the most likely to be shot first. But in a Pub squad its very hard not to be leading the way.
As mentioned in the guide, try to keep your squad within 50 meters, 5-10 meters from each others. You do not want them spread all over the map. You may disobey this rule for some fireteam manoeuver tho.

If there is no commander, and most of the time, there is no commander... SL can use chat to coordinate the team strategy a little.

Defense is very important but very few players like it, it may get very hard to keep a squad on defense as a SL since most of the SM will be very bored if nobody attack us.