[Poll] How many players actually use fireteams?

[A. Reaper]

Simple, I'm curious how many players, at least on the forums, are using the fireteam system (alpha/bravo/charlie) in squads?

Options:
A: Yes, I use it to the best I can
B: No, but I did know about it
C: What, there was a fireteam system?

Also, it would help if I could find a way to add an actual poll.

[Ch3v4l13r]

A: Yes, I use it to the best I can

[mad rabbit]

A: Yes, I use it to the best I can

[[R-CON]James2464]

A: Yes, I use it to the best I can

[RAINF]

The few tmes I've been squad leader I have indeed used fireteams. Really helps manage the squad instead of trying to tell each individual person where they need to be.

Also when being led by a squad leader, I feel better managed and understand my own contribution much better when I am in a fireteam.

Unfortunately the prime play time for me is when I am at work so I don't get to enjoy enough of PR on ARMA but I hope and pray that the mod enjoys a popularity as it progresses allowing Australian servers to be filled of an evening.

[Aborted Man]

A: Yes, I use it to the best I can

Used two 3-man fireteams today and it turned out to be the best squad leading experience I've ever had in ArmA2.

Kudos to Alex for stepping up as my FTL, btw.

[RGG:Dale]

A: Yes, I use it to the best I can

Fireteams are essential to organisation, no organisation = a higher chance of a bad game.

[Swedge]

My answer: More B then A

It's a good question and a bit of a running joke actually with guys that play in my squads A lot of players like the colours especially and sometimes hound me about it

There is of course a difference as well between just 'colouring in' your men into different groups, and actually assigning a fireteam leader into each one and giving him the appropriate responsibilities.

I don't do the second because of reasons I've partly outlined here. I think it's best to keep things simple. I've also seen well-organised and well-meaning events in other Arma games where the squad-leader says one thing, the fireteam leader says another, and the squad-members get it from both ends. It shouldn't happen but it often does, and it can delay things unnecessarily and affect morale.

Occasionally I colour fireteams if my guys keep going on about it lol but generally not. Two reasons:

1. The different sub-colours are only visible on the squad radar and not the map. I don't use the squad radar at all (I turn it off), so I forget about the colours. As a squad-leader I spend about 50% of my time at the map-screen and find it indispensible. Personally, I think that if I was to use the squad-radar that there would be a risk of me just moving in a bee-line towards the coloured dots that I'm trying to move to, disregarding all terrain, distance, and tactical considerations. I'm not sure how others don't do the same! I need to use the map to see where players are: I can judge/assume how exposed they are, what they can see, what they can't, where there's cover nearby, etc etc. As a squad-leader it's also just as important to know what other squads are where, which isn't represented sufficiently in the radar. Personally, the radar also feels a bit more 'Battlefieldy' for me (Oh, snap!) and detracts from my immersion. But, each to his own! If it works for you, go with it
2. Men and tasks often change depending on what squad-members are where. Between players dying, getting lost, multi-tasking, lagging behind, getting injured, pushing too fast, crashing, going AFK, changing kits, crashing vehicles etc (I continually do all these things!) I find that the squad is continually fragmented in a natural and largely unavoidable way and, as squad-leader, part of your job is to continually re-compose and regroup it and assign it into different tasks and roles as required. So, I would spend a huge amount of time continually re-colouring players into new groups. You also have players crash and rejoin your group, or new players join, and that's more 'colouring in' too

On the other hand, maybe I could think harder about trying to get guys to stick with the 4-man colour fireteams more. If one guy dies, crashes, goes AFK, etc all the other fire-team members wait for them until they're back. I might trial it.

Anyway, all things considered, using colours, or actual fireteams with fireteam leaders, is usually the sign of someone who takes squad-leading seriously and is going to give it a red hot go, so - good stuff! Each to his own. Whatever floats your boat

Cheers,
Swedge

[autonomousw]

I like the idea of it, the primary issue I have with the set up right now is that communication becomes a problem with in the squad when trying to actually get this set up working optimally.

Let me preface this by saying I am in no way shape or form asking for, suggesting, or even referencing ACRE.

Optimally the reason I want to divide my squad into fire teams is to allow us to more rapidly multitask on objectives. However the same issue arises nearly every time I attempt this, I will be giving orders to the squad or my fire team, and at the same time my other fire team leader(s) will be trying to issue orders to his fire team. Direct coms are spotty at best when maneuvering and I find the only way to reliably communicate with squad mates is the squad channel. So with two or more people giving orders the out come is general confusion among the entire squad aside from, the two giving orders. This isn't to say I haven't had some success with the fire team system, but I have found this issue makes success rare.

It has potential to be very useful it just isn't backed up by every thing it needs right now. Personally I think the implementation of the commander slot is going to change the way the game plays quite a lot and put less emphasis on squad leaders to make over all battle decisions and focus much more on infantry level tactics, thus improving the value of the fire team system. Right now though, it adds a whole lot more to a squad leaders plate instead of the opposite. A situational tool at best.

[Ratszo]

Always, A.

I've been accused of 'micro-managing'..., and i do.

In a perfect squad, everyone would know where to be because they've done the battle drills many times.

In PR tho, every squad has new guys who need to know their role. Every map means the basics of formation, movement and maneuver, need to be repeated.

Without FTs, it's very hard to fire on, and flank the enemy.

Without FTs, it's very hard to employ mounted weapons.

Moreover, without FTs, squads tend to melt from lack of purpose, focus.

As the game matures, we'll have a cadre SL and FT leaders employing more advanced tactics.

Everyone should read and use:

Dslyecxi's ArmA2 Tactics, Techniques, & Procedures Guide

See ya'll in the server!