Helpful Tip for SLs

[Surrealistik]

Assign bodyguards to your Engineers and Medics; high value boots that often get singled out by xenos for metatargeting. You can do this pretty neatly via the fireteam system.

[ColonelCorazon]

Yuppers. I usually assign FT3 as the VIPs and FT1 or FT2 as their guardians. If I'm not SL I usually hang out with them anyways.

[Tisx]

Saying the name and pointing to a marine is a great way to get their attention during battle.

[Mobius_None]

Label your flametroopers, they will feel more responsibility and be last likely to burn half the squad to death. Also lets everyone know who the look out for.

[Renomaki]

You know what else is a good tip? Don't get too stuck into combat.

Nothing sucks more for a squad than discovering that their NCO, along with all his tools, got killed and dragged deep into the hive, losing all those game changing tools for the rest of the round (unless you get hella lucky and recover him somehow). Choose your battles, don't just charge into the first fight you see. Plus it makes the POs (and mortar team if one is present) happy to know SOMEONE is marking targets for them regularly.

Speaking of which, an NCO should not be shy in the using of their tools. Your tactical binoculars can both mark targets and allow you to observe from a safe distance (great for timing Orbital Strikes), your motion sensor is great for detecting targets inside of buildings or caves (or even just in open, dark spaces), The supply beacons are vital for keeping troops supplied on the front lines, and of course a well placed OB can be a game changer. Be mindful of these tools, and try not to DIE with them on you. Again, nothing screws a squad over more than having their most valuable member get dun dead (and yes, an NCO is more valuable than a spec. You ever seen a spec call in a supply drop? Rare thing).

[ghost120]

~snip~

That+to make avoiding combat easier for you take a "special" weapon. Like... a pistol or something long-range. When you have the feeling of lacking a good gun, you won't engage. It's as simple as that.

It may sometimes kill you, the lack of proper weapon i mean, but this will do more good than harm.

Good SL communicates a lot instead of focusing on fighting, let PFC's do their favourite work.

[Helplesssheep]

Don’t lead your squad into the xeno like a officer in the civil war. Keep your distance and order a withdrawal when the xeno get too close.

[Park]

Don't fall into the trap of characterizing your SL's play style by a single archetype like aggressive and passive. Understand that the role is more nuanced than that. That there are times where you have to be defensive and stick to the back lines and other times where you have to be the first through the door to entice other marines to push an area. You honestly just have to understand the flow of battle and what is necessary for you at the moment.

[DeLineFortune]

"Issue order" button for SL's plz

[Vispain]

Issue Orders
Motion Sensor is helpful.
Always use those binocs to see what's going on.
Always make use of OBs where it could change the fight for the better.


On a personal note, I sometimes assign guards to engineers and medics but usually what happens is I find the guard ran off to go kill something, died, or just plain disappeared for some unknown reason. In short, it is *usually just a waste of time to assign Fireteams based around protection of a member of the squad.

*When I assign Fireteams to the specialist and tell them to scout/patrol/be on QRF it usually works out, but when it doesn't... it is really bad.

[Retrokinesis]

As someone who has never played SL but has it on the list of things to try eventually, can any experienced SLs share some OB tips?

I know you should generally place them on the other side of walls from the xenos so they don't see them. But where and when do you generally want to use them, how do you eyeball offsets through walls, what are the best targets to catch in them, etc?

[Sulaboy]

As someone who has never played SL but has it on the list of things to try eventually, can any experienced SLs share some OB tips?

I know you should generally place them on the other side of walls from the xenos so they don't see them. But where and when do you generally want to use them, how do you eyeball offsets through walls, what are the best targets to catch in them, etc?

Placing them on the other side of a wall denies Xenos vision on the OB, along with hiding the fire message it shows when a LT fires.

An OB creates a 13x13 square of fire around the center so that's 6 tiles in every direction from the center, this would also mean that setting an OB with maximum offsets would still result in it landing on the beacon, and a tile past it (This means get away from that thing becuase it might kill you).

As a SL OBs are a good tool, and the easiest way to use them is to clear out a building. Say you have Xenos hiding in a building with a small entrance, plant an OB against the building and get it fired with max offsets. The OB will stun and scare off all the Xenos inside while blowing holes into the wall for new entry ways (along with getting the CL mad about destruction if they care).

[Gnorse]

Issue orders, yell a lot and don't die.

This goes for all command roles, really.

[Kesserline]

Additional tip for the OB :
If you are a bit lucky, or have a fast responding SO, order the firing when the queen is screeching or when there are explosions.

It'll cover a part of the beeping sound from the OB, and allow for some more suprise.

Helpful tip for SL ? Talk. Never stop talking. Hurt your fingers by typing shits until you die, or all your soldiers die and you have nothing to say to anyone.
Talking is the key, it's what differentiate a garbage squad from a MVP squad of any round.

I don't count how many rounds were saved by some charismatic leaders from Alpha and Bravo who managed to lead even the baldiest waste of M41 ammo into glorious tactics.

[Build_R_]

By the way, OBs are not 100% accurate. An SO can enter the coordinates perfectly but it can still be a few tiles off from what I've seen. If you're an SL firing an OB please get your squad at least half a screen length away from the OB if you don't want to get caught in the fire.

[Gut_TC]

You can be that elite Sarg of boss vibe SL with more badass guns like HPR loaded with AP rounds and blaze your enemies on frontline then stomping OB on the ground with your boot to finish your cleaning job then walk back with your cigar tossed back at the OB explosion blast behind you inspiring your lower rank comrades behind you of how robust you are with your gun and armor.

Or you can be that Smart Tacticool SL full of gadgets, have your map studied, staying in the middle of your truthful squad protecting you in circle, always carrying binoculars in your hand, swaying your arms like power rangers to constantly giving orders to your squad and with only pistol as your signature firearm, placing OB and using CAS on convenient chokepoint or core resistance of the insurgents then let the assault team finish off the already crippled enemies thanks to you as you fist thumb for yourself in satisfaction and shouting "Operation Complete!".

Either way you chose. Don't fucking die. You might feel like Tom Cruise but you aren't THAT Tom Cruise.

[RaidenFTW]

-Issue order whenever possible.
-Give a SB to your spec or engineer.
-Do not use guns while fighting the xenos, use OBs and CAS.
-Even if there isn't any CAS avaible, still laze the huge groups of hostiles. Metaxenos will get scared and run away as soon as they see the lazer.
-When assigning a fireteam, make sure that team has an engineer, medic and a high rank to lead. (I mostly assign a smartgunner to lead a fireteam, a spec to lead other.)
-You have decent amount of engineering and medic skills. Use them to finish tasks faster.
-Do not send fireteams to risky missions, such as helping another squad or flanking a position. If you are asked to do those, gather up a huge group, and lead them yourself.