Regular/Operation squad management thingies

[Kesserline]

In other posts, I talked about psychology, about cohesion, about tactics.. But damn, I didn't make a proper post about some reliable tips for organizing your squad, or simply play as a squad leader.

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The gear, or in better words, the SL's UNGA

We'll see what use you can get to your SL shits, from the must have to the not-used shits (or things you can issue to your human-shields marines)

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THE MUST HAVE :

• Orbital Beacon : you must have it. Period. It's one of the easiest and most badass ordonance you can use. Almayer canon takes about 30 minutes to reload. But damn, it's a 9x9 or 10x10 tiles of doomsday, with a focusing explosion (based on offset) that can gib anything inside the focusing radius.

Please refer to the awesome wiki for details about how OB works (you can go here on the SO's section to understand)

• Tactical Binocs : for CAS, or simply scout ahead, good for locating boilers, seeing the shape of the frontline and watch if stragglers need to catch up on your squad's maneuvers.

• Large general pouch : basically a webbing on a pouch. Very good to always have quick access to your OB and Binocs.

• Webbing : 3 slots for additional mags (I advise putting 2 AP mags and a set of splints).

• Supply Beacons : Having a supply drop directly on your location ? That's it. Put them in your satchel/backpack. Mandatory to have at least 2. The third one can be issued to one of your reliable PFCs, or Spec, or SG, if they are not dipshits.

• C4 : Good for opening a flank, good for escaping, good for blowing up a tunnel. Three good situations. Suggestion : put it in the general pouch, or in the armor slot, easy access

• B12 armor set : It's your set. Cool to have. Seems to get RNJesus more friendly to you. It's definetely not a B18, but it does a good job at preventing you to die like a dipshit. As I said, it's not a miracle armor, a simple grunt armor does the job too.

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SITUATIONAL/CAN ISSUE TO MARINES

• Motion Detector : awesome in early and late rounds. In early, you can locate a contact, pursue it, and be more likely to understand when the Hive is trapping you. In late round, it shortens the delay caused by delayliens, because you can locate them easier, tracking them relentlessly and ending their miserable lives. Also works a gaydar (you have to manually beep in the chat), works wonderfully around Charlie prep, or Charlie seats in briefing.

• Large mag pouch : with the IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) updates, this pouch is useless. It's best to have a first aid pouch than this pouch. Issue it to one of your lucky marines. He'll win some mag slots.

• B12 armor set spare : To issue to your RPG spec, or your most valuable PFC. Warning, PFCs are not allowed to wear it. It'll cause an IC issue that can get your PFC thrown in brig and/or you. Do it at your own discretion. (On a personal note, I do it everytime, I prefer taking the risk to have a solid PFC than having this B12 taking the dust in my preproom. I never go SSD, nor cryo as a SL. So I never need a spare).

• Flamers + Fuel tanks : You have not the room to take all the fuel tanks on you, nor a flamer for yourself. Issue it to marines. Good for area denial, better to clean resin. Excels in pissing off crushers.

• Sidearm pouch : Ultra mega situational on loadouts, probably will be used by Scout/Sniper specs and SGs. Useless to you, believe me.

• Smoke grenades : Have I already used the word useless ? Welp, I'll repeat it here : USELESS, except in HumanVsHuman rounds.

• Maps : Shall I really repeat it again..? USELESS. DAMN USELESS. YOU SHOULDN'T BE SL IF YOU NEED TO READ THEM. KNOW THE MAPS.

You're done with your preproom. Now, let's talk about your weapon.

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The Dunga, or the Dakka, or the Pew Pew
Here are some battlehardened loadouts, easy to use.

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Primary : M41 QF EB Miniflamer (Load a fuel tank in your backpack, a single one : VERY useful at clearing resin, nothing else. Do not attempt on enemies, it's useless, the main use is to clear resin fields)
Secondary : M41 Vanilla + Raiflashlight

Primary : M41 QF EB UGL
Secondary : M41 FG + Flashlight
OR
Secondary : M37 Gyro + Buckshot + Railflashlight

Primary : M41 QF EB Masterkey (very versatile, not cool at clearing doors or walls, but good for a nasty surprise in CQC against T1/T2)
Secondary : M41 Vanilla + Raiflashlight

Primary : M41 RDS BFA Silencer
Secondary M41 : Vanilla + Railflashlight

Primary : M41 RDS FG (+ BC, you really want to use one as a SL ?)
Secondary : M41 Vanilla + Railflashlight.

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FT or not FT ? That is the question

I see several SLs trying the FTs, I'll give you my point of view especially for Delta.

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FTs are ULTRA situational, the FT number appearing on the players HUD is useless.

Remember that marines are the ones that nade themselves in briefing, or ROline, or even in the shuttle. You have to make things EASY and SIMPLE for them. (Just a joke eh, but still, make it simple for them).

If you are robust enough, you can make some kills on your own, but that's no the purpose of you being SL. Your purpose is to lead marines THAT WILL KILL things for you (and you'll get medals thanks to them, hehe.)

Here is things that your regular PFC has to think about :

• His life/health status

• His ammo level

• His weapon

• His target

• All the friendlies that may be between the target and his gun

• The potential FF victim he has to care about because he FFed

• His mates life

• Your life (because he is basically covering you)

• The fact that some of his buddies are dying/wounded

• His fears/stress

• His desires (of glory, of having a killboard that would make a Call of Duty player envious)

• Your orders

• Your talking

• Others talking

• Your banter

• Your fucking FT number

Now, when you'll say : "FT1 with me. FT2, stays at Nexus ! FT3, you patrol at LZ1."
It'll work for what ? 5 minutes ? 10 minutes ? But then, when the fog is down, or when the hive spills out of Lambda or Civ Residence, your FT worth nothing more than a visual pollution. Another pixels on your screen. Another pixels on THEIR screens.

Make it simple. Name people when you have to give orders. MCBADLIE AND FUCKFACE ! GET TO TCOMMS AND COVER IT.
NARUTO : YOU COVER THE DAMN MEDIC.
AWESOME KESSERLINE : YOU BABYSIT THE SG !

Simple orders. You name people, they feel adressed, they feel compelled by your orders. They are not numbers, they are marines and you TALKED to them PERSONALLY. Wait for a "Good copy" or a "Got it, Boss" to validate the receipt of your order, just to be sure. Make sure your PFCs validate your orders, still good to avoid misunderstanding.

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Dunno if necessary, depending on feedbacks, will add positioning on firing lines depending on SL's confidence about his own skills (Robust/Good/Decent/Bad/BravoDipshit), first line, second line, rearguard and so on.

[x31stOverlord]

Awesome tidbits for the newer SLS. I would recommend inputting a little additional comment on the tac bino area about the co-ords if you have a mortar deployed. Far too often ive seen squads/XOs/COs demand a mortar be deployed and then wasted because no one calls out co-ords for mortar fire or just plain forget they exist.

MORTARS ARE A THING MARINES. USE IT.

[Avalanchee]

Unga Dunga good guide.

[Heckenshutze]

Suggestion: Use the wiki to copy/paste the mobs of the tools you're suggesting in your loadouts, make it funnier and easier to read and understand.


Good guide