[SL TIPS] Tacticool quintessence

[Kesserline]

As some of my tips are either spread out in the guides I wrote previously (or in their comments, or other shits), I'll just randomly put the random tips that I have in mind in terms of everything :

ABOUT COMMS :

► Show Spoiler

Imagine that: The Mongols = Unga's retardness. China = Organized and super tacticool squad. The Great Wall = your comms.
Fucking talk. Every fucking time. If you're not shooting, or planning, or surviving, or dying : talk to your guys. Answer them.
You may have fucking 10+ squaddies. But for each of your squaddies.. They only have one SL.

Alternative reading of this metaphor: be Chinese.

__________________________________

ABOUT GEAR :

► Show Spoiler

It's up to you according on how you like to play. Some SLs like to play it defensively, others are as wild as the wildest robustos.

The only thing that is not negotiable is the generic gear : your armor set, the tac binos, the OB, at least 2 SBs, the motion detector and a C4. The rest is optional. Be the SL you want to follow, and gear up accordingly.

__________________________________

ABOUT FIRETEAMS :

► Show Spoiler

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 not 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.

__________________________________

ABOUT LEADERSHIP :

► Show Spoiler

I'll sum it up with a few words on each tip, Leadership in this game is like Leadership IRL, you have to follow some rules :
- Never lead by using the fear : dictators are huge piles of shit, and they only create mutinies/defiance among their own ranks
- Always congrats your men when they are doing it right : tell them that they did a good kill, that they gave you a good idea, that they gave you a fucking good intel at the fucking good moment.
- Inspire your men : tell them they are needed. Tell them that without them, the platoon can't do shit. But also remind them that they need you. Your mind, their rifles and muscles.
- Know some psychology shits : morale effects (Routing : negative / Hyping : positive, know at which state your squad is and adjust your maneuvers accordingly), how to break a shitter (Ignore him, or use logical arguments. If it doesn't work, use sarcasm and humiliate him so as the rest of the squad can mock him. If he wants to be a total fucking dick, at least, create some cohesion for the rest of the squad)
- Think about squad cohesion

__________________________________

ABOUT ROBUSTNESS :

► Show Spoiler

Being robust is not mandatory when being an SL. The Ungas are here to make the kills for you, and you to get a promotion out of it.
What is expected of you is at least being decent. Do not FF too much, especially because you'll FF your own fucking men.

Being a bit robust has some heavy drawbacks such as being on the frontline too much, getting a bit metatargeted, increasing the chance of being FFed and/or just dying like a dipshit because Xenos.
Robustness though has one real important advantage : raising morale. Squaddies will fucking follow you anywhere if they think you're a hero.

__________________________________

ABOUT TACTICS :

► Show Spoiler

Know the maps, all the time, all the maps, you have to be able to :
- Locate the FOB at every moment.
- Locate yourself on the map and compared to the FOB.
- Know the general Hive's direction (BR is South or East, LV is North, Prison is West, Ice is underground, usually).
- Be able to locate yourself compared to the Hive's location.
- Mark status of the different maps areas (Contested, Hostile, Friendly) so as to adjust your move speed. Hostile territory means slower and careful. Friendly = fuck that, gonna go fast. Contested = normal speed, and pay attention to your stragglers, they may get ambushed.

Here are the different maneuvers :
- Holding : dig in. Survive.
- Push/Assault : front offensive. The enemy knows that you're coming from where you are coming. Don't expect surprise effect, except if you are blitzkrieging. Advance forward. Shoot. Survive.
- Flank : ninja attack. The enemy doesn't know that you're coming from where you re coming. If you don't have the surprise effect, that means that you fucked up. A flanking maneuver doesn't last longer than 180 sec. Survive.

__________________________________

ABOUT COMMAND :

► Show Spoiler

If Command is shit : well.. Have fun..?

If Command is good/decent :
- Make SITREP to them about your squad/the frontline : status of your squad, accomplishment ratio of your current objective, and so on.
- Propose ideas/plans
- Follow Command's plan

__________________________________

I'll feed that shit with other tips that'll come to my mind, or that'll share in comments, or other shits, or whatever.

Love you all, except if you're a charlie main.

[Rohesie]

* Distribute SBs to those that have room for them or are likely to be asking for supplies.

* Delegate as much as possible. You don't need to carry the motion sensor yourself, not to set the beacons yourself.

* Babysit any weak links. If the engies are not doing their jobs, take the time to instruct them. If there's an unorbust medic, try to pair them up with a robust one, or a helpful PFC.

* ASK. Who'd rather evac wounded? Who'd rather frontline? Who'd rather guard the medics/engies or FOBs? Who wants to lead, for I'm wounded? People perform so much better not only at the roles they are good at, but also at the ones they are interested in at the moment.

* If you are getting no answers, stop asking to the squad as a whole. Single the marines out. Use their names. That will make them much more likely to pay attention.

* Praise what should be praised. A marine whose efforts and good performance are recognized is likely to keep giving their best.

[Nantei]

Positive reinforcement is key as always. If you aren't being nice as SL, you are doing it wrong. Also if command is shit, honestly just do your own thing. I find squaddies are dramatically more likely to follow you and your orders when they think you have their best interest at heart. I pull my guys back when we can't hold, making sure to leave no wounded behind if I can. I ask them how they are doing. And when command gives me really bad orders? I ignore them. Part of being an SL is making your own judgement calls. An SO/CO is never going to have as good a feel for the situation as you will on the front lines. If Command says to walk into a meat grinder, you fly them the bird. And if Command is even halfway competent, they will defer to your judgement. That's an important SO tip too. TRUST YOUR FUCKING SQUAD LEADERS!

Also good tip on the names, it's actually very important psychologically to name people when you want something done. Not only does it usually get done faster, but it also means it's dramatically more likely to actually get done. It's more personal, and more specific. "Bob, please help fill sandbags," is a much better order than, "Someone, fill sandbags." Remember what your mother taught you. Please and thank you. You are herding cats here, and if they like you, they just might pull your ass out of the fire when you make a mistake. I have had squads rally to save me, solely because they liked me that much.

[Bancrose]

Spoken like a true Leader Kess

You almost make me want to turn my SL prefs back on.

Never forget communicating with other squads and taking marines who look lost into your squad.

And if its dire and desperate enough. Lead them yourself on a Death or Glory charge.

[Slduggy]

Kesserline needs to stop being a minefield engineer and start leading delta to victory again.

[RunAwayScientist]

I dunno, Cruz, Kesserline's tactical claymore deployments have stunned Queens, stomped Chargers, and melted entire beno flanks in their tracks. Not sure which I'd rather have, tactically speaking. Tactically.

Thank you Kesserline, Vader, and Nantei for the insightful tips. These doubly apply for SO.

I would add one more item: * If there's no immediate candidate for aSL, the SL going down wipes squad effectiveness by half or more. Simply staying alive is a huge morale boost.