MY CENTAVOS!
"1. Picking a Kit
SL will always take the officer kit, and if the map is just starting, you'll want to ask which kit hasn't been already called for. If you didn't play medic last round, maybe its a good idea for you to go ahead and volunteer to be medic for this round. Medic needs to always be the first kit chosen, exception would be a small fire team of 2 guys (AR and SL typically)."
Agreed, except you can't take AR unless you have a 4-man squad. What would you say the 4th kit should be, assuming a standard of SL/Medic/AR? Playing mostly AR, I have only run out of ammo a few times. Even when I am racking up kills, I rarely need ammo from a bag, as there are usually crates around. So, rifleman - in my opinion - is not very useful in light of the other kits available. Obviously the 4th kit (and even the AR in a few cases) can be tailored situationally, but for the sake of a "bread and butter squad" I would have to say that Specialist is the way to go... the grapple is helpful on almost every map, and for Insurgency, BLUFOR shotgunners can open doors and get arrests on civvies with the shotgun.
"2. Spawning In
If the map is mid-stream and the squad is already out on patrol, then you'll want to ask if a Rally Point is available. The SL can drop the rally kit and give you a spawn point if it is. For example, a decent spawn strategy on Muttrah for the USMC is for the SL to insert with the huey, land at docks, and throw a rally point down. This can save your squad 4-5 tickets early. "
What do you mean about saving tickets?
3a. On Defense
Find Cover. Setup covering fire on all angles.
Just to clarify, cover is something that will block enemy small arms fire, concealment is something that will hide you from anything other than thermals (at least I think they penetrate foliage) - we don't play co-op much anymore, and I think WE all know this, but bots see through foliage/concealment.
While most of the time, cover also gives concealment by default, when you fire from cover you have to expose yourself. This is exacerbated when firing crouched or prone, and you may be NEAR cover you generally can't get to it very quickly when in these stances, and movement affects you aim/settle in time. You have to weigh the benefits of being a smaller target, which at range makes a big difference, but as Creedo said before, you want to be standing in almost any non-ambush CQB situation.
As far as ambushes go, especially when playing as a force without tracers, I find concealment is much better than cover as you can usually fire FROM concealment without exposing yourself to view. Obviously return-fire can pass through to you, but if you do it right there should either be no return fire or it should be inaccurate.
If it turns into a shoot-out, where the enemy has cover and you have concealment, you better have a plan in place to rectify that imbalance as once they target you it's over quickly.
"Medic will have a reflex scope, so his first responsibility will be covering the entrance from the ground or alley way."
A lot of medics (USA/USMC both I believe, MEC I think, and all Insurgent forces) spawn with open sights. You have to get a kit from a crate and right-click the kit to get the alternate configuration. Sometimes open sights are good, but the reflex scope is better for anything other than short range, in my opinion.
One thing that I would like advice on is when to play medic, and when to engage enemies. I usually fuck up and revive downed friendlies at the wrong time, so if there is a good SL, I just wait until he says go - or at least I try to remember to do that hahaha...
AR should take the widest angle with the most cover (usually 3rd floor corner on a 4 story building).
This is good in defensive situations, or supporting an assault - provided there is an actual assault happening - and preferably by another squad. The only problem I have had with this is that running up the stairs is a big neon sign, as decent enemy players will watch stairs. Though you almost always survive the trip, you are opted in to the grenade mailing list. Crawling up the stairs will usually get you there with a better chance of being detected, but takes forever.
The biggest issue with AR is that in order to get yourself a good field of fire, you have to be exposed. The better your view of the enemy, the wider area you have to scan. As SOON as you start firing, everyone knows where you are, and an AR is a high value target. If you don't have your team covering your flank, your life expectancy is significantly reduced. On defense (or offense, assuming either my squad, or a coordinating squad is assaulting) I have lasted a lot longer and gotten more full/majority squad wipe-outs on the enemy team by going prone on a corner and covering a street or field avenue of approach. It can leave you ass in the wind, however.
"Specialist, Rifleman, and Grenadier/AT should make a well rounded fire squad and play to each others strengths. If deploying a FOB, make sure to get a kit with a shovel."
Agreed, and although I am all down with digging shit (even Sim FOB hahahaha) unless the squad is setting up in an "island" (i.e., a strong point with open areas surrounding it ala Kokan and other non-heavy urban maps) and you have a DMR on overwatch, I really think the AR should be tasked with overwatch even if it is just to cover the approach into the FOB hiding place. FOB dust is another neon sign to any observant enemy. I swear, at least 50% of FOBs I have been helping build get rolled hard by the enemy while we are building them because SL-SpankyMcDoozles has everyone on digging and is herpa-derp staring at the excavation site. In a situation where we aren't building the FOB in a hot-zone, having the Medic on passive-overwatch is more efficient, but otherwise exposing him to fire - or him shooting at the first enemy he sees - generally turns into the ZOMG GET MY KIT prelude to a full squad wipe and FOB burning party.
"A key part of defense is checking your map often. Always verify targets via the map or a teammate before firing. Even if the target would get away unless you fired, trigger discipline and being discreet will turn a single kill into a squad wipe."
QFTx10 - I am getting MUCH better at this, and I haven't TK'd anyone in quite some time... with all the fagoo's picking up enemy kits and those same guys invariably being alone and in the direction of known enemy contacts, it's better to wait until fired upon if you are not sure. This ties in to communications, but the AR, DMR, Sniper, and honestly even the SL (when he is trying to coordinate supply, FOB structures, transport, and any number of other items) should be able to rely on other members not actively tasked with active duties for reporting enemy movements. I try to say things like "We have NO friendlies south or west" which immediately allows for much faster response to unknown contacts. I also try to report friendlies moving up, but the more I am in my map, the more I am missing enemies movement through my scope or binoculars.
"3b. On the Assault
Medic will protect the flank and rotate with the specialist when bounding across openings to the attack point.
Grenadier, AR and SL should all be near the front, securing areas for the supporting squad mates."
Got it.
"The goal here is to not get killed. If resistance is found on one street or alley by an enemy with a superior position, the best idea is to back out of it. Throw smoke, and retreat, or get an APC (lol) to help you bounce. If you're pinned, back down. You'll regain the advantage in a different position."
While YOU coordinate us enough to pull this shit off, we really need to start ditching shitty SL's, because 75% of them may have good intentions, but we end up doing the baby elephant feed the enemy tickets walk.
"If we run up on an APC, and we don't have an AT kit, we will retreat."
Retreat or hide. Also, just FYI, the BRDM (and maybe the Amtrak) are susceptible to small arms fire. It takes about, or maybe exactly, 200 rounds of 5.56 (I don't know if 7.62 damage is modeled differently, though it should be) to destroy one. A single mag out of an AR is usually enough to RTB them, and at the very least, enough to make them much more susceptible to being destroyed by other squads.
"If we have an AT kit, we'll setup an ambush with a 2 man AT team and retreat."
A couple of things here:
- LATs are worthless against MBTs - while a top-shot or rear hit on one may do damage, unless it's already smoking it's best to retain the round for a softer target.
- Enemy vehicle armor should be targeted in this descending order of preference:
- Top armor
- Rear Armor
- Side Armor
- Frontal Armor
- Building on "Be Patient", make for DAMN sure you give your LAT/HAT plenty of time to settle before you fire. You get one shot, make it count.
- Unless you are positive that you can safely engage the vehicle, or it's a dire emergency do-or-die fly ball with 2 outs situation, either wait for that time, or better yet, get your squad to distract the vehicle. It's usually just a matter of having someone tag the AFV with some small arms then duck for cover. While the AFV attempts to engage, monitors the last known position, let 'er rip.
- Protect the fuck out of the HAT kit, and make EVERY shot count, LAT or HAT. If you are not confident that your shot will be effective, just don't take it. Yeah, it's great to blow the shit out of an entire squad in a truck/on a BTR or an MBT, but taking a high-deflection snapshot on a moving target is a cowboy move at worst, and a desperation move at best. That being said, if you are a fucking AT sniper, shoot whatever you want.
- Adding to the above, YES you can engage enemy air units with HAT/LAT. You absolutely have to know what you are doing, or get lucky. Do not take these shots unless you know your weapon system and are proficient with using it at range. Unless you get a winning lottery ticket situation where you already have your ATM out and ready to fire when a Helo lands or hovers near you, wait for your SL to green light an attempt. Your high chance for a miss coupled with the immediate and sharp drop in your value to the squad once you expend your shot means that trying to hit aircraft in a serious match should be a rare occurrence.
- When moving to contact where there is definite or suspected enemy vehicle presence, have your kit out and ready to go. They all take time to prepare, and the SRAW sets up slower than a communications majoring waitress delivers cocktails. This is with the assumption that you are properly supported and are moving with the squad in the right order (i.e, somewhere in the rear, but in front of the rear guard)
- Backblast: While I have never experienced it personally, you CAN kill or seriously injure other players (and yourself, apparently) with backblast from ATM/ATR launches. I have heard or read that firing from inside of buildings is bad too, we can test that as well. The real life SRAW possesses a soft-launch capability that allows it to be propelled out of a confined space before the second stage kicks off the fireworks, they may take that into account in the game.
- We absolutely HAVE to do some serious practice with Insurgency RPGs. We can get on PiCE tonight and set up some friendly vehicles at varying ranges and get used to the new shit-tastic drop on the RPGs. We can then have someone switch to BLUFOR, drop some ammo crates near BLUFOR base, and try hitting enemy vehicles as well as testing various durabilities, even dick with firing at moving targets and perhaps have Creedo or Gaytorian fly air patterns we can take shots at. (Gaytor is down with us killing him repeatedly, I have just discovered)
4. Be patient.
Looking at that mini-map takes time and coordinating inter-squad operations can be a noisy and chaotic affair. If you find yourself in a 5 minute lull, feel free to chat it up, on vent. Try and keep the ingame VOIP relatively clear. Often a random is in-squad and VOIP is the only way to direct them. That said, bullshitting with the randoms can be a blast. 'Spider balls'
And if other people are playing and you are not, try not to sandblast them on Vent... it's super annoying when you have In-game Commander -> SL chatter, Mumble SL Net chatter, Local Mumble chatter, squad VoIP chatter, and then I start droning on about God knows what on Vent. Feel free to tell me (and others, you have my permission) to shut the fuck up, as I certainly don't INTEND to be a disruptive douche.
5. Use Mumble
Offer observations and intel frequently, use Mumble for observations and 'your mom' jokes.
Mumble 3d positional is bad ass for too many reasons. I think Jabes and I actually have the whole jockeying a dozen different voice channels thing down fairly well, mild retardation considered.
6. Use Mumble. Seriously awesome.
INDEED, MY GOOD MAN. If the server PiCE is ticket sponging the hell out of doesn't have a dedicated Mumble channel on the PR Mumble server, we use the open servers or empty server channels
7. Unless directed otherwise, don't open fire until your SL says to. Basically, there are two extremes to the ROE spectrum: Weapons Free Rock And Roll - and Stealth/Ambush. In the gray area between the two, it's almost always best to err on the side of caution. Unless you are being fired upon, or you KNOW you've been spotted, the longer you hold fire the more information you can get about the enemy. That single contact may be ahead of a dozen enemy infantry, who will remain invisible and/or flank you if you open up on him. You get better opportunities to crossfire enemies that you allow to pass you and take cover from allies while leaving themselves exposed to you. Crossfires are the most deadly firearms conflict traps to get into.
Most importantly, with a good SL, by giving him greater control over the squad you not only instill confidence in your cohesion, you allow him to use the entire squad as a much more effective fighting force. At any given time, he should have a much better tactical picture than any single squad member. He may have JUST been informed about that infantry squad you can't see yet, and he may have other plans that will be destroyed by someone opening up a can.
Know your weapon. Know the effective range, and be conscious of the rate of fire so you can get an eventually get an idea of your remaining ammunition. Although it happens rarely, it did happen last night: Shit was hitting the fan, and I had lit up several enemies - jabbies and I get charged by an enemy troop transport, and I am like I GOT THIS, NEGRAS!!! Instead... *click*. Facepalm. Desk smash. Effbombs. Instead of waxing at least the two in the front, if not the entire squad, I got ran over. Learn from my stupidity, kids.
That being said, always:
8. COMMUNIFUCKINGCATE!
Strategic communications:
Always be aware of your general map location, the direction you are facing, and the general direction of friendlies. As mentioned above, if you KNOW there are 0 friendlies in a given direction, and none heading that way, or close enough to be heading that way in a reasonable amount of time you can focus on looking for contacts/movement instead of babysitting the wanderings of lone wolves on the map screen.
Know when to use general directions vs. more exacting compass bearings. If you and I are 100m apart, on a line parallel to the target, and you say "Enemy sniper at 330", that is no where near MY 330. The farther away the target, the greater the disparity. Just say "Enemy sniper northwest, base of tree on the far side of the field" or other landscape descriptor - more words, still faster for someone to acquire the target than trying to calculate that bearing based on your position. If we are closer together, definitely use degrees.
When you are relaying coordinates to the team, the commander, or squadmates that are at a significant distance (which should not happen often unless you are a forward observer), use grid coordinates.
When you open your grid map, (this is where is helps to have a good idea of where you are already) match the approximate location of the enemy to the corresponding point on the map. Find the alpha label for the column the large grid square is located in (across the top), then find the numerical identifier for the row. I.e., J5, K12, etc. (Note: use an upper case 'L' and a lowercase 'i' to guarantee clarity). If the enemy is moving, just give the large grid identifier - ex: Enemy BRDM2 moving from K12 to K11! It is better to use the general grid for moving targets as they most likely won't be near the more granular coordinates for long.
For relatively stationary targets, provide the more exacting full grid coordinates (referred to as keypad or KP). This is especially important for dug in infantry or fixed targets such as caches and FOBs, as well as allowing CAS aircraft/Mortars/JDAM strikes to have a better chance of effectively engaging the enemy.
To find the KP, simply determine which of the nine smaller squares your target is in. Match it to your keypad on your keyboard. This is important, because it is non-intuitive otherwise.
Assuming this is a grid square, this is the layout (helpful to memorize if you play on a laptop keyboard for some unknown reason):
_____
|789|
|456|
|123|
-----
Hardcore squads get more detailed by using another digit, but it's tough enough to get people to call out XY, let alone XYkpY.
Rule of thumb, if you are ~30m or closer to a squadmate (unless you KNOW they know the offset from your current position) degrees are fine.
If you are farther apart, but roughly aligned on the y or x axis, use a general direction. It also helps to say "To MY North" or "to YOUR north" depending on the situation.
If you are relaying to the team/commander, or if your squadmates are significantly removed from both your x and y axis, or have any doubts, use the grid (which is always the best plan unless enemy fire is imminent)
So, to beat a dead horse deader:
(U is your position, S is a squadmates position, X is the enemy - assume for arguments sake that the line represents a general parallel, not exactly on line (which would make degrees best))
S---------U---------X
"Enemy infantry EAST!" works for both of you.
S---------X---------U
"Enemy infantry to YOUR EAST (Steve)!" Is best here, as if you just say west, or to MY west, ol' Steve has to know where the hell you are.
Your SL SHOULD know where key players are in relation to himself and the rest of the squad most of the time. The easiest way to locate a squad member is to hit Capslock (or whatever your Kit/Squad key is) and click that persons name. This will turn any friendly players locator dot to white. You can also highlight entire squads this way by clicking the squad name itself. Friendlies are blue, squad mates are green (Squad leaders are larger circles with their respective squad number), and the commander is a (too) large dot with a yellow star on it. When I join a game, the first thing I do (this is a lie, as I remember maybe 17% of the time) is click myself. This makes it far easier to quickly locate yourself on the map, in turn making it easier to orient and determine a grid location. This setting is persistent, so setting it when you start lasts until the next map or you change the highlight to find a squad member.
Tactical communications:
When you are reloading, say so... preferably on Mumble. When you are the AR, or are manning a vehicle/emplacement based automatic weapon, let people know BEFORE you are dry. When I am in a squad that gives a shit, I try to let them know when I am at approximately 25% remaining. This lets my supporting squadmate or crewmate know that I will need them to be READY to cover my lengthy reload fairly soon. It's a greek tragedy when you take an PG-7VR in the turd cutter because you reloaded your .50 at the same time the main gunner was reloading his co-ax.
Let people know when friendlies are near, especially mention the presence of a friendly using an enemy kit as when shit hits the fan, you don't have time to open the map, find yourself, orient direction, determine A: Are there any friendlies there? No? Okay, assuming he isn't already gone or headshot you, fire away! If B: There are friendlies near, gauge distance to target, gauge distance to friendlies on the map. Make a guess, which doesn't matter because by this time, he has either moved on, headshot you, or been killed/TK'd by someone else.
If you hear armor, gauge direction, check map... find yourself, look in the direction of the sound... any friendly vehicles there? Then it's definitely a bad guy.
It will take time to get used to gauging the distance, as vehicles are LOUD. If you can barely hear a vehicle, unless it is idling, it is probably pretty far away. I play with the volume up pretty high, and I can hear tracked vehicles 3 or 4 grid squares away easily.
More important than your ability to gauge distance by sound, is to be able to identify at least the vehicle's class if not exact type. This is where map knowledge comes in handy, always pay attention to the map loading screen. In the bottom right corner, it will show you the asset classes available to each side on a given map.
USMC vs MEC - so, American Vehicles vs. Soviet Vehicles (the most commonly used type in the game, CIS/MEC/Militia/some Insurgents all use Soviet Vehicles)
Vehicles highlighted in black are available for that side on that map.
So, from left to right:
Logistics and/or Troop Transport/Ammo Trucks (Wheeled)
"Jeep" type vehicles (Wheeled - can carry troops, some armed with one or more medium to heavy machineguns, a few with various anti-tank weapons)
Armored Personnel Carriers (Wheeled or tracked, Can transport troops and spawn kits, usually lightly armed with an MG or light cannon - the Soviet BTR-60 carries its troops on top which offers no protection from small arms fire)
Infantry Fighting Vehicles (Almost always tracked (BRDM is wheeled) Driver/Gunner only - as far as I have seen anyway - usually an MG and light to medium cannon, sometimes missiles)
Main Battle Tank (Always tracked, Heavily armored, turreted heavy cannon with coaxial medium MG, generally a 3rd spot for a heavy MG in an exposed position on the turret. The IDF Merkava also has a troop compartment)
SPAA (Self-propelled Anti-Aircraft - pretty rare, armed with multiple rapid-fire auto cannon and/or SAMs. Driver/Gunner)
Second line:
Observation Helicopter (Pilot/Co-Pilot, nimble but lightly armored, armed with either a light or gatling cannon and/or rockets.
Transport Helicopter (Often referred to as a "Huey" whether it is in fact a Huey - airborne troop transport (aka your best friend if the pilot is worth a shit) sometimes armed with machine guns or gatling guns in the doors)
Attack Helicopter (Often referred to as CAS - Close Air Support - chopper/helo, or (better) by the NATO identifier, i.e., Apache, Cobra, Havoc, etc - Of particular note, on this map there are two Hueys, one is transport one is armed with rockets, called Trans-Huey and CAS-Huey respectively)
Fixed Wing Aircraft (Maps with fixed wing aircraft are very rare in deployment. This includes fighters and fighter bombers)
UAV (Commander controller observation craft... have not seen one yet, not sure if you can shoot them down or not... Creedo, Jabes, Meel?)
Artillery (Off-board artillery that can be requested by the commander after a specified time period has elapsed - usable after 30 minutes (then every 30 minutes after that?))
JDAM (Awesome off-board weapon when used properly, essentially a BFB. Commander requested after 60 minutes have passed.)
NEXT UP - ARMOR IDENTIFICATION
WOOOOOOOOOOOO