ABC’s of Squad Leading
Post Scriptum Squad Leader Tutorial
This is just something for folks to get a basic grasp of the SL role (VERY basic guide) I am not a pro by ANY means but I think I do a decent enough job and have lead plenty of squads to victory and had fun doing so. These are extremely basic tips which can serve as a foundation for more advanced tactics. Think of this as the ABC’s of squad leading if you will.
1. Be friendly and courteous. Greet your squad at the start of the match. Let them know that your squad will be using teamwork, and each member must play their roles. Tell them that if they would rather run around aimlessly, to please leave the squad now.
2. Inform them which MSPs they need to be spawning from. If they are not listening, say something like ” Hey Johnny, please spawn at the southern MSP next time so we can work together. If the player continues to not listen, simply remove them from the squad (done from the loadout screen)
3. Tell the squad to remain relatlvely close together. Let them know that if they do not do so, the medics will not be able to keep them alive so this is in their own self-interest as well as the team’s. Again, kick any lone wolves or non-compliant players.
4. Use your binoculars to call out targets for your squad. Press (T) to mark targets for them, such as enemy infantry or armor. Press (Y) for your compass to give bearings, or use clock positioning (” GERMANS SPOTTED 2 O’CLOCK!”).
5. Remember your smokes, and smoke your advances especially over open ground. Your squadmates also carry smoke grenades. Remember, white phosphorus can kill!
6. Remind the medics periodically that they are to remain safe, they can pull general security close quarters but they are NOT RIFLEMEN. They should not be engaging targets that are more than 30 meters or so. If they are getting into frequent firefights, ask them to switch to the rifleman role. Medics are extremely important to maintain squad cohesion and must stay alive as much as possible.
7. Use your (T) marks to give general orders such as “REGROUP AT THIS POSITION” / “DIG IN HERE” / “ATTACK HERE” . You can also do this on the map by right clicking.
8. When you die as the SL, stay by the MSP for a few moments or even minutes to grab squadmates before heading off into battle. They need to be sticking with you or at least with the other squad members, not trickling into the objective one by one. Obviously this is situational and many SLs may disagree with me here. There may be instances where manpower is needed at the frontlines ASAP so use your best judgement.
9. RAISE MORALE! If your team if doing a good job, LET THEM KNOW! “Medics! You are doing a great job! Keep it up!” “Johnny! Nice shot on those Krauts!” “MG gunner! Awesome suppressing fire, thank you!” Etc. This will encourage them to continue the teamplay. It also gives your squad more confidence.
10. Communicate with the other SLs and commander as to your overall strategy, then relay the information to your squad. “Command wants us to rush the point! GO GO GO!”. ” Command is sending a strafing run, stay back!”
11. Use your map often! You may want to set a new keybind for it (I use tab and put the scoreboard to M, and use caps lock for map zoom) Right click on the map to mark targets and orders for your squad. I use my map every few seconds, don’t leave home without it!!
12. Plan your attack/defense. Choose an angle that is not being pursued/defended by your allies. Do not trickle in from the MSP one by one in a line, this will give your MSP position away!!
13. HAVE FUN. You are arguably the most important factor in the entire game. A good SL makes a HUGE difference in the gameplay experience of your comrades. Do no berate your squadmates, give them helpful advice so that they may become good team players.
That’s all for now… feel free to add onto this in the comments and I’ll edit the document. Squad leading is a tough job, but somebody has to do it!
