I/O Basic Squad Tactics

[etf-danno]

I play Infantry Only almost exclusively now (and to be more specific... Karkand I/O) and have found the following tactics to be quite helpful when fighting in a squad-

- SL stays back. The Squad Leader, often a skilled player, also often tends to dash ahead of the rest of his squad that spawns on him, putting the squad's forward spawn point at risk. Stay back, and stay covered. Let your squad spawn on you repeatedly instead of trekking the entire distance from the last good flag. BTW, do this often enough, and most squad members will get the hint, and tend to listen more to your directions.

-Have at least one medic and one support. No squad should have to go without it's own medic and resupply. Usually the SL should be that support role, as he won't be reviving much while taking cover.

-Keep two on point. With two forward members on point, they can cover each other and the expanse in front of them, without exposing the entire squad.

-Keep your distance, but stay together. Grenades are horrible, but even worse when squad members are huddled together, making for a great clusterkill. At the same time, don't stray more than 30-50 feet from the SL, as being in a squad should mean something, and with members that far separated, it has little meaning.

I know much of this seems like common sense, but how often do you actually see it in practice?

[djkruvand]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

Thanks for the tips man. One thing that is a big problem is that members of a squad don't usually like to listen. I would love to say get the !@3% off my squad if you don't want to follow direction, but that would be rude. Maybe i'll see you on the battlefield. Keep on preaching your good ways.See you on the battle field.

[=BoW=Sangyerians]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

The only tips anyone follows in this game is Shoot the Enemy First.

[etf-danno]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

Thanks for the words of encouragement, gamekinbg... there's a few of us out there yet...

I've considered locking the squad and inviting/kicking as needed... but sometimes by the time you find a good squad, the round's over. The best method I've found so far is to hit up a server, leave the squad open for the first round you're there, and then making it a locked squad until you grow tired of the server. But even with that you can have a mixed bag...

[Scorpion-q-]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

Actually it's just 'Basic Squad Tactics' as one should play like this anytime.
I often play SL as a support. Now imagine my squad tries to get a flag and some armor comes along and kills most of them. I stay covered waiting for some ATs to respawn on me.
Good news: they spawn as AT without me telling them to do so
Bad news: they shoot as they spawn - giving away my position *argh*

That's why I almost play in closed squads (with 2-3 buddies).
Two of them are ahead of my position and deal with anything they notice.
While they are covering behind a building and reloading their guns, reviving each other, throwing med packs etc I spray my bullets to the left and right of the building, mowing down anything mortal coming that way.
You need some practice and communication, of course, else the kills are mostly teamkills

As someone said:
It's the simple things that are hard to master

[wolf343sd]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

I wish your ideas were practiced by the masses but they are not, so keep posting this kind of talk everywhere until the noobs and 13 yo rambos find another game or get the hint. If most everyone atleast stuck to just these tactics (there are many more but this is a really good start!) the game would play a lot different and much better IMO. Keep up the talk and try to find a few people that think like you in a server and you will own it with even just these few principles. Even aimbot using hacks cant stop a good squad playing with these. Nice to hear!

[etf-danno]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

It seems this thread isn't even listed in the list anymore... I can search for it, but it's not in the list per se... I'm losing faith here if my posts/threads just freakin' disappear in thin air.

I'll double-post here to say that I'm happy that it's back in the list... but why does it disappear in the first place?

Either way, if you're reading this, please contribute some of your own tactics.

[megawhompertoo]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

I shewt peeple.

In the face.






Ok, nah. I like playing on SF. Getting high (on a building, foo') with a squad and camping the people who are practicing their respawn dynamics.

For Vanilla...so tough to find a sqaud of people who will work together. Usually I pick medic or sniper, and then hang out and wait for the rest of the squad to draw attention, mop up those I can, and hopefully rez my teammates while finishing capping the flag.

My other tactics are teabagging, and evading fire. See my avatar for further details.

[Tobacco]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

I/O = pointwhores paradise....I wish I had something constructive to say in this thread, but sadly everthing that comes to mind is not.

Must give props to the OP for trying to encourage Teamwork, but again, sadly it will fall on def ears, or people like me who have no respect for the I/O Mod anyway, and will just come here to complain.

Aside from some skilled players, the I/O Mod offers no challenge IMO. Where as regular BF2 has Jets/Tanks/Helo's, things that take time to Master, and are deadly in the right hands. But I/O, any Monkey can learn to run/jump/dive/shoot, you see.

[etf-danno]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

Tobacco, with all due respect, your post is totally off-topic. There are multiple other threads that deal with how you feel about I/O in general.. I started one of those threads myself... so please...

COMMENTS ABOUT SQUAD TACTICS ONLY!

If you don't like I/O, get the hell outta here! go post that somewhere else where it's appropriate!!!!

Back on topic... I have seen with increasing frequency the use of the AT kit in I/O... I tried it myself a few times but didn't get the hang of it (maybe I just need more practice?)

I have seen squads with two or three AT's that use them as slower-moving, guided RPG's. And I have been dying more and more from these attacks.

Comments?

[Jordan]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

Tobacco, with all due respect, your post is totally off-topic. There are multiple other threads that deal with how you feel about I/O in general.. I started one of those threads myself... so please...

COMMENTS ABOUT SQUAD TACTICS ONLY!

If you don't like I/O, get the hell outta here! go post that somewhere else where it's appropriate!!!!

Back on topic... I have seen with increasing frequency the use of the AT kit in I/O... I tried it myself a few times but didn't get the hang of it (maybe I just need more practice?)

I have seen squads with two or three AT's that use them as slower-moving, guided RPG's. And I have been dying more and more from these attacks.

Comments?

I personally hate people playing AT in IO only servers, just kills the fun and you can't be revived from RPG's :cry:

Not much to say about squads though, good people to fill the spots don't come around as often as I would like them too :hmm:

[flubagalub]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

Label your squad "Teamwork", so only people who want to work together as a team will join. I always check to see if there is a teamwork squad when I join a round. If there isn't one I just join a random squad and try to stay fairly close to the squad leader and work with him as much as possible.

[ElFipso]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

One thing that is not often practiced is that a squad should stay together.
Means, that if your advancing and all your SM die (supposing your not the SL to be spawnpoint or Medic to revive) then stay where you are and wait for your SM. There is no point in attacking a flag alone when you can do it with your squad.

@Tobacco: yep, way off-topic. It seems that you play mostly AT or in vehicles, so clear that you don’t like IO. But you can choose between vehicles or IO and even between posting or not.

FipZ

[ichangedmyname]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

AT rockets are great on I/O, combined with the DAO-12 for CQC and you can really smoke other players. The AT rocket is easy to guide and the spalsh can kill several people, or even provide a kill from a near miss. Not to mention that DAO-12 again :0 Which is beastly on I/O, I do not think I have every lost a 1 v. 1 CQC battle with the DAo-12 in I/O....

Cheers

[alextaylor29]

Re: I/O Basic Squad Tactics

etf-danno,

Great tips, I play Squad Leader almost exclusively so allow me to add my tips if I could. This is a great thread BTW.

-SL should stay back, I completely agree here. I'm usually a medic as a SL and continually throw med packs in front of me staying behind my advancing squad mates. That way if some become wounded while engaged, all they have to do is fall back to my position and get healed. I only revive them if I can do so safely. Plus I can heal myself this way and preserve our spawn point if I'm wounded.

- Keep squad spread out as much as possible.

- SL should use VOIP. This *should* be a no-brainer, but I've joined, many squads with my mic and headphones on, only to hear the sounds of silence from the squad leader. IMHO, you should not be a SL unless you use VOIP.

- Mark the flags you're going for on the map. Don't just tell your squadmates what flag to go for next, mark it on the common map with an 'attack' or 'move' yellow arrow. It really helps your squad to have a visual reference as to the plan of action.

- Continually ask for Arty, Supplies and UAV as you assault or defend flags. As a SL it is your DUTY to get an unfair share of the commanders assets to help your squad. I'm always surprised when I command and let all the SL's know over microphone that Arty, Supplies and or UAV are available only to have NO SL's ask for them. Your squad mates will love you when you tell them you've got a UAV and Arty coming in AHEAD of the flag you're about to assault, especially when you do it continually.

- Why walk, ask for vehicle drops continually. This doesn't apply on an infrantry only map of course, but why walk when you can ride. Also having a heavy gun on a Humvee or a Vodnik really helps the squad when you assault. If you have a full squad, try and get two vehicles and split the squad so you all can't be blown up at once, via a mine, C4 or, jet or car bomb. Try and have at least one open seat in the vehicles you're travelling in so folks can spawn on you.

- Commuicate continually with your squad via the MIC. Update them on enemies coming in, the score, health, etc.

- Ask commander for supply crates for your squad, they'll appreicate it.

- Ask the commander to SCAN the flag you're about to assault if UAV is not available. I do this all the time and most commanders are happy to do this. This is a great tip if the UAV is currently being used. Your squad mates will really appreicate it when little red dots appear at the flag you're about to assault and you tell them the commander is spotting enemies for us.

- If the server clears all the squads with every map change be sure to create a custom name for your squad (I use GUNFIGHTRS) and if you have a good squad, tell them to rejoin your squad (hence the custom name) when the server resets. This is key to keeping a good squad together. You of course can always invite them individually, but doing this allows them to join on their own.

- Try and get top squad award. This may sound silly, but many, many times, even if my team loses, when I check the squad scores and we're looking to be top squad I let my squd know that to show them we've done our part and held our own.

- Thank them for joining and being in yoru squad especially if they're good. This is just a nice thing to do.

- SL's using VOIP (which you all should BTW) keep an even voice, don't scream, screach, yell, or curse into the microphone. Everything I've laid out above is pointless if, as a SL, you're constantly yelling into the mic. You'll just annoy your squad and they'll leave. Have a calm, relaxed tone when you speak. I try and sound like an air traffic controller.

- If the commander is on VOIP, let him know you're plan via VOIP as you're more likely to get his / her support. "Hey commander squad 3 here, we're going for Northern Gas Station. If you could spare arty, uav or supplies I'd love to have them.' Then ask for them via the map anyway.

- After you cap a flag, move away from it with your men, as enemy arty could soon follow.

And lastly on that note...

- Keep your eyes to the sky looking for an enemy UAV over your postion. If you have a full squad and you're assualting an ememy flag, and an enemy UAV is over head, there is a VERY good chance enemy arty is coming in on you within 15 secs. Tell you're men their's an enemy UAV above so, a) they can bee seen by the enemy and b) enemy arty could be coming in. Also keep an EAR open to listen for enemy arty firing. This isn't always possible give the size of some maps but if you hear enemy arty firing tell your squad to spread out and take cover especially if there is an enemy UAV over head. You're men will LOVE you if you save them from being artied, either during a flag assualt or after you cap it. It's a wierd thing I know but they will appreciate it.

And there it is. :)