Good SL tips?

[WarGimp]

There's nothing that drives me up the wall like a bad Squad Leader.
[Er, maybe a bad commander is worse, but that's a different rant]

When you spawn on a SL who promply hops in a jeep and drives off without so much as a backwards glace to your cries of "Hey! I need a Ride!", it makes me wish I could pop a round of into his cranium and take his job (without getting punished).

So... having just been playing under some damned poor SLs, I thought I'd ask you folks what you think makes for a good Squad Leader in a public game.

Have at it!

[Pilioka]

Re: Good SL tips?

SLs need to stand back from the action. Squad takes the flag while SL spots stuff coming in and tries to pick it off. Use those little "attack here", "move here" markers too. I am not usually in the mood for SL though. I just make a squad with a clan mate and we just rush in. If you ever join our squad you need to be able to move really fast.

[Jaz]

Re: Good SL tips?

LAF is right.

SL's should stay a small bit away from the action. if his squadmates die they can easily respawn on him and not have to travel the whole distance to the fight again.

[Mr. ADHD]

Re: Good SL tips?

Squad leaders should be snipers and hide in stupid places like on top of a hard to reach mountain....I HATE crappy SL's. A crappy SL is like spawning into artillery.

Inconjuction with a SL that hangs back...there should be a medic that does the same.

[evilzucchini]

Re: Good SL tips?

I disagree that a SL needs to be out of the action. I understand tthe logic that if he stands back people can then spawn on him. However, the loss of that one soldier in the fight can mean big things and it is MUCH faster to revive someone than it is to wait the 15 seconds for people to spawn on you and go in one by one and get slaughtered.

I think communication is key. If I am talking alot, or at least using the predefined communication, people listen and stay with me. So, communication is the most important thing, IMO. I have my Comm rose on my mouse so I can quickly point places out (move here, attack here, etc).

I don't like pointing at one flag and saying "attack here" because it makes no sense. How are we attacking here? I am constantly saying "move here" and "attack here." It helps keep us together.

I also like to be something with armor, like assualt or AT, depending on level and situation.

I like to lead the charge with a couple of medics following me so, if I go down, they can quickly revive me and I can get right back into the action. Normally, I can take out 1 or 2 people and cause some havok. . . maybe I die, but if I do, someone revives me. Even if I am dead, I can give orders over TS or the voice comm.

Of course, staying out of non-transport and full vehicles is a must.

Running willie-nilly is stupid too.

[The_Misfit]

Re: Good SL tips?

As they've said, stay back from the action...

Also, SL's, need to use the caps-lock key (commander key). A SL can use this just as a commander can, to order his squad to attack certain points / etc... Very useful for those times when u have some tool as a commander, cruising around in a tank and only using UAV/Arty.

[Vasquez]

Re: Good SL tips?

I agree with the OP completely.

Countless times I've joined a squad, only to be left stranded fiddling with my privates whilst Squad Leader Cumquat delivers kill after kill in his impenetrable helicopter of death. Worse yet, left stranded whilst he buggers off in his dune-buggy, affecting the war-effort with the same effectiveness of a drive-in movie.

Having said that, there's always the flip-side of the coin. I've been under squad leaders who are working towards a common-cause, and work with the team. Sometimes, even if I've never played with any of those in the squad, it can be cohesive, as if we'd always played together/on that map.

My advice is to switch squads until you get one that "feel's right". If you can't, create a squad :)

[Mr. ADHD]

Re: Good SL tips?

? Noob question time...a Squad leader can pull up a commander screen?

As they've said, stay back from the action...

Also, SL's, need to use the caps-lock key (commander key). A SL can use this just as a commander can, to order his squad to attack certain points / etc... Very useful for those times when u have some tool as a commander, cruising around in a tank and only using UAV/Arty.

[The_Misfit]

Re: Good SL tips?

yes, u can pull up the caps-lock (default key) screen, just like a commander.

Of course, things like UAV / etc. are missing, but it gives u the tactical view of the map. From therre you can pick a point, right click on it, and hand out orders to your squadmates (attack here, defend here, move to here, repairs needed, etc....) U have to be SL to do this, SM cannot access this menu..

[imported_Brother Justice]

Re: Good SL tips?

i think it is cool when the squad is working together. the move here command is actually really good if used right and with the right squad.

sl ; move here, all men from where ever move to location, rest resupply heal. now the whole squad is togeather and fully ready. then the sl can command to attack here. all the squad moves in as a fast group.

part of the problem with just using the attack here only, is all the guys go and attack helter-skelter, get killed and respawn run asap to the marked flag, men straggling in at 2 or 1 at a time are easy kills, but when 5 men move in as a group and cover 4/5 directions many that is how you cap a flag

[Mr. ADHD]

Re: Good SL tips?

OMG...I've racked up quite a few hours on this thing and never knew about a Squad leader screen....I don't even think it's mentioned in the manual...anyway. Thanks.

My last noob question is...when you're Commander can you speak to one squad at a time or do you have to send a general message?

[The_Misfit]

Re: Good SL tips?

not 100% sure, but I believe its a general VoIP message, good commanders will usually mention squad numbers if they're trying to be specific with their orders...

Which brings me to something they should fix --- all the squads in-game for SL / SM's are alpha, delta, etc..., while the commander gets 1,2,3,4, etc... Make the damn things match up, would help alot when commandering...

[imported_Gergnoodle]

Re: Good SL tips?

of course a good sl remains out of the fight nothing worse than having to spawn way back from the action again and try and work your way to some important area on foot casue no one will pause to give anyone a ride.

it gives the section a very close strategic spawn especially if attacking an enemy cp

one thing that works well too is if the sl dies and anyone is still alive from the section have everyone leave the section quick untill the person still alive is the new sl then respawn on him great tactic if the team is running out of spawns!!!!

[evilzucchini]

Re: Good SL tips?

I still feel like a squad leader who has two or more medics his squad is better served going into battle with them. Regularly, my squad is the leading squad in points and rarely do we end up getting screwed by having to spawn back.

You guys say "nothing worse than having to spawn back" I say "nothing worse than being outnumbered/outgunned." A medic revive IN a fight is MUCH faster than the 15 seconds required to respawn on the SL.

On top of that, no, the LS CANNOT get to the commander screen. It is the sqaud screen that you pull up (the same as the one you pull up to join/create squads) it is just that that is replaced by the commander screen when you are commander.

[Mr. ADHD]

Re: Good SL tips?

I say you're both right a good Sl will know when to hold 'em...know when to fold 'em and know when to walk away...and know when to run.