leading a squad

[Cyanide]

Things a good squad leader does:

1) Type in ALL CAPS. This is so that your soldiers don't miss orders cluttered among the rest of their useless garbage chat.

2) Either be the gal/sunderer pilot or have a voice com setup with the gal/sunderer driver. In battle, typing orders for where to go is toooo slllooooowww. Also, being the transport driver gives you complete control of the squads movements, and makes you seem more athoritative in the minds of the squad members.

3) If a squad member is not listening to orders or is undermining your authority, kick them. The worst thing to have in a squad is a rebel. Their rambo mentality will spread to the other members and completely destory your squads integrity and battle effectiveness. 10 organized people assaulting a base is 10 times as powerful as 10 angry mob members assaulting a base.

4) Use waypoints whenever possible. They communicate the direction you want your squad to move much more effectively than and quickly than typing.

5) Be decisive and 100% sure of every decision you make. A decisive leader who, at the very least, gives the perception of confidence in themselves is much better than a lead who is democratic about where the squad goes. A squad is a dictatorship, not a democracy. If you want to be combat effective you must think as one person, and therefore one person should do the thinking. Good players know this and will follow orders because that is what leads to success. If your players do not follow orders they are not the squad members you want.


Things NOT to do as a squad leader:

1) DO NOT ask where people want to go. This is like asking what kind of pizza toppings they want. If you do this, then right from the start you are the head squad member instead of the squad leader. There is DEFINATELY a difference.

2) Do not get somebody you don't know to be the transport pilot. The transport driver is the most important job in the squad, so do it yourself or get somebody you trust to do it.

3) Do not use the HART if at all possible. The hart separates your squad and therefore makes it ineffective. If you must use the HART, drop at a TOWER that is not under attack, regroup their, and then move out.

4) DO NOT be a commander if you don't know the game. If you don't know the game, be a squad member for a little while. Learn the rules of the game, get your certs for Gal and/or sunderer, THEN start leading. There's nothing worse than a squad leader who doesn't know how the game works.

5) DO NOT immediately kick newbs. Newbs can become your best soldiers because they are blank slates. They don't know how to play the game yet, so you can teach them to play in a style that fits your leadership. Then they will become your most effective and loyal soldiers. The more newbs you train the more loyal squad members you have access to at any time. The person who teaches a newb to play well is always respected by said newb.

[DarkDragon00]

I usually waypoint the fron the back and side entrences.

I love my outfit members we capped half of Ishundar for the TR one time!

[Airlift]

There is only one lesson that you really need to push and keep pushing:

Move as a team, never move alone.

[SweetTater]

5) DO NOT immediately kick newbs. Newbs can become your best soldiers because they are blank slates.

I think this is one of the best ideas put out there. It's similar to when you are trying to get a job and the employer wants someone with experience. Well, how are you going to get experience if you can't get a job? Sure some newbs are totally clueless but a lot are just trying to learn the game and how they are going to fit in. Find out what they can do and give them simple tasks based on that.

• "Go with the hacker and watch his back."
• "Run air support for the ANT driver."
• "Sneak over to that base to scout while we take this tower."
• "Set up on the hill to the south to spot incoming enemies and snipe stragglers."

Lead a newb well and give a little friendly advice when needed and you'll have an ally who will follow you anytime.

[Chanfan]

True on the noobs. Kicking folks may be necessary, if they are disruptive - but not if they are new and willing to learn.

I've not been a squad leader, really, but know what I like in one.

I like good communication - even hearing them confirm reports and instructions with other squad members is reassuring to me.

I think keeping the team focused on the same goal - which often, but not always, means everyone together - is a big plus. It's easy to get distracted, and I don't mind when they remind me I should actually be helping out the squad, rather than chasing down that harasser I ran into on the way back.

I think a good squad leader spends more time directing than actually fighting himself.

But, just communicating, and making sure everyone knows what their job is at all times.