Team Speak Etiquette

[BadAsh]

Does anyone here belong to an outfit that has nicely defined TS Etiquette rules that work well in practice? I don�t know if it�s just me or not, but I find TS to be annoying once too many people log on. I�m only interested in tactical updates in my local area. I�m not interested in an enemy tank in the CY of a base across the continent. I�m not interested in how amazing your last kill was. I�m not interested in how much your last death sucked and how it was total BS. With all the useless information, cheering, gloating, and crying going on I can�t hear the enemy hacking the door of the tower I�m guarding.

How do some of you guys use the different channels, commander slots, and general rules of etiquette to make TS actually effective and not just a social conversation tool?

[Rbstr]

My outfit has a brevity code we sometime use when we have more than 3 or so people in the Game on TS.

Its quite effective

[Firefly]

You seriously can't go wrong in enforcing military-style radio discipline. There are several different methods, and I have only experienced or heard of a few. By and large, I think many outfits are slowly starting to refine their TS habits, though some visitors to my outfit server would do well to read up on what I find appropriate.

First of all, if you field more than a squad, you need to have your Teamspeak broken into more than one channel. We have a Lobby area that generally sees the most use, but when we have two squads or more operational, then we break it down. Each squad has its own permanent channel. Most of them are also broken down into fireteam channels, but we don't use them much. Each squad leader sets himself up as Channel Commander and sets a hotkey that allows him to talk with any other channel commander.

Troops are told to specify what channel they are on, as some of the leaders have used up to four simultaneously-active voice comms as well. This avoids confusion and lets the leaders know who is talking to them on what channel.

Banter is okay during fuck-off times. During operations, it's frowned upon and enforced. The rule of thumb is- Think, press, and transmit. Think about what you say before you talk. "Is this something I could type on chat?" If you say yeah, you better put that out there. We also generally try to enforce saying your name before you send your traffic. Voice identification is okay sometimes, but not cool when there's a battle and you have to ask "Who is this?" and clog the net.

Military pro-words. Acronyms. Brevity codes. Learn them. Know them. Use them. They make things a little easier, faster, and become more fluid the more you use them. Long transmissions become shorter, and more information can come across the net.

If you're hearing about stuff across the continent on your radio nets, then it's not just your comms procedures that suck. Your fire discipline and teamwork also suck. My squads operate pretty much all together. Where you see one Black Widow, you'll see at least a handful more, and the rest nearby, unless we're operating in small cells or alone. Keeping together isn't just for teamwork and fire discipline, so don't think I'm knocking off-topic.

If you're all together, then what you're seeing, THEY are seeing (more or less). You won't be forced to relay "Well, this guy named blah-blah is driving a tank at half strength, if you look at the map and scroll all the way in you'll see a dark spot over by the tower about two inches..." No. You say, "See me on the radar? He's to my north, about the one-o-clock, fifty meters out." And that dude knows, because he is right there. You don't have to orally felate him over the radio, because that's unnecessary now.

Sticking together isn't just about providing more targets for the enemy to shoot at and reduce your chances of dying.

[Indecisive]

The "SHUT THE FUCK UP" code works nicely

[Diddy Mao]

I like the "Hey Stop Talk'n or I'll boot your ass"...... on another note

Ventrilo>Teamspeak

[Indecisive]

Thats a negative.

[Doop]

Well, my outfit only has like five people in it, we're the more "elite but small" special ops kind of thing. Maximum people on TS at once is about four, and we don't talk about our problems or anything. No, that's not a written rule anywhere in our outfit, but it's a self-explanatory rule for voice-chat etiquette.

[GreyFlcn]

So what are Brevity codes?

Ah yeh, I've also found that when asking for 'revives' it's useful to give your name and your squad number.

Much easier for them to just look at the minimap than to figure out who is speaking, then connect it with the top hud, THEN find you.

[Firefly]

Brevity codes are words designed to communicate the maximum amount of information with minimum words. to communicate the maximum amount of information with minimum words. It takes a lot of getting used to, and the only way to do it is by seriously applying it, challenging your outfit to learn it.

Brevity codes reduce transmission times. You eventually look at situations and there are no more "Ahhh" or "ummm" words. It almost takes on a feature like learning a second language. It's sorta up to you to determine what you need in brevity codes, so do a Google search or look up radio pro-words. Don't mistake "brevity codes" for "radio pro-words" like over, break, say again, roger, wilco (NEVER say this with roger)".

Example:
"Stab one two tally, visual, press!"
-- this means "I have you in sight, I see the bandit, I am in a position to support you, I am supporting you, and your six is clear...continue your attack"

Here are some Air Force codes that can be adapted for serious outfits. I got this off a website, because I admit I am not completely positive on Brevity Codes. I was Army, so I know more about ground forces radio procedures. When you're flying at 600 mph in air combat, you don't have as much time as a recon troop passing up a "SPOT report on one-five tangos south my location, five-zero meters heading north."

ABORT: Directive commentary to terminate. Applicable to a specific attack maneuver or entire mission.

ALPHA CHECK: A request for bearing and distance to a given point. Generally used to confirm navigational accuracy

ANCHOR: 1.) Begin an orbit at a specific point or location.

ANGELS: Altitude expressed in thousands of feet. Angels 20 means 20,000 ft. (in IL2, it is in meters, so Angles 1, means 1,000m)

AS FRAGGED: Perform the event as briefed or planned.

BANDIT: Known enemy aircraft. Only used when the contact is confirmed hostile.

BELLY CHECK: Directive commentary to instruct recipient to roll over and check for bandits underneath him.

BENT: Inoperative or �bent� system. " Stab one one gadget bent"

BINGO / BINGO FUEL: A predetermined fuel quantity that is required to safely return to base.

BLIND: Lost visual contact with appropriate friendly aircraft. Generally means that the wingman lost sight of a flight lead. The opposite of this is VISUAL.

BOGEY: An unknown visual contact.

BOX: Groups/contacts/formations in a square from above.

BRACKET: Indicates geometry where aircraft will maneuver to a position on opposing sides of a given point / target, either laterally / vertically/ or a combination of both. Basically, it is a relatively short-range pincer maneuver.

BREAK: (Up/Down/Right/Left) �Directive to perform an immediate maximum performance turn. Assumes a defensive situation that requires immediate action.

BREVITY: Denotes radio frequency is becoming saturated/degraded/jammed and more concise/less R/T transmissions should be used.

BUG OUT: Separate from the engagement and head for a safe area or home.

BULLSEYE: A pre-briefed reference point. It is used to describe your position or that of the target.

CLEAN: An aircraft configuration without any external stores or tanks.

CLEARED: Requested action is approved.

CLEARED HOT: Ordnance release is approved.

CLOSING: Bandit/bogey/target is decreasing its range.

COLD: Loss of firing position on enemy aircraft.

COMMITTED/COMMIT: Intent to engage/intercept.

CONTACT: Radar/IR contact; should include bearing, range, altitude (BRA), Bull�s-eye, or geographic position information, can be used in place of Tally Ho.

CONTINUE: Continue present maneuver; does not imply clearance to engage or to shoot.

COVER: Directive R/T to assume supporting role and responsibilities.

DEFENSIVE: (Spike/Missile/SAM/Mud/AAA) � Subject is in a defensive position and maneuvering with reference to the threat. If not explicitly stated, threat is assumed to an air/air threat.

ENGAGED: Maneuvering with respect to a threat or target in order to kill or negate an attack.

EXTEND: (Direction) � Directive to temporally depart the immediate �fight� location gain energy, distance, time, situational awareness, or a combination of all. The intent is to reengage as soon as desired parameter is achieved.

FLEET WET/DRY: Transitioning from flying over water/land.

FLOAT: Expand the formation laterally within visual limits. Used to initiate a �bracket� or to force a commit from a trailing bandit.

GORILLA: A large number of unknown contacts that appear to maneuver to a common objective.

HARD LEFT/RIGHT: Directive call to initiate a High-G, energy sustaining turn. Generally used when entering a fight offensively. A �break� turn is used for a defensive situation.

HIGH: Target altitude at or above 30,000 feet MSL. (in IL2 I�d say above 6000m)

HOLDING HANDS: Aircraft together in a coordinated visual formation.

HOME PLATE: Home airfield.

HOT: 1.) For an AI intercept �hot� describes geometry will result in roll out in front of target 2.) Pointing toward the anticipated threats in a CAP (A/A). 3.) Weapons employment authorized.

IN PLACE: (Left/Right) � Simultaneously maneuvering the whole flight in the specified direction.

JOKER: Has had several definitions 1.) Fuel state is such that the mission can continue to the target via scheduled route and RTB, but with little or no reserve. 2.) Fuel state is such that the entire mission can be flown and all the ordnance carried all the way back to home plate. Generally used when the target is obscured by WX and Higher Headquarter directives preclude jettisoning bombs prior to RTB.

KILL: Commit and kill specified target.

LADDER: Three or more groups in trail formations.

LINE ABREAST: A side-by-side formation.

LOW: Target altitude below 10,000 feet MSL (In IL2, I�d say below 3000m)

MEDIUM: Target altitude between 10,000 and 30,00 feet MSL. (in IL2, I�d say 3000-6000m)

MERGE/ MERGED: Bandits and friendliest are in the visual arena.

NO JOY: Lost or no visual contact with the target/bandit; opposite of TALLY, or Contact.

PADLOCKED: Aircrew cannot take eyes off target without risk of losing tally/visual.

POSIT: Request for a position report.

PRESS: Continue the attack; mutual support will be maintained.

SEPARATE: Leaving a specific engagement, don�t use without indication of destination.

SHOOTER: Aircraft that will employ ordnance or �shoot�.

SLOW: speed of less than 300 knots. (This is for jets, I would say 200kph in IL2)

SNAP: (object, destination, location.) � An immediate vector to the requested target or geographic point.

SORTED: Pre-briefed criteria has been met insuring each flight member have separate targets.

SPITTER: (Direction) � An Aircraft that has departed from the engagement.

STACK: Two or more groups with a high/low altitude separation.

STATUS: Request for an individual�s tactical situation; generally described as "offensive," "defensive," or "neutral."

SWITCH/SWITCHED: Indicates an attacker is changing from one aircraft to another.

TALLY: Bandit in sight; opposite of "NO JOY, can use Contact as well."

TARGET: Specific sort responsibility

TRAIL: Formation of two or more aircraft following one another.

TRAILER: The last aircraft in a formation.

TUMBLEWEED: Indicates limited situation awareness, no tally, no visual, a request for information.

VEE/VIC: Vic formation, single aircraft in the lead and an element in trail.

VISUAL: Friendly aircraft in sight; opposite of "BLIND."

WALL: Three or more groups in line abreast/side-by-side formation.

WEDGE: Tactical formation of two or more aircraft with the single in front and two line abreast behind: Same as a �Vee� formation.

WEEDS: Very low altitude, Ex Stab one in the weeds.

WINCHESTER: No ordnance remaining.

[KIAsan]

Another thing is to set up your whisper mode for your fire team or crew. Works better for calling out targets, and there is no confusion over enemy locations. Plus, you can chat away without ever having the squad hear it.

[BDMJ]

IronFist runs a fairly loose TS, but it is known that the second an officer says to quiet down, all conversations must cease immediately. We usually run a crew of 4-7 vanguards in formation with the guns focused on one target, so we don't enforce gunner/driver whispers.

[Manitou]

The CDL set up the channels with the permissions set so SA's can devoice those who are prone to lots of chatter. Having said that, let me clarify how we do business.

On Ops nights, we are similar to BWC in that we frown on loose chatter and encourage short, specific, informational transmissions. On the "off" nights we don't police it as tightly since that is how lots of the guys get to know each other and chat about the game and RL and stuff. Its a good way also for us to get familiar with each other and learn to enjoy being around each other as teammates. If the "off" night becomes more serious, we have multiple channels set up and the ones involved in the more serious play can migrate to a different channel to limit the chatter. Usually what happens is everyone gets involved in the more serious play and the chatter thins out as the ops gets more intense.

We have included disciplinary procedures within the CDL's Code of Conduct that deals with repeated transgressions, but we always try to remember that this is a game and we are here to enjoy it with friends.

[Kikinchikin]

Back in the summer and my days with 7th legion we would run our ts just like a telephone conversation during regular play. We'd joke around talk about random crap and what not. Then when it became 830 (we had operations every night at 830) we'd all quiet down and wait for Gamma/me/another person leading the op to give out SL's/operation objectives. Then we'd all rally at our target warpgate at 9 and com silence would go into effect where only Gamma, the op leader, and the SL's could use the mic. Soldiers could point out AMS's or other important things but they were supposed to shut up more or less. I remember the first night I opped with these guys the first thing they said after we finished capping Solsar was, "You talk WAY too much." of course I get that in my new TS server as well

Oh and in SGX TS server utter chaos reigns supreme except during Call of Duty matches. SGX is much loser and perhaps more fun to joke around with, but I'd take 7th legion over any outfit simply because the strictness made it very enjoyable and you felt like you were actually accomplishing something.

[JakeLogan]

My outfit tends to be pretty open on the comms till the gal pilot or the driver says "Combat comms" then we pretty much only say something when it it a threat to the squad.

[Diddy Mao]

I find the best way for communication with your outfit is not to enforce strict voice server rule..... or any at all. We usually dick around and joke but no1 has to tell some1 to be quiet when we are in a tower/Base/sticky situation they all know to quit yammer'n and focus. But the second that momment is over we are back to just "chatt'n"