Squad Leadership Guide

I. Introduction and Certifications

A squad is the basic unit of cooperative teamplay in Planetside 2. Squads are composed of 12 players each, and up to four squads can be combined into a larger unit called a Platoon. In the case of a platoon, each squad is designated by name - GOTR uses the squad names as official designations, as the color scheme is customizable per user and standardization is not possible. Squads are Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. This guide aims to teach a few basics of squad leadership, but the GOTR command staff strongly believes that you learn much more through active leadership under an existing officer. Feel free to ask an officer to put you in the hot seat during ops, we are always glad to help out aspiring commanders.

You can find "Leadership Certs" in the social menu (press P by default). The game requires that you must be at least BR10 to access these certs. The first cert you should invest in (30 cert points) is Squad Beacon. This allows you, as Squad Leader, to place a beacon that your squad can then drop on via drop pod. Maxing this cert reduces the drop timer to one minute. You can build an offensive around that. Strongly consider maxing this cert when you get a chance, it's an invaluable addition to your tool kit.

Leader chat is useful for communicating with other outfits and platoons, it is not a bad idea to have this, though you may find yourself muting some people in the voice channel. Remember that you can also use the text channel (/leader) to organize with others and to respond to requests for help (or to give one of your own).

Rally Point Smokes come in four different colors - orange, yellow, purple, and green. Many outfits use purple and/or green smokes for friendly markers, and some use all four interchangeably. In an attempt to help the cause of standardization, GOTR primarily uses purple and green smoke in this manner. Orange and yellow smokes can be deployed however you wish - an effective use of them is for enemy troops, AMSes, and stationary targets in general. Smoke the area using your map and call out the target in /orders or /region - many times the rest of the empire will help take out the target if you encounter difficulties. Regardless of how you use the smokes, you should tell your squad mates and other nearby allies what the smoke is marking.

Squad Objectives is a cert that allows you to select an immediate objective for your squad with red and green arrows on the minimap and the HUD. You can use this on capture points like [A] or on any generator, or the SCU. If you can see the icon for what you want on your HUD, simply aim your reticule at it and hold down the Q key (by default). You will see the option for "Target" - drag your cursor in that direction, highlight that option, and release. Arrows will surround the target on both your HUD your squad's.

Request Reinforcements is a vital cert for GOTR commanders. This is how to communicate between platoons - place the Offensive Request or Defensive Request where you need an air strike (or something) on the map and tell the other platoon what is there. They can then waypoint it on the map and move to attack it. You can also use /orders - tell other outfits what is there, and they'll waypoint it and help you out. These can be seen by the entire empire, so make sure if there is more than one on the map, you specify which one is yours.

II. General Command Tips

Once you're ready to start giving orders, there's a couple quick things to learn about how to talk to those under your command.

When you give orders they need to be spoken loud and clear, not quiet or half mumbled. A commanding voice of this nature cuts through any other communication and allows people to focus on your orders. For non command related chatter you can speak a little softer, or for tactical call outs a little faster, but when you need everyone to hear you, a distinct, clear voice will make it easier for people to focus on you and your commands.

You will want to repeat yourself at least once, with slight changes to your phrasing. For example: "Everyone redeploy to warpgate now." (half second pause) " That is all hands, we are redeploying back to the warpgate immediately." Anyone who wasn't completely paying attention during the first order hear your "command voice" and refocus to listen to the repeated order. We also have members who are not native English speakers, so the change in phrasing gives them two separate chances and more time to translate what you have said.

Finally, the perfect is the enemy of the good. When trying to figure out what to do, taking a long time to figure out the absolute best thing for your team to be doing leaves you doing nothing for too long. When faced with two options that have equal merit, don't debate. Pick a target and go for it. Planetside is a rapidly changing environment and 30 seconds can be the difference between catching your enemy in the open or getting camped in your own spawn.

III. Squad Composition

Before you start taking objectives with your squad, it is of vital importance that the squad has a balance of classes. There is no "perfect squad composition" because different levels of player skill and experience compensate for that. This is not an RTS, where certain units are statistically better than others - it all comes down to skill. That said, there are some critical items to take into account.

-Strive to have at least two medics per squad. Because there can be many unseen and unexpected threats in Planetside 2, I don't recommend putting all of your nanites in one basket with one medic. A single well-timed sniper shot or tank shell can sink your entire offensive if the one medic dies. So always have at least two per squad. If one goes down, the other can revive, sustaining your squad.

-You must have an answer to every type of enemy you will encounter for your given target. If you're going across an open field where air and ground vehicle contact is likely, bring AA and AV. On the other hand, when assaulting inside a Bio Lab's dome, you can forgo the heavy AV with more focus on indoor fighting loadouts.

-Always have at least one engineer. They can repair your vehicles, repair your MAXes, put down a gun emplacement, and rearm the entire squad. There's not much more to say; you need an engineer. If you are rolling a heavy MAX squad composition, it is recommended to "tether" one engineer per MAX.

-Always have an infiltrator. You don't generally need more than one (the medics can revive the infil if he is killed). An infil is always useful for hacking a vehicle terminal for an AMS or an equipment terminal to rearm the squad. Your infil should make liberal use of Sensor Darts and Motion Spotters - have an engineer place an ammo pack nearby so he can resupply.

-MAX units are most useful in a situation where you will be continuously fighting in one area for a while. Because you cannot redeploy into a Galaxy, Sunderer, or drop pod as a MAX, you will waste that person's resources and MAX timer if you are in a situation where you are redeploying frequently. MAXes are for sustained combat or "crash" compositions.

So as far as vital classes go, you should have at least two medics, at least one engineer, and one infiltrator. That's four critical players, with the other 8 being a mix of any of the classes you want, generally Heavy Assault and Light Assault. If you can afford to get a MAX or two into the composition where they will be useful, do it. Remember, HAs and MAXes excel at both dishing out damage and taking it, but that's all they do - so while you do need them, it won't hurt to sacrifice a heavy for an additional engineer or medic.

IV. Target Selection

You have your squad ready and waiting. You've probably spent a few minutes at the warpgate or other secure location getting prepped, especially if you just converted a Casual Play squad into Tactical Ops. Your squad mates will want to get into the fight, so be quick and decisive with target selection. If a squad mate suggests a good target, feel free to go with it!

There are good and bad targets. However, generally speaking, you're going to be choosing between a lot of "decent" targets. This isn't a problem. The important thing is, find a goal for your squad, make sure that goal is known to your squad, and pick a target that satisfies that goal.

"The NC are pushing into our territory, we're going to go deal with them" is a good example. There are plenty of targets you can attack, most of them are probably of equal value and most are able to be accomplished. Just pick one and go with it. It is far more important to make a decision and get the op going than to sit around debating the details of each target. When selecting a target, here are some things to keep in mind:

-Pick a target that will not end in immediate massacre. Dropping a squad on "Enemy Platoons Detected" will likely not go well. Pick a target that has a chance of success, hopefully a medium to high chance of success. Risky targets are fine, infrequently. You don't want people to log off or leave in frustration after several failed attempts. Mix the probable wins with the risky fights.

-Pick a target that is both fun and will advance the battle. Once in a while, it's fine to pick a non-conventional target, such as "let's camp the NC warpgate with Burster MAXes" but realize that this can draw you away from the front line and lose territory, and you may lose progress you fought for before.

-Ghost capping is only acceptable in moderation. Do not take your squad to ghost cap an entire continent with no resistance, this is not fun for most players. Sometimes you have to do some ghost capping to get adjacency to the big fight; that is expected and your squad mates will understand you are trying to get them to the battle. Communicate with your squad so they know the plan. It is better to get to that battle and have a good shot of winning than just drop a whole squad on a base you can't even hack yet. Patience.

-You cannot do everything yourselves. You cannot resecure every enemy hack by yourselves. Momentum is important, do not sacrifice a great fight or a good push to go resecure something on the other side of the continent. Territory changes hands constantly - for us, fun comes first.

When you've picked the target, set the squad waypoint on it and proceed. Note: it is important to keep the squad waypoint updated. Many times if a squad member is asking "what is the target" they are really asking "is the waypoint correct". Assure them that the waypoint is "current" or "updated" and that the target is the waypoint.

V. Transport and Security

You have picked the target, now you need to get to it safely. You have a few options: firstly, a basic Sunderer or Galaxy will do the job just fine, and is used in most cases. Because your squad can deploy directly into Galaxies and Sunderers, you do not need to wait at the warpgate for people to physically run to the vehicle and load. Note: if you are bringing MAXes, you will need to load them physically. Make sure to choose the right vehicle for the job. You can also use Squad Beacons to move - have any member of the squad (or yourself) go to the objective and give them Squad Lead temporarily. Once the spawn beacon is placed, the rest of the squad can then redeploy and spawn there via drop pod. Additionally, once every five minutes, you can use the "Squad Deploy" feature on the map for a free deployment independent of the regular spawn timer. Squad Deploy finds the closest spawn to your Squad Leader and deploys you there, and it will give an active beacon priority.

If you are traveling via Sunderer, the Sunderer should be equipped with the AMS module. That's your spawn point. Use the Honeypot technique (load the bus with majority AV and AA users, if you encounter an enemy vehicle, have the squad eject and destroy it).

If you are traveling via Galaxy, remember to "fly high, drop low". It takes time to fall through the air, several critical seconds that you do not have on most drops. Do not give the enemy time to set up defenses or even respond to your drop in any significant way. Good standard practice is to set a waypoint on the exact drop zone and say "Prepare to drop" a few seconds before the drop, then "Drop on Waypoint". We do not use a precise "3,2,1" system because of lag that may occur. Wake people up with "Prepare to Drop", then let them drop when their computer says they are over the drop zone.

If you wish, bring an escort vehicle - this may be a Skyguard or a Scythe or whatever is needed, but keep your "footprint" small. You don't want to draw undue attention to yourself while in transit.

If you are dropping to resecure a target being hacked by an enemy, gauge to see if you have an ample amount of time on the clock. If the hack has just started, your best bet is to first find and drop on (or smash into, with a Sunderer) the enemy's AMS. Find their squad beacons. Make it so that when you go for the point, killing the enemy ends the fight. Your fighter or ground vehicle escorts can also take on this duty while you and the other infantry secure the capture point.

VI. AMS and Squad Beacons

You should always have an AMS on any offensive action. You can use your squad's infiltrator to hack one out of your target base, or bring your own. Keep the AMS on the opposite side of the base from the enemy's spawn room. You do not want to have to fight the enemy on the way to the capture point, and you don't want the enemy to be able to snipe your AMS from the protection of their spawn building (I.E., NC Phoenix Missiles).

Additionally, the first action you, as SL, should take upon reaching your destination is laying down your Squad Beacon.

Take the time to equip a Light Assault class and wedge the beacon somewhere safe. Trees and ledges and the tops of buildings with no roof access are best, but remember that the beacon needs a clear view of the sky. If you have to be Light Assault to place it, it means the enemy has to be Light Assault to kill it, and any time we can play on the enemy's laziness or force them to change classes is a good move. Remember that an infiltrator's EMP Grenade will destroy your beacon as well. If you are already in combat or the beacon goes down during the fight, it is best to place the beacon somewhere fairly sheltered near the capture point - if they get to the beacon, they've probably breached your position anyway. Be wary of people that will risk a death or two to kill your beacon in this situation, especially the aforementioned infiltrators with EMP Grenades.

VII. Staying One Step Ahead

You don't have to be Sun Tzu to realize that staying ahead of your enemy is a good idea. You should strive to face the enemy when you control the battle. If you are caught in a situation where you have lost immediate control of the battle, it is important not to panic. Just regroup, rearm, and move out from the warpgate or other secure location. In this situation, begin your new attack by going to the nearest fully secured territory to your objective and roll from there. This gives you a clearly-drawn front line to work with, a clear defensive objective, and a clear offensive objective. It also puts the next fight on your terms - you aren't struggling to catch up, but are fully prepared.

It is also important not to "over extend". You should be looking at your map a fair amount as the squad leader. Know where the enemies are, try to ascertain where your friendlies are (ask in Leader chat!) and don't make a valiant push deep into enemy territory that will quickly be dispatched because you had no other support and bit off more than you could chew. Make sure you have a clear objective - if your objective is just to be a thorn in the enemy's side and the territory you're taking is expendable, that's fine, but make sure your squad knows that is your goal. On the other hand, if you're trying to retake your own territory, be more cautious - if the enemy responds with a lot of force too quickly, you won't make any progress for a while.

VIII. Platoon Command

GOTR uses a two-squad system (read here: https://test-ips4.gotr.us/page/articles.html/_/outfit-confidential/planetside-2/the-two-squad-model-r105). Comms clutter increases dramatically when there is more than two squads in a single voice channel (24 players). Don't fall into the habit of "getting a few more in". It is at this point that you want to break about a squad and a half off and form "Tac 1" and "Tac 2" - Alpha and Bravo form Tac 1 (or Strike Team 1, or Angel 1, or whatever you use) while Charlie and Delta comprise Tac 2.

Make sure you match the channels with the number of the unit. Tac 1, Strike Team 1, etc should be in Tactical Chat 1. Tac 2 should be in Tactical Chat 2. This is intuitive and makes sense.

Two people per channel should be on Channel Commander acting as leads (learn more about TS3 here: https://test-ips4.gotr.us/page/articles.html/_/outfit-confidential/teamspeak-and-web-site/teamspeak-3-info-r108) - other people can certainly turn it on, but only two from each channel should be in charge. Ideally, this falls to the four squad leaders in question. This redundancy is built in to take into account random AFKs, real life aggro, and also to help with managing the unit. One of these people should be, clearly and decisively, leading the platoon. That person should be the Platoon Leader. You're in charge of the operation - that's you. Do not feel obligated to lead the entire platoon and a squad at the same time - give SL to someone else if you need to.

You can have both Strike Teams at the same target, or give them different objectives. If at the same target, you can have one flank for the other. It is imperative to always make sure the other Strike Team is included and in the loop. Communicate with your Squad Leaders. Note for waypoints: If both teams are at the same target, use your platoon waypoint. If at different targets, the Platoon Leader has the ability to set squad-specific waypoints. Squad Leaders also have the option of using their own squad-only waypoints to prevent confusion. Make sure leaders update the waypoints when you move on to the next target.

A platoon is a fairly sizable force - realize that you do have much more impact on the battlefield than when you were only in charge of a single squad. With that many people, you can be more aggressive with your target selection. Feel free to attack more hardened enemy positions, but don't go out of your way to find a "meatgrinder" - while fun for a short while, don't subject your platoon to getting meaninglessly farmed.

IX. End Word

In GOTR we place fun above everything else. That is why people join us; we are a laid back group that takes our fun seriously. If your squad or platoon is not having fun, change it up, Ask for feedback periodically. Just ask "Are you having fun?" once in a while. You don't have to cheese it up, just ask sincerely. Your squad mates will let you know. If they are not having fun, ask them what would make the op more fun - a change in target, pace, or tactics may be necessary. As the ops leader it is your job to make that happen and keep people from logging off in frustration, and also to realize that you, as leader, need to have fun, too. Don't sacrifice your own fun or you'll get burned out and resent the game and your fellow members, even unintentionally. Sometimes you may have to bear a bit of drudge work for the good of the op, sure. However, don't make this into a second job - you want to continue to enjoy leading and you want your squad to enjoy being led by you.