How to be a good squadleader

[Ender]

Greetings fellow Zeus members!

From many missions in my time on Zeus Community there has been a lot of "best squadleader ever" and "worst squadleader ever" moments. So I decided to make a thread were we share opinions from both experienced squadleaders and normal followers on what makes a good leader.

Ask yourself these questions:
1) What makes a good SL?

2) How can you apply these ideas to make your SL better?

3) If you are experienced SL. What do you do that make it feel like the mission goes well and members are pleased? Or what do you do that makes the mission go a little worse and members are not pleased?

4) If you are a follower. What actions made by the SL makes you enjoy the mission more? Or what actions made by the SL makes your experience of the mission worse?

5) When you get a squad of people that are new to the game or are just a little bit "slower" in knowing what to do but you also need to get the mission going and don't have time to teach the player(s). What is the best way to act in a scenario like this?

I think making this thread of tips will give people ideas on how to act to make their SL better. This will make gameplay more enjoyable and less "irritating" missions will happen. We all experienced the 5th point and usually the mission goes very bad because of that particular reason, and very few players know how to handle a squad like that. Think about these 5 points and reply as post that will help viewers in their SL skills.

[Martin]

5) The only thing to do really is to be patient and keep trying to get across what you want them to do without raging like I did yesterday. If at the same time you want to get able members of the squad going you will have to either have one of the teamleaders take control of them or have someone stay behind and guide the slower members. Trying to manage the people advancing far ahead while hanging back will only make you a hindrance as a SL.

[TurokGMT]

From my experience in the game (I've no IRL military experience, unlike many on here), I think the most important areas to think about as a SL are, in no particular order:

1. Situational Awareness
2. Communication
3. Squad Management

The thing that ties these three together is remembering that you should NOT consider yourself a front line soldier whilst leading a squad - you are a facilitator, ensuring that your squad assets are being used effectively and that the CO and general command chain is aware of anything important happening to your squad or that you can assist them with as part of the whole.

1 - Use your FTLs to good effect, give them things to do without micromanaging, allow them to keep general order and take charge of immediate situations if you're on the comm-net etc. They should be your primary eyes and ears, allow them to advise their weapon specialists on where to point and who should be breaching that doorway etc.

Your squad medic is also an essential part of the squad who can be used as a physical runner (when safe!) to move between fireteams and keep you abreast of situations.

In short - use your squad to keep you informed BEFORE acting. Once you've got the info you need, act decisively and make it seem like you have a plan, even when you don't.

2 - Probably the most difficult part about the SL position, particularly on server 1 that doesn't have the advantages of TFAR to filter out the voices in your ear. Again, let your FTLs and squad know that you are on comms by getting them to pipe down for a few seconds. Your medic is your buddy and will act to keep you alive during vulnerable moments, your FTLs will keep the squad safe through direction.

3 - Continuing on from point 2, let your squad know what is going on - summarise short and long term strategy, advise them on relative squad positions during down time, perform ammo sitreps etc. Keep the men feeling important and focused. It is still possible to have a great time within a squad without firing a shot all mission through staying busy - a good SL can encourage that through small tasks like building clearing, scouting, bounding movement etc.

[Kyoptic]

1 - Use your FTLs to good effect, give them things to do without micromanaging, allow them to keep general order and take charge of immediate situations if you're on the comm-net etc. They should be your primary eyes and ears, allow them to advise their weapon specialists on where to point and who should be breaching that doorway etc.

Your squad medic is also an essential part of the squad who can be used as a physical runner (when safe!) to move between fireteams and keep you abreast of situations.

In short - use your squad to keep you informed BEFORE acting. Once you've got the info you need, act decisively and make it seem like you have a plan, even when you don't.

2 - Probably the most difficult part about the SL position, particularly on server 1 that doesn't have the advantages of TFAR to filter out the voices in your ear. Again, let your FTLs and squad know that you are on comms by getting them to pipe down for a few seconds. Your medic is your buddy and will act to keep you alive during vulnerable moments, your FTLs will keep the squad safe through direction.

3 - Continuing on from point 2, let your squad know what is going on - summarise short and long term strategy, advise them on relative squad positions during down time, perform ammo sitreps etc. Keep the men feeling important and focused. It is still possible to have a great time within a squad without firing a shot all mission through staying busy - a good SL can encourage that through small tasks like building clearing, scouting, bounding movement etc.

This, just this. Especially points 1 and 3. Effective use of FTLs that take leadership and act with it, and keeping your guys informed, engaged and interested. Nothing worse than sitting around covering a sector while SL tells you nothing of what's going on for 30+ minutes.

[Tom]

I like my sl not to have any meta gaming info... if he is immersed and doesn't need his squad to form the perfect wedge all the time, I'm happy. Better to have an SL lead you into a meat grinder than: watch out last time I was here I was killed by wild zsu... I'd rather be screamed at to take cover or he will kill me himself than for being an inch out of alignment in the Zeus train.

Also regarding to comms, make a decision and stick to it. If you can, don't over clutter the comms with movement orders. Last but not least, trust the other players for doing most things right and shield them from l33t c0mmandrs and sl's who want to fuck with your squad... there a many like it but that squad is yours.

[ashley]

shield them from l33t c0mmandrs and sl's who want to fuck with your squad... there a many like it but that squad is yours.

This...

[Tipsi]

When I'm squad leading with a bunch of peeps I've never seen before I frequently make it very clear who is in which fireteam promoting them to stay with their fire team and to always listen and stay behind their fireteam leader.

As Turok said, it is always important when giving orders to a fireteam that they understand what their goal is. So for example instead of saying "Go to those rocks there", I would say "Go to those rocks over there and cover the western arc so that you can cover Bravo's advance".

This minimises confusion and people will understand what is expected of them.

[Terox]

Apart from all the above, clear and concise instructions that cannot be misinterpreted or ignored.

Useage of "Somebody do something" = Nobody does anything

Always state (Wherever applicable)

1. specifically who,
2. specifically what
3. specifically where
4. specifically when
5. specifically how

Also don't forget "Hold comms" should also be followed up with "Comms Clear" when comms are clear, otherwise in theory your squad would remain silent.
Once you start remembering to do the latter, you will get better internal squad comms discipline .

[lucius]

Agree with the amjority of points here

Regarding Turok's point 3.

Fire-teams (squad members) should always have a task. If your order is to hold in a ditch it is not enough to get everyone into the ditch safely. On arrival you should be making sure that everyone has a focus and a task to occupy them. Whether its fortifying the position or different fire-teams allocated to covering sectors. If Sl is the brain (or at least the SNS) then the hands need to be constantly active (even if occasionally the tasking might seem inconsequential it carries the value of maintaining focus.) This is part of providing a sense of value to your squad it also provides a greater real value to your overall unit as you are taking your role in the wider corps more seriously.