FIRETEAM GUIDE

From ArmaGoons

[edit] FIRETEAM LEADER GUIDE

This is the mantra of being a fireteam leader: Follow me and do as I do.

First of all being a fireteam leader is really rewarding and fun, everyone should try it out once they’ve gotten comfortable with the game. This is how it goes; once the slots have been picked one leader chooses to step up and be the overall mission commander who directs the other fireteam leaders. After that happens you get to your channel and make sure everyone in your fireteam is in the right channel. Then you set yourself as channel commander and check in with command, after that you listen and discuss with the other leaders and the mission commander what the plan is for the mission and get your orders. Once that is done you communicate your fireteams orders to your fireteam so they’re up to date on what their role is in the mission.

As you play the mission, these are the guidelines you should keep in mind

1. Know who is in your squad (write down their names if you can’t remember) and any special roles they have (medic, AT, mg etc). Behave accordingly, if you’re the only fireteam with AT you’ll be critical when armour is encountered etc. You should also remember if you’re 1st/2nd/3rd etc fireteam, so you can communicate efficiently with command.

2. Always think who needs to know what I hear/say. Does this bit of information from command chat need to be relayed, does this thing I say to the fireteam need to be parroted to command chat etc. A good example is that someone on my fireteam says they see friendlies to the right, I verify I see someone from the 2nd fireteam on the right and communicate over command to the 2nd fireteam leader that he has friendlies to his left. Another example is that a fireteam leader says over command he can hear a tank. I then repeat this information to my fireteam so they know we might be facing armour.

3. Respond quickly and decisively to casualties. If they can be saved they must be saved quickly. Make sure they’re dragged to safety, there’s covering fire and pop smoke if need be. Do what you gotta do, have your fireteam set up a defensive position and call for a medic over command chat. Once you have enough casualties you’re combat ineffective and you’ll probably need another fireteam to come save your ass if there’s anything left of it. This can easily cost you a mission. If someone on your fireteam gets killed and they carried mission critical equipment like AT/AA/satchels/smoke your responsible for that either you or someone else in the fireteam picks it up so it can still be utilized.

4. Your fireteam needs to know what they're supposed to be doing at all times. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is getting caught up with command or fireteam chat and exclusively talking to only one of them. You need to be chattering back and forth both, but only with RELEVANT information. You should be constantly talking to your fireteam and making sure they perform to the best of their abilities, always thinking on where you can position them best and protect them from danger. Follow the shore line up to that rock then go from tree to tree here. Go from that house over there to that car. Stick right on the ass of that humvee. Okay guys we're going to approach this town from the south, drop prone when you get to that hill and weapons hold, don't fire yet. In general people are talking too much to command and not enough to their fireteam right now.

6. You should know the armagoons players guide by heart. There’s plenty of fireteam leader relevant material there you absolutely must know (like say always prefacing everything you say over channel commander with ”command,” and you should have excellent map-reading skills etc. Ideally you should when you have the time read the dslyecxi’s guide which should familiarize you with all areas of arma 2.

7. Be autonomous and take initiative. Depending on the mission a fireteam leader can have vastly different levels of overall command and faces different levels of micromanagement from the mission commander. In a small two fireteam mission you can get micromanaged down to specific buildings to clear by the mission commander, while on the big aircav missions you might get three objectives to take care of by the mission commander and he’ll periodically ask you for updates. You have to get your fireteam together, arrange transportation with a pilot, find a good LZ and attack plan. Perhaps arrange for air support by getting someone to laser designate a target while you talk to a harrier pilot over command. This is basically being a mission commander by yourself when you get your own objectives to complete, but even in small missions you have to show initiative. The mission commander might mark a waypoint for your fireteam, but you move 50m to the right of it to because there’s better cover there etc.

8. A dead fireteam lead is a useless fireteam leader, a fireteam leader should rarely be the pointman in the fireteam and take unnecessary risks. If you do die, you designate a new fireteam leader and make sure they’re set up on command chat, then inform command you’re dead and that X is taking over.

9. Don’t be afraid to give orders, it’s your job to give orders and your soldiers' job to listen. If you ask your fireteam to follow you and you look around and they’re not, feel free to yell at them over TS. Not following the commands of a leader is a bannable offense which you can remind them of. Due to TS static you should repeat highly critical information (like say Weapons Hold during a stealth mission and when Weapons Free when they can fire at will) several times. Task by name, which means that when want something to be done you give that task to a specific person which you name. Example: "Mechastalin put your MG up next to that stone to your left".

10. Role tips:

Machinegunner: He's your fireteam's base of fire, not only does he represent the majority of your fire his tracers is what the rest of the team will use to direct their own fire. Find him a good spot to deploy and make sure he doesn't draw too much fire to himself. Like all specials he should be in a buddy team with a rifleman. Medic: Keep this guy in the middle of your group, stick him with a rifleman, and constantly keep tabs on his location and make sure he's not too close to the firing.

AT/AA: This guy along with his rifleman in a buddy team can be your rear security, always know where he is so you're not overrun when you encounter armour/air. If armour/air is incoming make sure to find him a good spot to fire from.

Pointman: The first man into the building/over the street/in the gunner seat. Should be a rifleman, should never be the fireteam leader. Use pointmen, it will drastically increase the effectiveness of your fireteam as he's likely to be the first casualty and it wont affect your fireteam too badly.

Rifleman: Stick them with a special as part of a buddy team and use them as pointmen.