mystic laurel
Congratulations Squad Leader! Whether you're a prospective NCO eager to show off your tactical capabilities or an unfortunate JO ordered to sub in as an element leader, you are assuming possibly the most important role for any fighting force, the Squad Leader!
Being a good Squad Leader is much more complex than simply understanding how to yell and blow a whistle, or how to shoot your gun and fill your pouches to capacity.
The most overlooked skill any tactical leader should be embodying throughout an operation is rapport and familiarity with your Marines. Your Marines will not fight with you or follow your orders if you do not know them well.
What's that? You just got assigned to this unit and haven't been buck-broken by the Lance Corporals and their shenanigans? Worry not! Familiarity can quickly be established in the early stages of an operation by doing the one thing many Squad Leaders neglect to do. SPEAK TO YOUR SUBORDINATES.
Do not just refer to them as Private or Corpsman or Gunner, refer to them by their last name, make them feel called on and useful, and importantly make them know you are talking to them specifically. Ask them what weapons they're using, what they're expecting for the operation, don't put the new or nervous guys up front, know the skills and attitude of the unit beneath you. Chances are the Marine who is failing to listen to you is not the guy you should trust as a pointman or vehicle driver.
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While you are gearing up and familiarizing yourself with your men, the key thing you should be discussing is equipment. Inspect them, make sure every Marine has what they need. Medical supplies, extra ammo, a backpack. Either yourself or an FTL should be equipped with a RADIO TELEPHONE PACK.
Do your CTs have extra materials? While you're at it, fill an IMP Backpack with metal to lug groundside, or more magazines!
You probably have 3 HMs, do they all have redundant equipment? Do you have one that's better equipped for in depth casualty care, one better equipped to fight alongside the RFN? Organize them accordingly. This applies to CTs as well, it's not a bad idea to see if you have an HM or CT who can be relied on in the front assuming you have other HMs and CTs.
Does your Autorifleman need help carrying ammo? This is possibly the most important member of your squad if employed properly, do not let them dry out.
One of the most important things to check on is what Power Weapons does your unit have at their disposal. Has someone taken the Flamethrower to ensure proper defoliation? Does REQ have spare Heavy Machine Guns or Rocket Launchers? Make sure every Rifleman has an opportunity to get this special equipment and know who has what.
Make sure your squad has redundancies, multiple individuals with barricade equipment, multiple sets of tools, make sure everyone has at least some kind of illumination equipment.
Throughout the early phases get a good understanding of who is in the mindset of a good Marine and who is not. Every Marine beneath you is an asset but when it comes down to it the most competent ones are the ones who you will be relying on.
Are your Marines following the UCMJ and MSOP? As an element leader it is your responsibility to keep these standards in check. Make sure your Marines understand the importance of standards, the purpose of them is not to make a pretty force it is to make sure your Marines are able to effectively and easily follow orders
VIOLENCE OF ACTION is the name of the game. The briefing and periods of downtime should be spent intentionally planning routes, procedures, and how your unit will react but outside of the wire you should spend almost NO TIME as Squad Leader deliberating, arguing, or doing anything of that regard that can be hashed out before you set out. When you are given a task, it is your job to carry it out swiftly and efficiently. This doesn't mean rushing in as quickly as possible, leaving behind equipment or men, but rather it means having a proper TEMPO.
Tempo means maintaining your pace, your rhythm in the fight. Do not take breaks when you need to push, do not chase hostiles when you need to maintain a position, do not slow your vehicle when you are moving through crowded streets. Every Marine should be performing a specific duty when you are outside the wire, whether it's shooting bugs or searching collies or healing wounded or simply WATCHING A SECTOR.
On this topic, employ your Squad with the same kind of intention. Put your power weapons in advantageous positions, do not have the Autorifleman leading the vanguard or performing searches. Do not have the Rocket Marines or Grenadiers sitting in the rear or middle where they can't get shots off. Do not have the medics performing security that a Rifleman cannot do himself. Every single individual should be aware of their purpose and doing that purpose. If you have nothing to do, wield your rifle and point it where no one else is.
Some of your Marines will be more critically equipped to provide support (CTs, HMs), provide fire (Autorifleman, explosives projectors), or carry out maneuvers (RFN).
When you are on the offense, especially fighting a peer force, keep your support elements out of the way of everyone else and keep your maneuver elements out of the way of your fire elements. If you are pushing a doorway, have the gunner suppress it. If you are flanking, have a team put pressure on the forward face.
When fighting unconventional forces, avoid or plug chokes. Whether an alien or an insurgent, tight quarters that can be plugged by napthal or grenades should always be plugged by napthal or grenades.
Spread your fire-capable Marines across your teams and have teams move in tandem (One firing, one moving). Avoid moving in a firefight without any fire support. Make sure your support elements are providing rear security, lest an enemy explosive find it's why in the middle of your line.
It is always better to hit an enemy from two angles rather than one. If you see an alternate doorway into a building, have a team put pressure on it. Avoid hitting a heavily fortified position head on and avoid playing into the strengths of enemies, which is usually their ability to inflict slow attrition upon you. This means you need to prioritize the lives of your Marines.
Occasionally, you will be entrusted to control an area and play defense. Even when you are planning on assaulting a position prepare for the possibility that you will have to dig in.
Keep your elements ready to collapse on different sectors since your greatest weakness is that you may have to spread your elements out thin. The best way to avoid spreading elements out is to eliminate alternate avenues you can be attacked by. Barricade doors and windows, identify fallback points you can control and always keep in mind that you may have to abandon a position. A position you cannot abandon is one you will certainly die in. Create funnels that will make enemies tighten up long before they hit your line. Your enemies ability to move around you is their greatest strength.
In insurgency scenarios, set up proper points to funnel or deny civilians and prevent possible insurgents from rushing you or breaching your lines. Set up cade airlocks with large areas between them and the lines. Set up layers of lines to frustrate IEDs. Set up maze like cade lines outside of the checkpoint to frustrate easy movement for unfriendly forces. For the sake of your defensive posture always remember it is better to make a mean choice which may prevent a Marine from dying then to make a nice choice which may compromise your defense.
Always make sure that even despite the boredom of area control, every single Marine is providing security or serving a purpose.
mystic laurel
# EMPLOYMENT/TACTICS #
VIOLENCE OF ACTION is the name of the game. The briefing ...
To further highlight this point, whether during the brief or as a squad, establish Preconditions before you go outside the wire or off the ship.
What are your rules of engagement?
What are your fallback points? Set up multiple if you can, you may be able to retreat only partially and bound between points during assaults.
What are your conditions for retreat? Size of the enemy force? Casualties taken?
Who should be doing what when? When you are maneuvering your Marines should be watching the flanks of your unit, but what about when you reach the objective? Who is gonna take point? Who is breaching the locked doors? Do you have a team on the street making sure no one comes in behind you? Are you announcing your presence and taking prisoners?
If there is a roadblock or fortification, where should you move instead?
Think about all these different things and more when you approach a situation and make sure everyone in your squad knows them.
Do not be afraid to arrest or NJP insubordinate Marines.
undone quest
Based and NCO pilled
night cedar
adding something thats ive been experiencing; dont be an asshole. I’ve repeatedly seen SLs who seem to view their authority as a right to be a dick to those under them.
This includes:
Threatening to shoot a marine for asking a for a transfer from bravo, alongside hurling insults at them.
Following a marine around pre brief calling them a “bitch” cause they didnt pick out the loadout you wanted, or dont want to be loader etc.
Generally i would say that being in charge of people doesnt give you an excuse to grief people’s experience. You still paying a game and should be considerate of others peoples wishes/autonomy.
mystic laurel
I feel like that goes more into like, ahelp territory
It's definitely needless and unprofessional and the officers in charge should not under any circumstances be tolerating that
undone quest
adding something thats ive been experiencing; dont be an asshole. I’ve repeatedl...
asking you to help a understaffed bravo is being a asshole its doing my job
night cedar
asking you to help a understaffed bravo is being a asshole its doing my job
Did you miss the part where they threatened to shoot me and then said “this is why your unlovable” “no one loves you not even your parents”
people play the game to have fun man, if someone doesnt have fun playing fob duty they have no obligation to force themselves to do so.
the only thing cursing and insulting them is doing is guaranteeing they go cryo an ghost role into a role where they can actually have fun.
undone quest
Digging ain’t for the weak
night cedar
Did you miss the part where they threatened to shoot me and then said “this is w...
Like do you really think this behavior is not toxic?
rigid cairn
Did you miss the part where they threatened to shoot me and then said “this is w...
Bro
Field demote that mf 😭
Just beat the shit out of that SL valid escalation
night cedar
I just went and cryod. Which ended up being a goated choice, i got NSPA constable and had tons of fun larping as a cop dealing with the CMB allying themselves with the Mob and CLF.
ember tartan
pro tip for SL
dont be a dick head
just because you're the SL or a commander, does not mean the E1 or E2 rifleman cant have more knowledge on some areas
no words for how stressed i get when the SL orders a charge to a very very obvious ambush and death tunnel
mystic laurel
The SL needs to know when to be a dick and definitely should be a dick sometimes
Obviously you shouldn't be a dick to your subordinates for some of the above stated reasons but (assuming you know what you are doing and why) you should make sure you have the ferocity to control a situation with either inexperienced and insubordinate Marines or harassing and unverified civilians
night cedar
True! Literally 90% the time tho theres better ways to get people to do what you want.