Squad Leader

A Squad Leader (SL) is a soldier commanding an entire Squad of Infantry. His job is to receive objectives and general orders from the Platoon Leader, interpret them with regards to the Squad's current tactical situation, and then give detailed orders to the Squad's Fireteams in order to fulfill those objectives.

The Squad Leader carries light equipment comparable to that of a Platoon Leader. He is expected to avoid directly engaging the enemy if it isn't strictly necessary. The SL is often the only member of a Squad who carries a 148/152 radio, which he uses to contact the Platoon Leader and other Squads.

The SL is the highest Infantry commander whose job is strictly Tactical - deciding the details of his team's actions and movements, but not the overall plan of action. He often has a lot of leeway when making these decisions, but must keep the Platoon's overall plan in mind at all times, and obey the Platoon Leader's orders.

SLs are in line to inherit command of the Platoon, should both the Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant be killed. If the SL himself is killed, his position will be inherited by one of his subordinate FTLs. The SL's 148/152 radio is the most important item to be retrieved from his corpse, if possible.

Within the Squad, the Squad Leader is a member of a separate command element called the Squad Lead Element, together with the Squad Medic. The two men will move together almost all of the time, and remain within close proximity to the Fireteams.

Equipment
The Squad Leader carries a minimum of equipment, comparable to that of a Platoon Leader but with slightly more emphasis on direct combat. Most importantly, he carries a 148/152 radio which enables long-range contact with other units, particularly the Platoon Leader.

Primary Weapon
An SL normally carries an Assault Rifle. This is an automatic weapon suitable for mid-range and close-range combat. The Assault Rifle has a medium-sized magazine, and can provide both semi-automatic and fully-automatic fire. It is useful for picking off enemies at a good range, hosing down enemies at close range, or making controlled bursts to suppress or kill enemy targets at any range.

In lower-tech scenarios, a Battle Rifle or other similar weapon may be issued to Squad Leaders instead of an Assault Rifle.

The SL usually carries much less ammunition than a Rifleman, due to having to carry other equipment listed below. However, it is very likely that the SL will be carrying Tracer ammunition, even when the Riflemen do not, which is mostly used to point out the position of enemies to his squad-mates by firing at them. This is especially true in low-light or low-visibility conditions.

Note that in most scenarios, the model of Assault Rifle carried by the SL will be slightly different - fitted with a Grenade Launcher attachment (see below) - but is otherwise functionally the same as a regular Assault Rifle.

Grenade Launcher
An SL also carries a secondary weapon - a Grenade Launcher - which is usually attached to the bottom of the Assault Rifle's barrel. The SL will thus be able to switch quickly to the Grenade Launcher. In low-tech situations, the SL may instead be fitted with a stand-alone Grenade Launcher slung on his back, which takes more time to switch to.

The Grenade Launcher can launch a variety of different grenades, if available. These are special grenades that can only be fired from this launcher, not thrown by hand. The SL may carry several dozen such grenades, of types assumed to be required for the current mission.

The most commonly-carried grenade is the HE Grenade. This type of grenade is useful against clumps of enemy infantry, having a blast radius that can catch several of them in one hit, causing serious damage. It is also useful against enemies in hard cover. An HE grenade can also severely damage some lightly-armored vehicles. HEDP Grenades, a common variant, are even more deadly to vehicles, though they are unlikely to seriously hurt Armor.

The next most common type of grenade is the Smoke Grenade, which will billow out smoke after hitting the ground. SLs will use this grenade to form a concealing barrier, to mask movement or otherwise block enemy line of sight.

Finally, on night missions an SL may be equipped with launched Flares. These are usually fired up into the sky, and will slowly fall down while shining bright light in a large radius - allowing the Squad to more easily spot enemies underneath the falling grenade.

Binoculars
An SL spends much of his time observing his Squad's surroundings, to spot approaching contacts, locate good positions for his Squad to occupy, and determine the best path of movement. To this end, he carries a set of high-magnification Binoculars.

These Binoculars are a relatively high-value item that other team-members will usually want to recover if the SL is killed. Note that while FTLs also carry binoculars, their model has only low magnification ability, and they may prefer to switch to the SL's binoculars if they are retrieved.

Radio / Map
The Squad Leader is normally the only member of the Squad who carries two sets of radios: A short-range 343 radio for contact with the rest of the Squad, and a long-range 148/152 radio used for contacting the Platoon Leader as well as other Squads.

The 148/152 is an incredibly important piece of equipment. If the SL dies, other members of the Squad will immediately attempt to locate his body and retrieve this radio.

In low-tech scenarios, either or both of these radios may be missing. This requires the SL to use other means to remain in contact with the rest of the Platoon, particularly through Runners. Flares and Smoke can also be used, but can only convey simple pre-defined signals (such as "we are here", or "we are attacking now").

Finally, in low-tech scenarios the Squad Leader may be the only member of the Squad carrying a map. This is very rare, and presents an interesting problem to be overcome.

Other Equipment
Squad Leaders may also be carrying any of the following:
 * Hand Grenades
 * First Aid Kits / Bandages
 * Flashlight or Laser

This additional equipment is situation-specific, and may or may not be available in any given mission.

Role
The Squad Leader's role is very simple to describe, but very difficult to execute. He is responsible for translating the generalized orders coming down from the Platoon Leader into precise tactical orders for his Fireteams. He is expected to avoid direct combat with the enemy if he can help it, in order to keep his position hidden - but may sometimes engage the enemy in order to help out his Squad.

Command Duty
The Squad Leader is directly responsible for everything his Squad-members do, and is equally responsible for their well-being. Although the Fireteam Leaders assist him in this responsibility, he is ultimately in charge.

The SL receives macro-level objectives and orders from the Platoon Leader via 148/152 radio. This includes things like positions to assault/occupy, arcs to defend, and paths to follow - usually also marked on the map. The SL then needs to make most or all of the tactical decisions regarding the details, including how the Fireteams should move with respect to one another, when to engage and when to hold fire, which intermediate cover positions to employ, and so on. These are incredibly situation-specific decisions, and require the SL to maintain constant situational awareness. This is why the SL spends most of his time observing the area around his Squad, ascertaining the position of enemy units and the peculiarities of the terrain itself.

The SL also has to maintain awareness of his Squad's condition, including both the casualty count and the current level of ammunition. He will periodically report these to the Platoon Leader, and provide these details whenever asked.

Finally, the SL has to maintain complete familiarity with the Platoon Leader's current intent. This serves two purposes: It improves the SL's ability to correctly interpret the Platoon Leader and improvise based on those orders when needed; And allows the SL to seamlessly continue the plan in the event that he inherits command of the Platoon.

Fire Support Duty
A Squad Leader is generally expected to avoid directly engaging enemies when the situation doesn't call for it. The SL is a prime target for the enemy, and is essentially too important to lose, so this general guideline helps keep the Squad Leader alive by not exposing his position to the enemy.

Nonetheless, the SL is capable of engaging enemies, and will do so when appropriate. This is particularly true when enemies get close to the Squad, at which point every gun firing at them can save lives. However the SL may also shoot at medium and long range if the enemy is not a major threat.

Besides his primary weapon (usu. an Assault Rifle or Battle Rifle), the Squad Leader carries a Grenade Launcher that can be used to engage groups of enemy infantry or even unarmored and lightly-armored vehicles. Grenade Launchers can also be used to engage enemies in fortified positions and buildings.

Chain of Command
From the very start of a mission, the Squad Leader must be ready for the possibility that he will need to inherit command of the entire Platoon. This is especially true for the leader of the first Squad in the Platoon (e.g. Alpha Squad in 1st Platoon), who may be first in line to inherit command if there is no Platoon Sergeant.

If the Squad Leader himself is killed, one of his Fireteam Leaders will take command of the Squad. This usually first falls to 1FTL, then to 2FTL, although experience and seniority within ShackTac may sometimes be used to determine which FTL gets command of the Squad.

Upwards Inheritance
Platoon Leaders generally hang back and try to keep themselves out of any combat with the enemy. However it is not at all rare to see the Platoon Leader get killed by some enemies that came from an unexpected direction, or some other unfortunate incident.

If a Platoon Leader is killed, command will first drop to the Platoon Sergeant, his second-in-command. If the Platoon Sergeant is then killed, or if there was never a Platoon Sergeant to begin with, command then drops to the Squad Leader of the first Squad in the Platoon. In 1st Platoon, this will be Alpha Squad Leader (ASL). In 2nd Platoon, this will be Delta Squad Leader (DSL). If the ascended Squad Leader is killed, the leader of the next Squad (e.g. Bravo / Echo) will take command, and so on. In extreme cases when all Squad Leaders have been killed, command of the Platoon may end up falling to one of the Fireteam Leaders - beginning with Alpha 1 FTL.

Because Squad Leaders are so close to inheriting command, they will need to maintain full awareness of the intent and battle plan of the Platoon Leader, so that they can continue the plan seamlessly or adjust/abort it if the situation is not suitable for that plan. They maintain awareness by listening to everything said on the 148/152 radio constantly, even when the chatter does not address them directly.

When a Squad Leader inherits command of a Platoon, they do not stop being a Squad Leader - they must now juggle both tasks at the same time, which can be extremely tasking. This is just one more reason why players need to be quite experienced at the game when they apply for the Squad Leader slot, particulary Alpha Squad Leader (who is usually first to inherit).

Note that Squad Leaders do not typically need to locate the body of the Platoon Leader to retrieve any of his equipment. In 99% of scenarios, they already carry all the equipment they need in order to lead the Platoon, when inheritance occurs.

Downwards Inheritance
When a Squad Leader dies, command of the Squad falls immediately to the Fireteam Leader of Fireteam One in that squad. If he dies or has already been killed, command then falls to the FTL of Fireteam Two. Should both men die, command will fall further down to the Automatic Riflemen or even the Riflemen, but at this point the Squad may not even be an effective fighting force anymore.

Locating the body of the downed Squad Leader is usually of utmost importance, as he is likely the only member of the Squad carrying a 148/152 radio, which is essential for keeping contact with the rest of the Platoon. Once the radio has been retrieved, the new Squad Leader will immediately report the change of command on the Platoon channel, along with a situation report about his squad's condition if necessary.

If the 148/152 radio cannot be retrieved, the new Squad Leader will likely switch his 343 radio to another channel belonging to one of the other Squads within 343 radio distance, and ask the leader of that squad to report the situation on the Platoon channel. A Squad without a 148/152 radio needs to improvise some other way to keep comms with the rest of the Platoon in one way or another as the mission proceeds.

Map Markers
A Squad Leader has two separate markers for his position: An STHUD marker seen only by members of the Squad Lead Element, and a map marker displaying the position of the Squad Leader to all other players on his side.

Map
On the map, an SL has a marker attached to him that signifies his location - and vicariously the location of the Squad Lead Element, which contains him and the Squad Medic. This map marker is useful for signifying where the Squad Leader's body is in case he dies. It is also useful when the SL calls someone to his position, such as for a field briefing or when he wants a team to occupy a specific position.

The SL marker looks like this:

X SL


 * The central symbol is the general NATO symbol for "Headquarters", with reduced size compared to other map markers.
 * X is a letter representing the name of the parent Squad: A for Alpha, B for Bravo, C for Charlie, and so on.
 * SL is short for "Squad Lead".
 * The entire symbol will be colored the same as the corresponding color of the parent Squad: Red for Alpha, Blue for Bravo, Green for Charlie, with a repeating cycle for any subsequent letters.

Should the Squad Leader be killed, the marker may or may not pass to the Squad Medic or any other surviving member of the Squad Lead Element, if there are any. However in most cases it seems that on the death of the SL, the marker will remain where his body fell, and becomes faded on the map. This allows the other Squad members to easily locate the body and retrieve the 148/152 radio.

Communications
A Squad Leader usually has one of the most difficult and complex communications scheme to deal with, out of any other player. He must use all three available methods of communication - Voice, 343 short-range radio, and 148/152 long-range radio - simultaneously and constantly throughout the mission. Each of these methods of communication is used for different purposes.

Voice
The Squad Leader mostly uses Voice communication to speak with the Squad Medic, who generally follows him around wherever he goes. This is used to convey simple commands, such as "We're moving" or "take cover". Most of the communications between these two players, however, will just be banter. The SL will usually call his Medic by name, and vice versa, when speaking this way.

Additionally, whenever the Squad Leader is within close proximity to a Fireteam, he may give orders to that Fireteam by voice, instead of over the radio. This is usually suitable only when doing micro-management of that Fireteam, or when giving any order that is relevant to that Fireteam only. Most often however, the SL will give orders over the radio, so that both Fireteams can be aware of what each of them is doing.

Occasionally, a Squad Leader may call both Fireteam Leaders to his position in order to brief them by voice. This sort of field briefing usually occurs right after an objective has been secured, to explain the intended plan for the next objective. In such briefings, the SL will usually instruct his FTLs to look at the map, and may point out or put marks down on the map to make the plan clearer. With the map pointing feature introduced in ArmA 3, this proximity is essential for the pointing marker to be visible to all three players. Once the field briefing is complete, the Fireteam Leaders will then explain the plan to their Fireteams independently.

In certain Low-Tech scenarios where 343 radios are not available, the Squad Leader has to give all orders by Voice. This requires him to move from one Fireteam to the other as necessary in order to stay in contact with them.

148/152 Radio
The Squad Leader is normally the only member of the Squad who carries a 148/152 long-range radio. This radio is set to the channel assigned to his Platoon, usually channel 1 (for 1st Platoon) or channel 2 (for 2nd Platoon). Although it is up to personal preference, it seems that over the years most players have adopted the custom of setting the 148/152 radio to the left ear. The range of transmission can easily exceed a kilometer, especially on flat terrain. It is shorter on hilly terrain.

The Squad Leader uses this radio primarily to maintain communications with the Platoon Leader, but can also use it to contact the other Squad Leaders in the platoon, and occasionally with air assets when available.

The Platoon Leader will issue most of his orders to the Squad via 148/152 radio. When addressing a specific squad on the radio, the Platoon Leader will call that squad by name (e.g. Alpha, Brave, etc.). As explained earlier, most orders will be generalized in nature, e.g. "assault that position", or "stay here and cover as it moves".

Conversely, the Squad Leader will sometimes need to report his Squad's condition over the 148/152 radio, to let the Platoon Leader know how they're doing. This includes a head-count, ammo status, and particularly how many Anti-Tank Rockets the squad has left. There are many other things that will need to be reported, and the 148/152 channel can get pretty busy when reports and orders going both ways.

Finally, a Squad Leader can use the 148/152 radio to contact other squads and even additional assets (e.g. Weapon Teams, CAS, support vehicles, and so on). Although the Platoon Leader (and/or the FAC) is usually in charge of coordinating between different assets, Squad Leaders may sometimes have specific and immediate needs that can be conveyed directly. For example, a Squad Leader may tell another squad to give them room, or alert them against an immediate threat. If there is no such immediate need, all communications must go through the Platoon Leader.

343 Radio
Typically, each member of the Squad carries a 343 radio, which has an effective range of only several hundred meters. The radio is set to a channel unique to the Squad and its attached assets, and is typically assigned to the right ear.

The Squad Leader will use the 343 radio to speak with the other members of his Squad, particularly the Fireteam Leaders. He will issue orders on this radio, and receive headcounts and other reports from the FTLs on this radio as well.

To contact a specific Fireteam, the SL will precede each message with the number of the Fireteam to which he is referring - e.g. "One" or "Two". If he wishes to give an order to both Fireteams at the same time, he will preface the order with the name of the Squad, e.g. "Alpha", "Bravo", etc.

In case the squad's 148/152 radio is lost for any reason, that squad can be contacted by switching to its 343 radio channel. However, because of the short range of this radio, contact can only be established within close proximity to that squad.

The 343 radio may also be used to speak with vehicles attached to the squad. When a vehicle is operating in close proximity and coordination with a specific Squad, its crew will usually set their 343 radio to the same channel as the squad. This allows them to track the squad's current actions and situation, while also being able to receive instructions and/or direct orders from the Squad Leader when necessary.

Callsigns and Terminology
When using Voice communications, such as when casually conversing with the Squad Medic, the Squad Leader will be referred to by his name. However, this is mostly done in non-mission-relevant conversation.

Most of the SL's communications are done by radio. Depending on which radio is used, the SL may be referred to with different callsigns, depending on who is trying to get his attention.

Below are several terms used in Radio communications from and to the Squad Leader: