Infantry Platoon


 * This article is about Infantry and Mechanized Infantry Platoons only, which are the most common type of Platoon seen in ShackTac videos. See also Vehicle Platoon.

An Infantry Platoon is a large Infantry unit comprised of three Squads plus one Platoon HQ element, totalling around 45 men. In most ShackTac videos to date, the Infantry Platoon is the largest infantry unit, though in some videos it is subordinated to an Infantry Company or Mechanized Company.

The three Squads in the Platoon work together to complete one or more large-scale objectives - typically the main objectives of the mission. In videos featuring a Company-level operation, Platoons typically work independently from one another to fulfill different objectives, possibly many kilometers apart. Therefore, a Platoon generally operates as a fully-independent force, even when subordinated to a higher command structure.

The Platoon Leader is responsible for giving orders to the various Squads and other assets attached to the Platoon. He is grouped together with the Platoon Sergeant, Platoon Medic, and/or FAC to form the Platoon HQ (a non-combat Command Element). These men travel together, often some distance behind the other men, and use the Platoon Net on the 148/152 long-range radio to communicate with the Squad Leaders.

Each Platoon contains two or three Squads of Infantry, totaling around 14 men each. The Squads perform the bulk of combat action for the Platoon as it attempts to complete its objective(s). Squads operate as wings of a Platoon, maintaining some comfortable distance from one another, but also working together to give each other cover and support as the Platoon advances from objective to objective.

An Infantry Platoon often has access to air assets, for purposes of transportation and/or Close Air Support. It may also have Vehicles under its direct command, or under the command of its individual Squads, turning it into a "Motorized Platoon" or "Mechanized Platoon" (depending on the type of vehicles in question). Weapon Teams are also part of some Infantry Platoons.

Typical Structure
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 * class="invistable" style="width:100%; font-size:150%; text-align:center;" | Infantry / Mechanized Platoon


 * }


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The Squad callsigns used above (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie) are examples only. Different callsigns may be featured in different videos. See also Squad Callsigns.

Typical Deviations
The size and make-up of a Platoon is subject to significant changes depending on the type of mission being played, the objectives to be fulfilled, and the number of players who have turned out for the session. This can include anything from changes to the number of Squads in the Platoon, to what additional assets it can deploy.

Partial Platoon
A Partial Platoon is an Infantry Platoon containing only 2 Squads. This sort of set-up is only moderately common, appearing primarily on the defending side in an Adversarial mission (they will have only 2 Squads). This makes up for the defenders' natural defensive advantage.

2-Squad Platoons also appear in some Company-level operations, where 1st Platoon will be a regular full-sized platoon, while 2nd Platoon will have only two Squads. This may result from a player turnout large enough to open 5 Squads but not 6. If there are only enough players to open 4 Squads, a single Reinforced Platoon will typically be used (see next subsection) instead of opening a second Platoon with only 1 Squad in it.

Note that the third Infantry Squad may instead be replaced with non-infantry assets, such as a Vehicle Section or Weapons Team(s). The details are entirely up to the Game Master administering the session.

Reinforced Platoon
A Reinforced Platoon is an Infantry Platoon containing 4 Squads (or more!). The total number of men in a Reinforced Platoon is roughly 60, compared to the normal 45.

This sort of set-up is not commonly seen in ArmA 2 videos, as Company-level operations are far more common there (featuring two regular-sized Platoons). In the early days of ArmA 3 videos, primarily due to technical issues, ShackTac did field a Reinforced Platoon from time to time.

Additional Assets
A Platoon may have several different non-infantry assets at its disposal, either under the direct command of the Platoon Leader or coordinating with him through a Forward Air Controller. This may include Weapons Teams, Vehicle Sections, or support Aircraft of various types.

Subordination of such assets (particularly armored vehicles) to a Platoon Leader is rarer in older ShackTac videos, where they would typically be under the command of a Company Commander who coordinates between the Infantry and Vehicles. However, due to the limited playercounts in ArmA 3 as of the time of writing, Platoon Leaders often have to command such assets directly.

Roles
The basis of an Infantry Platoon consists of four different parts: Three Squads and one Platoon HQ element. The Squads are responsible for carrying out the actual objectives of the mission through cooperation with one another based on orders received from the Platoon Leader. The Platoon HQ element is a non-combat unit, which often trails one of the Squads in relative safety.

The Platoon will often (but not always) have additional units either directly attached to it (such as Weapons Teams and armed Vehicles) or operating in close coordination with it (Helicopters). Each additional asset in a Platoon has a behavior that is very different from that of other assets.

In total, a basic Platoon (3 Squads + HQ) contains about 45 men. Any additional assets will increase this number, possibly even over 60 men in total.

Squad
A Squad is a 14-man Infantry unit. It is the smallest unit deemed fully combat-worthy, and can operate completely on its own, if it must. Typically however, three Squads will operate together as part of a single Platoon.

A Squad is outfitted with a variety of weapons - mostly small-arms, grenades, and Light Anti-Tank Launchers. A Squad can normally defeat both Infantry and Armor, though it may struggle to take out heavy armored vehicles, such as Tanks and IFVs. Squads have their own Medics, and sometimes even Vehicles under their direct command.

Squads usually protect one another's flanks and can concentrate fire on a single target from multiple angles, to multiply their total effectiveness. Together they can work to defeat significantly larger forces than themselves.

The three Squads in a Platoon will typically keep some distance between one another for a variety of reasons (mostly so as not to get jumbled up or interfere with one another's actions). The tactical situation may require squads to spread out over many hundreds of meters of area. For this reason, Squads retain a certain degree of autonomy; the Squad Leaders have a better grasp on their immediate situation and surroundings than the Platoon Leader, and must often improvise on the exact details of fire and movement based on the Platoon Leader's orders.

Platoon HQ
The Platoon HQ element is a small non-combat unit. It contains the Platoon Leader and Platoon Medic, and may contain one or more additional support personnel, such as a Platoon Sergeant and/or Forward Air Controller. These men are grouped together for entirely functional purposes, allowing them to stick close together and allowing other friendlies to track their position easily on the map.

The entire Platoon HQ element will do its best to avoid combat at all costs, often staying a good distance behind the Squads, and often deep in cover from any known enemy position. This is because the loss of a Platoon Leader or Forward Air Controller can make life significantly harder for the Platoon.

Weapons
The term "Weapons" in this context refers to one or more Weapon Teams attached directly to the Platoon. These are small 2-man or 3-man teams carrying and operating a medium or heavy weapon, specializing in defeating either enemy Infantry or Armor. Medium Machine Gun, Heavy Machine Gun, Medium Anti-Tank, Heavy Anti-Tank and Mortar teams are all available varieties of Weapons units. Some Weapons teams may operate on foot. Others use a Light Vehicle, typically one that is mounted with the aforementioned heavy weapon.

Weapons Teams will constantly move to where they are needed in order to provide support fire for one or more Squads. Depending on the weapon being used, a Weapons Team may be constantly on the move, or it may stake out one particular enemy avenue of approach. Mortar teams, in particular, are almost entirely stationary for long periods of time during the mission, while HAT teams with a TOW HMMWV may spend most of their time driving around the map to wherever they are needed.

When more than one Weapons team is available for the Platoon, all of these teams are under the direct command of the Platoon Leader, who can order them about as necessary. Nonetheless, Weapons Teams need to maintain a lot of initiative, abandoning ineffective positions, striving for contact with the enemy, and generally making sure they aren't left behind as the rest of the force advances/retreats.

Vehicle Section
A Platoon-sized Mechanized Infantry force typically distributes its vehicles directly to individual Squads, with the vehicles taking direct orders from the Squad Leaders in order to coordinate with them efficiently (see Squad for more information on this). However under rare circumstances, a Platoon Leader may keep one or more armed vehicles under his direct command, as a separate Vehicle Section.

Vehicles Sections typically consist of 2 APCs or similar vehicles, meant to provide supporting fire for the troops. These vehicles are rarely large enough to transport more than a Squad or so in total, and are therefore not suitable for transportation unless the Platoon gets whittled down to smaller numbers. A Vehicle Section will often move around the map to support whichever Squad needs it most, at any given time. Vehicles tend to stay behind the infantry, on higher ground, to protect the infantry from incoming enemy vehicles.

While it is technically possible for an Infantry Platoon to have more than one Vehicle Section under its command, such a force could be too large to manage effectively. Such a large group of vehicles will typically be folded into a Vehicle Platoon instead, and a Company will be set up to coordinate the infantry, vehicles, and aircraft.

Helicopters
The majority of Platoon-level Cooperative missions feature one or more Helicopters providing Air Transport and/or Close Air Support to the Infantry on the ground. These helicopters are not directly under the command of the Platoon Leader; they are extremely autonomous by nature. However they need to maintain good coordination with the Platoon, and as such can be seen as an integral part of it anyway.

This coordination is the job of the Forward Air Controller, who is part of the Platoon HQ element and thus in direct voice and long-range radio contact with both the Platoon Leader and the other elements in the platoon. He can relay all sorts of orders and reports back and forth between the Platoon and the Helicopters, whether regarding targets to be attacked, the location of Landing Zones, and anything else that might be pertinent.

In Company-level missions, the Forward Air Controller will likely be attached to the Company HQ rather than to any Platoon.

Logistics
A Platoon typically has little need for Logistics, but may occasionally have a few men operating a small logistics unit to provide resupply on longer missions and/or repair vehicles for a Mechanized Infantry Platoon. One Ammunition Truck is usually sufficient to support a Platoon, and the members of the Logistics team may have kits allowing them to repair vehicles as well.

The Logistics unit will typically stay behind the advancing force, alongside the Platoon HQ element. They will avoid combat if at all possible, and particularly protect their truck from any threat. On command, they will set up a supply point for the Squads in a safe location, whereupon the Squad Leaders will send men in small groups to pick up fresh magazines and Light Anti-Tank rockets. Vehicle repair can be done in a safe location (if the damaged vehicle is able to drive back to the logistics truck on its own), or in the field (if the damaged vehicle is immobilized).

Equipment
Due to the sheer size of an Infantry Platoon (45+ people), as well as its flexibility in terms of additional assets, it is very difficult to generalize about the sort of equipment it will be carrying in any given mission. Furthermore, because each unit in the Platoon will likely be performing a different subset of objectives, their combined force will rarely be focused on a single target. Instead, each Squad, Vehicle and/or Helicopter will engage different targets at different points on the map with different weapons and equipment.

A "baseline" three-Squad Platoon in a modern (late Cold War) scenario contains around 45 Infantrymen, of whom 33 carry an Assault Rifle or equivalent weapon. At least 10 of those rifles are fitted with a Grenade Launcher, capable of firing a variety of different grenades. The soldiers themselves carry a wide variety of different auxiliary weapons, including a variety of Hand Grenades, First Aid Kits (or equivalent low-level medical gear), 343 radios, maps, and other mission specific equipment.

An additional 12 men in the Platoon (4 in each Squad) carry Automatic Rifles and/or Light Machine Guns. The number of available Light Anti-Tank Launchers typically ranges between 3 to 12 at the start of the mission, depending on the type and strength of enemy vehicles expected - though this often changes radically during the mission as soldiers expend their AT and pick up enemy launchers/rockets.

4 of the Platoon's infantrymen are Medics, carrying large (or infinite) amounts of medical gear, in the form of Medical Kits. Each Medic is attached to a different element in the Platoon, and is responsible for treating other members of their element first.

Under normal circumstances, all members of the Platoon carry 343 radios, used to contact other members of their own Squad/Vehicle Crew. All soldiers in a Command role (Platoon Leader, Squad Leader, Vehicle Commander and Forward Air Controller carry a 148/152 long-range radio to communicate with other commanders.

Weapon Teams, when available, carry heavier versions of the weapons carried by the Squads themselves. This may include Medium Machine Guns, Heavy Machine Guns, Medium Anti-Tank Launchers, Heavy Anti-Tank Launchers, and/or Mortars. Each Weapon Team carries only one of these, with varying amounts of ammunition for it.

Vehicles attached to the Platoon, whether at the Platoon, Squad, or Fireteam level, may range from unarmed/unarmored vehicles (e.g. Trucks and Technicals) all the way up to APCs and IFVs armed with a variety of powerful weapons. Helicopters supporting the Platoon directly may be unarmed (for Air Transport) or carrying Miniguns and FFARs (for Close Air Support).

Communications
The Platoon has its own 148/152 long-range radio channel, called the Platoon Net. This channel is used for communications between each element in the Platoon, and particularly for contact between the Platoon Leader and his subordinates. Units getting cut off from this channel (by losing their 148/152 radio) can become very difficult to command properly, and must find alternative methods to receive orders and send reports. Otherwise, they become almost completely independent, often to the detriment of the mission.

The 343 short-range radio is not a key player at the Platoon level. While each Squad uses has its own 343 channel (and uses it copiously for intra-Squad communications), these channels are not used regularly for contact between different Squads or elements of the platoon except under special circumstances (e.g. emergencies).

Voice is pretty much the last resort for communications between different elements in the Platoon, but can be used when two elements are very close together. This may be the only method of communication available in extremely-low-tech scenarios, but then the Platoon cannot function as a single cohesive unit anyway. A Platoon reduced to voice communications is no longer an effective singular force, only a conglomeration of independent Squads doing their best to cooperate with little or no communications between them.

Voice
Because of the size of the Platoon, and the size of its area of operations, voice communication between different elements of the Platoon is often completely impossible. Radio is the preferred communication method, and particularly long-range 148/152 radio.

On the other hand, the Platoon HQ element often moves alongside or even together with one of the Squads, for protection. If the Platoon Leader finds himself physically close to one of the Squad Leader, he may use Voice to give that Squad Leader orders, receive reports, or even confer with the Squad Leader on the best course of action.

Other than this, Voice communication at the platoon level is practically unused - Even the lowest-tech scenarios usually provide long-range radios to every commander. However in particularly difficult situations, a Runner may be used instead.

343
Under normal circumstances, every single member of the Platoon carries a 343 short-range radio. However, these range of these radios is far too short to serve the purposes of a large force like a Platoon. Instead, 343 radios are typically used only for communications within each element. Every Squad has its own 343 channel, and its members will mostly communicate only on that channel. The same goes for all other elements below Platoon size.

However, the fact that every single soldier in the Platoon has such a radio means that the 343 does have its uses on the Platoon level. Particularly, it allows establishing contact with any unit that has lost its 148/152 radio (see next section) and thus cannot communicate on the Platoon Net.

When contact with a Squad or other unit is lost, the Platoon Leader may ask someone to switch over to that Squad's internal radio channel on 343 and ask if anyone is still alive. Helicopters will usually do this when looking for survivors on the ground who have no long-range radio.

Conversely, someone from a Squad that has lost its long-range radio (typically its new Squad Leader) will switch over to one of the other 343 channels to let people know that this is the case, and to inform Platoon HQ.

There are also other cases where one element will switch over to the 343 radio channel of another element. The prime case is when two elements need to have close and constant coordination with each other, such as two Squads operating in very close proximity and synchronization. This reduces the burden of chatter on the Platoon Net. Weapon Teams will do this often when operating close to a Squad, as will some Vehicle Crews.

It is important to mention again that the 343 is a short-range radio; its effective range is often only a few hundred meters at best, and the distance between Platoon elements can grow well beyond this. Therefore, when an element switches over to the other element's channel, it may be necessary to close the distance in order to communicate properly - otherwise the signal will be too garbled to interpret (static noise). Nonetheless, even static noise on a 343 channel can be enough to signal that someone is trying to communicate.

148/152 Platoon Net
Most of the Platoon-level communications go through the 148/152 long-range radio, over a channel called the "Platoon Net". There is one such channel per each Platoon in the game, and the commanders of each element in the Platoon (Squad Leaders, Vehicle Commanders) all carry 148/152 radios to let them speak and listen on the Platoon's channel. Most players in ShackTac set their 148/152 radio to the left ear.

Most of the communications will consist of orders traveling down from the Platoon Leader to his subordinate commanders, and reports streaming back. The Platoon Leader will frequently ask Squads to report their condition (remaining manpower and ammunition), or to ascertain how much enemy contact a unit is experiencing and from which direction.

Squad Leaders and other subordinate commanders can use this channel to report large-scale threats that could endanger other elements in the Platoon, or the entire Platoon. Furthermore, they can use the 148/152 to coordinate with one another directly - so long as this doesn't cause undue chatter on the Platoon Net.

As explained in the previous sections above, any element that loses its 148/152 radio will have problems making contact with any other element (or with Platoon Command), and must use alternative communication methods to do so if possible. Therefore, when any soldier carrying a 148/152 is killed, one of the main priorities is to retrieve this radio from his body (if possible). If it's not possible, the priority is to find another way to inform Platoon Command that the element has lost its radio.

148/152 Company Net
In Company-level scenarios, the Platoon Leader carries not one but two 148/152 long-range radios. While one is set to the Platoon Net (see above), the other is set to the Company Net, and allows the Platoon Leader to communicate with the Company Commander as well as with other Platoons and any additional assets subordinated to Company HQ.

This channel behaves the same as the Platoon Net (see above), with the other difference being the people communicating on it. On this channel, it's the Company Commander who'll be giving orders and receiving reports, and few if any soldiers below a Platoon Leader on the chain of command will be using this channel at all. Of course, if something happens to a Platoon Leader, his replacement needs to get on the Company Net as soon as possible to inform the Company Commander of the new situation.

Different players may have different preferences regarding which ear to assign to the Company Net radio. Some players keep both the Platoon Net and Company Net in the same (left) ear. Others put the Company Net in the left ear, moving Platoon Net to the right ear. Other combinations may sometimes pop up as well.

148/152 Forward Air Controller
Air assets speak with one another on a separate 148/152 channel called the "Air Net". When they wish to inform the Platoon about threats, or coordinate any action with them, the aircraft won't normally talk directly on the Platoon Net. Instead, they'll use the Air Net to contact the Forward Air Controller, who will then relay any pertinent information to and from the Platoon Leader on the Platoon Net.

The Forward Air Controller (FAC) is a nominal part of the Platoon itself. For functional reasons, he is added as a member of the Platoon HQ element, and can usually be found right next to the Platoon Leader himself. Because of this proximity, the FAC will typically use Voice to confer with the Platoon Leader. Nonetheless, if the aircraft report anything that is of immediate concern to any of the Squads or other Platoon assets, the FAC will report those threats on the Platoon Net so that everyone is kept informed.

Individual aircraft may use Platoon Net occasionally to speak directly to the Platoon Leader or any specific Platoon asset without going through the FAC. To keep radio chatter down, they will only do so when providing/requesting urgent and very specific information. Otherwise, the FAC always acts as a liaison - and a filter - between the aircraft and other assets.

Callsigns and Terminology
There are very few callsigns and terms that are unique to the 148/152 Platoon Net (the primary method of communication at the Platoon level). Most terms are more specific to the different elements within in the Platoon.

Platoon Callsigns

 * The Platoon itself doesn't have a callsign per-se. On the Platoon Net, it will usually be referred to as "the platoon", and everyone listening will know what's being discussed. On Company Net, a Platoon is referred to by its sequence within the Company - e.g. "1st Platoon" or "2nd Platoon" (3 platoons have never been seen in ShackTac to date, but would probably follow the same pattern).


 * On Platoon Net, any call to the Platoon Leader will be preceded by the word "Command" (his short-hand callsign), followed by the name of the element calling for him. For example, "Command, [this is] Alpha". Inversely, when the Platoon Leader addresses any element, he will begin with that element's callsign followed by the word "Command" - e.g. "Alpha, [this is] Command".


 * The same principle applies on Company Net, except the word "Command" refers to the Company Commander

Subordinate Element Callsigns

 * Every single element subordinated to the Platoon has its own callsign. They are typically NATO Alphabet letters, although other unconventional names do appear from time to time, particularly for aircraft.


 * Squad callsigns typically begin at the start of the NATO Alphabet, with "Alpha", "Bravo" and "Charlie" squads in 1st Platoon, proceeding to "Delta", "Echo" and "Foxtrot" in 2nd Platoon. Deviations from this format are not uncommon, with Squad callsigns occasionally veering off all the way to "Kilo" and "Lima".


 * Weapon Teams are named after the weapon they are carrying, but in most communications the abbreviated form will be used - e.g. "MMG" for Medium Machine Gun, "HAT" for Heavy Anti-Tank, and so on. This is regardless of whether the team is foot-mobile or equipped with a vehicle. If two or more units of the same type are present, the callsign is followed by a number, e.g. "MMG One", "MMG Two", and so on.


 * Vehicle Sections are often given a callsign representing the type of vehicle in question: "Sierra" for APCs and other light armored vehicles, "Mike" for IFVs, and "Tango" for Tanks (sometimes "Hammer", in Soviet units). Alternatively, Vehicle Section callsigns may instead start at "Alpha" and "Bravo" (like the Squads), but followed by the word "Victor" or "Vic", denoting "Vehicle". Thus, a Platoon may have a Squad called "Alpha Squad", and a Vehicle Section called "Alpha Vic". This naming scheme typically occurs when "Alpha Vic" (in this example) is intended to work closely with "Alpha Squad".


 * Aircraft always use special callsigns specifically denoting the type of aircraft in question. For example, "Reaper" generally refers to a light attack helicopter (Littlebird), "Phantom" to a medium transport helicopter (Blackhawk), and so on. When multiple aircraft of the same type are present, their callsigns will be followed by a number (e.g. "Reaper One" and "Reaper Two"). That said, since most communication between the Platoon and its air assets goes through the Forward Air Controller, aircraft will often be referred to collectively on Platoon Net as "Air". The Forward Air Controller may also be addressed directly by the callsign "FAC".


 * When speaking with or about any individual members or subordinate units of a Squad or other element, the subject will be referred to by its full callsign. Therefore, the Squad Leader of Alpha Squad will be called "Alpha Squad Lead" or "Alpha SL", to distinguish him from any other Squad Leader in the platoon.

Other Squad-Specific Terminology

 * Below is a list of terms and callsigns used in communications on Platoon Net:

Chain of Command
As of 2017, the majority of ShackTac Cooperative videos feature a Platoon-sized force (with various extra assets), while most Adversarial missions feature one baseline Platoon fighting against one partial Platoon. In both cases, the Platoon Leader is the highest command authority in the game. He is not subordinated to anyone, and can make his own plans and decisions with the ultimate goal of completing all mission objectives and getting as many of his men out alive.

Older Cooperative missions played in ArmA 2 often feature a larger, Company-sized force containing two Platoons, or a mix of Infantry Platoons and other heavy assets. In this case, while the Platoon will likely be operating on its own to complete its own objectives, it receives its orders from the Company Commander. Platoon Leaders still perform the same function overall, but must be aware of the Company Commander's intent, report their situation to him frequently, and sometimes request him to divert assets to assist the Platoon.

Platoon Leaders have a great deal of autonomy regarding how to complete their assigned tasks. They plan movement for each of their subordinate Squads and assets, reorganize their plans on the fly, and decide when to withdraw if necessary. Although a Company Commander (if present) can override any of these at any time, a Platoon Leader often has a much better understanding of the situation on the ground, and thus is much better at reacting quickly to any issues pertaining to his own Platoon.

In Company-level operations, Platoon Leaders must be ready to inherit the Company Commander's role - although they are not first in line to inherit this role (the Company XO, if present, is first in line). Company Commanders tend to stay well back behind the front line, and rarely get killed - but Platoon Leaders need to be ready for this eventuality. The role of Company Commander is not very different from that of a Platoon Leader, but handling both roles together can be quite tasking.

If a Platoon Leader dies, the first to inherit his role is the Platoon Sergeant, if there is one at all. If he is dead, or never existed, the role falls to the Squad Leader of the first Squad in the Platoon (Alpha or Delta) - assuming he is the original leader of that Squad, or at least a veteran player. If that SL dies and there is no veteran player in his Squad who can shoulder the burden of Platoon command, the role typically falls to the SL of the next Squad (Bravo or Echo).

If a Platoon Sergeant is not available (or is dead), the Platoon Leader will also inherit the role of Forward Air Controller in case the FAC has been killed.

Upwards Inheritance
In Company-level operations, the Platoon Leaders are in line to inherit command if the Company Commander is killed. Such situations are rare, because the COY HQ is rarely involved in combat, and does its best to stay out of threatened areas - but it does happen from time to time. The first in line to inherit this position is the Company XO, but if he is killed, the next to inherit would be one of the Platoon Leaders - starting with the leader of 1st Platoon.

Commanding a Company and Platoon simultaneously can be very challenging, but is not fundamentally different from commanding only a single Platoon. The Platoon Leader will simply have to deal with a larger number of assets all at once. If a Platoon Sergeant is present, the Sergeant may delegate some or all of the tasks of Platoon-leadership to his Sergeant, leaving Company-level tasks to himself.

Platoon Leaders and Company Commanders carry pretty much the same equipment, so there is no reason to locate the Company Commander's body nor retrieve any items from it.

Downwards Inheritance
Should a Platoon Leader be killed, his position is immediately inherited by his Platoon Sergeant, if one exists. However, many missions do not feature a player in this position, and it is also likely for a Platoon Leader and Sergeant to be killed together. In both of these situations, one of the Squad Leaders in the Platoon will inherit command of the entire Platoon.

The first in line to inherit this position is the Squad Leader of the first Squad in the Platoon - Alpha in 1st Platoon, Delta in 2nd Platoon. That player now has to command the Platoon while still leading his own Squad - a challenging task. For this reason the leader of Alpha/Delta squad needs to be an experienced player who is capable of handling the strain.

This inheritance rule only applies if the Alpha/Delta Squad Leader is the original SL. If he is already dead, it seems that any further inheritance depends mostly on player experience than any other consideration. Command may fall to the new leader of Alpha/Delta, or to one of the other Squad Leaders in the platoon. Typically, an experienced player will volunteer for the job when he realizes that the situation.

FAC Inheritance
Upon the death of a Forward Air Controller, the Platoon Leader will typically inherit his task of coordinating with Aircraft. Since the FAC is only a liaison between aircraft and the Platoon Leader anyway, and because aircraft are generally very autonomous as it is, this does not cause a serious problem. However it does increase the strain on the Platoon Leader, who now has to pay closer attention to the Air Net and converse with the planes directly. If a Platoon Sergeant is present, he will typically inherit the FAC's position.

Should both the FAC and Platoon Leader be killed, both of their jobs will be inherited by the same Squad Leader, as explained in the previous section. Because of the combined weight of these tasks falling on a single individual who already has a difficult job, this can have a serious impact on the mission.