Infantry

Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot, using Small Arms. The majority of combat soldiers in most armies are Infantry, as are the majority of player roles in the almost any ShackTac mission. Most ShackTac videos are seen from the perspective of Infantrymen.

Infantry are typically equipped with Assault Rifles and Automatic Rifles as their primary weapons, which are suitable for killing enemy infantry and light vehicles. For the most part, they also carry a suite of Hand Grenades, Light Anti-Tank Launchers and/or Grenade Launchers for dealing with clustered infantry and heavier vehicles. Some infantrymen work in teams to operate a heavier weapon, such as a Machine Gun, Heavy Anti-Tank Launchers, or Mortars. Different infantry roles have different names based primarily on the equipment they carry or operate.

Infantry are typically arranged into units, with the basic building block being the 6-man Fireteam. These can be joined together to form a Squad, being the smallest independently-effective unit. Multiple squads form an Infantry Platoon, and multiple platoons form an Infantry Company (the largest infantry-based unit seen in ShackTac videos). Infantry can be combined with Vehicles and/or Tanks under a unified command structure to form a Motorized Infantry force or Mechanized Infantry force, depending on the size and power of those vehicles.

Infantry are used in both offense and defense. They are good at fighting from cover, e.g. a fortified position, group of buildings, or in dense forests. Offensively, they are pretty much required to clear towns and forests, where vehicles are far less effective. Infantry are the slowest of all units, but can use vehicles for fast transportation across distances (assuming vehicles are available). Infantry are also very effective in guarding the flanks of a heavier vehicle against possible enemy infantry attacks.

Most ShackTac missions revolve around an Infantry Platoon or Infantry Company, which contain around 60-100 infantrymen respectively. Missions without any infantry (e.g. an Armor Battalion mission) still contain a few infantrymen, mostly command personnel and/or Logistics.

Equipment
One of the reasons that Infantry are so versatile is that they carry a wide variety of weapons. A single infantryman might be carrying upwards of 3 or 4 different weapons, each suitable for a different target or a different situation. A whole Squad of infantry carries a range of weaponry (distributed between its individual members), and an Infantry Platoon typically has weapons to tackle almost any threat that comes its way.

The primary weapon of an infantryman is an Assault Rifle or Automatic Rifle. These are medium/close-range weapons for use against enemy infantry and light vehicles. Infantrymen carry plenty of ammunition for these weapons at the start of a mission, and may occasionally be able to acquire more.

Infantrymen may also be carrying Hand Grenades for short-range use against clusters of enemy infantry, infantry in cover, or light enemy vehicles. Infantry in leadership roles typically also carry a Grenade Launcher (often mounted on their Assault Rifle) for launching explosive grenades and/or Smoke Grenades over longer distances.

Some Infantrymen carry Light Anti-Tank Launchers for use against armored vehicles. These can also be used against enemy infantry (especially those hiding in buildings) in an emergency. Additional LAT launchers can sometimes be acquired from dead enemies.

Additional equipment may include medical gear, Binoculars, Wire Cutters, Shaped Charges, and Night Vision Goggles, depending on the specifics of the mission. Unless a low-tech mission is being played, each infantryman is also equipped with a map and compass.

Infantrymen typically carry a 343 short-range radio to communicate with other members of their immediate unit (usu. the Squad). Infantry in leadership positions also carry a 148/152 long-range radio for communicating with other infantry units and the rest of the chain of command.

Finally, some Infantry units are charged with operating a single heavy weapon, such as a Machine Gun, a heavier Anti-Tank Launcher, or even a Mortar. They may need to carry the weapon in pieces to be assembled when getting ready to fire.

Infantry Units
A single infantryman is not considered an effective fighting force. He is extremely vulnerable on his own, and even the best players in ShackTac will rarely be able to survive for long when separated from other infantrymen. Infantry are therefore grouped together into infantry units, operating together in teams to cover each other's backs and bring multiple weapons to bear on any target.

Fireteam
The smallest building block of conventional infantry units is the Fireteam. This is a 6-man unit equipped with several Assault Rifles, Automatic Rifles, and a variety of other equipment. With six men, this unit can effectively engage enemy groups or vehicles, but it is still too small to be considered independently effective.

Each Fireteam contains one or more Color Teams, but these are not considered separate units nor do they behave as such. They are simply an easy way for a Fireteam Leader to send some of his men to do one specific task when required, with just a single word. Members of a Color Team also keep a closer eye on one another than they do on the other members of the Fireteam.

Squad
The smallest unit that is independently effective is the Squad, containing two Fireteams. The Squad has much more flexibility and twice as much firepower than a single Fireteam, and is therefore much more formidable in contact with larger enemy groups. A Squad also has a dedicated Squad Leader to coordinate its actions, as well as a dedicated Medic to treat injured members. In extreme situations, a Squad may be able to accomplish objectives on its own (if enemy opposition is not too great), and is often capable of organizing its own escape if such an order is given.

Infantry Platoon
Two or three Squads together make up an Infantry Platoon, which is the most common independent fighting force in ShackTac videos (esp. in ArmA 3 videos). The Infantry Platoon has a dedicated Platoon Commander whose only job is to coordinate the movement and actions of the platoon, and sometimes even a dedicated Forward Air Controller for coordinating with air support. An Infantry Platoon is quite capable of completing objectives or holding a position for long periods of time. It typically has enough firepower to tackle any threat.

Infantry Company
Finally, when the mission design requires it, two Infantry Platoons are fielded under a unified command as an Infantry Company. This massive force, containing upwards of 100 infantrymen in total, can work to accomplish multiple objectives across the map, or concentrate on completing one objective against massive enemy forces.

Motorized and Mechanized Infantry
Infantry do all of their fighting on foot, but that also makes them the slowest of all combat forces. Furthermore, they rarely have access to heavier weapons capable of dealing with powerful enemy vehicles and armor. In order to mitigate these problems, Infantry may occasionally be supported by a variety of vehicles.

Motorized Infantry
Infantry supplied with fast Trucks or other light transport vehicles is called Motorized Infantry. Typically, the infantry themselves will need to crew these vehicles whenever they're ready to move to another location. Nevertheless, Infantry (including the drivers) will typically dismount and fight on foot whenever they are not in transport.

Most Motorized Infantry vehicles are completely or very lightly unarmored, and will not be able to stand up to enemy armor. Some of these vehicles may be equipped with heavy infantry support weapons, such as mounted Machine Guns or Heavy Anti-Tank Launchers. Armed vehicles are more likely to be permanently-crewed by members of the infantry units, but those crewmen retain the option of dismounting and fighting on foot alongside their team-mates whenever necessary.

In a Motorized Infantry unit, each vehicle typically "belongs" to a specific unit, which will use that vehicle throughout the mission (assuming it survives). If a unit is wiped out, another unit may take over its vehicles. If a vehicle is lost, its unit may need to find some other solution for transportation.

Mechanized Infantry
More commonly, infantry will be supported by heavier armored transport/support vehicles, including APCs and IFVs. Such vehicles carry heavier weapons than the infantry has access to, and are sufficiently well-armored to ignore enemy Small Arms fire altogether.

Mechanized Infantry will typically use its vehicles for transportation at the start and/or end of the mission, but rarely during the mission itself (unless great distances need to be covered). The infantry will fight on foot, while the vehicles provide fire-support against stronger enemy groups and vehicles. APCs are typically quite powerful against enemy infantry and light vehicles, while IFVs are capable of fending off any treat (including enemy tanks) if used properly.

In a Mechanized Infantry setup, vehicles are permanently crewed and do not require men from the Infantry force itself. They are also largely independent from the infantry's command structure, and may even be part of their own group under the command of a "lead" vehicle commander. They may however communicate and coordinate directly with any specific infantry unit they are tasked with supporting or transporting.