Any tips for FTL?

[system]

So recently I realised that I miss you guys because of the hiatus so I watched some of my videos and realised one thing. I kinda suck as FTL(and I really like to play as one). I can justify it with the fact that usually when we play I’m very tired after my day and when I get the FTL role it happens that I’m even more tired on those days. BUT I’ve noticed that my communication with team sometimes sucks. Sometimes we move well, sometimes we split and get 2 nice positions with 2 buddy teams but sometimes I just say "go there" and start running. So… I see a big problem in this.

So what I want to achieve here is to get some FTL veterans to leave some tips on how to be a good FTL so everyone, including me, that wants to play that role will do his job well.

Sometimes I want to be someone more important than trigger-happy rifleman but since I know that I kinda suck at it… Well, I’ll just let someone else be FTL until the point when noone wants to be one.

[Goat]

First of all: the AAR should be in command of the second buddy team of a fire team. It should be fine to say "Red do this, blue do that." Check with your AAR that they are happy doing that. AAR is a good role to learn some basic commanding with.
Short and to the point comms: don’t ramble, but do give a brief explantion. I.E. "FT on me, we’re moving to the ridge to the NE to provide overwatch for A1." If your FT knows why they are doing something it can mean they can better place themselves for the task, and prepare before arriving. Bear in mind your FT should be listening to the radio, too, so you shouldn’t have to go into too much detail. You should be specific, though, name a team-mate to do something, and specify the task. General commands lead to no-one doing anything.
Keep track with regular ACE reports: It’s up to SLs and CCom to arrange resupply, but they need to know when you need it. Also: being low on ammo suggests having been heavily engaged, so SLs can rotate FTs into the action. Gives a fair distribution of fun and a chance for players to rest.
Use your initiative: if SL gives an order but you can’t fulfil it for any reason call it in, and adjust on the fly. Bad cover at an OW location is a prime example: you might be able to move somewhere else or the position may simply not be viable. SL needs to know, and you need to let them know about adjustments. Likewise if you know the spirit of the orders then you will be better able to adjust to them (if you are side by side with another FT then that flank should be secure), and keep track of the FT locations (right-ctrl+m gives you GPS. Use it.) so you know when you can’t fulfil orders and hopefully prevent friendly fire.
Be decisive: come up with a plan and stick to it as best you can, but if the situation changes don’t hesitate to change it. The most common mistake is staying put while taking casualties: we all have a bad habit of not retreating until it’s too late to move and getting slaughtered when we do. And on that note: have at least one, preferably two, evac route in mind. It’s your job to be aware of the terrain and likely avenues of approach.
Be ready to step up: if the SL goes down it may fall to you to take command of the squad (in which case your AAR should step up to take on the FT). Know who is in the same role as you and the ones above you, just in case (and if you can help it don’t leave the squad net radio behind).
Use the noob tube: your underslung grenades are a powerful tool. Not just explosive grenades, but the smoke is good too: use it to mark enemy locations (particularly useful for CAS and other support to use as a point of reference), provide cover across open areas, or make a defensive position unviable.
Don’t be afraid to call for help: we often use powerful support teams. MAT, IFVs, HAVs, CAS aircraft. It is up to SL or CCom to direct them but the requests cone from you. Having trouble with an MG nest? Get the armour to blast it to bits. Enemy HAV? Call for MAT. Our use of support weapons often leaves something to be desired and in part it stems from them being too often left to their own devices. Armour can accurately engage targets at 1km or more so they should be in good OW positions ready to back you up. A 120mm HE shell will deal with most infantry and LAVs so don’t be afraid to ask for it.

I’m sure there’s more, but don’t be disheartened. Much of it is learned through experience and persistance. We all have good and bad days, and I try not to lead when I know it’s a bad one.The FTL role is, for me, the biggest jump in responsibility. SL and CCom may be commanding more or less units but they shouldn’t be regularly and actively engaging in combat, and you’ve already gained useful leading experience from being an FTL!

[Chypsa]

To my knowledge, the FTL really isn’t supposed to be doing a lot except saying "move there" and then moving the right way. So, OK…you should know how to read a map relatively fast. The fireteam should be a unit and not split up. You listen to your SL and he tells you what to do. That’s it.

Getting too creative as an FTL can be a problem because you may get the itch to go and do something you weren’t told to do or get frustrated because you see something your SL does not, so you start doing things on your own. That’s not good. You may end up dead doing what the SL tells you, but your SL is supposed to know what he’s doing and if you all die for his errors, it’s on him.

That said, there may be situations when you’re under fire and you have to think fast and that’s your chance to shine. Your guys will listen to your lead, but you gotta have the attitude that you know what you’re doing. It doesn’t matter if you don’t. Just tell them what to do.

Some general things to consider (and this is something I’ve noticed people tend to skip a lot) is that movement is good. If an enemy is already firing upon you and you’re not sure where they are, that means they DO have advantage. Now, you may sit there and try to pot-shot them or negate their advantage, but someone is likely to get hurt or dead. Rather than be static, my suggestion is to remember the basics - use Peeling and suppressive fire for your buddy teams and use smoke to cover your movement. Do both of those things fast. Your instinct should not be to stand and fight because that’s what you have multiple teams for and they should be covering each other. While you move to a positive location, which may just be 5 meters further behind a slope, your other fireteams should clock in on the enemy location and open fire. That’s when you come back in and start laying them down too.

Even if there is no secondary team, this still gives you the chance to regroup, reload and flank.

That’s how I wish we were playing. Sadly, I can’t make ops on time, so I mostly play a trigger happy rifleman

EDIT: Not to extend replies too far wide and as a response to Goat.

Good call on the supply and positioning bit. If your team has been up for a long time, check if they’re solid on supplies and always be aware of other FT positions.

What i disagree with is the SL responsibility. Personally, I find leading a team is simple, but leading two or three, tracking their movement, terrain, enemy position, comms…and actually achieving your goal…that’s a heavy burden.

[Tropical]

[quote user_id=“1583435” avatar=“https://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/1583435/avatar/medium.1400027212.png” name=“Goat”]First of all: the AAR should be in command of the second buddy team of a fire team. It should be fine to say "Red do this, blue do that." Check with your AAR that they are happy doing that. AAR is a good role to learn some basic commanding with.

Be decisive: come up with a plan and stick to it as best you can, but if the situation changes don’t hesitate to change it. [/quote]

Well the buddy team split is kinda self explanatory. Since AR and AAR are the best together AT is left with FTL. Isn’t that in our basic test to become reservist?

The plan… I get what you mean but it’s always fun to waste 30+ minutes of every mission, planning everything so it just gets as perfect as it could just so the plan can go to hell There’s almost always only basic idea of whole plan left

And thanks for the GPS tip! I remember that few times in DayZ I was elite enough to own a GPS and I was so sure it was whatever-ctrl + m and it just didn’t get to me that it’s arma and it could be just the other ctrl…

[quote user_id=“13688759” avatar=“https://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/13688759/avatar/medium.1433274021.jpeg” name=“Chypsa”]To my knowledge, the FTL really isn’t supposed to be doing a lot except saying "move there" and then moving the right way. So, OK…you should know how to read a map relatively fast. The fireteam should be a unit and not split up. You listen to your SL and he tells you what to do. That’s it.

Getting too creative as an FTL can be a problem because you may get the itch to go and do something you weren’t told to do or get frustrated because you see something your SL does not, so you start doing things on your own. That’s not good. You may end up dead doing what the SL tells you, but your SL is supposed to know what he’s doing and if you all die for his errors, it’s on him.

Some general things to consider (and this is something I’ve noticed people tend to skip a lot) is that movement is good.[/quote]

Well I disagree with 2 of those things. Yes the FTL is just another monkey under SL but he’s nor blindly following what he says. There’s a room for FTL’s decisions and from my experience - a good FTL with good ideas make FT twice as good. Besides you could say that about any role… "AT is just a trigger-happy rifleman with rocket", "AR is… just trigger-happy and happens to have a big gun" etc. Well… FTL is trigger-happy monkey that calls the shots on a small scale(since basic idea of anything comes from SL anyways)

And while being too creative as FTL is bad, you gotta be a little bit creative. IMO it’s very cheap to blame SL for your death. Sometimes plan simply fails and… If you really want to argue then yea… it’s SL’s fault but when you see a flaw in planning you better speak before anything bad happens.

Aaand yes… I tend to stay in one place for too long Although it comes from my idea that(if defending position) we run away in that small time room between bad and horrible. It’s just very effective in my opinion. Just have to keep track of that time room 'cus if you run too late… you’re fucked. But sometimes(when not defending) I just think it’s dangerous or not worth it and most of the time I think it’s the right call but I will admit that moving around is good. You never know when mortars are gonna hit you.

Overall thanks for the tips guys.

[Freghar]

CNTO’s idea of a FTL is closer to what a SL would "normally" do - marking targets on map, planning movement, etc. This is AFAIK mostly shacktac-inspired, although they keep the SL generally closer to the fireteams (but they always have multiple squads to work with).

If you’re used to (from other communities) FTL not having much responsibility, think of the CNTO structure as "one level down" - SL does what a platoon lead would do, FTL does what a SL would do and AAR does what a FTL would do.

There have been some ideas to alter that in the past, but it basically boils down to "people are used to X and it is known to work" and "we don’t have enough people to do Y", both of which are kinda true.

[Dachi]

I think the responses so far have been good so thanks guys for sharing your experiences with us all.

For me we use Fire Teams differently than they really should be and therefore the FTL job can sometimes turn in to a defacto SL job as Freghar has explained above, if you ask me if I think this is right or a good thing then I would say no but it is the way we have been playing for a while and therefore has become the norm which is also in part due to our structure but I digress here are my FTL Tips:

[indent][list]
[*] Communication.
You as a leader are responsible for your team to the SL, so information from you is key to enable the SL to better plan and ultimately lead the squad. Your SL should be giving orders to you as a Fire Team over the radio so all can hear instead of Chinese whisper effect you will get by only talking to the FTL but it is the FTL’s job to execute those orders. Like Chypsa has said being an FTL should be simple just follow orders but we all know that normally isn’t the case with us. Just be confident on the net and have the confidence to pass on useful information to the SL don’t sit on information one of your guys has given you about a spotted MAV because you are not happy with speaking over the net or think the information isn’t relevant.

Anyway comms is a massive subject to cover and I won’t give examples of millions of scenarios but just remember what we always say COMMS are so important to the success of a mission don’t be afraid to talk over the net if your starting out as a new FTL you may waffle a bit at first over squad net but after experience you will learn how to think about what you are going to say before you send it which prevents a lot of waffle and this will be where you gain that experience to then step up to SL and have 2 nets to manage.
b[/b] Accuracy Brevity Clarity also see our guide it has been recently updated and is a great read for aspiring leaders.

[*] Leadership.
You are responsible for your Fire Team you are leading this element so your SL does not have to micro manage everybody he has delegated that task to you his FTL’s. This means like others have already said it is up to you to give in Fire Team reports to the SL and always be thinking about how much ammo do we have left, have we got AT left, have we taken any casualties or do we have wounded and have we spotted the enemy/engaging the enemy these are all things you will need to think about and let you SL know about even before he has to ask for them stay on top of you Fire Teams admin

Leadership also encompasses looking after your guys and your squad as a whole by ensuring you are covering flanks not getting tunnel vision ensuring your Fire Team is in the correct formation that they are following the ROE for the OP etc and you have a responsibility to the SL to ensure you team maintains discipline. FTL is a great place to learn the trade of combat leadership but can be a big jump from rifleman or AAR, your leadership style and professionalism will shape the experience of all during our missions as you are the ones with direct contact to the grunts so play as such, do things as they should be done don’t let standards slip no matter what is going on around you and you will raise those around you to your level.
[/list][/indent]

This subject is huge so I have tried to keep it short and sweet, I will be starting Training’s again in Feb directly looking at leadership roles hopefully time permitting it will be in the form of the Leadership program I devised a long time ago.

Regards,
Dachi

[Tropical]

Well thanks Dachi. I’ve played FTL for like 5 times so… I’m not preparing for my first time or something but I just notice it by myself that I just lack some skills so I wanted to gain them since being FTL seems like fun. I’d really like to turn up on your training provided that I won’t just pass out in front of computer when playing. When we were doing the comms training I was so freaking tired that I just couldn’t get my brain to work. I quit, went to some no brainer a.k.a CS:GO(well… you gotta think but most of the game is instinct and reactions… this game is played by memory tbh) and then just died in my bed… So hopefully you’ll choose a nice date for this training

[Chypsa]

[user avatar=“https://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/16434735/avatar/small.1655480570.png” name=“Tropical”]16434735[/user] I guess I may have spoken too bluntly.

So, it’s not about throwing blame around, it’s just the way it is. The SL truly is responsible for his teams. You inform him of the situation, he makes the call, you tell your guys to do it. Lead by example, tell your guys what to do and don’t split the team, unless you’re peeling or entering buildings/walls. You’re also responsible of controlling and listening to your guys if they have suggestions or see something you don’t. Bring it up the chain, and again, do what the SL tells you.

I’m really sorry if I came across as caring only about who to blame.

Dachi really nailed it anyway, so all is well

[Tropical]

Nah it didn’t sound like that but still… There’s noone to blame really unless what SL commanded you was silly or just not good enough. It’s like you’d blame FTL that his AR died for example. Bullets fly, bullets kill and if it’s not a strategic failure I wouldn’t blame anyone

[xerses]

I think the point is that it’s the SL’s job to plan what his FTs do, and the FTL’s job to inform the SL how the plan is going and if anything needs to change. Bear in mind that the SL’s plans are mostly based on his interpretation of the map, so for example if you get to an OW point and find your view/cover could be better, let him know and ideally suggest somewhere better, since you have a better understanding of the terrain.

[Highway]

My only advice to you is - lead by example.

To help clearing the other topic (responsibility of FTL) - a chapter about FTL from FM 3-21-8 The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad (where Dsylexcy copied his manual from).

TEAM LEADER

1-77. The team leader leads his team members by personal example. He has authority over his subordinates and overall responsibility for their actions. Centralized authority enables the TL to maintain troop discipline and unity and to act decisively. Under the fluid conditions of close combat, the team leader must accomplish assigned missions using initiative without needing constant guidance from above.

1-78. The team leader’s position on the battlefield requires immediacy and accuracy in all of his actions. He is a fighting leader who leads his team by example. The team leader is responsible for all his team does or fails to do. He is responsible for the care of his team’s men, weapons, and equipment. During operations, the team leader —

• Is the SME on all of the team’s weapons and duty positions and all squad battle drills.
• Leads his team in fire and movement.
• Controls the movement of his team and its rate and distribution of fire.
• Employs digital C2 systems available to the squad and platoon.
• Ensures security of his team’s sector.
• Assists the squad leader as required.
• Is prepared to assume the duties of the squad leader and platoon sergeant.
• Enforces field discipline and PMM.
• Determines his team’s combat load and manages its available classes of supply as required.
• Understands the mission two levels up (squad and platoon).

1-79. When maneuvering the team, the team fights using one of three techniques:

(1) Individual movement techniques (IMT, the lowest level of movement).
(2) Buddy team fire and movement.
(3) Fire team fire and movement (maneuver).

1-80. Determining a suitable technique is based on the effectiveness of the enemy’s fire and available cover and concealment. The more effective the enemy’s fire, the lower the level of movement. Because the team leader leads his team, he is able to make this assessment firsthand. Other leaders must be sensitive to the team leader’s decision on movement.

[Highway]

SQUAD LEADER

1-83. The squad leader (SL) directs his team leaders and leads by personal example. The SL has authority over his subordinates and overall responsibility for those subordinates’ actions. Centralized authority enables the SL to act decisively while maintaining troop discipline and unity. Under the fluid conditions of close combat, even in the course of carefully-planned actions, the SL must accomplish assigned missions on his own initiative without constant guidance from above.

Basically, bottom line, SL moves fireteams, not individuals. FTL is responsible for micromanagement.

[Teddy]

One thing that I like to see is fire teams communicating. A squad leader should not be coordinating everything between the fire teams. An SL may give and order like "Move through the town along the main road covering each other as you go."

The FTLs should then work out logical places to bound past each other and send messages like "The road dips there, if you go any further we cannot see you so stop there." After all you cannot cover someone very well if you cannot see them and the places they might be attacked from.

As was already said FTLs act like mini squad leaders with our current setup and squad leaders get to spend half their time running the entire operation so anything you can do that helps the SL is appreciated. I think independence is good just so long as you are not trying to take a whole island with four guys.

[system]

I think its very important to inform, and be informed by your fire team members and your squad leaders, You should care for your fireteam, check their ammo and status, get them things they need, listen to them, and take intiative to stop them getting killed. Be attentive on the coms, and have a clear picture of the situation. You should give clear and straightforward, easy to pick up, by-example leadership for your rookie. Your fireteam members are kind of like an extension of yourself, watching their individual sectors. Your job is to take point (unless you want to make AR do it like I do sometimes because i’m a humongous pussy I trust my AR and need the firepower)

A fireteam leader is only as good as their fireteam members, and a squad leader is only as good as their fireteams. Its important we are all on the same page.

PS your firepower buddy team (AR and AAR) should usually be positioned so they’re on the flank in a squad line.