Additional Tips to Be a Better Fireteam Leader in Squad

A Fireteam Leader is more than just a player with markers.

Good Fireteam Leaders help organize smaller parts of the squad, control local fights, maintain communication discipline, and support the Squad Leader during chaotic situations.

Good fireteams:

• move together,
• cover different sectors,
• communicate clearly,
• and react faster under pressure.

Sometimes one reliable Fireteam Leader can completely change how effective a squad becomes.

The most important job of a Fireteam Leader is keeping his fireteam organized.

A fireteam should move and fight like a small unit, not random players running in different directions.

Control:

• movement,
• spacing,
• sectors,
• positioning,
• and local coordination.

Good movement keeps your fireteam alive.

Use terrain and cover whenever possible instead of moving like a big group in open areas.

Examples:

• “Advance with cover.”
• “Pull back with cover.”
• “Cross one by one.”
• “Hold sectors.”
• “Move left side.”

Real military fireteams use fire and movement tactics where one element moves while another covers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireteam

When pulling back:

• one part moves,
• others cover,
• then they switch again.

The same works during attacks.

Good suppression is controlled, not panic spraying. Short bursts and controlled shots are usually enough to keep enemies under pressure while teammates move.

Formations
Column Formation

Best for:

• forests,
• roads,
• low visibility,
• and fast movement.

Front player watches front. Rear player watches rear. Others watch sides.

Maintain visual contact and spacing between teammates. Real military formations constantly adjust spacing depending on terrain and enemy contact probability.
https://www.uakron.edu/armyrotc/MS1/9.pdf

Line Formation

Best for:

• attacks,
• open terrain,
• and clearing sectors.

Spread wider and cover more sectors instead of stacking together.

Spacing

Good spacing is very important.

Do not stand too close together, especially in open terrain.

Spacing helps reduce:

• grenade kills,
• artillery damage,
• machine gun suppression,
• and confusion during fights.

In forests or heavy bushes spacing can be smaller to maintain visual contact. In open terrain spacing should usually be larger.

Stay spread out, but still close enough to support each other.

Sectors

Every fireteam member should watch different directions whenever possible.

Examples:

• “Watch north.”
• “Cover left side.”
• “Watch the road.”
• “Hold this angle.”

A lot of squads die because everybody watches the same direction.

Positioning

Good positioning depends on:

• terrain,
• enemy direction,
• objective,
• and available kits.

Machine gunners need visibility and cover. Anti-tank players should avoid unnecessary front line exposure. Medics should stay protected instead of pushing first.

Good Fireteam Leaders constantly adjust positioning during fights.

A lot of Fireteam Leaders underuse their markers.

Use:

• Attack markers,
• Observe markers,
• Defend markers,
• Move markers,
• enemy infantry markers,
• vehicle markers,
• and possible HAB locations actively.

Sometimes a simple Observe marker tells your squad more than 20 seconds of talking.

Good markers help the Squad Leader, nearby squads, armor, and your own fireteam react faster.

Do not spam random markers everywhere, but also do not stay silent when you see important enemy movement.

Fast accurate information wins fights.

Fireteams work best when they have a purpose, not random colors.

Good Squad Leaders usually divide squads into smaller specialized elements based on:

• kits,
• objective,
• terrain,
• and enemy threats.

Real military fireteams are often built around fire support, maneuver, anti-armor, or assault roles.

Anti-Tank Fireteam

Usually:

• LAT/HAT
• Rifleman
• Medic

Purpose:

• destroy armor,
• control roads,
• protect infantry from vehicles,
• and support pushes against enemy armor.

The rifleman is very important because ammo keeps the AT alive longer.

Support Fireteam

Usually:

• Machine Gunner
• Grenadier
• Rifleman
• Medic

Purpose:

• suppression,
• overwatch,
• smoke support,
• covering fire,
• and helping assaults from distance.

Support fireteams help control enemy movement and create pressure during attacks.

Assault Fireteam

Usually:

• Riflemen
• Grenadier
• Automatic Rifleman
• Medic

Purpose:

• pushing compounds,
• close range fighting,
• clearing buildings,
• and aggressive movement.

Best used during urban fights and fast objective pushes.

Recon / Observation Fireteam

Usually:

• Scoped Riflemen
• Marksman
• Medic
• LAT sometimes

Purpose:

• spotting enemy movement,
• identifying HABs,
• watching flanks,
• and providing battlefield information.

Recon fireteams should not become lone wolf sniper groups.

Information is their main job.

Defense Fireteam

Usually:

• Machine Gunner
• LAT
• Rifleman
• Medic

Purpose:

• holding sectors,
• watching roads,
• stopping flanks,
• and delaying enemy pushes.

Very effective on defensive objectives and strong terrain positions.

Vehicle Hunter Fireteam

Usually:

• HAT/LAT
• Rifleman
• Scoped Rifleman
• Medic

Purpose:

• ambush vehicles,
• relocate quickly,
• control vehicle routes,
• and pressure enemy armor away from infantry.

Works best in forests, hills, and terrain with good cover.

Fire Support Fireteam

Usually:

• Machine Gunner
• Marksman
• Grenadier
• Rifleman

Purpose:

• long range support,
• suppression,
• overwatch,
• and helping maneuver elements move safely.

This fireteam focuses more on supporting movement than direct pushing.

Good fireteams should support each other instead of everybody doing random things.

Smaller organized elements are much easier to control than 9 players moving everywhere.

Good communication discipline is one of the most important parts of a strong fireteam.

Use LOCAL voice as much as possible.

Local voice should be used almost all the time for:

• movement,
• local fighting,
• sectors,
• positioning,
• revives,
• and coordination inside your fireteam.

Good local communication keeps squad radio clean.

Squad radio should mainly be used by:

• Squad Leaders,
• Fireteam Leaders,
• and for important battlefield information.

Use squad radio for:

• enemy armor,
• HAB locations,
• flank warnings,
• important enemy movement,
• requests from SL,
• or when local communication is no longer possible.

Good Fireteam Leaders know when to switch from local communication to radio communication.

Military Style Callouts

Good callouts should quickly explain:

• WHAT
• WHERE
• DISTANCE
• DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT

Examples:

| “3 enemy INF spotted, bearing 154, 200 meters, moving south, how copy?”

| “Enemy BTR north road moving west toward objective, how copy?”

| “Enemy infantry east tree line pushing north.”

| “Possible HAB observe marker, infantry active around it.”

After confirmation:

| “Copy.”

the Fireteam Leader or Squad Leader gives the next order.

Examples:

• “Hold fire.”
• “Prepare ambush.”
• “Move with cover.”
• “Observe only.”
• “Bravo watch left flank.”
• “Pull back to next cover.”

Good communication creates faster reactions and less confusion during combat.

Break Break

“Break break” should only be used for urgent information.

Examples:

• enemy armor suddenly appearing,
• large flank,
• HAB discovered,
• squad wipe danger,
• or major enemy push.

Example:

“Break break, enemy BMP north road moving toward objective.”

Do not spam “break break” for small things.

Radio Discipline

Avoid:

• screaming,
• arguing,
• panic talking,
• talking over others,
• or useless information during combat.

Sometimes one good callout is more valuable than 30 seconds of nonstop talking.

Professional communication keeps squads organized and effective during chaotic fights.

A Fireteam Leader should not be somewhere alone 400 meters away doing nothing useful.

Stay close enough to:

• support the squad,
• help local fights,
• watch enemy movement,
• and react quickly when situations change.

A lost Fireteam Leader is useless.

You should always understand what is happening around your squad.

A lot of squads die because nobody watches side approaches.

Pay attention to:

• forests,
• roads,
• rooftops,
• hills,
• tree lines,
• and hidden movement routes.

Sometimes spotting enemies early is more important than getting kills.

Good awareness keeps squads alive longer.

People naturally follow calm players.

If you panic, complain, or rage during difficult moments, players lose focus very fast.

Even during heavy combat:

• stay calm,
• communicate clearly,
• and help players regroup.

A calm Fireteam Leader helps stabilize the squad when fights become messy.

You do not need to wait for every small order.

Good Fireteam Leaders:

• react quickly,
• identify threats,
• solve local problems,
• and support the squad without creating confusion.

But always support the overall squad plan.

A Fireteam Leader should help the Squad Leader, not compete with him.

Teamwork matters more than ego.

Medics and anti-tank players are extremely valuable.

Help keep them alive:

• provide security,
• help them reposition,
• warn them about threats,
• and avoid unnecessary risks.

A dead medic or anti-tank player at the wrong moment can completely stop a push.

Protecting important kits is part of being a good Fireteam Leader.

Fireteam Leaders can greatly help the Squad Leader by organizing defenses and fortifications around FOBs and objectives.

Build with purpose, not randomly.

Good building placement helps:

• cover important approaches,
• improve survivability,
• support infantry movement,
• and slow enemy attacks.
Fortifications

Use:

• sandbags,
• HESCO,
• bunkers,
• walls,
• ladders,
• and razor wire carefully.

Good fortifications create:

• better cover,
• stronger defensive sectors,
• safer movement,
• and better firing angles.

Bad fortifications can:

• block teammates,
• reduce visibility,
• trap vehicles,
• or create problems for your own squad.

Defensive Thinking
Before building, think about:

• enemy approach routes,
• line of sight,
• retreat paths,
• friendly movement,
• and defensive sectors.

Do not waste build points on useless structures.

Good Fireteam Leaders help create organized and effective defensive positions.

Fireteam Leader is one of the best ways to become a better future Squad Leader.

Watch experienced Squad Leaders:

• how they communicate,
• how they move squads,
• how they place rallies,
• and how they react under pressure.

A lot of leadership experience starts as Fireteam Leader.

A Fireteam Leader is more than just a player with markers.

Good Fireteam Leaders:

• improve squad organization,
• support the Squad Leader,
• maintain communication discipline,
• control smaller sections,
• and help squads stay effective during chaotic fights.

Sometimes the difference between a weak squad and a strong squad is one reliable Fireteam Leader.