Fox Gaden
Immortal Guides
2464
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Posted - 2014.02.11 18:44:00 -
[1] - Quote
Communication
Sharing information and intentions is key to working effectively as a squad or as a team. While there is certainly some advantage for a bunch of green dots sticking together over lone wolfing, without communication the squad is just a green amebic mass with no clear sense of direction or purpose. Granted, a group of experienced players may all individually know what needs to be done, causing the squad to move together and work toward the same goal, but this can break down quickly if there is more than one logical path to take.
At the very minimum the squad leader should have a mic and the rest of the squad should have voice active so they can hear the squad leaderGÇÖs directions. This allows the squad to know where they are going and coordinate their actions.
Ideally everyone in the squad will have a mic. While the squad leader makes the command decisions on where the squad is going, and what they are trying to achieve, it is each squad memberGÇÖs responsibility to keep the squad leader informed of the tactical situation, and to provide information to help the squad coordinate.
- Call out enemy movements, sniper positions, and vehicle sightings.
- Warn squad mates if they are being flanked.
- Announce what you are doing if relevant. (eg. GÇ£I am flanking left.GÇ¥)
- Acknowledge orders.
- Remind the Squad Leader to put up a defend order, if no Squad commands are up. (Easy to forget.)
- Let the Squad Leader know if you notice that your squad has earned an orbital strike. (Easy to miss.)
- Discussion of tactical objectives, if the squad leader is open to suggestions. But remember who is in command.
When referring to Skirmish Objectives the military terms for the letters should be used because B, C, D, and E sound very similar and can be confused over coms.
A = Alpha
B = Bravo
C = Charley
D = Delta
E = Echo
Direction, Distance, and Position
Calling locations is both one of the most important, and one of the most challenging aspects of communication.
Direction:
On the spawn map, North is up. On the ground the little GÇ£NGÇ¥ that orbits your radar screen tells you which way is North. So, if the GÇ£NGÇ¥ is in the 3 oGÇÖclock position you are facing West.
Direction can also be given as a relation to other landmarks. I can say that I was sniped at Charley and the shot came from the Alpha direction. Lining those two objectives up gives an approximate vector.
GÇ£Out fromGÇ¥ or GÇ£BehindGÇ¥ usually means on the side closest to the edge of the map.
Analog clock positions can be used to give a direction based on the position and orientation of the person you are talking to or the object you are talking about. 12 oGÇÖclock (in front), 3 oGÇÖclock (to the right), 6 oGÇÖclock (behind), and 9 oGÇÖclock (to the left). The term GÇ£on your 6" is short form for GÇ£on your 6 oGÇÖclockGÇ¥.
Distance:
It can be very tricky to figure out distance in DUST. Here are a few things you should know:
- The edge of your radar screen is approximately 100m out from your location.
- The text that comes up just left of centre at the bottom of your screen when you are aiming at something with a health bar shows the distance to that object.
- The grids on the map images posted on the forums do not correspond to a set distance. Different maps have different grid sizes.
- Knowing the optimal and effective range of your weapon will help you get a feel for judging distance in DUST. For instance an SMG does optimal damage out to around 10m while it is not really effective beyond 30m. Optimal and Effective ranges for the Assault Rifle are 40m & 65m.
Position:
The most effective way of identifying position in DUST is to use landmarks. If you are trying to identify a position which is not close to a landmark you may have to use a direction and distance in relation to the nearest landmark.
The most common landmarks are the Skirmish Objectives. If you are not in a Skirmish then it is common to refer to where the Objectives would be in a Skirmish match. GÇ£Their MCCGÇ¥ and GÇ£Our MCCGÇ¥ are also consistent landmarks in Skirmish.
Other landmarks include what is seen in the landscape such as GÇ£that tall towerGÇ¥, GÇ£that hill to the NorthGÇ¥, or GÇ£the saddle in the ridge lineGÇ¥.
There are some buildings and land forms that are distinct enough to act as reliable and unique references such as GÇ£the MushroomGÇ¥ in the Communications Complex, GÇ£the MazeGÇ¥ and GÇ£the Car PortGÇ¥ in the Biomass Outpost, or the GÇ£PipesGÇ¥ in Ashland. If you play with the same people all the time you can name a lot of landmarks, but when playing with new people it is best to keep it obvious.
Here are a few examples of how to communication position:
- GÇ£3 Reds at AlphaGÇ¥ or GÇ£3 Reds where Alpha would beGÇ¥
- GÇ£Lets take the CRU behind AlphaGÇ¥
- GÇ£The tank is on the road between Charley and Delta.GÇ¥
- GÇ£Sniper on the North ridge in the saddle.GÇ¥
- GÇ£2 Reds incoming from CharleyGÇ¥
Fox Gaden: DUST Wall of Fame, 2014
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Fox Gaden
Immortal Guides
2464
|
Posted - 2014.02.11 18:47:00 -
[2] - Quote
Locating and calling Sniper Positions
Knowing where enemy snipers are is important for your entire squad. If you have counter snipers, they will need to locate the enemy snipers to take them out, and the rest of your squad will want to try to keep cover between them and the snipers as much as possible.
If you see the contrail of a sniper bullet it will point you back to the sniperGÇÖs location, but you probably wonGÇÖt see it if you are the target. If you are hit by a sniper, or you hear a sniper bullet strike close to you, pay attention to your cover and which directions have an open field of fire on your position. If you are standing against a wall you can narrow the sniperGÇÖs location to a 180 degrees radius. If you are standing in a corner, you can narrow it down to a 45 degrees. If there are other structures or obstructions nearby you can narrow it down further. Then from the possible directions which are left you can try to identify if there are any popular sniper nests that have a line of fire on your position.
Call out where you think the sniper may be.
If you get killed by a Sniper, look at the kill report. Call out the name of the sniper, and the distance of the shot, as well as where you were when you died. Your position and the sniperGÇÖs distance from you will indicate whether the sniper is at the edge of the map, or somewhere much closer. The name is important for your squadGÇÖs counter sniper to know if they got the right guy. Often when looking for an experienced Sniper you will first find an inexperienced sniper who is less skilled at disguising their position.
If you see a sniper, call it out. Describe their location as clearly as possible. Knowing exactly where the sniper is, is always better than knowing approximately where the sniper is. Just remember, there may be more Snipers out there, so donGÇÖt let your guard down.
Fox Gaden: DUST Wall of Fame, 2014
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