Compass Bearings

[Teonanacatl]

This is a quick tip to help out everyone in PR, not just infantry. Here's a couple quick points on using the compass.

1) ALWAYS, when calling out a compass bearing, call out the individual digits. For example: 130, One Three Zero, 030, Zero Three Zero. The reason this is done is to make sure it is always understood correctly. If you call out One Hundred Thirty, there is a good chance the other person will only hear Thirty, especially with the **** VOIP and everyone talking at once. If you call out the individual digits and the person only hears Three Zero, they will know they missed something and ask you to repeat yourself.

2) When calling out an enemy position using a compass bearing, make sure you are only speaking to those near your position.
The compass bearing is relative your position.
Don't use team chat to report an enemy location unless you also include your location. While you are at it, include the size of the opfor and the weaponry they are carrying.

[CodeRedFox]

Good post, I will try, when seeing an enemy will quickly try to match my teammates position and then call out the heading. You do this by checking your map.

[.blend]

A transparent compass around ones mouse while having the map open would rly aid the process...hmm, i think ive got me a suggestion there(will add poll ofc^^)

[Sadist_Cain]

Good post and my BIGGEST gripe in PR...

Nothing is more frustrating when you're leading a squad listening to half of them shouting out "Enemy at 345 degrees!!!"... WE DON'T KNOW WTF YOUR 345 DEGREES IS!!!! it might make you think you sound ever so cool but it is totally pointless, you cant pop out your protracter mid firefight to figure out their position.

Bearings are excellent when in a vehicle or aircraft and they're also useful if you're stationary defending a flag, using bearings in accordance with the centre of the flag.

When movings bearings should never really be used, they change after moving 5ft and everyones bearing is totally different, you may see an enemy at 345 I see a tree...

/end rant

a good system to use with squad movement (esp in urban combat) is the clock system. if you SL sets shorter waypoints make that waypoint that you're moving towards your 12 o clock, anything coming from behind is 6o clock right would be 3 o clock, and so on. much quicker and easier to understand when under fire and more accurate than farking around with bearings.

[Masaq]

Cain mate, good to see you back on the forums ol' buddy but your suggested system is just as problematic

Short waypoint = Big deviation between the angle towards it from each squad member at set distance.

Long waypoint = Smaller deviation between the perceived angle towards a target from each SM at the same distance.

Two guys standing 100m apart are looking at something 1000m away, they'll be on roughly the same baring. Two guys 100m apart are looking at something 150m away, it'll be on VERY different barings (a clock face is exactly the same system as a compass, after all).




The best approach is not to use any hard n fast rule when it comes to barings.

-Calling a rough cardinal direction (N E S W) or breaking it down to N/E/S/W/NE/SE/SW/NW works fairly well at all ranges
-Use precises barings for long ranges
-Barings work just perfectly for tanks/APCs as both driver and gunner are in the same location
-Where you're talking about very close engagements where a target may be 90' from one SM but 270' from another, use barings but in relation to a fixed object that everyone can see.


I have illustrated it using this brilliant piece of art, done by me, just now:

[Fishbone]

When I lead a squad I usually hang back a bit as you don't need to lead up front when using move markers alot. That usually gives me some time and cover to quickly check on the map what a direction means from a certain squad member. I then put a attack marker in the general direction and the sm then usually responds with a "bit more to the left/right/etc." and we will have a marked enemy in little time without me even needing to see it. It does mean openining the map alot, but in my opinion that is what a SL is supposed to do, directing your squad members to targets.

Plus squad members should in general not be 100 metres away from each other. If they are then they usually do not have the same targets to engage anyway so you can disregard the called out directions.

[Teonanacatl]

Thanks for the pic Masaq, I removed my shamelessly hotlinked image. I got a few more tips here.

I humbly disagree that headings are useless in vehicles. They are most useful in vehicles. Arguably, the compass is actually made for vehicle course and not spotting enemies. When a SL lays down a move marker, very few people would drive as the crow flies to that position. It's the SL's job to give course corrections that will eventually end up at the move marker. The driver will stray from the course because of impassable objects, its up to the SL to give course corrections to get back on course. Changing course should go something like this:

SL: Driver, course correction, change heading to three five zero, aye.
Driver: Three five zero, aye. (changes course)

[willgar]

Good post and my BIGGEST gripe in PR...

Nothing is more frustrating when you're leading a squad listening to half of them shouting out "Enemy at 345 degrees!!!"... WE DON'T KNOW WTF YOUR 345 DEGREES IS!!!! it might make you think you sound ever so cool but it is totally pointless, you cant pop out your protracter mid firefight to figure out their position.

Bearings are excellent when in a vehicle or aircraft and they're also useful if you're stationary defending a flag, using bearings in accordance with the centre of the flag.

When movings bearings should never really be used, they change after moving 5ft and everyones bearing is totally different, you may see an enemy at 345 I see a tree...

/end rant

a good system to use with squad movement (esp in urban combat) is the clock system. if you SL sets shorter waypoints make that waypoint that you're moving towards your 12 o clock, anything coming from behind is 6o clock right would be 3 o clock, and so on. much quicker and easier to understand when under fire and more accurate than farking around with bearings.

The bearing system works assuming that the squad is roughly together. If the squad are all spread out then it does not. If you have the time to do it, taking out the map and giving a grid reference for say bunkers, rally point etc also works well.

Your clock system has the same problem as bearings as if the squad is spread out, it becomes just as confusing.

[Green_Jacket]

To be honest though compass bearings for me are useful when the squad is around me, which is should be. I usually try to get my men into an extended line, so we've got a nice field of fire. I suppose if people registered contacts with more details it would help enemy inf, 200m, small arms etc. Helps having everyone looking the right way though....

[cyberzomby]

wauw! Sorry for being a newb and all and never had compas training in boyscouts and stuff. But I thought the bearings in PR where the same for everyone ops:

Guess Im one of the newbs shouting the bearings. I thought it helped out! Well mostly im near my squad mates positions so it kinda helps. But thanks for pointing out that its useless when Im further away!