Project Reality Forums

Hi,

Is it a good idea to have a single squad, dedicated to building firebases and bunkers only? I think it will make commander's job much easier.

Six squadmembers with shovels (including SL temporarily switching to a kit with a shovel) would build any asset in no time.

Commander could mark all prospective firebase/bunker spots with a Landing Zone labels and give that squad an order once-and-for-all: take care of this firebases and bunkers and don't even bother me asking what to do next


Gurgul

a whole squad is overdone imho. 2 guys with shovels per squad => any squad can build. i would usually bring a truck myself as SL if there's a commander. leave the commanding to him and have the squads build stuff (commander can act as a supply truck taxi delivery service though )

-I st up an ENGINEERS squad once in a while for this purpose, and in addition we defend flags, transport soldiers and pick up abandoned vehicles when we can. A dedicated squad just for building assets is too much, but a ENG/TRANS/DEF squad is very helpful for COs. The question when leading this kind of squad is whether or not to pick up an officer kit. Your squad will likely be spread out and you'll often find that it's just you and another SM at the FB/Bunker you're giong to build, another shovel would always help out in that department.

-So, if you see an ENGINEERS squad on a server that's probably me(And whoever else who likes to do other things than to just go around killing people).

Many times, if not all the time, squads are busy fighting. Giving them an order to build a firebase and leaving their hardly gained position is a distraction with unpredictable results. I mean, in a busy situation squad hardly can be managed to regroup, stick together, find a truck, move to desired posistion and start building. Besides, firebases are always built at position away from the actual front line, i.e. it realy takes time for the squad to relocate, thus leaving a hole in the ongoing battle at place.

Actually, to be precise, I am talking about a tactic approach where a selected squad is "marked" as Constructors Squad and is given an order to always have a truck in hand. Always! Spawn on main base if needed, but have a truck! Not forbidden to engage enemies, but having a building priority over fighting.

In real armies there are such special subdivisions - engineers and civil engineers. They do not fight. They build bridges, roads, etc.

Well, it depends on the server size and population momentum. With 3 squads only you can't afford to lose one, but having 6-7 squads - I think it should work.

Last note: time is important. Practically, and plenty of examples can be provided, when commander asks some squad to build a firebase, it takes at least 3-4 minutes, even more, up to 7-8, until the SL manage to organize his people to execute the order or just to start the excution. Consider building 4 assets (2+2). 4 x 4 = 16 minutes minimum and 4 x 6 = 24 minutes average time for *initial* reaction! That's a lot of time, IMHO


Gurgul

gurgul wrote:Many times, if not all the time, squads are busy fighting. Giving them an order to build a firebase and leaving their hardly gained position is a distraction with unpredictable results. I mean, in a busy situation squad hardly can be managed to regroup, stick together, find a truck, move to desired posistion and start building. Besides, firebases are always built at position away from the actual front line, i.e. it realy takes time for the squad to relocate, thus leaving a hole in the ongoing battle at place.

-If they don't build FBs/Bunkers they will most definitely lose their hardly[sic] gained position. You don't need an entire squad to build the asset, one guy can have it up in 1-2 minutes. It's not a distraction, it's a necessary task if you want to win. And FBs are to be built at the front so no, you don't have to move back. And Bunkers should be built once you cap a flag, and if you don't have people on the flag you just capped then you suck.

In real armies there are such special subdivisions - engineers and civil engineers. They do not fight. They build bridges, roads, etc.

-I. Don't. Believe. You.

Last note: time is important. Practically, and plenty of examples can be provided, when commander asks some squad to build a firebase, it takes at least 3-4 minutes, even more, up to 7-8, until the SL manage to organize his people to execute the order or just to start the excution. Consider building 4 assets (2+2). 4 x 4 = 16 minutes minimum and 4 x 6 = 24 minutes average time for *initial* reaction! That's a lot of time, IMHO

-This is because SLs have no control over their squads, I can have a FB and razorwire up in 3 minutes, 2 more minutes for sandbags. The above scenario is what happens when COs and SLs are inefficient. Train towards efficiency.

When I was commander I just use the squads that arent full enough to be as effective as the others.

"Sq1 go there, Sq2 go here, Sq3 since you only have 2 ppl grab some shovels and be my slaves for the next half hour"

I often make a squad just for helping the Commander in a less violent way. The main purpose is to construct, but sometimes we'll set mines, repair bridges, help vehicles repair at the base or retrieve abandoned transport.

Sometimes, my squad mates just want to kill. It's a temporary placeholder until they get into a better squad, so I don't mind, unless they're disobeying Dommander orders.

Fun Fact: The squad i create is in 85% cases called BUILDERS...altough it doesnt end up really totally succesfull (either i wouldnt get enuff members to perform the job well or the Comm would leave or sum noob would ditch the trucks) but i recall once having a real building squad 100% dedicated on fortifying and defending every flag we would be owning...and you dont need a squad full of engineers to be a builder squad (hell we only had one engineer then)

@Tartantyco

Good points mate, apart from these few sic/grin/suck notes

Of course it depends on CO and SL leadership power. In theory, perfect CO + perfect SL is enough to win.

However, the reality is different. Here comes the tactic: good plan compensates inevitable human errors.

Anyway, I started this thread because of personal experience as a CO/SL, not to try to invent or suggest some GREAT tactic whatsoever

Oh, btw, real armies really has specialized subdivisions, unless you are just kidding me. In which case: nice one, you got me! ops:

Gurgul

gurgul wrote:Oh, btw, real armies really has specialized subdivisions, unless you are just kidding me. In which case: nice one, you got me! ops:

-I was just messing with you, the smiley didn't show(Used wrong code). I served as an Engineer in the Norwegian Army, which is probably why I like playing one.