1stMIP Radio Comm Setup

[John CANavar]

I am planning to use the following system for the next 1stMIP Coop session.

Radio Comm using Teamspeak. In-game VOIP is buggy and will not be used.

Idea is to separate a) command level (SL<->FTLs) and b) fire team level (micromanagement) communication.

Suggestions are welcome...

SL: Squad Leader
FTL: Fire Team Leader
FTM: Fire Team Member

• SL (A1) in channel Alpha
• Bravo FTL (B1) and Bravo FTMs in channel Bravo
• Charlie FTL (C1) and Charlie FTMs in channel Charlie
• ...

• All 1stMIP fire team channels are added to "whisper to selected channels" key assignment
• SL and FTLs use this whisper key to talk. Everybody hears when SL or a FTL talks.
• FTLs and FTMs use "push to talk" key for communication within their respective fire teams.

I expect this setup to stress one important point: FTLs have full responsibility of their fire teams. They must talk to men under their command, guide and direct them throughout the operation (status reports, proper formations, rules of engagement, cohesion, etc). SL doesnt micromanage fire teams, it is the job of FTLs.

[Rick_the_new_guy]

I am confused.

So there is the MIP teamspeak channel as always.

After this, everyone before the mission starts sets their key bindings to whisper to differnt people.

What happens when a FTL gets put down and a FTM takes command and does not have the right key bindings set up? Will they be ok? Or will they need to maually change this on teamspeak?




To clarify

Does the FTM have the option to whisper to the SL or a FTL who is not theirs?
Would junk the chain of command if done so. Just clarifiing.

I take it the green team channel would not be used at all?

Thanks for sharing. I hope it works out well.

[John CANavar]

Originally Posted by Rick_the_new_guy

After this, everyone before the mission starts sets their key bindings to whisper to differnt people.

All key settings will be provided with a TS config file before the session.

What happens when a FTL gets put down and a FTM takes command and does not have the right key bindings set up? Will they be ok? Or will they need to maually change this on teamspeak?

FTMs must also remember (or keep a printed key assignment sheet handy) in case one of them needs to step up as FTL.

Does the FTM have the option to whisper to the SL or a FTL who is not theirs?

Yes they have the ability but they shouldnt use it while they are FTMs. Only SL and FTLs will use whisper to all channels. FTMs will use push to talk.

I take it the green team channel would not be used at all?

Green team channel? Do you mean VOIP? We tested it several times and confirmed that VOIP has problems and not reliable.

[Rick_the_new_guy]

Originally Posted by John CANavar

Green team channel? Do you mean VOIP? We tested it several times and confirmed that VOIP has problems and not reliable.

Yeah, hopefully the VOIP will work better later.

Wow, it sounds very mechanized. I like it.

I would like to study this more. There is a file?

What are your thoughts on transfering this to a Platoon level mission. Meaning were will the Platoon leader fit into the sceme?

I reckon the SL and Officer only communicate. Same as BF2.

[John CANavar]

Thanks Rick. Nothing new here in fact. This has been suggested by several people and used at different levels (platoon/squad) on TG and some other tactical communities such as Shack Tac.

But I have never witnessed a consistent application at squad/fire team level. My focus is on small unit operations. Maximizing the coordination and organization at this level before moving up to squad/platoon procedures.

I believe that overall efficiency of a military unit, be it real or virtual, depends on how effective its smaller parts function. Without optimizing these parts, one cannot expect much from the whole.

PS: I will post the TS file soon.

[Rick_the_new_guy]

Originally Posted by John CANavar

I believe that overall efficiency of a military unit, be it real or virtual, depends on how effective its smaller parts function. Without optimizing these parts, one cannot expect much from the whole.

PS: I will post the TS file soon.

Agreed.

The squad members are like the fingers of a Company or whatever.

If you look at the anotomy of the human, the nuromuscular junctions and fine motor skills increase something fierce once the focus turns on the hands and fingers.

A warrior with clusmy hands is worthless.

Same thing with a squad. If it is junked, the whole sytem is junked.

Would explain why in the early 1970s, the U.S. army was broken during the Nam Conflict.

Many of the kick ass N.C.O.s were either casualites or retired after five years of bloody war. Their replacments, the Shake and Back N.C.O.s, were poor replacments. ( I gathered this from reading Hackworth's " About Face.")

[Dslyecxi]

Rick,
The primary limitation of TS as a communication method is that there are no sub-sub-channels. Hopefully this will be changed in the next iteration of TS, which should be out... eventually. With the way it is now, you can choose to do things at a platoon/squad level and get that real solid, or a squad/fireteam level. ShackTac does it at the platoon/squad level, whereas 1stMIP appears to be going for the squad/fireteam level.

If the ArmA VOIP ever gets to a level where it's actually useful, I have plans for doing a very slick and functional full platoon/squad/fireteam comm breakdown that will be fantastically easy to use (building upon the current ShackTac platoon/squad TS setup). I've been pushing for improved VOIP, so hopefully some of my suggestions in that area will be implemented in future versions of ArmA..

[Rick_the_new_guy]

Great news, our teamspeak has been updated. Check it out.

Love it, love it, love it!!

Thanks Admins.