This is the first chapter of a project called
BF2 HANDBOOK. Handbook is supposed to be an ultimate guide where every article and every efficient guide about
BF2 will be stored in a clear, precise and systematic way. The goal of the handbook is to popularize
TG style of play, and to recruit and train thousands of new real team players.
This project success depends on me being able to persuade significant number of experienced
TG players to join in and post their view on some things said in the temporary
BF2 handbook chapter.
So, feel free to add, suggest or criticize anything in this thread (even the title). If there have being good things said on the subject in some other thread, please add it.
It will take a lot of time and a lot of patience to make this Handbook, but I got a strong positive feeling about it - I'm not gonna beat around the bush, I believe it
could shake the whole world
BF2 community, and the way people see games like
BF2,
OFP, etc.
I'll start with my logical (but not that experienced) view on how a
BF2 team should work.
-----------------------------------
BF2 HANDBOOK (under development)
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THE TEAM STRUCTURE
Every
BF2 team is by default consisted of commander, squad leaders, and squad members.
Commander’s job is to use teams SLs in a way that will maximize teams performance. The class that has been used for COs role can vary. CO spend entire match hidden, safe, so that he can serve his team by issuing orders 100% of the time. There have been thoughts about CO having more active role in fighting, but every second he’s not doing COs job, he is hurting his team more than he can help by shooting at some enemy player.
Squad leaders can be:
- pilots,
- armor vehicles drivers,
- infantry squad leaders,
- special units squad leaders.
COMMANDER (CO)
Commander is the highest ranked player in the
BF2 team. His job is to use teams SLs in a way that will maximize teams performance. There is only one type of CO – so called dedicated commander.
Dedicated means he spends all of his time on battlefield in 2D mode (commander’s view from above), hidden in the bushes, or something like that.
PILOTS (squad leaders)
The first rule on vehicle squads in
BF2: every armored or flying vehicle that can fire from driver position worth as much as an average infantry squad. That’s why every “driver” of any armored or flying vehicle has the rank of a squad leader.
Airplane is one of the most valuable vehicles one side has. That is why the numbering of all squads begins with AIR1 – meaning the squad consisted of one or two jets.
PILOTS CAN NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES JUMP OUT OF THEIR VEHICLES TO CONTINUE FIGHT BY FOOT!
Meaning:
If you’re a pilot, you should spend as much time as possible up in the air, doing your stuff. If your craft is downed, the only thing you should be considering is how to get into the same craft and continue your mission (and in 99% cases that is by going down in flames with it, than respawning next to it). The worse thing that can happen to a team is to have a fighter pilot capturing not-so-important point while enemy steals away the only fighter jet team has!
Bye-bye air-superiority, bye-bye victory…
AIR (1) squad is consisted of two (or more) players driving jet-planes. The squad leader of this squad is the driver of a fighter-bomber. Others in AIR1 squad are fighter pilots, and their job is to achieve air superiority over enemy fighter planes, as well as to protect fighter-bomber(s) on their air-strike missions. AIR1 SL gets his orders from CO. If he thinks he needs help from friendly fighters, he can issue orders to them.
By default, AIR1 fighters are doing air patrol above map maneuvering to get a better position for incoming dogfights with enemy fighters.
AIR1 is the first squad to be formed, so it’s squad 1 (that’s why it’s called “AIR1”)
HELI (2) squad is consisted of one or two players. The first (squad leaders) is the driver of a gunship helicopter. The other member can be (if there is a need for more effective gunship) a gunner in the same helicopter. Keep in mind transport helicopter is not that valuable as gunship, so it can be left unused.
ARMORED PERSONEL (squad leaders)
There are three typical armored vehicles in
BF2:
- tanks,
- APCs,
- AA-tanks.
BY DEFAULT, ARMORED VEHICLES CREWMEN (SLs) SHOULD NEVER LET ENEMY STEAL THEIRS VEHICLES – ON THE BATTLEFIELD, AND AT THEIR SPAWN POINTS.
Every armored SL is assigned to a specific armored vehicle – it’s his responsibility not to let it get in the hands of enemy.
TANK (3) squad is by default consisted of one single player - the driver (ENGENIER). The main reason for this specialized single-member squad (single by default) lays in the fact that a tank is one of the most powerful asset there is on the battlefield ground. Tanks are extremely important and it’s use determines the outcome of a match. There is another simple rule – if you are a tank crewman, than you are a tank crewman all the way through the match (also known as a “tank ho”). You can NOT leave tank fully damaged on the battlefield to continue fight by foot. You can NOT give your tank to some other player, without COs permission.
APC (4) squad is the same thing as any TANK squad, the only difference is in the terms of vehicle. The difference: APC is not an assault vehicle, whatever some people say.
AA (5) squad is functioning the same way as TANK (3) squad, tactic is different.
INFANTRY SQUADS
(soviet style)
Depending on maps, team tactics, and situations, there are different variants of an infantry squad:
- ASSAULT AT SQUAD, with 2 ATs, 2 medics, support and a sniper (good for all-around missions),
- ASSAULT RIFLEMEN SQUAD, 2ATs, 2 assaults, 2 medics, support, sniper (when there is no threat of enemy armor – when the squad is supported by friendly armor or bombers)
- AT SQUAD, with 2 ATs and a support (sometimes with 1 medic), driving a light vehicle, like humvee, or buggie,
- SPEC-OPS SQUAD, 2 SFs and support, or 2 SFs and medic, or just 2-3 SFs. Intended for special operations (no, really?),
- LIGHT INF SQUAD, 1 assault, 1medic, 1 support, 1 AT.
Of course, there are many options, these are just the most popular ones.
(US style)
Fire-teams... Even thou I know what are fire-teams, and how they work, I will not discuss this subject, since there are many people who are doing a great job with their veteran fire-teams in theirs squad.
