I'm still so green I'm not the most confident SL. I actually enjoy being a cog in a well-oiled TG squad more.

But I do step up into sometimes and when I do I prefer the buddy system or 3 fire team setup. I took this from Rommel's storm trooper tactics in WW1 when he was an infantry commander.

Basically Rommel said he used a assault element, an exploitative element and a suppression element. The ratio of 1:2 assaulting/suppressing is pretty accepted in modern infantry tactics nowadays and derives from this.

But Rommel would use the exploitative and suppressive to joint suppress initially as the assault element advanced. Then when they got a foothold or established a breach, the exploitative team would move in to exploit that momentary tactical positioning advantage. This maintained the 1:2 assault/suppress ratio as the assault and suppressive are both static and providing over-watching fire while the exploitative advanced.

If it went according to plan, you then get a firm base of fire in the breach once the exploitative element arrives and the more cumbersome suppression element can rejoin them. Again, still with that generous 1:2 assault/suppression ratio. Then everyone still in one piece is in position to repeat the process on the next objective.

For BF2 class roles, I work this with dual assaults or assault/medic in the assault element. If I am using ATs, I use an AT and a support in the exploitative element. Finally the suppressive element is me as SL medic to pickup any pieces, with a sniper, medic or preferably an engineer in some vehicle(even a HMMVV with a .50 works to suppress).

Room for any class my squaddies want to play. Spec can sub for assaults if they really want to. The trade off of having the C4 up close and personal with the armor is about equal with losing out on the smoke nades.

That being said I'm rarely ambitious enough to coordinate on this with pub matches on TG as I rarely am in a mood to SL. And as you can see it is sufficiently complicated to explain to a squad. But with the right players on mics it's come together a few times for me.

It is actually surprisingly easy to control as if you are playing assault class, you are in my assault element and you know it when I say "Assault team move here." No fire team to keep straight, or sub leader to find. Just cover your buddy.

Once you see the blanket 1:2 suppressive fire provides, bounding overwatch starts to feel like the desperate last charge of the Light Brigade. 4 sets of eyes covering 2 targets is REALLY effective pre-empting any enemy repelling fire. You got to see it to believe it I suppose. But I've sat back as SL and seen 3 guys snuff out a enemy popping out to shoot before they even acquire the assault element. And once the assaults learn to trust it, they can sprint right for their intended cover without slowing to engage defenders.

And flanking. 3 elements can't help but flank. It's like a full frontal flank attack since there's no sneakiness. Just overwhelming suppressive fire.

Man look at me ramble on. Oh well, food for thought. Any of the TG teams want to polish this up and leave those bloated fire teams and their half suppression behind lemme know. Like I said I'm just a lowly grunt, not really the man for the SL job.