Squad Leader Archive
Thread: Suggestions for squad leader (complete)
Well i screwed up earlier, so here we go.
What is a squad leader?
There are many ways to approach a squad leader. In the American military sense of the word, a squad leader is the first level combat leader. A leader that not only leads by example, but by experience born from many years of training and time in the field.
A squad leader doesn't have crew served weapons, nor is he able to call artillery or close air support. These are the jobs of officers. A squad leader still has "muddy boots."
These are my suggestions for benefits to squad leaders:
(1)Since squad leaders are essential to leading missions, faction missions (both rebel and imperial) should reflect a squad leader leading the group. This can come in the form of more faction points, better missions, or better money. These missions should be against humanoid targets, rather than against creatures. (e.g. i think rangers should likewise provide group benefits against monster targets).
(2)Defense: to balance the profession, squad leaders should acquire both personal ranged and melee defenses to reflect their battle experience. One of the trees should be based upon combat xp. This is similar to the commando profession where one of the skill trees is based upon combat xp, and the others on weapons xp.
(3)Equipment: Weapons specialist have their specialized weapons and specialized combat moves. This is appropriate for their skill set. However, a squad leader should be recognized for his combat proficiency as well. I don't think that a special weapon or special combat moves are appropriate. Instead, squad leaders are able to use equipment better and therefore more efficiently. This would be translated into lower encumbrance for armor, and lower HAM for weapons that the squad leader is certified for. In addition, I would recommend that the "effective" damage ratings for squad leaders weapon be:
EffectiveMinDamage = MinDamage + 0.5 (MaxDamage - MinDamage)
EffectiveMaxDamage = MaxDamage.
This change may not seem like much, but it would make a laser rifle which may have a 50 - 200 damage spread for an average damage of 125 (from 250/2) to 125 - 200 damae spread for an average damage of 162. In addition to the higher average damage, it would also reduce the variance to damage meaning a squad leaders damage while not as devastating has a weapon specialist is sufficiently powerful. This would increase as the novice would get 0% reduction, level i 20% reduction, Level II 40% reduction, Level III 60% reduction, and Level IV 80% reduction.
(4)STRATEGY Pre-battle target designation: Squad leaders would generally conduct a reconnaisance even for a small assault. This would allow the squad leader to designate priority targets. Designating priority targets would provide bonuses to hit and bonuses to damage (with the biggest benefits going to heavy weapons, then regular ranged weapons, and finally melee attacks). The designation of priority targets would be stackable (e.g. if a squad leader had three priority targets to allocate, he could allocate two points to one target and one point to another). A novice squad leader would have one priority fire, and a master squad leader would have 5. These skills would be added to the strategy tree.
100% of priority targets would be available when the entire party is at peace.
50% of priority target points would be available when parts of the party is in battle but the squad leader is not actively engaged in battle.
25% of priority target points would be available is the squad leader is actively engaged.
Assignment of priority targets cost mind points with each designation costing 200 mind points. (e.g. requiring squad leaders to have high mind ratings to be effective).
(5)LEADERSHIP: A squad leader leads by example. In real life, most of the time the squad leader does, the soldiers follow. Enhancements to the leadership tree. A pool of points (e.g. +80 total points to accuracy, +40 ranged defense, +40 meelee defense, etc. for a novice squad leader). The number of total points would allocated evenly among the group with a maximum possible individual boost (e.g. to prevent a squad leader from completely juicing up one elite fighter with the entire pool). The pool would increase 5 fold for a master squad leader, effectively allow a master squad leader to lead larger groups effectively. The most difficult monster on SWG should require a full team of elite soldiers, plus a master squad leader to defeat. These bonuses would only be in effect while the squad leader is conscious. If the squad leader gets incapped then revived, only half of the resulting bonus comes back. 100% only returns when the entire party is at peace again. The radius of this effect would be small for a novice squad leader and getting larger as a squad leader becomes more effective.
100% - sl has no incapps
50% - sl has one incap
25% - sl has two incaps
0% - sl has three incaps (sl is dead anyway).
(6)FORMATIONS: If the group is following the squad leader, the squad leader should be able to designate a point man (whom he follows). The rest of the team follows the squad leader, and the squad should follow in formation (e.g. line, wedge, online). This will reduce the gaggle effect, and lead into some real tactical battles. (e.g. watch the effect of having the melee fighters and pistoleers "fix" the enemy while riflemen online and in optimum range pop head shots at an enemy that can't fire from the prone position). Then commands such as hold positions would make more sense (e.g. as an enemy approachs a line, the strength of fire would get stronger to prevent the enemy from breaking the line, and affecting random stance changes).
(7) NESTED GROUPS: It would be nice that a group of twenty could be be expanded to 21. This would allow two squad leaders working under a master squad leader. The master squad leader would have commands such as /closein and /groupsupport. This would allow one group to provide support fires (e.g. riflemen and carbiners) and assault force (e.g. melee and pistolers).
During general soldier (Marksman) training the future SL will pick up basic weapon skills. Although these skills are not required for SL, they are a by-product of being a soldier.
With that in mind I don't see the SL gaining specific weapon skills like the other combat professions (with their specific weapon xp requirements). Instead I see Squad Leaders as the extension of the Marksman Ranged Support line, as the elite weapon professions are extensions of the related Marksman weapon lines. First consequence is that one of the 4 disciplines should be Combat XP based (with the other 3 remaining SL XP based). The second consequence is that their skills should be improving along the line of the other elite professions, but instead of specific weapon skills, increases skills like Alertness, Melee Defence, Ranged Defence, General Ranged Aiming, Group Melee Defence, Group Ranged Defence, and Group General Ranged Aiming. The group skills would be gained from SL XP lines and the personal skills would be gained from the Combat XP line.
This also reflects some other visions that were mentioned, the veteran Squad Leader and his trusty old pistol, carbine, or rifle that he used as a basic soldier. He wouldn't have certs in the advanced versions of these weapons or be trained in any of the advanced special manoeuvres for these weapons (unless he spent the points on the related elite professions of course). But he would have such an increase in general skills as mentioned above that he would not feel like the squad rookie (Novice Marksman) in battle.
I also like the Formations idea (6). A four man line formation say 15' apart with SL-Carbineer-Commando-Rifleman would be great. The SL leads point and gives commands, Carbineer can lay down quick suppression fire for unexpected battles to give the rear two heavy-hitters time to position, load and aim.
As a final caveat, with all other skills aside a Master Squad Leader should not be able to beat a Master elite combat profession one-on-one. But give those same two duellers an identical team and the one lead by the SL should win.
Shaden
All of the ideas expressed were fair and reasonable (a point here or there I didn't agree with, but as a whole), but the idea of an extended ranged support line is great.
I worried about an E-11 style gun and its strength, and I sensed a war brewing between the pistoleers/carabiniers/riflemen for an SL weapon. This is a definate answer. Bonuses that work for all weapons.
I looked at the ranged support line, and I saw ranged deffence bonuses and aiming bonuses. I also say something, +10 Alertness. What does that do? Something good that should be extended into SL?
I wouldn't say it's as important as a lot of the other skill suggestions though.
Shaden
these ideas would seriously weaken the Squad Leader profession for what it is.
how long have you been a Squad Leader?
if you have a total pool of points......say +50 defense and it has to be spread evenly......if you have 10 group members thats +5 defense.......big friggin woop. You can get more defens eout of 1 skill tree in a combat profession. Thats a HORRIBLE idea.
Squad Leaders shouldnt get individual gains, as I am led to believe by a few of the early thoughts from this post.
Squad leaders SHOULD be able to allow for crewed weapons and call in artillery strikes etc. You say that that is the job of "officers" and whatnot......but int his game there ARE NONE. The SL IS the officer. If you relegated air support, artillery strikes, etc to a factional rank...then you are giving skills to peopel for nothing more than spending soem tiem to aquire faction points: which again, is a horrible idea. In short...the SL's in this game ARE the Lt's and Captains of the army.
i think any of these implemented ideas.....short of the formations.....would cripple the squad leader for what is needed in this game.
As it stands now we already give crap defense compared to the defense buffs most combat classes now get. We have nothign unique or special about us that help out a group more than an effective mesh of classes does. Currently an effective mesh of different classes serves a better function than anythign a squad leader can do.
i see nothing here that would make us worthwhile, and in fact I think many of these ideas would hurt us.
Something to expand on though, to make SL's more useful, let them reduce the HAM cost for special moves ofeveryone in their group.
Squad leaders do not have the crew served weapons this is true, but they direct the placement and fire of said weapons. They tell the gunner to supress the enemy, and give the order to fire the Final Protective Line. Any infantry squad leader or platoon sergeant can be given the authority to call for mortar fire from the mortar platoon, generally officers give the order to do a call for fire mission or an air strike, but the authority for that can also be given to a platoon sergeant, and very seldom to a squad leader, who will have authority to do it anyway if his leadership is killed.
But, more to the point, this is a Sci-FiGAME based in the Star Wars Galaxy. It is not reality, or the US Army. Ideas presented here are a pale reflection of reality. I would love to see the E-Web blaster put into the game and given to Squad Leaders to set up to reflect the fact that they do direct the placement of the weapon, with specials for the weapon given to Squad Leaders to direct. Squad leaders don't have to fire it, anybody could fire it, but only a squad leader could pick it up and move it.
Bleah, most of my ideas have been voiced already. I tend to agree with PangerG on this though.