Squad Leader Archive

I've been thinking about the Squad Leader and and kinds of roles we should expect him to play. When coming up with abilities,I've determined that the ideal Squad Leader should:

-Organize and rally his troops more effectivally than a group leader

-Communicate and issue orders more effectivally than a group leader

-Enhanse the natural abilities of his squad mates through his knowladge and example

Things such as /rally and /warcry fall under the first category. These do not necessarly have to have awesome healing powers and such, but enable him to keep a more cohesive group than an ordinary group leader would be able to. This involves some psychology to an extent, because the people you have to organize are PCs. So ways must be found to "corral" them to an extent, or at least make it easier for them to figure out what's going on. On many occasions I've been with groups that have become fragmented and disorganized once a fight began, or just split up while wandering around in the wild enroute to a target.

/flag and /sysmessage fall into the second category. Communications and targeting are the emphasis here. Also, I would like to see an ability to add a waypoint to everyone's map, either to a rally point (how many times have you been in a hunting group and everyone wanders off, or a teammate dies, clones, and wants to get back to the battle?) or a destination, so everyone knows where the group is heading. Want your squad to take position on a ridge outside of Bestine? send an instant waypoint and it's done. I may see a potential problem with this though, though while I don't think it should cost alot of HAM (this can basically be done with the map and e-mail, but takes a long time.) there is the potential for information overload if players have alot of open waypoints or a leader sends too many of these (limit, perhaps? Or maybe the waypoint can be set to time out after a certain value?)

In the last category, I see group bonuses. These are blanket values that do not necessarly raise people to a "master level", but enhanse the overall firepower and mobility of a group to a superior level than they would have if they were simply grouped or on their own. Squad Leaders are like the generals to an extent, and this is easy to picture in the terms of some RTSs (Empire Earth and Rise of Nations are good examples.) A group of units are attacking a base. You move a general amongst your units, and while he himself is not necessarly (key words, not necessarly...) a powerful unit, the bonuses he gives "blankets" the rest of your group and makes them less suspectable to damage and increaces their firepower.

I see three types of bonus here.

-Defensive

-Offensive

-Mobility

Mobility is important, and doesn't necessarly have to be limited to terrain negogations. This can also be a blanket modifier that say, lessens burst run costs, or lessens the burden armour or weapons have on the players. I'll leave the values up to the devs, as I wouldn't want to overinflate them. But the general effect should be that players led by a group leader will be able to move somewhat quicker, and be able to move easier with the equiptment they carry. Movement doesn't necessarly have to be constrained to the ground you cover. Mobility is essential in a fight and on the battlefield.

Firepower is a blanket bonus. A Squad Leader instructs how to best apply firepower, where to apply it, and increaces it's effectiveness. This can be reflected in a basic modifier that increaces the overall firepower of a group wheither it is a basic attack or volley. This again, should not be an inflated value, but be of benefit.

Same goes for defence. A squad leader can help his troops best find cover, prevent suppression, and recover from an attack. This is the same as above, but instead acts as an additional defence modifier against enemy fire.

Feel free to post any comments, criticisms. I'd greatly appreciate constructive comments or modifications.