Rising Storm 2 is one of the best hardcore tactical FPS games on PC even five years after its initial release. The game is set during the Vietnam War (1965 to 1975) and sees players take on roles as the conflict major belligerents such as the US, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, Vietcong, and the Australian/New Zealand Armies. Many of the war's most famous and bloody battles are faithfully recreated, such as the battle of Hue City and the fall of Saigon.
Rising Storm 2 is a class-based large-scale tactical shooter in which players must learn how to not only operate as a team but how to properly lead a team in some cases. This is where roles like squad leader come in. Each player is placed into one of several squads, all of which are led by a single squad leader. This player has an important job on the battlefield, so much so that a team may win or lose depending on the quality of their squad leaders. With this in mind, here are some tips on how to be an effective squad leader.
6 Marking Coordinates
One of the principal jobs of a squad leader on both sides is to mark coordinates on the map for commanders. Southern commanders then use these markers to call in fire support such as an AC-47 gunship, napalm strikes, or artillery while Northern commanders use them for anti-air and artillery.
Squad leaders can mark coordinates via binoculars, which can be used ad infinitum, or purple smoke grenades which are limited to one use per life. Keep in mind that any coordinates marked can be double-checked by pulling up the map, where they will be shown in real-time, so feel free to make adjustments if necessary.
5 Using Squad Tunnels
Rising Storm 2 deals primarily with asymmetric-style warfare. This means that teams are deliberately designed to have different strengths and weaknesses. In the case of North Vietnamese and Vietcong squad leaders, they have the ability to dig tunnels for their squads to spawn from. These squad tunnels can be dug at will by using the pickaxe, though there are certain quirks about them that are worth mentioning. For one, they aren't invincible and can be destroyed by enemy players, and for another, they cannot be placed too close to objectives.
This means that squad leaders will have to be smart about where they lay their squad tunnels. Placing them behind cover or hidden within vegetation can shield both the tunnel and respawning squad mates from the enemy while taking into account objective proximity can go a long way in deciding the outcome of the battle.
4 Mobile Respawning
For US, Australian, and South Vietnamese teams, squad leaders act as mobile respawn points for every member of a particular squad. As long as they're alive, players can spawn on their squad leader as many times as they like, no matter how close to the objective they are. This, however, affects how a good squad leader ought to play the game.
Rushing into objectives is a good way to get killed by the enemy, thus preventing teammates from respawning on the squad leader at all. A smart squad leader will hang back behind cover, allowing their team to safely respawn close to the objective. This ability effectively allows an SL coordinate pushes in real-time, so it's best not to waste it by playing recklessly.
3 Proper Class Selection
Squads are typically comprised of players occupying a diverse set of roles. There are riflemen, machine gunners, marksmen, radiomen, etc. A squad leader can actually play any role they wish, as it itself is not a role unlike in Red Orchestra 2 and the first Rising Storm. So a player can act as both a squad leader and as a machine gunner, for instance. However, the player ought to be smart about which class they pick when playing SL due to the nature of the position.
For Northern SLs, it's not quite as big a deal because of the squad tunnel system, but Southern SLs often have to play smarter because they act as mobile respawn points. This means that choosing to play as a machine gunner or pointman while acting as squad leader could be a mistake, as the duties of the job conflict with the optimal way to play these roles. Additionally, many of these roles are limited in how many players in a squad can pick them, so a squad leader also playing as a sniper for example might be seen as a kind of "double-dipping" but without much benefit.
2 Interacting With Commanders
Squad leaders and commanders have a special relationship on the battlefield. Both rely on each other to perform their duties to the best of their ability in order to win the match. Basic communication with the commander can be a major advantage, and it doesn't even take much effort. Using either text chat or voice commands (H), a squad leader can ask for fire support, give updates on enemy activity, and more.
Likewise, commanders can do the same for squad leaders, letting them know to mark coordinates and when fire support is inbound. Using a mic would also be hugely beneficial on both sides. If the squad leaders aren't talking to commanders or following their orders then that can very easily become an untenable situation, especially if this deficiency is not shared by the enemy team.
1 Ordering Squadmates
As a squad leader, one of the player's most important jobs is to actually lead the squad they are a part of. This refers to how they are directed and communicated with over the course of the match. A bad squad leader loses track of their guys and doesn't make an attempt to organize them. A good squad leader will let their guys know where they're supposed to go and what they should be doing.
This applies on a role-by-role basis as well; telling machine gunners where to set up, ordering smoke grenades if necessary, creating rally points for riflemen (or simply everyone), and so on. This is important for both Northern and Southern teams even though their capabilities differ.
Rising Storm 2 is available now for Windows.