What this is about
A fireteam is a small group that alternates between moving and covering. The basic principle is: one moves, one watches. Everything else – roles, formations, calls – builds on that.
Preparation
- Assign roles (see group roles).
- Run through the hand signals: forward, stop, left, right, yes, no. They are bound and work when comms fail or silence is needed.
- Check ammunition, medpens, armour – the operation checklist covers this.
- Agree an abort signal and a rally point.
Tasks and roles
A fireteam of four has four jobs, not four shooters:
- Lead. Calls the direction, decides on abort. Shoots the least.
- Point. Goes in front, sees first, reports what he sees.
- Cover. Covers while point moves. Alternates with point.
- Rear/medic. Covers the rear and treats. The rear is the direction surprises come from.
Equipment
Do not equip everyone the same. A fireteam needs at least one weapon for short range (rooms) and one for longer (corridors, yards). Armour values and equipment are in armour, weapons in understanding weapons, medical in healing / medical.
Movement, weapon and hand signals. The hand signals are their own game functions and are bound to the numpad by default – they work without comms too.
| Game action | Default keyboard/mouse | Default joystick | Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move Forward | W | not bound by default | hold |
| Move Backwards | S | not bound by default | hold |
| Move Left | A | not bound by default | hold |
| Move Right | D | not bound by default | hold |
| Sprint | Left Shift | not bound by default | toggle |
| Crouch | C | not bound by default | toggle |
| Prone | Left Ctrl | not bound by default | toggle |
| Lean Left | Q | not bound by default | hold |
| Lean Right | E | not bound by default | hold |
| Firearm - Attack | Mouse left | not bound by default | hold |
| Aim Down Sight | Mouse right | not bound by default | hold |
| Reload | R | not bound by default | single press |
| Change Fire Mode | B | not bound by default | single press |
| Holster Weapon | R | not bound by default | toggle |
| Forward | np_5 | not bound by default | single press |
| Stop | np_2 | not bound by default | single press |
| Left | np_1 | not bound by default | single press |
| Right | np_3 | not bound by default | single press |
| Yes | np_4 | not bound by default | single press |
| No | np_6 | not bound by default | single press |
Game default binding, game version 4.10.0-hotfix (55227). If you rebound it yourself, your binding applies.
HOTAS/HOSAS: the joystick column is the default binding of ONE stick. On two sticks you assign pitch, yaw, roll and lateral strafe yourself – which axis a manoeuvre needs is listed in the HOTAS / HOSAS section.
Sequence
- Line-up. Who goes first, who covers the rear? Before the first door, not behind it.
- Move in bounds. One moves, the others stand and watch. Never all at once.
- Keep calls short. “Left clear”, “contact front”, “reloading”. Three words are enough.
- Call reloads. Whoever reloads is useless for two seconds – someone has to know.
- Report casualties. Do not run over: secure first, then treat.
- Back together. The same way you came, which you know.
- Goal
- Take a corridor and two rooms as a four, without anyone standing uncovered.
- Preparation
- Four players, a bunker or an empty building, agreed beforehand, no opponents. Comms on, hand signals practised first.
- Task
- Walk the corridor to the end and take two rooms – first without time pressure, then against the clock. An observer calls out every time someone stood uncovered or two tried the same door at once. Three runs.
- Success criterion
- In the third run the observer reports no uncovered moment any more.
- Partner
- required
- Functions needed
- Move Forward
- Move Backwards
- Move Left
- Move Right
- Sprint
- Crouch
Risk and reward
The risk in a fireteam is not the individual opponent but your own disorder: two through the same door, everyone reloading at once, nobody watching the rear. Almost all indoor losses come from one of these three.
The return: a practised fireteam can take on tasks individuals do not even attempt – bunkers, boarding actions, securing large salvage operations.
Typical mistakes
- Everyone moving at once. Then nobody is watching.
- Everyone shooting the same target. The rest of the room is then unobserved.
- Comms full. Chatter drowns the call that matters.
- Rear unfilled. The most common cause of an operation turning.
- Hand signals never practised. They only help if everyone knows them.
Next step
Interiors have their own rules: room and building combat. The preparation of a ground operation is a template in Mission Control: FPS ground operation.