25th Arma 3 - Infantry Guidebook

In this guide we will cover the fundamental elements of squad structure, basic infantry formations and tactics, ACE and how to effectively communciate and co-ordinate with your squadmates during combat.

1. Squad Structure

Before we proceed we need to understand the basic structure of a squad and how to work effectively within a squad. A squad is the heart of the assault or defense and as such must be prepared for any situation it encounters (e.g. Ambush), this means that it would be wise for all members of the squad to prepare beforehand and to prepare for any situation.

Ideal Squad Structure

• Squad Leader
  
• Second in Command (2IC)
  
• Machinegunner
  
• Assistant Machinegunner
  
• Medic
  
• Rifleman AT
  
• Rifleman
  
• Rifleman
  
• Rifleman
  
• Grenadier

NOTE: I will include a full list and in-depth analysis of the roles of squadmembers at the botttom of this guide in the future.

2. Ace Controls and features

• Hold ctrl + left windows button (Opens a circle ace screen).
  
• Hold left windows on a person (interact with another person, mostly for medical).
  
• Equipment is where all the ace objects go into like entrenchment tools and earplugs.
  
• Medical – Where you treat yourself for injuries.
  
• Team Management – where you can join, leave and change the colour of yourself in a group).
  
• Earplugs are very important for the fact that you won’t go deaf if a gun goes off.
  
• Entrenching tools help with digging a defensive position.
  
• The backblast area of a rocket launcher will knock you out.

3. TFAR Controls

• Push to talk button (Speak in game)
  
• Caps lock (Speak on rifleman radio)
  
• CRTL + P (Bring up rifleman Radio interface, change frequency, add additional channels)
  
• CRTL + Caps lock (Speck on Long Range Radio, or Vehicle radio)
  
• Alt + P (Bring up LR and vehicle Radio interface, change frequency, add additional channels)
  
• Numpad numbers (Change rifleman radio channel)
  
• Alt + Numpad Numbers (change LR or vehicle radio channel)

Radio Procedure

• 1-0 HQ Unit (Rifleman radio frequency 100, Long range frequency 50)
  
• 1-1 (Rifleman radio 110, Long Range 50)
  
• 1-2 (Rifleman radio 120, Long Range 50)

• Rifleman radio is used by section teams only. They are used for Section leaders to communicate to the squad and rifleman to communicate enemy positions but chatter should be kept to a minimum and yelling is preferred to using radios.
  
• Long range radios are only held by section leaders and commanders
  
• Long range radios will follow proper procedure for example HQ wanted to contact 1-2, (1-0 to 1-2, message over/ 1-2 send over/ 1-0 can you do this over/ 1-2 yeah we can do that over/ 1-0 thanks, out/ In terms of vehicle communication, we have yet to decide a procedure as this is for when we gain more members.

4. Ace Medical

When using ACE medical is important to understand the basic procedures for when you or a comrade is wounded during a combat situation, therefore listed below are the basic procedures that you should follow when hit or a squadmember is hit as well as a link to an extensive guide on using ACE medical:

When you get hit, follow this procedure:
1. Find cover.
2. Bandage all areas of your body (red to yellow and then White which is back to normal).
3. Apply Morphine to the arms or legs until the flashing screen goes.

If a squad or platoon member gets hit follow this procedure:
1. Setup a base of fire and suppress hostiles within the immediate area of the wounded, whilst, ideally, 2 members push up under the cover of smoke and friendly covering fire to secure the wounded.
2. Bandage all areas of the wounded's body (red to yellow and then White which is back to normal).
3. Diagnose the wounded (To see how much blood was lost)
4. If the wounded person has only lost some blood use epinephrine, if they have lost a lot of blood then immediately get a medic or officer.

NOTE: If a person cannot be treated for a while, give the patient CPR to extend his unconscious time (If this expires, he dies).

Extended guide that you should read here: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1115870156&searchtext=ACE

5. Co-ordination and Communication

Co-ordination and communication can be the difference between success or failure in an operation/hostile engagment. This means listening to your officers and squad mates, as well as being aware of what is happening around you and keeping those comms clear, you know who you are.

Calling contacts
When you spot an enemy or unidentified object which hasn’t been reported by the commander, follow these rules:

• Contact (Or unknown contact), Front (Attention to the direction of the contact)
  
• Bearing 220 (Give a bearing, makes it easier)
  
• Range 400 (Estimate the range to contact)
  
• Extra info (What the contact is? Direction of travel)
  
• Useless calls like over there will not help and cause confusion that will hamper the section.

6. Infantry Formations

When in formations you should, at all times unless engaged in combat, have your Machinegunner and (if present) Assistant Machinegunner up front behind or next to the commanding officer. There are two basic formation setups, Close Order Formations and Extended Order Formations.
NOTE: Close Order Formations are ill suited to combat situations and are to be avoided once engaged by hostile units, it is therefore strongly recommended to adopt an Extended Order Formation when engaged in combat or when in a dangerous area.

Close Order Formations

• Column: Vertical line, good to move through an area where you know a contact won’t come from the front.
  
• Line: Horizontal line, good to move through an area where you know a contact won’t come from the sides.

Extended Order Formations

• Squad Column: The principle order of the squad colum remains the same as in the close order column, however, the column uses terrain for cover.
  
• Skimirsh Line: Good for bringing maximum fire power to the front and allows for squads to effectively fire and move. When deploying into skirmish line the machinegun team will setup in the middle whilst the front 3 riflemen will deploy to the right and the back 3 to the right. This will allow the maximum effective suppression of the hostile targets.
  
• Staggered Column: Good for moving along a road, squad members will deploy in a zigzag pattern either side of the road.
  
• Arrowhead/Wedge: Arrowhead/Wedge formation is used to maximise situational awareness and firepower of a unit. The intervals between soldiers is designed to give mutually supporting lines of sight that do not obscure one another forward and to the sides, and this also corresponds to mutually supporting overlapping arcs of fire.

Spacing is key when it comes to using and moving in Extended Order Formations as squad members should not be too close to one another, they only need to be close enough as too be within supporting distance of one another (This is different only with the machine gunner and his assistant). Luckily with ShackTac that isn't an issue as squad members can use the inner circle (circled in red on the image) as a guide so as when engaged in combat they aren't too close to any squad members.

7. Infantry Tactics

Combat Movement

Peeling

• There’s the proper way and then there’s the 25th way. Object is to peel around to the side of a contact whilst still laying down suppressing fire.
  
• Peel to the right (Guy on the left side of the fireteam goes behind the line to the right side and goes prone)
  
• After that person is done, the next person goes. You do this till the leader tells you to stop.

Bounding

• You bound if you want to move up to an enemy but still have to provide supporting fire.
  
• Fireteam One prepare to bound. Bound (Fireteam One moves up and after two seconds get back down into a line) Then the same for Fireteam Two.

Offensive Tactics

Assaulting Entrenched Positions

• When assaulting hostile entrenched positions it is best to close the distance between you/your squad and the hostile units as fast as possible; in an effort to maintain momentum of an assault and to prevent the assault becoming bogged down.
  
• The individual soldier runs towards the enemy in 3-5 second bursts so that the enemy doesn't have time to aim at him. Between sprints, he must observe the battlefield to find the next piece of cover to move to.
  
• The final stretch of the attack should happen from no more than 40-50 meters away, to conserve strength. This is when you start yelling "ura" and attack the enemy with grenades and firing at point blank range.

[Shortround]

ROLLE?

[El Presidente Returns]

Midas this is a basic guide like stated and those would require a more indepth guide and out of the scope of this one. Also bearings aren't exactly least preferred from a command standpoint as it allows for a better co-ordination between squads and individual fire teams. Grenadier positions I will consider adding but like previously stated this guide was designed primarily for the 25th KOSB arma group but I opted to upload it for others to use as a general guide.

[RSJ_tv]

Grenadier, FTL positions . Restrictions within communication at the squad level contact is meaning your being engaged by said contact so it shouldnt be used as a overall descriptions of a a person, another note would be the no use of a moving call or some sort of indication to the bounding parties you are infact moving then once set you call set. Bearings are also least prefered unless being used to direct vehicle fire or CAS. its easier to say front 50m or given in clock directions , this is due to bearings taking up more time then needed. ( unless you are a casual milsim group with shack tac) There is alot more i could go over but as i stated for entry level this is fine.

[El Presidente Returns]

Erm like what exactly Winter Midas

[RSJ_tv]

this guide in all honesty is lacking in alot of areas missing vital info but for entry level why not

[Home]

when shit hits the fan, press g regardles of whats selected
if smoke yay

if chemlight u wasted a button press

if grenade....... pray?

[Vigilante]

I love the formation "when shit hits the fan". By far the most accurate representation of arma players! Great info none the less, well done.

[Blight]

When shit hits the fan lol xD

[Entry-Level Luxury]

Quality, concise information. Good hustle! If you are a PVP unit we'd be happy to throw down :D

[Red Dagger]

Not really as you want to keep the chatter on the net down to a minimum so that commanders can give information for directing the squads fire and then to give out a plan of action. If we have 3 people talking to the their buddy over the net then comms will become cluttered with information that only 2 people really need to know which are the 2 people right next to each other