Squad
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Medic how to: Think tactically, act medically (tips for all players)
By Zacht_180
EDIT: OWI has obviously made some huge changes to the class and the medic isn't the same as in this guide. Now, everyone can revive players which means the medic role's responsibility solely in that regard is slightly diminished. This guide is not up to date and I haven't been keeping up with the game much lately. That said, a number of players have still said this guide has been helpful so I plan on keeping it up. Sometime I may get around to making the necessary changes.

The medic role is one of the most important roles within the squad. It's essential to keeping the fight alive, and holding your position against the enemy. The medic, aside from having extra field dressings to stop bleeding, has a medical kit which actually heals players. Both of these are in slot 5 of the medic inventory. The field dressing is applied first, then the kit is used after bleeding has stopped to further treat injuries.

So, why be a medic? Because we need you. My biggest pet peeve is when a squad has one or zero medics. There should always and indefinitely be two, no matter the size of the squad or the other roles available. Seriously guys, you still get a gun and you still get to do your thing when it's time to. No one says you're not allowed to shoot it or engage the enemy because you're a medic. However, it is true that engaging the enemy is not your primary role. Your job is to provide medical assistance when you have injured squad mates.

Here are some strategical and tactical tips I find helpful, coming from someone who thoroughly enjoys playing as a medic.
   
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General Positioning
General Positioning: My general strategy is to sit back in a well covered position and wait for an injury. At the same time, you might find a decent place to put rounds at the enemy and still have cover. For those who may be injured, it really helps if you can dress yourself before we get to you. You have them for a reason. It saves time, and the faster we get to recuperate the faster we're all up and running. Thus, we hold our ground and are able to advanced or defend our assigned areas. Of course, you don't always have to sit back. You can move up with the rest and see what kind of fire you can provide against your enemy if it's needed. Listen to what your squad leader wants of you. I particularly would advocate for this especially if there's two medics on the squad (and there should be). If I'm the only medic (which I should never be) I tend to play it more safe. So know that you're needed, don't get yourself incapacitated when there's no need to.
Getting to Injured Team Mates
Getting to your mates: Get to you injured team mate in a safe manner. Under no circumstance should blatantly run into enemy fire trying to get to a downed buddy. You will likely be under heavy fire, and you will just have to be patient. You and your other squad members may also be busy taking/returning fire from another direction, so it's not gauranteed that your buddies will just suppress the enemy while you revive your injured team mate. Again I stress that you are vital, so don't put yourself at any greater risk of death than necessary. Say you are in an alley with your squad and you take fire from enemies in a building adjacent to you. To be of any use at all, you need to first take care of yourself. Find cover, engage or suppress the enemy, and worry about staying alive and fighting for yourself at this time. Even fall back if you need to and recollect with the rest of the squad. Where's your worth to your injured buddy if you've been hit and can't get to him?
Healing
Healing: Your team mate will either be unconscious/bleeding/injured, conscious/bleeding/injured, or conscious/not bleeding/injured. In the first circumstance you will need to apply field dressing to your unconscious squad member, he or she will eventually revive when the bleeding has stopped. Then use the kit to treat any injury. Common sense tells you to stay down if you are receiving fire. For the second scenario, you will practice the same steps as in step number one except the injured subject won't be unconscious. They will still be standing and possibly even fighting, they just need field dressing and healed. Lastly, if you get to your squad mate he or she may have (should have) already applied his or her own field dressing and will only need healing via the medical kit. Revive and heal as much as you can while on the field because it is YOUR job.

Thanks to @Blackout1337 for reminding me of another important thing you medics should be aware of: you can heal yourself, just as you can bandage yourself. Remember that it's important to make sure that you are able to get to your team mates and that you are safe first. So if things get heavy, take a second to step away from fire and bandage/heal yourself up. Then think about how you will get to your injured squad mates who need you. To be the care giver, you have to be cared for.
Smoke Grenades (Yes, this is a section)
3) Smoke Grenades: If under fire and you have team mates down, the enemy already knows where you are. Toss smoke if you need to bandage someone up. Hopefully soon we get the option to drag injured team mates. If you don't have any smoke, ask someone else to throw it for you. Seriously, I want you to be liberal with it. You have it, so why not use it? And other squad mates please don't hesitate to do that for us. You need your buddies.
Communication is Key
Communication: I've said this a number of times, but have not specifically talked about how communication should work. Again, this is something that is pertinent to not only medics but all players.

The game utilizes an amazing VOIP system that I'm thankful for. You have three different levels of communication: local, squad radio, and command radio.

Local: Is talking vocally to other people in your vicinity, not using a radio
Squad radio: Broadcasts over the radio to all squad members and SL
Command radio: Broadcasts communication between only squad leaders (therefore, only utilized and available to the squad leaders)

Obviously, your squad should be communicating throughout the entire match. It's an annoyance when the squad radio is cluttered up with useless chat, and it's a hazard as well. If I'm hearing three people talk over each other about nonsense, I may very well not be able to hear the person who has something useful to say. As a general rule, the radio should be quiet at all times. Unless your SL is giving directions/planning, or you are asking for them: quiet. Of course, enemy movement and other important information needs to be spoken. I may do a separate guide for communication in the future.

If someone goes down, chances are they'll call out their need for a medic. That's completely okay. As the medic, you should have already been paying attention to who was where. So in that circumstance, you wouldn't even have to ask about where he is or what's going on. But of course it's not always that way. As soon as someone calls out, "Meeeddiiicc!" or whatever they like to scream over the radio, let them know you're clear and you're working on getting to them. So players, we heard you. WE HEARD YOU. We as medics will acknowledge that. Be patient, we'll get to you when we can and don't bug us. So after you acknowledge that you've heard his or her request for assistance, and you get there safely, let him or her know over local radio that you're with him and healing him. A lot of times I catch myself saying, "_____ I'm on you" or, "_____ I'm healing you, sit tight." We don't want people giving up and wasting tickets when we can save them.
Medic + Medic = A homomedical relationship
Lastly, the two medics on the squad have a special relationship. You depend on each other, so communicate and talk to each other. Know where each other are. Be spread out so you're available for your guys, but be ready to assist the other medic if things take a turn for the worst. Being spread out is the most important thing you can do as a squad in general, all it takes is one grenade or RPG blast to put 3+ people down. And if both medics go down, consider your squad done for.

If Medic 1 is down, it should become Medic 2's top priority to safely revive him or her and provide aid. The SL takes priority in being revived and healed as well over other players (I still argue that if Medic 2 is down and you can get to him or her quicker, do that).

Get a system going and always communicate with your other medic. For example, I remember once in a match we were held up in a decent sized compound. It might have even been our FOB, if I remember right. But our squad took a grenade in the center of the complex, sending multiple people down. The other medic and I were still up, and the players inside the complex were still taking suppressive fire. So I'm outside patching people up and getting them standing, and then immediately tell them to go to Medic 2 who is inside a secure and sheltered building for the rest of the healing. So we pretty much ran as a machine, I'd get guys up and send them back to Medic 2 who was able to safely and fully heal them.

So in essence: communicate, work together.
Conclusion
In short summary: The medics are important, there should ALWAYS be two of them, and they should be easily available for squad mates who need them. There's a multitude of things that squad mates can do to make it easier for the medics as well (using your field dressing for yourself or someone else, providing smoke cover). What makes an effective squad is a squad that communicates and is aware. Medics need to do all of the same, while continuing to act as a tactical player and a contributing soldier.
58 Comments
Sandman13 Feb 4, 2022 @ 5:28am 
not true medics need medical knowledge go to med school before you are a squad medic
Jedidiah Jun 22, 2021 @ 5:07pm 
On smoke grenades, more often than not its better to throw them at the enemy than at yourself or your fallen teammates. The enemy will be blinded more and may have to leave their cover to see, while trying to conceal yourself in smoke (especially in an open area) is like painting a big target with an obscure bulls-eye for the enemy.

Now, sometimes if you're defending a place, smoke on yourself will mask your movements, but you can still try to throw smoke at the enemy to obscure their longer-ranged fire.
Gustavo Dec 30, 2020 @ 5:31pm 
@Dylan

Little point in getting back up if you'd be legally blind, outside of saving tickets. The medic's healing ability is the best.
Javelin Enjoyer Sep 6, 2020 @ 5:09pm 
Considering it takes 16 seconds to revive one person as a regular infantryman, a medic is still a squad requirement.
Gully Foyle Sep 2, 2020 @ 6:46pm 
Still great guide--read the strategy tips for positioning, when to revive, etc.
Dylan | IFN.GG Aug 9, 2020 @ 6:48pm 
yeah med is useless til a whole squad gets mortared and no one has enough bandages to heal them all
Wrench In The Plan May 2, 2020 @ 7:29pm 
Please don't delete this guide. I personally found it helpful, even after the changes made to the class.
Doktor Jun 1, 2019 @ 2:52am 
@author
@LuxCapere

lel, you really must have some sort of degenerated playstyle if you don't see the importance of medics in >v13:

no stamina regeneration with 1 HP.
visuals are almost 0 with 1 HP, gl spotting enemies.
Tybo May 12, 2019 @ 3:02pm 
Medic is my fav role to play!
Zacht_180  [author] Feb 21, 2019 @ 7:22am 
@LuxCapere Ahhh yes, I do remember hearing that everyone is able to revive now. That is stupid, I used to love playing medic, too. Sadly you're right... it seems that with the demise of the medic class the same shall happen to my once useful and appreciated tips. It was my first guide on Steam :(

I'll make a big old edit at the top to let users know that OWI fudged up the medic class and everything is now useless, and then probably delete it shortly after. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! Like I said, haven't been playing as much lately.