Squads
Basics of squaddery
Welcome aboard valued employee! We deeply thank you for signing up as a Doctor/Engineer/Clown. But, there is one more thing you have to do. What, you expected a calm shift honking around?
That's right, here in the navy, we need every hand at the ready when combat hits. And thus, squads were born. When the sirens ring, and General Quarters is declared, all non-essential personnel must assist in the fighting.
Non-essential personnel means non-combat generally. So everyone NOT in the munitions department. Doctors, scientists, engineers, bartenders and such.
When you arrive on board, you are greeted by a large, reddish text, detailing which squad you are in, and what you will have to do. Don't get alarmed, it really isn't difficult. I'll detail what each squad does below. For now let's go over what to do. In the beginning of the shift, not much. Do whatever your job requires. After all, you are still useful, just not combat. Combat usually doesn't begin until one hour has passed, or even more, depending on your Bridge Crew, so you might even go without GQ a whole shift. If you do get into GQ, however..
General Quarters
Oh uh. The alarms are ringing, the ship has entered combat or CC is just annoying you. You now have to make your way to a squad vendor. They are usually located in central areas, such as briefing, the main hallway or the bar. Head over to them, vend your Equipment Box and start your duty.
General squad equipment
These are the things every squad member receives.
Squad Pager: This spawns in your inventory when you arrive on board. Allows you to speak on the squad comms with a HUD button. It works when it's in your inventory. It works when comms are down. It works without any need for interaction. Its great! Yet noone uses it
If you want to return your equipment, put it all into your backpack, then click return on the vendor. The items must not be in any kind of container when in your backpack, not even the box you received them in.
Standard Equipment
All squad members receives these in their Standard Box
Combat jumpsuit: A cheaply made uniform worn by general combat officers. Different squad members get differently named ones, but functionally, they are the same. They offer minimal protection against hazards. Midshipmen spawn wearing these.
- Defense values: 30 acid, 30 fire, 10 bullet, 10 melee
Squad Armor: A light piece of armour, designed to protect its wearer from basic workplace hazards during general quarters. It has been lined with protective materials to allow the wearer to survive in space for slightly longer than usual, but is not spaceproof. It does not slow you down, but you can't put weapons in it's exo-suit slot.
- Defense values: 50 acid, 20 bio, 30 bomb, 40 bullet, 10 energy, 25 fire, 10 laser, 30 melee, 25 rad
Squad Helmet: A bulky helmet that's designed to keep your head in-tact while you perform essential repairs on the ship.
- Defense values: 50 acid, 20 bio, 30 bomb, 20 bullet, 10 energy, 25 fire, 10 laser, 30 melee, 25 rad
Hazard Equipment
All squad members receive these in their Hazardous Equipment Box
Armored Skinsuit: A light piece of armour, designed to protect its wearer from basic workplace hazards during general quarters. It has been reinforced, making it spaceproof. It slows you down considerably. You can't put weapons in it's exo-suit slot.
- Defense values: 70 acid, 100 bio, 10 bomb, 30 bullet, 80 fire, 5 laser, 20 melee, 50 rad, 10 stamina
Squad Space Helmet: A special helmet with solar UV shielding to protect your eyes from harmful rays. It bears a squad's insignia. It has been reinforced, making it spaceproof. Protects you from flashes.
- Defense values: 70 acid, 100 bio, 10 bullet, 80 fire, 15 melee, 50 rad, 10 stamina
Weaponry
When the XO gives you gun clearence, you will receive these things in your box. If you have already vended your box, but still want a gun, return your equipment, then re-vend your box.
Glock-13: A small 9mm handgun used by Nanotrasen security forces. It has a polymer handle and a full durasteel body construction, giving it a nice weight. The main sidearm of Security Officers and Heads of Staff. The mag that starts in the gun is non-lethal. Does 20 stamina or brute damage, depending on the ammo.
9mm magazine: An extra magazine for your Glocks. Filled with lethal ammo. More can be acquired at cargo.
Squad Members
A squad is made up mostly of Squad Marines, but has multiple specialized members, like Engineers, who can fix or break things, and Medics, who heal people. And of course, on top of them all sits the SL.
Whichever role you get when you arrive on the ship depends on what you set in your Chracter Preferences, with the Squad Specialization button. The default is Marine. If you wish to change your role mid-round, you can talk to the XO.
Not all jobs can be members of a squad roundstart. This is either because they are in an important position, which they cannot leave to attend to Squad duties (like Engineers or Munitions Technicians), or that their jobs are close enough to Squad duties already (like Security Officers). The following jobs can't be squad members roundstart:
- CIC personnell: the Executive Officer, the Captain and Bridge Staff
- Most of Security: Security Officers, the Warden and the Head of Security
- Munitions: Munitions Technicians, the Air Traffic Controller, Fighter Pilots, the Flight Leader and the Master At Arms
- Most of Engineering: Ship Engineers and the Chief Engineer
- Medical Doctors
- The AI and the Cyborgs
Squad Leader
Rank: Lieutenant(LT)
The Squad Leader is responsible for organizing the squad. While the XO or the Captain may be far away in CIC, the SL is down on the ground, with a clear view on the situation.
While shipside, the SL should be the one leading with good example, helping out departments, and following the orders from CIC. Or not, if that is the example you want the squad to follow. You can also be an inspiring mentor to any new squadmates who may not be the greatest in whatever job you were given. As the SL, you are also the one tasked with ensuring that your squad is equipeed for whatever misson you will need to do.
When boarding, communication with CIC may be hard, or even nonexistant. Thus the SL may find himself as the highest ranking crewmember present. This is where SLs make or break. You need to assess the situation, and quickly, using your megaphone, assume command, and keep your marines alive. Looking unprepared is a bad sign, so always have a plan, or just act like you have one.
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Squad Sergeant
Rank: Sergeant (SGT)
If you have enough experience in-game, you may become a Squad Sergeant roundstart, if you set your preference to Marine.
Squad Sergeants get the same equipment as normal Marines, but they are the Second in Command of the Squad, right under the SL. As such, if there is no SL, they will be the first ones to be promoted. Otherwise, their job is similar to the SL's job. While shipside, they are tasked with coordinating with CIC, telling inexperienced squadmates what to do. While boarding, the Sergeant can lead the Squad to victory, or if there is an SL, can take over command of a smaller force, tasked with a side job.
Squad Engineer
Rank: Second Lieutenant (SLT)
Supervisors: Squad Sergeant
The Squad Engineer is responsible for fixing machinery vital for the squad's work, or for breaking into enemy ships. You are given a great power as an engineer, a full toolbelt. Use it for good and only good!
While shipside, you can assist in any department you were assigned to, just like a Marine. However, your tools can help you fix any machinery, or break-in to save people, or yourselves. On top of this, you have a full Damage Control box, filled to the brim with metal foam grenades and and inflatable walls. These can be used to patch breaches quickly and easily. The additional flexi seal can be used to patch up damaged inflatables or reactors.
When boarding, your job will change drastically. Instead of fixing holes, you will need to make holes. You have all the equipment required to break down walls, doors and machinery. When the Dropship docks with the enemy ship, it will be your job to breach a wall or a window, allowing your team to move in. Once inside, you will need to hack doors to get into key areas, construct barricades to protect your crewmates, and possibly even fix up some machinery once the ship has been overtaken.
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Squad Medic
Rank: Second Lieutenant (SLT)
Supervisors: Squad Sergeant
The Squad Medic is responsible for, suprisingly, healing their squadmates. You have all the equipment needed to heal, or failing that stabilize your fellow Squad members, then bring them to Medbay.
While shipside, you can spend your time best by assisting in medbay. You can, with a bit of equipment from vendors and the medical lathe, become a real Doctor. Or, if Medbay is fully staffed, you are an excellent Paramedic, who can get patients to safety even from Space or a gunfight.
When boarding, you may become the most important member of your Squad. But do not be afraid, your fellow Marines know this as well, so you can count on them for keeping your backside safe. It is very important to stock up on meds before you lift off. You will mainly be facing enemies with gns, so bring brute meds and a lot of gauze. Once you arrive on board the enemy vessel, stick back, and heal anyone who limps back to you. You may find yourself being the only medic on board, but do not be afraid! Just slap some patches on their owies, and tell them to go away.
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Squad Marine
Rank: Private First Class (PFC)
The Squad Marine is the most numerous of all the Squad roles. Squad Marines are the majority of any Squad, they put their lives on the line, they repair the ship, they work in Munitions.
While shipside, you, the Marine, have one very simple job: follow orders. If you were sent to repair the ship's hull, put on your space suit, grab a welder and start welding those plates. If you were sent to fill up Munitions, then go, make torp, load guns, etc. Your strength is in numbers, so if only one of you turns up to the job, you wont make a big difference. So listen to the XO's or the SL's orders, and actually, help out. But do not be afraid if you find yourself overwhelmed by your new tasks! You have your Pager, so just ask the SL or the Sergeants if you don't know what to do
When boarding, the plan doesn't change that much. But this time, your lives are at stake! So always watch eachother's back, never go alone, and safeguard the medics. Situational awareness is even more important then usual. Be careful with how you spend your ammo, as you do not get much. And always keep your Pager at hand, as normal comms may not be avaible.
Managing squads
Squad management is the Executive Officer's job. He can do it either from a machine in his office, the Squad Management Console, or from the Squad Management program on a Modular Console.. Either one of those let's you do numerous things! Let's go over them:
- The button marked with Purple lets you reassign people into new Roles.
- The button marked with Red allows you to transfer people between Squads. The Squads are different from eachother, albeit not by much.
- The button marked with White lets you print a new lanyard. The lanyard can be used in hand by anybody to join a Squad.
- The button marked with Blue toggles if that Squad will be automatically filled when new people join the round.
- The button marked with Yellow toggles if that Squad's members receive guns in their Equipment boxes. Use with caution!
- The button marked with Green toggles Elevated Acces for Squads.
- The buttons marked with Pink let you set objectives for Squads. These should be general orders, detailing what they need to do.
- The button marked with Brown lets you message Squads, to provide them with up-to-date information on quickly changing events.
Tips
- The XO, the Captain, the HoS and Security Officers have a General Pager, a pager that can listen in to any squad radio.
- Able and Charlie - when given Elevated Access - have access to the Brig and the Hangar. Baker and Duff have access to Medical, Munitions and Engineering.
- Baker Squad can have up to 4 engineers roundstart.
That should be all. If any of this seems daunting, dont be afraid. You can always ask for help, and even if you fail, no-one expects the Bartender to save the ship in the middle of a battle, so dont worry if you aren't the most useful.
Yours truly,
Acting Executive Officer Ian
