Formations

Basic Formation Information

All formations have 5 meter spacing between players unless otherwise specified by your leadership.

FTL = Fireteam Leader

AR = Automatic Rifleman

AAR = Assistant Automatic Rifleman

AT = Rifleman (Anti-Tank)

GRN = Grenadier

When choosing a formation for movement within your fireteam, you must consider control, flexibility, fire capability, and security.

Basic Fireteam Formations

Fireteam Wedge

          FTL
      AR      GRN
  AAR             AT
                    

The fireteam wedge is the default formation used when moving towards contact or an unknown area. It allows for quick transitioning into a line and ease of movement. The AR should always be placed on the side of which contact is more likely to happen, so he and his team can establish a base of fire and achieve fire superiority as soon as possible.

Fireteam Column

     AT
     AR
     AAR
     FTL
     GRN

The fireteam column is best used when you expect enemy contact to come from your sides. Its frontal and rear firepower is minimal and is best used when crossing expected minefields.

Fireteam Line

AT   AR   AAR   FTL  GRN

The fireteam line is what formation you will always turn into when reacting to contact. Regardless of what formation you where traveling in, always form a line facing the direction of first contact to maximize fire power.

Staggered Column

  AT
         AR
  AAR
         FTL
  GRN

The staggered column is a good compromise for a fireteam. Naturally this will be chosen for road marches or when escorting assets. It is a very balanced formation with equal firepower to all sides. A staggered column should be preferred over a column in most situations.

Basic Squad Formations

Squad formations are chosen by the squad leader, usually team leaders have the freedom to choose the fireteam formation. However, the fireteam formation needs to be within the intent of the squad leader's choice of the squad formation. Bad examples: A squad line with fireteams in columns or a squad column with fireteams in lines. The fireteam formations are interfering and contradicting with the squad formation becoming essentially pointless.

Squad Column

Squad Column with fireteam wedges => "fireteams in the squad are aligned in a column and the fireteam formations are wedges"

          FTL
      AR      GRN
  AAR             AT

         SL
         M

           FTL
       GRN      AR
   AT             AAR                    

If traveling or traveling-overwatch is the movement technique to be used for the squad, this will be your default formations. It is a compromise of risk minimization due to small exposure, flexibility to transition into other formation, to react to contact, ease of control and traveling speed.

Squad Line

Squad Line with fireteam wedges => "fireteams in the squad are aligned in a line and the fireteam formations are wedges"

          FTL                       FTL
      AR      GRN               GRN      AR
  AAR             AT        AT             AAR                   
                       SL
                       M 

The squad line is what all formations become if the entire squad comes under fire. Squad leaders should minimize time in the squad line unless defensive. If defensive, the squad line offers maximum firepower forward but leave the flank firepower to be desired.

Squad File

     AT
     AR
     AAR
     FTL
     GRN

     AT
     AR
     AAR
     FTL
     GRN

     SL
     M

The squad column lacks security to the front and rear, but maximizes firepower to the flanks. The squad column should primarily be used when contact should be avoided at all costs and when the reaction to contact will be to break from it. In most other traveling situations for large groups the formation should be a staggered column or a squad column.

US Army Video

Here is a basic instructional video used by the US Army in earlier conflicts to help explain squad and fireteam movement formations. Their TTPs still apply even in-game.

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US Army Formation Movement

Specialized Formations

Platoon Jungle Formation

The Platoon Jungle Formation is a specialized movement formation for a platoon sized element through (you guessed it) a jungle. This formation is characterized by the squad columns that mutually support and provide security. The forward-most element can be flexible, as long as it is able to provide fire support forward.

           TL              TL
         AR  GREN      GREN  AR    
      AAR        AT  AT        AAR
                   
     TL            SL             TL
     AR            M              AR
     AAR                          AAR
     GRN                          GRN
     AT                           AT
                     
     SL            PL             SL
     M             MO             M
               RTO/JTAC/FO
     AT                           AT
     AR                           AR
     AAR                          AAR
     GRN                          GRN
     TL                           TL

The jungle formation is vulnerable to indirect fire, but centralizes control and provides good security. In the event of contact, the formation is extremely flexible - the squad columns will swing out into lines for maximum fire support towards the contact. The Team Leaders at the rear control the swing out.

Note the position of the platoon leader and the adjacent squad leaders during movement. This proximity allows the formation to expand when it halts in order to form a perimeter. This depicts a 39 man platoon, but this can be effectively used with more or less numbers.

Minefield Formation

Minefields are a difficult obstacle to face. If avoidance is not possible, you and your team(s) may be forced to push through. In this case, mine detectors and other engineering tools should be available. The engineers or soldiers with the necessary tools should be placed ahead of the platoon/squad/team by about 30 meters in order to provide clearance in the event of an untimely detonation. A squad level example is below.

     ENG
     

     AT
     AR
     AAR
     FTL
     GRN

     AT
     AR
     AAR
     FTL
     GRN

     SL
     M

It is critical that the point man in the engineering unit covers about a 2 meter wide area in front of them. If possible, other members of the engineering unit should mark the safe route visibly on the ground. The engineering team should carefully consider the terrain they are traversing while inside the minefield.

Infantry in this formation should provide cover for the engineers to the best of their limited ability while staying in the cleared areas of the minefield. Unfortunately, the infantry are likely relegated to standing in the open with little to no cover while they perform this task.

There are nearly no advantages to this formation as traversing a minefield is not an advantageous situation and should only be done if absolutely necessary. The main advantage of this formation is that casualties from the minefield itself should be mitigated by following the exact path as the forward element.

Attached is a US Marine Corps Squad-size Sweeping Team, for reference.