Platoon Leader
Team
Medical officer-This unit is in charge of medics and logistics regarding medical supply and troops. He is also your second-in-command, so keeping him in the loop regarding your plan and intent is essential should you become a casualty. During centralized medical missions he will not leave the Field Hospital, unless he is ordered on a medevac. On decentralized systems he will follow you until the FH is deployed.
Forward Observer/JTAC-This unit is in charge of all air and indirect fire assets. You will relay fire missions and request air assets from him. During missions that have air assets he is not to leave the PL. His presence makes your job easier and it is vital to keep him alive. If there are no air assets, he is best used by being pushed down to SL or teams. His ability to quickly designate and call fire down accurately is best used on the front lines. If he is KIA have squad leaders continue to mark targets and begin to take over the FO duties.
The FO may be equipped with a backpack-deployed UAV. If this is the case, he also becomes an invaluable reconnaissance asset and is able to identify targets without input from the SLs or being physically present at the front.
Planning and Orders
This introduction in Platoon leading will be kept simplified and then expanded on as we progress.
In the beginning of a mission you always have a medical officer. This is the base of your medical chain and is included in every mission. JTAC/UAV operator is a position only taken when a mission maker has included them.
You will also have an Alpha command section, callsign “ASL” or “RED” and most likely a Bravo command section, callsign “BSL” or “BLUE”. These sections are comprised of 1 squad leader and a medic. These leaders are in charge of squad level movement and will be your best eyes on the field during the assault. Maintain a good spacing from your squad leaders, preferably rearward, to safeguard your chain of command from losing two leaders to a stray artillery shell at the same time.
Under the squad lead command will be two squads of six infantrymen each. This brings our average squad to 14 infantrymen, equipped with two machine guns, five grenade launchers and four anti-tank launchers. Keep this in mind as you plan your mission.