Squad Strategy Guide · Cosmo Strategy Guides

01 · The Combat Loop

Fifty per side. Eight squads of nine. Every fight is a logistics problem.

50v50 standard player count Squad runs 50 players per side (100 total) by default on full servers. Some servers cap lower for performance or tactical preference.
Eight squads per team, nine slots each Teams are organized into squads led by a Squad Leader. Squad Leaders coordinate with each other and a Commander; the structure is military by design.
AAS, RAAS, and Invasion are the main modes AAS (capture points sequentially), RAAS (randomized point order each round), Invasion (asymmetric attack/defend). Most public servers run RAAS.
Match lengths: 90 to 120 minutes Squad matches are long by design. Ticket bleed from objective control plus respawns plus vehicle losses decides the winner over an extended timeline.
Communication is not optional Voice chat is the central mechanic. Squads without comms lose to squads with comms; this is by design, not a bug.
Realistic damage and ballistics Two-shot rifle kills under armor. Bleed-out timers, suppression mechanics, leg breaks. Death is fast; medical recovery is part of the loop.
Active development Offworld Industries ships regular updates. Recent: weapon tuning, helicopter overhauls, vehicle balance, new factions, and the Infantry Combat Overhaul (ICO).

02 · Communication Structure

Squad uses three-tier voice and a structured command chain.

Local voice Hear and be heard by everyone in proximity. Useful for ad-hoc coordination with players outside your squad; do not use it for squad-wide info.
Squad voice Everyone in your squad hears you regardless of distance. The primary tactical channel; default key is V.
Command voice (Squad Leaders only) Squad Leaders coordinate with each other and the Commander on a separate channel. Plans live here; orders flow back to squads.
Squad Leader role The most important role on the team. Marks objectives, places Rally Points, requests vehicles, coordinates with other Squad Leaders. New players should not lead until they understand the basics.
Commander role One Commander per team. Coordinates between Squad Leaders, calls strategic assets (UAV, artillery, helicopters depending on faction), reads the map at the highest level.
Map markers and pings Squad Leaders can place markers visible to the team. Markers convey orders without voice congestion; learn the marker types.
Mute toxic players, not informative ones A Squad Leader being curt is doing their job. Mute trolls and griefers; do not mute the Squad Leader because they asked you to do something.

03 · Squad & Kit Roles

Each squad has limited kit slots; choose for the squad’s composition.

Command and Logistics Squad Leader, Crewman, Pilot

Squad Leader (binoculars, smoke, deployable Rally Point)
Crewman (required for tank/IFV operation)
Pilot (required for helicopter operation)

Bring: Map awareness, communication, and the willingness to handle the role-specific responsibilities. Pilots and Crewmen unlock by squad slot.
Take: The Rally Points that keep the squad respawning forward, the vehicles that move the team, the helicopters that insert and resupply.

Pilots and Crewmen require a Squad Leader to authorize. Without these kits, vehicles cannot be crewed at full capability.

Combat Roles Rifleman, Grenadier, Automatic Rifleman, Light Anti-Tank

Rifleman (ammo bag for resupplies)
Grenadier (underbarrel grenade launcher)
Automatic Rifleman (LMG suppression)
Light Anti-Tank (basic anti-vehicle)

Bring: The willingness to follow squad orders and trade kills with teammates rather than chase solo plays.
Take: The mainstay infantry firepower. Rifleman ammo bag resupplies the squad; the others provide focused firepower.

These kits do not require Squad Leader authorization. Most players in a Squad will run one of these.

Specialist Roles Marksman, Engineer, Combat Medic, Heavy Anti-Tank

Marksman (DMR for long range)
Engineer (mines, sapper charges, fortification repair)
Combat Medic (faster revives, bandages)
Heavy Anti-Tank (rocket launchers vs armored vehicles)

Bring: Specialist skill: marksmanship, engineering work, medical priority, or anti-armor positioning.
Take: Mission-critical role contribution. Combat Medics keep squads alive; Heavy AT decides vehicle engagements.

Specialist slots are limited per squad. Coordinate with the Squad Leader before picking; do not duplicate the squad’s existing kit roles.

04 · The Infantry Combat Overhaul (ICO)

Squad’s 2023 gunplay rework changed everything.

Sway and recoil increased Post-ICO, weapons sway dramatically with movement, stamina depletion, and suppression. Pre-ICO accuracy is gone; deliberate fire is rewarded.
Suppression effects Bullet flybys cause visual and audio suppression. Suppressed players have reduced aim and limited situational awareness. Suppressive fire is now actually effective.
Stamina matters more Sprinting depletes stamina; depleted stamina increases sway. Hold fire until stamina recovers; do not run-and-gun.
Bipods and braced firing Bipods on LMGs and DMRs reduce sway dramatically when deployed. Brace against terrain or windows for similar bonuses. Positioning before firing matters.
Time-to-target increased Engagement times stretched. Hold cover; spot the enemy; line up the shot. The pre-ICO twitch-aim style is gone.
Movement before fire Move to position, then fire. Firing on the move is now strongly punished by sway and recoil; deliberate setup wins fights.
Some servers run Pre-ICO mods Mods like Steel Division and Squad Ops offer Pre-ICO gunplay on community servers. If you prefer the older style, the mods exist; vanilla is now ICO-only.

05 · Vehicles & Logistics

Half of Squad is moving and supplying assets.

Logistics trucks deliver build supplies Logistics trucks carry construction and ammunition points to forward bases. Without logistics runs, FOBs cannot be built or sustained.
APCs and IFVs anchor pushes Armored personnel carriers transport infantry; infantry fighting vehicles add heavy weapons. The team that controls APC/IFV positioning wins the infantry fight.
Main battle tanks are the apex MBTs dominate open ground. Heavy Anti-Tank kits are the counter; flanking with engineers and AT is the answer to a single tank holding a position.
Helicopters: transport and reconnaissance Most factions have transport helicopters; some have armed variants. Pilots are limited; respect their loadout choices.
Vehicle claiming Squad Leaders claim vehicles for their squad. Unclaimed vehicles are open; claimed vehicles must be used by the claiming squad or freed up.
Vehicle respawn timers Each vehicle has a respawn timer after destruction. Losing a tank to a flank kill stalls the team for 10+ minutes; protect armor with infantry support.
Drivers and gunners are different roles A driver who is also the gunner is the worst version of every vehicle. Coordinate with squadmates to crew vehicles properly.

06 · FOBs & Fortifications

Forward Operating Bases are the persistent infrastructure of Squad.

FOB radios are the anchor A FOB radio creates a spawn point and unlocks fortification construction within range. Squad Leaders place radios; the team builds around them.
Construction and ammo points FOBs have construction points for fortifications and ammunition points for weapons resupply. Logistics trucks refill both; supply is finite.
Sandbags, walls, and trenches Basic fortifications block movement and create cover. Cheap and fast; the foundation of any defensive position.
HMGs and TOW launchers Heavy machine guns and anti-tank guided weapons cost more construction points but provide significant firepower. Place facing predictable enemy approach.
Mortars (faction-dependent) Mortar emplacements provide indirect fire support across long distances. Coordinated with map markers from spotters; one of the highest-leverage tools in Squad.
FOBs near objectives A FOB within 300m of an objective lets the team respawn close; a FOB 600m away costs minutes per death. Forward FOBs decide rounds.
Defend the FOB radio Enemies who reach the radio can destroy it, removing the spawn point. Keep at least one person near every active radio; a lost radio is a lost flag.

07 · Maps & Factions

Modern and historical settings; multiple factions with distinct kits.

Major maps Yehorivka, Fallujah, Sumari, Logar, Harju, Skorpo, Anvil, Belaya, Goose Bay, Talil, Manic-5. Each has its own scale, terrain, and tactical character.
Modern factions US Army, US Marines, British Army, Russian Federation, People's Liberation Army (PLA), Canadian Army, Australian Defense Force, Middle Eastern Alliance (MEA), Insurgent Forces (INS), Turkish Land Forces.
Faction asymmetry Conventional factions have more advanced vehicles and optics. Insurgent and Militia factions have asymmetric kits: more rocket launchers, fewer optics, technical vehicles.
Map size varies wildly Some maps are 4km x 4km open desert; others are tight urban grids. Match your kit choice and squad composition to the map terrain.
RAAS randomization Random Advance and Secure rotates capture point order each match. Same map; different round-to-round strategy. Adapt to the call rather than pre-planning the route.
Day and night variants Some maps have night versions with limited visibility. Night-vision kits become critical; non-NV factions adjust by holding defensive positions.
Workshop maps and mods Steam Workshop hosts a deep modding ecosystem. Steel Division, Squad Ops Hardcore, faction overhauls, and full-conversion mods extend the vanilla game significantly.

08 · Weapon Discipline

Squad is about choosing not to fire as much as choosing to.

Fire discipline Firing reveals position. Hold fire until you have a clean shot or until the squad is committed to an engagement. Trigger-happy players give away squad positions constantly.
Take cover before shooting Find cover; verify the angle; fire; reposition. The "fire and fall back" sequence is the basic infantry maneuver.
Range estimation Squad has no rangefinder by default. Use known landmarks, the mil-dot reticle on DMRs, and squad communications to estimate range.
Optics matter Iron sights are fine close-range; ACOGs and red dots help mid-range; DMR scopes for long range. Match the kit to the engagement distance.
Suppression with LMGs Automatic Riflemen suppress; they do not necessarily kill. A suppressed enemy is an enemy that cannot return fire effectively. Use the LMG’s mag count.
Anti-tank requires preparation Heavy AT positions matter: side or rear shots into armor; pre-aimed angles for ambush. A solo AT lobbing rockets at a moving tank rarely lands.
Grenades for room clearing Cooking grenades and throwing through windows clears defenders. Coordinate with squadmates; do not blow up your own breach.

09 · Medical & Revives

Half the squad is alive because someone bandaged them.

Bleed-out timer after incapacitation After being incapacitated, you have a bleed-out timer (around 3 minutes) before final death. Revives stop the timer and restore the player to action.
Combat Medic role Combat Medics revive faster and have more bandages. Every squad should run at least one Medic; many run two on larger squads.
Bandages first, then revive Bandage an incapacitated teammate before reviving; un-bandaged players bleed out immediately on revive. Squad teaches this fast.
Field hospital recovery Some FOBs build field hospitals that fully heal players. Useful for sustaining a defensive position over a long engagement.
Avoid solo charges A solo push of an incapacitated enemy is a wasted life. Wait for squad coordination; play for revives, not solo kills.
Stay near teammates A squad spread across 200m cannot revive itself. Pair up; move in fire teams; revives happen in close formation.
Communicate "needs medic" Voice line + map ping. Combat Medics cannot read minds; tell them you are down and where you are.

10 · Audio & Settings

Hardware matters; settings matter more.

Headphones, not speakers Directional audio decides flanks. A wired headset beats any speaker for survival in Squad.
Master volume around 50–60 percent Squad peaks loud during firefights. Master volume preserves headroom for distant gunfire and voice communications.
Field of view 90 Standard tactical FOV. Wider feels less immersive; narrower restricts peripheral vision. 90 is the public-server standard.
Voice activation vs push-to-talk Push-to-talk for squad voice; voice activation for command voice (Squad Leader only). PTT prevents accidental open-mic moments.
Mouse sensitivity moderate Squad rewards deliberate aim. Lower sensitivity than your typical FPS sweet spot; 800 DPI and moderate in-game sensitivity is the public-server standard.
Disable motion blur Off in the video menu. Saves clarity during rotations and fast turns.
Verify after every major update Offworld ships major updates regularly. Five minutes of menu review prevents one bad round on unfamiliar settings.

11 · Pro Tips

Squad is the marathon of FPS games. Pace yourself.

Find a regular squad Public games are matchmaking lotteries. A regular squad of players you know transforms the experience; clan and community servers help.
Stay with your Squad Leader A squad that follows orders consistently outperforms an "elite" squad of solo players. Trust the SL; coordinate rather than freelance.
Learn one map first Yehorivka or Fallujah are the most-played beginner maps. Learn the layout, then expand to others. Map knowledge compounds.
Volunteer for Rifleman early Rifleman is the easiest kit to learn and the most useful for a squad (ammo bag). Start there; experiment with other kits after twenty hours of vanilla.
Do not lead until you understand A bad Squad Leader sinks the whole team. Play as a squad member for 50+ hours before volunteering as SL; you will be a better leader for it.
Use the map screen Tab opens the map. Use it constantly; situational awareness in Squad comes from the map and the voice channel, not just the view in front of you.
Accept that you will lose Squad matches are long; some are unwinnable from the start. The win rate evens out across many matches; the experience is the gameplay, not just the result.