Popup Menu
Pressing the F key will bring up the popup menu, a menu which allows players to quickly communicate. You can use the mouse or the keys shown inside the brackets to select different menus. The first menu includes global, acknowledgement, local, and squad options. Choosing the global menu brings up the shouts "area secure" and "area not secure," and the categories of support and supplies. Different types of support can be requested, including artillery, armor, air, transport, and infantry. Supplies that can be requested include ammo, health, and engineer.
The acknowledgement (or "ack") menu provides simple "negative" and "affirmative" commands and, if applicable, the "accept order" or "deny/cancel order." The local menu has commands that will be heard by all players nearby, such as "move up!", "pull back!", "take cover!", "cover fire!", and a taunt. The last menu is for squads. If you're not in a squad you can form one, and if you are in one, you can leave it. If you are pointing at a squad member, the "Join squad" option also appears, which lets you request to join the target squad. The "Kick Commander" button is also present here. If you think the commander isn't doing a good job, you can choose to vote him out. At least 60% of your team must have voted to kick the commander.
As a squad leader, the squad menu will also have commands to activate two squad abilities based on your class. See the Squad Leader section below for detailed information on the specific abilities available to each class.
You are also able to bind a single command to a key by using console commands for ease of access.
Squads
By being part of a squad, you are automatically awarded a temporary rank that is used for personal skills and abilities. Upon joining or forming a squad with at least two members, you will gain this rank by either going to an armory or barracks and changing out your kit or upon your first spawn as a squad member. While in a squad you can see your squadmates name, class, health and action status in your HUD. When a squadmate is under attack it will flash red, when they are attacking it will flash yellow. If your squadmates are to die in combat, their status will appear with a red hue.
The Commander is able to command squads as a whole, instead of having to select several players one by one.
Joining A Squad
Joining or Creating a squad is done via the Squad menu. The default binding is the C key.
From there, you can select the squad you wish to join, and click on Join Squad. If there is nobody in a particular squad, then the button will appear as Create Squad. If you create a squad then you will become the Squad Leader, which allows you to kick soldiers from the squad, or lock it to keep out any newcomers. The squad leader is also able to invite new soldiers into the squad by selecting their name and clicking Invite to Squad.
The Squad Leader
The squad leader emits an aura around himself, and all squad members within this aura get a bonus depending on the class of the squad leader. This aura's radius is 50 feet (600 game units), which is about the length of the diameter of a Radar building. A corresponding icon will appear on your HUD when you are within the radius.
Scout - additional 33% stamina regeneration rate
Rifleman - additional 20% accuracy
Grenadier - additional 10% weapon damage
Engineer - 1HP/2s health regeneration rate
Squads earn points by doing regular battlefield related duties and can be traded by the squad leader for various instant benefits similar to various class skills for the entire squads. The amount of
squad points are listed next to the name of your squad on your hud. There are 2 squad skills to choose from per class type, depending on the squad leaders class for the skills, just like the aura benefit.
Scout:
Mass hide: All squad members are hidden for thirty seconds regardless of their class.
Battlefield intelligence: All enemies in a nearby radius are spotted for thirty seconds.
Rifleman:
Charge!: Squad members have no stamina drain from running for thirty seconds.
Armor: Damage is reduced by 20% for thirty seconds.
Grenadier:
Damage: All squad members receive a temporary 20% weapon damage increase.
Artillery strike: An instant artillery strike to the selected location.
Engineer:
Mass revive: All dead squad members are revived near the squad leader.
Mass Heal: All injured squad members are instantly healed.
These skills can be activated under the squad item in your Popup Menu.