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Difficulty: Easy Supervisors: Squad Leader Rank: Not defined Duties: Follow orders. Don't get yourself killed. Don't shoot your squadmates. Guides: Bullet Paths and Friendly Fire Unlock Requirements: Not available. Detailed Description: Not defined |__________| |
"How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?"- Hudson, Aliens
So you have finished Marine Quickstart Guide, FAQ, and maybe even Macros, it's time to get robust.
Prep room
Gear
M10 Helmet can hold two small items (protein bars, throwing knives, flask, google, lighter and cigar pack). M3 Armor can hold two normal sized items, you can put magazines or spare auto-injectors to increase your survivability. Boot knife to boot.
Side arm
You need a rifle or shotgun as sidearm because you will lose your main gun. Get an M41A or M37 Shotgun, attach rail flashlight (turn it on) and bayonet (for clearing resin structure). M41A is a quick back up weapon when your main gun is dry, drop it and switch to it and keep shooting. M37 Shotgun
During the briefing, put sidearm in your suit storage while your main gun on your back, satchel/backpack in your hand.
Get a M41A or
The M41A is a solid weapon but it lacks the firepower to discourage Xenos,
In the field
Principles
Don't be a liability
This includes being captured or killed. Avoid being captured still be your top priority.
Help fellow marines
Fierce when needed
Logistics
Combat
You're in the United States Colonial Marine Corps. Follow your sergeant's orders and don't ask too many questions. Whether you've been to Hell and back or you're fresh out of Boot, you're expected to maintain a level of professionalism. Do your job, follow orders, and maybe you'll go home in one piece.
Your Squad
As a Standard Marine you will be assigned to one of four squads. Each squad has a colour to make them easily identifiable: Alpha is RED, Bravo is YELLOW, Charlie is PURPLE, Delta is BLUE.. Examining your ID will tell you what squad you're in.
See those chrome-domes, snowcones, and badass wannabes over there? Those ass-hats are your fellow squaddies. Stay near them and you might not go home in a box. Stay on comms and let your squad know if you see anything out of the ordinary. If you find yourself standing around with some other jackasses who aren't wearing the same color as you, you fucked up. Go find your squad. That hardass with the funny stripes on his helmet? That's your Squad Leader. The squad leader's orders are the will of God and should be treated as such. The morons with the big guns? That's your Squad Specialist and your Squad Smartgunner. Leave them alone. Don't fuck with the corpsmen and the com-techs and they won't fuck with you. Okay, Grunt, time for a recap. Do what you're told and don't shoot your squad.
The Weapons
You have access to five firearms of your choosing. In an ideal world, you'll be smart enough not to grab the whole arsenal so your squad mates don't have to deploy with rocks and the stapler from Requisitions. Try to limit yourself to one primary weapon and one secondary for deployment. You can either keep your mags in the backpack you woke up with or you can ditch the pack and carry your ammo in the standard issue ammo belt. For the first deployment as a standard you'll find it a lot easier to be carrying an M41A Mk.2 Pulse Rifle because it's a lot easier to use than the M37 shotgun and packs more punch than the M39 submachine gun. The shotgun is better used as a secondary on your back and the SMG is best left for the people who need a free hand. Although don't let this deter you from using those weapons, At the end of the day it's about you finding a gun you like to use.
M41A Mk.2 Pulse Rifle: This baby's the workhorse and backbone of the USCM. It holds 40 10X24mm caseless rounds, takes a slew of attachment, has a live ammo counter, and sports an over-and-under 30 millimeter pump action grenade launcher. Take care of it and it'll take care of you. Good for long to mid range and short range if you switch to burst in CQC conditions.
M39 Submachine Gun: The M41A series's little cousin, the M39 fires 10X20mm caseless and holds 48 rounds per mag. As a Grunt, you shouldn't be looking at this except as a replacement for your sidearm. Other than that, leave it for the shrap-heads who know what they're doing. Good for mid to short range, use burst in CQC conditions.
M37A2 Shotgun: These shotguns have been in service since Vietnam back in the 20th century and knowing our QM, the Almayer's supply of M37s probably saw action there too. They're powerful weapons that can put a dinner plate sized hole in just about anyone you encounter, but that 18 inch barrel means that you won't be hitting anything outside of pissing distance. Only good for only short range (unless you're packing slugs in which case it's good for mid-short range.)but will turn any close combatant into swiss cheese with a side of mars.
M4A3 Service Pistol: The saying that the only reason you should be firing your sidearm is if you're out of ammo or on your way to your primary holds true with the M4 series of pistols. It'll put a hole in unarmored targets, sure, but it'll just piss off anyone wearing more than a light sweater. It holds twelve 9mm rounds and you'll need every one of them. Good for mid to short range.
M44 Combat Revolver: So, what, you think you're Dirty-fucking-Harry? The M44's a beast and not just in firepower. Unwieldly, ugly, and mean; she's not the prettiest girl at the dance, but she'll turn a few heads. Then she'll keep turning 'em until they come off. It holds six rounds and God help anyone you manage to tag with one. Good for mid to short range.
Attachments
Now you may have heard of that mythical land where special equipment and weapon mods flow like it's motherfucking Christmas. That place is called Requisitions and it ain't no Mount Olympus and that sweaty guy over there ain't Zeus. He's the RO. Rule motherfucking one: Don't fuck with the Requisitions Officer. If he says you don't get attachments, guess what, Boot? You don't get attachments. If he says so, the MPs will throw you in the fucking brig. So don't go screaming and trying to bash your way into cargo because you couldn't get a third red dot for the M39. Now, the RO answers to "On-High" and "On-High" has deemed it acceptable for you to request two attachments from Requisitions. To get these attachments you're treating like holy fucking relics, you must go to the requisitions line, located aft of the briefing room. Now, remember, the RO has a low tolerance for bullshit so if you show up in your underwear he'll refuse to serve you. Then your "buddies" will throw your ass out of the line. Then the MPs will kick your ass out of boredom.
Alright, you've managed to wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed, let your squad leader know you exist, and wait in a single file line for a little over three minutes. Aren't you fucking special? Think again! Your ass is still bottom of the food chain so don't hold your breath over getting anything good but seeing as you're holding some sort of weapon, I guess there's still hope for you yet. Everyone's got their favorite loadouts but it all boils down to what you prefer. Trial and error is the best way to know what you like and don't like.
Center Mass For Fuck's Sake
Look at you, Grunt. You're all geared up, you're well fed, and your squad probably even gives a shit if you die or not. Time to see if you remember anything from Boot Camp. You'll remember that the M41A only works if you hit what you're aiming at and not your buddy over there who's going home to his family in three weeks. You see someone who needs shooting? Aim dead center of their chest and keep pulling the trigger until they stop moving and then shoot them some more to be sure. You ain't Hathcock so don't aim for the head. Do I make myself clear? Spraying around your squad at head level's a good way to get a free boot up your ass and I ain't gonna be there to stop your squad from hog-tying you and leaving you outside the perimeter to see if there's any wildlife in the AO.
Your Skillset
To find out about how the skill system works head over to the skills system page.
Standard Marine Tactics
- Only take what you need. You're going to need somewhere between zero and one armor piercing magazine in the field for heavily armored enemies. For everything else, soft point ammunition is superior.
- Stick with your squad at all times, a lone Marine is a dead Marine.
- Follow the chain of command. If someone tells you jump, you'd better ask how high on the way up.
- Use appropriate titles. Your Squad Leader is Staff Sergeant, or Squad Leader. He's not an officer so don't call him "Sir" and he's not in the Army so don't call him "Sarge."
- Be useful. Offer to carry extra engineering, medical, or specialist supplies.Those guys are already carrying more weight than you'll ever be able to.
- Keep your superiors informed. Stay on the radio and keep the squad and command up to date on what's going on. Do you see movement outside the perimeter? Let your fireteam know. Did Private McFuckface blow his hand off playing catch with a grenade? Let your squad leader know. Did your staff sergeant just get his head taken off by incoming artillery? Let command know.
- Stay in the light. There ain't many things out there scarier than marines and they all like the dark. Keep your shoulder lamp on and pop a flare whenever you're stopped for more than a moment.
Follow this Guide and you might just survive until extract.