Flanking Maneuvers

By Pete Hutter


Full Spectrum Warrior™ is an exciting squad-based tactical-strategy game set in modern times—complete with modern weapons and dangerous urban environments!

As the leader of two fire teams, it’s your job to issue the orders that will achieve your mission objectives and keep your squad members alive. Since the game began as a training tool for the U.S. Army, you can count on the action being intense, demanding, and unrelentingly realistic.

As the leader, one of the most dangerous situations you’ll encounter is a well-armed enemy holed up in a fortified position. There’s no trick to mastering this situation, but there are a few strategically reliable steps to take to get the job done.

They’re dug in, sir!

Step 1: Reconnaissance
The first thing you want to do is survey the landscape. Consult your GPS map and call for a helicopter fly-by, so you’ll have the most accurate information possible. You’ll need to know where the fortified enemy position is, but you’ll also need to scope out each and every possible approach to that position. Is there cover or wide open spaces? Does the enemy have the high ground, his back to the wall, or some other position of advantage? When your team does go in, will they have a safe place to fall back to or will they just have to shoot it out? The answers to these questions will help you formulate and implement your attack. Always remember the officer’s slogan: Proper prior preparation prevents poor performance.

Step 2: Move Out—Carefully
Once you’ve determined where the enemy is and how many ways there are to get there, your troops should move out. Always move one squad at a time, with the other squad standing by to provide cover fire if necessary. For example, send Alpha Team to a safe position while Beta team covers and then bring Beta up with Alpha team watching their backs. Never send your squad into open space without first scanning the area and the map for potential hostiles. If there’s no cover to be found, make some with a smoke grenade. If there’s only one way in, make sure to lay down a suppressing fire to keep the bad guys’ heads. Or, at least have your team do a Bounding Overwatch, moving slowly with guns ready to return fire.

Alpha’s got your back.

Step 3: Divide and Conquer
This time-honored military doctrine usually means “divide the enemy to conquer him,” but in this case, it means “divide your fire teams to conquer the enemy.” In other words, you want to outflank the enemy position so that they’re forced to defend two directions at once. If you’ve done proper recon, you’ll know if there’s a second or third way to approach the position. Split your teams up and send one around to attack from the rear or sides as your other squad keeps their attention with suppressing fire.

Step 4: Tag ‘em and Bag ‘em
With your squads properly positioned, it’s time to give the order to attack. If you’re a little lucky, your Beta team will have a clear shot at the enemy, while they defend from your Alpha team’s direct assault. If you’re not so lucky, you’ll need to switch between both teams, issuing the order to attack and moving them in closer or behind cover as necessary. Once you’ve got them flanked, it’s only a matter of time before your superior field position gives you the edge … and thus the victory.

Outflanked.

Full Spectrum Warrior will test the sharpest tactical gamer’s abilities with a wide range of situations and objectives. The more you think like a real soldier, the better you’ll get. And, if you have no experience thinking like a real soldier, there’s no better way to practice than with an Xbox® and a copy of Full Spectrum Warrior.

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