Job Tasking & Elements

Dividing your forces according to their jobs is always a good idea, even in a four-man team. In LSN, you have a certain number of points assigned per game, and determining which units to take is part of the fun of the game! Almost everyone recommends a balanced deployment of forces, and every player has their preferred loadout.

If you keep with the mindset that every unit has a job to do, and don't send out just individuals, you will be using the Team concept and will win more games. When you're deploying, think ten seconds ahead, into what your Fire Teams may run into, paths of travel, Sniper zones, and build your deployment based on that, not just throwing Force Points into the blue or green area.

When you're in your initial deployment phase you should start thinking of how you can combine your forces into the Fire Teams before and during deployment. Getting a clean break by quickly assembling forces for deployment makes all the difference in who brings the most firepower to bear the quickest, and that's how you win.

Fire Team

A Fire Team is a four-man element where infantry tactics are built neither on the infantry platoon nor the squad, but on the four-man fire team. The fire team is an independent unit, and they are routinely employed separately. Combat experience dictates that no more than four men can act as a single unit on the modern battlefield and also that unit cohesion is strongest in the smallest possible unit.

The Difference Between Elements & Fire Teams

Two different terms for closely related jobs. See Assembling A Fire Team for complete details about this.

Assault Element

By keeping the secure territory to their backs and quickly advancing supported by other elements, Assault Elements minimize friendly fire and maximize firepower on targets.

Assault Elements are the units responsible for the main attack. In LSN, most Assault Elements will consist of at least one grunt to act as a spotter or cover unit, and one or more high value units like a grenadier or commander.

Assault Elements are most flexible when they are able to break through walls with a Commander, or destroy potential cover quickly with a Grenadier, while scouting and setting up Kill Zones for an ambush with quick moving Grunts.

Assault Elements also work best when the duties are matched with the components of specific Fire Teams which are in the area. Their job is to put rounds into in the kill zone, without having to take time to watch their backs.

Recon, Scouting, or Spotting are all terms for finding the enemy. This provides a great job for the Assault Element while transiting.

 

Two Assault Elements working house by house on separate sides of the street. Top Assault Element shifts objective to Security for the lower Assault Element's attack as planned at bottom of page. The two medics will meet in the middle of the street to add to the firepower - grouping medics together is only recommended when there is minimal risk of area effect weapons.

Two mixed Assault Elements, working building by building.

Two Medics and a Commander move in to support an Assault Team.

Support Element

Support Elements are back-up or reserve units. In an ambush the Support Element is often used to contain and attack fleeing enemies or to provide fresh troops if the main assault runs into trouble. In LSN, Support Elements can consist of Medics and a Commander or other hard to kill component like multiple Grunts in order to keep the standard Medics alive.

In the example shown to the left, Open Terrain details how this Commander kept the Medics alive during a surprise encounter with an Enemy Grunt.

Having a Grenadier in your Support Element is good for closing off areas of Flanking Attack by arbitrarily bombing potential avenues of attack or plugging up holes where enemy forces have broken through by 'nuking the site from orbit'.

Alternatively, you can set up a Support Element of Grunts mixed with the other units, and use it as a true reserve. This helps to keep the less armored troops alive longer in larger scale games where the terrain or enemy dictates heavier firepower in the Assault Elements due to area effect weaponry such as Machina Missile Launchers.

Heavy Weapons Fire Team Consisting of a Commander and Grenadier providing Security Element for Assault described below.

Security Element

Security Elements have the responsibility for keeping the main assault safe. If an Assault Element had set up an ambush around an indestructible structure, the Security Element will patrol the back and sides of the structure to prevent a rear or flank attack. In LSN, Security Elements are usually longer range units and may be single units like Snipers or Commanders. These units can reach out and touch someone, or detect and coordinate attacks. Security Elements also can act as spotters for enemy troops.

Additionally, Security Elements can be set up ad hoc temporarily when proper Element Support is used. This maximizes your firepower and also provides security from loose enemy flanking units.

Each turn provides properly moved Elements with the ability to direct full fire in a single direction towards the threat axis, maximizing firepower on target.

Sneak Tactic

Security Elements made up of Heavy Weapons Fire Teams (Grenadier, Commanders) can add just the right amount of damage to the kill zone when using an ambush. As always, the key to winning is the proper timing.