Strategy: Full Spectrum Warrior

Mark H. Walker | July 08, 2005  | 0 comments  | Print  | E-mail

Originally designed as a tool to teach small unit leadership to junior U.S. Army non-commissioned officers, Full Spectrum Warrior has since developed into an exciting action-strategy game available on PC and Xbox. It can, however, frustrate those accustomed to the somewhat less mentally rigorous fare of typical first person, Haloesque, shooters. FSW rewards brains and experience, not sharp eyes and fast fingers. Although we can’t increase your brainpower, we can force feed you the experience and tactics that you’ll need to know to find your way through the troubled country of Zekistan.  

You Move, You Fire

Full Spectrum Warrior tactics center on the principles of fire and movement. As the squad leader for Charlie Ninety, you must apply those principles to your two fire teams if you hope to survive Zekistan’s mean streets. The concept is simple: Once the enemy is located, use one team to fix the enemy in place while the other maneuvers to their flank and eliminates them. The execution, however, can be a bit trickier. Here’s an example.

Alpha Team’s on point. They discover a pair of Tangos (i.e. targets, terrorists, insurgents) behind an abandoned auto. Order the team behind cover and direct them to pin the enemy with point fire. Once pinned, the enemy will be too busy worrying about the soldiers to their front to interdict Bravo Team. Call up the GPS map and look for a route around the enemy team. There is usually a back alley or side street you can take. Move Bravo Team along this route, being careful to pause at the corners and search for hidden enemies.

If you must advance across open terrain, use Bounding Overwatch to limit the danger. Bounding teams send two men forward as the other two overwatch. If any bad guys pop up, the team immediately engages them, limiting the damage to themselves. After Bravo Team arrives at their flanking position, order them to engage the —now exposed— enemy, and eliminate them. Regroup your teams, then move on to the next objective.

Of course, it isn’t always that easy. Sometimes you must maneuver without the benefit of suppressing fire. Maybe one of your teams is pinned, or perhaps there are just too many guys in black hats. Whatever the reason, there are ways to handle the problem. Way one is to blind the opposition, maneuver to their flank and cut them down. Smoke grenades are your blinding tools. Examine the terrain; locate the position from which you can eliminate the enemy and where you’ll need to toss the grenades. Throw the grenades. Wait! That smoke isn’t instantaneous and rushing too quickly is a ticket to hell. Wait till the smoke billows, then sprint to your new firing position, aim your weapons and waste the enemy.

The second method of maneuvering without the suppressing fire of your fellow team is much more risky. It also requires that your men have quick feet, directed by your nimble fingers on the game pad. Before we discuss it, a quick review: Teams may either Point Fire —which consists of the team members sighting their weapons and squeezing off well-aimed shots at the enemy–or use Suppression Fire —the team fires all the lead that will pour through their weapons. Suppression Fire rarely injures the opposition, but certainly keeps their heads down .

To maneuver under your own team’s suppression fire do the following. First, pick your new firing position and then direct suppression fire at the enemy. Immediately give your team move orders to the new position. The suppression fire will keep the enemy’s heads down for about the ten seconds you’ll need to reach your position. Don’t move far or you’ll be caught in the open!

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