This SOP can also be titled: How to lead a volunteer army to victory.

Conceptual:

1. We need to explicitly understand the situation. It is twofold: 1., we have an all volunteer army, and indeed many of the soldiers pay to play. 2., despite 1., military realities still apply.

This dynamic must be understood to successfully achieve an objective in online games.

2. Specific orders need to be given to specific individuals/squads to hold specific objectives.

When Everyone hears that Someone needs to do something he assumes that Someone is. In fact, Nobody does it. Make sure that SOMEBODY is doing it.

3. Don’t attack unless basics–such as defense–is established.

You’ll just have to leave your attack anyway when your FB goes down, etc.

4. A good defense is an intelligent defense.

Think. Analyze. Predict where the enemy will be and re-deploy as necessary.

Boiling it Down

A Defensive SOP aiming to achieve a position of strength upon which to launch other activities would include specifically asking specific people to do:

1. guard specific CPs/AB/etc.

2. Intelligent pre-positioning of artillery and armor.

3. Setting aside 3-5 guys to be a rapid response team.

4. gaining intel by appointing sector captains

Probably 3 out of every 5 towns in this game could be successfully defended in this way with 10 guys. When the Axis dog gets its nose smacked, it doesn’t put the whole head in. Let him get his head in, and the rest of him follows in a flash. The SOP can be scaled up if necessary, of course, and some towns need other elements (such as close air support and heavy armor deployment), but in the main, this SOP works every time.

 …

Pathfinder SOP

– First and foremost the Pathfinders are established in honor of military veterans, in particular those of World War 2.  As such, we conduct ourselves in an honorable fashion, by avoiding profane language, being obnoxious, etc.  In contrast, we aim to play well, without regard to whether anyone else even notices. –

Pathfinders are not required to play with the squad all of the time or even most of the time.  That said, Pathfinders tend to be people who actually like the kind of game play that comes from working together.

General Principles For How The Pathfinders Work Together

1.  Upon spawn in on any given town, the Pathfinder will first check CPs that are spawnable to make sure they are clear of EI.

2.  Pathfinders don’t walk PAST CPs.  If they are on their way to another location and a CP is on the way, a Pathfinder will at least check it, and attempt to clear it if needed.

3.  Pathfinders are willing to do the work that needs to be done:  guard a spawn, guard a FB, march overland for 30 minutes to set a FRU to take down a FB, etc.

4.  Pathfinders defend CPs intelligently.   One or more may cut the CP entrances from outside but at least one will be inside it.  But the emphasis might be:  Pathfinders DEFEND CPs.

5.  Pathfinders assault a position simultaneously, whenever possible.  [1-2 guys send frags, 1-2 guys rush, fraggers then follow behind, etc.]

6.  Pathfinders tend to play on the defense, because if a spawnable goes down, or the FB goes down, the attack ends.  The Pathfinders do not like to commit to an attack unless the infrastructure of that attack (i.e., the FB to the town) is defended.

7.  Pathfinders like to have fun.  Winning is fun.  Losing is not.   The Pathfinders do what it takes to win, even if no one else is.

8.  Pathfinders think ‘training’ is fun.  We sometimes practice, because practice makes winners… and winning is fun.…