TOP Reasons NOT to SL/PL

I avoid it because I am not very good at it. I prefer to follow rather than to lead in this game.

If it isn't in your nature.

I know what needs to be done; how to make everyone have fun fights and be effective at the same time. I've led before, but I'm not really into telling people what to do and going through the hassle of coordinating it. I don't find that fun. I'm better off giving ideas to the platoon lead while they do the coordinating.

Getting Ninja given lead by someone who said they didn't want it only to do their own thing and not follow directions and when you say ok lets just run the squad casual and do our own thing as we are 2 small to really do anything. (3-4 man squad.) They say no keep giving directions then go back to ignoring your directions.

I log and don't want lead for days after when outfit members ask me to squad or platoon lead lol. I don't mind doing it because I know someone has to but sometimes you get burned out and don't want it for awhile(Just want to play and Pew Pew.).

Talking with my outfit leader he said in Planetside 1 squad and platoon leads got piece by piece special outfits that showed they were experienced leads. e.g. Someone with just gloves was new, someone with the full gear was a veteran lead.

Not I can engrish speak

I'd love to try it out some day, though. "Not today" (c), though.

Biggest reason I avoid squads (lead or not) is not wanting to have the distracting mic spam. Apart from that, I'm more or less in Alarox's camp: I understand the strategy and what needs to be done, but am not really a leader. In my case it's a mix of feeling like I'm babysitting (worrying about doing everyone else's thinking for them), and being ill equipped to diplomatically communicate objectives to players (which actually becomes much worse when I'm very focused on playing the game; the more focused and skillfully I play, the worse I am at communicating intelligibly to others as the game-playing side of my brain soaks up all the processing power )

There's a big difference between SL and PL a group of pubs/various ppl, and a group of your friends/outfitmates.

One is like herding cats, especially when you don't know what those cats are capable of. the second is a refined sense of camaraderie, that builds your leadership in knowing what you can and cannot do.

Both can be very frustrating or very rewarding. But yes, you do lose out on certs and XP since you're focused on winning as a whole, not individually,

Not everyone's cut out for it - takes a certain personality + charisma.

10. "Specialists" : People who semi RP, includes players who've made it their purpose in Life to inform you in formal manner about every single thing that's happening. By typing. I think if I had VOIP on I'd be muting it out of necessity because of those guys in fact.

9. Free-Loaders : Whether it's for the meager XP bonus they think they will get by finding a Members squad or for the free rides and Spawns every so often, I can't stand those types. You know who they are because they are never THERE but insist on joining over and over if you kick them... While playing on a different continent even for over 20' and saying NOTHING, ever.

8. Leader/Orders Chat : Yeah... No.

7. Fresh Meats : Some people can't 2nd guess things PS2 even holds their hands for, like understanding what the Ammo icon means over a Sqd member... Let alone more complex tasks such as seeing 4 Sqd mates covering one entrance, but refusing to cover the other one unless the Lead explains it personally to them at least twice. Includes players who(And it makes me feel bad saying this but it has to be said) don't even have AMS Sunderer or expect to contribute to the effort by bringing a Harasser with a Basilisk with 1-2 Ammo Cap levels, complaining for not finding gunners after they've crashed their crap at least twice in a row, WITH OTHERS IN. I'm talking about players who just will never be even average in PS2, it's not a matter of being patient or teaching them.

6. Low-End PC/Connection Players : Pains me to say this too, but just... NO.

5. Players who can't simply be at the WP when that is set. Nothing else is asked of them, yet they never come, not in 20', not in 30'... Ever.

4. Players in Denial : These guys will just ignore the short, well written explanation you just put on /Chat for what you need them to do for the next 10'. They ignore VOIP instructions equally. For no reason, stating no opinions about what they just read or heard, they go on and do their own thing either way... While you're expecting them to follow a plan, HECK EVEN JUST FOR LAUGHS.

3. ADDs : ....Suddenly they abandon you and piss off, following a herd of random guys about to bang their heads on Spawn Room shields, firing at the pretty colours and waves those make... Dying like Lemmings 10" later. I suppose this could include people who don't know what to do if you let go of their hand for 10"(Constantly give them Orders about things they should know how and when to do either way).

2. Circle Of Lost Poets : You ask those players to do a simple thing, a lengthy discussion ensues about that request. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Proper tea party, worse than Reality Shows. While you're struggling to dissolve confusion caused by the theories being discussed by these Elite Circles. These players won't take criticism either and will never wait to see if at least you had fun even if the plan failed.

1. Hyped up Rambo types : Constantly nagging the whole Squad to look for easy Certs all over the continent instead of helping win an Alert- That's a good example I guess.

Some of these reasons could be condensed into a single one, I'm sure, I just can't bother doing it as I just typed all that right off the top of my head. I'm also fairly certain I've missed some other good reasons not to lead; No incentive other than a feeling of accomplishment, would be one for sure. No arguing about that; If my Sqd is getting XP by nursing each other or me, I should be getting a % of it too, if that's happening within a reasonable distance from me or from the WP I've set or both? How hard is that? And where's that "Sqd contribution Bonus" we've yet to see, for Squads who actually DO STUFF in a certain area? I mean, I don't even get much except a very visible Beacon with a very long CD to place or use, and which is never better than Sundies or Gals. Here's another reason; Players who only have 30' to 1Hr to play(Again, kind of pains me saying this)... I mean... Go play UT or CS, what are you doing here? Or go Solo. Don't make me think I can rely on you for longer than driving from one Base to the next!?

Even coming from RL friends I'd only put up with 9, 7 and 2... Once or twice. And not 100%. Thankfully it doesn't come to that and seeing how they're average PS2 players(For now), I'm probably not being too strict. I simply don't want to deal with total BS and complete lack of sense. Shame, because I miss leading from BF3/2142. I was OK at it.

Lately I just straight out refuse to lead and I'm not exactly lying when I say I'm not mentally fit to do so. I think it'll give me anxiety just from trying, because of all those reasons. I avoid it like a Plague and if I have to, I'll make up reasons. LOL

Oh man. I've done all of those things at some point. You must HAAAAAATE me.

Nah, instead of developing such feelings over nothing I just don't lead... And both you and me can breathe easily ^_^

Guard in a can!

This is the first time I've heard the term Canguard.

I like it.

SL= Squad Lead
PL= Platoon Lead

Oh acronyms

I like Solution Lead and Problem Lead.

PL = Primeval Lich

In SET we would pull 3-4 of what we'd call "Land Hammers" - Our tactic was don't open fire until the main AP cannon was inside the enemy target - only then would the Land Hammer begin firing

Then they made it so it didn't damage vehicles, so it's been mainly CanRassers now.

I want a shotgun on everything - as a belly gun on my Lib, as an alternative to the Tank Buster, even as a 150MM version on my Vanguard.

Why? Because it's utterly ridiculous and being effective with it would made me giddy as a schoolgirl.

You get to hear Leader channel. You do not want to hear Leader channel.

Well, depends on how you get your laughs.

Public platoon leading:

Me: "Alpha 5" why are you running at that wall and shooting?

Alpha 5: Static

Me: /sigh

I don't like telling people what to do.
I always worry if they're having fun or not.