How do I make a squad in Defilade?

The October 22 update says you make your own squads and pick them with the number keys. The exact squad-size limit is not published.

What does ATTACK MOVE do?

It moves the squad and fights on the way. Use it when you expect contact.

What does SECURE AREA do?

It takes and holds a position, such as a capture point or a FOB.

What is AUTO formation?

AUTO picks a formation for the ground ahead instead of you choosing one.

A squad can split into fire teams; one team covers while the other moves.

Defilade Squads and Orders — Fire Teams, ATTACK MOVE and SECURE AREA

The squad system

The October 22 update rebuilt how you control infantry:

Make squads and pick them with number keys.
Choose a formation, or let AUTO pick one for the ground ahead.
Split into fire teams — one team covers while the other moves.
Squads fight their way to the destination cover to cover.
Shift-click adds to your selection.
Waypoints let you queue a route.

The two orders that matter

ATTACK MOVE

Moves the squad and fights on the way. Use it when:

you expect contact but do not know exactly where;
you want the squad to keep momentum instead of stopping at every shot;
you are crossing a street or a field with cover on the far side.

Do not use ATTACK MOVE to cross open ground against a prepared position. The squad will stop to fight in the open.

SECURE AREA

Takes and holds a position. Use it on:

a capture point;
a FOB;
a building you want to garrison;
a road you want to block.

SECURE AREA is how you convert a won fight into territory. A squad that wins and then walks away has won nothing.

Fire teams and bounding

The core infantry tactic is bounding overwatch:

Split the squad into two fire teams.
Team A takes cover and fires at the enemy.
Team B moves to the next cover.
Team B takes over; Team A moves.

The game supports this with fire teams, formations and waypoints. It is the difference between a squad that crosses a street and a squad that dies in it.

Formations

AUTO — let the game pick for the ground ahead.
Use a line when you expect fire from the front.
Use a column when moving through a narrow route.
Use a wedge when you expect contact from multiple directions.

The exact formation list is not published; the update names formations and AUTO.

Taking a capture point

Scout with a drone or a small squad.
Clear the approaches with ATTACK MOVE.
Move a fire team to cover on the point.
SECURE AREA with the second team.
Build a FOB behind the point, not on it.
Guard the road to the FOB.

What we still need

squad size and fire-team size;
formation list;
order responsiveness (do units stop on contact?);
whether squads can be merged or split manually;
how much micro the AI actually removes.

We will test the orders in the December 1 demo.

Defilade squads and orders