New to Squad 44? Unsure what to do? Read on, recruit; the community has answers!
Squad 44 is a WWII shooter with realism elements and a steep learning curve. It can be intimidating to hop into a game, especially as a new player!
The development team has plans to revamp and create better tutorials for new players, but in the meantime, I wanted to ask our long-time players on Discord and Reddit, “What tips or advice would you give a brand-new player?” Below, you’ll find the most common responses!
(Responses have been edited for length and clarity)
Embrace Being New
Being new is scary, but the community is here to help! One of the biggest pieces of advice I received when asking my questions was, “Tell people you’re new”. Telling people you’re new allows others to teach and give advice, and they’re happy to do it! If talking in-game seems too much, feel free to reach out on Discord, Steam, Reddit, or wherever the community gathers.
[SK] Elise the Indominus rex – zillafan89 – Discord
“The biggest help factor is the community itself. “Coming out” as a newbie has two main benefits: 1, the other squad members understand that you might still have a hard time figuring out some stuff (thus, they don’t quickly become impatient with you as a newbie) and 2. other players being able to actually help you.
In short, don’t be shy. Let the community help you become a better player. S44 has a steep learning curve, so some encouragement and starting help is invaluable for new players.”
[2.Pz]Katze – Discord
“…if you have questions, you can always ask in Discord or just in-game. The in-game help I got when I started was extremely helpful and made the game more fun…I always try to help new people when I see them to keep the cycle [going].”
Lt. Ronald Speirs – Discord
“Listen to your squad leader, & play your role. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask!”
The Wabbit – Discord
“Join a section – If you are new to SQ44, join an infantry section and ask for help if you need it – everyone starts somewhere, and veteran players will help you. Don’t start a section if you are new, as you will become the Section leader by default, and that can be overwhelming when you are just learning the game.”
Spacial Awareness – Utilize your Map!
Jonathan – Discord
“Open your map regularly to see where you are in relation to your friendly players; this will help in your overall tactical awareness ([For example:] you don’t run into that town square when it has enemy infantry markers nearby)”
PETEY – Discord
“Your map is just as much as your friend as your weapon is. Use it to orientate yourself and check where your teammates are.”
Whatupgod – Discord
“Check your map a lot, and remap it to an easy-to-pull-up key if necessary. Until you get comfortable with spotting the differences between factions (germans hold their rifle with 1 hand only) you can help avoid a lot of friendly fire incidents as opposed to relying on name tags.”
Dollar on Discord sums it up well: “Map is a friend. Check the map.”
Your map is defaulted to the “M” key, and you can use “N” to zoom into your position. Open your map to orient yourself and get an idea of your objectives. Your Squad Leader may place marks on your map, keeping you aware of positions, objectives, or possible enemy locations. It’s also great for keeping track of your squad, as well as the positions of the rest of your teammates.
You may want to re-map your map keys to different keys for easier access, as some community members suggest:
Vet_laz – Reddit
“Swap your map and scoreboard buttons. Set map to TAB and score to M – so much of what is playing out in the game can be quickly understood by checking your map. Team killing happens, but if you check your map and see that you’re on point moving into a new area, you can be instantly assured that any movement to your front is the enemy. Read your map, be aware.
Playing as an SL I constantly check the map to see the progress of other squads with either attacking or defending, leaving the radio open for more urgent comms.”
Goodbyewawona – Reddit
“To add to this…if you have a mouse with even a few extra buttons, I highly recommend making one call up the map. If even more buttons, have another for voice chat. Better still, one for local and another for squad-level chat.Being able to visualise and communicate on different levels while moving and engaging simultaneously will really help.”
Communication is Key
Squad 44 is all about teamwork, and communication is a big component of successful teamwork. Talking in-game can be a nerve-racking experience, especially if you’re new and not sure what you’re doing. The community is here to help!
The Wabbit – Discord
“Communication – The SQ44 gameplay experience is focused on communication and teamwork. Make sure you have a working microphone and review the key binds for push to talk.
V = Local voice to talk to any friendly nearby (Enemies cannot hear you). All friendlies have blue names and map icons.
B = Section voice – everyone in your section can hear you. Everyone in your section has green names and map icons.
G = Command comms – this is only used by Section leaders and the Platoon leader…The PL (Platoon Leader) has a yellow name and is a star on the map.
If you do not have a working microphone or you are not confident using voice, you can use the text chat command for ‘Everyone’ on the team, ‘Section’ only or even everyone on the server (Opponents see this). Check key binds in Settings.”[501e] Ssg. Alexander Weyand – Discord
“Join a section. War is a team effort; you will not get to Berlin if you a running alone in the countryside. Don’t be shy, say hello… joke aside, inform your teammates that you freshly joined the front line and do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Stick with your section and listen to the Squad lead orders. Acknowledge SL orders with a ‘roger’, ‘yes sir’, or whatever you feel like so he knows you know what he wants.”PETEY – Discord
“Communicate. See something? Say something. Even if it is a false alarm. Communicating with your section informs them of the ongoing situation and your current status. No one can move to counter the enemy or help you if you do not communicate…don’t say “on me” or “near non-descript thing”, be detailed, succinct and clear. Don’t understand something? Ask. No one is going to bite your head off for not knowing”
General Tips and Tricks
Alright, so you’ve told other players you’re new, figured out your comms, and checked the map for objectives. It’s time to hit the battlefield! However, there are a few things to consider before running and gunning into the objective.
Shootinoh – Discord
“1. Be patient. It takes time to learn the game, and you will die a lot, not even knowing where you got shot from. Take your time to go through the learning phase, and you’ll be fine.
2. Don’t rush. Going too fast makes you oblivious to danger; move slowly and carefully to get where you need to go without exposing yourself to the enemy.
3. Find the best cover you can. It’s going to save your life a lot. Seriously.
4. When choosing your first kit, it’s best to start with Rifleman or Medic to learn the fundamentals. Don’t go straight to a specialist class that can affect the entire faction.
5. Don’t give up right away. Medics will try to revive you if they are in a position to do so. Give them some time and save a ticket.
6. Good marksmanship is ok, but good positioning is even better.
And the most important for me:
– Be smart. People will allow themselves to be outplayed just because they don’t think about what they are doing. Don’t be that guy.”Ray_Charles_Can_See – Reddit
“Be persistent and don’t give up. You’ll get good eventually.”FlightVarious8683 – Reddit
“Don’t wait for a target. Shoot into the bushes and buildings your squad is shooting at.”Pyjobijec_n0ri – Discord
“The first thing is to get a medic, take out binoculars and look around for people. Follow your SL and look around until you start seeing enemies.
Don’t give up – Give it around 30 seconds unless you see a medic coming to you or your teams lack a close spawn.”Artillerie Officier – Discord
“Don’t forget your rallies!!! Keep watch to refresh them every 2 minutes. Place them in cover a safe distance away from the fighting so they don’t get found.”
There have been so many great conversations on Discord and Reddit with tips we’re not able to fit them all here! Check out the main posts for even more tips and tricks from the community:
Discord Thread: https://discord.com/channels/375707383030218752/1212461082162233344
Reddit Post: https://www.reddit.com/r/joinsquad44/comments/1b2czc9/what_tips_would_you_give_a_new_player_to_squad_44/