Intro

This guide will cover the correct use of the Grid/Keypad map reading method in Squad. It is used to indicate enemy positions or FOBs, or your SL may want to send you to a specific area of the map and you need to know where you are going when he gives you that Grid Reference.

It may seem like I'm showing most of you how to suck eggs, but this is mainly to make sure we are all on the same page and using the same methods in game to reduce any confusion.

Map Usage

The map gives you an overview of the terrain, the position of your team and squad members and the game's objectives. Tip: Using the map helps greatly to distinguish between friend and foe. Look in the direction where you are seeing soldiers; then check this area on the map and see if there are any friendlies. If not, it must be enemies. When in-game, press M to bring up the map. Press N to cycle through zoom levels of the map. While the map is up, you can fully control your in-game character. Please note that the spawn screen provides similar functionality as the map but also allows you to use your mouse on the map.

• Tip: Bring up the map legend by mouse-over on the question mark on the right edge of the map.
• Tip: You can reassign the map key M to a more convenient location, for example ⇪ Caps Lock. You will be using the map a lot in this game, put the key where you can easily reach it.

The map is covered with two sets of coordinate grids, a larger grid with alphabetic and numerical coordinates and a small grid that is called "keypad" and is read from 1 to 9 like the numerical keypad on your PC keyboard.

When calling out coordinates you do this like this: H9, keypad 5, keyapd 5. If you really want to be fancy, you can use the military alphabet when calling out coordinates, e.g. hotel 9, keypad 5, keypad 5.

Map Reading

Squad uses a fairly simplistic grid system for their maps, as opposed to a normal ordinance survey map that uses 4 and 6 figure grid references, Squad uses an Alphanumerical system. Letters along the top and numbers down the side. The correct way to call out a grid reference is to always start along and then go up (A handy way to remember is "Along the corridor, Up the stairs). So in Squad your grid reference should always start with the Letter then the Number.

You'll notice each grid square is split into 9 smaller squares and then 9 smaller squares again. We call this the "Keypad" as it mimics the keypad on your keyboard. This is important to remember, as some get confused with a Phone's keypad, which of course has 1 2 3 at the top not 7 8 9. We use the keyboard keypad. We add the keypad for a more precise position on the map. An adition in V9 was made for the grid layout, in this new form we have another 9 smaller squares for a more accurate callout.

For Example: "Grid: F7 Keypad 5 Subkeypad 2: "

It's essential to know the distances on the map. 
Every grid has a fixed distance where a full grid (G7) is 300 meters, a keypad (G7-6) is 100 meters and a subkeypad (G7-6-4) is 33 meters.

 

Squad map layout

• TIP On the bottom you can see the callout for the position of your mouse, this means that callouts can be made faster if you are having trouble identifying the position.
• TIP Calling out grid references of enemy positions or FOBs will allow your SL to mark them on the map for the rest of the team to see. Good communication and map marking can win matches, as this has been proven over and over again.

Basic use of in game map icons

Below you can see an image of the most commonly used icons by your SL and what they mean

Keypad 7 = Enemy, Keypad 8 = Enemy FOB, Keypad 9 = Enemy Sniper, Keypad 4 = Enemy AT, Keypad 5 = Attack here, Keypad 6 = FOB here, Keypad 1 = Defend, Keypad 2 = Dig in, Keypad 3 = Observe

 

Squad map refferences

So it goes like for F5 kp7 "Foxtrot Five - Keypad seven"

Phonetic alphabet

So instead of saying F or E , we try to use phonetic alphabet to eliminate misunderstanding and clear coms.

Map icons

|You will see you own character on the map as yellow arrow indicating the direction you are currently looking at.

|Players of your squad have green icons, all others are blue.

|The player icon with red crosses in their centers are medics.

|Other players have just a plain player icon.

|Main Base: These are team spawn points that are alwayse available to you on the map. They are the safest, but furthest away from the fight.

|Example: Milita base with an ammo crate.

|When you mouse-over a CP, its name will appear. These names helps in communicating positions and situations to other team members.

|Flags: Grey flags are neutral and can be captured by a single player. Flags owned by a team require at least 3 players to capture.

|Objectives: Upside-down orange triangles appear on flags your team can attack. The purple shiled appears on the flags the enemy can attack.

|The next flag your team can cap is indicated with this attack marker. This flag is often just called "attack flag".

|The last flag your team capped is indicated with this defense marker. This flag is often just called "defense flag".

|Rally Points (RPs): These are squad only spawn points. Green RPs indicate it is your squads RP and can be spawned on by selecting it.

|Blue RPs are not spawn able, as they are other squads RPs.

|Foward Bases: These are team spawn points. You can click them to select and spawn on the HAB.

|Beware, if enemies come close, the base will become overrun (turning light red) and you will not be able to spawn! This can only show if fob is not active

|HAB, Actual spawn location once in the field after clicking on FOB.