Squad for Windows

Quick summary

Squad is a paid, team-focused tactical first-person shooter from Offworld Industries. Matches are large-scale, featuring many dozens of players per server, realistic visuals, and layered sound design. The experience blends the immediacy of arcade-style shooters with the planning and coordination associated with military simulations, putting communication and strategy ahead of lone-wolf gameplay.

How the game plays

The core loop rewards planning and coordination rather than individual firefights. Players form squads that coordinate objectives, share intelligence, and execute combined-arms tactics. Environments and encounters are designed to feel authentic: you’ll rely on teammates, vehicle support, and established plans to succeed instead of charging in alone.

Command and squad management

Squad leadership is a critical gameplay pillar. Squad leaders receive specialized tools and responsibilities:

• Coordinate unit placement, movement routes, and tactical objectives using in-game map utilities.
• Issue orders and maintain squad cohesion to keep everyone working toward common goals.
• Deploy construction and defense plans, balancing mobility and fortification to adapt to evolving battles.

Fortifications and battlefield hardware

Players can erect defensive positions and install emplacements to influence the flow of combat. Options include:

• Emplaced weaponry such as turreted guns, anti-tank emplacements, and automated defenses to counter heavy threats.
• Structural protections like HESCO barriers, sandbag walls, and concertina wire to channel or halt advances.
• Vehicle platforms (tanks, armored transports, and gun-mounted trucks) that change how objectives are approached and defended.

Built-in voice communications

Squad includes an integrated VoIP system so teams can coordinate without relying on external apps. Proximity and squad channels help replicate realistic battlefield communications and make teamwork more immediate and effective.

Match scale, factions, and equipment

Servers commonly host very large confrontations (up to 40 vs. 40 in typical setups), with maps often modeled or scaled from real-world locations. Playable forces include recognizable national and irregular groups; each faction brings distinct weapons and loadouts. Examples of available forces:

• Russian Ground Forces — offers their characteristic kit and tactics.
• United States Army — equipped with U.S.-style doctrine and gear.
• British Army — with British loadouts and squad organization.
• Insurgent groups — irregular forces with asymmetric tools.
• Irregular Militia — ad-hoc fighters with their own armaments.

Players can also operate a variety of vehicles, from armored fighting vehicles to transport convoys and trucks with mounted weapons, and squads have unique in-game command voice lines and orders.

Performance caveats

While the game is robust and immersive, there are technical challenges to be aware of:

• Large, chaotic engagements can cause severe frame drops and temporary lag during intense moments.
• Matchmaking and server queues sometimes result in long wait times before joining a game.
• The game’s demanding hardware requirements mean lower-end systems may struggle to maintain smooth performance.

The Hired Guns update — new faction: WPMC

The Hired Guns expansion adds the Western Private Military Contractors (WPMC), a versatile, high-speed mercenary force that approaches engagements differently from standard militaries. They emphasize mobility and concentrated firepower over heavy infantry vehicle counts, allowing them to be effective across varied map types and biomes.

Vehicles added by WPMC

WPMC brings several new vehicle platforms, including:

• The Loach helicopter — now with an official Close Air Support (CAS) variant, marking the first non-modded CAS helicopter in the game.
• The M1117 armored car — built with a mine-resistant hull for improved survivability on contested routes.
• The CPV armored car — a reinforced, fast SUV-style vehicle that balances protection and speed.

WPMC organizational structure

This faction is split into specialized elements that fulfill different battlefield roles:

• Overwatch 6 Patrol Group — a rapid-infantry unit that focuses on fast objective captures and mobility.
• Manticore Security Task Force — combines mechanized elements with infantry to secure and hold key positions.
• Murk Water Air Wing — provides aerial support, with the CAS-capable Loach as its primary asset.

What else the update brings

Beyond a new faction and vehicles, the Hired Guns release improves post-match analytics and server stability:

• The After-Action Report has been expanded to show detailed player and team performance, helping squads identify where to improve.
• The popular Squidbots mod is now integrated for official server seeding improvements, which can smooth out match starts and reduce empty-server issues.

Final thoughts

Squad is best suited for players who enjoy deep team play and tactical, communication-driven combat. Its realistic combined-arms systems and large-scale fights create a compelling experience, though potential players should be prepared for occasional technical strain and longer matchmaking times on busy servers.