Your In Game Objectives AKA Understanding What The Hell is Going On (thanks Stabbity STYLE)
Assets
This information is about assets, which provide benefits for the defenders. They are found in Aquisition and Domination game modes.
Bunker: The bunker is one of the most important assets in the game. When defending, the bunker is your initial spawn point. They are the front line of defense and holding these is usually your top priority. There are four bunkers per front with one per squad, meaning a platoon covers an entire front. We have come up with shorthand for the bunkers, with them being numbered from left to right along the front (with the perspective of left/right/front/back being of the bunker/front). The two middle bunkers cover the gate (more on that in a second) while the outer bunkers generally cover infantry trying to pierce the front from the sides. The bunkers provides a turret, which can be manned and is very effective at suppressing the enemy and routing their paths to cover. Additionally, the bunker has rockets that are good at taking down armor, but the 2 rockets that it shoots before reloading aren't enough to take out an APC, so either another bunker or infantry with rockets/mines need to assist in taking them out. The bunker also provides a supply point, which you can use by entering the bunker on the right side.
Gate: There are two types of gates: Main gates and Infantry gates. The main gate is found in between bunkers 2 and 3 in the middle of the front. On Acquisition maps, the main gate is how you get the transport out of the defenders base. Attackers often try to bring an APC forward down the middle road to try and blow the main gate during the initial offence to breach the front and gain access to the base. This only really works if the attackers have already destroyed some of the bunkers or the defenders are doing a poor job of defending. When attacking, we generally avoid the gate until around the time we take down the AA (more on that in a bit). The other type of gate is the Infantry gate, which is found on Domination maps. Infantry gates block the attacker's path to the control points on Domination maps. Keeping these up prevents the attackers from gaining an easier entry to the point, but is generally a lot harder to keep up than the main gate because with the gates up there is no close exit to get out and defuse charges. Overall, the Infantry gate is a much lower priority asset than the main gate, but is still good to maintain.
Anti-Aircraft: The Anti-Aircraft battery (known as AA or triple-A) is right up there with the bunkers as a high priority asset. If the AA goes down, the attackers get a new forward spawn behind the defenders front line in the form of either parachuting or a helicopter. This effectively passes the bunkers (though the forward bunkers still allow the defenders to spawn forward and the turrets can take out parachuter's and the helicopters). There are usually a lot of attempts at infiltration behind the front line to take it out since even if you don't keep the forward spawn up for long, the more attackers behind the front line you can get, the more damage you can do to the enemy either in taking out assets or flanking the bunkers from behind. Since it can cause such havoc with the defenders, both sides need to keep an eye on it. Bunkers 2 and 3 are closest (since it's situated just a bit behind the main gate) and keeping an eye on it usually falls to them, but since you never really can tell who's competent on your team it's good to have someone on your squad available to get over there at any sign of trouble. Additionally, AA also prevents the attackers from calling in air strikes and UAV's. This provides an additional incentive for both sides. Any plane-based command ability (Squad Leader's UAV and Cluster Bombs, Platoon Leader's Precision Strike and Strafing Run) will be shot out of the air before carrying out their mission. Also, if you're calling in a Strike on another platoon's front (side of the map), their triple A needs to be downed.
Artillery: The Artillery, also known as the Mortar, is used by squad/platoon leaders for calling in bombardments. Taking this out means the defender can't call in strikes on your position, which is very useful. After taking out the bunkers and AA, this is generally the first asset we go for. While not quite as game changing as the AA or Bunker, it's still good to have up. Generally if someone has taken it down and the squad can spare a man, dispatching someone to fix it is a good idea.
Sensor Array: The platoon leader can call in a sensor sweep which I believe works the same way as a UAV (not sure, haven't actually used it before). Anyway, it's useful to keep up and the same rule for repair as Artillery applies here.
Motor Pool: The Motor Pool spawns transport vehicles, all of which have turrets. There are a number of uses the transports have, which I'll elaborate on. The first is blocking paths, such as putting two together on the main road to block an APC coming far behind our lines after the Main Gate is blown. They can also block the infantry entrances to the base behind the bunkers, which some squads choose to do. Another job is enemy harassment, since all transports have turrets on them. While not as durable as APC's, they come in handy once the enemy has broken through the defenses front line. They allow you to take out moderate amounts of enemies and draw their resources into fighting the transport instead of the proper assets that you're trying to defend. Since the Motor Pool is by the defenses rear spawn, destroying it after the front line has been destroyed is very difficult. The best two ways to take it out are either going behind their lines while the front line is still up or calling in a precision strike as Platoon leader after the AA is down. Priority on repairing it after being destroyed is fairly low when the front line is still active, so I'd recommend repairing it only if the Sensor Array or Artillery are down as well. However, if the front line is down, the Motor Pool becomes a lot more useful and should be given more priority, especially since it's so close to spawn.
Burn-Off and Cooling Towers: The Burn-Off and Cooling Towers are only found in the Domination game mode and are the main objectives before the capture points become active (more on that in a bit). The Burn-Off Towers are found in front of the main line of defense. However, with the bunkers still up capturing the Burn-Off Towers is pretty tricky. We generally try to take out the bunkers before going on the Burn-Off Tower (or get the Tower while the bunker is distracted by an assault). The Cooling Tower is found between the front line and the capture points and usually go down pretty quickly if the bunkers are already down. Your best bet at defending them is with your bunkers still up, but if they're not, you're pretty screwed. If you still have the bunkers up, you should send a man or two down to the tower that your half of the platoon is covering (there is a tower on the left and a tower on the right and the squads on the corresponding side generally cover their tower). Both towers need to be captured simultaniously (ie the attackers need to be in possession of both towers) in order to move on, which means that either your squad needs to cover both towers, part of your squad needs to harass the enemy at the other tower, or you hold your tower well and hope the other squads aren't a bunch of silly geese.
Capture Points: Also only found in the Domination game mode, Capture Points are labeled A through H. There are two points per platoon (much like the Burn-Off and Cooling Towers). The Capture Points are locked until the Burn-Off and Cooling Towers on that front are taken, so that the attackers can't sneak past your line and take the point. The points are pretty close to the defender's rear spawn, so defending them is relatively easy. The Infantry Gates I mentioned before are in front of these Points and help stall the enemies advance. Once at the Capture Points, there are a number of things going on. The defenders are going to try and get some of their assets up, which are in front of the Capture Points and by this point in attacker territory. They're also going to try and send a man or two to try and stealthily repair the bunkers and AA, though the main force of the squad should be focused on controlling the point.
Roadblock: Roadblocks are pretty ancillary, but they help you a bit. Mainly used on Acquisition (can't remember if they're on Domination as well), they block the path of the transport that is being defended. Keeping these up slows down the attackers as they try and leave with the transport. Their value for repair is dependent on how close you feel the enemy is to getting your transport.
Prototype Transport: The Prototype Transport, also known as the transport (not to be confused with the transport from the motor pool) is the main objective for the attackers in the Acquisition game mode. These are pretty fragile, so getting one out needs the bunkers down (at least the ones by the main gate). You'll also need the main gate down, and taking down some roadblocks wouldn't hurt. Getting in a position to get the transport out safely requires a lot of teamwork and coordination.
Bridge: A lot less common, it's sort of like a reverse roadblock. The defenders want the bridges blown so the enemy can't bring anything across them and the attackers want to repair it. Around the same priority as the roadblock on Acquisition maps. There is one on the SVER Domination map on one of the fronts that has a lot higher priority since it basically acts as a secondary main gate in front of the line, but keeping it down requires a lot of coordination.
All right, that's basically it for assets. The squad leader should have a good idea about how all of these play together and can issue orders accordingly. Hope this has been helpful.
