[This info is current as of Update 7 but may change]
Introduction
The medic has the potential to be a powerful tactical asset when played effectively. Their unique ability to sustainably heal injuries and revive wounded allies make them a powerful force multiplier. Especially with the changes to the spawn meta introduced in Update 7. This guide aims to arm both seasoned and green medics with a structured base of fundamentals and helpful tips to enhance their understanding of the role and increase their impact on the battlefield. We’ll take a look at the loadout of the medic and then dive into some basic info, tips, and tactics.
Kit
The medic is equipped with a powerful set of tools that can help sustain effective squad based activity throughout a game, whether your squad is dug in on defense or poised for head on assault. Medics have the lowest supply of ammunition, but they compensate for this with powerful utility, being one of the few roles equipped with smoke grenades, and the only role given more than 2 bandages. With their large supply of 20 bandages and 20 syrettes of morphine, they are the only role equipped to sustainably heal injuries and revive wounded allies on the frontline. At this time, they only have one loadout.
US
M1 Carbine - Semi-Automatic
2 magazines, 15 rounds each, 30 rounds total
M1911 - Semi-Automatic
6 magazines, 7 rounds each, 42 rounds total
German
Karibiner 98K - Bolt Action
4 magazines, 5 rounds each, 20 rounds total
Walther P38 - Semi-Automatic
6 magazines, 8 rounds each, 48 rounds total
Common
Smoke Grenade - 2
Bandage - 20
Morphine - 20
Earning XP
All actions performed by the medic add onto your support score, your squad’s support score, and your personal role XP.
Bandaging an ally - 20
Reviving an ally - 30
Being Revived - 20
Additionally, general account XP is rewarded according to the overall score of your squad at the end of the game, meaning that by keeping your squad alive and well through revival and bandaging gives you more XP.
Function
The function of the medic role is to keep as many members of their squad and team in combat condition as possible to
1) serve as a force multiplier, increasing the combat effectiveness of their team
2) prevent avoidable loss of manpower in critical situations
Force Multiplier
As an effective medic you have the opportunity to keep your friendly combat troops and support troops alive and in the fight, enabling them to perform their various lethal and tactical functions unhindered by the time consuming interruption of death from unbandaged injuries and wounding. With a good medic on the battlefield, a squad acting as a cohesive tactical unit can only be stopped by outright death from headshots and explosions. Anything short of that and they’re still in operation, killing enemies and taking objectives.
Manpower
The team’s overall manpower supply is decreased every time a player redeploys. Medics can prevent some of this loss by preventing injured allies from becoming incapacitated wounded, and wounded from needing to redeploy. On top of this, for each spawn, you only cost your team 1 manpower making you one of the cheapest units on the battlefield when it comes to loss of manpower per life.
Gameplay Tips
As stated in the introduction, your goal should not be stats and XP alone. Running around like a madman hunting down every wounded ally may sound like a good way to go about playing the medic role to its maximum efficacy, but charging across an open field without any cover or smoke is a surefire way to get both you and more teammates killed to a redeploy as you won’t be there to heal or revive anyone while you’re letting go, waiting on redeploy timers, and making your run back to catch up with the team. If you take your time, respect the pace of the game, act with a little care, and the role’s function in mind you’ll stay alive longer, sustain your squad’s combat effectiveness, and ultimately earn more role and career XP for yourself and your squad mates.
Communication
As with any role in Hell Let Loose, communication is absolutely crucial to the success of a medic. Good communication will help you to provide more effective support not only to your squad and team. LET YOUR TEAM KNOW WHAT YOU PLAN TO DO. Be concise and clear.
Healing Injuries
Every time you redeploy or resupply, you have 20 bandages. USE THEM. Small arms fire, shrapnel, three foot drops on Hill 400... There’s a large number of potential dangers on the battlefield in Hell Let Loose. Your squad mates will get wounded often and regularly. It is a simple fact of the game. They have 2 bandages per redeploy or resupply so try to bandage up your squad mates as often as you can. It gives you role XP and keeps people on their feet and fighting for longer.
Reviving the Wounded
If and when people do start dropping, it is your job to try and revive those that you can. Assess the situation, notify your allies, and move with care. You have 5 minutes. Play at the pace of the game as best you can and use what time you need but let your patient know. Sometimes it’s best for them to redeploy. Whenever possible, bandage patients after reviving them.
Triage
You can’t revive everyone...
If you can’t save a wounded ally, don’t. A good rule of thumb for this is to judge the safety of the patient’s position and scenario. Both are key in the determination of tactical benefit or risk vs reward analysis. Remember, as long as you are dead you aren’t providing any force multiplier to your team.
Movement
Smart movement keeps you alive and enhances your ability to support your team. If you are dead, you cannot help your team.
Using Cover
Knowing the difference between cover and concealment is crucial for a medic. It can mean the difference between life and another redeploy. Whenever possible, stay in hard cover while reviving or bandaging patients on the battlefield. If you are close to cover or taking fire while reviving a patient, use comms to tell them to move to cover before attempting to bandage them.
Smoke
Smoke is your friend. Use it well and your and your squad will survive a lot longer on the battlefield. Use them wisely. Try not to use both smoke grenades on one revive if you aren’t forced to but there’s no use holding onto them if doing so will get you and your wounded patient killed. Refill your smoke at ammo crates and request smoke cover from your squad lead and assault if necessary. As a medic, you are one of the 3 roles equipped with smoke grenades in your kit. Smoke can be used to provide your squad with vital concealment that will be integral to keeping your squad safe.
Covering Fire
When the need arises to cross potentially dangerous terrain such as an open expanse of field to revive or bandage a patient, it’s often a good idea to request some suppressing fire from your buddies. This method of cover is most effective when used to supplement other forms of cover and concealment. It is NOT a perfect substitute for these other forms of protection but should certainly not be underestimated.
Field Order
As a general rule of thumb, in a six man half squad, the medic should be positioned in the 4th or 5th position in any given scenario. This proximal placement in the squad ensures that the medic is covered on all sides during maneuvers and firefights, enabling them to safely support their team with bandages, morphine, smoke, and fire support.
Great stuff Glyph! Can't wait to see the other roles that you put out!