Enlisted Beginner Guide: Squads, Engineers, and Research Progression

New players improve fastest in Enlisted by learning to keep pressure on the objective with an entire squad—not by chasing one soldier’s kill count. Bring an engineer when the squad permits it, create a useful rally point, order AI soldiers into defensible positions, and switch bodies after a casualty. Research one country’s practical equipment path before branching into expensive toys.

Think like a squad commander

Enlisted’s official overview says each respawn gives you a squad: you control one soldier, AI controls the others, and you can switch among survivors. That means every squad is both a set of lives and a toolbox.

Before spawning, decide the job:

• assault or defend the objective;
• establish a rally route;
• destroy or deter armor;
• hold a sightline;
• provide ammunition, medical or fire support.

Choose the squad that can do the job. Do not spawn a vehicle simply because the slot is open if the objective urgently needs infantry bodies.

Keep AI soldiers alive and useful

Move the squad to cover near—but not directly on top of—your firing position. Spread or tighten formation based on the threat. A single explosive should not remove the whole squad, but excessive separation makes switching slow and exposes soldiers to pathing risks.

Use orders to hold a safe room, trench or reverse slope. If the controlled soldier dies, switch immediately and continue the task. The official design specifically allows you to remain at the active point while any squad member survives.

Engineers produce team-wide value

The official class description calls engineers indispensable support specialists able to build fortifications and stationary positions. Their most important early contribution is often logistical: shorten the route from spawn to objective and keep allies supplied.

A good rally location is:

• close enough to save meaningful travel time;
• behind hard cover and away from obvious lines of fire;
• not directly on the objective or in a predictable doorway;
• separated from other rally points so one enemy push does not remove all options;
• oriented toward a safe exit.

After placing it, check whether the route remains safe. Rebuild when the front moves. Then use ammunition and defensive structures where they support the actual fight rather than blocking friendly movement.

Build a practical squad composition

The official site lists riflemen, mortarmen, snipers, anti-tank gunners, assaulters, engineers, gunners, medics, radio operators, flametroopers, motorcyclists, tankers and pilots. You will not need every specialist in every squad.

For general infantry play, aim to cover:

Specialist availability depends on the squad and its upgrades. The official squad page explains that squad experience unlocks larger squad size and specialist slots, while personal and workshop upgrades improve soldiers and equipment pathways.

Equip the whole squad before chasing perfection

Give every active soldier a functional weapon, ammunition and basic survivability tools before spending heavily on one ideal loadout. A match often forces you to play the fourth or fifth soldier. That body must still capture, defend and fight.

Match weapons to engagement distance. Bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles suit different rhythms than submachine guns or machine guns. Avoid carrying an expensive specialist lineup into a role the map does not support.

Research without diluting progress

Since the major progression rework, Enlisted research is organized by country in branching trees. The official announcement says battle XP goes toward the selected weapon, vehicle or squad research, and researched equipment is purchased with Silver.

Use this process:

1. Pick one country to learn first.
2. Identify a useful infantry path at the battle rating you are playing.
3. Research the squad or weapon that fills a real lineup gap.
4. Budget Silver for purchases after research completes.
5. Add vehicles only when they form a coherent lineup.

Researching an item does not automatically make the whole lineup ready. Matchmaking and equipment rules can change, so inspect current battle-rating information in the client before equipping a newly unlocked high-tier weapon.

Infantry fundamentals that win objectives

Enter from cover, not from the obvious lane

Approach using terrain and buildings. Pause before doors and windows, listen, and clear the angle that can see you first. Sprint across exposed ground only when the tactical gain justifies it.

Use explosives deliberately

Cook or time explosives only within the behavior supported by the current item and controls. Throw to clear a known room, destroy a rally point or force armor to move—not at every uncertain sound.

Mark and communicate

Mark vehicles and important enemy positions. Your own squad, pilots, tankers and nearby infantry all benefit from information. A mark that changes a teammate’s decision can be more valuable than a speculative shot.

Mistakes to avoid

Playing one soldier as if this were a single-life shooter. Preserve and position the squad; switch quickly after death.

Ignoring rally points. A team with shorter, safer reinforcement routes gets more attempts at the objective.

Standing all AI soldiers beside you. One explosive or flanking enemy can erase the squad.

Unlocking without budgeting Silver. Research completion and equipment purchase are separate concerns.

Mixing incompatible progression tiers. Check current battle-rating consequences before changing the lineup.

Spawning vehicles without a plan. A vehicle slot is limited and should solve a battlefield problem.

FAQ

Sources

Accessed August 27, 2026

1. Enlisted — About the gameplatforms, combined arms and squad control
2. Squads — official overviewspecialists, squad upgrades and soldier training
3. Meet the new Enlistedofficial research-tree, country and Silver progression changes
4. Enlisted official newscurrent updates and announcements