Squad is Offworld Industries' large-scale tactical shooter and the spiritual successor to Project Reality, the well-known Battlefield 2 mod. It entered early access on Steam in December 2015, was fully released in September 2020 and now runs on Unreal Engine 5, with more than six million copies sold by 2026. Two teams of 50 fight across fourteen modern factions, and the side that communicates and keeps its supplies moving usually beats the side with better aim.

Squad is played on servers run by communities and clans, each with its own rules, admins and map rotation. The same match can be a disciplined operation on one server and a mess on another, which makes the choice of server one of the biggest decisions in the game.

Logistics Win Wars

Teams are split into squads of up to nine players, each led by a squad leader. Squad leaders build forward operating bases, which act as respawn points for the whole team but only work while they are supplied, so logistics runs by truck or helicopter are as important as any firefight. One squad leader is voted in as commander and coordinates the plan, calling in support such as UAV reconnaissance and artillery.

Every soldier carries an entrenching tool to build and repair defenses, and kits range from rifleman and medic to light anti-tank, vehicle crewman and pilot. Seven game modes cover everything from Advance and Secure and its randomized version to Invasion, Insurgency, Destruction, Territory Control and Skirmish.

What to Look For in a Squad Server

Server Rules and Vehicle Claims

Squad servers publish detailed rules, and reading them before your first match saves trouble. Most require squad leaders to use a microphone and talk on command chat, and many have rules on claiming vehicles at the start of a match, locking squads and attacking main bases. Good rules keep the game fair; rules nobody explains just cause arguments.

Admin Team and Discord

Look for admins who are present during busy hours, act on team-killing and griefing, and are consistent from one match to the next. A Discord with a clear report and appeal process shows a server that takes moderation seriously.

Seeding and Peak Hours

A 100-player server does not fill itself. Communities seed their servers, getting a few dozen regulars on early so the server grows to a full match, and many relax some rules while seeding. Check when a server is full and how long its queue gets, and favor servers that are lively when you actually play.

Layer Rotation and Modes

Servers choose their rotation of layers, the combinations of map, mode and factions. Some lean heavily on the randomized Advance and Secure mode, others mix in Invasion and Insurgency. If you prefer a particular style of match, find a server whose rotation features it.

Standard Layers or Workshop Mods

Most servers run the standard game, but modded servers load Workshop content such as new factions, vehicles and maps. They offer variety at the cost of a download and usually a smaller population, so check the mod list before you join.

Getting Your First Games Right

Start as a rifleman or medic in an open squad with a squad leader who talks, follow orders and learn how forward bases and supply runs work before you try leading. Join the server's Discord and read its rules. The ranking below lists the Squad servers players vote for here. Vote for the server you play on - rankings start again every month, so the list rewards communities that keep their servers seeded.