com·mu·ni·ca·tion-  1. a technique for expressing ideas effectively; 2. the technology of the transmission of information.

It's something that we do each and every day, but it seems to be taken for granted.  

It's no secret that with the upcoming release of Gears 2, gamers are going to be playing on larger, more complex maps, with a greater diversity of environmental hazards.  Teams will be made up of five players instead of four, and the variety of armaments will be considerably increased.  All of this will greatly enhance the need for effective communication across the virtual battlefield.  In essence, communication and teamwork will breed success.  The ability to effectively strategize how you plan to confront or defend against your opponents lies in your effectiveness as a communicator.  Knowing is half the battle.  3Suns and I will be focusing this particular diary solely on effective communication for tactical situations.  These are merely suggestions, folks.  You don't have to be an MLG player to use effective communication.  After all, the entire point of this is to have fun.

I.    Why We Need Effective Communication:

• Knowing what character model your teammates are enables you to call out enemy locations using the "clock technique" (i.e. 12/3/6/9 o' clock).
  
• The coordination of flanking, pincer, high & low ground moves can't be left to mind reading or extra sensory perception.
  
• Knowing when your team is going stealth or dynamic depends on talking.
  
• Timing on when to execute tactical maneuvers can only be accomplished with thorough communication.
  
• Knowing the status of remaining team members is equally important in determining how dire the situation can or will be.
  
• Knowing the odds changes the approach, which your team will take.
  
• Knowing that you've got a wingman to revive or assist with extra firepower is vital to forming impromptu (on-the-fly) plans.
  
• Communication facilitates tactical situations such as baiting your enemies into fatal funnels or chokepoints.
  
• With the inclusion of new feature of proximity mines, tag teaming with a partner opens numerous possibilities of cat & mouse gameplay.
  
• Letting your team know that you are serving as a decoy or distraction is important in trying to secure areas or situations to take out your opponents.

• We're all in this together.  You've got a headset.  Use it.
  
• Part of communication is recognizing your teammates - pick different skins!  
  
• Tell your team what position you are (e.g., third, fourth) when leaving the spawn point.
  
• Refer to yourself in the third-person so your team can quickly identify you by voice.
  
• If you are the first person that comes in visual contact with the enemy, you are the eyes and ears of your team.  Tell your team how many opponents you see, what they are doing, and where they are going.
  
• Tell your teammate(s) that you are trailing them or covering their six.  
  
• Let your team know what power weapons you are trying to acquire or defend.  Call out the number of enemies that you will be engaging.  
  
• As soon as a power weapon is shown on the HUD as taken, report it to your team so they know what kinds of firepower to expect from the enemy.  The ability to hear that information rather than reading it across the bottom of your screen makes such a difference because it "registers" in your brain.
  
• If the enemy has a power weapon trained on you when you are down, warn your teammates.  Prevent your teammates from being ambushed by or baited by calling off a revive.
  
• Let your teammates know where you are by calling out landmarks so they know where they may need to provide cover, revive you, or the location of where the enemy may be.
  
• Sound out from time to time to let your team know that you're still alive.  Take roll call!
  
• Get into the habit of pressing the `back' button on your controller to know who's still alive (teammates & enemies).

On the Canals map
An example of poor communication:
"Hey, there are locusts over there, running around by the sandbags, on the left side near the tree, coming over the bridge."
Why this is poor communication:  

1.  We don't know who is being addressed.  
   
2.  There is simultaneously unnecessary information (e.g., "over there"), and not enough specific information (e.g., How many locusts?)
   
3.  It is ambiguous.  Which sandbags?  Whose left?  Which tree?  Remember, there are at least 2 trees on Canals - one on each side of the middle bridge.

1. It addresses a specific teammate.  RoBBins knows he has to listen - this is info relevant to what he is doing and/or where he is.
   
2. It tells how many locusts he needs to be looking out for.
   
3. It tells him exactly where on the map they are, and in what direction they are moving.
   
4. It is done with as few brief words as possible.  This gets the info across the quickest and keeps the channel clear for more info.