Clans & Squads

Authoritative project content

Full clan + squad systems — [CONFIRMED]. Players can form small tactical groups (squads) and larger persistent organizations (clans). Group identity drives cooperation, base ownership, and territory.

Squads (small, tactical)

• Squads have no design-level member cap — [CONFIRMED]. Practical server and UI behavior must be profiled at large membership counts.
• Friendly identification: squadmates are shown on HUD/markers. Friendly fire is dedicated-server configurable — [CONFIRMED].
• Shared access: squadmates can use installed Lock items owned by another current Squad member on eligible doors, windows, World Containers and Player-built Storage. This does not grant vehicle ignition: every Squad member still needs the exact vehicle key unless that key is inserted or the vehicle was permanently Hotwired. Canonical rules: FEAT-LOCK-ACCESS.
• Squad utilities: map pings, text chat, proximity voice and squad voice, shared respawn at squad beds, and downed-revive [RECOMMENDATION].
• Squads are session-oriented but membership can persist.

Clans (large, persistent)

• A persistent organization with a name/tag, roster, and ranks/roles (leader, officer, member) with permissions.
• Shared territory & bases: clan-owned build privilege so many members can build/maintain shared bases.
• Clan progression / territory: controlling regions and shared infrastructure (ties to the "Base/Territory" progression vector and ../01-Gameplay/07-Crafting-and-Progression.md).
• Persistence: clan data (roster, ranks, ownership) is part of server persistence (see 01-Network-Architecture.md).

Ownership & permissions model

The core question free-form building + groups must answer: who can build, open doors, and access storage where?

• Build privilege via territory anchor (Tool-Cupboard-like) — [RECOMMENDATION]. The anchor stores an authorized list (player/squad/clan). Within its radius, only authorized players can place/modify/open.
• Permission granularity (build vs. door vs. storage vs. anchor management) is [TBD] but should be role-based for clans.

Friendly fire & griefing — [CONFIRMED] server-configurable

• Friendly fire within squads/clans is enabled or disabled by dedicated-server configuration.
• Anti-grief rules for shared bases (logged actions and role-gated demolition) remain part of the permissions design.

Implementation guidance

• Squad/clan membership is replicated state (likely on PlayerState + a server-side group registry/subsystem).
• Build-privilege checks are server-authoritative in UBuildComponent placement validation.
• Group management UI is UMG (Blueprint) over replicated C++ state.
• Scope note: full clans are Phase-2; squads are Phase-1 (needed for co-op boss hunts). See ../00-Overview/02-Scope-and-Constraints.md.