Squadrons and Wings are fundamental to organized play in Elite Dangerous, allowing commanders to band together for mutual support and to tackle challenges that are difficult or impossible to overcome alone. Understanding how to form, manage, and utilize these groups can sificantly enhance your experience.
Forming and Joining Wings
A Wing is a temporary, in-session grouping of up to 32 players. To form a Wing, one player initiates it and then invites other commanders. Once in a Wing, players share mission rewards and can see each other's ship locations on their radar. This makes coordinated combat, trading, and exploration much more effective. Wings are ideal for tackling high-threat sal sources, completing wing missions, or simply exploring together.
Squadrons: The Persistent Guild
Squadrons are persistent, long-term player organizations that can have up to 1000 members. Joining or forming a Squadron provides a shared identity and allows for more structured group activities. Squadrons can engage in Powerplay, participate in community goals, and even claim systems. Squadron leaders have tools to manage membership, set ranks, and organize events.
Squadron & Wing Management Tools
Within the game's 'Comms' panel, you'll find options for managing your Wings and Squadrons. For Wings, you can see who is currently in your Wing, their status, and manage invitations. For Squadrons, you can view your Squadron's roster, news, and manage your role within the organization. Many Squadrons also utilize external communication platforms like Discord for more robust coordination and community building.
Benefits of Group Play
Playing in Wings and Squadrons offers numerous advantages. In combat, a well-coordinated Wing can overwhelm even powerful threats. For traders, Wings can provide protection against pirates. Explorers can share discoveries and cover more ground. Squadrons can pool resources and influence within the galaxy, contributing to larger-scale objectives. The social aspect of Elite Dangerous is greatly amplified by these group mechanics, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose across the vastness of space.