Which Role Should You Pick In Hell Let Loose: Vietnam?

Hell Let Loose: Vietnam - Complete Guide To Roles Published Aug 17, 2026, 6:11 PM EDT Collin is a Guides Staff Writer at TheGamer who has been writing guides for nearly ten years. He is also a professional game/level designer. More importantly, he's still waiting for a new Ape Escape game to release. If you want to actually contribute to the fight in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, then you'll need to know how to do more than just shoot your gun. In this game, players can assume one of 17 different Roles that each serve a different purpose on the battlefield. Ranging from being a sniper picking off targets from afar to the Commander shaping the match with their calls, understanding the Roles can be a bit overwhelming. To help alleviate some of the stress, below you will find our breakdown of the Role system, different Roles, and which one you should pick if you're new to the game. This will not be an in-depth guide on every role in the game; rather, a snapshot of what that person's job is and their general, well, role during a match. What Is A Role? Roles are essentially classes in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, which allow players to slot into specific playstyles that suit them best. Broken up across Command, Infantry, Armor, Helicopter, Recon, and Mortar, each of these categories has different Roles within them that you can pick. However, unlike a game such as Battlefield, each squad is limited to the number of people that can be in a specific Role. This is displayed when you join a squad and see each of the Roles available in a list along with the number that your unit can have. For example, no Squad can have more than one Specialist or three Rifleman. The most common Roles will be found in the Infantry category, and each squad can only have up to six players. Meaning every squad will be missing a few roles, so consider what your objective is or how your group wants to play. As long as a Role is available, you can pick a new one within a squad anytime you die and are Redeploying. Just select Unit Management and then pick which Role you want to play. You can also edit what weapons and gear that class is using from this screen. All Roles Role Name Category Description Commander Command The Commander is the top of the food chain in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam. Your Role is to oversee the battle, direct all the Squad Leaders, call in airstrikes, recon planes, supply drops, and lead your troops to victory. You will not be on the front lines, instead, your job is to communicate and lead your squads to victory. Think of it like playing a strategy game where all your units have a mind of their own. Squad Leader Infantry The leaders of each Squad; people in these Roles have direct lines to the Commander for communication. They can also build Garrisons, Outposts, and Tunnels (if they're NVA). You lead the squad and will make the calls for where your unit should go, fight, or defend. Rifleman Infantry The bread and butter of the game. Rifleman are there to take orders and shoot things. Your arsenal isn't terribly exciting, but quite effective. You'll carry items such as ammo boxes, a hammer to help shore up established defenses, and grenades. Medic Infantry Medics are Rifleman, but with a focus on keeping both their allies alive. With the ability to revive downed teammates back to full health, Medics are a key part of any squad and serve a more supportive role. You can also carry items such as Medical Supplies to refill bandages or smoke to provide visual cover. Specialist Infantry Specialists are the flex spot in a squad, as they have access to a plethora of lethal and utility items. They also have access to a wide range of weapons, including some unique options like the flamethrower. This makes Specialist players adept at adjusting their kits on the fly to suit what their squad needs. However, this will require a bit of work since a lot of their best gear is locked behind their Role level. Machine Gunner Infantry If you want to just shoot as many bullets as possible, then the Machine Gunner is for you. Masters of locking down a position and providing suppressive fire, Machine Gunners use light machine guns to release a hail of bullets. The NVA version also has access to an anti-air emplacement they can set up to take down helicopters. Grenadier Infantry The anti-armor class, Grenadiers have access to rocket launchers, AT mines, grenade launchers, and satchel charges. Whether it's entrenched enemies or opposing armor, your job is to blow things up. If you have a dislike of tanks, this is the role for you. Engineer Infantry A personal favorite, Engineers are all about establishing defenses and building resource nodes for the Commander to use. A good Engineer can help shape the battle by providing cover to their allies or funneling enemies into positions via barbed wire fences. Tank Commander Armor The Tank Commander serves as the eyes and ears of the tank crew. Not only will you have access to the Command radio channel, but your job will be to sit on the periscope, call out enemy targets for your gunner, direct the driver to where they need to go, and stay in touch with the other tank crews. It can be a bit hands-off, but ensuring your gunner and driver know what's going on is critical to success. Tank Driver (Crewman) Armor As the name suggests, the Tank Driver focuses on driving the armored behemoth around the map. You will focus on navigating the terrain and communicating with the rest of your crew during the heat of battle. Tank Gunner (Crewman) Armor The last part of the tank is the gunner, who aims and shoots both the coaxial machine gun and large cannon on the turret. Your job is solely to kill and shoot at what your driver or Tank Commander point you towards. Spotter Recon For the Recon squad, the Spotter serves as a line to the Commander for that duo and will act as the eyes for the Sniper. Your job is to call out targets, use flares to mark them on the map for everyone, deploy spawn beacons in hostile sectors, and ensure that your partner's shots are landing. Sniper Recon The second half of the Recon squad, the sniper is there solely to shoot people from a long distance. A sniper does exactly what you think they do and is the role best suited for those who are confident in their aim and stealth skills. Observer Mortar Observers are a mix of the Engineer and Spotter class. You will be able to communicate with the Commander, but will also call out targets for your mortar, build structures, and fire off flare guns to mark enemies on your map. Think of them as the eyes of the Mortar team, giving them ranges and specific locations to begin their barrage. Support Mortar This is probably the most boring Role in the game, but it's also important to the Mortar crew. Essentially, you will act as both a second set of eyes for the Observer and will assist in quickly reloading the Mortar between shots to ensure your barrage can be timely and efficient. It's not a flashy position, but one that's good for those who just want to support their team. Gunner Mortar Responsible for aiming, ranging, and firing the mortar, you get to use this tool of destruction to rain death upon your enemies. Working in coordination with the rest of your squad, you will set up and launch mortars at the locations your Observer scouts for you. Logistics Officer Helicopter (US Only) For the helicopter crew, this is the person who will speak to command, fire flares to mark targets while in the helicopter, plan landing routes, and drop off supplies. While you won't be directly flying the helicopter, you will be assisting the pilot with whatever they need and handling all the map and planning that comes with being an efficient transportation unit. Pilot Helicopter (US Only) Your job as a Pilot is to basically not crash the metal bird into the jungle and kill everyone. Okay, that's a bit of an oversimplification, but it's basically what most of your job is. Outside of manning the M60 machine gun to provide support fire, a Pilot will be flying the helicopter to and from where their Logistics Officer marks. Best Roles For Beginners If you're just starting in Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, the best Roles for new players are Rifleman, Medic, Machine Gunners, Grenadiers, and Tank Gunners. These are all fairly straightforward classes that focus on shooting and killing enemies above all else. Since you will not be communicating directly with anyone in Command, these Roles allow you to focus just on what your squad needs and the enemies in front of you. You're going to die in these roles, but they will help give you a better understanding of the game's flow, shooting, and positioning. Once you're ready to try a more communicative role, I recommend picking the Tank Commander. While you will be managing the tank crew, this is much easier since you'll be safely tucked away on a periscope and will mostly just be marking targets for your gunner. It's a fairly easy job and will be one of the best ways to get used to talking with the Commander and other squad leaders. Again, you can basically play any role in the game from the start except the Commander and Squad Commander, which require you to complete specific tutorials first. Just make sure you at least have a basic understanding of what you will be doing and what's expected before blindly selecting a Role in-game.