Squad Leader and Commander are intentionally locked until their tutorials are completed. The general Getting Started tutorial can be skipped, but the Squad Leader tutorial is required for Squad Leader and the Commander tutorial is required for Commander. If the tutorial will not open or completion does not save, that is a known issue rather than a level requirement. The official Patch 1.2 notes say usernames containing a colon (:) can block Tutorials and the Practice Range; a fix is targeted for Patch 1.3, which was not yet announced as live when this guide was checked.
Required tutorials at a glance
| What you want to do | Official requirement |
|---|---|
| Enter normal multiplayer | Getting Started can be skipped with Esc on PC |
| Play Squad Leader | Complete the Squad Leader tutorial |
| Play Commander | Complete the Commander tutorial |
| Use Tutorials or Practice Range with a colon in the username | Known issue; official fix targeted for Patch 1.3 |
Why the roles are locked
Team17's launch guidance says the two leadership roles use mandatory tutorials so players understand their mechanics and responsibilities before taking command. This is an intended progression gate, not a server rule and not evidence that the role is permanently unavailable.
The Getting Started tutorial is different. Official launch information says it is optional and can be skipped with Esc on PC if the player wants to enter multiplayer immediately.
What to complete for each role
- Open the Tutorials menu from the front end.
- For Squad Leader, complete the tutorial specifically labelled for Squad Leader.
- For Commander, complete the Commander tutorial. If the menu shows another prerequisite, complete the prerequisite displayed by the current build.
- Return to the role selection screen and check the role again.
If the tutorial will not open
Patch 1.2's official follow-up list identifies a specific known issue: players whose username contains a colon (:) can be unable to access Tutorials or the Practice Range. The developer said this was being targeted for Patch 1.3.
A low-risk temporary test is to remove the colon from the platform display name, restart the game and try the tutorial again. This step is an inference from the official trigger description, not an officially guaranteed workaround. Preserve the original name if you plan to restore it.
If completion did not save
The developer has also acknowledged reports of tutorial completion not saving correctly and preventing access to Squad Leader or Commander. Patch 1.2 fixed several tutorial prompts and soft locks, but the published notes do not say every progress-saving case is resolved.
- Confirm the game is fully updated before repeating the tutorial.
- Finish the tutorial normally and wait for its completion screen before leaving.
- Restart the game once and check the role again.
- Do not delete saves, replace DLL files or reinstall Windows for this issue.
- If progress still does not persist, report the platform, username format, tutorial name and exact failure point to Team17 Support.
Patch 1.2 and Patch 1.3 status
Patch 1.2 is live on all platforms and includes tutorial and Field Manual fixes, including incorrect prompts, missing instructions and a helicopter tutorial soft lock. It also fixed the Commander role becoming non-interactable after switching teams.
However, the username-colon access problem appears in the official list of issues targeted for Patch 1.3. A target is not a completed fix. Until Team17 publishes Patch 1.3 and its final changelog, this guide will not describe that problem as resolved.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the Getting Started tutorial to play online?
No. Official launch guidance says it can be skipped. Leadership-role tutorials are separate.
Is Commander locked behind player level?
The official launch explanation identifies the Commander tutorial as the access requirement. Individual community servers can still apply their own rules.
Why is Commander still unavailable after the tutorial?
Check whether completion saved, whether the role slot is already occupied and whether the server has additional restrictions. If the completion flag is missing, use official support rather than destructive local changes.
Is Patch 1.3 live?
Not according to the official material checked on August 26, 2026. Patch 1.2 is live; Patch 1.3 was described as a target for the following week.
Bottom line
A normal leadership-role lock is solved by completing the role's tutorial. A tutorial that cannot open or does not retain completion is a different problem. Check the username-colon condition, confirm the current patch, retry once cleanly and then send a precise report to Team17 Support.