Is there a way to have your squad mates not fire until fired upon?

[Bucketnate 10]

Is there a way to have your squad mates not fire until fired upon?

[maddogx 13]

Yes, you can order them to "hold fire" by selecting all of them, then pressing 3 and picking "hold fire" from the menu. (I think it's number 1.)

"Hold fire" generally means they will not fire unless there is an imminent threat.

[Wiki 1558]

3-2.

3-1 is open fire.

3-3 is do fire.

3-5 is fire at will.

[Inimical_rize 1]

I usually end up killing my troops for insubordination. or leave the group in dead ground and take one other member on hold fire to a flank and then move the rest in, this avoids one of the A.i becoming John rambo and massing everything en rout to the obj.