what should death squads usually be armed with?
In the old times I used my second-best equipment, today I just use my best equipment that I can substitute for. But then again in the old times I burned through lots of equipment due to all the ZC I used to do. Just don't use TL3 stuff like Power Armor, Gatling Laser and Pancor and you will be fine. I also don't use any armor beyond CAmkI and Metal Armor MkI, they're too expensive and best used in ZC and assigs. Bringing Faction Armor MKII or CAmkIII to a deathsquad is foolishness. Deathsquads aren't supposed to be fancy and expensive, a truth since the days where robes, AKs and a crowd shouting allahu akbar could kill anything short of a ZC squad.
My experience is that the best weaponry for deathsquadding are:
1. Pistols (Deagle .50 AE, S&W, Magneto-Laser for kockdowns, Plasma Pistol Ext., Pulse Pistol)
2. Shotguns (Their main role is to provide knockdowns and knockouts, taking enemies out of the fight and stopping enemies from fleeing. The damage is ok but shotgunners are midrange support. I usually stick to the Combat Shotgun, but double remmys with flechette can be lethal. CAWS works too I think. Jackahmmer through, is too precious to use anywhere but in assigs and ZC.)
3. Long-range, high-powered Assault Rifles (FN-FAL is perfect for this - strong, double-tap, fast shooting, long range, etc. AK-74 is good too)
4. SG Sniper Rifles (the faster shooting the better. Best use is leg-cripping, if the enemy gets leg-crippled its pretty GG)
5. Rad SMG (because limb shredder)
6. Laser Rifle - High laser damage, fires at good rate, precise, big range. Just sucks against metal. Way better than plasma rifle.
7. Needler and wakizashi for sneakers.
Also, I think Big Guns aren't good for deathsquadding because
a) time and AP taken deploying means less time and AP to start shooting
b) Big Guns as a rule are slow to attack, which sucks when you are in a running gunbattle
c) Big Guns can't aim, and the ones that can (Sniper BGs) hit upon the previous problems
d) Reloading is slow as hell
e) Can't run with minigun
f) flamer is too short-ranged.
g) Ammo expenses are bad. I usually take 500 bullets for my machinegun in BG deathsquading, that goes for around 300 caps and frankly that's half the reward for a high-level assig (its the same reason I don't take BGs to assigs anymore except flamers).
(having a BG dude can be very good if you set up a ambush team, tho. BG shines in ZC, but not as much in a running gunbattle that requires fast, constant movement)
Also, I never used grenades in deathsquadding, I can't see them (and MILKORs as well) being very useful unless you're expecting to fight static groups, lots of groups.