diff --git a/scripts/mod_loader/altered/squad.lua b/scripts/mod_loader/altered/squad.lua
index 84703892..df6a1027 100644
--- a/scripts/mod_loader/altered/squad.lua
+++ b/scripts/mod_loader/altered/squad.lua
@@ -1,36 +1,33 @@
 
 local oldGetStartingSquad = getStartingSquad
 function getStartingSquad(choice)
-	if choice == 0 then
+	if choice == modApi.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_START then
 		loadPilotsOrder()
 		loadSquadSelection()
 	end
 
-	-- squads 0-7 are the first 8 vanilla squads
-	-- 8 and 9 are random and custom
-	-- squad 10 is secret, 11-16 are Advanced
-	if (choice >= 0 and choice <= 7) or (choice >= 10 and choice <= (modApi.constants.MAX_SQUADS + 2)) then
-		if choice >= 10 then
-			choice = choice - 2
-		end
-		local index = modApi.squadIndices[choice + 1]
+	if true
+		and choice ~= modApi.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_RANDOM
+		and choice ~= modApi.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_CUSTOM
+		and choice >= modApi.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_START
+		and choice <= modApi.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_END
+	then
+		local index = modApi:squadChoice2Index(choice)
+		local redirectedIndex = modApi.squadIndices[index]
 
 		modApi:setText(
-			"TipTitle_"..modApi.squadKeys[choice + 1],
-			modApi.squad_text[2 * (index - 1) + 1]
+			"TipTitle_"..modApi.squadKeys[index],
+			modApi.squad_text[2 * (redirectedIndex - 1) + 1]
 		)
 		modApi:setText(
-			"TipText_"..modApi.squadKeys[choice + 1],
-			modApi.squad_text[2 * (index - 1) + 2]
+			"TipText_"..modApi.squadKeys[index],
+			modApi.squad_text[2 * (redirectedIndex - 1) + 2]
 		)
 
-		-- Create a copy of the squad table, and remove 'id'
-		-- from it before returning, in order for the game
-		-- not to mistake the entry for a mech.
-		local squad = copy_table(modApi.mod_squads[index])
-		squad.id = nil
+		local squad = modApi:getSquadForChoice(choice)
 
-		return squad
+		-- Return the squad in a flat list as the game expects
+		return { squad.name, squad.mechs[1], squad.mechs[2], squad.mechs[3] }
 	else
 		return oldGetStartingSquad(choice)
 	end
diff --git a/scripts/mod_loader/bootstrap/constants.lua b/scripts/mod_loader/bootstrap/constants.lua
index 59a5ca4d..35995072 100644
--- a/scripts/mod_loader/bootstrap/constants.lua
+++ b/scripts/mod_loader/bootstrap/constants.lua
@@ -27,6 +27,28 @@ modApi.constants = {
   PILOT_CONFIG_POD_ADVANCED = 2,
   PILOT_CONFIG_RECRUIT = 4,
 
+  -- squad choice constants
+  -- how the game arranges squads
+  -- 0-indexed
+  -- squads 0-7 are the first 8 vanilla squads
+  -- 8 and 9 are random and custom
+  -- squad 10 is secret, 11-15 are Advanced
+  SQUAD_CHOICE_START = 0,
+  SQUAD_CHOICE_END = 15,
+  SQUAD_CHOICE_RANDOM = 8,
+  SQUAD_CHOICE_CUSTOM = 9,
+  SQUAD_CHOICE_SECRET = 10,
+
+  -- squad index constants
+  -- how the mod loader arranges squads
+  -- 1-indexed
+  -- 1-8 are the first 8 vanilla squads
+  -- random and custom are excluded
+  -- 9 is secret, 10-14 are Advanced
+  SQUAD_INDEX_START = 1,
+  SQUAD_INDEX_END = 14,
+  SQUAD_INDEX_SECRET = 9,
+
   -- ui constants
   ORIENTATION_HORIZONTAL = true,
   ORIENTATION_VERTICAL = false,
diff --git a/scripts/mod_loader/modapi/squad.lua b/scripts/mod_loader/modapi/squad.lua
index 9dbbc837..0f4ae39d 100644
--- a/scripts/mod_loader/modapi/squad.lua
+++ b/scripts/mod_loader/modapi/squad.lua
@@ -69,6 +69,76 @@ function modApi:addSquad(squad, name, desc, icon)
 	table.insert(self.squad_icon, icon or "resources/mods/squads/unknown.png")
 end
 
+-- Convert from how the mod loader indexes squads to how the game indexes squads
+function modApi:squadIndex2Choice(index)
+	Assert.Equals("table", type(self), "Check for . vs :")
+
+	if false
+		or index < self.constants.SQUAD_INDEX_START
+		or index > self.constants.SQUAD_INDEX_END
+	then
+		LOGW("Invalid squad index -> choice conversion")
+		return -1
+	end
+
+	if index >= self.constants.SQUAD_INDEX_SECRET then
+		return index + 1
+	else
+		return index - 1
+	end
+end
+
+-- Convert from how the game indexes squads to how the mod loader indexes squads
+function modApi:squadChoice2Index(choice)
+	Assert.Equals("table", type(self), "Check for . vs :")
+
+	if false
+		or choice == self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_RANDOM
+		or choice == self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_CUSTOM
+		or choice < self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_START
+		or choice > self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_END
+	then
+		LOGW("Invalid squad choice -> index conversion")
+		return -1
+	end
+
+	if choice >= self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_SECRET then
+		return choice - 1
+	else
+		return choice + 1
+	end
+end
+
+function modApi:getSquadForChoice(choice)
+	Assert.Equals("table", type(self), "Check for . vs :")
+
+	if false
+		or choice == self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_RANDOM
+		or choice == self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_CUSTOM
+		or choice < self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_START
+		or choice > self.constants.SQUAD_CHOICE_END
+	then
+		Assert.Error("Invalid squad choice")
+	end
+
+	if self.squadIndices == nil then
+		loadSquadSelection()
+	end
+
+	local index = self:squadChoice2Index(choice)
+	local squad_flat = self.mod_squads[self.squadIndices[index]]
+
+	return {
+		name = squad_flat[1],
+		id = squad_flat.id,
+		mechs = {
+			squad_flat[2],
+			squad_flat[3],
+			squad_flat[4],
+		}
+	}
+end
+
 local function onGameEntered()
 	local squadData = GAME.additionalSquadData
 	local squadId = squadData.squad