- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
A tutorial on how to play halo better.
Noob Strategies for Survival and Learning
I’m relatively new to Halo Multiplayer, and though I don’t consider myself a complete “Newbie” anymore, I’m still close enough to that timeline in my playing that I now see things in a different light (uh, an “advanced Noob?”), and can see where I was blind to some things before.
So, I’ve written some basic Strategy & Tactics below in the hopes this will ease other Noob’s “weaning” period as they play their first few games. These are basic ideas to mitigate the Noob issue of: “OK, I’ve just spawned into a game, now what do I do?”.
The following guidelines are simply my opinions. Take’em or leave’em.
Strategic Guidelines & Etiquette:
Don’t get frustrated. Have fun. It’s a game. Expect to die. Play with honor, and enjoy. Ignore others who can’t do the same.
Don’t Team Kill (e.g. kill one of your teammates intentionally). If you accidentally kill a teammate, simply type a quick “Sorry” (or “sry” as an abbrev) message at your earliest opportunity. Hit “T”, type your message, then hit enter.
Don’t lag a game. If you are lagging (the little “X” icon blinks up several times at the lower right of your screen), quit the game voluntarily. I’m soon to upgrade from 56K dialup to DSL, and I can’t wait. TIP: When looking the list of servers over, click one and note the Ping Rating at the right. A LOWER ping number is GOOD (e.g. 180 or lower) a higher ping number is BAD (e.g. 250+). At 56K I’ve found I don’t have much success unless the ping rate is 270 or lower (and even that is high/questionable).
Keep your eyes open for key players, those with high kill ratios and/or flag running successes, which are reported to everyone at the end of each game. See who’s good, and what are they doing. I’d like to thank some players for their fine playing skills, and “manners”, that has been a help to me: Master Chief, NEW001, Quadzilla, freakinRITA, Mad Cow, AgentLED (sucker over the door. I got your number, buddy). There’s a bunch more, but these are the ones that immediately come to mind. If you see a “good player” running off to wreak some havoc (and he’s on your team), perhaps follow them and adopt a protective/support role to them. You’ll learn a lot.
Pay attention to TEAMWORK. Flow. Rhythm. Pretend you are watching a football game, but you are one of the players. Offense, Defense, Block/Tackle, Interceptions. Defense is sometimes overlooked, but can sway the game if you can KEEP YOUR FLAG POINT SAFE.
Learn the Maps. There is no easy answer to this one, unless you host your own game with a password so you can run around and learn the layout. Ya gotta know the Map to be really effective. If it’s a new map to you, do your best. Keep playing it, and you’ll learn its layout. TIP: Typically, you spawn with only basic weapons. The “good stuff” is scattered around the map. Learn where the grenades, good weapons, and health packs are.
Know the differences between game types. Important, as the flow of the game is significantly influenced by the game type:
Capture the Flag (aka: CTF): How to know: You hear “Capture the Flag” when you join, and you do NOT see “offense” or “defense” at the top left of your screen. Each team has a flag in their base. You have to assault the opposition’s base, take their flag, and return it to your base for a point. They do the same to you.
Capture the Flag (alt 1 – Safe Flag to Score): How to know: You hear “Capture the Flag” when you join, you’ve got the flag, cross your flag point, and you don’t score. Alternately, if you spawn into a game and you see your flag-runner running around with the other teams flag with an incessant “Red team has the flag . . . Blue team has the flag” announcement (each team has each other’s flag). To score, your flag must be at your base, and as long as each team has a flag, no one can score. This is a nice one as it forces a new flow to the game: Who hunts down the other’s flag first, while simultaneously each team tries to protect their own flag runner (or the flag runners try to hide successfully). As a Noob, pay attention to the game type, and PROTECT YOUR FLAG RUNNER if he’s got their flag, or KILL THEIR FLAG RUNNER if he’s got yours, depending on opportunity and circumstances.
Capture the Flag (alt 2 – Offense/Defense): How to know: You spawn into the game, you hear “Capture the Flag”, and you see “Offense” or “Defense” at top left of your screen. There is only one flag, which is given to Offense, and the game will switch Offense designation to each team every 2 – 3 minutes. Offense must plant the flag at the Defensive flag point to score.
Slayer. How to know: You hear “Slayer” when you spawn into a game. Free for all kill-spree, every man for himself.
Team Slayer. How to know: You hear “Team Slayer” when you spawn into a game. Killing spree between the two teams. Don’t kill your own team-mates.
Odd Ball. (Don’t know the precise rules on this one). How to know: You hear “Oddball” when you spawn into a game.
Learn your weapons. You are gonna die a lot before you become proficient with them. But, common to all: Make the shots count! Hit the target, or if a rocket or grenade hit the anticipated spot where the target will be, not where they are right now. TIP: The PISTOL is a great secondary weapon. Learn it. Good players make kill after kill with the pistol.
Train your eyes to frequently flick to your “radar” at lower left of your screen. Red dots are bad guys. TIP: This is a “movement sensor”. If someone stops moving, they don’t show.
Learn the vehicles, in particular how to drive the Warthog 4 wheel assault buggy. The Hog is, item for item, one of THE most FUN vehicles I’ve ever seen on a game. Easy on the wheel, don’t over correct . . . unless it’s an intentional maneuver! J
Learn how to MOVE, both on foot, and in vehicles. If you are waiting in ambush, that’s one thing. If you are in the open, you’re sniper-fodder if you are standing around.
Each server may “load out” its map differently, depending on the tastes of that admin. I’ve seen tanks and banshees in Blood Gulch, or not. Keep on your toes. You see a hot-shot vehicle in front of you, TAKE IT.
Noob Spawn Tactics (for the most part CTF oriented)
You’ve just spawned into a game. What do you do? Following are things that typically snap through my head in rapid-fire succession when I spawn into a game:
1) MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! Side to side, forward or back. If your base is swarmed, you will be instantly targeted as you spawn.
2) Validate WHAT TEAM YOU ARE ON: Red or Blue. Look at the top of the screen: Are you Red or Blue? You may have just played for an hour on another server as Red, and now you are Blue, and you mistakenly start shooting your teammates cause you are still thinking “red”. (Hanging my head in shame, Master Chief).
3) Don’t step in front of a moving friendly vehicle. Your buddy may be pulling the Hog out for a run, not realizing you are moving around to get in.
4) Dodge ramming enemy vehicles.
5) Get your bearings (while moving!), and if your base is under attack, kill invaders. (don’t kill your own teammates). Use grenades on enemy vehicles!
6) Once you have spawned safely, and aren’t in immediate danger, identify the game type by listening as you spawned, and look for data at top left of your screen to see if it’s a modified version of CTF (e.g. Offense/Defense, or nothing).
7) ID the Map you are on by looking around, and decide: Offense or Defense strategy? If you are unfamiliar with the map, or you are new to the game, a Defense role is a good start.
8) GRENADE UP & Weapon Up (if you can). Look around, and pick up any grenades lying around, and if available switch out to a better weapon. Learn where the spawn points are for weapons and grenades. TIP: Plasma grenades will STICK to someone if they are hit with it. J (they can run, but no way to hide . . . BOOM!).
9) If defensive, look around and ID entry points to your base. There will be more than one unfortunately, but pick a spot you think is advantageous and move to position. Don’t be a sitting duck standing around in the wide-open. You want someplace that lets you get the first shot or grenade off. Look for “defensive choke points” (if any) the enemy must enter through. If you have the benefit of one or more teammates on defense, don’t leave approaches uncovered, DEPLOY TO COVER ALL ENTRANCES BETWEEN YOU. (e.g. You cover the left entrance, and I’ll cover the right). If you hear your buddy firing, consider movement to help if your approach is still clear.
10) If you are going offensive, consider a gunner role in a Hog before a driver’s role, if you haven’t driven a Hog before. Make a few rides as a gunner, then try driving one. You’ll gain some kind of feel for Hog driving dynamics. Don’t let Hogs ride off without Gunners! If not a Hog, pick a vehicle and GO! Vehicles make GREAT weapons. Run’em over! (but NOT your teammates). Opinion: If it looks like all or most of your team has swarmed out of your base on an offensive run, consider a defensive position regardless, to keep your flag point safe. Grenade up, pick the best spot you can, and pay attention to your motion-radar.
[Edited on 3/28/2005 11:11:35 PM]