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Subject: How to Play Halo

I wrote this up for one of the private groups I am a member of. If you're interested in getting better or making the jump to competitive play, this is a great reference guide on how to make decisions in-game.

Micro
Aggressive vs Passive Play
This is a matter of playstyle and opinion. I will share my views from what I've experienced and what I've analyzed at the professional level.

Aggressive play has a higher ceiling of potential success than passive play. It puts the ball in your court as it's up to your team to make mistakes. Passive play gives the other team the opportunity to make mistakes or be successful.

Against the wide majority of players, passive play will work because they are going to make mistakes. This is why so many players has success in Arena with the passive playstyle. However, against an organized aggressive team, passive play just doesn't hold up.

Staying Alive vs Challenging
Most players can't seem to wrap their head around this, and it is a very important piece of play which affects both macro and micro level teamwork. If you're in a situation where you need help and you're not going to get it, don't challenge. If you can give your teammates help, give it. If your teammates give you help, don't ditch them.

If you're on the other team's side of the map, it's okay to play more passively. Staying alive on their side forces them to worry about you and make mistakes. If you're trying to get map control, it's okay to die as long as your teammates get it because of your death.



Macro
Map Control vs Relative Score
In chess there are two variables which are affected by each move: time and space. Similar in Halo the two variables are map control and relative score. Each decision you make affects these two variables in some matter, and decisions are usually a trade off between the two.

To explain further, I'll use the example of chasing to clean up a kill. To chase a kill you're giving up map control to gain an advantage in relative score. There are some times where this is the right choice, but constantly chasing will hurt you in the long run.

Choosing Between the Variables
Map Control
The biggest mental mistake most players make is to give up map control. The purpose of map control is to put yourself in an advantageous position so that you're more likely than your opponent to get a kill in any given situation. This is achieved between securing power weapons, as well as advantages in map geometry (teamshooting ability/high ground/good spawns). Please note that the purpose of map control is not to get kills, but to make it easier to get kills.

The next question is, when should you choose map control over score?
Slayer:
-Early in the game (less than 35 kills)
-Whenever power weapons are going to be spawning
-When the loss of map control is rewarded by less than a +2 kill differential.

CTF
-When your team is not setup to pull a flag.
-If an essential power weapon is spawning.
-When your teammates are respawning.

KotH
-99% of the time, KotH is all about map control.

Relative Score:
Relative score is the variable that shows up at the end of the game. Examples of playing for relative score are ruffgonjaing the flag, chasing a kill, or strongsiding in a hill.

Again, these are the situations where relative score should be chosen over map control.
Slayer
-Late in the game
-When your teammates are alive

CTF
-When a flag can be scored without an easy counter-cap opportunity.
-When the other team is pushed up and spawn killing. Making them worry about their flag will disrupt map control.

KotH
-End-game desperation
-When the hill is moving and map control is established for the previous hill



Openings
A great number of people put a huge emphasis on openings as if they're the only piece of strategy that comes into play, then everyone should run around like a chicken without its head. They're really not that important, but here's an easy rule to make an opening strat for any map:

2 players rush most powerful power weapon
1 player rushes for map control
1 player rushes for secondary power weapon

Openings are really not that complex and more emphasis should be placed on mid-game strategy, not openings.



I hope you can learn from my post. If you have any questions, feel free to post ITT or message me on XBL at the GT: Cosssta.

  • 02.04.2012 10:19 PM PDT

Posted by: Darkside Eric
So basically... Waypoint is pro-vanilla?

Posted by: Sentox6
Waypoint isn't pro-anything so much as they're just anti-intelligence.


Posted by: WIIZZZAARD2
Opened thread expecting a troll post

Was disappointed

orgasmed when I realized this is an actual helpful post.

THANK YOU SO MUCH

And you posted this way too late, all of the kids usually on the mains are probably sleeping.

[Edited on 02.04.2012 10:23 PM PST]

  • 02.04.2012 10:21 PM PDT

What is this? Cossata is ACTUALLY being helpful for once and not flaming everyone for not being as good as him? wow. This is so... unexpected... I-I'm speechless.

  • 02.04.2012 10:23 PM PDT

100% Australian.

My Connection
My House
My Pet

Now all you need to work on is your racism towards Australians in general and we have ourselves a new and improved Cosssta.

  • 02.04.2012 10:25 PM PDT
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Posted by: Horse Repairman
RC RuNz the internet. Like the superintendent.

Posted by: SouthPoIe
Clone is an internet God.

Posted by: DerpRoids
RC Clone is the anti-thesis of a lurker.


Posted by: Zarth111
What is this? Cossata is ACTUALLY being helpful for once and not flaming everyone for not being as good as him? wow. This is so... unexpected... I-I'm speechless.

He only does that when he is bored.

[Edited on 02.04.2012 10:26 PM PST]

  • 02.04.2012 10:26 PM PDT

Posted by: Darkside Eric
So basically... Waypoint is pro-vanilla?

Posted by: Sentox6
Waypoint isn't pro-anything so much as they're just anti-intelligence.


Posted by: ICanHasRofl
racism towards Australian connections

That's more like it.

  • 02.04.2012 10:28 PM PDT

great guide dude. very helpful

  • 02.04.2012 10:39 PM PDT

"To me, a nice triple kill with the sniper is infinitely more impressive than any Living Dead Killionaire"

Does flaming people on forums count as an esport?

I'm a commendation/achievement/statistics freak.

-David (Drake)

Great guide. You didn't go in as in detail on the stay alive vs. chase enemy vs. hold position vs. go for the 10% chance of hitting noscope vs.other tactics. Still good read though.

  • 02.04.2012 10:44 PM PDT

100% Australian.

My Connection
My House
My Pet


Posted by: nicksta14

Posted by: ICanHasRofl
racism towards Australian connections

That's more like it.


"All Australians are bad."

  • 02.04.2012 10:44 PM PDT

Good read, costa.

  • 02.04.2012 10:46 PM PDT
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Posted by: Horse Repairman
RC RuNz the internet. Like the superintendent.

Posted by: SouthPoIe
Clone is an internet God.

Posted by: DerpRoids
RC Clone is the anti-thesis of a lurker.

It's not racist if it's a country.

  • 02.04.2012 11:08 PM PDT
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But how do I get map control in KOTH?

Everyone keeps spamming me with their ZB DMR and....


Nevermind.

Good post. I think it might explode some people's minds though.

  • 02.04.2012 11:10 PM PDT

100% Australian.

My Connection
My House
My Pet


Posted by: RC Clone
It's not racist if it's a country.


And you wonder why people find you irritating.

"Discriminating against people of Australian nationality." You happy now mate?

  • 02.04.2012 11:10 PM PDT
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Posted by: Horse Repairman
RC RuNz the internet. Like the superintendent.

Posted by: SouthPoIe
Clone is an internet God.

Posted by: DerpRoids
RC Clone is the anti-thesis of a lurker.

I was kidding.

  • 02.04.2012 11:12 PM PDT
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I'm listeni- Oh wait I don't give a -blam!- what you have to say.

Australians are f.aggots.

  • 02.04.2012 11:17 PM PDT

While Costa is a host booting loser who plays on a social console like its the Olympics he has a few good points here that may not be realized by average players. Dedicated servers would make players like him actually be good at the game rather than good at network manipulation.

  • 02.04.2012 11:26 PM PDT
  • gamertag: [none]
  • user homepage:

Posted by: Horse Repairman
RC RuNz the internet. Like the superintendent.

Posted by: SouthPoIe
Clone is an internet God.

Posted by: DerpRoids
RC Clone is the anti-thesis of a lurker.


Posted by: MajorGroove
While Costa is a host booting loser who plays on a social console like its the Olympics he has a few good points here that may not be realized by average players. Dedicated servers would make players like him actually be good at the game rather than good at network manipulation.

I loled

  • 02.04.2012 11:27 PM PDT

Serious question here, what is 'ruffganjaing the flag?'

[Edited on 02.05.2012 2:04 AM PST]

  • 02.04.2012 11:57 PM PDT


Posted by: aBlueBookshelf
^lol, swat kids.


I'm sure Costa would have turned down a 1v1 invite from someone who has played one game of Reach in the part week you filthy scrub. Talk on the forums more nerd.

  • 02.05.2012 12:06 AM PDT


Posted by: MajorGroove
While Costa is a host booting loser who plays on a social console like its the Olympics he has a few good points here that may not be realized by average players. Dedicated servers would make players like him actually be good at the game rather than good at network manipulation.


Lol. If you play something other than Halo competitively you need to go outside because you play way too much halo as it is.

It's good to hear you've heard of me, but I've heard nothing about you.

  • 02.05.2012 12:08 AM PDT


Posted by: Wargames

Posted by: MajorGroove
While Costa is a host booting loser who plays on a social console like its the Olympics he has a few good points here that may not be realized by average players. Dedicated servers would make players like him actually be good at the game rather than good at network manipulation.


Lol. If you play something other than Halo competitively you need to go outside because you play way too much halo as it is.

It's good to hear you've heard of me, but I've heard nothing about you.


Halo is p2p with known p2p exploits by people like you who take the game very seriously. I play baseball competitively because when I throw a curve ball and the batter misses it's not because you upped your firewall level for his IP nerd. There is public evidence of your cheap cheating. Host booting kids on bungie day is like beating your children on Christmas nerd.

  • 02.05.2012 12:12 AM PDT

Still better than you.

.....most of you, at least.

Posted by: MajorGroove
Posted by: aBlueBookshelf
^lol, swat kids.


I'm sure Costa would have turned down a 1v1 invite from someone who has played one game of Reach in the part week you filthy scrub. Talk on the forums more nerd.

You seem mad, and you're insults lack coherency. Are you drunk and/or 12?

  • 02.05.2012 12:14 AM PDT

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