The Pistol:
The pistol is most certainly one of the most well-rounded weapons in the
game. If you find a pistol lying around, pick it up and use that thing! Excellent at close range or long range, it's practically
a mini-sniper rifle. Go for head shots! Practice keeping the pistol sight on an opponents head while playing. Remember, the
pistol has a zoom, but it can take time! Full auto is not as accurate as single fire, so its better just to squeeze of rounds
gently. You'll hit more accurately that way. The slow melee attack is a drawback, but a minor one. Ammo can usually be found
on dead enemies so dont worry about running out.
Assault Rifle:
The assualt rifle is the coolest looking
weapon, but also the one of the weakest. Some people would rather melee with an empty pistol than fight with an AR. Automatic
fire drains the gun fairly quickly, it is also highly inaccurate. Firing controlled bursts will give you a slight boost in
accuracy though. An upside to the AR is its fast melee attack. The AR is a rather anorexic weapon and is usually only practical
for scaring an opponent.
Shotgun:
The shotgun is a first pick like the pistol. The shotgun is deadly at close range, a headshot point
blank will drop an enemy instantly. It's futile to fire at short longrange though so don't even try, you might as well
be using a sling shot.
The Shotgun is great when used in combination with a sniper rifle or rocket launcher. Make sure
you have a few shells in the tube when attacking though, the melee attack is extremely slow.
Sniper Rifle:
The sniper rifle is an excellent weapon. Make sure you take your time and aim for the head. Shooting
at moving targets should not be attempted unless you are very skilled. Sniper ammo is hard to come by so make each shot count.
Even if you don't fire it at all, the sniper rifle is valuable as a spotting scope. It's very useful for watching
an enemy base as you approach on foot, or for helping coordinate a team assault. This is true of any scoped weapon, but the
sniper rifle is especially useful because you can also pick people off without being "in" the fight.
When playing against
snipers, moving laterally makes you a harder target to hit (running at them or jumping make you an easier shot). Keep track
of rounds fired, and make your move while they reload.
Rocket Launcher:
Always aim for the feet. Jumping while firing can help as well for it decreases the chances
of your rocket streaming straight out into space. The rocket launcher has good splash damage; shooting a low ceiling or wall
next to opponent can wound him seriously. One shot will kill when used correctly; Make sure you make your first shot hit because
there is a horrible delay between shots and reload time is. Rockets have a slow velocity so allow for your enemies movement.
Rockets are very good against vehicles as they will not only do a great deal of damage to your enemies but often flip their
vehicle as well. An overshield is no match for a well-aimed rocket. Melee with a Rocket Launcher is not worth the effort unless
your opponent isnt looking.
Plasma Pistol:
This gun might seem like a stupid weapon(and it is! Why would
the covenant make a gun that looks like a half eaten doughnut?) . All that aside, overcharged shots can be extremely effective.
Especially against overshields. One hit from a plasma bolt will bring down a 400% charged overshield in one hit. Also remember
the plasmas tracking ability. Most of the time you will use the plasma pistol to bring the sheild down and then finish of
your opponent with your AR or Plasma Rifle. Also, the melee attack is incredibly fast.
Vehicles:
The Warthog:
Driver: the warthog driver has only one offensive weapon: the jeep itself. The jeep is a very powerful weapon when used
correctly. I find sliding sideways into people can sometimes get better results than gunning straight at them. A good counter
to this is sidestepping a lot when you are on foot so keep an eye out for that. Get in the jeep with the weapon you want to
take out of the jeep. I like to use the rocket launcher to surprise other jeeps. Jumping out of the driver seat can sometimes
be a good thing. Plasma grenades bounce off the jeep windshield, but work wonders everywhere else.
Gunner: The 50 cal. is a very powerful gun but not very accurate. Just keep the trigger down as you have a never-ending
ammo pail. However, if no one is driving you'll quickly become a sitting duck.
Passenger: Dont ride in this seat unless you have to; it's very hard to aim and you dont have full range. Strategically
speaking, this seat is only good for transporting that extra person. The passenger should probably be the first to jump off
if any ground resistance comes up. If you ride in the passenger seat and want to make a little difference, use a rocket launcher.
Remember you can throw grenades from the passenger seat also.
In general, never stop moving. If you do, the driver is helpless, the gunner is vulnerable to snipers, and the guy in the
shotgun seat has a limited field of fire. Plus, you're more vulnerable to that bane of Warthogs, the SPNKr.
If you have the flag, drive. The flag is not visible when the driver has it, but opponents can see when the passenger has
it. The gunner is the most vulnerable of the riders, and is usually the first to die.
The best use for the jeep on many maps is to drive in a wide circle around your target while the gunner fires continuously
on it. This keeps your gunner from having to aim too much, and keeps you a little bit safer from enemy fire. When possible,
drive clockwise--that way, the driver is not directly exposed to enemy fire.
The Scorpion:
Driver: remember you have a secondary fire of an AR on the tank. Comes in very handy for shooting at ground targets while
you wait for your mortar to reload. If you decide to "shell" with the tank by sticking in one spot you should consider turning
the turret 180 degrees around so that your body isnt as exposed; otherwise you can easily be sniped out of the tank.
Side Seat: Use the side seat on the tank for personnel transport. If combat begins, get off the tank as it is a huge target
and easy to hit. The combination of side passengers assaulting a base with tank support can be very effective. A great co-op
strategy is for a sniper to hop on a tank, and use his scope to call in long-range tank fire.
In general, the coaxial machine gun is not a terrific weapon, but it's useful against snipers because it will knock them
out of zoom if it hits them. Between cannon rounds, hold that second trigger.
Aim at the feet of your target with the primary cannon. Often, the Scorpion's cannon fires a bit higher than you expect,
and the splash damage from a ground impact is almost as good as a direct hit.
Possibly the best use for one or more Scorpions is shelling an enemy base from long range, keeping them pinned down while
your teammates move in. It helps to have a sniper playing split screen with you, to help you direct your shots.
When shelling from a distance, turn the body of the tank away from your opponent's base, so you aren't exposed to their
fire.
When playing split screen with teammates, it helps to have a passenger with a sniper rifle spot targets for you.
The Ghost:
A very maneuverable vehicle. Remember it can strafe. The guns stun also, so it can be very effective against tanks if you
sneak up behind them. You can also stun an opponent and then run him over. Press A while driving the ghost to lift the nose
a little, which can be useful if you start to nose dive while in a long drop or if you want to catch a little extra air off
a jump. The ghost is the quickest vehicle in the game and is good for delivering flags (it fits through many openings!) The
Ghost is the ultimate assault vehicle: it's fast enough to slip into a base, well armed, and provides excellent defense from
the front.
When approaching a victim who is on foot, zigzag a bit to throw off their aim and spread your fire out. A glancing blow
with a wingtip is as good as a direct hit (albeit less satisfying). Be careful about clipping things other than players with
your wingtips. The Ghost spins around very easily when you do so, and it can be difficult to maneuver in tight spaces.
The Ghost is an excellent assault vehicle, and when used in packs, can easily liquefy the enemy lines.
