THE SOLDAT STRATEGY FAQ, VERSION 1.0
by FAWKER
INTRO
1. THE PHYSICS ENGINE AND MOVEMENT
2. PRIMARY WEAPONS
3. SECONDARY WEAPONS
4. GRENADES
5. MISCELLANEOUS STRATEGY
Every week or so I google for "Soldat Strategy" and browse the forums. There have been a lot of informational posts, but I've been looking for a strategy faq that includes all kinds of information. I have yet to find this faq, so I said "screw it, I'll just write my own". Seeing as this is a first version, there's some stuff missing (mainly details on strategies for CTF/INF/Rambomatches), but I feel like this is a good overall faq on movement and weapons, with random tips thrown here and there. So, I hope you enjoy, and if you have any recommendations/opinions/tips for me, let me know! I hope to make this the most useful faq for this game you've ever seen! So, let's begin.
1. THE PHYSICS ENGINE AND MOVEMENT
Soldat has a unique physics engine. Soldat is basically a real-time Worms, the game we've all been waiting for. If anyone played it, there was a demo floating around for this game called Abuse. I don't even know if the game came out in the end, but the engine was somewhat similar to Soldat. You had keys to move around and change guns and jump, and you used the mouse to aim.
The basic key to getting good at Soldat is figuring out the physics engine. To me, there are three basic elements to this engine: Basic movement, jetpack, and weapons.
1A. BASIC MOVEMENT
As for basic movement, if you're real serious at getting good at this game, the best thing to do is firstly start a server with no bots, and just run around and go nuts. LaGrange is a good map for this because of the lack of a jetpack. MOVEMENT is key. Regardless of what weapon the enemy has, if you can jump or roll at the right time, this can make the difference between life and death. Depending on your timing, sometimes when you hit the ground you can roll without losing any momentum. Sometimes when you hit the ground when you roll you'll also come to a near standstill. It's all in the flow, make it Natural (with a capital N). Running and jumping are KEY. I cannot overemphasize this. The few pixels that are present vertically when you're just running as opposed to rolling can alter the end result of a firefight. If you can time it right, and roll when an enemy is shooting at your head, this gives you the millisecond/s you need to take them out.
1B. JETPACK
As for the jetpack, the key to this is knowing when to use it. If you're in any way moving UP as opposed to down, activate the jetpack right before the PEAK of your jump. The best way to get good at this (without hassle) is to, again, start a server with nobody in it except yourself. Jump straight up, and about halfway up of your jump activate the jetpack. Note that I say BEFORE the peak of your jump and not the actual peak itself. The actual peak is when you stop moving up and start moving down, but the key here is to MAINTAIN MOMENTUM. Before you hit the peak of your jump you will be moving vertically up at your fastest speed. Simple physics here people.
Movement is simple. Move as fast as you can for your desired goal, and move ahead of the enemies anticipation. People bitch about Barettards on these forums, and yet (this mostly applies to inf and cptf maps) if you KNOW there is a camping sniper, you can time your approach right.
Say you're playing CTF_RUN. You're red, and you stay on the top level of the map. If you throw your mouse hard right, so your player is all the way on the left edge of the screen, you can figure out where a sniper's line of view is. Use your jetpack ahead of this, so by the time you fall into the sniper's line of view you're already falling hard towards the ground (again: figuring out the physics engine is KEY here people). The sniper will anticipate your fall, but before they shoot you activate your jetpack. BANG, and they miss. If they ARE using the barette, this gives you more than enough time to take them out. Which brings me to the third element of the physics engine: the weapons.
1C. WEAPON TRAJECTORIES
I'll say it time and time again, but if you're really serious about NOT getting good at Soldat, start a server and play with yourself. Pun intended. Except for figuring out basic movement and jetpack movement, you want to be playing online, or AT LEAST with bots. Figuring out movement you can do on your own, but when it comes to weapon trajectories, you NEED to have a moving target. You can always change your name online, so unless you have a crappy 'net connect (read: dialup) I recommend playing online. So what, you suck, you get your ass handed to you. You NEED TO LEARN THE WEAPONS. There are posts about servers getting overrun by Barettes and M79s, but if you know the trajectories of the weapons YOU CAN TAKE THESE PEOPLE OUT. I also notice that sometimes server follow 'weapon trends'. What do I mean? Well, let's say player X is kicking ass on whatever random server. If this player X takes out a whole bunch of people in one life, without dying (or even with dying), there is a GOOD CHANCE that the other people on the server will select the SAME WEAPON as player X on the next round. It's statistics: if a bunch of players get wasted by the same person with a single gun, they're gonna be like "well X is owning, so I'm gonna own by selecting this gun". Honestly, you can say I'm full of it, but it's TRUE. So if X starts Baretting/M79'n people, and owning, then there's a good chance the server will turn into a Barette/M79 server.
I'll go into detail on weapon trajectories when we get to the weapons part of this post. This, coincidentally, is now!
2. PRIMARY WEAPONS
One of the best parts of Soldat is the variety of weapons. There are a crap load of weapons at your disposal, and despite what people say about each weapon (including me), MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS. If any faq says "this weapon sucks" and you're good at it, then crap, go with your own opinion. There are no set rules about the weapons, and they all have their own plusses and minuses. Writing this post, I'm pretty drunk, so as for specific reload times and such you're on your own. As a seasoned Soldat player I know roughly what the details for each weapon are, but just PLAY. Online, with bots, I don't care. GET TO KNOW THE WEAPONS. They are all unique and have their own plusses and minuses. So, here we go!
2A. DEAGLES
The classic Counterstrike guns. When Michael said Soldat was Worms meets CS he wasn't kidding!
Basically, the Deagles are a SICK GUN choice... if you're good with them, that is. They have a real short range, and they're one of those guns where you NEED to figure out their trajectory. If you're aiming at an enemy on the other side of the screen, you need to figure out how to aim ahead, because if you set your sights on the enemy and shoot it will NOT hit them unless they're right next to you. That's the minus. The plus is that that they're really good for damage. Deagles, especially close range, will mess your enemy up. Sometimes at point blank range you can take them out in one shot! Considering you only have 7 shots, though, makes some question whether the reload time is worth it. The reload time is considerably longer than some of the other guns, and 7 shots isn't a WHOLE lot... You need to make your shots matter. Overall, a tricky gun but excellent once you figure it out.
2B. MP5
Again with the CS guns! The best part about it is that the mp5 is a LOT better in Soldat than in CS... It might not do as much damage as some of the other rifles, but its reload time isn't that long, and its rate of fire is FAST. At close range this gun OWNS. The time it takes you to empty your clip is a LOT shorter than some of the other guns, and its reload time is considerably shorter than a lot of the other weapons. IMHO, this is THE best gun in the game. It's quick, and its trajectory isn't that bad. You?ll need to aim a little high, especially if your enemy is far away, but if the first shot you fire hits the enemy they're GONE (especially against Barettes). Quick rate of fire, decent damage, quick reload, and a decent trajectory, this weapon is KEY! LEARN TO USE IT!
2C. AK-74/STEYR
The AK. and the AUG.. a lot of people will be pissed off by this, I'm sure, but I kinda clump the AK in with the Steyr... They both have similar clip sizes and rates of fire (the Steyr is a bit faster). The one thing I notice is that although they both have a good amount of damage, against quicker guns (read: mp5) they're SCREWED. They're not BAD guns, but there's a time and a place... I say the Steyr is a bit more useful than the AK... The AK has such a slow rate of fire that you REALLY need to anticipate the enemy's movement. Not so much with Steyr, however. The Steyr fires relatively fast, fast enough that in my opinion in an AK vs. a Steyr a Steyr will win. Don't get me wrong though, the AK can be a sick gun especially in any team-based game (teammatch, infiltration, capture the flag). If in a shootoff your AK/Steyr doesn't kill the enemy, a couple shots from pretty much any other weapon WILL kill them. At the end of the day, take the Steyr over the AK. The AK's advantage (although I might be wrong with this) is that it has a somewhat longer range. Both of these guns are guns that you need to get a 'feel' for to get good at. But not as much as the shotgun!
2D. THE SHOTGUN
The shotgun, in close range, is THE best primary weapon in the game. The deagles come close, but in the end the shotgun OWNS. It has a relatively quick reload, and this is one of the unique points of the shotgun (which is another CS similarity): you can reload the shotgun at ANY point, after ANY number of shots. Regardless of how many shots are left in the gun, you can reload it. This is both a blessing and a curse: although with the chaingun you'd have to wait forever for the gun to reload, with the shotgun reloading can mess up your aim. There is a post on these forums dedicated to aiming during reload, and they're RIGHT. Spend a couple games playing solely with the shotgun, and you'll realize your aim goes WAY off while you're reloading. Apparently with Soldat's engine bullets fire out of the gun according to the WEAPONS ACTUAL AIM on the screen, NOT the aim according to the cursor. If you're in the middle of reloading the shotgun and you try to shoot it, your aim will be WAY off. The shotgun's reload is also a blessing, however: if you take out an enemy in a couple shots, then you can reload and not be vulnerable for the time you would be with any other gun. The trajectory is somewhat short, but considering the spread of the buckshot, it's not hard to hit your enemy (too bad soldat doesn't have a "license to kill" option like Goldeneye!). When not to use the shotgun? Well, pay attention: In CTF and INF maps, if you're playing defense, do NOT USE THE SHOTGUN. Why? Well, more than once someone has stolen my flag and I've shot them with the shotgun. What did it do? It gave them a burst of speed leaving my base! Repeat, if you shoot an enemy with the shotgun when they're moving away from you, ALL IT WILL DO WILL INCREASE THEIR SPEED! I really cannot overemphasize this. The shotgun is, in my opinion, one of the best guns in the game! Because of this you will want to use it on defense! DO NOT! All it will do will propel your enemy away from you when they steal your flag! I've realized this from screwing my team over on many a CTF maps.
This propelling can work two ways though, at least I'm told (it's somewhat hard to tell in the game). Apparently, if you shoot the shotgun in the direction opposite to your movement, it will increase your moment. Whether or not this is worth it is up to you... Is the subtle increase in speed worth not only somewhat emptying your clip, but is it worth having to be looking in the opposite direction? Using this method to increase my speed (in both CTF and INF maps) has more times than not ended up in me getting capped.
Regardless, the shotgun is easily the best close range projectile weapon, short of the knife. If you're playing CTF or INF, don't use it for defense, and the key to this gun is using your hits to throw off your enemy's aim and then getting close enough to mess them up. With the shotgun, distance is everything. If you hit them from the other end of the map, it won't do as much damage (this is debatable, but in my experience it seems true). GET CLOSE. Arena2 is a LETHAL shotgun map. trust me.
2E. RUGER
The ruger is the best balance between the Barette and the other weapons. You only have 4 shots, but your shots can mess PEOPLE UP. If an enemy has more or less any damage to them, a headshot with a ruger will take them out. Otherwise it's two shots, sometimes three. The trajectory is in your favor here... even when shooting an enemy on the other side of the screen you won't have to aim that high, maybe a centimeter or two. In realistic mode, this gun OWNS. End of story. It also has a wicked short reload time, which if you consider the chamber only holds 4 shots, it kinda makes sense. I hold the ruger in high regard, a really good gun especially if you get good with it.
2F. M79
Wow. The M79. The most loved/hated gun in Soldat. One shot, so you best make the most of it. A direct hit with the m79, regardless of range, will kill your enemy. The downside? The trajectory. It's pretty tricky, but once you figure it out it's MONEY. It becomes a sort of instinct. The range is less than medium, it's the shortest in the game (besides the knife and grenades). The m79 is tricky... As with the shotgun, if an enemy takes your flag in a team game, a misplaced shot with the m79 can give them a boost AWAY from your base. The m79 has a blast radius, just as the 'nades and LAW do. The damage from an m79 depends on the distance from the explosion: a direct hit WILL kill. End of story. Otherwise, it really depends on the distance, a close hit will bring a person close to death, and a distant hit will do, eh, a bit of damage. The reload time is rather long, and considering the one shot you have, it's do or die. In team games you have a bit of leeway, but in deathmatch? If you miss with the m79 you're as good as dead. The ultimate secret to the m79, though, is USING IT FOR MOVEMENT... before i said the best time to use a jetpack is to use it when you're halfway to the peak of a jump... The m79 will change it all. To use the m79 as a movement aid, the best thing to do is start an empty server. At the moment before the peak of your jump, if you shoot the m79 straight down you'll have a SICK burst in speed. Time it right though, cause if you shoot too early you'll just kill yourself. If you get it right you can get a speed birst and take very little damage! People get accused of cheating on servers because they use the m79 to get to the very top of a map. When is this useful? Well, on maps without ceilings, sometimes you can use this to shoot yourself way up and drop down right near a flag, undetected. The best part? You can do this at an ANGLE. Using CTF_RUN as an example again, if you're on the top level running along, if you leap up and shoot the m79 in a 45 degree angle away from you direction of movement, you'll get a ridiculous burst in speed. Again, I've seen people get accused of speed hacks in servers because of this! To sum it up, figure out the M79's trajectory! It will be a priceless weapon. Then, figure out how to use it to help you move around! If you time it right, in CTF maps after you steal their flag an M79 shot placed right will GUARANTEE anyone chasing you won't catch up with you before you get to your own base! LEARN TO USE THE M79 CAUSE YOU'LL NEED IT!
2G. THE BARETTE
I take back what I said about the m79. The barette is really the most loved/hated gun of Soldat. CHEAP ASS CAMPERS! It really is like the AWP from CS... Basically, one shot one kill, unless you're REALLY lucky... which does happen, btw. The best part of the Barette is the zoom. Crouch, and you can get a bit of an extended view. Go prone, and you can see even further. If you're zoomed in and you shoot, the screen will follow the trail of your bullet until it hits something. This can be very handy in team games, as a sort of recon. The downside to the Barette? Considering it's only one shot at a time, if you shoot and miss this leaves you vulnerable for a considerable amount of time. The Barette's trajectory is good enough that it will more or less go where you aim... you might have to aim a little high, but barely. If you're within a screen's distance from the enemy, shooting directly at them will usually hit them. You might want to anticipate their movement a bit, however. The Barette is a tricky gun to use in midair; it's kind of an instinct thing... I really don't know how to describe it... if you're in midair and shoot directly at someone, it will rarely hit them. You just need to feel the aiming. Overall, one of the best guns in Soldat; some people don't use any other gun. Against a barettard, anticipate their anticipation... always be moving and try to make unexpected moves, and if they miss make sure you take them out!
2H. THE MINIMI/CHAINGUN
When it comes to the big guns, the Minimi kicks the chaingun's ass. It fires where you aim it, there's no considerable 'windup' time to shoot, it has a shorter reload, and it does more damage. I didn't realize how bad the chaingun was until I was playing a zombie-match one night. The map was Ratcave, and the whole dip in the left side of the map was FILLED with zombies. I was up top, and in midair started shooting into the bunch of zombies. I emptied an entire clip and only killed ONE ZOMBIE! I really feel like the chaingun is one of the worst guns in the game. If an enemy is rushing you, half the time you're dead before you even get a shot off because of the windup of the barrel. What's the plus side of the chaingun? Well, the chaingun can speed up your movement... if you shoot the chaingun in the direction opposite of your movement, it will give you quite a burst in speed. This is somewhat useful, but at the end of the day it's not really. Why? Well, you first of all need to be looking the direction opposite to your movement, so your enemy will see you long before you see them. Second of all, by the time you get to the enemy's base, you're out of ammo, and with the chaingun's long ass reload time, this is NOT a good thing. This would be a good strategy for AFTER you have the enemy's flag, and you're returning to your base. The chaingun will speed up your escape, and if you're being pursued it'll slow down your enemies. It's also a good gun to lay down cover fire, or to spray at the enemy when they're approaching your base. Like the shotgun, though, be careful using it when the enemy has your flag and they're taking off! If it doesn't kill them, it will just make their escape that much quicker.
The Minimi, though, is a key weapon. Quick rate of fire, large clip, good trajectory, and decent reload. This gun can own if you get good with it. Unlike the chaingun it won't speed up your movement (at least I don't think) and it won't affect your enemy's movement, so in CTF and INF maps the Minimi is EXCELLENT for base defense. Overall, Minimi = awesome, Chaingun = crap. There are exceptions to every rule, though, so if you can get good with the chaingun, more power to ya!
3. SECONDARY WEAPONS
The good Soldat player will be just as good with the secondary weapons as they are with primary weapons. Knowing when to switch to a secondary weapon will make all the difference in a firefight sometimes. The good Soldat player will also know which secondary weapon to use with which primary weapon. There are certain combinations of primary/secondary weapons which are amazing, and then combinations that will just screw you over.
3A. SOCOM
The Socom packs quite a wallop! If you empty about half a clip into someone you'll more or less take them out. Quick rate of fire and quick reload, but more of a short-range weapon unless you get the trajectory down. If you're using a weapon with a long reload time (Barette, M79, Chaingun especially) you want to have the SOCOM as a secondary gun. If you run out of ammo with your primary gun in the middle of a firefight, switching to the SOCOM is 100% more desirable than waiting to reload. I like to run around using the SOCOM as my primary gun sometimes. It's a really good gun, decent sized clip, and I'm really impressed with the damage it does.
3B. KNIFE
The knife is the PRO weapon of Soldat. There is nothing more satisfying than kicking ass with the knife. The key here is not using the primary fire, but THROWING it. You can sometimes get kills by running up to someone and stabbing them, but it's not likely. If you can figure out the knife's trajectory, which is kind of tricky, you can OWN with it. One hit kills, baby. Jump down towards your enemy, hit the ground and roll so they're shooting above you, chuck your knife at them, BAM they're dead. Lather, rinse, repeat. You'd be surprised how useful this can be, especially in a map like Arena2. There's nothing greater than joining the middle of a heated battle and take out 2 or 3 people with a knife! The knife is best matched with a gun that has a quick reload, because if you have a gun with a long reload you'll be quite vulnerable, especially considering the short range of the knife. NEVER try to throw the knife upwards unless you're right next to the enemy! A downward angle ensures the best aim. Overall, try to figure out the trajectory of the knife because the one hit kill aspect of it makes it one of the best weapons in the game.
3C. CHAINSAW
The chainsaw is an excellent close range weapon, but it's kind of tricky. It's like the knife but without the throwing element. You need to either sneak up on your enemy or just catch them off guard, or just be rushing their ass. Personally I'm not a big chainsaw fan, it's good on maps that aren't as open (Arena2, Arena3) so you can get to your enemy before they have a chance to empty a clip on you. Like the knife, use the chainsaw with a gun that has a quick reload.
3D. LAW
The LAW packs quite the wallop. A direct hit will guarantee you take out the enemy, and a near hit will mess them up to near death. You need to be crouching or prone to use the LAW. I'm not exactly sure of the size of the explosion, but I'd say it's comparable to the m79, maybe a little more. The LAW has a tricky trajectory, so you need to figure that out. 99% of the time the LAW is a one-shot deal, mostly because of the insane reload time (longest in the game). It's really not worth wasting the time to be idling, reloading the gun, unless you're playing defense on CTF/INF and there are other people on defense with you. I can tell you one thing though, there's nothing more foreboding then to be flying through the map, and then on the edge of the screen seeing an enemy sitting with the LAW. The LAW's rocket is DAMN fast, too fast to dodge in any way. Again, don't use the LAW with a slow reloading primary weapon. It'll leave you too vulnerable after you fire off the shot. It's more or less a one-shot deal, like I said before. A good gun, but there's a time and a place for it.
4. GRENADES
Grenades are one of the most important elements of Soldat. Regardless of the results of a firefight, a well-placed grenade can take your enemy out even if they already killed you. The amount of grenades you can have varies on the server, so if it's only 2 or 3 grenades as the limit, use them sparingly. If it's 5 or more, you can be less discreet with them. Some maps have plenty of grenades lying around to pick up, so if that's the case use them as often as you want. Grenades have a unique trajectory, learn to figure it out! The time you hold down the grenade button will effect how far it goes. Tapping the grenade button doesn't always throw it, you need to give the button at least half a second or so to do anything.
There are a lot of different strategies you can have with grenades. Some people like to launch off all their grenades at once, to ensure that at least one will hit the enemy. This isn't always the case however, especially considering that a grenade explosion will take out any grenades near it. Sometimes I like to be flying up above the enemy and launch a grenade down, wait half a second, launch a grenade down, wait half a second, lather rinse repeat. 'Nade spamming can be cheap sometimes, but also really effective.
A direct hit with a grenade, or if someone runs over a grenade, it will take them out 99% of the time. Chuck a grenade ahead of a fast moving enemy to slow them down; this is very effective on CTF/INF maps for defense.
It is technically possible to use grenades for the speed burst effect like the M79, but this is rarely effective. Most of the time you'd just take yourself out.
Which brings me to another point, if you're firing off several grenades at a time, there is a good chance you'll blow yourself up! This happens to me a lot actually, and I think it's a result of not holding down the grenade button long enough, or tapping it repeatedly.
Note that on zombie servers, grenades are a good way to hold the enemy at bay; bots will not approach a grenade.
Overall, learn to use grenades! Use them ALL THE TIME. They key to Soldat is learning to use all the weapons in conjunction with each other: primary, secondary, grenades.
Cluster grenades are a different story... Your rate of movement and direction of trajectory affect the spread of the clusters... They'll spread in the direction that the grenade is thrown, moreso if you're moving fast. Personally, I like to throw all 3 of them at the same time. This will cause a bit of damage over a good amount of ground, and gives quite a visual effect! (Reminds me of the airstrike from Worms) I notice that the cluster grenades aren't that damaging though... if you can throw one right beneath an enemy that's falling, so all the clusters hit them directly, it will ROYALLY mess them up. Individually, though, the clusters aren't as damaging.
5. MISCELLANEOUS STRATEGY
The real keys to getting good at Soldat are figuring out movement and the weapons. DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE WITH A SINGLE GUN! I wish Soldat had a "random weapon" option. Use all the guns, because they all have their individual strengths. There are people that only use a single weapon (especially barettards), there are people that don't use secondary weapons, there are people that don't use grenades. All of these people are more vulnerable than they realize; learn to use your primary, secondary, and grenades with each other.
Again, also, get good at movement! Learn to jump then jetpack right. Learn to hit the ground and roll, and maybe jump back up again. Learn to 'juke' your enemy out, moving in unexpected manners. Learn to use the M79 to speed your movement. Movement is so key it's ridiculous.
Also learn to move in the different maps... There are some maps that are more boxed in than others, so you need to learn to move quickly in close quarters. Also, learn to use cover. Behind barriers, you can crouch behind it and your player will put the gun up over their head and fire a few rounds at a time. This is a neat feature, but it's really not that useful unless you're using a real damaging gun (like the Ruger). Half the time if you try to do this, you'll get capped before you know it. Instead of using barriers, learn to hide behind cover! It's cheap sometimes, but really effective (especially in Lagrange). Hide behind trees, hide behind planks, hide behind anything... It's hard to hide yourself fully sometimes, but crouching can usually aid that. An even cheaper, effective method is on the left edge of the map in LaGrange. You can lie down in the grass and take out people that spawn there. This is REALLY cheap, but you'll get killed quickly doing this (usually after one or two kills).
Which brings me to my next point: spawn kills. They are pretty cheap, but go for it anyways. If you're running around the map and someone spawns in front of you, you might as well take them out. I only say this because the odds are, they're gonna do it to you. Unless you're playing with extremely honorable players, that is, but honor isn't exactly present in many online games. What you SHOULDN'T do though is spawn camp enemy bases in team games. It's just CHEAP and it's REALLY crappy. I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but it's something that really is just going to piss everyone off, and if you do it too much you might even get kicked from the server.
In teammatches, stick with your team. If you spawn with a couple of other people in a CTF game, stay together and rush the enemy. The best way to rush is to have one person on the ground, and one person flying above them, and when their jetpack runs out switch. If you're both running along the ground together, it makes you one big target. Any shots that miss you might hit the person behind you. I'm not exactly sure of this, but I think that shots don't go through your own team members. So if you're behind a teammate shooting at an enemy on the other side, your shots will just hit your teammate and do nothing.
The key to CTF and INF maps is setup. You need to have people on defense, so when you spawn keep an eye on your base. Are there at least 2 or 3 people hanging out by your base on defense? If not, hang out there for a second. INDIVIDUAL SCORES DO NOT MATTER IN TEAM GAMES. If you're playing to get kills, join a deathmatch. They key to team games is AIDING YOUR TEAM. It's good to have a barrete guarding your flag, if another person has a Minimi, this is a lethal combination. Remember, like I said before, be careful using a shotgun on defense! If you're gonna do this make sure you have the Socom as your secondary gun. This way if the enemy DOES get your flag, you can switch to the Socom and fire at them as they try to escape. Trying to do this with the shotgun (or the chaingun) will just give them a burst of speed if it doesn't kill them.
Communication is also key in CTF and INF... if someone gets your flag and you know you can't catch up with them, just stop and press Y and tell your team where the flag is (top, bottom, whatever). If there's a chance you can kill the flag carrier don't bother to stop and type. COMMUNICATE. If you're camping on the bottom level on CTF_RUN, tell people that. Let them know. If people are rushing the top level and take you out, LET YOUR TEAM KNOW. Communication is key!
Deathmatch is a different story. Deathmatch you're on your own. My approach to deathmatch is just rushing into firefights, because that's the best part. You can be cheap, though, and keep your distance until 2 or more people start duking it out, then hop in and take them all out when they're damaged. Keep aware of your surroundings in a deathmatch, if you spend too much time looking in one direction there's a good chance that you'll get snuck up on.
lametard hint removed
What else... there's no shame in backing away from a firefight... If you're almost out of ammo, back up a bit so you can reload. Do what you have to do to stay alive and/or get the kill.
Don't be cheap. Only occasionally, when you need to, but don't make a habit of it.
Well, that's it for now. I hope to increase the size of this faq, and throw in a lot more information, but I feel that this is a good place to start, and I hope you all enjoyed reading this and got something out it. I hope to see you online! (I play as "fawker", decked out in green)
Email: slvmachine@yahoo.com
AIM: InMySolidarity
If you have any hints or tips to add to this, let me know! I will credit you in updated versions of this FAQ.
by FAWKER
INTRO
1. THE PHYSICS ENGINE AND MOVEMENT
2. PRIMARY WEAPONS
3. SECONDARY WEAPONS
4. GRENADES
5. MISCELLANEOUS STRATEGY
Every week or so I google for "Soldat Strategy" and browse the forums. There have been a lot of informational posts, but I've been looking for a strategy faq that includes all kinds of information. I have yet to find this faq, so I said "screw it, I'll just write my own". Seeing as this is a first version, there's some stuff missing (mainly details on strategies for CTF/INF/Rambomatches), but I feel like this is a good overall faq on movement and weapons, with random tips thrown here and there. So, I hope you enjoy, and if you have any recommendations/opinions/tips for me, let me know! I hope to make this the most useful faq for this game you've ever seen! So, let's begin.
1. THE PHYSICS ENGINE AND MOVEMENT
Soldat has a unique physics engine. Soldat is basically a real-time Worms, the game we've all been waiting for. If anyone played it, there was a demo floating around for this game called Abuse. I don't even know if the game came out in the end, but the engine was somewhat similar to Soldat. You had keys to move around and change guns and jump, and you used the mouse to aim.
The basic key to getting good at Soldat is figuring out the physics engine. To me, there are three basic elements to this engine: Basic movement, jetpack, and weapons.
1A. BASIC MOVEMENT
As for basic movement, if you're real serious at getting good at this game, the best thing to do is firstly start a server with no bots, and just run around and go nuts. LaGrange is a good map for this because of the lack of a jetpack. MOVEMENT is key. Regardless of what weapon the enemy has, if you can jump or roll at the right time, this can make the difference between life and death. Depending on your timing, sometimes when you hit the ground you can roll without losing any momentum. Sometimes when you hit the ground when you roll you'll also come to a near standstill. It's all in the flow, make it Natural (with a capital N). Running and jumping are KEY. I cannot overemphasize this. The few pixels that are present vertically when you're just running as opposed to rolling can alter the end result of a firefight. If you can time it right, and roll when an enemy is shooting at your head, this gives you the millisecond/s you need to take them out.
1B. JETPACK
As for the jetpack, the key to this is knowing when to use it. If you're in any way moving UP as opposed to down, activate the jetpack right before the PEAK of your jump. The best way to get good at this (without hassle) is to, again, start a server with nobody in it except yourself. Jump straight up, and about halfway up of your jump activate the jetpack. Note that I say BEFORE the peak of your jump and not the actual peak itself. The actual peak is when you stop moving up and start moving down, but the key here is to MAINTAIN MOMENTUM. Before you hit the peak of your jump you will be moving vertically up at your fastest speed. Simple physics here people.
Movement is simple. Move as fast as you can for your desired goal, and move ahead of the enemies anticipation. People bitch about Barettards on these forums, and yet (this mostly applies to inf and cptf maps) if you KNOW there is a camping sniper, you can time your approach right.
Say you're playing CTF_RUN. You're red, and you stay on the top level of the map. If you throw your mouse hard right, so your player is all the way on the left edge of the screen, you can figure out where a sniper's line of view is. Use your jetpack ahead of this, so by the time you fall into the sniper's line of view you're already falling hard towards the ground (again: figuring out the physics engine is KEY here people). The sniper will anticipate your fall, but before they shoot you activate your jetpack. BANG, and they miss. If they ARE using the barette, this gives you more than enough time to take them out. Which brings me to the third element of the physics engine: the weapons.
1C. WEAPON TRAJECTORIES
I'll say it time and time again, but if you're really serious about NOT getting good at Soldat, start a server and play with yourself. Pun intended. Except for figuring out basic movement and jetpack movement, you want to be playing online, or AT LEAST with bots. Figuring out movement you can do on your own, but when it comes to weapon trajectories, you NEED to have a moving target. You can always change your name online, so unless you have a crappy 'net connect (read: dialup) I recommend playing online. So what, you suck, you get your ass handed to you. You NEED TO LEARN THE WEAPONS. There are posts about servers getting overrun by Barettes and M79s, but if you know the trajectories of the weapons YOU CAN TAKE THESE PEOPLE OUT. I also notice that sometimes server follow 'weapon trends'. What do I mean? Well, let's say player X is kicking ass on whatever random server. If this player X takes out a whole bunch of people in one life, without dying (or even with dying), there is a GOOD CHANCE that the other people on the server will select the SAME WEAPON as player X on the next round. It's statistics: if a bunch of players get wasted by the same person with a single gun, they're gonna be like "well X is owning, so I'm gonna own by selecting this gun". Honestly, you can say I'm full of it, but it's TRUE. So if X starts Baretting/M79'n people, and owning, then there's a good chance the server will turn into a Barette/M79 server.
I'll go into detail on weapon trajectories when we get to the weapons part of this post. This, coincidentally, is now!
2. PRIMARY WEAPONS
One of the best parts of Soldat is the variety of weapons. There are a crap load of weapons at your disposal, and despite what people say about each weapon (including me), MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS. If any faq says "this weapon sucks" and you're good at it, then crap, go with your own opinion. There are no set rules about the weapons, and they all have their own plusses and minuses. Writing this post, I'm pretty drunk, so as for specific reload times and such you're on your own. As a seasoned Soldat player I know roughly what the details for each weapon are, but just PLAY. Online, with bots, I don't care. GET TO KNOW THE WEAPONS. They are all unique and have their own plusses and minuses. So, here we go!
2A. DEAGLES
The classic Counterstrike guns. When Michael said Soldat was Worms meets CS he wasn't kidding!
Basically, the Deagles are a SICK GUN choice... if you're good with them, that is. They have a real short range, and they're one of those guns where you NEED to figure out their trajectory. If you're aiming at an enemy on the other side of the screen, you need to figure out how to aim ahead, because if you set your sights on the enemy and shoot it will NOT hit them unless they're right next to you. That's the minus. The plus is that that they're really good for damage. Deagles, especially close range, will mess your enemy up. Sometimes at point blank range you can take them out in one shot! Considering you only have 7 shots, though, makes some question whether the reload time is worth it. The reload time is considerably longer than some of the other guns, and 7 shots isn't a WHOLE lot... You need to make your shots matter. Overall, a tricky gun but excellent once you figure it out.
2B. MP5
Again with the CS guns! The best part about it is that the mp5 is a LOT better in Soldat than in CS... It might not do as much damage as some of the other rifles, but its reload time isn't that long, and its rate of fire is FAST. At close range this gun OWNS. The time it takes you to empty your clip is a LOT shorter than some of the other guns, and its reload time is considerably shorter than a lot of the other weapons. IMHO, this is THE best gun in the game. It's quick, and its trajectory isn't that bad. You?ll need to aim a little high, especially if your enemy is far away, but if the first shot you fire hits the enemy they're GONE (especially against Barettes). Quick rate of fire, decent damage, quick reload, and a decent trajectory, this weapon is KEY! LEARN TO USE IT!
2C. AK-74/STEYR
The AK. and the AUG.. a lot of people will be pissed off by this, I'm sure, but I kinda clump the AK in with the Steyr... They both have similar clip sizes and rates of fire (the Steyr is a bit faster). The one thing I notice is that although they both have a good amount of damage, against quicker guns (read: mp5) they're SCREWED. They're not BAD guns, but there's a time and a place... I say the Steyr is a bit more useful than the AK... The AK has such a slow rate of fire that you REALLY need to anticipate the enemy's movement. Not so much with Steyr, however. The Steyr fires relatively fast, fast enough that in my opinion in an AK vs. a Steyr a Steyr will win. Don't get me wrong though, the AK can be a sick gun especially in any team-based game (teammatch, infiltration, capture the flag). If in a shootoff your AK/Steyr doesn't kill the enemy, a couple shots from pretty much any other weapon WILL kill them. At the end of the day, take the Steyr over the AK. The AK's advantage (although I might be wrong with this) is that it has a somewhat longer range. Both of these guns are guns that you need to get a 'feel' for to get good at. But not as much as the shotgun!
2D. THE SHOTGUN
The shotgun, in close range, is THE best primary weapon in the game. The deagles come close, but in the end the shotgun OWNS. It has a relatively quick reload, and this is one of the unique points of the shotgun (which is another CS similarity): you can reload the shotgun at ANY point, after ANY number of shots. Regardless of how many shots are left in the gun, you can reload it. This is both a blessing and a curse: although with the chaingun you'd have to wait forever for the gun to reload, with the shotgun reloading can mess up your aim. There is a post on these forums dedicated to aiming during reload, and they're RIGHT. Spend a couple games playing solely with the shotgun, and you'll realize your aim goes WAY off while you're reloading. Apparently with Soldat's engine bullets fire out of the gun according to the WEAPONS ACTUAL AIM on the screen, NOT the aim according to the cursor. If you're in the middle of reloading the shotgun and you try to shoot it, your aim will be WAY off. The shotgun's reload is also a blessing, however: if you take out an enemy in a couple shots, then you can reload and not be vulnerable for the time you would be with any other gun. The trajectory is somewhat short, but considering the spread of the buckshot, it's not hard to hit your enemy (too bad soldat doesn't have a "license to kill" option like Goldeneye!). When not to use the shotgun? Well, pay attention: In CTF and INF maps, if you're playing defense, do NOT USE THE SHOTGUN. Why? Well, more than once someone has stolen my flag and I've shot them with the shotgun. What did it do? It gave them a burst of speed leaving my base! Repeat, if you shoot an enemy with the shotgun when they're moving away from you, ALL IT WILL DO WILL INCREASE THEIR SPEED! I really cannot overemphasize this. The shotgun is, in my opinion, one of the best guns in the game! Because of this you will want to use it on defense! DO NOT! All it will do will propel your enemy away from you when they steal your flag! I've realized this from screwing my team over on many a CTF maps.
This propelling can work two ways though, at least I'm told (it's somewhat hard to tell in the game). Apparently, if you shoot the shotgun in the direction opposite to your movement, it will increase your moment. Whether or not this is worth it is up to you... Is the subtle increase in speed worth not only somewhat emptying your clip, but is it worth having to be looking in the opposite direction? Using this method to increase my speed (in both CTF and INF maps) has more times than not ended up in me getting capped.
Regardless, the shotgun is easily the best close range projectile weapon, short of the knife. If you're playing CTF or INF, don't use it for defense, and the key to this gun is using your hits to throw off your enemy's aim and then getting close enough to mess them up. With the shotgun, distance is everything. If you hit them from the other end of the map, it won't do as much damage (this is debatable, but in my experience it seems true). GET CLOSE. Arena2 is a LETHAL shotgun map. trust me.
2E. RUGER
The ruger is the best balance between the Barette and the other weapons. You only have 4 shots, but your shots can mess PEOPLE UP. If an enemy has more or less any damage to them, a headshot with a ruger will take them out. Otherwise it's two shots, sometimes three. The trajectory is in your favor here... even when shooting an enemy on the other side of the screen you won't have to aim that high, maybe a centimeter or two. In realistic mode, this gun OWNS. End of story. It also has a wicked short reload time, which if you consider the chamber only holds 4 shots, it kinda makes sense. I hold the ruger in high regard, a really good gun especially if you get good with it.
2F. M79
Wow. The M79. The most loved/hated gun in Soldat. One shot, so you best make the most of it. A direct hit with the m79, regardless of range, will kill your enemy. The downside? The trajectory. It's pretty tricky, but once you figure it out it's MONEY. It becomes a sort of instinct. The range is less than medium, it's the shortest in the game (besides the knife and grenades). The m79 is tricky... As with the shotgun, if an enemy takes your flag in a team game, a misplaced shot with the m79 can give them a boost AWAY from your base. The m79 has a blast radius, just as the 'nades and LAW do. The damage from an m79 depends on the distance from the explosion: a direct hit WILL kill. End of story. Otherwise, it really depends on the distance, a close hit will bring a person close to death, and a distant hit will do, eh, a bit of damage. The reload time is rather long, and considering the one shot you have, it's do or die. In team games you have a bit of leeway, but in deathmatch? If you miss with the m79 you're as good as dead. The ultimate secret to the m79, though, is USING IT FOR MOVEMENT... before i said the best time to use a jetpack is to use it when you're halfway to the peak of a jump... The m79 will change it all. To use the m79 as a movement aid, the best thing to do is start an empty server. At the moment before the peak of your jump, if you shoot the m79 straight down you'll have a SICK burst in speed. Time it right though, cause if you shoot too early you'll just kill yourself. If you get it right you can get a speed birst and take very little damage! People get accused of cheating on servers because they use the m79 to get to the very top of a map. When is this useful? Well, on maps without ceilings, sometimes you can use this to shoot yourself way up and drop down right near a flag, undetected. The best part? You can do this at an ANGLE. Using CTF_RUN as an example again, if you're on the top level running along, if you leap up and shoot the m79 in a 45 degree angle away from you direction of movement, you'll get a ridiculous burst in speed. Again, I've seen people get accused of speed hacks in servers because of this! To sum it up, figure out the M79's trajectory! It will be a priceless weapon. Then, figure out how to use it to help you move around! If you time it right, in CTF maps after you steal their flag an M79 shot placed right will GUARANTEE anyone chasing you won't catch up with you before you get to your own base! LEARN TO USE THE M79 CAUSE YOU'LL NEED IT!
2G. THE BARETTE
I take back what I said about the m79. The barette is really the most loved/hated gun of Soldat. CHEAP ASS CAMPERS! It really is like the AWP from CS... Basically, one shot one kill, unless you're REALLY lucky... which does happen, btw. The best part of the Barette is the zoom. Crouch, and you can get a bit of an extended view. Go prone, and you can see even further. If you're zoomed in and you shoot, the screen will follow the trail of your bullet until it hits something. This can be very handy in team games, as a sort of recon. The downside to the Barette? Considering it's only one shot at a time, if you shoot and miss this leaves you vulnerable for a considerable amount of time. The Barette's trajectory is good enough that it will more or less go where you aim... you might have to aim a little high, but barely. If you're within a screen's distance from the enemy, shooting directly at them will usually hit them. You might want to anticipate their movement a bit, however. The Barette is a tricky gun to use in midair; it's kind of an instinct thing... I really don't know how to describe it... if you're in midair and shoot directly at someone, it will rarely hit them. You just need to feel the aiming. Overall, one of the best guns in Soldat; some people don't use any other gun. Against a barettard, anticipate their anticipation... always be moving and try to make unexpected moves, and if they miss make sure you take them out!
2H. THE MINIMI/CHAINGUN
When it comes to the big guns, the Minimi kicks the chaingun's ass. It fires where you aim it, there's no considerable 'windup' time to shoot, it has a shorter reload, and it does more damage. I didn't realize how bad the chaingun was until I was playing a zombie-match one night. The map was Ratcave, and the whole dip in the left side of the map was FILLED with zombies. I was up top, and in midair started shooting into the bunch of zombies. I emptied an entire clip and only killed ONE ZOMBIE! I really feel like the chaingun is one of the worst guns in the game. If an enemy is rushing you, half the time you're dead before you even get a shot off because of the windup of the barrel. What's the plus side of the chaingun? Well, the chaingun can speed up your movement... if you shoot the chaingun in the direction opposite of your movement, it will give you quite a burst in speed. This is somewhat useful, but at the end of the day it's not really. Why? Well, you first of all need to be looking the direction opposite to your movement, so your enemy will see you long before you see them. Second of all, by the time you get to the enemy's base, you're out of ammo, and with the chaingun's long ass reload time, this is NOT a good thing. This would be a good strategy for AFTER you have the enemy's flag, and you're returning to your base. The chaingun will speed up your escape, and if you're being pursued it'll slow down your enemies. It's also a good gun to lay down cover fire, or to spray at the enemy when they're approaching your base. Like the shotgun, though, be careful using it when the enemy has your flag and they're taking off! If it doesn't kill them, it will just make their escape that much quicker.
The Minimi, though, is a key weapon. Quick rate of fire, large clip, good trajectory, and decent reload. This gun can own if you get good with it. Unlike the chaingun it won't speed up your movement (at least I don't think) and it won't affect your enemy's movement, so in CTF and INF maps the Minimi is EXCELLENT for base defense. Overall, Minimi = awesome, Chaingun = crap. There are exceptions to every rule, though, so if you can get good with the chaingun, more power to ya!
3. SECONDARY WEAPONS
The good Soldat player will be just as good with the secondary weapons as they are with primary weapons. Knowing when to switch to a secondary weapon will make all the difference in a firefight sometimes. The good Soldat player will also know which secondary weapon to use with which primary weapon. There are certain combinations of primary/secondary weapons which are amazing, and then combinations that will just screw you over.
3A. SOCOM
The Socom packs quite a wallop! If you empty about half a clip into someone you'll more or less take them out. Quick rate of fire and quick reload, but more of a short-range weapon unless you get the trajectory down. If you're using a weapon with a long reload time (Barette, M79, Chaingun especially) you want to have the SOCOM as a secondary gun. If you run out of ammo with your primary gun in the middle of a firefight, switching to the SOCOM is 100% more desirable than waiting to reload. I like to run around using the SOCOM as my primary gun sometimes. It's a really good gun, decent sized clip, and I'm really impressed with the damage it does.
3B. KNIFE
The knife is the PRO weapon of Soldat. There is nothing more satisfying than kicking ass with the knife. The key here is not using the primary fire, but THROWING it. You can sometimes get kills by running up to someone and stabbing them, but it's not likely. If you can figure out the knife's trajectory, which is kind of tricky, you can OWN with it. One hit kills, baby. Jump down towards your enemy, hit the ground and roll so they're shooting above you, chuck your knife at them, BAM they're dead. Lather, rinse, repeat. You'd be surprised how useful this can be, especially in a map like Arena2. There's nothing greater than joining the middle of a heated battle and take out 2 or 3 people with a knife! The knife is best matched with a gun that has a quick reload, because if you have a gun with a long reload you'll be quite vulnerable, especially considering the short range of the knife. NEVER try to throw the knife upwards unless you're right next to the enemy! A downward angle ensures the best aim. Overall, try to figure out the trajectory of the knife because the one hit kill aspect of it makes it one of the best weapons in the game.
3C. CHAINSAW
The chainsaw is an excellent close range weapon, but it's kind of tricky. It's like the knife but without the throwing element. You need to either sneak up on your enemy or just catch them off guard, or just be rushing their ass. Personally I'm not a big chainsaw fan, it's good on maps that aren't as open (Arena2, Arena3) so you can get to your enemy before they have a chance to empty a clip on you. Like the knife, use the chainsaw with a gun that has a quick reload.
3D. LAW
The LAW packs quite the wallop. A direct hit will guarantee you take out the enemy, and a near hit will mess them up to near death. You need to be crouching or prone to use the LAW. I'm not exactly sure of the size of the explosion, but I'd say it's comparable to the m79, maybe a little more. The LAW has a tricky trajectory, so you need to figure that out. 99% of the time the LAW is a one-shot deal, mostly because of the insane reload time (longest in the game). It's really not worth wasting the time to be idling, reloading the gun, unless you're playing defense on CTF/INF and there are other people on defense with you. I can tell you one thing though, there's nothing more foreboding then to be flying through the map, and then on the edge of the screen seeing an enemy sitting with the LAW. The LAW's rocket is DAMN fast, too fast to dodge in any way. Again, don't use the LAW with a slow reloading primary weapon. It'll leave you too vulnerable after you fire off the shot. It's more or less a one-shot deal, like I said before. A good gun, but there's a time and a place for it.
4. GRENADES
Grenades are one of the most important elements of Soldat. Regardless of the results of a firefight, a well-placed grenade can take your enemy out even if they already killed you. The amount of grenades you can have varies on the server, so if it's only 2 or 3 grenades as the limit, use them sparingly. If it's 5 or more, you can be less discreet with them. Some maps have plenty of grenades lying around to pick up, so if that's the case use them as often as you want. Grenades have a unique trajectory, learn to figure it out! The time you hold down the grenade button will effect how far it goes. Tapping the grenade button doesn't always throw it, you need to give the button at least half a second or so to do anything.
There are a lot of different strategies you can have with grenades. Some people like to launch off all their grenades at once, to ensure that at least one will hit the enemy. This isn't always the case however, especially considering that a grenade explosion will take out any grenades near it. Sometimes I like to be flying up above the enemy and launch a grenade down, wait half a second, launch a grenade down, wait half a second, lather rinse repeat. 'Nade spamming can be cheap sometimes, but also really effective.
A direct hit with a grenade, or if someone runs over a grenade, it will take them out 99% of the time. Chuck a grenade ahead of a fast moving enemy to slow them down; this is very effective on CTF/INF maps for defense.
It is technically possible to use grenades for the speed burst effect like the M79, but this is rarely effective. Most of the time you'd just take yourself out.
Which brings me to another point, if you're firing off several grenades at a time, there is a good chance you'll blow yourself up! This happens to me a lot actually, and I think it's a result of not holding down the grenade button long enough, or tapping it repeatedly.
Note that on zombie servers, grenades are a good way to hold the enemy at bay; bots will not approach a grenade.
Overall, learn to use grenades! Use them ALL THE TIME. They key to Soldat is learning to use all the weapons in conjunction with each other: primary, secondary, grenades.
Cluster grenades are a different story... Your rate of movement and direction of trajectory affect the spread of the clusters... They'll spread in the direction that the grenade is thrown, moreso if you're moving fast. Personally, I like to throw all 3 of them at the same time. This will cause a bit of damage over a good amount of ground, and gives quite a visual effect! (Reminds me of the airstrike from Worms) I notice that the cluster grenades aren't that damaging though... if you can throw one right beneath an enemy that's falling, so all the clusters hit them directly, it will ROYALLY mess them up. Individually, though, the clusters aren't as damaging.
5. MISCELLANEOUS STRATEGY
The real keys to getting good at Soldat are figuring out movement and the weapons. DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE WITH A SINGLE GUN! I wish Soldat had a "random weapon" option. Use all the guns, because they all have their individual strengths. There are people that only use a single weapon (especially barettards), there are people that don't use secondary weapons, there are people that don't use grenades. All of these people are more vulnerable than they realize; learn to use your primary, secondary, and grenades with each other.
Again, also, get good at movement! Learn to jump then jetpack right. Learn to hit the ground and roll, and maybe jump back up again. Learn to 'juke' your enemy out, moving in unexpected manners. Learn to use the M79 to speed your movement. Movement is so key it's ridiculous.
Also learn to move in the different maps... There are some maps that are more boxed in than others, so you need to learn to move quickly in close quarters. Also, learn to use cover. Behind barriers, you can crouch behind it and your player will put the gun up over their head and fire a few rounds at a time. This is a neat feature, but it's really not that useful unless you're using a real damaging gun (like the Ruger). Half the time if you try to do this, you'll get capped before you know it. Instead of using barriers, learn to hide behind cover! It's cheap sometimes, but really effective (especially in Lagrange). Hide behind trees, hide behind planks, hide behind anything... It's hard to hide yourself fully sometimes, but crouching can usually aid that. An even cheaper, effective method is on the left edge of the map in LaGrange. You can lie down in the grass and take out people that spawn there. This is REALLY cheap, but you'll get killed quickly doing this (usually after one or two kills).
Which brings me to my next point: spawn kills. They are pretty cheap, but go for it anyways. If you're running around the map and someone spawns in front of you, you might as well take them out. I only say this because the odds are, they're gonna do it to you. Unless you're playing with extremely honorable players, that is, but honor isn't exactly present in many online games. What you SHOULDN'T do though is spawn camp enemy bases in team games. It's just CHEAP and it's REALLY crappy. I'm not gonna tell you what to do, but it's something that really is just going to piss everyone off, and if you do it too much you might even get kicked from the server.
In teammatches, stick with your team. If you spawn with a couple of other people in a CTF game, stay together and rush the enemy. The best way to rush is to have one person on the ground, and one person flying above them, and when their jetpack runs out switch. If you're both running along the ground together, it makes you one big target. Any shots that miss you might hit the person behind you. I'm not exactly sure of this, but I think that shots don't go through your own team members. So if you're behind a teammate shooting at an enemy on the other side, your shots will just hit your teammate and do nothing.
The key to CTF and INF maps is setup. You need to have people on defense, so when you spawn keep an eye on your base. Are there at least 2 or 3 people hanging out by your base on defense? If not, hang out there for a second. INDIVIDUAL SCORES DO NOT MATTER IN TEAM GAMES. If you're playing to get kills, join a deathmatch. They key to team games is AIDING YOUR TEAM. It's good to have a barrete guarding your flag, if another person has a Minimi, this is a lethal combination. Remember, like I said before, be careful using a shotgun on defense! If you're gonna do this make sure you have the Socom as your secondary gun. This way if the enemy DOES get your flag, you can switch to the Socom and fire at them as they try to escape. Trying to do this with the shotgun (or the chaingun) will just give them a burst of speed if it doesn't kill them.
Communication is also key in CTF and INF... if someone gets your flag and you know you can't catch up with them, just stop and press Y and tell your team where the flag is (top, bottom, whatever). If there's a chance you can kill the flag carrier don't bother to stop and type. COMMUNICATE. If you're camping on the bottom level on CTF_RUN, tell people that. Let them know. If people are rushing the top level and take you out, LET YOUR TEAM KNOW. Communication is key!
Deathmatch is a different story. Deathmatch you're on your own. My approach to deathmatch is just rushing into firefights, because that's the best part. You can be cheap, though, and keep your distance until 2 or more people start duking it out, then hop in and take them all out when they're damaged. Keep aware of your surroundings in a deathmatch, if you spend too much time looking in one direction there's a good chance that you'll get snuck up on.
lametard hint removed
What else... there's no shame in backing away from a firefight... If you're almost out of ammo, back up a bit so you can reload. Do what you have to do to stay alive and/or get the kill.
Don't be cheap. Only occasionally, when you need to, but don't make a habit of it.
Well, that's it for now. I hope to increase the size of this faq, and throw in a lot more information, but I feel that this is a good place to start, and I hope you all enjoyed reading this and got something out it. I hope to see you online! (I play as "fawker", decked out in green)
Email: slvmachine@yahoo.com
AIM: InMySolidarity
If you have any hints or tips to add to this, let me know! I will credit you in updated versions of this FAQ.