Shooting games are loved across the military, whether it’s Battlefield, Call of Duty, or any other video game that breaks up the monotony of the hurry-up-and-wait lifestyle.
Open-world shooters make for some of the best games available on the market today. They give you full freedom to choose when and how you go about accomplishing each mission, offering fast-paced, frenetic gameplay without the linear monotony of yesterday’s titles. But along with this freedom of choice comes a hefty dose of challenge that’ll give any player a run for their money.
While most troops have the skills and knowledge they need to survive the digital battlefield just long enough to not feel compelled to throw a controller through the T.V., we’ve got some general tips to take you to the next level.
In the absence of cover, go prone and use concealment.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Trevor Rowett)
Stick to cover
If your goal is to stay alive (which it probably is), then cover is your best friend. And just to be clear: bushes are not cover, they’re concealment. Cover is solid and should be able to take a beating from incoming bullets.
Just remember, if you can see the enemy, they can see you. Your goal is always to make yourself the smallest target you can.
Only run when you absolutely must.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Antonia E. Mercado)
Don’t rush
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. So, take your time. If you must cover a large area, sprint between pieces of cover, not in a straight line toward your objective. Plus, in most games, sprinting across an open area will cause your character to run out of stamina — making you a slow, exposed target.
This method counters the recoil and increases your overall accuracy.
(U.S Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Patrick Osino)
Fire in controlled bursts
Automatic weapons are great but the recoil degrades your accuracy more the longer you hold the trigger down. This is one thing that video games get right — though it’s often exaggerated. The way to solve this issue in a video game is the same as it is in real life: fire 5-to-6-round bursts.
If you aren’t used to it, simply repeat the phrase, “run, fuzzy bunny, run” in your head. That’ll take about 6 rounds to say.
These bad boys are your worst enemy on the battlefield in Battlefield.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Austin Livingston/Released)
Vehicles are priority targets
If you’ve played any iteration of Battlefield, then you know how irritating it is when other players only focus on enemy infantry and not the tanks or helicopters. This ought to be common sense, but let’s talk about it anyway: vehicles take priority over infantry.
They are your biggest enemies on the battlefield and they’ll inflict the largest amount of casualties. So, always go for helicopters, tanks, or any other vehicle that has a big gun attached to it.
Indirect fire is your best friend.
(U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Pfc. Heather Atherton)
High-explosives win the day
Military commanders will preach this all day, and rightfully so. Explosives are your greatest asset on the battlefield and you ought to utilize them as much as possible. They allow you to eliminate large groups of enemies with minimal effort and destroy vehicles quickly, allowing infantry to work on individual targets.
That being said, don’t waste your grenades on one person. This might work in Halo or Call of Duty, where multiplayer matches are more like a series of duels, but in open-world shooters, you’ll want to wait until you’re fighting a large group dumb enough to cluster together.
Your muzzle goes where your eyes go.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Austyn Saylor)
Aim with your eyes
It’s easy to look to different parts of the screen while playing a game to acquire targets but, just as you would in real life, move your weapon with your eyes so, when you find a target, you can engage immediately.
Don’t do this.
(U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Pfc. Heather Atherton)
Avoid making a silhouette
If you need to look through a window, stick to the edges to avoid being seen by enemies outside.