Lol of Duty

Simple things you can do to improve your gameplay - MW2

2010-07-14T19:30:00.000+01:00

Try to travel along the outside of the map, instead of running through the middle. This will minimize your chances of being shot in the back or being killed by sniper fire, random grenades and "noob tubes". This tactic alone should help you perform better. You'll also find that travelling along the outside of the map will help you flank the other team a lot easier!

Flank, flank, flank! I can't tell you how many times I've lost a match because my team mates decided to run straight towards the other team. They'd run at the enemy team, get killed, respawn, and then try to do the same thing all over again. This gave the other team a whole bunch of free kills. Those free kills then turned into killstreaks, which led to even bigger killstreaks, which inevitably ended up turning us all into mincemeat, costing us the game. Instead of running straight towards the other team, attempt to go around them and come up from the back or the side. This will give you the element of surprise and allow you to kill two or three of them before any of them can react.

If you're using an Assault Rifle or an SMG, try to use a silencer. I know it might result in a loss of range and power, but it is well worth the trade off for that added bit of stealth. For example: I remember taking off the silencer on my SCAR-H before the start of a game because I wanted to try out the FMJ attachment. I flanked the other team, got up behind them and then let loose. After killing one or two players, the rest of their team mates noticed me as a red dot on their map and instantly turned around. If I had only kept with the silencer as my attachment, I could have killed the entire team before any of them even realized where I was.

Make yourself a Cold Blooded Stinger class and don't rely on your team mates to shoot down enemy air support. Remember, it may just be a Harrier at the moment... but soon enough, that Harrier is going to become an AC130 or a Chopper Gunner. Sort the problem out there and then before it gets any bigger!

If you find yourself losing a lot of one on one battles, try using the Sleight of Hand Pro perk. Sleight of Hand Pro will allow you to aim down your sights much faster, giving you that extra bit of an advantage.

Do NOT run around with the grenade launcher prepped and ready to go. It may seem like a wonderful idea at first, but the reality is that you're probably going to end up losing in every single close combat situation, as the grenades from a grenade launcher need to travel a certain distance before they become explosive. Instead, use the grenade launcher to clear campers out of buildings etc.

Do NOT plant your claymores in plain sight. The other team will see your claymore, shoot it and then waltz on by.

Pay attention to your map. If a team mate suddenly disappears from your mini-map, ask yourself why! How did they die? Claymore? Knife? Look at the killfeed! It's there for a reason. Always try to pay attention to the position of your team mates! If the team mates behind you begin to drop off your mini-map, I'd consider it a pretty good time for you to turn around and take a look!

If you're having a few bad games and feeling frustrated, give yourself a rest from the game. The angrier you get and the more frustrated you get, the worse you will perform! It happens to everyone. Simply turn the game off for a while and wait until you've calmed down. Remember, it's only a game!

Try to stay off the miniguns. In my experience, they do nothing except put a bullseye on your chest. When I hear the minigun firing, I know exactly where the enemy player is. Usually, it's an easy kill.

When you're about to storm a room, throw in a flash bang. Get into the habit of doing this! You won't believe how many people just rush on in and end up walking into claymores.

If you're trying to defend a spot, use the Scavenger perk with Claymores. But do note that you can only have two claymores on the map at any given time. Put down a third claymore and your first one will automatically explode. In Hardcore Team Deathmatch, I've killed my own team mates by accident because I went to plant a third claymore. At one point, I started getting paranoid, thinking that my team mates were destroying my claymores so that they could hog all of the kills.

Become knowledgable about the weapons in MW2. XBoxAhoy on Youtube does a great job of giving his viewers a run down of the weapons, their attachments and even tips about how to use each weapon effectively.

Frag Grenades can be thrown further than Semtex Grenades. However, Semtex Grenades are often better for clearing out rooms. Your choice should be based on the map and game type.

If you're really wanting to up your game, learn how to "dropshot". There are plenty of examples and tutorials on Youtube showing you how to pull off the dropshot. Pulling off a dropshot makes you harder to shoot and is great for those situations when an enemy player appears out of nowhere.

When using a sniper rifle, try to aim the rifle towards your enemy before you scope in. Try to get quicker at doing this! Staying "scoped-in" leaves you with a restricted view of the map and opens up the possibility of an enemy sneaking up on you. Scope in only after you've spotted a target.

What is OMA? - MW2

2010-07-13T14:11:00.003+01:00

In Call of Duty MW2, OMA is often used as an acronym for "One Man Army", the Slot 1 perk that allows a user to switch classes at anytime throughout the game. The perk has earned itself a bad rap over the past couple of months, as some players have been using the perk with a grenade launcher, giving themselves an endless supply of ammo to bombard the other team with.

Search and Destroy Tactics - MW2

2010-07-10T22:45:00.001+01:00

If you feel as if you never do well at Search and Destroy, then hopefully some of my tips here might come in handy.

Do NOT follow the rest of your team. Remember that you're probably going to be playing against people who are not new to this game mode. Some of these guys have played Search and Destroy over and over again and have learned through experience what areas the enemy team (in this case, your team) typically runs towards. You'll quickly notice that a lot of people tend to use their grenade launchers to bombard the areas in front of spawn points, hoping that you'll waltz right into the blast zone, giving them an easy kill. This is especially true when it comes to wide open maps such as Afghan and Wasteland. On those maps, you should NEVER run straight ahead. Stay back for a little while or, if you have a problem with staying still, run towards a different direction. You'll quickly realize what areas are no-go zones. The best course of action is to not rush out. Remember, you do not respawn in Search and Destroy. You have one life per round - don't waste it by running into danger areas.
Use a silencer. Seriously. Parading around Search and Destroy with an unsilenced weapon is just asking for trouble.
Use the Ninja perk. Heartbeat sensors are all the rage in game modes such as Search and Destroy. Using the Ninja perk will make you invisible to heartbeat sensors. If you have mastered the perk and have Ninja Pro, your footsteps will be near-silent. This is obviously an advantage in "Stealthy" game modes such as Search and Destroy.
After killing someone, pay attention to the area around their body. If the enemy you just killed was carrying the bomb (you'll see it on the ground - it's a beige colour), the rest of his/her team mates will be sure to try and come around and pick it up. If you have a claymore, stick it on the bomb. I have gotten myself some pretty easy kills just by doing this. If you don't have a claymore, hide out in an area close-by and keep watch. Let them walk into your trap.
If you have the bomb, try to create a diversion before you plant it. For example, in SubBase, I often throw a smoke grenade at the bomb site that I won't be planting the bomb at.
A lot of enemy players will wait until you've planted the bomb before they kill you. They do this because they get extra points and it gifts them the golden opportunity to defuse the bomb before your team mates can catch up. Whenever you're planting, try to make sure that the surrounding area is safe. You should also do a dummy plant. This means cancelling the bomb plant half-way and looking to see if any enemies are rushing towards you. Some of them will rush towards your area as soon as they hear the sound of the bomb being planted. Use this to your advantage.
After you've planted the bomb, try sticking a claymore on it. This has often bagged me a couple of kills.
If you're using C4 and defending the bomb sites, try throwing your C4 at the "most popular" bomb site. That way, should the enemy team plant the bomb at the same site, you can detonate your C4 and bag yourself an easy kill.
In Search and Destroy, you should really change your killstreaks to 3 - 4 - 5. I go with UAV / Care Package / Predator.
If you have a UAV, don't put it up at the start of the round. Wait a few seconds to allow the enemy team players to get into their chosen positions. Then put it up.
If you happen to get an Attack Helicopter or Pavelow etc (presumably from a care package), bring it in at the start of the round. Don't bring it in when there is only one enemy player left, unless of course it is the last round of the game. Remember that your air support will not carry over into the next round.
If you're the last man left, do NOT panic! Do not let the pressure of other people watching you affect your decisions. Don't rush out because you're afraid that the other players on your team will consider you a camper. Remember that they want you to win the round. If you rush out and die, it's not really beneficial to them. If you're the last man left against 2 or more enemy players, use it to your advantage. I find that enemy players become careless when they know that you're the last man left and that you're outnumbered. They all want to star in that final round/game winning kill and will rush around the map like idiots trying to get it. I've even had people try to pull off 360 degree quick scopes on me, before I pumped them with my SCAR-H and sent them back to the waiting lobby to think about what they just did. Use diversions to send the enemy players in a certain direction. Remember - they're typically going to be less cautious than you!
Planting claymores at certain choke points always gets me a kill or two. After a few Search and Destroy games on a certain map, you'll come to learn the hotspots. Remember, claymores stay alive until the end of the round, even if you've already died.
Sometimes, going for a quick plant will win your team the round. You might die in the process, but it does yield results for your team.
Carry a stinger as your secondary. You're probably not going to run out of ammo in your Primary, so why not carry a weapon that allows you to shoot down enemy UAVs?
Remember - Search and Destroy is a mind game. In Crash SnD, I was the last man standing against 6 enemy players - all because my entire team decided to rush out into the open. They quickly got their asses handed to them. From there on, I went against every gut instinct I had because I knew that was what the other team was expecting me to do. Instead of running in the front door, I'd go up the side ladder and come down from the top, knifing people in the back.That, coupled with the recklessness of an entire 6-man team against one man, allowed me to kill them all and win us the round.

What are Boosters and how can I stop them? - MW2

2010-07-10T20:12:00.000+01:00

I've seen this question being asked a lot, even by those who have been playing MW2 since its release date back in November of last year. Hopefully, this modest little "Guide to Boosters" of mine will answer any questions that people might have about the subject.

What are boosters?
Boosters are basically players who cheat in order to win games and artificially inflate their scores. Typically, they hang out in a game mode called "Free For All". Free For All is a match type where all players are pitted against one another. There are no teams. No alliances. No objectives. It is you against everyone else. At the end of the game, the player with the most kills wins. Simple concept - nothing fancy.

Boosters are "friends" who join the same Free For All game. Once the game starts, they will head towards a predesignated spot on the map. Typically, this spot on the map will be a low-traffic area, well away from all the action. Once hidden from view, they will then take turns at killing one another, racking up points and getting killstreaks. This means that regardless of how well the other players in the game are performing, one of the boosters will probably win the game, as the speed at which they kill one another is usually too fast for the other "honest players" to keep up with.

After Modern Warfare 2 first came out, I noticed that there was a new piece of equipment that had been introduced. It was called the "Tactical Insertion". Basically, the Tactical Insertion allows you to designate what part of the map you will reappear at after you die. It was this new feature that paved the way for the culture of boosting that now plagues MW2, as it allows boosters to remain hidden in an area of their choice. It also allows them to rack up the kills rather quickly. Of course, the developers behind the game had thought that this new feature would be used for other less nefarious reasons. Maybe snipers would use it in order to keep possession of a good sniping spot? Maybe players in more objective-based games would use it to their advantage? Whatever the intentions were behind the introduction of the Tactical Insertion, there is no denying that it mostly used by Boosters and Glitchers.

I play MW2... Tell me more about these Boosters...
Boosters try their best to go unseen. A typical booster will use a silenced weapon or a knife so that their shots don't appear on the radar. Their perks will often include both Cold Blooded and Ninja. Cold Blooded keeps them off the radar when a UAV is called in. It also decreases the chances of them being killed by air support. The Ninja perk will prevent them from showing up on Heartbeat Sensors. All of this, coupled with the fact that they stay out of view, makes it difficult for other players to notice them...

How do I find Boosters?

The score board is the biggest indicator. If one player is at the top of the scoreboard with 22 kills and 0 deaths, and another player is at the bottom of the scoreboard with 0 kills and 22 deaths, I'd be willing to bet that those two players are boosting. Bear in mind that the booster who is doing the killing might have called in air support (Harriers, Chopper Gunner etc) that has killed other regular players. This means that the kill/death ratio might not look so symmetric.
Sometimes boosters are dumb enough to communicate with one another over their headsets. If someone mentions a specific area on the map, pay it a visit. If someone blurts out "go to the gas station" etc in a game mode such as FFA, it would make me extremely suspicious.
If two or more people with the same clan tag enter your FFA lobby, stay vigilant and watch your killfeed.
Pay attention to the killfeed at the bottom left of your screen. The killfeed will show you who is killing who. If the one person is continuously killing the same person, you probably have boosters in your game.
If you're suspicious and think that you might have boosters in your lobby, do a quick sweep of all the low traffic areas of the map. Know of an area that you never visit because nobody ever seems to be there? Well... it's about time you pay that place a visit. This might sound a little cliche - but you should really try to think like a booster. Where would you go if you didn't want to be seen?
The "Sitrep" perk allows you to see enemy equipment through walls and bushes etc. If you have this perk equipped, the Tactical Insertion (which boosters always use) will glow bright red. It will also allow you to see claymores and other pieces of equipment such as frag grenades.
The Tactical Insertion makes a distinct sound. If you can hear that sound, you're much closer than you think.
Even silenced weapons make a sound. If you can hear a silenced weapon being fired at steady intervals, they're close by.
Learn the boosting spots for each map. After finding a few boosters by yourself, you'll instantly know what areas on the map to check should you become suspicious. On Youtube, there are many videos about the topic of Boosters on MW2. Most of these videos will show you boosters being caught by other players. Note down where they were found and check those areas when you're playing.
If you suspect that two people might be boosting and feel particularly cheeky, why not send them a message asking them if you can join in on the action? This works best when in the pre-game lobby. Most of them will be dumb enough to trust you and will view you as an extra person to help get the job done faster. Go to the place they tell you to go, wait for them to get setup... and then... well, you know.
If you've joined a FFA game that is already in progress, press the Back button before you choose a class. This will put you into "spectator mode". Quickly browse through what all of your opponents are seeing. If there are boosters, you'll know exactly where they are before you even join the game.
If you think that a booster has just killed you with their Chopper Gunner or AC130, press the Start button during the killcam. Their location will show up on the map as a green cross.

What loudout should I use when trying to hunt down boosters?

There is no standard De facto class to use. It all depends on the situation that you're dealing with. How many of them are there? I've been in FFA games where the entire lobby was full of boosters. It's rare, but it does happen. How large is the map? How long will it take you to find them? And should they kill you, how long will it take for you to get back to that same spot, bearing in mind that boosters are usually quick at notching up kills. These are the questions that you need to ask yourself. Here are some perks and loudout items that might come in handy when you're looking to dish out some of your own "booster justice".

Perks

Marathon (Perk) - Slot 1

Marathon is useful because it allows you to continue on sprinting . When it comes to booster hunting, time is of the essence. Boosters are able to notch up 10 or more kills per minute - meaning that you need to find them as quickly as possible, before they get their air support and finish off the game. Therefore, having a perk that allows you to get around the map quickly is obviously a huge benefit.

Lightweight (Perk) - Slot 2

Lightweight allows you to sprint faster than you normally would (7% faster). It's beneficial because of the same reasons outlined under Marathon.

Cold Blooded (Perk) - Slot 2

Cold Blooded is also very beneficial. In the unfortunate event that the boosters do manage to call in their air support, you can take solace in the fact that it won't affect you. On occasions where I've chosen Lightweight over Cold Blooded, I've found myself being killed and pinned down by Chopper Gunners and Harriers. This is an extremely frustrating thing to happen when you're trying to stop boosters from winning.

Danger Close (Perk) - Slot 2

Danger Close increases the damage caused by your explosives. If you're going up against a group of boosters, you will most likely use a grenade launcher, an RPG or some other type of explosive. Having Danger Close will increase the likelihood of you wiping them all out in one blast. I've never used this perk while booster hunting before, but I can see why others would consider it useful.

Ninja (Perk) - Slot 3

Although it is not too common, I have come across boosters using the Heartbeat Sensor before. Obviously, boosters would like to know when somebody is about to try and crash their little party, so they stick heartbeat sensors on their guns in the hope that it will tip them off when someone is nearby. Using Ninja as your 3rd perk will make you invisible to heartbeat sensors, giving you that extra bit of stealth. If you've mastered this perk and have Ninja Pro, your footsteps will be almost silent. The benefits of having near-silent footsteps when trying to sneak up on boosters should be pretty obvious.

Sitrep (Perk) - Slot 3

If you're new to "Booster Hunting" and don't know the common booster spots - or if you're dealing with a pair of craftier-than-usual boosters, Sitrep is the perk for you. Sitrep allows you to see equipment through walls and bushes etc. All pieces of equipment will be highlighted in a bright red colour. Since all boosters use Tactical Insertions, this perk will highlight the Tactical Insertion, helping you pinpoint their location. This perk is especially useful when the boosters you're hunting are hiding in long grass.

Primary Weapon

LMGs

Light machine guns tend to have larger magazines than Assault Rifles (ARs) and Sub Machine Guns (SMGs). An LMG would be especially useful when going up against multiple boosters - allowing you to unleash a storm of bullets until none of them are left standing. Do note however, that LMGs are typically not as powerful as ARs or SMGs.

Assault Rifles

Assault Rifles are extremely powerful - especially the SCAR-H and the TAR-21. They also give you the benefit of being able to use a grenade launcher as an attachment. This is extremely useful against boosters, as one shot with the grenade launcher (aka n00b tube) can wipe them out and destroy their Tactical Insertion, breaking up their killstreak. However, since some Assault Rifles have notoriously small magazines, you do run the risk of having to reload mid-fight should you come up against 3 or more boosters.

SMGs

The UMP, for example, would be a perfect gun to use when hunting for boosters. It has a large-enough clip and is extremely powerful, even without the perk Stopping Power.

Secondary Weapon

RPG

The RPG is great weapon for stopping boosters. I use it whenever I want to make sure that I do some damage. Unlike the grenade launcher or the Thumper, you don't have to fire it from a distance. Instead, you can get up close and personal and just blast it right at them. While you do run the risk of killing yourself, the fact is that the RPG will easily wipe out a group of boosters in one go. To see an example of me using the RPG against a group of boosters, click here.

Stinger
This is personally my favourite secondary weapon to use when hunting boosters. While you can't use it on the boosters themselves, you can use it on any air support that they call in, giving you more time to put a stop to them.

Shotguns
Using a powerful shotgun against boosters would also be beneficial. Due to the fact that boosters are often close together, rushing in with the SPAS-12 shotgun or the Striker would definitely have its advantages.

Equipment

Semtex/Grenades
There are obvious benefits to throwing a grenade at a group of boosters.

C4
If you can get close enough to the boosters, why not throw in some C4 and then detonate it?

Tactical Insertion
Yea, that's right. A Tactical Insertion. Before you launch an attack on the boosters, why not set down your own Tactical Insertion? That way, should one of them kill you before you finish the job, you'll get to reappear in a few seconds and have another go. You run the risk of having another player mistake you as a booster, but the benefits might be worth the gamble.

I hope you found this post useful - or at least interesting. If you have any questions, or if you have anything to add to the subject, be sure to post a comment and I'll try to address it.