Modern Warfare 2 Multiplayer Strategy Guide Part 7 Putting It All Together

VII. Putting it All Together

A. Strategic Matchmaking(XP or Gameplay Experience)

Remember that not all match types give you the same amount of experience points and that some will give it to you for different reasons.

In Team Deathmatch the only way to get points is by killing opponents and completing challenges. You typically receive 100xp per kill. This differs from the Hardcore version where you get 50xp per kill. This isn’t including the XP you receive for exacting revenge, getting double kills, or recovering from a Deathstreak.

However, if you find that you get more kills and win more games in Hardcore, that’s what you should be playing. Unless you just don’t like it as much. From a strictly pragmatic point of view you should be doing what gives you the most experience on average. Try all game types to figure out what will be best for you and your style.

B. Knowing your Maps

Don’t underestimate how many kills this will give you. Simply knowing each map can provide you with a huge advantage over another player. For example, when you’re playing Terminal, what are the very first places other players will always run for? Someone will ALWAYS go up the ladder and get on top of the room that extends outside by the plane. You know, the one with the large gas tank on top. Someone will also head for the cockpit of the airplane. Knowing where other players tend to camp and run to will go a long way toward giving you the kills you need.

For me the best way to learn the maps was from my Run-and-Gun play style. Sure I died a lot in the beginning(my K/D ratio is proof enough of that), but I definitely learned the maps faster than someone who went prone and looked down a scope the whole match.

C. Knowing your Role

Although this is less important when you are a solo player like me, there are still times that you need to realize what your team expects of you. This can be assaulting, defending, camping, sniping, sneaking, whatever. If you’re in Capture the Flag and your whole team keeps rushing the other only to die in a blaze of idiocy, sit back and guard your flag. You might not win the match because you’re playing with the special-ed team, but at least you’ll come away with some kills to add to your experience bar and some experience of what to do and not to do when playing CTF.

D. Tips and Tricks for Combat(Aiming, Shooting, Switching Weapons, Knifing, Frag, Semtex, Noob Tube, Sneaking, Camping).

Combat Tip #1: Move, move, move! There are only a couple of times that you would not want to move. One is camping(fail) and the other is sniping. On the other hand, you don’t want to always stay in the same spot, even when doing either of those. The more people you kill, the more you give away your position.

If you are playing any other style you need to be moving. It’s okay to stop and check your corners, but never let the enemy pin you down. If you make a kill, it is doubly important that you move to another position. The first thing that player is going to do is head back to the spot he was killed and look for you. If you move to another position you might even be able to pick him off while he searches for you.

Once you start to get your aiming down a bit you’ll have plenty of 1v1 gunfights. The key to winning these is to learn to strafe while you’re aiming. If you stand still you’re dead. That simple. Strafe, strafe, strafe.

Combat Tip #2: Learn to double tap. There’s a reason that militaries around the world are taught to double tap their weapons. Accuracy is essential if you plan to hit where you aim. Most weapons have quite a bit of recoil and if you try to unload an entire magazine in one burst you will be in deep doo-doo. The importance of this is demonstrated by the fact that there are assault rifles that will only shoot in a 3 round burst. That’s because of the accuracy rating.

Once you become more experienced with weapon recoil you can start to use it to your advantage. Weapons recoil in an upward motion, usually causing you to spray bullets above your target. If you have the chance to aim at a centerline area, like the crotch, and then shoot you can often score a headshot by allowing your weapons recoil to direct it upward. Seems like a cheap trick, but it works. Sometimes.

Combat Tip #3: Don’t reload in a close quarters fight. Seriously. The tutorial you are given at the beginning of the game didn’t lie to you. It is much faster to switch to your secondary weapon than to reload. This is especially true if you don’t have Sleight of Hand and a Submachine Gun equipped. With that said, there are some weapons that you can switch to faster than others. The PP2000, for example, will get you shot. Try some Handguns.

Combat Tip #4: Use your knife every chance you get. You are going to run face-first into an opponent more times than you can count. It will happen so you should be prepared for it. Try to avoid the “Oh shit I’m right next to my enemy!” dance by knifing them as soon as you can. It will save you both from looking like you have cerebral palsy on the Killcam.

Combat Tip #5: Use your Grenades. You might be surprised at how often you can get a kill by throwing a Frag, Semtex, or firing your Grenade Launcher(AKA Noob Tube) through a window. The Grenade Launcher is going to score easy kills for you, especially in the beginning. You’ll catch a lot of hell from it, but just ignore it. They did it in the beginning too, even though they’ll lie about it.

Semtex is pretty awesome because it sticks to whatever it lands on. Early on, attempt to stick it to the backs of enemies. If that person runs for the safety of the pack the kill is only sweeter. Another tactic is to place it on a door frame if you know you are being chased. I haven’t accomplished this yet, but it has been done to me. It’s particularly hard to do so have patience.

Cooking Grenades will increase the potential for kills. “Cooking” a Grenade means to hold it for a second or two before tossing. When you do this it gives the enemy less time to run away from it or pick it up and throw it back at you. Cook them as often as possible. Just be careful not to hold onto it until it blows in your hand. That is embarrassing.

Combat Tip #6: Spray and Pray. There will be times that you’ll run into an enemy head-on and you’ll have little time to aim. In these situations it is best to either knife them or to just start spraying your weapon in front of you.

Another application of this is when you can see an enemy’s head behind a wall that you can’t shoot through and they are running. Sometimes the only way to get that kill is to spray some bullets at the tiny moving head above the wall and hope for a headshot. You will have the most success with this if you are using the M16.

Combat Tip #7: Final, Final Stand. The Final Stand perk can be awesome when you’re using it, but man it can suck if someone you’re trying to kill is. There have been a bunch of times that I thought I killed the dirty camping slut in the corner only to be shot in the crotch before I could finish him off for real.

When someone is using this perk, they will fall to the ground on their back and pull out a weapon for one last attempted kill. You can usually place a bullet or two in their frontal lobe before they can shoot back. Sometimes, though, you just don’t realize it in time. Always keep this mind.

Combat Tip #8: Use Your Map. All the time. If you’re playing Team Deathmatch you need to be using your map as much as possible. If an opponent fires an unsilenced weapon on the map they will show up as a small red dot. Use this to your advantage. It always helps to know where your enemies are in relation to you.

Combat Tip #9: Use Your Silencer. This is building off what I said previously. If you are using a Silencer your enemies won’t know where you are on the map. At least until the person you kill sees it on their killcam and tells the team. There’s no point in giving your position away if you can help it though.

Combat Tip #10: Crouch and Prone. Both of these have their uses. Sometimes something as simple as crouching behind a barrier or in a dark corner is all it takes for the enemy to completely miss you when doing a visual scan. Just keep in mind that sometimes they will also have a UAV or Heartbeat Monitor.

Also learn when not to crouch or go prone. If you crouch behind a barrier that is short, often times you are doing nothing more than giving the other team an easy headshot because the top of your head is the only thing they can see. The same goes for going prone. It is really easy to get a headshot on someone who is prone because their body is behind their head.

Experience Points | Glossery Of Terms

For questions, suggestions, and corrections you can send me an email at jcavin00@gmail.com. Thanks. Have fun and beat some heads for me.