Unlock Strategies

[Toast]

I'm nearing my first unlock, and I want to make it count (because I won't get the next one for weeks, probably.)

I'm leaning toward the G3 because I want to play more assault due to the body armor.

I have read positives about the medic and the support guns.

Any thoughts?

[WayAbvPar]

The medic gun (L85A1) is decent, but nothing too special. It seems a bit underpowered. The good news is it zooms with a scope, so it is easier to fire at long distances, and it is fully auto (the American n00b medic is stuck with the M16 that only fires single or 3 round bursts).

I have heard good things about the G3 and the support LMG. Pick whatever class you play most often and upgrade there- no point in upgrading for the best gun if it is a class you don't like to play.

[stray]

The G3 is worthy of being called an upgrade. I like it a lot. No grenade launcher, but I don't really miss it. It runs out of ammo a little more quickly, but it doesn't matter. It will kill players with less shots. And while it's not a sniper rifle or anything, the accuracy is great. I've picked off people that were just specks on my screen.

My buddy unlocked the Barrett, but I don't like sniping much anyways....Plus, when I've tested it out, the servers have lagged too much to get a real idea of it's worth.

From just looking at the stats, the Support upgrade seems like a great choice. I'll probably upgrade to that next.

[Sky]

I dunno...I don't think I could live without that darn grenade launcher. It's academic anyway, I only just hit PFC, with about 8 hours on ranked servers.

And I have to reinstall to play now...so I'm playing guitar instead.

[Trippy]

I'm nearing my first unlock, and I want to make it count (because I won't get the next one for weeks, probably.)

[...]

Any thoughts?

I posted this in another thread but you can unlock all the weapons in single-player mode to test them out:

Go to your Battlefield 2 directory

Go to the python\bf2\stats directory

Make a backup copy of unlocks.py

Edit unlocks.py and change line 38 that reads:

defaultUnlocks = [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]

to

defaultUnlocks = [1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1]

Make sure you preserve the original indentation otherwise Python gets all pissy.

[AcidCat]

The G3 is worthy of being called an upgrade. I like it a lot. No grenade launcher, but I don't really miss it. It runs out of ammo a little more quickly, but it doesn't matter. It will kill players with less shots.

Yep I agree, the G3 is my favorite gun now ...and I actually prefer the standard grenades to the launcher so that's a bonus.

[Kitsune]

The anti-tank shotgun unlock is a really fun gun that complements the class wonderfully.  I had a blast with it in the demo, rocketing all the vehicles that roamed by and then pouring buckshot at any poor schmuck who got in my way.  Only problem is its slooooow reload, you stick in one shell at a time; I quickly learned to hit the R key any and every time there was a pause in the action.  Reloading four shells during a breather just takes a moment, but reloading the whole clip in the middle of a firefight feels like eternity.  Despite the manual reload, the shotgun's auto, not pump, allowing you to lay down a very satisfying amount of lead in a very short time.  It did such a good job that it was the only time where I stayed alive long enough to run totally dry on ammo, spraying down the last remaining MEC flagpole before ticking down the last seconds of the round shooting the stragglers in the face with a pistol.  [Side note: The pistol performed astoundingly well, dropping them in two shots.  Either shooting people in the face does super damage, or they'd already been hurt before running into me.  I didn't expect to survive against multiple people with a pistol, much less kill them.]

I did NOT like the unlocked sniper rifle.  The crosshairs seemed too thick, and the gun lowered out of zoom after every shot, in addition to requiring a long reload time every five shots.  It seemed like a hefty downgrade from the MEC sniper rifle.  Not a happy spawn-camper.

The medic unlock rifle is...okay.  I prefer the optical sight to the iron sights, but the needle point reticle isn't my favorite thing ever, and it doesn't feel like it has great stopping power.  The full-auto part is just an ammo-waster, I usually set my weapons to one-shot mode to conserve clip space unless I'm expecting to walk around a corner and run smack into an opponent.

The engineer's auto shotgun is a little annoying.  Having a clip is great and all, but the clip is rather small and it takes a not-inconsiderable time to stick in a fresh drum.  I like it better than the default engy shotgun, but I reaaaally wish it had more lovin' in every clip.

I tried the support's alternate gun and it seemed perfectly acceptable.  I hadn't gotten any time trying the default support gun, though, so I've nothing really to compare it to.

I haven't gotten around to testing the assault and special ops stuff, yet.

[Toast]

I unlocked the Assault G3.

It's pretty solid, especially in single shot mode. The damage is high enough that it can snipe well.

One downside is very small clip size, but I am seldom in full automatic mode with it.

I am wishing I unlocked the support machine gun, but the grass is always greener.

[WayAbvPar]

Choose wisely on your first upgrade; the 2nd won't come for a LONG time. At this rate,  I will get all the unlocks well after the sun has burned itself down to a wee cinder.

[Sky]

Either shooting people in the face does super damage, or they'd already been hurt before running into me.

Battlefield has always had discrete hitboxes. As my clan's sarge was fond of saying ad nauseum (because it's a crucial lesson to play the game competitively: Aim for da head! With BF2's flak vests on about half the kits, it's even more crucial because the body is well-protected. So when you run out of ammo with your main gun and there are still enemies standing, swap to the pistol and shoot them in the head. It can mean the difference between killing them and getting killed during a reload.

As for unlocks, I'm still a long way from my first one, I think I'm around 750 points. Takes too long to find a good server and I get tired of smacktards really fast.

[Kitsune]

Well, I toyed around with the other classes last night, and right off the bat I've decided that I really don't like the support class.  Either that or I'm doing something wrong with it, as the frickin' huge belt-fed gun they tote around seems to do about as much damage as a warm spring shower, simply because it can't hit anything.  See enemy.  Put giant crosshairs over enemy.  Hold down fire button.  Wait ten seconds.  Enemy dies.  The unlock gun is much better, but even that seems to have a mild problem hitting a Yugo at ten paces.

I cemented my opinion of the unlock sniper rifle being ass, enjoying both of the default rifles more than the unlockable one.

I liked the unlocked assault rifle, but the clip size was a little bothersome, kept having to reload it in the middle of fighting more than one person at a time.  And I'm not at all sure it was worth the loss of the grenade launcher.

I preferred the standard USMC special ops rifle to the unlocked one.  The aimpoint sight on the default gun is very handy.

[stray]

I'll agree that the G3 won't be as attractive if you shoot in auto mode more often. I hardly ever do, so it suits me perfectly. I seem to be having just as much luck with tossing grenades as I did with firing them....So I'm cool with that too.

[Trippy]

Well, I toyed around with the other classes last night, and right off the bat I've decided that I really don't like the support class.  Either that or I'm doing something wrong with it, as the frickin' huge belt-fed gun they tote around seems to do about as much damage as a warm spring shower, simply because it can't hit anything.  See enemy.  Put giant crosshairs over enemy.  Hold down fire button.  Wait ten seconds.  Enemy dies.  The unlock gun is much better, but even that seems to have a mild problem hitting a Yugo at ten paces.

With the support MGs you pretty much have to go prone if you want to be able to hit somebody/thing unless you are within shotgun range in which case you can just spray and pray as you circle strafe. It took me a few games to get used to it but now I can kill better with the support kit than I can the assault kit (not having mastered the point blank bunny hopping GL technique that a lot of assault people are adopting) especially on the MEC urban maps.

[Sky]

G3 vs grenade launcher...the vast majority of my kills have been with my grenade launcher. I simply won't ever give it up, cold dead hands and whatnot. My buddy teh eqholic gets a kick out of my accuracy with the launcher (which is really only 60%, according to the stats page). Over the weekend I was on a team that simply couldn't deal with a blackhawk who was flag hopping, I just went defensive and got under him...four or five blackhawk kills with my grenade launcher. It's a nice versatile medium range weapon imo. It was funny watching guys blow out of the blackhawk from the first shot, it takes a couple to fully take out the chopper but the first one will clear most of the passengers out if placed right.

Bunny hopping...I can't believe it's in the game, but it is. I don't know how effective it is, but in 1942, it was an invalid technique because of bullet spread and the innaccuracies introduced from jumping. One who went prone and fired in tight bursts always beat a spray&pray hopper in 1942...doesn't seem to be the case in BF2, which is extremely unfortunate. I hate bunny hoppers.

[Furiously]

The bunny hoppers are starting to annoy me. It's getting a bit crazy. 

And the jump and lie down at apex to shoot is crazy.

[Merusk]

I Agree, fuck the bunnhoppers in their asses.  I've been hopped to death more than I've been sniped with an AK... which is also annoying.

Got my unlock and went for the medic rifle.  I've found it's the most useful support class upgrade, and reccommend it to anyone who, like me, plays the support roles a lot.  (The accuracy on the upgrade support gun is lower than the basic, but the damage is higher and engineer still gets you kicked for TKing too often to be worth playing.)

My second reccomendation would definatly be the assult rifle.  THe power it packs is great for anyone, particularly if you aren't as comfy with the GL as Sky is.

As to the upgraded sniper rifle.  That's really meant to be a defensive, rather than an offensive weapon for the situations Sky's described.  You shoot through armor with it, so taking out the heli pilots as they hover over a flag is it's goal.  You're likely to take out a whole 'copter as nobody ever notices when the pilot dies and jumps into the seat in time to avoid the firey crash.  Now what'd really be great is if you could use it like they use the real .50 cal snipers and take out APCs, Buggies or AAs with a good shot through the engine.

[Kitsune]

Oh ho, the unlocked sniper has armor-piercing ammo?  Well that makes for a horse of a somewhat different color...

[stray]

Oh ho, the unlocked sniper has armor-piercing ammo?  Well that makes for a horse of a somewhat different color...

Yup...It'll work on choppers at least.

[Sky]

But it lacks the cool factor of all the passengers flying out both sides of the chopper when you hit it from underneath with the nade launcher :) That's my favorite BF2 thing right now. They feel so safe when there is no *bleep bleep bleep* lockon warning, then BLAM....BLAM....oh shit better fly away....too late BOOM.

And of course, the indirect fire is love. I love the grenade launcher. Maybe too much. Sure, bubba....duck behind them there sandbags...and you don't give it away by yelling "Grenade!" People expect rifle fire because you're holding a rifle.

The only time I really use the rifle part is when I'm under fire and no time to reload or if the splash damage would get too messy. Hell, I don't even play any other kits, for me BF2 is grenade launching time. Great from a chopper seat or the back of a hummer, too...and I guess I could bunny hop it if I were so inclined because there is no penalty to bullet spread, as there are no 'bullets'...

Maybe I'll upgrade the sniper rifle in a couple weeks when I hit the unlock (heh), I like playing sniper when I'm lazy and not into fast & furious gameplay. But I've been toying with the spec ops package, that's fun, too. C4 on enemy helo at the base....don't set it off until they load up and take off...C4 kills when they are a hundred feet in the air is as satisfying as a good knife kill imo.

[Furiously]

The knife kill - it's the ultimate "you are not paying attention kill."

 I've only gotten one or two. (Been the victim of a couple)

It's funny - Way willl log into a low ping server, and I will be on it. If he's on my team I am somehow teamkilling him within 5 seconds - or he's off wandering away from me - we always have the intention of sticking together.

[WayAbvPar]

I always make sure to pay my life insurance premium before getting into a chopper piloted by Furiously  :-D

If any of you guys wanna join us, jump on to TS- we can all find a server and create our own little squad. The more the merrier!

[stray]

The knife kill - it's the ultimate "you are not paying attention kill."

Defibrillator kills are even more humiliating  :-D

Gotta love knife kills though. Especially on snipers.

[Toast]

Just remember, you have to crouch down to knife a prone sniper. I almost messed a great kill up by not knowing that at first.

This is some great "player-created content". The knife kills count the same in min max terms as a long range snipe, but they are so satisfying.

[Sky]

On our old clan board, we had an entire thread devoted to before/after shots of knife kills on campers (not necessarily snipers). I think knife kills are better than defib kills, because there are a lot of rank whores just running around with the paddles these days. I hate being revived in the middle of a hot firefight, happens all the time...revive..die...revive...die...Anyway, the knife is pretty damaging, it's often the best weapon if you have the drop on someone and it's silent. Some folks underestimate the power of silent kills, I need to get in more practice with another favorite of mine, the silenced pistol.

Another nice thing about BF2: the sniper's mines, since so many snipers got knife killed in WW2 ;) Unfortunately, I kill as many friendlies who ignore the red skull&bones as I do enemies trying to get the drop on me. But I do get a silly grin on when I'm sniping and my vision goes all blurry from my flank mine, especially when the enemy goes flying over my head. Those ragdoll physics are a nice touch with this much mayhem.

I'll try to remember to hop on teamspeak before I get into BF2. I don't have a mic, though (well, I do but it doesn't seem to work well with TS, it's a vocal mic, so kinda tough to use anyway). Since my hd crash (age of wonders eats computers!), I'll have to dload and set up my magic shortcut again, too.

[Merusk]

I got my first knife kill on a guy who had been bunny hopping-m203ing me at my team's flag.  He ran out as I respawned and i stabbed him in his bunnyhopping face as he was trying to switch to his m-16. MMmm.

[Trippy]

But I've been toying with the spec ops package, that's fun, too. C4 on enemy helo at the base....don't set it off until they load up and take off...C4 kills when they are a hundred feet in the air is as satisfying as a good knife kill imo.

I've gotten a couple of C4 helo kills when they were hovering too close to the ground which is great fun but I learned recently you can toss the C4 onto the flag poles as well (if you stand on a vehicle you can toss it up even higher). I've practiced it a few times in SP mode and I'm looking forward to trying it on Songha Stalemate.

The knife kill - it's the ultimate "you are not paying attention kill."

I'm waiting for the Mortal Kombat "Humiliation!" announcer mod.

[Furiously]

The knife kill - it's the ultimate "you are not paying attention kill."

 I've only gotten one or two. (Been the victim of a couple)

It's funny - Way willl log into a low ping server, and I will be on it. If he's on my team I am somehow teamkilling him within 5 seconds - or he's off wandering away from me - we always have the intention of sticking together.

Ohh - I left off the good part. If he isnt on my team - we seem to attract each other's bullets. Maybe it's just recognizing his name...

Team kill penalties are starting to piss me off. I was flying a copter - and doing a decent job last night. We'd killed a few people and then some jackass in a jet crashes into us. (Our team). Somehow I get the teamkill, and 3 or the 4 people involved in the accident punish me. Luckily I respawned at the same location as one of them and killed them again and got kicked from the server.

Totally unrelated - just to show how unskilled I really am. Ever done the throw down medic kits don't notice you run out and then lob a grenade into a group of 5 people?

[WayAbvPar]

Yeah, the TK penalties are starting to piss me off. I ended up doing a lot of commanding last night (no one on my team wanted to do it). Arty TKs are pretty much impossible to avoid. There should be some sort of mitigation of arty TKs- if I kill 4 enemies and 1 guy from my team (who gets a fucking warning in the first place before the arty comes, but that is a whole different story), I should get a walk for the TK. Especially on servers that autokick for a certain TK threshold- if you command more than a map or two, it is gonna happen. Same thing if you use AA at all.

It has been a long time since I TKed someone with my gun, and even that wasn't my fault. I was laying prone firing at a bunnyhopping enemy (and had him nearly dead), when some dunce on my team wanders into my field of fire and then LAYS DOWN 10 FUCKING FEET IN FRONT OF ME, totally obscuring my view of the distant target as well as absorbing a burst right in his scrotum. Then he punished me.

I never punish people unless they do something extremely stupid, like arty a friendly base or shoot me several times. I may need to rethink that strategy.

[Sky]

I don't punish if it's my fault, things like getting run over (unless the guy swerved to hit me...), or I get hit by friendly artillery, whatever. But blatant tks, it's nice to have that ability. But yeah, I've also been punished for tons of stuff that wasn't my fault or was the stupidity or lack of awareness on the teamkilled's part, such as artillery (the big red arty icon + "ARTILLERY FIRING ON YOUR POSITION" is pretty damn obvious) or mines. Especially mines.

They should patch in exemptions, but then you know tards would lay mines everywhere to take out their own team scot-free. The only answer is having auto-kick off and a good administrator. Which is an extreme rarity, in my experience...

I really dislike most people. Even when I get to shoot them.

[Furiously]

I'd settle for no TK on mines. Or mines that don't blow when allied forces go over them. Right now you can't play an engie. I really like playing defensively, and right now can't.

[Merusk]

What kills me on mine TKs is the guy who sits there watching you lay all 5 mines out, runs past them and gets the big skull on his screen, hops in the jeep STILL with the big skull, and proceeds to tear off right into the mines you just laid around the flag before punishing you.  I honestly think some of these fuckers do it on purpose.

[Threash]

What kills me on mine TKs is the guy who sits there watching you lay all 5 mines out, runs past them and gets the big skull on his screen, hops in the jeep STILL with the big skull, and proceeds to tear off right into the mines you just laid around the flag before punishing you.  I honestly think some of these fuckers do it on purpose.

Oh they definitely do.  I was playing commander last night on one of the smaller suburban maps and every fucking time i laid down an artillery strike the same two asshats got killed and punished me for it.  I think they where jumping on a buggy and racing for where the strike was happening because there was no way that was coincidence.

[Hanzii]

The grief using the new TK limits are starting to piss me of more than plain oldfashioned teamkilling for grief... at least you could fight those.
Like the guy the other night that wanted to be a fighterpilot. Whenever I got a plane before him, he'd position himself right under the nose - I could either just sit there or run him over. Eventually I got kicked and he got his precious planes to himself.

[Sky]

I loved the planetards in 1942. Half the team on the airstrip waiting for a plane, the other half spawned as snipers camping the enemies' airstrip...

[Samprimary]

The claymore mines are boss. Myself and one other person (Sniper and support) were able to hold the TV station forever with claymore mines.

Some particularly smart individuals learned not to move into the room and blow up, and figured they'd counter via grenades.

This was kind of why we were hidden a floor up with a PKM.

The teamkill thing absolutely terribly horribly sucks not only with artillery, but with mines.

Go ahead, put some mines down in an appropriate position. Warn people forever that there's mines. Won't matter.