-------------------------------------------------------------------- HALF-LIFE: COUNTERSTRIKE TEAMWORK/ANALYSIS WALKTHROUGH -------------------------------------------------------------------- ========================================= = AUTHOR: DG Dobrev = = Date started: 06.08.2002 = = Date completed: 06.08.2002 = = Date Released: 07.08.2002 = = Personal E-mail: iron_feather@mail.bg = = Release version: 1.0 = ========================================= COPYRIGHT NOTICE: This Walkthrough was written by Dobri Dobrev a.k.a DG Dobrev. All credit for using this guide should go to me: DG Dobrev. If you want to post it on your website, you are OBLIGED to ask for my personal permision. I NEVER refuse posting, but I really need to know where this FAQ could be found, and compile a small list of sites just for my information. Otherwise, you CAN make a copy (just use "Select all" - by default ctrl+a and the copy it - by default ctrl+c, then paste it in a Wordpad or Notepad documents, using ctrl+v. Word document should also work, but versions of MS Office 97+ tend to disregard some things commonly used in the guides, so you may have to "repair" the entire guide. If it's over 50 pages, it's quite a nasty job! So use best Wordpad or Notepad. YOU CAN'T: - Plagiarize parts of this FAQ and use it as your own - Post it on your website without my personal permission - Try to obtain credit for writing it (since you didn't!) Thanks for NOT DOING these last three things. And for contact, unless you didn't noticed :-) my e-mail is: Primary (commonly checked): iron_feather@mail.bg Secondary (rarely checked): iron_feather@abv.bg ==================================================================== IMPORTANT NOTICE: PLEASE READ! This walkthrough is designed to help people work a little more as a team, and not do the things separately from each other, or on small groups of 2-3 men. Teamwork is the most important thing here. If there's a well-trained team facing a non-trained, be sure that the first men have over 50% better chances to win. This walkthrough is intended to show a structure of teamwork. I don't say you should follow this step by step - feel free to use any ideas I have given here and make up another strategy, or whatever, while implementing your own ideas. In addition, this walkthrough is designed for teams of at least 4 players each. I have seen servers with teams of over 15-20 men each, so I guess there's no problem trying this out! Anyway, even with smaller teams, feel free to try. It's best if you can cover at least 80% of all specialties... AND AGAIN: I don't consider my words as the ONE AND ONLY TRUTH IN THE WORLD! All I can say is that this scheme was tested and it worked out for me (us). Feel free to give me any recomendations, own strategies for teamwork, if you want. The idea of this walktrough is clear: HELP THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE GOOD AT HL:CS TO WORK AS A TEAM. I am sure all of you are sick of people who don't really care about their teammates and have just appeared in the server to show how good they are or just to waste some time. I am sick of such people too. This was the main reason to write this walktrough. This is why any recomendations will be highly welcome! Thanks for reading this note, please proceed with the introduction! ==================================================================== 1. Introduction. There are a few 1st person shooter (FPS) games, that seem to have taken over the world nowadays. I'm talking about Half-Life: Counterstrike, Quake III and Unreal Tournament. I, myself have played the first (heh, I guess if I didn't, I wouldn't be writing an FAQ about it!) and the third. FOR ME, HL: CS is better than UT, just because the teamwork and reality it presents us. I must confess: I'm not the best proffesional in CS. Actually, I'm awful when I play 1 on 1. But, this changes a lot in bigger teams. So, this Walkthrough is intended to teach you how to be a good addition in big teams and be like me: even if weak in 1 vs. 1, be extremely wanted in larger teams. And since I was never that fast, and my reflexes weren't that good (well, not in the real life, otherwise I wouldn't be a goalkeeper :-)), I became one of the players everyone hates the most: the Snipers. Most of the worse front-line fighters become Snipers. I guess the same happened to me. ==================================================================== 2. Team specialties. SPECIALTIES!? WHAT'S THAT? ATTACK AND CRUSH! IF WE DIE, THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW! THEY'LL PAY DEARLY FOR KILLIN' ME!!! I have seen a lot of people thinking this way. This is one of the most idiotic things I have seen (I apologize to anyone who have felt offended because of these words, but think again!). Whisper and Alex III in one of my magazines for games, called Gamers' Workshop, made a quotation of one of the Stephen King's books: "I don't kill with my gun, I kill with my brain" - and these words still burn like a fire inside me every time I start Counterstrike. Listen to those words, and learn them well. They will help you die less often. Unless you play with bots, teams consisst of men: fellow HL: CS players. Never forget that they are humans afterall. Humans tend to get scared, tend to think or trust their instincts, tend to jump from fear when someone attacks them when they least expect it, and so on. These are pure psychological problems, and one must learn to deal with them. A. Psychology. WHAT? Yes, psychology. People who play this game, feel the characters as if THEY are walking through a clearing, wait for an ambush, etc. This means they are feeling what their chosen Seal, SAS man, you know the others, feel. This is good. Now, it all depends on the psychic your friend/enemy has. In this game, people are divided in several cathegories: 1. "Oh, GOD!!!" 2. "What if..." 3. "Think, then act!" 4. "So what!" 5. "FRIENDS BEFORE ALL!" 6. "Chaaaaaaaaaaarge!" 7. "I CAN AND I WILL" Let me explain what these cathegories mean. I know I might sound like the old psychology teachers in school/college/university, but my GOAL is to make you look a bit more psychologically to this game. Why? Because brains kill. When you get attacked, unless you're facing a real good Sniper or Real Good Combatant, you can get away in the first corridore intersection, hide behind a door, a box, a bed, or whatever else you have there. This is all instincts: and the instinct for self-preservation being the strongest of all! CATHEGORY ONE: "Oh, GOD!!!" This is the category of most of the inexperienced players (I am sorry, but I really hate the word newbies!), who ... er... "soil themselvers" when the first shootout commences. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM? ->Tend to stay behind the others ->Rarely ambush ->Tend to run away when they get a hit or two ->Miss often ->Attack only if they're left alone (all other teammates are dead) ->Attack only if they have a teammate to help them ->Tend to use Sniper rifles ->Sometimes attack like the Devil himself, ready to die in the meantime... HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM? ->Easy. Swarm them, but carefully! Shoot while hiding behind a barrel, box, or another obstacle. You know about the "novice's luck", don't you? TEAMWORK: ->Usually, these people are one team's undoing. They aren't good and most of their teammates know that well and rarely count on them. This is VERY GOOD. There is nothing better than dealing with the enemy one by one, or on certain protions (since you know the experienced players shun the inexperienced). ->These players are not reliable at all. NEVERTHELESS, if you're allied with such man, try to rely on him, just a bit. If you decide to go for it yourself (assuming you're experienced), you will most likely kill yourself, and the teammate will follow you shortly. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? ->First, overcome their fears. If you're going to hide all through the game, than you'll be kicked out of this team in no time. ->Second, spend a few rounds close to your teammates. Look at their actions, and learn from them! Stick to them, contribute with your firepower. Nothing else to be said. ->Third, if you need to swarm a door, you do this! I know, I know you're scared and you might die. But if your most experienced man dies, what will the others do? Huh? PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: FIRST OF ALL: never forget that any experienced player has gone through this! Some players just get kicked out of a server because of their inability to be good teammates. I don't think this is right. Everyone needs to learn first, go through a couple of fights, and AFTER THAT he'll have enough courage to be a good teamamte. Anyway, these players tend to "jump" out of fear, when surprisingly attacked, and tend to run or just remain in position, trying to identify the source of fire, while 95% of them die in the meantime. This is the usual case - because they have identified themselves with the character they're currently playing with. MY ADVICE: ->Stick to your teammates. ->If you're alone, try to find a good place on the map, where you can make an ambush. Such places are tunnels, doors, boxes, etc. ->If you are Counter-Terrorist (CT), advance carefully, and be ready to die. It's good to say to yourself the line of the Infested Terran in Starcraft: "Prepared to die!" and go for it. One way or another, you'll lose the round. It's best to try and do something for the team. Selfish players don't excell here. ->If you're Terrorist (T), try to make all remaining hostages to follow you into a small room with only one entrance. Point your gun barrel to the entrance and put some hostages in front of you. If an enemy invades, start shooting. The enemy will most likely kill a hostage or two before you're really hit. And even if die, the enemy will have lost 1000-2000 dollars for the next round. ->LEARN FROM THE OTHERS! See where they camp, where the points of interest are, etc. CATHEGORY TWO: "What if..." These players have some experience, but their psychic is quite weak... I mean they'll never swarm a door (or a dangerous place) first. They are more reliable, but do get scared when suddenly attacked. They will defend an attacked teammate, but may do it a bit later. This isn't good, for the teammate under attack may be dead by then. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM? ->Stay in the back ->Have more experience, and that makes them somewhat dangerous ->Better shooters ->Use long-range rifles and snipers well enough ->A bit tardy when they have to help someone HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM? ->The best way to deal with such players is to kill their teammates. When they see the "DEAD" message for all their friends, they're doomed. Their reflexes slow down, become more uncertain. Use this. ->If you face them in direct combat, just be careful. They are adequate shooters, and may kill you if you just trust your shooting experience - try to hide somewhere and attack from that place, etc. THIS IS A WAR AFTERALL! TEAMWORK: ->These people are ready to help their teammates, but may have some doubts before doing so - they'll examine the environment first, check for possible surprises, and then act. Usually, that's not good, but once you know the man watching your back is such person you can simply say "Follow me", and attack. The bad thing is that you never know what he'll do... ->If you have such person, see if you can use the help of more experienced person. If this man knows he has 2 good combatants with him, this will encourage himself, and will most likely be a good addition to the team. The bad thing is that if he's alone, nobody knows what he'll do... Expect everything. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? ->Find a good teammate, and do ANYTHING YOU CAN to protect his back, while he's taking up the front. ->DON'T DOUBT, AND DON'T HESITATE. ->Try to learn from the others. PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: "Stick to your buddy" - this is their first thought. They have certain doubts to act alone, tend to get scared when alone, but everything changes when they have someone at hand. Usually, they are somewhat unreliable and may cause serious troubles if they doubt their interference, rather than doing in this very moment... Be vary of such people. Sometimes, the unexperienced players may prove to be more valuable than these! Why? Because most of them don't really care if they're going to get killed. They are more ready to sacrifice themselves in the name of the team, while these will think twice, thrice, etc. before doing so. GENERALLY, such players aren't that wanted in Counterstrike. MY ADVICE: ->DON'T HESITATE! ->DON'T DOUBT! ->Act like teammates! If your fellow players die, because you were thinking rather than entering the fray, you're dead meat! ->Stick to your teammates, but try not to mess up! CATHEGORY THREE: "Think, then act" These are players, who have reached the status "Kill with your brain". However, they separate to two cathegories: the first men, think, then act. The second cathegory first thinks, then reconsiders one or two times, and finally acts. The second are very dangerous to the enemy... WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM? ->IMPORTANT: DANGEROUS! ->These guys have made a simple strategy for each round, including their actions, their teammates actions, and your (if you're the enemy) actions. ->Most of the experienced players of this cathegory are born LEADERS. Their wits are good enough to win any game. They think very quickly, reconsider the enemy actions with the speed of light. That's why the enemy team needs such player, if not, the team that has such man increases the chances to win with at least 30%. HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM? ->Such players usually stick in the middle of the party. I have seen such being in the front or in the back, but... Hm, I'll say it this way. I have seen them: 30% in the front of attacking group 60% in the middle of attacking group 10% in the back of attacking group NOTE: There's no certainty that your games ill show this. These are mine observaions! Be wary of this. ->Try to kill those men first. If the enemy team has no other acknowledged leader, your chances to win increase with 30%. ->Be extra careful when dealing with them. TEAMWORK: ->These players are the heart of every team. They know the map you're currently playing very well, know all weak points, know how to lead an attack (and where to attack). ->After they buy some equipment, and if they don't move, this means they are reconsidering the strategy, or at least they're making up one. Remain around him and wait for his command. Protect him while ha makes up the strategy. ->PROTECT HIM AT ALL TIMES! I have seen teams with leaders and without leaders. The first type were especially a lot better. ->If you don't have a leader, the first few rounds should be more than enough to let you choose one among you. This happens in the process of the game, and sometimes no messages are needed. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? ->Players, which can bare the responsibility of a leader aren't that common. So, be sure to be ready for everything all the time. You job isn't easy. I have seen people who lose their interest after 1-2 hours of gaming. You must be ready to remain their leader for as much time as you can. ->Stick in the middle of attacking parties. Thus you'll be able to contribute with your firepower, and be protected in the same time. A party without a leader is like an army without a general. Don't expect them to do much. Be sure to appoint someone as your successor if you die in the round. ->If everyone plays for himself, this duty is not needed, but parties are generally weaker without a leader. PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: One can see the born leader from a mile. They are ready to take responsibility for their actions - including the party's actions. They may be adequate shooters, maybe not that fast and accurate, but they do know what to do at all times. Alone, they will survive, but their true power is best shown while in a team of at least 3-4 fellow players. The Leaders must be ready to die. They must be ready to defend each of their teammates even with the cost of their lives. BEING A LEADER IS NOT EASY!!! MY ADVICE: ->Be sure you know the map well. Play all maps in your Counterstrike folder. If they don't have waypoints, play with your friends, otherwise scout them alone (no bots available) and point out all ambush points, all dangerous places. ->Make strategies for each map. Check out which maps are most played in your location (or server) and pay more attention to them. ->Act like a true leader. If you make a stupid move, causing the death of all your teammates, apologize to them the next round. Always keep your conscince clean! CATHEGORY FOUR: "So what!" These characters are very, very... bad. They may cause a great deal of problems to every team. Generally, they don't care about the others, play only for fun and without a glimpse of teamwork in their mind. They are ready to die, don't really care what will they do... Usually, such players are advised to play with bots, and not human players. This is if they don't care about the team. But, if they play for the team... Continue reading! WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM? ->First, and most important: suicidal attacks. These attacks are very dangerous for you, because these players often swarm without any sign of self-preservation. Usually, such attacks are pointless, but usually such players carry powerful weapons, with low shoot dispersion, which means you get hit more often. Bad. So, be extra careful!!! ->Usually, they swarm doors. HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM? ->Be sure you're hidden, but can attack. No point in facing them in open ground combat. ->If it comes to an open ground combat, strife, or run zig-zag type. Your job is to get hit as few times as possible, while shooting at the advancing enemy in the same time. TEAMWORK: ->Unreliable, at best. They are playing for fun, not for win. This is bad for party's morale. ->Can provide good backup, though. "Suicidal" character is always useful! Usually, you can count on him to protect one's back. ->Use them to swarm doors. Since they'll be dying anyway, at least let there be some usefulness in this sacrifice. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? ->These characters are the best front-line soldiers. Have them keep your front and collect all enemy bullets at first, while the middle and back line deals with all enemy shooters visible. Generally, enemies are using their best shots to deal with incoming attack. If you can sacrifice some men to deal with the best enemy shooters, the exchange is always worth the cost! PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: "Ready to kill!" - "Prepared to die!" - "Sacrifice me" - "Immediately" - "For the ~ (insert team name here)"!!! This is the lines of the Infested Terran (AGAIN!) from Starcraft, and they are representing this type of characters best. They are extremely bold at the thought of danger, well-equipped (always have a Kevlar Vest&Helm) and... These men are the best in my opinion. There is nothing better to sacrifice yourself for the goodness of your friends! MY ADVICE: ->Since you're going to die, use rifles or semi-machine guns. Don't spare the amunition. Your job is to inflict as much damage as you can to all visible enemy shooters! ->If you decide that you don't want to be one of the usual sacrifices, this means you have changed your profile. Maybe you have entered the "Chaaaaaaarge!", "FRIENDS BEFORE ALL" or "I CAN AND I WILL" cathegories. CATHEGORY FIVE: "FRIENDS BEFORE ALL!" Generally, these are the most valuable characters of all. They always, ALWAYS protect the others with the price of their life. Nevertheless, they aren't of the "sacrificer" type characters. They will help, but will put some brains while helping. These men will most likely help their friends and will both went out of the frey alive, while it's not that common for the other cathegories! WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM? ->HELP! Always help. ->THEY ARE dangerous, even while they're making a suicidal attempt to help. ->Generally, they're always well armed, and ready to take as much punishment as they can, while fighting back, so than their friends can make a swift exit. Especially if they're under siege. HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM? ->Difficult question. It's like asking me "How do you deal with yourself?" - for I always represent this kind of characters. ->Maybe the easiest way is to try and identify them among the enemy men and try to take them out first, as well as the Leader. Otherwise, those men are quite a threat. It's somewhat difficult to ambush them (more than 60% of them are usually very well-trained and by no means stupid). TEAMWORK: ->These characters are most loved in each team. All other teammates know that they can always count on them in they find themselves in a dire situation. ->It's good to have such men, but they MUST NOT represent more than 25-30% of the entire party. ->These players are the best when they need to protect one's back. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? ->Protect their friend's back. ->Help in dire situations without hesitations if they're close enough. ->Stay in the back and contribute with firepower. Most of these players carry Snipers or Sniper Rifles (I hope you make the difference - the first type is the pure sniper, and the second is the sniper that has bigger clip, does less damage, andmay act as a semi-machine gun). PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: "Help your friends no matter the cost!" - this is what these men think. They offer best protection by using their brain as well as their gun. Such men are very, very rare. They don't care about frags, the ony thing they care is the smooth running of the operation and the safety of the teammates. They are unselfish, good-tempered, reliable. Feel blessed if you have such men in your party! Or try to be such person! MY ADVICE: ->Stick to a party, but don't remain in its ranks. Move a few meters behind, so if they enter an ambush, you can easily see the enemy shooters are take them out quickly. This is one of the reasons why this man should be a Sniper. ->Help without hesitation! If you're late evn with 1 second, sometimes your teammates will be dead before you do anything to help them. CATHEGORY SIX: "Chaaaaaaaarge!" Generally, these men are players with a defined hunch towards the assault and the action. These are the best front-line characters, unselfish, well prepared and experienced enough, so that they don't collect all the bullets immediately and die. They must know how to dodge enemy shots and be extremely good shooters. They must be able to fire even if they're runnung or jumping in the same time! WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM? ->First of all - expect them to kill you, while you're not able to hit them at all. Nasty, right? ->Expect them to be masters of the rifle/semi-machine gun, etc. ->Expect them to be the most experienced men of all. Not necessarily leaders, but with more than enough experienceto make your life awful. HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM? ->In normal combat, unless you're evenly matched, they'll kill you. Perhaps the best way to deal with them are the Snipers. ->Expect the unexpectable! This means they quickly change tactics when they need to go from area to area quickly (like switching to knife), this almost impossible to kill with a Sniper, because of their fast movement. Use the first magnifier in that case - using the second means you'll never be able to follow his movement and most probably have to shoot, while trusting your luck in the same time! TEAMWORK: ->As I said, the best front-line characters. ->Provide great advantages. The drawback is that they need a good backup. ->They are simply unmatched in assaults. WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? ->Simple. Try to survive awhile longer, while killing as much enemies as possible. PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: These men are bold, ruthless, possess a lot of courage and experience. They are capable to survive in any situation and get away from serious fire... ALIVE! Real important. Crucial for victory. I have nothing else to say. MY ADVICE: ->I know you're the best, but never get too comfortable with yourself. Or you're entering the last cathegory! ->Keep your brains on the game at all times. You are just born to bear the entire game on your shoulders. Get used to it. CATHEGORY SEVEN: "I CAN AND I WILL" These are the best players, who have gotten too comfortable with their victories and have become too selfish, thinking they should be praised for the victories they're bringing to the team... While they forget about friendship, team discipline in the same time. Such players are always valued, but never liked. See if you want to become such player. I don't think so. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THEM? ->Assaults Rambo-type - alone, no backup. Dangerous, but stupid. ->Fighting like a true berserk - expremely efficint with all kinds of weaponry. ->Arrogant. HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM? ->Do you remember the line I wrote some time ago: "Stick to your buddy"? THis is the key. Such people usually attack alone and don't really care about support, just because they think they're the best and are unmatched. This is (sorry!) bullshit. ->Snipers. These guys are best against such arrogant players. And I do hope they're playing on their personal PC's :-) One stupid death, and they may go berserk... In their house should be nice. But if they're using someone else's PC, then thing go bad... :-) TEAMWORK: ->They are valueable, but need serious backup... And someone to stand their bragging. Usually, such players are shun from the others, yet values as good. No one like to have an arrogant companion. ->THIS IS NOT FOR THE CATHEGORY, BUT TO ALL PEOPLE WHO PLAY WITH THAT MAN! !! For Christ's sake, watch his back! Don't leave him to die just like that, and because of his foolishness !! PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: Arrogant, confident, capable, selfish... Interesting mixture of positive and negative sides, don't you think? He'll most likely take all ovations and increase his confidence in himself even more. That's not good - as all players collect experience, they will always become as good as him. The bad thing is that such players want to be the leaders, since they think that as they're the strongest, they should be the ones to listen HIM. And missing out on the true, competent leader in the same time... MY ADVICE: ->I would gladly write something here, but I doubt any of these players will listen. ->Anyway, stop being arrogant and selfish, and use your brains a little more! These are (generally) the personalities I have encountered while playing Half-Life: Counterstrike. I know there are loads of other personalities... But I think you should know the common. Knowing them you know what to expect from such people! The good thing about this game is that it puts the gamer in the place of the soldier. This means that the gamer will most likely feel fear, uncertainty, boldness, readiness, etc. Especially when something is at stake... I DO HOPE this part of the walkthrough has made you think a little bit different. Human opponents that remain in place and do nothing for a couple of seconds are common when ambushed. FEAR! FEAR OF DEATH! Use this stuff! B. CLASSES. NOTE: Please don't link the character profiles to the classes! Some profiles are just born to represent certain classes, but this is NOT that necessary! After I have shown the most common character profiles, I'll try to make a simple class description. As you have noticed, I have made up the profiles, and this part ain't gonna be different. So, let's get started: 1. Leader. 2. Right hand. 3. Sacrificer. 4. Sniper. 5. Frontman (Front-line Soldier). 6. Protector (Mid-LIne Soldier). 7. Backup (Last-line Soldier). -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. LEADER. This is a person that knows the map, and has more than enough brains to lead a party to success. He already has pointed out some strategies, noticed enemy's weaknesses, non-guarded places, entry options. He must not be the best combatant of all (if he is, and is capable of doing all those things, then you should really TREASURE that man!), but he must know what to do at all times. Simple messages like "Follow me", "Need backup" should point out that this man has made up the plan that may lead to victory. Well... Some plan is better than no plan, don't you think? So, listen to him. It is not easy to be a leader. The person who has taken the responsibility must be ready to try different approach to the target every time, or the enemy will soon know what his men are up to! And then "poof!" the entire plan is shattered by the enemy leader. THINGS TO DO: ->Keep high discipline: if you see that someone does idiotic things, be ready to slap him. With words, of course. Use the chat module for that thing. ->Different approach: make up 3-4 ways to reach the target. Change them randomly, so that the enemy doesn't know what are you up to. ->If you need to separate your forces, be sure each group is evenly matched and will survive long enough in direct combat - and win, of course. ->If you need to sacrifice some men to achieve a goal, be sure to plan the sacrifice carefully, so that it won't be in vain. ->Be sure to have a "right hand" man, who will command the army if you happen to die. This is usually one of the best frontmen. Feel free to appoint anyone you like. He should be at least 75% capable of doing your job. ->If you see that more and more problems arise in each round, and you seem uncapable to do your work, be nice and ask if someone wants to be a leader in your place. Otherwise you'll be asked for that. In this case assume that all people on the server are very kind and by no means arrogant and nasty. Otherwise, you may just be kicked out. You know what happens to the stupid generals... I'll say it with 2 words: "FRIENDLY FIRE!" ->Enter combat at all times, while protecting yourself and your men at the same time. KNOW THAT AS A LEADER YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO BE A FRONTMAN, A SACRIFICER, A SNIPER, and all other classes! The Leader is extremely complex personality, and this is why good leaders are so hard to find. 2. Right Hand (or First Mate?!) I, myself was always the "Right hand" and never a leader. I suck at front-line combat, but I can cover all other specialties. The good thing was that we had a leader, and he was real good in his class, and rarely died. But as a right hand, I learned everything what it takes to be a leader. So, I advise all men who are like me, "Right hand" men - learn from the leader, and be ready to do his job! These men must be very wise, and be ready to be efficient leaders. If the Leader decides to spread his forces to, say, two different parties of 4 men, the Right Hand/First Mate immediately takes command of the second party and is obliged to do anything possible to achive victory and fulfill the goal which the Leader has appointed - even if they have to die in the process. THINGS TO DO: ->READ ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE LEADER! This is the only thing you should do. And, :-) of course, fulfill those requirements! 3. Sacrificer. The party must have about 10% of all men sacrificers. Don't worry, you aren't obliged to sacrifice yourself at all times :-) It only happens when the leader decides to send a force that will provide some diversion. These men must try to survive as much as they can, while the main strike team fulfills the goal (like rescuing the hostages, or something else!). Otherwise, these men must buy the best defensive equipment (Kevlar Vest&Helmet at all times!) and have good or adequate weapons (if they have no money). Generally, in my scheme, since these men die the most of all, the other teammates are obliged to buy some equipment for the Sacrificer if he's completely cashless. He is obliged to buy with the money he receives each round the noted Vest and Helmet absolutely necessarily! If they are not required to sacrifice themselves, they act as normal front-line soldiers. THINGS TO DO: ->BE efficient shooter. ->BE ready to die at all times. ->BE wise and never enter the frey that is impossible to win UNLESS the Leader has told you so! ->BE obedient! Even if this sometimes hurts you. Never forget that in the army obedience to high-ranked soldiers is absolutely necessary! 4. Sniper. Usually, snipers represent about 20-30 (at max)% f the entire force. Ahh :-) My favorite! Snipers aren't required to be good fighters, but the visibility they have (usually they take a position, from where they see at least 30% of the battlefield) makes them good Right Hand men. Why? because they can see almost all maneuvering and make loads of deductions about the enemy way of combat, the places they come from and take advantage of this... While snipe-ing the enemy at the same time! You know, it's much like being a goalkeeper (like me :-)) - you see the entire game, you see enemy flaws, strong sides, and soon you're able to command your men, or at least point out some weak places. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS! THINGS TO DO: ->Learn to use your sniper efficiently with meduim and maximum magnifier position! ->Have a spare set of weaponry (you are limited to gun only, so pick either Dual Berettas, FiveSeven or Desert Eagle - it's up to you!) beside your sniper. ->I urge you to use the Arctic Warfare Magnum sniper. This monster can kill with a hit, but it's useless if there's nobody to watch your back. You can cover a specific area, but you can't cover the area behind yourself. This is where the teammates come to play. ->If you have a mission that will not require a Sniper, I suggest that you practice a bit with the M4A1 and the AK-47. You must be a good addition... Not useless. 5. Frontman (Front-line Soldier). The represent about 30% of your party. These men are your most experienced fighters. They must know how to dodge enemy shots, while fighting back at the same time. In one word - they must be your VETERANS. You must be sure that they'll survive at all times, even under heavy fire! It is not easy to find such men, although anyone can be placed in this position. So... These men must be ready to die, but must be ready to sell their lives very dearly! So, the leader must know what kind of people he has at hand, so that he can make a correct selection. THINGS TO DO: ->Wear the best defensive equipment. ->Use strong close and middle-range combat weapons. I recommend the M4A1, the AK-47, or the M4 Super 90 (The Benelli Shotgun). ->DODGE! ->Jump when necessary, making yourself a difficult-to-hit target. ->LEARN how to use these weapons. It akes a lot of practice on Bots to become efficient! ->Carry a Flashbang or Explosive grenade. 6. Protector (Mid-line Soldier). These men represent about 30% of your party. These men are the "FRIENDS BEFORE ALL" psychological character type. Their job is to take care about any surprising attacks (in one word - ambush) and protect the Leader (who is supposed to be somewhere in the mid-line, unless you've got another strategy) as well as the frontmen. They have good long and middle-range weapons: most of the Semi-machine guns allow nice damage and good long-range shoot (I mean with little dispersion) - like the Heckler&Koch Universal Machinepistole, Steyr AUG A1, SG552 Commando. Pick one of those, unless you have another idea. THINGS TO DO: ->Learn to use the 2x magnifier to make your shots more accurate! ->Be ready for fight at all time, regardless of the fact whether there are any enemies here, or not! ->Serve as a good backup unit! Especially if you're in the end of the party! ->Carry a Flashbang, Smoke Gas and if you want, a High Explosive grenades. Since the frontmen will be carrying such, you may skip the use of those. ->Be ready to provide backup for any party! These messages are quickly transferred, so pay attention for them. ESPECIALLY when they unclude the Leader name on them! 7. Backup (Last-line Soldiers). Usually represents about 10-20 (at max!)% of the party. Usually, the backup soldiers are the weakest in the party, and the most inexperienced. They are required to contribute with their firepower only, and carry long-range weapons: like the Steyr AUG, the SG552 or Sniper Rifles (NOTE: RIFLES!). Assuming they're not enough experienced with the Arctic Warfare Magnum, they are supposed to cary long-range, but weaker weapons, use the magnifier and shoot. They are rarely hit, for usually the enemy concentrates on the front-line soldiers. THINGS TO DO: ->Start collecting experience. ->Try to better your shooting. ->Learn to use the Sniper Rifles, and perhaps switch to AWM later on, when you feel confident you're able to use it well. ->Protect the frontmen. Generally, these are the classes I can make up right now (and of course, apply duties for them!). My friends used this structure: 10% Sacrificers 20% Snipers 30% Frontmen 30% Protectors 10% Backup In some maps you may remove the backup and use more frontmen, protectors and snipers. In my scheme, the Leader was positioned in the front (because he was very good - and this is the sole explanation - otherwise I suggest middle-line), and I was in the mid-line with my AWM. CONCLUSION: Try to cover all specialties, maybe with the exception of the "Backup" or the Last-line. With a little bit of practice, and some more teamwork, you can clearly wipe out bots like crazy, as well as human teams. Helping each other in a dire situation is very important. That's why you need the Protectors. Having someone in command is also very imposrtant. Thats why you need a Leader and a First Mate (Right Hand). NEVER FORGET that soldiers were tested (yes, real soldiers!) in games like this, with the simple task to do best and listen to their commanders. Try doing the same. DON'T BE SELFISH! STICK TO YOUR BUDDY! NEVER LEAVE A FRIEND IN DANGER! WORK AS A MILITARY UNIT! Otherwise you may as well waste your time playing this game... (I exclude the option that you're playing just for fun at this specific moment!) ==================================================================== 3. General team strategies. Well... In this part I will try to give some tips about the team strategies at certain critical points in the game. I am well aware of the fact that everything depends on the map you're playing. So, please read the tips and apply ONLY THOSE that suit you. I can't say and promise that they work everywhere! SO: 3.1. Entering a building through a door. Most likely the enemy is guarding the door. If you just enter, you get shot immeduiately. So, what then? There are a few solutions: -> Always have a party member with a weapon that may penetrate obstacles like doors, walls, etc. Such weapons are: Desert Eagle pistol, AK-47, the Arctic Warfare Magnum (AWM), M249 Para. So, use this weapon to shoot at the door several times - even waste a clip on it! ->After you have done this, it's more likely to make all enemies move away from behind the door and if you're lucky, even kill someone! ->Now, it's the time for grenades! Have some of you throw a few Explosive or Flashbang grenades. This should take out a few enemies out of "service" :-). If you yet feel uncertain, throw another flashbang, wait till exlosion, and swarm. Generally, Sacrificers enter first and start shooting at any probable enemy location without waiting response. If there's nobody there, the wasted bullets are a good price for your life in case there was someone and you attacked him first! ->Now, everyone else enters! Don't wait and don't hesitate! If you just wait and watch what's going with your Sacrificers, what's the point of losing these valuable men!? ->You should be fine by now. 3.2. Situation: You need to climb a ladder to reach a room. Since 2 men can't climb up at the same time (only one after another), it's good the first who climbs up have a Flashbang or Eplosive grenade. Throw it in the room without showing your face to the public... Otherwise you're asking about a hole in the skull. Why? Because all people who guard the room are pointing their gun barrels towards the ladder, and if someone dares to enter, they'll kill him immediately. Well... Generally, using ladders to reach guarded rooms is not a job for inexperienced players. Only professionals are supposed to do this, because it takes some aiming to throw a grenade! If this doesn't work, make sure this is the only way in. In 99% of the cases, it's not! Maybe you should try the other way! 3.3. Situation: VERY COMMON! Terrorists make all hastages follow then to a room, good enough to be guarded well (almost all maps have such rooms!) and with 1 or 2 (at max) entrance(s). The best way to deal with the enemies is the Flashbang or Smoke Grenades! If you throw an explosive grenade, you'll inflict substantial damage to everyone, including the HOSTAGES. This an't something you want! So throw a flashbang grenade and swarm while the enemy is blinded! This is the easiest way to deal with them, but be warned that experienced terrorists keep a man or two near the door to shoot at any enemy that tries to enter (or throw grenade) and most of all are armed ith AK-47's! The Kalashnikov kills in a 2-3 hits, so be careful! Anyway, usually this work is done by the Sacrificers again... Poor beings. I have been a Sacrificer, so I know what is it. Anyway, any time I sacrificed myself, we always win :-) 3.4. Dealing with Snipers. First, take a look at the map and vusialize all places, where Snipers may stand and shoot. These are usually high places, corners, hardly reachable places with good view, etc. If you hear a sniper gunshot, and you're not dead already, start running zig-zag type. Quickly turn around and compile all places where the Sniper might be positioned. Hide quickly behind something, wait for the next shot and attack! This can be done in 2 easy ways: ->Approach while the Sniper reloads. Reloading a new bullet takes some time (a second and something), so you may do some running to the Sniper. When he shoots (and you're yet not dead), continue advancing. Your job is to reach his position and make him switch to a pistol. Snipers suck at close range combat, so you'll be able to kill him quickly! ->Shoot at his position while he reloads. This way is a bit dangerous, and you'll most likely rely on accidental hits, which is very, very bad! 3.5. CONCLUSION. I can continue, but most of the other tips will be well known. And, in addition, these tips aren't especially for team combat. There are loads of FAQs and Wlakthrough that offer such tips. I may repeat some of them, but it may look like plagiarizing! So, I think I'll stop here. ==================================================================== 4. Final words. This is actually a way of working as a team. As I said, try it out, and if you don't like it, throw it away. I speak from experince, it is good! However, our military unit has dissipated somewhat and we can't use it anymore and score more victories... I hope you'll find it useful. But never forget that this is a war. In a war people die, people survive, people get injured... So, don't be afraid and calmly accept the death! This is the last tip I can give you. Providence willing you won't have to test your CS skills in a real combat! Thanks for reading, and I hope this team structure is good enough to help you! ==================================================================== DG Dobrev Copyright Aug, 2002 All Rights Reserved