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Yodamanjaro's Battlefield 3 guide - tips for every player!

Whether you're a veteran player of the series or a newcomer to gaming in general, this guide will benefit you. Yodamanjaro carries a score per minute (SPM) of over 570, so you'll learn how to get big points, benefit your teammates, and keep your PC running great. Even if you're not playing BF3 on a PC, this guide will be beneficial! PC players, definitely check out the Tech section below. The author boosted his FPS by nearly 30 frames by using the tips described below. You can read the full version of this Battlefield 3 guide here.

Battlefield 3 (for PC) multiplayer tips and guide

Written by Yodamanjaro

I would like to give some original tips credit to BuFFal0-SouLjaH, teekz, Vampwood and Manbra. (If I didn’t include you, let me know and I’ll throw your name here) Without a lot of you guys I wouldn’t have half the great strategies that I have today.

NOTE The screenshots taken are from fraps. They aren’t staged or anything, this is from actual gameplay.

Quick Links:

1. Teamwork

- Rush

35]- Attacking

35]- Defending

- Conquest

2. Gameplay

- NOOBS!

- For everyone else...

3. Classes

NOTE ABOUT WEAPONS ATTACHMENTS

A. Assault/Medic

35]Weapons

B. Engineer ("Engie")

35]Weapons

C. Support

35]Weapons

D. Recon

E. Vehicles

4. Hardware/Settings

1. Teamwork

- Most crucial aspect of the game.

- I judge players not only by how well their scores are at the end of games, but how well they interacted with the team. Stronger players who play for the team and not themselves will do much better with score than others who disregard teamwork and go purely for their K/D.

- Not all points should come from kills. You'll get more respect for a higher score with a decent K/D than you would if you had a great K/D and a bad score.

- Rush

- Play with friends when possible, otherwise you might end up with people who don't know what they're doing.

- Play enough to know where the MCOMs are on each map so you can plan ahead for each attack push.

- Attacking

- Prepare to sacrifice yourself for your team.

- When planting a MCOM, don't stay right there. Keep it in sight but your first instincts should be. Screenshots: http://imgur.com/A9nve http://imgur.com/m1OcL

a. Find someone that's right by it so you can take them out

b. Run out of there to a safe place with the MCOM in your sights.

- You should always try to plant the other MCOM if you arm one. Most of the time you'll end up getting at least one blown up. Times like these you have to trust your team will do their job.

- Go for the quick plant at first. You might get lucky with the defending team being slow to react.

- Smoke your way in if at all possible. It gives away your general position but the key here is to have multiple teammates smoking their way in. With enough smoke any good player will be uncertain of your location.

- Arming/blowing up an MCOM gives you a lot of points. So many, in fact, that it’s equal to multiple kills (up to 6 for arm and destroy).

- Assault class: go for the revives. This will help more than you can imagine.

- Defending

- Push right off to the start, but don't be afraid to back up and hold the "fort"

- Don't always think your teammates are disarming the bomb, assume the worst.

- Assualt class: carry smokes or medkits. Smoke up the MCOM if you have to defuse.

- Conquest

- Stick with a few players but not the whole team. You'll be mindlessly slaughtered otherwise.

- The best players keep pushing. They keep finding a different way to capture a flag.

- Defending flags should only occur when you're in deep crap with a recently-taken flag.

- Start at the C flag? Go for A, skip B. Your team will cover B with no problem. Even if they don’t you’ll most likely have an easier time taking A than you will B.

Screenshot examples: http://imgur.com/SnHMc http://imgur.com/B2Qsg

- This game mode is a bit easier on you if you don't have a strong squad (since you can spawn on a flag).

2. Gameplay

- Press Q to spot an enemy. They should have a red triangle appear above your head. You just did your team a good service.

- Spam that Q button, but it "overheats" after 5 presses within 10 seconds (or something like that). An easy fix is to spot once every 2 seconds. This ensures it won't overheat on you.

- Never shoot your gun full auto unless the enemy is right beside you. Shooting bursts of 3-4 bullets will save your ammo. (This is key for playing support)

- Shooting bursts will result in higher accuracy for long distances. This method also favors the heavy barrel weapon attachment. Screenshot: http://imgur.com/heB05

- Grip also helps this, but will still cause some major recoil if you go full auto with a LMG.

- Some guns have fire modes. You can use them but if an enemy comes out of nowhere, you can't think about changing the fire mode to full auto. Keep on full auto and control your fire rate with your mouse/hand. If you keep to constricting fire modes you will be missing out on a lot of kills.

- Hardcore = Easycore. Don’t play it if you want to improve on your strategy/teamwork. If you want mindless slaughter, go ahead and play it.

- If you EVER have a choice between killing an enemy or taking an objective, take the objective.

- DON'T BE AFRAID TO DIE. You might get revived. You might not. It's part of the game, and you won't get better until you realize dying will happen quite frequently starting out. I myself started with 0 kills and many deaths. If I had a team full of guys who were fine with losing their life for the objective, a lot could be done. Many wins would ensue.

- Getting better comes with more game experience. Getting better takes even more time.

- Don't get angry if a teammate takes your kill. It happens. All of the time. Every time it feels like. But that doesn't mean you should yell at them for doing their job. Just be happy that's one less enemy to worry about and one more ticket drained on the enemy team (assuming you're not on the assault team on Rush). Again, it's about helping the team, not helping yourself.

- Never stick near the major firefights (you know what I'm talking about). Flanking is great but it isn't always an option.

- Instead, try to go alternative ways to bypass the enemy. Objectives are more important anyways.

- NOOBS!

- Always keep on the move. You're a much harder target when moving than you are standing in one place. This tip conflicts with my next one...

- When you shoot, stay still. Your accuracy will noticeably increase. Now this can't mean if you're right up to someone, go ahead and move around them to keep them thinking.

- Crouch when you go up stairs that you know has enemies inside. Not only will they not hear you as much coming up, but you won't die from a claymore.

- Press T to turn off your flashlight. When you aim into a new hallway, light that sucker up to blind those who didn't see you coming.

- When you see the grenade indicator, always assume it's an enemy grenade.

- Always go prone if you're right by a grenade. My hide has been saved on many occasions because of this.

- Avoid tanks if you are assault, recon or support (unless you have C4 of course). If there's a way you can spot it and keep tabs on it for your team, go ahead and do so. As long as you know it doesn't know you're there, you can do whatever you want around it. Often times an enemy will spawn in the tank on his squadmate and quickly escape the tank, giving you an easy kill. Or when they repair the tank you can take them out just as easy.

- For everyone else...

- The key to great K/Ds and great SPMs not only lies in teamwork, but knowing where the enemy is.

- This means you have to keep watching that radar like a hawk. Your team should be able to help you out with keeping tabs on the players that might give you trouble. If they don’t, you have to trust your speakers/headphones. I suggest getting a nice pair of stereo headphones (5.1 and 7.1 have too much going on for you being able to concentrate on where things are).

- This means you should be aware of the medkits/ammo packs you throw. Your character makes a sound when you do these things. If you think you’re in a hot situation and you think the enemy is unaware of your presence, don’t even think about throwing that kit.

- Enemies make a sound when they are near a grenade. Use that to your advantage when throwing one into a room.

- Flank and be where your enemies don't expect you. This means never going the way you prefer to go. The “normal” path is the one that will get you dead the most. Exceptions can be made when you know enemies aren’t around (the “normal” path is usually your quickest path to a destination, being late to a party can lead you to a potential loss).

- If you get spotted and they disappear, you bet your sweet bottom they are on their way to get you.

- You are at a point now where you have to choose a path, and hope you choose the right one to circle around them.

- You can always get lucky with them being a camper. Or someone that thinks you'll just forget you saw them.

- Take things easy when you see an enemy. If you don't get them at first it's not the end of the world.

- Think things through. Don't reload if you have 28/31 bullets in your gun. That's just silly. Keep going until you have < 10 bullets left in your gun. At that point if you have a few seconds to spare, go ahead and reload.

- Often times I've noticed if I wait on my impulse zooming-out of my holo/red-dot an enemy might pop up. Go outside of what you think is "the normal time" to do things and you'll see the patience run out with your enemy.

3. Classes

NOTE ABOUT WEAPONS ATTACHMENTS

- They make small improvements in SPM or K/D. Don't depend on a grip to save your accuracy. Don't think you'll get more headshots if you get a 4x scope on your favorite gun. I get plenty of headshots with my red dot and holographic (holo) scopes. That should come down to your mouse, not your scope type.

- Stick away from the underbarrel attachment. It's a slight increase (reload time?) with frags/smokes/slugs when you have it, which most of the time I would rather have a more useful attachment (I use up my grenade/smoke launcher quickly anyways).

- The INRV (infrared scope) can be a noob attachment, but is very useful. Take advantage of it. Screenshot: http://imgur.com/aUex2

NOTE: the INRV after extended usage can be a crutch for players. Use it sparingly if you want to use other scopes effectively.

A. Assault/Medic

- You're the balls of the team. Act like it. Keep moving and keep going after those objectives.

- I move the most when I'm playing assault. I concentrate on heavy amounts of enemies with support and big vehicles (tanks and helis) with engie. What should you concentrate when you're assault/medic?

- This is all based on how your team is. If you can depend on your squad and/or team, go for the objective.

- If your team is bringing you down, keep reviving them. That revived teammate could save your life in a few seconds.

- Just because your weapon only has 30 bullets per clip doesn't mean you can't lay down cover fire. And cover fire is only suggested when you can’t see the enemy directly (i.e. smoke layers, bushes, etc.). Shoot into it but keep a spray range, don’t just shoot one direct spot. There might be more enemies than you last saw, or they could be keeping on the move.

- Grenade launcher. Yes, it can be used as a noob weapon. You need kill with it to unlock smokes though, so don’t be afraid to use it.

- Smokes, smokes, smokes. This is how your team can move forward without half your tickets bleeding. Always aim a bit further ahead than you expect, this way it gives more space between you and the enemy. Always smoke in anticipation, not for where you currently are. Screenshots: http://imgur.com/zcZ4Q http://imgur.com/zMsXp

- Throw your medpack. Yes, you heal up within a few seconds but this is useful if you’re in a tight situation. Screenshot: http://imgur.com/IybUF

Weapons

- F2000

- I love this gun, mainly because of the lower recoil and the fast fire rate. I find myself constantly running out of ammo and reloading, but I've accepted that due to the great power it possesses.

- The key to this gun is to stick with the grip as an attachment. Many like the laser but I tend to stay away from the laser in general. It gives away my position, and I would rather go with no attachments than go with one that screams "HEY GUYS LOOK AT ME!"

- M16A3/A4

- Great starting weapon, there's no reason anyone picking this game up couldn't kill well with this gun.

- Put heavy barrel and grip on that sucker and let it rip. The A4 is the burst fire version, and I've already went into my rant about using full-auto weapons only. This means stay away from the AN-94 as well as a few of the engineer guns.

- AEK971

- If you don't have the F2000 unlocked, this should be your short-to-mid-range go-to weapon. It's got a great fire rate and is fairly accurate when equipped with heavy barrel and grip (to keep the recoil down).

B. Engineer ("Engie")

- Great for mid-range to close-range. I keep it to close range mainly, and always roll with the RPG/SMAW. This way you aren't constricting yourself to shooting at a land vehicle or an air-type vehicle. This makes it harder but it's worth it in the end. Screenshot: http://imgur.com/FDrTH

- I've blown up helis with the RPG/SMAW, it should only take one good hit with it to disable the vehicle.

- When shooting at a vehicle, move your position after shooting that vehicle after every shot. Somehow the tanks/helis know where I shot then from. To counteract that I’ll flank them, take a shot, move to the other side when they aren’t looking, take out the engie trying to repair the tank, and so on. Since you should be using the explosive perk, you’ve got enough rockets to take out 2 tanks.

- Don’t use your RPG/SMAW for infantry (directly). Blowing up buildings can be done just as well with a grenade launcher. The radius for infantry is really small, even spamming an RPG is useless compared to gun fire. If you want to take out multiple objects, throw a grenade.

- Disabling a vehicle is important. If the driver/pilot isn't an engie, that vehicle will slowly diminish health until it's blown up. More hits at it ensures you'll get the kill/vehicle destroy points. (You get ribbons too! http://imgur.com/wVmPW)

- Carry the explosive perk (lets you carry more rockets). Definitely useful if you don’t roll with support teammates that don’t drop you ammo.

Weapons

- SCAR-H

- Powerful. Kills fast.

- Don't use if it's even questionably longer than mid-range. This weapon is good for short to mid-range only.

- Keep this weapon burst fire and that should counteract the recoil.

- G36C

- Great alternative to the SCAR-H

- Faster fire rate and has more bullets in the magazine than the SCAR-H.

C. Support

- Great for laying heavy fire down on enemies, along with spraying along areas with known enemies.

- Drop ammo. If you're by 5 teammates, or even 1. Even if there's an ammo kit right there, drop one anyways.

- There's never enough ammo for guys like me (I roll with squad ammo all of the time, yet I usually drop out when I play assault or engineer). On maps with more vehicles it's crucial for engineers to keep their rockets replenished.

- C4 can be great when you're on a vehicle-heavy map. Use it wisely and don't hesitate to run at vehicles head-on.

- I've been in a tank, seen a person run right at me and thought it was a teammate. Experience tells me this was a guy with C4, but you never know when you're going against a noob.

Weapons

- M240B

- Kills the fastest than any other weapon in BF3

- HUGE recoil (the mouse trick really applies here)

- M249 SAW

- Good for spraying enemies (use the extended clip for BC2-type action)

- Powerful weapon (but not as powerful as many assault rifles in terms of time to kill)

- Claymore

- Use on stairwells, because everyone won't be crouching up them.

- C4

- Help your engineer buddies out with killing those vehicles if you're by them. Tanks are usually looking for things out mid-range to long-range. If you can manage to sneak up to one you're in the clear.

D. Recon

- I haven't had a desire to touch a sniper rifle in this game, mainly because my personal thoughts on sniping is that it really hinders your ability to help out your team. Camping back and trying to kill one guy at a time is useless when I'm up front blowing up MCOMs and taking flags.

- Assault sniper is acceptable because of the unlocks you get can easily help out the team.

- Keep up with the other classes, don't be afraid to get some more deaths due to the nature of your weapon.

- Play non-class weapons (such as PP-2000 or any PDW) with the recon class. This really forces you to be up with your team while using the items your class gets.

E. Vehicles

- Be sure to keep up to date on your vehicle perks. The flares (when used at the right time) will save you from getting shot down in a heli. Wait for the long beep, not the short beeps.

- The smoke in a tank will help you stay in cover. (Right click when you're the driver)

- If you are the gunner in any vehicle, spot like crazy. This is your chance to tell your team where you're aiming, and any help is positive for you.

4. Hardware/Settings

- Always keep your frames per second (FPS) 60 or above. No exceptions.

- Play at a comfortable mouse sensitivity. Turn off any acceleration the game offers. You want raw mouse input. This doesn't mean you should turn it up, if you can't handle it then you can't handle it. Don't listen to those people who tell you to turn it down or up more. Play at where you think you can handle aiming smoothly and precisely. If that means you have to turn down the sensitivity, just take note that turning around impulsively won't be as easy as those with faster sensitivity. But overall you should be fine.

- Crank up field of view up to 80-90. I personally play at 90, but that's completely up to you.

- Voice chat it up! Being able to communicate with other teammates definitely increases your chances for a better score along with a better chance of a win.

- Communicate constantly with your team. Let them know where the enemy is that killed you, they might have spawned on you a few seconds ago, it could save their life. And they could get that enemy for you.

- Tell your team where you are going. Always ask for assistance. When you roll with a squad, you're bound to do much better than you would if you were on your own.

- Change your keybindings to keys that make sense. If you use the laser or flashlight often you should change the toggle on it from T to something closer within reach (I personally have F as that key).

- Melee should be within reach easily along with crouch/prone and grenade.

My changed key-bindings

- Grenade is middle-mouse (scroll wheel click)

- Melee is the closer thumb button on my Razer Deathadder.

- Prone is X, Crouch is C.

- I really liked how Bad Company 2 had the primary weapon as 2, so I swapped secondary and primary weapons.

- I often hit 3 or 4 for my equipment or med/ammo kit. Scrolling often takes too long and you might overscroll. Hitting the numbers ensures the weapon you desire is the one that will come up.

Note: If there is enough interest I could go through every map to show what strategies you should take for conquest and rush.

If you have any helpful tips or anything to add to this, please let me know! Email me: yodamanjaro@gmail.com

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