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Table of Contents|
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1. The Recon Kit
a. About the Recon Kit
b. Why play as Recon?
2. Equipment
a. Default equipment
b. Unlock info (and my personal ratings)
I. Tier 1
II. Tier 2
3. Sniping
a. Sniping terms
b. Strategies
c. Mobile Sniper vs. Camping Sniper
4. General Strategies
a. When to use which unlocks
5. Copyright Info
6. Closing Comments
NOTE: As soon as I get my hands on a copy of Northern Strike, I will
add strategies that I see fit, and also add new unlock info. I know
what the unlocks are, but I haven't used them yet. Hopefully it will
be soon...
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1. The Recon Kit|
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ABOUT THE RECON KIT
-------------------
As many of you know (mostly Battlefield 2 vets), the Recon kit brings
together all the goodness of the special forces kit and sniper kit.
The two tiers of unlocks allow you to either go for the sniper part
of the kid first, or go towards the special forces equipment, or both.
WHY PLAY AS RECON?
------------------
The Recon kit is, in my opinion, the most versatile kit out of all of
the kits. After all the upgrades are fully unlocked, it becomes and
anti-tank (RDX Demopack), extremely long-range anti-infantry sniper
(Sniper Rifles), medium-range assault (Lambert Carbine), or
Infiltrator (Active Camo). It also is extremely fun to play as, 'cuz
who doesn't like taking someone out from halfway across the map?
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2. Equipment|
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DEFAULT EQUIPMENT
-----------------
[Combat Knife]
Description: A knife. You stab people with it. And kill them. What
else is there to say?
Tips: The knife is an acquired taste. Some hate it, some love it. I
never actually realized it's potential until I unlocked Active Camo.
Then, you can use the camo to flank someone defending a silo/flag
and sneak up behind to knife them. Also, it's good if you get up
close and personal with someone, like in the hallways of a Titan.
[EU Pistol/PAC Pistol]
Description: The pistol is a VERY important asset to any Recon Kit.
Probably the biggest difference, disregarding vehicles, between the
European Union and the Pan Asian Coalition are the pistols. The EU's
pistol packs more punch, but only carries 8 shots. The PAC's, on the
other hand holds 50% more ammo (for those of you who play this game
instead of doing your homework, that means it holds 12 shots), but
does less damage per shot.
Tips: Give me an "E"! Give me a "U"! Go, EU! Yes, the EU's pistol is
where it's at. Usually, it doesn't matter how much ammo you have in
an intense close-range firefight, only the damage.
UNLOCKS
-------
Unlocks are acquired every time you gain a rank. Try to achieve pins,
ribbons, and badges to get a lot of points towards your next rank.
It's important to know whether you want to go for Tier 1, Tier 2, a
combination of both, player abilities, squad leader unlocks, or a bit
of each. Snipers should go down tier one, and Special forces should go
for Tier 2 with player abilities. Me, I went for APMs, RDX Demopacks,
then the rest of the way up Tier 1, then up player abilities for the
two sprint upgrades and grenades, then up the rest of Tier 2.
TIER 1
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[APMs (Anti-Personnel Mines)]
My Rating: *****
Description:
Tips: I personally love APMs when sniping, because you can put them
down directly behind you without worring about them damaging you in
the explosion. Covering your 6 is very important when sniping becuase
if you are looking down the scope, 90% of the time you will not be
able to turn around and deal with a threat in time. Also, APMs are
some of the hardest mines to defuse because they have such a large
blast radius. These also are extremely useful for defending titan
corridors by putting them around blind corners so anyone hoping to
enter will be annihilated. Also, BE SURE TO PLACE THEM FACING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION! They will only explode in the direction you are
facing when you put them down. To avoid them, simply crawl by them
[Extra scope zoom]
My Rating: ****
Description
Tips: A must-have for any sniper. It lets you zoom in even more by
scrolling the mouse wheel. This is invaluable when you go for that
long-range headshot that would be pretty hard otherwise. There isn't
much to say about this upgrade. Get it and you can zoom farther.
[Scope Stabilizer]
My Rating: ***
Description
Tips: For some reason, my scope doesn't sway anyways when I'm
playing, but I do notice it sometimes. Holding down SHIFT when zoomed
in lets you keep the scope straight when going for a difficult shot.
By the time you get this, you should be used to the scope movement
and compensate for it whenever you take a shot. Get it if you want,
but this upgrade shouldn't be the reason you went down Tier 1.
[Zeller-H Advanced Sniper Rifle]
My Rating: ****
Description
Tips: Ah, the Zeller-H. An interesting weapon to say the least. Some
people love it, others hate it. It only has 3 shots per clip, and
also has a reddish tint to the scope. Many people skip this sniper
and stick with the Moretti and Park sniper rifles, but I prefer this
one for it's stopping power. It deals significant damage, but will
still usually kill a heavily armored person in 2 shots. Light armored
foes will die in one shot, no matter where you hit. Headshots, as
always, are a 1-shot-kill.
TIER 2
------
[RDX Demopacks]
My Rating: ****
Description
Tips: Now, these you can really get creative with. Theres no limit to
what you can do with these. My favorite tactic, known as Jihading, is
simply putting RDXs on a jeep, switching to the detonator, zooming
into an enemy-infested area, jumping out, and blowing it up. JIHADING
MAY GET YOU KICKED FROM SOME SERVERS! They are also good for Titan
defense, but APMs are better. A good Titan defense tactic is to put
them behind one of those things that jut out of the hallway walls
then hide further back and blow 'em up when an enemy comes by. Don't
make them too obvious, however. Anyone lower than Corporal Gold might
fall for a bunch of RDXs sitting in the middle of the hall, but don't
count on it. An easy way is to simply put them near blind corners.
As for destroying vehicles, jihading is good idea, but sneaking up
behind them while cloaked and dropping some on works too.
[NetBat Fade Delay]
My Rating: *
Description
Tips: Read the description yourself and see how you interpret it. I've
never noticed any effect of this. What I THINK it does is if you
"spot" something, people in your squad will be able so see his
position longer. Other than that, I've noticed nothing special.
[Active Camouflage]
My Rating: ****
Description
Tips: Overrated. Many n00bs see "Active Camo" and think, "Yay!
Invisibility!" Not true. You become completely invisible at long
range, a slight deformation of the air at medium range, and a pretty
obvious blur at close range. I mostly use this for running from
sniping point to sniping point without revealing where I'm going.
The 95% of invisibility at medium-range is good enough, as most
players won't take the time to investigate a slight distortion.
[Lambert Carbine]
My Rating: ****
Description
Tips: Basically an light assault rifle, it is weaker than all the
other rapid fire weapons in the game, save the SMGs Engineers have.
It can switch firing modes just like all assault rifles, and has a
VERY high rate of fire compared to most assault rifles. This can be
good and bad. You can fill someone full o' holes at a higher capacity
than other guns, but you have to reload quickly. I use it when I want
to use a machine gun but want to use active camo, RDXs, or APMs.
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3. SNIPING|
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Sniping Terms
-------------
-Camping: Staying in one spot for extended periods of time, hopefully
racking up kills. No one likes a camper on their team, though, as
they don't help in the grand scheme of things.
-Mobile: On the move; the exact opposite of camping. Usually taking
over silos and stuff.
-Headshot: A shot in the head. Always an instant kill. Go for these
whenever possible, as it won't reveal your position.
-C4: RDX Demopacks are usually referred to as C4s because that's what
the remote-detonated explosives are called in Battlefield 2 and also
are the most common used in all video games and real life.
-Booting: Also referred to as kicking, this occurs when someone wants
you out of the game. This happens a lot if you are a very good
camping sniper, and also if you spam APMs and RDXs defending a
Titan. It happens to every good sniper sooner or later.
-Kicking: SEE BOOTING
-Jihading: Placing RDXs on an FAV (Fast Attack Vehicle) or if you are
really desperate, an APC, and detonating them near an enemy (usually
a vehicle) after jumping out. READ THE SERVER RULES BEFORE YOU TRY
THIS. You may get booted/kicked or even banned.
-Flanking: Moving around an enemy to get behind them without them
knowing. A good tactic is to use Active Camo and run behind them at
medium range, then knifing/sniping them. The former is a good way
to show off your assassination skillz.
-Chokepoint: A small passage where there is a lot of infantry traffic
and a good sniper will have a ball. Usually chokepoints are holes
blown in walls or just openings.
SNIPING STRATEGIES
------------------
The most important rule of sniping is STAY HIDDEN. In a lot of games,
when you are killed, you get a look at where your killer was. In this
game, however, you will have absolutely no idea where your killer was
if they are a good sniper. Also, there are no bullet trails, so it is
much easier to stay hidden. Use this to your advantage.
COVER VS CONCEALMENT
As a sniper, you must know the difference between concealment and
cover. It sounds and seems pretty obvious, and it is. Concealment is
something that keeps you hidden, but can be shot through. Cover is a
solid object that bullets cannot pass through. Concealment comes in
the form of shrubs and small bushes, and even shadows. Cover is
obvious, but there are some unexpected forms of cover you might not
think of. For instance, those fences you see on maps like Suez Canal?
For some odd reason, you can't shoot through them. Most importantly,
do NOT assume, "If I can't see you, you can't see me." If you hide
behind something, theres a good chance your legs, top of your head,
or even your gun are sticking out.
SNIPING SPOTS
There are so many sniping spots it would be impossible to name them
all. To give you an idea, those big oil tanks (I think thats what
they are) that you see on maps like Shuhia Taiba and Suez Canal are
very good because there are two levels, so you can get closer if you
want and also get higher, making you harder to shoot. Remember,
height is not always a good thing. Although it seems like a good
idea, it makes it harder to shoot enemies closer to you. Instead of
having the option of a headshot or the easier torso shot, you ONLY
have the option of headshot because of your near-bird's-eye view. So
next time you think about going to that REALLY high building, think
about whether its a good idea or not. Although it is significantly
reduced from Battlefield 2, THERE STILL IS BULLET DROP! From a high
building, this can be a HUGE factor in how you aim.
MOBILE SNIPER VS CAMPING SNIPER
Camping Sniper: Sits in one spot until he is killed. Hopefully getting
lots of kills, he is not very much of an asset to the team except for
guarding 1 or 2 Capture Points/Silos. The only time that this is
useful is if they are guarding a chokepoint. Camping snipers are
especially useful, however, hanging out in the vents of a titan
and killing people trying to enter the reactor room.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: APMs, Scope Stabilizer, Either Moretti/Park or
Zeller Sniper Rifle.
Mobile Sniper: Moves from spot to spot, capturing Silos/CPs and if
they are good, staying hidden. I do cannot stress it enough that you
usually shouldn't use the Zeller-H if you are a mobile sniper because
the extra ammo per clip is more important than the slightly increased
power. Sometimes you might want to use the Lambert Carbine instead of
a sniper rifle if you are doing some close-range sniping as you will
rarely need to reload. Also, it has a much higher rate of fire, so if
you miss, you will have many opportunites to hit.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: Moretti/Park or Lambert Carbine, APMs, and if
you took the sniper, active camo, or the RDXs if you go for
the Lambert Carbine.
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GENERAL STRATEGIES|
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When to use which unlocks
-------------------------
Anti-Personnel Mines: These rack up the most kills on maps with lots
of choke points like Camp Gibraltar, Belgrade, and some spots on Fall
of Berlin. These are the ultimate hallway defenders as they have a
HUGE blast radius and can only be avoided by crouching or crawling,
both of which will hamper movement, therefore making an easier target
to hit.
Scope Stabilizer: I use this when I'm focusing on sniping and only
sniping. I don't know if it's just me or what, but I rarely even see
any swaying when I play anyways. I have only used this once and it
barely helped, if not distracted me from the sniping at hand.
Zeller-H Advanced Sniper Rifle: This is used mostly for when you camp
because when you camp and have a good hiding spot, you should be able
to afford a reload.
RDX Demopacks: These are used for Jihading, blowing up tanks, and
defending titan hallways. They work real well when everyone will be
crunching through a doorway that is the width of the blast radius.
Remember, these can be seen and defused by engineers, so try to hide
them well, like behind blind corners or on a dark patch of flooring.
Active Camo: This is useful for mobile snipers to go from place to
place without being seen. Remember, it's camoflauge, not invisibility.
People CAN see you, so taking it with you when assaulting a titan is
not the greatest idea.
Lambert Carbine: This is basically what you use for when sniping isn't
the way to go. Defending a titan with a sniper works for when you need
to take out those pesky vent campers, but otherwise go for the Lambert
Carbine.
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COPYRIGHT INFO|
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Copyright 2007 Ryan Goss
This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for
personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or
otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission.
Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public
display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.
Special thanks to EA for making such a great series, and also to DICE
for making this excellent installment. Also, be sure to look for the
updates that I will add, such as Northern Strike and other expansion
packs (you know they're coming out).
If you ever see me playing BF2142 online, my soldier name is
n00b_s14y3r, usually preceded by the $=RKK=$ clan tag (Rich Kids Klan)
