Now I don't claim to be (and am definitely not) the best player of Red Orchestra 2, but I often see really simple mistakes that could be easily remedied by some reading. It's a relatively long list, so get comfy if you want to read all of it.
Here they are (I was/am/will be guilty of these shortcomings occasionally, which is how I came to at least half of these conclusions).
(Ctrl+F and copy/paste to jump to where you want to go)
1.Grenades
2.Satchels
3.Objectives
4.Ammo Resupply
5.Machine Gunner
6.Marksmen
7.Anti-tank
8.APCs
9.Flanking
10.Artillery
11.Squad Leaders/Team Leaders
12.Tanks
13.Engineers
14.Mortarmen
15.Flamethrower
16.(Russians) Charge
17.(Japanese) Banzai
18.Assault Trooper
19.Riflemen
20.Windows/Corners + Cover System
21.Bullet Avoidance
22.Dying
23.Friendly Fire
24.Class Choices
25.Communication
Postscript
1.Grenades: This one heavily applies to me, I have too much experience with TK grenades. It's how I got the idea for this guide! Anyway...Don't be dumb. Check your map (M default) before blind grenading (Don't throw at blue dot. He is your friend, he fights for freedom ;)), don't throw grenades in front of an objective your team is currently attacking, and don't spam them in close quarters. Friendlies
will die. A helpful tip is to throw them underhand by pressing melee (MMB default) to toss them just over windows or around a corner. Another helpful tip is that you can essentially aim your toss with the tip of the left hand of your character. Also, German grenade timers: you can cook your grenade for 4 seconds but you better toss it at "4 one thousand" or you'll lose your hand :o. With all other grenades, you have to ready and hold it (LMB default) and then press melee (MMB default) to cook it (Russian Grenades: 3 seconds, American: 4 seconds, Japanese: 4 seconds, Japanese Mortarman: 7 seconds), you'll hear a little sound as an indicator of the cooking. Speaking of Japanese grenades, set booby traps! It's as simple as looking at the ground while crouched and holding RMB (default) in a potentially high-traffic area (just outside of doorways, chokepoints, group-up spots behind walls, etc) that the enemy will move into after capturing the current objective. They don't dissappear if you die, but you can only have two set traps at a time; try to add more and the first one will disappear. You can always walk up to an ammo dump and have two more grenades. It must be
soft ground or sandbags, cannot be concrete. Anti-tank grenades are useless against human targets (I've actually gotten one kill that way though :D), do not even try, but against tanks you must get close and aim for the turret or engine on the back. Smoke grenades must be thrown as close to the enemy as possible, running through smoke onto the battlefield may feel "epic" but it's just a good way to blind yourself and get shot as you come out. Be smart, this isn't CoD where you toss and forget. Unless you are on Apartments and it's the beginning of a round...that is just like CoD...*Note: I believe that if you dive on a live grenade, it will only blow you up and save your allies. If you have no time to type "grenade* just dive on it (it's just one ticket as opposed to losing many because you ran out of the room to save your own hide).
2.Satchels: See that satchel icon near a place that a satchel is usually needed if you press "T"? DON'T EVEN GET CLOSE. Seeing players autokicked because people just waltz right over to satchels like idiots and die, even with a warning (perhaps a "innocent until typed 'guilty'" code would work better than "oh you killed a friendly immediately guilty and autokicked" mechanic), is incredibly annoying when it's your satchel. If there's a satchel objective or an obvious place for satchel destruction, stop and press "T" before walking up to it and being greeted by an explosion. You'll save someone else and yourself a whole hell of a lot of aggravation by thinking first and acting later.
3.Objectives: If you are a rifleman, assaulting class, or someone that isn't a marksman/MG; get your behind on the battlefield and move up. Squad leaders should pop smoke for cover. Often I see large groups of friendlies sitting in the last captured objective or they just run in straight lines at the front of an objective only to be easily countered by bullets, think about what you're doing.
4.Ammo Resupply: If you see a MG, please just press the action button when near him (CTRL default). It will give him ammo to ventilate more enemies, which is good for you. Too many times I've seen MGers spamming "NEED MORE AMMO" and people just walk past them. If you don't feed his MG, his MG can't keep enemy heads down, and you will likely lose your own as a result.
5.Machine Gunner: You are not Rambo, don't get so close that you can't mount your MG. But you should also not be pixel sniping from 200m away. Get close to your friendlies and help them move up by providing covering fire or hurt your enemy's advance by firing at typical travel points. Don't sit next to another MG because that's a bit of a waste, seeing as two men are doing a one-man job. Move about 20m away or aim the way he is not so you can cover more area. Flanking yields great results. Never fire more than a
short bursts i.e. 4-6 bullets at a time. Full auto will just make a lot of noise and enemies will know you are (and that you are reloading when you stop). If there is smoke, spray into it and suppress/kill enemies.
6.Marksmen: You are not Vasily Zaytsev :rolleyes:. Don't be the lone-wolf in the shadows, actively help your team. Sit about 100m out from the objective where you can
see the objective. If you see an MG, take him out! If you see an enemy moving into the objective, take him out! If you see a soldier with binoculars, take him out! It's that simple. Don't hug the edge of the map and try to get 300m kills, you'll end up with 4 kills per game and be essentially useless.
7.Anti-Tank: This is the most important anti-tank related tip I can give you; on both tanks (aim at the middle of the gap the PzIV and right at the gap on the T34), aim between the second and third wheel on the side of the tank between the treads. It is an ammo supply and the tank will kaboom in 1-2 hits instead of hearing "CRUNCH" all day long shooting at random spots. Also, your gun is only useful at about 100m. Get close. If you can't hit that area, aim for the turret ring or the front of treads to try and immobilize parts of the tank. If you have to rush a tank with a satchel or anti-tank grenade, drop your heavy rifle to give yourself more speed. You can come back for it later if you don't die. Pics below (click for full size)
Attachment 14760Attachment 14761*Hopefully TWI posts the same bodymaps for the upcoming additions to the tank family, and maybe the APCs as well!
8.APCs: Use them! They were put in the game for a purpose, to quickly move squads onto the front lines with a decent amount of armor and armed with an MG. Don't just ignore them as a "Light Tank" and don't try to use them as such. They are quite good as mobile mounted-MG pillboxes though...
9.Flanking: You know how to flank, right? Where you move to the edges of the map to get a better position on the enemy? Well so does the other team. Watch your flanks, any flanks! I recently played Station as a Russian. There were Germans all over the second set of objectives in the large building. They can come through the basement, they can run up the stairs on the right, they can come from outside at C, etc etc. You get the picture. I had to do a de-Krauting of the upstairs levels with my PPSh because a squad got up there, and in the basement, and cover the windows that are open to C :cool:. Be wary, because if you can use a pathway so can your enemy.
10.Artillery: If you hear "okay guys arty coming down on (x) position", check your map (M default) to make sure you aren't underneath it. You don't want to needlessly die from friendly arty and possibly autokick your commander for racking up teamkills because of ignorance of warnings. When it comes to enemy arty, just avoid the area until it's done. Don't try to run through while the next salvo is being readied, you'll probably lose some important limbs and the team will lose tickets. Just wait it out or get inside and away from doors/windows because explosions will reach through those. If you have no roof, get to a lower level where there is one because arty will fall through that too.
11.Squad Leaders/Team Leaders: Arty marks behind the objective. Not on, not in front, behind! Cut off the enemy not your friendlies. Squad leaders should be actively pushing the objective at all times, but should be careful because they are also a vital spawn point. Pop smoke as close to the enemy as possible and move up. Team leaders, you may think you are special, but you are also a soldier. If you're waiting for the next arty and just did a recon run, fight! You have automatic weapons and 2 smoke grenades for a reason, not to just sit back and admire them.*Note: Team Leaders really should have mics for maximum usefulness, but otherwise make sure you constantly update your team on what's happening through text. It's nice to have a TL that communicates :p
12.Tanks: You may be a metal machine of death and fire, but you are your
team's metal machine of death and fire. Support them! If they ask for help with anti-tank, need covering fire, or just need something to run behind so they can move up then do it! Tanks can be the difference between achieving a glorious victory because you valiantly defended your teeny-tiny fellow soldiers, or suffering a crushing defeat because enemy MGs gave your friendlies high-speed lead poisoning (Bridges of Druzhina is a prime example of this, the attacker's tank is often *the* deciding factor between making it past the first objectives or getting your *** handed to you). Face your front to the enemy and use cover (try to get just your turret to show) to avoid exposing weakpoints, because you are not invincible. The friendly soldiers you are protecting may save your life from a rushing anti-tanker as well.*Note: if you allow other players into your vehicle COMMUNICATE WITH THEM (with squadspeak, see "communications" below). One can be gunner, one can be MGer for maximum fire output. Or one can be driver and the other can be gunner for mobility. Regardless, both are better than having two guys in a tank with two different thoughts about what they should be doing :D.
13.Engineers: See those tank traps (metal crosses in the ground)? Or that barbed wire? Or that debris in the stairwell? Or that metal door? Or that pillbox? Or that tank reaking havoc on your team? Or that objective with an explosion sign on it? USE YOUR SATCHELS TO BLOW THEM UP (if they say "destroy" you will get points, if they say "protect" you will lose points). It can be incredibly helpful. Just remember to tell your team and hope they don't saunter over there.
14.Mortarmen: I'll probably get some flak (heh) for this, but here's to helping make mortarmen more effective using indirect fire. If Japanese are attacking, simply set your distance to 10-20m behind the objective range (press "T" for range to objective) and lob away. Extremely effective when all mortarmen coordinate this attack, it's basically a small arty coming down on American heads. Useful in sync with Banzai. Otherwise, if any enemy is spotted you can press "M" for map, adjust to the range, and fire away. Defense is slightly more difficult, but if the objective is being attacked set the distance for about 10-20m in front via the aforementioned method.
15.Flamethrower: 1. Be at the front of an objective 2. Invite Japanese to objective 3. ??? 4. BBQ :cool:
16.(Russians) Charge: If you sprint with 5 or more friendlies you will start a charge (your characters will start yelling things like "UUUUURRRRRAHHH" and "ZA STALINAAAA" or "ZA RODINUUUUU"), this is easily apparent in the beginning of a round when the team is bunched together. Your charge will suppress enemy soldiers.*Note: Germans have a similar charge, but is only available after they kill someone and then melee sprint.
17.(Japanese) Banzai: Your one obvious advantage over the American team and their technological superiority is your Banzai charge. USE IT. So many teams lose momentum because they don't start a Banzai rush to the objective or only a few people join in. Your Banzai is powerful; you can take more damage, your Banzai suppresses the enemy, and you usually get an insta-kill with whatever melee you have. Remember cooking grenades (Normal Japanese 4 seconds Mortarman 7 seconds)? If you cook one while banzaing Americans and you blow yourself up, it will not count as a suicide and you will receive points for any kills you make. For obvious reasons MGs should not Banzai even if they have the bayonet attachement, their suppressing fire is far more useful as their team moves into the cap zone. Banzai is especially useful for chain-capturing objectives and not letting the enemy dig in. So when a TL or the SLs call for a Banzai charge, follow them. For the Emperor!*Note: The Emperor will not give you Sake for this.
18.Assault Trooper: It's in your damned name. Assault the objective and be the spearhead for your riflemen to follow, your automatic weapons will easily overtake most enemies. Don't sit back and be a stick in the mud while taking rapid potshots at moving blurs.
19.Riflemen: You are a pawn. It is your job to get in an objective cap zone and take it, because you are the most numerous class. You are the backbone of the team, follow the TL/SL orders and you will succeed.
20.Windows/Corners + Cover System: The cover system in RO2 is a great addition, but it has notable flaws just like in real life if you used it the same way. If you take cover behind a window and stick your gun out, enemies can see your gun sticking out too. So instead of taking cover right at the window or wall, stay back a few steps so enemies can't see you outlined as easily (it is natural for the human eye to see an outline like a window and look inside, and also naturally focuses on movement). Otherwise, if you're in cover you can "peek" by just pressing the "WASD" key appropriate to look around the corner; it will only reveal your head and it is faster to pop back into cover than if you whip your gun over the cover as well. When moving around corners, "slice the pie" i.e. move in a semi-circle a few steps back from the corner to hide most of your body. Personally, I just disabled the cover system by rebinding keys because I rarely used it.
21.Bullet Avoidance: You know that aggravation when you sprint for a long time, are almost to where you want to be, and then suddenly a flurry of hot lead flies out of nowhere and now you have new windows in your chest? Try making sprint bursts instead of marathons, where you crouch sprint (and perhaps zig-zag) for about 3 seconds before diving back down into a mostly secure spot with some cover. Crawl for another few seconds, and repeat the process. This works very well when in tandem with an MG or other soldiers providing covering fire while you sprint and then you give them cover etc etc. You'll save on stamina and tickets this way. Also, a tall soldier is a dead soldier. Go prone or crouch.
22.Dying: Come to embrace this fact. You will die. Get over it, this game is not about kill/death ratio and you can't win Team Objective by getting high kill counts. I've seen people with 25+ kills on the lower half of the leaderboard because they don't play the objective, and seen people with 5 kills be near the top of the leaderboard because they are hammering the objective with all they have in them. A few nights ago I played Pavlov'sHouse and everyone on the team was sitting in the A objective, not even attempting to move into C. Round was drawn out to time, and what a boring round it was when you are telling people to move up and help capture an objective that you've been sitting in for 5 minutes while they are jacking off in the spawn buildings :(. Don't camp in the shadows and sit back taking potshots at moving pixels, move up and get engaged in the battle. You'll have more fun and you'll support your team. It's okay to die.
23.Friendly Fire: Here we go. Allies run with two hands on weapon, Axis run with one hand on weapon. Russians are tan with fur hats (sometimes flattish helmets), Germans are grey with grey helmets. Japanese are tan with tan hats or leaf-covered helmets that have neckflaps, Americans are olive green with olive hats or olive helmets (straps undone). Don't just shoot at movement or a far off figure, try to confirm that it's an enemy before putting a bullet downrange like a sugarhigh child. Knowing weapon sound differentiations and shapes helps in CQB as well, but can't always be relied upon if team has a captured weapon (take note, use that to your advantage). If there is no "enemy man" shape near an objective icon at the bottom of your screen in the objective you are in, do not shoot at movement that comes around the corner because it will likely be a friendly. If someone is rampantly TKing and many people are asking for a kick, please contribute and votekick them instead of just ignoring it thinking "well it's not my problem". It takes 5 seconds by pressing "Esc", going to vote, scrolling through the names and voting to kick them. Will make the match much better without someone constantly shooting you or others in the back :).
24.Class Choices: If you're a low level with little experience,
DO NOT take an important class like TL, MG, or SL. You won't learn when people complain about how bad you are while you drop arty 3 objectives behind the front. Instead take a class like rifleman, and learn how your TL, MG and SL act from being by them or listening to them. If you
really really really want to use that important class, play with bots or do the tutorial to at least figure them out first. Nothing more aggravating than a TL that has to ask "how do I do [x]" or an MG who camps in the back spawn instead of actually contributing to the team.
25.Communication: Last of all I figured to make communication well known. With voices (hold down the button) "Capslock" is default for teamspeak, "O" is default for allspeak. So if you want to tell your friendlies what to do without telling the other team use "Capslock", but if you want to say "good game" to your opponent you need to press "O" or you will only be talking to your team. With text "U" is default for teamspeak, "Y" is default for allspeak. Same applies here. "P" is used for squadspeak "I" is used for text squadspeak and can be helpful when telling your SL not to move up because he'll get shot to pieces with only 4 seconds left on the respawn timer without confusing other SLs. Finally, I believe that when there are no reinforcements, dead players cannot talk to live friendlies so don't bother telling them anything. You can forgive them if they TK you, but none of your text or speech will reach them. Live players can obviously talk to other live players and I believe live players' text/speech will show up to dead players. Speech will not play before a round starts but text will be displayed.
That's all that I could think of, if you have any more "protips" or corrections feel free to add. I don't profess this to be a know-all end-all list; they're just some notes I jotted down in no particular order when thinking about what others (and I) could have done differently in certain situations, or helpful tips I learned from others that I would like to pass on. Just remember, look before you leap!
Postscript: If you haven't checked out the Immersion Overhaul Mutator (IOM) by Dibbler67, you should. The changes made to the vanilla game are outstanding, and having this mod whitelisted would be a godsend to RO2/RS. Not only would it make the gameplay slower and more thinking-paced (like RO: Ostfront as many seem to want) through increased recoil, surface dependent movement speed (no more Usain Bolt soldiers ;)), and slower weapon handling but it also adds great features like shrapnel, character skins, and hearty sounds to explosions and guns. Check it out in the Steam Workshop, on the TWI forums, or on Dibbler's Youtube channel. Thanks to Dibbler and other collaborators for all their work!
I hoped this helps someone. Now get out there and get shooting! :IS2:
