The Battlefield series has long been a popular source of multiplayer mayhem on the PC, and in recent years it has become a hit on consoles as well. Bad Company 2 has revived interest in the franchise, well-known for its team-based combat and player-controlled vehicles. While many of the shooter skills learned in other games carry over nicely into Bad Company 2, there are some differences which can affect your performance. Here are some tips to help you and your cohorts get the upper-hand in BC2 matches.
1. Teamwork and More Teamwork
It goes without saying that cooperation is key in any team-based shooter, but BC2 emphasizes and rewards teamwork more than most. This is due in part to the game's classes and squad system. The classes tend to compliment each other if they're played well, and lone wolf tactics, although viable for snipers, are rarely as effective as cooperating with your squad. Many of the following points address ways to improve teamwork.2. Join a Squad
There are several advantages to being in squad, the most important of which is being able to respawn on your squadmates. This can greatly reduce the time it takes you to get back to action after dying, and serves as a way to keep your squad together. It's important to consider your options before respawning. If your team needs more vehicles in play, for example, spawning back at the base is a good idea.3. Spot Enemies
On servers that allow it, you can spot enemies while they're in your sights ('Q' by default). This puts a red marker over them for a few seconds to warn your teammates about them. Keeping aircraft spotted as much as possible makes them visible on the mini-map and helps your team avoid them.4. Play a Class Your Team Needs
As cool and as fun to play as the Recon class is, a team made up mostly of snipers puts you at a considerable disadvantage. Medics and Engineers may not be quite as sexy, but they play vital roles on a good team. A squad with a Medic to revive fallen soldiers, an Engineer unleashing rockets, and an Assault player providing additional ammo can be a major force in the combat zone.5. Objectives Are More Important Than Kills
Aside from the squad deathmatch mode, objectives are more important than your personal kill count in BC2. While a kill does reduce the enemy's ticket count in Conquest mode, holding the most command points is clearly the easiest way to win. Killing attackers in Rush mode reduces their ticket count, but killing defenders doesn't have any impact on the match score; all that matters for the attacking side is destroying the MCOMs. Subsequently, as a defender it sometimes pays to sacrifice yourself to slow the attackers down or protect an MCOM.6. Destruction is Dangerous
Remember that in BC2, a building can collapse and crush you, or a fuel tank can explode and incinerate everyone nearby. While these are hazards you need to be wary of, when the opportunity arises they can also work to your advantage. When in doubt, pull the trigger, because you may expose the enemy by destroying walls and toppling towers.7. Drive With Care
Jumping into a tank and rushing straight at the enemy rarely turns out well. Vehicles are generally most lethal at long distances, because when they're up close they're vulnerable to C4 charges. One C4 charge placed on the side or back of a tank will put it out of commission. For the same reason, it's good to move as a group with your gunner and/or infantry protecting your flanks. If you take a hit give Engineers a chance to repair the tank in a safe spot. An Engineer squating behind a tank an repairing it while it's under fire can go a long way.8. Learn to Fly
Helicopters are a fun an helpful feature on several BC2 maps, but it takes a while to master flying them, especially with a mouse and keyboard. They're not central to any part of the single-player campaign, so about the only way to get some uninterrupted practice time with them is to join an empty server and fly around for a while. Arica Harbor is a good map for this, as it has helicopters on both sides.9. Travel Together
In some helicopters the pilot has no weapons, so flying around by yourself won't accomplish much unless your squadmates decide to spawn in with you. Door gunners can only fire out of the side, and a slow, steady arc around the target makes it easier for them to aim. If you only have one gunner, you need to coordinate with the pilot to ensure that you're facing the right way. Engineers can repair a helicopter mid-flight from the passengers seat, so it's good to have them onboard.10. Mind the Server Settings
Server admins have a number of settings that can have a big impact on gameplay. Among these are toggles for friendly fire, spotting, the kill cam, and a few other interface elements. Admins can also turn on hardcore mode, which essentially reduces the GUI to the bare minimum, as well as increasing damage taken by all players. The toggles are also available in hardcore mode, so there are a large number of possible combinations. If you want to know what you're getting yourself into, it's worth having a look at the server settings before joining a game.
