5 Defensive Fundamentals That Will Help Keep You Alive

by admin on June 17, 2008

The following is covered in Level 5 on www.halo3basics.com, and I have supplemented these topics with my own thoughts.

Level 5: Defensive fundamentals

1. Stay away from power weapons

  • Know the distance you want to keep. Don’t get close to shotguns, swords, or hammers. Just walk backwards and fill them full of lead as they eagerly move closer to you hoping to see their cross hair turn red. Bull True! Get in close to a sniper, chances are that they are in scope and can’t see you on radar. Use cover against laser and rockets, make them waste valuable ammo.

2. Take a break

  • Letting your shields recharge, waiting for fallen teammates to spawn, or picking up some plasma grenades before engaging an opponent can make all the difference in a firefight. What good is making 3 people weak without having a plasma grenade or teammate there to finish the job.

3. Don’t be lured by an opponent

  • I love luring opponents. Players get so eager to get the kill that they will walk into grenades almost every time. This also plays into not overexposing yourself. Being close to cover allows you the opportunity to lure an opponent. They may get the jump on you and have you nearly dead but when they hear the ‘tink, tink’ of a frag grenade as they round the corner you ducked around, they know nothing good will come of it.
  • When luring an opponent:
    • Be sure to keep moving after rounding the corner. If they see you stop after rounding the corner they may not fall for the trap.
    • Jump when you think they will round the corner so that your head is not in the spot they are aiming for.
    • Throw the nade to where they cannot see it. Seeing the nade they may get hurt but they may not round the corner. Hearing it is a lot more difficult especially if the player is in split screen.
  • When chasing an opponent
    • Be sure to jump around the corner. This way you will be less effected by a nade and your head will not be in the place your opponent will expect it to be.
    • Let someone else on your team know where and who is weak, since they may be able to finish them off for you.
    • You don’t have to chase, use a wall nade to try to get the finish. A bouncing frag does major damage and can get to places without exposing yourself. It also makes for great bragging material when it works.

4. Keep your cool

  • This one is difficult for me, I had a horrible habit of taking the previous match’s frustration into the next match. Often I would find myself yelling at teammates who are not performing or constantly pursuing an opponent who is better than me giving them kill after kill. I started taking five after matches that got me aggravated, this practice gives me time to not only cool down, but to get something else done as well. Do the dishes, take out the trash, start a load of laundry, or get a snack. This has made playing more enjoyable for me and made me more enjoyable for others.
  • The way to keep your cool when an opponent tries to get under your skin by doing retarded things like tea bagging is to focus on team tactics like attacking with numbers, making them come to you, or becoming invisible on radar. If the opposing team is much better than your team and the game is already lost, then change gears mentally and view the rest of the game as training. Try to stick everyone you see, try to make hard to reach jumps, practice shooting the explosive fusion coils while on the move.

5. It’s ok to run

  • I love running away. Mainly because of the opportunity it gives me to lure an opponent. Try to run towards teammates if you can and be sure to let them know the situation. “2 following, rockets and BR, neither weak”

Be sure to read up on the guide at www.halo3basics.com, and review my additions on the different levels.

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