Battlefield 1943 Tips and Tricks: The Scout
Greetings, fellow lovers of the colon.
Yeah, I’m just going to let that hang there for a moment.
That one too.
Now, there are those among you who may have purchased Battlefield 1943 and known the patriotic joy that is found in murdering hundreds upon hundreds of pixelated Japanese people. For some of you, however, this is not all joy and ‘splosions. For some this is running for five minutes, a quarter second of frantic death, then more running.
Fear not, for after days of mockery, I am here to help you.
Some of you may read these tips and tricks and scoff, noting how I fail to mention the exact hiding spot for sniping dudes at spawn X of Flag 2 in Map Zed. I might suggest that these tricks are not for you. Rather, they are for the Hildens of Battlefield 1943, who feel scorned and dejected after hearing such fond, loving stories of it’s earthly delights and find themselves rolled like unsuspecting marks in a German red light district.
So let us begin:
Sniping Do/Don’t do.
Do: Stay the hell away from people. If you’re sniping a target you can sprint to in less than eight seconds, you’re doing it wrong. Your bolt-action death cannon can literally hit a target halfway across a map if you aim and lead the shot properly. Spend some time hunkered on a hillside popping off rounds at a distant spawn point to get the feel for this, then revel in your ability to annoy the hell out of people from very far away. Remember, even a non-fatal body shot can put an enemy out of action for several seconds while their health recharges and net you assist points.
Don’t: Stand on the top of a hill. Yes, you are very high up. And since there’s nothing behind you but skyline, everyone in the world can see you and shoot at you. Even a Jeep’s M2 can pick you off from a fair distance with enough time, so presenting a target like this is a terrible, awful idea. Instead, plant yourself halfway up a hillside and crouch in tall grass. The scout suit’s top half will blend in, and as long as you remain stationary a roving eye won’t be drawn to you as a target, as you will blend in with the landscape behind you. Consider sniping below a target as well. It will present fewer shot opportunities, but opponents generally don’t search low for a sniper.
Do: Stay in a squad. Not only do you make a good spawn point (as you should be far enough from combat zones to allow a relatively safe spawn and regroup) by virtue of being high up with a scope you will spot enemy movements long before they become apparent. Give your infantrymen buddies warning so they can set up a bazooka ambush against that tank and they’ll love you forever.
Don’t: Stay in the same spot. The longer you fire from a position, the more likely someone is going to come gunning for you. As a rule of thumb, don’t spend more than two magazines in one place before moving on to a new spot. The more you move around the less likely you are to be confronted by one or more vengeful dudes you recently ventilated.
Do: Use your dynamite. As a scout you can use the right bumper to lay out 9 sticks of dynamite in 3 stick bundles and create horrible death whenever you want by virtue of your plunger. Your dynamite is one of the single most destructive items in the game, so make as much use of it as you can. Drop your dynamite around a flag and detonate it when the flag goes white for an almost guaranteed kill or three. Likewise, look for choke points a tank or jeep has to go through and plan to ruin someone’s day. Your dynamite can be blown up by other sources, but making the effort is always worth it.
Don’t: Take on multiple guys at medium range. You’re a sniper. Remember this. You have a pistol that is kind of effective, a bolt-action rifle, a knife, and no grenades. Combat monkey you ain’t. So if a bunch of dudes come your way, get in a tank, get on a gun, or run the hell away. People celebrating your apparent cowardice make great targets for head shots.
Do: Go for spawn points. An abandoned spawn point is an easy thirty points and a place for your team to rally. Since you spend most of your time running around in the bushes like a crazy murderous marksman, you can often find yourself isolated in enemy territory. Use this to your advantage. Set ambushes, take flags, and make yourself a giant pain in the ass to the opposition.
A lot of this stuff sounds pretty basic, and it is. However, it all works well. As in all of the Battlefield games, a good sniper can be terrifying. The addition of dynamite in 1943 can make you a holy terror of a guerrilla.
Stay tuned. Next I’ll bring you some plane-based science.
Toodles.
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Tags: battlefield 1943, scout, Sniper, splosions
July 25th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I will begrudgingly admit that Phneri’s suggestions are, in fact, successful. To an alarming degree, really. Clearly, this has come to be by sheer happenstance, however, I would like to at least acknowledge his remarkable fortune in constructing such a helpful article on the workings of the cowardly sniper and wish him further success with his soon-to-be-released treatise on the workings of the combat aeroplane. To you Phneri! Today I do not loathe you! Tomorrow is not today!
July 25th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
For your kind words, Moe, I offer a pro-tip.
Stay the fuck out of Dark Radish’s jeep. Only sorrow awaits within. Great sorrow.
July 25th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
My GP skills are second to none. It’s your shitty communication skills and your non- “Hey I’m in the back of your goddamn GP don’t bail out” -saying skills that only make me look sub-par. Also, it’s Reverend Darkradish to you, sir.
July 26th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
If only EVERY person who EVER played this game could read this article, I would swear MUCH less during matches.
May I offer up another guide request? Something with a title like:
‘Flags: Capture and Protect Them (For Fuck’s Sake) – A Guide On How to Not Lose Within 8 Minutes of Starting A Match.’
Or even something like:
‘Vehicles: Waiting A Brief Moment So That Your Teammates Can Get In So That Success Can Be Had – A Vade Mecum On How To Play Like You Have A Brain’
I really wish that I can kill teammates that don’t know how to play the game besides stealing the vehicles and just wrecking them, thus ruining the game for everyone on their team.
But other than the fact that I sometimes mute myself so that I can scream obscenities at the “team” I am placed with, I really do love this game.
July 27th, 2009 at 3:40 am
Great guide, Phneri! I’ll try out some of these tips…if I can ever stop being infantry.
July 27th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Phneri – Great suggestions but I have a small caveat in regards to your first ‘Do’ about hiding on a hillside. If an enemy is scanning with a weapon they will see and mark you even if they don’t actually see you. Many times I’ll just use my rifle to scan and mark targets that I don’t physically see. This make mobility even more important.
Tyler – It is very annoying how people forget, or blatantly ignore, the fact that the goal of the game is to capture and hold the flags. It isn’t a game of team deathmatch, you fucking douchebags!