Just let them stay down Chickens!

But I think that was why they lost! The enemy was so caught up in the killing that they didn't realize they needed to do anything else :-D

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That was my initial thought too. Normal strategy is kill one, run at 'em.

However, if these guys were just thinking "lol let's see how many times we can snipe," I understand. Sometimes you've gotta entertain yourselves.

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I know I don't really understand some of the intricacies of this game type and wouldn't mind being by some of you with Xbox accounts. Maybe we can just play the Elimination game type during the week for practice or something.

Yeah, I could probably use this too. I could also use Sniper teaching because I suck at it. And a team that has a good sniper/s on their team normally wins.

Trials is really, really, really about teamwork more than anything else. There are a very small percentage of unreal players, like RealKraftyy, who can actually win 3 v 1 all day, but that is absolutely not the norm.

So what is the norm? It's really good teamwork, staying far enough from your buddies to be out of grenade range, but close enough to team shoot an enemy or res an ally, and communicating. Constant communication.

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Start with knowing the maps inside and out. Know where control points A, B, and C are. Decide, as a team, what to call each and every area.

For last week's trials on memento, we used the following call outs (keep in mind the map is shaped like a baseball diamond, and spawns are at mid right field and mid left field respectively:

Our spawn, their spawn: Obviously wherever each team spawned for that round.
Box: The cube room with the heavy on top of it in the middle of the map.
Mid: The "road" that both spawns start out on, which loops through the map like the outside edge of the infield.
Near: The section of hallway closer to the box area, sort of like the path from first base to second to third.
Far: The section of hallway on the absolute outside of the map, where heavy ammo spawns. like running down the outside wall of the field from deep right through center to deep left field.

Beyond the basic callouts there, we came up with names for more common areas that we encountered teams.

C-Ramp: The square room at the bottom of the C-side ramp in the Far area.
A-Ramp: The room at the bottom of the A-side ramp in the Far area.

C-Special: The area near the ammo box behind the bus at the C-side spawn
A-Special: The area near the ammo box behind the planter box at the A-side spawn

And so forth.

It's important to use 1 syllable call outs whenever possible to speed communication. "Mid, up the ramp!" "Far heavy!" "Box, in the room" should all be really clear descriptions of where enemy players are.

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Callouts don't kill people though. People kill people.

You need to know who you're playing with, how they play, and how you can help them win their fights. I play with two excellent snipers (I'm not so bad myself, but prefer a shotgun). They don't need my help to kill enemy players, but they definitely need me to protect them from rushes and alert them to flankers. Similarly, I don't need their help in a CQC situation, but I do need them to distract the enemy enough that I can get into close quarters in the first place. So the play that works for me is to stay on the flank of their sniper lanes all the time. That both guards their flank and puts me in position to charge in if the enemy really engages with them. This kind of teamwork did not happen overnight, and there was a lot of yelling and frustration on all sides as we got to know what to expect from one another. We are at a much better place this week than we were three weeks ago, for example, and feel like we can compete with anyone we're matched against.

You also need to know who your enemies are. We always scout the other team as we fly in. Look at their spec, see what weapons they're using, that sort of thing. You need to know how many snipers, how many shotgunners, how many self-resses, and how many invisible players they have. Beyond that, just be aware of what each team is bringing to the table. Some teams will try to fake you out during the fly in, or change weapons mid-round... you have to learn to adapt. If the enemy has one really good player, be sure to guard that guy's orb like crazy if he dies.

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But... shooting is important, too, right?

Yes, yes it is. Bring a gun that wins. Trials is not the time to experiment with a new build or pretend you've cracked the destiny code that no one else on earth has ever figured out until now. Stick with your best spec, best gear, best loadouts. Snipers are prevalent because it's a one shot kill from anywhere on the board. Shotguns are 1-shot up close, but fire more quickly than snipers and don't need as much aim. Rockets kill enemy players even if they kill you, too. Anything else needs to be your most effective gun. I use Nirwen's Mercy as my primary because it's a 3 burst kill, my radar stays active, and it works well over very long distances. I'm trying to level up my MIDA to use that instead because more speed = faster shotgunning and the stagger is quite good, plus it still has 3rd eye. Lots of people use The Last Word because it complements a sniper rifle so well.

You will see a LOT of snipers and shotgunners. Snipers with high impact can 1-shot someone who just got resurrected, so be sure to watch for those. 1000 yard stare is the most prevalent. shotguns with high range are great, too. Conspiracy Theory-D is the most common one of those.

Because of these facts, you need to know the situation you're in. If you see a sniper's glint, do not peek to see if he's still there; assume he is and he's dialed in on your head. Call out his position. If you see someone charging in close to you, assume they have a shotgun if you can't tell what they're holding. Call out the rusher. Grenades are good for finishing off enemies. If they open with a grenade, expect them to charge in afterwards to mop up, and call that out, too. And as for yourself, go for those 1-shot kills as best you can. Set yourself up for success by using good guns (even if you think they're cheap). Flank enemy positions, approach ensconced enemies from multiple fire lanes, and coordinate your attack so you're shooting at the same guy but they're shooting at different guys. Your team should almost never be in a situation where you're all in a straight line.

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What if he's not quite dead?

Do not pursue fleeing enemies if you are wounded. They are luring you into a 1v1 situation. Instead, take advantage of their flight in order to establish yourself in a stronger position on the map with respect to where your allies are. Regroup and hunt as a pack. Protect enemy orbs so they can't res their allies. If you have them pinned down, throw grenades before breaking cover to attack them. If they are full on fleeing, let them go before you risk losing any advantage you may have by walking around a blind corner into a shotgun. Be cold, be methodical, be efficient.

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We won! Now what?

The round isn't over after the 3rd enemy player dies. Can anyone on their team self-res? Watch out for that. If not, sprint for the nearest special ammo box and restock. That ammo may decide the outcome of the game. Decide on your strategy for the next round. Do NOT do the same thing every round, even when it's working. Mix it up and catch the enemy off guard.

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We lost! Now what?

Don't go on tilt. Keep your cool. What did you learn about the enemy strategy? Do they have an amazing sniper? Don't move through his sniping lanes. Was their rush too much for you to handle? Start the round by moving to more open ground and eliminate their surprise. Do NOT do the same thing every round, even when it's working. Mix it up and catch the enemy off guard.

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Heavy Round

When one team reaches 3 wins, the very next round will be the heavy ammo round. There are lots of different ways to play this. Sometimes you go for the heavy. Sometimes you burn a super to kill them at their heavy while your teammates go for yours. Sometimes you send 2 to their heavy and leave 1 behind, or maybe you go balls out and rush all three. Make sure you're all on the same page. My team goes so far as to switch weapons so that we all have Truth equipped for this round. You get an extra rocket and they blow up huge. If you switch weapons while you're dead or between rounds, you don't lose any saved special ammo. Switch while you're alive and it all goes bye bye. Heavy ammo goes away at the end of the round, so switch your weapons back once its over or you die.

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Any other questions, post em!

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This is just stupid good. How do people aim so well!?

like shooting fish in a heavy barrel.

I can barely land a single Golden Gun shot at point blank range, and you cross-map them like ducks in a row... Sheesh.

Thanks Korny for making my life easier... apparently I can't get a headshot though.

Go For Kills, Not Headshots™

Damn. That's some on point sniping at the end there. Very impressive.