[BF2] Jimmy's Complete Tactics Guide

[[W33T] JimmytehHand8]

My goals for this guide:

1) Go over basic tactics and terminology that everyone should recognize or know.

2) Interject some of the more common tactics into gameplay.

3) Applications for basic tactics.

4) More advance tactics and situations.

5) Experimental tactics (that I plan on testing)

6) Tons of hypothetical situations and I might incorporate pictures in conjuction with imageshack...

Estimated date of completion: I'm not sure, but its going to take me a long while to work on this and complete it to an above satisfactory level.
This will be the ultimate tactical compendium by the time I'm done with it.

Table of Contents

1. Basic Terminology
2. Beginner Tactics
3. Application of Tactics/Hypothetical Situations
4. Advanced Tactics
5. More Applications/Hypotheticals
6. Experimental Tactics
7. Misc.

[[W33T] JimmytehHand8]

*Notice*

I will begin work on this guide once my last exam is done sometime in the four week of May. Part of this guide includes me testing out new, experimental tactics. I need assistants. :dgrin:

Please PM me if your interested.

[WINGCOMM]

I could help you out in a lot of areas if you need advice. Example, how to make snipers useful instead of a pain in the ass.

WC

[[W33T] JimmytehHand8]

Jimmy's Complete Tactics Thread v1.1

Updated Table of Contents:

I. Basic Principles

1. Identification of Objectives
2. Using weather and nighttime to your advantage
3. Deception/Confusion of the Enemy
4. Use of Fortifications
a) Fieldworks
b) Strongpoints
5. Use/Improvement of Terrain
6. Multiple Axis of Movement
7. Reconnaissance
8. Static Defenses

II. Large Scale Operation Tactics

1) Aerial Interdiction
2) Aerial Assault
3) Ambushes
4) Armored Spearhead
5) Breakout
6) Circumvallation
7) Close Air Support
8) Counter-Attack
9) Coup de main
10) Creeping Barrage
11) "Empty Fort" Strategy
12) Encirclement
13) Feint Attacks and Feint Retreats
14) Frontal Assault
15) Head-on engagement
16) Offensive Counter-Air
17) Reverse Slope Defense
18) Withdrawal

III. Small Unit Tactics

A) Infantry Only

1. Fire Support (Suppressing fire/Covering Fire)
2. Attack Groups
3. Frontal Assaults
4. Flanking
5. Pincer Maneuver
6. Base of Fire
7. Ambushes
8. Pushing a target
9. Delaying Tactics
10. Patrols
11. Defensive Tactics/Positioning
12. Use of runners and other distractions
13. Crossfire Tactics

B) Armor Only

1. Search and Destroy (Taking down enemy armor)
2. Offensive Combat
3. Employment of Armor as Support
4. "Hull Down" and Effective Use of Cover
5. Suppression of infantry and light vehicles
6. Troop Movement
7. Convoys
8. Static Armor Deployment
9. Supporting Advances
10. Close Quarters Combat
11. Combat in Open Fields
12. Patrols
13. Anti-Air

C) Transport Choppers

1. Movement of infantry/squads around the playing field
2. Reconniance
3. Paratroopers/Airdropping
4. Offensive Capacities
5. Resupply Operations
6. Distracting the enemy

D) Attack Choppers

1. Combat Capacity
2. Supporting Advances
3. Covering Fire
4. Armor Hunting
5. Aerial dominance
6. Suppressing the enemy
7. Defensive Operations

E) Planes

1. Dogfighting/Removal of enemy air assets
2. Strafing Runs
3. Armor Killing
4. Bombing enemy hotzones
5. Bombing strategic positions
6. Destruction of Enemy Static Defenses

F) Mixed Squad Tactics

1. Using Armor as cover for an assault or advance against enemy positions
2. Close working armor/infantry support
3. Advances
4. Mixed Defensive Tactics
5. Raiding Enemy Positions
6. Storming Flags
7. Heavy Assaults
8. Tactical Target removal
9. "Spotters"

IV. Specialist Squad Tactics (1-4 man squads with a few exceptions)

A) Snipers and Counter Snipers

1) Supression of Enemy Infantry
2) Sniper Nests
3) Offensive Snipers
4) Covering Fire
5) "Firing Corridors"
6) Defence Assistance
7) Counter-Sniping

B) Recon

1) Goals of reconnaissance
2) Spotting strategic targets for destruction
3) Monitoring enemy movements
4) Skirmishing
5) Baiting
6) Hit and Run

C) Special Operations (Spec-Ops)

1) Causing Damage to the enemies assets
2) Destroying Specific Targets
3) Defensive Operations
4) Laying Traps
5) Booby Traps
6) Evasion/Confusion Tactics
7) Invading Enemy bases
8) Weakening Static Defences for an Attack
9) Suicide Cars

D) Commando Units

1) Operations behind enemy lines
2) Capturing strategic positions
3) Holding enemy territory
4) Disruption of Enemy Armor/Air Assets
5) Assisting Assaults on Enemy Defenses
6) Flanking enemy positions/serving as an active distraction
7) Ambushes
8) Amphibious Attacks
9) Stealing Enemy Vehicles/Choppers/Planes

E) Paratroopers

1) Operations behind enemy lines
2) Reinforcing friendly positions
3) Relieving a seige
4) Distracting tactics
5) Blitzkreig Warfare
6) First Strikes
7) Resuppling Friendly Troops
8) Attacking strategic targets

F) Armor-Hunters

1) Search and Destroy
2) Trapping Enemy Armor
3) Tank Destroyers
4) Destruction of Aerial Forces
5) Setting ambushes

G) Diversionary Forces

1) Drawing enemy forces away from strategic targets
2) Feint Attacks
3) Delaying Attacks
4) Forcing an Attack
5) Drawing fire

H) Interception Squads

1) Interception and Destruction of Commando/Spec Op/Paratrooper Sqds.
2) Destruction of lone wolves
3) Stopping Armor from reaching targeted destinations
4) Interception of Air Forces

I) Combat Engineer Corp.

1) Close Quarters Combat support
2) Effective use of mines
3) Mine-sweeper
4) Blocking Access Routes
5) Mechanics
6) Mobile Mine Laying

J) Siege/Demolition Squads

1) Using explosives to destroy static defenses
2) Destruction of enemy armor/trapping/isolating armor from troops
3) Improvized Siege Equipment
4) Mixed Unit Tactics

K) Support Squads

1) Mobile Resupply
2) Defensive Capabilities
3) Covering Fire/Suppression of Enemy Forces
4) "Firing Corridors"

[Nobert]

One thing jimmy.....Why are you doing this.....

[DigitalBacon]

Maybe he's bored
Maybe he want's to help people
Maybe because he can

ETC

Looking good man +REP

[Tacklberie]

Oustanding table of contents so far. The only thing that I have to say about these tactics.. overall.. is that you need multiple squads to be on the same page... even if they have different objectives..

IE...the specialist squads... even if you have 2 snipers working together... they need to support squads that are taking flags... for counter sniper/ counter-infantry operations... when the Assault Squads move to take flags.. the snipers will need to maneuver for best possible firing positions to cover the assault, and even possible Defensive support for a counter attack.

[{EA}TOP AGENT]

Jimmy nice guide but I would say this. Don't bother with section II since that mainly can only be used on a clan battle and that section of the guide would be somewhat useless imo for just 1 player to read. I mean I'm interested in that part of the guide but I think it might take a bit too long for something that might go unappreciated since its hard to actually put it into effect. Everything else can benefits players by reading.

[Moondog2]

Jimmy, looks like a good outline. I was just wondering if you were going to expand on any of the topics anytime soon. Seems like it would be alot of useful information for newbies (myself included). :dunno:

[[W33T] JimmytehHand8]

Jimmy, looks like a good outline. I was just wondering if you were going to expand on any of the topics anytime soon. Seems like it would be alot of useful information for newbies (myself included). :dunno:

At the moment I've been working and trying to get finances in order for my college semester, but I should start working on it again in a few days.

[[W33T] JimmytehHand8]

Jimmy's Complete Tactics Thread v1.2
Revised Table of Contents:

I. Basic Principles

1. Identification of Objectives
2. Deception/Confusion of the Enemy
3. Use of Terrain
4. Reconnaissance
5. Static Defenses

II. Large Scale Operation Tactics

1) Aerial Interdiction
2) Aerial Assault
3) Ambushes
4) Armored Spearhead
5) Breakout
6) Circumvallation
7) Close Air Support
8) Counter-Attack
9) Coup de main
10) Creeping Barrage
11) "Empty Fort" Strategy
12) Encirclement
13) Feint Attacks and Feint Retreats
14) Frontal Assault
15) Head-on engagement
16) Offensive Counter-Air
17) Reverse Slope Defense
18) Withdrawal

III. Small Unit Tactics

A) Infantry Only

1. Fire Support (Suppressing fire/Covering Fire)
2. Attack Groups
3. Frontal Assaults
4. Flanking
5. Pincer Maneuver
6. Base of Fire
7. Ambushes
8. Pushing a target
9. Delaying Tactics
10. Patrols
11. Defensive Tactics/Positioning
12. Use of runners and other distractions
13. Crossfire Tactics

B) Armor Only

1. Search and Destroy (Taking down enemy armor)
2. Offensive Combat
3. Employment of Armor as Support
4. Effective Use of Cover
5. Suppression of infantry and light vehicles
6. Troop Movement
7. Convoys
8. Static Armor Deployment
9. Supporting Advances
10. Close Quarters Combat
11. Combat in Open Fields
12. Patrols
13. Anti-Air

C) Transport Choppers

1. Movement of infantry/squads around the playing field
2. Reconniance
3. Paratroopers/Airdropping
4. Offensive Capacities
5. Resupply Operations
6. Distracting the enemy

D) Attack Choppers

1. Combat Capacity
2. Supporting Advances
3. Covering Fire
4. Armor Hunting
5. Aerial dominance
6. Suppressing the enemy
7. Defensive Operations

E) Planes

1. Dogfighting/Removal of enemy air assets
2. Strafing Runs
3. Armor Killing
4. Bombing enemy hotzones
5. Bombing strategic positions
6. Destruction of Enemy Static Defenses

F) Mixed Squad Tactics

1. Using Armor as cover for an assault or advance against enemy positions
2. Close working armor/infantry support
3. Advances
4. Mixed Defensive Tactics
5. Raiding Enemy Positions
6. Storming Flags
7. Heavy Assaults
8. Tactical Target removal
9. "Spotters"

IV. Specialist Squad Tactics (1-4 man squads with a few exceptions)

A) Snipers and Counter Snipers

1) Supression of Enemy Infantry
2) Sniper Nests
3) Offensive Snipers
4) Covering Fire
5) "Firing Corridors"
6) Defence Assistance
7) Counter-Sniping

B) Recon

1) Goals of reconnaissance
2) Spotting strategic targets for destruction
3) Monitoring enemy movements
4) Skirmishing
5) Baiting
6) Hit and Run

C) Special Operations (Spec-Ops)

1) Causing Damage to the enemies assets
2) Destroying Specific Targets
3) Defensive Operations
4) Laying Traps
5) Booby Traps
6) Evasion/Confusion Tactics
7) Invading Enemy bases
8) Weakening Static Defences for an Attack
9) Suicide Cars

D) Commando Units

1) Operations behind enemy lines
2) Capturing strategic positions
3) Holding enemy territory
4) Disruption of Enemy Armor/Air Assets
5) Assisting Assaults on Enemy Defenses
6) Flanking enemy positions/serving as an active distraction
7) Ambushes
8) Amphibious Attacks
9) Stealing Enemy Vehicles/Choppers/Planes

E) Paratroopers

1) Operations behind enemy lines
2) Reinforcing friendly positions
3) Relieving a seige
4) Distracting tactics
5) Blitzkreig Warfare
6) First Strikes
7) Resuppling Friendly Troops
8) Attacking strategic targets

F) Armor-Hunters

1) Search and Destroy
2) Trapping Enemy Armor
3) Tank Destroyers
4) Destruction of Aerial Forces
5) Setting ambushes

G) Diversionary Forces

1) Drawing enemy forces away from strategic targets
2) Feint Attacks
3) Delaying Attacks
4) Forcing an Attack
5) Drawing fire

H) Interception Squads

1) Interception and Destruction of Commando/Spec Op/Paratrooper Sqds.
2) Destruction of lone wolves
3) Stopping Armor from reaching targeted destinations
4) Interception of Air Forces

I) Combat Engineer Corp.

1) Close Quarters Combat support
2) Effective use of mines
3) Mine-sweeper
4) Blocking Access Routes
5) Mechanics
6) Mobile Mine Laying

J) Siege/Demolition Squads

1) Using explosives to destroy static defenses
2) Destruction of enemy armor/trapping/isolating armor from troops
3) Improvized Siege Equipment
4) Mixed Unit Tactics

K) Support Squads

1) Mobile Resupply
2) Defensive Capabilities
3) Covering Fire/Suppression of Enemy Forces
4) "Firing Corridors"

I simplified and removed some of the topics, and I plan on having part of this up within a few weeks.

[[W33T] JimmytehHand8]

I. Basic Principles

1. Identification of Objectives:

In any fight there exists a set objective that one side is trying to accomplish or prevent the other team from carrying out. There are two different sets of objectives. The first set are your overall goals, or long term goals. This set includes such things as capturing and holding a key hill, preventing the enemy from crossing a river, and overall winning a map. Your long term goals are goals you have to accomplish in order to achieve victory. Generally, a good commander will set goals and create a battle plan for the map. Orders issued to squads generally help carry out this overall plan.

The second set of goals are goals are your immediate goals. This includes dealing with immediate threats, taking down commander assets, flanking the enemy, or holding a position until friendly reinforcements arrive. Immediate goals are necessary to carry out your long term goals. Squad leaders set immediate goals for their squads to accomplish.

2. Deception and Confusion of the Enemy

Deception can go a long way in BF2. From placing claymores in concealed places, to setting C4 up around a flag, the enemy will begin to act more cautious and wary when advancing. This can help buy valuable time for you to reposition yourself or delay long enough for help to arrive. It can even persuade the enemy to bypass certain areas altogether.

Decieving the enemy can be accomplished in many ways. Traps usually do the trick, especially if you vary where you place them. Hiding in cover also tends to trick and confuse the enemy, allowing you time to pick them off one by one. You can also make the enemy think that something is waiting for them, such as a trap or some form of armor, when in fact you might not have either set up. When capturing a flag you could nuetralize it, and if you know enemy troops are around that flag, you can then go find cover and wait for them to try and take it back. Once this happens you can get the drop on them. Remember, the overall goal of deception is to trick the enemy into thinking what you want them to think.

When the enemy becomes confused, they often become disorganized. A lone sniper from an unknown position can send a squad running for cover, as could a well placed artillery strike, or tanks/APCs. While this is happening, you have an advantage and should try to attack them swiftly before they can shoot back.

3. Effective Use of Terrain

Many players make the mistake of ignoring the enviroment around them when playing, not realizing that they have a strategic advantage on a hill, or using a large rock formation as cover from an enemy tank. Effectively using a tank can turn a hazardous situation into a huge advantage for yourself and your squad.

For example, on Gulf of Oman, along the beach there are a series of small hills between the coastal flags and the ocean shore. Very few squads use these hills as cover when trying to advance on those flags.

There are many different types of terrain in BF2, and most can be used as either cover, a firing advantage, or as a defensive point to turn the tide of battle.

Different Types of Terrain and Uses

A) Open Plain: Open plains are very hazardous to ground units. They provide very little cover, and often are difficult to fight in, especially if the enemy is firing from the woods or from behind walls and in buildings. It is also difficult to fight against soldiers firing from up on hills or cliffs. Armor is especially open to enemy fire when fighting in open plains, and on maps with planes and/or attack choppers sitting in an open field can be suicidal. Some plains have patches of tall grass or bushes that infantry can hide behind, and they can be used either for cover or to harass the enemy from. Other than that, you should try to get out of the open and move to somewhere with cover such as an urban area or forests.

B) Grassy Field/Tall Grass: When under attack, a grassy field or maps with large areas of tall grass can provide you with a quick escape and cover from enemy fire. It can also be used to creep up on the enemy with or as a firing position against the enemy. If its a suprise attack, the enemy will have difficulty figuring out where the fire is coming from. Armor also gets some cover while in tall grass, but they are put at risk from enemy spec ops and AT. AA vehicles hiding here can often take down aircraft without them even seeing what hit them.

C) Open Roads/Open Lots: Another area where you are susceptable to enemy fire and armor. Armor has better success fighting in on the roads as they can manuever better without worrying about running into other objects, however air units can easily pick them off. This is another area that you should avoid fighting in.

D) Urban Streets: Infantry have the greatest success fighting on crowded streets or roads that have a large number of barricades and wreckage on them. They can use barricades and the like as cover, and armor usually can't manuever well on small roads and its impossible for them to travel down small alleys. This allows infantry to harass armor from cover and then disappear down a side alley, where armor can't chase them. Air units have a tougher time hitting things in urban areas, and are susceptable to attacks from both infantry and vehicle turrets.

E) Close Quarters (Buildings and City Areas): Infantry rule tight urban areas and inside of buildings. Armor can't manuever well enough to fight infantry, and air units have extreme difficulties moving at low ranges to fight infantry. Buildings can often provide infantry with enough cover to strike at targets and then move to another set of buildings.

F) Rooftops: Snipers are lethal if they can find a rooftop that allows them a wide enough range to take down targets in other areas of the city. Other infantry can also fight well from roofs and from other tall structures. However, roofs are a danger to infantry from both choppers, planes, and artillery strikes, especially since escaping can often result in falling to your death or expose you to large ammounts of enemy fire.

G) Hills/Cliffs: Infantry on high cliffs and hills have an advantage over all other ground units, armored units can be effective while aiming down hill slopes, and cliffs also allow you to drop back where the enemy can't hit you if you become outnumbered. Air units can counter very well.

H) Rolling Hills/Small Hills: Small, rolling hills can allow you to fight infantry and tanks safely, but you have to be careful because infantry can lob grenades down in between hills, armor can drive over them and crush you. Choppers and Planes have more difficulty hitting you if your in a dip between hills.

I) Forests: Infantry can use these areas for cover and to attack the enemy, as a quick escape route, cover from Air/Armor, or as a spot to ambush enemy units from. Armor and Air can't manuever in forests so they have a much more difficult time fighting infantry units in the woods.

J) Rivers/Small bodies of water: Boats can traverse these well, and also provide soldiers with a strategic position to shot at land targets from. The downside to this is the inflatable boats are very weak and get taken down in 1 hit from any rocket or missile, and you have no cover while shooting from the boat. Infantry in the open water can be sneaky, but they are sitting ducks if the enemy spots them mid-stream. APCs can fight from the water, it is difficult to aim though.

K) Large bodies of water: If your stuck out in the middle of the ocean, you should be ok unless the enemy spots you. If they do... well at least you don't have to swim all the way back to shore. APCs are the only useful vehicles out in the middle of the ocean as they can harass the carrier guns and boats/choppers taking off from the Essex deck, but planes can kill them easily.

4. Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is very important to the team. The main goal of recon is to scout out the enemy and monitor their movements and strength. Recon can warn against an incoming group of armor or squads, spot out enemy planes/choppers, check to see what is guarding a flag, watch out for flanking attacks and small groups moving around the long way to a flag, and just about anything else that involves spotting the enemy. Using recon will be covered later on in the guide in specific strategies.

[[W33T] JimmytehHand8]

5. Static Defenses

Static Defenses are defenses that don't move. This includes machine gun emplacements, that tank thats been guarding the same spot the last 14 minutes, TOW and IGLU emplacements, bunkers/sandbag walls, and the large guns on the Essex.

Many of the defensive emplacements are underused, as a gunner on a machine gun can often surpress and pin down the enemy, and force them to either go around or have a sniper take the defender out.

Machine gun nests can be used against an advancing enemy group, to pin down enemies, or to destroy choppers/boats. The only weakness to this is getting sniped, and you also are completely ineffective against enemy armor.

TOW rockets can be lethal if you hit armor in the right spot, and if your target is injured, it'll kill them in 1 hit. The downside is that 1 shot from a tank will kill you and while manning the turret infantry can easily kill you. It is also very hard to hit choppers with the TOW rockets.

The IGLU and the Essex Guns are self-explainatory, again you have to watch out for ground forces, but air units should be easy to take out. Wait for the enemy to pop flares, get another lock and fire away. You have to be wary of good pilots, who can take down gun emplacements with ease.

Bunkers also provide infantry with cover and a hiding place. They make excellent spots for squad leaders to hide. Grenades and tanks can easily kill you, so watch out for them.

Jeeps/Vodniks also make good static emplacements if you place them in a spot where the enemy has difficulty hitting you yet you can easily hit them. The only worries you have are armor and AT. AT and Snipers are the first targets you should aim for, followed by Attack Choppers, other jeeps/vodniks, and finally other infantry.

II. Large Scale Operations/Tactics