User:DrkStlkr3/Tactics

I keep growing, expanding, and elaborating on this section, so I had to make its own page.

Miscellaneous
Please don't get discouraged and quit playing. When most of us started playing Planetside 2, we also died a lot. But eventually, it does get better and easier, especially when you start upgrading your Flak Armor and/or Nanoweave Armor, and adding Weapon Optics and Attachments to your Weapons.
 * If you notice that you're dying a lot more from enemy gunfire, spend Certification Points into your Nanoweave Armor and select it. If you notice that you're dying a lot more from enemy explosives (such as Anti-Personnel Explosives, C-4s, Grenades, Rocket Launchers, Vehicles' rounds, etc.), then spend Certification Points into your Flak Armor and select it, instead.

Remember you don't just earn Experience Points and Certification Points for enemies and blowing stuff up. Combat Medics and Engineers are often the best Classes to play if you're new to Planetside 2. You can gain a lot of Experience Points and Certification Points just by aiding your allies from a safe distance without having to directly engage the enemy (unless necessary). Staying crouched (default: ) behind cover; healing friendly Infantry; reviving both Infantry and MAXes; drop Ammunition Packages; deploying a Sunderer in a good, safe spot; capturing/defending bases; repairing friendly MAXes, Vehicles, Terminals, Phalanx Turrets all provide good/steady Experience Points and Certification Points. Please read my section under Loadouts for more information about these Classes.

If you want to test Weapons and their Weapon Optics and Attachments, Redeploy (default: ) back to your Empire's Warp Gate, access the Warp Terminal (has a globe on the display), and click the “VR Training” button. The VR Training Facility gives you access to all Weapons and Weapon Optics and Attachments available to your Empire to test with, without spending Certification Points and/or Daybreak Cash. It's also a great place to practice shooting, driving, and flying without wasting any of your personal Resources!

Once you have spent your Certification Points into the New Conglomerate Class Loadouts I recommended, then start spending them however/wherever you like!

Lastly, and this should go without saying, but please be respectful towards other players. Planetside 2 is just a game, and most of us are here to have fun. Accidents happen, sometimes players do stupid things (I've done my fair share), but there's no need to criticize/disrespect/insult/shame/taunt another player. I left an Outfit before for that very reason. However, if you suspect a player of cheating, press the key and type "/report (player's name)" in the chat box. Obvious signs of cheating are air walking/speed traveling/teleporting cheats (moving extremely quickly from one location to another without using jump/thrust pads, teleporters, air Vehicles, etc.) Other forms of cheating are more difficult to detect (such as consistent headshots using an aim bot).

Starting Classes
Most experienced Planetside 2 players will agree that both the Combat Medic and Engineer are the best Classes for new Planetside 2 players to easily/quickly earn Experience Points and Certification Points.

Engineer
At first, I personally recommend playing the Engineer Class, but spend your earned Certification Points into the Combat Medic Class instead (please see my Combat Medic Loadouts). Upgrading your Combat Medic's Medical Applicator to the highest level possible should be your top priority when you first start playing Planetside 2.

Combat Medic
Once you have fully achieved/completed/upgraded the Combat Medic Novice Medium Range Support Loadout, then spend most of your earned Certification Points into the Engineer Class, (please see my Engineer Loadouts). Upgrading your Engineer's Ammunition Package to at least level 3/6 and Nano-Armor Kit to at least level 4/6 should be your next top priority.

Infiltrator
Lastly, once you have fully achieved/completed/upgraded both the Combat Medic Novice Medium Range Support and Engineer Novice Anti-Infantry Medium Range Support Loadouts, I'd recommend spending your earned Certification Points that you earn playing the Combat Medic and/or Engineer Classes into the Infiltrator Class (please see my Infiltrator Loadouts). Upgrading your Infiltrator's Motion Spotter and/or Recon Detect Device to at least level 2/5 should be your last top priority.

Tactics
Novice Combat Medics will be able to heal themselves using both their Nano-Regen Device (Default: ) and Restoration Kit, whereas Novice Engineers and Infiltrators can only rely upon their Restoration Kit and other nearby friendly Combat Medics.

You'll make friends quickly and easily when you keep them healed/revived or their stuff repaired, but don't limit yourself to just healing and repairing, or you'll get very bored quickly. Take a quick shot at an unaware enemy when the opportunity presents itself.

Combat
Aim down your sights (Default: hold right mouse button) towards an enemy's head as much as possible, even in CQC (Close Quarter Combat), and avoid firing from the hip unless you're either using Shotguns or can afford to buy an SMG (Submachine Guns), along with a Laser Sight or Advanced Laser Sight. Always keep your Weapons' sights about head-level, and never towards the ground. You'll notice you may get more kills that way. If you're using an automatic or semi-automatic gun that has a lot of recoil that pushes the gun upwards, such as an LMG (Light Machine Guns), at CQC (Close Quarter Combat) to medium ranges, aim towards the enemy's body and the second or third shot may result in a headshot because of the recoil.

A moving target is harder to hit than one that's stationary. Always keep moving, strafing left and right, and perhaps even in a circle or oval (just in case an enemy flanks you). Practice aim + shoot + move simultaneously at the VR Training Facility. Once you've successfully mastered aiming + shooting + moving simultaneously, incorporating random quick Crouching (default: left /right ) and/or jumping (default: ) may help prevent an enemy from headshotting you, especially at CQC (Close-Quarter Combat) ranges.

Try to use partial cover and expose as little of your body as possible. Shooting through corner railing at/inside buildings, behind short rocks and large tree roots, etc. makes you a harder target to consistently hit (due to the cone spray of most automatic Weapons). Changing positions behind different cover locations frequently between encounters keeps the enemy guessing where you're at. Lastly, when you take damage, quickly hide behind full cover, Crouch (default: ), and allow several seconds for your personal shields (blue bar) to fully recharge before re-engaging the enemy again. Don't forget to use your Medical Kit/Restoration Kit to heal your health (red) bar! Combat Medics with Regeneration Fields can regenerate your personal shield quicker, and heal your health with their Medical Applicator (as long as you're not a MAX or inside Vehicles).

The Mini Map can often be a life-saver... literally. It displays arrows of friendly and known enemy units, and dots of friendly and known enemy gunfire. Quickly glance at it frequently, much like your side-view and rear-view mirrors while you're driving. And depending upon the situation, you can zoom-in and out (default: and ), and make the Mini Map larger or smaller (default: ). I tend to zoom-in when I'm in CQC (Close Quarter Combat), and zoom-out when shooting from a distance (such as sniping). When I'm driving/piloting Vehicles, I tend to zoom-out at first, and zoom-in as I approach my destination.

Never stand in front or behind any Ground Vehicles (especially tanks), unless you want to get ran over and die. Deployed Sunderers are safe. And while I'm on this topic, please try to avoid running over fellow allies, especially friendly MAXes. But Ground Vehicles themselves can be used as a weapon for running over enemy Infantry, and Flashes/Harassers are fast and hard to avoid sometimes. Just sayin'.

Please don't destroy enemy Terminals, especially enemy Vehicle Terminals! Hacking Terminals with an Infiltrator would better serve your Platoon/Squad, giving your Platoon/Squad the ability to spawn Vehicles (such as Sunderers and tanks) directly at the enemy's base gives you an overwhelming advantage versus destroyed, useless enemy Terminals.
 * The only exception to this rule is if the Terminals are within direct line-of-sight/fire and/or nearby the enemy's Infantry spawn room at the base.

Once you can afford Anti-Personnel Explosives (Default: left mouse button) and C-4 (Default: right mouse button) for many of your Classes, drop them next to doorways primarily used by the enemy (usually closest to their spawn point/room). If/when possible, detonate C-4s (Default: left mouse button) when enemy MAXes come through the doorway.
 * Please be extremely careful throwing Grenades, firing Rocket Launchers, and detonating C-4s! Use your best judgement. Practice throwing Grenades and firing Rocket Launchers into enemy populated buildings through doorways first, and then eventually through windows.
 * If you're being chased/hunted by enemy Infantry, quickly dropping Anti-Personnel Explosives while sprinting (Default: left /right ) may help "eliminate" your attackers, and it'll provide good chuckle.

When you get discouraged/frustrated, try a different class and/or strategy/tactic. I often find that simply switching Classes, attacking from a different angle, and/or with a different strategy/tactic will often pay off, but repeating the same mistakes rarely ever renders different results.
 * Unfortunately, Combat Medics and Engineers need to stay close behind the majority of their Platoon/Squad to keep them healed/revived and MAXes repaired. However, other Classes should ambush/flank whenever possible! It's much easier to kill unaware/unsuspecting enemy Infantry from the side or behind. For example, if the majority of your Platoon/Squad is rushing through a specific doorway of a building, circle around the same building and enter through another doorway. Just be careful of oncoming friendly fire from your own allies!

Platoons, Squads, and Outfits
Power and victory often come in large numbers (often called a "zerg rush"). Loners die quickly and quite often. Join large groups, Platoons, or Squads of allies when possible to capture/defend bases.

Communication Is Key
Even if you don't have a computer microphone, be sure to enable your voice settings so you can hear what your Platoon/Squad are saying/doing and where they're attacking/defending by going into Settings > Voice and check the "Enable Voice" box.
 * If you are using a microphone, turn most of the slider settings to around "50" and experiment with Squad Voice Chat (default: ). Please limit all Platoon/Squad Voice Chat to a minimum, and strictly related only to the alert/game/mission, so people aren't talking on top of each other.
 * If someone's microphone is too loud or too quiet, press the numpad to increase or numpad  to decrease their voice volume while they're speaking.
 * 1) Hold down and press the  key will change tabs in the chat box. Select the Platoon tab to text chat message everyone in your Platoon, or Squad to text chat message everyone in your Squad.
 * 2) Once you have selected the Platoon or Squad tab, press the and type your text message. I often use this method to let everyone in my Platoon/Squad know I'm "AFK" (Away From Keyboard) and/or "BRB" (Be Right Back).

Communication with your Platoon/Squad is extremely critical/important/vital. Giving your Platoon/Squad members exact details of an enemy deployed Sunderer location (such as "north-west of base behind some rocks"), the enemy is doing a "MAX crash" (described below) or doing a "Gal drop" (also described below) over a specific base point allows your Platoon/Squad members to react to these situations effectively/efficiently/quickly.

Many Outfits require to download/install/use TeamSpeak. Please ask your Outfits Squad Leader's for their TeamSpeak information.

Tactical Teamwork
When you join a Platoon, you'll either be in the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, or Delta Squad. When attacking or defending a base... At smaller bases (such as Outposts) that only has one or two points, the Squad Leader may team the different Squads together (such as Alpha with Charlie, and Bravo with Delta). Depending upon the Squad Leader's play style, the base they're wanting to capture/defend, the amount of enemy "pop" (population), etc., some Squad Leaders may have the Alpha Squad capture/defend the (A) point, Bravo Squad capture/defend the  (B) point, Charlie Squad destroy/defend the shield generator, and the Delta Squad defend another base under attack. Please listen carefully to your Squad Leader's commands/orders, or you may get kicked from the Platoon/Squad! Please also see Base Capture Mechanics
 * The Alpha Squad will often try to capture/defend the (A) point at the base.
 * Bravo will do the same with the base's (B) point
 * Charlie at (C)
 * Delta at (D)

When the Platoon/Squad Leader gives direct commands/orders to a specific Platoon member, sometimes they'll refer to your Squad name (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, or Delta) and Squad member number ("1" through "12") instead of your character's name. Please remember what Squad you're in, and your member number within your Squad (displayed in the Squad members list at the bottom of the game's interface near the Mini Map). Squad Leaders may also move around and/or kick people from their Platoon/Squad, so your Squad member number may change occasionally!

Teamwork is a must! To be in a successful Platoon/Squad, everyone must watch and listen to what everyone else around them are doing. Everyone in the Platoon/Squad has a purpose, and every Squad should consist of at least one or two of all Classes (unless you're doing a "MAX crash", mentioned below). For example, if you notice that there's no Combat Medics in your Squad, immediately switch to a Combat Medic as soon as possible at the nearest Equipment Terminal or deployed Sunderer! A well-balanced, well-rounded Squad will be a lot more effective, and an ideal Squad should consist of...
 * Two or three Combat Medics, Light Assaults, and Heavy Assaults
 * One or two Engineers, Infiltrators, and MAXes

During combat, Platoon/Squad Combat Medics, Engineers, and Infiltrators should form "support bubbles" (as I call them) by... ...All relatively close to each other so other friendly Infantry/MAXes can see where to go when they need healing/repairs, ammunition, etc. Both Combat Medics and Engineers should stay nearby to these "support bubbles" to heal injured Infantry and repair damaged MAXes. These "support bubbles" work best behind adequate cover (such as inside buildings, behind rocks/walls/very large trees/etc.), and as the tides of battle shift, these "support bubbles" may also need to change locations as your Platoon/Squad advances/retreats during battle.
 * A Combat Medic deploys a Regeneration Field
 * An Engineer deploys an Ammunition Package and Anti-Infantry MANA Turret/Anti-Vehicle MANA Turret/Spitfire Auto-Turret
 * An Infiltrator deploys a Motion Spotter and/or spam the area with sensor darts using their Recon Detect Device or Detect Bolts with their Hunter QCX (stay near an Engineer's Ammunition Package to do so)

Scenarios And Situations
If the Platoon/Squad Leader wants to do a "MAX crash" (everyone immediately change/rush in simultaneously as MAXes), then either pull a MAX, Engineer, or a Combat Medic. Combat Medics and Engineers should stay directly/safely behind the MAXes, and an effective "MAX crash" Squad should consist of...
 * Six to nine MAXes.
 * Two to three Engineers to repair damaged MAXes, and drop Ammunition Packages.
 * One to two Combat Medics to revive fallen Engineers and MAXes, heal injured Engineers, and drop Regeneration Fields.

If the Platoon/Squad Leader wants to do a "Gal drop", you'll usually Redeploy (default: ) back to your continent's Warp Gate and prepare to enter your Squad's Galaxy (default: ). Most Platoon/Squad Leaders will give their Platoon/Squad members about a minute to Redeploy back to the Continent's Warp Gate, but if you accidentally missed your Squad's Galaxy, you may also Redeploy next/inside your Squad's Sunderer or inside your Squad's Galaxy.

Point Guard
A successful Squad guarding an important point should consist of the following Classes...
 * One Infiltrator and one Light Assault
 * One to two Engineers and MAXes
 * Two to three Combat Medics
 * Three or more Heavy Assaults

While guarding an important point, all Classes must contribute...
 * Combat Medics should deploy a Regeneration Field, and have their Medical Applicator ready.
 * Engineers should deploy Anti-Personnel Explosives or Tank Mines next to entrances, deploy Ammunition Packages near the guarded point, deploy either their Anti-Infantry MANA Turret or Spitfire Auto-Turret, and have their Nano-Armor Kit ready.
 * The Infiltrator should deploy Anti-Personnel Explosives next to entrances, either deploy a Motion Spotter, and/or spam sensor darts with their Recon Detect Device or Detect Bolts with their Hunter QCX around all entrances to the important point (stay near an Engineer's Ammunition Package to do so).
 * The Light Assault should be on top of buildings or in trees very close to the important point, and should spot (default: ) any incoming enemy Infantry.
 * Heavy Assaults should be ready with their CQC (Close-Quarter Combat) Weapons (such as Shotguns), and MAXes should be ready with their MAX Anti-Infantry Weapons.

Most enemy Infantry will try a last minute ditch effort to "crash" (often using MAXes) an important point you're guarding. Try to hold onto your Grenades (default: ) until this very last minute, either right before you die or several of your Platoon/Squad members fall. While most Classes should throw their Grenades towards the entrance of where enemy Infantry are rushing through, Combat Medics should throw their Nanite Healing Grenades/Nanite Revive Grenades toward groups of fallen groups of friendly Infantry, instead.

Squad Leaders
So you wanna be a Squad Leader? It's not as easy as you think. Not only do you have to worry about yourself, but you also must also worry about your Platoon/Squad members, plan what/when/where to attack/defend, much like playing a game a chess (except with an additional player). You must anticipate what/when/where the enemy will attack, and since you're playing against two other Empires, the effects/outcomes of what/when/where they attack each other. To be a GOOD Squad Leader, you should possess the following traits in real life...
 * Communication Skills
 * Effectively/positively communicate frequently to your Squad members both your immediate and overall goals and objectives. You should always be charismatic, cheerful, courteous, friendly, and respectful towards your fellow Squad members (remember that Planetside 2 is only just a game).


 * Leadership Skills
 * Effectively/positively inspire/motivate frequently your Squad to accomplish both your immediate and overall goals and objectives. Occasionally, you may need to micromanage your Squad members, and follow-up frequently with delegated tasks.


 * Strategic/Tactical Skills and Quick Wits
 * Able to quickly recognize/seize possible opportunities, both locally and globally, now and later. You should have a lot of experience playing strategic/tactical games like chess, often anticipating opponent's moves before they make them, and knowing how to counteract/react/respond to different scenarios/situations efficiently/effectively/quickly.

Although anyone can be a Squad Leader, I honestly don't recommend being a Squad Leader until you've obtained at least... This should give you adequate time, experience, and knowledge of playing with different Platoons/Squads, learning various strategies, tactics, etc. for different Classes, Sunderers, and Galaxys. Play very close attention to what other experienced Squad Leaders do/say, and learn.
 * Battle Rank 15 (Scout 2)
 * Adept (5 Directive Points) in all six Classes (30 Directive Points total)
 * Adept (5 Directive Points) for both Sunderers and Galaxys Vehicles (10 Directive Points total)

You'll need to spend Certification Points in Leadership Certifications (especially Spawn Beacons), and Certification Points for both Galaxys and Sunderers (for spawn logistics). Please see my Vehicle Loadouts. This also means you'll need to get better at driving/flying both Galaxys and Sunderers, too!

The three most common Classes for Squad Leaders to play are usually support roles, such as Combat Medics (healing/reviving Squad Infantry) and Engineers (repairing Squad members' MAXes and Vehicles), along with Light Assaults (to place Spawn Beacons on building rooftops of important points to capture/defend).

At first, you may only want to be a Squad Leader of a very small, private Squad mostly consisting of friends. Friends are generally/usually more forgiving of mistakes than random strangers.

In most scenarios/situations, attempt to maintain a well-balanced/rounded Squad (please see above). For example, if you notice that you have too many Heavy Assaults, Light Assaults, and/or MAXes, request for a few Squad members to change Classes to Combat Medics and Engineers. The only exception to this rule are "MAX crashes" (please see above). For attacking enemy bases, you'll usually want at least one Infiltrator for Hacking Vehicle Terminals.

You'll need to constantly update Platoon/Squad Waypoints during the shifting tides of battle, and keep a very close eye on the Map. Usually, defending your own bases take priority over attacking enemy bases.

While defending a base, you'll also want to setup Sunderers and "support bubbles" (Ammunition Packages, Anti-Infantry MANA Turrets/Spitfire Auto-Turrets, Motion Spotters, and Regeneration Fields) around your base's important points, such as security terminals and Generators. The priority of these important base locations are listed below...
 * 1) Bio Lab's SCU Shield Generator
 * 2) Amp Station's, Bio Lab's, and Tech Plant's SCU
 * 3) Security terminals (A),  (B),  (C), and  (D). Many bases (such as Outposts) may only have an  (A) security terminal, and perhaps a  (B) security terminal. Platoon/Squad Leaders may combine Squads together (such as Alpha with Charlie, and Bravo with Delta) to defend important points at these smaller bases.
 * 4) Other Generators

In most cases while attacking many enemy bases, Squad Leaders will want to... Please see Base Capture Mechanics
 * 1) Destroy the enemy base's SCU Shield Generator at Bio Labs, and then destroy the SCU at Amp Stations, Bio Labs, and Tech Plants first to prevent the enemy from Redeploying into the base's spawn room.
 * 2) Destroy other Generators so Platoon/Squad Infantry and Vehicles can invade the enemy base.
 * 3) Request Platoon/Squad Infiltrators to Hack the enemy base's Vehicle Terminals (if accessible/possible) to quickly spawn Sunderers and tanks.
 * 4) Lastly, take the enemy base's security terminals (A),  (B),  (C), and  (D). Many bases (such as Outposts) may only have an  (A) security terminal, and perhaps a  (B) security terminal. Platoon/Squad Leaders may combine Squads together (such as Alpha with Charlie, and Bravo with Delta) to attack important points at these smaller bases.

Many experienced players equate Squad Leadership as being "professional cat herders", because it's difficult to get all of your Squad members to listen to your commands/orders. Squad Leaders require a lot of communication, strategic planning, patience, and sometimes discipline (kick disobeying/defiant Squad members). Please be prepared to answer new player's questions (or refer them to my Beginner's Guide), and allow two to three minutes for your Squad members to Redeploy to a different location/region, or into a Squad Sunderer/Galaxy. Give them two to three warnings, but if they still don't comply/listen after a few minutes, kick them to open an available slot in your Platoon/Squad for someone else who will.

Lastly, a nice tactic that I've found to be quite effective is when your Platoon/Squad are having difficulties capturing an enemy base, to load a half-dozen Platoon/Squad members into a Valkyrie and fly to another enemy's base behind/near the enemy base you're trying to capture. Everyone exits the Valkyrie (except for the pilot and gunner), Hack the enemy base's Vehicle Terminal, everyone spawn Sunderers and tanks (at least one tank per Sunderer for protection), and attack the enemy base you're having difficulties capturing from behind or from a different angle/direction (including the Valkyrie). You'll be sure to catch the enemy off-guard! You'll need at least one Infiltrator (and preferably everyone else to be Engineers) pull this off this little operation.

Many Squad Leaders use TeamSpeak to communicate with other Platoon/Squad leaders/members (depending upon the Outfit).

Alerts
Squad Leaders must plan quickly when a continent begins an Alert. When an Alert starts, you must quickly Redeploy your Platoon/Squad to that continent if you're not on it already. Then, you have to quickly strategize what bases to attack/defend. However, here's what I've noticed...

If your Empire already controls the majority of the continent (such as 35% or more), your bases are often targeted by the other two opposing Empires because they know your forces will be spread thin. Be prepared to be constantly on the defense to maintain that control. You may need to split the Platoon's Squads to defend several bases at once, and quickly call for reinforcements (Redeploy) to different bases under heavy attack.

On the other hand, if your Empire controls the minority of the continent (such as 32% or less), you'll need to be on the offense and attack the Empire with the most continent control, since their forces will be spread thin trying to defend and maintain control of their current territories.
 * In the last 10 minutes or so and there's no hope of your Empire winning the Alert, if/when possible, it's often best to force a "Draw" (when the two leading Empires control the same percentage of territory), so no one wins the Alert. Sometimes this takes some very quick strategic planning/maneuvering (if an opposing Empire is 1% ahead of the other opposing Empire), or simply pulling back and defending your own territory (if both opposing Empires are already tied).

If your Empire controls somewhere in the middle (between 33% to 34%), you'll need to do a combination of the above, both defending bases when necessary (priority), and attacking enemy bases whenever possible.

As a Squad Leader during the Alert, you'll need to watch the Map very carefully, especially during the last hour of the Alert. You'll also need to pay very close attention to the Lattice Links of possible bases you need to either defend or possible enemy bases you might be able to capture. You'll also need to pay very close attention to the current "pop" (population) of these bases (enemy versus friendly), and know where the best opportunities are.