halo 2: tip of the week: #3 Know your Enemy

3 is a charm, and I want to give you final words of wisdom,
Learn the maps to a basic level (where are your weapons of choice to be found?). I only know a couple of maps at this point. You should have a basic understanding of the layout if you are to survive.

Then there is knowing who you are going against. Things I have learned about everybody, and you can react/change your behaviors accordingly:

Me: I strafe. I'm terrible with the shotgun, and I'm ineffective when I'm losing. Own me with the vehicles early on. Hit hard, concentrate on me and I'll defeat myself. I get in and out of the zone.

Mel: Same situation. Super competitive. Break the composure, and she's beat. Add some post-game smack talk to ensure future victories. Mel to this point is extremely aggressive. Backing off and wearing her down is your best bet.

Gabe: Keep your distance. Strafe. He likes the sword and melee attacks. A withdrawal/while attacking will take him down. Set up ambushes for him. He will chase you until he dies.

Nicholas: A good sniper, and a good sword user. Be aware of his location, and communicate it to teammates. Strafing works well on him. When he carries a sword, shoot him while backing off, keep him out of striking range. When you need to reload, turn tail and run. Reload while running. Like gabe, he will follow. Eventually he will go down. Short to medium range, strafing works very well against him. He has the mechanics mastered, and great reflexes, but is predictable and overly courageous. "The confidence of youth"-Cold Mountain's villain's last words.

Traci, Jenn and Jan: mental diehards. Tend to hang around cover-selective killer/ambushers. Think twice about heading to base for safety when they lurk within.

Brian: Good communicator, solid player, Great sniper. Stay aware of where he is. Move and be aggressive. Patrol potential sniper spots, stick to cover. work the mental game by prioritizing him.

Christian: Likes to board vehicles. Take him on in a vehicle, and he will attempt to board. By keeping your distance, you can take advantage of his aggressiveness.

Tucker: Getting increasingly better. Good vehicular manslaughterer.

Larry/Tim: beginning to rack up the kills. Be on the lookout. They are now players. It will be interesting to see these guys continue to develop. They will be crafty opponents. Be afraid. Be very afraid.