Welcome to the Community Guide to Firefight - here to help you! [b][u]Part One: Enemies[/u][/b] Take shots carefully, and don't just spray and pray. You'll end up with a few kills, and no ammo to finish the set. Use careful techniques to kill harder foes. [i]Grunts[/i] - Can be killed with a few Plasma Pistol shots. As they carry these weapons, ammo is no object. Save as much AutoMag ammo as possible. [i]Jackals[/i] - Use the AutoMag for these Covenant marksmen. One headshot will be enough, so don't use any more ammo than needed. [i]Gauntlet Jackals[/i] - There are two solid techniques here. The first is a charged Plasma bolt to their shields, followed by an AutoMag shot to their heads while they're stunned. The second is to use two AutoMag bullets. Shoot them once in the handle of the shield, and they will fall backwards in a recoil. Take a headshot once they're an open target. [i]Drones[/i] - Bursts are key. A single Drone will take around six SMG rounds to fell, so bursts are a requirement. Otherwise, recoil and spread of fire will suck up your ammo like a sponge. [i]Brutes[/i] - Using a combination of the SMG or a Plasma weapon to remove their shields, followed by a single Magnum shot, will make those big guys fall over onto their faces. [i]Hunters[/i] - The toughest of the lot, if you ask me. Use heavy weapons such as mounted turrets or Rockets. Once a bit of their armour falls off, get shots off into their flesh. They'll fall in no time. [i]Wraiths[/i] - When confronted with Wraith tanks, stay back on the higher difficulties, shoot them with Rockets or Fuel Rods if you have them and if you have a clear shot. I have seen many people die by Wraith Turret/Mortar fire because they try to run up on the Wraith and board it. The primary target is the turretsman. Kill them, and you will be able to take out the Wraith effortlessly when you get close enough. [i]Ghosts[/i] - These speedy vehicles are a pain, especially in groups. On higher difficulties, they will tear you apart. Use the AutoMag to headshot Grunts, but if you get a Brute driving one, be ready for different tactics. The Plasma Pistol will provide a perfect immobiliser, but only when they get close enough. Stay in cover, and try to focus on the driver, not the armoured front. [i]Choppers[/i] - These attack vehicles are deathly hard, even as a Spartan. Your best bet is to immobilise the vehicle, then kill the occupant. Remember, never shoot the front. They are very heavily armoured. Wait for them to turn around, and then blast the driver with some burst weapons. Then, a simple headshot will kill the driver. If possible, don't destroy these vehicles. They will come in [i]very handy[/i] if you can actually use them (unconfirmed as of yet). [i]Engineers[/i] - These poor creatures are now Covenant bombs, and moving shield generators. Take them out ASAP, or you'll find your enemies have more shielding than before. Kill them over a group of Covenant, and they will fall onto them, creating a nice explosion, and helping calm the Covenant assault. From gameplay videos around the net, it appears that they have a lack of a headshot-spot, so you'll likely have to spray and pray. Drain their shields with Plasma, and finish them. [b][i]Chieftains[/i][/b] - By the time you get to these bad boys, you'll need to use whatever you have left. Your ammo reserves ill be very low, so take it carefully. Fire off a few bursts from the SMG or any weapon that has lots of ammo, and the Chieftains will, or should, turn on their invincibility generators. Then, all you can do is run. Once they're out, use any quick-fire weapon to fell their armour, followed by a Magnum round to the face. Remember: Trying to directly stick a Chieftain WILL NOT WORK until you shear their armor off. (-blam!- cheating brutes). Firebombs are the only *sticky* grenade that will work on them at all times. Just try and wait until the chieftain uses up his invulnerability to get the most damage out of your firebombs. [b][u]Part Two: Weapon Selection[/u][/b] Save all heavy weapons as long as possible. Never, repeat, [i]never[/i] use things like Rockets or a Sniper on anything less than a Brute. It's a waste if you do so. Make sure your squad mates do the same. Remember, saving Rockets for Chieftains is a good idea, because once they're all down, you get more ammo. [b][u]Part Three: Map Knowledge[/u][/b] Never go straight into Heroic or Legendary without playing on Normal or Easy to get used to the map. Figure out your best vantage points, and also the worst locations. Know where enemies will come from, and you'll never be caught out. [b][u]Part Four: Teamwork[/u][/b] Stick together, but don't focus on the same targets. Tell your teammates what you're shooting at, so they know not to waste their ammo on it. The last thing you want is to waste your last five rounds of the AutoMag on a Jackal your friend was just about to cap in one. On top of this, know your strengths! If one player is a good sniper, let them have the sniper. If one is good with Carbines, leave them to get them. Also, take turns with weapons. The last thing you want is your teammates moaning about never using the sniper. Another method is known as "the Combo". This specific tactic requires a partner, someone who knows how you play and move, and vice versa. Player 1: Plasma Pistol secondary, Plasma Rifle/Brute Shot primary Player 2: Automag primary, Carbine secondary Player 1's job is to down shields and expose targets to headshots. Player 2's entire job is to headshot. That's it. Do that, and Player 1 will be fine. This combo cuts through enemies very very quickly. [b][u]Part Five: Know your kit![/u][/b] [b][i]Spike Grenades[/i][/b] - They can clear entire corridors if placed correctly. Aim for vertical faces, at about hip level. If you are being chased in a narrow area, throw a Spike grenade against the wall, and the blast will hopefully time correctly to block the enemy's path, or kill them. Additionally, sticking a wall at the end of a corridor while being chased works a charm. The chaser will see you vanish around a corner, then be blasted by spikes. If you stick a Hunter in the chest, the spikes will ricochet off of the blast shield and do an amazing amount of extra damage. If you place it right, you can kill the Hunter with just the single spike grenade. Also, they do a tremendous amount of damage to vehicles. Much more than a plasma grenade. [b][i]Frags[/i][/b] - The standard explosive, it should be best used if combating groups of weaker Covenant (like Grunts and Jackals) or weakening shields (Brutes). They don't do much on their own, one would see them used to complement more precise weapons such as the Auto-Mag. [b][i]Plasma Grenades[/i][/b] - Grunts' best friends, a Hunter's worst enemy, expect an endless amount of these things on the floor or in your direction. It can be used to take out groups of Grunts, of course, but people just can't resist the urge to attempt to stick somebody. Many times I have seen people waste plasma grenades lobbing them at Brutes to no avail. If it's simply a lone Brute aim your grenade near his feet to have a better chance of inflicting damage. These are also very effective against smaller vehicles. [b][i]Firebomb Grenade[/i][/b] - This one should be fun, as we haven't really seen the full potential of this grenade in Halo 3 against large amounts of Covenant. This explosive is deadly, use it to dispatch of Chieftains, set fire to Hunters and Grunts, a perfect weapon. Only obtainable by killing Brute Stalkers, and remember, you don't have a motion tracker. [b][i]Plasma Rifles[/i][/b] - These have massive ammunition reserves in their battery, and can overwhelm multiple targets with their rate of fire. Best used against teams of Gauntlet Jackals and Brutes, of any type. They are also extremely effective at removing shields. [b][i]Brute Shot[/i][/b] - The area of effect makes this weapon ideal against any of the weaker targets. This weapon can scythe through grunts, jackals, and drones with ease. Drones fall easily to this weapon when they fly in packs, as one brute grenade will down the target and any within ~3 m of it. [b][i]Beam Rifle[/i][/b] - Pretend you have unlimited ammunition with this weapon. Since you get a limited number of shots, and you cannot reload it, holding onto this one "just in case" severely impacts your ability to help your teammates. Remember: Beam rifle blasts pierce enemies. [b][i]Carbine[/i][/b] - Use exactly as the automag. More shots per clip, more ammunition in reserve. [b][i]Needler[/i][/b] - Tricky. Doesn't have much ammunition, and is a lucky weapon. Use against tougher targets, brute and above. [i]Remember! There is no equipment you can use in ODST![/i] [b][u]Part Six: Strategies and Tactics[/u][/b] Flanking does not seem to be a good option in Firefight, as the Covenant will overwhelm you. Close to this, however, is to send a single player off to the side of where the battle is taking place. Despite being at an obvious numerical disadvantage, the amount of firepower each ODST is given should be enough to tighten the Covenant group during early waves. Flanking maneuvers are perfect for taking on Hunters. Just be sure to take out already existing weaker Covenant before you attempt this. Noob Combos. Classic PP and headshot, these duties should be divided up to two players during waves where many Brutes are present or even Jackals, if you have enough ammo to spare or the situation demands it. Teamwork is everything, and in this case dividing up will effectively help you in survival.[quote][/quote]Remember as much of this as possible, and you should rack up the points like no-one's business! [Edited on 08.28.2009 4:41 AM PDT]