Halo 3 Tips

Halo 3 Bubble Shield Tips

2008-12-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

The halo 3 bubble shield is an extremely versatile piece of equipment that can provide you with instant cover and allows room for a lot of strategy. It can be a real lifesaver and the difference between a win and a loss.

The most important thing to remember is that the bubble shield will deflect all enemy fire, grenades and projectiles. However, enemies can walk right into it, vehicles can storm right through it and enemy equipment can pass into it as well.

If you have a energy sword/gravity hammer, then you are golden. Have your secondary gun equipped and deploy the bubble shield, as your enemy is charging into your shield quickly switch to your hammer/sword and lunge at them. The reason why I recommend the energy sword and the gravity hammer is because they have a lunge and you can be on the outer edge of the shield still protected and lunge out at them if they try to back off once they see your newly switched weapon.

One tactic I like to use with the bubble shield can be an amazingly effective fight stopper if you are losing - On maps like construct with narrow hallways you can sandwich the bubble shield in between the two walls, deploy the bubble shield, step outside of it and throw a frag grenade at the foot of the shield and watch your enemy charge right through eager to get the kill. If the explosion doesn't kill him, your next BR headshot will.

If you have the power drain it is AMAZING for countering bubble shields. If your opponent is just camping inside a bubble shield with a power weapon, deploy the power drain in there. He will immediately lose his shields and from here if he stays inside he will not recover his shields, the explosion from the drain will take down the bubble shield and you can finish him off with a clean battle rifle shot. If he does run out of the shield once again you can finish him off with a clean battle rifle shot.

The bubble shield is also very useful against that annoying guy that always rushes rockets every game. This is really only effective at short range but the second he shoots at you deploy the shield and the rocket will bounce back in the direction it was fired from. This is a great way to not only force a suicide but also acquire rockets for your team and score a few quick kills.

The bubble shield is extremely effective in oddball games. Simply deploy one and camp inside for a guaranteed 15 second gain. If anyone comes in, you know what to do. When you sense the shield is about to run out, quickly run and crouch around a corner. The shield will still protect you from shots for the next second or two allowing you to get a clean getaway and then you can smack your opponents once again as they come running in looking for you.

The bubble shield can come in handy on neutral assault - has the enemy armed the bomb? Deploying the shield around it and camping inside with a power weapon all but guarantees a disarm.

One other neat trick is if you have the sniper you can align a headshot on a person camping in the bubble shield with the sword/shotgun and pull the trigger the second it comes down.

There are lots more uses for the bubble shield than I can possibly list here - like I said it is an extremely versatile piece of equipment. Try some of these out and work the bubble shield into your game play and you're one step closer to becoming a pro.

Halo 3 Needler Tips

2008-12-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

The needler can be a very effective short-mid range weapon when used in narrow corridors or as a surprise attack. It fires pink needles that pierce into your enemies body and when enough have pierced ( 7 ) your enemy will explode. However, I like to go all the way through and empty a full clip on the enemy because some will miss and sometimes they can glitch too.

The explosion damage caused by the needler is comparable to the damage dealt by the spartan laser, so that makes it ideal for taking out enemies with the overshield. Whether or not they have overshield will make no difference. It is also amazing to have when opponents are camping in the regenerator.

The main problem with the needler is that if you do not get enough needles in the weapon is useless. It does extremely minimal damage until the needles explode. Also, it has an incredibly weak melee. The needles DO NOT hit instantly, they take some time to travel through the air, so if your opponent strafes you MUST lead your shots.

As a surprise attack the gun is unbeatable. Most if not all opponents do not strafe when walking normally so by the time they realize you've unloaded a clip into their back its too late.

At mid range, always charge forward while firing the needler because the needles will sink faster & easier. At close range, always step back while firing the needler because that way you wont get one shotted with power weapons and it can still kill an opponent alarmingly fast.

Although it is a fun gun to use and can be very effective when used in the right situation, it is not a practical gun for regular combat and you should always carry something solid like a battle rifle to fall back on in case your opponent manages to dodge your round. Also, because of its small clip size it is very ineffective in games like team slayer because 99% of the time you will need to reload after each kill and someone else from the opposite team will have killed you by then.

Halo 3 Banshee Tips

2008-12-23T16:21:00.000-08:00

The banshee is a powerful covenant vehicle and the only aircraft available in halo 3 matchmaking except the modified Hornet in avalanche. It has twin plasma cannons attached and in addition a fuel rod cannon ( Banshee bomb ). You can find it on both Valhalla and Sandtrap. Like the ghost, it also has unlimited boost. You cannot fire while boosting, however.

The best way to use the banshee in my opinion is to locate an opponent, begin firing at him, and then fire your banshee bomb at the nearest cover INSTEAD of at your opponent. Unless they have rockets or laser, most players will run right for cover when confronted by the banshee and they will effectively run right into your bomb. If however they don't take cover, you can easily finish them off with your cannons.

When confronting enemy banshees, I like to open fire on them, flying towards them in a back-and-forth circular motion in hopes of making them miss a few shots, banshee bomb them when you are close enough and continue firing afterwards until they are taken care of. If your shields are already low when you are confronted by an enemy banshee, take advantage of the fact that they cannot shoot while boosting. Hit the boost and get out of there, and take cover on the other side of the map. Then engage when your shields are back up.

Although the banshee is very powerful you must be careful of several things while flying it. First off, you cannot fly to low. If you swoop in too low eager to make a kill then you will almost always be skyjacked. However, if you do accidentally get down to low, hit the boost and travel straight for the enemy and then straight forward on the ground, and then when there are no enemies near fly back up into the air. Although your shields will likely be harmed by doing this it is much better then just trying to fly straight back up and being interrupted by a skyjacker.

They are also extremely easily taken out by the spartan laser. In Valhalla, A good strategy is to take the mongoose or warthog out first, secure the laser, and THEN have a team mate operate the banshee. You should never attempt to fly the banshee when the other team has the laser. If you are flying and you notice an opponent charging up the laser at you, wait until he is JUST about to shoot and then press A to perform a corkscrew or a barrel roll, it is your best chance at avoiding it. If you are successful, IMMEDIATELY take cover before he can shoot at you again and do not come back out until your team has taken control of the laser.

The missile pod also poses a threat to the banshee, but if you know what you are doing it can be easily avoided. On Valhalla, when you hear the sound of missiles tracking you, get behind the wall directly above where your banshee spawns and they will hit that instead of you. Large cliffs also on Valhalla and Sandtrap can be used in this way as well. If however there is no available cover, bail out of the banshee and take cover on the ground. Your banshee will not always be destroyed, but if it is, its better it than you.

If you are attempting to skyjack an enemy banshee, take cover around a corner and wait for him to swoop in close. Then, hold RB down the whole time while jumping at THE SIDE or BEHIND of the banshee. DO NOT jump in front of the banshee or you will be splattered.

When facing an enemy warthog, always aim your cannon at the gunner itself and not the actual vehicle. This way, you can take out its only offense much faster and then the driver will be an easy kill afterwards. Don't forget to lead your banshee bomb in the direction they are heading. Even if they don't get hit directly they can still be nailed with some splash damage which can flip their vehicle.

Wraiths are ridiculously easy to take out in the banshee. You can either make him miss a shot and then press into the side/back of the vehicle and continue shooting like you would in a ghost, or you can simply strafe around in the air dodging shots and shooting bombs until he is taken out.

Although you need to take care and be sneaky while operating the banshee, it is extremly powerful against land infrantry and most vehicles.

Halo 3 Ghost Tips

2008-12-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

The ghost is my favorite land vehicle and it is an absolute killing machine. It is a purple hovering vehicle that has two twin plasma cannons which are fairly powerful. It has an unlimited boost making it amazing for splattering opponents. It is small, lightweight and very maneuverable. Although I don't recommend just riding around all game splattering people, it is a very good tool for getting an early advantage for your team. I am going to give you a few useful tips for it so you can use it more effectively.

The ghost is very maneuverable, however you should never boost when you are turning corners. You will lose control and smash into a wall. Instead, repeatedly tap and release the boost while turning. This way you will not lose much speed but still have complete control over the vehicle.

The ghost is devastating for splattering opponents. When you see an opponent down the field not looking at you, just boost straight in for the guaranteed splatter. However, if they are starting right at you, DON'T just boost right in. Go in full speed at them and then STOP right as your opponent jumps. You can then speed right up again and splatter them as they are falling down before they can jump again.

Don't be afraid to use the plasma cannons. They are fairly powerful and if you know your opponent is down on his shields I recommend you just shooting him for a second or two rather then trying to splatter him.

Another great thing about the ghost is because you have unlimited boost, it is also very good for fleeing. If your shields are almost down and you feel like you are going to lose an encounter, speed away and then come back and face them with full shields. If you see that your opponent has the rockets or the spartan laser, immediately flee or you will certainly be taken out. Then, come back and splatter from behind while they are engaged with someone else.

If you can surprise an enemy warthog who is shooting at someone else, then come in from behind and take them out with your cannons. If they are well aware you are there always flee because in a fair fight against your cannons and their turret you will lose every time. Against an enemy wraith, dodge around waiting for them to shoot you and make them miss, then immediately speed right in to the side of the wraith or behind the wraith. From here, just fire your cannons and move with the wraith so it cannot get a shot at you. DO NOT press right into the front of the wraith because he can boost and sometimes splatter you.

In a ghost vs. ghost fight move around in a circular motion while keeping your cannons targeted at him. It is really who gets the first few shots in.

If you are on foot and facing an enemy ghost, this very simple trick will allow you to win almost every time. 95% if not more of your opponents will charge straight for you and go for the splatter. When he gets close enough just throw the plasma/spike grenade at him and jump. He will zoom right past you and explode 10-15 feet away. If he doesn't die from the explosion his vehicle will be flipped and his shields will be completely taken down and a couple shots from the battle rifle will finish him.

Brute Shot Tips

2008-12-21T14:03:00.000-08:00

The halo 3 brute shot is a very effective short-mid range weapon that fires grenades which explode on impact. The brute shot is very often overlooked, and it can be a devastating weapon. 3 direct hits will kill a fully shielded opponent, although I don't recommend shooting for your opponents body. It is much easier and effective to shoot at their feet, like you would with a rocket launcher, because even if you miss them they will still be hit with splash damage. Don't forget to employ a strafe when you are doing so.

The brute shot is most effective when used in tight/confined spaces. If your opponent is against a wall, or better yet, in a corner, fire away and you are guaranteed a kill because their shields will be taken down by both the explosion damage and the splash damage.

The brute shot will repel your opponent back slightly if you manage to directly hit them, so if an opponent is charging at you with a sword/shotgun, fire straight at them while backing up for an extremely effective attack.

At mid range, I like to use the brute shot as a fight-opener. If your opponent is unaware you are near, you can empty a clip on them and seriously hurt their shields, quickly switch to your battle rifle and finish them off with a shot or two. This is much more effective then shooting them from behind with the battle rifle because they will be immediately alerted of your presence and will probably go right for cover. However, they will not notice the brute shot's rounds until its too late. Always remember to lead your shots a little bit when aiming at a moving target.

The brute shot is very effective when used in the same way as the mauler. It has the most powerful melee attack in halo 3 besides the sword/gravity hammer. 1 shot+beatdown = instant kill.

On top of all of this, the brute shot is also devastating against enemy vehicles. Two or three shots will flip the vehicle right over, and then you can chuck a grenade or two in there, switch to your battle rifle and pick off any survivors. This works GREAT on ghosts and warthogs, I can't even begin to tell you how many double and triple kills I've scored doing this.

The brute shot can also be pointed downwards and shot when jumping to create the same effect as using the frag grenade explosion to jump difficult distances. Check out some videos on youtube for more information on this.

Another great use for the brute shot is taking out enemy snipers when you have no long range weapons. Center the enemy sniper in your binoculars, empty a round on him and you can be sure that if he hasn't moved you will get the kill. This works especially well if he is against a wall, but beware - if he is looking in your direction he will be able to see the bullets coming and will get out of the way. If he isn't, he's as good as dead.

Take some time to practice with the brute shot - it can be extremely useful and it is almost always overlooked.

Shotgun Tips

2008-12-20T13:26:00.000-08:00

The shotgun is the most powerful close quarters weapon in halo 3 and is not difficult to use, however there are a few vital things you should know.

First off, the shotgun WILL beat the sword every time in close range. Shoot the second you see them swing for you, don't chase them down shooting because there is a delay between your shots and they will lunge you during that time. The second you see them stepping in for the lunge or swing, fire your shotgun and you can be guaranteed a bulltrue.

ALWAYS keep an eye on your radar when you have the shotgun. You have to know where your opponents are if you want to surprise them at short range. For maps with multiple levels, if you can see that you are above someone, jump down and chase them. You will either get the assassination or if they turn around to fight you your shotgun will make short work of them.

The shotgun is amazingly effective for camping, although it is looked down on by most players. Duck around a high-traffic corner and pop people as they come by. Simple as that.

The shotgun goes incredibly well with certain equipment. The bubble shield and the regenerator, specifically. With the bubble shield, deploy it and stand near the outer edge of the shield. As soon as your opponent steps in fire. At any range within the bubble shield the shotgun is a 1 hit kill. Be careful not to fire too soon or you will hit the shield and not your opponent. With the regenerator, deploy it and switch to your battle rifle and begin shooting at your enemy. Your opponents will almost ALWAYS charge in to try and heal themselves and even the battle, at which point you can switch to your shotgun and quickly kill them.

I recommend using a battle rifle as your secondary weapon when you are wielding the shotgun. Why? Firing a shot or two at your opponent, retreating around a corner, crouching and switching to the shotgun is a guaranteed kill for you. Also, you can never rely solely on the shotgun. If your opponents are even half decent they will eventually catch on that you have the shotgun and you are going to need to use the BR instead when they are backing up firing at you with something like the assault rifle.

Always melee immediately after you shoot with the shotgun at close range. You can shoot+melee much faster then you can shoot+shoot. It is a good extra precaution. Do not do this if your opponent is backing up from you while firing however because your melee will not land. In this case, use your best judgment. If you think you can kill them in another shot, take it. If not, switch to your BR and finish them off with a quick headshot.

Regenerator

2008-12-17T15:39:00.000-08:00

A regenerator is a powerful piece of equipment in halo 3 that will replenish your shields almost instantly and stays active for 15 seconds. It is incredibly useful for gaining the edge a fight you may be losing or quickly healing up after you've just won a fight and see someone else rushing in to finish you off.

The main problem and huge drawback is it is like a green glowing arrow pointing right at you that says "I'm over here". It will immediately give your location away to any enemy snipers and if they headshot you, you're regenerator is going to prove pretty useless. Unless they are complete garbage and haven't read my article on sniping they can get in 2 body shots before you have time to regenerate your shield completely. Other potential 1 hit kill weapons like the shotgun, sword, rockets ect. will take you out too. You can't regenerate anything if you're already dead. Also, it will do you no good against a needler. Once there's enough needles in you you're going to explode and the regenerator doesn't pick them out of your body for you.

Apart from that it is an amazingly effective piece of equipment. The regenerator is especially effective in team slayer/BR games. How many times have you been on opposite ends of the pit or a hallway on construct just BRing each other? Well if your side has a regenerator helping out then the enemies are sure to lose unless they retreat. I can safely say that any moron can take a 2v1 with the BR if the opponents are out in the open and you're just chilling in the regenerator.

In team slayer games when paired with the bubble shield it provides cover you can't get anywhere else. No shots can get through and your shields will be up before anyone manages to charge through. Go out, fight them, take cover when you need to.

If you are fighting an opponet in the regenerator WITHOUT a power weapon you should always meele and continue meeleing until your opponet dies. It does actual damage that doesnt just immediatly replenish. Dont even waste your time shooting with AR or BR because your not going to kill anything. Plasma grenades are also effective here.

Power Drain

2008-12-17T15:14:00.000-08:00

The power drain is a very powerful piece of equipment in halo 3 that I like to use quite often. It emits a big blue orb of light that almost instantly drains enemies shields and puts a stop to vehicles. It is an amazingly effective fight stopper, if you turn the corner, throw one of these down and your enemy walks through it the battle rifle will make short work of him. The power drains also have the ability to pass through bubble shields and door barriers.

Do you have an enemy just chilling in the bubble shield with the shotgun or sword? Throw one of these in there with him and you've got the kill for sure. He has one of two options from this point: Wait inside the bubble shield until it expires with the power drain and not bring his health back up, or coming out without any health and getting 1 shotted.

The power drain disables enemy vehicles for around 6 seconds. During this time the warthog gunner and the banshee pilot can still fire are you, however. Duck around a corner and take cover and throw one down just as the warthog comes speeding by looking for the kill. From here you can simply toss a grenade or two into the mix and that's an easy double kill for you. Banshee flying too low? Surprise him by throwing one of these at him! It will not only take down his shields completely but also bound the pilot to the ground for the period of 6 seconds. If he's dumb enough to stay inside, throw a grenade at him. If he isn't, the battle rifle will take care of him.

The power drain will completely consume a players shields - even if he has the overshield. This makes it extremely effective in social games like VIP and Juggernaut.

Another good use of the power drainer is putting up a barrier between you and your opponent, especially on maps with narrow hallways. The enemy probably wont be retarded enough to run right through it, and then you can go duck for cover, recharge your shields and get ready for the encounter.

Although the power drainer is handy in many situations, its most effective use is in neutral assault. Arm the bomb, throw a power drainer on top of the bomb, and stand back with a BR. They can either run up and try to disarm it and then get one shotted, or waste like 7-8 seconds killing you at which time they wont have enough time left to disarm the bomb.

Energy Sword Tips

2008-12-15T12:30:00.000-08:00

The sword is fairly simple to master and there are a few key things you must learn in order to be successful with it. Although given the choice I would take the shotgun any day of the week, swords games exist in lone wolves, rumble pit, multi team and social slayer.

The first thing I want to tell you is to play to win. Don't worry about being cheap, its a swords game, your supposed to be cheap.

Take the higher ground. On epitath, if you are up where the rockets spawn, or on the ledges near there, you can easily jump down and score a few kills, or throw grenades and interrupt other peoples fights.

Turn your look sensitivity up, way up. I personally play on 9-10 for swords games, and for regular games I play between 3-5. You need to be able to turn around lightning fast right after you kill someone because I can guarantee you some guy will be running in looking for the easy assassination afterwords.

The lunge should be used to open most fights except extremly close range ones. After that, you should use B, and don't stop using B. Hit them over and over and over while pushing forward. The one who is pushing forward will usually win the encounter.

Obtain some plasma grenades. If you enter into a long battle ( upwards of 3 clashes ) and you are losing, just stick them. It is nearly impossible to miss at point blank range and I have actually gotten double kills this way from other enemies running into our fight trying to score a few points.

If you see two enemies engaged in a long battle, just clashing and clashing, throwing a frag grenade to their feet will score you a quick and easy double kill because their shields will already be down.

When a group of people are fighting, assassinate one person with a B attack, and you can then B the person he was fighting (he will always be in range because he was moving towards attacking the person you just assassinated). From there you can continue fighting any further opponents nearby. I have scored countless triple/over kills this way.

Although this does not work 100% of the time, when it does it is an instant kill for you. You need to practice this a lot to get a feel for it. You also need to be a good judge of distance. As soon as your opponent sees red in his reticule, he is sure to lunge. Less than a second before he lunges you back up a couple steps, he will miss and be unable to hit you for a few seconds and you can easily kill him afterwords. Like I said it takes a lot of practice but this is very effective.

Basically, as a general rule for most sword encounters, always keep an eye on your radar, turn your look sensitivity way up so you can turn around lightning fast, open with a lunge and continue using B until your opponent is defeated.

Battle Rifle Tips

2008-12-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

The battle rifle is the most versatile gun in the game and you need to master it if you ever want to get any good. It is a mid-long range weapon. It fires in controlled bursts of 3 and is capable of taking out an enemy in 4 shots at mid range. It can be used in just about any situation, and will beat assault rifle every time except in very close range.

You should avoid trying to melee with the battle rifle because it is not as effective as with most other guns, including the assault rifle. It is incredibly effective vs. snipers- 1 headshot will unscope them and then you can continue pumping them full of shots until they are forced to take cover.

You must lead your shots to be a good shooter with the battle rifle. If you shoot like a centimeter from where there head is now in the direction they are moving and you will sink many more shots then shooting straight for their head.

It is very important to note that until the opponents shields have been taken down, A BODY SHOT WILL DO JUST AS MUCH DAMAGE AS A HEAD SHOT. 3 body shots and 1 head shot is just as effective as 4 head shots, although much easier to land. An excellent strategy is to aim for their chest, because your reticule will naturally move up ever so slightly as you are shooting and by the 4th - 5th shot you will be at their head level.

Strafing is absolutely essential in all usage of the BR, especially in BR vs BR. Please refer to my other article on strafing. A point of strafing I would like to bring attention to again is the crouch. It is extremely effective in BR vs. BR battles at mid range because the vast majority of your opponents will aim straight for your head and by crouching you can make them miss a shot entirely. By jumping when you are just about to die you can force them to get 4 body shots which will not kill you rather than 3 body shots and 1 head shot. It does not matter the order either because until your shields are down it does the same damage - so if he hit you with 3 perfect head shots, you jump and he gets a body shot, he still WILL NOT kill you.

To scope or not with the battle rifle? In mid range battles it is absolutely unnecessary and with practice you should be able to shoot better unscoped than scoped. In long range battles, it is your own personal preference. I personally like to scope in for the accuracy bonus, but it comes with the cost of wasting time getting unscoped and then rescoping, ect.

When facing an opponent using a weapon like assault rifle, smg, spiker ect. always move backwards while you are shooting to keep a mid range scenario. If you let them get close enough to you they will have the advantage. I guarantee you if you keep a mid-range while pumping shots into them you will win every time with the battle rifle.

The battle rifle is also extremely effective for detonating explosive material - I can't tell you how many kills I've scored by shooting the fusion coils on The Pit from your opponent coming out of the green hallway where the active camo spawns. Or when they are coming down the hallway from where rockets spawns. This strategy also works great on construct too.

The battle rifle is available on almost every map and if you do not start with one you should make it one of your main concerns to obtain one as quickly as possible. Practice with it constantly and stop using guns like the assault rifle primarily. This is the first and most important move to stepping up your game.

A well tossed frag grenade to take down the shields and 1 clean headshot is a combination that has done me wonders - check out my article on grenade tips for further reference.

A youtube video for you to watch on battle rifles can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtZbPg36L2w

Grenade Tips

2008-12-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

The three types of grenades that I will go over today are the frag grenade, the plasma grenade, and the spike grenade. Which one you should use depends greatly on the situation. Both the plasma grenade and the spike grenade have the ability to "stick" to your opponent and explode while attached to their body, causing an instant death. The frag grenade cannot do this, however it offers excellent splash damage.

Proper placement of grenades is key to any good halo 3 players strategy. You need to factor in several things: The time it is going to take the grenade to detonate, and where your enemy will be in that time. If an enemy is charging towards you with a shotgun throwing a grenade at where they are now will do you little good, however placing it near your feet and taking a few steps back will prove much more effective. In general, throwing grenades around corners where you know your enemy is or is likely to be camping is a very good idea. For maps such as construct, placing a grenade at the spot where you know your enemy will land when you hear the sound of them entering the grav lift is an almost guaranteed kill.

When in close combat scenarios such as sword battles, assault rifle encounters and the like I strongly recommend using plasma or spike grenades. If it is apparent that you are going to lose you can simply aim your gun straight at their chest and toss the grenade for the guaranteed stick. Plasma grenades are also very effective for situations like entering a bubble shield or peering around a corner where someone could easily be hiding.

Frag grenades are very effective because they allow you to gain a huge advantage on your enemy. Throwing them around a corner and then finishing them off with a battle rifle headshot is a combination I use in almost every game. They are also less apparent - there is no blue or orange halo around them, no one in their right mind is going to run around a corner seeing this. Frag grenades are also a incredibly effective fight stopper - if you know you are going to lose a combat you can begin to flee and toss a frag at your feet as you turn the corner and continue running. Your opponet will be eager to rush in and score the kill unknowingly walking right onto your trap.

Another very effective technique when you know your opponent has a close-quarters weapon(shotgun, sword) is to active a bubble shield, throw a grenade into it and step back and out of it watching them run right through and have their shields taken down, at which point you can finish them off with a shot or two. If you are on a map with narrow hallways like construct, you can even block the whole hallway off completely with the shield, stand on one side of the hallways and throw grenades at the foot of the bubble shield where your opponent will run out.

A neet trick I would like to mention for spike grenades is that when detonated inside a bubble shield they are INCREDIBLY effective because the spikes that are emitted get contained inside the bubble shield and bounce around hitting your enemy. It will take down their shields 100% of the time and if they are close enough to it even kill them.

If you are stuck with a grenade, charge forward shooting and if the explosion from the grenade kills your enemy you will get the kill too. Hold down the button to pick up a weapon because it is possible your weapon is stuck and if you can successfully get rid of it you will not die.

Grenades are also extremely effective when thrown near fusion coils or other explosive material when your enemy turns the corner.

Experiment with different types of grenades to get a feel for it. Play a forge with your friend and enable grenade regeneration and practice sticking if it is not one of your strong points.

Sniper Tips

2008-12-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

The sniper rifle is by far the hardest weapon to aim and master in halo 3. However, it is a very powerful gun and is especially useful at long ranges so taking the time to master it is worth while. If you've got your adrenaline pumping and your freaking out trying to no scope somebody your not going to hit anything.

The most common mistake people will make in team sniper games is being a stationary sniper. You should use a strafe just like if you were shooting the battle rifle (Do not jump or crouch however). Why? You will be an easy target for stick grenades, and for enemy snipers. In non team sniper games, switch your location up regularly. People are going to realize where you sniped them from and come in looking for an easy assassination.

Another huge mistake people often make is staying scoped in, even when you do not have an enemy in your sights. Scoping in to an area you are certain an enemy is about to pop out is a smart idea, however just staying scoped and looking for a target while scoped is a stupid move because you can not use your radar and you will be assassinated and most likely teabagged.

Find a good vantage point, this will vary from map to map. In general, you want to find a point that has a lot of the map visible to you, without making it blatantly obvious your there. There are some dirty sniper spots on guardian, check out some youtube videos. For all intents and purposes however these are not viable because you will most likely be killed before you can double frag ricochet loop-de-loop jump. The spot just above where the laser spawns is EXCELLENT on high ground, or the rocks where the overshield spawns near the river. In valhalla, go to the side and stay back around the cliffs on either side of the map, or in the crashed pelican. DO NOT under any circumstances get on the ledges in narrows right above the centre of the map. You are completly stationary up there making a strafe impossible and as soon as someone discovers your spot you will be done for.

Do not be afraid to make 2 body shots. Too often I see people hesitating to try and line up the perfect head shot and then missing a kill because the enemy ducked around the corner. The sniper can be fired again in less than a second after a shot so a 2 body shot combo is almost as effective as a single head shot.

Like the battle rife, try to lead your shots a little. For non stationary targets place the reticule a little to the left/right of their shoulder, where you predict their head to be in the next second or two and then fire for the headshot rather than trying to line the headshot right up which is less effective and can take more time.

When engaging in a sniper vs. sniper battle, use a strafe just like you would with the battle rifle, however NEVER EVER jump. A falling target is incredibly easy to hit and you cannot get out of the line of fire. I like to go for 2 body shots, because the first will un-scope them leaving you at a huge advantage to finish them off quickly.

Keep a battle rifle as your secondary weapon to avoid wasting unnecessary ammo. It is easy to pop in a body shot and then switch to the battle rifle for a headshot kill when the enemy has no where to run for cover.

For no-scoping, relax and take a deep breath. Practice no scoping in customs and if it is something you are particularly weak at start with just aiming for body no scopes. Instead of trying to aim for a target, make your goal just to make the reticule turn red and then fire twice or fire/beatdown. It is almost as effective except in close combat scenarios against a shotgun. Once you have mastered body no-scopes, move on to practicing no scoping for the head. With time and precision, you can become just as comfortable using the sniper reticule as the BR reticule. Just remember: Relax when you are about to make the shot. If you think it is a big thing to no scope people and impossible to do, your'e not going to be sucessful.

Like all things in Halo 3, mastering the sniper rifle takes time and effort. Practice in customs against those who are better than you and you will notice your skill rising rapidly.

For a great video with sniper tips which are hard to explain in text, please check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uWocCisvKE&feature=related

Strafing

2008-12-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Strafing is an absolutely essential skill in combat and can be the difference between you winning or losing the fight.

What is strafing?
Strafing is any movement to avoid shots. You probably already utilize a basic strafe without knowing it, however I am going to help you improve your technique.

The golden rule of strafing is to ALWAYS MIX UP YOUR MOVEMENTS. If your doing the exact same strafe every time you enter a combat your opponent is going to know exactly where your going to be at next and you might as well just stand still.

How do I strafe?
There are many different movement patterns and tricks you can add into a strafe.

Left/Right movements: This is a very simple strafe, it involves taking a few steps to the left and then a few to the right, ect. It is one of the most common that I see and it is great for beginners. However, after you make one short right movement and one short left movement, avoid doing the exact same thing again. Think of this: Your opponent will now be expecting your next move to be to the right and if you surprise him by continuing left you will have a second or two advantage which is crucial.

Circling: This is by far the worst tactic you can use in a strafe. This is when in a fight you move in a circular motion around each other just firing at each other. It is pointless and retarded and you might as well just stand still because it is so easy for the enemy to lead his shots a little in your circle pattern and get a 4-shot kill.

Moving forward/Moving back: This is only effective in mid-long range fights and should not be utilized in short range fights. 90% of players aim right for the head with the battle rifle so this can easily cause them to miss shots and combined with the left/right movement strafe it is very deadly.

Jumping: Too often I see people just leaping around in a BR fight and that is not effective at ALL. Jumping, however is one of the most crucial elements in the strafe. When do you jump? When you are nearly dead. Right before you are blinking red. This is extremely useful for several reasons: It will cause your opponent to land a body shot rather than a head shot which will NOT kill you. The reason you should only do this while you're almost dead is until your bar is blinking red, a shot to the head and a shot to the body with the BR will do the exact same amount of damage. Dont believe me? Try it out for yourself. Thats why there is the famous 3 body 1 head shot combo. The higher up you are the easier it is to score headshots. Want to test this out for yourself? Try throwing down a grav lift before engaging in combat and then start shooting at your opponent from the sky and on your way down. You will have a 1-3 shot advantage on your opponent I can guarantee you.

Crouching: Crouching works on the principal that just about everyone aims for the head when engaged in a BR fight. If they are shooting for your head and you crouch down, you can cause them to miss 1 shot completely, and then if you have really good timing you can pop back up at just the right time and force a body shot, which the average opponent will then take the split second to re-align their reticule to your head. Try it out, its a great fight stopper. Only problem is if you are crouched and they throw a nade' , you can say goodnight.

For a video from MLG Pro NEXY on strafing please check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOXXreOXlVI

Remember to take all these techniques, and mix them up a bit and see what works for you.
Always being unpredictable is the key to a good strafe.

Team Slayer Common Mistakes

2008-12-06T22:21:00.000-08:00

This entry is designed to highlight some of the most common mistakes made by players, especially in team slayer objective games.

Throwing grenades at an enemy with your own team mates near by.

I see this happening all the time and it is by far one of the WORST things you can do. Although your team mate might be close to winning the battle, if your grenade kills your team mate accidentally the enemy will get the kill. It is very difficult especially with non pro's to determine exactly where your grenade is going to land and who it is going to affect. Assisting your team mate with your battle rifle is a much better plan.

Not sticking together

There is a reason the game is called "TEAM Slayer". You are supposed to work as a team and stick with your team. You always get the guy in every game that thinks hes Tony Montana or something and runs in for the 4v1 and gets owned. Your not doing your team any good there Scarface, stick to lone wolves.

Not communicating

If you ever want to get above captain in Team Slayer your going to need to invest $15.00 in a microphone. Information such as the enemies location, what weapons they have, where your flag is currently located is all crucial to the outcome of a round and if your not getting that information to your team mates then your really at a disadvantage. You need to work together as a team and formulate plans, rather than just running in and hoping for the best.

Think how to benefit the team, and not yourself.

There's a player named Deadlyx8Sniper on your team, you know you're not any good with the sniper and yet you still go and rush for it anyways. Or its a game of capture the flag, and your riding around in a ghost just splattering everybody. At the end of the day, no one cares about your vehicular manslaughter when you've lost. Talk to your team mates, see if anyone needs help. If someone tells you that they're an excellent gunner, take a turn driving. Simple things like that can make all the difference and when everyone is utilizing their strengths you will have a very powerful team.

Not learning from your mistakes

Let me quote Albert Einstein, "Insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result". If the opposing team has fortified themselves in an area, and you rushed in once guns blazing and died miserably, how do you figure something different will happen the next time you do this? I see this happening all the time. Stop, take some time to think, talk it over with your team mates and come up with a solid plan and then rush back in.

Vibration

2008-12-06T18:23:00.000-08:00

If you're like the vast majority of Halo 3 players, you probably play with vibration enabled. It is a default setting and in my opinion, a general annoyance.

Pros:

It can help you quickly react to an attack from an opponent

Cons:

It interferes with keeping a steady hand - in BR battles every second counts and you will lose every time if you miss a shot because of vibration
I find it causes you to screw up a lot. You will experience boosts of adrenaline when your controller is vibrating in fast - paced combat scenarios when in fact you can play a lot better with a cool and steady hand.

Although it will take you some time to get used to playing without vibration, I STRONGLY suggest that you turn it off.

How to disable vibration:

START
Preferences
Vibration
Press Enabled to Disable.

When you learn to play without vibration you will notice your skill with precise aiming weapons (Sniper rifle, Battle rifle, Spartan laser, ect.) to increase.

Introduction To Destruction

2008-12-06T17:51:00.000-08:00

Hello fellow Halo 3 Gamers, and welcome to my blog on strategy and other things related to Halo 3.

Here you will find tips, tricks, strategy and a whole lot of cool things you probably didn't know about Halo 3 that can help you take your game to the next level. I aim on posting video tutorials in the near future in addition to just text guides which you don't often find on other websites.

What I have noticed is that there are a lot of websites out there with information mostly aimed at an audience of the Pro's. My blog is going to be helpful to every Halo 3 player. Whether your already a general like me or you are just getting started, you have come to the right place. Please subscribe because I will be posting new content constantly and keeping you updated with news on Halo 3 as it happens.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog,
- iM sO iNsAnE