Rules of Recon

Recon Classes

Based on everything we've compiled in this thread, we can pretty much say there are three recon "sub-classes":

1. Sniper
This is the guy up on the hill a mile away
Weapon: M24, GOL, M95
Gadget: Mortar
Specs: 12x Scope, spotter scope, ex dmg upgrade.
Range: Long to Extreme
Role: Spotting, mortar strikes, counter sniper, targets of opportunity
Summary: This is your stereotypical sniper. Your main job is to SPOT, SPOT, SPOT!!! You need to be positioned where you have a good, clear view of most of the battlefield. Next, you need to be able to cover at least one or two main avenues of approach (routes where a lot of people traffic through) and one of the crates or approaches to the crate. Be sure to know how to calculate lead and bullet drop, especially for moving targets. Mortars are used to crack open buildings for team members assaulting crates, to give you better line of sight on crates, for groups of enemies camped out, to throw up a screen for attacking forces, damaging stationary vehicles, etc.

2. Marksman
This is the designated marksman for a squad. Precision fires in support of an attack or defense
Weapon: VSS or any other semi-auto rifle
Gadget: Mortar/C4
Specs: 4x or red dot scope, magnum ammo, ex dmg upgrade,
Range: Medium to Long
Role: Supporting an attacking squad, defending a crate, counter vehicle
Summary: You are what is known as a "designated marksman". this is the guy who is moving with the attack and provides precision fires for targets at a distance. You really shine on the defense where you can remain hidden relatively close to the crate and nail anyone coming up to it. With a semi auto and magnum ammo you don't have to worry about going for head shots. Aim center mass. VSS with a 20 shot (it is 20, right? can't remember) is enough to take down any number of attackers on the crate if you're not spotted. Take the mortar if you're on the attack and don't plan on rushing the crate. Take C4 on the defense to lay a boob trap if you miss your shots or to take down vehicles.

3. Infiltrator
Ninja
Weapon: Shotguns, thompson, semi auto sniper with red dot
Gadget: C4
Specs: ex ammo upgrade, 12 gauge slug, ex dmg, light weight
Range: CQB (close quarter battle) to short
Role: assualting the crate, counter vehicle
Summary: Think of yourself as covert assault. Your main function is to sneak up to the crate, plant your C4, and blow it to hell. Extra explosives + more explosive dmag = bye bye crate in two reloads. (side note: i do this with the engineer all the time. 5 AT mines plus a grenade will net you two objective dmg scores) Also, when playing this spec, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SUICIDE!!!! It's more important to detonate the C4 than for you to live. Do the math: 50 points for objective damage minus 10 for the suicide equals 40 points net. You still come out ahead. Sneak in there, plant, detonate, if you can, get to an assualt to reload, rinse, repeat.
crzyferret (tc)
Posted 3/14/2010 9:14:34 PM
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#003
Bullet drop
Matters, but not as much as you think. With an M24 at extreme ranges the most i've ever had to aim high was one mil dot, and this is without the 12x scope. With the 12x scope, it drops to about half a mil dot. The GOL cuts this down to hlaf a mil dot and almost nothing with the 12 x scope. Most of the time, you tend to aim too high.

You're SUPPORT, NOT a ghillie ninja :
Snipers hit key targets (interdiction) and spot (see original post). Gunner at a heavy MG or stationary AT, guy in a turret, guy at an MCOM station = key targets. Doffus t-baggin your deadmate... not so much.

Picking a good hide:
On top of an open roof? bad. Open windows? bad. Hill top? Bad. These are the frst places good snipers will look, because they're 1) common and 2) provide wide feilds of view. Think about what you're trying to accomplish and the terrain around you? Are you keeping guys off a crate? Go where yuou have a clear view of the crate where you can ACCURATELY and CONSISTENTLY hit your targets. Are you spotting and calling in mortars? Go somewhere with a wide field of view. This ties into the next point...

Picking a good rifle:
Pick a rifle that meets your mission goals. Are you sitting up high and far away in an open level and taking shots at range while spotting and calling in mortars? Take the M24 or the GOL. Are you in a more urban enviornment, covering down an alley, or in a level that's less open? Take a semi-automatic. At range, the semi can't hit anything. Up close, the bolt actions fire so slow that if you don't get a one shot, you're gonna get whacked while you reload.

One shot, one....WTF?!?!?!:
This is not MW2. One hit kills here are pretty hard at range unless you get a headshot. At closer ranges, you can do it with the bolt actions, but it may not happen (see above)

It's not about the sniper kill:
One game I scored 3000 pts. as a sniper with only 5 kills. I did it by getting spot assists, kill assists in guys going for my teamates, mortar kills, motion mine assists, spot assists, etc. Being a sniper isn't about being the guy with the biggest kill count. It's about being a force multiplier.
crzyferret (tc)
Posted 3/14/2010 9:15:13 PM
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#004
Completing the Objective

This is probably one of the most sensitive, flame prone areas when it comes to recon. The only thing you hear people complaining about more than the EA servers are recons never "helping" or "completing the objective". Here is the biggest thing they miss:

Taking the crate is not the only objective!!!! An objective is any goal set by your team/squad in pursuit of the ultimate goal: blow the crates and win. Decide and define what your objective is early. If your objective is to cover the crate for attackers/defenders, then cover the crate. If your objective is to be out front in the enemies camp and spot/pass intel on to your team, then that is your objective. Screening between your team and the enemy is the objective. On a battlefield it isn't about everyone rushing to the fighting. You have infantry, aviation, armor, mechanics, supporters, EVERYBODY doing their part in order to pull off the bigger picture. People who complain about recons not completing objectives have just as little clue as to how recon is played as the ghillie kiddies who give us a bad name.

-M95 and You
The M95 (or the "barret" as it's known) is what is know as an anti-materiel rifle. Translation: Boom stick will hurt vehicles. With the M95 you can damage (and actually destroy) UAV's, helicopters, HMMWVs, ATV, some of the watercraft. It cannot damage any of the armor (Bradleys and tanks). If you see a helicopter smoking and you have the M95 SHOOT IT! I have taken out several like this.

The bullet drop on the M95 is also another thing of it's own. Bullet drop on an M95 with a 12x scope sits between the M24 and GOL at extreme ranges (so i've seen. If anyone else has other eveidence please contribute). Also, I haven't played with it on a non hardcore game, so I can't comment on it's OSOK rate. Anyone?

Mortar Strikes
I honestly don't know why people say the mortar is overpowered. Maybe it is with the explosive upgrade. With the default mortar I have dropped it right now a group of enemies and killed no one. It has a bit of a spread to it and i have yet to see a single round land right on the aim point. Maybe it's just me. Still the mortar strike isn't just for killing enemies. These are several things I use a mortar strike for:
1. Crack open buildings so others can get to the crates quicker or you can cover crates
2. On armor vehicles to either damage them or force them to move
3. Throw up a screen of smoke and dust
4. Force other dismounts to move from cover
5. Harass the enemy
6. Provide a screen for your own advancing forces
crzyferret (tc)
Posted 3/14/2010 9:15:56 PM
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#005
The original rules by Vengeful_II

1. Spot spot spot

Put on the damn spotting scope and then keep hitting select anyways. You do understand what "Recon" means right? Half of your job in that class is telling your team where everyone is. If they know where to look, then they'll win firefights 90% of the time. Even if you think you can kill someone like a stationary player - spot as you aim up. Just do it. It's easy.

3. Move your ass

Get a kill or two and then haul ass out of there. Find a new spot. Spots near paths that teammates have cleared are particularly good choices. Use your brain and figure out your lanes. Don't go in Lighthouse 'cause it's tall. Go somewhere bizarre and useful.

4. How to attack

There's three things you want to keep in mind if you're sniping on attack. If your team is moving for an M Com or has one planted: your main priority is getting somewhere that you can see the whole bomb and anyone that might disarm it. Then proceed to shoot fools in the head as they go in for it. A mortar strike and then popping up to pick off the next wave of enemies is usually enough to drain out the bomb timer.


5. Gadgets are useful

Motion mines and then C4/Mortar. These are extremely useful and extremely necessary for your success. Throw down those motion mines. Not just near yourself but also where they'll help your team. Even if this means moving up and tossing one on an M Com. These Pokeballs can fly man, don't underestimate how far you can throw 'em.

If your using C4 you have lots of options. Be creative. Creating a suicide bomber out of a BH or ATV. Set a trap. Destroy a UAV station. Plant some on the M Com and wait for idiot enemies to rush in, then enjoy the multi kill. Hell, the greatest thing I ever saw was a Recon who got on the back of an ATV, rolled down and threw some C4, and then rolled back up to a spot. He then continued to play normally until a tank rolled over his C4. Boom.

Mortar strikes are best used to clear out camping enemies, destroying bases, opening holes in enemy defenses for your team to bust through, or even creating a smoke veil to sneak out of. Sometimes they can destroy tanks, but often the tank will just roll out before you can finish it off.

6. Don't waste bullets

There's a guy! Shoot!!!11!!!

No.

Know who to shoot and when to shoot. When you fire, you tell the enemy, "HEY I'M A RECON COME KILL ME PLEASE!!!!!" Go for enemies trying to arm or disarm M coms. Go for enemies near, shooting, or running away from your teammates. Enemy snipers are sometimes worth the shot, and other times not. If you have a medic running around reviving the other team, don't keep murdering the snipers around him and feeding him points. Kill him and anyone who tries to pick up his kit. You'll learn how to deal with specific scenarios as time goes on, and also become better at picking which targets to hit first when none are hostile at the moment.

7. One shot one kill

If you can't get headshots on a moving target at a far distance, then you aren't the most useful Recon for your team. Now, it isn't demanded that you make those shots, or even take them. That's all part of Rule 6. However, being able to make those shots makes you an important member of the team, and well appreciated. If you can't get headshots often at all, then you shouldn't be sniping period. Not to say you aren't a useful Recon, just not particularly a useful sniper. Figure what your strengths are.
crzyferret (tc)
Posted 3/14/2010 9:16:47 PM
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#006
From Hovenas:
be careful what you spot:
If you are a good spotter (i.e. a good Recon-player) your team will get accustomed to aiming their superior firepower towards anything with triangles on their heads, much like directing a Fire-hose.

This can create dangerous situations, especially on defence, nightmap (Port Nelson?) I usually spot and enjoy watching 40mm, RPG's and machinegun-fire rake the targets I choose for destruction but people sometimes get tunnel-focused and lazy, waiting and relying on you directing firepower.

I remember sitting on that mountain-range overlooking Objective B on Port Nelson, last base spotting for the team and I managed to spot a sniper that was inaccessible to the team. They nevertheless proceeded to try to destroy the sniper and completely missed a flanking attack that ran straight in from Obj A (blown) and murdered everyone, arming the bomb and winning the match.
The sniper got head-shotted by me but those few seconds were precious in getting them across the open ground and then it was too late.

As a director of firepower, the Recon-class has awesome assets at hand but with that comes responsibility of course.

Oh, if there are Air assets overhead, mark EVERYTHING for destruction, nothing is better than manning a Gatling and seeing those triangles pop up everywhere.
hecter74
Posted 3/14/2010 9:17:15 PM
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#007
awesome dude
love the infilitrator class, VSS with red dot=epic pwnage of every other gun
crzyferret (tc)
Posted 3/14/2010 9:18:39 PM
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#008
From RustyFerrell:
If you have a sniper rifle, and you are near the objective, don't charge in like Rambo and die. Hunker down and be a spawn point so your squad doesn't have to hoof it all the way from the other side of the map.

ATV's are your friend. Whenever possible, I hop on an ATV, speed to whatever objective we are attacking, plant some C-4, arm it. Then I wait for the first person to poke their head in, shoot them with my Rexy,and speed to a good observation point. Then I wait till soon to be dead men #2 and #3 try to disarm the bomb, and detonate c4. Most of the time this strategy will get you 100 points for destroying an m-com. it will also get you killed when the first guy is immediately followed by 2 more with LMGs.

Motion mines are sexy. I wish there was a motion mine increase specialty, that would rock. Use them to help your squad, not to cover your own butt.

Mortar strike is not always the greatest thing in the world. Know when it's good to have C-4, and when it's good to have mortar strike. People are getting smart about avoiding mortar strikes in vehicles, its not that hard to get out of the kill zone. I have found C4 to be better on ground vehicles, if your not afraid to rush upto a tank.If you have one, and you wish you had the other, it really sucks. Learn how to avoid this problem. (very tough, sometimes you just halfta guess)

Don't charge a tank head on while trying to plant C4. Be very, very sneaky. That should be obvious.

Just because you can have a sniper rifle in your kit doesn't always mean you should use one. Think before you respawn.

Is that chopper pinning your entire team down? Shoot the pilot, chopper crashes. If you have the M95, it works great.

Charge is planted at the M-Com station. You just died. Instead of spawning in the back 40, spawn on a squadmate at the station if possible, even in a hail of gunfire. Yeah, you might die, but those extra seconds it takes enemies to kill youmight be the difference between victory and a disarm.

Ask a assault guy for ammo (look at him, press "Back" button). If your awesome rifle has no ammo, its just a useless hunk of metal. The worst thing they can do is ignore you. If they do, knife them a few times, and ask again. Maybe they will get the picture. If said assualt guy still can't hear you, look for someone else's kit, no matter what it is. You will contribute more if you have weapons to use. Ever heard the term "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight?" Costing your team a spawn ticket because you are scrounging around for another recon kit and get shot by a guy you could have killed is bad.

sticky