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Hello, folks.
Tuesday I sat down in Lockout with my sister, who was holding a stopwatch and a legal pad. I wanted to find out, once and for all, if a lefty weapon was worth giving up my right to boom. In Halo, I rarely used a grenade, but I was accustom to grenade dropping near death, which got me countless post-mortem kills. In Halo2, however, if I choose to wield two weapons, I forego my privileges of grave robbing when I go down.
So, I did a little Experiment:
Purpose: To determine the fastest way possible to take someone down.
Materials:
-Map: Lockout.
-Player: Me :)
-Timer: Me sis.
-Against: Playerless player.
-Location: Five steps (determined on the other screen) from playerless.
Hypothesis: Fun word to say.
Abbreviations:
BPR: Brute Plasma Rifle.
PR: Plasma Rifle.
PP: Plasma Pistol; CS: Charged shot; SS: Single shot (uncharged)
NED: Needler
MAG: Magnum; HS: Head shot; BS: Body shot.
SMG: Sub-Machine Gun.
T2OH: Time to overheat. (Approx)
CT: Cooling time.
T2RL: Time to reload. (Approx)
RLT: Reload time. (All RLT’s are dual wielded!)
Timing: Initial trigger-pull to death:
Gun | Gun
Gun: Time
Let's get started, shall we?
Brute Plasma Rifle
T2OH: 2.00s
CT: 2.61s
BPR: 1.35s
PR: 1.64s
NED: 1.88s
PP- CS:1.93; SS: 2.25
MAG- HS: .75; BS: 1.28
SMG: 1.17s :)
Plasma Rifle
T2OH: 4.00s
CT: 2.63
BPR:1.64s
PR: 1.46s
NED: 2.03s
PP- CS: 2.28; SS: 2.31
MAG- HS: .87; BS: 1.18
SMG: 1.20
Needler
T2RL: 4.5s
RLT: 2.60s
BPR: 1.88s
PR: 2.03s
NED: 1.38s
PP- CS: 1.88; SS: 2.13
MAG- HS: 1.38; BS: 1.83
SMG: 1.89
Plasma Pistol
T2OH: 1 CS or 2.5s
CT: 2.02s
BPR- CS:1.93s; SS: 2.25s
PR- CS: 2.28s; SS: 2.31s
NED- CS: 1.88s; SS: 2.13s
PP- CS+CS: 5.44s; CS+SS: 4.88s; SS+SS: 4.24s
MAG- CS+HS: .66s; CS+BS: 1.44s; SS+HS: 1.11s; SS+BS: 1.69s
SMG: CS: 1.04s; SS: 1.73s
Magnum
T2RL: 4.03s
RLT: 2.8s
BPR- HS: .75s; BS: 1.28s
PR- HS: .87; BS: 1.18
NED- HS: 1.38; BS: 1.83
PP- CS+HS: .66s; CS+BS: 1.44s; SS+HS: 1.11s; SS+BS: 1.69s
MAG- HS+HS: .92s; BS: 1.43s
SMG- HS: .90s; BS: 1.34s
Sub-Machine Gun
T2RL: 4.31s
RLT: 4.03s
BPR: 1.17s
PR: 1.20s
NED: 1.89s
PP- CS: 1.04s; SS: 1.73s
MAG- HS: .90s; BS: 1.34s
SMG: 1.72s
Disclaimer
I must warn, these figures depended greatly on how fast I could pull the trigger (The PP and Mag do, everything else is hold-n-shoot), though I can hardly see how anyone could pull faster, though I’m sure someone can. Possible errors in this test include human error on the part of my timer, my math, and my positioning, but I did everything possible to keep margin of error to a minimum.
Your best bet.
If you’re reading this hoping for a definitive answer on what weapon combo you should choose, stop reading now. Only you can determine your prime skills; there are good combos and bad combos, but any combo can beat any other combo, Bungie worked hard to make Halo2 balanced, and from my tests, they did. You may be a good with a PP-Mag, hitting the quickest headshot combo every time, but if you miss, my condolences - Mr. 2 needler will hardly be merciful. You may love the power of dual needlers - just hope a pistol desperado doesn’t level you in .41 (fastest time we got for that mix). Two BPR’s are nice, but if you drop your reticle for a second, you’ll be waiting 2.6 seconds before you can keep you spree up - 2.6 seconds that may hold your doom.
My figures are only good if your target reticle remains red ‘till dead - don’t take your eyes off your foe.
Only you have the perfect combo!
Tips
-Never keep firing.
Sounds stupid, but it works. Keep alternating you fire, which will take longer to take someone down, but it’s better to take another half second to kill someone than to give them four seconds to retaliate.
-Never, ever, reload both
Ever. SMG’s have a brutal RLT, don’t be caught gunless for 4 seconds, I can assure you’ll be dead. Dead is not good.
-Aw, heck, just don’t use an SMG
I kid, but it’s something you may want to think about if you can’t shoot well. The “walk” has made me miss a lot - It’s not just Dual SMG’s either, everything the darn gun touches is fair game to the walk.
If you aim well, by all means, but if you don’t, opt for the covenant plasma hose instead.
-Switching still works
But, if you’re DWing, you have to hit ‘Y’ twice. Practice it. If you’ve been chasing someone with two PRs, and your bane slips around a corner, bust out your Brute Shot and bounce one around to take him out quick. Shields recharge quickly in this game, so every enemy weak moment is precious. Besides, tis better to bounce than to walk into an ambush.
-Strong=Right
Keep your strong weapon in your right hand if you can, so you’ll keep it when switching. More importantly, though, when you melee your opponent in the thick of battle, you’ll keep your strong weapon.
-Experiment
Test each combo to find your fit.
-The Y-Flop-Throw-Drop
If your enemy sees you DWing, the last thing they’ll expect is a grenade. I like what I call the “Y-Flop-Throw-Drop,” to trip my opponent up and to stick them with doom. Hit Y to flop your left gun, hit your Left trigger to throw a grenade, and watch them drop. Works best with a Plasma grenade, because the enemy does not expect a grenade, thus hampering their dodging effort. If you have no Plasmas, though, put the frag either in front of them or behind them, which depends on if you’re retreating or charging, respectively.
-My other guns an Rocket Launcher
Always keep something strong in your back pocket. If it’s a small map, or you’re a Rocket-whore (don’t be ashamed), carry an RL and DW. If it’s a large map or you’re a natural sniper, carry an sniper weapon. I prefer the RL because the greater role of vehicles in Halo2, but that’s me.
-Hunt in packs
Remember 4, 6 or 8 guns are better than two.
-Concentrate fire
This’ll be hard, but it’ll work. If those 8 guns from above are concentrated on one person, they live, Oh, say, half a second. Maybe. If your clan can keep a system of concentrated fire, by all means, but it is hard. More of a team-tip, but oh well.
And most importantly...
HAVE FUN!
:: sounds SO cheesy, but it is most important ::
If I forgot anything, inform me!
Chester.
PS: Yesterday, z77 posted one of his own that I found helpful, you may too. Cheers!
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