I currently play ArmA 2 with the 97thRR and am an FTL in my local Airsoft group. I've gotten some ideas from that, and I think that some of them correctly applied to Battlefield Heroes could make a big difference in unit effectiveness. I realize I'm just a lowly new recruit saying this, and it doesn't have much weight behind it, but I hope that I can get feedback on this.

Idea #1: Tank Overwatch

Utilize tank overwatch. This uses the tank cannon's large range and blast radius to inflict substantial damage upon the enemy from range while supporting friendly infantry. Mainly, this tactic is used as an artillery bombardment prior to infantry assault.

It requires:

• 1 relatively skilled tank driver
  
• 1 commando with patience, 5/5 Stealth, and 5/5 MT.

The tank driver sits a very long way away, as far away as he can still hit things. He registers the cannon on the enemy control point and waits for directions from the Commando.

The Commando acts as a Forward Artillery Observer, and is inherently very good at it too thanks to his abilities and sniper rifle. Be warned that the FAO role will not get you many kills at all, or points for that matter. The FAO uses his stealth to remain concealed while pointing out targets for the tank driver using Mark Target. [I'm assuming that MT marks whatever you're pointing at? So if you're pointing your scope at a tank and you hit the ability, it marks the tank? It's not an ability I have much experience with.] The tanker attempts to engage the target, and the Commando offers fire corrections as necessary. He also informs the driver whether he has hit anything with his shots, although thanks to the little numbers that pop up after you shoot something, this might not be necessary all the time.

The Commando's order of importance for targets should be:

1. Enemy Tank
   
2. Enemy Gunner armed with Panzerfist/Tank Buster
   
3. Anti-Aircraft Guns
   
4. Other infantry

The Commando's other job is to inform the tanker of enemy aircraft and engage them if possible with his sniper rifle. This should only be done when the enemy will have trouble finding the source of your sniper fire. Otherwise, just tell the tank driver that there is a hostile aircraft in the air and keep spotting targets.

What are the advantages of this idea? The tank becomes virtually invulnerable to enemy fire from that Control Point. The Commando's assistance makes his fire and choice of targets much more efficient than it would be otherwise. Enemy Gunners' Panzerfists/Tank Busters are fairly useless at that range unless volley fired or creeping barraged, which most people don't have the coordination to do. Finally, after the tank has registered its cannon on the enemy control point, sighted a stationary target, and gotten a reasonably close shot, the tank can move behind a wall and fire over it. Although it can't see anything, the Commando can correct his fire for him, and the driver can still see the Mark Targeted object.

What are the downsides? With the Commando's assistance, the tank driver's fire will be quite a bit more accurate than it would otherwise. You may get hackusated and you will almost certainly be called a tank noob. Also, the Commando, although an integral part of the team, gets very few points.



Idea #2 : Tank Buster / Panzerfist Tactics

The Tank Buster is the tank driver's most feared weapon. Most people run around shooting at tanks while in the open, and, honestly, do fine while doing this. But it's possible to achieve greater efficiency with applications of teamwork and common sense.

First off, USE COVER. The Tank Buster's greatest advantage is that it offers a large amount of firepower in a small, convenient package. Crouching behind a wall is much easier for you than it is for the tank to reach a "hull down" position. While you are behind a wall, the tank cannot tank smash you without going all the way around the wall and giving you ample time to move/knock it out. Also, it's projectiles don't do much damage if they just hit the wall you're behind, and it can occasionally be very tricky to hit the ground behind you with the cannon. Sometimes there's another wall behind you that the tank can shoot. But the great this about this is that it eliminates the tank's primary weapon against Tank Buster-carrying gunners, its instant-kill Tank Smash.

Remember that the tank's gun can only elevate so far. You have a much greater ability to move your gunsight down than the tank can move its gunsight up. So rocket-jump on top of a house nearby the tank and rain death down on top of it as the driver punches the monitor in frustration. Other places that work well are the upper levels of Shipwreck in BB, the church in SS2, and the Lighthouse in SS1.

Next is what I call "Creeping Barrage". I realize it is nothing like the real-life counterpart, but I couldn't come up with a better name. Basically, you fire your Tank Buster at a long-ranged tank and wait for the impact. Take a look at it. If it is beyond the tank, move your gunsight down. If it is below the tank, move your gunsight up, and continue making adjustments until you hit. I personally find it easier to come from below the tank and adjust aim upwards until I score a hit.

Now, none of these tactics are all that original. Good application of common sense can get anybody here. Time for fancier stuff.

All gunners should fire at one target at a time. It's better to be faced with one metal monster than two damaged ones, because you're only faced with a single gun.

Gunners should keep a reasonable amount of interval between each other, unless they are in a place such as Lighthouse. Even up in the upper levels of the Shipwreck at BB, I still suggest keeping away from each other. This makes sure that the stray tank blast does not damage both gunners at once, or that you both don't get killed by a single Tank Smash. Of course, if you followed directions, you shouldn't be facing too much danger from tank smashing anyhow.

Volley firing. Considering I have played a whole lot with an M136 AT4 in ArmA 2, this is a tactic I am quite familiar with. Volley firing involves two or more anti-tank Gunners firing their weapons at the same point on the tank simultaneously. This isn't the same as both firing on one target, because both of them fire at the same time. It is primarily used as an ambush maneuver to confuse the tanker as he gets hit from two directions at once and notices his health drop dramatically. In real life, this is designed to achieve a firepower kill or mobility kill on Main Battle Tanks with lighter AT Weapons. However, it is still effective in BFH and tends to psych out the tank driver. It is especially effective when you do the following:
Set up a two-way ambush from concealed positions when a tank is coming your way. If it stops near a control point, great! Just makes your job easier. If not, just shoot at it and make sure to hit as it moves by both of you. Getting hit from two directions at once, especially when they don't see it coming, is very disorienting for a tank.

Finally, my favorite part. Psychological warfare. If you see a tank coming and you aren't concealed, do not pull out your Tank Buster immediately. It will classify you as a high threat and start firing at you. Instead, ineffectively fire at it with your machine gun. Most likely, it will assume you have TNT or an M32 and not pay much attention. As soon as it takes its eyes of you... let the fireworks begin. If it chooses to shoot at you still, well that sucks. Pull out your Bazooka, find cover, and start shooting.

Last thing. As soon as you see you have hit the tank and a red number appears, immediately notify your teammates over Voice Chat. Then pull out your machine gun and fire at the tank as your companion delivers the killing blow. This might seem pointless, but the tank driver does not want to get out when his tank is being inundated with lead. He might either hesitate or try to escape, both of which give your buddy time to destroy the tank.

That's all I have posted for now. I have more ideas though, and I will write them up soon. Most of them do involve Combined Arms sort of things.

Very nice ideas so far. My favorite is also the psychological warfare. :3

Hopefully we can test them in the near future.

Glad you like them! Does MT work in the way I think it does? I've never actually used the ability, and it's important for another aircraft-oriented idea I have.

Other than that, I'll try to formulate my other ideas in a coherent fashion and get them up here ASAP.

Nice post you made here!
I did some minor layout updates to the post.
Keep the ideas/tactics comming! I'll add this to the http://www.13thmeu.net/t5404-master-tactics-thread#92583

I believe MT just marks a random enemy on the commando's screen.

Well that sort of sucks. It will require more talk on Vent, which from my experience, more radio chatter = bad. It might not be too big of a deal with just 8 people though.

Proper radio etiquette is a big deal in ArmA 2 and especially Airsoft though. I'll be putting a point into MT and trying it out.

EDIT: Time for more BFH ideas. Thank you vanhoucke for the formatting changes and putting this guide in your stickied thread.

Anyhow, on to my favorite subject.

Idea #3: Close Air Support Coordination

Ahh, planes. My favorite vehicle in the game. I worked very hard to be able to fly these properly (probably 12 hours in the tutorial pulling stupid stunts and shooting up paper targets), and finally can. It's quite refreshing when you see "you killed [blank]" in a Spitfire. But I'm getting off topic.

When I fly planes, I know patterns on different maps that enemies almost invariably follow. For example, on Seaside Skirmish, 2 National tanks usually leave the left side of their base going down the road. One usually leaves through the other side, where the airstrip is. The ones on the road are easy strafing targets and make for quick points on the first gun run. An Immelmann Turn and another strafing run results in a kill sometimes.

Unfortunately things aren't always this formulaic. When I fly past Lighthouse, I usually do an observation run where I just look for enemies. After I find out who's there, I can line up a proper approach and start my strafing runs. In areas of high enemy population, I normally do 2 of these. First, a fast, low-altitude flyby where I look for things like snipers, but can get away from them if necessary because I'm going fast. Then I'll try a higher-up but much slower pass in the opposite direction if I don't see too many threats, so I can look at the ground in more detail and figure out exactly what's there. This is all good and well, but it wastes very valuable time that could be spent attacking targets.

Enter the Forward Air Controller! In BFH, the Forward Artillery Observer aka FAO (the guy who coordinates tank overwatch, like I was talking about earlier) and the Forward Air Controller aka FAC, provide similar roles for different vehicles, and can be played by the same person. In real life and ArmA 2, these are very different roles, but in BFH they're really not.

FACs do need a few more skills than FAOs though. Requirements for FAC's include:
1. Understanding the limits of the aircraft. Even in the hands of the best pilots, planes cannot do everything. The FAC needs to understand what the pilot can and cannot do.
2. Understand how the aircraft attacks. The plane tends to start at a shallow angle of depression and steadily get steeper if it needs to fire on one spot. On the other hand, if the pilot is doing a general "area strafe", he can keep the nose of the aircraft pointed slightly downwards and send a line of bullets walking down the road in a straight line.
3. Realize what are good and bad angles for the aircraft. Direct frontal and rear attacks with clear view fields are the easiest for aircraft. High-angle oblique attacks are fairly impossible against fast-moving targets, at least with my level of skill.
Overall, the FAC's job is much easier if he has flown aircraft himself. It's much easier for him to understand what pilots do.

For those of you that don't understand what I'm talking about in Point 3, I will be posting screenshots of these types of things. I'll just do a little flying in the tutorial mission or try to get a National to help me out as my assistant.

The FAC uses Mark Target to point out high-priority targets or dangerous targets to the pilot. [I'm assuming MT works how I think it does.] He also informs the pilot of the targets he has marked. For example, "National Tank, on the airstrip left of their main base, moving towards Village/Lighthouse." His priorities in Marking targets and informing the pilot should be:
1. AA Guns
2. Enemy Planes (can be switched with 3 depending on pilot skill)
3. Snipers (can be switched with 2 depending on pilot skill
4. Tanks
5. Infantry

The FAC takes an active role in disabling AA Gun, Plane, and Sniper threats. His weapon of choice is the knife - quick, quiet, and efficient. People in AA Guns basically scream "KNIFE ME!" as do snipers. If a sniper is unreachable, try to TT jump up to his position or use PS to hopefully gain an early advantage in a sniper battle. As for enemy planes, either quickly man a nearby AA Gun and shoot it down or fire with the sniper rifle. Plane pilots can also be knifed if they're just starting up the engine. Make sure you are on the left side, because if they exit on the opposite side from you, you're screwed.

The FAC also informs friendly forces of gun runs on top of them engaging enemies. This way, the friendlies know that the gunfire is from their own plane and they don't have to take cover or be afraid. Airplane fire landing all around you, whether friendly or enemy, looks the same and has the same psychological effect on both friendlies and enemies. It may seem strange, but when the enemy is psyched out and your team is extra-confident thanks to the close-air-support, you have a definite advantage.

In summary of the FAC: He must know a plane's limits. He must properly identify and designate targets in order of importance. He must engage particularly dangerous threats that he can eliminate with relative ease. He must inform friendlies of gun runs in their areas.

What are the benefits of this idea? The pilot doesn't have to waste time acquiring targets and lining up a proper strafing run. The FAC provides him with information and he reacts accordingly, making air support more timely and efficient. The danger to the pilot is greatly reduced thanks to the FAC's dealing with dangerous enemy AA assets. Finally, it gives friendly troops a psychological advantage over the enemy when they know that they aren't in danger from being shot by a plane.

What are the cons? Well, the poor FAC, who really does have a very difficult job, once again doesn't get too many points. He does earn the respect of his teammates, if they know what he's doing, and of the pilot though. Plus he helps win the round for his team, and as we all know, there's no "I" in team.


This took a whole lot more time than I expected, so Idea 4 will have to wait. It contains...you guessed it... more teamplay ideas for the Commando. No vehicles involved though.