Team SWAT

Team SWAT is a Halo 2 and Halo 3 Matchmaking gametype. As of May 2008, Team SWAT is a ranked playlist in Halo 3, after it being featured in two Double EXP Weekend playlists. The player has no shields, no motion tracker, and spawns with a weapon that are well suited for obtaining headshots. Common starting weapons are the Battle Rifle, Covenant Carbine, or the M6C Magnum handgun. In Halo 3 matchmaking, Team SWAT features either Battle Rifles and Magnums, or just Magnums. Mongoose ATVs can be found on maps such as Snowbound and Isolation. Inexperienced players should avoid this playlist as it can be particularly frustrating if they are not used to fast-paced gameplay.

The lack of shields can significantly increase the speed of the game due to almost instantaneous kills, though there is often a tendency for people to be more cautious due to this vulnerability. Headshots are crucial, as they will take down one, or in some cases with the Battle Rifle, two or three opponents with a single burst.

SWAT on Halo 2
The SWAT game playlist features mostly slayer gametypes although it also has some objective games in it like CTF. SWAT gametypes are standard (Battle Riffle and Pistols), SWAT pistols, and Swat Carbines, however SWAT carbines is only available for Ascension, Midship, and Warlock. Preferred maps:
 * Battle Creek
 * Elongation
 * Midship
 * Lockout
 * Ascension
 * Warlock
 * Ivory Tower
 * Sanctuary
 * Turf

SWAT on Halo 3
SWAT was originally a Double EXP Weekend playlist, but is now a permanent playlist under the Hardcore playlists group in the matchmaking menu, and is ranked. The legendary map packs and heroic map packs are required to play this playlist. Originally, it was only standard and Magnums, but it has been expanded in the June Update to include ShWAT Guns, 2 flag CTF, and SWAT Ball. Unlike Halo 2, Halo 3 SWAT does not feature the SWAT Carbines gametype as it is not featured as a starting weapon due to a coding error.

Map Rotation:
 * SWAT Construct
 * Hardcore Isolation
 * SWAT Guardian
 * SWAT The Pit
 * SWAT Ground
 * SWAT Epitaph
 * SWAT Snowbound
 * Hardcore Snowbound
 * SWAT Blackout
 * SWAT Ghost town
 * SWAT Rat's Nest
 * SWAT Foundry (original foundry)


 * SWAT (magnums) - HC Isolation
 * SWAT (magnums) - SWAT guardian
 * SWAT (magnums) - SWAT pit
 * SWAT (magnums) - Ghost Town

Settings:
 * Team Slayer
 * 50 Kills to win
 * Weapons: Battle Riffle and Pistol/ Only Pistols
 * Damage Resistance: 200%
 * No Shields
 * infinite ammo enabled
 * Weapon pickup: Enabled
 * Grenades: Map default
 * Grenades on map: None
 * Weapons on map: none
 * Vehicles: Mongoose only
 * Indestructible vehicles: Disabled
 * Motion Tracker: Off
 * Friendly Fire enabled
 * Betrayal booting enabled
 * Rounds: 1
 * Time Limit: 12 minutes

SWAT June Update : Announced on the May 23rd 2008 Weekly update the following game-types come into play:
 * ShWATgun variant (Shotgun start, 150% resistance, rest are standard SWAT gameplay settings)
 * SWATball variant (oddball, 200 points to win, SWAT gameplay settings)
 * SWAT 2 flag variant (2 Flag CTF, Pit and Snowbound, no flag return, flag auto returns in 15 minutes of gameplay, 3 flag win)

Now that Team SWAT is out of the hopper, it is now in Hardcore, a down side is that Hardcore dosen't allow guests, so there will be no guests on Team SWAT until Bungie changes the Playlist.

Tips and Strategy

 * Many players prefer Elite armor permutations in this game type due to claims that Elites are nearly impossible to headshot from behind. This, including claims that Elites have a disadvantage when shot from the side, have been verified by Bungie as untrue, although some players would beg to differ. The elite's head sticks out farther than a spartan's head from the side, making it a bigger target.


 * This playlist, more or less, comes down to finding viewpoints and angles, quick reactions, getting ready for an opponent at every turn, and being outright paranoid.


 * All that is needed for a kill is one shot to the head. Long-range shooting is always worth an attempt here, unlike other game types.


 * Camping becomes a bigger problem in SWAT games than in any other game type, so always check around corners for people that may be lurking there.


 * Spawn killing also becomes a more noticeable problem than in any other game types. When you respawn, always try to find immediate cover and take out any nearby threats.


 * Being cautious is always rewarded.


 * If you do have trouble shooting Elites, try to aim between their mouth and neck, because it can be frustrating if you hit them too high. This improves your ability to win against Elites.


 * If you stand an Elite beside a Spartan, the Elite's necks is roughly at the same height as the Spartan's head. In the end result it is equal, and the critical head shot area is the same in both.


 * Always remain calm, it takes one good shot to kill a person. If you are under fire, you are either dead or have a chance to kill the other person. Losing your cool can lead you to missing your chance, or the shot.


 * A tip to try every once in a while: crouching. If you hear shots zinning around you, crouch to throw off your enemy's aim. Do not, however, do this in the open; your opponent may be stunned by a change in posture, but only for a split second. Also works if your getting continuously headshoted around corners, because your opponents will be expecing a certain height advantedge.

Trivia

 * The double experience weekend playlist for Team SWAT took place from March 20th through 23rd, but due to an unknown reason was stopped short by two days. To compensate for this error, the playlist was put up again the following weekend.
 * SWAT on Blackout will be one of the main focus points of it's return in May 2008, due to the intensity and excitement of playing SWAT on Lockout in Halo 2
 * Team SWAT has appeared twice so far as a Double XP Weekend, the first time it appeared from 20th March 2008 through 23rd, although experienced technical errors and was stopped 2 days short, the second time it appeared was from April 24th 2008 through April 27th. This was its final appearance until it became a permanent playlist in Halo 3 Matchmaking in May.
 * Another popular name for Team SWAT is World War 2 (or simply WW2) for its plain usage of rifles and pistols in combat.
 * Many players Top "Tool of Destruction" in Ranked became the BR because of SWAT.

Related Pages

 * Slayer Variants