Overkill (achievement)

Overkill is a Halo 3 multiplayer achievement. It is awarded when the player kills 4 opponents, each being killed within 4 seconds of the other, in a ranked free for all playlist online. This Achievement gives 5 Gamerpoints to the player. Overkill also unlocks the helmet piece for the Elite Commando Armor and shoulders for the Elite Ascetic armor. It is represented by a bronze medal with four green stars.

Background
This Achievement has been antagonized for its difficulty to earn. Currently, there is only one permanent playlist that falls within the conditions. Since the playlist, Lone Wolves, originally only supported 5 players per match a player had to kill every other player in the game within four seconds of each kill. This was proven very difficult, and many players instead opted to get this achievement simply in an achievement match. This was rectified and made slightly easier in a recent update, where the amount of people allowed per match was increased to 6.

Tactics

 * An easy way to do get the achievement will be to man the Turrets on The Pit in a Crazy King match. People in the hill area can be too preoccupied to worry about you and you can mow them down with ease. Another popular way to gain the achievement in a Crazy King match is to grab a Shotgun or Gravity Hammer or a Mauler near the hill area. The rushing players will probably be caught unaware which will make the achievement a bit easier. If, however, a another player is near the player you just killed it will be more difficult. And also, if you keep doing the same tactic, the "victims" you killed before may come prepared with Plasma Grenades, ready to end your spree.


 * Another way to achieve this is to take a Sniper Rifle or Beam Rifle or even the Spartan Laser on King of the Hill games, stay far away from the hill, and pick off the people in the hill area.


 * A tricky, but certainly possible, way to get the achievement is to get both a shotgun and a bubble shield. First activate the Bubble Shield, which will act as a magnet, attracting other players. As soon as they come give them a nice shot in the face with your Shotgun. If enough players come within a few seconds, you could at least get a Triple Kill. This is especially effective on Epitaph and Guardian, even more on a Swords match. So quickly move about the map to get your last kill needed for the Overkill achivement.


 * Another way to get it is to go downstairs on a guardian map. Wait until it is an oddball match. Grab the ball and run half way up one of the small ramps overlooking the small fighting circle. Drop the skull and hide behind the door. People come running up and you give them a nice hit to the face. Usually players will travel in groups. This is also a good way to get Killing Frenzy.


 * Another way to get this, is if the game is Swords, and it is on a small map like Snowbound, and/or Guardian. Just go right into the battlefield and let people come to you. They will usually gravitate towards the same spot (Guardian, the middle) (Snowbound, right next to the cave entrance in the ground, or underground) The only hard part about this is that sometimes the "sword-battles" will take a little long, causing you to lose the "under 4 seconds part."


 * It was easily obtained by many in the Legendary Brawl Double EXP weekend Playlist, due to the playlist supporting double the number of players allowed in Lone Wolves.


 * A fairly easy way to gain this achievement is to grab the Mauler on Snowbound, and head for the center area where everyone crowds up. make sure you follow someone and kill them as they enter, and hope there are 3 oher people in the area ready for you to pick off. Come at close range, shoot, melee, and head for the next person. Duel wielding is also effective. But beware of others trying to stick you with Plasma Grenades or having a Shotgun.

Trivia

 * It was briefly possible to earn this achievement relatively easily during the Halloween zombie special. If you started as the alpha zombie on a "creeping death" match, it was possible to have four or more opponents clustered together and to easily sneak up and eliminate them all with a single gravity hammer stroke.
 * Bungie employee Luke Smith AKA Lukems was often picked on because of his inability to gain the achievement until he earned it in the last Legendary Brawl Double EXP weekend.