Multi Flag CTF: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:07, September 11, 2010

Template:Ratings Multi Flag CTF is a Halo 2 and Halo 3 variant of the popular CTF multiplayer game variant. It can be found in team playlists or on the Big Team Battle playlist.

Rules

There are two teams based on opposite ends of the map. There are also two flags, each one in the corresponding bases (or there can be only one if the game is "attack and defend, or Neutral Flag, like in Halo 2). The object of the games is to capture the opponents' flag three times to win the game while protecting your own flag from enemies at the same time. Unlike slayer games, total number of kills does not count toward the score. For example, a team who captures the flag three times, but gets no kills, still wins the game. To score, the player with the flag must run directly over where their own flag spawns.

The Flag

In Halo 2, pressing X grabs the flag. In Halo 3, pressing RB grabs the flag. When a player is holding the flag, they walk slowly, and cannot get into the driver or gunner seats in vehicles. However, they can get into the passenger seats in vehicles such as the Mongoose and the Warthog. The player with the flag cannot pick up weapons but, if the player melees an enemy player in normal Matchmaking, the flag will kill the opponent in one hit, resulting in the Flag Kill Medal (unless the player has an Overshield).

Variants

Attrition CTF

Attrition CTF is a variant of Multi-Flag unique to Halo 3. Respawn times are very long but all team members respawn when a flag is captured.^[1]

Tank Flag

Tank Flag is another Halo 3 Multi Flag CTF variant. The flag carriers can take more damage, but have a slower recharge rate on their shields and slower movement speed, meaning protecting the flag carrier becomes much more of a job than before.^[1]

MLG Multi Flag

A Multi Flag CTF game under MLG's more hardcore rules, where these vary themselves on certain maps, such as on MLG Template:Levelname and MLG the Pit, there are three flag captures. On the Narrows, your own flag must be returned, but on MLG Onslaught (a Template:Levelname variant), there needs to be five flag scores to win, but they all similarly have a fairly quick flag return time.

Iconic Status

Capture the Flag is generally recognized as the quintessential Objective-Based Halo multiplayer gametype, seeing as it has been the most consistently enjoyable gametype in all three Halo games. It demands and promotes teamwork along with diverse play-styles; the most effective strategies involve the use of all types of vehicles and weapons. Considering that secondary word-of-mouth objectives involve fighting for power weapons and stealing the other team's vehicles, this game mode leads to very intense and tactical Halo play - so much so that it has lead CTF to become second in popularity only to Team Slayer game types.

CTF Tips

When you are attempting to get the flag,

Know where your opponents are positioned
If there is an active camo, use it. Note that you become visible when you pick up the flag.
Choose a route that your opponent will think you are least likely to take.
Should you be in enemy territory, avoid drawing attention to yourself. Should you shoot an opposing player who has not noticed you, you are simply alerting the whole team that the flag is about to be taken.
Attempt to "spawntrap" the other team. Make sure the whole opposing team is eliminated before grabbing the flag. This allows you to enter the base without any resistance. Grab the flag and run off, and as the enemy team spawns, your team will cover you. This is easier to achieve on the smaller playlists such as Team Throwback.

When you have the flag:

Flag running is when the player drops and picks up the flag over and over again. The flag must hit the ground before it can be picked up again. (In Halo 2, the default buttons are "RT X RT X RT X", while Halo 3 its "Y RB Y RB Y RB".) Normally, you run slower when you retrieve the flag, but when you flag sprint, you run slightly faster, at the cost of letting your enemy know where the flag is currently is, if they have not known already.
Do not always take the shortest route back to base. Enemies can easily predict your route that way. Try making detours and changing direction, but make sure you know where you are going.
Do not take a route which leaves you exposed from all corners, even if you have teammates escorting you. You are always an easy target for a sniper.

If a single pursuer is chasing you, do not be afraid to drop the flag and kill him. Hanging onto the flag would just leave you helpless.

If you end up in close-quarter combat with an opponent who attempts to ambush you, melee the opponent for a one-hit-kill.

Communicate with your teammates. This allows them to cover you and get free rides back to base.

When protecting a flag:

Staying in the flag base can help, but the closer you stay to your teammates, the bigger the target you pose to your opponents. Beware of opponents clearing the room with grenades before they rush to grab the flag.
Place a sniper to guard the flag from a safe location. However, snipers should be adaptive, helping the team push forward, eliminating opponents which may ambush them. Sniping is the most effective way of eliminating key members of the opposing team such as Warthog gunners, other snipers and opponents with power weapons. Pace your shots to avoid running out of ammunition at a crucial time.
Stay in a location where you have clear view of your flag, but at the same time hidden from enemy view. If your opponent grabs your flag, intercept them from range. A melee from a flag will kill you instantly.

Trivia

An interesting thing to note is on Bungie.net (in the player stats section) the description for a flag kill is "It's right next to the headlight fluid." This is a reference to Red vs Blue.

Sources

^ ^a ^b Halo 3 Official Strategy Guide

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[H3Strategy-1] Halo 3 Official Strategy Guide

[1]

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 *Choose a route that your opponent will think you are least likely to take.
 *Should you be in enemy territory, avoid drawing attention to yourself. Should you shoot an opposing player who has not noticed you, you are simply alerting the whole team that the flag is about to be taken.
-*Attempt to "spawntrap" the other team. Make sure the whole opposing team is eliminated before grabbing the flag. This allows you to enter the base without any resistance, you could also hang around near the flag to kill all 4 members again with help from your team who should be able to guess the opponents next spawns, this will allow for a safe exit. This is easier achieved on the smaller playlists such as Team Throwback.
+*Attempt to "spawntrap" the other team. Make sure the whole opposing team is eliminated before grabbing the flag. This allows you to enter the base without any resistance. Grab the flag and run off, and as the enemy team spawns, your team will cover you. This is easier to achieve on the smaller playlists such as Team Throwback.
-*On maps such as Sandbox and Valhalla, if your team nearly has a flag capture, you can effectively hold the flag spawn point and throw it off the tower (Sandbox) or out of the grav lift (Valhalla). This allows you to cover the flag carrier from the enemies base which is incredibly distracting for your opponent as they will be concentrating on the where the flag lands.
 When you have the flag:
 *Flag running is when the player drops and picks up the flag over and over again. The flag must hit the ground before it can be picked up again. (In ''Halo 2'', the default buttons are "RT X RT X RT X", while ''Halo 3'' its "Y RB Y RB Y RB".) Normally, you run slower when you retrieve the flag, but when you flag sprint, you run slightly faster, at the cost of letting your enemy know where the flag is currently is, if they have not known already.
-*Find the shortest way to your flag's destination is something you will see a lot of players do but usually means you have to throw bodies at the flag and slowly move it across the map. Use your head instead, if the enemy doesn't know where you are then don't show them by running the flag and stay concealed but keep moving. If your team mates give you away by hovering around you or you get spotted then you can run the flag. Do not be afraid to drop the flag and kill the person chasing you, not many people do this but its is easy and effective, rather than just dying and taking the flag an extra metre you could kill your chaser and take the flag the rest of the way.
+*Do not always take the shortest route back to base. Enemies can easily predict your route that way. Try making detours and changing direction, but make sure you know where you are going.
-*Communicate with your teammates. This will allow you to have protection and rides from your team-mates.
+*Do not take a route which leaves you exposed from all corners, even if you have teammates escorting you. You are always an easy target for a sniper.
+*If a single pursuer is chasing you, do not be afraid to drop the flag and kill him. Hanging onto the flag would just leave you helpless.
+*If you end up in close-quarter combat with an opponent who attempts to ambush you, melee the opponent for a one-hit-kill.
+*Communicate with your teammates. This allows them to cover you and get free rides back to base.
 When protecting a flag:
-*Staying in the flag base can help, but try not to be clustered together, as that could make you good targets to explosives. Having good weapons is also helpful.
+*Staying in the flag base can help, but the closer you stay to your teammates, the bigger the target you pose to your opponents. Beware of opponents clearing the room with grenades before they rush to grab the flag.
-*A Sniper hiding somewhere away from the base, with his eye constantly near the Flag is a common but poor tactic. Snipers should be adaptive, Helping the team push forwards from the centre of the map, but also helping in breaking the middle control of the map from your base if the opponent is pushing. Sniping the most effective way of Killing key members of the opposing team such as warthog gunners, people who are causing your team trouble such as other snipers and people with the laser, you should be aware that if the team has control of the map where you kill somebody that is using such a weapon that it will be picked up again. Pacing the use of your ammunition will mean that you take care of these opponents over a longer period of time, if your ammo runs out close to when the sniper respawns then you effectively have efficient sniper support for the entire duration of the match.
+*Place a sniper to guard the flag from a safe location. However, snipers should be adaptive, helping the team push forward, eliminating opponents which may ambush them. Sniping is the most effective way of eliminating key members of the opposing team such as Warthog gunners, other snipers and opponents with power weapons. Pace your shots to avoid running out of ammunition at a crucial time.
-*Using the Spartan laser on vehicles and threatening players is probably the best idea. If your team have control over the centre of the map you can stay near there and assist a push. Never attack a base when using the laser or you will just be handing a key weapon to them on a plate. Camping towards the back of the map is a common mistake made by the more selfish players it makes it more difficult to aim and you cant change weapons and assist your team from such a distance and you will probably find yourself getting far less kills overall.
+*Stay in a location where you have clear view of your flag, but at the same time hidden from enemy view. If your opponent grabs your flag, intercept them from range. A melee from a flag will kill you instantly.
-*If your opponent has your flag, intercept them by moving close to their flag, but not in plain sight. When they come around, kill the flag carrier.
 ==Trivia==