Ok, so having sunk about a month into MAG, I think I’ve got a good handle it. This doesn’t mean that I’m the best player out there, or have a magic formula for winning, levelling quickly, or even know the best glitches to exploit. Instead, I offer some tips on engaging the game the way I think it was meant to be enjoyed.
Get a headset… and use it!
To win MAG, you need to employ teamwork and be adaptable to the actions of the opposing forces. This demands that you communicate effectively with your brothers in arms. Screaming for a medic when you’re down is not helpful unless you tell people where you are. Likewise, even though you’re dead, doesn’t mean you can’t help the team by providing useful information like the movement of the enemy through your location.
Furthermore, your leaders can use that information to set effective FRAGOs and lay down airstrikes and mortar barrages more intelligently.
On the field, everyone’s a doctor
Get used to the idea that everyone in the game is going to get shot. You should carry the First Aid Kit at the very least to keep yourself up and running as long as possible.
I strongly recommend that everybody take Resuscitation and the Medical Kit. Reviving downed friendlies stops people from spawning all the way at the back, and keeps them fighting longer. As an added bonus, each revival is worth twice XP as much as a single kill.
Take the fight to the enemy
The old addage, “the best defence is a strong offence” applies beyond measure in MAG. When attacking, it pays to be aggressive. You’re not going to win any battles by sitting back and letting the defenders determine your strategy. Strong, concerted pushes from each squad are far more likely to succeed than a random gaggle of independent cowboys.
When you’re defending in Acquisition or Domination you must fight tooth and nail to keep your forward bunkers up. They allow you to spawn closer to the fight and keep the enemy away from the primary objectives for longer. Bunkers are also located closer to the strategic assets, which means that your commanders can use their strategic tools longer to keep the enemy at bay.
Be a good leader
MAG doesn’t teach the use of the commander’s abilities at all. No tutorial, no manual, nothing. All commanders learn from their own mistakes and each other. That shouldn’t hold you back from putting your hand up to lead, but if you get leadership then people expect you to at least lay down some FRAGOs. Better still, communicate your strategy to your team. Chances are that they will help you out, so long as you talk to them.
This all sounds like common sense, but I’ve seen too many games lost because these four basic ideas weren’t followed. I’m still having great fun, and still learning new things about the game. If you’re keen for a game, look me up (Daedalist on PSN).