Basic tips and techniques for light assault: I’ve seen a couple threads here where people have expressed difficulty using the light assault class, and many of the responses seem to boil down to ‘Use C4’. Many other threads are focused around C4 entirely. Personally, I think using the class as a mobile C4 delivery system is undercutting the potential of this versatile class. So here are a few tips and tricks I’ve used recently that have been successful, without the use of C4. I’m sure there are many other ways to play this class, but this is just what I roll with. I fight as a NC with the Piston shotgun, but these tips should still work with a carbine. 1. Location Location Location The role of the light assault is hard to pin down, but to me, they are an urban warfare fighter. You fight best around buildings and other close quarter situations. Your carbine simply does not have the range and accuracy (Especially for NC) to compete in long range firefights. Leave that to the heavies and infiltrators. If you find yourself in wide open terrain, get the hell out of there. Drop pods are a great way to avoid the crossfire of large firefights and quickly get to where you have the advantage. 2. He’s behind us? He must be some kind of tactical geni- CREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED! One of the biggest advantages of your jetpack is its ability to cross difficult terrain easily. Jump over rocks, cross ravines, and come in from places the enemy don’t expect. People tend to look where everyone else is looking, forward and toward the bulk of your forces. Keep in mind where the action is, and where everyone is looking. Come in from the rear, get close, and fill their backs with lead. Also give those pesky infiltrators something to think about. 3. I AM THE BAT Rooftops are your friend. I’m sure you’ve figured this out by now, what with that shiny jetpack and all, but you have to use them RIGHT. It’s very tempting to sit on a rooftop, spot an enemy, and unload with your carbine. DO NOT DO THIS. Rooftops do give you a height advantage, but they also distance you from targets. Remember that long range problem? You will rarely kill someone before they retreat into cover, and you just broadcast your location to the whole team. Another thing about rooftops? Very little cover, so have fun with that. A better way is to wait for someone to run below you. People rarely look up, so when they run by, drop right behind them and fill their backs with lead. 4. Doors are for squares, and people with a death wish Want to take back that control point? As a general rule, avoid ground floor doors and stairs. I can guarantee there will be heavy support troopers or turrets watching those constantly. Use your jetpack to attack from places they assume are secure. Rooftops, balconies, and windows are prime openings. Jump up, poke your head in, and fill their backs with lead. Rinse and repeat from various locations until the room is clear. 5. RUN Okay, so you just jumped through a window and gunned down that medic. His friends seem pretty cross about that. You may be an assault class, but without the shield of a heavy, or the self heal of a medic, you are very squishy. Once you’ve used, (or lost), the element of surprise, RUN RUN RUN. Get away from there like your life depends on it, because it does. You probably won’t be able to run very far if they chase you, but remember you have that spiffy jetpack! Round a corner and quickly jump up to a rooftop, and that heavy will be scratching his head wondering where you went. Reload and BE THE BAT I’m sure there are many other ways people have found to kick some *** as a Light Assault, so feel free to share them here!
These are all excellent tips and I play my LA exactly the same way you do it seems. I'm glad to see this posted. Most people don't realize that LA is a COMPLETELY different playstyle than all the other infantry classes. Your entire mentality on how to approach an encounter has to be totally different in order to be a successful LA. Also glad you included a warning of the follies of using rooftops the wrong way. We aren't meant for long range combat. We're meant for close to medium range ambushes. Get in and get out quickly. Rooftops are just a place we use to find prey. We don't kill them from there...unless it's a low enough rooftop that we know it'll be a quick kill While I consider C4 to be a *MUST* for LA, this is an excellent post to read for those just starting LA that don't have it yet. I agree with every single word you've typed.
I'm playing almost only LA, and I've gotta say, after trying C4 out in the beta, I dont really have any plans on getting them at all. I could find them useful if i run into an enemy sunderer that i would like to take out, but they doesnt really match my playstyle overall. I got the Lynx (TR Carbine) a couple of days ago, and since then i've got Laser lvl2, Red dot scope and soft-point ammo for it, and it just tear my enemies apart. My tip is to find a weapon that kills really fast, so you can take them down fast then disapear before their friends come after you. I'd go with Lynx (TR) or Solstice (VS), dont know what NC has to offer. Focus on being mobile, attack from where they dont expect you. That way, you will probably kill em before they manage to fire at you at all, and you wont loose a single hp in the process. You also get more time to aim before fireing so you'll probably waste less bullets that way too. If they run around a corner to hide, get up on that roof and get em from above. Almost always, they never expect you from above, unless they manage to hear the sound from your jetpack.
Exactly how i play my LA, Another tip: when fighting 1vs1 without the suprise element, fly upwards use that jetpack! it throws off you opponents aim. yours to though, but after some practice i managed to get a pretty good aim while jetpacking! beats peeps all the time
I'd rather C4 not be a must for Light Assault and some more useful squad based tools are created to fill the void. Pushing that to one side, these are all brilliant points to take to heart as a Light Assault soldier.
I wouldn't advise just flying straight up in a straight line, most competant people will still rip you out of the sky with a hail of gun fire, your best bet is to fly over them or bend around some cover.
i tend strafe to the left while moving upwards, but do it as you like, it still gives you an advantage if you can keep your aim.
