Tricks of the Trade

Published December 19, 2008

Gears of War® 2 is proving just as remarkably popular on Xbox LIVE® as its predecessor, but with every passing day the more dedicated Gears 2 players are distancing themselves from the rest of the pack. With our guide to multiplayer tactics, you can help keep yourself competitive against even seasoned Gears veterans.

I want that as an online weapon!

Together Please
There is no more critical key to success in Gears of War 2 then to work with your team. You simply can't split up and attack piecemeal and hope to survive against a good team. Even if you don't communicate well, make sure to travel in packs whenever possible.

The Two Piece
More than any other online shooter, Gears of War 2 plays out in very close quarters online. Consequently, mastering the two-piece melee/shotgun technique is a must for anyone planning on spending time competing in multiplayer matches.

First, you want to catch your enemy relatively unaware, usually by hiding behind cover and waiting for them to turn their back to you. Then, roll or sprint to melee range with your shotgun and tap B to thwack them with the butt of your shotgun. This should momentarily stun the enemy, at which point you can blind-fire the shotgun for a guaranteed kill. Make sure that you're squarely in front of them before you pull the trigger. If they're off to the side even just a little bit, the shotgun blast won't finish the job.

Travel with a buddy and your odds of winning go way up.

Smoke and Ink
The new ink grenades in Gears of War 2 are deadly tools, sure, but unlike frag grenades they don't kill instantly. You can improve their effectiveness several times over by working with a partner armed with smoke grenades.

Target a small group of enemies, have your partner toss in the smoke grenade to knock them down and immediately follow it with the ink. With your opponents flat on their backs, they'll have no choice but to succumb to the lethal fumes.

Second Smoke
Speaking of smoke grenades, don't forget that any time a teammate picks up ink or frag grenades they'll leave their smoke grenade behind. Make sure to pick it up. Since you only ever spawn with one smoke, you can catch your opponents off guard by tossing your first smoke grenade, which, if they notice it will make them roll or sprint away. Then, lead them with a second smoke grenade to put them down for good.

Tag the Unexpected
Whether it's a smoke or frag grenade, you'll find the most success tagging grenades in unusual places. Generally speaking, most players know where the grenades spawn, so they're unlikely to just sprint through that area willy-nilly and get themselves blown up.

When you pick up grenades, try making your way to the high traffic areas in the middle of the map and tag a post, bit of cover, or corner when the enemies aren't looking. You'll be much more likely to score kills that way. Also, try not to place the grenade right on the edge of any object. They're just too easy to spot sticking out there.

Track your enemy with the Hammer. Don't commit to one spot.

Grenade Avoidance
Placing grenades with intelligence is only half the battle. You must avoid them as well. Make it a point to really look for them, and use these techniques to avoid knockdown and death:

• Shoot it: The easiest method for removing planted grenades is to shoot them. If you can see it, you can activate it with a few well-placed shots from any weapon. If there's an enemy nearby, you may want to wait until they're close to their own grenade (especially frags) and then shoot it to take them and their grenade out of the equation.
• Explode it: If you toss a grenade within range of a planted grenade of the same type, it should detonate the grenade. This is particularly useful on maps like Pavilion and Blood Drive where players routinely barricade themselves in the grenade spawn. Toss a grenade where you think there's one planted, and listen. If you hear two explosions, you know your enemy's planted grenade has been neutralized.
• Grenade roll: If you walk around a corner and hear the tell-tale beep of an activated grenade, try rolling immediately away. If at all possible, crank the left stick down and roll backwards from the incoming explosion. If you pull it off fast enough, this should put you back behind the corner/wall/cover and grant you some protection from the grenade.

Sniper/Torque Technique
Perhaps the most difficult weapons for novice Gears players to master are the sniper rifle and torque bow. While dedication and practice are required to attain any kind of consistent skill with either weapon, there are a couple of suggestions that can help smooth the way for success:

• First instinct: Players who are uncomfortable with precision weapons tend too often to attempt the perfect shot. You'll find better success if you trust your first instinct. Don't try to be perfect, just aim, feel, and fire.
• Lead on: When targeting an enemy that's on the move, be sure to aim your reticle out in front of them along the line they're moving. Allow them to run into your reticle, and fire the split-second before they reach the mark.

Rev the chainsaw only when right on top of your target.

• Torque body: Unlike the sniper rifle you don't need to make a headshot to guarantee a kill. Rather, you need only wait until the reticle turns orange and then aim at the body, the largest part of your enemy, and fire away.
• Active torque: If you perfect an active reload with the torque bow, you should be able to down or kill enemies by planting a shot directly adjacent to them. This works great if you know they're behind cover but you can't see any part of their body. Aim down at where you think their feet are and plant an active-reload arrow to take them out.
• Sniper downs: Obviously, it's always nice to score the perfect headshot for an instant kill, but remember, Gears of War 2 is a team game. Try to focus just as much on downing enemies as one-shotting them. Look for enemies your team is fighting with and fire off easy body shots to help down them. You might not get the kill, but it will help you get the win.

Mortar Team
When used properly, the Gears of War 2 mortar may very well be the game's most powerful weapon, but it really takes more than just the operator to use it to its full potential. Try the following:

• Mortar bodyguard: If you try to capture the mortar make sure you travel with at least one other teammate. If you do manage to fight off the enemy and grab the mortar, make sure one person stays nearby to protect the player with the mortar.
• Call outs: Never fire the mortar indiscriminately. Always ask your teammates to call out the location of the enemy first so you know just where to aim.
• Where they're going: When dealing with moving enemies, try to aim the mortar well ahead of them in the direction they're moving. If you have an enemy charging you from a distance, fire the mortar directly in front of you with just "one click" of range. This way they should run right into the blast before they get to you.
• Blind fire: If you get stuck holding the mortar with an enemy charging at you from short distance, try blind-firing it at a piece of the environment right next to the enemy. The blind mortar round should explode on impact with a wall or bit of cover and if the enemy is near enough, it will take them out.

Boltok Power
Pistols in Gears of War 2 get short shrift, but the six-shot Boltok pistol packs an enormous punch, so make sure to pick it up. While obviously not as powerful as a sniper rifle, it doesn't require a long reload between bullets. If you have any confidence in your aim at all, use the Boltok at medium to long range rather than the Lancer or even Hammerburst.

Active reload with the flamethrower will increase its range.

Meatshield
For my money, the meatshield is the single most powerful new feature in Gears of War 2. If you down an enemy, there are very few reasons not to pick him up and use him. You can always discard them at the press of a button if you need to move fast. This is especially true if you're battling more than one enemy in close quarters. If you down an enemy, grab them with A and immediately turn and melee the second enemy. If you have trouble grabbing downed enemies, just make absolutely sure you're standing still when you try to pick them up, or you'll accidentally roll past them.

Beating Shield
While boomshields and meatshields make for powerful opponents, you can blast either kind of shield from their hands with a well-placed smoke grenade. This is especially easy against meatshield-toting players since they can't run at all.

The preceding tips should arm you with enough core Gears of War 2 multiplayer tactics to compete consistently on Xbox LIVE, but no one guide can even approach covering all the bases. Talk to your teammates and learn from your enemies to discover new and equally useful strategies. Every match should teach you something new.

Thanks to Nightreach AoD for their help with this article.

Article by Ryan Treit