Surviving Market Garden

Published September 30, 2008

When Baker and company dive headlong into combat in Brothers In Arms Hell's Highway™ and find themselves pinned down by enemies, it's going to take more than just a little bit of combat moxie to survive. The following tips should help you refine your battle tactics.

Yep, you can get Action Camera shots with the pistol too.

Three Tools
No one combat encounter plays out the same as another, but in Hell's Highway you must still bring many of the same tactical principles to bear on your enemies every time.

• Finger off the trigger: Provided you're careful with your movements you can usually sneak close to the enemy before opening fire. Do so. Whenever possible, save your attack for the last possible moment, taking the time to set up the perfect shot and properly arrange your teams.
• Plan to flank: Every single combat encounter should begin with a plan to flank the enemy. Check to see if you can swing around to the side or behind the enemy even before you engage. Use your Map (Back button) to scope out the available paths and enemy locations to see whether a preemptive flanking maneuver is feasible.
• Always ordered: While your fellow squad mates will react realistically to an enemy threat, they won't do so with the same level of focus if you don't actively order them to attack or suppress a particular target. Make sure your teams are always actively following a specific order rather than acting on their own. Specifically, if you eliminate the enemies your MG Team was suppressing, immediately order them to focus on another enemy.

Team Specialties
Every team exists for a specific purpose and success on the battlefield depends largely on taking advantage of team members' individual skill sets. This is especially true in the later stages of the game.

For example, your Machinegun Team is tailor-made for suppressing the enemy, and while your Assault team can do so in a pinch, they're really intended for attacking an exposed enemy from a flanking position. Likewise, your Bazooka team should be used whenever possible to eliminate machinegun nests, armored targets, or destructible cover.

It's easy to keep these in mind before the bullets start to fly, but really focus in on issuing team-appropriate orders when the chaos of combat is in full swing.

Get out of the open!

Cover Kerplode
If there are few options for flanking or it's just too dangerous, your next best bet is to destroy the enemy's cover and pounce on them before they have a chance to retreat. First, select your Assault or Machinegun Team and order them to fire on the chosen enemy. Then, select your Bazooka Team with B, use the Left Trigger to highlight the cover, and then issue the order. Make sure you're aiming at the cover, not the enemies themselves.

When the bazooka disintegrates the cover and the enemies are exposed, your Assault or Machinegun Team should shred them swiftly before they can reach safer ground.

Cover Awareness
Of course, that tactic can also be used against you. Never take cover behind boxes, wooden fences, or similarly flimsy objects.

Machinegun Suppression
Your teams may do an excellent job suppressing enemies, but you should also get into the mix. When you do, switch over to your automatic weapons rather than your more accurate single-shot rifle. After all, you don't need to hit them, just suppress them.

Action Camera
If you're eager to enjoy enough slo-mo noggin shots to score the Action Camera achievements, you'd be wise to wait for your unfortunate target to rise up from behind cover rather than trying to tag just the top of their helmet.

Try waiting for them to pop their head up so you can line up your crosshairs, but don't take the shot yet. Let them pop back behind cover so your crosshairs completely stabilize. Then, you're in prime position to take their wig off and trigger the Action Camera when they come up again.

Action Camera grenade blast will earn you an achievement.

Parachute Gear
Scattered throughout each level are a number of much needed ammo drops, including fresh grenades. Keep a sharp eye out for these supplies as you pick your way through the level, and check your map from time to time to see if these supply drops are highlighted. You may not notice them as you walk by, but the map should highlight their locations.

Recon Map
The strategically useful Recon Points don't require you to locate them on your own. You should see them called out on the map, so make sure to check it regularly. It's not enough just to reach the Recon Point though. You have to reach its highest point, look down on the area below, and then tap X to activate the point.

Once you do, you'll be one step closer to the various Recon-based achievements. This also highlights a number of otherwise unseen enemies on your tactical map.

In Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway, tactics not twitch reflexes win the day. Adhere to the preceding tips and you should find every combat encounter a strategically exhilarating experience. Good luck, soldier!

Article by Ryan Treit