--Planet AvP | Articles | My Tips on How to Win with the Pulse Rifle

My Tips on How to Win with the Pulse Rifle Ah, the M-41A Pulse Rifle - a highly underrated and under-used weapon in the game of Aliens versus Predator 2, these days. Don’t let the title of this article fool you, as the pulsie is arguably every human’s (both corporates and marines, mind you) best asset. Its uses go far beyond engaging just other humans; but, alas, an article on all of its utilization’s would be so long it wouldn’t hold the interest of even diehard pulse rifle fanatics. Thus, I’ve decided to give an overview on how exactly to use it - and win by using it - against other humans. Hopefully I’ll encourage at least one or two n00bs to see the light and convert from the smartgun. So, let’s start, shall we? Advertisement First, let me get something off of my chest. One would think that the pulsie couldn’t possibly have nefarious uses, but, unfortunately, it does. AvP2 is a relatively well-balanced game, but it has several minor bugs that have never been amended in any of the patches by the developers (Monolith). One of these glitches is referred to as "the exploit," or more commonly as "stagger fire." Stagger fire is relatively simple to learn and implement, but it has deadly affects against any user’s opponents who either do not know how to use it or choose not to use it. To operate stagger fire, simply fire the pulse rifle in short, yet quick, bursts as if you’re playing a tactical-simulation game where you would this to improve accuracy. The result is a more than noticeable increase in the rate of fire of said weapon, which can reduce even Praetorians and Heavy Preds into piles of bleeding goo in a short amount of time. Some players hide behind the fact that it takes some skill to master the execution of this exploit, but that is still no excuse for cheating. Why is exploiting this particular glitch considered cheating? Well, let me make the following very clear and concise for you readers wondering why: the stagger fire exploit is an unintentional glitch in the game (AvP2); the developers did not intend for this bug to be included - its incorporation into AvP2 was merely accidental. Much of the mod-making community is against the use of the exploit, nearly all leagues and many clans have banned its use, and its practice is generally looked down upon within the entire community. Do not use this exploit. That is playing un-sportsmanlike. Plenty of people, hopefully including you once you’re done with the article, do not need to use stagger fire to win, let alone have fun. Now, on with the rest of the article! In order to be competitive in-game, it’s necessary to know how to use certain basic yet fundamental tactical movements. Never ever run predictably, as doing so means that your opponent will be able to blast your head off quite easily. Using the pulsie myself, I’ve gotten most of my kills from ambushing my enemy when they were running in a straight line. Does this mean you have to "bunny-hop" to avoid being killed easily? Nope, of course not. Just keep your movements roughly curved in direction, and other players will have a very difficult time getting a clear shot. Consult the picture below for an ideal walking route in open and semi-open environments... Unfortunately, on enclosed, tight levels, like Leadworks, you will not be able to walk as erratically as is necessary to confuse your adversaries. Thus, you must develop quick reflexes and learn how to aim accurately and fire promptly. Popping heads off from 300 yards away doesn’t come easily for most of us. As a matter of fact, I cannot get head-shots within a reasonable amount of time at range. Lag, mouse problems, computer issues, and your technical settings within the options menu can all affect how freely you can aim where you want to. Furthermore, even if you do get a head-shot, it may not register with the game because of AvP2’s poor hit detection (phantom/ghost shots are a pulse rifle’s worst enemies). First, make sure you have a suitable and clean gaming mouse with a good pad and plenty of room to maneuver your arm. (Please remember that infra red mice are terrible for game-playing) Second, be sure that your mouse settings within the options menu are configured to however you’re most comfortable with them. Those two tips should significantly improve how well you can aim with the PR. As far as fixing lag problems, your best bet is to get a broadband connection or higher and only play in T-servers with less than 12 players. A powerful computer with plenty of RAM and a fast processor also doesn’t hurt. As I said earlier, ambushing your opponents is your best bet for an easy kill with any weapon, especially the pulsie. If you can wait at the end of a long corridor, near a door entrance or a frequently-used walkway, you can surprise many-a-player with a quick few rounds to their heads. Consult the following screenshot... In the above picture, my adversary was moving down a frequently used pathway, and was easily killed because I had estimated where his head would be when I noticed a blip on my motion sensor. Remember, you can always aim before you actually make contact with a foe by putting your cursor high, where said enemy’s head will probably end up being in a second or so. How does one estimate where their opponents’ heads will be before they even see them? To do this, always aim high, roughly where anyone human’s head will naturally be; aiming for the chest area is all well and your cursor high, where said enemy’s head will probably end up being in a second or so. How does one estimate where their opponents’ heads will be before they even see them? To do this, always aim high, roughly where someone’s head will be; aiming for the chest area is all well and good if you want to be more sure of getting a hit, but it’s worth missing a few more shots by aiming upwards, as a head-shot means an instant frag. Another oft-used tactic is to spray your bullets over a small area in the hopes you’ll eventually get a head-shot. To do this, merely rapidly fire your bullets near your opponent’s head by moving your cursor back and forth (not up and down, though; we want head-shots only and if you aim low, you won’t be able to do that!), and you’ll eventually hit your adversary in the noggin’ with a few rounds - sloppy, yet surprisingly effective, especially at long and midrange. This is a superb tactic to use against bunny-hoppers and players who move erratically, as estimating where their head is going to be in a second or directly aiming for a head-shot will not work too well. Considering all we’ve covered thus far, do not go into a game expecting to own with the pulse rifle using these tactics alone. Your best bet is to: (A) Use the in-game reflexes you’ve developed over a long period of time (if you’re new to the game, tough luck, you’ll have to play for a bit longer to attain some experience). (B) Premeditate your attacks (i.e. use a plan and stick with it!) (C) Practice with these certain tactics, so you can get used to implementing them and eventually succeed with them. Do not be impatient. Just give these procedures some time - they’ll eventually become second nature for you if you use them often enough. Ah, but it ain’t over ‘till we’ve covered everything the M-41A has to offer, folks! One thing that makes it so incredibly devastating - that has helped the pulsie become the most widely used but still skilled weapon in the human arsenal - is the pulse grenade! These babies pack a serious punch, and if you stay alive long enough to reach two ammo boxes, you can carry up to eight grenades maximum. Pulse grenades can wallop your enemy when a head-shot just is not feasible, and you can pump them out at a lightning-fast, albeit unrealistic, pace. Take a look at the following picture for a bit... Ignoring the fact that I aimed a bit too high, we can see that the enemy has stumbled around the corner and is ready to plaster those gray walls with my crimson-red brains. That’s okay, though, because I have a quick alternative to the head-shot - a pulse grenade, which I do not need to take the time to aim upwards; as a matter fact, I can aim for the feet if that’s where my cursor happens to be located at the moment. Though our opponent, Mr. Thei’de Amedha, is all set up for a head-shot, I can unleash a small volley of grenades upon him before he can pump a few rounds into my skull (maybe up to 3 if he’s slow at aiming and/or firing or laggy). It’s important to know when a head-shot may be better than a grenade shot, and vice-versa. You can definitely piss a number of people off if you use pulse grenades too often, and sometimes you may want to save them for deadlier foes that may need to be dispatched in the near future, such as runners or predators (always think ahead!). So, while you may have a near-infinite quantity of 10mm bullets at your disposal, your meager supply of grnades is quite a different story. Conserve; survive. Hold on! Don’t click out of the article yet! There’s one more use for pulse grenades against humans that I want to get across. In the course of playing Aliens vs. Predator 2, I’ve come across many a cunning foe not much unlike myself. People who ambush, set traps, hide around corners, and duck behind objects while engaging in fire-fights. Those people are winners, for sure. But they use very defensive strategies to win. The best way to overcome such a sly defense is to "go for the jugular and not ever let go." Consider my final picture below... My opponent has gotten the drop on me. I not only lack the time for a quick head-shot, but the son of a bitch is trying to use that metal grating to block any shot to an alternative location on his body! Ah-ha! Pulse grenades to splash damage, though. When caught in a situation against someone ducking and firing, hiding behind corners, etc., you can still kill him/her by firing off your pulse grenades in quick succession, thus unleashing a load of splash damage. Most adversaries wouldn’t even think about hiding behind a box again if you give them some Grenade Pie to flush ‘em out. Hopefully this guide will help you succeed with the pulse rifle when facing human players. As I stated earlier, if you practice with these tactics and trust your reflexes, you can have one fun time and win as well! Just be sure to use the above procedures whenever you can, and they’ll eventually work their way into your cranium and you won’t even have to think to execute them; everything will ultimately be in your reflexes. Remember, play smarter, not harder; and happy hunting to all! A special thanks goes out to Izzy, resident literature specialist, and to Thei’de Amedha, forumer and Mailbag junkie, for their help with screenshots. By ::GenoDice:: Comments? Flames? Praise? Mail feedback!