I think you’ll agree, it can absolutely suck when the other team is properly co-ordinated against your own. Losing is inevitable, but being smushed into the ground is down right humiliating, and avoidable.
It seems in most matchmaking games I play, that not many people communicate. Either they don’t want to, or they can’t. The reason isn’t important. That doesn’t necessarily mean that team play is dead. But it does make winning arguably more difficult. Just having 2 people communicate to the team, even to each other, will increase the odds of winning.
In my experience, it is not uncommon to see either of the top 2 players, from each team, possess a score that is equal, if not more than, the combined scores of the remaining players. Call it skill, if you must. That’s certainly part of it. But the outcome, IMHO, can be helped by simply working with your team.
But if you (or they) don’t want to talk, but still want to co-operate, here are a few tips I’ve picked up, and noticed from others, that have helped me survive just a fraction longer, when you are unable to communicate with your teammates.
1: Stay near at LEAST one other team member. Often, you’ll encounter a situation where you are playing a numbers game - how many of you against an approaching enemy, or enemies. You don’t have to ride piggyback. Just stay near. But don’t lurk. That might creep them out.
2: Beware of getting into the Warthog. 3 players in the Warthog = a potential 3-kill combo for an opportunist with a Spartan Laser or Rocket. When nobody is talking, you won’t hear them cursing your name because they’ve noticed the red laser beam aimed squarely at the dashboard, while you’re more interested in hitting that bump at full speed for big air. Having said that, getting into a car with a stranger has wrong written all over it.
3: Assess how the other team plays. You can’t communicate with your team to advise where enemies are etc. and therefore, nobody is going to tell you, either. But I’ve found that, in teams with some semblance of organization, that often they will play you into a trap. e.g. lure you towards a spot, where a sniper or two are covering the angles, waiting to tear your team apart. If this happens a couple of times, you can be sure that at least 2 of them are communicating. And they’re playing you. Be mindful, and try not to fall into playing how the other team want you to play.
4: Help another team member get a kill. This will be hard for some players to do. The thrill of the kill is too alluring for some. Sometimes, if I see an enemy at mid-to-long range, begin combat with a teammate closer to them, but I’m in no position to get the kill, I help them out. In this case, weapon permitting, I’ll pop a couple of shots at the enemy, and hopefully the teammate will finish the job. Note that I’m not trying to steal a kill. Just turning the odds in our teams favor. On the other hand, if you’re trying to win as a team, if you can take the guy down - take them down. Often, I’ve left an enemy no shielded, only to see my teammate ballz up and die. In time you’ll be able to judge for yourself which call to make.
5: Something I haven’t tried yet, but may do, is perhaps see who the highest scoring player(s) are on your team, seek them out on the map, and provide support fire for them. Or, maybe they’ve found the vantage point which the enemy team have left themselves vulnerable to, and you are simply taking advantage of this point also. Whether or not this works, I’ll find out. But the point is, you are looking for non-verbal cues to help you co-ordinate better with your non-talking team mates
6: Beware of what seems an easy kill. For example, when I see 3 enemy dots on radar, and I know they’re gonna walk right by, but I don’t have the weaponry to dispatch them all, I let the first 2 slip by, before taking out the straggler. Some people will see the 3 dots and think it’s a shooting gallery. But, if you find yourself alone without support to call in, you could be screwed. If you are lucky, the enemies who you let walk by will be taken off-guard just enough for you to get at least 2 of the 3 down. Two enemies for one death (you) is not a bad deal.
7: If you know that your teammates have a vehicle, and you can see on your radar that they’re behind you, try not to position yourself in the middle of paths and roads. Not everybody will honk the horn,especially a no horn vehicle like the Ghost, and if you’re in their path, a good teammate will try to avoid you. Problem is, if you slow them down, you’ll turn them into Laser Bait. On the flipside, try using the horn if you are coming up on a teammate who’s in the way. If they notice and move, you’ve done the job.
Extending this, try staying near teammate vehicles. Chances are, they’ll pick off any enemies trying to bother you, but I’ve also found some easy kills by getting those players who are focused solely on the vehicle because they know how dangerous the vehicles can be. Use your teammates vehicle to your own advantage.
8: On the subject of Warthog driving, be mindful that if you drive your teammates into a danger zone, and you decide to jump out and hoof it to safety, you’ve just left your teammate to the slaughter. I see this a lot.
9: Leave some space between teammates. Hang back a little. Sad to say, but if they are ahead of you and you see them get sniped, this is an obvious sign not to follow. Also, a tight formation of 2 or 3 players is an irresistible target for rockets.
Well, that’s all the tips I have. They’ll seem obvious to many of you. Simple, even. But the simple is often overlooked. And these tips are more for newbies.
Besides, these are tips for non-communicating players looking to survive a little longer. They’ve certainly helped me.
If you’ve got your own to share, feel free.