Why do people drop the flag every game?

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

I know about MLG flag running. I just don’t get why people give away their position by dropping the flag every CTF match . Do they not now how Halo 5 CTF works? I have lost matches before because the other team used stealth and one of my teammates grabbed the flag and drops it over and over. I’m like “everyone can see you now, you idiot”. (I don’t actually yell at them, I’m just very irritated)

In case somebody doesn’t know, in Halo 5 when you grab the flag, the other team doesn’t know where it is unless you are spotted. I started online with Halo 4(where you couldn’t drop it), so I never got the advantage to dropping the flag over and over. I do know in theory why people do it to boost speed. My question is why do people do this every time in Halo 5. What’s the point of being slightly faster when everyone knows where you are. I always grab the flag and try to sneek back.

Sorry for for the rant, I’m just sick of people making my team lose by using Halo 3 tactics in Halo 5. The speed increase usually isn’t worth the cost of giving your position away. I never found dropping the flag to be that effective even in other Halos, IMO. Maybe it’s because I started with 4.

2

Yes the flag dropping can get annoying…that’s why I try steal it when I can just so I can get on with the game. I’ve seen games where some refuse to even plant the thing when there like 2 inches away from our base.

3

> 2535416616313329;1:
> I know about MLG flag running. I just don’t get why people give away their position by dropping the flag ever time CTF match . Do they not now how Halo 5 CTF works? I have lost matches before because the other team used stealth and one of my teammates grabbed the flag and drops it over and over. I’m like “everyone can see you now, you idiot”.
>
> In case somebody doesn’t know, in Halo 5 when you grab the flag, the other team doesn’t know where it is unless you are spotted. I started online with Halo 4(where you couldn’t drop it), so I never got the advantage to dropping the flag over and over. I do know in theory why people do it to boost speed. My question is why do people do this every time in Halo 5. What’s the point of being slightly faster when everyone knows where you are. I always grab the flag and try to sneek back.
>
> Sorry for for the rant, I’m just sick of people making my team lose by using Halo 3 tactics in Halo 5. The speed increase usually isn’t worth the cost of giving your position away. I never found dropping the flag to be that effective even in other Halos, IMO. Maybe it’s because I started with 4.

They they just don’t know how to do it (flag juggling isn’t always the answer but it almost always is) example if you practice you can juggle the flag from one base in fathom to the other in 10 seconds flat. Even quicker if you’re really good. And with 6 second spawn time it’s almost a guarantee cap if your team places themselves accordingly

4

Depends on the situation I guess.

If you can manage to stay hidden, then stealth is the way to go. But I guess if you’re getting shot at and trying to get the flag as close to the base as possible before your death, then flag juggling is the preferred choice.

I do agree with you that automatic flag juggling when it isn’t necessary is very annoying and can mean victory or defeat, but sometimes you have to see their perspective first before judging. Perhaps they were getting shot, or knew they were being chased when they stole the flag.

Pretty much all up to the current situation at hand.

5

I agree. It’s very annoying. Like why are they telling the entire enemy team where they are just to go a tiny bit faster? I’ll never understand…

6

> 2533274829873463;2:
> Yes the flag dropping can get annoying…that’s why I try steal it when I can just so I can get on with the game. I’ve seen games where some refuse to even plant the thing when there like 2 inches away from our base.

I don’t understand why they don’t deliver it. Is there anything to really gain?

7

At first I assumed it was because flag carrying made you heavier, but after picking it up a few times it was not the case. I would assume people who do this hates the vulnerability of not carrying weapons and compulsively switch to it at every moment

8

> 2533274882470955;6:
> > 2533274829873463;2:
> > Yes the flag dropping can get annoying…that’s why I try steal it when I can just so I can get on with the game. I’ve seen games where some refuse to even plant the thing when there like 2 inches away from our base.
>
> I don’t understand why they don’t deliver it. Is there anything to really gain?

Well it depends on the situation. In Halo 4 I have played it in parties where everyone is like “don’t cap it, these guys suck. Let’s farm kills” or in neutral flag you don’t want to cap it unless your team is in position.

For the most part, I always cap the flag as soon as possible. I only hold it in Halo 4 when we have a good lead and my teammates are all telling me to hold it.

9

It depends on the situation. If your team has map control or you’re starting to get shot at, then juggling the flag even just temporarily is the better option because you can move the flag faster to your base. If none of those things are happening, then a stealth capture would be the better option although a mix of both can work as well depending on how close you are to your base. I feel like people who automatically assume it’s just a bad thing aren’t really informed on the matter. I should also note that I’m speaking from a solo player perspective.

10

I will agree flag dropping can be annoying. Not including a speed advantage it is some times necessary.

11

Horses for courses stealth capping can be good when playing solo etc and of the other team is pushing your flag so it gets their attention and makes them search for you but if I flag pull and see my team get a few kills then you have a massive advantage for a short period of time so a speed cap is the way to go as we all now getting 2 on 1 in halo 5 without power weapons means you should die every time so when you have the number advantage it’s time to push hard and fast

12

> 2533274882470955;6:
> > 2533274829873463;2:
> > Yes the flag dropping can get annoying…that’s why I try steal it when I can just so I can get on with the game. I’ve seen games where some refuse to even plant the thing when there like 2 inches away from our base.
>
> I don’t understand why they don’t deliver it. Is there anything to really gain?

It’s usually because there trying to wind the team up or in some games it’s because the team wants to prolong the game for easy kills.

13

Depending on the situation of the game I will drop and run with the flag if I know I have a clear path for a capture If I take the flag and most of my team is down that is another story but this for me is very dependent on what you are doing and what is going on in the game.

14

As a long time (15+) Halo player , I have learned that most times the mlg repeat drop process is a better way to go during a flag capture attempt.

In my experience, the only time the stealth option is better is if you grab the flag, and have no team mates around for support, and you know that there isn’t an enemy who saw you grab it. Very specifically, that is the only situation I have found has success more often then the quick cap technique.

If you do the boost-toss-pickup-toss-boost procedure, you cover ground literally twice as fast as when you try and stealth cap it.

The main advantage to the boost-toss method is you can get the flag really far while enemies are in the respawn process. If you try and stealth it over to your base, enemies can often respawn, and then get in front of you, meaning you have to fight your way through an extra battle to accomplish the capture.

One question I would pose to you OP, is if it’s a tactic that literally every single one of the top 20 players in the world uses, why would you be inclined to believe it’s an inferior tactic to the alternative? I don’t pose this question vindictively, I’m more just encouraging you to think about that one more time.

15

> 2535455681930574;5:
> I agree. It’s very annoying. Like why are they telling the entire enemy team where they are just to go a tiny bit faster? I’ll never understand…

> 2535416616313329;1:
> What’s the point of being slightly faster when everyone knows where you are. I always grab the flag and try to sneek back.

I think what your all may not be understanding is exactly how much faster juggling is than stealth walking. It’s not “slightly faster,” it is significantly faster than stealth capping.

Please note that when you’re caring the flag, you actually have a decrease in movement speed. That fact, coupled with the fact that juggling let’s you move at sprint speed, causes the flag juggler to move twice as fast as the stealth cap player.

With other players being able to move so fast while they hunt you down, the movement speed increase is more than worth the other team knowing what direction you’re moving.

I think you’ll find that stealth capping may net you more personal flag capture, but juggling will net your TEAM more captures, as the flag will almost always be closer to your base if you die, allowing an easier time for team mates to finish a capture.

So I guess it can depend on if you want personal capture glory, or if you want to give your team the best chance to win.

16

> 2614366390849210;14:
> As a long time (15+) Halo player , I have learned that most times the mlg repeat drop process is a better way to go during a flag capture attempt.
>
> In my experience, the only time the stealth option is better is if you grab the flag, and have no team mates around for support, and you know that there isn’t an enemy who saw you grab it. Very specifically, that is the only situation I have found has success more often then the quick cap technique.
>
> If you do the boost-toss-pickup-toss-boost procedure, you cover ground literally twice as fast as when you try and stealth cap it.
>
> The main advantage to the boost-toss method is you can get the flag really far while enemies are in the respawn process. If you try and stealth it over to your base, enemies can often respawn, and then get in front of you, meaning you have to fight your way through an extra battle to accomplish the capture.
>
> One question I would pose to you OP, is if it’s a tactic that literally every single one of the top 20 players in the world uses, why would you be inclined to believe it’s an inferior tactic to the alternative? I don’t pose this question vindictively, I’m more just encouraging you to think about that one more time.

THis x100. The people that put in 1000s of hours and make a living playing this game probably know the best strats for the situation they are in.

17

There are times when it is necessary to juggle the flag and other times when you need to be stealthy. It’s situational, so no need to rant.

18

> 2535416616313329;1:
> I know about MLG flag running. I just don’t get why people give away their position by dropping the flag every CTF match . Do they not now how Halo 5 CTF works? I have lost matches before because the other team used stealth and one of my teammates grabbed the flag and drops it over and over. I’m like “everyone can see you now, you idiot”. (I don’t actually yell at them, I’m just very irritated)
>
> Sorry for for the rant, I’m just sick of people making my team lose by using Halo 3 tactics in Halo 5. The speed increase usually isn’t worth the cost of giving your position away. I never found dropping the flag to be that effective even in other Halos, IMO. Maybe it’s because I started with 4.

Because everyone else can cover ground almost twice as fast as you, they can shoot you with better weapons, and chances are they can predict what path you took just based on process of elimination. At best, they know where your endpoint is, so they just have to wait at your base, or steal your flag to stall you out, since you wouldn’t blow your cover by coming out and shooting. Unless you have a foolproof plan (which 90% of the time, you don’t), you are going to be seen by the enemy by the time you get there.

Even if you get a player to support you, then you aren’t really sneaking, and the other guy is giving away your position because they can see him.

And in the event you do get seen, well they just have to shoot you once, and then no more sneak because you’ve been tagged.

With the repeat drop method, yes everyone can see you, but it doesn’t matter if you make it to the base by the time they even get to you, or you already have teammates in position to stop them. Tagging becomes useless too, because it resets when you drop the flag and pick it back up.

19

> 2533274833081329;18:
> > 2535416616313329;1:
> > I know about MLG flag running. I just don’t get why people give away their position by dropping the flag every CTF match . Do they not now how Halo 5 CTF works? I have lost matches before because the other team used stealth and one of my teammates grabbed the flag and drops it over and over. I’m like “everyone can see you now, you idiot”. (I don’t actually yell at them, I’m just very irritated)
> >
> > Sorry for for the rant, I’m just sick of people making my team lose by using Halo 3 tactics in Halo 5. The speed increase usually isn’t worth the cost of giving your position away. I never found dropping the flag to be that effective even in other Halos, IMO. Maybe it’s because I started with 4.
>
> Even if you get a player to support you, then you aren’t really sneaking, and the other guy is giving away your position because they can see him.
>
> And in the event you do get seen, well they just have to shoot you once, and then no more sneak because you’ve been tagged.
>
> With the repeat drop method, yes everyone can see you, but it doesn’t matter if you make it to the base by the time they even get to you, or you already have teammates in position to stop them. Tagging becomes useless too, because it resets when you drop the flag and pick it back up.

Actually, I have scored multiple times through stealth and have lost game because nobody knows where our flag is. I agree that if you’re spotted, the enemy can see you; therefore I drop the flag and quickly pick it up after the enemy is killed. You can argue about what tactics work for pro players but not what tactics work for me personally. Whenever I do drop the flag and pick it up, I take longer because I am distracted trying to pick it back up and pay attention for enemies. I get a fairly good amount of kills with the Flagnum.

Honestly, what is so much faster about dropping the flag and picking it back up. I should mention that I’m playing the Classic Throwback playlist (no sprint). So flag running is not much slower.

I remember when I first heard “flag stolen, flag dropped” over and over. I was like “are they trying to just annoy us?”. My teammate was like, “are you serious? That’s how MLGs do it”. But I really was serious and to this day don’t understand how it improves speed to drop the flag two feet and fumble around to pick it back up.

20

> 2535416616313329;19:
> > 2533274833081329;18:
> > > 2535416616313329;1:
> > > I know about MLG flag running. I just don’t get why people give away their position by dropping the flag every CTF match . Do they not now how Halo 5 CTF works? I have lost matches before because the other team used stealth and one of my teammates grabbed the flag and drops it over and over. I’m like “everyone can see you now, you idiot”. (I don’t actually yell at them, I’m just very irritated)
> > >
> > > Sorry for for the rant, I’m just sick of people making my team lose by using Halo 3 tactics in Halo 5. The speed increase usually isn’t worth the cost of giving your position away. I never found dropping the flag to be that effective even in other Halos, IMO. Maybe it’s because I started with 4.
> >
> > Even if you get a player to support you, then you aren’t really sneaking, and the other guy is giving away your position because they can see him.
> >
> > And in the event you do get seen, well they just have to shoot you once, and then no more sneak because you’ve been tagged.
> >
> > With the repeat drop method, yes everyone can see you, but it doesn’t matter if you make it to the base by the time they even get to you, or you already have teammates in position to stop them. Tagging becomes useless too, because it resets when you drop the flag and pick it back up.
>
> Actually, I have scored multiple times through stealth and have lost game because nobody knows where our flag is. I agree that if you’re spotted, the enemy can see you; therefore I drop the flag and quickly pick it up after the enemy is killed. You can argue about what tactics work for pro players but not what tactics work for me personally. Whenever I do drop the flag and pick it up, I take longer because I am distracted trying to pick it back up and pay attention for enemies. I get a fairly good amount of kills with the Flagum.
>
> Honestly, what is so much faster about dropping the flag and picking it back up. I should mention that I’m playing the Classic Throwback playlist (no sprint). So flag running is not much slower.
>
> I remember when I first heard “flag stolen, flag dropped” over and over. I was like “are they trying to just annoy us?”. My teammate was like, “are you serious? That’s how MLGs do it”. But I really was serious and to this day don’t understand how it improves speed to drop the flag two feet and fumble around to pick it back up.

Well yeah, how well it works depends on the route and the enemy team. If some people on the enemy team is dead, then there’s less people to cover ground and find the flag. Or if they just fail to search and go for the kills right in front of them, they’ll never even notice.

But priority should be to find the flag owner as soon as possible, or to push for the enemy base and steal the opposing flag.

If you’re picking up and dropping the flag, you’re not (completely) searching for enemies. That’s your teammates’ job. If they already know where you are, you’ll inevitably find someone getting close so you’re either going to keep running and expect your teammates to handle it, or stop juggling and fight off enemies while moving with the flag.

In Halo 3 (and the Throwback playlist), your movement speed is decreased while holding the flag. so you’re going to always be moving slower than someone who isn’t. Juggling the flag allows you to retain most of the speed of your regular movement speed while also moving the flag, which gives you a net decrease in flag runs. Jumping allows you to throw the flag farther, which gives you more time to move faster to it, which increases your speed even more.

In Halo 5 this is taken to extreme levels because of Thrusters, Sprint, and the Sword.

If you’re holding the grab button from the beginning, you wouldn’t fumble with the flag. Fumbling means you’re stopping and backing up and losing momentum, which defeats the purpose of juggling in the first place.