Halo 3 Xbox - Huge Halo 3 Tips and Tricks Archive Listings

I hope you enjoy ALL the previous tips, tricks and strategy links and resources! Yes even more Halo 3 Xbox tips for you. I've decided to make these Xbox Halo resources available on a different page simple because the main tips page was becoming too full! If you are new to Halo 3 I'm sure that these tips will help you improve your game quickly!

MLG Pro Halo Xbox Tips - Halo Xbox Sniping: When you’re working on your own no-scopes try to have a steady control of your shot instead of wildly sweeping across an opponent's head or body in hopes of a lucky kill. You don’t need head shots with the sniper. In Halo 3 Xbox especially, where the sniper’s firing rate is slower you can go for an easier body shot if you’re at enough of a distance to confidently finish them off with your secondary weapon. Xbox Tips - Power Items: Every advanced player, through habit and constant communication, knows when all the power items will return. In hotly contested games, the difference between a win or loss can be a single power item. Even if you’re practicing in matchmaking by yourself, always be mindful of as many of the important items and weapons on the map as possible. This will make you a better player immediately, as you will consider power itesms as part of how you position yourself and play a map. General Halo 3 Strategy: Don’t give up on a gun fight in Halo 3. Many Halo 2 players seem to forget that auto-aim has been drastically reduced in Halo 3. This places emphasis on aiming and means that you can come back in a battle rifle fight even if you’re one shot down. Great players never let up until they are in the death screen. (Xbox tips contributed by: Brick, added January 29, 2008)

One thing that needs to be emphasized to a halo xbox player (especially newcomers to the game) is the importance of the battle rifle. If you look at the stats of ANY pro the battle rifle will be their tool of destruction raking in around 30% of their kills. It may be discouraging at first due to the fact that the reticule of the battle rifle is much smaller than that of the assault rifle which makes it harder to hit you're mark. However if you stick with it the reward is well worth your time. Here are some tips for using the Halo 3 Xbox battle rife:

1. Aim for the neck! When you shoot the rifle will kick up a bit resulting in the bullets landing in a higher place than you are actually aiming. If you aim for the upper neck to chin area all of the bullets (Halo Xbox battle rifle has a three shot burst) will land right in his face.

2. You have to slightly lead you're targets when they are moving. Unlike in halo 2, it takes you're battle rifle shot a fraction of a second to get to wherever it's going. So if someone is running left to right and you're aiming for the center of their head, the bullets will fly behind him. However if you aim for the right side of the head you're targets forward motion will cause you to hit around his ear.

3. Move when you shoot! If you are standing still you are an easy target. Try to strafe left to right while fighting with the battle rifle (or any gun for that matter).

Start using the Halo Xbox battle rifle as much as possible and apply the techniques listed above. In time you should get so used it that you feel naked without one. Instead of chasing someone from 50 yards away, tearing up the sky with you're blazing assault rifle, you can be increasing you're teabag count on a pile of dead bodies.

One of the best Halo 3 players on the planet answered questions from Halo players all over the US. Check it out!

Andrew Richmond, VA: How long did it take you to get Carbon to really work together as a team and use strategies effectively?

Brian Joyner, NC: How do you feel about the 08 season, and what teams do you think stand out?

Colin (Hartford, CT):: What approach do you take to improve your Halo 3 gameplay, and how would you advise up and comers to improve their play?

jonathan, new york: are u guys going to make roster changes if it doesnt work out for the first 2 halo 3 tournaments

Nathan (Ankeny, Iowa): I have allot of trouble with keeping teams together and meeting new ppl for a team. do u have any advice on geting a team with ppl dont realy know?

Corey Richmond, VA: What would you say is the best way to approach developing strategies for maps with a team?

SportsNation Shockwave: Thanks to all the fans and to MLG for everything they have done for me the last few years! I appreciate all the support I receive from everyone at Va. Tech and back home !

Sniper Target Practice! - In Last Resort, if you can manage to get all the way on top of the covered bridge near the beach, you may even be able to view it from the ghost/warthog on the beach, i havent checked from there though.. Looking at the beach all the way to the left above the closest island to land there will be about four or five birds that regenerate when you shoot them, and they move in various directions making the sniping more challenging. (contributed by: hazeyez, Halo 3 article added January 7, 2007)

Pro Advice: Halo 3 Weapons and Controller Settings - MLG Canada interviews the pros from team Final Boss about Halo 3 weapons, multiplayer and the all important controller settings. (Halo 3 article added December 21, 2007)

Pro Advice: Ogre 2 and Walshy Talk Communication - MLG Canada interviews some pros about teamwork and the importance of communication. If you don't listen to the pros, then how will you get better? Read up everyone! (Halo 3 article added December 21, 2007)

Halo Repair - 1up.com look at what is wrong with Halo 3 multiplayer. They discuss respawn issues, weapon balancing, and many other gameplay aspects that may or may not be better than what Halo 2 had. The article also helps Bungie by making suggestions for fixing these common gameplay complaints. A few pages, and a good read. (Halo 3 article added November 15, 2007)

Some tips are worth reading 10 times. I would think the Bungie employees would be people worth listening to. So, read this! Think long and hard about what George Cheng has to say. Short in words, but important words spoken.

Zoom Cancelling - Rather than double clicking the analog stick to get through the sniper rifle's two levels of zoom, just double tap Y. This will tell the game that you quickly switched weapons and then switched back, but all you'll see is your sniper rifle. You can also HOLD DOWN the analog stick. This will make your zoom go back one level. So, if your on X10 zoom, HOLD DOWN the analog stick and you'll go back to X5. Do the same again and you'll be back to normal view. Simple. This can make all the difference in getting out of zoom in a hurry. (source: MyCheats.com, Halo 3 article added November 7, 2007)

Don't run around with the sword out - The sword (or hammer), are powerful weapons. However tempting it might be, do not run around with them equipped. Unless you know that there is an opponent closing in with you, keep a gun out. All too often you will see players who are determined to sword someone run at someone who has a gun, neglecting to realize that they are 100 ft. away and have no chance. Remember, the sword is a close combat weapon. (source: MyCheats.com, Halo 3 article added November 7, 2007

Position and Location are a Revolution - A great one page article from Halos-Finest.com that you should read, then think about before playing your next Halo 3 multiplayer match. Out thinking your opponents is half the battle of winning and this read will lead you in the winning direction. (Halo 3 article added November 5, 2007)

How to Defeat the Scarab Tank - A nice article from Halos-Finest.com that gives you various strategies and tips for destroying the damn Scarab tank. A short half page read, but very worthwhile. Check it out! (Halo 3 article added November 5, 2007)

General Halo 3 Multiplayer Strategy Tip: Placing an unneeded vehicle on top of a bomb arming spot or flag spawn can be a real irritant for your opponents; you can also park them in front of control panels (such as those found on High Ground and Last Resort). Sometimes, enemies will accidentally climb inside the vehicle rather than grabbing the flag, or may decide to quickly move the obstruction aside. Anything that slows them down gives your team the opportunity to launch a more concerted defensive strike. (Halo 3 article added November 5, 2007)

How to be a better Halo 3 player - Here are answers to a number of Halo 3 multiplayer questions. Things such as "What weapons do more damage at the head versus the body?" and a variety of strategy tips and ideas listed in a one page article. (Halo 3 article added October 23, 2007)

In Sandtrap, High Ground, and Isolation get the ghost! The ghost is very effective and you should be able to pile up kills very rapidly. If you find yourself being chased by a ghost don’t try to be tough and shoot it out! Find cover and wait for the ghost to approach you. The brute shot is a great weapon (it can be found very easily) to combat the ghost. Also keep in mind, you can melee someone who is on a ghost. If you do this they will die in a single blow! (Halo 3 article added October 13, 2007) (contributed by: lonman06)

Map Weapon Respawn Times

- A freaking brilliant listing of most of the multiplayer maps weapon respawn times. You can and will thank niZmo v2, iMemorex, l axiom l, and C0MM0N 5ENSE from MLG! (Halo 3 article added October 4, 2007)

Multiplayer Strategies and Tips - A nice one page Halo 3 tip and strategy sheet by ChufMoney. I don't know the actual skill of the writer, but it sounds like he or she knows what they are talking about! Covers many multiplayer aspects including: zoom cancelling, grenade jumping, shields, melee, and more. Read this now. (Halo 3 article added October 3, 2007)

Halo 3 Equipment - A compact listing of all the equipment available to you in Halo 3. Learn about bubble shield and the mines! (Halo 3 article added September 29, 2007)

Halo 3 Weapons - A compact guide with screenshots of the weapons available to you. Included are tidbits and information about each weapon. What can I say? Read this because the more you can learn about Halo 3 weapons the better! (Halo 3 article added September 29, 2007)

Multiplayer Medals - A complete listing with an image of the medal. Very nice listing and gives you what you need on one page. (Halo 3 article added September 28, 2007)

I've added some amazing new fly through videos of the Halo 3 multiplayer maps here! You need to view these many times. Gain advantage early online by knowing these maps inside and out!!

Halo 3: Welcome to Isolation - A nice IGN article on the Halo 3 multiplayer map Isolation. Just more eye candy to drool over! (Halo 3 article added September 20, 2007)

The bubble shield is basically just a shield that stops fast moving objects such as grenades and bullets, but it doesn't stop vehicles! It is mostly used to just get cover when being attacked.

Here are some tips on how to effectively use the bubble shield:

1. If you're not sure that you can handle the attacker just go stand behind the bubble shield (now you basically have two barriers between you and the attackers)

2. Remember that you can't deploy the bubble shield while holding a machine gun turret, missile put etc.

3. If you have an opponent walking towards your bubble shield, just throw a grenade and then quickly walk out of the bubble shield and hopefully watch him get blown to pieces.

4. If you have a shotgun, mauler etc then just lure people into your shield and then shoot them (Smart players probably won't go in as they see the sword or shotgun so don't make it seem to obvious)

5. If you for some reason wanted to destroy the shield then just destroy the shield emitter (the thing in the middle
of the shield)

6. Remember that the Halo 3 shield gives you cover from all directions, so even from above and therefore also from air attacks.

7. Don't forget that a vehicle can easily still splatter you if you forget that they can get trough the shield!

8. The shield is very handy for controlling a territory as its fairly easy to defend a covered area (also handy for capture the flag!).

10. If you get yourself in a situation where you're running for your life, just throw your shield and keep on running (the attackers can't hit you as the shield is between you and them)

Be sociable, throw a Halo 3 bubble shield at team members as you think that they need it! Also, if you have a sniper then just aim for somebody and then walk just outside the shield and shoot him (you can do this with a laser too (just charge it inside!). But this still isn't all, you can even use a bubble shield in the air! All you have to do is
throw it in some kind of gravity lift and go in right after it for cover while in the air! This I think is about it, so good luck and I hope this was helpful to you!

How To Practice Your Halo 3 Sniping - On Construct, in the area where the default sword is, you have a small area with thin edges where you're able to look out into the 'forbidden' area' where when you jump off you'll fall to your death.

If you look, you can see these small like "robot-things" flying around into their repetitive destination. Anyways, if you were to have a custom game, with default sniper and unlimited ammo, you could sit on the edge and try and kill as many of the flying robots as you can [Yes, when you hit them they blow up, and they MUST be enemies since your reticule turns red once you get your cross hairs on them].

It's pretty good, and I've been doing it for a bit now and have seen a pretty good outcome in better Halo 3 sniping. It's good and lets you practice learning to follow your enemy better [since they fly up] and somewhat helps you have a better sense at aiming for the head [since the robots are relatively small that they could have the same hitbox, or a bit more, as a spartan helmet]. A video example can be seen here. (contributed by: DumbItDown, added November 9, 2007)

A Compendium of Halo 3 Xbox Tutorials and Strategies - Here’s a rundown of some of the most useful videos that members of the Halo community shared with the public over the past month. Mastering advanced techniques, specific jumps and studying film will give you a competitive advantage in matchmaking and custom games. (added November 8, 2007

1. Only jump when you are fighting with somebody (so don't jump if you are bored because you will likely be spotted)

2. Jumping right before somebody is really handy because they are still aiming in the air as you land

3. Of course you can you jump to get on a lot of platforms (some are really hard to get on by jumping and might need some grenades to get on but you just got to learn this and find out wich platforms you can get on)

4. Don't jump when somebody snipes at you as it is very easy for them to shoot you.

5. Remember that you can be seen on the radar if you jump

6. You can use jumping to avoid granades and rockets (so always jump while fighting sombody with a rocket)

7. If you are good at jumping you might be able to disorient your opponents.

8. You can also jump towards a opponent and when in range, you can stick him easily without getting hit to much (might want to practise this first) (why jump? TO AVOID GETTING HIT TO MUCH AND DIE BEFORE GETTING THERE)

Halo 3 Team Play Tip - Work in teams, practice in teams, and make sure everyone in the team has read this article. (My comment is that we should all listen to what the Bungie guys say. Their tips are from the people working on the guts of the game. Needless to say, when I clicked the link I thought I was on the wrong page. Nope, check it out. It's all about team tactics). (contributed by: Larry Larsen, Senior Manager, Bungie Studios, added November 7, 2007)

Halo 3 Warthog Tips - Practice driving the vehicles on custom games. For the Halo 3 warthog, pay careful attention to how you can use the emergency brake to tighten your turn radius.

The New Halo 3 Spartan Laser is the most powerful Human weapon available. It fires a pirecing beam of energy that penetrates several targets and destroys vehicles.However, it is a double-edged sword. It requires a short 3 second charge-up before firing, leaving you
vulnerable to enemy fire.

Being one of the strongest weapons in the whole game, it is highly
sought-after, and it is a decent weapon when you are at a distance
from your enemy or are in hiding, but it should be left alone in
some maps, especially when there isn't enough room to get a clear
shot. Other than that though, it totally pwns.

(an exerpt from Halo 3 Xbox Weapons & Vehicles FAQ by Livio A)
(added November 6, 2007)

New Halo 3 Jump Technique Video - This is very hot and very new.

Quoting MLG Halo 3 forums where this video was released, "you throw equipment and can jump off of it. Like a double jump. All you do it look down, doesn't even need to be quite all the way, hit x and jump off of it. I was suprised how easy it is compaired to some of the crazy jump glitches from h2/h3.

It works with the sphere-type equipments... flare, jammer, drainer... I also got the deployable cover to work, but it seemed harder to jump off of it."

Okay, go start practicing Halo 3 kids!

Halo 3 Vehicles Tip: When facing incoming Fuel Rod Gun missiles while driving vehicles, the obvious reaction is to move in reverse. Unless this enables you to move straight behind cover, or over the brow of a hill, it’s actually the worst thing you can do. The most efficient way to evade these deadly projectiles is to accelerate at full speed, veering to the left or right (whichever is appropriate) at an angle that their limited homing function can’t fully track. (added November 5, 2007)

Halo 3 Gravity Hammer Tip: If an enemy thinks they are safe behind the glass where the Gravity Hammer spawns on Guardian, teach them otherwise – if you swing the hammer in their direction, its effects will pass through such barriers with ease. (added November 5, 2007)

Halo 3 Multiplayer Guide - Tips for embarrassing the online competition. These guys at GameRadar.com kick ass. This is a real gem of an article with various multiplayer tips and tidbits. Five pages covering various Halo 3 multiplayer tips and strategies that will help you win more! Read it!! (added November 2, 2007)

General Halo 3 Strategy - When you're in a bubble shield and your sheilds are down, you are only safe to an extent! Someone will come in and kill you. If you are lucky enough to have any type of sticky grenade stick it to them and jump out. BOOM! Most of the time, they're dead and you're not. (contributed by: Austin, added November 2, 2007)

Halo 3 Grenades Pro Tip - Focus on grenade placement. Learn level geometry to be better with brute grenades. (added November 2, 2007)

Halo 3 Grenades - This isn't an ordered "Top Ten" list, but Grenades would be #1 if it were. Simply, the man who uses grenades will defeat the man without in an overwhelming majority of scenarios, and it's surprising how many players treat them as their last line of defense. As long as you're not fighting on a narrow ledge, you should be throwing Frag and Plasma grenades before you shoot (and during shooting, of course). And you throw grenades at an enemy's feet, not their head. If they're backing towards a wall, throw it past them. The goal is to explode it near them, not on them (unless you're trying to stick them with a Plasma or Spike grenade). The more you throw, the more accustomed you'll get to leading them -- throwing it where they're going to be rather than where they are -- but for now just focus on making grenades an immediate go-to part of your arsenal, and make sure you have a couple on you at all times (more important than, say, going out of your way for the rocket launcher). (added November 2, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Grenade Jumping - This is a skill that is going to take some time to master. The goal is to throw a frag grenade ahead of you so that you can be at the apex of your jump as it blows underneath you, launching you even higher into the air. A skilled player will be able to use this technique to get to places that would otherwise require a Grav Lift. (added November 2, 2007)

Communicate
This goes beyond the obvious in-game communication. Let your teammates know when you have real life obligations, or anything that may conflict with practice. Having a flexible schedule is almost necessary to obtain Pro / Semi-Pro status.

Use the same callouts
Not similar callouts, the SAME ones. This increases teamshooting and puts your team on the same page. Get specific, but don't add too many at once.

Get 3-4 days of solid Halo 3 Xbox practice each week
Be prepared to put the time in if you're serious. Always have the latest MLG gametypes. Start a custom by yourself when your team isn't on and look for ways to improve your strategies and individual skill. I would highly suggest using some practice time to review gameplays. Avoid over-practicing! It usually causes heavy frustration and arguments between teammates.

Use the Halo 3 Xbox Theatre
This is huge for competitive gaming! Each teammate should analyze and takes notes on the chosen gameplay by themselves. Watching from different perspectives is a crucial part of this process. Pay attention to where teams spawn according to your strategy, look at their setups, etc. Join up after and collaborate ideas. Download gameplays from top players / teams when available. A coach would be very helpful in this area for organizing and managing films.

Scrim better and better Halo 3 Xbox teams
Losing is a good thing ocassionally - it brings focus to the weak area(s) of your strategies. List your team in a scrim thread somewhere on the forums. Remove and update your Friends List with other GT's on a team.

Have a positive attitude
One bad attitude can make a team play poor and bring down the morale. Random BS happens, you can't control it. Keep a good attitude if you are part of a new team. Optimism can help your team win down the stretch. Take a break for at least a few hours if your team is in a slump, maybe even 1-2 days (Assuming the team has been getting solid practice).

Trust your teammates
I cannot stress how important this is. Part of it stems from the responsibility of being online when necessary. Trust is the core of great teams, but usually requires playing together for months.

Halo 3 Xbox Experience
It's also good to have an experienced teammate who knows how to handle intense games. Just make sure the team has someone to keep everyone calm and reiterate strategy in tight situations. Participate in LANs, local tournaments, and MLG Online / Season events as much as possible.

-Not satisfied with your team
-Consistently lose scrims
-Talked to your teammates and could not come up with a solution
-Exhausted all possible options (Tried using the suggested tips)

It doesn't matter if everyone on the team has ridiculous individual talent. A team is like a relationship: You can't force it to work, there has to be some natural chemistry. Just don't give up on it too soon.

Always try to leave a team with respect. Nothing is worse than a teammate who anonymously disbands, or doesn't give an explanation why. There is no sense getting on someone's bad side because the team didn't work well together. Networking with good players is key, so don't talk trash - you never know who the person may be friends with.

Basic Halo 3 Xbox Multiplayer Tips - A one page full of various Halo 3 strats and information. Learn about plasma vs. bullets, explosives and various weapons tactics. (added October 28, 2007)

Essential Guide To Halo 3 Xbox Multiplayer - A one page article, short on words, but right to the point. Covers basics and tricks that veterans use. Start winning at games like Oddball and King of the Hill. (added October 28, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Duck-jumping, the first step to intermediacy - Duck jumping will open up new ways to navigate levels once you get it down. Visuals help with the explanation, but just think about it logically: if you duck when you jump, pulling your legs up, less of you needs to clear a ledge for a landing. You can make a lot of jumps you couldn't make otherwise, and generally expand your maneuverability. Leave jumps as late as you possibly can, and duck right before you land. It takes some people a while for it to "click," but once you've hit it a few times you'll rarely miss them, and have a significant advantage in getting around more complex areas of levels. (added October 25, 2007, source: mycheats.com)

Halo 3 Xbox Zoom Cancelling - Rather than double clicking the analog stick to get through the sniper rifle's two levels of zoom, just double tap Y. This will tell the game that you quickly switched weapons and then switched back, but all you'll see is your sniper rifle. You can also HOLD DOWN the analog stick. This will make your zoom go back one level. So, if your on X10 zoom, HOLD DOWN the analog stick and you'll go back to X5. Do the same again and you'll be back to normal view. Simple. This can make all the difference in getting out of zoom in a hurry. (added October 25, 2007, source: mycheats.com)

Name: Basic Halo 3 Xbox Jumps
Halo 3 Xbox Map: Various Maps
Length: 2 min 36 sec
Added: October 24, 2007

Comments: A look at some great jumps for Halo 3 Xbox multiplayer. You just can't dominate unless you know you're way around a map better than your opponents. Learn these jumps and you will be ahead of many playing the game. Great video. (added October 24, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Bubble Shields + Spiker Grenades Tip: I have found that Bubble Shields and Spiker Grenades can be a great trap when used together in combination. First deploy the shield, then as an opponent inevitably walks through it in an attempt to melee you, throw a spiker inside and run outside the shield perimeter, the spiked shrapnel should ricochet constantly off the inside of the shield walls for about 2-3 seconds. A guaranteed death for anyone inside. I have used 2 spike grenades at most before the emitter is destroyed by the shrapnel. (contributed by: PMR1984, added October 22, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Ghost Tip: Do you know how players can dodge your vehicle when you're trying to run them over just by jumping? When using the ghost, you can trick people and run them over. First boost at the person like you are going to run them over. When you get a few feet in front of them and they start to jump, STOP, then as they are coming down, use boost and fly straight at them. You should ram them as they are coming down. (contributed by: morecowbell0420, added October 22, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Advanced Positioning and Tactics - A great general multiplayer tip and strategy article. This will help you change your way of thinking during a game. What you will begin to realize is that a big part of winning in Halo 3 Xbox is using your intelligence and basically out strategizing your opponents. It's half the battle. The other part is aiming of course! Anyways, highly recommended read. (added October 21, 2007)

Improving Your No-scopes - A wicked article about improving your skills at Sniper no-scope kills. Tips and strats in this one page article coving things such as how to make it easier to no-scope. A must read! (added October 21, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Balancing Changes. What is different now?
(Source: IGN, added October 18, 2007)

Grenade, Melee and Dual Wielding - What is probably the most significant pair of changes may seem minor. Both grenades and melee attacks have gotten a boost in damage and effectiveness that permeates every aspect of multiplayer battles. Since both grenades and melee attacks are now stronger, and since you can only use them with a single weapon, dual wielding in Halo 3 Xbox is much less effective than it was in Halo 2. This is an important fact to remember when choosing your weapons.

More on Melee Damage - Here's something to consider: In Halo 3 Xbox, two melee strikes with any weapon will kill an opponent with full shields (provided the opponent does not have an overshield). Generally, most weapons deal the same amount of melee damage, though some, like the Brute Shot, deal more damage but still require two hits to kill an opponent outright. A fully charged Plasma Pistol shot followed by any melee attack will now kill an opponent (not the case in previous Halo games) and a single melee attack from a stolen flag will also drop an opponent dead. A number of weapons, including the Battle Rifle and the Magnum pistol, can kill an opponent with one headshot after landing a melee attack.

Sniping Nerfed - Halo 3 Xbox's Sniper Rifle is not as good as Halo 2's. That's a good thing in our opinion, but nevermind our view because it directly affects your play no matter how you feel about it. Halo 2's Sniper Rifle had some serious auto-correction that made headshots relatively easy to get with a technique dubbed "sweep sniping." This is not the case in Halo 3 Xbox, and consequently getting head shots with the Sniper Rifle is more difficult. Talented shooters can still get instant kills, but keep in mind that most people you play are not that talented. Against these less talented folks (like, uh, us) you can usually be pretty aggressive with a non-sniping weapon and overwhelm a would-be sniper.

Vehicle Balancing - We think the vehicles in Halo 2 were a bit too strong, and it looks like Bungie agrees. There are some balancing changes with the vehicles that generally make them less effective against on-foot soldiers. One major balancing tweak now lets a charged Plasma Pistol shot temporarily stall a vehicle's engine. Peg a Warthog, Banshee, or even a Scorpion tank with a charged shot and the vehicle's engine will stop working for about five seconds (a successful hijack will instantly kill the drivers of most vehicles following a Plasma Pistol-induced stall). Otherwise, vehicles seem generally more resilient, as it takes way more to actually destroy a vehicle. Ghosts no longer have a weak spot on their side. Gunfire is almost useless against most vehicles. The balance here is that it seems as though drivers and passengers of vehicles get no protection against guns like they did in Halo 2, as long as you're shooting exposed bits. Moral of the story: When fighting vehicles, shoot for the drivers and passengers, not the vehicle. The only case in which you're better off attacking the vehicle directly is if you've got a Rocket Launcher, Missile Pod, or grenades (sticky grenades destroy most vehicles instantly).

Rocket Launcher Lost its Balls - If by balls you mean lock-on, and in this case that's what we mean. Halo 2's Rocket Launcher had a lock-on feature that made taking out vehicles a brainless task—just point, pull trigger, and the rocket would tenaciously track a moving vehicle target. Halo 3 Xbox's Rocket Launcher does not have this lock-on feature, so you'll have to show a bit of skill if you want to bring down a vehicle with the Rocket Launcher. Again, we think this is a positive change to the multiplayer balancing, but again our opinion doesn't matter because even if you don't like the change, it's real and you'll have to man up...

...Unless You Have the Missile Pod - Our swooning over the weakened Rocket Launcher is a bit short lived, though, because Halo 3 Xbox's Missile Pod has tracking abilities versus vehicles. The Missile Pod's shots aren't as powerful as the Rocket Launcher, but it can fire off shots in quick succession and bring down vehicles pretty quickly (it locks on instantly, too, which is better than even Halo 2's rocket launcher). Thankfully, a carrier of the Missile Pod is burdened with the weight of the weapon and moves slowly.

Shotgun Range - The Shotgun in Halo 2 was always a bit finnicky in our experience, with uneven damage that varied by shot and a really short range that made one-hit kills a bit of a rarity. But this is another example of "no longer the case," as Halo 3 Xbox's Shotgun packs a serious punch. In fact, the Shotgun is now one of our absolute most favorite weapons, especially if you can stick to corners and tight areas for fighting.

(end of article)

Flare Tip: If you have a short ranged weapon, the Flare will blind opponents long enough for you to get close. Griesemer from Bungie says, "See a bunch of people guarding their flag?" Throw the Flare down. By the time the Flare's gone, their flag is too". As you already know, be sure to turn away when you throw it otherwise you will be blinded also!

Regenerator Tip: It's green field instantly recharges players' shields. It's like the opposite of the Power Drain. It's really handy in multiplayer. If you're standing on the hill, you're invincible unless they kill you in one hit.

"I typicially strafe and sometimes just stop and duck just to try and throw them off. If I do the ghandi jump ill typically run towards something and jump off something if that makes any sense becuz i found its better than just jumping straight up becuz it somewhat allows you to change direction meaning you are running one way and then u jump off something small and ur going thru the air in the other direction...kinda hard to explain what I mean sorry its 3am lol. it does work tho lol." - Jroc223

"I still tend to strafe from side to side in long to short motions and then jumping to the side and gandhi hopping for a bit. Throws some people off, others it just puts you into the air for an easy kill. It's one of those "know the other player" moves." - ACTin.up

"If i'm in a straight up sniper battle i will strafe and duck. But if i'm in a BR battle ill usually start to jump & crouch between my 2nd and 3rd BR shot depending on the situation." - Medgrik

A Guide To Survival In Halo 3 Xbox - A general Halo 3 Xbox tips and strategy article. It might get you thinking about ways to play better if you are getting your butt kicked constantly. Not advanced tactics or strats, but it will give you something to think about. Also some practice techniques mentioned. One page article. (added October 10, 2007)

You Suck At Halo 3 Xbox - This is a Halo 3 Xbox beta multiplayer article, however I think it's worth reading. Why? Well it's because the questions are answered by Bungie Studios. There is something here that you will find to help you win in Halo 3 multiplayer, I just know it! It's about 3 pages in all. Nice layout. Read it now! (added October 9, 2007)

Various Halo 3 Xbox Multiplayer Tips - Written by The Fez (added October 9, 2007)

"BR/Carbine: I see way to many players online wasting ammo at targets that are A. Too far off, and B. can escape to cover if attacked. When choosing targets with the BR/Carbine (sniper rifle included), make sure their position gives you ample opportunity to make a kill. Shooting a target several times only to have them retreat into cover means that not only have you wasted ammo, but they know where you are. If you are to engage a target with the BR/Carbine, you should be able to either A. Finish them off when they're in the open, or B. Be able to finish them off with a grenade if they retreat to cover. Don't attack a target unless you're mostly certain they can't get away.

Learn the Maps, and the strategies used on them: Part of defeating your opponent is being able to anticipate their actions before they make them. This is of course something you learn over time, but you can quickly learn what another player's options are if they're caught in a particular circumstance. Will they go left or right, up or down? What weapon are they using, and what strategy should you use to counter that weapon? Being able to deduce, quickly, the answers to these problems will keep you one step ahead of your opponent.

Run Away: Or retreat when you are grossly outnumbered or outgunned. You may be able to kill one or two, but most of time, 90% of the time, you'll just die outright. Being able to retreat appropriately to safer, more defensible location, puts even greater enemy odds at a disadvantage. Think about choke points. Even if two or three opponents are chasing you, they still have to cram themselves through a doorway or waste time finding another entrance. If being pursued, don't stay put, fight on the run. Even a defensible choke point can still be flanked. While you might kill one or two guys at the door, the third may be running around behind you, so be ready to deal with someone who flanks.

Avoid Fighting in the Open: I know it gets all crazy in the center of the map sometimes as all battles seem to reach their climax at the zenith of some hill or the bowels of some ditch. The careful player will use the sidelines as a place to execute hit and run tactics from. Unlike other games, there are no different classes in Halo 3, and thusly no "tanking," you can wade off no more damage than your opponent. With this in mind, attack from locations that maximize the amount of damage you can do over the amount of damage your opponent can do. Make sure you have an exit strategy every time you attack. How will you be able to kill your target and escape to safety before one of his friends kills you? I would urge players not to attack down a one way street. Attack when you know that you definitely have the upperhand. Defend when your opponents have numerical and/or firepower superiority. Those are just some basic rules of war."

"If you don't always have the best weapon, and you are getting shot at. Try to dodge and find cover untill you find a weapon that you know will totally pummle them into the ground. If someone is sniping you or just plan shooting you from far distance, try pushing down the left thumbstick while jumping. It helps alot and makes it much more difficult to aim at you." -megz (added October 8, 2007)

"Do you know how players can dodge your vehicle when you're trying to run them over just by jumping? When using the ghost, you can trick people and run them over. First boost at the person like you are going to run them over. When you get a few feet in front of them and they start to jump, STOP, then as they are coming down, use boost and fly straight at them. You should ram them as they are coming down." -morecowbell0420 (added October 8, 2007)

Map Weapon Respawn Times

- A freaking brilliant listing of most of the multiplayer maps weapon respawn times. You can and will thank niZmo v2, iMemorex, l axiom l, and C0MM0N 5ENSE from MLG! (added October 4, 2007)

Multiplayer Strategies and Tips - A nice one page Halo 3 Xbox tip and strategy sheet by ChufMoney. I don't know the actual skill of the writer, but it sounds like he or she knows what they are talking about! Covers many multiplayer aspects including: zoom cancelling, grenade jumping, shields, melee, and more. Read this now. (added October 3, 2007)

"The sniper has changed alot. While it isnt quite to the level of Shadowrun or CoD. You cant be moving as much in Halo 3 Xbox. In my opinion I'd just say slow down a bit. The recoil time is pretty long so take that extra half second to make sure you have the shot. I dunno, it works for me, I do well in the Shotty Snipe games. Granted I've only played like 2 on the full version, but I succeed."

"dont sweep your reticule wildly across the screen like you would have in H2, use your strafe more. Take your time, aim carefully and look the devil right in his visor."

"use strafe aiming and remember that unlike h2, u actually have to hit them for it to count, no guarenteed headshots anymore. also, if you're always aiming for the head and never hit it, try just getting 2 body shots in a row to start, this will atleast get you familiar with the sniper rifle firing rate and will help you focus yur aiming more to make sure you hit the second shot (as hopefully the target will be smart enough to start moving after being hit by the first)"

Strafe with your left stick, not with your right. Strafing with your right a-la halo 2 doesnt work well in Halo 3 Xbox. Strafing with your left stick after you line up the headshot seems to work well and consistantly

Halo 3 Strategy Guide

- You will need to set aside a bit of time to go through this one. 127 pages in all so lots of reading! (added September 30, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Weapons - A complete listing of all the weapons available to you in Halo 3 Xbox multiplayer. Not a lot of information, but you can likely get a couple of Halo 3 tips from this source. Check it out! (added September 30, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Multiplayer Maps - This is a great page that features all the maps, plus it gives you information on weapons, vehicles, and tips for each individual map. It's not 100% complete, but there is some good reading there. Learn your Halo 3 maps! (added September 30, 2007)

Halo 3 Xbox Achievements Listing - A great listing, 49 in all, of the Halo 3 Achievements. Great icon images of the achievements also. Check it out! (added September 29, 2007)

Want to start winning at Halo 3 Xbox multiplayer early? Then I strongly suggest that you visit the Maps section which has videos of all the multiplayer maps. These aren't regular videos, these are amazing flythrough videos that will take you through every corner and feature of the maps. Check it out now!