Editor’s note: This is yet another in a long list of kick ass Sarcastic Gamer Survival Guides. If you want to check out the other ones in the series, click here for our list of guides for games like Halo: ODST, GTA IV, Call of Duty 4, Battlefield Bad Company and Burnout Paradise, among others.
If you survived long enough to shed that Newbie status,it’s time to start playing with the big boys in Modern Warfare 2. In our Advanced Player’s guide, we’ll navigate the levels of 18 through 39 and give you the tips and tricks you’ll need to power level and maximize your kill to death ratio. So, hit the jump, get your note pad out and lets do this!
Now that you’ve shed your “newbie” status, its time to start mixing things up a bit. Past level 18, you’ll unlock more exotic weapons, perks and equipment that may not make you more deadly, but will allow you to do different things on a map. For instance, at Level 19 you unlock the blast shield. This is equipped in game by pressing the right bumper or R1. This will give you added survivability against explosive damage.
Notable Equipment
Surviving explosive damage is the perfect foil against noob tubers, or those that use their grenade launcher or Thumper a lot. Not surprisingly, there are a TON of noob tubers, and for good reason, its very effective. What the blast shield will do will lessen indirect damage from explosions and allow you to outright survive direct grenade and grenade launcher attacks. Its an impressive piece of equipment used for players that enjoy playing a defensive game or to foil a particularly lethal noob tuber during a match. It is not without it’s issues, as while in the blast shield, you can’t see your radar. A small disadvantage, depending on your play style, but worth noting.
On the other hand, if you like setting traps or want your backside covered while sniping, Claymores are excellent defensive weapons. I personally enjoy putting Claymores down in high traffic areas and racking up the kills. Of note, you can stand directly behind a Claymore when it goes off without taking any damage, so feel free to put them as close to you as you want.
Notable Primary Weapons
There are two impressive weapons that you will unlock that will be your bread and butter for the foreseeable future, the TAR-21 and the AUG HBAR. The TAR is an assault rifle that is much more powerful than the FAMAS and M4, but a bit less accurate than the SCAR-H. The trade off is that the TAR-21 has a larger magazine and fire rate, which will give your offensive game ten or so more rounds of lethality. When fired in bursts, the TAR is as accurate as any weapon in the game, furthermore, the increased magazine will lessen your overall deaths while reloading, which is your most vulnerable time during any MP match. Overall, I believe that the TAR-21 is a superior weapon to the SCAR-H for all but the most tactical of players and a weapon you should keep in your five classes for a long time.
Next up is the AUG HBAR. While this weapon is classified as a Light Machine gun, it really handles more like an assault rifle, with the only noticeable trade off being slower movement. As a light machine gun, it does have a smaller magazine, as it is not belt or drum fed like the MG4, RPD or L86 LSW, but its accuracy and damage is very high. Overall, this is THE BEST LMG in the game. When combined with stopping power, marathon and the third perk of your choice, you can engage any target at close, medium or long range. This gun is a beast. Use it.
I think its worth noting that between levels 19 and 39 you will unlock the P90. As far as sub machine guns go, I’ve got to say skip it. While the P90 was perceived as a “god weapon” in CoD4, its usability in MW2 has been nerfed a bit. When compared to the stopping power of the UMP, or the accuracy of the Vector, I’ve got to take either one over the P90. There’s one thing that is not statistically measured amongst the weapons in Modern Warfare 2 and that is the muzzle kick, which is the amount of jump the gun’s barrel has when firing rounds. In my experience, the Vector has a very small kick when compared to the P90, and at the default iron sight level,the Vector is my preferred sub machine gun for accuracy and stopping power. So, unless you’re looking to power level and throw your Kill to Death ratio out the window, I say skip the P90 for now.
Secondary Weapons and Perks that are “must haves” are on page 2.
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Great tips. I keep searching for the perfect combination of weapons and equipment. I’m at level 40, and I’m trying to upgrade my M16 so I can equip the heartbeat sensor.
What’s up with people talking about how the M16 and Famas are newb guns because they’re too powerful?
I even heard a guy in a match saying that this one guy on the other team sucked because he was killing everyone, but doing it with the Famas. Are we supposed to disregard these guns??
One thing about COD is that a good deal of people that you run into randomly like to whine a whole bunch. I have heard nearly every excuse from a losing team on why they lost and how it does not count. Even one time that they were distracted by a guy speaking German in chat (guess they forgot to mute him).
yea what Del said, Dont lower your kdr becuase noobs cry they have the same chance to use that gun… but they dont prolly cuz they cant aim which makes them the noob
you have to understand this about the G18 it does kick like a horse being branded but it stops it gets to a certain spot and it stops…get in a private match with a buddy thats willing to help you and shoot right in the middle of his chest and watch the first shot hit his chest then it jumps right to the head for an extra 50 points
and blast shield is great great great for headquarters becuase when my clan is spawned far from the target we call big boom and we nade the spot with everything we have… and there is always at least 1 guy still in there with blast shield to kill us as we walk in thinking its empty
also let me add if you have good friends head quarters is great for powerleveling… im not gonna tell you how but some should already know… and its also good for your kdr if you are on the winning team
btw i’m on lvl 66 by nov 24, 2009 ill be lvl 15 of my first prestige
i’m gonna leave with this Communication is the key!!
I absolutely love the Glock. It’s my preferred side arm.
Couldn’t disagree more on the P90. Perhaps it’s not quite as accurate as the UMP45, but having that 50 round clip really comes in handy. My usual load out is that, silenced, with the holographic sight. It’s excellent close quarters and and is usable at long range. It’s definitely not a god weapon, but I definitely find it the most effective of the SMG’s.
Having said that, spot on with the AUG-HBAR. Been working on leveling up with that one and have found the combination of accuracy and big clips to be quite nice.
Well, I’m talking to the player that is between levels 19 and 39. For a more experienced player, the P90 isn’t bad at all, but I’m finding that the mini uzi is my preferred sub machine gun of them all. It’s combination of firepower, fire rate and accuracy is unsurpassed, IMO.
For me, the heartbeat sensor has really helped my kdr. It takes away a lot of the frustration I sometimes feel in games like this. I get taken by surprise a lot less, and I get the jump on guys a lot more.
Obviously not everyone agrees that it’s the most advantageous loadout. What are you guys using instead of the heartbeat?
My favorite load out posts will be later this week.
I freaking love the glock, i use the acr and as soon as i enter any building i change to glock as it just mows down everyone in the building with its incredible fire rate! Btw u made meh sadface cos u didnt acxcsepte ma fwiende requezzstez. :’(
Nice article, I’m not that good at fps games online, but this one is really fun even though I die a lot.
I love the SCAR. I only use it in my Ninja class. Since I don’t use bling, and just run with a silencer and iron sights. I need it’s accuracy to nail distant enemies. I love counter sniping snipers with iron sights and no stopping power. I wish there was a way of knowing if they watched the kill cam. Some of those kills are too good to go unseen.
Even though I only use the SCAR in one class, I almost exclusively play that class.
I know what you mean about wanting them to see your kill — I had an amazing throwing knife kill yesterday that definitely deserved a careful review.
My favorite kill so far was crouching from gun fire behind a car, and then sticking a semtex to the car before running away — instant car bomb
hmmmmm good tips i guess but you forgot to mention scavenger as a perk??? unlimited ammo? whats wrong with that? and when you get to pro you get more mags to start with. in a contest between scavenger pro and bling pro i say scavenger pro ANYDAY!!! and as for not having stopping power?? i can kill people in 4 bullets with my stopping power class!!
my best class is:
M4 red dot (stopping power=4 bullets with like NO kickback!)
Stinger
Scavenger Pro
Stopping Power Pro
Steady Aim Pro
with that class i get about 35-40 kills a game and about 5-8 deaths
best class ever!!
Is there anywhere I can go on the web to try to add Friends and/or get into a group/clan to learn with?
Good tips, i just hit level 70 the other day and have been using for the most part the M4 with stopping power, marathon pro and commando pro.
Its just hard to beat the low recoil, good damage and rate of fire the M4 puts out. It also has a good clip size.
I tried the AK47 but man that thing has so much kick its hard to use other then close in!
The only issue I have with your breakdown of weapon choices is the AUG as the supreme LMG. Any well experienced MW2 player knows the RPD is a 2 shot kill with stopping power, or 1 to head and with sleight of hand pro (fast ADS) and grip you can snipe from across the map easily with the iron sights alone. Most high end players and clans use this combination.
The only weapons that I purposely avoid are the dual model 1887s with FMJ glitch,or thermal scopes and heart sensors on anything. Also I never use the care package knife glitch.
My reasoning is that I am very, very good at this game as it is. And I don’t need the almost saddening advantages offered by these overpowered options to win my matches. I do it out of respect for opponents and find that most people using the choices above, are not really that great of players and need every edge they can get just to level the playing field.
As a honorable gamer, its my duty to play like a good sport and avoid obvious overlooked problems instead of taking advantage of unbalanced aspects of a game.
P.S. I don’t use cheat codes for games either! Ever!
Mist,
Truer words have never been spoken about the glitches. I’m a decent player (1.57 ktd ratio) and I can handle getting beat by people who are better than me, but I absolutely lose it when I get killed by those ridiculous shotgun and knife glitches. As you said, those players typically aren’t good and I notice they die alot, but it still pisses me off if I notice them having any success in the game.
I differ with you slightly on the heartbeat sensor and thermal though. I don’t use the heartbeat sensor because I find it distracting (been killed too many times while watching it) but I have no qualms about using the thermal simply because I’ve played against so many snipers who use it. I will say though that it borders on cheating, but I also feel that way about the Scavenger perk (unlimited grenades/claymores) which I always use to counteract the SCAR’s small clip.
All I’m looking for is an honorable, fair match but sometimes it feels like you have to fight fire with fire and it’s just not fun for me.
It’s a game Mist, not one on one Samurai combat. Get a grip.
I’ve already discussed the RPD in the Newbie guide. This guide was for tips on weapons you unlock after level 18.