Confessions of a former Lone Wolf

[umbra]

Hi - I'm Umbra, and I'm a Lone Wolfer. ("Hi Umbra")

Make that former Lone Wolfer. I've always played BF2 without joining squads because my personality is just much more of the type that wants to do what I want to do and not have to take orders as to how and where to go and play. Just the way I am when gaming. I do support the overall effort, going where the most hotly contested flags are, or choosing to give up points to simply lay back and play defense of a critical flag. But I prefer to not have to follow with a squad. I tried Sniper, as I thought it would suit my personality, didn't like the stand off nature, tried playing a Tank Sniper as a AT, then decided on Spec Ops and play it almost exlusively.

Then yesterday I was playing the Dam map, and after spawning and heading to a flag the enemy had just capped, and I was annoyed to find some guy glued to me. Everywhere I went, he went. I wanted to lose him, but he was on my like glue. Damn.

Then something amazing happened. I was going up the stairs, turned a corner and got suprised and killed. My undesired buddy takes out the guy who killed me and quickly revived me. Hey, he's a medic! Who can shoot! So we go up further, I spot someone trying to snipe us from above, and he fires rapidly, draws the sniper a little further over the ledge, and I get an easy shot and take him out. Cool. Give him a "thanks, well done!" note. We take out another couple of guys together, then get to the flag area. A tank comes rolling behind us, we jump into cover, then I start to run at the tank as he looks the other way. Damn! Halfway to the tank, the turret starts to swivel and I realize I'll never make it - another suicidal rush. Then I see pings on the tank, and the turret stops, and it's my buddy firing at the tank to draw his attention, which he does. I'm afraiid the tank will kill my bud, so I get the C4 on the tank, run back and fire a shot at him to get his attention. He turns the turret, and before it gets to me I press the button and the tank is toast. The two of us run to the flag, set up a mutually defensive position, take out the one enemy who runs over when the flag turns white, then cap the flag. I run to set up some C4 traps, then get into a good hidden defensive position. I tell him I'm going to play some defense, and he says he's going to join some guys who spawn and jump into a tank. We both give each other a virtual high-5, and he heads off. I found myself watching his score and what happened to him during the entire battle.

And I realized that even though we were only a 2-man impromptu squad, I finally "got it." The squads I'd joined on public ranked servers didn't represent what a real, integrated, partnership can do in this game. Wow.

I'm now a former Lone Wolfer. My main concern now is letting my team down, not being good enough. And I feel like I just purchased BF2 Version 2, because (as all of you already know) playing with a GOOD squad is an entirely new game.

[CingularDuality]

Thanks for sharing, umbra!

Seriously, that's a great story and it really does go to show just what a difference there is when you play using teamwork.

[elmerfudd]

I wish that I had experiences that action filled!

[delphi00]

awesome story!

[SinisteR_NL]

Cool stuff...

I gotta be honest, i still like like lone wolfing it sometimes, certanly as spec-ops. I never do it on TG, but when theres noone on i just love to go on a random server and roadside bom people. Just place a well laid trap and wait... i just love doing that. Gives me great satisfaction killing people and they never knew were i was.

Thats fun but you cant compare it to a well organised infrantry squad or tank division, that just takes the game so much further.

[TychoCelchuuu]

Don't think that a squad precludes you from acting independently. Just ask your squad leader's permission to go take up a defensive position or move in on a flag from a different direction and he's likely to be perfectly fine with it.

[Deveran]

Aww man...you got me all tear-eyed. Glad you found what makes TG so special!

[JMJ]

Welcome to TG!

[Wulfyn]

Welcome to TG, umbra - hope you enjoy gaming here

[Beatnik]

If you liked that experience, playing in a high performance 6 man squad is really going to blow your hair back.

And welcome to TG - "The Last Place You'll Ever Play BF2 (TM)". Please take some time to read our SOPs (see my sig) and feel free to PM me with any questions you might have.