Vendi

Using the knife is a highly difficult skill to master. If you are with a squad, DO NOT attempt to knife an enemy. As bommando noted, this brings you into their line of fire - Please read "Sticky: How to Avoid Annoying Your Team Mates" in the Tactics and Missions discussion forums if you do not understand this concept.
If the enemy is further than 10 feet from your position, also do not even consider using a knife. Do not think about pulling it out and making a "stealthy attack". This is a bad tactical decision on your part and you will be killed. 10 feet on the battlefield is a lot of distance to cover on foot while moving towards an enemy position. You put yourself at risk from the enemy you are attacking, from enemies on the flank, and from friendly fire. This is a just plain bad idea. There is absolutely no reason not to use your firearm. Hell if you are playing smart, you should be near cover you can reload in. The only instance this wouldn't be the case is if you are making a rush on an enemy position, even so you should still be using your rifle. In the instance that you are out of ammunition, the last thing you want to be doing is running blindly towards armed and ready enemies.
Now, considering opfor that are closer than 10 feet. A knife should still be your last resort! It is likely they will be looking in your direction, in which case you will be promptly dispatched beore you can reach them. Even if we assume they dont know you are there, using your rifle allows much greater versatility in a fight. You move up and spot the enemy, it will be easier to kill him. If he isn't in his original position, you now have the range to still defend yourself. If there are other enemies that you hadn't spotted before making the move, you can still turn and make an attempt to defend yourself.

The only time I would reccomend using the knife without being properly trained is in a one on one fight. That means you aren't going to be getting in the way of friendly fire, and you aren't putting yourself at risk of an enemy. In this instance you would only knife the enemy if they are unaware of your position, or if, as said before, they are closer than 5 ft and already in cover where they cannot move. One instance where I have found the knife to be useful is after an exchange of fire when you actually see the enemy begin reloading, and you yourself are out of ammunition. In this case, if you are within roughly 8 feet of the enemy it MIGHT be a better idea to knife them before they finish. Be warned however, you will be cutting the time short - it doesn't take long to reload.
Even then, you have to make the decision if the risk is worth it. Yes the knife has the advantage that it is a one hit kill if you DO make the hit. But make sure you aren't doing it for the tags or the "coolness" factor. You have to be doing it because it is a sound decision, one that is more advantageous than the use of your primary firearm.

Urit

Or you could pull out the pistol and pop em in the butt. That's always amusing and just about as humiliating as a knifing. Maybe even more so.

Crux

For every time I've been knifed, I've shot dead 3 or 4 idiots who tried to knife me while my back was turned. It's a showboat move, and not good team play in 95% of situations.

sc1ence

In the past week or so I have killed 4 or 5 guys trying to get my tags. Some multiple times...

I understand the desire to grab tags. Bragging rights, humiliation, good old fashion fun. I go for the knife kill once and a while as well. But there are general guidelines that should be followed here.

TacticalGamer is focused on playing games in a near simulation environment. BF2142 has an arcade game feel to it compared to a true tactical sim game, but that does not mean we should throw caution to the wind and whip out a knife when it would be completely inappropriate to do so in a real battle.

When I am in a firefight and I see someone running around with a knife it makes me feel less immersed in the game. To borrow a phrase it breaks my willing suspension of disbelief. In short, it makes the game less fun.

So when to knife?
1. out of ammo; no time to reload or move to cover to reload. Sometimes the knife kill has a higher probability of success than the pistol kill. In general, when you are out of ammo you should be moving to cover, not moving to engage.

2. stealthy ninja; when firing your weapon would draw attention to you that you don't want, then consider going for the knife kill. Not firing a weapon can confuse some players and give you the element of surprise even if they see you. If you don't act hostile, enemies sometimes leave you alone. The situations that this works in are rare, but experienced players know them when they see them. To do this you need to have VERY high situational awareness. You also need to know what the enemies situational awareness is.

3. humiliation kill; When you see some poor bastard all alone and you have your entire squad backing you up, grabbing their tags then will often be looked at with a "wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more." Especially among friends.

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lawndartleo

Pig stickers are for situational or opportunistic kills, not as a general strategy or tactic.

Thesleeper01

That more calls for:

1- Call for assistance over VOIP noteing flag and hostle numbers you may be good but 3 on 1 is bad odds unless your in a walker
2- Toss a gernade likely done as your doing #1
3- Followed by a second gernade away from the first or switching to rifle

You killed 3 people that were either haveing a bad day or suck, any time you get knifed and your among some squad members you need to tell them. 1 guy with knife versus 2 with guns = advantage and should be win for the gun bunnies not the samauri wanabe.

Bagheera

It's been a while since I've been around, but I'll throw in my two cents. Knives are very very situational, as has been mentioned before. Even while playing sniper, it's much easier to zoom and cap someone from medium-close range than it is to be all Brock Samson on their butt. When real close, I'd rather lay down explosives and retreat around a corner while they chase me, or cap them in the head with a pistol (if it's the PAC pistol.) If you have an assault rifle, there should be no excuse. Indeed, with any class, the only time I've ever used a knife is because I need the stealth, or a one-shot kill at very very close range, and there's no backup from their buddies, or if a team is all laying down or unaware, because shanking them all in a line is a helluva lot stealthier than busting caps at point blank.

As far as "honorable" knife duels go, there's no place for them in a hot zone. Hell, even when it's quiet, and someone manages to get to me while I'm covering my team, I'd rather just take them out with a bullet and get back to my duty rather than screwing around and hopping around like Lord Fauntleroy just for some bragging rights in a knife vs. knife duel.

Here's the ideal way to take care of a knife challenge;

Yes I quoted myself, much easier this way.