Forward/Before We Get Started
This is my first guide I’ve constructed. It’s probably missing points, and may have some minor issues. And although I’m relatively new to PR, I’ve been playing BF2 since its release and am no spring chicken.

I’m going to assume that you have everything installed and patched appropriately... if not I suggest you read the Manual/check the website. If you have everything you need and are just looking for tips and tricks, I suggest starting by reading the manual. If you’re new to BF2:PR and you just want to learn how to have fun playing... Read the manual! Well... you get the point. I suggest you print a hard copy, as it is very handy to be able to look something up really quick.

I have been playing Vanilla (plain) BF2, for several years now until the release of PR .95 and although Project Reality, started as a real frustration for me, I now find it very difficult to go back back to vanilla. The biggest problem for most people is, that they’ll walk around for 10 minutes and die, wait a non-vanilla amount of time to re-spawn (up to five minutes!!), Re-spawn, walk around for 10 minutes... and die. Hopefully with a little practice and a little effort, you can survive the battle.

Shoomfie's Guide to the Tactical Game: Pre-game Protocol
Every time I play, I go through this list of actions to make my experience more enjoyable:

Although we go through these steps every time we play, there are a few things that makes PR all that much better

1. is my Mic/VoIP working?:

1. A lot of people use VoIP in PR. It is essential for the success of a squad. I’ve been on both sides, and I always prefer VoIP.
2. For those of you who I know were like me and didn’t like the thought of talking to strangers, I’ve found that the PR servers that are the most popular are the ones that have the most mature players on them, and the use of VoIP is rarely abused.
3. When a server is first starting or when you first enter the game, check in, ask relevant questions, and then shut up and listen.

2. Find a Server:

1. There are many servers out there, and PR does a good job at moderating the servers through a licensing system, to keep bad servers away.
2. Typically, I will choose a server based on the number of players. However, my favorites are the Tactical Gamer servers and the =HoG= servers.

3. Choose a team:

1. Usually the server autobalance, will choose for you. But every so often you can decide for yourself. Just remember to mix it up and try something new. (Insurgents don’t always lose.)

4. Choose a squad:

1. Most any good PR server out there will kick you after a few minutes if you aren’t in a squad. And even if they don’t, you still can’t get access to all of the kits and equipment necessary for victory.
2. When I’m looking through any given list of squads on a team, I will always look first for a unique/custom squad name. This will give me a clue that this isn’t just a squad to avoid kicking, and that it’s a squad that’s well organized. After playing a while on the same server you might start to recognize people and/or squads, this can be very handy, because you already have an idea of how they play and how you can adapt to win.
3. Although it’s not impossible, often the quads labeled: Alpha, Bravo, Foxtrot, etc. will not be very good at teamwork, and will probably be disorganized.
4. If you aren’t going to by flying in a Huey, don’t join the “Huey Trans” squad. If you aren’t in the Huey Transport squad, don’t take a Huey without express consent from their (not your) squad leader (SL), or unless your commander tells you specifically to do so (and he shouldn’t).

5. Choose a kit:

1. Some SL’s prefer you to have a specific kit. Other’s won’t care so long as the basics are covered.
2. When I first join a squad, I don’t initially spawn in until I can figure out what the squad needs. Either I ask the SL, or I look on the map at what they’re trying to accomplish.
3. If there’s no medic... volunteer.
4. If there’s no specialist, automatic rifleman (AR), marksman, anti-tank (LAT, HAT), etc... ask what the SL would prefer.
5. If you aren’t in a sniper/recon squad, Guess what? You probably shouldn’t be using one of the extremely few sniper kits accessible to your team.

6. Spawn:

1. ALWAYS ASK YOUR SQUAD LEADER WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO SPAWN!!!

There is absolutely nothing worse than watching a little green dot on your map wander around and do his own thing. Starting out together makes it a whole lot easier to work as a team. I boot lone-wolfs from my squad. The only reason that someone should not be with their squad is either, a: they’ve been ordered to scout ahead, b: they died and have to regroup, c: the only transport available had another squad and dropped him off in an undesirable location. /rant[*]it never hurts asking your SL to drop a rally point.

7. Follow:

1. Odds are, your SL has something specific in mind. And he will always need your help in achieving this goal. And whether or not it’s a good idea, it the goal is achieved successfully, it’ll almost always help the team in the long run.
2. If you are about to enter enemy territory, and you aren’t the Medic, AR or anti-tank. Offer to lead the line to the next marker. It will earn your squads respect, and besides... the medic will find you eventually.

8. Dying:

1. Hopefully, but highly unlikely, you will avoid this one altogether... at least that’s the idea. However, eventually your squad will get torn to pieces and you’ll need to regroup.
2. Sometimes waiting five minutes is better than walking 10. The point is, is that when you are critically wounded, you should always wait until your SL tells you to re-spawn somewhere. This is done for two reasons.
   
   First: Unless everybody around you is now a lump of lifeless meat, your medic will be around shortly to give you a band-aid and make you feel all better.
   
   Second: If you suicide and re-spawn in one place. You might suddenly realize that the rest of your squad just spawned at a different place a thousand meters away... not fun.
   
   Third: Re-read reasons one and two, to avoid wandering around for ten minutes and then getting shot again.

I hope you enjoyed my first installment of Shoomfie’s Guide to the Tactical Game. This is my first of hopefully many more and even better topics and guides. If you have any constructive criticisms I’d really appreciate them.

Any unwarranted flaming with no constructive purpose, serves no purpose in my topics, and I will ask for them to be removed.