The Art of Stealth
First of all, this article is based on tactics I have actually used in the past. I don't believe in writing tactics articles about tactics you've never had experience with, so this has all been tested and I've had great success with it. What you do with this information is up to you, but don't tell me that "while it looks good on paper, it would never really work."
Most of Nerf warfare consists of running around, shooting, dodging and constantly having to watch your back. While these are all fun elements of Nerf, in smaller wars of two or three people they can often lead to standoffs and other things that kill the game, especially for newer players who are just seeing it for the first time. For small wars (most notably one-on-ones), being stealthy can help you avoid getting into boring standoffs and long, drawn out battles.
However, stealth doesn’t mean using a silent gun and doing a lot of barrel taps. You can still have fun and don't have to turn the game into an hour of sneaking around and never shooting. While you will probably cut down on the amount of fast-paced shootouts, being stealthy can allow you to do different and exciting things.
It's all about remaining unseen. But this doesn't mean you have to wear a ghillie suit or even dark clothing. While clothing that won't stand out will help, it's not necessary as long as you know how to be sneaky. Remember, if you get within thirty feet of your enemy and they spot you (especially if they're using a more powerful gun or one with a lot more ammo), you have to start all over again. Now, while it's true that almost anyone can hit someone from thirty feet, you have to consider that this is probably true of your enemy as well. It's better to just get out of there rather than trying to fight from close range and possibly getting yourself shot. The obvious exception to this is if you have very heavy cover such as bushes, but it's still a dangerous situation to be in and should be avoided if possible.
Now how do you go about being an invisible man? First of all, it's important to remember that if you get caught while obviously trying to stay out of sight, your opponent is going to know what you're up to and will probably keep a closer watch on his surroundings, meaning almost all future attempts will be futile. You must move only when you know your enemy's position. If you don't know where they are, running those ten feet through the open to get behind more sufficient cover could be your last. Make absolutely certain that you know where your enemy is at all times. If you lose track of them, stay where you are and wait until you see them again. The WORST thing you can possibly do is to make a run for cover or turn a corner when you don't know your enemy isn't waiting there for you or watching that area from afar.
You must also make sure your opponent doesn't know where you are. The best situation is to have sufficient cover, know where your enemy is and know that he doesn't know where you are. Even a vague idea of your general direction could give you away, because if they know you're in an area they will keep their eye on it; this will essentially trap you in one spot and set you up to get shot. Keep tabs on your opponent's position while constantly moving (when it's safe – remember not to move anywhere if you can't see the enemy), not only to avoid them finding you, but if they know where you are and haven't let on and you move somewhere else without them knowing, you've got the upper hand.
The third thing to keep in mind when employing stealth tactics is to GET CLOSE to your enemy before attacking! If you're fifty feet away when you run out from your hiding place, the person you're attacking will have plenty of time to run away and then that spot will be permanently marked as a danger zone to him, effectively destroying any chances you've got of ever pulling off an ambush from there. Be patient and don't move too quickly.
I don't expect anyone to be an unstoppable force of Nerfy death after reading this article, but I hope it does help someone in some small way the next time they find themselves in the middle of a battle. Thanks for reading and have fun.
Note: This article is part tongue-in-cheek; I don't expect anyone to take it too seriously, but I do hope it can be considered a useful set of tactics for some people. Keep in mind that this article is meant for very small two or three person wars; yours may be different, but in the wars I have these tactics have proven very effective for me.
Edited by NerfMonkey, 07 March 2007 - 07:07 PM.
