AGA Basic Traning: Strafing

We were in a lobby the other night when someone brought up strafing and how and when to do it. The conversation gave me an idea for what hopefully will be a short series of videos that just cover the basics of COD, and how and when to use certain tactics. Im no expert, nor do I clam to be, but maybe I can pass along some things that I have learned through the years of playing that I have used to get better scores.

Good tips! I try to do that, but they usually either just shoot me through the cover or bend the bullets around the corner with some sort of black magic.

Great video with alot of helpful tips, I've been using these tips for awhile now(Jay taught me these because I sucked)they really will help you improve your game. The strafing really does work and the know when to run away if your not sure if you get the kill will help get your killstreaks.

Thanks for this, excellent. So do you favour Stalker over steady aim? Straf vs hip fire?

I think the use and hi fire and strafing is so important and something I'm trying to improve on.

More!

Great video Jay, until I learned how to straff from you and Tracy, I lost many of those fights. Good ideas for the Basic Training series.

And believe it or not, straffing with the MK14 is great since it is usually 1 to 2 shot kills...

Helpful video Jay. Is it most peoples natural tendency to strafe to the right? I notice that I do it and rarely move to my left.

Nice Jay! The other night after we discussed this in our lobby, I was trying to make myself do this because a lot of times I get that deer-in-the-headlights and freeze in place to handle a 1-1 battle and then you really have no advantage and often lose. Several weeks ago Raven, I think it was, was discussing this with us too, we saw in a private match that he was weaving back and forth in kind of a serpentine motion. But the more involved your movement, the more you need to track your aim, so simple strafing like you shown is a good baby step for us experimenting with this.
Also like the tip about reloading on the ground, less of a target if you get caught in the middle.
Keep these coming, great video.

Thanks everybody! What I have found out over the years is that its the little things that make all the difference. Hopefully in the future we can get a whole series of these vids up and it will help highlight the fundementals of cod gameplay.

@Herchel, lol..believe me I know all too well about the bending bullets. I think I said something in the opening of the video about the one thing you can't beat is lag, or something to that effect.

@Travis, I'm still keeping my patented ragequit technique under wraps so don't think there will be any future vids on that .

@Jason, I don't use stalker. I just can't get used to it and it makes me feel all weird when I use it. We have several very good players here that do use it, so it must be a worthwhile perk, its just not my cup of tea. Snaking with stalker should be extremely effective though. As far as hipfire, I'll put that on the list of things to cover. Just keep at it, soon it will become second nature.

@Darrell, Thanks. We should never stop trying to improve, and sharing the things that have helped us to get better IMO. The quest to improve is what has kept me going all these years in the COD series.

@Joe, thanks man. I notice in the video I said once that I was strafing left, when I was actually strafing right. Every strafe I had was right, and I'm gonna have to go back and look at some old gameplay to see if I ever go left. Might have learned something about myself there.

@Ben, Thanks. It's cool that you picked up that part where I just briefly talked about reloading on the ground, because I didn't have time to elaborate on it. Anytime I'm in a low cover/no cover area, I hit the deck to reload. If I have a corner to duck into, or a box to get behind I will do it there, but you hit the nail on the head..I'm trying to make myself as small of a target as possible.

Thanks for the comments/compliments everybody.

Great video. I need to check myself as I do allot of things that I don't even think about and see if I do that or not. I know I have a tendency to back up as it keeps me from getting knifed if they are close but I don't know if I strafe while I'm doing it. If not I will give it a try.

Thanks

Great video Jay!

It is the little things that will give you the edge in games, keep em coming!

Kawasaki-KiLleR wrote:I know I have a tendency to back up as it keeps me from getting knifed if they are close but I don't know if I strafe while I'm doing it. If not I will give it a try.

that's a good point.. the other night I was in a knife-happy lobby, and this whole "keep moving" mantra kept me moving away from their lunges and it may have been just enough to allow my panic fire to hit them. If you see someone lunging (that is, its not a surprise attack) then back pedal and fire, don't just plant and fire.

great video

Excellent video Jay!!!

Learning how to shoot while moving is so important. You did a great job of showing why!!!

Great video, and a great idea for a video series. Thanks!

benatsun wrote:Nice Jay! The other night after we discussed this in our lobby, I was trying to make myself do this because a lot of times I get that deer-in-the-headlights and freeze in place to handle a 1-1 battle and then you really have no advantage and often lose. Several weeks ago Raven, I think it was, was discussing this with us too, we saw in a private match that he was weaving back and forth in kind of a serpentine motion. But the more involved your movement, the more you need to track your aim, so simple strafing like you shown is a good baby step for us experimenting with this.
Also like the tip about reloading on the ground, less of a target if you get caught in the middle.
Keep these coming, great video.

Yeah, I strafe in all directions depending on the situation. If there is no cover to get to I will start in one direction and then move back to the other. I will also back up at the same time to increase the distance between the person shooting and myself. It took a good bit of practice to do that and still be able to stay on target, but once you get use to it your chances of surviving in the open goes up. I don't even consciously realize I'm doing it anymore. Since most players stop and stand in one place to shoot, it is fairly easy to stay on them. It does get fun when you are both moving around though.

I agree practice going in one direction at a time is probably the best way to start. Do that for a bit and you'll be moon walking in no time.

JoeTaco wrote:Helpful video Jay. Is it most peoples natural tendency to strafe to the right? I notice that I do it and rarely move to my left.

I think most do strafe right. I strafe in both directions and have had a few people comment to me how strafing left throws them off a bit in the lobby.

Jay, I stuck a couple of games in the file share.. # 1 and 2 that have some rushing involved.

Take a look or tell me what you are looking for and i will see what else I can add.

Chuck Norris wrote:Jay, I stuck a couple of games in the file share.. # 1 and 2 that have some rushing involved.

does that include the shotgun massacre from yesterday?

yes it does.. shotguns at Seatown.. horrible.

Then it was mp7's at intersection.. 63 kills I believe..

Chuck Norris wrote:Jay, I stuck a couple of games in the file share.. # 1 and 2 that have some rushing involved.

Take a look or tell me what you are looking for and i will see what else I can add.

Excellent! Pm sent

Not a bad vid sir.

Good advice here all around, good indeed and very helpful! I am gonna try some of these things tonight!