Ground Branch has just released version 1032, the latest edition of the tactical first person shooter from Black Foot Studios. If you're new to the game I hope this guide will assist you in getting your bearings on the various systems, controls, and tactics to be successful in the field. Ground Branch is still in Early-Access and continues to receive updates so while this article is accurate at the time of 1032's release, it may become obsolete down the road.

Ground Branch currently supports Solo Play, Coop, and PvP options. For Solo you can hit up The Farm under training or go Lone Wolf against the AI. Multiplayer allows you to host or join a dedicated server with servers being configured for PvE coop or PvP matches.

For now, we'll look at Lone Wolf. Upon loading Lone Wolf you're greeted with the mission customization screen. Currently Ground Branch offers 2 modes: Intel Retrieval and Terrorist Hunt. Intel Retrieval tasks you with locating a laptop in the field at one of the designated retrieval zones found on the map, picking it up, and extracting at the exfil site marked by a green smoke.

In this menu you have several options available to modify the parameters for the operation. Once you have picked a map and set up the operation for your liking, it's time to play!

Once you load into the ready room you'll be able to navigate to the BlueFor side (or RedFor if online in PvP). The locker room and gun range allow you to customize and test out your equipment, while the operations room lets you make last minute touches before spawning in.

 Interacting with a locker will begin customization. This is the meat and potatoes of the experience so let's take a closer look.

Ground Branch lets you customize your operator both in the menu and in the ready room. Let's break down each section of the screen:

1. Weapon Kit- This is where you select your primary and secondary sidearm to configure. Special purpose is planned down the road with the first kit being a breaching shotgun
2. Gear Kit- This is where you equip your operator with head gear, harnesses, belts, and holsters. Presently armor does not have an effect. This is planned down the road
3. Outfit- This is where you will equip your eye protection, face concealment, top, pants, gloves, and boots. 
4. Loadout- this gives you a simple breakdown of what your operator is bringing to the field.
5. Operator- As of 1032 there are 4 operator skins

In 1032 each category is separately saved to their own load out kits. For example, I may save Kit 2 as "Tan" and save kit 3 as "Desert Night". I then may choose to load Kit 2 from my Gear Kit but load a completely different kit for Outfit. This can be confusing at first- just remember each column is considered a separate entity and should be managed as such.

Gear is the backbone of kitting out your operator and ​Ground Branch lets you bring as much ordinance as you can fit on your chest and belt. 

There are 2 possible customization choices: Color (in the upper right corner) and attachments (the gear in the lower right). The attachment menu brings up a list of accessories to equip to said item.

To select an attachment, expand the ACCESSORIES menu and click the desired equipment. You can then drag it out of the menu into the negative space and a map of white dots will appear to tell you where the accessory can be equipped. Here, I have selected the Headset. Since the headset only goes over the ears I have 1 "slot" to attach to. Dragging it here equips the headset as seen below.

To remove any attachment, simply click and drag it off to the side and to rotate any item simply hold right click and drag your mouse. ​Anytime you customize an item and click apply the game will automatically request you save it so be sure to use a naming scheme you can keep track of.

Next up are platforms.  Upon loading a platform there will be default attachments already equipped. Mousing over each item will tell you what they are. To rotate any item simply hold right click and drag your mouse. This is useful for the carriers since they have multiple attachment points that surround the harness.

Ground Branch allows you to select from the following: ammunition, grenades, and equipment.  As before, any time you click an accessory you can see a field of attachment slots on the platform. Here we have selected a primary magazine and will drop it on the front.  

Notice that the primary ammo has a total of 10 mounting positions. Smaller items like secondary ammo and grenades have more attachments slots, while larger items such as breaching charges can only be attached to a small number of fields. See the gallery below for examples

For colors, each item has a swatch based system that will allow you to select from various colors available. Simply select the equipment, click the color triangle, and choose from the options. Here's an example below:

Once you are satisfied with your selection, it's time to save your operator. At the top of each column is a save feature. Saving the Gear column will save all the gear selected at the moment to 1 kit. Same goes for saving the Outfit. When I select my HRT save for Gear and Outfit, they are quickly loaded as seen below:

Next we will move onto the weapon customization which is the biggest feature of Ground Branch. For the sake of our first weapon we'll stick with a carbine, in this instance the M4A1 SOPMOD. Select the weapon which will drop you back into the customize operator menu. From there, select the customization cog to bring up the bench.

The default SOPMOD comes equipped with a raised Micro T-1 and a black AN-PEQ-15 laser. Similar to the Gear Customization we covered earlier, weapon customization allows you to drag and drop attachments where space is available. 

​It's important to understand how this works: in order to equip attachments there must be a mounting system in place for said attachment. For example, here we can see on the M4 there are 4 rails, or RIS, mounted around the handguard of the rifle. There is also a rail mounted where the carrying stock is normally found on the M4. Because of these rails, we are allowed to attach our Micro T-1 and our PEQ laser respectively. Keep this in mind as we go forward and note that some weapons by default do not have rails BUT will have the option for rail adapters (such as the mp5a5).

First let's strip off the raised Micro T-1 by drag and dropping it off and replace it at the same spot with a standard Micro T-1.

Notice how the laser being mounted on the top rail obscures the visibility from the red dot and prevents us from applying the configured attachments to the gun. 1 way to alleviate this is to move the laser to a side rail. Let's move our laser to the side rail and have a look at the outcome:

Notice how the forward ironsight is completely obstructing the view of the T-1 Red Dot and the PEQ Laser. Also, take note that the laser mounted on the side has shifted the dot to the right. Let's fix this by swapping out the T-1 for a more suitable attachment, the EOTECH HWS EXPS3 (black).

We can see here the visibility is much wider and the iron only takes up the bottom of the sight. But what happens if we raise the sight a little higher? Let's grab a riser from the rails section and plop it where the sight currently sits. We'll then re attach our EXPS3 and fire a bullet. See the results below:

Notice that with the EXPS3  raised so high we are actually shooting lower than our reticle. Keep this in mind for modifying weapons! So, we want the rails that the SOPMOD offers but we don't want to see the front irons. 

Cancel the customization of your M4A1 SOPMOD and select the M4A1 Block II.

The Block 2 has a longer rail handguard and no front iron sight which greatly improves visibility.

But what if we're going to be operating in a large outdoor environment with some CQB building clears? That's where magnifiers, micro attachments, and offset rails come in. First, let's remove the raised T-1 and attach an Acog 4X. After attaching the ACOG we have 2 options available. For the first option I will attach a RMR flat mount to the top of the ACOG. For the 2nd option we will attach an offset rail to the top RIS and attach a RMR low rail to the offset rail. 

 A third option is to use a magnifier that can be flipped when needed. Below I have attached a G33 before the EXPS3 on the top rail.

And with it I have the option to toggle my magnification as needed.

Ok so now that we have a basic understanding of the weapons system, I want you to build the following: M4A1 Block 2 with an EXPS3, G33, suppressor, Tac light on your left rail, PEQ on top rail, and angled grip on your bottom rail. It should look something like this:

Congratulations, you have just customized your first gun in Ground Branch! Remember that you can customize most firearms and sidearms so I encourage you to experiment to find the best loadout for you.

MOVEMENT

There are 3 movement speeds in Ground Branch as of 1032: Walk, Run, and Sprint. In the settings menu for controls you have the option to set them to toggle or Hold. Note that the controls in here are customized to my liking and will not reflect your defaults.

You can also lean right and left to peek around walls to conceal part of your body.​

While wielding your weapon you can choose to handle your weapon in 4 ways: High, Low, Ready and Aiming Down Sights.

High and Low ready are used to rest your arms and prevent flagging or aiming your gun towards an ally. Ready stance allows you to point shoot without using a sight. Aiming down sights allows you to further steady your weapon to achieve accuracy over large distances.

While aiming down sights you can hold the sprint button to further steady your aim. While holding your breath, your screen will vignette and your reticle will be rock solid during this time. Do note that eventually your operator will gasp and the aim will return to normal.

The need to rest your arms is seen when trying to aim down sights. If you've been ready for a while (or ADS) you will notice that your reticle tends to "jump" around. Even more so when taking shots. That's why it's important to rest in low/high while not engaging. Practice flipping between all 3 stances (default mouse wheel Up/Down) while moving. The more natural it becomes the easier you'll be able to re-engage threats in an OP.

Jumping (default spacebar) is useful for getting over some objects and climbing others. New to 1032 is an animated vault system which will allow you to clear knee high and some chest high walls. To perform a successful vault you must hold the jump button (default "spacebar") to complete the vault. Otherwise your character will simply fail to complete it. It's a bit buggy still so some surfaces may not work consistently. 

Finally there's the action key (default "F") which can be used to interact with objects in the environment. Doors, ladders, power breakers, and garage switches are just some of the functional pieces in game.

RELOADING
 
Ground Branch offers 3 functions with the reload button (default "R"): 

1. Tap Reload to retention reload (keeps remaining ammo)
2. Double tap Reload to no-retention reload (drops all remaining ammo but reloads next mag much faster)
3. Hold Reload to check ammo. This will display an easy to read estimate of how much ammo remains.

You can also toggle the default reload option in the settings menu under controls.

Using Attachments and Equipment

Mastering control over your equipment will be the difference between losing and winning some engagements. Earlier we attached a laser and a flashlight to our rifle as well as a magnifier. Let's practice those options.

• Flashlight Tap and hold to temporarily engage your flashlight. Double tap to keep it on until you press the key again. Strobing (tapping flashlight) is highly effective in PvP. AI do NOT currently react to flashlights.

Have a look at Depot at 20:00 hours:

You can access your attachments from the attachment wheel as well (default Middle Mouse click)

Often times using a flashlight is an easy way to check your surroundings in night ops (and a quick way to disorient your opponent if they are stalking with NVGs on). It may also be preferable indoors if some rooms have lights and some don't as trying to switch between nods on and off in an engagement is frustrating and wastes precious seconds that could mean your life.

• Lasers allow you to see where you are aiming while using ready stance. They are also useful for confirming a target or objective both visible and infrared. 

Just like you can with flashlights, double tapping will keep a laser active. However, an additional feature with the PEQ is the option to toggle the laser to infrared (default 7). Doing so will render your laser in the infrared spectrum which can only be seen with IR optics. This is useful to confirm you won't accidentally shoot a teammate or to coordinate positions in the dark. 
The PEQ also allows you to use an IR illuminator, a similar function to a flashlight but in IR. 

Compare the two pictures below:​

IR spectrum equipment like lasers and illuminators are incredibly versatile tools to be using while cooping with your buddies. Remember you can easily toggle the IR laser with 7 so if you need a visible laser again it's a tap away.

• Tablet (default key M). The tactical tablet pulls up a map of the current AO which shows you (in yellow), your teammates,  and objective approximate locations (in red circles) plus extraction zones.

The tablet is a new feature in 1032 and is in its earliest stages of development. For now, the tablet lists out your objectives, the fireteams and their members, the time remaining for the operation, and a minimap.

Use the tablet in multiplayer to assist your teammates with communication and to prepare for approaching the objective.

• Binoculars/Range Finders (found in equipment menu default key 4)

Equipping your binoculars/RFs and right clicking will allow you to zoom in. You can modify the zoom using the mouse wheel. This is useful if your weapon is not equipped with a high power scope.

Do note that using the breaching charge in close proximity will affect you as well.

When using weapon attachments, such as additional sights, you can toggle between them using the mouse wheel up/down during ADS. To toggle the zoom attachments, use ALT + mouse wheel. This includes flipping your magnifier as well as changing zoom when using a high powered modular optic.

The last equipment to mention are grenades. Fragmentation, smokes, and flash bangs  must be equipped prior to use (default 3). Like other FPS you can cook your fragmentation grenades. 

New to 1032 is Ground Branch's weapon collision system. While it's still early in concept, the collision system hopes to prevent your weapons from clipping through the game world to give you an advantage in engagements. Blackfoot Studios are actively listening to feedback and tweaking this system but already it's very engaging and changes how you interact with the environment. 

For example, below I spotted a tango in one of the buildings on compound. as I lean out with my M4 at ready the stack of boxes prevents me from raising my rifle.

However, if we equip our sidearm we are able to successfully raise our weapon and return fire.

The same issue with collision can happen when rounding tight stairwells. Here my weapon is lowered as I hit the landing. Being in a vulnerable state at any point in Ground Branch usually results in death.

Here we can see how removing the suppressor would allow me to keep my weapon ready and raised.

Chest proximity is also calculated and can prevent you from readying your rifle. Here I spotted a target across the street but I can't take the shot.

Once again swapping to my sidearm allows me to aim and fire.

While a 9mm bullet may not kill on impact, it will at least provide you an option to defend yourself in a firefight.

Proximity collision is an exciting inclusion to the tactical FPS genre and one that elevates Ground Branch beyond its peers. Experiment with the various weapons to find the best choice for the job. 

Last but not least I'll briefly go over night operations. As it stands now with 1032 AI are not impacted by time of day. That doesn't mean you can't play it though! Night vision is handled unlike any other game out there and it takes a bit of learning to understand how it works. 

When using night vision goggles (default "N") your fov slims down and your view is washed with the familiar green hue. However, unlike other games, definition is almost immediately impacted when using nvgs. You'll have a harder time making out objects in range while blurring out near objects such as ironsights. This is where using red dots becomes useful (and where the problem most players run into with magnified optics).

As you can see, trying to aim with a magnified optic while using NVGs will immediately refract light back rendering the optic useless. So how do you aim down the sight while using nods? 

First, you can use any non magnified red dot optic or ironsight available with nods:

Or, if magnified optics are required, you can use the AN/PVS-22 sight. To use this sight, simply place it in front of the desired optic on a rail like so:

Having the universal night sight attached opens up your options for engaging opponents. You can flip your nods up and use the sights for outdoor engagements. One of my favorite set ups is the M4A1 Block II from above. With the Specter sight I can flip between 1-4x magnification. If I have my NVGs down and someone quickly rounds the corner I can flip to my back up RMR sight mounted on top to quickly engage the enemy.

So as you can see, operating at night comes with its own strengths and weaknesses. Make sure to communicate often with your team (and make use of the IR lights and illuminator as mentioned above) to coordinate and execute with no friendly fire. And remember, flashlights are always a viable option in buildings where one room is dark but the other may be lit like Rundown. 

And that's all folks! You are now fully equipped to begin playing Ground Branch. Special thanks goes to Prowlaz & MrBombastic over on the discord for providing feedback and additional information. You too can help me make this better by leaving a comment below.

For the latest information please check out www.groundbranch.com/, their roadmap, and their FAQ.

I also recommend checking out this excellent Night Operations tutorial by Skillet 

Hope to see you in game soon,

Consecrated2718

Battlefield 2042 is set to release October 22nd, 2021. 

This is not a sequel to Battlefield 2142, rather, in between Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 2142. There are no hover tanks or walkers, but there are hi-tech drones and other gadgets. 

In preparation for release, TeamTidal has rented a 32 player Battlefield 4 server. Dust off that digital uniform and come join us  as we knock the rust off and reacclimate to the battlefield.

TeamTidal's server can be found by searching the server list for "TeamTidal" or "Tulsa, OK".

Alternatively, one can connect directly to bf4.teamtidal.us:30000

Server stats are provided via GameTracker: https://www.gametracker.com/server_info/bf4.teamtidal.us:30000/ 

See you on the battlefield, soldier!​

Let's cut right to the chase: babies are unbalanced. We're talking Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Shin Akuma levels of bullshit here. For every 3-1 lead you manage to pull with consistent naptimes, easy feedings, and lovable snuggles, there's a 4 hour window of crying in their back pocket, ready to strike when your guard is down. Fortunately for you, I've spent 10 months battling this epic boss and it IS doable, you just need to rethink your strategy, buy some potions, and prepare yourself for victory.

On February sixth in the year twenty-twenty, I became a father. It was a joyous moment filled with tears, anxiety, and exhilaration. I knew this little guy would change my life forever, but I never understood the impact it would have on my life. Prior to my son being born, I was an avid competitive gamer, spending most of my free time competing in games such as Third Strike, Quake Champions, and Company of Heroes 2. However, not 3 days after his birth I realized I would need to drastically change my habits or risk running into burn out.

Leading up to his birth, I spent a lot of time reading guides online about how to be a parent and continue gaming. Many games journalists have documented their journeys with various successes. Having their baby sleep on their chest while finishing Final Fantasy 15, rocking their child to sleep in a baby bjorn while raiding in WoW. Some have even reported their child eats and immediately sleeps afterwards, allowing unlimited game time. I have since confirmed that person gave birth to a unicorn.

​Before I continue, I would like to discuss a growing concern I have with online guides to managing the ups and downs of being a new parent. Countless articles are written with the explicit intent to stop a behavior rather than to understand the reasons behind them. Every baby is unique and will have their own positive and negative traits that you will be responsible for. It is your duty as a parent to set aside yourself while caring for your child. This is especially hard if you've been an independent gamer before. This means missing out on game night with the boys so you can sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for the 30th time to help your child sleep. It also means forgoing gaming if it means you can get a 2 hour catnap. You may not be able to game at all with a little one based on your circumstances and that's ok! Your time will come if you hang in there. Now, let's get into some strategies to help you win the fight.

Babies are the kind of player that says "glhf" and immediately rushes you with a proxy rax to harass your assembly line. Within your first 48 hours you can expect to have your ass handed to you followed by "gg ez" every couple hours. This is completely normal and means you're a scrub who needs to work on your build order. 

The first thing to improve is time management. During the early stages of your little one's life, gaming sessions will come in short bursts (on average they feed every 2 hours). In order to prepare yourself for these fleeting moments, check out this quick checklist I've made below:

• Install your operating system and games on an SSD. Every second counts and not all games take advantage of SSDs, so make sure you test it out before little one is born!
• Disable unnecessary items in startup. This can be done in Task manager on the Startup Tab. By default, a lot of programs enable themselves to launch on boot. Having Origin, Epic Game Store, Steam, and other software that are installed all start up at the same time wastes precious seconds while you close their respective windows. I personally only allow Steam and essential programs on startup.
• Play offline games. Nothing is worse than having no internet access due to an outage on either your or the servers end. I highly recommend GoG for this reason. You can install all their games without requiring internet to play. 
• Avoid games that rely on a checkpoint system to save. You want games that can be quicksaved at any time in case of an emergency. I chose to play Final Fantasy 15 during the first few months of my son's life and I regret the amount of retreads I did because of its crappy checkpoint system in missions.

Another important component to time management is sleep. Oh sleep, how I miss you. I recommend planning out sleep duties with your partner before you both are waste deep in diapers. Each of you will be expected to feed your newborn every 2 hours or so for the first few weeks. This can be draining on your physical and mental health and requires discipline that you may not have had before your child. That being said, sleep is the ultimate resource to gather and spend in order to triumph as a gamer parent, so farm it often and don't be afraid to stockpile sleep until you can spend it. Games will always be there waiting for you.

Once you're comfortable with your level of sleep, it's time to start gaming. In the early weeks, your baby will often take long naps in between feeding. Use this to your advantage! The following tools are Team Tidal® approved:

These tools, when used properly, can be great boons on your quest to slay dragons. Just remember to game in moderation. As always, learn how to properly care for your child and avoid SIDS by consulting with your birth class specialists.

The first few months are crucial to getting your rhythm and learning how radically your baby will shift in behavior as they develop. The initial 2 weeks are critical for your and your partner's success at caring for your newborn. However, by week 3, you should be able to squeeze in some game time. By week 4 you'll have a basic understanding of how your child sleeps which will aid you in finding additional time to game. 

In month 2 you can start experimenting with the baby harness. If you secure your child properly their head will be elevated and they can watch you while you play. Keep a close eye on them and make sure that if they nod off you move them to their bassinet. Around the 6 week mark you can expect your little one to start having long naps and or night sleeps. If you play your cards right and consistently train your child that night time is for sleeping then soon you will be able to start spending those sleep points on a game night. Just remember that your baby will shift and change as they develop. Learn about "milestones" and how they can radically alter their sleep for a while. It's ok to take a break from gaming when this happens! Remember: gaming while tired is never fun, so bank up those points for when it can be enjoyable!

For those of you barely hanging on, here's where I'm at 11 months in: from 8pm to 7am I am free. I can game to my heart's content. You will make it there! I promise! Just hang in there and be the loving parent you need to be. Now....let's look at some games to enjoy.

So you're plopped down with snacks at the ready and some quiet time to yourself. Let's look at what's most important in a game as a new parent.

• Ability to pick up and put down at will (I do NOT recommend Dark Souls...)
• Respectful of your time (45 minute segments of cutscenes and dialogue trees are no bueno)
• Low stress (you'll want to enjoy your time gaming- once again, I do NOT recommend Dark Souls...)

We here at Team Tidal are primarily PC gamers, however, when you look back at all 3 of these bullet points, one thing immediately comes to mind: The Nintendo Switch. As a PC gamer, it can be beneficial to have a Switch. The Switch has an awesome sleep mode where the applications will stay cached in RAM until you turn it back on. This means you can literally put your switch to sleep in the middle of a boss battle and come back to it later at any time.

Back to PC gaming, we already discussed how important it is to minimize downtime getting in and out of games. But what kind of games suit new parents? Here's some suggestions based on my personal experience:

Sim games can be a great way to blow off steam in between diapers, soothings, and manic episodes because your child hasn't pooped in 24 hours. Thankfully, simulation games have been in a sort of renaissance these last few years with numerous titles out there to play. For example, the following game got lots of love during my first 6 months with my son. 

Parkitect gives you a full control to custom tailor YOUR experience. Do you want to play through the campaign? Pick one of 20+ scenarios lined out with varying objectives to complete. Do you want a sandbox where money is no object and guests are never safe? Go ahead, the option's there on menu. Parkitect has pleasing music, an excellent interface, great tools for building pretty parks, and tons of charm all laid out in a unique package. If you grew up playing Rollercoaster Tycoon, this is the game for you.

This is a catch-all title to represent games that plop you in a large world with minimal direction. This can range from survival titles like Ark, unique experiences such as Snow Runner,  or more action oriented titles like Skyrim. While there are hundreds of titles out there, this next game was perfect for me when I wanted to chill out and explore.

The Long Dark is a survival game set in the frozen north of Canada. While there is a story mode, I highly recommend just plopping into the survival mode instead. This game saves often, has no cutscenes, and is relatively stress free on the lower difficulties. That doesn't mean the game is boring however. Often times it can feel harrowing to leave your little settlement you discovered because supplies are running low. There's nothing quite like trekking out into the unknown with a single rifle shot, a flair, some fire making materials, and an incoming blizzard. Oh, are those wolves howling? Better find an abandoned car quick! 

Puzzle games are great ways to test your brain without requiring an active engagement. Popcap has long been the king of Puzzlers but more developers have been throwing their hat in and the last 5 years have brought us some truly memorable experiences. In the days of screaming babies and frequent night wakings, playing something like RealMyst can be a nice pallete cleanser. And one title in particular was a joy to experience front to back:

The Witness is an environmental puzzle system that relies on presenting minimalist "scenes" where you connect the dots to move on. A lot of praise was given to this game (as well as criticism) but for me it was the perfect way to get some relaxing downtime while charging my brain cells. One thing I really enjoy about this game is the art direction. Each scene feels like a painting brought to life which helps motivate you to move along and see what the developers have waiting for your just around the corner.

Ah yes, the arch-enemy of Orthopedics, ARPGs have been getting plenty of spotlight these last few years for their addictive gameplay, seasons based replayability, and visual spectacle. ARPGs are perfect, bite sized action adventures that can have you hop in and out in no time. Most of these games focus on getting more and more loot while slowly increasing your heroe's overall power. While I have a fondness for Diablo 2 and can't wait to get my hands on Resurrected for the sake of something different I'm going to recommend a title that may not be as familiar to you.

Grim Dawn, of all things, is a spiritual successor to Titan Quest (PLAY THAT TOO!). Taking the gameplay and systems from Titan Quest, Crate Entertainment came in under the radar after a successful crowdfunding campaign and slowly built up one of, if not the, best ARPG experiences on the market today. Unlike other games, Grim Dawn has multi classing integrated into its core. The amount of variability in builds is staggering and the engine is a beauty to look at. And, as an added bonus, the game is quick to get in and out. No online server to sign into, no long story cutscenes, and most importantly no punishing you for short gameplay sessions. Grim Dawn is a great experience through to the end and, even recently, had a major expansion release. If you like Eldritch horror and the blackpowder era, you'll love Grim Dawn.

As I end this discussion, I want to bring up a few things to remember as a new parent: cherish and love your children unconditionally. Put them first before anything else. And above all don't put gaming before caregiving. Your children absorb so much and it all starts with you presenting the best environment to cultivate a happy household.

If you have any advice or tips of your own, feel free to leave a comment below! As for me, I gotta get back to delivering that parcel in Death Stranding....

If you're a fan of BDO and a left hander, you've most likely experienced the pain of rebinding keys.

For starters, the keybindings won't "stick" until you've reached the first town. (Velia) While the tools tips for combos are extremely helpful, they aren't auto-updated with your keybindings. This means you'll be scratching your head trying to remember what you mapped the Q or F key to when attempting a combo.

Below is a table I created as a legend that I refer to when performing combos.

You can use this table as a reference for the default BDO keybindings or update the custom column with your own settings.

• ​! IMPORTANT NOTE !

The benchmark tool limits one to preset resolutions:

• 720p
• 1080p
• 2160p (4k)

​
If you run a resolution outside of this, you will need to create a custom shortcut to utilize that resolution. A quick google search will explain how this is done. Now that we have cleared that up; on to the results! 

Hardware

• Intel Core-i7 6700k @ 4.2Ghz
• 32GB DDR4 @ 2666Mhz
• Samsung EVO 1TB SSD
• EVGA Geforce GTX 1080 FTW Edition
• Nvidia Display Driver 390.65

Resolution and Score (High Quality setting)

• 1920x1080 - 7423
• 2560x1440 - 5665

LAN parties were once the excitement of PC gamers everywhere. The ability to frag your friends in games like Quake, with zero lag, and smack talk afterwards, was the pinnacle of competitive gaming. It was all in good jest of course, not like today's online gaming wasteland full of truly tormented individuals who believe it is their one purpose in life to make others miserable. But I digress.... 

Over time as broadband became readily available and affordable, LAN parties seemed to quietly fade into the distance. The rise of consoles compounded this as entire generations grew up not experiencing the intangible awesomeness that is a LAN party. 

We held on to this tradition for many decades, but I fear even TeamTidal cannot continue to keep LAN parties alive as witnessed by the last failed event.

So what's a gamer to do? I will not go quietly into that dark night, while "LANny" dies a quiet death......forgotten by those who once held him dear. Nay, I say! 

Enter Discord, and the virtual LAN Party.

Discord is a gamer's voice/chat program, similar to Twitch. However, Discord allows video chat with up to 10 people! The only downside I've discovered thus far is that video chat must occur over group DM; it is not integrated with the "server" functionality.

Below I've outlined how this entire process works.

Virtual LAN Party with Discord

1. Download the Discord Windows app from https://discordapp.com/download
2. Download the Discord mobile app from  https://discordapp.com/download
3. Create a group video chat with your LAN buddies. Your mobile device will be used as your out of band video camera.
   Remember to:
   1. Find a way to mount your mobile device securely.
   2. Ensure your mobile device is powered. (it will drain fairly quickly with video chat)
   3. Mute the MIC on your mobile device
   4. Turn the volume OFF within your mobile device
4. Use the Discord app on your PC for voice chat. This ensures that you can still hear your game and your friends clearly. 
5. GAME ON!

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I've always wanted to try my hand at video animation, but never took the time to learn. A quick google search for "animate my logo" returned a few sites, but only renderforest.com was simple, quick, and free. I highly recommend it! The free version leaves a water mark, but pricing is reasonable for exportable and high quality versions. 

ACHTUNG! If you're reading this article, most likely you're a fan of Company of Heroes 2 and are looking for strategies to use with the Oberkommando West (henceforth referred to as OKW). Today's guide will cover the fallschirmjäger squad's usefulness in a Luftwaffe OKW army. We will cover scenarios, pros and cons, and maximum usage of the unit itself. More after the break. 

Fallschirmjägers return from CoH in a similar form: an elite infantry squad that can be deployed from any static building with at least 4 "model" slots available. However, they do differ from their CoH brethren in several significant ways. For starters, the OKW has a 5 tier veterancy. This means the unit will take longer to reach its maximum potential, increasing the risk/reward of maintaining a unit in combat without losing them. However, overall the unit is arguably one of the best units in game, and requires less upgrading to be a formidable foe.

Unlike in CoH, Falls squads start with their FG42s right away (reflecting the late war feeling Relic is attempting with the OKW) and, because of this, can be deployed immediately during battle to catch the enemy by surprise with adequate firepower. Before we go further, let's look to a blog post by the official Company of Heroes website about the unit and it's abilities-
Abilities:

Panzerfaust: Fire a short-range Panzerfaust anti-tank weapon at the targeted enemy vehicle. (25m)

Bundle Grenade: Throws a baled load of seven Model 24 grenades at the target location. (45m)

Blendkörper 2H Frangible Smoke Grenade: The Blendkörper 2H Frangible Smoke Grenade uses caustic titanium tetrachloride to create a smoke screen and harm nearby infantry through acute exposure. Obscures line of sight. (30m)

Veterancy Levels

• Rank 1: Allows the unit to use the Blendkörper 2H Frangible Smoke Grenade. 
• Rank 2: Reduces the chance for the unit to be hit by enemy fire and allows the unit to hide when in cover.
• Rank 3: Fieldcraft and training enables the squad to heal themselves over time when out of combat and increases survivability.
• Rank 4: Advanced heavy weapon training improves weapon accuracy.
• Rank 5: Combat expertise and advanced training increases the squad’s effective weapon range and weapon accuracy.

So, as you can see, Falls are a well rounded unit which has several abilities that, when spent well, allow a falls squad to stay in the field of battle for a long time before needing to retreat.

Let's start with the cheapest ability and arguably the best- the Panzerfaust. For 25 munitions, a Panzerfaust can be deployed against any armored unit. The Panzerfaust allows penetration against most armored units, immediately inflicting a damaged engine status on a vehicle. While this may not take out most vehicles at full health, it can allow your other AT crews/vehicles to quickly surround the crippled armor and finish it off. This is integral to the OKW play style as any fuel you can salvage will get you closer to your AT tanks. 

Next up, Bundle Grenades. Bundle grenades are the most expensive ability available to Falls. Best used against garrisoned units or static emplacements/vehicles (will almost wipe an Ambulance), this ability is useful for clearing a garrisoned building. Remember, though, that this is an expensive ability and can be easily baited by the enemy player to waste your munitions. Best used with units that need to be unpacked before leaving a building. 

Lastly, let's take a look at the Blendkörper 2H Frangible Smoke Grenade. Unlocked at veterancy 1, this is the closest the OKW will get to a viable smokescreen. Both the Obersoldaten and the Fallschirmjägers have access to this ability. Not only do they break line of site (albeit, in a smaller than normal field), but they will slowly damage over time all infantry (friendly included) and slow down movement in the smoke. You can use this to slow down retreating squads, as well as use it to punish blobs.  However, at 30 munitions it's a littleexpensive. Unless you are floating a healthy amount of munitions and are already in a winning position, I do NOT using this ability often. It's just too costly for the small reward. If you need to break suppression, I recommend using the Flak HT or Luchs for harassment.

Along with the active abilities available, Falls also have passive abilities that will be unlocked during veterancy. At veterancy 2, along with increased evasiveness, they unlock their old ability to cloak in cover. This allows you to set up ambushes for enemy infantry in areas that aren't heavily trafficked. Remember, falls do NOT have a hold fire ability so they will fire at oncoming infantry. They are assault units not recon, so they should be assisting in front line combat.

The other benefit you will get begins at veterancy 3. Your squad will unlock the ability to heal over time during inactivity, essentially eliminating the need to be healed. Not only will this save you munitions from Sturmpioneer medkits, but you can safely duck out of combat as opposed to retreating towards your battlegroup hq. Combined with the cloak ability acquired at veterency 2,  Falls can spend more time on the battlefield than similar units. This allows them to handle large battles quickly and efficiently, moving from engagement to engagement with little downtime. 

So, where does a Fallschirmjäger squad fall into a Luftwaffe army? Available at 3 command points for a cost of 440 manpower they are an Elite infantry unit capable of high dps at all ranges. However, let's get this out of the way: these are not terminators.

Falls, unlike their glorious brethren the Obersoldaten of the SS, are not beefy tank units meant to solo waves of enemies at higher vets (a design flaw of Obers..). While they share similar traits to their elite counterpart, falls are more of a blitz attacker best used as a flanking unit to an existing engagement. When using FGs, I recommend assigning them their own separate control group (ctrl + #1-9). This will allow you to easily select them and move them to an existing engagement to assist.

The squad has 4 FG42s which will shred enemy infantry to pieces. However, unlike obers, they can not go toe to toe with higher squad count infantry without some smart playing. Enemy units to look out for include Paratroopers with M1919s/Thompsons, Shocks at close range, and flanking Penal flamethrower squads. Falls do not have enough defense to combat close range with an enemy elite infantry of higher model count, at least not until higher veterancy levels. It's important to respect your FGs and keep an active eye on them at all times, as a squad wipe can easily happen if you are not paying attention. Learn to retreat at 2 models until you really feel comfortable with your micro. 

Since your fallschirmjägers come equipped with FG42s, this means they will NEVER drop their weapons for the enemy! Not only does this give them a slight edge when forcing engagements, but it means you can deny the enemy their equipment. You can equip a maximum of 2 unit weapons. When low on volks squads, in a pinch you can try to diversify remaining Falls squads. Good combinations include picking up a flamethrower (preferably NOT the M2 since it explodes frequently, deadly for a small and expensive squad), Panzerschrecks, and LMGs including the MG34/42 and M1919. You do not want to pick up a bazooka or bar, as they will reduce your overall DPS and handicap your squad. With schreks, you can use your falls as a stealth AT squad, allowing you to force caution on enemy armor. With LMGS, you can already improve their DPS to an even deadlier degree.


Along with their versatility in combat, Falls also enjoy 2 distinct ways of deployment. As mentioned earlier in this article, Falls can be spawned from any ambient building with 4 model slots available. You can spawn even in the enemy's Fog of War, much to the detriment of ally players. You can spawn from buildings even if they are occupied, just as long as there is room.

The other deployment options comes from Airborne Assault. This unlocks at 10 cp and costs 250 munitions so it won't be around in the early game, but it's an EXCELLENT call in. How it works: after selecting an enemy capture point, 2 Stuka planes will arrive on the map to provide 3 strafe runs. This will pin all squads who stay around the point while dropping a fallschirmjäger squad in to mop up any lingering infantry. While expensive, you can use this to save your manpower for a Konigstiger or Panther instead of spending it on infantry. Use this ability to punish blobbers who set up a mini base around a point. Keep in mind, however, that this ability has zero anti-tank, so plan for enemy armor.

As we come to an end in this article let's discuss a few scenarios in which you may choose to spawn an FG squad. 

1. If you decide to forgo an early T4, you can use your FGs in place of Obersoldaten to fill out a similar role. Just remember their fragility when making engagements.

2. If an enemy has set up an indirect fire base, use their deploy ability to punish them for not moving after bombing you. This is especially important for OKW as your HQ Trucks are easily punished if discovered.

3. Use FGs to finish off armor that has escaped your line of sight with a Panzerfaust.

4. If you're suddenly attacked by an opposing force that outnumbers your own, bring out an FG squad behind your force for DPS support.

5. Use bundle grenades during high APM moments to catch a costly squad off guard and wipe them quickly. Especially effective if attacking from 2 or more fronts. 


Thank you for reading. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and I will get back with you. 

Special thanks to the COH2.org community including l4hti and Neo