If there’s anything we’ve learned in the first few weeks of MAG’s time on the battlefield, it’s that new players love to start out as the Rapid Assault class. A common soldier type on the battlefield, the Rapid Assault guys are all about speed and efficiency – and the guy who’s going to tell you how to master them is the always-awesome designer, Christopher Burns.
Watch the following video and then settle in as Chris takes us away to strategy land!
Hello folks, I’m Christopher Burns from Zipper Interactive and I’m here to help get you started using the Rapid Assault weapons and tactics.
Basic Tips
- Rapid Assault troops are a combination of firepower and mobility. Their primary proficiency is with the Assault Rifle, and their Medium Armor frees them up to move quickly. With careful Armory choices, a properly-spec’d Rapid Assault troop can even and take on certain utility roles here and there for squads that need it.
- Concentrate on stability and accuracy improvements in the Assault Skill Tree as soon as possible. Proficiency with the Assault Rifle is your defining characteristic and will serve you well throughout your time with MAG.
- Build your loadouts from the ground up by equipping Medium Armor and the best Assault Rifle that you’ve unlocked to that point, then start adding to that. First, add any weapon attachments that you’ve unlocked, like the Foregrip and 4X sight. Then, move to the gear slots. I recommend moving the First Aid Kit to G1, and the grenades to G2. Some prefer having quicker access to grenades, but for me it is far more important to have ready access to healing.
- Your Assault Rifle is your claim to fame, but simply holding the trigger down is not good enough. Learn to fire in short bursts – it will lessen the effect of “knock-back” on the weapon, and more of your bullets will fly true to the target.
Advanced Tips
- Be ready to support your squad however you can. Rapid Assault loadouts usually have some free weight to play with, and you can make a huge impact by adding a gear item here and there.
- The loadout I prefer is the top tier Assault Rifle with 4X Optical Sight and Underbarrel Grenade Launcher, a Medical Kit in G1 and Smoke Grenades in G2. The Medical Kit will allow you to help out a bit on healing and revives (if you have purchased the ability), and the smoke will be a huge advantage when your squad rushes a bunker. When your problem is being cut to ribbons by a turret mini-gun, Smoke Grenades are by far the most effective and efficient solution. Use them!
- When things get up close and personal and ammo is running low, remember that it is much quicker to switch to your Backup Weapon than to reload your Primary. That’s what the skills in the Personal Defense tree are for. Once you have the Side-arm upgrades for Reload Speed, Swap Speed and Re-fire Time, you’ll be surprising a lot of people with that backup weapon.
Quite excellent sir, you are a scholar and a gentleman! That wraps up the Zip-Tips for this week. Join us again next week for our final week of developer tactics as we tackle the Sniper Class and MAG’s leadership abilities. Enjoy the weekend everybody.
“Video Not Available”
Also I saw some other videos, like “MAG Developer Tips: Sniper” are up on the PS Store. I didn’t think these were released on the blog yet.
Please make them all available in-game via Training.
WOoooOooOoo first lol. Keep going this incredible game. Hope you guy plan on dlc :P
Not enough fast :)
Can you explain the “Re-fire Time” skill tree upgrade for the sidearm please? I don’t understand it and skill points are tight these days.
Also, I love these dev tips, especially when they give me confirmation that what I’ve been doing is a good approach. Almost all of my loadouts include:
Valor SCAR-LW with Foregrip, 4X Optical Scope, and Suppressor (with all stability/accuracy/reload upgrades). Then I agree with Med Kit in G1 and Grenades in G2.
I’m surprised you recommend upgrading to the top tier rifle. I haven’t respec’ed to get the SCAR-HW, but doesn’t seem like a good trade-off between mag size/recoil and the slightly improved bullet impact.
There is one thing that I’d like to bring into discussion. Please consider bringing DLC skill sets into the game. Character is built in GURPS-esque fashion with fixed amount of points anyways. Just keep good balance between each other and it will work. And be a good DLC too! First of it’s kind! :)
And thanks for one bloody excellent game! If you didn’t think before about what I mentioned here above, consider it as a little something in return :D
Loving the videos so far guys. Your game has turned a single player gamer into a multiplayer gamer. I never liked MP games and usually only played games for the SP experience. I picked up MAG just for the hell of it and because I liked the idea behind it, but I expected to not like it very much and trade it back in. Lo’ and behold, I’m now obsessed with the game. You guys have done so much right with this game and I can’t wait to see how DLC will flesh out the game more. Thanks for an amazing MP experience!
For an online ONLY MP game, this is very expensive. For a first party game, this should be priced like the GoW Collection. I’d buy it then. But a 1-trick pony does not get 60 bucks plus taxes.
TY ZIPPER! Well it’s been a while since SOCOM CA and I’m glad to see you guys followed up bigtime. The graphics aren’t near the quality of MW2 or Combined Assault, but holy @$%# is this soooo much more fun! Yesterday one of the platoon leaders had us posing for pix by a humvee, then running to the other platoon’s side of the map and jumping on a tank we blew up and shooting in the air. OMFG 120 of us shooting straight up what a blast.
Hey Zipper! Are you going to balance that over powered machine gun that Sver has? It´s getting pretty tedious playing against those guys because of this. Most of the time I disconnect from the game if we, raven, are up against them because of this.
Another question. What´s the thing with the hand gun, the side arm, the assault guys start out with? It´s no good. You can´t kill anybody with it. Or is just me or does it take 100 bullets or something?
Anyway, I deeply appreciate that you guys keep on supporting the game and makes adjustments. Biggie up to you guys!
i noticed how it got morbidly slow to level up after 30. sigh. any sugestions on how to level up quick?!
enjoying the game so far playing raven elite sniper – hehehe!
oh, can’t wait for the DLC especially the uber-rare raven spyder outfit! can’t get it anywhere else! have 3 valor codes i’m saving for a second playthrough, but i enjoy being raven way too much!
so guys im a COD MW2 player, thats where i got my start in all this, and this game is quickly catching my attention. curious?…is there a way to see how many people are on a team and what class they are so i just dont keep piling on the same type players, also is this growing or will it die off and people jump on the Bad Company 2? thanks yal and hope to play with yal soon…
Alot of people are watching this game to see how it evolves, i hope it just gets better and better!
then devs will realize that we need the “massive” in our massivley multiplayer games!
Rapid Assault FTW!
so has it increased alot? is there enough players to get on anytime? and what squad is a good one and which needs extra players? is there anyway of knowing this?
All you idiots out there, YOU DO NOT NEED YOUR REPAIR KIT IN SABOTAGE!!!
how about read this thread, and put out a solid game, something you haven’t done in 5 years…
http://forums.socom.com/socom/board/message?message.uid=574857#U574857
MAG was an ugly 256 player fps
how about make Socom into a beautiful 16 player third person shooter, and do it right this time?
I have to say, I really was not impressed with this game at first when I was playing the Beta Demo. My roommate’s dad bought him it when it came out, so he could play with him. He only played it a few times.
I decided I would give it a try and I have to say it has really grown on me. I always preferred objective type matches over Team Deathmatch and what-not. Also, I feel like most times people actually work as a team, which is nice to see.
This game grabbed my attention now and I will be looking forward to seeing how it progresses. BTW, I’m Rapid Assault. Also, these videos really never give any strategy, but the actual text underneath is helpful. Why not put that in the video?
For all you people complaining about how over powered sver is…Raven i’m talking to you…. it’s not that we have overpowered weapons it’s that we actually work as a team and don’t try MW2 tactics on domination quit your [DELETED] and start working like a team and then maybe you won’t lose every round against us. SVER for life!
cant wait to get my gear god i want it now
@StalkingSilence That is a great idea!
What do you guys think about the grenade launcher? is it good? also, which tier assault rifle is better 1 or 2? Thanks :)
Mr. Jeremy Dunham:
I just got a copy of MAG yesterday & like the game & the concept, however my heart lays with socom. I have loved socom from the first release & is the main reason I paid $600 for a PS3. Confrontation was a BIG let down & there have been rumors around the web about Socom 4 in development & that Zipper is back in control not Slant6. If you guys were to search the web & look at how many or your fans love & want a good Socom (mirrored off Socom 2) it may overwhelm you. Socom 2 was by far the best one you guys created the single & multi player, believe it or not but you guys pioneered how online FPS are played today. If you could please make Socom 4 like Socom 2, same game play, tighter controls & better graphics I can guarantee you my salary that you will have a fan base that far exceeds any Call of Duty or Halo game out there. Sony makes all the decisions about Socom since they brought Zipper a few years ago. Sony give Zipper the freedom it needs to make Socom the way it should be & be more active when it comes to the Socom community.
Sincerely,
YODA798907
30/M/Ga.
@ #11 Jsoncv80,
There is no way this game is going to survive after people start playing Bad Company 2. BC2 is just going to set a new bar for online FPS and I have no doubt it will be the best online FPS game of 2010. I would pay $70+ just for the demo.
I have already held 2 LAN parties just for the demo too lol. I not kidding, I’ve been dying just waiting for the full glory to hit shelves in a few weeks.
I think i speak for all Valor, and even Raven players when i say that SVER are way too overpowered. I know there’s probably a lot of comments saying this, but maybe if more people say the same stuff (eg. this) the guys at MAG will start to see that the issue effects a lot more people than just one guy who posts one comment. SVER just deny that they’re overpowered but they wanna try fighting SVER as another team. No, it’s not because they’re good players it’s because they can kill anyone with any gun in one shot and disarm explosives from both sides of gates etc. I think it’s becoming a major issue for everyone, and i know i’m not the only one.
I agree with Tommy McD. If you try and take a SVER guy by suprise, he turns around and blows your head off in two seconds, while you have been shooting him for like 5 seconds
i dont know, i usally am not a fan of online fps but gave this a go, and didnt give up kept at it and i must say… awesome! once you know whats going on and you upgrade a few things you start working as a team it is very addictive. Great work on the game and the new update really helped a lot. cant wait for double exp weekends!! bring it!
I love all those comments that say SEVER is over powered, or that they should make SOCOM again.
Even the posts that say VALOR FO LIFE NIG!
First of all, why are so many people playing sabotage? It is really fun, but acquisition and domination are way better. For some reason, acquisition has the least amount of players for all of the modes. Also, i just got the grenade launcher and I’ve blown myself up just as many times as the enemy, so it is not a hacked weapon.