Hey guys,
Oftentimes when I am playing tremulous, I notice that there are a few techniques I see myself using constantly and other humans using as well. I figured the other day I would write a post on the strategies section and help educate many of the members of the tremulous community.
Anyways, I'm going to start with crouching. While many people think crouching is an ineffective thing except when camping, it's quite useful. For example, did you know it is IMPOSSIBLE to get a headshot against a human who is crouching? That's because the hitbox for their head disappears, and all that is left is their legs and torso.
No alien can one-hit kill a human who is crouching except for a tyrant. (Warning, if you are stage 2 or stage 3 and have a helmet DO NOT CROUCH when facing a tyrant. As soon as you crouch your helmet becomes ineffective in protecting you and the tyrant can one-hit kill you) So, knowing this, when humans get in trouble and are only stage 1 and aliens have goons or mara's even, they can team up, pick up some shotguns, and when they expect to get chomped by an alien to do a quick crouch, take the hit, and then stand back up. If you want to be paranoid, just crouch all the way down to the aliens base, but I find that quite annoying.
This method works especially well versus marauders, because it requires them to hit you 3 times to kill you, and when they usually jump over you to get a quick headshot, if you crouch, they can't reach you anymore and you get a free shot at their belly. Once they do that 3 or 4 times you have them dead.
When facing goons, unless you are in a group, you will most likely die anyways, because a pounce-chomp will kill you in 2 shots anyways. The best trick in that case is to circle the goon as much as possible, and when you see the goon getting ready to hit you, you crouch. All the while shooting the goon as much as possible. Remember though, as soon as you crouch and take a shot, you MUST get up and run. Try to use your medi, but don't worry about crouching again if you have anything under 80 HP.
Next, another trick I like to use is when I'm facing a goon in the hall in ATCS on one of the ramps. If I am on the top of the ramp I try to jump on top of them and try to ride them as much as possible, or if I'm on the bottom of the ramp, I crouch and let them come right at me once they get close, because they will usually walk right over you and miss you completely. If you do manage to get on top of a goon, remember to stay on there as much as possible. A goon cannot hit you at all if you are on top of it. Pounces don't even work. It's just the way they are for some reason.
Anyways, my final "trick", more of a dodging strategy, is to circle, circle, circle. Whenever you see a big alien coming up to you that will require more than one shot, do whatever you can to get around it, and avoid it's claws. Sometimes the alien is just too far away and can counter any move you make. Just think of it like you were a running back for your football team, and you have to get by one defender rapidly approaching you. The defender is going for the tackle, but if you can avoid him for 5 seconds, you usually will have someone else on your team come and block him for you (I.E. getting the kill in trem). Dodging requires much forethought. You have to know where the alien will likely go, and see everything from his viewpoint and try to lead him into a trap. If you are facing a good alien, most of the time you will die, but if you are in a group or get lucky, you might finish him off alone.
Anyways, just a little post to jump-start some people's training as humans, and maybe give a tip or two to some people who think they know it all. =)
Thanks for reading,
-Bull
