BF2 Ranks, Unlocks - UPDATE

[FourScience]

UPDATE: Unlock descriptions for G36C and L85A1 have been added.

Hey,
When I first started playing BF2 about 9 days ago, I had a hard time finding solid information about the global scoring system for the game. Since then, I've figured out how ranks, unlocking weapons, and awards all work. I'd like to post a few websites I found helpful (in addition to the tweaking sites I posted in another topic), and I'd like to know what you guys have chosen to play for classes and weapon unlocks. I can look a good amount up in our clan stats for the bf2tracker, but why not discuss it.

http://ubar.bf2s.com/index.php - Good basic info about all kits, awards, ranks, and unlocks.
http://www.bf2tracker.com/board.php?boardid=6 - BF2Tracker Forums, Game FAQ, see stickies at top.

As for myself I started out playing a lot of anti-tank, and now I snipe mostly, which is also my first unlock choice (acquired). I have also been experimenting with the other classes to get basic infantry badges. My personal thoughts on the other classes:

Anti-tank: I read somewhere to aim for the tank's treads and rear-side if you're behind one. Otherwise it takes 3 rockets (and you only get 5). The sub-machine gun is weak and only there for self-defense. So far this class has been pretty limited for me.

Medic: pretty useful for both combat and team scores, the carbine gets the job done and quickly and there's always the choice of being offensive or providing team heals/revives.

Support: nice but I had a hell of a time getting 10 kills in a round (until I started doing kamikaze rushes). Seems easy to gain team score by dropping ammo bags.

Engineer: nice but again somewhat limited; sometimes there's nothing to repair, or it's across the map. Good shotgun for very short range combat and AT-mines but teamates love to run over them even when they're in the middle of the road.

Special Ops: good rifle, handy C4 for demolishing artillery/radar. Very good for general purpose.

Assault: Nice rifle, a burst fire into an enemy's chest will usually be plenty. I haven't really made this class useful yet.

Sniper: Great for long-medium range. I have often taken down a single enemy at short range with the pistol, it feels like using a Counter-Strike USP (just hs the mofo!). My first weapon unlock went to this class. I often hate 2-hit (non-hs) kills, but I think the game design is better for it. The claymore's are awesome to place at the top of a ladder when you camp a rooftop, or when being chased, go around a corner and leave one waiting for your pursuer.

[FourScience]

Awards

See the topic for this here:
http://www.shadow-knight.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=472

I really like the award system, it's great incentive to learn all aspects of the game to a decent degree. I am still focused on getting all the "reasonable" badges and ribbons: that is, nothing requiring excessive time played, like 250 hrs per class to gain a veteran badge. I think a lot of ribbons don't mention it, but you need to accomplish everything in the same round.

[FourScience]

Ranks and Unlocks

I was very curious about how getting my first unlock would work, especially since a fair amount of people have had trouble with it and even selected undesirable weapons.

Basically, you get them with certain promotions, and you're promoted for achieving specified global scores.
About Ranks: http://ubar.bf2s.com/ranks.php
About Unlocks: http://ubar.bf2s.com/unlocks.php

With patch 1.03, you can get 5 unlocks in about 1-2 months. No big deal anymore about picking the "right ones."

Good and bad unlocks....
There is generally no poor weapon though. Everyone has their strengths and preferences, so choose what you think you'll be happy with. If possible, learn the names of the unlocks and when you see someone on your team or the enemy use it, pick up their kit when they die. I can always share my sniper unlock with anyone that plays with me. It often makes sense to unlock a weapon for whatever class you love to play the most. I play EVERY class, but still I gravitate towards certain ones that I enjoy the most. Those are where I am putting my unlocks. If you are unsure of what order you should use, or where you're 3rd unlock should go, spend some time testing them out by swapping kits with people that have them.

How unlocking works...
Once you receive a promotion IN-GAME, you need to close out of Battlefield 2 and run it again. When you login, you should be prompted with a dialog box indicating that you can unlock a weapon. I actually had to do this several times before it came up, I even entered servers to receive the promotion a few times before I started BF2 and it prompted me. This is "normal." The actual prompt allows you to cycle between the class unlocks and then choose it manually, so as long as you're not click-happy you shouldn't accidentilly unlock the wrong weapon.

About each unlock...
I can only share what I know from personal experience and research. I have the sniper unlock as my 1st, the M95.

Sniper Unlock: M95
It is considered the most powerful non-vehicle weapon in the game, able to penetrate humvee windshields and helicopter cockpit glass. It's quite a thrill to snipe a hovering helicopter pilot, causing a crash and reaping a fully loaded heli kill. This happens less than I would like though, and I had the impression that such high damage potential would amount to 1-shot kills vs infantry. This is not the immediate case: like the standard USA sniper rifle, you must either land 2 body shots or a real headshot to take a guy down if he starts with full health. This has been a great disappointment, so don't unlock this weapon thinking you'll be handed a super-weapon. 2-shot kills or hs kills keeps this weapon truly balanced.

Special Forces Unlock: G36C
Very accurate, lower rate of fire even in automatic mode, stealthy (near-silent). This is great for picking off enemies that are prone, because the can't get away from you too easily, and they won't have a clue where they're getting shot from unless they see you. If you like to C4 stuff, this is a no-brainer. It is effective at assault, being very accurate, and you can either single shot enemies for accurate range-kills or go full auto in bursts to take down close-rangers quickly.

Medic Unlock: L85A1
Most people either love it or hate it, but here's the skinny. This gun is horrible on the automatic setting. You should only go full auto if you are an enemy spawn point and you'll have multiple hostiles at once, and even then, you may be better off on single shot. As for single shot and scoped, THIS is where the gun shines. The single shot is fairly accurate, and you can pop off multiple shots pretty quickly, just do it at a lower rate as the target is farther away. You can pretty much tap-tap-tap really fast if the guy is within 10 meters and take him down without missing more than a round or two. The scope really shines, as it's really just a needle coming up from the bottom of the scope-view, ending near the center. The gun takes 4 hits to kill a guy on full-health, but you can make 4 hits very quickly if you single-shot it at quick rate depending on the distance. Also, this is great for taking down medium to not-so-long range snipers; you're a medic! Lay down a few health packs, go prone, and while the sniper hits you a few times, you will land your 4 shots in no time, with a scope that can match all but the longest ranges the M24/M95 can handle.

[SK_CROW]

Nice info 4Science!

[MuffDiver]

I unlocked the SpecOps g36kc.  Good gun, fast fire rate and accurate.  You can quickly take down two bad guys with one clip going full auto.  Draw is a little slow, folding the stock out, but the rate of fire and rounds on target equal fast take downs with more rounds hit then miss.  When you play the spec forces, you need to play like it.  You need to be swift, silent, deadly and invisible.  Strike from the alleys, with two main objectives.  Destroy enemy UAV, Arty, and Satilite.  The other is defend flags with your anti vehicle/personel C4 charges.  You could also camp likely paths for enemy tanks, this is less effective, although you might help your team more taking out tanks early, if they happen to pass by.

I have been happy playing the role of Spec Forces.  To be most effective you need to have a support buddy with you to keep your c4 and mags stocked up.  Teamwork.

[FourScience]

I have been happy playing the role of Spec Forces.  To be most effective you need to have a support buddy with you to keep your c4 and mags stocked up.  Teamwork.

I agree. My usual in-game partner, DigitalGeneral*****, used his first unlock for the G36C. He's happy with it, and he plays SpecOps similarly. It's not for head-on assault, but for using that C4 against command structures and enemy vehicles. He and I both like to lay down C4 right on a bridge or choke point and blow it when the armor rolls in.

He even has a special trick for blowing up hovering choppers, by setting up C4 a certain way in the flag's vicinity. It's up to him to share it though.

I commonly 2-man squad it with him, and if the leader dies, he will leave/rejoin the squad to spawn on the other guy's position. If he's SpecOps I will commonly either snipe for infantry control or be Support to give him more C4, depending on our stage of the main base raid.

[E.J.FUDD]

i am generally an engineer, i am devestating in a tank...something like 1400 kills 500 deaths in armour..thats battling hiding repairing getting back in the battle...

also i usually like to be alone in a tank so i can switch hit guns, that way choppers go down quickly!, also in the turrent machine gun your engine is quite and you can surpise peeps!

i do quite well with laying mines, ~~just remember to plant them in such an angle and way peeps can drive out comfortably...