Battlefield 2: Modern Combat/Engineer

Engineer is deemed as being one of the hardest classes to play, both in match play and in gaining stats. For that reason, very few people use the class in ranked servers. Engineers used in matches do not put in the time needed to learn the role effectively.

Role
As an engineer, you're there to do a job, and it's not to get kills, it's to repair everything so that the rest of your team can get kills. It is useful to be able to hop out of your vehicle and make a few running repairs. Keep in contact with your driver and crew, and use this option when it's available to you. There's no point going into battle with your tank falling apart.

Running around in the line of fire is sometimes part of the job. When doing so, it's important to keep on the move all the time. As an engineer, you will become a prime target if you're keeping tanks firing on a location. Switch positions and sides as much as possible, but be wary of moving vehicles as you don't want to get team killed. For extra protection, coordinate with your teammates and crawl underneath their vehicle. As long as they only move forwards or backward, you won't be killed.

For even more protection, hop into a vehicle and move close to the vehicles that need to be repaired. In close proximity, your vehicle doubles up as a repair station but with some armored protection. A team of several engineers in a vehicle can provide great repairing power for team vehicles.

Commander resources are essential. Keep an eye on their status on your HUD and either move over to repair them, or report it to your commander in order to allow them to drop supplies. Something that engineers sometimes forget is their ability to repair bridges. It doesn't take long to repair a damaged bridge. Get covering fire from one of your team's vehicles, repair the bridge, then hop in and move across. Another forgotten role is the ability to remove claymores and AT mines with the use of the wrench.

Pistol
Anyone wanting to play as an engineer needs to be prepared for the challenges of the role. The most important foundation to lay is the ability to use the pistol over a variety of ranges in both zoomed and unzoomed format. Due to the close quarters nature of the primary weapon, it is an important tool to have. Unfortunately, players won't stand next to you all the time and allow you to pick them off with a shotgun.

Old fashioned practice is the best way to achieve this, even if it means finding some willing moving targets and dragging them into the training server. Even when playing other classes, the pistol is always there to get practice with. Pulling it out a couple of times every map is a good way to build up skill with the weapon.

The pistol works equally well in all situations and positions, making it very versatile. It is an accurate weapon with very low recoil. Use of the zoom function further increase the accuracy, but requires practice to master. It is often a stronger choice over a longer range than a lot of primary weapons in the game.

It takes five torso shots to kill a healthy player, less with headshots. It is important to practice landing several shots on a target quickly. Be careful only use it at close range when your shotgun needs to be reloaded.


 * Types: 92FS / MR-444 / QSZ-92
 * Magazine Capacity: 15
 * Magazines Carried: 7
 * Damage: 20 per shot - 5 torso shots needed for a kill
 * Accuracy: Medium/High
 * Min Deviation: 0.5 - Shot will not deviate far from aim point
 * Deviation Added per Shot: 0.125(3.5) - Very low amount allowing for fast rate of fire
 * Deviation Mod when Zoomed: 0.5 - Does not move away from further than minimum
 * Recoil: 0.5-0.8 - Recoil varies on movement and rate of fire
 * Recoil Mod when Zoomed: 0.25 - Recoil is halved when zoomed

USMC/China Shotgun
Both the USMC and the Chinese shotguns are pump-action, which causes a pause after each shot. Accurate shooting in close quarters exchanges is required. This can be picked up easily with practice. As the shotguns provide a one-shot kill, it is worth lining up a shot and taking time over it. If you miss with your first shot, your opponent has been given an advantage.

It is also worth noting that reloads are made one shell at a time, providing very long reload times. If you're still not getting a kill and need to reload, it's time to put in some practice. Shotguns are as effective and accurate on the move as when stationary. Move around as much as possible if you aren't confident with your accuracy to give yourself more chance of survival in close quarters combat. The shotgun is very ineffective at medium and long ranges.


 * Clip Size: 7 - Each shell needs to be reloaded individually
 * Magazines: 30 shells - Shells should be used economically
 * Damage: 25x8 - 8 pellets fired, each causing 25 damage = 200 total damage
 * Accuracy: Low
 * Fire Mode: Pump-action - New shell must be "pumped" after every shot
 * Min Deviation: 0.75
 * Deviation Added per Shot: 0.2(3.0)
 * Deviation Mod when Zoomed: 0.9
 * Recoil: 3 - Very high recoil, aim must be reset after every shot

MEC Shotgun
The MEC shotgun is a semi-automatic shotgun instead of the pump-action method. Due to the smaller shell capacity, the one-shot kill advantage of the other shotguns is no longer available. Due to the higher rate of fire however, this is less of a problem. It is also faster when reloading, making it more suited to close quarters battles with multiple opposition. Accuracy is lower, but with the spread of the shells this is less of a problem. Recoil is reduced when zoomed.


 * Clip Size: 7
 * Magazines: 5
 * Damage: 12x8 - 2 shots required (Damage overall = 96)
 * Accuracy: Low
 * Fire Mode: Semi-auto - Faster rate of fire than pump-action
 * Accuracy: Low
 * Min Deviation: 1.5 - Higher deviation from aim point due to semi-automatic nature
 * Deviation Added per Shot: 0.2(3)
 * Deviation Mod when Zoomed: 0.9
 * Recoil: 3 - High recoil penalty
 * Recoil Mod when Zoomed: 0.75 - Recoil is reduced by three quarters when zoomed

Jackhammer Shotgun
The Jackhammer is a very underrated weapon unlock that can provide as many kills as longer ranged primary weapons when used effectively. It does less damage than the pump-action counterparts, but has a firing rate of 7 shots per second (emptying the magazine). There is a long reload time and extreme recoil penalty, and it's useless past short range.

When facing shotguns, it is common practice to jump and move around as much as possible. The Jackhammer has the ability of causing one shot kills. When an opponent begins to hop around, unload the shotgun and spin in their direction. The rate of fire and your ability to move faster than them will cause a hit and a kill. This weapon can be used to mow down multiple targets in one magazine with the same method of spinning. Be very careful to aim close to the target when firing, and be prepared to switch to pistol when reloading, because it takes too long otherwise.

It is the easiest of the shotguns to use when it has been mastered. Take time to practice and be able to use it effectively. This shotgun will greatly increase your chances of raising your stats when playing as the engineer; it can greatly improve your kill percentage.


 * Clip Size: 7 - All shots can be fired in a second
 * Magazines: 6 - Use supply drops and support players to keep stocked up
 * Damage: 15x8 - Total damage = 120
 * Accuracy: Low
 * Fire Mode: Full Automatic
 * Accuracy: Low
 * Min Deviation: 1.5
 * Deviation Added per Shot: 0.3(3)
 * Deviation Mod when Zoomed: 0.9
 * Recoil: 4 - Huge recoil penalty
 * Recoil Mod when Zoomed: 1 - Recoil reduced by three quarters when zoomed

AT mines
If you look at the driving style of players on ranked servers, you'll find that they tend to drive in the center of the road at all times. When playing matches, this can be exploited. Consider the road moving vertically on the screen. A common tactic for engineers is to place mines in a line across the road. This method canvasses the whole road, stopping any enemy vehicles. It is worth noting however that this road will also be unusable by friendly vehicles.

For matchplay, an alternative strategy is to lay the mines just down the center of the road. They will intercept most enemy vehicles (who ride along the center part at all times), while allowing friendly vehicles who know of this tactic to drive along either side of the road, providing them safe passage. It is the job of the engineer to clear any enemy mines that may be placed along these pathways in mined areas.