This page is about tactics and methods. For the general guide on how to play Combat Arms, see General Gameplay.
Combat Arms is a very straightforward game. Any enemy that sees you will shoot you. There are several playing styles and tactics that will maximize your kills and minimize your deaths.
Performance in game can be influenced by many factors. This includes guns, armor, reflexes, good aiming, sharpness of eye, and many others. Another factor is lag. People with better connections will find themselves not lagging as much as some other people and thus getting more kills and fewer deaths.
The playing styles and tactics also varies greatly with the game mode, map used, and arms settings.
Mobility
In Combat Arms, standing in the same place for too long is not a good idea. Moving targets are harder to aim for, while a stationary target is the easiest thing to hit. Also, if the Kill Cam is on, you should always move to another place after scoring a kill, because the Kill Cam reveals to your victim where you are. If the Kill Cam is not on, people will still eventually catch on to your location.
Camping is another tactic which will be explained below. Note that camping is not exactly the same as standing in the same place. Camping is to your advantage when carried out correctly, and campers still have to move from spot to spot.
Paranoia
When you play Combat Arms, there is no mercy. Anyone that can kill you, will kill you, so you need to be alert and slightly paranoid. While in-game, never go AFK (away from keyboard) in an open area. If you must, try and hide in a secluded spawn area.
You don't have 360° vision. Enemies will often be behind you, so a good habit is to swing around and look in every direction once in a while. People that don't watch their backs die more easily. Besides checking your back, always check corners and any small nooks and crannies that a person could be hiding behind.
Sound is an important aspect of the game. You cannot play Combat Arms without sound. It will tip you off if someone is shooting you, or whenever any shooting is done for that matter. Even when someone is approaching you, you can hear their footsteps. Because the finer sounds are difficult to hear if they come out of your computer or monitor, it is highly recommended that you use headphones while playing Combat Arms.