5 tips you must know before entering the Competitive mode in Call of Duty

5 tips you must know before entering the Competitive mode on Call of Duty and learning the Ins and outs that it takes to get situated and become a master in no time. 

   

    

    What is the difference between "Core" game modes to "Competitive"?

        While the fundamentals of playing quick play or “Core” game modes is the same there are restrictions from the normal game as well as matches that are played on specific maps and modes that completely alter the way the game is played. 

What is the level of skill needed to begin playing competitively?

Right off the bat you will figure out that on the competitive game mode players are much more seasoned and are normally a level above the normal competition found elsewhere. This mode is not for someone who just picked up the game a couple of days ago. It will just get you upset or with a broken controller from the sheer frustration of getting dominated match after match. However, when fully initiated into to the style of the mode and difficulty of winning a match against solid opponents will definitely satisfy your competitive hunger and make wins that much more satisfying. Now onto the tips that will take you from an amateur to looking like a seasoned pro.

5 tips that will help you on your competitive journey:

1.   Understanding the maps and being able to move through them even if blindfolded.

     This normally comes from playing time but getting ahead of the competition is never a bad thing. Learning the different angles of the maps can greatly improve your chances of success by being at the right place at the right time. As well as the fastest routes to get to a certain location the most efficiently. Knowing bomb placements in the game mode Search and Destroy or knowing the position of the hills in hard points making strategies and getting to proper positions is crucial to winning the game.

2. Knowing the different play styles of the three game modes.

In competetive there are three modes that circulate.

First being hardpoint  which is 5 separate "hills" around the map that circulate every minute with the score needed to win being 250. On this mode positioning and rotating early is the key to success. Easier said than done of course. Second would be search and destroy and this mode is just as mental as it is physical to play. Here great minds build strategies to overcome their opponents and get creative to earn the win. On this mode one life is all you get and a minute and a half to plant in either two bomb sites. Timing is everything and there are high risks that can be taken with the chance of a high reward or costing your team the round. Playing slow and strategy are both needed as in every angle will most likely be held down my an enemy and to win you must make their advantage a disadvantage to be successful. Lastly would be domination.Prime objective is to capture the flags with a respawn delay of 5 seconds which is very important to remember. This is important and why this mode plays different from hard point that has a 2 second respawn delay is that a full team wipe will most certainly lead to you to be dominated. Lives are valuable so knowing when to take risky gunfights is crucial. When all you're teammates are up then taking a risk and losing does not have as much repercussions as when you're the last man up. 3 flags means both sides are constantly in a battle for the control of the middle flag. Beware of some players trying to sneak through and get one of the home flags that can throw the spawns into chaos and change the flow of the game. 

3.  Knowing your role!

There are three roles in every team those being a slayer or someone who is in the face of the opposite teams with their main priorities on getting kills and usually having a sub machine gun for close range encounters. Next you have a two  support  players getting the objective and assisting the slayer in getting kills or watching their backs. Playing more conservative and taking fewer risks. Last you have the anchor of the team. This player normally has an assault rifle as there fights will most likely be from range and their lives are the most precious of the team. They hold down the spawns to give your team the advantage and their aim should be the most precise. This player knows how to rotate as they will most likely be the last person to move.  There is nothing as detrimental as a team full of slayers that play for themselves at the cost of the team winning. Knowing you're roles will not allowing clear up the confusion of what you should be doing when done well your team will run like a well oiled machine if you get the kills of course. Otherwise all this doesn't matter. This leads on to our next tip.

4.  Practice on your shooting skills because in this mode your enemies will not forgive shaky shots.

Now that we have gone through the theory of the game and the different modes and the way there played its time to get to the fun part getting kills. The competition as I stated previously is far greater than your average Joe coming off of work trying to have a good time. Your opponents get better has you climb the ranks. The need to put in work and practice on your shot should not be understated as you will get destroyed if you miss a fair share of bullets and that includes shots from a difference. Things will    become frustrating quickly and you will be irate for the first couple of matches as you get accustomed to the flow of the game and the intensity. However like all things you will soon rise to the level of your teammates and of your opponents but it all revolves around getting your shot in sync and being in positions that give you an advantage. To practice my shot I would set up a private lobby with bots set to double the regular amount of health and set them on easy to just focus on not missing. This will really give you the feel of hitting your shots and builds that muscle memory as well as get accustomed to your gun of preference . Do this for a good  ten minutes or before any match to get warmed up and you will see those crispy shots translate to your online matches with live opponents.

5. Being a great teammate (Communication & playing your role = success) 

This is a team mode and your teammates must be able to rely on you. Learning the previous tips will go a long way in your teammates gaining confidence in you and you in turn will have more confidence in your abilities. Communication is one of the most important skills to have when gaming competitively. Letting your teammates know where you are and  what is going on and what you're doing next will provide the clarity needed to move forward asa unit  Four people will be constantly in motion and communicating frantically so brief; precise callouts are necessary to keep the train going. Playing with your teammates and becoming situated in your roles  will allow you to begin to see your teammates habits and their play styles that will help you mirror their movements and react before you even speak. Playing against an equally skilled opposing team will bring out the competitiveness and the motivation to win that really gives an added fun to the game that you will not find anywhere else. The drive to win will truly bring out the best in yourself to climb the ladders and maybe you may one day find yourself on the main stage playing for millions of dollars remembering these fundamental tips. Good luck on your climb to the top!