MCxShammas' Assault Guide

This class is one that so many people play and enjoy, yet so few can master. A proficient assault can harass the other team like no other and has multiple tools to avoid death in almost any situation.

Index-
A. Weapons Breakdown
B. Skills Breakdown
C. Endorsements
D. Buy Order (Skills)
E. Role
F. Match-Ups
G. Juice
H. Gameplay

A. Weapons Breakdown

Assault Rifle- The assault's go-to gun. It does very good damage at short to low-medium range. It also has a pretty low learning curve. The only downfall is that it has a range cap. One of the most important skills is knowing when to aim down the sights. Don't aim if you are close up with someone, chasing someone, or being chased. Aim once you have the jump on them and they get defensive. Never stand and hard-aim for too long though, it leaves you too vulnerable.

Grenade Launcher- The most underrated tool of the assault. It can be used to kill anyone hiding behind cover and to make sure that no one gets situated. It is also your most useful bot and turret killing tool, except for firebases (For some reason, the AR destroys firebases, but not base turrets). One of the most important skills for mastering the grenade launcher is learning angles, such as where to bounce the grenades at enemies off of walls. Unfortunately, I can't explain these too well, you'll have to learn them with practice.

B. Skills Breakdown

Passive- With a lvl 2 upgrade, your passive increases your jump height and crit chance. This is a must at the beginning of each game. The jump height is needed to make many jumps over cover and to reach a destination that you will need to jetpack to. At lvl 3, it increases your crit chance, making the AR a little more powerful.

Bomb- The most important skill in my opinion. This totally prevents opponents from pushing by hurting them, setting them on fire, and knocking them back. A useful strategy to push your opponents right off the bat is to use your jet pack and charge to beat them to a vantage point and throw a bomb on their side. They will be totally unable to push and are forced into a bad situation. If used properly, you can be almost unstoppable as the assault. Plant bombs as you retreat to thwart chasers. You can plant a bomb on enemy turrets to prevent them from being upgraded or hacked. Don't forget, bomb lvl 3 takes about a fifth of the jackbot's health. Also, bomb jumping is an essential mobility tool. Throw a bomb on the ground, stand near the center, towards where you'd like to be sent, jump, and detonate. You will be propelled across the map, but will take some damage. This is very helpful for putting shots on the enemy ball and keeping it down. Using the jump in conjunction with fly and charge allows you to travel insane distances. My favorite use for the bomb is as a grenade. Throw the bomb at a camping sniper or during a gunfight (you can shoot and throw at the same time) and detonate it in the air.

Jet Pack- The most underrated skill in the game. You can use it to fly across gaps, or just gain an immediately advantageous position in combat. It allows you to fly over cover towards a fleeing opponent, finish them while taking minimal damage, and retreat back to safety all in one fell swoop. Keep in mind that you can charge while flying to increase distance. With the jet pack, it is nearly impossible to be rung out.
Ex- You are on top of the dome on ammo mule and get a tank into low red health. He retreats behind his bridge where his support, firebase, and gunner are waiting. You jump, activate fly, and finish the tank from overhead. With time to spare, you toss a bomb down at the remaining enemies and detonate it as you fly/charge back to the top of the dome. You did all of that while engaging the enemy for a brief moment, where most classes would have struggled with the firebase and gunner, and would have had no way to retreat effectively. The jetpack is also the reason why the assault is the 1 class that can't be ringed out by a single charge or grapple.
NOTE: Jumping and turning the jet pack on and off strategically can really mess with your opponent's aim in a gunfight. Make sure to mix it up though, don't just jump, hang, fall, and repeat.

Charge- The assault's charge is a quick method of dealing damage in close quarters and is also a means of mobility, but is very predictable. It is useful to use it after being grappled, or in conjunction with fly to cover ground. Mostly, it is helpful for being mobile.

C. Endorsements

Gold- Armor
Armor allows you to survive an assassin's dagger backstab and just take more damage in general. You will win fights against any other assaults who don't use it as well.

Silver- Rate of Fire/Accuracy
RoF makes your grenade launcher awesome. You can shoot very quickly and put more damage on fleeing or chasing opponents. Accuracy makes it very difficult to miss any shots with your AR, and is preferred if you aren't a big grenade launcher user.

Bronze- Skill Recovery/Clip Size
Your skills are all very important as an assault and the sooner they come back, the better. Lvl3 bomb comes back in about 7-8 seconds, lvl3 charge in 4 seconds, and the lvl 2 jetpack recharges from empty in about 9 seconds. Clip Size gives you that little extra bit of firepower when fighting tanks and gunners.

D. Buy Order (Skills)

Most people call me crazy when I tell them this buy order, but they probably aren't using the jet pack to its full potential. Keep in mind that you have $150 for a third skill about 30 seconds into the game usually.
1. Passive 2
2. Jetpack 2
3. Bomb 2
4. Bomb 3
5. Passive 3 (Optional)
6. Charge 2 (Optional)

Charge 3 is unnecessary because it locks you in an animation in which you can be easily killed. Charge 2 is only for a quicker recovery time, because it should be used scarcely against skilled players. They will see it coming and it only leaves you open. Upgrading to passive 3 only adds more crits, so it is only necessary if you feel like you are having a hard time killing people easily. Usually, it isn't needed and you can invest the money in juice, annihilator, or buzzers. Buzzers are 1 of the only 2 useful bots in the game in my opinion, the others being gremlins. Buzzers will gang up on enemy groups of bots and players, and can be distracting and even intimidating in groups. Don't spend time spawning more than 2 waves though, your team will need you on the battlefield more than buzzers.

E. Role

As an assault, you should be focused on making sure that no one on the enemy team is situated, allowing your own heavies to push up further. You are also the best at chasing to finish an enemy and retreating quickly. Try to put shots on everyone with your AR, and bomb or grenade launcher them if they hide behind cover. If they are hurt and try to retreat, jet pack above them, finish them, turn and charge back to your cover. You will always be able to safely escape and continue to damage them. Basically, you should be a constant annoyance to everyone on their team. You aren't primarily responsible for killing bots, but you should with your launcher if the opportunity presents itself. When the enemy ball drops, you are the one who can get there the most quickly. The tank and sniper are money ball killers, so just try to keep damaging it and keep it down so they can do their job. The most effective tactic to keep the ball down is placing a bomb on it, but waiting to detonate until no one has touched the ball for a while and you think it might reset. Keep in mind that bombs can be thrown over the spawn glass from outside. Each map is different:

Steel Peel- Fly from the top spawn ramp over the ball, shoot it a couple times, and retreat. You can also throw bombs from here. Another spot is to sit on the annihilator ring to the right, outside the glass and bounce grenades off the right pillar of their spawn. The shots should hit the ball if done correctly.

Ammo Mule- On this map, you can fly from the top of the dome over their spawn glass and shoot the ball, then turn around and charge to retreat. You can also do a tricky grenade bounce in which you stand on top of the dome and bounce the grenades off the spawn glass so that they hit the inside, bounce back once, then forward and fall on the ball. You can also throw bombs over their glass from either bridge.

LazeRazor- You shoot the ball with your AR from either side ledge and tunnel, or use the aforementioned grenade technique from outside the front of their spawn. Bombs can be thrown from the center bridge onto the ball.

Grenade 3- You can simply shoot the ball from down low on either side. My favorite technique involves flying in a figure 8. Start on the right bridge, fly to their spawn walkway and shoot the ball. Run out the front of their spawn and fly around to the left bridge. Fly back to the walkway, and repeat. This is the map where bomb jumping is most important. You can walk out to the front of your own spawn, bomb jump towards theirs, and usually end up on their walkway or even over the ball sometimes.

F. Match-Ups
Assault- Try to shoot first and more accurately. Make sure that if you get close, you charge when they do to cancel their charge, or jump when you see it coming. This is tough to get used to. Bombs are always effective. Launch nades at them as they run away, or plant a bomb if they try to chase you.

Support- Stay out of shotgun range, but in AR range. You can kill their firebase easily with your AR. If they keep coming back to heal their firebase, throw a bomb at it and blow it up as they get close. Charging works near ledges because they have no recovery. They can't really dodge it because they can't jump over it and can't move too quickly.

Gunner- Pop in and out of cover, but don't ever stay out for too long. Launch nades at them if they try to retreat, they are big, slow, easy targets. If you get caught in the open, use the jump-fly technique to try and make them miss. Head crab them if they deploy.

Sniper- Try to launch nades at them from a distance. Always pester them with bombs and charge them up close. They have poor mobility. If they hide behind ice traps, throw bombs over them, launch nades past them, or fly over them and get aggressive.

Tank- You have to stay in the perfect mid-range against a good tank. He can rail you from far away and jet gun/out-charge you up close. Don't aim down the sights at all or you will be product naded every time.

Assassin- Charge them if they get close, bomb them if you need to. AR the if they get close, but never chase them because you won't catch them. If they get a grapple on you, charge immediately because it is unavoidable.

G. Juice

Use your juice to kill enemy players with the AR. You aren't great at killing turrets, so let your team do that. Grenade launcher with juice against the moneyball does more damage than AR, so keep that in mind.

The 3 classes I have guides for are the ones I really excel at, so I won't be making guides for the other classes (at least not with my own advice). However, I will make a helpful tips guide for things to remember when playing as any class. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the read!

H. Gameplay

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp7tnvexokA

I actually agree with you pretty much 100% on this guide. Especially the level 2 charge with it you can ring out gunners and the sometimes not so smart tank. For me the bomb is the most under used skill i can't tell you how many times i've been raged at because the assassin/support/sniper just kepp running into my bomb or sticking gunners and tanks. Your setup is very close to mine, mine is gold armor, silver skill recovery, and bronze accuracy. Accuracy is mostly used for assaults so i can hit them harder from the start. The jet pack is amazing level 3 is a must! My order of up grades goes bomb, charge, jet pack, passive, bomb, jet pack, and then maybe passive. So once again good guide alot of people will learn from this.

A+ This is just about everything I do to the letter.

Gonna add a few things here:
1) I like accuracy more than skill recovery. We're talking a difference of less than a second for the skills to come back. It might back a bit more of a difference for fly, but at level 2, you should never really be at a lack when you need it. Accuracy is a very noticeable improvement to your AR, and very often lets you finish opponents off that you'd otherwise be unable to and come out on top in more situations, especially against other Assaults. Gold armor and silver RoF are both musts.

2) The only thing about level 3 charge that's better is damage and skill recovery, but it's not worth how vulnerable it leaves you, or the inability to hit multiple targets. Level 2 charge, especially in conjunction with bomb, can scatter an entire team.

3) When you have the chance, melee bots to build juice. Juicing is usually the only way an Assault will destroy rocket turrets, unless the team is paying no attention. And on the subject of juice, K/D does matter, because streaks matter. Get a good streak going with Assault and you can be run into their base, juice, push their entire team back and run out to buy more juice, and repeat indefinitely. If you get to this point, you win.

Always be moving, always be aware of your surroundings, have an escape plan and just stay on top of everything. And usually I upgrade: Passive, Bomb, Charge, Fly, Bomb. Passive 3 isn't necessary for $400, you shouldn't be having any trouble killing people. Bomb 3 is amazing, I can't ever express enough love for it. A good Assault can really change the course of an entire game.

The reason I don't use accuracy is because it doesn't improve your range cap. I just view accuracy as a crutch on the assault because you can do fine without it. I need the skill recovery to use my jet pack frequently. If I were to use anything else, it would be clip size because it gives you a little more ammo and makes it easier to kill gunners and tanks in 1 clip, plus it gives you 4 more grenades.

I've really got to wonder what you're doing that you have to use fly so frequently.

And all endorsements are a crutch.

Excellent Guide! Some very great info and tactics for the Assault. Since my main class is Assault I decided to add some of my thoughts.

I used to think Accuracy made a big difference but after some testing not anymore. The main reason I used to use it was for the smaller reticle. Sure it decreases the spread of the bullets but most targets aren't that slim and for the Sniper and/or Assassin just use the left trigger aim.

My Endorsements:
G-Rate of fire
S-Armor
B-Clip Size

I don't use skill recovery because I am fine with the natural cooldown for the Assault. I also only level charge to 2 just because level 3 targets a single player and lvl2 charges through them. Passive and Bomb 3 and I just keep Fly at 1. I don't really use it enough to level it higher, although I apply similar tactics with like yours.

Upgrade Order:
Charge 2
Bomb 2
Bomb 3
Passive 2
Passive 3

Charge and Bomb 2 are bought at the start of the match. Because I require so much money for upgrades I try to farm a quick 400/500 using the Grenade Launcher and Bomb. This is where the clip size really helps. (I wish I knew the exacts, lol) Passive 3 is kinda optional because I buy it mid to late game to help kill upgraded health Pros faster.

Everything else is covered. Nice guide.

Mobility is the main thing that sets you apart from the gunner or tank. You need that to get in and out of their defenses without dying. Also, it's just necessary in order to make certain jumps.

I had the misfortune of playing against you for several games yesterday (and a few other lvl 99s in your party) while you played the Assault class. You're very good at it. I consider myself a pretty skilled sin, but you guys wiped the floor with us.

Where's the part of the guide where you juice up and try to shoot down the enemies moneyball?
Kinda like what you tried doing today while your ball was down.
Didn't want you to have an incomplete guide...

...?
I guess when you're the best player on the best team, you have lots of haters.

umm you guys lost

I'm not saying you're not a good player, you and you're friends were pretty good.
That kid with the ice traps by the turrets was annoying though.
But, I definitely caught you trying to shoot down our ball while we were busy with yours.
Just saying.

I don't remember that. It was probably my brother playing or I was fucked up. If you guys want to scrim or GB msg us, we're undefeated.

Went into overtime, you guys had half health and we were full. Juice rushed it at OT.
I don't do gb, I play for fun. Also don't have a team just a bunch of friends.
Edited my above post by the way not lookin for arguements.
Feel free to pm me or talk on live I'll explain how it went down so you can tell your brother to not do it.

There's one jump I can think of where you need level 2 fly, and that's going off the Grenade III ring into the back of the enemy's base. Other than that, it only really helps when there's Assassins on your tail and when you get knocked really far out of the arena. Which is why I upgrade fly last, it's a lot more situational than bomb or charge. So long as you conserve it properly and have level 2 passive, you're as mobile as you need to be.

That's not his brother, he tried glitching the money ball on me yesterday while i was playing on an undermanned team 5v6. It's hilariously hypocritical how he posted a video of somebody running around the top of the level and wanted Uber to do something about it but he exploits known glitches himself. He bragged about his undefeated team on a ladder with 6 other active teams to me as well.

Well played Shammas, good luck with that competitive gaming thing.

Wow lol. A ridiculous amount of people are jealous, I know. Read the guide and maybe you can compete with me. :lol: I'll take all of your claims with no proof into consideration.

Amagawd. You're like the grizz of MNC.. Only there's a ridiculously small competitive community here, so when you take six of the top players and stick them together.. I suppose you are going to be a top team. No one is jealous, promise.

Anyhoo .. The only really strong point I've seen in you in particular is the rail gun .. And I've only seen it when you inevitably have the host .. Because your team ALWAYS hosts and invites every recent player on their list. I do believe the last time we played that was the only way that you killed me, and it was generally around the corner. Your team did most of the pushing .. which is odd .. given that you're a tank and all.

<3

1. Two people doesn't exactly equal "a rediculous amount of people".
2. Pointing out you tried cheating doesn't equal jealousy.
3. To avoid any arguements, as I already knew you would flat out deny it, I accepted your lame "it was my brother" excuse
4. Nice one, using the "pics or it didn't happen" safety net to make you look credible. 99% of players don't record their games dude, you know this.

Don't expect anything better from an egomaniac teenager. The excuse he gave me when I messaged him on XBL was "I don't try when I play by myself". I play solo 90% of the time and I don't feel the need to cheat. From the two games I played with him, I can tell he's good. He set up some very good traps with the assault's bomb. I have no reason to try and be jealous of someone who flaunts their ego on a game people play to have fun.

For somebody as outspoken as he is about glitching and competitive gaming, you probably shouldn't be running around in matches trying to glitch and win by any means necessary especially against people you know that post on the forums.