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Increase your ranked Gears of War 5 win rate with these 5 multiplayer tips
From bossing Team Deathmatch to winning King of the Hill, these Gears of War 5 multiplayer tips will make you a better player.
Gears of War multiplayer has always been incredibly competitive and new recruits are often deterred by its blisteringly fast kill times, team-orientated combat, and high skill ceiling. Getting used to the third-person cover-based nature of Gears of War 5 can be a little tricky at first, but with a little practice, you’ll be topping the scoreboard with game-winning eliminations in no time.
The Coalition’s latest instalment features a number of classic multiplayer modes, so you can expect to see the usual Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, Escalation, and Guardian modes, while the introduction of Arcade offers a more relaxed, no stakes experience. Of course, most players are drawn towards the game’s ranked play, where they can test their skills against the world’s best Gears of War enthusiasts. To help you get a competitive edge over your foes, here's a list of Gears of War 5 multiplayer tips that will help you fly through the ranks.
1. Always be ready to deny and contest power weapons
Power weapons change the dynamic of the game
© Microsoft
While Gears of War 5’s default weapons are more than capable of netting you a bounty of kills, they pale in comparison to the game’s power weapons. These deadly guns are found in specific places on each map and can give your team a huge power boost if used correctly. For example, the Mulcher’s crazy rate of fire can instantly tear through multiple targets, while the Cryo Cannon allows players to rapidly slow enemies until they are frozen solid.
Of course, some power weapons are more useful than others depending on the scenario, but each one can give your team a huge advantage during firefights. As a result, you’ll want to focus on controlling and denying these weapon placements whenever you have the opportunity. Having a gun that can chew through enemy respawn tickets or zone enemies away from control points is highly beneficial, especially in ranked matches where every kill counts. Try to familiarise yourself with each map’s power weapon spawn and be ready to deny them at all costs.
2. Don’t go for risky finishers
Finishers are stylish but too risky for competitive play
© Microsoft
The urge to use your finisher on a downed enemy can be incredibly tantalising, especially when you’ve just unlocked a fancy new animation. However, it’s often best to avoid using these flashy executions altogether. While Gears of War 5’s executions may look cool, they take a while to pull off and leave you vulnerable to enemy attacks. Once you’ve committed to the finisher, you’ll be locked into the animation until you either succeed in obtaining your grizzly kill or die trying. There’s no real benefit to using the game’s various executions in competitive play, but if you have to use them, make sure you do so when there are no enemies around. The majority of high-rank players swiftly dispose of downed enemies with their primary weapons so it's probably best you follow suit.
3. Be on the lookout for flanking opportunities
Flanking is an important strategy in Gears 5
© Microsoft
There’s nothing more frustrating in Gears of War 5 than watching your allies funnel into a well-defended zone, instantly throwing away your team’s precious respawn tickets and gifting the enemy an easy victory. Instead of running headfirst through a haze of gunfire and smoke, try to find opportunities where you can get behind your targets.
Gears of War combat has always favoured close-quarters brawls, so be prepared to sneak behind enemy lines and deliver lethal shotgun rounds, to help break up any defensive formations. Once you’ve successfully taken down a few targets, your team will invariably be able to rush down the objective and mop up any remaining stragglers. Flanking also gives you more opportunities to ping enemy locations, making it easier to relay their current position and movements to your allies. By following this tip, you’ll secure more victories and even be able to snag some game-winning eliminations along the way.
4. Stick with your squadmates and communicate with them
You don't have to be a hero, work with your team
© Microsoft
Unlike some competitive shooters, Gears of War has always rewarded those who stick and play together. Moving as one cohesive unit will not only allow you to obliterate players who opt for the lone wolf approach, but makes it a lot easier for you to coordinate deadly rushes that overwhelm those hiding behind cover. Having a bunch of buddies shooting the same target also greatly reduces your team’s kill times, giving you more opportunities to focus on the next target or objective. While you may be able to get away with soloing the map in lower ranks, you’ll likely get punished in higher divisions where teamplay is more present. Don’t be afraid to tell your team what you are thinking, let your allies know your intentions and what plays you wish to make by using the in-game pings or voice comms. Even the most basic level of communication can go a long way in defining your team's overall effectiveness, so stick together and don’t let your voice go unheard.
5. Play the objective
Play for the objective, not kills or KDA
© Microsoft
This may seem like an incredibly simple point, but the amount of players that avoid the objective in favour of kills is ridiculously high. While the TDM mode supports this kind of playstyle, it doesn’t work well when you’re trying to capture a point in King of the Hill. When playing Gears of War 5’s objective-based game modes, your focus should be on locking down zones, and snagging your team as many points as possible without handing the objectives over to the enemy. While having a lot of eliminations and a respectable KDA is an accomplishment in itself, you won’t climb up the rankings if you ignore each mode’s win conditions. If your team manages to lock down a zone, be sure to provide support and work together when taking the map’s various control points. Playing on and around the objective invariably nets players with a lot of eliminations anyway, so use your deadeye plays to stop your foes from gaining the upper hand.
