Cover By Loz ~ Concealment by Mr.Widdim

Cover is an important thing in war, as it could save you from life or death. The same thing goes for Battlefield 2. There are a few dis-advantages to it though and I will go through them in this guide.

Boxes can provide good cover if hidden correctly. The best thing to do is crouch so you are below the top of the box. There are a few dis-advantages to this though. You are easily exposed to fire from behind and above so you will need to keep checking for enemies. Also, don't choose crates or boxes that can be shattered if shot at or you will become an easy target.

Barrels could provide some cover if you duck, but avoid barrels that explode or it can get messy (usually the red ones). The grey barrels however do not explode so they are great choices for cover, but these also have dis-advantages like, 1) The gaps between the barrels are good for snipers to get you and, 2) You are also exposed from the rear and above if its at the bottom of a hill.

Walls provide some of the best cover on the battlefield, if you can get behind it properly. Say you’re pinned down and there’s a wall near. Get behind it soldier! When behind it, you could reload and you will be ready for the enemy to come. Walls can also provide cover from tanks or other battlefield vehicles. As continues the trend in this guide, there are dis-advantages. Watch out behind you because there are more openings between walls for the enemy so watch out. Remember these three steps: cover, reload, and stand ground.

That’s it for basic cover, hope this helps! The second section will go through advanced cover so keep reading.

Hills can provide good cover if you get in the right spot. I will provide a little diagram for you so you can see the best place.

That’s right, below the top of the hill is the best place to reload and wait for the enemy. If there is a bush nearby, that's better since you can hide in that. Disadvantages to hill hiding are: 1) If there isn't a bush, there is very little cover or concealment from the enemy in helicopters, and 2) If the enemy spots you first, you can be easy pickens.

Buildings are probably the best cover on the battlefield. If you are in a building, you are practically invulnerable to enemy fire of bombs, and they also make a good firebase for attacking if there is a window. Luckily there are only 3 disadvantages to building cover: 1) If the building doesn't have a roof you will be subject to enemy artillery, 2) If there is a sniper targeting you whilst you are shooting out the window, you could be shot and 3) If you are followed inside the building, you could be easily taken down when you least expect it.

Vehicles can provide some cover, and can also be used in clever ways. First off, the vehicle that is just sitting there can provide some cover. If the vehicle starts moving or is blown up however, say bye bye cover. The other way vehicles can be used is if it’s moving. Say if you're in a firefight and a tank roles up, you can get cover from the tank letting the tank driver do the work while you reload. If the tank starts moving, stay next to or behind it so you will get moving cover. Moving cover is great if you finish capping the base you were at and want to move on to the next one. You just have to make sure the tank doesn't explode or if you are behind it, that you don’t get run over. Also, you are vulnerable from your rear so once again 'check your six'.

There is other cover on the battlefield like old cars or airplanes; you can approach these like you would boxes or walls, with the same advantages and disadvantages.

So, now that you have learned how to guard yourself from attacks, you must now learn to hide yourself from them. My dad once said, “Do you know the difference between cover and concealmeant? Well, I can hide myself behind a piece of paper or I can stand behind something no one can shoot through. When the real bullets start flying you better jump behind that cover, son.” However practical this is for real life, Battlefield 2 is not real life, you can spawn as many times as the round allows you. So, my point is that sometimes you need to hide and still be able to attack without a huge barrel in your way.

Well my friend, you have found a very popular sniper location, the mighty bush. This bush will usually blend pretty well with your sniper's ghile suit. However, there can be problems if you are sticking out too much from said bush, then you will appear to be a bush growing human parts… and you will be killed. Another problem is that if you are not far enough out of the bush you will have swaying green leaves blocking your view. You must create a happy medium between out and in.

Now, trees are nice to kneel next to, they provide cover, and many times enemies will not realize that you are there. The main aspect of hiding around trees is to keep moving, move behind it for a bit and always switch sides… keep those snipers on their feet soldier!

I bet you have heard from many sources that you should never hide on the top of a building. This, I belive, is total bull puckey. (Edited for the younger audiences.) There is a reason for all of the satillites, air conditioning units, “ramps,” and other objects located on the top of buildings. If you are around these many people will not know you are there. The top of a building is squarish and your body is cyllindrical, remember that, you will stand out if you do not breakup your background.

Cover is a very important part of Battlefield 2 as well as many other games, there are advantages and disadvantages to each object. However, you must remember, if you have found a really advantageous spot, than atleast one other person know about it, so watch your back. If you can avoid being spotted and avoid be shot, you will be an amazing Battlefield 2 player and your stats will soar. Please, take cover and conceal yourselves.

That’s it, our guide to giving you the edge on the battlefield. We hope this helps you when trying to cap or defend bases.