Battlefield 3 Recon Kit Tips & Tricks

Battlefield 3 has hit shelves and gotten several rave reviews, including a 9.5 out of 10 from Game Informer.

If you're one of those people who didn't get to play during the beta, you'll probably have a steep learning curve as you adjust to the new game, as is quite different from Call of Duty or even Battlefield: Bad Company 2. This is especially true if you happen to play the Recon kit, as even the game's most powerful sniper rifles require you to get a precise headshot for that coveted one-shot kill. That's right, it will take two or more body shots with bolt-action rifles. While you're loading that second round, your opponent has plenty of time to run away or duck for cover.

To help my fellow sniper fans out, I have three tips that I'd like to share:


1. Attachments make a big difference

With the basic scope, long range kills are a pain! With the 4x scope, good luck. You are going to want to unlock a bipod/foregrip and your long range 12x scope to get by. To that end, there is a great way to quickly get there - Team Deathmatch. While it is not exactly the "full Battlefield 3 experience," Team Deathmatch offers you a chance to farm for the kills needed to get those important unlocks. I've unlocked anywhere from two to three attachments on a new weapon in a single match! It's also a pretty good chance to practice your close quarters performance.

Check out this video for some more on this strategy.

2. Use semi-automatic sniper rifles like battle rifles

I was having a rough time getting headshots with the SVD, SKS, and Mk11. It was kind of frustrating. Then, I decided to try something a little differently. Rather than hang back and scope my opponents, I removed the 8x zoom and decided to play like an assault class rather than a scout/stealth class. The result: success.

These weapons have a difficult time being accurate at long ranges. They go all over the place and have a significant bullet-drop at a range. In close quarters, if you have a quick trigger finger, you can double tap someone in the chest and get a juicy kill. Once you unlock the 4x zoom scopes or reflex sight, it gets even easier to do. Even if you don't continue this play style, it is an effective way to quickly plow through the Recon unlocks until you get the bolt action sniper rifles.

3. When using bolt actions, be patient and wait for the headshot!

Be patient. If you take a shot with a bolt action rifle and only get a body shot (if you hit them at all), it is easy for your opponent to either run away, hide and regenerate health, or turn around and pummel you with an automatic weapon. If you're sniping, you'd ideally be hidden anyways. If so, what's the harm in waiting a few extra seconds to line up the perfect shot? For more info, check out this video.

As with anything, it requires a lot of practice and learning. Bullet drop and leading your target take practice to perfect, but are so rewarding once you get a knack for it. Over time, you should see an improvement in your performance with the recon kit.