BattleSwarm (MMOFPS - MMORTS): Field of Honor Beginner Guide For Bugs

BattleSwarm (MMOFPS - MMORTS): Field of Honor Beginner Guide For Bugs
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Strapping On The Bug Boots

Playing as the bug commanders in the first ever MMOFPS vs MMORTS game, BattleSwarm, can be a tricky experience, not to mention a difficult one. For hot-shot RTS gamers it may not be much of a long stretch to accustom oneself to the control mechanics and gameplay pace in BattleSwarm. However, for new players it will be a lesson of ownage when going against FPS gamers who can pick off your bug army with a few flicks of the wrist and a couple clicks of the mouse.

Many gamers complain about the balance of the game when playing on the bug side due to being ill-prepared for the fast-paced gameplay and the constant need to watch the hives, spawn soldiers, and manage other bugs on the battlefield. The real-time strategy can be a bit tricky for new players. Hence, this guide can help beginner bug players get acquainted with the real-time strategic elements of BattleSwarm and claim victory (or at least come close to it) more often than not.

Tutorial, Tutorial, Tutorial!

That’s a nasty cluster of bugs right there

Even thinking about playing on the bug side should prompt players to take a look at the in-game tutorial. Even if you don’t like playing as the bugs, it should be mandatory to do the tutorial at least once. Why? Because even if you don’t plan on playing as a bug it’s important to understand how their strategies at the beginning of a map can help determine the kind of defensive measures to use when playing as a human.

For those of you who actually want to play as a bug commander and grow from a larva into a soldier, it’s important to try the tutorial a couple of times over. Memorizing the short-key commands is essential for stabilizing the bug forces and evening out the flow of bug troops during a match.

Even if you ace the tutorial the first two times, try it once more just to further embed the control scheme in your head. Getting down the basics seems simple but can be a tricky task to master during the actual game. Players will have to work against the clock for the most part and it’s easy to go into a match thinking you can win with a few fancy ruses and some juggernauts, but don’t count on human players being ill-prepared for whatever tricks you pull out of your sleeve.

Practice, Practice…Oh, You Get The Hint

Defeating this guy as a newbie bug will take a lot of practice

After completing the tutorial a couple of times over it’s now time to move on to an appetizer called practice. Some gamers might wonder why practice would be so essential after dolling through several tutorial rounds. However, a keen mind in strategizing an entire army against hardcore MMOFPS gamers is no walk in the park and underestimating the competition is about the quickest way to secure a loss.

In the practice room there is a mode a lot of players will be doing called Hard Fought, this is not the mode you want to do first. You can actually complete a few missions in practice, so before starting up a room check the mission assignment for a task that doesn’t require the involvement of human players. There are usually one or two missions that involve winning on Training Camp or the Patrol maps, which is something you can do alone just to get the feel for the game at your own pace with the option of being rewarded at the end.

The Art Of Spawning

Now, during the actual PvP there will be at least two bug commanders, so usually you’ll only have to worry about spawning bugs from two hives on either side of the map. So instead of worrying about spawning bugs from every hive on the map, make sure you have the short-key for the two hives of your choice memorized so you can bounce back and forth between them in order to spawn bugs quickly. The goal is to start by spawning a group of soldiers, which is usually a distraction to keep the human soldiers busy while you ready your hives to spawn more dangerous bugs.

Just remember that even when you don’t need more bugs on screen, keep them spawning by short-keying back to the hive and either right-clicking on a soldier or stinger bug and then heading back to a target area to manage the bugs you have designated to a specific task. Keeping bugs spawned will keep human players busy and the attacks persistent. Otherwise, spending too much time focusing on bugs with a mission could leave your overall troop lacking in support.

Using Skills For The Win

A meteor shower of plasma is deadly

Even if you have an excellent strategy for managing the bugs on the field to thwart opponents, claiming victory can’t be accomplished effectively without skills.

The basic skill set ranges from a number of tactically proficient abilities that include using an electric force-field to partially immobilize human players to raining down a barrage of heavy plasma fire on a targeted area.

Some of the more useful skills include speeding up selected bugs or restoring their health when they’re about to die. The thing to keep in mind is that it’s sometimes best to apply health-increase skills or speed inducements for bugs before they actually get out into the open. Using one hive to spawn a few bugs in a secluded area and then applying certain skills to them can help in strengthening them for specific tasks.

Going For A Hard Fought Battle

One of the many turrets in the Hard Fought map

After familiarizing oneself with the skills, bugs and bug types, it’s time to try out some of these tactics in the practice version of the PvE mode, Hard Fought. It’s no easy task even when it’s on easy. However, using the right bugs in the proper way (especially if another player is helping) and remembering to keep your head while the going gets tough is the perfect way to help regulate your tactics when going against other players.

Hard Fought is not something that can be won by new players with ease but it’s perfect for practicing after getting acquainted to the basic gameplay mechanics for the bugs after familiarizing yourself with everything.

The Commander Has Arrived

The big bad Bug Commander has arrived

The time has come to exercise one’s skills outside of practice. Hiding in the cocoon of tutorials and non-PvP modes has come to an end if you’ve already utilized everything mentioned in the guide up to this point. It’s time to take on some real human opponents and test your wits in the ultimate showdown of real-time strategy versus first-person shooting.

If you’re still having a tough time getting down the basics or you find yourself constantly up against advanced human players, just hit the practice room a few more times to acquire some gift boxes in order to obtain some specialty items that might help you in your fight. For more info, tips and insight feel free to check out the BattleSwarm forums at the Official Website.

This post is part of the series: BattleSwarm: Field of Honor Beginner Guides

A beginner guide for both the humans and bugs can be found here, helping new players find a balance in the first ever, free-to-play MMOFPS vs MMORTS.

  1. Battleswarm: Field of Honor Beginner’s Guide (Humans)
  2. BattleSwarm Beginner’s Guide (Bugs)