Battle Royale Strategy – Fighting Versus Camping
With the growing popularity of Fortnite and PUBG, battle royale strategy has become a topic of conversation. Players aren’t only competing to eliminate one another, but also to be the last person standing. As fun as eliminating and hunting down players in battle royale games can be, the primary goal is to survive. Before the genre of battle royale came to be, these types of games were actually known as Survival Games – since survival is the principal objective to win the game. Ever since titles for survival/battle royale games exploded on the online marketplace, players have been forced to learn different skill sets and playstyles if they want to win. Considering that not all battle royale games are the same, some concepts can still be applied to any of these games, so that players can make the right decision when deciding to either engage in a fight or run away to stay alive.
Types of Playstyles
One, if not the most, important influencer in how you make decisions in any game is your playstyle. Your decisions and playstyle will determine if you live long or die early on. Playstyle varies from person to person and is unique, meaning that a certain type of playstyle will not fit everyone. Some people like playing aggressive, ending the game with double-digit eliminations, while others may choose to play more defensively or passively. Either way, any of these playstyles, when paired with right decision making, will help you win the game. To figure out which playstyle is best for yourself, analyze what makes the game fun for you, is it winning, getting a lot of eliminations, surviving until the end, trolling people, etc. Once you narrow down that reason, you now have your why for playing that specific style, which will make it easier for improving and achieving your long-term goals.
Aggressive
If you like high octane gameplay, getting in the face of others, having frequent fights and recording a lot of high-kill games, an aggressive playstyle is the one for you. Playing aggressively can be the most exciting, sweaty, and frustrating playstyle at times. When playing aggressive, being successful is based on raw talent and decision making. Players who can master building in Fortnite, know how to close a distance with taking minimal damage and can hit their shots, are very impactful when playing aggressively. A player such as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is a great example. Ninja is perhaps one of the most aggressive players in Fortnite, who’s mastered how to push players and take out multiple enemies effectively. It is not uncommon for Ninja to have 10+ kills in every game he plays. If you’re looking to learn or mimic some of the things that aggressive players to do be successful, Ninja is the player to watch.
Defensive
Another type of playstyle that suits some people is playing defensive, to counter their opponent. Don’t be mistaken about people who play defensively, they are still proactive, just in a different manner. Instead of rushing players, trying to find a fight all the time, defensive-minded players focus on countering and capitalizing on their opponent’s mistakes. Defensive players often use cover and other environmental features to their advantage. A person who plays defensively, but still knows when to play aggressively at the right time is Ali “Myth” Kabbani. When Myth gets in a fight, the first thing he does is build a 1×1 base or cover to give himself a tactical advantage. This advantage helps Myth get better positioning, usually high ground, which he can then exploit against his enemy. Great defensive players know how and when to pick a fight, which favors them rather than the enemy. Playing defensively isn’t always the most glorious playstyle, but against other high-level opponents it’s hard to argue that there is a better option.
Passive
Being passive is the last type of playstyle that people can fit. Instead of playing aggressively or defensively, they play passively. Passive players are scavengers when it comes to the battle royale food chain. Passive players may not have high kill games or cool bases, but they do know how to get decent loot and survive. Playing passive isn’t a bad thing since the main objective of a battle royale game is survival; however, passive players can miss out on opportunities to improve on in-game combat. This is where the difference in skill gap and decision making plays in. Some people play passively because they are at an item or materials disadvantage, which is smart. Other passive players do so because they aren’t as skilled at fighting other players. This is where it can become tough to win games if you’re playing passively because you’re not good enough. The only way to improve is by playing a lot, learning from your mistakes, and learning from others.
Fight or Flight Influencers
Once you have narrowed down the playstyle that best fits, there are a number of other things to consider when in game. These things influence your decision making about when to fight or when you should run. For example, playing the zone/storm and knowing how to rotate is always important in battle royale games. Similarly, players should always be aware of their heads-up display (HUD) and their environment around them. Players can get an easy advantage if they are positioned correctly. Lastly, as you become more comfortable with the game, you begin to understand how to evaluate the skill of other players, this can give you a huge advantage going into fights – knowing what fights you should and shouldn’t take.
Playing the Zone and Knowing Your Rotation
Knowing how to rotate is one of the most critical factors in battle royale games. People who don’t know how to rotate often get stuck outside of the zone or in the storm. When you don’t rotate, it can be hard to win games since others have rotated earlier, giving themselves a positioning advantage. In addition, if you’re stuck outside the zone, you must eventually fight your way back in to win the game. Depending on the distance to the zone, your best bet is to rotate early every game. Rotating early doesn’t take any sort of unique skills, rather a consistent effort to do it every game. Would you rather be the person that is fighting at a disadvantage, trying to get into the zone, or the guy that is sitting comfortably, waiting for other people to come to him?
Environmental/HUD Awareness
Like knowing how to rotate early, it is also important to be aware of your environment and heads-ups display (HUD). Both your environment and HUD are essential tools that you can use to gain an advantage. Being aware and using the environment available can help you gain a tactical advantage in a fight. The environment can be used to gain high ground and a better line-of-sight (LOS) than your opponent. Merely, engaging in a place that gives you better positioning than your opponent can swing an entire fight in your favor. The HUD is also important to be familiar with as it gives you vital information. The HUD will display the map, ammo, health, shields, materials, and other meaningful information that can influence whether you should or shouldn’t engage in a fight. A prime example of this is if you’re low on ammo and materials, it is best not to engage in a fight. Similarly, if you have a plethora of materials, ammo, and superior weapons, you would have an advantage in a fight. These things may seem like microscopic details within the game, but they drastically influence how you should make decisions. Simply, being in the wrong position or not having enough materials can be the difference between surviving or being eliminated from the game.
Evaluating Other Players
Lastly, knowing how to evaluate another player’s skill level before the fight even starts can be crucial to winning that engagement. This skill takes a little more experience to master, but it is still doable if you’re willing to learn. You can tell how good other players are by their decision making, reactions, and positioning. For example, in Fortnite, if you shot a player from behind and their first inclination was to turn around and build a 1×1 structure, that enemy is considerably better than most players. From this point, you should then determine whether taking the fight is worth it or if your best bet is to not engage further. Furthermore, if an enemy is low, how they react should influence whether you push them or build to give yourself a better positioning advantage. The difference in decision making can either be the reason you win the game or are sent back to the main lobby.
Conclusion
There is no one right way to play a battle royale game, but there are things that should influence your decision making. Things such as your playstyle, attitude, awareness, positioning and decision making all impact how successful you are. The most significant difference that separates average players from good players is their skill, but the difference between good players and great players is their decision making. Decision making determines whether you should fight or run away. When it comes to any battle royale game, if you’re not surviving, it is time to evaluate what you’re doing wrong and what aspect of the game you should improve on.
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