The highest I got in H2 before the level reset was 37. I used the BR like everyone else, but I voluntarily used an elite all the time, and the auto aim assist coupled with some crappy level design (warlock BR), button glitches, and noob combo made for many repetitive games.

As far as H3 goes, of course I'm gonna have the BR up there in tools of destruction, its advantageous to use it on a BR start.

However, its not my only option, as I have thus far had many BR starts under my belt where I did my thing with the needler and produced without dying constantly.

I see where you're coming from about H2 skill, and the line is extremely sharp there (if you go by H2, I am anti BR), but many new players are in the fold with H3. They didn't get to go through what a lot of H2 vets like ourselves did, whether we liked it or hated it.

I don't hate the BR as a cheap weapon anymore because its no longer cheap like it used to be. It has its role, and isn't overpowered nor underpowered.

I don't particularly care for it if a carbine or needler is around. But if I gotta use it, I'm not bad with it at all.

Same with the AR, its my tool of destruction currently because its the spawning wep. It has its uses.

I run around with a needler with AR/SMG secondary, or needler+br/carb on larger maps. That's just my style. All of the practice I had with the crappy Halo 2 needler has paid off tremendously in this game for me.

How about some carbine starts for good measure?

Posted by: Sexbox
BR start variants in matchmaking has been the best thing since the announcement of Team Hardcore but it would seem people are very bitter about it and are using the same tired arguments over and over again to show how BR start games are bad for matchmaking, but I'm the Myth Buster so lets go down from A-Z.

Myth Number 1: BR starts make for less variety in weapons!
Really? Then you aren't a very good player in my eyes if you honestly believe this. People have been saying how power weapons are useless when people spawn with BRs.. are you joking? The power weapons are only less dominant which is a good thing so now whenever you spawn you have a chance to take out the power weapon wielder and grab it yourself instead of whoever grabbed it first racks up a whole stack of kills with it.

If you really believe that the Rocket Launcher/Snipers/Shotgun/Hammer/Sword are not worth picking up you need to stop lying to yourself, all of the weapons have power that the BR/AR don't. The Rockets are great from close-mid range and has the ability to stack up multi kills with 1 shot, obviously it is greater than one lonesome BR. The Snipers (Beam/Human) are great from mid-long range, it can pick out people from a distance where the BR obviously lacks. Yes, it can be easy for a BR wielder to take him out but I think you are forgetting about your team. Any good team mate will help protect their Sniper and any power weapon wielder on their team. Shotgun, may I say more? One hit kill at close range and has such a large reticle that right when an enemy comes your way you are almost guaranteed a kill while the BR is almost useless at that close in range. Gravity Hammer/Sword, another close and personal 1 hit kill weapon, better than BR.

Now for the dual weapons, SMG/Plasma Rifle/Plasma Pistol/Spiker/Mauler/Magnum. The SMG has an extremely fast rate of fire and weapon accompanied with another SMG or a Plasma Rifle it is deadly at close+ range. The Plasma Pistol is definitely effective because.. you have a BR! So you know what that means.. NOOB COMBO! Yay! The Spiker has to be the most underrated weapon in the game, it is basically a mix of the SMG and Plasma Rifle so is effective equipped with either or another Spiker. Really though, I rarely see anyone snag this up with BR OR AR starts. Maulers.. good lord we already know how powerful this mini shotgun is. Shoot + Melee = automatic kill at close range. And now for the Magnum, well who really uses that weapon with AR starts? It's just like the Spiker, nobody uses it but at least the Spiker is a decent tool while the magnum is extremely slow and useless. Equipped with a Plasma Rifle it's half way decent though.. I guess. I still never use it.

The pink mist tool of ultimate destruction, best known as the Needler. This weapon actually becomes more of a power weapon with BR starts. From close to midrange it can kill in a matter of seconds, a BR wielder will actually have to pull off a 4-5SK while strafing to take out a Needler which I'm guessing is more difficult than spamming down the R trigger... :]

Well look at that, every weapon has their place in the game..

Myth Number 2: The AR is the perfect spawn weapon!
Sure, this may be true but why must that stop games with BR starts? The name of the game is variety and AR starts are just one way to play. Spawning with a weapon like the BR (Semi Automatic) has been around since the dawn of shooters, it is a legitimate style of shooting and you people need to get that through your heads.

The Two Main Styles Of Shooting
-Spray N Pray: AR/SMG starts
-Head Shot Honcho: Pistol/BR starts

I brought Halo1/Halo2 into this because those two styles have been around in every Halo game. Obviously we all remember BR start games in Halo 2 correct? It outweighed SMG starts since the pellet shooter was downright useless back then, of course that wont be the case in halo 3 though.

Ahh, Halo 1.. the best FPS of all time. Well remember the "Pro" variants? Where we spawned with the great legendary pistol? Mmm, yeah. Bungie has been giving us both styles of play throughout the whole series, I recommend adapting to both already..

Also, how are people complaining about BR starts but not about Sniper games? Shows some bias to me... You people need to remember Team Slayer is in no way "Team Default"

Myth Number 3: BR starts shouldn't be in these playlists because a Team Hardcore list is coming out on the 18!
Team Hardcore is not like Team Slayer BR at all. Don't believe me huh? Okay well I'll make a graph comparing Team Slayer BR to H2's Team Hardcore (Only example I have information about)

Team Hardcore-----Team Slayer BR
No Secondary-------AR Secondary
No Radar-------------Radar: ON
Not Map Default----Map Default
Objective/Slayer----Slayer only
Smaller maps------All default Team Slayer maps
No vehicles--------- Vehicles

Hmm, seems to me the only similarity is that the primary weapon is the Battle Rifle. So what you're saying is Team Slayer BR on Burial Mounds was similar to CTF 5 on Midship? Haha

Posted by: Achronos
Hardcore is something beyond just BR starts - if it weren't, it wouldn't need its own playlist.


Myth Number 4: BR start games should only be on large maps!
BR starts are a second style of playing (AKA "Head Shot Honcho"), it can be done on any and all maps. Not a lot to say here really.. if people can't understand just that then wow...
Posted by: Achronos
I really fail to understand why people can't grasp the concept that matchmaking is inclusive of many play styles. It has to be in order to work. Us adding in a certain type of play doesn't mean we think it is better, it means we think it is viable for matchmaking and is interesting enough to have there. BR start variants are no different from a swords variant, or a rockets variant, or a snipers variant in that they all are viable alternatives to default map settings that lots of people enjoy playing on.



Sexbox, I completely agree with you. Although the AR is a much more effective starting weapon than the SMG, it should still be noted that it cannot go everywhere on the map. On Isolation for example, the other team is controlling the top structure with BRs with plenty of ammo up there via the two BR spawns, what can a guy do who spawns at one of the bases with an AR? I'm not saying that starting one way is necessarily better than another, just some maps should be played differently than others with default setups.

And despite the despute with your first arguement about weapons not being used as much, I still agree with you. Honestly, who in there right mind wouldn't pick up a power weapon, even with BR starts. First off, I'd pick them up for the sheer fun of using them, and of course keep the other team from having such fun at my expense. Even if I don't have a power weapon, I still prefer to have something in my back pocket for that "just in case" factor that happens every now and then.

My only complaint about Team BR's is the fact that they come up far too much for my personal likes. If you notice my social status Sniper is by far my favorite weapon by almost 3 times as much as my BR status. Just as it was in Halo 2 I preferred Snipers over Slayer or even BR starts. More now than then I notice my close-medium BR fights leaning 3/4 the way to loss than win. Whether I just miss their heads or lag gives them favor.

I do agree the BR is a more equalized start weapon than the AR but personally I prefer Snipers as a starting weapon with the same effect just to a more extreme.

(For some reason I come to think to myself, "Wow this is a novice non-related to BR/THC types and more related to separating Snipers from slayer.)

E: Also when they added team br's my social K/D spread slammed down from about 2.69 to the 2.01 it is now.

[Edited on 12.19.2007 8:35 AM PST]

Posted by: Four Twenty 420
Posted by: Forgotten Saint
My only complaint about Team BR's is the fact that they come up far too much for my personal likes. If you notice my social status Sniper is by far my favorite weapon by almost 3 times as much as my BR status. Just as it was in Halo 2 I preferred Snipers over Slayer or even BR starts. More now than then I notice my close-medium BR fights leaning 3/4 the way to loss than win. Whether I just miss their heads or lag gives them favor.

I do agree the BR is a more equalized start weapon than the AR but personally I prefer Snipers as a starting weapon with the same effect just to a more extreme.

(For some reason I come to think to myself, "Wow this is a novice non-related to BR/THC types and more related to separating Snipers from slayer.)

E: Also when they added team br's my social K/D spread slammed down from about 2.69 to the 2.01 it is now.

So what you are saying is that you aren't good at BR start games correct? MMmmk...

lol rhape!

Posted by: Four Twenty 420
I like BR start games, it's extremely fun and makes the game really fast paced which is what Halo has been about since CE.


i agree, and that is why i am so happy that team hardcore is now available for all of the br goodness that we can take. but, i also realize that not everyone shares my gaming tastes, so i do not want my favorite settings crammed down their throats.