Team SWAT

Template:Ratings Team SWAT is a Halo 2 and Halo 3 Matchmaking gametype. As of May 2008, Team SWAT is a ranked playlist in Halo 3, after being featured in two Double EXP Weekend playlists. The player has no shields, no motion tracker, and spawns with a weapon that is well suited for obtaining headshots. Common starting weapons are the Battle Rifle, Covenant Carbine, or the M6C Magnum handgun. In Halo 3 matchmaking, Team SWAT features either Battle Rifles and Magnums, or just Magnums or Shotguns. Mongoose ATVs can be found on maps such as Snowbound and Isolation. Inexperienced players should avoid this playlist as it can be particularly frustrating if they are not used to fast-paced gameplay.

The lack of shields can significantly increase the speed of the game due to almost instantaneous kills, though there is often a tendency for people to be more cautious due to this vulnerability. Head shots are crucial, as they will take down one, or in some cases with the Battle Rifle, two or three opponents with a single burst.

Changes to Team SWAT on September 16, 2008

Objective Gametypes, ShWATguns set to skip after veto.
Weighting on all Objective games, ShWATguns and Magnums reduced.
Player Damage Resistance set to 150% (was 200%), players no longer spawn with grenades.
Regular Team SWAT map variants now have Carbines and grenades available to pick up.

SWAT on Halo 2

The SWAT game playlist features mostly Slayer gametypes although it also has some objective games in it like CTF. SWAT gametypes are standard (Battle Rifle and Pistols), SWAT pistols, and SWAT Carbines, however SWAT Carbines is only available for Ascension, Midship, and Warlock. Preferred maps:

SWAT on Halo 3

File:SWAT Guardian.jpg

Two Elites trying to get headshots on each other on Team SWAT in Guardian.

Team SWAT was originally a Double EXP Weekend playlist, but is now a permanent playlist under the Hardcore playlists group in the matchmaking menu, and is ranked. The legendary map pack and heroic map pack are required to play this playlist. Originally, it was only standard and Magnums, but it has been expanded in the June Update to include SWATGuns (shotguns only), 2 flag CTF, and SWAT Ball. Unlike Halo 2, Halo 3 SWAT does not feature the SWAT Carbines gametype as it is not featured as a starting weapon due to a coding error. Carbines have since been added to standard maps as a secondary weapon for players.

Map Rotation:

SWAT Magnums - HC Isolation
SWAT Magnums - SWAT Guardian
SWAT Magnums - SWAT Pit
SWAT Magnums - SWAT Town
SWAT Magnums - SWAT Construct
SWAT Magnums - Cold SWATage
SWAT Magnums - SWAT Blackout

Settings[1]:

Team Slayer
50 Kills to win
Weapons: Battle Rifle and Magnum/ Only Magnums
Damage Resistance: 150%
No Shields
Infinite ammo: Enabled
Weapon pickup: Enabled
Grenades: Map Default
Grenades on map: Yes
Weapons on map: Yes
Vehicles: Mongoose only
Indestructible vehicles: Disabled
Motion Tracker: Off
Friendly Fire: Enabled
Betrayal booting: Enabled
Rounds: 1
Time Limit: 12 minutes

SWAT June Update [2]: Announced on the May 23rd 2008 Weekly update the following game-types come into play:

SWATguns variant (Shotgun start, 150% resistance, no default grenades, rest are standard SWAT gameplay settings)
SWATball variant (oddball, 200 points to win, SWAT gameplay settings)
SWAT 2 Flag variant (2 Flag CTF, The Pit and Snowbound, no flag return, flag auto returns in 15 seconds of gameplay, 3 flag win)

Team SWAT is now only played in the Hardcore playlist.

Tips and Strategy

Many players prefer Elite armor permutations in this game type due to claims that Elites are nearly impossible to headshot from behind. This, including claims that Elites have a disadvantage when shot from the side, have been verified by Bungie as untrue, although some players would beg to differ. The Elite's head sticks out farther than a Spartan's head from the side, making it a bigger target. However, there is a spot in the Elite's neck that grenades and projectiles can pass through without any damage.
This playlist more or less comes down to finding viewpoints and angles, quick reactions, and getting ready for an opponent at every turn.
This playlist is good for practicing head shots with the Battle Rifle.
When you go up a lift and it's clear at the top, never look out at what's in front of you; most people can probably hear the lift making noises and will go to where you are. It is wise to just stay put and wait for them to come to you.
If you're playing on Blackout, a good camping spot is at the top of the lift, because you have a good location to spot out the places where most people will go, and if anyone comes up the lift you will probably have enough time to kill them before they shoot you.
If you're unfamiliar with a map it helps to go explore that map in Custom Games and find good hiding places.
If you're camping somewhere and looking for a target, it is wise to crouch, especially if you have a lot of your body showing because your head will physically go into your body (not if you're a Spartan) so people won't be able to shoot you that easily.
If there is an enemy close to you and you're not good at close-range combat with your Battle Rifle, switch to your Magnum.
You shouldn't have every member of your team bunched together, because if you get ambushed by two of your enemies anywhere, neither you or any of your teammates have time to react one opponent could get an Overkill and probably an Extermination. Instead, you should split up in pairs or have three people in a group and one person somewhere else,
All that is needed for a kill is one shot to the head. Long-range shooting is always worth an attempt here, unlike other game types, most likely because you have the element of surprise, and unless you want to risk a close-encounter run in, it is recommended that you should try this tactic.
Camping becomes a bigger problem in SWAT games than in any other game type, so always check around corners for people that may be lurking there.
Spawn killing also becomes a more noticeable problem than in any other game types. When you respawn, always try to find immediate cover and take out any nearby threats.
Never stand in front or directly behind somebody getting shot because if the person shooting them has a BR the bullets could go through their head and kill you.
Being cautious is always rewarded.
If you are hiding and you see three or all of the enemy team it would be smart not to shoot at them unless you are sure you can kill most of them or all of them. If you're not certain you can take them all out you should tell your teammates where they are.
If you do have trouble shooting Elites, try to aim between their mouth and neck, because it can be frustrating if you hit them too high.
If you stand an Elite beside a Spartan, the Elite's necks is roughly at the same height as the Spartan's head. In the end result it is equal, and the critical head shot area is the same in both.
Always remain calm, it takes one good shot to kill a person. Losing your cool can lead you to missing your chance, or the shot.
A tip to try every once in a while: crouching. If you hear shots flying around you, crouch to throw off your enemy's aim. Do not, however, do this in the open; your opponent may be stunned by a change in posture, but only for a split second. This also works if you're getting continuously sniped around corners, because your opponents will be expecting a certain height advantage.
Part of SWAT is also timing, especially in ShWATguns. Remember just because the reticule isn't red doesn't mean that you won't hit them. This gametype is also particularly frustrating if you are used to automatically meleeing after discharging your Shotgun, meaning if you don't kill them, the lunge brings you closer to your enemy, and this mistake is usually fatal.
Keep your weapon's reticule at head level. Many people are killed easily because they have to adjust the reticule.
If you're in a narrow hallway and someone starts shooting you from behind, don't turn around to shoot them. Turning around only increases the chance they will score a head shot, especially if you're an Elite. Just run behind a wall that the opponent cannot get you from. Then go back and start shooting.
If you're not that accurate at shooting, it is advised to not use a Carbine.
Due to the lack of radar, in Team SWAT, getting assassinations becomes easier. However, this is one of the few ranked gametypes where it is possible to easily attain a high multi-kill, seeing as how you have a lot of ammo in one magazine and need to apply little damage to kill your opponent. Remember, this concept also applies to you.
If you are skilled with the Battle Rifle, and can pull off head shots with ease, it helps to raise your look sensitivity to help you react faster. It is recommended that you don't move it immediately up to 10 if you play on 3, but slowly work your way up. For example: put it up to 4, and once you can play like you did with three, move it up to 5, and so on.
On larger maps, such as High Ground or Rat's Nest, it can be effective if you and a partner get on a Mongoose and go around shooting enemies on foot in the head. Be careful though, as the mongoose has very little armor and the passenger cannot zoom in with his scope to take out targets farther away.
To add to the jumping tactic, if you DO jump a lot, switch to the button layout of "Bumper Jumper." It allows you to jump with the left bumper, thus allowing you control of your thumbsticks because you never remove your thumb to press 'A'. You also melee with right bumper, which you'll need to get used to/time correctly for AR battles.
It is unadvisable to enter a mongoose in this playlist, as it is easy for even the most inexperienced players to headshot both the driver and passenger easily and quickly.

Trivia

The double experience weekend playlist for Team SWAT 2 was on from March 20th through 23rd, but due to an unknown reason was stopped short by two days. To compensate for this error, the playlist was put up again the following weekend.
SWAT on Blackout will be one of the main focus points of it's return in May 2008, due to the intensity and excitement of playing SWAT on Lockout in Halo 2 because of the multi-leveled sneaking layout.
Even though its a good close-quarters weapon most people will not switch to their Magnum in close-quarters, only when they need to reload their BR while still in combat.
Most people who play as Elites in Team SWAT will usually wear Elite helmets that are small and rounded instead of ones that jut out or stick up.
On SWAT 2 Flag or SWATball you may have a better chance to get an Overkill and/or an Extermination because most of the time the enemy is with the person with the Oddball or if the enemy team has your flag in SWAT 2 Flag and they are close to scoring and you're following them you could kill them all as long as they don't shoot you.
Team SWAT has appeared twice so far as a Double XP Weekend, the first time it appeared from 20th March 2008 through 23rd, although experienced technical errors and was stopped 2 days short, the second time it appeared was from April 24th 2008 through April 27th. This was its final appearance until it became a permanent playlist in Halo 3 Matchmaking in May.
Even though it's the secondary weapon, most people don't use the Magnum, and even more people don't dual-wield the Magnum in Team SWAT.
Another popular name for Team SWAT is World War 2 (or simply WW2) for its plain usage of rifles and pistols in combat.
Many players top "Tool of Destruction" in Ranked became the BR because of SWAT.
If you're playing SWAT Magnums a good way to train shooting someone in the head with a Magnum is too shoot a little higher above their head because most people back up with the Magnums when their shooting so it could hit them in the head if you timed it right.
As an Elite, it is actually possible to "run backwards into battle" and look down so that people can't score headshots on you--with a high look sensitivity, it's no problem to turn around and shoot them in the head; be careful, though, as you can easily be Assassinated.
On regular SWAT in Halo 3, melees are instant kills.

Links

Internal

ShWATguns

Slayer Variants