Attacking

This should be fairly straightforward right? All you need to do is meet the objectives whilst avoiding or returning enemy fire. Actually, it's not quite that simple. Each individual Assault map will usually have at least two ways you can meet each objective, be it going through the train or across the roof, over the gangplank or in through the hole in the ship's hull, etc. etc. This flexibility allows each game to be different and allows plenty of scope for variations in tactics.

More than with any other Game Type, the importance of time in an Assault game cannot be emphasized enough. Not only does every additional second it takes you to complete the objectives on a map give the opposing team another second to do the same, but the difference between completing a map in under a minute and not being able to complete it in time at all can be decided in a matter of milliseconds, for example by failing to dodge an incoming rocket or accidentally looking the wrong way, resulting in arriving at a choke point a fraction of a second too late to pass through without any trouble. In maps such as AS-Rook, as long as the attacking team is able to reach objectives just before the defending team does, you should have no trouble winning the map in under a minute, even with 8 Godlike bots on the defending team. Often by sprinting as efficiently as possible to the Library access switch, chains securing the Gatehouse or the switch that opens the Main Gate as soon as you respawn (neglecting even to stop and pick up a decent weapon) and throw yourself at it whilst avoiding (jumping often works well) and ignoring enemy fire, you will reach it in time to do whatever needs to be done before you're jibed by the now very alert enemy team. If they are allowed time to secure the Library or area beyond the Main Gate however, you'll be faced with a very difficult challenge, one which doesn't leave you much of a chance of completing the map at all.

Unfortunately, in the vast majority of games, your ability to Speed Run them effectively comes down just as much to luck as it does to skill, as your success is often be dictated by the spawn point as which you start the game, the positions the enemy team start from, the weapons you and they are able to pickup quickly and how well organised your team mates are. However, these random aspects are also a positive, as without them it's likely that Assault games would be a much less varied and loose some of their replay value. Regardless of the position you start from, you need to be prepared and if Speed Running doesn't seem to be working, you'd do well to try some other tactics.

Whilst rushing through maps by yourself is all well and good, you're going to have little chance taking on a well defended position with nothing but an Enforcer and no one by your side. When Speed Running fails, teamwork is there to catch it, and in a sense this is where Assault truly shines. There are several ways to coordinate you team when aiming to carry out an organised assault on a position and with experience it is easy to get a feel for what works in different situations and what doesn't work in others. Generally however, attacking with your entire team at one from the one direction is not a successful strategy and nor is running individually after respawning - both strategies are lead to most of team being decimated before they even get close to the objective. Rather, when possible, coordinated attacks in two or three separate groups coming from different directions works best, and it will leave the enemy scrambling to deal with two considerable threats at once. Anyone who has played one of the new breed of tactical actions games like Rainbow Six will understand the benefits of coordinated attacks, and those benefits largely apply equally to similar situations in Unreal Tournament. When you have plenty of time left, rather than rush directly back to the opposing team's defense position straight after respawning, collect weapons and wait up for some buddies to join you before you advance. This can often mean the difference between victory and spending 3 minutes throwing yourself at a hopeless situation.

Weapons with ricocheting projectiles such as the Ripper and Flak Cannon can also play vital roles in weakening a well defended position whilst remaining out of sight and (hopefully) out of danger. Firing a volley of Razor Blades into a choke point such as the chain room in AS-Rook or the bridge on AS-Frigate just before entering can make the difference between a successful attack and being repulsed for the sixth time, so keep this tactic in mind when it seems that there's no way possible to break through the enemy ranks.

Finally, it should be noted that team coordination can be of great benefit even when your initial aim is to Speed Run through a map. For example, on levels such as AS-Frigate and AS-Rook, there are areas such as the top of the staircase next to the hydraulic door (in Frigate) and behind the Gatehouse (in Rook) which are relatively safe and at which an attacker can hide, laying in wait for when they are opened by another member of the attacking team. By having a team member in a position to move forward before the defending team is in place to prevent them from doing so, they stand an excellent chance of completing the next objective with no trouble whatsoever (in Frigate, this results in the completion of the map). Similarly, if you know for a fact that a objective if just about to be taken by your team, begin to head towards the next one, hopefully placing you ahead of the defending team in the race to get there.

When defending, time is just as much of the essence as it is when playing on the attacking side. As soon as the defending team spawns they should quickly collect nearby weapons and assemble immediately at the first defensive position, usually the choke point closest to the starting point of the attacking team. Try to take up defending positions which will allow to reign terror on the attacking forces whilst staying relatively safe, or in positions which will distract the offensive from what should be their one and only target, the map's objectives. As each objective falls, fall back as quickly as possible to the next, erecting defenses and taking advantage of as many choke points along the way as you can find. Be aware also of any shortcuts attackers can take, placing at least someone in the last carriage of the train in AS-HiSpeed at all times for example - just incase the opposing team attempt an assault across the carriage roofs.

The GES BioRifle is an awesome defensive weapon in almost any Assault situation. Allowing you to lace hallways, staircases and other areas with large amounts of extremely volatile industrial waste, it can be even more effective than a volley of rockets when it comes to wiping a group of desperately advancing attacking players off the face of the Earth. It is also very effective when used to smear the area around objectives with goo, making any Speed Runner think twice before approaching it in a hurry.

Finally, remember that just as in CTF, defenders lives are for the most part expendable. If have a chance to prevent an attacker from reaching an objective but will die as a result, don't even think twice before you release, for example, four rockets at point-blank range. Exchanging a life in order to delay the enemy's advance for even a few seconds is often worth it, and an organised defense should always have someone to back you up.