General

If you’re in a squad, or just a group on the move with a Devastator, remember that we’re slower than you. The longer we run, the further behind we drop. You lose your support weapon, and we lose our protection. Lose/Lose. A particularly nasty situation is where we all run into a building, but we don’t notice the enemy following us in. The Devastator is always last, and so cops it first. If you’re moving with a Devastator, keep the group together. Keep one guy back with the Devastator, watching his back.

Once again, we’re slow. If you’re driving a Rhino off from the spawn, please give us a lift.

If you’re carrying an ammo pack, consider using it on a Devastator/Havoc. It depends, of course on your own ammo levels, and distance to ammo crates/rhinos. You can resupply faster, and if they’re currently providing direct support then resupplying themselves removes their support from the team and may cause an attack/defense to fail. They may even call “low ammo” themselves. You do get some XP for resupplying, but it is small.

Sometimes, we will shoot into melee. It’s pretty controversial, but there is an art to doing it properly. It’s one or two shots directly into the enemy, or we’re shooting off to one side to try and suppress them and not you. A Plasma cannon may walk up to the side or behind the enemy and wait to see which way the combat might go, then shoot the enemy point blank with a regular blast. Both of these are very situational and need to be used with care. Please don’t yell at us if we make the occasional mistake. If it’s a regular thing, feel free.

Heavy Bolters

Sometimes, us Heavy Bolters will end up suppressing you. Most of the time it’s unintentional. Infrequently, it’s on purpose because we’ve made the decision that suppressing the enemy is more important. Usually there is something going on that you can’t see. If it happens once in awhile, for short periods, please don't’ yell at us. More than that, feel free.

On the topic of suppression, if we’ve set up to cover an area, and you move ahead of us in a direct line, expect to get suppressed. The cone of suppression can be hard to judge at times, and the first we’ll know of it is when the icon shows above your heads. Particularly ornery Heavy Bolters might choose to keep firing, since you walked into their fire lane, but most of us will stop firing once we notice.

That said, it’s even better if you don’t approach the target directly between the Heavy Bolter and it, since you force us to stop applying suppression. Flank the target. The suppression is there to protect you as well as the Heavy Bolter. Take advantage of the enemy while they can’t shoot back.

Seriously, watch our fire lanes. You can usually see where we’re pointing, and we like to stay pointed that way, so we’re not likely to change unless a new target presents itself. This point is especially true if we’re firing. Please don’t step in front of us. We may fire in bursts, but just because we’ve stopped shooting now, doesn’t mean we won’t be shooting the same spot one or two seconds from now.

If we’re pushing through a doorway as a group, you have two choices: risk get suppressed OR don’t get fire support.

If you have a Stalker Bolter, and you come across a Heavy Bolter set up at long range, buddy up with him. You don’t have to use the same exact cover, but if you’re close enough, he’ll suppress anything that shoots at either of you. This means you don’t need to stay in cover so much. The suppression icons also act as good spotters. In return, you can protect him from other Stalkers, Lascannons, and Plasma Cannons.

When a Heavy Bolter is set up defending a point, he’s at his most powerful, and most vulnerable. His flanks and rear are completely unprotected, and unwatched. Watch at least one for him, and you’ll both be more effective. You can even use him as bait, since the enemy loves trying to come up behind a Heavy Bolter.

Plasma Cannon

If you see me charging a shot, I’m going to release it in a few seconds, in the direction I’m pointing. This is especially true if I’m bobbing around cover/doorway. Please don’t run in front of me. Let the shot go off, and follow it. Anyone not dead will be wounded and/or stunned, and free kills for you. It’s to everyone’s advantage if you wait. You can tell I'm charging up if I'm moving more slowly than usual, and the muzzle of my weapon is glowing.

Lascannon

If you see me aiming down range, especially if you can see the targeting laser, please don’t step in front of me. It’s unlikely that I’ll end up shooting you, but it will throw off the targeting lock and completely spoil the shot. I may not get another chance before the target moves.

General

If you’re going to fire into melee, make very sure of your shots. We melee can handle ourselves, but can also be fragile. Err on the side of doing nothing, and for the love/hate of the Emperor, leave out the charged Plasma Cannon shots.

Tactical/Traitor

I’d like to know where you Heavies are going to set up, and where you need cover. Communicate! We can’t help you if you don’t tell us what we need to know. If you come across a Traitor, buddy up with them. Pay attention to where we are shooting, we will spot targets you don’t simply by looking in a different direction. We are also far better in CC than you are, so we can offer some measure of protection in that regard.

Sometimes I’m rushing forward into a room to interrupt a capture. If you see me rush past in this situation, please keep your fire clear of me. Especially Plasma Cannons. It’s better to switch to other targets, keep the rest of the room clear, and let me do the interrupting. I’ll get there faster, and have rolls to keep me safe.

Apothecary/Sorceror

If you see me hanging around, wait and let me heal you. Don’t run off for a healbox.

You don’t need be as cautious about damage as you usually are. If you get hit by a few shots while getting healed by a Sorcerer, or have the Apothecary HoT on you, just keep firing and suppressing.

If you do go down, crawl out of the line of fire, and towards your nearest healer.

Assaults

If you see a melee user rushing you, don't try to fight him when we're around unless you -have- to clang or defensive bash. More often than not, you staggering us will get us both killed. Once you've successfully clanged or defensive bashed the opponent, you need to pull away from the engagement and let us mop it up. Keep your weapon at the ready to hit him when he tries to chase you or if we fail, but trying to melee usually hurts more than it helps.

As a Loyalist Ground Assault, if you’re a Heavy Bolter supporting my advance, focus on targets to my right, rather than the left. Even when it’s not raised, my shield covers my left well enough, but the right is uncovered. Take out those targets, and I’ll reach my target more easily. Keeping me alive even for just a single second longer can mean we get another hit to leech, another kill down, or a chance to pull that shield up after we run out of people to hit. It can mean the difference between getting a room cleaned, or respawning and trying again.