How do you deal with deviation?

[Buren06]

I'm wondering how other PR players choose to go about dealing with random deviation so as to make their shooting as reliable as possible.

When you've spotted a contact, do you carefully time your first shot, resetting deviation but running the risk that you will be spotted? Or do you open fire immediately in rapid bursts, getting your rounds on target that way?

Likewise, when you are in a firefight, will you sit there trading shots with another person until one of you lands one? Or will you retreat, flank, and try to hit him from another angle?

It seems to me as if many of the engagements in PR devolve into 2 people firing at each other over and over until a shot happens to land. Myself, I always place my shots as best I can, occasionally losing my targets while doing so. Likewise, while in a firefight, I am more likely to stick with it and keep firing at my target, occasionally getting hit first.

I'm curious to see what others do in these situations.

[bessert]

It depends on how much the target is close to me tbh , if i have 50 meters out to him , i just spray and pray . If its much more than that i just wait at least 5 secs (usually 6-8 secs) then shoot .

[Spartan0189]

I find that when you encounter an enemy (or enemies), I try to stop, crouch, then aim up and start shooting my gun at them, just hoping he doesn't start firing back, I mean if I was an Automatic Rifleman, I would let him have it .

But that's just me.

[Rudd]

if the enemy sees me, I don't wait for minimal deviation, after a couple of seconds I fire so that I can suppress him a bit, if he is willing to continue the firefight, I put another shot or two down, but after that I pull back to avoid his minimal deviation.

Firing doesn't reset your deviation, it just adds to it, moving for more than 5 seconds resets your devation, however if you have minimal deviation, and move for less than 5 seconds then you only have to wait for the duration that you moved. So you moved for 1 second, thats 1 second of wait time for minimal deviation.

So usually a good idea to take it slow, stop at a corner, let the deviation settle, then peek around

[Dev1200]

I don't deal with deviation.
Deviation deals with me.


If you think about deviation, it controls you. You can't do anything because you aren't effective.

Move as little as possible. Most deviation is gone.

In CQB, forget it exists. At long range, if you wait a tad longer then usual, nine times out of ten your second shot won't have deviation either.

[Brainlaag]

It really depends on the situation. If the enemy hasn't spotted you yet and is quite far away, take your time and even aim for the head. If he has seen you and was already static at the moment of contact, just spray in his general direction and fall back to cover.

I wouldn't recommend to gamble (you turn around a corner, enemy turns round a corner, you both go crouch and wait), as the hitbox is more than often a bloody curse.

[Mikemonster]

Either fire on Full Auto (sighted in this is good for about 50m, requires practise though), or Single Shot. Never fire Burst if you have Full Auto

When you come accross each other you will both crouch, wait 2 secs, and then start shooting. Usually if you are experinced you will get the first hit, I usually persue the kill and get wounded in the process, but then get healed by my medic. If you run off after you land a shot they will heal up and you'll be on the 'back foot'. Better to kill them.

If they prone dive at anything but 1m or closer, take your time and let them spray around you, then headshot them.

If you are confident you can practise headshotting them whilst they shoot you with semi-settled deviation. It can work very well against not-very-good people.

Some people are ninjas and defy logic and PR physics by engaging you from a disadvantage. You will be able to tell if they are good - If they are good then avoid them like the plague! These people can be found on Skirmish servers a lot and will pwn you.

If you see an AR just run off.

[Megagoth1702]

;1671662']I didn't know deviation was random. If enemy havent spotted me I slowly take aim, take a deep breath wait a little and shoot, I aim for the head, just like I would do in real life.

Real life = aim at center of mass. Which is belly/torso.

@OP:

I usually go crouch, fire a few shots at the guy really fast to have him supressed and then GTFO in cover! Nothing worse than having an enemy be supressed but then take 2 hits because he has minimal deviation.

Oh, wait, thats what Rudd just said.

[saXoni]

Be patient. If you see the enemy, but he does not see you, don't rush! Wait 5-8 seconds, then fire. If it's CQB, it's just spray and pray.

[PhillyJoker]

I use APC's. That does very well in getting rid of deviation.

[saXoni]

I use APC's. That does very well in getting rid of deviation.

What if you're playing skirmish or some other kind of infantry, then?

[PhillyJoker]

What if you're playing skirmish or some other kind of infantry, then?

Hax? jk...

I generally play medic or AR, and that really does let me deal with it because a) medics generally are either taking long-range pot-shots or providing covering fire which you can control your fire rate (slow, aimed shots), as a last resort they'll be in CQB and it's just a total crapshoot then on full auto or 3 round. b) AR's I always let set up before popping and either providing covering fire or controlled bursts at a target.

The best people to ask your question would probably be those who deal with medium firing distances, as long range there is less pressure and close range it really doesn't matter.

[Ambush]

If you can't kill it, then don't shoot it, unless ordered to supress. PR is all about patience and communication, and most of all, stayin' alive. K/D ratio means nothing. When it comes to deviation, it's situational. Is their time to set up? Can you make the kill? What happens if you give away your position? Is your target alone? Are you tryin' to run'n'gun like a noob? All questions you must consider.

[Buren06]

Hax? jk...

I generally play medic or AR, and that really does let me deal with it because a) medics generally are either taking long-range pot-shots or providing covering fire which you can control your fire rate (slow, aimed shots), as a last resort they'll be in CQB and it's just a total crapshoot then on full auto or 3 round. b) AR's I always let set up before popping and either providing covering fire or controlled bursts at a target.

The best people to ask your question would probably be those who deal with medium firing distances, as long range there is less pressure and close range it really doesn't matter.

Close range is a whole 'nother topic. When to scope in, when to fire from the hip, when to use full auto, when to use semi, etc.

[Trooper909]

What deviation?

Seriously though I only notice it on LMG's wile firing at long range with a rifle you deal with it by spamming LMB as fast as you can.

[PhillyJoker]

Deviation = how inaccurate your weapon is after moving.

It's explained in the manual on several pages in the weapons section on pages 17 and 18 where it says this:

Weapons take some time (typically up to 5 seconds) to shoot accurately after
movement. Short movements (less than 5 seconds) will not affect the accuracy
much. This allows players to make small positional corrections without suffering
the full penalty. Going prone greatly reduces the player's accuracy for a few
seconds but provides the highest accuracy once the player's aim has recovered.

All the weapons also have different variables for deviation built into them, as shown here:

Light machine guns (LMGs) are used to suppress the enemy and can
devastate an enemy squad when used in an ambush. They can be deployed to
greatly increase their accuracy and stability. When using the deployed LMG,
accuracy suffers less from shooting but a lot more from moving around. The
player's stance (standing, crouched or prone) does not affect accuracy while
the LMG is deployed.

Designated marksman rifles (DMRs) are used to engage distant targets with
rapid accurate fire. They can be deployed to greatly increase their accuracy at
the cost of mobility. The player's stance does not influence accuracy while the
DMR is deployed. When firing at targets up to 600m away it is not needed to
compensate for the bullet drop. It is still vital to compensate for the movement
of distant targets. To maximize accuracy the marksman should wait about one
second between shots.

Sniper rifles are used to engage high-priority targets at long ranges. Their
rate of fire is slow since they operate using bolt action. The player's stance
does not influence the sniper rifle's accuracy. Bullet drop compensation is only
needed at ranges exceeding 600m. Maximum accuracy is obtained by waiting
for about 8 seconds after movement and 4s after shooting. The "switch fire
mode" key (default 3) can be used to activate a breathing sound which lasts for
about 8 seconds. This sound can help you estimating the time needed to regain
accuracy. Keeping the fire button pressed after shooting will allow you to track
your shot before rebolting the rifle.

Also, I noticed that when using the Heavy Anti-Tank weapon you get two yellow brackets [ ] that are way out wide when you first scope in. The more time you wait, without moving, the closer to the center they become. I assume that is also the weapon deviation, though I do not believe it actually has any function in PR with the heavy weapons. That being said, it's a good way to understand what actually happens during deviation.

Basically, after you're done moving there is a box, the center of the box is your crosshair, and the less you move the smaller that square becomes until it is a pinpoint at the tip of your crosshair. Basically it's too simulate the human eyes slowly sighting in.

[Murphy]

Once you're in a firefight and the guy has the advantage pull back and either wait for him to get bored (never really had to wait longer then 30-40 seconds) or find another angle on him. A lot of people die because they refuse to give incoming fire the right of way. Players are hardcoded or something like that.

[Mouthpiece]

I've actually forgotten about a thing called "deviation". Thing is, I'm probably really used to it since I don't play any other shooters online (exception being TF2, but you can't compare PR with it). I have no problems hitting an enemy,

if the enemy sees me, I don't wait for minimal deviation, after a couple of seconds I fire so that I can suppress him a bit, if he is willing to continue the firefight, I put another shot or two down, but after that I pull back to avoid his minimal deviation.

This. You should always pull back when it's 1 vs 1 and you feel that your enemies deviation has settled, but yours isn't. And don't forget to shoot in his general direction. One or two rounds above his head is enough to suppress him for few secs. Those few seconds could be your death or your saviour.

[Pronck]

Just spray 'n pray. With Snipers and launchers I wait till the gun is settled.