q2dm1 is duellers' favorite map. It requires no special skills, as it's easy to play on for two. This means it's hard for one player to hold all the level, and both positions, attacking and defending, have almost equal chances to win. Rocket is the main weapon. It's important to fire "control rockets" and lead close combat with Rockets. And if you can fire back correctly with it, defensive tactic can be a way to win on the map.
The level's second weapon is the Chaingun. Skillfully used, it can be universal. If Chaingun is used against you, you can fight back with a more or less good skill of handling the Chaingun, or avoiding getting in sight, i.e., moving unnaturally. It's not recommended to crouch. In close combat you can fight with the Rocket, and in a distance - with the Railgun, as it knocks the enemy back, not allowing to aim and to get close. Chaingun is irreplaceable on q2dm1 in places where you can catch the opponent and lead the fight right away, not allowing him to get out of sight.
Third weapon on q2dm1 is the Railgun. But due to its rather uncomfortable location it's not always worth taking. But if you took it, consider half of the game done. used skillfully, Railgun brings you perfect results. It allows you to make the enemy run over respawns, and very quickly. You can fight it with almost any weapon, just get close, catch, turn the skirmish into close combat - and then the railer will find his death.
Forth important weapon on q2dm1is the Shotgun, but only if its main feature - maximum damage in short intervals - is used skillfully. recommended against the Rocket. You can also fight with Chaingun, but it's not that easy. Do it like this: try to lead combat in closed locations with many additional objects, using the principle: "fired, got out of sight, fired again, got out again". Hide behind everything - boxes, walls, corners. Now about respawns. There are 10, and it's important to know all perfectly. It's easy to remember them, do it practicing:
Respawn by water - the most reasonnable is to go into the room to get control over the level at once, taking Chaingun and the Megahealth. The specific sound after respawn - either a splash or frequent jumps (upstairs in the room) with no devices being collected.Alternative respawn - the most probable and frequent appearance of the opponent on a respawn with all the consequent actions. This respawn's alternative is placed by the lower ocket (then the possible attack from the elevator).
Respawn by water and Stimpacks is similar to the previous one. To conceal the respawn sound, don't take Stimpacks (small medpacks).
Respawn at the upper Rocket. A very lucky one, allowing to camp both the Megahealth room and the Rocket. You can also take the Rocket after the respwan, come back and rocketjump to the main elevator. catching the enemy on it. The specific sound for this respawn - frequent long jumps, and at the end, after 3-4 jumps, the sound of a weapon being taken. Alternative respawn - at the Rocket under the elevator or at the Chaingun.
Respawn at the Machinegun in the cellar. Not a very good one, as if the enemy spawned at the Shotgun and in that part of the map in general, the probability of your quick death increases. If you hear the enemy spawn in another part of the level, get safely the yellow armor and a weapon. Otherwise, quickly get onto the elevator. The specific sound - almost simultaneous taking of a weapon and two ammo packs, but more deaf comapred to the respawn at the Shotgun. Alternative respawn - lower Rocket, Chaingun.
Respawn at the Shotgun is one of the best, allowing you to choose your further actions towards enemy's respawn. You either take the armor on the arena, or camp the Megahealth room at once. The specific sound almost simultaneous taking of a weapon and two ammo packs. ALternative respawn - Chaingun, upper Rocket.
Respawn at the Machinegun on the arena A good one, also allowing to deelop your own scenario of actions. The specific sound - a weapon and two ammo packs being taken few seconds after the respawn. Alternative respawn - Chaingun or by the water.
Respawn under the upper Rocket by the Machinegun ammo. One of standard respawns - neither bad or good. The specific sound - two ammo packs being taken one after another, 1-2 seconds later two more ammo packs taken (grenades). Alternative respawn - Chaingun or by the water.
Respawn by the Railgun ammo is a standard one, sometimes allowing you to catch the enemy at taking the Rocket. If you hear the enemy running below to the Rocket, just wait for him, then jump down, take the Rocket and kill the enemy. The specific sound - ammo being taken, a deaf sound or a scream at falling, then simultaneous taking of a weapon and two ammo packs. Alternative respawn - Chaingun, Shotgun.
Respawn in the room with the Megahealth at two grenades is one of the best, allowing to camp the room and get the Shotgun. The specific sound - two ammo packs being taken, then either jumps and an armor taken, or a weapon taken and three ammo packs (Chaingun). Alternative respawn - the Rocket under the elevator.
Respawn above the Chaingun is the best, allowing you to collect everything in the room and have time to swim for the Railgun. The specific sound - a weapon taken and three ammo packs. Alternative respawn - the Rocket on the elevator or the upper Rocket.
There are lots of different tactics, strategies and tricks on q2dm1. Success mostly lies in skilled listening to what's going on on the map, then acting respectively and firing "control rockets". The skill of doing tricks and different jumps is also useful, simplifying your movements on the level. One of special tricks on q2dm1 - crtitical damage to the enemy, making him restore health and armor, while you can safely grab the Railgun.
Some specific sounds for key situations:
1) 3 ammos being taken - the edge of water.
2) 3 ammos and a weapon being taken - the Chaingun.
3) The lower Rocket being taken, then 1-2 ammos - the enemy goes to the elevator.
4) Double weapon being taken with a 1-2 seconds pause - the enemy jumps down from the elevator to the yellow armor.
There are also false sounds made with Drop Item command. The enemy can drop ammo and weapons and take them back immediately, or drop them into water, confusing you. Experience will teach you how to find out such tricks.
Some game situations' descriptions:
1) The enemy is locked in the room with the lower Rocket. First raise the elevator, then you can attack safely or take the yellow armor and medpacks at the Shotgun (as soon as you need them). If you have enough of them both, you can try to knock the enemy out with arcade - spring out to him, fire a couple of rockets, then jump back - if you fail to kill him, and hurt yourself, yu'll need medpacks and the armor. Elevator must be down before this attack, so you'd be able to leave on it in case the situation turns critical.
2) If you're locked at the lower Rocket - keep on firing through the passage and try to rocketjump up.
3) The enemy is locked at the Machinegun in the cellar - stand on the hedge at the Shotgun, controlling both exits from the cellar and just wait. If the enemy has no rocket, go arcade.
4) If you're locked at the machinegun in the cellar, be patient, place yourself in the middle and just wait. Be prepared to run in one of directions. A tentative to look out for the enemy can turn very bad for you.
5) The enemy is on the elevator, and you're in the room, and all tentatives to get up there are stopped by the Rocket. You can eat it all to the maximum, and try to knock him out arcading, or simulate a jump to the yellow armor in the room and try to catch the enemy at taking the yellow on the arena.
6) You're on the elevator, the enemy's in the room - be patient and ready to meet the opponent with your Rocket, or retreat in case you lose control over the elevator. It's not desirable to jump down to the yellow armor - you risk getting caught from the arena.
7) When the enemy is in the water, You can wait for him above the water on the edge with two rockets or jump down in the water with Chaingun or Hyperblaster, but only if you ate alot. You can also simulate a jump into the water and catch the enemy at swimming up.
8) You're in the water... don't jump down there without need.
9) If you're winning and have to keep the score - the safest place is at the upper Rocket, as you'll be perfectly shooting through the passage leading to you. And don't miss the enemy's possible rocketjump.
10) If you're losing, and the enemy is at the upper Rocket - you can rocketjump and then the opponent will jump down. Then don;t jump after him, but rocketjump to the main elevator - the enemy will most probably run over there.
Respawn by water - the most reasonnable is to go into the room to get control over the level at once, taking Chaingun and the Megahealth. The specific sound after respawn - either a splash or frequent jumps (upstairs in the room) with no devices being collected.Alternative respawn - the most probable and frequent appearance of the opponent on a respawn with all the consequent actions. This respawn's alternative is placed by the lower ocket (then the possible attack from the elevator).
Respawn by water and Stimpacks is similar to the previous one. To conceal the respawn sound, don't take Stimpacks (small medpacks).
Respawn at the upper Rocket. A very lucky one, allowing to camp both the Megahealth room and the Rocket. You can also take the Rocket after the respwan, come back and rocketjump to the main elevator. catching the enemy on it. The specific sound for this respawn - frequent long jumps, and at the end, after 3-4 jumps, the sound of a weapon being taken. Alternative respawn - at the Rocket under the elevator or at the Chaingun.
Respawn at the Machinegun in the cellar. Not a very good one, as if the enemy spawned at the Shotgun and in that part of the map in general, the probability of your quick death increases. If you hear the enemy spawn in another part of the level, get safely the yellow armor and a weapon. Otherwise, quickly get onto the elevator. The specific sound - almost simultaneous taking of a weapon and two ammo packs, but more deaf comapred to the respawn at the Shotgun. Alternative respawn - lower Rocket, Chaingun.
Respawn at the Shotgun is one of the best, allowing you to choose your further actions towards enemy's respawn. You either take the armor on the arena, or camp the Megahealth room at once. The specific sound almost simultaneous taking of a weapon and two ammo packs. ALternative respawn - Chaingun, upper Rocket.
Respawn at the Machinegun on the arena A good one, also allowing to deelop your own scenario of actions. The specific sound - a weapon and two ammo packs being taken few seconds after the respawn. Alternative respawn - Chaingun or by the water.
Respawn under the upper Rocket by the Machinegun ammo. One of standard respawns - neither bad or good. The specific sound - two ammo packs being taken one after another, 1-2 seconds later two more ammo packs taken (grenades). Alternative respawn - Chaingun or by the water.
Respawn by the Railgun ammo is a standard one, sometimes allowing you to catch the enemy at taking the Rocket. If you hear the enemy running below to the Rocket, just wait for him, then jump down, take the Rocket and kill the enemy. The specific sound - ammo being taken, a deaf sound or a scream at falling, then simultaneous taking of a weapon and two ammo packs. Alternative respawn - Chaingun, Shotgun.
Respawn in the room with the Megahealth at two grenades is one of the best, allowing to camp the room and get the Shotgun. The specific sound - two ammo packs being taken, then either jumps and an armor taken, or a weapon taken and three ammo packs (Chaingun). Alternative respawn - the Rocket under the elevator.
Respawn above the Chaingun is the best, allowing you to collect everything in the room and have time to swim for the Railgun. The specific sound - a weapon taken and three ammo packs. Alternative respawn - the Rocket on the elevator or the upper Rocket.
2) If you're locked at the lower Rocket - keep on firing through the passage and try to rocketjump up.
3) The enemy is locked at the Machinegun in the cellar - stand on the hedge at the Shotgun, controlling both exits from the cellar and just wait. If the enemy has no rocket, go arcade.
6) You're on the elevator, the enemy's in the room - be patient and ready to meet the opponent with your Rocket, or retreat in case you lose control over the elevator. It's not desirable to jump down to the yellow armor - you risk getting caught from the arena.
7) When the enemy is in the water, You can wait for him above the water on the edge with two rockets or jump down in the water with Chaingun or Hyperblaster, but only if you ate alot. You can also simulate a jump into the water and catch the enemy at swimming up.
9) If you're winning and have to keep the score - the safest place is at the upper Rocket, as you'll be perfectly shooting through the passage leading to you. And don't miss the enemy's possible rocketjump.
