Combat Basics

The Active Reload bar now sits just below the reticle, making it easier to watch without looking away from the fight. The settings offer its classic upper-right position. Gnasher and Breechshot load individual rounds, so you can insert one or two and fire again instead of completing a full reload.[2]

Perfect Active Reload effects depend on the weapon. Hammerburst, for example, gains a faster rate of fire. Learn the weapon’s reload rhythm along with its ammo count; the Gnasher now holds six shells.[2]

Sliding cannot be spammed continuously, and cover cancels commit you farther into the approach. Think about the next piece of protection before sprinting. A gap beneath a vehicle or a climbable ledge may offer another route through a fight.[2]

You can switch shoulders while aiming. Scopes have sway, and some automatic weapons reward short bursts with more manageable recoil. Bullets have travel time, so distant moving targets require a lead beyond a weapon’s effective range.[2]

Narrow gaps in cover, including car windows, let you aim and shoot through openings. Smoke grenades block both player and AI sightlines, giving you a way to reposition or conceal an approach.[2]

The central damage Omen throws blood in the direction of incoming fire. When you are Down But Not Out, the Downs Counter shows how many downs remain before a full Omen means immediate death. In Horde, keep track of this alongside your squad’s remaining lives.[2]

For a chainsaw execution, equip the Prototype Lancer. A Boomer must be weakened to low health first. Heavy weapons slow you down but still allow most movement actions, and turret weapons can be detached.[2]

Pick a control scheme that feels comfortable, then practice the same weapon with a full reload and a short partial reload. Keyboard/mouse and controller remapping are supported on PC.[1][3]