Tips for Caspian Border in Battlefield 3 multiplayer

By now PC players have no doubt had a chance to get some time in on the the BF3 beta’s Caspian Border map. Here are some gameplay tips for the last couple of days until the beta closes on the 10^th.

Multiplayer tips for Caspian Border:

• Give the jets and helicopters a go if you’ve not yet tried them, but don’t spend too much time on them. Unlocks will reset, so you probably won’t have time to unlock the good countermeasures. On top of that, a lot of people are itching to try out air combat, so it’s tough to find these vehicles empty. You’ll have more fun in combat and capturing objectives than waiting around.
• Before you spawn, assess the map. Check out the different control points, as well as any squad members and your deployment. Look for enemies which have
  been spotted. For example, if you see a tank moving in to one of your control points, spawn there as an engineer. If you don’t see much action, be sure to spawn somewhere with a vehicle.
• Avoid moving on foot between control points. As mentioned above, try to spawn where there is at least one available vehicle. If you’ve lost your vehicle and you already hold the closest control point, check the map and find a vehicle to take you to the next flag. It can take a few minutes to go on foot to the next control point you need to capture. This time wasted is both boring for you and not helpful for the team.
• Keep an eye on the “flag status.” Flags at control points have a little progress circle around their letter (A through E). If you’re at a control point and you’re still losing it, that means there are more enemies than friendlies near the flag. If the progress is stuck part of the way, there’s an equal number of enemies. Search the area for enemies who are hiding out and trying to capture.
• Be aggressive at capturing control points. First, make sure the objective you’re closest to is secure by looking all around you for enemies. Move away from the flag so you’re out of capture range. If the progress doesn’t move, there are no enemies on the flag. Get moving to the nearest objective the enemy holds. Take the objective and move on again. Very few players are this aggressive since the game is new and unfamiliar, so by doing this yourself, your team will have a much better shot at winning.
• Get familiar with the engineer kit. The engineer is the most effective class on this map. You’ll have rifles capable of pretty decent short to mid range infantry combat, but more importantly, you’ll have rockets. The RPG’s are very effective against tanks and cars, as are land mines if you unlock them. The stinger is great against jets and helicopters, especially since most won’t be equipped with flares. You also have a repair tool to fix up damaged vehicles, whether they are your teammates or your own.