With approximately 4,500 servers up and running on any given day, clearly there are more than a couple on-line gamers fighting over virtual terrain in the former Game of the Year. There are 15 BF2 stock maps and additional 14 with the expansion and booster packs. There is a lot of diversity with three size versions for each map. Added to that are some very good aftermarket maps like the Point of Existence 2 (POE2), Desert Conflict, and Rising Conflict modifications.

Previously, I fought a lot of fights in Call of Duty (COD) and enjoyed the first person shooting. The browser interface in COD made running modifications more accessible to the average gamer. Some of the COD mods were smaller maps designed to fight sniper duels with an impassable obstacle in the middle, usually water. Some of the most memorable instances were when it was mono y mono (one on one).

Common BF2 match-ups are around 20 vs 20 plus or minus 10 and for tournaments 5 vs 5 and 8 vs 8. I thought two players on a 64-person map would only provide an endless track of land with an enemy contact every hour or so delivering a BORING experience. But that assumption has been proven false, I recently discovered another variation to our beloved game.

I was testing servers for their accessibility and connection speed (ping) and made a chance contact. He was a sniper in his ghillie suit (camouflage suit) running across open terrain. I could not resist. I hit him with two bursts from my M-16A2 rifle. He was obviously caught off-guard, but still able to turn toward the contact with the intent to return fire. Then, it was lights out as he dropped like a rag doll.

This evolved into a very enjoyable ebb and flow of hunting, bagging the prey, and re-spawning. We both ended up as snipers and team commanders using our commander assets to detect and track the opposition. We were in the pre-game mode that requires a specified number of players before the match commences and were, therefore, unable to capture flags. We used the main base vehicles to close the distance between our respawn points and the dueling area.

We were on the Fushe map shooting across the width of the main canyon; hiding behind boulders and trees. Later, we found ourselves on the same side of the canyon near the scenic waterfall dropping supply crates on our own locations to heal ourselves and use them as cover to successively advance toward each other.

After a very enjoyable duel, I moved to a different server. I invited a friend and we met on an empty server. The requirements of this sever to start the match was only two players.

We both favored the faster moving and amphibious APCs of the Zatar Wetlands map. It was a race to grab flags initially. With all the flags changed from neutral, we then focused on our ever moving enemy opponent.

We both kept the pressure on and had to balance fighting with our use of the commander assets.

We both had a great time. It was truly a GREAT MATCH.

See you on the Battlefield!