Fnatic - A profesional gaming team

1“ Warfare is the Way(Tao) of deception. Thus although you are capable, display incapability to them. When committed to employing your forces, feign inactivity. When your objective is nearby, make it appear as if distant; when far away, create the illusion of being nearby”

To feign activity is rather simple, most players will strafe jump and rocket spam, as they are important components in the game. However if you use walking as a part of your regular strategy, so the enemy does not hear you, does not see you or your rockets; the impression will be given that you are camping.

To create the illusion of being nearby requires intense map knowledge and use of sound. Making it sound like you are nearby by shooting off your LG or doing a rocket or rail spam when in reality you are far away, can help you keep the enemy aloof to where you are and what you are doing. Using the maps layout to your advantage in quake is easier said than done however, things such as rocket jumping, portals, and strafe jumping can close gaps very quickly.

Using things such as weapon and armor timings to bait out your opponent and giving the illusion that you are incapable can help to lure him out into a position that only favors you. This way, you can get the drop on him, get the item, and have the advantage.



2“Display profits to entice them. Create disorder in their forces and take them.
If they are substantial, prepare for them; if they are strong, avoid them.
If they are angry, perturb them; be deferential to foster their arrogance.
If they are rested, force them to exert themselves.
If they are united, cause them to be separated
Attack where they are unprepared.
Go forth where they will not expect it.
These are the ways military strategists are victorious. They cannot be spoken of in advance.”

Unconventional strategies and attacking their weak points wins games, it’s as simple as that. If a person is weak with close range combat such as the LG or rockets, force them into tight scenarios playing on their weak points. Think of your strategies player to player, to play on their weaknesses and force them into stressful situations will allow you to break their mind as well as have the upper hand in terms of combat.

3“For this reason, the victorious army first realizes the conditions for victory, and then seeks to engage in battle. The vanquished army fights first, and then seeks victory.”

If you have no idea what you are going to do to win, and simply rely on timings and out aiming your opponent, more times than not, when facing a skilled player, you will lose. There is more to the game than just collecting items and shooting. If you can’t play with a logical mind, and use the timings to your advantage, use your opponent’s weaknesses, and devise a strategy to beat them, you may as well not even play.


4“In general, in battle one engages with the orthodox and gains victory through the unorthodox. Thus one who excels at sending forth the unorthodox is as inexhaustible as Heaven.”

What separates professionals from amateurs is not that they use the cookie cutter strats and movements better than others. It is that they can adapt using unconventional tactics. You will never be faced with the same game twice, it is impossible. Cookie cutter strats are not a one style fits all sort of fit; they are more of guidelines to help you when you are stuck. If you use the same tactics over and over again, you will lose. You need to adapt and try new things, introduce a rocket jump, introduce a new route around the map, change up your timings, etc. be sure that no one can predict what you will do.

5“The notes do not exceed five, but the changes of the five notes can never be fully heard. The colors do not exceed five, but the changes of the five colors can never be completely seen. The flavors do not exceed five, but the changes of the five flavors can never be completely tasted. The unorthodox and orthodox mutually produce each other, just like an endless cycle. Who can exhaust them?”

Many people are under the assumption that they know every single strategy, which is wrong. They may know many tactics and a lot of tricks; however their combinations are seemingly endless. Combining one tactic with another, and switching the order or the number of tactics, etc. allows you to increase the number of ways you can win any given match. The only limit you have on the number of tactics is imposed by yourself.


6“Thus if I determine the enemy’s disposition of forces while I have no perceptible form, I can concentrate my forces while the enemy is fragmented. If we are concentrated into a single force while he is fragmented into ten, then we attack him with ten times his strength. Thus we are many and the enemy is few. If we can attack his few with our many, those who we engage in battle will be severely constrained.”

Using things such as spam rockets/grenades to determine where your opponent is will allow you to react to his position where he is left guessing where you are from your rocket position. Using this information to your advantage in terms of preparing to catch him off guard and get the upper hand is what will give you the edge over him and allow you to get that frag and then hunt for a spawn frag.

7“The location where we will engage the enemy must not become known to them. If it is not known, then the positions they must prepare to defend will be numerous. If the positions the enemy prepares to defend are numerous, then the forces we will engage will be few.”

Much like the point just made, where you will engage them must not be known to them. This is where the information gathered via the spam tactics and walking instead of strafe jumping/bunny hopping comes in handy. Being silent and using the information to your advantage will allow you to catch him off guard giving you the terrain advantage as you will be the one to pick it.


8 “Do not encamp on entrapping terrain.
Unite with your allies on focal terrain.
Do not remain on isolated terrain.
Make strategic plans for encircled terrain.
On fatal terrain you must do battle.
There are roads that are not followed.
There are armies that are not attacked.
There are fortified cities that are not assaulted.
There is terrain for which one does not contend.
There are commands from the ruler that are not accepted.”

Focusing your movement around the map in regards to good positions in which to run or fight will allow you to save yourself and not give up ‘stupid frags’. If you continuously go down the same corridor where it is easy to ambush you, your enemy will use that to his advantage and catch you in a bad position. Knowing where these spots are on each map will not only help you avoid being trapped, but help you trap him.

As well, knowing your best escape routes and when to chase and when to back off are very important. If you are stuck in a poor place, and you are dying, knowing where to run to and the best way to get there will save your life. As well, on the other side of this is knowing when to follow, or when to go a different route and head them off, or simply to back off.

Knowing all of these things ahead of time will help you come game time by allowing you less things to learn and adapt to mid game.

9“Thus one who excels at warfare seeks [victory] through the strategic configuration of power, not from reliance on men. Thus he is able to select men and employ strategic power.”

If you rely on simply your aiming and ability to strafe jump, you will lose. Not knowing what to do in any situation and relying on something which is only a small factor in ones game-play will undoubtedly lose you games. You need to use your head, otherwise what do you have? Study demos, think of strategies to use against each individual player or playing style, you will be able to adapt more quickly and out think your opponent, not relying on your aim so much.


10“In general, whoever occupies the battleground first and awaits the enemy will be at ease; whoever occupies the battleground afterward and must race to the conflict will be fatigued. Thus one who excels at warfare compels men and is not compelled by other men.”

As mentioned before, being able to pick the terrain on which you fight upon will always give you the upper hand as you will know beforehand and be able to predict what they will do when confronted and will be able to adapt quickly.