Rifleman

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Overview

Imperial Rifleman

Northern Faction Rifleman

Riflemen are the undisputed masters of infantry combat. They can use the most powerful rifles and machine guns, wielding them with an ease no others can match. In addition, these troopers spawn with explosive grenades and a suit of body armor, making them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

The rifleman's skills are focused on what he does best: infantry to infantry combat. Two offensive skills increase the damage dealt by his weapons, and one defensive skill decreases damage dealt to him. Damage Increase and Vehicle Damage increase damage dealt with hand and vehicle weapons, respectively, and Dig In decreases blast damage dealt to the soldier while crouched, reducing it by up to 70%.

Tips and Tactics

• Your accuracy will be much better while crouched with certain weapons like the Heavy Machine Gun.
• Your accuracy will be increased by another 25% when using the weapon's iron sights (default: right click).
• If not using the Heavy Machine Gun, the extra ammo skill is crucial.
• Explosive grenades are very effective against infantry, turrets, and even heavy tanks (you'll see tanks shake when hit). The trick is getting close enough to use them without getting killed.
• The secondary fire button on rifles (except the Heavy Machine Guns) allows you to zoom in. The zoom level is nothing like the Scout's ranged rifle, but it helps nontheless.

Upgrade Guide

See Also: Rifleman Skills

• First Upgrade: Accuracy: Rarely will you ever choose anything but accuracy as a Rifleman. Getting more bullets to hit your opponent will increase your effective damage inflicted per unit of time much more efficiently then being tougher, doing more damage per bullet, moving faster, etc. It will also increase your effective range which is essential on large maps.
• Essential Skills: Improved Damage: The key to automatic fire in Empires is usually being the first pull the trigger, and this skill means that even though your opponent hits you after you hit him, you'll do enough damage to drop him far sooner then he can seriously hurt you. Health Upgrade: Frontline infantry are going to be taking lots of damage. This upgrade is useful. Dig-In: Effectively converting your extra stamina into health, combine this with Health Upgrade and you become your squad's human tank.
• Heavy Machine Gun Skills: Until the HMG is changed, it operates by draining your stamina bar. This means that the useful skills for it vary from the usual rifleman skills-you'll have to conserve your stamina in every situation, which means Stamina Upgrade is essential, and the Speed Upgrade is nice to compensate for the lack of sprinting ability.