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1. Think before you spawn

Battlefield 3 offers you the choice between spawning at your base, or spawning on another member of your four-man squad. While your squad mate may be further into the map, he may also be surrounded by enemies, about to die. If you spawn on him, you're an easy kill for enemies because there's always a few seconds, after spawning, when you need to get your bearings. You're vulnerable, you're dead.

However, if your squad mate is dug in (waiting for support) you absolutely should spawn on him. Two people - or preferably four - live much longer in Battlefield, and have much better chances of taking/defending M-COM stations.

2. Support, support, support

Although the Operation Metro map is something of a COD-style killing-field, there are heaps of points to be had from being a good team player. Case in point - we were attacking in one session against a much more organised, more experienced team. It was a massacre. Our final K/D ratio was 0.25, yet we finished as the second highest scorer /overall. How? Support.

When you're playing Assault class you have Med-kits from rank 1. Tap Left of the d-pad to deploy one, and you get 10 points every time you heal a teammate. You get 20 points for healing someone in your squad. Ping a Med-kit into a hot-zone, like the escalators inside the subway, and you can earn 100s of points in seconds. Support class? Do exactly the same with your Ammo-kits.

3. There's no excuse for not spotting

Did you know that if you hit the Back button with an enemy in your sights - no matter the distance - a little red cone appears over their head? A little red cone that EVERYONE on your team can see? Even when that enemy goes prone, or ducks behind a bush? Wow - that's kinda useful, right? So do it. Unless you need to fire instantly, to save your own life, you should spot every enemy, every time, before you shoot a single round.

Spotted enemies are dead meat. If you don't kill them, someone else will. The very least you'll get is 10 points for a Spot assist. If you're firing at them when they die, you get Suppression assist points and Kill assist points. It's the next best thing to getting an actual kill, and your team mates will love you for it.

4. Pick the right class for the right scenario

Ok, we know you'll naturally prefer to play to your own style. Some people are more sniper than shotgun: but be sensible. Operation Metro is a varied map. It starts open, gets narrow, then opens up again. Here's what you should be aiming for in terms of classes.

For the opening section, go Recon or Assault. Snipers can hide in bushes and support the rest of the team who should assault/defend the M-COMs at close range. Inside the Metro? Support will get you loads of kills, as will the burst fire of the Engineer's SMGs. Plus, the engineers RPGs will help you bust through walls. Back outside, at the end, every class has its advantages. Snipers rule the buildings, unless you can get inside with a shotgun...

5. Check out Battlelog too

If you're involved in the Battlefield 3 Beta, you've also got access to Battlelog, a ridiculously deep stat-tracking system that comes free with Battlefield 3. Sign up at battlelog.battlefield.com using your EA Origin account, if you have one. Here you can track all your stats, work out how close you are to kit upgrades, chat with friends, form Platoons and loads more. There's a news feed too, so you can keep up to date with all the Beta news while you're away from your PS3.

We're on there. Look for shark_in_a_jar (Andy H) and varnished_monkey (Milf). Join us. Sign up for the PSM3 Platoon - Bad Company - and make Beta buddies before you next go online.

You might be surprised to learn that PSM3 also make a magazine, the latest of which features:

An all-new look! - Don't miss the redesigned new issue of PSM3. We've cut out all the nonsense to deliver nothing but 'Smarter PlayStation Gaming'.

Syndicate - It's already caused a rumpus on the internet from folk who'd - possibly - prefer it to be a 2D RTS, but we've got the inside line on EA's FPS reboot of the classic sci-fi strategy game. Devs Starbreeze reveal all, plus why a literal war for consumers might not be that far fetched...

Saints Row: The Third - Remember fun? THQ's shamelessly wild open world adventure won't let you forget it. Another PSM3 exclusive - with imagery you won't see anywhere else. Warning: contains articulated toy nudity.

Plus, all the latest on FIFA 12, Batman Arkham City, Battlefield 3, MW3 and more.

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Cheers,

PSM3