Guides

Introduction

This article contains links to various community-authored guides that provide hints & tips on how to improve your skill in specific facets of NS2 gameplay. Increasing your knowledge and acquiring certain skillsets such as movement techniques and map awareness can help you to increase your Player Skill, and even ascend to Sanji Survivor !

Some of these tutorials that seem to focus on competitive play in ns2 (6vs6), are still extremely helpful for normal pub-play! The main difference is, that your team on public servers is more likely to forgive mistakes than your team in competitive play.

Info: Community guides are primarily opinion pieces and therefore may contain conflicting information and information that is no longer relevant due to changes to game mechanics.

Movement

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
Movement Techniques - all Lifeforms / Marines	Universal	Movement techniques maintaining your speed allows fancy dodge movements	Wiki Article Videos	Handschuh, CrazyCat	Handschuh's YouTube
Trickjumps	Universal	List of most important Jumps and how to execute them	Wiki Article Videos	Handschuh Spring, Pelargir	Handschuh's YouTube

Guides

Warning: The Natural Selection Wiki is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.

Start

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
NS2 Quick & Easy : 5 minutes to know the essential	Beginner Advanced	Quick guide for beginners and advanced players alike. The must-know essentials to not suck and not be lost in the game.	Text	Jackson
How to: ns2_veil	Beginner Advanced	In this guide, I will help you understand more and get better at the most iconic and most played map of Natural Selection 2 : ns2_veil.	Text	Jackson
ENSL Training Night 2021	Universal	Uncut recording of the ENSL 2021 Alien Training Night with timestamps.	Video	loMe, schu, RangeR

Options ( including Advanced Options)

Tip: Use screen settings to play at 144hz or at least as high as possible. Some screens support higher frequencies at certain resolutions.

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
Options	Universal	Wiki Options explanations helps to find default / performance / quality options	Wiki Article		Mephilles' video
NS2Plus	Universal	NS2+ Options explanations helps to find default / performance / quality options	Wiki Article
Alien Vision	Advanced	Custom Alienvision explanations helps to modify Alienvision to personal wants and needs	Video	Mephilles
NS2+ Guides (2016)	Universal	NS2+ Explanations ENSL Video (2016) ENSL NS2+ Explanations in more detail (2015)	Video Text	Mendasp, Mega	NS2+ Video (2016) NS2+ Explanation (2015)

Commander

Marine Commander

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
Commanding as a Sanji	Beginner Advanced	Katzenfleisch's (acknowledged pub commander and NSL Champion-Commander) guide to commanding Marines and Aliens	Text	Katzenfleisch	(Build 331)
Marine Default Techpath	Beginner Advanced	A lot of Marines will complain or eject you at the start of the round if you deviate from the default start, especially if you do not communicate your intentions	Text	Handschuh
Beginner Commander Guide	Beginner	Note: Even though the Videos are from 2014 they are still mostly correct! Commanding HUB (including Aliens): Introduction to commanding Marine Commander Basics: In-depths explanation of the HUD, structures and commands available.	Video	It'sSuperEffective!	Video 1 Video 2
Advanced Commander Guide	Beginner Advanced	Note: Even though the Videos are from 2014 they are still mostly correct! General commanding guidelines, objectives, and common terms & actions definition. The 3 stages of the game explained, and what to do during each of them. Examples of opening strategies. Offensive tactics & Defensive measures. Closing strategies: how to properly end the game.	Video	It'sSuperEffective!	Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Video 5

Alien Commander

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
Beginner Commander Guide	Beginner	Note: Even though the Videos are from 2014 they are still mostly correct! Commanding HUB (including Aliens) Introduction to commanding	Video	It'sSuperEffective!

Marine

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
Field Marine Basics	Beginner Advanced	Describes common Terms Lane-Blocking, Rotating, Pushing, Baiting / Trap Balance between Agression and Defense	Pictures Text	Warforce17
Field Marine Protecting RTs	Beginner Advanced	How to defend Extractors against Skulks	Video	Mephilles
Marine Basics	Beginner Advanced	Map Positioning Lane-Blocking Zoning	Pictures Text	Kash
NSL Marine Training (2017)	Advanced Veteran	How to move and take Engagements Movement, engagements, surviving ambushes Video has timestamps!	Video	Herakles	Part1 Part2 Spectator
Positioning	Veteran	Map Positioning and Teamplay	Text few Pics	Tane
Trickjumps	Universal	List of most important Jumps and how to execute them	Video	Handschuh Spring, Pelargir
How to use ns2_range	Universal	Small set of instructions and tips to utilize the custom map ns2_range to improve your aim.	Wiki Article	Kopunga

Alien

Tip: All Alien Lifeforms require you to learn advanced movement techniques. For those see Movement or Movement Techniques.

Skulk

Main article: Skulk

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
loMe's Skulk Tutorial	Universal	Setting up ambushes with Skulks	Video	loMe
Alien Secret Weapon: a guide to PARASITE	Beginner Advanced Veteran	Winning the game with Parasites	Text	Jackson
Engagements	Advanced Veteran	How to take Engagements Baiting, Parasiting, Ambushing	Video	ALF
NSL Skulk Training (2015)	Universal	Wallhopping, Zoning , Engagements + tons of extra stuff (long video)	Video	Golden
Skulk Model on walls	Advanced Veteran	Skulk Model direction the Model faces on a Wall or on a Resource Tower	Video	Wob
NSL Skulk Training (2017)	Beginner Advanced Veteran	Wallhopping, Zoning , Engagements, + tons of extra stuff (long video)	Video	loMe	Link Spectator

Gorge

Main article: Gorge

Warning: The Gorge Tutorials are all older then the recent 327 Build and thereforce partly outdated.

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
Gorge Basics Tutorial	Advanced Veteran	How to Gorge: Structure Placement, Gorge Tools, ...	Video	Luftwaffel

Lerk

Main article: Lerk

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
NSL Lerk Training (2017)	Advanced Veteran	How to play Lerk: Engagements, ...	Video	Tyr, asdf	ADHD schu
NSL Lerk Training (2015)	Advanced Veteran	Teamwork, Engagements, + tons of extra stuff (long video)	Video	schu

Fade

Main article: Fade

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
NSL Fade Training (2017)	Advanced	How to play Fade: Engagements, + tons of extra stuff (long video)	Video	Tyr, asdf	asdf spectator
Effective Fade Movement	Advanced Veteran	Showcase Effective Fade Movement with explanations Engagements	Video	loMe
Decision making	Advanced Veteran	Engagements: vs Shotguns, long thread with tips	Picture Text	rantology
NSL Fade Training (2015)	Advanced Veteran	Blinking, Engagements, + tons of extra stuff (long video)	Video	loMe

Onos

Main article: Onos

Competitive / Other

These Guides are topics that are about other topics or tailored for Competitive NS2 e.g. 6vs6 play.

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
Newcomer Guide for Competitive NS2 (6vs6)	Advanced Veteran	Introduction on how to play 6vs6 explanation on all stages of the game (early, mid, late) in regards to the tech and lifeforms explanation for Lifeforms, Tech, and their roles.	Text	Doggo, Kmacg, whii
Optimal Position / Hive push spots	Veteran	Map Usage, Positioning / Map-Awareness, Hive push spots	Pictures Text	Trademark and loMe
Voice Chat Behaviour	Veteran	Competitive Voice Chat behaviour	Text	Mega
Mapping	Universal	All resources related to creating maps	Wiki Page
Crosshair creation	Universal	How to make your own Crosshair	Wiki Page	Kopunga
Simple Balance Mod creation	Universal	How to make your own Custom Balance Mod	Wiki Page	Kopunga
Cinematic Editor Basics	Universal	Introduction to the Cinematics Editor	Video	IronHorse
Setting up a Server on Windows	Universal	Step-by-Step instructions on how to install and setup a dedicated Server on Windows using SteamCMD	Wiki Page	Kopunga
Setting up a Server on Windows	Universal	Step-by-Step instructions on how to install and setup a dedicated Server on Windows using SteamCMD	Video	Kopunga
NS2 Modding Guide	Universal	Introductory guide to NS2 modding	Text	Brute

Achievements

These tutorials showcase how to get select Achievements in Natural Selection 2.

Title	Skill Level	Short Description	Type	Author	Extra Links
The Last Straw Achievement	Beginner	Guide to get "The Last Straw" Achievement	Video	Kopunga
Clogbeard's Treasure Achievement	Beginner	Guide to get "Clogbeard's Treasure" Achievement	Video	Kopunga
Terminal Velocity Facepalm Achievement	Beginner	Guide to get "Terminal Velocity Facepalm" Achievement	Video	Kopunga
Darwin Award Achievement	Beginner	Guide to get "Darwin Award" Achievement	Video	Kopunga

External Guide Collections

• Advanced Tips, Tricks and Tutorial Collection

Tutorial Collection of all up to date guides.

• Russian Tutorials

Russian Tutorials including Trickjumps by CRaZyCAT

• ENSL Tutorial Forum

Tutorial Section of the ENSL Forum

Tip List

A tip list is currently being developed that can be currently accessed in discord and is planned to be implemented in-game and included in the wiki.

You can already access them in the official Discord and several community Discords that have the HiveStalker bot.

On the official Discord the bot is currently in the channel #hive-queries, use the !tip command.