Like Team Deathmatch, Hardcore Team Deathmatch plays 6v6 with a score to 100. However, the score isn’t visible, so – if you’re new to the mode – it might be hard to know who’s winning. Also, players have minimum health, so 1-3 hits typically equal a kill. The two big differences – friendly fire and a limited mini-map. Before you go hardcore, here’s some things to think about it.

• Damage is Deadly: One shot kills are common in Hardcore Team Deathmatch, so utilizing core movement for evasion is something to consider. If you survive a hit, your health doesn’t return to 100%, so it’s important to avoid taking any damage in the first place. On the other hand, if you can get a well-placed shot, you will be able to kill your opponent with a single bullet. Check out both Gung-Ho and Fast Hands, since these perks are all about speed and could help you get the first shot out faster than your opponent. If you catch a pack of enemies, quickly unleash a well-aimed spray and you can get multiple kills, ultimately adding to your Scorestreaks.
• Lost in Action: For mini-map oriented players, Hardcore Team Deathmatch presents a challenge. Players – friendlies and enemies – only show if a UAV or H.A.T.R. Scorestreak is activated; otherwise, it’s just what you can actually see in your natural field of view. Grenades and other lethals also don’t have indicators, so watch your step. Sixth Sense, Ghost, and other perks involving the mini-map are more situational in Hardcore, so you’ll likely want to take that into account when customizing your loadouts. Depending on your playstyle, you can decide how to best navigate. If you like traffic, those congested areas of the map with open space will give you the action you crave. If you want one-on-one firefights, circle the outskirts or key buildings to take out opponents one at a time. If you are somewhere between those two, find key vantage points on the map and take out anyone who comes across your path.
• Listen In and Talk It Up: Communication is everything, and this mode is no exception. Even if you aren’t mic’d up, listen to find out where everyone is on the field. If you have a mic, point out enemies, H.I.V.E.s, and Trip Mines on the map -- your team will thank you. Even though you have a limited map, you can listen to gun shots, thrusters and other game sounds to find opponents. Equipping the Awareness perk makes it easier to follow the noise, while Dead Silence cancels out any noise you make while moving around the map. When you follow the sounds, just don’t run in guns blazing because it might be a teammate. Consider using the Tracker perk to ensure you are on the trail of an enemy. However, if you accidentally kill a friendly, an apology does go a long way. But, if you kill a friendly three times in a game, you’ll get kicked out. Pro tip: don’t shoot your teammates.
• Hardcore Gear Up: Good weapon attachments – optics, FMJ, quickdraw, grip, stock, rapid fire, laser sight – will all increase your damage, accuracy and speed. If you only have one shot, you want to make it the best one possible. For Specialists, Battery’s Kinetic Armor and Spectre’s Active Camo give you an extra layer of protection while Nomad’s H.I.V.E. can easily take out enemies and add to your Scorestreak. Additionally, UAV is a must to re-activate the mini-map. Other good Scorestreaks include Care Packages (Just don’t forget where you dropped it), HC-XD’s (find a good hiding place to remote control), and of course any of the big ones, if you got it like that.

Now that you’re thinking about how to take Team Deathmatch to the next level, join in on this week’s Featured Playlist: Hardcore Team Deathmatch. Go get those Double Cryptokeys now ‘til January 19 10AM PDT!