5) Spotting

Don't worry, you are not a noob if you don't spam this ability. In some cases it is not necessary, such as picking up an easy kill or if it's simply too dangerous to mark before shooting. But in most cases, spotting an enemy to let your team know where the enemies are, is a must. Not only does it assure most kills, but it also gives your team a sense of where the opposing force is trying to defend or flank from. It also makes for a faster way to take out enemy vehicles. If everyone sees the tank coming, they can prepare and disable it rather quickly. In the case of a 2 v 1 situation, if you are able to initiate them, be sure to mark the first one then turn to the second, once you have taken that enemy out, quickly return back to the marked target to take him out as well. The point being is if in some cases you are not able to take out one of the targets you will have a sense of where he went and so will your team. Try practicing this to see how fast you can mark and kill both targets. It is a good habit to get into. If everyone on your team uses it consistently, you should have no problems with map awareness. If you see someone running across the field and you know you won't kill him, just simply mark him and move on. If he dies you will pick up 10 extra points for a spot bonus.

4) Learn to use your class effectively

Learning how to use the class you are playing the right way will help your team tremendously. For example, if you are a Medic and you are backed into a corner, your squad can take out waves of enemies and successfully defend your flag by getting healed and revived consistently. Every class has something to contribute to their team, and a well rounded squad consists of each one. They all have everything each other needs and if you are all doing your job, you should be excelling in games. Also, using an active ability often and consistently will raise your final score dramatically, thus leveling you up faster.

3) Learn 'Call Outs' on the map

When you are playing online with your friends, quickly calling out an enemy's position is a must. Knowing what to call out is the tricky part. Saying "There's a dude in that hut over there to the left" in a case where there are 3 huts, this problem can be solved by simply giving that spot a name: "1 guy in Raccoon." That way, my teammate knows exactly which hut out of the 3 he is in. This also fits in with "Teamwork," but this was a very important aspect of the game you should take time to do and memorize very well. Calling stuff out faster leads to faster response time. Battlefield 3 has about a million spots, so yes it will take time, but once you get it down with your casual team, you guys will have great organization and better team flow.

2) Teamwork

Teamwork is a vital aspect of war. Getting a sense of realism for the game will help you achieve perfect teamwork. What I mean by a sense of realism is: act like you are really in a war. If you were on a real battlefield, would you run around by yourself to surely die a painful death, or would you stick with your team and try to fight for your lives and survive? Easy answer to an easy question. Teamwork doesn't only involve sticking with your team, it involves each teammate to be on the same page of the orchestra. Even if one person isn't in harmony, your band will quickly fall apart. You need the right set of people to accomplish complete harmony on the battlefield. It is a must to communicate, whether it's on Vent or Skype. Team play is only possible with verbal communication. That being said, constant verbal communication will win you games. If done correctly, your squad will be able to completely take over flags alone. If your squad is trying to capture a flag, you and your team should be approaching your goal as quietly as possible. If your idea is given away, people will start merging to defend, thus failing to capture the node. Having an organized approach and not giving away your position until necessary will make your team succeed. Getting there will involve everyone in your squad to utilize their class and perfect verbal communication with-in the team. Note: some people just don't have good chemistry together, you might need to reorganize your team so everyone has that same mind set as you do.

1) Awareness and Flow

Have a sense of realism while playing! If you achieve this then you will start thinking like you are really trying to survive. I know this doesn't sound like a tip, but this is probably the best tip you can get while playing any game, not just Battlefield. This will also help you die less and think more, If you found yourself one day really in this situation, I can guarantee you won't just be running around unchecked corners. Being patient will help you analyze an area before you pass through it. Having complete awareness on where you are going and what is in between along the way will help you die less. Playing like this will help you get into a state of mind where you are completely focused on the game. This mind-set is commonly known as "Flow". Flow is a mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity. It is very easy to achieve while playing video games. It would be safe to say that 9 out of 10 matches a pro gamer plays they experience flow. Once you master having complete awareness of your virtual surroundings, you will soon experience this feeling. (I seriously recommend looking up on Flow and studying how it works, this will enhance your gameplay immensely.)

If you are already consistently doing these things, then keep it up, you are on the right track! If you seem to lack some of these attributes then a little practice and self-discipline will help you accomplish your goals. If you can focus on making these tips consistent in your game play it will result in higher scores at the end of your games and ultimately help you achieve your personal goal. Before you know it you will be max level and a skilled BF3 player!

[Feedback is greatly appreciated, you can share your thoughts in the comments below!]