Overview
Are you Flag Bearer material? Here is a survival guide on How to Play Flag Bearer in Holdfast: Nations at War.
General
Flag Bearer increases reload of nearby allies by 10%, they are equipped with a flintlock, saber, and flag. Their main purpose is to support the rank and file, infantry, with increased reload speed. Their main goal is ranking up points and helping the infantry.
Note: Like most classes, they can independently choose to fight solo and play with the pistol and get kills, role-play, achieve objectives by themselves or even command the rank and file.
Flag
When your Flag Bearer, you must know when to take out your flag and when to put it away. Having out your flag when you’re around a lot of infantry firing their weapons will reward you with an enormous amount of points. More players means more points.
Note: Combine your firing and holding out your flag and this will result in 20 points per each assisted kill and 50 points for a kill with your pistols or saber. This could lead up to 100 points easily with a kill and a good rank up of points from infantry.
Visibility
When Flag Bearer you stand out more with your flag so when walking to an objective or are in the open, make sure to put away your flag as it will decrease your size. There is another tip known by many flag bearers, when you have your flag out open the taunt menu and there should be one for sitting, click on it and you will be lowering your hit box while still ranking up points. Also, when holding your flag you can either raise it above your head or more importantly lower it down, this makes your flag less likely or not able to been seen at all by your attackers.
Note: The flags for the British flag bearer is especially big when compared to its contenders, that and the bearer wears a bright red uniform. The Russian variant is more greenish and can blend in with the grassy environments.
Positioning
When Flag Bearer, your presence helps those around you, staying around them as much as possible will increase your points but help them as well. The perfect game mode for gaining points is Siege, when defending the objective, you will be able to stand or sit around players who are, for the most part, all in the same spot firing when defending a fort.
Note: Standing behind an infantry line will prevent you from getting shot, or behind cover.
Defense
When playing defensively, you might opt for staying behind cover or not attempting to fire your pistol. When you have your flag out you can use it as a melee weapon and block enemy attacks. Another form of playing defense is when there is a charge, stay in the back of the group as it will use your allies as meat shields and when they attack, you will acquire more points without the risk of dying. If you must refrain from combat, you can also opt for hiding in a bush, behind a tree, on a roof, under a bridge, or behind a wall and this will give you the upper hand depending on the situation.
Note: Blocking attacks as oppose to attacking will keep you alive longer until allies show up or will stall a fight.v
Offense
When playing offensive, there is a time when to and when not to fire your weapon. If you wish to have the most points, try not to fire you weapon too often. Although, for those who wish to get kills and points, the best time is when either your face to face with an enemy or a when a cavalry is within range. Each time you fire a weapon there is 5 seconds in which you have to reload, and in some cases, those 5 seconds could be used for gaining points with your flag. So, find the right time to aim and don’t go firing when you could potentially be getting points.
Also, the best map for playing offensive are small maps with close quarters and good shelter to hide and reload. The pistol is a fairly accurate weapon and using it to its utmost potential will prove generous.
Note: Pistols reload twice as fast as muskets, rifles, carbines; in some cases this can mean more kills.
Melee
You are equipped as a Flag Bearer to have a saber, flag, and flintlock. The flag roughly takes 5 to 6 swings to get a kill, with the saber it takes 2, and a generous shot with the pistol is 1 shot. When stuck in a situation when you have no ammo or are facing off with an enemy, using your saber to attack is way safer than using your flag. Yes the flag has more range but will most likely get you killed and/ or if you get a kill it takes forever.
Note: The sword is mightier than the flag.
Skill
When Flag Bearer, one might play only for the quick ranking of points or for having a class that uses a pistol. Flag Bearer is a pretty easy class; although grabbing lots of points and getting kills is even better. You can be very skillful in grabbing points being around infantry by NOT dieing; taking cover behind a wall, under a bridge, or even in a bush will allow you to stay up in the ranks. With your pistol, like previously stated above, it is best to use your shot wisely when you see a potential kill, if not, do not risk leaving cover, putting away your flag, or missing a shot; it will get you killed. You WILL learn from trial and error, this is an example of what being skillful could look like, everyone learns in their own way; if that benefits them more, even better.
Note: Don’t blame the game, blame the player.
Etc. Mic
This is more of an option and not part of this guide per se. Flag Bearer users play music though their mics while also getting points. It is either earrape or good tunes to listen to when given a faster reload from your Flag Bearer.
