How to Win a Nerf War Using Strategy

Last Updated: March 16, 2023

Everyone gets annoyed when they get shot down or sniped in a Nerf war. This article will show you how to avoid getting shot; and, more importantly, be the one doing the eliminating!

Part 1

Part 1 of 8:

Establishing a Base

1
Go with your teammates to find a cave or clearing that can be easily defended with a good lookout. Use this as a base. Make sure it is easily defendable, with places for snipers and heavy gunners to push back the opposing side if they attempt to raid the base.
2
Plan the base's structure. You could try to make doors out of plywood of old pallets, but they have to be able to open from inside, but not out. Place more valuable places toward the back, like the ammo cache, planning HQ or weapon stash. These are the most important places, so if the enemy took control of them, they could cripple your team.

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3
Input the base coordinates into a GPS. Note basic landmarks in the area and/or make markings yourself.
4
Try to keep at least one person at the base at all times. Take shifts guarding the base, using the base gun as your primary weapon. Blasters such as the Vulcanator, Spectrum, MK3, Stryker/Nexus Pro, Perses, and Dictator are great choices. Have people in the base ready and armed. Two people using a Perses' will also do well as guards but should be outfitted with relatively cheap hopper extensions that are available on the internet and double or triple the capacity. You would also need a doorman, who would let in patrol teams of troops who are back from combat and should be armed with a lighter blaster, such as Stryfe, Spectrum, Aeon Pro, and Motoblitz.

Part 2

Part 2 of 8:

Setting up Base Weaponry

1
Choose a weapon for defending your base. If you are going to have a war in an outdoor field, use a weapon with bigger amount of range, but if you are going to have a war indoors, use a weapon with normal range. Your choice of weapon and how you use it is vital. For example, using a Stampede and keeping it on the whole time will give your base away in quieter areas. Also, the battery will run out halfway through the battle, leaving you with no suitable defense weapon. Suggestions include:
- Primary: Spectrum, Stryfe, Mk3, Rapidstrike, Nemesis, Perses, Hades, Hyperfire, Nexus
- Pro, Rampage, SMG Zesty, IR, or AR-E
- Secondary: Hammershot, Kronos, Strongarm, Reflex 6, Mk2, Disruptor, Fury 4, Roughcut, Takedown, Cobra, SP-E, 6-SH, SR, or Quadrot
- Tertiary: Jolt, Triad, Sharpfire, Secret Strike, Microshots, or Storm Squad.
2
Alternatively, try the following base weapons:
- Primary: Rapidstrike or nexus pro, for relatively high capacity, semi-auto fire, small size, and ease of use.
- Secondary: Kronos, for easy reloads, tactical look, sleek size, and power.
- Tertiary: Knockout, for being a Rival gun, which, even when massive and low capacity, are just inherently better than normal Nerf.

Part 3

Part 3 of 8:

Responding to Base Attacks

1
If attacked when you’re guarding your base, your response will be determined by whether or not you see the attack coming.
2
Turn the gun on. If you can see the attack coming from a distance, turn your primary gun on, and be sure to have a engineer near by to unjam guns. Get ready to fire at the attackers.
3
If you get surprise attacked and the enemy has the advantage, collect everything you can, definitely the backpack and your primary weapon. Flee the base.
- As soon as you are in a secure location, Walkie-Talkie the other squadrons and tell them you have abandoned your base.
- If you have made a new base, tell your teammates the coordinates of the new base.
4
Attempt to seize the base back. In this case, call for aid from the other squadrons, meeting them at your coordinates.

Part 4

Part 4 of 8:

Heading out for War

1
Leaving the backpack, go off in squadrons of convenient numbers. Break the team into the following:
- Infantry troops: For CQB (close-quarters battle or close quarters combat) and engaging the enemy on the battlefield. Arm with a Spectrum, Rebel Mech, Hera, Charger, Artemis, Hades, or any high-capacity blaster. They should also carry pistols like the Storm Squad, Reflex 6, Rival Kronos', Blitzfires, or MK2s, as well as walkie-talkies and GPS.
- Rapid-fire gunners: This is the main fighting force. Arm with flywheel blasters, walkie-talkies, and GPS.
- Snipers: For taking out with convenience shots. Arm with sniper rifles like the Jupiter XIX-1000, Nexus Pro, or Caliburn, possibly armed with walkie-talkie and GPS.
- Assasins/Scouts: For infiltration and scout operations. Arm with two pistols such as Blitzfires, Storm Squads, or Kronos', walkie-talkies, and GPS. They could have Nerf swords like the Zombie Strikeblade, Vendetta swords, or Marauder swords.
- Heavy gunners/Base gunners: For firing from a stationary post to protect the base from oncoming enemies. Arm with a V-Twin or Nemesis, or any fully automatic gun with a fast rate of fire. Note that the Rhinofire jams a lot and has a very slow rate of fire.
- Commando: For heavy mobile fire, Arm with a Spectrum, Scorpion Gatling Gun, Rebel Mech, as well as a pistol like a Storm Squad, Blitzfire, or Rival Kronos and a walkie-talkie.

1
Move at a sustainable speed through the woods. Stop every 100 meters (328.1 ft) to listen for movement and rest. Keep your guns primed, and if battery operated, keep them off. However, be careful not to accidentally fire your gun, as it will alert any enemies in the area.
2
When an enemy is sighted, trap him or her. Take alternate directions, one person circling the enemy from the right, one from the left. Do not run, move silently and out of sight.
3
When you are within 10 meters (32.8 ft), turn your gun on. Then strike, shooting as many bullets as possible, making sure not to shoot your teammate. If the target is not hit, he or she will start to move away. Do not follow the enemy; stay and collect your ammo.
4
When all ammo has been collected, go in the direction your target went in, but load your guns on the way.

Part 5

Part 5 of 8:

If Attacked

1
If you can see the attack coming from a distance, ready yourself. Make sure you’re fully loaded and primed, then when they cross the 10 meter (32.8 ft) boundary line, fire until you have one magazine left or all of the enemies are down. If the area is secure, stay to collect your bullets. If there are still enemies in the area, clear out as fast as possible.
2
If the enemy surprise attacks you, clear out as fast as possible. Dodge bullets by zigzagging across the battlefield until you are out of range and sight of their guns.

Sniper Response

1
If you are a sniper, do the following:
- Find a good sniping position on high ground (for example, a rocky outcrop).
- Prime your gun.
- Scan the area.
2
Train your sight/scope on the enemy.
3
When he or she is within 10 meters (32.8 ft), fire. The enemy will then either move away or hide nearby and wait until you move to a different location and snipe you.
4
If you are attacked as a sniper:
- If you can see the attack coming from a distance, there is no real threat, just snipe the enemy when they enter your vicinity.
- If surprise attacked, get out of there! The enemy will have a higher rate of fire than you and have the advantage of speed, mobility, and the element of surprise.

Infiltrator/scout Response

1
Move silently through the woods at a steady pace. Be careful not to leave behind obvious footprints or dropped items.
2
When an enemy is sighted, follow them from a distance. Make sure you are not seen or heard. The enemy may lead you to his or her base or hideout.^{[1]
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3
If the enemy is on his or her own, take him or her down by sneaking up on him or her. If he or she is with teammates, walkie-talkie the rapid-fire gunners, using the GPS to give them the co-ordinates of the enemy's base. Input these into your own GPS, along with the co-ordinates of your own base.
4
If attacked as an infiltrator or scout by other infiltrators:
- Judge whether or not you can take them down. If attacked by rapid-fire weapons, run! Finally, if you’re attacked by snipers, hide in cover, then regroup and take them down from behind.

Part 6

Part 6 of 8:

Responding Under Pressure

1
Have a sniper to cover your back in case you are under attack by snipers or rapid fire gunners. Use two or more teammates to cover you. Work together and you are more likely to succeed.

Part 7

Part 7 of 8:

Using General Tactics Throughout Gameplay

1
Build fear where possible. Much like other projectile-tagged games, many Nerf strategies and actions are decided by the thought of fear. This is why retreating and falling back are common in Nerf offensives. The main things that create the fear are the rate of fire and the amount of ammunition. One of the most important factors in winning a Nerf battle/war is to never let the enemy know how much ammo one has.
2
Go on the offensive. Break up the group as much as possible, sending a maximum of three people per small route, while the rest of the team holds larger routes defensively. This allows a smaller team to encircle and eliminate a more concentrated force that will most likely collect in the larger routes.
- It is best to know the surroundings where one is fighting; this helps players know hiding spaces and areas with physical advantages.
  - Spots like these include hills, stairs, fences, and balconies.
3
Defend your base. There are two basic strategies for this:
- First is by using intimidation. This means using heavy fire against then enemy, regardless of accuracy.
  - The drawback to this strategy is that you will be using a lot of darts in a short amount of time. This strategy is best used when there is more than one base defender and they are equip with a motorized weapon. These weapons use a motorized system to continue to fire as long as the soldier continues to hold down the trigger, feeding either from a clip or pre-loaded darts. Examples are the V-Twin, Perses, Nemesis, Prometheus, Spectrum, Rebel Mech, Destructor, Matrixfire, or Commandfire.
- The second strategy is one of anti-intimidation where you don't shoot at all. Let the enemy get comfortable and approach then shoot them at the last moment.
  - If you’re facing multiple enemies, use your cover wisely, as it is one of your biggest advantages over your enemy.
  - If they charge all at once, the best way to counter this is either using a Perses or Nemesis.
4
Take cover. Though it seems obvious, you should always be taking cover even when no enemy is in sight especially while reloading.
5
Do not use damaged darts. They will jam your gun. Put all damaged darts in the damaged dart bin to be repaired.
6
Preserve your shots. Try to make each shot count as you only have a limited number of darts and no guarantee that you will find any soon. If you are pinned down without darts you can be rushed easily.
7
Have a secondary always ready. Small secondary weapons should always be loaded and ready in case you are rushed without any darts in your primary. Always go into battle with at least two guns.^{[2]
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8
Trick your enemy into rushing you by having your weapons loaded and ready then yell out that you are out of ammo. If they rush you, thinking you are an easy kill, prove them wrong.
9
Use code language. Before each battle have a couple of code words you use to send signals to each other that the enemy will not understand.^{[3]
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- For example, "eagle" could mean everyone strike at once, "mouse" could mean you need more ammo, and "snake" could mean retreat back to base.
- Try to keep the code words short and few in number since they should change every battle and everyone needs to be able to easily remember them.
10
Be practical with equipment. Going into battle with 10 guns may look cool, but you will soon find out that you cannot move easily and will get tired soon. Only use guns that you know how to use, that do not jam easily, and that are not too big for you to handle.
11
Be efficient. This means that you should know your equipment. If the first time your blaster gets jammed and you do not know how to unjam it, then you are in trouble.^{[4]
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- Only use guns you are familiar with. The most common kills will be the people who do not know their equipment well.

Part 8

Part 8 of 8:

Using Specific Nerf Tactics

1
Provide cover fire. When moving among barricades or obstacles have your fellow soldiers fire upon the enemy to keep them pinned down while you move closer or get into a better position.^{[5]
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Provide cross fire. With this tactic one soldier positions himself at one angle and another soldier positions himself at an opposite angle so that their shots upon the enemy are coming from two opposite angles making it hard for them to return fire or take cover.^{[6]
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3
Use a "Blitzkrieg". In this method, a densely packed team of Nerfers, typically armed with more powerful blasters, such as the Nemesis, Perses, or V-Twin, use heavy firepower to disorient the enemy with short and powerful attacks. They then surround the enemy and may engage in melee battle if necessary.^{[7]
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4
"Funnel" your team. In this tactic, the team is divided into 2 parts offense to 3 parts defense.^{[8]
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- The defense holds a line on the largest major routes while the offense attempts to secure minor routes.
- If the offense is successful, the enemy team will have no choice but to try to overwhelm the defense in the center.
- When in position, the defense caves in the enemy still hold the area. This will result in the enemy team falling deeper into the now bowl-shaped defensive line.
- The offense then emerges behind the enemy team and takes defensive positions pointed towards the collected enemy team.
- If done correctly, this leaves the enemy team surrounded and without cover. If the plan fails, the entire team can recover quickly by rushing, taking advantage of their already forward position.
5
Try "Blading". This strategy works best on smaller fields where there are less routes to travel. Similar to funneling, blading shares the goal of entrapping the enemy. While not always as effective, it is easier to recover from and requires less communication.^{[9]
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- Your team cuts in a diagonal line across the field. The most powerful members of the team should be on the edges, with the weakest parts of the line in the middle. This leaves the enemy no choice but to attack the line, often focusing on the middle.
- When the enemy is within the bounds of the line, collapse your team on top of them and redistribute your players.
- This leaves your enemy surrounded an all but one side.
  - Note that the line described here is not a straight formation, but rather a loose description of the cover positions of your team.
6
Do a Hit-N-Run. To use this tactic, you take the risk of running close to an enemy bunker and fire once or twice at the enemy close range, then run back for cover.^{[10]
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Rush the opponent's bunkers. Similar to Hit-N-Run, but instead of running back for cover you keep going past the enemy bunker shooting left and right at the enemy.^{[11]
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- Try to get as deep into their territory as possible before being shot or finding cover behind enemy lines.
8
Use the "Spread Out" tactic. This tactic is used when a group of soldiers is moving together and suspects an attack from a Nerf grenade -If close together they could all be hit by a single well placed grenade, but spread-out keeps this from being likely.^{[12]
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9
Draw the enemy's fire to you. This is any tactic used as a distraction. If you move up close to an enemy position you do not have to fire on them - you already are drawing all their fire by being so close. Meanwhile, your allies further back can pick off targets easily without being fired upon.^{[13]
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- Other ways to craw a target is to trick them into thinking you are out of ammo. When they charge in for the kill, you unload your blaster into them.
10
If necessary, it is OK to retreat and re-group. You will often need to.
- You could also set a retreat point with your team in the field or if your base is over-run
- Make sure only your team knows where the base is.
- Send an assault squad to break in the base. Then, capture as many as 3 to 5 of the best soldiers on guard on the enemy team; now, tie or lock them up to your base. Next, call the enemy team and say "We've got your soldiers; save them in 5 minutes or else we'll shoot em!"; then, when they come, get ready to attack. Shoot your hostages and then shoot the approaching team members and Booyah!

Community Q&A

Question

If I am out of ammo, what do I do?

Community Answer

Hide if you can. If an enemy fires on you, dodge it, pick up the darts, and flee as fast as you can. Then, find a safe place to reload your ammo.
Question

What can I do to keep enemies away from my base?

Community Answer

If you can't protect the base, hide all weapons and ammo, and make the base appear abandoned.
Question

What happens if you get captured and they take all your supplies? What do you do?

Community Answer

All you can do. You want to be a spy for your team. Find some way to communicate with your team to tell them everything you know about the formation, the guns they are using, and if they will be offensive or defensive.