Spawn Timer

Key Information:

• The spawn timer holds the key to success or failure in any competitive match.

• The spawn queue is shared with the whole team, as players die they will add a specific amount of time to the queue (Light: 3s, Medium: 4s, Heavy: 6s) and nobody will spawn until the timer hits 0s.

• Once the players have spawned, the timer will reset to 15s and count downwards, stopping at 5s if there are no dead players added to the queue; this is the base spawn time. 

• When defenders lose an objective or attackers lose a recapturable objective they will receive instant respawn for a short duration (15s). So after losing an objective you are able to suicide to immediately respawn and setup defences for the next, or quickly attack again.

Lessons for the attacking team:

• The defending team is most vulnerable immediately after they spawn as the timer is reset to 15s, any frags at this moment will cause them to have the max possible spawn timer. 

• Spawn camping can be a simple and effective strategy on most objectives to get frags, and also cause the defenders to have the maximum spawn timer. 

• Try to keep pushing once you get the initial frags, to prevent the defenders from getting a respawn, and to gain map control which will make it easier to progress on the objective.

• Competitive gameplay is not always about getting frags whenever possible, sometimes it’s better to keep the defenders alive. This is due to the way armour works, as it cannot be restored except by respawning via getting fragged or suicide, attackers must use this to their advantage. A disciplined team will attack on the first wave (a push as 5 players) with the intention of stripping the armour of all defenders, without fragging them, so they can be easily wiped on the second wave.

Lessons for the defending team:

• Try not to die immediately after anyone on your team spawns (beware of spawn camps), this is when your team is most vulnerable. You must try to stay alive while also preventing the opponents from capturing the objective until your spawn timer settles again.

• If you are the last person alive, or your spawn timer is very high, you need to buy your team as much time as possible while also stalling the opponents from capturing the objective. Wasting the attackers time by making them chase you (without dying obviously), EMP’ing or fragging their deckers (for a decking objective) are some possible options.

• After wiping the opponents or defeating a push in a way that the objective is no longer in danger, it is usually the time to communicate respawns for priority players, particularly those that need to have max armour to defend against another push. Any weak heavy players will often take a respawn quickly, this must be communicated properly as multiple suicides at the same time (particularly involving heavies) can cost you the objective.