Black Ops II: Sticks and Stones Game Guide

I've been playing Call of Duty Black Ops 2 Sticks and Stones for the last couple of days.  Here is what I have learned, and hopefully it can make you a better player at this cool game type.

1. Understand the scoring;

Crossbow kill - 10 points
Ballistic Knife kill - 10 points
Combat Knife/ballistic knife melee - 5 points
Combat Axe hit 5 points (bankrupt / humiliation)
Kills due to car explosions - 10 points

2. Know the Rules:

Kills are scored as above.

Combat axe kills cause the killed player to lose all their points (called bankrupt / humiliation).

Suicide also causes you to be bankrupt.

After you use all your crossbow ammo, you will only have your ballistic knife and combat axe.

There is a constant radar sweep that lets you know the positions of the other players.  Be aware there is some lag and this display is not in real time, but for the most part you will know the general location of other players.

You do not get any of the attachments for the crossbow during Sticks and Stones.


3. Know that you can have more than one combat axe, when you kill a player with the axe run over him so you can retrieve your axe.  When you kill a player that has thrown an axe at you, you can pick it up then you will have two axes.

4. A bit of tactics about car explosions.  Be aware of the maps that have cars, and when players try to use them as cover or are near them shoot them with to crossbow and blow them up.  Easy points.

5. Because melee and combat axe kills count for less, go for crossbow kills to build up your points.  And when you see someone who is away from their keyboard (AFK, free kill) then kill them with your crossbow to get more points.  Some people love getting humiliations but for AFKs go for the higher points.  There will be many games when that extra 5 points means the difference between winning and loosing.

5. Use "Sticks and Stones" to get all the challenges for your crossbow and ballistic knife.  You can get the Crossbow and Ballistic Knife Marksman achievements done.  Wait until you get all those challenges done then you can start going for more combat axe kills. To have the challenges count, you have to have unlocked the crossbow and the combat knife.  The crossbow is unlocked at level 25 and the ballistic knife is unlocked at level 49.  You can also use "Sticks and Stones" to get the combat axe challenges done also.

6. Once you get your crossbow and ballistic knife achievements, then focus on using the combat axe.  When using the combat axe don't run around with the axe ready to throw.  This slows your movement down.  If you can switch between the knife and crossbow quickly, it is better to run around with the knife at the ready.  This will help you to move faster. And moving faster is a good thing see number 8 below.

7. Often times in this game you will get two, three, or even four players all trying to kill each other at the same time.  All running around shooting the crossbow and ballistic knife at each other.  Try to stay back and shoot into the crowd.  Even throw your axe if you want, but probably it is best to stay back and get the easy kills. Also be prepared when doing this for other players to try to sneak up on you and kill you while you are shooting into the crowd.

8. Stay as mobile as possible.  It is harder to shoot a player who is moving, and if you are moving you will come up on other players who are not moving as much and they will be easy kills.  Look for other players passing through choke points or other narrow parts of the map because they will be easier to kill.

9.  When you are ahead in the game, try to limit the engagements that you get into.  You can be humiliated bankrupted in the last moment of the game.  It can be heartbreaking to build up a comfortable lead and then have it taken a way with the last kill of the game.

10. Have fun.  Many players really get vocal and start berating each other and the game because they are losing.  My advice, is don't play mad bro. It is just a game.