Shooting

== Shooting From Holdfast: Nations At War Wiki

Musket fire in Holdfast: Nations at War is governed by a combination of projectile physics, historical inaccuracy, and class-specific buffs. Mastering weapon fire requires understanding the differences between Napoleonic-era smoothbore muskets and the more accurate rifles found in both eras, particularly in the Frontlines mode.

Console Controls (Xbox Series X/S & PlayStation 5) The table below outlines the primary controls for weapon handling on console platforms. These controls are generally consistent across all weapons in both Napoleonic and Frontlines modes.

Action Xbox Control PlayStation 5 Control PC Equivalent Aim / Ready Weapon Left Trigger (LT) L2 Right-Click Fire Weapon Right Trigger (RT) R2 Left-Click Reload Weapon X Button Square Button R Switch to Melee Mode Y Button Triangle Button X Crouch B Button Circle Button CTRL Weapon Type Differences and Aiming The main difference in shooting mechanics lies in the weapon types used in the two main historical periods of the game: Napoleonic (Muskets) and Frontlines (Rifles/Modern).

1. Napoleonic Era Weapons (Muskets & Rifles) The Napoleonic era features two primary long-arm types with vastly different accuracy profiles:

Weapon Type Class Key Characteristics Aiming Difference Musket (Smoothbore) Line Infantry, Guard, Light Infantry High Random Lateral Spread (side-to-side deviation). Slow reload (≈12 seconds). Uses a simple circular or square crosshair (no iron sights). Rely on Volley Fire. Aiming is primarily to compensate for bullet drop (see Ranging Guide). Horizontal accuracy is largely luck/RNG. Rifle (Rifled Barrel) Rifleman (Skirmisher) Significantly Higher Accuracy and better range. Less lateral spread. Slightly slower reload than a Musket. Precision Shots. Allows for aiming at individual targets at longer ranges. The need to compensate for bullet drop remains, but the bullet path is more predictable. Musket Ranging Guide Because muskets are so inaccurate laterally, the focus is on vertical compensation for bullet drop. Use the bottom quadrant of your crosshair as the reference point:

Range Aiming Tip (Using Crosshair Bottom) 0 - 20 meters (Close) Aim centre mass (body) with the reticle at about knee height. 100+ meters (Long) Aim with the reticle's bottom at the enemy's head height. 2. Frontlines Era Weapons The Frontlines mode shifts the combat to World War I, introducing modern weapons that dramatically change the shooting experience.

Weapon Type Key Characteristics Aiming Difference Bolt-Action Rifle Higher accuracy than Napoleonic Rifles. Features Iron Sights when aiming down sights (ADS). Fast reload (clip/stripper clip) after the magazine is empty. Precise Aiming. Compensate for bullet drop, but the primary method of aiming uses the iron sights (Right Trigger / L2). Shots are generally consistent. Machine Guns / Pistols High rate of fire, varying accuracy. Follow standard first-person shooter aiming conventions. Hip-fire is possible but less effective than ADS. Aiming Difference in Frontlines: Napoleonic: Primarily crosshair-based, focusing on estimating vertical drop against a simple crosshair, with a high degree of randomness.

Frontlines: Primarily Iron Sights (when aiming with LT / L2). Accuracy is high, and the emphasis shifts to leading moving targets and judging distance for minor bullet drop.

Improving Your Aim (Universal Tips) Crouch to Shoot: Crouching (B / Circle) provides an immediate and significant buff to accuracy for all long-arms, especially the Rifleman class (+15% accuracy bonus when crouching).

Stand Still: Do not move while firing. The loss of accuracy from movement is drastic.

Use Buffs: Stand near Officers (for accuracy/damage buffs) and Musicians (for reload buffs) to gain a competitive edge in the Napoleonic era.

Target Clumps: With Muskets, your best chance of a hit, especially at range, is by firing into the largest mass of enemy soldiers.

Remove Aim Assist (Console): Many console players report that turning off the in-game Aim Assist allows for better manual control and more reliable aiming, particularly with the sensitive analog stick input. (Check the 'Game' or 'Controller Config' settings under Advanced Settings).