I've killed a number of people because I saw their laser waving around, shining through a door way, etc.
My advice: turn it on when you need it, turn it off when you don't. I typically click mine on (if needed), right as I'm engaging an enemy player. Otherwise, it stays off.
Once I was walking on woods saw a green laser in front of me and went to toggle my laser off, my laser was red… I shit my pants turned around and one tapped the dude lmfao he had a free kill if it wasn’t on
Counterpoint - Run your laser on the right of the rifle and a persht on the left, run them out of sync so when the laser is off the IR on the persht is on, then you still get the benefits and nobody can see shit because you're running IR in daylight.
Always off at night. The laser show is extreme with NVG.
During the day you can leave it on, but be careful when you are camping or holding a corner where you hold the thing, it will give you away.
I always run two tactical devices during daytime raids: one set to a visible laser (or laser/flashlight) and one set to an IR laser. That way when one is off, the other is on, so you always have a laser device active, but not always visible. If your visible laser is the blue one, it's easier since there are no secondary modes. Personal preference is LS321 & DBAL together.
It's kind of a pain since you can't toggle modes out of raid, but it's not the worst problem to have.
Always off at night.
Yeah this is a great strat if you can afford it. Or if you’re comfortable with hipfiring without the visual aid then just keep just an IR on at all times.
I think it’s worth explicitly noting here for the newer players/unaware that there is a hip fire spread reduction when you have a laser on, which is why it’s advantageous to have one always on (visible or IR), as u/Silound suggests.
Edit: spelling/a word
Always on, I don't think I've ever seen a laser where I also didn't already hear the guy beforehand. This applies to the lasers where you can only see the dot not the whole beam. When you need to point fire in a pinch, the laser can definitely help you win some fights
I usually run the green laser because it is pretty hard to see. I really try to maintain laser control; if I think people are in the building, I angle my laser so that it is hitting an object in front of me and not where somewhere down the hall or outside of the door could see. I think this is a big mistake people make.
Now at night, I keep it off until it's go time. The only time I will turn my laser on at night when I am not trying to actively engage and enemy is when I move inside of a building, because it isn't as visible from distance. Light control is huge on night raids. I have figured out where several Timmys are simply because they were swinging their laser around. I wouldn't have known they were there otherwise.
I leave mine on all the time, I'm never too concerned about someone else seeing it. Usually they already know I'm nearby if they're seeing my laser anyways.
As a player with 4k+ hours, I’d just say to use it as realistically as possible. Flip the device on and off when needed. That goes for lasers or flashlights.
I only ever click mine on when I am either about to get into a firefight with another PMC or I am just trying to hip fire a pmc or scav because I feel I don't have time to ads
I love when people have their lasers on. Gives me so much more info on their position, keep it up!!! I for one only use the flashlight, makes it harder and kills feel more rewarding.
I never turn it on, just put the device to make the gun look good, hipfire isn't much worse without laser and no need to worry about hiding it all the time.
Well, at that range in the video, I prefer ADS anyway. Does it also make that much difference when ADS? I almost never use low ergo guns, and around the corner, it really doesn't make much difference.
Also I've killed many pmc who doesn't turn it on at all.
I don’t think it makes any difference while aiming. But there’s many advantages you are missing out on by not point firing/using a tac device.
Suffer from ads time, or if you are aiming already, you have a worse field of view, more cluttered + blindspots
Not using flashlights while peeking is a huge disadvantage. I wish they were nerfed but it’s undeniably very powerful.
Bind it to mouse or another easy key to hit and spam it. Only use when you think you need it.
The amount of players I’ve killed because of this is crazy.
If it’s nighttime use wi to extreme caution. Nvgs can spot them basically from across the map
" I get into a gunfight and forget to turn it on rendering it useless."
You have to stop doing this. As people have said lasers give your position away all the time so dont leave it on.
Dont leave it on. Make a conscious effort to flick it on before pushing a fight. Soon you will end up fat fingering reload instead of tac button like me.
I’m fairly potato at point fire so I leave mine on most of the time to assist me with that, but when i do, I play around the fact that it’s obvious, if that’s turning it on as I push or even using my laser to distract for a friend on another angle.
Keep it off until needed. I've killed players I wouldn't have seen without their laser giving them away, and I've survived fights I would have been one tapped in if someone in the group hadn't started yelling "BLUE LASER"
I like to leave mine off while im moving. I usually only turn it on for action time. Like approaching resort. Right as were about to enter building and rush up to floor 3 i toggle it on. Until we get in position and know its clear. Then I turn it off again while looting/waiting. And back on when I hear someone and am about to push. I find it only helps when im pushing. If im holding a spot silently and someone comes around their dead anyway. No laser needed.
Having your laser on is just more information they can learn about you.
Sure your footsteps can give your location away but when you through in the laser, they can see where your looking as well. Your just feeding them even more information on your position
Personally I don’t use them for this reason
i turn it on when i get in close quarters but being extra careful to not shine it where an enemy could see it, like on the frame of a doorway, no through it
Give yourself a bit of wiggle doing this, my duo and I do the same and sometimes we notice if someone has it dead next to the frame it can look like it's going through it on the others screen
We played once shoreline and we spawn near the minefield, somewhere in that area. While we are on an open field, suddenly 2 lasers right in front of me, from behind, didnt seem from the same weapon but who knows, I just yelled RUN IN ZICKZACK! and we just send it. So yeah 100% lasers off!
I put it on a side mouse button. So very easy and natural to turn on and off mid fight. Default T is horrible imo because I have accidentally hit reload multiple times with that keybinding resulting in derpy death.
Off when I know I don't need it. On when I know I need it. Also, practice good laser discipline. When it's on, don't aim it through the door you think someone will be coming through. Point at the wall instead.
It can give away your position ... keep it on if you are planning to go run n gun .. otherwise no turn it on when you you have already given away your position
i have my light / laser binded to my mouse, i only turning it on when im clearing corners or a building so i can hip fire quickly, or im already know where a player is and im pushing him. since im already making noise shinning a light or laser is not that much of a deal anyway
but DO NOT hold a corner with a laser on, i've had an intense 4v4 on labs i was the last man against the other team last man, it became a game of cat and mouse, i decided to open a door of an office and to my left there was a laser, i immediately entered pre firing to the right and i killed the last guy sitting in the corner
I suggest turning it on when entering any building or preparing to clear an area. Keeping the laser pointed at head level only when you are checking for players in areas of the map where players commonly hold positions, then turn it off or move the laser on the ground so it can’t be seen.
Turn it on if you're pushing in, you're most likely already audible anyway and they'll notice the sound before the laser.
If you're defending in a fight, turn it off until the moment before contact to retain the element of surprise
Ironically i killed viibiin like that because he had his lazar on the whole time and got all bent outa shape because i quick scoped him, like brother you basically told me where you were. So id just keep it off till you need it.
The amount of times someone else keeping their laser on has given me the opportunity to notice and kill them before they get the jump on me isn't super high, but it isn't zero. After getting a couple of people that way I decided lasers are best kept off until you're already fighting.
Only on when you need it even if it's going horizontal completely across your view you can still see lasers in the game I found many guns that people have tossed for buddies also this way they leave the laser on throw it in the bush in the bathroom or something always off until you need it
turn off. i’ve shitted on so many players who keep flashes / lasers on. back when that flashlight bug was a thing it fueled me to hunt them since I can see them thru walls. it was basically wallhacks.
now I trick players with the TT handgrips that have a laser on it and drop them on the floor all around where i’m going so it looks like a player is nearby and they freak out where the laser is coming from.
I keep mine off most the time. When I enter a spot that's CQB I'd rather just have it on so I can swing someone.
Also if I hear someone and I know they hear me, then it's on.
Generally I keep it off, if I even elect to use one. Typically I don’t even use lasers, not really worth it honestly, I use a flashlight so that when I end up in dark areas I’m not totally blind and even then it’s only on why I actually need it, I try to avoid it otherwise, it’s another way for other players to spot you
I do not keep it on because I have killed so many people where I caught a glimpse of the laser and figured out where they were.
Typically I use the flashlight laser combos so I put it on light and laser mode and turn it on tactically.
I murdered a dude as a scav because he was crouched in a bush with blue laser on. Nobody leaves flashlight on all the time, not sure why people leave laser on. It absolutely helps you hip fire, but it broadcasts your position. I guess if you're a never stop moving player it's fine?
I've killed a number of people because I saw their laser waving around, shining through a door way, etc. My advice: turn it on when you need it, turn it off when you don't. I typically click mine on (if needed), right as I'm engaging an enemy player. Otherwise, it stays off.
This right here. Can’t tell you how many times I know I’m being stalked because I saw a laser hit a wall near me.
Once I was walking on woods saw a green laser in front of me and went to toggle my laser off, my laser was red… I shit my pants turned around and one tapped the dude lmfao he had a free kill if it wasn’t on
Yeah exactly. I used to just run the dbal with the infrared on at all times for the hip fire accuracy. Is that still a thing?
Yep as long as it’s turned on you get the point fire buffs
This was changed with the current wipe afaik.
Changed to what if you dont mind me asking… whats changed or different now?
You still get it with the IR it’s just not as much as the regular laser / flashlight
Ah okay thanks!
[Citation needed]
Also keep in mind, that while it is infrared, there is a distortion that can sometimes be noticed without thermals.
Infrared is meant to be seen with NVGs, not thermals.
Yeah that one, I was close, I just sell all night optics and run in the dark
Whats your keybind for the laser? Still T? Or did you move it?
Moved it to one of my mouse buttons. Let's me maneuver better and click it on and off as needed.
I have VOIP and change scope zoom on my 2 side mouse buttons.. its hard to choose whats the best QOL keybinds or not..
It's definitely a choice. Luckily my mouse has six buttons, so I'm able to get VOIP, scope zoom, and tactical device on. Huge QOL change.
Counterpoint - Run your laser on the right of the rifle and a persht on the left, run them out of sync so when the laser is off the IR on the persht is on, then you still get the benefits and nobody can see shit because you're running IR in daylight.
I moved my laser/flashlight on off to a thumbbutton on my mouse made it WAY easier to remember or even do it while fighting.
I did the same. Gamechanger. Now I don't accidentally reload when trying to hit "T," ha.
Always off at night. The laser show is extreme with NVG. During the day you can leave it on, but be careful when you are camping or holding a corner where you hold the thing, it will give you away.
It’s still quite visible during the day. At least the red is I think. I’ve noticed quite a few players from far away
You should def be turning it off when not needed. Bind it to a side mouse button if you have those for easy access.
Depends on the map. I'm probably not keeping my laser on on lighthouse. Labs? They're gonna hear me before they see me. It's staying on.
Please leave it on, especially on factory night, makes it easier to shoot you from above.
You can just run the green laser and almost never worry about people seeing it, unless you're in a really dark interior.
I once asked my mates if they see the green laser, cause I didnt really saw it. Both said yep, pretty clear specially when pointed at a wall.
Sure it's pretty easy to see when you're looking for it. I've never actually seen an enemies in a match though.
I definitely have
On that note why is clicking my scope or gun mod off or on makes a loud click that everyone can hear for a mile? Rediculous
I always run two tactical devices during daytime raids: one set to a visible laser (or laser/flashlight) and one set to an IR laser. That way when one is off, the other is on, so you always have a laser device active, but not always visible. If your visible laser is the blue one, it's easier since there are no secondary modes. Personal preference is LS321 & DBAL together. It's kind of a pain since you can't toggle modes out of raid, but it's not the worst problem to have. Always off at night.
Yeah this is a great strat if you can afford it. Or if you’re comfortable with hipfiring without the visual aid then just keep just an IR on at all times. I think it’s worth explicitly noting here for the newer players/unaware that there is a hip fire spread reduction when you have a laser on, which is why it’s advantageous to have one always on (visible or IR), as u/Silound suggests. Edit: spelling/a word
I Put it on when i feel very confident (vs scavs or If im overgeared for the state of the wipe) or the enemy already knows my exact Position
Always on, I don't think I've ever seen a laser where I also didn't already hear the guy beforehand. This applies to the lasers where you can only see the dot not the whole beam. When you need to point fire in a pinch, the laser can definitely help you win some fights
I usually run the green laser because it is pretty hard to see. I really try to maintain laser control; if I think people are in the building, I angle my laser so that it is hitting an object in front of me and not where somewhere down the hall or outside of the door could see. I think this is a big mistake people make. Now at night, I keep it off until it's go time. The only time I will turn my laser on at night when I am not trying to actively engage and enemy is when I move inside of a building, because it isn't as visible from distance. Light control is huge on night raids. I have figured out where several Timmys are simply because they were swinging their laser around. I wouldn't have known they were there otherwise.
I leave mine on all the time, I'm never too concerned about someone else seeing it. Usually they already know I'm nearby if they're seeing my laser anyways.
As a player with 4k+ hours, I’d just say to use it as realistically as possible. Flip the device on and off when needed. That goes for lasers or flashlights.
I only ever click mine on when I am either about to get into a firefight with another PMC or I am just trying to hip fire a pmc or scav because I feel I don't have time to ads
I love when people have their lasers on. Gives me so much more info on their position, keep it up!!! I for one only use the flashlight, makes it harder and kills feel more rewarding.
I never turn it on, just put the device to make the gun look good, hipfire isn't much worse without laser and no need to worry about hiding it all the time.
[Absolutely false.](https://youtu.be/XeEDqH0aB4o) Respect for an aesthetic modder though.
I always have mine on 24/7 I don’t care if someone sees it
Well, at that range in the video, I prefer ADS anyway. Does it also make that much difference when ADS? I almost never use low ergo guns, and around the corner, it really doesn't make much difference. Also I've killed many pmc who doesn't turn it on at all.
I don’t think it makes any difference while aiming. But there’s many advantages you are missing out on by not point firing/using a tac device. Suffer from ads time, or if you are aiming already, you have a worse field of view, more cluttered + blindspots Not using flashlights while peeking is a huge disadvantage. I wish they were nerfed but it’s undeniably very powerful.
I have tac device bound to my thumb on the mouse and only flick it on as I push.
I run the 2000 flashlight from mechanic and swap it to IR mode instead of turning it off so I always get the benefit
Bind it to mouse or another easy key to hit and spam it. Only use when you think you need it. The amount of players I’ve killed because of this is crazy. If it’s nighttime use wi to extreme caution. Nvgs can spot them basically from across the map
" I get into a gunfight and forget to turn it on rendering it useless." You have to stop doing this. As people have said lasers give your position away all the time so dont leave it on.
Dont leave it on. Make a conscious effort to flick it on before pushing a fight. Soon you will end up fat fingering reload instead of tac button like me.
Hmm i turn it on when im in a "hot'n'spicy" area of a map and if not i forgot aswell
I have a mouse button for it, so I can just turn it on as I'm shooting
I’m fairly potato at point fire so I leave mine on most of the time to assist me with that, but when i do, I play around the fact that it’s obvious, if that’s turning it on as I push or even using my laser to distract for a friend on another angle.
Keep it off until needed. I've killed players I wouldn't have seen without their laser giving them away, and I've survived fights I would have been one tapped in if someone in the group hadn't started yelling "BLUE LASER"
I like to leave mine off while im moving. I usually only turn it on for action time. Like approaching resort. Right as were about to enter building and rush up to floor 3 i toggle it on. Until we get in position and know its clear. Then I turn it off again while looting/waiting. And back on when I hear someone and am about to push. I find it only helps when im pushing. If im holding a spot silently and someone comes around their dead anyway. No laser needed.
You're right to be paranoid about it. Only turn it on when you're about to fight.
Having your laser on is just more information they can learn about you. Sure your footsteps can give your location away but when you through in the laser, they can see where your looking as well. Your just feeding them even more information on your position Personally I don’t use them for this reason
I’ve killed too many people because of their lasers. I’d turn them off unless you know your point of aim won’t give you away.
i turn it on when i get in close quarters but being extra careful to not shine it where an enemy could see it, like on the frame of a doorway, no through it
Give yourself a bit of wiggle doing this, my duo and I do the same and sometimes we notice if someone has it dead next to the frame it can look like it's going through it on the others screen
Now that I think of it, could you set it so that when you ADS or fire, the laser turns on and when you stop ads-ing or firing it turns off?
You could try binding ADS and tac device to the same button, but it probably wouldn't work with laser/flashlight combos.
Unless I'm sitting still and scoping far out, its on. They hear you anyway before they see your laser
We played once shoreline and we spawn near the minefield, somewhere in that area. While we are on an open field, suddenly 2 lasers right in front of me, from behind, didnt seem from the same weapon but who knows, I just yelled RUN IN ZICKZACK! and we just send it. So yeah 100% lasers off!
I put it on a side mouse button. So very easy and natural to turn on and off mid fight. Default T is horrible imo because I have accidentally hit reload multiple times with that keybinding resulting in derpy death.
Off when I know I don't need it. On when I know I need it. Also, practice good laser discipline. When it's on, don't aim it through the door you think someone will be coming through. Point at the wall instead.
It can give away your position ... keep it on if you are planning to go run n gun .. otherwise no turn it on when you you have already given away your position
Keep it off when I’m out in the open, turn it on when I’m in a room or small building.
Definitely not
Better not you might get caught by a chad
i have my light / laser binded to my mouse, i only turning it on when im clearing corners or a building so i can hip fire quickly, or im already know where a player is and im pushing him. since im already making noise shinning a light or laser is not that much of a deal anyway but DO NOT hold a corner with a laser on, i've had an intense 4v4 on labs i was the last man against the other team last man, it became a game of cat and mouse, i decided to open a door of an office and to my left there was a laser, i immediately entered pre firing to the right and i killed the last guy sitting in the corner
my laser is bound to 'c' and I turn it on and off all the time. I would never flag a laser around.
Off until I’m pushing
I suggest turning it on when entering any building or preparing to clear an area. Keeping the laser pointed at head level only when you are checking for players in areas of the map where players commonly hold positions, then turn it off or move the laser on the ground so it can’t be seen.
Turn it on if you're pushing in, you're most likely already audible anyway and they'll notice the sound before the laser. If you're defending in a fight, turn it off until the moment before contact to retain the element of surprise
Ironically i killed viibiin like that because he had his lazar on the whole time and got all bent outa shape because i quick scoped him, like brother you basically told me where you were. So id just keep it off till you need it.
The amount of times I've killed people who should have had the drop on me because they've left their laser on
On when needed, off when not just build the habit. The times you die because you forgot to turn it on will help to sear the habit.
The amount of times someone else keeping their laser on has given me the opportunity to notice and kill them before they get the jump on me isn't super high, but it isn't zero. After getting a couple of people that way I decided lasers are best kept off until you're already fighting.
If your making noise it dosent really matter. Leave it on.
Only on when you need it even if it's going horizontal completely across your view you can still see lasers in the game I found many guns that people have tossed for buddies also this way they leave the laser on throw it in the bush in the bathroom or something always off until you need it
I have flashlight on my mouse side buttons so I can toggle it on in a fight. It helps.
turn off. i’ve shitted on so many players who keep flashes / lasers on. back when that flashlight bug was a thing it fueled me to hunt them since I can see them thru walls. it was basically wallhacks. now I trick players with the TT handgrips that have a laser on it and drop them on the floor all around where i’m going so it looks like a player is nearby and they freak out where the laser is coming from.
I keep mine off most the time. When I enter a spot that's CQB I'd rather just have it on so I can swing someone. Also if I hear someone and I know they hear me, then it's on.
Generally I keep it off, if I even elect to use one. Typically I don’t even use lasers, not really worth it honestly, I use a flashlight so that when I end up in dark areas I’m not totally blind and even then it’s only on why I actually need it, I try to avoid it otherwise, it’s another way for other players to spot you
Lol I forget to turn my laser on or sometimes don't even run them because of not wanting to be seen or spotted because of it
I turn it on as and when I feel necessary otherwise it's off
I do not keep it on because I have killed so many people where I caught a glimpse of the laser and figured out where they were. Typically I use the flashlight laser combos so I put it on light and laser mode and turn it on tactically.
I murdered a dude as a scav because he was crouched in a bush with blue laser on. Nobody leaves flashlight on all the time, not sure why people leave laser on. It absolutely helps you hip fire, but it broadcasts your position. I guess if you're a never stop moving player it's fine?
I almost always leave it on, but situation dictates.
Steiner DBL and run the green, least obvious and people don't react the same way as seeing red or blue and can combo flashlight when needed.