Basic Circle Strafing

 Circle strafing is a manuver in which a player moves around a target, more or less in a circular pattern, while facing it at all times. The ability to circle strafe smoothly and accurately is one of the greatest advantages to the mouse+keys config. It is a basic skill to good mouse+keys players.

 Simple circle strafing is seldom used in a deathmatch by an advanced player (but I do see intermediate skilled players doing it sometimes, and its probably a good idea for them). Regardless of this, being able to perform basic circle strafing manuvers come before being able to adapt circle strafing into weapons techniques.

 Pure circle strafing involves pressing a strafe key that steps the player in one direction, and moving the mouse to the side, in the other direction. This creates a generally circular sidestep. An example of this would be a config that has D as its strafe right key, depressing this key while moving the mouse to the left. That particular circlestrafe is counter-clockwise.
 
 

One of the foundations of strong chaingun technique
is the mastery of Modified Circlestrafing

 
 

 Modified circle strafing is more balanced and useful. Pure circle strafing has a directional problem that it has a strong tendancy to circle outward, away from the would-be target. By using straferunning at the same time as circlestrafing, this tendancy is greatly reduced. Using this modification of circlestrafing along with angling the mouse movement slightly back can create a near-perfect circle-strafe.
 
 

 Return to Beginnings of good player movement page