Star Wars Battlefront Fighter Squadron game mode is its own beast when it comes to gameplay. Players are picked up off the ground and dumped in a star ship where they’ve got to do battle enemy players and AI ships in a war of attrition.

Making the leap to Fighter Squadron can be tough, especially if you don’t have much experience with flying games. If you fall into this category we’ve got some tips that should help you increase your kill count, and decrease the amount of flaming wrecks you burst into.

Practice the controls

The biggest hurdle you will have to get used to is the control scheme, which if you’re using a mouse is clunky to say the least. If you have the option of using a controller or joystick I would suggest you consider setting to up to make your fighter squadron experience a lot more fun.

Either way, once you have your control system of choice locked in you should take some time to practice it. There are several missions that you can use to practice flying. Once you’ve got those down pat you’re ready to take it to the big show.

Power ups

Just like the other game modes, squadron maps are full of useful pickups that can mean the difference between life and death. The difference is, squadrons pickups are a little tougher to grab. Almost all of them will be in precarious positions either close to the group, or right beside a building. You’ll need tight control of your ship and nerves of steel to grab them without hurtling to your death.

 The different types of powerups are:

• Hero Power Up – Grabbing this power up will change you into the millennium falcon if you’re a rebel, and the Slave I if you’re imperial. Often in the most tough to get to locations along the ground.
• Cooldown reduction – A very useful pickup to get early. It reduces the time it takes for your weapons and abilities to cooldown.
• Health pickup – returns 50% of your ships total health.

Transport ships

One easy way to make a comeback, or increase your lead is to destroy the enemy transport ship. Once a match, each side will have a transport ship spawn that either has to be protected (if it’s yours) or destroyed (if it’s your enemies). Destroying it will give your team a significant chunk of points, but if you let it escape you’ll get none.

Focus the transports as soon as they come into the map, but try not to follow behind it while shooting, as that leaves you wide open to fire from the enemy ships. Instead destroy it with a series of strafing attacks, staying just long enough to get a full blaster set off before bugging out. If your team is coordinated, the ship won’t last more than a few seconds.

AI Ships

While player controlled ships are worth more in points you shouldn’t ignore the bots ships because they do award a point when killed. They also have a significantly lower amount of health than player ships, meaning you can mop up a whole bunch with little to no effort. Just be sure to watch your six for actual players while farming the bot ships, or all that farming could be for nothing if you get killed right after.