Wolfenstein tips for weapons and defeating non-boss enemies

I'm going to give you tips for weapons and beating non-boss enemies for Wolfenstein (2009) I'll cover boss enemies later. But first, don't crash and burn.

1. Don't Let the Black Sun Crash Down on Me. My XBOX 360 game froze and crashed at the last mission, "Black Sun." It wouldn't load. Mein Lieben! At the time, I had collected 100% of all collectibles i.e., all the gold, intel and tomes. I had replayed a couple missions and was not deleting games as I went forward. Nobody told me to. Well, that's the perfect storm for a a game freeze and crash. Here are two solutions to keep the game from crashing. I have tried both and they work.

Solution One. You can play the game and not collect more than 80% in collectibles. Don't replay missions. That means by the time you are ready to jump into the portal to start "Black Sun" you have less than 80% in gold, less than 80% in tomes, and less than 80% in intel.

Solution Two. This is the preferred way since getting all the collectibles is advantageous. As you are playing the game, delete previous saved games. You do this from the pause and load menu. By the time you reach the second to last mission, "Zeppelin" you should only have saved games from that mission. When you reach the portal room, the room you go to power down the weapon, you should have one save which is the area before the portal room. Now complete the task and grab the last intel. Get ready to jump into the portal and get psyched for the "Black Sun" mission. So, why is it advatangeous to collect all the items? Glad you asked....

2. Item Collector. You don't have to collect all the gold to significantly upgrade your weapons. However the advantage to collecting all the gold is obvious as it allows the luxury to buy advanced upgrades.

Collecting the intel unlocks weapons upgrades. It also can give you game hints as to how to accomplish certain objectives. Collecting all the intel gets you all weapons upgrades without paying for them. Okay, that reward sounds good but you can't get all the intel until you finish "Zeppelin" which is the second to last mission. I mean the silencer for your submachine gun is useless in the final boss battle.

Collecting all the tomes gives you a better advantage. If you play all the main missions and side missions before the last mission on the ground called "Airfield" and collect all the tomes you will be rewarded with all the crystal powers! I did this at the early part of the side mission "Radio Tower." Not only can you use your powers for the remainder of "Radio Tower" but they are available to you at "Airfield, Zeppelin and Black Sun." Pretty cool? So what are the most useful Veil powers?

3. Veil Powered by Crystals. First, be aware of veil areas which will refill your personal veil pool. Also note the various cannisters of veil energy which also refills your veil pool. The veil energy is a bright green seen clearly through the trasparent container. Second, note that Mire, Shield and Empower crystals drain veil energy much quicker than using Veil Sight which is a much slower drain. (Parentheticals are where crystals, weapons and enemies are first encountered.)

a. Veil Sight. (Dig Site) Veil sight is the first power you will get. It allows you to enter the alternate dimension. Whlle there you will see enemies highlighted. You will see weaknesses highlighted. There will be geists floating around. When one is close to an enemy shoot it. It will release a discharge of energy hurting your foe. You can also refill while in the Veil.

The first two upgrades I buy are Inner Light and Inner Brilliance. I get these as soon as they are available. They increase your personal pool of veil energy. The other two, Veil Sight Upgrade and Crystal Harmony, are luxuries which you can play the game pretty much without. Though, Crystal Harmony is a good one to get towards the end of the game, before you go to the "Airport." Its power allows you to more quickly refill your pool but the effect is not very noticable. It is helpful against tough bosses.

b. Mire. (Dig Site) This crystal slows down time. Frankly, I used this the least, even against fast moving Scribes. I used it to get through areas such as ones with quickly closing doors.

c. Shield. (Farm) This creates a shield against most damage. It works agains tbullets. Against fire, not so much. The Reflective Crystal upgrade is fun because against infantry it bounces bullets back at them. The Reactive Crystal is really cool against melee enemies who rush at you. It dissolves them on contact. Unfortunately, it is only available after the "Castle" level which occurs late in the game.

d. Empower. (Hospital) This is a power boost to all weapons. Now you can penetrate shields, making it easier to bring down Scribes. It also lets you fire through shields that protect power sources, letting you get through areas. I am not too excited about the Piercing and Penetrating Crystals which allow you to fire through heavy materials to kill enemies. That's because it happens too infrequently to be effective.

4. The Weapons. BE A BIG BORE. On the machine guns, buy the big bore upgrade as soon as possible. These upgrades increase the power of the guns and takes out your enemies quicker. Once scopes become available to the sniper and assault rifles, get them. The scope allows you to take down enemies at a distance. As far as silencers, these are luxuries since you will always get into a firefight after the first or second silent kill.

i. Conventional Warfare

a. MP40. (Train Station) Submachine gun. It's used with Wehrmacht. In the begining of the game it will be the most used weapon. Once you increase the bore, it becomes a good close range weapon against melee enemies such as the Sniffer.

b. Kar98 Rifle. (Train Station) This will become your sniper weapon once you get the scope, available by completing he Dig Site. Stripper Clip allows your magazine to carry more rounds reducing load time. That's your second upgrade. I then follow with improved rifling which makes the weapon more accurate. Big bore is nice but you can wait, though if you are collecting all the gold, get this one. It's really funny when used with Empower. Scribes are hurtled into the air after you hit them. Bayonet is worthless.

c. MP43 Assault Rifle. (Dig Site) Carried by the SS. It will be eventually your weapon of choice. Upgrades should be obtained in this order. Big bore. Then get the scope. (Available after "Cannery" mssion.) I usually get all upgrades on this weapon. With the exception of the Altered, this weapon can take out all non-boss enemies. It is effective against some boss enemies also, such as General Zetta. Though later stages of fighting Queen Geist and Hans Grosse, I would use the heavy weapons.

d. Grenade. (Train Station) Only good against fixed enemies, such as a machine gun nest. Usually when you throw it at a group of bad guys, they run. Save your money on upgrades because soldiers when killed may drop some to restock your supplies so you don't have to buy them. There are also some in the attic of the Kreisau Circle safehouse in Midtown West.

e. Flammewerfer 35. (Cannery) Flame Thrower. I use this is as a melee weapon since it has a limited range. Great against foes who rush you. That usually means Snifflers. One of the last weapons to upgrade.

ii. Heavy Weapons You can wait to upgrade heavy weapons. Why? Because they should be used against the toughest of bosses. Those would be Quenn Geist and Hans Grosse. Those two bosses occur late in the game. Second, upgrades are expensive and ammunition for the weapons are scarce. Towards the end of the game, look to increasing the damage the heavy weapons can do. That's because you will encounter tough bosses in the main missions, "Castle" "Airfield" and "Black Sun."

f. Panzershchrek. (Farm) Rocket launcher. Use against the tank guarding the truck that will take you to the "Airfield" mission. This occurs late in the game. It's also great against stage one of your fight against Hans Grosse which is the "Black Sun", the last mission of the game. I usually buy Lightweight upgrade which removes the blast shield and allows you to move quicker. You don't have the blast shield to mess with your targeting. Ammo pouch and Magazine are next upgrades. But again I would wait until the last missions to upgrade.

g. Particle Cannon (Farm) Cool sci-fi weapon that can vaporize infantry. Used by Heavy Troopers. You will encounter Troopers more often than supplies for the other heavy weapons so taking down a Trooper will give you more ammo for this gun. Upgrading the damage and flux arc which allows energy beams to bend towards targets makes this gun a good one against the final boss, Hans Grosse.

h. Tesla Gun. (Hospital) Remember this one from Return to Castle Wolfenstein? Because it fires arcs of electricity at multiple targets, it makes this weapon effective against bad guys stuck in a room. Where does this happen? Try it in the anti-aircraft room or the control room of the Zeppelin. When used with damage upgrades and or Empower, it's Nazi frying fun.

i. Leichenfaust 44. (Castle) Wolfenstein's version of the BFG. Powered by Veil energy, it packs the most punch of all the weapons. It can also create anti-gravity zones which can lift doors. Ammo for this is rare so use this against the toughest of enemies. It is the only weapon that can defeat the Altered. In fact, it vaporizes them! I would use this only against the toughest of bad guys, that would be the Altered and Hans Grosse. (Black Sun)

5. The Non-boss Enemies List

a. Wehrmacht. Basic infantry. (Train Station) They are armed with MP40 or sniper rifles. I take them down with the same weapons so I can refurbish my ammo stocks when they drop them. Watch out for grenades as they toss them with uncanny accuracy.

b. SS Infantry. (Dig Site) They are dressed in black and carry the assault rifle MP43. Again, I use the same weapon against them to refurbish my ammo.

c. Scribe. (Dig Site) These are occult officers of the Nazis. They are bald and wear dark glasses and a black overcoat. They will alert you of their presence by a deep demonic voice. They often lead a squad of soldiers or Snifflers. They can shield themselves and their allies. Powers include supernatural speed and firing energy balls. They can divide themselves into false targets.

If you encounter a Scribe, take him out first. You don't need his shielded allies peppering you with bullets. You can use Mire to slom him down. Later, when you get the Empower crystal, you can punch through his shield.

d. Heavy Trooper (Church) Armed with a particle gun, they deal out big damage. Listen for mechanical electronic sounds to notify you of their presence.

You could use concetrated firepower. But don't waste that ammo. If you read the intel near begining of the "Church" mission, you find out that the shoulder vents are weaknesses. Turn your Veil Sight on. Those vents are red. Hit them with your sniper rifle. Okay, a power core pops out behind the head. Hit that. Now watch the Trooper struggle and blow up in a flash of blue energy. Cool.

e. Despoiled (Church) You encounter this guy after you destroy the Veil machine at the end of the Church mission. He is a skeletal creature and is pictured on the game box. Usually they are former SS officers. The Despoiled will fire engergy balls at you that deal big time damage. Elite guards also create them, especially ones that will rush at you inflicting major melee injury.

If you can take them out from a distance, do so. Use your assault rifle. If they rush you, you might have to resort to a heavy weapon.

f. Assassin (Hospital, later at the Cannery, Castle and Zeppelin) Mr. Cheap Kill. This guy can turn invisible. Listen for a popping noise when they vanish. They will then laugh. And expect some taunts. "Can you see me?" If they surprise you, be ready for a quick cheap death with their energy knives.

When you hear the sound cues, turn on the Veil immediately. You can now answer his question. You can see him. Any conventional weapon will bring him down.

g. Sniffler (Farm) These mutants are like attack dogs and sound like them. They have no weapons and will rush you if they see you. You can use the submachine gun or the weapon that's best agaisnt them, the flamethrower.

h. Flame Trooper (Cannery) Okay, first listen for their sound cues. Their voices sound like they have been run through a synthesizer so it sounds robotic. Also listen for the hiss of their gas tank. Of course, they carry the flame thrower so keep your distance if you can. They will rush at you.

Hit a Flame Trooper with the assault rifle. A good shot at the fuel tank ignites him and causes an explosion which will also burn enemies close by. Later on, when you get the Reactive Crystal, turn it on. Then get psyched. Mr. Flame Trooper runs into your shield and is vaporized. Cool.

i. Rocket Trooper (Castle) These guys are a neat nod to the "Rocketeer." They have jet packs which allow them to fly. They usually announce themselves with the sound of rockets being fired at your position.

Use Mire to slow them down if you have no cover. I usually run for cover. I peek out and take them down with the assault rifle. They lose control and blow up into Nazi fireworks.

j. Altered (Hospital, then Castle) Hulk like creatures. When you encounter one at the Hospital, you find out your conventional weapons are useless. Of course, once you take out the pillars, you don't need them. But then you run into two at the Castle. What do you do? The Leichenfaust is the only weapon that can whack them. One shot per Altered should do it.

k. Elite Guard. (Paranormal Base, later, Airfield, Zeppelin and around town) There are two types of this sexy female warrior. The brunete carries an energy whip. Kinky. She rushes at you. The blond fires energy balls at you. Both can create Despoiled. They will announce their presence by taunting you.

Take them out immediately. You don't need Despoiled coming after you. Again, later in the game when you obtain the Reactive Crystal, you can have big time fun. Since the Guard likes rushing at you, often they will run itno the shield and then get vaporized.

j. Angry Geists- If you kill too many geists at one time, you may encounter the angry geist. You will hear a popping explosion and then the angry geists attack kind of like Glenn Beck's audience. :) The moral of this is not to shoot too many at once. Wait for the one geist to wander near a target and then shoot it. If caught with angry geists, you can run or try to shoot them as they come at you. Mire may help slow them down but then again the best thing is to not anger them.

Okay, that's it for now. But now you have this intel to become a master at Wolfenstein. Get psyched.