Elimination (ELIM) in Soldier of Fortune II is a round-based team mode with no respawns: a team wins the round by eliminating everyone on the other side before the round’s time runs out, and the match by winning the most rounds. Because one death takes you out until the next round, ELIM rewards patience, sticking with your team and good communication far more than fast reflexes alone.
How a round works
- The round starts. Everyone spawns with the loadout chosen on the outfitting screen (B). There’s a short delay before play begins, set by g_roundstartdelay.
- Late joiners get a few seconds to enter. Players who join during the first moments of a round (g_roundjointime, 5 seconds by default) still spawn. After that they wait for the next round.
- Die and you’re out until the next round. You can watch your teammates in the meantime.
- The round ends when one team has no one left, or when time runs out. The default round limit is 5 minutes (g_roundtimelimit).
How other game types compare is in SoF2 game types.
The three rules of ELIM
1. Don’t die first
Every player your team loses early makes the rest of the round harder. The player who sprints ahead alone to “get a quick kill” usually just hands the other team the numbers advantage. Move with at least one teammate, and let the enemy come to you as often as you go to them.
2. Trade kills
If a teammate is shot, the enemy who shot them has just shown where they are and is often reloading. Be close enough to punish it straight away. Two players a few metres apart can always trade. Two players at opposite ends of the map can’t.
3. Share information
In a mode with no respawns, knowing how many enemies are left and where they were last seen is worth more than any weapon. Use team chat (Y) and the radio (G) to call out what you see, even after you die. See chat and radio commands.
Playing each part of the round
The opening
The first 20 seconds decide many rounds. Learn where the other team usually goes first, and which corners and windows look onto those routes. Pre-aim those spots instead of running into them.
The middle
Once both teams have lost a player or two, slow down. Check the scoreboard (Tab) to see who’s left. Group up with your remaining teammates and decide together: push one area as a group, or hold and wait.
The clutch
Last one alive against several enemies? Don’t panic and don’t charge. Use sound to locate them, pick fights where only one can see you at a time, and lean (Q and E) around corners so you show as little of yourself as possible.
The clock
Keep an eye on the round timer. If you’re ahead on players, you can afford to wait for the other team to come to you. If you’re behind as time runs low, waiting rarely helps: regroup and make one coordinated push.
Loadouts for ELIM
With one life per round, accuracy and reliability matter more than raw damage. Assault rifles such as the M4, AK-74 and SIG 551 suit most maps. Bring grenades: a flashbang (M84) to break a defended doorway, and smoke (M15) to cross open ground. On large outdoor maps, one player with the MSG90A1 sniper rifle can lock down a whole side. See SoF2 weapons.
After you die
- Keep watching. Spectate a teammate and tell them what you can see.
- Don’t give away positions to the other team through all-chat. Many servers stop dead players from watching the enemy team (g_followEnemy), so what you see is valuable only to your own side.
- Use the time to plan the next round’s loadout.
Getting better
- Learn three or four maps properly instead of every map a little. ELIM servers tend to rotate a handful of favourites.
- Watch good players when you’re dead: where they stand, when they push, how they use grenades.
- Join a clan or play scrims. ELIM is at its best with organised teams. See clans and clan wars.
- Track your progress on your SOF2MP.com player profile.
Frequently asked questions
What is ELIM in SoF2?
Elimination: a round-based team mode with no respawns. A team wins a round by eliminating the other team, and the match by winning the most rounds.
How long is an Elimination round?
5 minutes by default, set by the server’s g_roundtimelimit. Servers can change it.
Can I join an Elimination round that has started?
Only in the first few seconds, set by g_roundjointime (5 by default). After that you wait for the next round.
What’s the difference between ELIM and INF?
Both are round-based with no respawns. In Infiltration there’s also an objective: one team must carry a briefcase to an extraction point. In Elimination, the goal is simply to eliminate the other team.