It can be a real pain to compete with the other guys on Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, but fortunately, I'm here to help. I'm not good either, but lately I've been ranking it up. So, I'll share you a few secrets.

First of all, be sure to update your Xbox to make sure there are no video game glitches in the game. I can't tell you how many friends online I have who ban people from Xbox Live by catching them doing a glitch. Don't you use glitches especially on multi-player. Actually, there are glitches you can use without getting banned, they're more like "Secret Hiding" spots. You can use them if you are sure the enemy can shoot you. If you're hiding under the map or something, and it's impossible to get hit, that's cheating, and that's a sure way to get banned.

In the first game, it's not that bad getting hit, but in MW 2 is something you definitely need to avoid. Getting hit covers your screen in blood, and the more blood on screen, the harder it is for you to see what the heck is going on. If you get hit, immediately run and hide in the campaign. In multi-player, look for the red arrow on screen to determine where you're getting shot from, then hide. 

A neat trick you can try out is that you can enter prone mode, and when the enemy is in front of you, you can hit the sprint button and charge him with a knife.

TACTICAL EQUIPMENT

New things are in this game. It used to be limited to silencers, red dot sights, grenade launchers, and ACOG scopes. Heartbeat sensors and Holographic Sights must be had immediately.

Besides grenades, there are semtex (sticky grenades), throwing knives, and blast shields.

NEW PERKS

It seems that the new Modern Warfare is lacking some of our old time favorite perks, such as Juggernaut & Martydom. But does that mean you're doomed? Not on my watch you aren't!

Perks have evolved. Juggernaut is now Painkiller  and Last stand is now Final Stand. Instead of a perk, Martyrdom is now a deathstreak. Keep in mind that there are the new Death Streak perks, which are used when you die three times in a row. Copycat allows you to steal your opponents class when he kills you. Painkiller gives you the power of a Juggernaut for 10 seconds. And, Final Stand is just like Last Stand, but instead you can move and you don't have to use a pistol, Also if you go without being hit for a little while in Final Stand, you're allowed to stand back up. Martyrdom works the exact same as in CoD4. Death Streak perks will help you when you're losing.

Sleight of Hand is one of the first perks available, and if you use it often enough, you'll unlock Sleight of Hand Pro which enables faster aiming. This is incredibly useful when sprinting! Hardline is my favorite perk. Often, I can never get enough kills to summon a kill streak reward to help me. Hardline makes it easier on you by reducing the number of kills needed to summon something by 1. Hardline Pro reduces the deaths needed for a Death Streak by one.

NEW KILL STREAKS

In Modern Warfare, you could summon a UAV, an Airstrike, and a Helicopter. Now there are new things, LOTS of new things.

Click here to see the new kill streaks: http://www.themodernwarfare2.com/mw2/multiplayer/killstreaks/

RIOT ATTACKING AND COUNTERING

I think you'll find this very useful. Nothing goes better with a riot shield than a handful of stun grenades. An unlimited sprint perk would be nice too. The strategy here would be to stun your opponent and then charge at him with the riot shield. Normally two hits with your riot shield is what it takes to kill him. And the guy can't shoot you back because your using a riot shield! Make sure though that you crouch & move slow if a guy is in front of you already shooting. Riot shields can can deflect explosions as long as it just hits the shield & not you. If someone sticks a semtex to your shield you're done for.

The best gun to have with your riot shield is a handgun. Machine pistols and Shotguns are OK, but by the time you switch from your riot shield to your other weapon, you'd be dead. Handguns are quicker. Rocket Launchers are a no-no if they're single shot. If you have Akimbo shotguns, use them, because they are amazingly useful. The best perks to have are Light Weight, Unlimited Sprint, and Commando. Light weight helps you move faster, Unlimited Sprint helps you charge your enemy, an Commando extends your melee reach.

According to Effective and Proper Use of the Riot Shield in Modern Warfare 2's Multiplayer, riot shields will protect you if they are on your back.

In multi-player, there are clans that form nothing but riot shields. Why? If you are up against another team who have nothing but riot shields, and there coming after you, you're screwed. How do you survived a riot barrage? Shoot they're feet, try to stick a semtex on their shield, shoot a grenade launcher or thumper right behind them or right beside them  use stun grenades or flash bangs, and maybe a couple of claymores or C4, you can trap your enemy. But if they are right in front of you, try jumping to shoot there head, or prone to get at there feet. If you have final stand, you'll get the last laugh.

Maybe a rocket launcher can kill a riot shield user head on. Who knows?

Although Riot shields will protect you, they are unlikely to put you on the top of the leader board.

For more advice on Riot shields, look at this guide:

Effective and Proper Use of the Riot Shield in Modern Warfare 2's Multiplayer

SNIPING

You may have seen people shooting "no scope" shots. The best no scope shot can be done up close. If some one comes after you with a knife, instead of switching to your pistol, fire away wildly with your sniper rifle. This would work with a Barette 50-cal, better with the WA2000, & great with the M21. If you're using the Intervention,  you wll be better off swithing to a secondary weapon.

Don't use radar jammer because you're enemy will know you're around somewhere & will start coombing through the area looking for you. & unless you're camping at a doorway with a pistol or shotgun,more likely than not, they will kill you.

SHOTGUNS

The Model 1887 can be a handy weapon to have, but if you have akimbo with it, there's simply no matching its power & unfair long range.  Though in some ways its unfair and you may get ganged up on if you use akimbo shotguns.

I think the simply BEST map to use this on is Favela & maybe Terminal, but any map will do as long as there's plenty of close quarter combat. Using it on War Zone is a definite no-no!