What's the best, fastest way to rank up in Modern Warfare 3? Depth or breadth?
Put very simply, is it more effective to focus on a broad set of challenges or perform several challenges in the same category? For example, should I try to complete challenges with all the assault rifles or max out a single
Solution 1:
Focus on what you're good at! If you are decent with most guns breadth is a great way to gain some quick levels. Otherwise, use you're favorite gun and mop up the competition.
Ranking up like a bad ***
Gun Challenges
Its also worth noting that more kills trumps completing challenges almost every time. What I mean by this is don't spend your time on a gun you suck with for experience. The opportunity cost of the kills you didn't get by using a crappy gun greatly outweighs the experience you gain from the challenges. By using a better gun you'll get more kill streaks which in turn gives you more experience and more kill streaks, and kill streaks also give experience!
Kill Streaks
Pick low kill streak rewards (as these provide you with extra experience every time you call them in) and try and get these often (hardline?). Keep in mind that getting an osprey gunner, while awesome provides THE SAME AMOUNT of experience as calling in a uav. By using low achievable kill streaks you will gain more experience by using the kill streak, gain more experience by challenges for the kill streak, and gain more experience by the kills you get when your kill streaks are up! Most of this game is about snowballing your momentum.
Equipment
One of the most often over looked ways of gaining experience. Not utilizing your equipment is bottom line a wasted opportunity. Don't think of throwing that flash bang grenade as -wasted- think of it as utilized. Every time you die with out throwing your flashbang you have wasted the opportunity to potentially save your life, potentially get a kill, and work on your equipment challenges. Wasted equipment is sad equipment. Utilized equipment is just one more layer of the snowball (see above)
Keeping these things in mind will help you level up faster, but its worth reiterating the most important part of this description. If you are using crappy perks and crappy guns to get challenges YOU WILL LOSE EXPERIENCE. The smarter you play (low kill streaks, great perks, great gun) the more kills you'll get which will lead to more kill streaks which will lead to more challenges which will lead to more experience!
Thesis
Now this seemed like a long detour to the point, but here it is. If you play better you will level up faster.
As far as an 'optimum route' this really depends on how you play. Ever had a friend argue with you for hours about how 'their xyz' is always the best but it just doesn't work for you? You and I will be significantly better with different guns and different perks, but you wont find whats 'optimized' for you until you try it. Try it out on a 'test' class while you get a feel for which guns and perk choices fit your play style best. Want to try a new gun? Go for it. Just make sure you always dedicate a class to something you know you can kick ass with. That will give you a fall back while you investigate which perks and guns are good for you!
Hope this helps
Solution 2:
early on there is a lot of easy xp to be picked up from breadth, but as you get further in, the bulk of your xp will come from kills and kill streaks at which point you should specialize.
Solution 3:
This is silly, I run and gun and therefore poeple must realise SnD is crap for me, I get 30+ kills in Domination and get 2,000+ points when playing Kill Confirmed by getting tags.
It is all about the kills with multiple weapons, by thisIi mean attacking all challenges. Get 300 and 500 kills with a gun - each will give you 10,000 - then move onto the next gun. Dont forget about perks, 10,000xp to be had via SOD, Scavenger etc.
Proficiencies provide opportunities as well, 300 kills/tasks nets you 10,000xp.
You really do need to be checking challenges during every intermission to see which is close and which to go for next.
Solution 4:
I say play search and destroy with low killstreaks and hardline. 500 xp for every kill!!!
And get challenges. there is a lot of objective/bomb based challenges in search and destroy that will give you a lot of xp.