This Details a basic strategy for a vanguard as well as the finer points or more advance tactics and tricks to maximize your deadly performance.

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Vanguards. As known, vanguards combine great biotic feats with hard hitting fire power to provide an overwhelming assault that will leave your enemies shell shocked.

As a vanguard, your primary objective is to get in close and crush your foe with shotgun blasts or a powerful combo of melee strikes. If an enemy is too far away you have two opinions: Run from cover to cover closing the distance to attack, using your sub machine gun or smg to keep them pinned down, or you can advance using your biotic charge.

However the trade off for both is if you take your time getting there by foot the enemy can get into better position and fire down on you and your squad.

If you underestimate the number of enemies you could charge yourself straight to them and serve yourself over on a silver platter. With your biotics needing to cool down after you used them all you have is your single gun, armor and melee strike against anywhere to 3 to 5 enemies.

Knocking out one with the charge and firing into the next one will still leave you open to take damage from the others.

Your best bet in this situation is to either take cover after downing a few or trust your teammates to provide the aid you will need. It is recommended to have at least one member with a long range skill.

This gives them the advantage to cover you even while your charging ahead. Garrus, Legion, Zaeed or Thane would be equally useful and will vary depending on the situation, whether or not your facing organic or synthetic foes.

A good second member is actually another biotic. Samara, Miranda or if your more of a renegade Jack or Morinth. A well timed biotic attack can stumble or stall your enemies enough to take cover or gain the upper hand in a fight.

Advance tactics.

For maximum damage and effectiveness both cryo and inferno ammo aren't the best for vanguards. The weapon ammo type that does the most damage is actually warp ammo. As a vanguard you want to reduce your foes to just health as fast as you can.

This lets you blow them away with a single shot or few punches. To get to this you need to damage their armor, shields and barriers. Warp does more damage against armor, barriers and health.

Double it even more if the victim is effected by a biotic attack. Believe it or not the primary gun you should be using is going to be the S.M.G. due to its range and effectiveness against shields and barrier.

This combination is deadly against the collectors which you will be facing a lot, as well as crumbling any one else's defense with bullets alone. When you get in close, your shotgun will be the finisher.

The most powerful attack is a fully charged Geth shotgun with warp ammo and heavy charge. Once you finish the charge you can fire that shot and kill most enemies or heavily wound the higher difficulty setting foes.

Your secondary biotic attack that you will be using often is shockwave. Once upgraded it will instantly kill anyone of your targets as long as they are only in health.

Even if they are protected it will still cause them to stumble, that stumble is very important when looping melee strikes and combos together. While in stumble the enemy cannot counter attack and you are able to beat them until they are dead, assuming of course you took care of his buddies first.

I believe vanguards are the most effective class when dealing with most of the enemies you can face in Mass Effect 2.

The only time a vanguard will ever have a problem or challenge will be when dealing with far range attacks, mostly from the drones that shoot you and are beyond your charge or foot reach. However, between your heavy pistol and pull they should be easy to crush.

The only other difficult enemies are Mechs and for them I advise using heavy weaponry or warp ammo with a lot of bullets and good cover.

Personally I prefer to use either Samara or Morinth's loyalty power. Reave helps keep you in the fight as you destroy mercs, collectors or husks.

Even while taking damage you can't be killed as long as you are able to drain the health from a weakened foe. I recommend using the most advance form so your able to get more health faster as you are in the heat of battle a lot using your guns.

For more flair, my favorite trained skill is Enhanced Domination. No defensive formation or tactical advantage compares to flanking them from both sides, you heading the charge while they are being hammered by their own heavy.

Between the two of you and the extended time and protection they are given with enhancements, the enemies won't stand a chance. With reduced cool down time, you will be able to throw them back into your side with another domination just as the heavy regains control of their body.

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