The Tac-Stance, short for Tactical Stance, is a brand new movement mechanic in Modern Warfare 3 that aims to increase your mobility while aiming.
It acts as a ‘best of both’ for aiming, blending hip-fire and aiming down sights for increased mobility while shooting in MW3.
Below we go over how the Tac-Stance mechanic works, how to do it, and how to change Tac-Stance settings in Modern Warfare 3.
MW3: Tac-Stance Explained
Tac-Stance in MW3 is a new aiming and movement mechanic that blends hip-fire and aiming downsights together for more mobility while in combat.
There is a dedicated Tac-Stance button that will tilt your gun to the side and can be activated and toggled while aiming down sights.
Here’s how MW3 developers Sledgehammer Games described it on their Twitter:
Tac-Stance balances mobility and accuracy, allowing for evasive maneuvers and aggressive engagements. It’s available on most weapons, including those carried forward from #MW2, and can be dynamically toggled anytime during gameplay.
— Sledgehammer Games (@SHGames) August 17, 2023
It’s a handy feature that grants players much greater accuracy and mobility rather than going for either hip-fire or ADS separately.
It acts as a great “middle-ground” for those who want to maintain some accuracy while moving and is perfect for frenetic and aggressive close-quarters combat.
How to Use Tac-Stance in MW3
To use Tac-Stance in MW3, press the ‘Toggle Tactical’ button while aiming down sights to activate it. You can press the same button again to toggle it off and revert to using regular hip-fire and ADS.
Follow these steps to activate Tac-Stance in Modern Warfare 3:
- While aiming down sights, press Down on the D-Pad to activate Tac-Stance
- Your gun will tilt to the side and you’ll see an aiming reticle in the middle of your screen
- There is also a D-Pad icon with ‘Toggle Tactical’ beneath it
- To toggle off Tac-Stance, press Down on the D-Pad again
- Your gun will go back to its original position
How to Change Tac-Stance Settings in MW3 Beta
To change Tac-Stance settings in the MW3 Beta, you need to head into the settings from the main menu screen and select the button combination of your choice for ‘Tac-Stance ADS Activation’.
Follow these steps to change the Tac-Stance setting in the MW3 Beta:
- Press Options on PlayStation and Menu on Xbox to open the quick-access menu in the top right of the screen
- Go to the Settings tab
- Go down to the ‘Controller’ section and press X on PlayStation and A on Xbox
- Head to the ‘Gameplay’ tab
- Go down to ‘Tac-Stance ADS Activation’
- To open up menu options press X on PlayStation and A on Xbox
- Select the Tac-Stance button combination of your choice. You can choose from the following:
- Off
- ADS+Sprint
- ADS+Melee
- ADS+Down Button
You also have the option to opt out of using Tac-Stance altogether by selecting ‘Off’ within the Tac-Stance setting menu.
For more on movement, check out how to slide cancel in MW3!