Worms 2 is the 1997 PC turn-based artillery game developed by Team17 and originally published by MicroProse. This guide is for that game, not Worms Armageddon, Worms World Party, Worms World Party Remastered, or the 2009 Worms 2: Armageddon.
The safest way to improve is to treat every turn as a positioning puzzle. You usually control one worm, choose one weapon or movement tool, and then live with the terrain you leave behind. Good Worms 2 play is less about memorizing damage numbers and more about water danger, wind, retreat paths, crate risk, and choosing a weapon that fits the angle.
This is not a mission walkthrough, exact weapon-damage table, cheat guide, current online setup guide, or Armageddon-era strategy import.
Essential Tips
1. Get Away From the Coast
Water is often more dangerous than raw damage.
A worm with plenty of health can still lose the round if a blast knocks it into the sea. When you have a safe movement option, move inland or uphill before taking a greedy shot from an exposed edge.
2. Think About Position Before Weapon Choice
A strong weapon from a bad tile can waste the turn.
Before opening the weapon panel, check your worm’s footing, nearby mines or barrels, the water line, and whether you can retreat after firing. A weaker shot from a safer angle is often better than a powerful attack that strands your worm.
3. Use the Map as Part of the Attack
The terrain, mines, barrels, and crates can all change the fight.
Look for ways to knock enemies into hazards, break cover, open tunnels, or punish worms standing near explosive objects. Do not tunnel-vision on direct hits when a blast angle can move the enemy into worse trouble.
4. Respect Wind on Projectile Turns
Some shots are aim plus weather, not aim alone.
Before firing a bazooka-style projectile, check wind direction and strength. If the wind makes a clean shot unreliable, use a weapon that cares less about the arc, move to a better angle, or spend the turn setting up terrain.
5. Pick Weapons by Situation, Not Favorite
Worms 2 rewards the right tool more than the loudest tool.
Use close-range weapons when you can stand safely next to a target, arcing explosives when cover or terrain blocks line of sight, terrain tools when access matters more than damage, and water-knockback tools when an enemy is near an edge.
6. Plan Your Escape Before Placing Explosives
Timed and placed weapons punish lazy exits.
Before dropping dynamite, a mine, a sheep, or another delayed threat, know where your worm will go afterward. If the escape route crosses a mine, a slope, or a coast edge, fix the route first or use a different weapon.
7. Practice Ninja Rope Separately
The rope is a skill, not just an inventory item.
Use low-pressure turns to learn attachment points, swing rhythm, shortening and lengthening, and safe release angles. Rope confidence lets you collect crates, reach high ground, recover from bad positions, and avoid spending a whole turn walking.
8. Do Not Chase Every Crate
A crate is only good if the pickup and exit are safe.
Weapon crates can swing a match, health crates can save a worm, and booby traps can punish careless movement. Check the route, landing spot, and enemy follow-up before burning a turn on a risky pickup.
9. Use Low-Health Worms With Purpose
A nearly defeated worm can still change the round.
Do not hide a low-health worm so far away that it stops contributing. Use it to claim a safe crate, knock an enemy into water, open terrain for a teammate, or trade itself for a better enemy worm when the position justifies it.
10. Treat Custom Schemes as Practice Tools
Weapon behavior can change with options.
Worms 2 supports weapon and option editing, so exact damage habits are less reliable than role knowledge. Practice with the scheme you plan to play, especially if weapon power, delays, wind, fall damage, or sudden death settings have been changed.
11. Watch Sudden Death Pressure
The safest hill now may become the only safe place later.
If the match is dragging on, start valuing height and mobility more. Low ground becomes dangerous when water pressure matters, and a late teleport or rope move can be worth more than another medium attack.
12. Keep Later Worms Advice Separate
Similar-looking games do not always mean identical rules.
Worms Armageddon, Worms World Party, their remasters, and Worms 2: Armageddon have overlapping ideas but different scopes, content, platforms, and balance. Use this guide for the original Worms 2 unless you are deliberately checking a later game.
Know Which Worms Game This Is
| Title | Use This Guide? | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Worms 2 | Yes | 1997 PC game with its own weapon/options behavior and GOG hotseat note |
| Worms Armageddon | No | 1999 follow-up that grew from a Worms 2 expansion concept and has its own larger content set |
| Worms World Party | No | 2001 follow-up/update to the Armageddon formula with separate modes and later remaster history |
| Worms World Party Remastered | No | Remastered World Party release, not original Worms 2 |
| Worms 2: Armageddon | No | 2009 title named after Armageddon, not the 1997 PC Worms 2 |
When checking outside help, confirm the title first. Advice about Armageddon rope physics, World Party modes, mobile controls, newer weapons, or remaster features may not fit Worms 2.
Turn Checklist
| Question | Good Habit |
|---|---|
| Am I near water? | Move or choose a shot that does not leave you exposed |
| What will wind do? | Recheck the wind before projectile shots |
| Can I retreat? | Confirm the path before placing timed explosives |
| Is a hazard nearby? | Use mines, barrels, crates, and cliffs as part of the plan |
| Is the target worth it? | Prioritize worms with strong positions or immediate threat |
| Can I get more value? | Look for multi-worm blast angles, water knockouts, or crate denial |
| Will sudden death punish me? | Favor height and mobility before the map becomes cramped |
Weapon Role Basics
| Tool Type | Best Use | Be Careful With |
|---|---|---|
| Bazooka-style shots | Open angles and wind-adjusted arcs | Wind, slopes, and self-damage near cover |
| Grenades and clusters | Bouncing into protected spots | Fuse timing, roll distance, and bad rebounds |
| Shotgun and close weapons | Finishing or pushing nearby worms | Standing too close to water or enemies |
| Dynamite and mines | Punishing clustered or trapped worms | Escape routes after placement |
| Sheep and walking explosives | Reaching around terrain without direct line of sight | Obstacles, timing, and where the explosive turns |
| Petrol/fire weapons | Area denial and awkward terrain | Fire spreading near your own worm |
| Air-style attacks | Targets under weak cover or across the map | Caves, ceilings, wind-sensitive variants, and friendly positions |
| Blow Torch and Drill | Opening routes or changing terrain | Spending a turn without improving safety |
| Girder | Building bridges, barriers, or landing points | Placing it where enemies benefit more |
| Ninja Rope | Mobility, crates, high ground, and recovery | Over-water swings and poor release timing |
| Parachute and Bungee | Emergency or vertical movement | Late activation, wind, and weak landing plans |
| Teleport | Repositioning when walking is too risky | Ending the turn in an obvious target spot |
Keep this table role-based. Exact damage and availability can change with settings, so confirm values in-game before building a ruleset around them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
-
Do not stand on coast edges after attacking - A small knockback can beat a large health lead.
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Do not fire wind-affected shots without checking wind - A good aim line can still drift into terrain or your own worm.
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Do not drop timed explosives before planning the retreat - The escape route matters as much as the placement.
-
Do not rope over water before learning release timing - Practice on safer terrain before turning the rope into your main movement plan.
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Do not ignore mines, barrels, and crates near the target - Battlefield objects can make a simple shot much stronger or much riskier.
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Do not collect crates with no exit path - A pickup that strands the worm can hand the opponent an easy response.
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Do not use the biggest weapon just because it is available - A role-matched weapon from a safe angle is usually better.
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Do not leave every low-health worm hiding - Weak worms can still trade, collect, block, or knock enemies into water.
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Do not tunnel without a plan for the next turn - Terrain work should improve access, protection, or future attack angles.
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Do not stay low when sudden death is approaching - Height and mobility become more valuable as water pressure increases.
Summary
| Category | Top Tip |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Move away from water and fight from useful height |
| Targeting | Prioritize worms that threaten big damage or strong positions |
| Weapons | Choose by angle, retreat path, and terrain, not damage myths |
| Wind | Check it before projectile shots |
| Terrain | Use mines, barrels, crates, cliffs, and tunnels deliberately |
| Movement | Practice Ninja Rope before relying on it over water |
| Crates | Collect only when the pickup and exit are safe |
| Scope | Keep Armageddon, World Party, remasters, and Worms 2: Armageddon advice separate |
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8 checked for this guideEvery factual claim in this guide was checked against at least two independent sources before publication. These are the references used for Worms 2.
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