Tracking is the only aim skill where you cannot rest. A flick is a single moment, a tap is a single moment, but tracking is continuous output of accurate input over many seconds. Hand tremor, fatigue, and small sens errors compound. This is why most players' tracking degrades over a session while their flicks stay flat.
Tracking is also the skill with the highest gear-sensitivity. A bad mousepad ruins tracking long before it ruins flicks. A wrist-tracker on a low-friction pad will drift; an arm-tracker on a small pad will run off mid-track.
Target moves in a predictable wave or sine curve. Your crosshair stays on it. Goal: 85%+ on-target time.
Mistake to fix here: twitching. Players over-correct on tiny errors and chase the target with snap-jerks. Smooth tracking is, well, smooth - let your hand glide.
Drill 2 - Speed-varied smooth · 4 min
Same scenario, but the target speeds up and slows down. Train your hand to ramp output rather than fight it.
Goal: 80%+ on-target. Pace your hand with the target's pace.
Drill 3 - Reactive tracking · 5 min
FPSTrain mode: Tracking (Reactive). Kovaak: Patchwork or Air Stuck Reborn.
Target changes direction every 0.4-1.0 seconds. You must react and re-orient your hand without losing the line.
Goal: 70%+ on-target. This is the score that maps cleanest onto Apex / Overwatch in-game tracking.
Drill 4 - Tracking with depth · 4 min
Target moves toward and away from you, not just side-to-side. The angular speed of the crosshair has to match an exponential curve, not a linear one.
This drill is what separates "I'm a great Apex tracker on flat ground" from "I can also track a Pathfinder zipping in".
Drill 5 - Switch-tracking · 5 min
Two targets, both moving. You track one until it dies, then switch and track the second mid-motion. The expensive part is the switch - most players freeze for 200ms after hitting the first target.
Goal: 4 kills in 5 seconds, all sustained tracking, no static frames.
Drill 6 - In-game tracking transfer · 10 min
DM in your main game. Rules:
Apex: R-301 / Spitfire / Volt only - tracking weapons.
This forces tracking reps under live pressure with the correct game-specific recoil pattern.
Tracking sensitivity is different from flick sensitivity. If your tracking is jerky and your flicks are clean, your sens is too high for tracking. Drop 10-15% and re-test for a week. Most players find their tracking-optimal sens is lower than their flick-optimal sens - they pick a compromise.
Tracking sub-styles
Style
Description
Best for
Tap-track
Tap to lock, micro-correct continuously
CS2 AK, Valorant Phantom
Smooth-track
Lead the target, glide
Apex R-301, Overwatch Soldier
Track-and-burst
Track, fire 3-5 round bursts
CS2 M4, Apex Flatline
Lead-and-hold
Predict path, hold the line
Apex projectile, Overwatch Pharah
Common errors and fixes
Crosshair drifts behind target: sens too low or arm-tracking with a small pad. Raise sens 5% or upsize pad.
Crosshair over-leads: sens too high or wrist-tracking too aggressive. Drop sens or move to forearm.
Tracking degrades after 90 seconds: grip fatigue. Loosen grip; rest hand on mouse rather than gripping it.
Tracking degrades on direction changes: reactive limit not trained. Run drill 3 for a week.