last thing... I just read someone said Hard mode is harder then realistic? is this true i always thought realistic was the hardest?? Can someone please clarify this - i want to play this game on the hardest mode possible.

Well, I'm not sure, as it's been too long, but in realistic mode you die very quickly, but so do your opponents (so it's realistic). On hard mode, everything is just hard to kill, and you are not. Realistic mode is most fun in my opinion.

Too me it seemed like realistic was far more challenging than hard, but that might be because I assumed it was more difficult.

Realistic is more harder then Hard for a simple reason: you take more damage form enemeis. In realistic 1 headshot from a pistol will kill u instantly assuming u dont' hav ballistic protecion aug or ballistic vest on. In hard u can survive a pistol headhsot.