Guide [Issue 39] A Major Collection: What to Buy? Part 2

[Shedinja 1,488]

~A Major Collection~

What to Buy?

~Part 2~

 

 

So, you survived the first wave of M2s after all. Commendable. Certainly, the road will smooth itself out now... right?

 

I'm not going to illusion you with sporadic tales of first time tankers gliding through these ranks without any hitches whatsoever. It'd be nothing but detrimental to your overall progress. The road ahead is poorly paved for players coming unprepared to deal with in-game hardship, be it the large spike in drugger quantity, the occasional M3  bulldozing the map (if you know what I'm talking about), and the curious lack of maps dedicated to ranks equal and below your rank. Without the proper tools, I can assure you that it'll be a very long haul. With a great effort, you've manage to scavenge a decent number of crystals from the maps you've conquered so far. One wrong move with this currency, however, can exponentially slow down your progress. It all comes down to what you have available to you. With that in mind, you play the broken record that's been erratically twitching on its turntable: "What purchase would work best in my favor? What would be the wisest option? What to buy?"

 

This section is dedicated to those between the ranks of Major - Colonel. (Y'know, the only one left: Lieutenant Colonel. Not many ranks to cover this time around, but still plenty of material to go over.)

 

What's On The Market?

 

Destroy or be destroyed. That's the general theme to this game, but very few ranks amplify this as much as this strip of experience points before you. I don't like coming off this grave, but this portion of the game will try and test you every opportunity it gets without much alleviation. There's no reason to fear, however, if you have a plan for the future. I know that sounds extremely vague and generic of me to say, but as I've emphasized in many of my previous articles, preparation is one of the many keys to success.

 

You remember how in the last Major Collection article, there was a widespread collection of M2s, varying in class and success? Well, these ranks have a similar base makeup, though (usually) more effective than their younger counterparts. I know, that's a rather bold claim, and I'm likely to get some flak for it, but to those that have already survived these ranks: can you honestly claim false with a strong consistency? Trying to fight off some of these M2s can be significantly harder than dealing with items unlocked at Third Lieutenant through Captain. Of course, if one micro-upgrades the lower ranked items noticeably, a whole different ballgame begins setting up on the field.

 

Major

 

 

M2 Firebird

 

Everyone's favorite little nightmare -- that is, if you don't have a viable protection paint. The most dramatic difference between M2 Firebird and its predecessor is that burn damage. Golly, does it stick around longer with this version. Also, the damage increase is exceptionally greater: more than double the damage it used to be capable of (5.7). Pair that up with its persistence in festering on your tank for as long as humanly possible, and you know you're gonna be in for a helluva fight when you encounter one of these. The ability to sear multiple tanks at once with this gun make it a valuable asset in DMs and such. That doesn't mean it won't be as efficient in other sections of the game, however; M2 Firebird's increased burning damage make it a surprisingly splendid defensive emplacement in long ranged CTFs that provide efficient cover at the bases, like Sepurhov and Kungur. Ideal for use on light and medium hulls, to maximize the chase-your-opponents-until-they're-crispier-than-kentucky-fried-chicken aspect of the weapon. Unlocking at Major and above makes M2 Firebird fetch a pretty penny worth 94,600 crystals, but the drastic increase from its M1 parallel makes this more than worth it. Of course, this doesn't even compare to the skyscraper-level pricing of M3 Firebird, but that's a different story for a different time.

 

M2 Shaft

 

Like Railgun, in plenty of senses, but has a considerably larger amount of 'ouch' behind each shot. That is, if you're using its full sniping power. At a full charge, M2 Shaft dishes out 200 damage to the unlucky tanker before it. Honestly, that's not all that shy of M3's full power; there's only a 20 point difference. You could go without upgrading your Shaft to M3 for a good long while. I've seen Marshals use M2 Shaft effectively plenty of times, although I do wonder sometimes why they haven't decided to purchase its final upgrade yet. (Remember M4's full sniping power? 280? Worth micro-upgrading, if I might say so myself.) Nonetheless, none of these ridiculous power levels will mean jack-diddly unless you have a healthy distance available between you and your target. Shaft is designed to be a stealthy weapon. Or, y'know, it was, until they added that light beam. However, using your peripheral vision and hiding the beam on a wall or such until the very last second can help you get the jump on baddies. For positioning like this (and for utilizing the general mobility this weapon requires at times), hulls with the turret placed on either end of the hull like Wasp and Dictator pair well with this gun. Viking, Hornet and even Mammoth also have their moment in the sun due to their lower profiles making it easier to hide in bushes and such.

 

M2 Mammoth

 

Beastly hulls have somewhat abandoned the field since their glory in the high sergeants wore off. Bringing back all these fond memories is M2 Mammoth, back and better than ever with almost 300 health right off the bat! Of course, the speed still leaves a bit to be desired, but c'mon, this is Mammoth we're talking about here. You expected anything less? As you know, having a Mammoth automatically makes you the mobile camper of the team (or, in the case of a DM... well, you get the picture), leaving you in charge of a small bubble of your surroundings. You're guaranteed to outlast most things smaller than you if you have the right turret in the right map, and if you're in a DM, speed won't even be a problem, since you can wait for all your opponents to come to you. You're also viable to be hit with phrases like this:

 

"go sit on the point fatty"

 

"mamnth plz nu kil"

 

"defend falg mammooth"

 

"when gold droops kill mammy"

 

...Yeah. But, I digress; with the heaviest hull in the game at your disposal, you're going to have a defined post to hold guard on, whether you feel like it or not. Also, when you're driving this on a CTF, please, let the Wasps and Hornets take the Nitros. Trut me, they'll get more benefit from them than you, wide load. 30% speed boost will only bring that 4.1176 to a 5.3529. Translated, that means you'll still only be chuggin' along at half the speed of an M2 Hornet. Meanwhile, the same Hornet goes three times faster than you when it grabs that same box. They'll be getting in and out of bases a lot faster than you will be. Focus on maximizing that defense whenever you can. Staying alive is what a Mammoth does. Excel in this, and you know you're on the right track. Also, follow the Inverse DM Hull Size Law when you can.

 

About the Inverse DM Hull Size Law

(The Inverse DM Hull Size Law states that the armor of a hull and the size of the map have inverse effectiveness. For example, a Wasp is more likely to succeed in Berlin than a Mammoth, whereas that same Mammoth would have an easier time in a Ping Pong than the previous Wasp. By the way, I completely call coining rights on this!)

 

 

Rustle, Hohloma, Blacksmith

 

Before we begin here, I should note that the number of paints available at the ranks of Major, Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel increases considerably in relative average to other ranks and their collective paints, being outclassed by only Recruit and Generalissimo ranks. I can almost guarantee you that at least one of the paints you buy at this stage (and trust me, if you have any common sense, you will buy one) will be a frequent partner with your main tank for a very, very long time. Heh, even my Rustle sees plenty of time on the battlefield, despite being a Marshal and already owning Prodigi. (However, some well-placed micro-upgrades will change that rather soon. Rustle will likely become solely an aesthetics paint for my garage later.)

 

Well, since I already made mention of it, why not delve into Rustle first? Not only does this paint sport fantastic coloration, but it also has a ridiculously high resistance to Thunder blasts. It starts off with 32% resistance, but can easily jump straight up to 48% with some micro-upgrades thrown on. It's not hard to ignore those extra protections from Isida and Freeze, either -- they can even be micro-upgraded for a reasonable price as well. (Well, maybe I have a few misgivings about the Isida protection's reluctance to increase easily. But the bonus Freeze defense at this rank has never been of no use to me so far, despite Freeze's undeserved descent into unpopularity.) This paint will see plenty of time on the field in places where closed quarters, medium ranges, and central gathering points lie. All of those details simply reek of Polygon and Sepurhov. This gun can also find efficiency anywhere in stages that span anywhere between these two template sizes. Like I stated in my last two cents about Thunder, however, they don't wisely stray to far out of their comfort zone, and tend to avoid behemoth maps like Dusseldorf and midget maps like Duel. However, recently, this has been labeled a situation of debate, considering the splash damage mechanism's not-so-recent reconfiguration... I'm rambling, terribly sorry. DMs and CPs work best in using this paint.

 

Hohloma is a rather rare paint, in my opinion. With its motley scrambling of resistances (roughly 20% resistance to the following items: Smoky, Ricochet, Freeze), this paint is one of the few paints that can truly be classified as a "spectrum paint". A spectrum paint, by definition, is the polar opposite of a specialist paint --  that is, it covers a wide variety of ranges in one singular paint, instead of focusing on one specific class of weapon. If you remember my chart from The Art of Kill-Stealing, you'll also notice that the weapons this paint specifically safeguards you from also vary in Spectrum class. Hence the earlier classification. One mid-point IC weapon, one borderline IC/CDR, and one true CDR. Paints like these were designed to do well in every map; however, when you try to grab a large fistful of sand instead of a few rocks, more sand is likely to slip through your fingers. Having all of these resistances is somewhat pointless in my opinion if you're only going to be utilizing one or two of them every time you join a map. However, in rare situations, this paint can outshine plenty of others in certain mid-ranged CTFs.

 

And then there's the newbie paint, Blacksmith. With the lowest level of protection being 17% versus Railgun bolts, having multiple long ranged artillery defensive setups, and an excellent antique sketch pattern, this paint might be worth the buy for a player lacking a long-ranged paint. Of course, if you need a truly Railgun resistant paint (or at least a paint that doesn't stand out like a pearl placed on new blacktop), then Tundra or Digital would definitely be better buys. Blacksmith is more Shaft and Vulcan oriented to begin with. The Railgun resistance, on the other hand, happens to fit just within the window of younger XP-BP players. If you don't already have Sandstone or Fracture, this paint should be on your sale shopping list somewhere. You've already been through my whole song and dance about where specific paints should lie on which ends of the battlefield. Having a specified resistance to most weapons with an infinite range of fire guarantees this paint's use on the furthest reaches of vast hunting grounds like Solikamsk.

 

 

 

 

Lieutenant Colonel

 

 

M2 Twins

 

I know this relates to nothing in the effectiveness aspect of the weapon, but from what I've witnessed, players view the color of this variation of Twins' orbs differently. Some say they're bright yellow, neon green, and even pink. A strange in-game phenomena.

 

M2 Twins is a nightmare to fight if you 1) can't avoid its line of fire 2) don't have any resistance paints 3) can't throw off its aim or 4) have the average intelligence of a Yorkshire terrier and charge at it. Vulcan, Ricochet and Twins are all weapons designed to suppress and overwhelm their target with a flurry of bullets. Twin's range is the shortest of the three, but its primary advantage is that it never has to stop shooting. Ricochet requires time to recharge its clip after continuous fire, making it only a distant cousin to Twins and Vulcan in terms of overwhelming power. Vulcan, though it technically can release a consistent stream of bullets indefinitely, it cannot indeed do so without repercussion. You all remember why you put on Storm or Loam or what have you whenever you take this minigun out for a spin. So, anyways, since Twins never has to stop shooting, find some opponents that you can likewise never have to stop shooting. This variation might require one or two micro-upgrades to be more noticable than M1 in terms of impact force and general cumulative damage. Those two or three bullets you didn't have to use will save you time and your life more often than you'll give it credit for. Gameplay for Twins is so easy, a caveman can do it has an unsuspecting spice of challenge to it, especially if you've been listening and are using these in a DM. Using this weapon frequently will train you in leading your shots, a unique skill that can only be applied to Twins and Ricochet. Knowing where your opponent is going to move next is important when using these, as well. One misplaced ion blast dodged by a crafty Wasp/Railgun can be enough to send you back to your side of the field via respawn.

M2 Viking

 

Flat, high horsepower, armored, relatively speedy. If you don't think M2 Hunter has the girth to keep you alive enough, but you still wanna go fast, then look no further than Lieutenant Colonel's best and only hull offer yet -- M2 Viking! An excellent vehicle for patrolling the centers of maps on CTFs, sitting on the point in multi-point CPs when Mammoths and Dictators aren't plundering about (but let's be honest, at these ranks, when aren't they? You think they'd stick to the territories they know best, like single-point CPs, but did they listen to ol' Sheddy? Noooo....), slipping into cracks other bulkier tanks would have trouble accessing... there's a reason this thing is so popular, y'know. Their shape also makes them almost impervious to tilt hazards. I mean, when was the last time you saw a Viking on its side? What Hunter lacks in raw shoving strength, Viking more than makes up for by pushing even Dictators around (with a little work on the right angles). Sadly, this extra power doesn't always do the trick. Its own shape comes back to bite it in the tailpipe by potentially giving lighter hulls a footstool to climb onto and basically steal a falling gold box from the poor sucker using Viking. The description in the garage doesn't lie -- I haven't quite found a weapon that fails to perform exceptionally well on this hull. It's labeled a 'universal hull' for a reason! If you're going to attack, defend, mid-field or whatever tickles your fancy, make sure you equip the right supply for it. This hull can seriously take advantage of every supply you've got, so use 'em well.

 

Loam, Winter, Rhino

 

The relationship between a tanker and the paint they use is usually reflective of their past experiences. Someone who buys Loam, for example, has probably grown sick and tired of trying to fend off Firebirds. An ultimatum defense versus the barbecue machine, Loam lays out high quality security against this weapon even straight out of the garage -- almost 40% from the shop. Maximizing the resistance will easily turn this paint into a mini-Zeus. Of course, there's also minor protections that come with this paint, making it somewhat more useful than a maxed out Storm. Thunder, Ricochet and Freeze all start off a a measly 10%, but if you really want to put in the time, money and effort to build them all into 15%, then that's your choice. However, that's only suggested if you plan on making this an endgame paint. (With Zeus and Inferno in the distant future, that might not be the smartest decision, but it's certainly less expensive.)

 

Winter holds its proud claim as the best initial Shaft resistance you're going to see until Jade. Personally, I've always loved the aesthetics of this paint. Winter's been on my wish list for quite a while, but I haven't had the time, funding, or proper planning to wisely purchase it. (You see, the next time the Cardinal kit comes out, I want to see if I can get my hands on Picasso. Universal paints like that pique my interest. Also, it looks AWESOME.) This paint's protections are unique in a sense: 38% Shaft, 5% Railgun, 18% Thunder, and 5% Firebird. Yes, I understand that all paints are unique (otherwise, what's the purpose of purchase?), but this one tends to stand out in a crowd for its confined yet erratic color schemes. I'm not trying to play Paint Connoisseur here, but a paint that manages to produce such strange patterning while still maintaining its polar complexion earns it a spot in my book as one of the best looking paints. (Or, at the very least, most unique of the camo-based paints.) Anyways, I'm sure most of you already figured out that this paint is probably only applicable at long ranges where Shaft and Thunder dominate. The Railgun protection, frankly, is next to useless at its starting offer of 5%. You're reducing only about a Twin's shot or two of damage, and with Railgun's high overall power per shot, that meager resistance means almost nothing. If you're looking for a true long ranged paint, I'd suggest passing over this and tossing some micro-upgrades onto Digital's Shaft resistance.

 

Rhino is the only paint available at Lieutenant Colonel that has functional resistance from the two newest weapons from the developer's conveyor line: Hammer (30%) and Vulcan (30%). Whereas most protective coatings don't focus much on these weapons (we're just going to ignore Blacksmith for now), Rhino goes above and beyond the call of duty to secure you a maximum resistance of 45% when pumped with its due upgrades. A bonus 6% Firebird protection isn't as proficient next to the wondrous fortifications it's paired with, but it could save your life at least once when in a close firefight. What makes Rhino interesting is that its protection range (its primaries) can be classed alongside Hohloma as a spectrum paint, thanks to Hammer's high DPS and Vulcan's IC classification. It's hard to use this on the field, but in some cases, this paint might be found useful by a mid-sized map traveler with a hankerin' for some offensive CTF play.

 

 

 

 

Colonel

 

 

M2 Smoky

 

Finally, Smoky gets its upgrade! A happy ending for Smoky's unfortunate M1 career. Sadly, when the Warrant Officer ranks rolled past and M1 Thunder was busy pwning everything in sight, Smoky was left abandoned in a dark, dusty corner of the garage, declared underpowered and having too low a firing rate. Some even protested that the critical hits, as rare as they were, weren't having enough impact on their opponent's health bar. And so the fate of M1 Smoky was sealed until the day these same players decided to test their luck at a Polygon CP several ranks later, and whadayaknow, there was a Smoky causing mayhem within the sanctum of the high score board. That day, its second modification has finally returned Smoky to its former glory and further.

 

Whereas Smoky's shot count stayed disappointingly low throughout most of its low ranked career, its M2 came to resurrect this weapon's usefulness as a peashooting-style gun: an impressive amount of damage per shot, decent impact force, a whole new stage of power within its critical shots (of which the rate had drastically increased in percentage), and a recoil that can actually do something to help you right yourself in the incident of a tip-over. Now, M2 Hornets can be killed in three shots after adding a few micro upgrades, and only two if you land a critical. This mid-ranged weapon is the definition of universal, not having a position it's necessarily bad at. On the other hand, however, it doesn't have a position it's absolutely the best for, either, which led to its self-imposed earmarking as the "Average Joe" of turrets. This is the only in-game turret I can classify as universal without smearing the fine lines I've already drawn on the grounds of identification. 

 

M2 Wasp

 

Another blast from the past, Wasp is finally back from the dead with the unlocking of its greater M2 cousin. The definition of the poorly construed Internet phrase 'gotta go fast', you already know plenty about Wasp -- weak, lightweight, and prone to going too fast for its own good. I'm sure all of you driving a car out there understand that not paying precise attention to where you're piloting this thing can lead to not only your ultimate demise, but your humiliating ultimate demise. Honestly, nine times out of ten, I'd have to wait to respawn again only because I nicked the corner of my hull into a wall and had to drop all of my remaining momentum, back out, and accelerate once more down the path I was originally intending to take. By then, the player(s) I was running from will likely have caught up with me and I'd be pelted with a wide variety of plasma, shrapnel, and napalm fuels. Long story short: Don't stop moving, be it by your own command or that wall's. Wasp, with its fan-TAS-tic turning responses and speed, can be viable on plenty of maps, as long as you have a place to hide when you run low on health, and every Wasp player knows that it doesn't take very long to achieve this status. Fun Fact: Wasp reaps the least benefit from protection paints, since they work in terms of percentages. Another Fun Fact That You'd Probably Figure Out From Mental Reverse Engineering Of The First: Mammoth gains the most out of protection paints, since they work in terms of percentages. 

 

M2 Titan

 

Basically a faster, more powerful version of Mammoth. Of course, there's the notable lack of health, but in the grand scheme of things, Titan and Mammoth are interchangeable. The final decision comes down to what you prefer more -- extra health, or raw power and notably better speed. Like its chubbier brother, Titan enjoys clear, bright days on a Ping-Pong, Island, or any small map that meets its needs. Since its last upgrade was available way back at First Sergeant, when M1s were just emerging into the world, the massive jump between modifications leads to some pretty drastic increases in stats. The health soared up over 100 points, the speed almost went up a full notch (which is pretty impressive, for a heavy hull), power and weight went up tremendously, and it gained some neat titanium linings along its edges, highlighting its durable form. Seriously, this machine looks pretty solid. If you dropped one from a 10 story building flat on its treads, I'm pretty sure the concrete would shatter just to make way for its girth, leaving the machine spotless. Anyways, Titan isn't precisely an extremist hull, simply because Mammoth just outdoes it in being the most heavily armored hull in the game. Going head to head with a Mammoth is something you'd generally want to avoid, if only because of the likelihood of a survival of the fattest competition leaving your machine a hollow, voided, carapace is incredibly high.

 

Urban, Atom

 

What stunning paints we have available at this rank, despite being the only upgrade to offer you only two paints in this list. Starting us off is Urban, a simplistic paint with a quiet color scheme characterized by most camouflage type paints and an excellent range of protections. The most prominent of these, however, is its outstanding Twins guard. 40% dissipation per plasma ball at completely vanilla stats is nothing to sneeze at. 20% protection versus Isida waves will do you well in a close ranged map where everyone has the idea to try and siphon everyone else's health to stay alive. There are indeed less protuberant shields integrated within this paint (Firebird and Ricochet), both of which remain in the single digits regardless of micro-upgrades. If you're looking for a Roger with a kick, this is the paint for you.

 

Atom speaks in a much different accent than the dirge yet attractive shades of Urban. Sporting a bright blue and white glow and lighting up almost any map with its intense ambiance and cheerful shades of which are almost comparable to ice, Atom is guaranteed to make you a target-- *ahem* *cough* I mean, a powerful teammate versus all things close ranged. Unsurprisingly, in a land where tanks can get onto rooftops via sniper rifles the size of small automobiles and painting your tank to look like a bushel of Japanese flowers gives you instant protection from microscopic robots, disguising your tank to look like a molecular compound grants you nearly half resistance to giant shotguns. Anyways, alongside this 35% Hammer resistance are plenty of smaller protections, like 10% Freeze, 10% Twins, and 15% Firebird. Whoopee, another close combat paint! This might see better use in teeny to mid-sized DMs than anywhere else, since that's where Hammers like to be the most. I just wish this thing had Thunder protection...

 

 

 

 

What's My Strategy?

 

You've probably read this thing enough times to know what you're doing. It's like a Choose-Your-Own-Ending book, except you should read them all, since I spent an entire afternoon working on this section understanding every possible outcome bestows an exponential brainwealth of knowledge to the reader (meaning you), and knowledge is power, right? Eh, you get it. Scram, now. Into the spoiler with ye.

 

v v v START HERE v v v

 

 

Same scenario as last time, the time before and the time before that. You've got at least one M2 from the previous ranks, and plenty of M1s to upgrade from. There are two choices before you, both of equal benefit but of different result: Shaft and Firebird. Almost polar opposites in terms of gameplay, the critical choice to the rest of your career here lies in reach. Now then, which will you select?

 

Here for Firebird (if you already have Railgun)

Well, since you've already classified your main long ranged weapon, let's just cut to the chase and get right down to the nitty-gritty with Firebird. High burn damage, high contact power, high burn time... this thing is just generally high class. Micro-upgrade the ever living flab out of this thing, since its next modification doesn't make way until Commander. You get the idea.

 

From here, you've gotta pick a nice, fitting hull for your play styles. Warning: Redundancy is a common mistake in most growing tankers! Don't buy something you don't need. If you have a classy M2 Hornet already, I wouldn't waste the cash to go buy a Wasp.

 

Already bought Hornet/Hunter?

Well, we've already narrowed down your list to three choices -- the all pwn-erful Dictator, our mobile fortress, Titan, and the fattest of them all, Mammoth. Viking, although revered for its less-than-recently modified stats, should not have to replace the Hunter that may be in your garage. Not even the Hornet, in fact, should have to suffer this. With all this being said, what's your choice?

 

Dictator?

Dictator/Firebird... another well respected combination, notorious for cropping up like weeds in Polygon CPs. Albeit somewhat similar in capabilities to the heavy hulls, being classified as a pseudo-heavy hull itself, the speed increase and attractive height of this hull make it stand apart from the other two, being able to take the fight to an opponent while still wearing an excellent number of hit points. Dictator's flexible uses leave it a viable option for almost any playing style, but try staying away from the offensive lines unless you have some backup. Hohloma, surprisingly, is probably the best paint for you to purchase, as it contains a wide wealth of protections that may be just enough to suit both your offensive and defensive needs. Don't forget you still have that long ranged weapon that Dictators love to take advantage of.

 

Titan/Mammoth?

Since both Mammoth and Titan are almost congruent in statistics and function next to the strange outlier Dictator, They are placed into the same class. Well, now that you have a complete set (Hunter/Hornet, Titan/Mammoth, Railgun/Vulcan and Firebird), you'll finally be ready to do battle with whatever lies ahead. Hunter and Hornet, under use of both weapons you have purchased, can play great support roles and flag assists, while using Titan or Mammoth can give your team that defense boost they'd never regret. I'd suggest, as a Firebird yourself, to build some sort of defense from it. Since supportive roles might rely on you hanging out mid-field, paints like Rustle, Loam or Atom would give you appreciated protection from other mid-fielders and flag support that attempt to thwart your efforts. As for DMs... Stick with Hornet/Hunter/Firebird. With a proper protection paint, that combo won't even allow you to give up without a fight.

 

 

 

Already bought Dictator? 

Well, kind tanker, it looks like you're in need of something with a bit of fire in the furnace and on the roof. Since you don't need anything heavier than Viking, being a Dictator and all, you've taken that staunch list and crumpled it down to two options, both of which have similar appeal. Hunter vs Hornet: there's plenty of variation between these two points on this technological gamut, being two different classes of hulls and whatnot, but stating that they'd function best in completely different fields would be contradicting myself. Honestly, all these two hulls need is a long ranged paint, and they're likely to survive any offensive confrontation. Of course, that depends heavily on the field, but you understand where I'm going with this. For example, Blacksmith and Rustle are great counterparts to these two hulls. Need I even mention Loam's excellent capabilities on-field?

 

 

Here for Shaft (if you already have Freeze or Isida)

Wait for it... wait for it... PSHOW! (Yes, this is indeed as cheesy as it gets. Even typing that, I cringed internally.) As you might have figured out, Shaft isn't the best standalone weapon in the game. It works best with teammates, and if you have Isida to back you up, that's even better. If you had chosen Freeze way back in the last month, you're more of an ally to a CTF player than a single-point CP gamer.

 

Basing your decision on where you want to go with most of your gameplay, what hull d'you think should aid you most?

 

Redundancy Warning! Don't pick something similar in class to the M2 hull you previously purchased. If you already claimed a spiffy Dictator last sale, why would you waste the cash to buy a Titan, the next modification over? Sure, the stats in armor increase, but it'd be easier to just micro-upgrade the armor on your own hull if you want more. Think cost-friendly, guys 'n gals! You're not made of crystals!

 

I've already bought Hornet/Hunter. Let's see what the heavies have to offer.

Your choice is simple. Viking/Dictator, or Titan/Mammoth?

 

Uh... Viking/Dictator?

Pretty short spoiler there, eh? I figured you might be a bit confused, since I tend to drawl on a bit. But, to be honest, the choices really are rather limited -- either you're an intermediate class hull user or a true heavy. Since you picked the middle route, you're still going to be seeing plenty of action on team matches, although your days of lurking in the alleyways are all but finished. Even though these hulls don't have near as much drive as your lightweight all star Hornet or the revered Hunter, these machines still have a bit of kick in their engines. Utilize it and become a roaming predator, blasting away at all thing that move. Y'know, except your allies. You're not doing damage, but it still gets a bit annoying after some time. Mult. -_-  Anyways, Rustle is a must have paint for Vikings everywhere, and it still works like a charm on Dictator. If you like fighting fire with fire from a good ways away more than beating things up from close range, Winter and/or Blacksmith can be valuable partners to your success on the field.

 

Uh.. Titan/Mammoth?

Your personality is what people would call radical. Going from one point of the scope to the other without flinching can make you a substantial and unpredictable opponent. Prepped for any type of combat, be it a battle spanning great reaches with Mammoth/Shaft/Rhino or hull-to-hull warfare with Hunter/Freeze/Urban, you'll always know precisely how to tackle a situation. Isida keeps you as a valuable team player while constantly gaining experience points to move onto the next set of ranks. (View here to understand more about those.)

 

 

Pfft, Dictator's already in my garage. Let me pick up something more accustomed to haste.

Alright, Dictator/Shaft. Not a bad combo at all. The largest flaw in this strategy, however, is your undeniable weakness to players who like to bring the fight to you instead. Usually, picking them off isn't too much of a problem before they reach you, but therein lies the problem: what happens if they do indeed reach you? You'd probably want to think about running. Dictator/Freeze is only good in so many circumstances, but a long ranged CTF is not one of them. The best option I can offer you here without a doubt is M2 Wasp. Not only can it utilize those close ranged weapons you have lying around in your garage with eerily natural ease, but you'll finally be able to keep those "capture the flag" on your list and not have to change then out of frustration. Winter, Blacksmith, Rhino.... any of these will aid you in your quest to bring home the bacon. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully y'all enjoyed this series. I'm hoping to bring it back again for a new set of ranks inside the next thirty days. You interested to see which? Stick around 'til then! Until next time!

 

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Edited July 29, 2017 by Hexed

[muhammad-raafay 3]

dude u have put so many spoilers in one space!!

nice, though. ;)

[Link_1119 183]

lol i still run around with my love paint around xD ill get a new paint when the sales come, ill get atom it looks hot as heck

[B.R.A.V.E 734]

I already have wasp smok lol :D

[muhammad-raafay 3]

spoilers do spoil.

[anuclearbomb 220]

 

 

M2 Shaft

 

Like Railgun, in plenty of senses, but has a considerably larger amount of 'ouch' behind each shot. That is, if you're using its full sniping power. At a full charge, M2 Shaft dishes out 185 damage to the unlucky tanker before it. Honestly, that's not all that shy of M3's full power; there's only a 20 point difference. You could go without upgrading your Shaft to M3 for a good long while. I've seen Marshals use M2 Shaft effectively plenty of times, although I do wonder sometimes why they haven't decided to purchase its final upgrade yet. (Remember M4's full sniping power? 260? Worth micro-upgrading, if I might say so myself.) Nonetheless, none of these ridiculous power levels will mean jack-diddly unless you have a healthy distance available between you and your target. Shaft is designed to be a stealthy weapon. Or, y'know, it was, until they added that light beam. However, using your peripheral vision and hiding the beam on a wall or such until the very last second can help you get the jump on baddies. For positioning like this (and for utilizing the general mobility this weapon requires at times), hulls with the turret placed on either end of the hull like Wasp and Dictator pair well with this gun. Viking, Hornet and even Mammoth also have their moment in the sun due to their lower profiles making it easier to hide in bushes and such.

 

 

 

.

 

i'm sorry, but the tanker receiving that shot is incredibly lucky, cause that shaft isn't doing the 200.6 damage it can destroy m2 hunter with :)

also, it does 280 i think at full MU now, and i see where your coming from, but the Wiki hasn't been updated in... like well it was updated sometime in the last week

 

fine, the question goes

Edited September 5, 2015 by anuclearbomb

[Shedinja 1,488]

I must have misread. I have repaired the errors. 

 

 

 which should i go for Shaft, Hunter, Digital, Thunder and Spark, dictator, or firebird? 

 

 

Didn't I just write two guides to answer these questions...?

Edited September 4, 2015 by Shedinja

[NewbieCake 3,067]

i'm sorry, but the tanker receiving that shot is incredibly luck, cause that shaft isn't doing the 200.6 damage it can destroy m2 hunter with :)

also, it does 280 i think at full MU now, and i see where your coming from, but the Wiki hasn't been updated in... like well it was updated sometime in the last week

 

also, which should i go for Shaft, Hunter, Digital, Thunder and Spark, dictator, or firebird? 

This isn't the section to be asking this, ask your questions here ------------>http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=275750&page=1139&hl=%2Bwhat+%2Bto+%2Bbuy%3F+%2Bwhich+%2Bis+%2Bbetter%3F&do=findComment&comment=4969069

:)

Edited September 4, 2015 by NewbieCake

[anuclearbomb 220]

I must have misread. I have repaired the errors. 

 

 

 

 

Didn't I just write two guides to answer these questions...?

but you didn't specify what to do if you don't have any good m2s, and i have not freeze/isida, or railgun

[Hex 11,520]

Nice Article! Keep it up!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[buddersword 26]

As a First Lieutenent I love Destroying Majors and Colonels with my Railgun m2 ^_^ . May they Rest In Pieces :lol:

[Rebellion 640]

Your pretty freaking good at making pretty freaking awesome spectacular looking incredible articles.

[anuclearbomb 220]

Your pretty freaking good at making pretty freaking awesome spectacular looking incredible articles.

i think he likes the article...

Edited September 6, 2015 by anuclearbomb

[Indra_Otsutsuki 329]

I bought my m2 viking at lietenant colonel and she was very fast,strong and beautiful (much better looking than m2 dictator).She is doing quite well against her superior m3s though she just can't protect the base and flag from those squads sent from from the red team in kungur so yeah I am gonna need the titan to really sit-on-the-flag-and-protect-it-at-all-costs  :P

 

Excellent Article! I hope you can make a article about m3s available at + 

Edited September 6, 2015 by Indra_Otsutsuki

[QueenSeraphina 407]

but you didn't specify what to do if you don't have any good m2s, and i have not freeze/isida, or railgun

which means you got to choose based on map choice and m1s that you have.

 

-

 

My choice would be... whenever a good kit shows up and get that equipment. :)

[Shedinja 1,488]

Excellent Article! I hope you can make a article about m3s available at + 

Here you go.

[Indra_Otsutsuki 329]

Here you go.

Thanks bro(Though I really should have read that article when i was .I really hope you can make an article for m3s next month.I  alsohope you will still maintain your  :ph34r: skills while researching for m3s  :P

Edited September 6, 2015 by Indra_Otsutsuki

[Shedinja 1,488]

...

 

I sent you the wrong article. This is the one you need.

[Indra_Otsutsuki 329]

...

 

I sent you the wrong article. This is the one you need.

Perfect! But this article should have its own version for m3s available at +

[Shedinja 1,488]

Perfect! But this article should have its own version for m3s available at +

Have a little patience, they'll be coming eventually. 

[Indra_Otsutsuki 329]

Have a little patience, they'll be coming eventually. 

OK

[momy950666 960]

awsome as always