Guide [Issue 59] How to Deal with Tanki Noobs

[Quarks 2,255]

 

That Guy. The one who can't play at all. There's usually at least one of them on the team, running around with that pathetic combo 1 or 2 levels below everyone else. Sometimes even running around with M0 Wasp-Twins (Yes, I have seen that - my Railgun made short work of them!). Variously known as mults, saboteurs, or just the term “nug” in general, they tend to ruin gameplay for just about everyone on your team.

 

 

Firstly, before we get into the details: if you have a mult or a saboteur on your team, go and report them on the forum or via /vote command. With that out of the way, we can begin to delve into ways to survive their onslaught of uselessness in battle; and by survive, I mean try and find a way to cope with their nugginess. You must work around them and use their lack of skills to your advantage. And no, that is not cheating because not doing so would ruin your team’s chance of success.

 

 

THAT Horrible Player

On almost every team, there is usually a player who cannot play to save their lives. They are unable to turn their turret and can’t use peripheral vision. The epitome of bad in a nutshell. They don't necessarily have bad equipment, but more often than not, they do.

 

Strategies:

 

Cannon Fodder: The really horrible players tend to be purely offensive. Whether it be getting the flag or a CP, they are very predictable. So let them do what they are going to do, let them be the first in and let them die. They will weaken your opponents (maybe), but more importantly, they distract them. They will focus on the bad player while you can do what you need to do. This works best in CTF, but can be useful to keep in mind for multi-point CPs and the occasional TDM.

 

Meat Shield: Who says you have to take damage? Simply follow them or camp out behind them and let them take any damage directed towards you. As a result, you can live longer and thus be more helpful, because let's admit it: that M1 Smoky is not going to do anything to just about every M2, so let that Smoky take your shots.

 

No better meat shield than the fat monstrosity known as Goldy's Titan

 

 

Weak Equipment:

Plaguing many a good team, these players are practically useless. They die in a few seconds' fire, whether they have Wasp or Mammoth. They can't be of any use on offense because they die too quickly, and defense is a big no-no since they can't do any damage. Put them in the midfield and they just get in the way. If they are on your opponents' team, you're in good shape, but it's heartbreaking if they are on yours.

 

Strategy: 

 

Decoy: Weak targets = attention; it is a simple mathematical formula (see spoiler). An easy way to increase K/D and gain easy experience as everyone is worth the same. If they ever listen to you. If you can, try and get them to attack using a different route than you are. Pop in and grab the flag or take an empty CP. If they don't listen to you, just take a different path. Beware: they die quite quickly, so you have to go in fast. Very effective in TDM and CTF, not as effective in CP.

 

((3(Current M- PlayerM)x + 5(M of you + (50-MU level))/ People Nearby)/ (# of people with bad equipment/ team number))100

 

How to efficiently trick the Yis, decoy with a Goldmult.

 

 

Saboteur:

Probably the hardest counter in this article, considering how active they tend to be. They move around targeting different players, blocking flags, shooting you, and causing people to then fight them to get them to stop. Always report them, as mentioned above, but you still have to be in the same match with them and you have to do something to have any chance at doing well.

 

Strategies:

 

Avoid/ignore them: "Well DUUUUH!" says everyone in the audience. I know it is obvious, but half the problem with saboteurs is people then try to sabotage them trying to make them stop. By not engaging them, you've kept a player for your team, so one more to pick up the slack.

 

Tag-Team:  For the most part, there is only one saboteur on a team (unless you happen to be really unlucky), which means they can only get in the way of 1 person at a time. You can work with a friend to "distract" the saboteur, or at least get them to bother the friend instead of the rest of the team. Is it a perfect solution? No, it isn't, because the saboteur(s) are still there in the game and you lose a teammate to help fight. However, this might be a necessity if they are, for example, blocking a flag in CTF. I still recommend avoiding them at all costs, but if no other options are available, this becomes a bit of a last-ditch effort.

 

 

Mults:

Possibly the most annoying person to find on your team,  people eating chicken instead of playing mults. Just kinda camping out in the middle of a battle doing absolutely nothing at all. Just relaxing, probably drinking coffee or eating bacon. They are of no use for anything other than wasting a spot on your team and making it unbalanced. 

 

Strategy:

 

Flag Guard: For clarification, I am not saying push them on top of the flag, but as a more specialized meat shield. If you have the flag, "camping" behind a mult can give much-needed protection to either reload or to recharge your supplies. Again, a specific scenario, but it is possible to take advantage of the obnoxious mult.

 

If you happen to come across this particular mult if he's ever on, leave the battle immediately.

There is no survival, run, run while you can. It is too late for me/

 

 

There's only so much that you can do with these players on your team. However, when using these strategies you can mitigate your losses. While not a perfect solution, it helps you to survive. So play Tanki, avoid mults, and win your battles!

 

P.S. A thanks to @Yisroel.Rabin and master-Admin @GoldRock for humoring my pictures.

Edited July 20, 2017 by Hexed

[Blackdrakon30 2,943]

Well written! I think its a pretty fun perspective, despite it being a similar topic to many other pieces.  :P

Why is there not a picture of you in identifying mults  :ph34r:

 

 

First post, gg all \o/

[Crip 4,735]

Can the next article be "How to deal with Tanki's Staff?"

 

Just kidding :)

 

Nicely done.

[Ninja 10,468]

Dear bry,

Please, 'Nug' is a term reserved for the AWC, please be considerate and use 'noob' next time.

Regards, Lux.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Quarks
hairbrush is annoying, so stop

[CannonFodder_PRO 0]

Thank you! I finally have a purpose!

[TTK_229 1,080]

Dear Hairbrush,

 

Please, 'Nug' is a term reserved for the AWC, please be considerate and use 'noob' next time.

 

Regards, Lux.

looks like the nickname I created is finally catching on.

Thank you! I finally have a purpose!

:)

 

Good article, Hairbrush.

I actually did come up with that first OK nub

[Ninja 10,468]

I actually did come up with that first OK nub

U sure did. :P

[Quarks 2,255]

Dear bry,

 

Please, 'Nug' is a term reserved for the AWC, please be considerate and use 'noob' next time.

 

Regards, Lux.

Nug was originally used by the Newspaper, and has been adapted to elsewhere. 

[Ninja 10,468]

Nug was originally used by the Newspaper, and has been adapted to elsewhere.

Sir, thank you for your clarification.

[VaudeVille 1,428]

I mostly play private battles with friends ;)

[Bleach 491]

But m1 smoky is bae...

[I.ZEUS.I 865]

Nice,
i use to use some of  these strategies in battles, and it does works well.  :)

[sm0ky 92]

But m1 smoky is bae...

Not as bae when given M2 specs.  :ph34r:

[Defense 25]

Great Work! Good advice, I'll be sure to try it out. Unfortunately though, yesterday a player who was both a mult and a noob joined our team in a 200 island ctf when our team was winning 185-67. We ended up losing, and my 10k score went to waste. Perhaps if we had tried your tactics things would have gone differently, but seeing as island is a small map, it may be doubtful. Could you make a guide to dealing with these people in smaller maps, where it is difficult to deal with 1 player missing? Thanks :)

[johny2015zoz 1]

lol now maybe I shouldn't play now that people know what to do with me lol

 

[AavoPeep321 9]

I would just flip them over if they are too annyoing for your team (mostly doing it whit twins, cause easyer then)

[bigx 14]

 

 

 

That Guy. The one who can't play at all. There's usually at least one of them on the team, running around with that pathetic combo 1 or 2 levels below everyone else. Sometimes even running around with M0 Wasp-Twins (Yes, I have seen that - my Railgun made short work of them!). Variously known as mults, saboteurs, or just the term “nug” in general, they tend to ruin gameplay for just about everyone on your team.

 

 

Firstly, before we get into the details: if you have a mult or a saboteur on your team, go and report them on the forum or via /vote command. With that out of the way, we can begin to delve into ways to survive their onslaught of uselessness in battle; and by survive, I mean try and find a way to cope with their nugginess. You must work around them and use their lack of skills to your advantage. And no, that is not cheating because not doing so would ruin your team’s chance of success.

 

 

THAT Horrible Player

On almost every team, there is usually a player who cannot play to save their lives. They are unable to turn their turret and can’t use peripheral vision. The epitome of bad in a nutshell. They don't necessarily have bad equipment, but more often than not, they do.

 

Strategies:

 

Cannon Fodder: The really horrible players tend to be purely offensive. Whether it be getting the flag or a CP, they are very predictable. So let them do what they are going to do, let them be the first in and let them die. They will weaken your opponents (maybe), but more importantly, they distract them. They will focus on the bad player while you can do what you need to do. This works best in CTF, but can be useful to keep in mind for multi-point CPs and the occasional TDM.

 

Meat Shield: Who says you have to take damage? Simply follow them or camp out behind them and let them take any damage directed towards you. As a result, you can live longer and thus be more helpful, because let's admit it: that M1 Smoky is not going to do anything to just about every M2, so let that Smoky take your shots.

 

No better meat shield than the fat monstrosity known as Goldy's Titan

 

 

Weak Equipment:

Plaguing many a good team, these players are practically useless. They die in a few seconds' fire, whether they have Wasp or Mammoth. They can't be of any use on offense because they die too quickly, and defense is a big no-no since they can't do any damage. Put them in the midfield and they just get in the way. If they are on your opponents' team, you're in good shape, but it's heartbreaking if they are on yours.

 

Strategy: 

 

Decoy: Weak targets = attention; it is a simple mathematical formula (see spoiler). An easy way to increase K/D and gain easy experience as everyone is worth the same. If they ever listen to you. If you can, try and get them to attack using a different route than you are. Pop in and grab the flag or take an empty CP. If they don't listen to you, just take a different path. Beware: they die quite quickly, so you have to go in fast. Very effective in TDM and CTF, not as effective in CP.

 

((3(Current M- PlayerM)x + 5(M of you + (50-MU level))/ People Nearby)/ (# of people with bad equipment/ team number))100

 

How to efficiently trick the Yis, decoy with a Goldmult.

 

 

Saboteur:

Probably the hardest counter in this article, considering how active they tend to be. They move around targeting different players, blocking flags, shooting you, and causing people to then fight them to get them to stop. Always report them, as mentioned above, but you still have to be in the same match with them and you have to do something to have any chance at doing well.

 

Strategies:

 

Avoid/ignore them: "Well DUUUUH!" says everyone in the audience. I know it is obvious, but half the problem with saboteurs is people then try to sabotage them trying to make them stop. By not engaging them, you've kept a player for your team, so one more to pick up the slack.

 

Tag-Team:  For the most part, there is only one saboteur on a team (unless you happen to be really unlucky), which means they can only get in the way of 1 person at a time. You can work with a friend to "distract" the saboteur, or at least get them to bother the friend instead of the rest of the team. Is it a perfect solution? No, it isn't, because the saboteur(s) are still there in the game and you lose a teammate to help fight. However, this might be a necessity if they are, for example, blocking a flag in CTF. I still recommend avoiding them at all costs, but if no other options are available, this becomes a bit of a last-ditch effort.

 

 

Mults:

Possibly the most annoying person to find on your team,  people eating chicken instead of playing mults. Just kinda camping out in the middle of a battle doing absolutely nothing at all. Just relaxing, probably drinking coffee or eating bacon. They are of no use for anything other than wasting a spot on your team and making it unbalanced. 

 

Strategy:

 

Flag Guard: For clarification, I am not saying push them on top of the flag, but as a more specialized meat shield. If you have the flag, "camping" behind a mult can give much-needed protection to either reload or to recharge your supplies. Again, a specific scenario, but it is possible to take advantage of the obnoxious mult.

 

If you happen to come across this particular mult if he's ever on, leave the battle immediately.

There is no survival, run, run while you can. It is too late for me/

 

 

There's only so much that you can do with these players on your team. However, when using these strategies you can mitigate your losses. While not a perfect solution, it helps you to survive. So play Tanki, avoid mults, and win your battles!

 

P.S. A thanks to @Yisroel.Rabin and master-Admin @GoldRock for humoring my pictures.

 

 

 

 

Elitist claptrap, that is both unecessary and unkind to newcomers.

 

Everyone has to start somewhere, and that is made more difficult than ever now that game creation mode has been removed from free play.

 

Hands up, having been playing Tanki for a couple of weeks, I am a 'horrible' noob player, my tanks get destroyed a lot, I cannot turn my turret very well, don't know anything much about tactics or the nuances of the game, and have a very slow, fragile and under-gunned tank

 

I am not a gamer of any sort, I play for fun and for some light relief, so I apologise to all the better players in the teams I have played for if I messed the game up for you, it was not my intention.

 

As I don't intend to buy success, especially with these servers here, even though I can easily afford to, I try and make the best of what equipment I have to work with.

 

That includes using all the tactics you mention above for the sake of my team mates.

 

For example, deliberately taking hits to protect better players with slow-firing weapons, Isidas and team mates carrying enemy flags away.

 

Deliberately getting destroyed on ramps to block enemy tanks from chasing teammates with the enemy flags.

 

Dashing about and drawing enemy fire from long-range weapons so that their positions become more obvious to snipers on my own side.

 

Consistently sneaking into enemy camps and nicking the flag while nobody's looking to draw away enemy tanks from other positions.

 

Blasting anything possible up the a$s I can sneak up on at point-blank range.

 

Inflicting as much damage onto enemy tanks possible, so that other players in my team with better weapons can take them out more quickly.

 

Although a 'fun' player, I always try and help my team win, and that is not easy when enemy tanks can take you out with one shot the whole length of a big map like Aleksandrovk which is very frustrating, but it is what it is and if that's how you like to play, no problem.

 

Trying to protect the flag with a Firebird, despite heavily-armoured, warp-speed enemy tanks

 

What else can a new player do?

 

As a suggestion, perhaps it would be advantageous to the big-time (?) players if some game maps were created for newbies only, where huge guns and bulletproof hulls are not allowed where necomers can hone their skills against each other instead of spoiling the games of you 'elite' players.

 

Or if new players are not welcome at Tanki, maybe they should find something else to play.

Edited December 6, 2016 by Quarks
please don't quote entire article without a spoiler.

[r_I_already_won0 2,339]

 

 

 

Elitist claptrap, that is both unecessary and unkind to newcomers.

 

Everyone has to start somewhere, and that is made more difficult than ever now that game creation mode has been removed from free play.

 

Hands up, having been playing Tanki for a couple of weeks, I am a 'horrible' noob player, my tanks get destroyed a lot, I cannot turn my turret very well, don't know anything much about tactics or the nuances of the game, and have a very slow, fragile and under-gunned tank

 

I am not a gamer of any sort, I play for fun and for some light relief, so I apologise to all the better players in the teams I have played for if I messed the game up for you, it was not my intention.

 

As I don't intend to buy success, especially with these servers here, even though I can easily afford to, I try and make the best of what equipment I have to work with.

 

That includes using all the tactics you mention above for the sake of my team mates.

 

For example, deliberately taking hits to protect better players with slow-firing weapons, Isidas and team mates carrying enemy flags away.

 

Deliberately getting destroyed on ramps to block enemy tanks from chasing teammates with the enemy flags.

 

Dashing about and drawing enemy fire from long-range weapons so that their positions become more obvious to snipers on my own side.

 

Consistently sneaking into enemy camps and nicking the flag while nobody's looking to draw away enemy tanks from other positions.

 

Blasting anything possible up the a$s I can sneak up on at point-blank range.

 

Inflicting as much damage onto enemy tanks possible, so that other players in my team with better weapons can take them out more quickly.

 

Although a 'fun' player, I always try and help my team win, and that is not easy when enemy tanks can take you out with one shot the whole length of a big map like Aleksandrovk which is very frustrating, but it is what it is and if that's how you like to play, no problem.

 

Trying to protect the flag with a Firebird, despite heavily-armoured, warp-speed enemy tanks

 

What else can a new player do?

 

As a suggestion, perhaps it would be advantageous to the big-time (?) players if some game maps were created for newbies only, where huge guns and bulletproof hulls are not allowed where necomers can hone their skills against each other instead of spoiling the games of you 'elite' players.

 

Or if new players are not welcome at Tanki, maybe they should find something else to play.

 

You are a beginner. What he said doesn't apply to you. We were all unskilled and clueless once. :) Also, a lot of the tactics you describe yourself doing are actually good tactics that might be quite advanced, and help your team. That is different.

 

The thing is, I hope you will learn some skill by at least WO5, because by that time, if you still can't get much score, you are causing your team frustration. And it's much worse by Legend.

 

Also, I understand you may be encountering much more powerful equipment than your m0's, but as you go on, hopefully you can save up your crystals and get better equipment. Also, you will learn to counter better equipment more.

 

As a side note: Shaft is very OP at the low ranks. It is actually quite weak at the higher ranks. Don't worry about them.

Edited December 6, 2016 by r_I_already_won0

[bigx 14]

You are a beginner. What he said doesn't apply to you. We were all unskilled and clueless once. :) Also, a lot of the tactics you describe yourself doing are actually good tactics that might be quite advanced, and help your team. That is different.

 

The thing is, I hope you will learn some skill by at least WO5, because by that time, if you still can't get much score, you are causing your team frustration. And it's much worse by Legend.

 

Also, I understand you may be encountering much more powerful equipment than your m0's, but as you go on, hopefully you can save up your crystals and get better equipment. Also, you will learn to counter better equipment more.

 

As a side note: Shaft is very OP at the low ranks. It is actually quite weak at the higher ranks. Don't worry about them.

 

 

Thankyou for your kind words I_already_won, and your accurate description of me :-)

 

I took offence to the OP's post as it made me feel bad because I really try hard for my team(s) despite knowing I'm not that much use.

 

TBH, as I'm not a serious gamer, and anyway prefer the cut and thrust of mad close-quarter battles where things go bang quickly, I have no aspirations towards being a 'top gun' but there seems to be no way to stop getting promotion beyond my abilities.

 

Thanks for the tips  :)

[Quarks 2,255]

 

 

Elitist claptrap, that is both unecessary and unkind to newcomers.

 

Everyone has to start somewhere, and that is made more difficult than ever now that game creation mode has been removed from free play.

 

Hands up, having been playing Tanki for a couple of weeks, I am a 'horrible' noob player, my tanks get destroyed a lot, I cannot turn my turret very well, don't know anything much about tactics or the nuances of the game, and have a very slow, fragile and under-gunned tank

 

I am not a gamer of any sort, I play for fun and for some light relief, so I apologise to all the better players in the teams I have played for if I messed the game up for you, it was not my intention.

 

As I don't intend to buy success, especially with these servers here, even though I can easily afford to, I try and make the best of what equipment I have to work with.

 

That includes using all the tactics you mention above for the sake of my team mates.

 

For example, deliberately taking hits to protect better players with slow-firing weapons, Isidas and team mates carrying enemy flags away.

 

Deliberately getting destroyed on ramps to block enemy tanks from chasing teammates with the enemy flags.

 

Dashing about and drawing enemy fire from long-range weapons so that their positions become more obvious to snipers on my own side.

 

Consistently sneaking into enemy camps and nicking the flag while nobody's looking to draw away enemy tanks from other positions.

 

Blasting anything possible up the a$s I can sneak up on at point-blank range.

 

Inflicting as much damage onto enemy tanks possible, so that other players in my team with better weapons can take them out more quickly.

 

Although a 'fun' player, I always try and help my team win, and that is not easy when enemy tanks can take you out with one shot the whole length of a big map like Aleksandrovk which is very frustrating, but it is what it is and if that's how you like to play, no problem.

 

Trying to protect the flag with a Firebird, despite heavily-armoured, warp-speed enemy tanks

 

What else can a new player do?

 

As a suggestion, perhaps it would be advantageous to the big-time (?) players if some game maps were created for newbies only, where huge guns and bulletproof hulls are not allowed where necomers can hone their skills against each other instead of spoiling the games of you 'elite' players.

 

Or if new players are not welcome at Tanki, maybe they should find something else to play.

 

I have been accused of worse than elitist claptrap :p. Anyways, I'm sorry to hear that you took offense to my article. It was designed to help higher ranks against people who are DELIBERATELY trying to hurt your team, and from what you said, that does not apply to you at all. You are using the strategies to HELP your team, which is fantastic; when I was a WO1, I could barely turn my turret. I was simply talking about people who are not active. So I am sorry that you took offense, but I would like you to know I was not talking about newer players, and thank you for voicing your opinion.

[bigx 14]

I have been accused of worse than elitist claptrap :P. Anyways, I'm sorry to hear that you took offense to my article. It was designed to help higher ranks against people who are DELIBERATELY trying to hurt your team, and from what you said, that does not apply to you at all. You are using the strategies to HELP your team, which is fantastic; when I was a WO1, I could barely turn my turret. I was simply talking about people who are not active. So I am sorry that you took offense, but I would like you to know I was not talking about newer players, and thank you for voicing your opinion.

Apology accepted, :)  I'm happy now that your literary intentions were strictly honourable, and yes, even as a newbie I have seen the in-game shenanigans going on myself, its very sad anyone wants to cheat in a free game that offers no financial reward, I understand that for some, Tanki is not a matter of life and death, it's more important than that!!  :o

[bryanchua 33]

I love it when they are on the enemy :)

[Crip 4,735]

I love it when they are on the enemy :)

I don't. I just feel annoyed at mults generally, whether on my team or not.

[Lethal_Injection 586]

You don't understand my frustration sometimes when M1s are on my team... I love it when they are in DMs though...

[marc.jp_44 20,837]

Dear Hairbrush,

Please, 'Nug' is a term reserved for the AWC, please be considerate and use 'noob' next time.

Regards, Lux.

How is Lux able to get that thing under the edited bit?