Your reasoning is completely subjective so I will respond subjectively to one thing you said. You're talking about moving in reverse...IMO, that's one of the most annoying things people do. Sometimes, you're capturing a flag or running towards a tank that just stole your flag to destroy him and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, this little tank reverses into you and won't budge, completely blocking your way and your chances of killing the flag stealer. Why did that tank do this? Because he was moving backwards since he knew the map like the back of his hand. I won't tell you how many times this has happened and the flag stealer has got away. Again, all your points are subjective which is why my response is subjective and I don't understand why you're bashing shafts because it's all based on your perspective and opinion and you seem to think you have the only right opinion ;)

No, I move around but not all over the map. I move around maybe about a diameter of 5 lengths of the tank. The reason for that is because I always use a heavy hull and I always position myself in a way where I can see all the entry points and that's only a few places that give you that flexibility, depending on the map.

Using a Shaft in a small map is not the smartest choice :) It's like taking a sniper rifle to shoot someone inside a small room. Not even the best General in the world would recommend that :P Yep :) We can only speak in English in this forum but: Maithri ta Jayaweva!

Well, I didn't want to register another account so I'll link you to the images via a proxy site: 1. http://7.hidemyass.com/ip-1/encoded/Oi8vaS5pbWd1ci5jb20vY2pVTW1Zai5qcGc%3D&f=norefer 2. http://1.hidemyass.com/ip-1/encoded/Oi8vaS5pbWd1ci5jb20vOWV2cHRuNC5qcGc%3D&f=norefer If you can't view it, no worries. The images don't really matter. It's just the technique that I wanted to explain.

I see what you're saying, but using my guidelines, I believe you can get much higher D/Ls. This is from my other account: My average D/L is around 15, I'd say. The above cases were unusual. And I never use drugs unless the opposite team drugs like crazy.

It really depends on your style of play. Big hull works fine for the style I described. I'm talking about coming in the top 2-3 with a D/L between 20-50 without drugs. You can't do that with a light hull. You've also got to make sure you have a strategic spot to take cover when necessary...like that container on the red side of Silenece. That's my most favourite spot in all of Tanki as a shaft. I can see 3 of the 4 entry points from there and I usually end up with a very high D/L and a high score too.

I agree. If you know how to wield it, it can change the flow of a game under the right circumstances. Those circumstances are (in my opinion and this only applies to CTF): 1. You should be in a position where you can have a good view of all possible escape routes from the enemy territory. 2. You have to have a hull that can take a lot of damage so that you're not destroyed in one shot by a drugging rail or shaft at a critical moment. 3. Play a defensive and leader role for your team. Since you can view all the escape routes, you can determine what your team needs to escape with a captured flag. You've got to communicate this to your team. 4. Make sure the map is a medium to large map like Silence or Sephurov, for example. Small maps will never work for a shaft unless you're constantly drugging which is a waste IMO. 5. Make use of the shaft impact force by flipping opponents when they're stealing a flag. 6. Always attack isidas first. If you don't, they will just heal their team mates no matter how much you shoot their team mates. 7. Never live in scope mode. That's a total waste. You're a waste of space for your team since you're not destroying the enemy half the time and you're not watching all the escape routes so you can't really coordinate your team. In short, a shaft user, IMO, should lead the team but don't be cocky about it :P Be nice to your team mates and request, don't demand. I believe if you follow the rules above, you can always completely control the flow of the game unless everybody on the other team is drugging in which case shave your head so you don't end up pulling all your hair out :P PS: I mostly play on the red side of the map in Silence and I can tell you that all you need for that map is a Rail, Thunder/Rico and most importantly a Shaft, 2 Isidas and a Freeze. Get those and you can win.

And sometimes, that can be considered appropriate ;)

Almost everyone hates shafters! In almost every game you're going to have people that talk smack at you. I respond appropriately :)

I agree. Railguns are easy to tackle because you can see the turret light up before it fires a ****. All you have to do is hit them on the side of the hull to make them lose aim. As a shaft, I only find it difficult to play against other shafts, ricos and some smokeys who have microupgraded to have a high impact.

I didn't realize you'd realize that :P

I didn't realize the whole point of this game was to make a fashion statement :P

I really dislike drugging because I feel it's a cheap way to be a better player (only my opinion :)). But, when the attackers drug, I drug too. The funny thing is, they complain when a Shaft drugs even though they're drugging themselves... Another common complaint is the term "camper". How do you define a camper? To me, a camping shaft is a shaft that lives in scope mode and barely even moves. I only go into scope mode where necessary. Most of the time, I'm turning my turret around looking for any approaching attackers. If I see one coming, once I've determined his route, I will get into scope mode and wait for him to arrive to destroy him and that usually lasts a few seconds. And I move maybe 1-2 tank lengths in order to get a better vantage point but I rarely move more than that. Given then above, I don't consider myself a camper but people call me one. I use a Titan, it's not a hull meant for moving around too much so I think my gameplay is justified. Most of the time, it's ironic how the people who accuse you of being a camper are hardcore druggers.

Even with the introduction of the laser, I feel like shaft is still the most powerful weapon in Tanki. I'm still hitting the top 3 with a Shaft. All you guys who think the Shaft is for "noobs" simply don't know how to use a Shaft effectively so maybe it's you who is the "noob"? :D

I have absolutely no idea who that is ;)