No worries :) there's also a myth that smoky beats thunder within smoky's range, a myth i wiki bust this upcoming newspaper issue

Even with critical hits, smoky only does ~43 damage per second. Thunder does a consistent 40 damage per second and at a far better range. Splash is such a useful quality in my opinion, much more useful than smokys Impact force. Though smokys impact is good, it doesn't let you double or tipple your damage, hit a huge range of places, and not to mention thunders impact when upgraded is not bad at all. Thunder also does more damage per shot, so gains more out of the 'free first shot' My conclusions: Thunder is more useful than smoky I would suggest thunder to those struggling to decide between the two.

Ngl, I just think thunder m4 is better than smoky m4 :p Rico I think is good :) it's decent with Viking, but best with hunter imo, which is my dilemma

Yeah, I quite like Rico, leaning towards it right now :) not entirely sure abou pt how good it is on madness though! Seems like a thunder/rail/shaft map to me!

Does anyone have a really awesome Thunder picture that I could use for an upcoming article? Credits will be given, of course! :D

Thunder I think is enough for me! I have rail at m3, don't use it at all, and shaft half way to m4, don't use that either. Thanks though :)

All opinions welcome :) and please could you also base opinions on m4 stats? I have thunder, Isida and Viking. Which would be the best addition to my garage - Rico, firebird or freeze? Or other suggestions?

Yup, looking forward to the rest!

I think this is the best conclusion. At m4, due to my above explanation I strongly prefer thunder in most situations. But at base m3, thunder is inferior imo. Thunder improves a ridiculous amount from m3 to m4

Interesting fact: Even with critical hits, smoky only does max ~43 damage per second. Thunder does a consistent 40 damage per second and at a far better range. Splash is such a useful quality in my opinion, much more useful than smokys Impact force. Though smokys impact is good, it doesn't let you double or tipple your damage, hit a huge range of places, and not to mention thunders impact when upgraded is not bad at all. Thunder also does more damage per shot, so gains more out of the 'free first shot' I would suggest thunder to those struggling to decide between the two.

If you have an m1 hull already, I would go for m2. Both very good at their unlock ranks.

I have both. For polygon cp, if you are going in for the point, inferno can be decent I guess. But thunders are very good on polygon cp, so emerald will never be a bad choice. If you're a thunder user, or something, who intends to just shoot at the point rather than go for it every time, emerald.

Both are great, I would say it's down to your main weapon. I would generally prefer Hunter, as it is more versatile, and fits most of the weapons better than wasp in my opinion. Shaft m3 I hardly ever use, even though I have pumped a considerable amount into its MUs. Freeze and Isida I was stuck between for a long time... Both need MUs! I went with Isida, and don't regret it, it's a great turret.

Get hornet m1. If you get freeze m2 you will be stuck with an m0 hull!

I feel very sorry for those who rented on ge first days.

It's good that you won't. But it's a shame that some still do. Of course, if the team wins still, there's no harm done really. But if your presence compromises the teams ability to win the game, best you go.

+++++

Again, you're missing the point. You might be able to kill me for example once in a while, but I'm almost sure that I, with m4, will outperform you by a considerable margin in any battle. It's not arrogance, it's just fact I'm afraid! Definitively, we should all be as civil as possible. :) However, if a low ranking, weak player joins the team, do you expect us to welcome them with open arms? What annoys me more is some of the arrogance here that some low rankers have. They are certain they are as good as and can compete at high ranks. 'I can kill generalissimos'. It is obviously very frustrating to be playing on a team for a long time, for some weak players to join! Especially some games where there are only 3 or 4 players on one team! I've already said this but I will say it again. High rankers don't 'bully' medium rankers, we are just annoyed of having to carry weak members of the team, and losing because of it. If you just joined ranks at your own rank, not only would we be happier, but you would also perform better!

+++ You are much better playing games at your own rank. Just because you scored reasonably in one higher ranked game does not make you good enough to take all higher ranks on!

This means nothing to me. 2nd out of a team of three means nothing - the enemy could be weak, and you could've been there a long time. The point im trying to make isn't that you can NEVER do well, but that in many cases, people won't be happy if you join their game with weak equipment. Go to a good server like RU1 and join a decent game against high rankers with m3-m4 gear. I don't think they would appreciate a lieutenant joining their team, no matter how skilled you might be, since you just can't compete! I hope you take my point :) honestly I'm quite amused that you think you can play in high ranked games because you 'came 2nd in an island map' :p

Depends on my mood :P I often have SERIOUS cravings for: ice cream, pizza, meat

at base m3, fire for sure that damage difference is huge! at m4, I personally prefer freeze. Damage difference with the extra 4 damage points per second and afterburn, but I'd trade that in for 2 secs longer shooting time, faster reload, and ability to freeze enemies.

haha don't worry xD +1s dont mean that much anyway :P

LOL no need to post it in public.... but thanks buddy :D

Welcome, readers! Many times in the past, the newspaper has focused on the weapons which make our game so dynamic and versatile. But what about the other half to these weapons? Yes, hulls. Without the right hull, many weapons can be rendered useless. But, if you can find that right combination regardless of whether it's extremely popular or hardly seen, you can be sure to dominate all of your battles. So, here's the last in the series; I'll be taking a look at Mammoth, and how its unique combination of speed and health can prove useful with a wide variety of different weapons. It's a tough job to live up to the standard set by our GoldRock who began this series. I will do my best, and I hope I can do it justice! Mammoth/Smoky. A combination that is extremely tough to take down. A very similar combination to Titan/Smoky, this combination certainly does not lack health. It can rule the field at medium, open range, and although slow, Smoky's continuous fire is enough that its maneuverability is never too much of a disadvantage that it is exposed, as long as the map does not get too large. Mammoth's own weight complements Smoky very well, allowing it to resist pushing and giving the user stability against his or her own recoil. Smoky has instant shot time, and a reasonable range, meaning that you don't necessarily have to catch up to enemies to take them out - speed is not too much of an issue, at short-medium range. Only on larger maps will you see this combination struggle. Although strong, Smoky cannot hold its own on large maps without maneuverability, and will be shot down quickly by enemy Railguns and Thunders. Compared to Titan/Smoky, this combination also lacks maneuverability, Mammoth being slow to turn and large in shape, making flag capturing difficult. Overall, given the right scenario, this combination can be deadly, but it's definitely not universal. Overall effectiveness: 8/10 Mammoth/Firebird. A bit slow for as dynamic a weapon as Firebird. Firebird is a weapon that can't shoot for long, and requires a significant amount of time to reload. This style of gameplay requires agility, and speed, something that doesn't get poorer with Mammoth. A huge lumbering combination that just won't get you far in most maps, there's a reason why this combination is very rarely seen in general. Sometimes, on small maps like Island, or CP where tanks congregate at a point, this combination is usable. But in the overall picture, this combination is far from a perfect match. Overall effectiveness: 5.5/10 Mammoth/Twins. Can be a dominating combination, complementing the sustained firepower of Twins. Twins have the power to shoot continuously without the need to reload, so a heavy hull like Mammoth is perfect to maximize this advantage. In smaller maps and CPs in particular, Mammoth/Twins can very commonly rule the game, able to obliterate any enemy combo that is foolish enough to take it on one-on-one. However, this combination is limited in use on large maps. Twins is not ideal on large maps, with its limited range and slow projectile speed (it is fairly easy for skilled players to avoid being shot), and neither is Mammoth, being too slow for large maps. Brought out at the right moment, this combination has great potential overall. Overall effectiveness: 9/10 Mammoth/Railgun. Lacking in speed, which is essential for Railgun. Railgun is a weapon that does not pack a high sustained damage, and it requires the user to be nimble, staying in cover while the charge reloads. As a Mammoth/Railgun user, you will find it extremely difficult to escape from an approaching enemy while reloading, really wasting the full potential of this weapon. The bonus health is quite poorly placed with a weapon that likes to keep its range. Overall, I suppose there are a couple situations where this combination may not be terrible, such as defending in CTF. Here, this combo may just be usable. But why not take Hornet on a large map, or take Twins in defense? They are certainly much better options! Overall effectiveness: 5.5/10 Mammoth/Isida. That extra health can help, but this does lack in crucial speed. Isida has the shortest range of all the weapons, and does not have the ability to catch enemies like Freeze does. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for an Isida user to prioritise speed over health, especially since with Isida you can restore your health off enemies. Overall, I think Mammoth lacks the speed to complement Isida well. True, maybe it can be good in support, or maybe in defece, but the combination is rather unbalanced, and won't perform well in many situations. Overall effectiveness: 6/10 Mammoth/Thunder. A solid combination, with the added bonus of looking pretty great. With Thunder’s impressive range and instant firing time, this combination can be very effective. Thunder means there is no need chase anyone down. You can stay at range and fire, meaning the lack of speed this combo has is not too great a hinderance. Combined with the splash ability of Thunder, there won't be many places for the enemies to hide. However, Thunder doesn't actually have a particularly great sustained damage. In fact, it is only 40 damage per second, much lower that what Rico, Twins, Smoky and the other short rangers can reach. Being slow means you cannot pick your fights very easily. In this way, if the enemies pick their fights skillfully, you will be at a disadvantage in many cases. Your health advantage will be less useful. Furthermore, it is easy for enemies to pursue you and use your splash against you. There are some cases where this combination can be very effective. But personally I would prefer some speed with a weapon that does high damage per shot, but lower sustained damage. Overall effectiveness: 7.5/10 Mammoth/Freeze. A usable combination, can be useful particularly in defence. Unlike the other short range weapons, Freeze has the ability to effectively ensnare enemies, preventing them from escaping. This means that once you have locked on to an enemy, your lack of speed won't matter too much, since no matter how fast they are, they won't outrun you while frozen! However, the problem is actually reaching them in the first place. Mammoth isn't known for its stealth abilities, so this combination might struggle if used offensively. But this combination can certainly be dangerous, and it can be used to its maximum potential in smaller CPs and defense, where Freeze can slow the enemy’s escape, and Mammoth's health and weight can allow you to successfully push enemies, keeping them from your flag and off the point. Overall effectiveness: 7.5/10 Mammoth/Ricochet. Perhaps lacking that crucial bit of speed. Unlike its counterpart, Twins, Ricochet lacks the ability to fire constantly, being able only to fire short but powerful bursts of damage. Due to this aspect of Ricochet, it is best suited on a faster and more nimble hull, which will allow you to empty your clip, and make a quick getaway while reloading. With Mammoth however, this is impossible, meaning you are exposed when you have fired off your clip. Having said that, this combo is still one to be feared, and it extremely hard to take down at short range. Ricochet after all packs 73 damage per second, and in one clip can take out your Viking or Dictator. But all in all, I personally would prefer my Rico with a bit more speed. Overall effectiveness: 7/10 Mammoth/Shaft. A generous amount of health for the stationary nature of Shaft. Many players like to camp with Shaft, and if so, this is the hull for you. No need for speed, since you won't be moving very much, and plenty of health to take the return fire that is likely to be coming your way. But now, especially with the introduction of the laser scope, Shaft users need to be nimble. Your location is given away by the laser, so you might need to move quickly from one sniping spot to another, to avoid being targeted. Here, having a bit more speed is definitely useful. Though, having said that, even if seen, your health should still make you a tough one to take down. Overall effectiveness: 8/10 Overall rankings: Mammoth/Firebird - 5.5/10 Mammoth/Isida - 6/10 Mammoth/Freeze - 7.5/10 Mammoth/Twins - 9/10 Mammoth/Ricochet - 7/10 Mammoth/Smoky - 8/10 Mammoth/Thunder - 7.5/10 Mammoth/Railgun - 5.5/10 Mammoth/Shaft - 8/10 So there you have it, my educated opinions on each of the combinations involving Mammoth, from the perspective of the hull itself. The immense amount of health that Mammoth possesses can certainly compliment particular turrets, though others won't see their full potential on this hull. Thanks for reading! Feel free to let me know your feedback below, or to share your own thoughts. It's all appreciated! See you in the battle!