-5992

-6003

-6004

-1020

-1022 At least they didn't play the brownie card. :D

-1023 d3s gildedbrick ^ I mostly mean that in the nicest way possible :lol:

Waell now, let's get this party started. -1025 ^_^

:? What did I say now?

In Action | In Theory Well folks, it's been an awfully long time since a Combo of the Month collaboration graced the latest edition of the Newspaper. In fact, the last article in this two-part series was presented back in Issue 37 (you can find them here and here) by @Kevred and @Shedinja. By dragging the title out of the Jaws of Forgotteness (the Newspaper Archive) and continuing it, Shed and I are going to see if we can do this series justice once again, with a comprehensive assessment of Smoky/Wasp in battle situations. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ My Initial Thoughts I must admit that upon seeing the compact lil' Smoky/Wasp combo, "Awwww, cute!!!" was the knee-jerk reaction. Happily, my more logical side soon took over and my thought process moved on to "Eh, could be good in the right hands, but seems like it'd be rather under-powered in general." This combo certainly doesn't look ​all that intimidating at first glance... but appearances can be deceiving, so I was more than happy to take this thing out for a spin and see what it could do in action. On the Battlefield Smoky/Wasp is not a combo for the faint of heart. It is practically useless as a defensive combo (gets eaten alive) but you can't expect to charge straight into the thick of the fighting with all guns blazing, either. (Again, you'll be smashed into a pulp.) Understanding the role of this combo in battle is crucial to using it effectively. Playing for kills - or caring too much about your D/L ratio - is a waste of potential because Smoky/Wasp is a flag-capping machine. Not in a full-out, frontal assault kind of way, mind you, but by using a sneakier approach and some finesse, you can hopefully make away with the enemy flag undamaged time after time. The speed of Wasp coupled with Smoky's ability to knock off an enemy shot means that you don't always have to absorb damage; you can avoid it. In fact, the grounding principle behind effectively using this combo is to stay under the radar. I found that making the flag my ultimate goal (instead of kills) and using every trick in the proverbial book to avoid taking damage before I reached the enemy base worked. And it was surprisingly effective, at that. Thus when in battle you should... - Always, always go for the flag. - Take the long way around. - Time your attacks on the flag wisely. - Deflect enemy shots. When you are forced to do battle with enemy tankers, use Smoky's immediate firing rate and the speed of Wasp to conduct lightning-fast hit and run attacks. Dart in and out of cover to pester your opponents to death. This is the only way to tackle the larger hulls, because a head-on assault is death, plain and simple. While playing, it quickly became apparent that though Wasp was good for taking the enemy flag, it was horrible for holding said flag back at base. I tried (and tried hard, I might add) to out-maneuver my enemies, but in the end I was always caught by some monstrosity of a Viking and my weak lil' Wasp was inevitably shredded to bits. Thus I discovered a key tenet of gameplay: Wasp functions best as transportation. It's great for getting the flag from point A to B, but cannot sit back at base and hold it there. The Game Modes Control Point: 'Never stop moving' is the motto of every good Wasp. Thus the fundamental idea behind a CP battle - stop and control the point(s) - isn't compatible with Wasp's basic modus operandi. Smoky doesn't make much of a dent against constantly-drugging Viking/Twins, and when playing I often found myself fluttering anxiously around the Control Point in a critical situation, waiting for the enemy team to capture and hopefully leave. Roving Vulcans proved tremendously difficult to handle and my poor lil' Smoky got it's aim knocked off far more than I would like to admit. Single point CPs are, in my opinion, better than multi point CPs with this combo because you can do decently score-wise, if you concentrate on making kills, while everyone else is intently focused on the point. However, this rather defeats the intrinsic purpose of CP. You will will rarely be an 'impact-player' while hosting this combo and in general, your time could be better spent elsewhere. Deathmatch: A nice correlation can be drawn between utilizing Smoky/Wasp in a DM and wrestling two fully-grown grizzly bears in the middle of a blizzard; unless you're Davy Crocket, the end result of both scenarios is likely to be the same. Far from being able to slip under the radar, Wasp's HP (or lack thereof) makes it an attractive target for every bloodthirsty Railgunner in the map. Any speed advantage is negated because there is simply nowhere to run in a DM. I found myself hard pressed to survive long enough to make kills with Smoky, as I had to dart in and out of cover if I wanted to stay alive. This, however, led to stolen kills and I ended most of my DM battles with an abysmal K/D ratio. So, despite being a huge fan of Deathmatch, even I am forced to admit that this is definitely not the right gamemode for this combo. Team Deathmatch: Upon entering my very first TDM as a Smoky/Wasp, I experienced that glitch. Y'know, the one where you look like you're firing but aren't actually dealing any damage... so you shoot a million times but no enemies die and your K/D ratio implodes. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize what was going on, at which point I interrupted a scintillating (cough) conversation with GoldRock to grumble about it. So as per the request of master-boss-admin-king Goldnug: Guess what guys... Smoky does a lot more damage when actually shooting!!! *Ahem* Anyyyways. I found TDM to be, in general, much easier to tackle than either CP or DM. Smoky is a vicious little killing machine as long as it's not glitching out, and with a team to give you support, Wasp can stay alive just long enough to let you do some actual damage. Drugging profusely is a large help, and I would hazard that it's a waste if you don't spam #4 as much as possible. Capture The Flag: And now, for the saving grace of this combo. Smoky/Wasp was practically designed for CTF, and is, to my mind, the only place where you'd ever want to use it. Wasp's speed is finally a huge asset, and allows you to make run after run on the flag. In the picture below, though my K/D isn't all that great, I captured a large percentage of the flags (note the score). I should also point out that @RedBelliedWoodpecker, who happened to be hosting the same combo as myself, was responsible for a good number of the enemy caps, and managed it with a positive K/D. All in all, CTF is where Wasp/Smoky thrives. My Gold Box Story Shed is covering the theory beyond normal battle situations of gold box catching and parkour with this combination, but I thought I'd share this anecdote of my own. Firstly, I must admit that I am absolutely awful when it comes to catching gold boxes. Ask anyone who knows me at all and they will easily confirm that. I can rarely find the drop zone, get myself killed or flipped at the most inconvenient of times. I feel quite content if I am able to set eyes on a falling gold box, let alone get close enough to somehow take it. Pathetic, right? It goes without saying I am not nor will ever be the right person to give you gold hunting advice, which is instead covered in the 'In Theory' article. Thus I'm not even going to attempt to go down that route and instead will relate the story of how, despite all odds, I had the second-most-amazing gold box catch of my Tanki career while testing out this finicky little combo. Date: 5/29/16 Time: 12:28 PM Location: Serpuhov It was a dark and stormy November night. It was actually a lovely Sunday afternoon. My parents were out for a bit, so my brother and I decided to get on and play some Tanki. We got on our respective computers and chatted, laughed, and were generally having a good time goofing off in a full Serpuhov when suddenly, it happened. The gold sirens went off. "Hey look, gold box," my brother Matt said. "Yeah, heh... I'll never get it. Never do." I laughed. Besides, I was using Wasp/Smoky... not conventionally thought to be the best gold-catching combo. I respawned in the right side of the red base and a few taps of the arrow keys directed my wasp up onto the bridge. "Do you see it?" My brother seemed fixated on the screen, but he shot me a quick glance. "No. I'll tell ya if I do." "Kay." I drove down the ending bridge ramp and swung towards the middle of the map with the hope of somehow setting eyes on the tell-tale pile of tankers that would signify a drop point. "SARAH... gold's on your right!" I suddenly acquired a severe case of the gold-box jitters, frantically swinging my tank around in what I hoped was the correct direction. "I see it!" There was a three-Viking-pile-up slightly behind the nearest prop, and above them... one thousand crystals was spiraling gently down. My knee-jerk reaction was to gun my Wasp forward towards the gold, even though I was clearly too far away. 'Too late, too late, too late... ARGH, MINE!!!' I noticed the enemy mine - ostensibly laid by one of the Vikings to 'protect' the drop point - half a second too late. It detonated, and my tank careered into the air; flipping, as chance would have it, towards the drop point. My Wasp performed a series of acrobatic flips, soaring over the mound of Vikings, and I flew neatly through the gold just before it touched the pileup. Night-Sisters has taken the gold box Wasp/Smoky 1. Vikings 0. Overall Pros and Cons of Wasp/Smoky ► Pro: Plays incredibly well in CTF. ► Con: Falls short in the other game modes. ► Con: K/D ratio tends to suffer. ► Con: A good protection paint is a must-have while using this combo. ► Pro: Smoky coupled with Wasp is fun to use, leads to interesting and dynamic gameplay. ► Pro: Easy to destroy any Railguns you encounter. ► Con: You'll get destroyed by every Vulcan you meet. ► Pro: Has excellent maneuverability and ability to avoid damage. Overall Rating Urgh, this is a hard one for me. The fact of the matter is, I've grown to really enjoy this combo, and it'll probably be my go-to choice for CTF in the future. That said, it is severely underpowered in CP and DM, and only a bit easier to handle in a TDM. Because this combo has extremely specific applications, I hesitantly rate it a 6/10, overall. However, in the hands of a really skilled player, Smoky/Wasp is a dangerous tool, so I'm also giving it a 9/10 rating for CTF. Pairing Smoky and Wasp is an excellent choice, if you know how and when to use it. I'd suggest purchasing it (and a good protection paint) if you want to totally dominate the CTF scene. ...and that's it for now. Hopefully we'll catch you next month, with another Combo of the Month Review. But 'til then, I bid you all a happy adieu. -... .-.. .- -- . / - .... . / -. ...

This is absolutely correct. :c sorry yis :lol:

:mellow: Who is this Portes_S? Let me guess, another youtuber

Yeah, we're pretty excited about this. ^_^

<_< :ph34r:

They say a good offense is the best defense. This is true in part; however, I have personally come to realize that while an aggressive offense is a completely necessary element to any team, quality defenders win battles. It doesn't matter how good the attacking squad is, if the flag isn't at home they won't be able to make the cap. In fact, the role of defender is a crucial one, and this in itself is an excellent reason to try your hand at guarding the flag. Yet there are plenty of tankers who shy away, perhaps because the idea that 'defense is boring' has been drummed into us repeatedly. Reader, I'd like you to take any preconceptions you might have and forget them ASAP. Establishing and maintaining a good defense is one of the most demanding challenges in the game and though the mantra "defend that flag" seems quite simple, putting it into practice is maddeningly difficult. So much so that is nearly impossible to play a perfect game without the loss of a single flag. As such, the art of defense is well worth a closer scrutiny. Learn to think like a defender will improve other areas of your gameplay and leave you with a better grasp of tactics overall...but enough of this introductory blather. Without further procrastination, lets get on to the 'good stuff!' The Logistics of Defense Dedicated Defender - A player who is entirely focused on protecting the flag at all times. Drop Defender - A player respawning in the base who will function as a temporary defender, if need be. To start, allow me to pose a relatively simple question. How many dedicated defenders does your team need? The answer varies from game to game and map to map, but the general rule of thumb is that, the offense must be larger than the defense. Also, remember that the more players there are, the more drop defenders will be available. :huh: Yeahhhh, k. The above mumbo-jumbo is all fine and good, but what does it mean practically speaking? Well, I would hazard that in a team of 5 or 6, there should be two dedicated defenders. In a team of 7, 8, or 9, three; and in a team of 10+, four. These numbers are obviously not set in stone, but are a good starting reference point and can be adjusted to suit whatever battle circumstances that you might find yourself in. Once you've assessed the situation and made an informed decision about how many defenders there should be, these spots need to be filled with real people. This can usually be accomplished with a simple query into team chat. Anyone who responds in the positive can be counted on as dedicated defender. Of course you can always just observe carefully, and the difference between dedicated and drop defenders will be apparent in the first few minutes of play. It is of the utmost importance for the defense to communicate. This is a hugely important point, so I'm going to say it again: as defense, you need to talk amongst yourselves!!!@!@#$#@!!@#%!#@ *Cough,* right so, the simplest way to do this is via Skype or Teamspeak, which would improve the coherency of your defense by about one-hundred and three percent. For all you Startrekkies out there, being 'On Call' is easily comparable to the Borg collective... when communication is instantaneous, if one individual notices an attacker coming on the left then the collective defense immediately possesses that information as well and can respond accordingly. Of course, there are plenty of times when voice communication simply isn't a possibility. (Either you don't have it or are just playing in a random battle.) If this is the case, the team chat becomes the vital information lifeline uniting the defense. Used correctly, it becomes a tremendous asset that can absolutely be the difference between a win and a loss. Now, I do realize that not everybody has supersonic typing speed, and that's perfectly alright because I'm not saying that you should stop in the middle of the action to laboriously type stuff out. You do, however, have time to relay information while respawning, and can make use of shorthand to let your teammates know about important developments on the field of battle. Knowing when and how to share information is the difference between a good defender and a great defender; make your words count. Finding a Position Every base, blue or red, comes with a set of inherent strengths and weaknesses that a savvy defender can capitalize on. However, not all defensive positions are created equal so it might be of help to go into a map already knowing what to look for. As such, I give you... The characteristics of a good defensive position: 1. Good visibility of the flag. In a CTF, the flag is the key factor in play. (Duh, k.) Since your enemies will be focused on taking and capturing it, you should at least be in a position where you have a visual. The defender shown below has no direct influence on the flag and thus is more of a hindrance then a help. 2. Plenty of cover. A nice large prop to hunker down behind is absolutely essential to the health and wellness of a defender. It might seem overly obvious, but you really don't want to get caught out in the open where you're at the mercy of any oncoming attackers. 3. A comprehensive view of the surrounding terrain. A defender is only as good as their line of sight. If you can see what's happening on the battlefield you can snipe or move to intercept threats before the become a problem. 4. A lockdown on a chokepoint. If nothing else you should at least seek to completely block and control a passage to your flag, allowing your teammates to focus the whole of their efforts elsewhere. It is difficult and/or nearly impossible to find a position that has all of these characteristics. However, it's good to keep an eye out for these attributes in the terrain and take note whenever you see more than one. Sometimes, a position that is good for one game might be ineffectual in the next so you need to be able to cope with and adapt to changing circumstances. Look for multiple likely-looking defensive positions in a map so that you can bounce around, adjusting to the flow of battle. Defensive Combos Okay, I'm going to admit right here that I'm never quite sure if I should put a weapons section into my articles or not. The thing is, people know their combos, so trying to preach to tankers about which turret 'works best' is a highly subjective affair at the best of times; at the worst, it's downright stupid. Keeping this in mind, I've decided not to blather on for six paragraphs of 'why rail is better for defense than hammer.' No, I'm going to do something a bit different and far more interesting - namely, what I consider to be the best groups of complimentary turret and hull combinations for protecting the flag. Duo Freeze/Viking + Twins/Titan A combo that's excellent in small/medium maps such as Farm or Fort Knox. The Twins/Titan is a vastly formidable foe, though without an Isida to back it up, does have a distinct tendency to die at inopportune times. (Thus why it's good in smaller battles. Doesn't have as far to travel back to base) The Freeze works in conjunction with the ever-pummeling Twins to slow down anyone who does manage to reach the flag. Together, the two are certainly a force to be reckoned with. Firebird/Hunter + Vulcan/Dictator This set tends to function as a looser defense, again good for small to medium maps. The Vulcan deals the initial damage, which is supported and followed up by the Firebird. Isida/Titan + Twins/Titan Good in small maps. Basically, it's two chunks of flubber slowly yet inevitably eating up anything that comes near them. Enough said. Trio Vulcan/Mammo + Isida/Viking + Rail/Hornet This was the defensive setup the INT team used during the Women's Day Battle. It was and is one of my favorite team combinations simply because it is by far one of the most effective setups out there. The Vulcan/Mammy sits on the flag, firing almost continuously at any attackers. The Isida sits behind the Mammoth, somewhat protected and healing as needed. The Railgun/Hornet deals initial damage blast to attackers and functions as a sniper in the downtime. Excellent for large maps, though could function in a medium as well. Isida/Viking + Isida/Viking + Firebird/Titan This combo in a word? Deadly. Extremely. Deadly. The Firebird camps on the flag, and Isidas team up on anything within firing range. Good in large, small, or medium maps, this is just a terrifically good setup all-around. The Art of Defense So, we've covered the basics. Now it's time to go above and beyond and get into the artistic nuances of protecting the flag. - Extending your vision. When on defense, a good view of the terrain and communication go hand in hand. The important information you can relay to your team is limited only by the view your position affords you...so it stands to reason that, unless you're the established flag camper, you'll want to have a visual on as much as the map as possible. Hunkering down in one static position has inherent restrictions, so I propose utilizing a defensive route to extend your visibility as much as possible. Traveling between positions makes it easier to follow enemy activity from the safety of your base. It allows more time to both anticipate and respond with the appropriate force to stifle aggressive attacks. Knowing when to move is the most difficult aspect, and getting caught out at the wrong moment can have dire consequences, especially as traveling between positions is best accomplished by a vulnerable, light hull. Despite the risk involved, I believe that the added knowledge of enemy movements is well worth it. - Slowing down attackers Momentum is power. Speed captures flags. As a defender, it's your job to negate momentum and nullify speed, and it is by no means an easy task. First of all, look to proactively stop oncoming speedsters in a chokepoint, instead of at your flag, because lets face it; this just isn't happening. Even a light hull can be a serious nuisance, especially if you position yourself sideways against the oncoming enemy and drop a mine while they steamroll into you. Of course, colliding head-on while accelerating will give you more control, but because you're taking up less space, it is easier for your opponent to dodge past. Placing an immovable mammoth on the flag is a good tactic in general, as Wasp and Hornet are unable to move the bulky object and lose their momentum, thus becoming completely ineffectual. The physical tank aside, it is also possible to slow down an attack by means of sniper fire. Use rail or shaft to pin attackers behind buildings and deal out early damage, forcing enemies to either equip their repair box or come in damaged. Also, be sure to clean up the supply boxes in your surroundings. Prevent your opponents from snatching a free speed boost and you are, in effect, slowing them down. - Utilizing mines Mines are a defenders best friend. Used well, they become an asset that is literally game-changing. The camping mammoth is generally responsible for the area directly around the flag, out to a distance of the range of a firebird. This is an excellent way to prevent the short range, continuously firing weapons from muscling up and overwhelming you. The other members of the defense should be focused on mining chokepoints and utilizing their explosives to cut down on available escape routes. Focus on funneling attackers into one or two easily defend-able routes. Of course, the lighter hulls tend to accrue more deaths than a mammoth, so keep in mind that one or two well-placed mines can be just as effective as ten. Placement is extremely important, and don't forget to check every once in a while to replace those that get used. - Learning the danger times The moments after a flag cap/return are an extremely vulnerable time, defensively speaking. The sight of their flag leaving the base tends to mobilize the enemy in great numbers, and they usually all careen into your base as one solid pack. Attempting to return the flag once it's been taken is a tricky business for either team. Be extremely wary during a standoff (where both teams have the others flag) because your offense really has to commit to attacking, which leaves your mid and base vulnerable. - To chase or not to chase? (Returning the flag) It's not an easy question. Do you, as a defender try to assist in a full-out flag return that can take you into the depths of the enemy base? Obviously, if you're packing anything slower than Viking, the answer is no. Mammoths (aka large chunks of flubber) were simply not made for gallivanting about in the open. However, lets say that you have Hunter or Hornet. If the flag gets taken out of the base, do you go after it? Yes. As long as there are two defenders at the flag, you should be good to get way out of position to assist with the return. Just make sure you get back to base in a hurry. Closing Remarks Defend well. Play smart. Don't die. The end. Did you enjoy this article? Check out the rest of Issue 53 right here!

Umm, I guess, if you like.

Well, 177 pages and 26k views later, I think the group seems to be chugging along quite nicely.

Precisely. I more-or-less follow stuff though. xD

Rankup Parties. Despite a Tanki-wide obsession with that 'dramatic last kill', the mere utterance of those two innocuous words is enough to send a surge of irritability shivering down my spine. Yes, I've watched a selection of the rankup vids to be found on YouTube... I've read an article written on the subject, and have even gone so far as to attend a few here and there. These experiences have only served to underline my belief that rankup parties are an abysmally stupid waste of time. In fact, I am so firmly convinced of this sentiment that I have even assembled the following list of eight extremely valid reasons why you shouldn't throw a party next time your exp bar nears the conclusion. My readers are certainly not obliged to agree with the following points, but hey. At the very least this article will provide me with an excellent excuse for ducking out of the next rankup party that I'm forced at gunpoint asked to attend. ;) So without any further ado: Rankup parties are stupid because.... They take waaay too much time If the world were a perfect place (and/or tankers actually possessed the ability to listen calmly) the average rankup would take...eh, maybe ten minutes. This earth is definitely not a utopia and most tankers harbor an extreme dislike for following instructions; thus if you endure only 45 minutes of heated bickering before accomplishing your rankup, instead of the normal hour, you can absolutely mark that down in the books as a win! :huh: :mellow: :blink: Seriously people. Regardless of the time invested, the end result of a rankup is always the same. (You get a blazing light show above your tank and people say 'congratz' repeatedly.) It is completely absurd to waste half your day on one. single. kill. when you could be doing so much more. Ride a bike, take a hike, read a book, or just get some of those inevitably pressing chores done. Heck, it'd even be more constructive to actually play Tanki. What you do doesn't matter, just so long as you're not squandering two hours of life parkouring to the top of some building because of the patently idiotic need to rank "over there" instead of "here". -.- They decrease your lifespan It's no secret that chronic stress can seriously reduce your longevity. It is also undeniable that rankup parties are...well, stressful. Since you could be suffering through twenty-nine or more instances of this self-inflicted trauma, you might want to pause now and take a good hard look at the real cost. Is a flamboyant rankup actually worth the mental fatigue, grey hairs, and, (in the extreme cases) a shortened lifespan due to said stress????? Make the wise decision here. Your older self will thank you. The friends you invite get upset Though at first enthusiastically convinced that "this time it'll be different!", trust me, by the time it's all over, your friends will be ardently wishing that they had never heard of you or your blasted rankup party. As you direct the rank, issuing your commands with a remorselessness of which any 3vil dictator could be proud, your friends will alternate between phases of abject boredom and prickly irritation. As the time drags past with no conceivable end in sight, even your closest companions will grow weary of the entire business and perhaps even begin to voice their legitimate complaints. (*gasp, the horror!!!) This is, unfortunately, a ripe time for the arguing and bickering to start up, which adds tremendously to the overall stress level. Even the most carefully planned rank can devolve into a shouting match, which generally tends to put a serious and unnecessary strain on your online friendships. The friends you don't invite get upset Los amigos (o amigas) who weren't online and/or couldn't make it are bound to feel personally insulted that you ranked without their indispensable presence. The result is that conversations in the vein of the one shown below are fairly common occurrence. This is irritating in and of itself, but the real kicker is that these folks don't understand just how much of a gift their non-attendance really was. People tend to go green with envy after the fact when they catch sight of your rankup vid and photo shoot where all parties involved are totally having a blast. What everyone doesn't understand is that easy rankups are a myth and simply do not happen. So the next time you find yourself complaining that 'you weren't invited', stop yourself; send your belated congratulations and give a silent shout of joy for having neatly and tactfully avoided a truly torturous event. They tend to fail Imagine, my dear reader, that after months of gaming you are finally within those last ten points of ranking. You've done your homework, put in the hours, and decided on a unique rankup plan. Surrounded and assisted by a plethora of friends (as well as a few nugs who managed to slip in) you are ready to proceed to the next phase of your Tanki career. The Spectator overseeing the whole thing is on stand-by, ready to begin recording at your word. You've checked and double checked that everyone understands their role in the proceedings, so it's time to open chat to tell the Spec you're ready. You take a deep breath and.............. a well-meaning friend forgets where you laid your mine and accidentally drives over it. You rank without even so much as a screen shot. :angry: They endanger personal property The usual result of the above situation? I rest my case. There's always one mult A rankup mult is characterized by an unwillingness to listen, an inability to follow directions, and nasty habit of 'accidentally' killing the rankee. No rankup comes without one, and no matter what you do, no matter how many battles you go swap through, this mult will always find you. It creates a rather unfortunate predicament for all parties involved and thus has become yet another nail in the coffin of the dreaded rankup party. It's been done before The average rankup scheme generally goes something like this: 1. Tell your friends to line up. 2. Drive past looking cool. 3. Have some nug run over a mine. 4. Rank. As 99.99999999% of all rankup scenarios have been done before, I'd hazard that it's about time to start asking "What's the point???" There are only so many variations on a rank, and it is by now, extremely repetitious. So there you have it. Eight good reasons not to have a rankup party...... And yet, even after the above rant writing this article, I will admit to participating in a small, un-planned party for my rankup to Marshal. (It's was all greymult's fault, k.) I also recently attended the Gissimo rankups of a number of clan members, and despite everything I just wrote, I have come to realize this: Even it's a real inconvenience, tankers attend (and will continue attending rankups) because it is one of the few times that they can help celebrate an accomplishment that is important to a friend. This game is the one thing we all have in common, so we'll bend over backwards to show support for a fellow tanker in one of the only ways available. And at the end of the day, if you remove all the frills, trappings, and ridiculous idiosyncrasies...that is what a rankup party is really about. But just in case you were wondering, the above statement does not in any way, shape, or form change my opinion on this subject. Rankup parties are stupid, end of story. Did you enjoy this article? Check out the rest of Issue 53 right here!

*cough well, technically it's gnat's club that you're taking care of, no?

Ok, so I am definitely and assuredly outgoing, but hugely skeptic and question absolutely everything. Thoughtful, (cough) could be considered somewhat egocentric, with a relatively high IQ. @ GildedBrick

Fixed. :D :P ;)

The rank up of Greymult's very noob second account. Congratz :)

Not necessarily. If you choose a new name, just make it related to dragons. e.g. Dragon Disruption, or something like that, and just change the words not the image above. :rolleyes: (Please refrain from judging the name, first thing I could come with off the top of my head. ty.)

Good luck guys.... er, dragons. You really ought to change that name. :ph34r:

:ph34r: k, true that.