Hammer's been around for close to a year now, so players, both new and old, have learned to fear and respect this unique turret. Each thundering boom produced by Hammer sends enemies running into cover, and additional shots send enemies flying across the map. Well, maybe not across the map, but you get my point. This turret has been decried by many as overpowered, and the developers certainly have nerfed it a lot. Let's figure out how to use it, and in the process figure out how to fight it, so you won't be crying "OMG HAMER OP PLS NERF" the next time your tank dies of high-velocity lead poisoning. :) The History of Hammer Hammer hasn't been around for very long- it's the second newest turret, after Vulcan. It was first announced in late 2014, and it made its first appearance in a V-LOG. During this time, Hammer looked quite different from its current incarnation, with a long barrel, thin receiver, and a pump, similar to a real life shotgun. It retained this appearance when the test servers were open for its open testing. The test server incarnation was quite powerful, more so than the current version. My memory is somewhat fuzzy on the details, but I remember it having tighter spread and a faster reload speed than the current incarnation. The pellets were more or less invisible, and the impact force may have been somewhat lower. By the time it was released, it had a new appearance (similar to the current version), fully visible pellets, and slightly weaker stats. Since then, it has been gradually nerfed and granted a new appearance. It's not as powerful as before, but still a force to be reckoned with at close range. Basic Stats Throughout M0-M3, Hammer retains some key characteristics: Hammer deals lots of damage overall, surpassed by only Shaft and Railgun. However, the damage is divided into pellets. 21 pellets are fired per shot. Each pellet deals very little damage, but if you can get all of them to hit, the combined damage is equal to the damage displayed in the garage. Hammer has very high impact force overall. The impact force is also divided per pellet, but again, if you get all of them to hit, you'll push your target by quite a bit. Note that the impact force listed in the garage is the impact force per pellet. Hammer doesn't regenerate its ammunition normally like the other turrets. It can fire 3 shots before reloading, and during the reloading period, you can't fire. If you haven't fired off all 3 shots yet, no reloading for you. The rate of fire is pretty good. It's between that of Smoky and Thunder. The range is surprisingly far for a close range weapon, but the accuracy isn't up to par. Speaking of the accuracy: The pellets have a somewhat random spread. While you can get all of them to hit at point blank range, as you go further away from your opponent, fewer of them will hit, and you will deal less damage and impact force overall. It takes a moderate amount of time to reload. The rotation speed is quite fast. Pros and Cons Pros: Hammer has a very high damage per second. Hornets and Wasps of the same modification can be destroyed in 2 shots, while Hunters and Vikings can be destroyed in 3. Dictators, Titans, and Mammoths can't be destroyed in 3 shots. The impact force is incredibly strong, stronger than Railgun, actually. This can flip airborne Wasps and Hornets, and it can seriously mess up the aiming of Shafts and Railguns. The rate of fire allows you to switch between enemies quickly. Hammer's range is longer than that of the other close range weapons, allowing you to destroy Isidas, Firebirds, and Freezes from a safe distance. Cons: The reloading is a major disadvantage. With Isida, Firebird, and Freeze, reloading starts immediately after you stop firing, which is very convenient. In addition, with those turrets, you can start attacking at any time if an enemy interrupts you. With Hammer, you'll have to empty your clip to reload, wasting precious time and leaving you defenseless. Hammer doesn't have any "special" properties compared to the other close range weapons. It doesn't set your targets on fire, nor does it freeze them, and you can't heal your teammates or drain health. You could argue that the impact force is a special property, but even that's kind of iffy. Hammer's damage drastically decreases with range. While it can out-fight all but Firebird at close range, you will not be able to do any serious damage at medium range. The 3 round clip is a problem. It is enough to take out at least one opponent (assuming your opponent isn't using a heavy hull), but you'll have to stop and reload if you want to tackle another full-health enemy. With Firebird, you can torch light hulls with half a clip and then switch to fight another, but with Hammer, you'll have one shot left and will be forced to reload or retreat. The recoil can flip your tank if you are not careful when using light hulls. Possible combinations Let's see how Hammer does on different hulls. Hammer-Wasp This initially seems like a great idea, considering that Wasp is an excellent pairing for the other 3 close range weapons. However, it does have some weaknesses- Hammer's immense recoil can impede driving and fighting. Firing Hammer while driving forwards can severely reduce your speed due to Wasp's low acceleration, and firing it to the sides can flip you if you're under attack or airborne. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: This can be fairly effective for flag capturers, since Hammer can destroy defenders very quickly, but you'll run into problems if there are multiple defenders due to its inability to do any serious crowd control. In addition, driving skilfully is important for flag capturers, and Hammer doesn't make the job any easier. It can chase down enemy flag carriers pretty well, however. DM: Not particularly good for DMs. This combo can steal kills fairly easily, but you're dead meat if someone catches you reloading. Considering that there are very few "safe zones" in DM matches, you'd best stick with something else. TDM: Decent here, but since there is no flag, enemies will be more focused on destroying you. CP: Probably not the best idea. You might be able to clear control points with an enemy, but if there are multiple enemies there (like in Polygon CPs), you might not even get a chance to unload a clip before getting destroyed. Special Notes: This is nice if you want to do flips. Drive up a ramp, like the one in 2042, and fire to your side. Don't get too dizzy. Hammer-Hornet This is usually seen instead of Hammer-Wasp, and for a good reason. Hornet's increased stability and health really help out here, making this a less risky and more versatile combination. A common sight at all ranks, and perfectly at home with rapid hit-and-run attacks or raiding runs. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: A better flag carrier than Hammer-Wasp, but still not ideal. You can survive more easily, but you are still limited by Hammer's 3 shot clip and reloading. At the very least, you won't have to worry as much about flipping yourself by accident. Still good at chasing down enemy flag carriers. DM: Similar to Hammer-Wasp in DMs, but you'll have more leeway if someone catches you reloading. TDM: About the same as Hammer-Wasp here, just a bit slower and more durable. CP: See my comments for Hammer-Wasp in CPs. Special Notes: Not much to note here. Hammer-Hunter A true hunter-killer. There's a reason why Hammer is recommended for use with medium hulls. Hammer-Hunter is a solid, versatile combo that can destroy light hulls and other medium hulls with ease. This is part of the commonly seen Pitbull kit, where it is paired with Atom paint. If you see one of those brightly marked hounds of doom, stay away! How it does in different gametypes: CTF: You might be able to capture a few flags with this, but Hunter's somewhat slower speed still limits its use as a flag capturer. Stick with midfielding, attacking, and defending- you can intercept and destroy inbound enemies, lay waste to that annoying Shaft that's sniping everybody, or give prospective enemy flag capturers a face full of buckshot. DM: Decent in DMs. Hunter's good survivability lets you take down quite a few enemies before going down. TDM: Good here. You can attack, defend, and midfield, but note that enemy long range weapons won't be looking at the flag, instead watching out for enemies like you. CP: Still limited by Hammer's 3 round clip, unless you happen to get a Double Power. If that happens, feel free to clear out points. Special Notes: Not much to say here. If you're fighting against Pitbull kit users, remember that using a Hammer against them probably isn't the best idea, due to Atom's hefty 35% Hammer protection- stick with something like Firebird (for higher DPS and afterburn) or Ricochet (for superior range and hefty power). Hammer-Viking This seems to be one of the most popular Hammer combinations out there. Viking has plenty of health and a bit of speed. If you can seek cover while reloading, you can survive for a long time and really hurt your enemies. This is a component of the renowned Jackhammer kit (often considered borderline overpowered), where it's paired with Tiger paint, giving it excellent resistance to other Hammers. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Flag capturing is out of the realm of practicality here, unless you happen to be drugged up. Instead, focus on attacking, midfielding, and defending, as you would with Hunter. Note that Viking's slower speed means that enemies have a longer period of time to notice you from afar, and you won't be able to get out of sticky situations easily. DM: A good combo here. You should be able to deal with nearly anything. Just remember to stay away from the action when reloading, and note that trying to fight a heavy hull by yourself usually won't end very well. TDM: Similar to other Hammer combos here, but keep an eye out for anything with more range than you. Viking's slower speed gives enemies ample time to mow you down with Vulcan, snipe you with Shaft, etc. CP: At this point, the extra health doesn't help out that much. Hammer's inability to deal with multiple enemies effectively means that the enemy team can simply swarm you. However, you can cruise around and fight enemies that are unlucky enough to spawn next to you or ones that you can catch by suprise. Special Notes: Hammer-Vikings can be terrifying, but if you're having problems with them, take advantage of Hammer's reload time. If you use a Hammer paint and a strong hull, even M2 Ricochet can destroy Jackhammers before they can destroy you. Hammer-Dictator Usually limited to parkour. Hammer is best used against light and medium hulls, and Dictator is too slow to keep up with any of those. Hammer-Dictator can be a tenacious defender, but overall there are better combinations. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Defense and midfielding. Too slow to cap flags, too slow to get out of sticky situations without teammate backup. DM: At this point, the extra survivability doesn't help that much. You won't be able to close the gap between you and a target with a ranged weapon without sustaining a lot of damage. TDM: See my notes for this combo on CTFs. CP: See my notes for Hammer-Viking in CPs. Special Notes: Dictator's height and usability as a ramp makes this great for parkour. You can send light hulls flying for a considerable distance if used in conjunction with mines and other teammates. Hammer-Titan I've never seen one of these in combat before. Titan is a nice defender, but Hammer just doesn't mesh well with it. It's too slow to get close to escaping targets and too slow to get to safe spots while reloading. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Defend. Titan's slow speed and sluggish controls, combined with Hammer's short range and long reloads, make you very vulnerable if you try to venture outside of friendly areas. If you're on a tiny map, you might be able to midfield. DM: Not being able to run away easily outweighs the benefits of the extra health. You'll take a lot more damage than you would when using, say, a light hull. TDM: For defense, unless you're on a tiny map. CP: Eh, no. Titan is hard to dislodge once you get to a point, but not being able to constantly fight reduces the usefulness of this combo. It's like a small boulder. It's somewhat hard to move, but it's not going to do a whole lot otherwise. Special Notes: Not much to note here. Hammer-Mammoth This isn't widely used for a good reason. In terms of gameplay, it's similar to Hammer-Titan, but even slower. It's hard to destroy one by yourself (well, if you get close), but that's about the only thing that it has going for it. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Sit on your flag and hope that the enemy team won't be drugging too often. Or coming in waves. Or taking you out from across the map because you couldn't duck into cover in time. DM: You can hurt those that get too close to you, but otherwise you're just a target at a shooting range, unable to do anything, especially if you're reloading. Stay in cover while you reload. TDM: See my comments for Hammer-Titan in TDMs. CP: See my comments for Hammer-Titan in CPs. Special Notes: Not much to note here. Hammer Tactics Take advantage of the impact force: Hammer's impact force makes fighting Railguns and Shafts (but especially Railguns) at close range pretty trivial. All you need to do is aim slightly off center and fire when you see the charging light. Don't try to fire at the corners as you would with Smoky, however- if you try that, a few of your pellets might miss. Also, try to squeeze shots off at airborne targets, even if they're a little bit too far away. If an enemy flag carrier is jumping off your base in Lost Temple, a single Hammer shot can mess up their jump and cause them to faceplant onto the pavement. Unlike Firebird, crowd control is NOT your job: Hammer fires lots of pellets. To newbies, this means that it can hit multiple enemies. While you can technically do so, you won't do a whole lot of damage, and it's probably not going to happen unless both enemies are somewhat far away. As I mentioned earlier, its 3 round clip also limits the number of enemies you can fight before having to reload. Stick with fighting lone enemies - Hammer is excellent at this. Don't overestimate or underestimate your range: Hammer is best used at point blank range, as said before, but this wouldn't be using its range to its full potential. Hammer can still deal very high damage at slightly farther than Firebird's range. This is important against light hulls, which can be destroyed in 2 shots even if a few pellets miss. Be wary of other close range turrets: Hammer users often get a bit caught up in the power of their turret, and some get so bold that they engage Firebirds at very close range. Not the brightest idea- Firebird can still beat Hammer in a damage race over time, thanks to the afterburn. If you run up to a Firebird and fight, you might destroy them first, but you'll burn to death very shortly, and they'll end up respawning before you do. This is even more important to note when both you and your target are drugging. Oh, and remember that Freezes can catch you from behind and Isidas can sometimes survive 2 shots. Don't bite off more than you can chew: Yes, even Bulldogs and Jackhammers can't destroy everything by themselves. Hammer is incredibly strong versus light hulls and medium hulls, but Dictator, Titan, and Mammoth can survive 3 shots. With a reasonably strong weapon, these three stronger hulls can destroy you while you're reloading. As such, if you want to attack one of those three hulls, be careful. You can still do a ton of damage, but you might need help from teammates to finish the job. In DMs, go for damaged ones only- otherwise, a opportunistic enemy can take both you and your damaged target out. Assorted Tips: A tip that I learned from using Thunder: if your enemy is in your line of sight, hold down the spacebar. This way, you'll minimize the delay in between shots, which can give you the upper hand in Hammer duels. If you don't have a full clip, fire off the remaining shots to initiate reloading, but only do this if you're in a safe spot. I suggest taking potshots at more distant and distracted targets- if you don't hit them, you don't lose anything, and if you do, you might get a lucky kill. Get used to the time it takes to reload. If you're driving to an enemy base and see an enemy at medium range, you can empty your clip and continue driving to the base. If you timed it correctly, you should arrive with a full clip. Hammer makes the sound of 3 shells being loaded as the reloading finishes. This is a useful audio indicator of when reloading is finished, so you don't need to keep your eyes peeled on the ammo bar. Hammer relies on its auto aim to hit. If you fire at a wall, your shots will go further upwards than they should. This was introduced in an update, since many Hammer users were annoying their teammates. Keep this in mind when parkouring. Hammer against other turrets: This will tell you what to do if you're engaging other turrets in combat. Against Firebird: Stay out of range if you can. Firebird is typically used with light hulls, so you can two-shot them without taking much damage if you backpedal carefully. Against Freeze: You should win in a direct confrontation (unless both of you are using heavy hulls), but watch your behind. If a Freeze gets behind you, you won't have the upper hand. Against Isida: Stay out of range. While Isida's damage isn't particularly good, the self healing can let Isidas survive shots that would destroy other turret users, and if that happens, you're in trouble. Against Vulcan: You will definitely win at close range, unless your opponent is using a heavy hull, but the tricky thing is getting there. Vulcan can impede your movement while dealing high damage, and you'll often get shredded before getting close. Once you do get close, however, Vulcan's slow rotation speed and delay before firing can give you plenty of opportunities to attack. Not that Vulcan isn't affected much by Hammer's impact force, thanks to the wide cone of auto-aim and the gyroscope. Against Twins: Treat Twins as you would Vulcans, but note that they're more dangerous at close range and slightly less so at range. They also have absolutely no need to stop firing and a fast rotation speed, so it might be harder to catch a Twins user off guard. Against Ricochet: Ricochet deals a lot of damage, even more so than Vulcan, so you need to be careful when getting close. The bouncing effect can let Ricochet users destroy you before you even see them. But other than that, you should win. Against Smoky: Smoky is an annoying turret to fight, but at close range, Hammer still takes the cake. Get close, but note that many Smoky users know how to fight stronger turrets, and you may be destroyed before you get in range. Against Hammer: In Hammer duels, fire as quickly and accurately as possible (holding down the spacebar is helpful). Stay on your toes and try to make your opponent miss. Against Thunder: You will almost certainly win against Thunder users at close range- it deals less damage and has a slower rate of fire, not to mention the self damage. Unfortunately, its range is similar to that of Railgun, and if you get spotted, you can take a beating before you get close enough to fight. Against Railgun: Hammer is more or less the ultimate counter to Railguns at close range. Railgun is typically used with Hornet, which is a piece of cake to destroy. Hammer's impact force can prevent them from landing hits, and it is for this reason that most Railgunners start running away when they see a Hammer. Stay away at range and watch out for mines. Against Shaft: Shaft can be even weaker than Railgun at close range, so Shafts should pose you no trouble. The issue is that Shafts are typically mounted on medium or heavy hulls, and heavy hulls are hard to destroy with Hammer. Stay out of their line of sight and pummel them up close. Well, we're done. Have some tips of your own? Suggestions? Corrections? Post them below. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!

M2 Freeze or M2 Hammer?

I'm consider getting either M2 Freeze or M2 Hammer. For science. Any thoughts? I've had a lot of fun with both on the test server, and I know a thing or two about using them, so I think that I can be pretty effective with both.

AFAIK, he doesn't have Vulcan, but it would be an interesting sight, seeing him figuring out how to use it effectively with Wasp. :lol:

Both are excellent choices, so figure out what your playstyle with Shaft is. If you like to stick to one sniping spot and only need to move to peek in and out of cover, Viking's better. However, if you like to be more mobile, switching sniping spots as you go, take Hunter. I personally use M2 Hunter. With a few micro upgrades, M2 Hunter-Shaft can be even deadlier than M2 Viking-Shaft due to its high mobility, but you'll need to be quicker on your feet in sniper duels.

I like Vulcan's new look. It makes it a bit easier to tell what modification is being used.

VLOG Analysis: The Unity Tanki In Episode 57 of the English VLOG, the developers announced that they will talk about the progress of the Unity Tanki (a.k.a. the New Tanki) every week. They've shown quite a bit of footage of the new game so far, so let's take a look and see what we can find! This screen depicts an environment. While it's somewhat blurry, the lower half of the picture resembles water, since it appears to be reflecting something. However, it is also possible that this isn't actually water, and the camera partially clipped through the ground, revealing skybox beneath. I'm leaning towards water, since a skybox like this (showing the bottom half of a hill? And below the visible area too) would be highly unusual. But then again, if this is water, it would have to be very still due to how much it is reflecting. I remember reading something about the possibility of water being in the New Tanki, but I can't seem to find it, so we'll have to wait and see. If implemented, it could open up new tactical possibilities- sneaking behind enemy lines through waterways, ambushing your enemies, underwater combat, the list goes on and on... We get a peek of the new Firebird here. It's hard to see the exact shape of the turret, but it appears to be rounder and more bottle shaped. The flame can be seen illuminating the surroundings here. This photo shows a developer examining some shell casings. From what we've seen in the past, ballistic turrets in the New Tanki will eject shell casings after firing. The ones pictured look pretty different- a large gold one, a medium greyish one, a medium gold one, a tiny gold one, and two rather small blue casings. We currently have 5 ballistic weapons in Tanki: Smoky, Railgun, Thunder, Hammer, and Vulcan. However, there are 6 shell casings here. The reason for this? I'm fairly certain that Shaft will eject shells in the Unity Tanki. I'll talk more about that in a little bit. For now, I'll try to guess which shell casing belongs to which weapon: 1st one (large, gold): This one belongs to a strong, large caliber weapon, due to its size. I feel like it's Thunder- its exploding rounds and large barrel would certainly fit the bill. 2nd one (large, greyish purple): This one also belongs to a strong and large caliber weapon. However, it's shaped differently compared to the others. I think it's Hammer's shell casing- its large size would correspond to its high damage, and the cylindrical shape resembles that of a shotgun shell. 3rd one (medium, gold): I think this one belongs to Smoky. It resemble a smaller version of Thunder's shell, and many think of Smoky as a smaller Thunder. 4th one (tiny, gold): The smallest shell casing pictured here would have to belong to the ballistic turret with the smallest barrels. This leads me to think that this is Vulcan's shell casing. It would make sense, too- Vulcan appears to fire machine gun rounds, which are very small compared to cannon shells like Thunder or Smoky. 5th one (small, blue, pointed): There are two blue shell casings here, and both of them look pretty similar. Railgun and Shaft are the two most "exotic" of the ballistic turrets, thanks to the unusual color and sound of their shots, so I think these two blue casings are theirs. The question is now which one belongs to which. I'm leaning towards this being Railgun's shell casing, since it's slightly larger than the other one and Shaft's ejection port is tiny. In addition, this one is pointed, which would make it better for punching through tanks, and that's exactly what Railgun does. 6th one (small, blue, cylindrical): See my reasoning for the 5th one. I think this one belongs to Shaft, but I wouldn't be suprised if it was actually Railgun's. Shaft appears to fire an energy projectile, so if it used physical ammunition, it wouldn't need to be pointed to deal maximum damage. This is Rio, beautifully rendered in the Unity engine. The layout appears to be very similar, but there are some changes. Take a look at the back of Blue Team's base. The raised platform that was walled in by walls now has no barriers, which would leave any Shafters or Railgunners there exposed. In addition, the platform where Red Team's flag is located now looks different, since all the pillars have been replaced with the corners of a destroyed building. I suspect that the raised platform at Red Team base hasn't been fully finished yet, while the changes to Blue Team's building appear to be mostly cosmetic. This is Kungur, seen from the Blue Team side. The layout seems exactly the same, but the sun has been moved from the center of the map to the left, making the lighting different. This is a corner of Sandbox. The bushes haven't been put there yet, but otherwise, it looks identical. This looks like a corner of Boombox, but more importantly, this shows us the user interface. At the top, you can see a pause button, some blue value (possibly ranking?), the battle timer, the score for both teams, rank and experience, crystal count, and what appears to be a button for chat. At the bottom, you can see the supplies, which have new icons. Strangely, the 6th supply that was seen a few months back is not here. This is a picture of the new Shaft, mounted on what is presumably the new Hornet. It has the same general shape as the current one, but the details have changed. What is interesting is what happens after you fire: In the circled area, you can see a gap in the paneling on the back of the turret. This is because the panel there (and on the other side of the turret too) opens and closes on a hinge. I'm guessing that this action is to either eject the shell or vent heat- I don't see a shell casing coming out of the circled section, so either they didn't implement it yet or the shell comes out from somewhere else. It's somewhat hard to see with pictures only, so if you want to see this in action, view VLOG 57 around the 5:12 mark and keep an eye on the back section. This is a nice screenshot of the new garage and Titan-Thunder. The garage appears to have a separate page for turrets, as the arrow in the top left corner shows (it presumably leads the player back to the main garage screen). The currently equipped turret is Thunder, as evidenced by the "гром" at the top of the page, while the currently selected turret is Vulcan. This layout might make the garage a bit easier to browse through, but it would also make it a bit more complicated to switch your equipment quickly, since you'd have to jump between different pages. What most people notice is the Titan-Thunder. They appear to both be M0 (lack of metallic parts), and it's decked out in Red paint. Thunder itself doesn't look like it's changed a whole lot- the shape is very similar to what we have now. Titan is considerably flatter than what we're used to now- this should make it a smaller target on the battlefield. And the Red paint doesn't seem very different- which makes sense, since its texture is a simple color with just a little shading. Here, the developer demonstrating the garage switched the turret to Vulcan, and the title of the page is now "Вулкан", which is Russian for Vulcan. This version of Vulcan seems to have a longer barrel and a cylindrical magazine, but otherwise it looks pretty similar to the version seen in the game right now. Here's a beautiful shot of Hornet-Railgun and the new Silence. Both the Hornet and the Railgun appear to be M0 due to the lack of metallic paneling, and both have changed a bit. Railgun is now flatter and rougher, with a blue light in the back, a bit like the version seen in Tanki Online 2.0. Hornet has some changes in detail (note the angled tread covers in the back and the addition of 2 exhaust ports) and it's now shorter, more squat, and some features have been exaggerated (like the slope in the front). Silence has also seen some changes. In the current Tanki, the "sun" shines somewhere in the middle of the map, but here, the sun shines from the right side (assuming you're looking at Blue base), which means that Red base is a lot brighter and the middle portion has a lot of shadow. You can also appreciate how much the lighting has improved here. In addition, assorted bushes and trees have been added around Red base, and these appear to be fully modeled instead of being 2D objects. This is the new effect for Freeze. I'm not sure why there's a gap in the frost near the front, but you can really see how much the graphics have improved over the current Tanki. This is a view of the main garage. You'll be able to witness your tank in all 3 dimensions of its glory. The developer testing this is using everyone's favorite emergency medic, the Wasp-Isida, bathed in Green paint. Both Wasp and Isida seem very similar to their current versions, but they're considerably more detailed. Oh, and here's a better view of the main menu. The text is clearly visible here, but I can't read Russian, so I'm unable to provide translations. This is a view of a Vulcan-Titan firing (and presumably driving) at a wall in what appears to be Boombox. That's about it. Want to speculate? Did I miss something? Did I get something wrong? Is chicken not the most delicious thing in the world? What is the terminal velocity of an unladen sparrow? Will I ever stop asking questions at the end of my articles? Well, if you have an answer to any of these, feel free to comment below. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!

50% seems like overkill. I think you should either make the reduction smaller or keep the original rewards and instead make the missions more challenging.

I'm curious as to how Hunter plays now with the speed buff, but I'm currently in China and the lag is horrible here, so....

Did you reserve a copy of it yet?

I only have Reporter. It's a really cool looking paint and I love it, but unfortunately it's not of much use in battles. I do pull it out as camouflage once in a while. :ph34r:

What OS are you using? You can only update to Windows 10 if you're using Windows 7 or 8/8.1. It's also possible that your computer isn't suitable for Windows 10, since it has some minimum requirements. Any thoughts on Windows 10 so far? I'm waiting for a bit before I upgrade to see if there are any bugs or problems I should know about.

The payment won't go through and you won't get your crystals.

Many of you will remember my "Changes to the Balance: Assorted Tips" article from two months ago. Well, in the final days of June, another mass balance change was rolled out, and more recently, the three "elemental" turrets were changed too, so I feel obligated to provide you with another article in this series. With that aside, let's dig right in. Let's get started on the turrets first: Firebird's changes make it stronger in direct combat. The damage has been increased, the maximum burning time and range have been decreased, and the heating speed for all modifications is now standardized. While the damage increase is a definite buff, the decrease in maximum burning time and range is a nerf, but it's only something you'll be noticing at M3+, and 20 seconds of burning time is still very long. The uniform heating speed is a buff to lower modifications and a nerf to higher ones; M0 Firebird now heats up targets 5 times as quickly, but M3 Firebird's heating speed has been halved. Lastly, it now deals damage every quarter second instead of every half second. This means that there will be less "wasted" damage if an enemy escapes from your reach before the damage interval can happen. At higher modifications, don't rely too much on afterburn to destroy targets. You won't heat up your enemies as quickly, so they won't be burning for as long, and that equates to less afterburn damage. The buff to damage mean that you can be more aggressive in combat. It won't take as long to destroy your opponents if you can roast them continuously. However, the range decrease means that you need to get closer to your targets to fight effectively. Stay quick on your treads while being wary of mines or other obstructions. Freeze has been changed a lot, once again. First and foremost, the freezing effect is much more potent, which corrects a common complaint about the previous balance change. This comes at the cost of freezing time and freezing speed- it takes significantly longer to freeze your opponents, and they defrost in a measly 4 seconds. The range has been increased significantly, and it deals damage twice as often. It also comes with 50% more energy, which means that you can attack for 9 seconds before running dry instead of 6. Overall, Freeze is a lot more potent now, but it's more punishing if you let your opponents escape. Freeze is now capable of slowing down flag carriers very well, like it used to. It's more effective for defense because of that. The increased amount of energy means that it can do a lot more damage in one "clip", which corrects another common complaint about the previous iteration of Freeze. Due to the decrease in freezing rate and increase in defrosting rate, it's important to keep your opponents in range. If they escape, they will be back on their feet in no time. If you've been attacked by a Freeze, finding a friendly Firebird or Isida is less urgent. If you're not in immediate peril, you can wait out the freezing effects. Isida hasn't been changed too much. The range has been decreased by a very small amount, and it now deals damage twice as often, so you won't be as frustrated if your lock on is broken in between damage intervals. Get a little bit closer to your targets, friendly or otherwise. Twins has been changed by a little bit. M0 and M1 Twins have had their damage reduced by a small amount, while M2 and up have had their damage increased by a little bit. It now performs more consistently at all ranks. You shouldn't notice a very large difference. Hammer has been tweaked once again. Damage at M0 and M1 has been increased by a small amount, but it's been decreased slightly at the other modifications. Its rate of fire has been decreased (still the same at M3+) and its reloading speed has been increased. Hammer is still very powerful at close range, but you should note the adjustments in damage and the nerfs in rate of fire and reloading speed. It will take a bit longer to destroy enemies, and you will be vulnerable for longer while reloading. Be more cautious when playing and have an escape plan. Ricochet has been nerfed slightly. It has had reductions to its impact force and damage, but these are pretty minor. Be a little bit more cautious in battle; while Ricochet is still devastatingly powerful at close and medium ranges, it is still a slightly weaker than before. Otherwise, you won't need to change your tactics. Vulcan has been changed a bit. Its damage has been increased, while the time that it takes for the barrel to spin up has been decreased. To compensate, it now takes an extra half second to stop spinning after you let go of the space bar. The increased damage and decreased spin-up time are welcome buffs. It's still not as powerful as it was when it was initially introduced, but these are still improvements. You can play more aggressively. The extra time spin-down time means that you'll be more vulnerable whenever you stop firing. Consider retreating into any available cover if you need to stop firing to cool down. Also, when switching targets, consider keeping the spacebar held down if you can afford to take some damage from afterburn- it will take longer to cool off and start firing again, during which an enemy can exit your line of sight. Smoky has had a few adjustments to its stats. The normal damage and critical damage have been tweaked at various modifications, but these changes are fairly small, and you likely won't notice them much. The most noticeable change lies in the range- the range at M0-M3 has been increased. Smoky is slightly weaker in damage (critical and normal) at M0 and M1, while it is slightly stronger in those respects at M2-M3. Be somewhat more careful if you're using a M0 or M1 Smoky, and you can be more aggressive with a M2 or M3 Smoky. Smoky's range has been increased significantly at M0 and M1, and less so at M2 and M3. It actually has more range than Thunder now. This means that you can do a respectable amount of damage at longer ranges, and you're not limited to close-medium range combat. I've always thought that Smoky being described as a long range weapon in the garage description was an overstatement, but because of this update, that's not too far from the truth. Thunder's changes seem to reverse some of the changes in the previous update. Its splash damage is more powerful now, but the damage has been reduced slightly to compensate. The decrease in direct damage is minor, but it is noticeable in combat. Because of this, Thunder is less powerful against single targets. The increase in splash damage is quite noticeable. Splash damage will now do a minimum of 25% base damage instead of 10%, which is a pretty significant difference. As such, it's better for crowd control. If you see lots of enemies clustered up, attack if possible. Railgun has not been changed at all. Shaft has undergone a lot of changes. The arcade damage has been reduced, the sniping damage has been increased, the scope now zooms more slowly, and it now reloads more quickly. The reduced power of arcade shots means that defending yourself with arcade shots alone is a going to be a bit harder. Kill steals will also be less common. The increase in sniping damage is quite beneficial. While you'll still be only capable of one-shotting Hornets and Wasps, it will let you destroy damaged medium and heavy hulls more often. The slower scope zoom is a double edged sword. While it will take longer for your shots to reach full power (leaving you more vulnerable), you'll have more situational awareness- for instance, if an enemy pops out to attack you while you're zooming in, since you won't be zoomed in as much while charging, you might be able to spot them and put a sniper round in their hull. The increased reload speed is always nice. It will let you shoot more often. I would suggest learning how to quick-snipe if you haven't already. The other changes really make quick-sniping more powerful; they're more damaging (thanks to the scope damage buff) and easier to aim at close range (thanks to the slower zooming). With the decrease in arcade shot damage, quick-sniping is more beneficial than ever for self defense or attacking. Hulls haven't changed a whole lot. Wasp and Hornet are unchanged. Hunter, Viking, and Dictator are now faster at all modifications except M3+. This makes them more suited for flag capturing and attacking. You can play more offensively with those hulls. Titan and Mammoth have once against received a significant speed buff at all modifications except M3+. This makes them faster and, in my opinion, less boring to play. They're still not good for flag capturing (duh) and fast attacking, but they should be easier to drive, and it won't take an eternity to reach the front lines. That's it for this article. Have any tips or comments? Post them below. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!

Doesn't sound like it. Do as it says and check with your credit card company. It sounds like they want you to approve the transaction before it goes through.

Yeah. After the first update to it, I wasn't really bothered with the spin-up and rotation speed nerfs, but the nerf to damage and especially the range was too much. I haven't noticed any significant difference after this update, so it just looks good on paper. They didn't really improve Vulcan by any significant amount. Personally, I'd increase the damage at maximum range to maybe 40%. It's currently 25%, which makes it pretty bad as a long range weapon.

Railgun is kind of hard to aim on my laptop for some reason. Making minute adjustments to aim is difficult, so I miss often. I don't have that problem on computers with separate keyboards. Huh.

Shaft is supposed to be weak in close quarters battles- I take full advantage of my M2 Shaft's arcade shots for use as an emergency weapon, but I don't expect to win from raw power alone. Good self-defense requires a combination of knowledge of terrain and being able to think quickly, and trying to use it as an offensive weapon at close ranges usually doesn't turn out well. The decrease isn't very significant, and they did make it reload faster, so you can nail arcade shots more quickly. I wouldn't consider this to be a big debuff. I'm more concerned about the lowered zooming speed in scope mode.

Firebird is one of the deadliest and most feared weapons in Tanki due to its blisteringly high damage per second and strong afterburn. Those who use it learn to take advantage of its devastating potential, and those who fight against it learn to respect it. But, terror aside, what exactly makes Firebird so good at its job as a close range brawler? Let's find out. The History of Firebird Firebird was present in Tanki since the very beginning, along with Smoky, Twins, and Railgun. It was the only close range weapon available at the time, since Freeze, Isida, and Hammer had not been released yet. During this time, it was quite strong, but it had no afterburn, which limited its capabilities. It also recharged extremely slowly (M0 took 20 seconds to recharge fully!) Many players will also remember the unique blue flame of M3 Firebird, which was removed in the later updates. When the Tier 2 turrets (Freeze, Ricochet, Thunder) were introduced, Firebird was outclassed by Freeze, since the latter dealt more damage and had a constricting effect. This was remedied when the rebalance came- Firebird was given afterburn and a faster recharge, making it much more powerful and capable of defeating Freeze by itself. Since then, its damage, recharge speed, range, and afterburn have been adjusted, but it hasn't changed dramatically. Basic Stats Throughout M0-M3, Firebird retains some key characteristics: Firebird has the highest damage per second in the game, although Hammer isn't far behind. It can melt tanks in seconds with its direct damage, and the afterburn can finish off anything that isn't killed by that. As you deal damage to an enemy, their temperature will increase (since you're setting them on fire), which is indicated by their tank turning a bright red. Burning will deal lots of damage over time, but it will wear off after a while. Freezes and friendly Isidas can cool down burning tanks. Health kits will also counteract afterburn. Firebird deals the most damage when you're right next to your target. The further away you are, the less damage and heating it will do. Fairly short range. It's shorter than Freeze's, but longer than Isida's. It has no impact force or recoil to speak of. This means that enemies can continue to aim and drive unimpeded, and you can't use it to stabilize yourself during long falls. On the bright side, you won't have to worry about becoming unstable when attacking in mid-air. Firebird takes a while to recharge once you run out of energy. The rotation speed is very fast. Pros and Cons Pros: The massive damage will make short work of any enemy in your way- even druggers will succumb to constant flame. Afterburn can do a lot of damage if your enemies are heated enough. It will net you a lot of kills from the grave- enemies that manage to survive your direct damage will, more often than not, fail to survive the effects of being set on fire. Since the flames can pass through enemies, Firebird is the premier weapon for crowd control. If you attack a group of enemies, you can destroy quite a few with direct damage and watch as the others get destroyed by the afterburn. You can use Firebird to defrost frozen teammates (or enemies). Since Freeze's constriction now lasts a very long time, this is especially useful. The fast rotation speed lets you fight Freezes effectively. Cons: The sluggishness of the recharge will hamper your offensive capabilities- you won't have enough fuel to engage multiple targets one after another unless they're bunched up. In addition, this makes Firebird somewhat weak against druggers; a single health kit can undo all of your damage, and you will be stuck with an empty Firebird against an angry opponent. That said, you can drug too. The short range handicaps you against ranged weapons. Turrets like Vulcan and Thunder can butcher you before you get close, Railguns can make kebabs out of you at longer ranges, and Shafts can take you out from across the map without you being able to do a single thing. This also makes it a less than ideal choice on larger maps. Possible combinations Let's see how Firebird does on different hulls. Firebird-Wasp Fast and deadly. Wasp's speed and agility let you get close to your opponents in no time at all and dance around them as they burn to death. Unfortunately, Wasp's fragility means that you won't be able to survive much punishment, and on smaller maps, this may not be the best combination. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: A good choice for flag carriers, since you can destroy defenders quickly. However, on smaller maps, the speed difference won't matter as much, so the low health tends to be a liability there. Still, if you want to use Firebird on maps like Dusseldorf or Lost Temple, this is the way to go. It's also good for chasing down enemy flag carriers thanks to its speed and damage. DM: Pretty good for DMs. Firebird's quick fuel expenditure means that you don't need to live for very long in order to do lots of damage, and the speed will let you get in and out of action quickly. Try to go after distracted targets; a surprise attack against two dueling enemies will often net you a few kills. The afterburn helps with kill stealing too. TDM: A good choice in general, especially against unaware campers. Since you won't have to go after flags, the speed won't be quite as useful here, though. CP: Great for clearing out points as long as you don't get destroyed in the process. It's good for CPs on larger maps, where you have to cover a lot of ground, but on Polygon, you often won't survive long enough to deal enough damage. Special Notes: Use hit and run attacks when possible. Wasp is fast enough for you to light an enemy up and then run away to avoid damage. Against light hulls, you won't even need to torch enemies for long in order to get a kill. Firebird-Hornet A common sight on the battlefield thanks to Hornet's early and cheap unlocks. It's a little more versatile than Firebird-Wasp, if not as agile. Otherwise, they are very similar. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: A good flag carrier. It can sustain more damage, but it's not as fast, so it's better on smaller maps. DM: Similar to Firebird-Wasp in DMs. The increased survivability can help out in intense battles. TDM: About the same as Firebird-Wasp here. CP: Better on smaller maps- you'll last longer under fire and can still keep the pressure on your enemies. Special Notes: Remember to turn your turret! For whatever reason, I still see M2 Fire-Hornet users that don't turn their turret at all. It severely cuts down on your effectiveness. Don't be one of those people. Firebird-Hunter Somewhat uncommon. Hunter is significantly tougher than the two light hulls, but it still has a bit of speed. This makes it a versatile combination- you can go for head-on attacks, flank, or attack from behind. It's my personal favorite. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Not the best flag capturer out there, but Firebird's close range capability and Hunter's durability can help you clear out defenders around the flag, so it's certainly not bad. Use it offensively (to destroy/soften up defenders) or defensively ( to blast enemies near your flag with napalm). DM: A little slow, so it's not very good for large maps. Effective on maps like Polygon with a bit of luck. TDM: Very good here- you shouldn't be in as much of a hurry, so you can midfield, attack, or defend. CP: Great on maps like Polygon or Noise, where you don't need to cover much ground. You can BBQ contested points easily. Special Notes: Not much to say here. Firebird-Viking A fairly common sight at medium to high ranks in maps like Noise. Firebird-Viking is a bit on the slow side, but it's robust and stable. It's especially vulnerable to long range weapons, but those who get too close will feel the pain. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Not good for flag capturing unless the enemy team is getting creamed. Stick with defense, midfielding, or destroying enemies in pushes- with Viking's health, you should have no problem destroying enemies that are unfortunate enough to meet you at close range. DM: Similar to other Firebird combos here, but the speed will become more of a handicap. Try to stay close to the action. TDM: Similar to other Firebird combos here. CP: A force of nature if you can reach the point(s), but skilled enemies will try to whittle down your health before you get there. Stick to small maps. Special Notes: Be careful when jumping off of tall ledges. Viking is slow enough that you'll often flip, and Firebird's lack of recoil means that you can't stabilize yourself. Firebird-Dictator Quite uncommon. Although it can be effective in certain situations, it's limited by its speed. When 4 out of the 7 hulls can outrun you, keeping up with your targets can be a challenge. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Stick with defense. Dictator attracts a lot of attention and is rather slow, so you're not going to be able to do much on offense or midfielding against a coordinated team. DM: The speed is low enough that getting in range of your enemies is going to be pretty tough. Not great unless you're on a small or close quarters map. TDM: See my notes for this combo on CTFs. CP: See my notes for Firebird-Viking in CTFs. Special Notes: Dictator's height is a bit of a liability here. You won't be able to attack enemies who ram you from the side as easily, so try to face your opponents. Firebird-Titan Firebird is typically not used with heavy hulls (like Titan), and for a good reason- if you venture into open ground, you'll be vulnerable to ranged weapons for quite a while. It doesn't have the movement constricting effects of Freeze either, so it's not quite as useful for sitting on your team's flag in CTFs. This is a combination that doesn't see much use, and for a pretty good reason. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: You can sit on (or near) your team's flag, but that's about it. Patrolling your team's base is somewhat out of the question since Titan is sluggish. DM: Titan's speed means that you'll be very reliant on luck to score kills in DMs. Not recommended unless you're on a tiny map like Island. TDM: For defense. Maybe for offense if you're on a small map and the enemy team doesn't have many ranged weapons. CP: Good for sitting on the point(s), but that generally isn't a good idea since you'll usually be out in the open. Special Notes: Not much to note here. Firebird-Mammoth Since you literally cannot outrun anything, this is a bad idea for the most part. It's obviously not good for offense, but it's not that great for defense either- a crafty Wasp can dart in, grab your flag (or just enter your base), and run away without you being able to chase them down. How it does in different gametypes: CTF: Sit on your flag and hope that the enemy team won't be using Speed Boost too often. DM: You'll be wholly reliant on luck to get close enough to your enemies. Would not recommend unless you're on Island, and even then, you might run into problems. TDM: See my comments for Firebird-Titan in TDMs. CP: See my comments for Firebird-Titan in CPs. Special Notes: Not much to note here. Firebird Tactics You don't need to completely unload into an enemy to score a kill: Take advantage of Firebird's afterburn when possible. Against light hulls, you only need about half of your energy to weaken them enough for the afterburn to be fatal- any more than that will just speed up the process. Medium hulls will need most (or all) of your energy to score a kill, while heavy hulls can often survive a full discharge for a few seconds. Once you've torched a target for enough, as long as they're not being a threat, you can focus on other enemies. Use common sense, however- if you're on the brink of death (or just need to destroy something quickly), just keep burning them. Crowd control is your job: Firebird's prowess at crowd control is only rivaled by Freeze and Thunder. Seek out clustered enemies and set them alight. This is a key advantage that Firebird has over its close rival Hammer- were it not for that, Firebird would be considerably weaker. Stay close to your prey, but take advantage of your range: Firebird is most effective up close, as I've said before, but you can still do a good amount of damage at the limit of its effective range via afterburn. A Hornet that's just barely within your reach can still be toasted to a nice cherry red with continuous fire, and that afterburn is more often than not lethal. Take side routes and flank when possible (or practical): Since you'll be handicapped at range, sneaking to your enemies from the sides or behind is immensely useful. Assorted Tips: Remember to defrost frozen teammates if you don't have any immediate concerns. Firebird's distinctive visuals and sound can give away your position to attentive enemies. Only start attacking when you know that you will be able to damage your target. Firebird is well-feared by most players. Use its intimidation factor to make enemies retreat and/or panic. Get creative with this- you can scare enemies into stepping on mines or falling into ditches. When chasing after targets, watch out for mines! Crafty enemies will drop them on the run, hoping that you'll be right over them when they arm. To avoid this, try not to be directly behind your targets- stay slightly to the left or right. This way, you will still be in range, but they won't be able to drop a mine on your path. Firebird against other turrets: This will tell you what to do if you're engaging other turrets in combat. Against Firebird: The victor of a Firebird duel is mostly decided by who has more health, but because of afterburn, both participants often end up destroyed afterwards. In that case, it's actually better to be the one who dies first- you'll respawn and be ready to go more quickly. Against Freeze: Freeze is less powerful than Firebird in a direct confrontation, so you should be OK unless you have a major health disadvantage. Remember to watch your six- a Freeze that sneaks up on you from behind can often destroy you before you can retaliate. Against Isida: Isida is weaker than Firebird, but the self healing counteracts a fair amount of Firebird's damage. If you and the Isida have similar health, you will sometimes lose, but the afterburn will often net you a kill from the grave. Against Vulcan: There's no question that you'll win against a Vulcan of similar health at close range, but the tricky part is getting close enough. Vulcan's constant damage and impact force makes it hard for you to close the gap without getting destroyed or significantly weakened. In general, avoid attacking Vulcans head-on, and don't run up to them without cover. Against Twins: Treat Twins as you would Vulcans. They can both mow you down before you get within fighting distance, but will lose if you get close. Against Ricochet: Ricochet's damage is fairly close to Firebird's for a medium range weapon, so trying to close the gap from a distance is still suicidal, and the bouncing effect of its rounds can allow experienced users to hit you from safety. On the bright side, Ricochet has limited energy, so they're helpless if you can catch them while they're reloading. Against Smoky: Smokies tend to be less dangerous than Ricochets to approach, but they have infinite ammunition and tend to stay on their toes. Experienced Smokies can lead you on a wild goose chase and rout you before you get the chance to attack, so be careful. Against Hammer: Hammer's DPS is nearly as high as Firebird's, so it is a worthy opponent at close range. Unfortunately, it has superior range and a faster reload. The key is to get as close as possible before they can land shots on you. Attacking them while they are reloading will give you a huge advantage. Against Thunder: Thunders, like the other ranged turrets, can destroy you easily from a distance, but it is particularly vulnerable to Firebird at close range due to its self damage. Remember to seek cover, since it is more damaging at longer ranges than Smoky or Vulcan. Against Railgun: You will be rarely fighting against Railguns within your effective range. They can skewer you from a distance, but they're among the weakest of turrets at close range. Seek cover when there are lots of Railguns around, and advance when they're reloading. Against Shaft: Shaft is Firebird's polar opposite. Instead of fighting multiple enemies at close range, Shafts destroy single targets at extreme ranges. If there are lots of Shafts around, try to stay hidden and attack them from behind. On large maps like Lost Temple or Dusseldorf, this is easier said than done, so I would recommend switching to another turret if that is the case. That's about it for Firebird. I can imagine that most of us have a good idea of how to use it already, but it never hurts to have a comprehensive guide for those who are new to it. Have any strategies of your own? Did I make a mistake? Post in the comments below. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!

Recently, there have been a string of phishers claiming that there will be "a 90% sale on Thunder, a 50% sale on Ricochet, and 25% off passes and paints on June 25", giving a link to a fake Tanki Online forum site that will steal your credentials if you try to log in. Beware of those people, and tell everyone to ignore them if you see phishers posting it in chat. To prevent yourself from falling to these traps in the future, here's a few tips. Look carefully at links or posted URLs in the chat. If it looks like a Tanki site, but has misspellings or other unfamiliar parts in it, it's most likely a phishing site, so don't go there. Actual links to Tanki will have a white underline underneath- if it's not there, you shouldn't visit the site. If someone claims that there is a sale/update going on and gives a link to a what appears to be a forum/site link, go to the forums/site manually and check for yourself. For instance, when I first saw the aforementioned phishing link, I became suspicious, so I went to the forum here and checked the Developer's News section by myself. Chances are, if it's not mentioned on the forum here, it's not true. Try not to visit unfamiliar sites in general. Be especially wary of URL shortener sites, like tinyurl.com or goo.gl. Scammers will often try to hide the URLs of their phishing sites by using them, and the average user won't know where the shortened URL will lead to. Be vigilant about what sites you visit from chat! If you're not careful, your account could be stolen or your computer could be infected with malware.

Happened to me too.

M2 Fire or M2 Hammer?

A well fought battle. Started with Hunter-Shaft, switched to good ol' Dictator-Rico a few minutes in. It never disappoints.

The time between the shots hasn't changed. Only the time it takes to load the shots has been increased.

...you're looking at Semyon announcing that micro-upgrades will be half price this week (speed ups will not be discounted), in addition to other promotions. In the future, when you ask rhetorical questions, I think you should be clear about what you're getting at. I think that my equipment is already MUed well enough from the May Holidays sale, so I'll pass on this particular discount.