lol - they are both the same rank? (shows how much I use twins)... That is odd that they released two alterations for twins at same level. Guess that was due to giving it permanent splash. Well, at least they have a choice. Smaller maps pick the no-splash - range won't be an issue. Medium-large maps pick the range.. since splash will be less of an issue. .

There's likely more and higher level protections at my rank. Tankers buy and upgrade the M3 modules. Makes killing medium much harder and heavy basically impossible. You run out of juice and can't replenish it fast enough. Lower rank tankers don't spend proportionally as many crystals on Modules. You might find a few that come in Kits, but not many shelling out for those separately.

The Twins equipped with both alts (range + no splash damage) can play most ranges of combat except for very long range. They can go for flag, run up to opponents and not worry about self-damage. Plus - they can beat a smoky at medium range because of the impact force. The damage may not seem like a lot, but, when a smoky is missing ~ 1/3 of it's shots due to the constant barrage, it begins to add up. Smoky used to be one of the best medium ranged turrets. It is still good. But the constant nerfs (critical, re-load time) to smoky combined with alterations for Twins and Ricco make it no longer stand out so much at medium range. Smoky is outclassed at short range by Firebird/Freeze/Isida/Hammer and outclassed at long range by shaft/rail/Thunder. They've squeezed Smoky into a very narrow range of competitiveness - far end of medium. All the other ranges have turrets that do much better.

As LittleWille says, many Twins users are equipping the range alteration. it is surprisingly effective. On Rio a twins can stick it's front end out from the building on the beach-road and do significant damage to anyone doing same thing at other end.

Ah... bottom floor. In that case you are likely to find cover and smoky won't be peppering you constantly. And on that map many of the shots will be using the 10% "weak damage" smoky has. Biggest danger is the one-shot-kill Shaft if it hits you as you spawn/run-for-cover. My numbers were based on Smoky's damage being variable within the ranges. Between Max-Dmg range and Min-Dmg range Smoky's damage trails off considerably - working it's way down to "weak" 10% (~ 55 ) at 124m threshold.

Mostly with stock vs Alt at moment. But you could include two extra columns in the chart - they would be blank for firebird/Freeze as they don't have "shots". And how have you been using your M3 recently? Can you kill often enough with three shots? Or is the 5 needed since at that rank many have M3 protection modules. Experience can be quite different from m2 to M3 in regards to opponents...

Smoky (M2) does the following avg damages... 0-62m = 399 dmg + 20% critical = 425 avg damage 63-124m = 181 dmg + 20% critical = 250 avg damage In your example, this would be a "perfect" situation - for smoky. The reality is, if you are using twins, your not attacking a smoky head-on in say highways, or similar large open map. Bad choice in turret. So in most cases you will either encounter each other at much closer ranges, or have cover so smoky is not hitting you repeatedly at long range. Does your example include the alteration that extends Twins damage? In Rio I've encountered Twins that can fire from edge of the block of buildings between bases to the other edge, with significant effect. This must be the Alteration.

Because Hammer does so much damage per shot I think that is the most important feature. Similar to shaft. Unless I misread it (entirely possible) two important characteristics are missing in comparison. 1) Damage per shot 2) re-load time between shots. This will give you better indication of how fast it will kill targets. It can always wound another target if magazine not empty, or like many turrets that have energy pool, reload on the run. Guess important question is - which do you use at M3+ more often? Stock or M2 Alt? Do you feel the 5 shots are more advantageous? Or does Hammer kill often enough with three shots? My guess is that the higher the ranks, the better protection = need more shots in magazine. This does sound like a more reasonable comparison. In most cases though, the owners of the apartment are limited on what they can change while you are renting.

For the small-medium maps, if you don't have freeze or twins protection yet get a module for those. Add a third turret that you feel really annoys you.

OK - alteration adds time. But... The recent changes to stock decreased time - so that could be a net zero effect on individual shot re-load. With 2 extra (total of 5) shots it seems powerful to me.

Interesting. Then the Ricco's I'm facing must be using splash (I'm surprised they like that) as I'm getting battered all over the place in my Viking. Makes it difficult to aim, and smoky requires a touch more finesse than say... TWINS.

Cardinal? Comes with Griffon TA - great for long distances. Copy of Legacy Prodigy paint which was one of most popular. You'll need something to cover medium ranges like smoky, twins and Ricco. But I'm not sure if there's one for those three...

Thought they increased re-load time for the cartridge - not between shots...

ok - so anyone with M1 twins (or better) can remove splash by buying the alteration. Not a permanent nerf...

You mean you had to buy a Protection Module?

Ricco - impact is brutal Twins - constant firing is annoying Freeze - not being able to fight back is frustrating. And now shaft with one-shot-kills to medium hulls. :blink:

Badger TA (Firebird/Freeze/Hammer) is good on Polygon and Island. I had considered the Fire/Freeze/Twins before I bought TA, but - really needed hammer protection. You see lots of Hammer, Thunder and even Rails on Sandbox. But I don't believe there exists a Module that combines Hammer & Thunder.

At what rank is the alteration available?

You want to be able to buy a gold box for 750 crystals? It gives out 1000 crystals. So you want to be able to make a profit of 250 for every gold box you buy? EVERY tanker would just keep buying boxes and catching them. Instant free crystals... Why on earth would devs do that?

Hammer and Firebird alterations vastly improve the killing ability and I would be shocked if 75% of those using them don't by the alterations. Twins new alteration brings it back to OP-ness. The Splash "nerf" was only temporary. Same with Rail - owners (for costs of crystals) can get the turret they had before the "re-balance". Have you seen what the alterations are for Isida? :P :D :lol: :huh: :o :wacko: :blink: :ph34r:

You should be able to get a 1:1 K/D ratio in DM on small maps. It kills quicker than before so less subject to kill-steals. Unfortunately I don't find it performing as well in team games. You really have to choose between healing or attacking. You won't have energy pool to switch between the two options. My two M3 turrets are Smoky and Isida. :( It's just bad timing for me the nerfing that occurred after I bought the M3 versions...

Most Twins users going the distance will buy the alteration to remove splash. Then they are back to being OP. It was a nerf only for those who can't afford the alteration.

Ricco is the bane of Smokys in anything smaller than Titan. I absolutely hate the way Viking is bounced around by the recoil of Ricco and twins. Smoky is supposed to be a mid-range turret - but gets owned by Twins and Ricco due to their fire-rate and impact. They ruined Viking with the "switch" in parameters, and have yet to explain the official reason why. Anyone use Hunter M3+? Is there a lot more stability?

Are you buying crystals? If not... you might find yourself short of crystals for M2 equipment - since it costs 2x as much to MU to next level.

A useful alteration would be welcome. For whatever reason it has some of the worst.