Hey guys! Destroyer here. Today I'll be giving you some tips and tricks on how to play effectively on my most favorite map - Fort Knox!
OVERVIEW
Fort Knox is one of those maps that can be played using pretty much any turret/hull combo, making it a very versatile map. If you're playing a team battle on this map, neither team has a real advantage, since Fort Knox is pretty symmetrical.
LAYOUT
In the center of the map is a raised up platform, on top of which is a large tower. There are 2 ramps leading down to ground level. Surrounding this main tower is a fort-looking type wall, on which you can drive on and shoot from. Each side has an opened-up area on top of the wall, which one can use as a vantage point. Near each team's flags are a few buildings to provide cover for defenders.
SUPPLIES
Fort Knox has all 4 supply drop locations, and also has the rare gold boxes.
Double Power:
On top of each team's platform is a Double Power (also called Double Damage) supply drop zone. It can be utilized effectively in team battles as a tank on the platform with Double Power can be a strong deterrent for oncoming flag-thieves.
Double Armor:
Located on the ground on both team's sides between the central tower and the fort wall, lies a drop zone for Double Armor. This can be used by attackers to provide protection from enemy defender's weapons, providing you with more time alive to sneak away with the flag. You could also save this supply box for a defending teammate, as they can stay alive longer to guard the flag from invaders.
Speed Boost:
Almost right next to the Double Damage supply is a Speed Boost box. This should almost always be saved for attacking teammates. It allows attackers to race into the enemy territory, grab the flag, and zoom out unnoticed. Of course, if your friend runs into trouble mid-point in their attack, it's plenty safe to grab the nitro and come to the rescue.
Repair Kit:
A repair kit can be the difference between life and death. Especially in a Deathmatch, camping out with a heavy hull and a long-ranged gun can put you in a reasonable position on the leaderboard. When your health bar goes below 20%, you can take the repair and keep on the attack. In team battles, defenders can use this drop to sustain their HP bar and continue to defend the flag or control point for longer.
Mines:
Although the use of mines is not all that popular, it can be useful to protect certain points or traverse routes. Tankers can use mines to quickly dispose of any close-range tanks that are chasing you. Along the right side of the blue/red base is a popular route among enemy attackers. A single mine can eliminate this and allow you to forget about checking that area all the time. At the center of both bases is an arch underneath the wall through which tankers can drive under. Although defenders should be guarding that location at all times, mines can be a good idea in case an attacker somehow slips through.
FORMATS
All 4 formats are available to play on for Fort Knox:
DEATHMATCH:
In a deathmatch, it's you against everyone else. If you see an available supply, go for it; otherwise someone else will take it and it benefits them, not you. If you like to camp, go up on one of the open ramps with a titan and a vulcan or twins. You'll even have a Double Damage supply drop zone right next to you! I mentioned titan/vulcan or titan/twins because, it's a mighty fine mid-ranged combo and excels at knocking of other tanks' aim. Mammoth also works, although slightly slower, and you could use ricochet, smokey or thunder as a camping weapon as well. Just make sure you watch your six. Close range guns can sneak up behind you and deal good damage, if not destroy you completely.
If you're not really the camping sort, try a hit-and-run tactic. This is best done with hornet or wasp paired with a close-range weapon, but any weapon would work. Come up behind an opponent and shoot-em-up, then if they die or you run out of ammo, dash behind a building or the fortress wall before they can retaliate. Once reloaded, repeat the process until they go BOOM! Keep an eye on your health bar, though. The last thing you want is to run out from behind a house and get blown up by a railgun!
It depends on your playstyle, but the overall best combo in a deathmatch is viking/thunder. Viking has moderate speed and awesome armor. Paired with thunder, a long-ranged and high damage weapon, this combo can be deadly in Fort Knox. It is wise to equip a protection module with thunder protection. That way you'll have less trouble with smart tankers trying to make you damage yourself when shooting a close-up target.
TEAM DEATHMATCH
Pretty much the same aspect as with deathmatch, but this time you can rely on team members to back you up. Having an isida, along with all team battles, is a mandatory asset. If you already have a healer on your team, don't bother. But if you have an upgraded isida and nobody else on your team is using one, go ahead and become the healer. A smart strategy for an isida user in Fort Knox is this: hide behind a camper with a large hull and use them as a shield. This is best utilized when the camper is on one of the open locations along the top of the fortress wall, and you can be behind them. Whenever an enemy approaches on their side, the heavy hull camper can take care of them, with you healing him. If a close-ranged attacker tries to sneak up on him, quickly kill them with your high-DPS isida. Of course, this goes both ways, and you can be the heavy hull camper. yourself. The best weapon for this strategy is vulcan, thunder or hammer.
Another strategy for Team Deathmatch is the support weapons. Shaft and Magnum fit well with this strategy. Why? Both guns can accurately destroy tanks from long range, and both are perfect defense and support weapons. Magnum, especially, can lob shells over the fort walls and into the enemy base, dealing high damage. Since these guns are slow to reload, they must be backed-up by close range turrets like Firebird.
CAPTURE THE FLAG
Of course; the popular CTF mode! This is where all combos come in to play, and no single combination can be named the best. However, CTF is really where Freeze turret comes into play. Slowing down the thief who stole your flag and leaving it vulnerable for your teammates to kill, or immobilizing defenders as you race for their flag - Freeze is extremely versatile in Fort Knox since the map favors short-ranged weapons. The amount of cover allows a Freeze user to catch any unsuspecting opponents off guard.
Isida works similarly to Freeze on this map in which it can heavily damage attackers and defenders alike, but you can also heal your teammates. The same strategy I mentioned in Team Deathmatch can work extremely well in CTF as well. On defense, a heavy or medium hull along with Thunder or Hammer can be deadly to oncoming attackers. On the other side, it can also work well as a support combo, knocking out enemy defenders and letting a faster hull grab the flag.
If you like to attack, grab Wasp, Hornet or Hunter and a close range gun like Firebird or Freeze, and make sure you have a Speed Boost equipped. Then, charge through the enemy gunfire (a Double Armor could be really useful here) and take the flag. Hopefully, there will be an Isida to back you up, but if not, just run back to base as fast as possible. Mines can be useful as well, place them in case someone tries to chase after you.
CONTROL POINTS
This, being by far my favorite mode, takes a bit of preparation and strategy. Which point to capture first? Do I stay and hold control over a point, or leave to cap the rest? All I'm going to say is that it depends on how you play, and what you have equipped. For heavy hull users, stay and hold a point, and make sure your opponent doesn't capture it. The best turrets for this are Railgun and Thunder, though Striker can be pretty good at this job too.
If you're focused on capturing all the points and before the enemy does, you'll want a fast hull with Hammer, Smokey, Isida, Firebird or Freeze. In the right hands, an XP/BP combo can also be good. Focus on speed, you'll want to get the point first and then let others hold the point. Another advantage of Hornet/Railgun or Wasp/Railgun is that once capped, you can turn back and shoot at anyone trying to capture it back.
Since Fort Knox has 4 control points, 1 in each corner of the map, 2 next to each team's base, go for the other side's control points. Let the slower tanks grab the closest 2 on your side, and if you manage to cap and hold one of the enemy side's points, that's 3-1 and you've got the win right there.
BEST COMBOS
-DM: Viking/Thunder, Titan/Vulcan, Wasp/Firebird
-TDM: Hunter/Isida, Mammoth/Thunder, Hornet/Shaft, Viking/Magnum
-CTF: Hornet/Freeze, Hornet/Isida, Dictator/Railgun
-CP: Titan/Striker, Hornet/Railgun, Wasp/Isida, Dictator/Ricochet
SUMMARY
-Make sure you know the layout of Fort Knox before attempting to win a battle there
-Make use of supply drop zones
-Use the large amount of cover to your advantage when using slow reloading or close ranged turrets
-Play smart with mines and trick your enemies
-DM: Pick a strategy and stick to it!
-TDM: Support your team, do your best and don't get greedy
-CTF: Chose either offense or defense, stick with it and don't rely on teammates too heavily
-CP: Focus on capturing or holding points and don't get distracted
-Have fun!
I hope you guys learned a thing or two after reading my guide on playing like a pro in Fort Knox.