Hunter's one of those hulls that I would have struggled to give anything less than 8 to all combinations used with it. Its just such a complete tank. Though I disagreed in your low opinion of Isida-Hunter I have to agree that Rico is dead cert the best with this hull. One of the best combos in the game, surely...

Try reading the article before commenting next time...

Fantastic comparisons here, really well-covered, great use of graphs and interesting on the crits. Good job, mate!

The man himself.... :o Fabulous interview, Viking, superb answers Conan. Has to be one of the best interviews of all time

3 new contests coming up. Hope some of them tickle your fancy.

Randomly chosen players all day every day. You need to "get out" a bit more, shadewarttt. The winners are already guaranteed.

Hey, Bluelight, I appreciate your comments on my articles - however, there is absolutely no way you read that article in about 1 minute (Yes, I know you scrolled over my name, saw what topic I was looking at and then commented on it). So, I would appreciate if your comments were actually legitimate. Thanks.

m8 u srs

The servers are jam-packed with maps displaying an incredible range of looks and sizes, packed with opportunities beyond number to discover new skills to benefit from. Unfortunately, so many of the maps in the game are yet to fully come to light – and in this series, we'll be slowly unpacking some of the greatest hidden gems out there for us to uncover! After my brother ended his "RIP Maps" series well over a year ago (which you can read one part of at this link) we've had very little covering those lesser-known jewels lying around. It's time to revive the articles looking at the unpopular maps of the game and try to attract these under-rated maps to our screens more often! My primary aim, through this series, is to get you readers up for exploring the unknown in Tanki! So, just In case you hadn't noticed, the map themed for this issue is Molotov. "What, you mean a Molotov Cocktail?" you say. "No, I mean Molotov. The map." "Molotov? That's a MAP?!" And so it begins. Molotov has got to be one of the most underplayed maps in the history of Tanki, and I'm not exaggerating. Unfortunate though it may be, there are a fair few Generallisimos who haven't played in Molotov in their time, let alone know what it looks like. But, like Courage, this map is special. And though perhaps not offering as diverse a gameplay as other maps, the way Molotov makes two completely different sides of the map relatively equal is something to be admired. And so, as I scrolled through the list to think of an unknown map that would be worth talking on, Molotov caught my eye. And my eye is surprisingly linked to my fingers, which (typically starting the day before the Deadline) began to tap out the words you read today... MEMOIRS Just like in my previous guide in this series, the Courage review which you can read here, I'm going to attempt an aliteration in each of the four titles, all with the same letter that the map begins with. Clever? You can judge afterwards. Pretty lame attempt at boasting English skills, but still... Anyway. No time to waste. The Memoirs of Molotov. What is it's past? Well, the first question to ask is, did it have a beginning? Technically speaking, of course, but Molotov was actually one of the first maps to grace our game. It's creation date is unmentioned in Patch Notes and Updates, suggesting it was one of the original few maps that Tanki introduced "at the beginning of time". Now we're talking serious time here. Like, May 2009 period - even possibly before. Back when Tanki was barely a game, back when they had very few developers - and back when, let's face it, you and I weren't around. Let's imagine the scene. Old Anton Volkov was sitting at his table, doing some devvy-thing, and next to him - let's pretend we know the creator - old DukePlatinum, the creator of many of the old maps from 2009. They have a chat, and the conversation swings to history - as you do. And typically, conversation begins about what they learnt in school about World War 2. "What was the name of that Foreign Minister again? You know, the famous one." Anton says with a strong Russian accent. "Aaahhh... I know zees... it begins with M I'm sure..." says DukePlatinum, racking his brains. "Ah!" shouts Anton, "Vyacheslav Molotov!" "Of course! Molotov!" says DukePlatinum, banging his fist into the table. Conversation flowed over to the subjects of Communism, Solidarity, holidaying in Europe, and eventually back to designing maps. Anton looked over at the almost-complete draft on Duke's PC. "Wow, that one's nearly done. Looks great! What are you planning to call it?" Duke pulled a face: "Any ideas?" Anton thought for a moment. "Erm... how about Molotov?" Probably didn't happen, but who knows. Molotov was an inspiration, for sure, as it's certainly stood the test of time in the developers' eyes - t's barely had a single change since it's original release. Molotov still looks pretty much the same as ever. However, it really never kicked off with the players from the beginning till now. All the same, there was one period of serious popularity... I'm sure most of you well-learned in Tanki history (or old-timers like me) know exactly what I'm talking about. The Molotov 1000 Gold Box is one of the most famous parts of the history of the game. Mainly because of it's uniqueness. I'll sum it up quickly. On July 19th 2011, the "Secret Gold Box Event" was launched. Players were told that on one secret map in the game, a 1000 Gold Box would be dropped every 1000 fund. "1000 Gold Box?" some of you are thinking. "We get that all the time now. What's so cool?" Let's put in into context shall we? In 2011, Tanki was a very very different game from what you're playing nowadays. Firstly, Crystals had a much higher value back then. Getting an M3 Weapon only required a little more than 20,000 crystals altogether. Before you start wishing you had played Tanki back then, just remember that crystals were much harder to come by too, with a 100 Battle Fund very good, and Crystal Boxes only holding 1 crystal. And, of course, regular gold boxes only held 100. And so, the news of 1000 Gold Boxes got many higher-ranked players racing online to work out what map held the secret Gold Box. Hours after the server update, news leaked out that the first 1000 Gold Box had been spotted - and guess where? Yep, Molotov. How did you guess?! The servers around the medium-to-upper ranks suddenly flooded with Molotovs as players tried to experience the thrill of the 1000 Gold Box. Just imagine it - back then, Gold Boxes only fell in one particular place in the map, and this special gold box also could fall at any point between 1000 and nearly 1030 Fund. Once the fund hit 1000, the Thin-Bridge in Molotov was packed out as everyone tried to push each other off in a fervent attempt to "hold domination" on the bridge, in case it fell. To get a taster of what it must be like, feel free to watch a couple of the best videos I found of it, linked here and here. And, unfortunately, that's about as far as most people have heard of Molotov. And to be honest, it's history hasn't been gripping. Interestingly enough, however, the map offered only a maximum of 5-a-side for almost all of it's career before the recent update that upped the amount of people able to join a lot of the maps. Now, the "cool" aspect of a 5v5 gameplay which encouraged a lot more long-distance play has been changed into a free-for-all 10v10 maximum limit. I personally think that was slightly over-the-top, now with almost all routes to each of the flags packed out with enemy tanks when the battle is full. Molotov also recently got the CP Mode like all maps in the game. It contains three points, with two of the points in open sections of each of the bases, and the other point plumb in the middle of the map. I'll discuss the different Game Modes in the map later on. And so, the Memoirs of Molotov come short here. Though a limited knowledge of it's history, the key to getting stuck into discovering this map comes when you begin to look at the... MODEL The success of a map is really closely linked to how it is constructed. The layout of the map shows a brilliant look on whether it will offer good gameplay - or bad. I'm sure most of your favourite maps are your favourites because of where the flags are, the different routes in and out of the bases, the bridges, the sniping positions - the list goes on. Good maps are always linked to good, diverse and yet simple constructions. Let's take a look at what Molotov looks like from above. Look at the picture for a few moments and just use your basic Tanki knowledge to investigate it. Think about it. Do you think the map looks like it works, or not? Thanks to Archy's high-definition picture, there should be a level of clarity as you look around. What are your immediate thoughts? Get thinking. Now you've looked it, I'll just sum up a quick investigation. Well, as you can see in the picture, Molotov is nowhere near symmetrical. Both bases are completely different. Whenever I see maps like this, it excites me but worries me. Gameplay working is far more risky if bases differ on two such extremes as this. But I hope to convince you of the brilliance that this map's construction actually is. Actually, the Molotov construction may not look it - but really is rather simple. As normal, the flags are on a diagonal to each other on different sides of the opposite bases. There is an open area in the middle with a rather unprotected route to-and-fro from the bases. And of course, there are the more protected routes down the sides of the map, as you can see above. Let's just glance at the two different flags for a moment and the two different bases. As you can see, there are five routes in to the blue base, which is positioned above the ground on a raised section of the map. This is a compact base which very little space which makes it very hard to penetrate but also difficult to defend due to lack of well-protected hiding places- particularly in a Pro Battle with no Supplies allowed, since Mines are such a use in the Blue Base. Which side do you think you would prefer to be on in a Capture the Flag map? Does the easy route to the Blue Flag appeal to you, or does the Red Flag look simple to arrange an attack against? Which do you think could make a cleaner getaway? Is the simple route away from the Blue Flag through the middle more appealing than the easy stealing of the Red Flag down the side of the map? And of course, notice the defence. Isn't that position behind the house next to the flag a completely flawless defensive position for the Red Flag? Or what about the tight routes in to the Blue Base which can all be so easily guarded by a Smoky-Mammoth on the flag? In the end, it's your choice. But what I love about this map is that, though it looks so imbalanced and potentially dangerous to the completely contrasting bases, it actually offers very complete balanced gameplay. So, now we've seen the bases. Not decisively, but we've got thinking. I hope that whet your appetite a little for what this map could potentially hold. Let's look at the middle. What is the most prominent feature? You may say the thin bridge across (in my mind, one of the thinnest bridges in Tanki), but what I think makes this map very clever is the ditches that completely domineer the middle. We all know how annoying it is to drive into a ditch, some of us more than others - as I will remember too well in a clan war against The Mighty Midgets when they were one of the best clans, where we were all too close to winning the round before my team-mate with the enemy flag accidentally drove into a ditch, just a short distance from capturing. However, the ditches offer a good means of covering each base and ensuring that routes into the Red Base, for example, are not too far and wide and can be watched more carefully. It also ensures that people who know the map by memory have an advantage as they can drive backwards without looking and make sure they dodge the ditches in the middle whilst at the same time shooting respawning enemies. A final great asset to the map is that all the routes back with the enemy flag are dangerously open at times. Snipers play a key role in this map as many opportunities are given to pick out attackers returning with your flag from protected and yet easily penetrable sniping positions. This fact leads to more intense gameplay as players always sense hope when their flag is grabbed rather than giving up their flag as dead immediately when it has been taken. These are just a few points about the construction of Molotov I thought I would bring out, but I'm sure you've investigated stuff yourself when looking at the picture above. There are many things that form this "model" which play such an important role in making the construction of the map work. And, yet it does, and I have to admire the creator's work in ensuring two completely different sides are yet so balanced. But, of course, what does the layout of the map mean anything if gameplay on it is no good? MILITARY Military. Yes, I know, it's getting rather lame but the word does display what I want to talk about in this final section of the review. The military aspect of Tanki is, in layman's terms, the battling. We've covered Molotov's gameplay in small amounts in the previous section - basically me affirming that it's good - but here, we will look a little bit more in-depth at each of the game-modes, and whether they work... Death Match It's always funny when I write about Death Match, because it really relies very little on where it's set. I could do a Death Match in my back garden to be quite frank, and my back garden is one ramp and an open patch about the size of Ping Pong. With nothing in the way. And people would still play Death Match on it. Now, if you seriously want to consider the plausibility of this map as a Deathmatch, I would definitely not put it anywhere near the top of my lists. The map firstly isn't that beautiful, secondly isn't simple to learn, and just doesn't really work. Long-range weapons thrive a bit too much, it's a little bit too open in areas, a little bit too closed in others - I just dislike it in terms of Deathmatch. However, the irony is that Molotov is probably played most in Death Match since players can't be bothered to learn it in CTF but find it simple just to kill people in a map that they've never heard of before. And so, that's why you may see a Molotov DM, and not a CTF. It's simply because people are lazy. Team Death Match The TDM Mode is next to be talked about. Though popular at low ranks, TDM is largely uncommon to find at the high ranks, due to the lesser effect of teamwork that it involves. It also tends to rely a lot on your team; and most of the higher-ranked players are 1. Very Wary of Sabotage and 2. Good enough to do it by themselves, thank you very much. Molotov TDM? I can only judge from an outside perspective looking into the map, as I despise TDM and Molotov isn't exactly a popular TDM Map anyway. But, it certainly doesn't look like it would work too well. Similar bases are normally better in TDM as it gives it more equality and Molotov certainly isn't similar. Too many sniping positions on the Red Team enable them to stay alive much longer, and what looks like it could pass for a decent TDM Map would only really work at low ranks, when players are more intent on killing other tanks than caring about their own lives. Capture the Flag Ahh. My favourite. If CTF didn't exist, I'd have quit this game in 2010. In fact, if it was removed tonight, you might as well say Farewell now. Now, don't get any ideas, Tanki devs. Molotov CTF is all I really discussed in the Model and all I really feel like discussing in Military. As I've said and explained before, it's beautiful, brilliant and works on so many levels. I don't want to repeat myself from what my arguments were in the "Model" section, but the way the two different bases work really well is very admirable. Indeed, Molotov is a great CTF Map but there is a slight problem that I do have with the way Tanki have set up. The automatic set-up of 10v10 when creating in such a relatively average-sized map is too much - far too much - in my opinion. As I mentioned previously, the Molotov limits have been 5v5 with a maximum of 10 players for as long as I can remember. Thus, I reckon that if you do want to play a Molotov CTF yourself, and are creating it (since players don't tend to find Molotovs to join very easily nowadays), make sure you do put yourself at maximum an 8v8. I would even consider going down to 7v7 or even 6v6, since the gameplay in Molotov is enhanced when players are few on each team as it encourages more use of the different routes, and clever planning in all aspects of battling - defence, attack and the all-important midfield. Well, I'm sure you can discover yourself what Molotov CTF has to offer, but all I can say is that I recommend it. It's good fun, a great map and worth trying out, at the very least. Pro Battle or not, it has a lot to offer and all I can say is that it's a brilliant map to play. Particularly with supplies, the slight advantage that the Red Team may have in escaping with the Blue Flag is cancelled out by the ability to mine out many of the entrances which is very useful for the Blues. All the same, with a well-coordinated defence, Blue Team can easily stop quick flags from being stolen from them - whilst Red have their own problems with an open base in defence. It's almost quite funny that I feel compelled to write something about the XP-K Mode at some point in this article, and so now seems like a good time. The growing influx of XP battles is beginning to overwhelm tankers on their visits to Server 1. This, of course, leads to a lot of players seeking to explore new maps with this game-mode that seems to get more and more fans as time passes. I have seen a couple of Molotov XP's in my time, which are rather pleasant to see really - but actually, my opinion of this map as an XP battle is very small. Although a great map for gameplay, the fact is that Railgun-Hornets in it is rather boring. The defence-midfield-attack feel to it is lost slightly and gameplay is rather unexciting in comparison to many other XP Maps. Thus, I wouldn't personally recommend it to players, although you're welcome to give it a try. Molotov CTF, after all, really is brilliant. Diverse, Clever - a CTF Map worth playing. Capture Points Covering Capture Points in unknown maps may seem a little bit pointless for you, but I thought it may as well be covered. Who knows, maybe this article could set off a Molotov CP Craze. As mentioned previously, there are three points, two in open parts of each of the two bases and one plumb in the middle of the map. The old-school way to do CP, but it works very well. Molotov CP is actually pretty alright and it tests a team's ability to "hold out" the middle point. It's certainly better than DM or TDM in this map, if I'm honest. Well, I hope you've found it quite obvious which game mode I prefer in this map. If you haven't, it might be a good idea to visit Specsavers. Anyway, I do believe maps are rarely made to accommodate for other modes apart from the good old-fashioned Capture the Flag. And this map more than rises to the task of being a good CTF Map, in my opinion. And so, perhaps you could take a glance up again at the picture of the map above. Has your appetite even been slightly aroused by this article? Don't shake off what you've read - go and give it a go. It can't be any worse than playing Sandbox CTFs all day every day, like some people. Molotov - a great map, and for what it is, I'm sure we all can say that it deserves more popularity than it currently has... now it's up to you to change that. MY CONCLUSION ...Well, you try and think of a synonym of Conclusion beginning with M. Huh? Exactly. And there ends my second map review in this "Exploring the Unknown" Series. Molotov is a serious gem, and yet pretty much barren on the Servers. It's now up to you to get it up and running. Well, don't just sit there! Get out, create a Molotov (8v8 maximum please!), invite your friends, and resurrect the unknown. Cos it's worth it. Cover Picture made by Lhamster | "Molotov" Picture Edited by hogree | Molotov Birds-Eye Picture taken by ArchangeI, Edited by hogree | Avatar made by BLASTOISE-T12

Great interview!

A chicken wing. Hopefully. Yes, I'm that broke.

You, sir, are a legend

It's a good idea actually, even though I might rename it "The Danger of Procrastination"...

Oh, we're good at that. I like to think we're the best.

Who's the best Reporter? choose wisely

Hey. Nice idea with the interviews. Couple of minor words of feedback. ________ 1.. "Interviews with History" doesn't seem like a great title, to be honest. It's not as if History can be Interviewed. I get your point but it doesn't really work in my opinion. What would be slightly more attractive may be "Interviews: Exploring the Past" or "Interviews with Tanki's Veterans" or even "Looking back on the Old Times - Interviews" (or of course something similar to that, which has a bit more of a ring and interest to it.) 2. I personally think singling this out for Staff Members seems a little bit rich. It would be reaaaallly nice if the players could get interviewed too (of course, old-timers too.) I'm sure it would be slightly more interesting too, for viewers. Make sure you do, of course, get all the people to be interviewed from at least before 2012. I don't know if others find this sometimes but it seems like sometimes the staff only seems to relate to the staff on the Forum. It would be really a nice feeling to get the players involved, because it sometimes does appear that the staff always stay in their own little bubble, relating to the players in a slightly unnatural way on the Forum. 3. I understand that the DIscussion Topic is still under maintenance, but it would be nice if you could at least point a link from here towards the topic for the viewers to read. Not a big deal though. 4. I personally am of the opinion that posting an interview with questions that are not exactly answered in a constructive way is slightly flawed. You said in your reply to Sel's original post below: Personally, I reckon that if an interview is to be published, and to be interesting, there has to be a level which the interview reaches - otherwise it will be uninteresting. I totally appreciate the effort being put in here, but the key thing to do is to be able to put something in which is interesting for the viewer to read. I unfortunately didn't find Shar0n's interview particularly interesting, even though the answers and questions were asked and answered in a fair manner - I personally reckon this was because the interview was not structured in a great way and some of the less-well-answered questions were still included. It also was slightly unoriginal, but that's a matter of opinion. And so, I suggest, that interviewing should include about 15 questions. Out of these questions, approximately 7-12 will be picked appropriately which have been answered in the best manner, and which will be most interesting and constructive to the audience. That will help make things more interesting, and also ensure that there is a level of variety in each of the interviews. 5. Finally, as a suggestion of questions, what would be great is if the questions are more probing, For example, not just a question like "What is your favourite combination" but something like "Which combinations are your favourite, and why? What sort of gameplay do you normally get involved in, and what do you normally look for when you join a battle?" Also, OF COURSE, asking personal questions are brilliant for people to get an insight into people's lives. Personally, the interview with Shar0n didn't help me learn a bit about how he managed to balance his work in Tanki with his work outside. What does he do for a living? And then it gets interesting. And I find the title deceptive considering the first interview. Interview with History, whilst none of the questions actually are really delving into History? Doesn't work for me. Asking the memories of the players would be brilliant. What do you remember about before the rebalance? What are their sharpest memories? Any old friends from Tanki who they miss? Any things that really changed that they miss / enjoy now? Do they find the game as interesting as they did before, now they are moderators? And even asking them about their in-game tips would be interesting. Of course, I agree with many others above that the "Goals" Question was slightly "Get Out of Jail Free". I think that it would have been good to ask him more directly about things rather than being vague. When being vague, it's not always easy to delve into things as a person being interviewed. ________ Hopefully, at least a couple of my words might have been understandable and been taken into account. Hope this goes well, and it's great to see you starting this "Interviews" thing to go, sort of, alongside the Interviews in the Newspaper, except weekly. Good work.

It's enjoyable playing Red Alert, finally, with supplies. No-one ever used to play them when I created them... A brilliant takeover.

Obese. Come on, let's own up to the truth people.

It's the return of In The Community Spotlight, 11 issues on from the last episode. We have with us a very special bunch of interviewees this time round. We welcome to the spotlight... The Tankladies! As we all know, Tanki is predominantly played by guys, but the playerbase of the female population is growing very quickly. Though this interview may have been impossible to make a couple of years ago, we now have more than enough girls in the English Community, and I thought it was high time that there be an all-female interview. Today, we have the pleasure of meeting 6 of the most well-known tankladies that form part of the English Community. Our six females interviewees today are - (jzjyv), , @Meliora (Selena12121), (Mia786786), @CooperO and @hockeygirl! Note: In order not to oversize the interview, a selection of the interviewees' answers were chosen for the second, third and fourth questions. Hey. Could you firstly each tell us a bit about yourself and who you are? jzjyv: Hi there Hog! I am Jayani, a 25 year old Sri Lankan hobbyist gamer; also known as jz, a shortened version of my in-game name, jzjyv (a random group of letter with no real meaning). When you don’t see me online killing tanks you will find me either designing electronic circuits or making sure students don’t end up blowing up the electronics labs at the University I instruct in. Mrs.Dreyar: Of course. My name is Meg. I'm 17. Born in Wales, grew up in Texas, US and now I live in South London, UK. I'm still in school, Sixth Form or Year 13. I'm doing my best to complete my A levels next year. On Tanki, I'm formally known as Tanki_Barbie and I have been gaming here for nearly 2 years. Selena12121: Well, I'm Selena, or otherwise known as Sel. I'm from London in the UK, where all the magic happens :P. I've been on Tanki for two and a half years (will be three in December) so I've witnessed quite a lot of Tanki's changes, as well as being a Reporter for a short period of time. Outside of the game, I'm very laid back - I enjoy writing, languages (a lot) and bike riding. hockeygirl: I'm 14 and live in USA. I have been playing Tanki for over a year now and normally play daily. My real name is Erin. Mia786786: Hi guys, just wanted to say I'm happy to be here and share a bit of me with the rest of you :D My name is Milica, though most of you know me as Mia for short, since my nickname is Mia786786. I was born and raised in Podgorica, Montenegro, and that is where I currently live and study. I'm eighteen, and am currently completing my fourth and last year of Economic Highschool, majoring in Banking. CooperO: I live in the Netherlands and I'm 24 years old. I've been playing this game for over 2.5 years now. I started playing because my younger brother introduced me to this game, we have played many battles together. I'm sure there are some people out there that find it strange that girls play a game like Tanki. What's kept you playing? Mrs.Dreyar: Well, I came looking for a distraction. My grandfather was dying at this time when I first joined Tanki Online. It certainly took my mind off the subject and this lifted the heavy weight off my shoulders. During this time, I've made friends and from then, I've stuck to this game and eventually became addicted. CooperO: It is true that there are many more guys in this game than girls, but when playing that doesn't make a difference. Over time I've made friends in this game, they make it more fun to play. One of the main reasons I'm still playing is because of one player in particular, @I3est. I don't have any more ranks to reach or items to unlock, but I enjoy battling and spending my time with him. Selena12121: Couldn't agree more. It's funny how so many people (and even up to this point) think I'm a boy pretending to be a girl just because of the nature of this game. Funnily enough, there are now just as many female gamers as male. Anyway, the simplicity of the game kept me going, and the ever-present will to reach Marshal and later Generalissimo. The community is also a large part of why I'm still here - I would have quit a long while ago had it not been for the friends I'd made. hockeygirl: Mostly the people I have met throughout the game and friends I have made is the reason I still play. I also still enjoy battling and ranking up. However I wouldn't have the same motivation to keep playing without friends. :) Mia786786: In my opinion, it doesn't matter whether you are a boy or a girl. If you are a gamer and you like some game, you will just go and play it. I'm a very active girl. The reason I was first interested in Tanki is because I love action, I love guns and explosions, and I loved Tanki. And even though after a while the excitement of the fight started wearing off, I had made so many friends, that I really couldn't just leave the game. Not to forget to mention that I played almost all famous games such as Assassin's Creed, Lineage, Call of Duty, Counter Strike, World of Warcraft, Resident Evil, Need for Speed, GTA, etc. But I found Tanki the most addictive game just because you can never get bored of playing with friends (and you keep making new friends every day). What are some of your best and worst memories of your time in Tanki? Mia786786: So many memories. I once made my own Facebook page, and filled it with fun active people, and we were closer to a family than just a group of gamers. We would play together, rank together, participate in and help each other with contests together, and each of those events is a memory I hold dear. Here I met my soulmate with whom I am, till this today, trying to make some good changes in our community on Tanki Forum. I don't have so many bad memories. I once lost my second account, which was actually my high-ranked account, and I was extremely sad about it, but even that didn't stop me from staying in the community and making new friends. jzjyv: I wouldn’t call this my worst memory but the only bad thing that happened to me was when someone managed to access account and did everything possible to get it banned forever. Luckily, I had never shared my account and could easily (I should put this word in capslock) prove that someone else had logged in without my consent to the technical team at Tanki so I got my account back and unbanned straight away. Best would be all the fun and interesting times I have with all the members in the clan I lead (Counter Strike) and winning an English Community clan tournament (Dream Team Junior) in 2014. Mrs.Dreyar: Best memories have got to be meeting new friends. From my first clan, I have made amazing friends. We learnt a lot about each other, we joked around and supported each other in battles. Also in this clan, this was when my Tanki-Husband chose the moment to stalk me and insist that I'd be his! He may be a nutter but I enjoyed this moment tremendously and I still do. Worst memories, one word: Bullies. Just be happy that we can take a screen and post it to violators topic. Selena12121: One of my highlights would be my time as a Reporter. Being able to write and it being appreciated by others was very enjoyable for me. I didn't have the job for very long however - with a bit more time I think my work would have had the ability to improve. Earlier this year I won quite a few contests (namely the photoshop, comic captions and video guides contests) so crystals and other prizes were never far away :D, although not without the help of . My worst memory would have to be the aggravating amount of bans, rather peculiar in nature, I received around this time last year and the drama that came with it. However, that is the past now - shan't dwell on that any longer. What's your look on some of the past updates in Tanki? CooperO: Some updates that I really like are the friend system and the new server switcher. One of the updates I'm not that fond of is the introduction of microupgrades, mainly because it's impossible to see who is driving around with some M4 equipment and who isn't. I haven't made up my mind yet about the Smart Cooldowns update, I'm not a drugger, but it's much harder now to tell if your enemies are drugging or not and if I want to drug back, I still like to be able to use all my drugs. Mia786786: I'm not a particular fan of many of the recent updates, from the Balance Finalization where all the stats were changed, to the recent Smart Cooldowns and general box redesigns, but it seems like Tanki is just moving along their planned course without looking sideways, so there doesn't seem to be much that I can do. hockeygirl: The most recent update, smart cooldowns, was not a bad one for me. Even though it completely changes drugging, it also requires more skill then just pressing 234. The only downside is now probably less buyers for Tanki, so less money for them. jzjyv: I easily adopt to changes and accept most updates in a positive way; if any of the updates put me at a disadvantage I try to be resourceful and join battles where I am not that affected by them. For example the introduction of microupgrades put me at a disadvantage, when it was first introduced as I am not a buyer and was saving up for m3 guns and hulls. However, this update didn’t make me lose interest on Tanki; on the contrary, thanks to this update I discovered a whole new world of pro battles, which got me even more hooked on Tanki. Apart from Tanki, what are some of your interests and hobbies? hockeygirl: I play ice hockey and run for my school's cross country team outside of Tanki. Sports take up most of my time besides school. I also enjoy drawing and other arts occasionally. Selena12121: As aforementioned, I love languages - I find it intriguing to see their patchwork (especially that of German - although its grammar is hard, there are no exceptions and it is based mostly on logic and maths, both of which I like) and just how different it is to English. I also enjoy exploring the wonderful land that is England. As well as visiting London's landmarks, I do enjoy having a nice bike ride through parks, visiting the beaches in South England, spending a weekend in tents with no internet ;( or just going to a theme park. jzjyv: I like to keep myself very busy all the time. I like to hike, swim, do some photography, dance or watch a movie. I am also interested in tasting food and listening to music from different countries in the world. Mrs.Dreyar: As I mentioned above, I go to school. My subject this year is Italian and unfortunately I have to take double lessons so every day I'm learning Italian. Uhh.. Mi piace il cibo italiano! I'm interested in their food, culture and the language. I went to Rome twice. Both times we went to watch rugby. Being a Welsh person, I am a big fan of the rugby. I support Wales. And another thing, I love reading. I have a little library in my room. I chose to study English Literature at school. I read plays, some classic books and anything from horror to tear jerker books. Honestly I'm a book nerd! Mia786786: I am being a volunteer in 'Food Bank' organisation in my country. We collect food for people who need it. I also am a member in 'American Corner'. This is place where you can learn so many things about American culture. Here they offer lectures, movie screenings (mostly documentaries), reading clubs and discussions and program for children. I especially love working with children. CooperO: I love reading books, the bigger the better. Other than that I like animals and in particular horses, so horseriding is one of my hobbies. Also I enjoy watching a good movie or TV series. Any parting words you have for the girls (or guys!) of the English Community? jzjyv: Have fun and don’t take a win or loss way to seriously. Winning a battle might make you happy for a moment and losing might get you so mad you can punch a wall; but remember Tanki is just a just game after all so don’t let a win or loss affect you to the point where you are unpleasant to the people that know you in game or in real life. Mrs.Dreyar: Sure! I have something for both. Tank girls! No matter how harsh what these boys say are to you, ignore them. Don't let them bring you down. If you love gaming, then continue to play! And for the tank boys. Don't ask girls why are they on TO, this annoys us. They like gaming just as much as you do. CooperO: Don't let others get you down and enjoy playing this game - but don't forget to enjoy great things outside of this game too. Selena12121: "aut viam inveniam aut faciam" - a Latin phrase meaning "I will either find a way or make one" - I think it pretty much sums up my personality, and it reminds you never to let anything hold you back. hockeygirl: Don't put girl in your name... bai. Mia786786: If you have goals, then follow them. Beginning is always the hardest part. You may get a lot of hate, but the more hate you get, the more sure you can be that you are doing it the right way. When they realize what a fighter you are, they will not only start appreciating what you do, but will also support you. And then you will know that you've succeeded. Thanks so much to our interviewees for taking the time to take part in this interview! Feel free to ask them questions below, and I'm sure some of them will answer. Thanks for reading! Thanks to Therider and Remaine for their contributions in suggesting interviewees.

As most of you readers have gathered, the newspaper welcomed four new Reporter Candidates into it's midst last issue. Although unable to publish an interview with all of them last issue due to holiday season, it seemed fitting to get to know a bit more about these four "new guys". And so, I managed to get hold of them this issue and have a chat with them. Fen-Harel Ever-present in the XP Battles of Server 1, and having formerly gone by the nick of Achilles1233, Fen is now a highly-esteemed, and of course highly-skilled member of the English community, well-settled with many popular members of the community of today. hogree: Evening, Lord Harel. Pleasure to be your interviewer today. Firstly, could you tell us a bit about yourself, who you are...? Fen-Harel: Good evening to you as well, Hoggie. My name is William, but most people call me Fen. I'm from Serbia and I'm 15 years old. I don't have any special hobbies, perhaps rubik's puzzle solving and reading. Also a bit of table tennis. hogree: Ah, good old Table Tennis. Just saying, but you'd never beat me. Anywaay... about when did you join Tanki and what made you want to apply for the Reporter job? Fen-Harel: Psh, go 1-1 ok. I joined Tanki last year I think, I don't even remember to be honest. I joined with some older friends from previous games. One of them being Brandy. After a while Brandy and others left the game and I decided I'd get more into the Tanki community. I'm not really much of a forumer and I post little, but I got friends by chatting. Now about the reporter part, I made a break from reading and writing for a year or so, and started reading again. And... I got a bit carried away, reading 5 books in a little more over a week. Then I got my passion for writing back and decided to test my luck with the reporter job. hogree: 5 Books? Lightweight. Just kidding, that's pretty impressive. Right, since we started talking about Tanki, what do you normally use in-game? Also, what maps, gameplay, modes do you particularly enjoy? Fen-Harel: I just started my passion for reading ok, no cry... I use the all powerful hornet rail power. The true harmony for a tank. I fell in love with it on the first day of 2014 when I first bought it. Started practicing in various ways, and now I pretty much only play XP battles, with the classic maps- sandbox, barda, bridges, tribute etc. CTF of course. I also sometimes go for a drugging DM to waste a bit of my supplies and have some fun. hogree: Sounds like fun. Right, well, if you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be? Fen-Harel: Let me think... See what I did there? hogree: Oh i see what you did there on so many levels. Anyway. If you could pick a reporter as a mentor, who would it be? (Pick Wisely) Fen-Harel: I feel I should say Lhamster... but I just can't do it. I'm not really sure, I never thought I needed one. I prefer learning writing techniques and storytelling by myself. That sounded less self centered in my head. hogree: That's fair enough, I guess. Well, as you clearly seem quite confident in your ability, what can we expect to see from you in the next few months? What sort of stuff do you specialise in? Fen-Harel: I am a storyteller. I write what I want to read and then share it with others. I enjoy writing stories the most, I try to make memorable characters, unexpected events and different perspectives. More variation allows the reader to experience the same story in different ways. Other than that, I will probably write XP guides or something similar, tactics related most likely. hogree: Awesome! Cant wait. Well, it's been a pleasure. Thanks for talking with me today. kirby2008 His entries in contests and common comments on the "What to Buy" topic have given him a presence in the community, and he somehow manages to balance writing several articles each issue with 5 A-Levels and an ambition of a career in medicine! hogree: Yo Kirby. Great to be able to speak with you today. Could you start by just briefly telling us a bit about yourself and who you are? kirby2008: Yeah sure! So my name is Roy, live near London, and am an aspiring medic :) I've been playing Tanki for almost a year now, and it is the one and only game I actually love and have time for. hogree: Great. Well, what made you consider applying for the job of Reporter? kirby2008: Well since I discovered the forum, I've been active on it regularly. The English community is great, and I've made a lot of new friends. Being a reporter would allow me to become even more involved in the community, and also it allows me to give something back to it. Finding out there was crystals involved too was a nice surprise and an added bonus! hogree: Yup. Well, you say Tanki is the only game you really enjoy, so what's the secret to your enjoyment? What combination do you normally play with and what sorts of maps and modes do you enjoy most? kirby2008: I first got into it because it was easily accessible. I don't have any consoles... So an online multiplayer game seemed perfect. I love the fact that it really seems more of a career than a game. Collecting crystals and building up my arsenal over time is really satisfying. I play in quite a wide range of maps and modes, and I think this has given me good insight into the game. My favourite has got to be TDM, primarily because it's much harder for a team of druggers to come in and steal a fund! As for my favourite combination, Viking is my favourite hull, and I use it almost all the time. I switch between Rico and Fire, and emerald and inferno, which gives me some flexibility. I can usually find a good combo for the game at hand. hogree: It's got to be Fire... ;) Well, if you had to describe yourself in 3 words, what do you reckon they would be? kirby2008: Hmm, good question.... Firstly I'd say I'm social - I try and keep as many friends as possible, and invite them or join their games. Secondly, I'd say I'm fair. I hate to see druggers ruining games, and will do anything I can to stop them. Lastly, I'd say I'm a bit reckless! My determination to stay in a game and drug to the end does sometimes end badly! hogree: Mm-hmm, cool. Okay, so as a new reporter, if you could pick any of the current Reporters to be a "Mentor", who would it be? kirby2008: I think the whole reporter group is a nice bunch, all very friendly. I have a lot of respect for all the current reporters, but if I had to choose one, I think I would pick GoldRock. His articles really impress me. hogree: Got to agree with that. Right, finally, what do you think we can expect to see coming from you in the upcoming few months? Do you specialise in anything in particular? kirby2008: Well currently I'm working on a series to compare some of the weapons, as you may have seen. What inspired me to do this was the frequent questions posted on the forum about which of the weapons was better. Another thing I hope to continue is the ongoing 'continue the story' contest. Hopefully, we shall have a complete, chapter by chapter story by the end! As for new ideas, I'm always up for a challenge. If anyone really wants something to be included or written about, I'd be very happy to take requests! hogree: Awesome. Thanks for chatting with me today, it's been great. Looking forward to see more of your produce in the near future! kirby2008: Thank you for the interview! MadDog21 "The definition of a real veteran", MadDog is one of the most renowned members of the English Community of all time. With seemingly endless knowledge and rather indomitable use of the English language, MD21 is looked on with great respect by many, especially having been part of the army in his eyebrow-raising career! hogree: Hi there MadDog. Great to speak to you today. Firstly, could you just tell us a bit about yourself, and who you are? I know you've done an interview with the paper before, but could you just briefly sum up yourself? MadDog21: I'm an adult Tanker. I'm a retired educator, former Chief Warrant Officer and gunship pilot veteran of the Vietnam conflict, jack of [many] trades and master of some and an ardent fan of Tanki for leisure competition. I live in America's middle west, in Iowa, a richly fertile land that feeds much of the world. hogree: Right you are. Well, when did you join the game - and what made you apply for the Reporter job? MadDog21: I don't keep a timeline diary. Best guess was late 2010. That data surely exists somewhere in the digital annals of Tanki. I didn't apply; I was recruited, but I'm happy to help. Prior to being a chat Mod, I'd applied for that job, my intent was to help make the game more civilized since it was overburdened with vulgar twerps and cheats. hogree: Fair enough... Well, when you do play Tanki, what is your primary combination, and what sorts of maps and styles do you like engaging combat in? MadDog21: Combinations vary based on mood, effectiveness and chosen maps. I used to favor Rico, but I tend to linger too long on the fire button since they modified it. Har! Map preferences matter less than where "friends" play. I like playing with ones I know won't quit and will play hard and predictably. I play lots of Kungur by virtue of all that. hogree: Cool. 'Kay, if you were to have to describe yourself in 3 Words, what do you think they would be...? MadDog21: You're a word crafter, hence you have to know how foolish and difficult that query is. Still, in the spirit of cooperation, I'll give it a go. I'm moral, honest and ethical. I don't lie, chat, steal or exploit, and I don't endure such with even a sliver of tolerance. After all, I was a Boy Scout. I guess the ethos stuck. :) hogree: That's great. :) Well, I know this question may not be particularly suitable, but if you could pick any of the Reporters to be a sort of "mentor" to you, if any, who would you pick? MadDog21: Me! I taught writing among other subjects for my career. I know how it's done. :) Somewhat more directly and a bit more humbly, I've already received consul and advice from a few, and it was all good and helpful. While I know how to write, I sense there is a Tanki way, and I'll learn that with help from fellow reporters. hogree: Haha. I thought I would see that coming. :) Great, I know most people would like you to mentor them, I just thought I might as well ask the question. Well, finally, since you've joined the team, what can we be expecting to see from you in the upcoming future? What sort of articles do you specialise in? MadDog21: I don't fancy myself as any manner of techie. I am something of a moralist, so some of my writing will focus on how each Tanker who cares to can help Tanki be better, more civil. Nobody goes out for a social night hoping to encounter thugs, bullies, profaners and general malcontents. Mods and Admin cannot be everywhere. I hope to help Tankers understand and actualize the great merits of being civil and demanding civility from fellow Tankers. The object of games like Tanki is to achieve and enjoy. When achievement overwhelms manners and ethics, it's like being in a dance club with a 300 pound jerk. One must either confront the thuggish mass of protoplasm or leave. I rarely leave. hogree: That sounds awesome! Well, thanks for talking to me today, it's been a pleasure interviewing you. MadDog21: Thanks, Josh. Note: If you want to read an extended interview with MadDog21, Vikingsrall interviewed him a couple of issues ago, and you can read that here. williew A parkour fanatic, Williew is a respected member of the community with a strong work ethic and a real commitment to his job. Although perhaps not boasting the greatest knowledge of the English language, his articles show off a degree of "Raphael2-style" writing with very relevant and simple-to-read material a main feature. hogree: Hi williew! Firstly, could you just tell us briefly about a bit about yourself and who you are? williew: Hi hogree, well I'm williew and I've been a tanker since 2012. I joined the game after I spoke with my friend about 'Tanki Online', didn't know that I was going to play this game weekly or even daily. I liked the game and of course, I wanted to rank fast to beat my friend. I found some other Dutch tankers and started playing with them daily in server 13 (which later would change to server 11). Also enjoyed doing little tricks and parkour, though I never had thought I would start my own parkour group since I was such a noob in parkour at the beginning. A while later I met @Zero-nl and @x24storm, while I was in a Dutch clan searching for a few new members. The clan was getting inactive and we decided to set up our own clan 'The Dangerous White's'. It was a fun period where I met a lot of new friends and of course, GoldRock too! After the clan got closed, I have been in several other clans, though nowadays I'm more focussed on parkour. This was just the story of my Tanki career, though who I am in real life? As you might know I come from the Netherlands where I was born and grown up. In my spare time I'm trying out several programs on my computer (graphics programs, gamemaker programs and some more). Beside that I'm still going to school, so that takes a lot of time as well. Don't think I have any more to say. :) hogree: Great to know, thanks for telling us. Well, what made you interested in applying for the job of Reporter? williew: . I always loved the job and thought it would be fun if there are a few Dutch articles in the newspaper aswell, This altogether made me apply. hogree: Uhuh. As for Tanki, what do you normally use, what sort of maps do you like and what type of gameplay and modes do you primarily enjoy? williew: I normally use Wasp and Railgun, I love the speed of Wasp and I've been playing with the gun almost since my career started. But once there is a gold box notification, you'll see me with dictator: since I always press directly 'delete' and change as fast as possible. The maps are different every time. If I'm bored and just want to hunt for some golds, I prefer the maps Polygon, Lost Temple and Stadium. If I want to play a good other game, I normally join a CTF battle, I love to capture flags with my Wasp. If I'm playing CTF, I'm joining any battle which looks fun to me, I usually start tanki then with 'www.tankionline.com/lucky.html' – as by this way you join a random server and you'll find random maps. Also CP battles can be fun, especially Stadium CP (I actually don't join any other CP battles). hogree: Coooool. Now, three words to describe you best - what would they be? williew: Difficult.. :L Just Willie. <-- I think that's the best :) hogree: Isn't that just two words? Or is the Difficult Included? :P williew: Yeah, included :D hogree: Lel ok. Right, back to the subject, if you could pick any Reporter as a mentor/teacher to you, who would you pick? williew: Definitely Ilia (ArchangeI). hogree: Okay. Well, finally, since you've joined the team, what can we be expecting to see from you in the upcoming future? What sort of articles do you specialise in? williew: You can expect articles about parkour for sure, parkour is one of the things I love the most in this game. Also you can expect articles about Tanki Online's cybersport, free sport and starladder too. Beside that I'll come up with guides about this game and of course Dutch articles. This is what I have planned for now, though I'm always thinking and might come up with totally different stuff too. hogree: Mm-hmm, sounds good. Thanks for chatting today, it's been great. All the best for the future. Well, that's the interviews over, but you guys still can play a part in the future articles coming from the pens of these new reporters. Do get involved by suggesting articles for the upcoming issues, over on a new "Newspaper Requests!" Topic linked here. And whatever you do, make sure you keep reading and giving feedback! It's you readers that keep us writing. And please make sure that you post your opinions on the articles, especially the ones from the new guys among us; to help us get better and spur us to keep going.

TOPIC UPDATED! Sorry. Blame it on the holidays. Something embarrassing like 37 Days since the last update. Oh well. No time to waste. Happy Belated Birthday to SammieG8422, Qdev99, bulyshkin, KernalCorn, Mahin567, CHAMPI0n, liam2rules, Destroy-U, Xenophobia, mohammad.45, ninjastar9087, Mr.SV.ENS, doncru, hakkeritpu, Lancaster88, tightman97, datie9, Zibrahamz, Firingsniper, alent00, sky128, Baby-Member, Torva-Messor, TitaniumRyan, Vikingsrall, AugustasZukas, ZaUgUsTaSs, colindestroyer77, asaduasad, Defective, Dr.Urbi, FederalBureauFBI, canadarules, feli-fighter, Slash595, Lapass, sanmaa, SilverBullet3725, ninja1113, BrunoJCarter, UAV1997, RManJeta, rodrew, P.I.K.A.C.H.U.9000, LividTanki, Rescalade, ShadowError_X, shyam123, Qfu10, pluscrystalqinwan9, Vikster207, Rottin, goldbox100, Ranger7, nighthawk1, einstien, Klankill804, JustLikeReventon, echo_alpha_bravo_111, XpertGamer2000, flae99, JCar, asifmak, DRKOOL13, metalcrusher, m-3hornet, timmateo, MaDMaN118833, ExtremeKiller26, alezm, abdullahtss, eragon33, Doems, i_am_MiNiCrAzYNINJA, KenzoMotee, killershark, mastertanker2011, firehawk3, S1N1ST3R, crackgold2, Gabberzz, youngMoneyTy, bmxrpx, ALPHA-LORD-ROM, 007lukaslukas and aperaiderpistol! Happy Birthday to BABYGIRLLOV and xploder!

On behalf of him, and down to my awesome stalking capabilities, I can affirm that you are right in your suspicion.

I am also a big fan of Firebird-Hornet would personally have put it at least at 7.5. All the same, the article once again displays an incredible "readableness" which is really rather impressive. GJ GJ.

This is why you don't need me for humour...