Peak for Delhi. Half a metre from victory. :(

Daily Dairy One 4 Pint Semi-skimmed Milk One 250g block of Cheddar One XL pot of Peach and Passion Fruit Yoghurt

Risers!

Disagree. Predictable Drops and Smart Cooldowns cannot be classed as "dull".

Deep

Shame, no paints again this season. Was looking forward to them. :(

Thread Updated. Part 10 & Part 11 Added (History of 2014)

TOPIC UPDATED! 23 Days. Sorry for the wait guys. Happy Belated Birthday to lizerdgirl108, ExtremeTank, ikakoikaika, Redwall2, fake002, deadtoyou, MrBurks, RigiratiBoom, DeadlyPlayer123, Ma2nu, Zero-nl, rokar123, Lord-of-the-Snipers, mrgg, gorila123456, Mia.Archangel, The_Great_Killer, Mike-Echo-me, Valletta, hagekobing, MONKBLOB, FaaiqBilal1, xMoneyMaker, Funny.English.Poster, Americarules, linki_777, Xx_Like-a-boss-xX, gcakes, recruit-pwnyou, B.R.A.V.E, ernestass2121, Jeffers0n_01, vlad160000, You.always_lose, Thordaran, blackshark700, Paky98, whizclips, N.u.m.m.e.r, Beerme, FreegotfreeShut, shadybig, swede1, coolwizz10, vanshajwore, camy-808, www.google.co.uk, dekilla, tankcalm, XLG1, thegood, TheIceGirl, stas-buch5, EzraScarlet0323, Nikolo13, alshareeef, icerugby, ColtCommando, the_blue, awesomeninjaeater and homie33412! Happy Birthday to iceAgent, ub22 and Phoenix-Warbird! And... favourite three names from the birthdays of this update! 1. @www.google.co.uk 2. @the_blue 3. @Funny.English.Poster Keep Posting!

Form has been posted! All the best, people!

10 minutes guys! Share the news!

Entertaining as always. Newspaper will be out later today hopefully!

Take care mate

Just don't watch horror movies. Simple.

Well, what a season! For all of us who have been following it, it's been an absolute pleasure. Surprises all round and an upcoming final which is sure to keep us gripped to our seats! In this month's update, we have a rundown of the second half of Season III, a summary of how each clan's season went and predictions from some Generalissimos! SEASON SUMMARY And there we have it. The league stage of StarSeries Season III has been completed. After two months of bombing it out, the positions have been decided and the battles have concluded. For catch-up purposes, let's run through the events of the last month and remind ourselves and those who were unable to follow the battles of the season climax. We gave a mid-season update last issue detailing the situation of each of the teams and the best matches of the campaign so far. If you didn't read it or feel like catching up with the beginning of the season, have a look over here. At time of writing last month, the table read like this. One thing we can say - the top was wide open. As March began, the teams started to realise that every match was getting more and more important as the games started to run out. As most teams had battled each of their opponents at least once and had certainly been watching their opponents several times on the live stream, the tactical side of things was becoming more evident as leaders begun to take information from their previous match-ups of the weaknesses of their opponents. As All In begun to catch up on the games they had in hand on those around them, a clear surge begun to appear attacking the top 4 of DoW, Arcade, Can't Stop and Psychos. The question is - who would crunch first if any of them? As March began, one of the best match-ups of the Season between Arcade and Arm Pride took place where the holders showed their ability to win it, even while having it tough. Anyone thinking they were going to crunch were being sent a clear message. Another statement was made by a top four contender with Dawn of War holding out to a crucial victory over fellow-top-4-contenders, Can't Stop during the early battles in March as points became more and more valuable. At the bottom, the stand-out performer was Wood's as they held eGuards for an entertaining 2-2 draw early in March before annihilating Armada for the second time in the season. Clan leaders around them were starting to see their games against Wood's as a serious challenge and spend more time preparing for them. For Armada and Chaos, it wasn't improving. They were splitting from the pack down at the bottom with a lack of points becoming more and more evident - relegation was looming. It was around this time in the season that action was taken by the multigaming company, GGWP as they saw their clan show no signs of improvement near the foot of the table. They split ways with the team, formerly Scorpions, and immediately moved their sponsorship deal to Can't Stop, a risky move as the European clan was going through a rough "mid-life mini crisis" with a couple of disappointing results as the business end of the season approached. As a result, GGWP renamed themselves to Husky, whilst Can't Stop assumed the name of "GGWP.PRO" as part of the sponsorship deal. The question was: would they buckle under the pressure of a sponsorship like Husky did or would it encourage them to perform better? As the games started coming thick and fast, All In were beginning to close in on the top 4 with two fantastic victories over Psychos and Arcade putting them right into the mix. A&D continued to smash the relegation candidates but struggled against the big boys whilst eGuards and Arm Pride, on the other hand, were regularly showing potential against those above them but struggling to piece together a run of any length. The gap was stretching from the top 5 to the rest of the pack. As the penultimate week began, the top 5 began to realise every game was vital to their efforts for the season. Dawn of War faced matches against GGWP.PRO and All In on two consecutive days - whilst grabbing a draw with the latter, they were obliterated by the newly-invigorated GGWP side. It didn't bode well for the Ukranians and they were slipping away quickly - a disappointing defeat to Arm Pride the following day left them in need of results to go their way as well as making sure they won their games to reach the finals. Elsewhere, Chaos received their first points of the campaign in a draw with Armada, both clans already knowing that relegation was looming. Arcade, GGWP and Psychos were battling hard for their top four positions with a 3-0 crushing of Dawn of War sealing the Ukranian team's fate before an incredible 4-0 victory over Arcade crowned off Psychos' season in style. The inconsistency of Arcade was starting to worry their fans, although they had already collected enough points for safe qualification. The final week began - the important positions had already been decided. All In, GGWP.PRO, Psychos and Arcade were on their way to the finals whilst Armada and Chaos were going straight back down, with Husky and Wood's facing a play-off with two teams of the Pro Series to defend their right to stay in the Star Series. Armada valiantly fought out their last two battles in the StarSeries with victories over an All In side already preparing for the finals and a disappointed DoW team, but it was too little, too late. And so, the league was sealed. Positions decided. Although the picture below shows the table with some of the results left out currently, none of the games would affect the outcome of the positions, bar Husky and Wood's switching positions. To view the table if it is updated, click here. And now we await the finals. Predictions from a number of high-ranked StarSeries followers and clan players are below with the planned date of the Final battles currently Monday 13th April to Saturday 18th April. Now, however, it's time for a quick overview on each of the teams and the ins-and-outs of their performances, successes and disappointments this season. HOW DID THEY DO? All In Last Season: 8th This Season: 4th (Pre-Finals) "An impressive season from the Russian outfit. After a testing season last time out, not only skilfully but also emotionally after the death of one of their stalwart players Do_Marshala, the team have re-grouped and on many occasions produced over and beyond the level of gameplay that they were known for after making it to the final of StarSeries Season. Albeit struggling against their top-four contenders bar a well-earned victory against Arcade, their consistent victories against the teams beneath them have gained them a finals-position their performance has warranted. With a team that has quickly become a unit, including possibly the youngest player in StarSeries, green, they have thrived this season with a consistently solid line-up. However, not all is bright for the group after Starladder just recently announced that their long-term leader barrs_s had admitted to being involved in betting against his own team and was henceforth banned for a year from all forms of SLTV - news that has once again dismayed their fans. With the finals approaching fast, let's hope that All In can show the same resilience that they showed after their grief last season to continue their impressive performances into the final stage." Season Rating: 8/10 Angels & Demons Last Season: 3rd This Season: 6th "A&D came into this season with a simple goal in mind - reaching the finals for the second season running. After a successful campaign last time out and holding onto the large majority of their team from the previous season, they had high hopes for reaching the top four again. However, with the exit of one of their stalwarts Rendi.Orton and the vulnerability of a longer campaign, they have come unstuck, particularly against the high-flyers they were challenging for a position with. Although they have not put their StarSeries status at risk, they will be disappointed with a finish that ends up with them 12 points off 4th position." Season Rating: 5/10 Arcade eSports Last Season: 1st This Season: 2nd (Pre-finals) "Arcade came into Season III clear favourites. Far and away. After successfully defending their title in an unbeaten Season II, they came in with their hopes high for another victory. Although their acclaimed Wasp, TomRedl, did not take part, the season was still expected to be a breeze. Reality checks came immediately after they succumbed to Can't Stop and were held by eGuards but their experience and squad depth enabled them to recover with 10 consecutive victories. However, three late defeats in the campaign including two brutal hammerings from Psychos and Dawn of War have left Arcade fans worried about the seriousness of their challenge this season. Although they have comfortably qualified for the finals, this is the first time they have not taken top spot in the league and doubts are well-voiced. Some still believe that Arcade will pull it together like they have done in the past, but is it time for their top spot to be taken away? The lack of commitment and strangely inconsistent performances suggest we could be in for an upset." Season Rating: 6/10 Armada Last Season: Pro Series (Winners) This Season: 11th "After promotion to the Star Series for the first time last season, Armada's aim was simple - to avoid finishing in the bottom two and automatically dropping straight back down. Although against the odds, their domination of the Pro Series the previous term showed potential and their squad contained some well-known names, leading many to predict their survival. However, it's been a rough season for the newcomers whose weaknesses have been shown up on many occasions, most obviously by fellow newbies Wood's who annihilated them in both of their battles. Although they managed an impressive victory over Arm Pride during the season and a surprising couple of victories in their last two battles, their weaknesses have been shown and it appears, after relegation, they are back where they belong." Season Rating: 4/10 Arm Pride Last Season: 6th This Season: 8th "After a fantastic previous couple of seasons and running their top-4 chances right to the wire both times, Arm Pride saw this season as a great chance to eventually reach the finals. After bringing in Hell.Rider and 96Lyov69 from Dawn of War among others and bolstering the strength of the squad, their intent was obvious. However, a rough start for the Armenian team would sum up their season. Unable to claim a victory in any of the opening five battles, including a draw with newbies Wood's, it didn't bode well. Although they managed to demolish top four contenders, All In, as well as run Arcade right down to the wire, their potential was not made evident through their results and they finished a disappointing season just outside the relegation play-off spots. With their StarSeries position safe for next term, they will hope that they can put this behind them and build on what is a promising team." Season Rating: 5/10 Chaos Last Season: 10th This Season: 12th "After scraping their way to safety by the skin of their teeth in both previous seasons, Chaos intended to secure their place in the next season of Star Series in more comfortable fashion as they prepared for the coming season. However the loss of a couple of key players including Image and OgapeHHblu did not set them up well and they could not have got off to a worse start. Damaging losses to both promoted sides within the first few weeks left them in a vulnerable position, and from then on it seemed they no longer cared about their safety. Although they honourably turned out in each of their battles, it was in vain largely, with their only point recorded after a mind-boggling nineteen consecutive defeats. Their good spirits, typified by joking with each other on call even whilst losing, was not enough to give them any chance of safety and a dreadful season led to inevitable relegation into the Pro Series where they will hope to halt their freefall." Season Rating: 2/10 Dawn of War Last Season: 4th This Season: 5th "Dawn of War's fantastic previous season set them up with a hope that they would be able to play in the Finals this time after finishing fourth in the previous term but being unable to travel to the "LAN Finals" due to financial reasons. This time out, with the news that the Finals would be Online, promised the hope that they would be able to battle for money this time if they successfully reached the top four again. With a line-up boasting a large amount of big names including the famous smoky The_Best_Boy imported from Husky, many put Dawn of War down in their predictions for the Final spots. After getting off to a fabulous start with a 4-0 thrashing of A&D, their let-down was inconsistency as they were unable to keep a run going for long enough. With damaging defeats to eGuards and All In proving their downfall, DoW's massive potential epitomized in their hammering of Arcade was not enough to give them the top four spot they longed for. A worthy effort but not consistent enough." Season Rating: 6/10 Epic Guards Last Season: 2nd This Season: 7th "The brilliant performance by eGuards in Season II of StarSeries made them strong contenders for the title the following season. After being able to hold on to many of their squad, the hope was that they would be able to take revenge on Arcade after their heartbreaking defeat in the final round of the Final last time out. However, the season was to be disappointing for the players and many fans of this promising team. With the 5-Hunter-lineup giving them problems near the beginning of the season, their defence was found out on regular occasions. They ditched the Viking that had been so effectively used by oficer777 in previous seasons and were unable to get a consistent run of anything more than a couple of wins. In addition, their line-up fluctuated as the captain, Holy_hero_alexxxx seemed to favour allowing all his players a turn rather than forming a solid team. Although their class was shown on occasion, the evident weakness in defence meant that their points tally was nowhere near enough to get them into the battle for the top four." Season Rating: 4/10 GGWP.PRO (Formerly "Can't Stop") Last Season: 5th This Season: 1st (Pre-Finals) "After being unable to reach the top four the previous season and only reaching the finals due to Dawn of War pulling out, the powerful force of Can't Stop were set on gaining a top spot fair and square. With an experienced team led by MyLife-MyRules and featuring big names including Fer-legend and Aguer-o with the addition of KOT-9 later in the season, the odds were in the favour of Can't Stop. After getting off to an unbelievable start including breaking Arcade's lossless-streak early in the season, the outfit showed their class on several occasions before a dodgy middle period including a loss to fellow-top-4 candidates, Dawn of War made fans unsure of whether they had the stomach for it. However, they came out of it in flying colours with ten straight victories giving them a catapult into the finals and putting them in a deserved Number 1 Spot in the league. Not only that, but with their fantastic performance, they were able to sign a contract with the eSports company GGWP and now have the support of a sponsorship deal behind them. After their stunning performances, many expect this to be their season. And with Arcade stuttering, who knows?" Season Rating: 9/10 Husky (Formerly GGWP) Last Season: 9th This Season: 10th "After the disappointment of Season II, GGWP looked to get straight back on track with a challenge for the top four once again and proving the value of the sponsorship deal they had been given. Although they lost a number of players, like they did after Season I, they managed to recruit a couple of promising faces and hope was in the camps they would be able to contend once again. However, their season dismantled quickly with the spine of their team suddenly disappering - KOT-9 leaving for Can't Stop; Drop.Dead and NILATAC being unable to play, and their term was summed up when they lost their sponsorship deal, re-naming themselves to Husky. A major shift was needed as a new relatively unknown leader, vixus, was put in with the hope things could turn around. Although they were able to stay out of the automatic relegation-places due to the quality of their line-up, they face the prospect of facing relegation play-offs - another bitterly disappointing season for such a famous clan in Tanki Cybersport." Season Rating: 4/10 Psychos.pro Last Season: 7th This Season: 3rd (Pre-Finals) "Psychos came into Season III with followers expecting the best they could aim for was a hopeful half-hearted challenge for the top four and security from the bottom. After a successful second season leading them to mid-table security, hopes were that they could continue that trend. In reply, Psychos came out all guns blazing! A stunning 4-0 hammering of Dawn of War stated their claims against the big boys and they quickly solidifed their position in the top four. Players waited to see whether they would fall apart but the solidity of the team including the only girl in Season III, Hormony, battled through it all. An incredible season was crowned off by a 4-0 walloping of Arcade as the season ended. Albeit underdogs, they will be scrapping for everything in the Finals and boy will they be up for it after smashing their way into the top four. Season Rating: 9/10 WooDPeckers Last Season: Pro Series (2nd Place) This Season: 9th "Wood's were the second of the promoted sides this season and to be honest, the general consensus was that they didn't stand much of a chance. With a relatively unknown line-up and a seemingly weak squad, the odds were against them. But they weren't prepared to give in without a fight. A promising beginning where they managed to grab a draw with Arm Pride after running Can't Stop and Dawn of War to the wire showed signs of their capabilities, before they successfully did the double over both relegation-battlers Armada and Chaos. Although they still remain to have a chance of going down as they now face the relegation play-offs, their performance this season has been admirable and are a great example of how practice makes improvement. A season that any newbies to StarSeries would be pleased with." Season Rating: 8/10 PREDICTIONS FOR THE FINALS! And so the finals await us. Before we go any further, let me just run through the set-up. Take a look at the image below to accustom yourself with how it will work. This is what is known as a "Double-elimination" bracket. Each team has to be defeated twice before being fully eliminated, giving them a second chance if they have a mishap. The winner of D will go into the Final with a "1-0" score advantage to the winner of E due to being victorious in all their battles. It is interesting to note, as well, that the Finals will be played online this season instead of in real life. This means that lag could play a part. However, it also means that the games can be spread out nicely, as we can see by the planned schedule of Monday 13th to Saturday 18th April. All the rules for the Finals currently can be viewed here. So let's hear what a few Generalissimos replied when asked what they predicted for the Finals then. @Lankbouv: For me Psychos have been a good clan this season and they've finally made the breakthrough to being good, however they had a disappointing loss against (I can't remember who) which to me shows they're not ready to win. However we could be surprised. I think we know that they are rubbish in red alert but pretty good in bridges, so we'll see. All In had an epic season, beating arcade being the jewel of it, however recently they got thumped 3-0 by arcade so I'm pretty certain they're not contenders to win overall. For me it comes down to Can't stop (GGWP) vs arcade. Arcade suffered losses vs DoW and All in recently, not to mention bring crushed by can't stop earlier in the season, however they have returned the favour more than once to every clan. They're certainly capable of beating all the clans. For me, Arcade aren't the force they used to be, other clans have been getting better, whereas they lost their king wasp, TomRedl. Arcade will win it in my opinion but not as far away as previous years. Can't stop will give then a good run for their money, but who knows, the curse of the brand GGWP could strike for the second time, taking them down like it did Scorpions. @Adequacy: By closely looking at the clans' performance in this season, I can surely say that GGWP (ex CS) is the one I would put my bet on. Psychos started the season brutally, but in the end they got defeated several times and lost their hope and the will to fight for the first place. And All In was doing just fine in this season. It got defeated by the clans which are positioned above him on the ranking table, but didn't leave a chance for the rest of the clans. Many people think Arcade is the same unbeatable clan which never gave a chance to its opponent, but during the break after Season II the members of Arcade started playing another game - Dota 2 and completely forgot about trainings and stuff, and we can see the result of that - 4 losses in this season. I think we'll have All In on the 4th place. This clan did not do anything extraordinary in this season. The reason it became 4th is that the other clans weren't prepared enough. Next, we'll have Psychos.PRO on the third place. A cold-hearted clan which crushed almost every opponent it met on its way. It's very likely that Arcade will be on the second place. It has become the winner of the previous seasons, but without trainings one cannot go too far. The clan which had the highest level of preparedness - GGWP.PRO will be the winner. This is my humble opinion based on careful analysis. : I think the Finals will finish 1st Arcade 2nd All in 3rd GGWP.Pro 4th Psychos.Pro. Arcade will win again, because it is the most experienced team and their burning desire to win cant be extinguished! All in is one of the teams with best general accuracy and I see some of their players training daily in maps like Zone, But they are not good enough to beat the legends from Arcade! GGWP.Pro is by far a better team than Psychos, GGWP owned Psychos with a 4-0 in last match, Psychos got ambitions, but not enough to beat the perfect teamwork and individual skills from GGWP. @legenddestroyer: I predict Arcade to win the StarSeries Season III Finals due to the fact that they aren't training like usual. They are focused on Dota 2 ( or so I hear) and I doubt they would just give up the easy cash that they could win. Arcade will most likely prepare for the finals and be ready to face Any of the other top clans winning the entire tournament. @canadarules: Well as we know GGWP.PRO , Arcade, All in and Psychos have all clinched a Season Finals spot. If I had to predict who will make it to the finals it would be Psychos and GGWP.PRO. In the end, i think that Psychos would win because of them having to work so hard to even get into the finals. Last year they were not one of the top teams and they scratched their way up the ladder to top status. So i really rate them as the Champions but obviously if their egos get in the way they won't win because you have to stay humble to win anything and always want to win. @hogree (Me): Well, after a season full of skill on display, each of these teams have done absolutely fantastically to make it all the way to the Finals. Personally, this picture shows my predictions for what will happen this season. I believe GGWP have the ability and the team to defeat Arcade this season. They have not shown any signs of letting go of full throttle since they signed the contract and with a team that has gone from strength to strength against a stuttering Arcade side, they have my full support. Although Arcade are definitely going to improve, I just don't think they'll be able to pull through again. As for third position, Psychos' first team has proven itself time and time again this season so I think that their fantastic season will be crowned off with the bronze medal. Well, people, make sure you don't miss what promises to be an intense finale! All matches in the Final will certainly be streamed on the Russian Twitch Channel - however, almost all of the battles will hopefully be streamed on the English Twitch Channel. Stay tuned to the Tanki News and Social Media to ensure you don't miss any of it! Missed any games? Just head over to the Russian Tanki Starladder Youtube Channel to catch up with Highlights or even the Full Match! Also, it may be worth checking the English Tanki Starladder Youtube Channel as well in case there was English Commentary on the match! Well, bring on the Finals! Who are you cheering on to victory? Next month, we'll have a Review on the Finals as we eventually find out who the Champions of StarSeries Season III will be!

The rain break saved NZ, let's be honest

Gutted for Roussow and Morkel, gave everything all game in the field. Well played NZ, still disappointed. :/

Remaine will only judge entries posted before the deadline.

Contest is now CLOSED. The results will be posted in the next newspaper, scheduled for Friday March 27th. Fantastic entries, people, you've set up a tough judging.

Entry by @megatron5060 (Banned)

2nd Entry by (Banned)

You have 12 hours left to draw! Spread the news! Best of luck to everyone.

LaserShark your third entry?

Nice colours. :) Contest closes on Tuesday 09:00 GMT! Two days to draw!

Yep, New Reporters! Last month, we announced that Reporter Applications were open and now we have found four prospective reporters set to take on the job. From their favourite Tanki combination to their first-choice superpower, join me as we find out all about them! mcmonkey25 A "typical" reporter, mcmonkey's knowledge of the game, experience within the community and grounding in the English language made him an obvious candidate for the reporter job. Bringing another animal name to the Reporter team, we frankly couldn't turn him down! hogree: Yo mcmonkey. Nice to be able to chat to you. Mind starting by telling us a bit about yourself and who you are? mcmonkey25: Hi Hog. I'm 16 and currently living and studying in England. I enjoy sports, especially orienteering, as well as writing and of course playing Tanki! hogree: Neat neat. So what brought you to Tanki and how long have you been playing? mcmonkey25: I was introduced to Tanki by Peace-Keeper-99 (a good friend from school) a couple of years ago. I was sceptical of the game at first, but I grew to love it and after what has felt like a long time playing, I am where I am now! As for the exact date I joined; I have absolutely no idea! hogree: Nice one! Well, now you've been playing for a good couple of years, have you got a favourite combination? And any preferred playing styles or maps you thrive in? mcmonkey25: For me, it has to be probably the classic XP. I'm quite bad at 1 v 1's but in certain maps, like Noise, Monte Carlo and Polygon, I find I don't play too badly :P. I am quite an attacking player, always looking to get the captures because I hate being idle in our own base. Yet, from time to time I use Isida and Viking because that is also a preferred combination of mine especially in Silence and Polygon. I find it quite versatile, but I like to stay in midfield with it so that I can still do both healing and killing. hogree: Interesting. Yep, XP is a winner. As for joining the team, what made you want to become a Reporter? mcmonkey25: I have always had a keen interest in writing and had recently tried to do more Tanki related articles. It wasn't much to start off with but it slowly turned into something I was trying to do more and more often. As soon as I heard there was a position for a new reporter, I went for it because I knew that I would join a very good collection of writers and I have always wanted to become a member of the Tanki Online staff so that I could give something back to the game. hogree: Great. So, if you could describe yourself in three words, what would you choose? mcmonkey25: Ummm... Tough one... I guess: 'imaginative, fun and hard-working' hogree: Right, and what about if you could have a unique super-power? What would you choose? mcmonkey25: I would have the ability to produce bananas from nothing... I'm only joking! Probably to be able to teleport anywhere around the world or stop time... Not very original, but together I think they would make a cool combination! hogree: Deep stuff. Even though I'd probably prefer an old-fashioned chicken wing. Well, now you're a reporter, what can we be expecting from your pen in the upcoming months? Specialise in any genres in particular? mcmonkey25: I'm hoping to develop my 'Everything to do with...' series, which summarises certain garage stats, advantages and disadvantages and how to use them. I also do quite a bit of fictional writing so expect to see a few stories coming from me. To be honest, I don't really specialise, I write about whatever pops into my head next and seems good! hogree: Sounds great man! Looking forward to see your stuff. All the best, and thanks for your time! mcmonkey25: Cheers Hog! S.C.Y.T.H.E A talented writer, S.C.Y.T.H.E is affectionally known to Conan as "the second Remaine" and has already shown a great degree of detail in his application. Reasonably well known within the community, his impeccable English set him out as a worthy candidate for the job. hogree: Hiya Scythe. Mind beginning by telling us a bit about yourself and who you are? S.C.Y.T.H.E: I am a fourteen year old boy, living in the United States. I am homeschooled, which basically means I don't go to school, but play tanks all day. I am really into many kinds of sports. I also have been playing the piano and flute for seven years. People who know me say that I like to say things that make no sense. For example, yesterday I was inside of a restaurant after shopping. I was carrying a large cardboard box, about five feet long, which contained a table umbrella. Someone asked me what was up with the cardboard box. I replied, "Oh, the sandwiches here are just gigantic." hogree: Strange type of homeschooling. :P Decent banter tho. I know a certain hamster who would be keen on gigantic sandwiches. Anyway, how did you find yourself in Tanki and how long have you been playing? S.C.Y.T.H.E: Well, it's a long story. I was at a Christmas party late 2010. A couple of my friends were playing the game, and they invited me to the game and I created an account. I played on this account for a few weeks. After probably a month of playing, I reached the amazingly high rank of Master Corporal, and I stopped playing the game for a long time. But I did invite some of my other friends to play the game. Several months later, one friend that I had invited to the game reached Warrant Officer One, and I had a chance to try out Hornet (this was pre-rebalance). After that, I started another account, Snakey123, in hopes to get Hornet as well. Over the next year or so I played (not very frequently) and I eventually reached the rank in which I could buy Ricochet. Then, a few days later the infamous rebalance occurred. I really liked this update, because it allowed me to buy Shaft M1, Mammoth M1, Ricochet M1, and Viking M1, tanks that had been future dreams beforehand. After the rebalance, I played for a while. But I got caught up in some other games. I eventually returned in July, 2014. I finally learned to turn my turret at this point, and reached M2 ranks. I've been playing pretty actively until now! hogree: Decent! So what do you like using nowadays? And any preferred gameplay or maps you enjoy residing in? S.C.Y.T.H.E: What do I like using nowadays... that is a very hard question. I use all kinds of combinations. I really like Hornet M3/Railgun M2 for XP battles. I like Freeze M3/Viking M3 in most maps. And I love Titan M2/ Twins M2. Above all, I like XP Sandbox. In this map, gameplay is extremely intense and always keeps my attention. I also love a good Polygon CP. hogree: Mainstream but classic. So what set your mind upon becoming a Reporter, and why did you apply? S.C.Y.T.H.E: Well, I didn't even know that the Reporter position existed until November 2014. Beforehand, I didn't even know about positions in the staff, except for there were mysterious moderators. In the fall of 2014 I began actually doing my research into the game, and found out all kinds of stuff. Still, joining the staff was an impossible dream for me. Then, I discovered the Newspaper. I noticed the position Reporter. Quickly, this position was my favorite because I really like to write and there is no definite age limit. I read all around the archives, and began to really get an idea of what a reporter does, and contemplated applying whenever applications were open. I actually started writing articles for my application in December. It seemed like this was the perfect opportunity to have my writing viewed by a large audience, and I couldn't wait for Reporter applications to open. hogree: Right you are. So, let's say you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be? S.C.Y.T.H.E: Ambitious, Intelligent, and Practical. hogree: Fair enough! How about if you could pick a unique superpower? What would be your choice? S.C.Y.T.H.E: Well, I have always thought that being able to turn invisible would be cool. But recently I have decided that being able to slow or stop time would be the best power. If you could stop time but still move around, you could escape unnoticed from any situation. It would be equivalent to turning invisible, even better. If you could slow time, then you could think and run faster. If you think about having a power like this, there are so many cases where it would come in handy. So, the power of stopping/slowing time would be the best. hogree: Good point. Well, thanks for that. How about a taster as to what you're planning to be showing in the upcoming few issues? Any specialities? S.C.Y.T.H.E: I will be writing in a lot of different areas. I am planning on continuing my Decay story for at least seven issues. Also, I hope to write a series on the history of actual tanks and tank warfare in the future. Another big plan of mine is to start interviewing clans, in a sort of 'clan spotlight'. hogree: Looking forward to it. Best wishes mate. Cheers for your time. Shedinja A strong applicant, Shed showed a mixture of compelling writing and interesting ideas within his application. Although pretty young in his Tanki career, his ability to write is obvious and shows fantastic potential. hogree: Hey, Shed! Welcome to the team! Firstly, could you give us a bit of detail about yourself and who you are? Shedinja: Well, my name is Jonathan Gerbino, but I'm known to most people as Shedinja, or Shed. I am sixteen years old, and currently dwell in Boulder City, Nevada of the United States of America. I have been playing Tanki Online for a supplementary total of a year and a half, and yet I still find myself discovering new things about it. Outside of the internet, I am in my junior year of high school at Boulder City High School, where I am a member the drive team in the local FRC robotics group, Team 3009 (Boulder City High Scalers). I also enjoy reading, writing, or tinkering with machines for entertainment. You can usually find me at the local library, either hanging out with my friends or doing a bit of solitary work. hogree: Interesting! Another Yank in the team! Well, what convinced you to apply for the reporter job at this stage in time? Shedinja: Well, I was taking a look at the game newspaper, and I saw this ad that stated that new reporters were being hired. So, I thought to myself, "Hmm. I've been improving on my writing skills, and I need the work ethic. Maybe I could attempt to apply as a newspaper editor. Besides, I might learn a few things that could help me in the long run." So, I cut out the prologue for the story I was currently writing (I was bored over the weekend), and sent it in as an application. hogree: Fair play! So as a fairly experienced Lieutenant Colonel, what do you most enjoy using in Tanki in terms of combinations? Shedinja: Well, the title 'Lieutenant' will be removed quite soon. ;) What do I like using the most in TO? Well, after playing a long run on my original account, Sigma_Ctu-s1_V3, I have narrowed down my garage to three hulls and three turrets: Hornet, Hunter, and Dictator, and Isida, Smoky, and Railgun. Almost all of them are of M2 status, spare Smoky. (That will receive its due upgrade by the next sale, however.) Out of those, my best offensive combination is undoubtedly Hornet/Railgun. I've been training with XP equipment since the end of my career on Sigma, and even though I know most of the tricks, I'm certainly not the best at it. (I'm considering buying M2 Wasp to give BP a try, but my currency income might be an impediment...) However, sometimes you can find me playing with Smoky/Hornet on offensive, and occasionally Isida/Hornet. For midfield, I tend to alternate between all three of my hulls, depending on the parameters and statistics of the match at hand. On larger maps, such as Berlin and Dusseldorf, I like using more agile tanks such as Hornet and Hunter to swiftly move me through the guaranteed maze of terrain. It's also preferable to me to use quicker hulls to transverse open ground between buildings quickly, so I'm not a sitting duck for Shaft and Railgun fire. On smaller maps like Industrial zone and Factory, where the middle ground is less clearly defined, Dictator is my hull of choice. hogree: How about preferred battlegrounds? Any favourite maps? Lt. Shedninja: I'm not always found in the same map often (spare Polygon CPs, I have an addiction). I like to know my way around all of the maps in the game. Knowing the battleground is half the battle, no? However, if I had to choose a favorite... I like ones that are medium sized, with low buildings. Things like Forest, Gubahka, Sepurhov... and one of my particular favorites, Kungur. hogree: Absolutely... Learning the maps is a rare and vital asset for all players. Well, let's say you had three words to describe yourself, what would they be? Lt. Shedninja: Oh, boy... I was never good at these kinds of things... Well, I'll give it a shot. Analytic, Friendly, Cautious? hogree: I'll take that, even though I don't have a clue what Analytic means... :P Anyway, if you could pick a unique superpower, what would it be and why? Shedinja: Well, if I were to choose any one superpower, it would have to be the ability to manipulate electricity. With the modern world leaning towards electronics, could you imagine the widespread possibilities that messing around with electron movements can have? Tamper around with the ability long enough, and you could probably even manage to make data flow from a computer malleable. You can let your mind wander with that one... :D hogree: That's enough Internet for one day... o_o *mindblown* Lastly, what sort of articles can we be expecting from you in the coming months? Anything you specialise in? Shedinja: Well, I'm pretty versatile with my writing; I have experience in making guides, short or extensive stories (depending on how long I have to brainstorm beforehand), analysis comparisons of things... I'm kind of like that gift basket at that Easter party that has both pencil pads and Snickers in it. hogree: I see. Looking forward to it man! Welcome to the team! =) Shedinja: Thank you so much! I'm so glad to be a part of it! :D Electro9876 Electro's compelling ideas and interesting story in his application noted him as one to consider and his position in the team is well-earned. Although perhaps not as grammatically strong as others in the new bunch, his ideas show great potential and he could be one for the future. hogree: Hi Elec. Great to be able to talk to you today. Could you begin by filling us in a bit about yourself and who are you? Electro9876: Hi Hog. My real name is Abdul, 14 yrs old, and in Grade 9. I was born and live in Canada with some cool siblings. My grades are good so when i'm not studying i'm writing or playing tanki ofc. And don't forget soccer! hogree: Great! Well, how long have you been playing Tanki for and what's made you decide to apply for Reporter? Electro9876: Well, I had two accounts. On Electro9876, I have been playing for about a year now. The reason that I wanted to join the team was to actually improve my english and writing. My writing is decent, and it takes me some time to perfect what i'm writing. Reading the issue is enjoyable, and i'd like people to see what i've got. :) hogree: Sure, yeah. So on this account, now, what's your in-game favourite combo? And any preferred maps or gameplay? Electro9876: Of course Hornet and Railgun! The map that that I like is Sandbox, playing the XP format on this map is one of the best things i've ever done. Other than Hornet and rail, I like to use Viking/Hornet with Smoky. Knocking off the aim of the enemy and watching them rage was what kept keeping me going with this amazing combo. Also like my other favourite combo, I like to use it on the map Sandbox! hogree: Mainstream, but nothing wrong with that! Got to love a good old-fashioned Sandbox XP. Well, sell me to you. If you had three words to describe yourself, what would they be? Electro9876: Athletic, smart, and amazing. hogree: Good to have some humility in the team! :P You certainly sold yourself to me mate... Well, you might say you're amazing, but if you could pick a superpower, what would it be? ;) Electro9876: Electrical Power xD hogree: Explain. Electro9876: Well, I'll have the power to take electricity and give to anyone I want. Think about it, you wouldn't be able to ever turn on the lights all around your house if it wasn't for me. Oh, you're welcome! ;) hogree: Fitting for the name, even though that isn't my idea of a superpower! Nonetheless, thanks mate! So, now you're in the team, what can we be expecting from you in the coming issues? Specialise in any styles or genres? Any plans? Electro9876: Lol, some amazing writing in every article, story or guide I write, and to be the best I can be! My goal as a reporter is to write some amazing articles and improve within each one, entertain everyone, and of course help them too! hogree: Right... Best wishes and thanks for taking the time for this "amazing" interview! Electro9876: No problem, and thank you! Well, that's the interviews over, but you guys still can play a part in the future articles coming from the pens of each of these new reporters. Do get involved by suggesting articles for the upcoming issues, over on our "Newspaper Requests!" Topic linked here. If you think you are a good writer and would like to become a reporter too, stay tuned for when applicants open! It will be announced in the Newspaper if we do open up again. We may also permanently open newspaper applications in the future, so stay tuned on that! As for you who entered but were not chosen, keep writing! Many of you wrote creditable entries but just didn't pass the barrier we set for our new recruits. And don't forget - you can still enter all the newspaper contests and show off your writing skill there.