I trod back home on treads old and worn, Thinking of the day I've just gone through- the norm. Saw some young kids, full of words and hope, And yet, to their questions, I just answered nope. No to posing, no to explaining, No to talking, while always disdaining. They don't know what will come, But I've been there and seen it all- I'm done. I stay here for the friends I see here and there, Though these days, an old acquaintance is more than rare. I open the doors and enter my room, And see a slight shimmer of light streaking through the gloom. It lands on a box, one left untouched for a while, So I go over and remove it from its pile. I set it down on the floor next to me, And start a stroll down my ranks of memory. In its old walls are a well of old moments, Captured in pictures, my essence's components. I come across images of me at my finest, And smile with a sad kind of kindness. I go on through the pile, until I reach the oldest I own, And I find me as a newbie, and oh, how I groan! Then I stop, and think for a minute, I look at all that was in it. I was talking to a prominent player of a time long gone. And finally, something in me comes out, strong. Those children out there, the ones I despise, I was never quite seeing them with the right eyes. Now, with a new sense of life I can see, They aren't strange little ones at all, They're Me!

Greetings tankers, Undoubtedly, the fun of Tanki Online comes from our interactions with our comrades, and the gameplay itself. Let's delve into the gameplay a bit. What makes it fun? The format, interface, and accessibility all make it very appealing, not to mention the graphics, which are always being improved. But, those are not it. The real joy most of us get from here is what we play with- our tanks. And by that, weapons are inferred as well; Rushing through a battlefield with a flag while being hightailed by the entire enemy team can be quite exhilarating, especially when you outmaneuver them all, by just stopping for a mere moment as you dive behind a corner, letting all their bullets and shells fly harmlessly by you, as you charge out in the safety of their reload time, to make the winning capture for your team. Yes, we all know the rush that can come from that, or by making a triple-kill with a Railgun in an XP battle. But, in order to give your tank enough time to make those awesome plays, you're going to need a bit more than a mere 45 seconds of double armor protection. That is where paints come in- they are by far the most numerous pieces of equipment in the garage, allowing maximum customization, protection, and self-expression for practically every type of player. But unless you find one or two particularly aesthetically appealing, then how would you know which to go ahead and purchase? This series is geared toward helping players make those tough decisions, especially toward the higher ranks, where some 'kraski' (Russian for 'paints') cost more than practically any M3 turret or hull. Today's range - 159,000 - 192,500 crystals Name: Prodigi Protections: 46% Railgun, 22% Thunder, 5% Firebird, 15% Shaft Prodigi was originally released 3-4 years ago, as part of the second generation of new paints in the game, after Spark, Rustle, and a few others. It was designed to resemble its predecessor in effectiveness and usefulness, Digital, which held the title of the game's best purchasable paint since the time of Tanki's Beta testing period, during which a small beetle-scarab selection accompanied the referral, settings, and exit buttons in the top-right corner of the screen, allowing players to send bug complaints directly to the producers in Perm. (This was when there were around 50,000 accounts/players total, mind you, so it was a bit more bearable!) Anyway, the new paint, imbued with the "Ripples in the Eyes," technology, was rather popular, and for good reason: it had decent protection against some of the more common weapons of the game at the time, which were Railgun, Smoky, and perhaps Thunder. However, those figures have been since forgotten by mostly everyone since the Rebalance a few years back, during which all the paints were massively redesigned and attributed with new resistances. Today, Prodigi is undoubtedly one of, if not the most popular coating in the game. This is obviously because of it's 46% base protection against Railgun, which numbers among the most fun and common weapons on the battlefields, regardless of size and battle mode. It has gained recent popularity with its usage in StarLadder and idolizers thereof, as up to two tanks can wear it on the field at a given time for one team (Since overall team Railgun protection must be less than or equal to 100%).But, its other qualities should not be overlooked, as 22% Thunder protection can be a lifesaver on the field, along with that .15 reduction of a Shaft's powerful blast. Let's pretend the Firebird resistance is as invisible as it seems to be on the battlefield (You can treat it with more respect if you MU it to its highest level, but at 5%, its a purely a nominal attribute.). So, gameplay! Prod' can be used effectively by practically any member of a team, provided that the opposition is Railgun-heavy, or if it's one's job to eliminate those annoying snipers. Being such, flag-snatchers should use Wasp or Hornet, midfieldmen would be best abetted with Hunters, Vikings, or Dictators,and base-guards should use Dicatator, Titan, or the behemoth known as the Mammoth. In the order already listed, good weapons would be Freeze, Firebird, Isida, or Ricochet, then Thunder, Smoky, Railgun, Ricochet, or Twins, and for the big guys, a Shaft camping in the shadows,or Twins or Smoky on top of the flag would always be useful. (Smoky would be a good choice for any slot, though, as its reload time and impact force make it excellent for knocking off the aims of basically any weapon, especially Railgun.) Fully upgraded, Prodigi's qualities include 50% protection from Railgun, 43% against Thunder, 29% from Shaft, and 10% from Firebird (at least it's somewhat noticeable now! ;) ). Still, an even better choice for overall aggressive players. Name: Inferno Protections: 40% Freeze, 30% Firebird, 12% Twins Not quite as much history or significance to this one, though it is one of the few coats whose old garage description made reference to some illegal activities- in this case, this paint comes from illegal glassblowing shops in China) Visually, this paint is repetitive, as it should be, since most flames feature a uniformal, luminescent 'tube' of flame. On the battlefield, this is not one to be used for camouflagers, but for those who do not shy away from leading assaults into the midsts of their enemies, ready to take whatever comes at them, even if that means death. It is a pain to the most effective short-range weapons in the game, making defense an earnest struggle for any team. Its bold exhibition of red and daring gold accents tend to draw attention to their owner, making flank attacks a slightly more effective offensive option. Statistically, this paint, again, should be used for either a fast paced offense, or a lethal defense, which never leaves the flag except to set mines. Though any hull would be decent with this, particularly good ones are Hornet, Hunter, Titan, and Mammoth. Weapons, as the tank is protected from close range ones, should be of similar range themselves, so anything from an Isida to a set of Twins would be well-used here. This paint is still effective at the highest ranks of the game. At M4, Inferno is a truly awesome coating to have for close-range battles. It's resistances are vamped up to 50% against both Freeze and Firebird, and 23% against Twins. If you want to be able to destroy most of your enemies in a single go to their base in a small-scale map, this is the thing to go with! Name: Jade Protections: 25% Smoky, 12% Thunder, 45% Shaft This eco-friendly paint's attributes have been constant since the time it was put in the garage a few years ago - amazing protection from Shaft, with formidable resistances against other powerful weapons of the medium to long-range battlefields. Its visual appearance is unique in the game, with an almost glossy-pink hue, which sets it apart form the other 'natural' paints like Rock and Emerald, though not as blatant as 'In Love.''s color scheme. It stands out in virtually all environments, though that shouldn't matter, as its typical owner uses a heavy fortress of a tank, and a powerful, long range weapon, to take out enemies from afar- including those aimed at killing him. So, the typical equipment used with Jade is Mammoth (occasionally a Titan), with either Shaft, Railgun, or Thunder, with plenty or double-damage supplies and first aid kits. However, as this paint is most effective against weapons that are usually used from afar, it is a good idea to not use it unless you are confident your team has a good midfield and defense, because snipers are dead when the close-range weapons come into play. Mines work well at times, though the rate of dropping mines per minute is far outnumbered by the number of enemies that can swarm to a given spot, in the same amount of time. In another case, this coating can be used well with a smoky in Stadium, with a faster tank. The great protection against Shafts and other Smokies and Thunders can help one survive a run across the center field with a flag in tow, while knocking off hostile Railgun shots with his Smoky's well-placed shots. At a full set of MU's, Jade's characteristics are vamped up incredibly- 50% Smoky and Shaft protection, and nearly 25% against every single Thunder shot. Definitely an excellent purchase if you're the long-distance type of sniper, who likes team battles, who has the cash to make this paint your own.

Contest is currently : CLOSED Winners -Xenophobia -jiangreo -prajwalkandel -shayanshiny In order, the maps were: Opposition, Novel, Noise ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Welcome tankers! Think you know the maps of the game? This monthly contest tests every participant's knowledge of the game's maps, in the most difficult way possible. Read the rules for more details. (Click on images for larger pictures.) Rules: No group participation - Every tanker for themself! -We are serious about this one. Any groups of tankers that work together on this will not be allowed to participate in any further contests of the newspaper. No questions may be asked to contest hosts. Submit only complete entries- all maps must be identified in correct order, in one submission. Only the first 4 winners to submit complete, successful entries will be given rewards and recognition in the next contest topic. Send all entries to Tommy60, via Private Messaging, here: http://en.tankiforum...p?showuser=6898 Reward: 20,000 crystals Good luck! Now go find those maps!

Hovering UFO tanks, of years gone by Armored-up Mammoths on drugs, that make everyone cry. Lighting-fast Wasps burning all with Fire Leaving a base of queezing tanks, a choir. Only a day for the discount, driving everyone crazy While the V-Log goes on, always starting with that daisy. Each server is full of spammers and traders galore Enticing me to forgo this game's otherwise sterling repertoire. Never again will I play on Halloween. I spawn, And start my progression to the enemy lawn. I go to a corner and peek right and left, Of hostiles, my view is bereft. An ally hits the Three, And I look up to see, His corpse,near the flag, is soaring toward a tree. Where is he hiding That monster on Viking I cannot see him And that makes my mission even more grim. I hit a Two and charge for the flag once again, And I speedily hurry around a bend To see the ground behind me Get pelted in a red shot of fury He missed me, But that is a miraculous rarity. I sprint back to base under allied fire While still acting out the present progressive form of perspire. My base buildings are not whole, In fact I see right there, a hole! Realizing my plight I go and take flight. I fend off attackers with resolution gold, All from my usual stronghold. However I'm still baseridden Due to the enemy that remains hidden. I take a breath, and then, a peek, Only to hit a Railgunner's orange streak. I rush back under my cover to find, A freeze that seems ready to put me in a bind. But a Thunderous splash comes right from behind me, Sending the cold-hearted killer away, immediately. I hear the hopeful sound of our flag returning, And just then my hull begins burning! I turn around and finish him off, While an Isida friend cleans the damage right off. I dash through my base, Oh what a race! The opposing terror's presence has yet to be shown, And by now, I think I should've known. But to my flag I went, up and over the ramp, When I got nailed so hard, I nearly knocked over the lamp. I scream through my house, amazed by my enemy's craft, I HATE that darn Shaft!

Old forum coding for a thumb-up emoticon.

That's what I think every time I log in here after thinking about when I joined.

Nope, "Out Stories" is the oldest newspaper article. :)

What Now? I'm done. Really, this is it. I've done enough, And no one can tell me otherwise. The good times are gone in all but my mind, And that's going, too. Any friends I once knew, left a long time ago. And now I'm here. Just here. No one checks on me, To see how I'm doing. I'm just the old one in the corner, Always there, Always quiet. I wasn't always quiet. I recall so many loud days, With my comrades. We'd yell and laugh, And win. Oh yes, how we won! Everything was going for me then, Friends abound and people everywhere, Having fun, and more importantly, Knowing me. But that's not important anymore. They've taken away all that I've gotten, Except the memories. Pictures are worth a thousand words, But how can they be worth anything If there is no one to see them? I lived them, I don't need them. I want them to know. I wanted them to know. But they don't care. I don't care. And now, I am here. Just here. Alone. What now?

Contest is currently : CLOSED Winners - xX_CID_Xx - l.Can-Beat_The-WorId - Kieran2500 - Vortimus In order, the maps were: Kungur, Highways, and Fort Knox Welcome tankers! Think you know the maps of the game? This monthly contest tests every participant's knowledge of the game's maps, in the most difficult way possible. Read the rules for more details. (Click on images for larger pictures.) Rules: No group participation - Every tanker for themself! -We are serious about this one. Any groups of tankers that work together on this will not be allowed to participate in any further contests of the newspaper. No questions may be asked to contest hosts. Submit only complete entries- all maps must be identified in correct order, in one submission. Only the first 4 winners to submit complete, successful entries will be given rewards and recognition in the next contest topic. Send all entries to Tommy60, via Private Messaging, here: http://en.tankiforum...p?showuser=6898 Reward: 20,000 crystals Good luck! Now go find those maps!

Dare Devils was not the oldest clan... ;)

You asked why Smokies were becoming so popular, and Staladder is the reason behind that, as every team involved with it features one on their roster. And yes, I do believe you are a kid, as are most people who play this game, myself included.

Ever heard of Starladder? ;)

:DDD

Haha, no one commented on mine! No more interviews for me)

Contest is currently : CLOSED Winners Baabam_PRO Raredust willkillu Scarrock In order, the correct choices were: Short Bridge, Valley, and Bobruisk Welcome tankers! Think you know the maps of the game? This monthly contest tests every participant's knowledge of the game's maps, in the most difficult way possible. Read the rules for more details. (Click on images for larger pictures.) Rules: No group participation - Every tanker for themself! -We are serious about this one. Any groups of tankers that work together on this will not be allowed to participate in any further contests of the newspaper. No questions may be asked to contest hosts. Submit only complete entries- all maps must be identified in one submission. Only the first 4 winners to submit complete, successful entries will be given rewards and recognition in the next contest topic. Send all entries to Tommy60, via Private Messaging, here: http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showuser=6898 Reward: 20,000 crystals Good luck! Now go find those maps!

Starladder's Star Series is a hard place to be in- every moment of gameplay requires exceptional play, and every day without matches has to be filled with hours of practice and tactical planning with team members. Perhaps one of the most difficult positions to fill on a team's roster is that of the Smoky. According to official Star Series rules, only one Smoky is allowed per 6-member team, and while the player may wear any paint, they must be equipped with a light hull- either Wasp or Hornet. These players must be among the most versatile on the battlefield, so that they can aid in teams movements across the map no matter where they are. Namely, this is done with their turret's effective bullet impact force, which can knock a Railgun's aim off its mark, moments before it discharges. This is a crucial function of the gun, and yet, only the best of players can really use the quality to its best potential. Here, we will hear from two of the best, A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N of NooBest, and The_Best_Boy, of GGWP (the ex-Scorpions), who were interviewed specifically for this. Aspiring Smokies, take note! The_Best_Boy -Playing with Smoky, against many players with Railgun and 48% Smoky protection paints, must be a very difficult job to keep in the highest level of Tanki Online! How is the general gameplay, and coordinating with your team like? Well, team coordination, and the gameplay overall doesn't affect my game with Smoky- I’m just playing, and doing my job. My main job is to knock their aims off target, and take out their Prodigi wearers, because the players in Prodigi are very dangerous for any team. The battle is mainly for the 5 Railgun players. For me, my part is simple: if you can help, then help! Well, in general, in the role of Smoky is simple: it’s to knock aims, grab their attention, and focus on the Prodigis, and just help the team in every way other than that. -Do you prefer Hornet or Wasp with your Smoky? Why?) I prefer the Hornet, because it is easier to jump down than it is with a Wasp. Well, and that Wasp can die with 1 Railgun shot, and Hornet in this regard is more reliable in terms of health) -What is your favorite map in Season 2’s selection of maps? I don’t have a favorite map, but I prefer fighting in Parma- I love the cool pasque-flowers and bushes across the map, and its openness, which always lets me have a good shoot) -What do you like doing most in a game: Defense, mid-field, or attack?) I love to attack, but if we compare my performance in the Clan Championship 7 and now, you’d see that then, Smoky successfully attacked and took away the flags, but now, all the way around, I must play in the mid-field and almost never get to attack. Because of these events, I am always very much in demand by my team-, they say “why are you going attack?”, “Don't do that!”, but I'm old-fashioned, going and going on the attack. I can't unlearn it, I love to be on offense) -Lastly, and tips or advice for other smoky players, who want to do well in Star Series? For those who want to play as their team’s Smoky, I advise you to train on RU Server 2, there is always an opportunity to play 4-4, and on a variety of other maps. Of course, there is the fact that you can not always play against the Railguns, but at least this way you will be able to train with your turret. And of course, a good team trainingschedule is key in getting into the Star Series- you should be able to take command as the Smoky player. And holding regular trainings is the best way to get a positive result. -Anything more you want to add?) In addition I want to say that if you want to play and win, it is already half way done; all that remains is to train and start winning. The most important thing is your desire, so go for it. Good luck guys! A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N - Playing with Smoky, against many players with Railgun and 48% Smoky protection paints, must be a very difficult job to keep in the highest level of Tanki Online! How is gameplay, and coordinating with your team like? The gameplay is at the very highest level, and so is the team's coordinating, as well. But also, I have to see the all map, and I must always know where my opponents are on the map. It's a hard job, that takes a lot of work to do well. -Do you prefer Hornet or Wasp with your Smoky? Why? I prefer Wasp with Smoky. But, I must train a lot with the combinations very shortly before using it in a battle. This is because Wasp is a body that is very easy to maneuver, and can get itself into enemy territory, and wreak havoc for a long time, if used correctly. -What is your favorite map in Season 2’s selection of maps? My favorite map - this Red Alert, because the map is small and a lot of action happens there. It is really fun! -What do you like doing most in a game: Defense, mid-field, or attack?) I like doing mid-field work, because in this case, I can help in both our defense and offensive maneuvers. I like that freedom and overall usefulness! -Lastly, and tips or advice for other smoky players, who want to do well in Star Series? I can only advise that if you really want to play well on Smoky, you should: First: Train with your Smoky and desired hull very frequently, and with the guys you'll be playing with, also very frequently. Second: See the map completely -Anything more you want to add? I can add from myself, that I love SLTV's game format (especially with Smoky), because if a Smoky can be mastered by an individual player, then he can single-handedly be one of the most beneficial attributes for the team, if not THE most beneficial. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hope some of you took something from this rare opportunity) See you in the battle!

Yeah, there's the German Tanki parkour team- they won the Skyscraper parkour challenge a few months ago)

Can't participate in it for religious factors.

Thank you very much, TO!

Hello tankers! This series was made with the intention to introduce new or otherwise unacquainted users with the forums that the Tanki Online servers support 24/7; providing enough information for them to efficiently utilize and navigate their own way throughout the online message board. Read, enjoy and (hopefully) be enlightened. :) The Press: http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showforum=125 Obviously, this is the best section of the forums of Tanki Online. ;) It got its name, like most newspapers have, from a common method of newspaper printing quite a few years ago, of taking a set of arranged letter stamps, dabbed thoroughly in ink, and pressing them down upon a paper, leaving text on the page. Later, a similar method was used in mechanical printing, with large rollers and more automatic 'pressers.' Just some history for you all. :) However, no pressing goes on here! In the Tanki Online English newspaper, we reporters and staff members find the news, and press on those keyboards we've worn out so much doing our job! Oh, I guess there is some pressing still happening, even in this digital age. Anyway, this is the forum section to find news about the game, reviews of what's in it, comments from its players, and even some contests to help out our beloved ENG community. :) Press: http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showforum=107 This section is the namesake of the forum section. Here, goes the culmination of a month's worth of efforts by the Reporter team, administrators, and editors. All types of news may be covered here, and contests are included in every edition- you'll only know if you check them out, however! Newspaper Material This is the part of the Newspaper forum that only moderators and reporters have access to. Here, we work hard all month long, from the time of publishing the previous issue, until (often times) the next one's deadline. :P We reporters post our proto-articles there, and receive criticisms and support from our coworkers, and work out the bugs in them. Sometimes, we propose making the most ridiculously themed articles the forum has ever heard of, but those will just be our secret. ;) Newspaper Archive: http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showforum=112 The archive is the place to go if you want to discover the fads of players past, find an old guide you really liked (that we made better than the FAQ section)) ), reread a favorite article or useful review, or perhaps just to relive a bit of nostalgia from before Update 1.100, if you were around in those days. To help you navigate through the 10+ pages of yellowing articles, here is a guide carefully compiled by Raphael2 : http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=181462 (Pay no attention to the Retired Reporters list- I'm still around!) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Well, this time around things were a bit brief! You all have my permission to tell your eyes "You're welcome." ;) Next issue: Cybersport

URBAN - 115,000 crystals 5% Firebird, 40% Twins, 20% Isida, 5% Ricochet The Rebalance a few years ago really benefited this coating. With it, Urban went from being a non-resistant clan paint to a pretty decent cover for ambitious tankers of the highest ranks. This paint's camouflage capabilities are iffy at best. I can hardly recall any times in my nearly five years here, when an Urban-equipped tank was uncatchable to my eye at first glance, even in the city maps such as Dusseldorf, Berlin, Wolfenstein, etc, as its garage description proclaims it to be great for. So, the best feature of this paint, like most others, is its various resistances. Ignored should be the puny 1/20th protection characteristics for Firebird and Ricochet, as those would hardly save any energy from the onslaught of such strong weapons, noticeably. So, that leaves its Isida and Twins resistances left to be considered. 20% Isida protection could decide between life and death from a full hostile Isida charge for the medium hulls, though offensive Izzies are few and far between in the ranks that Urban is available to. This singles out its remarkable 40% Twins protection, which reduces an M3's bullet to the level of an M1, which is nearly negligible. However, this fantastic protection is not quite the offer it used to be for 115,000 crystals, as Twins has been slightly depowered with the reason updates to the garage, and it is used but a fraction of the amount it used to be a few months ago, especially in DeathMatches. Ideal positioning would be on the attacking side, provided there are more Twins than Freezes or Firebirds. Or, perhaps even in a position just to take out enemy Twins, which would always be a favor to your comrades on the battlefield. Good tanks would be fast, so I'd recommend Hunter or Hornet, though probably not Wasp, as it just has too little energy to make a noteworthy effort in going for the enemy flag. Ideal weapons would be close range, useful in quick escapes, such as Freeze or Firebird, and maybe even Isida. Good luck finding a battle full of Twins, though! SAVANNA - 129,000 Crystals 40% Smoky, 20% Railgun, 15% Ricochet Savanna, like Urban and many other paints, also received a generous upgrade with Tanki's major Rebalance a few years ago. Its camouflage-like texture doesn't do much, in any map in the game to date. Anyone wanting to take cover with it would be best off in the foliage of Desert, or Novel, and perhaps Forest. Savanna's protections against Railgun, Ricochet, and most substantially, Smoky, say that this should be used by medium to long range tankers, as any offensive flag-grabbers would quickly be finished off by guardian Freezes and Firebirds. It's best use would be realized by defending in the midfield, behind enough cover to block fire from at least two cardinal directions of the map, or perhaps just one, in an elongated map like Brest. Ideal tanks are the heavier ones, such as Viking, Titan, Dictator, or Mammoth, and maybe even a Hunter if the situation is right. Great weapons would be mid-ranged as well, such as Thunder, Smoky, Railgun, or perhaps even a Shaft, again, if the map is right for it.

There used to be a Russian newspaper article on that. A few weeks after beta testing started in '09, a player called Avocado started stacking tanks to get on top of some buildings. ;)

Just a drive. That's all wanted. I was getting bored. So I did what anyone would do. I went out for a bit. My friends said they'd be there. Too bad they weren't. But searched for them I did. I used some supplies, and turned on my eyes. But I already knew. Ditched. I got lonely. I turned toward a ramp. I stopped. What was I thinking? Oh yeah, bored. What could go wrong? Nothing, as I now find. A lot of whats go wrong, not just one. Now my penance is clear. What I must do is now known. I must wait. Another suicide will kill my rating. It doesn't feel good, anyway. So now I just lay here. Waiting for someone to come here. I know what I'll do. Enjoy the view Until someone comes here. This isn't so bad Seeing the land That no one takes note of anyway. Then I remember, with slight consternation, That I joined a private altercation.

Contest is currently : CLOSED The winners are: @Xenophobia @jiangreo @prajwalkandel @emrakul Congratulations! Welcome tankers! Think you know the maps of the game? This monthly contest tests every participant's knowledge of the game's maps, in the most difficult way possible. Read the rules for more details. (Click on images for larger pictures.) Rules: No group participation - Every tanker for themself! -We are serious about this one. Any groups of tankers that work together on this will not be allowed to participate in any further contests of the newspaper. No questions may be asked to contest hosts. Submit only complete entries- all maps must be identified in one submission. Only the first 4 winners to submit complete, successful entries will be given rewards and recognition in the next contest topic. Send all entries to GoldRock, via Private Messaging, here: http://en.tankiforum...showuser=322900 Reward: 20,000 crystals Good luck! Now go find those maps!

Actually, the representation is the other away around- 'P' makes the English R's sound, and 'X' makes the English hard "H" sound. ;)