Guide [Issue 14] DMs For Dummies

[jokjinari 160]

 

 

Team battles can be really fun, Capture the Flag especially, but my favorite game mode by far is Death Match mode. In Deathmatches (DMs) it's every man for himself, with each player trying to destroy as many enemy tanks as possible. There's absolutely no need to rely on teammates, who never fail to let you down, it is your own skill that makes the difference between winning and losing. In this article I will give you a few tips (and a few more) about Deathmatches and overcoming the enemy completely on your own (most of the time), as well as some other random things. 

 

Before entering a Deathmatch:

 

The same principles apply here as they do to any battle. Make sure that you have an appropriate tank combo equipped for the map that it's in. You don't want to be taking a Shaft to an Island DM, do you? Try to find battles with the lowest ranks possible, so that you can have an advantage. Don't join battles with people who are high above you in rank, because, more often than not, you'll just be helping them get easy kills. Also try looking for battles that have a lot of players. The more people in your battle, the easier it is to rack up kills quickly. 

 

Best Guns to Use: 

 

Pretty much any weapon will be able to do alright in DMs, but here are a few of the better (or at least more popular) ones to use: 

 

1. Twins -- With virtually unlimited ammo, Twins is a very powerful weapon and probably the best for this game mode. It's not only powerful, but also easy to use - just hold spacebar and shoot at people. Once your fingers become tired, just lay a brick on the spacebar and continue playing. Another nice ability is the strong knockback that Twins provides, letting you throw off the aim of, slow down, or even flip over your opponents. Unfortunately, although Twins is awesome, it isn't the greatest until you upgrade it at least to M1, which can only be done at Warrant Officer 4. 

 

2. Thunder -- Another great weapon, Thunder is good at any modification. It has relatively powerful shots as compared to its reload speed. Thunder's special feature is splash damage, allowing you to damage enemies within a small radius of your shots, which is an awesome advantage because you can use it to destroy multiple enemies at once, and remember, in DMs, the faster you kill the better. Unfortunately, many people like to buy protection from Thunder, so it can be frustrating to play with in battles sometimes.  

 

3. Smoky -- My personal favorite to use is Smoky. It may seem weak, but Smoky is actually pretty good and for many players it is their weapon of choice. The random chance of devastating critical hits also adds an element of excitement, which other weapons lack. Also, because of its relatively quick reload time, Smoky is great at kill stealing, which makes it even better. Unfortunately, M2 Smoky (which is when it starts to become really overpowered) doesn't unlock until Colonel. 

 

Best Hulls in DMs:

 

There isn't a set list of the best hulls for DMs, but by looking at the stats, these are the ones that I'd choose.

 

1. Mammoth -- Mammoth is definitely the best hull for this game mode. It has exceptional protection, which more than makes up for its lack of speed. Armour is all you really need in Deathmatches anyway, because the longer you stay alive, the more kills you get and the less kills your enemy gets. With Mammoth, if you find a nice camping spot, or even if you drive around, you'll definitely have a D/L ratio above 1.00.  

 

2. Viking -- Viking is a comfortable hull that has a great balance between speed and armour, so if you like to be relatively fast you can use it while still having a decent amount of protection. Viking M3 also unlocks quite a bit earlier than most of the other hulls, so if you buy it right away, you'll have a huge advantage and most certainly be a formidable force on the battlefield. 

 

3. Dictator -- A great tank, although slightly awkward, Dictator is another good hull to use for Deathmatches. When you look at the stats, Dictator is quite similar to Viking, just maybe not quite as powerful until you get to M3. Once modified to M3, however, this tank surpasses Viking in all aspects - speed, armor and maneuverability. Unfortunately, until you get used to it, Dictator's shape makes it a bit awkward to control, and M3 only unlocks at Generalissimo, causing most people to gravitate towards Viking. If you don't mind being patient and waiting though, Dictator is an excellent choice.

 

Best Paints to Use: 

 

For Deathmatches, choosing a good protective paint is complicated. What protection should you get? It's hard to decide. A lot of times it really just depends on what map you're playing in or what tank you like to use or even just on coincidence. The weapon I see most often on the battlefield though is Thunder, so getting a protective paint from that would probably be your best bet. Twins, Smoky or Freeze also are quite common in Deathmatches. 

 

Think before you buy a paint though. Don't just buy for fun. Do you really need it? As I said in a previous article, paints are only helpful additions to your tank, so always make upgrading your tank the first priority. Here is a list of some of the better protective paints for Deathmatches:  

 

Swamp -- 10% Twins. 500 crystals. Unlocks at Gefrieter. At these ranks Twins is quite common on the battlefield, so buying this paint wouldn't be a bad choice. Rating: 5/10

 

Metallic -- 12% Thunder. 1000 crystals. Unlocks at Corporal. Twelve percent doesn't sound like much, but sometimes it can mean the difference between life and death, especially at the lowest ranks. Rating: 6/10

 

Dragon -- 20% Ricochet. 3000 crystals. Unlocks at Staff Sergeant. Not necessarily the greatest paint, but there tend to be quite a few Ricochets in Deathmatches at least around the earlier ranks, so if you find that they annoy you, Dragon isn't a bad buy and you'll definitely enjoy it. Rating: 5/10

 

Carbon -- 20% Smoky, 5% Twins & Shaft. 1000 crystals. Unlocks at Sergeant Major. Smoky is becoming more and more common throughout all the ranks, so buying this paint is definitely a good choice. Rating: 6/10

 

Roger -- 30% Twins, 12% Firebird. 42500 crystals. Unlocks at Warrant Officer 5. If you've fought against a Twins user, you know that it vaporizes your health down to nothing in just seconds. With this paint, you should be able to withstand the pressure for a little bit longer. Roger is a great paint and if you buy it, it should last you and be helpful in battles far beyond Warrant Officer 5. Rating: 7/10

 

Cedar -- 32% Thunder, 5% Isida, 5% Smoky. 42500 crystals. Unlocks at Warrant Officer 5. This is an amazing paint, and it really helps against the Thunders that seem to be everywhere. Using it basically adds an extra Thunder shot to the amount needed to destroy you, which is really nice. This paint is suitable all the way up to the highest ranks. Rating: 8/10

 

Rustle -- 32% Thunder, 20% Freeze, 10% Isida. 90500 crystals. Unlocks at Major. Another useful, if not pretty, paint, Rustle is very similar to Cedar except that it has an added 20% Freeze protection and 10% Isida, both of which can be quite nice. If you already own Cedar though, I recommend you buy some other paint, especially one that has different protection. That way you can have more choices of what to use in battles. Rating: 9/10

 

Hohloma -- 20% Freeze, 20% Ricochet, 22% Smoky. 108500 crystals. Unlocks at Major. Not the best, but not that bad either, Hohloma is one of the more beautiful paints. In my opinion it is too expensive for the protection it gives, but if you can afford it, this paint isn't a bad choice and will certainly be helpful, especially once those M2 Smokys start appearing. Rating: 6/10

 

Urban -- 40% Twins, 20% Isida, 5% Firebird, 5% Ricochet. 115000 crystals. Unlocks at Colonel. At these higher ranks Twins M2 begins taking over the battlefield, so Urban, with 40% Twins protection would be a great choice to buy. 20% from Isida is nice too. Rating: 8/10

 

Savanna -- Smoky 40%, Railgun 20%, Ricochet 15%. 12900 crystals. Unlocks at Brigadier. Smoky is definitely overpowered at M2 - M3 and critical hits strike often, so Savanna is very helpful and is certainly a perfect choice. Rating: 9/10

 

Emerald -- Thunder 42%, Twins 26%, Railgun 10%. 143500 crystals. Unlocks at Major General. This is a perfect paint for Deathmatches, having large protections from two of the most commonly seen weapons, Thunder and Twins. If you think you have enough crystals, I would definitely recommend buying Emerald. Rating 9.5/10

 

Rock -- Twins 48%, Isida 30%, Freeze 15%. 210000 crystals. Unlocks at Field Marshal. Rock is the paint to use if you want to stand firm against the Twins users that seem to be everywhere at the highest ranks. With 48% Twins protection, it basically cuts the damage done in half. Rock also has 30% protection from Isida, which is quite a lot and makes it nice to use in CTF mode as well. Rating 8.5/10

 

Needle -- Smoky 48%, Ricochet 20%, Shaft 25%. 210000 crystals. Unlocks at Field Marshal. An amazing paint that halves the damage done by Smoky shots, Needle is certainly something worth buying if you have the crystals, especially since there seem to be Smokys all over nowadays. Rating: 9/10

 

Popular DM Maps: 

 

In Deathmatches, as in any game mode, it's important to be familiar with the maps that you will be playing on so that you can have an advantage. What are the best camping spots? Where can the Gold Box fall? Where do supplies drop? What's the best tank combination to use? If you're going to play on a map for the first time, I recommend you explore it by yourself first before you enter a fully fledged battle.

 

1. Polygon -- If you are interested in playing DMs, Polygon is the map for you. It is by far the most popular and common map in which they are played. When you look through the battle list almost every Deathmatch you find will be in Polygon. This map unlocks at Sergeant, becoming and remaining very popular from then on. It's a square medium sized map, the formation of which makes for intense and exciting gameplay. There are two higher parts on each end of Polygon which are great for camping and the center of the map is lower. This layout is perfect for the more popular DM weapons, such as Thunder, Twins or Smoky, which are the weapons most commonly found there. Any heavy or medium hull is also good. As for protection, any of the paints I have listed can be effective in this map.  

 

2. Moon Silence -- Moon Silence is a relatively new map, but has quickly become a favorite for Deathmatches, although it still has a long way to go before it catches up with Polygon. It is no different from Silence, but as its name suggests, this map has a lowered amount of gravity, which makes it heaven for Twins users (So twins protection is best used here) because they can easily flip over or at least throw off the aim of most other tanks. As a result, it's best not to bring light tanks here, otherwise you'll be easily flipped, which is very annoying. For those of you who like camping, press up against a wall or corner to steady yourself, it really helps.

 

3. Island -- In my opinion, Island is much more interesting for CTF mode, but many people also enjoy playing deathmatches here. It's a very small map, and I like to call it the 'home of short-range weapons'. Freeze is most commonly found here, but other short ranged weapons or even mid-ranged ones like Twins and Rico can be seen too. So equip a short distanced gun and play on heavy tanks - there's no need for speed here. As for protection, anti Freeze paints would be your best bet. 

 

Two more good DM maps are Highland and Farm, which are also quite popular. 

 

Random Tips:

 

Camping:

 

Camping is basically what is sounds like - sitting in one spot and sniping/shooting other enemy tanks. Here are a few tips: 

 

Finding a spot -- Camping in Deathmatches is basically the same as in any type of battle. Equip a good mid/long ranged gun and just find a nice protected spot to peek out and shoot from. Try to find somewhere where most of the map is visible, or at least a lot of the spawn points are, so that you can have as many chances of hitting people as possible. An elevated place is usually best. It's also good to find a spot that has more than one escape so that you can get away when attacked. 

 

Camping there -- Lay mines around yourself for protection; if you are near spawn points, lay mines on them to destroy your enemies when they appear. If an enemy spawns near you and you know you won't be able to kill them, don't move. Try to attract as little attention as possible and hopefully they'll drive away; it often works. Depending on your weapon (you can't do this with Twins or Rico), pop out of cover, shoot, and then pop back in again; you want to be under cover as much as possible. If you're using Twins or some other weapon that reloads quickly, it's best to camp from a high spot and hit all the tanks that pass below you. 

 

Kill Stealing: 

 

Stealing kills, or killing an enemy who is about to be killed by somebody else, is essential to winning Deathmatches. People will hate you for it, but this will allow you to kill and win much faster. 

 

Railgun, Thunder and Smoky are some of the best weapons for kill stealing.  Doing it is actually quite easy, just look for a tank that is being or has already been damaged and start shooting. If you calculate your shots correctly, it's more than likely that you'll be the one who scores a kill. 

 

Calculations -- Memorize how many shots from a certain weapon, or even from different combinations of weapons it takes to kill certain hulls. Then, when you see a tank being shot at and you know what it takes to destroy it, make sure that when you shoot, your shot is the final blow. For example, one Smoky shot of the same modification is close (just a bit less) to half the power of a Thunder shot. If there is a Thunder shooting at a tank that takes 5 Smoky shots to destroy, let the Thunder shoot twice, and then shoot once with your Smoky to deliver the final blow. Most of the time however, calculating it so precisely is very difficult, so it's fine to just focus on shooting on the lightest tanks and those which have already been damaged and don't have a full health bar. 

 

Mining: 

 

Mines aren't just for protecting your bases in CTF - although that is a good way to use them - they are a necessity in Deathmatches too and can be employed for many different purposes. Use them wisely though, because there is quite a long recharge time after you lay one mine before you can lay the next and as soon as you die, POOF, all your mines vanish. Here are a few different ways you can mine: 

 

Camping -- When you're camping you can lay them around you to protect yourself. 

 

Escaping -- If you are being chased from close behind, lay a mine in your enemy's direct path to destroy them; this works best when they are faster than you, close behind, or just coming around a corner. Don't lay a mine if you are just about to be destroyed. 

 

Spawn points -- It is also good to lay mines on spawn points, especially if you think you can survive long enough for some enemies to respawn there before you die. If you are near a spawn point and an enemy appears, drive into them and lay a mine before they have a chance to drive off so that when they appear fully - BOOM. 

 

From Above -- Jump down on stationary/slow moving tanks that are below you and excrete mines onto them. They won't know what hit them and even if the mine doesn't destroy their tank fully, you'll easily be able to finish them off after that. 

 

Drop Spots -- This usually doesn't work, but when it does, it's really funny. Mine places where supplies and crystals like to fall, and then when people pick them up, they suddenly find that they've been destroyed. 

 

Pushing -- If somebody is pushing your tank, (which actually happens quite often) just lay a mine and back up, allowing them to drive over it and die. 

 

Smart players will use these tactics against you, so always be on the lookout for enemy mines. 

 

Drugging: 

 

Everybody hates druggers, but sometimes drugging is an impossible thing to avoid. Here are a few tips about how to drug best in DMs and maybe even lessen the hate.

 

Individual Consumables:

 

Double Power -- The whole point of DMs is to destroy as many other tanks as possible, so Double Power is the definitely best consumable to be using if you want to win. 

 

Double Armor -- Though not as helpful as DP, Double Armor isn't that bad; it helps you stay alive longer and the longer you survive the more you can kill without being delayed by having to respawn. 

 

Nitro -- In Deathmatches you don't really need speed, so Nitro is better for CTF battles unless you are racing for the Gold Box or just like to be fast. Do not use this if you are camping. 

 

First Aid -- Similar to DA, First Aid is helpful (probably even more so) by keeping you alive longer so that you don't have to waste time by being destroyed and having to respawn. This consumable restores your health fully when activated. Unfortunately it doesn't work instantly, but heals gradually - 30 hp per second. So be careful, because if you have low health when you activate FA, one Thunder, Railgun or Shaft shot can easily destroy you before you regain full health. As a result, it's best to activate FA when you have around 1/3 of your health left, and if you are playing on an unusually weak tank, maybe even earlier.

 

Drugs are expensive though, so if the fund is small, or there's no chance of you winning, it's best not to use them. 

 

Secretly drugging: 

 

If you don't want people to know that you're drugging, this is the trick for you! When you pick up fallen consumables, they blink and start to disappear after approximately 27 seconds. Just before the drug you picked up starts blinking, activate it yourself to make it last a lot longer, and nobody will notice that you're drugging. This also works when you pick up the First Aids which drop. They automatically restore half of your health, so if you have less than half of your health remaining when you pick one up, activate your own FA at the same time to heal you fully without anybody knowing. Unfortunately, it is seldom to pick up all three different types of drugs at the same time, so if you want to drug fully, maybe this tactic isn't for you. 

 

For more information about drugging in general, visit Selena12121's article on drugging. 

 

Creating DMs:

 

Creating a Deathmatch is relatively easy. Find a map that you enjoy but one that is also popular enough for people to join. Don't make it no-supplies, because few people are willing to pay the price and most players enjoy drugging at times anyway. Make sure to allow the maximum amount of players to join - you want as many targets as possible. 

Unless you're wanting to play with your high ranked friends, let your rank be the highest in the battle; always opt for the advantage. Then change the battle setting to summer/winter according to your camouflage.  After that, name your battle 'Gold Box 1000', press 'create' and you're all set. Just send the battle link to random people in the chat (not too many people, or you'll be banned for spam), then join it yourself and wait for the action. 

 

Teaming Up:

 

Yes, this is a Deathmatch. Yes, it's every man for himself. But sometimes forming alliances can be very helpful. For example: If there's an annoying player that you cannot seem to destroy but who always seems to destroy you, maybe it's best to team up with them. Or if there's another tank that likes to sit in your camping spot, forming an alliance may not be a bad idea. 

 

Often though, it can be hard to find many, if any, English speaking players so teaming up can be quite a challenge. There are quite a few Russians out on the battlefield though, so here are a few things to say in Russian if you want team up: 

 

Who wants to team up -- кто в союз? / kto v sojuz? 

Me / I -- я

 

To team up with a specific person: 

 

[insert their nickname here] team? -- [insert their nickname here] союз? / sojuz?

Yes -- да or ок  

No -- нет / net

Sorry -- сорри

 

For further information about writing Russian, visit hogree's article. 

 

Getting Gold: 

 

If you want to catch a Gold Box, join a Deathmatch. They are perfect for gold catching, because all the drop points are fair game, no teams control them, and there's no flag to worry about; you can focus fully on getting the Gold.  

 

If you don't have full health, or even if you do, self destruct upon seeing the gold notification, because nobody will be able to shoot at you while you respawn and your health will be fully restored. Once you respawn, activate all your drugs and move to a place where most of the drop points are visible from and easy to get to. Stay away from enemy Freezes at all costs. 

 

Once you see the gold begin to fall, don't forget to think. Make sure and shoot at the other tanks who are going for it. If there is a tank right under the Gold Box, push them! If catching gold means destroying the person you are teamed up with, don't worry! You can say sorry later. If you missed the gold, be nice and don't forget to say "Congratulations" to the lucky player.  

 

 

Conclusion: 

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you're tired of lousy teammates letting you down and want to start working on your own, I recommend you start playing in Deathmatches, especially now that you know a few more things about them. See you in the battle!  

 

[hogree 4,179]

Very useful guide, I'll be sure to follow some of the advice. Good work bro  ;)

[Raphael2 3,263]

Teaming Up:

 

Yes, this is a Deathmatch. Yes, it's every man for himself. But sometimes forming alliances can be very helpful. For example: If there's an annoying player that you cannot seem to destroy but who always seems to destroy you, maybe it's best to team up with them. Or if there's another tank that likes to sit in your camping spot, forming an alliance may not be a bad idea. 

 

Often though, it can be hard to find many, if any, English speaking players so teaming up can be quite a challenge. There are quite a few Russians out on the battlefield though, so here are a few things to say in Russian if you want team up: 

 

Who wants to team up -- кто в союз? / kto v sojuz? 

Me / I -- я

 

To team up with a specific person: 

 

[insert their nickname here] team? -- [insert their nickname here] союз? / sojuz?

Yes -- да or ок  

No -- нет / net

Sorry -- сорри

 

For further information about writing Russian, visit hogree's article.

 

This part is very useful ! Thanks

[I3loodShot 3,119]

 

 

 Capture the Glag

 

Typo!

P.S its at the beginning

Edited August 2, 2013 by I3loodShot

[Raphael2 3,263]

Typo!

P.S its at the beginning

Where ?

[buster321 17]

Best Guide ever!

[I.Devastation 2,053]

Bravo, great guide jok, enjoyed reading it :P

[r_robbie1230 19]

The only interesting article in this issue

[r_DidYouKnowThat0 1,662]

The secretly drugging part. . . . . ehhehe that will be very useful indeed.

[Raphael2 3,263]

What paint should I get ? Savanna or Urban ? Urban looks cool and helps a lot against twins, however sa vanna have a helpful railgun protection..

[unholycloak5 1,814]

This part is very useful ! Thanks

True.  +1

[jonathanjoseph 71]

I can't find a brick small enough for the space bar  :(

:D

 

[unholycloak5 1,814]

What paint should I get ? Savanna or Urban ? Urban looks cool and helps a lot against twins, however sa vanna have a helpful railgun protection..

I suggest you Savanna since there are a lot of rail and smoky users also suitable for large maps.

[TheLonelyEpic 212]

Are you inciting us to break the rules of the game? Teaming up in a DM... Unbelievable. You do that in an official game and you get banned for a month. Then again, if you don't report me for constantly doing this and pissing off everyone but my teammate, maybe I can keep your tips under my hat.

Edited August 3, 2013 by TheLonelyEpic

[Raphael2 3,263]

Are you inciting us to break the rules of the game? Teaming up in a DM... Unbelievable. You do that in an official game and you get banned for a month. Then again, if you don't report me for constantly doing this and pissing off everyone but my teammate, maybe I can keep your tips under my hat.

It is not against the rules AT ALL. :mellow:

[TheLonelyEpic 212]

It is not against the rules AT ALL. :mellow:

Of course not.  :mellow:

[Fiddleronthetank 17]

Seriously? I thought it was.

P.s. Thanks jok really helpful.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Fiddleronthetank

[MusicJam19 737]

The part where you said

 

"Twins has virtually unlimited ammo"

 

Ultimate fail - all weapons have unlimited ammo, you dont see a smoky having to go to a shop to buy ammo

It just has a quick reload time

[tankcalm 324]

Nice guide. Could be nice have an update from a top rank, due the generalissimo battles have slightly different pace. Still, most of the point are completely valid for any rank. Just please add a very basic rule of DM, do not attack a guy with high protection against your weapon, it is a waste of time and a potential pissed off guy comming for you knowing he have an edge over you due the paint protection.

[MeCTb_3a_armenia1313 271]

Nice! Great job!

[jokjinari 160]

The part where you said

 

"Twins has virtually unlimited ammo"

 

Ultimate fail - all weapons have unlimited ammo, you dont see a smoky having to go to a shop to buy ammo

It just has a quick reload time

Haha, I guess I did make a small mistake. What I meant is that twins has virtually no reload time, and I think that most people understood what I meant.

 

Nice guide. Could be nice have an update from a top rank, due the generalissimo battles have slightly different pace. Still, most of the point are completely valid for any rank. Just please add a very basic rule of DM, do not attack a guy with high protection against your weapon, it is a waste of time and a potential pissed off guy comming for you knowing he have an edge over you due the paint protection.

Thanks. That's a valid point you have, though I figured it was a bit obvious, so I didn't include it. Maybe I should have though... This is a guide for dummies. ;)  

 

 

How is the pace different at the high ranks?

[donut70 97]

The part where you said

 

"Twins has virtually unlimited ammo"

 

Ultimate fail - all weapons have unlimited ammo, you dont see a smoky having to go to a shop to buy ammo

It just has a quick reload time

I think his point is that rico can fire very fast for the first 8 shots or so then its ammo bar runs out and it has to reload a certain amount before another shot, once that happens rico becomes very weak. so when fighting a rico just get it to waste about 5 shots quickly(only use when just you and it are dueling) then charge it.

[donut70 97]

smoky is your favorite gun? AWESOME mine to, and yes I looked at the ranks and I think I am just going to hate having to fight m2 thunders with my still m1 smoky because of the huge rank gap. maybe I can just micro upgrade my gun and THEN we will see how strong the thunders are.

[donut70 97]

Another thing about smoky, have you ever noticed that it is  the absolute best gun to fight rails with, it has just enough impact force in each shot to mess up a rail using anything less then a titan or mammoth, and because of its fast reload(1 shot in 2 seconds at m0 and 1 shot in 1.5 seconds at m3) it can  fire enough times in  between their reload to take on 3 rails at once and survive(but it would take forever to kill the rails).

[toomai51 55]

nice 1 thanks  :)