Let's Discuss Shaft!

[FogOfWar_XXX 793]

Yeah, Shaft can only one-shot 5 out of 7 hulls in the game, it was nerfed so much!

 

Before October of 2016 Shaft could only one-shot Wasp and Hornet. You could go back and compare the current Shaft to Shaft when it was just released, but that is not a relevant comparison.

Again, those are vanilla, no protection, no double armor, not upgraded hull above your shaft upgraded turret, on a FULL charge.  You HAVE TO hit with the full power or all bets are off.  Laser being what it is, that means sitting, charging, and waiting, and while waiting, you're exposed.  Sure we play like that sometimes, but that again limits the power of the shaft.  Anything less than a full charge hit, and they just press one and roll on, your tank and it's purpose has been defeated with the press of a button.

 

And yes, lets go way back.  The WHOLE point of shaft, again, was to be a force multiplier and neutralizer of teams with higher powered units that overwhelmed.  A tough flag carrier, escorted by two tough team mates, it makes a break, your team is struggling to fend off the escorts, the carrier is running away, enter Shaft.  Track a sight them, aim, flag carrier dead, now someone please go get it.  That's what shaft was for, a precise tool, surgical, change the entire play with a shot.

 

It's funny, I made a remark years ago about how dumb game play could get in Tanki, it started to look less like a game of armored combat, and more like some ******ed mechanized rugby match.  Low and behold, we now have RUGBY in Tanki, RUGBY for goodness sake!  The point of this game is to have an objective, and complete with lots of KILLING. IT needs to be hard, it needs to be thoughtful, it needs to be fun without being mindless.  It has become more and more mindless as the years have passed, and more and more, units that sway the balance are being dumbed down to that sort of game play.  The more I play, the only Shafts I see are lumbering Mammys and Titans, all perched somewhere, drinking DD, firing up DA when baddies get close, and hitting one when their substantial armor is depleted.  What are they doing?  They sitting around supporting the flag carriers run back to base.  They rarely do anything for defense if they don't hit on the first try, nestled next to the flag.  Why?  Because really shaft just can't catch a break it seems.  So most shafts gave up and just became immobile gun turrets that one shot whatever might be in their sights.  People are so "game" oriented, wanting high scoring games, and always wanting to be able to finish a match by hitting the ten flag limit.  That should be a optimal game, one so well played it was epic, not the norm or the standard.  You should have to fight tooth and nail for those points and crystal.  Nope, take the more real aspects out and lets turn it into a cattle call across the field to the opposing flag.

 

When I play now, I find over watch positions and punish the enemy for taking things for granted.  I pass up 2, 3 shots because I know where the power player is going and get them instead.  I'll wait and really hurt them, rather than get a sure kill.  Again, it's armored combat, not flag football, I'm not worried about smiles, and handshakes, and happiness go lucky sentiments about "good game" and <Censored>.  I bought Shaft to snipe and ruin the game play of my enemy, not go head to head in a slugfest that decides who can press 2,3,4, at just the right times, to outlast my opponents "2,3,4".

 

Shaft was supposed to be something different, so yes, the the comparison is VERY relevant, because honestly, the whole problem is that Shaft is no longer what it was intended to be.

Edited April 17, 2018 by FogOfWar_XXX

[splitterpoint 10,986]

It sure eats away my double damage supplies; it enables me to kill ALL medium hulls with exactly 3000HP.. that sure is a sweet spot.

Also arcade shots will do 1100 average damage when drugged, the same as a stock M3 Thunder and with higher firing rate.

[DieselPlatinum 5,121]

M4 shaft with the Heavy Capacitors alteration can deal 3900 points of max damage without Double Damage, that is if the target has no protection (double armor or shaft modules)

[GuidoFawkes 2,361]

M4 shaft with the Heavy Capacitors alteration can deal 3900 points of max damage without Double Damage, that is if the target has no protection (double armor or shaft modules)

the day i ranked to major was the day i bought shaft m2 and it was also the day i bought heavy capacitors and started one shotting M4 medium hulls B)

[enri_chill 265]

the day i ranked to major was the day i bought shaft m2 and it was also the day i bought heavy capacitors and started one shotting M4 medium hulls B)

I love the Heavy Capcitors. What about the Assault Emitters? Are there any advantages? Has anyone tried them in combo?

Just curious.

[GuidoFawkes 2,361]

I love the Heavy Capcitors. What about the Assault Emitters? Are there any advantages? Has anyone tried them in combo?

Just curious.

assault emitters are very good for DM but other than that... it doesn't really make a difference because you'll rarely use arcade shots.

 

disadvantage of assault emitters are that you'll interupt their repair kit later and that you'll have lesser chance of knocking off their aim in space mode(cause in normal gravity the impact is too low to knock them)

[CKopocTb_3To_CTpacTb 14]

How about Hornet ?

Wasp is better for a shaft

[ghost-guns 1,486]

Just got it at M3. So far not bad but I seem to be a target now for magnums because I'm a stationary object. Will probably stick to brest for the time being...

[Hancho 3,902]

You guys are so silly.

[gokuMI6 1,290]

Just got it at M3. So far not bad but I seem to be a target now for magnums because I'm a stationary object. Will probably stick to brest for the time being...

Go solikamask, Kungur,Highways,Barda,Massacre

[gokuMI6 1,290]

The only thing that makes me sad in Tanki except camping DD Magnum is

Enemy team full of Shafts in Highway map :(

[GuidoFawkes 2,361]

The only thing that makes me sad in Tanki except camping DD Magnum is

Enemy team full of Shafts in Highway map :(

isn't that like... every highways battle?

 

don't worry about it anyways.. when matchmaking comes it'll probably just be random turrets cause no one knows where they'll be sent to

[gokuMI6 1,290]

isn't that like... every highways battle?

 

don't worry about it anyways.. when matchmaking comes it'll probably just be random turrets cause no one knows where they'll be sent to

yes , but not everyone i use my smoky , and get up to their base and kill them all  :)

But Most of the times i can even get to the next level without being killed

 

Yes . i hope so , but they can change to shaft anytime  :ph34r:  

[FogOfWar_XXX 793]

Dear Shaft Players,

 

I regret to inform you that now, more than ever, you will be subject to the mercies (or there lack of) of matchmaking, beware.  Since teams are limited to 8, and often matches are launched with as few as 4 per team (this is my experience so far), you are no longer free to support the attacking members of your team or defend with impunity.  The low unit count means every unit is subject to being hunt down and attacked, and it makes MUCH easier now for teams to send 3 units in, hunt down defenders, and then leave.  Shaft is hard pressed to succeed in low unit count battles.

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but yeah, another nerf on shafts, their role, and their impact and relevance on the game.  I won't outright decry the new system, it had to be done, to much multing, sabing, and front loading of teams to then be abandoned.  That said, everyone should have to suffer the random nature of the system, letting lost temple and Berlin get mixed in, and unit counts of at least ten.  These format lends it self to brawling really, and we ALL KNOW WHY, makes people prone to use drugs, and that's a money maker.  I have my thoughts on that too, I think there good reason to assume the matchmaking system is pairing high spenders vs low spenders, in effort to get the purists to give up their ways and start drugging, but that's a matter for another thread.

 

So what to do?  One, start practicing that arcade shot, two, learn how to follow, but trail far back, from the rest of the team, and three, resign yourself to the lower stats and kill counts and rewards, it's just not in the cards for us anymore.

[splitterpoint 10,986]

Shaft is still as capable as ever. Don't be put off by MM.

There will be fewer protection paints on the battlefield.

 

Also buy Striker... Make sure to exploit the niche.

[gokuMI6 1,290]

All hail the Arcade shot , to the MM 

[yono 0]

I cant stand shafts because they are worthless in a CTF game especially when like 3 or 4 of them join your team... they just sit there and go for kills clueless as to what is going on around them, its so stupid.  They also aren't very good at DM or TDM at higher ranks since they can only really one shot wasps and hornets at that point.

[yono 0]

in my opinion shaft is just OP.

[gokuMI6 1,290]

in my opinion shaft is just OP.

Try playing like you play with SMoky or Thunder

you

[DieselPlatinum 5,121]

in my opinion shaft is just OP.

That opinion might change once you get to the higher ranks.

[Badmonkey66 12]

Shaft has been nerfed like the rail...

 

Tanki sucks now. 

[ThirdOnion 4,898]

Shaft has been nerfed like the rail...

Shaft can one-shot mediums now.

[gokuMI6 1,290]

Shaft can one-shot mediums now.

With the Alt or DD ?

[ThirdOnion 4,898]

With the Alt or DD ?

without both

[Badmonkey66 12]

Shaft can one-shot mediums now.

Half the maps it dumps you in are tiny or medium.

 

Everyone is typically drugged so no you cant