[Issue 28] [Comparison] Railgun or Shaft?

[M1-A2 840]

I will always go for my rail. :wub: :wub:

 

As for shafts..i just need shaft protection :D :D

Sometimes that doesn't even work. ;) lol

Some m2 shafts can stop a mammoth m3.

 

I was never one of those shaft-mammoth players. I hated mammoths speed, so I started with hornet and then went to viking. I've stuck with that ever since.

Edited November 18, 2014 by M1-A2

[fufususumumu1 240]

i feel personally that railgun is better not because of the stats but because of its enjoyability compared to shaft.. but i find it annoying that people say rail gunners are true players but shaftees are noobs.

[blackflag444 256]

AMAZING comparison kirby! you always do so well! 

 

 

p.s. you're my favorite reporter!!!!

[fufususumumu1 240]

and thanks to the sniper laser line (or whatever you call it) shaft is now a dynamic weapon too! the only trade off now is that camping is now a thing of the past.... but now it has a much more steady focus while shooting. not bad update actually!

[FatalError 336]

Edited December 20, 2014 by FatalError

[denex12 77]

The issues that comes into factor here are 3 main things: Situational Awareness, Accuracy, and Predictability

 

Situation Awareness is built up a lot more if you use shaft at high ranks, such as Brigadier and up. You must be able to know where your teammates are and where your enemies are AT ALL TIMES. One mistake, and you will be destroyed. With shaft, you can't see your surroundings, therefore you have to anticipate where the enemy is in proportion to you and when it will you attack you.

 

Railgun also builds a lot of situational awareness, but just to tiny less extent because you are able to see who is coming at you and can escape much more easily, since you are always mobile.

 

Accuracy: Aiming is much, much harder with Railgun. Done discussion. With Shaft, you can pinpoint the target. With Railgun, you can't. If you miss by an inch, no damage will be transferred to the tank you fired at. Your shot will be wasted.

 

Noob users with these guns are predictable all the time in what they do. Skilled users are not, but Railgun users are less predictable due to extra advantage of mobility that Railgun users have. Mobile Shafts aren't predictable either, but hey, who really sees a lot of mobile shafts?

 

Overall, I believe Railgun is a much more versatile turret, which means it can help it's team much more than Shaft. Shaft can basically only camp. There are only a few skilled shaft users that can support movements effectively.

[Madscorpion 81]

The issues that comes into factor here are 3 main things: Situational Awareness, Accuracy, and Predictability

 

Situation Awareness is built up a lot more if you use shaft at high ranks, such as Brigadier and up. You must be able to know where your teammates are and where your enemies are AT ALL TIMES. One mistake, and you will be destroyed. With shaft, you can't see your surroundings, therefore you have to anticipate where the enemy is in proportion to you and when it will you attack you.

 

Railgun also builds a lot of situational awareness, but just to tiny less extent because you are able to see who is coming at you and can escape much more easily, since you are always mobile.

 

Accuracy: Aiming is much, much harder with Railgun. Done discussion. With Shaft, you can pinpoint the target. With Railgun, you can't. If you miss by an inch, no damage will be transferred to the tank you fired at. Your shot will be wasted.

 

Noob users with these guns are predictable all the time in what they do. Skilled users are not, but Railgun users are less predictable due to extra advantage of mobility that Railgun users have. Mobile Shafts aren't predictable either, but hey, who really sees a lot of mobile shafts?

 

Overall, I believe Railgun is a much more versatile turret, which means it can help it's team much more than Shaft. Shaft can basically only camp. There are only a few skilled shaft users that can support movements effectively.

Well in my opinion, they are both very good weapons in their own way :) 

[denex12 77]

Well in my opinion, they are both very good weapons in their own way :)

 

Yup

[altitude96 70]

Nice guide, Rail all the way!

[zeus5_3000 0]

im hey i use the shaft and its way better i mean common you cant zoom in with the railgun 

the best gun is obvious  

[Athena369 265]

^please......another typical kid ruined by the noobtube....

[Thekillerpenguin 1,731]

im hey i use the shaft and its way better i mean common you cant zoom in with the railgun 

the best gun is obvious  

I love Shaft, but it is in no way the best gun, nor is it superior to Railgun. It heavily reduces your situational awareness and prevents you from moving while in scope mode. Railgun's better for more mobile players, has much higher impact force, is more suited for close range combat, and it lets you take better use of cover.

[Manly_man 86]

Shaft? Annoying. Railgun is beast. Shaft again? too slow moving. Railgun? MYTHICAL.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Manly_man

[RamzanTheGreat 471]

Shaft? Annoying. Railgun is beast. Shaft again? too slow moving. Railgun? MYTHICAL.

Railgun is nothing compared to freeze, hammer and firebird  <_<

[altitude96 70]

Railgun is nothing compared to freeze, hammer and firebird  <_<

It is when your out of range.

[RamzanTheGreat 471]

It is when your out of range.

The one who knows that much uses it in small maps and hammer isn't... <_< <_<

[fufususumumu1 240]

i feel that all weapons are equal in their own way (except for hammer, which is pretty op at m0 and m1, but its a new weapon, so tanki will probably change stats later on). The only reason why people should say they prefer one over the other is because of their preferred gameplay, or which is more fun for them, and not stats.

Comparing a shaft and railgun is alright, but firebird and railgun? Its like minecraft vs. tanki, instead of tanki vs. WOT, the only comparable way is how fun each game is in your opinion.

Also if you play in a small map, you will generally be met by people with tankers with short range turrets too, and yes, hammer could be little more op than a rail. but if you are in a larger map, you are going to find circumstances completely different, with longer range wepons like shaft and rail dominating the game. So ya, stuff like this is better left uncompared

[Quarks 2,255]

RAIL FTW

 

Alrighty, let me state this right up: Rail is definitely better. A good railgunner can act just as good or better than a Shaft in the sniper role, and simply blows the Shaft out of the water for everything else. Maneuverability (and thus, the ability to take cover) is a key asset. Let me put it this way: a double armor Mammoth can take 840 hit points...but good cover can provide infinite armor. This is compounded by the fact that there is no such thing as a sniping position that can be only taken from one angle. While Shafty is staring at one spot, shoot from the other. (Another weakness of Shaft, right there: predictability. Unless at extreme distance, you can generally tell where a Shaft is looking by where his gun is pointing. Not so with rail.) While it is true that rail takes 1.1 seconds to charge, most of that time can still be spent behind cover, whereas the Shaft has no choice but to wait in an exposed position. Also, a good player can tell where a Shaft is after being shot once (or before, if they have a good eye and know the map). (Sorry for rambling.)

 

One last fact: Do you know how many of the "pro" teams use Shafts in tournament games? Zip (last time I checked). Do you know how many use rails? Almost all of them. Case settled.

Some good arguments are presented here, I would also mention that you can still aim once you have charged, does this take skill? yes, but can prove very useful once understood. Also, now you can see the laser of a shaft, making it more balanced, because NOTHING screamed nugs like a team of shafts just going around one shotting the plethora of hornets and wasps.

 

This is exactly the reason why railgun is mobile. What's the point even if the enemy notices your position when you can shoot them back from another place 6 secs later. And i do believe that shaft has even more issues when it comes to this . A skilled tanker can always notice a shafter using the muzzle flash hat occurs when shooting and know the shafters whereabouts ,the crucial thing is most of he shaft users out there are NOT used to moving around their tank and shafts usually mounted on heavy hull which can be easily located and killed for their same "noobly" repetitive procedure.

 

and are you really kidding me with the fact that rail has no hit and run capabilities?+ a skilled railgunner can easily make an extreme long range without moving . ( I'm sure if you follow the starladder matches regularly you an understand how easily they make shots at extreme ranges even while moving.)

 

and FYI railgun is chosen for light format because it REQUIRES tons more skills to be mastered and it is easier to recognize the skills when rail is being used.

 

IMHO shaft or the noobtube should be removed from this game. ( which i know will not happen :) ). It just keeps breeding new generations of noobs.

 

p.s

This is just my opinion and I'm sure all whom it may concern understand he simple fact that i have a right to express it. ( I'm tired of tons of "self acclaimed" pro shaft users just hating my replies on different threads lel :D)

Shut up, please. And rank, for goodness sake. Don't judge unless you have a high enough account to judge (ex: played against m2s of these  :P) Shaft isn't evil, and a good shaft is very difficult to make.  

 

Some may disagree with you my friend. But I, personally think that Shaft is not for noobs either. I use it all the time. It takes patience and fast reaction times to master Shaft. But then again, you are just sitting there, far away and picking off enemy's, not doing much. Thats why some think that this is too easy to control, and that there is no skill required to use this gun, unlike Railgun, where you are consistently moving, and takes a while to get skilled with. But most don't actually know how hard it is to use Shaft, but then again, some may disagree with me.

 

But back to your statement about that Shaft isn't for noobs. I do get a few people saying that I'm a noob, because I use Shaft. Some people saying "MADSCORPION IS A NOOB" or "SHAFT IS FOR LOSERS LIKE MADSCORPION" and all of that nasty stuff. I even get  some people going further than the common English language, and going into the Colourful World ( Aka swearing ). I wont do an example because I'll probably get banned.

 

I do get this a lot, being called a noob. And now I'm starting to think that Shaft is a curse, because of how many people are disliking me. But I don't really mind, because I understand that getting instantly killed, does make you frustrated and angry.

 

But in the end, I agree with you. Shaft isn't for noobs, and its hard to decide which is better, Rail or Shaft. Because they are both equally amazing!! :D

I agree with your statements here, especially the good shafts are called noobs a lot, because they are annoying and effective,and nobody likes them. Underneath my rage, I have a deep respect for them. 

 

That is where you're wrong. Shafts have to sit in one spot for a lot of the time because they are using snipe mode. It's a part of the weapon, just like the charge up of railgun. You also need skills to transfer spots to help your team better. On top of all that, a good shaft user shoots every enemy that crosses their line of fire. Also, a lot of the shots that a shaft user has to make are incredibly difficult. For example, killing an enemy that has your flag. When hey are hiding behind a wall with the tiniest sliver of their turret showing. Sounds impossible, and you are right. Unless you are a skilled shaft user. A skilled shafter can make that shot with ease. It would be impossible for a railgun to hit that tank.

Also, shaft users need alot of powers of observation. you need to have the ability to see beyond what you can see in your scope. Shaft users need to be able to identify the greatest threat to their team, and rapidly transition to eliminate that threat. Shaft needs incredible amounts of skills, and you have seriously underestimated the weapon.

Edit* try being a mobile shaft user. (Wasp-shaft)

Also, shaft, contrary to popular belief, can NOT one-shot everything. If you are tired of being OHKO'ed then use a heavier hull or get a paint like dirty.

Yep, see above ^

 

^ this

 

I like to call it the "Shaft-trap". Before going further let me say there 's nothing wrong with the Shaft.

I didn 't meet that many, but certainly some great and very skilled Shaft players!

Opponents I really fear, but also admire.

Still hate to being shot by one, but that 's also a part of the game I wouldn 't like to miss!

(just miss me some more plz.  ;)  )

 

The Shaft-trap is "deployed" when a low ranker/newbie gets his hands on the Shaft and totally stops playing

with the other weapons.

The gameplay itself will soon consist of getting a Mammoth M1 or Titan M1 combined with a Shaft M1

and the trap is set.

With a good camping spot, some (or many) supplies and a possible Isida nearby your ready for mass-killing with relative ease!

Also because of this very possible early high success rate Shaft can become very addictive...

 

As Hogree already said, the Shaft 's victims will mostly drive in linear lines and with some good estimating

the Shaft ' s shots and scoped kills are relatively easy.

That will change later on, when possible victims move smarter, take more cover and developed enough skills

to kill those earlier sheer unbeatable Shaft fortresses.

 

Besides that the camping Shafter is also disregarding his/hers own driving skills, which is surely another trap IMO.

 

At the time when the M2 's start to appear most of the time the glory days of this kind of Shafter will fade away.

Really guessing here, but I can imagine that Shafter will leave the game: either this or it is that a lot of Shafters

still make a transition to other combo 's, because the Shaft is definitely more abundant in lower ranks.

 

Avoiding the Shaft-trap is easy: don 't take the Shaft! Nope, just kidding. Take the Shaft if you like it, but I would certainly

take another combo with a light- or medium hull and another weapon as well.

So at least have a primary- and secondary combo in the order that you prefer.

This way you will also train your own driving abilities and learn how to aim and shoot/freeze/burn etc. whilst moving.

 

These skills are huge advantages that you can use and I believe need to become a Pro in Shafting.

Now you will be able to fight back with arcade shots when under attack and you will have

a lot more possibilites in gameplay than just camping in your own relatively safe defence.

 

Nothing wrong with specializing, just don 't start to early with it: especially with Shaft.

So, another way to dodge the trap is to use shaft on an alt. Use a primary and wreck with that. Then you won't fall into the camping shaft boredom track.

 

 

now my opinion on this matter: I have a deep respect for  both shafts and rails, as both are probably the deadliest weapons in the game. While the rail has some distinct advantages, such as moving while charging, changing aim while firing, with drugs you just run away, and can pretty much 2 shot everything, or one shot the rank below it ^_^ I would like to put in that in my alt. I am going shaft and rico for it, as those are 2 phenomenal weapons  that have caused me rage, so I figured I should return the favor. I have a deep respect for both, but as it is right now, I prefer rail. Shaft is still great.

 

[T.O.R.N.A.D.O.XXX 184]

whats an "XP game"?

XP is railgun and hornet. BP is railgun and wasp

[huntcrush 2]

Some shafts can play a similar style to rail

[tanker0511 7]

I think sniper mode is a big disadvantage for shaft : I can aim my shots accurately even without the scope, and the awful scope just make me miss a lot and get melted by firebirds;;

 

Anyway playing with railgun is sooo fun, especially the Mosquito

[heyhey829 1]

 

Railgun or Shaft?

 

Preamble

 

Large maps are where these two long range turrets thrive, their power uncompromised no matter what range they are shooting from. Combined with the ability to deal massive damage with every shot fired, these two weapons are a nightmarish prospect to face for any tanker. Both are great weapons. Both can dominate a battle in the hands of a skilled user. But is one better than the other?

 

In this issue's comparison, the fourth and last in the turret series, I hope to get to the bottom of this hotly-debated topic!

 

[The rank at which any item unlocks has some bearing on its power. So in order to successfully compare any two items, we must look at the fully micro-upgraded M3 statistics. This is also logical as many players want to plan ahead and start upgrading their ‘endgame’ equipment early on.]

 

Damage

 

With a weapon like Railgun or Shaft, you will not actually be aiming and shooting for very much of the time. This means you should be able to remain in cover, and thus when comparing these weapons, it isn't so much the DPM that's as useful, but rather the damage per shot.

 

Railgun inflicts 166 damage per shot. The shot, like Shaft, must be through direct line of sight. There is no splash or bouncing ability like Thunder or Rico.

 

Shaft, with a fully charged scope shot, can deal 260 damage points. When you think about how even a fully MUed Mammoth only has 420 hit points, this really does make Shaft look scary. It can one hit kill any tank with a double power, even if that tank has 15% Shaft protection on top.

 

Not only that, but Shaft has the versatility of being able to adjust its damage. Arcade mode, as well as the fact that the energy consumption and damage can be manipulated depending on how long you are charging the shot, gives the user, if skilled, the ability to not 'waste' damage. For example, an enemy on low health can be finished quickly and efficiently with a single arcade shot, where as a Railgun will have to wait to reload. Arcade mode itself does 50 damage points, which isn't something to sniff at.

 

Other Assets

 

Although the Railgun projectile/ray shoots and hits the target instantaneously, there is a short delay of about 1.1 seconds between pressing the spacebar and the shot being fired. This provides an additional skill to master with the Railgun, adding an element of prediction to the battle. However, not only does this waste time, but it also gives the enemy a window through which they may be able to put off your aim, or fire off key shots that might kill you.

 

The projectile itself is also a disadvantage. True, when a Shaft fires, the burst from its muzzle can give away location, but this is nothing compared to a brilliant golden beam shooting across the map. When camping, revealing location can mean the enemy lock onto you, making you more vulnerable.

 

While camping in shrubbery, it may impede your view as a Railgun user, but not with Shaft. The Shaft scope allows you to see clearly through trees and bushes, definitely an advantage to have.

 

But is Shaft's sniping ability such an advantage?

 

The Sniping Scope: Advantage or Liability?

 

While in sniping mode, although you can zoom in to pinpoint the enemy, this reduces your field of view. No longer can you see your immediate surroundings, or even your medium-range surroundings. This leaves you extremely vulnerable to enemies, especially short-range, sneaking up and getting too close for comfort.

 

Furthermore, while in scope mode, you lose the ability to move. This is one huge advantage that Railgun has over Shaft - the ability to remain mobile while shooting and stalking an enemy, and it severely reduces the aggressive ability of Shaft, especially in CTF. The turning speed of the turret itself is also very slow while in scope. If an enemy is nearby and is even slightly skilled, there is no chance you will be able to charge up a full powered shot against him.

 

Lastly, although with Railgun there is a one second delay between shooting and the actual shot being fired, with Shaft there is a charge bar when firing in sniping mode. A max power (260) Shaft shot takes 3 seconds to charge, and while the shot is charging the enemy may have moved, hidden, knocked off your aim... and your shot is wasted.

 

Maps and Modes

 

Small Maps: Shaft's sniping scope really cannot be used at short range. The slow turning speed of the turret while sniping is absolutely unsuitable for this sort of close range combat, and rarely will you be able to unleash a full power shot undisturbed.

 

Railgun may not be the best itself, but it definitely is better than Shaft.

 

Large Maps: Large maps are where these two turrets exert their dominance. And both can be used very effectively. As aforementioned, the ability of Shaft to maintain its location as well as its ability to shoot through shrubbery means that perhaps on maps such as Lost Temple, where there are many suitable camping spots, Shaft may be the better choice. Also note that although Shaft's turning speed while sniping is low, this is offset since the enemies will be further away. The relative speed of scanning across the ground is much faster.

 

On the other hand, where the map is open and where maneuverability becomes key (being stationary leaves you very vulnerable), Railgun may be the better choice.

 

Deathmatch: Both turrets have great potential for kill stealing with their high damages per shot. However, I think which is better is really map dependent. (see above)

 

On a large map where camping spots are plentiful, Shaft users can dominate. But on small/medium sized maps, where the battles are a lot more immediate and dynamic, there won't be time to move to your favourite spot, with enemies everywhere. Rail gives maneuverability, which can be essentially useful.

 

Team Deathmatch: Shaft really cannot be effective when used affront in the battle. But while staying behind the lines and providing support, especially against the heavy tanks, it can be extremely effective. Rail is not so suited for stationary play, and is more versatile - it can be used pretty effectively in aggression in midfield and upfront.

 

Capture the Flag: Both turrets play a much more supportive role, although when grabbing the flag, Railgun comes out on top due to its maneuverability. Shaft is pretty awful in the attacking respect, but its high damage can devastate attackers going for your flag.

 

Capture Points: As long range weapons, neither is well suited for actually capturing the points themselves. Both can be used effectively: Shaft users can snipe while stationary, and Railgun users can play a more hybrid role - providing supporting fire from distance while rushing to help capture points when the path is free.

 

Light Hulls: Shaft doesn't need maneuverability generally, and so doesn't suit light hulls as well as Railgun. Furthermore, light hulls are... lighter! And so, it is easier for enemies to knock off your aim while in sniping mode.

 

Light hulls complement Railgun very well.

 

Heavy Hulls: Here the opposite is true. heavy hulls do not generally play to Railgun's strengths, while they do with Shaft's.

 

Note: We cannot also forget to mention XP, which is a major game 'mode' in Tanki. Of course, if you want to enjoy this gameplay, you need Railgun!

 

The Verdict

 

While both are very effective long-range turrets, they are in fact quite different in the way they work and in the roles they should be played in. Of course, there are many situations, especially camping, when Shaft is just the best there is. But ultimately, if you are struggling to decide, for once I would advise Railgun, which offers a much more diverse and varied gameplay, as well as giving you access to XP and cybersport battles.

 

Thanks for reading! Feel free to give any feedback, or ask for clarification on anything I've said below!

[heyhey829 1]

I've made a mistake

Sorry.（）