Guide [Issue 54] The Mid Ranker's Handbook: Gameplay

[Barbie_Thug 65]

Disappointing. All the tips for the rank limit i'm in are old for me. I was expecting more of this handbook :(

[The.End_Of.Love 0]

''although product kits are decidedly less overpowered nowadays''

 

Are you serious? .. I hope that's a joke.. M2s at Warrant Officer 5 is less overpowered?? If that's true.. jeez.. the kits ''back then'' must have been absolutely monstrous. 

 

This is my first time reading one of the TO Newspapers, and I'm impressed. Good job!! 

 

What I've Learned: 

Don't be afraid of DMs and TDMs. In my favor, I'm only scared of them because of mad druggers (DMs/TDMs) and the fact that one of the teams can change the tide of battle so quickly (TDMs). I've learned to think more strategically and more team-centered rather than being a noob and rushing into the heat of battle (quite literally, considering the unbearable amount of Firbirds). And I'm reaally looking forward to the new section about crystal conserving. I really don't want to get caught up MU'ing when my concern should be about upgrading to M2s.

 

 How would I describe mid-ranked gameplay:

I would describe it as frustrating. And slow-paced. Filled with noobs in every other battle. Assuring that one team will be dominating, and the other would be left with no chance. Leading the team to give up and leave. Creating an extremely boring battle or one that isn't worth anything except the battle fund. 

 

How did you approach the gameplay of the mid-ranks to try to be a successful player:

I feel that being a player that just entered the mid-ranks, I don't have the knowledge to answer this question. But nonetheless. I mostly only play CTF or CP rarely DMs and never TDMs, so I think that the team is as good as the outcome of the battle. So the approach I take is to ensure that my teammates don't do anything that would affect the rest of the team negatively. Such as trolling. Or pushing a Railgun in the middle of their shot *cough cough*. 

 

Sum up the main advice for mid-ranked players in one sentence:

Don't be a noob. ~T.E_O.L

Just kidding. :) But don't..

 

Well done to the people that wrote this. Wonderful work. And I've only read this section so far! Can't wait to finish up the paper. :)

[timothy13 104]

bravo bravo. well done. 

 

But let me get this straight, if u drug a lot, you will be a pro or a noob. cause i got to admit, i am a light drugger

[BatmanX9 45]

Nah, and its not showing off. Idk and Idc why you thought that. -. I ain't showing off because its nothing to be greedy on it, everybody can make OP alt like mine or even more.

Meh. -_- Okay, if you say so.

[asdeninlaid2 13]

shafts are so annoying at my rank ._. one shots everything

i like to call people who use shaft "one shot sissies" because the only reason i can think of that they are using such an OP weapon is because they need to one shot everything because they don't know how to play the game

[404nonamefound 4]

I have learnt a lot from this article, and it will certainly help me in the game. One of them was the ranks which m2 appear, before this article, I was concerned about not having the equipment to challenge higher ranks, now I know I have lots of time to save up and I can stop stressing about crystals and just enjoy the game. I also learned a lot about XP/BP battles, I have little knowledge to what they were and did not have much interest in this battle format. After reading the article, I am hoping to try out this battle format as it seems fun and quite fair to all players. The importance of when to use supplies was also very important. I used to drug when getting a flag or trying to win a point and I was often outnumbered. This leads into another thing I have learned, The importance of communication on the battlefield. In my ranks, there is little to no communication between players. Most of us know our roles in battle, but there are few coordinated attacks. Overall, this article has helped me in many different ways and I am sure that what I have learnt will transpire into the battlefield as well.

 

How would I describe mid-rank gameplay?

Variety. There are battles ranging from Majors and Captains to Sergeants. You can challenge yourself against high rank players with M2 or take it easy and play against people who just are entering the world of Mid-ranks. It is also very fun to interact with people all over the world who are trying to work their way up. 

 

How to you approach the mid-ranks and try to be a successful player?

I stick with 1 or 2 different combos that I used before and I know what to expect. A battle isn't the time to test out equipment. I also know my style of play (Defender/Healer) in a team battle and my the role to the best of my abilities to help the team. It is also very important to know your limitations on the battlefield. As a isida, I would rarely attack by myself or chase down railguns with my viking, as I know a would stand a small chance. Crystal Management is also very important. Once you know your desired combo, save up for the M2 version of it. Don't go buying every M1 you can afford, you will be broke later and won't have enough crystals to buy M2 equipment. 

 

It also doesn't hurt to take a bit of a break once in a while, everyone has off-days. You can always join a lower rank battle or play on a alt. 

 

Sum up the advice for mid-rankers in one sentence.

Find a combo that you feel suits your style of play and use it to your advantage.

Edited July 3, 2016 by 404nonamefound

[jwimmer2 21]

How would you describe Mid-Ranked Gameplay?

            The main difference-maker is equipment. Teams that have 1 or more people with kits will always dominate teams with no kits, because there is a drastic difference between non-kit using m1s and some very strong m2s that come in kits (think firewall and boar). Due to this, gameplay is exciting if you have a kit, and frustrating if you do not. For me, I love playing on this alt, because I can dominate battles, unlike on my main where it is hard to not find druggers using m4 equipment. For example, I have boar. You can read my review of it for more descriptions, but it is incredibly strong. Because of it, I can earn crystals and exp very quickly. However, if I was still using my m1 combo (twins hornet), I would be closer to the middle of the pack. In my mind, the results of the battle can almost always tell how the battle went for each person. Having a kit can go as far as doubling your score, so gameplay is awesome as long as you are properly equipped.

 

How did you approach the gameplay of the mid-ranks to try and be a successful player?

            Just enjoy it, especially if you have a kit. For people like me that do not buy excessive amounts of crystals, these ranks are the highest ranks where I can have buy a kit and be the strongest person in a battle. There is no need to rush through these ranks trying to get m3 equipment, so just take your time and enjoy reking (gold)nugs. Oh, and speaking of golds- if you can get your hands on Dictator/the boar kit, golds are very easy to grab. Golds can be a very reliable method of earning crystals, especially if you can catch a few every day. Success is in the eye of the beholder (wow, totally butchered that phrase), so if you are having fun, you are successful. I mean this is a game after all. As long as you are enjoying playing you are being successful, and trust me, gameplay is more enjoyable at mid-ranks than high ranks. If you are rushing through these ranks, you are doing it wrong. I made that mistake on my main acc.

 

And finally, sum up your main advice for mid-ranked players in one sentence!

            Budget your crystals- you will be very strong as long as you can buy a kit.

 

Also a side note, any attempt of communication with your team is worthless. It is best to just play your best, because your team will almost always be half complete nugs that dont know about the z and x buttons.

Edited July 3, 2016 by jwimmer2

[404nonamefound 4]

shafts are so annoying at my rank ._. one shots everything

i like to call people who use shaft "one shot sissies" because the only reason i can think of that they are using such an OP weapon is because they need to one shot everything because they don't know how to play the game

Shafts are a very important part of a team battle. They can be used to guard a path where a enemy might sneak though or clear a path for a flag taker. They can even help a teammate in danger from far away. The Shaft is also an increadably hard weapon to master. You have to aim fast enough that your target doesn't see you and that other snipers can't see you either. Not to mention people bumping into you when you are trying to hit someone.

[marc.jp_44 20,837]

Brilliant Article! Longest Article ever published?

[Zenyth 6,494]

Disappointing. All the tips for the rank limit i'm in are old for me. I was expecting more of this handbook :(

You could always read the tips for the ranks higher than you. :) I hope you find the tips in upcoming parts of the handbook and the newspaper itself useful. 

 

Are you serious? .. I hope that's a joke.. M2s at Warrant Officer 5 is less overpowered?? If that's true.. jeez.. the kits ''back then'' must have been absolutely monstrous. 

 

Considering that you got 2-3 paints along with the kit at that time and additionally, since the smart cooldowns system wasn't existing, the old product kits would have been much more overwhelming than the current ones.

[GoldRock 6,165]

Disappointing. All the tips for the rank limit i'm in are old for me. I was expecting more of this handbook :(

The sections are dedicated to the average player at each rank, to provide all the tips one should keep in mind by the end of each stage.

 

If you already know the stuff for your rank, it's likely you're above the average - in which case, try checking out the sections for rank ranges ahead of you...

[gavx_PRO 321]

How would you describe mid-rank gameplay?

 

I personally think, in this stage, its the time to choose what combo you prefer, and come up with new strategies for that combo, you need to find your type of style of gameplay. This is essential to becoming a good tanker! If you still haven't found out what your playing style is, when you get out side of the mid ranks, you will not be able to gain enough skill in the combo, or style of gameplay you like, instead of improving, you will still be looking for strategies and combo's you like...

 

How did you approach the gameplay of the mid-ranks to try to be a successful?

 

I tried a lot to get experience from higher ranks, this really helped me out, don't be afraid to ask someone of a higher rank on the chat for advice, most of the time they are very willing to give advice! :D

 

I saved my crystals, i know it can be hard, but i have been doing it for a while now, the first M1 i got was ricochet, it took a lot of will power but i did it, then i saved for M1 hornet, same thing, it took some will power! :P One day i joined a clan, and my leader, @F1ASC0 asked me to get M1 rail, i had been saving my cry for a lot of things, and when i was saving for that M1 rail, it was so easy, you get used to it, later in the future i bought a kit too!

 

Don't be afraid to try new things, if you have one type of playing style, and someone else recommends different one, don't take it down, try it! When @F1ASC0 asked me to get rail, i thought i was just going to end of buying it, and waisting my crystals... but then i bought it, and now i love xp/bp! :D

 

One more thing! :P Save you supplies!!! Some of you people waist your drugs like crazy! Thats not good, only use your supplies for GB's, missions, and rank ups only!

 

And finally, sum up your main advice for mid-ranked players in one sentence.

 

Save your crystals for big items, save your supplies, ask for advice, try new things, and have fun!

[vansh10 34]

How would you describe mid-ranked gameplay?

The mid ranks is when you decide whether you are going to stick to the game or not, it is a cross road in my opinion. The gameplay at this stage is very random, you might see a complete newbie learning to turn his turret and hull together. On the other hand you might see that a professional is playing on his alternate account and winning the battles. You as a player have to battle through this terrain and emerge a victor, it might be tough but nonetheless it is important. This is the stage where you train yourself for future ranks.
Same as a emerging butterfly from a cocoon has to learn to hold the weight of its wings, else it dies.

How did you approach the gameplay of the mid-ranks to try and be a successful player?

I was always confused and bought lots of m1 weapons, I later realized that this was a waste of crystals. After that I carefully spent every crystal and saving each drug for special days. I would save the premium accounts mission whenever i got one and used that one when I had ample of time free, also in high battle funds I used drugs that i had been saving so as to maximize my earning potential.
Also keep an eye for sales, big sales like 50% on Tanki birthday should be noted and crystals should be saved for these sales, i bought railgun m2, hornet m2 and sandstone paint on this years birthday sale, thus i had a complete set of m2 level items and all for just 124,000 crystals. Now i am saving for firebird m2 as it is necessary for every player to have 1 short range weapon and 1 mid long range weapon so that there is a bit variation in gameplay from time to time. Lastly isida should always be bought as it can get you ample of points from healing others, it is extremely cheap too.

And finally, sum up your main advice for mid-ranked players in one sentence!

Save crystals-Wait for sales-Have 2 types of turret no more-Save premium accounts-Save Drugs-Learn new ways to handle tanks and occasionally go to higher rank battles and learn their game style too.

Edited July 24, 2016 by vansh10

[Jwimmer 2,835]

Save crystals-Wait for sales-Have 2 types of turrent no more-Save premium accounts-Save Drugs-Learn new ways to handle tanks and occasionaly go to higher rank battles and learn their gamestyle too.

That was more than your normal run-on. Maybe a marathon-on?

[Altarferrum2 0]

ooo cool

[randomperson123456 17]

Great article! Thanks for sharing the advice :D

 

DISCLAIMER: I more or less played through my mid ranks with Hornet Rail M1 (and later on, M2) in Monte Carlo, more specifically as midfielder/support. As such, my advice will be centered around that particular map's playing style, although some tips can apply to battles with an abundance of railgun and (perhaps) shaft players.

How would you describe mid-ranked gameplay?

 

Exciting, and dangerous! I fell in love with the Monte Carlo map almost immediately- the abundance of clear shots with my railgun excited me greatly, and it gave me joy to see the playing field evened between me and the druggers of the time. At the beginning, the fast-paced action of other railgunners dazzled me to no end (and costed me dearly), and it wasn't until I developed my own tactics that I began pulling better scores in the battles I participate in. Specializing in Monte Carlo had its advantages and disadvantages though- I naturally felt at home whenever I play on Monte Carlo, but felt somewhat frustrated playing in other battles. Sure, the railgunning skills transfer over nicely, but kill-stealing and midrange tankers spelt doom for XP users (Looking at you, Polygon DM). Nonetheless, I love my combo and would love to play until I reach M3, and then some more ;)

 

 

How did you approach the gameplay of the mid-ranks to try and be a successful player?

The advice below is long, so please bear with me. I hope you may find it helpful.

At the very beginning (WO3 and a bit before that), I learned how to "charge up" and aim at enemies behind cover, but was still shaky in my abilities. At that time, I would sometimes create an empty Monte Carlo CTF map, where I would dedicate roughly 2-5 minutes just firing at the enemy flag over and over again behind cover. The distance between the two sides here made tanks very hard to hit without prior training, and so I prioritized hitting the enemy over staying behind cover. This would mean that, of the 1.1s for railgun charge-up, I would spend about 0.2s behind cover, and come to a stop outside cover before shooting. (Roughly estimating here.) Better to hit an enemy and possibly take damage than to sit around and never hit anything!

 

Somewhere in my time here, I learned to hug the rock.

The rock gives life to the XPer and grants it infinite survivability behind its study frame. O great rock from the tanki gods, praise be you and your unbreakableness!

[end praise, resume discussion]

 

Maybe around the WO5 range, though, I started contributing more to the team. My hits happen more often now, and I could aim reasonably well. I have a mental record for how long it has been since my opponent has fired, and if he is dangerous then I would attempt to charge up to hit his tank before he even leaves cover (and hope to catch him). Although it happened in abundance in the early stages, people have learned by now that jumping off on a Monte Carlo ramp with a defender on the other side is usually a no-no. The enemies are also tougher now, and most carry M1 equipment to battle. The important thing I learned here is, perhaps, to "bait" for the enemy's railgun shot. I would move side-to-side behind cover while I am charging, and if I am lucky with the baiting then I would be rewarded with a beam of harmless energy passing my my tank. Of course, I still get hit once in a while, but that's how we learn and get better, no?

 

Third Lieutenant was a major jump for me again. I started seeing red-star ranks in battle. Things became even more fast-paced, and M2s also started coming along. I felt like I was at a major disadvantage with the M1 equipment now, so I saved up to buy the Tornado kit later on. I had to accept that players are more experienced now and sometimes my baiting tactic will be foiled by an enemy I didn't see earlier on. To help with this, I would now modify baiting by only leaving a tiny bit of my tank out, and retracting it the moment I see blue or purple appearing from cover. When I'm not baiting, I would ALWAYS move my tank from side-to-side. The bits of my tank that appear from one side to the other will keep the opponents guessing on where I would be next, and by the time they find out it *should* be too late for them. An important tactic learned here would be to think like your opponent! What would he target? Is there an enemy attacker that always go over the ramp when he respawns? You have to anticipate well to survive in Monte Carlo, as every decision you make can mean the difference between winning and losing.

 

Oh, and here's a little extra tidbit: Shaft dodging and a bit more!

• CHARGE UP BEFORE LEAVING COVER. This is the golden rule for it. If you don't press space early enough, your tank will meet the angry end of the lazer beam.
• Move from one side of the cover to the other side. This is very important during normal parts of the battle, and even more so when under shaft pressure. If you did it right, the shaft beam will now move from one side (of the rock) to the other, stay on one side perfectly, or stay in the center of the rock. When you see the shaft reacting (or not reacting), make your move. You have roughly 0.1-0.4 seconds as your window of opportunity/attack. Strike him, anywhere is fine but turret is best, and he will fire off blindly. Rinse, repeat.
• IF MAP HAS 2 OR MORE SHAFTS TRAINED ON YOU: you're screwed. :ph34r:  Just kidding. You'll die once or more perhaps, but try to target the shaft with lower health. Move about lots, and make sure to stay out of their beam. After you respawn, try to go for the left side rock on your base, or on that area opposite to your base's ramp. (see below image) These two locations are slightly better for your survival against shaft. The left rock hides you from the shaft at enemy base, which is the most likely one to be a heavy and have an isida healing it. The other route exposes you to mid and close range tankers, sure, but it stops the shafts from targeting you, and can also allow you a plan of counterattack on their base snipers. The right rock just sucks because a shaft can target you directly from the enemy base.
• 
• Remember: a shaft trained on you is one less shaft trained on your team. Have too many loose beams around, and soon a lot of players will leave your team. Target snipers as much as you can, as too many of them will eventually lock down your base.
• Here's a sample of prioritizing for me (as reference): enemy flag-bearer > drugging tanker in base > enemy isida > enemy appearing from down below > ramp charger > shaft > normal railgunner = light hulls (easy frags)

Phew! That was quite a mouthful.

Okay, next I came about to Second Lieutenant. I bought the Tornado kit at this stage! M2 Hornet and M2 railgun pair together like a dream. Great speed, great drift, great power, I just loved it! Ranking up still was hard though, but I enjoyed railgunning so much more after getting this kit. As a plus, spark looks great. Anyways, back to the advice/journey! Somewhere along the lines, I learned to dodge by drawing an arc around my rock. (see pic below)

 

 

So what does this mean? As long as the opponent is not on top of the ramp, I will always be behind cover while he is exposed. This creates a major advantage for me, as I can bait endlessly and never get hit (theoretically, and only by that one person- mind you, there's plenty of railgunners elsewhere on the field!). I start seeing people target me more often, which is nice because it shows that I'm doing my job right  :D  Aside from that, I have also picked up firing up when I'm on the move (shots are reloadable, not so much for health), shooting in the mid-field platform (great for enemy field awareness, as you're targeted by everyone but can also shoot at everyone. Done right, and you alone can wipe out and spawn-kill enemies at their doorstep), and filling niche roles when they're missing (support for flag capture, counterattacking area opposite our base ramp, midfield, etc). A tactic I have picked up is to calculate roughly the time needed to move from one place to another, and use that effectively to maneuver between positions when the enemy is reloading. I'll need some examples for that, I suppose. If I follow up on this, I'll add it in for you guys :)

 

And now here I am! I look forward to what the future rank-ups can teach me on.

 

And finally, sum up your main advice for mid-ranked players in one sentence!

 

For all those Monte Carlo lovers out there: embrace that rock, and never let it go!

 

 

Random out.

 

EDIT 2.0: I have made a video for my guide! It is a bit rough without the fancy animations and whatnot (I've never liked those things much anyways), but I think it got to some things I wanted to say but couldn't/didn't. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words, am I right?

Enjoy! I spent way too much time editing for this video than I should have... :D

 

EDIT 3.0: I forgot to edit sound in my video- so just turn off the audio to enjoy a video without sounds of excessive tapping and such.

EDIT 4.0: Sound is in! Chose two random tracks.

Edited July 26, 2016 by randomperson123456

[emrakul 7,801]

Even tho I passed this rank long time ago, it was a real fight. And believe me, times were even worse than now. Meeting M2 medium kits everywhere made my railgun useless, and with a bit of supplies (or a bit more... ALL of them) I had no chance to win. The thing I was missing and probably I'm also now, are teammates - friends. A screen should be enough:

Don't hate my graphics, please :X

We weren't even using supplies, and weren't playing seriously. If we played 100% from start, everyone would run.

How? We were playing as a team - helping each other if it was about isida healing, controling drop spots or helping on gold. (we failed badly that time :lol:)

Gold boxes - earning extra crystals,.Win battles easily practicing teamwork and maybe even some takeovers.

Not much to say, I'm far past those "Beginner tips and guides", now at the stage of "Get into your enemies brain, predict their moves and remember eveyone's health". It's time, when battle turnes into psychology :lol:

A little tip, which can help you in CTF battles (also good for CP) is to start playing RIGHT after battles starts and remember sequence of supply box drops - and try to take atleast 2 or 3 of them. (Taking multiply boxes of same type isn't a problem - however only in case, no teammate is around) Then run for flag. Without using your garage supplies you can surprise enemies and earn a lot of xp and a flag cap just in the 1st initial minute! Later it becomes harder to collect full supplies, you often find just 1 - if any - box, that's why first minute can be a key to win.

PS: Spelling and grammar mistakes reserved :ph34r:

[III_Dope_III 319]

Even tho I passed this rank long time ago, it was a real fight. And believe me, times were even worse than now. Meeting M2 medium kits everywhere made my railgun useless, and with a bit of supplies (or a bit more... ALL of them) I had no chance to win. The thing I was missing and probably I'm also now, are teammates - friends. A screen should be enough:

Don't hate my graphics, please :X

We weren't even using supplies, and weren't playing seriously. If we played 100% from start, everyone would run.

How? We were playing as a team - helping each other if it was about isida healing, controling drop spots or helping on gold. (we failed badly that time :lol:)

Gold boxes - earning extra crystals,.Win battles easily practicing teamwork and maybe even some takeovers.

Not much to say, I'm far past those "Beginner tips and guides", now at the stage of "Get into your enemies brain, predict their moves and remember eveyone's health". It's time, when battle turnes into psychology :lol:

A little tip, which can help you in CTF battles (also good for CP) is to start playing RIGHT after battles starts and remember sequence of supply box drops - and try to take atleast 2 or 3 of them. (Taking multiply boxes of same type isn't a problem - however only in case, no teammate is around) Then run for flag. Without using your garage supplies you can surprise enemies and earn a lot of xp and a flag cap just in the 1st initial minute! Later it becomes harder to collect full supplies, you often find just 1 - if any - box, that's why first minute can be a key to win.

 

PS: Spelling and grammar mistakes reserved :ph34r:

Yeah that was a really good battle.

If you look at the other team, some of them were like a good 4-5 ranks above us, still we rekt them.

I was one of the main isidas :wub:  and the gold boxes fails though, we missed like 3 golds and one of them i was going to take and my own teamate pushed meh. But dont get mad about that and start multing :lol: like some of us did, (player)

Edited July 6, 2016 by III_Dope_III

[r_beef-stew0 104]

Great article! Thanks for sharing the advice :D

 

DISCLAIMER: I more or less played through my mid ranks with Hornet Rail M1 (and later on, M2) in Monte Carlo, more specifically as midfielder/support. As such, my advice will be centered around that particular map's playing style, although some tips can apply to battles with an abundance of railgun and (perhaps) shaft players.

 

How would you describe mid-ranked gameplay?

 

Exciting, and dangerous! I fell in love with the Monte Carlo map almost immediately- the abundance of clear shots with my railgun excited me greatly, and it gave me joy to see the playing field evened between me and the druggers of the time. At the beginning, the fast-paced action of other railgunners dazzled me to no end (and costed me dearly), and it wasn't until I developed my own tactics that I began pulling better scores in the battles I participate in. Specializing in Monte Carlo had its advantages and disadvantages though- I naturally felt at home whenever I play on Monte Carlo, but felt somewhat frustrated playing in other battles. Sure, the railgunning skills transfer over nicely, but kill-stealing and midrange tankers spelt doom for XP users (Looking at you, Polygon DM). Nonetheless, I love my combo and would love to play until I reach M3, and then some more ;)

 

 

How did you approach the gameplay of the mid-ranks to try and be a successful player?

The advice below is long, so please bear with me. I hope you may find it helpful.

At the very beginning (WO3 and a bit before that), I learned how to "charge up" and aim at enemies behind cover, but was still shaky in my abilities. At that time, I would sometimes create an empty Monte Carlo CTF map, where I would dedicate roughly 2-5 minutes just firing at the enemy flag over and over again behind cover. The distance between the two sides here made tanks very hard to hit without prior training, and so I prioritized hitting the enemy over staying behind cover. This would mean that, of the 1.1s for railgun charge-up, I would spend about 0.2s behind cover, and come to a stop outside cover before shooting. (Roughly estimating here.) Better to hit an enemy and possibly take damage than to sit around and never hit anything!

 

Somewhere in my time here, I learned to hug the rock.

The rock gives life to the XPer and grants it infinite survivability behind its study frame. O great rock from the tanki gods, praise be you and your unbreakableness!

[end praise, resume discussion]

 

Maybe around the WO5 range, though, I started contributing more to the team. My hits happen more often now, and I could aim reasonably well. I have a mental record for how long it has been since my opponent has fired, and if he is dangerous then I would attempt to charge up to hit his tank before he even leaves cover (and hope to catch him). Although it happened in abundance in the early stages, people have learned by now that jumping off on a Monte Carlo ramp with a defender on the other side is usually a no-no. The enemies are also tougher now, and most carry M1 equipment to battle. The important thing I learned here is, perhaps, to "bait" for the enemy's railgun shot. I would move side-to-side behind cover while I am charging, and if I am lucky with the baiting then I would be rewarded with a beam of harmless energy passing my my tank. Of course, I still get hit once in a while, but that's how we learn and get better, no?

 

Third Lieutenant was a major jump for me again. I started seeing red-star ranks in battle. Things became even more fast-paced, and M2s also started coming along. I felt like I was at a major disadvantage with the M1 equipment now, so I saved up to buy the Tornado kit later on. I had to accept that players are more experienced now and sometimes my baiting tactic will be foiled by an enemy I didn't see earlier on. To help with this, I would now modify baiting by only leaving a tiny bit of my tank out, and retracting it the moment I see blue or purple appearing from cover. When I'm not baiting, I would ALWAYS move my tank from side-to-side. The bits of my tank that appear from one side to the other will keep the opponents guessing on where I would be next, and by the time they find out it *should* be too late for them. An important tactic learned here would be to think like your opponent! What would he target? Is there an enemy attacker that always go over the ramp when he respawns? You have to anticipate well to survive in Monte Carlo, as every decision you make can mean the difference between winning and losing.

 

Oh, and here's a little extra tidbit: Shaft dodging and a bit more!

• CHARGE UP BEFORE LEAVING COVER. This is the golden rule for it. If you don't press space early enough, your tank will meet the angry end of the lazer beam.
• Move from one side of the cover to the other side. This is very important during normal parts of the battle, and even more so when under shaft pressure. If you did it right, the shaft beam will now move from one side (of the rock) to the other, stay on one side perfectly, or stay in the center of the rock. When you see the shaft reacting (or not reacting), make your move. You have roughly 0.1-0.4 seconds as your window of opportunity/attack. Strike him, anywhere is fine but turret is best, and he will fire off blindly. Rinse, repeat.
• IF MAP HAS 2 OR MORE SHAFTS TRAINED ON YOU: you're screwed. :ph34r:  Just kidding. You'll die once or more perhaps, but try to target the shaft with lower health. Move about lots, and make sure to stay out of their beam. After you respawn, try to go for the left side rock on your base, or on that area opposite to your base's ramp. (see below image) These two locations are slightly better for your survival against shaft. The left rock hides you from the shaft at enemy base, which is the most likely one to be a heavy and have an isida healing it. The other route exposes you to mid and close range tankers, sure, but it stops the shafts from targeting you, and can also allow you a plan of counterattack on their base snipers. The right rock just sucks because a shaft can target you directly from the enemy base.
• 
• Remember: a shaft trained on you is one less shaft trained on your team. Have too many loose beams around, and soon a lot of players will leave your team. Target snipers as much as you can, as too many of them will eventually lock down your base.
• Here's a sample of prioritizing for me (as reference): enemy flag-bearer > drugging tanker in base > enemy isida > enemy appearing from down below > ramp charger > shaft > normal railgunner = light hulls (easy frags)

Phew! That was quite a mouthful.

Okay, next I came about to Second Lieutenant. I bought the Tornado kit at this stage! M2 Hornet and M2 railgun pair together like a dream. Great speed, great drift, great power, I just loved it! Ranking up still was hard though, but I enjoyed railgunning so much more after getting this kit. As a plus, spark looks great. Anyways, back to the advice/journey! Somewhere along the lines, I learned to dodge by drawing an arc around my rock. (see pic below)

 

 

So what does this mean? As long as the opponent is not on top of the ramp, I will always be behind cover while he is exposed. This creates a major advantage for me, as I can bait endlessly and never get hit (theoretically, and only by that one person- mind you, there's plenty of railgunners elsewhere on the field!). I start seeing people target me more often, which is nice because it shows that I'm doing my job right  :D  Aside from that, I have also picked up firing up when I'm on the move (shots are reloadable, not so much for health), shooting in the mid-field platform (great for enemy field awareness, as you're targeted by everyone but can also shoot at everyone. Done right, and you alone can wipe out and spawn-kill enemies at their doorstep), and filling niche roles when they're missing (support for flag capture, counterattacking area opposite our base ramp, midfield, etc). A tactic I have picked up is to calculate roughly the time needed to move from one place to another, and use that effectively to maneuver between positions when the enemy is reloading. I'll need some examples for that, I suppose. If I follow up on this, I'll add it in for you guys :)

 

And now here I am! I look forward to what the future rank-ups can teach me on.

 

And finally, sum up your main advice for mid-ranked players in one sentence!

 

For all those Monte Carlo lovers out there: embrace that rock, and never let it go!

 

 

Random out.

#winner

[Vats_cr7 5]

Amazing tips! ive learnt alot from this...u told everything about all ranks n how to deal with them,Thanx alot bro...WELL DONE!

[decdecdecdecdec 0]

Before reading this article, I was about to give up Tanki.  I just coudn't manage to compete with other players at my rank.  But now I am a capable tanker.  The part about finding different routs to the flag was especially helpful, along with the adivice on how to do well on TDM. 

Thanks, decdecdecdecdec.

 

p.s. I can't wait till the next article comes out!

[randomperson123456 17]

#winner

heheh thanks bud :D appreciate the support!

[THE.LAST.AVENGER 585]

Nah, and its not showing off. Idk and Idc why you thought that. -. I ain't showing off because its nothing to be greedy on it, everybody can make OP alt like mine or even more.

wanna see my smoky m1 15 mu :lol: :lol:

[ZivOfficial 290]

From Major - Lieutenant General Ranks:

Play Polygon CP XP/BP. Only XP/BP. that's give You So Many Crystals (Yesterday I Got 3.4k With 200 Points), So much XP, and Fun!

that Was My tip. Hope You use it :)

 

Note: to Play this You Need PRO Pass.... 

[obey1_GT 0]

Mid ranks can be frustrating as some players have better equipment, however persevere and spend your crystals wisely and you will improve.

Communicate during battle to effectively organise your team, dont go for flag all alone!

Try to find your role and choose your equipment accordingly, do you protect home base with a heavy hull? go for flag with a light hull? or a little of both with a medium hull? Also the type of map should dictate your choice of turret.