Guide [Special] Decoding Striker

[Zenyth 6,494]

Decoding Striker

 

Ever since the 111th episode gave the first inkling about the prototypes of two upcoming turrets, Artillery and Rocket Launcher, we've all been wondering how they'll turn out to be. The recently released gameplay videos and trials on the test server further aroused excited discussions, and now, with the turret officially added to the garage, we've been able to test it, and develop a clear apprehension. Here we go then, some early impressions of the Striker turret!

 

 

The Mechanism

The Striker turret could be classed as a Twins-type turret, both design-wise and mechanism-wise. It has four rocket tubes total, divided into two-tube units on each side of the turret. The shorter central component has a raised rear which houses the point from which the laser shows. Striker M1 has metallic tubed mouths, while Striker M2 has additional metallic parts and visible seams. Striker M3 looks the coolest, without a doubt, getting additional grooves and metallic segments.

 

 

Only one tube can fire a rocket at a time after tapping space. The arcade mode allows you to shoot one rocket projectile at a time from either of the two sides of the turret. However, the projectiles get fired alternately from each side. Noting the side which you shot from the previous time is useful, and you may need to adjust your movement to avoid creating the wrong angle or shooting a prop instead. Beware, turning your hull while taking cover can be nasty if you are shooting at the same time, the splash damage is substantial. Aiming the arcade shots is fairly difficult at medium-high distances, and also when dealing with enemies in close proximity, especially short-ranged users circling your hull.

On the other hand, the scope mode makes you more conspicuous because of the laser beam. The advantage is worth the gamble -- four homing missiles get shot from the rocket tubes in quick succession once you 'lock on' your aim on the target for a specific amount of time, indicated by a circular gauge that fills up as you keep the space bar pressed. The missiles are excellent at medium ranges, but can cause yourself harm at very short ranges because of obvious reasons. They are also guided missiles, which means you will have the upper hand if the enemies attempts a swift exit or tries to dodge. The best way when facing these would be to get directly behind a prop, or simply dash sideways with lighter hulls.

 

 

The trickiest part is aiming in scope mode. As soon as you hold down the space bar for a bit, the laser beam (similar to that of Shaft) shows and once you aim at an opponent, the target turns red. The green 'energy gauge' starts filling up immediately, taking anywhere between ~3.5 to 3 seconds depending on the Striker's modification. Once that happens, the salvo is fired. It's to be noted that an incomplete salvo is fired if your tank dies after firing one, two or three missiles. The good thing is that it doesn't have to reload the salvo from square one if the missiles didn't fire, unlike Shaft. Another difference is that Striker can move even when in scope mode. Holding down the space bar while moving and turning the turret simultaneously can get awkward, but it helps in touch-and-go situations where you must catch up with an enemy trying to outfox you when you're locking on.

 

 

The opponent that is being targeted needs to be 'locked-on' continuously until the the energy gauge fills up. This presents all kinds of difficulties. If another enemy tank, teammate, or even a dead tank comes directly across the laser and you are unable to adjust the laser using Z&X, the energy gauge resets after 0.7 seconds. This means you will need to rely on arcade shots or manage a retreat while pointing and locking on the target yet again. Furthermore, you'll have to take care that your aim doesn't get thrown off by the impact force from enemy fire. Anticipating how your turret will turn due to torque or get pushed will work wonders and keep you in the fight.

TKP's notes:

• You have a small grace period after breaking lock-on with your target to reengage the lock without losing your progress. It's very short, approximately 0.7 seconds, but invaluable nonetheless.
• Remember that the rocket tubes alternate when using arcade mode, and remember that all of them are going to be firing when launching a salvo. This can affect where to aim, how to lead your shots, and how far you need to pop out of cover. Don't leave any of the barrels covered when a salvo is launched, unless you like self destructing or taking heavy damage.

The Prices and Stats

Cash crunch? Except M2, Striker is on the lower side as far as price is concerned. Striker M0 costs 450 crystals, while M1, M2 and M3 cost 24,300, 117,100 and 217,150 crystals. Micro-upgrade costs of Striker at each modification can be found here.

 

Prices aside, let's take a look at the various statistics.

Arcade damage - The damage dealt in one arcade shot. The range of min. and max. arcade damage increases as you go up the modifications ladder. Two arcade shots along with whatever splash damage generally finish off light hulls easily at peak range. For medium hulls, you'll need four or five most of the times, and three in special cases where the medium hull is weaker at a particular modification. For a Titan or Mammoth, you'll need up to six shots, but you will rarely kill these with arcade mode only.

Salvo damage - The damage dealt by the four rockets fired in the salvo. The range of min. and max. damage increases here too, making for a wider distribution of damage over varied distances. A full salvo will instantly kill light hulls without double armour on, and almost slaughter medium hulls too, in most cases. However, it's important that all the missiles actually make it to the target. Although the homing effect aids that, dodging is highly possible, and a few of the rockets often hit a prop in their trajectory if you are shooting the salvo while simultaneously moving. Additionally, the 0.25sec time between missiles makes timing and positioning very crucial.

TKP's note: In my experience, a full Striker salvo can and will destroy an unprotected medium hull. Light hulls can survive if a Double Armor or significant protection is equipped, but just barely.

Impact force - Impact force increases with the modification as expected. The impact force is larger than that of a Twins or Ricochet projectile, but somewhat lesser than Smoky and Thunder's impact force. The impact force of a salvo is pretty high, and you may end up inadvertently flipping teammates.

Recoil - The recoil is quite low for a single missile. When the hull is flipped sideways, it can put a Wasp back on its tracks but doesn't do so easily for a Viking.

Reload times - The reload time is exactly the same for both a single shot and a salvo. It decreases from about two and half seconds at M0 to 2 seconds at M4. The identical reload times remove the worry of when to switch to scope mode and when not to.

Aiming time - Aiming time is exactly a second longer than the reload time at a particular modification. It stands for the amount of time it takes the energy gauge to completely fill up, and hence allow an entire salvo to be fired.

Range - The Striker turret's range shouldn't be misunderstood. It does not have infinite range, and the way I see it, it has maximum effectiveness at medium to medium-high distances, similar to turrets like Ricochet or Smoky. The range increases from M0 to M4.

Maximum projectile velocity - Striker's missiles gain velocity as they move forward, until they attain the maximum projectile velocity. This means that the projectiles get accelerated throughout their trajectory until a limit. Also to be noted is that the projectiles have a constant angular speed which allows the missiles/rockets to 'follow' the locked-on enemy to a certain extent.

Auto-aim assistance - Striker's auto-aim adjustment is a dismal 9 degrees upwards and 12 degrees downwards. It makes rocking-the-hull an important tactic and vantage points looking over surrounding areas integral to a good killing spree.

With Different Hulls

Wasp:

Not the best choice. Although rocking a Wasp back and forth is an easy job, it can rarely lock-on to a target to fire a salvo easily. Impact force of any kind hits Wasp hard, and the low weight just makes the going even tougher. Besides, you could get killed often if you try to charge up a salvo without being in ample cover. You could perhaps use it as a raider combination though. Lightning fast and high damage output also makes it a good distraction.

TKP's take: This is a bit like Wasp-Shaft or Wasp-Vulcan, but even more unwieldy. While it would be fairly easy for a Wasp to keep a target in its line of sight, actually doing so without being deflected five ways 'til Sunday is very challenging. It might be useful for kiting Firebirds/Freezes/Isidas, or for obliterating unaware Shafts, that's about the limit of its abilities. It lacks the health and stability for reliably obtaining locks, which removes a key strength of the weapon. If you rely solely on the arcade shots, you could use it as a hit and run weapon, but doing so at close range would be suicide.

In any case, it would probably be pretty fun. Hazel-Rah believes that Striker might actually be more challenging to use than Railgun, so I think that a Striker-Wasp format should be made or tried out. You'd have to git gud at aiming rockets, dodging rockets, and firing rockets. Like XP, but with more explosions.

Hornet:

A better choice than Wasp for obvious reasons. Hornet's increased stability and ability to unleash shots upwards and downwards with ease makes it a good pair with Striker. It could probably work well in large maps as a rover. The health can still be a problem though.


Viking:

The medium hulls suit the versatility of Striker. Striker on a Viking can be utilized for offensive campaigns and midfielding both. In attack, it cannot generally play the role of the main attacker; I would use it for support instead. Perhaps advancing along the flanks would be more useful. However, I personally think Viking is not the best match because of its lower weight among the three medium hulls. Resisting impact force is paramount to success. At the same time, I am pretty sure that fans of Viking's low stature will stick to it, since arcade rockets have an unruly tenacity to soar over an enemy's turret without pinpoint accurate aim.

TKP's take: Viking is the most popular medium hull in the game, so this is likely to be one of the more common Striker combinations. However, I personally don't think this goes particularly well with Striker. It is fast, so keeping your targets in your line of sight shouldn't be too difficult, but at the same time, it is the most unstable of the medium hulls and is an easy target for deflections, which is especially punishing when using Striker. It is also not very conductive to "rocking", which exacerbates Striker's small auto aim angles. Viking is currently more suited for offensive use, but Striker kinda isn't.

Hunter:

The more well-rounded medium hull after the October balance update. I would use Hunter with Striker to play the role of a defensive midfielder, perhaps like a first responder when an incoming attack arrives, tracking down the most dangerous attacker and unleashing a salvo to help out the heavier defenders. Also a good combination for playing Deathmatch mode.

TKP's take: This is my personal favorite, and not just because I like Hunter. Hunter is currently the most balanced hull in the game, and now has more weight than Viking while still being quite fast. I had more success with Hunter than I did with Dictator or Viking; I could chase down targets for more offensive use while still being stable and having good rocking capabilities.

Dictator:

Excellent for Striker. Dictator heavily boosts the height adjustment of Striker because of its higher profile and decent ability to create angles for Striker's arcade shots. Dictator's weight is also on the high side, making it a good combination when coupled with Striker for playing the role of a sort of lesser-mobile midfielder firing salvos left and right.

TKP's take: This would be my recommended Striker combination for defensive use. Dictator's height comes in handy when using Striker, as enemies will find it a little harder to dodge rockets coming in from above and your targeting won't be obstructed as much by other enemies or teammates crossing your path. However, if you try to use this offensively, enemies can outrun you and prevent you from obtaining missile locks.

Titan/Mammoth:

Titan/Mammoth and Striker also make a good combination. Definitely for a defender or a borderline defensive supporter. The weight definitely helps in eating up the impact force but you obviously will have problems following targets to keep them locked-on. Overall, use arcade shots more here for nimble enemies and use the salvo when you are facing an open zone and have a considerably clear line of sight.

Against Different Turrets

Striker:

You'll be seeing a lot of altercations with other Strikers in the early days. At long range, it all depends on who 'locks on' quickest and sets off the energy bar. If you see your opponent's sight set on you before you manage the same, do not wait. Gradually retreat or try to unsettle his aim, while settling your own simultaneously. Dodging the opponent's rockets while making sure your aim doesn't go erratic is key. In a war of arcade shots, the key is causing disadvantage to the opponent and making sure you make splash damage do its work.

TKP's take: I've yet to encounter enough Strikers in combat to make a general plan of attack, but you can assume that it will be a bit like a Shaft duel if both of you are trying to obtain locks instead of spamming rockets. A good adage to remember is "if your target is in range, so are you". If you are in a position to obtain a missile lock, unless you have a significant height advantage, your opponent will too. If your opponent has an equivalent Striker and aims first, don't bother trying to lock on, and instead seek cover and spam missiles. If you are trying to lock onto each other and your opponent obtains a lock first, your first priority should be to seek cover. If you have a tiny bit of time before the missiles hit, let go of the spacebar and loose off an unguided rocket, then immediately start engaging once all the rockets are gone and your opponent is reloading.

Shaft:

As of now, the lasers of Shaft and a Striker look exactly identical. At fairly long distances, unless the tank is moving, it can be taken for either a Shaft or Striker. You obviously cannot attempt a salvo without being unpredictable here, the Shaft can shoot using scope much faster than you can. If in favourable range, use the arcade shots to knock off the Shaft's aim. Then you can switch positions and perhaps get a salvo in to finish the Shaft off.

TKP's take: Striker is a fantastic Shaft counter if the Shaft in question is oblivious to their surroundings. A perfectly immobile target with tunnel vision is Striker food. However, most Shafts are in cover and try to block their flank from enemy attack, so you may have to wait until they are distracted before attempting lock-on, or sneak up behind them. There is no warning for a Striker lock (no charge up sounds either), so getting the drop on them is easy once you have the element of surprise. However, if the Shaft notices you, you should continue the lock-on only if you can survive being sniped and the Shaft can't leave your line of sight. Otherwise, seek cover.

Railgun:

In most conditions, Railgun is the clear winner in such a duel if it sees you first. Your best bet is knocking off its aim and using arcade shots early and often. Firing a salvo is not advisable since of Railgun's lowered reload times since the last balance update. However, study those that use the High-Caliber Ammo alteration, as you may have a potential advantage in a one on one situation.

TKP's take: When against entrenched enemies, only a foolish Railgun (or maybe one using a heavy hull) will stay in your line of sight long enough for you to obtain a missile lock. Instead, avoid head-on engagements and use arcade shots to hit them behind cover if possible. Try flanking them and using arcade shots instead.

Vulcan:

Vulcan is one of the weapons that can fire from cover but simultaneously needs to maintain a direct line of sight with the target. This makes things easier for you when using Striker against one of these. You have to follow their targeting suit, lock on as they charge, and fire a salvo. In case where the Vulcan is in a commanding position, I would rely on arcade shots to whittle at its health. If it is distracted or defenseless, then a salvo would serve best. Take note of those using the Modified Firing Rate, since you'll likely survive an onslaught from them long enough to pound them into submission during a standoff.

TKP's take: Striker is similar to Vulcan in the sense that you need to maintain line of sight for maximum damage. Because of this, if a Vulcan wants to engage you for more than 3 seconds, you'll probably be able to obtain a target lock. Do so if you're at a distance and can survive long enough to launch a salvo. If you're too close for comfort, don't do that. Try to get away or peek out of cover and spam rockets.

Thunder:

The only gun besides Striker to have splash damage (for now). Facing Thunder with Striker equipped is pretty straightforward. No, it doesn't involve going closer to the Thunder. Not a chance. Stay out of Thunder's peak range and preemptively counter the impact force by twitching your hull in the direction you believe they're going to strike you next.

TKP's take: Engaging a Thunder at closer ranges is less suicidal than you think. Striker is completely superior to Thunder in terms of damage per second if you can land all your rockets in arcade mode (higher damage, faster reload). Stay just far enough away to avoid hitting yourself with splash damage and use the arcade rockets to win (there's two meters of radius leverage to work with here). At long range, your options are to either get lucky with the arcade rockets (probably not going to happen if your opponent is moving) or to use the lock-on (probably not going to happen if your opponent has cover).

Smoky:

Look out for the impact force. You shouldn't bother locking on for a salvo here, if the Smoky is focused on you. Deal in arcade shots. It is best to get damaged first and then shoot in close quarters where even an inch can make you miss. Try to lure the Smoky where you can use splash damage with the help of props.

TKP's take: Arcade rockets will most likely beat a Smoky at close range. They are hard to aim, and a Smoky of any merit will make your job even harder, but it's better than trying to hopelessly scramble for a lock-on. Only lock-on if your opponent is too far away to affect your aim by much. Oh, and watch out Assault Ammunition Smokies. What they lack in damage is compensated by fairly ridiculous amounts of impact force. You won't be able to even drive straight if you're using a light hull.

Ricochet:

Another turret with ample of impact force to be wary of. With Ricochet you wouldn't want to take too many risks for splash damage, it can outmaneuver and outgun the Striker with the ricocheting ability of its projectiles. The best combat method involves staying clear and shooting arcade shots from dependable cover. Overall, a tough nut to crack.

TKP's take: Ricochet is a good counter to Striker if a direct line of sight is unavailable. Try using the arcade rockets as a primary weapon, and only start locking on if you are out of your opponent's range.

Twins:

Twins wouldn't cause significant harm to your aim unless fairly close and going berserk. At low-medium ranges, it would be best to start retreating and focus on the Twins for a salvo. If caught by surprise, rely on the arcade shots, since the reaction time would then be minimal.

Hammer:

Easily one of the toughest guns to handle when using Striker. The huge impact force of Hammer pellets and the high damage output present a double whammy that cannot be subdued even with the most appropriate use of arcade shots. Hammer users almost always use shock tactics, which means firing using the scope mode will normally be ruled out as an option.

TKP's take: When using Striker, if you're close enough to be threatened by a Hammer, you're probably doing it wrong. Back off to get some distance and use arcade shots. If your opponent continues to pursue, start using scope mode to force them to disengage.

Firebird/Freeze/Isida:

The three short-ranged turrets present the same difficulty caused by Hammer. It is considerably tricky to hit with the non-guided arcade rockets. This means you'll have to be vigilant if there are plenty of these around, and try to keep them along the general direction your turret is facing. At long range, use the scope mode for obvious reasons.

With Supplies

Double Armour - Definitely the top pick for light and medium hulls. The most crucial factor in making sure you successfully land a four-rocket salvo is getting the energy gauge filled up, and that requires time and health. Picking up or activating a double armour will increase Striker's efficiency as a offensive supporter or in its role in defensive suppression. Make sure you have one activated when facing a group. Prioritizing targets is important and a group of adversaries can overwhelm your Striker.

 

 

Double Damage - Of course, a welcome supply wherever you ply your trade. Salvos fired with DD can instantaneously kill most tanks lacking active supplies. Even the arcade shots will deal more damage and essentially award you two-shots when facing light hulls and sometimes even medium hulls. I suggest using DD if you have to temporarily switch from support to main attack to fill in the boots of a dead attacker, or, when accosted by a large attacking horde in defense.

Nitro - A must if you're locking on to a distant enemy on a heavy hull. It offers two advantages, you get to lock on to the target with more ease, and minimize chances of losing it and secondly, it can also help you inflict more damage, if you gradually move closer to the turret while keeping it locked on.

The Gameplay

Maps:

I would expect the Striker to be 'super effective' in a handful of maps. It is more suitable for medium and medium-large maps. To be more precise, ones with abundant open spaces. The ones like Desert, Esplanade, Aleksandrovsk, Rio, Solikamsk and likewise. Obviously it will also be effective in certain tailormade situations - the most obvious being clusters of tanks, easy to pounce on with salvo and get multiple kills.

In larger maps like Kungur or Berlin, you would require light hulls or at least a Viking to be a more mobile player. In smaller maps like Highland or Atra, I would personally prefer Mammoth. In maps with congested zones and lots of props blocking continuous view, it is harder to use the turret to the fullest. Employing arcade shots and carrying out 'probing strikes' near props to check on any splash damage that may reveal enemies, is advised. All in all, the versatility is there to be explored.

Game Modes:

Capture the Flag - Unlimited potential in both attacking and defensive roles awaits Striker. Depending on the size of the map, you can choose a medium or light hulls and offer good support to the attack. Taking care of flag-chasers among the opponents or unleashing a salvo at a defensive cluster that is readying itself to take on an incoming wave from your team would be perfect examples of prioritizing targets.

In defense, I would choose Dictator or Titan/Mammoth. A secondary defender suits Striker more, as taking the attackers head on may cause unnecessary self-harm. Shooting from medium ranges, injuring and eliminating picked targets would include the main duty of such a defender. Additionally, you could also use Striker to pick off the stragglers, wandering around the periphery of maps, causing distractions and posing a threat from distance.

Team Deathmatch - I believe that Striker will be an excellent turret for TDMs. Since it cannot perform the central duties like grabbing and capturing flags or sitting on the flag and bashing attackers in CTF, it could perhaps carry a more complete role in a TDM. You could adopt different kinds of methods to tackle enemies here, depending on the map and your hull.

Deathmatch - DM has been one of the most enjoyable game modes for me while trying to understanding Striker. It is absolutely brilliant for kill-stealing with frags. The arcade shot being very efficient in doing that. I suggest utilizing this easy strategy while playing DMs on medium maps like Polygon: if you spawn in the central part of the stage, employ mainly arcade shots. Whereas if you spawn along the borders of the map, you'll almost certainly have a better line of sight, allowing you to use the scope mode if needed.

Control Points - Striker can be used for crowd control in CP mode. With medium hulls, it forms a good, reliable combination to lurk around CPs with, and fire salvos at unsuspecting groups of enemies busy fighting your teammates (however, it is difficult to focus on one target amongst the group at times). In multiple CP maps like Chernobyl or Kungur, it can perform well with medium hulls, especially Hunter, going from point to point, with any available company and starting fire before you reach a certain point.

TKP's notes:

• If you want to be a colossal jerk, wait until a mosh pit forms underneath a gold box, pop a Double Damage, and then start locking onto a target close to the middle. If you time it right, your targets will be distracted by the descending gold box and won't/can't escape. The end result is a whole lot of carnage and possibly an uncontested gold box for you to pick up. If you are enterprising but don't want to be a jerk, time the salvo so that it will hit after someone picks up the gold box. You might not get the gold box, but you'll still get the kills.
• In Polygon CPs, the central point is traditionally shelled by Thunders. You can fill that role admirably, if less reliably, by spamming arcade rockets. If there's a big push and the pit is full of opponents, try using the lock-on mode. It shouldn't be hard to do so if there are Dictators or heavy hulls there, since their large hitboxes render them largely unable to hide.
• For the most part, treat the arcade shots as your primary fire and the scope mode as your secondary fire, in a reverse of how Shaft is typically used. The arcade mode is perfectly adequate for normal combat once you get used to it, and it is far more flexible than the salvo. Unsuccessfully using the scope mode all day will lead to you being a mult.

It's safe to say that Striker's release has been the highlight of the multiple gameplay changes that we've seen recently. It has been met with mixed reception, with some praising its power and others claiming that it is very hard to use. Both views are correct. Striker is a turret with incredible potential and unmatched killing power- what other ranged turret can destroy multiple full-health medium hulls in 3 seconds flat? This is balanced mainly with its difficulty. In some situations, Striker is harder to use than Railgun.

Time will tell if players can master it and bring out its full strengths. Perhaps it'll need a nerf then. But until that time arrives, Striker will remain a new frontier for players to test their luck with. Maybe you'll love it. Maybe you'll hate it. But you won't really know for sure until you try. One thing we know for sure is that it's a load of fun. :)

-Inputs by @Blackdrakon30-

Edited June 20, 2017 by Hexed

[Shedinja 1,488]

Fresh from the printers, an effective guide dissolving tactics on how to work with our new favorite rocket launcher, Striker. Enjoy!

[arnav0506 2,777]

Fresh from the printers, an effective guide dissolving tactics on how to work with our new favorite rocket launcher, Striker. Enjoy!

Thanks sir

Good Article, Zenith ;) Well written :D Explained a lot about the turret !!

[VaudeVille 1,428]

I don't think hammer should be that difficult to tackle with striker. Smokies and railguns would be more formidable opponents.

[Zenyth 6,494]

Updated!

[I3.R.0 1,700]

Epic!! Congo Zenith bhai. You worked hard on this I know, you do work hard on everything

[Destrod 2,634]

How did you evolve from a photo tinkering Creative topic owner to probably the most versatile reporter in history?

[Zenyth 6,494]

How did you evolve from a photo tinkering Creative topic owner to probably the most versatile reporter in history?

What? I'm still new. :$

[HydroBolt 15]

I must say, one would say this is a very well written article. Well done! :)

One found it very informative and one appreciates the effort that you have put in

Keep it up xD

[TTK_229 1,080]

Oh, so that's why you haven't posted in HD for a while.

[TTK_229 1,080]

I still like the name "Tornado" better ok

EDIT: why, again, did you change your name to Sagitarri? I seem to recall having too many cristalls (that's how it's spelled k) on your hands, and something to do with a Zodiac sign...

Edited December 25, 2016 by TTK_229

[Zenyth 6,494]

EDIT: why, again, did you change your name to Sagitarri? I seem to recall having too many cristalls (that's how it's spelled k) on your hands, and something to do with a Zodiac sign...

Yeah, my zodiac sign is Sagittarius. Now enough off-topic, ok.  :P

[Total_SkiIl 1,983]

 

Decoding the Striker

 

 

Hunter:

The more well-rounded medium hull after the November balance update. I would use Hunter with Striker to play the role of a defensive midfielder, perhaps like a first responder when an incoming attack arrives, tracking down the most dangerous attacker and unleashing a salvo to help out the heavier defenders. Also a good combination for playing Deathmatch mode.

 

http://en.tankiforum.com/index.php?showtopic=338911 it says 19 oct.

[Zenyth 6,494]

you saw nothing :ph34r:

[Total_SkiIl 1,983]

you saw nothing :ph34r:

yes that nov changed to oct now

[RepoYoTank 0]

umm are we talking about the same striker that i bought?.... lmao

i bought M2 striker and it's much worse than other turrets...

Usually I manage to be in the top 5 score of my team but with this Striker I seem to be always within the lower half of my team score.  

• Its SO difficult to hit someone with the "lock-on" feature: either he moves / hides / kills you / team mates kill him / self-destructs / his team mates kill him / someone gets in the way / shoots you and moves you / you manage to shoot but player manages to hide anyway
• laser makes you a sitting duck with the time you spend not able to move because if you move, you easily lose lock-on 
• and when you shoot with one missile..... not even God knows where the missile will end up
• and if the enemy is right next to you, you self-destruct...

There are so many variables working against you that make this turret much worse compared to other turrets

Maybe in theory and on youtube this turret looks good, but in practice it is not... on all maps...

Please either remove laser ( it would still be verryyy difficult to hit someone) or make the one missile better

otherwise it will just be a useless ornament in my garage

Sorry for my negative post. (I rarely post ) but it reaally needs to be buffed up.

[Zenyth 6,494]

umm are we talking about the same striker that i bought?.... lmao

i bought M2 striker and it's much worse than other turrets...

Usually I manage to be in the top 5 score of my team but with this Striker I seem to be always within the lower half of my team score.

• Its SO difficult to hit someone with the "lock-on" feature: either he moves / hides / kills you / team mates kill him / self-destructs / his team mates kill him / someone gets in the way / shoots you and moves you / you manage to shoot but player manages to hide anyway
• laser makes you a sitting duck with the time you spend not able to move because if you move, you easily lose lock-on
• and when you shoot with one missile..... not even God knows where the missile will end up
• and if the enemy is right next to you, you self-destruct...

There are so many variables working against you that make this turret much worse compared to other turrets

Maybe in theory and on youtube this turret looks good, but in practice it is not... on all maps...

Please either remove laser ( it would still be verryyy difficult to hit someone) or make the one missile better

otherwise it will just be a useless ornament in my garage

Sorry for my negative post. (I rarely post ) but it reaally needs to be buffed up.

The salvo is for specific situations only. It is easy to have the aim lost or salvo dodged in the not-so-spacious areas. I personally used it only in open areas where you can use its immense raw power. Also, retreating enemies. Furthermore, I disagree that you become a 'sitting duck' when using the laser.. you can move, but you need a good keyboard for that. :P

 

Besides, the single arcade shot isnt for long range anyway. It obviously needs excellent aim at even higher medium ranges. You can expect disadvantage in situations where you are taken my surprise by sudden enemy movements. It will take skill to aim arcade shots in such times.

 

Above all, it's a nice idea, you all have to agree. Give it time!

[Jwimmer 2,835]

Good article. After my short experience (so far) using Striker M2 on my alt, arcade shots are very strong. They deal high damage rapidly. As long as you keep track which side of the turret the shot will be firing from, it is not too tough to use. My main gripe is the non-factor salvo shots are. The enemy has to be in a wide-open space. Oftentimes in those situations, another teammate will intercept that tank first, making your salvo shots almost worthless. The thing I would love to see is not a shorter lock time, but a gyroscopic characteristic, like Vulcan. It would make it possible to aim while moving, and then rails and shafts would not be able to knock off aim. The turret is already a combo of Thunder, Twins, and Shaft. Why not add in some Vulcan as well?

[Zenyth 6,494]

Good article. After my short experience (so far) using Striker M2 on my alt, arcade shots are very strong. They deal high damage rapidly. As long as you keep track which side of the turret the shot will be firing from, it is not too tough to use. My main gripe is the non-factor salvo shots are. The enemy has to be in a wide-open space. Oftentimes in those situations, another teammate will intercept that tank first, making your salvo shots almost worthless. The thing I would love to see is not a shorter lock time, but a gyroscopic characteristic, like Vulcan. It would make it possible to aim while moving, and then rails and shafts would not be able to knock off aim. The turret is already a combo of Thunder, Twins, and Shaft. Why not add in some Vulcan as well?

Gyroscopic functions would maximize the possibility of completing lock-on a bit too much, I'd say. Secondly, I reckon picking off lone (prioritized) targets and being significantly closer to targets than what a Shaft would prefer - would definitely reduce instances of teammates getting in between the fired salvos. It may be problematic when firing at a CP or any group of tanks engaged in a brawl, but the splash damage would do the trick in those cases. :)

[Jwimmer 2,835]

Gyroscopic functions would maximize the possibility of completing lock-on a bit too much, I'd say. Secondly, I reckon picking off lone (prioritized) targets and being significantly closer to targets than what a Shaft would prefer - would definitely reduce instances of teammates getting in between the fired salvos. It may be problematic when firing at a CP or any group of tanks engaged in a brawl, but the splash damage would do the trick in those cases. :)

I kinda disagree about a possible gyroscope being "a bit too much". When shot by a railgun (the most popular turret, espeically at mid-ranks), your aim gets knocked off so far that by the time you re-aim, the green circle has restarted.

 

I think another problem with the turret is that at M3, it is super, super OP on drugs. However, at M2 (and I am assuming M3), it is super weak without drugs. Its a big problem, which I don't know how to solve.

[MarineMan2 1,164]

I loved this article, and it was quite well written - something which I am grateful to say remains a norm with the TO Newspaper. If only articles like these could reach more people, and for those people they reach, that the fortunate players may take a moment of their time to pursue any one of these valuable works. At any rate, thanks for the high quality of work you display in your article, and that I continue to find throughout the Newspaper. Keep it up. :)

[EvanRocks2 9]

tl;dr striker is thunder/shaft combo

[anuclearbomb 220]

I love striker...

No because I own it, but because people think my shaft is a striker and they don't prioritize not being where they are...

It's beautiful

 

In other news, the turret's m0 gameplay isn't too bad, will get m1 on one of my alts, maybe make another one for striker, maybe get it on my only weapons that do damage to me go...

[Spit_Fyre 334]

Very well written Zenith! It's insightful and informative while being easy to read/follow too. Keep it up!

 

Plus I concur with almost all of the thoughts/opinions behind this.

[Spit_Fyre 334]

I think another problem with the turret is that at M3, it is super, super OP on drugs.

+1

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_umFYsCyR7Q

 

4:13 - 4:21

 

It is OP on drugs in terms of both TTK(time to kill) and DPS(damage per second). The fact that the tanks(and the heaviest at that) being hit are not armour equipped, does nothing to prove otherwise to me.