review Best Bang for your Buck - M1 Edition

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

 

 

One of the biggest questions you will ever hear in Tanki is “What should I buy on the sales?” Naturally, if we’re coming up on Black Friday, the amount of people asking that question should just keep rising, which is why I thought it’d be nice to tell you which kits are truly worth it to buy on this special occasion. Although this list will be based on personal experience, there will be quite a bit of reasoning as to why you should buy it even though you might have a different playstyle.

 

Before I begin, let me tell you how this list is going to work.

 

First of all, no M0 kits. The M0 kits are widely considered as useless, and many M0 kits which are in the Garage perform… let’s say not as good as you’d like them to.

Secondly, I’m limiting myself to one turret and one hull per modification. Although you will see some recurring turrets and hulls, I did try to keep it diverse just because I would be considered very rigid.

Thirdly, I will not be factoring in kits that have items from different modifications, eg. Siberian, Krakatoa, etc, since you really can't refer to them as a single modification level.

Lastly, I am factoring in only the crystal kits. Sorry, Gauss kits, but you're not making the cut - we're focusing on F2P kits only.

 

This will be the first of a 3-part series that I hope to finish by Black Friday, going from M1 all the way up to M3.

 

Alright, let’s begin!

 

Kit #1: Hero

Kit #2: Hammer of Thor

Kit #3: Piranha

Kit #4: Harvester

Kit #5: Savage

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

 

HERO

 

62205  (-45%)

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In no particular order, let’s start from one of the most iconic kits throughout TO’s lifetime - Hero. If you don’t know how good this combo was pre-graphics update...search it up. It was that good. Even in today’s times, this kit definitely packs a huge punch, especially once you start getting around to MUs. The only thing that really will hold you back is facing people that have high-tier protection modules, but you shouldn’t really have many problems at those ranks when it comes to well-protected enemies.

 

 

With some quick maths, the average damage of an M1 Railgun is around 812. This might not seem like much, but take into account the maximum damage - around 1089, and it’s actually a pretty decent turret that is able to take out M0 medium hulls most of the time with a single shot (with DD, of course). Given that you’ll also be battling M0 Wasps at that rank spread, you should really have no trouble spawn-peeking them from a corner. 

If we take up Railgun to M2, we get a spread of 595-1205 damage, giving us a nice average of 900 to work with. Although it may not seem like much, this is essentially a one-hit kill of all the light hulls you’ll see on the battlefield with Double Damage, provided you use Round Stabilization (so you can avoid those unlucky shots). Everything other than that will be a 2 hit kill, which is still incredibly powerful for those ranks.

 

 

Now, let’s look at the other side of the coin. Dictator M1 is quite the upgrade from M0, gaining more than 35% health and weight and about 25%, 20%, and 5% upgrades in power, turning speed, and top speed respectively. If you choose to microupgrade it to M2, you will get 50% more health and weight and about 35%, 30%, and 8% upgrades in power, turning speed, and top speed. This is pretty good for a kit that you can unlock at First Sergeant - although you get one of the lower-end M2s at that rank, having that to your advantage can carry you well through the Warrant Officers, surely giving you enough time and money to then focus on an M2 kit of your choice. Plus, don’t take it as an understatement that Dictator is a gold box MAGNET.

 

 

Let’s also talk about the Overdrive. I find Dictator’s Supplies Overload to be the most rewarding in-game, simply because it does many useful things. Not only does it give you full supplies for 40 seconds while repairing you AND putting down a mine, it also does the same for any teammates in the vicinity while giving non-Dictator allies 50% extra Overdrive charge, AND it freezes any enemies who are a bit too close for comfort. Does that sound like a good Overdrive to you? It very well does for me.

 

 

Back in the old days, Pixel was a great paint for anyone who was tired of repeatedly getting punched into the ground by Hammers. Although it lost its value because of the module disintegration update, many still hold it close to their hearts (no? is it just me? ok) In any case, Pixel never fails to look awesome with pretty much any tank, unless you're just spamming M0s. Although people do tend to let dust grow on this paint, try playing with it - I think it'll grow on you.

 

 

The M1 Falcon module (15% Railgun resistance) is definitely a worthy addition to anyone who's starting out in the Warrant Officers scene. Not only is there a spike in Railgun usage in those ranks, but it's also at those ranks at where some very powerful alterations are unlocked. Microupgrade this a couple of steps, and your Dictator should be able to survive even the luckiest Railgun shots with Double Damage.

 

VERDICT

 

All in all, Hero is a very good M1 kit with must-have items if you want to be successful in the M1 ranks. Having a good turret and hull at stock M1 standards means that you'll have success for quite a while even if you don't upgrade them. The module is also a solid for ranks where Railguns are prevalent, and the paint isn't slouching, either. Although it may be on the more expensive side of M1 kits, I guarantee you that this kit will pay you back in full and above.

 

I guess it's no wonder why this is everyone's "Hero".

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

HAMMER OF THOR

43440  (-60%)

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Another kit that goes down in Tanki history as being used into oblivion is none other than Viking-Ricochet, otherwise known as the mighty Hammer of Thor. If I asked any Tanki veteran about what they thought of first when they heard the words "Polygon DM", I can guarantee you that Viking-Ricochet will definitely be up there at the top. It's been one of the most popular Tanki kits to date, due to its high effectiveness and low cost to buy early on. 

 

 

 

 

Ricochet M1 is a decent upgrade from M1, bringing about roughly a 28% increase in damage from its M0 counterpart with average of 230 damage per pellet. This means that with Double Damage, it'll take you 3 pellets to destroy a light M0 hull, 4 pellets for a medium M0 hull, and 5 for a heavy M0 hull. Since Ricochet's specialty is in its fire rate as well as its unique ability of, you guessed it, ricocheting, you can deliver crushing damage within seconds, which is important in DM standards. Although the projectile speed is a bit lackluster, you can always increase this with Minus-Field Stabilization, which will not only increase your projectile speed, but also let you fire for a longer period of time without a forced reload.

If you decide to take this beast up to M2, you'll get a total of 47% damage increase from M0, which is a bit of an underwhelming upgrade when you compare it to what it was from M0 to M1. I would advise you stick with a few microupgrade steps, but if you do decide to take upon this challenge, you'll be able to two-shot light M0 hulls with Double Damage, three-shot medium M0 hulls, and four-shot heavy M0 hulls. It's up to you if you want to reduce your pellets to kill by one, but I don't think you'll be impressed by what you get compared to how much you have to spend to get it. Ricochet M2 is regarded as one of the weakest M2 modifications for a reason - think wisely.

 

 

Viking M1 is a good upgrade from M0, sporting a 29% increase in health and weight, a 19% increase in power, a 16% increase in turning speed, and a 7% increase in max speed. Unlike Dictator, this kit prioritizes top speed and nimbleness wherever it can. However, this is also a huge detriment for people who like to use precision-based turrets such as Vulcan, Railgun, Shaft, or even our very own Ricochet. As long as you keep your distance and make sure not to get hit by high-impact turrets such as Railgun, you should work wonders.

Unlike any other M1 medium hull, Viking's upgrades to M2 add exactly the same amount as they did in the upgrade from M0, granting us a total of 58% more health and weight, a 38% increase in power, a 32% increase in turning speed, and a 14% increase in max speed. However, I do have a very strong bias against the M2 modification of Viking - it has such high speed and awkward handling that you will have to work hard not to drift, and getting hit by Railguns will quite literally propel you 90 degrees into one direction. While this really doesn't make that much difference when playing with a close-range turret, your precision will suffer greatly. However, if you're fine with that, then I think you'll have a good time with this hull, especially in PRO battles.

 

 

 

Ah, the infamous Berserk reactor. When people first heard about this Overdrive being able to completely wipe out a group of enemies, they went berserk themselves. This was also one of the biggest issues about Solo JGR back in the day - everyone would use Viking just to get their hands on that Juggernaut tank. They still do in TJR to rack up free EXP. While this was a big problem in those specific modes, I decided to let it slide and started realizing that it wasn't even that broken in other modes. A long charge-up as well as only 7 seconds of this Overdrive? Seems like it's even a little weak. I do think this Overdrive will work wonders if you can manage to build it up quickly and find a cluster of enemies, like in ASL. One thing: do NOT take the Nuclear Energy box if you see a friendly Dictator getting over there. You will benefit much more from them sharing their OD instead of you. Nothing makes me more angry when a Viking snatches the box in front of me when I use Dictator in order to help out teammates. So keep that in mind.

 

 

 

Chainmail is probably one of the most common paints you'll see at those ranks, thanks to two very popular kits that include it - this and the Keeper kit. Although I particularly like how it looks on this specific combo, most people will trade it out for something more flashier, which is something that I can understand. If you do decide to use this paint, you'll come off as more noobish which can work very well in your favor, allowing you to seem like not much of a threat to the other team, which will ultimately be their downfall.

 

 

The M1 Ricochet module, Lion, is definitely a module that you'll want upgraded ASAP if you don't plan on buying it along with a Ricochet kit in the M2 ranks. Thanks to the high usage rate of Ricochet M2 in the Lieutenants and the Majors, this module will save you more often than you would think, although you might not get ideal results when running around with only a 25% module. Still, I do think that this module is quite important as you start to really ramp up.

 

VERDICT

 

The Hammer of Thor kit is definitely a kit that has seen its fair share of usage throughout the years, and now you know why. Low price and the reliability of this particular kit attract many, but it's really the module that seals the deal for me. Although you'll have quite a bit of crystals accumulated by the time you get to those M2 ranks, you'll need to think wisely about what you'll buy next. In conclusion, this is a great kit to carry you throughout the Officers and even the Lieutenants. Don't sleep on it.

 

Let your enemies dismiss you as weak - so that you can hit them like a truck without them seeing it coming.

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

PIRANHA

48290  (-45%)

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Next up on the roster, we have one of my favorite combinations of all time - Hornet-Shaft. Love it or hate it, you can never deny that Shaft has power. Mastering this overly precise turrets requires a lot of time and practice; I would say that it requires even more patience than does Railgun. Even after many hours of practice (400+, to be exact), I always feel like there's something that I can improve on. Although this is not a combination that everyone likes, let me try to convince you that it is for people who are willing to learn how to utilize it right.

 

 

Shaft M1. Where do I even begin? This is where my whole Shafting career began, from the microupgrade to M2, to getting the M2, and then to M3, yada yada. I can talk about that forever. This modification of Shaft receives a 26% increase to its average arcade shot damage from M0, its max sniping damage, and its arcade impact force, while also receiving a 14% decrease in reload time for sniper shots, and a 13% increase in turret rotation speed. And if you thought that this was already crazy enough, here's the kicker. During the upgrade from M0 to M1, the impact force you get in sniping mode is increased by over 50%! If this isn't a great upgrade, then I don't know what is. 

If you put in the crystals to upgrade this thing to M2, then you'll get a total of a 55% increase in average arcade damage, sniping damage, and its arcade impact force, a 27% increase in turret rotation speed, and about a 25% reduction in sniping reload speed. The sniping impact force is amplified even more than was with the M1 upgrade, making it a total of a 130% increase over the course of only two modifications. Not many turrets can claim that their impact forces increase to the point where it can even be considered by some to be exponential. Even quickscoping can help you knock someone's aim off severely when you can't kill them. Slowly but surely, you'll be able to perfect the art of Shaft to become quite the ultimate sniper. 

 

 

 

 

Hornet M1 is a pretty good upgrade from M0, bringing with it a 32% increase in health and weight, a 20% increase in power, an 8% increase in turning speed, and a 6% increase in max speed. While this might not seem like much on paper, these are actually very good stats for an M1 hull that is usually described as medium or even low-tier. This means that you'll be able to drift a bit easier, withstand a few more hits, and work quite a wonder with Speed Boost. Yes, you may be thinking that this is slow compared to M3 standards, but keep in mind that many, many people at those ranks still have unupgraded M0s lying around, which actually makes you much faster than pretty much everyone. Well, except Wasps, that is.

Taking Hornet up to M2 is actually a pretty good option at those ranks, since it only requires 70000 crystals to upgrade it without speedups. In total, you'll get a 47% increase in health and weight, 30% increase in power, 12% increase in turning speed, and an 8% increase in max speed. This will also give you much better odds of escaping the countless Wasp nukes at those ranks. Be careful, though - Hornet M2 won't be able to compete for much longer than the Lieutenants, so make sure you get enough crystals for a more high-end M2 kit. Until then, though, it will serve you well. 

 

 

What this hull also allows you to allow you the ability to pretty much instakill anyone for 20 seconds, regardless of whether they're in domes, they have protections, Double Armor, anything. I have often been called a hacker for taking out numerous Titans in DM just as they put down their domes. Their reactions are often hilarious - "but the dome was supposed to protect me!" You can humiliate pretty much any Keeper kit user with this setup, which often allows for great results even in the meat grinder known only as DM. Even though there won't be as great results at this rank spread due to your lack of swiftness at M1 levels, you can still output a pretty decent amount of punishment if you know when to activate the Radar completely.

 

 

As the name of this kit implies, you are a bloodthirsty fish that has determination and won't stop at anything until you strike your enemy down. Whether that be at range or up close, this paint definitely reflects that. This strikes fear into your opponents, and although it might not seem like much, I definitely think that you'll see a lot of enemies trying to run away from you in futility. The feeling of going around in this particular paint will strike a smile on your face. Trust me on that note.

 

 

 

The Eagle M1 module, granting 15% Shaft protection, is nothing much unless the enemy Shaft is either not fully scoped in or is firing up close. However, use it with a medium hull, and you've got a different story. Even an unupgraded M1 module can save your medium hull from instadeath, assuming we're dealing with a Shaft at equal footing. It's the perfect module to employ in a counter-sniper role, and although you might not have the need to use it that much at those ranks, you'll be glad to have it if you ever encounter an enemy Shaft that poses a threat. Remember, range might be their specialty, but get up close to them with this module and they'll have no chance. 

 

VERDICT

 

For about 50,000 crystals, this kit makes up for its price by teaching you how to be more patient and accurate with your shots over time. Not only does it give you one of the most deadly turrets in the game, but gives you a good M1 hull that you can have no regrets about upgrading as well. The paint is definitely a great factor in this kit as well, making you increase your steely vengeance more than it already was. With a good module to top it off, you can become the ultimate sniper of the low ranks, preying on those noobs, and slowly but surely raking in that sweet, sweet EXP and crystals.

 

It doesn't matter how many times your enemy strikes you down, because with this kit, you will always be back for more vengeance.

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

HARVESTER

30735  (-55%)

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Often known as the worse version of Keeper, this kit is overlooked by many because of its higher price and more complicated turret. But have you ever tried using this kit yourself? Chances are, you'll say no. It's a shame, because you really don't know just how good this hidden gem of a combo is. When I first tried my hand at this combo on an alt, I was very surprised to see that this combo performed much, much better than I had expected first off.  

 

 

Of course, I have quite a bit of experience with Vulcan, but it's actually quite easy to master. Think of it as a Twins, where all that you need is a brick. The only twist is that you need to take it off from time to time. Knowing where to take the moments to wind down your barrels and spool them up again starts to come to you naturally after a while, but the fun you can have with this turret is great. I don't think there's much more satisfying than to slowly shred down your opponents' HP into oblivion. Let's look at the numbers already. yes I get you're bored but this is important for a lot of people

Vulcan's DpS increases by a staggering 32% during its transition from M0 to M1, which is surprising for a turret that hasn't been loved as much as other fan favorites. What this means is that you can output a staggering 4300 HP of damage before you start to overheat compared to M0 Vulcan's 3000. Having such high damage for an M1 turret is pretty surprising when you think about it, because it's literally equivalent to the damage of a Shaft on a Double Damage. You also get a 11% increase in overheating resistance, a 23% increase in turret rotation speed, and a 16% increase in range of minimum damage. You might be wondering why I left out impact force. That's because it increases by a whopping 160%, which makes it go from a very weak-hitting M0 turret to a turret that can flip over Wasps and Hornets in mere seconds. You thought Shaft's stat changes were insane? Ha. By M4, Vulcan gains a total of a 500% impact force increase. This gives Smoky a real run for its money.

Convinced why you should get this turret now?

While its M1 upgrade is amazing in itself, its M2 one is much more underwhelming, so much so that I decided to not even list it here. Although Vulcan lovers might call me out for this, I think that what you pay for at M1 and M3 is much, much better than what you pay for when you get M2 Vulcan.

 

 

 

Maintaining this laser beam-like line of fire is much easier than you would expect, too. Since you have Titan to work with, your won't really be paying much at your healthbar, but rather at your aim. Thanks to the amazing amount of weight Titan has, it's quite difficult for your opponents to knock your aim off easily, although a well-placed Railgun or Gauss shot could just do it. Unfortunately, Titan M1 is... let's say, below average. A 20% increase in health and power and a 13% increase in power, 8% increase in turning speed, and 5% increase in top speed make the upgrade below average, especially when you've got a kit that has a turret that improves significantly during this upgrade.

I will say this only once. Upgrade. Your. Titan. It's no secret that Titan M2 is arguably one of the best hull upgrades we've had in Tanki, period, but let me just show you the scale to which it's insane. The power and weight increase by a whopping 61%, the power by 40%, the turning speed by 24%, and the top speed by 15%. This is probably one of, if not the biggest, upgrades in Tanki history. And the fact that it's not even that expensive to upgrade? Pour everything into your titan, and you will be one very satisfied tanker when the M2 ranks roll around and you have a hull that's as close to M3 as anything can get. 

 

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Titan's dome is one of the most broken things we've ever seen in Tanki history. It has evaded nerfs time and time again, and will probably continue to do so. The Overdrive itself is great for pretty much any situation, whether it be in the tight corners of Assault mode or in DM. As long as you control the three counters to you - Hornets, Hunters, and Mammoths - you'll work wonders with a hull that will hopefully be M2 (I'm kidding, M3). 

 

 

Guerilla is one of those paints that I like not because of its price tag, but because you feel like a real soldier fighting in the jungle against an unseen threat that could come out at any second. Although it's great for camping, I think that it belongs on the frontlines just like any other flashy paint such as Lightning Storm. You might not like it at first, but I think it has a spot in anyone's hearts provided they play enough with it. You'll get used to it pretty quick.

 

 

Shark M1 is a pretty good module that can cut down quite a bit of damage coming your way when you face people that are using Vulcan as well. Although a 15% module it's nothing to write home about, proudly wearing a 25% module above your head will make even the most determined of Vulcans stop and think whether they really want to engage you. If you don't plan to get Vulcan later on, then I definitely do recommend getting this module at least to base M2 level. While I do think that this module is more optional to upgrade than some others, having at a decent upgrade level can help you out time from time. 

 

VERDICT

 

Harvester is definitely one of the most underrated kits in history - whether it be because of its price tag, or because people think that Vulcan can't pack that much of a punch when compared to its brother, Keeper. I definitely disagree with this. Not only do you get an amazing M1 turret, but you also get a hull that will turn into a beast once it's upgraded. While the paint might be nothing as flashy when compared to our favorite animated ones, true tankers will learn to appreciate it regardless of what others might think. Even though the module might not be amazing, it can still be the difference between you taking a container or not. So, think again about this 30,000 crystal kit, because it will pay you back in time, especially if you upgrade the Titan to its full potential.

 

Lay down your dome, that barrage of fire, and you'll start to harvest kills faster than ever.

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

SAVAGE

25640  (-60%)

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What do you think of when you think about your average Tanki noob? If you said a tanker with an M0 or M1 Wasp/Smoky combo, you'd be correct. Actually, it's used everywhere - in banners, contests, you name it! There's also some very good reasons why I picked this specific kit to be my last candidate among these other amazing kits. Savage might not look like much...yet. So what are we waiting for? Let's get into it. 

 

 

Smoky and Firebird M1 are easily the most popular M1 turrets. It's not even an opinion - it's a fact. Do you know why? The prices. 11000 crystals for Smoky M1 is close to nothing when you think about it, but it should come as no surprise that this is a weak upgrade. With only a 28% increase in impact force, a 23% increase in non-critical damage, a 17% increase in rotation speed, a 12% increase in minimum damage range, a 5% decrease in reload time, and a measly 3% increase in critical damage, this is nothing short of a disappointing upgrade. But once you start to upgrade this thing, the magic truly begins.

By M2, it gains a whopping 74% more impact force, 61% more non-critical damage, 44% more rotation speed, 31% longer minimum damage range, 14% faster reload speed, and 9% more critical damage. This is nothing short of a well-deserved upgrade, and although it does a considerable amount, I do believe that is is a very worthwhile one. You can upgrade bit by bit and still be able to absolutely dominate. Although this turret can hold its own for a couple of ranks, no upgrades on it will almost certainly make you have a hard time once you get up into the Officers.

 

 

Wasp M1 is also a mediocre upgrade from M0, sporting a 26% increase in health and weight, a 15% increase in power, 8% more turning speed, and 5% faster max speed. While it's good for people who like to catch golds at low ranks, it really isn't as great as you would want it to be. You will get one-shot by pretty much any Railgun and Shaft if you don't equip Double Armor, and slammed into oblivion by Hammers and Thunders.

However... like with Titan and Smoky, Wasp has a massive surge from M1 to M2, bringing you to 62% higher health and weight, 36% more power, 19% higher turning speed, and 11% faster max speed. I don't even have to tell you just how good this is, especially on a Wasp. With this upgrade, you'll not only be able to survive for longer, but you'll be able to be even more agile and deadlier, especially if you use this on a stealth class. The handling on it feels very smooth as well, which is great when you're trying to evade a stream of plasma and lead. There's not really much else to say other than that.

 

 

Where do I even begin with this Overdrive? There is not one thing that can escape it at those ranks, and since people that are starting out know almost nothing about Overdrives, it'll be one of the easiest experiences in your Tanki career to rake in your XP like never before. You just press down Shift to place down that nuke in a cluster of enemies and brace for your FPS to drop because you just got a multikill. It really doesn't get any simpler than that. The mechanic that makes it so overpowered is that it deals damage by numbers, not by percentages. Since hulls at that level are both slow and have little HP, there is almost no way that anyone can survive a blast from this bomb at all. It's only once you start getting into M3 equipment that you can successfully evade this monstrosity.

 

 

Magma is a paint that looks very cool at first, since it is essentially the poor man's Fire Golem. While it remains cool for a while, you start to get bored of it pretty quickly simply because is starts to seem more brownish than it a bright orange sort of lava like it should be. As time passes, you will definitely discard this paint in favour of something flashier. Nothing personal, Magma - you could have just been better...

 

 

Dolphin M1 is a module that is almost a necessity at those ranks due to the insane amounts of M1 Smokies. While 15% may help a little, your best bet is to also upgrade this to 25%. This will give you a fighting chance even against maxed out Smokies, and you'll be needing that since you're a Wasp. At low ranks, this module is a must, but it becomes less so the case as soon as you start getting into the Majors and Generals, so you can even keep it at 25% for the rest of your career if you wish.

 

VERDICT

 

Inside a package that seems to be made for tankers with a D/L of 0.50 or less, you have some very good pieces of equipment, that when upgraded, will allow you to completely crush your opposition, whether it might be by your Smoky or by your nukes. The fact that it only costs 25 and a half thousand makes it even more of a steal then what it already was. A turret, a hull, and a paint that can become very effective once upgraded? Sign me on.

 

Keep hitting them relentlessly, and in time, you'll see your opposition crumbling one by one.

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

Well, readers, you've finally reached the end. Congrats! I'd like to thank you for reading this huge lump of text. you better be i spent over 10 hours working on these damn numbers Do cast your vote in the poll at the start of the page, and don't forget to tune in next time.
Wait, there'll be a next time?

Yeah...this is the M1 Edition of this series.

cue internal doubt

I hope to release the M2 Edition of this series in a couple of days, so that I'll be able to help you out in those tough midranks. Until then, I'd like to wish you the best of luck in your endeavors.

See ya next time, tankers!

 

Tidebreaker

 

[Hex 11,520]

If you're keen on spending some of those crystals heaping over the brim of the jar on your desk, take a look at the incredibly detailed shopping guide on some of the best tier-one kits in the game. Happy reading!

[Okami 3,041]

Great review!

 

I have to say I definitely agree with the part about Smoky. I bought M1 a little late (around WO1 or 2), and it was just disappointing. I used it occasionally, but most of the time it stayed in my garage to collect dust.

 

Fast forward to Captain, and I bought the Aborigine kit when it turned up in the Garage. Smoky M2 is the last M2 turret to be unlocked, because it's an absolute beast, the increase in ability is night and day. I've also had so much fun with it, and the alts I own (High-Precision Aiming System and Icendiary Rounds) have both been worth the money.

 

As for the upcoming M2 kit review, I'm looking forward to what you have to say. There are a lot of gems and fan favorites.

Edited November 22, 2019 by GrayWolf8733

[Viking4s 10,791]

Savage kit is awesome, fast and punchy, good for Flags and CP.  
Then you can mix it with a railgun.

[JESUSaves2 98]

Nice review, even though im long past those ranks. Cant wait to see the writing on those m2 kits :)

[De4D 14]

I going to wait for the m2 edition, hope it helps! :)

[Initiate 1,306]

 

 

 

 

WASTED

Edited November 24, 2019 by Initiate

[Initiate 1,306]

In all seriosity (the above post was before I even read it), nice work. Some notes:

First of all, who wrote the in-game alert!?!?!?

 

I'm done raging about grammar.

 

The guide was well-written, informative, yada yada. Two main notes from my own experience:

The Pirahna review is very biased :D I fall guilty of this too whenever Shaft/Hornet is mentioned, so I can't say too much about it. However, from my own experience, playing Pirahna F2P is... difficult, to say the least. M1 Hornet is IMO pretty weak, especially when you're at a rank where there's literally hundreds of massive-drugger accounts (with Railgun, no less) that are made to finish a challenge. These accounts usually peter out and die, for a couple reasons: no drugs (they used them all for the challenge), and no crystals. The accounts aren't made for the long-run, but their owners are absolutely genius when it comes to playing like a noob drugger.

But that's where the problem lies. Drugs should be saved for the mid-ranks when you really just do need them to play well, particularly with a light hull. And if you're pkaying with Pirahna, it's drug-or-be-one-shotted-endlessly. The DAs run mighty thin when you use Pirahna as a F2Player.

 

Second, Harvester wasn't played up nearly enough. Here's what I find. Vuilcan is easy to use; it has insane DPS; it's an awesome turret at low ranks. I happen to have a F2P account with Harvester M2-edition at WO1 right now (note: F2P, don't call me a buyer noob). I also have 1.5K of all drugs, and that's because I didn't use them. Now here's how it goes: Vulcan is amazing with Dictator or Titan. Dictator is an early M2, as is Vulcan. Titan is a late M2. Get where I'm going here? The relative weakness of Vulcan M2 at WO ranks is allayed by the strength of Titan. Get to Second Lieutenant, get the Vulcan M2, and also pick up a Dictator M2 along the way. Now you should easily have enough crystals to take Vulcan/Dictator to M3 in the next couple ranks, but Titan is still relevant if you need it. Get where I'm going here? 

In my opinion, if you want the best long-run kit, get an M1 kit with a good later-M2 (preferably hull) and a bad later-M2 (preferably turret). If you don't want a kit with that combo, get a kit with two good M1s/bad M2s - that's the best way to go forward in the long-run. Bad M2 = early unlock rank = quicker to get M3.

 

That's my little piece, well-written though (except for that news-feed alert. WHO WROTE THAT!?!?!?)  and good job.

 

Drop a like on my post above (not this one) because I'm extremely proud of that semi-meme :D 

[Okami 3,041]

Here's a suggestion. For the next reviews, add a "None of these" option for the question "Which kit have you bought in the past?". I haven't bought any of these kits, but I can't submit an answer because all questions must be answered.

Edited November 24, 2019 by GrayWolf8733

[Initiate 1,306]

Here's a suggestion. For the next reviews, add a "None of these" option for the question "Which kit have you bought in the past?". I haven't bought any of these kits, but I can't submit an answer because all questions must be answered.

That's Tanki efficiency for you.

[123tim456back 195]

Great review!

 

I have to say I definitely agree with the part about Smoky. I bought M1 a little late (around WO1 or 2), and it was just disappointing. I used it occasionally, but most of the time it stayed in my garage to collect dust.

 

Fast forward to Captain, and I bought the Aborigine kit when it turned up in the Garage. Smoky M2 is the last M2 turret to be unlocked, because it's an absolute beast, the increase in ability is night and day. I've also had so much fun with it, and the alts I own (High-Precision Aiming System and Icendiary Rounds) have both been worth the money.

 

As for the upcoming M2 kit review, I'm looking forward to what you have to say. There are a lot of gems and fan favorites.

Off topic, but is High Precision Aiming System and Incendiary rounds really that good? I thought HPAS wasn't that good, and incendiary was good but not great.  I need this information for my alt :P

 

Also, great article Tide! 

[Okami 3,041]

Off topic, but is High Precision Aiming System and Incendiary rounds really that good? I thought HPAS wasn't that good, and incendiary was good but not great.  I need this information for my alt :P

 

Also, great article Tide!

 

In my opinion, both are pretty good. Of course, different alts fit better with different playstiles, so you might have better results with some other alts.

 

From my experience, HPAS is not one for up-close fighting, but rather at a short distance. I don't play with it a lot, but if remember correctly, you can two-shot medium hulls with DD.

 

Incendiary Rounds are widely regarded as one of the best. The afterburn provides extra insurance that you will destroy them, which helps.

 

This is just my experience when it comes to these alts.

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

On 11/23/2019 at 4:56 AM, GrayWolf8733 said:

Great review!

 

I have to say I definitely agree with the part about Smoky. I bought M1 a little late (around WO1 or 2), and it was just disappointing. I used it occasionally, but most of the time it stayed in my garage to collect dust.

 

Fast forward to Captain, and I bought the Aborigine kit when it turned up in the Garage. Smoky M2 is the last M2 turret to be unlocked, because it's an absolute beast, the increase in ability is night and day. I've also had so much fun with it, and the alts I own (High-Precision Aiming System and Icendiary Rounds) have both been worth the money.

 

As for the upcoming M2 kit review, I'm looking forward to what you have to say. There are a lot of gems and fan favorites.

Thanks for the kind words! Glad to hear someone agrees with me as for Smoky M1. It really isn't even that good of an upgrade, to be honest. I mean, what more could you really expect from 11,000 crystals?

Also, I'm very happy to see someone already waiting for the M2 edition of this series. Some choices might shock you, though, so do be prepared.

 

On 11/24/2019 at 11:22 AM, JESUSaves2 said:

Nice review, even though im long past those ranks. Cant wait to see the writing on those m2 kits

 

On 11/24/2019 at 11:24 AM, De4D said:

I going to wait for the m2 edition, hope it helps!

Again, thank you for your support! It makes me feel great that I'll be making something that you'll enjoy. Keep your eyes peeled, it's coming soon!

 

On 11/24/2019 at 12:05 PM, Initiate said:

In all seriosity (the above post was before I even read it), nice work. Some notes:

First of all, who wrote the in-game alert!?!?!?

 

I'm done raging about grammar.

 

The guide was well-written, informative, yada yada. Two main notes from my own experience:

The Pirahna review is very biased I fall guilty of this too whenever Shaft/Hornet is mentioned, so I can't say too much about it. However, from my own experience, playing Pirahna F2P is... difficult, to say the least. M1 Hornet is IMO pretty weak, especially when you're at a rank where there's literally hundreds of massive-drugger accounts (with Railgun, no less) that are made to finish a challenge. These accounts usually peter out and die, for a couple reasons: no drugs (they used them all for the challenge), and no crystals. The accounts aren't made for the long-run, but their owners are absolutely genius when it comes to playing like a noob drugger.

But that's where the problem lies. Drugs should be saved for the mid-ranks when you really just do need them to play well, particularly with a light hull. And if you're pkaying with Pirahna, it's drug-or-be-one-shotted-endlessly. The DAs run mighty thin when you use Pirahna as a F2Player.

 

Second, Harvester wasn't played up nearly enough. Here's what I find. Vuilcan is easy to use; it has insane DPS; it's an awesome turret at low ranks. I happen to have a F2P account with Harvester M2-edition at WO1 right now (note: F2P, don't call me a buyer noob). I also have 1.5K of all drugs, and that's because I didn't use them. Now here's how it goes: Vulcan is amazing with Dictator or Titan. Dictator is an early M2, as is Vulcan. Titan is a late M2. Get where I'm going here? The relative weakness of Vulcan M2 at WO ranks is allayed by the strength of Titan. Get to Second Lieutenant, get the Vulcan M2, and also pick up a Dictator M2 along the way. Now you should easily have enough crystals to take Vulcan/Dictator to M3 in the next couple ranks, but Titan is still relevant if you need it. Get where I'm going here? 

In my opinion, if you want the best long-run kit, get an M1 kit with a good later-M2 (preferably hull) and a bad later-M2 (preferably turret). If you don't want a kit with that combo, get a kit with two good M1s/bad M2s - that's the best way to go forward in the long-run. Bad M2 = early unlock rank = quicker to get M3.

 

That's my little piece, well-written though (except for that news-feed alert. WHO WROTE THAT!?!?!?)  and good job.

 

Drop a like on my post above (not this one) because I'm extremely proud of that semi-meme

I wish I knew who wrote the announcement. I don't think it was bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it was a bit weird, I'll give it that. I don't blame whoever did write it, though - they did their best.

Your point about Piranha is sadly correct. While it does rely on quite a bit of supplies to be very effective, we can all agree that supplies are very easy to come by in today's times. However, Hornet M1 is indeed quite weak, but then again, so is everything at that rank. Besides, all you really need to survive in those ranks is three 25% modules: Falcon, Grizzly, and Owl.

Harvester is in my opinion a lot better than Keeper, and well worth the extra 10K crystals you have to invest in it. It's an amazing melt machine at low ranks, and carries this ability even to the Lieutenants. The fact that you also get Titan M1, which you can upgrade to M2, is such a huge bonus as well. I regret that I didn't give this kit a chance earlier, because it really does pay you back.

 

On 11/24/2019 at 12:34 PM, GrayWolf8733 said:

Here's a suggestion. For the next reviews, add a "None of these" option for the question "Which kit have you bought in the past?". I haven't bought any of these kits, but I can't submit an answer because all questions must be answered.

Noted, thanks for the suggestion!

 

On 11/24/2019 at 1:24 PM, 123tim456back said:

Off topic, but is High Precision Aiming System and Incendiary rounds really that good? I thought HPAS wasn't that good, and incendiary was good but not great.  I need this information for my alt

 

Also, great article Tide! 

HPAS still isn't that good. The reload time makes Smoky a worse version of Thunder, and statistically an even worse version of Gauss. However, Incendiary is great. 10/10 would recommend it.

Thanks for the kind comments! Hope to see you in the next issue!

 

On 11/30/2019 at 12:50 PM, At_Shin said:

Hey TideBreaker black friday was yesterday where are your other kit reviews? m2 and m3? please post them soon.

OK, I'll admit it. My dream of publishing all of them before Black Friday was pretty much wiped to the floor. I'm very busy right now, so the best I can try is before Christmas. My activity will definitely increase as of next week, so watch out for that!

 

Thanks for all your comments, and see you next time!

[Initiate 1,306]

10 hours ago, Tidebreaker said:

OK, I'll admit it. My dream of publishing all of them before Black Friday was pretty much wiped to the floor. I'm very busy right now, so the best I can try is before Christmas. My activity will definitely increase as of next week, so watch out for that!

Wait, it's not time sensitive because kits don't go on sale. What's the rush?

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

@Initiate I don't know - I just want to upload content as often as I can especially since eSports Reporters are giving us a hard time. Besides, the New Year sales are coming very soon, so I want my next articles to reach peoples' homes before Christmas. 

[Initiate 1,306]

16 minutes ago, Tidebreaker said:

I want my next articles to reach peoples' homes before Christmas. 

Dw, delivery is instant.