guide PRO Battles: Offensive Play

[E_polypterus 2,374]

Greetings friends! Right now, almost everything in Tanki is about Matchmaking, all the celebrations, double battle funds, increased gold drops - everything happens there, MM this and MM that. PRO battles on the other hand lay in the mud, lost in time... unwanted, disliked - wait what - Disliked and unwanted??? OH NO THEY’RE NOT. Yes, that’s right. PRO battle players still exist. And for those dear players, is what this guide is all about. So without any further ado, let’s dive right in!

Spoiler

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A Brief Introduction

So, offense... when it comes to playing the offensive, what comes to everyone's mind are things like in-depth plans and big strategies. Of course they're very important (half the guide is about them), but when it comes to practical play, all those plans are most often not used. For that, what you need the most is firsthand experience. Besides, you can't think about the strategy to use while in a battle, Tanki isn't Chess where you have to think a lot. Gameplay in Tanki is way more fast paced and the enemy isn't going to wait for you. Keeping everything simple is important. Your strategies would also not go as planned sometimes when considering your teammates. Each player has his/her own plan and wouldn't always want to go with some other guys plan in most cases. In such an instance you've got to adapt to the situation and assign roles to yourself and act according to the need (will be explaining how later on).

Here, I will be dividing the guide into the following categories:

• Basic Concepts Related to Offense 
• Best Turrets and Hulls to Use 
• Best Protection Modules to Use 
• Supplies and Drop Zones
• A Few Extra Tips and Tricks 

N.B - I’ve used explained with relation to CTF mostly. 

 

Basic Concepts Related to Offense

The basics:

- Reaching the enemy base

- Entering enemy territory

- Escaping with the flag

- Teamwork

 

Reaching the enemy base

To capture a flag or score a goal you must reach the enemy base. The flag won’t come running to you. In small maps, such as Island and Ping Pong, this may seem insignificant but in larger maps, it's going to be a looooong ride. Below are a few useful tips when reaching the enemy base.
 

1. Attack in groups

As the old saying goes, "United we stand, divided we fall". More often than not, attacking alone (or without thinking a bit beforehand) would result in the attacker being a potential meal to the enemy. Try to go in groups (of about 2 or 3) as attacking a good defense is not very easy and a exerting a lot of pressure on the defenders is important.

2. Reduce the risk of exposure 

You should take minimal damage. Don’t take roads which are bound to make you seen by enemies. Use side routes instead and try to keep off the main routes where most of the action takes place. You’re going to need as much health you can save as you’re going to enter enemy territory and very much likely to endure a lot of firepower. You may think that once you've got the flag why try to go on the sides then since you're highlighted already, but going in the middle would still make you encounter more enemies as that's where all the action happens (most of the time). Try to evade Magnum users the most, they’re a real pain in the neck for attackers especially if they got the Mortar augment equipped (more than likely).

A rough sketch of the attack routes to take when reaching the enemy base (from blue base to the red). The yellow line indicates the route to reach the enemy base while the green indicates the escape route. This could be used vice-versa when spawning on the opposite side of the map. 

 

Entering enemy territory

Well, it's obvious, isn't it? You got to enter enemy territory to capture a flag. 
 

1. Keeping Separate Lines of Attack

By separate lines of attack, I mean that there should be specific times in which you (along with your teammates if possible too) should charge into the enemy base. Usually only about two lines of attack is enough (and most common) which I call; the first line of attack and the second line of attack.  

The first line of attack, is the part where a few tankers charge first into the enemy base. Their job is to deal as much damage as possible to as much enemy defenders they can before they die, and maybe try and a have a go at the flag too. Pairing a turret with high DPS with a medium hull is a good option for this (Hammer/Dictator, etc). 

The second line of attack, should consist of players with light hulls mostly. They should come while the enemies are distracted by the first line of attackers or after the first line attackers so they can damage the  enemies (or what’s left of them) and escape with the flag. 

2. Carrying out the plan

I didn't know how else to name this one but anyway, once you get the hang of forming separate lines of attack, your only trouble will be carrying it out. After all, your enemies will try to stop you as much as they can.

First off, when you join a battle observe the way your teammates are attacking. Then identify the pattern they’re attacking. It’s wont exactly always be a pattern but might as well be close to one - that Isida repeatedly following the Viking/s to the enemy base...? Like those  guys.  Well if you’re a Hornet player you got to act as the second line of attack. Go behind them or through some other route and wait till they attack first (best if you hide somewhere till then). Then afterwards you break into the enemy base. Similarly if you use a heavier hull like Viking it’s best you go for the first line of attack. Go into the enemy base with a couple of teammates first. 

3. Use of Camouflage

Camouflage or “camo” in short is very hard to master though when skilled with it, will prove to be very useful. Most people think that camouflage is mostly for people who camp and hardly ever move. Though this is true to a certain extent, I think that the instance where camouflage would be the most useful would be on the role of attack. I recommend not using animated paints. More movement gives more chances of the enemy spotting you. Pick paints similar to your surroundings. Here’s a small list of good paints to use in different map types:

Forestry maps - Digital, Forester, Clay, Lead, Guerrilla 

Winter maps - Irbris, Winter, White

Desert maps - Sandstone, Desert, Tundra, Rock

Urban maps - Metallic, Carbon, Rhino

Night maps - Black, Storm, Taiga 

The slightest change can make all the difference...

4. Finding a good spot to camp 

After finally reaching the enemy base unnoticed you’re next goal would be to take the flag. Charging into the enemy base when it’s full of defenders is not a very effective attack strategy (unless you’re with group of allies). Well what you have to do is to try and find a good spot where you can hide in the enemy base unnoticed. From there, wait till most of the defenders have been killed by the first or even second line of attack (you’d be a third line of attack then) and then strike. All maps don’t have an excellent place to camp which is why waiting for the first line of attack is best. 

 

Escaping with the flag

Of course, stealthily infiltrating and attacking the enemy base is one thing. Getting out of the base with the flag is another thing. What with angry hordes of enemies right behind you is obviously going to make your job way more harder than you'd expect. 
 

1. Blockading

This is an useful “Golden Rule” when escaping. Though medium hulls such as  Viking and Hunter would excel at this the light hulls are ok too. Well this is how it goes. A Smoky-Wasp and Fire-Hornet get into the enemy base. The Wasp gets the enemy flag and is on the run. Just behind is an angry Freeze-Viking equipped with a Shock Freeze augment within firing range. At this point what the Hornet should do block the enemies’ path by getting in front the guy while shooting. The flag carrier is then allowed a more safer escape. 

2. Following the flag carrier

This tactic concerns both attackers and mid-fielders since they dominate the middle parts of the maps. If you see a teammate carrying the enemy flag, follow him ignoring your ongoing attack. If in any case the flag holder dies or drops the ball due to death or low health, you should be ready to take it. But do this only if you’re sure that the enemy does not have a better chance than you (or some other teammate) of picking up the flag/ball after the holder is destroyed. If the holder is being chased by more enemies don’t follow him. Instead, carry on with your attack - it’d be much more easier since most of the enemies would be chasing the flag holder leaving their base unguarded. 

Who to shoot at, the Wasp... or the Hornet...?

3. Passing on the flag

When you're on low health and carrying the flag/ ball there’s a high chance of you dying. In that case, passing the flag to an ally with full/more health is better since they would have a higher chance of surviving. Being selfish and trying to cap the flag by yourself for the extra points is a risk not worth. 

4. Camera adjustments and keeping your turns as accurate as possible

Many of you obviously know how to change your camera angles (for the empty-headed, Q and E keys). Well, using them is strategically according to the place and time is also an useful point as well as keeping your maneuvers perfect when it comes to attacking.

Camera adjustments: For an attacker, changing camera views accordingly is essential to stay stealthy and keep your health bar to a maximum. As an attacker you're highly likely if not, sure to encounter duels. In this case, if you're in a setting with a lot of buildings in the vicinity it'd be best to set your camera to the highest view. That way you'd be able to watch the action of your opponent and make way for a safe escape.

If the enemy comes at you from one side, you escape by going in the opposite side. You should save your health for when you've taken the flag.

Maintaining accurate movements: This isn't a very important point as maintaining control of you're tank is quite easy. But, everyone makes mistakes. For example, you're a Wasp with Speed Boost active and have the flag with you. You run like hell and then mistakenly fall into a pit. You lose both the flag and your tank. So, lesson to learn? DON'T DRIVE DRUNK   

A few very common places where your tank can hit accidentally, causing you to either flip, fall, or stop. Reversing and starting again would make you lose very precious time.

 

Teamwork

As I mentioned before, teamwork is very important. It lays the groundwork for a successful victory. Teamwork isn’t relevant just for offense but for mid-fielding and defending as well. Both of the above mentioned concepts related to entering and escaping escaping enemy territory are very important and it would be extremely hard to put them into practice without teamwork. 
 

1.Making use of the "Enter" button 

Many players say that chatting is a waste of time and effects the team’s effectiveness. This is clearly not the case. You can use it for either friendly chats or things related to the battle, no problem. Besides, what’s a good battle without a few friends to share your thoughts with? Anyway, for example, you encounter a group of attackers in a tunnel. You do your best to deal damage to them and get destroyed. Then, while respawning you could type in the chat box a quick message like "Incoming in tunnel", "Tunnel rats" or something like that. Then your teammates back in your base would be more prepared for an unexpected ambush. Or you could talk about other things like deciding on which combos which person should equip and so on.

And another thing, don't get carried away when chatting or else you'd end up chatting more than actually playing, like me. 

Good coordination between one's teammates...

 

Best Turrets and Hulls to Use

Here, I've mentioned the best turrets and Hulls for a good offensive part and how to use them. But that doesn't mean that certain oddball combos such as Thunder-Wasp wouldn't do any good. They are also viable options if you know how to use them properly (I've seen many players use these combos effectively in battle); however, more practice would be required to be skilled with them. 

*All stats in tables are from the Tanki Online Wiki

 

Turrets

The best turrets to use for attack!

Firebird

Most tankers (including myself) run when they see an approaching Firebird. A very deadly turret at close range. It can deal a lot of damage to multiple enemies from a single fuel gauge and possesses the almighty after-burn effect which would most likely finish off enemies damaged halfway. One of the more prominent methods of attack using this would be circle-strafing with a light or medium hull. I would recommend Firebird for the first line of attack mounted on a medium hull or with Wasp (the N2 bomb would give a pleasant surprise for your enemies).

Recommended Augment: Compact Fuel Tanks (CFT)

Compact Fuel Tanks

Maximum temperature limit: +100%  Heating rate: +100%  Energy consumption: +50%

245 000

Firebird is good as stock but we know how powerful the CFT augment is... DON’T WE ?

Spoiler

(MM players)

Around three seconds of firing would take out almost half the health of a heavy hull. There. A powerhouse in supplies and overdrives disabled battles. Best used in the first line of attack. The thing here is to not to go for the kill - you should damage as much enemies as you can since as stated above, three seconds is enough to leave the red for the second line of attack.                      
 

Freeze

Freeze is one of the best turrets for stealthy offensive play - creep into the enemy base unnoticed, freeze the enemy and get away with the flag in a flash! The most common strategy of course, circle strafing, is a must with this turret.

Recommended Augment: Shock freeze (SF)              

Shock freeze

Freezing rate: +200%  Energy consumption: -50%  Damage: -30%

245 000

This is one of the best augments for Freeze in attacking and defending alike. Although stock Freeze is just as effective, a 200% increase in the freezing rate in exchange for a 30% damage cut is quite profitable for any Freeze player. In less than a second you’d be able to freeze enemies solid and, if you’re skilled enough, keep a good lookout on the enemies turret and you might as well steal a flag single handedly. 

Recommended Augment II: High-pressure pump (HPP)                      

High-pressure pump

Minimum damage range: +10%  Maximum damage range: +100%  Cone angle: -75%

149 000

This is an augment quite degraded in terms of use. Many think that it is quite ineffective due to its reduced cone angle, yes true, it's hard to use but not ineffective. When trying to slowdown enemies chasing you, this augment will prove very useful. If you encounter enemies a bit farther off and enduring damage from them, you just freeze them for about 2 or 3 seconds (with accurate aiming) and escape quickly. Writing and trying to explain how useful this is for offense is a bit hard, trying it out in battle yourself is better. I find HPP is quite useful and use it the most (since that's the only one I got )
 

Isida

Isida is a very important turret for offense. Not for its very high DPS, but because of its very unique ability which no other turret in the game possesses - healing allies. This makes it a great asset to the team as health is of utmost importance and an Isida giving a consistent bonus of health might as well make the difference of you capturing an flag or not. When in the role of an Isida, there are two main types - the defender Isida and the attacker Isida. Since I'm not here to talk about defence, lets throw that part away and see to the attacking Isida. Mostly a light hull is used. It's best to use Isida along with the first line of attackers since they'd be able to deal even more damage to the defenders then. One of the most important things to do however is to heal allies from behind. Even staying at their side is not that good since you are the prime target to the enemy. The other thing is to heal allies who actually need more health at the time - for example, the flag carrier. But this isn't applicable all the time...

Bummer...

Recommended Augment: Support Nanobots (SN)

Support nanobots

Health healed per second: +100%         Damage per second: -50%

245 000

I’d say that this is the best augment to make any attack successful. Two or three Isida’s with this augment is more than enough to make a strong offensive line. With this augment however, you should NEVER take on this the role of an attacker (50% damage cut : 0 ) , but as a supporter who comes behind the attacker. With the healing effect increased by 50% an Isida would be able to heal an ally even under heavy fire. 
 

Hammer

Another excellent choice of weapon for attack. Stock hammer consists of three clips in its magazine of which two are enough to destroy any light of equal modification. Fairly quick firing rate and a high damage output makes this turret great for fast paced attacks.

Recommended Augment: High-Capacity Ammo Clip (HCAP)

High-capacity ammo clip

Ammunition per clip: +2

245 000

Along with the standard three clip magazine this augment includes an extra two clips in exchange for no negative effect at all. Even with just three clips hammer is a good choice for a line attacker and would perform even better with two additional clips. Mounted on a medium hull such as Hunter, Hammer would be monstrously strong given the likes of its overdrive as well. Best as a first line attacker.

Recommended Augment II: Duplet

Duplet

Shot reload: -85%  Ammunition per clip: -1  Vertical scatter angle: +100%  Horizontal spread angle: +50%

245 000

The Duplet augment reduces the reload time in between two clips (-85% reload time) enabling the user to fire two shots almost instantly, quite similar to that of a double barrel rifle. Just one shot from a Hammer would make a great impact on a light hull, so two shots in one go would be enough to send them soaring. But this feature comes with a few heavy tolls. The ammunition per clip is reduced to two and the pellet spread is increased while the horizontal pellet spread is decreased meaning, more precise aiming. Best used as a second line attacker.

Recommended Augment III: Adaptive reload (AR)

Adaptive reload

Destroying an enemy adds 3 shots to clip  Clip reload: +10%

245 000

Adaptive reload allows an instant refill of the ammo clip after destroying an enemy tank which comes with an increase in reload time. The reload time increase is not that noticeable compared to the full clip refill providing you time your shots correctly and accurately so that a kill is gained. However if you don't get a kill and empty your magazine you'd have to contend with that for a long time until you get a full clip again. Best as a second line attacker as you're most likely to get a lot of kills against already damaged enemies.
 

Smoky

Smoky is a versatile turret capable of flourishing in any game mode. It’s very powerful mounted on a medium hull but does just as well with light hulls. Circle strafing while shooting at the opposite side of the enemy is a very good tactic with this turret. 

Recommended Augment: Assault rounds (AR)

Assault rounds

Impact force: +35%                 Critical hit disabled

96 000

AR is an excellent choice for attack but not in all situations. The augment grants a 35% increase of impact force in exchange for removed critical hits. This makes it an excellent competitor in one-to-one/two duels against high recoil turrets such as Railgun, Shaft and hammer mounted on medium hulls which are, not uncommon defenders in battle. The strategy to use here is same as that of stock smoky, shoot at the corners of the tanks and mess up their aims. Very useful in battling opposing attackers with light hulls and Vikings.

 

Twins

Many would prefer Twins as a mid-fielder, so do I. Nonetheless, it also makes for a good front line offensive turret. The high impact force, extremely fast reload and the extremely annoying sound it makes (well, it's annoying for me at least ;-;) are it's characteristic traits. But due to its slow projectile speed and limited range it would be better opted for offense in medium sized maps. Twins does good as a first line attacker as well as a supportive turret, like in protecting the flag carrier.

Recommended Augment: Stabilised Plasma

Stable plasma

Self-damage removed  Impact force: +10%  Splash damage removed  Projectile speed: -15%

149 000

Not long ago, Twins had received a nerf which enabled splash damage for Twins' projectiles. This vastly reduced the effectiveness of Twins in melee range combat. So what this augment does is simply remove that splash damage in exchange, for decreased projectile speed which might seem a bit hard considering the fact that Twins' projectiles are already quite slow. I would prefer this augment over the stock version as Twin's is hard to use at close range with splash damage, but stock isn’t unusable however...

 

Ricochet

A close “cousin” of Twins, Ricochet is not a bad option for offense. The infamous ricocheting effect however would not be that useful for an onslaught on the enemy base since there are only a few maps with flags in tunnels/closed areas (Deck-9, Berlin, etc). Anyway, it has a high impact force and can be used similar to that of Smoky.

Recommended Augment: Plasma Torch

Plasma-torch

Shot reload: -50%  Minimum damage: -25%  Maximum damage: -25%  Projectile speed: -35%  Maximum number of ricochets: =1

245 000

Plasma torch is a much favored augment by parkourists but it also does well in normal battles. It grants increased firing rate in which even heavy hulls could miss their aim when under continuos fire. One major downside is that these projectiles ricochet only once, but that isn't much of a problem in areas where thebase is in an open area. This augment is best used as a second line of attack. 

 

Hulls

The best hulls for attack! With regard to hulls anyhow, I haven't explained about which augments are best since all the augments are good enough but the immunity augments are much better (considering you're a buyer lucky enough to get them). 
 

Wasp

Nimble, agile, fast, Wasp can work wonders, especially in CTF (and maybe a leeetle bit in parkour too). It's small size enables it to get into small areas where other hulls cannot and makes it a very apt escape artist along with it's high speed. It's very obvious downside though - having low health, which makes it the least suitable for constantly crowded areas (mostly being the middle of the map) where three or four shots from almost any turret is enough to finish you off. Though Wasp is best as a second line attacker, overdrives have enabled it to function as a great first line attacker as well. Run straight into the enemy base, drop in your bomb 3,2,1 - POP - enemy base is now empty. However, you should be aware of the enemies in the base too. If a Hunter or Titan is present your bomb has a chance of not going off - 50-50 chance. So before just dropping the bomb after you enter the base, just wait a teeny bit - there's a chance that the enemy would activate his overdrive thinking that you'd activate yours. And after the enemy does that, then you press shift. Don't wait too long for his move though since if the enemy doesn't use it, it's most likely that their overdrive charge isn't 100% and you're free to use yours - wait too long and you'd get destroyed. 

The well-timed Wasp bomb revealing a very sorry sight...
 

Hornet

Attacking with hornet is similar in gameplay with that of Wasp as both are light hulls and possess similar features which differ only slightly. But then again as I said before, even the smallest things matter, right? What Hornet has over Wasp is more weight, more push power and more stability (varies on the modification). Hornet's ability to withstand more firepower due to its weight is one of the most noticeable features when compared with Wasp. And of course, Hornet's distinctive overdrive is not be forgotten. With its most recent update, the overdrive allows “Armor Piercing” (AP) of the enemy which can be countered by the also recently introduced AP immunity augment. Anyway, the armor piercing effect deals full damage to the enemy irrespective of equipped protections and supplies. Further it shows the location of each enemy on the map to both you and your allies. These features however, make Hornet play a more supportive role than an offensive role.
 

Hopper

Hopper, the newest addition available for purchase in the garage... it may seem a bit Under-Powered in PRO battles but recently, I observed that that's only in overdrives offed battles. However, I do not have much experience with gameplay related to Hopper which is why I got a bit of advice from @At_Shin, an avid Hopper user. Hopper is a hull which needs the most skill to master in the game (maybe mobile users would disagree with this but QED, mobile has no PRO battle option  - a very big downside if you ask me). It's extremely lightweight, and the drift makes it very hard to use on the PC version. Anyhow, those are only it's cons. The most distinguishable "hopping" feature is what made me want to add Hopper into this list in the first place. With the right acceleration and skill, you almost evade a whole defence when entering or escaping a base. Flashback to my previous unhappy encounters with this hull, I recommend using your hull when you are in the enemy base and sorrounded since using it otherwise would be a waste of it's whole potential (that everlasting afterburn... the stun...). 

 

Hunter

Hunter, the universal hull. Not the best in terms of looks maybe ;-; but decent speed, armor and weight makes this monster a very strong attacker. Hunters' overdrive has made it a much more effective in facing hordes of enemies at once. Quick charging, acceptable range it’s EMP can put any group of tanks within its effect radius into a temporary shock removing all supplies and put them on cooldowns. Additionally, any flag or ball carried by the victim is also automatically dropped. Hunter is best in the first line of attack as well as in the second line of attack. When running into the base make sure you got Double Armour active since there's a chance of you getting destroyed just after you activate your Overdrive. 
 

Viking

Viking is one of the most popular hulls in Tanki, and for good reason. It has a considerable HP pool, weight and speed. Further it’s low profile makes it much less of a target to enemies though many are on the wrong impression that it’s the most stable of the medium hulls but actually it’s the medium hull with the least weight (at mk7+ that is). It’s protruding corners are very good for knocking off the aim with a high impact force turret. It’s overdrive though, is a very useful one for the first line of attack (pretty sure you guys’d know how to use). 
 

Dictator

A somewhat heavier but sturdier approach for offense, Dictator is not the hull that most people would recommend for offensive purposes however it's overdrive makes it one of the most useful in team battles for offense and defense alike. In almost every battle you'd see groups of tankers together when a dictator has 95-100% charged overdrive - a very useful boost to get in and out of the base, especially in supplies disabled battles. So with a few teammates you could go into the enemy base as a first line attack. The overdrive can be used either in the enemy base or in the middle of the map but you must use it with a group, not just 1 or 2 tanks. But the usage of the overdrive could vary. For instance, if you see a nearby teammate running with the enemy flag in low health, then you should definitely use your overdrive on that guy. Also, be cautious when using your overdrive when enemy Hunters' are in the vicinity or else you might run the risk of using your overdrive all for nothing.
 

Mammoth

      

Big, slow, and heavy - how in the world would a heavy hull serve the role of an attacker, they suck at that, right? I used to think on the same lines until overdrives came along and changed everything. The best out of the three heavies (if you can call Ares “heavy”) for offense is in my opinion, Mammoth. The AT-field makes Mammoth quite a competent attacker. If you survive it to the enemy base (most preferably with a few Isidas) you'd make a great first line of attack by activating your overdrive and ramming into the enemy defenders. Beware of opposing Hunters, Mines and long range turrets however.

Row row row your tank gently down the enemy base 
Merrily merrily merrily merrily listenin' to their screams...

 

Best Protection Modules to Use

Modules are separate features of a tank, the purpose of which is to enable your tank to withstand more firepower by certain turrets. Module values range from the lowest being 5% up to the highest being 50%. A protection at 50% is very effective (and expensive) but it isn't a must to have it at that level. For Marshall’s and upwards 30% + is more than enough. 

So... protection modules to use when attacking. It's quite simple. Identify the most abundant turrets in the battle and equip protections against those.

A full scale battle in Noise CTF. Notice the most common protections, turrets and alterations in use.

In almost every battle, more than other turrets, you’d see a few more common turrets than others, always. And against those are what you should equip/buy modules. Here are the most common (with my own ratings of how useful they are):
 

Grizzly

Thunder is amongst the most used in medium sized maps and larger. Seen most commonly on Vikings and Hunters ,they are very deadly mid-fielders. The Sledgehammer rounds augment has made it even more popular enabling it to deal a lot of damage at close range. Not having protection against this turret is going make it very tough for light hull users as two shots at the most is enough to finish one off. Plus you'd be saving yourself from that annoying splash damage.

Usefulness rating: 10/10  
 

Panther

Twins module. This is a very useful one as Twins users aren’t uncommon. In fact, you’d see them flourishing in maps like Silence. If you’ve this module and encounter a Twins, you need to make contact with him, in addition to your damage he’d also have to bear his own splash damage. Because of that they'd most likely backpedal and fall into a pit hahaha while driving allowing you to escape and reach the enemy base.

Usefulness rating: 8/10
 

Fox

One of the, if not, the most used turrets in PRO battles Firebird is, as I stated before, a powerhouse in supplies offed battles. However, after the introduction of immunity augments it no longer reduces the rate of afterburn. That ability was shifted to the resistance augments. Therefore I would not think this module would be as useful as before but all the same, reduced damaged is better than nothing, especially in Island CTFs and CPs overrun by Firebirds where no Fox module would seem laughable.

Usefulness rating: 7/10
 

Owl

Gauss is becoming increasingly popular (and annoying) mostly due to its ability to lock into enemies without being seen which, makes it one of the best mobile snipers out there. And as if that isn't enough, the charged shot is capable of taking out more than half the health of a light hull along with a veeery large splash damage radius. Most common users are mid-fielders and defenders, who, are the enemies you encounter the most as an attacker.

Usefulness rating: 7/10 
 

Griffin

Remember that Noise battle you saw before? A Magnum infestation that was... And that being only a medium scale map (Noise has its own glamour to attract Magnums though). Maps like Highways, Serpuhov and Lost Temple are the perfect breeding grounds for these players. And I don't think I need to even mention the influence they’ve made in Wave CTFs, it's a perfect map for Magnums thanks to its odd shape, an attacker with no anti-Magnum protection might as well give up hope trying to even reach the base. However, they lack in numbers when it comes to maps like Rio, Polygon and Island.

Usefulness rating: 9/10
 

Falcon

Another popular turret. Railgun. You’re going to find these guys equipped with either the Scout or Large Calibre rounds augments, both of which are infuriating. But even 20% protection is good enough to survive one shot from a LCR Railgun. And I’m very sure most Railgun users don’t like dealing damage under 1,000 :O. Because of this, it Is kind of a must for those who inhabit large maps.

Usefulness rating: 8/10
 

Spider

A lesser-used module (mostly due to the fact that it isn’t available in product kits). The usefulness of this module comes in augments enabled battles where we come across the plague again - Magnum/Mortar. Being in a battle filled with mines from Magnums is very irritating trust me and although this module’d protect you from only a mine or two (considering light hulls), it’s better than nothing.

Usefulness rating: 6/10

 

Best drones to use

Hmm, drones...nope. Haven’t seen them in PRO battles any time recently. So... I guess no point of discussing them right...? Good. No drones to pester anyone here. We’re safe.   

Spoiler

Spoiler

P.S-

Spoiler

I mean, there are supplies enabled battles from time to time and they do have drones enabled, but then, who'd want to use drones in a minimum 30 minute or untimed battle considering the rate that batteries are used up?

 

 

Supplies and Drop Zones

Supplies enhance the ability of your tank by either speed, armour, damage, or health. Each supply remains active for 30 seconds upon activation. Each supply also has a specific drop zone for each and every battle. The location of drop zones could also effect the outcome of a battle and the usage of attack routes depend slightly on the presence of drop zones. 
 

Repair Kit (RK)

The Repair Kit supply is very important as it instantly replenishes your health by a 1000 hitpoints and additionally restores  3,000 hitpoints within three seconds. All external effects like burning and freezing are reduced as well. But to spoil all the fun, RKs are the most expensive type of supply and there're only a very few drop zones of this type. To make things worse, they're almost always located in the middle of the map, which is the last place an attacker should cross over. Using a RK from you inventory should be done carefully. Using it just for a shot or two from a Smoky is not the best thing to do. Try to save them for when you've entered enemy territory. Using them when going against Firebirds is almost a must if you don't have any anti-firebird augments to keep you from dying or being severely damaged.
 

Double Damage (DD)

Double Damage increases the damage of the turret by two times. This supply is very useful in breaking down tough defences but I wouldn't recommend this for light hulls. Double damage would be more suitable for the heavier tanks where they have the chance of lasting longer and therefore dealing more damage, attackers should be more focused on mainly getting in getting in and out of the base, not dealing damage.
 

Speed boost (SB)

Many players disregard SB and find the other two more useful (DA and DD). In my opinion however, it’s the best supply for an attacker. SB increases the speed of your hull by 40%. So the only thing you'd have to worry about that with a hull like Wasp is not crashing onto walls. For turrets with projectiles which do not travel  instantly a light hull with SB on would be a very hard target to shoot at, the chance of missing is higher. SB would also decrease the time taken to reach the enemy base or help you aid a teammate in trouble. Getting in and out of enemy bases would also be much more easier.

With SB on you can dodge a lot of fire and escape with the flag at the same time. A quick get-in and a quick get-away...

Double Armour (DA)

Double Armour halves the amount of damage inflicted to you by an enemy. This is a very important supply for attack since as I stated before, you're going to need all the health you can get as getting damage is inevitable. So receiving only half the damage dealt by enemies is very useful, for example, Hornet (Mk7+), it has 2,000 Hitpoints, but with double armour it would be 4,000 hitpoints. Similar in health to that of a mk7+ heavy hull.

Mines 

Mines don't play a major part in the role of attacking as they're best used as defensive tools. Nevertheless, they can also be used when you're being chased by an enemy. Drop the mine and the tank behind will most likely get destroyed; if not, weakened enough for you to destroy quickly.

 

A Few Extra Tips and Tricks

Before we wrap up, here are a couple extra pieces of advice to heed in your next PRO battle.

1. Don’t camp in/near the enemy base.
   I’ve seen this in many battles. Players who find camping spots with a good vantage point just stay there and destroy enemies raking kills. Though no doubt it would make the enemy go nuts, too much of them is not too good either. More offensive (or defensive) players would be useful.
2. Don’t go for the Gold Box.
   You've probably heard of this over and over by players and other articles alike but it means well to say it. If a Goldbox does drop it would mean a better opportunity for you to get into the enemy base since everyone would be going after the Gold. Of course you can take the Gold but only if if it doesn’t affect your team. Like, if the Gold drops, and at that moment your flag is being taken.

3. Don’t “relax” when you’re with the flag/ball.
   Once you’re in your own base and close to capture the flag, don’t let off your guard. Who knows? At the last moment some enemy could from somewhere destroy you and return the flag. This has happened to me many a time. 

4. Know when to shoot and when to not shoot.
   While trying to enter enemy territory, you see a few enemies upfront and most likely to get back at you if you fired at them. So without firing, you should wait for them to pass (if there is a place to hide), if you do shoot, you’re very likely to enter the base with very low hp. 
5. Don't tend to your K/D ratio too much.
   You’re not going to be much helpful to your team if you fuss over your K/D a lot, it’d keep you from thinking more about your team. It actually isn’t that useful either (only when wanting to enter a good clan maybe...). This especially applies to attackers as they’re the one who are most likely to get more deaths than kills.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And that’s all for this guide. I've covered most of the areas where offense is considered. Hope most of you guys found it helpful and I trust MM players too, would show more interest towards playing PRO battles after reading this guide.

I would like to hear any drawbacks in the article or if there’re any mistakes on my part. 

GoOd LuCk and Thanks for reading.

 

Acknowledgements:

• @At_Shin - for a bit of advice on Hornet overdrive and Hopper
• @Venerable, @Kakarot - for helping out with some of the GIFs
• @Vegas, @natrolite, @Spy, @SniperSh0t - for helping out with some of the images

[Person_Random 4,991]

Hot off the press from our Editorials desk, we have @E_polypterus's handy guide jam-packed with all the advice you need on your journey to becoming a true pro in PRO battles. Enjoy the read!

[Vegas 960]

Nice work 

[Spy 14,736]

Very nice guide, I'm glad me and the other spectators could help you out! 

 

[LSHTV 229]

Good job

[Tanker-Arthur 2,971]

Great article!

Just be advised that Firebird is useless on Polygon CP battles with Augments activated, literally almost everyone there has Heat Immunity.

[Venerable 2,970]

Ah, good old Poly.

Absolutely wonderful, bro! This is an achievement... your very first article turned out to be an Editorial! Congratz!

And your sense of humour does not disappoint - a long guide, but fun to read! 

[Object_252U_Defender 2]

:OO Good Job bro very useful article, you are the big lover of pro battle xd

[NDUS 3]

Excelent!!!

[brainhoo 735]

Good intro tutorial and tips for newbies and reminders for seasoned players.

[E_polypterus 2,374]

On 2/20/2021 at 12:14 AM, Spy said:

Very nice guide, I'm glad me and the other spectators could help you out! 

 

Yeah, couldn’t have done that banner without you guys 

On 2/21/2021 at 9:26 PM, Venerable said:

your very first article turned out to be an Editorial! Congratz!

Yeah lol I was just as surprised. But writing the whole thing wasn’t exactly a picnic ofc ;-; 

 

[E_polypterus 2,374]

On 2/21/2021 at 8:24 PM, Tanker-Arthur said:

Just be advised that Firebird is useless on Polygon CP battles with Augments activated, literally almost everyone there has Heat Immunity.

Yes, most of the time, I guess we’d be seeing more Thunder, Rico and Twins users in augments enabled battles than before. 

In low ranks though it’s very different. Surprisingly hardly any of the players use augments there so they’re still “pure” and, Firebird remains powerful. 

Got this pic a few weeks ago...