Tactics: Planting a support pillbox
by Black Lightning
From: fprefect@ambrosiasw.spamproof.com (Matt Slot)
Subject: Tactics: Planting a support pillbox
Date: 7 Nov 1997 08:48:51 GMT
You come up to a front to find an enemy taking down a box, or you
see one dropped via pill view and race over... you have a pillbox,
but how can you use it effectively for support?
Simple:
- Plant it in the pill line as a replacement for the "lost" box, and
get to another pressing crisis or opportunity.
- Plant it within range of the dead pill, but safely away from lurking
enemies. Heat it up for defense.
- Plant it aggressively, beyond the current pill line or within range
of a key resource, while the enemy is busy watching or grabbing the
dead pill.
- Use existing boxes to defend the dead box, but *don't* commit the
one you carry in a risky situation. (1)
- Ignore the dead box entirely, and take down a convenient enemy pill
elsewhere while he is busy -- tit for tat.
Nonstandard:
- Drive in fast to pick up the dead box, but quickly plant the carried
pill before you get there -- so you don't lose LGM.
- Drive in fast to pick up the dead box, and drop a few shots at the
enemy to discourage him. Perhaps drop a few mines -- but only on your
way out/around, so that you don't get pushed back into them.
- Find an incoming angle *behind* the enemy. Spike his backfield and
rush his tank with fury.
- Plant the box 5-7 squares back from the pill line, and prepare to
move the whole front back the same amount. (2)
Tricky: (3)
- Perform a "fake" build, and plant it near the dead pill.
- Heat up a nearby box, and disguise your LGM under the stream of bullets.
- Approach the dead box, perhaps shooting, to lure in the enemy for the
easy shot. When you turn away, he will likely do the same... use that
instant to send the build.
- Drive right through the pill line at the enemy tank. Send a build at
a 30-90 degree angle from your path, and make the enemy stutter while
picking a target (you or your LGM).
Notes:
- Sometimes letting them capture a box is better than committing too many
resources to a losing battle. Pick your battles, and flow like water -- away
from enemy strength, toward enemy weakness. Usually an enemy will focus on a
front that he's winning, leaving you a chance to make a break elsewhere.
- Pull back just enough that he has to move his boxes forward for them to
be effective -- slightly less than the length of a gunsight. Generally this
means he has to cross/clean up the craters that litter the old front, and
gives you a chance to pick off his man or take potshots at pills on another
front. You may also be able to find a good base to shield a pill in your line.
- These tricks can make you look like a BoloGod, or very foolish. Most
players (even the better ones) are easy to fluster, and sneak in a good move.
However, you'll find that the very good players -- the most consistent and
methodical ones -- will see through your attempts. Be *very* careful who you
try this against.
Finally, be sure to vary your tactics across the course of a game. Many
players have a preferred trick, and will use it *every* time they can. After
about the 3rd time, an alert enemy will pick up on it... and embarress you.
Although many of these tricks work, you'll find that better players will be
able to kill your builder -- be prepared when you try anything even slightly
risky.
Matt
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Reality: Matt Slot, Bitwise Operator *
* E-Mail: fprefect@ambrosiasw.com *
* Web: http://www.ambrosiasw.com/~fprefect/ *
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