Any good weapons or strats for Tower Control?

[The Salamander King]

I love ranked, but that is probably because I am great at Splat Zones, but terrible at the other ranked modes. Any way I could get any better?

 

[Maave]

I think knowing when to get on the tower is the most important skill. Times to get on the tower:
-when it's 4v2 or 3v1, like right after you get a double splat
-when your team has lots of coverage in front, in enemy ink / in the tower's path
-when opponents are nowhere to be found
-when you have an invincibility special charged (Kraken or Bubbler)
Conversely, don't get on the tower when the opponent has these advantages. You're not very effective when you're on the tower. Teammates can't assist if the ground is all enemy colored.

other tips:
Stay in squid form on the tower. Just don't get antsy with the controls, it's easy to swim off.
You can get off the tower if you're going to be splatted. Up to you to decide when. I bail when I see blasters, fast shooters, and rollers. I stay on for snipers and slow long range shooters, hiding behind the peg on the tower blocks a lot of their shots.
Bait the opponent to come to the tower. Jump onto the tower for just a second so that you take control. Get off, go back or hide somewhere. Opponents will come to stop you. Splat them as they're focused on the tower.

If you feel like cheesing it, try a blaster or a gun with suction bombs. For suction bombs you can stack sub ink saver and ink recovery to really spam the crap out of them. Aside from that little cheese I don't think it really matters what weapon you use

 

[Cuttleshock]

Maave said more than I can, so I've just got one thing to add - a Sloshing Machine plug! Blasters are one option for attacking the Tower and that bucket is another good one, as you can fairly consistently hit opponents no matter where they're hiding. It also has a natural preference to attack from inconvenient spots and make low-risk, low-reward plays, such that it tends to survive a lot, allowing it better to maintain a Tower push. I'll qualify that with the disclaimer that that could just be a result of my personal play style with the weapon and it might not work like that for other people at all.

 

[The Salamander King]

Thanks for the tips! I'll try them out when I have a chance!

 

[Saber]

One weapon I prefer for tower control is n - zaps and splasho'matics, their high fire rate make them perfect for splatted anyone on the objective as well as pushing the objective, and their decent coverage and mobility makes the gear for stopping enemy attacks and launching s uprising flanks on the enemy team

My preference is to the 89' since it has sprinkler which makes it harder for people to splat you or get on the tower and the inkstrike for pressuring enemies though any of the high fire weapons are in my analysis better than a so charger on point. (Unless it's a squiffer)

 

[swamphox]

I've heard people on the board say inkmines were useless. Inkmines are VERY useful in TC provided you ride the tower. Ride the tower and lay it down. Preferably on the side your opponent is most likely to board. If someone else is riding go and lay one for them then provide supportive anti personnel play.

 

[Neon the squid]

Sticky bombs are nice too. Any other bomb would have an higher chance of falling or missing. You can easily splat or chase them away with them. And if you're on the tower, I put bombs around me so people can't get on the tower

 

[Setu]

The reasons ink mines are bad is because you can literally use any other type of bomb to serve the same purpose. I would first say to get some picks before getting on the tower and having an advantage in number. If you want some info from the infamous flc, he really encourages overall pushing/destruction of the other team along with ink coverage rather than using solely invincibility to push it. But the reason this isn't as effective in ranked is because the lack of team coordination, so invincibility is the easiest way to push/carry solo queue. But don't use in on maps like Camp where you can easily get pushed off the tower. If you are a sniper, definitely go custom over regular. If you play 52, figure out where you can ricochet your walls to be on the tower and abuse it.

 

[Magnus0]

A tip that others haven't mentioned yet is the fact that sprinklers, beakons and even splash walls can be used to block enemy shots.

The wail and the inkstrike are also good on tc because they can easily force every enemy off the tower.

Other than blasters, the custom hydra and the kelp are monstrous. They are effective at riding the tower because they can kill approaching enemies with their awesome range while hiding behind a sprinkler. The kelp is more defensive because of the ability to force enemies off of the tower with a wail. The hydra is more offensive because the bubbler can aid in pushes.

 

[Cuttlefish]

here's a couple tips i can share! TC is my favourite mode and i used to play it religiously haha

1. if you just want to learn how to really play TC without worrying about weapons - go tentatek splattershot. it's probably most well-rounded (sometimes op) weapon for TC, with suction bombs and inkzooka and just the right TTK (time to kill) to pretty much win most firefights on a tower. you can experiment more later of course, but i think this is a good place to start while you get used to the strategy.
2. the pole is your best friend. it can shield you from bomb explosions, even. you can hide from enemies, especially snipers, who won't be able to get you if you're positioned behind the pole correctly, this can win you some serious time if you get the hang of hiding behind it.
3. do NOT all pile onto the tower. the tower does infact go up in speed the more squids are on (by 25x intervals, so 4 squids makes it go 1.75x as fast), but unless you're in the final stretch and trying to push, you WILL all die if you all stand on it. some weapons could even take all of you out in one hit, such as rollers. if multiple people are on the tower as you are on it, take the initiative and jump off. try to secure the front, or protect the back, depending.
4. if you're running an up-close type of weapon (tentatek, nzaps, brushes, lunas, etc), take the tower first. don't leave your long-ranged teammates (snipers, splatlings, etc) to have to defend the tower unless they decide to themselves. defend the tower with your life!
5. stealth. jump. STEALTH. JUMP. i literally will not go into TC without it, you can jump straight onto the tower without anyone knowing like this, and take out the other team on the tower if you're prepared enough. you can even push the tower to victory by just repeatedly stealth jumping. do note it reduces your super jump speed, so if you want to you can run some quick super jump. i personally don't because i like being able to see more of the field before i land because i'm going slower, but it's personal preference.
6. kraken is an invaluable special in tower. not the only one, but very often can win entire games all on its own. just be careful not to get knocked off the tower on stages like moray (that happens to me way too much). bubbler, echolocator, suction bomb rush and debatably inkzooka are good as well. good subs are suction bombs, potentially burst bombs, sprinklers, and splash walls are good if you can position them. beakons are good if you're dedicated to placing them, and you can even use them as a "shield" on the tower haha
7. conversely, i'd avoid killer wail, only because the objective is constantly moving and it's kind of hard to position it. you can always use it in the final stretch though if your heart is set on it. i'd also avoid disruptors, seekers, and ink mines. as talked about above, ink mines are best replaced with suction bombs or something.
8. if you're good with blasters, they're probably the most annoying thing in TC. especially luna. be the nightmare bunny-hopping luna your enemies dread, you'll probably win a few games like that.
9. TURF CONTROL IS SO IMPORTANT. this is easily forgotten, but without turf control, you will NOT get far. the enemy can sneak about you from every angle if you just ride the tower into their ink. if nobody's doing it already and you have a high-inking weapon, go ahead and ink about, it can be life or death (or winning and losing) in TC, sometimes.
10. if you're riding the tower, do remember you have to take care of yourself, too! if you just stand there like a sitting duck and expect your teammates to deflect anything that comes for you, you won't get far. use your position on the tower to throw bombs, splash walls, use inkzookas, etc. be cautious, but be aggressive. the tower is yours!
11. last one for now, but situational awareness is EXTREMELY important. you might expect enemies to all come at you headfirst, you'd probably do the same. but some players expect other players to think like this and will come and take you out from behind. keep a good eye around you at all times, and don't just focus on attacking/protecting the front.

 

[Cuttleshock]

I'm slightly hurt by the malignment of Splat Bombs! They're perfectly adequate to attack the Tower with as well, although it takes a lot more confidence in throwing distance and ability to aim so that they get caught on a wall or the pillar to settle on the Tower. I can get them on board pretty consistently; it takes some predictive aiming but allows you the benefits of Suction Bombs, plus a quicker explosion.

 

[Green Waffles]

I'll just leave this here, for if you ever play in squads

Disclaimer: you contract and spread horrible diseases by using this strategy.
People have sent my squad friend request hate messages AND wtf lol messages. I'm also willing to bet that I've gotten some blocks. Having a 90% lose rate against a certain squad simply because they equip one specific ability and time their super jumps can make you salty.
... but it is definitely something my squad does about once a month for the laughs.

To help combat this(and just stealth jump in general), learning to spot stealth jumpers is key.
The ability gets rid of their super circle, sure, but not the other telltale sign

an inkling plummeting down from the sky

So if you ever think the tower is 100% clear of enemy squids, be sure to look up and make sure.
(Easier done on more open sky maps like moray towers but still doable even on maps like flounder.)


PS: Does anyone know of instances were squads have used the tower salt strategy in tournaments?
Or, even better, have there been tournaments that ban said strategy? xD

PPS: Landing bombs on the tower is good, but landing them on top of the grate of the tower, more specifically on a corner of the grate, is the best.
It covers not only most of the top on the tower, but also covers one or two of the walls aswell. If you and a teammate aim right and time them close enough together,
that is a psuedo inkstrike on the tower.

 

[Saber]

I'll just leave this here, for if you ever play in squads

Disclaimer: you contract and spread horrible diseases by using this strategy.
People have sent my squad friend request hate messages AND wtf lol messages. I'm also willing to bet that I've gotten some blocks. Having a 90% lose rate against a certain squad simply because they equip one specific ability and time their super jumps can make you salty.
... but it is definitely something my squad does about once a month for the laughs.

To help combat this(and just stealth jump in general), learning to spot stealth jumpers is key.
The ability gets rid of their super circle, sure, but not the other telltale sign

an inkling plummeting down from the sky

So if you ever think the tower is 100% clear of enemy squids, be sure to look up and make sure.
(Easier done on more open sky maps like moray towers but still doable even on maps like flounder.)


PS: Does anyone know of instances were squads have used the tower salt strategy in tournaments?
Or, even better, have there been tournaments that ban said strategy? xD

PPS: Landing bombs on the tower is good, but landing them on top of the grate of the tower, more specifically on a corner of the grate, is the best.
It covers not only most of the top on the tower, but also covers one or two of the walls aswell. If you and a teammate aim right and time them close enough together,
that is a psuedo inkstrike on the tower.

Another thing to counter the salt jumps, is splat one of the inkling's and place a sprinkler or splash wall right on top the ir spot, did it once and only once, it splatted 3 people in a row before they quit jumping on the tower
In squads you can place multiple sprinklers on the pole if the tower so they have to stand back and take out the sprinklers before they approach (on the pole since rollers can't easily take it out)
You could also just keep doing this to prevent them from getting on til they figure out how to deal with it.

 

[swamphox]

The tower itself will block shots. I use the pole. Make sure your rear is inked. If u need to make a hasty exit jump off, swim on the side for a sec, pop up and be a one man ambush.

I rock a luna blaster with (ink mine, inkzooka) the ink mines will remove bubblers and krakens (fun over water or chasms) and are great when someone is super jumping as its almost instand death for them.

I accept the fact that I die alot in TC. I dont care. My gear set up is such that Im able to get right back on. Squid Nordic (comeback is awesome, essentially an opening gambit each time you respawn albeit for a shorter duration) on it I have trip rolled quick respawns, For clothing I go with a squidmark LS (haunt and 3 damage ups) or the reggae tee (special saver rolled with one special charger up and 2 quick respawn) For shoes is usually do cream high tops (stealth jump 2x swim speed up, one special duration up...afraid to reroll it for the 3rd swim speed) Sometimes with shoes I go with Icy down boots, steal jump as well, one damage ip, one quick jump and one defense up, they look more like the stuff I wear on the best days of my life (I LOVE to ski, my son and I take day trips to north carolina a lot)

Beacons can get u a couple of inches due to the fact that theyll take a little damage before u will as well as allow your friends to join the party after a quick evacuation.

Now for the things that I hate with my setup

1. Sprinklers: they have to be dealt with prior to getting on the tower. they can and will kill u albeit slowly. Because they have to be dealt with that means youre out and exposed.

2. When firing the inkzooka dont take more than two shots without resetting your position. It will push u off.

3. Killer wails may push u off the tower as well

4. Splash walls: riding a tower into a splash wall will kill you. If an opposing player has one in your path its best to evac and take care of him or her before continuing. this is often easier said than done.

 

[Nousha]

This is a really great thread with lots of info, here's my 2 cents.

People always talk about inkstrikes as good for removing squids from the tower, but it's also good for breakthroughs in the right circumstances. Enemy squids tend to converge in certain advantageous spots for defense but inkstrikes can flush them out to get through. Depending on the circumstance killer wail might do the job better.

I'd recommend experimenting with bomb range up, since it's pretty useful for a variety of weapons and bombs are agreed to be pretty good for this mode.

One of those weapons is the Rapid Blaster Pro Deco, since normally disruptors don't go align with its effective range. I've done well with it in TC since it is a blaster (remember damage up) and it does have killer wail.

Hope this is a good contribution.

 

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

If you have the splash wall as a sub I'd recommend practicing bouncing them off walls so they land in front of you on the tower, to shield you from enemy ink. Can buy you a few seconds.

Also, if using a bubbler, knowing when to activate it while on the tower. Tower control is about intuition, instinct and patience, knowing when to get on the tower and went to hold back and play defensive.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Disclaimer: you contract and spread horrible diseases by using this strategy.

lol, this is so true.

Anyway, I'm gonna spill my thoughts. Chargers are EXTREMELY good for Tower Control. As a sniper's main perk is to instant kill anybody who gets in their massive range but only in a single spot. So, in a mode like Tower control, this is a useful thing to have, as your opponents don't have too much room to move on the tower in the first place. The best snipers (I've used pretty much all of them to at least 300000+) for Tower Control would have to be the custom E-liter and the Kelp Scope. Another tip for chargers is that they are great for pushes, as they control what weapons should be in mid, so a charger pushing along with a tower (and a pole to peek their snipes), is scary.

For specials, the kraken is a wonderful special for this mode, if not the best one. As the kraken can be used to remove enemies off of the Tower, or it can be used to push for some extra, otherwise unobtainable points. Killer Wail can completely engulf a tower, and it's entire path, so it's a wonderful defensive special to use in overtime, or when in danger. Bubbler is an offensive special, somewhat like kraken, but can be used for your team. Inkstrike is like a ghetto killer wail, but it gets your team some map control.

Hope this helped you. :)

 

[Dessgeega]

I'll chip in that using beakons and sprinklers as makeshift barricades is a solid tactic. Lots of great advice here. Tower control seems to be a mode of extremes when it comes to weapon selection, you either want something short-range (blasters, some shooters) or long-range (chargers, squelchers) when assaulting the tower.

 

[n8n8]

There are many factors to take into consideration. With the information you gave us all we can do is give the general tips for success.
1. Keep Map Control - extremely vital for success on ANY map and/or mode. If your team has control you have more room to swim, hide, and more mobility to kill. If you use say a blaster, buddy up with a weapon that has synergy with yours (say the dynamo and crb) and protect them so they give you map control. Hard in solo queue but still possible
2. Don't lose firefights. The more you lose the further away you are from specials and thus pushes.
3. Coordinate specials- again very difficult in solo buy still possible. Save your special for a 4 man push. Unless you have invincibility specials in which case it is acceptable to use in a sticky situation.
4. Push with your team- don't try to solo the tower to a KO you will die very quickly.
5. Take advantage of advantages. Make power plays, ink turf whenever you get a kill, etc

 

[ThatOneGuy]

Tower control seems to be a mode of extremes when it comes to weapon selection, you either want something short-range (blasters, some shooters) or long-range (chargers, squelchers) when assaulting the tower.

I've seen loads of people succeed in Tower Control with mid-range weapons, the tentatek, .52 gal, .96 deco, slosher deco, and the berry pro. These weapons have a good mix of defense and offense, and they're not too rare to see on the tower.