Bowser
Inkling
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2015
- Messages
- 1
- NNID
- Gumshoes
as Epsilon281 said, the heavy splatling is an excellent control weapon. its range, power and speed challenge the likes of squelchers and aerosprays. i would say its largest drawback is it is very linear, and like all chargers, you are extremely vulnerable when flanked. in my opinion, playing defense is where this weapon shines, as without proper support from your team it is near impossible to push on your own. "spacing" enemies out is key with the splatling: you outrange several shooters after only charging it to half or 3/4ths of the first circle, making positioning a more vital part of your strategy than most other weapons.
what you need to learn about first when picking up the splatling is at what level of charge it kills. generally, 1/2 of the first circle is the amount of charge you're looking for, as it fires the 4-5 shots necessary to splat, along with the range to (somewhat) safely do so. you can charge past this, of course: a lot of my kills come from charging somewhere between this amount and the full first circle. the second circle of charge is largely unnecessary in most situations. it's a waste of ink, basically, unless you are pursuing a slippery foe, or engaging several foes at once. it can be very tempting to charge it up all the way and release, but it's often overkill and will run your ink tank dry. on the topic of inking turf, a first-circle charge inks decently well when you fire at the right angle (45 degrees in most cases).
the splash wall is undoubtedly a huge part of this weapon's playstyle and one absolutely needs to learn to utilize it well if they're going to be maining the splatling. on stages with tons of corridors like port mackerel and walleye warehouse, the heavy splatling truly shines. throw a wall down a corridor and you instantly stymie any efforts to push through that opening for a few moments. you can use this time to guard other passageways with your regular charge attack, but be wary of bombs thrown over your splash wall or stage obstacles, and remember enemy fire greatly reduces how long the wall stays up. offensively, use it right in chokepoints, and you provide a cover from behind which your team can dispatch any stragglers attempting to flee. use the splash wall, it will save your life as well as secure victory for your team.
obviously, elevation is key for the heavy splatling: not only do you have the range to splat enemies from virtually any height, you are without the reticle that plagues chargers. you can quite easily splat several members of the opposing team without them even realizing they were in your sights. (catwalks are especially fun!) maps like flounder heights, arowana mall, and even moray towers are great for this purpose, but remember: other chargers will almost always outrange and snipe you with ease. charger type weapons, especially e-liters, hard counter heavy splatlings due to them being slow and stationary. run speed up is a good ability for heavily splatlings in this situation, and in general, as it allows you to retreat speedily while firing, "spacing out" grounded opponents. just remember: chargers can and will utilize elevation even better than you can, so do not attempt to challenge them without getting close, as they outrange you easily.
never forget this weapon is a brand of charger and you are most vulnerable during its charging phase. this is why playing offensively is difficult: you are extremely predictable with your shots and easily overwhelmed and flanked. if you're to contribute to a push, keep an eye on your surroundings—throwing a splash wall can help depending on the map, but it won't save you from a flat-out ambush. shooters complement the splatling well in this way and are invaluable for support if you are forced out in the open. it is easy to get cornered with the heavy splatling; don't let that happen! always remember that your weapon does not need to be charged full to secure a kill. in the right hands, the splatling's charge speed is powerful and incredibly deadly.
for abilities i went for run speed up + ink resistance, but i also recommend ink saver main & sub. with how much you should be using the splash wall, it can save your hide to have even a sliver of extra ink in your tank.
tl;dr: watch your flank, practice everything between half-circle and full-circle charges, space out shooters, fire from on high, USE THE SPLASH WALL, recognize your capacity for control and defensive play and utilize it. you are an incredible asset to the team if you play your cards right. (as a last note, the kelp dome is very fun with this weapon in most any mode. don't underestimate a heavy splatling on a catwalk.)
what you need to learn about first when picking up the splatling is at what level of charge it kills. generally, 1/2 of the first circle is the amount of charge you're looking for, as it fires the 4-5 shots necessary to splat, along with the range to (somewhat) safely do so. you can charge past this, of course: a lot of my kills come from charging somewhere between this amount and the full first circle. the second circle of charge is largely unnecessary in most situations. it's a waste of ink, basically, unless you are pursuing a slippery foe, or engaging several foes at once. it can be very tempting to charge it up all the way and release, but it's often overkill and will run your ink tank dry. on the topic of inking turf, a first-circle charge inks decently well when you fire at the right angle (45 degrees in most cases).
the splash wall is undoubtedly a huge part of this weapon's playstyle and one absolutely needs to learn to utilize it well if they're going to be maining the splatling. on stages with tons of corridors like port mackerel and walleye warehouse, the heavy splatling truly shines. throw a wall down a corridor and you instantly stymie any efforts to push through that opening for a few moments. you can use this time to guard other passageways with your regular charge attack, but be wary of bombs thrown over your splash wall or stage obstacles, and remember enemy fire greatly reduces how long the wall stays up. offensively, use it right in chokepoints, and you provide a cover from behind which your team can dispatch any stragglers attempting to flee. use the splash wall, it will save your life as well as secure victory for your team.
obviously, elevation is key for the heavy splatling: not only do you have the range to splat enemies from virtually any height, you are without the reticle that plagues chargers. you can quite easily splat several members of the opposing team without them even realizing they were in your sights. (catwalks are especially fun!) maps like flounder heights, arowana mall, and even moray towers are great for this purpose, but remember: other chargers will almost always outrange and snipe you with ease. charger type weapons, especially e-liters, hard counter heavy splatlings due to them being slow and stationary. run speed up is a good ability for heavily splatlings in this situation, and in general, as it allows you to retreat speedily while firing, "spacing out" grounded opponents. just remember: chargers can and will utilize elevation even better than you can, so do not attempt to challenge them without getting close, as they outrange you easily.
never forget this weapon is a brand of charger and you are most vulnerable during its charging phase. this is why playing offensively is difficult: you are extremely predictable with your shots and easily overwhelmed and flanked. if you're to contribute to a push, keep an eye on your surroundings—throwing a splash wall can help depending on the map, but it won't save you from a flat-out ambush. shooters complement the splatling well in this way and are invaluable for support if you are forced out in the open. it is easy to get cornered with the heavy splatling; don't let that happen! always remember that your weapon does not need to be charged full to secure a kill. in the right hands, the splatling's charge speed is powerful and incredibly deadly.
for abilities i went for run speed up + ink resistance, but i also recommend ink saver main & sub. with how much you should be using the splash wall, it can save your hide to have even a sliver of extra ink in your tank.
tl;dr: watch your flank, practice everything between half-circle and full-circle charges, space out shooters, fire from on high, USE THE SPLASH WALL, recognize your capacity for control and defensive play and utilize it. you are an incredible asset to the team if you play your cards right. (as a last note, the kelp dome is very fun with this weapon in most any mode. don't underestimate a heavy splatling on a catwalk.)
