So, I just got a few Ranked matches here, so here's some thoughts now that I've played in the Kelp Dome. (Splat Zones only)
INKOMING TEXTSTRIKE
I knew I'd love this map! It's always an intense fight for the center, it's like Walleye Warehouse except I don't loathe it (maybe it's because it's not as small).
The Splat Zone is in the center. There's only one, and it's rather large (I want to say the largest), but it's suprisingly defensible thanks to being mostly walled off, which forces you to either go around to the side entrances or take the (very difficult to defend yourself on) grate catwalks (that wall in the middle helps on the defensive too; yeah, you can ink up it to reach the other side, you still have to surmount it in some way to control the zone).
It's so easy to get to the Splat Zone! There's a lot of ways into the middle, so many that you probably can't cover all of them at once (so there will be fighting), but there's risk in any entrance (those side entrances are the most direct path, and I've snuck into an enemyy-controlled zone multiple times through them, but entrants from there can get flanked from the side on entry of from behind by a recent respawn OR rained down on by someone on fhe catwalks, taking the catwalks lets you get in more quickly and reach the center platform more easily, but you can't recover ink up there and you're getting splatted 90% of the time if you're spotted, those platforms that go up the side can be decent sniper nests since you can see like half the Zone from them, but you'll have to get down to shoot at the other half), which I like.
Chargers may have it pretty bad here, yeah. There aren't any great sniping points (those ledge thingies only let you see half the zone, the center platform is the best one since you can see the whole thing by turning but there's too many ways up to it for me to say it's a good place for snipers), and if they're going to be fighting on the ground they'll probably be at a disavantage against anyone with Ninja Squid or who just sneaks up on them.
Rollers, on the other hand, look like they'll have a great time here, since snipers aren't a problem and the elevated parts look better for flinging ink than sniping. Dynamo Rollers in particular should love that center platform, and the Krak-On's Squid Beakons make getting back to the Splat Zone quickly much easier. Even Inkbrushes should be good on this one, since it's so huge and getting around quickly looks like it'll be an asset (plus it leaves those useful ink trails).
Inkstrikes don't quite cap the zone on their own, but they generally make the holding team lose it for a second (more if your team's attacking at the same time). They're gonna be so good here.
This may be irrelevant, but it popped up in my head while I was typing so I'll put it here anyway:
I kept playing against this guy with a Custom Blaster who jumped a lot and splattered my team a lot (got me like 3-4 times each game). Made me think that Blasters are gonna be great here, especially considering the ease of splattering people up in the catwalks.
And here's another thing I just thought of: are Splash Walls a good thing to have here? I'm just asking because there's so many ways to the center that cutting one off doesn't seem like that big a deal, and they wouldn't appear to be of much use in firefights in the Zone. I could be wrong though.
So overall, it's a hectic battle to hold the center against enemies raining down ink from the catwalks, rushing you from the sides, sniping from those platforms on the edges of the square that surrounds the center, and the ever-present threat of an Inkstrike or two taking the zone from you, OR it's a hard fight to get INTO the center against foes in the zone shooting up into the catwalks or gunning straight for you when you walk in, and whoever's on the center platform's gonna be taking potshots at you from above, but an Inkstrike or two will make your life much easier and maybe pause the timer for a bit. I'm loving it!
