Most Optimal Ink Strike Placement?

[Technocrow]

So I've been giving this some thought and I was thinking about where and when are the best places/times to shoot off Ink Strikes. At first my mind immediately thought "Shoot directly in the middle of the enemies area!" but after giving it some thought that's not always the best strategy because if too close to spawn or directly in enemy territory it becomes a useless effort because 1, the enemy can easily reclaim this area and is only a small nuisance, and 2, is because you cannot access the ink you've placed thus making the idea fruitless.

That being said, timing of when you fire your Ink Strike is also very important. In a different case during the last 10 seconds it does not matter where you place your Ink Strike as long as it lands with the most optimal ink coverage. After thinking this over there's a lot more to firing these than just tapping somewhere on the game pad. You must think about how the enemy will react to it and how it will be useful to yourself. Personally I've had some close call experiences that the final Ink Strike ended up being the difference between a win and a loss.

I was wondering what you guys thought on the matter. Where do you place your Ink Strikes and at what time do you think they do the most damage?

 

[JuddTheCat]

I like to start a match by covering ink around the spawn point until I get an Ink Strike. In turf war, I ink strike the middle of the stage, unless it's already covered. If it is covered already, I ink strike their spawn point, alot of them don't know your invincible in your respawn point and they move out, making them kill themselves. Also helps your team since they will be shooting around their spawn point again letting you and your team have more time to get closer.

In Splat Zone, you should always be striking the zone. If it's a stage with more than one zone, and there's one zone you have and one zone they have, shoot the opposing team's zone.

 

[2dtoday]

Why waste time inking around your spawn right off the bat? Find a hallway or some other useful transportation route to cover instead. There will be plenty of chances to ink around your spawn as the game goes on. Right off the bat, I think you should be thinking about helping your team move as efficiently as possible. When your super charges, drop your strike somewhere off to the side, making them send at least one player to an out of the way area to clean up the mess. Dropping on their spawn isn't as effective unless you have them pinned way back in the level.

 

[Rhode]

It depends on the stage, really. Dropping it on a spawn point is next to useless, unless you have control of the key points of the stage already and have no where else to use it.

Examples of good places to use an Inkstrike;

Arowana Mall
- The center where the ramps connect into each other. Generally anyone in control of this area has the advantage as it's a major checkpoint.

Blackbelly Skatepark
- The tower that has a good view of literally the entire course.

Saltspray Rig
- The upper portion, focus more on the part where there is the three story crates so you can get a vantage point.
- The lower portion. While smaller than the upper portion, having control of it and the paths connecting into it can provide good coverage and bait the opponent to let up on their assault of the top.

Urchin Underpass
- The center room, more so on the opponents side than your own unless you're being pushed pretty hard. Having control of that room is a vantage point.

Walleye Warehouse
- The center with the three crates. It's a vantage point, if you consider it one.
- In front of the enemy base. While this isn't the best place, it provides good coverage to bait your opponents into a respawn hide-and-seek because there are only two exits if you control the center room.

I haven't played much of the new map since Ranked came out, so I don't really have an opinion, but I would guess right in the center where the trucks intercept.

 

[Lyn]

Anywhere the enemy has ink covered, or you need to make an opening for your team. :)

 

[iNinja5567]

Why waste time inking around your spawn right off the bat? Find a hallway or some other useful transportation route to cover instead. There will be plenty of chances to ink around your spawn as the game goes on. Right off the bat, I think you should be thinking about helping your team move as efficiently as possible. When your super charges, drop your strike somewhere off to the side, making them send at least one player to an out of the way area to clean up the mess. Dropping on their spawn isn't as effective unless you have them pinned way back in the level.

I always ink my spawn immediately. It's easy territory that is rarely taken by the enemy.

 

[Saturn]

If you're on Arowana Mall, bait them into climbing the central ramp. Put down a bomb at the very top to keep them from climbing too fast and put an ink strike right behind them. Chances are they'll either not notice it or they'll be forced to finish climbing the ramp when it's not safe.

 

[Zonderion]

It highly depends on the current situation. Usually I get the IS right away and fire it right away, somewhere striking the middle. This will usually net a kill or two.

Later in the game, if we are behind, I'll use when our team is trying to push out of our base, provides good coverage.

If we are ahead, I'll use it to cover ink that is normally not touched late game (far sides and walkways).

Also, using it last second is great to swing the win.

In Splat Zone, you should always be striking the zone. If it's a stage with more than one zone, and there's one zone you have and one zone they have, shoot the opposing team's zone.

While I agree mostly with this, it isn't always best to hit the zone. If you are in control, it usually means the opponents are advancing to fight for control, placing an IS at a choke point is better than saving if you lose control. More than likely, if you lost control, it's because you died, or they are running rampant and you don't have much time to shoot one off.

When in control, placing the IS at a choke point will either kill them, if they don't see it coming, or at least holds them off for a few more seconds, which can mean the difference in the game .

If you are losing, then hitting the zone always makes sense.

 

[RadioactiveMoth]

First, I like to ink the center area. If that's already your color, move progressively closer to your enemy's spawn. Be sure it's in a spot where the center of the strike is on inkable ground that is taken by the opponent. But for Splat Zones, just ink the splat zone where the enemy has inked.