Priorities and Objectives in Turf War

[CatBeard]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and was hoping for a good discussion. I've seen some general "what to do at the start" and "cover the base first/last" kind of discussions, but none of them touch on general objectives of individuals to serve a cohesive team priority.

At the start there seem to be four possible objectives for any single team mate:

• Cover the base
• Support team mates
  
• Cover the center
• Stop enemy advance

The first priority always seems to be Set the Front Line. Here's my idea for a cohesive strategy at the start: One player covers and defends the base (tank); Two players take the center and defend each other (assault); the fastest creates a fast-lane to the center before harassing the enemy (scout).

After the center is taken or lost, the priority shifts. The priority for the team is then to cover/hold the line and inch it forward. The objectives for the individuals change to something very different.


As a Kelp Charger main, I like the Scout role. Chargers have a surprisingly high mobility though low maneuverability. I throw sprinklers as I make a fast-lane to the central contested area and pick off enemies who try to get through. I throw sprinklers in or just outside their base to slow them down. When I've charged the Wail, I set it right in front of their main exit and go check their side exits. This is only one role I could fill.


I would like to hear your thoughts on this. What weapons could fill what roles and do it well? Are there other objectives or priorities I've missed? Are there different objectives between Starting phase, Covering phase, and End Game? Do these change depending on the stage? Is there a better opening strategy? Let's figure this out. ^_^

 

[Ictoan]

One possible objective is the creation of alternate routes to the center. The roles as you have stated seem to have the scout blaze a trail, and the assault players follow him in, but alternate routes are always useful to have available, especially if you lose the center. It seems like something that the tank could take on, perhaps?

Speaking of the tank, this may be due to meta inexperience, but just covering the base doesn't seem like a very useful opening strategy to me. As long as you've inked the paths you want to use, it seems best to leave the base free for respawning players to boost their special meter, and to have all four players doing something that's immediately effective.

 

[CatBeard]

The roles as you have stated seem to have the scout blaze a trail, and the assault players follow him in, but alternate routes are always useful to have available, especially if you lose the center.

That is very true. Every once in a while I do that with my charger. It can be useful in Urchin Underpass where instead of blazing the trail through the center, you can go directly to take the enemy sniper nest via the right exit. There you can harass two of their three exits while protecting that exit you just used.

...just covering the base doesn't seem like a very useful opening strategy to me. As long as you've inked the paths you want to use, it seems best to leave the base free for respawning players to boost their special meter...

I can see your point there, but I know that with some stages, the base is too easy to enter from too many angles. I was thinking that by covering the base, that would give a defender a lot of maneuvering room with which to combat intruders. Enemies in the base could only stand/shoot or swim back the way they came. However, I can understand wanting to better allocate resources.

What if the tank only inked large portions around the entrances? For example; in Bluefin Depot there's the spawn, the base, and the two center areas. What if the tank concentrated on the base but not the spawn? That would leave the spawn for charging specials and still allow for maneuvering and guarding.

What other stages could this apply to? How does the tank's role change when he's done?

As for the tank opening alternate routes, that's essentially what he does by guarding the base. If the center is lost, you need the tank to keep the exits from being overwhelmed. I think inkbrushes and rollers would be good at that.

 

[Ictoan]

What if the tank only inked large portions around the entrances? For example; in Bluefin Depot there's the spawn, the base, and the two center areas. What if the tank concentrated on the base but not the spawn? That would leave the spawn for charging specials and still allow for maneuvering and guarding.
.

Yes, that seems like a good idea. I think I misinterpreted you before; I had thought by "inking the base", you were referring to just inking the area around the spawn and slowly moving outwards, making sure every spot is inked before taking any steps forward. In Bluefin especially, I can see how it's very useful to have one player remain back and offer support and fully inked turf from his side's base, as you said.

As for the Tank's role on other stages, my preliminary opinion:

Walleye Warehouse:
This stage is so small that roles will be rather blurred. There's not a single great place to tank from, as in Bluefin, since the various sections that your side can easily hold are relatively time-consuming to move between without moving through the center, I think that the Tank should start by filling in alternate paths, probably the left high path as a priority, since every few people go there to start. After that, it just seems best to stay in the rear center area, a little bit to the left, in order to keep elevation. The map size should mean that even staying back shouldn't keep you from helping out, unless your team is pushing the enemies very far back, in which case it's okay to advance slightly.

Saltspray Rig:
The tank's role here is very different from in any other stage, since the best area to tank is not your own base. The tank should rush with the scout to the large back area, and take it first if at all possible. If it is taken, the tank should just focus on keeping it. He can advance, but not beyond the elevators, and only that far if he has a good escape from enemies attacking from their elevated position.

If the back area is not taken, the tank should focus on the area behind his team's elevated position near the center. Make sure its entirely inked, and the paths to it should be covered as well. Whenever this is the case, the tank can be more aggressive and attack from the elevated positions, as long as he remembers to keep safe and retreat if necessary. His objective here is to provide safety for teammates to take the back area, at which point he can move in.

Urchin Underpass:
The tank's first objective should be open up the alternate let and right paths to the center, if nobody is already inking them. After that, keep to the area behind your team's middle entrance to the central area. He can move up the ramp and attack more directly if it's safe. If his team is mostly in control of the center, he can move up, but shouldn't move into or past the low center area, always being wary of the enemy team's alternate paths.

Arowana Mall:
At the beginning, ink your side's large area. Then get to an elevated position (not the center). The right side of the map gives you several options for defending your own side, while the left also gives you an option to spread ink into the center with relative safety. Throughout the game, if the enemy team ever takes control of the center, they'll probably be spreading ink into your area, so it'll be important for the tank to stay in these elevated positions to counteract this.

Blackbelly Skatepark:
Nothing special here. Ink the alternate path to the right, stay back and take advantage of the slight elevation when spraying ink into the center, and make sure your entire side is inked to help your team punish enemy players who try encroaching past the center.

Port Mackerel:
At the start of the game, the Tank should ink the upper pathways. Generally, he should stick up there, and concentrate fire into your side's large area. Jump over to the elevated platforms when necessary to increase the area he has influence over while retaining the higher ground. Drop into the large area if your team has control over the center corridors, and slow or stop any enemy advance into the center. As always, don't be afraid to retreat, even all the way back to spawn in order to get back to the elevated sides.

Kelp Dome:
The right and left edges of the map on the Tank's side of the map is what he should be defending. Since the enemy team can't approach the right side except through the dangerous walkway, he should start by inking the right side, then inking and defending the left. Though the left side should generally be the priority, he should switch sides a fair amount to avoid being predictable or being surprised by a brave enemy moving in from the walkway. The tank can use that walkway himself to attack the center with relative safety, as long as he stays close to his side.

 

[CatBeard]

Saltspray Rig:
The tank's role here is very different from in any other stage, since the best area to tank is not your own base. The tank should rush with the scout to the large back area, and take it first if at all possible. If it is taken, the tank should just focus on keeping it.

So what would the Assault team do? Should they just ink the paths or should they join up with the others? In this case the tank and the scout would probably be the most kill oriented on the team. If the assault team sticks to formula, wouldn't they join the scout in taking the back area and holding it? Even if that area is taken, the other team can attack it from several directions. When it is taken, should the scout hold the position with the tank or should he continue inking paths and harassing the enemy?

 

[Blue24]

I honestly just paint stuff......it seems to work.

 

[Recettear]

So what would the Assault team do? Should they just ink the paths or should they join up with the others? In this case the tank and the scout would probably be the most kill oriented on the team. If the assault team sticks to formula, wouldn't they join the scout in taking the back area and holding it? Even if that area is taken, the other team can attack it from several directions. When it is taken, should the scout hold the position with the tank or should he continue inking paths and harassing the enemy?

Scouts ink the fastest path just directly to the center and harass the enemies. Kill them to put a delay in their advance, or otherwise halt them. Assaulters move in while inking whatever they can, and Tanks stay behind and cover up all the holes that are left by the other three.

 

[CatBeard]

Walleye Warehouse:
This stage is so small that roles will be rather blurred. There's not a single great place to tank from, as in Bluefin, since the various sections that your side can easily hold are relatively time-consuming to move between without moving through the center

I think in this case, the tank would be less about inking turf and more about long range cover fire. Often times I see snipers take the high ground either on the crate just outside the base or the grating just above that. They can cover the whole base from there as well as all the area from there to the center. Chargers and Squelchers would make the best tanks in this situation, though the .Gals would work as well.

 

[retlaf]

I don't think there is always a set strategy. Instead, you have to react to what the enemy is doing. If you run this proposed scout + 2 assault + tank strategy, but the enemy effectively runs 4 scouts, they'll overwhelm your whole team and kill them one by one resulting in a push to the spawn point. The proposed strategy would work if the enemy focuses more on inking than taking strategic positions, though (which may beat the 4 "scouts" thing because having covered more ground, they would be more mobile in a fight).