Urchin Underpass: Analysis and Thoughts

[LinkJr]

I like to stand on the enemy side platform with a charger actually, it isn't effective to splat inklings coming from the elevated area, but it is way easier to get the ones that come from the center, and I can also splat anyone that tries to come from the side path that leads into it.

 

[GamingWarthog]

Going to the side platforms in the center is a good strategy in ranked, especially if you can sneak over to the enemy side platform. At least as a charger or long ranged shooter.

 

[Life]

Someone managed to get a sprinkler up on the architecture hanging over mid. I was playing Pro that game and could barely reach it even then. Clever.

 

[WaifuRaccoonBL]

Someone managed to get a sprinkler up on the architecture hanging over mid. I was playing Pro that game and could barely reach it even then. Clever.

You mean the speak with all the speakers? It really isn't. The thing is, that was shown in the Splatoon direct. It is certainly useful though.

 

[Life]

Huh, I don't remember seeing it elsewhere.

 

[NineWholeGrains]

Yeah, it's a pretty standard tactic, but that doesn't make it any less effective, especially in in ranked. Those little bits of turf can add up over time!

Speaking of ranked, the Kelp Splatterscope was godly for me yesterday in ranked. Covering entire streaks of the zone in a single shot, tossing a sprinkler where it can constantly grab me Super Meter, and a spot where Killer Wail is actually effective? Count me in. It's absolutely my favorite loadout on the map.

 

[ChivalRuse]

The one perch that is to the right past the grate for each side's respective spawns is absolute garbage for zoning, since it oversees an irrelevant footpath and its line of sight is caught off by the rectangular walls to your left.

 

[WaifuRaccoonBL]

I fully request this thread be stickied. I find this thread important. @Setu

(Also check port mackerel since I also requested that to be stickied but I forgot to put the mention for you.)

 

[WispBae]

Ahem... I uh... made another in-depth analysis...

I really like this overhead view of the map much better! Maybe I'll update the mall one to look like this one...

Urchin Underpass...

Underneath a highway, where squid cliques fight for dominance... Yup, sounds like a gang to me!

The underpass is designed like two hills, headed towards each other while progressively lowering in depth until the very center, the actual underpass, where it is at its lowest. This design emphasizes united team pushing, as it’s very easy for one person to win against two others so long as they have the high ground, being in their own “hill”. Grab a battle buddy if you are pushing, or go solo, acting the team’s defense.

(1) Top of the hill/Base: This area is the base for both teams, having a huge chunk of turf based here. I like to consider this the “heart” of each base, having so much turf, and what both teams are aiming to claim. Don’t forget to ink behind the spawn as well.

(2) Ramps: This part of the map is accentuated by the ramps that lead up to each base’s “heart", as well as access to the “trench” (area 8) and the “cliffs” (area 4). The enemy team is forced to make a choice when coming through here: Fall back and secure less space, but be safer, or risk getting splatted and climbing the ramps to get into the heart of each base. The small inflatable barrier is the only respite an enemy has here, being able to hide behind it safely for a moment, long enough to retreat or keep fighting.

(3) Overlook/ Right flank into trench: While there is not much breathing room here, being on top of the ledge provides a safe way into the “trenches”, due to how high above the floor it is. Clearing an area for you to hop down into is a must. Just be warned, once you drop, there’s no coming back. If an enemy sees you, you are completely cornered in that area.

(4) Cliffs: For the home team, this area is a good defensive spot for their choke point (area 5) as well as access to their left flank (areas 6 &7). For the enemy team, this is the the only way into the other base, and the start of their climb to the other “heart”. Although someone with a long range weapon can hit an enemy at the top of 4 from 6, the view you have is less than optimal.

(5) Choke Point: With the bump in the floor, it makes for a very tricky choke point on either end. While in the base, you have less room to maneuver, but outside the base, you can be flanked from 7, making it hazardous for anyone around here. Those up on the cliff can control the point well enough solo, but a big push with multiple squids will make it past, emphasizing the need for teamwork on this map.

(6) Left Flank (Entrance): This is where the home team can access their left flank, as well as being the spot where the enemy team can flank from as well. This area I’ve split into two though because of the glass and inflatable barriers, which change how fights play out here. Do you fight on the glass and not have ink at your feet, but none of the enemy's ink as well? Of do you stick to the safety of your own ink, but fail to advance?

(7) Left Flank (Perch): The small perch that overlooks the trench area. If you choose to stay on the inkable part of the terrain you lose a ton of sight and options. However, standing on the grates exposes you much more to fire and people sneaking up under and behind you. This also is alternative to using area 5 to push, but is slower due to the glass, as well as risky, since the entrance in area 6 is a hill, making it hard to climb under enemy fire.

(8) The Trench: The area that divides both hills. Due to grates on both sides of the trench, it makes for interesting combat, since the grates give you just a bit more reach to the other side, but leave you vulnerable to squiddies hiding in the nooks and crannies of the dip in the trench. While there are two walkways leading to each side of the trench, you can use the ramps to hop over the dip for daring plays against the enemies, or ink the sides of the dip and climb up that way. This place is a free for all that is not easy to control, due to areas 3 & 7 always having access to it as well.

This concludes my in-depth analysis of Urchin Underpass. It’s very team work oriented, unlike others where you can wander around and still be helpful (Mall, Rig). Of course, all the maps need some sense of “teamwork”, just this one’s design really reinforces it.

 

[PUK]

Ahem... I uh... made another in-depth analysis...

I think one of the best strategies is going through 3 to capture ennemy's 7. Ennemy's 7 is realy easy to defend against the ennemy, way more than your own 7. From this point you just have to hold 7 while your teamate gain turf, but one of them should stay between 6 and 7 to protect your flank from an attack from ennemy's 3.

 

[LinkJr]

That is my strategy too, enemy 7 is a way better position than your own 7 to defend the center.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

I think one of the best strategies is going through 3 to capture ennemy's 7. Ennemy's 7 is realy easy to defend against the ennemy, way more than your own 7. From this point you just have to hold 7 while your teamate gain turf, but one of them should stay between 6 and 7 to protect your flank from an attack from ennemy's 3.

Yeah, that's what I do too. It's weird how often that works, I rarely get splatted for doing this.

What am I supposed to do when the other team gets through our choke point (or the alley, I think that's happened too) and starts spreading ink near our spawn point? Especially when there's more than one person on our side of the map. Should I just super-jump away and come back later? What if we're all respawning (or super-jumping looks like it would be a bad idea, like every time I've jumped to someone with an enemy nearby)? I usually just try to cover their ink, but then I just get splatted, or rush to the center, but then they get to paint our area freely (unless someone else shows up). I'm just at a loss here.

 

[flc]

can someone tell me how to attack mid on this map when the other team isn't bad

I'm at a complete loss

right side is a death trap and leaves you at a height and flank disadvantage
mid is a meat grinder and is too easily covered from the left side
left side is locked down by one person throwing grenades from the same position that sets up the crossfire on mid

legit I have absolutely no idea how to push without wail or kraken

 

[LinkJr]

As weird as it seems "Right" is the way to go I believe, but you have to get a "surprise element". I mean, if players know you are coming from there you are dead, but if they don't you can attack or slip past them into their territory.

 

[WispBae]

can someone tell me how to attack mid on this map when the other team isn't bad

I'm at a complete loss

right side is a death trap and leaves you at a height and flank disadvantage
mid is a meat grinder and is too easily covered from the left side
left side is locked down by one person throwing grenades from the same position that sets up the crossfire on mid

legit I have absolutely no idea how to push without wail or kraken

As I stated in my analysis earlier, you really do need team work. Don't forget your sub weapons are very helpful. Tossing nades forces opponents to fall back, or get splatted. Seekers can make a path to follow if you think you can sneak behind them and attack.

Once an enemy is down, your team has to realize it's time to push, when you have the advantage of numbers.

Without a team that knows what they're doing though, you can trap them good or be trapped easily.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

can someone tell me how to attack mid on this map when the other team isn't bad

I'm at a complete loss

right side is a death trap and leaves you at a height and flank disadvantage
mid is a meat grinder and is too easily covered from the left side
left side is locked down by one person throwing grenades from the same position that sets up the crossfire on mid

legit I have absolutely no idea how to push without wail or kraken

Like Wispy said above, teamwork: you're gonna need it (unless they're bad, but you said thst wasn't the case, so...).
I just had a few Ranked matches on Underpass, and it was so, so easy to pick off individual attackers coming from the center (between the .52 Gal Deco's power and throwing Seekers over the ramp, I scored quite a few splats), so unless they're distracted, it's best to use one of the other entrances.
I prefer the right-side drop because people tend to forget about it (at least, that's my experience), so I get out easily, and can either pincer around to our side of the center, go into the alley where the Splat Zone is (only in Splat Zones, but you can still ink it in Turf War), and you can go after snipers who went through their left-side corridor very easily (especially if they stand on the grate, then just shooting up gets the job done).
The left-side corridor leads to a pretty nice sniper nest (Squelchers and especially Chargers almost always go here in my experience, though one time I saw a Gold Dynamo Roller flinging ink from up there; that was a scary sight) and is a good place to drop into the center (and a ood vantage point to shoot up into the Splat Zone, though I don't think you can take control of it just by shooting from there), but be careful, you'll probably get attacked by people who dropped in from their right side (or from your central entrance to the center, or from inside your corridor) while you're sniping (you can probably hit them, but you should still be aware of the possibility).
If you think (or know, with Point Sensors or Echolocator or Haunt) they're distracted, exercise caution and go through. Look out for Ink Mines on the other side of the ramp (I haven't seen that happen yet, but I'd do it if I used something with Ink Mine, so watch out) and Seekers/Splat Bombs/Suction Bombs/Inknados from the Inkzooka coming over the ramp (it's a good bet that thy're expecting you if you see that happening, especially the Inkzooka), then splat anyone you can. Hopefully your team will assist you, but that's not guaranteed, and be prepared to retreat if you think you'll lose a firefight or get ganged up on (though it might be too late to run if that happens).
Hopefully this helps, it's won me quite a few matches (mostly Splat Zones, admittedly, not sure how well this advice extends into Turf War).

 

[JuddTheCat]

This stage (and the skatepark one) seems to really make it easy for you (or the enemy team) to go close to the respawn point. If you make it to the enemy's side of the...Gate area? With the three spots you can't ink, you can easily ink where they respawn if no one is there. I seen it happen to my team, and none of us knew that someone was by our spawn point.

 

[flc]

As I stated in my analysis earlier, you really do need team work. Don't forget your sub weapons are very helpful. Tossing nades forces opponents to fall back, or gett splatted. Seekers acan make a bath to follow if you think you can sneak behind them and attack.

Once an enemy is down, your team has to realize it's time to push, when you have the advantage of numbers.

Without a team that knows what they're doing though, you can trap them good or be trapped easily.

good players don't care about subs, and seekers are a deathtrap if anyone is holding you back with a 52. pincer movement works with a team, but co-ordinating a 2+2 pincer is unreliable in pubs. specials are the only way I know of to reliably get people to stop holding the chokes, and if you don't get at least two picks in that time, you lose.

keep in mind I'm in A-rank rooms exclusively. people don't make naive mistakes like these.

Like Wispy said above, teamwork: you're gonna need it (unless they're bad, but you said thst wasn't the case, so...).
I just had a few Ranked matches on Underpass, and it was so, so easy to pick off individual attackers coming from the center (between the .52 Gal Deco's power and throwing Seekers over the ramp, I scored quite a few splats), so unless they're distracted, it's best to use one of the other entrances.
I prefer the right-side drop because people tend to forget about it (at least, that's my experience), so I get out easily, and can either pincer around to our side of the center, go into the alley where the Splat Zone is (only in Splat Zones, but you can still ink it in Turf War), and you can go after snipers who went through their left-side corridor very easily (especially if they stand on the grate, then just shooting up gets the job done).
The left-side corridor leads to a pretty nice sniper nest (Squelchers and especially Chargers almost always go here in my experience, though one time I saw a Gold Dynamo Roller flinging ink from up there; that was a scary sight) and is a good place to drop into the center (and a ood vantage point to shoot up into the Splat Zone, though I don't think you can take control of it just by shooting from there), but be careful, you'll probably get attacked by people who dropped in from their right side (or from your central entrance to the center, or from inside your corridor) while you're sniping (you can probably hit them, but you should still be aware of the possibility).
If you think (or know, with Point Sensors or Echolocator or Haunt) they're distracted, exercise caution and go through. Look out for Ink Mines on the other side of the ramp (I haven't seen that happen yet, but I'd do it if I used something with Ink Mine, so watch out) and Seekers/Splat Bombs/Suction Bombs/Inknados from the Inkzooka coming over the ramp (it's a good bet that thy're expecting you if you see that happening, especially the Inkzooka), then splat anyone you can. Hopefully your team will assist you, but that's not guaranteed, and be prepared to retreat if you think you'll lose a firefight or get ganged up on (though it might be too late to run if that happens).
Hopefully this helps, it's won me quite a few matches (mostly Splat Zones, admittedly, not sure how well this advice extends into Turf War).

as above. it's not that my team is bad (because they generally aren't), it's that we need to co-ordinate the push for it to work and that just doesn't happen.

mid is, as I said, a meat grinder but if you get in through mid you have a much better shot at taking mid back. ink walls definitely have a high success rate, but the problem I'm having is that I don't want to be reliant on my team having an ink wall in order to win underpass after the initial mid fight goes south. every other map, I know how I can lead a comeback or at least create space for my team to do so. underpass, nope.

people don't forget about the right side in my games. if they do, we win, sure, but it's just so uncommon. left side is easy to get in through, but you end up in a very bad concave where the enemy team has a full 180 degree hemisphere to hit you from, whereas you have to expose yourself to fire from all around in order to get pickoffs on people.

I mean what you're saying isn't wrong, it's just too reliant on the other team screwing up something fundamental. what I'm at a loss for is a strategy that at least sometimes works in pubs where the other team isn't just straight up throwing.

 

[WispBae]

good players don't care about subs, and seekers are a deathtrap if anyone is holding you back with a 52. pincer movement works with a team, but co-ordinating a 2+2 pincer is unreliable in pubs. specials are the only way I know of to reliably get people to stop holding the chokes, and if you don't get at least two picks in that time, you lose.

keep in mind I'm in A-rank rooms exclusively. people don't make naive mistakes like these.



as above. it's not that my team is bad (because they generally aren't), it's that we need to co-ordinate the push for it to work and that just doesn't happen.

mid is, as I said, a meat grinder but if you get in through mid you have a much better shot at taking mid back. ink walls definitely have a high success rate, but the problem I'm having is that I don't want to be reliant on my team having an ink wall in order to win underpass after the initial mid fight goes south. every other map, I know how I can lead a comeback or at least create space for my team to do so. underpass, nope.

people don't forget about the right side in my games. if they do, we win, sure, but it's just so uncommon. left side is easy to get in through, but you end up in a very bad concave where the enemy team has a full 180 degree hemisphere to hit you from, whereas you have to expose yourself to fire from all around in order to get pickoffs on people.

I mean what you're saying isn't wrong, it's just too reliant on the other team screwing up something fundamental. what I'm at a loss for is a strategy that at least sometimes works in pubs where the other team isn't just straight up throwing.

I'm running in A- ranked rooms too. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone.

But whey even bother with trying to win if you can't trust your teammates. You should just stay off ranked if you think your teammates will always be unreliable. It will only lead to frustration.

Good players use subs, and I've found 8 times out of 10, I can trust my teammate not to be silly and follow my lead if I toss out a splash wall or starting tagging people with radar. I follow them into combat, and they tend to look after my back as well. A couple people sometimes don't get it, but I wouldn't call it "impossible" to do.

 

[Rudy Tabootie]

This level is an absolute clusterf**k in the middle of the level. A good last 30 seconds remaining strategy is to use a inkstrike between areas 1 2 and 4 using Wispy's post as my example.