24 replies to this topic

[Catalina Steiner]

mailin, on 03 October 2013 - 07:38 AM, said:

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you. As a light pilot with over 10k drops in a Spider, Raven, Jenner and even Cicada, stay out of Theta. Period. (Except Alpine or Frozen City.) If Theta is in the middle of the map stay away from it. In those cases Theta is a death trap. (...)

mailin, on 28 October 2013 - 11:40 AM, said:

I feel the need to say it again, I strongly disagree with rushing to cap any point in the middle of the map, or epsilon on Alpine. These spots are too open with too many areas of attack. (...)

mailin, on 29 October 2013 - 08:22 AM, said:

(...) I find it's much better to leave Theta alone, no matter how fast you are, and cap the points around the perimeter instead.

It's your third post here and it's always the same statement: "Stay away from Theta". Even if your opinion is appreciated here, we got it.

Maybe I need to say that it's my very own strategy and it's obviously a very offensive one. It has nothing to do with experience but with an attitude. It's good to have such players that are defensive and it's good to have offensive ones. I'm very offensive... I want just die or win a match.

So I know that there are other strategies, certainly more defensive ones. But not better ones...

Edited by Catalina Steiner, 01 November 2013 - 08:51 AM.

[Catalina Steiner]

FROZEN CITY / FROZEN CITY NIGHT




This is Frozen City. This map exists also as "night version". These two maps are the only "wedge" maps. The points are arranged like a wedge. You are starting at Gamma (or Sigma). You can reach Epsilon (or Kappa) very easy and Theta is located at the peak of the wedge.

1) Green arrow
First of all you should rush Theta. It sounds similar to my other posts where I discussed the strategy on standard maps (Theta located in the middle) but it's not the same. Just ignore Epsilon and take the other lights with you (just type "lights to THETA" in the teamchat) and let the "fatties" do the work there (blue arrow). Fast ones get Theta, slow ones must pass Epsilon and they should cap it. Mediums should come to Theta quickly to support the lights if they are attacked by the enemy.

2) Blue arrows
The blue arrows show the expected movements of your team.

3) Orange arrow
If you are done with Theta, you should rush Sigma. No one will be there, it's easy to cap (if it's an usual match).

4) Light blue arrows
It's not sure what's best now. If possible you should get Kappa now. But if the enemies pushed back your allies to Kappa (or your team got it already) you can also rush to Gamma again, maybe it's capped by the enemies. Just use the tunnel to reach Gamma (dashed line).
You have to use your intuition and experience to decide what have to be done. Watch the battlegrid, watch the fights and decide where to go. You should prefer places where you are alone.

5) Specific features for Frozen City / Frozen City Night
Frozen City is a small map but it's not easy (or possible) to reach every place too fast. You have to follow the "L" shape or use the (often suicidal) tunnel of the map. The Tunnel is shaped like a "Y" and you have to learn how to get through it quickly. Avoid fights in there.
At least the shape of the map prevents from proceeding to the usual anti-clockwise capping.

Frozen City is also an icecold map. It's easy to fight here. You can find good cover possibilities and your guns should not overheat.

To be honest, Frozen City is my favourite map for capping. It's the ultimate challenge, "the wedge" is very demanding. You cannot go round and round and cap. You always have to think about what's next to conquer.

Edited by Catalina Steiner, 08 November 2013 - 05:43 AM.

[Catalina Steiner]

ALPINE PEAKS



This is Alpine Peaks. I called it a "triangle map". The three vacant points at the beginning of the match are arranged in a shape of a triangle. Therefore your strategy is not as easy as in standard maps.

I will give you two examples of strategies on this map. First one is the "easy way" when everything works fine. Second one is the so called fallback option.

"The easy way"



1) Green arrow
First you try to get Kappa. Your teammates should rush to Epsilon because this is the usual way. If this works, your team has two new points instead of one and your enemies have to grapple with just one new capping point.

2) Blue arrows
If you have captured Kappa, you can start your clockwise capping. This time it's clockwise (just if you are starting at Gamma and all went well).You are in danger because the enemy cappers from Theta should cross your way. You want Theta, they want Kappa. Try to avoid the fight, it's not worth it at this time of the match.

3) Specific features for Alpine Peaks
It's always possible to cross teammates or enemies. It's not predictable as on the standard maps, what the others are doing. Just focus on your plan and try to avoid fights.

Alpine Peaks is a big map. Therefore you have to run a long time to get to another point. That's the only reason why you should avoid fights. There is simply no time for it.

Alpine Peaks is also a very cold map. This is a reason that supports fights if necessary. But you also have to remember that this map don't give you much possibilities to hide or find cover.


"Fallback option"



1) Green arrow
First you try to get Kappa... as always. Your teammates should rush to Epsilon because this is the usual way. But this time you are faced with the enemy lights who are coming for Kappa and let their big ones take Theta. Simply rule: if you are alone and they are more than one, just flee. Otherwise it's worth a fight. They should not get Kappa so early.

There are multiple possibilities what your teammates and enemies are doing. You can be fairly sure about this: Epsilon is not that hot spot as usual. If there is such fighting for Kappa, maybe the enemies chose Theta and Kappa instead of Epsilon as their first target.

2) Orange arrow
If you have to flee I would suggest to choose Epsilon as the first asylum.

3) Blue arrows
If you got there and captured it (maybe with your teammates), Sigma should be the next one. It's the usual anti-clockwise capping as you know it from the standard maps.

Edited by Catalina Steiner, 08 November 2013 - 06:36 AM.

[Catalina Steiner]

CRIMSON STRAIT




This is Crimson Strait. This one I called a "line map" or "cross" map. I'm searching for catchy terms for the reason of remembering the appropriate strategy.

As you can see the vacant points are arranged in a line. If you are watching the whole system of capping points it's a cross.
This map looks very similar to a classic standard map (where Theta is located in the middle). But it's wrong to see this map like this. It's not a coincidence that the middle point in not named Theta. It's more like "Frozen City" but not even the same. It's a new kind of map.

Sigma team is always heading for Kappa, Gamma team is always heading for Epsilon. And both teams have the possibility to rush Theta (at the same moment). It's like a race. The Gamma team has the advantage to support their lights in their fight for Theta. The Sigma team has the advantage of sniping from the island (D2).

Let's watch the strategy in particular:




1) Green arrow
You should try to reach Theta. Your team is heading for Kappa. It would be better not to be alone at Theta, usually the other team tries to get it too.

2) Orange arrow
Now it's time to rush their starting point. You can use the way outside of the city wall.

3) Light blue arrows
Now you have to watch your team and the enemies. Where are they? What points are already captured? Epsilon might be a target because the enemy team is fighting against your teammates on and under the platform.
And if you have captured (Kappa and Epsilon) or they were too hot, you should try to get Gamma again (if it's captured from the enemy team).

4) Dark blue arrows
Very often you need not care for Sigma oder Gamma. Then you can swing between Theta, Epsilon and Kappa as on a line. You have enough cover in this area.

5) Specific features for Crimson Strait.
Playing a match in Crimson Strait means a complete new strategy for cappers. Clockwise or anti-clockwise capping is not possible.

I wouldn't say that you should try to avoid fights. It's about the result. But you should avoid the sea for fighting. You are visible for everyone and LRM's will decrease your lifetime very quickly.

Crimson Strait is a big map but the ways are short. It looks so big but you always running the same routes and if you consider the line between Theta, Epsilon and Kappa, you don't have to run much.

Edited by Catalina Steiner, 09 November 2013 - 04:48 AM.

[Alfa Tango]

mailin, on 29 October 2013 - 08:22 AM, said:

What I find typically happens is that one light will go to Theta, begin capping and then, either get annihilated or have to flee before it is fully capped. This serves two purposes. 1) It eliminates a light which may very well be needed in order to win and 2) Theta gets recapped very quickly by the enemy while the light tries to get to a different cap point, possibly after taking some damage. I find it's much better to leave Theta alone, no matter how fast you are, and cap the points around the perimeter instead.

Altough i am a newbie, i have to support this. The capping moving tacitcs listed here may be useful for teamplay but i dont think they work in PUGs that good, because you have to watch your teamherd where it is heading. If you are the only one in Forest Colony or Mt Doom heading to Thtea, then its mostly futile, except if no opponent shows up, which only sometimes happens.
But i find your general tips very useful (except for the module thing because i dont own any modules yet). I have seen some games where one player won the game, just by surviving.