I’d like to start today’s lesson by thanking everyone for handing in your waivers – I mean, permission slips! – for our next field trip. After our visit to Bluefin Depot’s facilities, a lot of your reports echoed similar comments – namely how the multi-level, branching architecture encourages dispersion over concentrated pushes. For our next field trip, we’ll be heading to the Moray Towers in the skyscraper district. While your last practical had two components, this one features three. For the first part, you and three other Inklings will need to coat the towers in the most ink. The second part will require you to secure two areas that are each one ramp above the center landing point. And for your last test, you must reach the opposition’s base by commanding a tower that moves along a set path. Differing outcomes means different evaluation criteria per test, so you will need to be flexible in the tactics you employ. To that end, I have prepared a dossier for all of you to read over, with five points of interest to prepare you for your Moray foray.
Use Inkstrikes to escape a tight grip versus overtaking the opposition’s Splat Zone
If you’re struggling to cross over into enemy territory because of charger-equipped lookouts, Inkstrikes can provide the window of opportunity your team needs to quickly take control of the center area and subsequently make outbound paths. Why this is important is because if you leave the center area under the opposition’s control for, say, longer than 15-20 seconds, it will give them enough leverage to keep you fenced-in at two locations – the ledge just before the center, or your Splat Zone. This doesn’t constitute your full scope of options, but these are your primary means of accessing enemy territory. If they close these off, they’ll be able to anticipate your moves more easily and make tracks into your Splat Zone. So as tempting as it may be to send a missile at the enemy’s Zone, this is one map where you should instead conserve these specials for defensive measures or pattern disruption, possibly using them to temporarily force chargers away from their favorite hangout spot.
Don’t discount the narrow sidewalks at the bottom
Running along the side of the two ramps leading from the center point are narrow sidewalks of sorts. And for some odd reason, these areas can get neglected when you're busy fending off immediate threats. If you’re having trouble sneaking past enemy defenses, the slight cover offered by these stretches can give you a slight edge, but your ink trail will likely expose you to surrounding enemies. If you have the ability to place a Splash Wall, that can buy you some time to scale the wall and into the area just above you. If not, you’ll need to act fast before your trick is discovered. Either way, if you have the Ninja Squid ability, this can serve as a temporary hiding spot until you see an opportunity to move ahead. Be especially aware of the advantages this position can bring if the opposition doesn’t have any chargers. It makes for a great spot to plant Squid Beakons, because not having a charger on their team will require that they make an approach to destroy it at close-range.
When breaching enemy territory, don’t linger by drop points
The best way to exploit a window for infiltration is to quickly remove yourself from the two main drop points after the enemy’s Spawn Point. But before even proceeding, whether by means of a side ramp or the wall with the off-center 49, wait for any nearby enemies to jump down to the next level, then push ahead and create a path leading away from the open area. Because of the height element, this doesn’t mean that someone coming down from their Spawn Point won’t catch you in the act, but it does mean that you’ll be in a better position to attack on an equal playing field and spot approaching enemies from a distance, rather than getting splatted from above.
Rapid-fire weapons can help offset the strength of chargers
This is one map where weapon choice will quickly define the kind of role you should adopt in Splat Zones. If you choose a weapon with a slow rate of fire, acts of fearless heroism are probably not for you. Infiltrating the opposition’s towers will require speed, because you need to factor in that you need to clear a path away from drop points. Speed will also help you expand on a potential opening created by another teammate, perhaps because of an Inkstrike, a charge shot or a burst bomb thrown from a distance. If your weapon setup is weak in this area, be cautious about making approaches that will be squashed before you even get anywhere.
In Turf War, this is less of an issue because team-conscious chargers know better than to fix themselves in a single area for the majority of the match, creating more opportunities to leave ink trails for allies to follow. And as for Tower Control, if you have a weapon that fires ink furiously, you may well be better off rendering support to another tower boarder, hatching plans to strike enemies from vulnerable positions while they’re focused on the tower’s movements.
Pairing Disruptors with Bomb Range Up is an effective combination
If you’re not one to favor chargers on this map, your next best bet (short of relying on an ally with one) is to take advantage of projectiles to escape a tight guard. For that reason, Bomb Range Up is a great skill to have, particularly if you use the Custom Splattershot Jr. or Blaster since they come with Disruptors. When you combine the regular presence of narrow, horizontal pathways with the constant height element, drastic reductions in speed will make it difficult for an enemy to successfully escape, whether they try to leap off a ledge or move backward (strafing is rarely an option). Knowing these predictable patterns will allow you to plan your assaults accordingly, charging ahead to break long-range locks or attacking from a higher vantage point (e.g., if the enemy is the center).
Moray Towers is not for the acrophobic, as height is your best measure against some of the most common antics on this map. What those antics are and how to fight them, you’ll need to discover on your own. For your homework, re-evaluate gear abilities with this dynamic in mind and see how you can alter your favorite setup to afford you specific advantages. And remember, students: If a teammate goes through the trouble of planting Squid Beakons… use them!
Class dismissed!
