Countering Stealth Mode

Fellow Pilots,
Important news: Pixonic announced a test of the new modules for the iOS platform, and the timing is interesting.  The test began today (Thursday 6 December) at 0800 GMT; they sent out the email at 0820.  There's only one plausible explanation - a rush to get modules on the live server as soon as possible.  The first modules lock enemies down, repair your robot, and lock on to "cloaked" targets (in stealth mode) - so our topic is timely.

Update - I've been able to make a short video using modules.  I think they are a problem - more stuff to buy, more inequality in the game.  How cool would it be, however, if they were only available on the "legacy" robots?  Vityaz with healing.  Griffins that can lock you down with their Molots.  You old-timers with the Trebuchet Raijins might find some creative new ways to spin with your spiders.

A little video from the test server:

Tips for Countering Stealth
This post was intended to be a companion to a video by one of our favorite adjunct professors, Dr. Droopy Sack.  However, Droop's video isn't yet released; check out this one by Professor Kitty.
Our shared goal is simple - help you improve your odds against robots that disappear!

In deep Lloyd Le-Mar voice: In the beginning, there were walking war robots.  You may remember that this, in fact, was the name of the game itself.  Walking was followed by jumping, but the leaping robots were often destroyed mid-flight.  The answer was "descend," a stealth jump followed by a cloaked period on the ground.  Descend instantly became THE most sought after, useful, dominant capability in the game.  We now have three robots that defy gravity and target locking, and two that employ stealth on the ground.  More will surely follow.

You won't always be piloting a robot equipped with stealth, but you will come face-to-face with them.  In fact, they are so ubiquitous that it will serve you well to consider ALL unidentified enemies as a Spectre or Inquisitor until you can definitively see otherwise.

At War Robots University, we've been studying the strengths and weaknesses of this ability.  We have confidence that our recommendations will provide you with battle-tested means of utilising stealth - and countering it.

Time - Before
Robots with stealth are always dangerous, but certainly at their deadliest while the ability is engaged.  Before engaging stealth, the enemy can be targeted and locked.  Our first recommendation is to damage the robot as much as possible, making it use the ability at a moment of disadvantage.  Dr. Dark Vagabond's dissertation on the "Stuka" Spectre (Orkans and Vortex) described the process perfectly, so we won't retread it here.  Hit first, so that your enemy is forced to engage stealth.  If you plan to fight fire with fire by using your own special ability, wait as long as possible!  Otherwise, remain in a covered position until you are ready to eliminate your adversary.

During the stealth period, some weapons are still able to damage the opponent, with the most important targeting attribute being the horizontal plane.  You can lock an uncloaked enemy on the same "level," or use your crosshairs to determine this.  Shotgun dispersion patterns allow for hits, as do rockets with splash damage (Pinatas, Orkans, Tulumbas, Tridents).

A successful pilot has a clock ticking at all times, and it is critical that you know your enemy.  For your edification, we have provided a handy review of ability duration by robot type:

• Spectre: 2 seconds after landing
• Inquisitor: 5 seconds after landing
• Mercury: 5 seconds after landing
• Pursuer: 10 seconds
• Stalker: 8 seconds

After landing means, of course, after the moment a robot contacts any obstacle.  In the recent past, pilots were able to hang off obstacles so that they never "landed," until Pixonic was obliged to address the rampant cheating.  The unethical practice was a misguided effort to avoid the period of greatest vulnerability.  At press time, cooldown timing was:

• Spectre: 22 seconds
• Inquisitor: 20 seconds
• Mercury: 15 seconds
• Pursuer: 20 seconds
• Stalker: 16 seconds

Use this time wisely!  Most of your enemies will be scurrying back to safety, so a fast-acting weapon is required.  We like Orkans, as always, and Dragoons from 600m.  Now is the time for your Trebuchet to do its thing.  Keep in mind that active boosters may reduce the above listed cooldown times significantly - 10% for individuals and an additional 2% per teammate.  A full squad could have Inquisitors that jump and Pursuers that disappear every 15 seconds!

If you are a stealth user, measure your success in the number of times you are able to engage the ability with a single robot.  Far too many pilots are kamikaze-style suicide bombers.  If you can get into murder mode three or four times, you are helping the team much more.

Your humble servant,
Doc Yat

Faculty Notes

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