Blink and you’ll miss it! Today we’re discussing everything you need to know about the Blink Body.

Welcome back to another edition of the Spider Tanks Showcase! Today we’re taking a closer look at one of the smaller Bodies in the arena… but don’t underestimate the speed that it can rain down punishment on other Tanks!

Today is all about Blink. So named for the small optic amplifier on the front of its chassis, Pilots often feel that eye gives them a slow blink right before their Tank’s explosive end. With Blink’s single “eye”, that may technically mean it’s just winking at its victims at the end of the hunt.

This Body has more than its fair share of Speed, but leaves its driver a little less protected than other medium-small bodies. Currently, it’s the third fastest Body in the arena — falling just behind Flea and the JACKED O’ Lantern. It doesn’t lose much in Speed compared to these teeny glass cannons, but it offers nearly 10% more Armor and higher Energy than its little buddy Flea.

The Dragster: Blink/Snowballer

The first build we’ll discuss utilizes the Snowballer from the Santa’s Slay Hero Tank. We’ve talked about this Weapon in the past, but using it on a lighter Body like Flea can totally change up how you play it.

With the Snowballer’s ice trails boosting you Speed by 25%, you’ll leave even Fleas in the dust while sprinting. Throw in a Speed Booster and some well placed ice sheets to slow your opponents by 25%, and suddenly it’s like you’ve slowed time for your opponents.

You can use your superior mobility and bursts of speed to control placement in the arena. Your opponents move at the speed you want them to move — all while you pelt them repeatedly with snowballs.

With multiple ways of increasing your Speed relative to opponents, this works incredibly well as a hit and run combo, as the same ice trails you use to get into the heat of the fray can be used to escape it after you’ve done your damage. Repeat while easily dancing around enemy projectiles, and you’ll dominate the battlefield.

Retro Master: Blink/Cannon

It can be easy to overlook the Cannon with its classic arcade feel, but sometimes simplicity can be deadly effective. The Cannon provides straightforward, high damage projectiles. This means there are two crucially important ingredients to being successful with a Cannon — sharpshooter accuracy and great positioning.

Blink allows you to maneuver the battlefield fast enough to get the positioning you need with a Cannon. It may take some practice to get the feel for dodging enemy bullets, but once you get the hang of it there aren’t many Weapons more effective than the Cannon at firing under pressure.

Accuracy will take some time dedicated to playing with the nuances of Cannon’s projectile speed and reload rhythm. A cannonball either hits or misses — leading opponents is crucial. With some practice, this will just become second nature to you.

Like with the Snowballer, the Cannon’s three shot capacity gives you a great opportunity to strike quickly and flee to safety. Each Cannon shot does about the same damage as a snowball though, so this will pump out damage very quickly if your aim is good enough.

Mobile Ordinance: Blink/Rocket Artillery

Whereas our other two builds today were constructed with a straightforward positioning game in mind, this next one thrives in absolute chaos. Rocket Artillery fires five arcing projectiles that explode on impact around the targeted area. Each rocket can either hit or miss and has damage independent of the others, allowing for minor damage with a near miss all the way to full spectrum splash damage with a direct hit.

Many builds will take Rocket Artillery as a rear support role. Since it can fire over obstructions, it can harass the enemy team even under cover. Without a safe place to regroup or heal up, this can leave teams unable to form a line of defense, continually backing into the corner until their eventual destruction.

Blink can use this strategy but in a much more active role. With Blink’s quick movement, you can move rapidly across the battlefield, destabilizing the balance of the arena in your favor. Don’t give your opponents a moment’s rest. Find them and pelt them with rockets just out of reach.

Using this strategy, you’ll find most teams will still be scrambling by the time the match ends. If your teammates are skilled, they’ll travel back and forth on the path of your berserker rage to pick off the survivors from your bombing frenzy.

Blink Out

Blink is a Body that isn’t without its down sides, but in the hands of the right Pilot it is a force to be reckoned with in the arena. Like any Tank Body, there are tons of other ways to play a Blink. Try mixing it up with some other Weapons and find that build that’s your favorite way to play.

At the time of this article, there are still some Blinks of multiple rarities available in the Spider Tanks Store!

That will do it for us today, but we’ll be back soon with another spotlight for you. Next week we’re featuring a well-rounded Body that is one of the most versatile rides in the arena — Junker!

Are you an ace Junker Pilot? Let us know your favorite builds on Discord or in the comments below!