It’s that time again… the Spider Tanks Showcase has returned. This time we’re locked and loaded and are ready to unleash the proper fury of the Railgun!
Welcome back Pilots! This week we’re breaking down one of the most deadly weapons ever conceived by humanity. These mighty projectiles can bring a Tank down in one hit if fully charged and their destructive power is unmatched throughout the Earthen Cluster.
That’s right, today is all about the Railgun! The Railgun is a powerful long-range weapon powered by fusion-generated electromagnets. The immense momentum of these large projectiles can pierce the armor of any Tank, even dealing fatal blows to mint condition middleweights when fully charged.
The longer the Railgun is charged, the more damage it does. Unfortunately, you’ll be slowed down to a crawl while charging your electromagnets for firing… it takes a lot of energy to launch this heavy duty ordinance! A good Railgun Pilot has to know how long to charge, how to stay safe while charging, and above all else, how to make sure their superpowered hits land on enemy tanks.
Unleash the Power
When using a Railgun in the arena, positioning is more important than with most weapons. You need to make sure that you’re not going to be under threat while firing, but also that you have a clear shot on your opponents.
A clear shot isn’t just about range… often it’s just as much about angle. How you approach the enemy matters. If your vantage point effectively only has a small window to attack, your slow shots may not land a blow before the enemy escapes.
The slow travel of your projectiles is absolutely key to understand if you’re going to play Railgun. Many inexperienced Pilots will try to lead their quarries as they would with a Cannon or Crossbow. These projectiles move at nearly double the speed of a Railgun though… you’ll need to lead your target further or get closer.
Experiment with different charge levels on your shots. If you take 95% of your opponent’s health in one shot, that still means you’ll have to hit them with another shot to finish them off – no different than 50/50 on two shots. Sometimes this means you need to wind all the way up and try to finish them in one. Often it means that you’re going to have to go in close for a little double tap to finish them off. Plan ahead for these moments. Your goal isn’t to injure tanks… it’s to destroy them!
Run From the Rail!
It may seem easy to dodge Railgun shots since they move so slowly, but up against a good operator the Railgun can be very difficult to evade.
The Railgun is an extremely wide projectile. Its impact radius is much bigger than other weapons. While you can just barely juke to the side with a Cannon or Triple Threat, you’ll need to fully get out of the way or that rail will smash you.
While a Railgun is charging, you can see how much charge it has above the enemy tank. Wait until they fire before approaching them… it will take a moment for them to charge up another shot. Be wary of a railgun that’s fully charged and waiting. A patient Railgun is a deadly Railgun.
Try to hit them from range when possible and come in close only when they’ve just fired a shot. Avoid moving directly towards a charged rail… if you have no angular momentum you’re only making it easier for them to lead you. Zigzagging and spin moves are encouraged here. You want them to waste that shot.
If you are heavily damaged by a Railgun, disengage immediately and go heal if possible. It may take them a while to charge up their shot, but they don’t need to fully charge if you’re already damaged. A clever Railgun Pilot will find a way to get in close for that quick kill or have the second shot on the way by the time you get hit with the first. If you’re low on health, they can hit you with their lowest charge level and still bring you down.
Last, if you’re playing in a heavy tank, don’t be afraid to get hit by a rail. If your tank is bigger than a Jet/Hurricane, chances are that a Railgun will have to hit you twice to bring you down. It takes a while to hit you twice. Use that to your advantage.
Railgun Tactics
A Railgun isn’t just a massively destructive Weapon – it’s also a powerful deterrent. A fully charged Railgun tucked around a corner is something even the bravest of Pilots won’t readily walk straight into. You may only fire ~15-20 shots in a regular match while playing a Railgun, but all those times that you’re charged and waiting to fire are also affecting your enemies and helping your team.
Use your Railgun to cement your team’s zone of control. Even if you don’t hit anyone, firing a Rail through the choke point on a map or a command point sends a clear message to your opponents about what is waiting for them.
Railgun is a long-ranged powerhouse, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not useful up close too. When you’re point blank on the enemy, you remove the difficulty of hitting tanks with the slow-moving projectiles. You basically turn your tactical long-range warhead into a superpowered grenade. If you can penetrate back into enemy territory, you can absolutely wipe them out with just a few shots. Sometimes kamikazee tank is a good play.
BOOOOOOOM
A Railgun is terrifying when it 1-shots members of your team around you left and right. This is part of its power. While it may take some learning to be super effective with this weapon, you’ll be terrifying from the start! A weapon capable of bringing down a whole team in three shots makes your opponents question their strategy, giving you a chance to scoop up a win!
It may take some practice to get really great with a Railgun… but it’s worth it if you want to strike fear (and explosions) into your opponents!
That’s all from us today, but we’ll be back next week with yet another Spider Tanks Showcase!
