Difference between revisions of "Tactics: Scouting"
| Revision as of 20:13, 4 August 2014 Added a section for situations where passive scouting is more viable, added header for passive scouting disadvantages section | Revision as of 20:17, 4 August 2014 Hierarcy rework | |||
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| ? | + | = Scouting = | ||
| Scouting is a key feature in World of Tanks. Scouting is where a tank spots a tank or tanks on the enemy team. This role can be filled by any tank, but it is best carried out by the light tanks in battles, due to their speed, view range, and camo that no other tank can match. It is not recommended to play any scout lines unless the player is well familiarized with the game mechanics. | Scouting is a key feature in World of Tanks. Scouting is where a tank spots a tank or tanks on the enemy team. This role can be filled by any tank, but it is best carried out by the light tanks in battles, due to their speed, view range, and camo that no other tank can match. It is not recommended to play any scout lines unless the player is well familiarized with the game mechanics. | |||
| ? | + | == Scouting styles == | ||
| There are two different scouting styles, each with their own tactics and its own tanks that excel in these situations. | There are two different scouting styles, each with their own tactics and its own tanks that excel in these situations. | |||
| ? | + | === Active Scouting === | ||
| Active scouting is very aggressive in nature, where the scout has to keep moving. This can take place anywhere on the map, which can be peeking around corners, driving on ridges, or just doing circles. The goal here is to try and keep the enemy spotted long enough for allies to hit them. A form of this is Half Court scouting, in which a scout runs several half circles around their side of the map, while not crossing the middle dividing line. Some maps are suited for this while others are not. For Light tanks, active scouting is superior due to the bonus that designated scouts receive, namely that they keep the same camo values while moving and stationary. | Active scouting is very aggressive in nature, where the scout has to keep moving. This can take place anywhere on the map, which can be peeking around corners, driving on ridges, or just doing circles. The goal here is to try and keep the enemy spotted long enough for allies to hit them. A form of this is Half Court scouting, in which a scout runs several half circles around their side of the map, while not crossing the middle dividing line. Some maps are suited for this while others are not. For Light tanks, active scouting is superior due to the bonus that designated scouts receive, namely that they keep the same camo values while moving and stationary. | |||
| ? | + | === Passive Scouting === | ||
| The opposite of Active Scouting. This is where a scout will sit in a location (usually concealed by bushes) waiting for enemies to move into their view range. It is best to find a position with a wide area that you can see without obstruction to get the best out of this. A passive scout should avoid firing in all but the most dire of circumstances as this will dramatically lower your camo values. | The opposite of Active Scouting. This is where a scout will sit in a location (usually concealed by bushes) waiting for enemies to move into their view range. It is best to find a position with a wide area that you can see without obstruction to get the best out of this. A passive scout should avoid firing in all but the most dire of circumstances as this will dramatically lower your camo values. | |||
| ? | + | === Common Scouting Approach === | ||
| In many cases, dedicated passive scouting setups are less useful than active scouting due to: | In many cases, dedicated passive scouting setups are less useful than active scouting due to: | |||
| *Being static, which allows enemy players to 'blind fire' the position a passive scout is in. | *Being static, which allows enemy players to 'blind fire' the position a passive scout is in. | |||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | |||
| *Ties up two equipment choices (Camo net & Binocs) which limits your ability to take other rolls. | *Ties up two equipment choices (Camo net & Binocs) which limits your ability to take other rolls. | |||
| ? | + | === Medium Tanks and CW/Organized Play === | ||
| For medium tanks and organized play, the preferred playstyle compared to light tanks is somewhat reversed. For mediums this is largely because unlike in light tanks mediums do not receive the same camouflage bonus while moving. With medium tanks, being larger targets and thus easier to hit, traditional active scouting usually turns into a death sentence. Instead, a medium tank that sees itself as an active spotter will more often spot in a smaller area by peeking instead of pathing and will focus more on either supporting a small group of friends or using its vision for its own gun. A medium tank that wants to focus entirely on passive spotting will act as an ambusher, forgoing the normal reluctance to shoot for the chance to pile on damage the group is creating in wolfpack situations. | For medium tanks and organized play, the preferred playstyle compared to light tanks is somewhat reversed. For mediums this is largely because unlike in light tanks mediums do not receive the same camouflage bonus while moving. With medium tanks, being larger targets and thus easier to hit, traditional active scouting usually turns into a death sentence. Instead, a medium tank that sees itself as an active spotter will more often spot in a smaller area by peeking instead of pathing and will focus more on either supporting a small group of friends or using its vision for its own gun. A medium tank that wants to focus entirely on passive spotting will act as an ambusher, forgoing the normal reluctance to shoot for the chance to pile on damage the group is creating in wolfpack situations. | |||
| Another consideration in organized play is the more highly coordinated and concentrated fire that many teams tend to output, which vastly increases the odds of an otherwise successful active scout suddenly becoming tracked and destroyed. At this point normally even the small profile and high camo of light tanks often will not be enough to save an active scout. As organized teams also have a better idea of what parts of a map need to be visible at a time as well, the limited sightlines of a passive scout can be negated entirely. In organized play then passive scouting becomes the standard mode. Passive scouts are used as tripwires (on weak sides or lanes) and forward spotters (in areas the team focuses on), with active scouting usually undertaken when specific areas are being investigated (ideally with all guns trained on likely hiding places already). | Another consideration in organized play is the more highly coordinated and concentrated fire that many teams tend to output, which vastly increases the odds of an otherwise successful active scout suddenly becoming tracked and destroyed. At this point normally even the small profile and high camo of light tanks often will not be enough to save an active scout. As organized teams also have a better idea of what parts of a map need to be visible at a time as well, the limited sightlines of a passive scout can be negated entirely. In organized play then passive scouting becomes the standard mode. Passive scouts are used as tripwires (on weak sides or lanes) and forward spotters (in areas the team focuses on), with active scouting usually undertaken when specific areas are being investigated (ideally with all guns trained on likely hiding places already). | |||
| ? | + | === Suicide Scouting === | ||
| As the name of this style suggests, this is when you charge into the enemies cap seconds after the countdown, usually spotting their entire team, but almost always leading to a very quick death. When you do this, your team is usually not ready to fire and everyone you spotted will disappear with very little shots going into them. | As the name of this style suggests, this is when you charge into the enemies cap seconds after the countdown, usually spotting their entire team, but almost always leading to a very quick death. When you do this, your team is usually not ready to fire and everyone you spotted will disappear with very little shots going into them. | |||
| '''Do not do this:''' a dead scout is a useless scout. | '''Do not do this:''' a dead scout is a useless scout. | |||
| ? | + | == Scouting tanks == | ||
| Currently, only four countries have scout lines. America, France, Germany, and China. Each country has their own advantages and disadvantages to these lines. | Currently, only four countries have scout lines. America, France, Germany, and China. Each country has their own advantages and disadvantages to these lines. | |||
| ? | + | === America === | ||
| Starting with the [[M5 Stuart]] and ending at the [[T71]], this scout line offers a wide variety of play styles, and a wide variety of tanks if you continue down the line past tier VII. American scouts are well known for their view range, damage per minute, maneuverability, and the overall fun factor. The American Tech Tree also has the last remaining 'Super Scout' tank in the tier V [[M24 Chaffee]] can be placed into tier X battles, which is outside the bounds of normal scout matchmaking for its tier. | Starting with the [[M5 Stuart]] and ending at the [[T71]], this scout line offers a wide variety of play styles, and a wide variety of tanks if you continue down the line past tier VII. American scouts are well known for their view range, damage per minute, maneuverability, and the overall fun factor. The American Tech Tree also has the last remaining 'Super Scout' tank in the tier V [[M24 Chaffee]] can be placed into tier X battles, which is outside the bounds of normal scout matchmaking for its tier. | |||
| ? | + | === France === | ||
| Starting with the [[ELC AMX]] and ending with the [[AMX 13 90]], the French scouts are very sneaky, but can deal a very healthy amount of burst damage. They all boast autoloaders (except for the ELC AMX), with exceptional view range, and can cause a lot of damage if let behind enemy tanks. They, however, lack the speed and maneuverability of their American counterparts. | Starting with the [[ELC AMX]] and ending with the [[AMX 13 90]], the French scouts are very sneaky, but can deal a very healthy amount of burst damage. They all boast autoloaders (except for the ELC AMX), with exceptional view range, and can cause a lot of damage if let behind enemy tanks. They, however, lack the speed and maneuverability of their American counterparts. | |||
| ? | + | === Germany === | ||
| Starting with the [[Pz.Kpfw. II Luchs|Luchs]] and ending with the [[Aufklärungspanzer Panther|Aufkl. Panther]], German scouts start out small and fast but then turn into large, sluggish, punchy behemoths. They are known for their view range and their ability to ram exceptionally well, they however lack the speed of all other scout lines. | Starting with the [[Pz.Kpfw. II Luchs|Luchs]] and ending with the [[Aufklärungspanzer Panther|Aufkl. Panther]], German scouts start out small and fast but then turn into large, sluggish, punchy behemoths. They are known for their view range and their ability to ram exceptionally well, they however lack the speed of all other scout lines. | |||
| ? | + | === China === | ||
| Starting with the [[M5A1 Stuart]] and ending with the [[WZ-132]], the Chinese have the speed of the Americans, a very low profile, slightly bouncy armor, quick aimtimes, and very punchy guns. The Chinese guns lack the autoloaders of the American and French lines, giving them a slightly different feel with consistent DPM rather than bursty damage. | Starting with the [[M5A1 Stuart]] and ending with the [[WZ-132]], the Chinese have the speed of the Americans, a very low profile, slightly bouncy armor, quick aimtimes, and very punchy guns. The Chinese guns lack the autoloaders of the American and French lines, giving them a slightly different feel with consistent DPM rather than bursty damage. | |||
| ? | + | ==Recommended Equipment== | ||
| ? | + | ===All Play Styles=== | ||
| * Improved Ventilation: Increases [[Crew#Major_Qualification|Major Qualification]] of all crew members by 5%(an effective 2.22% bonus to all tank parameters and crew skills including camouflage and view range skills). | * Improved Ventilation: Increases [[Crew#Major_Qualification|Major Qualification]] of all crew members by 5%(an effective 2.22% bonus to all tank parameters and crew skills including camouflage and view range skills). | |||
| Line 55: | Line 55: | |||
| ? | + | ===Passive Scouting=== | ||
| * Camo Net: Improves the tank's [[Battle_Mechanics#Camouflage|camouflage factor]] when the tank is stationary for three seconds. Deactivates on hull movement. Adds a flat 5% to Heavy Tanks and SPG's, a flat 10% to Medium and Light Tanks, and flat 15% to Tank Destroyers. | * Camo Net: Improves the tank's [[Battle_Mechanics#Camouflage|camouflage factor]] when the tank is stationary for three seconds. Deactivates on hull movement. Adds a flat 5% to Heavy Tanks and SPG's, a flat 10% to Medium and Light Tanks, and flat 15% to Tank Destroyers. | |||
| Line 62: | Line 62: | |||
| * Coated Optics: Increases the tank's [[Battle_Mechanics#View_Range|view range]] by 10%. Always active. | * Coated Optics: Increases the tank's [[Battle_Mechanics#View_Range|view range]] by 10%. Always active. | |||
| ? | + | |||
| + | ===Active Scouting=== | |||
| * Coated Optics: Increases the tank's [[Battle_Mechanics#View_Range|view range]] by 10%. Always active. | * Coated Optics: Increases the tank's [[Battle_Mechanics#View_Range|view range]] by 10%. Always active. | |||
| Line 69: | Line 70: | |||
| * Vertical Stabilizer OR Enhanced Gun Laying Drive. | * Vertical Stabilizer OR Enhanced Gun Laying Drive. | |||
| ? | + | |||
| + | ==Recommended Crew Skills & Perks== | |||
| + | ||||
| * Sixth Sense(Commander-Perk): Adds an indicator to the battle interface that appears three seconds after the vehicle has been spotted. Useful as it lets the scout know when its position has been compromised and thus time to re-locate. | * Sixth Sense(Commander-Perk): Adds an indicator to the battle interface that appears three seconds after the vehicle has been spotted. Useful as it lets the scout know when its position has been compromised and thus time to re-locate. | |||
| Line 91: | Line 94: | |||
| * Off Road Driving (Driver-Skill): Improves terrain resistance of the tank when not on paved roads. Maximum increase of 10%. Useful for active scouting since it increases the scout's capability to evade enemy fire. | * Off Road Driving (Driver-Skill): Improves terrain resistance of the tank when not on paved roads. Maximum increase of 10%. Useful for active scouting since it increases the scout's capability to evade enemy fire. | |||
| ? | + | |||
| ? | + | |||
| + | ||||
| + | = Key Concepts = | |||
| + | ||||
| + | == Vision Control == | |||
| Vision control is a term in scouting that - as its name suggests - implies allowing your team to be able to spot while denying the enemy the same. Vision control is often more than a one tank job, and as such requires teamwork, intuition, and map awareness. To frame this concept, ask yourself: "where is the enemy spotting me from?" and "Where is the enemy most likely shooting from?" | Vision control is a term in scouting that - as its name suggests - implies allowing your team to be able to spot while denying the enemy the same. Vision control is often more than a one tank job, and as such requires teamwork, intuition, and map awareness. To frame this concept, ask yourself: "where is the enemy spotting me from?" and "Where is the enemy most likely shooting from?" | |||
| ? | + | === Defensive === | ||
| The key role for this portion of vision control is ensure that areas that can safely spot your team are watched, and tanks that seek to gain this area do so at the expense of most if not all their HP. This may entail taking a position to kill enemy scout tanks as well, and facilitates transitioning to offensive vision control. | The key role for this portion of vision control is ensure that areas that can safely spot your team are watched, and tanks that seek to gain this area do so at the expense of most if not all their HP. This may entail taking a position to kill enemy scout tanks as well, and facilitates transitioning to offensive vision control. | |||
| ? | + | === Offensive === | ||
| This involves pushing back the area in which enemy tanks are able to either shoot or idle without being lit, and seeks to provide effective lights for your team to destroy the enemy. Often this involves taking somewhat risky spots, and it is important to know where an enemy will have a line of fire on you, and for how long. Ditches, berms, embankments, and bushes are all key elements for this stage. Popping up (to move at full speed and briefly go) to gain a spot momentarily, and poking (moving up slowly and then reversing) are the cornerstones of this technique. | This involves pushing back the area in which enemy tanks are able to either shoot or idle without being lit, and seeks to provide effective lights for your team to destroy the enemy. Often this involves taking somewhat risky spots, and it is important to know where an enemy will have a line of fire on you, and for how long. Ditches, berms, embankments, and bushes are all key elements for this stage. Popping up (to move at full speed and briefly go) to gain a spot momentarily, and poking (moving up slowly and then reversing) are the cornerstones of this technique. | |||
| [[Category:Tutorials/Guides]] | [[Category:Tutorials/Guides]] | |||
Revision as of 20:17, 4 August 2014
Contents
Scouting
Scouting is a key feature in World of Tanks. Scouting is where a tank spots a tank or tanks on the enemy team. This role can be filled by any tank, but it is best carried out by the light tanks in battles, due to their speed, view range, and camo that no other tank can match. It is not recommended to play any scout lines unless the player is well familiarized with the game mechanics.
Scouting styles
There are two different scouting styles, each with their own tactics and its own tanks that excel in these situations.
Active Scouting
Active scouting is very aggressive in nature, where the scout has to keep moving. This can take place anywhere on the map, which can be peeking around corners, driving on ridges, or just doing circles. The goal here is to try and keep the enemy spotted long enough for allies to hit them. A form of this is Half Court scouting, in which a scout runs several half circles around their side of the map, while not crossing the middle dividing line. Some maps are suited for this while others are not. For Light tanks, active scouting is superior due to the bonus that designated scouts receive, namely that they keep the same camo values while moving and stationary.
Passive Scouting
The opposite of Active Scouting. This is where a scout will sit in a location (usually concealed by bushes) waiting for enemies to move into their view range. It is best to find a position with a wide area that you can see without obstruction to get the best out of this. A passive scout should avoid firing in all but the most dire of circumstances as this will dramatically lower your camo values.
Common Scouting Approach
In many cases, dedicated passive scouting setups are less useful than active scouting due to:
- Being static, which allows enemy players to 'blind fire' the position a passive scout is in.
- Being stationary, which nullifies most scouting tanks defensive strategy - speed and agility - and will often make being spotted synonymous with being dead.
- Limits the area that you will be observing.
- Ties up two equipment choices (Camo net & Binocs) which limits your ability to take other rolls.
Medium Tanks and CW/Organized Play
For medium tanks and organized play, the preferred playstyle compared to light tanks is somewhat reversed. For mediums this is largely because unlike in light tanks mediums do not receive the same camouflage bonus while moving. With medium tanks, being larger targets and thus easier to hit, traditional active scouting usually turns into a death sentence. Instead, a medium tank that sees itself as an active spotter will more often spot in a smaller area by peeking instead of pathing and will focus more on either supporting a small group of friends or using its vision for its own gun. A medium tank that wants to focus entirely on passive spotting will act as an ambusher, forgoing the normal reluctance to shoot for the chance to pile on damage the group is creating in wolfpack situations.
Another consideration in organized play is the more highly coordinated and concentrated fire that many teams tend to output, which vastly increases the odds of an otherwise successful active scout suddenly becoming tracked and destroyed. At this point normally even the small profile and high camo of light tanks often will not be enough to save an active scout. As organized teams also have a better idea of what parts of a map need to be visible at a time as well, the limited sightlines of a passive scout can be negated entirely. In organized play then passive scouting becomes the standard mode. Passive scouts are used as tripwires (on weak sides or lanes) and forward spotters (in areas the team focuses on), with active scouting usually undertaken when specific areas are being investigated (ideally with all guns trained on likely hiding places already).
Suicide Scouting
As the name of this style suggests, this is when you charge into the enemies cap seconds after the countdown, usually spotting their entire team, but almost always leading to a very quick death. When you do this, your team is usually not ready to fire and everyone you spotted will disappear with very little shots going into them.
Do not do this: a dead scout is a useless scout.
Scouting tanks
Currently, only four countries have scout lines. America, France, Germany, and China. Each country has their own advantages and disadvantages to these lines.
America
Starting with the M5 Stuart and ending at the T71, this scout line offers a wide variety of play styles, and a wide variety of tanks if you continue down the line past tier VII. American scouts are well known for their view range, damage per minute, maneuverability, and the overall fun factor. The American Tech Tree also has the last remaining 'Super Scout' tank in the tier V M24 Chaffee can be placed into tier X battles, which is outside the bounds of normal scout matchmaking for its tier.
France
Starting with the ELC AMX and ending with the AMX 13 90, the French scouts are very sneaky, but can deal a very healthy amount of burst damage. They all boast autoloaders (except for the ELC AMX), with exceptional view range, and can cause a lot of damage if let behind enemy tanks. They, however, lack the speed and maneuverability of their American counterparts.
Germany
Starting with the Luchs and ending with the Aufkl. Panther, German scouts start out small and fast but then turn into large, sluggish, punchy behemoths. They are known for their view range and their ability to ram exceptionally well, they however lack the speed of all other scout lines.
China
Starting with the M5A1 Stuart and ending with the WZ-132, the Chinese have the speed of the Americans, a very low profile, slightly bouncy armor, quick aimtimes, and very punchy guns. The Chinese guns lack the autoloaders of the American and French lines, giving them a slightly different feel with consistent DPM rather than bursty damage.
Recommended Equipment
All Play Styles
- Improved Ventilation: Increases Major Qualification of all crew members by 5%(an effective 2.22% bonus to all tank parameters and crew skills including camouflage and view range skills).
- Coated Optics: Increases View Range by 10% and is the foundation of any successful scout.
Passive Scouting
- Camo Net: Improves the tank's camouflage factor when the tank is stationary for three seconds. Deactivates on hull movement. Adds a flat 5% to Heavy Tanks and SPG's, a flat 10% to Medium and Light Tanks, and flat 15% to Tank Destroyers.
- Binocular Telescope: Increases the tank's view range by 25% when the tank is stationary for three seconds. Deactivates on hull movement.
- Coated Optics: Increases the tank's view range by 10%. Always active.
Active Scouting
- Coated Optics: Increases the tank's view range by 10%. Always active.
- Improved Ventilation: Increases Major Qualification of all crew members by 5%(an effective 2.22% bonus to all tank parameters and crew skills including camouflage and view range skills).
- Vertical Stabilizer OR Enhanced Gun Laying Drive.
Recommended Crew Skills & Perks
- Sixth Sense(Commander-Perk): Adds an indicator to the battle interface that appears three seconds after the vehicle has been spotted. Useful as it lets the scout know when its position has been compromised and thus time to re-locate.
- Camouflage (Entire Crew-Skill): Improves camouflage rating of the tank.
- Brothers in Arms (Entire Crew-Perk): Adds a flat 5% improvement to the Major Qualification and common skills (Camouflage, Firefighting, and Repairs) of the entire crew. Only works if all crew members have the perk trained to 100%.
- Recon (Commander-Skill): Increases View Range of the tank. Maximum increase of 2%. Useful as it increases the scout's capability to spot enemy tanks.
- Situational Awareness (Radio Operator-Skill): Increases View Range of the tank. Maximum increase of 3%. Useful as it increases the scout's capability to spot enemy tanks.
- Designated Target (Gunner-Perk): Enables the Gunner to make targeted enemy vehicles within 10 degrees of your reticule remain visible for two more seconds than they normally would remain visible. Useful as it gives allies more time to place effective fire into spotted enemy tanks.
- Clutch Braking (Driver-Skill): Increases hull traverse speed of the tank. Maximum increase of 5%. Useful for active scouting since it increases the scout's capability to evade enemy fire.
- Off Road Driving (Driver-Skill): Improves terrain resistance of the tank when not on paved roads. Maximum increase of 10%. Useful for active scouting since it increases the scout's capability to evade enemy fire.
Key Concepts
Vision Control
Vision control is a term in scouting that - as its name suggests - implies allowing your team to be able to spot while denying the enemy the same. Vision control is often more than a one tank job, and as such requires teamwork, intuition, and map awareness. To frame this concept, ask yourself: "where is the enemy spotting me from?" and "Where is the enemy most likely shooting from?"
Defensive
The key role for this portion of vision control is ensure that areas that can safely spot your team are watched, and tanks that seek to gain this area do so at the expense of most if not all their HP. This may entail taking a position to kill enemy scout tanks as well, and facilitates transitioning to offensive vision control.
Offensive
This involves pushing back the area in which enemy tanks are able to either shoot or idle without being lit, and seeks to provide effective lights for your team to destroy the enemy. Often this involves taking somewhat risky spots, and it is important to know where an enemy will have a line of fire on you, and for how long. Ditches, berms, embankments, and bushes are all key elements for this stage. Popping up (to move at full speed and briefly go) to gain a spot momentarily, and poking (moving up slowly and then reversing) are the cornerstones of this technique.
