Multi-Player Tactics

From Armagetron

Experience

"Practice makes perfect" is an old saying you need to heed before playing. You need to play before you can get better, and the more you play the better you'll get. Try to play against people at your own skill level, where you aren't losing or winning constantly, for the best gameplay experience.

Don't think that reading the following info alone will help you improve in game. Use this as a guideline along with practice and soon you'll be getting better and can take on more advanced players.


Know the server

Base strategies upon which server you're in.

Servers

Rubber

Low-In a low rubber server you'll want to be careful about where you grind, pick your spots, and try to play in the open if possible.

High-In a high rubber server look for players who arn't getting close to walls to outgrind them (this can lead to some fun Grid_Games#Tunneling. Also try to play on medium or low rubber server (or local game) before coming here so you'll have a slight advantage. By trying not to use rubber you can also pick spots of when to drain all your rubber in a single grind and take out a player or 2.

Accel/Speed

Low- This wont leave you much room for mistakes, you'll be going slow so you'll have to pick where you'll attack someone. Try to anticipation your opponents moves to gain the upper hand.

High- This is where the split second decisions make or break you. Don't let slow players trick you into a sense of control be wary and you'll easily defeat them however. If your on the other side (driving slow) playing possum isn't often a bad idea. Use both techniques to your advantage

Trail Length

Infinity- This won't leave much room for error if you leave someone in too big a box they'll stall for a long time try to follow in after an opponent as far as you can if they try to hide and don't let anyone camp if possible. Again you'll have to pick when you will relentlessly attack and when you leave them inside a box

Limited- Alright making a box for guys here is pointless, they'll just stall and escape. Make any boxes you do make here as small as possible. Limited trail length often pits you against more relentlessly attacking rivals. Feel free to stall if you have to as it is generally accepted, but don't sit around doing nothing for to long or you'll just be camping again pick your spots here

Anticipation

-Learn how the individual player reacts.-

-1.Retreats - Look for openings and try to take this guy out first. If he's hugging walls you can either outgrind him or go around to the other side and force him to either get off the wall, outgrind you or take a corner . If they ar just generaly running try to build up enough speed to overcome the player. Most runners will not have an offense plan and can be overtaken easily you'll have to change strategies depending on other situations as well, use your best and varied strategies for each situation as it arises.

-2.Attacks - Judge where this guys going to make his move and assault you. If he's using speed you can make some quick turns to throw him off often killing him, or giving you room to stall or a chance to escape and turn the tables.

-How you should attack and respond.-

-1 Defense - Most of this is just stalling, if you get trapped try mazing. If you have an exit coming about quickly(limited trail length)zig zag. If you're waiting for someones wall to come down (or retreat) that's a good reason to stall, try not to camp(Camping) if at all possible.

-2 Offense - After you play for a while you'll figure out what to do here. Remember to vary how you attack players based on their own styles of play and don't forget to have at least some fun.


General Tactics and Terminology

unfinished

Box - Pretty self-explanatory. The idea is to force your opponent into a "box", being defined as a closed area that is hard to escape.

psyche outs - to do

Corners - grind one wall and then grind the next outer wall perpendicular to it he'll have to beat both grinds to survive

Stalling - different methods 180'ing and other various methods(to do), Camping, Mazing

Traps - A trap is, well, a trap. The most common form of a trap is to force a player into a box, grind the wall around the box, and as you grind one wall, go a little bit past the box and do a 180 and continue grinding around the box. This is very hard to escape.

adjusting - pros and cons

180'ing(sealing/grinding reversal etc any other names where appropriate) pros and cons

Grinding - Building_Your_Skillset#Grinding

Rubber

The_Basics

Fortress_Tactics

Sumo(do we have one) link

etc.