Skulk Rush
XCan
Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5904Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5904Members, Constellation
Comments
Bad soldier usually = dead soldier
Mines across chokepoints, weaving throughout the base, and around the CC will do wonders do stop Skulks rushing your main base.
This also buys you some time to secure the Hive location. Once Phase Gates are up, I build a Factory and some Turrets in my main base.
I always try to place my Sentry Turrets so that if one gets attacked, at least 2 more are covering it.
There's nothing as satisfying as seeing some Fade come in through a Phase Gate, thinking he's being sneaky, only to be caught in some 4-turret crossfire. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
You need to have marines covering all the entrances to the base. Have a few (not many) actually building.
When you get your main base kinda set up. Then get one hive. If the aliens get 3 hives its all over.
As an alien i NEVER kill the teleporters. They almost ALWAYS lead to the human base. I realy like going in as a ownos and killing everything from the inside out. its so much fun. And yes the phase gates to let aliens go through it says that in the autohelp. :-)
I don't bother with mines at first, they might be cheaper but thats because they suck muchly and give away their positions with stupid red magically visible laser beams, as a skulk I have never met a field of mines worthy of even slowing down for (i go straight onto the ceiling and run by, a lot of people seem to forget the skulks can climb).
You need 2 marines (one standing on the other) to place mines high enough to stop a ceiling run and this NEVER happens (well i have never seen it). Even mines placed in a doorway are useless as you can (with some skill) jump off the ceiling and straight over them.
LOL! yea the aliens can use the phase gates. It says so right in the info text ingame
<b>Be alert.</b>
I can't stress this enough. Until your commander waypoints you out of home base, you should be on Red Alert, firing at anything with more than two legs. Too often I've had to scream over voicecomm to get my teammates' heads out of that structure and pull a gun on the Skulk squadron charging in.
<b>Stay calm.</b>
Hosing the entire area with bullets isn't going to help. In early game, you're probably going to be stuck with the 50/50 ammo you get on spawning. At absolute maximum, it should take no more than half a clip per Skulk - and that's if you're defending solo and horribly inaccurate. With two or three LMGs firing, you should be able to put a stop to a respectable number of Kharaa before they even get near melee range.
<b>Cover your teammates.</b>
A light-armoured Marine with his face in a structure is just waiting to get his butt bitten clean off by a team of angry Skulks. If your whole team is concentrating on getting that factory up - sure, it might get built faster, but who's going to build the sentry turrets when you're all lying in bloody chunks on the floor?
<b>Take the long shots.</b>
You know that trusty sidearm of yours? The one you forgot all about when the quartermaster dropped that shiny new LMG in your hands? Yeah, that rusty peashooter. Whip it out and potshot the Skulks from long range. When they get up close, polish em off with your LMG.
<b>Bait them.</b>
Skulks rushing the base typically have one thing in mind - destroying your spawn portals, CC, and other structures. Take advantage of that. Many a Skulk has dropped in half a second of LMG fire because they dash in, turn the corner and get one bite in on the factory/CC - then get ripped apart from my encampment in the corner. (Just a note - don't hide in a corner with a vent. Not good.) Yes, you might hit the buliding with a few stray rounds - but two or three LMG bullets is a lot easier to absorb and weld than a half-dozen Skulk bites.
<b>Reload, and cancel when you have to</b>
The last thing you want is to be caught with 4 bullets in your clip and two Skulks rushing. Then again, you don't want to reload at 42 and get caught changing clips. Learn when to reload, and how to switch quickly to cancel your reload. <b>If there is an armoury, don't bother reloading manually.</b> Just go to the armoury and Use it - the ammo goes straight to the clip. Also great in the late game as well when you don't want that extra-long HMG/shotgun load time.
- M4H
Good planning - as long as your grunts can get the turrets up in time. When I rush, it's usually around the point where the first turret is still under construction, and it's up to the marines themselves to take me down.
But like I said - good show with the placement. The first place I'll dash to is behind the turret factory. Put it <b>right up</b> on a wall, or drop a sentry in back.
Oh yes, @b.s.c. - I'd love to go clubbing with you, but I can't afford the plane ticket to Alaska. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
- M4H
I give shotguns before I drop the turret factory. Believe me it works. Due to most people not being able to aim really well at a fast moving skulk, the dispersal pattern of a shotgun IS WAY BETTER. Also, you can take a skulk out in 1 shot, depending on the range. I can usually take down 10 before they get wises and rush me in pairs. If they are stupid enough to both rush me from the same side, I can usually get a 2 for 1 special.
I don't care how good some people are with any gun - the turrets are much more accurate.
I don't care how good some people are with any gun - the turrets are much more accurate.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Shotguns are availible from the start
Okay, for that comment you get the "n00b trying to be l33t" of the Week.
Shotgun requires Armoury. End of discussion.
- M4H
You don't have to get riled up about it.
But, say shotties WERE available from the start - you would need an armory to be able to drop em.
Really? I've always had pretty good luck with turrets taking out skulks, except when they're inside the minimum firing range of the turret itself.
Maybe I've just been getting lucky, or had bad troops. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Of course, don't forget about your marines. They're usually more accurate (note the "usually" modifier. there are MANY exceptions), aquire targets and start shooting at a longer range, and are usually more alert. Have at least two watching the way(s) in, ready to blow anything not wearing TSA greens to hell.
Visual Aid Time! YAY!
<!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo--> + (<!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> x4) = dead CC or IPs, while (<!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='asrifle.gif'><!--endemo--> x2)+(<!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> x2) = dead <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
Ah-ha! Someone else knows about SA. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Ever since Lowtax stopped doing all the writing, I don't go there except for Photoshop Phridays/Comedy Goldmine or Cliff Yablonski Hates You.
Some of the new writers are OK - but I *despise* his fiancee: she tries to write like him and just can't pull it off. Well, that's what all of the writers do. <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
By this, I mean using mines as you would in the real world - not to kill, but to channel. Placing mines all over one door in the spawn for example will make the skulkers very likely to use the other door. Where you have the troops waiting to ambush <i>them</i>. Don't hide the mines, make them a huge 'detour' that directs the critters into your nice little setpiece trap.