How To Correctly Use Catpacks
Gecko_God_Of_Dooom
Join Date: 2004-02-10 Member: 26353Members
Join Date: 2004-02-10 Member: 26353Members
<div class="IPBDescription">From someone who uses them alot. and win</div> Catpacks Are a very usefull upgrade, more so than Grenades. But let me say how to use. The time to use them is around the midgame to endgame. in the begining they are way to expensive, and to use them effectivly you have to have at least 5 rts (MS counts in this number)
Also, make sure most of your marines have sgs or hmgs. Now. lets say a fade attacks one of your groups. If your quick enough You can cat pack your marines and the sgs will fire faster than a fades swipe. They can also out manevour a walking fade. As long as you marines have decent aim. You WILL get a fade kill.
Think as catpacks as tricks. You trick the fade into thinking that it will be OKAY to attack that SGer. But if you time your catpack drop, That fade will die.
Now the problem with catpacks is its very very very skilled base, so in pubs, not such a great idea.
Also catpacks are a doulbe edged sword as well. IF you drop em to much, or dont down those l337 midgame fades with em. you just pretty much screwed yourself rez wise.
Now some would say. but 10 catpacks is 40 rez, wouldn't it be better to get weapons 3? Well it depends. If you can down 1 fade with those catpacks, (mid game fade that is) Then it was completly worth it. (if your a good comm and can drop em perfectly with perfect timing, you should be able to take down about 2 fades.
So a recap for those who hate reading:
1. Catpack are very valuable, but they are very risky because they are based on timing of the comm, and skill of the marine
2. Failure to Use them correctly, or Unskilled marines. Will Hurt you more than help.
3. Using them Correctly and you will most likely win the round.
4. Catpacks are you basic counter to midgame fades. (provided you have armor 1, weapons 2 already, and pref an advanced armory)
Any Questions?
Also, make sure most of your marines have sgs or hmgs. Now. lets say a fade attacks one of your groups. If your quick enough You can cat pack your marines and the sgs will fire faster than a fades swipe. They can also out manevour a walking fade. As long as you marines have decent aim. You WILL get a fade kill.
Think as catpacks as tricks. You trick the fade into thinking that it will be OKAY to attack that SGer. But if you time your catpack drop, That fade will die.
Now the problem with catpacks is its very very very skilled base, so in pubs, not such a great idea.
Also catpacks are a doulbe edged sword as well. IF you drop em to much, or dont down those l337 midgame fades with em. you just pretty much screwed yourself rez wise.
Now some would say. but 10 catpacks is 40 rez, wouldn't it be better to get weapons 3? Well it depends. If you can down 1 fade with those catpacks, (mid game fade that is) Then it was completly worth it. (if your a good comm and can drop em perfectly with perfect timing, you should be able to take down about 2 fades.
So a recap for those who hate reading:
1. Catpack are very valuable, but they are very risky because they are based on timing of the comm, and skill of the marine
2. Failure to Use them correctly, or Unskilled marines. Will Hurt you more than help.
3. Using them Correctly and you will most likely win the round.
4. Catpacks are you basic counter to midgame fades. (provided you have armor 1, weapons 2 already, and pref an advanced armory)
Any Questions?
Comments
As soon as a fade shows up, he's not gonna expect to be facing cat packed shotgunners at 4 mins = dead early fade = marine win.
5 RT strategy?
I think that your marines would do just as fine without your catpacks...
I normally don't cat-pack the whole marine squad, but just 2-3 of them. It seems to work fine and is still lighter on the wallet.
I like my teams to have SGs around 2:30 - 3:30 min mark. catpacks are way to expsivie start game. (usualy)
I liek to have catpacks around 3:30 to 5:30 in the game. depending on what I feel is nessicary.
<a href='http://www.natural-selection.org/manual_version_2/Natural_Selection_Manual_Framed.html' target='_blank'>http://www.natural-selection.org/manual_ve...ual_Framed.html</a>
Enjoy
I usually leave catpack unresearched if I arent in gather or belive in my team. I have just recently started to think using it, problem is that 4 res is quite much on tight match where you dont have too many res to spare (etc 3-4rt) If you have 5 rt you could win without i say.....
sometimes you have to look at them with an intimidation value.. but spending 4 rez, is to win @ seige is better than losing it all.
but ill say it agian. catpacks are the double edge sword. pulled of sucsessfully, and you will do amazing, if you dont. you will look like a total nublet for researching catpacks.
But as you said you make yourself embarrassed if you wont pull it off....
It`s allmost allways better to leave it and go the steady old way in publics. In gathers they are nice to have.
Also if the exterior of a hive is lamed you can catpack a guy past them and give him a med or two so he can get to a good ninja PG spot.
Catpacks also make the person playing as the marine more aggressive, and catpacks help HA trains storm into hives and wreak massive havoc
Well duh <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Nice to hear some advice, because I'm at a loss for catpacks lol. They seem like a complete waste, even if they're fun.
This is why most people never work out new strats. evar.
picture the scene:
ns_eclipse, 5-6mins in.
marines have a1,w1 and the com decided to get cat packs before w2.
2-4 rt's.
a group of 2 shotgunners and an lmg marine moving down a corridor.
fade blinks in, slashes one and blinks out.
com meds the marine that got hit.
fade blinks in again thinking that he can get out again safely way before the marines cause anywhere near a fatal amount of damage.
*woosh* *woosh* as the com drops a pair of catalysts.
*chatter* goes the lmg marine.
*BANGBANGBANGBANG* goes the 2 shotgunners firing at twice the rate at almost point blank.
*splat!* goes the fade after 4 shots in under a second(ish).
"winnar !! \o/" goes the marine team.
go figure.
I personally love cat packs <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> I bet they are addictive <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
but as stated they are a double edged sword and the main problem is that the negative effect is ALMOST as high as the positive effect.
they are a risk. Risk is good for gameplay, and makes for a much more exciting game etc BUT I personally dont feel they are worth getting, the 20 (25?) res toresearch them PLUS the 4 res per catpack is just a little too high for them to be worth getting without a high skilled marine team.
If I research them at all it is after W3 and before A3 just for that extra bit of powerin the HA train, but by then the game is won.
Yes you could get the early fade down, but sureley he will hear the initiation of catpack sound and if he is any good **** off back to the hive <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
its a doulbe edge sword because. if the commander doesn't drop em just right, or the marine doesn't use it correctly. It hurts more than helps. but not trying to learn how to use them is a sin upon itself