Death Of A Skulk Kamikaze

relsanrelsan Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3720Members, Constellation
edited November 2002 in Kharaa Strategy
<div class="IPBDescription">forget your frag ratio!!!</div> I prevented the entire marine team from building 4-5 outposts with resource nozzles all by myself. How did I do it? I just keep attacking their base. I take advantage of the smallest faults in their sentry placements and I munch on their infantry portals and command consoles until marines finally find me and shoot me. I make sentries miss by running up walls and jumping a lot. I've made it through a wave of a dozen sentries that way.

Sometimes I die on the way to base and sometimes I don't even get in the front door. I die A LOT in fact and my frag ratio SUCKS. Sometimes I don't damage anything! But the important thing is that I keep a bunch of marines at base waiting for me to show up so they can kill me before I touch any of their equipment. Thats the BIG PICTURE. Make the marines camp at their base camp for as long as possible. You dont need stealth or xenocide to do this effectively.

This tactic is silently devastating because that time they spend waiting for you at their base is time they could be using to find new resources. While I have them sitting their at base, my gorges are taking all the resource nozzles and by the time they finally step out of the base, theres fades and possibly onos waiting for them. So what if my frag ratio is 3 kills and 23 deaths. Those deaths bought my team enough time to lock down the entire map and now they are all knocking on the marines door. That's how I prevent marines from getting outposts and attacking hives. That's what all skulks should be doing. If I can do this by myself, imagine what would happen if all the skulks were doing it.

People are always saying you don't need more than 1-2 gorges and well... they are right. Everybody else should be giving the marines a tough time at base camp. It does not matter if you get slaughtered in the attempt. All that matters is that you rile them enough to slow them down and second guess themselves. Keep them at the base welding equipment thats in no real danger. It only takes one marine to keep base camp secure and in shape but if you keep attacking it, they'll probably keep 2 or 3 or even 4 at base camp waiting for you. And as long as they are doing that they are shooting themselves in the foot, thanks to you.

One time when all the marines left base camp me and some other skulks ate their portals and were half way through the command console before the commander was able to convince his team to come back to base. They killed us and saved themselves from disaster, but while they were welding at base camp, their hastily abandoned outpost was being dismantled by fades; the marines paid dearly in the entire exchange since our gorges were building the entire time.

I often see skulks lying in wait for marines to come their way. You've got speed on your side so take the battle to them! Sure you want to play smart but don't wait forever for somebody to come your way. Keep moving and make marines chase you. This is not conventional warfare. Think of skulks as kamikazes because thats what they are. Don't get mad and stop just because a marine fells you all in one swoop. Keep trying! Stop worrying about your frag count and give your life to buy a couple minutes for your gorges. It pays off big later on in the battle. Your time to frag will come when all the hives are up and running. You pay in blood but you'll get your turn soon enough.
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Comments

  • ChompyChompy Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7379Members
    This is how <i>everyone</i> should be playing skulk. Unless you are a gorge, your job is harrassment: that's <b>it</b>.

    This is why scores should be removed from alien completely.
  • NiteowlNiteowl Join Date: 2002-09-04 Member: 1274Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    res, AWESOME attitude, i'm really impressed, a true team player!


    btw, u aren't old are you? Clan Old Fogies is looking for ppl like you! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • BenolanBenolan Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7745Members
    I know of no other way to play a skulk... Many times there's no other way to find out what side the tfac is vulnerable on than to jump right in...

    You can disrupt and sometimes take out whole marine groups.. Sure, you will probably die without even killing one.. but you may at least get 1 of 4.. sometimes 2.. and once in a while.. all 4. Those are the moments that make it fun.

    And when you get all 3 hives, what out.. here comes Xenocide. Mines can keep Onos at bay.. Lerks and Fades will usually be trying to take out the turrets at the base openings before going in.. but a Skulk with Xenocide can open those bases right up for all his friends. And of course catching a couple marines with it as I hit turrets/tfacs is always gravy.
  • StudKingStudKing Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 1922Members
    This advice applies even better to undefended expansions. Every chance I get, I exploit the placement of turret factory defending a resource nozzle. If I can take out the nozzle, great. The turret factory is even better. It may sometimes take about 2 or 3 tries, but denying them the resources is worth it. Plus <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo--> x 3 deaths = 0 resources. Turret factory + resource nozzle + 3 x <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> = 95 resources. That's not even counting the amount you DENY the other team from getting <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • InexorableInexorable Join Date: 2002-09-28 Member: 1360Members
    You can also make this 10 times as effective by going in groups. It only takes 2 bites to get to the center of a meatpop, and the only thing that keeps a marine in base longer than welding a half-dead CC is having to respawn before he does it.
  • AnkanAnkan Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1858Members
    I always do that at start. I don't do it ALL the time - only when I know it's no Marines in the base... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

    As soon they've left their base, I'm there damaging their CC <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    People should attack more at the start and not run around the map doing nothing... Until you got 13 resc. to evolve into a Gorge - ATTACK THE MARINES BASE! Remove the Alien scores will help that a TINY bit, but people still won't do it if it means they'll die <!--emo&:angry:--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/mad.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='mad.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • ObiBobObiBob Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7304Members
    i couldn't say it better myself.
    A team w/o skulks holding the marines at spawn is a team that is going to be in for a HARD game.

    This is also another good point about the teamplay NS was created around. The skulks are designed to be expendable. That's why their free.

    ObiBob
  • AsranielAsraniel Join Date: 2002-06-03 Member: 724Members, Playtest Lead, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester, Retired Community Developer
    Thats what im doing since NS is out... and its a very effective way to play, make them busy, so the gorges can build the res points(i go crazy when i see that the gorges have nothing better to do that build offensive towers... if i could i would slap them) and the marines cannot expand....
  • MercenaryForHireMercenaryForHire Join Date: 2002-10-03 Member: 1410Members
    Relsan = excellent player already.

    Skulks live to rush. If you're alive, a Skulk, and have nothing currently to do - rush the base. Gather up a cluster of you - the whole team if possible - and just tear the place up. If everyone listens to the first "rush!" command, you'll have a beeline of Skulks moving towards the enemy base. When you get there, fan out and pour in the doorways with the attack key held down. Die with honour.

    - M4H
  • MrBenMrBen ns_eclipse, ns_veil caretaker Join Date: 2002-11-14 Member: 8575Members
    A great way of playing. On nancy upon game start 3 skulks rushed and nearly destroyed the CC. The problem i find that after a while it gets to the stage where you cannot get near the base due to the amount of turrets and it is just a waste of time to charge to your death constantly. Instead i get cloaking, evole to a fade if i have the option and hack marines to death.

    Marines are stupid, they forget totally about cloaking, the amount of times as a fade i lured a marine out by poaking my head round the corner and then made my move once they ran past me oblivious is endless.

    Melesting is great fun though, on hera especially i was able to hold up the marines drastically, i approached through the maintance corrdior whent up to the button and cloaked and just opened the door, the marines where so confused as to why the turrets where not firing and such. They where all going to investigate and running down there and wasting ammo shooting down there. In the end we had 3 hives and instead of being a skulk i was a fade and ran in and hcaked the turret factory down.
  • DezmodiumDezmodium Join Date: 2002-10-23 Member: 1575Members
    besides the fact that the marines have landed..... the aliens are there. Make the game fun for them by making them feel like they are holding off an infestation, not clearing one out. they're marines! not janitorial engineers.
  • WarfareWarfare Join Date: 2002-10-29 Member: 1697Members
    Frags? The only frags I care about are my own getting blown into the marine's soft flesh.

    I wish they would just remove the Kill points of the Kharaa. I see no point in having them.
    And yes, every Skulk should do what you're suggesting. You wont live long anyways.
  • BTS_SquirrelBTS_Squirrel Join Date: 2002-09-27 Member: 1351Members
    i dont know if its necissary to remove to kil counts, but what its gonna take is some serious peer pressure on the part of "informed" players.

    those of us who do know the strategy (1-2 gorges max, take one for the team, etc.) have GOT to spread it around. sure, ive gotten in quite a few arguements with those CS d00ds. you know, the l337 ones. anyhoo, its worht it, many times they just dont know. and try not to be a jerk about it. remember that the game hasnt even been out a month yet.

    just my two cents, maybe ill make a thread sometime.
  • SeikedenSeikeden Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5443Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Ankan+Nov 14 2002, 09:37 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Ankan @ Nov 14 2002, 09:37 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->

    People should attack more at the start and not run around the map doing nothing... <b>Until you got 13 resc. to evolve into a Gorge -</b> ATTACK THE MARINES BASE!<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah so, its very handy turning into a gorge whn you have 0 resources to do anything with. I'll be happy when the majority of people can finally figure this out <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • BTS_SquirrelBTS_Squirrel Join Date: 2002-09-27 Member: 1351Members
    ill get more happy when people stop being stupid. but yeah, that would be nice too.
  • LegionnairedLegionnaired Join Date: 2002-04-30 Member: 552Members, Constellation
    ALso, when you get 2 hives, you may wanna consider going Lerk.

    They are like 3 skulks as far as harassment goes. Marine team coming your way? dump some umbra, and spike them.
    Umbra wear off? Flap around a lot and spike them?
    Got nothing else to do? flap around and spike them.
    Not only are the Lerks potent support fighters, but they are THE BEST guerilla fighter you have, mainly because of the great ranged attack. With flapping and shooting, you should eb able to kill/ seriously would any marine that comes your way, at least long enough for teh commadner to get tired of dropping HP on his marines.

    Then you close on em. Start spiking. Put up some umpra and spike the turrets. You probably won't kill them, but you will cause the "sentry taking damage" sound to be played. Commadner sends 2-4 marines out to flush you out, and you flap around and spike them.

    Congrats, you just wasted 3 minutes of their time, and have maybe killed someone, making the fireteam move slower, which buys more time...

    And the best part.... If you get hurt, just flap away, heal, and the come back. Flap beck to that gorge building a mini-base, and make him spray you. Go again, and keep em there. A determined Lerk is one heck of a force to be reckoned with...

    Especially if you stall them enough to get spore cloud. Now you're friggin deadly. Flap over to their base, open the door, drop some spores on the IP's or the armory, and watch your kills rack up. Also causes massive ammounts of health to br dropped for the troops, which means the commander is not at the hive he's trying to siege. Also stalls for time.

    I love the lerk.
  • MeltedSnowmanMeltedSnowman Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7779Members
    Suiciding pays-off.

    Especially as you get better at it.

    I got more than 50 kills on one map doing SUICIDE RUNS.

    I SHOULD'VE died. But instead I killed numerous marines. Every damn time.

    Less than 20 deaths, and more than 50 kills. And I was just throwing myself at them.
  • Some_tall_guySome_tall_guy Join Date: 2002-08-12 Member: 1139Members
    to add to Legionnaired's reply, i was playing on..... errr (cant remember the name but ill just explain what it looked like, you could probably remember it. its the one with one entrance to the marine spawn, a ramp leading into the marine spawn, and a little cockpit at the back of the marine spawn... ya) and i was playing as a lerk, we had 3 hives so i upgraded; scent of fear, adrenalin, and regeneration. i went over to their base, started gassing the hell out of it from a safe distance away from their very few turrets (didn't tell my team mates bout the poor defence.... i know i know, im selfish and i wanted all the kills to myself), and because i had scent of fear, i knew exactly where to plant my gas. i ended up with..... i think somewhere around 35 kills and 3 deaths. really cheap tactic cuz they had no other way out of their base <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--> and when coming down the ramp trying to kill me i just spiked em to deathm, regenerating all the health i lost from these rambo 'running down the ramp blastin away' tactics. it was fun....
  • NecroNecro &lt;insert non-birthday-related title here&gt; Join Date: 2002-08-09 Member: 1118Members
    amen. THIS is why they should take the alien scores away! then more ppl would do this, i do and had a -2/22 score but it was for the team
  • Ph0enixPh0enix Join Date: 2002-10-08 Member: 1462Members, Constellation
    I usually have a negative K:D ratio for a long time as an alien, usually till I go fade. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    I'm not bothered about my score, i'm bothered abut having fun and helping my team, buying time for the gorges to do their job. Harassing and ambushing expandin marines is the skulks job IMO.
  • PlinkoPlinko Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5850Members
    I totally agree that every skulk ought to be running aorund constantly looking for marines to harass and expansions to eat. It's probably the single-most effective strategy for early-game aliens.

    My caveat: ensure that you're looking around to make sure that the marines aren't making a risky expansion that you miss and that no single marine slinks off at the beginning and kills your first resource node.
    More than once have I seen a great rush fail to put the Marines at a pitiful disadvantage because the marines managed to secure two or three resource nodes early that no skulk made them pay dearly for or because one marine snuck into the first base and crippled the Khaara by destroying that first resource node near your hive.

    Keep the score for Khaara in for one reason, I want to know who isn't doing their job. When I see a skulk 10 minutes into the game that's 2-1, I know he's not helping the team much, instead waiting for a marine to fall in his lap. At least then I can yell at him to get off his duff and get into the fray. All this talk about hiding as aliens has led some fools to think they help the team by hiding in an odd corner waiting for a marine to walk by, and it really chafes me to see it.
  • InsanityInsanity Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8660Members
    How about hiding all the scores until the game has ended?

    You could add some more stats too like buildings made/destroyed.
    Hey look, that guy was 32-7, but didn't help destroy any bases or make anything.
  • zodazoda Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7175Members
    a smart commander will set up turrets right away.. and getting passed 3 or evn 2 turrets can be a problem as a skulk

    <!--emo&::siege::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/siege.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='siege.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::sentry::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/turret.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='turret.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • BralkeinBralkein Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8218Members
    Sometimes, if you're on a map with a vent that leads to the marine base, you can get a clear line of sight on some of the marines and their buildings. I found out that most times, if you spam them with parasites, you can get like 1-3 marines to hang around in their base trying to shoot you through the vent. This is, of course, 1-3 marines who will be doing nothing else.

    This tactic works even better with regen (since if you get hit you can hang back and get your HP and armour bacK), and even even better with the lerk and the spike shooter. Another cool thing is that if you can time it right, you can shoot at them a bit, hang back for a while, then return just as they think you're gone.

    Of course you're pretty much boned once marines get the GL and/or jetpack, but hey, until then, they are your playthings <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • RolkinRolkin Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8666Members
    One of the maps (i've only played for 5 hours mind you) where we started in a "Sewer" hive and noone knew how to get to the marine spawn, well by the time we got there they had 3-4 turrents up and 1 guy standing there, we killed him but the turrents finished most of us off, the 2 of us left eating the comm chair soon realized that they we're all at our base killing our only hive. We ran back there asap but since noone else could spawn we basically ran to our deads where 4 marines made quick work of us 2 skulks
  • NarfwakNarfwak Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5258Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Playtest Lead, Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica PT Lead, NS2 Community Developer
    The point of the frags for the Kharaa were to de-emphasize direct teamwork and to let players play independantly. This <i>might</i> be fun, but it almost always gets the Kharaa <i>raped</i>. So yeah, take out the damn frag ratios!

    Also, try a skulk rush some time - it pwns like no other. It's possible to win in less than 30 seconds on some maps, such as bast.
  • NarfwakNarfwak Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5258Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Playtest Lead, Forum Moderators, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica PT Lead, NS2 Community Developer
    edited November 2002
    Another variation for the extremly bored - the Onos harraser. Take one Onos, cloaking, regen and adrenaline (if you have poor aim) or celerity (if you have better aim), then mix. Hide at the exit to a marine base and paralyze some HA turds, then have the friendly neighborhood gorge humiliate them by killing them with giant loogies. Lotsa fun, although it doesn't help out the team much. You're better off just waiting for them and slaughtering them anyway.

    Also, that little tunnel that leads from MAJ to marine spawn in bast? <i>NEVER</i> let that get sealed up. Oh, the skulkings I've done from there...
  • MaxPepper13MaxPepper13 Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7375Members
    i've been surprised at the number of aleins who never use this tactic...I scream rush rush rush rush ... and well some do and some dont the people who do.. have way more fun
  • relsanrelsan Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3720Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin--Rolkin+Nov 15 2002, 09:06 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Rolkin @ Nov 15 2002, 09:06 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->One of the maps (i've only played for 5 hours mind you) where we started in a "Sewer" hive and noone knew how to get to the marine spawn, well by the time we got there they had 3-4 turrents up and 1 guy standing there, we killed him but the turrents finished most of us off, the 2 of us left eating the comm chair soon realized that they we're all at our base killing our only hive. We ran back there asap but since noone else could spawn we basically ran to our deads where 4 marines made quick work of us 2 skulks<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    You should have kept eating the command chair. Remember, if you eat all their command chairs, marines are screwed but aliens can always gestate to gorge and make another hive. Once marines have lost their commander and run out of ammo, they are no better than skulks.
  • SycophantSycophant Join Date: 2002-11-05 Member: 7092Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->if you eat all their command chairs, marines are screwed but aliens can always gestate to gorge and make another hive. Once marines have lost their commander and run out of ammo, they are no better than skulks.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Wow, you make it sound as if being a Skulk is a bad thing. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

    Granted, it's the simplest alien breed, but I'll still rack up more kills as a skulk than I would as an Onos with that huge bullseye painted on my @ss. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
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