Sixth Sense and You

[kittikat 589]

I've seen constant threads come up recently about what perks and skills people prefer on their tanks. Anything ranging from the benefits of BiA to the usefulness of Intuition (lol jk, Intuition sucks - only get it if you're on your 20th skill or something).

Anyhow, this isn't about any of those skills.

In fact, it's not even why one skill is better than the other.

This thread is about WHY Sixth Sense has such high utility and the myriad uses it has.

There's so much to understand about the utility of 6th Sense. Much more than what the simple tool-tip describes for you:
The Sixth Sense Perk enables the Commander to know if the vehicle has been detected by the enemy. Three seconds after being detected by the enemy, a visual indicator in the form of a light bulb appears in the upper center screen portion of your battle interface. The indicator turns off after a few seconds whether you are still detected or not. There is no indicator to show whether or not you have become hidden again.

Now we all know the basic usage of this tool: It pings me whenever someone sees me. Yay, good for scouts and arty! Yay!

Well, it's more than that.
Much much more.

I'll start off with the simple first:


Enemy Location:

In battles, both teams start opposite each other and generally you have a scout or two roaming around trying to locate them to gain vision control for their respective teams, cause vision control = victory majority of the time.

Now, there comes a time when you'll only discover a handful of your enemy, and you need to know where the rest are in order to formulate an effective strategy to counter. When your team only counts 12 enemy tanks, that leaves 3 somewhere else that need to be found. When you're plodding down a ravine, or the Magic Forest, or some other area with a limited/obstructed view range and your 6th sense goes off, guess what: They're close by. And generally closer than the 440m max view range, given the landscape and vision obstacles surrounding you.

What this means is you found at least one, and maybe all three of them. So now you can generally be assured that your flanks are covered, even if you can't see them, you know they see you and that alone will oftentimes prevent a push.


Suppression Through Vision-Control:

Now, this idea actually plays into the above outlined. Once you get lit up, you know the enemy sees you.

So generally, what do you do?
You go and find cover.

Now here's where the psychological warfare comes into play. You know they see you. And chances are they know you know they see you if you're ducking behind cover already. People with 6th Sense tend to know when others have 6th Sense based on their reactions. Go figure, right?

Even if you can't see them, your 6th Sense can still gain you and your team the upper advantage. Not knowing where they are isn't a concern. It's knowing that they're actively looking at you that gives you the edge. The reason is because as long as they're concentrating on you, they're not on your flank.

I have had multiple games where I've held off a handful of tanks by myself simply because I kept poking out behind cover and ducking back quickly and repeatedly gotten my 6th Sense to go off. That notified me that they were still there, even if I couldn't see them. The shots on the rock in front of me also told me they were actively trying to engage me without giving up their cover, which tells me they're NOT shooting at my other teammates.

Continuously poking every few seconds (to let 6th Sense reset) also allowed me to keep an eye on if they were pushing or not.

1 tank keeping 2-3+ tanks occupied is a good trade, as long as you're not being dumb and dying. And pubs LOVE being distracted by 1 solo tank. Trust me, threads are all around the WoTNA forums talking in disgust about how 5 tanks were too scared to engage that 1 tank 200 meters ahead of them, even though they had the numbers advantage.

Now, it's when you peek out and duck back and your 6th Sense doesn't go off that lets you know you they've moved.
Where?
No idea, but they've moved to a point where they can no longer see you.
And this is when you have to decide if you're going to push (hopefully you have a battle buddy to split their focus) to see where they went.


Peek-A-Boom Alpha Striking:

We've all been there, hiding behind rocks or the corner of a building, poking out to get a shot off then diving quickly back behind cover to avoid retaliation shots.

This is where I LOVE utilizing 6th Sense.

When I'm peeking around cover, after I shoot, my 6th sense goes off. Now, I know they saw me after I shot, and obviously I KNOW they know where I am. But after a few seconds, I'll drop off their mini-map/vision-marker and I'll be able to get a first-shot off again and back up before they can react, and my 6th Sense goes off again 3 seconds later, after I'm in cover.

Gee, that's kinda useless, right?
Wrong.

Now here's where 6th Sense is vital in this action:

If the tank I'm shooting at has constant visual (my name-tag) of where I am and the movements I'm making, he can pre-aim to where I'll peek out, cause he can see me doing it. How many times has that happened to you? You peek out to se- BAM! tracked, and 600 health vaporized.

If that happens, or if I shoot, and my 6th Sense NEVER goes off, that means I've been lit the entire time and he can see everything I do. What this means is someone else, from somewhere else, is seeing me and transmitting my info to them. So I use THIS information that I just now gathered to try and reposition or get somewhere else in an effort to hide myself from the other person who's spotting me for that tank.

After I've repositioned, I wait a few seconds and peek out and in REAL fast. If I'm not shot in the first second of peeking out (fingers crossedl0l), or if my 6th Sense all of a sudden goes off again, I know I've managed to move to a better location and can continue alpha-striking that tank without much chance of getting hit in return.


These are some of the benefits of utilizing 6th sense beyond what the simple tool-tip describes to you.

6th Sense helps you stay alive. It also helps you effect the ebb and flow of battle. And these allow you to have a better chance of winning the game.

Hope this helped some of you guys to better understand the utility you can get out of this simple-tool-that's-not-so-simple.

[Derpinator2013 48]

Good stuff! +1 for you.

 

Couple of other things.

 

Sixth sense, for me, starts the "I'm about to be invisible again" timer in my head. I'm back in cover about 95% of the time when sixth goes off. So I count backwards from seven (overly cautious probably, but that's what I use so far). When I hit zero: I can move again. Either relocate or pop back out depending on my objective.

 

On most maps, we know the general areas where other tanks are likely to be. If I'm heading up the west ridgeline on Murovanka in a "slowish" tank and my sixth goes off, I know a speed-demon probably made it into the little depression at C1. Ok, strategy now readjusts. I don't even have to actually see them to know where they are sometimes.

 

Another (for me) cool benefit of getting sixth sense on a new tank is learning how tall the tank is. I know it seems weird, but because of the fact that tanks are different heights, and have differing heights to the turrets, I have a hard time estimating if any of my turret is exposed over a ridgeline. I can't WAIT to get sixth sense on my T1 and M6 for exactly this reason. I just don't have a good feel for how tall they are and get shot in the noggin far too often in them unless I'm super cautious working the ridges.

 

 

[CraBeatOff 5,741]

http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/183952-sixth-sense-tell-a-dummy-why-it-is-important/

 

Derp, I count to 10 or 11. 7 is towards the lower end. It especially matters with dem big TDs you see in high tiers. 

[kittikat 589]

A buddy of mine, an above average player even, discounts 6th sense. It might be because he is a stubborn git, but even so I want the community to heap scorn on him.

He chooses it below repair or BiA, claims he doesn't need to know when spotted because he drives HTs which are supposed to draw fire. He has never had a crew with 6th, despite having several crews on their 2nd skill, and 1-2 on their 3rd. Doesn't even have it on his Bat25t!

Can you all help express to my dense friend how useful 6th is, and all the situations it enables, where lacking that information the otherwise good player is at a disadvantage?

Thanks.

 

Uh huh... a "friend" of yours, you say.

 

uh huh... your "friend" wouldn't happen to have his name start with a "C" and end with an "F" and have random letters "r a b e a t o f" in between, hmm?

xD

 

 

[CraBeatOff 5,741]

Uh huh... a "friend" of yours, you say.

 

uh huh... your "friend" wouldn't happen to have his name start with a "C" and end with an "F" and have random letters "r a b e a t o f" in between, hmm?

xD

 

No, it was sangdraax. 

 

See other times I rake his ungrateful ass over the coals

 

[Shako62 1]

Thanks for the write up kittikat, great info. As much as you think you know, there are always different ways to view and interpret the information...

 

Now come carry me in my Tier 10's  teach me to call CW...

 

( I thought 7 seconds was a little on the low side...I will stick to 9-10 for now

[hail2skins 7]

I've expressed this in another thread, but as a guy who thinks he'll probably primarily run heavy tanks, especially Russian heavies at least initially, I figured sixth sense just wasn't that important for me.   This thread really spells out exactly why it's crucial for me, especially in those Russian heavy tanks peeking out for a shot.   

 

Now, it's not a huge issue for me as I only have one crew that is 100 percent on their primary skill and that's on my KV-1 where repair is 95 percent across the board.   I will switch to sixth once it is 100 percent for sure now.   My other tanks I just get to 75 percent and slowly work up.   I intend to grind at Tier 5 in all the Tier 5 heavy tanks (except the Brits) and won't move up to Tier 6 until they have sixth sense available.   I do have the KV-1s, which I do horribly in and has a crew that started at 50 percent training level, but that's because I'm trying to get the benefit of the gun before it's nerfed .

[sr360 4,988]

I just am waiting for the day where Vlad's BIA equipped T-54 schools my camo/6th T-54... Because BiA is more useful than camo in RU meds and TDs.

[ViktorKitov 1,444]

I just am waiting for the day where Vlad's BIA equipped T-54 schools my camo/6th T-54... Because BiA is more useful than camo in RU meds and TDs.

 

I'd try that.

[Derpinator2013 48]

http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/183952-sixth-sense-tell-a-dummy-why-it-is-important/

 

Derp, I count to 10 or 11. 7 is towards the lower end. It especially matters with dem big TDs you see in high tiers. 

 

3 seconds for bulb to go off + 7  = 10 total.

 

I guess that would be kind of an absolute minimum wouldn't it. Sold. 11 it shall be.

 

<wonders if this is part of the reason why T49 record isn't as good as it should be...>

[Panzer9Supertiger 365]

Very interesting read. I'll have to try that peekaboom strat you were talking about.

[Agamemneon 1,079]

Derp is mostly right, I wait ten seconds after being spotted, or 8ish after the bulb goes off. It happens three seconds after you are spotted, which is before you are back in cover. It has to be ten seconds after they lose line of sight on you.

Another use I have for sixth sense is a defined window to fool the enemy. Situation: I poke around a corner and immediately pull back, sixth goes off. I now have 7 seconds to allow the enemy me to see what I'm doing and then go completely dark. So during that brief period I will run in a certain direction without stopping, aggressively nuzzle the corner like I'm preparing to stay and pop out again, etc. As soon as those seven seconds are up I'm off in another direction.

That's especially helpful in tournaments.

[Marduk 941]

6th sense can also be used to blind shot people.

 

There are times when your 6th sense goes off..... and there is only ONE bush that possibly be hiding a tank. Pew Pew Pew..... all of a sudden, your 6th sense doesn't go off anymore.

 

WZ-131/2 don't like trading shots at 400m with a T-62A.

[CraBeatOff 5,741]

Derp is mostly right, I wait ten seconds after being spotted, or 8ish after the bulb goes off. It happens three seconds after you are spotted, which is before you are back in cover. It has to be ten seconds after they lose line of sight on you.

Another use I have for sixth sense is a defined window to fool the enemy. Situation: I poke around a corner and immediately pull back, sixth goes off. I now have 7 seconds to allow the enemy me to see what I'm doing and then go completely dark. So during that brief period I will run in a certain direction without stopping, aggressively nuzzle the corner like I'm preparing to stay and pop out again, etc. As soon as those seven seconds are up I'm off in another direction.

That's especially helpful in tournaments.

 

In my mind, I call this maneuver the "going dark fake". And its surprisingly effective. Especially late game in fast/camo tanks, in open areas.

 

I like to shoot butts with my BatChat, and this helps me achieve that goal. 

[kittikat 589]

I just am waiting for the day where Vlad's BIA equipped T-54 schools my camo/6th T-54... Because BiA is more useful than camo in RU meds and TDs.

 

I would rather get pity-sex from a menstruating spider than get into a match with him. On either side. His idiocy revolts me.

[sr360 4,988]

In my mind, I call this maneuver the "going dark fake". And its surprisingly effective. Especially late game in fast/camo tanks, in open areas.

 

I like to shoot butts with my BatChat, and this helps me achieve that goal. 

 

I've done that as well... run in one direction until lights drop, then change direction.

[Euchre 141]

3 seconds for bulb to go off + 7  = 10 total.

 

I guess that would be kind of an absolute minimum wouldn't it. Sold. 11 it shall be.

 

<wonders if this is part of the reason why T49 record isn't as good as it should be...>

 

Can depend on the last "pulse" if you will to check spotting.  The further distance away, the longer the pause is between checks.  The time from the last spotting pulse to light you restarts the going dark timer.  If you get spotted by another pulse right before you get out of view range you stay lit longer than just the initial time you were spotted.

 

Then the random time which is average of 7 secs, but can be up to 10.  

 

http://wiki.worldoftanks.com/Battle_Mechanics#Rate_of_Visibility_Checks

 

Derp, The T49 is what will teach you these skills.  Especially if when you shoot, and you don't think you got spotted, if you see the enemy turret turn towards you start moving, cause he seen you, just sixth hasn't gone off yet.  After a while you will get a good feel for it and know before you even fire if you are going to be spotted or not.

 

When you get spotted in your T49 remember the golden rule of invisitanks... Don't get spotted in the same spot twice!  Relocate and keep them guessing.  If you go right back to the same spot you will get gibbed since they will be looking for you!  But you could relocate after you go dark, to a spot you can shoot them in the side, or maybe even permatrack them and lolz as they rage and call you a hacker in game chat.

 

I highly recommend like mentioned above, use that time before you go dark to make them think you are going a different direction, then after you go dark go elsewhere.  That is so much fun!

[Brandonuts 11]

Sixth sense is for pussies.

 

Kidding, of course. I have it on every tank.

[SoliDeoGloria 417]

Thank you for this valuable information. This helps me that now I have even more uses for it than just the obvious.

[jonnydeathstar 28]

6th sense can also be used to blind shot people.

 

There are times when your 6th sense goes off..... and there is only ONE bush that possibly be hiding a tank. Pew Pew Pew..... all of a sudden, your 6th sense doesn't go off anymore.

 

WZ-131/2 don't like trading shots at 400m with a T-62A.

 

Monty Python has a lesson on that: How Not To Be Seen

[stagnate 513]

Love that sketch even more tahn sixth sense!

[derth 11]

Thanks for the info Kitti (et al) +1's around

[HibachiSniper 134]

Derp is mostly right, I wait ten seconds after being spotted, or 8ish after the bulb goes off. It happens three seconds after you are spotted, which is before you are back in cover. It has to be ten seconds after they lose line of sight on you.

Another use I have for sixth sense is a defined window to fool the enemy. Situation: I poke around a corner and immediately pull back, sixth goes off. I now have 7 seconds to allow the enemy me to see what I'm doing and then go completely dark. So during that brief period I will run in a certain direction without stopping, aggressively nuzzle the corner like I'm preparing to stay and pop out again, etc. As soon as those seven seconds are up I'm off in another direction.

That's especially helpful in tournaments.

 

I've learned something very important today.  For some reason I had it in my head that it only took 6 seconds after being spotted to go dark. 

[ORYLY 12]

Hm, and here I thought the dark-fake trick only worked on campy pubs and not on tourney players.

[GPV 0]

I feel like i might play just a wee bit better when i get a crew with sixth sense... still don't have one.