Mental Tactics

[LeoAegisMaximus 39]

Hi Purple players just a question about mental tactics? 

 

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

 

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

 

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

 

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome? 

 

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

 

I know that's alot of questions for you players, but I'm a thinking type of player coming from playing RTS games i wonder how you handle both the thinking and planing aspects of this game along with the execution phase of your plan? because that is where i fall short i can't overcome the panic of getting shot and blindly rush for cover without noting where the shot came from or form a response plan to counter the enemy now.

 

Thanks guys sorry if I racked your minds. 

 

[Barks_Internally 259]

Hi Purple players just a question about mental tactics? 

 

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

 

Do whatever you can to stack the favour in your odds, create shots and deny them the ability to reply (with terrain abuse/vision control etc), if you have an hp advantage it tends to make people far less eager to attack.

 

EG: http://www.noobmeter.com/replay/1005208693.52738102376687877 Constantly pull back, abuse terrain, get shots off, pull back again, get the shot off etc. All while denying the other tanks a chance to shoot me in return.

 

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

 

Some people get intimidated, some people just dismiss the validity of ratings. It's not really reliable to try to use your stats.

 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

 

Can't comment, I don't do this

 

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

 

Simply thinking about not doing it should be enough to stop you from falling into that habit/get you out of it, conciously reminding myself not to make a certain mistake generally helps me to avoid it.

 

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome? 

 

Try playing as if you're a 1 shot from the start, this will help practice all the 'survival instincts' before you start getting anxious about not making mistakes when you're on low hp.

 

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

 

Generally play defensively, it's almost always easier to defend rather than attack. Because if you know where you and your team is, it's easier to position yourself in the best way. If you're attacking you won't have certainty with regards what you're up against and how they are organised until one of you gets spotted.

 

I know that's alot of questions for you players, but I'm a thinking type of player coming from playing RTS games i wonder how you handle both the thinking and planing aspects of this game along with the execution phase of your plan? because that is where i fall short i can't overcome the panic of getting shot and blindly rush for cover without noting where the shot came from or form a response plan to counter the enemy now.

 

Try to break it down into steps, if you're suddenly getting shot from somewhere, the first and only thing you need to think about is making yourself safe. Thinking about a counter can only happen after you're safe, so to start with, wait until then to do this.

 

Thanks guys sorry if I racked your minds. 

 

[Oldumesce 18]

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

Generally being in a good position and having a numerical advantage over the enemy is a huge detriment.

When I'm trying to fight an enemy and I see he has backup, I get second thoughts.

 

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

Generally, your stats won't make the average player scared of you. Only high greens and above will give you special treatment in the form of avoiding confrontations with you if you have an advantage over them or focusing you if they have an advantage on you.

 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

 

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

If your target goes in cover for too long or there are more pressing matters to attend to in the battle, go somewhere else or focus a different target.

 

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome? 

Play more defensively, let the enemy come to you when you have superior ground and all that. Never yolo unless there's absolutely no other choice.

 

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

Leave that flank until I find a spot that is more comfortable. Fighting 1v2 or more is fruitless unless you know the enemy can't do much, like when you're in an E-75 coming up versus some tier 7 mediums.

 

I know that's alot of questions for you players, but I'm a thinking type of player coming from playing RTS games i wonder how you handle both the thinking and planing aspects of this game along with the execution phase of your plan? because that is where i fall short i can't overcome the panic of getting shot and blindly rush for cover without noting where the shot came from or form a response plan to counter the enemy now.

This game is radically different from RTSes. There's rarely any "strategy" involved because of how little teamwork there is in pubs. What wins almost every match is positioning. Most of the time once you find a common route to take on a map that works for you, you stick with it and develop it better until perfection.

[Viruzzz 157]

 

• As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?
  It depends on the situation, and the motive, sometimes I would like for someone to attack me because I will hurt them more than they will hurt me, but if all you want to do is stop someone from attacking, the easiest way to do that is just to dig yourself in and be invulnerable, it helps if you have a gun with high damage on it, nobody wants to lose half their HP to get one shot off on someone.
• Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?
  Most people don't run XVM, and there is no way to tell ingame whether or not a particular enemy does. There is no doubt that is has an effect, but you can rarely tell for sure, and playing by the statistics, since the majority of players don't use it, you're likely better off assuming they have no knowledge of your skill outside of the tier/type of tank you are driving.
• I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?
  Personally don't have a checklist, can't comment.
• How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.
  I don't think there is any kind of shortcut, you just have to teach yourself to keep an eye on the minimap and your surroundings, here are a few tips that may help: don't use sniper-vision unless you need it, and when you do use it, don't use the maximum zoom setting unless you actually need it, if the tank is 50m in front of you, the minimum zoom is sufficient to shoot whatever weakspot you want to hit
• How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome? 
  Stop panicking, panic has never solved a problem, realize what you are doing isn't helping, and stop doing it.
• Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?
  Obviously, avoid it if at all possible. But when you do end up in a situation where you are outnumbered then engage with the best odds you will get.
  If you are 1v2, don't wait if there's a 3rd coming up, take your chances with the 2 and then if you survive, deal with #3
  If you are mobile, use one enemy to cover you from the others.
  If you have good armor, use it, many players are not used to fighting point blank, I have had a foch 155 bounce its entire clip on my Is-7.
  In general, take every advantage you can get and capitalize on it, punish any mistakes an enemy makes. If they split up trying to go around a building to flank you, go fight the other one, if they lose sight of you, sometimes you can use that to your advantage.

[Big1Jake 105]

Hi Purple players just a question about mental tactics? 

 

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

 

As a single player, taking the best position and keeping your gun to the enemy is really the only deterrent you have. Depending on which tank you drive, that's pretty much all you need though (who wants to jump in front of a 268?) For most pubbies though, that's all you need. All tonks with guns are scary to your average pub; they don't conceive of their actions as calculated risks.

 

 

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

 

The people who would 'fear' you most are generally the kind of players who wouldn't have XVM, unless your purple, in which case the green players that have XVM might be deterred by your 'skills'. (That said, even as a green player I wasn't necessarily afraid to take on purples, because more often than not, I was the most qualified person on my team to do so.)

 

 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

 

For me it's pretty much 'is this a stupid idea' (based on respective team comps & map knowledge, which is the reak key.) That's not to say it doesn't stop me from doing stupid things though

 

 

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

 

Remembering to look on the minimap or talking over comms is usually enough. The biggest part of this is recognizing when to RTB, followed by recognizing when to reposition / flank (with mediums.)

 

 

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome? 

 

'It's a game' is how I do it. This keeps me calm and collected enough to work in a logical manner despite my lack of HP (those games where you do 3k damage after becoming a oneshot are hilarious and not at all impossible.)

 

 

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

 

Work to engage one target at a time (by either funneling them through a chokepoint or maneuvering so that one of their tanks is always blocked by another.) You can also respond with taking a strong position for your tank (I.E. sidescraping, hull-down, etc.) At the point where you're engaging multiple tanks, it really becomes about finesse. How many shots of theirs can you juke / absorb, how many shots can you make, etc.

 

 

I know that's alot of questions for you players, but I'm a thinking type of player coming from playing RTS games i wonder how you handle both the thinking and planing aspects of this game along with the execution phase of your plan? because that is where i fall short i can't overcome the panic of getting shot and blindly rush for cover without noting where the shot came from or form a response plan to counter the enemy now.

 

Thanks guys sorry if I racked your minds. 

 

[jackquerudo 2,405]

Hi Purple players just a question about mental tactics? 

 

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

 

If you're fast, take the best position from them, whether it be a place where you can hull down, or securing areas where they have no retreat/are exposed to your team

 

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

 

NOTHING you say can sway the mind (if there is one) of pubbies, you can only make them mad

 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

 

Run through the other team and evaluate their speed and firepower. Predict who you are going to face in which position and choose the favorable option. Example. Malinovka, if there are numerous fast high tier mediums on the other team, I would avoid the hill at all costs.

 

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

 

There is no reason to be fixated on a target, and I look at the minimap and evaluate the situation during reloading

 

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome? 

 

What now? Never heard of it. If you are low, you back up and let your platoonmate or teammates initiate the fight. If you're scrambling to get to cover from low HP, you're in a bad position already

 

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

 

Depends on what and who you are facing. If I'm a T8 facing a couple of T7s, then I will get into a favorable position and stand my ground. If I'm vs 2 equal or higher tiers, then I will back off. In general good players can solo equal or +1 tier enemies in pubs. Unless they're opposing unicums.

 

I know that's alot of questions for you players, but I'm a thinking type of player coming from playing RTS games i wonder how you handle both the thinking and planing aspects of this game along with the execution phase of your plan? because that is where i fall short i can't overcome the panic of getting shot and blindly rush for cover without noting where the shot came from or form a response plan to counter the enemy now.

 

Understanding the flow of the map and areas where you can use the best of your tank's abilities is essential if you want to play well.

 

Thanks guys sorry if I racked your minds. 

 

[Rexxie 10,788]

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

Make it non-viable. Most players know (for better or worse) when forcing a skirmish is a bad idea. Good ways to create this effect are having pubbie/platoon backup, lots of HP, and a terrain advantage. If you don't have these three things, you can not force most people to back off, period. Don't put yourself in a position where you need to force a standoff without the tools to do so; just leave instead.

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

No. 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

It's not really a conscious checklist, so it's hard to explain. I think someone else will be able to answer this one, but for the most part that checklist comes from knowing from previous experience what does and doesn't work. This is really obvious, but always seek to recreate that which works and not which doesn't. Your first few thousand games are for strategic experimentation, the rest is for strategic perfection. You'll get there.

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

Don't acquire "targets" in the first place. Think of them as opportunities. If one opens, exploit it. Don't try to bash yourself against a wall trying to take out a "target" who is not giving you an opportunity. Once you learn this, you will spend much less time getting tunnel vision and more time reading the battle for opportunities.

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome?

Never had it, can't comment. Other than being fully aware that I can no longer trade any HP, my gameplay doesn't really change. The only thought I get is that I must have did something stupid.

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

Difficult question, depends on the situation. Your allies' HP is the most valuable resource when it comes to facing a numbers advantage. I try to trade off HP as efficiently as possible; someone might punch one of my last two pubbies alive for 300 damage, but I'm sure to rip off 700 in the meantime, etc. On the other hand, there are times when you know you just don't have the meatshields required. They could be dead or simply in a situation where trading HP favorably is impossible (surrounded, in the open, vastly outtiered, etc. Doesn't matter why.), in those situations you are both the meatshield AND the hammer. You kinda have to go into hulk smash mode and both create AND exploit opportunities. It's not an easy thing to do, even for the best players in the game.

[EchelonIII 1,255]

Hi Purple players just a question about mental tactics? 

 

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

If you're in a higher tier you can armor bully (e.g. an E75 against a tier 7)

 

If you're in a lower tier you want to be able to retreat and let him overextend. Positive trading is a VERY good deterrent (e.g. an AMX 90 or ISU threatening a full clipout on a T10)

 

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

The average player has the intelligence of a chipmunk, the ones who see a hi5X or 6X think one of two things

 

1. Be aggressive let's kill him #YOLO

2. Hide like a mofo.

 

In both cases he's playing irrationally.

 

Both are good for you

 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

Three questions I always ask myself

1) Who is my direct counterpart? (e.g. an enemy IS8 if I'm in an E75, an enemy T54 if I'm in an M46 etc.)

- What advantage do I have over him?

- Where on this map would be the most favorable place I can fight him

 

2) Why am I going where I am about to go?

- There needs to be something I can use there that the enemy can't

 

3) What would I LOVE to see the enemy do? 

- An enemy E75 YOLOing at me would overextend him badly

 

http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/206589-self-help-guide-how-to-improve-your-play/

 

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

 

Watch the minimap, it's that simple.

 

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome?

 

Stop taking useless hits, there's really no way around it, you are going to take hits in any game, what matters is how you trade your hitpoints.

 

If you are ending a game with a full health bar, then the enemy are either retarded or you aren't being active enough, commit your HP into the fight.

 

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

Fighting retreat, pull back bit by bit.

Vision kite if you can, and of course let the dumbpubbies overextend.

 

I know that's alot of questions for you players, but I'm a thinking type of player coming from playing RTS games i wonder how you handle both the thinking and planing aspects of this game along with the execution phase of your plan? because that is where i fall short i can't overcome the panic of getting shot and blindly rush for cover without noting where the shot came from or form a response plan to counter the enemy now.

 

Thanks guys sorry if I racked your minds.

[Schlurcher 23]

As a player how do you force your enemy not to engage you in a skirmish apart from taking the best position to repulse their attack and pointing your gun at them?

If an enagement is not favorable to me my last resort is to simply try to buy as much time is possible by faking to attack the them, hoping they waste time aiming for an opportunity which never presents itself. I don't like to do this because it forces me into a passive role, which never spells gud news.

 

Do you use the fact that you're known through the use of XVM stats to discourage them attacking you as your ingame colour denotes your prowess?

Nah, you don't even know if they have XVM.

 

I've noted in this forum many of you players talk about always following a mental checklist in battle to ensure that your decision making is sound? what are your standard steps to your checklists?

If I had to mention one thing I more or less consciously do is to check if I can deal more damage (also factoring in how much damage other players can probably do) than I recieve. 

 

How do you avoid target fixation during Battle? I think this a major issue that hiders most players from recognizing a changing situation on the battlefield to be able to react to it.

Looking on the minimap / around during a reload when I'm not busy manouvering around like a mad men. Depends on the tank. I feel I do worse on this if I play tanks with short (<6s) reload speeds, since I try to keep my damage up. Probably is also kind of a mental checklist thing.

 

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome? 

Can't really comment on this, sowwy.

 

Also how you do react when numbers are against you? do you pull back to a defensive position or attacking trying to take as many enemies as you can?

Very situational, depends on enemy locations and the tank I'm driving. In general if the enemies are spread out and I roughly know their positions (thanks XVM) and Hitpoints (thanks again!) I try to go for the weak / lone ones first, preferably as fast as possible to prevent them from grouping up. I'm also willing to trade damage unfavorably in this situation if it means I have less guns to worry about. If they are clustered up digging in and minimizing angles of approach is probably my best bet.

[LamaLeif 92]

How you avoid the low hit point panic syndrome?

 

I've never had that problem, but I imagine a few steps can be taken to avoid being at low hp or stressing out when you inevitably do once in a while.

 

Start the battle with the mindset of not trading shots 1:1 unless it is crucial to kill that one tank, unicum in 57, 155 or 183 for example, that sort of stuff. Always strive to at least put 2 shots on them for every shot they put on you, or better yet shoot them without taking any damage. Do this and come end game if the battle is even or turning in the enemys favor you still have hp left to make a crucial push, defend a flank.. what have you.

 

My approach is to always think ahead, what happens if I go this way, where are their tanks, which way are they looking, where are they most likely to be, do they have any big guns around this corner, essentially a whole lot of what if scenarios go through my head. I avoid taking unnecessary damage from enemies the large majority of the time doing this, and it also helps when at low hp because I'm used to not giving up hp.

 

Being able to put out damage and generally be useful for your team when at low hp is something most unicums haven't even mastered.