Gunshy spies

[Bahger.P.]

I've had a couple of games almost grind to a stalemate because the mercs seem so close to all objectives at all times (Cinema) that the tendency among my spy-buddies is to lurk forever rather than going for it...

The game is so atmospheric that sometimes it seems to require actual courage to shoot out the motion detectors and go for the ND.

Does anyone have an opinion on the opposite of the "Aggro Spy" which I shall call "Shy Spy"?

http://www3.telus.net/ice51/taipans/tpn_bahger.jpg

[Bahger.P.]

I've had a couple of games almost grind to a stalemate because the mercs seem so close to all objectives at all times (Cinema) that the tendency among my spy-buddies is to lurk forever rather than going for it...

The game is so atmospheric that sometimes it seems to require actual courage to shoot out the motion detectors and go for the ND.

Does anyone have an opinion on the opposite of the "Aggro Spy" which I shall call "Shy Spy"?

http://www3.telus.net/ice51/taipans/tpn_bahger.jpg

[Coldbladed]

It's an interesting problem. I can understand why these spies are "shy". Sometimes I'll be playing in a map and just get rocked by the mercs over and over so when I see that they are effectively guarding the objectives, I am at a loss for what to do. I usually resort to the 3SC by this point (if they're good enough to r0x0r me that hard then they are good enough to communicate they're way out of 3SC).
But this usually is only the case when my spy teammate is not interested in cooperating with me. If the two of us are working together it becomes a less leary situation.
So, I guess the best solution is to start working with your teammate to get those final NDI33's (even if you have to take the active "distraction" role so that they can take the easy route and just neutralize).
If teaming up doesn't work, just try new things and do the unexpected, even if you have to resort to 3SC.

[Bahger.P.]

I've never done S3C can you believe? It just seems "gamey". But the mercs are getting so good -- this pair told me they'd been playing virtually non-stop for 24 hours -- that there may be no alternative, huh?

http://www3.telus.net/ice51/taipans/tpn_bahger.jpg

[Coldbladed]

Like I think I said, I don't like to use 3SC.
But if the mercs are much more uber than me I'll take anything I can get to even the playing feild.

[TacoLaMmY]

Think we see the situation ocurring mainly because the mercs need only slightly less teamwork than the spies to operate effectively. Pretty much the only way around it is to work really well as a spy team, double up to take one objective, and have one spy distract while the other one neutralizes. Indeed its tough, and the window of opportunity is limited considering that if the merc is worth his salt, he'll immediately call for backup when he notices both spies in the same area.

[H2OVCell]

I never used 3SC, mainly becouse i got tired of it before i got to use it.

I mean, if i hate it why use it on ther others?
Its boring and destroys the game http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Bahger.P.]

I had the initiative in Cinema, with neither merc in the upper lobby, all I had to do was shoot out the MDs (both of which I could see from my vantage point in the ceiling) and go for it. But the mercs can hear you shoot out the MDs and they will get you at the objective every time unless you can get your partner to risk a life in distracting the merc.

It must be possible for a single spy to perform both tasks (distraction & neutralization). I'm just not sure how. I must experiment with snares.

http://www3.telus.net/ice51/taipans/tpn_bahger.jpg

[bubbaganoosh]

I try to avoid mercs at all costs. Simply because every time I try to battle them I die. Sometimes I get a little too sneaky and notice the time has almost run out. I guess you could say I'm gunshy but I do try to get the objectives. I still need much more practice at this game.


Some people are alive simply because it's against the law to kill them.

[Bahger.P.]

We playede Schermerhorn together, Bubbaganoosh, remember? Can you be addressed as Bubba?

It's becoming clear to me that high level map-knowledge is not enough for non-confrontational spies. If we do not fancy our odds of surviving an encounter with the mercs we have to get much better at team and individual distraction techniques. My problem is finding guys online who really want to work the problem.

http://www3.telus.net/ice51/taipans/tpn_bahger.jpg

[bubbaganoosh]

Hey Bahger, yeah bubba is cool. If anyone has seen MXC they know who bubbaganoosh is.

I remember playng with you a few times. Good matches from what I remember. I also agree with working on tactics. I have played with a few people who like to work together. I will do my own thing sometimes if I get partnered with someone who doesn't have a mic. Other than that, I like working as a team, makes things way more fun.


Some people are alive simply because it's against the law to kill them.

[TacoLaMmY]

Definitely agree with all your points Bahger.
Something that might help you get some ideas, me and one of my clanmates have a Krauser lab strategy. We both head up to the roof from our spy spawn, one of us goes through the vent into top of warehouse, the other will go to the vent leading to right outside the 2nd floor lab. Then the 2nd floor lab guy will take the bathroom ladder down to outside irradiation. If the mercs are smart, they have one guy downstairs, one guy upstairs. The guy in the ceiling tiles at warehouse fires off alarm snares into the warehouse nd133's, setting them off. When the ground floor merc comes to investigate, bathroom spy creeps into irradiation. Lil things like that.

[Bahger.P.]

That's interesting (although I'm not yet familiar with Krauser Lab). Does the effect of an alarm snare fired directly at an ND differ from one fired into a wall?

http://www3.telus.net/ice51/taipans/tpn_bahger.jpg