If you want something done right in Rainmaker, do it yourself (7-1, Tri-slosher)

5th July 2017 – 7.00 am

This is a curious Rainmaker battle. Everyone wants to push forwards, but no one really wants to carry the rainmaker. Myself included, really. We get down to the bottom ledge quickly, burst the Rainmaker's Shield, and hold back or flank, but that's fairly standard. Picking up the Rainmaker then is asking to be splatted.

I look to hit the perch, and am happy to see an inkling misstep and fall to his splatty end, so with the way ahead clear I push up a bit. Not for long, as I anticipate inklings returning, so turn to get a nice splat. And, admittedly, a squidmate has the Rainmaker at this point. All looks rosy.

I move to support, and save my skin, but me and the Rainmaker cross, and some nicely timed purple ink stops my squidmate in mid-air. The Rainmaker is reset and we are there to burst its Shield again quickly, after which I press ahead again to ink a path ahead, this time up the wall. A Kraken surprises me, but my Bubbler surprises him.

My path takes me up to the plinth, and back down again, on top of the Tri-slosher, and where a super-jump ring tempts me to stay. But where's the Rainmaker? I've got to the plinth and back and it is still in the centre. Back in its Shield, though, so something must have happened. We break it out again and this time a squidmate moves it.

The Splatling stops our Rainmaker, but the Rainmaker's Shield growing with green ink pushes her back. I think I'm being smart by heading down and up a different wall to flank her, but it seems a head-on push by a squidmate works more efficiently. He's inking the wall above, but no one has the Rainmaker. I go back to take a look, but a purple inkling stops me. I stop him too, so it's not all bad.

Super-jumping back to the purple inklings' perch doesn't seem the most sensible option, but I do it anyway, and a squidmate grabs the Rainmaker. Great, off we go! He goes down, then up, which is fine by me, but perhaps a little long-winded given the already inked route. He gets a good distance too! I don't quite protect him from all of the purple ink, but I splat one inkling and press on to the plinth whilst the Rainmaker regenerates its shield.

The Rainmaker is broken free, and the path ahead is inked. I move up to protect the carrier and keep the turf green, sending out a 'Nice!' as the battle must surely end soon. But, no, we've all left the Rainmaker behind again. And a purple inkling drops down to snatch it in all the green ink. Oops.

If you want something done right, do it yourself. I splat the Rainmaker from behind, burst the Shield, and pick it up. It's a simple squid up to the plinth, but with a squidmate providing some necessary distraction, and we get the knockout victory! Woomy!

Hitting the flanks in Rainmaker (16-8, Tri-slosher)

4th July 2017 – 7.00 pm

Okay, I guess wrong where the yellow inkling is hiding, and there's nothing embarrassing about getting ambushed by a Carbon Roller. That Luna Blaster is just a pain, though, as they all are. We don't stop the yellow push until they've got a big lead, but my squidmates are quick to regroup, and one is happy to rush the Rainmaker forwards.

I don't quite protect him from the Luna Blaster, but we get a good distance along the warehouse, and I give the yellow team a little spanking, which probably helps another squidmate pick up the Rainmaker and continue squidding with it. We don't take the lead, but we show we are going to be competitive.

The trouble with laying down ink to make a path, whether on bare floor or over the opponents' ink, is that someone may see you coming well in advance, particularly down a corridor. Hence the Carbon Roller waiting for me. And she starts laying down a lot more ink. Good for them, not for us. On top of that, it sounds like I get two hits on the Luna Blaster without a splat. So it goes.

Chasing the Rainmaker surprises the Carbon Roller behind a block, where my bucket comes in handy, and I manage to catch up to the Rainmaker, thanks to my Bubbler, to splat him from above too. I think he fell from the block. I come back to see the Roller up to her tricks again, and I just about splat her away and cover up her tracks. I avoid heading around the back of the yellow team to support the Rainmaker directly, catching one inkling nicely from behind, but the Carbon Roller made a quick recovery to get some revenge.

A little jink as the yellow team pushes again gets me in a positive position, and I surprise one inkling from the side, and the Rainmaker from behind, followed up by the super-jumping Carbon Roller. The splats are nice, but the yellow team have a bigger lead and our first push remains our best. But we get the Rainmaker back and, as our team works its way forwards, I hit the flank to prevent a speedy yellow return, and, again, to hit the yellow team from the side.

My flanking works quite well, even if I have to pop my Bubbler a little early. We get the Rainmaker a little further forwards, but we still have work to do, and jumping in to a Splat Bomb isn't going to help anyone. But our remaining squidmate prevents the Rainmaker getting far from where we left it, and the other two super-jump back to help out. I go on foot, cleaning up a bit, and hitting the other flank.

My squidmates are doing a good job with the Rainmaker as I hit the inkable block to take me around the side. My ink hits something, so I persevere with a little caution, and pop my Bubbler when the ink starts to get heavy. I splat the Inkzooka aiming towards my team, then look for the Berry Splattershot who's hiding from me.

I don't get my first couple of sloshes on target, but that ends up working well for me, as the Berry's ink pushes me away from the incoming Carbon Roller, and off the ledge from where I can slosh upwards, splatting them both. And with all of those splats, it seems I have helped to clear the way for my squidmates to push up, just as the battle enters extra time. And, just as quickly, extra time finishes, as we carry the Rainmaker in to the lead. What a comeback! Woomy!

Splatting back and forth in Rainmaker (12-8, Carbon Roller Deco)

4th July 2017 – 7.00 am

Should I sneak around the back, should I focus on the objective? I'm torn, but my squidmates help me out, so I head around the back. The Beakon tempts me, so I destroy it, not seeing a charger. But maybe I should have looked harder. I should probably also not squid directly down my Seeker trail when a charger is in front of me. Even if she wasn't aiming at me, it was an easy speculative shot to make.

I do better on my return. I head down the side again, pausing to pounce on the Rainmaker, but when that happens anyway I move around to try to make a difference. I won't with the teal team having so much ink against just my Carbon Roller Deco, so I sensibly hide from the blast before returning. And I have a Seeker Rush charged. Letting loose the Seekers catches the Rainmaker carrier, then bursts the newly regenerated Shield, catching the rest of the teal team, all whilst I am Disrupted. Nice!

With the teal team temporarily gone, I make a good push with the Rainmaker, but the Splatterscope's range lets her get back in to position quickly, and I have to pause or get splatted. Or both. The teal team burst the Rainmaker and get it moving towards us. I head the wrong way at first, so loop back, turning up to provide some support. I do well to avoid the Bubblers as they appear, until they are almost gone, which prevents them being too effective, but I am equally surprised by a teal Special.

A bit of support for the Rainmaker next may just be as an ink-shield, and the Rainmaker gets a good blast out over my squiddy body to clear the way, and presses forwards to get a very impressive lead. I wonder if I'm super-jumping back to watch the Rainmaker get dunked, and I nearly am, but instead I am in damage-control mode. Not for long, admittedly.

A nice bit of manoeuvring, and my Ninja Squid t-shirt lets me help splat some teal inklings and stop the Rainmaker. But trying to squeeze a Seeker through a tiny gap doesn't work, which both doesn't stop the Inkbrush from inking the Rainmaker's Shield and puts me close enough to be splatted by the Rainmaker's Shield. So it goes.

Hey, let's go around the back again. And keep going. I dunno why. The Rainmaker's not moving, and we could use more ink up here, I suppose. I'm found by the Splatterscope soon, though, which reminds me of why I shouldn't be up here with no real purpose, but at least I lead him on a merry runaround for a little, and that squidbagging is deserved.

For the last thirty seconds we just need to defend, so I head around the corner to where the Rainmaker is approaching. A Seeker skids past a Kraken to splat... someone. Maybe the Kraken at the moment of transformation. A jink back and forth splats another inkling coming over the block, and I drop down to splat the Splatterscope. But none of these are carrying the Rainmaker. Where has it got to?

Ah, I see. All the splats naturally put off the Rainmaker from being just another statistic, so squidded off to the corridor on the other side of the warehouse. Thankfully, my squidmates notice quicker than me and are on the case, splatting the Rainmaker long before our massive lead is threatened, and giving us the victory. Woomy!

Walking it home in Rainmaker (5-1, Carbon Roller Deco)

3rd July 2017 – 7.00 pm

Woo, nice aim with that first Seeker, not hitting the wall, our plinth, or the non-inkable ramp! I ignore the path I'm making to favour trying to hit the green team from the side, though. I need a bit more ink first, as Seekers are quite thirsty, but I press forwards just before I'm found with a Point Sensor.

I roll around the back, destroying a Beakon, but the green team are further forwards now, almost too far for me to start getting splats. But I splat the charger, at the back, and get a second splat when returning to destroy another Beakon I roller past. That was pretty good timing!

The Rainmaker didn't get far, so I help to burst the Shield and use my Seeker Rush to ink a path ahead. Well, my squidmate takes the safer route down the corridor, made safer by a Killer Wail, which I would be more bitter about if the charger didn't splat me in the open. I think my squidmate made a good choice.

Why, yes, I'll super-jump back in to the action! And, yes, it will be just before the Rainmaker gets splatted. But I land safely behind the action, and sensibly hold back to avoid the Rainmaker's Shield. I also duck in to the corridor, which pretty much sacrifices a squidmate, but saves me from a Disruptor, Bubblers, and charger shots.

I almost leap out too early, but manage to avoid a Rainmaker blast and Suction Bomb, and the second time I come out the Rainmaker isn't quite prepared for me, and the Splatterscope can't quite snap a shot my way. I splat the Rainmaker, flick ink over the ledge to the Splatterscope, and with them splatted a squidmate and I make short work of the Rainmaker's Shield.

There's not far to carry the Rainmaker, and whether I choose the ramp or the block, there's not much squidding room. So I run, taking the shortest path on to the block. The green inklings start to return, but I have support, with one squidmate being awesome enough to ink the plinth. Nice!

Once at the top of the ramp, I can be shielded by the plinth and squid up it simultaneously for the dunk! Woomy!

Splatting towards the goal in Tower Control (12-2, Tri-slosher)

3rd July 2017 – 7.00 am

Phew, how much ink does that inkling have in his tank? I think I only survive because of my squidmate adding to my own ink. At least I end up in a fairly good position to slosh over the Tower as the yellow team make the first push, and the Inkstrike that comes in gives us cover to force them back.

I ride the Tower for a few seconds, but chicken out when the Luna Blaster's ink explodes around me. Why don't I use my Bubbler, and help protect the squidmate who takes over on the Tower? I dunno. Instead, I mostly waste it when the Tower is recovered by the yellow team and ascends far outside of my bucket's range. Silly me.

I back off for the good of my health, and squid around the side to come up behind the yellow team as they push further towards our goal. My squidmates have the situation mostly under control, and I arrive to mop up. That gets me splats on all four yellow inklings, thanks to their desire to super-jump back to where the Tower no longer is.

As the Tower resets, the yellow inklings come back on foot or in ink, and I help continue to press them backwards with some help, whilst my other squidmates start to move the Tower positively. I pop my Bubbler at a much better moment, and the continued splats encourage me to keep going forwards.

Naturally, I'm eventually splatted, but I've caused a fair amount of disruption, and prevented most of the yellow team from catching up with the Tower. I come back to support the Tower more directly, whilst trying to be sensible and not just rush in to yellow ink to get splatted.

I want to clear the perch of the Hydra Splatling, but jumping on to the Tower to do so would be reckless, and move to get on to the perch from behind. By the time I get up there, a squidmate has splatted the Splatling, but I make the most of my position to splat the blaster coming from behind.

I splat a blaster ahead of us, use my Bubbler to get close enough to splat the Hydra Splatling, and although that takes a lot of pressure off the Tower, the other blaster comes from behind the wall to reclaim the Tower for the yellow team. But I am behind him, and help splat him off the Tower and get it moving towards the goal again.

The inky pressure overcomes me as we near the goal, but a squidmate is hidden neatly behind the Tower's pillar and pushes the Tower the last few steps for the knockout victory. Woomy!

Nearly mounting a comeback in Tower Control (12-8, Tri-slosher)

2nd July 2017 – 7.00 pm

I would give a pro-tip not to run headlong in to enemy ink, but I was splatted from above. I suppose the advice should be not to run in to obvious crossfire. Either way, don't copy my start to this battle. I come back to claim some turf, and as the Tower is returning to the top of the Skateparks central column, it seems like a good time to ride it, sloshing ink down from above. My footwork begs to differ, though, and a good-looking splatting opportunity turns sour as a Bubbler pops. So it goes.

We have an interloper claiming her own turf. I go to cover it up and throw a Disruptor to discourage her from engaging me, before my famous footwork drops me off another ledge. I clamber back up and keep my height advantage, being on the defensive for the moment, and catch a Kraken transforming back to inkling, and push the Tower back a bit. I push back a bit harder against the green team, using my own Bubbler to my advantage, but eventually get cornered. I almost avoid the Killer Wail by clinging to a wall, but it still gets me.

The Tower's coming our way again, so I head back up to the ledge and help clear it, before moving forwards to destroy a Beakon, and then hit the flank to claim some turf for us. It goes about as well as both other times. Another couple of splats sees me contributing little whilst the green team makes progress, at least with the turf war, and although I get one splat myself, it doesn't help with the Tower now being pushed further forwards. This is not looking good.

It's a risky move, but I head through the centre to flank the green team's push. Luckily, my squidmates clear the Tower, and my move helps clean up behind it, letting the Tower reset and then give us a chance to push it forwards. A timely Bubbler may get me knocked off the Tower, but a squidmate shares the Bubbler and hops on as I splat one inkling. Blasts of ink come from both sides as we finally make good progress, but the Splattershot Jr charges her Bubbler again to clear us from the Tower.

I trust my squidmates with the Tower for the moment, which is good judgment this time, as most of the green team are in front of me. I help splat three of them as the Tower is cleared, and we get another go on it. I move in a different direction, hoping to distract or flank, and almost manage both. But the Roller realises what is happening and moves to support her green team sooner than me, and, with a bit of judder, I move around just a bit too late to help directly.

Given the start, we made a good fist of the battle by the end. Maybe with another thirty seconds we could have taken the lead. But we didn't.

Cheeky flicks in Splat Zones (11-4, Carbon Roller Deco)

2nd July 2017 – 7.00 am

I'm glad there's another squid with Seekers who can aim them down a straight corridor, as it makes up for my launching one in to the wall. We get to our Splat Zone quickly as a result, and capture it nice and early. After that, it's time to work the channels, mostly with Seekers, and taking care of our Splat Zone.

That brush will be a nuisance, I am sure, but at least we're holding station for the moment. I make my move behind a purple Killer Wail, with my Seeker Rush. I don't use them all, deciding to squid behind them, and squeeze one last Seeker out as I get parallel to the purple Splat Zone. I move across and see them super-jump in, and I am in position to splat them back to base. One of them, at least, to the pleasure of a splatted squidmate, and a second is splatted when he doesn't track my ninja squidding.

The Splat Zones are ours! I roll back down the corridor to provide easy access for squidmates, before returning to keep some green ink flowing. My ninja squidding comes in handy again, as well as a bit of lucky timing. Trying to ink a bit more turf almost leaves my Carbon Roller dry when I bump in to a purple inkling, but I have just enough ink left to splat him anyway.

My Seeker Rush is ill-timed, or ill-aimed. Either way, it doesn't do much. And although I get the drop on the Roller, not realising I'm behind him, I get the Seeker launched in to a wall, and that makes me run out of ink to flick at him. Oh well. We have a great lead, at least, and the Splat Zones are recaptured soon enough anyway.

The purple team retake control of their Splat Zone for a bit before we start contesting it again, and when I move up I have the luxury of watching the purple Roller roll towards me. He even turns the corner in front of me so I don't have the threat of being squished in return. Nice! I get lucky when the purple team appear from their ledges back in to the Splat Zone, with one inkling landing in front of my Roller, but the other gets some distance on me as I flick indiscriminately, leading to my splatting.

I get back up to be level with the purple Splat Zone, and my squidmates are contesting it nicely. I don't think there's more I can add without getting in the way, so I bide my time until it looks good. It looks good when I splat the Brush, which a squidmate likes, but the Splattershot evades me, and the Roller rolls ahead. I try to catch up, but don't want to roll in to trouble. That's a shame, as it really looks like he must be hiding in that puddle, and one flick could have saved a squidmate.

I'm on my way back to the purple Splat Zone when I get pinged for a super-jump. I pause to find a better spot, but the jumper doesn't come. Whether that lets the purple team capture their Splat Zone, or saves me from getting splatted by the purple team capturing their Splat Zone, I don't know, and it doesn't really matter. I send a Seeker ahead, which finds someone after I've forgotten about it, and head around the edges to get a brazen splat by charging forwards.

I take an interesting the purple Splat Zone and the inklings around it, capturing it briefly before becoming a purple splotch, and repeat that on my return, sending out a 'Nice!' to the team as the battle winds down heavily in our favour. It's been a good battle.

Good team effort in Splat Zones (5-2, Tri-slosher)

1st July 2017 – 7.00 pm

Independent of the battle mode, with a Tri-slosher on Walleye Warehouse I am almost certain to hit the left flank immediately. Even with an inkling coming my way, it works out this time, and I continue forwards to get behind the rest of the inklings.

I don't find any inklings on the ledges, which isn't a surprise with no charger in Splat Zones, and I use my Bubbler in defence, but at least I don't push for a pointless splat, instead heading to support the Splat Zones. Kinda of. I stay quite high in the warehouse, applying some inky pressure, which keeps an inkling back, but I am stopped before too long.

I hit the same flank again, pausing to make sure I'm not neglecting the Splat Zones, before pressing high once more. That looks to drop a couple of inklings in my lap. I splat one, the other goes missing, but that's okay, as we keep control of the Splat Zones. And heading off to the side, where a Seeker is coming from, bags me a splat against a Rapid Blaster, which normally have the range and firing speed to get me first.

Turning back, I feel confident as my Bubbler charges and press high once again. The Carbon Roller pulls back to keep his distance, and another inkling above me pushes my Bubbler backwards. But I stick around as more inklings come in, thinking my ink will spread enough to do something. Not really, just the Carbon Roller gets splatted, but all this attention on me is attention away from the Splat Zones. And my squidmates are behind me to tidy up. Nice!

I barely have time to make it back to the Splat Zones before the battle is won, thanks to some good pressure from my squidmates, so that very little blue ink could get to the Splat Zones. Good battle, everyone!

Lucky devil around the Splat Zones (19-4, Tri-slosher)

1st July 2017 – 7.00 am

Okay, team, I'll capture our Splat Zone. To be fair, I fair sped my way there. I get a bit lucky defending it, too. The Burst Bombs come close, I run out of ink, and the Slosher narrowly misses me. It's good I hang around, though, as an Inkstrike comes in, and we don't need to be on the back foot so early. Then again, looking at the monitors, their Splat Zone has been neutralised. Good work, team!

I push up with my squidmates, but am a bit circumspect in approaching the teal Splat Zone. My flanking manoeuvre catches the Slosher avoiding a Killer Wail, and as I pop my Bubbler for safety I decide heading further forwards wouldn't be a terrible idea. One Seeker is jumped, I catch the Carbon Roller who launched it, and my fresh glasses keep my Bubbler going long enough for the second Seeker to bounce off. That was lucky.

I come back and help with the Splat Zone and the inkling on the perch, backing away to regain some ink. That lets me catch the Slosher on her way back. A bit of manoeuvring keeps the ink flowing, and some hits let me follow-up to get a couple of splats, although I stand in the firing line for these, getting me splatted too. So it goes, I've done well to stay unsplatted this long!

Moving up the central channel lets me see movement. My Banana Basic shows let me see the Seekers too. That guides me to the Carbon Roller, not expecting to see me there, and that lets me spot the telltale Inkstrike launch behind him. There doesn't seem to be anyone around the teal Splat Zone, but looks can be deceiving. Luckily, my Bubbler charges as inklings make themselves known, and enough purple ink is spread around that the Slosher can't hide before the Bubbler dissipates.

A bit of tidying up now, before pressing forwards again, seeing as everything looks to be nicely under control. But not for long. Our counter is stopped, so I'm in the wrong place. But as I turn to go back, a Seeker runs past me. That means the Carbon Roller Deco must be near. I find him, and get really quite lucky in the encounter. When you're lucky, you're lucky, I suppose. Almost to prove it, a Seeker squeezes past me on its way to someone else.

I push forwards again, and again a Seeker comes past. I am a bit more cautious this time, but when a Seeker comes back from the other direction, towards a squidmate, I know the Carbon Roller has gone past. Past, and further. I catch up with him right down at our Splat Zone. I'm almost glad my Disruptor throw was poor, as I catch him by surprise naturally. I pop my Bubbler as insurance again, which pays off when the Slosher is also nearby.

When I head back to the teal Splat Zone, I jink this way and that, hoping to confuse the opposition, but it doesn't work as I plan it. Sometimes simpler can be better, I suppose. As I return, I leave the jinking to the teal N-ZAP, the natural predator of the Tri-slosher, and with a bit of patience and one good Disruptor, come out on top. I push up, because why not, and see Seekers being launched again, thanks to my shoes. I don't see the inkling behind the Carbon Roller, though, and am splatted as the Roller rolls away.

I get revenge for a splatted squidmate quickly after returning, and although a super-jumper looks to be a sitting duck he back-pedals neatly, and I am stuck in a corner with teal ink surging my way. I'm not as lucky as I was at the start of the battle. And credit to the teal team, they have kept on pushing, and have control of both Splat Zones. Hopefully nothing to worry about, but we mustn't get complacent.

I head up the port, but turn back as I see a Seeker heading towards our Splat Zone. I catch the Carbon Roller, destroy a Sprinkler, and look for the Inkstriker. A super-jump ring catches my attention, and in the safety of a Bubbler I splat the returning Roller, and the N-ZAP behind him, before helping to recapture our Splat Zone.

With the battle in to extra time, keeping our Splat Zone purple is of utmost important now, so I stick around instead of looking for splats. We keep control for long enough to end the battle in our favour. But one more splat would have let me hit twenty for the battle. That's not important though. It was a fun battle, and a good victory. Woomy!

Hitting the front of the Splat Zones (5-0, Carbon Roller Deco)

30th June 2017 – 7.00 pm

The second Seeker may not hit the gap in the ramp to the middle of Arowana Mall, but a decent flick and some support ink from behind gets me up to the Splat Zones nice and quickly. I hop towards the other ramp, and I'm ideally positioned to flick the oncoming inklings aside.

I am already trying to get down the teal team's flank, but my flicks don't quite hit the top of the wall, and some ink is coming from somewhere behind me, so I roll around to ink as a precaution first, also inking the Splat Zone. With no more ink coming towards me, I turn back to the wall.

A teal inkling is up there now, so I practice a little caution with my approach, helped by a friendly Killer Wail. When I get up and around the corner, I really should realise that the orange splotch is the remains of the inkling, from the Killer Wail, but I'm not paying enough attention.

At least I spot the teal inkling coming around the corner as I drop from the ledge, so carry on down to the floor, after checking the perch, to try to keep myself safe. An Echolocator on me isn't help, though, but a bit of squidding around foils an inkling's aim long enough for me to get a flick away.

Some ink is coming from somewhere, so I move to avoid it and squid up the ramp to see if I can do something about. I think my squidmates have splatted the culprit already, and are maybe trying to clear the perch I am on from me, not taking any chances as to my affiliations. I'm okay with that, as it's better to be safe than sorry.

And we look pretty safe. The Splat Zones remain orange from when we first captured them, the teal inklings are nowhere to be seen, and we all seem to be in good, forward positions. I launch my Seeker Rush, because why not, and aim one down the ramp as I see an inkling's shadow approach. That gets one splat, and another catches a second inkling coming over their entrance ramp. Nice!

With only the one teal inkling looking to come our way, with almost no time to go, I indulge in a little victory dance. I think we deserve it. Woomy!