Splatting support in Rainmaker (14-2, Carbon Roller Deco)

16th April 2017 – 7.00 pm

There's really only one way to go at the start of a battle on Mahi-Mahi Resort with a Carbon Roller Deco, and that's behind a launched Seeker, straight ahead. It works better when it goes straight too, but never mind that. And never mind about the Killer Wail splatting the Rainmaker when I fail to do it. Everything's under control. Ninja Squidding around to get a double splat should be enough proof of that.

I get a bit lucky when an inkling flanks as I am in the middle of a Seeker Rush, but he foolishly steps in front of one of them. Another inkling super-jumps in a bit too late to be splatted by the Rainmaker's Shield bursting, but my Carbon Roller is there to do the job. And as I push ahead, I get another splat just as another inkling prepares to super-jump in. The purple team are just throwing inklings at me.

Being Disrupted isn't much fun. Being Disrupted twice is less fun. But even being highlighted and slowed, with the occasional Suction Bomb headed my way, I manage to survive, and make my excuses as everything gets a bit purple. I take a quick look around the back, and see that I'm more needed in the middle. One target eludes me as I wait for another super-jumper, thank you, before I run away from a blaster.

A Seeker Rush from on high seems like a good idea, and inks turf and gets a splat, and I drop down to relieve the pressure from a squidmate. On top of all this, it looks like we're making a break with the Rainmaker! I follow a squidmate in support, but a bit of purple ink slows his jump down a bit. At least he has a good sense of humour about dropping in the drink!

We get a healthy lead before the purple team grab the Rainmaker back, and once I work out where it is I go back to stop them from getting too far, squidding a bit too close underneath a Killer Wail as I do. Unfortunately, I squid past the Rainmaker, and when trying to recover get caught up in a Suction Bomb Rush that I can't stop or avoid.

Another push by us gets the Rainmaker away from our side of the map, but I get a bit lost as to where everyone is for a bit. I get caught up after a while, and help support another great push from my squidmates, using my Seekers to good effect. In fact, I get three splats with Seekers, and I think I'm going to splat the Rainmaker, but it seems that the purple inklings are using themselves as meatshields.

We're in to extra time and the purple team have the Rainmaker for one last push. I give chase, making a jump I really wasn't sure was possible once I was in the air, but manage to land safely. Just in time for a blaster to the back. But that's just fine, because my squidmates splat the Rainmaker to give us the victory. Woomy!

Splats away in Rainmaker (16-8, Tri-slosher)

16th April 2017 – 7.00 am

A different route in Hammerhead Bridge Rainmaker this battle. Down the corridor to the right, aiming for the inkable block to come up and flank the purple team. It's hard not to be spotted, though, and I am spotted. But I think the Splatterscope forgets about the inkable block, and assumes I'm stuck on the ground. Nope, I'm up here with you.

Now I can approach the other inklings from behind. A well-thrown Disruptor stops the new Rainmaker carrier from going too far, and a nicely timed Bubbler prevents my being splatted. I don't stick around the purple Rainmaker Shield, though, just in case, and a quick down-and-up finds the inkling that eluded me, a Splatterscope that misses and gets naturally flustered, and a third inkling that pushes me backwards until I accidentally pick up the Rainmaker. I don't go much further.

I avoid a Splat Bomb Rush by hiding on a wall, and try to avoid the Splatterscope by, well, charging straight towards her with an Echolocator on me. It's still a good shot to splat me mid-air. I head around to flank the Rainmaker on my return, seemingly going unnoticed until I am underneath the inklings. That works for me, but I am a bit lucky in stopping the Rainmaker before they take the lead, as they were pushing forwards quickly.

Pushing forwards again, I ink the turf and catch the Splatterscope unawares, but don't quite use my Bubbler to the best of its abilities. I could have wandered in to the Suction Bomb to vaporise it, rather than absorb the explosion and be knocked down, where some poor squidding gets me caught.

Splatting the Inkzooka from behind would have been more impressive if I hadn't done it in the middle of a Splat Bomb Rush. My decision-making on my next forward push is a bit off too, procrastinating between getting directly behind or sloshing from above is enough pause to cause me to be noticed, and the best I get is a mutual splat.

I get a couple of splats over the next tussle for the Rainmaker, but am vulnerable to the Splatterscope through the grate as I slosh indiscriminately. I imagine he enjoyed that splat! More than I enjoy my next, which although from below and up through a grate too, it is the inkling next to the Rainmaker, and not the Rainmaker, mere steps before she takes the lead from us. Aww.

This is a bit awkward. Seconds to go and we've lost the lead, the Rainmaker is deep in our side of the map, and we have a long way to go in a single, flawless push. At least it focusses our minds, and we push forwards with intent. Three of us spearhead an attack and press high, clearing the way of inklings, but when I look at the Rainmaker it is quite far behind. Is there an inkling we missed? Is there too much purple ink in the way?

I don't think so. The Rainmaker is being suitably cautious, and watching from the back. Within a few seconds, the Rainmaker has made up half the distance, and as a Killer Wail all but guarantees a safe path, the Rainmaker keeps on going and gives us back the lead in extra time! Woomy!

How I splat you in Rainmaker (16-7, Tri-slosher)

15th April 2017 – 7.00 pm

Whee! Speedy to the centre, then slightly more circumspect to avoid an early splat. I throw a Disruptor over the top to frustrate the teal inklings there, and divert to follow an ink trail for splat. I go back to help break open the Rainmaker's Shield, which works better when your ink hits it, and go under and up to surprise a Sprinkler. It doesn't go well.

The Rainmaker is in one place, a forward teal inkling is flanking. I'm not sure what to do. Disrupt one way, squid another. The Rainmaker situation is taken care of by squidmates, and I move to the centre to see about getting some splats. The charger is splatted, which is good, but an inkling super-jumping to him disappears. Looking back, I can just about make out his ink trail heading for the inkable block.

I ink some turf instead, heading back towards the Rainmaker, making timely use of my Bubbler. With one threat splatted, I can squid ahead and miss a super-jumping inkling on the first attempt, but catch him and the Rainmaker as they are forced to turn around from a dead-end. Now we just have to move the Rainmaker ourselves.

I actually have a strategic moment. I look to see which squids are around. None but me on our team, and the teal team looks just as depleted. There seems to be little point bursting the Rainmaker's Shield with no support, so I wait for better conditions before continuing. When everyone's back, I make my move, and get splatted. But I think overall my pause helped.

Going back to skirmishing has my failing to get up a block, and playing cat-and-mouse with a teal inkling before all the others turn up. Maybe I thought I was in control with the one inkling, and so didn't need to pop my Bubbler, but did I forget the Bubbler was ready when I was surrounded? That seemed like a good time to use it.

I am cautious with my next forwards push, and make a nice manoeuvre to jump sideway to avoid the Splatterscope. There's not much more I can do there, and have to move out, but I remember my Bubbler this time to make a difference. I nearly miss that inkling right in front of me, or do actually miss her but catch her with a bit of sloshing from above. The Rainmaker catches me up, and we are both wary of the Splatterscope. We should be, because it has a Killer Wail too. Sadly, the safety railing is a bit too good at stopping inklings from falling, and I am stuck in the Wail.

We haven't got close to the lead yet. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be inking turf. Turf control wins battles, after all. And I choose the side opposite the bridge to the Rainmaker in a bid to catch some inklings unaware. It pretty much works too. And the Echolocator and a shadow helps me find the Splatterscope, who starts looking for me. I'm behind him, if that helps.

We get close to taking the lead before an inkling stops the Rainmaker, but there aren't many teal inklings left after I splat her. We burst the Rainmaker's Shield and push on again, as the inklings start returning. I splat the Splatterscope up on a perch, as bombs start flying everywhere. One was bound to catch me out.

I silently urge the Rainmaker on, just a few steps more, and we take the lead! Nice! I super-jump back and hold a high position, getting some good splats whilst somehow avoiding the Splatterscope, who falls and has to super-jump away. To be honest, I have no idea where the Rainmaker is right now. I'm thinking it should be in front of me, but it's behind me. That's fine.

With just a few seconds to go, I have the pleasure of super-jumping in to a Killer Wail, and returning to base to throw a Disruptor that turns out to be nowhere near the Rainmaker. The teal team's final push is coordinated and effective, taking our late lead and surpassing it. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

Superb support in Rainmaker (5-0, Tri-slosher)

15th April 2017 – 7.00 am

The Mahi-Mahi Resort water level doesn't drop immediately in Rainmaker, only when one team gets close enough to the podium. That makes the route around the side a little more hazardous and open to being stopped. I go that way anyway, because I enjoy it so much.

I get to a good position, apparently without being seen, and come up behind two focussed inklings. They're kind enough to burst the Rainmaker's Shield for me, and then disappear back to base. Thanks, inklings!

The Rainmaker's there, so I may as well take it, although I sense some pressure from a charger behind me. The Echolocator, from being Haunted, is a bit of a nuisance, but everyone knows where the Rainmaker is anyway.

I take my time with the Rainmaker. I generally like to surge forwards, but I am quite aware of the charger ahead of me, and how the ledge to the left is a good vantage point to rain ink down on the Rainmaker. A few choice bursts from the Rainmaker helps convince me the way forwards is clear.

Almost clear! A Seeker comes my way, and having to go backwards to avoid it makes me paranoid. A few more Rainmaker bursts over the ledge ought to satisfy me. Well, one does it, when I get a splat. Forwards now!

My route is blocked by a Splash Wall, but that's not as much of an impediment when you have the Rainmaker, and some excellent support from your squidmates. The wall comes down, inklings are splatted, and a green path is inked ahead of me.

I squid up the path, and keep squidding, all the way up to the top of the podium! Woomy! That was beautiful teamwork, thanks everyone!

Not really surviving the Splat Zones (12-4, Tri-slosher)

14th April 2017 – 7.00 pm

I do enjoy skirmishing around Walleye Warehouse with a Tri-slosher. I like it perhaps more when there's a charger to harass, all friendly like. And, sure, we lose the Splat Zones initially, but it's not the end of the battle, and I somehow survive loads of ink being tossed around.

My Bubbler charges, and for some reason I think it's a good time to sneak around the back. What about the Splat Zones? Hopefully someone else has noticed they're not purple. Besides, one of us should get that charger out of the way.

I pop my Bubbler a little early when I encounter a returning Dual Squelcher, but I wouldn't have survived that. But where's the charger? I'm inking some turf when I hear the shots, so circle back to find the pesky splatterscope. Ah, he's below me. I drop down and, well, nearly miss the splat, but my sloshes mean he can't get away.

From that splat to another, and a bit of conscientious inking of the Splat Zones, before going around the back again. An Echolocator should be an impediment, but no one's around to see me, so I squid here and there, before pushing forward a bit aggressively. I somehow survive that, get a splat, and turn back to pay more attention to the Splat Zones.

Some coincidental manoeuvring gets me out of the way of the Dual Squelcher, who only notices when I pop up again, and purple ink covers the Splat Zones once more. I sit and wait, not seeing much to do at the moment, but it's not really my style with the bucket. I take another trip around the back, happy that the Dual Squelcher's aim lets him down, and that the charger is in Tri-sloshing range.

Our counter keeps ticking down, below thirty, below twenty, and it looks not only like the knockout victory is inevitable, but that I will remain unsplatted throughout. I am already thinking of naming this battle 'Surviving the Splat Zones', thanks to my clean sheet, but perhaps that distracts me a little.

I get a bit cocky and rush headlong in to the yellow team, knowing my Bubbler will help me. But a Killer wail hits me in the face, and I am lucky to be able to retreat under the pressure. Our counter is stopped too, and as the yellow team capture the Splat Zones we have a hefty addition to count-down. Can I last that long? Not a chance.

I take another trip around the back to see our Hydra Splatling in double-trouble. I don't reach her in time to help, but I splat the terrible twosome, and turn around to approach from a different direction. The splats help take the pressure of the Splat Zones, and they are purple again.

I squid here, I squid there, I just about get my Bubbler active quicker than I can squid out of the way of a Killer Wail, but the yellow pressure is coming back again, and we lose the Splat Zones to them. Going around the back has worked so far, and it works this time too, but not quite so effectively. I'm impressed I get one splat before being splatted.

And whatever mojo I had earlier, it's pretty much gone now. No longer am I surviving encounters and inking turf, but I'm trading splats. The last one feels the worst, as I return to base watching the yellow counter tick down, unable to help with the Splat Zones, and can do nothing but accept that the battle has slipped through our fingers. So it goes.

Turning the battle around in Splat Zones (11-3, Tri-slosher)

14th April 2017 – 7.00 am

The Tri-slosher and Flounder Heights go together well for me. Splat Zones is more hit-and-miss, though. It's a good start to this battle, with a conventional move to the top of the Heights, capture our Splat Zone, and I chuck a Disruptor over the top to hopefully frustrate a green inkling.

I check the sides once our Zone is capture, but no one seems to be coming this way. That's good. Ah, they're all coming over the centre, apparently at the same time. I manoeuvre out of the way quickly enough, and help push them back and keep our Zone the right shade.

My Bubbler is ready when the inklings are out of the way of their Splat Zone, so I move across and need to activate my Special immediately. I also have the presence of mind to back out of an encounter I won't win before my Bubbler disappears. But as we capture their Splat Zone, they capture ours, and the return of the green inklings puts me out of action.

I patrol our Splat Zone, so that we at least don't fall behind in the score, and fall off the roof. That wasn't intentional, and maybe I need to ease off on the follow-through with the Disruptor throws. I hit my target, though, and end up inking a a new route up the Heights. But green ink goes everywhere, and the green team has control of the Splat Zones.

A bit of mayhem breaks loose as we try to regain control, with inklings popping up everywhere, and Specials being used. Thankfully, one of the Specials is a squidmate's Bubbler, which keeps us a safe. But in the end the green team have control of the Splat Zones again. It looks like we're being out-inked.

I try the side route now, which a squidmate has helpfully inked, to come up on the green side of the Heights. It gets me in to a good position, but one that comes under pressure from the green inklings. I manage to back out of trouble, and try to be sneaky in my return. It goes okay, and as I'm fumbling on the ground, having been knocked off the Heights, my squidmates capture the Splat Zones. Nice!

Back up to the top, and an Echolocator lands at just the right time to prevent being flanked. A bit of upwards thinking gets me out of the way of another inkling, and a squidmate's Bubbler protects us both to ensure we get the splat. That's definitely worthy of more than a 'Nice!', which I throw out anyway, but a reciprocal Bubbler moments later. That lets me survive an onslaught of green ink and get some splats instead.

Super-jumping back works well for once. It helps that my squidmate is squidding up a wall, so I land on the grate and not in the Splat Zones, and that I appear above the Heights, and can slosh ink down on a couple of green inklings. A third is launching an Inkstrike, and I catch up with her just afterwards, and the fourth is one of the first two super-jumping back in again.


I find the actual fourth inkling once I've refilled my tank a bit, and with most of the inklings out of the way we manage to recapture the Splat Zones, and come close to taking the lead. And we take the lead! It's so close to the end of the battle that we just need to not be stupid for a bit, and I can definitely do that for just a bit. I even have time for a splat or two more. Woomy!

Carried away with splatting in Tower Control (10-4, Carbon Roller Deco)

13th April 2017 – 7.00 pm

Some more Tower Control, and after a few fun but rusty Splatterscope battles in Kelp Dome I swap to the Carbon Roller Deco. So of course the next battle will be on the angles of Hammerhead Bridge. I can make it work, particularly with one battle for orientation.

I start this second battle with the Carbon Roller playing more from behind. I keep saying the Carbon Roller needs turf to be effective, and staying back to launch Seekers helps with that. They help with getting splats sometimes too, which is nice.

I have to admit that I was trying to jump on the Tower once I cleared it, but I mistimed the squidding part. I make the best of the situation and carry on like it was intentional. Much like that poorly timed Seeker in to the Inkstrike. Silly me.

I try to be a good squidmate and protect the inkling about to super-jump in, but he's got it covered, so I go back to patrolling. I hit something in the ink, and I am a bit too keen to go for the squish. Then again, if I don't know where the inkling is, I can't flick in their way either. In the end, we both have to ignore the other, which I think suits the Splatterscope more than me.

I meet the Splatterscope sooner rather than later, mid-Splat Bomb Rush, and get the splat in the end. Again, I am thwarted in trying to get on to the Tower, this time by a wall, so it's back to ground level for more rolling. There are purple inklings everywhere! Rather than getting covered in ink and splatted, I splat two of them and one runs away. Or doesn't know I'm there. But I reckon they ran.

I patrol again, and retreat when approached from two directions by purple inklings, launching a Seeker when safely back in my own ink. A double Seeker splat! That's pretty damned cool. What would be cooler would knowing where the Tower is and who is in control. I clearly don't, and we lose the lead as I head in the wrong direction.

Pausing the Tower for a second isn't going to do much. Thankfully, my next approach bags me a quad-splat. Almost worth a 'Nice!', but the Tower shouldn't have got that far. But we still have time, and now the Tower is my main focus. Better late than never? Not really.

We push the Tower but there really isn't much time left, and the purple team really only need to defend a pretty big lead. It's unfortunate, but sometimes battles go this way, and it's a good reminder to keep a regular eye on the Tower.

Splats everywhere in Tower Control (13-6, Carbon Roller Deco)

13th April 2017 – 7.00 am

Right, time for some more concentrated splatting than with the Splatterscope. I pull out the Carbon Roller Deco to see if I can gain some Rank back. That early Seeker splat is nice, squidding in to a Splat Bomb less so. At least I get just about out of the way of the Killer Wail, and just about out of the way of the Kraken.

I try to splat the inkling once he's no longer a Kraken, and somehow also survive a blaster coming from behind, and being crushed by the Tower. My Seeker Rush charges too, and this seems like a good time to use it. One splat from that, and although there are no more there are nice paths of ink in the turf now.

I follow one path, Ninja Squid hiding me, and see a non-Ninja. I probably surprised her, and the other inkling jumping my way probably only sees me too late. I choose to make my excuses and turn away to ink some turf, preferring to make it overall easier for us than jump on the Tower willy-nilly. It pays off when I get the jump on the blaster, but the crate provides enough cover to let him get another shot, and it seems the blaster wasn't the only threat to the Tower.

What's that on the block? Is it a squid? Why, yes it is. The Grim Range Blaster returning along a mutual path to me. He can try it again in a few moments too. Me too, when I ashamedly am out-flicked by a Dynamo Roller. But I try the direct approach, and although I have targets in front of me, they are all pretty much looking my way. And shooting ink.

Back to the side route, and how bold do I want to be? Fairly bold, but no one's around. I try to jump on to the crate, but get a little mired in ink. Still, the ground's good too. I support the Tower, but still refrain from getting on when there is turf to be inked. I realise, a bit late, that I have an Echolocator on me, but I also have a Seeker Rush ready. I don't mind being seen for that.

We take the lead! My squidmates are doing a good job of pushing the Tower. I follow-up and try to help push it a bit more, but face the wrong way at the wrong time. Never mind, it was the thought that counts. I choose not to super-jump to my doom, and provide support from the side, splatting the blaster again. He must be fed up of me. I go back to see if I can be helpful on the Tower for a change, but the Tower doesn't want me on it. Fine, be like that.

The blaster and I meet again, and thankfully he's a Range Blaster, so I fluke surviving and squid away, where opportunity awaits elsewhere, as does the Dynamo Roller. There's only a little time left in the battle, but apparently enough to just about dodge a Killer Wail, splat the blaster again, and lose track of the Tower.

My squidmates have the Tower under control, though, which is good. Hopefully all my splatting helped them out too.

Sidestepping in Tower Control (6-3, Splatterscope)

12th April 2017 – 7.00 pm

I'm not too impressed with being back down in A Rank, but I can make the best of my situation and pull out the Splatterscope for a bit. I'm fairly average with it at the best of times, and out of practice at the moment. But hopefully I can do something with it when I'm not constantly under pressure.

It's good to see my aim with Splat Bombs hasn't changed. I'm trying to push back an inkling come around the side, otherwise he'll just ambush us all. My Splat Bombs won't do it from down here, so I'd best go up and tackle it more directly. I think the problems sorted itself though. But I'm in a good position to defend, more so when a Killer Wail forces me to the side. If only I squidded away from the Splat Bomb a bit quicker.

My squidmates take control of the Tower and immediately take a better lead. I try to cover over the blue ink that will no doubt let the other team sneak behind us quickly and easily. I mostly manage that, and stop the Tower coming our way, but fail to do anything about a Roller covering over my work immediately.

My next attempt to clear the side is completed with a clear shot, and I splat an inkling on the Tower two. But he's not the only one on there, and we lose our lead as quickly as we gained it. But we regain control, and to do my bit to help out I once again try to keep the side route green and not blue.

The blue inklings are determined to keep using this route. I am just as determined to stop them, and I can do so from two angles. Moving around the side to catch an inkling on the block, I instead see a sitting duck. That'll do nicely, thank you.

My Splat Bomb Rush doesn't do too much beyond discouraging an inkling from approaching, which I suppose is what I want anyway, neither does one extra Splat Bomb for luck. I have better luck when the Tower is engulfed by an Inkstrike, but it's sort of over there and has a blue inkling on it, and you miss 100% of the shots you don't take, so I take the shot. Yeah, not bad.

I go back to keeping the corridor green, but am caught out by a well-aimed Killer Wail. I go back, if only because a blue inkling is back down the same corridor. The problem is that I can't tell when he's there and when he goes, time is running out, and we are losing. So when the Tower moves in the last twenty seconds of the battle, I move with it.

Specials pile on Specials, as green inklings stick to the Tower. With impeccable timing, we take the lead seconds before the battle ends, giving me a chance to give everyone a well-deserved woomy!

What a comeback in Squad Splat Zones (9-5, Tri-slosher)

12th April 2017 – 7.00 am

Sticking with a duo-squad and buckets for the two of us in Splat Zones for the moment. Hammerhead Bridge is a map where my position on the base pretty much suggests which way I go at the start, as everything seems viable. Left this time. In to the Splat Zones with my bucket buddy, and all looks okay. I press ahead to look for inklings, and find one quite quickly.

Our early lead disappears, but that's okay. There is plenty of time, and straight knockouts don't happen often. But it may almost happen to us. I catch the back of a purple inkling and pop my Bubbler to survive the Carbon Roller behind me, but the Bubbler runs out just as a pair of inklings appear as reinforcements. And still the purple counter ticks down.

Back to the Splat Zones, and quickly. I ink some turf, get a splat from the side, and avoid becoming a purple splotch, but it's not enough. My Bubbler is ready again, so I use it to press forwards just as the purple counter is stopped. That's something! I even spot the Carbon Roller trying to be sneaky, but my sloshing isn't quite on point enough to splat him unilaterally.

Our control is short-lived, and it looks like the battle is lost. But we stop their counter just in time, and regain control just as I am splatted back to base once more. Everything stays green for a fair while too, which at least gives us some breathing space when the purple team returns. But we're not going going away either.

Controlling more turf than the Splat Zones is important, but so, apparently, is guessing correctly where the Carbon Roller is. But our team is pulling it all together nicely, and I come back to controlled Splat Zones. This looks good enough for me to do some roaming. I get up the top, around the back, and can press from behind, which proves effective enough.

I think taking the lead deserves spamming the 'Nice!' button a bit, particularly as it means we are close to the knockout victory. A few more sloshes just to make sure we don't lose the Splat Zones, and we do indeed make quite the turnaround to get the knockout! Woomy!