I'm having a rough evening tonight, not really getting in to a groove. Lots of being splatted, not enough splatting. Not feeling I have much agency in my battles.
This battle starts out a little better than others, as I am trying to be more circumspect, but I still get splatted what seems a little too quickly. I come back and focus around the Splat Zones for a bit, but when I venture around the back again I don't last long.
But half-way through the battle I find my legs, and start lasting longer than ten seconds at a time. It's a good feeling, and although I arguably push my luck at the end of that extended period of inking and splatting, I turned the battle around for me rather well.
It's a full two minutes of inky fun for me without getting splatted, and although I only bag four splats from it, helping to maintain the Splat Zones was more important.
Arowana Mall has been a good map for me with the Splatterscope. But there's one on the other team too. They seem rather more competent than me with the charger too.
I do little at the start of the battle, and the other team get a decent lead that looks tough to beat if they remain this dominant. Thankfully, as soon as they are splatted by my squidmates, the Tower starts moving in the other direction.
Again, my shots seem to fly through inklings here and there, which is frustrating, but at least my Splat Bombs are working well enough. I get one aimed shot in, but it's a mutual splat.
At least I do enough on the Tower to be a super-jump guide for my squidmates, for them to finish the battle quickly in our favour. Woomy!
I would like to try the Splatterscope again for a bit. Tower Control seems as good a mode as any, and the maps seem decent enough, so I equip the charger to see what I can do with it.
I can't do too much, it turns out. My aim doesn't seem too bad, but I seem to miss my initial shots anyway. And even though the blue team kindly pushes the Tower towards me, giving me a good target, that the blue ink keeps flying our way isn't helping.
I get a couple of good shots, both at the Tower, one for a double-splat, but otherwise I don't contribute much. I swear my shots hit their targets but are ineffective a few times, though.
In the end, it's a convincing victory for the blue team, and particularly for their Wasabi Splattershot. It was all rather overwhelming.
Another burst of Tower Control has my breaking out the Blaster. I would like to get better with it, to the point where I am good. I still need to sort out my range more reliably, as is obvious quite early. But I think my manoeuvrability is getting better in general.
That squidbagging Seeker-throwing squid was in another match, and relentlessly squidbags. I dunno, if you enjoy it, I suppose. I can't get too excited over it.
I get some good or lucky direct hits, and those probably save me from a splatting, as is evidenced by my indirect hits generally having us trade splats. One direct hit is also good, because I was rueing not seeing that Inkstrike launch sooner.
As I tend to do, I squid around the back of the action to try to catch some squids off-guard, and get one splat as my squidmates make good progress on the Tower. I keep squidding towards and beyond them, because my Killer Wail has charged, and it would do more good pointing in the direction the Tower is moving.
I have a bit of trouble getting up the wall, again partly because of Blaster range issues, but get up there and get the Wail going. Under cover of the Wail, I squid forwards to support the Tower, and just as my squidmates are knocked off.
Not far to go, I try to clear the way ahead of purple inklings and their ink, but don't quite succeed. But that's okay, as the Tower decides I was on it long enough to complete the ride. Woomy!
Another classic early splatting at the start of a battle, combined with a missed Disruptor. I follow that up by doing it again along a different route. Good job, me.
I try to cheer myself up by looking to neutralise the E-litre 3K a little. I manage it quite well, going around the long way, even if my ink misses the Splattershot coming back in support.
The E-litre 3K goes back to her spot, and I'd be foolish to charge ahead. I'm learning! I also know you can get a good three shots from the E-litre 3K before needing to recharge. By sticking to the wall, don't ask me how, I get her to use her ink, and throw a Disruptor to drastically slow her recovery. It's a pretty decent move.
I should probably get on the Tower after that, but it looks dangerous. Instead, I climb up high and slosh ink from above. That seems safer. For me, anyway.
Trying to get up high a second time is a bit too audacious, considering how close to the purple base I am. By the time I get back we've lost the Tower, so I climb on. It is a bit dangerous. At least, without support. I should have waited.
The tussles over the Tower have splats on either side, and I'm happy to note that I don't just ignore defending our lead, and turn back to get the purple inklings off the Tower, despite our big lead. We still have to protect it!
A victory for us in the end, and a good number of splats for everyone.
It's a good, pointed start to this battle. I see the E-litre 3K on the other team and aim to splat her first. I take the route to the ramp, and up to the overhead walkway, which should let me see which perch she's using.
I pause to slosh down over another inkling, and spy the E-litre 3K nice and close. That'll do, pig. I then have a purple patch. Or yellow patch. Either way. Splatted quickly a couple of times.
I go back to my initial route, and splat the E-litre 3K again, trying to hassle our Tower. And my squidmates have been busy! Look how far they've pushed the Tower.
A Splash Wall drops before the Tower reaches it, but another goes up. Time for the Bubbler! It won't break the Wall, but the Wall won't break us. And when the Wall goes down, I press forwards, Bubbler still active.
Additional inky pressure from my Tri-slosher helps clear the way ahead, as the Tower trundles on to the goal. Woomy!
As we switch to Tower Control, I switch to the Blaster. I quite like it for Tower Control, but I don't really practice it much. That should become obvious quite soon. At least I use the Disruptor with the Tri-slosher. And throw it in to walls a lot with the bucket too.
Whilst the range of the standard Blaster feels deceptively short at times, and I struggle to get good explosive effects, the Luna Blaster's short range certainly seems to let you get closer and still be effective. At least, when used against me. Maybe I can try it out soon.
As usual with a charger in the other team, I focus a fair bit of my attention on them. I get a good amount of satisfaction in being able to get close to them, even though it often is at the expense of the objective.
I get some good splats in the battle, and a couple of lucky splats, but I increase my manoeuvrability a little, try to keep my distance, and play the Blaster fairly well. If I can achieve this more often, I could be quite effective with it.
It's a defeat in the end. I probably didn't help too much at the right time, but I did my best.
Back along the side route to start with. I think it can get me to the middle just about as quickly as the centre route, but with a bit of elevation for protection. If only the Rainmaker didn't point my way.
I show perhaps a little too much caution on my next approach, leading to definitely too little awareness. I get a couple of decent splats, but the Rainmaker is advanced a long way to our base. Oops.
The Rainmaker makes it back to the middle. I think about taking the side route to flank, but there is Seeker pressure coming from ahead. I decide instead to deal with that, which I manage, thanks to just about squidding around another Seeker.
I turn around and get another couple of good splats, and start inking the way ahead. That lasts a bit longer than the Rainmaker carry, but only a bit. When I come back I go around the side, and walk past my target. That could have backfired.
I ink the way ahead, but again the Rainmaker is lost. Only temporarily, and my team makes a great push to surpass purple's lead. Woomy! No knockout yet, though, and purple pressure blasts me back to our base.
I decide against a daring dive, thankfully hitting an inked wall in my diversion, and go the conventional way around. Diving down from above is less daring with a charged Bubbler, and I am able to wreak some havoc on the purple team.
Getting the height advantage doesn't work the next time, and diving down only gets me confused. Thankfully, the inklings battle it out amongst themselves, leaving me standing. I'm not so lucky the next time.
One last splatting from the Rainmaker's shield, and my squidmates tidy up the extra time messiness without getting under any real pressure. A fun and inky battle!
It's good to be appreciated for how quickly I can squid my way along uninked turf. Thanks, Squiffer squidmate! It does mean I am at the wrong end of a blaster very soon, though. So it goes.
I try to use the shrubs to my advantage in Arowana Mall. Inklings often forget they can be used this way, and the height offers a good advantage to my Tri-slosher.
That's not to say I start this battle particularly well. I get splatted here and there, and the blue team takes a really big lead. At least I help defend successfully, and start to survive quite well.
The Rainmaker becomes available, and after missing it the first time I get it this time. I follow behind my squidmates, keen and happy to get their support. I feel much more powerful with them around me.
I'm less powerful when blue inklings around me, but it was likely to happen when I can't quite get the Rainmaker's blast through the gap. We start again, and I take the alley to ink it green again. I think I lose the Rainmaker, but it hasn't gone far.
Another carry, and this time down the middle. I would like to think the opposition wouldn't expect it, but you can hardly hide when carrying the Rainmaker. A second attempt has the way clear initially, and I think I can just about take the lead!
But, no. The blue team are there and splat me one step away from snatching victory away from them. That was exciting. Good battle, everyone!
Sometimes I ride the Tower. Other times I like to roam around, looking for trouble. In this battle, I think about going for the Tower, and fall off of it. Maybe that's a sign!
Instead of riding the Tower, I make a complete nuisance of myself, squidding this way and that, looking for splats. I'm pleased to say that I am still the master of the poorly timed 'Nice!' too.
I am getting better with the timing of my Bubblers, though. Having one ready when Disrupted certainly helps with ink usage. It lets me continue a minor rampage, getting splats right up to the end.
Sadly, my skirmishing skills aren't as impressive as I would like to think. It seems that the teal Luna Blaster simply didn't move, disappearing after a minute, having played no part in the battle. Still, I looked good from where I was.
