Becoming less clear in Invisibility Splatfest [887p, 10(3)-2, Tri-slosher]

I like the green bucket, and even though I'm not convinced it's the best choice for Turf Wars I'm sure I can at least be effective with it. Even so, our mixed-weapon group of invisibility inklings may be at a disadvantage to the all-shooter Flight team. Still, I make the best of the Tri-slosher at first sight of the opposition, getting some height and sloshing down, breaking through Ink Armour for the splat.

The inkling on the block is outside of my bucket's range, which I expertly spot and retreat briefly, but follow up to get closer, just as the inkling drops down. That suits me, as does two more inklings following behind. That'll do. And although I miss the Disruptor, I am getting used to the utility of the Burst Bombs.

I'm eventually splatted away by a well-thrown Splat Bomb, as my sloshes go a little awry, but the Academy looks nice and green, and we seem able to hold the territory well. Because of that, I take the opportunity to ink some edges before heading back to the centre.

I get a bit inky when encountering a couple of inklings in quick succession, but stay green, much like the turf, and as the battle has under thirty seconds to go everything looks quite cosy. But circumstances can change quickly. In the last fifteen seconds, we lose most of our team, letting the blue team run rampant at a crucial moment. I'm one of the splatted, and all I can do is look at the map.

It seems our lead is slipping away. It all looked so comfortable not too long ago! And we have lost, by a tiny margin. So it goes.

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Tags: console, inkblot art academy, splatfest, splatoon 2, switch, tri-slosher, turf war

Splats around The Reef in Tower Control [22(1)-7, Tri-slosher]

My initial flank works quite well, but I really did have enough time to activate Ink Armour. So it goes. Surveying the situation on my return sees everything really quite orange. It's dangerous to rush in, so I measure circumstances briefly before moving. I get some nice splats, and help recover some turf. I also remember my Ink Armour. Nice!

My squidmates steal the lead, as I hit the flank, as an orange inkling protects the flank. I wouldn't say I react in time as much as the inkling runs in to my sloshes, which works for me. That lets me get behind the orange defence and help our push continue, but I am stopped when I don't see the Suction Bomb sitting where I try to activate my Ink Armour.

The orange team make a good push, but we are not rushed to defend, letting us be more measured. As the Tower starts moving back the way it came, I move forwards to claim some turf, and somehow come out on the right end of a splat against the Rapid Blaster. I must have been an ink drop away from being splatted, as the Slosher proves.

Heading in to orange territory is dangerous, and I'm not sure I should have lasted as long as I did. I also feel a bit skeevy about hiding under the ledge. In my defence, it was in defence, really having nowhere else to go, and I wasn't purposely hiding to ambush the inklings dropping down. That's not terribly sporting, and I try not to do it.

The orange team's next push is repelled, and I try to hold the centre turf, being somewhat aggressive in my sloshing. It's gone well so far, hence my increasingly aggressive posture, and it continues to pay off. The orange team have one last chance, pushing the battle in to extra time, but their support is splatted away, and then the inkling on the Tower, awarding us the victory. Woomy!

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Tags: console, splatoon 2, switch, the reef, tower control, tri-slosher

Sloshing around the edges in Tower Control [20(5)-7, Tri-slosher]

Not a great Burst Bomb, straight in to the wall. Not great sloshing either, taking on the Slosher with my green bucket. I'm a little surprised we both got splatted. I hold back a bit as a result, which helps repel the first purple push, and only goes wrong when I get overly aggressive as our first push goes well. Ink Armour doesn't hold out for long.

I manage to stop the Tower on its return, although the Rapid Blaster is clearly expecting some ink falling on the Tower from above. It's worth the trade, although I still entirely dislike habitual jumpers. I stick with Burst Bombs from a distance in defence, and let my squidmates ride the Tower as I cover the purple ink that's come too far our way.

I push up again as the Tower moves ahead, and this time it works a bit better. The Ink Armour protects me from one hit, and a squidmate from another, and I manage to squid past the Rapid Blaster's shots. And despite being perhaps a little predictable, I get the splat, as well as getting the upper tentacle on the Slosher this time. He gets his own back pretty quickly, though.

I have a brush with an Octobrush, before working a different angle and getting sloshed again when trying to clear the Tower. My squidmates are still around to ride it in the right direction, though, and I come back to sweep up behind their push. Maybe battling with the Rapid Blaster is paying off too, as she ignores the Tower to concentrate on me, which seems like a mistake.

Well, it's a mistake by not making sure of my being splatted. When the Tower no longer can be ignored, I move on the flank and help splat the inklings away and keep the Tower moving. We advance our lead nicely, almost reaching the goal, but the concentration of purple ink picks up, and everyone is splatted away. Nearly everyone.

I hang around to cause a bit more trouble, which works nicely for a while. I'm finally splatted, but with fifteen seconds left and the purple team needing almost a knockout to win, we're in a comfortable position. Indeed, my squidmates re-take control of the Tower, and I have just enough time to super-jump back to enjoy the victory. Woomy!

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Tags: console, splatoon 2, switch, the reef, tower control, tri-slosher

Exploring the flanks of Starfish Mainstage in Splat Zones [16(4)-6, Tri-slosher]

Straight for the flank, and I spy my first target about to squid up a wall. Not bad! What is bad is walking right in to the laser sight of the Splat Charger, even if it's not what splats me. I can be smarter than this. I try to be a bit smarter, and get my Burst Bomb working on the opposite Tri-slosher, but then dumb myself down again and pop up just where she expects me to.

My squidmates do well to capture the Splat Zones at least. And with them being greenish (what is this colour?) I hit the flank again. I see a new path opportunity as I run across the grating and explore it, hoping to find the charger, which I do eventually. Or he finds me. But I've found a good way to get back here rather less obviously than crossing the stage.

I go back the same way, hoping to take some pressure off the Splat Zones, but find myself under pressure by just being there. I'm not convinced the Splat Charger knows I'm there, but the Splattershot must hear his ink hit something. Thankfully, the Splat Charger turns his attention back to the front, letting me pounce. Nice!

I go for another circuit, and am nearly successful again, but instead manage to squid right in front of a charger shot. So it goes. I hit the other flank next, and hope my Burst Bombs can reach the Splat Charger. Not quite, but maybe I can close the gap whilst his Sting Ray is active. Only just! It's not wise to run towards an active Sting Ray, and it's only because I hit with a closer-thrown Burst Bomb that I survive.

I learn from my earlier mistake when I don't manage to splat the Tri-slosher, and jink to the side rather than pursue head-on. This lets me survive, activate Ink Armour, and help ink the Splat Zones. I meet the Tri-slosher again and come out on top this time. Pushing past the Splat Zones completes the repeat of the start of the battle, though, with my running in to the Splat Charger's laser sight and the Splattershot's ink.

The left flank interests me again, and despite being spotted I get the drop, somewhat literally, on the Splat Charger. Ink Armour is helpful once again, as I jump in to the very orange Splat Zones in the midst of two inklings. A Burst Bomb weakens them, sloshes splat them, but the third inkling super-jumps in to slosh me back. A squidmate Splashes Down for instant revenge.

Pushing aggressively forwards helps to get a couple of splats and almost clear the Splat Zones to ink them safely, and we re-capture them briefly. But the orange team return and, with the Splat Charger applying some laser-sight pressure, manage to keep the Splat Zones orange enough to prevent us from battling in to extra time. Never mind, it was a good battle, and I explored the Mainstage a bit.

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Tags: console, splat zones, splatoon 2, starfish mainstage, switch, tri-slosher

Holding the turf in Splat Zones [9(3)-1, Tri-slosher]

That first Burst Bomb is just getting my eye in, ignore it. It clearly works too, as I slosh effectively in and around the Splat Zones for a bit, getting a couple of splats and an assist before testing the Tri-slosher's range against the Splat Dualies. I would say it's a tie.

Everything is so blue that Beakon looks like a good option to get back quickly. Things change, though, and I have to sit on the edge of the Splat Zones as yellow ink flies in. It looks like the Jet Squelcher is sitting on the obvious perch and causing trouble. I would try to do something about it, maybe with Burst Bombs, but he foolishly drops down in to the path of my bucket instead. That'll do.

A bit more sloshing here and there, using the high ground of the Splat Zones, and the yellow team are splatted back again and again, and, before I realise it, we've won the battle. Woomy!

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Tags: console, humpback pump track, splat zones, splatoon 2, switch, tri-slosher

Fighting back the purple menace in Splat Zones [11(1)-4, Tri-slosher]

An aggressive move towards the Splat Zones is not quite what it seems. I just want to see what's happening from a good position, which is what I get. Sitting back once there lets me move opportunistically, whilst I also get a bit lucky when moving forwards to avoid ink lapping at my back. I narrowly miss getting four opening splats too, but you can't have everything.

Our early lead is soon lost, and the purple team push past the Splat Zones to make our attempts to restore the rightful lead awkward. With a bit of cunning, and using my weapons wisely, I manage to sneak in to the Splat Zones, but don't quite manage to activate my Ink Armour to help consolidate my position. Back to square one.

I try a different tack, and take the right flank, right up the ramp, to jump across the grate, hopefully going unnoticed. It works. I splat a couple of the purple inklings in the back, and help capture the Splat Zones. I nearly splat an advance purple inkling, but can't turn quickly enough before his Curling Bombs splat me. My squidmates are then overwhelmed by the returning inklings.

Purple ink is everywhere again. This is untenable. A bit of height, some preliminary sloshing, and a little cunning lets me take a hit and give a splat, my Ink Armour also helping my squidmates to re-capture the Splat Zones. With that done, it's really worth tidying up the purple mess, to stop them getting such free movement on our side of the stage.

It's back around the side, the left flank this time, and a bit of luck helps me slosh at just the right time to avoid being splatted. That purple inkling may have done better re-approaching from a different angle. Now it's our turn to ink the other side of the stage.

The purple team come back, and I only find out they've hit our flank when Curling Bombs come skidding from behind me. My squidmates are on that, though, and I return the favour by splatting the Inkjet. And that is the battle, our ownership of the Splat Zones gauged to be superior. Woomy!

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Tags: console, splat zones, splatoon 2, starfish mainstage, switch, tri-slosher

For the want of one egg in Salmon Run [20-15-12, 12/646]

Argh, the Nozzlenose! Well, I suppose firing it is much like the Tri-slosher, otherwise is a shooter-cum-Squiffer. Maybe Mr Grizz will be the one who makes me appreciate it. Or maybe not, with the skies darkening in the first wave in the Lost Outpost, which I'm barely familiar with. And it's a Goldie wave, which really isn't that easy, the little bugger hiding in the drains.

I remember that the collecting the Golden Eggs is the role that gets neglected the most when hunting Goldie, so I make a point of picking them up instead of chasing Goldie for more. And luckily so do my squidmates. We make quote after finding Goldie twice. Now, if only my squidmates realised that we could just sit back for thirty-five seconds. But never mind, surviving Goldie is simple enough, and we get a few more Golden Eggs for Mr Grizz.

The Splash-o-matic I can use, and I know where low-tide is in the Outpost. Everything goes relatively smoothly for a while too, and I get a bit of luck when a second Maws chases me soon after a first, as a salmonid smacks me out of being stuck in Maws's ink. It lets me deliver the egg I'm carrying, but I go right back and get stuck in the ink again. So it goes. Jumping across the murky water to get some distant eggs seems like a good idea, until I turn around and see two squidmates in rubber rings, but it all works out.

Splat Charger for me for the third wave, low tide again, and a Cohock wave. That means cannons! I'm not the only inkling who likes the cannons, and realising that we need to collect the eggs, I let my squidmate have the pleasure of manning the cannon and go wandering. It looks like a good strategy, right up until Cohocks block one path and a Stinger is gunning for me. I try to get to a cannon to add some firepower, but I'm stung just before I clamber in.

We only need two more Golden eggs to complete the wave, and there are three near the basket. I head that way, trying to avoid incoming ink, but get stuck just close enough to a Steelhead's bomb to be splatted again. I can see the basket in front of me, my Nozzlenose squidmate inks her way over me, but my rubber ring doesn't appear in time to let me be revived.

One Golden Egg away from completing the run. So close.

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Tags: console, lost outpost, salmon run, splatoon 2, switch

The quick and the splatted in Splat Zones [16(6)-1, Splattershot Jr]

I get a bit lucky against the Aerospray looking for me, but luckier still when the Jet Squelcher drops next to me. I don't think he saw me. The Roller is a gift, though, and I finish off the set by venturing in to the Splat Zones, before cycling back to the start of the splats. Am I actually invisible? I hope not, that would be unfair.

I help capture the Splat Zones before looking for opportunity, and aim for the Dualie Squelchers. I am lucky to get away from his dashing, but soon find myself in much more trouble amidst a Curling Bomb Rush and two other inklings.

The turf stays mostly blue, though, so I tidy up around the edges before holding a decent position and watching for incursions. Nothing goes particularly wrong, although I find myself looking for splats when the Splat Zones, right under my feet, have been neutralised. But it all works out.

I'm not even left wanting for splats at the end of the battle. As a team, we splat away all the yellow inklings in or super-jumping to the Splat Zones moments before we win the knockout victory. Woomy!

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Tags: console, musselforge fitness, splat zones, splatoon 2, splattershot jr, switch

Doing pretty good in S-rank Rainmaker [6(1)-0, Splattershot Jr]

I don't think I'm an S-rank player, but I've worked my way up here in Rainmaker. I get overwhelmed for my first couple of battles, but am encouraged when I drop back in to more of a support role in a battle that sadly didn't get recorded. I pull my socks up and try again, this time making sure I'm recording. It goes pretty well.

I'm not buoyed by one squidmate apparently not joining immediately, hence my looking back, but he perks up soon enough. I'm inking the edges so that I don't rush in to trouble for no reason, and to get my Ink Armour ready. It also lets me get in to a reasonable position when the Rainmaker is moved.

I keep hitting the edges for now, just inking turf and lobbing opportunistic Splat Bombs, and my squidmates do the heavy lifting. They push the Rainmaker in to a solid lead, and I'm behind them to clear up a flanking inkling and hold the Rainmaker's position. I do a good job of it too, and am a mobile Beakon for my squidmates.

With my squidmates around me, and the Rainmaker burst free, my confidence is bolstered to aim for the podium. I get some excellent support, and the podium inked, to get a Rainmaker dunk in S-rank. Woomy!

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Tags: console, rainmaker, splatoon 2, splattershot jr, switch, the reef

Coming from behind in Rainmaker [5(1)-1, Splattershot Jr]

This is a cautionary tale. Do not leave the Rainmaker unattended next to your podium covered in the ink of your opponents.

That is all. Apart from: can I get a Woomy!

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Tags: console, rainmaker, splatoon 2, splattershot jr, switch, the reef