I'm not going to forget my Bubbler quite as much in this battle as the last. It would help if I could charge it as much as the last battle too, but never mind. As long as I make good use of it, that's fine.
This battle is a bit hit-and-miss for me. I rush headlong in to trouble a bit too much, but other times get a nice flanking move, use the environment to my advantage, and show some good manoeuvrability.
But, really, I think I am just trying to keep up with the other inklings.
I know I have a Bubbler as my Special. It's partly why I choose the Tri-slosher as a weapon. But somehow I forget I have it occasionally in battle.
I also used to forget about the Disruptor Sub-weapon, or think it was any good. But enough inklings have used the Disruptor against me now that I understand its effectiveness, and I tend to use it with some regularity. The Bubbler, though. You'd think I'd know better.
How many times do I get splatted when the Bubbler is charged? Most of them? It's a little embarrassing, frankly. Okay, there is one time that I know it's charged by don't quite activate it in time before I'm splatted. And I am probably saving up the Bubbler for the right moment occasionally. But the right moment surely must be that time right before I'm splatted, and there are plenty of those moments.
I'm sticking with my new tactic of mostly ignoring the tower, unless I really can't, and trying to be a nuisance to the other team. I think I do quite well in this regard. That first splat is brilliant to me, splatting a charger on her perch. Sure, I get splatted in return, but just getting my Tri-slosher in range to get the splat is enough for me to be happy.
And look! I remember my Bubbler, right at the end of the battle, when our lead is being threatened, and to good effect! I even take back the tower to end the battle for the victory. It all comes together eventually.
A couple of errors at the start of this battle. I miss the jump, and don't register the yellow squid hunkering down getting ready for a super-jump. Still, we get on the tower and take a commanding lead within the first minute or so of the battle. That lets me get on with being a pest, without having to worry about the tower too much.
That's the plan, anyway. Getting blindsided by the Roller is impressive of him, and a bit poor by me. I dunno how that charger splatted me, though. And sneaking around the back isn't quite as productive as I hope it would be.
We keep the tower from moving too far from the centre, though, which is the main goal. I keep trying to out-flank the yellow team, with not much success, although I do get to hear a little squid sigh at about 4'22". Dunno what that is. And when I take another circuitous route, hoping to catch a squid or two, the other team end up taking the tower past our lead. Oops. With 23 seconds to go too.
We reclaim the tower, at least, and I press forwards, hoping that my Bubbler and all the purple ink I just spread will help us. Maybe it does, but I think it is my squidmates who are more responsible for recovering the battle. A calm response to losing the lead that heads in to extra time was super cool of them.
Taking my different approach to S-Rank Tower Control again, and not going straight for the tower on Piranha Pit. Instead, a bit of scout, and a bit of hunting. I think I do quite well, splatting a Roller and avoiding a Bubbler, although I lose track of a couple of squids in the ink.
I also assume the Bubbler is from a Splattershot Jr, apparently having forgotten the Mini Splatling from the battle's introduction. Silly me, and it gets me splatted.
I try my conveyer belt jump next, but there's not only no one there, but a squidmate has that platform covered with a Suction Bomb. Never mind, moving on. Or backwards, as I get splatted. At least my team is doing well with the tower. My first ride has me disrupted and Rollered.
Splat from above from the Roller! But not quite! I somehow get a mutual splatting out of that, which works for me, as my team are riding the tower to the goal. I have enough time waiting to respawn to give them a 'Nice!' They deserve it.
I'm trying out the new plan of being a nuisance, and mostly ignoring the tower in Tower Control. At least, at S Rank.
Of course, this plan assumes that I can be a nuisance, and not just be splat-bait for the other team. Still, riding the tower makes me splat-bait by default, so hopefully some increased mobility will be to my benefit.
I get in to a good stride half-way through the battle. Chasing, splatting, and basically being an impediment to getting anywhere for the other team.
I lose my mojo after the excellent spell of being trouble, but just knowing I was a pest spurs me on to continue trying. It seems to help the team as well, which is good, as well as improving my opportunities and mood, which is better.
Riding the tower in S Rank Tower Control just isn't working for me. And with two chargers on the other team, I sense it wont this battle either.
New plan! Take out the chargers. It's an audacious goal, and one that is just as likely to frustrate as entertain, but splatting one charger on his high perch as the battle starts convinces me that it is achievable.
I don't entirely ignore the objective, but mostly because the tower just happens to be in my way at one point. And the chargers don't leave me unscathed. But considering our weapon types, I think I do a bloody good job of giving them hassle.
Perhaps I should focus on running around being a nuisnace in Tower Control, rather than obstinately riding the tower.
The battle starts like a typical S-Rank Tower Control battle, with me getting stomped. I'm starting to feel pretty helpless, and on a couple of occasions think about just putting the gamepad down and relaxing. No one gets on the tower for over 40 seconds! Apart from me, and that was probably a mistake.
Maybe I should learn from this. But even when I try to be cautious and use my weapon to its ability, I get splatted. It doesn't help when I don't notice a Splat Bomb pooped on to the tower, I suppose.
I get a couple of splats and think maybe I'm getting the hang of things again, only to be splatted within a couple of seconds. And still we haven't progressed the tower any amount. On top of that, there are blue Beakons all over the place that no one else seems to notice or want to take care of. argh
Fine, I'll do what I can myself. And in the last minute, we take control of the tower, I remember my Bubbler, and my squidmates decide that we do want to win after all.
It's a win, but, damn, I can't say I enjoyed myself through most of the battle.
Look at me, using Beakons. Like a pro! They suck up so much ink, though, I don't know how other inklings do it so consistently. A splat with a Killer Wail too, although the angle is pretty obvious. And I miss the E-litre, who promptly splats me through the Wail.
We have a good lead by that point, just over a minute in to the battle. Surely we can't lose it. And all looks okay for the next minute or so, even if trying to take on my opposite inkling with the Custom Dual Squelcher augmented by strength gear doesn't go so well.
Flanking routes work nicely in Mahi-Mahi resort, more so in Rainmaker than the other Ranked battle modes, I would say. Splatting the E-litre a couple of times, and following up with the Rainmaker is always a good result. But sometimes, once they see you, you can't shake them.
The green team end up getting relatively close to looking like they could squid their way to victory. I take a splat for the team in taking out the Rainmaker and that pesky E-litre again, and a squidmate does the right thing by grabbing the Rainmaker and going for a swing. Victory for us!
After the Rainmaker dunking on Camp Triggerfish, I think about calling it a night, ending on a high note, and all that. Instead, I decide to keep playing, but with a different weapon. I choose the Custom Dual Squelcher, hoping I can make some use of the Killer Wail, and maybe remember to plant a Beakon or two as well.
The first yellow-team push is repelled, albeit a little too late, as I can't quite guide my Dual Squelcher ink accurately enough from range. But we get the Rainmaker back, and I divert my attention from inking the central zone to making a path for my squidmate. We stall, which is only to be expected, but keep the Rainmaker nicely in the yellow territory.
I actually get some splats with the Killer Wail, which is good. They probably helps us a bit too, although not enough to take the lead directly. The yellow team finally gets another advance in to our territory, just as the clock ticks down, and the yellow inkling does a victory squidding.
That may be a little premature, though, as my squidmates catch up to him, reclaim the Rainmaker, and make one last push in extra time.
A relatively cautious start to this Rainmaker. But, then I shouldn't be in the middle of the action as a charger anyway. Getting hit by that Inkzooka kinda shows that, kinda doesn't given their range.
Another feeble bomb throw, a disappointment after that great one at the start, is easily forgotten with the Rainmaker splat. And splatting the Inkzooka as it splats me is a pretty good result. Indeed, being stuck inside a Killer Wail doesn't work out so badly when A thrown Splat Bomb gets a splat, and I splat the inkling near me as well.
The Rainmaker stays in our opponents' territory for a decent time, which can only work in our favour. Avoiding the Kraken was a good move, as it was for my canny squidmates. A better carry of the Rainmaker follows, and we keep the Rainmaker close to the goal by my using the side route.
I reclaim the Rainmaker and get it close to the goal, but Suction Bombs and Rainmaker-ink evasion prevents us getting the knockout. That's okay, as long as we prevent the push in extra time.
