Less splats, more ink in Splat Zones (4-2, Splatterscope)

6th December 2016 – 7.00 pm

I'm not starting with the Tri-slosher tonight. Maybe some of the first-battle excellence will rub off on the Splatterscope instead. Besides, the charger should be able to cover a lot of turf in and around the Splat Zones.

What the Splatterscope also offers is an excellent means of removing the Sprinklers that get nicely abused on the beams above the Splat Zones in Urchin Underpass. Those are really effective. Thankfully, the Splatterscope is just as effective at removing them.

Of course, I'm still not good at close range, and whilst I try my best at avoiding those situations, sometimes I can't help myself. And sometimes I need to get close, or, at least, closer to the Splat Zones. Mostly for Splat Bomb Rushes.

I get most of my splats from Splat Bombs again, but I'm okay with that. They are part of the weapon's package, and I make good use of them. It would be nice to be able to aim better, but I continue to work on it. And I did manage to spread a lot of ink around.

Noticing the knockout victory coming our way, and being out of harm's way, I have a little dance to celebrate.

Some good splats in Tower Control (9-6, Splatterscope)

6th December 2016 – 7.00 am

After my earlier battle, I try to learn from my mistakes. I want to stick to perches and hang back, rather than charge forwards in to positions that put me at a natural disadvantage.

That's not to say I can't or shouldn't move forwards as circumstances permit. Indeed, I try to lay down some ink for my squidmates at the start of the battle before sidesquidding to a perch.

I also want to move forwards when the Tower is pushed forwards, so that I can continue to provide support. This doesn't work the first time, when I squid up in to a teal squid out for ink. Maybe that's the wrong intermediate perch for the situation.

My aim takes a hit again, it seems, as well as my timing, as I spectacularly miss the super-jumping inkling. But at least I still have Splat Bombs. As Suction Bombs explode all around me, I decide to fight ink with ink, and unleash my own Bomb Rush. Of course, the bombs don't fall through grates, but I manage to work out how to get around that.

Another splatting from the Roller puts me in a position where it becomes clear that a perch needs me. If only I could aim better, the tower wouldn't have been pushed quite so far towards our base. But I calm down and get a couple of good splats in anyway.

A couple more good splats follow. One splatting an inkling mid-jump, the other plucking an inkling out of his ink. I think that makes it a decent enough battle for me.

From good to terrible in Tower Control (6-4, Splatterscope)

5th December 2016 – 7.00 pm

I swap to the Splatterscope for some Tower Control sniping. I think about sticking to the standard perches, but quickly discard that to try to be more mobile. Naturally, it doesn't quite work, although at least the splat is mutual.

Going for the perch afterwards bags me two textbook splats, which makes me think this is a good idea. Not for long, as I go mobile again, heading for the tower. Not a bad choice, as it turns out, as I get a good view of the opposition charger, at least for a second.

But my decision to play like a Tri-slosher whilst equipping the Splatterscope starts to backfire. I really don't have the short-range inking power to be effective on the move. Not that it really matters when I'm cornered by three orange inklings. It's a bit desperate.

But I obviously make mistakes too. Thinking I can outflank the orange inklings in control of the tower, I go around the side, but don't see the tell-tale trail in time, dropping down to my inevitable inky doom. I should have just stayed near our base and acted like a charger ought.

Still, the battle ends with a knockout victory, not to us, and I find out we were missing an inkling. Watching back, they disconnected as the battle started. That explains being overrun somewhat, but not my poor decisions. I can do better!

Panic sloshing for the win in Tower Control (12-2, Tri-slosher)

5th December 2016 – 7.00 am

There's something about my first battle of the night if I'm using a Tri-slosher. Or maybe it's just the past few days and not an ongoing trend. Still, I play like an inkling possessed in this battle, like I did in my previous excellent Tri-slosher showing. If only I could keep up this performance for the rest of the evening.

Admittedly, I am a bit aggressive with my sloshing, and kinda forget about the tower more often than not, but thanks to some good squidmates my mucking around actually becomes a decent distraction for them to push the tower forwards effectively.

The quad splat from about 2'05" is a nice touch, after which I jump on the tower. The Splat Bomb is one of ours, it seems, but my discretion to abandon the tower at that point works in my favour, as I go on another rampage as my squidmates push the tower almost on top of the goal.

A bit of frantic sloshing and manoeuvring suppresses the yellow team nicely, and thanks to my continued charging and remembering to use my Bubbler, I help the team get a knockout victory. Woomy!

Unlucky charger in messy Splat Zones (8-6, Tri-slosher)

4th December 2016 – 7.00 pm

My first Splat Zones battle on Arowana Mall this evening had my forgetting if the extra grates are in this mode, and I went down the middle. The grates are there, so this time I go down the side. It kinda helps, in that I don't get splatted in the Splat Zone, but I misthrow my Disruptor, don't find a charger on a perch, and meanwhile the green team control the Splat Zones.

I survive an Inkstrike thanks to my Bubbler, but then can't squid over a small patch of ink and an splatted by a Splat Bomb. That's what they do, I suppose. But I am chagrined by not finding the charger on one of the perches. I compensate by laying down some distracting ink, then charging forwards and getting my inkling.

My Bubbler protects me from the second Inkstrike, but only as far as the ink not splatting me. The third Inkstrike is one of our own, but it panics me and I squid through a grate, in to water, with my Bubbler active. How embarrassing. Nearly as embarrassing as missing a jump entirely to fall in to water.

I get another opportunity to splat Frank, the charger, and it comes together rather nicely. The third time is a charm too. To be honest, my splats of him are mostly why I am sharing this recording. That, and I am actually responsible for capturing the Splat Zones for that last point to win the battle. Woomy!

A valiant effort in the Splat Zones (13-5, Tri-slosher)

4th December 2016 – 7.00 am

Splat Zones on Arowana Mall and Museum d'Alfonsino. I'm tempted to break out the Splatterscope, but I'm having too much fun with the Tri-slosher of late, and I stick with the bucket. I'm still having a lot of fun with it too, staying unsplatted for definitely too long at the start of the battle, given the circumstances.

I get a little carried away with getting on to the opponents' side of the map, particularly when no one is there and they are in control of the Splat Zones. I realise my misjudgment, and take the higher ground so that I can try to make amends and ink some turf.

I survive another Splat Bomb rush, which is unlikely and a little thrilling, only to be caught in the sight of a Splat Charger. The same charger splats me again, although doing so keeps another inkling unsplatted, which isn't a bad compromise.

I finally get the drop on the charger, and go on another mini-rampage. I ink a lot of turf, charge my Bubbler, and remember to use my Bubbler. It's all going quite well, except for the score.

We drag the score down to within one point, and force the battle in to extra time. We look to be in a fair position, having some control of the map, but I run out of ink just when I need it. A loss by one, but what a battle!

Bubbling around on Tower Control (7-2, Tri-slosher)

3rd December 2016 – 7.00 pm

Some battles I remember I have a Bubbler. This is one of those battles. A poor showing with the Splatterscope to start with, I swap to the Tri-slosher for Tower Control, thinking I can slosh ink down from above. Then again, I also think I can flank the charger on the other team, but she's not on her perch.

I move on to splat a different inkling and ride the tower, then get splatted by the charger on the perch. Never mind. I circle around to flank her, but she's gone, dammit. Back to splatting and riding the tower!

It's not just me on the tower, though. My squidmates know what they're doing, and want to progress the objective too. Good going, squidmates! This lets me provide some support, inking ahead, getting a splat, and coming from behind to keep the tower under our control.

With the goal in sight, my Bubbler charges. This seems like a good time to use it! I Bubble, my squidmates hop on the tower for some Bubbling glory, and we ride on to the knockout victory! Woomy!

Sloshing all over the Splat Zones (9-2, Tri-slosher)

3rd December 2016 – 7.00 am

I'm enjoying the Tri-slosher in Splat Zones tonight! One battle has been a dud, but it was exciting, so I continue. I do like to keep moving forwards. That doesn't serve me too well when running in to a Dual Squelcher, though. Which I do twice.

Still, after those early incidents, I get in to a decent groove. Noticing the Squiffer is too high for me to reach and backing off is a good decision, and splatting the Inkzooka is always a pleasure. And avoiding the Splat Bomb Rush called for some good manoeuvring!

But let's not forget my squidmates, who control the Splat Zones and press forwards, so that we control most of the map for a chunk of the battle. So much turf control gives us good movement, and with a bit of awareness we keep the Splat Zones purple. I even help out my Kraken chum when the charger they're after sinks in to the ink.

The counter ticks relentlessly down and, with but a brief pause, gives us a knockout victory with plenty of time to spare. Woomy!

Keeping the opposition distracted in Splat Zones (3-1, Tri-slosher)

2nd December 2016 – 7.00 pm

More Tri-slosher Splat Zones, this time in Museum d'Alfonsino! I try to remember what extra blocks there are in this mode, and then decide to just find out for myself.

I find a block, get to the opponent's side, and then give a couple of them the runaround for a while. That's fine by me, as we have the Splat Zones nice and orange and the counter ticking down.

I fall off the edge by accident, but it's probably for the best. It gets me out of harm's way and in to creating harm against the teal team. Before you know it, we've won. Woomy!

Splat Zones are for splatting (12-4, Tri-slosher)

2nd December 2016 – 7.00 am

I'm tempted to revert to the Splatterscope for this evening's session, but stick with the Tri-slosher. That should work in Splat Zones, I reckon, and Flounder Heights seems like a good map for it.

Rather than do anything flashy, I just aim to get to the top of the Heights and see what's happening first, particularly given how the Tri-slosher can rain ink down from above. And the plan and the bucket are working well!

I spy an inkling coming up the wall and splat him, and follow that up with some inking of the Splat Zones and more splats. Some good evasive manoeuvring, showing awareness of getting away being better than getting splatted for once, keeps me going for almost two full minutes. Blimey.

Now I'm just trying not to do anything silly. It's not easy! I think I do rather well, though, keeping the turf and Splat Zones inked, and getting more splats. There's a bit of a spot in the middle of the battle where I get splatted a bit, but once we take the lead I'm back in the zone. I even avoid taking a fellow Bubbler head on.

The purple team make a concerted push on the Splat Zones as our counter nears zero, but a few more splats lets us keep hold of them, and we get a knockout victory. Woomy!