How to win all the time

[hosler]

Always use a shotgun. Get really good at killing dretches and avoiding goon pounces. Then you will be invincible. Once you learn to do that, dragoons will be a piece of cake. Sooner or later Tyrants will be no problem at all either. Ill be online to demonstrate this later

[your face]

You forgot to add: If the other player is better than you, you will get pwnzor'd.

[Kaine]

...

The "shotgun / goon all the time" thing is just for poor players who want to join a good clan despite their lack of talent.  They put all of their time and effort into getting decent with just those two classes, and sometimes that is enough for them to somehow manage acceptance into a clan that is well above their skill level.

It's how I first got into the clan scene, but being a good player is a lot more than just that.  While shotty can be used to kill a base, it is a lot less effective at the task than most other weapons.  As for killwhoring, once you get good at some of the other weapons (ex. Chain, Luci) you realize that they're more effective at that too.

So really, the shotgun is an uncostly, mediocre, jack-of-all trades weapon for players too inexperienced to wield a better weapon, or who just can't survive long enough to get the credits for a better gun.

[KamikOzzy]

Ouch. I use shotgun constantly to build creds or defend, and as soon as I can afford a lucy the rush is on.

I skip the basi class, and the adv. classes, but other than that I use all the aliens.

[Kaine]

Yea, I rifle/shotty 'til s2 then grab a chain+helm+larmour+nade and do my best to end it right then and there.

[Hendrich]

Yes, OF COURSE. Obviously the devs made it so the shotgun is the best weapon to use in every game, all the other weapons just throws us off. If we master the shotgun, we master the game. Thanks for the advice, didn't know that. 

To win every game you have to work co-operate with your teammates to defend your base, attack the aliens have good sportsmanship. Mastering weapons is only one step to master Tremulous.

[St. Anger]

I prefer rifle/md at s1/s2 unless some annoying ass goon won't get off my tip, then I go shotty. It's too annoying when I hit a dretch dead on with the shotty and it doesn't die.

[Archangel]

in b4 steely ann flaming.

shotty sucks on unlagged. too much miss.

[Snake]

in b4 steely ann flaming.

shotty sucks on unlagged. too much miss.

No u

The shootie works fine on unlagged.

But, still love MD all these drethes, and If you read the name of the thread it says: How to win all the time. and if i'm not wrong the aliens cant use a shootie (intead that the server is noob and uses a stupid qvm)

[Steely Ann]

in b4 steely ann flaming.

No flaming on my end.  The shotgun is a good all-around weapon, but it's indeed not great for anything except goon disposal and I'd still ideally have a two-man team to make it a sure thing.  I'll agree with Kaine that I use it when I likely should be using other weapons but I use it over the Chaingun in S1/S2 for the same reason I'll often use the MD over the Las - it deals significant damage and deals it NOW.  I don't always have the luxury of having the target in my constant sight, and the large/sudden loss of HP is good in pub games for making many players panic and make mistakes.  My aim gets lazy with full-auto weapons too - I do better with snapshot/twitch types.

The dretches who take (multiple!) point-blank blasts piss me off like nothing else in a game has, though.  RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEG

[mooseberry]

Maybe it's not going to make you win all the time, (read camping idiots in pubs) but it is a hell of a lot fun, and you can kill a lot with it unless you are facing a team much better than you, in which case you are screwed anyways.

[gimhael]

I have another pro tip: to win all the time, play on empty servers !

[Nux]

shotty sucks on unlagged. too much miss.

The shootie works fine on unlagged.

Sure, but only when your ping is low enough. I (and others) find that using a shotty on an unlagged server with a ping of 100 is enough for it to fail. Perhaps something to do with the fact it fires many hitscan shots simultaneously, this usually results in the weapon behaving similar to 'lagged' play where a leading miss can hit and a direct hit can miss.

..for the same reason I'll often use the MD over the Las - it deals significant damage and deals it NOW.

I find this mainly applies to smaller enemies, whereas I prefer the lasgun for the larger enemies. This is mostly because when it requires several shots to kill them you want to be able fire at every crucial opportunity. Getting in that last shot before that goon escapes with minimal hp is made all that more difficult by an MD that takes so damn long to reload. I also find it easier to panic aliens with lasgun than the more unexpected death the MD deals. Finally, I believe the lasgun deals more damage over longer periods of time (Generally: Higher hp enemy => More time needed).

[Darkjigglypuff]

I have another pro tip: to win all the time, play on empty servers !

/thread

Shotgun is awesome in it's own right, but it's not a game winner.

[snb]

the shot gun is not that good past s1. In s2+ unless you are in a good camping spot or a place were the goons cant snipe you and tyrants/goons can slash at you, its practically useless. Im guessing holser wants you to belive that every time you face a alien it will be like this

[Archangel]

nice image.

but I use shotty in s2 mostly .... helm!

[mooseberry]

uhh wrong? S2 is when I use shotty most, the helmet really helps gives you the edge over more skilled goons.

[ACKMAN]

How to win all the time:

There are 2 ways:

1- Take blaster and rush, you will pwn.

2- Buy Ckit AND BUILD!!!

[Hendrich]

s1 = LasGun + Armour
s2 = LasGun + Armour + Helm + Jetpack/Bat.Pack
s3 = Chaingun + Bsuit + (maybe a) Grenade

Works with me, the Lasgun is a efficient scout weapon that can hold large amounts of ammo (especially with bat. pack) and after a continuous rate of fire on an enemy, it kills. Works well with anything up until Adv.Goon and rant, where its difficult/impossible to pull off without your teammates. ChainGun and Bsuit are no-brainers in s3. 

Shotgun is a good weapon to use, but if its anything in s2/s3, it gets more difficult to take down an enemy until you grab a group of your friends with shotties and just kick-ass from there. People under-estimate the power of a group of shotties, its almost laughable how easy Tyrants die at the group, but problem is, shotties isn't good at killing alien structures so we can't really progress into destroying the enemy base much without other means of firepower. 
 

[Bissig]

The lasgun is generally underestimated. It is a very good weapon to kill off running away enemies or hurt enemies. Also, on open maps Aliens fear it. The shotgun is only useful in a combat group.

[Syntac]

I often use the lasgun for "cleanup" work after the aliens' base has been destroyed. It can be extremely effective against fleeing dretches, if they're panicking and making unwise decisions (which they often are). I wouldn't want to go head-to-head against a tyrant with it, but other than that, it's one of my favorites.

The shotgun is a cumbersome but powerful damage-dealer — more of a frag-and-run type weapon. Its slow reload can doom you when fighting groups of aliens, unless you're a true master at dodging. I tend to use it for base rushes. Coupled with a helmet and a grenade, and maybe a lasgun-wielding teammate, the effect is often deadly.

[your face]

shottie + jet for cleanup ftw, or md but I fail at md.

[Dracone]

In my experiences, and ESPECIALLY during scrims, the shotgun has appeared to me as being more effective than chain when we have S2 on humans. I like to see three shotguns, one chain, during 4v4s when the aliens do get S3 before we get S3. It's worked extremely well for us in the past and still now. Also, credits are extremely important when you've got tyrants ready to kill you, so you need some backup funding on your team, so the shotgun does the trick by being so damn cheap.

I do prefer chainsuits though, when we get S3. The suit gives you the additional time you need to really bring out the most in the chaingun. It's just that chaingun with armor and a helmet doesn't really let you live long enough to do effective damage to a tyrant that's getting good hits in and not missing, and switching positions in combat to defend against deaths just doesn't happen fast enough more often than not when it's attempted against a tyrant.

[hosler]

...

The "shotgun / goon all the time" thing is just for poor players who want to join a good clan despite their lack of talent.  They put all of their time and effort into getting decent with just those two classes, and sometimes that is enough for them to somehow manage acceptance into a clan that is well above their skill level.

It's how I first got into the clan scene, but being a good player is a lot more than just that.  While shotty can be used to kill a base, it is a lot less effective at the task than most other weapons.  As for killwhoring, once you get good at some of the other weapons (ex. Chain, Luci) you realize that they're more effective at that too.

So really, the shotgun is an uncostly, mediocre, jack-of-all trades weapon for players too inexperienced to wield a better weapon, or who just can't survive long enough to get the credits for a better gun.

I have no sense of honor when it comes to online FPS games.

[temple]

The shotgun owns.  Best credit to damage weapon.  Once you master the shottie, only rants are a problem.

[Colynn']

Hi.
I agree with some people : shotgun is a very good weapon, who is usefull again a lot of alien classes, with building, but poor at distance and useless againt rants if you are not a good dodger.

I usually see good players taking shotgun vs s3 aliens, and killing them (even if they are good). It's not like a chaingun + bs, but it is at a lower cost.

Oh, and if the shotgun is really the only usefull weapon in Tremulous, what's for the others?
Lasgun is very powerfull, with no reload, good at distance and close combat, but with goons, you have to be a good dodger. With Mass driver, if you are a good dodger / you are at great distance, it can be a good weapon. :-)

Each weapon at his own utility, and focus on only one weapon don't make you a good player, just a shotty guy who doesn't want to discover the others weapons. It's like the people who always dretch -> goon -> tyrant.

[Hendrich]

Each weapon at his own utility, and focus on only one weapon don't make you a good player, just a shotty guy who doesn't want to discover the others weapons. It's like the people who always dretch -> goon -> tyrant.

Agreed, finally, another here who has a sense of mind. Each weapon can be used for different situations, so choosing shotty over the other weapons because your good with it isn't a bad idea, but sometimes you might want to try and experiment with the other weapons to see which is more effective. Examples are lots of dretches > Use a flamer, Long distance alien bases > Mass driver, etc.

[mooseberry]

Examples are lots of dretches > Use a flamer, Long distance alien bases > Mass driver, etc.

Or, lots of dretches > shotgun shotgun shotgun, Long distance alien base > kill any aliens who get near while your teammates take it out. 

[Darth Futuza]

In my opinion, using a shotgun against a good dretch/dretches is a surefire way to wound up dead.  It is incredibly easy to avoid shotgun shells, and then bite humans heads off as they wait for their precious shotgun to reload/wait time, as a dretch.  However, against moderate to bad players, it usually frustrates them to no end.

Against other aliens, you may have some merit, though because they can't move quite as fast.

[mooseberry]

In my opinion, using a shotgun against a good dretch/dretches is a surefire way to wound up dead.  It is incredibly easy to avoid shotgun shells, and then bite humans heads off as they wait for their precious shotgun to reload/wait time, as a dretch.  However, against moderate to bad players, it usually frustrates them to no end.

Against other aliens, you may have some merit, though because they can't move quite as fast.

You must play bad humans. A dretch shouldn't even get  one hit on a good human with a shotgun.