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The muscle car is one of the true joys of Darkwind. Neither well armored nor well armed, its primary asset in the wilderness is its speed and maneuverability. Wilderness battles have been won against enormous odds because of one or two well-employed muscle cars.
The muscle car is one of the true joys of Darkwind. Neither well armored nor well armed, its primary asset in the wilderness is its speed and maneuverability. Wilderness battles have been won against enormous odds because of one or two well-employed muscle cars.


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But muscle cars are terribly vulnerable when exchanging fire with the enemy, due to their light armor and weapon loads, and their high speed can be as much a vulnerability as an asset. The difference between a victorious muscle and a very fast coffin is forethought and planning.
But muscle cars are terribly vulnerable when exchanging fire with the enemy, due to their light armor and weapon loads, and their high speed can be as much a vulnerability as an asset. The difference between a victorious muscle and a very fast coffin is forethought and planning.


This manual is broken into several sections. First I’ll go over what a muscle car is, and setting up your muscle, and I’ll go over different weapons. Then will be describing basic strategies and tactics, and I’ll close with the Chassis Appendix, going over the chassis one by one.
This manual is broken into several sections. First I’ll go over what a muscle car is, and setting up your muscle, and I’ll go over different weapons. Then will be basic strategies and tactics, and I’ll close with the Chassis Appendix, going over the chassis one by one.




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*[[Phoenix]]
*[[Phoenix]]
*[[Sunrise]]
*[[Sunrise]]
*[[Voyager]]
*[[Vampire]]
*[[Vampire]]
*[[Pike]]
*[[Pike]]
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*[[Corghette]]
*[[Corghette]]


All of these, other than the Flash and the Voyager, can mount a 4L or larger engine unexposed. The Flash is included because of its sheer speed and ability to accept an engine disproportionately large for its size, and the Voyager is included because of its sheer speed & ability to accept a 3.2l V8, which allows it to keep up with almost anything in the wilderness. I’ll go into each of these chassis in detail in the Chassis Appendix.
All of these, other than the Flash, can mount a 4L or larger engine unexposed. The Flash is included because of its sheer speed and ability to accept an engine disproportionately large for its size. I’ll go into each of these chassis in detail in the Chassis Appendix.


=== Components ===
=== Setting Up ===


'''Engine'''
'''Engine'''
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[[Machine Gun]] - The vanilla option. Don’t knock it, a pair of these on the front of a muscle can really chew through enemy armor over the long run, and they have decent range and accuracy. The downside is, you need a pair to make a decent punch, and your driver will have to man one of them. Your accuracy with that gun will be lower.
[[Machine Gun]] - The vanilla option. Don’t knock it, a pair of these on the front of a muscle can really chew through enemy armor over the long run, and they have decent range and accuracy. The downside is, you need a pair to make a decent punch, and your driver will have to man one of them. Your accuracy with that gun will be lower.
[[Light Machine Gun]] - at 15 bulk, the Light Machine Gun seems very attractive to muscle cars short on space. However, the LMG has only 10 rounds of ammunition. Because most NPC cars have more than 10 points of armor on a single facing, it's almost guaranteed that you'll run out of ammunition before you run out of enemy. You can fit an LMG and 3 reloads (40 rounds total) in the same 24 bulk as a MG and the same number of rounds, but firing them all would require 3 reload periods, compared to 1 for the MG. The Light Machine Gun isn't a bad weapon, all things considered, but only as a secondary weapon alongside heavier and longer-lasting firepower.


[[Gatling Gun]] - The [[Machine Gun]] on steroids. The downside is, its range is shorter and you NEED two of them to make a decent punch, so your driver better have decent Gunnery skills. Watch out for the increased recoil - sustained fire can really slow you down.
[[Gatling Gun]] - The [[Machine Gun]] on steroids. The downside is, its range is shorter and you NEED two of them to make a decent punch, so your driver better have decent Gunnery skills. Watch out for the increased recoil - sustained fire can really slow you down.


[[Micromissile Launcher]] - Like the Machine Gun and Gatling Gun, the MML is small enough to be fitted in pairs, or mixed with a MG or GG. However, I don’t recommend doing so. Having an explosive round is useful in some cases, but the MML doesn't have enough punch to outweigh the low ammunition capacity. Some chassis can accept a MML alongside a [[Medium Machine Gun]] as a driver-controlled secondary weapon, and this is an enormously effective build at short range.
[[Micromissile Launcher]] - Like the Machine Gun and Gatling Gun, the MML is small enough to be fitted in pairs, or mixed with a MG or GG. However, I don’t recommend doing so. Having an explosive round is useful in some cases, but there isn’t enough punch to outweigh the low ammunition capacity. Some chassis can accept a MML alongside a [[Medium Machine Gun]] as a driver-controlled secondary weapon, and this is an enormously effective build at short range.


[[Medium Machine Gun]] - My favorite muscle weapon. Decent damage, manageable recoil, good ammo supply, and low bulk. You will NOT have enough room for 2 of them, except on the larger cars, but that’s not a bad thing, you’ll be able to fit several reloads or a One-Shot secondary. Putting in just one gun lets your gunner concentrate on killing properly.
[[Medium Machine Gun]] - My favorite muscle weapon. Decent damage, manageable recoil, good ammo supply, and low bulk. You will NOT have enough room for 2 of them, except on the larger cars, but that’s not a bad thing, you’ll be able to fit several reloads or a One-Shot secondary. Putting in just one gun lets your gunner concentrate on killing properly.
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[[Flamethrower]] - The Flamethrower is another weapon that looks better on paper than it does in combat. As long as you’re running like you’re on fire, why not set everyone else on fire too? But unless you like being quite literally on fire, avoid the Flamethrower. Its damage is not high enough to justify its short range and small clip size. Also, ANY damage to the FT will set you on fire. Avoid unless you are making a suicide/novelty car.
[[Flamethrower]] - The Flamethrower is another weapon that looks better on paper than it does in combat. As long as you’re running like you’re on fire, why not set everyone else on fire too? But unless you like being quite literally on fire, avoid the Flamethrower. Its damage is not high enough to justify its short range and small clip size. Also, ANY damage to the FT will set you on fire. Avoid unless you are making a suicide/novelty car.
[[Napalm Gun]] - The Napalm Gun is perhaps the only ballistic weapon that can be remotely useful on a muscle car. It takes some planning, especially given that the NG's bulk means that it may be the only weapon on a car, but being able to throw flaming oil into the path of the enemy can be invaluable, especially if you're Kiting.


One-Shots - I’m using this as a catchall for the [[Mini|Mini Rocket]], [[Light|Light Rocket]], [[Medium|Medium Rocket]], and [[Heavy|Heavy Rocket]] Rockets and their respective Racks and Pods. A One-Shot mounted next to your primary weapon can give a low-armor opponent a serious case of the breaches. Given that you’ll need to use your driver to man it and you only have a single shot with them, you need to time your shots carefully to hit an enemy’s weak side from close range. But a well-placed rocket can shorten a duel by several turns. My personal favorite is a toss-up between a [[Light Rocket Rack]] (3 shots, triple the fun!) and a single [[Heavy Rocket]]. (Make a Big Bang!)
One-Shots - I’m using this as a catchall for the [[Mini|Mini Rocket]], [[Light|Light Rocket]], [[Medium|Medium Rocket]], and [[Heavy|Heavy Rocket]] Rockets and their respective Racks and Pods. A One-Shot mounted next to your primary weapon can give a low-armor opponent a serious case of the breaches. Given that you’ll need to use your driver to man it and you only have a single shot with them, you need to time your shots carefully to hit an enemy’s weak side from close range. But a well-placed rocket can shorten a duel by several turns. My personal favorite is a toss-up between a [[Light Rocket Rack]] (3 shots, triple the fun!) and a single [[Heavy Rocket]]. (Make a Big Bang!)
As appealing as One-Shots are, NEVER compromise your primary firepower to fit in a bigger One-Shot. Your main weapon is your cake, your One-Shot is your icing.
As appealing as One-Shots are, NEVER compromise your primary firepower to fit in a bigger One-Shot. Your main weapon is your cake, your One-Shot is your icing.
=== Sample Builds ===
{|class = "wikitable" border = "1"
! Name !! Chassis !! Engine !! CR !! Weapons !! Occupants !! Notes
|-
| [[Scimitar]]   
| [[Phoenix]] or [[Sunrise]]
|  4L
|  124 
|  Fr [[GG]]x2 
|  2 
| An impressive but fragile dogfighter. Stay away from your enemies' weapons, and get the Gatling Guns onto their flanks and rear. The guns work best at close range, especially with low-skill gangers. 
|-
| [[Chaser]]
| [[Phoenix]] or [[Sunrise]]
| 4L
| 104
| FR [[MMG]]
| 2 or 3
| This NPC Build has less firepower than the Scimitar, but offers much better ammo capacity and less recoil. The MMG will have a slightly better range than double [[Gatling]]s, and much better control. Add a driver-controlled One-Shot for extra firepower.
|-
| [[Hawk]]
| [[Vampire]]
| 3.2L V8
| 104
| FR [[MMG]] [[MRR]]
| 2
| Expensive but worth every penny. One of the most successful light dogfighters around, because it'll outrun whatever it can't outfight. Deploy in a pair for an instant hunting unit.
|-
| [[Eliminator]]
| [[Voyager]]
| 3.2L (V8 optional)
| 111
| FR 2X [[MG]] RE [[MG]]
| 2-3
| This NPC/Rental model serves as a great base for an interceptor and dogfighter. Low on firepower and fragile, but the Machine Guns give it better range and accuracy than the Scimitar.
|-
| [[Tarantula]]
| [[Voyager]]
| 3.2L
| 116
| FR [[RL]] [[GG]]
| 2
| This build can bring much needed firepower to a muscle squad. It tends to lag behind other muscles and reloads mid-fight, but it can turn the tide of battle when properly employed.
|-
| [[Panther]]
| [[Bullet]]
| 4L
| 102
| FR [[MMG]] [[MRP]]
| 2
| An excellent trader-hunter with style and flair. Save the rockets for enemy breaches, and it'll do serious damage.
|-
| [[Kestrel]]
| [[Phoenix]] or [[Sunrise]]
| 3.2L V8
| 112
| FR [[MMG]] [[MML]]
| 2
| Pricey, but extremely effective at short to medium range. The MML adds little recoil to the chassis, giving consistent handling when guns are firing. Leaves a reload each, so be careful when you decide to shoot, this build is only recommended up north.
|-
|}


== Section 2: Let’s Talk Tactics ==
== Section 2: Let’s Talk Tactics ==
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'''The Slope Turn'''
'''The Slope Turn'''


Use terrain wisely. If you need to turn around quickly, you can climb up a slope and use it to shave a turn or two off your turning time. When your front wheels are on the slope, turn your steering wheel all the way and keep it there until your front is below your back, and then start countersteering out. Be careful, as this can sometimes expose your top armor, but it's a useful trick.  
Use terrain wisely. If you need to turn around quickly, you can climb up a slope and use it to shave a turn or two off your turning time. when front wheels are on the slope, turn your steering wheel all the way and keep it there until your front is below your back, and then start countersteering out. Be careful, as this can expose your top armor, but it's a useful trick.  


'''Tactical Kiting'''
'''Tactical Kiting'''
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[[Flash]] - The Mini Muscle. With a 2L engine, it’s almost as fast as a 4L Phoenix, and it is so light and fast that it’s a joy to drive. The downside is, you have paper armor, not much of it, and you will have 40 bulk with a gunner. That’s enough for a [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]], a reload, and a Light Rocket. I wouldn’t recommend mounting anything heavier than a [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]] on this chassis, it’s very susceptible to recoil, and extremely fragile.
[[Flash]] - The Mini Muscle. With a 2L engine, it’s almost as fast as a 4L Phoenix, and it is so light and fast that it’s a joy to drive. The downside is, you have paper armor, not much of it, and you will have 40 bulk with a gunner. That’s enough for a [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]], a reload, and a Light Rocket. I wouldn’t recommend mounting anything heavier than a [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]] on this chassis, it’s very susceptible to recoil, and extremely fragile.


[[Pike]] - The [[Pike]] is the [[Sunrise]]’s bigger, nastier brother. If you think a Sunrise is too bouncy, walk straight past this baby. Fire 1 shot from a [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]] and watch this thing bounce for 4 turns. Sitting still and getting shot will leave you bouncing wildly and struggling for traction and any ability of escape. Even under MML or MG fire you may find yourself stuck for 4-5 seconds hoping it doesn't roll. All that said, it drives over the rough stuff real well (with care) and is fast. Takes some time to get used to the handling (ghost)and tends to understeer heaps into a corner (especially if you fill its huge engine bay with motor) and oversteer once it does start to turn. Once you do get used to this though and drive accordingly, she's a dream to drive and the low-speed maneuverability is amazing. Reasonable armour. - Bastiel
[[Pike]] - The [[Pike]] is the [[Sunrise]]’s bigger, nastier brother. If you think a Sunrise is too bouncy, walk straight past this baby. Fire 1 shot from a [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]] and watch this thing bounce for 4 turns. Sitting still and getting shot will leave you bouncing wildly and struggling for traction and any ability of escape. Even under MML or MG fire you may find yourself stuck for 4-5 seconds hoping it doesn't roll. All that said, it drives over the rough stuff real well (with care) and is fast. Takes some time to get used to the handling (ghost)and tends to understeer heaps into a corner (especially if you fill its huge engine bay with motor) and oversteer once it does start to turn. Once you do get used to this though and drive accordingly, shes a dream to drive and low speed maneuverability is amazing. Reasonable armour. - Bastiel


[[Flail]] - The [[Flail]] has almost sedan-like bulk available and heavy armor. Well, it's more like driving a mini SUV than a musclecar depending on how you arm it, but for a musclecar, boy does it have a lot of armor and almost as much capacity as the [[Osprey]] - FireFly
[[Flail]] - The [[Flail]] has almost sedan-like bulk available and heavy armor. Well, it's more like driving a mini SUV than a musclecar depending on how you arm it, but for a musclecar, boy does it have a lot of armor and almost as much capacity as the [[Osprey]] - FireFly


I've found the Flail a very versatile car if used properly. It's easy to look at all that bulk and armor and think of it as a 'win button.' It isn't. Make a wrong move in the Flail, and you'll be lucky to live to regret it. With a 4L under the hood, its acceleration is substandard, and it really needs a 5L or better for optimal performance. Its maneuvering isn't bad, but like a lot of sedans, its best maneuvering happens under 30 MPH. Use it like a Phoenix or Sunrise, and your Flail will die. Use it as a heavy support car to back up your lighter muscles, and it will serve you very well.
I've found the Flail a very versatile car if used properly. It's easy to look at all that bulk and armor and think of it as a 'win button.' It isn't. Make a wrong move in the Flail, and you'll be lucky to live to regret it. With a 4L under the hood, its acceleration is substandard, and it really needs a 5L or better for optimal performance. Its maneuvering isn't bad, but like a lot of sedans, its best maneuvering happens under 30 MPH. Use it like a Phoenix or sunrise, and your Flail will die. Use it as a heavy support car to back up your lighter muscles, and it will serve you very well.
 
Fully armoured up with B armour, the [[Flail]] weighs over half a tonne more than the smaller muscles, which on the upside allows you to mount some heavier weaponry, however whatever engine you mount, it's pretty slow at accelerating. Though, it doesn't stop accelerating, even when you're hitting 200mph+. With a 5LV8 under the hood (which you really need), you'll have room for a MMG/GG layout or something similiar with two reloads for the MMG, & one for the GG, which works very well if your driver has some gunnery skills. Handling wise, it's a big heavy muscle car so you can't expect much, though it doesn't do that badly. It does tend to get locked in a slide if you're running at speed trying to focus fire on a slow moving target, though the armour strength & points allows you to be a little "braver" than you would in any other muscle. Final note is that in close quarter combat, flooring the gas, leaving the handbrake on & fully turning the wheel lets' you turn 90 degrees plus in a single turn, which makes the [[Flail]] a very formidable chassis, though you really need a 5L or better otherwise it's far too slow.  -  Tez


The [[Flail]] also has a wide turning radius that should be accounted for.  With a 3.2Lv8 and a HCR or Laser it makes a good sniper.  -  Tango
The [[Flail]] also has a wide turning radius that should be accounted for.  With a 3.2Lv8 and a HCR or Laser it makes a good sniper.  -  Tango


[[Osprey]] - It has decent handling, not the best, but there are worse. The main issue is that if you get locked into a slide, it can take some turns to get back to moving straight. The main strength lies in its huge capacity, with a crew of 2 and a 3.2lv8, you still have room for 110 bulk worth of weapons, for example, a [[Heavy Car Rifle|HCR]]/[[Heavy Machine Gun|HMG]] combo works surprisingly well, but the real fun with that is that it's the most heavily armed musclecar around, and kicks the living snot out of other muscles, if you can handle the weight...  - FireFly
[[Osprey]] - It has decent handling, not the best, but there are worse. The main issue is that if you get locked into a slide, it can take some turns to get back to moving straight. The main strength lies in it's huge capacity, with a crew of 2 and a 3.2lv8, you still have room for 110 bulk worth of weapons, for example, a [[Heavy Car Rifle|HCR]]/[[Heavy Machine Gun|HMG]] combo works surprisingly well, but the real fun with that is that it's the most heavily armed musclecar around, and kicks the living snot out of other muscles, if you can handle the weight...  - FireFly


[[Roadrunner]] - It handles like a heavy Phoenix. It has the chassis strength of a [[Chomper]]. With the addition of a HUGE motor capacity, this car might fly if not for the downforce supplied by the extraordinarily large rear wing.  
[[Roadrunner]] - It handles like a heavy Phoenix. It has the chassis strength of a [[Chomper]]. With the addition of a HUGE motor capacity, this car might fly if not for the downforce supplied by the extraordinarily large rear wing.  
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Personally, after a good bit of trial and error, I have found that an [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]]/[[Machine Gun|MG]] combo works very well. An [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]]/[[Micromissile Launcher|MMLs]] combo is effective as well, but one must keep in mind the ammo limitations [[Micromissile Launcher|MML]] have.   
Personally, after a good bit of trial and error, I have found that an [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]]/[[Machine Gun|MG]] combo works very well. An [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]]/[[Micromissile Launcher|MMLs]] combo is effective as well, but one must keep in mind the ammo limitations [[Micromissile Launcher|MML]] have.   
As with any muscle car, DON'T STOP unless it's going to give you a BIG tactical advantage.  
As with any muscle car, DON'T STOP unless it's going to give you a BIG tactical advantage.  
The [[Moray]] can be a bit more forgiving in slow-speed situations than other muscle cars due to its tight turning radius, but it's best not to get INTO that situation if you don't have to. -Rev. V
The [[Moray]] can be a bit more forgiving in slow speed situations than other muscle cars due to it's tight turning radius, but it's best not to get INTO that situation if you don't have to. -Rev. V


[[Corghette]] - A dead sexy little racer - the Corghette is closest in handling to a tighter [[Vampire]] with one major difference. On rough terrain, it's entirely possible to get the Corghette stuck nose-and-tail on terrain, with none of its tires in contact with the ground. If it doesn't get stuck, it's a very responsive and deadly car, with 5 more bulk than the [[Vampire]]. Like the [[Vampire]], the Corghette shines with a 3.2LV8 under the hood. Properly handled with an eye for terrain, the Corgy will serve you very well.
[[Corghette]] - A dead sexy little racer - the Corghette is closest in handling to a tighter [[Vampire]] with one major difference. On rough terrain, it's entirely possible to get the Corghette stuck nose-and-tail on terrain, with none of its tires in contact with the ground. If it doesn't get stuck, it's a very responsive and deadly car, with 5 more bulk than the [[Vampire]]. Like the [[Vampire]], the Corghette shines with a 3.2LV8 under the hood. Properly handled with an eye for terrain, the Corgy will serve you very well.


[[Category: Guides]]
[[Category: Guides]]
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