Editing Fifth's Muscle Manual (section)

== Section 2: Let’s Talk Tactics ==


=== Strategy and Combat Roles ===

Muscle tactics fall into four general areas: '''Kiting, Strafing, Dueling''' and '''Chasing'''. Which one of these you perform depends a great deal on the situation of the rest of your scout, so LISTEN to your squadmates. Clear communication can make the difference between a successful scout and a disaster.

*'''Kiting''' - Kiting is distracting the AI opponents. Run fast around them, OUTSIDE of their Line of Fire, and see who peels off to chase you. You don’t need to get the whole group’s attention, and every enemy that’s chasing you is one less that’s firing on your buddies. If none of them chase you, you can start '''Strafing''' their stragglers. If you only pull one enemy, you have a good chance to '''Duel''' it into submission, but if you have more than one, keep running until the rest of your squad is done with their portion and ready to peel them off of you. Kiting can also put you into position to '''Strafe''' stragglers or '''Clip''' artillery wagons.

*'''Strafing''' - Strafing is, in essence, attacking a group of enemies at high speed. Get your speed up -  between 60 and 80 is ideal - and pick your closest target. Take several turns to plan out your approach, and check your target’s weapon arcs carefully. A rear strike is ideal on a [[Mutant Marauder]], but not a good idea against a [[Poltergeist]]. NEVER aim straight in at your target, aim slightly to one side. Keep your speed up as you make your attack run, fire a few times, then move on to the next target. You don’t need to kill your target, just sting it. Then you can move onto the next target or break off and set up for another run.

Related to strafing is '''Clipping'''. AI cars with Grenade Launchers and Mortars can be deadly because they tend to hide behind their consorts while showering a squad with high-explosive rain. But a muscle car or two can sometimes loop behind the consorts and knock out or distract an artillery vehicle. Even if the artillery is only distracted, you've bought your teammates a moment of respite from the falling shells.

Clipping an artillery car is risky, but can be done with enough speed. Drop your speed to 40 as you start firing, concentrate your fire on one armor facing, and get your teeth in. If the target or another car seems to be turning for you, accelerate out of danger, rinse, and repeat until your target is dead.

*'''Dueling''' - This is the opposite of Strafing. You’re getting in, going in for the kill, doing it for the thrill. As the name suggests, you’re going for a single opponent, and you’re not giving up until they’re dead in the desert.

First, know your opponent. Know exactly what weapons it has, know his firing arcs, and figure out how to get your teeth into him without getting bitten. In almost every duel, you WILL be outgunned, use your maneuverability to stay out of his fire zones. Taking some fire is all right, but spread it out among your sides, but focus your fire on one or two of his facets. Watch your ammunition level, and leave your opponent lamed and burning.

*'''Chasing''' - During trader hunts, this is where the muscle shows its true strengths. While your heavier allies are hammering the cargo escorts into scrap, your job is simple: keep the cargo from getting away.

Communicate with other chasers, make sure all of the runners are covered and none get to 350 meters.

Runners are fairly dumb AIs, they run away from the closest player. You can use this to your advantage if you can get one muscle in front of the pack, they’ll turn back toward your heavies or scatter into rough terrain. Most runners have heavy rear guns, so don’t get too close. With enough carnage among the escorts, traders will demoralize, but to maximize salvage, it’s a good idea to start shooting at traders when the escort is mostly demoralized. This increases the runners’ stress level and brings them closer to demoralizing. You DON’T want to actually breach them unless you’re in serious danger, but stressing them can shorten the scout by several turns.

Of all the cargo vehicles, [[Trade Runner]]s are the sole exception - you want to kill them, or at least silence their guns. They very rarely carry good cargo, and their heavy artillery can be lethal to chasers. The best tactic for bringing a Trade Runner down is to use two cars to go at its flanks and front and kill its engine. If you can't spare a second car, use terrain to shield yourself from its guns until you can get beside it. Get your teeth into its flank, and don't let go.

'''All-Muscle Squads'''

For an all-muscle squad, forming a line like a conventional scout squad is a recipe for suicide. I've found that the best strategy revolves around breaking your force into units of 2 or 3 cars each, and each attack group picks a target to duel. Running for a time is a good way to break an opposing force up, and then the attack groups can turn on  individual enemies. Go in fast and hard, and kill the enemy as fast as possible.

=== Turn By Turn ===

Once the bullets start flying, fighting with a muscle becomes brutally simple: stay out of your enemy’s fire zones and keep your guns on your opponent. Have a working knowledge of the basic Somerset [[NPC Vehicles|NPC designs]] and what gun is on which facing. While avoiding fire is always a must, especially avoid rocket launchers, HMGs, and MMLs - the kinetic impact can badly affect your handling. Pick a target facing and pour your fire into it.

Knowing your car is especially important for muscle drivers. For your first couple outings with a chassis you’re not familiar with, take it out with a group on relatively low-risk scouts until you’re used to the handling. Alternately, load it into DW: Tactical and take it through some paces, get used to how it handles on sand and rock and asphalt.

'''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. 

'''Tactical Kiting'''

This is fancy verbiage for using your buddies as bait. Keep an eye on all your buddies - enemies who are going for your wingman can be vulnerable themselves to a sustained side or rear attack. And if an enemy is on your tail, you may be able to lure it into your allies' loving embrace, if you don't mind losing some armor in the doing.

'''A Note On The Handbrake'''

Used properly and sparingly, the handbrake can be the best medicine for a tight situation. But like all remedies, it's best used in moderation.

When you're moving at high speed in a tight turn, the handbrake can sometimes enable you to turn 180 or 270 degrees in a single turn, at the cost of a fair chunk of your speed. This can be very useful at the end of an attack run, but losing that much of your speed can be lethal. Use with caution.