Editing Fifth's Muscle Manual
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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 | 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]] | ||
*[[Vampire]] | *[[Vampire]] | ||
*[[Pike]] | *[[Pike]] | ||
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*[[Corghette]] | *[[Corghette]] | ||
All of these, other than the Flash | 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. | ||
=== | === Setting Up === | ||
'''Engine''' | '''Engine''' | ||
In general, you want at least a 4L engine or a 3.2LV8. A full-sized muscle with a 3.2L engine isn’t a muscle at all, it’s a coffin | In general, you want at least a 4L engine or a 3.2LV8. A full-sized muscle with a 3.2L engine isn’t a muscle at all, it’s a coffin. | ||
'''Armor''' | '''Armor''' | ||
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'''Crew''' | '''Crew''' | ||
Driver and gunner. Putting in 2 gunners takes up too much valuable space. Your driver should have at least 20 skill, but 40 is really preferred. With more driving skill, you’ll accelerate faster and you’ll be more stable. Your gunner should have at least some Gunnery skill, but muscles are a good way to train gunners | Driver and gunner. Putting in 2 gunners takes up too much valuable space. Your driver should have at least 20 skill, but 40 is really preferred. With more driving skill, you’ll accelerate faster and you’ll be more stable. Your gunner should have at least some Gunnery skill, but muscles are a good way to train gunners. | ||
'''Weapons''' | '''Weapons''' | ||
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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. | ||
[[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 | [[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 | [[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, 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. | ||
[[Heavy Machine Gun]] - One of the heaviest weapons available to muscles, the HMG should be deployed with care. Its recoil is hard enough to seriously affect your handling, and its 40 bulk will generally limit you to a single reload. On the other hand, its sheer power and ammo capacity can sometimes outweigh its bulk | [[Heavy Machine Gun]] - One of the heaviest weapons available to muscles, the HMG should be deployed with care. Its recoil is hard enough to seriously affect your handling, and its 40 bulk will generally limit you to a single reload. On the other hand, its sheer power and ammo capacity can sometimes outweigh its bulk. | ||
[[Rocket Launcher]] - The Rocket Launcher is a sledgehammer of muscle weapons. Peeling 3 or 4 off an enemy with a single hit is very tempting, to say the least. But the 10-round clip means you’ll be reloading mid-fight, and you generally will only have room for a single reload. Having only 20 rounds of fire means you have to hit Every. Single. Time. Also, the large blast radius can make a lot of problems for you in a tight, up-close fight | [[Rocket Launcher]] - The Rocket Launcher is a sledgehammer of muscle weapons. Peeling 3 or 4 off an enemy with a single hit is very tempting, to say the least. But the 10-round clip means you’ll be reloading mid-fight, and you generally will only have room for a single reload. Having only 20 rounds of fire means you have to hit Every. Single. Time. Also, the large blast radius can make a lot of problems for you in a tight, up-close fight. | ||
[[Heavy Gatling Gun]] - Rare and powerful, the HGG is better mounted on an SUV than a muscle. Its fierce recoil will throw you all over the place. | [[Heavy Gatling Gun]] - Rare and powerful, the HGG is better mounted on an SUV than a muscle. Its fierce recoil will throw you all over the place. | ||
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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. | ||
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. | ||
== 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 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. | |||
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. | |||
'''Tactical Kiting''' | '''Tactical Kiting''' | ||
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[[Sunrise]] - The [[Phoenix]]’s twin. The [[Sunrise]] and [[Phoenix]] are identical in the garage, with identical armor, engine, and bulk characteristics. But out in the wild, the Sunrise is quite different from its sibling. The Sunrise tends to handle differently, softer and with a pronounced drift. After turning at high speed, it’s not uncommon to drift on your original course for several turns. The Sunrise demands planning four or five turns ahead. For all its faults, the [[Sunrise]] is marginally faster than the Phoenix and tends to lose less armor to terrain. | [[Sunrise]] - The [[Phoenix]]’s twin. The [[Sunrise]] and [[Phoenix]] are identical in the garage, with identical armor, engine, and bulk characteristics. But out in the wild, the Sunrise is quite different from its sibling. The Sunrise tends to handle differently, softer and with a pronounced drift. After turning at high speed, it’s not uncommon to drift on your original course for several turns. The Sunrise demands planning four or five turns ahead. For all its faults, the [[Sunrise]] is marginally faster than the Phoenix and tends to lose less armor to terrain. | ||
[[Vampire]] - It’s easy to see the rental [[Desert Striker]] as representative of the Vampire, even to take it for a spin, but the rental’s Standard Tyres cripple the Striker’s beautiful possiblities. The Vampire drives like a [[Phoenix]] on steroids, but the increased responsiveness comes at the cost of 10 bulk. The [[Desert Striker]] build is almost overgunned, because with the [[Heavy Machine Gun|HMG]], you don’t have room for a single reload with a gunner. Switching the HMG for an [[Medium Machine Gun|MMG]], you make one of the best combat cars in Evan, because then you can fit in a gunner, a reload and a [[Light Rocket]]. This build is one I’ve used to solo-kill [[Poltergeist|Poltergeists]] and [[Mutant Bomber|Mutant Bombers]], and once scored three kills in a single scout. Never, ever underestimate the Vampire. The Vampire truly shines with a 3.2 v8 under the hood. | |||
[[Vampire]] - It’s easy to see the rental [[Desert Striker]] as representative of the Vampire, even to take it for a spin, but the rental’s Standard Tyres cripple the Striker’s beautiful | |||
On the other hand, the Vampire seems to be a bit more fragile than the [[Phoenix]], so use it with care. | On the other hand, the Vampire seems to be a bit more fragile than the [[Phoenix]], so use it with care. | ||
[[Bullet]] - It’s easy to dismiss the Bullet as a Redneck Racer, since it is a Ford Fusion, the NASCAR car. But I’ve found the Bullet to be a surprisingly flexible hunter on the battlefield. It’s a fair sight faster than either the [[Phoenix]] or the [[Sunrise]], and very maneuverable. With a good driver, I feel like my Bullet is reading my mind, like it’ll do precisely what I ask it to, with a minimum of drifting. Low bulk is certainly an issue, but with a [[Medium Machine Gun]] and a [[Mini Rocket Pod]] or a [[Light Rocket]], the Bullet is a nasty little predator | [[Bullet]] - It’s easy to dismiss the Bullet as a Redneck Racer, since it is a Ford Fusion, the NASCAR car. But I’ve found the Bullet to be a surprisingly flexible hunter on the battlefield. It’s a fair sight faster than either the [[Phoenix]] or the [[Sunrise]], and very maneuverable. With a good driver, I feel like my Bullet is reading my mind, like it’ll do precisely what I ask it to, with a minimum of drifting. Low bulk is certainly an issue, but with a [[Medium Machine Gun]] and a [[Mini Rocket Pod]] or a [[Light Rocket]], the Bullet is a nasty little predator. | ||
[[Buccaneer]] - The Bucky is one of the larger muscle cars, but it also has a slightly lower armor value. On the other hand, being able to fit a 5L engine, a MMG, and a gunner in makes it SPEEDY. Or you can fit in a 4L and free up 20 bulk for reloads, One-Shots, or even a secondary Gatling for your driver. I’ve seen a few people mount an [[Anti-Tank Gun]] in a Buccaneer, but that takes it out of the Muscle category and places it into a Sedan class, tactically, because there is NO WAY you can maintain speed and control while firing an ATG. | [[Buccaneer]] - The Bucky is one of the larger muscle cars, but it also has a slightly lower armor value. On the other hand, being able to fit a 5L engine, a MMG, and a gunner in makes it SPEEDY. Or you can fit in a 4L and free up 20 bulk for reloads, One-Shots, or even a secondary Gatling for your driver. I’ve seen a few people mount an [[Anti-Tank Gun]] in a Buccaneer, but that takes it out of the Muscle category and places it into a Sedan class, tactically, because there is NO WAY you can maintain speed and control while firing an ATG. | ||
[[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 | [[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. | ||
[[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]]... and thats about it. - FireFly | |||
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 | [[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 | 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]] |