Potential Youtube Channel

Hey, Fish here. I'm planning to make video guides in the future; I plan to make a Wasp video first, but if you want to make any suggestions, feel free.

I'll also upload regular gameplay, such as All vs. All matches in Mayhem mode, and a playthrough of the Campaign on hard. I might even upload some footage of similar titles, such as Star Control, Wrath Unleashed and Little Witching Mischiefs.

Sorry for the lack of updates lately; I'll try to post some more in the future. No promises, though. :<

How To Killcycle: The Basics

Hey, Fish here. Today, we'll be looking at the basic how-tos of Killcycle, the motorcyclist of death from the Teknos nation. Some basic tips and tricks will be posted, with more advanced tactics being saved for a later post.

Killcycle (Difficulty: Hard)

Who is Killcycle?

Before we begin, we should check out his Help Page;

Killcycle

These crude anarchists specialize in the pacification of peaceful, primitive species.

BATTLE

PLASMA: Energy burst delivers 10 damage

BOMBS: Detonations each do 10 damage

KAMIKAZE: Direct hit does 70 damage

STRONG vs. Brontu

WEAK vs. Magus, Angel, Mogalin

STRATEGY

COST: 80     LIFE: 50     MOVE: Flies 3

MAP POWER: Destruct     COST: 10

Explosion does 25 damage to 6 adjacent hexes.

HOME: Toxic Dump

So, what important information can we gather from this?

• Killcycle seems to be high-risk, high-reward; his damage output is immense, but requires him to get into the danger zone, somewhere most characters would rather stay out of.
• Plasma is your standard cookie-cutter projectile, bombs deal slightly more damage (and the name suggests multiple bombs are dropped) and Kamikaze sounds broken at first glance.
• A true Brontu counter; while Brontu loves getting into the danger zone too, Killcycle is the better combatant here.
• Magus is tough, Angel is tougher, and good luck beating Mogalin without some serious practice.
• He's pretty cheap, at 80 Aur a piece.
• This guy cannot be outrun; he'll chase you over mountains, over lakes, over cliffs just to get you.
• Destruct sounds amazing, as well.

How do I play him in Mayhem?

Once more, try him out against the Easy AI for a bit, then come back.

Here's what you should learn from a few practice matches with the bikie:

• Plasma is really hard to aim, unless you run into their face; and then they'll just kill you.
• The enemy always runs away from the bombs, but when you hit them, it hits HARD, due to just how many bombs it drops.
• Kamikaze kills you, as well; no such thing as a free lunch.
• Kamikaze disables teleporters (you're told so every time you use the skill)
• Kamikaze needs to charge up, making it hard to use in combat without dying.
• His skills are generally energy-expensive, forcing you to recharge a lot.
• Your energy doesn't recharge in the air. This makes life extremely difficult for Killcycle at times.
• Angel can outright burst you down to critical HP before you even get to shoot back.
• Avoiding Magus' birds is hard.
• Mogalin never stops jumping!

These points define Killcycle's ups and downs; always remain aware of these while playing him.

Here are some more subtle Killcycle facts/tactics/things to try out in a Mayhem match:

• Plasma, ironically, is your best weapon; bombs are hard to aim, and Kamikaze kills you. You'll really need to learn to juke if you want to win with this guy.
• Bombs are great for 'punching'; if you want to beat down a Firewitch, the best way is to plop every single damn bomb in her face. Practice this a bit.
• Prana cannot win against you, unless he manages to catch you with low energy; if he goes in for the tackle, use bombs. If he glued himself to you (and if you timed those bombs correctly), then Prana will be forced to take every single one, killing him almost-instantly. This makes him a hard Prana counter, in my eyes.
• Stay on their level; if you're up against Brontu, stick to the ground a bit to keep your energy in, and only take to the skies if he comes for you; if you're up against Angel, your verticality will be about half-way. If you're up against Firewitch, you'll be up in the air a lot.
• If Angel uses up his energy bar in an attack and begins to flee, pursuit. Keep pursuing, and never stop until he's dead. Just take note that as soon as his laser recharges, Angel will probably fire it back at you.
• Jump height affects Killcycle's vertical speed significantly; this is probably why they spawn on his map, Toxic Dump.
• AI not leaving you alone? Use bombs, they'll either run away or take the damage. If they run, then you can take the opportunity to recharge.
• Kamikaze does more damage if you land right on top of them (you'll probably never get your full 70 damage, unless you have a really good aim).
• Kamikaze can hit through some roofs; it's pretty hard to hide from it.

How do I play him in Strategy?

Killcycle also lacks a decent map-power; sure, 25 damage to everyone around you sounds awesome, but so did 70 damage, at the time; this power is more of a self-destruct; that's right, it kills you, too. Bummer. So unless you want to abuse his cheap price to spam 25-bombs at their team, it's really not going to see much use.

That's right, just like Razorfane, Killcycle is yet another character built for running out and picking off targets; but Killcycle is better at chasing; you just have to get good at the killing part. If Killcycle and an enemy walk into a battle, the optimum outcome is having them both dead. If you survive, then good job! It's unlikely, though, and he'll die soon-after; then you might see yourself using Destruct for some free damage.

In other words, even if you're up against Mogalin, you should be able to deal critical damage, if not kill your target; Killcycle will just often die in the process. Of course, if you're fighting Brontu or Prana, then your chances of death are much slimmer.

In conclusion,

Killcycle takes practice... lots of practice. He's not your average character, so don't treat him as one. He's a ticking time-bomb with a machine gun attached; at the end of the day, he'll have one kill to his name. Other characters can easily get more kills, but can easily get nil; Killcycle is a guaranteed kill in character form. You just gotta practice, practice, practice.

Fan-Art: =TwilitWolf's 'Skree'

Found some amazing Prana Devil fan-art right here. Prana Devil art isn't as rare as art for other characters, so expect more!

This fan-art is by =TwilitWolf. You can find his DeviantArt page here, and this artwork's page here.

Fan-Art: Petunia43's 'Mogalin Rider'

This has to be the only Mogalin Rider fan-art I can find; it lacks the Mogalin, but that's a non-issue. It's also the first art I've gotten permission to put up so far; we can only hope that others will allow me to post their fan-art as well.

This fan-art is by Petunia43. You can find her DeviantArt page here, and this artwork's page (and, therefore, a bigger version of the picture) here.

Speaking of Mogalin, I saw a very similar creature at a laser-tag shooting range somewhere (it's frighteningly similar; the only difference is a horn on the forehead); I might go there and see if I can get a picture of it sometime.

How To Razorfane: The Basics

Hey, Fish here, with my first (excluding the Glossary) Unholy Blog Post. Today, we'll be looking at the basic how-tos of Razorfane, the blade-wielding psychopath from the Teknos nation. Some basic tips and tricks will be posted, with more advanced tactics being saved for a later post.

Razorfane

Who is Razorfane?

Before we begin, we should check out his Help Page;

Razorfane

A legacy of pain and misery belongs to the Razorfanes... and they savor it.

BATTLE

BUZZSAW: Flensing discs each do 10 damage

DERVISH: Mad torso-twirl does 10 damage

BLADEWALL: Barrier cuts for 10 damage

STRONG vs. Prana Devil, Ecton

WEAK vs. Brontu, Firewitch

STRATEGY

COST: 100     LIFE: 80     MOVE: 2

MAP POWER: Bladewall     COST: 15

Only Razorfanes may enter hex for next 2 turns.

HOME: Steel Hallway

So, what important information can we gather from this?

• Razorfane is an all-round unit; the Jack of all Trades, Master of None. He's decent in all fields; tanking damage, defending bases, attacking, burst attacks, sustained damage, harass, tele-trapping, and much more.
• Every attack in his arsenal does 10 damage, but all three attacks have a very unique way of getting the job done.
• As the page says, he's a great Prana counter; he's not the best Ecton counter, but he's much better off than others, as long as he avoids the whip's powerful slow and claims the teleporters with traps first.
• Brontu and Firewitch give him a VERY hard time; dodging that charge isn't easy, and Firewitch's pokes are pretty safe from up there in the sky.
• He costs a nice, clean 100 in Strategy Mode; he's not cheap, but he's no Jaeger.
• He moves at a decent pace in Strategy Mode, letting him move about with relative ease, but he lacks the ability to outrun certain targets.
• His map power stops allies and enemies alike, making it a risky move, somewhat.

How do I play him in Mayhem?

Now, before you continue, you should try him out in a few Mayhem matches against the Easy AI; don't worry, they won't bite, unless they're Prana; and Prana should die quickly.

Here's what you should learn from a few practice matches with the Iron Man:

• Dervish is cheaper, but less spammy and much shorter in range, making it generally worse in combat.
• Buzzsaw is an amazing ranged move; its high fire rate gives him some amazing burst, or you can hold it off a bit and keep the pressure high. This is your main attack.
• Bladewall is good for teleporters and small corridors, just like in Strategy Mode.
• Bladewall also blocks projectiles completely.
• Bladewall has a set HP limit; if it takes too much damage, then it'll dissipate.
• You can only have 3 bladewalls at a time; I know you found this one for sure, since you probably tried to have infinite bladewalls on the teleporter, out of curiosity.
• Brontu is an ass, and gives no damns about your Bladewalls, Buzzsaws or Dervishes. He is your biggest counter.
• Firewitch is a Fireb*tch who never gets near enough to get hit.

These points are Razorfanes's basic principles; we need to understand these before we can get better as a Razorfane.

Here are some more subtle Razorfane facts/tactics/things to try out in a Mayhem match:

• Dervish destroys most projectiles; this is why it is less spammy and worse in combat; it's a utility move for keeping yourself safe. Experiment and see just what that chainsaw can break.
• Try Hit n' Runs with Buzzsaw; corner a foe, expend your energy meter with razor blades, and get out of there ASAP.
• Bladewall has decent knockback. This can lead to some very devastating tele-traps if one positions the three walls around a teleporter exit, with very little chance of escape.
• If Brontu gets ballsy, try jumping up and to the side of the charge, but be aware of the off-chance of landing into a Roar or Gas Cloud.
• Beware the Roar; it is your greatest weakness in Brontu's arsenal. It destroys Bladewalls, Buzzsaws and deals out a lot of damage. It's just as dangerous as the charge in its own, special way.
• Try using objects on the map that boost your jump height, or the Superjump power-up to deal with Firewitch; her only advantage over you is her height advantage, so these items can help alleviate the issue.

How do I play him in Strategy?

Unlike his allies, Razorfane's map presence is rather underwhelming; his allies can attack from afar, heal, sneak-attack, remove control of an enemy unit and over-buff, and all he gets is a wall that can be detrimental at times. It's nice for postponing an attack, but that's about it; good thing it's cheap, at 15 Aur a wall, and it lasts for quite a few turns, making it a decent investment when used on one of the rare occasions that it's actually needed.

Razorfane's real threat is the fact that he can easily kill anyone not named Brontu or Firewitch. His Prana-countering prowess lets him destroy Prana Breeding Farms, and when it comes to everyone else, his decent speed of 2 lets him keep up with them. This speed also lets him keep a good distance from the burly rhino and the nimble bit... witch, who both have to try and keep up with their 2 speed. He's a killer, made to run out and kill off important targets; considering that firewitch is usually low on your team's threat list, you don't have too much to worry about when it comes to your job. Problem is, Brontu is very high on your team's threat list, due to mining 40 Aur a turn, so you'll want to keep a check on him with someone else (Brontu's best check is, unfortunately, one of the hardest characters to learn in the game; I'll get his basics soon).

Keep practising your Razorfane skills in Mayhem, and your Strategy play should also improve, due to how he's built; he's all about Mayhem combat.

In conclusion,

Razorfane is an all-round character with heaps of potential; he's the easiest to pick up, and the hardest to master (in relation to how easy he is at first; our Brontu-countering bikie pal is much harder).

General Basics And My Guides' Metalanguage

Hey, Fish here. Before I start making actual posts, I thought I should give out some basic tips that affect most classes, and also put a Glossary here for all terms I might be using in the future. If Blogger allows it, I'll also update this page as I make up more terms in my head.

First, I'll give you some helpful tips (you might want to check up on the Glossary before you continue; it's just down below this group of bullet points):

• Everyone but Brontu can juke, and Brontu can sprint like a boss. Don't just mindlessly berserk your foe and take everything to the face, circle them while jumping to avoid enemy fire (again, unless you're Brontu; Brontu requires a lot of skill to keep safe, and I still haven't managed to master the monster rhino), then hone in on your target and attack; this makes all the difference between a decent player and a bad player, and you must learn this before you can get any better.
• Don't get cornered; this is a common trap that Razorfanes and Angels love to pull off; their attacks are very effective when their foe can't escape.
• Teleporters have two ends; the entry and the exit. These look like a circle and a cross, respectively. There's only one two-way teleporter, and it's located on Mystic Glen.
• To use a teleporter, press 'jump' while standing on the entry teleporter pad (the circle I mentioned).
• Not all maps are the same; check out every nook and cranny of each map in Mayhem mode and learn all the secrets; for example, only after a heap of practice on Juicer did I learn that Health Ankhs spawn exclusively in the centre of the map, while Energisers spawn around the edge.
• If you don't want to consciously place Field Hazards in strategic spots, just place them on teleporter exits; the bots should harm themselves when giving chase through a teleporter.
• Watch your Health and Energy; give them a glance whenever you get the chance, as they are both very important.
• Some skills require the user to aim a little by looking in their direction and being within range; the projectile should do the rest.
• To take a shot at an opponent while juking, keep juking until they run out of energy or leave a hole in their offence; when the opportunity arises, swerve in their direction, fire, and swerve back into your original direction again to continue the juke. This helps maintain pressure while keeping safe.
• Try to grab power-ups, even when you don't need them; this should starve the enemy of precious health, or an advantage they would be able to use to their advantage.
• Each map has their own set of power-ups, so you won't always chance upon an Invincibility during a match.
• Some map powers are helpful (The Hive's heal ray, Mystic Glen's hollow tree(stump) teleporter), while others are harmful (The Lab's large AA-gem, Juicer's giant ball of death). Others are somewhat subtle, but can still be helpful or harmful (Water Hole's bee hives, The Volcano's vent). As I said before, learn all about them, so that you can perform better on these maps.

Glossary

Hazard: A move that the character can use which leaves a field entity; hazards are sometimes centric to the character's success, like Tesla's Crystals, while others will find little use, like Firewitch's Firewalls. Only Dark Angel's hazard isn't detrimental to the enemy, but it makes the enemy's life harder by giving Angel some sustain.

Hug: Keep as close as possible to the enemy; some tactics require the user to hug the enemy, like punches.

Juke: Avoid damage (or the act of avoiding damage, if used as a noun); a juke is usually performed by jumping and moving perpendicular to the shot's trajectory, but there are exceptions; as long as you avoid the shot intentionally, it's a juke.

Punch: Use a ranged attack for the sole purpose of hitting them up-close; one example of a Punch is Killcycle's bombs, which are usually used from far above; his best defence against a brave firewitch (due to her great juking powers) is to hug her with the nose of his bike and release the bombs, dealing heavy damage to her; it's risky, but the payoff can be worth it.

Tank [damage]: Take damage for the purpose of moving in and dealing more damage than your opponent; performed only when a juke fails. Best performed by Brontu and Jaeger, two beefy units that are devastating at close range; Brontu more so, since he lacks the ability to juke without expending energy.

Tele-Trap: Leave a hazard on a teleporter exit. This only really works with hazards like Razorfane's Bladewall and Ecton's Trap, but the fact that it will at least deny access to that teleporter means that it's a very effective strategy; always keep an eye out for these dangerous tricks.

So, consider this my introductory post on my guides; my first post will be coming along soon. I'll (hopefully) edit this as I make more terms, to simplify this guide for all of us, so keep an eye out for new words.