SPS (Scrambler Panic Syndrome): Are you a sufferer?

timcoffman · (This post was last modified: 07-13-2012 01:58 AM by timcoffman.)

Are you like me? Do you panic when you realize your opponent had fielded a Scrambler?

My experience so far has been: if my opponent's Scrambler turns even one of my units, that is a good predictor for I'm going to lose.

My strategy for fighting the Feedback is this: Sacrifice almost anything to kill the Scrambler as soon as you know it's there. Even if you think it might be there.

Kamikaze28 · (This post was last modified: 07-13-2012 12:30 AM by Kamikaze28.)

Steps to fight a Scrambler:

Know where it is.
Retreat any units in its range.
Prepare an ambush. Your best bet are two Runners or an already deployed Bombshell.

Note: these steps will not help you if the map looks like this.

timcoffman · 07-13-2012, 12:43 AM

(07-13-2012 12:29 AM)Kamikaze28 Wrote:
Know where it is.

(07-13-2012 12:29 AM)Kamikaze28 Wrote:
Retreat any units in its range.

3 hex radius

(07-13-2012 12:29 AM)Kamikaze28 Wrote:
Prepare an ambush. Your best bet are two Runners or an already deployed Bombshell.

I may I need to buy the Feedback just to see if the Scrambler is as devastating as I think it is. Let my opponents panic. Smile

Kamikaze28 · 07-13-2012, 12:52 AM

(07-13-2012 12:43 AM)timcoffman Wrote:

(07-13-2012 12:29 AM)Kamikaze28 Wrote:
Know where it is.

OK, this is always a good idea, right? Maintain effective surveillance.

(07-13-2012 12:29 AM)Kamikaze28 Wrote:
Retreat any units in its range.

This is the "panic" part.

All my units are equally susceptible to the Scrambler power. The other teams' super units still apply damage (the Mobi, indirectly) which is effective in proportion to the targets health. My stronger units can face a Mobi or Bombshell better than my others. Against the Scrambler, however, all units must retreat- the risk is too great if any of them gets taken, and their health doesn't help at all. The Scrambler creates a no-go zone with a 3 hex radius.

(07-13-2012 12:29 AM)Kamikaze28 Wrote:
Prepare an ambush. Your best bet are two Runners or an already deployed Bombshell.

You mean 3 (buffed) or 4 (unbuffed) Runners, right? Since no one would deploy an un-buffed Scrambler, and step one after turning your Runner is to kill one of the remaining runners. Perhaps I do not understand your "ambush" concept fully.

A Bombshell? Doesn't my opponent already know where that is? See step 1.

I may I need to buy the Feedback just to see if the Scrambler is as devastating as I think it is. Let my opponents panic.

A Scrambler has 1 or 2 HP, so one or two prepared Runners can take it out. Runners are your only choice for a unit that can see/attack the Scrambler before your enemy is likely to see/attack/brainwash them. And by ambush I mean a prepared unit placement which tricks the other player into moving his Scrambler in such a way that you can take it out. 2 Runners will do enough damage to destroy a buffed Scrambler. However, experienced players will not be fooled so easily.
I wouldn't call a coordinated retreat 'panic'. It really is the smart thing to do considering the alternative of having your army taken over. And you are perfectly right in assessing that the space where a Scrambler can move and brainwash a unit of yours is a no-go zone.

The Scrambler is a fearsome unit in the hands of a capable player, just like with Mobi and Bombshell.

timcoffman · 07-13-2012, 12:56 AM

(07-13-2012 12:52 AM)Kamikaze28 Wrote: The Scrambler is a fearsome unit in the hands of a capable player, just like with Mobi and Bombshell.

I look forward to seeing the win/loss statistics across teams. Unless I'm underestimating the capabilities of Mobi and Bombshell (certainly possible) or overestimating the Scrambler (also possible), the Scrambler is the most powerful of the three.

I realize there's no guarantee of learning those statistics, but it would be nice.

ArtNJ · (This post was last modified: 07-13-2012 01:29 AM by ArtNJ.)

Scrambler can break defensive positions with relative ease. I win a LOT of games on Sharkfood this way when going first, because it seems like a very safe yet effective way to play. Build a strong wall in the mid-field -- crush p2 if he dares to fight for the middle. If he plays defensively, and he often does with my strategy, I hide a buffed scrambler behind the wall of units and use it in a coordinated attack which always seems to win.

I find it much, much harder to use scrambler on defense, and lost one game through a failed attempt. However, I did lose one game to a defensive scrambler...missed the warning signs.

MrUseless · 07-13-2012, 03:41 PM

Art, I don't suppose you have a replay of any of those you could post?

Demog · 07-13-2012, 03:55 PM

(07-13-2012 12:43 AM)timcoffman Wrote: I may I need to buy the Feedback just to see if the Scrambler is as devastating as I think it is. Let my opponents panic.

It's surely not as devastating as you seem to think it is. No more so than the other special units. And you should buy the Uber Pack for sure, to support OML. Smile

Usually you can tell when an opponent has made a special unit, even if you haven't seen it yet. Here's a simple game involving a scrambler near the end. I was actually caught a bit by surprise w/ this one. Anyway you can see how it turned out.

**QuantumApocalypse** · 07-13-2012, 04:18 PM

OK, scrambler:

Keep your powerful units away, and probably out of reach. Keep something like a runner to track the scrambler's progress. You could also leave one of these as bait, but that mightn't be too good if you have weaker units around.

Ambush is the best. Nothing better than a scrambler moving forward to find empty space in front of it leaving it vulnerable and useless.

pookywb · 07-13-2012, 04:24 PM

(07-13-2012 03:55 PM)Demog Wrote: Usually you can tell when an opponent has made a special unit, even if you haven't seen it yet.

How? What are the warning signs?