TOE

The Tour of Egypt Playing Guide...Its long but comprehensive tongue.gif Please, no ToE hate spam--if you dont like it please don't respond; this is merely meant to help ToE noobs. Also, if anyone has questions about anything, please do ask. For you veteran players, if you wish to do so, feel free to share with us some of your strategies or other insight regarding ToE.

I. INTRODUCTION/OVERVIEW

Like so many others, I feel especially drawn to the very unique and very dynamic map known as Tour of Egypt. Don't get me wrong, I know I am very capable of playing other maps and playing without crates however I can't put my finger on why I am so attached to this map and why I feel such a need to play it so much.

This guide was written because although ToE can be a very fun map to play, many new players are never given a chance because of the knowledge required to play this map effectively and they are therefore, more often than not, turned away by hosts. If they do get the chance to play in a game, they are often harassed and belittled by the veteran ToE players and this only hinders their ability to develop the skills and strategies required to play this map to the best of their abilities. My hope is to give new players a definitive piece of writing that will give them the right mindset going into the game and help them develop the skills necessary to play the map effectively. In addition, I hope this makes the field of ToE regulars larger and more competitive than ever. The content covered in this guide implies that crates are turned on.

So what makes ToE so unique?

1. Most important of all, if crates are turned on, there is a much higher prevalence of crates on ToE compared to other maps. It is the main reason why ToE is played so differently than other maps and why it has such a cult following. Players often must rely on crates to increase the size and intensity of their army in order to stand a chance against their opponents.

2. For a six player map, ToE is quite small; I believe only Arena 33 is smaller in that regard. This makes it so that there is a stronger emphasis overall on teamwork compared to many other multiplayer maps. It also makes it so that players can advance their armies into enemy territory much quicker than they could on other six player maps.

3. Because of ToE's layout and because linked Prism Towers do absolute damage (2 connecting towers will kill ANYTHING) on this map, building defense structures is much more practical compared to a lot of other maps. Due to their often high prevalence, each team is often restricted to only advancing down certain paths as the game goes on.

4. If it's not the most versatile map, it surely is one of the most versatile maps in the game--right up there with DEFCON 6 in that respect. For example, believe it or not, ToE is a lot of fun to play without crates--another example is adjusting from teams of three down to teams of two, which also changes the dynamics of the map. By tweaking just a few settings, even though you're still playing ToE, the characteristics become much different.

RULES USED

Each host has his or her own set of rules (Yes, chicks play this map too and some of them certainly are not to be taken lightly!) If you fail to follow rules on a consistent basis, you'll start getting labelled and lambasted by other players and it could make it difficult for you to find another ToE game to play in the future. So please, respect the host's rules as your reputation is on the line in every ToE game you play; and if you don't like the rules, leave and either go to another ToE game or make your own. Below are rules you'll usually find on ToE.

1. No Rushing

On almost every ToE game with crates turned on, you'll find almost every host uses this rule. However, each host gives a different timeframe as to when you can start rushing. The whole idea of this rule is to help players build up their armies as well as acquire crucial upgrades for key units as sometimes, one team is able to get upgrades more quickly than the other. Keep in mind however, there are certain areas that can still be attacked and advanced upon even when these rules are in place; any units or buildings on a hill, cliff or valley can be attacked upon at any time as these areas are considered to be neutral. Also, sending Spy IFVs into an enemy base when this rule is in place is also not considered rushing.

2. Sell Yuri

Here's the other rule that is used by virtually every host. The reason is quite simple: By allowing Yuri buildings and units, it can make the game so overwhelmingly complicated, it creates a tendency to make games go on for much longer than normal--often resulting in stalemates since there aren't very many ToE players who know how to effectively know how to work around Yuri technology. The biggest problem is Tank Bunkers, which are stupidly powerful with elite Prisms in them, making a frontal ground assault all but impossible.

3. No Basewalking

Even though most hosts won't say it, this is an implied rule in virtually all ToE games. This is due to the fact that many players would place buildings at the bottom of cliffs such as Prism Towers and Nuclear Reactors as well as Gap Generators along with certain units, before this rule became so commonplace. This was a drawback to the player(s) being basewalked upon because it is incredibly difficult to prevent it without the right units due to how powerful Prism Towers are on this map.

4. No Mindcontrol

Very few hosts still have this rule in place; in fact, homebrew and mvc are the only two players I can think of who still use this rule. With it, players may build any Yuri unit or building that does not use mind control. As mentioned earlier, allowing Yuri in the game, even without using mindcontrol, can increase the complexity of the game and cause it to drag on longer than many players are willing to tolerate--but it can also become the most epic game you've ever played.

5. 1 vs. 1 for the Bottom Cliff

This rule has recently become so common to where it's basically a standard rule in the vast majority of ToE games. Having this rule in place means that only the bottom positions (3 and 6) are allowed to battle for complete domination over the bottom cliff. This makes it so that the other players can concentrate on building their armies without having to compromise their typical build orders and avoid being distracted from having to carry out their standard routines for the position they're playing. It also helps a lot in preventing battles for the cliff turn into stalemates and often makes these battles end more quickly so once a player establishes his or her dominance over the cliff, each player on Positions 3 and 6 can begin carrying out their standard building routines earlier in the game. Once a player establishes his or her dominance over the cliff, all players are free to either use or attack the cliff.

6. Free for All (FFA) on Bottom Cliff

Each player is allowed to help their teammate at the bottom in order to try to secure the bottom cliff. This was the norm for quite some time until the 1 vs 1 rule became so commonplace. The problem here is that there are a variety of situations that can occur which can seriously diminish the overall quality of gameplay. One example is that in many battles, a bottom player would execute a superior gameplan and quickly begin establishing dominance only to have the opposing bottom player's teammate come to bail them out yet they were unable to get help themselves. Another example is how some middle players became very skilled at coming to their bottom teammate's help very quickly but on the other hand, the opposing middle player would be too inept at trying to help and therefore, their teammate would have to retreat and would often lead to a great deal of frustration and distrust. There would also be situations where a stalemate would occur and every player would end up gathering and fighting each other at the bottom, which resulted in overall low quality gameplay and teammates blaming each other for units lost and whatnot. But not to be unbiased, if you know you have all good players in a game, allowing a FFA can be extremely fun. It's just that when a noob is on 2 or 5, it basically becomes a free win for the better team; so use discretion when implementing which hill rule you want.

7. No spying bottom positions during battle for cliff

This is another rule that has become very common and is used along with the 1 vs. 1 Rule. In very fierce battles for the bottom cliff where each player is so focused on what is going on on the cliff, it is very easy for opposing players to bring Spy IFVs to the bottom and have their Spies march right into key buildings due to many bottom players' unwillingness to make Dogs in order to save money due to the often high costs that come with battling for the cliff. Many [misguided] players regard it as very cowardly to try and spy the bottom positions while they're battling for the cliff. However, in the grand scheme of things, this rule is such nonsense when you consider that your teammates should be able to provide units and defense structures to keep Spies out of your base in order to keep you focused on battling your opponent on the cliff.

COUNTRIES TO USE

This is a list of the different countries most commonly used on ToE, where they're used and details as to how to utilize them to the fullest.

America (corner positions)

This is probably the only official map where America is so seldomly used compared to other maps. This is due to the fact that rushing is not allowed and as the game goes on, Paratroopers become virtually useless in this type of setting.

Great Britain (1 and 4, and if you want to be a hero, maybe 3 or 6)

Players on Position 1 use this country almost exclusively and it is also used very often on Position 4 and sometimes on Position 6 if the player does not intend to battle for the bottom cliff. Snipers are great for eliminating enemy Spies as well as for eliminating enemy infantry during battle when placed inside of BFs. If an opposing player spies either an Allied or Soviet Battle Lab, they come in handy for keeping Chrono Commandos and Chrono Ivans out of your team's territory.

Iraq (2, 5 primarily)

There are a number of reasons why this country is required when playing a middle position--so many, that it'd require its own section to go into full detail as to why.

Korea (3, 6 primarily is best)

When it comes to battling for the cliff, this country is used almost exclusively by the bottom positions and is almost always used on Position 3. While they're very useful for helping you take the cliff, they have other uses as well. These can also be used to eliminate Prism Towers on the enemy's hill either to keep your Miners from getting destroyed or to allow your team to advance its units down a alternate path. They can also be used to eliminate an unsuspecting opponent's BF. Many players, like myself, like to keep on the lookout for enemy Spies and then send Black Eagles after Spy IFVs as soon as I spot them. A tactic to kill campers can be to mass lets say 24 Eagles or so in order to blast through some very tough defenses, usually elite FP chops. But DO NOT build mass Eagles right off the bat ever--only when it's clear you need something powerful to burst through.

THE POSITIONS

There are three types of positions and each one has a different set of priorities as described below.

Lead/Attack Positions (1 and 6)

These positions are generally considered to be the main attacking positions under normal circumstances. These players have a responsibility to use their nearby hill to build defense structures that limit the number of ways the opposition may advance their forces. Additionally, there are situations that occur where the players on these positions are needed to help a teammate who is being overwhelmed by your opponents. Allied countries are used exclusively on these positions.

Middle/Helper Positions (2 and 5)

As the title says, these positions are there to help their teammates in whatever way possible; therefore it is required to build a large army as quickly as possible. Failing to fulfill the basic job requirements on these positions can easily place your team in serious jeopardy. These positions also get rushed upon from time to time, so you'll need to know how to defend yourself accordingly.

Defense Positions (3 and 4)

Due to their locations and the characteristics of the map, it is inevitable that you will have enemy vehicles coming your way more often than not when playing these positions. Therefore, you must learn the best possible ways to defend against and discourage such massive assaults. When you see enemy vehicles coming, call for help immediately. Some players try to rush from this position but usually when they do this, they're leaving their base wide open. If you feel the need to go rush your opponents, make sure that they're already on the defensive or make sure your teammates can cover for you, otherwise you will place your team in serious jeopardy. Allied countries are used almost exclusively on these spots. Iraq has been used successfully on these spots but more often than not, most players won't allow for it because they feel generally feel uncomfortable about it.

POSITIONS IN MORE DETAIL

Position 1

Countries: Great Britain

This spot is easily the most desired by many to play. It is also the simplest position to play once you've learned all the basics. This position is easily the least attacked upon overall due to how easy it is to defend--just place Prism Towers and Choppers along the hill, and no one will rush along the adjacent valleys unless they are able to eliminate all of your defenses first. However, even with these factors in place, a good amount of skill is often requied when attacking especially when Position 4 and 5 are well-defended. Also, there are situations that come along where you will be asked to come and help your teammates.

Build orders

Structures: Power Plant, Barracks, Ore Refinery, War Factory, Airforce, Battle Lab, Power Plant, Power Plant, Ore Refinery (optional, in back of base), Ore Purifier Defense: Gap Generator (used to shroud Barracks and War Factory), Gap Generator (Position 2's base), Gap Generator (hill), Patriot Missile, Prism Tower, Gap Generator, Prism Tower, Prism Tower, Gap Generator, Patriot Missile, Prism Tower, Gap Generator, Patriot Missile, Prism Tower spread across hill, with towers being on the edges for max range, with pats nearby. Infantry: Dogs (at least 4), Guardian GIs (8 I find is best), Snipers (5; 3 of them go into IFVs to protect teammates from Spies, other 2 for your BFs), Spies (at least 2 usually in IFVs), Chrono Legionnaire, Engineers (2 or more, place in IFVs), Rocketeers (15 or more) Vehicles: Nighthawk (optional, to pick up hill/cliff crates), Chrono Miners (4ish), IFVs (4 or more), Battle Fortresses (3 or more), Prism Tanks (9 or more), additional Prism Tanks Miscellaneous: Gap Generators for all of Positions 1 and 2--make your enemies see black! Mirage Tanks can be helpful in some cases but not terribly often

Build Pattern

With this position, you will want to build on the hill as much and as quickly as possible. However, don't place so many buildings on it to where it turns into an obstacle course. Place Prism Towers as far out as possible for maximum effectiveness but make sure they can link together. Once the gems are depleted, send your Miners to mine the ore on the hill so you will be able to build on it sooner. Place Gap Generators in your teammates' bases so opposing players cannot utilize waypoint spying or see what else your team has going on.

Position 2

Country: Iraq

Now this position is a little more complicated. For some, it seems deceivingly easy to play at first but when these players encounter certain situations, they find that it is more complex than they initially thought. For starters, many players like to try and spy this position. Second, playing this position requires that you know the basics about tank battles ("tank control" or "TC") and how to build as many tanks as quickly as possible. Also, you must be willing to help your teammates whenever you're called upon to do so. Finally, it is very important to scout around with spy planes as much as possible to see what opposing players are building and then build vehicles necessary for countering them. IMPORTANT: IF YOUR TEAMMATES ASK FOR A CERTAIN UNIT OR FOR SOME HELP, GET ON THAT ASAP!!!! You probably have no idea how important this is!

Build Orders

If NOT helping Position 3 battle for bottom cliff, use the following order: Structures: Tesla Reactor, Barracks, Ore Refinery (near TOP gems), War Factory, Ore Refinery (place close to top hill and middle ore; sell first Refinery), Radar, Ore Refinery (at back of base), Tesla Reactor, Battle Lab, Nuclear Reactor (sell a Tesla Reactor), Industrial Plant, about 5 War Factories total is a good start, more if your rich, don’t go past 8 or so. Defense: Walls, Battle Bunkers (both at the very front of the base), Flak Cannons (throughout base, don’t get crazy though) Infantry: Tesla Troopers (5-10), Desos (4 or more), Boris, Conscripts (if using Battle Bunkers) Vehicles: War Miners (3ish), Flak Tracks (1 or 2), Terror Drones (optional, 3-5), Rhinos (15 or more), Flak Tracks (15 total, 5 for each spot), Choppers (10 or more), additional Flaks, Rhinos (as many as possible) Miscellaneous: Flak Cannons (throughout base and on hill), Desos (extra, in case you need to destroy mass Choppers or mass V3s), V3 Launchers

If helping Position 3 battle for bottom cliff, use the following order: Structures: Tesla Reactor, Barracks, Ore Refinery (between TOP gems and middle ore), War Factory, Radar, Battle Lab, Nuclear Reactor, Industrial Plant, War Factories Defense: Walls, Battle Bunkers (at the very front of the base), Flak Cannon (in Position 3's base, as close to cliff as possible), additional Flak Cannons (throughout base) Infantry: Boris, Desos (4), Tesla Troopers (5) Vehicles: War Miners (4ish), Flak Tracks (2), Choppers (5 or more), Flak Tracks (4), Kirovs (1-3; strictly optional), Choppers (if Position 3 or 6 retreat from cliff, cancel immediately), Rhinos (15 or more), Flaks, Rhinos, Choppers Miscellaneous: V3 Launchers

Build Pattern

With this position, there is a wide variety of patterns that will work just fine. For starters, build out as far as possible in order to place an Ore Refinery that is close to the gems, middle ore and the ore on the hill. Make sure you don't mine any ore or gems that are below your base; Position 3 really needs these, especially when they have to battle for the bottom cliff! Place Barracks and War Factories in a way so that it's difficult for enemy Spies to get into them. If your teammate on Position 1 is lazy about building on the hill or too broke to do so, place defense structures along the bottom area of the hill until Position 1 is ready to build there--unless you get an Allied MCV, in which case you can replace the Tesla Coils with Prism Towers and then gap it. Place walls in front of your base but try and place them so that enemy Choppers on the bottom hill can't fire upon them.

Position 3 Countries: Korea There are times where playing this position proves to be very boring and monotonous but then there are other times where you'll be battling for the cliff and you must stay on your feet and be effective with quick execution. Korea is almost always used on this map due to the effectiveness Black Eagles have in helping take over the cliff. They are also great for when you spot enemy Spy IFVs before they advance into your team's territory, using them to destroy the IFVs before they can get close their target.

Build Order

Structures: (Deploy MCV immediately) Power Plant, Ore Refinery (as close to the pyramid as possible), Airforce Command, Barracks (next to the elevated terrain by the cliff), Power Plant (next to the small rock and the elevated terrain), Barracks (on cliff), Power Plant (to the right of 2nd Barracks), War Factory, Power Plant (on cliff in middle, can also place Barracks here), Battle Lab, Power Plant (on cliff, towards the right side) Defense: Patriot Missiles and Prism Towers (along cliff), Gap Generators (throughout base and on cliff), Walls (in front of pyramid, from cliff up to Position 2), additional Patriot Missiles throughout base Infantry: Dogs (3 or more), Rocketeer (optional, for scouting), Seal (on cliff), Chrono Legionnaires (2 or 3), Spies (2 or 3), Engineers (place into IFVs), Guardian GIs, Rocketeers Vehicles: Black Eagles (4), Nighthawk (optional, for picking up crates on cliff), Chrono Miners (3), IFVs (5 or more), Mirage Tanks (optional), Prism Tanks, BFs Miscellaneous: Pillboxes (on cliff, for taking out enemy buildings and infantry if battling), Tanya (on cliff), Service Depot, additional Airforce Commands and Black Eagles, additional War Factories, additional Rocketeers

Build Pattern

You'll want to branch out as much as possible towards the cliff. Some experienced players will move their MCV at the beginning and deploy it closer to cliff. However, if you want to relocate your MCV, do it quickly in order to minimize valuable time lost that is required to outbuild your opponent on Position 6. Some novice players tend to also build towards the hill but this is a big waste of money because enemy Choppers and Prism Towers will level whatever structures are too close to it. You'll only want to be concerned mostly on taking the cliff. In order to get the Barracks on the left edge of the cliff, you'll need to make sure there's a building below that elevated terrain but you'll have to place it one space up from the bottom edge of the map as well as right next to that small rock near the bottom of the cliff. When you start making Dogs, Spies, GGIs and Engineers, make sure you switch your primary Barracks to one that is not on the cliff! If you have to battle with Position 6 for the cliff, you may have to make some compromises in your build order and build pattern. If you start losing a lot of ground on the cliff, you may have to retreat entirely, like when you run out of money or if Position 6 has a considerable advantage over you with certain units, structures and/or additional ConYards; you'll have to learn when it will be necessary to retreat and at least get some of your money back.

Position 4 Countries: Great Britain Here, you can use a build similar to Position 1 and if you think Spot 1 will build Prism Towers on hill as soon as they can and try to cut you off from your very top ore, you can make 2 refineries before War Factory to ensure that you get all your ore. Then after that, your D is vital--usually a prism tower on the bump with another one back a bit to ensure 1 hit kills along with a few Pats and a line of Pillboxes, which you will want Prism Tanks behind. This serves as a decent shield from GGI BFs; then, wall up to prevent Boris from killing everything you have.

Position 5 Country: Iraq see spot 2 basically

Position 6 Countries: Korea

Build Orders

If NOT battling for bottom cliff, use this order: Structures: Power Plant, Barracks (next to hill), Refinery, Airforce, War Factory, Refinery (optional, place in back of base) Barracks (on hill), Power Plant (hill), Battle Lab, Barracks (hill), Power Plant (hill), War Factory, Power Plant, Ore Purifier Defense: (all on hill), Patriot Missile (next to second Barracks), Patriot Missile, Patriot Missile, Gap Generator, Prism Tower, Prism Tower, Prism Tower, Patriot Missile Infantry: Dogs (4), Seal (on cliff, from 2nd Barracks), Guardian GIs (9; make sure you change the primary building back to 1st Barracks), Seal, Spies, Chrono Legionnaires (2 or 3), Engineers (2, place inside IFVs), Rocketeers (15 or more) Vehicles: Chrono Miners (3), IFVs (4 or more), Grizzly Tanks (until Battle Lab is placed), Mirage Tanks (6 or more), Battle Fortresses (2 or more), Prism Tanks (12 or more)

If battling for bottom cliff, use this order: Structures: if you move MCV (not recommended): Power Plant, Barracks (next to cliff), Refinery, Airforce, Refinery (sell), Power Plant (cliff), Power Plant or Barracks (cliff), Power Plant (cliff), War Factory, Power Plant (hill), Battle Lab, Power Plant If you DON’T move: Power, Refinery, Airforce, Barracks, Power, War Factory, Power, Battle Lab, then get gap on cliff; Before you tech up, you can get 1 tower on very edge of hill and pats and Pillboxes as initial defenses, but you'll need a Gap to start building along the cliff. For this build to work, make sure you are stretching as far as possible to the left until that 2nd Power Plant is right next to the very bottom tree next to the cliff Defense: (all on cliff), Patriot Missile (next to 2nd Barracks), Patriot Missile (2, both next to 2nd Power Plant), Walls (optional, next to 3rd Power Plant), Prism Tower, Prism Tower, Patriot Missile, Prism Tower, Gap Generator, Prism Tower Infantry: Chrono Legionnaires (2), Spies, Rocketeers (15 or more) Vehicles: Nighthawk (optional, to pick up cliff crates), Chrono Miners (4ish), IFVs (4 or more), Battle Fortresses (2 or more), Prism Tanks (12 or more), IFVs (extra)

Only make a Nighthawk, Miners and IFVs from factory either until the cliff is won or if you have to retreat from it. During a cliff battle, you get a BF from a crate and if you have enough money, make four GGIs for it and pick up crates with them. If you can get the GGIs elite and FP upgrades, they can help tremendously in taking over the cliff.

Build Patterns

1. If you are not battling for bottom cliff, deploy your MCV above the pyramid and build towards the hill. Place Prism Towers and Patriot Missilies along the bottom first in order to discourage opposing players from rushing across the bottom. You'll want to build along the hill in a clockwise fashion. If Positions 4 or 5 offer to help build on hill, let them do it; it saves you money! Have them build all along the top--but if Position 5 wants to do it, make sure they have an Allied MCV. If you're absolutely cash-strapped (which seems to happen an awful lot when playing 6), ask them build on the entire hill for you.

2. If you will be battling for the bottom cliff, deploy your MCV, Power Plant and Barracks all in the same places.

II. BASIC STRATEGIES

FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT

1. Learn how to use Ctrl-Shift with vehicles that do not fire while moving (Mirage Tanks, Prism Tanks and Flak Tracks are prime examples). Use this when chasing down enemy units or advancing into shrouded areas.

2. Stay in groups! Failure to do so will likely result in disastrous rush attempts when attacking and getting run over while on the defensive.

3. Work as a team! Offense or defense, teamwork is the name of the game on ToE. If your teammates asks for something, then do it, don’t cry about how you are interrupted from massing 100 more Rhinos! If a teammate needs something, they come first!

4. Have Repair IFVs ready! When you or your teammate's vehicles take a serious beating, use these to fix them up quickly.

5. Use fodder. Miners (especially Slave Miners) and Yuri MCVs (if Yuri isn't allowed) are great for absorbing damage so your more critical vehicles don't have to. They also serve as a great distraction as well. Rocketeers should be used to make Battle Fortresses full of Guardian GI's fire into the air, which leaves them vulnerable to ground attacks but protects your ground units.

OFFENSE

1. Have a plan; don't just rush blindly into an enemy base. Unless you REALLY know what in God's name you're doing, sometimes continuous attacking will eventually wear your enemy into the ground, but beware it will likely do the same to you--high risk high reward as they say.

A. Scout as much as possible and continuously in order to avoid being ambushed and to help you determine how you'll carry out your attack.

B. Let your teammates know your plans and tell them how they can help out as well as what their role should be.

2. Know your limits!

A. You must learn when it is safe to advance into enemy territory depending on what your opponents have in place. For example, a large number of deployed elite Choppers with both firepower and armor upgrade is extremely dangerous to rush against as they will decimate your army if you try and battle them; another good example is trying to use Rhinos to advance upon elite Prism tanks.

B. If you see large numbers of elite vehicles, you'll need to do some extra planning to determine how you'll rally around them. For example, if you charge right in with infinite Rhinos you will lose to 9 elite FP Prisms; I don’t care how you do it, it wont work. Numbers most of the time will not win this map--so don’t think those 100 Rhinos of yours are awesome; they're not.

DEFENSE

1. Be prepared at all! Have the right units and defense structures in place! For example, don't start building a bunch of Mirage Tanks and Prism Towers if you see that you're going up against Prism Tanks and Rockies.

A. Scout around, mainly the middle and attack positions, to see what they're putting together and build accordingly.

B. Avoid chasing after enemy units when they start retreating towards their hill or valley; this is absolute suicide!

2. When you see them gathering up to attack, call for help ASAP! Don't try and take them on all by yourself! This is also suicide. Chances are, even if you can successfully fend off whatever comes your way, you'll lose so many units that when they bring over another group of units later on, you'll have exhausted almost your entire arsenal, you won't be able to put up much of a fight the second time around.

3. Don't start becoming complacent! Just because the defenses you have in place make your opponents very hesitant on attacking you, doesn't mean you can just kick back and relax. Eventually, they will put together the right units and devise a plan as to how to rally around whatever you have in place. So keep building and keep tweaking with what you have; make them have to work in order to beat you!

UTILIZING CRATES

If you want to play this map effectively when crates are turned on, you must learn how to utilize them properly. Sending a single unit around the map to snatch every crate you see is counter-productive and you will not win very many games by doing this--not to mention, you'll quickly alienate your teammates. On ToE, crates are used to enhance your tanks and infantry in order to make them more deadly. So read up below and learn how to use crates to their maximum potential.

1. Use the right units to pick up crates--to put it more frankly, don't deplete crates if you can help it. Don't just chase after every crate you see with something like a Chrono Legionnaire, Dog or IFV. Pick up crates with groups of infantry or tanks that will benefit substantially from upgrades provided by them. Read Section IV ("Units Used") to learn which units are the most practical to upgrade.

2. ALWAYS surround the crate first. This allows as many units as possible to get upgraded.

3. Assign numbers to groups of units. The main reason for this is so that as soon as you spot a crate and the team of units you want to pick that crate up are off the screen, you can double-tap the number key they are assigned in order to go to them and then send the team over to the crate.

4. Set fully upgraded units aside and assign them a new number as a measure to help prevent crate depletion.

5. Know which crates are yours and which ones are those of your teammate's. As a general rule, the ore generators at the edge of your side of the map serve as boundaries between each player's base. For example, if you're on Position 1, any crate that appears above the ore generator are your crates whereas the crates that appear below it belong to your teammate. Crates that appear in line with the ore generator are considered neutral and therefore, some sort of agreement between the two players should be made as to how they will be picked up. In fact, sharing can be very helpful and will foster a friendly teammate relationship. Any crates that appear on hills, cliffs and valleys are also considered neutral.

6. There are times when some units in the group don't get upgraded; there's several different examples as to how this can occur but that's not important. Whenever you have a group of units where some have different upgrades from others, you'll either want to make sure that a unit that doesn't have the required upgrades, picks up the crates (if possible) or use a miscellaneous unit, something like a Chrono Legionnaire, Flak Track, IFV, or something from a crate like a Mirage Tank or Apocalypse, etc.--anything that doesn't have any upgrades, to pick up the crate until you acquire the proper upgrades and can start setting certain units aside.

SPYING

Due to the nature of ToE games and the need to get units fully promoted as quickly as possible, spying Barracks and War Factories will make it so that your units will only need one promotion to become elite. Spying Barracks also makes it so that Rocketeers are harder to kill, making them even more effective as fodder when going into battle. Therefore, spying can provide a tremendous advantage and possibly lead to a quick and early victory if you can acquire the proper upgrades early on. Here is a list of guidelines to use whenever you try spying.

1. Spy as early as possible.

The longer the game goes on, your windows of opportunity to spy become significantly smaller and smaller and you will be forced to try spying under far less favorable conditions--or not be able to spy at all.

2. Disguise your Spies only under gaps!

If opposing players see infantry that looks either like theirs or one of their teammate's, right inside your base, this lets them know instantly that you're about to try spying them, which could place your opponents on high alert--potentially eliminating any chances you had to spy.

3. When advancing a Spy that is inside an IFV, follow these guidelines.

A. Take a quick, safe path.

The sooner your IFVs arrive at their targets, the less likely they will be noticed.

B. Try to move the IFVs around under gaps before moving into enemy territory.

This will decrease your chances of being detected early. The sooner you get spotted, the more likely your IFVs and Spies are to meet their doom rather than their destination.

C. Go for buildings with the weakest defenses.

i. Too often, I've spied buildings being guarded by only one Dog or because Sniper IFVs were not being utilized.

ii. Avoid bases with many obstacles such as walls, groups of tanks or infantry, numerous defense structures, etc. Avoid going close to defense structures as well as enemy units, especially units that are grouped together. This could cause the IFV to become weakened or get destroyed before they reach their destination, which in turn puts the Spy in serious danger.

D. Try taking a Sniper IFV or two with you.

These are great for eliminating enemy Dogs that are guarding buildings that you may be looking to spy. If you can't make Snipers, ask your teammate to put a couple of them into your empty IFVs. When doing this while the "no rush" rule is still in place, some players consider it to be cheap as they consider this to be rushing. So your best not guarding an early spy so heavily.

E. Use the waypoint trick.

With the Spy highlighted, click on the IFV and then hold the Z key (or whatever key you use for waypointing) but keep the Spy highlighted, then click on the building you wish for them to spy BEFORE they get into the IFV. If they go into the IFV before you could click the building, you'll have to deploy it and do it over again. If done correctly, when you deploy the IFV or if the IFV is destroyed, the Spy will automatically walk towards the building until he gets in. When executed properly, if no Dogs are nearby and there is little to no lag, it is very hard for opponents to kill the Spy.

4. If you have to walk your Spies into enemy buildings, follow these guidelines.

A. In order to avoid early detection, move the Spies around under gaps until you're ready to advance them into enemy territory.

B. NEVER change disguises near or inside enemy territory for ANY reason whatsoever! It's a dead giveaway--enough said.

C. Stay clear of active Miners as they will run the Spy over if you're not careful.

D. Pick clever disguises.

i. Slaves are the best units to disguise as especially if Slave Miners are in use due to the fact that Slaves are constantly moving about the map. However, if you have to use a different infantry unit to disguise as, try one of these: Conscript, Deso, GI, GGI.

ii. Avoid the following disguises at ALL costs as these will NOT fool anyone: Boris, any Chrono unit, Rocketeer, Seal, Sniper, Tanya, Yuri units.

Any other disguise is acceptable but only use them if you have no other choice. If you need to, scout an enemy base to find more suitable disguises (no pun intended).

E. If Yuri is allowed and Psychic Radars are being used and you click on a spot that is within their monitoring radius, it will pick up on it even though he's disguised as opposing infantry. In this situation, you'll want to try clicking on spots not covered by the radar until you get close to the building(s) you wish to spy.

5. Know when NOT to try spying.

A. Several players set up their bases to be virtually spy proof (i.e., long walls, walls around key buildings, numerous defense structures, etc.). In some cases, all three players have their bases set up to keep Spies out. In these situations, it is probably best to save your money and not make Spies.

B. There's a few players who will cleverly deceive you into thinking that spying their base is going to be like taking a ride on the gravy train. However, these players are VERY skilled at watching out for Spies and once they spot Spy IFVs, they will move in and stop them in their tracks.

C. If an opposing player quits, it is generally considered cowardly to try to spy since you now have a tremendous advantage over them. Not to mention, many players will quit in a situation like this if you spy them. However, later on in the game, the advantage begins to sway towards the team with 2 players because they have access to more resources--so you can try spying them after they've had the chance to build up and compensate.

ANTI-SPYING

As mentioned before, spying can give you a great deal of leverage over the opposition. However, if an opponent spies you, you could place your team in serious trouble, especially if you or your teammates don't have an army that is sufficient enough to handle elite units. Read on below to learn how to keep Spies out of your buildings and those of your teammates as well.

1. Watch for spies!

A. Be ready for them at ALL times. There should be at least one player on the team who is constantly on the lookout and ready to alert the team and place beacons as soon as a Spy or Spy IFV is spotted.

B. Just because your base as well as your teammates' bases become fully gapped doesn't mean that your opponents will suddenly stop trying to spy.

C. Whenever you spot Spy IFVs early, either in a valley or still on their side of the map, stop them in their tracks--kill them ASAP! The closer you allow them to approach your territory, the greater the likelihood that your team gets spied.

i. Gang up on them with tanks or with a Battle Fortress or use these units to guard critical buildings.

ii. Target the IFVs with planes.

iii. Have a Chrono Legionnaire stand by the building and use them to lock onto the IFV before it can be deployed; if the IFV was deployed, chrono the Spy before he gets into the building.

2. Place your Barracks and War Factories as far back as possible but not next to the edges of map--that’s where crates pop up.

Doing this makes it so that enemy Spies have to travel further in order to advance to these buildings. It should also give you more time to mobilize your tanks whenever you spot these units.

3. Create obstacles to make it more difficult for Spies, especially Spy IFVs, to advance into your base--such as long walls, defense structures, groups of tanks in front of your base, etc.

4. Make multiple Dogs, not just one or two!

A. As mentioned earlier, I've spied so many players who just put one Dog by their buildings or place Dogs so far away from the building that they becomes useless. Don't rely on just one Dog to defend your buildings. More often than not, it is too tall of a task for the Dog to patrol the entire perimeter by itself, especially with War Factories. Experienced players will park their Spy IFV on the opposite side of the building, making it impossible for the Dog to catch the Spy, especially if they used waypoints.

B. What I like to do for War Factories is to place Dogs on the sides of the building, towards the front and then place the other Dog in the back so that it is hidden from the camera. This always surprises unsuspecting players when they bring a Spy IFV over. Players who know to look for this will probably avoid going to your base to try spying.

5. Gap up as early and as much as possible.

A. This prevents opponents from using waypoints with their spies.

B. Gap up your Soviet teammate as well to prevent the same thing from happening to them.

C. Once fully gapped, it can make it very difficult for opposing players to find disguises for their Spies.

6. Beware of suspicious activity!

Some players will do something like one of the following to try and get a walking Spy (or maybe even a Spy IFV) into your buildings once fully gapped; I like to refer to this as "telegraph spying": scouting with a Rocketeer (sometimes more than one) or plane(s) and then using them to kill Dogs, killing Dogs with a Sniper placed at the bottom of a hill or using something like a tank, a Battle Fortress full of Guardian GIs or deployed Choppers to knock out a section of a wall to allow a Spy to advance into you or your team's territory. Whenever you see anything suspicious, you'll need to get your units ready and let your teammates know that there's Spies at large.

7. DON'T quit just because you get spied!

A. Quitting just because someone spied you shows other players that you have no idea what you are doing; not to mention, if you keep doing this, other players will start labelling you as a quitter and trust me, you do not want this label slapped onto you. It can make it hard for you to find another ToE game to play in the future because players who know about you will not want to play with you.

B. Don't start crying either! Keep playing and either spy them back to even the score or if you feel you have enough of an army to do it, go and kill them! But if you decide to rush, make sure it's when rushing is allowed!

C. Just becuase they now have semi-elite units doesn't necessarily mean that they'll get them fully promoted right away. I've played in some games where I've spied but I hardly picked up any promotion crates. In fact, it happens a ton; I've probably lost more games where I have spied than when I have not; SPYING DOES NOT EQUAL AUTO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

D. One of the ONLY times when this is understandable is if you get spied after one of your teammates quits and it's just two of you left yet they still have all three of their players remaining (being that they already have a considerable advantage over you)--another exception is if you get stuck with an outright noob on your team. But even so, I advise sticking it out, itll make you better in the long run. If you are at a 2v3 disadvantage, after some time, the side with 2 has the entire advantage since they have more crates and resources, which essentially equals out to 1v3. So if you manage to survive long enough, I can promise you that winning actually can be easier! LESSON: NEVER QUIT! FIGHT TO THE BITTER END! It’s a game after all--have some fun!

8. If you have a teammate who isn't quite knowledgeable on the ins and outs of spying, make the adjustments necessary to protect them from Spies. Place things like extra Dogs, Chrono Legionnaires, some tanks and Sniper IFVs in their base in order to take prevantative measures.

9. Designate other units that will be used to keep Spies out.

A. Many players who play as Great Britain will place Sniper IFVs in their teammates' bases and then when alerted with a beacon, they can get the IFV ready to snipe the Spy before they can enter the building.

B. As I've already mentioned, planes can also be very effective in killing Spies especially when detected early.

C. Have either Chrono Legionnaires or a Deso stand by the the buildings. The Legionnaire will lock onto the IFV before it can be parked by the building and deployed. With a Deso, you can deploy it when you see the IFV(s) approaching; however, make sure you keep your infantry units out of the area in order to prevent accidental desoing of your own units.

10. If you have no other choice, SELL THE BUILDING.

A. There are situations that may occur where an opposing player is still able to bring a Spy IFV right up to one of your buildings, regardless of whatever prevantative measures you've taken. In this case, selling the building is the only choice you have left in order to avoid getting spied. If you ever have to sell, it is VERY important that you do it BEFORE the Spy gets out of the IFV. If waypoints were used and the building is still standing when the Spy gets out, the Spy WILL get in even if the building is in the process of being sold.

B. DO NOT sell your Battle Lab! Let them spy it and have them waste their money on ridiculously expensive chrono units. However, if it does get spied, let your teammate know IMMEDIATELY that they need to make extra Snipers in order to keep Chrono Commandos or Chrono Ivans out of your team's territory. Selling your Battle Lab only puts you behind, especially if you're using Allies and you've already sold your Barracks and War Factory(s) in order to avoid being spied. If you can't build tech units, it's a major, major setback on this map.

III. UNITS USED

Here, I will try to explain the most effective units, upgrades necessary to use them and how to utilize them.

INFANTRY

Once fully upgraded, infantry units go into a Battle Fortress (BF). All infantry units need full promotion (elite) and Firepower upgrade before placing them into Battle Fortresses and engaging in battle. Obviously, if you have a great deal of difficulty acquiring either a promotion or firepower upgrade or if someone comes into your base and attacks before they are fully upgraded, you will need to place them into BFs, try and compensate for it and press on. Soviet players commonly do not find a BF or an Allied MCV in a crate and therefore, they must place their infantry into a teammate's BF. The descriptions below imply that the units are fully upgraded.

Allied Infantry

1. Chrono Legionnaire

These are mostly used to pick up crates in obscure places (such as on or near cliffs and hills). Inside BFs, these are used with Guardian GIs for when an enemy tank gets too close. A great use for these is to use them to force fire on buildings that are in danger of getting destroyed (see the "MISCELLANEOUS" section for more info).

2. GI

These aren't very practical nowadays as there's other infantry units that can easily take their place inside of BFs.

3. Guardian GI (GGI)

Easily the most commonly used infantry in Battle Fortresses--Battle Fortresses full of these will destroy many different vehicles almost efforlessly. However, their major flaw is that they will only attack airborne units even when ground units are close by. Be careful as many players like to try and exploit this weakness.

4. Rocketeers ("Rockies")

Due to the fact that they are airborne the entire time (unless of course they get shot down), they can't be upgraded with crates or placed inside BFs. The main use for these are to force enemy BFs full of GGIs to fire at them instead of at your ground units. They are also good for eliminating Prism Tanks and for scouting if you don't have a Spy Plane. Not to mention, you can abuse these on opponents who have little or no air defense.

5. Seal

Besides using them on the bottom cliff to pick up crates, these are only used for infantry elimination like when you just destroyed an opposing player's BF. Use them only if you can't make Snipers. Their main drawback is that they are lacking in range compared to other infantry-eliminating units.

6. Sniper

These work great with Guardian GIs inside of BFs and will eliminate enemy infantry from a safe range. With Firepower upgrade, these will even kill a fully upgraded Boris (armor included) in a single shot!

7. Tanya

Many players don't use her because of economical reasons. Three Snipers can be made for only $300 more and will eliminate infantry almost as effectively when fully upgraded.

Soviet Infantry

1. Boris

He is easily the most feared ground to ground attack unit on the map when placed inside a BF. When elite, his range is greater than that of Prism Tanks and Guardian GIs. Add on the firepower upgrade, and he can destroy most vehicles in three shots or less! When placing him inside a BF, always make sure he goes in first for maximum range.

2. Desolator (Deso)

These are used with Boris to make the Battle Fortress even more effective at eliminating enemy vehicles from long range. Some players will also put only Desos into BFs but these are only useful for eliminating vehicles like Flak Tracks, IFVs, Mirage Tanks and Prism Tanks. When in battle and the they lock onto a Miner that is being used as fodder, the BF is as good as gone.

3. Flak Trooper (miscellaneous)

These are good for eliminating planes or using if an opposing player has an enormous amount of Rocketeers. For the most part, just stick with Flak Tracks.

4. Tesla Trooper

So many players will not make these and it makes me wonder why. These guys will obliterate large groups of Rhino tanks with relative ease and will also eliminate Prism Towers that opponents may try to ambush you with.

Yuri Infantry

If Yuri is allowed, you can try using these units inside of BFs.

1. Initiate

If you're playing a corner position but don't have Soviet technology, you can use these in place of Tesla Troopers. Unlike Teslas, they don't do splash damage on infantry and vehicles but they do bring buildings down much more quickly.

2. Virus

When elite, they have even greater range than an Allied Sniper and do damage equally as well; just like its Allied counterpart, it will eliminate any infantry in just one shot with a firepower upgrade.

VEHICLES

Tanks are used to help protect your BFs and as mentioned earlier, BFs are used for upgraded infantry to inflict maximum damage upon enemy vehicles. With tanks, elite upgrade is sufficient enough. Firepower is optional and a great asset but most players are fine with just a full promotion. Armor and speed upgrades are also beneficial, especially for BFs, Prism Tanks and Choppers.

Allied Vehicles

1. Battle Fortresses (BF)

This is the most used, abused and misused unit on the battlefield in ToE. Use these for upgraded infantry.

2. Grizzly Medium Tank

Just use the ones you start out with. Their main role is for stopping enemy Spy IFVs and killing stray enemy Miners.

3. IFV

These are typically not upgraded; they are mainly used to assist your other vehicles in battles. Their most common uses on this map are for repairing other vehicles, transporting Spies and sniping.

4. Mirage Tank

Very underrated unit with optimal upgrades--with either firepower or elite upgrades, a group of these will decimate any BF if a player is foolish enough to get close to them. On the other hand, these are virtually useless against Prisms and Choppers.

5. Prism Tank

Besides the BF, this is the most important vehicle in an Allied player's arsenal. With proper execution, an elite group of these will eliminate large numbers of Rhinos as well as BFs. With Firepower upgrade as well, they are twice as deadly and are certainly not to be taken lightly; armor and speed upgrades are also very beneficial. You must be more cautious when using these as they have a few weaknesses. Avoid the following when using Prism Tanks: large groups of deployed Choppers, large numbers of elite Rhinos, a BF with two Borises inside and large numbers of Rocketeers--all of these have the capability of effectively fending off upgraded Prism Tanks.

6. Tank Destroyer (from crates)

I typically will not upgrade these as they are not very useful in this type of setting. I mostly use these for scouting or to kill enemy Miners that stray off into your team's territory.

Soviet Vehicles

1. Apocalypse (from crates)

Most players will not upgrade these due to their lack of speed and their inability to fire on the run. These are mostly used as fodder and for eliminating stray miners. Making these from your War Factory is a complete waste of time and money on this map.

2. Flak Track (Flak)

Like the IFV, these are mostly used to assist your teammates: placing them on the hill to kill planes or Rocketeers, helping your teammate take the bottom cliff (if allowed), or using them to kill Rocketeers while in battle. Some Soviet players use these to transport infantry units to crates in order to conceal them as much as possible in order to avoid having them get picked off by enemy Choppers, planes, Rocketeers or Snipers. Typically, the only time players may try to upgrade these is if an opposing player makes a ridiculous number of Rocketeers or Kirovs. With firepower upgrade, they have a much easier time taking down air units and V3 rockets.

3. Kirov Airship

This is strictly a miscellaneous unit due to its impracticality and high cost to build. Its main uses are for fodder when going into battle or for helping your teammate take over the bottom cliff. These can also be used en mass to blast through some campers.

4. Rhino Heavy Tank

For Soviet players, these are the main ground units in a majority of settings--offense and defense. They respond well to any upgrade, however most players don't bother upgrading them in the first place, which is a big mistake. A large group of Elite Rhinos can make it a miserable game for the opposition when used properly; not to mention, they are just about the only unit that really match up against elite Choppers with firepower upgrade. Just the sight of them is enough to discourage many players from attacking you. Throw in speed upgrade and they'll easily chase down and pick apart BFs or just about any other unit trying to run for cover.

5. Siege Chopper ("Chopper" or "Chops")

I typically start upgrading some of these when I see enough of my Rhinos are upgraded sufficiently enough. Once elite and equipped with Firepower upgrade, these are flat out deadly-- they'll tear just about any vehicle apart. If you use them to defend a position, keep them very close together to maximize their effectiveness. When airborne, they are also pretty lethal but keep them away from GGI BFs, large groups of Flak Tracks and bases with a lot of air defense. Be warned though, if you mass them, so will the other team and this will almost guarantee a 2 hour game once they are fully upgraded; you have been warned!

6. Terror Drone

I like to make a few of these after making War Miners to help kill Spies as well as use them to latch onto Spy IFVs if I spot one early on. Aside from that, these are strictly a miscellaneous unit.

7. Tesla Tank (from crates)

Believe it or not, this unit can be very effective when elite; additionally, speed and firepower upgrades can make them a force to be reckoned with when teamed with the right units. They work somewhat well with Rhinos but they are most effective when used with Prism Tanks.

8. V3 Launcher

This is probably one of the most misused units in the game. When playing Position 2, many players like to use these to lob missiles over to Position 6's hill. This is just a waste of time as you can still rush across the middle even with defense structures along the top part of that hill. The best uses for these are to help Position 6 take over the bottom cliff once Position 3 is established there and to help Position 1 weaken both Position 4 and 5's defenses.

9. War Miner

Now you're probably asking yourself, "What good does a freakin' miner do besides make me money?" Besides Slave Miners, these are also very good fodder. Since they can be upgraded like most other vehicles, promotion, armor and speed upgrades make them even better for fodder. However, don't upgrade them until all your other units are upgraded. When not being used to pick up ore, these can be used to kill walking Spies (and sometimes while they're mining too).

Yuri Vehicles

1. Gattling Tank (Gatt)

These are not quite as good as Flaks against V3s but still better than Rocket IFVs when trying to bring down Rocketeers but they do equally as well against planes and are more effective against Choppers and Kirovs. Just like with Flaks, players will typically only upgrade them if an opposing player makes an unusually large number of Kirovs and/or Rocketeers.

2. Magnetron (Mag)

If used properly, these can dramatically turn the tide to your favor if your opponents try to overwhelm you with powerful armies. These are especially great to use against pesky hit-and-run BFs. Always try placing either a fodder unit or a GGI BF in front whenever you try using them on enemy vehicles. They are typically not upgraded and are generally not used for attacking buildings.

3. Flying Disc (UFO)

These are generally used in large numbers as air fodder and can used in place of Rocketeers. They are also very effective at eliminating tanks that are inside of Tank Bunkers without having to take out the bunker first.

IV. OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF

1. Use beacons to point out crates that are in your teammates' base or on crates in obscure places that you might not be be able to pick up. Also, use them to point out something else you might want your teammates to see.

2. Don't place buildings at the edges of the map! Many crates appear along the edges and by having buildings at these spots make it difficult to surround crates properly. Always place buildings at least two to three spaces away from the edge.

3. If an enemy BF starts pestering you or a teammate with hit-and-run tactics, try one of these things to either buy time to counter or scare them off completely if you don't have Prism Tanks that are elite and/or have firepower upgrade.

A. Place Pillboxes or Sentry Guns as they approach and as close to them as possible; this only works on BFs with GGIs inside. If executed properly, the BF will be left vulnerable and you can move in and attack it. However, be very careful if the BF starts retreating towards a hill that is heavily fortified with enemy defenses.

B. Send Rocketeers over to make the BFs fire into the air, away from ground units; again, this only works on BFs with GGIs (as well as Flak Trooper BFs). If you wish to use tanks in order to chase the BF(s) down, bring the Rocketeers along to keep the BF firing into the air instead of at your vehicles.

C. Start making Prism Towers. Place the first tower under the gap if possible and relatively close to the front of the base but out of range of the BF. Start making another tower immediately and once the BF gets too close and the tower is ready to be deployed, place it so that the other tower links to it. If executed properly, the BF will get zapped and destroyed and they will likely lose some infantry units that were inside of it.

4. If a large number of enemy Prism Tanks approach your base, try these tactics.

A. Harass them with Rocketeers or airborne Choppers. If they also bring Flaks, this may not be very effective with Rocketeers so you will have to try something else.

B. Either you or your teammate should deploy Choppers. These are probably the best antidote to Prism Tanks besides a BF with Boris and Desos.

C. Place a Nuclear Reactor as close to the tanks as possible. Then, place something like a Miner next to the building in order to try and get them to fire at the vehicle and cause the prism beams to deflect off it and onto the reactor, causing a nuclear explosion and eliminating most if not all of their Prism Tanks if executed correctly. Keep in mind that this is typically a very last resort.

5. If you are about to get overrun by overpowering groups of units, repack your MCVs ASAP and move them to a teammate's base until your teammates can come and help secure the area.

6. The waypoint tactic that is covered in this guide for Spies can also be used for Engineers ("waypoint Engi"). If you see a building, more specifically a Construction Yard that is not very well guarded and within your reach, simply place the Engineer into a Flak or IFV, then waypoint to the building the same way you would with a Spy and then bring the vehicle over to the building and deploy right next to it; you can also try using a Nighthawk like if it's on a hill and there's minimal air defense. If you successfully capture an MCV, try repacking and bring it to your base--but it if comes under attack, you'll probably

7. When playing a middle position, certain situations will call for you to make extra Desos and use them to deploy next to a group of enemy units ("Deso bomb"). The two most common situations are when an opponent is using mass V3s and/or mass Choppers. When you or a teammate encounters such scenarios, place the Desos inside of Flaks and bring them up next to the enemy vehicles--or as close to them as possible. You may have to use fodder to avoid having the Flak(s) get destroyed prematurely, placing the Desos out of range. If done correctly, the Desos will end up adjacent or very close to the enemy vehicles and you can deploy them. This will destroy V3s and Prism Tanks almost instantly and some Choppers will also get destroyed while others will suffer significant damage. Beware though as elite Prism Tanks, elite Choppers with firepower upgrade as well as other defenses will stifle this tactic and you will have to try something else instead.

8. Chrono Legionnaires have another great use on this map; if an opposing player tries to drop bombs or use V3s on one of you or your teammate's structures, place a Chrono Legionnaire near the building and have them force fire on it before it can be attacked in order to make it invulnerable. This especially comes in handy when you're playing a bottom position and an opponent keeps trying to attack your cliff or your base as well as for the lead positions when their hill is being attacked. Just make sure to highlight the Chrono Legionnaire and press the "S" key once the building is no longer under attack.

9. In most cases prisms and bfs are the best allied attack, mix that with a lot of rhinos, flak and maybe chops and uve got a good attack, this is a generic attack that will need fine tuning for whatever u are up against. 10. In the end uve got to play to get better, but hopefully this helps so u guys have an idea of what to do, u wont get good in 1 game, but this should be plenty to ensure u aren’t called a total noob. As long as your okay u wont have to worry about being booted or anything.

Special thanks to Phatdan81 who helped A TON! With the lack of quickmatching and clan matching TOE’s popularity will likely continue until the day 0 ppl play this game.

TOE is near and dear to my heart, and many others, and we all want to see more ppl know what their doing! Good luck, and when in doubt ask your teammates what to do, they will likely know. JUST LISTEN TO THEM! If u ignore them that’s what really makes u a noob. Good Luck.