Rant: digging a hole for your intel is DUMB

[Premier]

Hello people,
I've noticed a recent trend wherein teams dig a deep, narrow pit for their intel. Since some maps are set to spawn the intel right next to the HQ, this very often also means the HQ tent also goes in the same pit.

Now, let me tell you something about myself: I'm the guy who now and again caps the enemy intel twice in five minutes, maybe three times in ten if I'm in the mood. Without exception I do this alone, with no squads or enpromptu teamwork - and not on 10 vs 10 servers and the like. No, siree, it's with a crowd of 28-32 players around. I'll tell you the big trick of how I'm doing it: I'm doing it because the enemy has dug a hole for their intel, which is DUMB.

See, HQ and intel have a way of spawning on the surface when a map is fresh. This has a number of consequences regardng strategy and tactics:

I - Your intel is in plain view. Specifically, it's in plain view of you and your teammates. Therefore, when the enemy tries to get to it, they have to do so in plain sight, where you can shoot them dead.

II - Any defenses will be able to spot the enemy coming from a long way away. That's what "walking on the surface" does to enemy visibility, you see. This means a better chance of shooting them down. Sure, they might TRY to dig their way in, but since digging more than a couple of blocks upwards is tricky and slow, their tunnels will be just under the surface and easy to uncover. Plus, most of them can't be bothered by tunneling, so they'll keep to the green sward under God's blue sky and your scope.

As a corollary, II/b - The enemy will have to run with your intel in plain view. Bang-bang.

III - Your intel will be in your sight all the time. Players tend to respawn in the relative vicinity of the HQ, and they can't help but cast a glance at your intel as they rush towards the frontlines. "Yup, it's still there. All's well with the world."



Now, what happens when you dig a hole for your intel (and HQ)?

I - The intel will no longer be in your sight. When's the last you YOU have spent an hour sitting around in the intel hole, going nowhere, doing nothing, on the off chance that the enemy tunnels into it? Well, your teammates have never done that, either, and they're not doing it now.

Corollary: I/b - The intel will still be in the enemy's sight.. Intel icon on the map. Duh.

II - You won't see the enemy coming. Since it's underground now, the enemy will have no choice but to dig for it. Which means they'll have 100% cover. Neither your snipers, nor your Autist builders, nor even the freshly respawned will see them. At all. Not even when they're right next to it and taking a cigarette break and a nice glass of champagne before the grab.

III - You won't see the enemy going, either. Assume you've noticed the "Deuce has the Green Intel" note. Assume you've been standing withing 10 seconds of reaching the pit and jumped down. By then, the enemy has walled up their tunnel and are busy running home. And you have no idea which way they went. The tunnel might be to the north, the east, the south or the west, and by the time you dig into all walls of your intel pit, they're way out of range. If they have a clue, they'll wall up their tunnel with a two-block wall, so not even digging around will tell you the direction. And you've no idea where the tunnel exit is, either, so no intercepting them there.

IV - By now, newbie players probably don't even realise that the HQ heals and rearms you, I guess. Since the HQ is typically down there in the pit keeping the intel some company, nobody ever goes there to heal and rearm anymore. Can't blame them, since getting out is such a bloody pain it's simpler - and quicker - to just get yourself killed and respawn with full health and ammo. Seriously, putting your HQ beyond easy reach is dumb in itself, regardless of intel shenanigans.


So all I want to say, guys - keep up the good work. Keep digging that intel underground. Keep giving me free, both-eyes-closed, one-arm-tied-behind-my-back captures.

[BrosephRadson]

Amen

[arti]

deal with it

[Tai]

IV - By now, newbie players probably don't even realise that the HQ heals and rearms you, I guess. Since the HQ is typically down there in the pit keeping the intel some company, nobody ever goes there to heal and rearm anymore. Can't blame them, since getting out is such a bloody pain it's simpler - and quicker - to just get yourself killed and respawn with full health and ammo. Seriously, putting your HQ beyond easy reach is dumb in itself, regardless of intel shenanigans.

I've got to say, I've seen some pretty good mechanisms for burying intel (the shooting range, the pit-o-death), so I can't really comment on that, but I have to agree with you; nothing annoys me more than the HQ not being at ground level. As far as I'm concerned, people who bury it are griefers, and people who put it on towers are playing for the other team.

[arti]

Sometimes I dig the enemy tent down to the bottom of the map and sit down there shooting anybody who tries to bring it back up.

[mman789]

Agreed. Whats even stupider is people burying the tents in TC.

[Anomalous]

Gotta make a tower for it. Only good intel strategy.

[Gorman]

Gotta make a tower for it. Only good intel strategy.

That tower doesn't even need me to spend my whole SMG clip to get the intel down.

Use 2x2 pillars instead of 1x1

[IrishElf]

All of my THIS.

It drives me mad when deuces/griefers bury intel/tent miles underground. I mean seriously, how can you not see that "Hurr, intel where it's impossible to guard against attack correctly is bad."

[Spartan094]

The only time this works is if you can trick the enemy by putting many bogus intel markers (by using colored blocks) all around you spawn INCLUDING above your intel. This is a gutsy move, but may give you some bonus time to get some work done. Once it's obvious that they know where it is, move it above ground.

[TheGeekZeke101]

This is the best, well known ways of guarding your intel.

-You can hear digging (Enemies coming closer)

-Fall damage (They take damage taking such a fall. Easier to kill)

-Long holes (Harder coming out)

-Traps (Eyeing intel waiting for an enemy)

#1: It's really easy to hear digging. Gosh, you could hear it from all directions in a decent radius. If the enemy is really timid in getting the intel they're go their way to digging around. You'll then have a sense of their area.

#2: If your enemies aren't the brightest they might fall down the long, treacherous hole. That will easily take away atleast a fourth of their health. You'll have an advantage.

#3: These were so popular because of the sneaky traps people made. If you make a 3v3, 4v4 intel area you could make a small, unnoticeable tunnel off to the side. Once you hear then whether it's them digging, taking damage, or walking you'll be prepared.

If the area is being unoccupied by allies just build a structure underneath the intel that will raise it. Easiest way to stop these.

You should also check yourself before you wreck yourself. That or get your information from someone else other than that Duece, because the intel does not spawn at the capture point.

[Premier]

You should also check yourself before you wreck yourself. That or get your information from someone else other than that Duece, because the intel does not spawn at the capture point.

Not on gen maps. But I've seen many games on handcrafted maps where the intel spawned either real close or right on top of it.