An open letter to those who love to cap
Jun 2, 2016 18:11:27 GMT
Violet Viper x, heg82, and 2 more like this
Post by Cap'nKaitoGhost on Jun 2, 2016 18:11:27 GMT
First off, I need a disclaimer. This isn't meant to shame you. This is an honest attempt to help you improve your win rate. That being said, I am going to be blunt. I'm not trying to offend you, but instead hopefully make you acknowledge the weaknesses in your gameplay.
Secondly, I am not anti-cap. I am anti-capping at the wrong time. This may confuse some of you, but there is a difference, and I will explain it to you in a bit.
I'd like you to remember the matches you've won by capping. Most of them weren't close nailbiters, were they? Most matches that end in a cap, at least in my experience, are ones where the winning team was already winning. If you are up 10-2 and you cap with only a couple shots worth of damage/damage blocked, you did not actually contribute to your team's victory. Instead, you rode on your teammates' coat tails. They would have won, regardless of you being there or not.
On the other end of the spectrum, how often have you lost a close match after being killed while capping? One thing to remember, while you are capping, the enemy knows where you are. Most cap circles have very little cover, if any at all. While capping, you are exposed, and that is a bad thing. Not only that, but the enemy gets multiple avenues of attack, meaning there is a good chance you'll be caught in a crossfire.
Think about these things for a second. Done? Good. Now, usually the people who have the most capture points per game also have bad win rates. There are exceptions, but for the most part, this rings true. The reason for this is because they cap whenever given the opportunity, and this is a mistake. There are right and wrong times to cap. Knowing the difference between the two takes situational awareness.
Yes, you read that correctly. Attempting to capture the base can actually lose the game for you, and here is why. As previously mentioned, while capping, you are at a tactical disadvantage to whoever comes to reset you. Not only do they know where you are, but you have very little cover, and all they have to do to completely reset all of your cap points is deal any little amount of damage to you. They can splash you for 2 damage with HE and you're reset. Even module damage counts as far as I know. You cannot cap the base effectively unless you control the area around the base first. Especially in Encounter matches, sitting on the cap as soon as you reach it is often a mistake. It removes your gun and your armor/health pool from the fight to control the area. Being down just one tank could cost your team that fight. And losing that fight will usually cost you the match.
"But KaitoGhost, the game itself states that capping is the way to win.". Yes, this is partly true. It is one way to win. However, it is the least effective way to win, and should never be your primary objective. Capping does have its place in the game. It allows a weaker team to have a fair chance of beating a stronger one, as long as they play it smart. Plenty of players have gotten their Kolobanovs medals by capping out. And refusing to cap so you can chase that ELC in your Churchill VII is a great way to lose.
"But KaitoGhost, you don't want me to cap out because you are selfish and want more glory for yourself." Again, this is partly true. Yes, I want more damage, and the opportunity to earn rare medals/improve my MoE standing. Yes, that may be a little selfish on my part. But when you cap out a match that is already a sure win, you are also being selfish. You are denying your teammates their shot at those rare medals, more silver/xp, and better damage standing for their MoEs just so you can win a single ribbon and up to 100 xp more just for yourself.
Again, I'm not actually trying to talk down to any of you. This is just some honest advice coming from someone who used to be below average. I'm not Unicum, but I do win more often than I lose, and I usually give more punishment in game than I get. Take it for what you will.
Secondly, I am not anti-cap. I am anti-capping at the wrong time. This may confuse some of you, but there is a difference, and I will explain it to you in a bit.
I'd like you to remember the matches you've won by capping. Most of them weren't close nailbiters, were they? Most matches that end in a cap, at least in my experience, are ones where the winning team was already winning. If you are up 10-2 and you cap with only a couple shots worth of damage/damage blocked, you did not actually contribute to your team's victory. Instead, you rode on your teammates' coat tails. They would have won, regardless of you being there or not.
On the other end of the spectrum, how often have you lost a close match after being killed while capping? One thing to remember, while you are capping, the enemy knows where you are. Most cap circles have very little cover, if any at all. While capping, you are exposed, and that is a bad thing. Not only that, but the enemy gets multiple avenues of attack, meaning there is a good chance you'll be caught in a crossfire.
Think about these things for a second. Done? Good. Now, usually the people who have the most capture points per game also have bad win rates. There are exceptions, but for the most part, this rings true. The reason for this is because they cap whenever given the opportunity, and this is a mistake. There are right and wrong times to cap. Knowing the difference between the two takes situational awareness.
Yes, you read that correctly. Attempting to capture the base can actually lose the game for you, and here is why. As previously mentioned, while capping, you are at a tactical disadvantage to whoever comes to reset you. Not only do they know where you are, but you have very little cover, and all they have to do to completely reset all of your cap points is deal any little amount of damage to you. They can splash you for 2 damage with HE and you're reset. Even module damage counts as far as I know. You cannot cap the base effectively unless you control the area around the base first. Especially in Encounter matches, sitting on the cap as soon as you reach it is often a mistake. It removes your gun and your armor/health pool from the fight to control the area. Being down just one tank could cost your team that fight. And losing that fight will usually cost you the match.
"But KaitoGhost, the game itself states that capping is the way to win.". Yes, this is partly true. It is one way to win. However, it is the least effective way to win, and should never be your primary objective. Capping does have its place in the game. It allows a weaker team to have a fair chance of beating a stronger one, as long as they play it smart. Plenty of players have gotten their Kolobanovs medals by capping out. And refusing to cap so you can chase that ELC in your Churchill VII is a great way to lose.
"But KaitoGhost, you don't want me to cap out because you are selfish and want more glory for yourself." Again, this is partly true. Yes, I want more damage, and the opportunity to earn rare medals/improve my MoE standing. Yes, that may be a little selfish on my part. But when you cap out a match that is already a sure win, you are also being selfish. You are denying your teammates their shot at those rare medals, more silver/xp, and better damage standing for their MoEs just so you can win a single ribbon and up to 100 xp more just for yourself.
Again, I'm not actually trying to talk down to any of you. This is just some honest advice coming from someone who used to be below average. I'm not Unicum, but I do win more often than I lose, and I usually give more punishment in game than I get. Take it for what you will.
