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The simplest way to improve your play is to always ask yourself the following questions

Rule 1: THINK
As long as you are THINKING and not just rushing out, you will improve. I'd rather a player have an educated failure than an uneducated success, educated failures aren't repeated, neither are uneducated successes.


Here are a few questions to ask yourself when you play

During initial deployment:

BEFORE you go:
On what grounds are you deploying there?
e.g. In a US medium: I'm deploying to the hill to make use of gun depression, or in a 263 I'm deploying to the plains to gain distance on the enemy, or in a VKDB I'm deploying to the city where I can play a flanking game.

What is the key imbalance you possess over the enemy team?
e.g. In a US medium, I'm deploying to the hill because my direct counterpart is a Lorraine who can't depress on me, or in a 263 I'm deploying to the plains because my enemy is an E-100, or in a VKDB I'm deploying to the city where I can neutralize the advantages of the enemy Tiger.

In play :
What's happening now, what should I do if X happens?
"If our east flank collapsed, there would be an opportunity to flank in behind the enemy from the center hill."

What is the position I would LOVE to see?
"If the enemy M103 pushed up further, he'd be grossly overextended. Right now it's costless for me to retreat (i.e. I don't have to take a hit), so I should give the enemy ample room to overextend and make a potentially fatal mistake, if worst comes to worst, I can easily get back into position"

In the middlegame:
What is your game plan?
Are you playing to achieve a positional advantage over the enemy to win in the long run (e.g. getting into a key flanking position), or are you trying to take advantage of the enemy forces having fully deployed yet?

Is your advantage a dynamic or a static one?

1. Your north flank has won before the enemy south flank has won.

This is a dynamic advantage, it's only a matter of time before the enemy breaks through in the south and the game is all even if you don't do anything. To take advantage of this, you want to push their base, flank the enemy, go back to help, do ANYTHING except sit back. In general, you want to speed up the tempo of the game to make use of the momentum your team has.

Dynamic advantages fade with time

2. Your team knocked out two enemy arty early, the enemy now has a single GWTiger against your three 212s.

This is a static advantage, at this point, as long as you are trading artillery volleys, you win, you can afford to play a waiting game in the standoff and let arty slowly wear the enemy down, while also remaining relatively safe from enemy arty.

Static advantages are permanent as long as you don't squander them needlessly.

Why did you choose this game plan?
Ask yourself WHY your plan was chosen, then adapt accordingly

"I'm in a T54 and the only enemy Tier 9 is an ST-I, if I get to that flank position first I can open an avenue of attack for my team."
"I'm in an AMX 90 and an enemy Pershing has just exposed himself, I should cripple him now before his backup arrives"


When you die:
Why did you die?
e.g. My E5 died because I showed my side, my ELC outran its supporting tanks, my M46 died because it took too much attrition damage from T8s

Was your death preventable?
e.g. My E5 wouldn't have died if I stayed back, my ELC should have slowed down, my M46 should have pulled back and let someone else lead.


Rule 2: Acknowledge
Man up and admit that you are responsible for your results, not others, not RNG, not MM, ask on the forums nicely and you'll find many strong players willing to help, just ask any 55+ player.

I'm a 57%er, yet I still read the forums to research on tanks I'm planning to get (T32 and IS3 theory spring to mind), I spent months learning the M48 before i even played it in a pub game.

I am disappointed by lack of beer in this guide.

+1 for you. I know that I should be doing all this, but as my stats show, I have trouble actually stopping to think about what I should do every game. I do know I'm responsible for it, though.
Edited by Misfire42, Feb 11 2013 - 15:47.

There should be direct links from ingame to the forums.  So many people would benefit from these things (myself included, thank you), but so few come to the forums.

 PTwr, on Feb 11 2013 - 15:40, said:

There is another thread about drunk tanks... I'd like to see some bacon or at least a hint that pigs are in the area and we can shoot them...  
Nice and useful post EchelonIII!

<---- feels like a baddie, barely think beyond starter

Thanks for the help. I can use all I can get. +1

IMO the single most important ability any good player has, is the ability to recognize and reflect upon one's own mistakes. IE, the ability to point a finger at themselves instead of the MM or whatever the flavor-of-the-month whine is.

90% of terribads don't have this ability.
100% of unicums do.

Says it all, doesn't it.

Very well said. +1

Thanks EchelonIII.

OK, I saw a bacon post. let me go read the OP again.  

+1
Edited by Azanthriel, Feb 11 2013 - 16:14.

I don't care how much I think, plan or try to help I am just bad.  Have some games (for me), lots of bad games.  And some down right poke me in the eye terrible games.  I think I have reached my peak and no matter what I do this is as good as I am ever going to get.  But thanks for the guide +1.

Good Post, E3 ...

A little short for your style, but in this case, I hope that you expand on it ...

Echelon - the guide is great but battle / combat effictiveness is important as well. Do damage and not take any in return, positioning to not take damage from multiple corners, peek a boo, hull down, camo'd fire support, not to let enemy lure you out of arty safe place.

Capitalizing on lemmings is tough. you know your isu and type went after that enemy type even though he had the T28 sisters supporting him. if you go your done if you stay back your team mates die and you be outnumbered.

 EchelonIII, on Feb 11 2013 - 15:36, said:

This is where the pubbies fail.

 EchelonIII, on Feb 11 2013 - 15:36, said:

Disagree.

40%ers still win 40% of the time.

 EchelonIII, on Feb 11 2013 - 15:36, said:

I feel this is the most important part many people don't get. Deniers will never improve because they think it's all luck/RNG/MM/alignment of the planets.

I'm working on (slowly) improving myself, and I know situational awareness is my biggest weakness. Once I got that figured out, I should start doing better more consistently.

Quote

I'm awful in every tank I play, I acknowledge that!

Thank You very much for your knowledge and wisdom, ole great wise tanker! I shall go forth and dispatch mine enemies utilizing your guide!

A humbled tanker

The fundamental essence of life is evolution. Its measure is extinction.

TL;DR:  Try crap. If it works, keep doing it. If you die, try something else.

good read. good tips.

 Garbad, on Feb 11 2013 - 17:13, said:

for once i agree with you.
Edited by hotshot75, Feb 11 2013 - 17:19.