This is the Drone-Boat I’ve had for the longest. It’s almost always fun, usually does well, and occasionally I can get an MVP with it…
Maybe, I could do better if I turned down the silly a little, but whatever. The method is what’s relevant, and that is to be fully engaged with the enemy, fast and agile. Poop and scoot doesn’t work for me. The drones get lost, get destroyed, and then I get hunted down and crushed.
What does work for me is strategically timed drone-drops, coupled with aggressive passive-melee attacks, and the understanding that I’m a support vehicle.
I focus a lot on helping team-mates that are engaged, and possibly overwhelmed with the enemy. I hit and run, hoping to knock some tires off, free pinned team-mates, and plant my Drones. Either the enemy will turn his attention to me, and the chase is on, and that guy he was attacking is free to lay down some fire while I sponge the enemy’s fire (it’s necessarily a health brick), or I circle back and keep knocking the hell out of the kid’s wheels with aggressive hit and run passive-melee attacks.
Meanwhile the drones are doing their thing, and my close proximity to the enemy target (due to applied melee attacks) allows my daft wheeled drones to be able to find and focus on the target, rather than stare at walls or hunt for me like it’s lost. They sort of have ADS, because their A.I. and range sucks a little. The passive melee attack is very important for helping the wheeled drones know what their target is better.
I’m not using a stealth module. As a health brick tasked with sponging fire, I sort of need to be seen as a distraction from both my team-mates as a support vehicle, and from my vulnerable drones. Also, I’m using a combination of drones rather than a uniform group. I’ve got an Anaconda, Grenadier, and a Fuze in there, all assigned separate launch keys. This allows me a little more available strategy and flexibility for all the various situations that may occur. Strategy is important, and hanging back to read the field a little before you dive in is almost crucial.
I more often pick friendly targets that appear confident to assist as a support vehicle, rather than picking out enemy targets myself that might look vulnerable. That’s how I generally pick my targets; I don’t. My team-mates will. It’s important not to block your team-mate’s shots here, and be mindful of friendlies behind you trying to make difficult cannon shots and stuff. Understanding you’re a support vehicle, I think is important.
Going one on one with the enemy is a terrible strategy, IMO, and I think if you try that you will need to use the popular poop and scoot, stealth method. I don’t have much luck with that.
That build could probably use better melee, better wheels, and a stronger frame, but it works for me.
For me the features that make a good drone boat are speed, durability, and strong passive melee. Also, it’s important to briefly study the map at the beginning of the match, and then play my part as a support vehicle. Leave no man behind.
The speed nerf has made this strategy very difficult, and I don’t know how a heavy slow-boat will work…unless it’s flying.
