Sunday, June 1, 2014

PROScout Tutorials: Passive Spotting

Source: http://forum.worldoftanks.com/index.php?/topic/359366-proscout-tutorials-passive-spotting/

As we have seen, Scouts assume different primary and secondary roles as battles progress.  This tutorial sub-series will discuss the role most commonly associated to Scout play:  spotting.
Spotting is the act of exposing enemy tanks; an act known in World of Tanks (WOT) as “lighting tanks up”.  There are 4 types of spotting; the 2 most common are called Passive and Active spotting.  The 3rd is Peek-a-View spotting and the 4th is Proxy spotting. The goal of all 4 types of spotting is the same: light up enemy tanks.

Before we look at the different types of spotting further, let’s look at why Scouts spot.  Understanding why Scouts spot may help some of you non-Scouts or new Scouts overcome some of the Myths of Scouting.
Scouts spot for 2 basic reasons:

1: Gain intel for the team.
2:  Allow allied tanks to fire on the tanks which are lit up

Note the order I list those in.  I didn’t list them in order of importance to wins; rather, I listed them in the order which they are frequently employed during battle.

Especially with Active Spotting early in the battle, the Scout seeks to light up enemy tanks for intel reasons.  Based on what he discovers about the enemy team’s deployment, his team can then adjust and adapt their own deployment.  A Scout seeking to gain such intel CAN NOT wait for friendly Arty or TDs to set up before making the spotting run.   It is normally imperative for the Scout to get to a prime spotting location as fast as possible so he can monitor the enemy deployment.  Once Arty and other tanks are in position and ready to fire, he can usually make additional runs with the goal of lighting up tanks so allies can shoot them.  Understand the differences in his goals and don’t whine at him for spotting before anyone was ready.  His goal was not to set you up to shoot – it as to get information his team could use.

No matter which goal he has, he uses the same types of spotting techniques to achieve positive results:  Passive, Active,  Peek-a-View or Proxy spotting.

PASSIVE SPOTTING

Passive Spotting is the style most commonly used in the game today.   Shot accuracy has been buffed to the point Suicide runs are no longer successful often enough to make them worthwhile.  Most maps do not favor Half Court spotting.  As a result, the benefits of covert spotting using passive techniques are favored on most maps by most Scouts.

Passive Spotting is a bit of a misnomer as Covert Spotting is more accurate (I prefer to call it “Ninja” Spotting).  Passive means not actively taking a part in or not reacting to an action.  Covert means secret, hidden, unseen.    As we will see, Passive Spotting does require action on the Scout’s part, but the Scout desires to remain unseen  throughout.  Despite Covert or Ninja being the better term, Passive is so ingrained in the psyche of WOT tankers, we stick with that term.  But, whenever you hear the term “Passive Spotting”, think “hidden”; it will keep your mind open to how to most effectively Passive Spot.

There are two main types of Passive Spotting:  Bush and Open.  Let’s look at each individually, then talk about some general rules for Passive spotting

BUSH PASSIVE
In Bush Passive, the Scout uses bushes or trees to hide his tank from the enemy while he keeps them lit up for his team.   The addition of environmental camo bonuses allows the Scout to set up in what may become extremely close proximity to enemy tanks and remain undetected.

Ideally, one’s entire tank is concealed however that is rarely possible.  Trees won’t provide 360 degrees of protection and most bushes won’t either.  Thus, one should set up in way which provides concealment from the angles most vulnerable to discovery.  Monitor what is transpiring on the map and adjust your position as needed to remain concealed.  Furthermore, in locations such as Murovanka’s Magic forest, Passive spotting frequently involves bush hopping; that is moving from 1 bush to the next, staying hidden while slowly reconnoitering the entire area. 

As I said, Passive spotting is NOT really passive; even if one never fires one’s gun.  Your goal is to remain HIDDEN, not to remain still.

Notice also, I said "bushes or trees".   There are two ways to use trees.   At times, the leaves of a tree will already provide concealment for you, usually because you are on terrain higher than the tree, but remember, you can also knock a tree down to create concealment on the ground right in front of you.  Or maybe knock it down to the side of the bush you are in to provide lateral concealment.

There is a potential downside to knocking trees over for concealment.  If you do it in a common Scout set up spot, an alert enemy may notice the knocked down tree, understand its implication, and blind fire into the tree or bush 

PROS:
Much safer than Active spotting; the enemy can’t shoot what it can’t see.
Allows your team to damage and destroy enemy tanks with little chance of them receiving return fire.
Environmental concealment allows spotting of enemy tanks at fairly close ranges.

CONS:
Frequently takes your gun out of the game.
If no hard cover is quickly available, discovery often equals death.
If you guess wrong and no enemy shows up, you just wasted a few minutes of game time.

PRIME CONSIDERATIONS:
If they provide the same view, a bush right next to a building or rock is better than a bush standing out in the open by itself.   The ability to quickly get behind cover if spotted is life-saving.

Immediately after setting up in a bush, rotate your camera around and see if you are well hidden, especially from the direction you expect to see enemy tanks.  Not being truly hidden is one of the most common mistakes Scouts make.

Remember that an enemy tank exposes you the instant he is 49m away, no matter whether he has Line of Sight or not.

ROLE COMBOS:
Bush Passive can frequently be combined with Anti-Scouting and Sniping.


OPEN PASSIVE
Open Passive spotting does not use environmental camo; rather it relies on distance and superior View Range to provide concealment.  It is especially effective against Heavys, Arty and moving TDs.  
Once again, Passive is not really passive.  Frequently one must move in order to maintain the separation required to remain concealed.   Remember, when speaking about Spotting, “passive” really means “hidden”.

Because distance is required, this technique is much more common on Open and Mixed maps, but if one remains aware of opportunity it can still be pulled off successfully at times on maps such as Himmelsdorf and Ensk.  (I use it a lot at the start of games in Ensk).

PROS:
Usable anywhere one has Line of Sight at the distance required.
Allows your team to damage and destroy enemy tanks with little chance of them receiving return fire.
Under the proper circumstances, usable on every map in the game.

CONS:
Scout is normally extremely vulnerable if exposed.
Only usable in specific situations
Requires intimate knowledge of View Ranges to maximize effectiveness

PRIME CONSIDERATIONS
If a spotted tank has Binoculars and stops, its View Range can increase dramatically.

Because you are exposed, you must remain acutely aware of enemy tank locations on the map and adjust your position or abandon spotting before you are exposed.

KNOW the distance between you and spotted  tanks.  That means keep your reticle on them often enough to always have a current range to target displayed.  This is NOT the time to guesstimate range.

ROLE COMBOS:
Open Passive can often be combined with Sniping.

GENERAL RULES FOR PASSIVE SPOTTING
During the countdown timer, tell your team you will light up tanks, then click on the map to show them where.  This will alert them to where you will work; hopefully some will set up to take advantage of your spots.
Ex:   “Spots coming here:”   Then click on 2-3 of the sectors where you will see the most tanks.

If possible, do not duplicate spots with another Passive Scout.  It is much better to go elsewhere and light up a different area of the map than to park 2 bushes away from a Passive team mate and spot the same places he is.

Positioning your tank to so it points towards your escape route saves you precious seconds if you are exposed.

Eventually, the spots at your location will run out.  Move on.  It does your team no good if you sit in a location which has no tanks left to spot.

When multiple targets are it up, encourage focus fire by requesting fire on a specific tank.

Spend your “down time” doing Quick Counts, analyzing the positions of both teams on the battlefield, updating in your mind what you will do if exposed, and what you will when you stop Passive spotting.

Be aware of opportunities to Passive spot as the game progresses; it isn't just a thing you do when the game starts!  Other tanks may get the glory, but it is almost always a better idea to get hidden, spot and let a distant ally get the damage and kill while you conserve hit points than it is to go Rambo and get beat up needlessly.  The Hit Points you waste may prove critical later on.



In the next tutorial, we will look at Active spotting.


HAPPY HUNTING!

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