Important Concepts when the ball is about to be scored- Maintain near full energy when possible. Focus on killing enemies and securing the goal without going to low energy. Make every bullet and bomb count, and dodge best as possible. It's crucial to be able to immediately warp once it's a sure goal. It takes 11 seconds (1300 energy /115.0 recharge energy/second) to recharge from no energy to full to warp. The ball can spawn, get grabbed, and taken 1/3rd the way to the goal in that time. It's crucial to keep your energy as close as possible to full. Disengaging from non-important enemies, dodging, or not firing an extra bomb when it's about to be scored is a huge difference (multiple seconds advantage in warping).
Watch radar and the screen carefully to predict if it will get scored soon. Good players will see the goal about to be scored, time it so they will have full energy when it's time to warp, and be in center fighting for the spawn. Bad pilots will be at low energy from firing/dodging poorly, waiting to recharge and warp, then trail. Dying as a goal is about to be scored is also obviously bad for the same reasons as having no energy, since you have to wait 10 seconds to respawn.
- Warp when the goal is imminent. Pay attention to the radar and screen, checking the ball status every 1-2 seconds. Don't stay around the goal fighting or hoping for an assist or stall. Have full energy and warp quickly once the ball is inside the goal.
When not near the ball- Use any information you have to predict if it will be an imminent goal. ie Seeing most of your team trailing, or having seen many enemy players on the ball, using radar to see if the ball slows down meeting resistance, using team chat to see if anyone has defense, or seeing other teamates warping. Once you can predict an unstoppable goal, immediately warp, otherwise wait until the ball enters the goal and then warp. Continually check radar so that you can warp within a second of when it's a sure goal.
Exceptions- Forcing an enemy goal. This should be done only when there's several more enemy players near the goal than teamates (like 7v3), which causes an advantage for your team to get the spawn in center. In league, squads will stall to setup defense or control the center, often with a lead, but this rarely ever applies to public game situations.
- Game point. Obviously there's no ball spawn to get when it's game point, so fire away and do everything possible to win the goal battle.
- Stalling. The should happen only when there's several more teamates near the goal than enemy players (like 7v3), which causes an advantage for the enemy team to get the spawn in center. This only requires one extra pilot other than the ball carrier. Usually waiting longer than 4-5 seconds after most your teamates have warped is pointless. Keep in mind that unless you can stall for awhile, your teamates may be dying and losing ground in center and stalling will be WORSE than just scoring immediately. If your team is poor at getting defense and won't get it regardless of stalling, it's pointless to stall. In situations where your team is outskilled and getting outscored you may want to take the high risk spawn chance instead of risk waiting and losing an inevitable slower battle in center.
Biggest thing bad pilots do incorrectly for warping- Firing too low when goal is imminent, then having no energy to warp.
- Fighting enemies when goal is imminent when they should just pull back recharge and warp.
- Waiting around to help stall or clear enemies instead of just warping.
- Trying to force enemy goals when it's better to just warp.
- Dying as the goal is about to be scored.
- Not paying attention and having to warp several seconds too late when the goal is sure.
Center Positioning- Usually you want to be positioned as close to the exact center on the defensive side, as possible, without being in danger of dying.
- If you warp and the enemy team already has the ball you usually want to take the shortest path to defense immediately. DO NOT TRAIL. The only time you should fly away from defense towards the enemy is if you have a HIGH chance of causing a turnover without losing much time on your path to defense.
- If you warp and are nowhere near the middle (on the enemy side of the map), fly towards the defensive side of center.
- If the ball spawns and the enemies get it, immediately head to defense. Do not fly from the defensive side of center, or the top of the north/south tunnels, to go trail the ball.
- If you just respawned from death, warp if you spawn far away from center or too far on the enemy side of the map.
- Covering one of the north/south tunnels then immediately heading back to defense down the tunnel if the enemy team gets the spawn is usually a fine strategy.
- Setup a portal to double your chance of grabbing the spawn, usually on the defensive side.
- Space out around center with your team. Do not be all be in the same spot. Maximize your chance of grabbing the spawn by spacing out and setting portals where no teamates are at.
- If you spawn with your ship facing the opposite direction you want to fly, fire 1-2 bombs to give you extra reverse thrust/speed. This helps you turn corners sharper as well since it gives you extra thrust anytime you aren't traveling full speed.
Biggest things bad pilots do wrong for center positioning- Not getting the defensive side of center, then being stuck trailing once the enemy team gets the spawn.
- Flying towards the ball when the enemy team gets the ball instead of immediately heading for defense.
- Warping and then flying towards center when they aren't close enough. Fly towards defense instead unless you are sure you have enough time before the goal is scored.
- Getting stuck in unnecessary fighting around center that gets them out of position and with low energy once the ball spawns.
