Fixing Fanatic Route

[Turnip2k]

I have been playing the fanatic route this round - several issues with it that need resolving in my opinion. If anyone else has played the route, suggestions very much welcome!

Problems:

1) The route dies too easily. For a last tick route, where you are invariably going to get shot at in situations when you cant fight back (i.e. you can't get online or are defending a wave), the route shouldn't fold like a piece of paper.

2) The route dies to spec ops EVEN ON LAST TICK. This is very very stupid, since it almost renders the route pointless - your ally is better off with a different route to defend with.

3) Rebels are nigh on useless in regular play. Special situations (going up against mass vamps), they come in handy - but on the whole, crap.

4) In general, it doesn't offer enough for the sacrifices you make. Unable to attack alone really, and instantly dead if you can't get online for any rush. Also you can do nothing against enemy rushes on your other ally mates, merely watch them all burn around you.

Suggested Changes

1) Remove rebels from the route. Move Fanatics and Extremists up one in the tech tree. This makes the route useful without the P-Unit.

2) Make fanatics fire BEFORE PoM's. This makes the route very useful for last ticking with your allies PoM's and allowing you to do serious damage whilst still distracting the incoming.

3) Remove the almost useless bonuses for fanatics - no need for them.

4) As a new P-Unit, have a close firing, ALL targeting killer, firing after fanatics.

Rebel £25,000 ish Tagets ALL Init:280 HP *** AP *** HD *** AD *** (Price undecided)

5) Change Fanatic targeting to LET / INN / NLD. Increace HD by 20%

6) Give both fanatics and extremists more armour.

7) Give extremists a little more HD.

8) Make all 3 close killers eta 3 for rapid defense.


Hopefully these changes will make the route a little more attractive. It won't make it invincible since the route will always have problem with a very common ally tactic - Waving.

 

[CFalcon]

Played extremists 3 (3? maybe 4) rounds ago, and I gotta agree it's a hideous route. 24/7 contactability absolutely required, and even if you're online, you're useless to your alliance unless the person you're defending is also online.

Now when you take the route you realise you're taking that on, that's the point of the route, but you expect you'd get something back for the effort you're making and the limiting of your defensive options. But no. As you say, in most situations a spec ops or a striker will be just as effective. If I'm going to give up firing at range, which is a *huge* sacrifice, and give up firing mid too, then I expect to *OWN* the last tick, which is just not what happens with this route.

I agree with all your suggestions, except the replacement for rebels. I agree rebels in their current form are useless, but your new unit looks kinda overpowered. A dedicated LET flak unit would be more appropriate I think.

 

[webvictim]

I've always wanted to try playing fanatic/extremist but I don't think I could muster the contactability. Also, having a high HD unit that doesn't fire either range or mid and doesn't even fire before SA close tick? Get real.

This could be quite a fun route to play if changed and buffed a little just because a lot of people wouldn't quite know what to do against it, having not experienced it before.

 

[Dax]

I've always wanted to try playing fanatic/extremist but I don't think I could muster the contactability. Also, having a high HD unit that doesn't fire either range or mid and doesn't even fire before SA close tick? Get real.

This could be quite a fun route to play if changed and buffed a little just because a lot of people wouldn't quite know what to do against it, having not experienced it before.

Agreed. Simple not worth it.

 

[willymchilybily]

i played it was contactable enbough the round DW got rank 3. and its lush if you can play it like that (or was) extremists didnt do enough AD then now they do. but fanatics firing after Sa has killed it for me. all it hasd was it was beasty last tick and now that is gone. it was nice to mass guru and lethals to sned 2 reals 1 guru block and 1 fake, and really worked well i was hoping to play it again if i ever ecame in a position to play actively but now sa shoot b4 fanatics the route is dead to me. and once i use to call it my favourite route in the game, as it provided me with the most fun that round.
such a shame.

 

[Dax]

i played it was contactable enbough the round DW got rank 3. and its lush if you can play it like that (or was) extremists didnt do enough AD then now they do. but fanatics firing after Sa has killed it for me. all it hasd was it was beasty last tick and now that is gone. it was nice to mass guru and lethals to sned 2 reals 1 guru block and 1 fake, and really worked well i was hoping to play it again if i ever ecame in a position to play actively but now sa shoot b4 fanatics the route is dead to me. and once i use to call it my favourite route in the game, as it provided me with the most fun that round.
such a shame.

That is also my opinion. If I make a comeback round, and Fanatics fire before SA, then I will play the route. End of.