Explodet Play Strategies
TBD
The Explodet is an excellent support plane in TBD games. Anticipating which choke points the enemy bomb carrier will use and filling it with mines is usually enough to stop all but the most determined team pushes. Using Thermobaric or Director missiles when the enemy is coming down a long choke point/tunnel can cause them to get tied up in the terrain and drop the bomb. Understanding the map is critical to being an excellent explodet. One thing that an explodet has that no other plane has is virtually limitless range. This means that an explodet can hold various choke points from large distances without having to forfeit protection. Because survivability is one of the number one goals of an explodet, making these long range shots is critical to a team as they will always have the defensive plane alive.
Circling: This technique allows the plane to stay in the same general area while firing off shots. This allows the explodet to truly lock down certain areas of the map and create almost a fortress. A common tactic is to lay mines down at your flank while circling and use your missiles to control the choke point. This allows an explodet to remain alive while firing missiles at the enemy.
Mine Placement: Many players seem to lay down mines during combat itself. It is wiser and more energy efficient to always be laying down mines at key areas. The mines may not necessarily do any damage but they can alter the other teams movement regardless. The enemy bomb runner will often be forced into areas that your team can control easier due to mines covering one side of the map.
Pushing: An explodet is an excellent pusher with the bomb carrier. The explodet can destroy the enemies' defense by controlling their movement. For instance, thermobaric rockets can turn an enemy defending explodet away from the key choke point. A director/remote player can stall a loopy trying to block the bomb. Also, the explodet can protect the bomb runner from behind by laying mines down as the team pushes.
Defending: It is known that the explodet is the number one defending plane in the game. This is due to movement controlling capabilities. The explodet can throw bomb runners into walls or stall them so that they can not progress any further. One strategy is to find a good defensive position and circle. As the bomb carrier comes up, use a missile to stall/throw the carrier away from approaching your base. Time is essential in altitude and the more time your team has to respawn and kill the enemy bomb runner, the better.
Neutral Maps: In matches where the bomb is in a common center area of the map, the Explodet can cause a lot of grief to the enemy team by simply camping the middle and keeping a steady supply of mines deployed. This enables your teammates to have a much easier time killing incoming enemies and running the bomb.
BALL
Explodets are feared in the ball game mode. Because ball is all about speed and often composes of multiple light planes consistently after-burning, the explodet can tear threw teams and create havoc. The missiles of an explodet corrupt movement more based on the opposing plane's speed. Thus, you always want to be firing missiles at clusters of enemies as it will assure kills and number advantages.
Defense: This is what you should be doing as an explodet most of the time. You are the backbone of your team and they will rely on you to block enemy shots and control areas of the map with mines/missiles. One myth about ball explodet play is that you have to be the goalie. By no means should you circle in front of the goal throughout the game unless if an enemy shot is approaching. You want to move with your team but remain behind your lights as if the enemy tries to clear, you can pick up the ball and continue to move it forward. It is not hard to kill with an explodet in ball but it is often hard to keep good positioning. Positioning is the number one element of ball explodet play. You want to consistently watch the ball icon and make sure that you are horizontally near the same level as it. This will prevent clears from getting by you and the enemy from progressing further. If the ball is lose on your side of the map near the goal, try to remain in front of the goal and let a light get the ball. This way, if a quick enemy plane like a loopy or a miranda gets the ball, you are still in defensive position.
Offense: There are moments that an explodet can turn into an offensive weapon. If there are enemy defenders protecting their goal, shoot some missiles their way and they will surely no longer be there. Also, the explodet, being the heaviest plane, can shoot/pass the ball at the highest velocity. Thus, you are able to make quicker shots and passes than other planes. There are many explodet players who are afraid to get the ball because they feel they are not offensive. You should feel the opposite! You are a mobile tank that can tear through enemy defense while holding the ball.
FFA
There is a common misconception that the explodet is weak at FFA. It is tricky but the explodet if played correctly can be a force to be reckoned with and rack up countless kills. The best thing you can do is find an area of the map that you can control effectively with mines and camp it. Use your positioning to circle and shoot missiles at enemy planes either trying to attack you or simply attacking other planes. After you gain gold bars, feel free to move more freely as you will be able to hunt down enemies at ease. I would suggest using the flexible wings perk as you will need to be retrieving health packs to remain alive and to keep bars.
