ADVANTAGES OF MIDRANGE: EQUIPMENT AND TACTICS GUIDE

Before I get into the types of bots and weapons you would want to have in midrange, I would first like to touch on how you should play midrange, as there are a lot of nuances that people may not realize at first. Let’s address the elephant in the room first, and that is camping. The reason midrange bots are found not moving as much is because unlike beacon runners or brawlers, which are going for beacons and thus need to be at the front lines or flanks, midrange bots instead aim for territory control. Territory control is a primarily defensive tactic where bots move to a position where they have one or more “firing lanes” that allow them to control choke points (usually a beacon). Every map as a handful of these positions, so midrange bots only have to move between a few points as opposed to the whole map. But as everyone knows, there are two caveats that good midrange users must avoid, those being that you must relocate if reds are avoiding your firing lanes, and that you must sacrifice your bot if the situation calls for it. The first point is pretty self-explanatory, but a unfortunately high amount of players still do not do it, so pay attention and if there’s nobody to shoot, go where the action is! The second point is a bit more complicated, but boils down to that sometimes a midrange bot is just not what your team needs at the moment. As I said, midrange is best for defensive territory control, so if your team really needs beacons and your bot cannot help with its usual tactics, you should sacrifice the bot by either pushing a beacon and accepting inevitable destruction or ejecting the bot and getting in a brawler or beacon runner. Yes, it stinks, but it happens and you need to be ready to do it, as at times it can decide between victory or defeat. And to close, remember that beacon defense and giving teammates cover fire are your primary roles, so while shooting a random red may be fun, do not get distracted!

So, with the basics out of the way, allow me to introduce five different “flavors” of midrange bots. While all of these bots ultimately perform the same function on the battlefield, they do so in noticeably different ways, meaning they will appeal to different players. This list is not in any particular order, though I will be pointing out that a general hierarchy does exist as I list them off. While robots besides the ones I specifically list can work in these roles, I feel they are not effective enough to warrant mention. Also, this list will be slanted towards higher leagues, so keep that in mind too, and without further ado, let’s go!

1. Lumbering Gun Batteries - Natasha, Fury, Jaeger, Behemoth: The simplest and most famous midrange archetype, these bots are all about blasting reds away with powerful weapons. They have low mobility, moderate defense, and high firepower. Their best strategy is to lumber to a strategic position on the map, dig themselves in, and pump incoming reds full of bullets. These bots may take a while to get into position and are vulnerable when exposed, but they dish out crazy damage and are great for countering other midrange builds.

Fury - The classic midrange bot still has some presence in the higher leagues, mainly as a budget option. It is very simple to use, can reach its weapons over low cover while its body is protected, and has decent health, but is unfortunately outdated overall.

Natasha - A stellar budget option that is arguably better than Fury due to more speed and a more versatile hard point configuration. However, some builds favor heavy hard points and thus Fury, and Natasha is similarly archaic by today’s standards.

Behemoth - The quintessential midrange bot, Behemoth is essentially an updated Fury, having more health and firepower for roughly the same speed. That speed is a weakness though, and the robot is quite expensive between it and all its weapons.

Jaeger - This normally sniper-orientated bot is a bit out of its element in the midrange role, but it can still be a deadly combination of firepower and speed, a great option for those wanting mobility. That speed comes at the cost of durability though, as its health is low and its shield is rather weak. The built-in weapon is great having some further range, though its damage is a bit lacking.

2. Acrobats - Raven, Fafnir, Falcon, Hawk, Siren/Harpy: Arguably the most fun archetype of midrange to play, these bots are highly mobile, allowing them to quickly reach and switch positions. They have high mobility, moderate firepower, and low defense (generally). These bots can be troublesome because they can be right where reds do not want them to be, and they are difficult to catch. However, if caught, they are quite vulnerable. These bots also take advantage of height, allowing them to get firing angles not possible with other bots.

Raven - One of the most mobile bots in the game, capable of insane maneuvers, which combines with its moderate defense and firepower to make it quite versatile. Just be careful about where to hump, and make sure to always have a jump on hand for any unwelcome surprises!

Fafnir - This bot enjoys unlimited flight, shield penetration with its legendary pilot, and high firepower, but overall quite slow, so situational awareness is needed to avoid inescapable situations. It does have enhanced protection on the ground though, so it can use that to take a hit if needed.

Falcon - This bot has comparable firepower to Raven and actually plays somewhat similarly, but notably sacrifices mobility for defense. This robot is tough enough to hold its ground against strong opposition, but its firepower is ham-stringed in this case, and its resistance can be bypassed with the correct weapons.

Hawk - One of the most powerful but also most fragile robots. It is best to reserve its ability for escaping sticky situations or wearing down armored targets, as its running speed is only modest. If Hawk is left unchecked, even titans will fall prey to its firepower.

Siren/Harpy - While these two bots have some differences in their hard point configurations and abilities, they play almost the exact same, with Harpy being a bit more aggressive and Siren hanging back more. Their abilities grant them great firing angles as well as decent protection, so these bots are great for crowd control and managing choke points. They have good firepower and great mobility, both on the ground and in the air, but are vulnerable without their abilities.

3. Glass Cannons - Hades, Ares, Leech, Spectre: A somewhat nondescript but still very effective midrange archetype, these bots use cover to remain hidden and pounce unsuspecting reds. These bots have high firepower, moderate speed, and low defense. Those bots rely heavily on their abilities for engagement, as they are quite vulnerable when fighting without them. However, when these bots engage on their own terms, nothing sort of a tank will be able to withstand the incredible burst damage these bots are capable of.

Hades - A good mix of mobility and firepower, with decent survivability to boot. Its damage potential is not as high as other bots, but it is more versatile and less vulnerable in exchange. Its ability has great uses for both offense and defense, shining the most in duels.

Ares - This bot plays pretty similarly to Hades, using its ability for both offense and defense, with Ares having higher firepower and speed but much less defense than Hades. Ares can put up some crazy numbers, but it will not last in a prolonged engagement.

Leech - This interesting robot has an ability that allows it to act as a pseudo-tank, being able to take and redirect heavy fire for a short time. It is very vulnerable without the ability though, and its resistance can be bypassed with the right weapons.

Spectre - Due to its fragility, Spectre uses its ability mainly for defense, but can also use it for surprise attacks or gaining firing angles not possible with a non-jumping robot. It also enjoys an above average running speed, so it is not completely vulnerable without its ability.

4. Disruptors - Cerberus, Typhon, Erebus: A somewhat new and arguably the most annoying midrange archetype, these bots can hang in the open thanks to their shields, and their abilities let them make engagements more favorable or create engagements otherwise not possible. These bots are well-rounded, having moderate firepower, defense, and speed. Their defining traits are their aegis shields, which allow prolonged time outside cover, and their abilities, which leave reds in a very vulnerable state.

Cerberus - This bot is the most mobile and has the quickest ability recharge in the trio, but unfortunately falls short of the other two in firepower, defense, and ability power (due to lacking the EMP effect).

Typhon - The most well-rounded of the trio, this bot is essentially tied for firepower with Erebus, but is more mobile and nimble. However, it is not as durable as Erebus, and is a bit slower than Cerberus.

Erebus - This bot is the most heavily armed of the trio, having better defense than Cerberus or Typhon thanks to more hull and a more powerful shield. However, it is much slower than the other two, so it must be more mindful of its positioning.

5. Support Healers - Tyr, Nightingale: This archetype may seem like a bit of an odd one, but these bots are capable in ways that extend beyond dealing damage. These bots are well-rounded, having moderate firepower, mobility, and defense, but also have the ability to repair teammates. While these bots are somewhat lacking in their ability to damage reds, they make up for with being able to tag along with teammates and heal them. Plus, this support mentality works well with midrange load outs, as many midrange weapons provide helpful effect accumulation or can bypass resistance, and allow you to support on your way in or cover a retreat. These bots play quite differently from the other archetypes and use midrange weapons in creative ways, but are invaluable to any team.

Tyr - This bot is quite robust, having good firepower and durability, but is a bit slow and still overall lacking in defense. But it can still take a hit for sure, and fits well into a hybrid fighter/healer role.

Nightingale - This bot leans pretty heavily into its ability, having great mobility and decent durability to get into position, but lacking firepower. Its healing is powerful and suppression useful, so what it lacks in raw power, it makes up for in utility.

6. Honorable Mentions - These next few bots are not as effective in their given roles as the ones listed above, but they are still good enough for me to at least give them a shout-out. These bots are appealing due to being great budget options or occupying a niche that the previously mentioned robots do not quite replicate. These are not bad choices, but are generally outclassed.

Hover (Acrobat) - This robot is the queen of the skies in War Robots, plain and simple, able to perform several maneuvers and get angles that only it can. Hover can freely adjust its altitude and trajectory, and with precise fuel usage, can actually remain airborne indefinitely, much more than any other flying bot. What holds this bot back is its low firepower and that flying takes lots of practice to master.

Ao Guang (Glass Cannon) - This robot just barely does not make the cut to be on the main list, as it has a lot going for it, but just not quite enough. It has great firepower, with its built-in weapon also being able to pepper targets behind cover rather well. It also has decent protection while flying, though its resistance can be bypassed with the right weapons. The two issues with this robot are its surprisingly low speed, and that it is comically vulnerable on the ground.

Ao Jun (Lumbering Gun Battery) - This bot is an extremely interesting case, as what solely makes this robot be worth mentioning is its Lang Lee legendary pilot. With Yang Lee, Ao Jun has unrivaled anti-stealth capabilities among normal bots, thus making it a premier counter for robots like Loki and Orochi. However, this specialization means Ao Jun is not as versatile as other bots, and it relies quite heavily on its ability for survival. Its low walking speed also means it has a difficult time repositioning after an ability use.

Strider (Disruptor) - This bot has long been an anti-meta option, so seeing it here is no surprise. Strider may be fragile, but its ability grants extreme burst mobility, allowing for rapid, unexpected position changing or ambushing. The Jack Moore legendary pilot also rectifies this bot’s lack of fire decently well, so that is not a huge issue. The firepower is still a downside though, and this bot’s biggest issue is that the mobility is just not necessary, as the midrange role does not necessitate the rapid response that brawling does.

So there are the types of midrange bots and my picks for good candidates, but now for weapons! Unlike robots, which I think players should choose based on just how they want to play, I think weapons should be chosen based on what they player is encountering. Thus, shifts in the brawling meta may cause shifts in the midrange meta, but many midrange weapons that were good a while ago are still good today, a testament to their staying power. I will divide up weapons into categories based on their strengths and what bots they best counter. Again, the list is in no particular order and will be slanted towards higher leagues.

1. Suppressive Fire - Molot/Molot T/Tempest, Pin/Tulumbas/Avalanche, Trident: Unfortunately, these weapons are aging, both in terms of how they deal damage and the ideology they follow. Don’t get me wrong, they are still potent in the correct hands and are great budget options, but are generally outclassed by other weapons. However, the concept of suppressive fire is still worth mentioning, as phycological damage can be just as effective as real damage, and these weapons arguably do it best thanks to their large clips and relatively short reloads. However, you need to really know how to use them to get the desired effect, and their damage is a little lacking in higher leagues.

2. Burst Damage/Anti-Unarmored - Marquess/Hussar/Dragoon, Ion/Zeus, Shocktrain: While these weapons are somewhat antiquated in the current state of the game that favors effect accumulation, these weapons have an advantage others lack: raw burst damage. Zeus, Ion, and Shocktrain unload in a single shot, while Marquess, Hussar, and Dragoon empty their clip in under five seconds. This, paired with high accuracy and projectile speed, makes them highly effective against mobile and unarmored targets. Additionally, quick reloads or reloading while firing makes these weapons quite flexible, making them versatile against many targets, even less favorable ones.

3. Anti-Armor - Sting/Wasp/Hornet, Scald/Scorcher/Incinerator, Viper: Especially relevant in the current tank meta, these weapons are known for their unique resistance-bypassing effects. Sting, Wasp, and Hornet’s DoT takes longer to act than normal damage, but it totals to a ton of damage and bypasses resistance, allowing these weapons to more directly damage tanks while still being effective against other targets. Quick unloads and fast projectiles also are a plus, but their long reloads can be troublesome. Viper is similar, also having DoT, but is instead a sustained damage machine gun with fairly high accuracy at range. Scald, Scorcher, and Incinerator’s projectiles are slow and underwhelming on their own, but charge the power bomb status effect, which when activated, does a large burst of damage that bypasses resistance. Load outs of these weapons can charge the effect multiple times in a quick burst, but a slow reload, even with reloading while firing, means that their shots must be used somewhat sparingly.

4. Effect Accumulation - Magnetar/Pulsar, Snaer/Skadi/Hel: Arguably the most annoying type of midrange weapons, these weapons feature the ability to charge one or more status effects in addition to dealing substantial damage. Magnetar and Pulsar have lock-down and are machine guns, while Snaer, Skadi, and Hel have freeze and reload while firing, making them good in different ways. Both weapon sets are very accurate, which when combined the previously mentioned traits, makes them effective against almost any target. These weapons perform best in sustained engagements, meaning they require more exposure time than other weapons, but they are still capable of performing quick strikes thanks to good damage output and charging effects quickly when leveled and used in groups.

5. Cover Bypass - Spiral/Hydra/Chimera, Kramola/Razdor/Smuta: These weapons are an interesting bunch, lacking in conventional firepower in exchange for having unique features. The homing missiles are classic troll weapons, as they may not be the killers that other weapons are, but can deliver seemingly endless amounts of missiles that do add up to be quite a lot of damage, especially if the weapons are leveled up. However, this requires time, which is scarce on the battlefield, hence why these weapons are never used in any serious manner. The homing machine guns, on the other hand, are a blend of the classic gatling guns and the homing missiles to make weapons that are as deadly as they are unavoidable. They deliver staggering damage to unaware targets, and just like the missiles, can have their trajectory be manipulated by the user to bypass lots of usually impenetrable cover. These weapons overall lack sustained damage though, so they will struggle in a prolonged engagement, and they have a weak spot from 50 to 150 meters, so they also struggle in brawls, thus making them ideal for midrange.

With the weapon sets out of the way, you may be wondering what the best bot/weapon combos are. But you see, that’s the cool part, because unlike brawlers, where certain weapons pair well only with certain bots, almost any combination of midrange bot and weapons set will work! Sure, some are a little better than others, but there are no objectively best builds, so experiment to your heart’s content! First, identify what kinds of bots you want to counter, then pick the weapons to counter those bots, then pick the bot to mount those weapons.

With all of the normal bot stuff out of the way, I would now like to examine the midrange options available to titans. I know many may frown at the idea of using their big, powerful titan for a less active combat role, but there are definitely uses for this, such as a midrange titan complimenting an otherwise all-brawler hangar, or being the centerpiece of a hangar deck specialized for TDM or large maps. If left unchecked, a midrange titan can lay waste to hordes of normal bots and have a huge sway on the battlefield.

Titans

Beginning with titans themselves, I will just list them instead of grouping them into categories, as there are not too many of them. There is overlap between how they each fill the midrange role, but each has their own aspects that makes each be uniquely appealing.

Ao Ming - The classic damage dealer titan, and also the ruler of the skies, able to get some great firing angles over cover or targets’ physical shields. Ao Ming also has great firepower and has access to the full arsenal of titan weapons thanks to its hard point configuration, and is decently mobile. Its main issue is its fragility, as even though it has a powerful healing ability, concentrated fire from titans or even normal bots will quickly force it to land if not destroy it.

Sharanga - This titan is simple to describe, as it is all about damage. 3 alpha hard points and being able to severely increase its damage for short bursts allows Sharanga to put up some serious numbers, and it is surprisingly hearty, thanks to its high durability. Sharanga is held back by its lack of defensive options, as its very low mobility and not having any major defensive capabilities means its health is its only lifeline if confronted.

Murometz - This titan is a jack of all traits, being slower than Ao Ming and lacking the raw power of Sharanga, but its weaknesses are much smaller than either. Murometz is very slow while flying, but a good walking speed means it is decently mobile, and it has good firepower between its hard points and built-in weapons. Murometz also has great defense thanks to its abilities and aforementioned walking speed. The killer feature of this titan though, is that it has two universal module slots, so it can equip 2 Quantum Sensors for a staggering 700 meter visibility, or Titan Accelerators for enhanced mobility. Its weakness is that it relies on its abilities for defense and even offense to an extent, so it is vulnerable if caught without them ready.

Titan Weapons

With titans done, now for the titan weapons. I will similarly just list weapons or alpha/beta weapon pairs, as there are not a ton of weapons. While a few weapons have some similarities, they all behave in distinct ways, so each one brings something unique to the table.

Tsar/Rupture - These titan-sized rocket launchers are generally considered to be somewhat weak, but they still have merit. Tsar and Rupture operate very differently, as while Tsar fires powerful, singular shots, Rupture has a magazine that reloads while firing. Thus, Rupture has more burst damage but sputters out after the magazine is unloaded, while Tsar consistently fires its large shots. These weapons have a staggering splash damage radius, especially Tsar, allowing them to hit targets around or even through cover, depending on the circumstance. Despite their utility, these weapons unfortunately lack sustained damage, so they struggle at crowd control and being a constant threat to worry about.

Gendarme/Cuirassier - The classic titan midrange weapons are still formidable today, thanks to their nice combination of burst and sustained damage. These two weapons operate very similarly, though Cuirassier has a higher damage per hit and lower fire rate than Gendarme, meaning they do not sync perfectly unfortunately. They both have a magazine of plasma that reloads while firing, allowing for crowd control or pounding a single target, making them quite versatile. Their main weakness is that their actual damage is a little meh, but if leveled and given time to unload, they are very effective in spite of their age.

Basilisk/Krait - These two weapons are great for both their damage and utility. For starters, both weapons behave the exact same behavior, so there are no issues for using them together, which is definitely a plus. The two features of these weapons are their accuracy at max range, allowing them to hang back at 500 meters for effective suppressive fire, and their corrosion, which makes them especially effective against resistance-based targets. Basilisk and Krait are best used for suppressive fire in a brawler/midrange hybrid role, as these weapons are extremely potent, but cannot quite brawl.

Bulava/Kisten - The homing missiles for titans may seem to just be troll weapons, but they are actually quite effective. The height of most titans allows these weapons to easily poke above cover, which combines with their rather accurate tracking to give them fairly consistent damage to targets, even ones hiding behind substantial cover. The burst being divided into two shots is also beneficial, as it allows each shot to be fired at different targets, or for one shot to deplete a shield and the next hit the actual target. Bulava and Kisten have identical behavior, so they are completely synced when combined. Despite their burst potential, these weapons are still unsuited for brawling, which combines with the fact that they are not 100% accurate to be their two main weaknesses.

Dazzler/Lantern - These weapons are currently the premier choice for titan midrange, and for good reason. Their damage is staggering, rivaling that of Basilisk and Krait, and they have a massive clip with only a 5 second reload, so these weapons are almost always firing. They also have the infamous Blind effect, allowing them to essentially take robots off the field for a short time in addition to dealing tone of damage. Their only weakness is that their damage still falls a bit short of brawling weapons, though the fact that this is their weakness should be telling about why are the preferred choice. Both weapons have the same behavior, allowing them to be easily combined.