ATCS (Advanced Tactical Combat Simulator)

ATCS is a symmetrical map, with both bases set up in similar places. For most cases, these locations are quite good (no need to move).

If you have enough buildpoints, you can build a small forward base in the entrance (where you come to the open part of the map). It gives attacking humans a shorter way to ammo refilling, and also can help to collect kills during S1.

It is difficult to create a human base that is sniper-safe (ie. can't be shot at by Adv. Goons). Any building at the ledge is an easy target, so only turrets and the like should be placed there. Especially the initial armoury/medistation should be moved away from there.

Good places for armoury/medi are:

• Move it a bit from from default place, so it stands next to reactor
• Put it into the “other” corner of the default base (ie. not the corner of the reactor).

Both locations are not fully sniper-safe, but are better than the initial place.

This strategy requires at least a good and quick builder. I've seen it done once and was astounded how well it worked

The idea is to make a small forward base in the tunnel: a repeater, an armory, a medistation, one or more turrets/teslas. This is built in the tunnel, as forward as possible without being destroyed by aliens. Of course, human fighters have to defend this base as well! They then push forward in the tunnel; if they have secured a further part, the builder moves his stuff there. Rinse and repeat from there.

The forward base should only have enough defenses so that the occasionally lucky dretch that makes it to the forward base can be shown the door without having humans shooting at their buildings. If there is an armoury, other players can also occasionally exchange their weapons for ConstKit and help building.

The human fighters have to take the main part of the attack. They have the advantage of quick ammo refilling and healing and can put alien base under constant attack. Of course, humans on the other entrance of alien base have to make sure that aliens don't push out of their base.

Note: Many players will disagree with building a forward base on a server with the standard 100 build points (BPs), and it is not a good idea to do it at all when aliens are S3. Remember, turrets are to protect your main base reactor, spawns and armory, not players, hallways or remote rooms.

• To prevent a quick alien rush in the first seconds of a match, it's a good idea to first spawn as builder and place one turret in the middle of the base. This is enough to defend against rushing dretches and maras; without it, a lucky/good alien can get through to the base and wreak havoc. Try shooting a mara with rifle, without shooting your own buildings, and you will understand

• Placing a turret on top of the upper ramp to human base it a good stopper for tyrants and goons: while the stand on the ramp, humans can take the under fire from many places. Of course, this turret will be destroyed pretty often, so it's probably not a good place in sudden death.

• At the very start of this level, the single turret facing the hall that connects the human and alien bases is a good target for a dretch, if you feel confident about circling/jumping turrets. Once this turret is down, it is much easier to chase and bite humans who are running back to base from the hall.

• A very common human building strategy is to make a line of turrets along the edge of the upper level default base. On a server with a lot of defenders, this can be a good strategy, but below 14-16 people, it is possible for a dragoon to jump over the turrets and onto the reactor. Once there, the turrets cannot hit the dragoon, and he can destroy the reactor.

• Keep in mind that turrets cannot fire through each other:

    (1)                  (2)
    
TTTTTTTTTTT         TTTTTTTTTTTT A
    A

In ex. 1, all turrets within range are hitting the Alien. In 2, only the end turret is hitting. Attacking turrets from the end like this is an essential endgame strategy for tyrants. Rush up the ramp, take out a turret (and maybe a human or two ) then rush to safety. Repeat as often as necessary.

Human Stratagy

You can build a good base at the top in the first 10 minutes, but a Dragoon can jump up fast and high and destroy the base. Building inside is bad as well because the Aliens can camp outside at stage 1 and head chomp the Humans for easy kills to stage 3.

Alien Strategy

Building in the middle is bad for the same reason as above. Building a Booster on top for a forward attack is good if you have camping Marauders and Dragoons there, ready for a forward attack against camping Humans.