The Minefield Turf Primer

Turf Classic is the newly revived Turf Zone game from a year ago. Fans of the zone are attempting to rebuild the player base by focusing the zone's regulars into a bubble around 6pm. The resulting swell seems to be drawing more players by (at times) making the zone visible on the server list as one that is populated and alive. Let me tell you that when it is populated and alive it can be a great deal of fun. Since part of rebuilding the zone means bringing new players into the fight, I thought a FAQ on the subject would be helpful to all involved.

How do I play? 
The game is not unlike War Zone in that it involves base defense and invasions and requires teamwork in these efforts. War Zone style flags could in a sense be described as a cross between Running and Turf. In Turf Zone, you do cannot pick up or move the flags. When you take a flag, it remains in place and you hold it by defending the territory it resides in.

How do you claim flags? 
Just running over a flag will claim it for your side. However, it is not always advisable to take a flag. At least, not right away.

Why is the map set up this way? 
Most turf maps are really just a very few bases which are more or less connected and circle the level, clinging to the edges while the center remains open for greening. The configutation setting which defines where a ship reappears after a death or a warp is based on distance from the center of the map. This distance is set relatively low so that negs and warped ships never end up in a base.You always have to enter the bases willingly. Likewise the design of the map is such that the center is left open.
  It may appear as though the map around the outside is nothing but a big sprawl. In fact there are strategic fronts at certain points around the map. You will want to defend these while at the same time trying to expand beyond them and to the next front. As you become familar with the map and game style, it will become evident that bottlenecks and entrances from outside are the most important places to hold.

What constitutes a base? 
In a Turf map, the bases are usually connected to one another, and it will be difficult to distinguish their borders at first glance. Look for places where the maze contracts into a single passageway. This is a bottleneck, and it is the border between two base areas. Of course, once you have taken and secured the bases on either side of that passage, you have one big base, and no longer need to defend that bottleneck.

Why would I not want to take flags? 
The map is essentially linear in a large sense, leading from one front to the next, but on a smaller level you will often find several paths through the same territory. Flagging through a non-linear maze means opening yourself up to attack from both sides. When you take flags, the enemy team which previously had held them will notice a "leak" by the falling number of flags. They may also spot them disappearing on radar. (Flags light up on radar when they are in your team's possession.) If you have not secured the area, a stealthed enemy or one lingering out of your radar's range will call his team for support. Even if you are certain you are out of range of their detection, the enemy can pinpoint a leak by process of elimination. Before attacking an area, it is wise to determine the next defense front beyond it, and to secure the area all the way to that front. Make sure both exits are defended, then take the flags all at once. If you don't do this, the enemy team will likely enter through the undefended bottleneck and fan out through the nonlinear corridors between, then come at you from multiple directions. Then you're in a pinch.

Why are there so many flags? 
The large number of flags is designed to create a proportional value between areas of the map. If you look carefully, some sections of the map are not as rich in flags as others. A small team may wish to focus on a smaller area holding more flags. However, these areas are more likely to come under attack for that very reason, and often they are designed to present a defensive disadvantage.

How many flags should I have? 
This depends on the size of your frequency and the style of your game. If you're in it for the long haul, you want to take flags and then hold onto the territory. A team what wants to hold territory needs to decide on which territory and then stick to it. Only once that territory is secure is it advisable to expand--and once that territory is large, not only should be base be secured but virtually impenetrable. That is, you should have suffered a number of attacks and responded effectively to them, and know how you will respond to such attacks in the future. If you own half the map, be prepared to split your forces between two simultaneous defensive actions. Each player should have a primary and secondary defensive obligation so that your whole team doesn't respond to one call when two are being sent out.
  A common mistake many teams will make is to flag non-adjacent areas of the map. This approach usually serves only to double the team's defensive problem without increasing the flag count. That problem gets still worse when you try to expand those areas. Flagging one big clump of territory essentially removes two defense points by placing them against one another, and also means only expanding in two directions (or one, if you like) and with a larger war party for the expansion. So the answer to "How many flags should I have?" is really: As many as your team can defend--if you pick the right flags. Choose the wrong ones, or bite off more than you can chew, and you will almost certainly lose them all.

Are there different ways to play? 
Yes. Holding territory is a defensive game about 80% of the time, and depending on how tight you want your base it can be quite boring for some of the defenders. The alternative is to sweep through the bases with your entire frequency, destroying everything in your path. This amounts to a nasty attack, and if the holding freqs aren't fast and efficient they can easily lose the battle to a frequency which is much smaller but more focused. It's important to recognize a team playing by this strategy and respond to it. If there are 6 or more blues together when they enter your radar, you are likely dealing with locusts and need to counter with a weighed response. This may mean leaving yourself defenseless at other fronts.

Players choosing a locust approach to flagging need to be aware of a number of things. First, the settings for Turf Classic are working against you if you're going for points. There's a certain satisfaction that comes from swarming in on a weak defense and tearing through it, but remember that as you continue past there it will likely be reflagged, since you won't be leaving anyone behind to defend it. This is fine if what you want is flag count, because more flags are up ahead--but if you're playing for points this isn't the best approach. Turf Classic is set up so that flags held longer are worth more. If successful in their attacks, a freq swarming through the bases can easily maintain a majority of flags, but the team that holds onto fewer flags will outscore them.

The key to swarming Turf is to stick together and not move too fast. Sweep slowly through the bases, taking flags as you go. When you spot enemies, hit them quickly and hard. Most likely you will confront them at a bottleneck. Blow your wad to force past this point; sacrifice bursts, repels, and bricks so you can fan out and catch the enemy team in crossfire. Those items are less valuable once a crossfire is established, and even dangerous to your teammates. After the fight, if fewer than half your team have been killed, some may want to green or cycle in order to replenish supplies. During this time you are vulnerable, and will want to move slowly and perhaps scout ahead while your team regreens. Don't move too slowly though, especially if you're near an exit to the greening area, or you may be attacked from behind. If the attacking team has people defending in the direction you were headed, they might move back to join up and you can be sandwiched. Be cautious but keep the pace up.

What should I do if my team is not flagging? 
Yell at them. If you know what you are doing and no one else does, don't be afraid to give orders. Don't be afraid to ask people to leave your team if they are screwing around. The zone isn't meant for non-team play, and you have a right to demand your teammates either play Turf or leave. In my experience, they will play Turf if you are rude enough about it. Know your coordinates, assign individuals to defense points, and attach between them frequently. Ask other players to replace them when they get bored; no one wants to bounce around an empty room for an hour. You may want to try the locust approach described above, since defensive organization does require planning and discipline. The important thing to remember is that Turf is a simple and casual enough game that the public frequencies aren't filled with the apathetic, jaded scum you find in War Zone. They are there for a reason and they will play the game if you show them how and give them some guidance.

What if I don't feel like playing flags? 
Leave! Actually, there are a few other things you can do in Turf without being rude. While it's just as rotten to hunt negs and fly turrets here as it is in War, you're more likely to find action as a high bounty player. Green to 500 and get someone to chase you. Try to collect powerups and infiltrate a base alone. Certain small areas can be held by one person for a reasonable time ifthe opposition isn't too great. The best such location is the grid in the lower left corner of the General Rage map (second version only),  which is currently out of use.

How do I get on a private frequency? 
Get into spectator mode and look at each member of the team. Catch one in a quiet moment and ask him if he has a minute. If he doesn't respond, don't be offended; he may be watching radar carefully or orchestrating an attack. Also don't be offended if you aren't allowed on the team. Some players prefer a smaller team or want only to play with acquaintances whose fighting styles they are familiar with. Since Turf is all about team play in tight spaces, your actions are more dangeous to your teammates than they would be elsewhere. Hang in there and prove that you can fight by giving them trouble in an attack. Sooner or later you'll get on. Meanwhile, if you're really having trouble, ask the privates if someone will help you organize your team. Since the private frequencies are often made up of the game's most dedicated players, there's usually going to be someone more interested in the zone's welfare than in his point count. On that note, losing a battle is sometimes more fun than winning one. The fight is the key, not the victory. If you're on a private freq that is eating the opposition alive, ask if anyone minds you changing sides to make the teams more fair.

What was Turf Arizona? 
The current map was in use during the early days of Turf (that is, early 1997) and after its hiatus later in that year. It was at this time that the server was first hosted in Nevada. At some point During the Summer, the map was changed to General Rage's design, which is generally held to be inferior. This map never had a fair chance, however, because the server settings were altered with great favor weighed toward neg killing and senseless out-of-base killing. Flag rewards were minimal, and greens were scarce. The problem was compouded by the fact that Turf Arizona was one of the few locations not changed when most of the VIE servers moved, thus making it a center of newbie activity. The cleverly designed tunnel at the map's center didn't help matters either, as it made for great neg fights. It is not an exaggeration to say that one any given day you could safely bet half the arena had never seen a flag. It was that bad. The results of all this were a miserable atmosphere in which most of the players were clueless and many of the other jaded beyond repair. It was difficult to green and the rewards were minimal. Often no one was playing the flag game at all. Thus when people refer to Turf Arizona, or make any specific reference to non-Classic style Turf game, they are speaking of the game settings that made the zone infamous. Unfortunately, these settings have also come to be associated with General Rage's map, which even in its modified version is superior to the reigning Classic map.

Who made the current map? 
Like most of the early Subspace maps, the classic Turf map is unsigned. It is assumed to be the work of Rod Humble or JeffP. Based on the weird angles of the design and the apparent corrections, I'd bet that Rod was the original designer and Jeff modified it substantially, mainly by filling in holes.

Are there other Turf maps? 
Yes. Aside from the current map and the above mentioned General Rage map, each map has two early versions which are all but lost. The earlier version of the Rage map is very different in a number of aspects, most notable the lack of any outside opening to the "Needle" (i.e. the tower at bottom center) and the drastically different formation of the bottom left corner. Also different were the T7 entrance, which opened directly to the outside of the map, and an entrance at P14 which has regrettably been removed. This entrance was one of the better fights in the map and I miss it bitterly.
  With these two exceptions, there is only one other map, a far more open design by Mafia which has never been hosted on a server. It is arguably the best Turf map made to date.
  See the Mapmakers Guild homepage for these maps in .lvl form as well as a host of others for various zones.

Who runs the zone? 
Although TC is hosted by VIE, Chakotay is the zone owner and in control of the settings and other issues. At this point he does not have mod powers and cannot give out freebies or ban users from the zone, although if you push your luck it can certainly be arranged. Other Vangels for the zone include Cybrid and Sir_Sad. Chakotay periodically polls the zone's players for their preferences of game settings. These votes take place on the TCE homepage.

What do I do about neg killers? 
Since Turf Classic went back up, neg killing has not been a serious problem. The teams are large enough, and the greening fast enough, that one normally has a repel or rocket handy by the time one is found by a neg killer, and usually the team can spare a player to be your wingman if you ask nicely. Likewise, if you hear of a teammate who is being consistently negged, it may be a good idea to attach onto him when he is killed. You'll be saving a player from undue frustration, and your efforts will go toward team greening anyway.

As with War Zone, there is resentment in Turf toward neg killers. They screw up the game for everyone in one way or another, and the zone suffers for it. Notifying the public channel of consistent unprovoked neg killing--as long as you aren't whining--will probably cause the offender to be ganged up on, and as a result either start playing the flag game or leave the zone.

Why are the portals set for two minutes? 
A brilliant player who shall remain anonymous ;) had the idea to increase portal length (and frequency) to fit better with the slow pacing of the fights in this zone. Not only does this give you the option to aid teammates briefly then return quickly to a defensive post, but it makes hall fights more uncertain by allowing players to essentially position themselves in two different places for flanking and escape purposes.

Why are bursts not as effective? 
In a normal Subspace game, bursts are made out of L4 bullets. The bursts in Turf have been downgraded to L3 to make them useful in hall fights. In closed spaces, an L4 burst is too lethal and in most players' opinion would ruin the game. The rarity necessary to prevent the item from turning the game into a giant J12/T20 burst war would make them a matter of luck. With the bullets set at L3, bursts do not nearly as often mean a definite kill. Because of this, they can be made more common and are thus more useful as a tactical tool.

Is there something wrong with the ship settings? 
No, they are standard. Players have reported an odd feel to the handling of some of the ships, but there is no evidence for this in the server configuration. My theory is that it simply feels weird to get greened up to full speed and thrust so quickly, especially after a long, slow campaign through a tunnel system.

Why isn't anyone here? 
In an attempt to bring the zone back to life, Chakotay has asked players to come on as near to 6:00pm Eastern time as they are able. Of course, the zone is always open and no one is going to throw you out, but focusing on one time will in theory cause greater visibility for the zone on the servers list, and cause a gradual increase in playership. It seems to be working.

Why is the server down? 
The server is down because Turf Zone is cursed. No one is resetting anything on purpose. There is no conspiracy. The server crashes periodically because God hates Turf Zone. Write an angry letter to Congress.

Do I need to know anything else? 
Nothing. Go forth and flag.

einexile the meek

The Minefield Turf Primer

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