User blog:MKsmashed/Bot Tips: Natasha

Welcome to Bot Tips! This episode will cover the Natasha, one of the strongest long-rangers in the game.

OVERVIEW
The Natasha is a heavy bot. It has a respectable amount of health at 120k, and heavy firepower with 2 Heavy hardpoints and 2 Light hardpoints. However, it's not as good in melee as you might expect (I'll cover that later). It's good at mid-ranging, long-ranging, and Artying.

SETUPS
These are some valid setups for the Natasha:

Close-range (not highly recommended) - 2 Avengers and 2 Punishers, 2 Thunders and 2 Gusts

Mid-range - 2 Zeuses and 2 Gekkos, 2 Tempests and 2 Molots, 2 Kang Daes and 2 Gekkos

Long-range - 2 Fluxes and 2 Gekkos, 2 Nashorns and 2 Noricums, 2 Trebuchets and 2 Arbalests, 2 Trebuchets and 2 Gekkos

Arty - 2 Zenits and 2 Noricums

STRATEGY
This will mostly cover longer range combat. In melee combat, it can do huge damage if given enough time. The problem is that the Natasha has a very large frame. This means that weapons with bullet spread (Molots, Punishers, Shotguns) hit with more of their bullets, meaning it dies easier. This also leaves it vulnerable to close-range assaults by rocket weapons such as Orkans. In a Mid-range position, you should find an open pathway for firing, shoot any enemies in that pathway from far away, and then move into cover. If your team is winning, try to catch up to the "assault" part of the group with the Knife Fighters and give them support from behind. Otherwise, stay behind and keep doing what you're doing. Long-rangers and Artys have similar strategies. Find somewhere at the start of the battle where you can see most of the battlefield but there is cover nearby. If you're a long ranger, wait until you see an enemy and unload. Keep firing at enemies until they see you, then move to cover. Artys should go to cover from the beginning and fire from there. Keep shooting until you die.

SUMMARY
The Natasha can be a force to reckon with at long range. It can do just as much if not more damage, if not more, at close range, but only for a short while. If pushed, it can be used to Mid-expert (and possibly farther). It should not be underestimated.