View source for Fort Fighting For Dummies

[[Category:Guide]]
So here you are, you decided to join the amazing world of fort fighting. This guide will explain the basics that will help you go through your first fort battling steps.

== Terminology ==

'''Fort fight''': Fort fight (also known as Fort Battles) is the action of trashtalking other players and never forgetting drama caused in the game even after 5 years have passed. It's a team based experience that takes place in chats and is supported by a flash video that lasts for about 1,5 hour.

'''Crit''': A critical hit is a class advantage that only duelers have that deducts an additional 10% off an enemy fighter's maximum health points. Dueler class players have a 10% chance (20% if premium) each round to score a critical hit on an opposing player.

'''Bail''': The action of moving away from the line of fire, usually by dismounting a wall or tower.

'''Blind Spot''': The spot in a sector or tower where you are exposed to as few opponents or as little damage as possible. It is used for blocking purposes.

'''Ghost''': Ghosting is a class advantage only adventurers have and makes them powerful blockers. Starting with the 2nd time they get hit in one round, they get a 25% chance (or 50% for premium) of not being hit at all. It’s not dodging. It’s more than that, it’s like they don’t exist. 

'''Green''': When you set your move in a fort fight, your arrow is red. When two fighters agree to swap positions and have set their swap correctly, the arrow between them turns green.



[[File:Los_Low.jpg|thumb|right]]
'''LOS''': Acronym of '''L'''ine '''O'''f '''S'''ight. This is perhaps the most important thing in a fort fight. It shows you the areas on the map that your character can shoot at and get shot from. You can see your current LOS by hovering the mouse over your character's icon on the fort fighting map. All bright areas are your LOS. The greyed out areas are those that you cannot shoot at and you cannot be shot from. If you move, your LOS will change.




'''Moat''': Sectors outside the fort, next to the towers. Blocking them usually prevents the enemy from moving faster and prepares the attacker to mount a tower or a wall.

'''Mount''': Usually followed by the name of a tower, building or wall. When you are ordered to mount something, aim to move on it (only if you’re next to it).

'''Negatives''': These are the areas that surround and contain the flag. These are the L shaped sectors around the flag plus the square of the flag. They are called like that because they are the only sectors on the fort map that give negative bonus to the person standing on them. 
<u>''The flag area''</u> gives '''-20''' on your attack and on your defence value.
<u>''The L sectors''</u> surrounding it give '''-10''' on the attack and on your defence value.

'''Swap''': When either another player or the battle leader  ask you to swap positions. Green arrow confirms the swap, red arrow means one of the two players hasn’t set his character to swap.

'''Point''': The spot in a sector or tower where you are exposed to as many opponents possible. Usually taken by players with the highest hp at that current round. A person ''taking point'' is protecting those behind him from getting shot, but allows them to shoot at the enemy.

== Before you join ==

In order to take part in a fort fight, two things should <u>always</u> occur.

* You must have signed up for the fort fight.
* Your character must be located at the fort when the battle starts.

=== Signing Up ===

'''''Step one''''': Click on the '''Multiplayer Games''' button

[[File:Fort_overview.jpg|Left]]


'''''Step two''''': Click on the '''Fort Battles''' button

[[File:Multiplayer_Worlds.jpg|300px|Left]]



'''''Step three''''': Click on the fort battle you want to join

[[File:Current_fort_battles.jpg|300px|Left]]



'''''Step four''''': Click on the "To arms!" button

[[File:To_arms.jpg|300px|Left]]



'''''Step four''''': Sign up to the battle. If you hover over the "attack" or the "defend" image you will see which other towns have joined the attack or the defence respectively.

[[File:Attack_sign.jpg|300px|Left]] This is the attack screen.



[[File:Defend_sign.jpg|300px|Left]] This is the defence screen.



[[File:Neutral_sign_pick.jpg|300px|left]] 




This is the screen if your town isn't part of the attackers' nor the defenders' alliance or if you're townless.









=== What will I need? ===

====Clothes====

You should wear clothes that boost your fort fighting skills. These skills are '''Stamina''', '''Health Points''' (from now on we will just call it '''HP'''), '''Dodging''', '''Hiding''', '''Aim''' and '''Leadership'''. Depending on the current fort fighting formula some skills might be more important than the others. For example, in the version we're now playing, ''Aim'' and ''Dodging'' are not that important. ''Health'' is the King, ''Leadership'' gives you damage (it also help with aiming and dodging), ''Stamina'' and ''Hiding'' gives you resistance and help you aim and dodge better. The current fort fighting formula can be found [[Fort_Battles#Detailed_formulas|here]]. 


<u>'''Hint'''</u>:  ''As a beginner, the wisest thing to do is to wear clothing that increases your HP because you will probably make movement mistakes. Since you don’t want those mistakes to get you killed in just one round, having as much HP as you can get might save you. Furthermore, in many worlds giving out ranks is done on a descending HP base; this means that those with the highest HP get priority in getting ranked while lower ones either have to wait or they don’t make it in the fort fight at all. So the more HP you have, the higher your chances are to get a rank. ''

====Left Hand Gun====


You will also need a left hand gun. A '''fort fighting gun'''. Here is a list of the best guns per level and per class.
{| border="1"
|colspan="2"|<center>'''Weapon'''</center>
|colspan="3"|<center>'''Class'''</center>
|-
|<center>'''Name'''</center>
|<center>'''Damage (Avg Dmg)'''</center>
|<center>'''Adv/Work/Duel'''</center>
|<center>'''Soldier Non Prem'''</center>
|<center>'''Soldier Prem'''</center>
|-
|Stone
|50-100 (80)
|1
|1
|1
|-
|Brittle Bow
|50 - 130 (90)
|5
|2
|1
|-
|Bow
|70-150 (110)
|10
|7
|4
|-
|Precise Bow
|100-188 (144)
|13
|10
|7
|-
|Precise Crossbow
|120-192 (156)
|23
|20
|17
|-
|Precise Harquebus
|112-232 (172)
|33
|30
|27
|-
|Precise Musket
|126-266 (196)
|43
|40
|37
|-
|Precise Coach Gun
|168-268 (218)
|53
|50
|47
|-
|Precise Percussion Rifle
|172-292 (232)
|63
|60
|57
|-
|Precise Breech - Loader
|200-296 (248)
|73
|70
|67
|-
|Precise Winchester
|200-312 (256)
|78
|75
|72
|-
|Modified Precise Musket
|206-346 (276)
|95
|92
|89
|-
|Modified Precise Breech Loader
|231-288 (259,50)
|103
|100
|97
|-
|Modified Precise Percussion Rifle
|265-290 (277,50)
|120
|117
|114
|-
|Precise Single Shot Rifle
|200-400 (300)
|139
|136
|133
|-
|Precise Trade Musket
|225-325 (275)
|144
|141
|138
|-
|Modified Precise Winchester
|280-280 (280)
|147
|144
|141
|}


<u>'''Sidenote'''</u>:  ''There are named guns that are superior to those in the list above. They are not mentioned though on purpose. Many named guns are better for specific builds than others; as soon as you get into the fort fighting mechanics, you will find your way and pick the named gun that suits you the most. Furthermore, guns with a wide range, e.g. 1-400 are not included because they are not as precise as other guns even if their average shot is higher.

Furthermore, there is a new feature in the game called "Item Upgrading" that affects weapons and clothes. Some of them are good for fort fights too, so you might want to read about it [[Item_upgrading|here]].

====Buff====


As we said, your fort fighting abilities are affected by 6 skills in total (Stamina, HP, Hiding, Dodging, Aiming and Leadership), therefore you can understand that there is a numerous amount of buffs that can boost those skills. What I am going to list for you here is just a personal choice of what the "best" fort fighting buffs are. Feel free to find your own ideal combination and let me know if you have any other suggestions.


When it comes to using buffs, it's always nice to have in mind a lovely thread Slygoxx made a long time ago. It is not 100% up to date, but it is a great guide for using buffs in general. You can find the thread [http://forum.the-west.net/showthread.php?t=49562 here].


So, keeping in mind we will be using '''1 Character Buff''' together with '''1 Item Buff''':


{|border="1" style="margin: auto;"
!colspan="6"|Fort Fighting Buffs
|-
!Image
!Buff Name
!Type of Buff
!Fort Battle Related Effect
!Uses
|-
|[[File:Amulet.png|center]]
|Amulet
|Character Buff
||+10 Dodge, +10 Health Points
|1
|-
|[[File:Bayonet.png|center]]
|Bayonet
|Item buff
||+25-75 Fort Battle Damage
|1
|-
|[[File:Disappearing_Ink.png|center]]
|Disappearing Ink
|Character Buff
||+2 Strength, +15 hiding, +15% HP Bonus
|5
|-
|[[File:Hip_Flask.png|center]]
|Hip Flask
|Item Buff
||+40-40 Fort Battle Damage
|2
|-
|[[File:Hushpuppy.png|center]]
|Hushpuppy
|Character Buff
||+2 Mobility, +15 Stamina, +15 Leadership
|5
|-
|[[File:Modern_Armour.png|center]]
|Modern Armor
|Item Buff
||+4 Fort Battle Defence, +10% Health Bonus
|2
|-
|[[File:Vegetable_Dumpling.png|center]]
|Vegetable Dumpling
|Character Buff
||+2 Dexterity, +15 leadership
|5
|-
|[[File:Westerner.png|center]]
|Westerner
|Item Buff
||+20-60 fort battle damage, +4 Fort battle attack
|5
|-
|}


You can test and find out yourself your favourite combinations according to your attacking or defensive build.

== After you join - Before the fort fight ==

One of the first things to do is to check the battle <u>chat topic</u>; usually this will guide you on  where to start and/or where to set your character. If there is no topic, ask someone else in the chat for help/advice on where to set. 


'''''How to set your character and your target'''''

[[File:Set_Char.jpg|300px|left]] Click once on the desired spot you want to start on the map. You will see a yellow mark that indicates your character. This is where you will be placed once the battle starts (unless someone else starts at the same spot with you, but ignore this part for now).














[[File:Set_Targ.jpg|300px|left]] Click on the desired target spot. A red cross will appear. This is where your character will aim to move to unless you change your target when the battle starts.
















<span style="color:red">'''Attention: If you are an attacker and you fail to set a target for your character, the game with automatically set your target to the flag.'''</span>


''There's only a limited amount of players that can take part in a fort fight so you want to make sure you’ll get in.''<spoiler text="Click here for details">{| border="1" style="margin: auto"
|<center>'''Fort Size'''</center>
|<center>'''Attackers'''</center>
|<center>'''Defenders'''</center>
|-
|Small
|50
|42
|-
|Medium
|100
|84
|-
|Large
|140
|120
|}</spoiler>Having a rank can insure you join the battle. Ranks are given out by a '''General''' or a '''Captain''' who has this responsibility before the battle begins (usually it starts maximum 1 hour before the fight). 


'''''General rules of ranking''''':
*Wait to ask for a rank until the ranking procedure starts

*Always ask only once for a rank. There is no need to spam the whole chat over and over again just to get a rank. Usually this ends up in having the exact opposite result.

*No caps please unless you are the person ranking. No need to shout at the rest.

*Using the word “please” shows manners too and makes the ranker’s job more pleasant. Don’t forget after all, he’s the one usually stressing about getting you guys and gals in the battle.

*No spamming - Your chit chat is making it difficult for the ranker to see who has asked for a rank.

*No offensive language.

*No begging.

*If you are going afk/offline during the fort fight, notify the ranker in advance.



'''''<u>Question</u>:''''' '''Why are there different ranks?'''

''A rank determines the order in which people shoot and move. In attack, all the town’s councilors and founders are given a general’s rank (4 stars) automatically, however, in defence, only town founders get a general’s rank whilst councilors get an automatic captain’s rank (2 bars). More about the order of the events can be found [[Fort_Battles#Order_of_events|here]].''

== Let the battle begin! ==

=== The Map ===

Congratulations! You’re taking part in the battle! Before we start explaining how to move, let’s have a look at the map.

[[File:Small_fort.jpg|400px]]
'''Small Fort'''



[[File:Med_fort.jpg|400px]]
'''Medium Fort'''



[[File:Large_Fort.jpg|400px]]
'''Large Fort'''




'''<u>Explanation</u>''':

'''AT''' stands for Adventurers Tower

'''DT''' stands for Duellers Tower

'''ST''' stands for Soldiers Tower

'''WT''' stands for Workers Tower


You will also hear people saying "AT1" or "DT2" and so on. This is to indicate a specific spot on a tower. The numbers go as follows and they are the same for all four towers:


[[File:Tower_Num.jpg|100px|center|alt text]]

=== Movement ===


Now let’s go to what we are here for. The battle just started, we know where everything is located on the map and now it's time to fight!

<u>'''''First thing to do'''''</u>: '''Right click''' with your mouse on the fort fighting screen, select '''Quality''' and set it to '''low'''. Doing this will make [[#Terminology|LOS]] more clear to see.

[[File:Los_High.jpg|285px]] [[File:Los_Low.jpg|285px]]
<div style="float:left;">'''Before'''</div>
<div style="text-align:right;">'''After'''</div>


=== The Classes ===


Taking a closer look at the characters on the map, you will distinguish the five classes that are available in the game.



[[File:Classes.jpg|200px|center]]



You may also notice that some players are represented as a square character or a semi circular shape 


[[File:Owning_Digging.jpg|200px|center]]


This indicates the difference between specific fighters too. Fighters with a square character are either members of the digging town (attackers side) or part of the town that owns the fort (defenders side). The rest of the fighters  are represented with a semi circular shape.


===Orders===


Every proper fort fight has a leader. You will identify that person in many ways. Usually it's a person writing in capital and bold letters. Most of the time they use a coloured text too. He or she is an experienced player that has done this before. <u>Always</u> follow the leader’s orders. <u>Fort fighting is a team game, so it is crucial that we are all moving as one</u>.


{|border="2"
|''The general idea is we move as a team, sharing the fire we take while trying to hurt the opponents. This is why having a good [[#Terminology|LOS]] is important and working as a team is even more important.''
|}


'''''<u>Hint</u>''''': ''During the battle you might get some orders that you don’t understand. Don’t be ashamed to ask in the chat for clarifications. From my experience, there is always someone that wants to help new players and will end up talking to you in a whisper, helping you throughout the battle.''



In order to move, click on your character and then click on an open spot at the end of your arrow in a neighbouring sector or in your current sector. At the beginning of the next round, your character will move to that spot or the closest one available. If the sector you are aiming at is full, you won’t move until a spot empties. Always remember that other fort fighters will probably aim at the same spot as you. Who will get that spot is determined by the movement hierarchy as described [[Fort_Battles#Order_of_events|here]]. Therefore, if you are low in the movement hierarchy, try aiming at spots that are a bit less "popular" so as to be able to move as you wish. 


'''''<u>Caution</u>: You cannot move diagonally.'''''

[[File:Diagonally_copy.jpg]]


'''''<u>Movement hint</u>:'''''
''Aim one sector at the time. The game’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) isn’t that smart (yet) and doesn’t take into consideration the existence of enemies in the fort battle. The way it is designed, it is trying to get you to the spot you aimed at as fast as possible. Therefore, aiming 2 sectors away might get you in a pretty bad position with tons of enemies shooting at you and most probably ending up getting you killed. Always aim one sector at the time unless the leader orders you differently.''

=== Aiming/Shooting ===

Aim and targeting is automatic. You cannot choose who you want to shoot, you cannot aim past the people in front. You may only shoot at the closest target in your line of sight. What you can do though is aim at a specific sector (that is adjacent to yours); this will make you shoot at the people in that sector. 


*''One shot can’t take more than '''1/3 of the maximum HP''' of a player. By maximum HP we mean maximum amount of health a player has when the battle starts. For example if the battle starts and you have 5400/7000 hp, your maximum HP is 7000.



To make it simple, always keep the following in mind:

1. <span style="color:blue">The defenders</span> shoot.

2. <span style="color:blue">The defenders</span> move.

3. <span style="color:red">The attackers</span> shoot.

4. <span style="color:red">The attackers</span> move.


So when you are attacking, always remember you will be shot at the beginning of the next round. So try not to be too much exposed at the enemy if you're low on health.



{|border="2"
|Fort fighting is something that you are improving at as you gain more experience (like most things in life to be honest). Therefore, don’t be disappointed after a bad fort fight. Also don't be disappointed if you miss a lot or you don't dodge well. Always keep in mind that the attack and the defence chances are based on probabilities and sometimes we don't get lucky. Be persistent and you will get there. After all, we were all noobs before we started (some of us still are and will always be).
|}

== After the fort fight ==

After the fort fight is over, you will get a report with the results.

[[File:Battle_Report.jpg|center|500px]] 



If you passed out during the fight, you will be send back to your town's hotel and the game will automatically set 8 hours of sleep for you.  If you don't have a town you will remain at the fort's location. If you die during a fort fight you don't lose your inventory or your banked cash; but you do lose the cash you're carrying on you and your energy drops to 0. If you survive, you will remain at the same location. Your health will match the health you had when the last round of the fort fight ended.

== FAQ ==

'''''Q1: What the heck! How did I end up on the wall? I didn't aim there!'''''

When you end up in a sector you haven't aimed at, this means that you probably set your character to move 2 sectors away, letting the game's AI decide the best route for you. The best route for the game is the shortest way but surely not the safest one.

'''''Q2: Why am I not taking part in the fort fight? I have a rank!'''''

Blame the ranker! Apparently the person giving out ranks ranked more players than he should (also known as '''overranking'''). Therefore people with a higher rank than you (Generals > Captains > Privates) or higher leadership got in first and you didn't. You can find more details on the priority of the events [[Fort_Battles#Order_of_events|here]].

'''''Q3: Why am I starting at this spot? I didn't place my character there!'''''

Ok there are two explanations for this one. Either someone with higher hierarchy sat on you ('''stacked''' you) and you were pushed to the closest available spot or you forgot to place your character on the map before the fort fight.

'''''Q4: Do I have to be awake to take part in the fort fight as a defender or can I sleep at the barracks?'''''

You can set to sleep in the barracks. If you make it in the fort fight, the sleep will be cancelled though and after the fort fight you will be just  sitting there. If you don't make it in though, you'll continue sleeping unless the fort is lost.




<u>''Got any further questions? Please contact me (Musagete) and I can help you and add them to this manual.''</u>