Map and Game Reading

POSTED BY mnamestnik January 5, 2022

The ABSOLUTE BEST reference for this is Coach’s Corner from 13Disciple. This is where I learned 50%+ of my ability (limited as it is) to read a map and a game and know what’s happening and what I need to do to win (which is likely responsible for 2-3% of my increase in overall winrate since I first watched his videos).

There are 26 videos, all of which are ABSOLUTELY worth watching, in their entirety. He explains reading the teams, discussing where they’re likely to go, and why he goes where he does. Then as the match unfolds he explains all his actions. They can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDv5Yu_d07WGbKGNqnSH__zictVYpcyhH

Map Reading

Prerequisites

  • Minimap must be big enough in the bottom corner to see it without having to enlarge it to the center of the screen such that it overtakes the entire view
  • Minimap needs the ‘tank’ view range, max view range, and draw range circles
  • There is other information that Aslains/XVM can add to the minimap, such as health remaining circles, WN8 ratings, etc. all of which add more information but beware of making it TOO cluttered

Playing Between The Circles

  • When not brawling, it is best to take shots at enemy tanks that are between the max draw circle (red) and the 445m max view range. If no enemies are closer to spot you, you can get a LOT of damage without being shot in return

Everything you get from the map is to use for the below, reading the battle


Game/Battle Reading

Awareness

  • Of the enemy
    • Where are they?
    • How are they moving?
    • Are they clumping up and collecting for an overmatch?
    • Are they pushing hard or sitting back?
    • If you have XVM, what are the skill levels of the enemies?
  • Of allies
    • Where are they?
    • How did they deploy?
    • Are they clumping up in the right/wrong places?
    • Who needs support?
      • Can you flex over and help them, will it actually help, or leave some area unprotected?
      • Is it worth putting yourself in a position of a last stand to keep a lone teammates’ gun in the game, when they’ve done something stupid?
    • Who can support you?
      • If you move in will you have support, or find yourself alone?
      • If there’s no support should you consider falling back to your team to support a push into you rather than finding yourself alone?
  • What is the high percentage play? This is a position or play that has a high percentage chance to work / do what you want it to. This can be damage, pressure, push a flank, etc.
  • What is the low percentage play? This is the play that would be less likely to work out, or has an almost zero chance to work, and should be avoided at all costs unless you KNOW you can pull it off, which takes practice and time
  • Does the move require your team to assist or can you pull it off yourself? A low percentage play that requires your team to help you to make it work, is a failed play in the making.

Predicting Friendly and Enemy Movements

  • This requires paying attention across hundreds of matches, and is what’s called the ‘meta’. The meta is what is supposed to happen on any given map with any given setup, though because of Covid-19 (among many other factors) and a bunch of new players that are clueless muppets, the meta is all sorts of messed up and constantly changing.
  • You have to learn how to watch for lemming trains, position yourself to watch a flank and keep it protected
  • PREDICTING movements is hard to do, but you can get more intuitive about it over time

Local vs. Global

  • Local: This is what’s happening immediately around you, basically in the 1-on-1 space, immediate CQB. This is of primary importance as you play the game, but you should also be concerned about the…
  • Global: This is what’s happening map-wide, how the game is unfolding around you overall, this must also be monitored the entire match
  • Start by reading the player panels at the start of a match, and based on the tiers and types of tanks, maybe even what clans they are from (if you don’t have XVM to get player ratings), make a determination of what you would expect them to do overall, and try to predict what will happen before the counter has run down.
    • Sure, this helps with winning matches, but ultimately it’s to practice so that when you’re wrong…
    • …you can sit back after the match and think to yourself, what did I think they’d do that they didn’t and why is that?
    • LEARN from this, and you’ll get better at predicting matches and placing yourself at the critical terrain (or as Guido1212 says ‘in the purple places, doing purple things’)

The overall goal of all of this is to go from purely reactionary (beginner level, where you’re stuck with auto-wins or auto-losses – i.e. if your overall winrate is ~40%), and instead become aware and predictive of what’s happening around you to help turn the tide on 5-10% of the 20% of matches in the ‘flux’.

From there, you want to ultimately go from being predictive and aware to being totally proactive, where not only are you anticipating the enemy team movements and putting yourself in the best position to counter them as they happen but YOU become the reason your team wins matches that should have been lost (the other 5-10% of the 20% so that you get in the 55-60% winrate range).