t a c t i c s  f o r  t r i b e s
got some tricks you want to share? submit then please!

Spy vs. ... Well, the other team.
Pooka's Guide To Playing A Spy

introduction
Spying is fun. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise. However, spying is not a mission to be undertaken lightly. Spying requires some cunning tactics, sneaky underhand tricks and an ability to use everything at your disposal. Please note the following:
1 - You should reeeeally play on a Renegades 4.0 server for this guide to be of use.
2 - You shouldn't be playing on Barrysworld Renegades servers for this to work [see section on grenades]
With that out the way, let me plough into the guide itself!

the weapons of the spy
Take a visit to your local inventory station. I shall present to you my chosen spy configuration, with an explanation of why I've chosen those weapons.

Disc Launcher - fairly rapid fire, and has a splash effect. Very handy for blowing people out the way.
Grenade Launcher - useful for clearing out corridors prior to running in. Can also be rebounded off corners, allowing for entertaining trick shots.
Magnum - it's like a sniper rifle, only rapid firing and slightly less damaging. But is good for cutting up heavies.
Cloaking Pack - Some spies will swear on the espionage pack. I say, "Take the cloaking pack", because it's handy just to get round larger turrets and trick people when you're in a tight spot.
Finally, take as many mines, grenades and beacons as physicaly possible. These will be your friends.

grenades, y'know?
Unless you're playing on a Barrysworld Server, the spy's grenades are "plastique" - highly potent plastic explosive that detonates after ten seconds. This will inevitably prove to be one of your best friends. It looks like a becaon, which makes it a little more "innocent" looking, but two of these babies will take out a shielded plasma turret. This makes them very handy for clearing out a path for your heavies, and will make you popular with your team. Also, if you're about to die, aim down and drop one of them. The person might try and "pick up the beacon"... hee hee!

mines... hmmm...
Alas, the mines of a spy are nothing special. But, remember, you can still put mines in fun places. It is considered bad taste to mine inventory stations and generators! Please, keep in mind that killing a turret is fine - because it's attacking you - but taking out gens and engaging in wholesale rape is inpolite [unless they did it to you first... in which case...]. Also consider dropping mines of around corners, where they can catch people unawares.

beacons, the good stuff
The beacons of a spy should be a close friend to you. The "beacons" are satchel charges. These satchel charges look like cameras/laser turrets... and they can be attached to more or less anything. After deploying them, they can be "fired" from the commander screen [you don't have to be at a command point to do this]... simply click, and they fire off a massive explosive that's guaranteed to kill most things. It is your job, as a good spy, to place these beacons in useful places - next to objectives, in flag rooms, base enterances, etc. etc.

But, user beware! Do not let the enemy see you deploy them. They will get shot down almost instantaneously. Use some subtlety, place them in dark areas, high up on walls and on ceilings, or behind other things that will obscure them.

tactics for the spy
There are a few ways to play the spy...

• The Pseudo-Sniper. In this case, you are probably using a laser rifle instead of a magnum, and you're carrying an energy pack. The spy moves faster than the sniper, and therefore can be a viable alternative to using sniper armour! If people scream about a sniper, you can say with honesty that you're a spy...

• The Base Attacker: This is where you'll end up running in to a base, deploying your satchel charges and plastic explosives, and then probably get into a fight just to kill yourself, so you respawn in the safety of your base and can wreak havoc with the satchel charges. This can be quite fun, especially when chanting "revenge from beyond the grave"

• The Objective Bomber: You drop your satchel charges around objectives, wait and wait and wait... then blow away the enemy who tries to take it from you. Although you wont get many kills, you might make yourself popular with your team as you single-handedly aggravate the enemy.

• The Base Defender: This will require many satchel charges. Essentially, you place them at strategic points and then load up in a heavier armour to take charge of base defence. When you die, load up into the command screen, select the nearest satchel charge to where you died and nuke the grave robbers who are trying to make off with your spare discs and vulcan ammo...

• The Anti-Sniper: Due to their speed, spies make great choices for sneaking up behind enemy snipers. Their plastique will kill them off in one go, and is "silent" when thrown.. making it a good choice. And you can use the cloaking pack to make your sneaking up a little easier.

• The Actual Spy: A spy should be able to give her team a detailed analysis of just what the enemy base has to offer, and help take down the defences for a larger assualt. Use your satchel charges as "explosive cameras", and get ready for subtle runs into the enemy base. If you die, so what? At least you know where that enemy turret is...

Spying In Pairs?
Yes, it can be done. And yes, it can be quite fun. The general trick is for one spy to remain a fair distance away while the other makes a route into the enemy base. The job of the "outsider" is to snipe down, or blow up, anybody who tries to follow the "insider" into the base. The other job the outsider should fulfil is to take command of the satchels the insider places, and use them to cover his tracks. The insiders role is to get an idea of the enemy base defence layout, deposit satchels near heavier turrets and mine/disk weaker turrets.

[more later!]