Note for video clips, the default is to loop. Turn that off.
1) What is it?
Duh, right? You can capture the enemy base to win the match by sitting on the base until the capture bar fills to 100%. There is so much more though...
2) The details
Capping Mechanics The base is capped at a rate of 1 tank/’tick’. It takes 100 ‘ticks’ to complete the countdown timer. One ‘tick’ = 1 second
The maximum rate the counter will decrease is 3 ‘ticks’/second. This confuses many people. Essentially, having more than 3 tanks on the cap will not change the rate the timer counts down. It is already counting down at the maximum rate. There are other advantages to having more than 3 tanks though (covered below).
1 tank needs 105 seconds to cap. 2 tanks need 55 seconds to cap. 3 tanks need 39 seconds to cap. If there are 4 or more tanks on the cap, it still takes 39 seconds to cap. But, the generated capture points are split evenly among the tanks currently on the cap.
For example: 3 or fewer tanks are on the cap, they each earn 1 capture point per second. 6 tanks are on the cap, they each earn ½ capture point per second. 12 tanks are on the cap, they each earn ¼ capture points per second.
The advantage to having more tanks in the cap circle is that it is harder for the enemy to reset the cap.
Capture points on individual tanks may be reset by damaging (or scoring a zero damage critical hit) on them. Once a tank is reset, its cap pool is reset and it begins accumulating capture points from zero.
3) IMPORTANT Key Points
Once capture is complete, the round does not end immediately. There is a delay of at least 5 seconds before victory is yours (unless the battle timer runs out earlier). This delay gets extended each time a vehicle is destroyed. The following outcomes are possible:
All friendly vehicles are destroyed within the delay: Enemy team wins.
All vehicles of both teams are destroyed within the delay: Draw
Enemy completes base capture of their own within the delay: Draw.
All other cases: Your team wins.
4) Important concepts
If your team is capping, once the timer reaches about 95% STOP SHOOTING. You do NOT want to kill an enemy and extend the timer.
Even tanks not on cap need to pull back and get defensive so you are not killed extending the timer.
If you are being capped obviously you are shooting the tanks on cap to try to get resets. BUT, once the timer hits 0, try to extend it by killing one shot tanks that may not be on cap.
If you are on cap and you are not lit, don't shoot and get lit.
Take advantage of cover (Buildings, rocks, dead tanks, etc.) and concealment (bushes, downed trees).
If you are going to die, do it in a way that provides cover. Pull in front and turn sideways.
5) The three (3) Capping Scenarios
You are False Capping. You do not intend to cap, but you are forcing the other team to make a decision. The important point... Stay alive! If it gets too hot...retreat, don't die on cap. And don't wait to be told to get safe. Unless the caller tells you to die on cap, DON'T. This is rarely successful, as it is not intended to succeed.
You have pushed a superior force to the cap. You all get on the cap and say: "Molon Labe (or ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ)!". Due to the large force, this is usually successful. Especially since the enemy usually rushes back in a disorganized manner to get resets and easily focused.
The "bitch cap". In this case the win is uncertain or in jeopardy and capping is a a sort of Hail Marry. While frequently unsuccessful, there are strategies to increase success.
6) How to "bitch cap" - 2 methods
Protect the Cappers. STRATSKETCH Put big armor in front, small tanks behind, ideally with good turrets like 140s. The strategy is to make the enemy come and dig you out. Even if tanks are killed on cap, they provide cover for those behind making it harder to get resets. Big targets like a Maus that pulls sideways before they die to provide lots of cover can help.
Push Past. STRATSKETCH Put 3 or 4 on cap. Stay defensive and hide behind each other. The rest push past and engage the enemy in an attempt to block shots and prevent resets. Remember you can ram/tackle one tank and track another so you are holding up 2 tanks.
7) Keys to the "Push past" method
Watch the video and note how the red team (Red Sky - RS) caps. They put 4 on base behind cover, then push past. Things to note: 1) See how one red tank does his best to block 2 green tanks. 2) Note that while he fires at the right tank, after it fires, he angles towards the left tank increasing his chance to block the shot he knows is coming. 3) Once the 2nd red tank joins, they focus fire the right tank. The left red tank continues to do his best to block the left green tank, while focusing fire on the other green tank.
8) Reset Strategies
Split your return/reset so you are shooting from multiple sides.
Rotate cap targets to get all points reset then focus fire and kill, if points build start rotating again.