Miranda Play Strategies
The Miranda is a plane that can take on far more roles than any other plane. Learning how to utilize each of the roles and combine them is a difficult feat. However, if you can manage such a task - you can end up being one of the best players in the game. The #1 spot in both ladders has been held by a Time Anchor Miranda more often than any other play. Below you will find a very basic description of the planes roles. For further details on the planes please check out the guides section on the forums.
Bomb Running - Bomb running for Miranda's are frequentative under all perk sets. However, Time Anchor (TA) Mirandas are considered to be the best bomb runner in the game. However, it is incredibly difficult to master this plane. Players will often find themselves crashing into walls and being a very ineffective team player until they can get the basics down (Which often takes well over 100 hours). It is strongly recommended that players learn to fly the plane and kill other planes before taking up bomb running with the time anchor - especially considering you'll be severely hindered with your movement when you pick up the bomb. Your "time anchor" will cost 25% more energy and your plane will be significantly slower. Once you've mastered the basics and have started trying to run - consider these simple pieces of advice: Do not try and charge in alone - wait for your team and push behind them. Save up your energy so you can make quick bursts towards the enemy base or away from enemies. Do not keep a charged shot up - it will severely impede your movement. Do not keep anchoring - it will result in very predictive play and drain your energy quickly. Furthermore, try not to move in a straight line in open areas, as then you will incapacitate the use of your own time anchor in the face of loopy spam, since the tracker will easily shift onto your plane's new position. Always leave your paths open while hiding behind objects. These are just the basics and more will have to be discovered by reading guides or simply playing more. Trickster and Laser Mirandas can also be ominous bomb carriers in their own way. The ability to reverse instantly adds a whole new dynamic that can confuse players. Like with the Time Anchor - you should be extra careful to reserve your energy and not keep reversing too much. Regular reverse Mirandas, however, follow a slightly different strategy. Instead of relying on the art of deception, they focus on area control. Because of their unique ability, reverse Mirandas can maintain their position without making 360 degree turns for indefinite amounts of time. Furthermore, their reverse allows for a quick retreat with no turnaround time. This allows the randa to strategically move and remain in certain places till the circumstances allow further advance while not revealing weak spots that occur while turning. Furthermore, contrary to the aforementioned notion, reverse Mirandas can, in fact, fake one way and go the other. More experienced players often hold their arrow keys while reversing to increase the turn angle from a minimum of 180 degrees to a maximum of 320. This allows them to efficiently weave around small obstacles while still keeping the nose cone in the same direction while maintaining a relatively low time and energy consumption rate.
Support - All three Mirandas can make very good support. This role basically means trying to pick off enemies that are most important. If there is a bomb carrier hiding behind an explodet - the Mirandas can either take out the explodet or zoom past and kill the bomb carrier. The mirandas are also great at picking up a bomb from a dead team mate. If your bomb carrier pushes first you can come behind and double warp it the rest of the way to the base - surprising the enemy. Mirandas are also good at scaring enemies away with bounce shots around corners. They can help keep the planes in a certain area or at least put pressure on them. Mirandas can even steal bombs close to the enemy base with their very powerful warp shot - which results in a base hit. To best understand the roll of a Miranda, one must understand that the hull of a Miranda does not possess the same advantages as other planes. As a compromise for low health and a small hitbox (a minor disadvantage during pushes when serving as a meathshield), Mirandas are gifted with maneuverability. More experienced players can use this ability to target specific members in a crowd and eliminate them. With the Miranda's accelerate ability allows the plane to "teleport" itself to an ideal position and do its bidding. More immediate effects include killing the bomb carrier and defusing the bomb on defense, picking up the bomb as said before, and killing of loners with speed and precision.
Killing - A Miranda's superior killing advantage ties in with the reason of its supportive abilities. While all three Mirandas are great killers - laser stands out from the other two. Laser is much better at taking down "heavy" planes whereas time anchor and trickster are much better at taking down "light" planes. The damage of a laser hit if it remains on the enemy will take out almost any plane regardless of how much hp they have. The heavier planes that are slower and not as maneuverable have a much harder time of avoiding this - while also not being able to kill them as quickly. Time Anchor and Trickster both of the deadly warp shot and shots that bounce around corners. Because the warp shot can kill most light planes in one hit (or very close to one hit) - people will try to avoid you or surprise you. Keep your guard up and use the terrain to your advantage. Your maneuverability is the best in the game (next to a flexi loopy) so make sure to utilize it. It should be noted that the Miranda is the best 1v1 plane in the game.
Ball - Time Anchor and Trickster are the two best Mirandas at ball. Laser is typically not as effective due to the fast pace of the game. Both Time Anchor and Trickster are great at dodging and confusing the enemies. The killing and maneuverability discussed above takes place here as well. Typically the only role you'll serve in ball is that of a ball carrier. Try not to get too focused on zooming after the ball, though. Going 1 - 20 in a game even if you manage to score a goal is typically not good. Try your best to balance the two and don't forget to pass!
