Capture the flag is the most popular Tribes 2 game played online. For every deathmatch or other game-mode server you find, expect to find 10 to 20 (or even more) capture the flag servers. Capture the flag features the most variation in player roles, offensive and defensive strategies, and vehicle usage. This section covers some specific capture the flag strategies; follow these techniques to better assist your team in an offensive or defensive role.

Farming

Farm (färm) n.
1. The art of deploying a sensor net, remote inventory stations, and spider-clamp and landspike turrets to assist your team.

Farming may be tedious to some and, at least on the surface, an unglamorous role, but it serves an extremely important purpose in capture the flag games. It's important to bolster your defenses with available spider-clamp (interior) and landspike (exterior) turrets. Turret numbers are limited, so it's important to take care in placing each and every defensive emplacement. You'll want to protect your flag, as well as important base structures, primarily the generators. Don't place turrets where the enemy could simply destroy them from long-range. Force them to reach your inner defenses before getting a good line of fire on your last line of defense.

Turrets aren't the only item you'll need to set up. Don't forget to place pulse sensors on the top of nearby hills to widen your sensor net. This allows you to detect incoming enemies earlier. You'll also need motion sensors around the flag and generators to protect against cloaked enemies. Don't bother with pulse sensors inside your base; each spider-clamp turret features its own pulse sensor. Instead, concentrate on the exterior. Open up the command circuit (defaults to "C") and press the "W" key (the default key) to reveal the sensor coverage. Widen that coverage by deploying pulse sensors in those areas!

Watch out for a farmer's field as you approach an enemy base. Expect a network of turrets and sensors to protect against infiltration.

Take a deployable inventory station with you when you're depositing landspike turrets outside. You can use the inventory station to restock the turrets so you aren't spending most of your time walking back and forth inside the base to use the inventory stations there. Plus, it's wise for the team to have at least one remote inventory station in case the generators go down--the remote inventory station has its own power source and can be used to secure a repair pack to fix the damaged generators.

If you plan to become a farmer, practice your art so it benefits, rather than hurts, the team. Don't deposit turrets in worthless locations. Don't forget motion sensors to protect against cloaked enemies. Don't drop pulse sensors in a clump all together. Don't place pulse sensors at the bottom of a valley with limited line of sight. It's better to not be a farmer at all than to become a bad farmer!

Repairing Vital Base Components

Allowing your generators to remain broken for long periods of time will hinder your team. You won't have use of base turrets, inventory stations, or the vehicle station. To put it simply, without the generators, your team is at a serious disadvantage. The longer the generators stay down, the easier it will be for the other team to take control of the game.

Thus, it's important for one or more players to remain aware of the state of the generators. You'll find repair packs scattered in corners around your own base (look for the red glow). Replace any current pack with the repair pack and go repair the generators and any other damaged structures to get your team back on track.

Protect the generators by switching to a farmer. Deposit some mines near the generators to blow apart any enemy who decides to make another attempt. Use deployable cameras in the entrances to the base and near the generators to monitor enemy activity. Even if you lose the generators, your team won't suffer much as long as the generators are repaired quickly.

Memorize the location of your base's repair pack; there's at least one in every base to use if the inventory stations are all disabled. Mark it with a beacon so you can find it quickly!
 

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