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| Holy War |
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A "Holy War" is generally any scheme which contains unlimited Holy Hand Grenades (HHGs, or holies) and few or no other weapons. The concept is relatively recent, unrefined, and unrecognised by league sites, so there is considerable variety in the schemes on offer. The map upon which a Holy War can be played is usually either a bulky island map, or a completely blank map (save for a few girders where the worms start). Schemes are usually adjusted so that they are more appropriate for whatever type of map is chosen.
Though there is sometimes a little strategy involved, the scheme is often considered to be dominated by luck and choatic turns, with limited scope for tactics. Most consider it to be a silly scheme, like the Bows and Arrows scheme, to be played for fun rather than serious competition.
Download:
Holy War (Common version for blank maps)
Holy War (Run's version; no select worm, no parachute, no retreat time, no health crates)
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| A strategy guide (Run's version) |
First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin, then shalt thou count to three
It used to be that a Holy War was all about building malicious funnels over the enemy with girder packs, and then lobbing holies into them to blow the enemy into the water. But that's changed now. The utility crates that arrive every turn have proved to be more than just an occasional twist to the gameplay - they are often critical to victory. You need to collect them to give yourself a chance of winning.
So building funnels and lobbing holies is now a thing of the past. Funnels are usually ruined by enemy girders before you can use them, anyway. Nowadays it's all about using girders to build ladders and bridges for your own worms, allowing you to move them over the map and collect the utility crates. It's also about using girders to block the enemy, so they can't get the crates themselves.
All this crate-collecting doesn't mean you won't be shooting anyone. Access around the map will also give you the ability to attack the enemy with holies up close, which is much easier than lobbing them from afar. You may opt to gently throw a holy over the edge of a girder, so that it lands on an enemy below. Or you could throw one almost vertically upward, so that it lands next to an enemy perched on a higher girder. No funnels necessary.
You could even simply stand next to the enemy and drop a holy. Without retreat time you won't be able to escape, but it's worth it if you can kill more of your enemy's worms than your own. In fact, it's not even a guarantee that your worm will die, and if you plan the shot carefully you can make sure it won't. Dropping a holy vertically will ensure that your worm is thrown vertically upward, so you can ensure a safe landing by making sure there is terrain below. Better still, you actually get a fiftieth of a second retreat time with any weapon, which is just enough time to make your worm face the other way. After dropping a holy, this will make your worm fly almost - but not quite - vertically, and this slight lateral motion might be necessary to ensure that safe landing. If more lateral motion is required, try a gentle throw rather than a drop, and cross your fingers.
Since throwing a holy from afar on such a map is so difficult, it is suicide shots like these that you will need to rely on. But getting your worm into the right position isn't easy either, especially with bungee being the only transport tool on a map comprising scattered girders. This is where the utility crates come in: things like the jetpack and low gravity make getting around a lot easier, and other utilities have their own reasons for being sought after. Let's find out why.
Jetpack
The jetpack is perhaps the most powerful utility crate, since other methods of transport are so limited. If your enemy worms are clustered somewhere, you might want to use the jetpack to fly your worm over and drop a holy in the middle of the group. You probably won't survive, but it's all a numbers game in the end, and sacrifice is sometimes necessary when the enemy suffers more.
Or perhaps you could use the jetpack to collect more utility crates that are out of your reach. Even more important if your enemy will get them otherwise. You may even pick up another jetpack, making the whole trip worth it.
It is always recommended that you save at least one jetpack, so that if you are reduced to a single worm, you can escape to a distant speck of land where your enemy will find it impossible to land a holy. Similarly, you will find that jetpack useful if your enemy makes a similar escape attempt with his last worm, since you can then jet over there and suicide - just make sure you survive or have a spare worm to pick up the victory.
Crate Shower
When you pick up a crate shower, the map will be littered with five additional crates. Some of these might be more utilities, but often you will get weapons too. Because holies are difficult to attack with, and often require suicide, these alternative weapons are usually extremely useful, and every attempt should be made to collect them. Even if they are useless, your enemy won't know that.
When you collect a crate shower during your turn, the crates will land immediately, so you will need to move quickly to get as many as you can. Focus on getting the weapon crates. When they have all landed, and you've collected as many as you can walk to, use a teleport to collect any extra weapon crate that might be lying around. Remember, these crates could contain anything from airstrikes to homing weapons, so you must do everything in your power to prevent the enemy getting them. If you can't collect them, see about destroying them.
Collecting a crate shower by teleport is an interesting one. If the crate shower is collected as your worm materialises, then the crates are delivered immediately, but only one is actually sent. If your worm materialises above the crate, however, and then collects it as he drops down, then the crate shower will occur on your next turn. This gives you a great advantage as you will then have your whole turn time to organise the crate collection, and you'll get first pick.
Crate Spy
Getting a crate spy gives you a massive advantage over your enemy, since you can focus on getting the most important crates. This is particularly useful for crate showers. If you remember what the crates are, you can also see what your enemy collects and plan accordingly. One useful thing to watch out for is other crate spies. You don't want your enemy getting one as well, so make sure to mop them up or destroy them before your enemy can get one.
Invisibility
Invisibility is most useful when you're in danger of being killed off - that is, when you're down to your last worm or two. You won't be able to shoot anything, but you might be able to avoid being shot yourself while you collect crates, place girders, or let the water rise at Sudden Death. You could opt to stay hidden while your enemies battle it out, or, if you only have one enemy, it's best to stay hidden as long as possible and collect crates until you see a chance to win.
There are a lot of little tactics you can employ in all of these strategies but you really have to play it yourself to find out.
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