Discuss the operators - Ash

[The3rdWalker 1,263]

This series has been re-created to facilitate the gameplay, metagame, and strategy discussion that often gets buried or lost in the abundance of others posts that flood this sub.

The goal of this series is to not only give new players a primer on an operator, but also for midlevel or competitive players a chance to share the knowledge that they have accrued in their experiences and maybe let people know something that they did not know before.

Today's operator is Ash.

• Iceycat's Ash Guide 
• Serenity17 Ash Guide 
• MicrowaveGaming's Ash Zerg Strategy 
• Ash Wiki

The community has outlined a couple of things that they want to converse about with every operator, but feel free to branch out should you feel a piece of information warrants its own discussion.

• The operator’s primary or ideal role in the team. (DISCLAIMER: Operators can be played in a number of different ways. There is no single way to play an operator. This is probably the most subjective segment of the discussion series, and hopefully will spark debates or help us learn things we did not know before.)
• The operator’s gadget and how it will help the team achieve its goals. Please share any tidbits you may know to help expand discussion.
• The operator’s loadout, and how best to optimize it. This includes primaries, secondaries, and secondary gadgets.
• What maps and game modes does this operator do well on?
• What maps and game modes does this operator struggle with?
• What teammates synergize well with this operator?
• What opposing operators check or counter this operator?
• What strategies have you adopted while playing this operator? What is something that a new player should know * when playing this operator, or what is something you know that would help a veteran player take that next step?
• What is your overall opinion of this operator? Where would you rank them among the other operators?

[The3rdWalker 1,263]

The operator’s primary or ideal role in the team

Ash is well known as one of the quickest entry fraggers and best entry fraggers. Due to her very small hit boxes and incredible speed, she is really hard to hit. Not even nitro cells or smoke bombs can stop her from coming in a room. Being that high speed operator, she can also quickly rotate from one spot to another if it gets too hot.

The operator’s gadget and how it will help the team achieve its goals.

This gadget is mostly used to make a clear way without being hindered. So either to open up a castle wall, or barbed wire or a non-reinforced wall. There are many ways, but it's best used to benefit the team.

The operator’s loadout, and how best to optimize it.

The best choice is the R4-C. It's high damage is great against enemies. Once you learn the recoil of it, you're a god. The G36C is a more easier gun to use with less damage. Sometimes I use the G36C with holo sight in CQB maps. But usually the R4-C is the go-to gun for Ash. I use the USG pistol for now, but I might switch to the Meusoc. The difference is just that the 5.7 USG has more bullets and less damage, giving you a safer fight if you ever had to draw out your pistol. Meusoc has way less bullets but more damage, so you have to hit all shots (or headshot). Breaching charges I use only in solo queue casual. For teamplay it's always recommended to use grenades, certainly the smoke. If there is a non-reinforced wall or castle barricade. Just use your primary gadget. Smoke is useful not only for you, but also for your team to push into the objective.

What maps and game modes does this operator do well on?

Like in all my other posts. Game modes have no impact on operators if you know how to use the operators well. Maps, Ash does well in maps where there is limited cover for the enemy team so she can easily rush in and take out the defenders in their common hiding spots. Maps like Chalet, Club House, House,...

What maps and game modes does this operator struggle with?

Same with game modes as previous. Ash struggles with maps where there are big rooms with a lot of cover, she also struggles with smaller maps with a lot of close quarter combat because she can easily be denied by shotguns. Maps like Favelas, Border, Kafe Dostoyevsky, ...

What teammates synergize well with this operator?

A very common tactic is to let Ash move in with Blackbeard, when Blackbeard draws the attention, Ash can move in and slaughter the enemy. Other then that, she does well with any team. Because for now, she's still considered the best fast entry fragger (I wonder if Capitao might take over that role).

What opposing operators check or counter this operator?

Kapkan and Frost can slow down or even deny Ash in her rush. Ash's like to just open up a barricade and vault through it, or rush over a deployable shield. If there is a frost trap or kapkan trap that Ash didn't notice or she's too busy checking for/shooting enemies. She's dead. Shotguns as well do really well in stopping her in her tracks, as well as pulse. Either again, Pulse denies her, or if Ash is careful enough, she can hear the Pulse and hold back from coming in.

What strategies have you adopted while playing this operator? What is something that a new player should know * when playing this operator, or what is something you know that would help a veteran player take that next step?

Like i've seen in the comments, don't use her gadget on wooden barricades, it's useless, you can use it for barbed wire or castle barricades instead. Smoke is a really good way of entry fragging into a room, or dropping into a room, use it! If a hatch is not reinforced, better use your gadget on it, you never know what kind of pulse is waiting for you, or there's a valkyrie camera there.

What is your overall opinion of this operator? Where would you rank them among the other operators?

Among the operators, she is the best. In season 2 pro league she had a higher pick rate than Thermite (Thermite had 98% and Ash 100%) I don't know if she'll stay there with the new operator Capitao, but I think she will.

 

[The3rdWalker 1,263]

• Stop shooting the first window you see on the approach with her gadget. Open up castle doors or unreinforced walls from a distance.

Quote

Good gun,3 speed,smoke grenades, useful gadget. If she dies it's not a big loss for your team. She is the perfect entry fragger. You need to play fast and confident with her. I think the best loadout for her is:

• R4C
• ACOG
• Flash hider
• Vertical grip

You need to play her aggressively. But playing aggressively is very hard in this game. You need good reaction time and aim. And lots of intel. One of your teammate should drone ahead of you before going in. You have to know where your enemies are because if you rush without any intel you gonna get killed on this game.

• Her best maps seem to be House and Kanal with Oregon and Club House close behind .
• Ash also is great at holding an objective once in place not many can compete with her in 1 vs 1 .

Quote

My favorite tactic is to blow the floor under their feet using Ash's launcher. I don't see too many people using this which surprises me. Perfect example is on Kanal I go into the loading docks on the control tower underneath the maps room. I hit the ceiling right underneath that little side closet area next to the main maps entry and very often find a suddenly surprised defender there. Then I'll go over to the corner by the loading dock entrance and fire up into that corner underneath the trapdoor by that desk and sometimes find one there or else open the floor behind the central counter top/table thing that people often hide behind in the middle of the maps room. As soon as they're exposed I light them up from underneath.

[GazzaGarratt 10,891]

Ash is pretty much my go to Attacker. I also should point out I pick breach charges on top of her special ability so can completely wreck openings towards the OBJ for the whole team. Her R4C with ACOG sight is crazily sharp and on top of all that, being quick massively helps if you get found out.