Train Station

Overview

 * Train Station is the 1st map of Giant Trees.
 * Before waves 4 & 8 there are time limits, 1 minute each
 * The rsources guven are 400 in the beginning and 300 after each wave.
 * After waves 1 to 5 two bases are given, after wave 6 - one base (for a total of 15), and no other bases are given until the rest of the level.
 * There are 14 fighting Explorer Conscripts, that will aid the player vs the lumes.
 * There are scattered explosive barrels, that can deal damage to lumes and stun them.
 * There are 7 orange mines on this map. Two of them are hidden on the ground between the giant cargo boxes at the bottom center of the map, one hidden near the tower you spawn on, two on a table north of the core & two behind a train carload (links to Youtube & Steam: [1 ], [2 ]). These are technically level 2 AR mines (each mine deals 9500 damage).

Wave 1

 * 3x Walker
 * 1x Hoverer

Wave 2

 * 12x Walker
 * 8x Spitfly

Wave 3

 * 18x Walker
 * 6x Rhino

Wave 4 (1:00 Time Limit)

 * 3x Soaker
 * 5x Bobble Head
 * 18x Brood Mother
 * 40x Runner

Wave 5

 * 1x Armoured Heavy
 * 16x Walker
 * 6x Rhino
 * 5x Bobble Head
 * 3x Spitfly

Wave 6

 * 4x Walker Warrior
 * 1x Super Heavy
 * 8x Screamer Matriarch
 * 24x Walker Pup

Wave 7

 * 3x Hoverer
 * 2x Armoured Heavy
 * 34x Brood Mother
 * 20x Runner
 * 1x Spitfly

Wave 8 (1:00 Time Limit)

 * 3x Hoverer
 * 3x Soaker
 * 36x Brood Mother
 * 40x Walker
 * 10 Rhinos

Wave 9

 * 5x Soaker
 * 30x Screamer Matriarch
 * 24x Runner
 * 75x Brood Mother

Wave 10

 * 24X Brood Mother
 * 1x Armoured Heavy
 * 9x Spitfly
 * 5x Walker Warrior

Trivia

 * The map has the secret code F4JG54GH in the secret place with the minigame. It is related to the Elysian Archives, more specifically this one.
 * The original site with the archives has been shut down.
 * The map has some Easter eggs and also has one of the Games in a game - the Take out arcade minigame. These are located far behind the player spawn point, following a railroad to an open trains' gate in a giant tree (link in Youtube: [1 ]). This minigame can be used to get one or two Steam achievements - "Game in a game" (Complete a game in a game) and "Six pack" (Complete six Game in a Games).

Notes & tactics

 * Sweet is a good choice in this map, mainly due to the great action vs crowds & Soakers, while also surviving more easily the waves with Hoverers and/or Rhinos with the good air control.
 * There are many fast enemies so a weapon or tower that can deal with them is recommended.
 * Gatling Laser - Rapid-firing Primary Fire is good against Soakers and Bobble Heads, while Secondary Fire is good with the AoE against Runners, Brood Mothers and random other crowds.
 * The Drone Launcher is capable vs Hoverers, Soakers & Bobble Heads.
 * Smatter Band - primary fire is good against large enemies, secondary fire is helpful for laying down a kill-zone for Runner and Brood Mother, although it somewhat needs timing and/or slowing or holding towers & perks.
 * ETK-Tesla Prototype is good vs crowds.
 * If doing the map with 5 Feats of strength, it is good to be at least level 40, since then the main weapon can be changed for something more comfortable.
 * Focusing the towers towards the ending parts, the areas close to the core & the player spawn point (around one or both of the two whirpool-like turns of the map or both, where bunches of towers can be clustered) renders the player capable of protecting the core well and to get good value out of towers. Also in the further parts of the map it is less likely that towers will be destroyed by the Super Heavy, since the explorers there are less risky if targeted by the boss.
 * The 8th wave tends to be the most dangerous in the map. An ACP + Range spire combo can do great job vs this and many other waves with crowds in this map. (e.g. the Range spire with overcharge to ~51.6%, with overcharge of the ACP). The Range spire itself can buff greatly many other towers, too, especially the Focus. At the same time if the player(s) can do some job vs the Hoverers & Soakers, it might be very helpful in this and other waves, since this can result in noticeably less pressure for the towers.
 * The Super Heavy and the Armoured heavies are highly vulnerable to the Focus tower, which is also good when it meets the backs of the Hoverers.
 * Lightnings are capable, e.g. if clustered in one of the two last whirlpool-like parts of the map, but their limited range somewhat needs a boost from a Range spire and consecutive upgrades.
 * Scatter lasers are highly potent as an alternative anti-crowd measure and they wouldn't lock-on wrong targets like Bobble Heads, Hoverers' fronts or heavily armoured lumes.
 * The Gatling is good against the large number of Runners and Brood Mothers.
 * Mines can do good as a last resort/cover or as a help/execution tool vs some spawning enemies - both Rupture & AR-mines are capable, while also the 7 orange ones in the map can be utilized.
 * The Drone is good vs Bobble Heads, Hoverers & Soakers, while also doing some unblocked damage vs Armoured Heavies, the Super heavy, and, in particular vs Warriors & Rhinos.
 * Violators can do some job, but one should be wary that the map has lots of space restriction and placing should be careful, in order to utilize the high range.
 * Friendship lasers can do decent job in many of the waves.
 * While not being too much needed, the Anti-air can be helpful, especially in coop mode.
 * Most support towers can help - the Amp & the Range spire can buff clusters of towers and the slowing ones can help around, but with the Mind control spire one should be careful, due to the boss.
 * Weapon perks like Tactical juxtaposition, Fast hands & Hollowpoint rounds can help a lot with dealing with the lumes.
 * Static discharge and Corpse explosion can do good job vs the crowds.
 * Armor Shredder can help for better damage vs armoured enemies, particularly when it comes to weapons with low dmg per hit/tick, such as the Smatter Band.
 * If the player has too much trouble keeping the core alive, core perks such as Resilient core, Shocking revelation & Unstable Core can help.
 * It is possible, although extremely rarely, to take huge damage or even to die from the explosive barrels in the map during the waves, particularly to the barrels, that are close to the mini-area, that is almost a 3x3 square, where 8 bases can be put. That's why destroying them or some of them from afar intentionally is not a bad idea.

Video playthroughs with links, towers, modes & results

 * [link ] - with ACP & Range spire; 5 Feats of Strength; undamaged core
 * [link ] - with Anti-air & 4x Focus; 5 Feats of Strength; undamaged core
 * [link ] - with 6 Scatter lasers, Rupture mines & Kairos; 5 Feats of Strength; undamaged core
 * [link ] - with 7 Lightnings & Range spire; 5 Feats of Strength; undamaged core
 * [link ] - with 5x Focus; 5 Feats of Strength; full-health core via the Resilient core perk
 * [link ] - with AR mines, 4x Gatling, Amp & Drone tower; 5 Feats of Strength; 3975 core health remaining
 * [link ] - with 5x Focus; 5 Feats of Strength; 3975 core health remaining
 * [link ] - with 3 Mind control spires, Range spire & Slow fields; 5 Feats of Strength; 1900 core health remaining
 * [link ] - with 5x Focus; 5 Feats of Strength; 1335 core health remaining

Vids before 28 Sep 2015 (for these it is wise to check update(patch) notes in [link1 ], [link2 ], [link3], etc)


 * [link ] - with AR mines, 5 Cannons & Amp; 5 Feats of Strength; undamaged core