---
title: "How Long and Short Range Players Can Harmonize In-Game"
date: 2025-07-19
author:
   - name: YELLOW
     link: https://sendou.ink/u/great-hero-yellow
---
Article originally posted on the [Splatoon Stronghold](https://www.splatoonstronghold.com/guides/how-long-and-short-range-players-can-harmonize-in-game) website.


# **How Long and Short Range Players Can Harmonize In-Game**

## **Turf War Always Applies**

Whether you are a short or long range player, each mode you play in Splatoon 3 still employs principles of Turf War. The most critical principle that you want to maintain is control of the map by laying down ink. If a part of the map is in the opposing team’s color, then the opposing team has an advantage on that portion of the map. 

### **Short Range Gameplay**

As a short range player, you often rely on stealth to sneak close to your opponents before splatting them. If you have been spotted by your longer range opponent you can throw your sub weapon to force them to move or risk being damaged. Here the enemy must choose — move toward you and into your range, or move back and allow you to take space. If you are confident enough in your squid rolling skills, sometimes a well-placed squid roll can be very effective in some match ups, deflecting a shot while also moving you into a better position to splat your foe\! In a situation where you need to close the gap between yourself and an opponent who is firing on you, do not turn around or try to disengage. Turning around opens you up to attack while leaving you unable to defend yourself. Your aggression can intimidate your opponent enough to drop their guard, allowing you to get close enough to deal damage and win the exchange. 

If you are in a situation where you need to disengage and retreat, use your sub weapon as a distraction. While throwing a Splat Bomb, Auto Bomb, or Torpedo is a great distraction, even deploying a Splash Wall or an Ink Mine can give you an opening to escape. You could even lay down a Squid Beakon to try soak up some damage. Get creative\!

### **Short Range Supporting Long Range**

If you play a shorter range weapon, it helps to lay ink down around you and your longer range teammates. Having ink to swim in keeps you mobile and breaking up larger patches of enemy ink keeps opponents from sneaking onto your side of the map. In close combat, many long range weapons are at a disadvantage — so be sure to help your long range allies with their poor match-ups\! For example, you may be able to take advantage of the visibility of your long range teammate to get some splats on those looking to take them out. A Snipewriter will usually be a lot more visible to the enemy than a short range weapon, so picking off those looking to attack your backline is a great way to help your team maintain control.

Your long range teammates have your back when you’re fighting on the front line; make sure they stay alive if they find themselves needing to disengage from a fight that has gotten too close to them. Sometimes the best way to help your teammate out is to continuously lay ink down around them so they can keep moving without getting stuck in enemy ink. 

### **Long Range Gameplay**

As a long range player, you can put down ink at further distances, keeping areas of the map in your team’s possession without needing to get close to the opposing team. Remember to lay ink down around you and on your side of the map. If you do not keep the turf around you in your color, short ranged opponents will take the opportunity to sneak up close enough to attack you.

While it is always helpful to splat an opposing team member, there are times when the best support you can give your team is to act as crowd control for the opposing team. An opponent will not be so willing to push forward or attack if they know a long range player is primed to shoot at them. Your shot does not always have to splat an opposing team member. Take shots to intimidate your opponents and hold the front line; this gives your team more dominance over the map and an overall advantage during the match.

### **Long Range Supporting Short Range**

If you play a longer range weapon and you see your short range teammates trying to sneak closer to an opponent, help them by making a path for them to infiltrate the opponent’s side of the map. This help can come in the form of: laying down ink with your main weapon (for example, a Charger can lay down a clean line of ink for hidden teammates to use), throwing an inconspicuous Curling Bomb or Splat Bomb, or, if it’s available, activating your special and creating a large opportunity for your hidden teammates to attack. 

As an example of this long and short range synergy, let’s say there is a match where a Carbon Roller and a Heavy Splatling are on the same team. The Heavy Splatling has the ability to lay down a high volume of ink at once, from a safe distance on the map. The Carbon Roller, with its quick kill time but short range, will rely on the Splatling’s ability to lay ink down. If the Splatling wants to take advantage of the Carbon Roller’s lightning fast kill time, they will make a point to create paths across the map for the Carbon Roller to use while hiding in the ink. Once the Carbon Roller is within range, the Heavy Splatling can apply suppressing fire while the Carbon dispatches opposing team members. The Carbon’s quick kill speed combined with the Heavy Splatling’s ink output and range will break the opposing team’s line of defense, forcing them to retreat or be splatted.

### **BONUS: Move As A Team**

As soon as two of your teammates have been splatted, the best course of action is to disengage from any active fighting and hold as much ground as possible until your whole team is up again. Once two teammates are down that means 50% of the team is down. If you find that any of your teammates are down, especially two teammates at a time, throw your sub weapon, be distracting, stay alive, and hold as much ground as you can while your team regroups. If you are put in a disadvantageous position, the best course of action is often to try and slow down the pace of the game and hold as much ground as you can. If for example two of your teammates go down, you should consider stalling by throwing bombs and using cover to buy some time for them to regroup and get back into the fight. 

When it’s time for your team to advance, check the position of your teammates. Is anyone too far ahead or behind? Are *you* too far ahead or behind your team? Make sure to spread yourselves apart enough that you all won’t get splatted by the same attack, but stay close enough that all of your attacks combine into one show of force. 

Short range players excel at quick ambush kills that clear enemies out of an area quickly. Long range players excel at suppressing opponents and protecting their teammates from enemy fire by controlling space. When both types of players synchronize their efforts to enhance each other’s strengths and cover each other’s weaknesses, they create a powerful team that won’t be beaten easily\! 

Original Posting Date: July 19, 2025

Written by loveshank
