by wackygonz

Introduction

We all heard the saying of, “Get 3 on cart guys the payload moves faster.” But has anyone given you the actual numbers of how fast the payload moves or the amount of time it takes to reach a certain point? Probably not, but in this post I would like to give some concrete numbers of how long it takes a payload to move and give a guide on when and where it’s more beneficial to have only one person on cart.

The Numbers and What They Mean

• 1 person = 100% Movement Speed
• 2 people = 116.5% Movement Speed
• 3 people = 133% Movement Speed

So while having 3 people on cart does help move the payload moves faster it’s not as significant as people make it out to be. I think some people have the idea that if there are 3 people on cart then the cart moves 3X faster when based on these numbers that is completely not the case. But let’s have actual examples in game:

Time it Takes to Capture First Point Dorado if Never Contested:

• 1 person = 56 Seconds
• 2 people = 49 Seconds
• 3 people = 44 Seconds

So there is about a 12 second difference between having 1 person on cart vs 3 people on cart, which can make a difference. However, there is one tiny obstacle, which is the enemy team. While the objective is important, it’s more important to go for eliminations and frag then move the cart after. I would also like to add that after capping a point, the payload doesn’t move for a certain amount of time depending on the map. Here are some examples:

• Junkertown: Length of Time Payload is Stationary After Capping 1st and 2nd Point = 12 Seconds
• Rialto: Length of Time Payload is Stationary After Capping 1st and 2nd Point = 5 Seconds

Now that you have an idea of the actual numbers here are some tips on when and when not to have 3 on cart.

When Having 2 or 3 on Cart is Good

• Right After a Clean Team Wipe. This is one of the few times that it’s fine to have 3 on cart as there is no direct threat yet after you have just wiped the enemy team. It takes 10 seconds for a person to respawn (depending on OT situations) so if the team feels like they want to push the cart just a little bit further then go for it.
• In OT Situations*.* Now this is a bit tricky and it also depends on your team comp and the enemy team comp. For example, if you have a Zen and the enemy team has flankers then you don’t want to leave your Zen on cart by himself. Generally, you would want either a) a hero that can survive on its own like D.va, Roadhog, or Lucio or b) having more than one hero on the cart just to be safe while the rest of the team is taking **map control(**more on this later).
• Finishing the Map. Another great time to get 3 on cart is if you just got past that last corner of the final checkpoint but the enemy team has spawn advantage so having that extra distance on that cart can mean a matter of finishing the map or the enemy team stalling it out.

When to Leave the Cart or Only have 1 Person

• Going for Stagger Kills*.* Your team just capped first point on King’s Row and 2 people on the enemy team spawned close while the rest of their team got the far spawn. Most lower ranks would just stay on point but as you get to the higher ranks, people know that it’s more important to move up and chase those remaining kills. Why? It buys time as attackers to the move the payload as the enemy team is respawning. In this case you would only need one person on cart as the rest of the team is pushed up fighting a 5v2 or 5v3 depending on the amount of respawns.
• Map Control. This is a concept I’m sure a lot of people don’t understand and I could probably make an entire post about this one topic but let’s focus on the context of Escort Maps. Let’s use Dorado 2nd point as an example for this. Have you ever wondered why, when you play Rein/Zarya on attack on this point it makes you feel useless and your team is constantly dying? Well that’s cause the defense is probably using the high ground, uncontested, because most likely the attacking team didn’t decide to push up and take the high ground after they just capped first point(Payload doesn’t move yet btw). So, yes you got it at a certain distance because you had 3 on cart but since you didn’t take over high ground sooner you end up being stuck at that point and can’t figure out why. Now let’s reverse it, what if the attackers only put one person on cart and the rest of the team takes the high ground on Dorado. Now the defending team is forced to invest resources in trying to take that high ground back. All the while the cart is being pushed by a singular person as the two teams are fighting and trying to assume map control. You can apply this tip to almost all Escort/Hybrid maps as the 2nd point most likely has the most high ground (Eichenwalde, Route 66, Dorado, Junkertown, Hollywood, etc.) This tip is mostly used for dive comps but can still be applied to comps with less mobility, which will be my next tip.
• Denying Space (I am aware the taking space and denying enemy team space can mean the same thing). This is a bit different as this somewhat pertains to taking a fight in front of the Payload with heavy tank comps. Why? If you take a fight closer to the enemy team’s spawn and your team wins that fight, then your team basically moves the cart the whole time. Think, King’s Row 2nd Point, you’re running Rein/Zarya on attack and instead of playing a corner where eventually the payload will reach you stay on cart and wait for the defending team come to you. Your team did not only deny them space but now the cart is contested for that time during the team fight. Instead what your team should’ve done is pushed up towards the 2nd or 3rd corner and take a fight there so that the cart is basically uncontested for that given time. If your team loses the fight. That’s fine. At least you got it as far as your team could cause the fight happened in front of the payload. Or your team wins the fight. Great. Payload essentially doesn’t stop the whole way. Just remember, defenders want to take fights on the payload as much as they can, while the attackers always want to deny the space for them to contest the payload.
• Taking Different Angles*.* This is more of a special situation but is important nonetheless. There are times where if you force the team fight on the cart the attacking team will lose no matter what just because the enemy team comp has such good positioning. The best example I can think of is first point Dorado with its choke. Aren’t there matches where it seems almost impossible to get passed the choke because a Junkrat or Symmetra is just spamming down on your team? Well that’s because your team is playing into the defenders hands with how their comp works. However, if your team leaves the cart and flanks on the left high ground and attacks them from a different angle then it gives your team a better chance of winning. I know, leaving the cart?!? Sounds crazy but sometimes winning the team fight is more important than having a person on cart.

Summary

I hope I explained the misconception of having 3 on payload at all times. There are times where it’s fine to have more than one person but you need to look at the overall map and how it works to allow your team to win. Feel free to disagree or ask any questions in the comments.