Ranked War Guide
Ranked Wars (RWs) are one of the most important competitive events in Torn. Preparing properly and understanding your role during the war can make the difference between a win and a loss — and directly affects the rewards your entire faction receives.
What is a Ranked War?
A Ranked War is a "Tug of War" style fight between two factions. Each side attacks the other to gain score, with the goal of crossing a target net score first. Score is equivalent to respect earned per hit — so how you attack matters.
- The target score is based on both factions' rank and member counts
- If neither faction reaches the target within 24 hours, it decreases by 1% per hour
- Mugging only yields 75% of the score that hospitalizing/leaving does
- After the war, both factions receive bonus respect, points, and caches based on rank, participation, member count, and win/loss conditions
Pre-War Checklist
Do these before the war starts
Complete every item on this list before the war begins. Failing to prepare is one of the most common ways members hurt their faction's performance.
| Task | Notes |
|---|---|
| Turn revives OFF | Set revives to "No One" in settings. Only enable them the moment you need a revive, then disable immediately after. Leaving them on lets the opponent hostile-revive and farm you. |
| Stack energy & rehab | Start stacking at least 48 hours out in case of an OD. Rehab after fully stacking to avoid a battle stat debuff during the war. |
| Clear medical & booster cooldowns | You'll burn through blood bags and FHCs fast. Having full cooldowns available at the start is critical. |
| Take Vicodin ~2–3 hours before war | Gives +25% battle stats for 4–6 hours. Only do this if you have no drug cooldown — Vicodin OD only costs 150 happiness so the risk is low. |
| Pick targets & add to YATA | A battle stat spy list may be provided before the war. Save targets in YATA so you can hit them quickly. Aim for targets with at least 75% of your total battle stats for max Fair Fight bonus. TornTools + TornStats can show FF bonus per target. |
| Install recommended scripts | How to request revives — all methods for requesting revives during the war. Chain Watcher script — audio alert when chain timer runs low. |
| Stock up on items | Buy temporary items (FHCs, Xanax, cans), blood bags, and anything else you need beforehand. There won't be time during the war. |
| Set up loadouts | Pre-configure up to 3 loadouts in your inventory so you can swap weapons/armor/temps quickly mid-war. |
| Check attack settings | Make sure your attack settings match your playstyle and build. See this Torn forum guide for recommendations. |
| Do NOT open parcels | Opponents will send booby-trapped parcels (disguised as FHCs, medical items, etc.). Ignore all parcels received shortly before or during a war. |
During the War
Attacking Strategy
The goal is to maximize your score contribution while minimizing how much the opponent can score off you.
Key Score Multipliers
- Fair Fight (FF): Ranges from 1x–3x based on stat similarity. Target players with ≥75% of your battle stats for a 3x FF bonus.
- Retaliation bonus: Hospitalizing someone who attacked a faction member in the last 5 minutes gives a 1.5x multiplier. Always prioritize retals over normal hits.
- Chain bonus: Large chunks of bonus score are awarded at chain milestones. All chain bonus hits should be on opponent faction members.
| Target Type | What to Do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Online / high stat players | Hospitalize them | Forces medical cooldown, keeps them out of the fight longer |
| Offline / low stat players | Leave them | Short hospital time = you can keep farming them for respect |
Chaining
Chaining is the single most important activity during a ranked war. The chain multiplier dramatically increases respect (and score) per hit.
- Keep the chain alive at all costs — even if it means hitting someone outside the opponent faction
- Every chain bonus hit should land on an opponent faction member
- Open multiple browser tabs for fast attacks — you may get hit the moment you leave hospital
- If the chain is about to drop and you can't hit anyone, make an outside hit on any target to save it
Chain drops lose wars
A dropped chain resets your multiplier and hands the opponent a massive advantage. Monitor the chain timer constantly — the Chain Watcher script will alert you audibly.
Staying Safe When Not Active
If you're going AFK, sleeping, or being farmed, do not just log off. The opponent will farm you for easy respect.
Ways to self-hospitalize
| Method | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong blood bag | ~1 hour | Great for short offline windows. Let energy build, make a hit or two, then drop yourself. Repeatable without burning medical cooldown if you're offline for 30+ min. |
| Small Explosive Device (SED) | ~5 hours | Buy an SED, put it in a box, open it. Reliable but expensive. |
| Failed crime | 8–9+ hours | Long hospital time but costs crime XP and requires a revive to get out — wrecks your medical cooldown if you don't. |
| Outside hit (take a loss) | 4–6 hours | Depends on who hits you and their perks. |
| Ask a faction member to hosp you | Variable | Someone with hospitalization merits can keep you in longer. Setting a bounty on yourself may also help. |
Revives OFF before going offline
Always make sure your revives are set to No One before you go offline or hospitalize yourself. An opponent can hostile-revive you and immediately start farming you.
If You're Going Overseas
Traveling overseas is a valid way to protect yourself for extended periods. You cannot be attacked while in the air, but you can be attacked once you've landed — however, opponents are unlikely to follow you to a far destination, so staying abroad at a distant country is often safe for AFK periods.
- Good destinations for long-duration travel: South Africa, UAE, China, Japan — the further the better for discouraging pursuit
- You can still make hits while overseas to help keep the chain alive — open a faction tab before flying
- This is ideal if you're being actively farmed or won't be around for several hours
Chain Watching
Everyone is responsible for watching the chain — not just leadership.
- Keep some energy in reserve during low-activity hours (TCT night/morning) so you can make an emergency hit
- If you can't hit the opponent, hit anyone outside — chain survival comes first
- Communicate in faction chat and Discord if you see the timer dropping
Turtling
When heavy hitters are offline and the opponent is dominating, the strategy shifts to turtling: staying hospitalized or overseas so the opponent can't farm your faction for score.
- Stay hospitalized with revives off
- Do minimal hits (just enough to maintain chain) while denying the opponent easy targets
- Leadership will call for turtling when needed — follow instructions in faction chat and Discord
Coordinated Pushes & Group Attacks
Leadership may organize pushes to break a standstill or the opponent's chain:
- A Discord ping / faction mail will give a specific time
- Pre-open browser tabs with your targets loaded
- When the time hits: med out or get revived, then immediately attack your targets — online opponents first, then idle/offline
- The goal is to put the entire opponent faction in hospital simultaneously to turn the tide
Group attacks are rarer but may be organized for high-stat targets:
- Multiple members attack the same target simultaneously
- Spam temps and exploit the distraction bonus to take down players far above your stats
Low Battle Stats / Can't Hit Anyone?
You can still contribute significantly even if your stats aren't competitive:
- Turn off revives and self-hospitalize — deny the opponent free score
- Watch the chain — make outside hits to keep it alive (don't hit during bonus windows)
- Assist group attacks — join another member's fight and throw temps for the distraction bonus
- Stay engaged in comms — let leadership know your situation
Score Mechanics Reference
| Mechanic | Effect |
|---|---|
| Hospitalize / Leave | Full respect score |
| Mug | 75% of normal score |
| Fair Fight (FF) max | 3x multiplier (target has ≥75% of your stats) |
| Retaliation hit | 1.5x multiplier |
| Chain multiplier | Scales with chain length — higher = more score per hit |
| Chain bonus hits | Large score dumps at milestone chain counts |
| Hostile revive (by opponent) | They farm score off you — why revives must stay OFF |
Recommended Gear
Armor recommendations
| Slot | Recommendation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Helmet | Combat Helmet | Good armor rating — does not protect vs pepper spray. Skip if you train dexterity. |
| Helmet (alt) | Motorcycle Helmet | Worse armor rating but protects vs pepper spray. Choose if you train dexterity. |
| Chest | Flexible Body Armor | Best armor rating — does not protect the neck. |
| Chest (alt) | Full Body Armor | Slightly lower rating but protects the neck and is widely available in the armory. |
| Hands | Combat Gloves | Solid armor rating. |
| Legs | Combat Pants | Solid armor rating. |
| Feet | Combat Boots | Solid armor rating. |
Note: These are general suggestions for newer players with lower networths. Higher stat and higher networth players may want to explorer using RW gear.
Weapon recommendations
| Type | Option | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melee | Macana | More accurate | Less damage |
| Melee | Diamond Bladed Knife | More damage | Less accurate |
| Primary | ArmaLite | Highest damage, accepts mods & special ammo | Less accurate |
| Secondary | Blowgun | Poison DoT can deal massive damage | Poison doesn't always trigger |
Melee choice: Use Macana if your Strength > Speed. Use DBK if your Speed > Strength.
Note: These are general suggestions for newer players with lower networths. Higher stat and higher networth players may want to explorer using RW gear.
Additional Resources
- Fight Better Than a Top 100 Player — comprehensive combat guide including attack settings
- mug's Legendary Reference / Shopping Guide — gear and item purchasing reference
- Ranked Warring Bonuses, Limits & Types — detailed breakdown of chain bonuses
- Snuggles Battle Bachelor
- Snuggles Battle Course
- BS Spies on Walls / RW / Member List
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<h2>Ranked War Guide</h2>
<p>Ranked Wars (RWs) are one of the most important competitive events in Torn. Preparing properly and understanding your role during the war can make the difference between a win and a loss.</p>
<h3>What is a Ranked War?</h3>
<p>A Ranked War is a <b>"Tug of War"</b> fight between two factions. Each side attacks the other to gain <b>score</b> (equivalent to respect earned per hit), with the goal of crossing a target net score first.</p>
<ul>
<li>The target score is based on both factions' rank and member counts</li>
<li>If neither faction reaches the target within 24 hours, it decreases by <b>1% per hour</b></li>
<li><b>Mugging</b> only yields <b>75%</b> of the score that hospitalizing/leaving does</li>
<li>After the war, both factions receive bonus respect, points, and caches</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>Pre-War Checklist</h2>
<p><b>Complete every item on this list before the war begins.</b></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;">
<tr style="background-color:#555;color:#fff;">
<th>Task</th>
<th>Notes</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Turn revives OFF</b></td>
<td>Set revives to "No One" in settings. Only enable them the moment you need a revive, then disable immediately after. Leaving them on lets the opponent hostile-revive and farm you.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Stack energy & rehab</b></td>
<td>Start stacking at least 48 hours out in case of an OD. Rehab after fully stacking to avoid a battle stat debuff during the war.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Clear medical & booster cooldowns</b></td>
<td>You'll burn through blood bags and FHCs fast. Having full cooldowns available at the start is critical.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Take Vicodin ~2–3 hours before war</b></td>
<td>Gives +25% battle stats for 4–6 hours. Only do this if you have no drug cooldown — Vicodin OD only costs 150 happiness so the risk is low.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Pick targets & add to YATA</b></td>
<td>A battle stat spy list may be provided before the war. Save targets in YATA so you can hit them quickly. Aim for targets with at least <b>75% of your total battle stats</b> for max Fair Fight bonus.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Install recommended scripts</b></td>
<td><a href="https://greasyfork.org/en/scripts/381435-chain-watcher">Chain Watcher script</a> — audio alert when chain timer runs low. Also review all revive request methods for the war.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Stock up on items</b></td>
<td>Buy temporary items (FHCs, Xanax, cans), blood bags, and anything else you need <b>beforehand</b>. There won't be time during the war.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Set up loadouts</b></td>
<td>Pre-configure up to 3 loadouts so you can swap weapons/armor/temps quickly mid-war.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Check attack settings</b></td>
<td>Make sure your attack settings match your playstyle and build.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Do NOT open parcels</b></td>
<td>Opponents will send booby-trapped parcels disguised as FHCs, medical items, etc. Ignore all parcels received shortly before or during a war.</td>
</tr>
</table>
<hr>
<h2>During the War</h2>
<h3>Attacking Strategy</h3>
<p>The goal is to maximize your score contribution while minimizing how much the opponent can score off you.</p>
<p><b>Key Score Multipliers:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><b>Fair Fight (FF):</b> Ranges from 1x–3x. Target players with ≥75% of your battle stats for a <b>3x FF bonus</b>.</li>
<li><b>Retaliation bonus:</b> Hospitalizing someone who attacked a faction member in the last 5 minutes gives a <b>1.5x multiplier</b>. Always prioritize retals.</li>
<li><b>Chain bonus:</b> Large score dumps at chain milestones. All bonus hits should land on opponent faction members.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;">
<tr style="background-color:#555;color:#fff;">
<th>Target Type</th>
<th>What to Do</th>
<th>Why</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Online / high stat players</b></td>
<td>Hospitalize them</td>
<td>Forces medical cooldown, keeps them out of the fight longer</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><b>Offline / low stat players</b></td>
<td>Leave them</td>
<td>Short hospital time = you can keep farming them for respect</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h3>Chaining</h3>
<p>Chaining is <b>the single most important activity</b> during a ranked war. The chain multiplier dramatically increases score per hit.</p>
<ul>
<li>Keep the chain alive <b>at all costs</b> — even if it means hitting someone outside the opponent faction</li>
<li>Every chain bonus hit should land on an opponent faction member</li>
<li>Open multiple browser tabs for fast attacks — you may get hit the moment you leave hospital</li>
<li>If the chain is about to drop and you can't hit anyone, make an <b>outside hit</b> on any target to save it</li>
</ul>
<p><b>WARNING: A dropped chain resets your multiplier and hands the opponent a massive advantage. Monitor the chain timer constantly.</b></p>
<h3>Staying Safe When Not Active</h3>
<p>If you're going AFK, sleeping, or being farmed, <b>do not just log off</b>. The opponent will farm you for easy respect.</p>
<p><b>Ways to self-hospitalize:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><b>Wrong blood bag (~1 hour):</b> Great for short offline windows. Repeatable without burning medical cooldown if you're offline for 30+ min.</li>
<li><b>Small Explosive Device / SED (~5 hours):</b> Buy an SED, put it in a box, open it. Reliable but expensive.</li>
<li><b>Failed crime (8–9+ hours):</b> Long hospital time but costs crime XP and <b>requires a revive to get out</b>.</li>
<li><b>Outside hit / take a loss (4–6 hours):</b> Depends on who hits you and their perks.</li>
<li><b>Ask a faction member to hosp you:</b> Someone with hospitalization merits can keep you in longer. A bounty may also help.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>WARNING: Always make sure your revives are set to "No One" before going offline or hospitalizing yourself.</b></p>
<h3>Going Overseas</h3>
<p>Traveling overseas protects you for extended periods. You <b>cannot</b> be attacked while in the air, but can be attacked once landed. Opponents are unlikely to follow you to a far destination, so staying abroad is often safe for AFK periods.</p>
<ul>
<li>Good long-duration destinations: <b>South Africa, UAE, China, Japan</b> — the further the better</li>
<li>You can still make hits while overseas to help keep the chain alive — open a faction tab before flying</li>
</ul>
<h3>Chain Watching</h3>
<p>Everyone is responsible for watching the chain — not just leadership.</p>
<ul>
<li>Keep some energy in reserve during low-activity hours (TCT night/morning) for emergency hits</li>
<li>If you can't hit the opponent, hit anyone outside — chain survival comes first</li>
<li>Communicate in faction chat and Discord if you see the timer dropping</li>
</ul>
<h3>Turtling</h3>
<p>When heavy hitters are offline and the opponent is dominating, the strategy shifts to <b>turtling</b>: staying hospitalized or overseas so the opponent can't farm your faction.</p>
<ul>
<li>Stay hospitalized with revives off</li>
<li>Do minimal hits (just enough to maintain chain) while denying the opponent easy targets</li>
<li>Leadership will call for turtling when needed — follow instructions in faction chat and Discord</li>
</ul>
<h3>Coordinated Pushes & Group Attacks</h3>
<p>Leadership may organize <b>pushes</b> to break a standstill or the opponent's chain:</p>
<ul>
<li>A Discord ping / faction mail will give a specific time</li>
<li>Pre-open browser tabs with your targets loaded</li>
<li>When the time hits: med out or get revived, then immediately attack targets — online opponents first, then idle/offline</li>
<li>The goal is to put the entire opponent faction in hospital simultaneously</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Group attacks</b> may also be organized for high-stat targets — multiple members attack the same target, spamming temps to exploit the distraction bonus.</p>
<h3>Low Battle Stats / Can't Hit Anyone?</h3>
<p>You can still contribute significantly:</p>
<ol>
<li><b>Turn off revives and self-hospitalize</b> — deny the opponent free score</li>
<li><b>Watch the chain</b> — make outside hits to keep it alive (don't hit during bonus windows)</li>
<li><b>Assist group attacks</b> — join another member's fight and throw temps for the distraction bonus</li>
<li><b>Stay engaged in comms</b> — let leadership know your situation</li>
</ol>
<hr>
<h2>Score Mechanics Reference</h2>
<table border="1" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;">
<tr style="background-color:#555;color:#fff;">
<th>Mechanic</th>
<th>Effect</th>
</tr>
<tr><td>Hospitalize / Leave</td><td>Full respect score</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mug</td><td>75% of normal score</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fair Fight (FF) max</td><td>3x multiplier (target has ≥75% of your stats)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Retaliation hit</td><td>1.5x multiplier</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chain multiplier</td><td>Scales with chain length — higher = more score per hit</td></tr>
<tr><td>Chain bonus hits</td><td>Large score dumps at milestone chain counts</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hostile revive (by opponent)</td><td>They farm score off you — keep revives OFF</td></tr>
</table>
<hr>
<h2>Recommended Gear</h2>
<p><i>General suggestions for newer/lower-networth players. Higher stat players may want to explore dedicated RW gear.</i></p>
<p><b>Armor:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><b>Helmet:</b> Combat Helmet (good rating, no pepper spray protection) or Motorcycle Helmet (if you train dexterity)</li>
<li><b>Chest:</b> Flexible Body Armor (best rating, no neck protection) or Full Body Armor (protects neck, widely available in armory)</li>
<li><b>Hands:</b> Combat Gloves</li>
<li><b>Legs:</b> Combat Pants</li>
<li><b>Feet:</b> Combat Boots</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Weapons:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><b>Melee:</b> Macana (more accurate) or Diamond Bladed Knife (more damage). Use Macana if Strength > Speed; use DBK if Speed > Strength.</li>
<li><b>Primary:</b> ArmaLite — highest damage, accepts mods & special ammo</li>
<li><b>Secondary:</b> Blowgun — poison DoT can deal massive damage (doesn't always trigger)</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<h2>Additional Resources</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.torn.com/forums.php#/p=threads&f=61&t=16252083&b=0&a=0">Fight Better Than a Top 100 Player</a> — comprehensive combat guide including attack settings</li>
<li><a href="https://www.torn.com/forums.php#/p=threads&f=61&t=16259442&b=0&a=0">mug's Legendary Reference / Shopping Guide</a> — gear and item purchasing reference</li>
<li><a href="https://www.torn.com/forums.php#/p=threads&f=61&t=16277179&b=0&a=0">Ranked Warring Bonuses, Limits & Types</a> — detailed breakdown of chain bonuses</li>
<li><a href="https://www.torn.com/forums.php#p=threads&f=61&t=16295750&b=0&a=0">Snuggles Battle Bachelor</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.torn.com/forums.php#/p=threads&f=61&t=16284630&b=0&a=0">Snuggles Battle Course</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.torn.com/forums.php#/p=threads&f=67&t=16259594&b=0&a=0">BS Spies on Walls / RW / Member List</a></li>
</ul>