How to Use Catalyst Effectively in the Apex Legends Winter Express LTM

With new Battle Pass rewards and the return of the Winter Express LTM, players have a lot to look forward to for the Christmas event. For Catalyst mains, or those wanting to try her out on an aggressive game mode, this one is for you. This is our guide on how to use Catalyst effectively in the Winter Express LTM 2022.

What is the Winter Express LTM?

The Winter Express is a returning seasonal game mode which takes place on a moving train. This time the train is passing through the map of Worlds Edge. The goal is to capture the train’s objective when the train arrives at the Worlds Edge stations. Teams can also earn points through eliminating the opposition. This mode is a 3v3v3, with fast respawning times so players should prepare themselves for fast-paced non-stop action with regular third parties. There is no loot to grab upon the game starting, instead players must select their loadout from what Respawn provides in the loading screen. This can be changed, alongside which Legend you want to use mid-match.

There are unlimited white heals and shield cells available in this game mode but if you go down you are out for a temporary time of approximately 5-8 seconds. So be tactical about how you play. As teammates cannot be revived, both hyper aggressive and defensive plays can be used due to the narrow level design being that the objective is on a 3-carriage train. The objective to capture appears in the middle carriage, an open area for players to get beamed from afar. As the train comes to its standstill, it is up to you to fill the objective bar without being contested. This will give you a point. The first to 3 points wins.

How to Use Catalyst in the Limited Time Mode

Catalyst is the latest Leader to join the Apex Legends roster. Whilst she is not reaching the pick numbers that Wraith, Horizon and Octane still hit years after their introduction, now is the perfect time to test Catalyst out. Maybe she could become your new main for Ranked. For highly aggressive players, we recommend the use of Horizon, Bloodhound and Bangalore and for defensive, more patient players, we recommend Wattson, Newcastle, Caustic or Crypto. But Catalyst can easily fit into any team, with her Ult of the Veil providing a cover perfect for both aggressive pushes and defensive repositioning.

Using the Piercing Spikes

This legend acts as the perfect combination of Fuse’s Tactical ability, Caustic’s barrels and Bangalore’s smoke. Her Tactical ability of the Piercing Spikes acts as a mine field for players trying to set up a fortress inside one of the train carriages. If your opposition is playing Newcastle or Wattson, these traps of black sticky fluid will hinder the oppositions movement. Causing damage similar to that of Fuse’s Tactical. You should use this to take out the enemy teams with low health.

A possible comp combination is Catalyst and Seer. Seer will let the team know if enemies are weak, make clear by the slowed audio of the enemy’s heartbeat. A well timed Tactical can halt the healing of the enemy, throw down a Piercing Spike to finish the enemy off. Upon entering the train carriages, place the Piercing Spikes down along the floor of the train, including above the carriages. This will hinder and hurt the opposition, enemies will struggle to reposition against the well-placed Piercing Spikes.

Using the Dark Veil

When using her Dark Veil, players should time this as the train comes into the station. Similar to Bangalore’s smoke, this can be used either in defensive or aggressive plays. As the train comes in, place the Ult down at the edge of a train carriage, having it reach the centre and the third carriage. Place this down the middle, giving you two halves of the train sides to play in. Place yourself and another teammate into the train centre to contest the objective. Your third can look over from the top of the train carriages. Use this height advantage to look over and cover teammates catching the objective.

The Dark Veil will hide your position unless players go onto your side of the Veil. The use of the Veil will temporarily slow down the oppositions as they cannot push the Veil directly due to the visual interference and slowed movement that comes from passing through the Veil. To fully utilize Catalyst’s Ult, players should place her Ultimate as soon as the objective is available to capture. The best timing is after a squad wipe after the train is closing in on the station. As enemies will respawn quickly and try to take back the objective from the respawn from Supply Ships, they will struggle to do so because of the Dark Veil visual interference.

Those are our tips to using the latest Apex Legend, Catalyst in the Winter Express Limited Time Mode. For more Apex Legends, Wintertide Collection content, see our related: Best Team Comps to Use in Apex Legends Winter Express LTM.