Multiplayer Map Tips
Halo 2 had 21 maps when all was said and done, and with downloadable content being so hot and profitable, we may see even more than that in Halo 3’s lifetime. The three maps that we get a taste of in the Beta aren’t revolutionary in design, but they incorporate all of the new gameplay elements well, looking and sounding fantastic along the way.
Valhalla
Valhalla is the largest map that you’ll play in non-Big Team Battle games. The map is pretty huge, a large asymmetrical oval. Very little fighting will be done at close range unless, of course, you know where to camp.
Battle Rifles will be a primary weapon for almost any fight. If nothing else, it’s a good idea to have one on top of the Assault Rifle, allowing you to be prepared for up-close and ranged combat. Battle Rifles are found almost anywhere weapons are found (there are four in each base alone!). And, with their really short spawn time, the Battle Rifles should never be passed up.
Besides the Battle Rifle, players who want to keep the fight at a distance should rush either the Spartan Laser or the sniper rifle. A sniper rifle sits in the lower part of either base, while a singular Spartan Laser is found in the center of the level, just beyond where each sides’ Man Cannons will reach. The sniper rifles allow you to deal with enemy personnel, while the Spartan Laser allow your team to deal with any enemy Warthog teams.
On the side of the level opposite the turret are two shotguns. They are in each of the small tunnels on either side of the crashed Pelican. While these guns are ineffective against an enemy sniper, they do make great secondary weapons for snipers, especially if they are camping one of the two tunnels where the guns spawn. The shotgun is also useful in a match where players fight heavily around and inside a base.
Since the map is so big, players will often launch themselves out of the Man Cannons. However, the Mongooses and Warthog should not be overlooked either. If you are against a skilled enemy sniper, they can snipe you out of the air by simply tracing your set path dictated by the Man Cannon. On the other hand, if you use a Mongoose or Warthog, you can change your movement just enough to give you a shot at breaking out to a different position.
Valhalla is a map where players will see their opponents sticking to the sides of the map. Though a Man Cannon can shoot you out into the center of the map, players tend to head out on the side shooting Man Cannon, or on foot, avoiding the center because it makes you potentially vulnerable from all sides. However, if your team is getting dominated from a particular side, especially the side where your Man Cannon drops you, it might be prudent to shoot out of the center Man Cannon.
Valhalla has a lot of options when it comes to rapid deployment. Just don’t fall into a set pattern for the whole match. Yes, it is understandable and smart to have a set path before the match starts, but this shouldn’t your only path. Anticipate your opponent’s reaction about your movement, and then switch it up. Don’t be predictable.
High Ground
The name “High Ground” gives the impression that the best place for fighting is in the base, along the catwalks. But that’s misleading: you can fight your way from defeat on every location in High Ground.
Spawning close to the beach, you can take advantage of numerous items. In the cave, to your right when facing the base, is a sniper rifle. To your left: an Active Camo, a Battle Rifle, and a shotgun. There is plenty of cover to approach the base slowly but surely. Or, if the slow route isn’t your style, you can always chance it and jump on a Mongoose. The problem with jumping on the monguess is that the enemy that spawns in the base has a spartan laser and if they hurry the rocket lanucher too, so thats a good way to get yourself killed
Just outside the base’s main doors is the rocket launcher. At the beginning of the round, players tend to fight for the rocket launcher, with both teams rolling out in Mongooses, seeing who can reach — and hold — the rocket launcher first. The other option: let the enemy take it and pick them off with a long ranged weapon.
If you start in the base, make sure you pick up a weapon for close quarter combat. The shotgun is outside the base, so we recommend going for the Needler. When combined with a Spiked Grenades, the Needler, found on the second floor of the base, can be highly effective. You can use the Needler to camp the destroyed bunker or front door.
If you prefer to kill enemies at a distance, you have two great options in the main base. Along the front catwalk you can find Carbines. And, up in the base’s tower, you can find a Spartan Laser. Either of these weapons will let you disrupt any enemy sniper.
From our experience, the best weapons for the level were dual Brute Spikers. The weapons are located in enough places on the map that ammo rarely becomes an issue; and their ability to deal high levels of damage is unrivaled by anything but the power weapons.
Most of the fighting will go down around the three entrances to the base: the entrance at the destroyed bunker, the destroyed section of wall, and the main door. Players will get into the base. Don’t bother to keep them out; instead, strike them just after they get in. Defending the bunker or catwalk while in the immediate area will just make you a good target for snipers. Instead, hang back, watch your radar, and then ambush your enemies just after you have given them the confidence of entering the base.
Snowbound
Snowbound’s action will take place in several places. If you stay on the surface, the battle may be waged from a distance. In the forts or underground, the battles will be up-close and personal, so prepare for enemy melee attacks. How you play will determine how the other team is playing. If you are getting dominated on the surface, head underground to make the enemy’s Beam Rifle and Carbines worthless.
First, let’s start with fighting on the surface of Snowbound. Depending on which side you start, your team will gravitate towards the Beam Rifle or Spartan Laser, located just inside the two Covenant bunkers. Those on your team without power weapons should grab a Carbine or Battle Rifle. Once your team is equipped to hold the surface, make sure that you stick together, moving along the border of the level. Countless times you’ll see players try to camp on top of a bunker, but this rarely works in the long run. If an enemy spawns underneath you, they can be on top of you with their Assault Rifle in a matter of seconds. Keep your team to the rocky sides of the level, not the snow side.
If you are being dominated on the surface, you have two options. You can either grab the best weapons for the fight underground (shotgun and dual plasma pistols come to mind), or you can prepare to move out and take the surface as a group. When trying to take the surface, the entire team should exit from the same bunker, preferably the one closest to the bulk of the enemy team. Having one of your teammates grab the Ghost can also prove a worthy distraction for enemy snipers. Remember, if they are looking into a scope, they won’t see your team coming on the radar.
If you take the fight underground, you must adopt an entirely different strategy. Chances are, if the enemy is camping the underground areas, then they will have already taken the best weapons for close combat. Instead, we recommend that you grab a Needler or Mauler/Spiker combo. The Needler is located on top of the bunker with the Spartan Laser, while the Spiker/Mauler are located just outside the entrance to the underground by the Active Camo — grabbing the Active Camo, prior to invading the underground bunkers, is also a good idea. With the help of grenade spamming, these weapons will allow your team to flush the enemy out of hiding. Ideally, the whole team or just two best equipped players head into the bunkers, while the others wait to snipe the people who think it’s their chance to break out onto the surface.
Narrows
Because your team will invade the enemy base or vice versa, the majority of combat revolves around the two bases. Be prepared to spawn into a place under fire.
The Man Cannons is home to heavy fighting. Players often use the Man Cannons to jump between their base and the enemy’s base, causing players to react with a camping strategy: players camp on either side of the Cannons. Also, snipers will pick at those running to the Cannons. If you’re using the Man Cannons, be ready for enemy grenades as soon as you land.
The rocket launcher is located on the direct center of the highest bridge. People often rush for the rocket launcher, but the result is usually fatal: it’s more a death trap than help. Instead, rely on weapons such as the Needler and the shotgun, both giving you a distinct advantage thanks to the level’s close quarters. The Needler is located on either sides of the Man Cannon, and the shotgun is in the center of the lower bridge.
If you like fighting the enemy at a distance, grab a Battle Rifle or sniper rifle. The Battle Rifle is located to the left or right of where your team starts, and the sniper rifle is just at the foot of the lower bridge on either side. The best place to fire the sniper rife or Battle Rifle is by your team’s Man Cannon, allowing you to shoot the opposing team as they attempt to jump over to your side.
The Man Cannon also serves as a way to transport a Power Drain or Bubble Shield to the enemy base. One side starts with a Power Drain in front of their Man Cannon; the other, a Bubble Shield. If your team decides to invade by jumping across, and you have started on the side with the Power Drain, have someone throw the Power Drain in the Man Cannon, flying it over to the opposing base, giving your team the distraction — a potential advantage of destroying your opponents’ shields.
If you team starts on the side with the Bubble Shield, use it with the Man Cannon to help your team invade the opposing side base. You can either throw the Bubble Shield into the Man Cannon, or throw the Bubble Shield while in mid-flight from your Man Cannon, giving you cover when you land. Throwing the Bubble Shield into the Man Cannon before you jump in will give you cover from enemy snipers during your flight, but throwing it after you are in the air will give you cover for a longer period of time.
The Pit
The Pit is one of the more symmetrical maps in Halo 3. Each team has all the same weapons; their respective bases are simply mirror images of one another. There are a few weapons without duplicates, but they are placed in the middle of level, giving both sides equal opportunity to get at them.
The Pit is a deceiving map. Because of the level’s indoor feel, you’ll be quick to pass up on a Battle Rifle in favor for, say, a shotgun or Mauler. However, while some of the fights are up-close, many will happen from a distance. The Pit is full of lengthy corridors and sniper positions. Unless you are confident that you can camp a small space like, say, the room with the Energy Sword, we strongly recommend that you keep a ranged weapon close at hand, at least as a back up.
The two weapons that teams fight over are the Energy Sword and the rocket launcher. There is also an Overshield and an Active Camo in the center of the map. Often, players rush for the rocket launcher, which is just past the Needler spawn point. If you want to obtain the rocket launcher, rush at its spawn, grab the Needler along the way, and then, before running to its spawn point, throw grenades into the hallway, and sit for a moment. Chances are, you’ll score a few Needler/grenade kills, and grab the rocket launcher, in relative safety.
To put up the best fight for the Energy Sword, grab the Power Drain on the other side of the wall where the Energy Sword spawns. Use this, in conjunction with grenades, to clear out the enemies rushing for the Sword. Granted, the Sword won’t be the best weapon for this map, but its better that someone on your team has it, rather than in enemy hands.
The sniper rifles are located just under each side’s turret, in plain sight of the opposing side’s sniper rifle. So be careful when grabbing your rifle, just in case the enemy was faster than you were at rushing the spawn.
If you get your team’s sniper rifle, or want a safe spot to hide with a flag or the Oddball, there is a way to get into the second floor of the towers on each side’s base. To get up into the high doorway, you have three options: you can either grenade jump off a teammate’s head; form a stairway of teammates; or perform a Brute Shot jump. Getting up to high ground can be the key to victory, as only a skilled sniper can take you out once you are up there.
Sandtrap
Sandtrap is a map you’ll play only in Custom or Big Team matches. Due to its size, it is a vehicle-heavy map. Moreover, it is an extra special map, because it is the only map, player made or otherwise, containing the indestructible Elephant, the portable base.
The Elephant, though incredibly slow, drastically changes the strategy of Sandtrap. Because it is, more often than not, the place where your team spawns, moving it can have both pros and cons. If you move the Elephant closer to your opponent’s base in, say, a CTF match, you’ll travel only shorter distances between the flag capture point (flags, bombs, and bomb points are always on the Elephants). However, if you move your Elephant close to the enemy base, you’ll pull away from all of your side’s vehicles and assorted goodies close to where the Elephant starts. Just remember to consult your team — and form a team strategy — before you drive the Elephant around like it’s your personal transport.
Besides the Elephant, which is indestructible, the map will be flooded with players running around in smaller vehicles. Whether it is a single enemy on a Chopper, or a trio on a Warthog, you should always try to have a counter to enemy vehicles. To counter enemy vehicles, use a Brute Shot, a Missile Pod, or a Spartan Laser — all found close to the area where your Elephant starts. If nothing else, just make sure you keep at least one grenade handy to try and flip an enemy vehicle.
Killing the opposing team’s vehicles, even if they are not currently in use, can be extremely helpful to your team. No, you won’t get any points for killing unmanned vehicles, but it will slow down the enemy and make easier kills for your whole team.
A weapon that often gets misused, but can be extremely effective on this map, is the Gravity Hammer. It is located along the center structure on the map, just before the chasm. We don’t recommend running around with the Hammer out, but it can be very useful for taking out an enemy vehicle. Give them a whack with the Hammer as they approach, and they’ll think twice before trying to hit you again!
There is only one Banshee on Sandtrap, and it can be useful, if in the right hands. It is located by rocks close to the Phantom crash site by the level’s killzone. A skilled player can fly the Banshee around as a distraction, allowing the rest of the team to move with less opposition, or can be used to ferry a sniper up to a high position. Specifically, the Banshee should be used to carry a sniper up to the highest portions of the map, which would otherwise be inaccessible — just make sure not to boost or you’ll blow your stowaway off the ship.
For the troops you will face on the ground, be prepared for both short and medium ranged combat. Practically everywhere your turn you’ll be able to find a Battle Rifle, so pick one up in addition to your Assault Rifle. And, if sniping is your thing, you should grab the sniper rifle and find a good camping spot. The crashed Phantom has a nice little cave from which to snipe.
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