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COMMON HEADER INFORMATION TO ALL MAP & MODE REVIEWS
Maps will either be listed with Smurfy links when you can mouse over Lance and Turret locations to see what is where at match start. I will provide a map image or two of my own modified from Smurfy’s with marking showing in White outlined areas where typical combat is at least in my ELO bracket and possible recommendations for new Turret locations for reasons described, these will be in SPOILER sections. If two maps are similar (ex: Frozen City & Frozen City Night) I will combine them into one review noting any differences between them.
This is the first in the series on a map with 2 versions I especially dislike in one mode.
I would like to note one common thing about Turrets on all Maps.
With a LRM Turret having 2LRM10s (unknown if Artemis is present), I think of these as a Medium LRM Mech.
With a Laser Turret having 2 Medium Lasers, these are slightly less firepower then even a Locust.
Given the ‘Mech equivalent strength of the two Turret types, I believe the LRM one may be one launcher size too big and should be dropped to twin LRM5s.
TERRA THERMA
All modes have the same Lances names opposite each other (Alpha vs. Alpha, etc.) except in Skirmish where both Alphas start opposite both Charlies. Given that any pre-mades will usually be in Alpha, that means if there is one pre-made per side, they start against each other; in Skirmish,, this means a pre-made can start against a non-grouped Lance
Now let’s get you the Visitor’s Guide. Note, some of the locations are called by Community Names I know of, others I don’t and some I just plain made up.
In this map:
Spoiler
The White Line is the large volcano center.
The Green line are the 4 paths leading to the center.
The Purple line outlines the one ramp in the center that allows up and down travel to the lava.
The Orange line are the routes for lava paths to the center.
SKIRMISH MODE
Spoiler
Gameplay - A majority of the map noted by the White circled area sees fighting though there are times fighting occurs outside the center. I do not know why people move like sheep to the center given the high heat that happens there much like the center of Caustic Valley. This is also the mode where a pre-made in Alpha will start opposite a group of loners in Charlie so Lance vs. Lance battles here may usually go in favor of Alphas, something that should be fixed. More players should learn to take advantage of the outside area especially darker colored Mechs, this map darkens all camo so dark colored Mechs can use that to their advantage unlike in the center.
CONQUEST MODE
Gameplay - A majority of the map sees fighting though there are times fighting occurs outside the center. Conquest can get interesting since it encourages play outside the center
ASSAULT MODE
Gameplay - A majority of the map noted by the White circled area sees fighting though there are times fighting occurs outside the center. The Turrets are arranged in near ring formations with LRMs at the rear making base captures difficult with no weak points.
PERSONAL CHANGES SUGGESTIONS
Skirmish needs one side to be changed swapping the Alpha and Charlie Lances so pre-mades face each other.
Maybe the need for weak spots on base defenses in Assault.
Largely, there are no real problems with this map beyond those two that I can think of though some players simply dislike it.
