Bttlefield 3 Multiplayer: Map By Map Guide
Dave Cook
Battlefield 3’s Maps and modes rated.
Published on Oct 10, 2011
Battlefield 3’s large-scale multiplayer battles offer a very different prospect to Modern Warfare 3’s lone wolf approach. We’ve now spent a considerable amount of time playing every map and mode onthe Battlefield 3 disc, and while the style of play is different to Call of Duty’s, the jury is still out on whether or not it’s necessarily better.
It’s a personal choice really, as both games do things very differently. However, right now we’re here to talk purely about Battlefield 3, and the wealth of multiplayer goodness it offers.
Let’s just say that the Operation Metro and Caspian Border beta maps only offer a mere taster of what to expect come 28th October.
Please note, the only map we weren’t able to play was Kharg Island, which was unfortunately unavailable at the preview event we attended.
Caspian Border
Chances are if you’re a PC gamer, then you’ve already played this sprawling map to death. It’s quite simply one of the biggest multiplayer maps we’ve ever played in an FPS, or any genre for that matter. It also has jets, which instantly makes it awesome.
We played this map on Conquest mode, and it comes complete with four territorial points to capture. If you’re not very good at piloting Battlefield’s gallery of vehicles, then you will need to learn to get the best out of this map.
Walking on foot will take you an age, and you will more than likely be blown to pieces by long-distance tank artillery, snipers or jet bombing runs.
It’s a lush map too; complete with rolling fields, visibility-hampering tree lines and the odd farm or warehouse dotted around to break up the open areas.
When defending on Conquest, we really had to be cautious about attackers, as the wide-open areas meant the opposing team could rush us from any direction. More than ever, teamwork was essential here, as simply hanging back and defending the first few points wasn’t good enough.
Using jets to ferry our squad behind enemy lines, we attempted to kill the other team on their own turf and to disrupt their ranks. In the meantime, the rest of our squad held back to defend any points we had already captured.
It’s huge, and it really does feel like you’re fighting a war on two fronts, although Capsian Border definitely underlines the need for 64-player matches on consoles.
Our maximum lobby size on PS3 was 24-player, and this left the map feeling a tad barren and desolate, which is unfortunate as it’s a brilliant environment to play in.
Grand Bazaar
This Middle Eastern market is one of Battlefield 3’s smaller maps, and we played it in both Rush and Team Deathmatch modes. The tight streets, and surrounding apartment buildings smack of an attempt to emulate Call of Duty. When you think Battlefield, you definitely don’t think of environments like this.
Again, it was a well-crafted map, but it felt almost alien to the franchise. Team Deathmatch mode also baffled with erratic spawns and the occasional spawn death, with campers lying prone next to our team’s respawn point.
However, the rule of thumb for Battlefield 3 seems to be objective-based modes, and it’s here that Grand Bazaar becomes awesome. Playing in Rush mode, the map becomes a tense, claustrophobic killing floor, where you really need to coordinate and watch your environment carefully.
Every open window could house a sniper waiting to kill you in an instant, packs of foes could be around any corner, and there is a real sense of urgency when both teams are contesting an M-COM station. Our advice is to skip team deathmatch and head straight to Rush.
Grand Bazaar is interesting in that it’s a small, tight map that is favoured by snipers, thanks to the plethora of high vantage points and apartment buildings dotted around one side of the environment.
We also kept on getting a brief flash of red light when being targeted by laser-targeted sniper rifles. This is a neat addition to the mix, as it gives you a brief second to hit the deck or strafe to the side when being targeted by Recon class soldiers, and it balanced long-ranged play perfectly.
As a Team Deathmatch map, Grand Bazaar feels weak compared to almost any Call of Duty map, but in Rush mode it feels like a real step up for the Battlefield series. Just remember to be wary of snipers to avoid being picked off unexpectedly.
Operation Firestorm
Possibly a contender for best map in the game, Operation Firestorm takes place in the blazing heat of a burning desert oil field, leading up to a petroleum warehouse at the top of a sun bleached hill.
This is one of the few maps that boast jets too, but as we found as we nose-dived our plane into the ground after just a few seconds, becoming a good pilot will take some practice.
We played this map on Conquest, and it’s a match made in heaven. All three points can be found among the petroleum warehouses, and because both teams get to pilot tanks, jeeps and jets from each spawn point, the centre of the map quickly becomes a hotbed of activity.
You can approach each Conquest point as you see fit. You can roll tanks up the hill and dominate the road running through the complex, or you can climb a ladder up to the factory rooftops and provide sniper support from up high.
Operation Firestorm is one of those sweet maps that reward teamwork, and demands a strong mix of classes. The thrill of running between Conquest points as jets duke it out overhead is exhilarating, and delivers a consistent pace throughout each match.
Operation Metro
If you’ve played the Battlefield 3 beta, then you already know all about Operation Metro. It’s an odd map in that it starts out in a wide park area, which then bottlenecks into the Metro underground before opening up into the Paris streets at the end.
Changing up your tactics to suit each new area is vital, especially as you enter the tight, constricted corridors of the Metro itself. On Team Deathmatch mode, this is – once again – something of a lame duck, paling in comparison to the Call of Duty style of play. But on Rush, it’s excellent.
The ranged battles of the park are neat, as players are forced to use low wall and ridges as cover, while inching towards M-COM stations to avoid long-range fire. However, the lack of vehicles in this area, along with a restricted amount of players makes this area feel a touch underwhelming.
The interiors demand intelligent movement however, as you really need to be cautious when navigating around corners and avoid sprinting blindly where possible. Destruction-wise, it’s incredibly underwhelming, and is by far one of the least impressive maps on the disc.
Tehran Highway
This is thin urban map with two highways that stretch from north to south. There is the occasional overpass, back alley and apartment block thrown in for good measure as well.
This is one of those great Battlefield maps that reward whichever team manages to hold a tank longest, as it can be used to patrol the streets and blast any stray troops running around.
Running on foot, we had to use the backstreets to move forward, as running on the open roads will either get you killed by sniper fore or blown to smithereens under tank strikes. As a result, tight exchanges down thin alleys were common.
It’s also a night map, so using thermal scopes and spotting enemies regularly will help pick them out for long-ranged kills. It seemed that as soon as we started to capture an M-COM station, this alerted the other team, and in seconds, their tank was upon us.
Tehran Highway is a constant cat and mouse game between troops on the ground, snipers up high and that bloody tank. Just make sure you either get to the tank first, or use RPG rounds to see it packing as soon as possible. It’s simply another great tactical map.
Noshahr Canals
Similar to the third Rush stage of Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s Nelson Bay map, Noshahr Canals features a string of dockyards surrounded by stretches of water.
Running around the maze of freight containers was tense, thanks to the threat of sniper shots from cranes above, and the lack of vehicles meant that both sides were evenly matched.
To get to Rush or Conquest objectives quickly, we had two choices. We could either take the long way to each point, by navigating the dockyards, or we could simply swim between points at speed. The problem with taking to the water is that you’re a sitting duck should anyone spot you.
Noshahr Canal is another Battlefield 3 map that has underwhelming destruction, and looks really bland compared to the lush veneer of Caspian Border. We’ve actually lost count of how many FPS games feature maps littered with freight containers and bland, grey concrete structures.
It’s not a bad map as such, but it’s far removed from the wide-open spaces and grand scale encounters the Battlefield series is known for. Just be careful not to swim around for too long, or you’ll sink like a rock and look really foolish. Not that we did that at any point of course.
Damavand Peak
Oh yes, this map is an absolute beauty. Damavand Peak is massive, and while it doesn’t have any jets, the chopper gameplay here is outstanding. We played this map on Rush mode, and while defending, found it to be a manic and never-ending barrage of action.
The map is full of mountainous facilities, sheer drops and tunnels carved through the peak, and it’s also one of few maps that fully shows off the Frostbite 2 engine. You can blow holes in the side of facilities, level defensive walls and nosedive choppers into the environment to your advantage.
The first point is stunning, as the defenders must protect the first mountain facility from attackers coming over the ridge. This means plenty of sniper fire and sneak attacks through the thick tree line around the area. Sitting there, waiting for enemies to come is tense and exciting.
Even better is the second point, as attackers must base jump off the mountain facility – or take a chopper, which is less fun – and descend down onto the second facility below. The defenders have to really keep their eyes skyward here, in order to catch any sneaky buggers trying to infiltrate the base undetected.
Point three is even better, forcing the defenders into the bottleneck of a dank tunnel that leads through the rock face. There are plenty of corridors in there, as well as low cover and dump trucks to hide behind. This is also when attackers get a tank too, so the defence really has to be careful no to lose out at the final stretch.
Damavand Peak is a masterclass in map design, so it’s a bloody shame that too few of Battlefield 3’s environments can match the scope, enjoyment and intensity of what’s on offer here. We can already see this becoming a true fan favourite once the game launches.
Seine Crossing
Finally, we played a few rounds of Seine Crossing on both Rush and Team Deathmatch. It’s another small urban map that recalls Call of Duty in terms of scope and design. We found quite quickly that the spawn points were constantly being camped, and that we were being killed right out of the gate without warning.
There are also far too many tight streets that make for uninspired exchanges from one end to the other. Again, Rush mode makes things more tactical, but there is a real sense of déjà vu here, as you fight down the Parisian streets, using cars and the occasional freight container as cover.
With a lack of vehicles, this feels like another wasted chance from DICE. The scope and true ‘warfare’ vibe of the series feels lost on this map, and you really do pine for something bigger and more inspiring. That’s not to say the developer won’t be expanded for other modes by way of DLC, but for now, it feels all too familiar.
Summary
The lesson here is that Team Deathmatch modes feel foreign to the Battlefield series, as each match falls closer to Call of Duty than previous instalments. Playing objective-based modes is infinitely more enjoyable than simply running around trying to farm kills, and it also stays true to the series’ legacy.
When Battlefield 3 delivers large maps with tons of vehicles and increased player count, it radiates quality. Caspian Border, Damavand Peak and Operation Firestorm are absolutely brilliant locations, and are easily three of the best Battlefield maps ever created.
It’s just a shame that the other offerings feel small and restricted by comparison. It will be interesting to see if DICE delivers more large maps after launch, or create expanded versions of the smaller locales, as this would seriously help flesh out the map selection.
For now though, we feel slightly deflated by what’s on offer, and concerned that DICE has tried to hard to coax the Call of Duty crowd away by trying to copy its smaller, urban maps. Battlefield 3’s multiplayer still plays well, but it’s not the grand your of duty we were anticipating.
