Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Season 3 New Maps Breakdown
Season 3 of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is in full swing, with many players scrambling to unlock the new, powerful battle pass weapons and level them up to get all the attachments. However, that's not all that Season 3 has to offer. Some of the maps added this season are phenomenal additions to the game and deserve their time in the spotlight. In any FPS, the maps are the lifeblood of competitive play, determining the flow and feel of every battle.
Since launch, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare players have had their fare share of complaints about the game's maps, and for good reason. It has taken multiple seasons for enough great maps to be added to the game that the map pool is more good than bad. The new maps in Season 3 are yet another improvement though, and knowing all their ins and outs will be the key to victory.
Talsik Backlot is a remastered map from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but even veterans will find it hectic, chaotic, and labyrinthine. It is a lot more complex than a classic three-lane ordeal, and has a dizzying combination of tight corners, twisting walls, and elevated sniping positions. The map is a bit more easy to manage on objective game modes, but in a 6v6 team deathmatch, the action comes from all sides at all times. It's interesting that this map is not from Modern Warfare 3 for Season 3, but fans are anticipating MW3 maps later in the season.
The most defining landmarks are two elevated sniping positions, the construction site and a bombed-out building. They face each other on opposite ends of the map and overlook the entire center area. Both are advantageous positions, but are vulnerable to multiple entries and each other's sightlines. Learning where each of these positions are is important for anyone on the ground level too, as each one overlooks most of the entire map. Bringing along a strong sniper rifle or DMR is highly recommended, even though the map is relatively small.
The key to winning on Backlot is choosing the right area for one's playstyle. There are convenient locales for any range of combat, from close quarters shotgunners in the buildings and alleys to snipers in the upper floors. The most important thing is to generally avoid the three main streets in the center- they are complete death traps unless multiple team members work to get control of their sightlines. In any case, bringing a good backup weapon for a chosen playstyle will be beneficial on such a varied map.
Hovec Sawmill is easily the best new map added to Modern Warfare, right next to Atlas Superstore. If the game had launched with maps like these, many of the initial complaints about multiplayer would have been totally irrelevant. The first thing that any player will notice when spawning in on Sawmill and running around for a few seconds is that the whole map is gorgeous. Boulders, streams, buildings with old-world charm, flowers, dramatic burning structures, and fun details make up the entire map. Gone are the shipping containers, cars, and gray-brown dusty monotony of practically every other Modern Warfare map.
Hovec Sawmill is a master class in small-to mid-size map design, with a classic three lane structure and a small stream running through the center. Every sightline seems balanced with a dedicated counter-position, and combat flows smoothly across recognizable, memorable, and easy-to-navigate landmarks. The burning sawmill is a focal point, the tall defensible porch overlooking a boulder-strewn trail, and the beehives along the sneaky third path define the three primary combat zones.
The key to doing well on Hovec Sawmill is a strong, versatile weapon with mid- to long-range in mind. Good teamwork and lots of parkour and flanking will serve any player well, as all of the defensible positions will take some ingenuity to push. If all the new maps were as creative and well-balanced as Sawmill, Modern Warfare would be in a much better place. Players can only hope for a dedicated playlist or map filtering down the line.
Aniyah Incursion isn't new by any means, but it is definitely an improvement over the old version of the map. Previously, Aniyah Palace made its home as a large-scale Modern Warfare map in Ground War and 10v10 playlists, but the major issue with the map was its size. Matches would stagnate, and while action around the central palace was fun, there were too many places for the enemy to scuttle off to when put on the defensive, and matches would always end in a one-sided massacre as the losing team got penned in to one side of the map.
Aniyah Incursion is made up by the central palace and the open area just around the main building, still contained by high walls. The upper floors of the palace, its central room, the shipping containers, and scattered buildings around the exterior are the main focal points for combat. The map is easy to learn and offers fluid action, as the enemy is always easy to find and flank. The best strategies on Aniyah include getting the high ground in the palace's upper floors or roaming the exterior in a wide circle looking for fights. The shipping containers on offer an especially sneaky route to flank and gain angles across a wide spread of the map.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Post a Comment