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Consistant map balance issues.

Lemonater47

Grizzled Veteran
Sep 25, 2014
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A number of the new maps have significant balance issues. Leading to one team winning most of the time. In some cases almost all of the time.

Saigon
A significant hurdle for the attacking team is the A point. The Single spawn locations means a lot of walking is required for the attacking team to control the flanks. The attackers right flank has had some walls knocked down which allows the defending team to take that ground. They were previously unable to. Artillery is largely useless at even cutting off the cap zone. The only real way to take it is to mass charge the front to gain a foothold. Then rely solely on the ambush spawn mechanic to get everyone on it. Simply hoping that you have more men on the ground floor than the defenders have on the first floor. As there are only 2 ways up to the first floor (there is a 3rd way but that's suicide even trying to get to the ladder on their side). This is all very time consuming and when under constant commander strikes very difficult. The Defenders get a lot of visual cover and are protected from artillery.
The rest of the map is easy enough (B needs a second spawn locations for the attackers really) until you get to the last 2 cap zones. The only real way to get there is through the tunnels. The tunnels that only appear outside the building at 2 locations. Ladders no less. One of which is easily camped by the defenders. The rear of the building is now out of the combat zone for the attackers. In black April the whole idea was to surround the building. But with this new version the only way in is through the front entrances, the side entrance or mantling some boxes at the back. Once you do get in the attacking team now has to hold both E and F simultaneously. Something I have never seen done at all. Spawns don't move up when you capture E. The attackers at this point are struggling for time. The whole last area needs a big rethink as to how it's done. Almost need to make that T-54 driveable. Only ever seen the attackers win ONCE. Played the map many times. They managed to kill all the defenders reinforcements.

DMZ
Tickets have been raised at least. But the hardest parts of this map are A and B. The defenders get a commanding view over the main approach and over the attackers left flank. Leaving only the right flank as the viable approach. This is unlike the original where the defenders didn't have much of a view. Again this relies heavily on the ambush spawn ability of the commander. As it's very hard to get good arty marks because of the way the terrain is.
Once A is taken B is extremely hard to get to. The combat zones are extremely generous to the defenders as well. It allows them to run around in A still and everywhere in between. They can often push forward and defend from a forward flank. Making it very hard for the attackers to push. The way the terrain is here is again not in the attackers favour.

Apache Snow
This map is relatively fine until D and E. It largely becomes a steamroll for the attackers. D and E are very large cap zones which allows the attackers to occupy a small portion of each one to cap. Plus the cap zones extend out to where the defenders can't reasonably get to. The attackers can take these zones without even being seen by the defenders who were also in the zones the entire time. It's more apparent with E.
F is a similar story now. The defenders usually haven't got themselves in a position to defend F properly.
The last cap G is easier to defend. But it's by no means a stonewall cap zone. With the 3 previous zones generally falling easily the defenders now have to hold G for a long time. Something not easily done.


Khe Sanh
Who's idea was it to give the defenders more tickets than the attackers??? That is the single most bat **** crazy balance decision I've seen. Cos guess what. The attackers keep running out of tickets lol. That aside the majority of Keh Sahn games I've played have ended on C and B. Generally not to a lockdown either. But to the attackers running out of tickets. B and C aren't hard to take. What's hard is holding both of them at the same time. The game turns into a massive flip flop of who's holding either point. Both points are easy to retake by the defenders. Especially C. Both cap zones are very far apart and there is a lot of cover in between each point. Slowing down movement between the two and it allows the defenders and attackers to focus a lot of resources towards the center. Which isn't always beneficial for the attackers even when they got several tunnels in that area. They either need to lock or defenders spawns need to be further away or have a longer spawn time.
A lot of people complain about the A cap zone as well but it's not too hard if you focus on the trenches. There's multiple trenches to take you to A and a lot of shell craters to hide in as well.
Past B and C I can't really tell. I've been past it twice. Ran out of tickets once and time the other.


Da Nang
This map is largely fine. A and B are slogs but they are both cap zones the attackers will eventually claw their way into. The only real difficult cap zone is F. That thing is a damn fortress and with E still active it's a big pain for the attackers to get past that stage. Maybe another broken sewer line in that area would help. As there isn't really a viable approach to F. People can flank it from the attackers left but that's a loooong flank and takes you across an open road right in front of their spawn.
The main issue with Dan Nang however is time. 30 minutes is too short. 35 minutes might even been too short. Extending the time (and reinforcements along with it) to between 35-40 minutes will make this map a lot more enjoyable for both sides.
 
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Agree on all mentioned too. Khe Sanh is the worst issue for me though. People in chat stating it is a 'tactical' map. But try being -so- tactical in random game. So no, way way too hard for attacker. And not fun thus, which is what it should be about. Having no chance feels like 'muhaha' for defender way too much.
 
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For balance we keep an eye on player chatter, our own experience as well as stats sent back from servers. Map balance can change month to month and week to week as players learn and discover new routes and defense points causing things to swing wildly. We try and push out a balance pass to a map when things swing too far out of a range and stay there.
 
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I feel like its still to early to say if there's a balance issue or not. Khe Sanh for example my first few games went terribly as an attacker, it's slowly gotten better though the more I play it. The team you have really makes the biggest difference. I've noticed it tends to goes best when most of the team hits one flank while a smaller portion infiltrates the other. It is one of the more challenging maps. DMZ seems fine to me play wise (aesthetically I feel like it could use a little something and a bit more cover, but that's no big deal).
Apache Snow has been a toss up, again depending on the team you have. It can definitely play a little like Kobura where if the attackers build up momentum from the first two sets of objectives it can be over quick.
I haven't played Saigon or Da Nang enough yet to weigh in on those.

None of the new maps have any game breaking aspects to them, its not like Resort for example where if the US has no pilots they're 100% doomed.
 
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