Chapter 7 - Onslaught

Onslaught is a fantastic addition to Unreal Tournament 2004 and combines the best of deathmatch, capture the flag, and assault with vehicular combat! Six vehicles are featured throughout the onslaught maps. For additional tips on using the vehicles effectively, check the "Weapons and Vehicles" section of this game guide. This section offers general onslaught strategies along with specific tips for each map.

• Onslaught is a team game not an individual competition. Team play is emphasized heavily in onslaught and it starts from the very beginning of the game. Several vehicles can hold multiple occupants (and players can jump on others for a ride) so listen or wait for your teammates to hop in before driving away. These vehicles are much more potent with additional passengers. Also, taking passengers moves your players to front line positions quickly. Many onslaught maps are big and traversing from node to node on foot takes awhile.
• Building and repairing power nodes also emphasizes team play. One player can build and repair a node but two players can do it faster. One player fires the link gun at the node while a second player (or more) fires the link gun at the player. The additional link increases the speed at which the power node builds. Getting a node up quickly means quicker access to the area’s turrets and vehicles. This will be important in mounting a fast offense or getting up necessary defense to hold off an attack.
• When the game starts, spread team members to the nearest linked power nodes to begin construction. Don’t move all to the same node. Branch out, build the node, and then adjust team members toward the most important location. Perhaps it’s an attack on an enemy node or protecting your own team’s power node. Use vehicles to reach the initial nodes quickly.
• Establishing a link to the enemy’s power core makes it vulnerable to attack. As soon as the other team breaks the link, the core becomes invulnerable. This means as soon as you establish the link, you must work fast to damage the enemy core. Even if you only score five or ten points of damage it may be enough to win the game. When the enemy core is vulnerable, pilot a fast vehicle (such as the manta or scorpion) into the enemy base and shoot at the core.
• Memorize the location of super weapons, the ion painter, target painter, and redeemer. These weapons help turn the tide of battle. Clear defenses around a key node or bombard an attack around your own node. The redeemer can be especially powerful when used against the enemy’s vulnerable power core. Find a secluded location and fire the redeemer with the alternate fire button. Guide the redeemer missile into the enemy’s base and bombard the core!
• Repair, repair, repair! The link gun has several uses in onslaught and one is to repair vehicles. It takes time to get that goliath tank to the front line. Between battles take the time to repair the tank before moving forward. With two passengers turning into repairmen, the process goes even faster. This is paramount on maps that feature the leviathan (ONS-RedPlanet and ONS-Severance).
• Be ready to adjust quickly to a new location on the map. Listen and watch for the cues that reveal which power node the enemy currently attacks. Use the nodes to teleport closer to the enemy’s attack point or grab a vehicle and maneuver there as quickly as possible. Don’t do your own thing. Assist your team by assisting in the defense of your own node or assisting your team in the attack on the enemy’s node.
• Certain vehicles spawn at certain power nodes. This is particularly important on ONS-Severance where the monstrous leviathan spawns at the center node. It can also be important for the goliath tank as well. Controlling those nodes means controlling those vehicles. If you control a node but the vehicles aren’t appearing, repair the power node to full.
• The AVRiL is one of the most important weapons in onslaught. Check the "Weapons and Vehicles" section of this guide for tips on using the AVRiL applicable to onslaught. You should also learn about the mine layer, another weapon featured primarily in onslaught.
• Just for fun: the hellbender isn’t the only vehicle with a horn! Pilot another vehicle and press the ";" key to honk the horn. Bind honking to a different key by opening the console with the "~" key and typing (without quotes) "set input key playvehiclehorn 1" where "key" is the keystroke you wish to use.