ONS-Arctic Stronghold

Set on mountaintops at 24,000 feet, Arctic Stronghold is a chilly and hilly Onslaught map. The varied terrain creates tough driving conditions for the hellbender and scorpion. A slipup and you could be tumbling down the side of a mountain. But the hills do work well for elevated support fire, particularly from the goliath tank.

There are five total nodes on the map; the center node is underneath the bridge connecting the north and south sides of the map. The team that controls the center node gains a goliath on the bridge. Note that there’s a bounce pad underneath the bridge and can be used to move from the node to the tank. Also look on the icy ledges around the bridge node to find the redeemer.

Both bases are fairly open. As soon as you gain the node linking to the enemy base, grab fast vehicles (manta, scorpion, hellbender) and drive into the enemy base to fire on the power core. At the game’s start, split up to two nodes and send the rest of the team to the center node. Use vehicles to reach it quickly. If you drop into the valley, expect to lose the vehicle but at least not your life. If you’re outside of a vehicle, use the shield gun to soften the fall.

Advance against the enemy base with the help of the goliath that spawns on the bridge.

Once the bridge is controlled, keep hold of the position with the turrets and tank while most players push through the side nodes. Check the bridge often if you control the node and use the goliath that appears. Support it with the goliath from your base to hold the final node as other team members in faster vehicles cause havoc inside the enemy base.

ONS-Crossfire

The unearthed ruins of a lost city are home to Crossfire, a map likely named for its many intersecting paths creating ambushes, flank attacks, and of course, crossfire. Rocky paths weave throughout the city ruins. A key to success here is to know the shortest route to each of the map’s five nodes (and the shortest route between them). For instance, if you start in the southern base, reach the center node through the arched exit from the base. Follow the path straight beyond the large ruins to the center node near the double damage power-up.

The ruins aren’t simply for decoration. Many hold health packs, power-ups, or weaponry. For instance, find the ion painter on top of the ruins just north of the center node (the ruins with the statue of the woman holding the bowl of light). The target painter is on the same ruins; it’s on the northeast side of the same ruins near the cauldron. Both weapons are extremely useful in clearing a power node of enemies.

Fire at the enemy’s power core at long-range.

Crossfire’s many intersections and routes offer excellent line of fire opportunities on most power nodes and especially the enemy core. You don’t have to be adjacent to the node or core to score a damaging strike. Look for chances to blast from the relative safety of long-range. Coordinate a multi-pronged attack to keep the long-range attacker safe for as long as possible.

ONS-Dawn

Christen a new world with the bloodshed and wanton destruction of Onslaught. There are six nodes; two nodes lie in the congested center section. You can move straight up the map’s center to reach the adjacent nodes but maneuvering vehicles (other than the raptor) will be a challenge through the rocks and trees. You can also move up the map’s sides to reach the other nodes and find a cleared entrance into the center nodes. Find power-ups on these side routes: the super shield pack on one side and the big keg o’health on the other. The side routes also offer additional rewards for the thorough explorer. Find the target painter in a crowd of trees on the super shield pack side and locate the redeemer in a crashed ship on the keg o’health side.

Pilot a quick vehicle into the enemy base to gain line of sight and fire against the opposing team’s power core.

Obtaining line of fire on a vulnerable enemy power core is much more of a challenge on Dawn. The front base wall essentially protects the core. To gain line of fire on the enemy structure you must either fly above the base or enter through the left or right entrance. With a vulnerable enemy core, charge the enemy base with quick vehicles and damage the core as much as possible.

If you’re defending, use a node to teleport to your base and prepare to equip the AVRiL. Guard against the incoming vehicle rush while other defenders take down the linked node. At the game’s start, rush up the side routes to gain the super weapons and use them to gain a quick advantage either up the side or in the congested center.

ONS-Dria

Dria is set among the crumbling ruins of the last Nali fortress--the final stand of the Nali against the Skaarj. It’s a large map. Two bridges and a frozen river split up eight nodes into four on the western and eastern sides of the map. The map’s size puts an even great emphasis on solid vehicle usage. Teammates need to support one another and vehicles such as the hellbender should be filled with team members to increases its firepower for offensive and defensive support.

You’ll find lightning guns on the top of towers and ramparts. Perfect positions for sniper defense.

Towers litter the landscape throughout Dria. These high positions provide excellent sniper opportunities. Use the raptor to reach the high towers, many of which hold lightning guns and ammunition. Thorough exploration also reveals a target painter on a tower near the northeastern power node and another near the southwestern power node--one on each side of the map.

Power cores are somewhat protected inside the crumbling barn. But the lack of a roof leaves it most vulnerable to raptor assault. A ground assault can cross the hill in front of the enemy base instead of using the cleared side paths. All across the map, the forest-covered hills provide great vantage points for the attacks on various enemy nodes.