Mach2

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Mach2

Basic Info
Map Type:	CTF
Download:	link1

1 General Description
2 Developer
3 Goal
4 Locations
5 Common Strategies
6 See also
7 Additional Links

General Description

Mach2 is a port of the ETF and Q3F map Mach to Team Fortress 2. Originally created for QuakeWorld Team Fortress by "Someone", Mach2 is a small scale, fast paced, 2fort-esq map.

Developer

Vilepickle

Goal

The goal is to capture the Intel as in 2fort.

Locations

Overview

The map overview of Mach2. See the Mach2 image gallery for closer base overviews

The Intel room

Intelligence Room

The two resupply areas are located on the top level at either side of the intelligence room. A bridge spans the intel room on the top level but be careful not to drop down to the lower level as the only way back up is to rocket jump or go outside and back in again, risking possible Sniper fire.

Stairs

Stairs room

The stairs room is a single, two tiered staircase with lots of dynamite boxes underneath (not explosive to weapon fire). A resupply area is at the top of the stairs with two exits at the bottom, one leading to the sewers and the other leading directly outside to the middle area. This is a good area for a defensive Soldier, Demoman or Heavy to lock down both entrances while using the resupply to keep Health topped up.

Ramp room

A shallow ramp or alternative few steps is located around a 180 degree corner from the intel room to the outside middle area. This entrance usually gets the most traffic flowing in and out of the base.

Sniper balcony

This is the final exit of the base which is located on the upper level. Unless via rocket jumps, pipe jumps, and Scouts double jumping off the sheet Metal to the left of the entrance, enemies cannot reach the balcony, making it the ideal spot for Snipers. Be warned though because as this is a fairly small balcony it will be heavily targeted by rockets and enemy Snipers.

Middle Area

The middle is an island with two bridges and two lifts, one lift coming from the sewers in to a rock butte, the other lift leading to a Health pack on top of a concrete building. Because of the tightness of this outside area and no alternative routes other than the sewers directly below, expect lots of duals and plenty of Sniper fire while trying to get to the enemy base.

Sewers exit from base

Sewers

Located directly underneath the middle area the sewers are laid out in a T-section with the offshoot leading to a lift and the upper level. The sewer entrance to the base is a short pipe to the base stairs room.

Common Strategies

General

The key to winning the map is holding the middle area. A strong offense on this map will all but guarantee a victory allowing a team to control that region of the map. Turtling rarely prevents a team from losing, due to the makeup and short distance needed to get a flag out of the base. It generally delays a loss and drags out the map, but doesn’t turn the tide of the battle in most cases. Keeping a strong offensive push to break the hold the enemy has on the middle is key to regaining a chance at victory.

Laying down suppresive fire onto the enemy Sniper deck with grenades and rockets will help your Snipers take out other targets, and prevent your team from dying as soon as they poke their head out

Controlling the middle leads to easy victory. Do everything possible to prevent the enemy from setting up here.

Use the sewers, but not when carrying the Intel

Use the sewers. If the enemy controls the ramp room and side exit, they usually have less than a token force using the sewers. Use this to get outside and attack enemy structures that prevent a push out for your team.

When carrying the Intel, refrain from ever taking it down into the water. Once it is down there the enemy can easily setup a defense to allow it to reset.

If the enemy has a strong Sentry gun presence in their Ramp room, then a Soldier entering via the Stairs or Sniper deck should consider grabbing the Intel and rocket jumping back up top. This can get an easy capture and not require a rush to take out the heavily defended Sentry guns.

Engineers

If your team controls the middle, building there will help your team keep from getting pushed back into your own base. When building in the middle, one Engineer should setup using the rocks or elevator platform as a shield from the enemy. This Sentry usually is not targeted before an uber push can make it there, and if tended by an Engineer will generally break an enemy rush and keep control of the middle for your team. This also allows this Engineer to also watch the water entrance to your sewers for any disguised Spies. If you know it is a Spy, don’t try and chase up the sewer, but go around to the top entrance and meet them head-on for an easy wrench kill. This Engineer is also able to see Sniper dots on your bases walls and should be calling out when enemy Snipers are watching the Sniper deck and side exit.

Other Sentry guns should be built on top of the rock in the water on the enemy side, on top of either structure in the middle, on the offensive side of the middle (only part opposite of their side exit), or in their Ramp room. Building just outside the Ramp room exit will make your Sentry easily destroyed by Sticky bombs around the corner, and an Engineer cannot repair a Sentry faster than a Heavy damages it at that range.

Any Sentry built outside should be built near an edge so it can see down into the water. This prevents surprise rushes by the enemy, but beware of enemies who manage to stand under your Sentry and shoot it.

When planning placement, any structure that is on the right side of the middle when looking forward is best. This prevents enemies from seeing it from their stair room and taking free shots at it without exposing themselves to return fire.

If your team is stuck in your base, a Sentry positioned to push anyone who touches the Intel away from the door is usually the best bet. By this point though Engineers will not stop a loss, so if the team has more than two another offensive class would do more to turn the tide.

Be wary when building Sentry guns on the top half of the Intel room. If it is built anywhere above the Intel itself, a Spy can easily sap, drop down and grab the Intel, and your Sentry will likely not have time to lock onto the Spy down below, or only do minimal damage before he is in the Ramp room and home free.

Spies

The Spy is very strong here compared to other maps. Due to the orientation of the map, there are plenty of temporary hiding places, and with the smaller confines you can pop around a corner and not really look out of place that a map like 2fort makes you look.

The primary Intelligence capturing ability the Spy has is getting the flag down off the pedestal and into the Ramp room before getting obliterated. Once your team has control of the enemy Ramp room, a Spy is the easiest way to get the Intelligence out of the Sentry crossfire likely to be in place.

Also, if the Intelligence is guarded only by 1 or 2 Engineers, and their Sentry guns are placed in a place you could sap it, drop down onto the Intel and run, then doing so will almost always get the Intel out of their base and capturable.

If they have multiple Sentry guns/Demoman grenades, repeatedly having Spies grab it; move a foot and die can lead to a capture if the enemy doesn't change its defensive tactics.

When going after enemy Snipers, do not sap Teleporter entrances first. Good Snipers listen for that and will be ready for you. Almost always you can disguise back and go after the unattended entrances then.

When the middle is controlled by the enemy, the Spy can usually get into their base and get the Intel outside before being attacked. Repeated Spy touches can result in a capture if the opposing team doesn't take the time to switch to defense.