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There is Only War - Map Analysis

By Lord.Ward - 17th July 2009 - 20:43 PM

No matter the game, the "map" is a pillar of game design- after all, how can a gamer experiment and enjoy a game's most important mediums like art and gameplay without a canvas to display them on?

With the release of the "There is Only War" patch, eight new multiplayer maps (along with the ability to create your own with a free map editor) were included with the host of improvements to the game.

The Dawn of War 2 staff at GameReplays.org has taken a more in depth look at a selection of the new maps which were included in the "There is Only War" patch. Strategy Specialist Spydr and Staff Writer Nearsighted weigh in with their thoughts on the strategic possibilities for those maps.

Calderis Refinery: 2 player, 4 player & 6 player


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Relic Entertainment Developer - and frequent poster at GameReplays.org - Clint Tasker, personally designed all three versions of this map. Artistically, Tasker envisioned that “The art goal was to see the different stages of excavation for a large Imperium facility”, to that end the effect certainly comes through. All three maps use the tileset found in the popular 2-player map Medean Cliff Mines. We see stretches of desert with the periodic contrast of Imperial infrastructure, creating a scene reminiscent of contemporary strip mines — one imagines millions of similar planets whose desert beauty only serves as a cache of resources to fuel the insatiable hunger of the God-Emperor’s galaxy-wide war machine.

Each map scales to the number of players, showcasing different parts of the same Imperial Excavation with the layout of the power, requisition, and victory points being placed to fit the increasing scope. Tasker tantalizes us with a hint about the implications of the design goal of the Calderis Refinery maps, commenting that a map that can scale for head to head, two on two, and three versus three might be useful for “some other game modes to come later”.

Calederas2p:
There's only one way to describe this map: open. Broad and flowing, Calderis Refinery seldom restricts the movement of any play-style. While this leaves the game wide open for almost any formation, a drawn out game is fairly likely. The platforms housing the outside victory points hinder attempts for its capture, much like the Power Nodes from Legis High Stratum. While not as close to the HQ, relatively even to-and-fros won't allow these points to change hands easily - resulting in a single ticket bleed out of the possible three. A single Power Node, while relatively open, stands far away from your opponent. An aggressive push deep into enemy territory will be required in order to attempt any sort of power harassment.

Outer Reaches


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An homage to one of the most popular maps in the original Dawn of War, Stefan Haines gives us a glimpse of the dystopian paradox characteristic of the Warhammer 40k universe—a beautiful shrine to the God-Emperor of mankind, the result of many millennia of culture and creation pockmarked with the scars of hundreds of battles. With key resources scattered along the middle and top of the map, the shrine is the host of the most intense fighting, with many flanking opportunities around fallen Gothic architecture and pockets of vegetation.

Outer Reaches is a port of one of Dawn of War's finest two player maps, Outer Reaches creates an intense arena for fighting. The HQ layout (both in the bottom corners of the map) vaguely resembles Green Tooth Jungle, however the greater distance between each of them and the distribution of points around the map allow players more breathing room. Units and Commanders with the ability to heal in the field will be powerful in securing the - dare I say it - outer reaches of the map, punishing the opponent by securing a disputable Victory Point, pair of Requisition points and the possibility of some Power Harassment. The distance from HQ to safe Power Nodes means that teleporting heroes (such as the Ravener Alpha or Mekboy) may prove troublesome for anyone hoping to quickly secure an income. Two power nodes, one in the centre of the map and another splitting the two HQs offer risky alternatives, however, it is unlikely to see many generators built upon it. Outer Reaches will likely provide some thick and constant fighting with both players breathing down their opponents neck.

Leviathan Hive


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Capitalizing on the more artistically stunning maps in the single player campaign, leviathan hive is the aesthetic culmination of the Tyranids only apparent goal to consume whole worlds. Capillary towers and veins feeding on the very terrain of the planet Typhon provide a battle context of crushing inevitability; no matter how hard and Ork, Eldar, or Space Marine fights on the tyrannoformed surface one cannot help but feel the battle has already been won by the Tyranid bio-mutations. An alien red haze covers the map adding to the players feelings of impending doom.

Leviathan Hive is a map that appears to stretch out forever, Leviathan Hive offers many firing lanes through flank-able corridors. While set-up weapons may be able to deny passage through many sections of the map, players willing to take a longer route can still easily avoid a suppression lock down. Four easily accessible Power Nodes (2 per side) await each player, separated by a disputable Victory Point and central Power Node. These initial Nodes are in a relatively open area, however the map offers effective choke points for any commander willing to utilize them in defence. Ranged weapons will be a staple unit on this map, but good use of flanking, disruption and jump troops may well improve a player's chances.

Angel Gate


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Angel Gate is another example of an artistically significant single player map converted to host the epic battles of six player-controlled armies. The map is not divided by Angel Gate, rather, the gate runs parallel to the movement of the map, with the most intense fights centring of the central victory point at the point in the gate where Farseer Idranel memorably blows it open with a legion of Fire Prisms and Wraithlords, in a key turning point in the single player campaign.
The heart of a bustling hive world, Angel Gate has only recently been the battleground for Tyranid, Eldar, Ork, Space Marine, and Imperial Guard armies. As a result, the map has semi-functioning city feel—pipes and gates line the map, and infrastructure still crackles with plasma energy.

Legis High Stratum


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Legis High Stratum is a map that was “locked” without the pre-order or purchase of the Dawn of War 2 collector’s edition, that has now been released for all to enjoy. Another city map in the same aesthetic vein as Angel Gate or Capital Spire, Legis High Stratum features a slightly unconventional point and choke point layout; players adapting new strategies to the terrain are the most successful here. Breakable walls surrounding a critical choke point offer a tactical decision: break the walls of easier access for vehicle and melee units or use them as cover for ranged firepower.

Two features of Legis High Stratum separate it from the other 1v1 maps. The most obvious, is the ease at which you can protect your immediate Power Node. The close proximity to your HQ allows for quick defence of the point, while a wall separating the area from the rest of the map forces your opponent to attack from well within your territory. This makes power harassment very difficult, and may result in shorter T1 games being played. Not so noticeable however, is the ample room on the edges and corners of the map. These allow streamlined access to the Victory Points located in the far corners of each map, but cannot be easily covered by the likes of a weapons platform. This set-up promotes a 'cat and mouse' chase as both players are required to split their forces and constantly try for a quick capture of the maps outer edges. Expect to see a mix of faster T2 builds and long games.

Golgotha Depths


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The artistic direction of Golgotha Depths highlights the transformation of a once bustling hive city into an assortment of looted hovels; where the Tyranids consume their worlds with Giger-inspired sinewy veins webbing across the ground and spiked capillary towers, here we see how a sacked hive city figures in the Ork's notion of a bloody Waaaagh!--manifested in a mass of pointy bitz and graffiti on their makeshift defences.

A different design mechanic functions in this map—the four players start in separate corners, as opposed both two player teams starting in the same area. As for how combat will play out in the new map, Relic Developer Clint Tasker notes, “Skirmishes often break out over the scattered resource points around the outer edges of the map but the real battles occur in the sunken center area where the neutral VP and a stash of resources lie.”

Golgotha Depths is compared to the original maps wide, with distanced capture points. There are also no barriers to clearly influence the flow of units. What this can mean is that team work becomes essential, mostly in terms of timing. In order to help your ally, you have to traverse across a vast expanse, so moving to your allies side is a bigger decision and more difficult than in other co-operative maps.