Multiplayer Map Tips:

Going Commando and Killing Fields

MechAssault® 2: Lone Wolf is ready to make the same big splash online as the first game, with new 'Mechs, missions, and multiplayer maps. Here's the intel on the Going Commando and Killing Fields maps.

Going Commando in BattleArmor.

Urban Commando
Going Commando is a city map on the edge of the water that supports Destruction, Team Destruction, Not It!, and Capture the Flag games. It's got lots of tall buildings and bright neon signs as well as some internal waterways and a seagoing ship parked in the nearby bay.

What makes this map special, however, is the fact that it's a BattleArmor-only arena—no 'Mechs, no tanks, and no VTOLs. If you want to paint the walls of this town red, you'll need to make the most of the smallest and most versatile vehicle in MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf. Check out our BattleArmor tips if you're need to refresh your basic BattleArmor skills.

Claiming the high ground is crucial for a superior offensive position. Sniping and dropping mortars from above is a quick way to get ahead in the kill count, but it's also important to keep an eye on the movement of your enemies.

Use your Jump Jets and your climbing claw to ascend the tallest building you can. Going Commando is small enough that you can scope out almost the entire map from the tops of the tallest structures … if it weren't for all those pesky buildings blocking the view. Luckily, you can do a little impromptu urban renewal with your mortar launcher to clear the area—two or three direct hits is all it takes to bring a building tumbling down. This accomplishes several things:

• It damages anyone on or under the collapsing structure.
• It clears your view of the battlefield, so you can choose your targets with precision.
• It reveals hidden power-ups for your weapons systems.

Once you've upgraded your lasers and your mortars, you should seek out the enemy and go head-to-head—since everyone has the same gear, skill and weapon upgrades are going to make the difference in combat.

The blood-red hills of Killing Fields.

No Escape from the Killing Fields
Killing Fields is a rough, blasted landscape that's tinged with red. Roughly square, the map features several clusters of uneven hills surrounded by canyons, valleys, and low-lying bodies of water. There are spectacular alien trees and organic crystal formations that are useful as visual cover, but they will shatter and leave you exposed after any contact with a 'Mech or its weapons.

There are several medium and heavy 'Mechs available on this map, depending on the game type, including:

• Thor
• Summoner
• Uziel
• Wendigo
• Mad Dog
• Catapult

This map supports the following game types:

• Team Destruction
• Not It!
• Check It
• Snatch

Killing Fields' uneven terrain encourages 'Mechs with Jump Jets, but choose your vehicle carefully—the map's canyons and narrow paths also encourage close-quarters combat. And, though a light 'Mech gives you mobility, it also leaves you vulnerable to the effects of a Thor's machine guns or the Summoner's twin autocannons, which are devastating up close.

Sniping is possible but risky, as there's always another hill nearby that's as high or higher than your position, so you might get picked off yourself, while you're aiming to pick off someone else. Also, the very breakable cover is not reliable enough to protect you if someone sees you and gets a lock-on from the ground. If you're going to snipe from above, make sure you don't stay in one place for too long.

Crystals: not sturdy, but they blow up pretty.

If you choose to camp on top of one of the hills (where all the power-ups and disposable cover are), you'll want to keep moving back and forth across your perch to spot incoming 'Mechs and collect as many weapon upgrades as you can.

This is also where you want to be if you're guarding the lanes that run around and between the hills. If the enemy flag carrier or the guy who's "It" tries to run past, you can dish out the punishment from above, drop down, and force him to fight or just give chase, blasting away at his retreating backside all the way home.

You can also choose to go mobile on Killing Field and keep moving around the map. There are 'Mechs to climb into and power-ups in the lowlands as well as up on the hill. The lowlands are where all of the ground traffic takes place and where you'll most often find someone to fight. Not even the best Jump Jets can carry a 'Mech all the way across Killing Fields, so eventually everyone goes to ground. And, when they do, you'll be ready.

Each match on these maps in changes depending on the vehicles you choose and how you employ them. Once you've learned the terrain and decided on your 'Mech of choice, it's merely a question of your team's strategy and how well you execute it.

By Wendell Scott