Why Hang Em high CTF is an AWESOME gametype

Hang Em High CTF (default setup, 4 vs 4) is an awesome game type, though it isn't for everybody. We've played CTF on this map for nearly 2 years, and we are still improving and having fun. Here are a few reasons we think Hang Em High CTF is a great game type:

Nearly every weapon appears on Hang Em High, and nearly all of them are useful.

Snipers will love this map because of the wide open lines of sight and large distance between the flags. Pistols have the ultimate advantage because everything is in range... but it is difficult to get to a pistol. Up close battles near the bases and in the forests make shotguns important. A good red player can hold blue base with shotguns for an entire capture or more. Rockets (especially invis rockets) can sneak above the enemy and disrupt their entire strategy. Plasma rifles are the map default, and it will be harder able to break out of bad positions without good plasma rifle skills. Since there are so many weapon choices, your team can assign roles that allow players to use the weapons they like best.

Positional battles

There are many important positions on Hang Em High: Blue pistol, blue rifle, red pistol, red rifle, rockets, invis, top of blue base. The team that controls each position will have a distinct advantage. These positional battles make individual fights more important. Dying when you are guarding the blue pistol is extremely costly... more costly than dying when you haven't yet gained control of a position.

Team organization is extremely important. Attempting to capture without controlling any positions is often futile... What is the point of grabbing red flag if blue will immediately snipe your head off when they find out?

CTF hang em high moves back and forth across an unstable equilibrium

Positional advantages often need to be traded in to score caps. Sometimes a team will overextend to score a cap and give up control of the game. Since the flow of the game will change often, you will find yourself in many unique positions. You may find yourself desperately trying to break out of lockdown... or you might find yourself trying to hold onto your advantage. At times you will need to go in and attack the enemy base, at other times you need to stay back and give sniper support. The frustration of being in lockdown and relief when you break out makes the game extremely tense; this makes every game exciting.

CTF Hang Em High provides amazing opportunities for saves

Unlike other maps like Battle Creek and Wizard, it is not that uncommon to stop a capture once the other team gets more than halfway home.

Since sniper rifles are so accessible, a spawning player can often quickly get a ranged weapon and save a capture.

Stopping the flag once is usually not enough... It is not uncommon to have a sniper rifle or pistol guarding a flag in the open and 4 players on offense trying to bring the flag to safety. Sometimes the flag can even be 1 foot from scoring yet still be impossible to commit because of all the snipers/pistols guarding the flag.

All skill levels can have fun

An extra player attempting to run the flag or trying to hold a position can be very effective even if that player isn't as good as the other players. The other team will need to be careful not to ignore this player too much, nor to spend too much time killing him.

Hang Em High positions

Why Blue has the advantage in HeH CTF

Hang Em High seems symmetrical at first look. There are 2 bases on opposite corners of the map. Each base has a tower which has a flag on top. Each base has a pistol in the center front corner. There is a sniper rifle a few meters from each base. Rocket Launcher is equidistant from each flag.

So why does blue have the advantage? There are 3 main advantages:

Blue base is much higher than red base

A player on top of blue base has a great view of the entire map. He can look down and quickly see where everyone is. Blue can quickly gain cover from anyone firing at him from the floor by simply backing away from the edge.

Blue can get dominant weapons above red base (since it is so low). Invis Rockets can sneak across middle catwalk and totally disrupt red (being 5-10 feet higher than an opponent is a huge advantage when you have rockets.) If blue gets a pistol across catwalk it is even more disruptive... blue pistoler can pick off any red spawners before they manage to get a ranged weapon. There is no equivalent position where red can get great weapons above blue base.

Blue sniper can cover most of the map. He can stand near blue sniper location and have a clear view of back wall, all red spawn locations, red sniper, red pistol and catwalk. Red Sniper has a more difficult time covering the catwalk (since it is so close) and has trouble seeing on top of blue base.

Blue has more cover while running for ranged weapons

When blue runs for the near sniper rifle, he can head down the covered ramp and fall right on top of the rifle. The amount of time they are exposed to enemy snipers is very small. Red on the other hand needs to run the very exposed few meters to the rifle (see chapter 3 for tricks to safely get red sniper.)

Blue can get to their pistol by staying away from the edge (and therefore being hidden from anyone on the ground.) Red is very exposed while running for their pistol.

Blue has easier return paths once they grab red flag

There are 2 primary exit strategies, and blue is better off whichever way you go.

Blue can jump across center sniper and fall down (or throw the flag to a teammate) in the blue forest and use the forest as protection from red defenders chasing them. Once they get into covered ramp they are home free, since they can jump ontop of the covered ramp door and score without exposing themselves to enemy snipers. Red can try running middle also, but red forest does not offer as much cover as blue forest. Also red is far from home free when they get behind red base... they path up skinny tower is very exposed.

Alternatively, blue can run across the catwalk for a super fast score. They will be exposed in the beginning (when they are on the catwalk), but once on blue base they have great cover. Red can try to run for the catwalk, but they need to run all the way across blue base... blue base is not safe for them because blue will be spawning there. Even if they get across blue base they need to still cross the catwalk... and there is a good chance that blue was able to get a sniper by the time red gets there.

How Red can control the map

Denying Blue pistol

Blue will control the game once they gain control of blue pistol. It is extremely important not to allow this to happen. Devoting a sniper to denying blue pistol may sound like overkill, but it is not.

Red sniper should position himself at the ramp leading to the back wall ledge. He is responsible for killing anyone between catwalk and covered ramp exit (killing closer targets first.) He should avoid sniper fights with blue sniper and should keep cover when blue approaches from red pistol. His teammates are responsible for keeping enemy rocketers away and for killing any blue players that drop into red forest (they should keep all enemies away from the sniper.)

The height advantage of blue base gives blue some cover while heading for blue pistols. They will hug the far wall and hide behind the tombstone until the timing is right. It is best to concentrate on the area between covered ramp exit and blue grenades... blue is most vulnerable while crossing this small area. If a blue player gets past you and is waiting for a teammate before making the final dash, throw your grenades up there (either to blow away blue pistol or to kill the hiding player.)

Practice grenading red sniper rifle to yourself. If you stand on the ramp near red sniper with your shoulder against red tower, you can lineup a grenade toss to land right behind red sniper. If you land it perfectly, it will blow right back at you. You will need to jump and hold down X to grab the rifle as it flies over your head. Unlike other grenade tricks, this one is not that hard and is very useful. Exposing yourself to blue sniper while running the few meters to the rifle is often a deadly mistake.

Blue will persistently try to get blue pistol. They may send multiple players there at one time. For this reason it is usually best to start with your best player at sniper position. Once you gain control of blue pistol another sniper can relieve you of duty. One advantage of rotating snipers is that gaining control of blue pistol is extremely hard, but holding control of it is slightly easier (devoting your best player to holding it is not always necessary.) Another advantage is that the first time you pick up a sniper rifle you get twice as much ammo as when you refill (so having the old sniper rotate to a less covered position will optimize the number of teammates that have sniper ammo.)

Controlling Blue Forest

It will be near impossible to deny blue pistol if blue continually controls blue forest. Blue will have constant access to rifle ammo and will probably bring it near blue grenades to pick a fight with red sniper. Whoever owns blue forest will also own invis and rockets. Invis Rockets can totally disrupt the red sniper. Once red sniper gets distracted from his goal, blue will be able to get blue pistol and take over the game.

When you are struggling for control, blue will most likely have a sniper covering the area between red base and red pistols. Use different lines of approach to get past this sniper. Drop down behind the tombstone that is near red assault rifle and then drop into the gulch... use the center sniper platform as cover to exit the gulch and get into blue forest. Or move across red forest and pick up an available rifle before moving in. Head right for the blue rifle or take time to get red pistol and invis first... be creative.

Luckily it isn't that difficult for red to hold blue forest. Red can use red pistol, blue sniper, rockets and invis to control the area. Grab the sniper rifle and perch yourself on the ramp leading to rockets… from this area you can pick of players on top of blue base before they even get close to sniper rifle. Grab the pistol and hang out below the center sniper platform… you should be able to pick off anyone before they get close enough to be effective with the plasma rifle. If you prefer short range combat grab an assault rifle and hang out below the lip of blue base… stand still so as not to show up on radar and surprise people coming out of covered ramp or falling down from blue base. Red can afford to designate 2 or 3 players towards controlling blue forest because blue forest is the perfect staging area for the organized push at blue base.

Communication is key. Ideally you should be able to communicate every 10 square foot position on the map in 2 words or less. Every position on the map should have a name. Covered ramp is a good example; everyone who has played the map will know where it is. The map I provided gives some examples.

Controlling the map will win you the game

Once you manage to deny blue pistol and control blue forest, you have effectively taken over the entire map. Blue will be unable to get any weapon, and they will lose the majority of fights since the plasma rifle is inferior to their opponent's rockets/pistols/snipers. A later chapter will explain how to gain a capture out of such a dominating position, hopefully without giving up too much of the positional advantage.

How to break out of blue lockdown

Blue pistoler on the catwalk

Blue pistoler can control the entire red team. He can kill anyone running for red pistol. He can grenade away red rifle. He has the advantage over a red sniper since 20-40 meters is too close for comfort for a sniper. He can pick off anyone in blue forest. Blue pistoler on catwalk must be killed.

There are 2 approaches to killing catwalkers: a) charge him, b) get a ranged weapon. In order to have a chance, both strategies must be combined.

Charge!

Once the catwalker nears (or crosses) the "T" in the catwalk, he is ready to be charged. Don't bother throwing nades as you charge, since it is unlikely to land on the catwalk. Unless he is immediately in front of you, remember that holding down the trigger of the plasma rifle (as opposed to pulling once for each shot) makes the bullets shoot less accurately. Try to get as close as possible to him, and don't hesitate to melee if you get close enough.

Get Ranged weapons

Players who don't spawn on top or in the middle of red tower should concentrate on getting ranged weapons. This is the perfect time to grenade a rifle to yourself (see previous chapter for more details.) Once you get a rifle, do not strafe down back wall... this will expose you to blue sniper. Instead you should back into the far corner and sniper the catwalk from there. You are still at a disadvantage, but hopefully the catwalker is distracted by your teammates charging him. If rifle is not available, you can try for invis. Drop down below the middle catwalk and use the catwalk as a ceiling for more cover. Once you make it past trench you should be in the clear to get invis (and then grab blue rifle or red pistol.)

Getting control back is more important that saving the flag

If blue keeps control of the catwalk, they may be able to link 2 or even 3 scores together. The player with the gun is a more important target than the player with the flag. Once you gain control you can worry about the flag. Often blue team will be so concerned with scoring they will allow you to get control of the entire map. This is the perfect time to attack.

How Red can score

Red sniper starts the charge

Red sniper can be more aggressive once red gains control of the map by denying blue pistol and controlling blue forest. He can come out of his sniper hole and start killing anyone on top of blue base. He can move across back wall or move across catwalk and try to get in a more offensive position. During this time it is best to have 2 snipers... one pushing across to the offensive position and the other giving cover from behind. The offensive player has 2 goals: get blue pistol or get the shotgun. He is now the trigger man, when he nears shotgun/pistol he should call out for a full push at blue base. If he grabbed pistols he should sit back and pick players off from a distance. If he grabbed shotguns (my preferred method) he should push in and head for the flag.

As the trigger man pushes across catwalk he can grenade the center sniper to him to get more ammo. After much practice, he should be able to do this without breaking stride (land the nade so that the rifle blows towards blue pistols and grab it as you are running past.) Players should also practice backpack reloading to minimize the time they spend reloading (when you weapon needs reloading press X, X, Y and your weapon will magically reload while you are firing your backup weapon.)

Give up control of blue forest and push up the ramps

When red gains control of blue forest, they should start preparing for the offensive push. They should get rockets and invis and pistols and health. When the red trigger man calls for the charge, the 2 players should quickly push up different ramps and start killing. Timing is crucial here, if all 3 players (with sniper backup) hit blue base at the same time from different angles blue will have trouble picking one target and will quickly be overwhelmed.

Sniper backup is key

Sniper should be able to get some crucial kills here. While the trigger man is crossing over into offense he should concentrate on giving him cover. When his teammate grabs shotguns he can ensure that nobody is coming up behind him. When the push for the flag happens, he can make sure nobody sneaks through and grabs the blue sniper rifle. Once red actually gets a hold of the flag, the sniper can make the call if it's smart to throw the flag to the center so that he can return it (and the other players can stay on top of blue base.)

How to return the flag

Sniper and/or red pistolers should make the call. The carrier has 3 options: a) Run towards the ramp near red pistols, b) Run towards the catwalk, c) throw the flag down.

When red controls the blue pistol location, it is sometime best to bring it across catwalk. This is the most direct route, but doesn't help divide blue's defense. The pistoler might have trouble if the entire blue team decides to chase the flag carrier. 4 players might be too much for the pistoler (even if he has sniper backup.)

When the carrier has a shotgun, it is usually best to throw the flag and go back to killing people. Throw the flag towards the center health, a re-spawning teammate or even the sniper will have time to go retrieve it. If nobody gets to it in time you can always throw it again.

If the carrier is left on top of blue base alone (without a shotgun) it is usually best to make a run for it. With any luck your sniper backup will be able to cover you.

Do not allow blue to gain control of blue pistol!

Keeping control of blue pistol is more important than scoring. When blue gets blue pistol, there is no way you will score. Even if you "train" 4 players together while pushing up the red base, blue will still win the majority of the time. He can block your progress with a grenade and pick you off one by one. Even if you do manage to score, blue will be favorites to take control of the entire board and win the game (assuming you didn't just score the 3rd time.) Red sniper should be very careful here, and remember not to win the battle but lose the war.

Linking scores together

It is very difficult for red to link scores together. A red player can not hold blue pistol for long enough to get 2 scores... blue will send the entire team at him and he will eventually run out of grenades.

When red links 2 scores together it almost always involves a dominant player causing havoc with a shotgun on top of blue base. If you manage to do this you might never play another game type again!

INTERVIEW WITH "CHAR" (BEST ALPHA TEST PLAYER)

Ready to get charred? During the alpha test, one player quickly rose to the top of the pack. Going by the screen name "char," this tester kicked so much booty it inspired Bungie to sponser a "death to char" contest. He took some time out to talk about the game and his amazing killing skills.

Q. How did you manage to kick so much butt while playing Halo 2? Were you a huge Halo player?
A. The day Xbox launched [November 15th, 2001], a friend and I sat down and played through co-op. we started around 2 a.m., and I think it took us about 10 hours to finish. Needles to say, I showed up late to work the next day. I quickly organized a weekly game on campus for friends and coworkers. It's grown and evolved since then, but we're still getting together every week and fragging each other into the late hours of the night over two years later.

Q. What advice would you give someone who wants to improve their game?
A. Start with the single-player campaign. You'll get basic skills from that, and a good understanding of the physics, weapons, power-ups, and so forth. In multiplayer, pay attention to the environment (which weapons and power-ups are missing), evaluate your targets (soft targets like a wounded player running away are easy, hard targets like the guy with the battle rifle and overshield standing on the health pack might be better to avoid), pick the right weapon (plasma is good against shields, for instance), and engage or keep looking. There are so many considerations, like your weapon loadout, health, shields, position on the map and how these compare to your opponent. It's really just about quickly evaluating your situation, deciding how and when to hit, and moving on to the next target.

Q. Tell us about your alpha test stats.
A. Bungie didn't share information about player stats that I really wanted to see. I'd love to know my overall kill/death ratios(as well as per-map and per gametype), kills per minute, accuracy with different weapons, and other stats. I do know that I regularly had high kill/death and kills/minute ratios. After playing the alpha for two weeks, I had a weekend with over 3,000 kills in under 20 hours played.

Q. Without incriminating yourself, what can you tell us about who you are and what you do at Microsoft?
A. I get paid to design API's for TabletPC and other aspects of Tablet as a platform, but I think you could make a strong case for me being an ancilliary Halo and Xbox hardware tester.

Q. Based on what you have played so far, how is Halo 2 an improvment on the original?
A. A lot of features we're all waiting for, like dual-wielding SMGs or vehicle takeovers, weren't in the alpha. I can't wait to see all that stuff implemented in the final game. It looks like there is a lot of effort going into balancing weapons and designing maps. In the alpha, the pistol has been replaced with the battle rifle. It doesn't have quite the range and accuracy combination that the pistol does, but it leads to more balance. Some of the new maps, like Burial Mounds, are manifestations of pure genius. There are also obvious engine improvments. Sounds, textures, and lighting are all stunning. I'm going to need to upgrade my home theater setup to take full advantage of everything this game has.

Q. Tell us about the various competitions during the alpha.
A. There were weekly competitions organized by Bungie during the alpha. Prizes were awarded for various things like "most kills" or "most deaths by falling off a map" one of these competitions was "death to char," and (aptly) had a prize for whoever killed me the most. It was pretty silly what some people were willing to do to get kills. I had people on my own team betray me in CTF games (I really hope those people lost a kill for that.) People piled into every game I played that weekend in an attempt to get kills-it was a zoo. I would see two players shooting at each other, and as soon as I engaged them, they would both turn on me instead of trying to finish each other off. I think the best example of how my online experience changed was a CTF game I was in during the competition. The teams were pretty balanced and my team got off to a 2-0 lead. Suddenly, everyone switches off my team and I now have one teammate and nine opponents. My valiant teammate and I got stomped shortly afterwards. I do have to tip my hat to pun1sher (the winner of the competition) for killing me 33 times that weekend.

Q. Did you win a good prize for being the top player during the test?
A. Besides being the prime target in every game I played after that? Actually, I did receive a very nice Halo hoodie. It's made appearances at our weekly halo games to many "oohs" and "aahs."

Q. After Halo 2 ships to retail, do you think you'll still be a top player?
A. There are many people who are better than me at various aspects of the game. Certain people are better snipers, some are wizards with grenades, some are great with vehicles, and some are flag running masters. I'd be very surprised if there aren't people who are better than me across the board when Halo 2 goes live.

Q. What are you looking forward to most about the final version of Halo 2?
A. This may sound odd, but I'm definitely looking forward to the campaign - I've always been a big fan of Bungie's games since Pathways Into Darkness, and I'd be surprised if Halo 2 didn't continue the tradition of incredible storytelling. What I'm most looking forward to is being able to play against the rest of the world, though. It's fun playing against your friends, but the biggest rush will be taking your group of friends and playing against another team and seeing how you stack up!