The Rush battle of Sabalan Pipeline begins on the map’s east side. The objectives are located around the Pumping Station area. As the battle progresses, the combat moves west, following the pipeline through the Oil Refinery to the Construction Site, and then concluding at the Supply Depot. The locations of the objectives result in battles that are well suited to the vehicles afforded to both teams, although attackers have a slight advantage with the AA jeep and dirtbikes included in the motor pool, except in the final zone. Throughout the battle, defenders will have access to a BMP-2M to even the score, and when this is deployed in tandem with their MI-28 Havoc, the vehicles are more than capable. The greatest disadvantage to defenders in the battle is the expansive landscape. With plenty of open land to roam, attackers will attempt to flank every step of the way, but savvy defenders can use this to their advantage by deploying MAVs along the way to detect hostiles and isolate them from their comrades. This map offers plenty of sight lines for defenders to push back their opponents, so experienced snipers will prove to be the team’s greatest asset here.
Zone 1: Pumping Station
US Deployment
The US team will quickly meet opposition as they head west from their makeshift base in the east to attack the objectives. While making this advance, the dirtbikes should focus on making their assault on M-COM Station A, which is located within the building at the Pumping Station. The RU team’s IFV deploys north of the objectives and will be on the move to defend the site, so the LAV-25 and ASRAD should follow the US dirtbikes as they mount their offensive. The focus of these vehicles should be destroying the defenders’ IFV before turning their attention to the RU infantry that they encounter. While this chaos is ensuing, the AH-1Z Viper should proceed west to meet with the RU team’s MI-28 Havoc that is en route to the objective site and prevent its arrival. By commanding the airspace and preventing the defenders from keeping a bird in the air, the AH-1Z Viper is free to rain down destruction upon infantry that attempt to take back the site from US forces.
RU Deployment
Deploying just west of the Pumping Station, the RU team can quickly entrench themselves at the objective site and mount a defense against the approaching US forces. With the BMP-2M deploying to the north of the objective area, infantry units should focus on placing mines around the Pumping Station. In regards to M-COM Station B to the north, claymores should be used around the small utility sheds because larger vehicles will not be able to approach the objective itself. The MI-28 Havoc will take a moment to arrive at the site, as it deploys from the map’s far western edge. Engineers on the ground should be on alert for the attackers’ helicopter, which will attempt to control the open airspace. The BMP-2M should maintain its distance from the objective site, opting to fire on attackers from afar instead of entering the Pumping Station, where explosives are its greatest threat.
M-COM Station A
Located within a building at the Pumping Station, the M-COM itself is only accessible by infantry. This is not to say that attackers should not roll up to the site in a loaded ASRAD and deploying their crew while providing suppressing fire with the vehicle’s unguided rockets on unsuspecting defenders. More so than the LAV-25, if the ASRAD can maintain a foothold inside of the compound, it poses a great threat to the defenders’ maintaining control of the site. When defending the objective, the defenders’ BMP-2M should be a presence outside the fence line, firing into the compound instead of entering into the confined space. Until the fence surrounding the Pumping Station compound is destroyed, though, both teams will lack any immediate visibility of the chaos taking place there.
M-COM Station B
North of the Pumping Station, M-COM Station B is positioned amid four utility sheds, against one of the inner walls. Although armored vehicles can approach the site, infantry can use the sheds for cover until one of their own armored vehicles can arrive to defend them. Defenders looking to maintain the site should place claymores within the cluster of sheds early in the round, before the conflict gets too heated here. Attackers can make use of the open terrain surrounding the site by taking advantage of the firepower afforded them by the AH-1Z Viper, which can circle the area and bombard oncoming defenders with its weapons. Defender snipers can make use of the pipeline to the south to maintain a sight line of the objective as well by climbing the nearby stairwell to get atop of the pipeline. This position provides a great view of the objective, but also exposes the sniper to attack, should his position be realized.
Zone 2: Oil Refinery
US Deployment
This stage sees the US team mounting their assault from the Pumping Station and moving west into the Oil Refinery compound. Because the RU team deploys from the nearby Construction Site due west of the Oil Refinery, attackers should expect heavy resistance to come from the Oil Refinery’s upper tiers as they approach. Of the two objectives presented during this round, the first to be attacked should be M-COM Station A, which is relatively exposed. As US attackers push into the Oil Refinery compound, it would be beneficial to have a squad travel the pipeline as they make their way to the Oil Refinery. This elevated position, if traveled quickly, can allow undetected access to M-COM Station B, as defenders are will be focusing their firepower on the US vehicles that have breached the east gate of the refinery compound by now.
RU Deployment
Deploying from the Construction Site, it will not take long for the RU team to establish a presence at the Oil Refinery, which is due east. Deploying from this location affords the defenders an advantage, as they can entrench themselves among the multiple tiers of the Oil Refinery. Aside from advancing to the objective site, recon soldiers can take position atop the boom of the Construction Site’s crane, gaining direct sight lines to oversee the combat within the Refinery compound. There is a 9M133 Kornet Launcher located south of the Oil Refinery along the fence line, but this stationary cannon is exposed and mounting a defense from it will result in a quick death for anyone who dares to attempt it. The RU team should focus on fortifying the Oil Refinery and defend this objective at all costs, as attackers will have to make use of infantry to approach it. Should the objective area become overrun with US forces, the MI-28 Havoc can bombard the exposed tiers to eliminate threats, but friendly casualties can be expected when executing this method of defense.
M-COM Station A
This objective is located within the refinery compound northeast of the Oil Refinery. Exposed and set beside a storage tank, M-COM Station A can be directly approached by most vehicles. Because of this, the attackers will attempt to destroy this objective first before proceeding to the Oil Refinery objective. When defending this objective, it is best to set mines around the storage tanks to disable armored vehicles that approach the site. A pipeline connects the north and south towers of the Oil Refinery. This pipeline can be used as a sight line over the objective by snipers to eliminate infantry and dirtbike threats that approach the objective. Attackers looking to gain the upper hand here should look to the MI-28 Havoc to patrol the west side of the compound and check the defenders attempting to flank the objective site from the shipping containers on the north side of the complex.
M-COM Station B
Positioned within the Oil Refinery on the second floor of the structure, M-COM Station B is not approachable by vehicles, and requires attackers and defenders alike to approach the objective on foot. Because of this, the objective will be home to fierce close-quarters combat, with the exception of occasional cannon fire from passing vehicles. When defending this objective, place claymores on the stairwells leading up to the objective instead of on the tier where the objective is located. This creates an “early detection” system for defenders, so that attackers reveal their attack direction with the explosion they trip. This strategy also serves well for attackers as they approach the objective, preventing defenders from rushing in behind them. Placement of a T-UGS motion sensor on the ground floor beneath the objective will assist defenders in locating threats as well. For attackers looking to approach the objective, the AH-1Z Viper should make a few passes first, bombarding the tiers above and below with rockets to eliminate or suppress threats within the area.
Zone 3: Construction Site
US Deployment
The US team now deploys from the Oil Refinery. Now, with the objectives located at the Construction Site due west of the Refinery compound, attackers will be able to engage their targets quickly. Recon soldiers should make their way onto the metal tanks that are on the south side of the Refinery structure to maintain a sight line over the Construction Site and its objectives. From this view, it is possible to observe the approach of the RU team as they deploy from the west and spot these hostiles early to give a heads up to the rest of the team. Aside from this advantage, the ASRAD and LAV-25 can approach the Construction Site from both the north and the south to prevent camping defenders as well as those attempting to flank US infantry planting a charge on the objectives.
RU Deployment
Deploying slightly west of the Construction Site, the RU team can quickly move in on the objective site and entrench themselves here. The only problem is that there are not many structures here to provide cover from the attackers approaching from the east. The 9M133 Kornet Launcher at the objective site serves only to paint a target on the soldier operating it, so the team should opt for engineers to handle the heavy lifting and destroy hostile armored vehicles. Southeast of the objective area is a small shack that can be used to watch over M-COM Station B, which is inside of the building at the Construction Site. When securing the site, placing mines within the Construction Site yard is crucial in preventing armored vehicles from coming into the objective area. The MI-28 Havoc should be used here to push back advancing infantry units as they are exposed when crossing the road from the Oil Refinery.
M-COM Station A
“Exposed” is an easy way to describe the location of M-COM Station A. Set at the base of the crane at the Construction Site, this objective is open to attack from almost all directions. When approaching, attackers can easily break through the chain-link fence surrounding the Construction Site and come at the objective from the south. This makes defense of the objective difficult, as heavy losses can be expected if the US team’s armored vehicle is positioned south of the objective and bombards the site with cannon fire. Attackers should be aware of the building that houses M-COM Station B directly to the north. This building will be a haven for defenders looking to camp the objective site and fire on anyone that approaches M-COM Station A, so a few well-placed grenades should prevent the squad mate arming the charge from being shot in the back.
M-COM Station B
M-COM Station B, inside the building at the Construction Site, will serve as a favorite for defenders looking to camp the objective area. The building’s interior contains several large spools of wire that provide cover from external gunfire while concealing the presence of soldiers within. For attackers, a few grenades thrown into the building prior to entry can eliminate these threats, but crafty defenders looking to avoid this kind of assault would be right to place claymores near the entrances to the building. Booby traps like these can alert defenders hiding in the nearby shipping containers to the entry of hostiles, and then they can throw a few grenades in after the attackers to clear the space of the threat. For a determined US team, having an armored vehicle patrol the Construction Site premises to stave off the defenders’ infantry can help to contain the area until a squad mate can enter the building to arm the charge.
Zone 4: Supply Depot
US Deployment
This final stage of the battle places the US team’s deployment at the Construction Site. From here, the team can proceed west and downhill to the Supply Depot, where the final two objectives are located. This downhill approach, while not steep, makes the attackers blind as the come over the ridge. Another disadvantage is the loss of the ASRAD; the attackers have only one armored vehicle to contend with the RU team’s BMP-2M. The LAV-25 is therefore pitted against the defenders’ IFV. Unless the IFV threat can be extinguished by the AH-1Z Viper, the LAV-25 should keep its distance from the objective area and provide suppressive fire on the site downhill while infantry and dirtbikes assault the objectives there.
RU Deployment
Pushed east, the RU team’s final attempt at mounting a defense sees them deploying from just west of the Supply Depot. The objective area is downhill from the attackers’ deployment, and this can help the RU team to gain the upper hand at this final stage of the battle. When approaching the Supply Depot, snipers can climb atop the nearby pipeline by way of the stairway on the west side of the Supply Depot. From this elevated position, recon and engineer class defenders alike can use these sight lines to defend the site from the US team’s approach. This stage is where the MI-28 Havoc can shine. With the playing field equalized by the removal of the US team’s ASRAD from the field, the BMP-2M can contend with the US team’s IFV, pushing it back from the objective area. The MI-28 Havoc should maintain patrol of the objective site, eliminating hostile infantry that attempt to approach it.
M-COM Station A
The Supply Depot itself provides little to no cover, except for the shipping containers on the south side, where M-COM Station A is situated. But defenders that take up position there are sure to be routed quickly by either the LAV-25 or the AH-1Z Viper that will descend upon the site. For attackers looking to get close to the site, the best option is dirtbikes that drop off soldiers after barreling downhill. Surrounded by shipping containers, defenders should deploy a MAV to provide an overview of the objective area while they lie in wait on the west side of the Supply Depot to rush attackers as they enter the area to arm the objective. By climbing onto the nearby pipeline, defenders can also make use of a direct sight line on M-COM Station A. Attackers should keep this in mind while approaching and make use of the AH-1Z Viper to patrol for campers and defenders attempting to flank.
M-COM Station B
Located on the north side of the Supply Depot, M-COM Station B is beside a semi-truck parked beneath the pipeline suspended above the site. The M-COM itself is very exposed and, unfortunately for defenders, there is no direct way to observe from a position of cover outside the Supply Depot. This will likely be the final objective to be contested as well, which makes the firefight a frantic and bloody exchange. Defenders can capitalize on the chaos here, though, by having their MI-28 Havoc circle the objective and obliterate any hostiles that attempt to enter the site. However, the same can be said for the attackers, and defenders should be careful not to allow the US team to gain supremacy of the skies this late in the battle. The 9M133 Kornet Launcher, positioned immediately in front of the semi-truck and facing east, can be used by defenders to push back not only the US team’s IFV, but their infantry units as well, which will be spilling in from the south in an attempt to flank.