Snowbound

Snowbound

Hostile conditions did not prevent the Covenant from seeking salvage on this buried Forerunner construct.

DATA STREAM

Recommended Game Variants:

• Team Slayer
• Team Snipers
• Oddball
• King of the Hill
• Team Swat
• Capture the Flag

Number of Players:

• Recommended: 4-10
• Maximum: 10

Advantageous Equipment:

• Mauler
• Beam Rifle
• Spartan Laser
• Ghost
• Shotgun

Available Equipment & Gear Respawn Times

Weapons

* These weapons have longer spawn times when located inside each base.

Vehicles

Equipment

Topographical Overview

Snowbound is a well-balanced map as far as the bases are designed. It is bilevel with an underground cave system connecting the two bases. .

Call-out Locations

Blue Base

Other Names: N/A
The Blue Base is identified by two horned structures atop glowing blue. The Red Base has a similar structure with exception that the horns aren’t glowing.

Back Door

Other Names: N/A
Moving forward into Blue Base, you’ll see a large shield door. This is Back Door. Go through here and you’ll walk right into a Spartan Laser.

Ball

Other names: N/A
To your left, you’ll see a large blue glowing orb named Ball.

Stage

Other names: N/A
On your right is the Stage, noted by a stepped, lighted barrier and a pane of honeycombed glass.

Blue Pass

Other names: N/A
The middle door from Top Mid leads into a passageway named Blue Pass; this leads to the underground caving system.

Purple Stack (Blue Base)

Other names: Blue Stack, Blue Crates, Batteries, Cylinder
To your left are two cylinders piercing the ground. These are nicknamed Purple Stack, but when in the Blue Base, they’re referred to as Blue Stack.

Rabbit Hole

Other names: Power-up Tunnel, Camo
As you look right, you’ll see a small hill with a tunnel and an Active Camo. The tunnel is known as the Rabbit Hole.

Tundra

Other names: N/A
The area to your left has a randomly placed Spiker and is lined with Turrets. This is Tundra. The Tundra looks like a beaten path you can follow back to Blue Base.

Glass

Other names : Blue Glass
Stepping off the mound, you cross over a small ground pipe that leads back to Blue Base. If you approach from the side, you can see it is tilted an angle that makes it easy to climb. Honeycombed glass comprises the exterior of this part of Blue Base, which easily identifies this area as Glass. Walk up the Glass onto the base’s top.

Back Ramp

Other names: N/A
This slight incline down to the back entrance located on each base is known as Back Ramp.

Purple Stack (Red Base)

Other names: Red Stack, Batteries, Crates, Cylinders
Two cylinders pierce the ground and are nicknamed Purple Stack. The stack located near the Red Base is identified as “Red Stack.”

Red Pass

Other names: N/A
If you take Mid Pass down, Red Pass will be to your left and Blue Pass will be on your right while facing the Main Entrance.

OS Rock

Other names : OV Rock
To the right of Red Base is an Overshield sitting atop a smaller, flattened rock known as OS Rock.

Red Rocks

Other names: N/A
Moving forward from OS Rock, you’ll encounter a Plasma Rifle that marks the next set of rocks. This area, which is located behind the Red Base, is known as Red Rocks. The first rock, which is set with a Plasma Rifle, is known as Plasma Side. The next rock is known as BR Side, because a Battle Rifle spawns against the back of it.

The Flat

Other names: N/A
Entering from BR Side, you’ll see a flattened area of the map. This is the flattest area of Snowbound and is divided by a beaten path from Red Stack. This area, due to its geography, is known as the Flat. Heading across the Flat, you’ll make your way to the Main Entrance of the Cave.

Back Door (Red Base)

Other names: N/A
Moving through the larger shield door into Red Base, you will enter what’s known as the Back Door.

Mid Pass

Other names: N/A
About halfway across Top Mid, a ridge forms. At the beginning of this ridge is an entrance into the Cave. Since this is at Top Mid, this tunnel is known as Mid Pass. If you take Mid Pass down, you’ll have Red Pass directly to your left and Blue Pass on your right while facing the Main Entrance.

Cave

Other names: Basement, Shotty Room, Bat Cave
Following Blue Pass, you enter the main lobby of the Cave. Staying along the right side of Cave, you’ll notice a larger sized shield door armed with fusion coils and a Shotgun. This is the Main Entrance into the Cave.

Main Entrance

Other names: Big Door
Walking through Main Entrance from Cave, you’ll notice a single pillar followed by a radio tower and two Plasma Batteries. This area is known as Main Entrance.

Mound

Other names: N/A
The entirety of the hill forming the tunnel known as Rabbit Hole is named the Mound. Once you’re standing on the Mound, you will have the Blue Base back in your sights.

Top Mid

Other names: N/A
The middle path from the Basement leads to Top Mid, which is located in the middle of the map and offers little to no cover. This area stretches from the beginning of each base, to the Ghost, and back to the Cave.

Ghost Hangar

Other names: The Ghost, Top Ghost
Moving forward over the Ghost, you will approach a radio tower with two empty crates.

Rockside

Other names: Rocks

Jumping down from the Plasma Batteries located atop each base, you’ll spot a series of rocks. These stretch from the edge of Blue Base to behind Red Base. The series that starts here and extends into the top of the Ghost Hangar is known as Rockside.

In Snowbound, as in all symmetrical Halo maps, your base is the one in which you spawn at the beginning of the match. With this in mind, you can use your base’s landmarks as your call-outs, rather than specifying their color; for example, if you spawn in Blue Base and two enemies are approaching from the Mound toward Blue Glass, instead of saying, “Two coming from Mound running up toward Blue Glass,” try, “Two rushing our Glass from Mound.” This makes calling out locations on a difficult map more efficient and will allow your teammates to respond to you quickly rather than wasting time trying to decode your call-out.

Enhanced Knowledge

With Snowbound being a smaller map, you won’t play one-sided objectives very often. Although the map is very symmetrical, it doesn’t have the proper space for all game types. Here are some game types you may run into playing on Snowbound:
FFA Game Types: Slayer, Oddball, and Krazy King

Team Games: Team Slayer, Team Swat, Multiflag CTF, Team Oddball, Team King, Team Snipers, and Territories

On this map, the game variants can be further separated into four categories for an in-depth approach to each: FFA, Team, Neutral Objective, and Classic Objectives.

FFA: Slayer, Oddball, Krazy King

For all FFA games, the basic strategy is load up on power-ups, power weapons, and equipment. Make every attempt to rush for these items. You must maintain a very aggressive play style to win in FFAs.

When playing Oddball and King of the Hill, you can clear out opponents easier if they have the hill/ball by lowering their shields first with Grenades. While carrying the ball, back yourself into the Cave and use the Bubble Shield and shield doors to your advantage. Remember that the ball gives you a one-hit melee kill. You can also keep moving for a more aggressive approach to point scoring.

The hill in Krazy King moves every 30 seconds, so always keep an eye on the clock. The hill’s new location is random, so people generally don’t know which way to run when that 30 seconds is winding down. Team: Team Slayer, Team Swat, Team Sniper

Players often mistake a smaller map as being easier than bigger maps. Spawning and running out into the open are beginners’ mistakes that should be avoided. The key to this map is defense. With very little cover to choose from, running around with lowered shields can be costly.

There are two ways to approach team games on Snowbound. We’ll discuss a general strategy and a strategy used by more seasoned players.

General Approach

When playing Slayer, each of the players will rush for power weapons and power-ups. If you spawn in Red Base, one player should run to pick up OV, then the Ghost. The other three players should rush Cave via Red Pass. On the way to Cave, there are three weapons that you should grab: the Beam Rifle, Carbine, and Shotty. The three players then hold down the Cave while your Ghost runs perimeters around the map, easily killing any freshly spawned opponents. Your Ghost can also call out which direction your opponents are fleeing to ready you in the Cave. This should consistently push players down into the bases and Cave to escape.

If you spawn in Blue Base, then the player rushing for Ghost will not pick up equipment right away. Instead, you’ll have one person run out from Back Door to Rabbit Hole, picking up Camo on the way. That player then heads to Shotgun and holes up in the Cave. The other two players will take Blue Pass to Cave; one will pick up a BR and the other will grab the Spartan Laser. Both will help hold down the Cave.

Seasoned-Player Approach

Another strategy is to acquire and control the Blue Side of the map. This is a more seasoned approach because you need only a BR or Carbine to succeed. There should be one player each positioned in these locations: at Rockside, behind Blue Stack, at Tundra/Mound, and at Back Ramp (Blue Base)/Top Mid. The level of importance for these positions is equal, as they all play a main role in survival.

Assign your main slayer—your strongest player—to Tundra/Mound. This is an active rush point for the opposing team, meaning this player may often be approached my multiple opponents at a time. Your slayer can seize the Rabbit Hole as a route to escape damage while teammates offer cover fire.

The player positioned at Rockside is the main communicator for the team. Use Rockside as a vantage point from which to see most of the map, and you can begin firing on rushing opponents from here. Patrolling from front to back, Rockside can fire onto Mound, Tundra, Blue Base, Top of Red Base, back of Red Base, Red Stack, and parts of Cave.

The two players at Blue Stack and Back Ramp provide supporting fire. They will be able to complete, assist, and clean up any kills called out to them. If all four players remain at their posts, the opposing team will always spawn on the map’s opposite side. The key here is to stay defensive at all times. Use the same defensive style of play with Team Slayer, Team Swat, and Team Snipers.

Neutral Objectives: Oddball, Team King/King of the Hill, Land Grab

While playing Oddball, two players should defend the player running for the ball. The fourth player should rush for the Shotgun. After the ball and Shotgun are obtained, all teammates should return back to their base. Use the base as a retreat from enemy attacks, because shield doors protect every entrance.

Two players without the ball or Shotgun act as scouting and supporting fire for each other. They work together to obtain kills via team-shooting, and the Shotgun can clean up any stragglers who make it through. During King of the Hill, use the same strategy to clear out the hill as you would playing FFA. Leave one person on the hill, with three supporting players positioned outside. The player getting time on the hill should have a Bubble Shield to protect them from launched Grenades. The hill spawns at Ghost, Red Stack, Top Blue Base, and Top Red Base. It moves randomly every 60 seconds, so keep an eye on the clock.

The five Land Grab positions are as follows: behind Red Base, behind Blue Base, in Rockside, in front of Rabbit Hole, and in Cave at the bottom of Mid Pass. Leave the territory closest to your base for last, as this is the easiest to capture. Have the main slayer equip Grenades and power-ups, then head to the enemy’s base. The other three players then rush Rabbit Hole, Rockside, and Mid Pass independently. There should be only one opponent on each, if that, because some are attempting to capture their base while your slayer is busy distracting them. If they figure out your approach and double up on territories, then send two at a time to each area.

Classic Objectives: Multiflag

The team should advance as three, with one person defending your team’s flag at Red Rock/Blue Stack (depending on which side you spawn). Your flag carrier can run one of two routes, depending on which is clear. If your team is successful in removing the opponents, they can run Rockside back to your base seemingly unnoticed. If your team is cut short, you may run the flag over the base and onto Top Mid as an emergency. This leaves you open for all fire, but you can jump off the base and toss the flag, launching it close to your base. Spawning teammates can grab the flag and return through the base, where shield doors will protect them from long-range Grenades and enemy fire. Whoever is covering your flag should never move from their post.

General Tactics

If you’ve secured the Shotgun and are controlling the Cave, you can wait for enemies at shield doors and kill them easily as they pass through.

Pay attention to your teammates. There isn’t a lot of cover on Snowbound, and they’ll need coverage while passing through.

Try not to chase an opponent into the Cave. They are probably running you into their team.

If your team isn’t actively using the Ghost, destroy it so your foe can’t use it against you.

Always secure the Spartan Laser if your team is using the Ghost as its primary equipment.

You can always use Plasma Grenades as a last resort to stop a Ghost on a splatter spree.

Top Mid has absolutely no cover. Try to stay out of it even while traveling base to base.

Use the Mauler when hiding around corners in the base for quick kills.

There are three times more Maulers than Shotguns on Snowbound. Try to equip these often over the Shotty. It means more ammo and a much faster reload.

If you’re attempting to storm the Cave, make sure to equip the Overshield to minimize damage.

Back in and out of the shield doors to avoid damage from Grenades.

Watch your back in the Cave. There’s a wall of fusion coils lining the entrance that can be used against you. They respawn every three minutes, so destroy them as often as they spawn.

You can squat next to the Turrets and remain unnoticed.

The BR Rock makes an efficient sniping position, as you can reach many spawn points without much pivoting.

If you spawn on top of the base, immediately move, as you are an easily spotted target.

The Plasma Battery on each base makes killing any enemies on the bases quicker. Just destroy the pack, then move to shooting the opponent.

The glass on the top and side of the bases is a one-way mirror; if someone is creeping over, you can see them while undetected on your radar.

Don’t grab Camo and Laser thinking your invisible. Lasers have long charge times, and you will appear visible the duration of the charge.

Good weapon and equipment combinations include Snipe Rifle plus Camo or Shotgun plus Camo.

If you need to travel across the map, going Rockside is a good route when sneaking around. This is the one location on Snowbound with adequate cover.

Beware of Mound: People often spawn here and sneak down Tundra to Blue Base, using the Mound as cover.

Help your team control the Cave by equipping a person with the Shotgun and another with the Sniper Rifle. Both can eliminate the worry of an opponent traveling through the passes to make an attack.

Grenades are easily tossed into Cave via Mid Pass.

If sniping from the Red Base, keep an eye on the Cave Entrance. Most activity on this map happens in the Cave.

You can drive the Ghost down into Cave from Mid Pass. This can be a great source for an ambush.

You can also ride Ghost up Glass to the top bases.

Remember, from Blue Base, Top Mid can only be jumped from Mid Pass or Ghost.

Any attempt to pass Turrets from behind will mostly result in death. Stay away.

Don’t follow your teammates too closely into passes. They are extremely narrow, and you both can be easily killed with Grenades. You will also block your teammates’ attempt at backing up to escape continuous fire.

Sniper/Ambush Locations

Ball Camper

While carrying the ball in Objective games, you can jump atop the ball in each base for an optimal hideout.

Ledge Camper

While carrying the ball in Objective games, you can jump atop the Stage in each base for an optimal hideout.

Shotty Ledge

Climb on the Entrance ledge in Cave. Post up here and drop down for a surprise attack.

Turret Hideout

You can squat next to the Turrets and remain unnoticed.