The swampy outskirts of Arcadia’s capital city features unclaimed bonus Reactors and offers alternate routes for attacks. The area is open and easily navigated, even by the most cumbersome and powerful vehicle. The starting bases are on the map’s east and west sides, with a cluster of two other bases and a Reactor Hook to the north and south.
Areas of Interest
Starting Bases: 2
Neutral Bases: 2
Unguarded Bases: 2
Reactor Hooks: 2
The two starting bases are located in a large flat area and are easily attacked, so expect the possibility of an early Rush. Take either curved road from one base to the other; they are the same distance. Because your foe may be preoccupied with capturing the three structures to the north or south, react accordingly and Rush. However, usually it is better to build up your base defenses and multitask by quickly foraging for supply crates, then taking the empty base.
The number of bases in this map is high compared to its size, so it stands to reason that you should occupy the empty base as early as possible, especially if you’re employing a Boom or Tech strategy. With minimal resistance (just the odd band of neutral infantry to crush), you can have two bases working simultaneously before your foe has even finished foraging.
Part of the tactical advantage you gain when employing a Boom or Tech strategy is further augmented by capturing one of the two Reactor Hooks on this map. There’s yet another reason why taking the empty base as early as possible is a good idea: You can build a Turret close enough to the Reactor, improve it by adding on a Flame Mortar, and then lure the Reactor’s guardians into its line of fire. This makes the Reactor much more easy to take. Don’t forget to have Marines, Grunts, or Jackals waiting to claim the Reactor the instant it becomes secure.
The ragtag neutral troops in either of the two guarded bases are very dangerous to take. If you see a foe attempt to tackle a neutral base early on, consider launching an attack on them, as they’re bound to lose a few initial troops in the process. For this reason, leave the guarded bases alone until later; this includes building a front-right Turret in an adjacent empty base you just took, which attracts the neutral base’s attention. However, this can become problematic if you’re facing a dangerous foe.
The end-game scenario for this map can be extremely satisfying (and explosive!), as the slower and more expensive units (that provide you with a spectacular finish) are worth building, because they don’t have much ground to cover. Mass a force, perhaps several lumbering tanks, and complicate your opponent’s defensive tactics by flying in some airborne vehicles to attack his base from behind.