Firebase Condor

Firebase: Condor

Designed as a series of ‘steps’ leading to higher ground, much of Condor is built up with defensible positions that look down on lower areas, but in many cases the lower areas have just as much cover as the higher areas. Outside of the main base locations, the Mining Site is a highly contestable area that has ramp access to nearly every other section of the map.

Lower Ridge

The starting location of the map and Extraction point, the Lower Ridge is actually quite defensible despite the Camp area looking directly into this zone. Holding down this sector against determined assault in the endgame is feasible. Breaking out into other sectors should you get pinned down here is another matter altogether, as squads are very much caught in a funnel that allows hostiles both superior position and cover.

Camp

The lower and mid tiers of the Condor installation include a pair of light bunkers that can be used to over the main paths leading to the Lower Ridge, Transport Lot, and Mining Site. Outside of the bunkers, cover is relatively sparse, and it’s possible to caught in a crossfire where the only way out is through the enemy and into another sector.

Transport Lot

A transitional sector between the Upper Ridge and the Camp, the Transport Lot contains many pieces of static cover and vehicles to dart between, which makes this a dangerous hunting ground for Cerberus troops who are prone to aggressive flanking maneuvers. The smaller Upper Ridge section has overwatch on the Transport Lot, which can prove problematic during objective modes that require you to be in the lot.

Upper Ridge

The highest point on the map, the Upper Ride has ramp access that leads directly into the mining area, which can be shut down by a pair of squadmates taking advantage of the narrow path. Meanwhile, the rest of a squad can hold the enemy down in the Camp and Transport Lot sections, so long as they remember to guard over the pair of ladders in addition to the main ramp from the Transport Lot. This is not a safe section to try and hold during the Extraction phase of a mission, as it will force players to run through the majority of the map that will be filled with hostile reinforcements in order to get to the extraction zone.

Mining Site

The single largest sector of Condor, the Mining Site has ramp access to every other zone on the map except the Lower Ridge, which is only a short run through a section of the Camp away. With so many points of ingress, defending objectives at the Mining Site can be taxing, particularly on Silver or Gold difficulty. With as large as this area is, crowd control can be somewhat difficult to maintain, as the enemy is more able to spread out and avoid Stasis bubbles or grenades.