Arkaden

 Arkaden is a medium-size German mall. If you enjoy tight, fast-paced combat in urban areas, this is the map for you. Arkaden offers swift travel between the center and all parts of the map. As a result, the central courtyard and the upper-floor mall interior see a lot of traffic. Be very careful in the halls connecting the map's east and west edges to the center. They have limited cover, which makes lingering in them extremely dangerous.

Stay alert for campers on the east and west edges outside the mall. Both the front street and the rear loading bay have abundant cover and plenty of obscure locations for patient players to ambush travelers. On Arkaden, objective-based modes are intense, travel times are low, and narrow hallways and choke points create fearsome firefights. Exploit your tactical grenades and Equipment wisely to punch a hole in solid defenses.

Bakaara

A helicopter crash in an African city is this map's focal point. Bakaara is a open urban level, with three long sightlines down each path from east to west. Consequently, Bakaara is heaven for snipers and assault rifles outfitted for long-range combat.

The downed chopper in the eastern courtyard has the only usable turret on any multiplayer map (at this time). It's a bit of a booby prize, as you're dangerously exposed to flanking or a well-aimed bullet while you operate the turret. Don't hop on unless you have teammates covering your flank.

Objective modes demand control of firing lanes nearest the objectives. Have shooters set up to monitor the nearest lanes continually. The accessible buildings scattered around the map have excellent overwatch to the streets, so expect players to hole up in them throughout the match. It is possible to use shorter-range weapons on Bakaara, but you must be actually aware of enemy positions. Use the limited cover and the buildings' walls in the correct lane to shield you from unfriendly eyes.

Bootleg

 Bootleg could be any one of a hundred small Asian cities, with its abundant neon and cramped alleyways. Bootleg is a fast-paced, medium-size urban map. There are some tough chokepoints and a lot of CQC in the interior areas. The only lengthy firing lane of note is beneath the freeway overpass on the map's north edge.

While the other outer areas around the east, west, and south appear more open, elevation changes and a considerable amount of cover break up sight line significantly. The map's interior is made up of several twisting alleys, all of which can contain nasty enemy surprise around every corner. Bring a close-quarters weapon and stay alert.

Carbon

Carbon is a medium-large map set in a run-down African refinery. Carbon is one of the more difficult. It's filled with accessible buildings from north the south, and nearly every point on the map has multiple entrances and exits. This makes covering your six devilishly difficult. The map slopes from a high to the north down to the lower south end, so elevation changes contribute to the challenge. Communicate constantly with your teammates, and choose your routes carefully in the objective modes. The enemy team can hole up in almost any building and watch any route--but not all of them at once, or with perfect coverage. A large, raised catwalk is in the center of the map, but be wary of using It as an overwatch position, because it's dangerously exposed.

Dome

A tiny, derelict military outpost in the desert, Dome is a fast-paced, small-scale map. Despite its size, Dome has decent separation between the various parts of the map. Thus, you can exploit the cover and limited routes between areas to block off a section as 'yours' and kill anyone entering it.

In objective-based game modes, expect very messy, brutal confrontations -- it isn't enough to fling grenades to any part of the map. any assault will come via a few obvious routes, making for bloody firefights. the elevated catwalk outside the titular Dome is a bit of a trap. While it does have good line of sight to most of the map, your badly exposed while you're up top. Get up, get a kill or two, and get down if you plan to use it at all. The ruined bunker and building interior are both dangerous to traverse, as both areas can easily accommodate corner campers. Use grenades to clear a path.

Downturn

 Downturn depicts the blasted-out streets of New York after the Russian invasion. It's a mixed urban map map featuring large streets filled with cover and dense buildings, along with a sizable underground area. Downturn sees heavey conflict out on the streets and down below in the subway access tunnels. You can expect significant engagements inside the two building complexes to the south and north.

 Be extra careful if you have to pass through the large store in the southeast. It has the least cover of any area on the map. Similarly, watch out as you navigate the long, narrow path through the northern building. You make a distressingly easy shot for anyone covering the hall from east to west.

The underground area has a ton of access points in the east, west, and from above in the center. It's also possible to walk above the tunnels, though you're somewhat exposed to fire on the main street. The streets themselves give considerable cover, but you still don't want to be caught stationary out in the open. Stay mobile and constantly scan for threats.

Fallen

 The derelict remains of a Russian town, Fallen is a demanding, mixed map with heavy cover and strong connectivity between all parts of the level. You need to be very alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Enemies can sneak up on you from multiple directions in most parts of the map.

The southern courtyard and the street just north of it tend to be hotspots, due to their central locations and connections to all out sections. Be careful when you travel through them. The buildings in the west and south have good overwatch positions to different areas of the level. However, none have perfect line of sight, and you're very vulnerable to a stealthy intruder or a well-place grenade. So, be careful about posting up in any one building for too long.

You can access a raised rooftop in the center of the map via the north or the south. It has great line of sight to the middle of the map. But it also provides no cover from the railings at the buildings edges, and it's exposed to fire from multiple directions. Use the rooftop, but don't linger there!

Hardhat

 Set in an unfinished construction site, Hardhat is the smallest map in the game. Consequently, it makes for an intense match, with only three routes in and out of the central building. The remaining conflict takes place all around the level's outskirts.

Despite the small size, there are some surprising elevation changes, so watch out when you travel the outer edges. Height issues make several chokepoints even more dangerous. The 'safest' areas-- if such can be said for any part of this level--are the northwest and southeast, where there's enough cover to conceal yourself from roaming packs of enemies.

In objective modes, all bets off. Expect mayhem no matter where you turn. The hard chokepoints and limited alternate routes create killing grounds all over the map.

Interchange

Interchange is set beneath the intersection of several large freeways. Blasted out by war, the rubble beneath the interchange has created a large, very open killing field. Interchange is the largest open map in the game, so expect snipers! As with other large maps, this is also a good home for light machine guns and assault rifles with ranged setups. Unlike the other large maps, Interchange is wide open. Consequently, shorter-ranged weapons have a much harder time competing, even with careful movements. 

 Objective modes are especially brutal on this level. There is so little cover on the approach that you can expect long-range firefights to pop up constantly. Thankfully, slight elevation changes and some large vehicle wrecks provide hard cover in the level's center. This gives you some route choices to different parts of the map.

Lockdown

 Lockdown is a very large map, set in the downtown of a European city. With its long sight lines and exposed streets, Lockdown is a heaven for snipers, light machine gunners, and long-range assault rifle users. All of the streets are dangerous, with little cover and numerous overlooks from nearby ledges or buildings. Move quickly and hug the walls when you travel through the streets.

The hall that passes through the map's center from east to west is extremely dangerous. While it has overwatch on some areas in the center, it's accessible at both ends from multiple areas, meaning it sees very high traffic.

In objective modes, there are usually multiple routes to any target area. But once you reach the target itself, there are usually only a few access points that defenders need to watch. So, prepare your assault with smoke and tactical grenades to clear a path. In deathmatch modes, the northeast buildings and southwest ledges and buildings are somewhat  safer than the exposed streets or the dangerous central hall.

Mission

 An African colonial settlement, Mission is a small map with highly unusual terrain. A large trench runs down the west side of the map, and a sheer cliff at the edge of the buildings drops into a basin at the extreme south. Accordingly the level is split into a northeast section, the southern basin,  and a far-western channel that can go either down the trench to the basin, or up through a few small huts to the cliff area. The map's center host several nasty 90-degree blind turns that can put you face to face with an enemy with little warning.

The raised areas that overlook parts of the map below them to the south and east are dominant postitions. Try to control the center of the level whenever you can, blocking access to the alleys with Equipment or teammate coverage. Objective modes can be brutal on this level; a team locking down the center can put you in a very unpleasent spawning situation.

Outpost

 A sprawling Russian compound in Siberia, Outpost is a large map with a heavy urban combat component. The abundant warehouses and significant amounts of cover scattered around the level set the tone. Two narrow chokepoints around a large comm tower in the center of the map sharply divide Outpost into eastern and western halves, creating killings lanes. Be careful when you use these chokepoints to pass from one side to the other.

 As with the other large maps, objective modes demand fast movement and possibly Tactical Insertions to traverse the level quickly. Don't let haste make you reckless. Move swiftly, stop when you approach dangerous areas, and sweep them carefully.

 Almost all of the buildings on this level make good control points. But with the size of the level, it's possible to bypass many of them entirely. Watch your mini map when UAVs are up, and communicate with your team to stay updated on enemy team locations. Despite the map's size, medium- and even short-range weaponry can enjoy success if you're smart about your movement and engagement choices.

Resistance

A downtown Parisian district, Resistance is a large and surprisingly open urban map. It features a steep elevation change from the plaza in the northeast. The open streets create clear and dangerous lines of fire across the map. Whenever you can, use the buildings to cross through themap's center or southeast portion.

In objective modes where you have to traverse the streets, be sure to bring Smoke Grenades to create cover when and where you need it. Otherwise, reaching your target can be a bloody task.

The southern vine trellis, the central fountain, and the northern plaza are all heavy conflict zones, although the center and the north usually see more traffic. In the plaza to the north, the raised platforms--particularly the one on the west--all have superior elevation and line of sight to the surrounding streets. Control them, avoid them, or get shot from them!

Seatown

An old coastal fortress town in the Middle East, Seatown features a mix of open streets, confined alleys, and small buildings. This is an ideal map for flexible character builds and flexible play. You can move between all three types of engagements. Or, if you perfer, you can stick to one type of terrain as much as you wish. The alleys and the central market are dangerous areas -- they attract high traffic due to their accessibility from all parts of the map. Move swiftly through these areas, and don't linger unless you're seeking conflict. The building interiors scattered about the map are powerful vantage points for controlling the east, west, and center of the map. Lock them down or deal with their inhabitants, but never ignore them.

Underground

 Set in a London subway station, Underground is similar to Arkaden as a mid-sized level with strong connectivity throughout the map. However, it's a bit larger from end to end. The wreckage of multiple trains just outside the subway station to the south dominates the map's center. Meanwhile, blocked sightlines separate the map's north and south ends, thanks to a raised walkway.

 The eastern side has several lengthy hallways that are dangerous to traverse due to their linear nature and limited cover. The western side is largley open. Cutting through the center at any part of this map is tricky. Many routes lead in and out of the middle, and you can expect to run into enemies no matter which path you take.

 CQC weaponry can do well here, provided you stick to the chokepoints and corners. If you're careful about your movement, blocked sightlines protect you from most long-rang harassment.

Village

Village is set in an African shanty town. Half the map is inside the town's outskirts, and the other half is outside the town, near a cave complex and riverbed. Village plays significantly differently depending on what part of the map you occupy. The northern shanty town has lot of sharp corners and a fair amount of cover. The southern half has lots of open ground, elevation changes, and curving, organic turns.

Depending on your load out, you can find success on this level by forcing engagements in one area. In objective modes, where you must assault certain locations, it pays to bring a flexible build. When you travel in the open areas near the cave, you're dangerously exposed from multiple directions, with little cover and a few deceptive routes of escape.