1
Dr Bodge’s Guide to Pacific Island (Intermediate)
Map Overview
There isn’t a nice way to say this, but Pacific Island isn’t a very good map. I can appreciate the work that has gone into it but, more than many others it feel as if deliberate design decisions to ‘balance’ the map have rendered it unfit for purpose. The problem is fairly simple. The map is asymmetric, which is in itself okay, but to counter-balance the lack of cover in the middle of the map all potential sniping positions in the North have been carefully and systematically removed or handicapped. For anyone playing a glass-cannon this map is painful. Worse still there is almost no incentive for the Northern team to move beyond their base, except along the West flank. If the Northern team lose a flank the extremely limiting nature of the terrain means it is very difficult to stop the South team from climbing into the Base. There is rarely a second line of defence which means that the game is frequently determined by imbalances in initial deployment. This lack of depth also makes it hard to use vision, map awareness and coordination to outplay a technically superior enemy force.
East Flank
The South side will predictably push here and, although it will be well covered by defenders, often leads to victory. Once you have pushed to the bottom of the cliffs below the Base Plateau it is hard for the defenders to fight effectively. The steepness of the terrain and the awkwardness of manoeuvring makes further combat difficult unless the defenders drop down to sea level. If they do they lose their main advantage and also the capacity to respond to cap pressure. Both flanks share the same problem; by the time you know how the enemy have deployed it is sometimes too late for slow tanks to change flanks.
West Flank
This flank is normally more stable, due mainly to the fact that the combat is fairly symmetric. If the North team falls the enemy will be able to push forward, quickly getting under the guns of the defenders. As with the East Flank once this happens any campers on the ridge will become easy pickings for the camping TDs in the distance who have nothing else to do.
Cliff Road
The only way of breaking the predictability of this battle is to attempt to push up the Cliff Road and into the Base. This isn’t an easy task and is only possible if the enemy are not paying attention. As such it is hardly to be recommended as an optimal strategy.
Optimal Strategy
Win one flank while not losing the other. I can’t offer any more advice than this.
Biggest Mistakes
- Not knowing when to quit. You need to work out quickly whether you have an advantage on your flank. If not, stop, fall back and preserve health. If you are on the South Team falling back allows you to bring your TDs into the game.
- Chasing easy kills. A common mistake is for the North team to drop down to chase easy kills only to find themselves isolated and unable to respond quickly to events elsewhere (usually in their Base).
- Lack of map awareness. This map is small and predictable so there is no justification for allowing yourself to be fast capped, and yet it still occasionally happens to the North team.
