12 ways to dominate the Halo: Reach Noble Maps, courtesy of Bungie

You can't play Halo: Reach's new multiplayer maps until November 30, when they're made available on Xbox Live for 800 Microsoft points ($10). Until next week, you can't learn each layout, memorize each weapon location or study each possible strategy.

You can't… but Bungie can, and has. For months, and for hundreds of hours, the developers who created these maps have thought through their every nuance and detail. They know them by heart. They know how to win (or lose) on them.

Care to share that expert knowledge, before the maps are even released? Read on as Eric Osborne from Bungie gives you 12 tips for complete multiplayer dominance.

For gameplay videos of the Noble Map Pack, head here. For a behind-the-scenes tour of Bungie's new headquarters, head here.

ANCHOR 9

Bungie Tip #1: The rocket launcher is located on an external platform, so practice moving around in low-g or you’ll be taking a one-way trip back to Reach.

Bungie Tip #2: The turrets overlooking the main hangar bays are great for suppressing the enemy, but make sure you’ve got an ally watching your back.

Bungie Tip #3: The shield walls that protect Anchor 9 stop projectiles and grenades, but won’t stop an enemy from rolling up and punching you into the blackness of space.

Bungie Tip #4: Don’t forget about health packs!  There are plenty of them on Anchor 9 (safety first!), and can help turn the tide of battle if you’ve been injured.

TEMPEST

Bungie Tip #1: Tunnels to the right of each base allow players a sneaky way straight to the flag in CTF games. If you don’t know where the shotgun is, assume that enemy coming in has it!

Bungie Tip #2: The four man cannons on Tempest will get you halfway across the map in a hurry, but it’s not the stealthiest way to travel.

Bungie Tip #3: Warthogs will tear you up if you’re caught out in the open.  Stay with your team, and keep tabs on the anti-vehicle weapons.

Bungie Tip #4: Forge it up!  Tempest provides a very large palette of Forge objects to make custom map variants and your in-game File Share provides an easy way to share your work with the community.

BREAKPOINT

Bungie Tip #1: In Big Team games, knowing what vehicles are active (and how to handle them!) can be the difference between victory and being on the wrong end of a Splatter Spree.

Bungie Tip #2: The rock spine that divides the map in half provides an excellent view for snipers, at the expense of being extremely exposed.

Bungie Tip #3: Spartans get heavy weapons unlocked in the second and third phases of Invasion… look around for them when you respawn!

Bungie Tip #4: Elites escaping with the data core in Invasion might want to drop down over the side of the bridge for a slower—but much safer— route to the waiting Phantom.

Nov 22, 2010