Pipeline

Pipeline
Basic Information
Developer(s):	Unknown
Map Photos
Map Overview

“

America's pipelines are a stirring beacon of hope. Let no man befoul their majesty with calumny or bombs. — Abraham Lincoln

”

Pipeline is a Payload Race map. It was included in The Sniper vs. Spy Update as the first official Payload Race map for Team Fortress 2. Your team must simultaneously push your cart through enemy territory, in order to reach the finishing point, while preventing the enemy team from doing the same. There is no time limit, the round only finishes when one team reaches the finish line first.

Locations

Stage A (Docking Bays)

Stage A is located at each teams docking bays, separated by a gate in the middle where the Payload tracks cross.

• Docking Bay: On both sides next to the spawn area and across from the capture point is docking bay.
• Gate: In the center of the stage, where the tracks cross lies the gate which separates each team's sides.
• Central Flank: Next to the gate is an entrance which leads up flanks that cover both of the teams area's near the gate.
• Side Flank/Staircase Area: From each team's side is a flank which connects to both team's docking bays. On BLU's side it is more notably the winding staircase.

• Pipeline01.jpg

  Track overview.

• Pipeline1dockingbay.jpg

  Docking bay

• Pipeline1flank.jpg

  Central flank

• Pipeline1stairs.jpg

  Side flank and stairs(BLU side)

Stage B (Terminal)

Stage B is located at a train terminal which connects to both team's sides.

• Terminal: The train terminal situated in a tunnel which runs to both team's sides.
• Battlements: Each team's spawn areas are surrounded by battlements which contain many small houses and the flank entrances.
• Maintenance Room(Flank): Accessible from the battlements is maintenance room which serves as a major flank. It exits out above the capture points.

• 

  Spawn area

• Pipeline2battlements.jpg

  Battlements

• Pipeline2flank.jpg

  Maintenance room(flank)

• Pipeline2terminal.jpg

  Train terminal

Stage C (Heart of the Factory)

Stage C appears to be located in the heart of the factories which surround the pipeline stages. The final stage which contains a set of ramps that each team must push their cart up. If a cart is left alone on one of the ramps it will slide back down.

• Basin: The basin is the area below the ramps containing a stream and an entrance to a set of staircases that lead to the upper flank.
• Ramps/Tracks: The ramps are situated in the center of the stage parallel with each other.
• Battlements/Roofs: From each team's spawn areas are battlements which connect to the spawns and roofs.
• Stairs/Upper Flank: From the basin is a staircase which leads to the upper flank, or the half way point after the first ramp. The Upper Flank also has two exits from the spawn rooms.

• 

  Overview

• Pipeline3basin.jpg

  Basin below the tracks

• Pipeline3upperexits.jpg

  Upper flank area

• Pipeline3overview.jpg

  Final capture area

Strategy

• Due to the long hallways in the first and second rounds and the tight, roundabout corridor layout, the map has a reputation for players favoring Snipers and Spies, who can use the long horizontal distances and twisting hallways for their benefit. The action on the map can also be very chaotic, allowing for effective disguising and backstabbing at either team's spawn areas.
• Unlike other Payload maps, Scouts are terribly unsuccessful on Pipeline, as their low health and close quarters contact with stronger opposing classes such as Pyros or Heavies makes them less effective at harassment or defense. More experienced Scouts can find success using the Sandman or Force-A-Nature on defense.
• There are only a few choke points on either Round 1 or 2, which can be built up quickly by Engineers, creating long standoffs. Good Kritzkrieg Medic and Demoman or Soldier pairs can effectively clear out these choke points, especially when backed up by Heavy or Pyro support.
• Moving in a wave formation, with Demomen and Soldiers up front to clear Sentry Guns, with several good Snipers behind to harass enemy Snipers and prevent headshots, all moving the cart forward, can be a formidable offense.
• During Stages 1 and 2, a group of three or more Scouts, along with other classes, can be used to push the cart at a maximum velocity. Scouts switch to another class as soon as they get killed. This is an effective offense, when coupled with backup.
• Engineers can also be particularly useful on this map by covering the entrance of the ramps with a Sentry Gun, preventing Pyros from airblasting your team away as well as preventing the other team from going to their own cart.

Update history

August 13, 2009 Patch

• Increased the starting advantage in the third round if a team has won the first two rounds.
• Fixed carts not continuing to the second round if they're capped at the same time in the first round.
• Fixed being able to shoot pipebombs over the starting gates in the first round.
• Fixed being able to open the doors in the first round before the setup time was finished.
• Fixed players getting stuck in some doors.
• Fixed players being able to get onto rooftops and out of the map boundaries.
• Fixed other minor bugs and exploits.

May 20, 2010 Patch

• Added new stairwell in Stage 1 and window access to both team's platforms by main choke point to help alleviate stalemates.
• Reverted the starting position for the cart in Stage 3 if a team had won the first 2 stages to where you no longer get a big cart-start-position advantage.
• Fixed rare cases where stage would break when cart had no nearby capper(s)
• Fixed carts not always moving to their starting locations correctly.
• Fixed respawn times in Stage 3 not being set to the proper values.
• Fixed the map not finishing correctly in Stage 3 if the two teams capture the final point at the same time.

Trivia

• The Sniper sent a postcard to his mother detailing his experiences fighting at "Scenic Pipeline". A quote by Abraham Lincoln is also seen at the bottom right of the card.
• Pipeline was first seen in the background for the Bonk! Atomic Punch page of The Scout Update page (Link). The image shows the third stage of the map, but with the traditional desert theme rather than the night time industrial style used at its release.
• Originally the first 2 stages of pipeline were one large stage, and capturing the points would open gates leading to what is now the second stage. ^{[citation needed]}
• According to the Map of Mann's Land, Pipeline (called the Badwater Basin Pipeline) stretches out across the Badlands.

Bugs

• The stairs at the center of Stage 1 can be gotten under from the sides, and the player can see out from underneath the untextured underside of the stairs.

External links

• The Sniper vs. Spy Update: Day 2 - New maps