Frontier

Frontier
Basic Information
Developer(s):	Unknown
Map Info
Environment:	Desert
Setting:	Daylight, sunny
Map Overview

Frontier is a single-stage Payload map with 4 control points for BLU to capture. It is orientated towards organizing pushes around the cart's movement to benefit from it's significant protection in lieu of suppressing RED due to the layout of terrain being in favor of the RED team. The crowning feature of Frontier is its custom Payload, "Lil' Chew-Chew." Frontier was added as an official map on February 24, 2011.

Lil' Chew Chew

The cart, Lil' Chew-Chew.

In place of the standard BLU cart, the cart in Frontier is a large mechanized train engine known as "Lil' Chew-Chew." Providing cover from frontal attacks, the train is capable of instantly killing anyone that is in its mouth when it's moving forward (whether willingly or forcibly) in addition to having a rideable platform and built-in Dispenser for BLU. The instant-kill ability is contingent on at least 3 players pushing the cart. It has a noticeably increased pushing range when compared to normal carts.

Locations

Control Point 1

Control Point 1 sits in an area surrounded by high cliffs and buildings just in front of RED's starting spawn.

• The Shack is a small, two-level building to the right of the BLU base. It has a small balcony that a Sentry Gun can be placed on to give a good area of fire over the top of the Payload.
• The Cave sits directly across from The Shack in front of the BLU base. It, too, has a small balcony that a Sentry Gun can be placed on to give a good area of fire directly at the Payload and at the main exit point of the BLU base. However, this spot is more exposed than the Sentry Gun spot on The Shack.

Control Point 2

Control Point 2 is at the top of a large hill inside of a warehouse-like building.

• The Rock Wall separates the second cap point from a small warehouse through which BLU may travel.
• The Mesa is a small elevated feature at the bottom of the hill offering RED a path to areas further up the hill and to the warehouse Control Point 2 sits on.

Control Point 3

Control Point 3 sits between a building and a plateau.

• The Rock Plateau comes right before the third cap and is ideal for RED to place Sentry Guns. There is even one rock spire with a medium ammo box and small health kit, allowing a skilled Engineer to place a high Sentry Gun out of sapping range.
• The Tunnel is a pathway that is near the Plateau and can be used a a choke point. Walkways along the top ends can be good areas to apply defense against the Payload from above.

Control Point 4

Control Point 4 sits above a large open pit with a satellite dish at the bottom of it. RED's final spawn is located on either side of the point, connected by a catwalk.

Strategy

• BLU should always take advantage of Lil' Chew Chew's size, using it to shield them from incoming attacks while holding a hard defense to the sides. Likewise, the frontal protection provided by Lil' Chew Chew and terrain around the cart during key points encourages flanking and attacking from high ground by RED.
• Slow moving or just plain unlucky enemies can be shoved into front of the train and killed, assisted by a quick push from a Pyro's compression blast or a Scout's Force-A-Nature.
• The stairs inside the Shack can make it easy for a Spy to sneak up behind a Sentry Gun and the Engineer, so a Pyro would be well-suited to spycheck as well as deflect incoming rockets.
• The Tunnel right before the third cap is a good place either team to ambush players with the Backburner, or house a Sentry Gun.
• While taking the final point, BLU Snipers can use the newly opened shortcut to pick off REDs around the end of the tracks. Other classes can also take this path and quickly head to the ramp on the right, allowing closer access to RED's defenses.
• Underneath the final capture point, there are large ammo and health kits, which most players do not normally venture to unless they fall down there. A sneaky BLU Engineer can construct a small base here with a Teleporter to allow BLU faster access to the final point.
  • Sneaky BLU Engineers can also construct a Sentry Gun outside RED's second spawn (between control points 2 and 3) if they can get past enemy forces at Control Point 1. A full Level 3 Sentry Gun can effectively delay RED until they are able to build up an ÜberCharge, giving BLU time to push Lil' Chew Chew up the hill to Control Point 2.
• A number of higher areas are accessible throughout this map due to its uphill nature, offering excellent sightlines for Sentry Guns and Snipers. This is especially so just outside of BLU's initial spawn, on the hill leading up to Control Point 2, and on the catwalks of RED's final spawn near Control Point 4.
• Demomen can use the pillars of the tunnel before Control Point 1 to their advantage: they are close enough to Lil' Chew Chew, yet unexposed to enemy fire, that they make excellent spots for sticky traps using the Stickybomb Launcher or Scottish Resistance.

Update History

February 24, 2011 Patch

• Officially added into Team Fortress 2

Screenshots

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Changelog

Changelog:

CHANGELOG FINAL:

• Small filesize + framerate optimizations
• Small detailing and clipping fixes
• New train and animations
• Etc.