AS-BP2-Thrust

A recreation of the infamous destruction of the Saturn IX PCNR rocket where a crack team of anti-NEG rebels stormed the launch facility and scuttled the rocket by launching it unguided and half-fueled.

Thrust

Map Description

The setting for this mission is a remote island from where the NEG fires its rockets. The attacking team must sabotage the launch of one of these rockets in 3 steps: Fire the guidance rocket prematurely, stop the rocket from getting fuel and then launch it without those 2 crucial factors. Most of the mission takes place outside with a large variety of vehicles on the attacking team's side side against a large amount of Minigun Turrets on the defender's side.

Objectives

Launch the Guidance Rocket

The attacking team will spawn with a full arsenal of weapons and vehicles. No less than 2 Scorpions, a Hellbender and Goliath can be used for the next objectives.

The Guidance Rocket is located in a small building on the right of the dirt track coming from the attacker's base. There are a few valuable pickups on the ground floor of the building, which may be needed later on. Inside the building a series of slopes on the left side will lead to the rooftop (and an enemy Minigun Turret ). The switch is on the left side of the rooftop and requires a multi-second presence of an attacker to complete the objective.

The defending team spawns on the opposite side of the field on a high platform. A convenient Jump Pad will take the defenders directly to the Guidance Rocket. The defenders can use 2 Minigun Turrets (1 near the spawnpoints and the other on the rooftop near the objective) and a Raptor (also near the spawnpoints). The Minigun Turret on the rooftop does not only guard the field in front of the building, but the objective and the entire rooftop as well. This makes it the best weapon in the defense, but also the first target of the attackers. Once the Turret is destroyed the defending team will have to defend the rooftop on foot, or with the help of the Raptor.

Place the Explosives on the Pressure Tanks

After the Guidance Rocket has been launched the attackers will be awarded with another Scorpion and Hellbender. The bridge has been extended and the attackers can now cross it to reach the Pressure Tanks. Right after crossing the bridge the attackers can choose to take the lift or road on the right to the optional objective, which will be explained later.

The platform with the Pressure Tanks (which can be reached by turning left after crossing the bridge) is defended by a total of 3 Minigun Turrets. This also means that, when playing with smaller teams, there won't be any footsoldiers left to defend the objective. A destroyed Leviathan provides some cover for attackers on foot, who can use a set of piers on both sides of the platform to avoid some of the Turrets' fire. 2 of the Turrets can also rotate to quickly kill any attacker who attempts to place the objective. These Turrets, in combination with a new Raptor spawnpoint (next to the stairs of the platform) and possible footsoldiers, will give the defending team a good shot at stalling the attackers. The attacker's best shot of destroying the Turrets would be the use of vehicles or completing the optional objective. Footsoldiers can also try to battle the turrets with the AVRiL.

Optional: Destroy SAM Sites

As mentioned before: The road and lift on the right side of the road beyond the bridge will lead to a platform with 2 SAM sites. Only 1 Minigun Turret guards this optional objective (which won't even be used when playing in smaller teams). It takes 6 rockets to destroy a SAM site and the attacking team will be rewarded with 2 Hellbenders and a Scorpion. The attackers will now also spawn here and will be able to use the weapon lockers, 4 Shield packs and the Big Keg O' Health. Last but not least the destruction of the SAM sites also triggers an air strike near the Pressure Tanks objective, which severely damages the 3 Minigun Turrets there.

The defenses in this area are weak. The only Minigun Turret can only protect 1 of the SAM sites, and even then the vehicular force of the attackers can deal with the turret quickly. The defending team can also use the Raptor located near the Pressure Tanks to try and protect this objective, as well as the Sniper Rifle located on a small hill nearby. The large number of Shield Packs along with the Big Keg O'Health will give any footsoldier the advantage in man-to-man combat.

Launch the Main Rocket

After the Pressure Tanks have gone skybound, the doors to the final objective are opened. Continue to walk across the grassy island before making a left turn up a wide slope. Keep an eye out for the Minigun Turret on the end of the path, right of the slope. This turret will have a clear view on the attackers until after they have reached the hall. Inside this hall the defending team has another Minigun Turret which, again, guards the objective.

The slope gives the defending team a slight advantage, especially with the 2 Turrets that overlook most of the slope. Once inside, the attackers can steal a few of the Health Pack to increase their chances of completing the objective. The defending team can even use one of the turrets from the first objectives (near their first spawnpoints). This turret overlooks most of the road to the slope near the final objective, though from a great distance. The attackers' main offensive against these Turrets is the AVRiL, or a vehicle if the attackers still have one nearby. The launch panel is located on the right side of the back wall, behind the Turret. It takes an attacker a few seconds to launch the rocket and to finish the mission.

Weapons & Pickups

Weapons

Weapon lockers

Pickups

Vehicles and turrets

Tips & tricks

Offensive

By far the most powerful weapon of the attackers is the Goliath. With the proper protection, the Goliath can be used all the way to the final objective, making every objective significantly easier to complete. It will take more time to retrieve it after it's been destroyed, but it may be worth it in the end.

Defensive

The only vehicle the defending team has is the Raptor. Although the Raptor will lose in a battle against the full vehicle division of the attacking team, it can be very useful against attackers on foot (despite the fact that the attackers always carry an AVRiL).

Trivia

• AS-Thrust was the 1st place winner in the "Best Assault Level" category in Phase IV of the Make Something Unreal Contest
• AS-Thrust was 1 of the 3 maps from the Community Bonus Pack 2 that were chosen for the Bonus Pack 2 (the other two being CTF-BP2-Pistola and CTF-BP2-Concentrate)