WAR-Islander: A comprehensive guide

[bclagge]

This is a guide I wrote for my own clan back in April. Now pretty much everything in here is common knowledge, so there's no longer any incentive to keep it private. Enjoy! I gaurantee you no matter your skill level you will learn something from this guide.

These forums shrink my screen shots down, so if you want to see the fill shot just click the pic.

Vehicle side

Defending the prime node
The vehicle side controls the prime node most of the time, and must defend against
attacks by the enemy orb carrier. The orb MUST stay and defend the prime node.
The only other use for it would be to cap air node, but the circumstances must be
perfect or dire. When you get the chance be sure to grab the AVRIL just below prime in
case you have to deal with a raptor. Expect the enemy orb to come from any direction
(I go over the routes below). Use the radar to determine which way they are coming. A
properly timed shock combo may prevent you from ever having to see your oppenent.
Don't be afraid to fall on the enemy orb as it will take far longer for the enemy orb
to make it back than it will take you to pick up yours again.

A tank or Paladin should be planted between the prime node and the core to take care of
orb carriers and other attackers. If you choose Paladin be prepared to use the shield
to protect the core rather than attack.

Any 1 vehicle should go for air node. You'll have to take it the long way underneath
the enemy turrets. For this to be successful you have to suppress the turrets first.
Everyone on foot should go for them straight away as it only takes two AVRILs. Once at air node a tank is nearly undefeatable as long as it is kept faithfully healed.
Besides protecting the node, the tank can also land shells directly on the enemy AVRIL
spawn, denying them that essential weapon.

Due to it's fast speed and spammy weapon the Hellbender has many applications on this
map. It can be used to snipe from the hill next to prime. It can be use to deny the
enemy the high ground in the middle. Just set it in front of the jump pad underneath
the AVRIL ammo and fire three skymine combos at a time. Anyone jumping up there will
be annihilated. In a pinch it can be used to cover the prime node. It should be moved
around to keep the enemy on their toes.

DO NOT give the enemy a vehicle. It's far better to die with it.

*Update 08/08
Keep an eye on the Air Node and pay attention to if and when the enemy gains control of it. As soon as it goes up you can be pretty sure there's going to be Raptors taking off to take out your tanks. Have an AVRIL in the air and ready to take them down once the Air node goes up.

Air node suppression
Controlling the air node is a boon for sure. However preventing the enemy from
building the node and getting the raptors is even more important than having the
raptors. The air node can be hit from areas all over the vehicle side. From the AVRIL
spawn the tank (and people on foot I suppose) can hit the air node. It is also a great
place to take out an enemy orb carrier making the jump to air node:

The tank can also hit it from the other side, but it requires that the tank be just
barely exposed to the turrets. However people on foot can strike it with impunity:

As you'll soon figure out, I LOVE ROUTES. Here's another one that enables you to
get to air node even if you can't make it to the jump pad.


Attacking the enemy core
Great, now we have an impenetrable barrier of vehicles, strategy and skill. Now all
that's left to do is attack the enemy core. There are three routes in.

Route #1:
Flying the raptor in is the easiest route. Ideally towing someone, fly low directly
from the air node to the inner left wall of the enemy base. With luck you'll make it
in before you're struck by 2 AVRILs. If you make it in to attack the core, try not to
jump out of the raptor too early. You'd like the enemy to destroy it after you bail.

*Update 08/08
There are several ledges above the Turret tracks you can drop the Raptor on near the core that will prevent the enemy from stealing it.

Route #2:
Right in the front door underneath the enemy AVRIL spawn is the simplest route.
However the enemy is constantly flooding past this point making it also the most
dangerous. The best way to approach it is to come from the south and hug the wall.
Often times the enemy will jump over you and never realize you passed under their nose. If there is a rocket turret covering this entrance you will have to hit the first jump
pad if it doesn't kill you first. Then make your way around the left side as you are
less likely to bump into someone.

Route #3:
My favorite route is the most complicated and difficult. If you make it successfully
it is also the most direct and least dangerous. Marked on the map below accompanied by a screen shot is a medium difficulty hoverboard jump. Try to ramp up the slope and hop off the hoverboard at the height of the jump. There is another spot to the left of the
one marked that also works. Just use the one you feel better at.


If you cannot make the jump at all, there is another easier but more exposed way up.
Past the jump but before the barricade there is a series of ledges, marked in red
below. Again a hoverboard jump is necessary to get up, but it's a much easier one. If
you are up to it a more difficult but faster jump is marked in green.

Okay! You've completely step 1. o.O Make your way towards the enemy base, staying out of sight if you have to. The rocket turret can be a problem, but it doesn't take much
damage to discourage him usually. Here's where it gets tricky. To get from 1 to 2
requires you be on your hoverboard, but due to the terrain it's hard to hit the right
spot. Do a double jump to get from 2 to 3. To get from 3 to 4, you have to run pretty
close to the edge and do a double jump. Landing on the little platform farther from
you is hard as it's a very small spot to land on. If you land on the large ledge
before it you will not be able to get where you need to be. Do a SINGLE jump from 4 to
5, as a double jump will cause you to hit the building above you fall to the ground.

The green route is a hammer jump if you can do one. So you say, why go through all
that if all I had to do is hammer jump? I can't do one so I had to figure out this
convoluted route.


Lastly, the redeemer cannot be guided into the core, it hits a barrier that reflects it
away. It should be carried in and dumb fired.

Fortress side

Defending the base
The shock turrets should used to cover the kill zone in front of the air node and also
to cover the front door. The rocket turrets I don't usually use but are most effective
against raptors attacking the core. There should be a dedicated sniper covering the
area in front of the base and also Route #3 discussed above. This person is also on
raptor duty and the AVRIL ammo should be reserved for him. Usually it's only possible
to land one AVRIL per person before the raptor gets in so anyone else should also send
one up. A tank going to air node is an emergency and anyone in the area should drop
what they are doing and take it out before it gets up there.

*Update 08/08
Keep an eye on Air Node. If and when the enemy gains control of it you can be sure there will be Raptors taking off soon to attack your base. Have an AVRIL out and ready to go once Air node is up.

Attacking the enemy core
The fortress side is at a disadvantage because their core is almost always vulnerable.
The way to win is to take their core out quick before they can sneak enough past you to
kill the core. The air node is very important as it makes taking out the tanks much
easier and provides a safe route for the orb.

Vehicle control is essential! Sans raptors the AVRIL is the best way to control
vehicles. Here is a grand tip: AVRILs can be "hijacked" by an ally if you do not lock
on a target within 2 seconds of firing. Thus is makes AVRIL volleys possible with only
1 person vulnerable. If four people fire an AVRIL up over the middle island and a
single person jump pads up he can lock all four AVRILs and take out a tank in
ONE shot. Otherwise try and get high ground on the tanks so there is nothing
behind you to be splashed from. The hill south of prime node is good for attacking
tanks behind prime. Also from the 50 shield island there is a land bridge that makes a
great attack point.

Orb Route #1:
Leave the base via the turret tracks. Then jump down on the north side and go up the
hill to air node. Do not go up the middle directly to the jump pad because you will
almost certainly be killed, and at the least inform the enemy from which direction
you're coming from.

If this route is undesirable there is a way to get to the jump pad at air node with
minimal exposure. In front of the island with the shaped charge, use this hoverboard
jump:

Then from there it's only a short distance to the jump pad. However if this route is
blocked you'll either have to backtrack or go left and up the middle which is rarely
recommended. There is a jump pad at air node that throws you to the island with the 50
shield directly next to prime node. From here you have four good choices. Jump down
onto the ledge directly below (where a smart player will have a shock combo waiting for
you) or do a double jump/dodge to the ledges to the left and right. You'll want to be
sure there's no tank behind prime node otherwise you have no choice than to try and
take it out first. The fourth option is to do a hoverboard jump onto the roof of the
building, from which you can use any entrance or drop down through the hole in the
roof.

Orb Route#2:
Leave the base going by the southern barricade this time. Pass the barricade and go up
the hill next to prime node. You can go around the left side or you can do a
hoverboard jump up the right side.


Once up there you do a hoverboard jump or a dodge over to the ledge. The only problem with this route is that it is extremely predictable as there's only one ledge to jump onto. There are other ways to mix it up, but those two are the primary routes.

I did it! I capped the prime node! But now I'm dead. Now what?
You are pretty much guaranteed to die on an orb run. Your only hope is that your team
has set up in firing positions as you capped. The core can be hit from the 50 shield
island or from the hill to the south. From the middle island there are two points that
can strike the core from a distance, one by the AVRIL ammo and one in front of the
shaped charge. The one on the left also extends to the ground in front of the island.



Alright, that's all I got! I expect all of you to be the MVP of the pubs now.

*Update 08/08
Two little tidbits that have been discovered recently that have limited use but are effective in certain circumstances.

If there's a vehicle at Air node and you need to take it out there is a sneaky way to do so. Leaving the fortress follow the Turret tracks out towards Air node. Close to the end is a couple of crates stacked. A fully charged Impact Hammer jump will get you from the crates to the top of that structure. From there you can hit vehicles at Air Node. You're above Air Node, so tanks will not be able to hit you with splash damage.

Near the Sniper Rifle spawn in the fortress and right where the Rocket Turret tracks stick out from the fortress a little you can snipe directly into the prime node building. Great for taking out the orb carrier from across the map. You can also hit the core with the Sniper Rifle as well. It's not much damage, but if you don't have time to get somewhere else you can snag a couple of points of damage. No other weapon makes the distance, except maybe Stinger alt fire.

War-Islander - Features or Exploits?

*Update 11/09
A year and a half later! Thank you Nightmare for providing a fully illustrated addition to this guide.

I think we all know this maps gives players many possibilities.
It is not as limited as other maps.
So it may be difficult to say what an exploit is and what not.

1. Redeemer can be reached without using a Raptor.
Just get on the hoverboard and move over the water until you reach the jump pad place.
After that you get again on the hoverboard to go to another place near the big platform.
Now you can use the hammer jump to get on one edge.
From the edge you can reach the Redeemer.





2. Airnode can be arrived by a backdoor way
You can jump on a rock near the trees.
Then you can walk or hover on it.
At the and you can either make a hammer jump or jump with the hoverboard.
Now you will be on the Airnode.
Theoretically, you can reach the Airnode by many other ways, only with hammer jumps.
(Just on the other cliffs.)



3. Going to east core #1
Near the Airnode (Sniper place) you can use the hoverboard or the hammer to get on the cliffs.
After that you will reach the turrets.
You could reach these places when you hang on a Raptor as well.



4. Going to east core #2
Just make a hoverboard jump to reach the big cliffs.
From there you will have a lot of freedom.
With a hammer jump you can easily enter the east core side.




5. Camping near and at the east core (water)
You cannot use your hoverboard, because you will be pushed away by the gravity.
However, you can move crouched very close to the left wall.
You can reach the core and you can camp there.





6. Camping on the Prime Node roof
From the place, where the armor is, you just jump and get on the hoverboard.
From this place you could destroy the tank with C4 or annoying the orb carrier with grenades etc.



Cheers!

[commiecat]

I gaurantee you no matter your skill level you will learn something from this guide.

I learned never to go up against you in an MS Paint battle.

[rhiridflaidd]

Brilliant.

[oldkawman1]

Wow! Awsome! Yes, many cool things like tactics and routes. I learned some very interesting stuff from your guide. Answers the nagging questions, were did he come from and how do I get there.

That is much more detailed than my version.

vehicle side ->
n00bs + tank = lose
n00bs + bender = lose
n00bs + orb = lose

fortress side ->
air node + teamwork = only chance to win
n00bs + orb = lose

both sides ->
raptor = redeemer access

[Crayfish]

Really nice guide bclagge, great work. I'd recomend joining up to just warfare.com forums too. They have some excellent guides and vidclips in thier members only forum sections covering lots of routes and other strats for all the main Warfare and VCTF maps. Thanks again.

[ZzyzX]

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!
I knew just about everything in this guide expect for those great multiple hoverboard/hammer jumps. Thanks so much!

[MoonBlood]

Nice, but I have more!


This is the best/safest way up on the rocks. Ignore all others, unless you're on defense side.


Hoverboard up on the roof and you can fire down on the orb carrier/node.


Hammerjump here (or hoverboard jump if you can) and you get a nice view of the entire field.


Hoverboard jump up to the armour without going to air. This is mostly useless, but you get awesome points if you do it during a match.

[bclagge]

ROFL at oldkawman. Your guide is 100% accurate!

Thanks Moonblood, I didn't know about that last one. There's always more to know about Islander!

[Oldskool0482]

Moonblood is definitely awesome with paint and smiley faces! And on the second picture, that little swirl do i spin around then fire on the node? I'm comfuzed! lols.

[rek]

this warfare thing intrigues me...

[DrUnKenSTeiN]

Great guide._ I cant be sure but i think i invented the slope n jump to the step n then balconylike to blue core. Im doinit for many months now( really many ).It served me well for a long time . Really nice guide again !

[radziuinblack]

Very nice guide!
But, theres something from me to.


By gaining this roof, u can attack enemy units hiding around the hill or base, also with ability to attack enemy prime node from back.

[Moloko]

Teams being equal the vehicle side usually win, I think it may be interesting if both sides could have two orbs at the same time in play or even 2:1(2 for turret team) as the turret side's chances are totally dependent on who is taking the orb(I'd be interested to see the 2:1 idea game tested)

[bclagge]

By gaining this roof, u can attack enemy units hiding around the hill or base, also with ability to attack enemy prime node from back.

That one I did not know. Thanks!

[Gameslaya]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but you can take the raptor over to an island over in the water. There is a redeemer there, which is oven pivotal for either side in causing massive damage to the cores, depending on the pilot's skill.

I pride myself in being able to hit the Fortress core dead on with just a controller.

[Gameslaya]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but you can take the raptor over to an island over in the water. There is a redeemer there, which is oven pivotal for either side in causing massive damage to the cores, depending on the pilot's skill.

I pride myself in being able to hit the Fortress core dead on with just a controller.

Lastly, the redeemer cannot be guided into the core, it hits a barrier that reflects it
away. It should be carried in and dumb fired.

This has never been true me.

[bclagge]

I wrote this quite a while back. I recall it being the case when I wrote it, but it's true I have seen that it's not true since. Whether they changed it or I was just wrong, I'll never know .

This guide needs some updating. If I were to write it again today it would look different. But, I'm not going to change it because there's not a large enough audience anymore. I'm glad some people are still getting use from it though.

[azurescorch]

Was fixed when the titan pack came out. I'm pretty sure.

[Gameslaya]

I wrote this quite a while back. I recall it being the case when I wrote it, but it's true I have seen that it's not true since. Whether they changed it or I was just wrong, I'll never know .

This guide needs some updating. If I were to write it again today it would look different. But, I'm not going to change it because there's not a large enough audience anymore. I'm glad some people are still getting use from it though.

Hey, this is the first time I noticed this guide. It's actually very helpful- I never noticed some of those paths into the fortress before. I have always powered my way through the front door, with less than satisfactory results. Hence, my Redeemer use instead.

It may be possible that the PS3 version does not have a barrier, but the PC version does.

[Pemphigus]

Some of things are missing:- u don t explain how get the tank/paladin on the base(vehicules side)
-u don t say u can easily going in fortress base with a hammer jump
-u don t explain u can take the deemer without a raptor
-u don t explain u can go with the tank on the top of the mountain(fortress side)
-u don t explain u can go on the core(fortress side)
ect.....

[Nightmare85]

The Redeemer problem was fixed by a patch, as azurescorch said.

I think Islander is a problematical topic at all.
It gives players a lot of free space (which may be good), but it creates many questions and doubts at the same time.

Many months ago, I sent this e-mail to a Multiplay admin.
I think it's not a crime to write it here as well since almost all veteran players know those tricks:

War-Islander - Features or Exploits?

I think we all know this maps gives players many possibilities.
It is not as limited as other maps.
So it may be difficult to say what an exploit is and what not.

1. Redeemer can be reached without using a Raptor.
Just get on the hoverboard and move over the water until you reach the jump pad place.
After that you get again on the hoverboard to go to another place near the big platform.
Now you can use the hammer jump to get on one edge.
From the edge you can reach the Redeemer.





2. Airnode can be arrived by a backdoor way
You can jump on a rock near the trees.
Then you can walk or hover on it.
At the and you can either make a hammer jump or jump with the hoverboard.
Now you will be on the Airnode.
Theoretically, you can reach the Airnode by many other ways, only with hammer jumps.
(Just on the other cliffs.)



3. Going to east core #1
Near the Airnode (Sniper place) you can use the hoverboard or the hammer to get on the cliffs.
After that you will reach the turrets.
You could reach these places when you hang on a Raptor as well.



4. Going to east core #2
Just make a hoverboard jump to reach the big cliffs.
From there you will have a lot of freedom.
With a hammer jump you can easily enter the east core side.




5. Camping near and at the east core (water)
You cannot use your hoverboard, because you will be pushed away by the gravity.
However, you can move crouched very close to the left wall.
You can reach the core and you can camp there.





6. Camping on the Prime Node roof
From the place, where the armor is, you just jump and get on the hoverboard.
From this place you could destroy the tank with C4 or annoying the orb carrier with grenades etc.



You can decide if it can be used for the 1st post or if it is unnecessary.

P.S: As far as I remember, the admin and me had the same opinion: #5 = exploit

Cheers!

[bclagge]

Some of things are missing:

The guide is designed to show you how to best win the map, not how to do every tiny thing on it. As I said in the post, I wrote it for my clan initially and only winning strategies were necessary for that.

- u don t explain how get the tank/paladin on the base(vehicules side)

As an example, getting the paladin or tank on the vehicle base is very entertaining, but is not the best use of any of the vehicles, not even in the top three uses - therefore an explanation on how to do it was useless when I wrote the guide.

-u don t say u can easily going in fortress base with a hammer jump

Actually yes I did. 2nd to last paragraph under "attacking the enemy core."

-u don t explain u can take the deemer without a raptor

I didn't know about this. Good luck hoverboarding out there during a match instead of trying to take back air node.

@Nightmare

Thank you Nightmare for providing that! I will add your information to the bottom of the first post.

[rek]

awesome guide!!!

[Gameslaya]

Hmmm..... I'm pretty sure I've done the redeemer thingie even after the patch.

I'll give it a try later and tell you guys if the barrier works or not.

[Rhykker]

bclagge, here's a video of one of the paths you showed in your first post, on how to get into the fortress:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Sbi9DA4bCM
Starts with a fly-thru of some of the map, the camerawork isn't exactly brilliant, and the sound quality is pretty bad, but it gets the point across.

Great guide, btw.

[Pemphigus]

The guide is designed to show you how to best win the map, not how to do every tiny thing on it.

kk it s a fair aim but there s some personnal tactic i ll not give
but i think with ur information pp ll can get fun

[Hollyw00t]

DAAAAAAAAAMN, thats a huge post.

I knew the most stuff, (as a not warfare player). But some of these tips are useless.

[bclagge]

Thanks for the encouragement! Glad I could help clutter your mind with more useless crap.

[Gameslaya]

Thanks for the encouragement! Glad I could help clutter your mind with more useless crap.

I can't help but admire your excellent retort.

Anyway, I just tested the Barrier in the Fortress Core (to the East). There is none, as far as the PS3 version goes. I have both the Titan Pack and Update.

[oldkawman1]

5. Camping near and at the east core (water)
You cannot use your hoverboard, because you will be pushed away by the gravity.
However, you can move crouched very close to the left wall.
You can reach the core and you can camp there.

P.S: As far as I remember, the admin and me had the same opinion: #5 = exploit

Cheers!

I do not believe this is an exploit at all. If the mapper did not want you to do this, there would be no ledge. Snipers do the same sort of thing in a variety of places on almost every map. It's fatal if you let go of the c key. Your also an easy target when discovered.

[Cr4zy]

I do not believe this is an exploit at all. If the mapper did not want you to do this, there would be no ledge. Snipers do the same sort of thing in a variety of places on almost every map. It's fatal if you let go of the c key. Your also an easy target when discovered.

Then you are a pillock.

Mappers do not intentionally leave such things in maps, there is a volume there that damages you a ledge to avoid that is an oversight. If it's not bot pathed, usually it's not an area intended to be reached by the designers imo. As such that and a few others i'd class as exploits.

[Nightmare85]

The problem with #5:
- you are not able to reach the core with your hoverboard
- you get damage if you fall in the water
- you are able to reach the core by using the ledge.

See, it is 2:1, so in my eyes it's an exploit.
It is extremely hard for a mapper to check everything.
I bet plenty of tactics have been invited by players.
However, some of the tactics can be exploits as well.

If at least one mapper could confirm some things as exploits or features, it would be great.
Unfortunately, it will never happen.
That means we can only guess...

Cheers!

[Rhykker]

The problem with #5:
- you are not able to reach the core with your hoverboard
- you get damage if you fall in the water
- you are able to reach the core by using the ledge.

See, it is 2:1, so in my eyes it's an exploit.

I don't know if I agree or disagree about this being an exploit, but I don't think this "2:1" ratio should be used as an argument. You're inventing an arbitrary rule with imaginary statistics on how to determine whether or not something is an exploit, and positing your own biased evidence to lend credence to your point.

I could do the same thing:

- in 10 years of UT, using crouch has always been a game function that stops you from falling off ledges
- although you can't reach the water in your hoverboard, you could still swim through the water while damaging the core before you die
- bots don't use this path

See, it is 2:1, so in my eyes it's not an exploit.

That is total nonsense.


Furthermore, the fact that a bot doesn't/can't do something in no way means it's an exploit -- hammer jumps, anyone? If we were restricted to bot movement, we would have a very boring game. And just because the mapper didn't intend for something to be doable also doesn't necessarily mean it's an exploit -- again, hammer jumps, anyone? Do you really think all mappers know exactly what types of trick jumps people will come up with on their maps?


Peace
-Rhykker

[Nightmare85]

Okay, I see this "exploit vs. not an exploit" thing is not my best idea

But you must honestly agree, it looks very unreal.
And you don't even need to crouch, just walk over the invisible ledge.

I think the bots don't use hammerjumps because Epic had no pleasure to code this.
The bots aren't the smartest either way, so I cannot believe to see them using hammerjumps...
Hammerjumps open new ways, yes, but this invisible ledge is beyond good and evil...

Look, Epic made it possible for players to swim to the core.
(Maybe for the Shaped Charge, no idea, we can only guess.)
Once you are in water and reach the core, you die.
There is (as far as I know) no reason to camp on the core.
Using the hoverboard is (as said) not possible because you will be repulsed by a gravity (not sure if it's the right word.)

This invisible ledge is just a side effect.
Too bad I cannot prove it 100%.

Cheers!

[bclagge]

I've made a couple maps, and I fully believe that the ledge was unintentional and technically an exploit, although not one that I would ever waste my energy enforcing.

The designer created the core area to look a certain way. He aligned the lower meshes with the upper meshes so that they looked good, the way he liked it. Imo, he didn't realize that the collision for the lower mesh extended past the collision of the upper mesh by a tiny amount. Or if he did realize it, never expected someone to crawl back there carefully and camp on the core. If he really wanted there to be a path back there, he would hvae made it larger and more obvious.

What's a pillock?

[Nightmare85]

Okay, good to see a mapper's opinion

You ask what a pillock is?
Well, my translator says: idiot, fool
However, I doubt cr4zy wanted to insult oldkawman1 that much

Cheers!