NS_Ayumi:

Summary:
Ayumi is a visually stunning map IMHO, and I think this map plays very well, but it can easily become one sided if a team does not play aggressive.

Key Points On the Map:



Cold Turn: This is a great location for an outer base. With easy movement to pressure hive, and the ability to siege Hamasaki, this is a key location to try to hold.
Eastern Entrance: Much like its cousing Cold Turn, you can easily get to Hamasaki and AE35 hives with a short walk.


Siege Positions:
All siege positions below have been combat tested for accuracy and ease of defense. The sieges in the picture below are placed AS FAR AWAY FROM THE HIVE AS POSSIBLE while still reaching.

Pressure Control Hive:



Siege Point I:
Approaching the hive from Marine Start, this position is sometimes difficult to hold unless you weld the vents behind you to keep aliens from flanking you. You can actually set up a phase gate against the Server Outlet node, but it's a short run to the TF, which can make for a problem. MAke sure to build the TF and sieges on the platform area, gives your marines more maneuverability. Also, place at least one turret where it can shoot under the PG. Elec doesn't work properly on ledges sometimes and a skulk could bite the PG from underneath it unharmed. There are weldable vents behind the outpost and one vent that comes out right above the outpost from the hive, so watch for gorges and lerks there.



Siege Point II:
If you are moving in from Cold Turn, this is a good place to set up siege. By building the TF/PG on the corner, aliens must risk themselves more openly to attack. Placing the sieges against the other wll gives your marines a clear hallway to shoot from. There is a vent behind this location from Server outlet, so watch for flanking aliens. Also, there is a vent directly above this location, so keep a gl spamming in there, or keep your eyes on it for lerks, ambushing skulks, or bile bombing gorges.



Hamasaki Hive:



Siege Point I:
If moving from Pressure Control hive, or sneaking in from Eastern Entrance side, this is the prefered location to siege from. You can build all the buildings IN the Resouce towere room and keep it protected by electrifying the RT. Even the sieges can go inside. I recommend placing the TF in the back of the room behind the RT, where it is most protected. Place the sieges and PG in a way that the elec from the RT will reach any alien attackers.



Siege Point II:
If you are moving in from Marine Start or AE35, set up a PG against the node in Eastern Entrance and build the TF in the corner by the hallway. This is tricky because you will have to go around the corner to build the sieges, leaving your team more vulnerable. PLace the sieges against the wall nearest Eastern Entrance and pack them tightly for aliens can be pickked off by LMG fire. If the resources permit, drop a turret or two to protect the sieges, and have the marines focuse mostly on higher lifeforms and protecting TF.



AE35 Hive:



Siege Point I:
This location is an easy walk from Marine Start, and has two automatic doors behind which can alert you to something coming from behind. There is a vent directly above this location that leads to the hive, so be wary of lerks/gorges/skulks. The TF does not need to be around the corner, so place it back near the door so aliens have to be vulnerable to attack it. Place the sieges along walls and in corners to keep a clear line of sight.



Siege Point II:
Most people hardly ever siege from this location because early game point one is better, and late game you can easily GL spam the hive. But if you do siege, you can build the turret factory further back against the wall in the other hallway, and buld the sieges around the corner. That way the TF is more secure, and marines can focus instead on the hive and getting the sieges up. You could actually just run fromt he PG in Eastern Entrance if you have it instead of building another PG.





I hope this guide will help you better understand this map, and you can become a better commander and marine. Please, if you know of any added strategies regarding shotgus rushes, relocation, even well used chamber placements and skulk hiding spots, add them. Let's make this a comprehensive strategy for anyone new to commanding to this map.

Well done. Any plans for more maps?

You did my favorite map!

Like I wrote on your agora thread, you should move the command basics part to its own thread and link it. Also more discussion of these siege spots from the marine point of view would be helpful to commanders. Marines are needed to defend a location even if you have turrets and electricity, so you should consider building placement from their point of view.

As far as sieging on this map, pretty much the only staple is cold turn. Not only is this spot open, with a resource node and within siege range, but it's a stepping stone to both the other hives too, as you mentioned.

If their hive is pressure you can usually walk in with marines, build an armory, spam mines, then siege if necessary to kill the hive (frequently unnecessary). If their hive is ae35, you can block both hives off by locking down cold turn. Both eastern entrance and the hallway below ae35 are difficult to hold because they have multiple vents going into them and are small with low ceilings.

I don't recommend even trying to build eastern entrance node unless you're going to electrify it.

If a skulk is munching on it, a marine doesn't have the means to kill him (usually by strafing around the tower and shooting whenever he's visable). If you can get a phase below ae35 (to the west on the map), it's just as easy to run in and shoot the hive (probably dying, phasing, and running in again) as it is to siege, since while you're running in, they're not attacking you in the hallway, if you're at all successful. I've seen many heavy trains get chewed up by a couple skulks at the entrance to that hive because it's so difficult to maneuver around there.

The only real difficulty for marines on this map is holding nodes. Most of the nodes are in tiny rooms with good vent access. If you can keep pressure on the aliens' hives you should win every game because of the craptacularness of the hives.

Post more guides

I'm not a forumite, but I'll try to add more as I go. I've been basically going through them alphabetically, but on the server I frequent (LunixMonster) someone requested ns_metal.
The only bad thing is I was marine on agora, not commanding, but gorges were laming up my siege spots...

Thanks for the feedback guys, and remember, add to it anything you think would benefit. I'm mostly only covering siege positions, not marine/alien favored nodes, etc.

It takes a special breed of marine to not be able to clear an OC though

And honestly, if they get the res for a formidable amount of OCs in siegespots - just laugh. The puny amount of lifeforms they field lets you out-tech them via HA with no problems, which happens to also hard-counter OCs.

That aside, you have any headaches from playing alot ? You seem to be running 60 freaking Hz on your monitor (its definitely not default HL cap, which is 72 - so its VSync + no refreshrate fix). Fix that, and suddenly the evil, flickering 60hz spell LunixMonster has put on you will go away and you'll play where people are not as protective of their epenis

I'm playing on an laptop, LCD, not affected by refresh rate.

err if you have headaches from playing alot, do the obvious and give yourself a break- do some long range eye work for at least 20 min....


but helpful post on ayumi

Ive never seen anyone put seiges in cold turn inside the res room, gj for finding that out, ive seen so many bases biled down there. Seems a bit overpowered IMO.

Nice tips, good effort

:0

++Efficiency

I wish I had my own web space for hosting images, I'd do guides like this in my spare time. From the soldier perspective. Where to stand and how to cover and such for each room sector on a map.

I like this a lot. Tell me there are more around to bump.

Bringing this up

why D:

shouldnt u have, like, something new to add?

I think there should be a sub-forum for com discussion, and map guides like this and my one(s).