Thoughts on VIP Map Pack 3 for BFBC2

Today I played a few matches of squad deathmatch on Nelson Bay, and I’ve got to say it: Nelson Bay must be the best map on the SDM mode. A bold claim? Perhaps. Hear me out.

Nelson Bay features just the right mix of all the other maps on this mode. The mode takes place in half of the second part of NB, as well as reasonably beyond the third section of NB. This makes the map bigger than Isla Innocentes, which frankly is too small, but not as big as Arica Harbor, which is too big. It doesn’t have an abundance of destruction 2.0 buildings which means that the pressure and excitement that is only possible on White Pass once the buildings are destroyed is experienced from the get-go. The main points of cover seems to be the landscape itself, but the map is not conducive of camping wookies. Not once during my matches did I encounter the usual camping problems which plagues this game. This automatically makes it better than maps like Laguna Alta on this mode.

If it does suffer from something, it would be the inclusion of the tank. The map is simply not made to support such raw power, and every time I played it always became a race to who got the tank first. Having the tank enabled players to lay absolute wreckage on the rest of the teams. I suspect that this will encourage wide usage of the assholy, but possibly necessary tactic of placing anti-tank mines in front of/behind the tank before it spawns just to ensure that no one gets the tank.

I also noticed that players did not seem to truly grasp just how far back the map allowed you to go. Plenty of people liked to hide on the far right side of the map, by the third map’s alpha/near the stationary at/ near the one story house, though. This is a common spot for people to sneak around in on Rush mode, and this hasn’t changed for SDM. Expect to encounter at least one person every time you pass near this area. It’s a people magnet, in the same way that one of the hills on Laguna Alta tends to be.

Despite having mostly atrocious matches playing with randoms today, I recognize the true potential for fun that is possible on this map. I look forward to playing with a well-oiled squad–and you should too. Who would have thought, the worst map on rush might just be the best map on SDM?