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Overview

The subject of this article appeared in Unreal Tournament 2004.

"Stationed at 24,000 feet and veiled behind blinding fog and constant snow, Arctic Stronghold provided the perfect place to conduct unsanctioned military experiments for use against the Skaarj. Restructured for Onslaught, this arena allows several paths to your enemy, and countless paths to death for the foolish or unwary."
Map description

ONS-ArcticStronghold is an Onslaught map for Unreal Tournament 2004.

Map description[]

Ut2004-ONS-Arcticstronghold-Keyguide

Keyguide by KurlonT.

ArcticStronghold default

Default link setup.

ArcticStronghold choke point

Choke Point link setup.

As the name gives away, this map is set in a small snowy valley with a dense blue fog. It's a bit of a compact Onslaught map with plenty of z-axis gameplay because of the many rocks and cliffs. The map is slightly asymmetrical, but the bases are built exactly the same. There's a bridge in the very center of the map, acting as the choke point of it. The Red Base is located at the Northeast corner of the map, while the Blue Base is located in the Southwest corner.

The following named areas are featured in the map:

  • Outside: The main playing area, holds all the nodes.
  • Red Base: Located at the northeast of the map.
  • Blue Base: Locates at the southwest of the map.
  • North Node: The area holding the Red Prime Node.
  • East Node: The area holding the East Node.
  • Central Node: The area holding the Central Node.
  • South Node: The area holding the Blue Prime Node.
  • West Node: The area holding the West Node.
  • Bridge: The bridge above the Central Node.

There are five nodes in this map:

  • Node 1 is the Blue Prime Node, located in a road at the east of the Blue Base.
  • Node 2 is the East Node, located in the middle of the map, at the south of the Red Base.
  • Node 3 is the West Node, also located in the middle of the map, but at the north of the Blue Base.
  • Node 4 is the Red Prime Node, located in a road at the west of the Red Base.
  • Node 5 is the Center Node, located below the central bridge of the map.

Both the Blue Prime and Red Prime nodes are located in roads near their respective bases. These nodes house an Energy Turret, a Manta and a Scorpion each.

Continuing from the Red or Blue Prime node going upwards to the west, at the top of a risc, players will find the West node. From these same nodes, but circling the snow mountain at the center-east part of the map, players can find the East node. These nodes house each an Energy Turret, a Manta and a Hellbender.

Finally, going to the center from the Blue Prime and Red Prime nodes, players will find a bridge. Below it there's the Center Node, which holds the biggest cache of the map with four energy turrets, a Raptor, a Goliath and a Scorpion.

Link Setups[]

  • Default: Both Cores connected to their respective Prime nodes. Both Prime nodes connected to the West, Center and East nodes.
  • Choke Point: Both Cores connected to their respective Prime nodes. The Blue Core is also connected to the West Node, while the Red Core is connected to the East Node. Both Primes and the West and East Nodes are connected to the Center Node. This setup avoids the dreaded "Enemy prime stalemate" situation, but makes the Center Node the bottleneck of the map.

Weapons and pickups[]

Weapons[]

Weapon Count Location
W: 2
A: 4
Weapon: 1x Red Base, western entrance. 1x Blue Base, eastern entrance.
Ammo: 2x Near the Red Base weapon. 2x Near the Blue Base weapon.
W: 4
A: 4
Weapon: 1x Crossroads between the road to the Bridge, the Central Area, and the Blue Base. 1x Near the crossroads from the East Node, the Blue Prime Node and the Central Area. 1x Red Base, below the ramp to upper level. 1x Blue Base, below the ramp to upper level.
Ammo: 2x Near the Blue Base weapon. 2x Near the Red Base weapon.
W: 2
A: 2
Weapon: 1x Lamp near the Blue Base. 1x Energy Turret guarding the Red Base.
Ammo: 1x Near the Blue Base Lamp weapon.
W: 4
A: 9
Weapon: 1x Near a turret looking at Central Area on the Blue side. 1x Bridge area, behind a bunker. 1x Near a turret near the Blue base. 1x Blue Base, eastern entrance. 1x Red Base, western entrance.
Ammo: 2x Near the Blue turret weapon. 2x Near the Bridge area weapon. 1x Near the Blue Base turret weapon. 2x Near the Blue Base weapon. 2x Near the Red Base weapon.
W: 1
Weapon: 1x Central Area, at a ledge accessible by falling from the bridge or by a nearby jumppad.

Weapon Lockers[]

Items Count Location
Link GunMinigunRocket LauncherAVRiL
4 1x Blue base, upper level. 1x Blue base, lower level. 1x Red base, upper level. 1x Red base, lower level.
Shock RifleLink GunAVRiLLightning Gun
2 1x Near the West Node. 1x Near the East Node.
Mine LayerLink GunFlak CannonAVRiL
2 1x Near the Red Prime Node. 1x Near the Blue Prime Node.
Link GunMinigunGrenade LauncherAVRiLLightning Gun
1 1x Central Area, near the Center Node.

Pickups[]

Pickup Count Location
12
6x Blue Base, near the Power Core. 6x Red Base, near the Power Core.
15
1x Lamp near the Blue Base. 1x Facing the Central Area from the end of a road to the Blue Base. 1x Upper road between Red Prime Node and West Node. 1x Crossroads between the road to the Bridge, the Central Area, and the Blue Base. 1x Western road to Central Area. 1x Central Area. 1x Upper road from Blue Prime Node to East Node. 1x Near the Blue Prime Node turret. 1x Blue Base, upper level, western entrance, behind the big pipe. 1x Red Base, upper level, eastern entrance, behind the big pipe. 1x Western road to the Central Node from Blue Base. 1x Near the Blue Base outside turret. 1x Red Base, lower level, eastern entrance. 1x Upper road to East Node. 1x Near the Red Base turret.
1
1x Southeast crossroads between the road to the Central Area and the roads to the East Node and the Red Base.
4
1x Red Base, lower level, eastern entrance. 1x Blue Base, lower level, western entrance. 1x Central Area. 1x Upper road between Red Prime Node and West Node.
1
1x Near the Blue Prime Node.

Vehicles[]

Vehicle Count Location
9
1x Central Area. 1x East Node. 1x West Node. 1x Red Prime Node Node. 1x Blue Prime Node. 1x Blue Base, lower level, western entrance. 1x Red Base, lower level, western entrance. 1x Blue Base, lower level, eastern entrance. 1x Red Base, lower level, eastern entrance.
3
1x Central Area. 1x Red Base, upper level, eastern entrance. 1x Blue Base, upper level, western entrance.
5
1x Central Area. 1x Red Base, lower level, western entrance. 1x Blue Base, lower level, eastern entrance. 1x Red Prime Node. 1x Blue Prime Node.
4
1x East Node. 1x Blue Base, lower level, western entrance. 1x West Node. 1x Red Base, lower level, western entrance.
3
1x Red Base, lower level. 1x Blue Base, lower level. 1x Bridge Area.
18
1x Red Base, upper level, eastern entrance. 1x Blue Base, upper level, western entrance. 1x Red Base, lower level, eastern entrance. 1x Blue Base, lower level, western entrance. 1x Red Base, upper level, eastern entrance. 1x Blue Base, upper level, western entrance. 1x Red Base, lower level, eastern entrance. 1x Blue Base, lower level, western entrance. 4x Bridge area, two at each extreme of the bridge. 1x Near the Red Prime Node, facing the Central Area. 1x Near the East Node. 1x Near the Red Prime Node, facing at the node. 1x Facing the Central Area from the end of a road to the Blue Base. 1x Near the Blue Base. 1x Near the Red Base.

Tips and tricks[]

  • The locations of both the Keg O' Health and the Super Shield gives the team starting at the Blue Base an advantage.

Prima Official Guide[]

"Welcome to Arctic Stronghold, a map filled with moguls and hills. Starting at either base, find your first PowerNode on a hill to the right. Either follow the ravine to the middle node and hold the bridge, or head around the outside to PowerNode #2, then to enemy PowerNode #1 and a base assault. Also check the areas between the PowerNodes for shield and health packs, and always pack an AVRiL to avoid enemy bombardment.

Home Base
Each base has four entrances (two on the ground, two in the air), along with two turrets on top, and two below. A 50 shield pack is at one end of the lower entrance, with a health pack at the other. This well-placed base can be attacked only from the front, and the core is behind impenetrable glass and a ramp, making sniping impossible. Hold the enemy at the four entrances (mainly the ground) and you'll be fine, especially as this links only to PowerNode #1.

PowerNode 1
Located on a hill and featuring a turret linked to the PowerNode (available once the PowerNode is linked), this node is essential for attacking or defending a base. The lack of larger vehicles means you must snipe or use the turrets. The height is an advantage. The node links to both #2 nodes and the middle node. Note the grenade launcher (and ammo pack) near each mogul and base, which is useful for both offensive and defensive combat.

PowerNode 2
Both PowerNode #2s link to a PowerNode #1, and the rest of the node is exposed except for a nearby turret. Use the visibility to launch attacks from below or set up spider mines. Go for either the bridge or the opposing PowerNode #1 before attacking the enemy base.

Middle PowerNode
The key to a decisive victory is holding the middle PowerNode and the bridge above it. Use the Goliath tank and four turrets. The ravine contains two health packs, a 50 shield pack, a big keg-o-health, and a mine layer. The jump pad next to the PowerNode is the quickest way to the tank and the redeemer.

PowerNode to Joy: Planning Victory
The first part of your plan is to take PowerNode #1. Then send a Raptor pilot zipping to the middle node. He should land on the ledge, pick up the redeemer, and then either wait for the bridge PowerNode to come online, or fly into the enemy units at their PowerNode #1 and deal out a redeemer. Fly to a plateau accessible only by the Raptor, then fire off a redeemer into a huge mass of foes.
Have the rest of your team descend on the bridge and hold it while a splinter group heads to PowerNode #2. You can take the enemy PowerNode #1 instead of taking the bridge or PowerNode #2, depending on the enemy reaction. When you head to the enemy base, split your forces, use the Goliath tank, and send in a couple teammates while other vehicles get into range.
Use the big guns from the Goliath and Hellbender main turrets. Peek over a hill, blast a PowerNode, and retreat. The Hellbender turret has exceptional range, so blast targets from afar. When the enemy moves toward you, gun them down!"


Offense[]

The open layout of the field is excellent for sniper support when raiding nodes. Shock Rifles and Sniper Rifles can be great tools for distant takeouts, and even keep damage on the node to prevent reinforcements from spawning. Use the cliffs via Raptors, Manta jumps, or the Low-Grav/Quad Jump modifiers to your advantage in gaining a better nest.

Defense[]

Because of the openness and many paths to nodes, defense is incredibly difficult. Be sure to defend from the intersections that lead to a node, so that you are fighting the opponent before he can even attack the node itself. This is especial to the node next to the opponent's base, as the opponent has the advantage of close-spawning firepower.

Be wary of drop raids from Mantas, and infantry when Low-Grav/Quad Jump make long falls from the bridge an easy feat.

Link setup-specific tips[]

  • Default:
    • Having trouble with a node? Due to the triple-path of the default layout, you can easily cut off one of the lateral or center nodes by attacking the node next to their base.
  • Choke Point:
    • The Central Node becomes a key point in this setup, so be sure to defend the bridge. Not only is the node important in the layout, but it is also a major path going base to base for the vehicles. The obvious tip is to defend it at all costs once you have powered it.
    • If you started at the Red Base, focus on getting the Blue Prime controlled, as the Blue Base team has both goodies.

Trivia[]

Popularity[]

Main article: Annex:Unreal Tournament 2004 Final Stats
  • Until the stats for the game were shut down, the map held the distinction of being the 26th. most played UT2004 map of all-time, with nearly 96.000 matches.[1]

Preview Notes[]

"Similar in layout to (but slightly bigger than) the "Torlan" map from the UT2004 demo, "Arctic Stronghold" features almost all of UT2004's new vehicles. Each team starts with a Goliath tank at their base, and another tank sits at the bridge high above the central power node.

Like Torlan, the central node often becomes a focal point for the action, but can be bypassed completely, making points 1 and 4 the keys to the map (yes, the nodes are now numbered on the in-game map).

Also note the small print on our Hellbender license plate -- not only does your ride carry your name, but also an '04 registration sticker and a small message."
GameSpy[2]


External links and references[]

  1. "Unreal Tournament 2004 Stats - Maps". UT2004 Stats. Archived from the original on Nov 25, 2018. Retrieved Aug 25, 2024.
  2. "ONS-ArcticStronghold". GameSpy. Archived from the original on Jan 8, 2008. Retrieved Nov 10, 2024.

See also[]

Unreal Tournament 2004 Onslaught maps
ONS-ArcticStrongholdONS-CrossfireONS-DawnONS-DriaONS-FrostbiteONS-PrimevalONS-RedPlanetONS-SeveranceONS-Torlan
XP Bonus maps: ONS-AridoomONS-Ascendancy
ECE Bonus Pack maps: ONS-AdaraONS-IslandHopONS-TrickyONS-Urban
Semi-official maps: ONS-IcarusONS-Sidaro
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