-------Map-Specific SOCOM Guides by Alex Morgan------- -BLIZZARD- Ver. 2 10.03.02 Anthrax42@vermontel.net Hola. I am, as previously noted, Alex Morgan. I got bored one day in math class and decided to write a FAQ, so here it is. First off, this is a guide dedicated solely to the map Blizzard in the online multiplayer PS2 game, SOCOM: US Navy SEALs. You probably know this already. Second off, don't rip off my work. Chances are I won't notice, and probably won't care, and probably won't do anything about it, but don't do it anyway. If I'm in a bad mood and you do, I'll murder you torturously. Short Info On Me: My name's Alex Morgan. My name on SOCOM is Salvador, and I play in USEast. Mario should've won the character battle. I play games. Your opinion is worthless, and I live in Vermont. I think that's enough. Version Info: I finished the terrorist info, and it's all in here. This is pretty much it for content, but as long as I get suggestions/requests/blah, I'll update every week or so. TO THE FAQ! Map Name: Blizzard Game Type: Demolition Map Setting: Alaska, and snowing! Description: Blizzard is a medium-large sized level with some great spots for just about everything. It's one of the most fun levels of them all, and one of the most balanced. Everyone gets their fix in Blizzard: snipers, Rambos, campers, n00bs, and the l33t players that are a mix of them all. Visibility is medium, due to snow. It's a great level for new players, and stays great at all skill levels. Lastly, if you ever need to drop off the Cosby kids during a game, this is the only map with outhouses. W33T. Recommended Weapons: SEALs - M4A1 SD, SR-25 SD, Mark 23 SD T's - 552, AKS-74, DEagle, M82A1A What I use - M16, Mark 23 SD; AKS-74 (or M82A1A), DEagle Recommended Outfit: SEALs - They're all the same; they only differ in body height. I don't notice a difference in them, but they each have their obvious advantages. Be warned: Boomer talks like a redneck. T's - The obvious choices would be any of them but three. What I use - Boomer (To be unique); Model 3 (To be less common) Routes: (Routes are the paths you can take throughout the level, going left and right are two different routes) SEALs - Wide Left, Mid-Left, Center, Mid-Right, Wide-Right T's - Wide Left, Mid-Left, Left-Center, Right-Center, Mid-Right, Wide Right Suggested Methods: (This is where I spill my secrets and tactics I use throughout the game. These are recommendations on what to do and what not to do for each route, accompanied by a personal rating on how effective each method is.) ---------------------------- ---------------------------- SEALs ---------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------ Route 1) Wide Left ------------------ The wide left route goes left from the start preferably across the SEAL bomb zone and down the left side of the starting points. My definition of wide left goes from this left area to the furthest left spot of the map in the SEALs point-of-view, the ridge. This ridge gives good medium-to-long range fire into the Terrorist's wide right path (the equivalent to the SEALs wide left path, as they adjoin in the middle); this path is an almost inevitable spot for a firefight. This is one of hottest action zones in the map. The ridge is also a good place to provide offensive or defensive cover around the bomb. The last accessible area from the latter part of the ridge is the center area right in front of the bomb. This is another trafficked area of the map, as Terrorist bombers tend to run through there with the bomb, and SEALs tend to do the same while attempting to get it. There are a few options once you hit the end of the ridge. One ill-advised choice is rushing straight into the left tunnel that connects the Terrorist and SEAL halves of the map. I'm sure I'm not alone on cautioning against this. There chances are high that more than one Terrorist is ready to take you out as you slide into his view, while running through there. (This is my first method, and therefore my first rating.) -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 2/10------- Anywho, a better idea than rushing through there is waiting for an ignorant Terrorist to do this to you instead. Luckily, not everyone will read this and listen to me and it won't be everyone hesitating and people who do listen will rack up the frags. Waiting for a Terrorist to come to you gives you decent odds of winning, at about 50/50. Since you're expecting it, you'll probably win, but most Terrorists don't waltz through there blind - they anticipate and have a finger on the trigger. If you insist on a bloody melee in that area, this is the way to go. If you're going to do any of this, use an unsilenced gun that packs a punch like the n00bish M60E3 or the lovely M16 - no point in keeping it quiet if you're gunning them down like Godzilla with a 75-roud clip. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 4/10------- An even better idea than close-quarters combat would be to hang back and zoom in on the tunnel area, watching for movement. If you're stationary and observant, I'd say the chances of you winning a shooting match would be at slightly better than 60/40. I don't recommend this, however, with a n00b gun like the M60E3, or any other very inaccurate weapons. Attempting to pick off ready players from a distance with a gun that will only hit your target 1/20 times is never a good idea. A good gun for doing this would be the M4A1 SD or the SR-25 SD. Silencing is crucial in this area if you want to retain your element of surprise. If they see a muzzle blast the size of an A-bomb and you miss, have fun. Keep it quiet, keep it low. A good-distanced shooting spot to pick enemies off as they run through the tunnel is prone on the crest of the ridge. It's about 3/5ths of the way across the entire ridge, from when it separates from the ground until when it merges again. Lying down here early isn't a bad idea, as no one will get you from behind for a good thirty seconds minimum. A spot there is quite hard to see; I should know, having been on the receiving end quite a few times. It's a safe bet that they won't see you until it's too late, if you can aim well, and as long as you're silenced you can continue to get them as they plow through. Don't stay prone there, or anywhere, for too long or eventually you get pwned. After you're finished sniping, shooting with an accurate and ranged rifle, a better idea than going back to base, turning around at all, or heading up the middle is continuing down the tunnel you just cleared. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 6/10---- The only reason it doesn't get a 7+ is because once you've done it two or three times, they catch on and you get capped. A second good spot in that area is behind, around, or in a cluster of three trees to the 10 o'clock of the sniping spot I just mentioned. That used to be popular, but lately I haven't seen many people throwing sentry M67s in that area. It has a more clear view of the center area in front of the bomb, a decent view of the bomb itself, and slight blind spot of the left side. You can't be seen from the left side anyhow, so it doesn't make much of a difference. Varying between flank kills from that cluster of trees and sniping by that hill once or twice in a game is an adequate plan. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 6/10------- To conclude this method, going wide left in tight groups of more than two is a bad idea. The tunnel area is subject to grenades from either side. If you're going to stick wide left, go solo, with one person covering you, or in a close 2-wide formation. More than two at once is a hazard, but a 2x2 would be effective. ----------------- Route 2) Mid-Left ----------------- Mid-left is a great route, in my opinion, and one of the most versatile. Start the same way as a wide left path, but instead of heading up the ridge, duck into the glen to the immediate right of that ridge. It's dark and shadowed for significant camouflage, and it's surrounded high on both sides for great cover. There are four sensible branching points from the end of the glen. The first is to veer left and take the wide tunnel. If you want to do this, see the first method of Route 1. A second method is to go for the bomb from the exit of the valley. This is one of the better ways for a SEAL to get his hands on the bomb, as they can silently climb the cliff and sneak in to grab the bomb. A five-second job and you're out any of the three exits with a pound of C4. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 7/10------- Another fork of the valley path is to hang right and join the wide and mid-right paths while exposing yourself to the center. Individually, this is a bad idea, due to the exposure when crossing the center, but it's not always deadly. You can continue forward while strafing right and assist the right-side offense by capping T's aiming more towards your other people, or you can join on the strong side and hope you aren't nicked in the line of fire. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 5/10------- My personal favorite of all the mid-left paths is simply to linger and cover the various accessible spots. This position, just at the end of the valley but before you get into the open with some ridge still above your head on the left, is very useful and an excellent firing situation. You have exceptional cover of the bomb site in a place where they RARELY spot you, equally magnificent cover of the center area before the bomb site (easy kills with good aim and reflexes), and practical invisibility to any hostiles charging up the wide left ridge. After butchering anyone around the bombsite, any T's who picked up the bomb, anyone who enters the center area, and maybe even a few bogeys you spot going up the wide left, you're in a great position to pick up the vulnerable bomb and burn to the T base. If bombing the base isn't your bag baby, you're pretty much free to go anywhere easily and fluidly. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 9/10------- --------------- Route 3) Center --------------- The center paths are almost useless except if you're going for the bomb. It's risky to go up the middle and you'd generally have no cover because of it. If you are intending to get the bomb nonetheless, this is the fastest SEAL route. Trying to get the bomb as a SEAL the fastest way possible isn't recommended. Terrorists can always get to the bomb before SEALs, even if you jump off the mountain and somehow survive. If you really want the bomb, let them pick it up first if they've been known to rush it, then cap them as they come out. The center course sets you up nicest for capping someone coming out of the bomb site, as you can get him or her from the front and the right. During the middle and latter parts of the game, after everyone's sniped their hearts out, the middle is an obvious and forgotten way to go. People on the sides are ordinarily too busy looking ahead and behind to thoroughly examine the middle. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 6/10------- ------------------ Route 4) Mid-Right ------------------ The mid-right path leads to a good spot for poppin' skulls by the bomb. T's coming up the SEAL wide-right side are also easily brought down from the mid-right. All in all, a pretty good place to be, unless you're alone. The first method for going mid-right is a sniping hill overlooking the wide right and bombsite. It's not that high up and pretty open, but for quick sniping early, it's not too shabby. You can reach to the middle and majority of the right side and it's a decent spot for bomb defense as well as defending a group of wide-right offensive SEALs from oncoming terrorists. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 5/10------- My last mid-right route is a mid-game spot that gives you access to campers around the T-Base. Most often, defensive T's are checking the SEAL wide right path, and the wide and mid-left paths. This route is commonly neglected, thus why it gives you an advantage for a terrorist base offensive. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 7/10------- ------------------- Route 5) Wide Right ------------------- The wide right path is often crossed by both sides and is another definite action zone. If you're going wide right, drop a flash, smoke, or more preferably a couple HEs or M67s in the hole just before you rush in. The only method for this one is a basic: pop every bad jigga you see. Drop some nades, and bust in guns blazing. If there are any guys up that you can see and within safe firing range, slide behind a close tree for a second and pop out to blast them. If you knocked down anyone or temporarily incapacitated them with the nades, knock them up first - they'll be a bigger threat in a second and they're easy kills for the time being. Providing you live through the shootout there, which is seldom, there are quite a few ways to progress from there. The best tactic I witness is to carefully slip around the T-Base, capping snipers and campers if you find them, and securing the base for "liquidation." -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 5/10------- With a fun factor of 10! ------------------------ Defending the SEAL Base: ------------------------ The top of the SEAL base is a terrific sniping area, whether you're on the left, right, or middle. Each side can easily reach far out on its respective section of the map, meaning the left side snipers can snipe up to about the left ridge hill, etc. If you're a good sniper, the ledge slightly to the right of the center has a clean but distant shot at the bomb. I'm a terrible sniper myself, and even I've picked off a few coming out of the back doorway to the bomb from there. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 9/10------- Another often-overlooked aspect of SEAL base defense is the outhouse. Most times no one will blow it up, shoot at it, or even check it until after a round is over. The outhouse is frequently neglected by terrorists, and is a very nice hiding spot for base defense in dire times. Hop inside, close the door, and use the holes to check for motion outside. If you're the last man standing and they have the bomb, this is a good place to hide out. -------I RATE THIS METHOD AN 8/10------- Planting claymores in the base is a common occurrence, but I figured I might as well lend my wisdom to the act. When planting claymores for base defense, don't just plant them in one place and one direction. By the time you react to seeing someone in your base or hearing that the bomb's been planted, they'd already be out of the kill zone. If you're going to use claymores, get back to base as soon as you find out they have the bomb, and stay close so you can detonate them at the right time. Vary their positions, such as two inside the base facing in and two just outside facing out. Finally, don't waste time setting up claymores for defense unless they've attempted to bomb your base two times. Wait for a pattern and don't waste a valuable jump unless there's cause. --------I RATE THIS METHOD A 6/10------- The final method of base defense is obvious and simple. If you want to play it cheap, back into the trees and shoot some T's in the eye as they come by your house. If you want to be strategic, set up teams of 1-3 people on the left and right sides of the base to keep the flanks safe. T's probably won't come up the middle, and if they do, they'll probably be bombing the base. You'll be close enough to kill them as they come out or nade them if they stay in. -------I RATE THIS METHOD 7/10------- ------------------------------ Assaulting the Terrorist Base: ------------------------------ There aren't really methods for assaulting the terrorist base, so here are some tips I've devised or seen. Clear around the base before heading in. Various camping and snipping spots like the trees, outhouse, ridge above the outhouse, roof, and extending platform off the right of the base are good places to check. Toss grenades into the second-floor windows to knock down anyone camping. When you first go in, don't bother checking the first floor, no one's ever there. Toss a few non-smoke grenades up one staircase and then ascend the other. If you're ascending the back stairs, check directly in front of you with night vision first, and then check the cylinder to your immediate right. If you're going up the front stairs, turn around as you go up and check the actual bomb zone before you do anything. Then clean out the corners before you go plant the bomb. Don't bother checking the roof either, no one on the roof is a threat when you're inside. If they can even make it to the door and open it after they hear the signal that you've planted the bomb, you'll have exuberant time to whip out your gun and get ready to massacre anything that comes through the roof exits. Once the bomb's been planted, then check the roof. If you want to be rebellious, don't camp up on the second floor. Instead, go down to the first floor; no one would expect it. I think that the second floor is very overused and predictable. Bada bing. SEAL walkthrough over and out. ---------------------------- ---------------------------- Terrorists ---------------------------- ---------------------------- ------------------ Route 1) Wide Left ------------------ The wide left T path joins and is played similarly to the wide right path for the SEALs. Going up the left ridge makes you somewhat vulnerable to snipers or good-distanced shooters from the middle and SEAL right. Chucking a smoke or explosive nade into the left path and hiding behind a tree isn't a bad idea. Being wide left makes it necessary to defend and attack both the middle and far left. Staying far left is a lot safer than venturing into the center. When staying far left, scope up the cliffs for snipers. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 6/10-------- ------------------ Route 2) Mid-Left ------------------ The mid-left path is very much like the wide left, except you have better firing access into the left path, where SEALs come, and little view of oncoming enemies from the middle. A generally good combination strategy would be for the wide left men to provide distractions for the SEALs coming through the left, while shooting at bomb runners going through the center, The SEALs will see muzzle flare, hear shots, or report fire, and focus more on the wide-left team. The mid-left unit should hide in a position where they can see the left tunnel and hill where people sniper, without being seen. Compromise the ability to immediately attack enemies by preferably staying out of sight behind the left-center hill. If they can't see you, they'll shoot (somewhat blindly) at the wide left, and then you can peek or pop out and knock the people you can. Don't try this with a gun like the 9mm Sub or the M60E3; they're too inaccurate to provide the quick hits and effective kills you'll need to keep the distractions alive. Apparent flaws would be vulnerability to the wide-left (but who cares? This is a MID-LEFT players' strategy!), possibly poor placement of mid-left (not hidden enough, thus ruining everything); and in the presence of a long firefight, the easy kills from behind for both teams. -------I RATE THIS METHOD AN 8/10------- ------------------------------ Route 3) Center and Bomb Runs ------------------------------ The center path is a very dangerous one, as the area around the bomb is easily viewed from at least ten different zones. Running in to cover someone else going for the bomb is both moronic and potentially suicidal. The first of three methods is the most inane: rushing and covering the bomb. Defending the bomb itself is generally idiotic, but in this level, it's idiotic and crazy. Unless you can kill multiple people in less than a second of shooting per person, at medium range, without taking damage, I highly admonish against this. Since I'm listing this method though, I might as well give a couple pointers. Unfortunately, I can't think of one. Maybe this: be damn good. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 1/10------- A second and good method is to let the runner hasten to the bomb, and provide cover from behind (before you reach the hill at the bombsite, or at the hill). Take out SEALs coming from the ledge behind the site and over the left hill. Watch out for anyone on your team going right's dying, or SEALs coming from that area. If you are caught from behind, say goodbye in almost any case. Though you can't provide too much cover for the more vulnerable areas, the bomb man would need it most; this is still an efficient fashion. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 7/10------- The last method is a generally great one. Climbing atop the hill that overlooks the bomb, behind it in the Terrorist area, and going prone - very, very useful. If you use a silenced weapon - which I urge you to do if you're going here to conceal your location - you can shoot at numerous SEAL-inhabited areas from an elevated position with only a small risk of detection. You can easily get most of the left side, the front of the SEAL base if you have a sniper rifle, the back of the center after the bomb, the SEAL's mid-left glen exit, and the crest of the SEAL's wide left ridge. Granted, you'll be capped easily if you overuse this or stay there too long, but it's a fabulous operation to work into your mix. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 9/10------- --------------- Route 4) Right --------------- There's no mid-right and wide-right for the terrorists, as there's only one right path in the tunnel. This is one of the hottest spots in the map, and surely enough, tons of people just rush in there and get their intestines blown our through their mouth. There's occasionally a time to do this, for example when no one on the SEALs ever goes that way. I like to hang before it even if this is the case, because people are random. Rushing in there like Sly Stallone with a pair of opaque sunglasses on not only makes you look imbecilic and senseless (at least to me), but gets you killed quickly. SEALs can set up an invasion on the exit area a ton faster than a Rambo can defend against one. Don't be stupid, drop some diversions, at a minimum; otherwise hang back. -------I RATE THIS METHOD A 2/10------- I like to stick it before the path, lob nades into it and over the plateau between the other side and myself, and then if no one comes my way, to run halfway and use my camera to spot enemies. Snipers hang on the hill just outside the exit; some people rough it to the immediate left of the exit, and once in while there's a camper in the trees. If you're busting through, run in just after you throw a nade and it explodes, and kill the most vulnerable and easiest tangos before the most threatening. Next, stay with some left cover, check for and attempt to kill any snipers. If you want to, and I tend to only if it's suspiciously calm, lob a nade into the trees. After you're done, pop out and gun down SEALs on your left if they're there, check up the ridge, and check to the left. I recommend going in the glen, checking your six at lest one, taking out snipers at the edge of the SEAL base, check your six again, and proceed. The ridge makes you susceptible to fire from many angles, and the center is just a neg. -------I RATE THIS METHOD AN 8/10------- If you want to defend the tunnel instead of gunning it through, there are a few good spots. Your back to the left of the hill leading towards the bomb is all right, but you're gone if any decent SEAL comes up by the bomb (Mini-rating=6/10). Hugging the plateau and left wall of the tunnel gives you a slight jump on any encroaching enemies (Mini-rating=7/10). The tree on the right side is risky; a ton of people forget that you can shoot through trees as well as air (Mini-rating=5/10). Then the hill well before the tunnel has a couple good spots to give prone coverage of the tunnel entrance from (Mini-rating=8/10). --------------------- Assaulting SEAL Base --------------------- When initially approaching the SEAL base, if you're coming from the left go a far left as possible and CLIMB up the ledge, unless you're in a hurry. From the right, look towards the trees directly ahead until you think you're obtainable from the left. Then aim left and around the base and trees without leaving yourself open to anyone on lower grounds. If you weren't shot at on the way, search the edges for snipers. If you're take advantage of the easy headshots; but if you've got more time than I do writing this and some claymores, have some fun and place one on the snipers' backs. If there are multiple, increase the fun by taking them all at once! (Fun factor=11/10) Check inside the outhouse, the base, and around the trees. It's always a good idea to include the base as part of your sweep even if you aren't planning to blow it up. When trying to plant the bomb clear around the base if you have two or more people and afterwards have the others cover your exits from the outside. If you're sadly alone in the world, only cap the people you definitely need to: direct threats to your life and chance of winning. If they don't see you, they probably won't until it's too late. Go in when you're ready, CLOSE the door, plant it, and guard it from the outside. You need to keep anyone off the inside of the base for at least 24 seconds, and closing the door subtracts about 1.5 seconds from that time. If you don't have the time to close the door, you're dead anyway and trying to plant is pointless. Many people try to defend the bomb from he inside, and they usually end up sacrificing themselves. A nade inside or fire through the window is easy to get someone in there, with the incredible lack of space. If you go outside, not only can you delay approaching enemies by moving, but also you can cap potential defusers as they try to defuse. If you're inside they'll see you, obviously; if you're outside they might just go right to defusing and clicka pow. Defending outside is only my personal opinion and I find it MUCH better; but if you didn't want my opinion, you wouldn't read this. ---------------------------- Defending the Terrorist Base ---------------------------- Woohoo this is tough sometimes. The terrorist outhouse is not nearly as good for defending as the SEAL's, so don't try it. There are at least five good sniping spots, as I count mentally. The nooks of the ramp on the right side of the base are slightly useful to go prone in and snipe the limited right. The roof on the back of the base, outside the back stairs, behind the guardrail overlooking the ramp I just mentioned lets you hit most of the right well with good cove. The rest of the roof blows. The platform on the left is a common and good place to go with nice range and view. You can aim at the majority of the T-territory with only blind spots of directly behind you, up real close, and to the close right of the base. Behind and around the outhouse gets a good sight of the left and back of the base, and the left side. The southwest ridge gets the wide and mid-left areas easily, but is defenseless from both as well. When defending the inside, the only places you need to cover are the stairs. Hide in the corners and behind the stair exits and fire away as the idiots pop up. This is hard process to counter, even with nades. The cylinder in the middle sucks ass, I don't even want to start on it. A good direct bomb defense spot is behind the wall, right next to the right door. Cover from the left, and a better shot at anyone who can get you too make this very nice. Offensive SEALs usually toss nades up, so if you see or hear one get ready. Don't try to retort with your own nades, or you're dead as soon as you ready them. I lastly don't recommend shooting out the windows. Not only are you dead from behind, but an easy shot anywhere you can shoot. Also, there's a limited range. Terrorist walkthrough over and out. ------------------------------------------ I'm not good with conclusions. So, lates.