Halo Reach Tempest Guide

Halo Reach Tempest Guide
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Tempest Time

Tempest is The Noble Map Pack’s medium sized map. It’s well suited for team objective games like Capture the Flag or Assault. The canyons and tunnels make for perfect ambushing spots for some good old fashioned Slayer.

The map’s symmetrical nature does tend to make for some rather predictable choke points and quick access to the map’s two rocket launchers usually ends an early game Warthog run before it even begins. That being said there remains room for plenty of strategy once things settle down past the early rocket attacks. Good defense is key in Assault or Capture the flag as it’s very easy to sneak a Mongoose in behind either base for a quick flag grab and the map provides plenty of cover for escape.

It may not have the sprawling expanses of Breakpoint or the close combat mayhem of Anchor 9 but Tempest brings a fresh take on the familiar box canyon brawls that made Halo famous. In this Halo Reach Tempest guide we’ll make sure you can weather the storm.

Two Flag CTF

T2

Tempest was built for Capture the Flag, it’s got plenty of wide open spaces for vehicles and last minute flag stops and all the canyons and cover a flag runner could ask for. Tempest isn’t a map where you can typically get away with shoving your offense down your opponents throat as it’s an easy map to defend but it’s hard to do so without a dedicated defender.

Make sure someone on your team is willing to sit back for a while as almost undoubtedly a Warthog or Mongoose full of blue dudes is headed straight for your flag at any given moment. The rocket launchers located by the side Mancannons on each end of the map may look like an irresistible offensive option but if you let your defender snag it they’ve got the perfect answer for any vehicles packed full of Spartans that make their way to the back of your base. That will leave your offense with an easy flag snag while they not only lose their vehicle but watch helplessly from the respawn screen as you rack up an early game point.

When it comes down to bringing that brand new flag you’ve grabbed back to base resist the urge to jump in the center mancannon unless you’ve got a whole team to back you up. That sound is going to end up being a dinner bell for the other team and you’ll be swarmed before you know it. If you make your way to the side and hit one of those launchers half the time your opponents will look to the middle while you sneak right on by. Of course having a vehicle standing by is always going to be your best option.

One Flag CTF

T3

Tempest is really a map where defense has the advantage, it’s hard for an flag carrier to make it far without taking a few obvious routes. If your team is on defense make sure to end their vehicles as fast as you can as that’s really the only way an evenly matched team is going to snag the flag.If you can keep all the entrances to your base covered you should be set.

The biggest thing you have to keep from happening on defense is letting your team get caught up in a chaotic cluster fight out in the middle of the map. This draws your team away from the flag and a quick Mancannon jump can leave you confused as your flag disappears into the enemy’s base. Aside from grabbing a rocket launcher there really isn’t a good reason for your team to leave the base or the narrow canyons approaching it.

The key to winning One Flag on Tempest is to get an uncontested Warthog full of teammates behind the enemy base and grab that flag. The gun can make short work of any enemy and provides perfect cover for your flag runner to get in and out. It’s hard to think of a map where a Warthog can really make or break your offense like Tempest. That said getting it there is not an easy task. You really need to make sure there aren’t any rockets left on their side of the map so as odd as it is to think of your best bet is usually to just get in a pointless gun fight and try to make them waste their rockets. After they’ve wasted their rockets making a few meaningless kills it’s your turn to grab the Warthog and win the round.

Slayer

T4

For such a modest sized map Tempest certainly offers up a lot of ways to end your opponents. Aside from the obvious rocket launcher fiesta there are also sniper rifles located near the crashed pelican and directly across the way through the main canyon on the other side by the water. If you’ve got some mobility, say a jet pack, or the time to find some good cover just getting one sniper rifle can make short work of just about anyone as there are plenty of ways to get a good angle and after you’re done just head back into the copious amounts of cover available and rinse and repeat.

Now if long range isn’t your game there are plenty of chances for some close range kills or assassinations. There aren’t really that many ways people take through the bases and most of them have some often avoided cover. If you can manage to keep your patience long enough for that little red radar blip to make it around a corner you’re usually guaranteed a sweet kill.

Of course if you’re looking for a little more variety rip the chain gun off it’s perch and hide in the canyons, you won’t last long out in the open but in cover it’s a different story. In the game of assault rifle vs mini gun the guy holding the mini gun always wins.