Islands
 | |
| Islands | |
|---|---|
| Game mode | Command & Conquer |
| Size | Medium |
| Style | Symmetrical |
| Recommended players | 24 |
| Air vehicles | Disabled |
| Base defences | None |
Islands is a Command & Conquer map that is a remake of C&C_Islands from the original Renegade.
Appearance
The battlefield is set in a serene and pristine tropical island, with each base located on each side of the island. Rock formations provide cover and offer multiple paths, along with a underwater tunnel system beneath the island.
Bases
 Global Defense Initiative | |
|---|---|
| Buildings | |
 Brotherhood of Nod | |
|---|---|
| Buildings | |
Backstory
The Global Defense Initiative, upon disclosing the location of a Brotherhood of Nod base on a remote island, quickly dispatched a strike force with gunboats and hovercrafts, swiftly taking out the Nod shoreline turret defenses before setting up a small base nearby.
Analysis
Infantry paths: Each base has two passages leading to the set of 2 underwater tunnels, in where quick rushes can be done. There are also 2 exits leading to a vehicle path. In the main field, there is a small pool of water and a tunnel that are only accessible to infantries, both in between the outer path and the inner path.
Lastly, each base has two promontories, one located in their base that overlooks at the inner path, and the other located on the entrance, overlooking at their respective base.
Vehicle paths: There is only one entrance for each base on the front, while three paths are found in the open: the inner path flanks the tunnel entrances on the left, and rocks on the right, the outer path is more open and wide, with several rock formations on the right; those formations are not condensed as the one diving the inner path and the open path, thus vehicles may circumvent them and flank the shoreline.
Exercise caution when driving along the shoreline: shallow water will be harmless, but if a vehicle is driven into deep water, it will quickly take damage over time before blowing apart. Drivers should watch out for tanks bent in pushing their opponent vehicles into the water.
Mystery Crates: Three appear around the tunnel main intersection, one appears in the short tunnel in the field, two appear behind the shore rocks located near the base entrances one per each side.
Harvested Tiberium field: each faction harvests the tiberium field located behind their Refineries.
Strategy
Battlefield control
Taking the field with vehicles will be paramount for assaulting the enemy base, while taking control of the tunnels will keep sneaky infantry at bay. Maintaining a strong vehicle presence backed up by Engineers in the field and infantry presence in the tunnels will trap the opponent faction into their base. Taking the promontory near the entrance of the opponent base will allow snipers to hit opponent infantries right in their base.
Sneaking options
Getting inside the base is the hardest part of infiltration in this map: tunnels will directly lead to the enemy base, but they are usually high traffic area along with no real cover. A player can also sneak in by following the shoreline, and run right through the enemy base's main entrance, or swim carefully to it while avoiding the naval mines; however such is highly unlikely to succeed with players coming out of the base from the main entrance.
When inside the opponent base, one can hide in the bunkers each bases have or "behind" the Refinery (which it is actually the front part). In addition, each tunnel entrance has a bunker section behind where one can hide.
Players can also hide behind the field tunnel entrances on the inner path or dive into the small waterpool in the center.
There is plenty of space for Stealth Tanks and Stealth Black Hands to hide in the GDI base, should they manage to go through the narrow entrance. Possible hiding locations are behind the Tiberium Field, behind the destroyed turrets, in the small cave near the bunker, or onto the Hovercrafts.
Stealth Tank drivers are advised to be on lookout for Anti Tank Mines placed on the main landbridge entrance of the base.
Trivia
- The map has few naval mines that will blow up players and vehicles nearby; they are located in the waters and they are a measure to prevent players to take unintended routes. Note that the mines are indestructible and they will never expire.
- Few gunboats can be seen along the shores of the GDI base.
- A variant of this map, with Aerial Vehicles allowed, and land ramps and wooden bridges providing access to the top of the rock formations exists; it is known as Islands Flying
