A Long Overdue Update:


First thing is first folks:

I would like to apologize to you all for being inactive. I believe that the majority of the leadership of the community lately has been inactive, when they shouldn't have been. I'm going to be the first to own up to it, and say that I'm sorry. I won't offer any excuse, but just hope that I can act on a new slate from here on out. Last night I offered the existing War Council to decide whether or not I deserve to stay, and it was unanimous that they all desired for me to stay

Okay, now back to the update, which will likely end up being a GIANT WALL OF TEXT!!!


1). The Battle Map:

Why yes folks, the Battle Map has been completed. Red Army's Capital is now Hemorrhage, while Blue Army's Capital is the custom map, Crossing. There are many custom maps that will be used in the wars, so I suggest you check them out. Maxdoggy has a ton of stuff in his fileshare. I will have FC maps and gametypes in my fileshare as well, so will Mythonian. If you want to view the active Battle Map, I suggest you go http://fcwars.net/forums/showthread.php?22-Warmap

In my fileshare, the current version of the warmap is in a real Forge World map. I suggest you guys download it and check out the life-sized battle map.

A note from Mythonian: All maps are subject to be changed in order to create balance and whatnot. All updated versions will be in Mythonian's fileshare, so be sure to download them when you can.

2). Changes to Shop

There have been more additions to the shop in the Accords, you guys should read it, because it's some real interesting stuff.

3). INVASION!!!

You guys asked for Invasion gametypes, and we have delivered... In a way.

While we cannot play invasion on every single map, we have found a way that it can be implemented. In the Credit Shop (Check the Accords), there is an item for purchase called Hardpoint. These points act as vital structures and industry for a map. In order for an attacking army to begin their assault on the map, they must first play a game of invasion (As the invaders) on one of the five approved Invasion Maps (All Bungie Defaults, DLC, and 2 Custom Maps.) The invaders choose which map is used in the game. There are no rounds in these invasion games, and only one single game per layer of hardpoints. I will give you an example:

Red is about to attack the Blue Capital. Blue has just purchased three hardpoints for a total of 12 credits. Red must first win three invasion games before they are able to attack the Blue Capital. Let's say that Red only wins two of the invasion games. They are then unable to attack the Blue Capital that night, and Blue is then freed up to declare an attack that night, as a counter-assault. This is how Invasion gametypes will be implemented in the wars.

4). Loadouts?
In all FC Gametypes, the loadouts for each army will be:

1. Warrior
Assault Rifle
Magnum
2x Frags
Sprint

2. Saboteur
Assault Rifle
Magnum
1x Frags
Evade

3. Marksman
DMR
Assault Rifle
1x Frags
Hologram

As a side note: All FC Maps will feature armor abilities for pickup. (Armor Lock, Active Camo, Jet Pack, and Drop Shield.) These abilities are being extremely limited for a reason, and no one will start with them.

All loadouts are final, and have been tested. The overwhelming majority of people who have used them have found no real fault in them. (If you want a mobility armor ability to use with the Marksman Loadout, I suggest you try to get to one of the armor ability placements. When people switch out their abilities, they leave their old one behind.)

5). Gametypes!!!

We have completely made official gametypes for the wars. I will give a rundown of stuff to look for in all gametypes

1). Loadouts are the same (See above)
2). On all gametypes, respawn times are 5 seconds, with the exception being Conflict (Team Slayer)
3). When holding an objective, all player speeds are u
4). All games will be 15 minutes long, with the exception of some asymmetrical gametypes. See 6 below.
5). Betrayal booting is out. If you have someone who betrays habitually, I suggest you report him and save the video.
6). On asymmetrical gametypes, there are 4 rounds of 4 minutes.
7). All Official Gametypes can be found in either my fileshare or Mythonian's.


I suggest you guys all try out FC Oddball, as the ball explodes after 30 seconds of holding it, creating some hilarious and challenging gameplay. (A good strategy is to hold the ball for 29 seconds, let the other team have it for the one second, then it explodes. Go find the ball when it resets. Repeat.)

Hill 30 will be making a comeback in its original Territories form. It is a single Territories plot in the center on most maps (Some exceptions are to be noted.) You can score while Hill 30 is being contested, so long as it remains in your possession.

In addition to the Hill 30 game, another 5-Plot Territories Game will be used. (FC Conquest, I believe.) It works similar to Hill 30, with the exception being that there are 5 plots to control, instead of one.

For all Territories games, armor abilities cannot be used inside the territory.

As for King of the Hill, we have it set so the Hill will change position once every minute. That makes 15 Hill changes in a single FC game. Hill changes are random, so stay on your toes. Remember, only One can be King.

We have two CTF gametypes. The only difference in them is that FC CTF is for symmetrical maps, and FC Liberation is for asymmetrical maps. Flags take five seconds to return for both gametypes. For FC CTF, the flag does not have to be at home to score. On Liberation, just score, ok?

Assault has three gametypes. There is a two-bomb game for symmetrical maps, and one-bomb game for asymmetrical maps. We also have a Neutral Bomb game for both types of maps. Everyone likes explosions.

HEADHUNTER has been added to the lineup. In the FC version, only headshots yield the flaming skulls. The score is unlimited, and your team has 15 minutes to get all the skulls you can! There is a twist, however. If you have a skull in your possession, you get a speed boost! If you have ten skulls, you get more damage power, and damage resistance, in addition to your speed boost. Kind of makes a game where you collect flaming skulls pretty interesting, no? (Btw, no, there is not a skull count where you can get an instant win. You'll just have to slug it out like the rest of us.)

Stockpile is seeing its first debut as well. As of right now, we have just one gametype to choose from for this flagophile chaotic collection gametype. There are 5 flags, and the collection points collect once every minute. Work together, horde flags, and break some faces.... In addition to the current Stockpile gametype, we are working on a game with maybe one more flag, and the collection does not take place until the end of the game. You spend the entire game fighting over control of six flags, right up until the end. The team left with the most flags in their collection points wins. Sounds challenging, right?

And I can't forget good old Team Slayer (FC Conflict.) The game is pretty simple. You + Your gun= Enemy dead. Control the power weapons, spawn camp, and, once more, break some faces. Rinse, lather, repeat.

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As you guys can see, FC does things a little different than matchmaking. There are a lot of reasons for this, but it pretty much comes down to the fact that we like to make things interesting. Some of our decisions are based on things that the community voted in favor for, and some of them are based on past experience. (FC Halo 3, and RVBR, for examples.) Halo: Reach has provided with an incredible amount of creativity, and we want to see that to its fullest. We want to shake things up, and see if what we come up with is truly fun. We want to create gametypes that are different from the normal. We want to create gametypes that have our logo on them, and not one that belongs to anyone else. I have personally played games using all of the loadouts, even the Marksman one. After playing for a good bit, and after spending close to 14 hours in two days working on all of this, I can say that they are all fun. It might be a bit challenging to adjust to some of the new twists we have added to these gametypes, but you will end up having fun in the end, as we did when we tested them.


6). I WANT MY MAP TO BE USED!!!

Well, it can. If you feel that your map is superior than one that we are currently using, the War Council has voted to give itself the power to change and replace maps on the war map. These powers include the ability to outright replace a current version of a map to a better version, or simply replacing it altogether.

While I do not foresee that we will need to use this in the near future, I acknowledge that the community has always been surprising. If you have a map that you think could be used in the wars, I suggest you submit it for testing, have it thoroughly tested, and then present it to Maxdoggy, Mythonian, or even Kuhblam, so they may present it to the collective High Commands of both armies and the War Council. The High Commands and the War Council can vote to include it, and decide which map goes where from there.

If your map gets rejected, don't despair! You can work on it some more, and maybe one day your map can be used. (We are currently using two community-made maps, and are certainly looking avidly for more.)

7). A Note to Red Army

WAKE UP!

The wars start next Sunday folks, I strongly urge you to get on Halo: Reach, and recruit. IF the leader of your squad, platoon, company or battalion is inactive, report it to Kuhblam or Killergunny, or Andimion (Your new LT. General).

Red Army needs a lot initiative as it stands right now. I'm not blameless, believe me, but now I'm trying to do my part. As far as I know, there are only two active platoons in Red.

As for Blue, you guys have SO many members who do SO many things. If you feel like you want a shot at leadership and building the community, ask Mythonian if you can go to Red to help them out. The worst that could happen is that you have to stay in your army. I leave that decision completely up to you, but I know Red Army is certainly willing to take any help that can be given. If you DO decide to switch to help the army, get in touch with, again, Kuhblam, Killergunny, or Andimion. They will place you where you are needed.

8). The War begins...

Next Sunday, the long-anticipated conflict between Red and Blue will start. Guns will fire, cannons will sound. Men will die. Blue is marching against Obsidian, the Red outpost on their front lines.

A Red counter-assault will be led at the Blue Research facility, Sword Base.

All negotiations have broken down, and open war is upon both armies. The battle for the control of Reach has begun. This war threatens to spread across the whole planet. Peace is nowhere in sight.