High Ground

High Ground is a multiplayer level in Halo 3. It is a UNSC base in New Mombasa that was reactivated after the Slipspace cataclysm that destroyed Mombasa.

Introduction
It is an asymmetrical map consisting of a dusty fort on a hill. Due to the general appearance of the map, High Ground is like a baby sibling to Zanzibar and the two have more things in common than one would think, like a beach. It is a map meant for defenders spawning in a war torn base and the attackers spawning on the beach. Multiple passages to invade the base, a computer that opens a large gate, and a turret defending the base are all features of this map. It is located somewhere in Africa.

Layout

 * See also: High Ground Tactics

Just like Zanzibar, it consists of a beach, where the attacking team spawns, and a massive, yet capturable fort, where the defending team, and their flag spawns. There are several ways of getting into the base besides the enormous gate and paths through the flood wall. Bungie has included a series of several tunnels through the bottom, which the player may use for a stealthy advance.

Between the teams rests a large indestructible wall. This wall has a gate, which is similar to the one found on Zanzibar. The gate can be opened from the inside of the wall on the left side. There is a AIE-486H Heavy Machinegun mounted at the top of the gate, which is used primarily by the defending team to ward off attackers. A portable gravity lift rests at the entrance to the left cave, which can be used to propel the user(s) over the wall.

The Sniper Rifle is mostly in range for the attacking team, as it spawns on the beach, along with a Mongoose and a Ghost. There is a small camouflaged tower on the left side of the where the Spartan Laser spawns for the defending team. This tower is somewhat vulnerable however, as there are some fusion cores stacked on one side of it. Two Mongooses and a Ghost are the current vehicle set within the base to counter the attacking teams Mongoose and Ghost. There is an artillery weapon to the rear of the defending base. In descriptions of this weapon, it is described as either a large mortar or a SAM (Surface-to-Air-Missile) site, and presumably fires devastating missiles upon the attackers. However, Bungie has stated in an article about the maps that it is unusable and that it is merely a piece of scenery for the level. It is inactive in the full game and the Halo 3 Beta.

Areas

 * 1) Beach
 * 2) Base
 * 3) Bunker
 * 4) Bunker Cave
 * 5) Broken Wall
 * 6) Missile Launcher
 * 7) Bunker Cave
 * 8) Beach Tunnel
 * 9) Broken Tunnel
 * 10) Ledge
 * 11) Tower
 * 12) Gate
 * 13) Gate Switch
 * 14) Pipe Room
 * 15) Backside

Territories

 * 1) Bunker Cave
 * 2) Bunker
 * 3) Broken Wall
 * 4) Base, near Power Drainer spawn
 * 5) Pipe Room

Weapon/Equipment/Power-up Spawns
Two Brute Shots spawn on the defenders side, one inside the base, next to a flight of stairs. And the other is located next to where the SMGs spawn underneath the catwalk.

Covenant Carbines also spawns in several different locations on the defending side, one outside behind the ruble next to the flag along with two spike grenades, one inside the base below where the Spartan Laser spawns, two along the railings of the gate, two more inside the destoyed bunker, and one along the edge of the garage behind where two SMGs spawn next to the catwalk.

A Power Drainer is on a ledge, within throwing distance of the flag spawn, right outside what is now know by many players as "the blue room" near the Gate Opener.

There are also many Spikers spread across the map usually in pairs so that they can be dual weilded.

A few Maulers that were not located on the map during beta have now been placed around the defending base.

The Rocket Launcher spawns in direct view of the turret along with two SMGs making it a challenge to achieve.

Two Needlers spawn own the map, one on top of the hatch to the bunker and another located inside the "blue room ' where the power drainer spawns.

In the beta the Active Camo spawns in a small inlet on the left side from the offense base known as the "Ledge". But in the full version it has been replaced with an Overshield and has since been relocated to a small cave right before the broken wall.

The Portable Grav Lift spawns in the middle left side from the offense base (Bunker Cave), or the middle right side for the defense base, near the Spartan Laser spawn (Tower).

The Bubble Shield spawns in the middle of the map under the rocks.

Trivia

 * Originally thought to be the new Zanzibar, it is now only a map with a similar setup. Zanzibar has its own Halo 3 remake known as Last Resort
 * A picture of Cortana appears for a split second on the console closest to the flag.
 * The Radio inside the fort where the flag spawns transmits three different Morse Code messages. When translated they are "Frogblast the ventcore" a reference to Bungie's classic FPS Marathon, "sababwl" a acronym found on the Halo Soundtrack which was a quote from Bungie's Martin O'Donnell back when the original Halo was about to be released, the acronym stands for "shiny and bumpy and bursting with love!" and "Dont make us kick your ass" a classic Bungie saying.
 * The Radio inside the fort where the flag spawns also transmits a musical piece from the original Halo entitled Under Cover of Night.

Related Articles

 * Halo 3