Blood Gulch (Halo Wars level)

Blood Gulch is a Halo Wars multiplayer map, based off the iconic Halo: Combat Evolved level of the same name.

Universe and lore
Blood Gulch is likely set on the interior of the Etran Harborage, the shield world encountered during the Halo Wars campaign. This would place Blood Gulch in a unique position as the only shield world-set map to feature Insurrectionists as the neutral enemy type, rather than Sentinels and Flood.

Layout
Like its Halo: Combat Evolved predecessor, Blood Gulch takes the form of a desert box canyon, with cliff paths on either side. At either end of the canyon lies one of two player starting bases, with two neutral rebel faction bases towards the middle of the map. The map has a symmetrical placement of neutral objectives, with the cliff to the right of each base (from the base's perspective) containing a supply elevator and two sniper towers, while the left contains a reactor and a single sniper tower. These neutral buildings are guarded by rebel snipers and infantry.

Behind each base is a one-way teleporter, with an exit point in the middle of the map near the reactor spawn.

Strategies

 * It is recommended to capture new base locations and bonus buildings. The player can use the teleporters to reach the reactors quickly. Since both structures are defended by rebel snipers units, the player should attack with anti-infantry or vehicle units.
 * Capturing the reactors can be a vital way to quickly gain technology advantage over your opponent.
 * Brute infantry can be advantageous in scaling the cliffs containing the Reactor and Supply Pad buildings.
 * Taking the rebel base closer to the opponent's starting base can serve as both a surprise attack and a means to slow down the opponent's expansion. Leave a small army and setting up turrets after setting up a base there before moving on to other regions of the map.

Production notes
Blood Gulch was created due to a desire to create a map existing Halo players would be familar with. Blood Gulch was chosen due to the map's open spaces and variety added by the cliffs on either side. To keep the canyon layout intact with Halo Wars production methods, the developers had to use a larger base terrain size, then restrict the viewing area to a rectangle.

Blood Gulch was one of the first Skirmish maps revealed to public. Editors from Official Xbox Magazine visited Ensemble Studios, and were able to play on the map.

During matches on Blood Gulch, the Halo Wars OST track Bad Here Day plays as the level's ambient music.