Snowbound

Snowbound is a medium-sized multiplayer map in Halo 3. From Bungie Q&A on a Weekly Update, they hinted that it may take place on a former Forerunner planet near Earth, though it is currently occupied and being excavated by the Covenant.

Note About Cardinal Directions

Cardinal directions in this article are based upon Bungie's heatmaps. North is "up". In this article, the secondary map (with the numbered locations) is inverted, so north is "down" and south is "up".

Layout

A birds-eye view of Snowbound.

Snowbound is a medium-sized, semi-symmetrical map set in a snowy Forerunner area with two large Covenant bases at either end of the map. The bases, known as high base and low base, are connected by an underground tunnel network. Lots of fighting takes place in or around the shield doors found inside the bases.

Rocky outcroppings are located along the southern and western edges of the map (Rock Side); Covenant-built Automated Turrets prevent players from exiting the map via its otherwise-unblocked northern and eastern edges (Tundra Side). When players venture too close to the map's boundaries, an alarm sounds, warning them to return to the bases before the turrets open fire.

In Bungie's 8/22/08 Weekly Update [1], Bungie announced the release of Boundless, a version of Snowbound that lacks shield doors (except the four which can be accessed on top middle) and has a slightly different weapon layout.

Low Base

Overview of Snowbound, with Camo in view.

Low Base is one of the two Covenant bases on the map. This base, which is located on the eastern side of the map, appears to be fully functional, though it has apparently been abandoned. It is often referred to by players as "BR Spawn" because of the two Battle Rifles that spawn on its outer rear walls. Inside the base, there is a Spartan Laser, two Spikers, and a Bubble Shield. Outside the base, a Carbine, a Spiker, and a Mauler spawn to the south; an Active Camo spawns towards the north. On top of the base, there is a Needler, a Plasma Rifle, and a pair of Plasma Grenades.

High Base

Directly adjacent to Low Base, High Base offers a different set of weapons. High Base's lights flicker and buzz, implying that it has become damaged. The large sphere in the center of the base appears broken, and icicles hang from the base's exterior, implying that its heating system has stopped working. Whether this damage is the result of the base's abandonment or something else is unknown.

High Base is commonly referred to as "Sniper Spawn" or "Carbine Base" due to the Carbine and Beam Rifle it contains. Behind the base, players can find a Battle Rifle or a Plasma Rifle around the rocky terrain. A Mauler lies to the north of the base, and an Overshield to the south. Inside, there are two Plasma Rifles, a Beam Rifle, and a Power Drain. On top of the base, there is a Plasma Pistol, a Plasma Rifle, and a pair of Plasma Grenades.

Outside

Snowbound at the foot of the mountain when viewed from a distance.

The outdoor portion of the map is home to many predominant features, and is also a sniper's paradise.

Located between both bases, to the south, is the Underpass (or "Ghost Spawn"), a tunnel where a single Ghost (or Mongoose) spawns. In the center of the map, the Ice Cave Tunnel provides access to the Ice Cave, which in turn provides access to the interiors of both bases. A common tactic is to blindly toss grenades into the map's lower levels from this area, turning the underground corridors and tight spaces into grenade-powered deathtraps. Further to the north, on the opposite side end the Underpass, lies the Ice Cave's main entrance, with its distinctive overhang and large shield door.

Ice Cave

The deadly quarters of the Ice Cave.

Predominantly known as the "Shotgun Spawn" in Lone Wolves or the "Sniper Spawn" in Team Slayer, heavy fighting occurs in this cold and icy cave. This area sees frequent carnage due to its high traffic, tight quarters, and position between the High and Low Bases. To the immediate south is a narrow, elevated opening with no shield (Ice Cave Tunnel). On the western side of the cave's interior is a tunnel to the Low Base; opposite that is a tunnel to the High Base. Directly south is the Main Entrance, which is protected by a larger shield door.

Entering the Ice Cave from the Bases or the Ice Cave Tunnel is extremely risky. The main entrance is very defensible, as it affords the player with a full view of the cave's three most-used entrances and its shield door provides protection. Above the Ice Cave's main entrance spawns a Brute Shot (top), as well as a Spiker to the west and a Mauler to the east. An often seen tactic on this map is to hide on the other side of a shield door with the Shotgun or Mauler and kill players as they pass through.

Key Areas

The layout of Snowbound as it appeared in Halo 3 Beta; click for full size

1. Low Base ("BR Spawn")
2. High Base ("Sniper Spawn", "Carbine Base")
3. Low Base Batteries
4. High Base Batteries
5. Rock Side
6. Tundra Side
7. Ice Cave Entrance (concrete call-out)
8. Ice Cave ("Shotgun Spawn")
9. Ice Cave Tunnel
10. Ice Tunnel
11. Underpass ("Ghost Spawn")
12. Far Rocks

Strategies

• After swapping for the Spartan Laser when spawning in Team Slayer, if your team doesn't plan on using the Ghost, a good tactic would be to wait for an enemy to get in it, eliminating the Ghost, that enemy, and possibly the Overshield threat.
• Even though the outside is good for sniping, the Beam Rifle is more commonly used inside for no-scoping and double shots, which is usually rather effective.
• The rocks (Far Rocks) lined up near the Ghost spawn (Underpass) provide a relatively safe above-ground path from base to base.
• The bases' ceilings are transparent, allowing players inside to see potential assailants above.
• The Needler is a very useful weapon on this map.
• The Maulers on the Tundra Side of the map can prove very useful for players that intend to patrol the Ice Cave.
• Deployable Covers are useful when protecting the Ice Cave in team games, as players can deploy it when an enemy is trying to get through.
• From almost the beginning of a match on this level, a majority of the fighting takes place in the Ice Cave or the tunnels leading to it. The team that holds the Ice Cave has the advantage, as the area's tight entrances allow for easy grenade kills.
• When playing Team SWAT, always jump through shield doors rather than walking through them. If there is someone beyond the shield door, this will surprise him or her.
• Players hiding near shield doors with a Shotgun may get an instant kill when an unsuspecting foe walks through.
• When going for achievements, this map is good for Up Close and Personal and Lee R Wilson Memorial. To easily achieve the Lee R Wilson Memorial, rush through a shield door and quickly throw a plasma grenade at an enemy waiting for you to rush him. He'll most likely start rushing you, making a stick easy to accomplish.
• If you're playing Lone Wolves and you have a dark color for you primary color, for example, steel or purple, you can jump on the control balls and crouch on them to blend in.
• When you're behind the glass screen in a base, jump on it and crouch on one of the supports on either side. This gives you an upper hand when using a close-range weapon or, if you have Active Camo and you want to kill stealthily, stick a player. This also gives you a good view out the transparent ceiling.
• This is one of the few maps that has a Spartan Laser on it by default.

Forge

A Monitor under Snowbound.

• In Forge, you can block off all tunnels to the Ice Caves (using mostly Crates and boxes, and Weapon Holders to keep them there), keeping players focused on long- to medium-range combat.
• In Forge, you can get under the Ice Cave and float around. You can keep going in Monitor form until you come out underneath the Underpass. Once there, you can return to Player Mode and fight; you can build on this area, as it is a solid surface. To get there, simply place a few Crates next to the wall of the Ice Cave and insert a Mongoose. Get on the Mongoose, then get off and quickly enter Edit Mode.
• You can get into the blue rooms underneath the bases, although you cannot exit without committing suicide.Template:Fact

Boundless

Main article: Boundless (Level)

Boundless is a Bungie-made map variant of Snowbound containing weapon differences and lacking some shield doors. Bungie created Boundless as a reaction to reports of widespread shotgun camping by the shield doors.

Trivia

• Evidence supports the theory this map is located on one of Sanghelios' moons. This is derived from the fact that Sanghelios has 2 moons, and one of those moons can be seen in the horizon of Snowbound. The other object in the sky is the reddish-orange planet thought to be Sanghelios itself; Sanghelios is described as being a red, fiery-colored planet.
• In the Red vs. Blue transition to Halo 3, Church shows this map (as well as High Ground and Valhalla) as a place where they can move. Church speaks of property value and how this map, though in the Arctic, could be a good investment should global warming arise.
• This was the first Halo 3 multiplayer map revealed to the public.
• This is currently one of only two Halo 3 multiplayer maps that take place on a Covenant-controlled territory, the other being Assembly.
• This is currently the only map to feature a Beam Rifle by default.
• Snowbound is also the title of a 1994 movie, starring Neil Patrick Harris and Kelli Williams.
• There are several Automated Turrets, positioned along the outside of the map that will shoot at any players who go beyond the boundaries of the map.
  • When killed by the boundary turrets, A message appears saying, "(Player) was killed by The Guardians."
  • When you venture outside the boundaries, a siren wails as a warning to go back before the turrets kill you.
  • In the Halo 3 Beta you could use a Bubble Shield to defend yourself from the stationary AI turrets, allowing you to travel further out of the map than usual. This has been fixed in the final version of the game though, as the plasma shots go right through not just equipment shields, but through solid rock as well.
  • Even if you are invulnerable, the turrets will still be able to kill you.
  • If you modify player characteristics to allow you to evade the turrets, you will still be stopped by an invisible wall.
  • It is possible to use Forge mode to "box in" the turrets, allowing you to move freely until an invisible barrier stops you.
  • You have to overload the map twice to disable the turrets fully. Once to disable the shield doors, twice to disable the turrets for the rest of the game. The infinite-Trip-Mine trick works well on this map.
• Like Sandtrap, players may leave footprints in the snow (which could be tracked) for a few seconds before fading away. This is helpful when opponents are in Active Camo.
• In the sky, the visible planet has a Marathon symbol on it.
• The spheres in both bases appear to be vehicles or some sort of manned Covenant equipment since there are seats inside them.
  • It's believed that the seats inside of the bases are used to control the antennae outside of the structures.
• In the Active Camo tunnel there is a Canadian $1 coin (or loonie) buried in the snow beneath the Active Camo, perhaps a homage to the "lucky loonie" customarily buried under the ice during Canadian National ice hockey or curling events. The "lucky loonie" was made famous during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic games when both the Canadian men's and women's team won the gold medal. However, this coin is not seen during split-screen games.
• In Halo 3 Beta, the engine incorporated real time reflections into many aspects of the game. The outside of Snowbound's bases, as well as the Ghost, player armor, and a few weapon holders, utilized the graphical enhancement of real time reflection. However, this was removed from the final version of the game.
• The default version of Snowbound has been removed from all Matchmaking playlists except Lone Wolves and Rumble Pit. It has been replaced with the Hard Core (HC) Snowbound in which a few changes have been made, which deletes the Spartan Laser and Shotgun from the map and puts the Beam Rifle on the original Shotgun spawn point. Each base now has a Bubble Shield, where the default Snowbound had only one base with a Bubble Shield and another with a Power Drain.
• On IGN during the time of the Halo 3 Beta, IGN stated that Snowbound was probably inspired by the Battle of Hoth from the Star Wars universe.
• It is possible that the Maulers on this map may eventually be removed from this map, since Snowbound is a relatively a close-quarters map. The two Maulers on the map (near the rocks that are near the Ghost and another Brute Shot spawn), are sometimes used by players to compensate for the Shotgun when they do not have access to it.
• Snowbound now has another alternate variant, called Boundless, which excludes the shield doors that lead into the ice caves from the bases and also changed weapon spawns. It was announced in Bungie's 8/22/08 weekly Update and will appear in the September playlists as of September 16.
• Some players call the tunnels underneath the map "Gopher Holes' because of the habits of many players who throw grenades in the holes to clear them out.
• Inside one base you may notice that there is an array of lights and you may hear a humming sound, however inside the other base it seems to be "broken" and icicles hang from the archway above the door also, the sphere in the center of the room is off axis and is not light up.

Related Pages

• Boundless