Unearthed

Unearthed is a Firefight map in Halo: Reach released as a part of the Defiant Map Pack. It is a fairly large map set in a BXR titanium mine in the Viery Territory on planet Reach.

Overview

Unearthed is a medium-large sized Firefight map. The map consists of a factory (which has an inside portion, a courtyard and the crane) and two large drop zones, all connected by a road that encircles the whole area. The factory inside contains a small room where the player spawns and and a garage with a Troop Hog inside. The facility inside is linked to the outside by three exits, one leading to a ledge above the courtyard, one exits that actually leads to the courtyard and the exit to the garage to the left drop zone. The courtyard is traversed by three bridges that lead from the ledge of the factory inside to a group of building on the other side. The courtyard also opens up to the rest of the map by two main gates (reminiscent of the Halo 3 multiplayer level High ground) and two more exits to the main road between the courtyard and the crane. The crane is a big structure situated at the edge of the map which has an upper platform where Phantoms drop off enemies and two ramps leading down to each of the drop zones (one ramp being a staircase and another being a conveyor belt). The drop zones are two big sections of the map where enemies are mainly dropped off and contain numerous rocks, trees and some structures, like the vehicle depot in the left drop zone.

Locations

The following are locations on the map that are so named on the player's heads-up display during gameplay:

• Facility Interior
• Facility
• Conveyor
• Street
• West Gate
• Maintenance
• East Drop Zone
• Quarry
• West Drop Zone
• Crane
• Lower Path
• East Gate
• Vehicle Depot
• Store Room

Strategies

• Camping inside the spawn is not a good strategy. Enemies will rush through the front door, the staircase and will chuck plasma grenades through the window from the garage.
• Always stay on the high ground as enemies will quickly occupy most of pathways and will often flank player that are on the ground.
• When playing with a teammate, use the Warthog to mow down enemies while the passenger handles the turret.
• When playing solo, get the Warthog to a secluded place and jump on the turret and shoot down enemies that will chase you down.
• While the roof of the maintenance building has a soft kill zone, the edges of the roof does not. Use a jetpack to get up there and use the Sniper Rifle to snipe distant enemies.

Trivia

• Unlike its partner maps Highlands and Condemned, which were locations mentioned in the novels, Unearthed is completely original.
• It is currently the only map where the Target Locator has 3 shots, possibly due to to the map's slightly heavier emphasis on vehicular combat.
• The hazards on this map are the Wraith and the Ghost.

Gallery

• 

  An overhead view of Unearthed.

• 

  A Rocket Warthog fires a volley at a Phantom.

• 

  A Jiralhanae Chieftain attacking a Spartan.

• 

  A battle on Unearthed.

• 

  The east drop zone.

• 

  The west drop zone.

• Defiant concept 5.jpg

  Concept art of the map.

• Defiant concept 6.jpg

  Another concept art piece, depicting the mining operations in the crater.