QWTF Chronicles
Clan [SD] QWTF BattleAxe Server Map Rotation
(tf.sd.ru)
All of these maps can be downloaded at the QWTF Maps Archive.
Comments by Arc.
Color code: Brilliant - Good - Playable - Flawed - Unplayable
1. 2fort5l - by John Cook. 2fort5 stands as the most fundamental and important map in TF. The most significant change was the addition of the second hallway to the flag room, which greatly improved match play. There were also improvements to spawns and textures. The transition from 2fort4r to 2fort5 was almost immediate since the map had finally been perfected with this update. The layout has been often imitated, and every class has a role.
2. mininoheros - by Microlitre. It is perhaps the most famous of the 'mini' maps, far surpassing the popularity of the original noheros. Anything beyond 2v2 turns into a major spamfest on this defense-friendly map. There is only a single entry to the flag room, which can be locked down by a good piper and Engineer combo.
3. mbasesl - by Midori and Wils. mbases is an improved version of bases. Like bam4—also by Midori𝅶 𝅶—mbases has long been one of the best substitute options when 2fort5 won't do. Aside from making the map look much better, Wils improved the map in many ways, such as expanding the corridor width, smoothing ramps, increasing ceiling height, and creating a lift to replace the awful wind tunnel. This version was made in 1999—2 years after the original—and it has stood the test of time.
4. nosofa - by [SD] Hunter. It's easy to get lost on this map, even if you have experience on it. The floors and corridors look similar all over. Additionally, putting water in the middle of a 2022 map is unacceptable. There's an open spiral stairway up to the flag, but there's also a quicker way near the entry. Although it takes a while to get to the entry.
5. oppose1 - by Rip. It's an old and slow forts-type of map. The front doors stop you. There's a long spiral. There are vertical wind tunnels. The map was popular in Russia from 1999 onward even though it was low scoring.
6. frozen1 - by HellStorm and [SD] Hunter. The map is a remake of openfire, originally from TFC. Before Fortress Forever came along, openfire was the most prominent example of a 'button' map in TF. There is a corridor at the main entry of the base leading to the button, which lowers the lasers guarding the flag. The flag is at the end of the water-side entry. There are open lanes allowing players to grenjump through from various angles to dazzle the defense.
7. muskrat4 - by Rev.Hippie. It's a 1997 map and certainly looks like it. Instead of giving normal packs, you have to leave the respawn and find the one particular pack that gives full armor. There is one main path to the flag that is extremely cramped, and there's a lava pit at the flag. However there is also a secret button in the entry room that opens a direct path to the flag, making it an early "button" map. There are also various slipgates (not to be confused with teleporters) throughout the bases. The underground route is very tedious and requires many detpacks to fully blow open. The map became a regular map in Russian play after initially being downloaded at random.
8. forgot - by [SD] Hunter. It's a small map but it's very easy to defend. The flag room is similar to mininoheros, allowing a Demoman and Engineer to dominate. There are 2 ways into the flag area. The first way is to shoot a button that opens a gate at the bottom of a ramp for 5 seconds. The other way is a narrow hallway.
9. wellgl1 - by Sgt.Thundercok. The Well is often considered the 2nd-most fundamental map in TF, after only 2forts. Its influence on TF is vast. Since the flag room has only slow lifts up to the flag, players were inspired to experiment with faster ways up. Thus, the map played a crucial role in the early development of conc and grenjumps. The map is also single-handedly responsible for the concept of detpack triggers, since the TF code was rewritten specifically to allow the grate to be detpacked in this map. This version makes the sky black in order to help with slowdown for GL users. In 1997, players who could afford higher-end graphic cards played with GL QuakeWorld instead of the regular QuakeWorld. However, the enduring legacy of this version was that it removed the invisible central barrier, making offenses faster.
10. rampage1 - by [SD] Hunter. As you may expect, there are quite a lot of ramps, but they all lead to a single central ramp at the flag room, somewhat like bastion. There is a massive concentration of players at that flag room ramp since it's the only way in. The flag is defended fairly easily. However there is a 2nd way out of the flag room, and once it's out it's hard to hold.
11. caverns - by Snowden McNab. It's a fairly small but memorable map set in a cave with lava. The side wall in the center can be detpacked to create a path directly to the flag, but you have to survive lava and a steep slope to get there. The primary way to the flag through the base is good for hopping but defense will focus there since it's a single entrance.
12. prolite1 - by [SD] Hunter. It's one of the best maps from this Russian author. The entry is a large ramp room with access to the flag area via the left or right entries. There's also a lift in the center the lines up perfectly with the flag for performing concjumps or grenjumps. The flag room is tight and an Engineer is quite powerful because of the small platforms designed to put sentries high.
13. turtle - by Bladez. Although this map came along later in TF's lifespan, it was popular in almost every region. The layout is not a standard fort. There is a field in the front, a high catwalk, and a water entry directly to the flag. The map seems easy enough to cap on, yet it has proven to be one of the more defensive maps. It creates an interesting challenge.
14. ftrial3 - by [SD] Hunter. It makes some changes to ftrial2, but the flag room remains easy to defend. The waterway can be detpacked, creating potential long-range attacks on the piper/sentry in the flag room, but it's actually easier for the piper to set up the pipes in this version, and he can rain red grens down the hallway.
15. river3 - by Cremator and Ishtar. It's a small map that's basically a simpler version of 2forts. There's a ramp room and spiral leading to the flag. The spiral is the only way in. However Enginerr can be very powerful on offense because of the proximity of the ramp room Soldier to the Demoman's pipes at the top of the spiral.
16. bastion - by [SD] Hunter. One of Hunter's many castle-style maps. This one is fairly small. Technically there are two ways to the flag room, but one of them requires pressing a button in the ramp room that opens the door for 5 seconds. The main way in and out is an easily defended tight corridor. The flag room also has ledges designed solely for sentry guns to kill anyone who manages to make it that far. Although it's easily defended, it does inspire creativity on offense.
17. dark76 - by Nick Xeno. The design is very basic, somewhat like 1on1forts combined with a 2fort4 flag hall. Despite the small size, it can be very difficult to cap because of the defensive design. A pair of hwguys can shut down the 2 ramps into the flag room, and a sentry is quite effective in the flag hall.
18. fatta2 - by [SD] Hunter. Fast Attack. It's a recent map (2018). The center has scary-looking water, but it's skimmable. It's possible to RJ from one sniper deck to the other. As the name suggests, it is pretty small and fast, with 2 ways into most areas, including the flag room. There are some steps, but generally there's not much slowdown. Expect the action to happen in the flag room. The resupply has been significantly revamped compared to earlier versions.
19. 2mach1 - by >V< Someone. Small map for small games. The flag room is the base. 3 ways in: low, high, or side high. It's pretty congested and obviously defense will respawn in essentially the same area they died.
20. 2stag1r - by JM|Leon and GotT-Bamb1. The map has more flat platforms than ramps, resembling the style of 32smooth. There are a few revisions that tweak gameplay compared to 2stag1, such as increasing the flag return time to 30 seconds and changing resupply packs.
21. flib10b - by Mr Flibble. It's a simple map that essentially cuts 2fort5 down to just a ramp room, spiral, and flag room. Enter the ramp room via front door, sniper deck, or water. The spiral is the only way to the flag. The flag room has 2 halls like 2f5.
22. forup - by [SD] Hunter. It's a medium-sized map but mostly flat. There are lifts instead of ramps. However the main feature of the map is the high flag room, which is designed for players to grenjump into. The water on this map might as well be lava, because it's not worth the time to swim through it.
23. z7 - by ZOo. It's one of the most notoriously defensive maps around. There's a single flag hall like 2fort4, but, additionally, the basement itself is easier to defend. The only hope of getting through is with a grenjump through the long hall, as long as any sentries are down first, since there is a perfectly crafted deck for them. Nonetheless, the map was popular, especially in Russia.
24. fcast - by [SD] Hunter. There is only a single small entry to the flag room, and it is secured by a gate that has to be opened by shooting a button. The gate stays open for only 12 seconds. The piper and a sentry are going to be waiting inside the flag room, if you get there. When you get stuck inside (if you somehow get the flag), you need a teammate to shoot the button again. However, you can exploit the map by dying near the gate, and then someone can grab the flag through the gate. Way too defensive even though it's a small map.
25. tfexper4 - by Crazy Ivan. It's surprising that the map was made in 1998 because it feels older, like a late-1996 clone of 2fort23. The flag area is a defender's dream with tight spam-friendly entries and a resupply right above the flag. Capping is very unlikely against a competent defense.
26. qdeth3 - by [MG]ScorpioN. It's a worse version of 2fort4. There's a long upward spiral to the flag room. It's slow and defensive. The main difference from qdeth2 is that there's a trap door to take you out of the flag room down to the ramp room, but it causes some health damage. The spiral is still the only route to the flag. The map is popular in Russia, but the author is American.
27. classic1 - by [SD] Hunter. It is one of Hunter's best castle maps (and there are many) since it isn't quite as defense-friendly. The layout within the base is symmetrical, although 2 paths converge into one in the center. But it's possible to avoid this route through the snipe deck, leading directly to the flag room. The update to classic, made in 2023, primarily changes the flag room to be larger. The flag return time increased to 45 sceonds.
QWTF Chronicles