Standard - Artemis | Halo Customs

Co-forge: The Fated Fire

Minimum Players: 10

Maximum Players: 16

Canvas: Breakout Arena

Supported Core Gametypes: Slayer, Multi Flag CTF

Description:
Artemis is a small(ish), mirror-symmetrical Big Team Battle map designed for competitive Capture the Flag games. The map is set in an icy canyon dominated by a massive Forerunner structure buried in the snow and ice. This structure's purpose is unclear, but it appears to be drawing power from the ice itself and directing that power into a beacon projected into the sky.

The map is composed of a large curves bridge which branches off to create several positions of interest, both high and low, in the center of the map. A base exists on each end of the curved canyon, opposing one another at a 90 degree angle. A collection of spires and platforms create the other positions on the map, and these are connected by man cannons, teleporters, jumps, and a network of caves and tunnels.

Weapons and Vehicles:

Sniper Rifle x2
Plasma Caster x1

Needler x2
Energy Sword x1
Scattershot x1

Overshield x1
Active Camo x1

Recon DMR x2
Carbine x2
Light Rifle x2
Gunfighter Magnum x2

Frag Grenade x4
Plasma Grenade x6
Splinter Grenade x4

Tundra Warthog x2
Ghost x2

The Story:
Artemis began as a Narrows-inspired bridge concept known as "Diamondback" in Halo 2: Anniversary. The map had a less curved shape and was floating in midair. What eventually became the lower trench, Overshield platform, and Plasma Caster route were then a narrow infantry bridge flanking the main one. The map's vehicle circuit forced the Warthog through one-way routes to balance travel time between them and infantry.

During the September 2015 community forge visit, I pass the design onto The Fated Fire to combine with elements from Longbow to create a new BTB map for Halo 5. He added the curvature and man cannon routes seen in the map today, and moved away from the floating setting. He also upscaled the map substantially and added a third tier to the main bridge structure. This map, then known as "Torque" was deemed to be too competitively-oriented for Halo 5's BTB playlist and was significantly modified to become the map now known as Recurve.

Once Halo 5's forge mode was released, Fated and I went back to the drawing board and refined the design into, essentially, what is present today. Vehicle routes were simplified in an effort to make Halo 5's underpowered Warthog more viable and to improve the flow of infantry engagements. The map's size was scaled back to create the pacing we desired for a fast-paced competitive experience. Over approximately 11 months of testing and refinement, the map evolved into the version posted here today.

Artemis was used in BTB's 2016 Summer Shootout tournament and continues to be a favorite for competitive BTB players. Patrons of more casual, large-scale BTB experiences are not likely to enjoy their experiences here.