Badlands (competitive)

This article is for competitive play, based on the standard community competitive format.
The community competitive scene changes frequently. Some or all info may be outdated.

Badlands is a remake of the classic CTF_Badlands from Team Fortress Classic. Much of the map has been changed and the map type has been changed from capture the flag to control point. The map consists of a base for each team, an open second point for each team located on the top of a hill, and a center point on the bridge.

The objective of Badlands is to control all five capture points. Each team starts with their second and final control points locked, leaving only the middle point available.

In competitive play, Badlands is arguably the most popular maps played in both official matches and unofficial matches. Along with Granary, Badlands is perhaps the first map players new to competitive TF2 will play.

Place names

All place names are given from the perspective of defense as their primary name (in terms of left and right), except obviously for the middle control point.

Control Points 1/5

• Lower Left: This is the side route that can be found directly left of the final point. It stretches from Lower Lobby, rises to Upper Lobby and goes back down to a lower level directly left of the point. Scouts will usually try and capture the point quickly and unnoticed using this doorway. On defense, the roaming Soldier should watch this door and spam it so flankers are discouraged from pushing through there. Demomen can put a few sticky bombs on this door, however, if there is a Soldier or Heavy physically guarding the point.
• Lower Lobby/Main Lobby: This is the room which accommodates the main entrance into the base. It can be reached whilst attacking through the main entrance from Gray Bridge as well as the side entrance from Back Spire. This is usually the sight of an initial plan of attacking last as if there are few of the enemy team, players maybe tempted to attack the final capture point through Main Hallway.
• Main Hallway: This is the corridor connecting lower lobby with the final capture point. You can also reach Upper Lobby through the stairs in Main Hallway. This is usually the stage for any rushes onto last as well as where a majority of Snipers will sight down to get a quick pick. There are barrels in the hallway that can also be used for cover.
• Upper Lobby: This refers to the room across from the spawn room which can overlook the final points. This room can be accessed through a number of ways from both the final capture point and from the previous capture point. This is where a majority of pushes onto the final capture point will take place as the entrances through towards the control point offer such much needed height for the heavier classes.

Control Points 2/4

Many people refer to this control point as "Spire" because of the points location. However, many teams also refer to it as "Yard."

• Spire: The most prominent structure at second point, as the control point rests on top of the spire. There are many positional and maneuvering tricks a player can do here, especially Soldiers and Scouts. Height advantage among the various levels should be cherished and should always be utilized.
• Balcony/Battlements: The Sniper deck that overlooks Spire, Stone Bridge up to choke. This is a popular spot for defensive Snipers because of the long sightlines. This is a common place for defensive players to be seen jumping or attempting to spam onto Spire.
• House Balcony/Platform: The small platform outside of the House entrance. This provides a small height advantage and should always be controlled by a roaming Soldier on Defense. This is a big choke point so pushing through should only really be done when there is a clear advantage.
• Resupply/Forward Respawn: Shortened sometimes as "Re-sup", this is the forward respawn, when your team has captured the middle point. However, you may enter this at any time to quickly regain health and ammo.
• Stone Bridge/Gray Bridge: The bridge infront of the main entrance to the base. This is where any pushes into the enemy base, if any resistance is predicted, will take place. If the defending team has lost a lot of players during their mid-fight, remaining players will surrender choke and move back to Stone Bridge to try and resist any attempts by the enemy to capture Spire.
• Trash/Back Spire: The area behind Spire. Most players will hold this area to guard the side exit and Lower Lobby.
• Wooden Bridge/Diagonal/Flank: The bridge that overlooks Valley and is directly in front of Resupply. This should always be watched by the Scouts so as to prevent flanks.
• Valley: The flank that links Middle Point with Stone Bridge via Resupply and Diagonal. This is a popular route for Scouts and roaming Soldiers.

Control Point 3

Because of the symmetrical style of Badlands, each team share a similar landmark/location on their respective sides of the middle point. A popular method to counteract this is to add the prefix "our" or "their", e.g. "their Choke". Some players may also refer the middle point as "Mid" or even "Bridge" because of, like the 2nd/4th point, the landmark it is located on.

• Balcony/Window: This is the balcony to the right of house. This is where some Demoman and Soldiers jump so they can get onto the enemy Crates. Many Demomen spam from here too, as it provides cover through distance and is detached from the heat of the action.
• Choke: Refers to the area beyond the train cars which connects the area around spire with the mid point. This route is used frequently with the heavier classes because of its directness to the 2nd/4th control point.
• House: The building that overlooks the middle point. It has three entrances: one from wooden bridge, one from the middle capture point and one from spire. This is where a majority of team roll outs will finish on their way to mid. During mid fights the Demoman will attempt to spam into house to deny the enemy access to the point and force them back to choke.
• Side-house/Shithouse/Lunchbox/Closet: The small building directly opposite of house. This is a popular route for Scouts who are attempting to get behind the enemy, note that a majority of teams will have either a Soldier or Demoman watching this area when they reach middle. When a team is running a Pyro, this is a popular route for them, as as well going underneath the point, because it leaves them undetected until they are close to the enemy.
• Train/Crates: This refers to the flatbed train cars on either side of the point. This is a popular location for Soldiers because this is the highest location at mid.
• Underneath/Under Bridge: Refers to the area directly under the point. This is where some Scout battles may occur.
• Valley: This is used by some teams where the Soldiers, Demoman and Medic push from Valley and try and catch the enemy off guard expecting resistance from house; this is usually referred to as a "valley push".

The roll-out

Demoman

The usual route for the Demoman will see him Sticky jump out of spawn, placing a bomb on the wall around where the red/blue meets the grey, he should strafe and aim for main. His second jump, arguably one of the more difficult jumps of this roll out, involves the Demoman jumping from the bottom of the stairs and gliding over the stairs, avoiding the top "lip" of the doorway, onto the top floor of his team's base -- preferably landing near the pills. The third jump through the "vent", another difficult jump, involves a sticky placed on the closest of the corrugated sheets to the left, preferably near the bottom, aiming to land on "wooden bridge". Demos can either pick to jump from wooden bridge onto the balcony, although a majority of Demomen will take the safer route and walk through house and pick up the health kit inside. Demomen that play at a division one level can consistently reach the health pack with 9:45 on the clock using this roll out.

Video of the Demoman Rollout:

Soldier

After leaving spawn the Soldier rocket jumps off the wall directly to his right where he can either drop down through main or go through the right upper lobby entrance. If the Soldier is going through main, he should try and emulate the Demoman and jump over the stairs although they should aim to reach the floor just before the door so the Medic can heal them. If the Soldier is going through upper lobby, he should go through the second doorway and rocket jump off the wall to his right and aim to get onto the area where the pills should spawn, by now the Demoman should have picked them up. The final jump of this roll out sees the Soldier dropped down from the vent and perform a standard rocket jump onto wooden bridge.