Wikis / The Liandri Archives / ONS-Torlan

For other versions of this map, see Recurring maps#Torlan.

Set on the dried outskirts of a lush jungle continent, two factions clash in fierce combat for control of a major communications tower and its adjacent power supply. With the dam holding back the waters from the nearby jungle, the dried out riverbed running across the battlefield allows for an easy attack route into enemy territory and could provide a decisive victor with ownership of the enormous Comm-tower as the reward.

Screenshot of Torlan

Map Description

The map is mostly symmetrical, however, as usual, the terrain is slightly different on each side. Furthermore, the red team (assuming it's the first round in the match, as teams in ONS will switch bases with each round) can fire at the Raptor's spawn point (and damage said Raptor if it belongs to the enemy) at the central node by using the energy turret located on the outer wall near their own Raptor at their base. For the next round (if there is any), this small advantage will be available to the blue team, and so on until the match ends.

The bases are built exactly the same. There is a tall tower in the center of the map which is useful for sniping, as well as using the hills for cover from tank shells and to take shots at people at the nodes below.

ONS-Torlan is currently the most popular Onslaught map. The inclusion of this map in the demo version added to the popularity of the level. It is also often considered to be the ideal, though overplayed, Onslaught map. There have been a lot of remakes of this map, including the official UT3 WAR-Torlan. The second UT2004 demo Onslaught map, ONS-Primeval, was never nearly as popular due to the lack of space, choke points and late inclusion in the demo.

Pickups & Vehicles

Pickups

Item and Vehicle map

Vehicles

Node Layouts

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  Default Node Layout

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  Split-Square Layout

Strategies

Offensive

When playing the default link setup, the usual strategy involves taking the Manta with people riding on its wings (the more people, the better and faster your nodes build up) to the first node available (2 or 4 depending on your team), while having another person drive the Hellbender (preferably with more passengers on it too) to the center node (the Hellbender's turrets should help your team to control and secure the area near the center node, unless the opposite team does the same, which will be an even battle). While all this is being done, have yet another person fly the Raptor to the top of the central communications tower to grab the Redeemer as soon as it spawns; be warned that the opposite team will usually try the same, which more often than not results in a Raptor dogfight around the tower. Should this happen, try to back up your teammate flying the Raptor with AVRiL, Shock Rifle or Energy Turret fire. Slightly before the first node is totally built, have the first Manta driver go to the corner node to build it as soon as possible, and when the node is built already, the person or people carried on the Manta's wings should take the Manta spawning at the node and drive it to the corner node as well, to help build that node as fast as possible and bring that Goliath towards the center node as soon as possible. Your Scorpion should stay at home; you will find it useful in defense against enemy Mantas.

This should leave your team in sort of a statu-quo position - possesion of the first and corner nodes, while the center node is usually under attack. The battle for the center node will be bloody, which is why carrying your more powerful vehicles, the Hellbender first, and later the Goliath, towards that point helps. At this time, attacking the opposite team's corner node with your Mantas is just as essential as trying to conquer the center node, since it gives your opposition two points to defend and worry about. Also, a successful Redeemer attack over a key enemy node is more often than not the turning point in the game.

Another (odd and risky) tactic at the beggining of the game is to have the Manta rush quickly at the opposite team's first node (while the rest of your team tries to build your nodes up), trying to kill the enemy team, while they are building their node; if you are successful at killing all of them (finish your job by laying spider mines at their first node's spawn point) as soon as possible, you'll manage to hamper the opposition's ability to build their nodes quite a lot. However this strategy can be countered by people on foot firing AVRiLs beforehand and locking them onto you as soon as you appear, and an alert Raptor pilot.

When playing the split-square link setup (rarely played), have the Manta fly towards the first node and the Raptor fly towards the opposite corner node to get both nodes as soon as possible. On that corner node, take the Goliath available and start hammering the enemy team's first node as soon as possible, while on your first node try to take the enemy's Goliath down. Proper Goliath attacks are the key here, more so than in the default link setup. Don't expect a statu-quo situation as in the default link setup, but rather a race to see which team destroys the opposite Power Core first.

Defensive

The best defensive techniques on this map are to use the Energy Turrets well. It is easier to stave off vehicles that are attacking nodes with a turret than any of your pea-shooter weapons. Your Scorpions will also be key in defense of your nodes against enemy Mantas.

Another important thing is to keep an AVRiL in your inventory at all times.

Once your team owns the center node, you can use the Hellbender spawning in the bridge above that node to attack the enemy team's first node (or rather defend it if it belongs to your team). Try to take advantage of the cover that the center tower's bridge pillars at the base provide you - try to put the Hellbender in such a position so that you can freely fire from its rear turret (through the pillars) at the first node area, while you remain "hidden" behind the pillars. Enemy players will have a much harder time trying to get you down; they won't be able to lock AVRiL missiles on you from their node, they can only snipe you back or rather deal directly with your Hellbender on the bridge (at this point you can still defend yourself with the Hellbender's side turret).