Battlefield 3: Back to Karkand Previews; Assignments and Assault Conquest Explained

Since the release of a Back to Karkand trailer and Battlefield blog post explaining the trailer there has been a lot of unanswered questions about the map pack and other things such as Assault Conquest and "Assignments". There wasn't much we have learned yet, but we have more to report. Now IGN and GamePro have posted some things they noted from their access to B2k. 

First, IGN gave their opinion on Assault Conquest and "assignments", as well as some descriptions on how the map pack plays out. 

Here is IGN's opinion on Assault Conquest:

Conquest Assault popped up in Battlefield 2142, but for those unfamiliar with the game-type, it's a fast-paced variation of assault where one team rushes to take back a map's worth of capture points. Matches move rapidly because assaulting teams hold no capture points.

Also, IGN commented on the new "assignments" feature:

Each new weapon unlocks via "assignments." These tasks range from certain kinds of kills to various team actions and eventually provide you with one of the new firearms. 

So it now looks like you unlock the new weapons through the "assignments" instead of the traditional way on unlocking thinks in most FPS games to date. This will really mix up how we will be playing the game, something DICE most likely wants us to do so the game seems nothing like its counterparts.

And last, IGN comments on how Back to Karkand feels and plays from its old Battlefield 2 version:

Where Battlefield 2's Strike at Karkand looked like a street sweeper had recently passed, Battlefield 3's imagining adds junk -- and it changes everything. The two maps are no longer clean battlefields awaiting destruction; these are cities under siege that have already been hit hard. Brick cluttered sidewalks and overturned crates add a spark to formerly lifeless streets.

 They also added:

Back to Karkand doesn't copy the legacy maps' layouts pixel by pixel, but certain areas are unmistakable. I spent a lot of time crouched on Strike at Karkand's Hotel capture point back in the day, and returning to the slightly elevated flagpole evokes deja vu. Both maps move from tight quarters to huge open spaces, and destruction gets top billing in comparison to Battlefield 3's other maps.

 Now with GamePro's opinion on Assault Conquest, "assignments", and the overall feel compared to its older Battlefield 2 maps.

GamePro's opinion on Assault Conquest:

In Conquest Assault, two teams are split into attackers and defenders, and one team already holds all three capture points. The attacking team has less respawn tickets, but loses them more slowly the more capture points they take from the defenders. So the imperative to attack is clearly there, and can push the action to more frantic heights.

 GamePro's description of "assignments":

There's also a new Assignment system that tracks your progress on a variety of in-game achievements that will earn you even more rewards. Due out this December, the Back to Karkand Expansion Pack should be a pretty robust addition to an already deep multiplayer experience.

 GamePro also added:

Strike at Karkand is a remake of a classic Battlefield map, but it's a pretty distinctive re-imagining. There were no aircraft, but tanks and apcs spawned for both sides. The narrow city streets bordered by structures with small rooms made for a nice variety of combat. My favorite flashpoint may have been the city square in the middle, where rooftop snipers and well-placed support gunners on the ground could make for an impossible shooting gallery. That is, unless the armor got their first. Strike at Karkand will surely continue to be a classic Battlefield map after this implementation.  

Gulf of Oman on the other hand felt a lot looser, and less susceptible to being overwhelmed by good tank drivers. The tall building under construction is a honeycombed haven for snipers, and many of them decided to parachute down on unsuspecting enemies on the ground, making for some epic flying knife kills. The DPV's also came in super handy for zipping from one flash point on the map to another. Both Gulf of Oman and Strike at Karkand look like two more awesome maps for an already awesome multiplayer experience.

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Posted in: Battlefield 3 Back to Karkand Previews Assignments Explained B2K BF3 Assault Conquest