====== Ancient Remains ======

===== Overview ======

**Ancient Remains**, a large, varied map, is commonly hailed as the sole true "outdoor" map for Tremulous in existence. Although the map does in fact possess an expansive canyon and detailed cave environment, it seems that just as much care and time was put into the creation of its dark indoor labyrinth. In fact, much of the action on this map tends to occur indoors near the human base, rather than outside. This can be construed as both a blessing and a curse: gameplay in Ancient Remains's maze of tunnels is intense but disorienting, as even the most experienced players may end up doubling back a few times to find their quarry. Both teams' bases are well-positioned enough to survive Stage 1; nevertheless, Human Stage 2 all but completely compromises the Aliens, eventually necessitating an Alien base move.

(This hint page is written from the point of view of a large server with many build points and players, a server that would most likely put this map into rotation. Defensive tactics will change depending on the number of build points alloted to the teams, so if you are playing this map on a smaller server, see the guide on BP Allocation.)   


===== Humans on Ancient Remains =====

At the very beginning of the game, the humans possess a rather significant advantage over the aliens. Although their base has three entrances, arguably a flaw to consider in defense strategy, two of these entrances lead to long, relatively straight hallways, making defense that much easier. The third entrance, too, has its merits: it sits looking straight at a corner, so that any attacking aliens will be engaged as soon as they come into view. For the humans, early defense on this map is a cinch, and as the stages progress, a base move is rarely a necessity.

Stage 1 poses several offensive problems for the humans, however. Almost half of the map, the dark labyrinth, is nearly closed off, for one of a number of reasons. Firstly, and most importantly, the darkness of this area lends itself to alien ambushes, and without helmets in the human arsenal, these encounters will nearly always end poorly. Secondly, there is almost no reason to be in the labyrinth, assuming the aliens have not moved. Thirdly, it is guaranteed that the aliens will use the labyrinth to assault the human base. Entering the labyrinth early on is not only pointless, it is suicidal.

The only effective offensive that the humans can launch is outdoors, which can be easily accessed through two of the humans' base entrances. The expansive outdoor area of this map is a major bonus for the humans, who can use the full range of their weapons to their advantage. Even though the grass provides a degree of camouflage to the small aliens, it is the humans' ranged weapons which dominate here. Without defenders, the alien base is extremely weak from the beginning of the game, so an organized attack from the humans can topple it. Even a small group of riflemen can do extensive damage to the undefended alien base during Stage 1. However, alien defenders can make short  work of human attackers near the alien base, due to the confined canyon in which the base lies.

Stage 2 greatly magnifies the Human advantages in the outdoor area. With jetpacks, humans outside become virtually invincible, and with a few well-camouflaged repeaters built in trees, the humans can simply jet over to the alien base, pummel it from above, and effortlessly obliterate it. If the aliens have not moved to the labyrinth, this kind of attack should take precedence over everything else at this point in the game. Also, the unlocking of helmets now opens up the entire labyrinth to human exploration. Should the aliens attempt to move at this point, a simple interdiction mission run by a lone human should be enough to disrupt the aliens' relocation efforts. If the aliens have moved before Human Stage 2, this stage then becomes a matter of persistently attacking the alien base.

Stage 3 brings the chaingun into play in the labyrinth. In the confusing confines of the labyrinth, even the mighty tyrant becomes vulnerable to a tenacious chainsuit, giving the humans a bit more offensive/defensive staying power. From here, the map is a toss-up: if the aliens have found a good, entrenched position, then the game will go to whoever possesses the greatest offensive momentum. In these cases the aliens generally win, so this should be avoided if possible.

In the end, the consummate human tactic on Ancient Remains should be to "nip the plant in the bud": cripple the aliens while their base is weak, force them to eggspam, and from there hunt down any builders or micro-bases that spring up.   

==== Human Starting Base ====

{{http://www.nieting.org/images/trem/arh.jpg}}

===== Aliens on Ancient Remains =====

Taking into account the undeniable flaws of the Alien base come Human Stage 2, two concrete tactical options present themselves to the Aliens on this map: move or die. It's that simple. 

A common location for an Alien base move is down in the bowels of the labyrinth, near the magma pool. This area is large enough to support a huge base, and is defensible enough to allow the aliens to survive well into Human Stage 3. Additionally, moving to this spot early on (AS1 - HS1) allows the aliens to turn the tables on the humans, forcing them to enter the labyrinth, making them easy kills. If the Aliens do not relocate immediately, the team should focus on keeping the Humans quarantined within the confines of their base: something rather easy for the Aliens to do. Failing this, the team should cover the builders as they abandon/deconstruct the outdoor base and make a sprint for the labyrinth. 

With a labyrinth base established, the Aliens should stick to keeping the Humans from discovering the base move as long as possible by keeping the pressure up on them.

Stage 2 brings few advantages to the Aliens on the offense, but it does not matter provided the Human team has not successfully knocked down the alien momentum.

Stage 3, like most games, entails a full assault on the Human base: Sniping dragoons and charging tyrants can easily weaken the Human defenses, provided the defenders are somewhat occupied.


==== Starting Alien Base ====

{{http://www.nieting.org/images/trem/ara.jpg}}

//Note the large amount of headspace above the base and its exposed defenses. This is a disaster waiting to happen.//

==== Outside Skirmish Area ====

{{http://www.nieting.org/images/trem/aro.jpg}}

//The canyon straight ahead leads directly to the alien base, while the opening on the right (just barely visible above the foliage) is a cave which leads to the labyrinth. A conspicuous outcropping in the canyon wall outside the right boundary of the picture is the entrance to the human base. Notice the openness of this area: it is a massive advantage to humans, regular riflemen and snipers alike.//

===== Player Comments =====

spam <--- XD