Increasing your familiarity with Overwatch’s maps is essential to better personal game play, as well as better team play. There are many factors to take into account when it comes to learning the ins and outs of each map. This first guide will focus on Defending the Assault Map Hanamura. This guide focuses primarily on Health Packs, Noteworthy Areas to Defend or Attack, as well as Noteworthy Defense Heroes.
- Health Pack Locations
Knowing where the health packs are on a map will help you for a few reasons.
- Advantages in combat.
First, knowing the locations of health packs gives you an advantage in combat. Knowing where a health pack is in relation to where you are will allow you to somewhat consistently heal. Next, knowing where health packs are located on each map helps you to deprive the enemy team of healing. In addition, this knowledge has the potential to land you some critical kills if you know an enemy hero is heading there to heal.
- Noteworthy Points When Defending.Defending Point 1
Point 1 is somewhat easy to defend, with the right team comp. The attacking team can try to punch through the main gate, or get heroes through the upper right hand window to cause as many problems as possible from the flank. Especially relevant is the importance of choosing the right team comp over what hero you want to play. One of the most detrimental things for a team is players picking heroes they want to play, over picking heroes who will benefit the team. Finally, choosing heroes that synergize well for the map you’re on over choosing who you want to play can be the difference between an awesome win, and a crushing loss.
- Defending Point 1-Upper Right Window
The window/ledge in the upper right hand section of the large gate is easy to sneak through when attacking. Heroes such as Genji and D.Va can easily sneak through and cause mayhem from the flank, forcing your team to scramble back to protect the capture point. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on this area.
- Defending Point 1 – Right Flank Side.
If for some reason the enemy team is able to get heroes through the upper right window, you have problems. Usually leaving a hero to defend the capture point from flankers or ninja-cappers is a smart choice, especially if it is someone who can support or attack from afar.
- Noteworthy Defense Heroes For Point 1
Here are some of the heroes who I believe can be quite strong for this portion of the battle. These are merely a few that in my experience have done quite well.- Symmetra – Symmetra is an excellent pick for defense on this map for a few reasons. First, her Sentry Turrets act as little alarms near the upper right hand window. Furthermore, enemy heroes sneaking past to try and flank will alert Symmetra and her team. Also, Symmetra is able to drop her Teleporter which is helpful because it is a much farther run to Point 1 for the defending team than for the attacking team.
- Reinhardt – The German Juggernaut excels at holding the first point for his team. Able to stand in the doorway and block the entire gate with his shield for the team is a monumental responsibility. In addition, if anyone gets within reach of him, his auto attacks cleave the majority of the gates width, maximizing his melee damage output. Next, with the support of a healer, he is able to withdraw to recharge his shield and get topped off. Also, one thing to worry about with Reinhardt is overextending. On the inner side of the gate, he is incredibly safe and hard to kill, especially with a healer supporting him. Therefore, if he strays outside of the gate, things can get bad very quickly for him.
- Bastion – Able to sit in sentry mode, Bastion can be very problematic for the attacking team. First of all, positioning is key for Bastion. As he does most of his damage in Sentry Mode, it is imperative to find a safe yet effective spot to corner camp. Also, if they don’t have long range heroes such as Widowmaker, problems arise. Finally, Bastion excels at providing solid zone coverage, from the safety of the capture point or even behind it.
- Symmetra – Symmetra is an excellent pick for defense on this map for a few reasons. First, her Sentry Turrets act as little alarms near the upper right hand window. Furthermore, enemy heroes sneaking past to try and flank will alert Symmetra and her team. Also, Symmetra is able to drop her Teleporter which is helpful because it is a much farther run to Point 1 for the defending team than for the attacking team.
Hopefully you find some helpful information here in this first installment of Mastering the Assault Maps – Hanamura. As I progress with Map Guides, I will try to hopefully combine the defense maps into one guide, and also combine the assault maps into one as well. Stay tuned for the next Hanamura Guide: Attacking Point 1. From all of us at The Game Haus I’m David, and as always, Good Luck, Have Fun!