Anzio: X-Rayed
by Ronald "pie" Li

Welcome to Day of Defeat maps X-rayed! This is a new article which will hopefully become an addition to the writeup lineup, we will be showcasing new maps and CAL maps of the week once in awhile. Hopefully some ideas here will help some teams in the lower divisions come up with some strategies on what to do on each map!

Overview:

Noted as one of the greatest maps of competitive Day of Defeat, anzio always puts up good matchs for spectators and players alike. The original non-linear map has always opened up strategies for teams to implement with it's many routes, this map is full of flanking and assault opportunities. The mix of open areas such as the plaza and closed areas such as the bridge crack house and the church, players playing different classes will almost always have options on where they want to go.

Main chokepoints:

• Bridge

This 2 man flag serves as one of the two biggest chokepoints of the map, once the allied team has access to this point, they can advance into the meat locker or the sewers to flank the street, or advance up the ramp towards the axis spawn and into various areas overlooking the axis spawn ramp. If the axis team takes the bridge however, they have access to 2 routes into the allied spawn house and an opportunity to flank the Plaza/Pizzeria area. Usually what teams will do is send their rifles and the sniper here. A few variations that have been seen on the allied side are sending an auto or a rifle into water and to the sewer on the axis side of the bridge. Some teams have also been known to send someone rushing through the meat locker to the alternate entrance of the street. The two teams have to be careful to push at the right times, or else if the entire bridge team goes down, that's basically a temporary loss of half of the entire map.

• Plaza

This 2 man flag tops off the other half of anzio, usually an autofest, this area also provides many flanking opportunites for whichever team takes it. What many teams will do on allied side is get a sniper or rifle into the pizzeria and have a heavy float around the crawlspace going to the street. On axis, the generic strategy is a quick nade from the axis ramp either going to the pizzeria/laundry or toward the fruit stand. A sniper or rifle will usually establish himself in the double windows to pick off anyone trying to run into a hiding spot. Recent change in the flow of DOD competitive play has made this are a slower area to push. If this area gets totally lost, you can almost expect to have an enemy on your side of the map. An axis in the pizzeria or an allied floating somewhere around the sundial area is almost certain.

• Street

The middle of anzio is a narrow hallway packed with entrances from every direction. On one side you have the crawlspace and sewer entrance, on the other side you have the meat locker entrance and you have the entrance from the ramp to finish it off. This flag serves as a last resort for many teams who are about to lose their first flag, and also as a pressure point for the advancing team. From this point, it is possible to go to ANY other chokepoint in the map, you are able to go to bridge through the meat locker or sewer, and the plaza through the sewer, crawlspace or ramp. Most likely the most counter capped flag of the entire map, most teams tend to have someone either going for this flag or holding it off. Off the initial rush, I don't think I've seen one team who doesn't have a person throwing the signature grenade over the wall as allied. On axis, most players will sit back and then proceed to nade or wait for an allied to push their way through the crawlspace and right into their crosshair.

• Pizzeria

The Pizzeria is its own establishment apart from the Plaza. Made up of the fruit stand, plaza window and the allied first window, this section of the map is a good area to either sneak through or flank from. Pretty much any allied player will try to get in here or the fruit stand in order to stop a cap or get some cover. The table is a common spot used for cover while the left corner near the bar is also rather common. As allied, once you're down to your last flag, almost always expect an axis to be coming to the allied first from the window. As axis, this section is extremely useful for flanking plaza and bridge, as it has quick access to stop both the 2 man flags.

• Church

Just like the Pizzeria, the church is another extension of the Plaza. The 2 windows in it serve as a great cap-stopper for whichever team that is able to get someone in there. Axis snipers will usually always be able to take good advantage of the windows, yet so will allied snipers. An auto or rifle around the windows should easily be able to stop a cap or pick off an enemy either in the double windows or Pizzeria. The bottom of the Church works as a spot to watch the double windows as an allied, and a way to stop the Plaza as axis. The Church has countless strategies that a person can implement in order to help the Plaza out. Something interesting for new teams trying out walling is the wall going from the church all the way into the Pizzeria, if done right, this can suprise the heck out of many players.

• The Hill

The end of the marathon for the allies, this flag is the base of the axis. Once the allies get close to it, the axis better start panicking, one wrong nade will kill your entire team on the ramp, and one solid allied nade will nuke the axis trying to pick them off on the ramp. Basically a prone dive shoudl pretty much get you a cap by the time you're here, unless you have an amazing sniper like kellen who picks you off. As axis, your best bet would be to push your way out slowly, as if you push too quickly an allied may just burst out of nowhere and cap it right behind your back.

• Laundry

The first flag for the allies, this flag is just about as open as the axis first flag, with 4 entrances into it, the axis have a fair selection of routes to enter the area with. Once it all comes down to this flag for the allies, you better start rushing that flag as fast as you can to prevent a cap.

that's it for now guys, later on I may be planning to do the motw and maybe analyze each teams playstyle a bit, pm pie on irc to give me some suggestions for my next one!