Railroad: X-Rayed
by Ronald "pie" Li


Overview: The first 2 match week that cal-invite has seen in a very long time is now upon us. Up to bat is none other than Railroad, a long time favorite of numerous competitive Day of Defeat players. Usually a bloodbath of frags left and right, this map tends to test individual skill in its smaller areas, while testing out a teams teamwork in the big picture. The map itself can be split into three general areas, the Long, the Middle and the Train.

• Long

Long is surely the quickest way in between the two spawns on railroad. Axis players are separated from the allied players only by a doorway and hole in the apartments at Long, which permits for a team to send any class here. While an auto has the ability to push up very quick and take the enemy in close combat, putting a sniper or rifle here is just as favorable. Many teams have had a tendancy recently to send their sniper here as axis, as the sniper here will have access to pick off allies trying to get to the balcony, while the sniper will have plenty of cover if an allied player comes from the doorway or even the underpass. If an axis sniper manages to work his way up to the hole at the allied first, taking him out is a must, as he will basically control how fast you can exit your spawn, and stop a crucial middle cap or do anything important for that matter.

Most of the time teams will have a garand or a sniper rifle come this way on allied side, and this also goes for the axis, except with a kar. Once pushed up, a player is able to take a lot of pressure from his teammates by spawn camping.

Patience is key at the ruined house on railroad, because each player has the ability to get to the opponent's side of long so quickly, waiting out your opponent can be a useful tactic....until you get flanked by another enemy, which is what makes this side of the map rather interesting. Taking it with a one man effort on either side can be quite an effort versus a team that is equally skilled, however, teamwork will get you a guarenteed cap here. By putting an extra axis player coming from the stairs or apartments, or an allied from the underpass or from the apartment, or even from the crossroads, not only does your team double the chance of capping long, but it gives your team crucial time to cap the other flags as you gain the ability to hold the enemy in their spawn.

• Middle

Middle is basically, to describe it in a few words, a fragfest. To be able to take it, you better be able to shoot a few people before doing it, or shoot them while you're capping it.

Initial nades are critical in the middle of railroad, not only does that cut down on an enemy running one of the many routes into middle, but it also gives your team that all important entry kill.

Off initial, axis should spread their middle out, make use of what your players are good at. For the axis team, there are 3 main entrances into middle, the underpass, apartments, and the crossroads, the apartments however, can be split up into the windows and lower apartments, which is another incentive to send more players towards the apartments. Throwing grenades left and right is a good idea, but only when it is coordinated. The allied team has their pick of the alley between the train station and their second, the stairs and the apartments also. The apartments tends to start slowly, but once a team gets going, they are able to get the other team scrambling to get them out.

Generally, you can't play too conservative on middle, if you do, you're likely to get picked off, flanked, or become something absolutely useless to your team. However, playing too aggressive, such as trying to cap the middle before you've killed anything is also a terrible idea.

• Train

While many would say that railroad is one of the more fast paced maps in competitive Day of Defeat, this side of railroad is what upsets this theory. Made up of two sections, with only one connecting section in between, whoever can wait for the other person or outshoot them quicker will surely win.

Separated by only the train car, the players that go this way must be as patient as ever in order to take this side of the map. Frowned upon by many, this side does provide some spectacular battles of attrition, if an allied player can get through, he can do whatever he wants, meaning he can flank the crossroads, or camping the axis first how he pleases. The same goes for the axis player going this way, who gets to go where he pleases after capturing the allied second, whether it be the train station or a direct flank of the middle and allied first.