MeinMMO editor Dariusz Müller thoroughly examined the three maps of the Open Beta of Battlefield 6 and ranked them. One map stood out as a clear loser.
In the first Open Beta of Battlefield 6, we were able to play three of the nine maps: Iberian Offensive, Siege of Cairo, and Liberation Peak.
Overall, the maps left a really positive impression on me. Even after about 20 hours in the beta, they didn’t feel boring or annoying – with one exception.
Rank 3 – Liberation Peak
The map is set in the mountains of Tajikistan, and that’s exactly how the gameplay feels. The map borders a high mountain on one side, and in the middle of the battlefield, right by the fiercely contested C-flag (in Conquest), there is another hill. The problem is that any somewhat elevated position becomes a nest for numerous snipers. This unfortunately made the gameplay incredibly repetitive very quickly.
You spawn, see the glimmer of at least 10–12 campers in various directions, and try to somehow get from cover to cover to the next objective. Just before reaching the objective, you find yourself once again staring down the barrel of some snipers, making the last meters feel like hell. If you manage to reach the flag, a tank is waiting for you – tough luck if you’re not a specialist.
This wasn’t fun – especially when you really don’t feel like countering enemy snipers with a sniper rifle. However, this was the best way to get the campers off their mountain.
Alternatively, at least in Conquest, you continually fight for the C-flag. There are a few positions where you can be safe from the snipers. But fighting for just one flag isn’t quite the gameplay I was hoping for.
Rank 2 – Iberian Offensive
The map in the streets of Gibraltar plays quickly and action-packed. There’s close-quarters combat in houses that get gradually reduced to rubble during the match, street fighting with tanks and infantry units, and narrow alleys that either become sneaky routes or fiercely contested hotspots.
In Conquest, I often saw control of the points shifting rapidly. There was always a reason to keep moving, and I never had to run long to find the next gunfight. Often, I would run into a whole group of enemies against whom I had to prove my skills.
Ideally, I would get 1–2 kills, run a few meters around the corner, reload quickly, and get back into the fight, which again brought 1–2 kills. This process would repeat until an entire group was eliminated and no one could be revived anymore.
The map has a really good flow with typical Battlefield moments and a successful mix of vehicle warfare and infantry combat. Importantly, there’s also enough cover to avoid tanks when you really don’t feel like engaging them.
It’s not ranked 1 because the map loses some quality once certain buildings are plagued by destruction. This opens up more angles to watch out for when approaching the buildings from the outside.
On the other hand, I also didn’t feel comfortable in the interior of an extremely destroyed house. Especially since shotguns were absolutely overpowered at close range during the beta and could tear everything apart with one shot. Overall, Iberian Offensive is a paradise for shotgun players, and as a shotgun hater, I have to give it negative points.
Rank 1 – Siege of Cairo
The map has everything I want from a Battlefield map – including immersion in a successful setting. While tanks roll and dominate the combat on the wide streets of Egypt’s capital, infantry fight for every inch in the alleys.
This almost reminded me of certain situations in Operation Spind or Metro – but with the difference that, due to the availability of tanks for all classes, there were meaningful tasks:
- Medics could gather countless revives at the control points.
- Assault soldiers were a powerful weapon due to their versatile kit, allowing for gradual progression.
- Scouts could use clever spawn beacons to initialize an excellent flank for the squad.
- Engineers helped maintain or gain control of the streets by destroying enemy tanks and repairing friendly ones.
Moreover, it was possible for a single squad to break through and flank the enemies – if they weren’t paying attention – thereby creating new opportunities for their team. A well-thrown smoke grenade could achieve a lot here.
I liked the map best in smaller modes like Domination since it’s not too narrow and not too sprawling. In Domination, there’s a relatively long street where shotgun players don’t have a good time. Snipers are also not overpowered on this street and can be dealt with using weapons like the AK-205.
There are also smaller paths, alleys, and areas in buildings that are suitable for SMGs or shotguns. The same goes for medium ranges, which is why versatile weapons like the NVO-228E or the M4A1 perform well. I had a lot of fun with the M4 in the beta, even though it wasn’t THE meta weapon: One weapon saved my entry into the Battlefield 6 beta, it was the perfect choice for the first hours
