Dragon Fly

[Nightingale]

This is a fantastic map in PR. Easily one of my top 3 favourites in terms of design and atmosphere.

But I think the actual gameplay on this map is often disappointing, only because it is way too easy for the Militia to defend that city of theirs. In both AAS and INS, it becomes boring because the British INF are rarely unable to get into the city and engage in firefights with the Militia INF; the large number of tank traps combined with a high-density CQB environment with AT positions in the city makes it almost impossible for the British armour to break through. AA soldiers could be hiding anywhere in the city, so the British aircraft are too afraid to get close. It is realistic, but in my opinion, also boring.

Dragon Fly is a very unique map in that almost all of the buildings offer a tremendous amount of cover for infantry. As a RedFor player, this appeals to me greatly.

However, this abundance of cover also creates a huge change to the gameplay dynamic of PR when you play on this map. As long as the infantry stay within the city, the advantage will always be theirs. Mortars and area attacks have limited effect, tanks and APCs are afraid to find their way around the maze of tank traps, and FOBs can be hidden anywhere with ease. I feel that this gives the CQB-oriented Militia a decisive advantage on this map, even though the British have vehicle superiority.

I am not knowledgeable about the kinds of vehicles each team gets and how often they spawn. But I really do think that the Militia can fare perfectly well with fewer tanks and APCs. Or perhaps the British could be given more frequent area attacks, or heavier air assets (I don't know how realistic that would be).

What do you guys think? Does this map need balancing? If so, how would you balance it?

[Psyrus]

The stats as of 3 months ago (I don't have access to the newer ones because I'm just a lowly con) say that it's one of the better balanced maps, with blufor actually eeking out a minor advantage over 1.0 -> 1.2 (3 months ago). It's also one of the less popular maps, being played one time for every 7 times Muttrah was played (14.8% as many times as Muttrah)

It's nice that it's one of the few maps that isn't a steamroll for the blufor

[Murphy]

It's one of the few INS maps where the opfor guys have the advantage, it's a nice counter to maps like Karbala or Operation Archer that are essentially turkey shoots for Blufor toys. I only wish more INS maps presented the tacticool nightmare DragonFly provides, I would say Sbeneh is probably the only other urban map dense enough to provide actual cover for Cache defense.

Even after all the commentary it seems the numbers have Blufor fighting an even battle, even if it's not too popular of a map (Thing is once Muttrah is put up to vote it's pretty much guaranteed to win)

[Nightingale]

Eh? BluFor has a W/L ratio > 1.0? That is a real surprise to me. Maybe I've only played against bad BluFor teams or something, then.

[Murphy]

Nightingale, please consider that a lot of caches spawn in locations that are easily overwhelmed by British Armour. Let's also not overlook the fact that AKs are shot with rubber arms while any Blufor shooter is akin to a marksman, what I mean to say is British have the advantage in equipment on the whole while Militia actually has the terrain advantage (unlike other INS maps that offer little to no advantage to defenders).

[fatalsushi83]

Psyrus, now that youve kindly provided stats for dragonfly would you mind telling us how often opfor wins on other maps like fallujah, basrah, archer, and kokan? Id really like to know since i prefer playing on the side that has a disadvantage.

[Rabbit]

Yes and no, not exact numbers or anything, but balance yes.

[Psyrus]

Psyrus, now that youve kindly provided stats for dragonfly would you mind telling us how often opfor wins on other maps like fallujah, basrah, archer, and kokan? Id really like to know since i prefer playing on the side that has a disadvantage.

Our directive is not to give out specific information, but general info like the above (I may have been a bit close to the line, but I considered it deeply before posting) is ok.

Suffice it to say, and it has been mentioned multiple times on the forums by the devs, that the majority [and not by a small margin] of insurgency rounds end up as an insurgent win.

The issue with that statistic is that despite the numerous losses, it's undeniable that the majority of people want to play blufor and I encourage you to stick on the insurgent team to stick it to all the Bluforwhores

That's what I do, anyway

[fatalsushi83]

Yeah, that's how I feel as well. I want to blow up all those people who are attached to their fancy scopes and assets. But if the insurgents are winning most of the time, won't it be more of a challenge playing on the blufor team despite their better equipment? To me it sounds like blufor needs help

[Nightingale]

Aw man, this whole time I thought BluFor won most INS maps.

Maybe next time Dragonfly comes up I'll play as the Brits. I bet most players still don't know about the sewers inside the city...

[Murphy]

Organized insurgents win pretty much all the time, especially in clan matches. All it takes is a few squads setting up hideouts and actually keeping their members near the cache and relevant to the overall objectives. It has been posted hundreds of times from both players and those who know the developer stats, but people always get on the INS team and go full retard because deaths don't cost tickets. I really wish there was a way to make people value their lives as insurgents, as it stands most Blufor wins are because the insurgents keep attacking even when they have lost their spawn points. It something I've observed from my early days playing PR, and it's something I doubt the developers can address without ruining the freedom of PR.

[fatalsushi83]

Could you tell me how to get into these hidden sewers? I had no idea.

[Nate.]

The sewers are basicly 2 long tunnels about 600m North to South with 3 connecting tunnels. 8 exits/entrence in the city. Entrances are quite easy to find. Someone made a map, but I cant find it.

They are going from the southern part of the city towards near the main East-West road.

[Dolphin]

They are quite long shooting halls and not fun to exit if you have been found.

Dragon fly is honestly a great map for both teams.

[fatalsushi83]

Thanks. I was able to find a video on YouTube with a squad using the sewers.

And yes, I agree that this is a great map. Wish people played it more often. Surprising to hear that Muttrah is played seven times as much. I really don't know why people like it so much because it's one of the most linear maps in PR. Or maybe it's this simplicity that people like.

[sweedensniiperr]

The problem in my opinion is that these maps are rarely touched. I can't remember the last time I played Dragon fly. Not to mention Iron ridge, archer OR XIANGSHIAN. We can never play the underplayed maps to give feedback and help balance and make it fun, and so people never want to play them. It's an evil circle.

Godamn servers and their bloody mapvotes....

[Murphy]

NA players must like Archer a lot more than EU, that map is the bane of my PR experience.

[matty1053]

The problem in my opinion is that these maps are rarely touched. I can't remember the last time I played Dragon fly. Not to mention Iron ridge, archer OR XIANGSHIAN. We can never play the underplayed maps to give feedback and help balance and make it fun, and so people never want to play them. It's an evil circle.

Godamn servers and their bloody mapvotes....

Never can agree more.


The reason why half of the maps aren't played is because of the lack of CAS on it. But again, I would donate to servers if they actually played underplayed maps 2x more.

OT.
I think Dragon fly is very good. AAS can be boring after a while. But I like Insurgency considering how many locations of the cache there is.


How many locations are there in Dragon Fly?