dm_powerhouse

Powerhouse takes the idea of "killbox” style maps and runs with it, creating a unique blend of hallways and open atriums. Since much of the map will take place within close quarters, you’re going to have to find and swipe as many shotgun rounds and combine balls as possible. In addition, the numerous small passage ways exist between the floors, be they winding stairwells or simple drop hatches, providing you ample locations to line with SLAMs.

It’s important to have your eyes peeled for tell-tale signs of where you are at all times. To new players, the map can be a highly confusing affair due to its asymmetrical corridors and very similar main atriums. A good way to try and remember your position is to make note of the weapon pickups in the center of the atriums. These central atriums will also serve as the focal point of combat for most of the level. On the upper floors, crossbow bolts will serve as an efficient means to clear out any helpless sap wandering down below. If you doubt your ability to shoot accurately, one of the atriums houses the all powerful RPG, a weapon that should be incredibly effective here considering there is virtually no room for any of the opposition to dodge out of its blast radius. The only drawback to acquiring said weapon is that the access routes to the upper floors are highly exposed ladders that will leave you a prime target for any halfway decent shot.

Aside from the explosives, Combine balls will reign supreme throughout many of the cramped hallways and passages surrounding the atriums. Considering that many of halls feature low ceilings and are separated by doorways, your balls will quickly pick up velocity and clean house within a few moments. If you can’t acquire the C-Balls however, don’t discount the stopping power of the Shotgun. While the wide open areas of most other maps render it obsolete most of the time, Powerhouse’s lack of maneuvering room will render even the swiftest opponents prime targets for blasts from the secondary fire. Don’t make the mistake of simply hammering down the fire button wildly, however, as the secondary Shotgun attack will only allow three blasts before you need to undergo the painfully slow reload.

Unlike the five other HL2DM maps, Powerhouse lends itself almost exclusively to TDM rather than normal Free for Alls. Because of this, coordination between your teammates and you are vital to ensure survival. While this may feel like attempting to herd sheep in the midst of a war zone, the coordination can pay of when you need covering fire to reach the RPG, Assault Rifle, or any other part of the map. Most players will end up congregating around the second floor of the atriums, meaning that you and your teammates should prepare for SLAM wired stairways and plenty of flesh searing crossbow bolts falling from above. Fortunately, cleaning out the second floor can be as easy as tossing a grenade with your gravity gun. With at least an additional player helping you, perhaps one of you dropping the ‘nade while the other tosses it with his gravity gun, you’ll quickly dispatch any opposition. If the opposing team is camping the RPG, however, seek out the magnum and the crossbow as a way of dealing with them. Though their blasts may wipe out a teammate or two, superior numbers should quickly overwhelm them before they are able to counter attack.

If you’re not a fan of tradition weapons and would prefer to take out others using your gravity gun, simply stick to the side corridors and seek out large, heavy objects like a filing cabinets and desks. These are not only incredibly damaging when tossed, but they also serve as effective "shields” and take up plenty of space, meaning that your target will have virtually nowhere to run after your launch your salvo upon them. While using the crowbar and stunstick would suicide, and rightfully so, on most other maps, they are actually an efficient way to score quick and quiet stealth kills before your prey notices your presence. In particular, the stunstick deals a massive amount of damage especially when your clobber someone right in the back of the head with it. With most of the armor chargers placed in the narrow hallways, you’ll never find a shortage of unsuspecting targets to beat down.

Of course, using the stunstick comes at the disadvantage of being a Combine, but here’s a dirty trick around that. When you boot up HL2, make sure you set your model as a Combine character. After the map loads up, spawn in but don’t start moving yet. Instead, got to the options menu and change your player to a Rebel. Now you’ll have the stealth of a rebel with the stopping power of a Combine. Of course, you’ll need to repeat this each time your die, but thems the brakes for exploiting a glitch.

Please click here to download the optional screenshots .zip that goes along with this strategy guide. (Coming Soon!)

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