Hi WAR,

First of all, thank you for taking the time to provide such detailed feedback on Precontinent 9. I really appreciate the effort and thought behind your review—there are several points I genuinely agree with and value. That said, there are also a few areas where I’d like to offer clarification and share a different perspective based on our experience both as WeLoveBTB forger staff and as competitive players. We believe some design decisions may have been interpreted differently than intended, so I’d like to explain the reasoning behind them.

1. Openness, pacing, and scale
The openness of Precontinent 9 is deliberate—not an oversight. It’s designed to counterbalance the map’s large scale and ensure consistent flow in 8v8 competitive play. While the footprint may appear closer to a 12v12 layout at first glance, its open geometry allows players to continuously influence engagements—even immediately after respawning. In closed or overly segmented large maps, returning players take too long to rejoin the fight, causing momentum in objective modes like CTF or Assault to collapse. Here, openness shortens that recovery window and sustains constant pressure across the map.

Adding heavy intermediary cover or reducing the scale by 30–40% would actually have the opposite effect—tightening movement, reducing line‑of‑sight interaction, and removing the punishment for poor positioning. The current spacing ensures that awareness, timing, and coordination define success, rather than mere reaction speed or proximity.

2. The green side, the lift, and design intent
The green side is built to function as an anchor position, not the main route for deep pushes toward the enemy base. It’s a space where teams stabilize control, defend against enemy pressure, and protect structure while supporting offensives that primarily progress through the yellow side—the intended forward‑push lane. Controlling green establishes a solid foundation for sustained pressure and effective spawn management, both of which are essential in Capture the Flag, the map’s primary game mode.

The lift and upper rocket area reinforce that role through a deliberate risk‑reward design. The lift isn’t meant for casual traversal; it’s a tactical option that rewards smart timing. It’s particularly valuable when retaking or reinforcing control over green, and even after the rocket launcher is picked up, the upper platform remains strategically relevant for defending or applying pressure depending on team control.

In our WeLoveBTB League, Precontinent 9 was also played in King of the Hill using our custom WeLoveBTB KOTH gametype. In that ruleset, the green side featured two distinct hill locations, and the lift’s exposed high ground created dynamic, rotation‑based engagements. We removed KOTH from the contest build only because FHFRONT requires official 343 Industries gametypes, not custom ones. Nevertheless, the lessons from our KOTH experience informed the layout’s structure and continue to enhance how CTF plays today, adding strategic depth and spatial relevance across multiple modes.

3. On cover and engagement philosophy
Adding dense intermediary cover might appear to increase encounter frequency but would ultimately reduce gameplay depth. Competitive maps benefit from open spacing that enforces vision discipline and positional decision‑making. Movement should carry risk, where awareness and teamwork—not constant safety—determine outcomes. This structure maintains clarity and high skill expression throughout the map.

In short, Precontinent 9’s openness, scale, and anchor‑push structure are intentional and interconnected. The green side stabilizes control, the yellow side drives offense, and the rocket atrium introduces situational risk and opportunity. These choices prioritize strategic awareness, positioning, and teamwork—the foundations of competitive Halo design.