Operation Firestorm

Operation Firestorm (Persian: عملیات طوفان آتش) is a map in Battlefield 3's Multiplayer. The map is set in Azadegan oil field, in Iran, with the USMC engaging the Russian Ground Forces. The map is large scale with a variety of vehicles, similar to Caspian Border. This map is generally varied with tight, close, indoor fights inside the warehouses ideal for PDWs and shotguns, medium range fights between each flag where vehicles are often found, and extremely long sight lines with many elevated positions making it ideal for sniping and SOFLAM usage.

Background
US and Russia launch large scale assaults to control Iran's largest source of oil. Securing this area will offer full control of the sector and its key facilities.

Equipment
Light transports and anti-vehicle emplacements can spawn at all flags. All other equipment spawns at deployments.

Each team receives three to five tanks, depending on map size.

Deployments
Both deployments are located behind high mountain ranges. While the Russian range is off limits to US forces, the Russians can position themselves on the US range. The US range is also much higher and longer than the Russian range.

On Conquest Large servers, Mobile Anti-air vehicles can  station themselves close to the enemy's airfield, using the mountains as cover. These areas are also quite distant from the flags, so attempts to neutralize camping Mobile anti-air vehicles will take you well away from the main conflict.

Flags
All of the flags south of the highway can be captured from their respective roofs, allowing helicopters to land or drop off attackers. Infantry can also take cover within cargo containers located here. Small roads link these flags directly to their neighbors, along with another road to the south.

The two north flags on Conquest Large are separated by a barren field.

A: Construction Site
Although a series of unfinished buildings and crane are in the area, the capture zone actually includes the two finished buildings (the offices and warehouse).

B: Warehouses
This area can be captured from two of the buildings, while a third building sits to the northeast. An elevated pipeline runs parallel to the road, ending near Army Outpost.

C: Filling Station
A large refinery structure and truck filling stations appear here, along with a single-story building to the south. An overhead walkway links to some fuel storage tanks near the building. A tall fraction distilling tower can be accessed by air, giving view of all flags. Large oil reservoirs can provide cover for helicopters.

D: Offices
(Conquest Large) Another set of unfinished buildings and a construction crane appear here. The finished office building can be occupied or demolished. An anti-vehicle launcher is positioned in the framework closer to the highway.

E: Army Outpost
(Conquest Large) Enclosed within lines of gabions are a set of portable buildings and artillery installations. Four openings allow vehicles to pass through. An anti-vehicle launcher faces the east, towards Offices. A watchtower overlooks the southeast.

Rush
A round of Rush is fairly similar to a Conquest run attacking from the Russian Deployment through flags C and B to A. Objective A is always to the north of Objective B at each base.

Stage 1
The US spawns to the west (near where the Russians spawn on Conquest), and must cross an open field to reach the Filling Station. Crossing the open field can be difficult for both vehicles and infantry as there is little cover to prevent lock on to vehicles and cover for infantry against hostile snipers. The open ground also is an ideal killing ground for the enemy jets as low strafing runs can be made without having to worry about obstructions. Both M-COM stations are at ground level, with A underneath the refinery and B between the southern building and fuel tanks. B is often the easier of the two to take as A can often be swarmed by enemy infantry at a moments notice and players are known to take up positions waiting for a potential planter.

Stage 2
US vehicles now spawn at the Filling Station, and Russians are pushed back to Warehouses. Both objectives are still at ground level, one in the northwest warehouse and the other in the south warehouse. These objectives are often taken due to the ease of which a succesful plant can be defended as the enemy spawn is just outside the warhouses.

Stage 3
Objective A is now in the relative open, tucked between shipping containers but overlooked by the office building which can often house enemy recon and support players resulting in the building often being collasped. Objective B is inside the warehouse and can be difficult to take as their is many defensible positions and the enemy spawn is nearby.

Deathmatch Game Modes
Team Deathmatch takes place in the Warehouses area.

Squad Deathmatch occurs between the Warehouses and Construction Site.

Designer Thoughts
"One of our largest and most vehicle-friendly map, Operation Firestorm is the classic Battlefield gameplay taken to the extremes. Size-wise, and with some puzzle skills, you could actually place three Atacama Deserts - one of the largest maps from Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - within the playable area of Operation Firestorm. This is a wide-open desert map where the burning oil fields in one direction are contrasted by clear blue sky in the other direction. Construction sites dotting the area bring interesting possibilities for infantry to hide in elevated positions, spot vehicles, and take them down by mortar or RPG."

Trivia

 * It was confirmed via Battlelog #13 that the map is the largest in the base game.
 * DICE stated that the map is three times larger than Battlefield: Bad Company 2's Atacama Desert.
 * It is somewhat similar to Operation Smoke Screen from Battlefield 2: Euro Force, in that it centers around oil reserves in the Middle East. Its aesthetics are also similar.
 * As with the other two "Large" maps included in the base game, Kharg Island and Caspian Border, Just about every kind of vehicle is available on this map, although some vehicles, such as Jets, are only available in certain modes.
 * This is the only map where the Ka-60 Kasatka can be used on Consoles.



Operation Firestorm