Strike at Karkand

Strike at Karkand is an urban combat map included in Battlefield 2, Battlefield Play4Free and Battlefield 3 as part of the Back to Karkand DLC. It is unique in that it is the only base map in Battlefield 2 which does not include any aircraft (of any kind) on any of its sizes. It is the most popular map online, especially amongst infantry only servers—which are servers that check the option "No Vehicles", perhaps because of its omission of attack helicopters, which many players criticize as 'overpowered' on the map.

Strike at Karkand often has most of the kills coming from grenade kills after players throw them into well traveled areas. Claymores are often used as well. This is because of the small, cramped areas of the city being good places for booby traps.

Karkand has been in the community spotlight as well, being the only playable map in the Sandbox 1.0 Beta, and inspiring the creation of Strike at Karkand 2 by Hrothgar.

In-game Description
"Control of the industrial facility and harbor at Karkand motivate this assault by US forces, where they find MEC forces marshalling to defend the industrial city and determined to meet this attack with stiff resistance. The terrain surrounding Karkand sufficiently opens to allow for sweeping fields of fire but the open ground increases the danger Posed by anti-vehicle missiles and sniping. It is thus vital for both sides to secure firebases in Karkand’s sheltered city center."

Gas Station
The starting uncap flag for the USMC, there are three spawn points for it - one at the very south of the map (where most US vehicles are located), and two to the northeast and northwest. Spawning at the two front points, the US team may attack the Hotel on either side, or send team members into the mountains or alley where they can continue on to the critical Suburb or Train Accident, respectively. As most servers prohibit baserape except for destroying commander assets, there is rarely any action in the area surrounding the actual gas station.
 * M249 SAW
 * There is one LMG at each of the spawn points
 * TOW
 * The TOW is located at the northwest spawnpoint
 * HMMWV
 * There is one at the gas station, and another near the building at the northwest spawn
 * LAV-25
 * M1A2

Hotel
The southernmost MEC spawnpoint and closest to the USMC's uncapturable flag, the flag is situated in front of a hotel's front door, and is accessible by ladders on either side, or the most direct and fastest route, the stairs in front. It's generally wise to have an entire squad on the flag when capturing it, as enemy troops can spawn on 3 sides. The flag may also be captured if the player stands inside and/or on top of the telephone booth in front of the building. (Available on all maps)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 SAW
 * Faces south toward the road leading from the Gas Station
 * Player is extremely vulnerable to snipers in the uncap, and enemies may sneak up on the wielder through the alleyway in back of the LMG

Square
Only a few feet north of the Hotel, the capture area can be entered through a hole in the wall east of the flag, the direct opening facing the Hotel, or around the back of the building that marks the square. Players can stand outside the wall to capture the flag, but must take care as the enemy can spawn right in front of them. The enemy may also spawn in the pathway coming from the back of the building. (Available on all maps)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 SAW
 * Faces south and can sweep across both streets leading to the Square
 * Player is has no protection from attacks from behind
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * Take caution of the exploding barrel to the left of the launcher
 * HMMWV/Vodnik

Market
Situated on the street below the Square, this flag can be defended more easily than others, as the market stands give a considerable amount of protection against most small arms fire. (Available on 16 and 32 player maps)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 SAW
 * Faces south towards the Square and is housed in a slightly large market stall
 * Player is prone to enemies advancing from the area between the Suburbs and Train Accident, and there is an explosive barrel to the left of the gun
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * HMMWV/Vodnik

Suburb
The farthest flag to the west, an early USMC capture of this flag can help turn the tide of battle. USMC players can reach this point without much direct confrontation by traversing the hills. In addition to standing around the flag, one can climb atop the building and capture the flag by crouching in the corner of the sandbag barrier.(Available on 32 and 64 player maps)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 SAW
 * Sits atop the building on a sandbag barrier
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * HMMWV/Vodnik

Train Accident
Possibly the most critical flag on the 64 player sized map, controlling this point can help split the map in two. USMC players can go down the alley to the east of the Hotel and Square to reach this faster, but it's hard to pass this way when a considerable amount of MEC soldiers is defending the general area. The capture area has two explosive barrels, so it's best to deal with these before getting close to the flag.(Available on 32 and 64 player maps)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 LMG
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * HMMWV/Vodnik

Gatehouse
Northernmost flag on the map, it's easily accessed by crossing the bridge connecting the Train Station and the west part of the map.(Available on 32 and 64 player maps)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 SAW
 * The LMG is located in the building next to the bridge, but firing range is limited due to the bridge column blocking the left side.
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * HMMWV/Vodnik

Cement Factory
The flag to the south of Gatehouse, the direct path to this flag is a partly submerged crossing at the south end of the Train Accident. One may also go around the side of the strip (which connects the Gatehouse to the Cement Factory), where they will find a ramp leading to the back of the area. The team in control can defend this point numerous way, such as sitting at the LMG behind the flag, hiding behind the crates, or hiding in the small warehouse. (Available on 64 player map only)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 SAW
 * This LMG sits directly in back of the flag, and will allow the operator to intercept any enemies entering the area on ground level.
 * Being positioned in a corner, the operator has protection from anything that does not cause substantial area-of-effect damage (C4 and tank rounds may injure the operator)
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * HMMWV/Vodnik

Warehouse
The warehouse lies in the center of the map's eastern section, therefore giving the team in control of it quick access to the surrounding 3 flag. However, the team in control must also remember that enemies may enter from the back, front, and side, meaning a full squad would be an ideal minimum in order to defend the flag.(Available on 64 player map only)
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * There are two LMGs in 64 player maps, but are situated on either side of the flag, providing substantial defense against frontal and rear assaults. Beware the exploding barrels near them.
 * HMMWV/Vodnik

Factory
The easternmost flag, this flag houses the commander assets on the 64 player sized map. The offensive team can sneak around the back of the building and attack unsuspecting defenders.(Available on 64 player map only)
 * RPK-74 LMG/M249 SAW
 * Both LMGs lie in guard posts, providing defense against enemies launching frontal assaults on the point
 * TOW/HJ-8
 * LAV-25/BTR-90
 * M1A2/T-90

USMC
UAV Trailer- Behind the west building at Gas Station

Radar Station- South of the gas station itself, next to the fenced area

Artillery Guns- Dispersed across the area surrounding the northeast 'uncap' spawn point.

MEC
UAV Trailer-
 * 16-Player Map - East side of Market
 * 32-Player Map - North-est side of the Gatehouse
 * 64-Player Map - On the road between the Factory and Warehouse

Radar Station-
 * 16-Player Map - West side of Market
 * 32-Player Map - South-west side of the Gatehouse
 * 64-Player Map - Player Map Nearby the Factory

Artillery Guns-
 * 16-Player Map - Centered around Market
 * 32-Player Map - Centered around Gatehouse
 * 64-Player Map - Centered around Factory

Suburbs
One of the most strategic points is the Suburbs. Suburbs contains passage through The Square and Train Accident and has a machine gun emplacement on the rooftop and an anti-tank emplacement. Suburbs contains several sniping positions and has a perfect rugged cliffs which gives a perfect spot for machine guns and vehicles to pin advancing opposing teams. Suburbs downhill roads gives the troops the opportunity to spam their opponents with grenades and gun fire. Its gives the advantage for the forces to outflank their enemy from Square or to Train Accident.

Factory
The Factory contains all the MEC's assets including 2 Defensive Machine Gun Watch Towers protecting both passages to The Factory from enemy offensives and has a secret passage to get to the Factory's rooftop, a perfect spot for an entire squad to flank enemy troops from far distance. Its gives the advantage to begin full strength offensives to capture Warehouse, Gatehouse and Cement Factory.

Warehouse
Warehouse is one of the best strategic points on the entire map. It contains two Mounted Machine Guns both at front and back of the flag, It has a catwalk just behind and left side of the flag inside the warehouse it includes a small open entrance in the right side. The Warehouse is a perfect stronghold for a Losing or Winning team, but it contains several Flank points making it easier for the opposing team to capture the Warehouse but it may be countered by defending the weakest positions at all times.

Battlefield 2142
' Strike at Karkand' is also included in the Patch 1.51 of Battlefield 2142''. The map is similar to its Battlefield 2 counterpart, with the main differences that the environment is colder and snow is falling and the player plays with the technology and classes of Battlefield 2142. The EU takes the spot of the USMC and the PAC takes the spot of the MEC also.

In-game Description
"EU intelligence has reported the location of a PAC Titan manufacturing plant hidden away from the front lines in the region known as Karkand. The EU forces have a chance to severely impact the PAC war effort by taking control of the region and the Titan factory within."

Battlefield Play4Free
Karkand is a map featured in Battlefield Play4Free. It is based on the 16-players variant from Battlefield 2, but has four control points and two uncapturable bases - one for each team, rather than three control points and one uncapturable base. The two factions differ only in that the United States Marine Corps fights the Russian Army rather than the Middle Eastern Coalition.

In-game Description
"Using light and heavy armor units the Marine and Russian forces hope to get a foothold in the valuable industrial city of Karkand."

US Base
The USMC spawn point is situated on the hill at the southern side of the map. The base is closer to the city compared to Battlefield 2 and allows a much quicker attack of the first flags. US vehicles' spawn is situated slightly backward than infantry spawn; the convoy is made up of one M1A2 Abrams, one LAV-25 and two HMMWV. A third Humvee is located on the left of the street in the backyard of a house. There are two main spawn points divided by the central street: the one on the right is where most of the team spawns, the left spawn is very close to the Humvee which should be used to quickly reach the B flag.

A: Hotel
The flag is situated in front of a hotel's front door, and is accessible by ladders on either side, or the most direct and fastest route, the stairs in front. It is the closest flag to the US Base and the first usually captured by this team. This flag can be easily defended from the top of the building situated in front of the hotel. Near the flag is located a TOW to defend the central street.

B: Square
This flag retains its position from the Battlefield 2 16-players variant of the map. The square is a very open area with long lines of sight and usually heavy vehicles or at least smoke grenades are needed to secure this position. Being the central flag it is very crucial and controlling it can help winning the match; here is where most of the combat takes place and there are several camping spots and flanking routes. The spawn points depend on what team controls this flag: the USMC spawns are on top or inside the two story building at the southern side of the square, in the south-east building corner near the hallway and on the second floor of the building located at south-west; Russian spawns are in the backyard at the west side of the square, downstairs near the flag and on the north-east side of the square. Common tactics to capture this flag include using the several boxes present as cover, crouching in a hole in the ground or standing as closest as possible to the west side buildind to reduce enemy's lines of sight.

C: Suburbs
Unlike Battlefield 2 this flag is situated in the small square down the suburbs instead of being placed on the hill. This makes capturing the flag a lot harder as there are several spots to look at it: these include the buildings at the north, west and south sides of the flag, that give a clear line of sight on the square below. However the central fountain gives a good cover when trying to capture this flag and also vehicles can be used to secure the position; to avoid this there are two HJ-8's (or TOW's if controlled by USMC). This flag is closer to the Russian spawn and it is usually taken first by this team.

D: Market
This flag retains its position from the Battlefield 2 16-players variant of the map. While the control position is located in the centre of the street which is a quite open space, the market itself is a very close area, with small alleys and several flanking routes. However the rooftops give longer lines of sight over the streets below, making them an ideal spot for snipers. This flag is closer to the Russian spawn an it is usually the first flag that this team holds.

RU Base
The Russian spawn takes the place of the Train Accident flag from Battlefield 2. The base is closer to the D and C flags but players can also quickly reach the square using light vehicles. Russian vehicles are located in the packing north to the train, and they are a T-90, a BTR-90 and three Vodnik.

Battlefield 3
Strike at Karkand returned in Battlefield 3 via the Back to Karkand map pack. It was reimagined with the Frostbite 2 engine and is playable on all game modes. Strike at Karkand, like the other maps, is significantly more war-torn, with a background city-landscape that was not present in Battlefield 2's version of Karkand.

US Deployment
The US deployment is not much more than a few houses on either side of a long road leading into the city. There is only a small line of trees blocking the lines of sight for teams to avoid combat. The deployment only contains two armored vehicles to strike the enemies guarding the city. US soldiers must act fast to avoid being pinned down at the road leading to the hotel as most to all of the RU soldiers set up an ambush at the Hotel. A good tactic to use when pinned down is to move along the rocks on the east side of the road and flank enemy flags to create an opening for allies to attack the defending Russians.

The following vehicles spawn here;
 * M1 Abrams
 * LAV-25

A: Hotel
The Hotel is the first area of conflict in every match. Russian soldiers must set up a defensive line by the Hotel to stop the oncoming US armor and infantry. The tank and LAV are usually first to arrive at the Hotel beginning the attack. Mines should be placed along the road to counter the armor allowing the vehicles to inevitably blow up or be trapped at the deployment due to the only entrance for vehicles to be blocked off. The Hotel is usually defended by snipers at the Square who pick off infantry and laser designate enemy armor for AT soldiers. Once the US capture the Hotel it becomes a forward deployment zone and begins to lack combat.

B: Square
The B flag is located next to a tall building that has a ladder that leads to the rooftop and has a small market place in the middle with what appears to be a well. It is often protected by snipers and support troops on the buildings surrounding the flag. Much of the action action takes place at this flag and is accessible by both vehicles and infantry, making it a hard flag to keep for long.

C: Market
The Market objective is located near the Square and is accessible from B by a flight of stairs.

D: Suburb
Another strategic hotspot, as it is accessible directly from the US spawn by going to the side. It features multiple two-floored buildings with a road trailing through the middle, connecting points E and B. It also possesses a high ground, making the buildings and nearby terrain a common overwatch point for Recon players with sniper rifles. It also overlooks the C and B objectives.

F: Warehouse
Once US forces cross the bridge spanning the warehouse area and the train area, the fighting becomes more focused as the marines try to arm the M-COMs. One is in the rear section of the warehouse and the other is located in the elevated parking area directly overlooking the warehouse entrance. T-90A Russian tanks provide heavy resistance againts encroaching LAVs and M1 Abrams as as anti armor and explosives riddle both the bridge and parking lot access. Snipers can gain access to the warehouse roof and internal balconies and provide covering fire.

G: Gatehouse
Act as the deployment of the Russian team, often the attackers will try to rush with their LAV-25 to this flag to it to gain the extra armored veichles it provides. Here spawns 1 heavy and one light armored for any team that controls it.

Trivia

 * In Battlefield 2, this is the only base map which does not include any aircraft (of any kind) on any of its sizes.
 * In Battlefield Play4Free, when playing on low details settings, the fog makes it impossible to see over about fifty metres.
 * In Battlefield 3, there is a radio in a building near base D playing the MEC loading theme.
 * An F/A-18E is seen in Battlefield 3, in which it bombs the hotel and quickly leaves the map.
 * In Battlefield 3, the loading music is the same as Tehran Highway's.
 * In Battlefield 3, the MAV coordinates state Karkand is located in Kuwait City, Kuwait. Based off the geography (water location, single road leading up to the city, etc.), it is safe to assume DICE based Karkand off the industrial area of Kuwait City.
 * In Battlefield 3, card board boxes found in alleyways or the market C are marked MICE in the same font as the DICE logo. These boxes can also be found on Gulf of Oman
 * In Battlefield 3, some cargo crates can be seen with the serial numbers "2143", which could be a hint at the next Battlefield title, as in the original version in Battlefield 2, many cars had license plates that said 2142, and the next game was Battlefield 2142.

Videos
Video:Battlefield Play4Free - Karkand Loading Theme|The loading theme used for Battlefield Play4Free

Karkand