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This item has a Codex entry: Soissons
"Take part in one of the biggest tank assaults of World War 1. The French 10th Army moves to take back Soissons using their powerful Saint Chamond tanks. Planes, tanks, and infantry clash in the beautiful French countryside in the early hours of a hot summer day."

DLC Overview - Battlefield.com

Soissons is a map featured in the Battlefield 1: They Shall Not Pass expansion. It takes place in the Allied counter-offensive of the Second Battle of the Marne during the Battle of Soissons in 1918.

Overview[]

Soissons is set within a valley bordered by rolling hills of vast fields of tilled farmland of green and gold. The town of Chaudun sits in the valley basin, its central block forming the nucleus of an intricate network of country roads that spread out from the town along the length of the map, connecting other rural settlements. To the east, the open fields slope mildly upwards out of bounds. West of the town, the terrain raises more sharply, forming a shelf which partitions much of the central land area into high and low ground. The area is initially imperceptible as a battlefield, aside from a few scattered artillery craters and defensive works, although these grow more in number with time, and as the battle shifts northwest.

Behemoth[]

The Char 2C super-heavy tank is featured as the map's behemoth.

Control Points[]

Control Point Frontlines Conquest Domination Operations Rush
Côte 166 Trenches BF1 French Army Icon 1A
Cravançon Watermill A 1B 1A
1B
Ploisy Chapel Ruin D 2A 3A
3B
Chaudun Village A B 2B 2A
2B
Outskirts B
Lübeck Trench C
Pernant Chateau E 3A 4A
4B
Servant's Quarters C BF1 German Empire Icon 3B
Vierzy Depot 4A
Junction D
Aerodrome E 4B
Cravançon Farm A
South Chaudun B
North Chaudun C
show/hide


Conquest[]

Conquest is fought for control over five flags.

Equipment[]

BF1 German Empire Icon German Empire
Light vehicle(s)

2 Horses
1 MC 3.5HP Sidecar
1 EV4 Armored Car

Tank(s)

2 FT-17/Mark V/A7V/Artillery Truck/St Chamond/Putilov-Garford

Fixed-wing aircraft

1 Dr.1/Halberstadt CL.II/Gotha G.IV/Ilya-Muromets

BF1 French Army Icon French Republic
Light vehicle(s)

2 Horses
1 MC 18J Sidecar
1 RNAS Armored Car

Tank(s)

2 FT-17/Mark V/A7V/Artillery Truck/St Chamond/Putilov-Garford

Fixed-wing aircraft

1 SPAD S.XIII/A.E.F 2-A2/Caproni Ca.5/Ilya-Muromets

Neutral
Tank(s)

Char 2C (Behemoth)

Emplacement(s)

Maxim MG
QF 1 AA
FK 96

Battle pickup(s)

Trench Raider
Tankgewehr M1918

Deployments[]

German Empire[]

The German deployment is in the map's northern corner, and contains several buildings including two barns that are within a surrounding wall. The flag is the Servant's Quarters of the directly adjacent Pernant Chateau, located to the south. Roads lead towards it, as well as southeast into Chadun village.

A QF 1 AA gun is found outside the compound walls on the northeast side.

French Republic[]

The French deploy in the map's southern corner, on the top of Côte 166. It features a small village with three buildings and a trench that wraps around the northern edge of the village. It is the highest point on the map, and looks directly down upon the Watermill and Chaudun flags. Ploisy Chapel, located along the road directly northwest, is hidden from view by a dip in the terrain.

Like the German Empire's deployment, an AA gun is nearby, set up between the buildings near the trench.

Flags[]

Cravançon Watermill[]

Connected to the stream that flows through the map, the watermill features a large house with a water wheel, giving the flag its name. Across a small courtyard, which contains a wagon and a wheelbarrow for cover, is a small, single-room building and a large barn. The area is enclosed to the south and west by a reinforced embankment. The roads leading north cross through a gully and underneath a patch of trees, one of which houses a multi-tiered observation post in its high branches. A stone bridge crosses the steam from the east.

The flag spawns a single horse for whichever team controls it, along with providing a third tank for the French when held by them. An FK 96 is set up on the far end of the stone bridge, parallel to the steam, watching the roads into town. A machine gun is set up behind a barn door inside the mill house.

Chaudun Village[]

Downstream from the watermill, the waterway splits the village of Chaudun in two, and is crossed over by two road bridges. The village itself features around a dozen buildings of various sizes, ranging from small sheds and barns to three-storey stone houses. The tightly compacted buildings and streets, with additional gated courtyards and alleyways created by dividing stone walls provides ample opportunities for close-quarters combat throughout the town, the riverbed forming an additional confined access route. The flag and its capture zone is located on the east bank, near the southeast side of town.

A team-specific motorcycle spawns here when captured. The Trench Raider kit also spawns here, behind a house near the bridge to the opposite bank. There is also an AA gun next to the barn on the east side of the capture zone. A machine gun occupies the second floor of a building on the north side of the river, overlooking the town square.

Lübeck Trench[]

The flag features a short loop of trenches atop a hillock that overlooks a bend in the river. Log bridges are lain across the top of the central mound, creating an open area on the "roof" of the trench, which is where the flag is positioned. While this open area is protected by sections of sandbags, the position is vulnerable both to explosive ordnance and to fire from the high hilltop to the west. The trench system itself is more sturdy, with walls extending well above head height, better protecting those seizing the objective from outside fire. A large oak tree marks the position from afar.

There is an AA gun outside the trench on the western side of the flag. A heavy machine gun is set upon the parapet near the northeast entrance to the trench, for defending the low ground and the bridge crossing into Chaudun.

Ploisy Chapel Ruin[]

Situated on top of a hill, this flag features several overgrown, destroyed walls and some rubble. The flag is protected on three sides by the ruined walls, with the west side being open. The lower foundation, built into the hillside, provides further cover for those in the capture zone. On its southern side, there is a small trench system dug ahead of a farm field of haystacks. The high ground of the flag overlooks both Lübeck Trench and Pernant Chateau.

A motorcycle spawns here, with the Tank Hunter kit additionally found in the chapel foundations. The flag is additionally reinforced by a field gun on the southwestern side, and a pintle-mounted Maxim MG trained against the reverse slope.

Pernant Chateau[]

This flag's main feature is a large Chateau, which is surrounded by a sort of moat, with four bridges across it leading to the chateau. The chateau is situated on low ground between Poisy Chapel and the farmland to the west. On its northeastern side, the flag contains a large square garden with a statue in the middle, while its southwestern edge features an even larger courtyard, a pond, and another statue. Much of the ground's perimeter is bordered by ivy-covered walls of various heights, and the area is littered with static howitzers. The capture zone is primarily concentrated around the inside the Chateau building, which has the layout of three rooms adjoining to a main corridor. The walls of this structure can be blasted through with explosives, generating new entry points and fighting positions within the building.

The flag spawns a horse when captured, and provides the Germans with another tank when held by their team. An FK 96 is found in the northern garden, while another is located outside the northwest corner of the chateau. Additionally, a QF 1 AA gun is located in the middle of the southwest courtyard.


Operations[]

Soissons serves as the opening map on the operation "Beyond the Marne", with French forces attacking German occupiers with unprecedented mechanised support.

Sector 1[]

The French tanks deploy from the reverse slope of Côte 166, and their infantry from a farmhouse on the opposite side of the river to the east. The Germans defend the heights, the village and trench line atop the summit of Côte 166, as well as the Cravançon Watermill.

The French attack with a substantial armored force of seven tanks. The Germans receive only one tank of their own, and so must rely on a battery of three field guns, as well as two airplanes, to beat back the assault.

Sector 2[]

The Germans fall back to the north, manning prepared defenses in front of Ploisy Chapel Ruin oriented to control the approach from Côte 166. They must also protect the village of Chaudun in the valley below. The two flags are isolated from one another by a steep hillside, the map boundaries allowing either flag to be attacked from virtually any direction. However, the direct route between the French deployment and the chapel trenches is almost completely devoid of cover save for a few haystacks, and can lead to significant casualties if attacked head-on.

The chapel is reinforced with a further three field guns and a Tank Hunter elite kit. The eastern approach uphill is also defended by a number of emplacements, including two machine guns and an AA gun near Lübeck Trench. The gun is useful at this stage as the French air forces join the battle, with two aircraft available for support.

Sector 3[]

The battle moves back downhill towards the parallel objectives of Pernant Chateau and Servant's Quarters. Field guns and other emplaced weapons around the chateau grounds can be useful in defeating attackers streaming down from the heights, while additional guns watch the road into the Servant compound.

Sector 4[]

The final attack is made in the far north of the map, with simultaneous objectives of the railyard at Vierzy Depot, and the Aerodrome down the road from Servant's Quarters. The terrain in front of Vierzy matches that of Ploisy, with an even larger stretch of open farmland bordering an even more expansive trench network. This first line, on the east side of the depot, had a handful of field guns in place. Beyond that, in the open yard of the depot yet more artillery support is available, in the form of two BL 9.2 inch Siege Guns and two QF 1 AA guns, with a number of railcars in the yard converted to makeshift pillboxes with the addition of HMGs. Further north, outside the capture zone is another trench line built into the ridgeline, containing more field gun positions. The Germans are given a second tank at this crucial phase of the battle.

Following capture of the final sector, combat continues in Rupture.


Frontlines[]

Unlike the other maps in They Shall Not Pass, Soissons uses a five-flag layout. Combat occurs in the lower part of the map, from Cravançon Watermill to the Aerodrome. The high western ridge and Chateau Pernant are kept out of bounds.

Each team is allocated a single tank and a horse for vehicular support.

French Base[]

Each French telegraphs are found nearby small sheds in the vicinity of Cravançon Watermill. One is inside the shed in the patch of forest between the mill and Chaudun. The second is outside the shed near the bridge to the southeast.

Chaudun Village[]

The Chaudun Village objective is on the north side of the settlement along the stream's east bank. The flag is across from the outermost stone bridge, lying on open ground between clusters of buildings.

Outskirts[]

Between Chadun Village and Servant's Quarters in a short trench system sitting on the edge of a field full of haystacks. The trench runs parallel with the adjacent road, and has in the middle a narrow dugout with a partial overhead covering of logs.

Servant's Quarters[]

The capture radius of the central objective of Servant's Quarters concerns the inside of the walled compound, with most building interiors falling within the zone of control. The perimeter walls block line of sight to each team's deployment so long as they remain standing.

Junction[]

A grove of trees north of Servant's Quarters and south of Aerodrome. One of the taller trees in the cluster supports a treetop observation post. The ground is coarse with many ditches lining the roadside, offering cover in addition to a few fallen trees.

Aerodrome[]

Another farming compound, converted into an airfield by German occupiers. Three buildings; a house, a barn, and a shed, stand at different edges of the yard, which is surrounded in places by wooden fences, stone walls, and barbed wire. The tilled farmland to the north serves as the landing strip, but has bombed heavily, leaving shattered airframes sunken into shell craters.

German Base[]

The German telegraphs are located towards the back of the railyard at Vierzy Depot. On is in the middle of the west side of the clearing, amongst sandbag gun positions and covered with a wooden roof. The other is the easternmost railcar at the opposite end of the stationary convoy.


Rush[]

Rush follows the valley basin north along the map's eastern edge, through the town of Chaudun and beyond. The French attack the German telegraph line emplaced along the main road.

Sector 1[]

In the first phase, the French assault the watermill at Cravançon. Objective A is inside the mill building itself, while objective B is in the patch of trees to the north, near the small shed.

The French make the attack with a Flame Trooper in tow.

Sector 2[]

The next pair of objectives are inside Chaudun village, with one telegraph on each side of the river. Objective A is on the west side, near the Domination objective of South Chaudun. Objective B is at the northeast end of the village, near the riverbank.

Sector 3[]

The next objective set is uphill, near the steep slopes surrounding Ploisy Chapel Ruin. Telegraph A is inside the ruined foundation itself, while objective B is downhill to the northeast, next to the river on the way to the Chateau.

The Germans are issued a Sentry SMG to help turn the tide.

Sector 4[]

The final sector falls within the Chateau grounds. Objective A is outside the building's southern porch, while objective B is in the middle of the northern square garden, near the statue.

The defenders may used a Flame Trooper kit in the defense of the Chateau.


Domination[]

Chaudun Village is used as the playable area for this game mode. All three objectives are located inside the settlement, two on the river's east bank and the other on the west bank.

Cravançon Farm[]

Located within the walled compound in the town's southwest sector.

South Chaudun[]

Found beside the stream southeast of the town's central block, around the Conquest location of the Chaudun Village objective.

North Chaudun[]

The flag is located in the back yard of a house at the north end of the bridge out of town. It is bordered by high walls.

Team Deathmatch[]

Team Deathmatch takes place in a similar area as Domination, except with Cravançon Watermill now accessible.


War Pigeons[]

War Pigeons uses the same map boundaries as Team Deathmatch.



Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • The map heavily compresses the space between multiple points of interest in the Soissonnais, the region around the city of Soissons. The actual combat stretched over miles.
  • Cravançon, Chaudun, Ploisy, and Pernant are all locations that took place in the real Battle of Soissons. The Cravançon Watermill and the Pernant Chateau are both based on real structures at these locations, while Chaudun is directly layouted after real photographs.[1]
  • Destroyed planes found near Pernant Chateau are inspired by real photographs of a destroyed airfield near Pernant.[1]
  • An easter egg is hidden on the Pernant Chateau that awards the "A Conflict" dog tag when completed.
  • In the game files this map is named MP_Fields.
  • Two baskets of easter eggs can be found on this map.
  • When weather changes to rain, the stream running through the map rises. Players have to swim when crossing on foot, and the watermill captures more energy from the flow.[2]

References[]

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