Battlefield: Bad Company 2/Atacama Desert

The driest desert in the world, the Atacama desert appears in this game usually as a three-point Conquest map. However, Rush and Squad Rush variations are possible as well.

Official Description: It is known to be the driest place on Earth. You are here with your squad to lay waste to any enemy presence in the area. Push forward with your tanks and your helicopter, but beware—the enemy has a large array of weapons to stop you from conquering Atacama Desert.

Extended Description: A Russian Naval Group is preparing a massive amphibious assault. Defending the shore are 3 U.S. fortifications and a string of artillery defenses. Should the Russian's establish a beachhead and overrun U.S. positions, they will be free to advance further inland. With weather deteriorating and sandstorms approaching, U.S. Command has consolidated all available forces to meet the Russian threat. As a result of the open ground, a large-scale armor battle supported by attack helicopters seems likely.

Conquest
The second largest Conquest map in the game, Atacama Desert is a vehicle-centric symmetrical map. The center path between the islands are dominated by infantry, and tanks reign the outer paths, which are large and flat. Snipers favour the ship control point as well as any buildings they can get their hands on, but the whipping sands make seeing far difficult.

From west to east:

Rush
The Rush game mode takes the standard Conquest game mode and turns it sideways. The Americans begin with the Eastern Island base, and as the Russians advance, will move closer to their ordinary spawn.

Eastern Island
The Eastern Island spawn has no vehicles for the Americans but instead is bristling with various stationary weapons. Most notably are the XM307 grenade launchers, one of which is protected by a ballistics shield. This is the only known instance of such a weapon appearing. Additional weapons include the XM312 machine gun, featured in roof mounts, and a VADS to be used against the Russians' Mi-24.

Most of the fighting here will be infantry fighting with a smattering of vehicle combat; main battle tanks do not feature yet. The attacking team will be using Cobras and Quad bikes to make their attacks, making landmines at positions around the base effective at stopping flanking attacks.

Stranded Ship
The stranded ship has a lot fewer stationary guns, but the standard close quarters fighting in and around the ship area remains. The M-COMs are located in the aft and center sections of the ship. The defenders' VADS is located quite out of the way, close to a shipping container and an XM312 with a ballistics shield.

Western Island
The Western Island is very similar to the Eastern Island, but has fewer grenade launchers. The attackers have a Hind again and the Americans have a VADS, but this is otherwise the same as the Eastern Island.

Harbour
The harbour and the American spawn point is heavily defended with multiple emplacements. The American VADS is quite effective against the Hind, but this time the Americans must contend with T-90s. To assist them, they have M1A2 Abrams. This results in a massive all-out battle for the last two M-COM stations.

Squad Rush
Squad Rush turns the normally vehicle centric fighting into an infantry-only fest with equal amounts of close and medium range fighting.

Stranded Ship
The M-COM here requires some close-quarters fighting to get to. The small corridors provide ample traps for shotgun and C4 users.

Eastern Island
A little more exposed, the Eastern Island M-COM can be protected from the nearby buildings.

Outcomes
At the end of the match, a short cutscene will play, depending on which side won. There is one cutscene for each side, but the dialogue that follows varies greatly.

If the Americans win, the Russian landings are disrupted as a rocket barrage from the American rocket batteries. The Russian ships are heavily damaged in the attack. Amusingly, the rockets will still fire even if these batteries are destroyed by tank fire or explosives.

If the Russians win, the Russian landings begin on schedule. A Russian soldier watches from a ship as various landing craft escorted by helicopters close in on the battlefield.