Gears of War/Gridlock

The Gridlock map is based in the wrecked streets of one of Sera's large cities. The map is "horseshoe" shaped with spawn points at either end of a broad "U" with all of the weapon pickups located along a straight line down the centre of the map. There is no distinct advantage in starting at either end of the map and no weapon is more accessible to one team than it is to the other (although some players are more comfortable running to the left than the right, and visa-versa). Broken cars, rubble, highway barriers and even mailboxes offer cover in this map but there are very few places that can be considered secure areas for camping or sniping. The most obvious camping spots have at least two possible entrances so staying in one place without backup is dangerous.

The Longshot sniper rifle, Boomshot and Frag Grenades are all available on this map. Obtaining these items is often the key to a decisive victory on this map as there are very few places to hide from a sniper or grenadier who has secure high ground, also as there is only one spawn for each of these items, getting them denies their use to the other team. The sniper rifle is located in an enclosed, raised terrace in the middle of the map. Further up from this area the frag grenades are lying in the open street and the boomshot can be located underneath a stone archway furthest away from the spawn points.

Tactics
As in any map, varied and co-ordinated strategies are the key to victory. Switching your tactics between rushing the sniper rifle spawn and splitting your team to cover the boomshot and the sniper rifle separately seems to pay off the most. Make full use of smoke grenades at both these weapons spawns as well. Throwing a smoke into the sniper spawn and running around the side to flank is very effective at warding off concentrated enemy attacks.

It is feasible to have one man try to secure the boomshot by himself, but always check through the archway before making a grab for it. The archway is an ideal ambush point against eager players making a run for this weapon. If in doubt, throw a smoke grenade through the archway into your opponents area. It may alert them to your presence but it will give you the few seconds you need to aquire it. Once the boomshot is secured, press forward if you have support, or turn your attention to the sniper spawn where most of the action occurs. If you are confident that the way ahead is clear, consider taking up cover in the 2nd floor of the building in front of you. This offers superb view of the enemies entrance to the sniper spawn point.

In general it is very dangerous to rush the sniper spawn alone. Most of the action early on in the match happens here and there is usually at least two team members making a run for this point. Make sure you have backup and check ahead of you when assaulting this area. A tactic that seems to work well against enemies that are entrenched here is to throw a smoke grenade up to the spawn point (thus rendering the sniper useless for a while) and flanking the targets by running past the frag spawn point and up to the opposite side of the terrace. Frag grenades themselves can be used here as well as there is very little room for maneuvering.

Weapons
Weapons which can be found on this map (when "Weapons Swapped" is off)include:
 * Frag Grenade (1)- One (pair) in the very center of the map.
 * Longshot (1) - One in the center of the map, in the building at the top of the stairs on the side with the ocean in the distance.
 * Hammerburst (2)- One on each team's side of the map on a dead-end walkway of a building.
 * Boomshot (1) - One in the center of the map, opposite side of the Longshot building, in a hollowed-out walkway in a wall.

An urban street with lots of downed cars.

Tips
Tower Power: The small towers on each side are a pretty safe place to camp out. You can see enemies across to the map pretty easily. Having at least one team-mate guard one of the entrances is a good idea for a secure camp.

Hide and Seek: With all the cars around it makes for a great place to hide. When you see you enemy before he sees you it's usually a best idea to take cover and wait for him to walk by so you can surprise him with a chainsaw from behind. If your on the other end of the this always roll past or go the long way around the car you think someone may be hiding behind. It may take you a little long but you will live longer.