Prebrief:

Task Force 141 cleared out the metropolitan area of Las Almas only for it to turn into another war zone — now Operators need to secure a cultural and economic landmark in its oldest region. Situated in the oldest city within Las Almas, Mercado Las Almas — “Market of the Souls” — is one of the most revered and bustling marketplaces in Mexico.

A once-bustling market is now completely deserted, and the topography favors fast-paced action throughout “Market of the Souls.”

Now this once-bustling market is completely deserted. Operators are here to secure this area before it becomes lost to time and the ongoing war.

Intel Card — Mercado Las Almas

Tactical Overview

We’ve divided Mercado Las Almas into seven sections based on key areas around the map:

-       MAIN SPAWN POINT: Silos

-       MAIN SPAWN POINT: Cantina

-       ADDITIONAL AREA: Market Center

-       ADDITIONAL AREA: Trash Truck (+ Red Tarps)

-       ADDITIONAL AREA: Warehouse (+ Parking)

-       ADDITIONAL AREA: Old Church (+ Main Entrance)

-       ADDITIONAL AREA: Main Street

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Silos

The initial Silos area is small enough to only be a cross-map equipment throw area.

On a fast-paced map like this, Operators should hustle out of the area east to the Trash Truck, south to the Patio, or west to the Elephant Room.

The Forklift is the other option; this area is a small side storage building next to the Trash Truck. Head here for cover against the elements or as a way to fight enemies coming from the Warehouse across the street.

The Patio spills out either into the Old Church or to the main Market Center. It’s also directly below the Elephant Room, a two-floor building abandoned by the Bannba Banana Company with windows looking out over the Market Center and Main Street pathways.

That makes the Elephant Room great for snipers — otherwise, use the bottom floor for quick access to the Old Church and Main Street.

Spawn Point: Cantina

Operators get immediate access to Cantina La Plaza, a two-story bar where close-quarters fights are incredibly common.

Feel free to clear out Operators when they arrive on either floor, or use the second level to spot enemies from the windows overlooking the Cantina Alley (west) or the balcony with views on the Parking Alley (east).

Off the initial spawn, running through the Cantina to the Parking Alley is one option. You can also book it through the Cantina Alley to Main Street or take the market’s Main Entrance or Tunnel right into the Market Center.

Both alleys and the Tunnel aren’t very noteworthy, other than being a place to shoot fish in a barrel due to how narrow they are. The Parking Alley does have an L-shaped Barber Shop, which is a quick way to access the Red Tarps area of the map from the spawn.

What is most important about this spawn is how close it is to the Center Market — often, KorTac Operators will have an immediate advantage by rushing straight through to the covered hub lane. That comes in handy for drawing first blood or even controlling objectives early.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Market Center

This is the center of it all. Note how the blue tarps part right on the area we marked above. Drop equipment right in this opening,

Just like any normal day in Las Almas, no area will be busier than the Market Center.

In between numerous vendor stalls — selling tapestries, produce, aguas frescas, ice cream, pinatas, clothing, and more — is a narrow cobblestone street that connects lanes together in an irregular T-shape.

At the beginning of a match, Operators may want to aim their equipment right at a break in the tarps covering this central street, as it would drop right into the Tunnel where opposing forces can pour out of.

Our main piece of advice is to not window-shop for too long here — this area is the focal point of the map, and it is better to run through it with all the sightlines and lanes that run pass here.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Trash Truck (+ Red Tarps)

Off spawn, Operators can chuck their equipment right over the slanted yellow apartment. Depending on the angle, it can easily land right in the Parking or Trash Truck lanes where opposing Operators have the first crack at control.

If KorTac has the Market Center, the SpecGru Operators get the first chance at holding these east areas off their spawn.

The Trash Truck acts as a solid barrier for any infighting within this rectangular street, especially those coming from the Warehouse to the east and Forklift room to the west. Run south past the truck to reach the Red Tarps, a boxy area that acts as an endpoint to the Market Center.

Note the slight incline and ajar gate, which mostly obstruct the sightline from the Trash Truck to the Barber Shop through the Red Tarps.

Because SpecGru Operators can file into here early, feel free to start launching grenades from the Cantina using the slanted yellow apartment as a guide. With the right angle, these equipment pieces can fly over the Red Tarps into the open streets, including at the Trash Truck and in the Parking area.

Otherwise, the Red Tarps get a great shot right down the Central Market street, one of the few longshot areas on the map.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Warehouse (+ Parking)

One of two main north-south sightlines, from the Warehouse to the Parking Alley. Use it off the spawn for a First Blood or for longshots.

A windowless, two-room Warehouse empties out onto a large parking lot to the south. Here, a few stalled cars, a fresh fruit stand under a red tarp, and a food truck serving quality eats define a large chunk of the map’s eastmost portion.

The Warehouse contains a tiny room with an exit looking “behind” the taco truck, which is great for catching enemies coming out of the Parking Alley. Otherwise, the most obvious sightline on the map is right down the main Warehouse hallway down to the alley, which is most likely how a SpecGru Operator can draw first blood.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Old Church (+ Main Entrance)

Opposite the Red Tarps to the west, the Main Entrance has a yellow truck parked in front of the entrance to the Old Church, which was built over with apartments.

The Old Church is yet another tight and covered alley, great for CQB weaponry or equipment traps. On either side are two open areas: the Patio and the Main Entrance.

Although the Main Entrance just appears to be a way to enter the market — either through the front archway or taking an L-shaped covered passage — a small room of the Old Church can act as great cover against enemies in the Market Center.

Using it requires walking out onto Main Street and getting on the second row of stepped gardens. Strafe left and right to use its slanted roof for cover, or just drop down if the action gets too hot.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Main Street

Just over 50 meters separate the Cantina Alley from the Old Church alleyway across Main Street. Get your snipers out here for longshots, as it’s one of the best sightlines on the map.

Containing the one true elotes stand and a street completely blocked off by the police, Main Street is the most open north-south route on the map.

With only one other access point from the Main Entrance, Main Street is where snipers and other long-range weapon users will congregate thanks to it being an unobstructed 50+ meter lane.

If a CQB player can’t use the Old Church and Main Entrance to get around here, their best bet is to use the police cars for cover. Otherwise, it’s better to completely circumnavigate the area or have a squadmate lock it down.

Top 10 Tips

1.    Controlled chaos. As a new player, try not to focus too much on the K/D ratio while playing on this map. Action will be fast paced here, making it a great opportunity to use a shotgun or SMG within lanes to control the chaos.

2.   Take Cover! As compensation for being hectic in nearly every other way, Mercado Las Almas has plenty of places to hide if a Killstreak starts to rain down. The Cantina and Elephant Room’s first floor offer great, but not perfect, cover from the elements. For times when the enemy is completely storming down death from above, try holing up in the Barber Shop and the small room of the Warehouse, which has two closable doors and is relatively difficult to aim aerial streaks through.

3.   A New Level for Sightlines. Outside of some of the north-south lanes and the Main Entrance tip, there are some additional jump spots that can open up some cross-lane fire. The first is at the Patio. Using the benches next to it, access the roof of the shut-down stall, which has a great angle into the Elephant Room and the side alley of the Old Church leading to the Main Street. The second opens up the longest sightline on the map: hop atop the taco truck and look down Market Center to get a shot that could come close to hitting 100 meters. It’s a great way to counter players on that Main Entrance spot, or just lock down that lane off the SpecGru spawn.

4.   Equipment Traps. Mercado Las Almas can be a notorious area to place Equipment, Killstreak, and Field Upgrade traps. As shown above, the tight alleyways and small building entry/exit points are perfect places to lay down ground-based traps. Because this map is conducive to a frantic pace, some Operators may not think twice when running through the Barbershop or the Main Entrance L-shaped tunnel. That’s where a well-placed Claymore or Cluster Mine can be devastating.

5.    Hangin’ on the Fork. Operators can hang off the Forklift in three separate locations while facing south, which seems a bit odd at first until you learn how it can be a total engagement changer. While hanging off the ground and hopping between the hang spots, your Operator may throw off enemy fire — this can buy time in a close-quarters engagement here. If you have a sidearm, try jumping up to one of the forklift arms and aiming through the door out to the Trash Truck. It’s a pretty obscure sightline that can work in tandem with a squadmate below who is laying down suppressive fire.

6.    Parkour Walk. One of the trickiest maneuvers on the map is jumping from the trucks parked along the wall of the Parking area and over to the Cantina. Doing this requires enough balance to not trigger the out-of-bounds area, but if performed correctly, it can be a stunning position against enemies running out of the Barber Shop or from the Cantina balcony. Try it as a change-of-pace option when sprinting through the Parking Alley gets to be a bit of a death trap.

7.    Domination wins on B Flag. The Market Center is where B is located, which means it is also in an extremely active location. Taking control of B flag means that your team will control a large portion of the center of the map. It also includes access to always be attacking the weaker flag while defending from the stronger flag. The dynamic of which side is stronger may flip at a quick rate, but having a fortified center means being able to switch tactics just as fast.

8.    Spawn adjustment. For Search & Destroy on Mercado Las Almas, the spawns are changed from North and South to East and West, putting the Bomb Sites to the North and South of the Market Center. The mainline strategy does not chance. Controlling the center of the map is still the most important tactic, and using equipment to control the opposing team’s movement will help you keep control for as long as possible.

9.    Hangs and Jumps. Check out the Forklift area and Parking Lot for some cool lines of sight. Check the former for sidearms, and the latter for taking a 100+ meter longshot across the map.

10. Built for CQB... This map is a gold mine for CQB play. Shotguns, SMGs, and fast-handling and firing Assault Rifles are all safe picks for surviving this map.

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