Prebrief

The workhorse of Urzikstan, Popov Power supplies energy to the growing region. Fight around the plant’s Cooling Towers and Reactors and utilize the full run of its industrial buildings to flank and ambush enemy squads.

To outplay the enemy on Popov Power, take advantage of these movement tips that will help you navigate the environment with ease:

Intel Card — Popov Power

Tactical Overview

In team-based modes, squads will either spawn outside in Site Storage (west) or the Scrapyard (east).

The plant’s Cooling Towers and Reactors lie between the two spawns, an industrial playground that rewards Operators willing to explore its many intricacies.

We’ve divided Popov Power into seven sections based on key named areas in the map:

• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Site Storage (+ Slabs, Construction)
• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Scrapyard (+ Admin)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Substation
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Parking
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Cooling Towers (+ Dry Casks)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Reactors (Alpha + Beta)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Spray Pools (+ Fire Station)

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Site Storage (WEST)

The Site Storage spawn enters open ground through the Slabs and Construction zones just ahead of it. Though a small handful of buildings provide interior access near Construction, travel here is mostly out in the open. Consider grabbing a vehicle to cross the dirt pathways more quickly, at least until you reach some of the better vantage points closer to the middle of the map.

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Scrapyard (EAST)

Spread out to the wings of the map or head straight for the dense Admin section leading to the Cooling Towers. Warehouses, office buildings, and shipping containers offer multiple points from which to set up and stage an ambush. As defensible as the location is, however, you’ll need to move farther up in the map to reach the first Ground War objective.

At the start of the match, use the zipline near the starting spawn to glide over to the top of Admin, giving you a head start toward the Cooling Towers.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Substation

Substation battles are hard to pin down; snipers can land deadly longshots down the middle, while close-ranged fights often erupt to the sides as Operators weave between the electrical equipment. Consider your own Loadout’s strengths and weaknesses when moving through the area or grab one of the available vehicles to pass through in a flash. Note the office building on the east side of this zone. Use its position to cover the entrance into the Substation and to eliminate enemies moving up from Reactor Beta.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Parking

The flat, open terrain in Parking can be both a blessing and a curse. In a vehicle, you’ve got plenty of room to maneuver, and snipers get nearly the full run of the area to down enemy Operators from afar. When moving through here on foot, look out for both threats. If you get pinned down by an enemy vehicle or sharpshooter, head into the Ministry of Energy building along Parking’s south border or into one of the smaller offices to the north.

To avoid the Parking area, get behind the fencing at the top of the zone, using the strip of field outside to move along at a lower profile.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Cooling Towers

The massive Cooling Towers lend themselves to interesting combat opportunities. Fight around the base of the structures, using the concrete posts on the ground floor for cover, or risk climbing to the upper platform within each, giving access to great views over anyone inside the tower. A marksman with good aim can relieve a lot of pressure on their allies from up there.

Note the tunnel system below the Cooling Towers (accessible from within the two towers), the pool of water and the white shed between them, and a drainage pipe. Use the tunnel system to cross between the towers without having to fight out in the open. And for the best view in the area, take the ascender leading up to the top of the southern tower.

The Dry Casks area south of the Cooling Towers offers its own challenges as Operators fight between the large tanks. Look for ladders on either end to get on top of the tanks or take the southern road on the other side of the fence to cross the map without going into the middle.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Reactors

The Reactors are huge battlegrounds on their own, Reactor Alpha providing the largest interior space on the map while Reactor Beta introduces an exterior obstacle course with branching paths over multiple levels and plentiful climbing opportunities.

Control over either Reactor plays an important part of any winning strategy. In Reactor Alpha, staying inside mitigates the effectiveness of enemy aerial streaks, not to mention enemy snipers on the outside so long as you watch the openings. While Reactor Beta exposes you to the outside, its winding layout gives all kinds of flanking opportunities.

Take some time to analyze the exterior around the Reactors, too. Use the connecting waterway and pipelines to travel between the two spots and look for new pathways to climb in search of powerful vantage points.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Spray Pools

The Spray Pools along the bottom of the map are more dangerous than they may first appear. Operators can crouch down in the pools to avoid detection, while the walkways cutting down the middle provide an elevated if exposed view of the surrounding area. It also pays to watch the fence lining the southern boundary, where enemies may appear across its scattered openings.

The warehouse positioned between the two Spray Pools along with the Fire Station on the west end give sharpshooters a strong view of the area, with the upper Fire Station viewpoint looking over a major swath of the environment.

Objective Overview

Overall Tactics

Ground War

• Try to hold on to the two capture points closest to your main spawn — E and D for the team who spawns in Site Storage and A and B for the team who spawns in the Scrapyard. While you’ll need a third to win the match, locking down these two will give you a solid foundation from which to launch your next attack, whether that’s for the middle C objective or moving up and breaching the enemy team’s Reactor.
• Capturing and defending objectives should always be your main focus. While it’s possible to set up outside the capture points to eliminate enemies moving in, it’s the Operators on and immediately around the objective who have the best chance at scoring points.
• Draw enemies out with the A.C.S. Field Upgrade, allowing you to make capture progress on a point without being inside of its boundaries. When the enemy comes looking, take them out and then get on the objective to complete the capture.

Invasion

• While Ground War matches encourage teams to swarm the middle in pursuit of the capture points, Invasion is focused purely on eliminations. If your team is on their back foot, solidify your position near the starting spawn to counter the enemy forces until there’s less danger in moving forward.
• Follow the fight, especially when tracking player-controlled Operators for their enhanced point value on elimination. A great vantage point overlooking nothing is worse than the risks involved with jumping into the fray where a strong play can rack up several points at a time.
• Consider equipping the Threat Identification System Gear piece. With this item, you’ll automatically ping enemy positions when you get them in your crosshairs. This gives you and your team a major advantage in pinpointing threats.

Top 10 Tips

1. Hold that climbing button. This industrial complex offers all kinds of climbing opportunities on the Cooling Towers, Reactors, and over the many other buildings and supplies. When you’re doing a lot of mantling, remember that holding down the Climb button will help you advance more quickly.

2. Closed for maintenance. Load up a Private Match lobby and deploy to Popov Power as a solo player. This gives you the chance to climb all over the map and seek out its many intricate pathways without getting fired on while exploring.

3. No fall damage. Your Parachute is at the ready in Ground War maps. Even if you don’t plan on soaring great distances, practice deploying the item anytime you take a jump that might otherwise inflict fall damage. Even if you only activate it for a second, it makes all the difference between a hard and smooth landing.

4. Go around. The fight for the middle is a constant tug-of-war throughout the match. If you need to get around the enemy and don’t have time to engage in the main battle, take a vehicle and drive down the far sides of the map to get to your destination.

5. Snipers up top. While rooftops, Cooling Towers, and Reactors offer great vantage points throughout the environment, the map’s top lane is especially friendly to sharpshooters. The flat, open ground makes it easier to land long-distance shots, even against enemies driving vehicles.

6. Bigger boom. When bombarding an enemy objective, consider tossing out the Thermobaric Grenade. The Lethal item increases the lethality of explosives for a short time, an advantage that will boost the effectiveness of your teammates’ outgoing grenades.

7. The ultimate scout. Use the Recon Drone Field Upgrade to target and mark enemy Operators. There’s a lot of outdoor space on this map, so even if you don’t get eyes on everyone, there’s a good chance that you’ll scout out important exterior positions you can then uproot using your newfound intel.

8. Get on comms. Talk with your squad and form a general plan of attack as the match goes on. Stick together to improve your odds of winning fights and be ready to pivot when your help is needed elsewhere. The faster and more coordinated you move together, the greater the benefit to your whole team.

9. Pick up weapons. Unless you’re wearing a Vest that allows two Primary Weapons, you’ll likely want to swap out your Secondary for something stronger. Keep an eye out for dropped weapons that you can use to better round out your current Loadout. Hit up an ammo station when you need to refill.

10. Power up. Gaining victory on Popov Power is all about reading the environment and getting into the best position to address the problem at hand. If you’re having difficulty breaching an enemy position, consider all pathways leading toward the point and pick the one that they’re least equipped to defend against.

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