Prebrief

In Rundown, Operators descend into a village divided by its central River. To the west, a rugged Outback forces fights out into the open; race down to the Hotel to relocate the battle to a more compact arena. The main village lies to the east, a densely built area where all roads lead to the luxurious Mansion. 

Navigating the environment requires quick thinking and the ability to pivot on a dime as danger looms around every corner and over the deadly River crossing. Get the advantage over your enemies by studying up on this guide to Rundown:

Intel Card — Rundown

Tactical Overview

In team-based modes, squads will either spawn by the Gas Station (west) or by the Mansion (east).

A murky, low-running River divides the two spawns — the rugged Outback to the west and the main village to the east. Prepare for combat out in the open as well as through the clustered buildings, and bring a teammate or two for backup when crossing over the water.

We’ve divided Rundown into five sections based on key areas around the map:

• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Gas Station (+ Water Tower)
• MAIN SPAWN POINT: Mansion (+ Hay Storage)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Outback (+ Construction Area)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: River (+ Bridge Building, Bar, Repair Shop, Town Hall, Market Street)
• ADDITIONAL AREA: Back Alleys (+ Farm)

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Gas Station (WEST)

This Gas Station has seen better days, its shelves ransacked and its pumps no longer in service. Some fencing reduces visibility into the area from the east, though its thin surface does little to protect against incoming fire. The area itself is on largely open ground except for the Gas Station, a close-quarters interior where the fastest draw wins.

For more reliable cover, pivot around the nearby shed or Water Tower, using the infrastructure to better control your sightlines and as solid cover in retreat. Outside of these cover pieces, however, be ready to fight in the open. Midranged weapons tend to excel here, as the uneven terrain tends to cut off longer sightlines. The closer you move toward the River, the more those longshots start coming into play.

MAIN SPAWN POINT: Mansion (SOUTHEAST)

Though the Mansion’s interior is inaccessible, it remains a powerful defensive position. On the ground, the veranda offers partial concealment via the blue columns and low surrounding wall. When you’re spotted and need some real cover, use the bevy of supplies and vehicles surrounding the building. Of special note is the yellow truck north of the Mansion; climb into its bed for an elevated view of the area.

Take the Mansion’s back stairs to reach the wraparound balcony. This provides an even greater view of your surroundings, though there’s risk in the additional exposure. As with the veranda below, the low wall here doesn’t provide much protection. Your best point of defense up here is the wooden crates positioned on either side.

For a less conspicuous position, set up in Hay Storage just south of the Mansion. Though small, the shed and hay bales here offer the perfect point from which to ambush nearby enemies.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Outback

Prepare for a rocky road when traversing the Outback, due both to the area’s rugged terrain and its sparse cover points. Use the scattered sheds and a portion of fencing as cover, but between these points you’ll have to fend off attacks in the open. For those defending the Outback and Gas Station beyond, the tagged-up building in the Construction Area is your closest approximation to a power position.

Though exposed, the Outback makes for a great flank toward the Gas Station. The Gas Station  features no windows overlooking the area, and the terrain cuts off views from the south as well. A convenient opening in the fence also provides quick access into the zone.

When moving toward the River, swing south if you’re looking for a tighter arena. The Fish Market, Repair Shop, Bar, and Hotel there offer many points of contact for those who prefer battling in and around buildings.

ADDITIONAL AREA: River

The River marks the most contentious point on the map, its course dividing the map down the middle, with three bridges and a stairway at either end providing access to the other side. Due to its low volume, Operators can jump down into the River and run over its surface, though be warned: Unless you have the Covert Sneakers equipped, the splashing of your footsteps is a dead giveaway to your position.

The greatest danger lies in the buildings lining the River to either side. While several of them are inaccessible, the ones you can enter such as the Bar and Repair Shop on the west side and the Town Hall and apartments on the east provide access to a second story with vantage points over crucial segments of the River and the surrounding markets.

Map awareness is crucial here to avoid getting cut down when crossing. Use your minimap and the position of your allies to determine which areas are safe to travel and where the greatest crossfire is taking place.

ADDITIONAL AREA: Back Alleys

The Back Alleys are great for close-quarters combat, especially between the buildings circling the fountain. Use the available balconies to get above the enemy or draw them into the adjacent apartment building to battle inside. As the midpoint between the River and Mansion, you’re close to any battles erupting on the map’s east side, though you may want to swap to a longer ranged weapon when leaving the confined fountain area.

When targeting enemies within the Back Alleys, consider launching your assault from the Farm to the south. Midranged weapons have the advantage here, and quick access to the Town Hall and a staircase descending into the River gives you strong options when it’s time to move on.

Objective Overview

Overall Tactics

Objective modes challenge players to find a balance between the compact east end of the map and the more wide-open west end. Crossing the River becomes a higher priority as well when seeking objectives on the other side — or on the central bridge — making it a priority to understand all the possible threats you may encounter along the way. 

Take some time in a private match to explore the River and its surrounding buildings. Knowing which buildings are accessible and which are closed off helps you better focus on where the enemy might be located. While the minimap can help narrow down where the current threat lies, there’s always the chance of being caught off guard.    

Check all of the vantage points provided by the two-story structures and spend some time navigating the River to discover its several points of egress so you don’t get stuck down there at a crucial point in the match. Once you’ve got the River path figured out, spend some time exploring the greater village and then take your newfound knowledge into the next match.

Domination

The Domination flags are grouped fairly close to one another on Rundown, keeping the action focused on the center fight for B, which is located right on the central bridge.

While it’s possible to make a play for A and C, it’s a difficult task given the number of River crossings needed to defend them. In most cases, it’s a battle for B, testing your reflexes and map knowledge in the toughest area of the map.

At the start of the match, consider strengthening your hold around the center bridge before jumping right on the point. While aggressive plays for the objective can turn the tide of a match, it won’t help if you’re eliminated en route. Instead, spread out around the flag, take up the best vantage points, and then go for the capture once you’ve fought back the first volley of fighters.

Once the B flag is yours, you can spread out to the surrounding two bridges to cover the flag and all crossing points over the River. If the enemy can’t cross, they can’t take your other flag. On the other hand, if the other team captures the B flag first, probe for weaknesses across the water and breach through where possible. Clear their side of the River and then take it back.

Hardpoint

The fight begins at the River on Hardpoint as teams vie for control over the center bridge. Its wide-open position makes it a challenge to hold as each side has clear sights over the area. There’s no going under the bridge here, either, as the Hardpoint doesn’t extend underneath.

Divide and conquer by designating a handful of Operators to push for the point while the remaining teammates set up in the power positions surrounding it. The more angles you control over the objective, the better your chances of repelling enemy attacks.

After the bridge, the remaining four Hardpoints task you with crossing and recrossing the River as the objectives move back and forth between the east and west sides of the map. The Farm, like the first Hardpoint, is on open ground. You can use the coop for cover, but you’ll need to get in front of it to be on the objective.

The Hardpoint in the Construction Area building provides some decent cover for those within, though the building’s small size makes it susceptible to explosives. Here again it may be worth sending out some teammates to provide cover from afar to avoid losing your hold to a well-placed grenade or two.

In the Back Alley, swap to a close-quarters Loadout when pursuing the point or set up in the surrounding street with a midranged weapon to protect it. The first to the final Hardpoint at Hotel gains a big advantage, as its second floor provides a commanding view over the surrounding area; to secure a strong defense, set up here before the Hardpoint activates.

Cutthroat

Though Rundown isn’t a large map, its dense layout in and around the main village gives squads the opportunity to evade detection and set up in an advantageous position. This adds further importance to the overtime flag, as capturing it to secure the round win is a more sound strategy than chasing down hidden enemies.

An aggressive approach can be equally successful. Head to the River to get right into it, spreading out to cover multiple angles or as a coordinated push over a single bridge to the other side. Or, if you’re more confident on your side, take some shots and then pull back, enticing the enemy to pursue your position and fall into a trap. If you’re lucky, the third squad may even follow in pursuit.

Consider bringing along a Launcher as well. Rundown’s dense layout makes it easy to find a safe spot for a moment to knock enemy aerial streaks out of the sky, particularly enemy UAVs, which threaten to spoil your squad’s plans before they’ve even begun. Take away their intel and then finish the job.

Search & Destroy

At first sight, it might seem that the defending team has the advantage by starting in the main village while the attackers must cross open ground and the River before approaching either bomb site. With some ingenuity, however, either team can succeed, using the map’s rugged terrain and dense layout to avoid detection until the time to strike is right.

The attacking team has two choices: Wipe out the other squad or make the River crossing and plant. Going for the full elimination has its advantages, but as mentioned in our Cutthroat strategy, it can be difficult to track down the last remaining Operators.

When opting for the plant, choose a site and go all in, possibly tossing equipment and/or sending an Operator to the other side to create confusion. Try wrapping around the northern boundary to make your way toward B, or use the vantage points by A to eliminate some enemies before going in.

The defending team should use the opening seconds of the round to get into a solid defensive position across any of the several vantage points provided in the dense east side, whether to cover bridge access across the River or with a direct view over either bomb site. The Back Alleys by the fountain can also work as a good ambush point, as its position between the two sites allows you to make a fast break against any plants.

Top 10 Tips

1. Tour the town . . .  Don’t let Rundown’s cramped east end scare you off. Instead of seeing danger at every turn, become the danger at every turn. Discover which buildings are open and accessible and which are closed off. Find ways to ambush enemies around corners, take shortcuts through the Back Alleys, and learn when it’s best to push toward the River or pull back to the Mansion.

2.  . . . And take a hike through the Outback. Rundown’s west end offers its own challenges. Though buildings are sparser here, the rugged terrain offers ways of ducking out of view or surprising an enemy en route. Practice fighting around the Fish Market and Hotel when you need more cover and drawing enemies out into the open for a more direct battle.

3. Get that intel. Intel goes a long way toward helping you track down enemies in this cluttered village. Consider equipping the CCT Comms Vest to become an intel-gathering machine. Eliminated enemies will drop intel packs, which generate a localized radar ping when picked up, plus your minimap will be larger and enemies will appear on it for a longer duration.

4. Bridge patrol. The staircases on either side of the River aren’t the only ways out of the water. You can also use the vehicle or trash pile by the southern bridge to jump onto its railing, thus pulling yourself up. For a less conspicuous move, use the nearby fridge to hop onto the River’s western ledge. Fire at enemies as they cross before they can detect your location.

5. Flyswatter. One of the advantages of fighting in a packed village is that it’s not hard to find some breathing room when needed. Use this tactic to pull out your Launcher and down enemy aerial streaks before they give the opposing team any momentum.

6. Engineer on call. The tight interior spaces here don’t give Operators much room to move around, thus increasing the lethality of Claymores, Proximity Mines, and other placed items. Use this to your advantage, and to counter the tactic, equip the Engineer Vest to spot and mark them for your teammates.

7. Back Alley ambush. The constricted Back Alleys around the fountain mark a great ambush point on the River’s east side. Equip a close-ranged weapon and work the perimeter, eliminating incoming enemies as well as those skirting its edges.  

8. Not waiting up. For lone wolf Operators who don’t want to wait for their teammates when attempting a River crossing, consider using Battle Rage. Activate the Tactical item to improve your movement speed and health regeneration, both vital boosts for making a safe passage.

9. Ready for anything. If you’re just as comfortable fighting in the Outback as you are in the main village, why not further boost your versatility with the Gunner Vest? By deploying with two primary weapons, max ammo, and improved reload speed, you’ll be ready for anything no matter where you are on the map. 

10. Go, go, go. Rundown can be a difficult map to get a hold of, but experience goes a long way in discovering how best to navigate the village. Toss in your vote for the map when offered and improve your tactics bit by bit after every match.

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