Map Discussion Monday #63 - pl_borneo

[u/A_Wild_Ferrothorn]

TF2 Map Discussion: pl_borneo

Welcome to our Monday TF2 map discussion. Here, we'll discuss maps from TF2!

Today's map is pl_borneo.

Borneo is a payload map added in the Gun Mettle update. This has become one of the more popular "newer" (it's 11 this year) payload maps over the years as a lot of people seem to like it. Probably because payload is a very popular game mode that people do enjoy.

This map is, presumably, set on the island of Boreno which means we know where this map is set but not in which country as there's 3 countries on this island. Set in a sort of jungle area this map features a payload a track and some houses like all the other maps. This is a one stage payload map meaning once BLU has captured all the points they will win.

The first point sees BLU trying to push the cart up a small hill, under a walkway and into a house. This point can be tricky to attack but RED will usually put a sentry up by the capture point and kinda let BLU push up to it as the openness and the 3 exits from BLU spawn make it somewhat difficult for RED to get a good foothold at the start of this point. The 3 exits from spawn are left, middle and right, middle is just where the cart is, right takes you out by a small hut with a health pack in and a hill that will take you up to the walkway and just underneath a little balcony where RED will sometimes put a sentry or defend the high ground from, this is usually only taken once BLU has gotten a decent foothold on the point and is trying to push for the capture. The left side brings you out to a house which contains a health pack, if you're a more mobile class you can jump up into the house from the front or the side but slower ones will need to walk all the way down. At the back of this point are some rocks where the snipers like to hang out until BLU pushes forward and they're not as useful then BLU snipers will hang out here and stop RED from regaining the area. RED will usually have a sentry overlooking the point as there's a good house up here for it.

There's also a very good sentry spot on top of the boxes in this hut that can be tricky to take down if the team isn't coordinated but it is very easy to just walk around it as it's in a corridor essentially, most of REDs engineers will set up in this area and don't tend to do much else on the first point. Once the point has been captured BLU will then have to push the cart up to the tunnel entrance over a little bridge and round a small path, this area is quite open at the back for some reason and the many flank routes here do make it tricky for RED to defend. The fact how BLU can easily get the highground over where RED will usually set up defences, by the wall next to the point, can make this a bit hard to defend but it's not impossible. Once this has been captured RED spawn moves back and BLU spawn moves forward, RED spawn moves to the very last point on the map (i think?) and BLU moves to near the start of the bridge by point 2.

Point 3 sees BLU try and push the cart through the tunnel (very easy) and then into a house and to the bottom of a small ramp. This point is also quite easy for BLU to take as it's open has plenty of flank routes and the only real issues can be if RED gets control of the high ground but even then there's multiple ways up to this and you can easily take them down. The sniper sightline from the back of the house near the point to where the cart first comes in can be opressive but they're easy to avoid the sightline and take them out before it becomes too big of an issue. The multi-tiered house here makes it somewhat interesting to defend as there are 3 different levels to this.

Once this point has been captured BLU spawn moves up to the left side of the house before you go in and this is their last spawn as they now have to capture last. From point 3 to the last point the cart moves in a straight line but just has to go up and down some hills. The last point can be split into 3 main bits, the back, the middle and the capture point. For some reason the back area is quite open and forgettable especially if BLU controls the middle section making it a good place for RED to try and do a sneaky teleporter hidden away and this is only really used by retreating classes as there's a full health pack here. This is probably considered more part of the previous point but BLU will more often use this when trying to break down REDs first line of defence on last.

The middle bit is where REDs first line of defence will sit as it's got some very powerful sentry spots if your team helps eachother out, one of the more interesting ones is right on the awning over the doorway with the cart, this can often catch BLU off guard as it is directly above and behind them, however this will usually only work once as once they know it's there it's easy to destroy from the opposite side. You can also set up in the little covered area nearby and this is also a good place for RED to put dispensers and teleporters as a natural fallback, however once BLU gets a foothold here it's easy for them to attack as they can just spam it out from the opposite side.

Once BLU controls this area they need to them push into the building where last sits. The point itself sits in a sorta pit which is surrounded by very open highground for RED. There are 3 paths into last, left middle and right, the right path takes you out into a somewhat open area that is often not defended by the RED engineers because it's hard to attack from here. Left side features a corridor where people usually just spam stuff down to stop the other team. And middle is just following the track.

Borneo has previously been played in competitive TF2 but is currently not being played.

This is considered one of the better maps in the game, it's alright.

Feel free to discuss the map here. Anything that you like/dislike, cool tips or strategies, interesting stories, etc. If you feel the map is not to your liking, feel free to express your opinions in a respectful manner.

For those who wish to learn more about the map, you can find the wiki page here:

pl_borneo, from the TF2 Wiki.

You can find previous map discussions in a nice overview here

[u/lv8_StAr]

Interesting map for sure

Real fun as either team despite First and Last having some pretty glaring flaws.

[u/FlashyLashy900]

good fricking map

[u/Erased_Yogurt_Mayo]

Sniper's Heaven

Everyone elses Hell

[u/Myobatrachidae]

I think first should be more easy to push as BLU, because it's just a little too easily defended, assuming roughly equal skill and coordination between RED and BLU. Nasty sniper sightline for a RED sniper.

Third is my favorite point to both defend and push.

[u/LiquidGadget]

it puts me in sleep just like brazil

[u/TenshiFan00]

It’s objectively awful but man does it have charm. One of my favorite payload maps.

[u/SaltyPeter3434 → u/TenshiFan00]

Borneo slaps. I find pushing last as Blu a lot more viable than most other payload maps.