Understanding Map Control in Overwatch
Improve on your map control in Overwatch using the simple tricks inside this guide.
Like many FPS games, positioning and map control are key to making sure you get the most out of any plays you make. Look at Counter-Strike for example, a team that can use their utility effectively gains map control a hell of a lot easier. And just like that example, the same applies to Overwatch. You may not realise it, but map control is a key part of the game that you might have not even thought about in the past. In this guide, I’m going to be covering the things you need to know about map control, when to use aggression, and when to play safe, plus plenty of other bits of information you’re going to want to know.
Understanding the gamemode you’re on.
Map control is completely different depending on whether you’re playing the hybrid of escort/control (or either of one of those separately) or if you’re playing a payload map. You have to learn to recognise the different ways to play on these maps. For example, aggressive, close up plays aren’t exactly the best idea on things such as control point maps for multiple reasons. For example, if you get wiped you’re going to have to go through an uphill battle of trying to retake the hill off of the other team, which is usually a lot more difficult than defending it once you’ve got it.
I usually see this kind of mistake being made on maps like Ilios, especially around the Well and the Ruins. Because of the complexity of the map, and the different areas you can hide, it’s not the worst idea to play a little bit more forward to fend off the enemy team. But staying there isn’t the best idea at all. Getting wiped could mean you’re going to have to fight back for the hill, and might end up leaving you with an overtime you really don’t want to have to play through.
However, aggression on payload maps works a lot more effectively. It’s not like taking a hill back off of the enemy team on KOTH gamemodes, since you’ll spawn fairly close to the payload and the spawns change as you move along. If one push doesn’t work due to it being too aggressive, but you’ve exhausted the enemy team of their ultimates, that’s not a bad thing at all. If anything, you’ve done your team a favour! Don’t be afraid to be aggressive, but please, remember the payload! It’s great to wipe the enemy team, but if nobody is controlling the objective, what exactly was the point in wiping them?
Why is map control important?
On attack or defense, knowing what parts of the map you’ve got control of and what you can take is an extremely valuable skill. Usually, it comes naturally with experience of the game. You’ll understand who’s a softer target, and who’s in good positions that you want to take to help advance a push. Map control is usually more important on things such as payload maps, due to the fact that the one piece of the map you want on KOTH is pretty much just the hill and the small areas outside of it.
Due to payload maps being more dynamic, with changing spawn rooms and extremely good flank routes on maps for Dorado and Route 66, map control is more important. Knowing which areas are clear for your DPS to slide along into is a fantastic thing, you can send people in with a clean ultimate that’s (possibly) going to wipe the enemy team if they’re not as worried about the control of the map as you are. This is how you can tell someone is a good Pharah or a good McCree. A good Pharah or McCree usually end up getting behind or to the side of a team, in the middle of a firefight for example. It’s sneaky, but it works! If you’re not careful, and let a Pharah slowly hover underneath the route on Kings Row, you can end up with your final push being ended with a single Pharah ult.
In my opinion, the one key character that awards having good knowledge of map control when playing defensively is Bastion. When used as a key character of a composition, and usually teamed up with a good Reinhardt and Mercy, he can be almost unstoppable. With his teammates helping him, and the Bastion using his knowledge of the map and what areas are controlled, he can be move around and use his turret mode in different areas pretty much every 5-10 seconds. This makes it harder to be shot down by heroes such as Junkrat, as they’ll try spamming the area they died to Bastion in, only to find he’s moved to the other side of the map, spraying down the team from the other side.
What I just mentioned about Bastion can apply mostly to different defense characters. Positioning yourself against an oncoming wave of enemies in a place that they might not be able to see, or expect, is going to give you a bigger advantage than you expect. If you’re on top of the little shelter on the first point on Volsakaya Industries as Widowmaker, you’re an easy target. You’re going to be shot down pretty much as soon as someone gets their eyes on you due to the fact that you’re in such an open, visible position.
But, if you’re Widowmaker, why not play just to the side of barrier on top of the balcony at the back of the site or at the sides around it? Why not play at that little flank route round the left side of the map to cleverly pick off people who try to fly or come across to that side of the map? Thinking outside of the box is a very generic term but when you think about it, it’s the one that most fits with this playstyle. It will definitely net you a few more kills than you’ll expect, and if you keep being unpredictable, you’re going to stay alive a lot longer than your enemies ever will. Mind play and straight up outplaying your opponent is a key factor in most FPS games, not just Overwatch.
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