Blood Gulch

4-16 players, Supports vehicles

Blood Gulch is a very popular Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer level. It supports vehicles and is recommended for 4-16 players. Its simplicity and size have contributed much to its popularity. Blood Gulch was remade as Coagulation for Halo 2, and served as a major inspiration for Valhalla in Halo 3. It was also remade as a multiplayer map in Halo Wars.

Layout
Blood Gulch's layout is quite simplistic; it is set in a vast canyon, with two bases, a huge open field with hills and ditches, and caves and cliffs along the rock walls. In addition, there are Teleporters located on each base's roof; each will transport players to the center field. Blue leading to the ledge near red base which is ideal for sniping. Red going nearby the extensive system of caves on the side of the map.

Weapon Locations

 * Assault Rifle - inside bases on wall facing the main field.
 * Flamethrower - in cave that's inside the cave near the red team's teleporter (PC & Mac only.)
 * Fuel Rod Gun - in middle of level, in open space on the hill in front of the blue team's teleporter, almost directly across from the Rocket Launcher. (PC & Mac only.)
 * Pistol - on top of bases, on side ledges around the map, in the cave above the Blue base.
 * Shotgun - inside bases one the walls facing the sides of the base. (2x)
 * Sniper Rifle - on top of bases.
 * Plasma Rifle - inside bases on wall facing behind the base.
 * Rocket Launcher - in middle of level, by a shrub near the red teams teleporter receiver node.
 * Fragmentation Grenades - on top of bases (4x)
 * Plasma Grenades - on side ledges around the map(4x)

Vehicle Locations
This map is usually vehicle based. Controlling the vehicles is crucial to winning. The vehicles on the Halo: Combat Evolved version of this map include:
 * 1) Banshee (PC and Mac only; on top of bases towards the back)
 * 2) Ghost (In front of base)
 * 3) Warthog (Sides and front of base)
 * 4) Scorpion (Behind base)

Power-up Locations

 * Active Camouflage - near the dark ledge, on the ground.
 * Health Pack - on top of bases, to the right of the teleporters.
 * Overshield - same place where the Active Camouflage is, opposite the Flamethrower in the cave.

Sniper Rock
Blood Gulch is famous for the outcropping rock in the cliff wall behind which is an ideal sniper spot. The spot is widely known as "sniper rock", and can be reached using a Banshee in Halo PC or Ghost on the Xbox version. Due to its protruding shape, it is assumed the rock was deliberately made.

Strategies

 * Once you get better at sniping, try sniping on the large hill next to the red team's teleporter in the middle of the map.
 * The Banshee (Halo PC only) can kill very effectively in three ways (Fuel Rod Cannon, Plasma Cannons and ram), but many players despise people that attempt the latter.
 * Driving a Warthog into the base and remaining on the Warthogs turret is a sound defense strategy, however this will leave you vulnerable to any enemy player.
 * Another good sniping spot is the hill behind the red base you can hide behind the rocks and shoot anywhere.
 * Having a pair of Warthog's with three players on board, with a Rocket Launcher can be used in two ways. Take both Warthogs' go through the cave systems to the left of the Blue base, taking care not to be hit by a grenade by any hostile infantry in the caves. The first Warthog should drive down, with a second Warthog above supporting it by bombarding the base. Drop off the side rider/gunner and drive in circles to avoid being bombed or sniped while the carrier is getting the flag. A Ghost can be used instead of the Warthog. One or two Spartans should accompany a Warthog to the base on foot. The Warthog will then circle the enemy base while one Spartan gets the flag. The Spartan and his gunner will then get in a Warthog and go up the cliff or simply go in a straight line back to the base.
 * If you're on your own, a simple "Run in, grab the flag and get in a warthog" strategy is quite effective if the enemy is engaged in combat. However, if you are noticed and the enemy has vehicles, the other tactics may be less risky. This tactic is not recommended for the Scorpion, due to its slow speed, and is best used with a Ghost, Warthog or Banshee (Halo PC only). If you are doing this with a Warthog, you can just drive the hog into the entrance, grab the flag, and drive back, while the other team has to go through the other entrance to get you.
 * Have a Warthog stay on the teleporter where the flag carrier would go through from the enemy base. Have the second warthog drop off some soldiers to grab the flag. When someone gets the flag, the warthog on the teleporter moves, then the flag carrier runs through the teleporter and jumps in the Warthog. Then the Warthog can drop them by their base. This is a very effective strategy when combined with teleporter camping.
 * Have a teammate to drive around the enemy base while you exit out of the passenger seat of a warthog. While your teammates cause mischief around the enemies, you could grab the flag and then escape while your other enemies are distracted. A very effective plan when you are you are using two full warthogs.
 * In sniper games you can camp by the blue base teleporter behind the pointed rock on the cliff or at red base teleporter behind the hill. This allows views of both bases and teleporters. If the enemy flag carrier comes through you can kill him/her easily.
 * In Halo PC a effective way to get a large amount of kills and keep the enemy occupied. Drive the rocket warthog to the top of the cliff behind the base. When in the turret you will now have nearly the entire map in range. This tactic proves most effective if you aim at the enemy base, or a large cluster of hostiles.
 * In Halo PC, a Banshee's biggest dangers are Scorpions, Warthogs' turrets, and with infinite grenades active, Plasma Grenades.
 * Getting a Anti Aircraft gun is very helpfull, many "noobs" will use the Banshee located on the top of red and blue base to run over oponnets. (P.C. version only)

Halo: Combat Evolved Demo
Blood Gulch is the only map available for online play in the Halo Trial Demo version. Because of the nature of the map, people who play the trial version often master the following skills:


 * Using controlled bursts with the Assault Rifle and the Pistol or shooting with the M90 Shotgun to take out enemy Banshees.
 * Flipping an enemy Warthog with a well placed frag grenade, then using a weapon of their choice to finish off the people flung from the vehicle.
 * Taking advantage of the terrain to stay safe. Player will stand behind a small hill or ridge line near the enemy base with an Assault Rifle and a Pistol. The player will approach the ridge just slightly, so only their head shows. They then open fire at the enemy. Because only their head is visible above the terrain, the player becomes incredibly difficult to hit. In return, the player has a full view of an exposed enemy.
 * Taking advantage of the many Sniper locations, like behind red base, or on the angled rock ledge in front of blue base. (althou there is only one sniper rifle per base and players seem to take that weapon first)

Remake
Blood Gulch was remade into Coagulation for Halo 2, with the bases excavated to provide more room, as well as a number of other minor differences, but still very much the original map. Coagulation was, in turn, reworked into Valhalla for Halo 3, featuring a similar size and layout, but with dramatic changes in the terrain and the base structures. Standoff has been called another Blood Gulch successor, given its similar terrain, but features a different layout. Blood Gulch is a popular request for another Halo 3 remake, though Bungie have stated repeatedly that because Valhalla is its successor there are no plans for such a remake. Blood Gulch was included in Halo Wars, and is somewhat accurate to the original though it lacks the caves.

Trivia

 * The map is one of the most well known and fan favorite maps from the entire Halo Universe.
 * Blood Gulch was actually the first map to be made for Halo: Combat Evolved and as such went through a lot of design changes.
 * Blood Gulch became a ideal map for machinimas, starting with Red vs Blue which propelled the map to its well known status. The map became the ideal place to film the lesser known Fire Team Charlie.
 * Blood Gulch is famously known as the final stage of the Halo National Championship which saw Dustin Langton also known as -Hp Darkman, come out as the winner. Darkman would later form a team and become part of a small town pro gaming movement that would later go on to become MLG.
 * Blood Gulch is the only map to be remade for another game with the exact same name as the original.
 * The hills and large mounds all along the the map was the last thing added to the map, this was done so that driving across the map in vehicles was not easy.
 * Red Base has a huge advantage on tank placement because Blue base is closer to the middle of the map.