Avalanche

Avalanche is a multiplayer map featured in Halo 3.

Setting
Avalanche is based on a large Forerunner power station on the reborn Installation 04, which draws energy from compacted ice underneath the ice shelf.

Design
It has been based on Sidewinder, a map in Halo: Combat Evolved, taking certain design elements, such as the removal of the tunnel in between the two bases, but also adding new ones, such as adding Man Cannons. The map itself is centered around two bases at each end of a U-shaped snowy valley, and to add an interesting dynamic, there is an asymmetry in the vehicles — one base has exclusively UNSC vehicles to begin, while another has exclusively Covenant vehicles to begin. The map is set to prefer objective gametypes.

Trivia

 * During production, Avalanche's code-name was "Cottonball".
 * It has been confirmed that the UNSC vehicles on this map will have snow camouflage.
 * It is the first map to see the Hornet get an overhaul. The missiles were removed, and the chain guns do less damage, to balance out the map.