Avalanche

Avalanche is a multiplayer map featured in Halo 3. It will be featured as one of the three maps in the Legendary Map Pack available on April 15th, 2008.

Setting
Avalanche is a large Forerunner power station set on the front of a huge glacial shelf on reborn Installation 04. The structure pulls its power out of the densely compacted ice that constantly builds up behind the station before it falls into the ocean below.

Design
Avalanche is a remake of 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, and 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 — in objective gametypes one base has exclusively UNSC vehicles to begin, while another has exclusively Covenant vehicles to begin. The map is set to prefer objective gametypes.

Gameplay Features and Changes

 * The hallway between the 2 bases has been removed. This includes the gate where the Overshield and Active Camo spawned.
 * A Man Cannon and a large cavern area have been added to the original 'Sidewinder'.
 * In the Legendary Map Pack Darkness trailer as seen here it shows that the Forunner architecture on the side can/might perform as a man cannon
 * In one-sided objective gametypes, the assaulting team has UNSC Vehicles, while the defenders have Covenant and Loyalist vehicles.
 * All UNSC vehicles will now feature snow camouflage colors instead of the traditional green UNSC color scheme.
 * The Scorpion Tank is only available on objective based games. On this map only, all UNSC vehicles will be snow camouflaged.
 * A bottomless is located in the center infantry area of the map. This pit can be crossed by man cannons.
 * Two bottomless pits are located in the middle of the canyon, opposite to the bases.

Trivia

 * During production, Avalanche's code-name was "Cottonball".
 * It is the first multiplayer map to see the Hornet get depowerded. The missiles were removed, and the chainguns do less damage, to balance out the map. As such, the vehicle will be included in Matchmaking for the first time.
 * Avalanche is the first and only Halo 3 map to feature teleporters by default.
 * Bungie announced that there would be a surprise drivable vehicle. it has been confirmed to be the snow camouflage UNSC vehicles. This however disappointed many halo fans.
 * Avalanche is the second multiplayer map in which the vehicles get an appearance makeover in the Halo franchise, with Halo PC's Rocket Warthog being black with a yellow stripe.
 * Avalanche is the first Halo 3 multiplayer map to feature a Hornet and Scorpion by default.
 * The map is set on the Installation 04 (II) and resembles the last level of Halo 3, Halo, although the campaign level has no trees like the new map.
 * A structure in the background is identical to the shield towers on The Covenant.
 * Bungie stated that this map will expand the Scarab/Hunter mystery, but it is not known yet what sort of thing on this map will. It is possible that Scarabs will be auto-turrets like ones on Snowbound