Blood Gulch

4-16 players, Supports vehicles

Blood Gulch is a very popular Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer level. It is set in a desert canyon, with two bases, a huge open field with hills and ditches, and caves and cliffs along the rock walls. It supports vehicles and is recommended for 4-16 players. Its simplicity and size have contributed much to its popularity. It is also the setting for the majority of episodes of Red vs Blue and the less popular Fire Team Charlie, two Machinimas created using Halo.


 * Blood Gulch was remade as Coagulation for Halo 2, and served as the major inspiration for "Valhalla" in Halo 3. The spirit of Blood Gulch mainly lives on in the Halo 3 map "Standoff".

Glitches

 * In Blood Gulch, there is a glitch in which one can use a Ghost and constantly drive around the perimeter of the map. The player will eventually reach the top of the map and be able to walk across the top of the map without falling.
 * There is a stone near the red base which you are able to enter. If you exit a Warthog turret at an angle you should enter it. From there, you can shoot out, but it's impossible to get shot. The only way to get killed is via an explosion.
 * In the PC version of Halo, it is possible to access the small alcove using the Banshee. This area, popular in Coagulation in Halo 2, would otherwise be inaccessible. It is a good sniping location.
 * In Halo PC a vehicle sitting on a teleporter will normally prevent teleporting with "teleporter is blocked". However, if the vehicle is a banshee and is occupied, then the person trying to teleport will be allowed to teleport (only to be killed instantly!). This is a rarely seen but effective form of spawn killing.
 * In Halo PC, if one parks a Rocket Warthog with front end facing a rock near a base and back end facing the base and fires a rocket at the rock, the warthog can somersault onto the base roof.
 * If you stand on top or in a teleporter with out teleporting, you will die if somone else tries to go through it. It will say "Telefragged".

Warthog
Rocket Warthog or Warthog will do either way, first get a crew of three, (The maximum) And then drive through the caves. Either get another Warthog for support fire, or just leave it on the cliff pass or make it drive through to the enemy base. Continued on three choices.

2 Warthogs on Cliff Pass
The Warthog should drive down, with a second Warthog above supporting it. Drive in circles waiting for the carrier, then get back up the cliff and retreat both Warthogs.

Circling Warthog
Two Spartans should accompany the other to get the flag, then get in the Warthog and go up the cliff.

Warthog Run
If you're on your own, a simple "Run in, grab the flag and get the hell out of there" is quite effective if the enemy is engaged in combat.

Active Camouflage
Go through the teleporter, and crouch as you walk up the hill to the AC so they don't see you before you grab it. Then, walk into the base while a teammate keeps their eyes off you, grab the flag, and run to the top of their base and use the teleporter. many players overlook the AC, and sometimes will not even notice you if you walk right past them.

Last Stand
Another tactic often used in clan games is to drive to the enemy base, picking up heavy weapons on the way, preferably the RL and Flamethrower, and have the person carrying them ride in the passenger seat, then jump out as the 'hog drives past the ramps leading to the top of the enemy base. If timed correctly, the player should be thrown onto the ramp and can run rampant on top of the base, keeping the enemy pinned with the RL or Fuel Rod Gun, and once out of ammo or in close quarters battle, can use a Flamethrower (or Shotgun) to take out enemies who get on top of the base, while your team grabs the flag. You may even be able to escape with your team-mates using the teleporter, but more often than not you will die, but most think that one death is worth it.

Halo: CE Trial
Blood Gulch is the only map available for online play in the Halo: CE Trial 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 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 turn, the player has a full view of an exposed enemy.

Many modifications (mods) are made to Blood Gulch for Halo: CE Trial. Some of them can be quite laggy and glitchy, others are all around favorites. These are a few of the more well known and most common mods:


 * Cliff Mod - Teleporters are placed through out the map that allow players to access the cliffs above the banshee's ceiling. This is often combined with flying Warthogs, Sniper Rifles that shoot Plasma Grenades at the speed of a bullet, and pistols that shoot rockets.


 * Battle Base Mod - The location for the flag is moved for both teams. This location varies from high in the air, to hidden in a cave.


 * Super Weapon Mod - A normally weak or unused weapon is made incredibly powerful. "Modders" like to have fun with this concept, so there are many variations:
 * There is a pistol that shoots a single high powered plasma grenade that is so powerful, it will kill a person standing at Red Base if it detonates at Blue Base. The only way to survive the detonation is to be inside a base or a cave.
 * The Plasma Rifle is made into a one hit kill weapon.
 * The throwing of a grenade is replaced with the firing of a tank shell, though it will have the same animation as throwing a grenade.
 * A bottomless clip mod, where players will never have to reload, and plasma weapons never run out of battery, and they never overheat. In this mod, the snipers are particularly destructive, and the MA5B|Assault Rifle can be used much more effectively at close and medium range.

Regular Weapon Locations

 * Assault Rifle - inside bases
 * Flamethrower - in cave (PC & Mac only)
 * Fuel Rod Gun - in middle of level, in open space (PC & Mac only.)
 * Pistol - on top of bases, on side ledges, in caves
 * Shotgun - inside bases (2x)
 * Sniper Rifle - on top of bases
 * Plasma Rifle - inside bases
 * Rocket Launcher - in middle of level, by bush
 * Fragmentation Grenades - on top of bases
 * Plasma Grenades - on side ledges

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)
 * 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.