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{{Ratings}}
{{Status|Gameplay}}
{{Era|H3}}
{{Multiplayer map infobox
{{Multiplayer Map Infobox
|pagegamelabel=H3
|image=[[File:Val ext3.jpg|300px]]
|name=Valhalla
|name=Valhalla
|image=[[Image:Val_ext3.jpg|center|300px]]
|game=''[[Halo 3]]''
|game=''[[Halo 3]]''
|location=[[The Ark]]
|devname=<code>riverworld</code>{{Ref/File|Id=H3EK|H3EK|H3EK\tags\levels\multi\riverworld\riverworld.scenario}}
|terrain=Valley, grass, rocks, snow, and rivers
|map=
|weapons=*[[BR55HB SR Battle Rifle|Battle Rifle]]
|location=[[Installation 00]]
*[[Brute Shot]]
|terrain=Valley, grass, rocks, snow, and rivers all contained within a canyon.
*[[Plasma Pistol]]
|symmetry=Semi-symmetrical
*[[Shotgun]]
|playernumber=6-16
*[[SMG]]
|gametypes=*[[Team Slayer]] (large population)
*[[SRS99D-S2 AM|Sniper Rifle]]
*[[Spartan Laser]]
*[[Spiker]]
*[[AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun|Machine Gun Turret]]
*[[Missile Pod]]
*[[Fragmentation Grenade]]s
*[[Plasma Grenade]]s
|vehicles=*[[Banshee]]
*[[Mongoose]]
*[[Warthog]]
*[[Wraith]]
*[[Pelican]] (Crashed/Unusable)
|equipment=*[[Bubble Shield]]
*[[Regenerator]]
*[[Power Drain]]
|power-ups=None
|gametypes=*[[Team Slayer|Big Team Slayer]]
*[[Multi Flag CTF]]
*[[Multi Flag CTF]]
*[[Assault]]
*[[Assault]]
|playernumber=*6-16
}}
}}
{{Article Quote|"The crew of [[V-398]] barely survived their unplanned landing in this gorge...this curious gorge."}}
{{Article quote|The crew of [[V-398]] barely survived their unplanned landing in this gorge...this curious gorge.}}


'''Valhalla''' is a multiplayer map in ''[[Halo 3]]''. A from-the-ground-up level, it is said to be "The new ''[[Blood Gulch]]''". The map is a sparsely forested valley with mountains in the distance, featuring a river, rocky outcroppings, a large reduction in size, and hills. [[Bungie]] added these new land features to help balance the action between snipers and on-foot travellers, whereas in ''[[Blood Gulch]]'' and ''[[Coagulation]]'', those players were easy prey. These minor alterations cause drastic changes in gameplay. Some have said this was somewhat of a replacement for Blood Gulch and [[Coagulation]]. Though its layout is based on Blood Gulch and Coagulation, much of its actual design is very similar to the campaign level [[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]], and is likely set nearby.
'''Valhalla''' is a multiplayer map in ''[[Halo 3]]'' and ''[[Halo Online]]'', known as '''Riverworld''' in the latter. The map is set on [[Installation 00|the Ark]]. Structurally, it is reminiscent of ''[[Blood Gulch]]'' from ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. The map is a sparsely forested valley with mountains in the distance, featuring a river, rocky outcroppings, hills and a large [[Forerunner]]-built wall.


In a FAQ of [[Halo 3 Beta]], Bungie has replied to the question "Why is there no Halo in the sky above Valhalla and [[Snowbound]]?", by saying "Who said Valhalla is anywhere near a [[Halo (planet)|Halo]]? The Galaxy is a big place, and there are only six Halos left." [http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=12502 The FAQ can be seen here]. In the final version of the game, if you go out into the water as far as possible and look to the horizon, you can see one "spoke" of the [[Ark]]. You can't see more than one because of mountains and clouds, but Valhalla is located on the Ark. The map is large. It has a canyon with hills, lots of trees, cliffs, a very large [[Forerunner]] wall on one side, and a river running through.
==Universe and lore==
Valhalla is set on [[Installation 00|the Ark]]. Structures similar to this canyon are echoed on many Forerunner installations including the [[Halo Array]] and [[Shield world|shield]] [[world]]s, with the site known as "[[Two Giants]]" of particular note on [[Requiem]]. Buried within deep canyons, these towers are not only sheltered from off-world debris, but their positions allowed them to leverage the steep environment's natural harmonics to amplify their signals when firing deep into space. Most scientists believe the spires - at their base function - act as communication channels, sending specific commands to other remote locations. The full operation and overarching purpose of these mysterious objects, however, remains a source of speculation.<ref name="HU">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/universe/locations/requiem '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Requiem'']</ref> Canyons like these were often reused based on the specific tastes of their creator, their function and as the result of other semi-random variables in the chosen design template.<ref>[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/forums/db05ce78845f4120b062c50816008e5d/topics/how-did-valhalla-get-to-requiem/8cff90a9-7d22-413e-aebf-e35800653cc6/posts?page=1#post15 '''Halo Waypoint forums''': ''Catalog's response''] - ''[Serendipitous] or [pleasing] patterns are often represented at different scales and locales, based on the tastes of the [pattern weaver] or as a result of [semi-stochastic] initial conditions inherent in the chosen template.''</ref>


==Overview==
==Overview==
[[Image:Valhalla-HeatMap.jpeg|left|thumb|200px|A birds-eye view of Valhalla.]]
===Layout===
The map is similar in shape to Blood Gulch but has unique elements of its own. Valhalla is not a remake of Coagulation, nor is the downloadable [[Standoff]] either. Valhalla also has features from the Halo: Combat Evolved level; Halo. The most obvious feature is both the river and the bases themselves. The river starts in the mountains behind blue base, and comes out at a waterfall. The river then flows in front of the base, under an outcrop, then down between the two prominent hills on which players find the [[Spartan Laser]], and the [[AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun]]. Finally it bends around the base, and empties into a large lake. Also, there are two other caves in the map, one which goes through the hill between the crashed pelican and blue base and the other which goes through the hill between the pelican and red base. Do note that if weapons are dropped into the river, they might drift downstream.
The map is similar in shape to [[Blood Gulch]] but has unique elements of its own. Valhalla is not a remake of [[Coagulation]], nor is the downloadable [[Standoff]] either. Valhalla also has features from the ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' level, [[Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved Level)|Halo]]. The most obvious feature is both the river and the bases themselves. The river starts in the mountains behind the blue base, and comes out as a waterfall. The river then flows in front of the base, under an outcrop, then down between the two prominent hills on which players find the [[M6 Spartan Laser|Spartan Laser]] and the [[AIE-486H machine gun|machine gun turret]]. Finally, it bends around the base, and empties into a large lake. Also, there are two caves in the map: one that goes through the hill between the crashed [[D77H-TCI Pelican|Pelican]] and blue base, and another that goes through the hill between the Pelican and the red base. Do note that if weapons are dropped into the river, they might drift downstream.
[[Image:Spartan Laser2.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A player fires a [[Spartan Laser]] towards a base in Valhalla.]]
The distinguished beam emitter bases are [[Forerunners|Forerunner]] technology. They are similar to the structures seen in the [[Halo PC]] multiplayer map
[[Infinity]], [[Timberland]] and [[Halo (Level)|Halo]], while the lower portion is reminiscent of the bases in Blood Gulch. There are three entrances to the inside of the base; two on the sides as seen in many screenshots, and another located behind that dips down into the base. Replacing the [[teleporters]] are the [[Man Cannons]]. The largest one, on the front of the base, will send you out a third of the way out into the main battle area, while the smaller ones on the side of each base send you a short distance to the nearby cliff for a quick getaway. The bases feature a shiny glass floor on the interior, allowing players to see who is above them and vice versa.
As previously stated, there are two similar hills on either side of the river. On one, the highest, spawns the Spartan Laser, while the lower hill holds an [[AIE-486H Heavy Machine Gun]]. Each base holds a [[Sniper Rifle]] inside the rear entrance, a pair of [[Fragmentation Grenade]]s and [[Plasma Grenade]]s. Numerous [[BR55HB SR Battle Rifle|Battle Rifles]] spawn around the map: two on top of the base next to the smaller Man Cannons, two underneath the base alongside each entrance along  with two [[Plasma Pistols]], two on the terrain where you land after taking off from the Man Cannons, and one that spawn in each cave. A [[Shotgun]] spawns inside each of the caves as well, and [[Spikers]] spawn on the top of both bases near the Missile Pod. A pair [[SMG]]s also spawn on each base and are located next to the Plasma Grenades. Valhalla is a very good sniper map since you can snipe opponents clear to the other side of the map.  


The [[Missile Pod]] spawns inside each base in the Halo 3 Beta but were moved to the top in the full game. The current vehicle set per base is a [[Banshee]], [[Warthog]], [[Wraith]], and two [[Mongooses]]. However, in the [[Matchmaking]] [[playlists]] the vehicles are limited to a Warthog, a pair of Mongooses, and a Banshee per base (In 4v4 matches, the Banshee is sometimes removed). The [[Power Drain]] spawns on top of each base next to the Missile Pod, while the [[Bubble Shield]] spawns at the neutral Mongoose near the Forerunner wall.
The distinguished [[beacon tower]] bases are Forerunner technology. They are similar to the structures seen in the [[Halo: Combat Evolved (PC port)|''Halo: Combat Evolved'' for PC]] multiplayer map [[Infinity (Halo: Combat Evolved map)|Infinity]], [[Timberland]] and in the campaign level Halo, while the lower portion is reminiscent of the bases in Blood Gulch. There are three entrances to the inside of the base; two on the sides as seen in many screenshots, and another located behind that dips down into the base. Replacing the [[teleporters]] are the [[man cannon]]s. The largest one, on the front of the base, will send you out a third of the way out into the main battle area, while the smaller ones on the side of each base send you a short distance to the nearby cliff for a quick getaway. The bases feature a shiny glass floor on the interior, allowing players on opposite sides of the floor to see each other.


Like the [[The Halo Array|Halo Installations]], the Ark is populated by a mixture of flora and fauna, some unique and others peculiarly similar to [[Earth]] classes, and as mentioned before the bases are [[Forerunner]] energy stations.
As previously stated, there are two similar hills on either side of the river. On the higher one spawns the Spartan Laser, while the lower hill holds a machine gun turret. Each base holds a [[SRS99D-S2 AM sniper rifle|sniper rifle]] inside the rear entrance, a pair of [[Fragmentation Grenade]]s, and a pair of [[Anskum-pattern plasma grenade|plasma grenade]]s. Numerous [[BR55HB battle rifle|battle rifles]] spawn around the map: two on top of the base next to the smaller man cannons, two underneath the base alongside each entrance along with two [[Type-25 plasma pistol|plasma pistols]], two on the terrain where you land after taking off from the man cannons, and one that spawns in each cave. A [[M90 shotgun|shotgun]] spawns inside each of the caves as well, and [[Paegaas Workshop Spiker|Spikers]] spawn on the top of both bases near the [[LAU-65D/SGM-151 missile pod|Missile Pod]]. A pair [[M7 SMG|SMG]]s also spawn on each base and are located next to the plasma grenades. Valhalla is a very good sniper map since you can snipe opponents clear across the other side of the map, and when players take the bases' man cannons for rapid transportation, they become easy targets for experienced snipers.


==Areas==
The Missile Pod spawns on top of each base to provide initial anti-vehicle defense. The [[vehicle]] set per base is a [[Banshee]], [[M12 Warthog|Warthog]], [[Wraith]], and two [[Mongoose]]s. However, in the [[Matchmaking]] [[playlists]] the vehicles are limited to a Warthog, a pair of Mongooses, and a Banshee per base (in 4v4 matches, most notably in Team BRs, the Banshee is sometimes removed). The [[power drain]] spawns on top of each base next to the Missile Pod, while the [[Z-4190 bubble shield|bubble shield]] spawns at the neutral Mongoose near the Forerunner wall.
[[Image:Halo-3-20070515043400029.jpg|thumb|300px|The Layout of Valhalla]]
<gallery>
File:HMCC H3 Valhalla Map.png|Valhalla Map.
File:Halo-3-20070515043400029.jpg|The layout of Valhalla.
File:Valhalla-HeatMap.jpeg|A birds-eye view of Valhalla.
</gallery>
====Callouts====
The following are locations on the map from Bungie.net:
{{col-begin}}
{{col-4}}
<gallery>
File:Halo-3-20070430093121870.jpg
</gallery>
*Lake Base
*Lake Base
{{col-4}}
<gallery>
File:Halo-3-20070511004948915.jpg
</gallery>
*Waterfall Base
*Waterfall Base
*Waterfall
*Waterfall
{{col-4}}
<gallery>
File:Halo3 Valhalla-env-02.jpg
</gallery>
*Canyon Bend
*Canyon Bend
*Ravine
*Ravine
*Turret
*Turret
*Turret Side
*Turret Side
*Center Ridge
{{col-4}}
<gallery>
File:H3 Valhalla PelicanCrash.jpg
</gallery>
*Pelican
*Pelican
*Pelican Rear Cave
*Pelican Rear Cave
*Pelican Nose Cave
*Pelican Nose Cave
*Centre Ridge
*River
*River
{{col-end}}
There are also points on the top of the spires that can be reached by Banshee, Hornet, or in Forge, but these areas will not be listed.
There are also points on the top of the spires that can be reached by Banshee, Hornet, or in Forge, but these areas will not be listed.


==Alternate Valhalla Variants==
===Strategies===
These are the alternate Valhalla variants that can be encountered in [[Matchmaking]].
<!--This is STRATEGIES, not Trivia, only strategies belong here, please put trivia above in the Trivia section-->
===Valhalla Covies===
*Use the Banshee only when the Spartan Laser is safely in your control.
*All [[Warthog]]s and [[Banshee]]s are replaced by [[Ghost (Vehicle)|Ghosts]] and [[Wraith]]s.
*A good strategy in Assault is to secure the enemy base and the bomb spawn. Simply bring the bomb over to the base, plant it, and camp with Shotguns to protect it. Have a player stay near the spawn to pick it up and repeat this process.
*The [[Missile Pod]] at each base is now replaced by a [[Rocket Launcher]].
*The Banshee can make a great hit and run aircraft as it can fly in on the enemy base, fire, turn around the tower and head back, then turn around at the friendly base for another attack run.
*The [[Shotgun]]s on the map are replaced by [[Energy Sword]]s.
*A good trick is to use the man cannon while driving the Mongoose then jumping off, as it will not go as far as the player. This will confuse the enemy firing at the empty Mongoose, so that the player can flank them. Only players who look closely will realize that the driver has jumped off.
*The [[Battle Rifle]] spawns inside the "Shogtun Cave" are replaced by [[Needler]]s.
*For a team-based game, it is imperative to control the Spartan Laser and the ground around it. The Laser allows your team to fire upon the enemy base from a distance, or kill them coming down from the man cannon, stopping them from being able to fight with a little breathing space. However, sometimes a mad rush for the Spartan Laser leaves your base open.
*The [[Sniper Rifle]] is now replaced by the [[Beam Rifle]].
*When in a dogfight in the Banshees, it is advantageous to fly low and strafe at the higher Banshee. The pilot will have to turn around giving you more than enough time to disable it or destroy it, although this leaves you open to being hijacked, lasered, or locked on with a Missile Pod.
*If you can, try stealing the enemy's Banshee. With your Banshee and your captured ones, you will have complete control of air support. This works better with Warthogs, allowing you to flank enemies trying to escape with the Warthogs.
*While the central hill does provide an excellent view of the map, be aware that this makes you a target for snipers.
*Try not to use the Spartan Laser on lone targets such as one person charging the hill with no back up; instead, save the charge for higher-priority targets, such as incoming vehicles or a player wielding a Missile Pod.
*If you have the flag, unpredictability is key to survival, especially if the opposing team has the Spartan Laser - one deception or erratic movement is often the difference between victory and defeat.
*Since this map has many hills and corners, tanks are better utilized as a defensive force backed up in the corner.
*Try to secure the Spartan Laser first and foremost to allow you to take out infantry and vehicles with ease. If you're on defense, fall back to the base and use it on assaulting vehicles, using a battle rifle or something similar to take out distant-enemies before they reach the base. If you're on offense, use the Spartan Laser to cover the rest of your team, then go help retrieve the flag or protect the bomb from being disarmed.
*When a bomb is planted, bring a regenerator to increase your durability from [[grenade]]s and power drains that are often tossed inside.
*Have your VIP stay inside the lower level in the base and jam the center with the Warthog. Have a teammate with a shotgun cover one entrance and an SMG wielder cover the other. Always have some sort of support when doing this (i.e. bubble shield, regenerator). Have another player man the Warthog turret and a friendly Banshee pilot impede the enemy's advance. Be sure to have a few teammates watching the base from somewhere else. Some players have commented that this strategy has almost no weaknesses.
*The initial rush straight for the Spartan Laser once the game starts can be swung your way by throwing grenades to land just beyond the Laser's spawn point, knocking down shields or even killing members of the other team with the same objective in mind. Throwing a power drain is also wise.
*Be extremely careful while driving a Banshee; if you swerve off too late while strafing, it could cost you the vehicle.
*Try sniping in less commonly used areas, like right behind the turret where players would think a sniper would never venture.
*For [[Territories]], sticking together is the best way to win; usually, an offensive team will stay in one large group moving from territory to territory, making it hard for a team to defend all of the territories at once. For defense, move up to the bases that will be easiest for the attackers to capture (the crashed Pelican, the shotgun-spawning points) and try to protect those with a larger group, and keep a few of the back ready to move to another territory while the rest deal with other attackers.
**As a note, Territory 4 is a very dangerous Territory due to the fact it is in a cave, and multiple grenades can be thrown in to kill the attacking force. Try to always bring a bubble shield and/or regenerator.
*If your flag gets stolen, guard the primary man cannon, as that is where the carrier is most likely to go after they steal the flag.
*An interesting tactic to do on [[Capture the Flag|CTF]] is to drop it on top of the [[Fusion coil]] at the stump on the base and shoot it. This will launch the flag at least halfway across the map, making the trip a lot less hectic.
*The crashed Pelican provides a great place to snipe, since the player has a decent view of both bases. It is also recommended because of a regenerator that spawns under the wing, should the sniper be in trouble.
*You can have your VIP jump on your Banshee and move it to the top of the base where the VIP has a vantage point, although this tactic makes the VIP prone to the Spartan Laser and its lethal range.
*As in any [[Team Slayer]] game, move as a pack, and do not get separated. Controlling the Spartan Laser and the Missile Pods are the key to this level because vehicles will not have to worry about getting destroyed so easily.
*If you are in the Coastal Base and you use the man cannon, you can actually jump across the river from where you land, with at least some momentum left from your launch. You must land pretty much on the edge of the land before you would fall into the river. If this can be performed correctly, it may be helpful to get closer to the Spartan Laser on the hill.
*Try to use the Warthog when taking out enemies on the hill, especially if they have a Spartan Laser and are trying to kill a teammate of yours in a Banshee, as they won't focus on you as much.
*Rushing for the Spartan Laser is wise especially if you have a Warthog and a Banshee on the offensive. The center should be secure, but the outskirts will be unprotected and enemy Warthogs and Banshees will be already firing.
*At the start of the game, if you are going for the Spartan Laser, pick up the power drain and throw it as you man cannon towards the hill. This should deter, weaken, or at least hold back the enemies while you pick up the Laser. Also be sure to have a sniper in the base and/or other players to protect as you get to a safe distance with the Spartan Laser.
*A good sniper tactic in Valhalla is to jump as you approach the Spartan Laser hill. Even if you don't have a good aim, you can still badly injure a few of the other team, making the Spartan Laser easy to claim.
*Go to the Pelican with a sniper rifle and you can kill anyone trying to grab the Spartan Laser. You can delay them until your team has possession of the Laser.
*A good sniping position is to get the Banshee and ride up to the top of the base. If you do it correctly you will be able to snipe people across the whole map. But remember to look out for the mortar that the bases fire. Another way to get there is by positioning a Wraith beside the back entrance of a base and jumping on top of it, then jumping up to the slippery platform. Be sure you keep jumping forward until you reach the location. This tactic is harder and can also be done with a Warthog or by [[Team Jumping]]/butterflying.
*In CTF or Assault, have someone camp with the Missile Pod. It can destroy incoming vehicles, or at close-medium ranges, it can be used as a compensation for a rocket launcher.
*The Missile Pod is surprisingly effective inside the lower area of the base.
*In CTF, if you manage to kill the carrier in a Wraith, park it on top of the carriers corpse and destroy it. Just melee the back engine a few times; this puts the flag underneath the wreckage and makes it nearly impossible to retrieve, depending on your parking job. Be careful, however, because if you stand too close, the flag will respawn at your base. The wreckage will disappear after a while.
*Sometimes, some weapons will float down the river; players can pick up shotguns, Spartan Lasers, and even Missile Pods or extra ammo, though this isn't a strategy you should count on.
*An excellent base-defense strategy is having a Wraith guarding the outside and having a player sniping from a nearby ledge. It can be more solid if you have a few players armed with SMGs or shotguns.
*The plasma grenades and battle rifles have fast respawn times at each base. Unless the need to move out is urgent, it's usually worthwhile to wait for them.
*The caves are notorious for having campers with shotguns inside. Unless the other routes to the enemy base are guarded, throw a few grenades and flank to where the camper will fall back, causing you to catch him off guard.
*The power drain should be useful when numerous foes are arriving at the arming spot or flag in Assault and CTF games, respectively. Just hold your nerve and deploy it when you've almost touched their objective.
*A defensive player should move to the caves and grab a shotgun to use in the basement floor of the base.
*When using a power drain and man cannon, please note that the power drain will not reach the hill if thrown in the man cannon. This is a common mistake and can be rectified if you yourself use the man cannon and fling the power drain while in "flight."
*The Pelican is notorious in Territories for the regenerator and close proximity to Territory 4 and the Spartan Laser. The only practical way to deal with this territory is to control the hill and maybe save a power drain to cancel the regenerator's effects.
*The rock laying on its side near the waterfall base can serve as an outpost. A sniper can crouch there and eliminate anybody heading that way.
*Another good tactic is to grab the Missile Pod at the start of the match. This is because somebody on the other team often gets in their Banshee immediately after the game starts. The Missile Pod can easily destroy the enemy Banshee, which can be a real advantage.
*Another useful tactic for assaulting the waterfall base is to take a sniper rifle, and camp in the bushes on the cliff next to the waterfall. This position gives the shooter a good view of the waterfall base, and the spawns around it.


==Remakes==
===''Halo 4''===
Valhalla was remade as [[Ragnarok]] in ''[[Halo 4]]''.
===''Halo 5''===
Valhalla was remade as Viking using [[Forge]] in ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.
===''Halo: Infinite''===
Valhalla was remade as Vallaheim using [[Forge]] in ''[[Halo Infinite]]''.<ref
name="HW">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/november-sneak-peek '''Halo Waypoint''', ''Halo Community Update - November Sneak Peek'']</ref>
==Variants==
===Valhalla Heavy===
===Valhalla Heavy===
*An additional Warthog spawns alongside the default Warthog spawn at each base.
*An additional Warthog spawns alongside the default Warthog spawn at each base.
*A [[Scorpion]] Tank spawns in front of each base.
*A [[M808C Scorpion|Scorpion]] Tank spawns in front of each base.
*Wraiths are re-inserted in the map, and still spawn at the default locations the original default Valhalla variant does.
*A [[M6 Spartan Laser|Spartan Laser]] spawns alongside the default sniper rifle spawn point at each base, another spawns at the Pelican site, and another at the Turret site.
*A [[Spartan Laser]] spawns alongside the default Sniper Rifle spawn point at each base, another spawns at the [[Pelican]] crash site, and another at the Turret-Hill site.
*An additional bubble shield replaces the [[regenerator]] spawn at the Pelican site.
*An additional [[Bubble Shield]] spawns at the Pelican crash site.
*Teleporters are added to the map. Each base's lower deck has a Sender Node teleporter which teleports players to other Receiver Node teleporters either near the Pelican side or the Turret site, functioning similarly to Blood Gulch's and Coagulation's teleporters.
*The default Spartan Laser spawn point on the map is now replaced by a Rocket Launcher.
*The formerly default Spartan Laser spawn has been replaced by a [[M41 SPNKR|rocket launcher]].
*[[Teleporter]]s are added to the map. Each base's lower deck has a Sender Node Teleporter which teleports players to other Receiver Node Teleporters either near the Pelican crash side or the Turret-Hill site.
 
==Production notes==
[[File:H3 Valhalla Exterior Concept 2.jpg|thumb|250px|Concept art of Valhalla.]]
When developing ''Halo 3'', Valhalla started out as a napkin sketch drawn by designer [[Steve Cotton]] in roughly five minutes, showing a snaking river cutting through a gulch - intended to evoke some of [[Blood Gulch]]'s team v. team and base v. base combat with vehicles and infantry. A large additional design goal was to make the map traversable for infantry alongside vehicles - this was the origin of the [[man cannon]]s, which were designed to let the players traverse the map quickly with a risk-reward element of being helpless in the air.{{Ref/Mag|Id=PCG348|Magazine=PC Gamer|Issue=348|Year=2020|Month=October|Title=Special Report: Theaters of War|Page=12-13}}
 
During the game's development, the map was created under the development name of <code>riverworld</code>, which remains in game files as the map's filename. As [[Bungie]] got closer to finalising the names of the ''Halo 3'' multiplayer maps, Cotton jokingly suggested the name "Curious Gorge" for Valhalla - a name which nearly stuck. However, the map was eventually finalised to Valhalla, but the "Curious Gorge" name stuck in the map description.{{Ref/Reuse|PCG348}}<ref>Bungie Podcast 8-10-2007</ref> The name Riverworld later returned for the map's inclusion in ''Halo Online''.
 
During the concept of this map, Bungie intended to make the map more of a snowy map than a forest one. Because of Snowbound, Bungie decided to make a forest map instead. However, some snow can still be seen near the base located near the waterfall. There is also snow atop the cliffs surrounding the majority of the map.{{Ref|[[:File:Valhalla.jpg|Overhead view of Valhalla]]}}
 
Valhalla, along with [[Snowbound]] and [[High Ground]], was one of the maps available for play in the [[Halo 3 Beta]]. It was possible to fly into outer space in a Banshee by exploiting a glitch.{{citation needed}} Each base spawned a [[TR/9 trip mine|trip mine]]. Unfortunately, due to players' inexperience with [[equipment]], using it as an ambush for unwary enemy team members often resulted in the deaths of those friendly units still around it, and so it was removed from the final game.


==Strategies==
<!--This is STRATEGIES, not Trivia, only strategies belong here, please put trivia above in the Trivia section-->
[[Image:1210326073 5629-Halo3Valhalla3rdperson06.jpg|thumb| A battle at one of the bases in the map Valhalla.]]
*For a Team Slayer game, it is imperative to control the middle ground (where the [[Spartan Laser]] spawns) with [[Battle Rifles]], [[Sniper Rifles]], and the Spartan Laser, this allows your team to fire on the enemy base from a distance, or kill them coming down from the Man Cannon stopping them from being able to fight with ample room to breathe, but be careful as a way of countering this is to simply go to the turret and flank the enemy team, allowing the others to take the middle ground.
*When at the Blue Team's Base (the one with the water nearest it) grab the Sniper Rifle and go to the rock to the left of the base with a giant space between the rock and the cliff. This provides great coverage and gives you a great view of the Blue's battle side which is great for CTF game modes.
*For a CTF or Assault game type, whether it is Multi or Single, organization and teamwork is the key to victory.
*Try not to use the [[Spartan Laser]] on lone targets such as one person charging the hill with no back up. And save the Laser ammunition for incoming vehicles or a player wielding a Missile Pod.
*Try to secure the [[Spartan Laser]] first and foremost to allow you to take out infantry and vehicles with ease, if you're on defence fall back to the base and use it on assaulting vehicles, using a Battle Rifle or similar to take out distant-enemies before they reach the base. If on you're on offence, use the [[Spartan Laser]] to cover the rest of your team, then you should to help retrieve the flag or protect the bomb from being disarmed.
*The initial rush straight for the Laser once the game starts can be swung your way by throwing grenades to land just beyond the lasers spawn point knocking down shields or even killing members of the other team with the same objective in mind.
*For territories sticking together is the best way to win, usually, an offensive team will stay in one large group moving from territory to territory, making it hard for a team to defend all of the territory's at once, so for defence, move up to the bases that will be easiest for the attackers to capture (The crashed pelican, the shotgun spawning points) and try to protect those with a larger group, and keep a few of the back ready to move to another territory while the rest deal with other attackers. For offence, move as one group, have Battle rifles and/or Snipers cover the Assault rifles as they rush the territory to capture it. If you must, leave on person to capture a territory further back as the rest rush the ones closer to the enemy base, then have him/her move with any players that had to respawn after they died.
**As a note, Territory 4 is a very dangerous Territory due to the fact it is in a cave, and multiple grenades can be thrown in to kill the attacking force. Try to always bring a Bubble Shield and/or Regenerator.
*As in any Team Slayer game, move as a pack, and do not get separated. Controlling the Spartan Laser and the Missile Pods are the key to this level because vehicles will not have to worry about getting destroyed so easily.
*If you are in the Coastal Base and you use the Man Cannon, you can actually jump across the river from where you land, with at least some momentum left from your launch. You must land pretty much on the edge of the land before you would fall into the river, if this can be done right, it may be helpful to get closer to the Spartan Laser on the hill.
*Try to use the Warthog when taking out enemies on the hill, especially if they have a Spartan Laser and are trying to kill a teammate of yours in a Banshee as they won't focus on you as much.
*In Capture The Flag, if the flag carrier has no one to carry him to base from within the enemies’ base, it is a wise tactic to take the Mongoose from the far right and drive where they will land on the Man Cannon, this can be used for a clean getaway.
*At the start of the game, if you are going for the Spartan Laser, pick up the Power Drain and throw it as you man cannon towards the hill, this should deter, weaken, or at least hold back the enemies while you pick up the Laser, and also have a Sniper in the base and/or other players to protect as you get to a safe distance with the Spartan Laser.
*A good Sniper tactic in Valhalla, is to jump as you approach the Spartan Laser hill. Even if you don't have a good aim, you can still badly injure a few of the other team, making the Spartan Laser easy to claim.
*A good sniper place is to get the [[Sniper Rifle]] and [[Banshee]] and ride up to the top of the base. If you do it correctly you will be able to snipe people with in the whole map. But remember to look out for the mortar that the bases fire. Another way to get there is by positioning a Wraith beside the back entrance of a base, and jumping on top of it. Then, jump up to the slippery platform. What sure you keep jumping forward until you reach the location. This tactic is harder and can also be done with a Wartog or by [[Team Jumping]].
*In CTF or Assault, have someone camp with the Missile Pod. It can destroy incoming vehicles, or at close-med ranges, it can be use as a compensation of a [[Rocket Launcher]].
*The Plasma Grenades and Battle Rifles have a fast respawn time on each base. Unless the need to move out is urgent, it's usually worthwhile to wait for them.
*The [[Power Drain]] should be useful when numerous foes are arriving at the arming spot or Flag in Assault and CTF games. Just hold your nerve and deploy it when you've almost touched their objective.
*The "man cannons" can be used to launch just about anything from the missle pod to help your squadmates in the field, to launching power drains, plasma grenades, frag grenades, or the respawning fusion coil to hinder opponents, as well as an unmanned mongoose if you're confident it will hit them, or a manned mongoose to get a good position for the spartan laser and sometimes even a warthog you can use to get the spartan laser to the passenger, while he runs back to base for the driver and gunner to steal some of the opponents vehicles.
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
<!--This is a TRIVIA section, not for Strategies, only trivia belongs here, please put strategies below in the Strategies section-->
<!--This is a TRIVIA section, not for Strategies, only trivia belongs here, please put strategies above in the Strategies section-->
[[Image:60398043-Full.jpg|thumb|200px|"BBQ AT BOB'S PLACE" Message on the Forerunner wall.]][[Image:Killroy_Valhalla.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Kilroy on the Forerunner Wall.]][[Image:ValhallaTombstone.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The tombstone on the Forerunner Wall.]][[Image:1209996301_33902834-Full.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The "Toady was live!" message on the Forerunner Wall.]][[Image:43407767-Medium pillar.jpg|thumb|"7th Column" Symbol on the Forerunner Wall.]]
*Vahalla was recreated in the [[Halo Mash-Up: Minecraft Evolved]].<ref>[https://blogs.halowaypoint.com/en-us/blogs/waypoint/posts/more-master-chief-and-minecraft '''Halo Waypoint -''' ''More Master Chief and Minecraft'']</ref>
<!--Please bother looking this up on Wikipedia if you are not convinced that the fact below about Valhalla's name is true, before mindlessly deleting it-->
*[[Wikipedia:Valhalla|Valhalla]] (Old Norse Valhalla, "Hall of the Slain") is Odin's hall of the dead in Norse mythology, the home of those slain gloriously in battle. It is similar to [[MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor|MJOLNIR]], as they are both of the same mythological origin. Interestingly, Valhalla was home to dead warriors that rose with the sun each day to fight each other and enjoy the thrill of battle, while during the night they had great feasts and healed their wounds. This is remarkably similar to the overall process of multiplayer gameplay.
*Valhalla is the name of one of the largest craters of Callisto, [[Jupiter]]'s fourth largest Moon.
*The energy beam shooting from the towers on each side fires every 49 seconds, another [[Seven|7]] reference (7x7=49). The energy beam can also kill you if flying in a Banshee, doing this will cause you to be killed by [[The Guardians]].
*The two towers on Valhalla show a striking resemblance to the towers in the level [[Halo (Level) (Halo: Combat Evolved)|Halo]] on [[Halo: Combat Evolved]].
*Like the ''[[Halo 2]]'' map [[Zanzibar]], there is [[Valhalla wall Easter egg|writing]] on the wall that changes according to the date.
*Like [[Halo 2]] map [[Zanzibar]], the writing on the wall changes with the date. On October 31st (Halloween), a Tombstone with the letters "''RIP''" appeared on the Forerunner Wall near the Neutral Mongoose respawn and on a rock close to Red Base. Also, on November 11th (Armistice/Veteran's Day) , a drawing of Kilroy, a popular graffiti character during the 1940s and throughout World War II, appears on the Forerunner Wall and on a rock just close to Red base. It also bears the writing, "Kilroy was here". There are different images for many different days. The image seems to be locally generated-changing your Xbox clock will show an image for any given date. On December 25th(Christmas day) a sort of shield with a big cross going through it will appear. On January 1st (New years day) the words "make love not war" appear by the rock at the red base. On April 22nd A recycle symbol with a skull on the inside with the letters SG underneath appeared on the Forerunner Wall, a reference to Earth Day. On May 5th (or the first Monday of May - May Day. It could even be something to do with the "Cinco De Mayo" playlist, which literally means "5th of May") the message "Toady was live!" appears. On July 4th (Independence day) the words "BBQ at bobs place" appears on the wall. On July 7th (Bungie Day) the Seventh column symbol appears.
*The river that runs through the center of the map has a fully functional current. A light enough object, or a dead Spartan, will flow down the river from the waterfall towards the lake. If the object floats far enough in the lake, it will drop underwater when it reaches the "death border".
*Valhalla (Old Norse Valhalla, "Hall of the Slain") is Odin's hall in Nordic mythology, for those slain gloriously in battle. This map's name has nothing to do with blood, unlike its two predecessors. But it is related to [[MJOLNIR]], as they are both of the same mythological origin.
*The map’s description is a reference to popular children’s book character, Curious George.
*The D-77 TC [[Pelican]] Drop ship [[Victor 398]] mentioned in the map description can be seen to have crashed along the shadowed cliff between the bases. [[Resupply Canister|Weapons canisters]] from the drop ship appear to be scattered across the battlefield.
*The map's general layout and design bears a startling resemblance to the level [[Halo]] in the first game, and may have been inspired by it, incorporating elements from Blood Gulch/Coagulation and [[Timberland]], a similar map from Halo:PC.{{verify source}}
*This map was named "Riverworld" and then "Curious Gorge" before Bungie finally settled on Valhalla.<ref>Bungie Podcast 8-10-2007</ref>
*In the Halo 3 beta, you could fly into outer space by a glitch in a [[Banshee]].
*You can fly to the top of the towers using a Banshee and then wait for a few minutes before being killed by the Guardians (the laser fires up and hits you).
*During the [[Halo 3 Beta]], each base spawned a Trip Mine. Unfortunately, using it as an ambush for unwary enemy team members often resulted in the deaths of those friendly units still around it, and so it was removed from the final game.
*During the concept of this map, Bungie intended to make the map more of a snowy map than a forest one. Because of Snowbound, Bungie decided to make a forest map instead. However, some snow can still be seen near the base located near the waterfall. There is also snow atop the cliffs surrounding the majority of the map.{{verify source}}
*The river that runs through the center of the map has a fully functional current. A light enough object, including a dead Spartan, will flow down the river from the waterfall towards the lake. If the object floats far enough in the lake, it will drop underwater when it reaches the "death border".
*On the cliff to the left of ''Blue Base'' (opposite the cliff next to the wall) there is a picture of Kilroy on a rock.
*[[Butterfly (Installation 00 Species)|Butterflies]] can be seen near the weapon canister opposite the [[Pelican]].
*Looking closely at the edge of the platform where the Banshee spawns, you can see the texture of the metal resembles the face of [http://bungie.wikia.com/wiki/Ling_ling Ling Ling], Bungie's dog.
*There are dim lights inside each of the bases, giving the room a red or blue ambiance. However, the default and matchmaking spawn points in team games (CTF, Assault etc) spawn red team in the ''Blue Base'' (Lake Base) and blue team in the ''Red Base'' (Waterfall Base).
*If you look at both [[Blood Gulch (Level)|Blood Gulch]] and [[Coagulation (Level)|Coagulation]] from Halo:CE and Halo 2 respectively, from a birds-eye view it looks as if there was a dried up river in each map that is almost the same shape as the one in Valhalla.
*Each base seems to be a large Forerunner Beacon identified by the long stretching tower and edifice streaming wayward plasma beams firing into the sky, as seen in the Halo: Combat Evolved campaign mission, Halo.
*Valhalla is said to be a re-imagination of Blood Gulch and Coagulation, so the Pelican in Valhalla could possibly be a reference to the Pelican at the end of the machinima series Red VS Blue, which took place in Blood Gulch and Coagulation.
*Valhalla shows that there may be rockslides or erosion on the cliffs due to the caves being formed by what looks like fallen boulders.
*If you stand at the base near the lake and look at the mountains in the distance, you can see 117 carved into the mountains.
*If you can get out of Valhalla and up into space, one of the "prongs" of [[The Ark]] at the very top resembles an [[Energy Sword]].
*Again, if you get out of the map and are able to move around in [[Theater]] mode, you will see 3 triangular shaped holes in the lake at anglular points.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
===Concept art===
<gallery>
<gallery>
Image:Halo3_Valhalla-env-02.jpg|The Forerunner wall.
File:H3_Valhalla_Sketch.jpg|An early sketch of the map layout.
Image:Funny_death,_valhalla.jpg|A battle on Valhalla
File:H3_Valhalla_Exterior_Concept_1.jpg|Concept art of a base, featuring a bridge-like structure at the front.
Image:Spartan Laser2.jpg|A player fires a Spartan Laser towards Blue Base in Valhalla.
File:H3 Valhalla Exterior Concept 2.jpg|Concept art of the map.
Image:Pelican in red .jpg|The crashed pelican is clearly seen in the red box
File:H3_Valhalla_Base_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the base exterior.
Image:Pelican Shadow.jpg|A Pelican seen in the shadows of the trees of Valhalla
File:H3_Valhalla_Interior_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the base interior.
Image:Chad1.JPG|The picture of Kilroy as seen on a rock near Blue Base.
H3 Valhalla PrePro Screenshot.jpg|An early blockout of the map, still using many ''Halo 2'' assets and the [[Blood Gulch]] environment texture as placeholder.
Image:Valhalla Waterfall.jpg|The inaccessible waterfall on Valhalla.
</gallery>
</gallery>


==References==
===''Halo 3''===
<references/>
<gallery>
File:H3 Alpha ValhallaMongoose.jpg|Valhalla during the Alpha.
File:Spartan Laser2.jpg|A player fires a Spartan Laser towards Waterfall Base in Valhalla.
File:H3 Alpha Valhalla Base.jpg|Waterfall base's platform in the Alpha.
File:H3 Alpha Valhalla Mongoose.jpg|A Spartan on a Mongoose in the Alpha.
File:Valhalla Waterfall.jpg|The inaccessible waterfall on Valhalla.
File:H3 Valhalla Lake.jpg|The titular lake, as viewed from roughly where the Banshee spawns.
File:Halo3 Valhalla-3rdperson-01.jpg|A multiplayer game in progress on Valhalla.
File:Halo3 Valhalla 3rd-person-06.jpg|A multiplayer game in progress on Valhalla.
File:Halo3 Valhalla 3rd-person-04.jpg|A multiplayer game in progress on Valhalla.
File:Halo-3-20070430093127026.jpg|View from the side of the beacon tower.
File:Funny death, valhalla.jpg|A battle on Valhalla.
File:H3 Valhalla Kilroy EasterEgg Screenshot.jpg|The picture of Kilroy as seen on a rock near Blue Base.
File:Valhalla Sniping spot.jpg|The sniping spot in the cliffs.
File:Valhalla.jpg|Valhalla from viewed from space.
File:H3 Valhalla out of bounds.jpg|A view from outside Valhalla.
</gallery>


==Related Pages==
===''Halo Online''===
<gallery>
File:HO-GoldenMA5D.jpeg|The Forerunner wall in ''Halo Online''.
</gallery>
==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}


{{Level}}
{{Levels|H3|HO|mode=yes}}
[[Category:Multiplayer]]
[[Category:Multiplayer Levels]]
[[Category:Default Multiplayer Levels]]

Latest revision as of 21:59, October 26, 2024

Valhalla
A beacon tower on Valhalla.
Map overview

Game:

Halo 3

Map file name (?):

riverworld[1]

Lore information

Location:

Installation 00

Gameplay overview

Terrain:

Valley, grass, rocks, snow, and rivers all contained within a canyon.

Map layout:

Semi-symmetrical

Recommended number of players:

6-16

Recommended gametype(s):

 
The crew of V-398 barely survived their unplanned landing in this gorge...this curious gorge.

Valhalla is a multiplayer map in Halo 3 and Halo Online, known as Riverworld in the latter. The map is set on the Ark. Structurally, it is reminiscent of Blood Gulch from Halo: Combat Evolved. The map is a sparsely forested valley with mountains in the distance, featuring a river, rocky outcroppings, hills and a large Forerunner-built wall.

Universe and lore[edit]

Valhalla is set on the Ark. Structures similar to this canyon are echoed on many Forerunner installations including the Halo Array and shield worlds, with the site known as "Two Giants" of particular note on Requiem. Buried within deep canyons, these towers are not only sheltered from off-world debris, but their positions allowed them to leverage the steep environment's natural harmonics to amplify their signals when firing deep into space. Most scientists believe the spires - at their base function - act as communication channels, sending specific commands to other remote locations. The full operation and overarching purpose of these mysterious objects, however, remains a source of speculation.[2] Canyons like these were often reused based on the specific tastes of their creator, their function and as the result of other semi-random variables in the chosen design template.[3]

Overview[edit]

Layout[edit]

The map is similar in shape to Blood Gulch but has unique elements of its own. Valhalla is not a remake of Coagulation, nor is the downloadable Standoff either. Valhalla also has features from the Halo: Combat Evolved level, Halo. The most obvious feature is both the river and the bases themselves. The river starts in the mountains behind the blue base, and comes out as a waterfall. The river then flows in front of the base, under an outcrop, then down between the two prominent hills on which players find the Spartan Laser and the machine gun turret. Finally, it bends around the base, and empties into a large lake. Also, there are two caves in the map: one that goes through the hill between the crashed Pelican and blue base, and another that goes through the hill between the Pelican and the red base. Do note that if weapons are dropped into the river, they might drift downstream.

The distinguished beacon tower bases are Forerunner technology. They are similar to the structures seen in the Halo: Combat Evolved for PC multiplayer map Infinity, Timberland and in the campaign level Halo, while the lower portion is reminiscent of the bases in Blood Gulch. There are three entrances to the inside of the base; two on the sides as seen in many screenshots, and another located behind that dips down into the base. Replacing the teleporters are the man cannons. The largest one, on the front of the base, will send you out a third of the way out into the main battle area, while the smaller ones on the side of each base send you a short distance to the nearby cliff for a quick getaway. The bases feature a shiny glass floor on the interior, allowing players on opposite sides of the floor to see each other.

As previously stated, there are two similar hills on either side of the river. On the higher one spawns the Spartan Laser, while the lower hill holds a machine gun turret. Each base holds a sniper rifle inside the rear entrance, a pair of Fragmentation Grenades, and a pair of plasma grenades. Numerous battle rifles spawn around the map: two on top of the base next to the smaller man cannons, two underneath the base alongside each entrance along with two plasma pistols, two on the terrain where you land after taking off from the man cannons, and one that spawns in each cave. A shotgun spawns inside each of the caves as well, and Spikers spawn on the top of both bases near the Missile Pod. A pair SMGs also spawn on each base and are located next to the plasma grenades. Valhalla is a very good sniper map since you can snipe opponents clear across the other side of the map, and when players take the bases' man cannons for rapid transportation, they become easy targets for experienced snipers.

The Missile Pod spawns on top of each base to provide initial anti-vehicle defense. The vehicle set per base is a Banshee, Warthog, Wraith, and two Mongooses. However, in the Matchmaking playlists the vehicles are limited to a Warthog, a pair of Mongooses, and a Banshee per base (in 4v4 matches, most notably in Team BRs, the Banshee is sometimes removed). The power drain spawns on top of each base next to the Missile Pod, while the bubble shield spawns at the neutral Mongoose near the Forerunner wall.

Callouts[edit]

The following are locations on the map from Bungie.net:

  • Lake Base
  • Waterfall Base
  • Waterfall
  • Canyon Bend
  • Ravine
  • Turret
  • Turret Side
  • Center Ridge
  • Pelican
  • Pelican Rear Cave
  • Pelican Nose Cave
  • River

There are also points on the top of the spires that can be reached by Banshee, Hornet, or in Forge, but these areas will not be listed.

Strategies[edit]

  • Use the Banshee only when the Spartan Laser is safely in your control.
  • A good strategy in Assault is to secure the enemy base and the bomb spawn. Simply bring the bomb over to the base, plant it, and camp with Shotguns to protect it. Have a player stay near the spawn to pick it up and repeat this process.
  • The Banshee can make a great hit and run aircraft as it can fly in on the enemy base, fire, turn around the tower and head back, then turn around at the friendly base for another attack run.
  • A good trick is to use the man cannon while driving the Mongoose then jumping off, as it will not go as far as the player. This will confuse the enemy firing at the empty Mongoose, so that the player can flank them. Only players who look closely will realize that the driver has jumped off.
  • For a team-based game, it is imperative to control the Spartan Laser and the ground around it. The Laser allows your team to fire upon the enemy base from a distance, or kill them coming down from the man cannon, stopping them from being able to fight with a little breathing space. However, sometimes a mad rush for the Spartan Laser leaves your base open.
  • When in a dogfight in the Banshees, it is advantageous to fly low and strafe at the higher Banshee. The pilot will have to turn around giving you more than enough time to disable it or destroy it, although this leaves you open to being hijacked, lasered, or locked on with a Missile Pod.
  • If you can, try stealing the enemy's Banshee. With your Banshee and your captured ones, you will have complete control of air support. This works better with Warthogs, allowing you to flank enemies trying to escape with the Warthogs.
  • While the central hill does provide an excellent view of the map, be aware that this makes you a target for snipers.
  • Try not to use the Spartan Laser on lone targets such as one person charging the hill with no back up; instead, save the charge for higher-priority targets, such as incoming vehicles or a player wielding a Missile Pod.
  • If you have the flag, unpredictability is key to survival, especially if the opposing team has the Spartan Laser - one deception or erratic movement is often the difference between victory and defeat.
  • Since this map has many hills and corners, tanks are better utilized as a defensive force backed up in the corner.
  • Try to secure the Spartan Laser first and foremost to allow you to take out infantry and vehicles with ease. If you're on defense, fall back to the base and use it on assaulting vehicles, using a battle rifle or something similar to take out distant-enemies before they reach the base. If you're on offense, use the Spartan Laser to cover the rest of your team, then go help retrieve the flag or protect the bomb from being disarmed.
  • When a bomb is planted, bring a regenerator to increase your durability from grenades and power drains that are often tossed inside.
  • Have your VIP stay inside the lower level in the base and jam the center with the Warthog. Have a teammate with a shotgun cover one entrance and an SMG wielder cover the other. Always have some sort of support when doing this (i.e. bubble shield, regenerator). Have another player man the Warthog turret and a friendly Banshee pilot impede the enemy's advance. Be sure to have a few teammates watching the base from somewhere else. Some players have commented that this strategy has almost no weaknesses.
  • The initial rush straight for the Spartan Laser once the game starts can be swung your way by throwing grenades to land just beyond the Laser's spawn point, knocking down shields or even killing members of the other team with the same objective in mind. Throwing a power drain is also wise.
  • Be extremely careful while driving a Banshee; if you swerve off too late while strafing, it could cost you the vehicle.
  • Try sniping in less commonly used areas, like right behind the turret where players would think a sniper would never venture.
  • For Territories, sticking together is the best way to win; usually, an offensive team will stay in one large group moving from territory to territory, making it hard for a team to defend all of the territories at once. For defense, move up to the bases that will be easiest for the attackers to capture (the crashed Pelican, the shotgun-spawning points) and try to protect those with a larger group, and keep a few of the back ready to move to another territory while the rest deal with other attackers.
    • As a note, Territory 4 is a very dangerous Territory due to the fact it is in a cave, and multiple grenades can be thrown in to kill the attacking force. Try to always bring a bubble shield and/or regenerator.
  • If your flag gets stolen, guard the primary man cannon, as that is where the carrier is most likely to go after they steal the flag.
  • An interesting tactic to do on CTF is to drop it on top of the Fusion coil at the stump on the base and shoot it. This will launch the flag at least halfway across the map, making the trip a lot less hectic.
  • The crashed Pelican provides a great place to snipe, since the player has a decent view of both bases. It is also recommended because of a regenerator that spawns under the wing, should the sniper be in trouble.
  • You can have your VIP jump on your Banshee and move it to the top of the base where the VIP has a vantage point, although this tactic makes the VIP prone to the Spartan Laser and its lethal range.
  • As in any Team Slayer game, move as a pack, and do not get separated. Controlling the Spartan Laser and the Missile Pods are the key to this level because vehicles will not have to worry about getting destroyed so easily.
  • If you are in the Coastal Base and you use the man cannon, you can actually jump across the river from where you land, with at least some momentum left from your launch. You must land pretty much on the edge of the land before you would fall into the river. If this can be performed correctly, it may be helpful to get closer to the Spartan Laser on the hill.
  • Try to use the Warthog when taking out enemies on the hill, especially if they have a Spartan Laser and are trying to kill a teammate of yours in a Banshee, as they won't focus on you as much.
  • Rushing for the Spartan Laser is wise especially if you have a Warthog and a Banshee on the offensive. The center should be secure, but the outskirts will be unprotected and enemy Warthogs and Banshees will be already firing.
  • At the start of the game, if you are going for the Spartan Laser, pick up the power drain and throw it as you man cannon towards the hill. This should deter, weaken, or at least hold back the enemies while you pick up the Laser. Also be sure to have a sniper in the base and/or other players to protect as you get to a safe distance with the Spartan Laser.
  • A good sniper tactic in Valhalla is to jump as you approach the Spartan Laser hill. Even if you don't have a good aim, you can still badly injure a few of the other team, making the Spartan Laser easy to claim.
  • Go to the Pelican with a sniper rifle and you can kill anyone trying to grab the Spartan Laser. You can delay them until your team has possession of the Laser.
  • A good sniping position is to get the Banshee and ride up to the top of the base. If you do it correctly you will be able to snipe people across the whole map. But remember to look out for the mortar that the bases fire. Another way to get there is by positioning a Wraith beside the back entrance of a base and jumping on top of it, then jumping up to the slippery platform. Be sure you keep jumping forward until you reach the location. This tactic is harder and can also be done with a Warthog or by Team Jumping/butterflying.
  • In CTF or Assault, have someone camp with the Missile Pod. It can destroy incoming vehicles, or at close-medium ranges, it can be used as a compensation for a rocket launcher.
  • The Missile Pod is surprisingly effective inside the lower area of the base.
  • In CTF, if you manage to kill the carrier in a Wraith, park it on top of the carriers corpse and destroy it. Just melee the back engine a few times; this puts the flag underneath the wreckage and makes it nearly impossible to retrieve, depending on your parking job. Be careful, however, because if you stand too close, the flag will respawn at your base. The wreckage will disappear after a while.
  • Sometimes, some weapons will float down the river; players can pick up shotguns, Spartan Lasers, and even Missile Pods or extra ammo, though this isn't a strategy you should count on.
  • An excellent base-defense strategy is having a Wraith guarding the outside and having a player sniping from a nearby ledge. It can be more solid if you have a few players armed with SMGs or shotguns.
  • The plasma grenades and battle rifles have fast respawn times at each base. Unless the need to move out is urgent, it's usually worthwhile to wait for them.
  • The caves are notorious for having campers with shotguns inside. Unless the other routes to the enemy base are guarded, throw a few grenades and flank to where the camper will fall back, causing you to catch him off guard.
  • The power drain should be useful when numerous foes are arriving at the arming spot or flag in Assault and CTF games, respectively. Just hold your nerve and deploy it when you've almost touched their objective.
  • A defensive player should move to the caves and grab a shotgun to use in the basement floor of the base.
  • When using a power drain and man cannon, please note that the power drain will not reach the hill if thrown in the man cannon. This is a common mistake and can be rectified if you yourself use the man cannon and fling the power drain while in "flight."
  • The Pelican is notorious in Territories for the regenerator and close proximity to Territory 4 and the Spartan Laser. The only practical way to deal with this territory is to control the hill and maybe save a power drain to cancel the regenerator's effects.
  • The rock laying on its side near the waterfall base can serve as an outpost. A sniper can crouch there and eliminate anybody heading that way.
  • Another good tactic is to grab the Missile Pod at the start of the match. This is because somebody on the other team often gets in their Banshee immediately after the game starts. The Missile Pod can easily destroy the enemy Banshee, which can be a real advantage.
  • Another useful tactic for assaulting the waterfall base is to take a sniper rifle, and camp in the bushes on the cliff next to the waterfall. This position gives the shooter a good view of the waterfall base, and the spawns around it.

Remakes[edit]

Halo 4[edit]

Valhalla was remade as Ragnarok in Halo 4.

Halo 5[edit]

Valhalla was remade as Viking using Forge in Halo 5: Guardians.

Halo: Infinite[edit]

Valhalla was remade as Vallaheim using Forge in Halo Infinite.[4]

Variants[edit]

Valhalla Heavy[edit]

  • An additional Warthog spawns alongside the default Warthog spawn at each base.
  • A Scorpion Tank spawns in front of each base.
  • A Spartan Laser spawns alongside the default sniper rifle spawn point at each base, another spawns at the Pelican site, and another at the Turret site.
  • An additional bubble shield replaces the regenerator spawn at the Pelican site.
  • Teleporters are added to the map. Each base's lower deck has a Sender Node teleporter which teleports players to other Receiver Node teleporters either near the Pelican side or the Turret site, functioning similarly to Blood Gulch's and Coagulation's teleporters.
  • The formerly default Spartan Laser spawn has been replaced by a rocket launcher.

Production notes[edit]

Concept art of Valhalla.

When developing Halo 3, Valhalla started out as a napkin sketch drawn by designer Steve Cotton in roughly five minutes, showing a snaking river cutting through a gulch - intended to evoke some of Blood Gulch's team v. team and base v. base combat with vehicles and infantry. A large additional design goal was to make the map traversable for infantry alongside vehicles - this was the origin of the man cannons, which were designed to let the players traverse the map quickly with a risk-reward element of being helpless in the air.[5]

During the game's development, the map was created under the development name of riverworld, which remains in game files as the map's filename. As Bungie got closer to finalising the names of the Halo 3 multiplayer maps, Cotton jokingly suggested the name "Curious Gorge" for Valhalla - a name which nearly stuck. However, the map was eventually finalised to Valhalla, but the "Curious Gorge" name stuck in the map description.[5][6] The name Riverworld later returned for the map's inclusion in Halo Online.

During the concept of this map, Bungie intended to make the map more of a snowy map than a forest one. Because of Snowbound, Bungie decided to make a forest map instead. However, some snow can still be seen near the base located near the waterfall. There is also snow atop the cliffs surrounding the majority of the map.[7]

Valhalla, along with Snowbound and High Ground, was one of the maps available for play in the Halo 3 Beta. It was possible to fly into outer space in a Banshee by exploiting a glitch.[citation needed] Each base spawned a trip mine. Unfortunately, due to players' inexperience with equipment, using it as an ambush for unwary enemy team members often resulted in the deaths of those friendly units still around it, and so it was removed from the final game.

Trivia[edit]

  • Vahalla was recreated in the Halo Mash-Up: Minecraft Evolved.[8]
  • Valhalla (Old Norse Valhalla, "Hall of the Slain") is Odin's hall of the dead in Norse mythology, the home of those slain gloriously in battle. It is similar to MJOLNIR, as they are both of the same mythological origin. Interestingly, Valhalla was home to dead warriors that rose with the sun each day to fight each other and enjoy the thrill of battle, while during the night they had great feasts and healed their wounds. This is remarkably similar to the overall process of multiplayer gameplay.
  • The energy beam shooting from the towers on each side fires every 49 seconds, another 7 reference (7x7=49). The energy beam can also kill you if flying in a Banshee, doing this will cause you to be killed by The Guardians.
  • Like the Halo 2 map Zanzibar, there is writing on the wall that changes according to the date.
  • The river that runs through the center of the map has a fully functional current. A light enough object, or a dead Spartan, will flow down the river from the waterfall towards the lake. If the object floats far enough in the lake, it will drop underwater when it reaches the "death border".
  • The map’s description is a reference to popular children’s book character, Curious George.

Gallery[edit]

Concept art[edit]

Halo 3[edit]

Halo Online[edit]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ Halo 3 Editing Kit, game file H3EK\tags\levels\multi\riverworld\riverworld.scenario
  2. ^ Halo Waypoint: Requiem
  3. ^ Halo Waypoint forums: Catalog's response - [Serendipitous] or [pleasing] patterns are often represented at different scales and locales, based on the tastes of the [pattern weaver] or as a result of [semi-stochastic] initial conditions inherent in the chosen template.
  4. ^ Halo Waypoint, Halo Community Update - November Sneak Peek
  5. ^ a b PC Gamer, October 2020 (Issue #348) - Special Report: Theaters of War, page 12-13
  6. ^ Bungie Podcast 8-10-2007
  7. ^ Overhead view of Valhalla
  8. ^ Halo Waypoint - More Master Chief and Minecraft