SOLARIS RIDGE SECOND STORY, MARINE SIDE // Some Advice (Not Comprehensive)

bootybandit · August 13, 2025, 7:50pm

This is some info on how to more successfully engage with cock & ball torture AKA multi-z Solaris, as a marine. I’ve done some experimenting and hopefully this might help whatever intrepid SL/XO/CO wants to be the first to win this fucking map.

We will refer to the 2nd story as Z2.

First, why would you want to maintain control of Z2?

By maintaining dominance, you can provide insane cover fire and secure kills on xenos that no one else can - any high DPS gun fired to the ground from Z2 might as well be an AC-130.
By not maintaining dominance, your people get assfucked by Praes, Spitters, Boilers, etcetera raining down hellfire.
By maintaining dominance, you secure the dozens upon dozens of flanks that Z2 opens up to xenos
By not maintaining dominance, your people will get surrounded by flanking xenos faster than you can say “fuck this map”

Second, how we not split the marine force if we wanna control Z2?

It takes a single squad of 15-20 marines to actually maintain dominance over Z2. If you review the map below, the purple area is what you’re aiming to control and it’s gonna take about 15-20 marines to control.

Solaris_Ridge1920×1835 484 KB
If you wanna do this, a squad has to be dedicated to it. Not 2 squads, not a splinter force, not onesies-twosies and some fireteams – an entire squad. Otherwise, marines get this “well, I’m sure SOMEONE is taking care of upstairs” mindset.
Your best bet is to have your SL and FTLs wall-boost people up. That SL needs to be real loud and communicative. His entire priority should be KEEPING MARINES ON Z2.
Your SL’s job is keeping people healed and maintaining numbers. The squad might as well be by itself on Z2. If marine numbers on Z2 dip below 10-15, it’s lost.

Third - a proven approach to Z2.

Delta/Charlie push from Landing Zone 1 toward dorms/bar.
Alpha pushes southeast from Landing Zone 2 toward Hospital.
Alpha climbs to Z2 in the Hospital - they wallboost+climb at first opportunity, they do not even TRY to push stairs.
Alpha pushes east on Z2, toward the dorm/bar intersection.
Alpha C4s every hallway, choke, wall they possible can on the way east REGARDLESS of xeno presence – they need breathing room, because once xenos realize what they’re doing, there’s going to be a lot of resistance.
By the time Alpha gets to dorm/bar intersection, Delta/Charlie will be in heavy fighting right below them. Alpha can now own the skies from above and fuck any T3 that pokes its head out, and Delta/Charlie don’t have to worry about spitters from above/flanks.
If Alpha’s controlling Z2, then the only way the bulk hive has to get to Z2 is our next section:

Fourth, and finally - Delta/Charlie can now push Lambda as normal, thanks to Alpha. But Alpha can’t push much further - their priority becomes this single choke.

Offices Second Floor East, effectively overseeing Lambda/Podlocks. I haven’t successfully cracked this choke yet, but I feel cracking this impossible choke is VITAL to winning Solaris Ridge as Marine —

I’ve successfully CADED IT, and defended those stairs, but I haven’t managed to crack those stairs. I’d say the best ways to crack are as follows, but I haven’t gotten to try these yet:

Get an OB on the ground below. Your marines on Z2 will be immune; the xenos down those stairs will be forced to either push your cades on Z2, or retreat into caves further. If htey push your cades, then you can finally secure kills on them – otherwise every Queen/T3 that’s run up just runs back down that stairs box upon being damaged, and you can’t pursue them. But a groundside OB has a chance to trap the bitches.
C4 the fuck out those walls south and try to killbox that stairwell. If you can killbox the stairwell, you might have a chance of getting down the stairs thru sheer numbers.

noquestionableacts · August 14, 2025, 3:00am

I believe this is a first guide to the Marine tactics on the Multi-Z? Solaris Ridge? Correct me if I am wrong.

Pretty much opens up an approach to the Lambda Lab and how to counter the Xenomorph pushes there (Though I’d be not hesitant to see what you can tell about the Eta Podlocks rooftops for example), which is helpful if you’re not sure how to react as CIC member to Z2, maybe some tactics for Squad Leaders. I’m yet to see marines use Z2 like genius and wipe the entire hive like megaminds.

I often slightly despise Z2 on Solaris, but probably because it’s a new implementation and I didn’t get used to it yet. Overall, soon marines will start getting their own ways around using both rooftops and ground level.

As a side note, it’s really nice to see how you’re burning with the idea of exploiting the Z2 on Solaris. Goodluck with that!

SOLARIS RIDGE SECOND STORY, MARINE SIDE // Some Advice (Not Comprehensive)

This is some info on how to more successfully engage with cock & ball torture AKA multi-z Solaris, as a marine. I’ve done some experimenting and hopefully this might help whatever intrepid SL/XO/CO wants to be the first to win this fucking map.

We will refer to the 2nd story as Z2.

First, why would you want to maintain control of Z2?

By maintaining dominance, you can provide insane cover fire and secure kills on xenos that no one else can - any high DPS gun fired to the ground from Z2 might as well be an AC-130.

By not maintaining dominance, your people get assfucked by Praes, Spitters, Boilers, etcetera raining down hellfire.

By maintaining dominance, you secure the dozens upon dozens of flanks that Z2 opens up to xenos

By not maintaining dominance, your people will get surrounded by flanking xenos faster than you can say “fuck this map”

Second, how we not split the marine force if we wanna control Z2?

It takes a single squad of 15-20 marines to actually maintain dominance over Z2. If you review the map below, the purple area is what you’re aiming to control and it’s gonna take about 15-20 marines to control.

If you wanna do this, a squad has to be dedicated to it. Not 2 squads, not a splinter force, not onesies-twosies and some fireteams – an entire squad. Otherwise, marines get this “well, I’m sure SOMEONE is taking care of upstairs” mindset.

Your best bet is to have your SL and FTLs wall-boost people up. That SL needs to be real loud and communicative. His entire priority should be KEEPING MARINES ON Z2.

Your SL’s job is keeping people healed and maintaining numbers. The squad might as well be by itself on Z2. If marine numbers on Z2 dip below 10-15, it’s lost.

Third - a proven approach to Z2.

Delta/Charlie push from Landing Zone 1 toward dorms/bar.

Alpha pushes southeast from Landing Zone 2 toward Hospital.

Alpha climbs to Z2 in the Hospital - they wallboost+climb at first opportunity, they do not even TRY to push stairs.

Alpha pushes east on Z2, toward the dorm/bar intersection.

Alpha C4s every hallway, choke, wall they possible can on the way east REGARDLESS of xeno presence – they need breathing room, because once xenos realize what they’re doing, there’s going to be a lot of resistance.

By the time Alpha gets to dorm/bar intersection, Delta/Charlie will be in heavy fighting right below them. Alpha can now own the skies from above and fuck any T3 that pokes its head out, and Delta/Charlie don’t have to worry about spitters from above/flanks.

If Alpha’s controlling Z2, then the only way the bulk hive has to get to Z2 is our next section:

Fourth, and finally - Delta/Charlie can now push Lambda as normal, thanks to Alpha. But Alpha can’t push much further - their priority becomes this single choke.

Offices Second Floor East, effectively overseeing Lambda/Podlocks. I haven’t successfully cracked this choke yet, but I feel cracking this impossible choke is VITAL to winning Solaris Ridge as Marine —

I’ve successfully CADED IT, and defended those stairs, but I haven’t managed to crack those stairs. I’d say the best ways to crack are as follows, but I haven’t gotten to try these yet:

C4 the fuck out those walls south and try to killbox that stairwell. If you can killbox the stairwell, you might have a chance of getting down the stairs thru sheer numbers.