The new escalation mode is cool but, on bigger than usual maps like the new Cliffhanger, the last tier is just a straight way to feed the enemies until they reach the same point; I think you should either gave us the grappling hook instead of the smokescreen, or making the skull one hit kill, because right now is just a free kill for the others.
Agreed. Which is fine if you treat it as a fully casual/social mode like Fiesta, Skockets etc. If they want it to be a slightly serious mode it should probably just finish with the pistols.