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*Original post. Click at your own discretion.
EDIT: Please release I haven’t “created multiple forum accounts” this is my first time on the forums, I just chose to create a new account. And Also note, I am not a 343i employee, or any importance to the community. The Gamertag “SWAT Advisor” Was the first thing that popped into my head. We don’t go on a rampage when we see someone has “King” in their GT now do we? Just be mature, and maybe you’ll appreciate my immense work like a lot of people already have. 
I created this “incognito” account to share a study I have been doing. Compared to other Halo games, SWAT in Halo 4 has changed a lot, not only is there no longer a “SWAT Magnums” option, but now instead of the gameplay being focused on the “everyone has the same weapon” mentally that SWAT used to have, now we have the option of a BR OR a DMR, which changes the game a lot. I’m not saying this addition is a good thing, nor a bad thing.
I have had over 10 different groups of 7 players randomly selected from my recent played with list, to test these maps. Almost all of the comment and feelings where the same, but I took the most notes while play with a lot of the top names in SWAT. (HTR leader boards/big GB SWAT players.)
These are some of their thoughts on Halo 4 SWAT:
-“Yeah I kind of like it”
-“Needs changed a little”
-“Compared to Reach its a flop”
-“a lot of the maps aren’t good for SWAT like Complex and Harvest because people either camp on the roofs (complex) or on top of the rocks (Harvest). maps like that bring Halo down”
-“I really don’t like the mixed weapons, not because of skill, it just feels more like slayer, and SWAT really isn’t about variety”
-“It makes SWAT feel a lot like Call Of Duty, for example you’re running around with one gun, and someone else is DESTROYING you with a diff gun and then you’re just like, well I’ll just use that gun instead, preference goes out the window, its just about what wins”
So I made multiple game types and we played them all on the same map so the map wouldn’t change the way the gametype felt.
I decided the first gametype should just be Halo 4 SWAT just with 2 grenades added to the loadouts so its more like Halo 3 SWAT.
We found that although at first you’d think “This is a terrible idea people will just be spamming nades the whole time” We actually found out they are still perfect for SWAT.
People don’t really use them as a spamming tool like you’d think. They’re perfect for getting campers our of corners or out from behind boxes, and on open maps they’re pretty much useless, you might chuck one all the way across the map and get a hail marry out of luck but most of the time, you’ll be trying to kill people with your gun and NOT with nades (unless they are camping scumbags.)
Out of the 70ish people I let play these gametypes I think there where only one person that didn’t like grenades, but he only thought they were useless, not over powered.
We all came to the conclusion that no matter how SWAT changes(see below to know what I mean) Grenades should DEFIANTLY be included.
Now this part of my post is a bit different its less about gametypes and more about the matchmaking system, just hear us out on this.
You start searching for SWAT matches
-Find Match
-Vote for map
(Example: Haven, Adrift, and Abandon are the options)
-Map is chosen
(Lets say Haven wins)
-Second voting screen
(Example: SWAT BRs on Haven, SWAT DMRs on Haven, SWAT Magnums on haven)
People really liked that idea after we played a few “strict” gametypes, let me share with you the notes I took on what people had to say.
We played BR’s (And Magnums) only:
-“The BR is much more responsive”
-“its much more fun to sweep hallways with the BR then go outside to a more open area and lose the skill advantage over someone who is 100 yards away with a DMR, skill advantage disappears and it turns into weapon advantage, but now that doesn’t happen”
We played SWAT DMRs (And Magnums) only:
-“SWAT feel like there’s a skill gap again!”
-“it feel a lot like Reach but with a new twist, this is the first time I’ve been able to walk around a closed area with a DMR and not feel like there’s a BR about to rape me”
-“In all honesty, you have to admit the DMR is a bit harder to get kills with compared to the BR, the BR feels sooo OP on most maps”
We played Magnums only:
-“feels just like Magnums used to, if you liked it in Reach you’ll like it in H4”
-“it feels like its in between the BR and DMR is skill needed to be good with it being BR easiest Magnum second DMR hardest. Mind that the gap isn’t that large but its noticeable”
Well that’s the conclusion of my research as far gametypes go
But this next part is crucial for 343 to take note on. In Reach, SWAT players felt shafted when it comes to maps. We had Countdown, Zealot, Boardwalk, SwordBase, and Asylum. And while Slayer playlist where monthly getting new community made maps SWAT didn’t get anything, in fact, we lost Uncaged and Pinacale. Oh lets not forget about once in every 2 months you’d get lucky and see a DLC map as an option.
SWAT needs some maps added, we’re not desperate for them NOW, but we would love to see SWAT getting new maps regularly, I played a bunch of SWAT games on a bunch of different MLG/competitive maps and these are the responses. (Gamertag of creator is included below)
Laguna created by unoverrated
It was a really fun map, looks amazing, and it plays a lot better as a SWAT map then a Slayer map honestly. it has wide open areas and closed in areas at the same time.
Cella created by WALDO the lemon
Personal favorite, its open and very fast paced, its got great call outs and it feels like Halo 3 Guardian on Roids.
Station 9 created by Big Papa SaLot
Brings A LOT of call outs into SWAT, its not precipitously open, it brings SAT back to its CQC roots, a group favorite for SWAT.
Some other maps that people felt where great for SWAT but I don’t have the creator names of are Simplex, Lockout/Blackout, and The Pit!
Please leave some feedback below on what you think about my findings, I love Halo 4 SWAT how it is, but I can see it changing a lot in the future for the better.