Strategy is the key to success in PlanetSide, and a commander's number one resource for the effective battle plan is PlanetSide's detailed map system.

The PlanetSide map system is an in-game tool providing mission critical data such as:

• Structure locations and types, such as towers, dropship centers and interlink facilities, as well as each structure's current status and energy
• Facility and continent ownership with spheres of influence
• Hot spots
• Weather patterns, severity and effects
• Equipment such as deployed mines, spitfire turrets and motion sensors
• Lattice connections that link facilities, which allows them to share their benefits and is an important factor when hacking and advancing your position
• Respawn locations and squadmates
• The warp gate network that affects intercontinental transport and assault strategy

The Warp Gate Network and Strategic Transportation

Methods of movement from continent to continent can determine the difference between a successful mission and a routing. The warp gate network is a complex system of portals that allows instant transportation between land masses. Ownership of a portal will greatly affect assault and defense strategies. Possessing all of a continent's facilities can "lock down" that area, preventing portal transportation to that continent by enemies, thus making attacks even more difficult.

The Lattice System

Advancing your empire's position by acquiring facilities is a primary goal, and for this you'll need a hacker.  Hacking to gain control of a facility is fraught with danger, and there's a strategy behind which facilities you can attempt to hack at any given time.  This strategy is based on the lattice system, the linking of facilities based on ownership, shown in the PlanetSide map system.  The effective hacker will be very familiar with this lattice system and the maps.

The map system presents all this data in a clear graphical format so you can plan your missions fast and better prepare your defenses.