The Counter-Strike Forest Map, known as as_forest, was part of the game during its beta phase. It featured an assassination mission in a dense forest setting, combining complex layout design with unique gameplay mechanics. Though no longer active in official versions, it left a mark with its creative features and hidden details.

Map Overview

Forest is an assassination-style map. The mission involves Counter-Terrorists (CTs) escorting a VIP through hostile territory to one of two escape zones, while Terrorists (Ts) try to eliminate the VIP.

Setting

The map takes place in a dense forest area with natural terrain and military structures. The scenario is set during an escort mission after a helicopter crash, where the CTs must safely guide a government official to extraction. The main objective for the CTs is to escort the VIP, while the Terrorists aim to assassinate him before he escapes.

Official Backstory

After a AAA gun disables a transport helicopter, the CTs and the VIP crash in a forest. Their goal is to reach one of two escape points: a military helicopter waiting near a supply bridge or a roadblock checkpoint fortified by a turret.

Spawn Points and Key Areas

Counter-Terrorists

CTs spawn in a river area at the base of a waterfall. Near their starting zone is a dam, and they can reach the main bridge by falling down the first waterfall and climbing a nearby ladder. They must navigate these natural obstacles carefully, as one wrong step can lead to instant death. The terrain gives them access to both the bridge and the road leading to the escape zones.

Terrorists

Terrorists spawn near several buildings—only one is accessible while the others serve as background elements. Their location offers quick access to turrets and a better early view of CT movements. They also benefit from high ground near the bridge, allowing snipers to take out CTs as they approach.

VIP Escape Zones

One VIP escape zone is located near the Terrorist spawn at a gate in an open area, guarded by two mounted turrets. The second is located near a helicopter, which can be accessed via a road close to the bridge. Both zones are exposed and risky, especially if the Terrorists are in position early.

Tactical Features

The Bridge

A large bridge spans a canyon with a death pit below. The bridge is a key tactical route, offering fast access to the VIP zones. It also creates a strong sniper position for the Terrorists at the start of the round. CTs can reach the bridge by falling down the waterfall and climbing a ladder. Once on the bridge, they have a direct path to the helicopter escape zone. The opposite end of the bridge opens into a wide area with climbable rocks and cliffs, giving Terrorists additional options to pin down the VIP.

Terrain

The forest layout features long sightlines and open areas. Natural objects like rocks and cliffs offer cover, but the lack of dense foliage means players are often exposed. This makes flanking possible, but risky, especially for the VIP. The level design rewards awareness and positioning.

Mounted Turrets

Two machine turrets are available in the map. These play a major role in the balance of power between the two teams.

The turret at the roadblock is extremely powerful. It deals heavy damage and can eliminate players in just one or two shots. However, it lacks long-range accuracy, giving CT snipers a slim chance to counter it if positioned well.

The other turret, located near the Terrorist spawn, is slightly less powerful but more accurate. It generally requires three to seven hits to kill a regular player and up to ten shots to eliminate the VIP. Despite their differences, both turrets heavily favor the Terrorists and make the escape zones hard to approach.

Gameplay Imbalance and Removal

The Forest map was removed in beta 6.8 due to balance issues. The turrets provided a clear advantage to the Terrorist team, especially when used to camp the VIP escape points. The open layout gave little cover for the VIP, making him an easy target if CTs failed to play defensively. Both teams had access to sniper rifles, which made early-round kills common and forced players into passive play. With such overwhelming firepower available, VIPs were often eliminated within seconds. These problems made the map frustrating and led to its removal from competitive play.

Development History

John “Poor Yurik” Attea originally created the Forest map as a custom level. It was later included in Counter-Strike’s beta 6.5 release. Some changes were made for the official release, such as automatic door openings (players no longer needed to press the use key), slight adjustments to the forest for better cover, and removal of excess entities for performance. No further updates were made after beta 6.5, and its last official version was seen in beta 6.8.

Hidden Details and Trivia

The Forest map contains several hidden and humorous features. Two rats are hidden in the map—one sits on top of a building at the Terrorist spawn and another above the waterfall near the CT spawn. If a player shoots one of these rats, it explodes, plays Bullsquid injured sounds from Half-Life, and leaves gibs behind.

There’s also a hidden “church of rats” underground. Inside, nine rats are positioned as if praying to a skull, with an image of the map creator above the altar. A looping ratchant.wav sound plays in the background, and a glowing sprite hovers above the shrine.

Other fun elements include a non-functional HECU Radio prop from Half-Life, and a helicopter model also borrowed from Half-Life’s Apache. Players who jump into the helicopter’s rotor are instantly killed, with the game displaying a humorous death message: “<player name> was killed by trigger_hurt”.

Strategy Tips

For Counter-Terrorists

CTs should use sniper rifles to target turret operators before advancing. It’s critical to stay close to the VIP and avoid sending him into open areas without support. Gaining control of the bridge early in the round is vital, as it offers the fastest route to the helicopter extraction point. Proper timing and coordination are necessary to avoid being pinned down.

For Terrorists

Terrorists benefit from setting up at turret positions early. These give full control of the escape zones and allow quick elimination of approaching CTs. The cliffs and high ground near the bridge also offer sniping opportunities to shut down CT movement. Working as a team to cover both escape points can trap the VIP and end rounds quickly.

Final Thoughts

The Counter-Strike Forest Map was creative but flawed. Its unique setting, sniper-friendly design, and hidden surprises made it stand out. However, gameplay imbalance and overpowered turrets made it unsuitable for long-term use. Despite being removed, Forest remains a memorable piece of Counter-Strike history.