I'm sure I'm not the only one who's noticed this, but doesn't it seem like it's mind bogglingly difficult to win as offence? Especially on Container City and Shipyard. As Security, I have yet to get past the first area more than a couple of times, and I've played those maps a lot. This is honestly one of the things that may make me quit this game eventually.

It's not just those two maps either, Aquarium and Resort are also very imbalanced. The last part of Resort where you have to hack the controls in that tiny ass room is just a nightmare on offence. It doesn't help that the Security spawn right next to the control room while the Resistance spawn miles away from it. Then of course you have to cross out into the open to get to the control room, which is a guaranteed death as you get mowed down by MGs and Sniper fire. And if you actually make it into the room, the entire thing will either be filled with mines and sentries, and if not then Security will spam every explosive they've got into the room to ensure you don't even so much as get near the controls.

Also, let's talk about hack objectives. Not only do the operatives have no personal defence while hacking, but they also hack slower than it takes to remove the hack box. Doesn't this seem just a little bit unfair? This is also the reason why I am incapable of beating the second part of Shipyard on easy while playing solo. The bots massacre me and my teammates and any progress I make on the hack box just gets reverted instantly by one engineer, let alone multiple ones.

These are all just my personal experiences, but I'm sure it's more than just coincidence. These kinds of things happen way too often for it to just be stacked teams or something.

It's also not uncommon to join a server on Container City only to find the Security being spawn camped at the first area. That map is without a doubt the most imbalanced of them all.

Anyone else think the maps are terribly designed in terms of balance?

Yes.

I have noticed that playing Offense is tougher, but I plan to make that fair by playing Stopwatch matches (where the teams switch roles). Another explanation could be the classes being a bit imbalanced...the Engineer seems to be more effective than the other classes in mostly every situation. If on defense, most teams just go Engineer and build Turrents, place 2 Landmines, and buff each other's weapons and hand out Kevlar. It's a bit hard to top that unless a team is completely coordinated in it's effort which is never the case since no one uses mics apparently.

You need less co-ordination when defending.

Place a few turrets here and there, put some mines. Repair turrets when you see one. Occasionaly hand out wep buff, kevlar.

Offense, you have to sort the classes, plan the attacks. Much harder.

Def = Too Easy
Off = Too Hard at times

I agree.

I have to agree. Especially Shipyard is quiet impossible to win for the security. Part one with the crane is hard but part two with the hack thing is ridiculous. Like you siad it takes too much time to hack while removing the device is done in a few seconds. And part three...uhmm...is there a third part ? I've never made it to that..lol. Unfortunately the maps are not the only thing that seems to be quiet imbalanced. Same for the weapons. Alot of them are just useless. The operative class is too weak and most of it's abilities do not really help much. If there weren't objectives that need an operative then nobody would touch this class.

I disagree. Having played every map now a ton of times, I have never been 'camped' into the spawn, but have been on the side that has camped the odd team into theirs.

A half decent team will be able to push out no problem, a team with bots on it however, no chance.

Offence is by far the most enjoyable way to play the game, it's challenging but very achievable.

I agree that when a team is stuck in its spawn and cant get out that it's not fun, for either side, but it doesn't happy very often. When there's a complete stalemate, it's more often than not because people are just funneling down the same passageway like lemmings. If people actually made use of some of the side paths it would be a different story. Rule of thumb, if you cant push forward, flank.

The maps are incredibly biased in favor of defense, some so much it is near impossible to beat even a half competent team. Hack-box objectives take way too long to do and are very easy to undo.

Hacking is the only thing I've personally found to be sufficiently unbalanced in favour of defense so far - I have only played offline on PS3 though, so I may reassess that once I'm playing online.

Mostly the same online. It takes too long, it can be removed faster than you can hack and the progress can be completely wiped (as opposed to repairing that "remembers the progress").

It helps if you're team is organized, but that doesnt mean when you play onlien you should never win hack objectives

Given, I've won every map on both offense and defense, but the times I've won reactor or shipyard as defense are alot more common than the times I've won it as offense.

I disagree. The maps a very balanced.

When any new game comes out where there is an offensive team that has has to attack a defensive team's position, the defensive team more frequently wins. It's because everyone is getting used to the maps and it is easier to defend and unfamiliar map that attack one. Especially if there are chokes. Give it a week or two and the offense will be winning more.

I've won plenty attacking, but maybe that's just because I am amazing.

I've found it balanced for 5v5. Hopefully more servers will pop up in comp 5v5 stopwatch mode. I know ours will as soon as linux files appear. As it is, people prefer spam and first objective holds..