This is the final multiplayer map, and in terms of layout, one of the most interesting. This is a very small facility, the one where you completed your first N7 mission. The ending of that mission, as you may recall, played out a lot like the final wave of a Mass Effect 3 multiplayer battle; you had to hold off multiple enemy waves for several minutes until the dropship arrived to pick you up. This arena was designed for that kind of combat. There are multiple ammo crates, and all different types of combat can flourish here in the right situations. But overall, thanks to this map’s relatively small size (it is actually the smallest of all of the maps) it is easy to get from one spot to another. This means that it’s easy for the enemy to flank you, though, so keep your squad together and find a good spot to hold the enemies off. The best places to do this are arguably the lab at the top of the area, which overlooks the landing pad, and the basement, which connects to the right side of the landing pad. Since this is a close-quarters map, players who don’t wield Shotguns and powerful Biotics will at least want to have Proximity Mines and Turrets to set up, creating deadly choke points for your enemies.
You will begin your time on Glacier at the landing bay, in the lower center level of the map. There are multiple cooling units and crates to take cover behind in this area, but in terms of defensibility, it is actually one of the worst spots on the map. This is because you will be starting out lower than the balcony to the left, and you will be open to flanking from the small doorway to the right. During the final wave, you should not seek out cover here until the last possible second. An Engineer can set up a turret by the thin doorway, effectively stemming enemy access to the landing pad. Then you will just have to worry about enemies firing down upon you from the balconies to the upper left. Also note that powerful snipers can break through the glass on the room to the front of this area, meaning that you can be vulnerable to sniper fire from up there as well as fire from the balcony. All told, this is easily the worst spot to camp out in the entire level.
Head up the stairs to the left to reach the balcony. This area features two sections of wall and a crate that can be used for cover. From here, you will be able to look down on the landing pad below. If you were able to set up a Turret in the lower door, you can pick off any stragglers with ease. This will only leave the door to the left, which leads into the lab. Unfortunately, this is a favored spot for enemies to spawn, meaning that you will have to deal with large numbers of enemy hoards. Funneling them through the skinny door while watching your back with the Turret can be effective, as can be setting up Proximity Mines in the doorway. Unfortunately, there is a lack of cover facing towards the left, meaning that your whole squad will not be able to fit safely onto the balcony. Overall, this is a poor place to hold out in all but the very last wave, since you will have to be close to the landing pad in order to succeed with that one.
Head through the only door on the balcony to reach the lab. This area is split up by a thin wall in the middle, and features tons of equipment and terminals to take cover behind. This is also a favored spot for enemies to spawn in from. The first team to get entrenched into this area has a heavy advantage. It will be difficult to force an enemy force out of this room, but if you control it yourself, less enemies will spawn into the area and you will be harder to hit. Overall, the lab makes for a great place to take cover. Just be mindful you will probably be forced into some close-range combat due to the cramped nature of this level. Also, keep in mind that with the large amount of tech equipment in here, your time hacking and uploading will largely be split between this area and the basement area. Set up choke points for the enemies using Proximity Mines and Turrets, and dig in to cover to deny the enemy a foothold.
The back of the lab area leads into the hub area. This is another favorite spot for enemies to spawn into. There is very little in the way of cover here, making it a lousy spot to defend. If you are unfortunate enough to get a hacking objective in here, take cover behind the C-shaped desk and set up as many defenses as you can. Bringing a Vanguard in to even the odds can help, but in later waves even that won’t be enough to stem the tide of enemies spawning in. It is best to have allies cover you from the lab while you hack.
The basement area is down the stairs to the right side of the lab. The basement is split up into two chunks, one above the other. The higher part of the basement is basically just one room. There really isn’t any point to holding this room, as the cover here is sparse and inefficient. Instead, keep heading down the stairs to reach the lower portion of the basement. There is a good amount of cover down here, and you can launch flanking attacks from the lab and the landing pad to crush enemies between the two halves of your squad if you are looking to take the area for yourself. Set up traps and keep your eyes trained on the only two entry points into the basement to be ready for enemy retaliation. This is another area that works well for the final wave, as you can set up lots of traps and keep your eyes trained on the entrances to minimize casualties before sprinting out the southern door to emerge onto the landing pad.
