I imagine each of these lush screenshots overlaid with the words "wish you were here," with their backs filled with notes from the warfront in a wistful cursive script. I imagine the reality of Battlefield 3's next DLC will be somewhat less romantic and a little more, I don't know, bullety. Still, this is our chance to learn about the new maps before we're tossed unceremoniously into the crossfire.

Over at the Battlefield blog, each of the four new maps has been lovingly detailed -- here's a summary of what we can expect:


Operation Riverside

"The layout of the bases in Operation Riverside caters somewhat towards infantry action rather than all-out vehicle warfare. It's generally speaking an infantry-friendly landscape where soldiers can go by foot between the bases, while ground vehicles need to take more roundabout roads to traverse the environment."


Nebanden Flats

"The relative openness of the desert setting allows for full freedom of movement for the entire range of vehicles at disposal in Battlefield 3 multiplayer. The low amount of natural cover available also demands quick transportation between capture points, as players are otherwise open to attack."


Kiasar Railroad

"The many height changes in this undulating landscape can be used to your advantage – There's plenty of opportunity to hide from the enemy and use cover as you approach your targets.

While this map also has ample opportunity for dirt bike riders to catch big air, the jumps on Kiasar Railroad are typically more carefully molded into the landscape itself, or not as obvious."


Salaban Pipeline

"Sabalan Pipeline was built to cater for a mix of vehicle and infantry gameplay. Compared to the other three maps in End Game, Sabalan Pipeline has fewer and narrower roads that are important to control if you want to dominate the opposition. At the center of this map lies a central base that is also an essential asset, as it allows you extended control over the road leading to and from your main bases."