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XBox360 - Spiele :: Halo 3 :: Walkthrough 1.1

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~HALO 3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Guide for Legendary Mode~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Version 1.1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By Zorlock Darksoul~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

=========================================================================
CONTENTS
=========================================================================

--Version History.................(S1VH)
--Introduction....................(S2IN)
--Legal Info......................(S3LI)
--About the Guide.................(S4AB)
--General Advice..................(S5GA)
--Arrival.........................(L000)
--Sierra 117......................(L100)
--Crow's Nest.....................(L200)
--Tsavo Highway...................(L300)
--The Storm.......................(L400)
--Floodgate.......................(L500)
--The Ark.........................(L600)
--The Covenant....................(L700)
--Cortana.........................(L800)
--Halo............................(L900)
--Frequently Asked Questions......(S6FQ)
--Thanks to.......................(S7TH)
--Contact Info....................(S8CI)

Note: Use your browser's "Find" function to skip to a particular section. 
Search for the code in parentheses after each listing above.

=========================================================================
VERSION HISTORY (S1VH)
=========================================================================

Version 1.0 (Completed Feb. 22, '09)
--First version
Version 1.1 (Completed June 13, '09)
--Added new strategies for some parts
--Added Oddities
--Minor changes

=========================================================================
INTRODUCTION (S2IN)
=========================================================================

The purpose of this guide is to assist solo players in surviving Halo 3 
on Legendary difficulty. While GameFAQs already has several great 
walkthroughs for the game, they all seem to be written with a difficulty 
setting of Heroic or lower. For better or for worse, the strategies that 
work on lower difficulties may not be enough for Legendary.

Whether your goal is to earn the achievement for defeating Legendary 
mode, to see the extra movie at the end, or simply because you're a 
completionist (like me), I have created this guide with the hope that you 
will find it useful in your endeavors.

=========================================================================
LEGAL INFO (S3LI)
=========================================================================

This guide is intended only for personal use and may not be redistributed 
for profit. It can be posted on other websites so long as it is posted in 
its entirety and credit is given to its creator, Zorlock Darksoul. Any 
other use of this guide, with the exception of that allowed by the Fair 
Use doctrine, is in violation of copyright law.

All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by 
their respective trademark and copyright holders.

=========================================================================
ABOUT THE GUIDE (S4AB)
=========================================================================

*************************************************************************
This guide does not give detailed instructions for finding skulls or 
terminals. Other guides have done so already, so please look elsewhere if 
you need assistance finding them. 
*************************************************************************

This guide provides a battle-by-battle breakdown of each level, detailing 
strategies to get through every encounter in the game. It is by no means 
the ONLY way to survive the game, merely the method that worked well for 
me. It gives suggestions on weapons, mentions advantageous positions, and 
warns about various dangers.

Before you read on, I should mention a few assumptions I am making about 
you.

First, I am assuming you have, at the very least, played through the game 
once or twice on lower difficulties, preferably Heroic. If this is your 
first time playing Halo 3, I question your sanity for choosing the 
highest difficulty right off the bat. That aside, I use terms and 
describe scenes that first time players will probably not understand, so 
you'd be well-advised to play the game at least once before reading this 
and attempting Legendary.

This brings me to my next assumption: that you are fairly familiar with 
the general layout of each level. I will bring up certain aspects of 
terrain if I feel they are relevant to success, but I'm assuming you know 
how to trek from one area to the next. I only describe the actual battle 
scenes, not the path to get from Point A to Point B.

Incidentally, this guide may contain spoilers. However, since I'm 
assuming you've played the game before, nothing should actually be 
spoiled for you.

Each level will be broken down into sections based on the in-game goals 
(such as "Evac via the landing pad.") and subtitled scenarios (such as 
"GIFT WITH PURCHASE"). This is mostly for orientation purposes, so you 
the readers can know roughly what part of the level I'm discussing, or in 
case you want to skip ahead to a particular section of the level.

I will also be making a special note whenever a particularly important 
enemy or group of enemies is nearby. These "Noteworthy enemies" are 
usually foes that cause the most trouble in Legendary mode, such as 
Jackals with Beam Rifles. Some enemies are more dangerous in some 
situations than others, such as the beginning of a level when you don't 
have optimal weapons. One example is a Brute with a Brute Shot. While 
fairly dangerous if your only weapons are a Pistol and an Assault Rifle, 
they become significantly less bothersome when you have a Sniper Rifle 
handy. As such, I'll only mention enemies as "noteworthy" if I think they 
have a significant chance of killing you. The enemies will be mentioned 
just prior to the section of the guide describing that scene.

A new feature I've added is called "Oddities". Placed in similar fashion 
to how I place the "Noteworthy enemies", the Oddities will highlight 
unusual situations that have arisen during a level. These will usually be 
one-time occurrences that resulted in significant shifts in strategy, 
such as a Phantom failing to unload a squad of Brutes when it ordinarily 
does so. These Oddities will always be described in a single paragraph, 
such that the following paragraph will be unrelated and will continue 
the strategy as normal.

Whenever I specify a relative direction like left or right, it should be 
assumed that the default direction you are facing is toward the enemies. 
That is, if I say something like "look to the left", that means I'm 
assuming you're already looking in the direction of the enemies, and you 
should look left from there. If I want you to look somewhere else in 
order to orient your point of view, I will describe a particular thing to 
look at, such as "the bunker across the bridge".

I mentioned above that I will not be detailing how to locate terminals. 
However, it should be noted that the terminals contain new information on 
Legendary mode. Even if you've found them on lower difficulty settings, 
it may be worth your while to check them again if you're interested in 
uncovering some more backstory. Throughout the walkthrough, I will 
provide reminders when terminals are nearby, as well as briefly describe 
the contents, but I will not give specific directions to reach them.

One final note: The "Grunt Birthday Party" skull was turned on during the 
playthrough on which I wrote this guide. This was mostly for comedic 
effect; Legendary mode can be very frustrating, and a spray of confetti 
accompanied by a chorus of cheering children helps to lighten the mood. 
However, I have noticed a minor gameplay effect this skull has. The spray 
of confetti apparently counts as a small explosion. It's not enough to 
cause significant damage, but it CAN cause other nearby explosives to 
detonate, including grenades dropped by slain opponents. This means if 
you headshot a Grunt amidst a pile of other dead Grunts, it will often 
cause the dropped grenades to explode and eliminate nearby foes. This 
results in a game that may be significantly easier than one without the 
skull turned on.

=========================================================================
GENERAL ADVICE (S5GA)
=========================================================================

Many battles in Halo 3 can be overcome with the same general strategies. 
This section will provide a few tips and suggestions to improve your 
overall success on Legendary.

1) Make good use of your allies. Most battles are much easier if you have 
some assistance, even if all they do is draw fire away from you. Don't 
limit their usefulness to mere decoys, though. Trading weapons with 
marines is a great way to improve your team's firepower. Remember, allies 
essentially have unlimited ammo, so if you have a Rocket Launcher or Beam 
Rifle to spare, hand it to a comrade. This especially applies to 
passengers in vehicles, since those allies are more likely to remain in 
combat longer. The marine sitting in the passenger seat of your Warthog 
will be much more effective wielding a Fuel Rod Cannon than he will with 
an Assault Rifle.

2) Although allies are useful, don't go out of your way to protect them 
if it means putting yourself at risk. Marines frequently leave cover for 
very stupid reasons, and there isn't much you can do to stop them. If 
someone decides to step out from behind a rock to fire an Assault Rifle 
at an entire squad of Brutes, so be it. Don't rush out and try to kill 
them all before the marine dies. Chances are high that you will simply 
follow him to the grave.

3) The Arbiter deserves his own note, as he has qualities that other 
allies lack. Namely, he will never die. If he falls in battle (which is 
fairly common on Legendary), he will rise again after a while. I'm not 
sure if there's simply a countdown to his revival or if he returns on 
some other cue. Also, if he takes enough damage (perhaps when his shield 
falls, I'm not certain), he will go berserk and drop his weapon to pull 
out an Energy Sword, then proceed to rush the enemy lines and tear them 
apart. He will probably fall shortly thereafter, if enough foes continue 
firing on him, but he will often take several enemies with him. As a 
bonus, if he falls you can take his sword.

4) Use headshots whenever possible. Grunts, Brutes, and Jackals will all 
die from a shot to the head, though some Brutes require that you knock 
off their helmets or destroy their armor first. To my knowledge no other 
enemy is susceptible to headshots (with the possible exception of Drones, 
but really, why bother?). Flood Combat Forms supposedly have a weak spot 
somewhere that causes death, but it isn't the head. Weapons capable of 
headshots include the Pistol, Battle Rifle, Sniper Rifle, Carbine, and 
Beam Rifle.

5) Pay attention to checkpoints. They pop up at set places and also 
sometimes randomly. If you enter a battle right after crossing a 
checkpoint and the battle doesn't go as planned, it's a simple matter to 
revert to the checkpoint and try again. Do this if you waste too many 
shots with a valuable weapon like the Sniper Rifle, or if an ally you 
just handed a Rocket Launcher to suddenly dies. You can also use 
checkpoints to determine how a battle will flow. Everything usually plays 
out the same if you perform the same actions. If you notice that taking a 
step to the left results in some adverse occurrence, revert and take a 
step to the right instead. You might be surprised at the difference such 
a simple action can make.

6) Patience, patience, patience. Take things slow and don't rush in 
hastily. There are no battles with infinite enemies, so take your time 
and kill everything before moving forward. You'll save yourself from 
being surrounded, and you'll always have an escape route behind you if 
things get messy.

Following is some advice for dealing with specific enemies.

GRUNTS
------
On Legendary, even a single Grunt can kill you if you aren't careful. 
They like to throw plasma grenades when you aren't looking, and they have 
very good aim with them, meaning you'll get "stuck" a lot. Their aim and 
rate of fire with weapons is also improved. Combined with the fact that 
Master Chief gets damaged more easily, a squad of Grunts all firing at 
you in unison will cause death in a matter of seconds.

As far as killing them, Grunts can be handled the same way you've always 
handled them. Most weapons can take them down easily; however, weapons 
capable of headshots are preferred, most notably the Battle Rifle and the 
Carbine. The Pistol can work in a pinch, if you have nothing better, and 
frag grenades are great for dealing with groups of them. I don't 
recommend using heavy artillery like the Rocket Launcher or the Fuel Rod 
Cannon unless you're firing into a group mixed with something more 
dangerous, like a Brute. Likewise, don't waste Sniper or Beam Rifle shots 
on them unless you know you'll be ditching the weapon soon anyway and 
want to finish off the ammo.

JACKALS
-------
The shield-bearing Jackals aren't too dangerous, but they can be hard to 
kill. Their shields are nearly impervious to some weapons, though a 
Plasma Pistol/Rifle can cause them to disappear momentarily, giving you 
free access to their fleshy bits. Alternatively, you can aim for their 
feet or the little hole on the side where they fire their weapons. This 
will cause them to recoil briefly, letting you quickly aim at their heads 
and finish them off. Grenades are also useful against them, as are melee 
strikes if you can get close.

The sniper Jackals are another story. With Carbines, they present only a 
moderate threat. It takes several hits to drain your shield, and they 
usually pause after two or three shots, letting you counter-snipe them or 
find cover as the situation warrants. With a Beam Rifle, though, a single 
shot will end you. Finding and killing these guys is always the priority 
in any battle situation. Since they usually set up shop far away from you 
and in hard-to-reach places, the only way to deal with them is to snipe 
them before they snipe you. This requires quick aiming and quick 
shooting, so if you aren't very good at sniping, you will have a tough 
time dealing with them.

BRUTES
------
Standard rank-and-file Brutes aren't a serious threat unless they're 
carrying Brute Shots. A direct hit will drain your shield completely, and 
they fire pretty rapidly; the second shot will often kill you, even if 
it's not a direct hit. The Captains almost always carry Brute Shots, so 
handle them with caution. The jump-pack Brutes usually have Carbines, and 
their increased mobility makes them very annoying, since they can reach 
high places and surround you easily. Stalkers aren't really any tougher 
this time around. They often prefer to remain hidden rather than fire on 
you. If you can spot them, you can take them out easily. Chieftains are 
the worst, of course. They always have deadly weapons; either a Gravity 
Hammer, a detached Plasma Turret, or a Fuel Rod Cannon.

A lot of people say it's suicide to engage a Brute in melee, but I 
disagree. While they do have a mighty powerful punch, they aren't very 
fast with it. In most cases, you can run up, land a good blow, then back 
off a step or two to dodge the counterattack before stepping right up to 
bash him again. A solid melee hit will usually destroy their armor and 
cause them to recoil, although with a Captain it may take two hits, and 
with Chieftains...well, don't melee the Chieftains. It's not worth the 
risk. They don't always recoil from a melee strike, meaning they can 
counter immediately. With a hammer, they will kill you in one hit, 
whereas they may require three or four to take down. If they have a 
turret or a cannon, they'll probably kill you before you even reach them. 
Always deal with Chieftains from a safe distance, unless you are 
absolutely certain you can get behind him for a one-hit-kill, which 
usually requires you to be invisible.

Sometimes it isn't feasible to get within melee range of a Brute. In 
these cases, there is one rule to follow: if you plan to fire on a Brute, 
be prepared to do enough damage to destroy his armor. If you fire one or 
two shots and he retreats to cover, that damage you did will be erased as 
his shields recharge. Sniper/Beam Rifles and other hard-hitting weapons 
can usually break the armor after one hit, but if you're using something 
like a Battle Rifle, it can take a while. For this reason, a Brute 
leading a squad of Grunts should be dealt with after the Grunts are dead 
(or at least distracted). Breaking a Brute's armor with an Assault Rifle 
means you need to leave cover for a few seconds. As mentioned above, a 
group of Grunts can easily kill you if you stand out in the open for that 
long.

DRONES
------
These things are immeasurably irritating on Legendary. An individual 
Drone will die quickly, but as you know, Drones always appear in large 
swarms. With their increased rate of fire and ability to attack from all 
directions, you'll be retreating to cover after downing just one or two, 
dragging out the battle to annoying lengths of time.

The best weapons for handling them are rapid-fire weapons: Battle Rifle, 
Assault Rifle, any turret, etc. Theoretically, you could take out a bunch 
of them with a single explosive, but it's very hard to cause an explosion 
in their midst. They move too quickly to be stuck by plasma grenades, and 
firing a rocket or a fuel rod seems like an awful waste of ammo if it 
misses. I've heard the Needler is great against them, since the needles 
seek out targets, but whenever I try, the needles always go after 
different bugs, never gathering enough in one spot to cause an explosion. 
Maybe you'll have better luck, though.

HUNTERS
-------
Generally speaking, Hunters on Legendary can be dealt with however you 
deal with them on other difficulties. Just remember that their attacks 
are more powerful now. If you're good at dodging their melee strikes, 
dance with them and pump some lead into their backsides. A single rocket 
or a trio of fuel rods will take them down no matter what part of the 
body they strike, as long as it's not the shield. I've also found that 
the Plasma Turret works well against them. Just unload with it; no need 
to aim for the soft spots, but again, avoid their shields. A fully-loaded 
(200 shots) Plasma Turret is usually enough to down both Hunters.

FLOOD INFECTION FORMS
---------------------
No real strategy with these, though rapid-fire weapons are your best bet. 
Watch out for large groups of them. Try to thin out their numbers to five 
or less, then (assuming no other enemies are around) let the remainder 
kamikaze against your shield. Be especially wary if they show up in the 
middle of a firefight with other enemies. Your shield will empty 
frequently, and a single Infection Form is all it takes to finish you 
then. Keep an eye on your motion tracker and watch for the tiny dots that 
identify their presence.

FLOOD COMBAT FORMS
------------------
No matter which race they infect (human, Elite, or Brute), a single melee 
attack will often destroy them, although the Elites sometimes take more, 
what with the energy shields. Obviously, you don't want to charge them if 
they're firing on you from a good distance, but use melee whenever 
possible. If they attack in large numbers, as they often do, try to blast 
them with a grenade or a Brute Shot. Their melee attacks will often drain 
your shield, so try to strike first if you plan to enter close combat. 
Don't forget to destroy the body so it can't be revived by an Infection 
Form later. Despite popular belief, an Energy Sword is not necessary to 
destroy a Combat Form body. Some weapons may take more time, but any 
melee hit will eventually reduce the body to pieces.

FLOOD CARRIER FORMS
-------------------
These walking egg sacs are only a threat if you fail to notice them. If 
they get close and explode, you will more than likely die. At the very 
least, your shield will be gone, and then you'll be easy pickings for the 
newly released Infection Forms.

The best way to handle these is to toss an incendiary grenade at them. 
The lingering fire will immediately destroy the Infection Forms that 
appear. Incendiaries aren't always available, though, so you may just 
have to blast them and then deal with the children afterwards. If you see 
one amidst a group of other enemies, try to shoot it and force it to 
explode among them. It's basically a free grenade.

FLOOD PURE FORMS
----------------
Each of the three shapes should be handled in a different way.

Ranged: Try to get some cover and shoot at it periodically. If you can 
force it to curl up into a defensive position, use the time to move a bit 
closer, possibly enough for a melee strike, which will kill it in one 
blow. Of course, if it's on a high wall or ceiling, melee won't work. If 
you remain behind cover long enough, it may revert to a different form. 
Plasma Rifles work well against them.

Spider: You probably won't be able to hit it while it's running around in 
this form. It tends to change directions unexpectedly. Just the same, if 
you can manage to get within melee range, lash out at it. Otherwise, try 
to catch it when it stops to change form.

Tank: Keep your distance unless you have a Brute Shot, Energy Sword, or 
Gravity Hammer. A solid hit from any of those will usually cause instant 
death or at least a recoil. Trying to melee it with anything else won't 
make it budge, except that it'll take a swing at you and probably kill 
you. Aim for the face if you engage it from a distance, but be prepared 
to use up a lot of ammo. Plasma and spike grenades are also helpful 
against them, since they move slowly and are easy to stick.

Also note that all three shapes will fall to a single spritz from the 
Flame Thrower.

SENTINELS
---------
Sentinels only become enemies in the final level, and they're usually 
distracted by the Flood, so they should pose little threat. Use whatever 
weapons you like against them.

And now, on with the walkthrough.

=========================================================================
ARRIVAL (L000)
=========================================================================

The only thing special about the opening cinema on Legendary is some new 
dialogue. When the Arbiter says, "The Brutes have our scent," Johnson can 
reply with a number of different lines. Of the times I've played, he has 
said the following:

"Then they must love the smell of bad-ass."
"Then they must love the smell of a REAL man."
"Then they must love the smell of [something]. Yeah, I'm doin' a little 
product placement. I gotta get paid, too!"

That last one I can't quite make out what he says. The subtitles don't 
reveal it; they actually display the "bad-ass" reply. It's apparently the 
name of a real-world product. In any case, it was quite a surprise to 
hear. Also hilarious.

=========================================================================
SIERRA 117 (L100)
=========================================================================

-----------
WALK IT OFF
-----------

-Goal: Get to the river for evac.

As the mission starts, just follow your allies through the area as 
normal. When you reach the point where Johnson takes some marines and 
climbs up the rock, ready your Assault Rifle, then head into the first 
battle.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute (Brute Shot)

Before the Grunts arrive, try to damage the Brute enough to destroy his 
armor. Your allies should help out a bit. If you can kill him, even 
better, but he'll probably take cover before you can finish him off. When 
the Grunts arrive, switch to the Pistol and aim for headshots. The 
marines will draw some of the fire, so you shouldn't need to retreat 
behind cover unless you're right up front. Just the same, be on the 
lookout for incoming plasma grenades. If the Brute isn't dead yet, he'll 
jump off the log and land on the large, flat rock closer to ground level, 
making him an easier target. Grab the Brute Shot if you're so inclined 
(replace the Assault Rifle if you do; you'll want the Pistol for 
headshots) and continue on.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Captain (Brute Shot)

When the Phantoms arrive to drop off troops, take cover. The Plasma 
Turrets will shred you if you give them the chance. You could, if you 
feel like it, try to destroy the turrets with the Brute Shot you just 
grabbed, but it's probably a waste of ammo, since the Phantoms leave soon 
anyway. When they do, begin firing on the enemies below, but keep an eye 
out for Grunts trying to flank you on the left. They have a nasty habit 
of sticking you with plasma grenades while your attention is elsewhere.

Try to remain on the higher ground during this fight. You can peek over 
the edge to take a few pot shots at Grunts with the Pistol, then back off 
to recharge your shields. Use your grenades if you want; they're handy 
while the enemies are still clustered together in the pool. The Brute 
Captain will most likely deploy a Bubble Shield after taking some fire. 
If he does, do not drop down and charge through it. Instead, use the time 
to take out some of the straggling Grunts while the Brute is hiding and 
can't fire back at you. When the shield drops, finish the Captain off.

Most, if not all, of your marines will probably die here. Even the 
Arbiter might take enough damage to become enraged and bust out his 
sword. If he does, you can probably stay back and watch him kill the 
remaining foes nearby. If you want your share of kills, though, by all 
means assist him. Before moving on, scavenge for more ammo from your 
fallen companions.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Brute (Brute Shot)

Drop into the pool you just cleared and look toward the enemies further 
on. See that Brute standing out in the open on top of a rock? He makes 
for an inviting target, wouldn't you agree? From the pool, pull out your 
Assault Rifle and fire at him in short bursts of 3-5 shots. I've noticed 
that he simply stands there and doesn't fire back if you stay far enough 
away. You could also use the Pistol, but he tends to sidestep if you try 
to hit him with the Brute Shot. In any case, break his armor off, and if 
he's still standing there, continue firing until he dies, then move 
forward slowly, killing Grunts and using the rocks as cover.

If the Arbiter is still enraged from the previous battle, he'll probably 
rush right in and begin slashing, doing a lot of the work for you. He 
also draws most of the fire, allowing you to aim for the second Brute 
further back, guarding the tunnel. If you're really lucky (or brave, or 
stupid), you can bum-rush the group and melee them while their attention 
is on the Arbiter. That probably won't be possible, though, so just hang 
back and fire away with whatever you have on hand. Consider lobbing a 
grenade or two to thin out their ranks a bit. When it comes down to just 
a few Grunts, dodge from cover to cover and melee them. The Brute, too, 
if you can manage it and he's not already dead. If not, use your Assault 
Rifle or Brute Shot to break his armor, then headshot him with the 
Pistol.

At this point, consider abandoning the Assault Rifle in favor of the 
Brute Shot if you haven't already. Double back to the river and recover 
more ammo for it, as well. You should be able to max it out, but if not, 
don't worry about it.

Continue on until you reach the area with the sleeping Grunts. From the 
cliff edge, drop straight down. A pair of Covenant weapon crates contain 
Spikers and Carbines. Replace your Pistol with a Carbine, then sneak up 
the slope and melee the napping Grunt you see. If you have any surviving 
marines, they will alert you to the presence of Jackal snipers.

-Noteworthy enemies: 4x Jackal (Carbine)

From your position after meleeing the Grunt, zoom in with the Carbine and 
scan the treetops. You should see the telltale purple glow of a Jackal 
sniper toward the right. He might fire on you if he spots you first. Take 
him out, then scan to the left. See the two shield-bearing Jackals on the 
cliff? Somewhere below their position are two more Jackal snipers. They 
move around, so it's tough to pinpoint their exact position, but one is 
usually in the water, and the other tends to hang out near the explosive 
energy canisters. When you find them, snipe them.

While you're doing this, the Arbiter is probably sowing chaos among the 
numerous Grunts and Brutes down below. Help him out by sniping at them. 
If you can isolate a Brute, go trigger-happy on him to break his armor, 
then go for a headshot. If you're lucky, the Arbiter might even take one 
out with his sword. He may decide to remain on the cliff and help you 
snipe, which is still good. He's quite adept at headshots with his 
Carbine.

When enough of them have died, the surviving Covenant will begin falling 
back. This is your cue to move forward. Replenish your Carbine ammo, 
either from the Jackals you killed or the other weapon crates in the 
area, and move up the left side. You may be wondering where the fourth 
sniper is. He's on a cliff to the right, near the tree where the first 
sniper was. You may have seen his shots aimed at the Arbiter earlier. He 
was out of sight while you were up on the cliff sniping, but once you 
drop down and reach the water, he should be easily visible.

As you move up the slope on the left, use the big tree as cover from the 
shielded Jackals above. As you approach, switch to your Brute Shot, then 
hop up right next to them and melee them. The enemies who retreated 
earlier rediscover their courage and move in to attack. Your new perch 
should allow you to fire on them as they come into view. Don't be afraid 
to fire the Brute Shot if they group together. The Arbiter will probably 
remain below and fire up at them, but he may still have his sword out and 
decide to wade into their ranks. Any Brutes that haven't died will remain 
behind the other troops, firing Brute Shots or Spikers at you. There's no 
real cover along this path, so running forward to melee them is probably 
suicide. Ideally the Arbiter will distract them and let you fire away 
with your own Brute Shot. They shouldn't pose a serious problem, but they 
will probably cause you to use up a lot of ammo. You'll know everything 
is dead when Johnson radios in that he "can't reach Bravo" and orders you 
to find them. Replenish your ammo and move on.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Jackal (Carbine), 1x Brute (Brute Shot)

When you round the bend and see the Brute threatening the marine, blast 
away at him with the Carbine, or use the Brute Shot if you have no qualms 
about injuring the soldier. For that matter, you could probably stick him 
with a plasma grenade. Whatever you choose to do, try to kill this Brute 
before he has a chance to fire on you with his Brute Shot. There should 
have been a checkpoint right before you arrived, so consider reverting 
back if you fail to eliminate the Brute quickly. If you save the marine, 
he will jump down, grab an Assault Rifle, and join the ensuing fight.

Just to the left of where the Brute and his prisoner were, a Jackal 
sniper fires down on you. Snipe him, then move forward, killing Grunts as 
you go. Before you cross the tree-bridge, snipe the Jackal on the other 
side, as well as any retreating Grunts.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute (Brute Shot)

When you cross the bridge, keep to the left and watch for three Grunts  
in an alcove. You should be able to melee all three of them without a 
problem, then join the Arbiter in dealing with the two shielded Jackals 
and more Grunts, as well as the Brute farther back. There's enough cover 
in this area to press forward and melee the Brute after you've dealt with 
his lackeys.

Before moving on, check the alcove where the three Grunts were. Some dead 
marines are there, as well as some weapons. One of these is a Battle 
Rifle, which I highly suggest you take. If you're confident of your 
sniping skills, replace the Carbine. If not, keep it and replace the 
Brute Shot. The coming battle will rely heavily on sniping, and you may 
run out of ammo if you waste too many shots. A second headshot-capable 
weapon could prove useful in that case.

---------------
CHARLIE FOXTROT
---------------

After Cortana interrupts you, make a sharp left as you exit the tunnel. 
Under the funky-lookin' tree is another fallen marine and a Battle Rifle. 
There's also one on a rock nearby. Take the extra ammo and move on.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Jackal (Beam Rifle)

When you arrive at the firefight, take out as many enemies as you can 
without moving forward, paying particular attention to any Brutes and 
Carbine-wielding Jackals nearby. When the Pelicans fall, look across the 
river. There are two Jackal snipers over there, but instead of Carbines, 
they have Beam Rifles, the bane of Legendary mode. Using your Battle 
Rifle, zoom in and snipe them before they can fire. Don't worry about 
trying to headshot them; hitting them anywhere will cause them to recoil, 
giving you another precious second before they attack. Try to keep that 
tree between you and one of the snipers, allowing you to handle just one 
at a time. A Phantom will probably fly in and block your sight before you 
can kill both. Just wait for it to leave, then resume your attack.

-Goal: Find Johnson's crashed Pelican.

Once the snipers are down, you can relax a bit. Move toward the water and 
look for a Machine Gun Turret. Don't pick it up yet, just note where it 
is. Sometimes it's in the water. If you can't find it, don't worry too 
much. It's not necessary, but it does make things easier later.

Anyway, remain near the water and look ahead where all the enemies are 
milling about, hoping for you to come to them. Don't fulfill that desire. 
Instead, use your Battle Rifle and pick off wandering Grunts. There's 
plenty of 'em up there. Also try to pick off the three Carbine-wielding 
Jackals. One of them is directly below an open pipe in the wall. The 
other two are on a cliff to the left of him. You might not be able to see 
them, but if you stand atop the pair of boxes at the edge of the river, 
you should be able to spot at least one of them. If not, don't worry. You 
can take them out later when you move up.

After you've sniped most of the Grunts (and maybe a Brute or two), move 
up the left side. A pair of shielded Jackals guards a path around a large 
rock. They should be close enough together to take them both out with a 
grenade. You could also use the Brute Shot if you still have it. If you 
feel daring, rush in and melee them.

As you move up, you should see and hear another Phantom approaching. It 
drops off several loads of Brutes and Grunts at the structure, then flies 
off upriver. Retreat and take cover as it passes lest you get taken out 
by its turrets.

-Noteworthy enemies: 6x Brute (Brute Shot)

Here, you have a couple of options. You could grab that Machine Gun 
Turret and press forward around the path you cleared toward the 
structure. It will make short work of the Brutes (of which there are now 
five or six, assuming you didn't kill any earlier) and Grunts, as well as 
any Carbine-wielding Jackals you missed. This tactic relies on a certain 
amount of bravado, though.

If you prefer to play it safe, stay back and continue sniping with your 
Battle Rifle and Carbine, taking out Grunts one by one. Once they're 
gone, wait for a Brute to step a good distance out of cover, then blast 
away and try to break his armor before he hides again. Kill him if 
possible, but destroying his armor should be good for now. Once that's 
done, you can snipe him at your leisure next time he emerges. Eliminate 
as many Brutes as you feel you need to this way, then grab the Machine 
Gun Turret and press forward like in the first option, only this time 
with fewer enemies to worry about.

Either way, I suggest taking the left path around the large rock. As you 
come around it, you should see the Jackals you couldn't find earlier. 
Take them out, then use the large boxes and pillars as cover while you 
deal with the Brutes. As mentioned, the turret will shred them easily, as 
long as you can deal with one Brute at a time. Multiple Brutes will cause 
problems. This is why it's better to snipe as many as possible from the 
river's edge. Once they're dead, gather as much ammo as you can for the 
Carbine and/or Battle Rifle.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Jackal (Beam Rifle), 1x Brute (Brute Shot)

If you haven't emptied the turret, feel free to lug it along with you for 
this next battle. Before you round the corner entirely, keep an eye on 
the rocks. A Brute will jump up there, so shred him with the turret (if 
you still have it) or whatever other weapon you have. Be careful as you 
step around the corner, though. A Jackal with a Beam Rifle is waiting to 
end you. You should have just received a checkpoint, so if you want to 
identify his exact position, go ahead and let him kill you once or twice. 
If you'd rather not die, inch around the corner and keep a close eye on 
the rock ledge overlooking the path where the Grunts are huddled. I 
suggest letting the Grunts come to you or allowing the Arbiter to handle 
them while you concentrate on the sniper. You could use the turret, but 
it's not really accurate enough for this kind of work. Better to aim for 
a headshot using the Carbine or Battle Rifle. In any case, ditch the 
turret at this point; you won't be needing it for what comes next.

Before you move into the jungle, attempt to find the Beam Rifle used by 
the Jackal you just killed. Chances are it's up on the rock ledge with 
his body. To my knowledge, there's no easy way to get up there (grenade 
jumps might work, if you know how to pull those off), but there's another 
way to get the weapon. Basically, knock it down from there with 
explosives. Grab a Brute Shot from one of the previous fights and return 
here. There's a tree stump on the left side of the path, right across 
from the rock ledge, that you can stand on to see atop the ledge. If 
you're lucky, the Beam Rifle is close to the edge. Fire a Brute Shot at 
it to knock it down. It may take a couple tries. It might even be 
justified to use a frag grenade. Revert to the last checkpoint if you 
knock it somewhere you can't reach. Anyway, once you have it (drop the 
Brute Shot; keep either the Carbine or Battle Rifle, whichever you 
prefer), prepare to deal with several more snipers.

-Noteworthy enemies: 8x Jackal (Beam Rifle, Carbine)

Before you even pass under the large pipe, start scanning the next area's 
treetops and cliffsides. You should be able to spot and kill two or three 
Jackals from here. To be honest, I don't know exactly how many of each 
weapon there are; I generally kill them before they fire a shot. I do 
know that at least 4 of them have Beam Rifles, so be careful. Anyway, as 
you creep forward, stay to the left. A path should lead around the area, 
where several of the snipers sit. The Arbiter will take the lower route, 
right through the center. Luckily, that should distract the snipers and 
allow you to locate them when they fire on your buddy.

When you see the sun shining on a leaf-covered cliff up high, look up 
there, as one of the Beam Rifle snipers is there. I point him out because 
he's easy to miss while you're concentrating on the trees and lower 
cliffs. He should be the last one, or at least the last one wielding a 
Beam Rifle. Speaking of which, feel free to grab a (relatively) fresh 
Rifle from the fallen snipers before continuing. Follow the Arbiter up 
the path on the right side.

-Goal: Find Johnson before he's captured.

-Noteworthy enemies: 4x Jackal (Beam Rifle, Carbine)

The four snipers should be distracted for a while by the marines below, 
so use the time to locate and kill them. They should all be somewhere on 
the cliff wall across the valley and to the left. I believe only two of 
them have Beam Rifles, so try to kill them first. While you're dealing 
with the snipers, the Arbiter will be fighting a squad immediately below 
you. Chances are that he'll die, but don't worry about it until the 
snipers are dealt with. When they are, peer over the edge of your cliff 
and try to take out the Brute first. The Grunts shouldn't be a problem if 
you stay in your roost.

Before you drop down into the valley, use your Carbine/Battle Rifle to 
take out as many distant Grunts as you can. There are plenty out there, 
as well as a few Brutes. When you're satisfied that you've killed enough 
from afar, drop down and move up slowly, picking off the remaining foes.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Jackal (Beam Rifle), 2x Jackal (Carbine)

Be wary as you pass under the bridge, as two Jackals with Carbines lurk 
in a tree up on the right. You can kill one before you even go under the 
bridge, but the second must be handled later. The Beam Rifle sniper is on 
a cliff behind a group of Grunts just before you step into the sun. Let 
the Arbiter lead the way. He can deal with the forces on the ground, but 
be prepared to defend yourself when he falls. Around the bend is another 
squad, some of whom like to wander up the hill on the right and hurl 
grenades. Plenty of rocks provide cover, so take your time and line up 
headshots.

-Oddity: Lingering Phantom

Something interesting happened to me once when playing this part. 
Normally, a Phantom hovers nearby with a Brute Chieftain hanging off the 
side. Presumably, this is the Phantom which captures Johnson. As you get 
near, it usually flies away, but one time it decided to stay. Forever. 
No matter what I did, the Phantom never moved. I dispatched the Grunt 
manning the Plasma Turret, and I was actually able to climb aboard the 
Phantom and detach the Plasma Turret for my own use. Not only that, I 
was able to melee the hanging Chieftain, who never attacked or made 
any effort to defend himself. Upon his death, he dropped the 
Invincibility that Chieftains often carry. That and the Plasma Turret 
made the following battles significantly easier.

Grab the Sniper Rifle and its extra ammo from the wreckage of the 
Pelican. You can probably ditch your near-empty Beam Rifle. Better yet, 
use up the Beam Rifle on the upcoming squad, then double back for the 
Sniper Rifle afterward. In any case, you will definitely want the Sniper 
Rifle for the final battle to free Johnson. Deal with the two Brutes and 
their Grunts and shielded Jackals in whatever manner you see fit, but 
don't use your new Sniper Rifle; any strategy you've used up to this 
point should be fine. Then move on through the tunnel toward the last 
area.

------------
QUID PRO QUO
------------

-Goal: Rescue Johnson and his squad.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Jackal (Beam Rifle), 1x Brute Chieftain (Hammer)

After the cutscene with Johnson and the Brute, look down at the small 
collapsed building just below you. A Jackal with a Carbine is there. Deal 
with him quickly, then back off a few steps before the Beam snipers claim 
you. Both of them are across the water. The first one you should get is 
on a ledge running the length of the large building lined with windows. 
The second is on the roof of the small building housing Johnson and his 
men. After you take them out, look at the building on your side of the 
water, where the bridge begins. A Jackal with a Carbine is on the low 
roof toward the right.

With the four snipers down, you can relax a bit. More than likely the 
Arbiter has started trouble below you. Let him do his thing. Your next 
target is the Brute Chieftain. You can find him on the opposite end of 
the bridge, probably near two other Brutes wielding Carbines. Aim for the 
Chieftain's head and try to knock his helmet off before he starts 
running, which he'll do after the first shot. With the helmet gone, feel 
free to finish him off, but he'll more than likely be running across the 
bridge with his Invincibility activated. Either that, or he'll hide 
behind the building for cover. Don't worry about him for now; he can't 
reach you on the cliff, anyway. You can finish him next time he emerges. 
Focus your attention now on the other Brutes in the area, sniping 
whenever you find one. If the constant fire from the Grunts below becomes 
a problem, don't hesitate to switch to the Battle Rifle/Carbine and deal 
with them. You can also easily snipe the shielded Jackals on the stairs.

Once the majority (if not all) of the enemies on your side of the water 
are dead, drop down to the ground below. When you reach the stairs 
leading up to the bridge, you'll hear a Phantom approach. It will drop 
some fresh troops off near Johnson's prison. You can either snipe them as 
they unload or deal with them as they reach the bridge. A combination of 
both is the most likely scenario, with you preemptively sniping the Brute 
and/or the two Jackals with Carbines, then dealing with the Grunts and 
shielded Jackals at the bridge. You'll also have to contend with the 
Chieftain and his two Brute subordinates if you haven't already. You 
should still have enough Sniper Rifle ammo to deal with most of the 
tougher opponents. Consider climbing the ladder to the second level of 
the building, then shatter the windows and fire down on the Covenant from 
relative safety.

With the bridge cleared, cross over it, refilling your Carbine or 
replacing your near-empty Battle Rifle along the way. You can take the 
Chieftain's Gravity Hammer if you like, but it's not really necessary. I 
actually advise against it. I do recommend replacing your human Sniper 
Rifle with a Beam Rifle, though. There should be two, from the snipers 
you killed earlier: one on the ledge with all the windows, the other on 
the roof of Johnson's prison. There may be a few straggling Grunts along 
the way to Johnson, but they shouldn't be a problem.

-Goal: Stay alive. Pelican inbound.

After you free Johnson, immediately head outside and run behind the 
building. When the Phantoms drop off their troops, they will all be 
coming down the stairs near the bridge. You will have a clear shot from 
behind the prison, and you'll also be shielded from the Phantom's 
turrets. It's win-win.

Hocus will fly in after a while and blast the Phantoms, as well as any 
Covenant troops you haven't killed. All that's left is to board the 
Pelican and finish this level.

=========================================================================
CROW'S NEST (L200)
=========================================================================

--------------
KNOW YOUR ROLE
--------------

-Goal: Secure perimeter defenses.

-Goal: Neutralize hostiles in the hangar.

Grab the Assault Rifle and Battle Rifle on your way downstairs, then head 
through the cave and subsequent tunnels to reach the first battle, just 
in time to see a Warthog explode. Use your grenades liberally here. 
Plenty of clustered Grunts and Jackals to blow away. The two marines 
might also toss a few, which should help a lot. The Battle Rifle is 
suggested to clean up the remainder and also the Brute that enters 
further down. Lots of cover to protect you, so this battle shouldn't be a 
problem, but beware the Brute Shot. It has the unfortunate side effect of 
detonating any nearby grenades, of which there are plenty. Refill your 
grenades and ammo from the poor fellows who were operating the Warthog.

Several Jackals with Carbines are at the end of the next tunnel, along 
with some Grunts. A grenade will clear most of them out, and the Battle 
Rifle can finish them off. Continue on to the hangar and deal with the 
first wave of Jackals and Grunts. Use one of the turrets if you want, but 
don't rip it off the stand. When the next Phantoms come in to unload more 
troops, those turrets will come in handy with their infinite ammo. If 
your aim is good enough, you can actually use the turrets to blow the 
forward gun off the Phantom's nose before it shoots you. Then you'll have 
an easy time shredding the troops as they approach. You will probably 
have to disengage if your shields go down, but try to keep the turret 
stationary as long as possible. Consider using one of the Deployable 
Covers to block shots at your flank, letting you concentrate fire in just 
one direction. Once the Pelican launches, grab one of the turrets and lug 
it back to the Ops Center with you. It'll be immensely useful later.

-Goal: Get back to the ops-center.

When the Drones attack, drop the turret and engage them with the Battle 
Rifle or Assault Rifle. Fire right through the wire frame at them; don't 
bother exiting the room. There's a crate of Battle Rifle ammo to the 
left, and you can use the crate itself as cover when you need to. After 
they're all dead, don't forget to retrieve the turret you dropped.

------------------
GIFT WITH PURCHASE
------------------

-Goal: Rescue marines in the barracks.

After Keyes explains the wonders of large explosive devices, follow 
Johnson up the stairs. Before heading through the door, grab a Shotgun 
from the weapon crate to the left, replacing the Assault Rifle. Haul that 
turret along, too, because this next battle is where we'll be using it.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Hammer)

As you enter the garage with all the Brutes, drop the turret and get 
ready to throw a sticky, either a plasma or a spike if you picked one up. 
The kneeling Brute Captain in the center is the target. You'll need to 
aim pretty high, but you want to stick this guy. It'll make things 
easier. If you miss, revert to the last checkpoint. You should have hit 
one right after you entered this area.

Now it's time to play some Hide 'n' Seek. The idea is to bring the Brutes 
after you, one at a time, and blast them point blank with the Shotgun. 
Use whatever cover you want. I recommend the red wall to the right. Hide 
behind it, and the Brutes will eventually approach to find you. One will 
come around the wall while another covers him from nearby. Keep an eye on 
your motion tracker, and as soon as you see a Brute, blast him. His armor 
will shatter and he'll recoil, allowing you to finish the job with a 
melee strike. Immediately duck back behind the wall, because your 
victim's buddy will be firing heavily and probably spouting curses at you 
for killing his friend.

Do this several times, always waiting for them to come to you. In between 
these episodes, try to take a few pot shots at the Chieftain with your 
Battle Rifle. You don't need to break his armor or knock his helmet off, 
although that helps. What you want to do is make him use his 
Invincibility. If he uses it now, before you actually engage him, your 
chances of survival will greatly improve.

After you've killed a few Brutes, some more will enter back near the 
Chieftain, these ones wielding Carbines. Keep up the strategy, but don't 
be afraid to use that turret you've been lugging around. As soon as 
you've killed enough Brutes (the number seems to vary), the Chieftain 
will begin to charge. This is your cue to use the turret and unload on 
him. If you're lucky and he used his Invincibility earlier, he should die 
quickly. If not, then you'd better run. Drop the turret and put as much 
distance and as many obstacles as possible between the two of you. Once 
his armor ceases to glow white, aim the Battle Rifle at his face and end 
his life as quickly as you can. Clean up any remaining Brutes and move 
on, refilling your Shotgun and Battle Rifle along the way. You can take 
the turret if you want, but don't bother if it's close to empty.

Move through the next area, killing or evading Drones as you see fit, and 
reach the Arbiter. Ready your Shotgun and open the door to the barracks. 
The first few Brutes won't even notice you until you're right up in their 
faces. Close with and blast the one threatening the soldier, then melee 
to finish him. Do the same to the guy near him. If you're quick, you can 
even kill the third one in the same manner. Take cover after that, and 
prepare for a hard fight.

-Goal: Evac via the landing pad.

While the Arbiter and the marine you saved distract the Brutes, run over 
to the ladder that leads to the upper floor. Take out the two Jackals 
(with melee strikes, if possible), then duck behind the piles of boxes 
draped with green sheets. Peer over the edge and fire on the Brutes while 
they're busy engaging your allies. To reach the Brutes in the bathroom, 
climb up into the air ducts and drop in behind them. The Shotgun is your 
best option again.

For the next stretch, use the Battle Rifle to fend them off from a 
distance while you make for the second level again. Another ladder nearby 
leads into the overhead ducts. Climb up and move forward toward the next 
hole straight ahead, where you can fire down on the Brutes from relative 
safety. Eventually, they'll retreat down the hall to the right. Drop down 
when they do, and approach the captured marines to have them join you.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Plasma Turret)

Before you rush into the next battle, take a moment to search along the 
inner wall just prior to the corner. You'll see a door with a glowing 
green light, indicating it can be opened. Do so, and you'll notice the 
small tunnel opens into the hallway where the Brutes are, allowing you to 
flank them. There's no cover on the other side, though, so you have to be 
careful if you try this. Your allies should draw some fire, so use that 
to your advantage to close the distance with a Brute and shotgun him. 
Also note that two more Jackals lurk on the second level, so take them 
out when you can. Once again, the air ducts provide a means of dropping 
in behind the enemy, should a frontal assault prove difficult. After the 
battle (you'll know it's over when the Arbiter says, "We did all we 
could."), refill your Shotgun and Battle Rifle, and consider grabbing the 
Plasma Turret before you leave, to make the next battle easier. You may 
also want to rearm your marines, if any survived. Battle Rifles make good 
gifts.

Ride the elevator up to the landing pad and prepare to deal with the 
jump-pack Brutes. The Plasma Turret is best if you brought it. Otherwise, 
use the Shotgun when they're close and the Battle Rifle if they're 
distant. The large crates make decent cover if you need it, and any 
allies you have left will be of great assistance, especially if you 
upgraded their weapons. After a few waves of jumpers from up high, a 
door opens up straight behind the elevator you just exited, releasing 
another squad. The door will display a red light for a time, then turn 
yellow and green as the Brutes open it. If you're there when it does, you 
can mow them down as they come through. Oddly enough, they ignore you 
until they run out the door a ways, even if you kill them right in front 
of each other. The tunnel behind them leads up to a room housing some 
Cloaking equipment, which you should definitely grab after this battle.

-Goal: Return to the ops-center, arm the bomb.

----------------------------
LAST ONE OUT, GET THE LIGHTS
----------------------------

Cloaking in your pocket, follow the tunnel back toward the ops-center. 
After Cortana's little message, open the door and rush the Grunt manning 
the Plasma Turret. Rip it from the ground and blast the Jackals and 
Grunts up ahead and around the corner. You may consider tossing a grenade 
into their midst if they bunch together.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Jackal (Beam Rifle)

After you deal with the Plasma Turrets and charging Grunts, jump on top 
of the truck to shoot your Battle Rifle at the Grunts further in. The two 
snipers are on a ledge overlooking the area ahead, which is actually the 
same garage you fought the Brutes in earlier. Use the barricade and the 
two large boxes as cover while you counter-snipe them. Feel free to grab 
a fresh Plasma Turret before moving on, as well as one of the Beam Rifles 
(replace the Shotgun).

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Fuel Rod Cannon(FRC))

In the ops-center, you have a few options. You could use the Cloaking, 
rush forward, and melee the Chieftain in the back. If you do this, note 
that an outside explosion will cause the room to shake just before you 
reach the Chieftain. It causes him to turn around, so hold off on your 
attack until you get behind him again. This will eliminate the biggest 
threat in the room and grant you a heavy weapon to take care of the 
remaining enemies.

Alternatively, you could use your Beam Rifle to snipe him right when you 
enter, though this will probably take three or more shots to accomplish. 
Then you'll have to deal with his subordinates using only that mesh shelf 
thing as cover. It's doable, but it's a lot harder. I recommend the first 
option, and I'll assume you went with that.

As soon as the Chieftain falls, grab his cannon and head for the stairs 
nearby, leading up to the balcony where sits a Brute manning a Plasma 
Turret. Snipe him from the stairs, where he can't reach you. Then you can 
either peer over the edge and snipe the two Brutes and four Grunts, or 
just go crazy with the Fuel Rod Cannon and destroy them. The level is 
just about over, so it makes little difference.

-Goal: Escape - Find the elevator in the hangar.

With the bomb armed, head through the cave, killing puny Grunts along the 
way. Most of them will ignore you, so you could just run by, but there 
are also two Jackals with Carbines here, so be careful. Continue on to 
the area with the fleeing Grunts and Drones. The Drones will ignore you, 
but the Grunts will put up a fight, so deal with them before heading 
forward.

Upon reaching the hangar, if you haven't yet used your Cloaking, do so 
now and make a beeline for the elevator, ignoring all the enemies. You 
can also do this without the Cloaking, but you'll be fired upon pretty 
heavily. If you'd rather fight it out and clear the way, be my guest. 
Nothing here should pose a major threat. In any case, hit the elevator 
button and end the level.

=========================================================================
TSAVO HIGHWAY (L300)
=========================================================================

A note before we begin: In the past, I've occasionally started this 
level with the weapons I had at the end of the previous one. I'm not 
certain why this happens some times and not others, but it could be 
beneficial if you try to carry over weapons you believe will be useful 
here, such as the Fuel Rod Cannon. If anyone knows or has an idea why 
this happens, I'd appreciate your input. See Contact Info at the end of 
the guide.

-------------------
FULL CONTACT SAFARI
-------------------

-Goal: Lead marines away from the base.

Hop into the driver's seat of the gun-endowed Warthog and head through 
the caves. Don't stop to engage the squad of Grunts and Jackals; just 
plow through them and head outside. If you're quick enough, you can run 
over the majority of enemies fleeing up the hill. Aim for the Brute 
first, then the Jackals, and finally the Grunts.

Continue on and slam into the two Jackal snipers. As long as you don't 
expose your side to them, they shouldn't be able to hit you. The gunner 
of your Warthog will aim for one, so try to run over the other one to 
maximize efficiency. Before you move on, grab one of the Beam Rifles and 
give it to the marine in the passenger seat. You'll have to force him out  
first. Take the other Beam Rifle for yourself (I recommend keeping the 
Battle Rifle as your other weapon), then hop back into the driver's seat 
and keep going.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Captain (FRC)

You can probably ignore the sniper in the hovering platform, but if you'd 
rather eliminate him, just park a ways away and snipe him. Alternatively, 
get a bit closer and let your two companions take him down. If the 
passenger doesn't get him, the gunner will.

Up ahead is a Brute Captain toting a Fuel Rod Cannon. If you drive 
straight for him, he will probably destroy you. Instead, veer right and 
plow into the turrets manned by Grunts. Weave among the wreckage for 
cover, running over enemies while your buddies pick off the leftovers. If 
the Captain hasn't been killed yet, go ahead and smash him.

Now, as much as I'm sure you'd like to take that Fuel Rod Cannon for 
yourself, it's actually better if you hand it off to your passenger. The 
power of that weapon combined with the mounted gun and the Warthog's 
impressive speed will make you a nigh unstoppable force. Just the same, 
you should be careful in the upcoming area.

-Noteworthy enemies: 4x Jackal (Beam Rifle), 2x Shade

Instead of rushing straight into the middle like your buddies in the 
other Warthog (assuming they're still alive), hang a left before the 
large rock and make roadkill of the Brute and his Grunts. Don't stray too 
far from the rock, though, else the snipers and Phantom will take you 
out. The Phantom will leave soon, but probably not before it and the 
various other enemies destroy the other Warthog. Let your gunner and 
passenger take out the stragglers nearby while you park the nose of your 
Warthog right up on the rock. You might be able to back up a bit and 
allow your buddies to fire on the hovering platform on the right to clear 
one of the snipers. Otherwise you can get out and snipe him yourself. 
Either way, once he's down, inch around the rock on foot and zoom in on 
the dam. Two more snipers are sitting atop it, so take them out. The 
fourth sniper is somewhere between the dam and the other hovering 
platform, though sometimes he's in the platform itself. Climb up the rock 
and slowly peer over the edge. When you see him, snipe him.

To deal with the Shade turrets, you can either wait until they turn 
sideways, allowing you to snipe the operator, or you can do some fancy 
driving and let your passenger take them out with his Fuel Rod Cannon. If 
you opt for the second strategy, I recommend spending a bit more time 
atop the rock, sniping enemies, particularly the Brutes, so they don't 
interfere while you're handling the Shades. In fact, the second strategy 
is probably better. If you snipe the Shade operator, another Grunt can 
simply take his place. Might be better to just destroy the things and be 
done with them. In any case, I do recommend sniping the Brute Captain 
carrying the Brute Shot across the water, near the Shade. His shots can 
flip your Warthog if you aren't careful. After the turrets are down, feel 
free to drive right into the remaining foes. Before moving on, replace 
your Beam Rifle with a fresher one from a slain sniper.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (FRC), 2x Shade

This next part can be hectic. The Choppers aren't a major threat with 
your passenger blasting away, but the turrets can be a pain. There are 
also two Brutes with Beam Rifles wandering around, but as long as you 
stay moving, they shouldn't be able to hit you. The Chieftain and his FRC 
are perched atop the first bunker on the left as you come in, next to the 
Warthog that gets thrashed by incoming Choppers. Pause briefly while your 
riders take him out. His attention should be elsewhere when you first 
arrive, so he shouldn't get any shots off toward you. After that, just 
drive around, plowing over pedestrians and letting your fellows handle 
the Choppers. If you can, try to get behind a Chopper and follow him so 
he can't fire at you. The Shade on the cliff will be raining shots on you 
the whole time, but try to ignore him until the Choppers are down. Your 
passenger might blast him, but if not, circle up the right side of the 
hill to reach him. The other Shade by the forcefield should be an easy 
target for your passenger. Approach the forcefield to trigger a swarm of 
Drones. Keep your distance from them and let your buddies take them out. 
Then hop out and smash the forcefield generator.

Before moving on, look around and see if any Choppers are still intact. 
It's unlikely, since your passenger was constantly unleashing explosive 
green death, but if you can find one that's drivable, take it. It comes 
in handy later. Also, grab the Chieftain's FRC, and replace your Beam 
Rifle with a new one if you need to.

Whichever vehicle you end up in, continue through the tunnel, across the 
bridge, and to the barricade. If you're in the Warthog, you have to 
abandon it here. If you managed to salvage a Chopper, you'll be able to 
keep it. Believe it or not, it's possible to fit the Chopper between the 
sections of the barricade on the left and jump the gap to reach the other 
side. It's difficult to accomplish, because you have to be going pretty 
fast to clear the gap, meaning you can't just inch your way through the 
barricade. Use the left trigger boost once you're through to jump the 
gap. If you can pull it off, you'll be able to use the Chopper's 
firepower in the battle ahead, which can make things a LOT easier.

---------------
THE BROKEN PATH
---------------

-Goal: Get to the town of Voi.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Captain (FRC)

When you arrive on the scene, jump over the tipped truck and rush the 
single Brute and two Grunts you see firing on some marines at the right. 
Their focus will not be on you, so you should be able to come around and 
melee the Brute from behind, then finish the Grunts. Look toward the 
larger battle and watch your allies charge the Brutes. Snipe a few if you 
want, but try to conserve your Beam Rifle's ammo.

After a moment, some jump-pack Brutes will enter the scene wielding 
Carbines. When they notice you, try to dodge their fire as best you can 
and force them to get closer. As soon as one takes to the sky in your 
direction, follow his path and try to meet him right as he lands so you 
can melee him. Take his Carbine (you can drop the FRC for now) and use it 
to snipe the remaining jumpers. Or you could use the same tactic as 
against the first, if you like.

When the jumpers are dead and the other Brutes have moved to engage the 
marines in the large bunker, look up at the bridge you passed under to 
reach this area. To the left is a path leading up the hill and allowing 
you to stand atop the bridge, providing you with a nice view of the 
firefight ahead. A Sniper Rifle is up there, giving you a second long 
range weapon to take out the Brutes. Once again, I have to stress the 
importance of conserving ammo here. You have a lot of shots, yes, but the 
Brutes' numbers are great. Don't fire more than two shots at any one 
Brute. That should be enough to kill anyone, with the possible exception 
of Chieftains.

Anyway, from your new vantage point, you should be able to find the 
Captain firing the FRC at the bunker. Just follow his line of fire back 
to him. A shot or two from your Beam Rifle should end him. Then scan the 
area for more Brutes, taking them down when you spot them. The Grunts on 
the left should be handled with the Carbine. Feel free to get closer if 
you need to. The left side of the bridge leads onto the hills surrounding 
the bunkers.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (FRC), 1x Wraith

As soon as you hear the music, retreat back to the top of the bridge. A 
Phantom comes in and drops off some more Brutes, including a Chieftain 
and some jump-packers. If you make it to the bridge in time, you can 
snipe the Chieftain before he even exits the Phantom. If not, try to get 
him as soon as he hits the ground, before he has time to get cover or 
fire a shot (yes, he can and will fire at you from that distance). A 
checkpoint should have just appeared, so consider reverting if you fail 
to eliminate the Chieftain with three shots or fewer.

-Oddity: Exploding Phantom

Strangely enough, the marine who was wielding the FRC managed to survive 
to this point. When the Phantom came in to drop off troops, the marine 
began firing up at it. I didn't think it would amount to much, but the 
Phantom actually exploded and fell to pieces around the Brutes who had 
just jumped out, trapping many of them amidst the rubble and making them 
easy targets.

The Wraith approaches from far ahead, near the next area. He shouldn't 
spot you immediately, so use the time you have left to take out as many 
jump-pack Brutes as you can. Eventually the Wraith will move up, and then 
begins the mortaring. Although it may be easiest to close the distance 
and destroy it with the FRC, I strongly advise against it. If you can 
capture the Wraith without destroying it, the rest of the level will be a 
cakewalk. That comes later, though. For now, you'll have to just avoid 
his constant bombings. You'll be a sitting duck on the bridge, so it's 
time to return to ground, where there is ample cover.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (FRC)

After taking down a few Brutes, another Phantom flies in to drop off 
another squad, including yet another Chieftain with an FRC. This brings 
the total to almost 20 Brutes. Once again, do your best to take out the 
Chieftain quickly and with as few shots as possible.

By now, the Beam Rifle you brought along is probably close to empty. If 
so, return to the top of the bridge and swap it for the Sniper Rifle I 
mentioned earlier. Be careful to avoid incoming mortar fire while you're 
up there.

Fresh rifle in hand, head over to the left side of the bridge and down 
the hill. You have another rifle, but it probably won't be enough to deal 
with all the enemies. You'll want to clear a path to the large bunker 
where the marines were holed up fighting Brutes earlier. A second Sniper 
Rifle is in there, and you'll be needing the ammo. Using the smaller 
buildings as cover, sneak around and snipe the Brutes between you and the 
large bunker. Use your Carbine when possible. One strategy is to hide 
inside one of the small bunkers and force the jump-pack Brutes to come to 
you. You can melee them when they land nearby (though sometimes they land 
on the roof), then take their Carbine ammo for yourself.

-Oddity: Early Pelican

This is probably related to the Exploding Phantom, as it happened during 
the same playthrough. Normally, Johnson's Pelican comes in after all the 
Brutes, including the Wraith, have been taken care of. This time around, 
the Pelican flew in before everything was dead. Several Brutes and the 
Wraith immediately turned their attention to the Pelican, which made 
dispatching them extremely easy.

Keep moving around between buildings, dodging Wraith bombs and sniping 
Brutes. When you have a clear path to the large bunker, run straight for 
it, hopping the low cement walls and evading fire. Once inside the 
bunker, the Sniper Rifle should be right there on the floor. In addition, 
there's a weapon crate full of Battle Rifles, which you can swap for your 
Carbine if you like. There should only be ten or so Brutes left, so 
continue dodging among cover and sniping Brutes until only the Wraith is 
left.

With all the other Brutes dead, you can now capture the Wraith. Get some 
cover and wait for the Wraith to stop firing. Then, peer carefully out 
from behind your cover and zoom in on the Wraith. See the gunner manning 
the turret? Snipe him. You could have done this earlier, but another 
Brute would have taken his place. With the Wraith's only close-range 
defense out of commission, you're free to run right up to it (still being 
careful to avoid bombs, of course), climb aboard, and proceed to melee 
the driver. Congratulations, you've just commandeered the vehicle you'll 
be using for the remainder of this level.

Incidentally, if you managed to bring a Chopper here from earlier, this 
entire battle would have been much simpler. You wouldn't have had to 
worry about conserving ammo; you could simply have sniped the heavy 
hitters and used the Chopper's guns on the rest. You'd still want to have 
saved the Wraith, though, so once it arrived, you probably would have 
needed to exit the Chopper. It's hard to mow down Brutes while evading 
mortar fire.

Anyway, climb aboard your newly acquired (if slightly damaged) Wraith, 
and allow a marine from the Pelican to climb into the turret seat. You 
shouldn't even need to worry about weapons for the rest of the level, but 
if you'd rather be prepared for the worst, scour the area for FRC ammo. 
If your Sniper Rifle is about empty, replace it with a Carbine or Battle 
Rifle and move on.

Destroy the hovering platform with the Brute sniper in it, then begin 
blasting the Choppers as they come toward you. A single direct hit 
probably won't be enough to take a Chopper down from the front, so be 
prepared to fire twice. Unfortunately, your new marine buddies in their 
Warthogs will probably get in the way. Do your best not to hit them, but 
if it means the difference between life and death for you, don't 
hesitate. Another hovering platform houses more Brute snipers, and two 
Shade turrets guard the tunnel ahead, but they shouldn't be a problem. 
Before moving on, grab a Beam Rifle to go with your FRC. 

-Noteworthy enemies: 3x Wraith

Head through the tunnel and blast the two Brutes before they board their 
Choppers. Now, don't move forward just yet. Position your Wraith near the 
Choppers you just destroyed and look ahead. On the hill across the gap, 
another Wraith is waiting. If you stay back far enough, he won't even 
fire at you, though he might fire at your allies if they're careless. Aim 
high--and I mean high, like above the cloud ring--and fire your mortar. 
It may take some adjusting of aim, but it's possible to destroy that 
Wraith with your own from here. Four or five direct hits should be 
enough. After each hit, watch the Wraith for a second. If you see a blue 
explosion (apart from your own bomb, I mean), that signals the Wraith's 
demise.

Now, move up toward the break in the road, but don't jump it yet. Look 
toward the Wraith you just destroyed, and scan left across the bridge. 
Another Wraith is there, waiting to replace the first one. Once again, 
you can fire on him without him firing back if you keep your distance.

With the second Wraith taken out, go ahead and jump the gap. You'll need 
to use the boost to clear it. On the other side, begin destroying 
Choppers. Take a sharp left and use the large rock as cover if you need 
to. A Phantom will drop off some more Choppers, and a third Wraith will 
take up position on the other side of the hill. He usually decides to 
climb up and take the place of the first Wraith you destroyed, in which 
case you'll need to be careful of his bombs while engaging the Choppers. 
You can't easily deal with the Wraith from this side of the hill, so just 
avoid him for now.

Shortly, another Phantom will drop off even more Choppers. Just stay near 
that big rock and fire on them as they approach. When you get a chance, 
follow the left path around the hill, under the bridge. Fire on that 
Shade turret. More Choppers will probably come in, so be prepared to 
retreat if needed. When you take out the Shade, back up and move around 
the opposite side of the hill. As you come around the back, you'll see 
another Shade turret, so blast it.

Now all that should be left is the final Wraith. From his position atop 
the hill, he has the advantage. You have a few options here. If you still 
have a marine manning your Wraith's turret, the best thing to do is snipe 
the other Wraith's gunner from afar, then charge your vehicle up the hill 
and go nose to nose with him. He won't fire his mortar at that range, and 
neither should you. Just let your own gunner blast him while you stay 
right in his face.

If you don't have a gunner, it's a little trickier. You could still snipe 
the enemy gunner, then run up the hill on foot and board the Wraith to 
melee the driver. You could also sneak around and take shots at him with 
the FRC. There isn't much cover on the way up, though, so both of those 
endeavors are risky. Instead, you could inch up the hill in your vehicle 
until you barely see the top of the enemy Wraith. Don't go too far up, or 
you'll get a face full of mortar. Hang back just out of sight on the 
slope and fire just high enough to clear the top of the hill and hit the 
Wraith. Do this a few times and you'll be clear to head up and reach the 
road.

With your Wraith, the Brute blockade Johnson mentions should be easy to 
clear. The jump-pack Brutes might close the distance, but they can't 
really do any harm. The Brute Shots can do some damage, though. Just bomb 
the hell out of the whole area, and don't forget the Brute sniper further 
back. Continue on toward the wrecked Pelican and the final encounter of 
this level. Bomb the Brutes, bomb the Shade, and bomb the Chieftain with 
the Plasma Turret. Destroy the forcefield generator and leave this place 
behind.

=========================================================================
THE STORM (L400)
=========================================================================

----------
GHOST TOWN
----------

-Goal: Destroy first anti-air Wraith.

Open the first door, then head upstairs to the left into the room with 
the glass walls and computers. At the far left end is a door leading to a 
small room with a Battle Rifle, which you should swap for your Pistol. 
Proceed toward the first encounter and hit the button to open the door 
and allow your allies through. Toss a grenade into the enemy ranks to 
clear a few out, then start firing your weapon to finish the rest. I 
don't recommend sitting back and letting the Warthog do all the work, 
since there's a good chance a Grunt will toss a plasma grenade at it. 
It's better to keep that vehicle alive.

To make the next part easier, take over the driver's seat of the Warthog. 
Pull it up to the next door, get out, hit the button, and jump back in. 
As soon as the door opens, punch right down the hall. Go all the way to 
the end and smash the Brutes before they hop into the Ghosts, then clean 
up the remainder.

You have a choice here. You can stay in the Warthog, or you can take one 
of the Ghosts. Honestly, with the amount of enemy vehicles in the next 
area, the Ghost is probably the better option, simply because it's easier 
to maneuver. I'll assume you opted for being in control of both movement 
and weapons and took the Ghost. No matter which vehicle you're driving, 
though, if you take fire from more than one enemy Ghost at a time, you're 
in trouble.

-Noteworthy enemies: 5(?)x Ghost, 1x Wraith, 1x AA Wraith

As soon as you're out the door, make a sharp left and boost all the way 
along the narrow path, running down the Brute Captain and his Grunts in 
the process. Help the fleeing marines retake the small building under the 
Phantom by firing from afar with your Ghost. When you've cleared most of 
them out, exit the Ghost and go inside. On the roof are a Sniper Rifle 
and a Missile Pod, both of which you'll want to grab.

The Wraith that drops in makes a tempting target for the Missile Pod. 
Five shots should destroy it. That leaves you with three shots, which I 
recommend using on the Ghosts instead of the AA Wraith. Unfortunately, it 
takes two shots to finish a Ghost, so that third shot won't be much help. 
To deal with the remaining Ghosts, you could either climb back into your 
own Ghost and engage them one at a time, or you can try to sneak around 
and snipe the pilots with your Sniper Rifle (this is one of the only 
situations where using a Sniper Rifle on a Grunt is justified). Neither 
option is particularly easy. If you choose to fight back in your Ghost, 
you'll be hard-pressed to restrict their movements and engage them one on 
one. The best way is to meet them by the slope near the end of the wooden 
walkway outside the small building you just cleared. Even then, if the 
enemy Ghost begins firing before you do, chances are that he'll win and 
you'll be dead. If you instead choose to snipe the pilots, you'll have to 
get them either from the side or from behind, because the front of the 
Ghosts protects their heads.

There is one thing you can do to make things easier. If your Warthog is 
still around, you can park it near the edge of the walkway outside the 
small building and get out, letting the gunner go nuts on the Ghosts 
below. The enemy will probably aim for you instead of the Warthog, so act 
as a decoy while the gunner does his thing.

Once the Ghosts are taken care of, you can finish the AA Wraith. Fire on 
it from afar with a vehicle, or snipe the gunner and get closer to 
destroy it however you like.

-Goal: Destroy all other Wraiths.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Plasma Turret)

Secure a Ghost if you don't have one (there should be at least one still 
intact) and head for the next door. Blast all the enemies that come 
through, then start firing at the ones inside. If you make an immediate 
left upon entering the room, you'll see a door that opens to some stairs 
leading up. Your Ghost won't fit through it, but it doesn't need to. When 
the door slides open, just fire into the stairwell. The Covenant upstairs 
might come to investigate the sounds. If they do, make them regret it. Be 
prepared to back off if a Brute hurls a Power Drain, though. It'll 
immobilize your vehicle, making you an easy target. Alternatively, you 
can go over to the other staircase on the right and just fire directly up 
at the enemy. Don't get too close, though, or they'll swamp you. Again, 
beware of Power Drains being tossed your way. If the Chieftain refuses to 
die, hop out and use whatever ammo you have left in your Sniper Rifle. 
You might want to grab his Plasma Turret for the next battle.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Drone Swarm

It's pointless to count the number of Drones here, but collectively they 
can dish out lots of death. The Plasma Turret can take out most of them, 
but it'll probably run out of ammo before long. Drop it and switch to 
your Battle Rifle at that point. When the majority of them have died, the 
rest will retreat.

Before moving on, take a look at that weapon crate. Are those Rocket 
Launchers? Why yes, they are! Ditch your Sniper Rifle and move on to join 
the marines with Mongooses. Notice another weapon crate nearby has more 
Rockets. Why they give you this second batch, I'm not sure. It's not like 
you can carry that many. Anyway, take the driver's seat of the free 
Mongoose and continue.

-Noteworthy enemies: Pretty much everything

There's nothing subtle about this battle. Have some fun driving around 
and watching stuff explode. Do your best to evade enemy fire while your 
passenger and other allies destroy everything in sight. Choppers, Ghosts, 
and Banshees (yes, there are some Banshees flying overhead) can all kill 
you quickly, so keep moving.

--------
JUDGMENT
--------

-Goal: Kill the Scarab tank.

Probably the safest way to deal with the Scarab is to stay right 
underneath it and let your passenger fire at its legs. Nothing can fire 
on you, but you'll need to be careful not to get stepped on. As soon as 
the Scarab drops, climb aboard and fight your way through. Grab a Plasma 
Turret and blast away at the core, then jump off and get the hell out of 
there.

If you'd rather do something more interesting, try heading toward the 
structure when (or even before) the Scarab arrives. Go up the ramp on the 
right, turn right, and drive onto the red-brown grating that leads to the 
crane. There's an elevator here. Park your Mongoose right in the center 
of the tower, climb off, and hit the green button. The elevator will 
rise, taking you and the Mongoose up to the top. From there, drive up 
to the tip of the crane and sit while your passenger launches rockets 
down at the Scarab. The main gun usually won't be able to hit you (unless 
its angled just right), but the large turret still can. Thankfully, it's 
most likely going to be distracted by other things. When the Scarab is 
close enough, get off the Mongoose (you'll probably need to turn it 
sideways to avoid falling off the crane), and leap down onto it. This 
way, you don't need to spend time blasting its legs. Just fight your way 
to the core and destroy it.

-Goal: Neutralize the anti-air cannon.

Before you continue to the next area, return to the crane where you left 
your Mongoose (if you went with that option). The elevator has returned 
to the lower level, so ride it back up. At the top, just to the right, 
you'll find a dead marine and a Sniper Rifle, which you should totally 
grab. Keep the Rocker Launcher as your other weapon.

As you head into the makeshift medical ward, grab one of the Machine Gun 
Turrets, then move on to the firefight. Use the turret to tear apart the 
Brutes. A second turret is up on the walkway if you need it. Continue on 
through and deal with the next group of Brutes, these ones threatening 
the factory workers. The two turrets should be all you need.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Hunter

When the Hunters arrive, drop the turret and pull out the Rocket 
Launcher. A single rocket should drop each of them, as long as you hit 
their bodies and not their shields.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Gravity Hammer)

Switch to the Sniper Rifle and aim for the Chieftain. Alternatively, fire 
a rocket into the midst of the whole group. You probably won't kill the 
Chieftain, but you'll clean out a lot of others. The Chieftain will 
retreat to the right if enough of his squad dies, and his remaining 
troops will follow.

Don't go outside quite yet. Look to the left for some stairs leading up. 
Go into the room and through the next door. In this second room is 
another Sniper Rifle, so use it to refill your ammo. Go out the next door 
to the outside and begin sniping Brutes. If your turret still has ammo, 
feel free to use it. Should the Chieftain still be alive, snipe him or 
rocket him, whichever you choose. If you wait too long and kill his 
troops first, he'll charge you and probably go invincible, which you want 
to avoid. If any Battle Rifles or Carbines are lying around, grab one 
(drop the Rocket Launcher for now) to use against the Grunts and Jackals. 
Don't waste sniper ammo on them. Retrieve the Rocket Launcher once the 
small fry are dead.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (FRC)

You'll spot the AA gun just as it blasts a ship from the sky. At the end 
of the platform, you'll find a Machine Gun Turret. Without ripping it off 
the stand, fire on the enemies coming down the hill. The Chieftain will 
be at the top, but he'll probably retreat to the right before you can 
kill him (although it may be possible to snipe him). There's also a Grunt 
who sets up a Plasma Turret somewhere, so keep an eye out for him. When 
no enemies remain on the hill, detach the turret and carry it on your way 
up.

I've recently discovered that it's possible to destroy the AA gun without 
climbing the hill to get underneath the core. To the right of the turret 
you were just operating is a small section of platform. If you go as far 
as you can, all the way to the fence, you'll be able to see the glowing 
core of the AA gun when it drops. Just a small section, but it's enough. 
Pull out your Rocket Launcher and fire on the core. This requires precise 
timing, since the rocket takes some time to travel the distance to the 
core. You'll need to fire before the core actually drops. It will take 
two or three hits to destroy it, so you may require four or five rockets 
to account for misses while getting the timing down. Feel free to revert 
to the previous checkpoint if necessary. Also be certain you actually 
aim at the glowing sphere itself, not the casing around it.

Of course, you may want to do things the old-fashioned way. Use whatever 
weapons you have at your disposal to take out the forces guarding the 
AA gun. Machine Gun Turret, Plasma Turret, Rocket Launcher, Sniper Rifle; 
they all work wonders here. The Chieftain will be here if you didn't kill 
him before, as well as two Captains with Brute Shots. They're the biggest 
threats, but don't ignore the multitude of Grunts and Jackals. Take it 
slow, use cover, and eliminate every enemy. Then use whatever is left to 
destroy the AA gun's core and end the level.

=========================================================================
FLOODGATE (L500)
=========================================================================

-------------------
IT FOLLOWED ME HOME
-------------------

-Goal: Find the crashed Flood ship.

Head down the hill back toward the factory. Upon reaching the platform 
and making the first left turn, search the left wall for a fallen Brute 
Chieftain and his Gravity Hammer. Replace one of your weapons (it doesn't 
matter which, since you'll be swapping the other out shortly), and move 
on to see the marines get ambushed by Flood. Either toss a frag into 
their midst or just wade in and unleash hell with the Gravity Hammer, 
then prepare for a few more waves of Combat Forms and Infection Forms. If 
they bunch together, blast them with the hammer. Otherwise, try to single 
them out and go for a simple melee strike. If you find yourself dying a 
lot, move over to the pair of marines and the weapon crates behind the 
sand bags. The Arbiter will be left to deal with the majority of Flood, 
which will result in him going berserk with his sword and cleaning them 
all out quickly. Replace your other firearm with a Shotgun from the 
aforementioned weapon crates.

Move on through the door. If you want a small challenge, try to rescue 
the marine before he gets infected. The Assault Rifle can be used to kill 
the Infection Forms before they reach their target. Just something to 
try, if you feel up to it. Otherwise, just melee the poor sap and keep 
going. If you're quick, you can also save the marines behind the sand 
bags in the next area. Again, completely optional. They have some 
interesting things to say if they survive.

The best way to deal with the crapload of Combat Forms is to wait at the 
top of the stairs as you exit the small room. Pull out the Shotgun and 
blast or melee them as they come up. Strangely enough, the sergeant with 
the Shotgun further on can sometimes hold his own, and he makes a nice 
addition to the team for the next few battles. Check the weapon crate 
behind the sand bags for some more Shotgun ammo, then continue on and 
deal with the next wave of Combat Forms. Shotgun all the way, hammer if 
you're surrounded. If you want to grab it, there's a Flamethrower atop 
the metal walkway on the right side. I usually don't bother; the Shotgun 
and Gravity Hammer are more than enough.

After Cortana's little interruption, ready the Gravity Hammer. As you 
round the first bend in the snaking hallway, you'll encounter a tightly 
packed group of Combat Forms, most of which can be disposed of with a 
single slam. For the rest, melee or Shotgun, as you please. Pass by the 
gibbering marine and emerge outside. Note that a Trip Mine can be found 
nearby. Can you believe this is the same place you fought the Scarab 
earlier? It looks so different without the...ground.

----------------
SHADOW OF INTENT
----------------

Most of the Elites who drop in will probably perish before you even reach 
the battle. Although you can take their Energy Swords if you want, it's 
not really necessary. The Gravity Hammer is better to have along, and you 
certainly don't need two close-range weapons now. On that note, exchange 
your Shotgun for one (or two!) of the Plasma Rifles littering the area. 
The Combat Forms start to carry weapons more frequently from this point 
on, so you'll want something to engage them from afar. Some of the Flood 
here carry Brute Shots, which are great to take along, as well. Their 
melee strikes are akin to sword attacks, and their shots can take out 
several Combat Forms at once. Personally, I stick with the Plasma Rifles 
because they last longer, but I'll leave it up to you which to take 
along. In either case, you should probably keep the Gravity Hammer in 
case of emergencies.

Continue on inside and engage the Flood in the wide hallway. The corner 
on the left is a good place to set up camp, as it's easy to duck behind 
the wall should your shield be wiped out. Replace your Plasma Rifles if 
they get low; a few of the Flood are carrying them. No Brute Shots, 
though, so you won't be able to refill yours if you brought one.

When you reach the other end of the hall, a group of Combat Forms drops 
in from above. If you happened to pick up a Trip Mine earlier, place it 
near the dead marine. When the Flood arrive, they'll walk right over it 
and set it off, destroying many of them instantly. Some more come in from 
the next area, walking through the door on the second level. Stay back 
and use the Plasma Rifles or Brute Shot, though you'll likely run out of 
ammo for the latter. If so, drop it and pick up whatever is nearby. Tons 
of stuff to choose from. Use the hammer if you get swamped. When the 
battle is over, scour the field for ammo or replacement weapons, then 
continue.

-Goal: Search the ship for Cortana.

For those who care, there's another Flame Thrower in the room with the 
glass walls. If your Gravity Hammer is running low, you might want to 
grab it. It's a good alternative for dealing with the Pure Forms you're 
about to meet; a single spritz will kill them no matter what shape they 
take.

Speaking of Pure Forms, their constantly shifting bodies make the next 
battle difficult to write a strategy for. Like I said, the Flame Thrower 
is great for downing them, but if you don't want to use that (or can't, 
in case they're out of reach), you'll need something else. Refer to the 
General Advice section of this guide to see the best ways of dealing with 
each form.

When you emerge outside, a pair of Phantoms will drop off some Elites to 
assist you. There's a Machine Gun Turret to the left of the large stack 
of crates, which can be handy to have. Be prepared to drop it if you get 
swamped, though. Stay on the higher path to the right and let the Arbiter  
and friends deal with the enemies below. The tower at the far end seems 
to be a favorite spot for Ranged Pure Forms to hang out, so you'll likely 
need to deal with them using long range weapons. Keep pressing toward the 
wreckage, killing everything along the way with whatever weapons are 
called for. If you get really frustrated, it's possible to rush past 
everything and just dive into the ship. The Arbiter will draw some of the 
fire, but if too many Ranged Pure Forms are around, it'll be difficult.

----------------------
INFINITE DEVIL MACHINE
----------------------

Once you're inside the ship, you're essentially in the clear. Just don't 
disturb the pulsating bulges. Of course, if you WANT to deal with dozens 
of Infection Forms, that's your choice. Me, I'll be heading straight to 
the console to retrieve "Cortana" and end this level.

=========================================================================
THE ARK (L600)
=========================================================================

---------------
INSTALLATION 00
---------------

-Goal: Eliminate hostile anti-air units.

Sniper Rifle in hand, approach the first battle. Move up the left side 
and stop at the pair of rocks framing a great view of the enemy camp. Aim 
for the Captain first, then take out another Brute or two. After a few 
seconds, a trio of Grunts will sneak up on you from the right, so switch 
to the Battle Rifle and deal with them. A Brute will follow shortly 
thereafter, then you can resume sniping. Occasionally, a lone Grunt will 
decide to pull a kamikaze charge from the right, so keep your ears open 
for the crazy shouting they often let out when doing that. After the 
Brutes are dead, switch to the Battle Rifle to handle the Grunts and 
Jackals, including two Jackals with Carbines. At the end of it, replenish 
your sniper ammo with the canister at the top of the hill.

Before going through the tunnel, ride up the grav lift into the hovering 
platform. Detach a Plasma Turret and carry it along with you. There are 
also some more weapon canisters nearby, so refill your Battle Rifle, then 
press on.

When you come into view of the AA gun, drop the turret and snipe the 
Jackal atop it, then shift your reticle to the Brutes below. Most of them 
will move to flank your team from the right, so eliminate as many as you 
can before they get close. If your marines didn't die in the previous 
battle, they probably will here. When the Brutes are gone, you can start 
taking out Jackals and Grunts with the Battle Rifle.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Hunter

A Phantom will arrive to drop off a Hunter duo, and a pair of Jackals 
with Carbines will join them. Try to eliminate the Jackals first (use the 
Sniper Rifle for a quicker end), then pick up that Plasma Turret you 
dragged along. Drop down to the lower level and just unload on the 
Hunters. One Hunter can be brought down with fewer than 100 shots, 
meaning a fresh turret is enough to kill both, as I mentioned in the 
General Advice section. Their lasers are pretty easy to dodge, even with 
your encumbered speed. As soon as one Hunter falls, the second will 
forego his green death ray in favor of charging in for close combat, so 
be ready to move.

If you feel like it, trek back and get another Plasma Turret from the 
hovering platform to use on the upcoming Brute and Grunts. There's no 
real reason other than to conserve Battle Rifle ammo, but I thought I'd 
mention it just in case. When those last forces are dead, gather whatever 
Sniper Rifle and Battle Rifle ammo is left in the two camps.

As you pass through the building, don't forget that Terminal #1 is 
nearby. Remember, there is new information to be gleaned from these on 
Legendary mode. This one appears to be a diary of sorts, a record kept by 
Mendicant Bias, the AI construct that betrayed the Forerunners, as was 
mentioned on other terminals on lower difficulties. The events described 
seem to have occurred just prior to Mendicant's assignment to study the 
Flood. You'll also discover the origin of that name, "Flood." Interesting 
stuff.

When you emerge outside again and witness the crashing ship, approach the 
cliff straight ahead. If you have any sniper ammo left (which you should, 
unless you were extremely wasteful in the previous battles), you can 
snipe the two Brutes in the area, then use the Plasma Turret or Battle 
Rifle to clean up the Grunts.

As soon as they're all dead, make a dash for the wrecked Pelican (drop 
the turret if you have it). There's a Rocket Launcher down there among 
the scattered supplies, and you want to find it and get it ready before 
the Prowlers show up. If your Sniper Rifle still has some shots left, 
then drop the Battle Rifle. As soon as the Prowlers clear the dune and 
land, blow them away. You'll probably need to aim a bit ahead of them to 
match their speed. If your aim is true, one shot will clear the Prowler 
of all Brutes. The second Prowler comes in right after, so do the same 
thing to it. Occasionally (for me, anyway) the gunner on the second 
Prowler survives the blast and attacks you. If he does, quickly dive for 
cover, then get him with your Battle or Sniper Rifle. A checkpoint should 
have appeared just prior to the Prowlers' arrival, so if you have to 
spend more than two rockets total, revert and try again. Chances are that 
you'll die many times trying this, but it's probably the simplest way, 
given the recent checkpoint.

One of the Prowlers should have survived the explosion, so I suggest you 
take it. Hop into the driver's seat and allow the marines to come aboard, 
one gunner and two side riders. If both Prowlers are still intact, you'll 
still get a gunner, but the other marines will take the second Prowler 
rather than ride yours. Some really stupid marines may decide to ride the 
Mongooses instead. If so, I suggest you force them off and then destroy 
the little vehicles with melee hits so they don't try it again. What you 
want is at least one marine riding the side of your Prowler. When they 
decide where they want to sit, force the rider to get off, then trade him 
your Rocket Launcher. You might think I'm crazy, but trust me. It'll be 
just like in Tsavo Highway when you handed your Warthog's passenger that 
Fuel Rod Cannon. You'll be driving into battle with some serious 
firepower. Hop back into the driver's seat, allow your newly armed ally 
to get comfy, and head out.

When you encounter the enemy vehicles, try to drive so that your 
passenger has a clear shot with his rockets. Also remember that Choppers 
have a very limited field of fire, so flank and follow them whenever 
possible to avoid their guns. Don't let the Ghosts catch you off guard, 
either. Hopefully enough marines survived to drive the second Prowler 
into battle, granting you some welcome assistance. Further up, the 
enemies near the crashed Phantom should be easy to handle, even with 
their Plasma Turrets. Note that a busted Warthog is near the wreckage of 
the human ship you saw go down earlier. The Warthog itself isn't worth 
much, but there's a Sniper Rifle on the ground near it, giving you some 
more ammo for yours.

Drive into the next area and fight off the two Choppers, circling around 
them as much as possible to limit their shots. Once they're down, hang 
out near the overhanging bridge above you and allow your passenger to 
launch rockets at the Shades. Move to the left and let him continue his 
barrage against the forces around the barricades. Be careful of the Grunt 
wielding the FRC. The Prowler is agile enough to dodge incoming fire as 
long as you keep your distance. If you have a second passenger, hand that 
cannon to him, giving you a nice piece of heavy artillery on each side of 
your Prowler. Otherwise, take the FRC for yourself and get rid of the 
Battle Rifle.

Follow the Pelican to the next area, blowing those two Ghosts to bits 
along the way. When you crest the hill and arrive at the firefight, pause 
briefly behind the rocks and let the two Ghosts come to you. If you 
charge in, they and the Brute with his FRC will destroy you. When the 
Ghosts are down, you can cruise around and wipe out the other forces. 
Just like before, the FRC shots can be dodged fairly easily, though you 
have to be careful since there isn't as much space here.

If the marines in this area live, allow them to fill up the remaining 
spaces on your Prowler. Hand your currently equipped FRC to a new 
passenger if you get one, then grab the Brute's FRC for yourself.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Wraith

Head into the cave, but don't go all the way through. Exit the Prowler 
and pull up your Sniper Rifle. Aim for the Wraith's gunner and snipe him, 
then climb back into the Prowler and move toward it. Drive around in 
front of it while your two heavily armed passengers fire away, making 
sure to keep out of range of the Shade and Plasma Turret until your 
passengers can handle them, too.

When these enemies are dead, the Brutes near the hovering platform on the 
left will move across the land bridge toward you. They'll die easily 
enough, but beware of the two Ghosts that come flying in shortly 
thereafter. Also beware of the Brute-operated Plasma Turret up on the 
hovering platform itself. Once they're all taken care of, park your 
Prowler in the middle of the land bridge and allow your passengers to 
fire into the strangely-shaped rock formation between you and the AA 
Wraiths. A Grunt with an FRC is among the enemies hiding there, so be 
prepared to move if necessary. This may take a while, since your allies 
apparently aren't smart enough to just fire at the walls and ceiling of 
the Covenant hideout and let the splash damage do the work. No, they 
insist on getting direct hits. Just humor them. It's safer this way.

When the majority of those guys are dead, move slowly up the right side. 
You may have to get out of the Prowler and take care of the hovering 
platform yourself, since your allies might not notice the Plasma Turret 
until it fires on you. Continue making baby steps in the Prowler until 
your passengers start attacking the AA Wraiths. Beware of leftover 
enemies in the rock formation. They do have Plasma Turrets set up there, 
and they might surprise you.

-----------------
FORWARD UNTO DAWN
-----------------

-Goal: Lead friendly armor through the wall.

-Goal: Locate the Cartographer.

I'm always amazed at the Dawn's entrance. Abandon your Prowler and hop 
into a Scorpion. If you're lucky, your former passengers will join you on 
the tank, giving you a ridiculous amount of firepower. Don't count on it, 
though. Hell, it's not like you really need the extra boost. In fact, do 
I even need to guide you through this part? How 'bout this:

Blow shit up.

Ghosts, Prowlers, Hunters... None of them should be even remotely 
threatening. Your range with the Scorpion is superior in all cases. Even 
a Phantom will go down. Go ahead, blow that Phantom out of the sky while 
it's setting up a hovering platform. Five shots from the Scorpion's 
cannon will destroy it.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Wraith

Yes, unfortunately you still have to be careful when dealing with 
Wraiths, though it's more for the sake of your passengers than for you. 
Take out the Ghosts first, then get comfy under the overhang. The 
Wraith's mortars might reach you, but more than likely they'll hit the 
roof over your head. You, however, have no such restrictions.

Move up and fire on the hovering platform and the barricades below it. 
The only enemy worth mentioning is someone carrying an FRC. I say 
"someone" because I don't know whether it's a Brute or a Grunt. It makes 
little difference, though. He'll die either way.

-Noteworthy enemies: 3x Wraith

When you return to the area with the wall, challenge yourself by trying 
to blast the Phantoms out of the sky. There's one straight ahead, 
directly above one of the Wraiths. It'll fly away soon, so there's not 
really a point to destroying it, but really, how many times do you get 
the chance to blow up a Phantom? I say enjoy the opportunity. The second 
Phantom comes in later to drop off a third Wraith in front of the upper 
door where you meet up with Guilty Spark.

The Wraiths in the area aren't a major problem, but they can actually hit 
you now since you're in the open. Keep moving while you fire on them from 
afar, then blast your way across the bridge and join Guilty Spark at the 
door. Wave bye-bye to your tank for now.

Remember, Terminal #2 is directly behind you after activating the bridge. 
This one details a conversation log between MB and LF. I'm fairly certain 
MB is Mendicant Bias, and I can only assume LF stands for "life form" and 
refers to the Flood, or more precisely the Gravemind. Within, you'll see 
the foreshadowing of Mendicant's betrayal. That Gravemind sure is a 
smooth talker.

Try not to get stepped on by the Scarab when it passes by. Join up with 
the Warthog as it flees the pair of Ghosts. Hop into the driver's seat 
while the Ghosts apparently panic at the sight of you and turn around. 
Let the marine take over the Gauss cannon and destroy the Ghosts when 
they return.

Before going down the hill, look back in the direction from which you 
came. There's a Phantom hovering to the right. If you drive up toward it 
(be careful not to fall off the cliff), your gunner will start firing at 
it, but the Phantom won't fire back. It will take approximately 50 shots 
from the Gauss cannon, but this Phantom CAN be destroyed. I suggest you 
do so, otherwise it will drop off some Brutes with FRCs later.

The shots from the Gauss cannon are actually powerful enough to move the 
Phantom backwards in small increments, eventually out of your gunner's 
range. Sit tight and the Phantom will slowly drift back into its previous 
position, allowing your gunner to resume firing. You may be tempted to 
take over the gun yourself to speed up the process, but don't. The marine 
will take the wheel and drive away like a moron. You could just kill the 
marine, sure, but then you're left with no gunner for the coming battle. 
Be patient, and the Phantom will go down.

While you're doing that, sometimes the Wraith down in the next area will 
spot you and start launching mortars. To avoid this, just stay out of his 
sight, away from the very edge of the cliff.

Once you've destroyed the Phantom, continue on down the hill. Let your 
gunner take out the Ghosts, then plow through the small force behind 
them. Meet up with your allied vehicles and help them take out the 
Wraiths, Ghosts, and Choppers in the area. If you didn't destroy that 
Phantom earlier, it flies in here to drop off its heavily armed troops. 
For an easier battle, abandon the Warthog and take over a Scorpion. 
You'll be a lot slower, but also a lot more durable. Seriously, even the 
Scarab's main gun won't be able to kill you easily.

A few options are available to you for handling the Scarab. You can climb 
up the central structure and jump onto the Scarab's back from there, then 
just reach the core and destroy it while fending off the Scarab's crew. 
That's the most straightforward method, but it's also kinda boring. Plus, 
when you're done, you'll be on foot surrounded by Choppers and Grunts 
with FRCs.

Instead, you can use the Scorpion to blow out its legs, then climb aboard 
and destroy the core. Return to the tank and flee the scene while 
cleaning up the remaining enemies. Again, kinda boring.

I like to spend as much time as possible in the Scorpion, so here's what 
I do. Start by driving the Scorpion up the structure in the middle. From 
the roof, you have a good view of the Scarab's back, so blast as many 
crew as you can find. Wait for the Scarab to turn around and let you see 
its rear. See that glowing spot underneath the large turret? If you blast 
that area enough times, the entire section of armor will crumble, giving 
you a clear shot at the core. The Scarab's movement might make the shot 
difficult, so if you want to, go ahead and shoot the legs to immobilize 
it. Try to save the last few shots on the legs for when the Scarab's rear 
is toward you again, otherwise you'll have to return to ground level and 
circle around. By then, the Scarab will probably have recovered. Plus, 
you'll have to contend with the Choppers and FRC-wielding Grunts.

Whatever you end up doing, the remaining enemies shouldn't prove 
difficult to clean up. You can attack most of the Covenant on the spire 
right from your tank if you want. Otherwise, your Sniper Rifle and FRC 
should make short work of them. You can also grab a Plasma Turret from 
the wreckage of the Scarab if you like. It certainly helps in the future. 
If you want one, make sure to grab it before you move up the spire, 
otherwise they and most of the Scarab's remains will disappear. Also, the 
Brute stalker on the spire sometimes drops a Cloaking equipment, which 
might come in handy.

Before you head into the building, consider the following: There's a 
Brute Chopper inside the middle structure, where the Grunts with FRCs 
were during the Scarab fight. The Chopper can actually fit through the 
door that Guilty Spark opens, as well as all subsequent doors inside. 
Maneuvering is very difficult in those tight quarters, but you may decide 
the extra firepower is worth it. I've been through the place both with 
and without the Chopper, and it definitely makes things easier if you 
have it. The walkthrough assumes you went on foot, because there isn't 
much strategy when taking the Chopper. Just be careful not to get 
surrounded and you should be fine. If you think you might need it but 
aren't sure, then park it in the first room, where Spark zaps the marine, 
so you can come back for it whenever you want. The door to the outside 
locks behind you, so there's no going back once you're in.

------------------------
REAL MEN DON'T READ MAPS
------------------------

Rush past the sleeping Grunts and melee the Brute Captain while he's 
relieving himself in the corner. He might notice you (fantastic 
peripheral vision, apparently) and wake up the Grunts, in which case just 
revert to the last checkpoint and try again from a different angle. Then 
just wipe out the sleepers (eight total) and keep going.

Run down the hallways and enter the next area. If you're quick enough, 
you can melee the patrolling Grunt from behind, which allows you to 
remain stealthy for the next battle. Enter the doorway on the upper 
floor, which puts you on the walkway overlooking the napping Grunts. 
There should be a Brute Captain patrolling this walkway. For me, he's 
always just reaching the opposite end, where it slopes down to ground 
level. It's a simple matter to run around the walkway and get to him 
before he turns around, allowing for another silent kill. The sleepers 
(of which there are six) are easy targets after that. If you can't seem 
to kill the Brute without him waking the Grunts, you could use that 
Cloaking equipment you picked up outside.

Don't forget about Terminal #3. This one continues the conversation 
between Mendicant Bias and the Gravemind. It's amazing to me how the 
Flood justifies what it is doing, how it convinces Mendicant that the 
Forerunners are the enemy. I wish MY linguistic and logic skills were 
that advanced. Must be one benefit of having a collective intelligence.

The next battle is full of Brutes with Brute Shots. In this cramped 
space, that can be troublesome. A Brute will open the door before you 
reach it, so duck back behind the wall for a brief second, then emerge. 
The Brute should have turned around, so rush up and melee him as he walks 
away. Unfortunately, no matter what I seem to try, the Jackal on the 
right notices me and wakes up the sleeping Brutes. It's probably possible 
to kill at least a few of them before they rise, but I've never managed 
to pull it off. Just rush that Jackal and bash his head in for having the 
audacity to shout a warning, then keep to that side area while you launch 
fuel rods at the other enemies. You might even consider using that 
Cloaking if you haven't yet. When you're done, move on and activate the 
Cartographer.

-Goal: Head downstairs for evac!

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Plasma Turret)

I wouldn't blame you if you just ran past this next battle. I do it all 
the time. Open the door, blast the Grunts, then make a dash for the next 
door straight ahead. You'll arrive right when the Chieftain and his 
Brutes do, so give 'em a few shots with the FRC and keep going. If you 
decide to stay and fight everyone else, just be aware that some of the 
Brutes are carrying Maulers, which makes close combat a very bad idea.

-Noteworthy enemies: 4x Brute stalker (Spiker)

You're probably running low on FRC ammo by now, so you might want to grab 
the Chieftain's Plasma Turret for the battle with the Brute stalkers. 
When you first enter their room, take a right and then turn left down 
that path and start shooting. One of the stalkers is there. Head through 
the nearby door and go down the ramp, then camp out with your weapon 
trained on the lower door. Watch for the distorted space that gives away 
their presence, and use your motion tracker to find them around walls and 
such. When the four of them die, two shielded Jackals enter through the 
next door, so deal with them. Grab a Cloaking device if you don't have 
one and keep moving.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Gravity Hammer)

Use your Cloaking to get behind the Chieftain and melee him. Before your 
invisibility fades completely, dash back the way you came and use the 
see-through walls as cover. If you've been following my advice to the 
letter, you should still have plenty of Sniper Rifle ammo to finish off 
the jump-pack Brutes, as well as the two Jackals with Carbines who appear 
on the opposite side. Meet up with the Pelican to end the level.

=========================================================================
THE COVENANT (L700)
=========================================================================

-------
TRIDENT
-------

-Goal: Deactivate first barrier tower.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (FRC), 2x Shade

Use your Battle Rifle to clear out the nearby Grunts right from the 
start. Before engaging the Brute Captain and his Brute Shot, duck behind 
the rocks and blast the two Shades with your Spartan Laser. Trade the 
laser to the marine with the Shotgun, who might already be dead. Use the 
Shotgun to take out the Captain, dodging among the rocks and trees to 
close the distance. Although it's easy to destroy the AA Wraith from here 
with the Spartan Laser, don't do it. You can deal with the Wraith in a 
moment without wasting ammo.

From your side of the water, use the Battle Rifle to take out the Grunts 
on the other side. If you can catch a Brute far from cover and not under 
the effects of a Regenerator, go ahead and shoot him. Keep an eye out for 
incoming fuel rods courtesy of the Chieftain. When you've cleared out 
most of the Grunts, cross the stream to their side. If the two Brutes 
aren't dead yet, kill them now, before you engage the Chieftain.

When it's down to just the Chieftain and the Wraith, do whatever you need 
to get close to the Chieftain. If you're right in his face, he won't 
launch his FRC at you, and you can use a combination of Shotgun blasts 
and melee strikes to take him out. Don't worry about the Wraith attacking 
you; there's no gunner on it for some reason, and the main cannons are 
busy firing into the sky. After you kill the Chieftain, you can board the 
Wraith and beat the driver to a pulp.

When the Pelican arrives to drop off vehicles for you, it's time for some 
trading. Take the Chieftain's FRC and give it to whichever marine is in 
the passenger seat. Then trek back and recover your Spartan Laser. The 
Battle Rifle will serve well enough for now as your second weapon. Take 
the wheel of the Warthog and continue.

Before you even leave the beach, you'll encounter two Banshees. Keep your 
foot on the gas and drive around beneath them while your gunner and 
passenger take them out. A pair of Ghosts comes down the hill soon after, 
but your allies should make short work of them. Continue up the path and 
kill off the Shade and surrounding forces.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Wraith, 2x Prowler

Keep your speed at maximum as you go up the hill. A pair of Grunts are 
about to board some Ghosts. You can run over one of them before he 
reaches his vehicle, but the other will probably escape. Follow him while 
your passenger launches fuel rods at him, and he should go down quickly. 
Deal with the other two Ghosts who come up from below, then head down to 
deal with the Wraith.

There's a Shade turret on a rock as you reach the lower area, but your 
passenger can take him easily. You're now free to engage the Wraith. If 
you like, you can return to the top of the hill and fire the Spartan 
Laser at it. If not, you can cruise around in the water, out of range of 
the Wraith's gunner, while your allies fire away.

When the Prowlers arrive, you again have the option to retreat uphill. If 
your laser is still good, you can try using that, but the Prowlers' speed 
makes them difficult to target while the laser charges up. You can also 
grab one of the Beam Rifles in the weapon crate at the top and try to 
snipe the drivers and gunners. Again, not very easy to aim, but it can be 
done.

The simplest way is unfortunately the most dangerous. Keep the Warthog 
back near the edge of the water, right off the slope you came down. The 
Prowlers won't follow you that far, but they'll be able to fire at you 
when they get close enough. Your passenger will also fire on them. If you 
can survive being assaulted for a second or two, the Prowler will be 
destroyed by your passenger.

The Shade and forces on the hilltop just past the entrance to the tower 
can also be handled by your passenger. As for the Covenant guarding the 
entrance itself, you can inch your Warthog up and let your passenger take 
a few shots, then back off when the Shade starts firing. Rinse and repeat 
until they're all dead. Alternatively, just plow right through them and 
crash into the Shade, then back away and let your allies clean up the 
mess.

Before going inside, take a moment to adjust your team's weapons. More 
than likely you'll only have the two marines who accompanied you on the 
Warthog, but it's entirely possible for the two who took the Mongoose to 
also be alive. One marine already has an FRC, so he's good to go. For the 
others, those two Beam Rifles back at the top of the hill might work, 
though you may want to keep one for yourself. If your Spartan Laser has 
any shots at all, pass it along or just abandon it here. There aren't any 
targets inside that justify taking it with you, but a marine can certainly 
make use of it, no matter how many shots are left. Any other marines can 
make due with Battle Rifles. As for your own weapons, I recommend a Beam 
Rifle and a Battle Rifle. There's a Cloaking device right outside the 
door, sitting in front of some weapon crates, which you might consider 
grabbing.

When you enter, stay near the large glass wall. Snipe the Grunts and 
Jackals with the Battle Rifle, and use the Beam Rifle if the Brute 
Captain emerges. If your allies don't do anything stupid, they can be 
very helpful here, and they might even survive. The two Jackals with 
Carbines are perched in an alcove on the left, down at the other end.

It's actually possible to climb up to the second level and reach the 
elevator without going up the ramp in the next room, completely bypassing 
those enemies. On the left side, there are two red and black boxes 
stacked atop one another. You can jump on top of them and from there jump 
to the second level, landing right next to the terminal. Then just jump 
to the elevator and keep going. I'll still describe the battle you can 
skip, but just know that this is an option if you want to limit combat.

For the battle, there's a pile of energy canisters in the center that you 
can shoot, taking out most of the nearby enemies. You can either snipe 
the Brute Captain on the next level or, if you sneak around the side, you 
can melee him.

Terminal #4 continues where the last terminal left off. Mendicant Bias 
agrees to assist the Flood in attacking the Forerunners, providing aid as 
the "irresistible force" assaults the "immovable object".

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Gravity Hammer)

Activate the elevator and leave your allies behind for now. You should 
have plenty of Beam Rifle ammo left to deal with all the Brutes up here. 
Two of them immediately rush your position, so handle them (with melee, 
if possible). Stay near the elevator and poke your head around the glass 
wall to snipe away. It's a good idea to take out the Chieftain early in 
the fight, lest he decide to charge you. Once they're down, hit the 
button and deactivate the barrier.

-Goal: Deactivate final barrier tower.

If you were quick about dealing with the Chieftain, then he should have 
dropped his Invincibility equipment. Definitely take this. Don't bother 
with the Gravity Hammer, though. You won't need it. Jump on the elevator 
and head down. The marines you left behind will be battling some Covenant 
forces, so help them out.

Return to the outside. Your Warthog should still be around, so hop in and 
let your marines get comfy. Ideally, the one wielding the FRC is still 
alive, and he's the one you want riding with you. If he's not alive or he 
doesn't jump into the vehicle, go back and get the weapon he had and pass 
it along to someone else who WILL ride with you. If NONE of the marines 
lived, drop your Beam Rifle and take the FRC for yourself, then make a 
promise to do better and protect those marines next time. When you get 
back to the beach, try to set up the seating arrangements on the Hornet 
so that a rider has the FRC. If you can get the other rider to take the 
Spartan Laser, even better.

----------------------------
IF YOU WANT IT DONE RIGHT...
----------------------------

Take to the skies and begin the battle. The Banshees should be your 
primary targets, but watch out for the AA Wraith on the small island. 
Your FRC and Spartan Laser passengers will make this whole scene easier. 

Visit Terminal #5 to see the threat Mendicant Bias made against the 
Forerunners, confirming its betrayal.

Before moving around the cliff to the final tower, hover out above the 
small island where the Wraith sat and look ahead. You'll see the enemy 
Phantom and some Banshees engaging a pair of Pelicans. If you want to 
secure your safety, you can shoot down all the enemy aircraft from here 
with your onboard machine gun. It'll take several minutes of constant 
firing, but that Phantom will eventually fall. The Banshees take far 
fewer shots, but are significantly more difficult to target.

Move on to the third tower and take out the surrounding Banshees, 
followed by the two AA Wraiths, the regular Wraith, and the two Shade 
turrets, keeping your distance all the while. There's also a Chieftain 
with an FRC on the central ledge, above the Wraith. After that, you can 
close in and kill the majority of Brutes by the tower entrance without 
even exiting the Hornet. Just be careful not to hit the Arbiter and the 
other Elites when they arrive.

Before heading inside, search the forested area to the right of the 
tower, where one of the AA Wraiths was sitting. There's a weapon crate 
there with a nice load of FRC ammo, which you certainly want to grab. 
You can drop the Beam Rifle, or better yet, give the rifle to one of 
the Elites.

Head toward the door and blast all the Brutes as they come out. You've 
got plenty of FRC ammo, and you'll be getting more later, so don't be 
stingy. You could also let the Elites go first and clear the way, if you 
want.

-Noteworthy enemies: 2x Hunter, 1x Drone Swarm

This part can be annoying. If you focus on the Drones, the Hunters will 
get you. If you try for the Hunters first, the Drones will get you. 
Thankfully, you're carrying a piece of equipment that can make this much 
easier. As soon as you see the Hunters, activate the Invincibility, then 
close and give each Hunter three or four shots with the FRC, reloading to 
kill the second. Remember to avoid hitting their arm shields. Once they 
fall, retreat to cover before your shield runs out entirely. Switch to 
the Battle Rifle and coordinate fire with the Elites to take down the 
Drones. When most of them are dead, the remainder will retreat up the 
elevator shaft.

Once again, it's possible to skip the next battle and jump directly up to 
the second floor from here. It's more difficult, because there isn't an 
obvious foothold. You need to melee one of those red crates over to the 
right without knocking it over. Hit one edge a few times, then hit the 
other, and "walk" the crate over until you can use it as a stepping 
stone. As before, I'll assume you decided to play through the level as 
normal, but use this if you feel like it.

Move into the next battle and run straight toward the Brutes, firing 
several shots from the FRC to force them to retreat. Follow them and 
melee them if you can, but watch out for the few who have Maulers. Use 
the Battle Rifle on them. If you want, let the Elites distract the Brutes 
from the front while you sneak up behind them via the large window. As 
you approach the elevator, the Drones who retreated will come back to 
cause trouble. There should only be a few of them, so down them with the 
Battle Rifle.

If your Battle Rifle is running low, grab a Mauler (or pair of Maulers) 
to replace it. You might want to do that even if you have plenty of 
Battle Rifle ammo left, assuming you're confident of your ability to spot 
stalkers. Your call.

Terminal #6 is the most interesting of the lot, in my opinion. Instead of 
Mendicant Bias, the content of this log seems to have been composed by 
Offensive Bias, the replacement AI the Forerunners chose to battle 
Mendicant. It contains a lengthy description of the battle between the 
two AIs, culminating in...well, I won't spoil it for you. Pay attention 
to what the victor decides to do with the loser, though.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Plasma Turret)

At the top of the elevator, you have a Chieftain and four stalkers to 
deal with. Handle the stalkers first, using either your Battle Rifle from 
a distance or sneaking between walls and closing to use Maulers. Don't 
waste what little FRC ammo you have left. When the stalkers are dead, 
grab up the Maulers from the weapon crate near the elevator. Get close to 
the Chieftain, dodging behind walls for cover, and blast him with the 
Maulers. If this proves too difficult, go ahead and use the FRC. Grab his 
Plasma Turret before you hit the switch.

-Goal: Breach the Citadel.

Use the Plasma Turret to take out as many Flood as you can. When it runs 
out, drop it and use whatever you have on you, most likely the Mauler. 
When you're done, refill ammo and ride the elevator back down to help the 
Arbiter and his pals clear out more Combat Forms. Once again, the Mauler 
is great here. Continue outside and deal with more Flood. Be careful of 
the Carrier Forms. Fend off the Flood as you make your way out, then 
climb into the Scorpion and head through the tunnel. Marvel at the 
instant change in weather.

-------------
JOURNEY'S END
-------------

Blow away the first group of Covenant here, then hop out of the tank and 
scavenge for the FRCs the Brutes were carrying. If you can't find them, 
don't worry. You'll get another batch in a moment.

Move on through, destroying everything in your path. When you see the 
small cave, go inside to find a weapon crate with more FRC ammo. Head out 
the other side, deal with the Wraith and surrounding forces, and finally 
reach the Hornets.

It's your choice whether to use the Hornet or keep the Scorpion for the 
battle with the two Scarabs. I always take the Hornet, so the walkthrough 
will be written to reflect that. As soon as you take off, keep an eye out 
for enemy Banshees. Take them out if you see them, then begin strafing 
the crew on one of the Scarabs. There are also a number of Ghosts and 
Prowlers on the ground, so you may want to deal with them before really 
focusing on the Scarabs. When you've cleared out enough distractions, 
begin circling one Scarab and fire on its legs. Be careful not to slam 
into the cliff sides while you're doing this. When the Scarab goes down, 
go around to its backside and fire on the plating below the large turret. 
The armor will crumble, allowing you to fire into the core and destroy 
the Scarab without ever leaving the comfort of your Hornet. Repeat this 
process for the second Scarab.

-Goal: Stop Truth from firing the rings.

Before going to meet up with the Arbiter and Guilty Spark, hunt through 
the Scarabs' remains to find a Plasma Turret. It'll help out a lot when 
you're making your way to Truth. Now, go be sad about Keyes.

----------
REVELATION
----------

Don't count on much help from the Flood. Though their numbers seem to be 
infinite, they die easily. At best, they provide a distraction, allowing 
you to stay in the open for longer than you otherwise could.

-Noteworthy enemies: 4x Grunt (FRC)

When you get a chance, pull out your FRC and fire a few shots at the 
Grunts with their own FRCs at the other end. Once they're gone, you 
should have little trouble wading through the other Covenant with your 
Plasma Turret. The Grunts here seem to REALLY like throwing grenades, so 
be on the lookout for their blue glow. A second pair of Grunts with FRCs 
enters from the next door when you're a bit closer. Don't be afraid to 
use your FRC here. You'll pick up plenty of ammo for it. Grab that fresh 
Plasma Turret if you need it, then move on to the next section of the 
bridge.

-Noteworthy enemies: 1x Brute Chieftain (Gravity Hammer), 2x Grunt (FRC)

This next part contains some jump-pack Brutes, but they shouldn't be too 
difficult. Just FRC and Plasma Turret your way to the other side. See 
what I did there? I used weapons as verbs. I'm tricky like that. Beware 
of incoming Trip Mines, though. If you see one land, back off and shoot 
it. Of course, the real threat is the Chieftain at the other side. Try to 
blast him with the FRC while he's busy stomping on Infection Forms. The 
two Grunts are also problem-causers, so deal with them when you get a 
break between jumpers. If you want the Chieftain's hammer, make sure to 
get it before his body gets infected, otherwise it'll disappear for 
reasons unknown. The resulting Combat Form certainly isn't carrying it. 
Move on to the next section and the ensuing cutscene.

-Goal: Escape the Flood!

The two Combat Forms can be disposed of with melee attacks, as can most 
of the other Combat Forms later on. If they crowd together, unleash the 
FRC or Gravity Hammer upon them. Of course, the Arbiter will have his 
sword out most of the time, so he'll handle the majority, not to mention 
the Sentinels who come to assist midway through. Be on the lookout for 
Combat Forms with Energy Swords. When you reach the end, jump down the 
chute and be done with this level.

=========================================================================
CORTANA (L800)
=========================================================================

-------
RAMPANT
-------

-Goal: Find Cortana.

When you first start, you'll see a group of Infection Forms. Use your 
Assault Rifle and try to prevent them from taking over the two bodies 
nearby. It's not a big deal if they do; just melee them when they rise 
up. Near the bodies are a plasma grenade and an incendiary grenade.

Up ahead, some pustules burst and release some more Infection Forms, 
which take over some nearby bodies. The resulting Combat Forms can easily 
be handled with melee hits. For the rest of the Infection Forms, Assault 
Rifle in short bursts, and let the last few die on your shield.

There's a tunnel on the right side that leads to an upper level 
overlooking this area. Up there you'll find a Carbine, a Plasma Rifle, 
and an Energy Sword, as well as some more grenades of varying types. 
Trade your Shotgun for the sword if you want (don't expect to keep 
it for long) and your Assault Rifle for the Plasma Rifle. Just a 
heads-up, you'll be using Plasma Rifles throughout this entire 
level, so be on the lookout for replacements when yours get low.

Head through the first of many sphincter-like doors, then drop through 
the one in the floor. After Cortana's creepy sobbing laughter, prepare to 
deal with a wave of Combat Forms. Use the pillars on the right as cover 
and fire on the Flood with your Plasma Rifle. If one gets close, melee 
him. There should be two among them wielding Brute Shots. When you find 
one, take it. Yes, that means dropping the sword. The Brute Shot will be 
your other main weapon during this level.

Two Carrier Forms follow soon after the Combat Forms. Toss an incendiary 
at the first, and if you have another one, toss it at the second. Move up 
the gentle slope on the left and follow it around. When you reach the 
top, stop. To the right is a large amount of Pure Forms. To the left is a 
cluster of Combat Forms (among them is one wielding a Gravity Hammer) 
and an opening in the wall which leads to a crashed Pelican. Take the 
left path with your Brute Shot at the ready. When you spot the Combat 
Forms, launch a few shots at them and destroy them, then dash directly 
for the Pelican. The Pure Forms generally will not follow you outside, 
allowing you to deal with them on your terms. Near the Pelican are 
several weapons you may consider taking: a Shotgun, a Rocket Launcher, 
and a Flame Thrower. You don't actually need any of them, but they may 
help you clear out all the Pure Forms in the area.

Speaking of which, most of these Pure Forms will stay in Spider shape as 
long as you don't rush into their midst. Wait near the opening for one to 
come near you, then lash out at it with the Brute Shot's bladed end, 
killing it in one blow. Repeat this until all of them are dead. On the 
off chance that one morphs, use the Brute Shot's melee to deal with Tanks 
and the Plasma Rifle to handle any hard-to-reach Ranged. Three more 
Carrier Forms appear, as well, but if you stay back, they'll just walk 
right past you down the slope into the previous area.

You may think I'm an idiot for not telling you take the Rocket Launcher 
with you, but seriously, it's more of a burden than anything. To justify 
using it, you'd need to wait until a whole bunch of Flood were grouped 
together, and that's just not something you want to wait around for. 
Trust me and leave it behind. I'll let you decide if you want the Flame 
Thrower or not, but I usually don't bother.

Head through the next two "doors" and find a group of Infection Forms 
milling about. They'll see you and infect a bunch of bodies, which you 
can handle using melee strikes or dual blasting Plasma Rifles. When 
you're done, grab one of the Deployable Covers nearby. As you move up, 
you'll find some Plasma Rifles to replace yours. Drop into the hole and 
prepare for the next major battle.

Look down the corridor. Your goal for this area is to reach the big 
purple thing behind a wall on the left. You'll be able to camp out behind 
there for a good portion of this battle. Ready your Brute Shot and make a 
run for it. Once you're back there, melee any Flood that come after you, 
then peer around the sides and look for others. If you see any Ranged 
clinging to the walls or ceiling, switch to the Plasma Rifle and fire on 
them in bursts of three or four. They'll curl up eventually, but just 
keep firing. When you see one fall, that means it's dead.

When you've cleared out everything nearby, move up to the glass screen 
and repeat the process. Poke your head out to see if any Ranged launch 
their needles at you, then follow their line of fire and use your Plasma 
Rifle as before. They can be hard to see in the distance with that 
annoying haze lingering about. Once all the Ranged are cleared out, you 
can move up and melee everything else with the Brute Shot. Just be wary 
of Pure Forms replacing their Ranged buddies on the ceiling.

When you reach the other end at the lower level, circle around and find 
an opening in the sloping floor, granting you access to the "room" 
underneath. There are several weapons and grenades lying around, 
including a Gravity Hammer leaning against a computer. If you decide to 
take it, be forewarned: using the hammer recklessly will result in nearby 
egg sacs on the walls bursting and releasing dozens of Infection Forms. 
If you're in the middle of combat, those Infection Forms can prove 
exceedingly dangerous. I personally prefer to keep the Brute Shot. It's 
melee attack is good enough for me, and it has the advantage of never 
running out of power.

Incidentally, if you access the computer, you'll receive another message 
from Cortana. Something about wanting to keep you safe but being unable 
to. Just thought I'd point it out, since it's easy to miss.

Anyway, move on through the next corridor. You'll encounter two Carrier 
Forms, which you should probably deal with now before you engage the Pure 
Form behind them. Use incendiaries if you have them, otherwise the Plasma 
Rifle will have to do. Melee the Pure Form and continue.

This next part can be tough. Your main focus should be anything on the 
ground, but the Ranged Pure Forms like to cling to the bridges and fire 
while you're busy with other things. Use Brute Shot melee attacks for the 
most part, and retreat behind whatever is nearby if a Ranged begins 
assaulting you. When the ground forces are dealt with, you can fire on 
the Ranged with your Plasma Rifle(s). Move up slowly, always keeping a 
fallback position in mind, and try to deal with the Ranged Pure Forms one 
at a time. Note that there are several places where you can climb up to 
higher ground, which could make things easier. Also note that one of the 
side halls near the beginning of this area has a hole in the wall, which 
leads to a small corridor with a Flame Thrower in it. Again, I usually 
ignore the Flame Thrower, but if you want to grab it, go right ahead.

When you reach about the midpoint of this area, a loud screeching will 
alert you to the arrival of more Combat Forms, these ones wielding 
weapons. Retreat to a safe area and lure them in. Melee with the Brute 
Shot as much as possible, and use Plasma Rifles on distant targets. Don't 
be afraid to fire a few shots with the Brute Shot if things get hectic, 
but for the most part this battle shouldn't be hard to control. When the 
Combat Forms are dead, deal with the last few Pure Forms and move on.

The next sphincter-door leads to a room that spirals upward in a series 
of sloping paths, and of course the whole area is swarming with Combat 
and Pure Forms. This can be another of the more difficult battles of the 
level, but if you take it slow, you should be fine. First of all, when 
the door opens, you can see a good number of enemies without even 
entering. Fire the Plasma Rifle at the first few Combat Forms, then enter 
when it's clear. To the left is a weapon crate with Carbines, and to the 
right is a side tunnel with some more Flood in it. Kill the Flood and go 
inside. Still have that Deployable Cover I told you to grab? Lay it down 
at the other end of the tunnel, blocking off that exit entirely. You can 
put your back to this shield and melee any Flood that enter from the 
other side, giving you a pretty decent safe zone to retreat to whenever 
necessary.

Plenty of Pure Forms will congregate outside your new miniature base, so 
pop out and melee them with the Brute Shot, but be ready to retreat 
inside if you take fire. When the ground is relatively clear, you can 
poke your head out and fire your Plasma Rifle at any Ranged clinging 
nearby. You may need to submit yourself to their needles in order to find 
them. When you can leave your tunnel without being fired on, stay on the 
ground floor and look around for any Combat Forms you may have missed. 
Then look high up at the surrounding walls. There will likely be several 
Spider Pure Forms hopping around. Watch them for a while, and if any 
transform into Ranged, fire on them with the Plasma Rifle.

When you've killed all the enemies you can find this way, move slowly up 
the slopes, and keep on eye on the high walls for more Ranged and Spider 
Pure Forms. There are some Cloaking devices as you go up the first slope, 
so consider grabbing one for later. Continue your path to the top, always 
watching the walls and your motion tracker. You'll encounter some more 
Combat Forms near the top. When you reach the door, double back through 
this area and replace your depleted Plasma Rifle(s), then move on.

Head through the water-filled and bone-strewn corridor to reach the 
reactor chamber. You can handle this in several ways. You can fight your 
way through, as you have been, until you reach the other side and head to 
Cortana's room. Just take it slow. Or you can decide that you're sick of 
fighting all these damnable Flood and just bypass them. If you're as 
tired of this level as I am, here's how to clear the area without 
fighting. You can use the Cloaking you picked up earlier and just run 
past them, but it'll probably fade before you reach the door. Try to 
melee the first few Flood you see, then activate the Cloaking just before 
you cross to the center.

Alternatively, you can climb up above them onto the circular platform 
that runs around the whole room. When you first enter this area, you'll 
see a weapon crate on the left. Jump on top of it and look up and to the 
left, where the dangling cords are. You can actually jump up onto the 
small purple segment hanging down, and from there climb up to the room-
circling platform. It's difficult, but it can be done. Once you're up 
there, just run around it until you reach the other side of the room, 
then drop down to the bridge and make the short run to the door. Breach 
the stasis field, retrieve Cortana, and return the way you came.

-Goal: Destroy the reactor.

When you get back to the reactor chamber, make an immediate left and 
melee the two Pure Forms just standing there like idiots. Then turn 
around and run the other way, melee attacking the Combat Forms and other 
immobile Pure Forms. In fact, most of the Pure Forms in this room just 
stand still. I'm not sure why, but I won't complain. It certainly makes 
things easier. Clear out your side of the room, ducking behind cover if a 
Ranged Form on the other side unleashes needles on you. If you can locate 
the Ranged, use your Plasma Rifle on him.

Before hitting the switch in the center to drop the reactors, clear out 
all the Flood on the other side. Again, most of the Pure Forms are just 
standing there in Spider shape, but a few may be in Ranged or even Tank 
shape. There are also a number of Combat Forms who don't hesitate to fire 
their weapons. Use the mounds in the center as cover while you try to 
close distance with them for a melee strike. If this proves too 
difficult, just fire the Brute Shot. The level is almost over, so no need 
to conserve ammo. One of the Combat Forms has an Energy Sword, so be on 
the lookout for him.

When the room is cleared, go hit the switch, then look directly behind 
you. That red door at the other end is going to be the one that opens 
after you destroy the reactors. From the center, you can hit all the 
reactors with the Brute Shot. A single blast should be all you need for 
each. After the third shot, head for that door. When it opens, destroy 
the Combat Form that emerges (he has a Mauler, so be careful), then head 
for the hole in the ground.

-Goal: Escape High Charity!

When you drop in, turn left and head in that direction, toward the Combat 
Forms. Don't be shy about firing the Brute Shot; no need for subtlety 
anymore. Use incendiaries on the Carrier Forms if you can. Up ahead turn 
right and head down the corridor.

You're now in the room where Cortana asked if you like games. Run up the 
slope straight ahead and keep going. The door ahead is swarming with 
Combat Forms, some of which have Energy Swords. Clear them out as quickly 
as you can, but be aware of more Combat Forms coming in from behind you. 
This is a good time to use any frag grenades you may be carrying. The 
entire group is followed by a Tank Pure Form, who bursts through the wall 
at the end of the corridor. Deal with him and go through his passageway, 
dropping down the hole at the end.

In this room, take the left path, and keep making left turns until you 
reach the sphincter-door. Go through, destroy the Carrier and Combat 
Forms, and continue on, taking a left through another sphincter-door and 
into the final room, where you'll find the Arbiter. From here, it's a 
short run to the Pelican you found earlier. The Arbiter will distract the 
Flood, so just dash to the Pelican, climb in, and leave this hated place 
behind.

=========================================================================
HALO (L900)
=========================================================================

-----------
FULL CIRCLE
-----------

-Goal: Find the Control Room.

Interestingly, you start this level with whatever weapons you had after 
finishing the previous. The Brute Shot is still a good choice to take 
along, but it might be low on ammo. Feel free to check the area around 
the Pelican for replacements if you want. The Shotgun is a good 
alternative. You'll still want a long range weapon, too, and the Plasma 
Rifle is my personal choice, but you may decide you want something else.

Don't forget about Terminal #7 as you move through the cliffs. Unlike the 
previous terminals, which contained data logs of past events, this one 
contains a direct message to the Master Chief from Guilty Spark. If you 
piece together this info with what you learned from the other six 
terminals, you should come to a startling realization about the true 
identity and origin of Guilty Spark.

The first enemy you see is a Combat Form carrying a Gravity Hammer. I 
wouldn't blame you if you wanted to take his weapon. There are a LOT of 
Combat and Pure Forms coming up. Drop the Shotgun/Brute Shot if you 
decide to grab it.

The best advice I can give for the coming battles is to take it slow. 
Stay near the Arbiter and wipe out all the enemies you can see before 
moving on. If you press forward without covering your rear, you'll easily 
get surrounded. It may seem like the Flood here are infinite, but they 
will stop coming eventually. The only ones who are infinite are the Pure 
Forms climbing up the tower, and they don't attack. Use the mounds of 
snow and such as cover while you fire your Plasma Rifle (or other long 
range weapon) from afar, only going for melee attacks if they get close 
enough or if there are no weapons firing on you. You shouldn't have to 
worry about destroying bodies; no Infections Forms are here to revive 
them. If the Arbiter goes berserk, let him rush the enemy with his sword 
to save yourself ammo.

Some Fuel Rod Cannons and Rocket Launchers are lying around in the snow 
around the tower. If you find them, feel free to use them, but be ready 
to replace them when they run out of ammo.

The Sentinels who arrive provide some welcome assistance, but don't 
depend on them to bring a quick end to things. You can let them deal with 
enemies further away, allowing you to save ammo, but be ready to melee 
anything that gets close.

When you leave the snow and step onto the first level of the tower, 
you'll find a Flame Thrower. As always, I leave it up to you whether or 
not to bring it. You'll need to move pretty fast in these battles, so be 
prepared to drop it and run if necessary.

Continue moving up the tower, destroying every Flood in your path before 
going forward. When you reach the top, grab those two Auto-turrets and 
set them up in front of the door. They won't do a lot of damage, but they 
might help out. When the Flood start dropping in, try to remain on one 
side or the other, where you won't be easily surrounded. The Gravity 
Hammer is fantastic here, as is the Brute Shot. If you have any rockets 
or fuel rods left, use them up here, because you won't be needing them 
after this.

You'll have to endure several waves of Flood, but your allies should 
lighten the load a bit. You'll get several checkpoints between waves, as 
well. Some of the enemies later on have heavy weapons like FRCs and 
Rocket Launchers, so be especially careful with them. When Johnson joins 
you by the door, you'll know you're done. If the Auto-turrets happened to 
survive the battle, destroy them now. They become your enemies on the way 
out, so it's better to get rid of them before they can actually attack 
you.

-Goal: Kill the Monitor, activate Halo.

No guide should be necessary for the battle with Guilty Spark. You've 
played the game before, so you know how this works. Blast him with 
Johnson's Spartan Laser when you get the chance, then mourn the man's 
death and prepare for the final run.

----------------------
THE WAY THE WORLD ENDS
----------------------

-Goal: Get to the Frigate!

Unfortunately, you don't get to keep your previous weapons. Use your 
brand spankin' new Assault Rifle to mow down the Flood with the Arbiter's 
help. Grab up one or two Plasma Rifles and head outside. March up and 
around the cliff, fighting off the Flood and Sentinels. It shouldn't be 
hard, especially with the Arbiter to assist you. Continue inside, 
blasting your way through more Flood and Sentinels. The Carrier Forms in 
the next hall fall easily to Plasma Rifle fire, as do the Infection Forms 
who emerge. Move on, shoot through the last couple dozen Infection Forms, 
and reach the Warthog.

At this point, it all comes down to your driving skills. You should know 
the route to follow; it's no different than other modes. Just be careful 
to avoid exploding platforms and the resulting holes, which seem to be 
more frequent on Legendary. Don't stop for anything, and if you flip your 
vehicle, right it immediately and keep going.

Jump into the hangar and watch the ending movie. After the credits, watch 
the scene with Master Chief, then watch the extra scene after that. I 
have no idea what this scene is supposed to imply, but I've been told it 
makes sense if you've read the Halo book series.

Congratulations! You've finished Legendary mode!

=========================================================================
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (S6FQ)
=========================================================================

None yet.

=========================================================================
THANKS TO (S7TH)
=========================================================================

Bungie, for creating a great game.

You, for taking the time to read this.

=========================================================================
CONTACT INFO (S8CI)
=========================================================================

If you want to get a hold of me, I'd be glad to answer any questions you 
may have about Halo 3 or about this guide. Also, if you have a suggestion 
to make for getting through a certain part of the game that you think 
people should know about, feel free to submit it. If I decide to add it 
in, I will give you credit. Be sure to include the name you'd like me to 
give credit to, else I'll be forced to just use the first part of your 
email address.

I'll also welcome any criticism you may have, as long as it's 
constructive. Don't write me just to say my guide sucks. Tell me WHY it 
sucks, which parts need fixing, etc. I'll take respectful recommendations 
under consideration.

I do insist that you speak to me using the English language. None of this 
"u r aw3s0m3/s7upid!!!11" crap. I don't want to have to decipher your 
message to find out what it is you're trying to say.

Send emails to zorlockdarksoul[at]hotmail[dot]com, and include something 
in the subject line so I know it's in regard to this guide. Even 
something simple like "Your Halo 3 guide" will let me know not to just 
delete the message as spam.

Once again, thanks for reading!


Copyright 2009 Nick Howland                               End of document
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You do not deserve this ring! I have kept it safe! It belongs to me!"