Adversary Guide

PREFACE

“Know your enemy” is a maxim that rings true throughout Halo 3; it also pays to know how best to kill your Covenant foes. With that in mind, this short preface introduces the main opponents and weapons you will encounter during the first Campaign mission (all of which, you’ll notice, are recognizable from Halo or Halo 2). To avoid spoiling any surprises, we’ll be gradually providing advice on new adversaries and firearms at the end of each relevant mission walkthrough.

Grunts

Lowly Grunts may be individually weak and occupy the lowest ranks of the Covenant military hierarchy, but their sheer weight of numbers makes them dangerous foes. Grunts generally use Plasma Pistols and Needlers – two weapons that are consistently effective against the more powerful Brutes.

Grunts throw Plasma Grenades, so it pays to keep moving when you fight large groups of them. (Note that killing Grunts is also your primary source of Plasma Grenades.)

Grunts may seem cowardly, fleeing from battle when they encounter a determined show of force, or when a Brute commander is slain, but they’ll still turn and fight ferociously when cornered.

The quickest way to kill a Grunt is with a headshot. However, they are surprisingly resistant to plasma-based weaponry, especially on higher difficulty settings.

If you hear a Grunt cry “He was my nipple mate!” as you shoot one of his comrades, there’s no need to feel unduly alarmed or perplexed – Grunts eat at devices known as “food nipples”.

Jackals

Jackals come in two varieties – those that carry large, sturdy energy shields, and marksmen armed with Carbines or Beam Rifles.

Shield Jackals are tough to kill when they adopt a defensive position. Their shields can withstand an extended barrage of non-explosive projectiles, so either aim for the firing embrasure on the right-hand side to make them reel backwards (thus revealing more body to shoot), or use a grenade. Melee attacks also work well, but are not always practical in large battles.

You can temporarily disable a Jackal’s shield with a charged Plasma Pistol shot; this generally causes them to turn and flee for cover.

Shield Jackals carry Plasma Pistols, and are unique (among Covenant troops) in that they use the charged shot feature. Be ready to duck behind cover if you see one of these powering up.

Jackals armed with Carbines or Beam Rifles are vulnerable to precision headshots. Look out for the distinctive sheen and glow of their headgear during sniper duels, and aim accordingly.

Brutes

More intelligent and cunning than overheard snatches of their gruff conversation may suggest, Brutes are viciously expert hunters.

Brutes employ a wide variety of weapon and equipment types, and come in many forms. They also perform crushing melee attacks at close quarters.

Brutes wear protective power armor, which must (generally) be destroyed before they can be killed. The armor emits steam and smoke when it is critically damaged.

Once its power armor is destroyed, the quickest way to kill a Brute is with a headshot.

Brutes are known to go berserk if injured, or when their allies are killed. If you have friendly forces nearby, aim to kill berserk Brutes immediately – they can toss fragile Marines aside like ninepins.

Killing a Brute often causes nearby Grunts and even Jackals to mount a disorganized retreat.

Brute Chieftain

The elite warriors of their race, Chieftains are much more dangerous than rank-and-file Brutes. They can withstand a far greater amount of damage due to their superior armor, and have a heightened resistance to certain weapon types – for example, you cannot stick Plasma Grenades to them (only to the weapon they’re holding), and Needler fire generally rebounds from their bodies. You can soften Chieftains up with grenades if you have some to hand (though they’re usually quick to dive aside), but the most effective way to kill them is to aim for their heads. Once their helmets have been blown off, a single headshot with a Magnum, Carbine or Battle Rifle will stop them in their tracks.

Brute Chieftains armed with Gravity Hammers generally wait until an opportune moment, then charge relentlessly at the Master Chief until they kill or are killed. One swing of their weapon will almost completely deplete the Chief’s shield on Normal; if the shield level is already low, an impact spells instant death. The best way to kill them is from a safe distance or elevation, but you don’t always have the luxury of either option…

Brute Captain

Brute Captains are tougher than their subordinates, and tend to be more aggressive – you’ll notice that they are more inclined to go berserk when injured. They also often have access to better weaponry than most other Brutes.

Kamikaze Grunt

Very occasionally, a Grunt can be consumed by an almighty fervor for the Covenant cause, and will decide to prematurely embark upon the Great Journey in spectacular style. Priming Plasma Grenades in either claw, they will charge towards the Master Chief; we shouldn’t have to tell you what happens next. In many instances, you’ll need to kill them immediately. If you’re particularly smart, though, you’ll sometimes wait to see if they pass other Covenant troops as they run – if you can hit them with a headshot at the right moment, the dropped grenades will weaken or kill nearby foes.

Jump Jack Brute

Equipped with special “jump packs” that enable them to leap to higher ground and over large distances, this class of Brute can attack without warning, and from any direction – and that makes them extremely dangerous. Their weakness is that it’s often possible to track their trajectory as they take off or land, and there’s little (bar returning fire) that they can do to avoid your shots. Additionally, they tend to pause in place for a moment as they activate the jump packs, and when they land.

Drone

Individually weak but collectively lethal, Drones can be hard to hit as they flit from one point to another. You should find cover straight away when they first spill into the air, as their sheer weight of numbers often makes them overwhelming. Ideally, you‘ll have access to a turret when you face them, but Battle Rifles or Carbines are reasonably reliable if you pick your shots carefully. If you have a Needler to hand when a swarm arrives, though, use it instead – it can be amazingly effective.

Hunter

These giant “living tanks” are extremely difficult to beat unless you know how to exploit their weaknesses. Hunters perform lethal melee attacks at close range, and use their arm-mounted cannons to fire deadly green energy bolts from afar. The latter can be dodged by running at full speed. Unless you have a powerful weapon or a vehicle, you should always aim at the exposed flesh on a Hunter’s back to kill it. To get a Hunter to present its vulnerable hind quarters, though, you’ll need to get close enough to encourage it to lunge at you, then sidestep at the last moment and fire away until it turns. Be careful to move out of range of the inevitable follow-up melee attack.

Infection Form

The base unit of the Flood scourge. Underestimate them at your peril.

A single Infection Form can reanimate a Combat Form body that is still in a functional state, and turn Brute, Elite or Marine corpses into fresh Combat Forms.

The amount of damage that individual Infection Forms inflict is small, but the cumulative effect when several attack at once is lethal – especially on Heroic and Legendary.

Infection Forms can be popped with a single shot. Other Infection Forms within proximity will also explode if hit by this small blast.

Automatic weapons such as the SMG and Assault Rifle are the best firearms against Infection Forms – and yet, as these are less efficient against Combat Forms and Pure Forms, you rarely have the luxury of having one to hand.

Carrier Form

This foul Flood piñata is guaranteed to enliven any party with its surprise contents. It helps if you have something more substantial than a stick to break it with, though…

Carrier Forms waddle slowly towards their target, then collapse and explode when they draw near. This detonation is hugely destructive – it alone can kill the Master Chief or his allies, and will also set off nearby explosives.

After a Carrier Form detonates, it will shower the immediate area with Infection Forms. You can avoid this by tagging them with a Spike Grenade or Plasma Grenade – the blast will also destroy its payload.

Carrier Forms are more resistant to firearms than they were in previous Halo games. If you want to blow them up from a safe distance, use grenades.

Combat Form

The Combat Form is the most common (and, in large numbers, most deadly) part of the inexorable Flood army.

There are three distinct varieties of Combat Form, with their physical appearance and attributes governed by their former species, be it human, Brute or Elite.

A Combat Form will fall immediately if you hit the Infection Form embedded in its chest. More powerful attacks (particularly melee strikes, Shotgun blasts and explosions) will cause their bodies to fall apart.

In the presence of Infection Forms, you should use melee attacks or a Flamethrower to destroy prone Combat Forms.

“Human” variants are the weakest, and can often be dispatched with a single melee attack or close-range Shotgun blast.

“Brute” versions are larger, stronger, and more resilient.

“Elite” types can be the most difficult to kill, as they are sometimes still protected by shield systems and armor. Aim specifically for their flesh, and be particularly wary of those that carry Energy Swords.

Pure Form

This new form of Flood can mutate into one of three distinct body types, each conferring tactical advantages in specific situations.

Stalker

The Stalker Form is the least dangerous Pure Form body type. You will generally encounter it when the creature wishes to travel from one place to another, or has yet to notice you. Note that they can climb walls, and jump rapidly to avoid weapons fire and grenades.

Stalkers use melee attacks at close range, but are only sporadically aggressive – they are more likely to transform into a Tank when their prey is near, or a Ranged Form when further away.

Stalkers can be disposed of quickly with fire, grenades and melee attacks.

Tank

The Tank Form is enormously strong, and carries out savage melee attacks at close range.

Its body is highly resistant to many weapon types. Ballistic or plasma shots need to be aimed specifically at its “mouth” to inflict damage – though be warned that the creature will cover this area with one of its arms when threatened.

The Tank Form occasionally spits out Infection Forms to reanimate nearby corpses, or to distract its prey.

The Energy Sword, Gravity Hammer, Flamethrower and grenades are the best weapons for bringing Tank Forms down.

Ranged

Ranged Forms fire incessant volleys of Carbine-like projectiles over long distances. These are easily dodged by strafing when fired from afar, but are devastatingly accurate up close.

This is the least mobile Pure Form body type, frequently found clinging to walls. Though they will rotate to face you, they tend to shift into another shape (usually a Stalker) to move.

If you damage a Ranged Form, it will fold up on itself temporarily. While it is possible to kill it in this state, it generally withstands a greater number of shots before dying. Tactically, forcing Ranged Forms to perform the Flood equivalent of “duck and cover” is important when you need to close the intervening gap without being fatally perforated as you run.

Ranged Forms are weakest against grenade sticks, fire and melee attacks. The Brute Shot is also highly effective.

Elites

Floodgate marks the return of the Elites to the forefront of the battle against the Flood and the Prophet of Truth. These formidable shielded warriors favor Plasma Rifles and Energy Swords, and toss Plasma Grenades with alarming enthusiasm.