Prima Games eGuides Halo 3 ODST eGuide

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Halo 3 ODST Guide Multiplayer Firefight

Chasm Ten

Mission 07: Chasm Ten

Fight in the Infested Underground

The ODST “safe zone” is along the map’s south side; this area consists of a long east-west corridor with two air lifts that allow access to an identical upper corridor and to the chasm area itself. The “danger zone” is a series of interlocking catwalks with a deadly chasm below and a line of additional air lifts that allow access to an upper floor; there, more catwalks and an impenetrable energy wall to a Drone hive are available. Expect incursions from both floors, along the north and east or west walls.

Data Stream

Expected Enemies

  • Grunts
  • Jackals
  • Brutes
  • Brute Chieftains
  • Jump-Pack Brutes
  • Brute Stalkers
  • Drones
  • Hunters

Special Enemies

  • Engineers

Expected Vehicles

  • None

Optimal Weapon Combinations

  • Magnum & Plasma Pistol
  • Fuel Rod Cannon & Plasma Pistol*

*After Set 3

Preferred Weapon Combinations

  • Fuel Rod Cannon & Sniper Rifle
  • Gravity Hammer & Plasma Rifle
  • Gravity Hammer & Silenced SMG

Par Score

  • 200,000 Points

Notable Offense

Weapon: Plasma Pistol Packing

Periodically, Engineers float into the fray and are a perfect target for a Turret, or using a high-strength ranged weapon (such as the Beam Rifle shown) on the upper level. Otherwise, Engineers should be tackled by a specific team member (and optionally a second in four-player matches) whose job is to secure a Plasma Pistol and ammunition while the others stay away from this weapon or give up that ammo. The Plasma Pistol–wielding teammate should take down the Engineers as rapidly as possible, using the charged Plasma Pistol blast, which is vital if you’re playing solo and thoroughly recommended when there is only one or two players. As Engineers enhance the strength of nearby Covenant overshields, their deaths are of primary importance.

Weapon: Top Floor Turrets

The “safe zone” is much safer on the upper ledge running the length of the southern wall outside the main corridor, as there are two Turrets you can man. These are much preferred over the Turrets on the lower level; those are dangerous to man, as they are too far north of the safe zone, and you can be outflanked easily. Grab those Turrets and stockpile them instead. However, the upper Turrets are excellent and defensible, as you have your back to the southern wall and can’t be easily outflanked (although it is possible, as your turning circle can’t reach to the extreme sides). Keep the Turret locked onto its tripod, and strafe Drones, Jackals, and Grunts from any distance, racking up sizable points in the process. The infinite ammo is the main advantage here (remember, the ammo is infinite only if the Turret is on its base). Execute enemies closest to you first so you aren’t the victim of a Grenade attack. Leave the Turret only when facing Brutes and if the Tilt Skull is active; this dramatically reduces the effectiveness of Turrets against this foe.

Weapon: The Shortfalls (and Long Falls) of Using a Hammer

During later sets, enemies drop enough Fuel Rod Cannons for at least a four-person team to use as part of an effective weapon combo. The tactical advice is straightforward but really effective: Keep your distance at all times, and use the Fuel Rod to destroy groups of enemies efficiently, ideally as they emerge from their doorways. Conversely, the Gravity Hammer is a highly effective, but highly dangerous, weapon to wield in this mission. A mixture of bravery and madness is needed to sprint into the middle of the Covenant forces and try to begin large-scale kill chains to increase your team’s score substantially. The drawback of the Hammer is the safety aspect; you can strike a foe and be knocked backward, into the chasm below, and there’s almost no room to dodge Grenades. For this reason, ranged combat is favored more than normal.

General Plans

Tactic: Incursion Points—Monster Closets

There are no Phantom drops inside Chasm Ten; expect enemy encroachment from one of seven different locations. There are four side doors (two on the east wall (with one on the lower level, one on the upper level), and two more on the west wall in identical locations). There are also two larger doors that open beneath the massive horizontal red pipe embedded in the north wall, on the lower level. Finally, there’s a central opening on the upper floor that leads to a Drone hive, which you cannot access. Expect all Covenant enemy types to appear from any of these locations. When you’ve learned the locations of these monster closet doorways, you’ll migrate to the upper-level catwalks for the majority of this mission, as you have the height—and therefore the aiming—advantage no matter where foes appear from. Survey the entire area as you formulate the best way to tackle a particular incursion. The only problem is watching your footing on the catwalks; there are no guardrails, and you risk falling into the chasm if you’re overzealous, foolish, or unwary.

Tactic: The Melee Flee

When the more terrifying of the Covenant’s forces begin to cut a swath through your defenses, you need to secure a safe location from which you can face them without being smacked into the chasm. As Hunters or Brute Chieftains armed with Hammers arrive, and melee combat becomes a possibility, retreat to the safe zone’s lower level. While your fellow teammates weaken them with ranged fire from Turrets or sniper weaponry, coax these behemoths to the exit forecourt outside the spawning corridor, where the Turrets are. The extra ground space allows you enough room to circle-strafe behind and tag their backs with ordnance, and if you’re struck, you’re less likely to fall screaming into the chasm—and you should expect to be knocked about when facing these foes at close quarters.

Cooperative Plans

Tactic: Four-Player Foresight

Four-player teams should follow most of these tactics: It is wise to reach the upper catwalks as soon as possible; you should be raining death on the Covenant from above, not blindly looking for foes encroaching on you from above! With all four friends on the upper level, which you can access via the airlifts within or outside the “safe zone,” appoint two players to stay on the Turrets and rake all the smaller enemies. They should stop only to wrench their Turret off its stand before the next round so others can use this stockpiled weapon. Meanwhile, the other two players should be armed with Plasma Pistols to drop Engineers out of the air but are usually in position to lob Grenades at the opening monster closets before any foes can appear and swarm the catwalks. When enemies break through this mesh of ODST ordnance, have the mobile teammates fall back to snipe foes on airlifts, and protect the Turret gunners from becoming surrounded.

Tactic: Two-player Turrets

If your team consists of only two members, your tactics are somewhat different, although you can try this plan during four-player matches if you’ve each paired with a friend. During waves where the majority of foes are Grunts, Jackals, or Drones, each of you should man an upper Turret. One should switch and take down both Engineers with charged Plasma Pistol shots when these foes intermittently appear. When Brutes or Hunters arrive, leave the Turrets and choose any Brute-takedown plan you’ve previously had success with (such as the Plasma Pistol tactic below). At all other times, use the Turret: If your partner needs to descend for health, make sure they tell you, as the Covenant can use the flank with the now-unmanned Turret to reach and attack you unexpectedly.

Tactic: Your Plasma Pistol Pal

This is another mission in which pairing into one team of two (with two players) or two teams of two (with four players) is advantageous, as long as each member of the pair focuses on a specific task. The first team member should be armed with a Plasma weapon, such as the Plasma Rifle or Pistol, while the other should employ regular bullets. The Plasma-weapon wielder whittles down an opponent’s shields, while the other finishes them off with a headshot or two. The Plasma specialist won’t accumulate many points, but their assists are just as important. Remember to specify a team member to grab all Plasma-based ammunition so you don’t run out when the Famine Skull is active.

Bonus Round Plans

Tactic: Range, not Rampage

The swarm of Grunts that greet your team during the bonus round are much more of a threat on this mission, as their constant stream of thrown Grenades is difficult to dodge on the upper catwalks. Those armed with Gravity Hammers are faced with similar problems; you’re more likely to be stuck with a deadly Plasma Grenade on your arm than reach a cluster of Grunts to use your Hammer effectively. Grenades are deadly because of their stickiness and explosion and because their force can knock you into the chasm. Lob a few Grenades at the two side doorways adjacent to the catwalks to destroy the initial waves and to gain some early points. Then stay at a distance, bringing out a Magnum or a scoped weapon of choice, and start kill chains. The Fuel Rod Cannon or the Sniper Rifle is great for dropping multiple Grunts with a single shot, if you have the line of sight. Some Grunts carry the Fuel Rod Cannon, so ammunition should be available.