Halo 3 ODST Guide Multiplayer Firefight
Lost Platoon
Mission 02: Lost Platoon
Fight in the Dead Center of the Park
A lone building in the middle of the Uplift Reserve is the setting for an all-out, and mainly vehicular battle, against the Covenant, who are always dropped in by Phantoms. To the north and west, there’s an area of flat ground; beware Phantoms carrying Wraiths here. To the south is a shallow ravine with a path curving around to the eastern hill, where Phantoms drop Wraiths periodically. Use the cover of the central building and the Covenant’s Choppers to your advantage here.
DATA STREAM
Expected Enemies
- Grunts
- Jackals
- Brutes
- Brute Chieftains
- Jump-Pack Brutes
- Brute Stalkers
- Drones
- Hunters
Special Enemies
- Brute Chopper Riders
- Covenant Wraith Brutes
Expected Vehicles
- Covenant Phantoms
- Covenant Choppers
- Covenant Wraiths
- UNSC Warthog
- (Chain-gun Turret)
Optimal Weapon Combinations
- Magnum & Spartan Laser riding Brute Chopper
- Magnum & Plasma Pistol
Preferred Weapon Combinations
- Carbine & Fuel Rod Cannon
- Carbine & Plasma Pistol
- Carbine & Spartan Laser
- Fuel Rod Cannon & Spartan Laser
- Fuel Rod Cannon & Magnum
PAR SCORE
- 200,000 Points
Notable Offense
Weapons: Spartan Laser and Magnum
Unfortunately, not all of your team can utilize this weapon combo, but for one or two team members, this combination (when you aren’t utilizing the Brute Chopper) is incredibly effective at disposing of foes and, more importantly, accumulating points. Use the Spartan Laser, which you find at the central building, to deliver a single, devastating shot at a Wraith. Each Wraith kill gives you three kills for an instant kill chain and large points. You also gain the Spartan Laser medal for further points. Switch to your Magnum between Wraith drops and during the bonus round. A single Phantom deposits numerous Grunts in a single spot, allowing for easy headshot chaining. Place yourself on the upper, open-air floor of the central UNSC building during the Wraith-defeating and bonus periods; from here, you have easy access to ammunition for these weapons.
Weapon: Brute Chopper
When you aren’t attacking Wraiths or Bonus Grunts, ride the Brute Chopper for the rest of the battle (make sure to tell your teammates the parked Chopper is yours). Using the Chopper, mop up the Covenant infantry after a Wraith explosion. This weapon easily runs enemies over, allowing for additional points for Splatter Medals. Even better, the powerful, front-mounted guns have infinite ammunition. Tear into groups of foes, and don’t worry about being struck on the front of the vehicle; it is specially reinforced, reducing damage you take when enemies fire at the front of the Chopper. This extra protection isn’t afforded at the back of the vehicle, so always charge your foes head-on, hoping for a ramming death or for the Chopper’s dual cannons to do their job. Then hop off and bring out the Laser when you spot Phantoms.
General Plans
Tactic: Incursion Points—Breaking NEWS
There are no monster closets in this mission; the Covenant arrive from one of four locations: north, east, west, or south of the central building. It helps to have a teammate on the building’s upper level, acting as a spotter. As a Phantom descends onto each of these “corner” locations, you should be able to thoroughly prepare for the incursions, which usually happen two Phantoms at a time. Phantom drops to the north and south may deposit a Covenant Brute Chopper, which you should hijack and use as the optimal killing machine for this mission. Phantom drops to the east and west may deposit a Covenant Wraith; you cannot drive this, but you can destroy it with ordnance or with a Grenade deposited into the vehicle after a teammate clambers onto the craft at melee range.
Tactic: Vehicular Gruntslaughter
A critical advantage for your team, vehicles are incredibly helpful in this mission and should be utilized, especially considering the distances you must travel to reach the perimeters of this location. The key to a sustained Firefight is multiple squadmates on separate vehicles, constantly maneuvering around the map and defeating Covenant waves [1]; this makes kill chains a lot easier to obtain and players much more difficult to defeat, as you are all in constant movement. As an added technique, if two or more of your team are on a vehicle, have everyone patrol the map in the same direction so you don’t run into each other [2].
Tactic: Holding the UNSC Hub
The central building with its multiple staircases and small chambers is where you spawn and where your team’s ammunition caches, Health Packs, and weapons are stored. It offers excellent defensive and vantage points for sniping or firing the Spartan Laser) at foes dropping in from the Phantoms [1]. However, this structure is easily overrun if you aren’t proficient in holding it. It is also susceptible to devastating Wraith fire, meaning you need to constantly watch for incoming plasma mortar. Be sure you study the guide map closely, noting the locations of the Health Packs and the specific weapons (including the Spartan Laser) held in racks in and atop the structure.
A UNSC Warthog is parked at the northwest ground entrance, near the stairs and a chamber with a Spartan Laser on a wall hook. Also remember the Health Packs behind the tree, to the right of the stairs; these are usually the ones that are grabbed first, so inform your team of this if you take one. Head up the stairs for an ammo cache (Submachine Guns, Magnums, and Frag Grenades) to the right and two more Health Packs against the walls on the east and western corners of the upper deck. To the southeast is a balcony with a second ammo cache (Submachine Guns and Frag Grenades) and some metal barriers to use as cover. To the northeast is a bridge; a third cache (Magnums and Grenades), located on the roof of another structure; and a single barrier. The last cache (Sniper Rifle attached to the low wall) is to the southeast, overlooking the south and east Phantom drop points; this area also features more barriers [2]. Watch for foes ascending the adjacent outer steps here and around the building itself.
Cooperative Plans
Tactic: Four-Player Foresight
Optimally, and with room for constant flexibility, one squadmate should deem themselves the “caller” and man themselves on the central building’s roof. They shout the compass directions for incoming Phantoms, then deliver a quick and certain Spartan Laser shot into each Wraith that appears, swapping to a Sniper Rifle or Magnum to tag Jackals and Grunts. The remaining teammates use preferred weapon combos to drop all other ground troops. However, ensure Chopper Brutes are taken out without the Chopper exploding, after which all other teammates should attack constantly with the Choppers and leave the Wraith to the Spartan Laser user.
Tactic: Shields Down
Another option is to split into two teams of two. One squadmate focuses on Plasma-powered weaponry, while the other collects bullet-based ordnance. The synergy can result in quick, easy wave progression as the Plasma-weapon soldier removes enemy shields, and the other finishes off the foes. Although the Plasma-weapon wielder sacrifices their score (as they remove only shields and don’t receive points for kills or assists), the score you’re aiming for is accumulated. If your pride can handle that, try this tactic. This becomes even more important once the Famine Skull activates, which limits the ammo you can gather. If everyone shares the same weapon type, you’re asking for trouble. Instead, for example, have one squadmate collect only Plasma-powered guns from fallen foes, rather than having two or three of your team doing this.
Bonus Round Plans
Tactic: On the Nose
This tactic calls for multiple team members to work in unison. When the Phantom carrying the Grunts descends, you must destroy as many of the ship’s Plasma Turrets as possible; the priority turret is the one on the Phantom’s nose. Attack the turrets from different directions so it can’t hit all of you. Then stay at a distance, using a Magnum or Carbine to kill-chain multiple Grunts with headshots until you reach the bonus round Par Score. The farther away you are from the Phantom drop point, the better; you have more time to react to incoming fire and Grenades and to line up headshots.
Tactic: Get to the Chopper!
The more reckless squadmate should try continuing their Brute Chopper prowess to achieve multiple splatter kills and equally massive kill-chain scores. While snipers tag Grunt heads from hiding spots, the Chopper rider rapidly fires the Chopper cannons to keep the Grunts from throwing Grenades onto the vehicle; watch for dropped Grenades on the ground in front of them and swerve to avoid them. Charge in, disrupting the Grunts’ movement and attacks so your snipers get more kills, and try ramming foes. Count yourself lucky if you aren’t struck by a Grenade; that requires perfect driving and dodging.