Coastal Highway

Mission 09: Coastal Highway

Data Hive Exit to Highway to Uplift Reserve Entrance and Extraction Point

ROOKIE • New Mombasa Streets • After Data Hive

With the Superintendent’s data now safe in Dare’s new floating friend, the time has come to rendezvous with the rest of your team and flee New Mombasa as the Covenant’s overwhelming presence decimates this conurbation. Fleeing out onto the city streets, you must clear a path for Dare and the Engineer, locating an elevator that takes you to the city’s coastal highway. After obtaining appropriate transportation, you have to drive more than 12 exits along the highway, nullifying threats to Dare’s Olifant before holding up at the Uplift Reserve entrance. There, you must fend off final waves of the Covenant’s shock troops before the rest of the team finally locates and extracts you.

DATA STREAM

Data Hive VISR Target Acquisition Mode Ratio: 5 percent*

*COMM Data Terminals are not available during this mission.

Preferred Weapons

• Sniper Rifle
• Rocket Launcher
• Warthog (Vehicle w/ Gunner)
• Gauss Hog (Vehicle w/ Gunner)
• Scorpion (Vehicle with Gunner)

Par Score

• 60,000

Level-Specific Achievements

• Coastal Highway: Complete this mission to unlock “Firefight Mission: Last Exit.”
• Campaign Complete (Normal): Complete the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.
• Campaign Complete (Heroic): Complete the Campaign on Heroic or Legendary.
• Campaign Complete (Legendary): Complete the Campaign on Legendary.
• Vidmaster Challenge—Déjà Vu: Complete this mission on four-player Legendary LIVE co-op, with the Iron Skull active and no Warthog or Scorpion used.

Mission Objectives

• COASTAL HIGHWAY Find elevator to highway
• COASTAL HIGHWAY Escort and protect Dare’s vehicle
• COASTAL HIGHWAY Defend Engineer until friendly Phantom arrives

Choke Point 1: Watchtower Courtyard

As the Engineer continues to bath you in semiprotective shielding when you’re close to the creature, exit the Data Hive structure and head out onto the New Mombasa Streets, turning left and heading east, toward the building marked with the “1.” Other streets are sealed by energy walls. Pass by sandbags on your left, pausing to claim any equipment you deem useful (there’s a Shotgun, three Silenced SMGs, four Frag Grenades, and two Health Packs here), or return here if you need these items before you exit the city. Ahead (northeast) of you is a wrecked truck and a heavily defended courtyard with a Watchtower manned by Grunts with Plasma Turrets. Precision planning is called for.

Objective

• COASTAL HIGHWAY Find elevator to highway

Tactic: Sniping Support

The safest, most proficient use of your skills involves turning left (northwest) just before you reach the ruined truck and stepping into the covered corridor that also leads to the courtyard and has a door you can enter. There are yet more items just right of the door (a Shotgun, three Assault Rifles, and three Health Packs). Move quickly into the building, up the staircase, and out to a balcony overlooking the courtyard [1A]. There’s a Sniper Rifle near a dead Marine here. Appropriate it and aim southeast, tagging as many enemies in the head as possible. Pay particular attention to foes that are near to Dare and the Engineer, as it is vital to keep them healthy. As soon as you tackle the ground enemies below, bring your weapon up and aim at the four Grunts on the Watchtower [1B]; they must be nullified, because their Plasma Turrets are incredibly damaging against your team.

With the Watchtower empty, drop down and work your way around the left side of the low-walled planters in the courtyard; there are some Covenant foes behind defenses near a parked flatbed truck [1C] to finish off. Behind the sandbags under the building, close to the Covenant Brutes, is a cache with two Rocket Launchers, two Rocket Ammo Packs, a Health Pack, and three Assault Rifles. The Launcher is particularly useful at carving a path out of the courtyard; use it to demolish the assembled Brutes and the Chieftain behind these defenses.

Tactic: Turret Takedowns

Although somewhat dangerous, if you have a solid spatial knowledge of the courtyard, you can sprint straight over to the Watchtower [1B] before the Covenant patrols react, and rise up to tag the Grunts manning the Plasma Turrets with quick headshots. Before you’re shot at, wrench a Plasma Turret off its base, and drop to the ground. Then proceed to mow down the Covenant on the ground below where the Sniper Rifle is located [1A], and finish off the Brutes behind their defenses [1C].

With a team behind you, there’s room to apply both tactics here, as well as splitting your forces and easily catching the two groups of Covenant on the ground from two different directions: Have a pair of your team tackle those Covenant you initially encounter, while the others storm the Watchtower and attack the Brutes from opposite angles.

With the Covenant temporarily defeated, Dare and the Engineer venture down the road to the northeast. This leads to a second, empty courtyard and the elevator building to the northeast. Wait for Dare, and move to the elevator inside (use your VISR Enhanced Vision to spot the darkened corridor). Moments after arriving, the Engineer grants you access. You arrive on a highway exterior, with major Covenant activity. After a somewhat heated discussion, your objective updates:

Objective

• COASTAL HIGHWAY Escort and protect Dare’s vehicle

Highway Drive: Preparation

Dare and the Engineer have taken refuge in the armored Olifant, and it’s up to you and Buck to ensure their safety as you progress along the Coastal Highway. The highway consists of sections of road that are separated by two sets of large blast doors. The first set of doors do not open until the Olifant reaches it. The second set, which allows access to the next section of highway, doesn’t open until both your vehicle and the Olifant approach the door. Use this knowledge to your advantage; you may wish to park your Warthog away from the second door so you can hop out and acquire health or weapons without the Olifant setting off into the next section of highway without you guarding it.

When driving the Warthog, pay close attention to the Olifant’s location. Keep it close to your current location, as the Olifant has sizable shield generators. However, these can be depleted and the Olifant destroyed, sending you back to the previous check point. Also, drive on the highway’s left side, as the Olifant doesn’t stop for anything—even for you if you cut in front of it! Stay away from the central median  of the highway unless you want to use the sloped ground for ramps and impromptu stunts that usually flip your Warthog and waste your time.

If you have additional colleagues, it is worth having them position themselves atop the Olifant, in the passenger seat of your Warthog, or in other drivable vehicles you may come across.

Choke Point 2: Highway Section 99

As soon as you sit on the driver’s seat of the Warthog, wait for Buck to join you and begin racing along the highway’s left side, dodging strewn wreckage and passing the entrance to an off-ramp in the middle of the road. If you need to replenish your shields, you can retreat back to this entrance and drive into a lower dead end. Otherwise, ram a swarm of Grunts milling around the latter half of this section. Use your e-brake for quick turns that shunt clusters of Grunts at a time, and make sure Buck has clear shots of all his targets. When the Olifant reaches the first set of blast doors, slow down and pick up the Rocket Launcher by the dead Marine in the middle of the road, in front of the doors. There’s Health here, too, and an overturned Warthog to flip back over if your current one is damaged. There’s also an Optican Kiosk between the two doors.

Choke Point 3: Highway Section 98

This section winds a little sharper than the previous one and has no off-ramp to head down if your Stamina needs recharging; this means you must use the wrecked and abandoned vehicles as cover. Employ the same ramming-splatter technique, using the e-brake to skid into any stragglers while helping Buck get a good angle for his Turret. If you want to risk the Olifant’s shields, always head back to the previous section for Health; it allows you to keep this section’s Optican Kiosk full in case you need to retreat back to it when you encounter Highway Section 97. If you’ve lost your Warthog or if it is heavily damaged, there is another one on the long left turn before the Section 98 blast doors. Enter the blast-door area, optionally grabbing Health from another Optican Kiosk.

Choke Point 4: Highway Section 97

Entities Encountered

• Grunts
• Drones

Tactic: Watchtower Takedowns

Use wreckage as cover, and replenish your Stamina down the off-ramp. Furthermore, this section becomes very dangerous due to the number of Grunts equipped with Fuel Rod Cannons standing atop one of four Covenant Watchtowers [4A}. Which Watchtower the Cannon-equipped Grunts stand on is randomly determined, so quickly drive to the first, and if you’re not fired upon with the green-hued shots, drive to the second, third, or fourth and tackle the Fuel Rod Cannon Grunts there; they are your primary target, because they can devastate the Olifant’s shields. A better plan is to disembark from your Warthog as you enter this stretch of highway, and shoot the first Watchtower with the Rocket Launcher you just picked up. Try this at subsequent Watchtowers, too, if you wish, then swap the Rocket Launcher for a dropped Fuel Rod Cannon; this becomes advantageous as you progress.

With death possible at any moment, equip the Rocket Launcher before the second blast door slides open, and use your Warthog as partial cover. As the doors open, take out the first Watchtower with a Rocket. If you simply wait to see whether you’re attacked with Fuel Rod ordnance, it will be too late to save the Olifant. With the first Watchtower exploding, drive to the next Watchtower and repeat the plan.

With more than one player, you have separate vehicles to drive and have access to more than one Rocket Launcher. Quickly designate one person to aim at the first Watchtower as soon as the doors open, and fire a rocket before immediately entering a Warthog and progressing. The other player (or pair) should ignore the Watchtower, accelerate to the second Watchtower, exit the Warthog, and blast the Watchtower with a single well-aimed rocket. By this time, the first player or pair should zip past, heading for the next Watchtower, and so on.

Tactic: Engaging Drone Swarm

As you pass the last Watchtower and can see the exit blast doors at the end of this section of highway, stay at some distance away from the door; a large swarm of Drones flies out toward you as the doors open [4B]. With adept driving, give Buck some excellent shooting angles so he always has Drones targeted; he can demolish this wave of foes. Or, you can exit the Warthog, grab more Rocket Launcher ammunition or an Assault Rifle (both are in a UNSC supply crate positioned between you and the door), and help defeat them. Once the area is free from foes, head toward the Optican Kiosk if you require healing.

Dealing with Drones becomes problematic unless you reach the blast doors before the Olifant. Park the Warthog on the raised central median section just prior to the doors, and exit the vehicle. Grab the Assault Rifle and Rocket Launcher from the supply crate and retreat back behind your vehicle. When the Olifant activates the door, Buck begins to rain death on the Drones, while you back him up with Assault Rifle or Rocket fire. The raised median, wrecked vehicles, and your Warthog make good cover.

Choke Point 5: Highway Section 96

This section of highway does not feature an off-ramp, so use the wreckage as cover if you need to replenish your Stamina by resting. Aside from the larger number of ruined vehicles, your tactical takedowns consist of using your Warthog as a splattering device, ramming all the Covenant infantry you can while allowing Buck the best possible aiming angles. Continue to the end of the section, where an undamaged Warthog is available, if needed. As always, an Optican Kiosk allows you to replenish your health.

Choke Point 6: Highway Section 95

As you enter this section, you’ll see a Covenant cruiser and a Phantom maneuvering about the skies. However, focus on the ground, as there’s a group of five Ghosts ready to attack in the middle of this section, close to a fallen Phantom and an empty and fully functional Warthog, along with a dropped Fuel Rod Cannon. Since there is no off-ramp in this section, you must regain Stamina behind cover. Accelerate quickly so you’re well in front of the Olifant, and the Ghosts attack you instead of the Engineer. When you reach the destroyed Phantom, drive behind and then to the front of it, so Buck has a good aiming arc, and grab the dropped Fuel Rod Cannon (if you didn’t collect one earlier). Return and let Buck tag Ghosts from the cover of the Phantom. Quicken this by disembarking, and fire your Cannon at the Ghosts. Once the battle is over, search the area a little in front (southwest) of the empty Warthog for Health Packs. When you reach the next set of blast doors, disembark and enter the Gauss Warthog, a vehicle with a more powerful turret for Buck to use. There’s an adjacent Optican Kiosk too.

Choke Point 7: Highway Section 94

There is an off-ramp that you can drive down to replenish shields, but only after you’ve dealt with a Covenant threat on the ground and in the air. However, with Buck manning the Warthog’s Gauss Turret, you can slowly move forward along the highway, allowing Buck to blast Banshees out of the sky. When the Banshees begin to head your way, you can increase your speed, heading to the off-ramp entrance but not into it; use it as cover, driving in and out while Buck shoots the remaining Banshees and any Ghosts. Easily deal with any stragglers as you continue to the next blast door set. As always, there’s an Optican Kiosk here.

Choke Point 8: Highway Section 93

Entities Encountered

• Banshees
• Wraith

Ignore the Scarab in the distance; it is too far away to attack. Instead, speed forward, giving Buck some excellent angles (usually straight and lessen your more erratic or sharp turning) so he can quickly destroy the Banshees swooping about. Drive to the midway point of this highway section, and watch as Buck focuses his attention on targeting the Wraith. This is important, as the Wraith is a primary target that can devastate the Olifant’s shields with its Plasma Mortar. Keep moving around the Wraith so the Gauss Warthog isn’t struck. Or park the vehicle, then leap onto the Wraith and attack it yourself. After the Wraith battle, there’s likely to be some remaining Banshees to take care of; use the overturned bus toward the end of this highway section as cover, and wait for Buck to do his job. Disembark, collecting Health from the Optican Kiosk if you need it, and then enter the parked Scorpion Tank for the remainder of this outing.

Choke Point 9: Highway Section 92

Quickly emerge from the blast doors, and storm ahead of the Olifant in your Scorpion: Your foes’ powerful weapons in this highway section can easily destroy the Olifant’s shields. You have control over the Scorpion’s main cannon and should use it to aim at and destroy Shade Turrets as early as possible. Blast them from a distance, then move toward the off-ramp entrance, but don’t enter the underpass. Strafe to the side, using the off-ramp as cover, and shoot the Wraith before it can target the Olifant. You cannot board this type of Wraith, so destroy it from range. Finish your patrol at the far end of the highway section with another Shade Turret takedown. Between Shade Turret and Wraith takedowns, Buck deals with the Banshees, so concentrate on the other enemy types yourself. You’ll reach the next blast-door set, and another Optican Kiosk, but it is wise to ignore the Health Packs and accelerate into Highway Section 91 well ahead of the Olifant.

Choke Point 10: Highway Section 91

Head out of the blast doors first, immediately turning your Scorpion’s cannon 90 degrees to the right (north), and track the first of four Phantoms hoving into view above you. As soon as you have a red target reticle, begin to fire on them, maintaining the same speed as the Phantoms; slowing down or stopping allows them to escape or drift behind the curved overhang of the highway section you’re on. Maintain speed and pepper the Phantom’s structure until it explodes, then move to the next one. Any you miss will disappear over the blast doors and land, depositing two Ghosts at Choke Point 11. At the blast doors, take the Health from the Optican Kiosk if you need it.

While one player (or pair) inflicts massive damage on the Phantoms using the Scorpion’s main cannon, the other player (or pair) should quickly race to secure the Gauss Warthog and use its Turret to assist in Phantom destruction. This ensures a tactical advantage for the next choke point.

Choke Point 11: Highway Section 90 (Unmarked)

Ready your Scorpion’s cannon as the blast doors open, and tackle the Shade Turret you can immediately spot. Prevent damage to your vehicle by checking the road ahead; there are more Shade Turrets in the central median  of this highway. Simply fire on them and trundle toward the exit blast doors. If you missed one or more Phantoms back at Choke Point 10, expect to encounter between two and eight Ghosts as well. Buck helps blast at these, but they are secondary targets compared to the Shade Turrets. However, blast anything that moves, that isn’t an Olifant, and that has a Covenant manning it! Near the blast doors is a regular Warthog with a Turret and five Silenced SMGs, as well as the usual Optican Kiosk. Ignore the Warthog unless you have no current vehicle.

Choke Point 12: Highway Sections 89 and 88 (Unmarked)

Since the Covenant continues to burn this entire city using its carrier’s gargantuan excavation beam, you should be looking ahead. Ignore the Scarab pacing about in the distance. The first of two straight sections [12A] has a large number of infantry units to run over, usually without any problems, although there is a Brute Chieftain with a Fuel Rod Cannon midway through this first section; make it your primary target and train your cannon on it. Then turn your attention to the Jump-Pack Brutes. These Brutes enjoy landing on your vehicle and bashing it, so hop off when you’re near the blast doors, and tag them with your weapon, or let Buck do his job. Then grab the Health Packs from the Optican Kiosk if you wish.

The last section of highway is completely devoid of enemies, aside from empty Watchtowers and a giant Scarab that you don’t have the firepower to destroy [12B]. The latter stands atop the opposite blast doors and drains the Olifant’s remaining shields before continuing north into the city. Fortunately, the Olifant survives this attack and enters the last blast doors. Catch up, head inside, and secure Health one last time from the Optican Kiosk. Venture through into a third highway section, with an off-ramp immediately visible. Drive your vehicle down this off-ramp [12C] and park, following ODST instructions to get out.

You’ve arrived at the rendezvous point, the entrance to the Uplift Reserve, which consists of two upper parking lots and the entrance itself up ahead (north). This entrance is an excellent defensive position, since the Engineer shields any nearby players. With Buck (or your teammates) providing covering support, head north across the roundabout with the bus stop gazebo in the middle of it. There’s a suspiciously low amount of enemy activity. Check the gazebo for two Frag Grenades; you can take them now or grab them during combat later. There’s also a nearby Covenant supply crate with two Carbine Rifles. Grab one if you are lacking a sniping weapon, and quickly execute the two sleeping Grunts at the entrance.

Objective

• COASTAL HIGHWAY Defend Engineer until friendly Phantom arrives

Choke Point 13: Uplift Reserve Entrance—Extraction Point

The area remains secure as Dare and the Engineer follow you into the safety of the Uplift Reserve entrance, which is an excellent place to hold out, as the Covenant is now sending several waves of enemies to attempt to kill the Engineer. This is your last stand at the Last Exit, and you must survive the following waves of foes!

The following five waves of enemies now attack your fortified entrance position:

Wave 1: Phantom dropping Grunts and Brutes [13A].

Wave 2: Phantom dropping Jackals [13B].

Wave 3: Phantom dropping Hunters [13C].

Wave 4: Wraiths on the upper highway.

Wave 5: Phantom dropping Brutes and Brute Chieftain with Gravity Hammer [13D].

Tactic: Surviving the Waves

With each wave, a Phantom flies above the central roundabout courtyard and drops off its payload of foes on the south side of the gazebo bus stop. The enemies then work their way north across the courtyard, up the steps, and into the building entrance before attacking the Engineer. You must destroy them before they make contact with the Engineer. Spend some of your time checking that no foes have entered the building (listen for calls from your teammates if this occurs).

Wave 1 [13A]

Your optimal tactical plan is to utilize the high ground above the entrance or around the inner perimeter wall of either parking lot to peer over and blast away at foes. A truly proficient trooper uses the Turrets to rake enemies as they emerge from the Phantoms, or fires a well-aimed Rocket at the cluster of enemies as they first reach the ground under the Phantom to deliver multiple kills; mop up the rest with a Sniper Rifle, paying close attention to the Brutes.

Wave 2 [13B]

A clan of Jackals drops out of a Phantom, and some of them are real trouble, as they’re armed with Beam Rifles. They land in the same area as Wave 1, so you can thin them out easily with a well-placed Grenade thrown just before they scatter. Then employ the same long-range sniping as before. Between Waves 2 and 3, search the area for a Beam Rifle, and make sure you’re in full health.

Wave 3 [13C]

A few Hunters roaming the area aren’t as problematic as you’d expect, since they can’t chase you down easily due to the large amount of low-walled, stepped scenery. Rake the Hunters with Turret fire (either fixed or after you take the Turret from its base), and attempt cross-fire opportunities with Buck. Naturally, staying on the high ground and employing Wave 1 tactics is also recommended, as the Hunters’ attacks are easily avoided at height.

Wave 4

When the two Wraiths appear on the upper highway, raining down mortar shots on you and your team, the higher parking lot area becomes more of a hindrance than an advantage, so retreat behind cover, avoiding the landing spots of the mortars themselves. Ignore the Wraiths for the rest of this mission.

Wave 5 [13D]

The final group of foes includes Jump-Pack Brutes and a dreaded Chieftain armed with a Gravity Hammer. The upper ground isn’t as defensible this time, due to the Jump-Pack Brutes, but it still means the Chieftain has to navigate up to that location to face you. Choose your favored weapon, and make sure there’s a pillar, staircase, planter, ticket counter, or other structure between you and the Chieftain to minimize being bludgeoned by his Hammer.

Tactic: Cluster Bombing

This battle is arguably the toughest challenge in your expedition, but there are ways to improve your survival chances on Legendary difficulty. The first plan is to grab and hoard the Rocket Launcher and Sniper Rifle (perhaps near a Turret), and save these two ranged weapons for the Hunters and the final wave with the Brute Chieftain. This makes tackling those waves more straightforward. Position yourself on either side of the upper parking lot, and rain Grenades, Rockets, or Fuel Rod blasts into the clusters of enemies as they drop down from the Phantom. This won’t kill off everything, but it wounds or removes the shields of many foes, which is extremely useful under these circumstances.

After Wave 5, Mickey, Romeo, and Dutch finally make an appearance to destroy the two Wraiths that have been lobbing mortar shots at you since Wave 4. Move southwest through the parking lot, toward the Phantom—don’t fire on it!—and finally rendezvous with your team. This concludes this mission and the Campaign.