Chapter One: The Search for Halsey

Last week, the Covenant suffered more setbacks courtesy of Fireteam Crimson. A signals intelligence facility was taken offline, captured Spartans were freed, and a Forerunner remnant was wrested from their control. With their brutal assault on the UNSC Infinity repelled, they have suffered losses that would demoralize almost any other military force. Despite this, the Covenant have managed to pull off arguably the biggest coup of this war or the prior one: Jul ‘Mdama has kidnapped Dr. Catherine Halsey.

Dr. Halsey is arguably the person most responsible for humanity’s salvation, and her being in Covenant possession is unacceptable. Scour the Cyclone facility of hostile presence. Mission support from the Infinity will assist in marking target communications terminals for inspection.

Map Location: Cyclone

For the first half of the mission, expect a significant Elite presence that is not to be taken lightly, so arm and act accordingly. Things take a sudden turn during the second half, when Prometheans become the exclusive threat you face. As useful as the Jet Pack typically is, it may not be a bad idea to have a loadout equipped with the Autosentry. There is an extensive objective defense you must partake in during the latter half of the mission, and the extra gun on your side can be handy.

Objectives One, Two, Three, and Four: Investigate Communications, Eliminate Hostiles, Investigate Structure, Trace Communications

Deployment at the Cyclone facility starts off smoothly and quietly a short distance away from target structure [1]. Guarding it is a Covenant force consisting primarily of Jackals of all variants, including a Jackal Sniper [2] that can ruin your day if you run carelessly out in the open.

[3] Eventually a Phantom deploys a large group of Elites near the building, and during its exit, pauses to drop a swarm of Grunts [4], and they aggressively charge at your position. This group contains a number of Energy Sword wielders, so keep an eye on your motion tracker to avoid surprises.

[5] With the Covenant out of the picture, you can enter the target building to search for signs of Halsey. However, as the doors indicated on your HUD open, they reveal another Covenant squad that includes two Hunters in their ranks. If you’re running the mission solo, this can be a tough nut to crack. However, if you are working with at least one other Spartan, you can use the two entrances into the building to set up a two-front assault.

[6] Once you’ve discovered the average Covenant lifespan after they have been shot many times, you can actually enter the building to investigate a comm relay from which Infinity has detected activity. This reveals the name of a Covenant meeting location “Librarian’s Rest,” but gives no coordinates. Roland suggests giving him access to the comm network to try and uncover more information.

Objectives Five, Six, and Seven: Shut Down Second Portal, Defeat Prometheans, Investigate Power Source

[7] You’re ordered to proceed to the other side of the Cyclone facility, which begins as a quiet and uneventful stroll until you close within 50 meters of the waypoint. This triggers a Promethean ambush led by Knights and supported by Watchers and Crawlers. Beam Cannons are set up on ledges overlooking the direct approach to the objective [8] [9]. Be especially careful about advancing farther toward the waypoint! Push too hastily and you may find yourself in the middle of a Promethean reinforcement wave just as they teleport into the area, and at a lethal disadvantage. Wait until your radio back up confirms the area is clear before advancing toward the objective.

Objectives Eight, Nine, and Ten: Defend Power Source, Activate Power Source, Head to LZ

[10] The power source is atop a ramp inside a small structure. Shortly after you get close to inspect it, a large Promethean counterattack commences [11], and the area just outside of the control panel’s location becomes filled with all varieties of Crawler, including the feared Crawler Snipes. Knights also join the assault. You’re ordered to defend the power source while Infinity continues its analysis.

This is somewhat tempered by good news: A set of Beam Cannons suddenly comes online and begins helping with the defense. They can fall very quickly to the firepower being leveled against them, however it is possible to reactivate the turrets by reaching control panels marked on your HUD when a turret is destroyed. Just don’t recklessly run out to restore a turret unless you know it is safe: Crawler Snipes tend to go after Spartans trying to reactivate a turret.

After several waves of Crawlers and Knights, Watchers finally join the fight in a large swarm. This is why we recommended picking up a Binary Rifle. All it takes is one swift shot, and the Watchers will not live long enough to be a real nuisance. After a couple of waves of Watchers prove ineffective, Crawlers start teleporting into the area once more. However, this is accompanied by yet another surprise: Forerunner Sentinels suddenly descend onto the battlefield, shooting at the Prometheans in concert with the beam turrets. The Promethean assault is decisively crushed.

In the aftermath of the firefight, Roland suggests that you return to the power source and use the control panel to activate it. What could possibly go wrong?

[12] Upon interacting with the power source, the Sentinels suddenly retreat toward the center structure and begin firing upon it. As soon as you approach the structure, Roland completes his analysis and Fireteam Crimson is ordered to rush to the landing zone (LZ) [13] for immediate pick up. A squad of Marines who are also a part of the search effort needs assistance.

Chapter Two: Clean Up

Halsey’s communications were bounced throughout a Covenant-held Forerunner control facility. A Marine squad that was sent to investigate it is only seconds away from being overrun by the enemy when Fireteam Crimson arrives.

Do what you can for the Marines, but remember your priorities. Eliminate hostiles while accessing the various comm terminals through which Halsey’s signal was routed. However, keep in mind that this facility is very important to the Covenant and the Prometheans—important enough that they will send many waves of reinforcements to halt your progress, possibility more than you can manage.

Map Location: Control

This can be a fast-paced and surprisingly brutal op, particularly if you’re on your own. You’ll want to bring the rifle of your choice and a Plasma Pistol/Storm Rifle as your basic loadout, but be prepared to switch to power weapons that you locate during combat. Once again, the Jet Pack is just too darn useful to easily give up for other armor abilities because it allows you to traverse the various levels of Control quickly and efficiently.

If you do have the Ammo upgrade, put this into your loadouts! There’s little downtime between reinforcement waves once the battle starts, and being able to carry extra ammo can be a huge boon.

Objective One: Clear Out Covenant

[1] There’s no way to sugarcoat this situation: You’re in for a rough start. You enter the battlefield on foot just as the Marines are being overrun. It’s a bad situation no matter how you slice it. Atop a suspended platform directly in front of you are Elites attacking from above. Below these Elites on the ground level, Grunts push an advance directly into your position, and they are supported by a pair of Hunters. Flanking you at a relatively safe distance is a pair of Shade Turrets [2] [3] with good firing angles on you and the Marines.

Fortunately, you can locate a Rocket Launcher [4] near one of the vertical pillars close to the Marines’ position, or a weapon cache with Beam Rifles and Concussion Rifles [5] to help augment your firepower. Snipe gunners on the Shade Turrets, then go to work on lighter enemies in the area until the Hunters draw close enough that you can guarantee direct Beam Rifle or Rocket Launcher hits on their weak spots. It’s tempting to want to use rockets on the Shade Turrets: This is a waste! The gunners on the turrets can be easily sniped, and you’ll want the rockets to put down at least one of the Hunters.

[6] It’s not over yet. Surviving the enemies at your doorstep still leaves the ground forces that are closer to the actual facility itself. After you snipe the initial hostiles, a Drop Pod will land in front of the facility to deploy another Covenant squad. There are plenty of Elites in this deployment, and they will try to use the upper levels of the facility against you.

[7] As you work through the Drop Pod group, a Phantom will also fly in to deliver troops atop one of the mid-level landing pads. As the battle progresses, Roland finally locates a terminal that can be used to trace Halsey.

Objective Two: Investigate Comm Terminals

[8] There are most likely still hostiles in the area when you get this objective, but there’s little reason to hesitate investigating the terminal. Once you’ve got breathing room, use the terminal. Keep in mind that throughout this battle you’ll continue to see more Covenant deployed across the whole map, and they will generally rush the location of your current objective in an attempt to protect it.

Objective Three: Investigate Second Comm Terminal

[9] If you’ve moved quickly, you may have activated the first terminal for Roland before or while a second Phantom deploys troops on the mid-level landing pad opposite to the one where the first terminal was found. The moment you interact with the second terminal, a Drop Pod will deploy troops near the ill-fated last stand of the Marines [1].

Objectives Four and Five: Activate Third Comm Terminal, Defend Comm Terminal

[10] The third and final comm terminal can be found on the middle level, directly in front of the corridor that connects to the ground level. If you haven’t dealt with the new Drop Pod deployment at [1] already, they will rush toward this terminal. Quickly activate it and get ready for a brawl.

If you beat back the Covenant attackers, Prometheans begin teleporting onto the entire map, even into the corridor beneath the comm terminal objective. Early waves consist primarily of Crawlers, but after scoring a number of kills, Knights join the battle in greater numbers.

If you go inside the corridor beneath the third comm terminal, you can find a weapon cache with Fuel Rod Cannons. This weapon, combined with the Ammo upgrade, means you can carry up to thirty shots that are positively devastating against the Knights at mid-range. This is one of the most dangerous phases of the mission, as you can expect multiple Knight Lancers with Binary Rifles on the mid-level and even some on the fields as far away from the third terminal as the starting defensive position of the Marines [1]. You can even expect Knight Commanders with Incineration Cannons, which are arguably just as dangerous. It’s not a bad idea to take those weapons for yourself.

Eventually, you’ll get some very bad news from Spartan Miller: Knights are starting to flood into the facility far faster than you’re able to put them down, and it’s clear that you’re about to be overwhelmed. An aerial bombardment is targeted on the greater facility. You need to not be anywhere near the strike zone unless it is underneath some excellent cover. You can choose to ride out the bombardment inside the corridors near terminal three [10], or you can flee toward the designated waypoint [11], which is well away from the air strike. After the barrage annihilates all the Promethean forces in the zone, the mission ends. Roland’s analysis of the comm terminals reveals that Halsey may be attempting to communicate from Lockup.

Chapter Three: Science Mountain

In an effort to try to confirm Roland’s guess that Halsey may be at Lockup, Fireteam Crimson is deployed to Apex, where her transmissions were confirmed to have been routed through. Once again, the Covenant have taken the mountain for themselves, but there’s one major difference this time: Scorpion tanks have been authorized for deployment.

The Infinity is taking no chances. With the Scorpion tanks, you need to fight your way through any opposition that stands in your way as you advance toward any comm terminals that are designated for investigation. The Covenant will respond to heavy armor appropriately, so be cautious during your advance. The narrow path you must follow is not conducive to defensive driving.

Map Location: Apex

There are some points in the mission where you are forced to be on foot, but new Scorpions will be delivered to replace the ones you leave behind. That said, there is no reason why you can’t preserve the tanks you’re given and use them throughout almost the entire operation.

Objectives One, Two, Three, and Four: Secure Forward Base, Clear the Area, Weaken Barrier, Destroy Barrier With Scorpion

Two Scorpions are deployed at the LZ, and you start directly behind them. If you’re playing in a team of four Spartans, that means you will have two driver and two machine gunner slots that can be filled. As soon as you advance toward the start of the path up the mountain [1], you are attacked by a large pack of Crawlers. The Pelicans will provide additional support, but come under fire from a persistent Phantom and request assistance. Blast it until it goes away, in one piece or in many.

[2] You quickly encounter your first obstacle to tank domination as you climb the mountain: a shield barrier. Watchers begin teleporting onto the field to further harass you among another Crawler swarm, while another pair of Phantoms try their luck. If you’re having trouble, shoot out their nose-mounted cannons and the two door gunners, and the Phantoms quickly leave the area.

[3] Roland can’t shut down the shield, but he directs you to a control panel that lets you weaken it, thereby making it vulnerable to tank shells. A Pelican also drops off a fresh Scorpion if you need it.

Objectives Five, Six, and Seven: Advance to Halsey Trace Point, Advance on Foot, Clear the Area

[4] As you proceed to the trace point, Covenant Phantoms attempt an ambush with the help of supporting ground forces. As always, try to prioritize bringing down the Watchers first, or they’ll just keep reviving the Crawlers you destroy.

[5] Unfortunately, this is where you must part ways with your armored chariot. There is no way to bring down the barrier from here, and the terrain is too narrow for a Scorpion to take. Follow the path on foot until you reach the caves [6], where a Covenant welcoming committee awaits. [7] Be on the look out for the two mounted Plasma Cannons that provide the enemy with overwatch protection. These guns are manned by Elites. When they are killed, any Grunts in the area may turn suicidal and rush you with armed Plasma Grenades. Advance cautiously through here and clear out all hostile resistance.

A number of Elites are on the ground farther into the cave. Once the cave is clear, advance up the hill to the next waypoint.

Objective Eight: Clear the Area

[8] Another Covenant ambush awaits as you crest the hill. Expect Plasma Cannons to be one of your chief concerns while you deal with the hostile infantry. Watch out for Zealots among these hostiles! Once you break through this ambush, a new waypoint is presented for you.

Objectives Nine, Ten, and Eleven: Secure the Area, Weaken Barrier, Destroy Barrier With Scorpion

[9] You’re ordered down the mountain a short ways, now on the other side of the barrier that forced you to go on foot. The Covenant have set up another ambush.

[10] You must now clear out an LZ for the Pelicans to deliver more Scorpions to your position. The initial forces at the waypoint are reinforced by a Phantom that deploys Elite Zealots and a pair of Ghosts. Unfortunately for the Zealots, you’ve got a lot of room to work with to escape the wrath of their Energy Swords. The Ghosts combined with the support from the Phantom’s guns are a different story. Try to snipe the two door gunners off the Phantom as quickly as you can, though this can be somewhat difficult as the gunners are fully shielded Elites, and the Phantom will be moving around to make landing shots tougher.

After you kill the gunners on the Phantom, it will eventually slink away after you finish off any remaining Covenant infantry. During the cleanup, lookout for manned Plasma Cannons so that you don’t accidentally wander into their fields of fire. With a new LZ clear, Spartan Dalton delivers a Scorpion for you to use, and Miller marks another shield control [11] that will allow you to weaken the next barrier [12].

Objectives Twelve and Thirteen: Advance to Halsey Trace Point, Eliminate Hostiles

[13] Follow the cave, destroying a small pack of Crawlers along the way, until you see a new set of shield barriers to destroy. This time you don’t need to even use a console to weaken them. [14] Near this set of shields is another drop location for additional Scorpions that Dalton will deliver.

[15] It’s time for a big fight. The field at the trace location is filled with all manner of Promethean and Covenant resistance. Annoyingly, Watchers factor rather heavily into the battle, as they are attempting to set up Beam Turrets throughout the area. Ghosts also try to rush your Scorpion. If you’re alone, this concentration of enemies can swiftly tear up your tank if you give them too many angles from which to shoot at you. Concentrate on long-ranged wetwork. However, if you have partners in other tanks, the biggest challenge is managing to get kills before your allies do. Don’t get too careless though: Knight Lancers and Commanders bring Binary Rifles and Incineration Cannons to the fight respectively, and they are capable of teleporting behind a reckless Scorpion to deliver fatal blows.

After exhausting the repeated waves of attackers, Roland confirms that you are near the last of Halsey’s relay points, and that there is no longer any doubt: Halsey has been sending transmissions from Lockup. The fight on Apex is over for now, but the fight for Halsey has only started to heat up.

Chapter Four: Revenge

Halsey’s last known location is Lockup, and the Covenant’s defense of it is bound to be fanatical. Crimson isn’t alone on this mission, a squad of Marines is going with the Spartans for support. Halsey must be found, regardless of her condition. The UNSC cannot afford to let her knowledge remain in the hands of the Covenant.

Your objective is as straightforward as they come: Find any and all evidence that Halsey is or was present at Lockup. If she is there, bring her back to the Infinity . You may have to destroy every last member of the Covenant you come across to do this, but as a member of Fireteam Crimson and a Spartan, that probably is second nature by now.

Map Location: Lockup

You begin next to a pair of Warthogs, and these should be your weapons of choice for the entire mission. Either with a Marine or fellow Spartan manning the guns, and some solid defensive driving, you should be able to accomplish all mission objectives. You even get Marines to help take on the mounted Machine Guns! Suffice it to say, if you lose the Warthogs, you’ll have to do a lot of the ground pounding you usually do.

Objective One: Secure the Area

[1] You’re deployed atop a landing pad along with some Marines and a pair of Warthogs. Two Grunts have the poor luck of starting very close to you with their backs turned. The more immediate threat is the two Shade Turrets pointing at your LZ [2] and the numerous other Covenant streaming in on foot [3].

[4] Farther into the area from the LZ, another defensive position with two more Shade Turrets awaits, protecting a ramp leading up to a sealed door. Your approach to this section is complicated by a Drop Pod that deploys more troops [5] as you approach the strong point, trapping you between two sets of hostiles. A Phantom moves in and deploys in the same general position once you start to inflict casualties on the Drop Pod group, and two more Phantoms deploy troops close to the sealed door [4].

The second of these Phantoms brings a pair of Hunters to the fight. Once you finish off the enemy in this area, the sealed door [6] opens, revealing Ghosts who go on the counterattack. If you’re in need of new Warthogs, a fresh vehicle is deployed close to this door.

Objective Two: Clear the Central Area

[7] Welcome back to Fireteam Crimson’s old holding area! Ground troops await just at the bottom of the connecting ramp, while the central platform [8] has the threat of more Shade Turrets. If you get the chance, we recommend completely destroying these turrets as soon as possible.

A Phantom brings more infantry and Ghosts to the central area as you start chewing through the initial defenders. Take out all of the enemies and the zone will be cleared.

Objectives Three and Four: Investigate IFF Tags, Clear the LZ

[8] Spartan Dalton detects six Marine IFF tags in another area of Lockup. A door leading to a connecting passage opens in the Central area, where a Ghost tries a surprise attack. Take it out, and push up through the passage to another sealed door that opens as you approach, revealing a whole new section of Lockup that is filled with hostiles.

[9] The IFF signals were decoys, and the Covenant have sprung a nasty trap. The entrance to this new outdoor zone is flanked by Shade Turrets, while the three raised platforms at the center of the area have received infantry to hold the high ground and use it against you. They have access to numerous Plasma Cannons to leverage against you.

Drop Pods and Phantoms start deploying troops into the area in waves once the initial garrison has been severely weakened or destroyed. Ideally, you want to destroy all the Shade Turrets in the area, then take out the mounted Plasma Cannons to prevent them from being used against you.

Elites are a serious threat as always, but the relatively confined space of this battlefield means that driving a vehicle like a Warthog or Ghost requires you to be aware of Elite positions in relation to you. If you’re torn away from your ride by one, you’ve not only lost the vehicle, but you’ve also lost your shielding temporarily (if you don’t simply get killed outright).

One of the Phantoms will bring a Wraith onto the field, which tends to be protected by a pair of Ghosts. After you clear this group, two Phantoms bring in a second Wraith and a quartet of Hunters. If you manage to destroy this last gauntlet, the area will be secure! Spartan Dalton comes in to deploy more support for Fireteam Crimson, but then relays some bad news: The Covenant are a little upset with your antics, and have deployed a massive fleet of ships to try to stop you. For now, the mission is over, and you have a chance to prepare yourself for one last defensive effort.

Chapter Five: The Hammer

Your adventures in Lockup have taken a turn toward the disastrous, and death now rides toward your position in the form of a massive Covenant counterattack. UNSC forces have been deployed throughout Lockup to try to hold it down, but it’s obvious that this is going to be a long fight against long odds.

Secure the area against the combined onslaught of Covenant and Promethean forces, while assisting any squads that need help. You’ll have to fight your way into previously unexplored areas of Lockup to try to track down Halsey while the fighting rages.

Map Location: Lockup

No fancy vehicles this time around. Early on, you may want to stick to UNSC weapons, but as you’ll soon discover, Prometheans are the primary threat through most of the mission, and their weapons can be found on racks all throughout your combat zone. In particular, the Binary Rifle is fairly common in the hands of Knights, and it might be a weapon you will want to save up for the final battles.

Objective One: Eliminate All Hostiles

As soon as the mission begins, the two Warthogs parked in front of you get blasted to smithereens by a Phantom strafing run. It looks like the enemy might have learned their lesson about letting you keep a vehicle for too long. Snag one of the Rocket Launchers close to your starting position [1], the extra firepower can be useful. Also, ammo crates near this starting position help to top off any standard UNSC weapons at your disposal.

Advance toward the three raised platforms at the center of the field [2] and get ready for combat. Promethean Crawlers begin teleporting into the area. If you have taken a Rocket Launcher, try not to waste shots on Crawlers; instead save them for tougher targets like the Knights that appear once you kill enough Crawlers. After the Knights come even more Crawlers. After them, Watchers begin arriving en masse via slipspace portals, and they’re accompanied by more Knights. Eventually you’ll have exhausted the Promethean assault, and can turn your priorities to other parts of Lockup.

Objective Two: Rendezvous With Poker Squad

[3] While you were busy fending off the Prometheans, the Marines of Poker Squad have been fighting an increasingly desperate battle elsewhere in Lockup, one in which you can now help turn the tides. Follow the waypoint to the sealed door that will take you back to the central area. The Marines are on the other side of the door, while Promethean Knights close in. Take out all hostiles while defending Poker Squad. During this fight, Roland and Miller discuss the presence of IFF tags belonging to another team of Marines, call sign Hawk Squad, wandering the battle zone, apparently unassigned to the mission and in the same location that Halsey is believed to have been transmitting from. Clean the area up of Prometheans as quickly as you can, then prepare to get moving.

Objectives Three and Four: Locate Hawk Squad, Eliminate All Hostiles

[4] You’ll have to take the corridor connecting the central area back to the outer landing pads. Expect Crawlers to try to ambush you from the walls.

[5] You’re accosted by a pair of Knights and pack of Crawlers as you exit the tunnel. As you deal with them, Watchers begin to flood into the local airspace via portals. Be on the lookout for Knight Lancers teleporting into the area, as they have a nasty habit of sniping you with Binary Rifles while you are distracted by the Watchers. At the same time, you can’t really ignore the Watchers, as they can complicate things by bringing dead Knights back to life or summoning more Crawlers. Watch your motion sensor for indicators to show up, then scan in that direction visually. This way, you might be able to catch the Lancers before they snipe you. Expect a pair of Lancers to teleport onto the outer platforms [6] [7] throughout this encounter.

[8] Two of the large sealed doors open up after the forces on the outside are dead. Inside the unlocked room is another swarm of Crawlers. As you clear the area, Roland runs a remote scan of a nearby terminal that may grant access to a new area, but just as he completes the scan, more Prometheans begin teleporting into the area.

Objectives Five, Six and Seven: Activate Grav-Lift, Enter Grav-Lift, Investigate IFF Signals

[9] With the room cleared, it’s time to access the terminal Roland scanned. This opens the door behind the terminal and grant you access to the grav-lift. It takes you up through the central area to reach another large platform suspended over it. This is where Fireteam Hawk’s IFF tags can be found. Pick up the tags when prompted to hear the Marines’ final moments.

Crawlers suddenly teleport into the area shortly after Roland concludes his analysis of the tags and Halsey’s transmission.

Objectives Eight and Nine: Activate the Panels, Examine Forerunner Hologram

After clearing out several Crawler waves, a control panel is marked on your HUD and you’re ordered to use it. Not even Roland can guess what the panel actually does besides rearranging some of the scenery, but he does know that the Covenant and Promethean response is on the way. A Phantom drops off a horde of infantry, while Watchers begin teleporting into the area.

When the area is clear once more, another panel is marked for you to interact with it. More Watchers and Phantoms full of Covenant rush into the area to confront you.

When that wave is gone, a third panel is marked for you to use it. This activates a Forerunner hologram that you’re ordered to inspect. While it is unfortunate that Dr. Halsey could not be recovered from Lockup, the hologram itself is a vital find—one that might be able to solve more than a few problems for the UNSC forces. The mission is not necessarily accomplished, but you’ve done what you can for today. Hopefully Halsey can hold out just a little while longer. It’s obvious the Covenant are trying to capture and keep human prisoners, so she may still be alive.