04: Arcadia City

Covenant forces are invading the main city on the planet Arcadia. A large number of civilians are attempting to flee to Evac Cargo Transports at three landing pads around the city. You must protect the citizens of Arcadia, guarding them as they escape and saving as many as possible.

Objectives

Win Condition: At least one Evac Transport must survive until the timer runs out.

Loss Condition: All Evac Transports are destroyed.

Par Time: 21:00–23:00

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES

Protect Civilians and Cargo Transports until Launch

Completion Score: 500 Points

The civilians will head toward the transports on their own. At least one of the transport ships must survive; the city’s population has no other way to evacuate the area.

Clear Covenant from Subway Exit

Completion Score: 500 Points

Eliminate the Covenant forces around the subway exit so the civilians have a clear path to the transports.

OPTIONAL OBJECTIVES

Establish a Base

Completion Score: 500 Points

A base in the city will let you train more units to protect the civilians and transports. If you can assemble enough of a force, it might even be possible to launch a limited counterattack against the Covenant.

Kill 50 Elites [50]

Completion Score: 500 Points

Elites, also known as Sangheili, are often seen leading Covenant forces into battle. Using their cloaks and energy swords to surprise and overwhelm their enemies, Elites are challenging opponents.

Establish a Second Base

Completion Score: 500 Points

Establishing a second base will provide additional supplies for our troops and help hold back the Covenant forces.

Rescue 500 Civilians

Completion Score: 1,000 Points

Rescue 500 civilians; at least this amount must leave on board the one surviving Cargo Transport.

Rescue 1,000 Civilians

Completion Score: 1,500 Points

Rescue 1,000 civilians; at least this amount must leave on board both surviving Cargo Transports.

Mission Commencenment

After Forge’s Warthog is dropped from the Pelican, you must clear the immediate area of encroaching Covenant. On the guide’s map, notice that you’re near Waypoint 6; this is where you’ll build your first base—but not yet. Instead, take your entourage of Hornets across the grassy area and defend the Arcadian Police Watchtower from the milling Covenant forces, Ramming the Grunts near the initial plaza area.

Your first port of call is the initial plaza, where a group of Elites are slicing and dicing the citizens attempting to flee. Your Hornets and Sergeant Forge should make short work of these foes, temporarily securing the plaza area. Expect citizens to stream in from this location (check the guide map for other locations they will enter from). Once these citizens are relatively safe, you are free to roam about Arcadia’s streets, clearing paths for citizens with 20 minutes to go before the evacuation is complete. An advantage route is shown below:

Head north, around the greenery to a paved area near a glass floor. There’s likely to be some Covenant activity here, another Arcadian Police Watchtower (which may be manned by Grunts), and a Wraith heading along the streets. Your airborne forces should make a quick sweep of this area and the forecourt of the building to the west before heading northwest toward the second Evac Transport ship. Kill anything that isn’t human.

Swing around and eliminate your foes (usually an Elite or two), and temporarily clear the area near the canal bridge of enemies. You may spot your first Evac Transport here, which is guarded by Spartan Red Team. Help them throughout this mission, but focus your immediate attention to the southwest.

[ and ] Take your platoon (which should still be without casualties if you’ve maintained precise combat takedowns) and move them southwest, around the building near Waypoint 3, then to Waypoint 4, where Grunts man a Watchtower on either side of the bridge. Cut them down, as well as any roaming Elites on the ground; then cut a path for the citizens to flee along. Continue this until Evac Transport #3 makes an ill-advised takeoff attempt and is shot down by Covenant forces. Your plan to save Arcadia City begins now!

Immediately take any remaining Hornets up to the entrance to Evac Transport #2 while Forge drives back to the grassy area near the starting position. Serina has located two possible spots at which to construct a Firebase.

As a matter of urgency, begin to build a Firebase at Waypoint 6. It is near the majority of the corridors the citizens are fleeing along, and it allows you to quickly train any troops (except Vultures) you may need. Follow the instructions for base-building from the “Advanced Training” chapter, choosing the number of Reactors and Supply Pads that suit your play style—but don’t neglect your other duties!

While your first base has its initial buildings being constructed, take the majority of your forces to this main thoroughfare. Your Hornets can quickly reach this location, where you’ll run into Covenant incursions and more citizens frantically attempting to flee. Lay waste to this area immediately, but don’t stay too long; there’s some quick thinking that needs doing (see Tip).

After briefly purging Waypoint 7 of Covenant scum, move quickly and directly to Waypoint 8 while multitasking and creating a Barracks and Marines at your first Firebase. If you’re fast enough, you can place a second base at this location. Do so immediately, and begin to construct Supply Bases until you reach the “sweet spot” mentioned in the “Advanced Training” chapter.

You must now fortify both your bases. The first Firebase (at Waypoint 6) is likely to be attacked by a few Covenant infantry, heading in from Waypoint 4. Build a couple Flame Mortar Turrets to keep them away. Fortify your other base at Waypoint 8 with Turrets that can bring down both infantry and air units, as the area to the north has Spirits flying in to deposit additional troops. You’re also attacked by a few infantry units and Ghosts from the stepped area to the southeast; all are annoyances you must overcome. Turrets are also good at cutting down Elites, helping you satisfy that objective.

There are two plans to try in order to maximize the number of citizens you free and to keep a constant vigil on the encroaching Covenant. Build a Barracks at your first base as soon as possible, and train three or four squads of Marines. Spread them out over the streets, sending each to a specific Arcadian Police Watchtower or Covenant Sniper Tower. All are marked on the guide’s map.

This gives you a great view of the battlefield, and you have a line of sight of all the paths the civilians take to reach the transports.

Although this becomes increasingly difficult on Legendary setting, you can beat back the Covenant quickly and effectively if you’ve upgraded your Marines to at least RPG Launcher status, have them in every Watchtower and Sniper Tower, and create a few fast-moving vehicles to help catch higher concentrations of foes.

[ and ] The area to the north and northeast of the second base location is extremely dangerous. You’ll find a mass amount of Covenant Wraiths, Ghosts, Locusts, Elites, and Hunters to contend with, which is relatively straightforward to avoid but suicide if you venture toward Waypoint 10, the Covenant base. This base features shielding and Turrets, as well as a Mega-Turret that slices through your troops with ease. Unless you’re adept and playing at a lower difficulty level, there’s no real reason to mess with the Covenant base. Instead, keep the streets free from foes until the timer counts down to zero and the transports launch.

Black Box 4 The Black Box on this map is simple to acquire and is located to the north of the starting point, at the base of a building. At the building, look for a lone individual cowering on a glass walkway. Select () the building console at the structure’s base, and free this citizen. His name is Adam, and once he flees to a transport ship, you complete The Real Winner Achievement. You can take the Black Box whether you free Adam or not.

Wuv Woo Once you’ve defeated the 50th Elite, send a vehicle (ideally Forge in his Warthog) around the back of the second UNSC base you built, to the stepped area south of and adjacent to the Covenant base; search the grass for this Skull.

Awards and Summary