Coastal Highway/Walkthrough

This is a walkthrough for Coastal Highway. It is written for play on Legendary with notes for lower difficulties.

For this mission you play as The Rookie. You are accompanied by Buck and Captain Dare. Your mission is to protect and extract Vergil the Engineer. If you are playing this mission straight out of the menu your starting weapons will be the SMG and Pistol. If you are playing from the campaign you will begin with whatever you finished with in the Data Hive.

Kevin Costner Ain't got Jack on Me (or, How an ODST protects, He Kills Everything Else)
From your experience in the previous mission you should recall that Vergil is extremely vulnerable. He can take several shots, but the shield is not very strong and leaving in uncovered will often result in having to start over. When you first exit the elevator bring up your ranged weapon (Pistol, Carbine, Beam Rifle). You will see a Deployable Lookout Tower with three Plasma Turrets manned by Grunts. As you approach the aim for the Grunt's head, and kill him. This provides you with a reasonable amount of cover to begin clearing the square. Looking to your left and right you will see Shield Jackals and Grunts as well as Brutes. Use your ranged weapons and grenades to clear the Jackals and Grunts. Buck will keep the Brutes busy and also get a few kills himself. Once you've cleared the minors, move up. If your ranged weapon is empty drop it for the closest available weapon or bring up your alternate weapon. Run up to the tower, Buck will distract the enemies here, and kill the Grunts on the turret. Grab a Turret and play hit and run with the Brute Pack, and take cover when you need to recharge. While Buck has the Brutes distracted and possibly wounded, assassinate or finish them off. Once you've cleared the square load up on grenades and ammo before you head out to the elevator. Go to the elevator and hop in.

I Hate the Morning Commute!
Once you're up on the highway, get into the Warthog and charge ahead of the Oliphant. On Legendary you will need to use the spare Warthogs most likely so keep a ready eye for alternate rides. Stay to the right side of the highway, and drive straight and fast. Your only priority in the start is to take out the Fuel Rod Grunts near the blast door. Once you've run them over, keep driving in circles until everything is dead. Do not pass the blast doors yet. Stay in the open highway area and clear everything. Once you've cleared that, take a second and swap out Both of your weapons for the Fuel Rod Gun and the Rocket Launcher set on the ground near the door. Take another second and evaluate your ride. How beat up is it? If it's on fire and the wheels look like they're going to fall off, grab the Warthog near the door. This is a troop transport version, and you can give Buck the Fuel Rod Gun and let him go nuts. He will take out far more enemies, far faster than on the turret. If you still have a good Turret Warthog though don't abandon it just yet, it will come in handy in the next section. The next section is filled with Jackals and Brutes. Drive quickly ahead of the Oliphant and let Buck, sweep out the enemies. Once you reach the second set of blast doors, do not go inside. Wait for the Drones to explode out and kill them in the clear. Buck is very efficient with the turret and the Fuel Rod Gun for this. Now your 'Hog is most definitely going to be trashed. Find a new ride and get in before entering the blast door. The next area will open and reveal a great number of Deployable Lookout Towers with Fuel Rod Grunts. Buck and his cannon will make short work of them before they can harm the Oliphant just stay ahead of it and keep Buck's line of fire clear. A the end of this area there will be a Gauss 'Hog, but Buck will not man the turret if he still holds the Fuel Rod Gun or Rocket Launcher. Give him back his Assault rifle and let him get in the turret. Heal up if you need it before driving on to the next area. Once the door opens, there will be Banshees attacking you. Move forward cautiously and let Buck handle them. Ghosts will approach from the right side of the highway, Buck's rate of fire is fairly slow but he is extremely accurate. Beware of the Ghosts as their plasma cannons can finish you off pretty quick. You should always keep ahead of the Oliphant as it is very vulnerable. Drive cautiously dodging Plasma fire from the Wraith on the left, but keep a clear line of site so Buck can shoot it and keep the focus off the Oliphant. Once the Wraith is dead, move forward and clear the rest of the enemy Ghosts.

Rock, Paper, Scissor, TANK!!!
In the next blast door space there is a Scorpion tank. Before you get on it, give Buck The Rocket Launcher. There are few infantry here and Buck will be far more useful shooting unlimited rockets at enemies than in the dinky turret. Once the doors open start shooting and kill any enemy that shows up, including an AA Wraith on the left side of the highway. Take care with the Jump Pack Brutes, who can hijack you. Once you're through this area, in the next keep as much in line with the Oliphant as possible. Several Phantoms will fly by, and they will shoot and damage the Oliphant. You will take some damage here, but it's worth it to keep the Oliphant safe. The next area has lots of Ghosts and a few Shade turrets. Stay close to the Oliphant and clear the enemies as they close in. Once you get to the part with the Scarab attacking you, get close to the blast door, to make sure it is 100% certain you won't be damaged along with the Oliphant. Follow Buck's instructions and get off the highway at the off ramp..

This isn't IHOP! Gunny, You Promised Me Pancakes!!
Get out of the tank, and jump over the barricade. Once you reach the building there will be several Grunts, melee them and start to set up. Buck should have the Rocket Launcher, leave it with him. Load up your Assault Rifle to the right outside the room that Vergil is staying in. Give Dare the Fuel Rod Gun for her pistol. The First Phantom will approach and drop a wave of Grunts and Brutes, kill as many Grunts as you can with the pistol, then move to one of the flanks and bring up the assault rifle. Dare and Buck will do a lot of damage with the heavy weapons, and if you stay out of their way you'll be able to pick off the stragglers with headshots and short bursts. Before the second wave drops, heal up and reload your assault rifle. The second wave will consist of jackals (Shield and Sniper) and a pair of Hunters. Stay on the flanks and countersnipe. There will be several Sniper jackals at range (right or left, it changes), take them out. Bring up your assault rifle and finish off the hunters. They will be focused on Buck and Dare with the Heavy Weapons, and they will be wounded and easy pickings. Grab a beam rifle off the ground for your pistol, and load up your assault rifle or grab a Shotgun. Heal up if you need it, the third wave is about to drop, it is comprised mostly of Jump Brutes and a few others. Let Buck and Dare concentrate on the middle, while you work the flanks with the assault rifle or Shotgun and grenades. Clear one side, then the other. When you have an opportunity take a beam rifle shot at the Chieftain to bring up his invincibility. Once you've cleared the Jump Brutes, stay on a flank and shoot the Chieftain he charges or dies. When he charges, Buck and Dare will easily strip his armor and distract him enough for you to get the kill shot. Once you've killed the Chieftain, mop up any remaining forces and watch the Cavalry ride in. Head to the right flank onto the platform and go get some R&R.....

Alternate Strategy (AKA How to Cheat Death)
Once you're out of the tank, head up towards the building. Stop at the Gazebo in the center of the square and wait for Dare. Swap with her there, then run ahead and up one of the sides. You will see another staircase leading up. Go up top and you will find Sniper rifles, grenades and two Machine Gun Turrets. Use these to clear out all enemies. Using a combination of Sniper fire and hail of lead, you shouldn't have any problems eliminating all enemies. Buck and Dare will keep the front clear, and you can run down and mop up with the assault rifle if you need to. Nothing will come near you until the Wraiths start to fire plasma at you. Pick off the Chieftain and They'll be killed by your approaching Phantom.

Legendary Notes

 * Vergil will not open the second set of blast doors until you have crossed the threshold of the first set. Before you advance, clear the areas and grab a new ride if you need to.
 * With the exception of fighting the Drones, Buck is far more effective with the heavy weapons than on the turrets.
 * You can always find a new ride, if you need to throw yourself between the Oliphant and the enemy to distract and draw fire.
 * At the final stand, the heavier weapons you can give to both Dare and Buck, the less you have to worry about the center.
 * Stay on the flanks/raised balconies, you have better cover and good defilade to attack without major risk.
 * Don't get in the Oliphant's way, it will run you over and kill you.
 * In the final battle the MA5C will provide you with a better kill ratio than the Shotgun or the SMG.

Not Legendary Notes

 * Ignore light enemies and mop up after if you feel like it. Concentrate on those who heavy damage quickly (Wraiths, Brute Shots, Fuel Rod Guns)
 * Stay in your Warthog. It will protect you.
 * Buck is a little slow but accurate, if you take your time, he's more deadly than any other NPC in the game. Your driving erratically will knock off his aim.
 * If Buck and Dare have heavy weapons you can almost stay in the room with Vergil and mop up after with little risk.