Hold the Line

Hold the Line is the eighth campaign level in Halo Wars 2.

Transcript
Cinematic Cutscene

''The Spirit of Fire firing it's Deck Gun while the Banshee attack with strafing runs. Captain Cutter take his seat on the bridge to oversee the situation and the entire bridge crew was busy.''
 * Captain Cutter: "Johnson, get those guns back inside."
 * Johnson: "We got hull breach in sector seventeen."
 * Bridge Crew #1: "Jen, hit those head to blow."
 * Captain Cutter": "Where are we on that hull breach in sector seventeen?"
 * Bridge Crew #2: "ETA 60 Seconds!"
 * Bridge Crew #3: "Engineering system is damaged."
 * Bridge Crew #4: "Too many contact!"

''The Point Defense System on Spirit Of Fire is offline as the Deck Guns on Starboard are offlines.
 * Bridge Crew #5: "Starboard gun is down."

Anders contact the bridge while the ship receive another strafing hit from Banshees.
 * Anders: "Captain."

The crew on where she is are running past through her while she's contacting the bridge.
 * Anders: "Hard to do my best work like this. Can't we fight back?"

View cuts to the bridge where the crew notify the ship that more banshees coming out from the Carrier.
 * Bridge Crew #6: "Carrier has released more Banshees."
 * Anders: "Um...are we fighting back?"
 * Captain Cutter: "We are, Professor. Let me handle that. You just get me the update on the Ark."

The Banshees are returning to the Carrier Enduring Convinction while the crew assess the damage immediately.
 * Bridge Crew #4: "Port Defenses is down!"
 * Bridge crew #7: "Starboard guns are down!"
 * Bridge Crew #4: "Sector 1, 2 and 3 has internal fire!"
 * Bridge Crew #3: "Hull breach in six sectors"

Isabel appears next to Cutter, looking at him.
 * Isabel: "Poked the nest, didn't we?"
 * Captain Cutter": "We did. Evacuate and vent! How long can we keep this up?"
 * Isabel: "Not long. We're losing too many guns. At this rate it'll be over soon."

Anders arrived at the bridge to report.
 * Anders: "I think i've found a way to get help."

Cutter stood up and went to the Holotable as Anders throws her Tablet to the holotable and Isabel appears on the holotable as well, revealing the schematics of the Ark.
 * Isabel: "You can reopen our portal?"
 * Anders: "No, we're going to make a Halo."
 * Isabel: "What?"

Anders open the schematics where the Replacements of the Halo Ring are stored.
 * Anders: "I've discovered the Ark keeps an almost-finished ring in the central forges at all times."

She opened it, revealing an almost completed Halo replacement.
 * Anders: "It's an emergency replacement in case one of the other rings breaks down."
 * Isabel: "Rings?! You must mean GALAXY-DESTROYING SUPERWEAPONS, right?"
 * Anders: "Well, on that front, I've figured out how to disable the ring's firing mechanism. We can only launch it to one of locations of the original rings, however."

Cutter look seriously at the hologram view and he remember something.
 * Captain Cutter: "Isabel, you said the Master Chief first found a ring near enough to Reach...that would make it within range of comms beacon...it could work. Anders, how long do you need?"
 * Anders: "Twelve hours if my calculations are correct."
 * Captain Cutter: "We don't have twelve hours, professor. We might not have twelve minutes."

Cutter get rid of the Ark's schematics, opening the Enduring Conviction's hologram view and pointing at it with anger.
 * Captain Cutter: "Just can't beat that right now."

Isabel scan the holographic schematics and she found some idea.
 * Isabel: "I can. I'm gonna need a little help though."
 * Captain Cutter: "Explain."

Isabel get rid of the Enduring Conviction, opening the two different terrain map.
 * Isabel: "Well, for starters I need her down there with me."
 * Captain Cutter: "Isabel..."
 * Isabel: "Sorry, sir. I've been on the Ark for a while. After recent battle reports you should have figured out that there are rules around here."

Isabel search for a place where she can potentially deal the most damage on the Ark.
 * Isabel: "I intend to break one. A BIG one."

Isabel opens the carrier's Grav Lift and a Forerunner Particle Cannon.
 * Isabel: "We'll need to split the ground forces between these two locations to buy me some time."
 * Captain Cutter: "You're taking control of ground forces, now? Buy you time for what?"

Isabel looks at the Enduring Conviction while the crew ready to engage Banshees that their strafing run again.
 * Isabel: "That ship brought these monsters. Killed everyone I was supposed to protect. Now it wants to do the same to you, I won't let that happen."

The Crew fire its Deck gun, destroying two Banshees.
 * Isabel: "It's time to show them what power really means around here."

Cinematic Cutscene ends

CORE / FORERUNNER PARTICLE CANNON

HOLD THE LINE

Mission Briefing
 * Douglas-042: "Captain, we're on site of the Forerunner particle cannon we discovered at the Cartographer. We've targeted the Banished carrier and we're ready to fire on your say so."
 * Captain Cutter: "Do it. The Spirit of Fire wasn't built to fight a carrier like the Enduring Conviction, and we can't hold it off for long."
 * Anders: "We're locked on, Captain! The cannon's not large enough to destroy the carrier, but it will immobilize it and punch a hole through its shields - if we can stay alive long enough."
 * Captain Cutter: "That's where the second part of Isabel's plan comes in. Jerome, are you and Isabel in place?"
 * Jerome-092: "Yes, sir. We're making our approach to the Banished base beneath that carrier."
 * Captain Cutter: "Good, be ready to get Isabel inside the carrier once its shields are down. Douglas, Atriox can't afford to lose that carrier, so he'll be sending all his local forces at you to stop that cannon."

Mission Summary

Protect the Forerunner particle cannon from the Banished until it breaks through the carrier's shields.

Scouting Report

Build turrets and deploy your army across Banished routes leading to the cannon.

In game cutscene

A Forerunner Particle Cannon is activated and it was a confirmed hit to the Enduring Conviction.
 * Captain Cutter: "That's a confirmed hit, Professor. The Enduring Conviction is immobilized and not going anywhere. What's the ETA on full penetration of its shields?"
 * Anders: "Hard to estimate, Captain, this thing didn't exactly come with instructions. I'll draw as much power as i can into the cannon, but we're going to make one heck of a target."
 * Captain Cutter: "Agreed. Douglas, the Banished carrier is Atriox's biggest weapon and only means of slipstream transport, so he'll be sending everything he can to destroy that cannon."

Gameplay
 * Douglas-042: "Now that we've cripped their portals, the Banished will have to make a traditional frontal assault using whatever local forces they have. To reach the cannon, the Banished will have to pass through those choke points to the east and west, so we've set up UNSC barriers there to defend them. We need to make sure they hold fast."

UNSC start to establish their defensive line.
 * Anders: "I've set up monitoring equipment along each of possible routes, so I can alert Douglas as the Banished arrive."
 * Captain Cutter: "And with Atriox redirecting all his forces your way, he'll be leaving the base beneath the carrier relatively clear, giving Jerome and Isabel a chance to infiltrate it. They'll be standingby for word when you've broken through the carrier's shields. Hold the line, team."

Douglas contact Jerome that was on standby and the Countdown started from 30 minutes.
 * Douglas-042: "Jerome, this is Douglas. We've got a confirmed hit on the carrier's shield. It's going to take a while to punch through but it's working."
 * Jerome-092: "Good to hear. We're making our way now. Keep that carrier busy for us."

Anders alert Douglas as the Banished will soon arrived.
 * Anders: "Douglas. I'm starting to get early warning alerts on those monitors. The Banished will be here soon!"

When the countdown reaches 28 minutes, the infantry start coming from the North.
 * Anders: "Here they come! Infantry coming in from the North!"

Hunters start to join after the Infantries from the North.
 * Anders: "Douglas, we've got Hunters coming from the north!"

While UNSC engages the incoming infantries and Hunters, Jump Packs coming from the North and leaped to the battle base ahead but eliminated immediately by Hellbringers and Turret.

Timer reaches 26:00 as more infantries arrived from the north.
 * Anders: "We have more infantry inbound from the north!"

Hunters start coming again along with Infantries from the North.
 * Anders: "Douglas. Hunters to the north!"

When the timer reaches 24:00, infantries start to inbound from the north-east.
 * Anders: "Douglas, you have enemy infantry coming in, this time from the north-east!"
 * Douglas-042: "I guess it's time for a change the scenery. Move it, troops!"

More infantries inbound from the north-east.
 * Anders: "More infantries from the north-east!"

UNSC wiped them out immediately on the choke point before they split up and the monitor has gone quiet for now.
 * Anders: "Douglas, the monitors have gone quite - for now."
 * Douglas-042: "Yeah. Looks like we've bought ourselves a little time. Let's check our defenses and call in some more troops while we have the chance."

Timer reaches 22:00 and a new wave is coming.
 * Anders: "Infantry and enemy armor coming from the north-east!"
 * Douglas-042: "Roger that, Anders. Target those Wraith, troops! We can't let them through!"

More Wraith, Chopper and Ghost coming from the north-east.
 * Anders: "Another Wraith incoming from the north-east."
 * Douglas-042: "They'll wreck our barricades in no time. Let's head them off, fast!"

UNSC quickly form the defensive perimeter, not letting any of them go through.
 * Anders: "Enemy vehicles inbound from the north-east!"

After checkpoint made, A squad of Ghosts inbound from the east followed by Marauders.
 * Anders: "The monitors are lit up again - wait, they're coming in from a new route! We've got enemy vehicles inbound from the east!"
 * Douglas-042: "These guys are relentless! I can see how they manage to survive the Covenant during the war!"
 * Anders: "They're sending in more Ghosts from the east!"

A Wraith is attempting to make a beeline straight to Douglas' base while another Jump Pack Brutes coming from the North.
 * Anders: "Douglas! One of their wraiths is making a beeline for our base!"
 * Douglas-042: "If we lose that, we won't be able to hold the line. Let's make sure that doesn't happen."

UNSC split their forces in two, engaging enemy armor from the east and defending the base from Banished raid.

A Locust arrived to attack the base.
 * Anders: "They're sending in a Locust from the east to attack our base!"
 * Douglas-042: "I've seen those before. 'Building Killers'. Let's take it out before it levels home base!"

While not done dealing with Locusts that head towards the base, more armor coming from the east.
 * Anders: "More vehicles from the east, they've got heavy armor this time!"

More Ghosts and Wraiths inbound from the east.
 * Anders: "Ghosts and Wraiths inbound from the east!"

Making worse, the Infantries are coming from the east with intend to support Locust that heading towards the base.
 * Anders: "Ground troops coming in from the east, heading directly towards our base. Looks like they're support for a Locust strike!"

UNSC quickly wiped them out while defending the barrier, after brief rest the Infantries are coming from the North and North-East.
 * Anders: "Infantry coming from the north-east!"
 * Douglas-042: "They're trying to split out forces. Stay sharp."
 * Anders: "Uh-oh, we've got a wave of suicide grunts coming from the north-east."
 * Douglas-042: "Head them off fast before they can detonate!"
 * Anders: "Jump Brutes to the east!"

More infantries coming from the North-east.
 * Anders: "Infantry coming from the North-east."
 * Douglas-042: "I hate those guys. Take them out from range, you don't want to be close when they pop."

UNSC continues to defend their position, not giving chance to let the Banished through while Anders keep giving Douglas warnings to where the Banished came from.
 * Anders: "Uh-oh, we've got a wave of suicide grunts coming from the north-east."
 * Douglas-042: "Head them off fast before they can detonate!"
 * Anders: "Jump Brutes to the east!"

The Banished tries to breakthrough the west barricade.
 * Anders: "The enemy is trying to break through the west barricades, we can't lose it!"

The timer reaches 12:00
 * Anders: "Douglas, the cannon's nearly broken through the carrier's shields. I just need a little bit longer."
 * Douglas-042: "Sure thing, Professor. Think they've taken enough punishment yet?"
 * Anders: "Apparently not...I'm receiving an incoming communication. It's not encrypted - and it's not UNSC. I'm patching it through."
 * Atriox: "Ah, little Spartan - I see you've recovered from our introduction. It seems you need another 'lesson'."
 * Anders: "That was him."
 * Douglas-042: "Atriox."
 * Anders: "Forget him, we need to focus on...uh oh... on EVERYTHING they're throwing at us."
 * Douglas-042: "Good. I've got some anger to work off."

Enemies start to inbound from every direction.
 * Anders: "Infantry to the north-east!"
 * Anders: "Enemy armor coming from the east!"
 * Anders: "More armor, this time from the north-east!"
 * Anders: "Wraiths to the north-east!"
 * Anders: "They're sending in infantry form the North-east!"

The East barricade is taking damage from the Banished's attack.
 * Anders: "We have to defend the east barricade! The Banished are trying to breakthrough!"
 * Anders: "Enemy vehicles inbound from the east!"

The Banished throw every ground vehicles at UNSC.
 * Anders: "Wraiths and Locusts from the north-east!"
 * Douglas-042: "What's the status on that shield? It's Banished central down here!"
 * Anders: "We're very close to punching through, hand on, we're almost there!"
 * Douglas-042: "You got it."

The Banshees attack on Spirit of Fire has been reduced as the Shipmaster divert some of the Banshees to the Particle Cannon.
 * Captain Cutter: "Douglas, Professor! The Shipmaster has diverted some of his air units from the attack on the Spirit of Fire. They're heading your way."
 * Douglas-042: "We need to get some anti-air defenses, ASAP! Turrets! Wolverines!"

Banshees start coming and heading straight to the particle cannon but not without taking out UNSC's Barricades first.

Banished then start to attack from all routes.
 * Anders: "Enemies inbound from all routes! Repeat, enemies inbound from ALL routes!"

The enemies are attempting to breakthrough east barricades again.
 * Anders: "Don't let them breakthrough the east barricade! We need to defend it!"

If Banished are gathered at the east barricade.
 * Anders: "Douglas, there's a surge of Banished at the east barricade!"

If Banished are gathered at the west barricade.
 * Anders: "Douglas, there's a surge of Banished at the west barricade!"

When the east final barricade reaches 50% of its durability.
 * Anders: "The east barricade is under attack from the Banished, we've got to protect it!"

A Spirit lands, dropping three pairs of Hunters on the west barricade forcing UNSC to split their forces again to defend west and east barricade.

When final east barricade reaches 25%.
 * Anders: "Don't let them breakthrough the east barricade! We need to defend it!"

If the Banished manage to destroy the East barricade.
 * Anders: "Douglas, we've lost the east barricade! The Banished have broken through!"

If Banished manage to destroy the west barricade.
 * Anders: "The west barricade is down! The Banished are coming through!"

If both of barricades are down.
 * Anders: "That's both barricades down, Douglas. We're going to have to fight harder to defend the cannon now!"

If Banished start to attack the Particle Cannon.
 * Anders: "The particle cannon is taking hits! We've got to protect it!"

UNSC keep hold the line until the timer reaches zero.

Once timer reaches zero, Anders prepare to fire the cannon.
 * Anders: "Here goes."

The Particle Cannon emit some EMP Burst, taking down the carrier's shields.

A platform descends and Anders runs back to the rendezvous point.
 * Anders: "It worked! The shields are down!"

Douglas, Anders and UNSC rallied on the extraction point as two Pelican lands to extract them.
 * Douglas-042: "Nice shooting, Professor! Get ready for extraction back to the Spirit of Fire. Jerome, this is Douglas. The shield is down and you are a go."
 * Jerome-092: "Roger that, Douglas. Now get your troops clear. You don't want to be down there when Isabel gets started."

The Pelican leaves the extraction point, returning to Spirit of Fire.

Level ends

Leader Power Avaiable on this level

 * R&D I
 * Archer Missiles I and II
 * Restoration Drones I and II
 * ODST Drop
 * Turret Drop I and II
 * Battle Hardened I
 * Lotus Mine I and II

Initial Structures and Units

 * Combat Station
 * Supply Pad
 * Generator
 * Douglas-042
 * 1 Hornet
 * 1 Warthog
 * 8 Watchtower
 * 3 Marines

Trivia

 * This is the only level where the player will experience Turret Defense gameplay.
 * If enemy vehicles attack the cannon, a veteran Cyclops will drop to assist the player.
 * The minibases are scattered around the South-west and North-East of this map.

Strategies

 * Create a killzone to prevent Banished from breaking through UNSC barricades. Turrets will not be enough to slow them down.
 * There are other mini-base slots around the map. Use these to your advantage but be careful as some of the enemies may divert their assault to it.
 * Some areas are not visible by the Watchtower and it's recommended to explore it with either Warthog or Hornet.
 * If the player can seize all power nodes in the map, it will further help with progress.
 * Destroy all silos on this map on the beginning of level. It will help with your resources at the beginning.
 * The choke point is the best place to set up defenses in order to maximize the defense capabilities.
 * Always bring Nightingales with you and not rely on only Restoration Drones.

Mistakes

 * The level art features Alice-130 defending the Particle Cannon. In gameplay, however, only Douglas-042 is defending the Particle Cannon while she and Jerome are on the mission to infiltrate the Enduring Conviction.