Uplift Reserve/Walkthrough

Overview
This is a walkthrough for the Halo 3: ODST level Uplift Reserve. This is the fourth level of Halo 3: ODST. For this mission you play as Dutch. Your mission is to pacify Covenant forces in the Uplift Nature Reserve. While your initial loadout for this mission is the SMG and a Spartan Laser. With this mission you can play it three ways: slow, fast, and really fast. If you're playing really fast skip to the bottom and read the Really Fast Walkthrough. If you actually want to play the mission then just keep going. It is important to note that as this walkthrough is at the Legendary difficulty, all strengths of enemies reflected are at the Legendary level, but contains notes for lower difficulties. Good skulls for this mission are Tough Luck and Grunt Birthday Party.

If NASCAR had Guns (Or, Safari, Marine Style)
When the mission starts switch to your SMG and head up the path. Once you reach the top, turn left and head behind the boulders to come up behind the Brutes and Grunts. Grenade and shoot. With help from the Marines, you should prevail fairly quickly. From here you have two choices on how to proceed and it's simply a matter of preference. Both ways work, and they both share equal risks:


 * Slow: Flip the Warthog. DRIVE! Let the Marines shoot, you can give the Marine riding shotgun your Spartan Laser (note: Don't give away your Laser if you are at 100% charge, while the Marine is effective and you will get more than your typical five shots from him there are a few spots that having your laser charged and at the ready are good for you).  There are a few other Warthogs around but don't follow them. Drive counterclockwise (turning left) around the clearing at full speed, dodging when you need to and never slowing if you can help it. This gives you the long view coming at the Wraiths and the shortest amount of time with your back to them. Keep going until the Wraiths and Choppers are dead and you get your checkpoint. You don't need to worry about the Choppers so much, except for ramming. The other Warthogs are pretty effective at killing them. There may also be a Ghost or two for you to kill. Clean up before proceeding. A downside to this method is that the time it takes is long enough that eventually something is going to hit you. Whether it kills you or not is a matter of luck and skill.
 * Fast: Before you get in the Warthog, move right until you have a clear line of sight to the Wraiths. Smoke them with the Spartan Laser. Then get in the Warthog and clean up. Give a Marine your Spartan Laser, if it has low charge when you give it to him and he dies, it'll be back up to around 60%, then you can give another Marine the Laser.  This method is much faster but you're exposed for a bit and Choppers are fast and deadly, not to mention the Marines in the other Warthogs could hit and kill you too. After cleaning up here head down the path and grab the medkit from the station before the tunnel if you need it.

Why didn't I get the Extra Insurance?
After the tunnel go right and quickly head up the hill on the left running over everything (Brutes, Grunts, Jackals). Once you're clear hop out and find the Fuel Rod Gun the Grunt was carrying. Give it to your passenger Marine (getting back your Spartan laser if you gave it away) he'll go nuts firing fuel rods at everyone instead of charging up a laser. Drive down and through the puddle towards the beach, keeping an eye out for the Banshees and a Chopper. Just keep driving in circles and don't advance until you've killed the Chopper and the Banshees are dead or have given up. Next is just fast driving and lots of ramming. Head up the path. Let your passenger with the Fuel Rod Gun do most of the heavy killing but feel free to ram the Shades he misses. It's better than letting them shoot at your back. Watch for the Ghost that's going to start speeding away. Charge it and kill it before it makes it up the path. Once you get your checkpoint, stop for a second and wait for the Phantom in the next area to clear before going forward. Your Warthog is probably going to be pretty beat up here so take it easy before you rush in to the next area.

I Always Get Stuck in Traffic at the Bridge (Or, You thought your toll takers were rude...)
When you advance into this area you are once again faced with the choice of Fast or Slow. Both have their risks, and advantages.


 * Slow: Head down the path and into the back of the building swap out for a new Hog and once again, drive in Counterclockwise (Turn left) circles until all the little enemies are gone. Drive fast and hard, don't stop and don't worry about anything else. Once you're clear drive around and kill the Wraiths. The advantage here is that you're always moving, so you're harder to hit, the problem is that it's easy to miss someone who will kill you when you're trying to get the Wraiths and the high ground Shades are difficult to kill without engaging the Wraiths to get up the hill.
 * Fast: When you first come out into the area hop out of the Warthog. Try to not leave it very exposed, but let the Marines have enough room to shoot. Go to the right side and swap your SMG for the Sniper Rifle, and if you can, swap the Marine's Fuel Rod Gun for a Rocket Launcher as it is faster and more powerful. Take out the Brutes ONLY at the top of the hill, don't waste your ammo on the Grunts near the Shades. Then move on to the other Brutes on the ground. If you have ammo left and you're a good enough shot, shoot out the Chopper Brutes. Move as far to the right as possible and swap in your Spartan Laser. When you see the Wraith (this is a 50/50 chance) you can kill the first one and it will draw out the second one to kill. If you have any ammo left take out the nearest Shade. If you can't see the Wraith you can either move back to the Warthog and lure them out and kill it with your Marines or try tossing some grenades (it's really tricky to get them out far enough) to draw them out and use the Laser. The disadvantage to this one is if you can't headshot this method is pretty useless, and then the Wraiths shoot at you from behind the hill. Once you've killed the Wraiths, clear out any remaining Covenant forces before you head on to the bridge.

Feeding time at the Zoo (Or how a Zebra killed the Lion)
As your head over the Bridge, change rides. Your beat up Warthog won't last so take the fresh and shiny one on the Bridge. Hopefully you still have Marines, preferably with the Rocket Launcher. If so, your life just got easier. If not you're in for some chop, but it's not unmanageable. Coming off the bridge, stay to the right of the path and avoid the fight. Drive up the path and ram the Shades. It's easier than any other option. When you see the Warthog husk and rest station you should get a checkpoint. Take a second and formulate your plan. Again you're going to have two choices. Both are dangerous and risky, and only skillful evasion and good aim will help you. Neither one is really faster than the other so it's a matter of preference, do you trust the Marine AI or not?


 * If you like your AI drive up to the landing platform and head to the left side ramming the Shade. Drive in circles clockwise until everyone is dead. This can take a while but if you still have your Rocket Launcher wielding Marine, he'll make short work of the Wraith and let the Gunner concentrate on the landing pad. While you're doing this, and trying to avoid Brute Shots, grenades and try splattering the Jackals. Gets it done faster.


 * If you don't trust your AI (or you don't have any Marines left) drive up and ram the Shade but instead of driving around, drive over into the gully after and get out. Swap out for a new Spartan Laser on the ground and kill the Wraith. Work your way around the area and clear it out.

When you're done grab the fresh Warthog from the gully and get some new Marines if you need them. There's a Rocket Launcher wielding Marine around so you can think about letting her go for a joy ride. Hop in and start up the next path to the top of the hill.

Wait..What? You want me to drive where? (Or why I don't listen to Passengers)
You've made it this far, so now you've got a few turns and you enter the final arena. There barriers on either side of you with Grunts and Brutes behind shooting at you and a Wraith at the top waiting to kill you and to top it all off, a War Chieftain with a Fuel Rod Gun waiting to strike. Two choices here, drive around until everything is dead and drive over the edge of the cliff. Or just skip past everything and drive over the cliff. Either way you've just finished Uplift Reserve.

Really Fast Walkthrough (AKA the Speed Run, Coward's Path or MOMMMY!)
When the mission starts pull out your SMG and head up the path. Once you reach the top, turn left and head behind the boulders to come up behind the Brutes and Grunts. Grenade and shoot. With help from the Marines, it just takes a few seconds. Flip the Warthog and jump in. Don't wait for the Marines because you're not going to need them. Speed past the Wraiths and down the path until you reach the tunnel. Ditch the Warthog for the Ghost and start boosting. At the end of the tunnel go left and avoid those enemies. Keep boosting through the next area, avoiding any confrontation up to the next clearing with the Wraiths. Swing around the ground and use a little maneuvering to get around them and onto the bridge. Once over the bridge, either boost over the cliff, or boost through the next set and then take a second to rest up real quick before you get to the platform. Go up to the landing platform and sharp turn right to speed past the enemies and Wraith here. Boost past everything and over the cliff.

Notes for Legendary Play

 * Staying in your vehicle is often a recipe for disaster. Warthogs are grenade magnets, big Fuel Rod targets and chew toys for Choppers. Sometimes your best option is get out and move around a little. It saves your 'Hog from some pounding.
 * Marines here are accurate and deadly, and they will follow you in groups distracting the enemy. Keep your seats full and well equipped, and if you can save enough for another Warthog, you'll often find it behind you, backing you up for a while.
 * Your Spartan Laser will kill any ride in one shot, if you hit it right. Aim at a Wraiths cockpit, just below the main gun, or low at the engine in back. Take an extra second and get it right the first time.
 * The Vidmaster Classic Achievement is most easily accomplished on this mission. Just skip the first line of the Really Fast Walkthrough, and don't, whatever you do, DON'T honk the horn on the Warthog.
 * Never drive over the landing pad near the end of the mission, it's a recipe for disaster.

Notes for Lower Difficulties

 * Doing this level without a vehicle is very difficult. Ammo is hard to find and health packs are few and far between. It's not impossible, but certainly not your best option. If you do end up walking for a bit because you lost your ride, don't worry, there are plenty of spares, and alternates (Ghosts and Choppers) around.
 * Your Warthog is nearly indestructible, and with a little care, you'll never have to switch vehicles, finishing more quickly.
 * The Spartan laser may be the strongest power weapon in the level, but the Rocket Launcher is a better anti-vehicle weapon than the Laser as a passenger weapon because of the Spartan laser takes a longer time to charge. The Rocket Launcher is faster and easier for the Marine NPCs to fire.