Sierra 117

Sierra 117 is the first campaign level of Halo 3. It is the first to feature real gameplay, as opposed to Arrival, which is merely a cutscene and tutorial. Also, take note that this is the First Level that features messages from Cortana on certain occasions.

Upon completing it on the Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulties, the player will earn the "Landfall" achievement and 20 Gamerpoints.

Setting
LEAKED SIERRA 117 video

This level takes place in an African jungle, as confirmed via the hexadecimal code of the Halo 3 Beta and physically confirmed in the Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer and the short video subsequent Bungie Podcasts. The jungle is home to a Covenant Loyalist encampment, and hosts lush verdant forestry, rivers, rocky landscapes, waterfalls, and tunnels.

Plot
According to the Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer, Chief joins forces with the Arbiter and a few Marines. They progress through the area, securing landing zones for Pelican Dropships and defending them against enemy Banshees. If one makes inferences based on the Halo 3 Zune Concept Art and the beta code's level names, the level will culminate at an arrival at the Halo 3 UNSC Base.

It was stated in the September 07 issue of Gamepro that the Chief would have to rescue Johnson from a downed Pelican.

01: Walk It Off

 * Johnson: "First Squad, you're my scouts. {If co-op} Arbiter, watch the Chief's back {Co-op end}. Move out! Quiet as you can."

Johnson: "Let's get moving, Chief. Come on. I'll lead you out."
 * (If you hang around.)


 * Johnson: "Bravo Team, this is Johnson. We got him. Fall back to the extraction point. Over."


 * Reynolds (COM): "Roger that. Reynolds out."

Brute howls off in the distance.


 * Marine #1: "That sounded close."


 * Marine #2: "Yeah, too close."


 * Reynolds (COM): "Johnson, you be advised. Hostiles are (static) on the move (static end). I've got eyes on a (static) Brute Pack (static end). Over."

There is the ominous whisper of gravitic drives as a Phantom flies overhead.
 * Johnson: "Say again, Gunny. You're breaking up."


 * Marine #2 (Whisper): "Sergeant Major, Phantom inbound."


 * Johnson (Whisper) :"We stick together, we're gonna get spotted. We 'llsplit up, and meet back at the LZ. Chief, go with the Arbiter, head toward the river. Second Squad, you're with me."

{If co-op}


 * Johnson : "Chief. You and the Arbiter head toward the river."

{Co-op end}

''Johnson and Second Squad climb up the cliff by the water fall. The Chief and Arbiter lead First Squad. The Arbiter leads the Chief up on some rocks around a pile of fallen logs, while First Squad waits to go straight over, pointing out a Brute Captain Major.''


 * Brute Captain: "Spread out, you whelps! Find them!"


 * Marine #1 (Whisper): "Up ahead! Single Brute, plus backup!"

First Squad engages the Brute and his Grunt subordinates along with the Master Chief and the Arbiter.


 * Arbiter (to Brute corpse): "The Prophets are liars, but you are fools to do their bidding!"

''Two Phantoms draw near, each deploying a Brute and a squad of Grunts, blocking the advance of the Master Chief and his allies. Eventually, they are cleared, and the Marines form up at a winking flare at an underground cave.''


 * Marine #2 or Female Marine #1: "Those Brutes are tough."


 * Marine #1 or Female Marine #1: "Grunts ain't no sloutches either."


 * Arbiter: "The Grunt's new-found courage is but fear. When we are victorious, all who serve the Prophets will be punished."

''After advancing through the caves, a massive forested expanse is found: the "Grunt Camp". Sleeping Grunts litter the first half while a few Brutes, Jackals, and Grunts patrol the far hills.''


 * Marine #1: "Sleepers! Take 'em out, nice and quiet! {On Heroic and Legendary} [[Jackals, on the ridge! Stay low; looks like they've got Carbines."

{After clearing the Grunt Camp}


 * Johnson (COM): "Pelicans are en route, Chief, but I can't raise Bravo. If you find 'em, get 'em to the extraction point."

''Beyond the encampment, a Brute Captain is torturing a Marine Sergeant on a log. It is possible and optional to save the Marine by killing the Brute.''


 * Brute Captain: "Tell me its location!"


 * Reynolds: "Kiss...my...ass."

{If Reynolds is saved}

Reynolds jumps down from the log, grabbing a nearby fallen Assault Rifle and joining the Master Chief and the Arbiter in their fight


 * Reynolds: "Brute Chieftain and a Phantom. They pinned us down...killed my men."


 * Arbiter: "The river. Hurry!"

''The UNSC force continues forward, towards further caves and pushing towards the river, where Johnson has established an extraction point for Second Squad. They head down a steep slope for some underground caves that lead to the river.''


 * Cortana: "Could you sacrifice me to complete your mission? Could you watch me die?"


 * Marine #3: "Sir, you okay?"


 * Marine #4: "Your vitals just pinged KIA."

02: Charlie Foxtrot
''Second Squad leaves the caves; the river is around the next bend. Three Marine corpses are scattered on the ground, with BR55HB SR Battle Rifle ammunition and Fragmentation Grenades.''


 * Johnson (COM): "Chief, Pelicans are at the river. We've got company, so hustle up!"


 * Arbiter: "Grenades! Blow them to bits!"

''Beyond the steep slope is a river substation, next to a raging river. A pair of Pelican Dropships, Kilo 23 and Echo 51, hover above the river, and their door gunners fire on a cluster of Brutes, Jackals, and Grunts that have tunneled themselves in the substation. They are the extraction force to exfiltrate the Master Chief and his team.''


 * Hocus (COM): "Hold on. Got a contact."

As the Master Chief and his men wind nearer to the Pelicans in the substation, two Banshees streak in along the river.


 * Hocus (COM): "Banshees! Banshees loose!"


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Break off-now!"

The Banshees launch a high-speed strafing run against the Pelicans, and explosions cascade over them as the Pelicans rock.


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Watch yourself!"


 * Hocus (COM): "I'm hit! I'm hit! AAAHHHH!"


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Lost a thruster. Hang on!"


 * Johnson (COM): "Get a hold of her!


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Negative! We're going down!"

''The first Pelican crashes into the river on the other side of the dam. Echo 51 slams on the top of the cliff going over it. The Chief and Arbiter secure the riverside and the dam, after encountering many reinforcements.''

(In Co-op, a Marine will say that instead)
 * Arbiter: "Those Banshees are sure to circle back round. Let's head back into the jungle."


 * Johnson (COM): "Chief, can you hear me..(static). My bird's down. Have a clear..(static)..on your position."


 * Marine #1 or Marine Sergeant (Stacker): (If on Normal or below) "Jackals. On the ridge. Stay low. Looks like they got Carbines."

''After the Chief and Arbiter pass through the short gorge, they see a bridge. Three Marines are crossing it, under heavy fire. They hear a familiar voice over the COM unit.''


 * Johnson (COM): "Come on, you dumb apes!! You want breakfast...You gotta catch it!"

Johnson and the Marines frag the Brute and his fellow soldiers on the bridge, and run off into a cave.

''The Chief and Arbiter encounter many hostiles, including a Brute on the side of a Phantom, who flies off when either his gunner, or much of his troops are eliminated. The Chief and Arbiter secure the area, and discover Echo 51's crashsite, by the water. The Pelican flipped over after hitting the cliff. The Chief finds a SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle, along with much weapons and munitions.''


 * Crow's Nest (Australian) Flight Controller (Echo 51's COM): "Echo 51, this is Crow's Nest. Echo 51, please respond! Hocus, 51 is down. The bird from emergency evac. Over."

(If any Marines continue to follow or are alive)
 * Marine #3 (Australian or American): "Sergeant Major went this way, Chief. Through the cave."

The Chief and Arbiter cut through the caves.

Quid Pro Quo
{Cutscene}

''At the end, they reach a low cliff, viewing another dam. The Arbiter spots the Chieftain beating and playing with Johnson.''


 * Arbiter: "See how they bait their trap?"

The Chieftain roars at Johnson.


 * Arbiter: "I will help you spring it."

{Gameplay}

''The Chief and Arbiter battle their way across the dam, taking down the Chieftain. They finally reach Johnson, who's been tied up and imprisoned behind a Plasma Shield.''


 * Johnson: "This isn't as fun as it looks. Cut the power!"

(If no Marines came with you or died, the other three Marines in the prison will be still alive and await rescue)

Marine Escapee #1: "Brutes were gonna gut us sir."

The Chief releases Johnson and the surviving squad from Echo 51's crash site.


 * Johnson: "We're even. As long as we're only counting today. Kilo 23, what's you're ETA?"


 * Hocus (COM): "Iminent Sergeant. Find some cover. Gotta clear a path."

The Marines grab Covenant Weapons from the Covenant Canisters.


 * Johnson: "Roger that Hocus. Friendly gunship, coming in hot!"

''Two Phantoms arrive, carrying reinforcements. The Chief, Arbiter, Johnson and any remaining Marines hold position until Kilo 23 arrives.''


 * Johnson: "Hocus! Phantom!"


 * Hocus (COM): "I see 'em! Standby.

Hocus shoots down the first Phantom.


 * Hocus (COM): "Scratch one Phantom!"

''If any ground forces remain, Kilo 23 will take them out. Kilo 23 fires upon the Second Phantom, and sends it plunging into the river.''


 * Hocus: "Scratch Two!"

''Hocus lowers the Pelican to the dam for pickup. Johnson, the Master Chief, the Arbiter and the remaining Marines board Kilo 23.''

{Cutscene}

''Kilo 23 takes off. Johnson gives the Chief a pat on the shoulder and goes into the cockpit. Kilo 23 shuts the back hatch and flies over the first damn, en route to Crow's Nest.''

Trivia

 * Note that the level is called Sierra 117; Sierra is the word used in the NATO phonetic alphabet to represent the letter S, which, when used in a military sense, generally stands for "sniper." However, in Halo 3, it is S 117 which corresponds to SPARTAN-117. This has been confirmed in the second Bungie Podcast.
 * In the August 2007 EGM Halo 3 Story, Sierra 117 mistakenly said to be the fifth Level in the Halo 3 Campaign.
 * Jumping into the deep water at the point where the pelicans are shot won't kill you or even lower your shields. Also you can see fish swimming and even kill them. (These are what the small yellow dots are on your motion tracker)

Links
External -A leaked video from E3 2007.