Beachhead (Halo Wars level)

Beachhead is the thirteenth level of Halo Wars.

Plot
At The Apex, the Arbiter releases Professor Ellen Anders from her restraints and forces her hand onto the Apex console. The console reacts to the touch of a Reclaimer, activating the nearby Forerunner s docked in the structures around the Apex. The Arbiter triumphantly announces that the fleet will be the destruction of humanity and Anders takes advantage of the Arbiter and his Sangheili Honor Guard's distraction by the fleet to activate a teleporter in the Apex platform with an order to take her to the surface.

Anders is teleported to the inner surface of the shield world where she is attacked by three Flood infection forms. Suddenly, the infection forms are killed by Sergeant John Forge who has arrived to rescue Anders. Anders quickly warns Forge that the Covenant are assembling a huge fleet. Forge escorts Anders to a nearby Pelican, but the Pelican is destroyed by the Flood. Accompanied by other ground forces, Forge leads Anders to another LZ at a lower level that the UNSC forces defend against Covenant attack for a minute and a half. Finally, a Pelican arrives to extract Anders who reveals that she needs to get back to her lab as she has a possible solution for the problem of the Forerunner fleet.

With Anders rescued and safely aboard the, Captain James Cutter orders Forge to secure a beachhead for the Spirit of Fire's forces. Forge begins a ground assault to eliminate four Covenant citadels in the area. He is aided by a Scarab that can be captured by the UNSC forces if they free it from the Flood. Finally, after eliminating the citadels and their defenses, including multiple Mega Turrets and a Scarab, Forge secures the area with the creation of UNSC firebases on the site of each destroyed citadel. Having been informed of the situation by Anders, Cutter congratulates Forge and orders him to stand by for a mission briefing.

Transcript
{Judgment Day}

''Scene fades in on Anders, who is awaking still in a Forerunner containment field device on the Apex. In the background, the Arbiter, flanked by two Zealot Elites, approaches her. The Arbiter is dragging one of his Energy Swords along the floor.''


 * Ripa 'Moramee: "Restraints, off!"

Stasis beam deactivates, Anders collapses, the Arbiter picks her up by the neck with one hand, and holds the human up to his eyes.


 * Ripa 'Moramee: "Your judgment has waited long enough."

The Arbiter drags the struggling human over to the control console, and throws her on the floor in front of it.


 * Anders: "Just... get it over with!"

''The Arbiter lifts her hand above the holographic, spherical console, which reacts by spinning, and then stopping to reveal five highlighted hexagonal "buttons", upon which the Arbiter places Anders' hand. In response to human touch, the control console begins to emit a steady beam, which terminates in a flash as the once dormant structures surrounding the Apex platform begin to slowly unfold and awaken from their millennia of inactivity, revealing themselves to be Forerunner Sojourner-class dreadnoughts. Staring up at the unraveling fleet in awe, the Arbiter releases his grip on Anders. The two other Elites which had accompanied him share the same reaction. The several honor guards leave their posts, to better behold the spectacle of the unfolding fleet. The Arbiter lifts his fists into the air, and begins to preach charismatically.''


 * Ripa 'Moramee: "The ancients have granted us the power to doom your race. Let the deconstruction of our gifts begin! The majesty of our new fleet will be unparalleled!"

''The ships continue to move, taking form. Anders, while the Elites are distracted by the event, moves to the platform where the stasis beam was, which reacts by lighting up.''


 * Anders: (looking up at the Shield World's shell) "Nothing ventured..."


 * Anders: (suddenly looking at the platform, as if expecting a response) "Surface!"

The platform responds by teleporting Anders to a seemingly calm, lightly forested area on the surface of the Shield World.


 * Anders: "Hmm... that worked out pretty well."

''A short distance away three Infection Forms drop from cover, and they quickly approach her. She slowly backs up.''


 * Anders: "Or maybe not."

''The Infection Forms continue to advance. The lead one leaps at her and suddenly explodes. The other two soon explode as well; it is revealed that Forge has shot them.''


 * Forge: "Lady, I haven't got all day. You want to be rescued or not?"

{Gameplay}


 * Forge: "So what? No "thanks for rescuing me Sergeant".


 * Anders: "Later, the Covenant are assembling a huge fleet."


 * Forge: "Suddenly, the LZ doesn't look so good. Spirit, we're gonna need back up."

The Pelican that brought Forge in is shot down.


 * Forge: "And...another Pelican."


 * Anders: "Let's get out of here, I saw a teleporter over there."

When Forge and Anders get across through the teleporter:


 * Forge: "Spirit of Fire, we are ready for transport, Anders stay by that beacon."


 * Anders: "John, I... I think I know how to stop the Covenant, I need to get to my lab."


 * Forge: "Baby steps, Professor. Let's try not dying first."


 * Pilot: "Pelican, inbound on your position."

A Pelican arrives soon after.


 * Anders: "Finally, Sergeant. I need you to stay down here and get this area locked down."


 * Forge: "Well, whattaya know, lock-down is my specialty."

Red Team arrives via HEVs.


 * Red Team: "Need a hand?"


 * Forge: "Showoffs!"

A few squads of Grunts abandon a Scarab, as a few Flood tentacles spring up out of the ground


 * Forge: "Well lookie there, the Covenant abandoned the Scarab. Wonder if they left the keys in it."


 * Forge: "You know, the Covenant really shouldn't leave their toys lyin' around."

Forge and his troops soon engage another Scarab guarding a bridge with some Honor Guards, but with help from the captured Scarab the enemy is soon defeated.


 * Forge: "Captain, the area is locked down. Anders done with her skull session?"

{In-game Cutscene}


 * Cutter: "The Professor has filled me in, good work Sergeant. Stand by for mission briefing."

Level ends.

Easter eggs

 * The Pain Train skull accessible after killing 10 Flood bomber forms. It is located at the Flood-infested region near the beginning of the level.
 * The Black Box in this level is located on a cliff next to the teleporter that transport units to the ramp depicted in the ending cutscene. It is only reachable by air units.

Miscellaneous

 * Unlike most levels, it is possible for a Spartan to board a specific unmanned Scarab in this level. Killing 25 enemy units with this Scarab will unlock the Beaming with Pride achievement. Strangely, said Scarab is labelled a "Super" Scarab like the one that is destroyed in the seventh level. Unlike other Scarabs, this Scarab cannot climb over impassible terrain.
 * After Anders teleports away from the Apex in the cutscene, Flood swarms can be seen in the background before the infection forms appear.
 * A deleted in-game cutscene shows Ripa 'Moramee exiting a teleporter in this level, likely in pursuit of Anders, suggesting that Ensemble Studios had plans for the unique Arbiter unit to appear in this level rather than being a unit exclusive to Skirmish games.