The Storm (Level)

For the artificial weather phenomenon, see Portal Storm

The Storm is the fifth campaign mission of Halo 3. Upon completing it on the Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulties, the player will earn the "Assault" achievement and 30 Gamerpoints. Upon earning 15,000 points in metagame scoring on this level, the player will earn the Askar achievement and 10 Gamerpoints.

Background


It begins with a UNSC Warthog convoy moving to Voi, whose objective is to punch through the Covenant Loyalist Anti-Aircraft defenses that surround the Ark and allow Lord Hood's small fleet of ships passage to the Prophet of Truth's fleet to kill Truth and stop the firing of the halo rings. UNSC Marine forces, led by SPARTAN-117 get involved in several pitched skirmishes as they must fight through the industrial zone of Voi, through warehouses and factories and having to survive ambushes by both Covenant foot soldiers and Covenant armor.

After breaking through the industrial area Master Chief, meets up with a brigade of approximately five or six Mongoose ATVs and commandeers one with a Marine riding 'pillion' using a M41 Rocket Launcher. They immediately engage a squadron of Anti-Air Wraith tanks to secure a landing zone as Brutes on Brute Choppers and Grunts on Ghosts attack them and are constantly reinforced by Phantoms. Above them are Hornets and Banshees, having a dogfight for control. Although they manage to take the landing zone, the victory ends up being short-lived as a Scarab arrives to crush the UNSC forces. After disabling it by boarding it, then destroying its power core the UNSC forces prepare to push into a Brute controlled warehouse.

With reinforcements led by the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam and Sergeant Johnson along with volunteer civilians from a nearby factory, they push onwards, engaging nearly a dozen Brutes armed with Spikers and Brute Shots, a pair of Hunters and a Brute Chieftain wielding a Gravity Hammer. After that, they press on to the site, engaging a small Covenant force defending it. Eventually they punch through, destroying the gun, allowing the UNSC Navy, along with Miranda Keyes, free rein.

Cutscenes

 * 1) "Closing"

Ghost Town
Military Operations Urban Terrain.

{Gameplay}

''A convoy of three Warthogs: two M831 TT Warthogs and one M12 Warthog LRV, rolls down a tunnel of Tsavo Highway, with the Chief riding shotgun in the LRV. (On co-op, Thel 'Vadam, N'tho 'Sraom, and Usze 'Taham ride shotgun on the TT's).''


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "Chief, the Prophet of Truth has found the Ark. Our only chance of stopping him is a surprise aerial assault. Clear this sector of Covenant anti-air defenses. Make a hole for the Admiral’s ships. Good hunting. Keyes out."

''The Warthogs emerge from the tunnel in a parking lot scattered with destroyed Warthog chassis and Marine and Grunt corpses. The Warthogs roll to a pause as the Marines and Master Chief walk out, and the Marines form a perimeter outside the locked door.''


 * Marine Sergeant (Reynolds): "Ready when you are, Chief. Open the door and take point. We’ll cover you with the .50."

or


 * Marine Sergeant (Stacker): "Ready when you are, Chief. Open the door, take point; we'll cover you with the .50!"

''The Master Chief opens the door into an empty factory section and then into a next section with Covenant. An M12 Warthog LRV and a file of Marines follow him in.''


 * Prophet of Truth (Pedestal): "With my gentle encouragement, our lords' holy relic springs to life. It is unfortunate that our enemies also bear witness to its glory.  But soon their dull eyes will be closed; seared by the Rings unforgiving might."


 * Marine Sergeant: "Chief, open the door; we can roll on through!"

''A set of doors is opened, leading to a factory tunnel laden with Brutes, Jackals, Grunts, and even a pair of Ghosts. Beyond that is another door that leads to Lake Bed A. After cleansing the tunnel, the UNSC forces open the next door, revealing a massive expanse with cruising Ghosts and a heavy Covenant garrison.''


 * Lord Hood (COM): "Kilo 23, this is Forward Unto Dawn. I need a sit-ref, Commander." (a sit-ref is "situation reference", asking about what is happening)


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "Atmospheric disturbance is intensifying above the artifact, Admiral."


 * Lord Hood (COM): "And Sierra 117?"


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Moving as fast as he can sir. I know he’ll get it done."

A Phantom deploys a standard Wraith at the far side of the lake bed.

After the Anti-Aircraft Wraith in the nearby area is destroyed.


 * Hocus (COM): "Hell yeah! Boom! The Fly Boys are gonna love us for that!"


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Thataway, Chief! Target destroyed. Move to the next area, over."

Master Chief and the remaining Marines exit the lake bed into the confines of the factory again, where a Brute Chieftain and his attendant Brutes, Jackals, and Grunts have a pair of Marines pinned down in the adjacent section.


 * Marine: "They just keep coming!"


 * Female Marine: "Check your fire! It’s the Chief! Flush ‘em out, sir. We'll nail them with the .50."

After the Chieftain and his troops are killed by the Chief and Marines.


 * Marine: "We’ve made a hole. Hurry, before any more Covenant show up!"

''The Marines defending the warehouse open the door. The Chief and accompanying Marines head through.''


 * Female Marine: "We're down to our last mags, sir. 'Thought those last ones had us."


 * Marine: "Covenant Phantom! Overhead!"

''A Phantom hovering overhead above a shattered glass roof frightens the Marines a little.. The Master Chief and Marines quickly move to the next section as the glass roof explodes in shattering sound and a horde of Drones descend. Eventually they are fought off and the Master Chief and Marines enter the next factory tunnel section.''


 * Cortana (Cortana Moment): "I have defied Gods and Demons..."

''At the end of the tunnel are four Mongoose vehicles, next to a rack of weapons. Marines rush to man the ATVs.''


 * Female Marine: "Mount up! Rockets in back! Move fast and punch hard!"

''The Marines open the tunnel door. The Chief takes a Mongoose {or can take any other vehicle of choice} and joins the Marines on the assault of the Anti-Air Wraiths in the neighboring lake bed. While a small squad of Marines are pinned down on the "boardwalk" on the northern side of the lake bed, Covenant vehicles mill in the center.''


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "We’ve got anti-air Wraiths in the next lake bed, Chief!"

The ATV's quickly take out the first Anti-Air.


 * Marine: "One down, one to go!"

''A few Choppers along with Phantoms carrying Ghosts overwhelm the lake bed with Banshees above. They take out the Second Anti-Air Wraith. The ATVs, Hornets, and Mounted Missile Launchers eventually clear the lake bed of Covenant armor resistance.''


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Both AA Wraiths have been neutralized...standby. Something Big closing in on your location."


 * Male Marine (COM): "What's that Sound? It's getting closer!"


 * Sargeant Johnson (COM): "Scarab! Find some cover now!"


 * Sargeant Johnson (COM): "Stand back marines. Let The chief show you how it's done."


 * Sargeant Johnson (COM): "Try to get on it's back, chief."

''SPARTAN-117, using a nearby crane, jumps onto the Scarab and kills it's crew. The Chief then shoots a rocket into the core reactor and jumps off just in time to whatch it go down.''


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "Way to go, chief. I'm sending in a few pelicans."

A pelican flies in from above only to drop off two marines and The Arbiter.


 * Sargeant Johnson (COM): "Theres an AA gun in the next area, chief"


 * Female Marine: "The whole area's locked down, sir. Follow us, we'll get you through."

''The chief then follows the surviving marines and preceeds into the next factory toward the AA gun.

Judgment
'Scarab. BFG. End of the World.'

There is the booming of the anti-aircraft emplacement in the distance, but also an ominous mechanical grinding noise.


 * Marine (COM): "What’s that sound?"

The booms and grinding get louder.


 * Marine (COM): "It’s getting closer!"


 * Marine (COM): "Oh, this is going to be good."


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Scarab! Find some cover, now!"

''A massive Scarab walker lumbers down from the roof of the factory onto the lake bed, and dust rises as its legs slam into the ground. Marine vehicles and a pair of Marine-manned Missile Pod turrets open up in volleys.''


 * Marine: "Use rockets! Target its joints!"

If the Chief waits around.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Its Armor's too thick!" or "Aim for its legs, Chief!"

If the Chief wastes more time

The Chief, Marines and Missile Emplacements eventually take out one of it's joints, forcing it to lower and consume all power into getting back up again, deactivating it's primary weapon.
 * Sergean Johnson (COM): "Jump on top of it Chief, it's like New Mombasa.


 * Marine : "Now! While it's down, find a way inside!"

Once the Chief boards the Scarab.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Look for something big... power core something like that"

On the upper deck of the Scarab, several Brutes, Jackals and Grunts await the Chief, and forcing the Chief to kill anyone in his path.

If the Chief stays on the Scarab for quite sometime..


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Look for the core Chief. You'll know it when you see it"

When the Chief finally finds and blows up the power core.


 * Marine (COM): "GET AWAY! It's gonna blow!"

''The Chief jumps off the Scarab and runs for it. The Scarab finally detonates.''


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Well done, Chief! I’m sending in a few Pelicans."


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "One more target, Chief. There’s an AA gun in the next area. Take it down and Lord Hood can start his attack run."

''A Pelican lands, deploying Thel 'Vadam. The surviving Marines lead 'Vadam and Master Chief to a locked door leading to the factory's warehouse.''


 * Thel 'Vadam: "There was honor in our Covenant once, and there shall be again!"


 * Female Marine: "We've got this area locked down, sir. Follow us, we’ll get you through."

The door opens up, leading to a dirty tin-walled section filled with wounded Marines and civilians laying on the floor and several grim-faced Marines behind sandbags, tending to the wounded, and operating the sole UNSC field radio.


 * Cortana (Cortana Moment): "I am your shield...I am your sword."


 * Wounded Marine: "Ahh! Ahhhh-ahhhh-somebody get me some morphine!"

Voices begin to play through the radio and are attentively monitored by a pair of Marines operating it.


 * Naval Officer (COM): "All Brute cruisers are pulling back to Truth’s ship. Winds inside the storm just hit 200 kilometers per hour. Energy cascades all over the artifact!"

There is a moderate pause within the radio conversation.


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Admiral, a single Covenant ship has slipped in-system!"


 * Lord Hood (COM): "Just one? What's its range and position?"


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Above the artifact, inside the orbital line. Seems to be holding steady."


 * Lord Hood (COM): "Attack will proceed as planned, Commander. We’re not going to get another shot at Truth."


 * Miranda Keyes (COM): "Sir. Yes sir."

''The Master Chief and Thel 'Vadam pass through a stained area of bolted tin plates until they reach the periphery of the warehouse: a trio of Marines are pinned down under sandbags as Spiker projectiles fly through the air. Further forward is a steel bridge where a pair of Marines frantically open fire on Brutes all around them with a turreted Heavy Machine Gun.''


 * Marine: "We’ve got company!"

''After the Brutes between the sandbags and the bridge are killed by the UNSC forces, another group of Brutes charges from the next section, chasing a Marine. They then run towards the bridge and a Marine fires the bridge-mounted turret.''


 * Marine: "Hold the line! Enemy charging!"


 * Thel 'Vadam: "Be careful!"

After the next wave of charging Brutes are killed.

''Master Chief, 'Vadam, and surviving Marines make their way into the next section, where behind a mass of stacked crates a Brute violently throttles a construction worker. Three other workers armed with pistols flee from the Brute and his other Brute companions. The throttling Brute roars out.''


 * Throttling Brute: "Kill them for the honor!"


 * Construction Worker: "Get to safety!"

After the current group of Brutes is killed.

''The next section is empty and has an open door leading to the outside of the factory; the anti-aircraft emplacement is nearby. The door is opening up, and a group of four construction workers runs in. However, they are cut down by two massive green beams of energy blowing up the Fusion Coils: a pair of Hunters appear.''

''The Hunters charge in over the worker corpses and charges the Master Chief, Thel 'Vadam, and the awaiting Marines. {If the fight continues for a while...}''
 * Construction Workers: "Ah-AHHHH!"
 * Construction Workers: "I'm a cowardly fool!"
 * Construction Workers: "Help me help you!"


 * Marine Sergeant: "Gotta get around ‘em, Chief! Look for gaps in their armor!"

After the two Hunters are killed.

''The Marines, Master Chief, and 'Vadam go beyond the Hunter corpses and the open door to a series of low-roofed buildings where a Brute Chieftain awaits with numerous other Brutes, Jackals, and Grunts. The Prophet of Truth sermonizes from a holographic pedestal behind them''


 * Prophet of Truth (Pedestal): "Take heart, my brothers! Only our enemies should fear this raging storm."

The Assault Force finally defeats the Covenant Defenders and continues on ahead.


 * Prophet of Truth (Pedestal): "Darkened Skies And Lashing Fire are all that remains for them when we the worthy have passed to the beyond."


 * Thel 'Vadam: (Upon seeing the Prophet of Truth's pedestal) "I will not be shamed. Not again! Not by you!"

''The Chief, 'Vadam, and remaining Marines charge around the remaining buildings to the hill where the massive anti-aircraft emplacement stands. Before the hill's slope is a Marine, a Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher and a few corpses behind sandbags and a weapons rack. Grunts tentatively run down the slope to face the onrushing UNSC forces while mid-way in the hill, a Grunt manning a turreted plasma cannon stands side-by-side to a Brute Chieftain wielding a fuel rod gun and his captains and bodyguards. The emplacement opens fire on a surging UNSC Longsword, destroying it and catching it on fire as the wreck soars into the cliffs below.''


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "Chief! Hood's ships are closing fast! Destroy that gun; we’re out of time."

The Chief, 'Vadam, and all Marines and civilians push up the hill, taking down all Covenant defense.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Chief, that gun’s been firing non-stop: it’s gotta be running hot! It’s gonna be opening up its access panel!"

''The anti-aircraft emplacement's lower section opens to reveal a white sphere. Steam vents as the panel continually opens. The Master Chief destroys the sphere with 'Vadam, Marines, and workers, and the top section of the gun billows in blue fire and falls off: the emplacement has been destroyed, and Lord Hood's naval strike force has a clear shot at Truth and his fleet above the artifact.''

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{Cut-scene}

''The AA Gun explodes, sending the weapon on top flying down the cliff. The Master Chief and 'Vadam stand on the cliff side of the crater on the hill of the recently destroyed anti-aircraft emplacement. Multiple squadrons of Longswords streak overhead, followed by three UNSC Frigates, including the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn, Lord Hood's flagship. Lord Hood's attack begins. The Covenant fleet is hovering before them, with the Forerunner Dreadnought centered below them at the center of the Portal.''

Lord Hood (COM): "All ships, fire at will!"

''The UNSC frigates engage the Forerunner Dreadnought, Magnetic Accelerator Cannons discharging in volleys, and explosions ripple on the Dreadnought's surface. The Forerunner structure begins to open like a starfish, focusing energy on the Dreadnought, and fires off a beam of light. Everything soon blacks out.''

Cortana (Cortana Moment): "This is the way the world ends..."

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A large glowing sphere of Blue light soon appears, centered by pitch darkness has appeared in the sky above the artifact, and the vessels of both the UNSC and Brute fleets are drifting in the air, disorganized.

Lord Hood (COM): *coughs* What did Truth just do?! *coughs* *coughs* Did he activate the rings?!

Miranda Keyes (COM): "No, sir. But he certainly did something."

Thel 'Vadam roars angrily as the Forerunner Dreadnought rises safely into the sphere, followed in close order by the Covenant fleet.

Lord Hood (COM): "Evac wounded and regroup. Wherever Truth went-"

Naval Officer (COM): "Sir, new contact slipping in!"

''A CCS-class Battle cruiser emerges from Slip space to the east of Voi, and hurtles just overhead the Chief and'Vadam. It is smoking with rancid fumes and is distraught. The air takes on a darkened appearance, and smog rises, veiling the sun. As it loses altitude and crashes to the ground out of sight, a deep rumbling is heard, followed by silence. An omen of ancient evil is in the air.''

Thel 'Vadam: "What is it? More Brutes?"

Master Chief: "Worse."

Walkthrough
The recommended active skulls for this mission are Tough Luck, Catch, and Fog, mostly Tough Luck. Tough Luck sacrifices the full potential of your grenade arsenal, and EMP/Headshot kills will be tougher to win, but in exchange for a reasonable multiplier. As for Fog, the battles in both Lake Beds could be a awkward, and you'll need to be extremely methodical during the final battle to hunt down Grunts and Jackals. Expect to be run over by Ghosts from behind on higher difficulties. With Catch, Factory A and the warehouse are most difficult, but Catch is an invigorating addition if you're not aiming for speed.

Factory A
The mission starts as you ride on a Warthog and head towards a factory in the city of Voi. Exit the vehicle as soon as you can and open the door by pressing the button the side. You may want to grab a Troop Transport Warthog to use for splattering in the first few areas of the warehouse. Enter the factory and go up the stairs. Keep walking to the left until you reach a room. Enter it and pick up a Battle Rifle. Stay upstairs and go to the opposite end. There will be a few Grunts and Jackals downstairs. Use the Battle Rifle to wipe them out before letting the Warthog in. It may be tempting to just open the door and let the Warthog roll in, but its almost certain that it'll meet a short and miserable demise in the hands of a Grunt carrying a Plasma Grenade.

After clearing out the first group, more Grunts will emerge from the far right-hand corner of the room, which is obscured by crates and barrels. You can collect more Battle Rifle ammunition from beside a fallen Marine to the left of the closed gate.

You can simply open the next gate and follow the Warthog, but there's generally no cover at all if you do so. The recommended technique is pressing the button and them immediately running onto the walkway to your right. From this position, you can ambush Covenant troops with grenades and your Battle Rifle. The majority will be too distracted by your Warthog turret to worry much about you. There are two Ghosts at the far end of the corridor. Any surviving enemy infantry may or may not use them against you. The sound of one accelerating or firing is a signal to get out the way immediately. Use Plasma Grenades against these if your ally on the turret is too slow to deal with the threat. Note that a charged Plasma Pistol shot and a hijack also works well. But disabling one and running out into the open to hijack gives the other Ghost a chance to either shoot or splatter you to death.

The Warthog will rarely survive this full head-on encounter, so the safest way to keep it intact is to head through the passageway and launch an initial solo attack with your Battle Rifle. Pick up a Plasma Pistol to duel wield with your Magnum to dispatch any aggressive Brutes. Then aim to thin their numbers by killing Grunts, Jackals and any adventurous Brutes. When only a few enemies remain at the end of the corridor, let your Warthog roll in and finish them off.

Lake Bed A
Open the gate, jump into the Warthog's driving seat, and cruise along the side of the dry lake bed, mowing down any Brutes and Grunts in your path. Stop at the start of the boardwalk leading to the little building. Exit the Warthog as your gunner lays waste to the Covenant on the roof. Make sure you clear this area quickly, a Phantom will deploy a Wraith outside the far exit at this point., and the Ghosts circulating the lake bed will already be converging on your position.

Remember to keep moving, or the Wraith will hit you.

Get on top of the small building, and collect the Sniper Rifle and the Missile Pod. Use your Sniper Rifle to dispatch the gunner of the ordinary Wraith (not the Anti-Air one, leave that alone for now). The Missile Pod will enable you to destroy some (though probably not all) of the Ghosts below. They can be a big nuisance and so should be neutralized as soon as possible. Drop the Missile pod as you near the ordinary Wraith. Hijacking it successfully will make the rest of the battle a lot easier.

The final part of the battle is a cat and mouse game against the remaining Ghosts, if there are any. If your Warthog crew is still alive, they'll engage any that come within range. This works well as a diversion. You have two reasonable choices. Either snipe the Grunt drivers from afar, or bombard them with the Wraith's main cannon.

With all the Ghosts out of commission, snipe the gunner of the Anti-Air Wraith, then grab yourself a Ghost. Drive over to the Wraith, approach it from behind and pummel it with melee attacks. Don't even bother trying to destroy it using your Ghost's plasma cannons, that will take an absolute eternity. Jump off and hop back into the Ghost. Two Banshees will fly in the attack you. A friendly Hornet will then engage and destroy them on your behalf. Although it is wise to boost into cover with the Ghost before any of them open fire.

The door to the next area will now be open, a small force of Grunts and a Brute will exit the factory. Freely choose how to kill them, but watch out for the turret. Then prepare yourself for the next encounter, because this Factory won't be as hospitable as the first one...

Factory B
There will be several Grunts and Jackals in the room beyond the gate. Use the Ghost's plasma cannons to neutralize them. Attempting to splatter them could end in your vehicle being stuck by a Plasma Grenade. Jump out and grab the turret outside. The Brutes upstairs are in possession of Power Drains, so its unwise to engage them in a vehicle. And in a fight like this, being paralyzed is the last thing you'd want to happen.

The Chieftain generally won't come downstairs to attack you, but you can lure other Brutes to your location. Try lobbing grenades upstairs is you've got a good supply. Pick off any wandering Brutes with your Plasma Turret, but be careful to dodge the Chieftain's shots. This one also wields a Plasma Turret, so you'll have to be quick. Once the bodyguards are dead, switch to your Battle Rifle and wear the Chieftain down with several headshots. Be patient, as this process might take some time. Use any Sniper Rifle bullets if you still have some. Collect the Chieftain's turret and make your way to open the gate.

Enter the next room and point your turret at the skylights above. A swarm of Drones will smash through. Fire at them as the descend and go through the gate for cover once they return fire. Be advised that the majority of them carry Needlers. This is the best place to operate from. It is rare that a Drone will follow you through. Constantly keep darting out into the open and dispatching a few more before retreating into cover to let your shields replenish.

Grab a Rocket Launcher in place of your Sniper Rifle and stock up on Battle Rifle ammunition at the weapons cabinet prior to departing. The Rocket Launcher may seem unnecessary, but it'll actually be useful for a battle that occurs much later on.

Lake Bed B
It is possible to destroy all the vehicles and the Anti-Air Wraith whilst driving a Mongoose, but on Legendary, this is suicidal. the Ghosts and Phantoms will mow you down as soon as you drive out into the open.

Although there is a different, easier way to win this battle. As soon as you hit the bottom of the lake, drive directly to the two fixed Missile Pod turrets to the left of the battlefield. There is a small group of Grunts and a Brute at this position, quickly run them down, or slow down and let your Marine riding pillion blast them. Drive up the ramp and park your Mongoose safely. Your passenger should protect you from incoming vehicles.

Take control of a Missile Pod and leave it on its mounting for infinite ammo. Aim to smash absolutely everything within sight. That includes Ghosts, Wraiths and Phantoms. Duck into cover when enemy vehicles threaten you, or temporarily run to the other turret. Should your turret be tipped over, you can simply use the other on. If both have been knocked down, you'll just have to use the remaining sixteen missiles wisely. The Ghosts, Choppers and Banshees are your top priority, the sooner you wipe these out, or at least thin their numbers, the better chance your allies on Mongooses have of destroying the Anti-Air Wraiths and surviving this opening part of the battle. If the other vehicles are under allied control, incoming fire from the Phantoms is the only danger here, so you should aim to blow these from the skies. The only good reason you should leave this position is if your allies have difficulty destroying one of the Anti-Air Wraiths. Return to the Missile Pod promptly after that Wraith is destroyed.

An enormous Scarab tank will pass overhead and onto the lake bed. With the Missile Pod turret, open fire on its deck, turrets and leg joints, this would sufficiently weaken both the vehicle and the crew before it manages to turn and attack you. If a few Mongooses survived the earlier confrontation, the Scarab won't fire at your position for a while, giving you more time to take it down. If it does start firing at you, get into cover immediately. There's a high chance the frontal beam will knock the turret over. Remember that there is another turret just a few steps away.

There are two recommended ways of destroying the Scarab. One way is to use the elevator to travel up when the Scarab moves underneath one of the two cranes. Run over and jump onto its deck. From there, it's a short journey to the engine core at the rear of the vehicle. You can grab one of the Plasma Turrets to dispatch any surviving infantry, and then finish off the walking tank with ease. The missiles that you used to bombard the deck should have left only a small handful of enemies left. Otherwise, use the Sniper Rifle at the top of the crane nearest the exit to eliminate the most dangerous targets from afar before launching a direct assault. The other way is to not leave the Missile Pod turret. When its rear is faced towards you, fire at the engine core simultaneously. Some of the missiles are bound to hit it and end the Scarab with a bang.

Warehouse
Once the second Lake bed is cleared of all enemies, the Arbiter will arrive in a Pelican. Enter the room to the left of the Missile Pods and pass through them. Ensure you have a full supply of Battle Rifle ammunition before you head into the warehouse area. The first large room contains a handful of Brutes. This battle isn't particularly tough. If you save the Marine of the upper walkway, the next fire fight, which involves a larger force of Brutes, relatively easy, as he will man the fixed turret. The Arbiter and the Marines should hold off the other while you do this.

Once the advance party has been dealt with, run over to and head through the empty shipping container to the far left. Shoot the Brute on the other side. This will enable you to flank the larger Brute pack to the left. If you saved the Marine earlier, the turret fire can wipe out the Brutes in seconds. If not, or should the Brutes deploy Bubble Shields, you'll need to be quite patient. Watch out for Spike Grenades and try to not waste unnecessary Battle Rifle ammunition, you'll need it later. If your Machine Gun Turret is running low on ammo, grab the one on the walkway prior to moving on.

As you round the corner, you'll encounter two human workers battling against another pack of Brutes. Run around the right to flank them. If you operate from behind the crate, you can dispatch each Brute in turn while they are distracted by your allies.

If you have been patiently saving the Rocket Launcher since acquiring it in the second factory, your diligence pays off. Dash over to the exit and blast them with rockets as soon as they enter the warehouse. It should take no more than three or four shots to kill both.(You can have more troops if you rush ahead and destroy the fuision coils)

Storage Area
The outside of the warehouse is dominated with Covenant forces. A Chieftain flanked by two Brute bodyguards armed with Carbines waits patiently for your arrival. So is a group of Grunts. There are two options here. The first option is to take out your Battle Rifle immediately and kill the Grunts first, being careful to avoid incoming Carbine fire. At this point, the Chieftain and his guard will usually withdraw. Aim to take down at least one bodyguard while his back is turned towards you as you cautiously move outside. Take out the second bodyguard straight away, then turn your attention on the next wave of Grunts and Jackals before Brute reinforcements arrive. Make use of every opportunity you have at shooting the Chieftain, if you're lucky, you can even kill him before he charges, and pick up his Invincibility unit. Note that there is a Battle Rifle just outside the warehouse if you're low on ammunition. The second option is to climb the indoor stairs beside the warehouse exit and go through the door at the top. in the second office, you'll find a Sniper Rifle. Smash the window with a melee attack, then snipe the Brutes, especially the Chieftain, from this position. If you're lucky, you might even kill the Chieftain straight away with a few accurate shots to the head. When the area is clear of all Brutes, you can exit by moving to the left of the window. Then use your Battle Rifle to wipe out the remaining Grunts.

It is easy to think that the Rocket Launcher would make easy work of the Chieftain, but sadly, that is rarely correct. Chieftains at full strength can survive the first rocket, and more often than not, he'll activate his Invincibility unit straight away. This one carries a Gravity Hammer, which is the reason he possesses the Invincibility, so dodging him is a matter of running, jumping, dodging and panicking all over the place. You can retreat to the warehouse and let the Chieftain kill your allies as a distraction, but this is a shameful act of cowardice and denies you support during the final battle.

This battlefield is littered with useful weapons, including Carbines, Needlers and Plasma Pistols. And so the final Brutes aren't too difficult to finish off. Before you press forward, pick up as much Carbine ammo as you can, and, if you didn't do it before, pick up the Sniper Rifle in the office.

The Anti-Air Gun
As you advance to the next battle, there will be a missile launcher to your left. In front of it is more Sniper Rifle ammo. Collect it and aim at the opposing attack force. A Chieftain armed with a Fuel Rod Gun will briefly move into the line of fire before retreating, usually after firing a few blasts at your position. Attempt to land several shots on him. Blowing off his helmet is good enough, killing him straight away is a scarce achievement. You can only fire four shots at him before he ducks back into cover It takes three to blow his helmet off, and one to penetrate his bare head. Weakening him at least is a massive starting advantage.

Pull out your Carbine and dispatch the Grunts and Jackals that run down the slope. Watch out for Grunts wielding Plasma Turrets. When you're done, replace your Carbine with a Battle Rifle near where the Sniper Rifle was. Only if necessary though. Cautiously make your way up the slope and top at the large rock to your right. Take out any Jackals and Grunts in the vicinity. When all is visually clear, inch forward until you can see the Chieftain, if you didn't manage to kill him earlier. You could also see other Brutes in the distance. Downing the Chieftain and dodging his incoming Fuel Rod Gun blasts are your top priorities. Marines and workers should be protecting your from Grunts and Jackals, but grenades can be a nuisance. Especially from behind. It's relatively easy for an enemy from behind to plant a Plasma Grenade on you and send you back to the previous checkpoint.

Once you've dealt with the Brutes, you should be concerned about mopping up any stray infantry before completing your last objective. Overconfidence is lethal, especially on Legendary, so explore the area slowly and methodically, always proceeding with caution. It's usually a long way back to the previous checkpoint. Use Plasma and Spike Grenades and/or the Fuel Rod Gun dropped by the Chieftain to destroy the white panel at the bottom of the Anti-Air Gun. It is only exposed when he cannon vents gas.

Doing this would destroy the last Anti-Air armament the Covenant has deployed. Admiral Hood's ships can now advance on the Forerunner artifact with ease.

Debriefing
New Enemies: Hunter

New Vehicles: Scarab, Ghost, Anti-Air Wraith, Mongoose

New Items: Invincibility unless gotten before in Sierra 117

New Weapons: Missile Pod, Rocket Launcher

Generally, you'd start the Floodgate mission with the same weapons that you used when destroying the Anti-Air Gun. It is instructed to finish with a Battle Rifle and a Sniper Rifle. If you want to do the Floodgate mission directly after this mission, consider trading the Sniper Rifle for something else before finishing the mission. Apart from the Fuel Rod Gun, there's some nearby Needlers to the South-East-South of the Anti-Air Gun. Consider taking this in place of the Sniper Rifle. There's a Plasma Pistol near that Needler, but it won't be of much help for most of that mission. There are a couple of Shotguns on a dispenser to your right in the first warehouse battle as you advance. That is a key weapon whilst combating the Flood. The Shotgun is also the recommended main weapon in the next level.

Askar Achievement Milestone: 15,000 points

Recommended Multiplier: 4+ ( Tough Luck(1.5) + Catch(1.5) + Fog(1.5) )

TIME BONUS

0-15 min  - 3x

12-20 min - 2.5x

20-25 min - 2x

25-30 min - 1.5x

Trivia

 * When IWHBYD is active, if you listen to one of the construction workers as they are fighting, every now and then they might say "I'm a cowardly fool!". This is in reference to a Pillar of Autumn Command Crewman in their fetal position in Halo: Combat Evolved. It's even the exact same recording/voice. If you also look closely in the ending cutscene (High Definition videos show this better), you can see construction workers looking up at the AA turret exploding.
 * This is the first level in Halo 3 to feature a Scarab, and is, in many players' minds, one of Halo 3's most memorable moments.
 * Despite entering the city from the Southeastern edge, the turn off to Arusha is on your right, while in reality the city of Arusha is on the other side of Kilimanjaro with respect to Voi. This would logically place the turn off on your left.
 * It is possible to fly a dumpster on this mission by getting a second player and have them both jump rapidly to make the dumpster ascend. It is possible to steer if both players jump in the same direction.
 * The Surface-to-Air Missile Launcher from the High Ground multiplayer level can be seen close by the Covenant Anti-Aircraft gun.
 * During this level one of the wounded marines is voiced by TV personality Jonathan Ross.
 * The boat on the part with the Scarab looks like Master Chief's helmet.
 * If you manage to get into the boat either in theater or somehow in actual game play there is a blurry picture with a picture of a pirate with writing under it in Swahili that says "Pimps at Sea", an April Fools Day joke that Bungie made up.
 * The last portion of the level is called "Scarab. BFG. End of World" in the level select. The BFG is a weapon in the Doom games, and is short for "Big F*****g Gun." The BFG is also the title of a kid's novel by Roald Dahl, in this instance BFG stood for "Big Friendly Giant." It also parodies the rapid firing Area 51 weapon the BBG which parodies the anti-air turret of the Scarab.
 * The last cutscene of the level has clear resemblance to the Halo 3 Announcement trailer, right down to the music.
 * If you look at the name of the UNSC frigates firing on the Forerunner Dreadnought they all say Forward Unto Dawn and the ships number are the same as well.
 * If you enter Theater Mode or shoot down any Phantoms with the Missile Pod and glance at either Grunt on the Plasma Cannons, they are actually wielding Spikers. [[Image:Spiker Grunt (HD).jpg|thumb|right|Grunt holding Brute Spiker]]
 * There is another possible, although unorthodox, method to get on the Scarab's back: use a small vehicle (Mongoose or Ghost), get it on the elevator of one of the two crane structures, activate the elevator, and if you can time things right, you can drive down the end of the crane and land on the Scarab's back (at that point: get off the vehicle).
 * If you use a Power Drain or an over-charged Plasma Pistol shot, you can take down a Hornet but you can not fly it or use the passenger seats. If you do this while fighting the Scarab you can stand on top of the Hornet and jump on to the Scarab after the Hornet can fly again and gets close enough to the Scarab.
 * The Banshees at the anti-air defense guns fly around for no reason. They can be shot down for some points. But sometimes one or two will shoot at you for a second. If you manage to catch one in a Power Drainer, or use a Plasma Pistol on one of them, they can be boarded and you can fly around the place. The player will, however, die if they pass beyond the map borders.
 * This is the only level in the trilogy that features real civilians. Even though the crewmen aren't real soldiers, they still work for the UNSC. They have Pistols as standard but can fire any weapon that a Marine can handle. A rare glitch occurs where you can exchange a Gravity Hammer with a dockworker (though they cannot use it in battle).
 * The remains of New Mombasa is still visible across the excavation site, though zoom is recommended.
 * Voi is near Standoff and High Ground you can tell because you can see the communications tower from both of those levels.
 * A useful tactic for taking down the Scarab is to bring the Troop-Transport Warthog throughout the buildings and fill it with four of the rocket-armed Marines. Simply stay in cover until the Scarab arrives, and then park underneath it, The Marines will do the rest.
 * If you look closely where all the wounded are while the Arbiter comes down, you'll see a civilian with an invisible gun pointing at his head. Also on some conditions, he have a visible gun in his hilt.
 * A good strategy for taking out the AA gun is taking a Sniper Rifle and shooting it from a distance. It usually takes about 12 shots.
 * There is a Marine in the workshop that is typing on a radio. If you melee the radio away, he'll still be typing.