Spartan Ops

Spartan Ops is an episodic cooperative campaign in Halo 4. It is included as part of the Infinity game mode in lieu of Firefight.

Overview
Spartan Ops allows up to four players to play cooperatively. Though it is designed primarily as a cooperative experience, Spartan Ops can be played solo as well. It follows the SPARTAN-IV units Fireteam Majestic and Fireteam Crimson, with the players assuming the role of the latter while the former features in the CGI cinematics. Set six months after the campaign, Spartan Ops expands on the story of the and her crew. Due to its scope and scale, this new mode has been likened to a second campaign for the game.

Frank O'Connor has stated that the mode will "bridge the gap" between the events of Halo 4 and the future release of its sequel. 343 Industries will support additional Spartan Ops missions for months after launch of the game and players will have the opportunity to play from the beginning of the episodic campaign regardless of when they started playing. The first season is included with the game, though 343 Industries have not ruled out charging players for additional Spartan Ops seasons. As of March 2013, there are no plans for a second season of Spartan Ops. However, Frank O'Connor has stated that "the story of Crimson, the Infinity and those characters and events is far from over". Indeed, the comic series Halo: Escalation follows largely the same cast of characters a month after the events of Spartan Ops.

Halo: Infinity
Each episode is accompanied by an episode of Halo: Infinity, a computer-animated series that follows the crew of the UNSC Infinity. Produced by the British studio Axis Animation, the series' point-of-view alternates primarily between the ship's command crew and Spartan Fireteam Majestic. The events of the series intertwine directly with those of the cooperative missions, which in turn carry the story forward to the next episode. Those without an Xbox LIVE account may view the Halo: Infinity series on Halo Waypoint and on YouTube channel.

Main characters
Spartan Ops follows an ensemble cast of both new and preexisting characters.
 * Thomas Lasky - Commanding officer of the Infinity, Captain Lasky leads the UNSC expedition on Requiem.
 * Sarah Palmer - Leader of Infinity's Spartan complement, Commander Palmer occasionally steps in as she deems Crimson to be the squad of choice to deploy into the most dangerous ops.
 * Catherine Halsey - ONI's former chief scientist and mother of the SPARTAN-II Program, Dr. Halsey has recently been stripped of her power and declared a war criminal by ONI's leadership. However, her expertise is required to decipher the mysteries of Requiem.
 * Henry Glassman - A civilian scientist serving as the Infinity's chief engineer.
 * Roland - Infinity's eccentric shipboard AI construct, Roland runs the ship while making occasional appearances during operations whenever his expertise is required.
 * Fireteam Majestic - Consisting of Spartans DeMarco, Grant, Hoya, Madsen and Thorne, Majestic is frequently deployed on the most crucial ops alongside Crimson.
 * Jared Miller - A Spartan who serves as Fireteam Crimson's mission handler.
 * Robert Dalton - Another Spartan tasked with directing ordnance, air strikes and extraction whenever needed.
 * Jul 'Mdama - Leader of the reconstituted Covenant, 'Mdama is a cunning figure who seeks to claim Requiem's treasures by awakening the essence of the Librarian.
 * Gek 'Lhar - A brutal Sangheili soldier serving as Jul 'Mdama's top lieutenant.
 * The Librarian - A Forerunner Lifeshaper, whose imprint and her secrets are wanted by the UNSC and Covenant alike.

Plot synopsis
In February 2558, the is dispatched to reclaim Requiem from the occupying Covenant forces. Once there, Infinity engages in combat with the Covenant fleet, and deploys ground forces, including Fireteams Majestic and Crimson as well as detachments of Marine, Navy, Air Force and Army forces on Requiem. The Spartan fireteams run through a series of search and destroy, rescue, artifact recovery, extraction and assassination operations.

During a mission on the surface, Fireteam Crimson uncover a Forerunner slipspace artifact which is subsequently brought aboard Infinity. After the device disrupts the ship's systems and teleports Chief Engineer Glassman to the surface of the planet, Dr. Catherine Halsey is brought in to investigate. The artifact scans the ship's systems and begins transmitting data to the surface of Requiem, where said data is intercepted by Jul 'Mdama. Glassman is taken captive by the Covenant and is ordered to activate the Librarian's shrine, though he is not successful.

Fireteam Crimson secure another Forerunner artifact, dubbed "the Didact's Gift". This device is revealed to contain the memories of victims of the Didact's attack on New Phoenix six months prior, revealing that the composed human minds have been repurposed as Promethean Knights. Investigating the first artifact on his own, Spartan Gabriel Thorne is translocated to the Cauldron and is left to fend for himself amidst Covenant-controlled territory. Dr. Halsey begins dialog with an unknown party who shares her interest in the Librarian. The intelligence is actually Jul 'Mdama, who is manipulating Halsey into divulging vital secrets about the Forerunners. Halsey is apprehended after her unwitting communication with 'Mdama is discovered. Meanwhile, Spartan Thorne rescues Dr. Glassman and the pair escape custody.

After Dr. Halsey briefly escapes imprisonment and resumes her communication with 'Mdama, Infinity is boarded by Covenant and Promethean forces who capture Dr. Halsey. They take her to the Librarian's "shrine", where 'Mdama awaits. Meanwhile, Admiral Serin Osman, head of the Office of Naval Intelligence, orders Captain Lasky to assassinate Dr. Halsey; Commander Palmer departs to execute the order. However, Lasky sends Fireteam Majestic to rescue Dr. Halsey and stop Palmer. Meanwhile, Dr. Halsey successfully activates and enters the Librarian's shrine. The Librarian's essence gives Dr. Halsey an artifact known as the Janus Key, but Jul 'Mdama gets one half of the key. Halsey tosses Gabriel Thorne the other half before she is abducted by 'Mdama.

Believing to have obtained what they were looking for, Jul 'Mdama sends Requiem to be destroyed by a nearby star. Deactivating a slipspace anchor originating from Requiem, the UNSC Infinity narrowly escapes the planet's gravity well. Afterwards, Lasky and Palmer observe as Dr. Glassman studies one half of the divided Janus Key. Meanwhile, aboard a Covenant ship, Dr. Halsey seemingly agrees to collaborate with Jul 'Mdama and his forces, stating that she wants revenge.

Episode list
Each week, players with an Xbox LIVE Gold membership were able to view a new episode of Halo: Infinity, which was then followed by five objective-based missions. The missions offered new content, as well as challenges to complete for each week.

Characters

 * Aasif Olsen
 * Anthony Madsen
 * Antoine Lum
 * Austen
 * Bradford Gale
 * Cameron Alexander
 * Cara Costabile
 * Carlo Hoya
 * Casillas
 * Carmichael
 * Catherine Halsey
 * Cyrus Shaw
 * Dennis Russell
 * Dunlap
 * Ernst Deming
 * Estey-Bethel
 * Fredric Zurenia
 * Gabriel Thorne
 * Gek 'Lhar
 * Gordon Smith
 * Gustavo Esposito
 * Henry Glassman
 * Horatio Fry
 * Jared Miller
 * John-117
 * Jul 'Mdama
 * Lani Truman
 * Leslie Boyd
 * The Librarian
 * Lincoln
 * Margaret Parangosky
 * Morgan Rivera
 * Parg Vol
 * Paul DeMarco
 * Robert Dalton
 * Roland
 * Ruiz
 * Sarah Palmer
 * Serin Osman
 * Scott Macrae
 * Shannon Owen
 * Tashi
 * Tedra Grant
 * Terry Ledge
 * TJ Murphy
 * Thomas Lasky
 * Tucker Corleone
 * Ur-Didact

Equipment and technology

 * Artificial intelligence
 * Promethean Crawler
 * Crawler Snipe
 * Alpha Crawler
 * Promethean Knight
 * Knight Lancer
 * Knight Commander
 * Knight Battlewagon
 * Promethean Watcher
 * Beam emitter
 * Cryo chamber
 * Data pad
 * Deployable lookout tower
 * Durance
 * Didact's Gift
 * Hard light
 * Light bridge
 * Z-90 Photonic Coalescence Emitter/Aegis
 * HAVOK tactical nuclear weapon
 * Identification friend or foe
 * Janus Key
 * Kig-Yar combat harness
 * Storm variant
 * Heavy variant
 * Ranger variant
 * Sniper variant
 * Kig-Yar point defense gauntlet
 * Kig-Yar targeting headgear
 * M2705 Regenerative Kinetic Dispersal Field
 * M805X Forward Acceleration System/Fulcrum Mitigating
 * MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor
 * MJOLNIR [GEN2]
 * Covenant plasma battery
 * Forerunner power core
 * Requiem translocation artifacts
 * Sangheili combat harness
 * Commander variant
 * Storm variant
 * Ranger variant
 * Warrior variant
 * Zealot variant
 * Sentinel Aggressor
 * Series 12 Single Operator Lift Apparatus
 * Stationary shield generator
 * Type-3 Refraction Dissonance Modifier/Camouflage
 * Unggoy combat harness
 * Heavy variant
 * Imperial variant
 * Storm variant
 * Ranger variant
 * Z-2500 Automated Protection Drone
 * Z-5080 Short-Range Spectrum Augmenter/Vision

Events

 * Reclamation conflict
 * Battle of Earth (2557)
 * Second Battle of Requiem

Locations

 * Absolute Record
 * Epoloch system
 * Requiem
 * Apex
 * Control
 * Copernicus Base
 * Fortress
 * Galileo Base
 * Harvester
 * Librarian's Rest
 * Lockup
 * Quarry
 * Sniper Alley
 * The Cauldron
 * The Gate
 * The Refuge
 * Two Giants
 * Warrens
 * Sol system
 * Earth
 * United Republic of North America
 * New Phoenix
 * Brazil
 * Rio de Janeiro
 * Luna

Organizations

 * Covenant remnants
 * Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction
 * Covenant Special Operations
 * Silent Blade
 * Ecumene
 * Lifeworker
 * Promethean
 * Prehistoric human civilization
 * United Earth Government
 * United Nations Space Command
 * Spartan
 * SPARTAN-IV Program
 * Fireteam Avalanche
 * Fireteam Castle
 * Fireteam Crimson
 * Fireteam Domino
 * Fireteam Forest
 * Fireteam Ivy
 * Fireteam Kodiak
 * Fireteam Lancer
 * Fireteam Majestic
 * Fireteam Shadow
 * Fireteam Switchback
 * UNSC Army
 * UNSC Air Force
 * UNSC Marine Corps
 * Boa Squad
 * Hacksaw Squad
 * Hawk Squad
 * Icebreaker squad
 * Mountain Squad
 * Poker Squad
 * Warbird Company
 * UNSC Navy
 * Fleet Command
 * Naval Special Weapons
 * SPARTAN-II Program
 * Office of Naval Intelligence

Species

 * Forerunner
 * Human
 * Kig-Yar
 * Lekgolo
 * Mgalekgolo
 * Sbaolekgolo
 * Sangheili
 * Unggoy

Vehicles

 * Song of Retribution
 * Covenant drop pod
 * Type-51 Individual Breaching Carapace
 * Type-53 Squad Breaching Carapace
 * Type-54 Mass Deployment Carapace
 * D79-TC Pelican
 * G79H-TC Pelican
 * Deployment Platform Type-56 Ground Support/Ultra Heavy
 * F-41 Broadsword
 * Infinity-class ship
 * HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark IX Armor Defense System
 * M12 Force Application Vehicle
 * M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle
 * M12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle
 * M12R Light Anti-Aircraft Vehicle
 * M274 Ultra-Light All-Terrain Vehicle
 * M808 Main Battle Tank
 * Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage
 * Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft
 * Type-31 Exoatmospheric Multi-role Fighter
 * Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle
 * Type-44 Troop Carrier
 * Type-58 Ultra-Heavy Site Excavator/Embedded
 * UNSC prowler
 * Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage
 * Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft
 * Type-31 Exoatmospheric Multi-role Fighter
 * Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle
 * Type-44 Troop Carrier
 * Type-58 Ultra-Heavy Site Excavator/Embedded
 * UNSC prowler

Weapons

 * ARC-920
 * Assault cannon
 * Beam turret
 * BR85 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle
 * Combat knife
 * Hardlight blade
 * M247H Heavy Machine Gun
 * M3063 Deployable Turret
 * M363 Remote Projectile Detonator
 * M395 Designated Marksman Rifle
 * M41 Surface-to-Surface Rocket Medium Anti-Vehicle/Assault Weapon
 * M45D Tactical Shotgun
 * M46 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun
 * M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle
 * M68 Asynchronous Linear-Induction Motor
 * M6H Personal Defense Weapon System
 * M739 Light Machine Gun
 * M85 Anti-Aircraft Gun
 * M9 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose grenade
 * MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System
 * Sniper Rifle System 99-Series 5 Anti-Matériel
 * M97 Guided Missile Weapon System
 * M410 dual heavy machine gun
 * Plasma drill
 * Type-1 Antipersonnel grenade
 * Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword
 * Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer
 * Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol
 * Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle
 * Type-27 Special Application Sniper Rifle
 * Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher
 * Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon
 * Type-50 Directed Energy Rifle/Heavy
 * Type-51 Carbine
 * Type-52 Directed Energy Support Weapon
 * Type-55 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun
 * Type-55 Directed Energy Rifle/Advanced
 * Unidentified Covenant artillery
 * Z-040 Attenuation Field Generator/Localized
 * Z-110 Directed Energy Pistol/Exotic
 * Z-130 Directed Energy Automatic Weapon
 * Z-180 Close Combat Rifle/Asymmetric Engagement Mitigator
 * Z-250 Directed Energy Engagement Weapon
 * Z-390 High-Explosive Munitions Rifle
 * Z-750 Special Application Sniper Rifle
 * Z-510 Focus turret
 * Z-8250 heavy artillery

Production notes

 * Prior to the adoption of the photorealistic CGI used in the final game, Spartan Ops episodes were to be accompanied by stylized motion comics akin to those featured in the Terminals. A sample was produced by Planet Jump, an animation studio based in London.
 * Each episode contains a radio that, when shot, plays the first few notes of the Red vs. Blue theme song. Doing so replaces some of the dialog in the episode with lines from the show's voice actors.
 * In Halo: Infinity, some weapons use models from older builds of the game, as seen in early in-game screenshots. For example, the BR85HB SR is erroneously labeled as the BR55HB SR and the M395 Designated Marksman Rifle lacks a front sight. The use of earlier builds to reference in-game assets might also explain why Commander Palmer's hair color varies between the campaign (reddish brown) and the Epilogue and Spartan Ops (nearly black).