The Halo Experience Showcase/Walkthrough

This is a walkthrough for The Halo Experience Showcase event in Forza Horizon 4. It is written for play with the following settings:
 * Drivatar Difficulty: Any (preferably at least Highly Skilled for increased race rewards)
 * Braking: ABS On or ABS Off
 * Steering: Normal
 * Traction Control: Off
 * Stability Control: Off
 * Shifting: Manual or Manual w/ Clutch
 * Driving Line: Braking Only or Off
 * Damage & Tire Wear: None or Cosmetic
 * Rewind: On

Level notes

 * This event counts towards the Cross Country Series.
 * Unlike the M12 Warthogs of Halo, the M12S Warthog CST operates differently:
 * It is not controlled simply with the left stick (LS); right trigger (RT) must be held down to actually use the throttle. Left trigger (LT) activates the brakes and A activates the handbrake.
 * If the Braking setting is set to ABS Off, the brakes will lock if they are pressed too hard. Using this Braking setting correctly rewards the player with a faster race time, even more so in tandem with Manual shifting, with or without Clutch.
 * It is much faster, with a maximum speed of 192 km/h. In addition, it is more stable due to the lack of four-wheel steering and is less prone to rolling over on rough terrain.
 * The camera view can actually be changed by pressing right bumper (RB). There are six available camera views: Chase Near, Chase Far, Cockpit, Driver, Hood, and Bumper. The right stick (RS) allows the player to look around.
 * Pressing the right stick activates the car horn, which is always the one that the player currently uses. To change the car horn, go to the Horizon Festival or any owned house and change it there.
 * Depending on the Damage & Tire Wear setting, the Warthog will either not take any damage at all (None), take only cosmetic damage (Cosmetic), or risk having its mechanical parts take damage (Simulation), which results in the vehicle's condition being downgraded, consequently downgrading its performance due to broken parts.
 * However, it is practically impossible to run out of fuel in this event.
 * Using the Normal Steering setting is highly recommended, as this allows the player to more easily steer the vehicle. The Simulation Steering setting takes on a more realistic steering model that is much more unforgiving due to stronger countersteer; this setting is best attempted with a properly set up and calibrated steering wheel controller.
 * Automatic shifting allows the player to view their minimap with the View button. With Manual shifting, the player must press X to shift down and B to shift up. The Manual w/ Clutch setting has the added requirement of pressing the clutch, mapped to left bumper (LB) by default, either at the same time as or immediately before pressing X or B. As with Simulation Steering, note that Manual w/ Clutch works best with a properly set up and calibrated steering wheel controller.
 * Pressing Y rewinds the player back a certain distance. This is useful if the player accidentally misses a checkpoint or crashes into an obstacle. It is also entirely possible to disable Rewind through the Game Difficulty settings menu; doing so slightly increases the player's total credits payout.
 * As a departure from other Showcase Events in the Forza Horizon series, the player can never finish in any position lower than first in this event. This only applies when the event is played solo.
 * As with every other race event in the Forza Horizon series, when played in Co-Op, the first player to reach the finish line starts a 30 second countdown as a warning to the remaining players to finish the event as quickly as possible or risk getting a DNF with reduced race rewards.
 * The normal event defaults to the Timeless FM radio station with "The Trials" as the set song, although the player can change radio stations by pressing right on the D-pad.
 * Note that activating Streamer Mode disables all radio stations except for Hospital Records.
 * Any Car Mastery perks the player has applied onto their own M12S Warthog CST, no matter how many copies of the M12S they own, do not apply to this event.
 * This event can be played in Rivals, through the Showcase Rivals section. Remember that when playing in Rivals, using Rewind or making hard collisions (including bad landings) will result in a dirty lap, and dirty laps are always placed at the bottom of the leaderboards.
 * Completing this event unlocks two Showcase Remix variations:
 * Winter: Assault on the Control Room, available during:
 * Series 7: March 28, 2019 14:30:00 GMT → April 4, 2019 14:29;59 GMT
 * Series 12: August 15, 2019 14:30:00 GMT → August 22, 2019 14:29:59 GMT
 * Series 15: November 7, 2019 14:30:00 GMT → November 14, 2019 14:29:59 GMT
 * Autumn: Pillar of Autumn, available during:
 * Series 19: February 20, 2020 14:30:00 GMT → February 27, 2020 14:29:59 GMT
 * Completing any of them during each time they are available unlocks a Super Wheelspin as a one-time reward and adds 6% and 1.5% to the Horizon Season Playlist and Series Festival Playlist completion percentages, respectively.
 * Raising the Drivatar difficulty setting results in the Marines in Warthogs driving faster, but does not prevent the player from completing the event in first place.

Bamburgh Castle

 * Kilo: "This is Kilo Actual. Cortana, do you read me? I heard you need a pickup."
 * Cortana: "Cortana to Kilo Actual. Perfect timing! We are all done here and ready for dust-off."

For this Showcase Event, you will be driving a stock (A 756) M12S Warthog CST and following a D79-TC Pelican to a landing zone. As soon as the Showcase Event starts, you will immediately be driving and following the Pelican, which is chased by Banshees. Unlike in Halo, the Banshees never attack and only act as moving props. Checkpoint 1 is 480 ft ahead. Make a right and immediately turn back to the left, but make sure to watch out for Covenant scenery props (supply cases and stationary shield generators), as well as the race barriers. Unlike the race barriers used in other events, these race barriers are actually indestructible solid objects and made out of hard light. Checkpoint 2 is immediately ahead. Feel free to take in the beautiful scenery (including the Halo ring in the background), but focus on reaching the checkpoint up ahead, which leads to a ramp that will lead you to Bamburgh Castle. Make sure to have at least 140 km/h of speed upon approaching it to clear the gap. Note that missing a checkpoint triggers a five second warning to rewind; if this warning is ignored, you will be reset back a bit, even if rewind is disabled.

Upon landing, you will notice that the race barriers converge closer together. Follow the path through the archway and out of the Bamburgh Castle. Here, you will notice UNSC military scenery props that are indestructible and other normal scenery objects that are destructible. For extra Skill Score, smash the trash cans for "Binman" skills.

Residential Homes and Farmlands

 * Cortana: "OK, new LZ found. We don't have long. This ring is gonna go nuclear in three minutes, and we do not want to be here when it does. Marines, I've added coordinates to your nav. Be there for evac in three minutes."
 * Banks: "Roger that, Cortana. Hoo-rah!"

Once you reach the south end of the castle, you will exit it and encounter a Marine in another Warthog. He is actually controlled by Drivatar AI, meaning you can pass him for "Pass" skills or get behind him for "Drafting" skills, but you don't actually race against him or the other Marines in the event. However, the Marines can often get in your way, which can result in them crashing into you, so try to outmaneuver them.

Entering and exiting the Bamburgh Castle parking lot, make a hard right followed by another hard right, but always make sure to avoid contact with the Covenant scenery and hard light race barriers. Checkpoint 3 is just ahead. Drive through it and then prepare to hit the brakes hard as Checkpoint 4, which is located directly in a residential area near Bamburgh Castle, is followed by a sharp left. After clearing this checkpoint, follow the path for a sweeping left turn that takes you back onto asphalt roads, passing through the fifth checkpoint.

Power through a short straight that takes a detour onto farmland, and brake again for a hard right that goes to Checkpoint 6. Continue driving through the route, and you will jump over a section of road that is blocked off by military props and construction props. If you don't have enough speed, though, you will instead drive directly on the road, and you can smash the orange fences to get "Road Open" skills for extra Skill Score. Otherwise, just make a shallow right turn to get to a ramp that triggers a cinematic cutscene in which two Banshees chase the Pelican and simultaneously perform loop-the-loops while you land and reach Checkpoint 7. By this time, another Marine named Stacker will have appeared.

Detour

 * Kilo: "Banshees in-bound. Try and lose 'em through those trees!"

Immediately hit the brakes after landing, as you will be greeted by a long left turn, the first part of which is sharp. Checkpoint 8 is ahead. Drive through it, and take a detour through the railroad tracks by making a sharp left turn. Don't worry about any railroad trains coming through, only the Covenant and UNSC scenery props that are littered everywhere, so stay on the railroad tracks for 800 ft. A Banshee will fly through, but it can easily be ignored. Reach Checkpoint 9 directly ahead, and make a wide right turn. Then drive straight to Checkpoint 10 ahead, but try not to touch the race barriers. There will be a herd of sheep that will get in your way, but they are programmed to automatically evade you with a 100% success rate, so no need to worry about them.

After clearing Checkpoint 10, make a shallow diagonal right turn followed by a slightly sharper right. Checkpoint 11 immediately leads to a left turn that takes you onto the M68 Motorway, but make sure to brake hard here to avoid slamming into the walls.

Tunnels Are Not Natural Formations

 * Cortana: "That's not the most reassuring choice of words..."
 * Cortana: "This cave is not a natural formation..."

You will have to take another detour by driving through the M68 right side tunnel, as the left side tunnel is closed off. Drive into the tunnel and max out your speed here, making sure to weave left and right to avoid Covenant scenery. Cortana will comment that the tunnel is "not a natural formation". About halfway through the tunnel, you will find a ramp and jump it. Upon landing, you will inevitably destroy some scenery objects, including orange road fences for "Road Open" skills. However, always be careful of blue hard light small fences on the ground, as these cannot be driven over due to the game giving them the same height as standard walls.

Continue speeding out of the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel is a ramp and Checkpoint 12. Jumping this ramp will trigger another slow-motion cutscene where the Pelican appears again.

Good to See You Again

 * Cortana: "Good to see you again, Pilot! I do not want to reach that LZ without you!"

Exit off of the M68 and make a left to reach Checkpoint 13. You can shortcut the next few curves by braking and making a sharp left and gunning straight for Checkpoint 14, but once again, steer clear of Covenant scenery. Continue following the path to Checkpoint 15, which is just ahead, placed right before the final ramp. At this point, you will actually max out the Warthog's speed at 194 km/h.

This Would Be a Very Good Time to Leave
Jump the ramp to trigger the last slow-motion cutscene in which two Banshees fly through. At this point, you should actually be jumping over the Pelican, but only for a very brief period of time. Once you land, you will get an "Ultimate Air" skill with a trade off of a loss of speed, which should be more than enough for you to avoid immediately crashing into the hard light barriers in front of you. Note that the Pelican can be touched, like with all other opponent vehicles featured in the other Showcase Events, so try not to touch it or you will lose too much speed. Continue following the path until you reach a small valley of rocks that leads to the beach south of Elmsdon-on-Sea.
 * Cortana: "Fifteen seconds, Chief! Ten, nine, eight, seven, six..."
 * Cortana: "Five, four, three, two, one... We're not gonna make it!"
 * Cortana: "Pilot, this would be a very good time to leave."

Steer to the left to reach Checkpoint 16, and immediately use full throttle to reach the finish line, which is at the landing zone just ahead. There are three pairs of blue/purple checkpoint flares just ahead, with the last one marking the finish line is. Drive through them to finish the event.

You should get an average race time of 03:15.000. Note that you can never run out of time in this event, despite what the dialogue from Cortana may otherwise suggest.