Fighting Retreat

Fighting Retreat is the sixteenth campaign level in Halo Wars 2, and the second of the Awakening the Nightmare expansion.

Transcript
HIGH CHARITY SALVAGE OPERATION

FIGHTING RETREAT

Mission Briefing
 * Brute: "Pavium, our troops are en route to perform salvage extraction from the nearby ships."
 * Pavium: "Good. If Voridus has listened to me, he'll be doing the same from outside of High Charity. Have you had word from him?"
 * Brute: "No, no further communications since he and his Brutes approached High Charity."
 * Pavium: "Unsurprising. No doubt he's picked a fight with some Sentinels there, but he should have reported in. No matter."

Mission Summary

Clear a path for the salvage operation

Scouting Report

Valuable resources can be found amongst the wreckage from the crash site.

Cutscene

Two Infantry squads approach wreckage that blocks their way.
 * Pavium: "Keep moving, I want us to be ready for extraction as soon as possible. Let's get to work. We need those barriers down so I can clear a path for the salvage route."

Pavium tries to contact Voridus.
 * Pavium: "Voridus, this is Pavium. Have you found anything outside the shell?"
 * Voridus: "...Pavium! Fall back, I warn you! We have been assaulted..."

The comms from Voridus break up.
 * Pavium: "Voridus? Respond! Engineers, get his comms feed back, now!"


 * Brute: "Pavium! Movement! From High Charity!"

Hordes of Pod Infectors approach the salvage operation.
 * Pavium: "The rumors were true! What has that fool done?"

''Three Grunt Infantry Squad are scanning the supplies, and Pod Infectors reach them. One squad rusns away while the other two are infected.''
 * Grunt 1: "Run, run!"
 * Pavium: "Coward! We will hold the line until I hear from Voridus and his troops. I will not abandon them!"
 * Brute: "Don't let them touch you!"

Gameplay

As the Flood approaches them, Pavium and his units eliminate them before they get a chance to infect his troops.
 * Pavium: "Destroy those who turn, they are no longer your allies!"

Some Garrisons are empty, and Pavium orders his forces to man them.
 * Pavium: "Into garrisons! Defend yourselves!"

''They hear the Flood screaming, and more Pod Infectors come from the west. They quickly clear them out, and once clear, the Flood start attacking from the east.''
 * Pavium: "Flood incoming from the east!"

Pavium reminds his forces to not touch the Pod Infectors.
 * Pavium: "Do not let them touch you, it is said they will consume your body and mind!"

While defending the east, the Banished retreat from the west to Pavium once the Flood starts coming from the west.
 * Pavium: "Keep them back, do not let them overrun this area!"

After defending for a time, the Banished regroup near lightbridge.
 * Grunt 1: "They're coming from everywhere!"
 * Pavium: "We must retreat, the area is lost to the Flood. All units, fall back to the first position!"

The Banished retreat through the lightbridge and it shuts down, cutting off the route so the Flood can't pursue them.
 * Pavium: "Get off that bridge! We need to shut it down and get it secured!"

Reaching the first outpost, Pavium try to contact Voridus.
 * Pavium: "Voridus? Are you there? I'm holding the line as long as I can, but I won't be able to wait forever!"

Voridus still does not respond.
 * Pavium: "Still nothing? Damn him! See to the wounded and prepare the defenses for the next attack! They are not finished with us yet!"

The timer countdown start from 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
 * Pavium: "Break open those cases! Use everything we have to strengthen our defenses!"

The Banished open all the cases to further aid the defenses.
 * Pavium: "We must hold the line here to give Voridus and his troops time to join in! Dig in!"

If the defense turret and barricade have not yet established.
 * Pavium: "Get the defenses up! We need to stagger the Flood assault with barricades!"

When the timer reaches 30 seconds.
 * Pavium: "My Orbital Designator shows a massive waves of Flood coming soon, gather supplies and build defenses to be ready for them!"

When the timer reaches 0, the Flood recommence the assault again.
 * Pavium: "The Flood are as inexorable as the stories said."

Pavium requests reinforcements from Colony to open a path for retreat.
 * Pavium: "Bring in the Goliaths to clear a path back to our base! We must hold the line for Voridus there, it's our best chance!"

A Spirit drops a team of Goliaths, and they immediately go to work.
 * Pavium: "Defend the Goliaths, they must clear both routes or we'll have nowhere to fall back to!"

The countdown start from five minutes as both Goliath Team start to work while an infantry squad is attacked and overrun from the west.
 * Pavium: "We must have a staggered retreat. If Voridus is still alive he will need us!"

The Banished hold their line while the Flood come from the east, defeating all Grunt Infantry Squads that are patrolling and infecting the Jiralhanae.
 * Pavium: "Flood coming from the east! Watch out!"

They continue to hold the line at the all sides.
 * Pavium: "Fight back! The Banished have not come so far to be devoured by monstrosities!"
 * Pavium: "Kill the infected where they fall, we cannot risk an acceleration in their numbers!"

When a Goliath is low on health or
 * Pavium: "One of our Goliaths is about to be destroyed! Protect it!"
 * Pavium: "Our Goliaths are taking damage!"

The Flood start coming in from three directions.
 * Pavium: "Keep fighting, we shall not lose this place to these aberrations!"

When the timer is at one minute.
 * Pavium: "Hold the line!"

The timer reaches 0 and the wreckage is destroyed.
 * Pavium: "We have little time to prepare before they return! Fall back to the next line and ready the defenses!"

The Goliaths stay behind to cover the retreat.
 * Pavium: "Goliaths! Cover us as we fall back!"

''Retreating to a 3-slot minibase with his units. Three Grunt Infantry Squads are already on patrolling the area.''
 * Pavium: "Voridus, this is Pavium. Are you alive, brother? We are holding as long as we can!"

Reaching 3-slot minibase, they regrouping to prepare for the next defenses.
 * Pavium: "The Orbital Designator shows we have a little time before the next Flood surge. Start preparing our defenses!"

Countdown start from two minutes.
 * Pavium: "Repair and heal what's needed while we have the time. We must be at full strength.''

The Banished start to break open cases to finance them for defenses.
 * Pavium: "Keep your eyes out for movement, we must be ready when they attack again!"

Some Pod Infector breakthrough the first defense line as both Goliath team was already killed by the Flood while preparing defenses.

Some Salvage teams are trapped and in need of rescue.
 * Brute: "Pavium. We've been separated from the main force. We need help to rejoin you."

When the time reaches 0, the flood start to launch the assault again and Pavium calls another Goliath.
 * Pavium: "We need more Goliaths! Send them in now!"

Spirit Dropship drops a pair of Goliath.
 * Pavium: "Smash through those barriers, we need an exit route!"

The Goliath start to work once dropped by Spirit.
 * Pavium: "Keep them back! We'll hold until the next barrier have been breached!"

Pavium reminds them to protect Goliath.
 * Pavium: "And keep those Goliaths alive!"

The health bar of three teams of Goliath start to shown on the HUD and countdown start from five minutes.
 * Pavium: "Defend the Goliaths or we will be overrun by the Flood!"

If the Brute has yet to be rescued.
 * Brute: "Pavium, our pack is still awaiting assistance. Do you hear us?'

The Flood start to coming from the east.
 * Pavium: "Flood threat from the east!"

''While defending the attack from the east. Flood start to coming out from the ground and spawns several Flood Pod Infector and Combat Form.''
 * Brute: "Pavium! They're coming out of the ground now!"

The horde of flood start attacking Goliath and Pavium redirect some troops to intercept it.
 * Pavium: "They are spreading beneath the substructures! We must stop this, but first we need to find a safe hold!"

The Banished start attacking the Flood that attacks Goliath from behind.
 * Pavium: "Flood spews from those eruptions! Destroy the filth pouring from it!"

Done dealing with the east and the back, Flood start coming from the west.
 * Pavium: "We have Flood forms incoming from the west!"

Now the Flood has dispatched the vehicle that it manage to infest and commandeer it.
 * Pavium: "The Flood are sending in infected vehicles now!"

An Infected Chopper start attacking the base followed by Pod Infector.
 * Pavium: "Stand fast! Atriox is who you should fear, not them!"

Flood now is coming from all of their previous first defense line.
 * Pavium: "More Flood incoming!"

While defending from all sides, some flood burst arrived at the back of Goliath.
 * Pavium: "We have a Flood burst in our territory! End the threat now!"

Pavium continuously remind them to protect Goliath.
 * Pavium: "Defend the Goliaths or we will be overrun by the Flood!"

Defeating those at the back, this time they just need to hold the line for another minute.
 * Pavium: "Flood incoming! Destroy them before they reach you!"

''During last minute, more flood bursts emitted from the ground and attack right at the base and Goliaths. To make matter worse, some Flood Pod Infector comes right from the wreckage.''

The Flood relentlessly attack the base and luckily the time is up and the wreckage is destroyed.
 * Pavium: "The Goliaths have broken through! Retreat back to our base and fortify it!"

The Banished start retreating.
 * Pavium: "Goliaths! Cover us!"

However when they are retreating to the main base, the Flood is already launch the assault to the base the Banished that defend the base is about to be overwhelmed.
 * Pavium: "The Flood are already at the base! Clear them out!"

Some unknown Flood Forms are capturing the Chopper defending the base.
 * Pavium: "Infected troops are using our vehicles against us! The Flood are adapting new forms to combat us! We must act quickly!"

However they arrive too late at the base as the defenders are already being overwhelmed and Pavium start clearing the Flood out.
 * Pavium: "We must not lose our base to the Infection! Destroy the Flood!"

Once the base cleared out, Pavium start to make the stand while some Flood bursts are coming out from the ground.
 * Pavium: "Attention, pack brothers! We will make our final stand here! I left too many Jiralhanae on the battlefield during the Covenant war. I will not abandon Voridus!"

A Grunt Infantry Squad is coming out from the base.
 * Pavium: "If Voridus or one of his pack contact us I want to know of it immediately!"

Some unoperated Blisterback lies at the hills.
 * Pavium: "Recover those Blisterbacks, we will need their power if we are to hold, even briefly!"

The countdown start from 3 minutes and 30 seconds and the Banished start to establish the defenses.

Some surviving pack are still trying to contact Voridus around the base.
 * Brute: "Pavium, we are here to reinforce you but we are under attack by the Flood!"

The Huragoks reach the Blisterbacks to recover it and becomes operational while Voridus rescue the pack that was trapped by the Flood and the rest capture power nodes.

Rescuing them and capturing power nodes, the Banished regroup back at the base.

Once the timer reaches 0, the ground start to shaking and the Flood start to commence the assault.
 * Pavium: "The Flood renew their assault! Steel yourselves!"

The countdown start from 12 minutes.

The Banished continue to defend the base and once done dealing the west side, the Flood start to attack from the east.
 * Pavium: "The Flood are coming from the east!"

The Banished continue defending the base from the Flood assault.
 * Pavium: "Push them back! Use all means at your disposal!"

The Flood start to attack from their rear.
 * Pavium: "They are attacking from behind us!"

When the timer reach 7 minutes, tentacle start to coming out from the ground.
 * Pavium: "Watch out, tentacles are bursting from the ground! Cut them down!"

More tentacles are coming out surrounding the base and the Banished have to split their forces to defend from all sides.
 * Pavium: "We cannot leave until we hear from Voridus! Stem the tide!"

If player have not yet rescued the Brute pack.
 * Brute: "Pavium! We can't break through the Flood here, we need assistance!"

The Flood start to approach Blisterback using Flood burst pod. or or
 * Pavium: "It looks like the Flood are approaching our Blisterbacks! Do not let them reach it!"
 * Pavium: "Our Blisterbacks are under threat from the Flood! Keep those monsters away from our artillery!"
 * Pavium: "They're creeping up on the Blisterback! Support that artillery!"

The timer almost reach five minutes and the Flood seems stop attacking.
 * Pavium: "They've stopped. Stay alert, it may not be over yet."

Utilizing the pause time from attack, the Banished regroup their ranks and dispatch some to defend Blisterbacks.
 * Pavium: "Do not let your guard down, they will return. See to the injured while we can! Make sure none are infected!"

Not even less than a minute after the attack stop, the ground shakens and the Flood resumes its attack.
 * Pavium: "They're back! Take them out before they destroy our base!"

Floor bursts pod are coming from around the base, spawning more flood.
 * Pavium: "Dig in deep and show them the might of the Banished!"

More Flood are coming out around Blisterbacks and the Banished dispatch Engineers to shore up defenses.

Reaching 3 minutes, the Flood try to surround the Banished.
 * Pavium: "They're trying to surround us! Watch your back! Incoming!"

To make matter worse, the Flood also manage to capture the Wraith while the Pod Infector are climbing uphill to destroy the Blisterback.
 * Pavium: "They're creeping up on the Blisterback! Support that artillery!"

The Flood continue to attack more relentlessly and the Banished have tough time to defend the base.

The timer reaches 90 seconds as the ground start to shake violently and more tentacles are coming out from the ground while Pod Infector are coming out from the chasm.

''When the time reaches 0, Voridus finally makes a contact with Pavium. The Flood attack seems have not ceased yet instead it intensify even more.''
 * Voridus: "Pavium, this is Voridus! My pack and I barely escaped High Charity!"
 * Pavium: "You live! What madness has been released upon us? Is this your doing?"
 * Voridus: "I did not believe the tales! They appeared from nowhere and forces us back! During our retreat we discovered an entrance to a Forerunner structure below ground. My Engineers believe it is connected to the defenses I shut down earlier."
 * Pavium: "Then get in there and start them up again!"
 * Voridus: "We cannot break through the Flood to reach it! We are at the power support site you established earlier, but have already lost many to the parasite!"
 * Pavium: "Stand fast, we are on our way to help you break the lines."

The Flood start to overwhelm them and Pavium decide to abandon the base.
 * Pavium: "We cannot hold this sector any longer. Abandon the base!"

Player will have one minute to abandon the base quickly.

''Abandoning the base while retreating to the south, Pavium took all units that can still fight. The Blisterbacks are also destroyed as they can no longer hold out at their position.''

A massive tentacle suddenly appears and block path from retreat.
 * Pavium: "What?! The size of that thing its..."

Held by the massive tentacle, some smaller tentacle and the Flood start to ambush them.
 * Pavium: "...Voridus! Our way has been blocked, we cannot reach you directly! We will have to find another route!"
 * Voridus: "Be quick, Pavium. The Flood are rapidly taking over this sector as well!"

The Flood pursue them from the base while Pavium and his units continue to retreat using another path.
 * Pavium: "We did not defy the Covenant to be twisted into such foul creatures! The Banished forge our own path! I will not fall to these monstrosities!"

Ahead, the Flood Pod Infector are blocking their exit and the Banished punch through them.
 * Pavium: "Push through them! Do not let them stop you!"

The Banished continue to break their blockade while continue to retreat.
 * Pavium: "Keep moving! If we slow down, we will be overwhelmed!"

The Banished continue to retreat while the Flood continue to pursue them from behind.
 * Pavium: "Use everything you have! They must not stop us!"

Cutscene

Pavium lead his pack and reach the range of Mega Turret fire but the Pod Infector is closing in on them.
 * Pavium: "Send in a barrage from our turrets on the perimeter!"

A Mega Turret start firing however the turret defenders are all being infected.
 * Pavium: "That will hold them long enough, let's move out! Voridus, we have made it out. Hold on."

''Leaving behind his units, Pavium continue to retreat while his units are all infected. The Mega Turret continue firing to stall the Flood.''

Mission Complete

Level ends

Leader Power

 * Atriox's Bulwark I, II and III
 * Rain of Fire I, II and III
 * Stasis I and II
 * Burnout I and II
 * Orbital Designator I and II
 * Ultra Mines I and II

Unit Deployment

 * Pavium's Unit
 * Pavium
 * 10 Grunt Infantry Squads
 * 2-slot Minibase
 * 1200 Supplies
 * 600 Power


 * Salvage Team
 * 7 Grunt Infantry Squad (2 Infected, 1 joins Pavium)

Miscellaneous

 * In this mission you have to keep Pavium alive by any means necessary, unlike a common hero unit, which can be revived once downed.
 * The Goliath Team Health bar indicates health of both Goliath. If one of it down then it will display the remaining Goliath's healthbar on that team.

Strategy

 * Do not let Pavium die, no matter what. If he dies, then you will fail the mission.
 * It's reccomended to have Huragok early on the mission in order to sustain the losses.
 * Wraith is the best unit to deal with the Flood unit at this level. Use it to defend the base and breakthrough their siege when retreating.