Fireteam Zulu

"They gave it their best shot, but they didn't count on running into the biggest squad of Marine bad-asses in the Corps!"

- Unnamed Marine

Fire Team Zulu was a United Nations Space Command Marine unit stationed aboard the  that actively participated in the Battle of Installation 04. They encountered John-117 about a third the way through the Assault on the Control Room, when he stepped out onto a bridge spanning a large valley.

Battle of Installation 04
The Pelican that transported Fire Team Zulu was attacked by Covenant Banshees on its descent to drop off the Fire Team. After deploying the troops, along with a Warthog, the drop ship flew out of view into the next valley where it was later found crashed into the valley wall. The crash was not witnessed by the Master Chief, but it is assumed that it was due to the damage sustained from the Banshee attack (seen on Heroic and Legendary difficulties). Weapons that were brought in by Fire Team Zulu include a Rocket Launcher, Sniper Rifle, and a Warthog. The Master Chief, upon meeting up with Fire Team Zulu, helped by destroying a Ghost and a couple of Shade turrets. Upon linking up with Zulu, Spartan-117, with a Marine manning the Warthog's turret, destroyed a nearby Wraith guarding the valley.

A Scorpion Tank was present near the dropship's apparent crash site in the next valley, but it does not seem likely to have been brought in by Fire Team Zulu, as a Pelican can only lift a Scorpion or a Warthog due to the Pelican's rear hitch payload capacity and the size of the vehicles. Additionally, the Fire Team Zulu Pelican can be seen carrying a Warthog from the bridge. The tank was presumably brought in earlier by another Marine unit.

Later, the Master Chief encountered Marines from a previous mission. Cortana announces their presence by saying, "I thought the Covenant had eliminated all Marine forces in the area." These Marines were probably not part of Fire Team Zulu, because the teams were nowhere near each other. They could, however, have been part of the same platoon or company.

Fire Team Zulu then assisted the Chief as he fought his way through the valleys; when the Master Chief had to ascend the final main valley in order to cross a pair of bridges overlooking the valley, they did not follow because evac had become available.

Post Installation 04
Their later fate is unknown. The surviving members of Fire Team Zulu were either likely consumed by the Flood or killed when Installation 04 was destroyed.

Trivia

 * In Halo: Combat Evolved, the voice of Sergeant Avery Johnson issues from the Pelican, calling for assistance. This is not possible because he was in the swamp near the Flood Containment Facility with Captain Keyes at the time. Most likely, the voice heard in-game belongs to the voice actor of Johnson, but was intended to represent the voice of another character. Alternatively, Bungie only created two sergeant models, so they had no choice but to place Johnson into the level.
 * When the Pelican first landed, there were already Marines deployed in the area, along with an extra Warthog. The Marines that were already there do not seem to react to friendly forces or enemies and will just stand there. If the player manages to get down where they are (using a glitch or with mods) and shoot them, the other Marines that came out of the Pelican will turn on the player. The Marines that descend from the Pelican are normal and will move and react to friends and enemies.
 * Some of the Marines did not leave the Pelican that descended, and bailed out after the Pelican was supposedly shot down. These Marines are presumably the ones later encountered in the second valley, seen fending an approaching wave of Covenant approaching their position and Scorpion tank near the alleged dropship crash site.
 * The crashed Pelican's number reads "E419". This is just a generic marker of most dropships in Halo: Combat Evolved.
 * The player can, with some luck and skill, board the Pelican when it flies over the bridge in the beginning of the level. When it flies to the second valley, one can clearly see a crashed Pelican, and the flying Pelican will crash to somewhere further on.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Combat Evolved
 * Halo: The Flood
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary