Sierra 117

Sierra 117 is the first campaign level of Halo 3. It is the first to feature real gameplay, as opposed to Arrival, which is merely a cutscene and tutorial. Also, take note that this is the First Level that features messages from Cortana on certain occasions.

Upon completing it on the Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulties, the player will earn the "Landfall" achievement and 20 Gamerpoints.

Setting
LEAKED SIERRA 117 video

This level takes place in an African jungle, as confirmed via the hexadecimal code of the Halo 3 Beta and physically confirmed in the Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer and the short video subsequent Bungie Podcasts. The jungle is home to a Covenant Loyalist encampment, and hosts lush verdant forestry, rivers, rocky landscapes, waterfalls, and tunnels.

Plot
According to the Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer, Chief joins forces with the Arbiter and a few Marines. They progress through the area, securing landing zones for Pelican Dropships and defending them against enemy Banshees. If one makes inferences based on the Halo 3 Zune Concept Art and the beta code's level names, the level will culminate at an arrival at the Halo 3 UNSC Base.

It was stated in the September 07 issue of Gamepro that the Chief would have to rescue Johnson from a downed Pelican.

Transcript
Note: The following transcript is almost complete

Walk It Off

 * Johnson: "First Squad, you're my scouts. (Co-op) Arbiter, watch the Chief's back (Co-op end). Move out! Quiet as you can."

Johnson (COM): "Let's get moving Chief. Come on. I'll lead you out."
 * (If you hang around.)


 * Johnson: "Bravo Team, this is Johnson. We got him. Fall back to the extraction point. Over."


 * Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds (COM): "Roger that. Reynolds out."

Brute howls off in the distance.


 * Marine #1: "That sounded close."


 * Marine #2: "Yeah, too close."


 * Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds (COM): "Johnson, you be advised. Hostiles are (static) on the move (static end). I've got eyes on a (static) Brute Pack (static end). Over."

Phantoms fly overhead the trees.
 * Johnson: "Say again, Gunny. You're breaking up."


 * Marine #2 (Whisper): "Sergeant Major, Phantom inbound."


 * Johnson (Whisper):"We stick together, we're gonna get spotted. We split up, and meet back at the LZ. Chief, go with the Arbiter, head toward the river. Second Squad, you're with me."

Johnson : "Chief. You and the Arbiter head toward the river."
 * (Co-op change)

''Johnson and Second Squad climb up the cliff by the water fall. The Chief and Arbiter lead First Squad. The Arbiter leads the Chief up on some rocks around a plile of fallen logs, while First Squad waits to go straight over, pointing out a Brute Captain Major.''


 * Brute Captain Major: "Spread out, you whelps! Find them!"


 * Marine #1 (Whisper): "Up ahead! Single Brute, plus back up."

''First Squad engages, easily overpowering the Brute and his group of Grunts. The Arbiter walks up to the Brute if his body fell of the rocks it occupied.''


 * Arbiter: "The Prophets are liars. But you are fools to do their bidding."

After encountering two Phantom loads of Covenant Infantry, the Marines form up at a flare at the cave entrance.


 * Marine #2 or Female Marine #1: "Those Brutes are tough."


 * Marine #1 or Female Marine #1: "Grunts ain't no sloutches either."


 * Arbiter: "The Grunt's new-found courage is but fear. When we are victorious, all who serve the Prophets will be punished."

Through the caves.


 * Marine #1 or Marine Sergeant (Stacker): "Sleepers! Take 'em out, nice and quiet! (On heroic or above) Jackals, on the ridge! Stay low, looks like they've got Carbines."

First Squad clears the area.


 * Johnson (COM): "Pelicans are en route, Chief, but I can't raise Bravo. If you find 'em, get 'em to the extraction point."

''{A Brute is torturing a Marine on a log. It is optional to save him}''


 * Brute Captain: "Tell me its location!"


 * Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds: "Kiss...my...ass."

First Squad eliminates all nearby forces.


 * Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds (if saved): "Brute Chieftain and a Phantom. They pinned us down...Killed my men."

More resistance is encountered, and eliminated.


 * Arbiter: "The river. Hurry!"

''First Squad heads for more caves. After a high jump down, Master Chief's HUD flickers and disappears, and translucent images of Cortana appear.''


 * Cortana (Cortana Moment): "Could you sacrifice me to complete your mission? Could you watch me die?"


 * Marine #3: "Sir, you okay?"


 * Marine #4: "Your vitals just pinged KIA."

Charlie Foxtrot
Second Squad leaves the caves.


 * Johnson (COM): "Chief, Pelicans are at the river. We've got company, so hustle up!"

The Chief finds a couples of dead Marines, with Battle Rifles and Frag Grenades.


 * Arbiter: "Grenades. Blow them to bits!"


 * Female Pelican Pilot (COM): "Hold on. Got a contact."

The Chief, Arbiter and Second Squad start to secure the dam.


 * Female Pelican Pilot (COM): "Banshees! Fast and low!"


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Break off now!!

The Banshees strike the Pelicans.


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Watch yourself!"


 * Female Pelican Pilot (COM): "I'm hit! I'm hit! AAAHHHH!

Echo 51 is hit.


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Lost a thruster. Hang on!"


 * Johnson (COM): "Get a hold of her!


 * Echo 51 (COM): "Negative! We're going down!"

''The first Pelican crashes into the river on the other side of the dam. Echo 51 slams on the top of the cliff going over it. The Chief and Arbiter secure the riverside and the dam, after encountering many reinforcements.''

(In Co-op, a Marine will say that instead)
 * Arbiter: "Those Banshees are sure to circle back round. Let's head back into the jungle."


 * Johnson (COM): "Chief, can you hear me..(static). My bird's down. Have a clear..(static)..on your position."


 * Marine #1 or Marine Sergeant (Stacker): (If on Normal or below) "Jackals. On the ridge. Stay low. Looks like they got Carbines."

''After the Chief and Arbiter pass through the short gorge, they see a bridge. Three Marines are crossing it, under heavy fire. They hear a familiar voice over the COM unit.''


 * Johnson (COM): "Come on, you dumb apes!! You want breakfast...You gotta catch it!"

Johnson and the Marines frag the Brute and his fellow soldiers on the bridge, and run off into a cave.

''The Chief and Arbiter encounter many hostiles, including a Brute on the side of a Phantom, who flies off when either his gunner, or much of his troops are eliminated. The Chief and Arbiter secure the area, and discover Echo 51's crashsite, by the water. The Pelican flipped over after hitting the cliff. The Chief finds a SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle, along with much weapons and munitions.''


 * Crow's Nest (Australian) Flight Controller (Echo 51's COM): "Echo 51, this is Crow's Nest. Echo 51, please respond! Hocus, 51 is down. The bird from emergency evac. Over."

(If any Marines continue to follow or are alive)
 * Marine #3 (Australian or American): "Sergeant Major went this way, Chief. Through the cave."

The Chief and Arbiter cut through the caves.

Quid Pro Quo
{Cutscene}

''At the end, they reach a low cliff, viewing another dam. The Arbiter spots the Chieftain beating and playing with Johnson.''


 * Arbiter: "See how they bait their trap?"

The Chieftain roars at Johnson.


 * Arbiter: "I will help you spring it."

{Gameplay}

''The Chief and Arbiter battle their way across the dam, taking down the Chieftain. They finally reach Johnson, who's been tied up and imprisoned behind a Plasma Shield.''


 * Johnson: "This isn't as fun as it looks. Cut the power!"

(If no Marines came with you or died, the other three Marines in the prison will be still alive and await rescue)

Marine Escapee #1: "Brutes were gonna gut us sir."

The Chief releases Johnson and the surviving squad from Echo 51's crash site.


 * Johnson: "We're even. As long as we're only counting today. Kilo 23, what's you're ETA?"


 * Hocus (COM): "Iminent Sergeant. Find some cover. Gotta clear a path."

The Marines grab Covenant Weapons from the Covenant Canisters.


 * Johnson: "Roger that Hocus. Friendly gunship, coming in hot!"

''Two Phantoms arrive, carrying reinforcements. The Chief, Arbiter, Johnson and any remaining Marines hold position until Kilo 23 arrives.''


 * Johnson: "Hocus! Phantom!"


 * Hocus (COM): "I see 'em! Standby.

Hocus shoots down the first Phantom.


 * Hocus (COM): "Scratch one Phantom!"

''If any ground forces remain, Kilo 23 will take them out. Kilo 23 fires upon the Second Phantom, and sends it plunging into the river.''


 * Hocus: "Scratch Two!"

''Hocus lowers the Pelican to the dam for pickup. Johnson, the Master Chief, the Arbiter and the remaining Marines board Kilo 23.''

{Cutscene}

''Kilo 23 takes off. Johnson gives the Chief a pat on the shoulder and goes into the cockpit. Kilo 23 shuts the back hatch and flies over the first damn, en route to Crow's Nest.''

''Marines under the trees with Binoculars and an M41 SSR Rocket Launcher are on watch. They spot Kilo 23.''


 * Marine on Watch: "IFF confirmed. Contact is Pelican Dropship Kilo 23. Over."


 * Crow's Nest Flight Controller (COM): "Roger that. What's the word Kilo 23?"


 * Hocus (COM): "Sierra 117 Onboard. Request priority clearence. Over."

The Marines pat fists together in joy of Master Chief's recovery.


 * Crow's Nest Flight Controller (COM): "Deck's yours. Come on down."

Kilo 23 lowers down into a hole in the jungle.

Trivia

 * Note that the level is called Sierra 117; Sierra is the word used in the NATO phonetic alphabet to represent the letter S, which, when used in a military sense, generally stands for "sniper." However, in Halo 3, it is S 117 which corresponds to SPARTAN-117. This has been confirmed in the second Bungie Podcast.
 * In the August 2007 EGM Halo 3 Story, Sierra 117 mistakenly said to be the fifth Level in the Halo 3 Campaign.
 * Jumping into the deep water at the point where the pelicans are shot won't kill you or even lower your shields. Also you can see fish swimming and even kill them. (These are what the small yellow dots are on your motion tracker)

Links
External -A leaked video from E3 2007.