The Archive

The Archive is the eighteenth campaign level in Halo Wars 2, and the fourth of the Awakening the Nightmare expansion.

Transcript
FORERUNNER ARCHIVE

THE ARCHIVE

Mission Briefing
 * Voridus: "Pavium, how far down is this facility? The lift still hasn't reached the bottom, it is endless!"
 * Pavium: "If you had followed the orders, you wouldn't have to be down there, and I wouldn't have to be up here watching more of our troops fall to the infection!"
 * Voridus: "I told you I will fix this, Pavium. The means to reactivate the Sentinel Flood defenses should lie below."
 * Pavium: "As does the Flood. Tread carefully. This area will be rotten with Flood forms. Be sure to make use of your incendiary gels, the enclosed spaces will work to your advantage."
 * Voridus: "The lift slows, it seems I have arrived. Hold the line up there, I'll be back soon."

MISSION SUMMARY

Find and reactivate the Sentinel Defenses.

SCOUTING REPORT

Jump Pack Brutes are vital to navigating the Archive.

Cutscene

The lift that carries Voridus, Sangheili Rangers and Jump Pack Brutes arrives at the bottom of the shaft.
 * Voridus: "I have arrived, Pavium. It stinks of death down here. The enemy is everywhere."
 * Pavium: "We will stop the Flood together, Voridus. My troops and I will guard the entrance up here, but you must reactivate those defenses quickly."

Gameplay

Voridus and his pack quickly make their way out to the defense network, but they are halted by Forerunner defense beams.
 * Voridus: "Forerunner beams ahead. It seems some defenses remain active."

Voridus deactivate the control panel and advance as the defense beams shut down.
 * Voridus: "This facility is pitted with many chasms. Jump Brutes, be ready."

The HUD shows remaining Jump Pack Brutes units.

Ahead, a Flood Spawner is guarded by hordes of Pod Infectors.
 * Voridus: "The Flood has already started to choke this place. Watch your step."

Voridus and his packs defeat the Flood Spawner guarding the deactivated lightbridge.
 * Voridus: "Come, let us move fast before the Flood completely engulfs this place!"

The console lies on the other sides of the pillar, and Voridus stops the advance.
 * Voridus: "Jump Brutes, investigate the console on that pillar. We need to find a way forward."

The Jump Brutes use their jetpacks to get to the pillar and activate the lightbridge.
 * Brute: "Lightbridge activated, Voridus!"

Once activated, Voridus advances his troops, but hordes of Pod Infectors and Combat Forms come from the other side of the bridge.
 * Voridus: "Here they come now, wipe them out before they reach us!"

After clearing out the Flood, Voridus reports to Pavium.
 * Voridus: "Pavium, they way forward is not clear. We have many Forerunner beam defenses and retracted lightbridges."
 * Pavium: "A good sign. It means the facility is still partly functional. We may still be able to restore the defenses."

''The Jump Pack Brutes activate the lightbridge and Voridus pushes forward. On the other side of the lightbridge, a Flood Spawner is found waiting for their arrival.''
 * Voridus: "Listen! I hear the foul sound of Flood up ahead!"

Defeating the Flood Spawner, the Jump Brutes rendezvoused with Voridus and continue advancing.

Hordes of Flood Forms run from defense beams, which annihilate them before they can reach Voridus and his pack.
 * Voridus: "Impressive! Pavium, the Forerunner beams make swift work of the Flood here!"
 * Pavium: "As they will you, Voridus. Can you get past them?"
 * Voridus: "We are more agile than those shuffling monstrosities. I'll send one of my squad through to deactivate them from the other side!"
 * Pavium: "You surprise me, Voridus. I thought you would want to test your mighty reflexes against the beams."

Voridus sends one of his squad to pass through the beam defenses.

If Voridus goes by himself.
 * Voridus: "Ha, challenge accepted, brother!"

Voridus shuts down the defense beam and continues to advance.
 * Voridus: "The path is clear, continue on."

Continuing ahead, they hear Pod Infectors around them.
 * Voridus: "Steel yourselves! Infection forms! I'll cut them off before they overrun us. I'll use my incendiary gel to hold them off. Stand back!"

His pack stand back to provide covering fire while Voridus goes ahead to engage them.
 * Voridus: "Come and burn, filth! A special mix of my own, just for you!"

Voridus start spreading his incendiary gel while engaging the Pod infectors, but he is surrounded from all sides.
 * Voridus: "Pavium, my modified incendiary gel works wonders against the Flood!"
 * Pavium: "At least there's finally a use for it. Colony was not pleased to learn you had been tinkering with his weapons."
 * Voridus: "And where would we be without it now? You must learn to break a few rules, brother!"

If a Jump Pack Brute's health is less than 25%.
 * Voridus: "Defend yourselves, Jump Brutes! I still have need of you!"

Clearing the Pod Infectors out, Voridus advances and finds a teleporter.
 * Voridus: "Pavium, we've found a teleporter down here. It appears to be connected to the one near you. I need reinforcements."
 * Pavium: "Scout ahead while I get it working."

Further ahead, a Forerunner terminal is shown.
 * Voridus: "There's a Forerunner terminal ahead in a large chamber, but it's surrounded by blisters. We should investigate it"
 * Pavium: "Then I suggest using an Honor Guard. Their cloaking abilities will enable them to reach the terminal undetected."
 * Voridus: "You have reinforcements ready for me then?"

The teleporter activates.
 * Pavium: "Yes, the teleporter's working, but i can't spare many fighters. If the Flood return here. I will need every one to hold them back."

An Honor Guard comes out of the teleporter.
 * Voridus: "An Honor Guard's cloaking ability could prove useful to us. Get ready to earn your keep, mercenary!"

Approaching the site, Voridus orders Honor Guard to activate his cloak.
 * Voridus: "Honor Guard, now it's the time to use your cloak!"

The Honor Guard activate his cloak and passes through the Flood undetected.
 * Voridus: "Tread carefully. If we disturb the sacs, they may release the Flood. Although it is tempting to burn them all now..."

''The Honor Guard reach the destination and activate the Ark Defenses. The local defenses activate as Aggressor Sentinels start annihilating the Flood surrounding the terminal.''
 * Voridus: "Pavium, we've activated a minor defense system. It seems to be a localized patrol, we need to activate the global system."
 * Pavium: "Keep searching, Voridus. We've just lost contact with another base, you must act quickly."

A Flood Infestor appears ahead but quickly retreats while Voridus and his pack are on their way to the rendezvous point.
 * Voridus: "Something's not right here. Tread carefully."

Rendezvousing, Voridus discovers another path and takes a detour.

Taking detour while avoiding Flood blisters, they encounter two Flood Spawner and an explosive core.
 * Voridus: "I could smell the trap... The Flood were waiting to ambush us!"

If the player chooses to follow the spawner into the trap
 * Voridus: "I should have trusted my instincts! That infestor was part of an ambush! Destroy those spawners!"

If a Jump Brute Pack is killed.
 * Voridus: "Die on your own time, Jump Brutes! We need you now!"

Reaching the next teleporter, Voridus replenish his troops while another chasm that has a terminal lies ahead.
 * Voridus: "Another chasm! Jump Brutes, get across and activate the lightbridge!"

The Jump Brutes reach the other side of the chasm and activate the terminal, but the lightbridge does not activate.
 * Brute: "Voridus, the lightbridge controls aren't working!"
 * Voridus: "The Flood corrupts everything! We must move fast before the whole facility is a lost cause!"

The Flood start coming to their location.
 * Brute: "Voridus! They come!"
 * Voridus: "Then destroy them! I will not fall to these abberations!"

Pod Infectors come from south.
 * Brute: "They are endless!"
 * Voridus: "Keep fighting until the lightbridge starts working! The Flood infection must have compromised the facility's systems!"

Some supplies are sent to aid Voridus in defenses.

After defending the position for some time, the lightbridge is activated.
 * Voridus: "The lightbridge is working again!"

Voridus orders his men to cross the lightbridge.
 * Voridus: "Cross quickly, the systems are unstable, and I do not relish a plunge into the depths below!"

If the player stalls
 * Voridus: "Hurry! That lightbridge will not remain on forever!"

After crossing, the lightbridge shuts down.
 * Voridus: "It's shut down behind us. At least it should buy us some time. That looked like the last chasm, Jump Brutes. You will have your worth measured in kills now!"

The Jump Pack Brute's HUD number disappears.

When about to advance, they encounter a defense beam.
 * Voridus: "Hold, I smell burning. There are Forerunner beams up ahead. Honor Guard, you're fast on your feet. Prove your usefulness!"

The Honor Guard slip past through the beams and deactivate them from the other side.

Continuing to advance, they find more Forerunner beams blocking their advance.
 * Voridus: "We're blocked by Forerunner beams! Turn them off! We have to get inside!"

''Turning it off, an alarm triggers and the quarantine countdown starts from 2 minutes. Voridus and his men are trapped inside the quarantine area''
 * Voridus: "What now? We've triggered a quarantine! We must clear the area of Flood or the automatic defenses will attack us as well!"

Hordes of Flood Forms start coming toward Voridus and his pack, forcing them to defend themselves.

Defeating the Flood under 2 minutes, the quarantine is lifted.
 * Voridus: "The quarantine has been lifted and the field is down, let's move!"

They continue to advance, but then stop.
 * Voridus: "Wait!"

Flood Abominations can be seen far ahead.
 * Voridus: "There's another of those Abominations. Be careful, those things seems to make any nearby Flood forms more aggressive!"

Voridus and his pack advance carefully.
 * Voridus: "Be sure not to break any blisters, or the Abomination will have more Flood to rally against us!"

Advancing, they encounter another Forerunner terminal.
 * Voridus: "Another of those Forerunner terminals."

Voridus lures the Abominations to their positions and once in position, the Jump Brute activates the local defenses, eliminating the Abominations.

Once the Abominations are defeated, they continue to advance, careful to not disturb any blisters.

Voridus reports to Pavium.
 * Voridus: "Pavium, the Forerunner defenses are stronger here. We must be getting close to the core."
 * Pavium: "Make haste, Voridus. We're falling back to the entrance for a final defensive position."

More defense beams are ahead, and this time they are erratic and hard to see.

After passing through it, Voridus deactivates the defenses and his pack rendezvous with him.

Voridus and his pack reach the Sentinel defense network, but it is clogged with Flood biomass.
 * Voridus: "Pavium, I think we've found it. It resembles the system I shut down before. Strange, it's almost as if the Flood understands its importance. The locks are blocked with their filth."
 * Pavium: "There is cunning in their chaos, Voridus. The Flood seems to be growing in intelligence. You must clean those locks and reactivate the defenses, now!"

Voridus approaches a teleporter.
 * Pavium: "I'm sending my finest warriors for you, Voridus. I have also outfitted some Brutes with new equipment, inspired by your 'experiments'. Fight well."
 * Voridus: "And you, brother. I will see this done."

Once all the locks have been cleared out of Flood Biomass and Flood forms, the facility starts working again.
 * Voridus: "It's working, Pavium. The power is increasing. Once this device is at full power I should be able to reenable the defenses."

Facility power and the health of the three locks are shown on the HUD.

Voridus and his pack set up defensive position to defend the locks from the Flood.
 * Pavium: "Voridus, I'm sending you all my reserves. Make good use of them."
 * Voridus: "All of them? But what of you?"
 * Pavium: "If you fail, we will quickly fall next. You must be our shield now."

Resources start to flow to Voridus continuously while the Banished continue to hold the line.

The Flood start sending Combat Forms once power reaches 20%.
 * Voridus: "Watch out, infected forms!"

The Combat Forms start assaulting the Banished's position along with Pod Infectors.
 * Voridus: "Infectors! Wipe them out before they reach us!"

The Banished continue to hold the line.
 * Voridus: "Stay vigilant, my gel awaits victims to burn."

Reaching 30%, Flood Spawners arrive on the scene.
 * Voridus: "Keep them away from the locks!"
 * Voridus: "Put their wretches out of their misery!"

Reaching 50%, more Flood forms come.
 * Voridus: "More of their twisted forms!"

More forms are dispatched, include Abominations.
 * Voridus: "They're sending more infected forms now! My incendiary gel will make short work of these monstrosities."

Reaching 62%, the Flood dispatch another wave of attack.
 * Voridus: "Here they come, raze them!"

Reaching 75%, Voridus and his pack continue to hold the line.
 * Pavium: "Hurry, Voridus. The Flood is amassing here."
 * Voridus: "Hold fast, brother. Just a little longer."

Once the power reaches 100%, the system is activated and awaits to be aligned.
 * Voridus: "Pavium! The system is at full power. I'm reactivating it now!"
 * Pavium: "Then reactivate the defenses! The Flood is almost here!"
 * Voridus: "Yes, this is familiar. Time to fight, Sentinels."

Voridus start to align the ring formations while the Flood comes in waves to stop them.
 * Voridus: "It seems the Flood are aware of the threat, they rush to stop us!"

Voridus aligns all rings.
 * Voridus: "It is done, the system is working again!"

Cutscene

The Floods continues to comes in hordes, and Sentinels start arriving to assist the Banished.
 * Voridus: "Pavium, the defense system is back on! The Sentinel cleansing operation should commence soon."
 * Pavium: "Sentinels are appearing up here as well, brother! We must help them battle Flood and push them back... *static*"
 * Voridus: "What was that?"
 * Brute: "Voridus, Pavium! We are being overrun, some kind of giant Flood forms has appeared and..."
 * Pavium: "That was from one of our bases. It seems our work is not yet finished."
 * Voridus: "We must act fast!"
 * Pavium: "Atriox is sending support as we speak. We are going to need all the help we can get."

Mission complete.

Level ends.

Leader Power

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

Unit Deployment

 * Voridus
 * 3 Sangheili Rangers
 * 3 Jump Pack Brutes
 * 800 Supply
 * 800 Power

Units that can be purchased
(All of them can be purchased for 100 supplies)
 * First Teleporter
 * Sangheili Honor Guard
 * Sangheili Rangers
 * Jump Pack Brutes


 * Second and Third Teleporters
 * Sangheili Rangers
 * Jump Pack Brutes


 * Fourth to Sixth Teleporters
 * Sangheili Rangers
 * Jump Pack Brutes
 * Brute Grenadiers

Miscellaneous

 * You can only purchase one Hero Unit on this level-the Sangheili Honor Guard-with a resource of 100 supplies.
 * Par time for this level is 30 minutes.

Strategy

 * Make sure not to let any of your units get hit by beam defenses. The defenses deal considerable damage.
 * Collect all of the scattered supplies and power and open every crate. You have very limited resources on this level.
 * Remember to conserve your resources.
 * This only changes after you clear out the locks of the Sentinel defense network and you have to defend it as the network begins charging again.
 * You can leave the defense beams alone, if you know the pattern, or you can shut it down, but you need to pass through it one squad at a time to prevent losses.
 * You can only replenish your troops at teleporters, so remember to use the resources wisely.
 * You can also heal your wounded units as one Huragok will be stationed at the teleporters, but it will only appear if you purchase a unit. The Huragok will subsequently remain at the teleporter and the player can send their units back for healing at any time.
 * Every purchase will dispatch at least two units.
 * Use the cloaking wisely when using Honor Guards; stealth is a critical part of this level.
 * Lure the Abominations to local Sentinel defenses after activating defense terminals, it should help you minimize casualties.
 * Keep your Honor Guard alive, you cannot replace him if he is killed.
 * The code to reactivate the Sentinel defense network is the same as the one to deactivate it: spin the outer ring to the left three times, the middle ring to the left five times and the inner ring to the right twice.
 * It is not necessary to keep all three locks clear at the end to reactivate the Sentinel defense network. The network charges regardless of the fact that one or more go down, though less active locks means a slower charging. However, losing all three locks stops the charging until at least one is cleared out again. If the locks become filled with Flood biomass once again, the player can clear them by targeting the biomass as they did to clear it in the first place.
 * After arriving at the control terminal and clearing out the biomass, the player will begin gaining an increase in resources and power the same as if they had a base established. As a result, the player can keep calling in troops through the teleporters to help hold the Flood off until the Sentinel defense network charges up again. Mainly, the player is limited by the number of troops they can have, the same as on any other mission, but the teleporters allow them to keep calling in reinforcements to replace the troops that fall to the Flood.
 * On higher difficulties, it is recommended to repeatedly kill the Flood tentacles. This will build up your units' veterancy and help them last longer.