Mission 9: Battle for Epsilon Expanse

Battle for Epsilon Expanse is the ninth mission of Halo: Spartan Assault.

Introduction
Nine lofty bridges spanning an enormous gorge called the Epsilon Expanse allowed for access to the southern plateau where the majority of Covenant landing zones were located. The Covenant quickly secured these bridges and held UNSC forces at bay with heavy artillery.

Spartan Palmer escorted the 23rd Armored Cavalry to the Epsilon Expanse, but the Scorpion tanks would not survive the guaranteed heavy artillery fire. Taking a small team of marines across one of the bridges. Palmer managed to infiltrate the Covenant camps and destroy several artillery turrets, giving the Scorpions the chance to advance and launch a counter-offensive.

Plant bombs on the Antlions
Spartan Sarah Palmer is around the remains of a UNSC base, with several dead Covenant warriors nearby. Several weapons crates and a stationary turret surround her. She must plant a bomb on each of the two s nearby. She moves east, with three UNSC Marines, and encounters four Unggoy Minors. After killing the Grunts, she moves forward and encounters several more Unggoy. As an AV-14 Hornet flies nearby, a Antlion destroys debris near the Spartan. After killing all Unggoy in the area, Palmer finds an empty Type-26 Wraith. Using the Wraith, she continues on her way and destroys several Sangheili Minors nearby. The Antlion continues to fire at Palmer throughout her journey. As Palmer continues east, several Hornets fly over a UNSC facility at the bottom of the Epsilon Expanse. At the end of the first bridge, Palmer and the Marines are attacked by Sangheili and an Unggoy Minor manning a Type-29 Shade. A second unmanned Wraith is nearby. After Palmer passes the bridge, a Sangheili-manned Wraith attacks Palmer, but she manages to destroy it.

Palmer soon finds two small ridges. The ridge on the right is guarded by several Unggoy and a Shade. After dispatching the Grunts, she finds several Kig-Yar Minors waiting behind road blocks, forcing Palmer to abandon her Wraith. Beyond the road blocks and Kig-Yar, several more Grunts, Sangheili, a Shade, and the two Antlions sit on the edge of the gorge. The ridge on the left is also protected by Unggoy. At the edge of the second ridge, more road blocks and a Shade are in place. After Palmer kills are Covenant personnel on the edge of the gorge, she plants the first bomb on a Antlion. After several seconds, the bomb explodes and kills any remaining individuals that are too close to it. After the first Antlion is destroyed, Palmer and the Marines are attacked by Sangheili Minors. Palmer quickly kills them and plants the second bomb. With the second Antlion destroyed, the area is attacked by more Sangheili forces.

Reach the Scorpions
Palmer and the Marines fight their way out of the edge of the gorge. After killing the Sangheili reinforcements, Palmer and the Marines retrace their steps to meet up with the remnants of the 23rd Armored Cavalry. Palmer and the surviving Marines eventually return to the nearby bridge and meet two remaining M808 Scorpions.