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.

01: Walk It Off

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

{If you wait and hang around}

Johnson: "Let's get moving, Chief. Come on. I'll lead you out."


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


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

Brute howls off in the distance.


 * Marine #1: "That sounded close."


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


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

There is the ominous whisper of gravitic drives as a Phantom flies overhead.
 * 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 'llsplit up, and meet back at the LZ. Chief, go with the Arbiter, head toward the river. Second Squad, you're with me."

{If co-op}


 * Johnson : "Chief. You and the Arbiter head toward the river."

{Co-op end}

''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 pile of fallen logs, while First Squad waits to go straight over, pointing out a Brute Captain Major.''


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


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

First Squad engages the Brute and his Grunt subordinates along with the Master Chief and the Arbiter.


 * Arbiter (to Brute corpse): "The Prophets are liars, but you are fools to do their bidding!"

''Two Phantoms draw near, each deploying a Brute and a squad of Grunts, blocking the advance of the Master Chief and his allies. Eventually, they are cleared, and the Marines form up at a winking flare at an underground cave.''


 * 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."

''After advancing through the caves, a massive forested expanse is found: the "Grunt Camp". Sleeping Grunts litter the first half while a few Brutes, Jackals, and Grunts patrol the far hills.''


 * Marine #1: "Sleepers! Take 'em out, nice and quiet! {On Heroic and Legendary} [[Jackals, on the ridge! Stay low; looks like they've got Carbines."

{After clearing the Grunt Camp}


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

''Beyond the encampment, a Brute Captain is torturing a Marine Sergeant on a log. It is possible and optional to save the Marine by killing the Brute.''


 * Brute Captain: "Tell me its location!"


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

{If Reynolds is saved}

Reynolds jumps down from the log, grabbing a nearby fallen Assault Rifle and joining the Master Chief and the Arbiter in their fight


 * Reynolds: "Brute Chieftain and a Phantom. They pinned us down...killed my men."


 * Arbiter: "The river. Hurry!"

''The UNSC force continues forward, towards further caves and pushing towards the river, where Johnson has established an extraction point for Second Squad. They head down a steep slope for some underground caves that lead to the river.''


 * Cortana: "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."

02: Charlie Foxtrot
''Second Squad leaves the caves; the river is around the next bend. Three Marine corpses are scattered on the ground, with BR55HB SR Battle Rifle ammunition and Fragmentation Grenades.''


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


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

''Beyond the steep slope is a river substation, next to a raging river. A pair of Pelican Dropships, Kilo 23 and Echo 51, hover above the river, and their door gunners fire on a cluster of Brutes, Jackals, and Grunts that have tunneled themselves in the substation. They are the extraction force to exfiltrate the Master Chief and his team.''


 * Hocus (COM): "Hold on. Got a contact."

As the Master Chief and his men wind nearer to the Pelicans in the substation, two Banshees streak in along the river.


 * Hocus (COM): "Banshees! Banshees loose!"


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

The Banshees launch a high-speed strafing run against the Pelicans, and explosions cascade over them as the Pelicans rock.


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


 * Hocus (COM): "I'm hit! I'm hit! AAAHHHH!"


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


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


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

''Both Pelicans streak away around the river bend, but Echo 51 loses control, plowing into the riverside beyond. While Master Chief, the Arbiter, and the surviving Marines fight through to secure the substation despite two waves of Brute-led Covenant Loyalist reinforcements, Johnson and his team leave the wreck of Echo 51 but are beset by a Brute ambush .''


 * Arbiter: "Those Banshees are sure to circle back round. Let's head back into the jungle."

{If co-op, a Marine will say the above line instead}


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

{If on Easy or Normal}


 * Marine #1 or Marine Sergeant: "Jackals. On the ridge. Stay low. Looks like they got Carbines."

After the Chief and Arbiter pass through the short Jackal Sniper-laden gorge "Sniper Alley" Halo 3: The Official Guide'', they see a bridge. Three Marines are crossing it, under heavy fire, retreating from Echo 51's crashed Pelican. They hear a familiar voice over the COM unit as a Brute leads a charge against the fleeing Marines.''


 * 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 crash site by the riverside: the Pelican flipped over after hitting the cliff, scattering ammunition and weapon racks in the area, including a SRS99D-S2 AM Sniper Rifle and another munition. Echo 51's radio is still operational, however.''

{If you wait by Echo 51's radio}


 * Crow's Nest Controller (Radio): "Echo Five-One, this is Crow's Nest. Echo Five-One, please respond!

{Pause}


 * Crow's Nest Controller (Radio): Hocus, Five-One is down, the bird from emergency evac. Over."

{If any of Echo 51's Marines are still alive}


 * Marine #3: "Sergeant Major went this way, Chief. Through the cave."

The Master Chief leads the Arbiter and whatever remaining Marines through the caves towards where Johnson is being held.

03: Quid Pro Quo
{Cutscene}

''At the end, the Master Chief reach a low cliff, viewing a Loyalist-held dam. The Arbiter spots the Chieftain beating Johnson on the fair left''


 * 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 Master Chief releases the plasma shield that was imprisoning the Marines


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


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

The Marines grab Covenant weaponry from nearby crates.


 * 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.''

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.