ONI: Sword Base/Walkthrough

Overview
This is a walkthrough for the Halo: Reach level ONI: Sword Base. It is written for play at the Legendary difficulty, but contains notes for lower difficulties. This is the third level of Halo: Reach. For this mission you are joined by Catherine-B320. Your mission is to clear ONI: Sword Base of all Covenant hostiles, with additional objectives to be added later. Your initial loadout for this mission is your MA37 Assault Rifle an M392 DMR and 2 M9 Grenades. It is important to note that as this walkthrough at the Legendary difficulty, all strengths of enemies reflected are at the Legendary level.

They Really do Pick the Worst LZs
Well, here you are, stuck on the low ground being assaulted from all sides. What to do. First aim high right, take out the Elite Minor (the only one in the whole level), with your DMR. Now Sweep left and kill the Jackals with your Assault Rifle and run up that left hand side walkway. throw a grenade into the center if Kat and the rest of the soldiers haven't cleared it yet, to help them move up. You're gonna need the support. Stay on the left and deal with the Jackals that come up. Once you've handled them, sprint to the end. There will be a SRS-99 Sniper Rifle there. Sprint back and take cover from the elite Ultra and his Concussion Rifle and the Elite Majors. Use Your Sniper Rifle to swiftly dispatch them. Once you've taken out the Elites, Help Kat mop up the area before you move down the ramp.

Where Do the Spartans Get All Those Wonderful Toys??
Swap your DMR for the Target Locator. Now, what you do next will determine how you proceed. If you can hit both Wraiths with a airstrike, then you'll have 1 strike left in your Target Locator. If not run back and drop it for your DMR before heading to the Warthog that the Army so kindly just dropped for you. So now you either have a TL and a Sniper Rifle OR you have a DMR and a Sniper Rifle, either way, you don't have a lot of ammo for the Sniper and you're going to need it in a bit. The next area will give you two methods for completing the section, one with the Target Locator and one without.

A.I'm Only Happy When It Rains (Devestation and Destruction)
If you were good enough to keep a salvo with your Target Locator, hop in your Warthog and head to the right. You will arrive at the Gun that you need to activate. Let Kat and the Turret operator do all the hard work while you keep them out of the line of fire. You really only need to do this until the Ghost is dead. Once that's done pick yourself a nice piece of high ground and pull out your Target Locator. Keep low and take aim at the Elite General on the roof of the building. Unleash Hell. Watch as his pretty Golden Armor is turned to slag as is everything around him. Cackle with Glee at his demise. Mop up with the Sniper Rifle. As the next wave of reinforcements move in, hop back in the 'Hog and let your AIs take care of all the annoying flies. Without the General and his Fuel Rod Cannon, the rest will be easy to for your AI turret to kill. Head into the building, swap out your TL and Sniper Rifle for a DMR and Assault Rifle and go flip the switch. Get back in the Warthog and head out. Once you start to approach the Generator station you'll notice two buildings. You have to flip a switch in each one. Pull your Warthog up to the Crest of the hill. Let the Gunner and Kat provide covering fire while you use your DMR to pick off the enemy. There's an Ultra and a Major Elite here so kill them fast along with a mix of Grunts, Skirmishers, and Jackals. Once the near building is empty, grab a Plasma Pistol and sneak in and over to the Roof area. There's some Sniper Ammo over there. Watch out for Sniper Skirmishers and return fire with your DMR. Once you've cleared them away, pull out the Plasma Pistol and take aim at the Revenant. Overcharge and fire to disable, then move in and kill the Elite occupants. Flip the switch on the first side then on the second side. Head up the other side and activate the second. This will trigger the Pelican to come in and drop a Gauss 'Hog.

B.A Spartan's Work is Never Dull
You've got your DMR and Sniper Rifle. Head left down the hill towards the water. Once your down there you'll hit a Ghost. Drive fast and let the Turret handle it but keep evading and don't move up the other side yet. Once the Ghost is dead, move up. Drive to the other side where the crest of the hill is to get some cover and to give you a better shot at the Elites on the ground. Again use your DMR and Sniper Rifle to kill them quickly. Following the procedure listed above, clean out the enemy Grunts, Jackals and Skirmishers. Hopefully at the end you have a functional Revenant. If not, Oh well, you still have the 'Hog. Head up the path to the Gun. If you've got the Revenant, just strafe back and forth until every thing on the ground is dead. Take shelter under the building when the Spirit shows up to drop waves two and three then pop out and keep firing. Eventually you'll be Left with the General and maybe an Ultra. Go back up to the top crest of the area and pull out the Sniper Rifle. Shoot the General until he's dead. It takes about eight rounds. Mop up and hit the button. A Pelican will pop in and give you the Gauss 'Hog.

They Like to Grow 'Em Big Back Home
Get in your Warthog. No matter which way you go, your going back where you came from. You'll have to face down three Revenants and a couple of Ghosts. Once your done that there's a few ground troops, but you'll make short work of them. Head back up to the Big Metal Door and flip the switch. It'll open and you should drive in right up to the barrier. Hop on the Turret. Go Nuts. Kat and the Gunner won't get back in the Hog cause it can't go anywhere, so you've got a big stationary emplacement to kill everything you see. There are plenty of Jackals, Grunts and an Elite or two, but they're all meat under the cannon. Once you've pacified the area, hop out. You'll need to refresh your ammo on the wall and then move forward slowly. You'll encounter one or two more Elites and Ultra and a Major. Use your DMR to finish them quickly. Then move up to the next area. Carefully enter the underground garage. You'll note the two very large armor plated cannons. These are not your daddy's Hunters. These Hunters are smarter, faster and more deadly than ever. The easiest way to get them is sneak up quickly while they are distracted (possibly by a Kat shaped object) and quickly attach a Plasma Grenade to each one's back. that should take care of the armor. Then finish up with a plethora of DMR rounds or close in and use a Shotgun. Once the Hunters are down, take down any remaining forces in the area and get in the Elevator.

Somehow I Don't Think These Guys Want to be My Friend
Once your off the Elevator, toss a grenade down to the end of the hallway and charge forward. Sweep the Shotgun throught the Grunts and Jackals and Take out the Elite. Once you've killed them if you need to heal up run back real quick and grab the health. Now it's time to join the rest of your squad. Run Forward and head across the open area, deal with the Jackals and Grunts first then the Elites. Head up the side clearing as you go. there will be plenty of Elite and Jackal Majors to deal with. But in return you'll pick up a fancy Needle Rifle. Once you reach the top catwalk you'll encounter a last catwalk with an Elite Ultra and some Grunts on the other side. Use the Needle Rifle to make short work of him. Watch out for the General with the Fuel Rod Gun but if you bring his shields down once (a grenade works really well) he'll run off. Move forward. You'll encounter a few Jackals but you can make short work of them. Grab the M41 SSRM Rocket Launcher put keep your DMR out there are a few cloaked Spec-Ops Elites that you need to put down. Then you can Kill Banshees to your heart's content. Clear the skies and the cutscene plays. Say hi to Dr. Halsey.

Legendary Notes

 * It is Important to keep track of how much ammo you expend here. Being conservative and taking your time will lead to fewer reset checkpoints, and a faster overall completion time.
 * Range is an ally here. If you can hit a target from distance, do it.  Often your enemy is too strong to take on in close.  Kill him from afar.
 * While in vehicles be aware that a single overcharged plasma shot will disable you. be prepared to dismount and defend yourself.
 * The safest way to ensure checkpoints is to clear areas. It can be tedious and often you can just rush through an area without actually clearing it, but you won't get your checkpoints and if you die, you lose all your progress.
 * This is your first encounter with Sangheili Generals. They are tougher and more dangerous than Zealots.  Best dealt with from range.
 * Hunters are a formidable enemy, but you've faced them before. While more adaptive and quicker, they share the same weakness as all Mgalekgolo.
 * Good Skulls are Iron and Catch. You can accomplish much from distance and this level is a great way to hone your skills.

Notes for Lower Difficulties

 * You will face more Elites numerically on Heroic but they will be of lower rank. Numbers will be similar on Normal but of lower rank.  This means More Minors, fewer officers, One or Two Ultras.
 * Sniper ammo does more damage. You can One-shot most Elites on lower difficulties and Most Upper Ranks take no more than two or three shots depending on your aim.
 * You have more salvos available in your Target Locator. Use them wisely.