Anders' Signal

Anders' Signal is the eighth level of the real-time strategy game, Halo Wars.

Description
It is the first level in the Halo Wars campaign to feature the Flood. After the UNSC Spirit of Fire finishes Slipspace travel to pursue a Covenant ship holding Professor Anders, they enter into orbit around an unknown planet, and as Captain Cutter orders Sergeant John Forge to the surface, they encounter units of new Covenant species, the Brutes. As Sergeant Forge's Elephant crew kills all of the Brutes, they are assisted by Spartan Red Team. Two other Elephant crews on the surface, ECHO and INDIA, however, reported attacks from unknown hostiles, before all contact from them was lost.

As Sergeant Forge's units and Spartan Red Team investigate, they eventually encounter the Flood, and are forced to destroy and clear any Flood forms surrounding the two other Elephants. Then they are ordered to bring all the three deployed Elephants back to a nearby firebase for evacuation.

Objectives

 * Get to Base Drop Beacon.
 * Investigate Echo Team.
 * Find and Recover lost Elephants.
 * Bring all three Elephants back to the Base.

Optional Objectives

 * Train squads out of Elephant.
 * Kill 750 Infection Forms (This will unlock the level's skull).
 * Find 4 Lost ODST Squads.

Rebel Supporter Skull
The optional objective you need to complete is killing 750 Infection Forms. This is more of a waiting game than needing skill or luck, since waves of Flood keep throwing themselves at your Station. To speed things up, you can destroy Flood Eggs and/or Flood Stalks and kill the Infection Forms that come out. The skull will appear on the northern part of the map, the only problem is that there is a sizable chasm between your base and the skull. The least difficult way is to build an Airpad, and then train Hornets and fly them over to the skull location. Of course, the alternative would be to walk around the chasm and get it, but then you would have to deal with several Flood forms.

Black Box
Black box #8 is fairly close to your base compared to other Black boxes, but it is beside a Flood Den to the east, which will keep spitting out Flood until you put it into hibernation. Once you have done that, you can go get the black box, which is on the same little plateau.

Transcript
{Cutscene}

''Prof. Anders and Sgt. Forge are at the remains of the destroyed Super Scarab. Forge grabs a piece of debris.''

Sgt. Forge: "Hey, how'bout one for the scrapbook, Professor?"

Anders: "If you don't mind, Sergeant, I'm trying to document this area for study."

''Forge drops the piece and turns his back at Anders. Moments later, an invisible Arbiter grabs Anders by her throat and uncloaks.''

Arbiter: "You will come with me."

Sgt. Forge: "Why don't we put the lady down and talk about this man to freak?"

Arbiter: "As you wish."

''Arbiter drops Anders and moves torwards Forge. He shoots the Arbiter with his pistol but it has no effect. The Arbiter activates his camo, moves behind Forge and cuts his Pistol in half with a swing of his Enegy Sword. Forge goes down and the Arbiter moves to finish him with a stab.''

Anders: "Stop!"

Sgt. Forge: "Anders, get out of here!"

Anders: "I'll come quietly if you let him live."

''The Arbiter grabs Anders by throat and walks into the Gravity Lift of a Spirit dropship hovering nearby. The ship moves away as the Spartan Red Team arrives with a Warthog shooting at it. After the ship goes away, the Spartans get off the Warthog and secure the area.''

Jerome-092: "Sir?"

Sgt. Forge: "I'm okay. Spirit of Fire, this is Forge. I lost Anders."

Captain Cutter: "What happened?"

Sgt. Forge: "Some massive Elite came out of nowhere!"

Serina: "Captain, I'm tracking her transponder. It's heading away from the planet."

Captain Cutter: "Damn it! Sergeant, get up here on the double."

Sgt. Forge: "Already en route, sir."

''Forge enters the bridge with Spartan Jerome-092 behind him. Captain Cutter leans over the holographic display of Arcadia.''

Sgt. Forge: "We're all accounted for; why haven't we left yet?"

Captain Cutter: "Why aren't you in the med-bay, Sergeant?"

Serina: "The professor's signal has gone to lightspeed, headed for the border."

Jerome-092: "That puts it outside weapon range."

Sgt. Forge: "What? We have to go after her!"

Serina: "Sir, I can only track that transponder a few more seconds."

Sgt. Forge: "Captain!"

Jerome-092: "Sir, Anders represents a significant security breach."

Cutter pauses, then he finally makes a decision.

Captain Cutter: "Serina, get us underway immediately. Follow that signal."

Serina: "Aye aye, sir."

Forge and Jerome leave.

Serina: "So... we left a note saying we're leaving, right?"

''Two ships come out of slipspace in orbit as seen in the atmosphere of an unknown planet. A piece of the landscape twitches, then turns around towards the camera, revealing an unknown lifeform that appears to be similar to an Elite. The camera cuts to the Spirit of Fire's bridge.''

Captain Cutter: "Where the hell are we, Serina?"

Serina: "We're in orbit around a planet in the middle of... actually I'm still working on that, sir.

Captain Cutter: "Anders?"

Serina: "The Covenant vessel we pursued appears to have taken cover on the planet's surface. I have rough coordinates."

Captain Cutter: "Any sign of other Covenant activity?"

Serina: "Not that I can detect, although this world is giving off some pretty crazy readings."

Captain Cutter: "Get Forge down there."

Serina: "I believe he is already aboard a Pelican, awaiting your word."

Captain Cutter exits the bridge and the screen fades to gameplay.

{Gameplay}

Recon Team ECHO/INDIA: "Spirit of Fire, Elephant recon teams ECHO and INDIA are clear of hostiles and moving to potential base sites. Over."

Captain Cutter: "Roger that. Sergeant Forge, you will need to clear that fire line just ahead of your location and get to your beacon. We'll follow up at that time."

Captain Cutter: "Sergeant, logistics are preventing reinforcements. Train squads out of that Elephant."

After several Marine squads are trained, Forge and the Marines move towards the beacon but run into Covenant forces.

Sgt. Forge: "Serina, I thought you said there weren't any signs of the Covenant down here. What do you call all this?"

Serina: "Designation "Jiralhanae," a.k.a. Brutes, responsible for the attack on Harvest."

Alice-130: "Spartan Red Team reporting in. Sergeant, we will flank the enemy and move to your location."

After the Covenant forces are cleared.

Sgt. Forge: "Our beacon is just up ahead. Should be easy going now."

Recon Team ECHO: "ECHO is operational. Situation normal. All is...hold on...something's...moving! We've got movement, all over!"

Recon Team ECHO: "This is ECHO! Help! Help! They've breached our-aahhhHhh!!"

Serina: "ECHO signs are offline - quite suddenly I might add."

Captain Cutter: "Sergeant, take a team out there and find out what's happening."

Very soon, Recon Team INDIA reports in.

Recon Team INDIA: "INDIA, reporting in. Elephant unpacking. Hold for... wait... over there....what the hell was that?"

Recon Team INDIA: "Spirit! This is INDIA! They've... they've taken over... get us... aahhhHhh!!"

Serina: "INDIA signs are offline as well. How very ominous."

Sergeant Forge's forces move close to where Recon Team ECHO was stationed.

Marine: Signal flares. We must be close.

Once they reach ECHO's last known location...

Sgt. Forge: "Forge here! I believe teams ECHO and INDIA are compromised. Over."

Captain Cutter: "Covenant? I'm not reading any Brute signatures."

Sgt. Forge: "Not Covenant, sir - something else, something worse. Much uglier."

Sgt. Forge: "Clear that crap around the Elephant. We need to get it mobile."

After all the Flood surrounding the Elephant are destroyed.

Sgt. Forge: "You're clear - let's get you home."

Captain Cutter: "Sergeant, I'm approving your beacon for a fire base site. Serina, prep pods for launch."

Serina: "Aye aye sir. Location marked and pods launched. Don't do it wrong, boys."

Once the base has been set up.

Serina: "Well that's new. And scary. These organisms are... interesting. Our database has nothing on their origins - or, well, anything about them, really. At first glance, they appear to be a species of virulent, parasitic organisms that thrive by consuming other sentient life of sufficient biomass."

Sgt. Forge: "Serina, you ever hear the phrase "Too much information?"

With a stronger UNSC force, Sergeant Forge heads out to recover the second Elephant, and succeeds.

Sgt. Forge: 'Hostiles clear. Let's move - it's getting darker out here."

Captain Cutter: "We need those units intact. Bring all Elephants back to base, Sergeant!"

Sgt. Forge: "All right, let's get everyone back to the base. Move. Move. Move!'

If lost ODST squads are found.

ODST: "There were more of us in our platoon. We all scattered when it hit the fan."

If more ODSTs are found.

ODST: "Thanks for the rescue, sir."

If the 3rd lost ODST squad is found

ODST: "Thank god you found us - we thought we were goners for sure."

At the last missing ODST squad

ODST: "One of them bit me and ran off... Is that bad?"

ODST: "Something's wrong...I feel funny..."

The entire ODST squad turns into Flood Combat Forms.

When all Elephants are back at the base.

Captain Cutter: "All Elephants are home. Hold for new orders."

{Gameplay ends}

Sgt. Forge: "Spirit, any closer on that transponder location?"

Serina: "I'm still trying to confirm Professor Anders' coordinates... a watched pot and all that."

Walkthrough
In the eigth level of Halo Wars, you and Recon Teams ECHO and INDIA land on a unknown planet attempting to locate Anders, who was kidnapped by Ripa 'Moramee. The only problem is that the planet is covered in an unknown layer of biomass, and the enemy that would change the universe forever.

Once you begin, you are alone as Sergeant Forge left with one Elephant to train a few squads of marines. Once you train about 5 you should be ready to move on.

Once you go along the bath you will be bombarded by many squads of Brutes, as well as a 3 or 4 Brute Choppers. You will more than likely lose most of your marines, so if you run down on units, train some more. After a few seconds, Red Team will arive, being a huge help for you. Take out the remaining Brute forces and advance toward the beacon.

You will hear Recon team Echo one the radio, reporting to be moving in. You should press right on the D Pad, and you will have the camero on ECHO, but they will be attacked by an unknown enemy and will lose their Elephant. his will be usefull as it will show you where to go on your mini-map. Keep this area in mind.

The same thing will happen again with Recon team India. Make sure you remember where they were infected at, so you will not have to roam the map endlessly trying to find them.

Train up a suitable amount of units and advance toward the nearest crashed Elephant. Be prepared to destroy a few structures in the way.

Once you advance near the crash site of the first Elephant you will encounter a cutscene showing you most of the situation, including the incoming units you will encounter, and a few of the "buildings" that you will have to take out. When you think you are ready, approach the Elephant.

First of all, there will be pleanty of flood in your way, so focus on the infection forms first, as if you fail to kill them and they attack on of your marines, they will be infected and will turn in to combat forms. Keep in mind that the Spartans and Sergeant Forge can not be infected.

As soon as you destroy all of the flood eggs surrounding the Elephant, destroy the remaining "tentacles" surrounding the Elephant. Also note that if any of your units gets close enough to it, it will grab the squad or vehicle and "eat" it, or ensnare it an make it simply dissapear. Sergeant Forge, all 3 Spartans, and your Elephants will not be affected by this as well.

Once you free the area of all the flood, you will be able to set up a station. It will be done automaticly for you, and it is on the other side of the map. You can build anything you want, it doesn't matter. As long as you have units, you can complete this level. You can even beat the level easily with just your elephants. Whatever fits you the best will work. I would build up your turrets a bit, as there will be non stop amounts of flood attacking your base, as well as Brutes.

Build up your forces and prepare to advance toward the second Elephant crash. You will encounter many units and buildings along the way, so be prepared. If you lose any of your marines to the flood, you can either make more out of your elephant or just move on. Heal and repair any of your elephants if they are down on health, because if any of the elephants are destroyed you automaticly fail the level.

Once you reach the second crash site, take out any units, as well as their buildings, first. Once all of the guards are down, destroy the eggs and the defenses in the way of the Elephant.

Once you rescue the final elephant, you will have to bring all 3 elephants back to your base. As simple as it is, just make all of your units go back to your base.

Once the Elephants have arrived at the base, the remaining units will scout the area, hoping to clear all threats and locate Anders.

Trivia

 * If one fails to destroy an Infection Form, it will easily infect Marine and Flamethrower units and transform them into Flood Combat Forms. Thus it is advised to complete the mission using vehicle units like the Scorpion tanks and Warthogs; any surviving Infantry units should be advised to stay away from the Flood at all costs.
 * It is unknown how exactly the last ODST squad turns into flood combat forms when the player goes to rescue them. One of them states that one of the flood units bit him and ran off, likely all of them being bit. A possiblity is that being too near the flood eggs that they inhaled too many spores.
 * Flood Thrasher Forms can be encountered on the level if the player bides his/her time to build up a substantial force.
 * By pressing right on the D Pad, you can watch Fire teams ECHO and INDIA be infected, which also helps you by showing you where both Elephants are.
 * If you look over to where the elephants ECHO and INDIA are, those elephants are different then the ones you rescue (for example, both have defense turrets when they are locked down, but when you rescue them, they do not have it).