Dome of Light

Dome of Light is the sixth level of the real-time strategy game, Halo Wars. The level involves breaking through a giant, dome-shaped Covenant Energy Shield to discover what is within. The main objective of the mission is to escort the Rhino tanks to the marked points around the map, defended by the Covenant, after which Serina will fire all tanks on the same point of the energy shield to break through it. The mission initially involves placing three Rhinos at the marked points but after a failed attack on the shield two more points are selected for Rhinos to be placed at. After the energy shield is broken through the player is then given 40 MAC shots to destroy the Covenant base within and complete the mission.

Mission Objectives

 * Kill approaching Covenant Infantry.
 * Request a Rhino at the Landing Pad.
 * Get the Rhino to the First Position.
 * Place a Rhino at the Marked 2nd Position.
 * Transport a Rhino to the Marked 3rd Position.
 * Get Rhinos to the last two Marked Positions.

Optional Objectives

 * Kill 50 Banshees (This will unlock the level's skull).
 * Claim 2 Oni Reactors.
 * Destroy the Dome Generators and Air Defenses.

Sickness Skull
The Sickness skull spawns when you destroy 50 banshees. It appears in the hangar near the back of your base

Also an easy way to get the requirements for the skull is to get a few wolverines and just order them to stay at your starting base and so they will kill the attacking banshees or you could just make all of the base turrets missile turrets.

Strategy

 * A good way to complete this level is to train and upgrade Scorpion tanks.
 * Another good tactic is to build Cobras and Wolverines, then before you order ANY Rhinos, move them to the future Rhino locations, all of them, then lockdown your Cobras and order the Rhinos. The vehicles at the base sites will kill any Covenant en route, any buildings that appear later, and protect the Rhinos, getting you the Rhino Hugger achievement.
 * It is advisable to build in all the turret sockets available and upgrade at least two of them to Missile Launcher turrets, while making the others Flame Mortar or Rail Gun turrets, to fend off infantry and vehicles that appear later in the mission.

Cutscene
A view of the outside of the Spirit of Fire, Cutter, starts talking, in the middle of a discussion already.

Captain Cutter: So...it's an energy shield that they can deploy on the planet.

Anders: Yes Captain, we can't see through it, but the Covenant are up to something.

Captain Cutter: Agreed, we need to find out what that is, can we use the ships cannons and take it out directly?

Anders: We may destroy whatever's under there, Covenant shield technology is susceptible to super-heated plasma. Aren't we field testing some plasma based Rhinos?

Serina: Pillar of Autumn inventory shows they have some prototypes.

Anders: It might take some time to get the right power settings. I'll need to be on the ground to do that.

Captain Cutter: Professor, Sergeant Forge, let's get that shield down!

Forge: Ugh, babysitting again?

Anders gives Forge a quick smile, scene fades to gameplay, Level starts

Gameplay
Forge: Well this little field trip is a bust! Anders, is there anything out here except for that big alien dome thing?

Anders: Scans seem clear, shall we see what's inside?

Rhino approaches firing position and opens fire, impacting on the dome shield, Covenant air units begin to appear attacking the Rhinos.

Forge: Looks like we only shook the beehive, we got multiple bogeys inbound.

The banshees destroy the Rhino on screen.

Forge: Any more bright ideas Anders?

Anders: Data from the shelling proved we're on the right track, but we'll need to simultaneously launch from multiple Rhinos.

Response to Rhino request

Pillar of Autumn: Harvest Surface Command, Pillar of Autumn, request for plasma Rhino is approved! Rhino is inbound.

Anders: The Rhino has arrived get it to Position One.

Anders: I'll take control of that Rhino to calibrate the shots.

Forge: Rhinos are expensive, I've called for some ODSTs to protect this one.

Anders: I've marked Second Position, request another Rhino and get it to that site.

Forge: Ooh perfect! There's a stinkin Covenant outpost right where you marked! We'd better take that out first.

Response to Rhino request

Pillar of Autumn: Rhino LRA Plasma augment on it's way.

Forge: We should take out those Covenant buildings that are reinforcing their position.

Forge: The area's secure, get a Rhino in place!

Anders: Rhinos are in position and ready to fire, firing Rhinos in 3...2..1

Forge: Not much effect but it looks like we're makin' some progress.

Anders: I've marked the third position.

Response to Rhino request

Pillar of Autumn: Request for plasma Rhino received, it's en route

Forge: We're gonna need a transport to get the Rhino to that position.

Response to Rhino request

PoA: We'll have that Rhino on the ground in no time.

With the combined fire from all three plasma Rhinos the shield begins to falter, when multiple Locust show up

Forge: Holy hell, they have Locusts!

Anders: Hmm, my calculations show that two more Rhinos will be necessary to open up a hole big enough, the final two positions have been marked.

Forge: The Covenant must have figured out what we're doing, we're going to need a larger force to take those locations.

Anders: Only one more Rhino to get into position.

Anders: Cross your fingers! Firing all Rhinos in, 3...2..1

A section of the dome shield falters and opens up

Anders: The dome power supply is overloaded, we got it!

Serina: MAC is coming online, single turret available.

Forge: Alright, the dome generators and the air defenses are the main targets, light em up!

MAC opens up after a few rounds Serina takes charge

Serina: MAC fully online, all rounds loaded, I'll take out the remaining structures.

Forge: Nice work, let's get down there and see what the Covenant found so damn interesting.

Level ends