Outskirts

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Outskirts is the fourth campaign level of Halo 2. As John-117, you must battle your way through the streets of Old Mombasa, Earth, with Marines to reach the beach. From there you head to a highway tunnel, which leads to the next level, Metropolis. This is also the first level in which you will encounter Jackals, Jackal Snipers, Hunters, and Phantom Dropships, as well as the first Halo 2 level in which you can drive vehicles, as well as the first mission to take place on Earth. Outskirts is also the level in Halo 2 that holds a record number of Jackal Snipers; a total of 22 in all, most of which are located in the notorious "Sniper Alley".

Transcript


''Three Pelicans rocket away from, jet engines thundering, and spear out towards New Mombasa. The Assault Carrier Solemn Penance hovers high over the city, Gravity Lift engaged.''


 * Cortana (COM): "The message just repeats. Regret, Regret, Regret."

John-117 watches from the stern of a Pelican as the clouds roll by below.


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "Catchy. Any idea what it means?"

A convoy of Warthogs are seen as the Pelicans pass over them.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Dear Humanity...we regret being alien bastards. We regret coming to Earth."

Inside the cockpit of the Pelican, Johnson leans against the bulkhead behind the two pilots.


 * Sergeant Johnson: "And we most definitely regret that the Corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!"


 * Pilots: (in unison) "Oo-rah!"


 * Cortana (COM): "Regret is a name, Sergeant. The name of one of the Covenant's religious leaders. A Prophet. He's on that carrier, and he's calling for help."

A Marine sniper-spotter team lies prone on a rooftop, and the Pelicans fly over their position.


 * Marine (COM): "Immediate: Grid kilo two-three is hot. Recommend mission abort."


 * Pilot (COM): "Roger, recon. (to Johnson) It's your call, Sarge."


 * Sergeant Johnson: "We're going in. Get tactical, Marines!"

''Cut to an interior shot of the Pelican's troop bay. A Marine loads rounds into his Battle Rifle and cocks the weapon, while a sharpshooter examines a magazine before slotting it into his Sniper Rifle. A third Marine puts on a helmet,tapping it to make sure it's tight. The Master Chief stands silently, gazing at the streets below.''


 * Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood (COM): "Master Chief, get aboard that carrier, and secure the Prophet of Regret. This is the only place on Earth the Covenant decided to land. That Prophet is going to tell us why."


 * Pilot: "Thirty seconds out. Stand by to...whoa."

''The pilot goes silent as a huge Scarab comes into view. Its leg spears a truck which explodes, then its main gun focuses and fires, destroying the lead Pelican. The two other Pelicans veer off, as Plasma Turrets on the Scarab's back track them. The leftward dropship, with Johnson and the Chief on board, catches a burst of plasma on its right flank, flips inverted, hits a building, and slides through a low brick wall, before blacking out the frame. We then slowly but surely fade in to a distorted version of the Master Chief's point of view, initially blurred and then becoming clearer after a few seconds...''


 * {Gameplay}

The Master Chief regains consciousness.

Cortana:
 * (Easy): "You all right, Chief?'


 * (Normal): "Hey, (fakes tapping helmet) "Wake up."


 * (Heroic): "Talk to me, should I start CPR? What's going on?"


 * (Legendary): "Blink if you can hear me, Chief."

They'll Regret That Too

 * Sergeant Johnson: "Shake it off, Marines. Clear the crash site! Go, go, go!"



As the Chief and the rest of the team arrive at a bombed-out building and a firefight breaks out.


 * Marine: "Secure this area! Dig in fella's! For now, this is home."


 * Marine: "Oo-rah!'

Covenant Elites and Grunts appear in the area; upon sighting the team they open fire.


 * Sergeant Johnson: "If they didn't know we're here before, they do now."

A few Covenant troops including Jackal Snipers appear on the rooftops.


 * Sergeant Johnson: "Yep, here they come! Up high!"


 * Sergeant Johnson: "I don't wanna kill ya, you're just too ugly to let live!"

When the first wave of Covenant forces are neutralised


 * Sergeant Johnson: "More on the street, left side!"

When the second wave of Covenant personnel are neutralised

Jackals and a Minor Elite appear through the path you came in.


 * Sergeant Johnson: "We got Jackals in the courtyard!"

Eventually, a group of Drones flies into the courtyard.


 * Sergeant Johnson: "Buggers, headin' over the rooftops!"

Another wave of Covenant attacks again.


 * Sergeant Johnson: "Across the street! Down low!"

Minutes after this, the sound of a Phantom dropship engines drifts over the rooftop.


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Eyes up! Phantom's back!"

Once the Phantom drops off the another wave of Covenant and they are killed, another Pelican arrives, hovering over the courtyard.


 * Pilot (COM): "My girl's a little big for that courtyard, Sergeant. I see a good LZ on the other side of these buildings. Meet you there, over."


 * Sergeant Johnson: "Copy that. Someone get a satchel on the gate!"

''Before anyone gets a chance to reach for a satchel, the gates begin to shake, raising dust. A few seconds later, it breaks, and a pair of Hunters arrive.''


 * Cortana: "Hunters!"


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Stand back, Marines. Let the Chief show you how it's done!"

Once the Hunters are down.


 * Cortana (COM): "Second squad, this is Cortana. What's your status, over?"


 * Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Stacker (COM): "We're operational ma'am... barely. Our pilots didn't make it."


 * Cortana (COM): "Find a hole, stay put. We'll come to you."

When the team reaches the second courtyard and they encounter another Jackal sniper with various Jackal ranks supporting it.


 * Marine: "The only thing worse than Jackals...Jackals with sniper rifles!"

When the team reaches the far courtyard, the Pelican drops off Marines.


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "Sergeant, I need you on that bird."


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Ma'am?"


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "My Pelicans are going to start airlifting armor and reinforcements into the city. They'll need an escort that isn't afraid of a little hostile ground fire."


 * Sergeant Johnson (COM): "Understood. I'll keep an eye on 'em. Chief ... good luck."

Sergeant Johnson climbs aboard the Pelican and dusts off.

Once the Chief and the marines reach the Second squad's position.


 * GSGT Stacker: "Chief! Glad you could make it. Crash site's on the other side of this hotel, Chief. Covenant are crawling all over it. Follow me."

As the Sergeant and the Chief moves into the darkened hotel...


 * Sergeant Stacker: "Stay outta sight."

''Grunts and Elites come through the dark corridors. Stacker and some Marines fire on them. Emerging from the Hotel, they spot a Phantom dropping off several Grunts.''


 * Sergeant Stacker: "You make my mother-in-law look pretty!"

A couple of marines pull up in a Warthog, honking the horn for the Chief.


 * Marine: "Special delivery from Commander Keyes, Chief."


 * Cortana (COM): "The highest concentration of Covenant troops is directly below the carrier. I don't think they want you to get on board."


 * Cortana (COM): "That bridge is the most direct route to the city center."

A Day at the Beach

 * Marine: "Oh man, I love the beach..."


 * Chips Dubbo: "I hope you packed a suit, mate!"


 * Cortana (COM): "Cut the chatter...we got trouble."

As the Chief navigates the beaches.


 * Commander Keyes (COM): "Chief, the carrier just launched a wave of pods. They're inbound on your position!"

''Covenant Orbital Insertion Pods slam down on the beach all around the Chief, and armed Elites spring out of them. The Chief fights through them, more Jackal snipers in Deployable Lookout Towers, Elites riding Ghosts, and a Phantom giving cover fire for them. Eventually, he and what Marine forces left with him arrive at a large highway tunnel with an unmanned Ghost nearby.''


 * Cortana: "This tunnel leads up to the bridge. It's full of rats, if you know what I mean... But it sure beats swimming."

The Chief proceeds to move into the highway tunnel.

Speed Zone Ahead

 * Cortana: "I've been analyzing the Covenant tactical chatter. They're surprised, confused... I don't think they expected us to be here. Not you and me...all of us...humanity, on Earth. Odd, I know, but it does help explain why they came here in such small numbers."

Throughout the tunnel the Chief and his team encounter many Covenant positions consisting of Ghosts, Plasma Turrets, Shades, Drones, and even a few Battlefield Methane Tanks.

When the Chief comes across a group of Shadows in the inner tunnels.


 * Cortana: "The Covenant must be trying to regroup. Don't let them."

The Chief destroys the Shadows and speeds through another Covenant defensive position whilst evading enemy fire and the rampaging Scarab outside the tunnel firing on the inside with assistance from Phantoms, and finally approaches the exit of the tunnel.

Fades to white.

Level ends.

Glitches

 * Because Outskirts is the first part of a two-part level, your weapons will carry over to Metropolis, unless one of your weapons is a Rocket Launcher. If you finish Outskirts with a Rocket Launcher, you will start Metropolis with a Battle Rifle and an SMG. The same is true for M6C Magnums, and the Scarab Gun.
 * There is a glitch where a Jackal Sniper can kill himself.
 * There is a way to get over the gate from where the Drones come in. First you go where the first Grunt is, jump on one of the lights on top, then jump on the roof, after that you go to the building behind where the Pelican crashed, then look to your left where there is an alley behind the gate.
 * There is also a way to get on the other gate at the end of the alley on the other side. First, you jump on the light and then the roof but this time you have to go to the building in front of where the Phantom comes, grenade jump, and then just head straight. You should see some other buildings with those bridge-like things. Then you get on top of the building with the bridge and just go further straight until you see the inside part, head down and down to the alley and on this place you could see the gate that you went over.
 * Using this method, players can speed run this level.
 * If you are on the broken bridge when the Pelican takes Johnson, you can jump on the Pelican and go with it but the Pelican will eventually disappear.
 * A Tri-gate can be found on this level, though it may be a graphical error.
 * It is possible to "kill" Sergeant Johnson by boosting into him and pushing him into a wall. He will disappear into the wall.
 * If you go out of the map into the water at the end of the level and continue back you pass several structures going into the water, one of these has a black rectangle that produces water effects when shot.
 * It is possible to get an Energy Sword on Easy by boarding an Ultra Elite driving a Ghost, and then get out of the Ghost and attack it until it takes out the Sword.
 * There is a glitch in this level where you can kill both the Hunters with one shot from a Battle rifle. When they break through the gates, stand on top of the building across from it, on the glass roof. When they come through the gate, aim for the Fuel Rod Gun on the second Hunter's arm. When it goes to shoot, hit it once, and if you're in the right position, the explosion will kill them both.
 * There is a glitch that makes Hotel Zanzibar different. You need the Sputnik Skull and an Energy Sword. Grenade jump up to the complete top of the building where the ground is invisible and you can see the invisible roof. Walk all over it and start Sword charging and you'll eventually go through the roof and land inside Hotel Zanzibar. The difference is that when you do the glitch, the Hotel is empty, the lights are on, no allies or enemies are present and the Hotel is completely deserted. If you go to the start of the level or just before the end and go back to the Hotel it will not be empty, it will have the lights flickering and possibly the allies and enemies.
 * At the first part of the level (just before the Hunters come) try to keep as many Marines alive as you can. When the Hunters arrive, kill at least one using the turret then jump past the other one, then run straight to where the Pelican arrives and you will receive an additional three Marines, making it possible to have six Marines for the second part, but you must not kill both Hunters before attempting or the Marines will follow and this will not work.
 * When you encounter the convoy of Shadows, if you drive through the gap in the Shadow, it will not affect the Ghost and you will go straight through it.
 * Before entering the first part of the tunnel, it is possible to knock the top part of the Deployable Lookout Tower off its place and will just stay on the ground. After doing this, you can get Marines out of the Warthog into the Grav-Lift and they will continuously go up and down in it.
 * If you get the "REX" Sword on this level, it is possible to have it on unlimited for the next level. First, completely deplete the battery, then keep it for the next level. On the level, it will look like and say it is depleted, but when you take it out, it will appear like a Sword then disappear, and when you attack an enemy it does the same damage a normal Sword would. Note: do not pick up another weapon or it will disappear.
 * If you throw grenades at enemies standing in corridors or archways, their corpses will sometimes get stuck in the wall and 'spin' around until meleed or shot.
 * It is possible to give a Marine no weapon. First, give any Marine an SMG (preferably a regular Marine, it tends not to work with Sergeants), then you must have two Magnums (have at least over 60 spare rounds, 96 would be good). Note that this only works at certain parts of the level, and that the Marines must first be in combat for it to work, the best time and best possible chance of this working is either just after the Pelican leaves with Johnson, after the fight with the Sniper Jackals around the corner, or just as you pass that. Then run up to him and while moving, take his weapon, and if done well enough, the pistol you give him will go right through him and onto the ground. When he walks, he will look kind of strange, but the funniest bit is when you get him in the side of the Warthog, he will stand up in the side with his arms spread apart in a "T" shape, and when he walks, he will look as if he is holding a Pistol and sometimes will move as if being fired at.
 * It is possible to do the Hole in the Highway glitch on this level.
 * It is possible to leave the map.

Easter Eggs

 * The Blind and I Would Have Been Your Daddy Skulls are found on this level.
 * On the roof, there is a small room with an Energy Sword also known as the "REX" sword because of the rocks next to it. It is also called "Excalibur" because it is sticking out of a rock.
 * The building with the Blind Skull has four grenades that are stacked by the skull and a spotter’s scope.
 * If you listen closely, you can hear a man talking through a megaphone, and if you are wondering where his voice is projecting from you can find some megaphones on the walls of buildings and on the highway tunnel.
 * There is an Invincible Warthog on this level.
 * You can get a Scarab Gun on this level.
 * If you melee Johnson past Hotel Zanzibar and then hit him with a vehicle, he will yell strange dialogue that does not come up during regular game play. These lines are very morbid.200px

Mistakes

 * The exhaust effects on the Pelican dropships are different from the ones in Another Day at the Beach.
 * The Warthogs in the first cutscene have no drivers.
 * In the beginning of the level you can get an SMG with more ammo than usual, 240 to be exact.
 * It's possible, on your way to the IWHBYD skull, to see the edge of the world.
 * The Pelican that picks up Johnson has no pilot.

Miscellaneous

 * This level was originally intended to be set entirely in New Mombasa, Scarabs were not in the level, and brutes were placed near the end of the level. A gameplay video of a previous version of the game can be found on the bonus DVD to the Halo: Original Soundtrack.
 * At the start of the level if you get the Sniper Rifle from Johnson and jump up to the building you would normally ride the Phantom you will have a great sniping position.
 * On all but three of the glass panels (at the start of the level on building in the courtyard) you will fall through unless you are running.
 * It is possible to complete this level on all difficulties without having to shoot your hand held weapon once. Immediately, go out into the courtyard, go to the left down the street, into an alley, and hop on the roofs. Jump from roof to roof until you reach the Zanzibar hotel. Then, go in and let your marines take out the Grunts and Elites. Whoever they don't kill you can beat down. Then, get in a Ghost or Warthog (preferably the ghost, due to it is faster) and drive through the rest of the level without getting out.
 * All the fires on this level won't harm you even if you are unshielded.
 * This is the only level in all three games where there are Shadows.
 * Before meeting the Shadows, you can hear the same ringing bell which is at the beginning of Blow Me Away (found on the level Uprising).
 * There is a hidden Sniper Rifle on the building where two Jackals appear after Johnson leaves.
 * It is possible to save up to seven Warthogs on this level if they come out. 6 of these are easy to get but the 7th Warthog is always blown up by the Scarab.
 * You can get on top of most buildings with the Sputnik Skull turned on.
 * You can get on top of the second Phantom with a grenade jump with the Sputnik Skull turned on.
 * The pictures where they show Master Chief on a turret killing Grunts and the picture of a jester-like-person are found in human-like maps for multiplayer.
 * In the beginning of the level, you can trap the Hunters that break through the gate. To do this, you must completely block the gate off with the white overturned truck and every other container you find. If the Sputnik Skull is turned on, it will make the process a lot easier and faster. Also, it is a good idea to have the Thunderstorm Skull on as well.
 * The crashed Pelican first seen when arriving at the beach is the same one that crashed in, Another Day at the Beach.
 * The very first Grunt you encounter in this level will always turn his back to you if you advance towards him, giving you a free assassination.
 * If Pete Stacker is killed at Hotel Zanzibar, then the music in the hallway will not play.
 * Using the turret on the main building in the courtyard at the beginning of the level, you can kill the two Hunters quite easily as they enter through the gate. This can be a very useful tactic on higher difficulty settings.
 * This level is easiest with the Sniper Rifle, and Magnum for a weapons combination. If the magnum runs out, switch it with a Battle Rifle.
 * When exploring the outer reaches of the level, It is possible to get sniped from an unknown Jackal Sniper (nicknamed "Eagle Eye", bird pun intended) perched somewhere outside of the level. Although rarely spawning, this Jackal far more deadly than other Jackal Snipers and is extremely efficient with his beam rifle and can headshot the player from more than 500 meters (courtesy of the Battle Rifle's rangefinder). He is usually not a threat to players when they are inside the confines of the level.  If on co-op, it can make for a good challenge to purposely hunt for Eagle Eye on Normal or Heroic (Legendary not recommended, forces checkpoint revert). He has been spotted on top of the skyscrapers near the entrance of tunnel, inside the buildings on top of the tunnel, on top of the tunnel, and extremely rarely atop the Zanzibar Hotel. It is unknown why Eagle Eye is in the game. It has also been spotted on the outer regions of the levels Delta Halo, Uprising and Gravemind. He has been hunted on Delta Halo, but never actually seen, due to the extremely long sightlines and zero obstructions, and he is actually said to be more accurate on this level and has far greater range than on Outskirts.
 * It is possible to save the Warthog that is blown up by the Scarab. It involves tricking the game into loading a Pelican and a Phantom on the beach part of the map, and pushing them down to the Scarab spawn. The Phantom would block the Scarab Gun (which fires the beam that destroys the Warthog), and the Pelican should block the hole in the tunnel. This will save the Warthog, meaning you can get a total of 7 Warthogs instead of just 6.

Related Links

 * Suicidal Jackal
 * Invincible Warthog

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