The Flood (level)

Looking for the Flood, the parasitic life form or the novel by William C. Dietz Halo: The Flood? The Flood is the ninth level of the real-time strategy game, Halo Wars. As Spartan Red Team tries to locate Anders' signal, their Warthog is destroyed in a crash, leaving them seperated from the main UNSC force. Under orders from Captain Cutter, Sergeant John Forge mounts a force to assist the Spartans from a nearby UNSC base. Soon, however, the UNSC forces encounter Flood Colonies scattered about the landscape, and a Flood Proto-Gravemind. Serina informs the UNSC forces that the Proto-Gravemind may be the reason they are unable to get a fix on Anders' signal, and all UNSC ground forces are rerouted to destroy it.

Objectives

 * Reinforce Spartan Red Team
 * Destroy Flood Boss

Optional Objectives

 * Kill 20 Flood Stalks (This will unlock the level's skull).
 * Have all 5 Flood Colonies dormant at once (This unlocks the level's achievement, Sweet Naptime. This can be achieved by leaving a couple of units by the colony to stop them from regenerating).

Collectibles

 * Black Box #9 - Level 9's Black Box is located in the western portion of the map, near the western-most Flood Colony.
 * Rebel Leader Skull - Once 20 Flood Stalks have been killed, this skull will appear northeast of your initial base beside a crashed Pelican dropship.

Gameplay
Red Team's warthog is moving at high speed, shooting at enemies.

Jerome: Spirit of Fire, this is Red Team. We are 100 meters from Ander's transponder signal...meeting strong resistance. Seeing some pretty crazy stuff out here. Over.

They crash their warthog and continue on foot.

Captain Cutter: Hold your position Red Team. Reinforcements will come to you.

Captain Cutter: Sergeant Forge, rendezvous with RED Team and find Anders, but be careful-we don't know what these things are capable of.

Serina: I've received Red Team's coordinates. I've marked it on your map.

When several minutes have passed

Jerome: Spirit of Fire, getting a little hairy here, sir. Where's that backup?

After the player has destroyed the first Flood Colony

Jerome: Not sure what just happened, but the large one just shook like it was hurt.

Serina: Yes-when the colony was destroyed, I registered the large creature weakening.

Jerome: We noticed a few colony creatures on the way in. We can weaken the big one by taking them out first. Uploading coordinates.

After a second Flood Colony is destroyed

Serina: Keep killing those things! The big one is even weaker!

If a Flood Colony has regenerated

Serina: One of the colonies has regenerated and the large creature has gained strength.

Marine: Regenerated!? Why can't these things just stay dead when I kill them!?

When the player gets near the Red Team

Jerome: About time you guys showed up!

Serina: I've lost Anders' transponder-could the creature be jamming the signal?

After the Flood Boss is destroyed and the "MISSION COMPLETE" is displayed on the screen

Random Marine: Yay all of the creatures are dying!

Captain Cutter: Serina, report. What's going on here?

Serina: Captain, as soon as that creature died, I picked up a new signal just east of here.

The level ends

Trivia

 * This level has the second boss fight in Halo Wars. The first was the Super Scarab.
 * This is the first level to feature Flood Swarms.
 * At the start of the level with Red Team driving their Warthog, one of the Spartans (most likely Jerome-092) is shooting a sniper rifle, but once the Warthog flips, all Spartans have their normal weapons (Alice-Chain Gun, Douglas-Rocket Launcher, and Jerome-Spartan Laser).
 * This is not the first level to feature a Proto-Gravemind, as one was featured in the level Keyes from Halo: CE, but it is the first level that you have to destroy one in. In addition, in the objective menu, it is referred to as the "Flood Boss".
 * The Warthog that Red Team are driving in the opening sequence differs from the normal model, it has a much darker color and is wider. This could be a special model made for the Spartans, as they are much heavier.
 * You don't really have to worry about putting the Colonies in Regeneration mode, you can just start attacking the Proto-Gravemind whenever you want, but this is advisable on higher difficulties, as it will weaken the Boss.
 * You can divide units by having some by the colonies in regeneration mode incase they try and regenerate, while having others attack the Boss.