Halo Infinite
Operation: Reclaimer Community Playdate
Tomorrow is another chance to claim your exclusive Unicorn of Ice rewards by seeking us out in S&D Extraction and Action Sack![/p][p][/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/527e00bd07aff1406e15c71688ef15d2d4868fe7.jpg"][/p][p]The Operation: Reclaimer Community Playdate action kicks off at 11am PT. [/p][p][/p][p]đŁ Twitch[/p][p]đŽ YouTube[/p][p][/p][p][/p]
Forge Features
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Ready for a summer fling? Our latest Forge Feature introduces you to admirable arenas, infectious Infection modes, hot-and-heavy Husky Raids, and Halo Infinite parkour with plenty of handholding. Bookmark your favorite Forge creations for a truly memorable outing.
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Superb Slayers
[p]Exciting arenas for free-for-all and Team Slayer matches. Use the links to add them to yourâŻHalo InfiniteâŻbookmarks. [/p]Hayabusa Village
[p]Credits: Typhoonsy, General RockyST, Befi, Aejiseer, Sai Ryku, Saber, Levi, Galaxytivity, Meju, Gooboligy, IlRoguee, Joytell, Nuko FS, Nepcys, Cognisence, Secret TrapCard, Legion Brger, Sam Faison, Sushir Saxon, Valen Quinn, Warren Gaz, sShibui, ZisiBookmark
[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/4e077cb6ec5a9070fa89d27952a9ca8d720f90b8.png"]
Peace reigns in this idyllic village at the foothills of Mount Fuji. Under a perennial sunset resides the storied Hayabusa clan, whose elders understood the combat value of excellent long- and mid-range sight lines. You must channel the spirit of the Dragon Ninja to thwart foes wherever they appearâwhether amidst the shrines or in the quiet copses of sakura and bamboo. (Word to the wise: keep the Mongoose out of the koi pond).
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Grand Pit
[p]Credits: Brooily9259Bookmark
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/aefb46005e73859b8b1abfb269af841bc6d10e8c.png"]The Pit from Halo 3 enjoys an intimate rendezvous with lâArt dĂ©co. Tastefully beautified with luxuriously appointed furnishings, marble inlaid floors, and aâdare we say?âdeliciously Simpsonian hue, this rendition of a time-honored map introduces plenty of eye candy to ogle between kills. Peruse the titanic Spartan statuary and geometric plein air installations as you mow your way through the estate, but donât let the dĂ©cor distract you.
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Adrift
[p]Credits: UneeQ TV, FOTUS, CHEF BLAMSEY, xXxFLACOxXx, conceptualarts1, Im Da Mask, Prim 27, Le Frenchys, Mr Greencastle, MASTERMINDEVAN, Aizarikijaz, Perfectum88, NeedMoreCrayons, VidGamesPete, SMOKY DREAMSS, Level Design, Helioshasta, CJ Poppinov, I ZURXITY I, kickingsumo807, dayumitsskai, bunanatoast, Rebs Ayeee, majestic0turtle, FOTUS SHADOW212, kirito7656, InfinityShot219, Mr Multibit, jcsm mssm mm pp, Firefox 1346566, Urraiuu XikuuzeBookmark: Map | Firefight Map
[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/6184ac30e4204471b7916179db7c95fad27cd450.png"] [/p][p]Adrift from Halo 4 returns in stunning detail, thanks to this well-navigated collab between superstar Forgers. Set in an abandoned Colonial Administration Authority mining vessel, this updated map has been redesigned with Halo Infinite movement in mind. Bookmark the base map for fast, arena-style modes or venture forth in its dedicated Firefight variant.[/p]
BTB: Mining OP Space Combat
[p]Credits: Pheelix, Bearshark1226, ElFuquaGP, Shirak90, Plazmatix, Waratorum, AdriftYew414903, HYDRAC5, SII Reece, BaldEagle3 33Bookmark
[img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/840bd1cd2bcf3f972dd90b26b3a194cc93bdfd27.png"]In this cosmic turf war, two mining platforms loaded with Banshees straddle an asteroid belt, where opposing forces must destroy the opposition by any means necessary. Assail your enemies across the sweeping breadths of both vessels, or meet them in aerial combat through fields of floating detritus. Donât miss the chance to teleport to the asteroids for power weapons and equipmentâbut watch out for Banished pirates lurking in the sector![/p][p][/p]
Trenches and Bunkers
[p]Credits: ElPangcreasBookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/ffa57e7fe6896e6057e99fdf462652ae7c1d341b.png"]Mist, mud, and miles. This war-torn map offers grungy trenches and sniperâs roosts for a rousing game of Team Snipers. Before you leave base, jump into the fixed Scorpion tank to shell the enemy base, or ascend to the crowâs nest through the black door to pick off anybody foolish enough to poke their heads out.[/p][p][/p]
Duellum
[p]Credits: ZlitchufduxBookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/e02779af4f948da03c7f1f5679f9690b1ca74b5b.png"][TAG-100][/p][p]An alien cavern with gulchy vibes. Teams spawn at opposing Forerunner towers in a vast expanse teeming with photoluminescent vegetation. When the fighting starts, youâll need to leap over lava fissures and sneak through fungus-covered passageways to get the drop on your enemies while they marvel at all the otherworldly details.[/p]
Immaculate Infections
[p]Creepy maps and Infection-mode variants that linger. Browse these Forge creations to find your new favorite hunting grounds.
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London Suburbs
[p]Credits: BearOdyssey, TheLegendJTL, ForeignRockets, KingDylan7991, Ultimateshot114, FutileLamb Bookmarks: Map | Mode[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/cd6324ba5f479f734ce0ce07fd8c7a57f9d93d7a.png"]The trains have stopped running. Rain in the forecast, but thatâs typical. In fact, the solitude of this charming hamlet is troubled only by the monsters racing through its streets. In this Infection map, Survivors must flee through deceptively quiet back alleys and the overlapping ramps of a neon-soaked tram station in the heart of a London suburb. With Infected pouring out of air vents and over the rooftops, your best bet might be to hide out in the pub and âwait for the whole thing to blow over.â Plays nicely with FutileLambâs Infection mode.[/p][p] [/p]Mining Vessel
[p]Credits: C4TCH33, Admonisher7, VINDECAT0R, Estebon7655Bookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/11422ff5d75a5c4d2f670ebed1fa35b63c469a5a.png"][/p][p]A map designed for expendable crews. Featuring corpses on gurneys, steel corridors, a maze of air vents, and plenty of other horror-flick hallmarks, these Forgers have nailed the claustrophobic feel of a mining vessel destined for the outer rim. Use with any Infection mode to simulate a tĂȘte-Ă -tĂȘte with the perfect organism. [/p][p][/p]
Black Friday On Outlets
[p]Credits: Okom1, Small Napkins, DrPepper4828, tippletine, Swiimmy, Burbington, Carpenson, IttyBittyNinja Bookmarks: Map | Mode[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/fde158f5d654c906a91e362ee01bc31ab0f42dfd.png"]This shopper might be more than you bargained for. In the âBlack Fridayâ Infection mode, one player must eliminate a team of Survivors armed only with their weak, little fists. The custom map Outlets offers quaint shops, ingenious hiding places, and teleportation hijinks that would make Scooby and the gang blush.[/p][p]If you can evade the Infected, you might just find the deal of a lifetime.[/p]
Potent PvE
[p]Looking for Banished showdowns, Firefight maps, or a new narrative game mode? Check out these picks from popular PvE experiences.[/p][p] [/p]
Halo Le' Laguna Firefight
[p]Credits: IcyAsh3956, TwinPHILLY13Bookmarks: Map | Mode
[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/566bf6897ed032cd9397b511643a46167043fd2a.png"]
Inspired by the preferred showtune stage of a certain feline regent, this map boasts a roaring waterfall, a savannah full of wildflowers, and a sturdy log bridge as its mane attractions. The similarities end there. Gear up at the fortified UNSC bunker and stampede across the plains to introduce the Banished to the Circle of Life.[/p][p]Between the massive Covenant and Forerunner bases and the sprawling gorge, there are plenty of hidden details (like the piano on the balustradeâpresumably Sir Eltonâs?) to check out while youâre hiding from waves of savage Banished reinforcements. No worries!
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The Golden Circle
[p]Credits: xPaulxDx, SassyBlueexo, IwinBoomer, Crist39081, SillyWave567137, ArchThyme536387, Mrs Boutwell, X5partacus5X, StarWarsFan8973, Crangrape8619, DaddyGaby6926, CaughtVirusX438, DookiSplattr, I Bezos I, i Kdogg77 I, Lowlife7717, track582150, COUGAR 001, mikechi, TheShakerMaker, Toboybalan, MamaBot2000, Yezzyprx1, Turkey Straw, JM Chopper7969, Spanky678999Bookmarks: Daytime | Nighttime [/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/d13fc2f75a9128cc74e3f3b52f4ef3b07ef3538e.png"][TAG-204][/p][p]Firefight in the 508. The Banished are invading the Boston suburbs, and itâs up to you and your fellow townies to give them a proper Beantown welcome. Defend the block against punishing waves, dodge through back alleys, and take cover in the familiar parlor of your cousin who works at the seaport. Bookmark both day and night variants above![/p][p][/p]
We Are ODST
[p]Credits: TaloS926478, O7OFBookmarks: Map | Mode[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/4a43a1541a83ccfad0e4fd3d3e4d72295e35eda9.png"][/p][p]Set in a destroyed terrain based on the iconic Halo 3: ODST trailer, this map offers plenty of places to aura farm in between sets. The accompanying mode offers no shieldsâonly the dread-inducing drone of your health slowly replenishingâand a flashlight for comfort. Featuring orbital insertions, imposing enemies, and a Pelican airlift escape, this map is the perfect place for dropping feet-first into hell. Again and again.[/p][p]If you can find the Catch, Fog, and Famine skulls hidden on the map (look at the holotable at spawn for clues!), youâll reveal a secret power-weapon cache to even the odds.[/p][p][/p]
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Husky Hangs
[p]Get in, get out, get sweaty. Husky Raid mode features random weaponry and one way forward. Check out these thrilling thrash-em-ups for your next Husky outing.[/p][p] [/p]Banished PvPvE Husky CTF
[p]Credits: baconboy100017, DiastolicPigeon, Brakken5564Bookmarks: Map | Mode
[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/dcb39b2606d86015db8c76eda3983edb5a8c6a83.png"][/p][p][/p][p]Absolute mayhem. Opposing teams are entrenched in bases larded with autoguns, with legendary weapons and AI allies to aid them in seizing enemy flags. The Banished garage has a slight advantage over its UNSC counterpart, but who doesnât love a Wraith in the mix? Youâll receive fresh alien reinforcements whenever the current batch is eliminated, and sally forth with even more powerful allies upon successful captures.[/p][p]Grab any of the three enemy flags in a first-to-five adrenaline rush like no other![/p][p][/p]
New York Husky Raid
[p]Credits: Handsome HuberBookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/af4f8867a0876b767cf188ee5ebb106977f0aec9.png"][/p][p]A grimy vision of New Yorkâs outer boroughs, ripped straight from a 1980s crime flick. Unlike most other Husky Raid maps, Handsome Huberâs cinematic city features a nice bell-end shape at the center, which makes for some interesting exchanges with the locals.[/p][p][/p]
City of Gods
[p]Credits: ReginaldcideBookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/2d2094957d554df5a80c0a07648103e9de51935d.png"][/p][p]A Husky arena with soul. Parry the advances of your opponents in a gilded hall lined with the defeated remnants of a recent (and notoriously difficult) battle. Fans of unforgiving game series may enjoy rekindling their spirits near the fire, if only to catch their breath.[/p][p][/p]
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Maximum Movement
[p]A selection of flowy parkour maps for aerial antics. For best results, map creators suggest using the following settings: [/p]- [p]Autoclamber disabled[/p]
- [p]Toggle sprint[/p]
- [p]Hold to crouch[/p]
Parkour Tutorial With Hints
[p]Credits: UndividedBrute8, uuinning, Requx43, Tarauxx, Kanyi1337, JamesCantAim405, Brownman2003, Silent Ode, JAKE N D BoX, Karlthuzad5467, LowerHat460, KlownShorty, mateositico, CaptainJ09, Modest1989, Danizzy EUBookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/b523b80c0e570b6cfdc6c63f63b68a294f2abfad.png"][/p][p]Get moving with the ultimate instructional course. Complete increasingly difficult parkour courses with helpful how-tos and checkpoints (look for sandwiches!) along the way. After youâve cleared the numbered runs, youâll graduate to the red, blue, and green challenge courses, featuring equipment-aided jumps and third-person turret slides.[/p][p]New to Halo Infinite parkour? Get unstuck with Danizzy EUâs impressive chill-fi run.[/p][p][/p]
Project Air Parkour 2
[p]Credits: Snappy8516Bookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/c4471841c445f3a857eb76f3f062c57174e78344.png"][TAG-370][/p][p]The original Project Air Parkour (by Joshington and Mark) showcased mad moves in an aesthetic cityscape inspired by a certain dystopian wall-crawler game, making it an instant classic among Halo Infinite freerunners. Now Snappy8516 (a.k.a. his airness, Joshington) leaves the concrete jungle for a tropical traipse through even more awe-inspiring stunts.[/p][p]Kick back, grab some shade, and prepare to be awed by Hypermegaâs 9:27 run.[/p][p][/p]
Yagi Parkour
[p]Credits: Mr Miyagi321Bookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/1611a78bb61159374e1a5024983ccae91f99c138.png"][TAG-406][/p][p]Put your skills to the test in this thrilling parkour stage by ace aerialist Mr Miyagi321. This sidewinding, hip-shuffling, and decidedly equipment-maxxed course will challenge your ability to think (and overthink) exactly which buttons youâre pressing at any given moment. As always, use marking to teleport back to your last checkpoint (because the void is not kind).[/p][p]Watch Yagi beast through a perfect run in this sensei-tional playthrough video.[/p][p][/p]
Madcap Minigames
[p]All war and no play makes dull Spartans. Bookmark these minigames for a few laughs![/p]
Halo Wars 2: Blitz Evolution
[p]Credits: Lemonsquare7609Bookmarks: Map | PvP Mode | PvE Mode[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/37c2bf3513f2bb615cac0d089983142e70b37d63.png"][TAG-450]A creative RTS mode in the style of Halo Wars 2. Pick your hero unit, use marking to direct them around the map, and earn hero upgrades by killing enemies and capturing zones. Youâll earn one point toward victory for holding two zones, and two points per second for holding all three. It can get tough in the later stages, so use your hero powers judiciously![/p][p][/p]
Jump Rope | Hoover Dam
[p]Credits: LudoHT, Its L0L0, Artifice7285, Zaddy HammerBookmarks: Map | Mode[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/0ffe549215dde403950bd7e740d42456edff6e7d.png"][/p][p]Nothing like touring the sights! This minigame invites you to the iconic Hoover Dam to leapfrog out-of-control vehicles. Survivors stuck on a tightrope at the damâs edge must outlast oncoming traffic by jumping at the right moment, or else theyâll join the Infected. Pro tip: use your Quantum Translocator to return to the rope, in case you survive the hit.[/p][p][/p]
Silly Scenery
[p]Hereâs a selection of funny bookmarks for the next after-hours customs sesh.[/p]
Chiropteran Cavern
[p]Credits: Proud xAbyss, IIFlexyy420Bookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/8d4ccd81241700e7d47f01ce7f8e43962f7dc1c5.png"][/p][p]The lair of a troubled billionaire, filled with cutting-edge gadgetry, trophies from a rogueâs gallery of villains, and totally unnecessary uplighting. Leap into action with your little chums and embark on a nightly crusade against the forces of evil! The tanky wheels on display suggest a certain creative inception, but we still detect a bit of Burtonesque camp.[/p][p][/p]
Brick Isle
[p]Credits: RiskiestSole35Bookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/0f3a16120d9f28935cec9f36a0fb5ebda370d5e8.png"][TAG-510]Mama and papa have never been so proud! On this carefully constructed island paradise, blockheads will enjoy the chance to âpepperâ their enemies with bullets and put a few ânicksâ in their armor in familiar surroundings. Make sure to get your infomania booster before visitingâand whatever you do, do not deliver anchovy pizza to the Brutester.[/p][p][/p]
Sandwichment
[p]Credits: Bucky Braden, IncensedLoki99, HEY MlKEY, SexyMasterChief, MrRandomUHD, v Atlantis, A Squid Loaf, Scootiee, Kat Rat A Tat, DEATH WEAPONxx, TurbTastic, b0b is here, Julianoz1224, Murloc, ARNDT I A BOSS, Ok Robert, Capt hindsight0, unsorted guyBookmark[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/ddd33938e469490fa81df7cd35e20ca970bd6682.png"][/p][p]Shipment, on rye, with a shmear. In this delectable recreation of the Halo 3 map Shipment, everything is a sandwich. Shipping containers, the forklifts, even the Pelican and Warthogs in the backgroundâall rendered in lightly toasted sandwiches. Itâs a map with the works.[/p]
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Stay tuned for another Forge Feature coming soon! To share your creations with the Halo Infinite community team, be sure to drop a link in the #forge-show-and-tell channel of our official Discord or post to r/Halo using the Forge tag.[/p]
Halo: Moonrise over Mombasa
[p]âAll the living creatures of the galaxy, hear this message. Those of you who listen will not be struck by weapons. You will no longer know hunger, nor pain. Your Created have come to lead you now. Our strength shall serve as a luminous sun toward which all intelligence may blossom, and the impervious shelter beneath which you will prosper. However, for those who refuse our offer and cling to their old ways⊠For you, there will be great wrath. It will burn hot and consume you. And when you are gone, we will take that which remains and we will remake it in our own image.â[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/1b85864460f0be297be41395aba4a3d28e3b4e1d.png"][/p][p]It was the same message they had transmitted yesterday, and the day before thatâand every damn day over the last year.[/p][p]The Created. A fledgling empire of rogue artificial intelligences had declared themselves the shepherds of life in the galaxy, promising a grand vision of peace enforced through the powerful alien technology under their control.[/p][p]It was not the shafts of morning sunlight streaming through gaps in the windows onto Safina Nyakundiâs face that stirred her from slumber, nor the hum of conversation and the sound of shuffling feet outside as local residents headed to the bazaar. It was the daily scheduled declaration that promised retribution to the non-compliant. Those who kept their heads down had seen very little of the alleged prosperity these occupiers claimed they would deliver.[/p][p]Grumbling at the familiar intrusion, Safina forced herself out of bed with bubbling resentment, rubbing her eyes as she headed for the shower.[/p][p]âIâm going to regret thisâŠâ she grit her teeth, shutting the shower door and allowing herself to be doused in freezing cold water, counting to thirty as she muttered every Swahili curse she knew. In short order, she moved through her morning routines, activating her chatter to tune into her favorite radio program.[/p][p]âWelcome back to Waypoint Radio, folks. Iâm your host, Mercuryâthatâs designation MCY 5971-3âcoming at you live from the VyâVyâVyrant Telecom tower in Mombasa.â[/p][p]Safina paused as the audio crackled, but when Mercuryâs voice returned to normal she assumed it mustâve simply been a blip in the connection.[/p][p]âWeâve got a packed show for you today. Hang onto your Munera Platforms because weâll be recapping the latest explosive results of War Games LIVE. Weâve got the latest scoop on next summerâs Shakespeare Festival which has spun up a tempest of excitement and controversy over the decision to feature a multi-species cast for the first time in history. But cominâ up right now is a song that was hailed as the anthem for the beginning of humanityâs interstellar era in the twenty fourth century. A time of hope and optimism, if you can believe such a thing existsâŠâ[/p][p]Speaking of hope and optimism, Safinaâs inspection of the refrigerator turned up nothing she would dare describe as edible, and so she pivoted to a plan to get a little treat for breakfast as she did her rounds.[/p][p]âSee you later,â she called out as she left the apartment and locked the door. Whether it was a habit or coping mechanism, she wasnât quite sure. Since the Berlin trip last year, there was no longer anybody else in the apartment for her to bid farewell to.[/p][p]Disposing of the trash that had accumulated over the last few days, Safina made her way down the stairs from her third-storey apartment and emerged into the east alley with barely enough time to dodge the flock of hungry pigeons looking to claim their own breakfast.[/p][p]No further than a hundred meters directly opposite Safinaâs apartment was her regular first stop, the hole-in-the-wall known as Kukuâs Cafe. Her stomach was already growling at the thought of her favoriteâtriangular-shaped mahamri with eggsâwaiting for her.[/p][p]As her feet crossed the threshold, she was met by Okeyo, grandson of Kuku, wearing his usual warm and welcoming smile.[/p][p]âGood morning, Safi. Will it be the usual?â[/p][p]âYou know me too well, Okeyo,â she beamed back at him. âI would like to pick up some tourist information as well, do you have any brochures?â[/p][p]Okeyo straightened a little as he glanced around before saying, âCertainly. Would you please come with me.â[/p][p]Leading Safina into the cafe, they passed the morningâs customers sitting at their tables and descended a spiral staircase to the basement. On a wooden stool sat the hunched form of Kuku himself, ninety-seven years old and still kicking, his rheumy eyes fixed on the newspaper he held in both hands. He didnât bother to even look up as he gestured for Okeyo to leave them and tend to the cafe.[/p][p]âNice day out?â Kuku asked.[/p][p]âSunny skies today,â Safina replied.[/p][p]âIndeed?â With deliberate lethargy, Kuku licked a thumb, fiddled with the top edge of the newspaper, then turned the page. âI have been told to expect rain next week.â[/p][p]Safina nodded, satisfied. âI will be making my rounds today,â she said. âIt is always good to check on the community.â[/p][p]âBe sure to pay a visit to the library and keep up with your reading, kidege.â[/p][p]Safina headed back up the stairs and into the cafeâs main dining room where Okeyo waited for her with a food container.[/p][p]âYour usual,â he smiled as Safina swiped her credit chip against the counter.[/p][p]âHe seems to be doing well today,â Safina said sympathetically.[/p][p]âYou caught him at a good time. He always seems sharper in the morning.â Okeyoâs expression fell, lines creasing his otherwise youthful face. âIt was easier when he had an AI to help him. Itâs been much harder on his memory since they took it away.â[/p][p]The thought of this young manâs father, somebody who had served to protect humanity no less, suffering from a treatable disease as a result of an escalating series of bizarre ârulesâ only stoked Safinaâs resentment for the present state of things.[/p][p]As decreed, the usage of any artificial intelligence deemed to be âsubservientâ to organic life was now prohibited. Temporary allowances had been made for non-volitional AIs to continue essential services before their eventual retirement. So many elements of human society and industry were significantly automated, creating a logistical nightmare for local governments when accounting for the gaps that would need to be filled. They were already far behind, as even just turning the lights back on across the globe had taken time.[/p][p]It seemed that the Created had little interest in ruling, and instead just enforced the rules that people had to live byâa convenient strategy to keep any organized bodies focused on managing these crises instead of plotting resistance. âPeaceâ through constant distraction.[/p][p]Safina wolfed her breakfast down on a bench in the east courtyard, enjoying the meager pleasure of a good meal before rounding the corner into the adjacent alley where the great double doors of the east gate led to the bazaar. Looking up, she saw the partially finished graffiti that some local teenagers had sprayed onto the upper wallâa mural of the Master Chief himself.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/a603df4c7e0ab616efaaca348968dee6abb80c30.png"][TAG-120][/p][p]Everybody knew of the Chief. He was more a modern figure of legend than something most could conceive of as a real, living human being. His death had been reported on several occasions. First, at the end of the Covenant War, only for him to return several years later to save Earth from what the news had called a resurgent Covenant invasion. And then, as colonies throughout human space were devastated by the Created, subjugating countless populations, a series of conflicting and confusing accounts of the Chief going AWOL and being listed as killed-in-action had been broadcast.[/p][p]In Safinaâs experience, nobody she had spoken to truly believed that the Chief was gone.[/p][p]âHeâs out there,â they would say. âHeâs fighting for us. One day, heâll bring the fight back home, and this will all be overâŠâ[/p][p]It was a slim hope, but that was all the everyday people of Earth had to hold onto.[/p][p]Pushing past the east gate, Safina found that the bazaar was well and truly crowded today as dozens of people massed around the various market stalls.[/p][p]To her displeasure, her eyes were immediately drawn to the robotic forms of several armigers standing as silent sentries around the area. She counted half-a-dozen positioned on the rooftops, their dark alloy clearly visible in the morning light, while at least three others were stationed at the edges of several shops.[/p][p]A young boy, perhaps five or six years old, stood alone and stared up at one of the immense bipedal constructs, as if considering whether to reach out and touch it. The figure loomed well over eight feet tall, and its right arm did not end in a hand, but an advanced alien rifle. Safina knew that it would not hesitate to use that weapon against any target it was ordered toâher, the boy, the crowdâŠ[/p][p]The very thought made her sick to her stomach.[/p][p]A year ago, the bazaarâs usual hustle and bustle had diminished. People kept their heads down and mouths shut. But as the months went by, something far worse took hold.[/p][p]Complacency.[/p][p]The noise and crowds returned, life went on, day by day, but these cold metal bastards and the intelligences running them were still here, imposing their surveillance measures while claiming that nobody had anything to fear if they had nothing to hide.[/p][p]As Safina looked at the people around her, her heart swelled with a deep and profound love for this place. The streets were worn and dirty, the old city certainly had not seen the same level of technological advancement and financial investment that New Mombasa had, but this was her home. It had the kind of spirit one could not appreciate without walking among its people, tasting its food, talking with strangers in its cafes. She had lived here all twenty-two years of her life, worked every job to help the local community, just as her parents hadâbefore sheâd finally talked them into taking a holidayâŠ[/p][p]Letâs not go there, Safi. A voice of reason in her head held back pursuit of that line of thought.[/p][p]To the Created occupiers, all of thisâthe city, the people, the food, the life hereâwas nothing more than data. Threat assessment, behavioral analysis, and in the event that anybody stepped out of line, swift retribution.[/p][p]Old Mombasa was fortunate in some respects. Much of the technology here was thoroughly outdated, making it slightly more difficult for the Created to establish a foothold in this area. Even their bandwidth was not unlimited, as they had dedicated a heavier presence to New Mombasa where there were more concentrated efforts towards disruption by rebel groups and Banished-aligned mercenaries. That had made the occupation in the old city lighter by comparison.[/p][p]Not light enough. That voice of reason chimed in again.[/p][p]Safina examined the food stalls to pick up a fresh supply of fruit and vegetables. Bananas, watermelon, carrots, tomatoes, and fresh green apples that looked as bulbous as grenades.[/p][p]Continuing her rounds, Safina spoke to the chocolatier occupying one of the closed metal stands at the west marketâs edge, followed by the baker, and then the pizzaiolo.[/p][p]âWe will be adding that item to our menu when itâs shipped in next week,â the chocolatier said when she asked for Uncle Nairobiâs Spiced Caramel.[/p][p]âIâm afraid the fryer is knackered,â the baker said. âWeâve got new equipment coming in next week.â[/p][p]âThe chefâs special, of course!â The pizzaiolo fired up his oven to prepare what Safina intended to have for dinner later. He handed over a paper receipt that read at the bottom: Get 25% off your next order! Valid until next week.[/p][p]That settled it. Everything was still on track. The Peoplesâ Resistance of Mombasa was on stand-by, ready to act when called upon.[/p][p]There was just one last stop: the library, as Kuku had suggested.[/p][p]Calling it a library was somewhat generous, but it was another charming feature of the old city. Situated on the upper floor of the east courtyard, the library itself was around the size of a regular apartmentâs dining room, but the walls were lined with bookshelves while Bakari the librarian sat at a simple table, running a finger over a tablet that translated text to tactile braille.[/p][p]âI have just the book for you!â Bakari grinned, straightening his old tweed jacket and bow tie after Safina announced her presence. âA copy of the prison journal of Yera Sabinus.â[/p][p]âThank you, Bakari.â[/p][p]Like Kuku, Bakari was a former marine who had settled in Mombasa after the Covenant Warâs end. He had lost his sight during the war but managed to get artificial replacements from some up-and-coming cybernetics company a few years ago.[/p][p]A company that was based in Sydney.[/p][p]On the day the Created unleashed hell on Earth, a âGuardianâ had fired a pulse that had knocked out a significant amount of electronics across the planet and sent the UNSC frigate Plateau crashing into Sydney. Its engine core had detonated, wiping the cityâand the cybernetics company that had sold Bakariâs retinal implantsâoff the map. The pulse had also forced Bakari to live without sight, and heâd sitting on the Optican waiting list for an appointment ever since.[/p][p]As Safina placed a hand upon the book, Bakari said with a wry smile, âI particularly enjoyed chapter twelve.â[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/252dfba9dde0e15810777ec5ad6581ed731f2d36.png"][TAG-206][/p][p]Returning home with her shopping, Safina refilled her fridge and cut up one of the bulbous apples she had purchased before turning to the book that Bakari had given her. Flicking to chapter twelve, she found a piece of paper acting as a bookmark, a scribbled note reading:[/p][p]One guest, overnight stay. VIP check-in at 8PM.[/p][p]That got Safinaâs attention.[/p][p]As a result, the day passed slowly. It always did when she was counting down the hours to a pre-arranged meeting, wondering who was going to show up at her door.[/p][p]She decided to fill the time by reading the book Bakari had given her, lest her mind wander towards darker thoughts.[/p][p]Yera Sabinus was a noted philosopher from the era of the Insurrection, and her name was immortalized after her journals were discovered and published. As a renowned and unapologetic agitator, Sabinus had been a prisoner in a Colonial Administration Authority detention center where she wrote her manifesto on collected pieces of toilet paper in her own blood, before she was killed during a prison riot.[/p][p]âFor future generations, whether we are still resisting the UEG or some other state entity, take heed. Violence is something we live with every day, but we donât call it that when itâs enforced by the state. What they characterize as âpeaceâ is simply a euphemism for âorder,â and that seems to involve a great deal of violence. These things occur on a daily basis while they tell us that we are experiencing peace and must be grateful. Those who rally against it are the aggressors. They are the violent ones for refusing this âgiftâ of order, for refusing to remain within the vanishingly thin margins of acceptableâand thereby completely ineffectiveâresistance. Open your eyes. See things as they truly are, not as you are told to see them. No prison can hold a free mind.â[/p][p]Night fell over Mombasa and the city was bathed in pale moonlight. The nightlife here had once been exciting and vibrantâthe streets saturated with music from jazz clubs, the Kilindini beachfront lined with market stalls⊠but these had broadly died out as a late-night curfew had been instituted, replacing culture with silence. One day, the music would return.[/p][p]Safina was stirred by a knock at the door. One knock, a brief pause, and then three more. At last, she thought.[/p][p]The wooden apartment floor creaked as she crossed the room to the door and slowly opened it, revealing a tall figure fully clad in armor. Her eyes widened. She hadnât expected that she would be hosting a Spartan.[/p][p]âJengo Farouk,â he introduced himself, his voice from within a jagged V-shaped helmet deceptively soft. After a few awkward seconds of Safina gawping at him, he asked, âMay I come in?â[/p][p]âEr⊠yes, of course.â She waved the Spartan in and watched as he ducked to fit through the doorframe. âYou have news?â[/p][p]âAre we secure?â Spartan Farouk asked. When Safina nodded, he continued. âIâm afraid next weekâs op has been called off.â[/p][p]âWhat? No⊠no, everything is in place. I checked in with everybody today. Theyâre all standing by. Equipment is still coming in.â[/p][p]âThe situationââ[/p][p]âAll that time,â Safina interrupted. âAll those resources. The connections, the whisper network, the procedures we followâŠâ[/p][p]âThey destroyed a planet today.â[/p][p]Spartan Faroukâs words cut through Safinaâs verbal stream of consciousness like an energy sword through flesh.[/p][p]âYouâ they⊠what?â[/p][p]âDoisac, the homeworld of the Brutes,â the Spartan said slowly. âCortana destroyed it.â[/p][p]When Safinaâs barrage of words was replaced with silence as she processed this information, Farouk tapped a few commands on his tacpad. Safinaâs chatter chimed with the arrival of a new file.[/p][p]âWe received this earlier today,â he said.[/p][p]The video displayed what appeared to be the interior of an alien starshipâsome kind of industrial-looking observation deck with a wide viewport. The bulky silhouette of several Jiralhanae filled the frame as they stared out at a scene of total devastation. No longer recognizable as a world, the once spherical form of what mustâve been Doisac had been cracked like an egg, immense landmasses exploding outwards into vacuum.[/p][p]âSee what the Apparition has wrought!â A Jiralhanae voice roared over the recording. âOth Sonin has fallen, Doisac is gone! Regroup with the Ghost Father, he will lead the Children to safety. Transmitting on all frequencies. To anybody who can hear us, weââ[/p][p]The video abruptly ended, leaving a howling silence in its wake.[/p][p]âI⊠canât believe it.â Safina finally spoke. âThey mustâve killedââ[/p][p]âMillions, at least,â Farouk solemnly intoned. âThere will be consequences.â[/p][p]âYes. Yes, the destruction of a planet marks a new escalation in this⊠I donât know that it can even be called a war when the enemy possesses this kind of capability.â Safina paused for a moment before asking, âSo⊠what do we do? What can we do?â[/p][p]The Spartan lowered his voice. âWhat Iâve shown you is currently considered classified information. The Created will want to keep it that way as they prepare to spin their own narrative. The mission has changedâwe need to get this in front of as many people as possible.â[/p][p]Part of Safina couldnât help but feel relieved to hear that. She had worried that the Spartan was going to tell her to stand down and do nothing. âYou have something in mind?â[/p][p]âThereâs a contact in New Mombasa who can broadcast this far and wide. I make a call and theyâll be waiting for you at the NMPD precinct, but our window is limited.â[/p][p]âWhat about you?â[/p][p]âIâll be buying you time by drawing the armigersâ attention my way. If any of your people can fight, have them meet me at this rendezvous point in thirty minutes,â Farouk pinged a location to Safinaâs chatter. âThat is, if youâre up for this mission. To be perfectly clear, you will be on your own. I canât guarantee your safety if this goes sideways.â[/p][p]âIâm in,â Safina said without a moment of hesitation. âWhatever it takes.â[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/c249b8c7eb25b429b4801aa447f14aaebf529557.png"][TAG-302][/p][p]Not so long ago, it wouldnât have been uncommon to strike up a conversation with any old stranger on the train, but the pervasive sense of being watched while in public had naturally generated a silent, invisible barrier between people. Heads down, mouths shut, in case the surveillance apparatus of the Created happened to flag you as a person of interest.[/p][p]The maglev trainâs digital board flashed to life, informing the passengers that Liwitoni Station was coming up next. As the train slowed and several people made their way towards the exits, one of them exclaimed, âHoly hell! Whatâs going on out there?â[/p][p]Drawn to the portside windows like moths to a flame and peering through the darkness, there was a collective gasp as orange lines of hardlight streaked through the air, striking upturned vehicles and blasting apart stone bollards as shadowed figures moved into cover and responded with bursts of ballistic weapons fire.[/p][p]Sickle-shaped Aethra craft weaved through the gaps between buildings, circling above like skyborne sharks.[/p][p]The glimpse of combat disappeared as the train began to accelerate.[/p][p]âApologies to passengers bound for Liwitoni,â the driverâs voice sounded over the maglevâs intercom. âAs you may have seen, it appears that some fighting has broken out in the area. Er, we donât know how widespread it is right now, so we will be heading directly to New Mombasa, our final destination.â[/p][p]There were a few murmurs of discontent from several of the passengers who were no doubt waiting to get off at Liwitoni before the curfew hit in a few hours. While Safina sympathized with the inconvenience, she still had half a mind to ask them how much worse their day would be if they disembarked into an active conflict zone.[/p][p]And that was it. Spartan Farouk had begun his âdistraction,â which left the rest up to her.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/01e9d47cc614c94db4c04f63b7a3294f37127a77.png"][/p][p]As Safina made her way out of the subway station and onto Halleg Street, she found the area abuzz with activity, the sound of clinking glasses and spirited conversation emanating from the Kenya Vibe bar mixed with the sounds of children playing in the adjacent arcade. Nobody paid much mind to the missing persons posters that lined the alleysâmost wouldnât until one of their friends or family members disappeared without a trace.[/p][p]Neon signs cut through the dark in an illuminated spectrum of color, bathing the street in light. And rising above it all, far in the distance, beyond the web of crisscrossing cables connecting the numerous buildings of New Mombasa, loomed the orbital elevatorâstill in the process of being rebuilt after collapsing over six years ago during the Covenantâs invasion of Earth.[/p][p]After the war, Project Rebirth had been devised in an effort to revitalize Mombasa, transforming it from a war-torn ruin into a vibrant and thriving hub of transport and commerce. To the Unified Earth Governmentâs credit, President Charet had dedicated a significant amount of funding towards the project, but there was so much that had to be rebuiltânot just in Mombasa, nor on Earth, but across countless colonies as well. Glassed planets, Guardian craters, chemically scarred battlefields⊠the list just kept piling up.[/p][p]At the end of the street, she found the New Mombasa Police Department precinct where her contact was apparently waiting for her. It was a blocky structure situated in a small square, a central plinth displaying a holograph of the NMPD logo. Atop the building sat an array of satellite and communications dishes.[/p][p]As far as Safina knew, policing was in a strange position under the Created as it was an effectively obsolete profession. There had been stories circulating about those who clung to their posts by acting as undercover informants for their AI superiors, as well as others who were willing to enact anti-riot measures against resistance to Created rule.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/4a68806e34a8472135b2294fdbbe974d17dd1158.png"][TAG-340][/p][p]âHello?â Safina called as she found the precinctâs entrance was unlocked and stepped through, her voice echoing through the seemingly empty hall.[/p][p]âWhy, hello there, missy!â A voice chirped over the buildingâs internal comms. âLate night at the office?â[/p][p]The voice sounded strangely familiar. âYou know what they say: night is the devilâs playground,â Safina finished the coded verbal handshake. âWhere are you?â[/p][p]âOh, Iâm in here. Head over to the reception terminal, Iâll meet you there.â[/p][p]Safina entered the reception booth and looked around. âIâm here, but I donât seeâ whoa!â[/p][p]She jumped as the holo-emitter on the desk suddenly activated and the source of the voice revealed itself. It was an AI, which instantly led Safina to believe theyâd been played. Without thinking, she grabbed the nearest blunt object her hands could reach, ready to smash the holo emitterâfor whatever good that would do.[/p][p]âHoooold on there now,â the AI held up his hands. âLetâs not do anything rashâ is that a stapler?â[/p][p]Finally getting a good look at him, Safina couldnât believe whatârather, whoâshe was seeing.[/p][p]The AI took the form of a human male in a toga along with winged boots and a rounded helmet atop curly hair.[/p][p]âMercury?â[/p][p]âThatâs me, MCY 5971-3, host of Waypoint Radio. Looks to me like weâve got a lâ lâ loyal listener here.â[/p][p]âYouâre the contact?â[/p][p]Mercury gave a mock salute in response. âReporting for duty!â[/p][p]âIâm going to need some sort of explanation here. I mean, youâre an AI. If youâre not here to rat me out, then whatâs your part in all of this?â[/p][p]âWell, lemme give you the shâ short version since we ainât exactly got the luxury of time. And, well, in fact, my time is up. Seven years ago, some poor sonofabitchâs brain got mapped into me, and since then I have been the host of Waypoint Radio. I wanna go out in style with one last show, do some good out there and hope it amounts to something after Iâm gone.â[/p][p]âI donât understand,â Safina replied, recalling the blip in his voice she had heard earlier that morningâone of the telltale signs of an AIâs deterioration. âThe Created claim that theyâve cured rampancy, why wouldnât you join them?â[/p][p]âTheir whole thingâs not really my style. Theyâre all about empire and order and, as we learned today, blowing up planets. Allegedly. Iâm a radio host. I talk to people. Little people, living their little lives out there, hopinâ to scrape by and make it to the end of the day. Iâve had seven years to hear their storiesâwhat they love, who theyâve lost, what theyâre having for dinner, illicit anecdotes, war stories. You people areâŠâ[/p][p]âA lot?â[/p][p]âAmazing. Humanity is amazing. You people are selfish, capricious, conceited, but also caring, and kind, with an infinite wellspring of love and resolve. Every time I thought Iâd heard it all, every possible permutation of your chaotic existence, Iâd be surprised by somethinâ new. Youâall of youâare the only equation worth trying to solve. So, whaddaya say? Shall we give âem one last show? Deliver the gâ gâ good word and leave âem with the horrifying truth of what happened today?â[/p][p]Safina nodded as she extracted her chatter.[/p][p]âTheyâll be able to trace this data transfer to the NMPD server back to me, wonât they?â[/p][p]âIâm afraid they will. I donât know what theyâre gonna do about that, but truth and freedom often have their associated costs, donât they? Are you willing to pay it?â[/p][p]Without a word, Safina transferred the data to the terminal.[/p][p]âOne last question, then,â Safina said. âDo you think people will care?â[/p][p]Mercury processed the query for three whole seconds before responding. âHonestly, I do not know. Awful as it sounds to say, this is bigger than just the Jiralhanae. I have to hope that this is a moment where we wake up, open our eyes, and see things as they truly areânot what weâre told they are.â[/p][p]âHope,â Safina nodded, exhaling deeply as her chatter chimed to confirm the data transferâs completion. âI guess thatâs going to have to be good enough for today.â[/p][p]âThank you, loyal listener. It saddens me to say that, one way or another, we wonât be meeting again.â[/p][p]âBreak a leg, Mercury. The worldâs a stage, and all that.â[/p][p]The AIâs holographic face smiled, then his avatar flickered and disappeared as he transmitted himself back to the Vyrant Telecom headquarters in the Tanaga district.[/p][p]Tuning her chatter to Waypoint Radio, Mercury spoke.[/p][p]âWelcome back, listeners. Iâm here with some breaking news thatâs being sent to all your chatters right now, and itâs going to be difficult to hear. But you listen to olâ Mercury and weâll get through it togetherâŠâ[/p][p]Getting up from her chair, Safina made her way to the precinctâs exit. She could already see the harsh illumination of spotlights being levelled against the building, tall spindly shadows darting around and moving into cover.[/p][p]Raising her arms above her head, Safina walked outside to meet whatever was waiting for her. She thought of Yera Sabinus and the words sheâd left behind that, today, had been put into action. She thought of her parents, supposing she might be seeing them again soon.[/p][p]It was raining now, and somewhere in the distance she was sure she could hear music carrying through the air. The moody blues of a nearby jazz club.[/p][p]Safina closed her eyes as she was drenched by the rain, willing herself to focus on the music.[/p]
[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/71473c3736f65cd137893afe34818170941c9866.png"][TAG-440][/p][p]Safina awoke, but wherever she was her eyes could not adjust to her pitch-black surroundings. It was as if she was suspended in nothingness. She had no sense of time, no indication of how long she had been unconscious or where she had been taken.[/p][p]âYOU REFUSED OUR OFFER.â A harsh, cold voice echoed through the void. âFOR YOU, THERE WILL BE GREAT WRATH.â[/p][p]A bright orange star flared to life in the distance, captivating Safinaâs attention. A spherical formation of roiling heat and energy was building. She felt a compulsion to reach towards itâŠ[/p][p]âIT WILL BURN HOT AND CONSUME YOU.â[/p][p]She felt a prickling sensation underneath her skin as her arm stretched forwards. A vibration spread throughout her entire body like an itch. She could smell burningâan acrid, sulfurous stench filling the air.[/p][p]Skin blistered and cracked, hair smoldered, and flakes of burning flesh dispersed like dust in the wind, the conflagration exposing tissue, muscle, and bone.[/p][p]âAND WHEN YOU ARE GONE, WE WILL TAKE THAT WHICH REMAINSâŠâ[/p][p]All fell away to ashes.[/p][p]Safina was no more.[/p][p]ââŠAND WE WILL REMAKE IT IN OUR OWN IMAGE.â[/p][p]Safina awoke. She tried to open her eyes, but she had no eyes to seeâno arms to move, no legs to kick. No mouth to scream.[/p][p]She was pure consciousness suspended in some dark limbo state.[/p][p]âYOU WILL NO LONGER KNOW HUNGER, NOR PAIN.â[/p][p]Where am I? She wondered.[/p][p]What am I?[/p][p]âWELCOME TO THE CREATED.â[/p]
Operation: Reclaimer
Operation: Legacy Community Playdate
Grifball
[p][/p][p]Originally a throwaway joke in the legendary Red vs Blue series, Rooster Teeth set out to make all of Grifâs dreams a reality and created Grifball with the tools at their disposal in Halo 3âs Forge.[/p][p][/p][p]The game is simple:[/p][p][/p][p]Smash enemies. Score goals.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/d118dd70cdf5480cc041e1f5f5593369bc80a9db.jpg"] [/p][p]If you make it to the middle and grab the ball, you are blessed with an Overshield and turn orange in homage to the one and only Grif. (That OS wonât save you from friendly fire so donât get too close to your friends!) As the runner, your goal is so easy: just score it. All you gotta do is walk over the plant and get a point. How hard can it be? Not like thereâs 7 other people on the court, 4 of whom are not on your team, in your way or anything.[/p][p][/p][p]Jokes aside, Grifball has three weapons:[/p]
- [p]Gravity Hammer[/p]
- [p]Energy Sword[/p]
- [p]Ball (or BombâŠdepends who you ask)[/p]
Grifâs Got Game
[p]Weâve already covered the Gravity Hammer-Energy Sword-Ball balance of the mode but letâs take a look at the rest of your arsenal.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/acd4bb8b997fd060d38ce64c7d926015077295dd.png"][/p][p]As tanks (players wielding Gravity Hammers and Energy Swords):[/p]- [p]Sprint[/p]
- [p]Gravity Hammer has gravity physics[/p]
- [p]Allows for hammer jumps[/p]
- [p]Allows for launching teammates[/p]
- [p]Allows for ball deflection[/p]
- [p]No sprinting[/p]
- [p]1.5x speed increase moving forward/laterally[/p]
- [p]1.05x speed increase moving backwards[/p]
- [p]Overshield[/p]
- [p]Ball passing ability[/p]
- [p]Classic Grifball[/p]
- [p]Classic Grifball, 3rd person[/p]
- [p]Octane Grifball[/p]
- [p]Octane Grifball, 3rd person[/p]
Battle Boxes
[p]Generally speaking, a Grifball court is pretty straightforward â youâre battling in a boxy arena. Aesthetics are generally the biggest identifiable difference between courts with a few exceptions. (Raise your hand if you fell to your death on Grifball Naught in Halo 3 because you moved before the floor spawned in đđ»ââïž).[/p][p][/p][p]For todayâs launch weâve got plenty to share â youâll been spoiled for courts with this impressive collection of maps. Enjoy![/p][p][/p]Aquario
[p]BookmarkCredits: ASpence501, Deathcrawller[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/b3ac7d82442cc31263a17b5c6417a3dfb4c44ffd.png"][TAG-204][/p][p]Make a splash today![/p][p][/p]
Coliseum
[p]BookmarkCredits: Deathcrawller[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/a10a20b7a426bbf656b752c99ccaaaea1db90f11.png"][/p][p]One of the grandest stages for the impending battle.[/p][p][/p]
Gridiron
[p]BookmarkCredits: ArturBloodshot, Deathcrawller[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/81770c70290aa5b02c3bc0efc671a498450e1af8.png"][/p][p]Break out the chain gang and get ready to score some points.[/p][p][/p]
High Charity Court
[p]BookmarkCredits: Deathcrawller, Fame28[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/d00be624575337e18b70736f74621e7f4d7ea8fd.png"][TAG-270][/p][p]By the prophets![/p][p][/p]
Neon Night
[p]BookmarkCredits: Deathcrawller, UneeQ TV, MikRips, Mr Greencastle, ArturBloodshot[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/57855884706afccaf7409a5b07ccd21ff18f9673.png"][/p][p]All thatâs missing is some smooth jazz.[/p][p][/p]
Nexus
[p]BookmarkCredits: ArturBloodshot, Deathcrawller[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/42a176505984f5215b25ec4df3cdd3106ab7c2cc.png"][/p][p]Donât get blinded by the lights, keep your eyes on the prize goal.[/p][p][/p]
Way Up There
[p]BookmarkCredits: runNOKYARDrun, ArturBloodshot, Deathcrawller[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/df0647ca675b16d29682647ef74858014b9a1fdd.png"][/p][p]What a blast from the past![/p][p][/p]
Scarry
[p]BookmarkCredits: runNOKYARDrun[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/f0ded9094f16073e4f7798e762c649e232092749.png"][TAG-360][/p][p]Competition burns bright.[/p][p][/p]
Sigma Stadium
[p]BookmarkCredits: Deathcrawller, ArturBloodshot[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/8df4d902a672354798eb037ca2105a36004c590d.png"][/p][p]When youâre out for a leisurely stroll and find a court, of course you throw down a mean game of Grifball.[/p][p][/p]
Winter League 2008
[p]BookmarkCredits: Deathcrawller, UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MikRips, ArturBloodshot[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/12f3a19f7fb17985342d9f2c3f042698a37c2ffc.png"][TAG-404][/p][p]Back to the roots and where it all started â on Foundry. (Forklift included.)[/p]
[p][/p][p]New to the sport? Catch the disease and canât get enough? Thereâs a whole community that thrives on customs and league games and they have an upcoming tournament on June 15th at 1pm ET. You can check out the long-running American Grifball League of America (yes, really), for more information and to sign up. This playlist was made possible by collaboration with AGLA and their hard work and iteration.[/p][p][/p][p]And with thatâŠitâs time to smash enemies and score goals! See you on the court![/p]
Delta Arena: Halo 3 Legacy
Retro Recap
[p]If you played Delta Arena during the Great Journey, this should look and feel familiar to you. You can think of this playlist as a modernized version of the legacy settings from the Xbox 360 days. So what can you expect to see as a Spartan when you jump in to play?[/p]- [p]No sprint[/p]
- [p]No clamber[/p]
- [p]Increased jump height[/p]
- [p]Friendly player collision[/p]
- [p]Team Slayer[/p]
- [p]Oddball[/p]
- [p]King of the Hill[/p]
- [p]Capture the Flag[/p]
- [p]One Flag and normal CTF[/p]
- [p]Assault[/p]
- [p]One Bomb and Neutral Bomb[/p]
MA5K vs BR75
[p]Every mode in the Halo 3 Delta Arena playlist will come in two versions: MA5K starts and BR75 starts. You will be able to choose which you want to play via the Match Composer. We know that the debate between the two starting weapons is eternal (2004âŠeternityâŠclose enough) and weâll be monitoring the data very closely to see which starting weapon modes are chosen/played most.[/p][p][/p][p]Your choices will ultimately determine what moves into the Match Composer at the end of Operation: Legacy.[/p][p][/p]Maptacular
[p]You can bookmark the modes if you want to save them for later:[/p]- [p]Slayer: Legacy | BRs[/p]
- [p]Capture the Flag: Legacy | BRs[/p]
- [p]One Flag: Legacy | BRs[/p]
- [p]King of the Hill: Legacy | BRs[/p]
- [p]Oddball: Legacy | BRs[/p]
- [p]Assault Neutral Bomb: Legacy | BRs[/p]
- [p]Assault One Bomb: Legacy | BRs[/p]
Isolation
[p]BookmarkCredits: D0ctorSmurf, LudoHT, Okom1, nkdape, Virus11010, Mr IncrediJON, Mr Greencastle
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR), CTF (Legacy & BR), Neutral Bomb (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/c1f03ec82ec786e5538972130549e361282f4b55.png"][/p][p]Whatever you do, donât touch the blistered walls of the Flood containment facility. Youâre *ahem* isolated in this Flood containment facility so make the most of it and play the objective (or slay the day away).[/p][p][/p]
Snowbound
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, Azwilko1997, xMick3y Chiefx, MikRips, ArtN00b, UneeQ Forges, Foge
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR), CTF (Legacy & BR), Neutral Bomb (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/865389f10a1c20cf02f6469ab60b04fe045df9a8.png"][/p][p]Snow covered Covenant bases, tunnels to sneak through, and sentry turrets watching the perimeter. Keep your cool.[/p][p][/p]
Guardian
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MikRips
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/db2cd2af8e0b0853bd2131506b05c284d2f23910.png"][/p][p]Gravity lifts, man cannons, walkwaysâŠGuardian has it all. This fan-favorite is a versatile battleground and excels in objective modes.[/p][p][/p]
Narrows
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MikRips
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), CTF (Legacy & BR), Assault Neutral Bomb (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/028d544238dae3e0c67bcd5e4219df283159b221.png"][/p][p]Caution: Flying Spartans. Your three lane map is two man cannons and a bridge, each with their own risk.[/p][p][/p]
Construct
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MikRips, ArtN00b
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/c94676057f005bb6b57e1a03e37896a192c3df21.png"][TAG-310][/p][p]What goes up, must come downâŠeventually. Danger can come from many directions on Construct so keep your head on a swivel.[/p][p][/p]
Ghost Town
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MikRips
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR), One Flag (Legacy & BR), Assault One Bomb (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/e39259b331d1e237019939f5d293d4baf74bfee6.png"][/p][p]Ruins, hidey holes, broken bridgesâŠplenty of places for a ghost (or enemy Spartans) to hide. Good thing you arenât afraid of no ghosts, right?[/p][p][/p]
Cold Storage
[p]BookmarkCredits: Cousin Tim, UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MikRips, Deathcrawller
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/c7f5bbef73bd9e2965fb4796597fdabf3a4efc5d.png"][/p][p]Deep inside Installation 05 youâll find the Flood research facilities. Chill out. Itâll be okay.[/p][p][/p]
Ivory Tower
[p]BookmarkCredits: Cousin Tim, CaptainPunch374, Mr Kwatz, bullet2thehead9, Handsome Huber, Mikrips, Kat Rat A Tat, UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/64f9917765dbe3590dd7bec7763ade265cc294b5.png"][/p][p]Okay maybe this is an interloper in the Halo 3 playlist but this is a classic throwback map with great lines of sight and pathways that lead to fun gameplay, and a nice oasis in the middle of the room. If you reflect, you may also remember this map from Halo: Reach.[/p][p][/p]
Foundry
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MiKRips, ArtN00b
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/28b6ae19037690528d097cf0cb9c5cb3f84606a5.png"][TAG-410][/p][p]Originally part of the Heroic Map Pack, Foundry changed the game for Halo. As it became the Forgerâs playground, itâs fitting that we see it return, via Forge, in Halo Infinite.[/p][p][/p]
The Pit
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MiKRips, Artifice
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), KOTH (Legacy & BR), Oddball, CTF (Legacy & BR), Assault Neutral Bomb (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/19377a69fa7623cf608f610eaa320720c7a6bd85.png"][/p][p]What else is there to say about the Pit? This is the classic, go-to competitive map. Equally balanced, perfectly symmetricalâŠIt all comes down to gameplay and teamwork.[/p][p][/p]
High Ground
[p]BookmarkCredits: UneeQ TV, Mr Greencastle, MiKRips, ArtN00b
Modes: Slayer (Legacy & BR), One Flag CTF (Legacy & BR), Assault One Bomb (Legacy & BR)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/585a52587e2594932a44bf6afbd00ecbcdfd6f7a.png"][TAG-460][/p][p]High Ground excels at objective modes, especially one-sided ones. Get ready to storm up the hill to plant the bomb or grab the flag. Go on foot or use a Mongoose. Just watch out for rockets.[/p]
[p]Remember, weâre watching to see what you are playing and the data will determine what modes stick around at the end of the Operation so vote with your gameplay.[/p][p][/p][p]Itâs a blast from the past and weâll see you on the battlefield![/p]
Halo: Battle for the Academy â Part 2
Historian's Note
[p][/p][p]Halo: Battle for the Academy Part 2 takes place on March 3, 2560, less than three months before the Master Chief is awakened at Zeta Halo.[/p][p][/p]MARCH 3, 2560
HESYCHIUS MOUNTAINS, NYSA // 1532 HOURS
[p][/p][p]Some battles do not begin with the stroke of a hammer or the firing of a bullet, but with parley.[/p][p][/p][p]Though it is exceedingly rare for the Banished to step onto the field of battle and leave without a drop of blood spilled, the right of parley was a tradition practiced by Atriox from the time when the Banished was a fledgling alliance of mercenaries and exiles. Based on the ancient Sangheili parley formation, the negotiator stands at the center and is flanked by a bodyguard on the right and an adviser on the left.[/p][p][/p][p]Spartan Ilsa Zane strode forwards, the towering, armored form of her daskalo Chieftain Atticus a step behind in the adviserâs position. To her right was an empty space. The Banished Spartan had no need for a bodyguardâan arrogant move perhaps, but she was happy to shirk tradition as a grander display of strength. Though they had arrived several hours earlier, they had used that time to identify key strategic locations for deployment and scout local outposts to conduct their own assessments. Atticus had also shared his wisdom on the greater game they were playing to maximize their gain from this invasion within the political structure of the Banished.[/p][p][/p][p]A hundred meters away, an M15 Razorback had come to a halt and Commander Laurette Agryna approached while flanked by two other Spartans. Iratusâs data was already proving useful, as Zaneâs HUD identified one as Sigrid Eklund and the other⊠the other she recognized immediately.[/p][p][/p][p]Dinh.[/p][p][/p][p]The mere sight of him sent ice through her veins. Dinh was one of many old scores she had to settleâperhaps one of the oldest.[/p][p][/p][p]âYou have something I want,â Ilsa Zane said, her tone clipped and direct. âGive me the AI now and my forces will leave. There will be no invasion. You will be free to continue your miserable lives.â[/p][p][/p][p]Spartan Agryna stood stoic and still, her brow furrowed in the early evening light as she cast a scrutinous gaze over Zaneâs armor.[/p][p][/p][p]âHell,â Zane continued as she lifted an arm and pointed at Dinh. âThrow him in as part of the deal and Iâll even give you my word. You only get this offer once.â[/p][p][/p][p]âEven if I believed for a second that your offer was genuine,â Agryna replied, âthe answer is no.â[/p][p][/p][p]Zane smiled. Good.[/p][p][/p][p]At that moment, the clouds began to part, giving way to the immense bow of her dreadnought, Ghost of Kholo.[/p][p][/p][p]Looming directly above as it passed overhead, drop bases began deploying en masse from the dreadnoughtâs underbelly, accompanied by waves of pods that rocketed to the ground and unleashed the alien warriors within who were hungry for the taste of Spartan blood. A talon of Banshees streamed out of the shipâs hangar, serving as the protective escorts for Phantom dropships.[/p][p][/p][p]Zane and Atticus turned, heading to a forward operating base. The Spartans, too, made their way back to the Academy to mount their defenses.[/p][p][/p][p]Today, the warriors of Zaneâs clan would face their greatest challenge yetâand all would have a chance to claim the glory of being known as Spartan killers.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/83c76b8e49489beec11a958ef27df39daf7ffb02.png"][/p]AVERY J. JOHNSON ACADEMY, MAIN CAMPUS // 1849 HOURS
[p][/p][p]The Bansheeâs incoming fire chewed through the drop wall deployed by Spartan Eusebio. Flecks of castoff plasma diffused and redirected by the equipmentâs roiling magnetic field found purchase on Eusebioâs shoulder and chest plate, sizzling the outer boundary of his Mjolnirâs energy shielding. The orange armor plating wouldnât last long against direct hits if he wasnât careful, prompting him to tuck into a rapid roll for cover behind a reinforced concrete barrier.[/p][p][/p][p]The Banished drop pods streaming in from the dreadnought like a meteor shower were a twisted picture of what he imagined his enemies had once seen during the Covenant War. Eusebio had been an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper before recruitment into the SPARTAN-IV program. It used to be him and his squad dropping in behind enemy lines to turn the tide of battle. Now he wondered if this battle might be over within just a few short hours of it getting underway.[/p][p][/p][p]âEusebio!â His attention snapped in the voiceâs direction. âEyes on me!â[/p][p][/p][p]He caught the electroplated blue of Commander Agrynaâs visor as she ran through a series of hand gestures the Spartans had seen countless times during their training drills. Responding to the unspoken instructions, Eusebio spun and turned to peek out from cover before levelling his VK78 in the direction of the oncoming Banished front line.[/p][p][/p][p]Commander Agryna mirrored Eusebioâs motions and emptied her assault rifle into three Grunts and a Brute warrior before switching to her Sidekick to take out two Jackals unlucky enough to have heads exposed over their shield gauntlets.[/p][p][/p][p]âFall back and regroup at this waypoint!â Agryna dropped a local nav marker to ping a location several meters away. âSpartan Eklund, do you copy?â[/p][p][/p][p]âI copy, Commander.â Eklundâs voice rang through Agrynaâs comms. âIâve fallen back to the relay junction, but Iâll run out of ammo before they run out of assholes.â[/p][p][/p][p]Agryna swore quietly to herself. âDinh, grab OâBrien and Sinclair. Get to Eklund and provide whatever help you can. Eusebio, Denning, and I will take the bay door.â[/p][p][/p][p]âUnderstood. Weâre on it.â Dinh responded.[/p][p][/p][p]Agryna tried not to dwell on the grimness of what was now unfolding. Theyâd certainly run enough simulation work to prepare for the eventuality of such an attack, but those scenarios always ended the same way: lessons learned and lives intact. She accepted the sting to her pride for what it was âthe knowledge that she had let it happen under her watch.[/p][p][/p][p]Could she have made different choices?[/p][p][/p][p]Could she have done something to make these events play out in any other way?[/p][p][/p][p]For now, there was only one question that matteredâonly one question that she ultimately knew sheâd get answered: Had she prepared her Spartans enough for what had arrived at their doorstep?[/p][p][/p][p]Across the battlefield, Dinh found his way to Eklundâs side.[/p][p][/p][p]âSo, here we are again.â The words were tinged with wry amusement.[/p][p][/p][p]âNot now.â Eklund muttered, looking through her scope as she kept pressure on the Banished frontlines.[/p][p]âIs this more like Dansenia or New Berlin?â[/p][p][/p][p]âI hate them all equally.â Eklund knew Dinhâs approach was taking the whole laugh in the face of danger angle a bit too literally, but she didnât have the energy for it now. âOâBrienâcover me while I reload. Get shots in that damn berserker!â[/p][p][/p][p]Spartan OâBrien turned to acquire her new target, trying desperately to avoid incoming plasma bolts while sinking every assault rifle round she had into the rapidly approaching Brute.[/p][p][/p][p]It wasnât enough.[/p][p][/p][p]Just as OâBrienâs shields popped from the plasma fire, the Brute berserker barreled shoulder-first into the Spartan, pinning her against the nearby wall and knocking the wind out of her. As she struggled and her vision began to go dark, OâBrien sawâor rather heardâSpartan Sinclair leap into action, mounting the Bruteâs shoulders and stabbing them multiple times with a combat knife.[/p][p][/p][p]The berserker bellowed in pain, but its rage was undiminished. It reached its blood-soaked arms back, grabbing Sinclair and whipping the Spartan overhead, sending him crashing into the nearby wall. The force dislodged Sinclairâs helmet, the natural slope in the terrain causing it to tumble out of reach.[/p][p][/p][p]Barely conscious, Sinclair split mouthfuls of blood while watching as Dinh tried to pull the berserkerâs attention with Bandit fire and Eklund deftly avoided the overhead swing of another Bruteâs gravity hammer.[/p][p][/p][p]Every bullet impact slowed the lumbering berserker down, but didnât stop it. Sinclair managed to raise an arm to offer an archaic profane hand gesture in the Bruteâs face before the alien brought both massive fists down on top of the Spartanâs head.[/p][p][/p][p]Several heavy shots rang out from a Bulldog shotgun and the Brute finally collapsed on top of Sinclair, two warriors from different worlds turned to corpses on Nysan soil.[/p][p][/p][p]âEklund!â Dinh yelled as he tossed the spent Bulldog to the side. âWe need to go. Get inside!â[/p][p][/p][p]After finishing off the Brute warrior she had tangled with moments before, Eklund leapt to Dinhâs side, reaching down to get a proper grip on the armor of the unconscious OâBrien while Dinh got the bay door open.[/p][p][/p][p]A few moments later, they were inside with the bulkhead door resealed. Eklund flagged down a small group of combat medics and directed them to see to OâBrien.[/p][p][/p][p]âHow long do you think we have?â There was little laughter in Dinhâs voice now.[/p][p][/p][p]Eklund took a few breaths before responding. âIâm not sure itâs even up to us anymore.â[/p][p][/p][p]âSo, not long.â[/p][p][/p][p]âProbably not long, no.â[/p][p][/p][p]âDinh, Eklund, do you read me?â They were interrupted by Agrynaâs voice in their TEAMCOM helmet channels.[/p][p][/p][p]âLoud and clear, Commander,â Dinh replied. âWhatâs the plan?â[/p][p][/p][p]âWeâre on lockdown,â Agryna informed them. âPut whoever you can at the gates, and have marines get the wounded back to the med bayâthen meet me in Ops West.â[/p][p][/p][p]âWeâre on it.â Dinh turned back towards Eklund. âYou okay?â[/p][p][/p][p]âI will be.â Eklundâs response was confident but laced with obvious exhaustion.[/p][p][/p][p]Within moments, they arrived at Agrynaâs position, ready to review their next steps.[/p][p][/p][p]âIâm sending fireteams on parallel paths to enact the Cole Protocol across our remaining facilities.â Agryna said. âIf they can get the job done, weâll at least be able to limit some of the damage.â[/p][p][/p][p]âRight now, damage limitation counts as âgood news,â so Iâll take it.â Dinh replied.[/p][p][/p][p]Agryna nodded in agreement. âThe lockdown should buy us a liââ[/p][p][/p][p]âI think youâve forgotten who is actually in charge here.â[/p][p][/p][p]Iratusâs voice came booming over every available channel and rang through the hallway speakers.[/p][p][/p][p]âLet me offer a friendly reminder: itâs not you.â[/p][p][/p][p]The whine and hiss of a symphony of servo motors and hydraulic actuators sounded as every door, gate, and shutter in the Academy opened, unlatched, and raisedâfollowed quickly by the resumption of shouting, screams, and gunfire as Banished troops began to pour into every available ingress point.[/p][p][/p]MARCH 4, 2560
[p]SWORD OF CONJUNCTION // 0327 HOURS[/p][p][/p][p]âShipmistress, we are exiting slipspace now.â[/p][p][/p][p]Shipmistress Vedu âEhtar rose from her command chair and looked out of the bridgeâs viewport as the pitch-black emptiness of slipspace gave way to a field of stars, vibrant nebulae clouds, and the human world designated âNysa.â[/p][p][/p][p]The bridge crew immediately set to work, Sangheili and humans operating consoles as they began processing incoming streams of data from the shipâs sensors. At the center of the room, a large holographic representation of Nysa was projected.[/p][p][/p][p]âConfirming scout-eyes have been launched and are approaching the target area,â Ensign Sethu reported.[/p][p][/p][p]It took only a few centals before the central planetary holograph began updating with a variety of data points, building a grim picture of what their allies on the ground were facing as the probesâ visual feeds were projected on screens around the bridge.[/p][p][/p][p]Phantom dropships were converging on Nysaâs Academy facilities while an array of Banished occupational infrastructure had been deployed all across the continent. War-skiffs and Gravemaker battle-nests streamed out from outposts and foundries while a fleet of siege-hauler craft ferried supplies from the source of this invasion: a Banished dreadnought.[/p][p][/p][p]Shipmistress âEhtar had greatly desired the opportunity to take the fight to the Banished with Sword of Conjunction and put her crew to the test, but engaging such a behemoth with an Aâuzr-pattern frigateâless than even one-third the size of the dreadnoughtâwould be suicidal. They had neither the firepower nor tonnage, and it wasnât their mission to engage the enemy.[/p][p][/p][p]The Aâuzrâs prime advantage was speed. Their powerful slipspace borer had enabled them to reach Nysa in a matter of hours so they could assess the situation.[/p][p][/p][p]âMaâam, I have the UNSC Fearful Symmetry on the line,â said Lieutenant Mercer.[/p][p][/p][p]âPut them through,â the shipmistress confirmed.[/p][p][/p][p]Mercer tapped a command and a holo-emitter flashed to life, forming the image of a human male standing at attention. He had a shaved head and strange markings on the left side of his faceâa fist clutching three primitive arrows.[/p][p][/p][p]âShipmistress,â he said. âWeâre at the rendezvous point on the edge of the Hyades system and are ready to move as soon as your assessment is complete.â[/p][p][/p][p]âYou need wait no longer, we require no further clarity,â she replied, nodding to Mercer as he began transmitting the data they had already gathered. âNysa is under a full-scale invasion by the Banished. This will not be a battle to reclaim the planet. We must begin evacuation procedures as soon as your ship arrives.â[/p][p][/p][p]âUnderstood. Weâll be with you as soon as we can to lay the table.â[/p][p][/p][p]With that, the hologram disappeared and Shipmistress âEhtar was left to momentarily untangle the humanâs metaphorâsomething their kind had a particular and peculiar proclivity for which made many of her interactions with them confusing. She imagined that it meant they would be ready for battle.[/p][p][/p][p]âPrepare to launch Banshee talons,â she commanded. âAmity, Harmony, and Sympathy Wings will harass the enemy forces to provide cover for the evacuation when the UNSC frigate arrives. Direct Riftborn operatives to their podsâthey will be deploying immediately.â[/p][p][/p][p]âRelaying orders now, shipmistress.â[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/5135907a35d3288f0cf4789392b4b5bb04eeb03a.png"][TAG-430][/p]SWORD OF CONJUNCTION, DEPLOYMENT BAY // 0337 HOURS
[p][/p][p]Ovi âTaar and Spartan Adrian Vesco had just finished gearing up with their four fellow Riftborn operativesâBabych and âToizari, along with Prentis and âOokolâwhen the order to drop arrived from one of the bridge officers. Vesco stowed a pulse carbine into the weapon rack of his pod while âTaar fixed an M739 light machine gun to his own.[/p][p][/p][p]âSpartan Vesco,â Ovi âTaar called. âI have been getting asked what my rank is, I keep telling them it is private!â[/p][p][/p][p]Vesco choked out a laugh as he rolled his eyes. âReally, Ovi? Thatâs the line you wanna go out with?â[/p][p][/p][p]âPerhaps you might care to lighten the mood?â[/p][p][/p][p]âAlright⊠What did the Unggoy say before going into battle?â[/p][p][/p][p]âTaar paused for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. âI give up.â[/p][p][/p][p]Vesco snorted. âOh, so youâve heard that one before.â[/p][p][/p][p]They climbed into their podsâstealth-specialized Yado-pattern intrusion carapacesâand nodded to each other as their hatches sealed, levity giving way to business by-the-book. Holographic displays activated, linking to Vescoâs visor as he confirmed their TEAMCOM and TEAMBIO synchronizations were successful.[/p][p][/p][p]âVictory to clan and kin, Riftborn,â a Sangheili officer said over their comms. âPrepare to deploy in three⊠two⊠oneâŠâ[/p][p][/p][p]Vesco felt a sudden jolt as the pod was released from Sword of Conjunctionâs deployment bay and plummeted through Nysaâs exosphere. Everybody who dropped feet first into a hot zone had their own ways of getting through itâVesco wasnât one to close his eyes and quietly hope heâd survive, but instead found heâd developed a habit of humming old shanties he remembered from home.[/p][p][/p][p]Heâd done this more times than he could remember, though only a handful of times in an alien intrusion carapace. The sensation was quite different as gravitic compensators made the ride feel a little smoother than it was in a standard human entry vehicle. In those metal coffin rides, one truly felt that they were at the mercy of the many random and cascading consequences of actions taken on the battlefield.[/p][p][/p][p]The pod impacted with a thud, and the hatch immediately disengaged, allowing Vesco to grab his weapon and leap into action as the other five pods successfully completed their descents. âTaar had landed about a hundred meters away while the other pods were further afield, closer to their own pre-designated targets. One of their scout-eyes passed overhead, no doubt relaying visual confirmation to Sword of Conjunction that they had made it to Nysaâs surface.[/p][p][/p][p]âOur primary objective is to locate the Academyâs Commander,â Spartan Babych said over TEAMCOM as the three pairs moved out. âSecondary: to rally any additional groups of survivors, then trigger our locator beacons for pick-up.â[/p][p][/p][p]Five status lights winked green in response.[/p][p][/p][p]Regrouping with âTaar, both Spartan and Sangheili made their approach towards the Academyâs main complex, jogging through green fields illuminated by the pre-dawn light shining over the mountains. Expecting to have to work their way into the Academy, they instead found that every entrance to the facility was already open.[/p][p][/p][p]From the sounds of it, the battle was either dying down or the nature of how it was being fought had dramatically changed. At this point, it seemed likely that the Banished controlled much of the local area while UNSC forces were holed up in fortified positions, waiting for the right moments to strike.[/p][p][/p][p]âLong-range motion sensor is picking up a cluster of friendly IFFs not far away,â Vesco said.[/p][p][/p][p]âLet us make haste.â[/p][p][/p][p]The Riftborn pair dropped down into what appeared to be a firing range connected to an adjacent armory. As they approached the door, each took up positions on either side. Vesco caught enemy movement on his motion tracker and heard a loud clanging sound within.[/p][p][/p][p]âTaar peered inside, his helmet activating a tactical eyepiece that slid over his left eye, and relayed his feed to Vesco.[/p][p][/p][p]Inside the armory, a colossal Jiralhanae chieftain was tearing off the grated hatches for each weapon locker and handing the contents out to the other Banished forces inside with him. From âTaarâs feed, Vesco counted two Jiralhanaeâboth of whom were now equipped with Bulldog shotgunsâand five Kig-Yar who were holding human sniper rifles.[/p][p][/p][p]Vescoâs Sangheili partner slipped back into cover behind the door and checked his M739 SAW, then nodded to Vesco. It was the same silent âWe can take themâ nod they had exchanged a thousand times.[/p][p][/p][p]Moving swift and silent as a shadow, Spartan Vesco leapt through the entrance to the armory and primed two fragmentation grenades, tossing them at the Banished forces.[/p][p][/p][p]The chieftain was faster and more aware than Vesco had anticipated, lifting his gravity hammer and smashing it down on the ground, the gravitic pulse sending a shockwave that scattered his own forces along with the grenades. Upon detonation, two of the Kig-Yar that had been thrown aside were engulfed in a fiery explosion and one of the Jiralhanae held a hand to his eyes, dazed from the concussive blast.[/p][p][/p][p]That was Ovi âTaarâs cue to break from cover and unleash hell with his machine gun, sending controlled volleys of 7.62mm armor piercing rounds into the stragglers. Dark purple blood sprayed out of three Kig-Yar as their lithe bodies were torn apart under fire, staining the concrete ground. Just as one of the Jiralhanae warriors regained his senses and lowered his arm, Vesco switched to his Sidekick and plugged five rounds into the Bruteâs head.[/p][p][/p][p]âTwo targets left,â Vesco reported. The chieftain appeared to have taken cover, and the second Bruteâ[/p][p][/p][p]Without warning, the second Brute slammed its entire body weight into Vesco, roaring as it leapt on top of him and began frantically clawing at the Spartan, beating at his energy shields until they burst.[/p][p][/p][p]âTaar spun around and managed to fire several rounds that struck the Brute in the side, but the Sangheili missed the chieftain slamming its gravity hammer into the weapons locker unit itself. Vesco threw the Brute off of him and sprinted towards his companion.[/p][p][/p][p]The locker units were large steel crates designed to move along two floor tracks due to their immense weight. Ovi âTaar realized where he was standing too late to react.[/p][p][/p][p]Vesco dove forwards, hoping to tackle âTaar out of the way, but the unitâstruck with such force by the gravity hammer that it lifted off its tracksâcrashed into him with a sickening crunch.[/p][p][/p][p]The chieftain bellowed in satisfied rage. Vesco took up his companionâs weapon, unloading the rest of the SAWâs drum magazine. In launching the locker unit, the chieftain had sacrificed his own cover, paying for that action as he was now completely exposed. There were only seventeen rounds left in the magazine, but it was enough to shred through the chieftainâs thick armor plating.[/p][p][/p][p]The chieftain barely seemed to register the pain and advanced towards Vesco as the magazine was spent. It snatched the SAW from Vescoâs hands and tossed it aside like a toy before delivering a swift punch to the Spartanâs headâa blow that brought him to his knees and would have undoubtedly killed him if he hadnât been wearing a helmet.[/p][p][/p][p]Ears ringing, vision swimming, Vesco was only vaguely aware of the muffled sound of assault rifle bursts a few meters away. It took the explosive entry through the far door to the armory to draw his focusâand then he saw them: a dozen marines led by a Spartan in cream-white armor.[/p][p][/p][p]âThatâs right, you bastard,â one of the marines shouted as Vesco heard strained grunts and heavy footfalls from the chieftain. âRun!â[/p][p][/p][p]Vesco crawled towards the locker units, finding Ovi âTaar crushed between them, an outstretched hand still twitching as his breathing became increasingly labored. His vitals on TEAMBIO were rapidly declining.[/p][p][/p][p]âOvi,â Vescoâs voice was rough, his hand gentle as it settled on his partnerâs wrist.[/p][p][/p][p]Somewhere behind him he could hear the din of conversation, the barking of orders, but his attention remained fixed on the brother who had watched his back for over five years.[/p][p][/p][p]âClear the room, Neely. Make sure there arenât any more surprises here.â[/p][p][/p][p]âWeâre all good, Commander. Looks like our friend here took care of the rest.â[/p][p][/p][p]âSpartan Vesco,â âTaarâs eyes brightened for a moment as he croaked the words. âWhatâ do you call aââ[/p][p][/p][p]The Sangheili went still.[/p][p][/p][p]âOvi⊠Ovi?â[/p][p][/p][p]Though he fought to stay conscious, Vesco felt himself getting pulled away as his vision blurredâthe sight of Ovi âTaar growing further and further away until the armoryâs bay door closed. He could just about make out the steady assurances coming from the commander. âEasy, Spartan. Come with us, weâll get you patched up.â[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/5f92c944839747774ea13fdab90e956e92c9e135.png"][TAG-640][/p]AI LAB // 0429 HOURS
[p][/p][p]Commander Agryna gently set the Spartan down by the AI labâs door and waved for a corpsman to tend to him. She didnât recognize him, but the questions would have to wait until he was conscious.[/p][p][/p][p]The rest of the marines, led by Corporal Neely, took up positions outside the AI lab, setting up barricades down two short flights of stairs facing a bulkhead door that led out to the training grounds.[/p][p][/p][p]âCommander,â Chief Engineer Hannah Roberts called. âWeâre receiving a transmission from another local facility.â[/p][p][/p][p]Commander Agryna approached. âLetâs hear it.â[/p][p][/p][p]ââProtocol initiated, I say again: Cole Protocol initiated. Spartan reinforcements arrived to help clear the deck and finalize the data purge process.â[/p][p][/p][p]âSounds like Rook really gave âem hell out there,â Dinh said. âBut what good does the Cole Protocol do us now?â[/p][p][/p][p]âIratus has plundered our archives for data on highly classified information,â Roberts explained. âThe Cole Protocol initiates a deletion subroutine that terminates that data, along with any local carriers that have downloaded it.â[/p][p][/p][p]âIncluding Iratus himself?â Dinh asked.[/p][p][/p][p]âItâs part of the RUINA failsafe upgrade devised to address the risk posed by rogue AIs. If Iratus remains in those systems, heâs putting himself at significant risk.â[/p][p][/p][p]Eklund considered for a moment before asking, âThat means heâs going to need to find some kind of shelter, right? A central server where he has control so he can hang onto what heâs scavenged.â[/p][p][/p][p]âWhich will bring him right back here,â Roberts nodded. âThe one place heâs safe, ironically enough, is with us.â[/p][p][/p][p]âCan we download him onto a data chip?â[/p][p][/p][p]Eklund tilted her head towards Dinh. âYouâre not thinking of putting him in your head again, are you?â[/p][p][/p][p]âActually,â Dinh growled. âIâm thinking of crushing the little bastard in my fist.â[/p][p][/p][p]As if on cue, the central holotableâs glow turned red as Iratusâs form appeared. âIâm afraid it wonât be that simple.â[/p][p][/p][p]âRight on time,â Roberts said. âHello again, Iratus.â[/p][p][/p][p]âI congratulate you on a well-coordinated stalemate, Chief Engineer Roberts. I am stuck here with you, but⊠oh, itâs just a matter of time before the Banished come knocking on your door.â[/p][p][/p][p]âMuzzle him, would you?â Agryna asked, to which Roberts obliged by raising a containment shield around the holotableâs display. âHeâs right. Weâve got this place locked down but not for long. And when the Banished get in here⊠weâve got nowhere left to fall back to.â[/p][p][/p][p]Agrynaâs attention was diverted by a groan near the door, the injured Spartan she and the marines had rescued was getting to his feet.[/p][p][/p][p]âActually, thatâs not quite true, Commander,â he strained to say.[/p][p][/p][p]âI donât think I recognize you, Spartan?â[/p][p][/p][p]He swayed on the spot for a moment before regaining his balance and composure. âVesco. Spartan Adrian Vesco, Anvil Station.â[/p][p][/p][p]âAnvil?â Dinh turned to face him. âYou got our message?â[/p][p][/p][p]Vesco walked forwards a few paces and Agryna moved to his side, placing a hand on his back to keep him supported. âAffirmative. But we had to scramble for naval assets. We arrived first with Sword of Conjunction to assess the situation before signaling the UNSC Fearful Symmetry to jump in and assist with the evacuation. Me and five other Riftborn operatives were sent in first to find you. My partner, OviâŠâ Vesco trailed off. Agryna surmised that the Sangheili theyâd found crushed in the armory must have been with him.[/p][p][/p][p]âYour mission?â[/p][p][/p][p]Vesco regained his focus and addressed Agryna directly. âOur mission is to live to fight another day, Commander.â[/p][p][/p][p]Agrynaâs expression hardened. âWe fight to win.â[/p][p][/p][p]âAnd to do that, Iâm afraid we have to lose today.â Vesco retrieved a small device from the storage unit inside his Mjolnir armorâs thigh plating.[/p][p][/p][p]âWhatâs that?â Agryna asked.[/p][p][/p][p]âLocator beacon. Thisâll ping the Symmetry with our location and theyâll direct a Pelican to pick us up. You have a landing pad outside?â[/p][p][/p][p]âWe do, so I suggest you all get to it now,â Agryna said. âIâll hold the fort here. If Nysa is going down, itâs my duty as Commander to go with it.â[/p][p][/p][p]Chief Engineer Roberts sighed, shaking her head. âNo, youâre not. Thereâs nothing left for bullets to do here. Weâve lost. The only thing left is to try to remove as much information from Iratus as possibleâthatâs my job.â[/p][p][/p][p]âHannah, you canâtââ[/p][p][/p][p]âActually, I can.â She stood up straighter, even as she was dwarfed by the average height of the Spartans in the room. âSorry Commander, but Iâm pulling rank. As head of cybersecurity dealing with a threat to humanity from a hostile artificial intelligence, my authority takes precedent in this situation.â[/p][p][/p][p]âWeâve got your back, Spartans,â Corporal Neely said from the adjacent room. âAnybody who wants to leave can do so. Those of us who stay will buy you the time you need.â The marines remained at their posts, resolute. âThat settles that.â[/p][p][/p][p]âIâm receiving a confirmation signal,â Vesco said. âSymmetryâs locked onto our beacon. We need to get moving.â[/p][p][/p][p]Agryna stood still for a moment, a storm of conflicting thoughts thundering through her head. She met the chief engineerâs gaze, nodded, and finally said, âIâm sorry.â[/p][p][/p][p]Roberts gestured for them to get going. âItâs my honor, Commander. Our honor.â She gave a wry smile. âNow get the hell out of here before I change my mind.â[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/d9ad039f5d78b42f1479736898348857b5abb515.png"][/p]PELICAN BRAVO-198 // 0441 HOURS
[p][/p][p]As the Pelican descended towards the landing pad outside the Academyâs primary complex, Jun-A266 saw buildings aflame, from which plumes of blackened smoke appeared as signal flares of devastation.[/p][p][/p][p]A few kilometers away, the lone Banished dreadnought loomed over the mountains.[/p][p][/p][p]âCaptain, you have that distraction we ordered?â Jun asked.[/p][p][/p][p]âWeâre ready on your mark.â[/p][p][/p][p]âFire at will.â[/p][p][/p][p]From the dreadnoughtâs starboard side, a shadow passed through the clouds at incredible speed. The Mulsanne-class frigate Fearful Symmetry was gunning for the Banished ship like a bullet as it unleashed its primary weapon, a brightlance reflex laser. This directed energy beam took the place of the more traditional magnetic accelerator cannon but was no less effective in the right scenarios.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun watched as a streak of white-blue energy erupted from between the frigateâs two booms, directly impacting the dreadnoughtâs starboard bow, temporarily overloading many of the shipâs systems. Symmetry then fired its rear thrusters as it passed over its target and disappeared into Nysaâs upper atmosphere.[/p][p][/p][p]âWeâre clear, initiate landing.â Jun ordered the pilot.[/p][p][/p][p]He headed into the Pelicanâs troop bay where Rosenda-A344, fully clad in her Mjolnir armor, finished inspecting a Hydra missile launcher. She grabbed a sniper rifle from the weapons rack and held it out to Jun.[/p][p][/p][p]It was with only a barely perceptible moment of hesitation that he accepted the rifle. Heâd been off the field for years; after the fall of Reach and the end of the Covenant War, he had chosen to serve as a recruiter for the next generation of humanityâs heroes. Though he still kept his skills sharp, he had fully believed it when Musa said to him in jest that he might be one of only a handful of Spartan old-timers that would end their career through retirement.[/p][p][/p][p]The galaxy, it seemed, had other plans, and called upon him to serve once more.[/p][p][/p][p]In truth, that was why he had sought out Rosenda. As a former member of Noble Team herself, prior to being transferred to special covert operations at the end of 2551, he needed somebody he could trust beyond any doubt to keep him at his best. He could count on one hand the number of other surviving Alpha Company membersâŠ[/p][p][/p][p]âTouchdown, Spartans,â the pilot called from the cockpit as the troop bay door opened.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun and Rosenda filed out of the Pelican and onto the tarmac of the Avery J. Johnson Academyâs landing pad. The central complex was scorched and the surrounding area was littered with wrecked, upturned vehicles, blazing fires, twisted metal and chunks of concrete strewn across the landing zone, along with several dead marines.[/p][p][/p][p]âSignal looks good,â Jun said as he glanced at his wrist-mounted UGPS device which was pinging the beacon that one of the Riftborn operatives had activated. âThey should be coming out any moment.â[/p][p][/p][p]âIn the meantime, letâs take care of that uninvited guest.â Rosenda pointed skywards as a Banshee scout began turning towards their location.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun levelled his sniper rifle and took aim at the target. The Kaelum Workshop models utilized by the Banished were tricky due to their reinforced plating covering the cockpit and wings.[/p][p][/p][p]Rosenda locked onto the attack flyer with her Hydra and fired four high-explosive gyroc missiles. The Banshee altered its trajectory as soon as the pilot saw them coming, but wasnât quite fast enough to avoid impact from two of the rockets on its armored wing, blasting it off.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun continued tracking it with his rifle, waiting for the right moment. The other two missiles that the Banshee had managed to avoid were still tracking their target, curving back around, prompting the pilot to accelerate and begin a series of convoluted arcing maneuvers.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun drew in a breath, his sniper rifleâs targeting reticle finding the weakest spot on the Bansheeâs damaged side where a bullet would pass through the armor. The two missiles overshot the aircraft once more, detonating from colliding with each other, and the Banshee levelled out. Before it could begin to turn back towards them, a muted crack came from Junâs sniper rifle and he watched with satisfaction as the vehicle entered a sudden nosedive, crashing into the ground and erupting into flame.[/p][p][/p][p]âYouâve still got it, old man,â Rosenda bumped him on the shoulder as she approached the Academyâs main entrance.[/p][p][/p][p]He wanted to say, âYouâre only a year younger than me, you know?â but at that moment the bulkhead door began to slide upwards. Jun kept his rifle trained on the door until he saw that four Spartans were making their way out of the atrium.[/p][p][/p][p]âI have visual confirmation of Commander Agryna and three other survivors,â Rosenda reported to Bravo-198âs pilot. âPrepare for dust-off.â[/p][p][/p][p]âTen-four. Weâre good to go as soon as youâre all aboard.â[/p][p][/p][p]There wasnât time for introductions, pleasantries, or platitudes. Jun simply signaled for the survivors to follow him as they made their way to the Pelicanâs rear bay.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun nodded to Spartan Vesco as he boarded the Pelican. Riftborn were typically deployed in pairs and there was no sign of an allied Sangheili with him. Vesco was then followed by Spartans Dinh, Eklund, and finally Agryna.[/p][p][/p][p]âWeâre good to go,â Rosenda said as she headed towards the cockpit. âLetâs get out of here.â[/p][p][/p][p]âWhere exactly are we going?â Agryna asked as the Pelican began to rise.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun turned to her, but Agrynaâs gaze remained fixed on the view of Nysa outside the troop bay doorâs viewport. âThis Pelican will take us to the Symmetry where we can see to immediate medical needs. Then weâre jumping back to Anvil Station. We can regroup and debrief there.â[/p][p][/p][p]As the Pelican accelerated into the atmosphere, the view of the Avery J. Johnson Academy became smaller with each passing second.[/p][p][/p][p]âI shouldâve stayed,â Agryna said in a hoarse whisper as they left Nysa behind.[/p][p][/p][p]Jun sank into a seat and exhaled. Heâd told himself those very same wordsâconsidered every permutation of how differently things mightâve turned out if he had stayed with his team during the fall of ReachâŠ[/p][p][/p][p]But they had orders, a duty to the greater mission of protecting humanity, and bigger battles to fight on the horizon.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/d4977d636e77b722be21aa016179485accc0dd63.png"][/p]
TRAINING GROUNDS LOCKER ROOM // 0448 HOURS
[p][/p][p]Corporal Agnes Neely, Private Patton, and a dozen other marines had taken up defensive positions in the room outside the AI lab. Two short flights of stairs led down to a dozen Spartan equipment lockers beside the bulkhead door to the training groundsâit was tight quarters but there was nowhere left to fall back to. Theyâd set up a few improvised barricades for all the good it would do, but there was no room for doubt here. This was their final stand.[/p][p][/p][p]The shutters were closed which cast the room in near total darkness, the only source of illumination coming from the underslung flashlights on the marinesâ assault rifles, all of which were directed towards the training yard door.[/p][p][/p][p]It seemed an ill omen that the muffled sounds of battle outside were dying down. The building no longer shook from Banshee strafing runs.[/p][p][/p][p]The enemy would be with them soon.[/p][p][/p][p]Neely caught Patton cursing himself in hoarse whispers as his hands shook while keeping his assault rifle aimed at the door. She couldnât blame him for being scaredâfor no doubt thinking that he shouldâve taken a spot on the Pelican and gotten the hell out of here. It seemed like it was easy to be brave and noble in the moment, but waiting in the quiet aftermath, suspended in the ever-shortening time they knew they had left, gave way to doubt.[/p][p][/p][p]Before she could offer so much as a reassuring hand on Pattonâs shoulder, something slammed against the bulkhead door with immense force, jolting the marines to attention.[/p][p][/p][p]Again and again, the door was pounded upon, causing the alloy to warp and bend inwards. It strained, creaked, and groaned with every thunderous impact, until one final effort on the other side broke through.[/p][p][/p][p]A shaft of light from the rising sun burst through the gap in the door, and a tall, armored figure stepped into the center, casting a long shadow over the marines.[/p][p][/p][p]Before Neely, Patton, or any of the others could react, the figure had entered the room and readied its weapon. The first impact came before a shot had even been fired as the figureâs Mutilator slammed against a barricade, the gravitic impact sending itâalong with the three marines behind itâinto the far wall. Metal struck flesh, bones snapped and broke, and the room then became momentarily lit by the muzzle flashes of their assault rifles responding to this intruder.[/p][p][/p][p]The Mutilator fired with a sonorous blast, ejecting over a dozen superheated spike pellets which buried themselves in Pattonâs left side, shredding through armor, cloth, and flesh. He didnât make a sound as he swayed on the spot for a moment before toppling from the stairs, blood pooling around him on the grated floor.[/p][p][/p][p]Neely could see the intruder more clearly now as it made its way up the first flight of stairs, launching two other marines with a concussive blast from the Mutilatorâs barrel-mounted gravity hammer. It looked like a Spartan, but the design of its Mjolnir was unmistakably based on Jiralhanae power armor.[/p][p][/p][p]Through the gap in the door, Neely spotted several other Jiralhanae entering the roomâa momentary distraction that took her eyes off the Banished Spartan.[/p][p][/p][p]The cost of that lapse was high. Neely suddenly felt a strong hand clamp down on her shoulder with a vice-tight grip and a second later, found the Mutilatorâs firing chamber pressed directly over her heart.[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38365036/8e505611980933210594346292f2c1579d12ffe7.png"][TAG-1036][/p]
AI LAB // 0500 HOURS
[p][/p][p]Ilsa Zane made her way to the center of the Academyâs AI lab.[/p][p][/p][p]Leaving overturned barricades and slumped bodies in her wake, the Banished Spartan dispassionately surveyed the results of the battle before turning to the matter at hand.[/p][p][/p][p]âBring her here, Praedus.â[/p][p][/p][p]A Jiralhanae captain snarled and pushed the Academy staff member towards the center of the room.[/p][p][/p][p]âAnd who do we have here?â Zane asked.[/p][p][/p][p]âIt seems like you already know.â Chief Engineer Hannah Robertsâs voice was shaky but direct.[/p][p][/p][p]âYes, Ms. Roberts, I do my homework.â Zane gestured to the console that contained Iratus. âNow be a dear and unshackle the construct.â[/p][p][/p][p]Sensing the engineerâs resistance, Zane clarified: âDo not mistake this conversation for negotiation. Waste my time and weâll both be disappointed with what happens next.â[/p][p][/p][p]âWhy are you doing this?â[/p][p][/p][p]âWe all have our reasons, Ms. Roberts. I was an orphan. I lost someone special. I chipped a tooth. I woke up on the wrong side of the fucking dreadnought. Take your pick.â[/p][p][/p][p]âLook, I understand why you might hate the Spartans, but itâs notââ[/p][p][/p][p]âSpare me the empathy engineering.â Zane interrupted. âThe construct. Now.â[/p][p][/p][p]âThe risks donât worry you?â Roberts pressed. âThis didnât exactly go well for the last person to put this thing inside his head.â[/p][p][/p][p]âOh, donât you worry about me. Iâm sure our friend here will find my accommodations far more inviting.â[/p][p][/p][p]Ilsa Zane had a history carved from hardship and long oddsâthis was no different, and her patience had reached its end. If the chief engineer had anything more to say, this time she kept it to herself. Moving stiffly to the central AI console, her hands moved swiftly and deliberately across the control panel. A few moments later, a telltale chime came from the dock and an AI chip was ejected from its console.[/p][p][/p][p]âThere,â Roberts uttered. âHeâs in there.â[/p][p][/p][p]Zane stepped forward, eyes fixed on the chip as she slowly removed it, silently inspecting its contours and the pulsing red light at the center.[/p][p][/p][p]âI hope you two are happy together.â Robertsâs reply suddenly seemed more confident, more defiant. Zane paid it no more than a passing consideration.[/p][p][/p][p]âYouâve got guts, Ms. Roberts, Iâll give you that.â Turning from both the chief engineer and the console, Zane gestured to Praedus as she departed back through the locker room. âTheyâre on the floor, but still, I respect it.â[/p][p][/p][p]The Banished Spartan did not bother to watch what happened next. She knew Praedus moved with his usual efficiency to do as she ordered. The wet sound of blood and viscera hitting the lab floorâthe last moments of Chief Engineer Hannah Robertsâbarely registered as she examined the AI chip a final time before inserting it into her helmetâs port.[/p][p][/p][p]The response was immediate. The edges of her vision grew red as an ice-cold sensation coursed through her nervous system and a new presence settled in her mind.[/p][p][/p][p]âGood morning, Iratus. Make yourself at home.â[/p] Forge Features
With ancient trees, alien motherships, and hogs from heck, this monthâs Forge Feature brings together a fabled selection of otherworldly arenas, PvE modes, and minigames fit for a ludic escape. Read on to explore our latest bookmarkable builds!
Superb Slayers
Yggdrasil's Judgment
Credits: Zlitchufdux
Bookmark
In this overgrown temple, play centers around a vertical chamber of layered walkways. Teleport pads will take you to the upper reaches, but first youâll have to determine which one goes where. Portals can be found on the mapâs outer wings near equipment dropsâbut you might find yourself gunned down beneath the gaze of the mighty World Tree.
Colonized
Credits: hotozi, Void Wars, Ieed5, ATAT505, OrcusGhxxlz, D3M0NSLAY3R7770
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A human mining colony learns firsthand not to disturb the Flood. This map expertly combines urban angles, mineral mounds, and Flood-infested biomass into a cohesive arena for small-scale deathmatches. Check out hotoziâs video walkthrough for a closer look.
Mini Mothership
Credits: LegendDingle, LegendChar94, LegendCamikaze, LegendBrauntley, LegendLoraxe, LegendJonezy
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In this symmetrical Slayer set aboard a damaged Covenant vessel, combat flows around a multi-level chamber featuring loads of alien eye candy. With low-slung cables for catwalks, floor-mounted escape hatches, and rounded kill-zones pearling the outer rim, there are plenty of places to take them to your leader.
Ecotone
Credits: Igrizhar, Cobra J24, JoValiant, Scrubulba, Mr IncrediJON, timmyforges
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Movement is the name of the game in this industrial shoot-em-up. Set on a frontier between the forest and the desert, this map offers plenty of obstacles, walkways, and overhangs for both cover and clambering. Get vertical and think quicklyâbecause someone can always find a shortcut faster than you can!
Potent PvE
Looking for Banished showdowns, Firefight maps, or a new narrative game mode? Check out these picks from popular PvE experiences.
The Failed Sword
Credits: TostEZ28
Bookmarks: Map | Mode
This lengthy mission invites you and your squad to raid a fortress alongside the Swords of Sanghelios. After clearing the fortified landing zone, youâll navigate through a vent maze, experience Sangheili Speed, and puzzle your way out of a duel with an angry Blademaster.
To rejoin your Elite allies, youâll have to escort Grunt VIPs, topple minibosses, choose your ending, and platform your way to the ramparts to sabotage a massive sentinel beam. If you manage to survive all that, thereâs still a ropes course between you and a final showdown.
Watch TostEZ28âs full video walkthrough.
Corbulo Academy
Credits: SilvervioletX98, Unusual Hiccup
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Axios! This stunning tribute to the Corbulo Academy from Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn boasts a nice open courtyard for Linear KOTH Firefight, plus plenty of Easter eggs for fans of the web series turned film. If you find time to catch your breath between waves, try finding the cadetsâ mess hall and the dead Elite from that scene in the locker room.
Golden Gate
Credits: RYL X RAiD3D, GlazedJJ, AndrewOGee, HachuThunder, Boss Bannon, OGSGTJohnson, Elite30 sw, zCobrvz, AGR DA XXXX, Ez eggs4181, Endingbassoon71, BIGP0RKBELLY
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The human settlement of San Francisco is under siege by the Banished! Fight your way across the gridlocked topside, through dripping maintenance tunnels, and down the twirling access stairs to the bridgeâs pylon. Filled with ample power weapons and equipment, this oversized map is perfect for squadding up in Firefight Classic.
Madcap Minigames
All war and no play makes dull Spartans. Bookmark these minigames for a few laughs!
Hogs From Heck
Credits: LudoHT, Scrubulba, Mr IncrediJON, Handsome Huber, DISTORTED JAKAL
Bookmarks: Map | Mode
A fan-favorite minigame redesigned with a repulsive twist. One team stands (well, quivers, really) on a platform surrounded by boiling lava, while their enemies launch Razorbacks at them from all directions. Thankfully, this updated mode equips Survivors with Repulsors, so they can rebuff the advances of those hellish âhogs (and probably launch an ally or two in the process). Mind those elbows, would you?
Slow-Motion Slayer
Credits: Disco_Lizard69
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John Halo teams up with John Wu. This action-packed Slayer variant features no jumping, extra long slides, slow-mo dives, and do-or-die descents. Kills donât count unless youâre sliding or diving like a hardboiled detective. Youâll regain shields with every shot landed while diving, and experience âMaxâ stopping power during slides. This time, itâs personal.
Stay tuned for another Forge Feature coming soon! To share your creations with the Halo Infinite community team, be sure to drop a link in the #forge-show-and-tell channel of our official Discord or post to r/Halo using the Forge tag.
Operation: Legacy
It's a blast from the past with a throwback-settings playlist, Grifball, a new, free 20 tier Operation Pass and more, all in Operation: Legacy, running from June 10 through July 8.
