Note: Click here for the Act I Walkthrough .

ACT II -----------------------------------------------------------------

Mission 04: Arcadia City

[Primary Objective: Clear Covenant from subway exit]

Things are pretty hairy down on the surface of Arcadia. You start the mission with Forge and a squad of Hornets. Order them east to fight the Covenant ravaging the people emerging from the subway system below the city streets. Elites are your primary enemy here, although some Grunts will get in your way too.

[Primary Objective: Protect civilians and cargo transports until launch]

Now that the people of Arcadia City can exit the subway system, you need to ensure that they make it to the transports alive; moreover, you have to protect those transports to prevent the Covenant from destroying them. There are three, as marked on the mini-map. What you want to do it clear the paths to each transport. Before you can do that, though, you need to clear out the Covenant pressing the third transport (marked as "3" on the mini-map). Quickly get Forge and the Hornets over to the evacuation zone to eliminate all of the Covenant surrounding the ship. When you're done, begin to clear the paths to each of the transport to allow evacuees to reach them with minimal Covenant resistance. Spartans help out immensely during the mission, even though you can't directly control them; they line the paths to the transports, engaging any Covenant that mess with the citizens. You shouldn't rely on them completely, though. Particularly if you intend to finish the mission with a maximum amount of evacuees, clear the paths and patrol them regularly to ensure as many citizens reach the transports as possible. If any of your transport get low in health, remember that you can use the Spirit of Fire's Heal & Repair power by pressing up on the directional pad. Be prepared for a nasty push by the Covenant in the last minute before evacuation. The transports can be whittled down from full health to nothing in a matter of seconds, so when the clock is down to 3-4 minutes, send all of your units to defend whatever transports remain. To complete the mission, you only need one transport to survive. When the timer reaches zero, the mission ends.

Optional Objective: Kill 50 Elites

Since Elites continuously spawn through the mission, attacking the transports and your bases (if you build any), you shouldn't have much difficulty killing 50. Just keep an eye out for any and nab them whenever you can.

Optional Objective: Rescue 500 civilians

As mentioned above, you need to ensure that both the transports remain intact and that citizens make it to them alive. Clear the way to each of the transports to guarantee that citizens aren't killed by Covenant as they run for the evacuation zone. Completing the objective becomes much harder if you lose one and especially two of the ships.

Optional Objective: Establish a base

About four minutes into the evacuation, Forge agrees with a suggestion to form a quick base for additional forces to fight back the Covenant from killing evacuees. A build site can be found near where Forge and the Hornets were positioned at the start of the mission. There shouldn't be any Covenant around, so it's an easy base to construct.

Optional Objective: Establish a second base

The second base build site is located to the east of the first. A small amount of Covenant are in the area due to its proximity to their base in the northeast corner of the map. Take any enemies out, order the base built, then patrol it until it's complete. When finished, make sure to build turrets for defense.

Optional Objective: Rescue 1000 civilians

Like the previous goal of 500, you need be focused on getting civilians to the transports alive. It's possible to do this with only two transports, but it's much better to preserve all three. Should you lose two transports, you won't be able to accomplish this objective.

Black Box--At the control panel for the elevator tower.

Skull--Upon killing 50 Elites, search the area around a bronze statue next to the second base you build when completing the optional objective. The skull is sitting on a flight of stairs next to the statue.

Mission 05: Arcadia Outskirts

[Primary Objective: Retreat to the southern crater]

When the mission starts, grab all of your units with the left bumper and start making your way down the highway. It's a good idea to twirl the camera around since the way to the crater is actually toward the foreground. Ignore the Covenant directly behind you, as they will break away once you get far enough down the highway. Right before you reach the crater's outer rim, a group of Covenant will attack from the front. Mop them up and enter the crater.

[Primary Objective: Secure the area by killing all Covenant in the crater]

Arrival at the crater signals another battle with the Covenant. There aren't many enemies to deal with, fortunately: some Grunt squads, a couple Hunters, and a Banshee. Once the crater is clear of Covenant, you're given a new objective.

[Primary Objective: Defend the crater until Omega Team arrives]

Keeping the crater under UNSC control means building a base and setting up perimeter defenses. Start by commissioning a supply pad to get resources flowing then upgrade the base to a station. Lay down turrets at the base's corners after the station upgrade has finished. When those are built, upgrade the turrets into anti-infantry flame mortars and anti-air missiles to deal with Covenant dumb enough to get within striking distance of the base. Next, raise a barracks and reactor. Start building up forces, building a vehicle depot when you have enough resources. While you do all of this, have your Spartans collect the supply boxes littering the crater. You want to build up a nice big group of Scorpions and Marines upgraded with rockets for advancing on the mega-cannon that the Covenant have built to the north of the crater. Omega Team won't arrive until you destroy that cannon. Be patient and raise up your army, then push north from the crater taking the path on the western side of the highway to reach the cannon. There are a lot of Covenant along the way, including Wraiths, so if you find your numbers dwindling head back and rebuild your forces up. Once the cannon is gone, Omega Team arrives.

[Primary Objective: Destroy the Covenant base and its guards]

The tough part is over. Now, all that needs to be done is make one final push against the Covenant to their base on the other end of the map. Replenish any lost units from the offensive on the cannon and continue north past its ruins. The Covenant should largely be wiped out, so mainly you need to deal with destroying the actual buildings making up the base. That isn't difficult if you drafted a bunch of Scorpions. Hunters and Grunts will harass you as they come out of the base, but they should stop you from obliterating it and completing the mission.

Optional Objective: Kill 5 Wraith tanks

Making your way to the Covenant base you can easily destroy 5 Wraiths. Along the main highway are a few and if you build a second base you will encounter another.

Optional Objective: Construct a second base

To the northwest of the crater where your primary base lies is a second base build site. There are Covenant forces patrolling the area, as well as the powerful mega-cannon that must be destroyed before any serious attempt at constructing the base is made. Additionally, make sure you have enough supplies to spend on a second base before doing so. You don't want to start building it and then find yourself out of cash to commission unit reinforcements during its construction.

Black Box--Located off the main road through the outskirts, down a ramp next to a downed Pelican.

Skull--Once 5 Wraiths have been destroyed, you can collect the skull by heading down the path to the left of your base. Continue forward when you reach the fork in the road to find the skull.

Mission 06: Dome of Light

[Primary Objective: Kill approaching Covenant infantry]

It will take you longer to read this than actually wipe out the Covenant approaching your base. To the northeast of your crew's starting position are the infantry. Just move your guys in that direction and take them out.

[Primary Objective: Request a Rhino at the landing pad]

Anders needs you to commission a Rhino and get it in place to fire on the dome. You can start by ordering the Rhino from the highlighted pad.

[Primary Objective: Get the Rhino to the first position]

Once the Rhino has been delivered, you want to escort it to the first position directly north of the base. It's the same spot shown during the mission's opening cinematic. Unsurprisingly, Covenant forces are guarding the area including Banshees which can be difficult to target. You're welcome to push to the first position using the forces granted to you from the start of the mission, but that will leave you thin on units. It's best to start bulking up on Marines and start working on a vehicle depot. Build defenses for your base: anti-air turrets and a couple squads of Marines to hang back while you escort the Rhino. Covenant will consistently move to attack the base, so don't allow it to go undefended. When you have enough units, escort the Rhino north, clear out the Covenant guards, and put it in position.