Editing The Covenant (level)/Walkthrough

The recommended active [[Halo 3 skulls|skulls]] for this mission are Tough Luck, Fog, Famine, Tilt, Thunderstorm, and Mythic. Those wishing to maximize points should activate the Tough Luck skull, which is only a slight inconvenience; and Famine, which makes the third tower much more difficult, but is worth the modifier. You should always go through this level at least twice before considering to activate the Fog skull—the opening battle and indoor firefights could be irritating, since it is fairly easy for enemies to flank you. Thunderstorm is a good choice for skilled players—it may slow your progress with the number of promoted opponents, but the additional points are a more-than-reasonable compensation. Tilt is normally an irritation during head-on battles, but if you use [[Plasma Pistol]]s or [[Needler]]s against [[Brutes]], and [[Type-50 particle beam rifle]]s against the first two [[Brute Chieftain]]s, you'll barely notice that the skull is active. For Mythic, you'll need more ammo to take out enemies like the Brutes, but the score is doubled to compensate. Remember this: when Mythic is activated, it doesn't protect them from headshot kills. In addition, Mythic will strengthen the Arbiter's health and shield. If you don't want it to be too hard, either activate Famine ''or'' Mythic, not both.

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|colspan=1|'''Player V<br />Starting Point >'''

|colspan=1|'''Mission Start<br />Respawn'''

|colspan=1|'''Rally Point Alpha<br />Respawn'''

|colspan=1|'''Rally Point Bravo<br />Respawn'''

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|colspan=1|'''[[John-117|Master Chief]] Primary Weapon<br />Solo'''

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|colspan=1|'''Master Chief Secondary Weapon<br />Solo'''

|colspan=1| [[Magnum#Halo_3|M6G Magnum]]

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|colspan=1|'''Master Chief Grenades<br />Solo'''

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|colspan=1|'''Master Chief Primary Weapon<br />Co-op'''

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|colspan=1|'''Master Chief Secondary Weapon<br />Co-op'''

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|colspan=1|'''Master Chief Grenades<br />Co-op'''

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|colspan=1|'''Thel 'Vadam Primary Weapon<br />N'tho 'Sraom Primary Weapon<br />Usze 'Taham Primary Weapon'''

|colspan=1|[[Type-50 particle beam rifle|Beam Rifle

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|colspan=1|'''Thel 'Vadam Secondary Weapon<br />N'tho 'Sraom Secondary Weapon<br />Usze 'Taham Secondary Weapon'''

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|colspan=1|'''Thel 'Vadam Grenades<br />N'tho 'Sraom Grenades<br />Usze 'Taham Grenades'''

|colspan=1| 2 {{Pattern|Anskum|plasma grenade}}

|colspan=1| 2 {{Pattern|Anskum|plasma grenade}}

|colspan=1| 2 {{Pattern|Anskum|plasma grenade}}

The [[John-117|Master Chief]] and a few [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers|ODST]]s are hastily dropped off by [[Kilo 023|a Pelican]], the former equipped with a [[BR55HB SR Battle Rifle|Battle Rifle]] and a [[Spartan Laser]], and the latter armed with mostly [[Assault Rifle]]s and Battle Rifles, although there is one ODST with a Shotgun.  

Return to your starting position. Your allies should be combating a band of Grunts and a Brute armed with a [[Brute Shot]]. You can use your Battle Rifle to get rid of the latter, but using a Plasma Pistol or Needler is easier—you should find some among the corpses to you right.

Run around the rocks to the right and clear out any surviving Grunts from cover. Then dispatch any others up ahead from a distance with your Battle Rifle. Don't move up the hill ahead—a [[War Chieftain|Brute War Chieftain]] wielding a [[Fuel Rod Gun]] will be waiting for you. If he fires, duck back into cover.

Take out the two Brute bodyguards with your Battle Rifle, and then head to the cliff wall to the far right. Carefully climb the slope, and choose a spot in which you can get a full view of the War Chieftain. Eliminate him with your Spartan Laser. If he has yet to notice you, score a shot to his head without difficulty. If he is aware of your presence, you'll generally have to dodge incoming Fuel Rods as you aim and charge up the laser beam. It is vital that you have at least one remaining shot. Keep a close eye on the {{Pattern|Ogab'd|anti-aircraft Wraith}}—you'll have to immediately duck back into cover if it fires.

The Wraith should be your final target. Sneak over carefully, board it from behind and pummel it with melee attacks. Don't bother risking a frontal charge, or engaging the attention of the driver—it is rare the one survives a barrage of those lethal green blasts. There is a Spartan Laser in the Pelican's wreckage but it is only there on easy or normal difficulty.

[[File:John 117 Master Chief Petty Officer.jpg|thumb|250px|Make sure the Marine riding shotgun wields the Spartan Laser.]]

As you push forward towards the bottom of the slope ahead, {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s will move in to attack. Again, reverse and let your passenger with the Spartan Laser skewer them. When the path splits in two, take the route to your left. Park at the spot where the two paths meet, and let your Marine have a clear shot at the Shade emplacement. Drive up and let your turret operator mow down the infantry. They should also be easy work for the Marine wielding the Fuel Rod Gun.

As you reach the high pass above the entrance to the Forerunner building, you will encounter two Grunts. One on a Ghost, another is on foot. Neutralize them both without moving any further along the path. This is a battle in which you'll ''really'' begin to appreciate the help that your passenger provides. The [[Zurdo-pattern Wraith|Wraith]] below and to your left will bombard your position with its main cannon as soon as it notices your arrival. Carefully drive off the edge, and give your passenger a clear shot at the Wraith. Keep in mind that landing your Warthog upside down could end in it being blown up. A few direct hits should destroy the tank, but having the luxury of being able to sit there and watch your allies do all the work is a rare opportunity—you'll have to drive fast and precisely to dodge incoming mortars, but still give your passenger a clear view of the Wraith.

Multiple Grunts and [[Kig-yar|Jackal]]s are in the next room, so use your Battle Rifle ammunition wisely. Take cover behind the screen and pick off the nearest Grunts. Pull out your Beam Rifle and land a headshot on the Brute before he retreats. If you fail, use grenades to flush him out from cover. You should aim to kill all adversaries in sight, including those on the upper walkway. When the area is visually clear, take the left route. Two Jackals armed with [[Covenant Carbine|Carbines]] will be situated at the opposite end. Other remaining infantry will usually be congregated around the doorway. Toss a grenade into their midst and finish off any survivors with the Battle Rifle. You should be running low on bullets now, so replace your Battle Rifle with a Carbine, and collect all the ammo you can before proceeding past the doorway.

Cautiously walk up the slope; there are Grunts and Jackals awaiting your arrival. There is also a further group that attacks from the floor level above. Hang back around the corner and shoot targets in the immediate vicinity first. Disable the Brute—or, at the very least, his armor—with the Beam Rifle, but choose your shots carefully, as you'll need to save this weapon's very limited battery supply for the next battle. If the opportunity arises, blow up the [[Fusion Coil]]s on each levels to take out multiple enemies at once.

Jump ''past'' the elevator and into the room containing the [[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminal]]. Collect more Carbine ammo and access the Terminal—remember, [[Terminal (Halo 3)|it isn't fully accessed until the screen turns red]]. Get on the elevator, and ride up.

Guarding the control console will be several Brutes and a Chieftain wielding a [[Gravity hammer (fiction)|gravity hammer]]. Sounds hazardous, but you'd be well equipped for the situation. Take cover behind the transparent barrier and snipe the first few Brutes who rush in the attack. If you're not confident in your sniper skills, shoot their bodies before finishing them off with the Carbine.

On the way out of the building, you'll find Marines combating a small Covenant force by the exit. Shoot these from above as your elevator descends. Your allies tend to struggle more against Jackals, it helps to eliminate those first. Don't risk throwing grenades, though—the Marines may get caught in the blast. When the Covenant reinforcements are finished, collect the [[Power Drain]] beside the Terminal you accessed earlier—get rid of your Cloaking if you still have it. Also, swap your used Beam Rifle with a fresh one on the dispenser before returning to the beach.

This is the part where you can [[glitch]] out of the level and take a little [[vacation]]. Get into a Ghost, and using the boost, fly on top of the tower, using the destroyed Shade turret as a starting point. Once there, jump up onto the next part of the tower, and then [[Explosive jumping|Explosive Jump]] onto the yellowish part and keep walking up until you are forced off of it—it's okay, you're supposed to fall off. When you do, walk to your right until you can successfully walk up the mountain; from there, walk up the cliff until you are at the invisible barrier. Walk left to a corner, where you will see blurry images; go down that corner and the game should freeze and say "Loading..."

[[File:Flying Hornet Laser FuelRod.jpg|thumb|250px|Two Marines on the Hornet; one with a Spartan Laser, and one with a Fuel Rod Gun.]]

From takeoff, ascend to maximum height straight away—it's hard to see, let alone shoot, Banshees operating at a high level when you make a low level approach. Also, flying high keeps you save from the Anti-Air Wraith and its accompanying Brutes on the small island below. You can deal with them once the initial squad of Banshees has been shot down. As you engage, saturate enemies with fire by holding down '''RT''' and pressing '''LT''' every three seconds; even if they are out of range, you can still damage enemies.

The second tower contains both a Terminal and the Thunderstorm skull. Make sure you collect these before flying past, because once you've made it to the next area, there's no going back—literally, a loading point will prompt some invisible barriers to show up behind you. Around the cliff corner, yet another small force of Banshees will engage you. Remain out of their attack range, only coming closer to fire your rockets, but retreating when your foes decide to make an attack run. Once all the major aerial threats have been neutralized, destroy the [[Phantom]] before bombarding the land-based force protecting the third tower.

The three Wraiths should be your top priority, most notably the Anti-Air one. Make sure you continue strafing when firing at it. Always keep on the move—it's embarrassing to be destroyed by a normal Wraith's mortars because you stayed in one position for too long. You don't actually need the automatic lock-on feature of your Hornet's rockets—they stay in one position, so manual aiming will suffice.

When only a few Brutes remain, a group of [[Elite]]s will land and engage them on solid ground. When firing, be careful not to accidentally hit them, and refrain from launching any rockets—the chances of friendly fire are very high.

On your way to the elevator, a fairly large force of Brutes will attempt to stop you in your tracks. The advance party will consist of three or four of them. The others will be waiting through the next door. Welcome the initial attack force with a grenade, then finish them off with barrages of needles. The survivors (if any), will retreat back up the walkway. Stay at the bottom of the slope until your adversary decides to rush you again. Remind him of why that is a bad idea. It seems the best way to tell him is through a grenade explosion. Use the [[Spike Grenade|Spike]] variety if you have any—you will probably be able to replenish your supply using the corpses of Brutes.

The following battle is similar to that in the first tower. Pull out your Beam Rifle as your short elevator journey has finished, then land three headshots on the War Chieftain to eliminate him. This one carries a {{Pattern|Pek|plasma cannon}} turret, so it may be a little more difficult to get  a clear shot without much disturbance. Stay behind the transparent barrier, and wait patiently as each [[Brute Stalker]] moves into the open. In this light, they're actually quite easy to see, so pick them off with your Beam Rifle.

Make sure you grab two [[Mauler]]s to [[dual wield]] at the weapons dispenser before you deactivate the shield barrier. A cutscene will play, as large, damaged chunks of the [[Flood]]-infected ''[[High Charity]]'' will crash through the window, releasing [[Flood combat form|Combat]] and [[Pod infector|Infection Forms]].

As soon as the cutscene ends, temporarily drop one of the Maulers and grab the Plasma Cannon dropped by the War Chieftain. Constantly fire as Combat Forms charge at you. This will be especially useful when encountering the shielded variety. It may be difficult to handle the Infection Forms as you concentrate on the more deadly targets, so expect them to reanimate the corpses of the Brutes you dispatched earlier. Once the area is visibly clear, drop the turret, pick up your second Mauler, and head towards the elevator. Be careful—there may be more Combat Forms hidden out of sight.

If you performed the Two Arbiters glitch, get in the Warthog and get the two Arbiters to ride in the Warthog. You can get to the Hornets without killing any enemies; all of the enemies will be instantly killed. The only real threat will be the Wraith plasma cannon; it will usually drain or badly damage your shield.

Here you will be faced with a choice. You can either stay in your Scorpion (or chosen vehicle) or get out and commandeer or ride one of the Hornets. Two [[Deutoros-pattern Scarab|Scarab Tank]]s will drop out of the sky, shortly followed by two Ghosts as support, so you'll be forced to decide quickly.

If you stay in the Scorpion, you trade mobility for firepower, and may have to find a new ride after you take the first Scarab down due to all the enemy fire you'll be taking. With the Hornet, on the other hand, it is possible to destroy the Scarab Tank without even boarding it; simply concentrate your fire on the armor covering the Scarab's rear. If the rear armor takes enough damage, it will fall off, revealing the Scarab's vulnerable core and allowing you to quickly finish it off. This strategy works well on both Scarabs—as long as you keep moving and do not allow its front or rear turrets to hit you—and also allows you to pick off the Ghosts that travel below.

When the two Scarabs are down, you'll get a waypoint up the short flight of stairs in front of the Citadel, where the Arbiter and [[343 Guilty Spark]] are disembarking. The Monitor will activate an energy bridge to the main structure; run across it and enter through the door, where you will receive a [[Cortana Moment]] before activating a cutscene.

When the cutscene ends, aim for the two Combat Forms that leap out from above—remember to aim for the Infection Form in their chests to take them down quickly. Proceed across the energy bridge and engage the Flood. Infection Forms will swarm the area, so if you have an Assault Rifle, dual-wielded {{Pattern|Okarda'phaa|plasma rifle}}s, or other rapid-firing weapons, let the Arbiter draw their fire and attention for the moment and proceed to kill as many as you can. Switch back to a powerful, accurate weapon and engage the Flood, aiming for the Infection Forms in their chest, and make sure to keep on the lookout for mobile [[Infection Forms]] reviving dead Combat Forms. Proceed through the door and into the small chamber, where another [[Cortana Moment]] will occur.

 

 

 

You may have noticed that each ring hologram plays a subtle hum that is actually a note. If you're musically inclined, you may even recognize the notes as B, D♭/C♯, D, E, G♭/F♯, and A, with the higher notes nearer to the activation platform.

The skull carries several hints as to what to do. IWHBYD has seven letters, The Covenant is the seventh mission, the room where IWHBYD is found has seven giant holographic rings, and you need to play seven notes. A subtle musical hint is heard just after the Arbiter kills Truth, plus a second, much less subtle musical hint at the end of the mission.

The hints are coming together on what to do, but one question still remains: How do you ''play'' these notes? The answer is very simple: Jump through the ring corresponding to the note you wish to play. The sequence of notes you should play is E, G, G♭/F♯, E, G♭/F♯, D, and E in that order. In other words, jump through rings 4 6 5 4 5 3 4 in that order, with higher ring numbers being closer to the activation platform.

If you have decided to play these notes yourself on a musical instrument, you might recognize these notes: they are the last seven notes of the Halo Melody! Once you have played the notes correctly, the rings will start to flash sequentially toward the light bridge. Follow their lead and you will find the IWHBYD skull waiting for you just in front of the light bridge. Pick it up and watch the rings repeat the famous melody you just played before starting to glow. Now all you have to do is take the skull with you to the shaft.

==Cooperative Walkthrough (Including [[Terminal (Halo 3)|Terminal]] locations)==

[[John-117|Master Chief]] should switch to his Battle Rifle, and headshot some Grunts, while the Arbiter uses his Beam Rifle to snipe some Brutes. Take down the first flank, and move on. Chief, it's a good idea to Spartan Laser those turrets, while Arbiter does some more sniping on the bigger guys. When the Chief's done with the Laser, he should give it to Stacker, who loves it. There should be a new one by the crashed Pelican. Waste the other enemies, and the Chief should [[Drive an AA Wraith|hijack the Anti-Air Wraith]] while the Arbiter drives the Warthog that Hocus drops off. Give the dead Brute's Fuel Rod Gun to a Marine.

The Arbiter should grab that [[Cloaking]]—you'll see why later. Move up. Take the Brute Shot, but once you finish its small supply of ammo, return for your previous weapon.

Now kill the guy with the Plasma Cannon. Since he can take down your shields very quickly, sticking him with a firebomb grenade would be ideal, and deactivate the tower. Watch the cutscene, where 'Vadum is about to kill Truth, but ''High Charity'' arrives. He yells "Brace for impact!", while it flies over him. A chunk of it smashes through the Chief's window (where the hell is Arbiter?), and the Flood, appear, once again.

Truth's last two Scarabs are deployed, protected by Banshees, Ghosts, and Prowlers. It's going to be tough.

Each player should aim for one Scarab respectively. Continuously shoot one leg until it's down, and missile the power core. Fly away from the dual explosions, and fly for the ramp. Wave goodbye to the nice Marines, ODSTS, Pilots, and Elites, who the Chief will never fight alongside again, and cross the bridge Spark just activated. Watch the cutscene, and prepare to take revenge on the enemy who took the life of a young commander.

The Chief still has four shots for the laser, and he should use one on the Chieftain. Move into the empty area, and activate the bridge.

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[[Category:Halo 3 walkthroughs]]