Editing Tip of the Spear

{{Status|Gameplay}}

{{disambig header|the level|the soundtrack|Tip of the Spear (music)}}

{{Level infobox

|prev=''[[Nightfall]]''

|next=''[[Long Night of Solace (level)|Long Night of Solace]]''

|name='''''Tip of the Spear'''''

|image=[[File:HR TipOfTheSpear Loadscreen.png|300px]]

|player=[[Spartan_(multiplayer)#Campaign_and_Firefight|Noble Six]]

|date=[[2552#August|August 12, 2552]]

|place=[[Szurdok Ridge]], [[Ütközet]], [[Reach]]

|objective=Neutralize [[Covenant]] [[Cheru-pattern Tyrant|AA cannons]] and disable [[Spire One]]'s [[Energy shielding|shield]].

{{Article quote|Two massive armies clash! Time to go to war against the Covenant.}}

"'''Tip of the Spear'''" is the fifth [[Campaign]] level in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/110/1109806p1.html|Site=IGN|Page=Deep Into the Halo: Reach Campaign}}{{Ref/Site|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|URL=http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/haloreach/video/6272121/halo-reach-interview--campaign|Site=Gamespot|Page=Halo: Reach}}

The level opens with [[Auntie Dot]] briefing [[Noble Team]] on the situation: A large Covenant invasion force has been discovered in the [[Viery Territory]], and a [[Order of battle (Viery, Reach)|joint UNSC military force]] has been mobilized to counter them across the continent. Noble Team's mission is to destroy [[Spire One]], one of many [[Deployment spire|large towers]] the Covenant have placed around their landing zone. [[SPARTAN-B312|Noble Six]] and [[Catherine-B320]] lead the charge at the Covenant positions, and destroy two [[Cheru-pattern Tyrant|Covenant anti-air guns]]. Noble Six, manning a Falcon's gunner seat, then joins [[Jorge-052]] as they make their way to the Spire. As their Falcon passes through the Spire's [[Energy shielding|energy shield]], the craft is disabled by an [[Electromagnetic pulse|EMP]] which sends it crashing to the ground, killing the crew and forcing the Spartans to continue on foot. Jorge and Six eventually make their way to the Spire, where the installation is revealed to be a [[Slipspace translocation|teleportation terminal]], used by the Covenant to transport troops to the ground from a yet-unknown source. After deactivating Spire One's energy shield, Six leaves the area on a Falcon accompanied by [[Carter-A259]] and Jorge-052 as the {{UNSCShip|Grafton}} destroys the Spire. Immediately after the tower collapses, the ''Grafton'' is destroyed by the previously cloaked [[Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier|Covenant ''CSO''-class supercarrier]] ''[[Long Night of Solace]]''.

''A convoy of more than thirty [[M12 Warthog|Warthogs]], a [[M274R Mongoose|Mongoose]], four [[M808C Scorpion|Scorpion]]s,  along with several [[UH-144 Falcon|Falcons]] and two [[D77-TC Pelican|Pelicans]] advance across a bare plain.''

''The Warthogs, led by Kat and Noble Six, charge towards the Covenant landing zone, followed by a group of Falcons. Carter is revealed to be on board a Falcon overlooking the Warthog driven by Kat. Noble Six rides shotgun in Kat's Warthog.''

'''''Note:''' At this point, the subtitles show Jun saying, "Time to bake that cake we made last night!" The dialogue was confirmed by Bungie to have been a last-minute change.{{Ref/YouTube|Id=CamPre|FTQwXVgNHLo|Bungie|Halo: Reach Campaign Preview}}''

*'''[[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Catherine-B320]]''': "Copy that. Acquiring signal lock on the [[Stealth pylon|pylon]]. Detonating in three, two..."

''[[Banshees]] swoop down on the convoy and open fire, while Wraiths lob mortar rounds from a distance. The gunners on the Warthogs retaliate, firing at the Banshees. {{Pattern|Zurdo|Wraith}} mortar rounds tear into the convoy and destroy several of the advancing vehicles. Kat and Noble Six dodge the mortar fire, and turn towards a [[Bridge (structure)|bridge]] across a deep chasm, but as they prepare to cross, a plasma mortar destroys the bridge.''

*'''Carter-A259 (COM)''': "Kat, be advised: [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] has ID'd two hostile [[Cheru-pattern Tyrant|anti-aircraft guns]] southwest of your location."

*'''Auntie Dot (COM)''': "Which would mean a strike by the [[UNSC frigate|frigate]] ''[[UNSC Grafton|Grafton]]'' is also out of the question."

''As they approach the gun, a furious battle can be seen in the valley below. Three [[Deutoros-pattern Scarab|Scarab]]s and multiple {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}}s, Wraiths, and Banshees are exchanging fire with a large group of Warthogs, Scorpions, and Falcons.''

*'''Carter-A259 (COM)''': "New intel, Six. Looks like normal weapons won't dent those AA guns."

''Kat and Noble Six eliminate the Covenant troops in the area.  Six then goes into the base of the AA gun and destroys its power core. They make a quick exit as the gun begins to overload.''

===Hand Over Fist===

 

*'''Carter-A259 (COM)''': "Noble Six, there's a mining facility near your location.  Covenant are using it as a command outpost. Troopers on site have already engaged."

''The Spartans move farther into the facility, eventually finding the Zealot - one of the [[Devoted Sentries]].''

''Kat and Six move outside to find two [[Unggoy]], three Ghosts, and a [[Rizvum-pattern Revenant|Revenant]]. When Noble Six exits the mining facility, the two Grunts attempt to escape in the Ghosts but are quickly eliminated. Six and Kat commandeer the Revenant (or continue on foot) and proceed down the trail, encountering Covenant forces as they go.''

''Kat and Six arrive at the second AA cannon and engage a large amount of Covenant forces, including two Wraiths, a [[Mgalekgolo]] pair, and a swarm of [[Drones]]. A Falcon flies overhead and assists in clearing the area before suffering the same consequence the previous Falcon did near the first AA cannon; shot down by the AA cannon.''

''Noble Six mans one of the Falcon's [[M460 automatic grenade launcher]]s.''

===The Spire===

 

''Noble Six eventually makes it to one of the gravity lifts, sending them up to the top of the spire.''

''The Falcon flees the scene. As the shattered UNSC ''Grafton'' falls to the ground, a [[Covenant supercarrier]], the ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', is revealed to be holding position over the destroyed Spire.''

*It is possible for the player to kill himself/herself during the [[cutscene]] after the Falcon goes through the Spire by continuously firing the grenade launcher at the shield. When the player goes through the shield, they will hear their shields collapse and will be brought back to the previous checkpoint. In Co-op, the player who shot the shield will die instantly once the gameplay starts again in the crash site.

*The "[[Tip of the Spear vacation]]" can be done on this level.

*In the cutscene in which the Falcon crashed, Noble Six looks to their left, and sees the damaged rotor of the second crashed Falcon over the small hill to their left. When gameplay starts however, it cannot be seen. In fact, the second Falcon's crash site is too far to be seen from the first Falcon's crash site.

*''Tip of the Spear'' was alluded to in a [[Bungie Weekly Update]] before the release of ''Halo: Reach''; Campaign Design Lead Chris Opdahl hinted at a level with the initials "TotS" likely becoming an instant favorite among fans.{{Ref/Site|URL=http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=27328|Site=Bungie.net|Page=Bungie Weekly Update: 07.16.10|D=25|M=07|Y=2010}}

*There was an early bug in development where the gunner of the Warthog that falls into the chasm in the beginning cutscene will fire at Kat's hips as the Warthogs crashes into the cliff.{{Ref/Reuse|Id=CamPre}}

*This is the third of four levels (the others being "[[Winter Contingency]]", "[[ONI: Sword Base]]", and "[[The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn]]") where the [[MA37 Individual Combat Weapon System|assault rifle]] has more than the usual 288 rounds; in this case, it carries 568 rounds on both solo and [[Cooperative Play]].

*The musical track that plays when the player travels to the first Tyrant is not present in the [[Halo: Reach Original Soundtrack]]. The track itself has the same percussion beat as the [[Halo Theme]], and [[Martin O'Donnell]] humorously called it the "Halo Driving Music".{{Ref/Reuse|Id=CamPre}}

*This level marks the first appearance of the [[Deutoros-pattern Scarab|Scarab]] in ''Halo: Reach'', although it is not fought by the player. The Scarabs in the distance have a single looping walking animation, but they do not move anywhere. When the Longswords bomb them, the Scarabs are destroyed but do not have a destruction animation.

*The Covenant Spire that Noble Six destroys is the central location for the multiplayer Invasion map ''[[Spire (map)|Spire]]''.

File:HR_WarthogCharge_Concept_1.jpg|Early concept art of the level's opening scene.

File:HR_WarthogCharge_Concept_2.jpg|Finalized concept art of the level's opening scene.

File:HR_TipOfTheSpear_Concept.jpg|Concept art of the level's first playable area.

File:HR TotSSpireConcept.jpg|Concept art of the Spire at the end of the level, also used as the campaign menu background for the level in ''Halo: Reach''.

 

File:HR TotS CovDefenses.jpg|Banshees and a Spirit flying above Covenant ground forces.

File:HR TotS Uphill.jpg|A Falcon draws attention from Covenant ground forces.

File:HR TotS Uphill 2.jpg|Two Banshees flying overhead.

File:Reach TotS Env.jpg|The Tyrant, defended by Kig-Yar and Unggoy.

File:Reach TotS RocketHog.jpg|The Rocket Warthog's gunner firing at a Ghost.

File:Reach-Rocket Warthog.jpg|Front view of the Rocket Warthog.

File:HR TotS RocketHogVsRevenant.jpg|The Rocket Warthog faces off against a Revenant.

File:HR TotS TyrantDestruction.jpg|First-person view of the Tyrant's explosion.

File:Reach TotS FP02.jpg|First-person view while a Phantom arrives at the destroyed Tyrant.

File:HR BXRBridgeAssault.jpg|Covenant troops defending the bridge leading into the BXR mining facility.

File:HR BXRBattle.jpg|Kat and Six clearing the mining facility of Covenant troops.

File:HR SpireAssault1.jpg|Six fighting a Sangheili Minor at the base of the Spire.

File:HR SpireAssault3.jpg|Six clearing the top floor of the Spire.

File:Spire MAC'd.jpg|UNSC ''Grafton'' destroys the Spire with a MAC round.

File:ToTS_Ending.jpg|The decloaked ''Long Night of Solace'' reveals itself.

{{Ref/Sources}}