Arcadia City

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Arcadia City
Game:	Halo Wars
Player:	James Cutter
Date:	February 9th, 2531
Location:	Pirth City, Arcadia, Procyon System
Objective(s):	Clear Covenant from Subway Exit. Protect Civilians and Cargo Transports until launch. Optional: Kill 50 Elites. Establish a Base. Establish a Second Base. Rescue 500 Civilians. Rescue 1000 Civilians.
	Halopedia has a walkthrough guide for this level; see Arcadia City/Walkthrough.

Arcadia City is the fourth campaign mission in Halo Wars. It takes place in Pirth City on the planet Arcadia.

This level introduces several features, including Spartans (uncontrollable), defensive objectives, and the ability to deploy multiple Herons simultaneously.

Transcript

{All It Did Was Point}

View of the outside of the Template:UNSCship. Cuts to the Observation Deck, with a The Spirit paper open, where Cutter, Anders and Serina are having a discussion.

• Captain James Gregory Cutter: "So, all it did was point here?"

• Professor Ellen Anders: "In the thirty seconds I had to examine the Artifact? Yes, all it did was point at a second star system."

A viewscreen shows up, displaying a planetary system.

• Serina: "Arcadia colony, to be precise. Population a little under three-million, largely unexplored, but apparently quite the vacation resort."

• Anders: "There's something there, Captain, and I think it's important we get to it before the Covenant do."

• Cutter: "Our orders are to investigate Harvest. We still don't know a lot about what's going on down there."

• Anders: "I understand that Captain, but everything I see here tells me that we need to get to Arcadia to figure this out."

• Cutter: "Very well, Professor. I'll clear it with Admiral Cole. Serina, set course for Arcadia."

Cutter leaves the room, Serina looks at Anders.

• Serina: "Aye, sir. Crazy mystery trip to Arcadia plotted in, spinning up FTL drive."

Anders, annoyed, looks away from Serina and to the viewscreen.

• Anders: "Serina, get out of my lab."

The Spirit of Fire approaches Arcadia.

Fades to black, and to Spirit of Fire approaching a planet.

PROCYON SYSTEM

ARCADIA

FEBRUARY 9TH 2531

Captain Cutter enters the Spirit's bridge.

• Cutter: "Serina? Situation update, please."

Serina brings up a hologram of Arcadia and a few ship markers.

• Serina: "Two Covenant vessels came out of slipspace near Arcadia. The Belfast, Pillar of Autumn, Texas and Armstrong engaged immediately and caught one with its shields down. We lost the Texas and Belfast, the Armstrong is venting atmosphere and the Autumn is badly damaged. The second vessel is engaged in surface activity."

• Cutter: "What kind of surface activity?"

• Serina: "Unknown. Wait, I'm getting a signal. Audio only."

• Arcadian Patrol (COM): "We're being overrun! Alien forces are inside the city limits and approaching the spaceport. We're still evacuating civilians, we need help!"

• Serina: "Getting visuals now, Captain."

Captain Cutter walks over to a monitor to see various images of the battle, and eventually a group of Spartan-IIs, most likely Team Omega, engaging enemies off screen.

• Cutter: "Serina, launch pods. Bring the ship to alert."

{Gameplay}

Scene cuts to Arcadia surface, Covenant forces are engaging civilians and transports, with three Spartans trying to fight off the enemy forces.

• Arcadian Patrol (COM): "Spirit of Fire, this is Arcadian patrol, civilians entering the city are being blocked by hostile forces. We need to clear that area, can you assist?"

A Pelican drops Forge's Warthog off with several Hornets to assist.

• Sergeant John Forge: "Arcadia ground control, this is Forge. We're inbound to aid in evacuation efforts, help is on the way!"

• Arcadian Patrol: "It's a blood bath here! We need some cover now!"

Forge and the Hornets clear the area.

• Arcadia Ground Control: "This is Ground control, Covenant are closing in, prepare emergency launch protocols, mark."

Evacuation launch countdown started.

• Cargo Three Pilot (COM): "Cargo Three, we're all alone out here! Can't you guys hurry up?"

The UNSC forces assist, clearing some of the hostiles, but more Covenant assault the transports. After a while:"

• Cargo Three Pilot (COM): "Cargo Three, I've gotta get this bird in the air soon, we're dead down here."

The UNSC forces continue to fight the attacking Covenant. Suddenly:

{In-game Cutscene}

• Cargo Three Pilot (COM): "Cargo Three under fire! Screw the evac, proceeding with emergency launch."

Cargo Three lifts off, leaving some civilians behind, and almost immediately hit by Banshee fire.

• Cargo Three Pilot (COM): "We're hit! We're hit! Somebody help! Plea-"

Cargo Three's middle section explodes, and the the debris hit the ground.

{Gameplay}

• Jerome-092 (COM): "Spirit of Fire, Red Team. the Covenant are getting control of the city fast, suggest setting up new ground operations."

• Forge: "Spirit, Forge here, I agree. We got room to get a base up and running?"

• Serina: "I've mapped some locations suitable for base deployment, make sure the area is clear."

Forge and the others make their way to one of the base locations, engaging various Covenant forces along the way, and the base is soon constructed.

• Forge: "We're here to save as many civilians as we can, but there is no way we can save them all."

• Arcadian Patrol: "The civilians have no cover! They're dead without military support!"

• Forge: "Just try to get as many to ships alive as possible."

When the fleeing civilians are under attack:

• Arcadian Patrol (COM): "Patrol here. I've got enemy fire near a crowd of civilians, assistance required."

or

• Arcadian Patrol (COM): "This is Patrol. Civilian crowds under fire, we need help now!"

or

• Arcadian Patrol: "Patrol again, we're losing people here, it's a massacre! We need the military!"

When the transport vessels are under attack:

• Cargo One Pilot (COM): "Cargo One here, we can't take much more of this, get them off us!"

or

• Cargo One Pilot (COM): "Cargo One is taking heavy fire, requesting assistance."

If Cargo One is destroyed:

• Arcadian Patrol: "Cargo One is not responding, transport assumed lost, focus all attention on Cargo Two."

• Cargo Two Pilot (COM): "Cargo Two is under enemy attack! Don't leave us out here to die!"

The UNSC forces continue to defend the transports, when there are two minutes to launch:

• Ground Control: "Ground control, t-minus two minutes, over."

• Serina: "Covenant Battlenet chat suggests heavy turrets are coming online."

• Cargo Two: "T-minus sixty seconds."

• Cargo Two: "T-minus five, four, three, two, launch! All systems green, clearing launch platform. Good luck down there."

{In-game Cutscene}

• Captain Cutter: "The transports are away, Sergeant Forge pull back and re-group, new orders are incoming."

• Forge: "Roger that, Captain. Most of us are heading out of the city through the traffic tunnels."

Level ends.

Trivia

• Some of the footage of cameras viewing the battle aboard the Spirit of Fire in the opening cutscene of this level are part of the Five Long Years Cinematic trailer as well as the opening cinematic of the game.
• There are six Hornets in the opening in-game cutscene and when it cuts to gameplay on Easy and Normal, there are still six Hornets, however on Heroic and Legendary the player only controls four Hornets.
• At the northeast corner of the map, the Covenant have a fully upgraded base, protected by numerous vehicles and aircraft. It is not mandatory to destroy this base, but doing so can prove useful toward the end of the mission.
• Editors from Official Xbox Magazine were invited to play the first five campaign missions from the game, but only revealed the name of this mission, stating it to be their favorite. They mention this mission is also a good showcase for Halo Wars cooperative mode.
• There is a hidden console which releases a child named Adam. Saving Adam rewards the player the achievement "The Real Winner" and 5 Gamerscore points.

Gallery

• 

  A map of the level.

• 

  A Spartan firing an MA5B assault rifle.

• 

  Civilians approach one of the transports.

General strategies

• The third cargo carrier is scripted to be destroyed. Protect the other two transports whatever happens.

• On higher difficulties, a Covenant Mega-Turret will be established near the end of the countdown. Pay attention to Serina; she will warn you when this happens. The chances of this occurring are higher on Heroic and Legendary but it may also come online during a Normal run-through.

• A large, heavily fortified Covenant base is near the second base building area. Keep in mind destroying it is at the player's discretion and only an option but it will pose a danger later on in the mission.

• Fortify Marines in the watchtowers to snipe enemies who pursue the civilians running for the transports.

• Banshees are common and their bombs will damage the cargo ships significantly. Destroy them as soon as possible.

• If possible, upgrade to ODSTs as soon as possible. This will provide quick response.

• When the mission begins, order the Hornets to the transports for they are swift and lethal.

Preceded by Relic Interior

Halo Wars Campaign Missions Arcadia City

Succeeded by Arcadia Outskirts