Lights Out

Prev:	The Cartographer
Next:	From the Deep
Lights Out
Game:	Halo Wars 2
Player:	James Cutter
Date:	March 30, 2559
Location:	Installation 00
Objective(s):	Locate and destroy the Banished teleporter hacking devices (4) Destroy the Banished Control Node (1) Defeat Decimus Optional Destroy Banished devices before reinforcements arrive (4) Rescue the UNSC Prisoners (10) Claim all the Base Expansions (4) Take out the Reavers without suffering Hornet casualties Bonus Complete the mission with all the prisoners freed and alive (10) Don't let any units get destroyed in the Capital Ship bombardment zone
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Lights Out is the sixth campaign level in Halo Wars 2.

Transcript

CORE / PORTAL NETWORK

LIGHTS OUT

Mission Briefing

• Captain Cutter: "Atriox's forces are too strong and too well entrenched for us to fight head-on. But he's spread his troops far and wide, by abusing the Ark's network of portals. That's his biggest mistake."
• Isabel: "Thanks to the information the Professor got from the Cartographer, we know Atriox's key controller for the portal network is nearby. If we destroy it, it'll cripple his ability to use that portal network."
• Captain Cutter: "Some of Atriox's troops will be stranded and the rest won't be able to redeploy as easily, It'll give us a fighting chance."
• Isabel: "The bad news is we've detected mass deployment of Banished forces in this area, which means Atriox knows of our plans. The Banished will do everything they can do defend that portal control hub."
• Captain Cutter: "You'll need to neutralize each of the portals on the approach to the control hub or we'll be overrun. To make things worse, our scouts believe Decimus arrived a few hours ago and he'll be looking for a rematch. Make sure he doesn't walk away from this one."
• Jerome-092: "Looking forward to it, sir."

Mission Summary Cripple the Banished's portal network.

Scouting Report Portals can be used to travel across the battlefield when no longer under Banished control.

{In-game Cutscene}

A Jiralhanae Warlord is deploying his units to defend the portal as four Hornets fly past them.

• Warlord: "Enemies on the way! Move faster Grunts or I'll throw you at them myself!"
• Hornet: "Spirit of Fire, we have eyes on the first portal and we're returning to base."

A Reaver shoots down one of the Hornets.

• Hornet: "Looks like we're not going to make it back without a fight!"

Groups of Reavers, infantry, and a Wraith try and fail to destroy the Hornets.

• Jerome-092: "I've got no problem with that. This time we came prepared."
• Isabel: "Jerome, I've marked the first portal on your map."
• Jerome-092: "Thanks, Isabel. We've got our orders, team. Neutralize every portal we see until we reach the Banished's portal controller."

Jerome leads two squads of Marines, Hellbringers and three Cyclopes to the field.

{Gameplay}

Jerome leads his troops to the first portal. On the way there, they encounter a Wraith supported by infantry squads. Suddenly Douglas leaps onto the Wraith with a Spartan Slam, stunning the infantry nearby.

• Douglas-042: "Room for a passenger?"

UNSC forces concentrate their fire on the infantry while Douglas takes over the Wraith. Once Douglas takes over the Wraith, he helps the UNSC defeat the infantry as well as the silos around it.

• Jerome-092: "Douglas. You're looking a lot better than last time I saw you."
• Douglas-042: "I couldn't take that hospital bed any longer. Thought I should make myself useful."
• Jerome-092: "Just remember to dodge next time, ok?"
• Douglas-042: "Next time I'll be putting him on the ground. Count on it."

After the reunion, the UNSC starts pushing to the first portal, which is guarded by Marauders.

• Isabel: "Jerome, the Banished are using hacking devices to get their forces through these portals. Destroy the devices and they won't be able to send any more troops in!"

The UNSC defeats the Marauders and destroys the device before reinforcements arrive through the portal.

• Jerome-092: "We've cut off the portal from the Banished, Isabel."
• Isabel: "Good work. Now that its out of their control, we can move through it to reach the next portal. I've marked it on your map."

The UNSC moves to clear the area from the Banished, coming accross a Banished prison.

• Jerome-092: "Break them out of there!"

The UNSC destroys the compound. Two Cyclopes and two squads of Hellbringers are freed. The two Hellbringer squads and Cyclops walkers are healed and repaired, then join the fight.

• Hellbringer: "Are we glad to see you! There's more of us out there, we've got to help them out! We're ready to go."

The UNSC moves through the portal, and while en route to the next location, two Reavers leap at them.

• Jerome-092: "I think we've got a new threat on the field. Isabel?"
• Isabel: "The Banished call them Reavers, anti-air walkers. They use their leaping capabilities for ambushes."

The UNSC defeats the Reavers and moves on.

• Captain Cutter: "Jerome, with the Reaver gone, the skies are safe for our air units. I'm sending in a Hornet escort for you now."

Four Hornets arrive on the field.

• Captain Cutter: "When you reach the next portal, I would send scouts through ahead of the main party. We don't know what's waiting for you on the other side."

The Hornets scout ahead and they find Decimus on the second portal.

• Jerome-092: "Spirit of Fire Actual. We've got eyes on Decimus!"
• Decimus: "Protect the portal, fools, or I'll take your heads!"

Decimus leaves through the portal, and two Reavers emerge.

• Captain Cutter: "Concentrate on that portal, Spartan. Decimus can wait."

The UNSC first clears the Reavers, then the Hornets move in to defeat the infantry and the portal controller. Once the portal controller is destroyed, a firebase slot is revealed.

• Captain Cutter: "Jerome, send some scouts through the portal to run reconnaissance first, we shouldn't be leaping through blind."
• Douglas-042: "Hey, what can go wrong?"

The UNSC calls in the firebase and regroups, while a Marine is sent to scout the portal. However, the Banished soon arrive in dropships, attacking the UNSC forces.

The UNSC attempts to advance through the desert, but the area is blanketed by orbital bombardment.

• Decimus: "What's wrong humans? Lost your nerve? I'm waiting for you!"
• Isabel: "Captain, I'm still reading heavy energy traces over the area ahead. I think it's a trap."
• Captain Cutter: "Decimus is setting up a killzone. Jerome, you better use the portals to circumvent the area."

The UNSC starts building units and moves through a portal, encountering the Banished force that the Marine squad escaped from.

Once the UNSC clears them out, they capture the generator and activate the light bridge. Decimus is seen on the other side, guarding the portal.

• Decimus: "Vermin! How many of you must I exterminate before you learn your place?"

Decimus leaves again and two Reavers and two squads of infantry move to guard the portal.

• Douglas-042: "He never sticks around, is it something we said?"

The UNSC moves to engage, but the Banished have minibases in two separate locations, one for infantry and one for vehicles.

The UNSC makes a swift assault on the portal, destroying the device and clearing the Banished and their Minibase which becomes available to the UNSC.

• Jerome-092: "Portal's down. Move out to the next one."

Once the UNSC moves to the next area, the plasma bombardment moves to the next area as well.

• Captain Cutter: "The carrier is charging for another blast! Get ready to move!"

The plasma bombardment commences on the next area, continuing to cut off UNSC units from the open ground.

• Captain Cutter: "You've got incoming! Move it!"

South of the third portal, the UNSC discovers a clearing and calls in another Firebase to construct a forward operating base. Patrolling around the area, they encounter more prisons.

• Jerome-092: "More prisoners. Get them out of there."

The UNSC frees the prisoners, and begin advancing to the last portal, where Decimus is waiting.

• Decimus: "Protect the portal! Crush the humans like the insects they are!"
• Douglas-042: "Come over here and try it, Decimus!"
• Decimus: "Soon enough, little demons. Soon enough."

Decimus leaves through the portal as Douglas taunts him. The UNSC engages Banished around the portal which is fortified with a Banished base.

The UNSC destroys the base, clearing the area of Banished and destroying the device. Once destroyed, the UNSC uses the portal and prepare themselves to showdown against Decimus.

• Captain Cutter: "Be careful, Jerome. Decimus has had time to prepare for this."

• Captain Cutter: "The Banished have shown a surprising amount of control over the Ark's systems so far... there's no telling how he'll use that against you."
• Isabel: "But with that control, how long will it be before they figure out how to make a Halo?"
• Jerome-092: "We won't give them a chance, Isabel"

The UNSC reassemble their units and march on the portal controller, meeting resistance as they march there.

• Isabel: "That's the portal controller, Jerome. Take it out and the Banished won't be able to access the portal network anymore."
• Jerome-092: "You heard Isabel, team! Focus fire on the controller!"

The Banished try to hold back the UNSC, but the UNSC continue to pound them while attacking the portal controller.

• Jerome-092: "Keep going, it's almost done!"

The UNSC finally destroys the portal controller and the portals around the controller shut down.

• Isabel: "That's it! All Banished portal signatures are shutting down! Wait, there's something coming through..."

Decimus leaps onto the battlefield, ready to face the UNSC personally.

• Decimus: "Human filth. Do you know what you have cost me? My salvage operation, the portals."
• Jerome-092: "My heart bleeds."
• Decimus: "It will. As you can see, I've made some improvements."

The UNSC engages him immediately.

• Douglas-042: "I was looking for a second round with the ringmaster, but his whipping boy will do just fine."

When Decimus' health reaches 80%, he calls in an orbital strike.

• Decimus: "My master broke you, Spartan. I shall take great pleasure in doing the same."

When Decimus reaches 60% of his health, he calls another orbital strike.

• Decimus: "Did I tell you how the other humans screamed when we destroyed their base?"
• Isabel: "Monster! Oh, please kill him for me."

When Decimus' health reaches 40%, he calls another orbital strike.

• Decimus: "Your arrogant species WILL be humbled! The only thing you are destined for is to be meat on my table!"

• Decimus: "The Ark is ours humans and no one will stand before the might of the Banished!"

Plasma bombardment and Banished reinforcements arrive, forcing the UNSC to retreat temporarily to avoid heavy losses.

Once Decimus' health reaches 20%, he calls in a final orbital strike.

• Decimus: "I'm impressed, humans, but Atriox will ensure you will never leave the Ark. We will control this place and then the Banished will take all of your worlds."

Once the orbital strike finishes, Decimus decides to fight the UNSC on his own.

• Decimus: "Very well, I will tear you apart with my own hands!"
• Jerome-092: "This is it! Put him in the ground!"

Decimus is finally defeated by the UNSC and dies.

• Decimus: "Make the most of your victory, humans. It will be your last."

• Douglas-042: "Phew, talk about stubborn."
• Jerome-092: "And you wouldn't know about that, would you? Spirit of Fire, Decimus is down."
• Douglas-042: "Is that it? Are we done?"
• Captain Cutter: "Well done, team. We're a step closer to leveling the playing field."
• Isabel: "Captain! We have Banshees incoming!"
• Jerome-092: "Sir? Captain Cutter? Isabel?"
• Captain Cutter: "The Spirit of Fire is under attack from the Banished's fleet! Return to the ship, NOW!"

Level ends

Leader Powers

• Restoration Drones I and II (I picked by default)
• Archer Missiles I and II (I picked by default)
• Battle Hardened I
• Lotus Mine I and II (I picked by default)
• ODST Drop

Initial units

• Jerome-092
• 600 Supply
• 400 Power
• 2 Hellbringers
• 2 Marines
• 2 Cyclops

Strategies

General

• Take care when using "All units" commands during the level, as friendly units, especially aircrafts, may enter the bombardment zone to take the most direct route to the target location.
• Attacking Decimus head-on like in A New Enemy is not going to be enough in this level since it will be a very tough fight. Make sure you retreat when Decimus retreats or you will take heavy losses.
• Decimus will have a roughly 50% faster cooldown and recharge rate than when the player first encounters him at A New Enemy.
• Stop attacking once Decimus completes the third orbital strike as he will be invulnerable when his health reaches 40%. Instead, escape and regroup to the base near the fourth portal immediately to avoid plasma bombardment. Have some hornets to recon the plasma bombardment and send them in as soon as the plasma bombardment subsides.
• You will fight Decimus twice in this level, when he's dropped to 40% he will recover his health as he exits the battlefield. Once the bombardment is completed, he will face you again, but he will not issue orbital strikes until he reaches 20% of his health.
• Decimus will call in Huragok to heal him during the last fight once the orbital strike is subsided. Make sure to take them out to prevent his health from being restored.

Bonus and Optional Objectives

• There is a total of four prison compounds housing UNSC prisoners in this level. Each compound mostly contains Hellbringers and Cyclopes. The first one is located near the beginning of the level, while the remaining three are located near the second base site.
• Do not bring Hornets on the battlefield until Reavers are destroyed, because they will be easy targets for the Reavers. Losing a Hornet to any Reaver will effectively fail the optional objective.
• Free the prisoners only when you have reach maximum population, then keep them somewhere safe.
  • It is best to release them before facing Decimus and don't bring them to the frontline until Decimus is on his last stand.
  • Keep them in the back of your attacking force since losing any prisoners will fail the bonus objective.
• Do not approach the Banished portals until you are confident they can be destroyed when the battle begins. Bring a mixture of Marines, Hellbringers, and Cyclopes when approaching the portals. Use the Marines' grenade abilities to destroy the Banished devices attached to the portals.

Trivia

• The Pestilence skull is awarded after releasing all 10 UNSC prisoners.

Gallery

• 

  Concept art for the portal control node.

Preceded by The Cartographer

Halo Wars 2 campaign levels Lights Out

Succeeded by From the Deep