Black Boxes

There is more information available on this subject at Black Boxes on the English Wikipedia.

The following is a verbatim transcription of an official document for archival reasons. As the original content is transcribed word-for-word, any possible discrepancies and/or errors are included.

For the AI construct, see Black-Box.

In Halo Wars, Black Boxes are collectibles in the campaign that when collected, add new events in the Halo Wars Timeline. They look like black boxes with yellow stripes on them, and can be picked up by any unit. When the player collects one, they can just resign straight away and will still have it. Aerial units are the easiest and most direct way to collect them.

In aviation, the term "black box" refers to both flight recorders on commercial and other aircraft. The flight data recorder is responsible for recording flight parameters and the cockpit voice recorder is responsible for recording all communications in the cockpit of an aircraft in flight. The phrase has become popularized by modern media reporting on aircraft crashes.

Achievements Linked

• Halo Academic is an achievement that is unlocked when you unlock 20 timeline events.
• Halo Historian is an achievement that is unlocked when you unlock all timeline events.

Locations

Mission 1: Alpha Base

Head back to the last bridge you crossed before reaching Alpha Base's gate and peek underneath. The crate is below the arch, next to an overturned Warthog. You can drive down the small ramp to the left to reach it.

A map of Alpha base, showing the location of the black box

Content

4 February 2531

The UNSC support ship Spirit of Fire enters orbit

around Harvest. While Admiral Cole's fleet is

engaged elsewhere, Spirit is sent to Harvest to

investigate ongoing Covenant activity in the

system and look for survivors from the missing

UNSC Destroyer The Prophecy [previously

dispatched to Harvest to investigate the same

activity]. Commanded by Captain Cutter, Spirit has

been reassigned by FLEETCOM. ONI has placed

Professor Anders onboard to lead the investigation.

Mission 2: Relic Approach

This black box is located northwest of the second base. There is an area blocked off by an energy shield. Destroy the power source with some infantry, and both the crate and a good chunk of supplies are yours for the taking.

A map of Relic Approach, showing the location of the black box

Content

7 February 2531

Spirit of Fire holds service for the crew of the

Prophecy. The crew roster is read despite

objections from ONI personnel. The Prophecy was

lost with all hands on a first expedition to Harvest

to investigate the Covenant interest in the artifact

found near the polar region.

Mission 3: Relic Interior

This black box is located right from the beginning of the mission. Simply turn your Grizzly tanks around and head in the opposite direction of the objective arrow. You'll discover a separate pathway, winding to the northwest. At the very end, near a crashed Pelican, is the crate, with an Elite and a Jackal squad.

A map of Relic Interior, showing the location of the black box

Content

From the Office of the High Prophet of Regret

Return at fastest possible speed to the world they

know as Harvest. We must learn the secrets inside

the holy relic before the Great Journey can

continue. The humans must not be allowed to enter

the artifact, we will do whatever we must to deny

them access. All must be resolute in this task, or

face punishment.

Mission 4: Arcadia City

Scroll to the western most base. Directly north of it is a column supporting a skyway. At the base of this column, on top of a few stairs, is the crate you seek.

A map of Arcadia City, showing the location of the black box

Content

20 July 2520

Captain Alexander, the last civilian captain of Spirit

of Fire, retires from active duty at the conclusion of

the Verent mission. The ship is requisitioned by the

UNSC and scheduled for refit.

Mission 5: Arcadia Outskirts

In the middle of the map, almost halfway between your original base and the northern Covenant base, there is an abandoned reactor that you can take over for an extra tech level. The crate is on the grass immediately to the west of this platform, near some ferns and an infantry cover spot.

A map of Arcadia Outskirts, showing the location of the black box

Content

1 September 2520

Spirit of Fire completes an extensive refit at the

Reach orbital shipyards before entering active

military duty as a ground support vessel, initially

detailed with providing ground support for

Operation: TREBUCHET.

Mission 6: Dome of Light

Wait until you place the third Rhino across the broken bridge using the "transport" power. Before leaving the area to concentrate on other tasks, check the western shadows for a short separate path. The crate is there.

A map of Dome of light, showing the location of the black box

Content

From the Office of the High Prophet of Regret

Arbiter, you are the Hand of the Covenant - my

hand. You know what must be done. Return to the

surface and capture the human female - the one

who managed to make fools of us on Harvest. She

is the key to unlocking the secrets of the Ancients.

Mission 7: Scarab

At the very top of the map, and as far east from the Scarab as possible, is a small area surrounded by cliffs. Look for the bountiful gathering of shiny blue supplies and you'll find the crate among them.

A map of Scarab, showing the location of the black box

Content

9 February 2531

After engaging Covenant forces on the surface of

Harvest, the UNSC vessel Spirit of Fire arrives at

Arcadia - only to find that the Covenant are already

there and attacking the colony. Spirit's ground

forces assist the excavation, and help fight the

Covenant to a standstill on the surface of the

planet.

Mission 8: Anders' Signal

Directly southeast of the base, on a tree-ringed plateau, is the crate.

A map of Anders' Signal, showing the location of the black box

Content

10 February 2531

The capture of Professor Anders forces Captain

Cutter's hand, Spirit of Fire pursues the enemy into

Covenant space. The ship's AI projects an arrival at

their destination in 312 hours. The ship remains on

high alert for the duration, though nonessential

crewmembers are briefly placed in cryo sleep.

Mission 9: The Flood

On the western side of the map, near one of the Flood structures you have to put down. Nothing else really distinguishes this location, so check the minimap in the screen below.

A map of The Flood, showing the location of the black box

Content

6 February 2531

Professor Anders writes her father what appears to

be a detailed analysis of Homer's Odyssey. In fact

it is a coded message detailing her mission to

Harvest and the result of the find there. ONI

censors miss the cipher completely and the

message passes unaltered to her father.

Mission 10: Shield World

Team Bravo is blocking the path to the black box. Rescue them, and any unit can collect it or fly a Hornet over, drop down for the crate.

A map of Shield World, showing the location of the black box

Content

14 February 2531

Serina, knowing that the crew may be on a one way

trip, manufactures and delivers fake emails from

family members to the crew celebrating Valentine's

Day. She uses previous correspondence as a basis

for the letters. No one ever suspects her of this

deception.

Mission 11: Cleansing

A Hornet is also required to get the mission's black box. It is resting on the northwestern flank of the ship, at the opposite end you found the skull. Note that by "flank," it means the very edges of the Spirit of Fire; beyond the fences, where the ship slopes downward.

A map of Cleansing, showing the location of the black box

Content

Edict of the Office of the High Prophet of Tolerance

Hear now that five hundred teams are to be formed

to study the language of the Unclean. Each team to

consist of the most clever and most educated

Unggoy and Sangheili. These teams to speak only

the Unclean language among themselves. The

Unclean language to be taught to all military strike

team, that the foe shall be vulnerable.

Mission 12: Repairs

Like the last crate, this is on the outer edge of the ship (northern flank, southern tip), but tucked closer to the outer fences. Again, you'll need an air unit.

A map of Repairs, showing the location of the black box

Content

Excerpt from The Punished Deeds, Vol. III

The shield world that Regret intended to activate

was one of just a few that the Covenant had

uncovered in the quest for the Halos. These

treasure chests of technology enabled the

Covenant to quickly gain access to advanced

weaponry and space propulsion systems allowing

them to dominate the galaxy.

Mission 13: Beachhead

Head to the north-east edge of the map. Go to the middle of that edge. On a very high and flower-covered cliff is the crate. You can reach this via a ground unit, but as usual, an air unit is a lot easier and quicker.

A map of Beachhead, showing the location of the black box

Content

23 February 2531

Spirit of Fire arrives at an uncharted planet

swarming with strange alien lifeforms. Within a

day, the ship is drawn into the planet's interior,

where the crew confronts the Covenant and

eventually rescues Professor Anders.

Mission 14: Reactor

This crate is hidden southwest of the first Covenant base and the possible location of your second UNSC base. It's in a raised grass rectangle, bordered by metal, and you'll need an air unit to get there.

A map of Reactor, showing the location of the black box

Content

1 March 2531

Chief Engineer Prescott finishes his assessment of

damage to Spirit of Fire and repairs continue to the

hull, the FTL core reactor cannot be replaced and

plans to manufacture a spare from base reactor

units considered impossible. The decision is

made to run the ship on a skeleton crew and place

the rest in suspended animation.

Mission 15: Escape

Compared to the skull, this is very easy. Just take a Warthog from your original base, drive north across the blue ring structure and you'll see the crate in a very obvious location.

A map of Escape, showing the location of the black box

Content

25th February 2531

Thanks to Sergeant Forge's sacrifice, Spirit of Fire

escapes from the Forerunner shield world. Spirit of

Fire sets a course for home as the majority of the

crew prepare to enter cryo sleep for a journey that

will take years, if not decades.