Scarab (Level)
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Scarab is the seventh level of the real-time strategy game, Halo Wars.
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[edit] Description
After several Plasma-based Rhinos take down the dome, UNSC forces are sent inside to find out what the Covenant were protecting. As a couple of Rhinos patrol the area, they are easily destroyed by the nearby immobile but functional Super Scarab. As the UNSC forces are alerted of this threat, Captain Cutter orders all UNSC units inside the former dome to destroy the Scarab before the Covenant make it mobile. As advised by the A.I. Serina, UNSC forces including Sergeant John Forge take out the Power Nodes linking to the Scarab, and after destroying all of them, they took advantage of the fact that as the Scarab has less Power Nodes, it's head will move more slowly. The base that the UNSC had set up was directly in front of the Super Scarab and was blocked by a wall-like barrier of Forerunner structures. The Scarab attempted to break through the wall, however it never succeeded. As more Power Nodes were disabled the Scarab's head became less active as far as motion. Before the barrier could be destroyed the UNSC forces in the former covenant occupied dome had successfully destroyed the Scarab with tanks, Marines, and a Mac Cannon from the orbiting Spirit of Fire. However, the UNSC suffered significant losses.
[edit] Mission Objectives
- Destroy the Super Scarab.
[edit] Optional Objectives
- Destroy 10 Locusts (This will unlock the level's skull).
- Destroy all power nodes.
[edit] Rebel Sympathizer Skull
This skull is fairly straightforward to discover, but much harder to get a hold of. Once you have killed 10 Locusts, the skull will appear by the location of the power node farthest northwest of the map. The problem is that it is one of the most heavily guarded, and the Super Scarab has a clear line of fire towards it. It is advised that you take out at least some other power nodes, then when the Scarab isn't looking, send in heavy armor, take out the local Covenant, grab the skull and run (or drive) for your life.
[edit] Black Box #7
The black box is located in a little cove to the northeast behind enemy lines, away from the Scarab's spotlight. Once you have neutralized the local power nodes, send the units up there and claim it. There will also be quite a store of supplies there, so take some Warthogs or Marines with you to pick them up.
[edit] Transcript
[edit] Cutscene
Scene opens at the Apex with many Honor Guards lining it. The Arbiter walks alongside Regret
Regret: Arbiter, you are unusually quiet, what troubles occupy your thoughts?
Arbiter: Hierarch, I do not wish to be impudent, but you have charged me with the destruction of humanity.
Regret: A most noble cause for one with such a troubled past.
Arbiter: And I am thankful for my task, but sire, you have me skulk in ancient ruins and search empty temples. How does this help me accomplish my goal?
Regret: The war with the Humans will require a great deal many more machines than we can currently muster.
The Arbiter draws two Energy swords
Arbiter: I will take what we have!
Regret: And leave us defenseless? No. The Ancients will provide for us. This world shall be the birthplace for an invasion fleet beyond imagining. Enough to crush the Humans quickly...and with ease.
Arbiter: But this world lies dormant, it is just a shell.
Regret: Blasphemy! The key will be found with patience.
Regret tries to activate the structure but only red lights flash at him
Regret: But perhaps there is a quicker way. The human female from the ice relic, she has some knowledge in this regard. The new planet the Relic has lead us to has also led her. Capture that human and bring her here!
Arbiter: It will be done.
The Arbiter departs and the scene fades out
[edit] Gameplay
Fade back into Arcadia, inside the now ruined dome shield
Captain Cutter: You've advanced to where the force field stood, take a look around.
Two Rhinos patrol the area but are soon destroyed by a mysterious beam
Forge: What was that?
Soon revealed to be an incomplete yet active Scarab
Serina: The Scarab is incomplete but its head is operational, its field of fire prevents any chance of retreat or extraction, you'll have to destroy it.
Forge: Build up our base and army and go kill that Scarab.
Forge: The Scarab's search light beam shows the direction its facing, the temple ruins in this area will provide some cover, but not forever.
Forge: Damn it, spotted.
Serina: You've destroyed a power node, the Scarab's head is turning a little more slowly.
Forge: Destroy those Locust where ever you find them, they're building killers.
Serina: The Scarab's head is moving even slower now, keep it up.
Captain Cutter: The Scarab's weapon system is relying on the power nodes in this area, destroy them to reduce the Scarab's combat effectiveness.
Serina: The head is tracking more slowly.
Forge: They've launched a counter-attack on our base!
Forge: It can't fire in two directions at once, maybe we can use that to our advantage.
Serina: The Scarab is about half-dead or half-alive, take your pick.
Serina: Almost there, the Scarab is nearly destroyed.
Forge: If that thing burns through that barrier of ruins and destroys our Command Center, we're dead.
At some point during the battle, (and only on Heroic or Legendary)
Forge: The engineers are repairing the scarab! Take them out!
After intense and heavy fighting the Scarab is finally destroyed.
Serina: No problem, I told you we'd make it.
Mission completed
Captain Cutter: The Scarab is destroyed. Victory is ours today.
[edit] Walkthrough
In the seventh level of Halo Wars, the UNSC forces have moved into the site where the Covenant energy dome stood, in order to investigate the area. They have constructed a base, but were put to a cold stop when they encountered a Covenant Super Scarab.
This level can either be one of the easiest levels of the game, or your worst nightmare. It is up to you. The key to beating this level easily is destroying all 7 Power Nodes and keeping a steady supply of units coming in, as they will be taken out quickly.
Once you begin, a Base has already been constructed, as well as a few buildings. You also have three reactors already built. You start with 6000 resources, you can buy everything you can, making a few supply pads, and maybe a Barracks if you wished to. It isn't recommended it though.
In front of your base is a wall made up of some sort of Forerunner ruins, protecting your base from the Scarab. Keep in mind that the Scarab will be shooting at this, and it will eventually fall and destroy your base. If the base is destroyed, you fail the mission.
Start out by building a few Scorpions to use for a short while, because they will soon be destroyed. The Scarab has a searchlight beam that is white, but when it turns red it will fire in the position it is pointing a few seconds later. Anything that is in the radius of the beam will be destroyed in less than one second.
Once your units are trained, go to the left of the ruins, follow the "extension cords" and crush the Covenant in your path. Once you reach one of the power nodes, start firing once all of the surrounding guards are taken down. Keep in mind that there are lots of Locusts around the area.
Every power node you destroy slowly powers down the Scarab and will also decrease the speed in which the head turns around.
Keep destroying the power nodes. They are spread out all along the area, but the easiest way is to follow the extension cord around the area, and taking out the guards in the way. If the searchlight beam turns red in your way, attempt to get out of its path, but more than likely you won't, so be prepared to refill your units. If the Scarab annihilated you, go back to the base and restock.
Keep on training vehicles, especially the Scorpion, but maybe even a Cobra or Wolverine every now and then. Build up your turrets and upgrade them also, because there will be plenty of Locusts and other guards heading toward it soon.
Once you finally destroy all of the power nodes, the Scarab's head will be extremely slow, and its beam will not be as strong, but still will rip apart any units in its path. Refresh your army and head towards it.
Once you reach it, immediately order all your units to fire at the Scarab. Ignore all of the Banshees in the sky. Once the searchlight beam stops in your way, order all of your units to move to the opposite side of the light. Then signal for your units to fire again and continue to the process.
Keep in mind that you should constantly be using your MAC Blast ability. You only have the opportunity to use it every few minutes, and it only takes out a very small portion of the Scarab's health, but it will make the process a lot quicker.
After the Scarab falls, the remaining units will head out to discover the importance of the area.
[edit] Trivia
- This level has the first mini-boss battle in Halo Wars.
- The Scarab is not a normal Scarab because of its appearance and functions. When you view its name in-game, instead of saying Scarab it says "Super Scarab." The sheer size of it, coupled with the immense amount of damage it can take, obviously sets it apart from the usual Covenant Scarab. Although it is incomplete, this "Super Scarab" bears a strong resemblance to the Halo 2 Scarab variant.
- This is the only level where the player can use Rhino LRA units without having to move them to an objective, though the player cannot build new ones and their lack of speed makes them easy prey for the Scarab.
- It is possible to complete this level by simply staying at the base and MAC blasting the Scarab. However, this can take a very long time on harder difficulties, even with the Emperor skull.
- There is a glitch in the level, which effectively gives you infinite time, if done properly. There is a garrisonable sniper tower - if you have the "New Blood" upgrade, garrisoning Marines in there will make the scarab constantly fire at the tower. Due to the floating nature of the sniper tower, the marines take no damage and an invisible wall stops the shot from penetrating. If you send a unit in the way of the Scarab's fire, it will return to normal and the glitch becomes useless.
- This is the first level to show a mistake. As soon as the level starts, the "Commentator" mentions "Firebase Ready" as if announcing the creation of a new base, but the base is actually a Fortress.
- There is a glitch in this level which causes your MAC Blast to be unable to recharge, but also gaining you an extra shot afterward.
- If you take too long constructing units and the Scarab destroys your base, when you restart the level, construct some Cobras and lock them down on the side of the ruins closest to your base. Then, if the Scarab breaks through the ruins, the Cobras will protect your base for a short while but eventually the Scarab will destroy these.
- Do not forget to use your Rhinos, their outstanding defense can make them last longer than most units against the Scarab beam. This is useful for when the Scarab is just about to destroy your base just, put a Rhino in the way and if the Scarab is on low health it can give you time to kill it.
- You can't build air units in this level because the Scarab would destroy flying units easily before they'd have a chance of attacking. However, it does not destroy the dropships sending you supplies.
- It's completely impossible to keep the Forerunner Ruins protecting your base intact since the Super Scarab has a tendency to shoot the ruins intentionally in order to keep the player aware of its presence. In addition, to presenting an unguided timer for the bases destruction.
- If you look behind and around the Super Scarab, you can see a Forerunner relic. This may be what the Forerunner Relic on Harvest was pointing to, and it's possible that The Covenant were using technology inside the temple to upgrade the Scarab.
