Halo Infinite News

[h2]October 7 Update[/h2][p]The nightmare returns. Back from the grave and more gruesome than ever, Survive the Undead claws its way back into Halo Infinite. First introduced last Haloween, the Forge Falcons’ labor of love made the jump from Combat Workshop to playlist just in time for the spooktacular season. And now, it’s back with a new map![/p][h2]Strategic Survival[/h2][p]At its core, Survive the Undead is an Infection-based Firefight survival mode where you, the player, are trying to avoid dying. However, unlike the “regular” Infection modes you may be thinking of where everyone is looking out for themselves, you are in a team of 4 trying to survive the onslaught of infected enemies. Think of it as a horde mode. You can learn the finer points and read more about how this playlist came to be down below.  [/p][p]The return of the playlist, as part of the Operation: Haloween II offering, comes with everything you know and love from before and adds one brand new map:[/p][h3]Station of the Lost[/h3][p]Bookmark
[/p][p][/p][p]Abandon all hope, all ye who enter this abandoned station. Remember, there's safety in numbers so stick together.[/p][hr][/hr][p]Survive the Undead is the first Community created playlist to go from Combat Workshop to Playlist and it’s just in time for Haloween!

You can read a bit more about the Forge Falcons and how Survive the Undead came to life over here.

[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Objective: Survive[/h2][p]
By now, we all know what Infection is. You vs the horde that’s trying to infect you so you become one of them. Usually round based, the game ends once all Spartans are infected or until there’s a lone survivor able to fend off the constant attacks.

Survive the Undead puts a slight twist on the typical Infection and makes it a more linear experience. And, as the name implies, the idea is to beat the waves of infected and simply survive as long as you can. The rounds start off simple and get progressively more difficult, with points awarded for each round cleared and each kill. Spend your earned points wisely…or go ham on the mystery box (my personal favorite – who doesn’t love surprises?) and then regroup and get ready for the next round!

[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Survival Handbook[/h2][p]
Looking for some pointers? Straight from the Forge Falcons comes this guide to ensure you have the best chance possible to survive the undead.

[/p][h3]Perks[/h3][p]
The three perks are Health, Damage, and Speed. There are 4 tiers per perk and each tier costs 600 points. All perks reset upon death and must be repurchased.

[/p][h3]Health Perk[/h3]

• [p]Tier 1: 25% Health Increase
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 2: 10% Health Increase
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 3: 5% Health Increase
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 4: Vampirism[/p]

[h3]Speed Perk[/h3]

• [p]Tier 1: 100% Reload Speed Increase + 10% Movement Speed
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 2: 50% Melee Recovery + 10% Movement Speed
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 3: 10% Movement Speed + 10% Slide Speed
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 4: 10% Movement Speed + 10% Sprint Speed[/p]

[h3]Damage Perk[/h3]

• [p]Tier 1: 100% Damage Increase
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 2: 100% Damage Increase
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 3: 100% Damage Increase + 100% Melee Impulse
  [/p]
• [p]Tier 4: 100% Damage Increase + 50% Melee Damage[/p]

[h3]Bonus Drops[/h3][p]
There are four bonus drops that have a chance to appear when killing enemies: Boom, Spray & Pray, Mounted & Loaded, and Score Attack. These drops are announced by voice lines matching their names.

[/p][h3]Boom[/h3]

• [p][/p]
• [p]Effect: Instantly kills all AI, granting each player 400 points. Benefits from Score Attack.
  [/p]
• [p][/p]
• [p]Strategy: Use when in dire need.[/p]

[p]Spray & Pray
[/p]

• [p]Effect: Removes shields from all enemies, making them one-shot kills for 30 seconds.
  [/p]
• [p]Strategy: Ideal against bosses.
  [/p]

[h3]Mounted & Loaded[/h3]

• [p]Effect: Refills ammo for all players.
  [/p]
• [p]Strategy: Use when team ammo is critically low.[/p]

[h3]\[Score Attack[/h3]

• [p]Effect: Doubles points from kills for 30 seconds; effects stack. Also, keep in mind that this drop affects the points granted from the Boom drop.
  [/p]
• [p]Strategy: Collect immediately for maximum benefit.[/p]

[h3]Player Buy Back[/h3][p]
The Player Buy Back (650 points) is located in the spawn room and revives fallen allies, granting the activating player an overshield. It only works if allies are down.

[/p][h3]Ammunition Wall Buy[/h3][p]
The Ammunition Wall Buy (350 points) is in the spawn room on all maps, it has the ‘ammunition’ nav marker and refills the activator’s ammo. It can be used even with full ammo, so check before buying.

[/p][h3]Point Sharing Wall Buy[/h3][p]
The Point Sharing Wall Buy is located in the 2nd territory on all maps, it has the ‘points’ nav marker and allows players to share points. It costs 2,000 points to use and it will split the 2,000 points between all players in the game. For example: A team of 2 players receives 1,000 points each. A team of4 players receive 500 each.

[/p][h3]Random Weapon Box[/h3][p]
The Random Weapon Box is located in either the 2nd territory or 3rd territory depending on the map, it is the red banished looking box. It costs 300 points and will grant players a random weapon.

[/p][h3]Weapon Upgrade Machine[/h3][p]
The Weapon Upgrade Machine has received an overhaul since the combat workshop, it will now take the weapon you have and upgrade that weapon with other combinations. It costs 1,000 points and can be found in the spawn room on all maps. It will also have the ‘Upgrade’ nav marker.

[/p][h3]Weapon & Equipment Wall Buys[/h3][p]
Wall buys offer weapons or equipment at displayed prices. Ammo can be refilled via the ammunition wall buy, the Mounted & Loaded drop, or by rebuying the weapon.

[/p][hr][/hr][p]In the Combat Workshop, there was only one map available to you. Now that the playlist has hit the big time, there are multiple options in the playlist:
[/p]

• [p] Installation of the Dead
  [/p]
• [p] Night of the Undead
  [/p]
• [p] Countdown of the Dead[/p]

[p]Squad up, watch each other’s backs, and maybe you’ll survive the undead.
[/p]

[p]Welcome to another edition of Forge Features! This series highlights notable maps, modes, and other creations from our talented Forge community. Bookmark your favorites using the links below for your next custom match.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]The ghastly delights of Operation: Haloween II will emerge from their cryptums next week. To help set the mood, we’ve collected a mix of frightening Forge modes, hair-raising maps, and a few Halo: Reach throwbacks that capture the cozy feeling of autumnal nostalgia.[/p][h2]MORTIFYING MODES[/h2][p]Do you like scary movies? Check out this grindhouse double-feature of terrifying, community-made Infection variants for your next spooktacular custom match.[/p][h3]RA KUE’E STATION[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: Starkey213036, DanZama22, CardEwe1801[/p][p]Invisible shades come for the living in this Infection variant inspired by Mixtec legend.[/p][p]Those who would thwart Death must follow a guardian spirit through a series of nail-biter obstacles, wound the pursuing wraiths with sainted light, and reach the helipad to extract. There are better weapons along the path to salvation, but you’ll have to survive Death’s Infected emissaries long enough to obtain them. You might consider a brisk pace.[/p][h3]THE ABYSS[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: ArturBloodshot[/p][p]This is one murderous maze! Survivors must scrounge through a dark labyrinth to find data cores and use them to activate generators hidden throughout its corridors. With ravenous Infected on your tail and a dwindling supply of oxygen, your team must work quickly to power all five generators and summon the freight elevator to escape.[/p][p]If you’re looking for a solo scare, ArturBloodshot has deviously engineered the mode to automatically conjure a ferocious pack of AI Bots in a single-player lobby.[/p][p]Pro tip: It may be tempting to scrounge weapons from the fallen Spartans in the halls, but they can make useful landmarks when you lose your way. There’s also no shame in hiding when monsters come prowling, so take note of good spots while searching.[/p][h2]SUPERB SLAYERS[/h2][p]Exciting arenas for free-for-all and Team Slayer matches. Use the links to add them to your Halo Infinite bookmarks. This month’s selections feature two throwbacks to Halo: Reach in honor of its fifteenth anniversary.[/p][h3]SWORD BASE[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark this map.[/p][p]Forged by: UneeQ TV, FOTUS, CHEF BLAMSEY, Mr Greencastle, Helioshasta, InfinityShot219, FOTUS SHADOW212[/p][p]The Sword Base multiplayer map from Halo: Reach returns, rescaled to suit Halo Infinite’s fast-paced combat. Despite the knockdown renovation, old hands will feel right at home with this map’s flowy exchanges, delighting in sliding across bridges, taking potshots through the atrium, or reigning over the proceedings with rockets from on high.[/p][h3]REFLECTION[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark this map.[/p][p]Forged by: ZZENOMORE[/p][p]A remake of Reflection from Halo: Reach that restores all the grandeur of the original in a larger, somehow more opulent setting. Marvel at the cushiony, paper-lined interiors, the impressive wood paneling, cathedral ceilings, roomy corridors—and the troupe of Spartans carelessly desecrating the water feature with spent bullet casings.[/p][h2]CAPTURE THE FUN[/h2][p]Capture the Flag maps for diehard risk-takers. Getting to the flag is half the fun, and these maps make the long road home just as consequential.[/p][h3]HIGH CASTLE[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: dumpstairs, JuggleUnicycle, CHL 007, ExOxD, BA55IME[/p][p]A “vertical-meets-linear” map for multi-flag CTF. One team lords over the high castle, an industrial palace bored into a rocky summit, as their opponents storm out of a bunker at the other end of a deadly stretch of highway between them.[/p][p]Whether you’re retrieving the castle’s flag or trying to hustle back there and score, your best bet is to grab a vehicle for a sidewinding ascent through the heart of the tower. While the bunker offers plenty of dangers for would-be thieves, the castle is the map’s crown jewel, offering opportunistic flanking, narrow passages, and unforeseen vehicle jumps.[/p][p]Check out the video showcase by dumpstairs to see High Castle in all its glory.[/p][h3]CASTLE WARS 3: FANGS AND BANES[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: RoadKingBiker, TheGameS10[/p][p]Fear the fangs! In this symmetrical map, two castles glower across an impassable promenade crowned with a split-level roost. Built for the seriously sweaty play of the “Fangs and Banes” CTF mode, this map’s exposed bridges and Spartan-sized bunkers offer plenty of sniper-friendly action, and just enough bottlenecks for swordplay.[/p][p]In the Castle Wars-style “Fangs and Banes” mode, Bulldogs do quadruple damage, S7 Sniper Rifles do double damage, equipment is random, ammo is infinite, and Gravity Hammers, Energy Swords, and Bulldogs all grant Active Camo while equipped. Jockey between your S7 and your Energy Sword to enjoy a few seconds of holdover invisibility while you’re picking your targets.[/p][p]Play the map-and-mode combo for a nice, 8v8 engagement filled with sneaky surprises.[/p][h2]MIGHTY MISSIONS[/h2][p]Banished showdowns, campaign-style missions, and other narrative game modes. Jump into any of these Forge creations for a tough co-op battle beside your Fireteam![/p][h3]SPACE ASSAULT CAMPAIGN[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: Purplekelix, TempestRage3340, Bearshark1226, MATOSO MARIO, Kingfrizy5668, Ninja Kitty 174, Danny Marek X88, ESHAM da UNH0LY, Vadmin adal, TsT Vandal, dapawpaw, Braydan5, NeedaNeedler, K417SDA, CliffyMan117, INQ Jawfish, Swagonflyy, AbeStrange, mrod282, AltPlains640, Cpt Liamat, HILDY894705, GENERALBRUISER, eliteboss216042, TCT3332, Sparten0228, BAS4LIFE605, Delta Dragon55[/p][p]Your ship is in peril. Get to your fighters and board those Banished warships![/p][p]After repelling Banished raiders, your team must pile into a Falcon or commandeer Hornets and join an aerial dogfight to return the favor. As you assault the enemy ships, you’ll need to take out roving Phantoms and defend yourself against squadrons of inbound Banshees while you complete your objectives.[/p][p]Once you’ve breached the Banished support ship, hacked into its engine room, and taken it offline, you’ll fly out once more to assault the flagship and topple its captain. If you’re stuck, get hints from AhsokaPolo’s video walkthrough.[/p][h3]OPERATION: HYDRA NEST[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Modes: Easy, Normal, Heroic, Legendary[/p][p]Forged by: DaKiowa[/p][p]It’s a simple mission, on paper: fight through the jungle, neutralize the Banished below the lake, and confront the chieftains at the Forerunner temple. Getting there is another story.[/p][p]Operation: Hydra Nest serves up a multi-phase strategic assault with a distinct flair for nostalgia. Your team will start in a cozy, forested base, scout the area, and soon find yourselves embroiled in battle against a whole platoon of Banished forces. Along the way, you’ll recruit captured marines, teleport through mysterious Forerunner temples, and raid control rooms before beheading the Banished battalion in a final epic showdown.[/p][h2]FIERCE FIREFIGHTS[/h2][p]Looking for a new Firefight map? Check out these picks from popular PvE experiences, starting with two familiar battlefields from Halo: Reach. Special thanks to The Spartan Phazed for sharing both creations in his weekly Halo Infinite showcase on YouTube![/p][h3]BEACHHEAD[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark this map.[/p][p]Forged by: Unusual Hiccup, Curtdean20, SilvervioletX98, Gamertag1236547, noble200155[/p][p]First seen in Halo: Reach, Beachhead is a Firefight map set in a public park in New Alexandria. (Its waterfront scenery should also look familiar from the final moments of the “Exodus” campaign mission.) This detailed remake brings back all the dread of a losing battle with the Covenant, in the guise of a more sanguine encounter with the Banished.[/p][h3]VISEGRÁD RELAY[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark this map.[/p][p]Forged by: HELLBRINGRER[/p][p]Dead zone confirmed. You’re looking at a downed relay outpost fifty klicks from Visegrad. Introduce yourselves to whoever took it out in any Firefight mode for a truly noble outing.[/p][p]HELLBRINGRER’s Visegrád Relay Firefight map is a loving homage to the introductory mission of Halo: Reach, particularly the sequence where Noble Team defends the relay outpost from invading Covenant before broaching the facility. You’ve got some pretty big boots to fill, but we’re just glad to have our Firefight Fireteam up to full strength again.[/p][h3]THE BASTION OF RETRIBUTION[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark maps: Firefight KOTH | Firefight Classic[/p][p]Forged by: NavelJeans2[/p][p]You’ve breached a Banished base, and they’re after retribution. Defend yourself against waves of inbound foes in a plein-air romp through a Banished facility. With limited cover and wide sightlines, this Firefight arena is perfect for Spartans who know when to move, when to duck, and when to spray-and-pray.[/p][h2]MADCAP MINIGAMES[/h2][p]All war and no play makes dull Spartans. Bookmark these minigames for a few laughs![/p][h3]TFF | ICE BREAKERS[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: Mr Multibit, | EliteFalcon |, Prim 27, MaxBloodBath (The Forge Falcons)[/p][p]When it comes to making cool modes, the Forge Falcons are ice cold! In the hilarious “Ice Breakers” free-for-all minigame, players must shoot floating ice blocks with Skewers to melt them from under their foes’ feet. You can use your Repulsor to leap over newly opened chasms, but you never know when someone else might disintegrate your landing pad.[/p][p]Destroyed blocks may re-freeze as time goes on, but the whole arena gradually diminishes until players are forced to vie for position on a tiny, glacial island. Stay frosty![/p][p]The mode linked above also works with all four maps in TFF’s community-made “Action Sack” playlist. Bookmark them here: Hot Hoppers | Dodge’m | Laser Mania | Space Ninjas[/p][h3]KING PING: HEX KEY RAID[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Modes: Hex Key Raid, Super Hex Key Raid, Hex-A-Throne[/p][p]Forged by: Roughsta[/p][p]At first blush, King Ping is a hexy haven for no-nonsense CTF—but the illusion is short-lived.[/p][p]Though the map begins as a simple grid of hexagonal platforms, players can mark to raise and lower any platform in their sights, or use Thrusters to raise all platforms in their wake. Where there was once flat ground could soon be ridges, staircases, or even pitfalls! As the terrain gets reshuffled, Flags can and do end up blockaded by new formations.[/p][p]Of course, getting around the map is only half the battle. You’ll also have to wrap your head around the equipment metas and kill-based upgrade system of the “Hex Key Raid” mode. Keep these simple rules in mind as you approach its relatively steep learning curve:[/p]

1. [p]Upon spawning, you’ll drop into the map with an Overshield. Use the button displayed in the on-screen prompt to accelerate your entry.[/p]
2. [p]Once you’ve landed, you’ll need to break your Overshield by shooting, which then permits you to open the Radial Menu and select your equipment loadout. Equipment can be changed at any time.[/p]
3. [p]Every kill earns you grenades that can either be used the old-fashioned way or hoarded to unlock more powerful equipment upgrades in the Radial Menu.[/p]
4. [p]Once you’ve collected enough grenades, you can crouch and reload to roll for new weapons at any time. Collect more grenades to keep rolling![/p]

[p]Whether you’re playing a “Hex Key Raid” (CTF) or “Hex-a-Throne” (KOTH) mode, the fully configurable King Ping map makes for a different experience every time you play.[/p][h3]ICE ROAD TRUCKERS[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: Boosted340, iMightBeWright, Okom1, Drx00x, jcsm mssm mm pp, MikeAlright7445, TheBackrooms274, BrianUA94, JaydenG9905, Headhunter34383, JediWaffle5, Teufel7156[/p][p]Hop in your truck and hit the skids before those abominable Infected get you![/p][p]In the “Ice Road Truckers” minigame mode, Survivors must slalom down an alpine racetrack through 12 checkpoints before flying Infected Spartans can cut them down. Meanwhile, the invisible Infected can teleport to the nearest Survivor vehicle and spam crouch to soar toward (and likely overshoot) their targets for a killing blow.[/p][p]If shooting down pursuers wasn’t hard enough, Survivors have to do it while dodging colossal boulders, leaping chasms, skirting cliffs, hitching a ride on the ski lift, and darting through tunnels. The more truckers you lose, the more monsters you’ll have to shoot—so be sure to watch for extra life one-ups hidden on the slopes.[/p][h3]CAZALY[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: DocArtyFart, Deathcrawller[/p][p]Fall is a lovely time for footy! Get your Grif on with a full-contact mode and a bespoke oval pitch inspired by the Cazalys Stadium in Queensland, Australia.[/p][p]Created in partnership with the AGLA Grifball league and self-styled as “Aussie Rules” Grifball, this inspired take on the quintessential Halo sport is a game of hand-offs, passing, ordnance drops, and hammerless smackdowns. Get to the opponents’ goal and hurl the ball through the vertical posts to score![/p][p]When carrying the ball, swing it to hand off to nearby players (a short-range throw), or use your Thruster to hurl the ball in whatever direction you’re looking. Carriers receive a modest Overshield boost to tank heavy blows, but they cannot sprint, and sustaining damage results in a three-second stun. Pass or hand off to retain control.[/p][p]Defenders can tackle the carrier using their Thrusters, or make use of the equipment strewn about the field to really “show ‘em your might.” Check out DocArtyFart’s overview trailer for a closer look.[/p][h2]SILLY SCENERY[/h2][p]Here’s a selection of funny bookmarks for the next after-hours customs sesh.[/p][h3]SEVERNAYA 64[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: RockyRambos[/p][p]For Earth, John? A gilded-age classic returns, courtesy of RockyRambos’s eye for detail. In this pristine bunker in a remote corner of Siberia, you’ll need to be at your most debonair to foil your latest enemy’s plan for global domination.[/p][p]Shaken, not stirred, with an ammo-scrounging, “slappers only” mode, this retro remake offers nostalgic environs and detuned movement for the spycraft aficionado. Just don’t get too excited when you’re “Onatopp” of the scoreboard.[/p][p]Don’t miss Rocky’s other tributes to Archives and Facility (with Spartan 458 CGO).[/p][h3]EVIL MOON ESCAPE[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: TeamShowStoppa, PlumberPatt, DiIIoOn, HYDRAC5[/p][p]Larp wars! Certain death awaits a crew of rebellious heroes in this one-sided Infection variant. At the start of each round, blast doors open to reveal a cumbrous foe with a real dark side and one awful Energy Sword. It’s up to you to overwhelm the slow-moving “emissary of evil” with your Disruptor and send him back to the start.[/p][p]If the Infected captain cuts down your allies, they’ll join the imperial ranks as foot soldiers at the vanguard of his mighty approach. Watch each other’s backs, or else your foes shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Survive until the round ends, and you just might make it past the opening crawl—though we’d never tell you the odds.[/p][h3]PLUMBER’S PALACE[/h3][p][/p][p]Bookmark map. | Bookmark mode.[/p][p]Forged by: Happy Majora[/p][p]Mah-mah-mah-mah-Master Chief? In this painstaking homage to one unlucky plumber’s haunted estate, a team of ghost-busting Spartans must use their trusty Sentinel Beams to blast a coterie of spirits rotating throughout the many rooms of a dilapidated manor.[/p][p]Seek the specters, collect power weapons, and be prepared to cleanse this house of evil in a final, lights-out showdown with a gang of boss boos—if you’re not too chicken, that is.[/p][h2]SUPERLATIVE SCRIPTING[/h2][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Since introducing a massive batch of new Forge features in the Fall Update, we’ve seen Forgers scripting everything from flyable Phantoms to complex in-game interaction menus. In the video above, Okom demonstrates a custom Radial Menu Prefab especially designed for machinima creators.[/p][hr][/hr][p]Found your work featured here? Fill out this form to claim your exclusive Fire Unicorn emblem and nameplate for Halo Infinite.[/p][p]Stay tuned for another Forge Feature coming soon! To share your creations with the Halo Infinite community team, be sure to drop a link in the #forge-show-and-tell channel of our official Discord or post to r/Halo using the Forge tag.[/p]

[p]Fog gathers. Fear stalks the land. Operation: Haloween II has risen from its dark slumber.[/p][p][/p][p]To mark the frightful occasion, we’re trick-or-treating Halo Infinite players to a reanimated Survive the Undead playlist, scary-good Squad Battle updates, haunted helmets, and a creature-feature of Haloween costumes and accessories in the Exchange.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][hr][/hr][h2]SURVIVE THE UNDEAD[/h2][p][/p][p]The gruesome gauntlet of Survive the Undead returns for a sequel—with a vengeance.[/p][p]Appearing in a dedicated playlist now through November 18, the legendary arcade mode now includes four terrifying maps forged by the incomparable Forge Falcons.[/p][h3]STRIVE TO SURVIVE[/h3][p]Missed the first evil incarnation of Survive the Undead? Here’s what awaits you:[/p][p]Survive the Undead is a Firefight variant with arcade-style play and a built-in points economy. Your goal is to endure endless waves of increasingly more ghastly foes, starting with lumbering Elites and progressing through swifter, deadlier undead assailants.[/p][p]As you strive to survive against the horde, you’ll earn points to upgrade personal attributes, purchase weapons and ammo, unlock new areas, or roll for powerful weapon modifiers. (Are you a “Sidekick that shoots Shock Rifle bursts” or a “Bulldog filled with rockets” kind of survivor? It’s a personal choice, but one with potentially grave significance.)[/p][p]Get moving. The nightmare’s just begun.[/p][h3]QUOTH THE FALCONS[/h3][p]Do you dare to discover The Forge Falcons? Read our Community Corner interview, meet the team in our Halo World Championship community panel, or visit their official website to learn more about these talented Forgers.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]HALO 5: GUARDIANS TURNS 10[/h2][p]Here’s a scary thought for all us mortals: October 27 marks the tenth anniversary of Halo 5: Guardians! In a few short weeks, we’ll celebrate the milestone with the return of Extermination and four beloved armor sets from Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer.[/p][h3]COMING SOON: EXTERMINATION[/h3][p]Extermination is a 4v4 Slayer variant where your team must wipe out the entire enemy team before their fallen comrades return to action. Once you drop a foe, you’ll have 15 seconds to eliminate their allies—or else the clock resets to the time remaining since the next enemy fell in action.[/p][p]Stay tuned for a dedicated Extermination playlist on October 28.[/p][h3]COMING SOON: ANNIVERSARY ARMOR[/h3][p][/p][p]On October 28, four armor sets commemorating Halo 5: Guardians will take on new missions in Halo Infinite. Inspired by favorite multiplayer helmets, these anniversary armor sets will arrive simultaneously in both the Shop and the Exchange.[/p]

• [p]Hunter: Savvy Spartans choose HUNTER technology for its customizable interfaces, a puissant surveillance suite, and dependable maneuverability in hand-to-hand sparring.[/p]
• [p]Helljumper: Thanks to innovative field upgrades by Cascade Stronghold Technologies, testbed HELLJUMPER armor can reliably endure the atmospheric rigors expected of GEN3 Mjolnir.[/p]
• [p]Copperhead: When it comes to building interspecies alliances, COPPERHEAD armor has consistently proven its merits for both kinetic diplomacy and charm offensives.[/p]
• [p]Shinobi: Though the design’s origins remain obscure, the undisclosed reasons behind its approved use among Spartans of the UNSC may prove even more unknowable.[/p]

[p]Better start squirreling away those Spartan Points for later in the Fall Update![/p][hr][/hr][h2]SQUAD BATTLE REANIMATED[/h2][p]As the chilly autumn air announces the onset of winter, this Haloween season is the perfect time to cozy up to a Squad Battle Refresh! Jump into the Squad Battle playlist to sip on:[/p]

• [p]New maps: Take a stroll through familiar stomping grounds in Longshore (returning from Halo 3) and First Light (a remake of Halo 4’s Daybreak).[/p]
• [p]Loadout changes: Watch enemies fall like autumn leaves with a new default loadout. Squad Battlers now start with the M392 Bandit and the MA5K Avenger.[/p]
• [p]Improved matchmaking: We’ve added new functionality to Squad Battle’s matchmaking systems to improve queue times in cases where your Match Composer recipe may be too restrictive. To get you into the fight faster, the matchmaker will start with your selected modes as a preference, then slowly widen its scope to find you a match in other available modes.[/p]
• [p]KOTH updates: We’ve modified scoring in Squad Battle’s King of the Hill variants for a more traditional flavor. Teams now earn one point per second while holding a hill, but hills rotate around the map every 60 seconds. Strategize, choose your hills wisely, and accrue 180 points to win![/p]

[p]With throwback maps, perfectly spiced KOTH, and a fresh batch of weapons, there’s never been a comfier way to enjoy a nostalgia-inducing 8v8.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]OPERATION PASS[/h2][p]As specters, spooks, and Spartans mingle in the gloom, what abominable armaments lie in wait at the end of Operation Pass Lane? Ring the bell if you dare…[/p][h3]FREE OPERATION PASS[/h3][p]Brave the fateful machinations of Operation: Haloween II to unearth the Dirgesinger armor set, featuring none other than the Gravemind’s terrible visage. Wrought patiently from flesh and bone and time, this haunted helm afflicts all those who look upon it with a certain infectious charm.[/p][p]Complete all 20 tiers of the free Operation Pass by November 18 to join your voice with the Dirgesinger’s timeless chorus.[/p][h3]PREMIUM OPERATION PASS[/h3][p]Those who delve into the mysteries of the Premium Pass shall maximize their pestilential potential with the Defiled Needler weapon model and Corrupting Oil weapon coating.[/p][p]Premium Pass reward tracks cannot be killed with mortal weapons (they never expire!). Premium Pass holders can also earn bonus XP and deploy an additional challenge slot while their pass is equipped.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]QUALITY-OF-AFTERLIFE UPDATE[/h2][p]When the Halo 5: Guardians anniversary celebration begins, we’ll be releasing a pair of quality-of-life updates to help matchmakers and Forgers conduct their dire deeds![/p][h3]Improved Mode Titles[/h3][p]Starting October 28, matchmaking modes will follow a more consistent title format for easier searching, bookmarking, and discovery.[/p][p]Whereas the titles for some modes used to contain info about their player count or default playlist (e.g., “Arena: Slayer”) in varying order, all Halo Studios mode titles will soon be normalized to adhere to a simplified “\[MODE]: \[SIZE]\[VARIANT]” format.[/p][p]For example, a core mode such as “Slayer” will now be listed under that name, while Slayer’s 24-player Fiesta variant can be found under “Slayer: BTB Fiesta.” We hope this will improve the way players find new multiplayer experiences in Halo Infinite.[/p][h3]Updated Forge Canvases[/h3][p]We’ve amended the set of Forge Objects that are available by default on Canvases to include support for all core mode variants.[/p][p]Starting October 28, you will now find a variety of utility Objects for Invasion, Assault, and more mode variants on all eight Forge Canvases (Arid, Barrage, Ecliptic, Institute, Mires, Permafrost, Seafloor, and Void) to make iteration and design easier and more fluid than ever.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]THE FALL UPDATE LIVES![/h2][p]As shadows recede, and warpaths turn astray, Operation: Haloween II descends to strike fear into the hearts of Spartans everywhere.[/p][p]Recite the ancient words found in our Fall Update overview to summon the Vestige Carbine, the fearsome Falcon, fiendish new Weapons Bench customizations, and more game-changing autumnal updates.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]WAYPOINT CHRONICLE[/h2][p]Coming this month are two new Waypoint Chronicles to celebrate the arrival of Haloween and the tenth anniversary of Halo 5: Guardians.[/p][p]ASCENSION ON ATROPOS / OCTOBER 8[/p][p]“October 2556. The crew of the UNSC Saturn deal with the consequences of a catastrophic Flood outbreak at LV-31, and a fanatical alien cult seeks to find a new path to divine transcendence.”[/p][p]FIFTH CANTICLE / OCTOBER 27[/p][p]“2558. Amid the chaos of the Created uprising, five tales of truth, compromise, betrayal, purpose, and change unfold across the galaxy.[/p][p]Doctor Catherine Halsey and Jul ‘Mdama share an honest conversation, Captain Lasky makes arrangements for a vital mission to Sanghelios, Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam confronts a traitor, Exuberant Witness makes some new friends, and a strange signal is picked up on Zeta Halo.”[/p][hr][/hr][h2]THE SHOP[/h2][p]
This spooky season, the resident necromancers at The Shop have raised a devious duo of armor bundles for the frightfully inclined.[/p][h3]ALL HALO’S EVE BUNDLE[/h3][p]‘Twas all Halo’s Eve when a harvester of unbound souls met a hunter of the damned. The All Halo’s Eve bundle joins the Helsinger and Gourdian Knight armor sets at a dire crossroads with an exclusive death effect and an extra-sweet assortment of Haloween treats.[/p]

• [p]Helsinger: The HELSINGER title is bestowed on those forged by arcane trials against light-fearing abominations. Let its singular purpose drive your hand to divine victory over the emissaries of ancient evils. Be sure to anoint the Hive Stalker Shock Rifle with the Eye Candy weapon coating before heading out on tonight’s hunt.[/p]
• [p]Gourdian Knight: O, Gourdian Jack is a merry fellow! His teeth are jagged and his eyes are yellow! Brave the moonlit moors of the fallow court to ride full abreast with this gleeful harvester of sorrows. As you sneak up on unsuspecting mortals, you can snare admiring looks from fellow bumps-in-the-night with the Weaver’s Embrace armor coating, or snuff your luminous approach with the Candlejack helmet attachment.[/p]
• [p]Revealed Truth: Why should death seal their lips? Ply your enemies for a “flood” of closely held secrets with the bundle-exclusive Revealed Truth death effect.[/p]

[p]Pick up the All Halo’s Eve bundle to acquire the Helsinger and Gourdian Knight armor sets, Hive Stalker Shock Rifle weapon model, Eye Candy weapon coating, Weaver’s Embrace armor coating, and the Revealed Truth death effect set.[/p][h3]PROMETHEAN RAIDER[/h3][p]Beneath the full moon howls the Promethean Raider bundle, an unholy union of favorite customizations conjured especially for Haloween. This ferocious pack includes the Raider armor set (introduced in Operation: Last Stand), Promethean Bulldog weapon model, Worn Sky armor coating, Academy Issue and Second Foundation weapon coatings, Chibi Johnson weapon charm, and Behold Sector backdrop.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]THE EXCHANGE[/h2][p]Still picking out your costume? Choose from a cauldronful of eerie Flood and HAZMAT accessories at The Exchange, or snag the full Scanner, Venator, and Ogun armor sets.[/p][h2]PLAYER RESOURCES[/h2][p]Halo Infinite offers a universe of multiplayer experiences. To navigate this constellated cosmos, we’ve compiled a list of useful resources for new and returning players. Visit these links to see currently active playlists, game mode overviews, patch notes, and more:[/p]

• [p]Join the official Halo Discord server.[/p]
• [p]Read the patch notes for Operation: Haloween II.[/p]
• [p]Check out all currently active multiplayer playlists.[/p]
• [p]Read descriptions for all multiplayer modes in Halo Infinite.[/p]
• [p]Learn about creating custom maps and modes in Forge.[/p]

[p]New to Halo Infinite? Check out our New Player Guide for helpful tips.[/p][h2]SUPPORT[/h2][p]Run into a bug, glitch, or unexpected issue? Submit a ticket to Halo Support.[/p][p]You can submit tickets on a wide range of topics that includes reports of audio issues, crashes, game-save corruption, general bug reports, and more.[/p][h2]PRESS KIT[/h2][p]Download the Operation: Haloween II press kit.[/p]

[p]“2558. War journalist Benjamin Giraud pieces together stories of heroism and sacrifice from archives of recorded communications during the fall of Reach.”[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Halo: ‘Ghosts & Glass’ by B. Giraud is available here, on Halo Waypoint, as a free PDF, and in audiobook format on YouTube.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][hr][/hr][p]HISTORIAN’S NOTE[/p][p]Halo: ‘Ghosts & Glass’ by B. Giraud takes place in March 2558, over five years after the fall of Reach.[/p][hr][/hr][p]BRAVO 001: “Mayday, mayday! This is Bravo 001, en route to your position. Do you have a visual on my aircraft, over?”[/p][p]GOLDEN ARROW: “Bravo 001, this is Golden Arrow. I do believe you are steering that bird in the wrong direction, over.”[/p][p]BRAVO 001: “Negative. Bird’s electronics are fried, I’m flying blind! Just need you to point me in the direction of the LZ.”[/p][p]GOLDEN ARROW: “You got it, Bravo 001, happy to oblige. Link up with uniform-delta one-zero-one-five-three-niner-niner-zero, heading south-southwest. Slips about one-zero-zero knots. Advise you head for the treetops and fly straight at Mount Törött. We got more than enough problems of our own down here.”[/p][p]BRAVO 001: “I say again: that’s a negative, Golden Arrow. I’ve got high value assets in tow with strict orders to drop them directly on your location. My bird ain’t going to hold together all the way to the boneyard. Need an LZ clear, over.”[/p][p]GOLDEN ARROW: “With respect, Bravo, unless you have a cartful of tac’ nukes with my name on it, you don’t have anything of value in that bird. Get your ass to evac.”.[/p][p]BRAVO 001: “All right, Golden Arrow. If I can’t set her down, I’ll just drop these big Spartans on your head, out.”[/p][p]GOLDEN ARROW: “Damn Bravo, why didn’t you say so? Come down close to the tree line about two klicks due west of your current position. That’s where me and my boys are, over.”[/p][p]BRAVO 001: “I’m gonna need that LZ cleared, Golden Arrow. I’ll be right on top of you in three mikes.”[/p][p]GOLDEN ARROW: “Hell, I’m gonna clear you a spot myself, Bravo. Look for the trooper with big-ass grin on his face.”[/p][p]BRAVO 001: “Roger that, I’ll see you. Out.”[/p][p]// \[end – next file] //[/p][p]RECON 43: “Gamma One Actual, this is Recon 43. We are in position, over.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Recon 43, this is Gamma One Actual. Gimme a radio check, over.”[/p][p]RECON 43: “Got eyes on three Ghosts and twenty-four infantry. Typical scout detachment, please advise.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Recon 43, do not engage. Sit tight and keep your eyes and ears open. I say again, gimme a radio check, over.”[/p][p]RECON 43: “Gamma One Actual, we do not read you, say again, we do not read you, over.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Recon 43, you are not cleared to engage. I say again, you are not cleared to engage. Is there anyone else close to their grid? Damn it!”[/p][p]RECON 43: “Looks like we’re on our own, boys. This is their eyes and ears, we flatten these guys and disengage. Tag your targets and get ready to go loud on my mark.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Recon 43, this is Gamma One Actual. I say again: you are to stand down and withdraw immediately. Do not engage, over!”[/p][p]RECON 43: “Fire! That’s it, make ‘em count!”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “What do we have that we can send to support them? Damn it!”[/p][p]RECON 43: “Pull back, move and shoot, move and shoot! Where the hell did all these hostiles come from?”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Tell Beta Romeo Actual that the company we are expecting is going to be arriving a little earlier than we anticipated. Recon 43, I say again, you are not cleared to engage! Stow your weapons, we are reading multiple inbound hostiles in your sector. You do not want their attention, over!”[/p][p]RECON 43: “Aw, damn! Tip of the spear, nothin’. It’s the whole godforsaken fleet! Fire, fire, fire!”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Recon 43, respond. Check in! Recon 43, do you read me? Damn it! Get Red Team up and running, high alert. We’re about to have company.”[/p][hr][/hr][p]What you just heard is the moment that the battle of Reach hit the point of no return.[/p][p]There are more messages like this than can be counted. Even as we speak, the debris field around Reach—over five years later—is still being combed over and turning up new data, building the overall tapestry of the greatest military defeat ever suffered by humanity.[/p][p]My job is to sift through that data, to listen to the moments that piece together the battle as it happened. To find and tell the stories of those valiant souls who heroically fought against the Covenant, holding the line so that just one more ship had a chance to evacuate as the planet’s surface was burned by orbital plasma bombardment.[/p][p]My name is Benjamin Giraud, and this is Ghosts & Glass. Join me as we explore the untold stories of the fall of Reach.[/p][p][/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “So, uh…”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Come on, spit it out.”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “You, uh, got a zombie plan?”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Hell yeah.”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Yeah? Maybe we could exchange notes.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Well, uh, I dunno, man. Zombie plans are kinda… deeply personal thing with me.”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Oh I understand, it’s just, I find that saying them out loud, you know, getting ‘em out in the open really helps reveal any flaws they might have.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Yeah, makes sense.”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Okay.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Alright. So, zombies can still hear and stuff, so that makes guns a weapon of last resort, right?”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Yeah, yeah, solid so far. Ammo, too.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Exactly. So I was thinking that, what is a weapon that’ll keep them out of grabbing range, and won’t run out of ammo? A spear.”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Hold up. Now, see, this is workin’ already.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Huh?”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Spear! I thought so too at one time, but the possibility of getting it stuck in the brainpan of a walking corpse is very real.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Oh yeah, you’re right. Man, I hadn’t thought about that. Well, uh…”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Ball-peen hammer.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “But you’d have to get right up on top of the zombie to use it, man.”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “Yeah, survival ain’t about running around killing zombies, man. Plus, a single sharp blow to the head would drop most zombies. It’ll work on cheetahs, too.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “What the… There ain’t cheetahs on Reach. Anyway, we should probably be working the kinks out of our alien invasion plan first. Aliens are smarter, faster, and more technically advanced than zombies. They’re also here. Zombies, not so much.”[/p][p]PVT. GOODMAN: “What I tell ya? Reach ain’t no place for no self-respecting marine to spend any amount of time.”[/p][p]PVT. DEAKINS: “Hey, we ain’t in the Autumn yet, pal.”[/p][hr][/hr][p]Here’s the thing, a lot of the data that’s being found is what some might call junk. Believe me, I’ve built up an entire archive filled with the inane ramblings of bored troopers just sitting around, waiting for orders. I’m sure I could put together several seasons of episodes from that alone.[/p][p]While these recordings don’t necessarily shed any light on the battle itself, they still hold immense value. There is something deeply precious about the preservation of these interactions, these tiny moments in time set against the devastation brought by the Covenant. I believe that when we are faced with unrelenting violence and death on such a scale, we must process that loss—sit with it, feel it, rage against it, weep… whatever it takes to actually digest these events that define our history and connect us with our common humanity.[/p][p]During the war, we didn’t have the luxury of slowing down. The danger of annihilation was a constant presence. One day, you were living a normal, ordinary life, and then the Covenant would arrive. They would burn your home and everybody you’ve ever known to a cinder. And if you didn’t make it to an evacuation craft, one of the few that was lucky enough to get out? Well, then you burned too.[/p][p]We’re out of that period now. Covenant remnant groups still strike at smaller, far-flung colonies, but they’re no longer quite the “bogeyman” they were over the last few decades. The dust has settled; the glass is being chipped away. At last, we have the opportunity to reckon with everything we’ve lost.[/p][p]Unsurprisingly, we’re going to have to reckon with that for a very long time.[/p][p]So yes, this archive of nonsense ramblings from the people on Reach may not contribute to our historical understanding of the battle, but I keep them stored and preserved as a tribute to the soul of what we lost. This archive continues to grow. It may not be something as grand as the still-standing Sedlec Ossuary, but it is something that I hope to one day pass on to the Museum of Humanity for future generations to learn about the war that defined our species.[/p][p]Walk the streets of just about any city on Earth and you’ll still find “Remember Reach” among the most common graffiti around. It’s just one of those things where—whoever you are, wherever you come from, whatever you feel about the Unified Earth Government—the fall of Reach was a moment that hit all of us one way or another.[/p][p]Of course, there has been a lot of lively discussion over the years about the battle itself, resulting in countless conflicting accounts. Some ardently insist that the battle took place over no more than a day and that the notion of it spanning a month-long Covenant military campaign was merely propaganda concocted to improve morale. There are even some corners of Waypoint where conspiracy theorists have suggested that the Office of Naval Intelligence lured the Covenant to Reach—though no concrete reason as to why ONI would do such a thing has ever been arrived at.[/p][p]But this isn’t about giving credence to such spirited speculation, let alone claims as wild as seeing Jackals riding enslaved Gúta. No, today’s episode is about a story I came across while piecing together recordings from my archive and restoring the communications logs of a destroyer known as the UNSC Majestic…[/p][p]Today’s episode of Ghosts & Glass is the story of Charlie Company and a Spartan team known as “Beta-Red.”[/p][p][/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Gamma One, Facility Alpha 412 is overrun, and I’m heading to your location with what’s left of Gamma Five, over.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Gamma Five? Damn, it’s good to hear you. How many are you bringing? I thought B-net said your house got knocked down.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Confirm. ODG-412 is slag. Lost all but fourteen able bodies. Making our way over in two ‘hogs and a radio van.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “The more the merrier. Looks like we got makin’s for a party. Some honest-to-god Spartans are ridin’ up here with some boys from Third Mech as we speak.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Hate to break it to you, Gamma One, but Covies hit us with two divisions at Alpha 412. How many Spartans you got on approach?”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Gamma Five, say again? That was two divisions, over?”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “That’s affirmative. We put a dent in ‘em, but that’s about it. The only reason I ain’t one of them on the line with you right now is HIGHCOM decided to drop every available asset right on top of ‘em, and us. Over.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Well, I hope you’re bringing extra ammo then, Gamma Five.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “All we could carry and then some. ETA twenty-five mikes, out.”[/p][hr][/hr][p]Let’s back up for a second.[/p][p]These recordings are all dated August 30, 2552—the day that Reach fell. As survivor accounts have revealed, this was perhaps the largest known deployment of Spartan teams in the war.[/p][p]The Spartans of Red Team were aboard Pelican Bravo 001, which we heard from earlier as they negotiated a landing zone near one of the generators for the orbital defense platforms.[/p][p]ODPs are satellite stations built around a really, really big gun—the kind that can fire rounds at something like four percent of the speed of light, gutting a Covenant ship in one shot. Reach had an array of twenty of these bad boys, each of them powered by fusion generators buried within the planet, which made them a priority target for the Covenant invasion.[/p][p]As the Spartans split up into splinter teams, their mission was to protect those generators. Hold the Covenant back, whatever the cost.[/p][p]This is what happened next.[/p][hr][/hr][p]BETA ROMEO ACTUAL: “Gamma One Actual, my team is in position. Get your people ready to move as soon as I give the signal, over.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “With respect, Red, we might not be Spartans, but this is our home. My men will die here if I ask them to.”[/p][p]BETA ROMEO ACTUAL: “I don’t doubt that, Gamma One Actual. Let’s hope we won’t need them to. Defensive perimeter online.[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: This is nuts. What in the hell are those autoturrets supposed to do against what they’re bringin’, over?[/p][p]BETA ROMEO ACTUAL: Divide their attention. Visual! Thirty-two Wraiths moving with two-hundred sixty infantry at two-hundred meters, closing on our lines due west at six kilometers per hour. Beta Red, hold position until I trigger primaries, then close on their front line as fast as you can.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Dammit, Red, I heard you Spartans were crazy. Gamma-Five: radio check, over.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Five by five, Gamma One Actual. Drone is holding station at over ten thousand feet. We got eyes on the whole damn thing.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Those Spartans are crazy, they’re gonna get us killed.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Holy– You ain’t gonna believe this! Beta-Red just punched right up into the guts of that Covie column! Ever see a Spartan go hand-to-hand with a Wraith? Unbelievable!”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “What are six Spartans gonna do against thirty thousand Covenant? They’re dead men.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Can’t argue that, but those Spartans just bought us some time. We might just make it out of this alive! Get ready to move, over!”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “That’s the signal! Let’s get the hell outta here.”[/p][p]// \[end – next file] //[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Unknown station, this is Gamma One Actual. Do you read, over?”[/p][p]IRON FIST: “Gamma One Actual, this is Iron Fist. We read you. What is the current status of Facility Alpha 331?”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Facility Alpha 331 is overrun and offline, defense grid in zone Uniform Delta is running at starvation levels. If you’re taking survivors, we’ve got a few.”[/p][p]IRON FIST: “Negative, Gamma. We are en route to support Beta-Red. Any word on their status?”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “None, over.”[/p][p]IRON FIST: “Acknowledged. There’s a temp evac station fifty klicks west along your current vector at Uniform Delta zero-zero-eight-niner-six-three-niner-eight-seven. I’ll let them know you’re coming.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Might want to tell them to start pulling up stakes. Beta-Red may be tough as hell, but I don’t know how long they’ll be able to tie up two armored divisions.”[/p][p]IRON FIST: “Say again, Gamma, over?”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “I said Beta-Red may be tough as hell but– oh, my god!”[/p][p]IRON FIST: “Gamma One Actual, we lost you. Say again, over?”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Iron Fist, this is Gamma One Actual. Three Covenant cruisers just dropped out of clouds directly above us, holding at approximately twenty thousand feet, traveling due east at approximately three hundred knots– three-zero-zero knots!”[/p][p]IRON FIST: “Visual confirmed, Gamma One. They just passed within fifty meters of our bird. Go NOA and punch it, there’s still a chance we can pull Beta outta there.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Wait, you’re not planning on heading into that mess, are you?”[/p][p]IRON FIST: “Godspeed, and see you on the other side, Gamma. Out.”[/p][p]// \[end – next file] //[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “Alpha Two Zero, this is UNSC Majestic, two mikes out from window. Once we’re on-station, you’ll have us for all of three-zero seconds, over.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “Acknowledged, Majestic. Stand by, we are waiting for the go, no-go on the shoot. Uploading telemetry on targets.”[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “Telemetry received, on standby.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “CENTCOM, OWA is one mike three-zero seconds out from window, DD with five-zero one-hundred-sixty charlie mike, once on station we’ll have three-zero seconds of trigger time, over.”[/p][p]CENTCOM: “Alpha Two Zero, this is CENTCOM. Beta-Red is directly in the splash zone. Until we have visual confirmation of their status, we are no-go, over.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “CENTCOM, those cruisers are burning birds out to five-zero klicks. Hell, they’ve hit civvy evac birds all the way out to CIS. Beta-Red have gone above and beyond but there’s no way out for them, they just bought us our window. Now give me the go and let’s finish the job.”[/p][p]CENTCOM: “God help us… Go hot. Out.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “Alpha Two Zero to UNSC Majestic.”[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “Copy, Alpha, requesting go for shoot.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “Affirmative, we are go on the shoot. Over.”[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “Acknowledged. Shoot is a go, out. Six rounds, target number Kilo Tango two-zero-zero-five.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “Copy, Majestic. Six rounds, target number Kilo Tango two-zero-zero-five.”[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “Shot, over.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “Shot, out.”[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “Splash, over.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “Splash, out.”[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “Rounds complete, over.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “Rounds complete, out. End of mission, Majestic. All three target vehicles neutralized. I don’t even want to guess what happened below.”[/p][p]UNSC MAJESTIC: “I copy, Alpha. End of mission, all three target vehicles neutralized. It’s been fun, hope we get a chance to do it again. Out.”[/p][p]ALPHA TWO ZERO: “God willing. Out.”[/p][hr][/hr][p]The Covenant fleet had arrived in force. Three cruisers were inbound while thirty thousand enemy troops were converging on the orbital MAC generator…[/p][p]It’s difficult to even comprehend the odds that Beta-Red and Charlie Company faced that day. We can only imagine the thunderous sound of so many alien boots marching, the whine of enemy aircraft swarming out of the cruisers, the moment before the first shot was fired as the scale of the enemy became clear.[/p][p]And when those heroes on the ground were overwhelmed and could no longer hold the line, the UNSC Majestic unleashed hell with six consecutive MAC rounds on the area.[/p][p]Survivors? The chances were as close to zero as you can imagine. Did Iron Fist make it in time to get Beta-Red out of there? There’s surely no way anybody could emerge from that crater.[/p][p]And yet…[/p][hr][/hr][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Gamma Five, holy crap! Buckman, you see that?”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “See it? Felt that in my damn chest. Whoever pulled the trigger wanted those sons-of-bitches dead.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Can’t believe we just walked outta that crater. We gotta be the two luckiest bastards on this whole planet.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Luck ain’t got nothing to do with it, Jake.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Think anybody could have survived that?”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “You mean Beta-Red? They say Spartans never die, but I don’t think anything lived through that.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Damn, whole lotta real estate burning down there. Won’t be much left once this is all said and done.”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Here we are, hightailing it to anywhere else. Doesn’t seem right.”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “Well, pretty soon won’t be any place else to run to. What’s next, Earth?”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Jake, anyone tell you you talk too damn much?”[/p][p]GAMMA ONE ACTUAL: “All the time. What the hell else was there to do on Reach besides chase pioneer girls?”[/p][p]GAMMA FIVE: “Now there’s nothing, man. Now there’s nothing at all. Five out.”[/p][hr][/hr][p]Two marines climbed out of that damn foxhole![/p][p]I don’t know what happened to them afterwards. The death toll from the fall of Reach is still being routinely updated, so Chapman, Buckman, if you’re out there and happen to be listening, please get in touch. There are a lot of folks who would love to know that you’re okay.[/p][p]And as for Beta-Red. As Buckman said, “Spartans never die.”[/p][p][/p][p]It’s a piece of myth that is captured in a work of art in the ‘Believe’ series by the late and great artist Anaru Kawiti, who sadly perished last year during the attack on New Phoenix. This piece lives in the Museum of Humanity and depicts a Spartan, bloodied and defiant, holding aloft a tactical nuclear device as a horde of Covenant surrounds him—a settlement and orbital elevator on fire in the background under the shadow of a great snow-covered mountain. Below it is an inscription, words from Tennyson, that simply reads:[/p][p]Boldly they rode and well,[/p][p]Into the jaws of Death,[/p][p]Into the mouth of hell.[/p][p]In the wars of the past, there were mementos, keepsakes, medals—tangible things that we could hold onto, that would help us to remember the friends and family we lost. But we fought an enemy that burned those things to glass. There are no personal effects from those who fell on Reach. There’s just this… these recordings of their voices in their last moments.[/p][p]Today is March 3, 2558—five years to the day since the Covenant War formally ended. Take a moment to remember Beta-Red, Charlie Company, Reach… the countless billions that are no longer with us.[/p][p]Carry them with you today. Talk to somebody—anybody—about it. Everybody’s got a story to tell, so pass it on. Remember the fallen.[/p][p]Remember Reach.[/p][p]That’s all for this week, folks. We’ll be back next time with an exclusive interview from some of the Reavian citizens who are currently leading the effort to “deglass” the planet. These pioneers are working tirelessly to forge a new chapter for Reach so that, one day, it might be resettled for a generation free from the Covenant War’s horrors.[/p][p]Thank you for tuning in for our latest episode of Ghosts & Glass. This is Benjamin Giraud, signing off.[/p][p][/p][p]\[ONI SECTION TWO ARCHIVE // RECORDED CHATTER CONVERSATION // MARCH 10, 2558][/p][p]> “Benjamin Giraud, as I live and breathe!”[/p][p]>> “Hello? Who is this?”[/p][p]> “Name’s Sullivan. Michael Sullivan, Naval Intelligence. Senior Comms Director of Section Two. I’m a big fan of your work.”[/p][p]>> “Thank you, but I–”[/p][p]> “But you have bigger things to offer than rummaging through old broadcasts from the fall of Reach, I know. That’s yesterday’s news, Ben. You’ve been scraping by as a freelancer long enough; it’s time to come back to the fold.”[/p][p]>> “Sounds like you already have a story in mind?”[/p][p]> “I do, Ben. It’s really gonna be something. I’ll get a meeting on the books for us.”[/p][p]>> “I haven’t said yes yet.”[/p][p]> “Oh, but I know you will. Tell me, Ben… how d’you feel about doing a profile on the Master Chief?”[/p][p][/p][p]AUGUST 30, 2552 // REACH[/p][p]If Hell is real, it probably looks something like this.[/p][p]A seething, swarming mass of bodies as far as the eye could see. Some push forwards while others fall back like waves upon sand. Bursts of green, blue, and purple trace back and forth through the crowd, accompanied by fiery muzzle flashes, the roar of high-velocity cannons, and the groaning engines of vehicles that charge the enemy lines like titanium-plated cavalry.[/p][p]Across the horizon is a wall of fire and thick stacks of acrid, sulfurous smoke. Columns of plasma strike the ground many kilometers away, ventral beams slicing through a thick layer of blackened clouds—obscuring the Covenant ships from which they originated. Dust, mud, metal, flesh… in its wake, all will be burned to glass.[/p][p]They have already taken the generator. They are just sticking around to finish the job.[/p][p]The chaos is so thick that it is almost too easy to miss the flash of lightning as it streaks through the sky.[/p][p]It’s not a warning. It is a sign of what has already arrived.[/p][p]In the span of a single breath, the sound of the blast catches up, screaming through the air with white hot anger, devastating the mass several miles north. The ground bursts, throwing up huge chunks of soil, shrapnel, bodies, vehicles, and concrete in all directions, a towering tsunami of carnage.[/p][p]Magnetic accelerator rounds are being turned on Reach itself.[/p][p]“Break ranks!” Somebody shouts. “Get out of here!”[/p][p]The sky has already lit with another flash, illuminating just for a moment a glimpse of the hulking forms of the Covenant ships in the clouds.[/p][p]The second MAC round is closer, less than half a mile east. The ground seems to explode upwards, but still the alien horde presses forward, though many Unggoy and Kig-Yar look as if they are themselves about to flee.[/p][p]The generator is lost. Reach has fallen.[/p][p]A decision is made.[/p][p]“All units,” Beta Romeo Actual says to any who can hear over their comms, “splash incoming. Get out of the blast zone!”[/p][p]The world is split asunder as the third and fourth MAC rounds and their after-effects eat up the distance, the ground erupting, the air filled with a cacophony of sounds and frequencies no mortal ears were ever meant to hear.[/p][p]Weapons fire, the churning of metal, the shrill screams of human and alien alike—enemies fighting each other for opposing armies no longer, all scattering as they were caught in the crushing grasp of what felt like a violent tectonic rearrangement by hand of indifferent gods.[/p][p]The fifth strikes the generator facility and all goes dark.[/p][p]Beta Romeo Actual does not hear the sixth.[/p][p]Time passes. The battle here is over—it has moved somewhere else.[/p][p]All has fallen quiet.[/p][p]Beta Romeo Actual awakens. She lies in a crater some distance from where she remembered fighting, but as she breathes in deeply and fills her lungs with helmet-filtered—though still sickly tasting—air, she is sure that she is alive.[/p][p]Fires still crackle around her, the remnants of human and alien bodies alike broken apart, the faces of those that are still recognizable contorted with horror and pain, frozen in that calamitous moment of time.[/p][p]Her own Mjolnir armor is scarred, its plating scorched, inner circuitry exposed, nanocomposite bodysuit torn and stained with blood from lacerations and blunt-force impacts on her body. Even her onboard systems are sluggish, some unresponsive.[/p][p]“This is Beta Romeo Actual, does anybody read me? Over.”[/p][p]She waits a moment as her comms return only static.[/p][p]“I say again: This is Beta Romeo Actual, does anybody read me on this frequency? Over.”[/p][p]She begins to work her way out of the crater, climbing atop the mass of bodies until her armored hands find purchase at the summit.[/p][p]“To anybody who can read me, this is Naomi-010. Our orbital generator is down. Charlie Company… is gone. Status of the rest of Beta-Red is currently unknown, and the Covies seem to have moved on. Significant damage to my armor systems. Will continue transmitting every thirty mikes as I search for a rendezvous point.”[/p][p]Scanning the area one final time from the top of the crater, Naomi confirmed that there were no other survivors among the dead. Just like everywhere else the Covenant had invaded, only ghosts and glass were left in their wake.[/p][p]She had been lost in the wilderness of Reach before, many years ago. But she was a survivor—she would find her way. Report in, repair, and then redeploy.[/p][p]Setting off toward the horizon, Naomi did not look back.[/p][p][/p]

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