first let me just say how ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ cool this was, did not expect it. i really appreciated how when the doors opened, there were marines that i thought were just sent to the master chief, but then you see they actually set up an HQ complete with command crew, supply caches, and heavy gun emplacements. it makes sense, just like how the covenant first set up their base there in AOTCR.

its little details like this that make the USMC feel alive, instead of disposable marines which they are in the original game. its too bad bungie couldn't make cool design choices like this and that it takes players to do it for them. the modder could do this, so it really wouldn't have cost bungie much work to do either. disappointing on them, congratulations to the modder.

i thought it was a cool touch but that it was only for player flavor. but once you activate the secret portal, you hear a transmission about the base under attack, and when you use the portal it takes you straight back to the start of the level, where the flood are now swarming up the mountain base. talk about making the level feel alive. its like the marines there had their own story and objective while master chief is doing his, both happening at the same time.

my only question is, are you realistically supposed to survive the attack? it doesn't seem just hard, it seems almost impossible. im playing on legendary, and the marines would naturally die and get pushed back up to the tower, and i feel like the game was pushing for an endless fight where nobody survives and you have to escape through the portal without the marines. it fits in with the theme of how bad the flood are getting in the mod.

so i cheesed it. i went to the far right, kicked johnson off the warthog turret, and camped on it, i held down the fire button for almost 15 mins straight. eventually the waves stopped, and echo 419 came down to swoop the survivors, but breaks off leaving a couple people (and MC) behind when flood drops all around them, and thats when you have to run back up to the portal and it seals behind you.

but i don't think you can win without cheesing the game? are you meant to lose the battle? its similar to if MC refuses to jump in the pool of coolant, you can't survive the endless flood