Part 1: Tempest Perimeter
Throughout this mission, you will often need to adapt the loadout of a DMR and needle rifle. This is due to the fact that there is not enough DMR ammo to use your DMR to kill all enemies. However, if you use the needle rifle for killing Elites, Grunts, and Skirmishers while saving the DMR for only killing Jackals and far away targets, you will have enough ammo. There are a few key things to remember when using the needle rifle. First of all, it does not inflict enough damage to cause Jackals to drop their shields and requires two shots to remove a Grunt ultras helmet. Second, if you fire three needles into an unshielded target, it will create a supercombine explosion, killing that target. This way, you can kill Jackals with three hand shots and Grunt ultras with three body shots (instead of three headshots). Third, needle rifles are not as accurate as DMRs and only have a 2x zoom, so should not be used for killing far away targets.

You start this mission with a 45 ammo DMR, a 15 ammo grenade launcher,  17 wsm ammo  and sprint. You and Kat have just jumped out of a damaged warthog and need to push up the hill ahead of you. This is a relatively difficult fight because you have very little cover and there are two fuel rod shade turrets at the top of the hill.

Almost immediately, two banshees destroy the crashed warthog, making the carcass too small to use as cover. Immediately move behind any of the rocks and trees to your right to take cover from the enemy fire. Higher up the hill, there are two fuel rod shade turrets, four Grunts, five Jackals, and an Elite ultra with a concussion rifle. From your cover, begin DMR sniping the Grunts and Jackals, but pay close attention to the fuel rod shade turrets. The rocks you are using as cover will block most fuel rods that the shade fires at you, yet some may be able to hit you, so watch them at all times to stay safe.

After you kill the majority of the lighter infantry, push farther up the hill while staying on the right side of the road. Continue to use rocks and trees as cover from the shade turrets and Elite ultra. Kill any more Grunts and Jackals you find and swap your grenade launcher for the first plasma pistol you see. Overcharge this plasma pistol from cover, then use it to remove the Elite’s shields and kill it with a DMR headshot. As you move up the hill, you will come close enough to the shade turrets to kill the Grunts inside. Do this as soon as possible because it will allow you to move much more freely and safely. If you are having trouble shooting the Grunts in the shade turrets, you can also stun the turrets with your plasma pistols, forcing the Grunts exit. After killing any remaining enemies, a pelican will deploy a rocket hog near your position.

I do not suggest using this rocket hog to fight because the covenant will easily kill you and you will have no control of where the UNSC AI shoots. However, due to an error in Kat’s AI, she is unable to find her way to the next section and will stand at the drop zone of the pelican for the entire mission if you do not help her. To guide her, enter the rocket hog and drive next to her. She will then enter the passenger seat. This will allow you to transport Kat to the next section, where she then will be able to move on her own.

Drive down the path and you will come to a broken ramp. At the bottom of this ramp, you will see a large dip in the ground. Here, park the rocket hog and slowly move up the incline of the dip. Be careful, because at the top of this hill you will be attacked by three Skirmishers, usually all with needle rifles. Slowly creep up the incline with your DMR ready so that you can kill the Skirmishers as soon as you see them. After killing them with DMR headshots, notice the position of their needle rifles because you will need these later.

Follow the dirt path to the right until you come to a round rock on a steep incline. You will use this rock as cover. Ahead of you, there are many enemies in different areas, and they should be taken out in a certain order. On the ledge with the AA gun, there are seven normal Grunts, two Grunt ultras, three Jackals, and an Elite general with a concussion rifle. Below this ledge, there is an Elite driven ghost, an Elite driven revenant, three Grunt majors, and a Grunt ultra. These Grunts will join the other infantry around the AA gun soon after seeing you. Next to a sniper tower behind the AA gun, there are two Grunts and two Jackals. However, these will only attack you if you get close.

With your DMR, focus on picking off as many of the infantry as possible from your cover. It is most important to kill the Jackals first because they will create the most difficulty in the future. Once you run out of DMR ammo, swap your empty DMR for the needle rifles of the Skirmisher majors you killed before. While the revenant will stay far away from your position, the ghost will come and attack you around this time. When the ghost begins to approach your cover, start charging your plasma pistol while staying in cover. Once it comes within plasma pistol range, step out of your cover and immediately stun it our plasma pistol, then sprint up and jack it. Be sure to then kill the Elite driver either by ramming him or shooting him with the ghost’s plasma turrets.

Return to your cover and park your ghost next to it. Be prepared for a second ghost to come in from the canyon pass behind you soon after you kill this first ghost. Once again, stay in cover until the ghost gets close, then stun and jack it. The revenant, on the other hand, should be avoided and not jacked. Now that you have cleared out the larger threats on the lower level, it is time to attack the AA battery. In one of the jacked ghosts, drive all the way around the higher ledge, boosting past the both revenant and sniper tower. Park the ghost by the last rock where the lower ledge reaches the higher ledge. Use this rock as cover and pick off all of the Grunts with your needle rifle. To kill any remaining Jackals, shoot them in the head when they are moving or facing away from you. If they get close, remove their shields with an overcharged plasma shot. Once you kill all of the lighter infantry, it is relatively easy to kill the Elite general with an overcharged plasma pistol and needle rifle headshot from the cover of the rock.

Now you can blow up the anti-aircraft battery, allowing the UNSC frigate to enter orbit. Inside of the structure, you will find an energy shield protecting the inner core. Melee the shield twice, throw a sticky grenade at the core, and then sprint out of the AA battery before it blows up.

Behind the AA gun is a downed falcon with an assault rifle, a health kit, a 30 ammo DMR, and a frag grenade. Restock your health if necessary and swap your plasma pistol for the DMR. Even though the revenant and the sniper tower infantry remain, it is not required that you engage them. If you do decide to eliminate them as well, kill the Grunts with your needle rifle and Jackals with your DMR from on top of the ledge. To jack the revenant, temporarily swap your needle rifle for a plasma pistol. Stun the revenant, but keep in mind that it can still shoot when stunned with EMP. Run behind the revenant so that it cannot shoot you, then enter the passenger’s seat. From here, melee the Elite until he dies. Then swap your plasma pistol for your needle rifle, renter your ghost, and drive back to the area that you came from. Drive through the opening in the canyon wall where the other ghost came from before.

You will enter a large open area in which a phantom deployed a wraith and three Skirmisher majors with needle rifles. Park your ghost next to the large rock in the middle of the area. Using this as cover, remove the gunner from the wraith with your needle rifle. Once the wraith comes close to you, run out of your cover and plant a grenade. Keep in mind that because the wraith is not stunned, it may shoot you when you run at it. Kill the Skirmishers with needle rifle headshots and restock your needle rifle ammo from their guns. Near the covenant antenna, you will find a health kit, an empty ghost, and a covenant crate with plasma pistols. Restock on health if necessary. Get back in your ghost and travel across the bridge the pelican placed for you.

Continue down the path with your ghost. After jumping over a cliff, you will land in front of two Skirmisher majors with plasma pistols and a Skirmisher commando with a needle rifle. Because Skirmishers are so agile, ramming them is very hard. Instead, exit your ghost behind one of the rocks, kill them with needle rifle headshots, then grab the commandos needle rifle ammo. Renter your ghost and continue down the path. Ahead, you will find a health kit and a truck, but stay in your ghost because it is easier to maneuver and boosts. Continuing down the path, you will come to a mining facility, concluding this rally point.