The needles fly thick and fast in this rockslide megabattle. Stacker and Johnson join me in a far area defence, but only one will survive…

(2:48) Level 2 ('Halo') on Heroic. This shows a rockslide megabattle against 34 covies, using the far area defence plan, mostly using a pistol and needler (my favourite combo here). I'm driving in with Stacker and Johnson.

Released September 20th 2009, gameplay recorded June 23rd 2009.

00:07 Sharp right, then into a nice curve back around, to skim past the island plateau and release the lifeboat group. I love that curving drive! A red and two Grunts dive clear. Don't worry men, we'll get 'em later.

00:24 I swing the hog around to park at the cliff where I left some handy spare weapons, and switch my AR for the needler as I pass around the hog getting Johnson and Stacker out. A quick drive down the hill to get the hog out of the way, and already I've got Elites inbound. I fire almost a whole needle clip at a guy trying to take cover in the rocky semicircle, and add a frag for good measure. BLAM! That's one down.

00:41 Stacker is already getting in the spirit of things: "Triggers down men, triggers down!". I just hope he listens to his own advice because we've got plenty more incoming. Two more Elites are galloping in from the right. Having backed off and reloaded, I run forward aggressively to pile needles into the leading blue, then the red, all in one motion. Works well; they both go up in pink explosions. I added a frag at the end of the clip as I wasn't sure whether the second Elite would get killed, but it turned out to be redundant. Just as well as my throw was short anyway.

00:46 No time to gloat; got two more eight-footers coming in on the left. Reloaded again, I fire off most of a clip at the furthest Elite. He was the first one to catch my eye, but in any case it can be easier to get Elites with needle explosions when they're still a way back, as they're perhaps less likely to avoid the needles. Sure enough, they do the job. But in the meanwhile I've lobbed a frag into the nearer guy's path to give him something to think about. He's so busy giving poor old Stacker a plasma-toasting that he doesn't seem to notice it about to go off in front of him. Yeah, suck it up Stacker, you've got armour haven't you? I follow with needles, then start to fire pistol rounds to try to make sure the job gets done. But I stop at two rounds when I see that he's about to go bang. No point wasting ammo. Stacker is pleased to see him go: "Look at 'em fly!"

00:56 Reloaded with needles again, we've got yet another Elite charging in, this time on the right again. I start firing but cut it short when I see him change course, as I'm not so sure the needles are going to hit. I lob a plasma at the hog instead, having fond visions of blowing it his way to squash him. Well, that doesn't work but my next burst of needles does, and he goes down with a theatrical long drawn out scream. That's six Elites down fast, thanks mainly to the wonderful needler.

01:07 My shield is bleeping and a Jackal tries to get me with a plasma ball. I dodge, but the enemy do like to pressure you when your shield needs recharging. I'm practically out of needles and I move to get the plasma rifle. I make a small mistake here. While moving to the rifle I'm also checking out the enemy deployment, and it causes me to fluff the pick-up. Arrgh! Where's that darned thing gone? I finally get hold of it. I only lost a second or so, but that was enough for that Jackal to get even more aggressive and knock off one of my health bars. He pays for it moments later as I get the plasma flowing.

01:15 Meanwhile the seventh and final Elite has arrived on the left. I score a hit with the plasma rifle then lob a speculative plasma grenade. I think it hits the rock just behind him, then probably settles on the ground. At any rate the bang takes him out moments later. That went well! But I'm already busy with the pistol now. Got a lot of minor enemies to take care of, and in these numbers they're still dangerous. Another plasma ball comes my way and I take down the beaky freak that fired it, putting a smile on Stacker's face: "Hey hey hey!". More covies go down as I rove around, getting quite a few nice headshots. I also lob two plasmas at two Jackals on the left. The first grenade ends up getting a Grunt, while the second does its intended job. I see it about to go off behind its target, which is why I don't bother firing my pistol when I briefly zoom in on the Jackal. Things are looking good now!

01:57 I switch attention to distant covies on the left, and a headshot on a Grunt causes Stacker to say "Don't you worry, there'll be more". Not more for him though, because the idiot takes a long-range plasma ball (seen fired while I had the pistol zoomed) and dies on me. Arrgh! How can you not see that thing coming Stacker? I go up to check; just for cinematic effect really. Yup, he's dead. Ok covies, you're gonna pay for that.

02:20 I get fresh needles from a Grunt and head for the two Jackals up the hill, using the tree to block their plasma balls while a frag flies their way. The guy with the blue shield gets taken out, and Stacker is avenged. Meanwhile I'm curving left and firing needles at the second guy to let them pile into the exposed side, a tactic I do love to use when mopping up. BANG! Nice. A grunty fool comes up the hill and gets the needle treatment too. Seems like he's had it before though, as he cries out "Not again!". Yes, once again, my little grunty friend. With no other covies lurking, we're done. Pity about Stacker, but at least Johnson is still breathing!

Closing remarks The far area defence gives such a unique and special experience with covies coming in from multiple angles that it simply had to be in my first release of movies. Aside from losing Stacker, who didn't have the simple wit to sidestep a long-range plasma ball, this play went well, especially in regard to the disposal of the first six Elites in a hectic 30-second spell of needle-based glory. That little spell of spectacular carnage is the main reason I selected this play from among many I recorded. I wanted to show what the needler can do for you here, though I hasten to add that things don't always go that neatly, and it's all too easy to end up with multiple Elites trying to slaughter you at close range. With the initial Elite charge taken care of so quickly I never got into any really serious grief with mounting enemy pressure, though that's not to say the Jackals and Grunts were automatically going to be a pushover. If your shield gets bleeping they can really get vicious, and with nowhere to recharge you can soon be in trouble. Another time I'll probably show you a play where things get a lot more fraught, but don't wait around for that. Go get busy and experience the far area defence for yourself! It's a whole new world of hurt just waiting to happen.

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