Another top pass defence against a vicious mob, but this time I'm tackling things all by my lonesome. Gonna need me some cover!

(2:09) Level 2 ('Halo') on Heroic. This shows a rockslide megabattle against 34 covies using the top pass defence plan fought solo with pistol and needler, and using the same save as for BCM20.

Released August 2nd 2010, gameplay recorded July 24th 2010.

00:02 I'm using the same save as for BCM20, but this time I back off from the optional waiting Marines and head in alone. For further variation I take a different route and squash a Jackal on the way. That's something we all like to see, right? I let the hog slide out of the way into the lower pass, and I end up neatly behind the small rock for immediate cover, just in case.

00:19 A Jackal appears and I score a headshot with my first pull of the trigger. Nice start! I do a bit more pistol work but then switch to the needler, taking out the blue Elite. Just as he's down, a Jackal sends a plasma ball my way and I dodge behind the large 'cover rock' at the back - an important rock when you're fighting solo!

00:33 A red Elite is charging up on the right and I fire more needles. He moves left but still goes up with a bang. I fire another clip but don't manage to pick out another Elite. Experience tells me that I'm therefore likely to be under some very nasty pressure any moment now. I throw a speculative frag over the rock and hear it killing a Jackal. Slightly alarmed by the mass of red dots closing on my tracker, I throw another frag just to the right and step back. It blows an arriving red Elite towards the cliff and I finish him off with pistol fire. Unfortunately there are another two reds coming up close behind and I get caught by plasma fire. Yikes! I instantly throw a frag on the ground, and from the sound of things it causes a chain reaction. The two reds are down and I breathe a sigh of relief.

00:54 Having backed off through the pass, I return and bring down a Grunt with a headshot, causing him to drop the grenade he was about to throw. An arriving blue Elite dives clear and I throw a low plasma grenade over the cover rock, hoping to cause him some bother. It works nicely because he apparently gets tagged by it, judging by his cry. Meanwhile I've already emerged and I begin sending out needles and grenades, tagging a Grunt at one point ("Get it off!").

01:17 I advance with the pistol and shoot a Grunt, then pick up a few plasmas nearby. Another Grunt is retreating - "Short ones first!" - and I tag him as he goes. He obligingly takes the fizzing plasma back to his buddies and causes a chain reaction, sending bodies flying. I throw another plasma as I back off, and it blasts a panicking blue-shielded Jackal, seen through my zoomed pistol sight as I headshoot a Grunt. A distant Jackal send a plasma ball my way but it hits the ground early. You have to watch out for those long-range plasma balls though, else they can sail in and catch you unawares.

01:32 I switch to the needler again but it's almost run dry. Happily a needler-wielding Grunt comes running up and I slay him for his ammo. I throw another plasma as I back off, and score another tag on a Grunt. The blast sends him vertically upwards - very amusing - and also takes out a nearby Jackal.

01:45 Time to wind up the proceedings now. Heading forth with newly loaded needler, I dodge a plasma ball then take out the advancing Jackal with a short stream while using the small rock as cover. Nice! I continue on and send needles towards an Elite, but then I see a Grunt coming up the hill so I divert some his way, sending him comically head over heels. Those needles must really sting! Then I run forward and give the advancing Elite a whole clip, causing a chain reaction which blasts Grunt bodies away at high speed. Couldn't have asked for a better ending!

Closing remarks As you can see from comparison with BCM20, tackling things without chain-gun support makes things quite a different ball game, at least in regard to the main attack led by the Elites. To avoid getting pushed back through the top pass you really need to be aggressive, ideally killing Elites while they're still a way back. Here I was perhaps a shade lucky that my frag killed the two reds that got close to me. Once you've got rid of most of the Elites though, you can usually settle into a nice period of exterminating Grunts and Jackals. Mind you, they can still be quite dangerous if your shield is bleeping, potentially attacking you from both sides. Occasionally I've been too casual about that and paid the price! In this play nobody sneaked around behind me though.

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