Covie mob still storming into the trough, but from the other direction!

(7:24) Level 5 ('Assault on the Control Room') on Normal. As if the usual trough defence isn't already enough fun, you can also enjoy having the covies attacking the other way! Starting with the set-up featured in the last five movies, I demonstrate modifying things to arrange such battles, and then there's a sample play. The attacking mob numbers 49, including 13 Elites.

Released December 21st 2025, gameplay recorded December 19th 2025.

00:02 (Culling) For the main work I use a spare Banshee, in case of taking enemy fire. To start with I eliminate the two Hunters (who I don't want) plus the loner Grunt. Easy work for the sniper rifle, which I then top up. One detail here: in approaching for the first Hunter, I took care to avoid being spotted, to maximise the chance that I'd be able to get him in the back by surprise. Not that it was important.

01:03 (Ghost provision) With the mob due to be attacking the other way, I needed to revise my Ghost provision. For starters I blast three of the blockade Ghosts into the trough. Not that I'd be needing them all for potential driving, but I fancied having a good amount of clutter around. The first Ghost that I blow into the trough however, I deliberately blast upright, earmarking it as one I could easily hop into. The other two ended up upside-down; I wasn't fussed about those.

I also shift the existing two trough Ghosts down a bit, so they'll be further from where the mob will be attacking.

01:50 (Drawing covies back) Before continuing, I draw the covies back to the start to give me some working space. This was an operation I also had to intermittently perform during the next phase of work.

02:16 (Weapon moving) Next I revise my weapon provision for the new battle dynamic. My weapons at the back of the trough weren't going to do me much good there. Most of them I moved into the trough, initially with some manual work and then with a spot of Banshee blasting. Not that it was easy to control where they went! In the footage here you see me dealing with just the first three weapons, and having to draw the covies back again before resuming.

I didn't move the needler in. I swapped that for a pistol and blasted that into the trough. One other weapon I blasted was the needler that had been near the original two trough Ghosts.

After doing all the blasting, I did a ground-level check (in my Banshee) on where weapons had landed (though I overlooked a few things, so it really wasn't the best of checks). I manually adjusted the position of a plasma pistol which had ended up awkwardly near a Ghost, and I also repositioned two weapons (AR and plasma rifle) that had gone almost out of the other end of the trough. I've omitted these details from the movie though; just wanted to convey the overall gist.

All this weapon moving was by far the most time-consuming and delicate aspect of the modification work, but I felt it was worth the time, to give me more options in battle.

03:17 (Finishing off) Finally it's time to finish off. After getting armed with the powerful combo of rocket launcher & plasma rifle and switching to my pristine Banshee, I trigger and delay a tunnel checkpoint. Then when I'm back at the battlefield, I draw the mob to where I want them, paying attention to bringing stragglers along. Most of the time, the checkpoint delay is continued just by enemy threat, but occasionally I use plasma fire when I'm getting a bit far away. Eventually I move back out of sight to get the checkpoint, which I save.

One detail to mention. The main reason I avoided drawing the covies directly through the trough is to avoid the possibility of anyone getting caught up in the clutter, which might've been a problem. But also, drawing them around the outside let me see them more clearly.

04:39 (Sample play) A tough battle. Around 5:27 when I have a bleeping shield and only one health bar left, Elites are viciously closing in and things look terminal. In a make-or-break move I try for a difficult direct rocket hit on a red Elite moving across the trough. Fortunately it hits, and gives me a chance. But after zapping a panicking Grunt trying to infiltrate around the back, another red Elite threatens, and I'm again on the verge of dying. But I manage to bring him down with plasma fire. When my next rocket takes out two charging Elites further down, the minor covies break into panic, and my shield is finally able to recharge - and I go on to prevail.

To mention a few less critical incidents, around 5:15 I rocket the Shade and it splatters an advancing Grunt. Around 5:54 I throw a plasma to the side, and it blasts a Ghost onto a Jackal as planned. I was pleased with that! Notice the unusual angle of that Ghost, on its side. It got that way when I inadvertently nudged it during a ground-level weapons check in my Banshee. In some of my battling, I've found it quite handy as cover.

My grenade throw around 6:03 was meant to be a tag (on a panicking Grunt), as I thought I might've picked up a plasma by then. But it turned out that I only had frags. Still killed him at least.

06:34 (Set-up flaws) This clip highlights two flaws with my set-up work. The bigger one is that a blue Elite got left behind, which I'd never noticed. That means my attacking mob numbers only 49 rather than the planned 50, but never mind; that's still plenty enough trouble!

Secondly, one of the weapons I tried to blast deeper into the trough was a sniper rifle, but unfortunately it went way further than expected. It was nowhere to be seen in the trough, nor was it on the inner platforms. Exploring further, I eventually found it back at the start of the battlefield. Useless! It was only thanks to this rifle search that I found that Elite, by the way.

Incidentally, another non-ideal aspect is that my pistol ended up right at the end of the trough, which I hadn't noticed during my low-altitude checking. However, it's still viable for use. It's briefly seen at 5:32.

06:56 (Final clip) Just a short action clip (and ignominious cyborg death) to finish off, and to mention that there's more action coming next.

Closing remarks This is the first time I've featured a twin bridges megabattle set-up in which the mob starts off from a place other than its standard place at the start of the battlefield. I've been aware of the potential for creating such set-ups for ages, but just didn't get around to that until now.

In regard to weapon provision, a big difference with the new set-up is that I don't have a handy pile of weapons to select from before initiating hostilities. I was going to be part way up a cliff after all. That's why I was keen to get more weapons into the trough, where I could at least pick them up before coming under too much fire.

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