Citadel Hornet trick
Posted December 8th 2007
The trick
When you get near the Citadel in level 7, The Covenant, there's a pair of Hornets waiting. Once you're close enough that they've settled, a couple more will fly in overhead, and as long as they don't get distracted there's a decent chance that one will break off and come down to hover over the path. Get the pilot out by jumping up and holding RB, then board and ascend without venturing over the battle area yet. When you're at least as high as the massive curving barrier support, you're already higher than you'd normally be able to go. You'll find that you've got a new freedom, allowing you some novel exploration and combat possibilities.
What's going on?
Why do you have this freedom? Normally you'd have boarded one of the waiting Hornets or headed down the path into the battle area. Either of those actions is enough to trigger the Scarabs, at which point the game seems to add a lower invisible ceiling across the whole area, presumably intended to keep you down to an acceptable height, and also a wall that stops you going out far into the reddish void past the Citadel. But with the trick, you're airborne without having triggered the Scarabs and new invisible walls yet, so you're freer than usual. You can retain that freedom even after triggering the Scarabs, by staying outside the new walls. As for specifics, the low ceiling will be a few metres below the bottom of the barrier support, and the wall past the Citadel will be a few tens of metres away from the edge.
Triggering the Scarabs
You can trigger the Scarabs by being sufficiently low over the battle area. Fortunately the critical height is well above that of the low ceiling that gets added - namely just above the top of the barrier support - allowing you to trigger them without getting trapped. If you want to retain your freedom, you could do the triggering by flying out over the battle area at a suitable height (e.g. level with the top of the barrier support), or by sinking down slowly over the battle area from higher up until you hear them triggered.
More detail on getting your Hornet
Here's more detail on getting hold of your Hornet, as it can be a fickle business needing a bit of perseverance.
I think it's best not to have left any enemies alive along the path, as they're liable to distract the Hornets.
The place you want a Hornet to go is over the path near where there's a rock at the edge. Don't wait there through; stand well back because they can be finicky about your presence. If no Hornet seems to be breaking off to the right place, try reverting and standing elsewhere or varying your movements as that can affect things - though sadly not in any predictable way as far as I can tell.
When a Hornet finally comes down over the path, it may hover so high that you have trouble making the jump to get the pilot out. That wouldn't be so bad if you could make repeated attempts, but often you can't because they sometimes depart for good within a few seconds of your approach, which is infuriating. If the pilot flies off before you get him out, you'll have to revert for another go. But at least the last checkpoint wasn't long ago. I've sometimes jumped off the rock to get the pilot out.
When a Hornet is coming in, normally I stay well back until it's settled. But another strategy is to run in as it comes, with the aim of intercepting it at its lowest point or while it's bouncing about near the ground. That can be hazardous to your health though!
Stop press: Major Silva emailed to suggest that you hit the Hornet with an overcharge shot from a plasma pistol to bring it down onto the path where you can then get it with no trouble. Nice idea! The plasma pistol will be of no interest for subsequent long-distance fun, but you can potentially swap it for another weapon afterwards so that needn't be a big concern. Using the overcharge technique you might even be able to bring a Hornet down at another location further back on the path, namely at the corner just before where the Wraith was. Hornets sometimes hover above there, but too high to jump up to.
Setting up for exploration and fun
For the most convenient replaying you'll want to be already in a high-flyer as you get a final checkpoint. That way you won't have to go to the trouble of trying to get one each time you revert to have fun again. As a second best, you'll at least want to be able to get your high-flyer fairly quickly and reliably after your checkpoint. With this in mind, here's my advice on setting up.
Preferably don't jump in at rally point bravo
You might be tempted to start your set-up work by jumping into the game at rally point bravo. However, things will be less atmospheric, especially when you're not in the thick of the battle with loud music playing, because the game doesn't seem to provide all the usual ambient sounds. No whistling wind and no distant bangs from all the cosmetic dogfighting! If you want the full aural experience, play through from scratch. In any case you'll need to play from scratch if you want certain weapons. Talking of which…
Weaponry considerations
Along with a full stock of grenades including firebombs, I'd recommend you bring along a beam rifle and Spartan laser, both on 100% charge. They're good for some long-range fun. For maximum flexibility you could also have Marines on hand carrying the other two weapons that have long-range potential, namely the rocket launcher and fuel rod gun. That way you'll be able to swap for those weapons when you want.
Saving a safety checkpoint
This is important! Save a checkpoint at either rally point bravo or shortly after. If your set-up turns out to be poor at giving you a high-flyer - and there's a good chance of that - you'll be able to get back to your saved checkpoint by exiting to the dashboard then reloading, to have another go at finishing off.
Clearing the path
In your remaining work along the path, it may be best not to leave any enemies alive, lest they distract the extra Hornets when they arrive. At any rate, that's what I was normally doing.
Crude finishing
Starting from your safety checkpoint, you can just play through until you get a checkpoint near the waiting Hornets. If it turns out well, i.e. allowing you to get a high-flyer reasonably quickly and reliably, you're done. If not, start over from the safety checkpoint.
Superior finishing
Alternatively, here's how you can finish off so you'll already be in your high-flyer when you get your final checkpoint - or maybe at least be just about to board one. But it may take a good deal of patience before things finally work out.
After getting past the Wraith, there's a checkpoint a few metres past a big rock in the middle of the path as you curve left. Advance just a little further to cause the waiting Hornets to settle and the extra ones to arrive. Just ahead at the rock coming up on the right, you'll be able to get your final checkpoint, namely the 'Pelican checkpoint' that accompanies the arrival of a Pelican, but you don't want it yet. Stay back. If you're lucky, one of the extras will break off and hover over the path so you can board it. You can then advance it down the path to get the Pelican checkpoint, unless you already got it when approaching your Hornet (it may have been hovering just past the place where you trigger the checkpoint). You can pick up outriders before getting your checkpoint if you want.
If no Hornet comes down conveniently, try reverting and maybe standing somewhere else, as your whereabouts can influence the extras. If you still get no luck after multiple attempts, it's probably best to cut your losses and return to the safety checkpoint to start over. Maybe your next go will have better potential.
Incidentally, if you do get your Hornet without having triggered the Pelican checkpoint, there are other places you can trigger it if you want, rather than just ahead on the path. For example you can trigger from above the barrier support (hover along towards the second tower after getting above the barrier further away, and you should get it as you near the tower). This gives you a bit of flexibility in how your save starts off.
Note: One frustration you'll get with this finishing method is that when the extra Hornets hover out over the battlefield, pilots die as they pass over the area where the second Scarab will land. There seems to be a death zone over the battlefield which doesn't get removed until you've had the Pelican checkpoint. The zone is higher near the second Scarab's landing area, which is why pilots tend to die there rather than anywhere else. You'll see them cruise along then drop to the ground as they get near that area. You can die that way in your own Hornet if you venture out prior to getting the Pelican checkpoint (just in case you want to experience it).
Exploring
With your high-flyer you can explore new places high up all around and see some scenery glitches in the process; the game clearly didn't plan on you having this degree of access. You can actually get up over the cliffs on either side of the first tower and land on an invisible surface on the other side, giving you a rather novel outside view of this part of the level.
Incidentally, the high ceiling isn't completely level over the area, and in particular it gets a bit lower towards the Citadel, so don't be surprised if you feel yourself bumping into something in mid-air or being deflected downwards.
Into the void
You can get into the reddish void much further than usual and look back at the side of the level. Over the void you can slowly sink down onto an invisible surface. If you dismount, your Hornet will fall to a lower invisible surface (as will any Marine outrider or Banshee wreckage) but you'll remain standing - seemingly in mid-air. You can move on the surface but only very slowly.
On the Citadel
You can get to the very end of the barrel-like extension of the Citadel sticking out over the void, and land on top. Nice place to have a look at the view! Heck, break open your cyborg rations and have a snack - the battle can wait.
Cosmetic Hornets and Banshees
You can fly up high among the 'cosmetic' Hornets and Banshees, and you'll see just how cosmetic they are. They're insubstantial and you can neither collide with them nor damage them. In terms of the visual difference from normal craft, for one thing they don't show any thruster burn effects. They're all a lot faster than you too. Hey, not fair!
Combat fun
Here are some combat related novelties your high-flyer can facilitate.
Distant shooting or watching
You can get to novel high spots from which to use a beam rifle or Spartan laser, or if your targets aren't moving about too much, a rocket launcher or fuel rod gun. I also find it good fun to simply watch with a beam rifle, which is best done on Easy so combatants live longer.
The Scarabs may spot you even when you're miles away. When they fire, you've got ages to move to one side and watch the plasma stream past. Oooh, pretty!
Marines will ride with you if you care to pick them up, but if you ever land and move sufficiently far away, one of them is liable to take the pilot's seat and fly off, leaving you stranded. Argh! But outriders can be useful in that you can swap for their weapons. In particular you could be carrying a beam rifle and Spartan laser, accompanied by Marines with a rocket launcher and fuel rod gun.
Destroying Scarabs fast
You can fly high across towards the Citadel, sink down, then advance in the Hornet or on foot to trigger the Scarabs. The sneaky part is that you'll be behind them, making it possible to destroy at least one almost immediately by blowing the back off then blasting the shielded core inside. You could do that in the Hornet or use a Spartan laser and beam rifle on foot (the beam rifle can take out the core with multiple shots, as an alternative to using the Spartan laser again). With the Hornet I was able to have both destroyed in 29 seconds on Easy, timed from when the first one hits the ground to when the last one explodes. On foot it'll take longer and you'll be more reliant on the second Scarab not having rotated its rear away from you much, but I've managed it inside 60 seconds on Easy.
The time of 29 seconds is a good bit faster than I think you can do when playing with a normal Hornet; see Rapid Scarab destruction. You can also read there about a weird disappearance glitch, which is easily seen when using your sneaky high-flyer as described.
Banshees over the void
Prior to triggering the Scarabs, there are two Banshees that spend most of their time cruising lazily over the reddish void. They seem to be relatively docile and not too interested in coming after you, but they'll open fire if you go and pester them. You can destroy them in advance of the main battle if you want. When you've destroyed at least one, another two show up. One fun thing you can do is try and bring them all down with a Spartan laser and potentially a beam rifle. There are some nice places to shoot from, including from on top of the Citadel's barrel-like extension over the void. You could even do it after dismounting onto the invisible surface below!
Body-slammed by a Scarab
If you fancy being body-slammed by a Scarab, something which might make amusing viewing on a saved film, trigger the Scarabs by sinking down over one of their landing spots. It'll drop down and smash you to pieces. Ouch.