Bungie's newest offering in the Halo franchise, Halo 3 ODST, has created a lot of buzz in the gaming community, mostly centered around its firefight gametype, in which you must survive wave after wave of covenant bad guys of every shape and size. This guide is designed to keep you alive for as long as possible, either with friends, strangers, or just while you are alone, having some fun killing grunts.
Note: This guide will not go into each map individually, but will lay down some good general strategies for surviving long enough to maybe pull off some achievements.
The first topic that we will cover is how to move as a team. Communication is key, but don't think that just shouting "A Brute is Behind You!" will save that teammate's life, especially on the higher difficulties. Instead, stay in groups, make sure that, if you are moving, someone is watching your back and that you are watching theirs if they call for help. A great thing to do is to travel in groups of twos, always making sure that you are ready to help when your teammate(s) call for it.
Weapon choice is the next thing that your team has to think of. Don't overpower yourself. Having a rocket launcher and a shotgun will in no way help you when ten or so enemies are crowding around you, especially at the later levels of the game. Instead make sure that you at least have a weapon that has the capability of dealing out headshots. If you are playing in a group, give the people who are best with a specific weapon that weapon. I will also go over certain situations when you need specific weapons, but otherwise, be smart when you use weapons. Remember that you don't waste a rocket to kill a Grunt, or waste a sniper shot on an invulnerable brute. And finally, don't ever, EVER, rush a power weapon when you know that its location is right where reinforcements drop. Four Rockets are not worth one life.
Enemies are a big part (of course) of the firefight experience. There is, however, a certain order that you should attack them. This order is:
Buggers
Grunts
Carbine/Sniper Jackals
Common Jackals
Brutes
Hammer Chieftains
Hunters/Engineers
Fuel-Rod Chieftains
You may ask yourself, why this order? The reasoning, however is quite simple. Buggers will be a constant annoyance if you allow them to live. They will fly around you, swarm you, and take the little stamina you have before you can react. Grunts are next as they are both the most numerous enemy, and the enemies that love to throw the most grenades, especially when the catch skull is on. If you don't take care of them, you are almost guaranteed to die. Carbine and Common Jackals come next and simply are put in order of what damage potential their weapon has(Carbine is far more dangerous than a pistol to you). Common and higher-level brutes come next. Their numbers aren't that high, and their weaponry is generally Spikers and Brute Shots which, though deadly, aren't that hard to avoid. Note, however, that in the case of invisible Brutes, they move to the top of the list both in danger level and kill priority due to their tendency to throw flame grenades. Chieftains of the Hammer Variety come next due to the fact that a quick sticky will almost always kill them, and that their weapon is one of the most useful in the game in certain situations. If they go invulnerable, however, run away as they will almost always kill you instantly. Hunters and Engineers, though high priority targets, are rare, meaning that they won't be a huge threat that often. Note, however, that Engineers must be dealt with as two of them can and will make each other invulnerable. Finally, comes fuel rod chieftains which are dangerous, but not so much so that you have to avoid every other enemy to kill them specially.
The final bit of strategy (for now) is special situations and generally good practices. The first special situation that you will encounter is a chieftain level. In this situation the following strategy generally leads to victory:
1: Pull a Hammer Chief over to you
2: Stick Him
3: Take his Hammer
4: Eliminate all other Chieftains
This strategy will ensure that your team survives for long enough to kill off all of the other brutes and gain some extra lives in the process.
The second practice that you should undertake is to have at least one person with a plasma pistol. Why a plasma pistol you ask. Well, the reasoning is simple. Why attack a brute and potentially waste an entire clip (or two) of ammunition when one plasma pistol burst will strip all but the Chieftains of their shields. Combine it with a pistol for a quick two-shot kill combo that will rack up points, conserve ammunition, and, most importantly, keep you alive.
Health packs are your friends, but remember, there are only four of them. Use them only when you are either literally inches from death, or the last person alive on your team. Keep them saved up, and they will be there when you need them.
Finally, and this one is common sense guys, go for headshots. Shooting things in the head conserves a ton of ammunition, and keeps your team with good weapons for much longer.
Well that's it. Feel free to comment on this guide and suggest anything that you think will make it better. Feel free to also add some of your own strategies and, if I try them and they work, I might even add them to this guide. Thank you for your time and good luck in your covenant-slaying endeavors.
Note: This guide will not go into each map individually, but will lay down some good general strategies for surviving long enough to maybe pull off some achievements.
The first topic that we will cover is how to move as a team. Communication is key, but don't think that just shouting "A Brute is Behind You!" will save that teammate's life, especially on the higher difficulties. Instead, stay in groups, make sure that, if you are moving, someone is watching your back and that you are watching theirs if they call for help. A great thing to do is to travel in groups of twos, always making sure that you are ready to help when your teammate(s) call for it.
Weapon choice is the next thing that your team has to think of. Don't overpower yourself. Having a rocket launcher and a shotgun will in no way help you when ten or so enemies are crowding around you, especially at the later levels of the game. Instead make sure that you at least have a weapon that has the capability of dealing out headshots. If you are playing in a group, give the people who are best with a specific weapon that weapon. I will also go over certain situations when you need specific weapons, but otherwise, be smart when you use weapons. Remember that you don't waste a rocket to kill a Grunt, or waste a sniper shot on an invulnerable brute. And finally, don't ever, EVER, rush a power weapon when you know that its location is right where reinforcements drop. Four Rockets are not worth one life.
Enemies are a big part (of course) of the firefight experience. There is, however, a certain order that you should attack them. This order is:
Buggers
Grunts
Carbine/Sniper Jackals
Common Jackals
Brutes
Hammer Chieftains
Hunters/Engineers
Fuel-Rod Chieftains
You may ask yourself, why this order? The reasoning, however is quite simple. Buggers will be a constant annoyance if you allow them to live. They will fly around you, swarm you, and take the little stamina you have before you can react. Grunts are next as they are both the most numerous enemy, and the enemies that love to throw the most grenades, especially when the catch skull is on. If you don't take care of them, you are almost guaranteed to die. Carbine and Common Jackals come next and simply are put in order of what damage potential their weapon has(Carbine is far more dangerous than a pistol to you). Common and higher-level brutes come next. Their numbers aren't that high, and their weaponry is generally Spikers and Brute Shots which, though deadly, aren't that hard to avoid. Note, however, that in the case of invisible Brutes, they move to the top of the list both in danger level and kill priority due to their tendency to throw flame grenades. Chieftains of the Hammer Variety come next due to the fact that a quick sticky will almost always kill them, and that their weapon is one of the most useful in the game in certain situations. If they go invulnerable, however, run away as they will almost always kill you instantly. Hunters and Engineers, though high priority targets, are rare, meaning that they won't be a huge threat that often. Note, however, that Engineers must be dealt with as two of them can and will make each other invulnerable. Finally, comes fuel rod chieftains which are dangerous, but not so much so that you have to avoid every other enemy to kill them specially.
The final bit of strategy (for now) is special situations and generally good practices. The first special situation that you will encounter is a chieftain level. In this situation the following strategy generally leads to victory:
1: Pull a Hammer Chief over to you
2: Stick Him
3: Take his Hammer
4: Eliminate all other Chieftains
This strategy will ensure that your team survives for long enough to kill off all of the other brutes and gain some extra lives in the process.
The second practice that you should undertake is to have at least one person with a plasma pistol. Why a plasma pistol you ask. Well, the reasoning is simple. Why attack a brute and potentially waste an entire clip (or two) of ammunition when one plasma pistol burst will strip all but the Chieftains of their shields. Combine it with a pistol for a quick two-shot kill combo that will rack up points, conserve ammunition, and, most importantly, keep you alive.
Health packs are your friends, but remember, there are only four of them. Use them only when you are either literally inches from death, or the last person alive on your team. Keep them saved up, and they will be there when you need them.
Finally, and this one is common sense guys, go for headshots. Shooting things in the head conserves a ton of ammunition, and keeps your team with good weapons for much longer.
Well that's it. Feel free to comment on this guide and suggest anything that you think will make it better. Feel free to also add some of your own strategies and, if I try them and they work, I might even add them to this guide. Thank you for your time and good luck in your covenant-slaying endeavors.
