Relic Approach

Relic Approach is the second level of Halo Wars. The UNSC forces on the ground on Harvest are attempting to determine the Covenant's interest in a Forerunner relic to the north of Alpha Base. Sergeant John Forge must lead a force through the Covenant-held area to the Forerunner structure.
==Transcript==
{Labcoats Meet Metal}
Fade in to a scene with Sgt. Forge crawling to the edge of a cliff overlooking a Covenant encampment.
*Sgt. Forge: "Let's just take one last look-see..."
Forge takes out a pair of binoculars and observes Ripa 'Moramee (who is identified as an Arbiter hereforth) supervising the Covenant activity: the Elite is approached by a Zealot, Re'gish Wamik.
*Ripa 'Moramee: "The Hierarchs grow impatient! We can delay no longer!"
*Re'gish Wamik: "But what if the infection defiles the Relic?!"
*Ripa 'Moramee: "I care not for your little life! Open the Relic."
The scene cuts back to Forge, as he watches Grunts open the doors to the Relic.
*Forge: "Well, well... open sesame."
The Arbiter, as if suddenly and horribly aware that he's being watched, turns and looks behind to where Forge was a split-second ago. But the Sergeant is no longer there, and the Arbiter turns and walks towards the Relic.
The scene then cuts to a view of , then to the ship's Observation Deck, turned into Anders' makeshift lab. 
SPIRIT OF FIRE
OBSERVATION DECK
Cutter enters attempting to avoid the scattered equipment.
*Captain Cutter: "What made you choose my observation deck as your lab, Professor?"
*Anders: "I like the view. It adds... perspective to my work."
*Captain Cutter: "Forge doesn't think it's safe for you to go down there yet. He's quite insistent."
*Anders: "I can be quite insistent too Captain, I can take care of myself."
*Captain Cutter: "Any idea what it is we've got down there?"
*Anders: "It's all theories right now, and I'll know a lot more once I get down there."
*Captain Cutter: "I'm approving the mission, but the slightest sign of danger and I'm pulling you out. Is that understood?"
*Anders: "Understood, Captain."
Anders leaves with a slight grin, a view screen shows the Relic entrance, then it changes to the actual Relic, we hear the Arbiter in mid-conversation with the Prophet of Regret.
*Ripa 'Moramee: "Hierarch, the Humans are closing and will soon be upon us!"
*Regret: "No matter, the information you have gathered here is most appetizing."
The scene cuts to the interior of the Relic and it is shown the Arbiter is talking with the Prophet of Regret via hologram.
*Regret: "However, we must protect what we have learned here. Set the charges and destroy this place."
*Ripa 'Moramee: (stunned) "Destroy this holy relic? Surely you jest!"
*Regret: (angered) "The Journey requires sacrifice! Set the charges. Return to us! Our patience is not infinite!"
The Arbiter bows.
*Ripa 'Moramee: "It will be done."
The Arbiter turns away.
{In-game Cutscene}
*Captain Cutter: "Serina, we need to re-establish Alpha Base before we can proceed with the mission."
*Serina: "Captain, the base power system is offline and a lock-down protocol is in effect. If we rebuild, the lock-down will end, the doors will open. Projection for new base location ready."
{Gameplay}
After a base is constructed:
*Serina: "The base is up and running again. We need Supply Pads built so I can send down materials."
*Serina: "The Command Center is online, but it can't house Marines, we'll need a Barracks to call in the troops."
*Captain Cutter: "We need to establish a larger military presence on the ground."
*Serina: "Keep constructing buildings and updating them where you can. The lock-down is lifted and the front gate is opening, I've highlighted the area where Sergeant Forge found the structure."
There are now two ways the player can go, through the gate closest to your base, or the gate to the left of the base, the following is if the player choose the nearest gate.
*Serina: "I'm picking up a lot of Covenant chatter around your position, looks like they're setting up defenses."
*Forge: "Take cover in those downed Pelicans! Move!"
The Marines make their way up to a Covenant base.
*Forge: "Well, well. Lookee here, the Covenant built themselves a little base."
*Captain Cutter: "Our primary mission here is to reach that structure, destroying that base is a secondary objective."
The player can choose to engage the base or not, but destroying it can be difficult, if not done properly.
If the player loses all your troops, attacking the base:
*Serina: "Well, that didn't go as planned."
*Serina: "I've lost contact with some Warthogs out on patrol. Keep an eye out for them, will you?"
The following is if the player go out the left gate, or go around from the front gate.
*Forge: "If we blow up these refineries the enemy airpads will go with them, nice!"
*Bravo 029: "Alpha Base, this is Bravo-29. I can drop reinforcements at that landing pad if you can remove all hostiles in that area for me."
*Serina: "Here's some extra reinforcements, play nice."
Eventually UNSC forces breach the barrier blocking the entrance to the relic.
Intense fighting occurs as the UNSC slowly makes their way toward the entrance.
Once they reach the entrance they see the Covenant trying to destroy the relic.
*Captain Cutter: "If the Covenant detonate those explosives our mission here is over! Get to the detonator!"
The UNSC forces successfully destroy the detonator, saving the relic.
{In-game Cutscene}
*Captain Cutter: "Good work, prepare for new orders."
*Bravo-29: "Alpha Base, this is Bravo-29, heavy inbound. I've got the Professor aboard."
Fades to black.
Level ends.
==References==
*You start off with only 2 squads of Marines, and then are forced to train a further 5. This could be another 7 reference.
==General Strategy==
*Collect the supplies around Alpha base, there is also a large stockpile of them on a hill behind the base.
*Build all four turrets and fortify them with the Anti-Air bonus. This will deter most Spirits from landing troops in front of your base.
*Using Sergeant Forge's Warthog alone, it is possible to collect almost all supply crates on the map (exceptions being the ones behind the shields for the Warthog scouts and 2nd black box collectable). The trick is that most of the supply crates are in clusters on the left and right sides of the map, and to avoid the middle and back of the map (due to dangerous enemies) when transitioning from sides. When you do want to go to the other side of the map, cross in front of your base ensuring you don't drive past the crashed garrisonable Pelican and Warthog in front. One can even destroy the Methane Refineries and kill 20 Jackals for the Grunt Birthday Party Skull using Forge alone if they play carefully enough and heal at least once.
*Especially on Heroic or Legendary, attacking the Covenant base is much easier if a few Cobras are locked down when assaulting the structure. 3 Cobras should be sufficient.
*Keep Forge's Warthog from being destroyed, as with the previous mission. It is invaluable to completing the mission.
*Finding the two lost squads of Warthogs and securing the landing zone will give free units. It is also possible to bypass the regular population limit by +9 total when doing this.
*For higher difficulty settings, assault the Covenant base by first sending a decoy force with weaker units to distract it. Perform a flank attack while constructing Scorpions from your main base and having them directly assault the structure. When it is destroyed, create another firebase to stress out the AI during the detonator assault.
==Trivia==
*This is the first level to feature the Cobra and Scorpion and the first level where players get to build a base and train units.
*The soundtrack, Perspective, which is also the music for the cutscene, is a reference to Anders' line: "I like the view, it adds... perspective to my work."
*During the talk between Captain Cutter and Anders on board the Spirit of Fire, a Hornet can be seen below. This marks the first and only time a Hornet is seen in the CGI cinematics and the first time it is seen in space.
*The shields that the Covenant have put up can be destroyed with out destroying the power source. If you build at least 5 cobras, lock them down, and then order them to attack the power source, the shields will eventually be destroyed.
*An achievement named Endless Fun can be obtained if you destroy all the Methane tanks near the refineries.
*The opening cutscene portrays Sangheili anatomy incorrectly. Halo 3 established that Sangheili blink with their transparent nicitating membranes in a left-right movement so as not to interfer with their vision. When Ripa looks at the cliff, he instead closes his eyelids, which are portrayed as a top-down movement.
*A tech level of 3 is the maximum that is used in this mission, and even then it is only used to unlock the Cobera, it's Deflection Plating upgrade and the Scorpion's Canister Shell upgrade.
==Gallery==
File:Relicapproach map.png|A map of the level.
==Sources==
Category:Halo Wars Campaign