Adventures in Halo: Reach

As you could probably tell by glancing at my blog even once, I play a lot of Halo: Reach. Though specific memories of battles become hazy over time, leaving only the scars on my armor and a higher rank on my gamertag, Reach's Theater mode ensures that I never forget some of the crazier things that have happened to me as I battle the Covenant and other players over Xbox Live. And so I present to you a handful of some of the best screens I've managed to snag during my time with Reach. These images are pretty small (so this blog won't take years to load) but if you check out my service record on www.bungie.net, gamertag Killface88, you can check out these images, videos as well as a Big Team Battle map I made for the Forgetacular contest (but never submitted) titled On The Edge. (Fun fact: I was going to name it "Cliffhanger" but literally the next day, Bungie released their own map in Forge World named Cliffhanger. )

"About to have a bad day"
This first screen comes from a Firefight game a few weeks ago (I think it was the map Beachhead but I could be wrong). It's a little difficult to tell from the angle of the picture, but that is a Covenant drop pod that is preparing to set down on top of me. For those who haven't played Firefight, it is you and three other players fighting off waves of Covenant troops. Most are dropped off by Phantoms which never touch down but every now and then a drop pod will come down with four heavy troopers inside of it. Where and when drop pods come down is fairly random and it's just my luck that this one came down right on top of me and killed me instantly. Oh, and it's not that first time I've been killed by a drop pod either - it's happened to me at least two other times.


"One shot - two kills"
This next shot is a bit more triumphant. This comes from a game of Team Slayer on the map Atom. In the foreground, on the left, you can see two red team members and though the screen is slightly off (it's tough to get them perfect), that sniper shot went through both of them at the same time, earning me a double kill. If you follow the bullet's trail back you can see where I am (behind the muzzle flash). I think this might have been a game of Team Snipers since I usually never pick up a sniper rifle otherwise. Luckily, my aim was true this time, netting me a double kill with one bullet.


"There can be only one"
I saved this picture (and there's a video too, I think) of this epic sword battle. I don't like using the word "epic" much since it's literally everyone uses it these days (same with "fail." Please never, ever let me hear you say "That is so fail" or something similar because I just might punch you). But after I tell the story of this screen, you'll understand how epic it really is. In the image, I'm the guy on the left and my opponent on the right lunged at me with a sword at the same time I lunged for him. The resulting clash created this spectacular light show.

This took place on the map Asylum (a remake of Sanctuary). In this map, there is usually only one sword, at the center of the map. Though n00bs are apt to rush for the sword at the beginning of a match, this screen happened closer to the end of the game. I picked my sword off of a dead enemy and managed to actually keep it for some time. So much time, it seems, that another sword spawned in the center of the map and my blue adversary picked up his own. I was pretty surprised to see another sword in the game, especially in enemy hands but that didn't dissuade me from entering the fray. After the initial clash, we both dropped to the ground, off either side of the bridge we were on. I backed off while he turned around to slice a teammate of mine as he hit the ground. Noticing he was turned around, I went for another lunge but he managed to turn and swipe without a moment to spare and we created another huge light show. Fortunately, I was the quicker one on the third strike and picked up his newer sword and we went on to win the game.


"Three Elites on a streetlight"
Yeah I know, the name of this one is less than creative but it does get right to the point. This one also comes from a game of Firefight (Waterfront, I think, on a game of Rocketfight). I am in the lower right hand corner, jet packing and launching a rocket (in vain) at the three Elite firing at me from on top of that street light. Just out of the frame (though you can still see it a little) is a Phantom dropping off a ton of Elites right on top of me. The three Elites jumped from the Phantom and landed on top of the street light, which is a little odd but even odder is that they stayed there. Three of them, on top of that tiny street light, raining down purple, plasma death on my face.

And there you have it, a small taste of some of the ridiculous battles I've found myself in during the course of my time on Reach. As I compile more screens I'll be sure to post the best of them here. And be sure to check out my service record on www.bungie.net, gamertag Killface88, for more screens, videos and my (awesome) BTB map, On The Edge.