BCM54 - Crazy-firing Elites, set-up and fun with the high Wraith pilot

(7:55) Level 5 ('Assault on the Control Room') on Heroic. This shows how to get a crazy-firing Elite, firing his Wraith and plasma rifle continuously.

Released August 21st 2012, gameplay recorded August 19th 2012.

Commentary

00:02 (Setting up) In trying to steal the platform Banshee, I set things up so I get a delayed checkpoint after I've taken careful aim, so I can always revert for another quick shot, tweaking the aim slightly. That's how I usually do things, though it really wasn't so relevant here as I wasn't interested in conserving rockets. This time I get it with the first shot anyway.

00:28 An attacking Ghost gets spectacularly rocketed, getting things off to a nice start, and then it's a matter of clearing the rest of the area and letting Marines die. I've edited that down to just a few choice clips to speed things along (same with later sections of clearing). When I blast the Ghost pilot out, he gets lined up nicely for plasma weakening before getting rather enjoyably squashed.

01:22 At the cavern I take care of things with the full sniper rifle I was carrying (and I topped up afterwards at the ammo supplies), but you can do the killing however you like, though you'd want to keep your Banshee healthy. The same goes for the covies past the loading point. I even snipe the Jackals up the tunnel because otherwise they could later flock down to where I'm having fun with the crazy-firing Elite. After the killing I get equipped with a pistol and plasma pistol, more suited to the forthcoming fun.

02:26 For convenience I delay the tunnel checkpoint until near the exit, so there's less distance to fly if there's a mishap (e.g. getting blown up) and I have to revert. But as long as you stay close it won't fire. A few of my clips show the technique of getting underneath and carrying it along, which is good for covering distance fast. At the loading point my pushing was stalling a little, but you may notice how it loses AI as I cross the loading point. It no longer tries to face me. All in all I spent about five and a half minutes pushing, which was slow for me. I was a bit rusty.

03:51 To complete the set-up work, I trigger a tunnel checkpoint and delay it with Banshee fire until the corner before the loading point.

04:04 (Crazy-firing initiation and fun) In my first try at initiating crazy-firing I cross the loading point early, and in another I'm too late (and the plasma ball vanishes as I cross, which is normal). It can take a great many tries because of how exactly you have to nail the moment, but here I get lucky and hit the jackpot on only my 23rd try, after under 5 minutes of trying. Best ever! I then consolidate with a delayed checkpoint for playing around.

05:04 I watch the Wraith for a while then clamber up for a close inspection of the turret, but unfortunately I get a bit closer than I should've! That gave me a hell of a shock I can tell you. Thought I'd be clear of the plasma ball, but obviously I wasn't. Doesn't matter though; I just got bounced back to my checkpoint and clambered up again, ending up on the roof for a while.

05:51 Ejection time! I get the pilot out with a double ram (one to get the back up, one to push it past the vertical) but you can also do it with a single ram. Often he gets squashed, but thanks to the checkpoint you can always revert for another go.

06:00 As you see, he's still firing! His aim is initially going into the ground because of how the Wraith is pointing, but I give it a nudge with the Banshee to help him out. Could've pressed X to flip the Wraith, but using the Banshee gives better control. I could've rotated the Wraith to various angles to show more of how the pilot's aim is affected, but I didn't go into that level of detail as the movie was already quite long, plus it's not as much fun as altering the aim of a crazy-firing needler Grunt (see BCM45).

06:30 Instead I focus on giving you some good close footage of his firing and the rifle's overheating. For a couple of bursts I use a dramatic low crouched position, a clip which was actually taken after a similar ejection of this guy, but which I've slotted in to add to the viewing experience. I briefly also stand in the way of his fire. Yep, nothing wrong with that plasma; still hurts!

07:12 For the closing phase I do a spot of shooting, wearing him down with the plasma pistol. You'll notice that a plasma ball stops him in mid-burst and then he has to start up again, soon getting back to full speed.

Closing remarks As the camera cuts around showing crazy-firing from the Wraith or ejected pilot, I've joined the clips in such a way that the firing rhythm is maintained (having done something similar with the crazy-firing Grunt in BCM45), just because I think it's nice that way. At 25 fps that means 60 frames per Wraith shot, and 118 frames per rifle cycle. Expect another crazy-firing Elites movie sometime as there's more I want to show.