Dossier: Archangel (Garrus)
Upon arriving at Omega, Commander Shepard receives a tip about a mysterious vigilante known only as 'Archangel', who has been systematically dismantling the mercenary operations on the station. This mission serves as the recruitment quest for the Turian sharpshooter, Garrus Vakarian, who has taken on this new persona. Expect intense, multi-faction combat as you navigate Omega's underbelly to reach your old friend.
Mission Briefing & Preparation
This mission is a gauntlet of combat encounters against three distinct mercenary groups: the Blue Suns, the Blood Pack, and the Eclipse. Each faction brings its own unique enemy types and combat styles. Therefore, a balanced squad with strong offensive capabilities, crowd control, and defensive options is highly recommended.
Recommended Squadmates:
- Miranda Lawson: Her Warp ability is excellent against armored and biotic barriers, and Overload is invaluable against shields. Her passive boosts to squad weapon damage and health are also a significant advantage.
- Jacob Taylor: Pull and Incinerate offer great crowd control and damage against armor, respectively. His defensive abilities can also help in a pinch.
- Grunt: While not available immediately, if you recruit him first, his raw durability and Concussive Shot make him a formidable front-line combatant, especially against the Krogan and Vorcha you'll face.
- Mordin Solus: Incinerate is fantastic against armor and health, and Cryo Blast can freeze unshielded enemies, providing valuable crowd control.
Recommended Powers & Weapons:
- Overload: Essential for stripping shields, which are prevalent among Blue Suns and Eclipse mercenaries.
- Warp/Incinerate: Crucial for dealing with armored enemies (Krogan, Vorcha, heavy mechs).
- Area-of-Effect (AoE) Powers: Such as Concussive Shot or Shockwave, can help manage groups of enemies.
- Assault Rifles & Shotguns: Good for close-to-medium range engagements, especially against charging Vorcha and Krogan.
- Sniper Rifles: Useful for picking off distant enemies and heavy targets before they close in.
Walkthrough: Finding Archangel
- Arrival on Omega: Upon landing, head towards the marketplace. You'll overhear conversations about Archangel. Follow the mission marker to the entrance of the Archangel's hideout.
- The Recruiters: You'll encounter a Blue Suns recruiter attempting to enlist new members for an assault on Archangel. You can choose to intervene or observe.
- Paragon Interrupt: Warn the recruits about the danger, potentially saving them.
- Renegade Interrupt: Encourage the recruits to join, sending them to their doom.
- Infiltrating the Hideout: The entrance to Archangel's hideout is guarded. You'll need to gain access.
- Blue Suns Approach: Speak to the Blue Suns leader, Cathka. He'll give you a fake ID to infiltrate. This leads to a combat encounter shortly after.
- Eclipse Approach: Speak to the Eclipse leader. She'll offer an alternative route, often involving a brief combat encounter or a persuasion check.
- Blood Pack Approach: Speak to the Blood Pack leader. Similar to the others, this path involves either combat or a dialogue option.
Regardless of your chosen path, you will eventually find yourself inside the building Archangel is defending.
- The Initial Assault: Once inside, you'll witness Archangel (Garrus) under heavy fire. Your immediate goal is to reach his position and assist him. Expect waves of Blue Suns mercenaries.
- Enemy Types: Blue Suns Troopers (shields), Vanguards (shields, charge), Heavy Mechs (armor, shields).
- Strategy: Utilize cover effectively. Focus fire on stripping shields with Overload, then follow up with Warp/Incinerate or weapon fire. Prioritize Heavy Mechs.
- Defending the Position: Archangel will instruct you to activate a series of defenses and repel the attacking mercenary forces.
- Turret Controls: Activate the turrets overlooking the main courtyard. This provides crucial suppressive fire against incoming enemies.
- Bridge Controls: You'll have the option to lower or raise a bridge, affecting enemy pathing. Lowering it can funnel enemies into a kill zone, while raising it can delay their advance.
- Saving the Engineers: Several engineers are trapped in a room under fire. You'll have a limited time to save them.
- Paragon Choice: Prioritize saving the engineers. This might mean taking more direct fire but earns Paragon points.
- Renegade Choice: Ignore the engineers to focus on the fight, potentially leading to their deaths but allowing you to maintain a stronger defensive position.
- Enemy Waves: Expect a mix of Blue Suns, Blood Pack (Vorcha, Krogan), and Eclipse (Asari Vanguards, Engineers with Combat Drones).
- Strategy: Adapt to the enemy types. Use Warp/Incinerate against Krogan and Vorcha armor. Overload for Eclipse shields. Focus on taking down Combat Drones quickly. Use biotic powers for crowd control against charging enemies.
- The Final Push: After successfully defending the hideout for a period, the mercenary leaders will launch a coordinated assault.
- Blue Suns Commander (Krogan Battlemaster): This is the primary boss of the mission. He is heavily armored and shielded, and possesses powerful biotic abilities (Barrier, Biotic Charge). He will be accompanied by several Blue Suns Troopers and Vanguards.
- Strategy:
- Shields First: Immediately use Overload or Disruptor Ammo to strip his shields.
- Armor Next: Once shields are down, hit him with Warp, Incinerate, or armor-piercing rounds.
- Kiting & Cover: He will attempt to charge you. Use cover to break line of sight and kite him around the environment.
- Squad Focus Fire: Direct your squadmates to focus fire on the Krogan Battlemaster to bring him down quickly.
- Crowd Control: Use powers like Pull or Concussive Shot on his accompanying troops to prevent them from overwhelming your position.
- Reunion with Garrus: Once the final wave of mercenaries, including the Blue Suns Commander, is defeated, you'll finally reach Archangel. A cutscene will play revealing his identity as Garrus Vakarian.
Rewards & Consequences
- Garrus Vakarian: Recruits Garrus as a permanent squadmate.
- Experience Points: Significant XP for completing the mission and defeating numerous enemies.
- Credits: Loot from defeated enemies and containers throughout the hideout.
- Morality Points: Paragon or Renegade points depending on your choices regarding the recruits and the engineers.
- Weapon Upgrades: Potential for various weapon and armor upgrades found in containers.
