Halo: Campaign Evolved Pillar of Autumn Mission Guide: Escape the Covenant
Learn how to complete the Pillar of Autumn mission in Halo: Campaign Evolved. Follow our step-by-step walkthrough to secure Cortana and escape.
Quick answer
- Awaken from cryosleep and follow the crewman directly to the bridge to meet Captain Keys.
- Retrieve the AI Cortana from the bridge console to prevent her falling into Covenant hands.
- Fight through Covenant boarding parties, navigating maintenance access ways to bypass destroyed life pods.
- Board the final remaining lifeboat to escape before the Pillar of Autumn enters the ring's atmosphere.
Halo: Campaign Evolved - The Pillar of Autumn [Playthrough No Commentary]
Watch a full playthrough of the opening mission, showing how to navigate the ship's corridors and escape the Covenant boarding parties.
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Surviving the Pillar of Autumn in Halo: Campaign Evolved
The opening mission of Halo: Campaign Evolved, titled Pillar of Autumn, sets the stage for an epic sci-fi conflict. Following a desperate blind jump from Reach to escape the Covenant, the UNSC cruiser Pillar of Autumn arrives at a mysterious ring-shaped object, only to find enemy capital ships waiting for them.
As Covenant boarding parties breach the ship using boarding craft and antimatter charges, Master Chief is awakened from cryosleep. Your primary objectives are to meet Captain Keys on the bridge, secure the AI Cortana, and navigate the crumbling ship to find an escape route.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough: Escaping the Autumn
Waking Up and Meeting Captain Keys
The mission begins in the Cryo2 chamber, where crew members awaken Master Chief from his deep sleep. Due to the immediate Covenant threat, standard weapons diagnostics are bypassed. Once you are out of the cryo chamber, follow the crewman through the ship's corridors to make your way to the bridge.
Securing Cortana
Upon arriving at the bridge, you will meet Captain Keys. He explains that the ship is heavily outmatched and the main cannon's fire control is completely offline. Because of this, he initiates Cole Protocol Article 2, ordering all personnel to abandon ship.
Captain Keys plans to manually land the Pillar of Autumn on the mysterious ring-shaped object below. Before he does, he hands over Cortana, the ship's highly advanced AI. Cortana holds critical information regarding Earth, human force deployment, and weapons research, making her protection your absolute priority.
Fighting Through the Boarding Parties
With Cortana secured in your armor, you must fight your way through the ship's interior. Covenant forces have breached the corridors, and you will need to engage them to progress.
To conserve ammunition and quickly neutralize hostiles, use Cortana's tactical scanning to your advantage. Get behind enemies and deliver a single melee hit to the back to take them out instantly.
Navigating the Maintenance Access Ways
As you try to reach the escape pods, the Covenant will target and destroy the standard life pods. With the primary escape routes blocked or destroyed, you must redirect your path through the ship's maintenance access ways. Use these tight corridors to bypass blocked doors and find an alternative route to the last remaining lifeboat.
Once you reach the final lifeboat, board it immediately to escape the ship before the cruiser enters the ring's atmosphere.