Virmire: Assault

You must infiltrate Saren's base and destroy it completely. Captain Kirrahe will assist with a diversionary strike to draw off most of the geth.

Acquisition
This mission is acquired after leaving the salarian camp on Virmire and beginning the attack on Saren’s base.

Sneaking in the Back
You and your two selected squadmates jump down behind a wall and survey the area. Captain Kirrahe comes over the comm and does a quick comm check. Once you are done with him, he will say that he is starting their attack and he reminds Shepard to be on the lookout for anything that can help them.

When you gain control head forward and in the distance, there is a watchtower of sorts. Head towards the tower and its friendly inhabitants, Geth Troopers, Geth Rocket Troopers, and Geth Shock Troopers will greet you with a hail of gunfire. Use the nearby rocks or charge up the ramp to deal with them. The geth also deploy a few smaller shields on the upper level, providing them additional protection. On higher difficulty levels, using the rocks for cover is safer, however it may be harder to aquire firing solutions from here as the geth rarely venture away from their cover; normally after their numbers are thinned.

When the geth are full of holes, move up the ramp and over to the console. Select it to disable the geth’s communications and triangulation frequencies, oops. Be sure so hack the weapons locker before you leave as well. Head back down the ramp and either keep going to the T-junction or go around to the north and around. No matter the way you choose you will run into some more geth, depending on your route:
 * North: Geth Rocket Drones
 * South: Geth Troopers

When you reach the next watchtower, you encounter the same geth except there is also a Geth Destroyer that just loves to get in your face. Because of this, focus on it first and then the rest. Also there is a krogan here as well but he doesn’t usually charge at first like the Destroyer does. When the krogan and geth are down target the structure on the roof, and just about anything, even a hard sneeze will knock it off disrupting the geth’s satellite uplinks. Before heading up the ramp here go the other way to get the exp from killing the enemies, or just head up; your choice.

Base Approach
When you head up the ramp in the distance there will be a Destroyer heading away from the squad, so make sure that it doesn’t. If it does get away, it will come back but not for a few minutes. When you reach a T-junction head left/south and be prepared for combat. On this platform are two krogan that waste no time attacking you. Because there is little cover, use powers to get them off balance and then gunfire to kill them. Throw and Lift work very well as it prevents the krogan from regenerating as well. While you are taking the krogan down, if you didn’t take out the Destroyer, then make sure you keep an eye out for it.

When the krogan are down make sure to grab the crate that is on the platform before you leave. Head back and when you see a rock ramp leading up head up it until the end and you are rewarded with a great view of the base entrance and a technician kit. Head back down the ramp and read left/north. Along the way you hear the squadmate that you sent with Kirrahe telling everyone to hunker down before the Geth Flyers come back. If you don’t hear that then you are going the wrong way. When you round a corner you should see a few fuel tanks and some Rocket Drones. Shoot the tanks and that should take out a few of the flyers, just shoot the rest.

Head back down either path and if you hear Kirrahe saying that the flyers haven’t shown up then you did it right, if you hear that the flyers are back, then reload because you might regret it later. When you reach the final bridge to Saren’s base, it is covered in those geth shields, and look towards the base because there will be more geth and krogan that come out of the woodworks and start shooting. Use the shields and one those fail, then the walls around the platform to defend yourself from the attackers. The krogan that appear here have a habit of walking down the bridge then charging about halfway across, then proceeding to melee and use their shotguns to fill the squad full of holes.

Once the area is clear head across the bridge and hack the wall safe to the right and you have two options to get into the base, the door to your left, or behind you and through the base’s underworks. The underworks provide more exp so it is advisable that you go that way. If you choose not to then at least head that way to grab a crate on the same level as you are now.

Going through the underworks gives access to more loot and more enemies.

Base Underworks
Head back along the platform and head down the dirt/sand ramp, grab the crate in the alcove across from it first before heading down. When you get to the bottom of the ramp, head to the door and decrypt it to enter. Make your way through the underworks until you reach a room where on your right is an elevated platform and a small, waist high wall on the level you are on. The room contains several indoctrinated salarians and some Geth Troopers. Use the cover to take them all out but watch for the salarians because they will charge down the ramp and attack your squad.

Once they all fall, grab the technician kit on the lower level then head to the upper level and access the security console. One of your squadmates will hack the console, if you are in the habit of skipping through conversations don’t skip through this one or you will regret it, and say there are two options, either disable the alarms or generate alarms on the other side of the base. If you select to generate the alarms then Kirrahe will be killed and so will most of the salarians; if you choose to disable the alarms you also get more exp and you are rewarded after the mission.

Saren’s Base Exterior
Open the door, send your squadmates up the stairs, and be prepared to fight some more indoctrinated salarians. They are relatively easy to eliminate however and are a pushover. When they are down, head back down the stairs and under the staircase are four crates that each hold some valuable weapons and armor, so make sure to pick them up. Head up the stairs and keep going around. When you get up the next flight of stairs, head around and in a cell is a salarian that can actually talk rather than just shoot.

When you talk to the salarian he introduces himself as Private Menos Avot and says that experiments have been performed on him for the six days he has been imprisoned. Your squadmates will comment on his condition and both think that something is off about him. You now have a choice, let him out, or leave him in. If you let him out he repeats the orders and attacks, there is some exp here. If you choose to leave him, he will mumble and say that he can’t stay, then he will charge the glass and crack his skull on the glass, killing himself. Before moving on there are some salarians in the next cell, again you can choose to release them or keep them in the cells. No matter the option these salarians are harmless, and you can’t shoot them either way.

Head out and up the stairs and you reach a security office that holds two more indoctrinated salarians. This office is small but the two salarians are hardly a threat so they fall easily. When they are disposed of there is a weapons locker near where you came in. make sure to grab it before moving on. Head to the door opposite of the one where you came and when you open it there should be a catwalk on the same level as you, if not then try another door, well for now at least, just don’t use the elevator.

Head across the catwalk and you will arrive at another door. When you open it, there is a large room off an even larger warehouse. In the initial room are two more indoctrinated salarians and a Geth Juggernaut. Shoot the salarians and use a power on the Juggernaut to keep it off balance. When you take down the guards in the office, then focus on the geth and salarians that are coming from the lower level warehouse. This group of geth consists of Geth Shock Troopers, Geth Troopers, Geth Rocket Troopers, and a Geth Destroyer. The three or four salarians are not a threat but the charging Destroyer is, so focus on that one first. When the attackers are down, grab the medi-gel from the aid station near the stairs heading down into the warehouse before heading back.

Head back to the security office and the take an immediate right to the door there. When you open the door you should be looking at a staircase heading down and to the right. If not, then find another door just don’t use the elevator, yet. When you reach the bottom open the door and in the far left cell is another salarian, Lieutenant Ganto Imness. Talking to this salarian will give up a lot more information than the last one that actually talked and didn’t just shoot. Ganto will tell you about the threat of Indoctrination and what happened to his squad, apparently in the other cells. You can ask him about the tests and what has been happening, and when you have all the information you want you have two options, let him go, or keep him in the cell. He will understand either way, however giving him the chance to outrun the blast give some Paragon points, leaving him to die will grant some Renegade points. After, you can also open up the cell next to his, which contains four Salarians. You can just free them, or you can execute them for more Renegade points.

Head back up to the security office and now it is time to use the elevator.

Saren’s Base Interior
When you reach the top of the elevator move out and quickly scan the stasis chamber for a codex entry. Then the guards in the room take notice of you and Doctor Droyas, his asari assistant, and the husks in the chambers attack. Use powers and gunfire to take them down but focus on the husks first because of their proximity to you and their attack that usually does a lot of damage. When they are down loot the area, near the elevator are a technician kit and a wetware kit. On the other side of the room is a medical station. When you are done head out of the room, via the door, and shoot the two Geth Troopers that are near the door.

When you enter the room there is an asari behind a desk. She introduces herself as Rana Thanoptis, a scientist that is in a more permanent position than she would have wanted. You can ask questions and she gives a lot more information about Indoctrination and Saren’s flagship, Sovereign. If you keep asking questions then she gives up a wealth of information and access to Saren’s private lab. Now you have the option to either let her go or kill her.

Before heading down to Saren’s lab grab the weapons locker that is in the room first. Take the elevator to Saren’s lab and at the bottom is another beacon, and your squadmates comment that it is the same as the one on Eden Prime. Activate it and the beacon transmits the full vision into Shepard’s brain. However this beacon doesn’t explode when you use it. After Shepard is dropped the squad walks up the stairs and across the overhead catwalk. When you get closer a red hologram appears.

The hologram begins talking and after just a few seconds, Shepard and the squad come to the realization that Sovereign isn’t a Reaper ship, but an actual Reaper. You can ask Sovereign questions and it is willing enough to indulge Shepard for a time. However, after learning that the Reapers are doing what they do for reasons that cannot be understood by organics, and about the destruction of the Protheans, Sovereign ends the conversation and suddenly all the glass around the lab shatters.

Destroy Saren’s Base
Joker comes over the radio and says that Sovereign just pulled a turn that would shear any ship in the Alliance Navy in half. Move out and back up the elevator. When you exit the upper elevator station, a Geth Destroyer is waiting for you, so make sure not to disappoint. When you reenter Rana’s former office, if you didn’t grab the locker earlier then do so. Exit and you see the bridge leading back the way you came from come up and the one in front of the squad lower.

On the other side are three krogan with shotguns, and at the far end so they can’t do that much damage yet. Send your squadmates up and be sure to keep an eye on them because the krogan will usually charge. When the krogan are down move through the tunnel and exit. On the lower platform are three crates that give loot, so just walk down the stairs and take them. When you are done there, head around the corner and be prepared for more geth and another krogan. The krogan is on the lower platform to the right and is quite easy to send flying into the abyss using Lift, then Throw. Then focus on the annoying Geth Hopper jumping around.

When all the geth are finally dealt with, head to where the krogan was and you are rewarded with another two crates. Then head up to the platform and then turn around because there are some geth that apparently followed you up the elevator. A Geth Rocket Trooper, some Geth Troopers, and two Geth Rocket Drones attack. There is little cover however you really don’t need it because the geth are a pushover. When you are done with the geth activate the console to disable the AA tower. Kirrahe comes over the comm congratulating you and saying that now it is his turn. Grab the wall safe and the weapon locker before activating the elevator.

When you activate the elevator be prepared because it doesn’t come up empty. Inside the elevator are two Geth Troopers and a Geth Shock Trooper. Take them out and then take the elevator yourself. When you exit you are in one of the krogan breeding trenches. There are a few Geth Hoppers jumping around so make sure to put them out of their misery. Head across the room shooting as you go and using the cover as necessary. Watch the overhead catwalks because that is a favorite place for the Hoppers to sit and use their Assassination ability.

Head to the next door and open it to reveal a large empty space that holds several Geth Troopers, Geth Rocket Troopers, Geth Shock Troopers, and a Destroyer or Juggernaut on higher difficulties. When you take them down you are treated to a cutscene.

Planting The Bomb
The Normandy swoops in and the squadmate you didn’t send with Kirrahe earlier walks down the ramp with the salarian drive core that has been converted into a nuclear bomb. As the bomb is place near the geothermal taps that power the base, and its one weak point, your other squadmate comes over the radio saying that they are pinned down on the second AA tower. The squadmate with you says to go because they still need a few minutes to finish the arming sequence, so do so. You have the option to reselect your squad at this point because you will not have access to Kaidan or Ashley at this point, no matter your choices.

When you regain control head to the door to your right, and be prepared for yet another fight. In this trench are three krogan, including a Krogan Battlemaster, and a few Geth Hoppers. First objective is to get into cover fast and keep an eye on the Battlemaster because he has a habit of charging before the rest. He also has a habit of going just after Shepard and leaving the rest of the squad alone. After the Battlemaster is down, focus on the geth then the remaining krogan. Finally when the attackers are down, run across and take the elevator up.

When you reach the top head to your left and make sure to grab the crate before heading up the stairs. When you walk up the stairs you are treated to a cutscene and a big decision.

A Geth Dropship flies overhead and Shepard radios the squadmate back at the bomb site, they say that the geth are dropping in all over the place and they arm the bomb. If you ask, then they will say that they are making sure the bomb goes off no matter what. Then the same dialogue no matter where Kaidan or Ashley are. Both are insistent that Shepard go and save the other one. Because there is no time to save both, you must now make the choice, Kaidan or Ashley, the other will die when the bomb goes off. Make your choice.

Whoever you choose to save you will either continue to the AA tower or head back to the bomb site.

You will lose all the equipment you have equipped on the squad member you do not save.

Destroying the Base
Whichever route you take follow that option until the end of the mission.

AA Tower
Keep heading down the path and when you reach the door enter and head around and down to the elevator. Before you get in however, grab the weapons locker in the small alcove and the medi gel from the Aid Station. Once you are ready save your game and head up. Once the elevator opens, draw weapons and head around until you can see geth attacking Kirrahe’s remaining men. So oblige and attack the geth before they have a chance to do more damage.

The second the last geth falls a cutscene starts where Saren appears overhead and barrage Shepard and the squad with biotic attacks from his hover-platform. Eventually after an attack that blows Shepard into cover Saren lands and begins a conversation.

He is impressed because his geth thought that the salarians were the real threat. Over the course of conversation you can get a lot of information about why Saren betrayed the Council and what Sovereign’s motives are. If certain dialogue options are chosen you open a wheel with paragon and renegade dialogue options. If you can use either option then do it, because you not only get the points, but this will help later in the game.

No matter your option it devolves into a fight. Saren gets back on his platform and is immune to biotic attacks except for Warp. Use the cover that is provided to shoot at Saren until the fight is over. The best way is to order your squadmates to attack Saren because Saren usually focuses on Shepard and leaves the remaining squad members alone. Because there is a lot of cover here use it to your advantage and stay in cover and take shots at Saren until the fight ends.

Eventually when Saren takes enough damage, a final cutscene will play showing Saren stepping off his platform and throwing his assault rifle aside and grabbing Shepard. The turian holds Shepard over the edge however something gets his attention and Shepard delivers a right hook to Saren’s chin, making him drop Shepard. He then retreats to his platform and flies away. The Normandy comes overhead and the screen fades…

Back to the Bomb Site
When you reenter the bomb site, there are a few more geth, mainly Destroyers and Shock Troopers. However because there is very little cover here, use the fuel tanks and gunfire to end the fight.

The second the last geth falls a cutscene starts where Saren appears overhead and barrage Shepard and the squad with biotic attacks from his hover-platform. Eventually after an attack that blows Shepard into cover Saren lands and begins a conversation.

He is impressed because his geth thought that the salarians were the real threat. Over the course of conversation you can get a lot of information about why Saren betrayed the Council and what Sovereign’s motives are. If certain dialogue options are chosen you open a wheel with paragon and renegade dialogue options. If you can use either option then do because you not only get the points, but this will help later in the game.

No matter your option it devolves into a fight. Saren gets back on his platform and is basically immune to biotic attacks except for Warp. Use the cover that is provided to shoot at Saren until the fight is over. The best way is to order your squadmates to attack Saren because Saren usually focuses on Shepard and leaves the remaining squad members alone. Because there is little cover here, use powers, tech attacks, and gunfire to take out Saren before he can do the same. However keep moving and if you need cover go to the door where you just came from.

Eventually when Saren takes enough damage, a final cutscene will play showing Saren stepping off his platform and throwing his assault rifle aside and grabbing Shepard. The turian holds Shepard over the edge however something gets his attention and Shepard delivers a right hook to Saren’s chin, making him drop Shepard. He then retreats to his platform and flies away. The Normandy comes overhead and the screen fades…

Escaping Virmire
…To the bombsite where the squad member left behind, clearly wounded, is still shooting at the geth from behind the bomb. They look up to see the Normandy flying away, smiles and gets back to shooting the geth. (If you picked up the squadmate from the bombsite, you won't see the fate of whoever was left at the AA Tower; the game just cuts directly to the next scene)

Then the scene shifts to the Normandy running and Joker trying to outrun the blast while telling everyone to hold on as it will be close. As the nuke goes off, Shepard looks out the window at the mushroom cloud produced by the bomb.

Normandy
Once you are in the debriefing room, the squadmate you chose to save is trying to argue that they were the wrong choice. You can choose to rebuff or the soft response. If you have Liara in the squad she offers to join your minds again to make sense of the vision. If you have the cipher from Feros then she recognized some of the places from her research, Ilos.

Joker offers to patch the Council in and as usual, you can accept or not talk to them. If you do then the Council is grateful that the mission was a success. While the Council does offer some condolences for the loss of Shepard's squadmate in the explosion, they are half-hearted at best.

Walk around the Normandy after you are done with the Council and Joker, as most of your squadmates will have opinions about the mission and the loss of your squadmate. If Kirrahe survived, you can visit him in the Normandy’s hangar deck along with the surviving salarians. He also offers his condolences to Shepard and will vow to never forget the sacrifice that either Ashley or Kaidan had to make. You can talk to Commander Rentola for any of his leftover gear and an armory license.

Enemies

 * Doctor Droyas
 * Geth Destroyer
 * Geth Hopper
 * Geth Juggernaut
 * Geth Prime
 * Geth Rocket Drone
 * Geth Rocket Trooper
 * Geth Shock Trooper
 * Geth Trooper
 * Husk
 * Indoctrinated
 * Krogan
 * Krogan Battlemaster
 * Salarian Commando
 * Saren
 * Scientist

Bugs

 * If you choose to return to the bomb site to save whoever you left there, after killing all the geth there's a chance of the cutscene with Saren not triggering, rendering the mission impossible to complete. The only known workaround is a save reload.