You've been warned about the presence of underground explosives surrounding one of the torches. You'll need to exit the Mako and proceed on foot.
Acquisition[]
After disabling the first fusion torch visible from the initial Mako drop zone, Simon Atwell mentions the blasting caps when he talks to you before you exit the facility.
Alternatively, skipping the first fusion torch and proceeding further northeast will also give this assignment as the Normandy VI warns about anti-vehicle demolitions detected by ground-penetrating radar.
Walkthrough[]
This assignment is quite straightforward: get through the blasting caps to the fusion torch station without getting blown up. Deactivating the blasting caps via the terminal next to the facility entrance completes the assignment.
The station is surrounded by batarian guards and Heavy Turrets, as well as the aforementioned blasting caps. These improvised landmines have a detection range of a few meters, wide enough to render vehicle use impossible and dangerous enough to warrant proximity warning sounds and gauges while on foot. They're only alerted to your presence; your squadmates won't trip the blasting caps when they follow you in. Triggering the blasting caps WILL result in an automatic game over, regardless of protections through normal means or by console commands. Entering the boundary denoted by the yellow beacons while in the Mako also leads to instant death.
Combat Strategy: Get rid of the turrets, leave the Mako safely outside the range of the blasting caps (the circle marked with the beacons), and approach on foot. Walk very slowly and keep an eye on the proximity alarm. When you start to get close, Batarian Troopers—including two Batarian Rocket Soldiers—will appear out of the building to attack you. It's possible to use Throw or another ability to knock the batarians toward the blasting caps for an instant kill, or race straight to the torch station's door, shut the blasting caps off, and then deal with them, but bear in mind that the Rocket Soldiers can deal very high damage through your shields with direct hits.
Additional notes and tips:
- You can zoom in on your map to see blasting cap placements, and how many there are between you and cover.
- Some of the gaps between blasting caps are too narrow to get through safely. Look for the larger gaps.
- Do not rely on the warning sound to avoid the blasting caps, as it often cuts out or fails to sound even though you are getting dangerously close.
- If you try to lure the batarians out of the building and then retreat to the Mako to take them out, you will hear one of them shout about retreating into the structure, and they will display remarkable powers of teleportation and instantly disappear, instantly reappearing once you approach on foot again.
- If you approach from the front of the building, there are more blasting caps between you and some crates for cover. If you approach from the rear, between the torch and the building, there are fewer blasting caps and more cover for your squadmates (if you decide to bring them), but your position will be rushed by two batarians.
- If you approach head-on rather than sneaking in from the rear, it is strongly recommended that you and your squad have sniper rifles out to deal with the batarians, as very few abilities or weapons are otherwise accurate or long-ranged enough to hit them, unless you can rapidly close the distance.
- Since your squadmates don't set off the caps, ordering them ahead of you to draw fire and get into a more effective engagement range is better than having them follow close at your heels, allowing enemy rockets to hit your entire squad.