Recent History is the fifth level of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. As the team leaves the Ural Mountains in their Mi-26 ‘Halo’ Captain Price enquires about the fate of other TF-141 operatives. In answer of his question Captain Kyle "Heron" Rickland tells him about the Shadow Company attack on the TF-141 Command Sub as well as a nearby TF-141 Dock Complex.
| Recent History | |
|---|---|
| Previous level | Safe Haven |
| Next level | Border Skirmish |
| Game | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Endgame |
| Character | Captain Kyle "Heron" Rickland |
| Team | TF-141 |
| Weapons | USP .45 w/ Tactical Knife |
| Enemy weapons | ACR, ASM-DT Amphibious Rifle, SCAR-H, Vector, UMP45, M240, M14 EBR, M1014, SPAS-12, G18, USP .45, AT4-HS, M32 Multiple Grenade Launcher, Riot Shield |
| Place | Falkland Isles |
| Date | 18th October, 2017 |
| Objective | Investigate Enemy Attack on Deep Command, Board the USS Triton, Secure the Shadow Company Decryption Codes, Escape the Ship before it is destroyed, Secure the TF-141 Command Centered, Escape the Complex |
| Enemies | Shadow Company, Blue Sharks |
| Console codename | shepherd_betrayal |
| Multiplayer map | None |
Walkthrough
The level begins on the command submarine with Heron, Admiral Henderson and an operative named Mako listening to the progress of Roach and Ghost as they collect the DSM in the level Loose Ends when they suddenly hear reports that unknown hostiles have engaged them before communications are cut. A third TF-141 member Winter arrives and informs Heron that there is an unknown contact directly above them. Communications are suddenly reactivated and General Shepherd is heard over the radio telling them that he is grateful for their service and that he has no further need for them. As soon as he finishes the first Depth Charges begin to rock ‘Deep Control’ forcing the operatives to leave stopping only to grab some ASM-DT Amphibious Rifles, C4 Charges and SCUBA gear. Exiting through the submarines torpedo tubes the TF-141 come face to face with underwater Shadow Company Operatives and teams dropping depth charges from Zodiacs above them. Using the ASMs to defeat the Zodiac Teams and Frogmen a new threat arrives in the form of Blue Sharks attracted from the blood who attack and kill Mako. After fighting off the Sharks a SH-60 Seahawk flies overhead dropping torpedoes on deep command.
Exiting the water Heron and Winter board the Shadow Company Frigate and swap the ASM-DT to the surface firing mode and kill the deck crew before storming the boats armory. After aquiring more weaponry Heron plants the C4 in the room to destroy the ship after they have left. Entering the bridge Winter decrypts the Shadow Company radio frequency and gives it to Heron before being killed in a counter attack. Learning of the theft of the radio frequency code Shepherd orders an attack on Deep Commands Docking and Maintenance Facility and fires an Exocet Missile at the Frigate. Fighting his way to the deck Heron uses a Denel 35mm Dual Purpose Gun mounted on the deck to shoot down a pair of Apache Gunships attacking the facility as well as the Seahawk harassing the submarine.
Contacted by Onyx and Huntsman at the dock complex Heron quickly discovers with Price and Soap MIA that he is in charge. Jumping in a Zodiac he heads to the Dock Facility and begins to head to the data center where Shadow Company Operatives are using their own DSM to download any remaining data since Henderson has been able to remove Shepherd’s security clearance. After fighting through the halls against Shadow Company Troopers and Riot Troopers, Heron finds Onyx and Huntsman fighting against an unrelenting tide of enemies using an M5 Sentry Gun while a fourth operative Jackal finishes the download process before sending the decryption codes to Nikolai in the hopes he will deliver them to Captain Price.
As the four turn to leave they have to run through a gauntlet of Shadow Company Snipers mounted on Little Bird Helicopters. As the team clears the base Henderson announces that he has reached the base and activates the self destruct sequence by the bases fuel generator destroying it, the submarine and the perusing Shadow Company Soldiers leaving Heron and his team safe but out of contact.
Weapon Loadout
Initial Weapons[]
USP.45 w/ Tactical Knife
Found in Level[]
Submarine Armoury
Shadow Company Armoury[]
Other Weapons
Transcript[]
Satellite follows a Mi-26 flying South West away from the Ural Mountain Base
MacTavish: - How many of are left?
Heron: - After the Purges there were about sixty of us. We didn’t know exact numbers until after Shepherd died and by then almost every military organization, mercenary group and terrorist cell was looking for us.
Price: - So Shepherd got away with it after all.
The Satellite zooms out to show a map of the world, an overlay appears showing all TF-141 bases
Heron: - Ever since that day we have lost ground, operatives and equipment. We held it together long enough to follow a trail that eventually lead to you but every step of the way people died.
TF-141 bases begin to blink out with the words, Connection Lost, displayed above them. Only five bases remain on the map
Heron: - It was on the first day however, that we fell so far from what we were. The date October the 18th will be the blackest day in the history of our organization.
MacTavish: - What did we loose?
Heron: - Deep Command and a Refit Station on the Falklands. With them gone there was nowhere left to hide.
The Satellite zooms in on the South Atlantic until the Falkland Islands appear. A Lost Connection Base can be seen alongside newspaper titles such as Submarine Disaster and Possible Argentinean Attack, Britain retaliates with Air Strikes.
Price: - Tell me exactly what happened.
Cut Scene Ends
Heron, Mako and Henderson listening to radio traffic from the assault on Makarov’s safehouse
Ghost: Roach, hang in there!
Ghost: Come on, get up! Get up! Get up! We're almost there!
SC Soldier: Move! Move! Spread out!
SC Soldier: Go go go!
Shepherd: Do you have the DSM?
Ghost: We got it, sir!
Shepherd: Good. That's one less loose end.
Suddenly the Connection is Lost
Heron: - What just happened?
Mako: - We lost contact could be a damaged radio or interference.
Heron: - Switch to frequency 2 and contact Archer and Toad
Mako switches frequencies only to here the sounds of a firefight
Heron: - Archer come in what’s your status
Archer: - Toad is down. We are being attacked but it’s not Makarov’s men.
Mako: - Are you sure?
Archer: - They killed the survivors of our raid on the safe house. These guys work for someone else.
Heron: - Do you have a visual on Ghost and Roach?
Archer: - I see them they are almost certainly KIA. Wait is that….An sniper round can be heard before the radio crackles revealing only static
Heron: - Mako call Price and get a Sit Rep and tell them to watch for hostiles
Mako: - No answer just static. It does not look good
A third operative arrives
Winter: - We have an unknown contact entering radar range. Estimates put it at 50m+ above us.
Henderson: - Battle Stations ready for attack on surface vessel. There is an unheard reply. Our Weapon Systems have been shout down remotely and our achieves are being downloaded
Mako: - Only one person can shut down Deep Command’s Weapon Systems
The radio crackles
Shepherd: - Deep Command come in Deep Command
Heron: - What’s happening out there Shepherd. Why are the weapon’s systems offline?
Shepherd: - I would like to take this time to thank you all for your services to the TF-141 but I’m afraid that your services are no longer required
Winter: - Is he saying what I think he’s saying
Shepherd: - For your sakes I hope that your deaths are quick. Shepherd out.
An explosion rocks Deep Command
Henderson: - Depth Charges. Without Weapon’s Systems we can’t fire back. Captain take Mako and Winter and head outside and deal with that surface vessel. I’m going to try and get a lock on Captain Price and warn him about Shepherd if he doesn’t know already.
Heron: - Yes Sir. You heard the Admiral let’s make the sea’s friendly again
The team head through the submarine into the armory and take Amphibious Rifles and Plastic Explosives before continuing to the torpedo room.
Torpedo Room Officer: - Sir we are ready to jettison you. Climb into tube 4
Heron climbs into Tube 4
Torpedo Room Officer: - Okay swim to the end of the tube
Heron exits the tube and is joined by Winter and Mako. Above them is the silhouette of Zodiacs which deploy enemy divers. Heron points to the divers and the operatives use the Amphibious Rifles to take out the Divers and Zodiacs. Attracted by the blood in the water four Blue Sharks attack killing Mako before being pushed away by Heron and Winter. Overhead a Seahawk flies past dropping a torpedo past them the munition just missing deep command. Heron signals for Winter to surface with him where they swap the dart ammunition for standard rifle rounds
Winter: - Grappling Hook ready
She fires and the point impacts with the ship’s hull allowing her to climb up. Heron covers her as she climbs killing a curious sailor before boarding the ship himself as Winter holds off the deck crew and backup divers
Heron: - Kill them all.
The deck is quickly cleared heading into the ship Heron and Winter fight their way to the armory
Winter: - See anything you like?
Heron: - This is the perfect place to plant some plastic explosive. As soon as we are done we can take this ship out once and for all
Heron places the C4 and heads towards the bridge only to find a Shadow Company Operative trying to lock the door. Winter fires a Grappling Hook pinning the soldier to the door and the door to the wall. Clearing out the bridge, Winter starts analyzing the radio frequency and discovers the decryption codes.
Winter - Decryption Sequence is 13A-662-90K-TC8-0M0
After Winter has finished reciting the sequence a Shadow Company patrol arrive and kill her before being overpowered by Heron himself. As he fights the big computer screen flickers to life revealing General Shepherd
Heron: - You are going to pay for what you have done today Shepherd
Shepherd: - No I won’t as soon as the TF-141 is destroyed and I have Makarov on a leash I can control him on I will be the most celebrated hero in American History. The man who single handed brought down the Russian Armed Forces, the man who inspired millions.
Heron: - You can’t get away with it Shepherd. Someone will come to avenge those you killed
Shepherd: - But that’s the beauty of revenge. By killing one man you make two enemies
Oxide: - Sir we believe that out decryption systems have been compromised
Shepherd: - As much as I enjoy our debates on the morals of war and revenge I believe you have information that I can’t allow you to leave with. In five minutes this ship will be heading to the bottom of the ocean and you with it.
A time sequence starts counting down five minutes. Heron fights his way onto deck and heads to a Zodiac with plenty of time to spare
Onyx: - Captain come in Captain
Heron: - What is it Onyx?
Onyx: - We are in the Repair and Refit Station for Deep Command but auto defences are offline and we are being pummelled by attack helicopters. Ordinance is available but hostile have taken the barracks and the armoury and we don’t have enough personnel to protect the command centre and storm these positions. What should we do sir, with Captain Price and MacTavish unavailable you are in charge?
Heron: - Stay there I’m going to remove their air support and then I will come and get you
Heron climbs into the gunnery station of a Denel 35mm Dual Purpose Gun and shoots down the Apache Gunships attacking the base and the Seahawk bothering the submarine Jumping out of the turret he heads to the Zodiac only to find two Shadow Company Soldiers getting ready to abandon ship
Shadow Company Soldier 1: - Shepherd fired a missile at us. Is he crazy its Danger Close for the Triton?
Shadow Company Soldier 2: - We all know that Shepherd doesn’t care about Danger Close
Heron kills the operatives and lowers the Zodiac before heading towards the dock facility while the Frigate is destroyed behind him. Entering the facility Heron storms through a few Shadow Company Operatives before breaching the dock facility Command Centre finding twelve enemies including three with riot shields inside fighting Onyx, Huntsmen and a Sentry Gun. Securing the area a fourth operative contacts Nikolai
Heron: - Nikolai where are you?
Nikolai: - Heading to pick up Captain Price. I will be landing in five minutes
Heron: - I have the decryption codes for Shadow Company. It is 13A-662-90K-TC8-0M0. Make sure it gets to him we have lost a lot of good operatives to get these codes
Nikolai: - Da I will make sure he gets them
Jackal: - All data purged from the hard-drive sir. It will take them a while to access these files
Heron: - No we need to destroy this facility entirely to prevent them getting anything. Admiral what’s your status we need a quick exit
Henderson: - I won’t be able to supply that Captain. We are taking on water to quickly. If there is anything else I can do I will see to it.
Heron: - We need to destroy this facility Admiral to prevent Shepherd getting his hands on anything
Henderson: - Get clear I have an idea
Heron, Onyx, Huntsman and Jackal leave the building sprinting through the base as snipers attack from Little Bird Helicopters as they reach the wall Jackal and Huntsman help Onyx and Heron over before joining them. As they land a Little Bird locks onto them and begins to spin it’s guns.
Henderson: - I’m in position. Ramming Dock Facility now
An massive explosion is generated by exploding ordinance knocking the Little Birds out of the sky. Dodging the falling Helicopters and debris Heron climbs down onto the beach as a Shadow Company Pilot lands his Little Bird. The F-141 soldiers kill him and take the Helicopter as a secondary explosion occurs at the dock facility while frightened Shadow Company Operatives catch on fire and jump into the ocean only to be attacked by Sharks. As the Little Bird flies over the sinking frigate the screen fades to black.
Intel
Intel No. 8 (1/4) In the Command Room of the Submarine to the left of the door that Winter emerged from
Intel No. 9 (2/4) After you exit the armoury go down the stairs into the barracks and defeat the Shadow Company Soldiers and Sailors before looking behind a footlocker to find this piece of Intel
Intel No. 10 (3/4) After the initial skirmish with the Riot Troops head through the door on the right into the locker room. Defeat the Shadow Company Unit here and check one of the lockers for the Intel
Intel No. 11 (4/4) As you run from the Snipers there will be a section where two soldiers with AT4s will fire at a Little Bird bringing it down just before the wall you scale. Head over to it and reach into the cockpit to claim this piece of Intel
Achievements[]
Lost and Found (25G): - Complete A Safe Place and Recent History on Veteran Difficulty
Just when you thought it was safe (20G): - Survive a Shark Attack
Trivia
Submarine Combat[]
The level gives a date for the whole Modern Warfare 2 Campaign by stating that Day 6 is the 18th October thus suggesting that the campaign began on the 11th October and ended on the 19th
In the levels No Russian and The Hornet's Nest it is suggested that one of the TF-141 Bases was a submarine. The appearance of Deep Command confirms this
The beginning of the level features speech from the level Loose Ends and marks the only appearance outside of Special Ops of Ghost, Oxide and Roach in Call of Duty: Endgame
This level also reveals the fates of Toad and Archer
Despite not wearing a patch Winter can be easily identified as an Australian even before she talks due to her familiarity with the Submarine. The Australian Royal Navy is the only one to allow female crew members on a submarine
The ASM-DT should be converted to an AK-47 with Underslung Grenade Launcher on land, however it appears in Infinity Ward overlooked this fact
Winter or Mako sometimes glitch and never leave the submarine
If you swim to far from the group a ‘You Failed to Stay with your Team’ message appears
The Blue Sharks are oddly aggressive there have been few reported attacks on humans by this species
It is ironic that Mako, named after the Mako Shark, was killed by a Shark
Strangely despite their blank check Shadow Company seem to be using a single Seahawk for anti submarine operations. It is possible they spent most of it on advanced weapons, equipment and vehicles
Triton
Triton was the son of Poseidon, Greek God of the Sea.
Winter appears to have picked up a Grappling Hook gun form nowhere as there wasn’t one available in the Submarine Armoury
Additionally the Grappling Hook Gun seems to use the discarded tubing of an AT4-HS
The Shadow Company Sailors and Marines appear to be less well equipped then their on land counterparts
When Winter fires the Grappling Hook through the door and the Marine it pins both to the wall without dragging a cable behind it. It’s possible that Winter only had one line but multiple hooks or that she discarded the cable when she got on board
It seems odd that Shepherd wouldn’t change decryption frequencies when Oxide told him it was compromised this ultimately led to his demise
Shepherd uses an Exocet Missile against the Triton. This weapon was commonly employed by the Argentineans against the British in the Falklands War. Shepherd may have selected this weapon to pin blame on Argentina, as seen in this levels cut scene, to prevent the British interfering with his plan
It is unknown how Shepherd planed to keep Heron on board the Triton for 5 minutes
The Denel 35mm Dual Purpose Gun is a South African Weapon. Shepherd probably retrofitted such weapons onto the Triton using money supplied by the US Secretary of Defence
The Denel is surprisingly accurate at hitting the Apache Helicopters despite being considered a short range weapon
The Shadow Company Marine is the third person to mention that Shepherd cares little for Danger Close Situations. The others were Corporal Dunn in Team Player and Captain Price in Just Like Old Times
Dock Facility[]
Several dead Dock Workers can be found with handguns. It’s unknown if they were TF-141 Members or simply hired workers. Whatever the case they were killed fighting Shadow Company Operatives
Occasionally a Shadow Company Soldier will say ‘Order 66 not completed’ before attacking you. This is a reference to Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
The M5 Sentry Gun is unmovable
When you have to escape the base you have unlimited sprint
Two TF-141 randomly named Operatives can be seen fighting the Little Bird mounted Snipers. Why they didn’t escape with your group is unknown
Both the Snipers and the Little Birds can be destroyed
Two Little Birds change from Infantry Transports to Attack Craft once you cross the wall. The first is the one that is destroyed by the explosion while the second one is the helicopter used for the getaway
The end of the level is similar to the end of The Only Easy Day... Was Yesterday where the playable character escapes on a Little Bird Helicopter
Miscellaneous
This is the first level to take place, albeit briefly, on British Soil
This is also the first level to feature underwater combat
The achievement Just When You Thought It Was Safe is a reference to the tag line for the film Jaws
The Blue Sharks are the first enemy not to be affiliated with a faction
The Zodiac Ride is roughly one km in distance