Exodus (Modern Warfare 2)

"The Russians are burning through our defenses and our intel. Can't let 'em take this corner." "Just point it out on a map, sir. They won't take it."

- General Shepherd and Sergeant Foley

Exodus is the eighth mission in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

You play as Private James Ramirez, starting off on foot. The first objective is to destroy enemy anti-aircraft batteries so US forces can evacuate civilians. You engage Russian troops through a suburb with the help of a Stryker ICV, callsign "Honey Badger." The first portion of this level is simply to follow a street until you reach an enemy-held tollhouse guarded by sentry gun. Use the Stryker as much as possible, and defend it from any enemies with RPGs that you find. Once you've cleared the tollboth, you will enter a neighborhood with heavily occupied houses on either side. Use them to avoid enemies in the streets, using the Stryker to suppress the enemy while you clear them out. Eventually, Ramirez's team reaches a golf course where they destroy the anti-aircraft batteries with artillery strikes.

With the first objective complete, the Rangers press on to their second objective: secure and evacuate a High Value Individual (HVI). Ramirez's team move further into the suburb and reach a house where a C-130 Hercules has just crashed out front. The team moves into the house to secure the HVI from a panic room, but find him already dead. The team grabs a briefcase containing unknown documents and prepares to leave, but Cpl. Dunn notices a unique Russian troop on the floor with odd tattoos on his neck.

Enemy Intelligence
Intel No. 18: In the "Office" building in front of the "Garden Villas Apartment Homes", on the left side of the main street.

Intel No. 19: In a building on the right at the "Checkpoint Lima".

Intel No. 20: In the last house on the right just before the big house with a pool. Second floor.

Tips

 * You can "laze" the enemy choppers and "Honey Badger" will target them and take them out in a couple seconds. This is very important on Veteran because many enemies will come from the choppers.


 * After you clear out the first block of houses and are about to cross the bridge, wait for "Honey Badger" and follow behind it until you can regroup next to a wall with your squad. This will help a lot on Veteran.


 * Do not approach the anti-aircraft emplacements. Even if you kill the Russians manning the guns, a BMP will turn around and kill you.


 * Your squadmates will help you clear out the larger houses by drawing fire from the enemies. Wait for them to cover you before advancing indoors.


 * Watch out! Honey badger can crush to death any unfortunate person who happens to get in it's path, and you will hear the sound of bones breaking, and blood spurting out of the victim.


 * When the enemies are fast-roping from the helicopters, paint the helicopters for Honey Badger to take out.

Trivia

 * The Artillery appears to come from an AC130.
 * Near the end of the level before crossing the last bridge there is an indistructible black car to the left next to a white van.
 * Outside of the house with the red interior (where the levels first intel is located) there is a motorcycle parked in a disabled parking space, this is likely a joke as a person who is physically disabled would unlikely be able to ride a motorcycle. This could also be a reference to House, MD. The main character in the show is physically handicapped but rides a motorcycle.
 * In the last house where you find the HVI, there is a Russian soldier rummaging through the refrigerator on the first floor; another reference to the movie "Red Dawn."
 * The mission's title refers to the evacuations that are taking place, and large amounts of US Pave Lows and Blackhawks fly over, possibly carrying civilians.
 * Copies of The Jungle Book, Frankenstein, and Grimm's Fairytales can be found on the second floor of the same house.
 * There is a teddy bear in the fountain on this mission. It's smiling and has a star on its chest.
 * There is another teddy bear in the panic room, laying down on a chair.
 * The dead Russian near the panic room has the same tattoos as Makarov's team in No Russian. This may hint that either some of the Russian troops in the invading army were either members of the Ultranationalist party, or that before the invasion the Ultranationalist puppet Russian government recruited and trained convicts and gangsters from Russian prisons, due to the fact that the only reason for a Russian to have such tattoos is to "write" their criminal past on their body.
 * There is a Call of Duty 4-style Desert Eagle (silver/chrome steel, not bi-tone, with no under-barrel attachment) lying next to the VIP's body, although it cannot be picked up.
 * Strangely, it is never revealed who the HVI is, or what was in the briefcase.
 * Because General Shepherd commandeered the player's unit to get the HVI, it could be that he wants to acquire the briefcase for his own agenda.
 * Every weapon except the M4 and SCAR has the laser beam for the laser designator come out of its barrel.
 * Honey Badger always emits thick black exhaust smoke. It is not an indicator of damage.
 * Arcadia is actually a real place. It is an unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.
 * If you look closely at the inside of the briefcase, you can see 2 pamphlets about Modern Warfare 2. One will say on the cover "MW2 Weapons" while the other says "MW2 Never Die". Also, on one of the pockets it says "IW" on it. (Infinity Ward)
 * A civilian car can be seen driving through the fight at the beginning of the level. The car speeds down the street, losing the luggage it had stacked on top of it, and collides with the barricade at the intersection and explodes. The man driving the car is the only living civilian you see in the level. You can also be run over and killed by the car. The car can also be destroyed by you and you wont get a penalty for killing the civilian in the car.
 * In front of some of the houses there are signposts for IW Realty. This is ironic considering that some of the houses are destroyed and/or on fire.
 * At the golf course, on the other side of the creek there is a single enemy and what seems to be three dead bodies.
 * If you look at the Hercules as it crashes, you can see parachutes deploying from it, meaning that at least some of the crew managed to get out in time.
 * It is possible to get on Honey Badger, when you get to the tunnel get right next to Honey Badger and when you hit the side of the tunnel it will push you on Honey Badger.
 * Behind the last house you move through before destroying the anti-air emplacements there is a small pool that you can swim in, but you cant go under the water.