Cliffhanger (mission)

"Break's over, Roach. Let's go."

- Captain MacTavish

 is the third campaign mission in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Captain "Soap" MacTavish and Sgt. Gary "Roach" Sanderson of the newly-formed Task Force 141 must infiltrate a remote Russian airbase on the cold mountains of Kazakhstan. There they must recover a downed satellite module before the Russians can make use of it.

Summary
The level begins as your character, "Roach" Sanderson, and "Soap" MacTavish are on a ledge on the side of a mountain. After a MiG-29 flies overhead the player and Soap start climbing a wall of ice with ice picks. There is a harrowing moment when a pair of MiG-29s fly overhead, nearly dislodging Soap from his position on the cliff. Once at the top the player and Soap jump a small gap. The player don't make it and nearly fall to your death when Soap grabs the player's hand at the last moment, saving his life. Soap brings the player up, and they climb up the rest of the mountain. The two are then seen moving up to a fuel depot. They simultaneously take out enemy troops and move up to the fuel depot. The player then infiltrates the airbase and proceeds to the fuel depot, killing people as you go along at your discretion, as you can sneak by enemies using the cover of the blizzard and the usefulness of the heartbeat sensor. The player will then plant C4 on the fuel depot and travel to the hangar that Soap is in to destroy a crashed satellite. If you do this without alerting or injuring any guards you will receive the achievement/trophy "Ghost". When the player and Soap go in the hanger, a guard walks by and Soap beats up and stabs the unfortunate guard in the neck with his knife. He tells the player to go upstairs and get the ACS module. When you come back, you hear Major Petrov telling you to surrender in five seconds or he will kill Soap, Petrov counts down while you detonate the C4. There is a huge explosion and the player and Soap fight out of the airbase and go down a hill where Soap takes out an oncoming enemy snowmobile with his ice picks. The player and Soap then get on the snowmobile and escape while shooting enemies, racing down a really steep hill and jumping across a gorge to get to the LZ where Kilo Six-One is waiting.

More Detailed Walkthrough

Roach and Soap start on a cliff edge-side of a mountain. Soap claims his break is over, so they both start sliding across the edge. Be careful, because one wrong move can make you fall to your death. Roach and Soap will stop at one section of the mountain, and Soap will start climbing it. The ice is "good" enough so that the player's Ice Picks (or Ice Axes as they called it) can climb it. Simply target the wall then press and hold the Right Trigger to latch on the Wall. Press & hold the Left Trigger to do the same for the other arm. If you let go, you will fall and die. If you fall, you can try again from the checkpoint (start of the climb). Climb and don't stop until the player reaches the top, even when the soaring plane goes by and nearly pushes Soap down.

When the player reaches the top, you will gain a checkpoint and have another section of mountain to climb. Follow Soap and jump over the gap. Roach will, however, start sliding to his doom. Right before he falls, Soap grabs him at the last second, and pulls him up. Quickly climb up the mountain.

When they both reach the top, Roach will pull out a Silenced ACR containing a Heartbeat Sensor. Your secondary weapon will be a silenced USP .45 with a tactical knife attachment. Remember, Soap is indicated blue on the sensor, but all hostiles are white, and pay constant attention toward the sensor. There are two 2-man patrols up ahead. When Soap counts to three, take down the soldier on the left (or you can let him take them both down instead, or kill them both yourself. Either doesn't matter). The storm is brewing up, so this is the advantage to infiltrate the base. Soap will leave Roach and climb up a ridge, using his Thermal Scope to take watch. Soap will then tap into the enemy's radio channel to eavesdrop on them.

Enter the base, and take heavy precautions. You are "invisible" at a distance and try to make all your shots into the head (sometimes chest-shots will not kill, especially on Vetran). Be quick on shots as well, because enemies are grouped most of the time (there's also a patrolling Jeep but they won't get out until they find anything suspicious). You are also not invisible when you enter a building. Don't forget any dead bodies will cause heavy suspicion. And remember to keep your Heartbeat Sensor active and your weapon is silenced, so don't fear of making much noise. Do NOT swap your current weapon for anything else, otherwise the player would be in big trouble if you fire it. Take in Soap's advice every time you hear it. By the way, any lone enemies the player sees will be taken out by Soap (unless you take it out first).

Soap will then instruct the player to find a fuelling station to place a C4 charge, and that they can go to plan "B" if things go wrong. Use stealth to reach the instructed area. When the C4 is placed, you are instructed to go to a different area. Unless you have alerted the patrolling Jeep, you have 30 seconds to reach that area before your C4 gets compromised by it. Be warned that there is an area containing a BMP (it's actually near your objective area), and avoid it at all costs because it has thermal sights. The main reason it was implanted was to prevent you from leaving the base.

When the player reaches the area, follow Soap. He rams a guard onto the wall and then knifes him (you can kill the guard before Soap does if you want to to). You will see a large machine gear which Soap will analyze. While he does this, the player is instructed to find the ACS module upstairs, inside the building. Do this, and come back out. Quickly crouch behind the boxes, and you will see hordes of targets crowding Soap. They tell you that if you don't expose yourself, they will kill Soap, failing the mission. If you fire your weapon, throw a grenade, or walk too close to Petrov, Soap will be killed and you will fail the mission. Forced to initiate "Plan B", you will automatically pull out your detonator. Quickly set off your C4 before Petrov finishes his countdown. When this goes into action, all the hostiles will be distracted by the explosion. Shoot everyone and follow Soap. By now you should notice that the BMP is gone, and the Blizzard has cleared up.

Eventually the player is prompted to hop on a Snowmobile, and a chase begins. Since the player has succeeded the mission (and got himself caught), you are chased to an extraction point about 2,500m away. Keep driving, ignoring the trees and enemies, and just drive through the course to the extraction point. Also, Right Trigger or R1 is to drive forward, B or square is to reverse, and Left Trigger or L1 fires a G18 with unlimited ammunition, which reloads automatically when the current magazine is emptied (it can't be reloaded mid magazine). When you reach the extraction point, the mission ends.

Weapon Loadout
In this level, the player starts with an ACR with a Heartbeat Sensor, Silencer, and Red Dot Sight, and a USP .45 with a Tactical Knife and a silencer. You also have an unsilenced G18 in the snowmobile chase.

Opening Cutscene
PFC Allen: So how do I look?

Shepherd: Like one of the bad guys. Perfect for your undercover assignment.

PFC Allen: So Makarov is the prize.

Shepherd: Makarov's no prize. He's a whore. A mad-dog killer for the highest bidder.

Shepherd: Just remember your new identity. It'll keep you alive.

Shepherd: Welcome to the 141. Best handpicked group of warriors on the planet.

PFC Allen: It's an honor. Sir, when do I meet the rest of the team?

Shepherd: They're on a mission recovering a downed ACS module behind enemy lines.

PFC Allen: Their feet wet?

Shepherd: Imagine they're just about freezing right now.

Tian Shan Range, Kazakhstan
Captain MacTavish: Break's over, Roach. Let's go.

Roach follows Captain MacTavish as they climb around the wall of a cliff.

Captain MacTavish pulls out ice picks and begins to climb the wall of the cliff.

Captain MacTavish: Stay here and spot me. Wait for my go.

Captain MacTavish starts climbing.

Captain MacTavish: All right, the ice is good. Follow me.

''Roach pulls out his ice picks and begins to climb the icy cliff. ''

''At some point when Roach and Captain MacTavish are climbing a jet will fly by, almost knocking Captain MacTavish off the cliff. ''

Eventually Roach and Captain MacTavish make it to the top of the icy cliff.

Captain MacTavish: Good luck, mate. I'll see you on the far side.

At this point Captain MacTavish will run forward and jump off the edge of the cliff you are on, over a deep drop, successfully making it to the other side of the jump.

''Roach runs forward and takes the jump, missing it and barely holds on with one ice pick. ''

Captain MacTavish: Hold on! Don't let go!

''Captain MacTavish slides down and grabs Roach's hand, then throws Roach up to the wall of the ledge they jumped on. ''

''Roach begins to climb up the wall and makes it to the top. Then he runs up the side and makes it to the top of the cliff and pulls out his weapons. ''

Captain MacTavish: Roach, check your heartbeat sensor.

Roach activates the heartbeat sensor.

Captain MacTavish: You should be able to see me on the scope. That blue dot is me. Any unrecognized contacts will show up as white dots.

''Roach and Captain MacTavish run forward, and approach a two man patrol walking. ''

Captain MacTavish: Roach, these muppets have no idea we're here. Let's take this nice and slow. You take the one on the left. On three. One...Two...Three.

Roach and Captain MacTavish shoot the two patrol after the countdown.

Captain MacTavish: Nicely done.

If Roach picks up one of the weapons off the fallen patrol.

Captain MacTavish: Be careful about picking up enemy weapons, Roach. Any un-suppressed firearms will attract alot of attention.

''Roach and Captain MacTavish continue on the path, and approach another two man patrol. ''

Captain MacTavish: Same plan. On three. One...Two...Three.

Roach and Captain MacTavish take out the two man patrol.

Roach and Captain MacTavish continue towards the base.

Captain MacTavish: The storm's brewing up.

Roach and Captain MacTavish continue farther into the base.

Captain MacTavish: Let's split up. I'll use the thermal scope and provide overwatch from this ridge. Use the cover of the storm to enter the base. You'll be a ghost in this blizzard, so the guards won't see you until you're very close. Keep an eye on your heartbeat sensor. Good luck.

''Captain MacTavish climbs up on a ridge to provide sniper support and Roach continues toward the objective near the entrance. ''

''Throughout the mission, Captain MacTavish will provide sniper support from the ridge. He'll say "He's mine" or "I'll take this one", etc. and take one out. He will also say things such as "Good kill", etc. when Roach kills a player stealthily.''

''Roach enters the base and runs by some buildings with enemies in them. ''

Captain MacTavish: Alright, I've tapped into their comms. Head southeast and plant your C4 at the fueling station. We may need to go to 'Plan B' if things go south.

''Roach kills the personal near the building, and then a truck with armed personal drives in from the distance. ''

Captain MacTavish: There's a truck coming! Stay out of sight.

''Roach hides and avoides the truck. ''

Captain MacTavish: Roach, the fueling station is near the northeast corner of the runway.

''Roach continues towards the fueling station. ''

''The truck Roach hid from earlier drives by. Roach again hides.''

Captain MacTavish: The truck is coming back.

Roach walks onto the runway near the fueling station.

Captain MacTavish: Hold up. I'm seeing some activity on the runway. Looks like twenty plus foot-mobiles heading your way.

''Again, the truck Roach hid from drives by. ''

Captain MacTavish: The truck is coming back.

''Roach waits, and when the truck is gone, he approaches the fueling station. ''

Captain MacTavish: That's the fueling station. You found it.

''Roach plants the C4 on one of the fuel tanks. ''

Captain MacTavish: I'm picking up more radio traffic about the satellite. Standby. Got it. Sounds like the satellite's in the far hangar. Race you there. Oscar Mike. Out.

''Roach leaves the fueling station and the runway and moves toward the hangar with the ACS module inside. ''

Captain MacTavish: Picking up large heat signatures near the tower, could be BMPs. I'd avoid that area.

''Roach runs around the back of the hanger, where Soap is waiting for you near the door. ''

If Roach takes a longer route around the building.

Captain MacTavish: Took the scenic route, eh?

''Roach approaches the door. ''

Captain MacTavish: Let's go.

''Captain MacTavish opens the door, and down the hallway is a single guard. He runs, throws the guard against the lockers and then to the floor and then stabs the guard. ''

''Captain MacTavish and Roach walk into the hanger. ''

Captain MacTavish: Go upstairs and look for the ACS module.

''Roach runs up the stairs and enters a room with a computer with the ACS module on the desk next to it. He picks it up.''

Captain MacTavish: Roach, I've been compromised! Keep a low profile and hold your fire.

Roach walks out of the room, and sees Captain MacTavish surrounded by the enemy in the hanger.

Major Petrov: This is Major Petrov! Come out with your hands up! You have five seconds to comply!

c: Roach, go to Plan B.

Major Petrov: Five! Four! Three!

''If Roach allows Major Petrov to get to zero, Captain MacTavish is executed. ''

Roach pulls out the detonator and detonates the C4 at the fueling station.

Roach and Captain MacTavish kill the distracted guards.

Captain MacTavish: Stay close and hug the wall! We'll use the MiGs for cover and cross the tarmac to the southeast!

Roach runs down the stairs and begins to take out the guards that are attacking from the runway.

Captain MacTavish: Roach! Follow me! Let's go!

Roach follows Captain MacTavish out of the hanger and onto the runway.

Captain MacTavish: Head for that MiG, I'll cover you!

The MiG Roach is supposed to go to explodes.

Captain MacTavish: To the east, Roach! Go!

Roach heads east as vehicles explode on the runway.

Snowmobiles suddenly appear.

Captain MacTavish: Snowmobiles! Take 'em out!

Roach kills the guards on snowmobiles.

Captain MacTavish: I'll cover you! Come to me!

Roach kills the guards still on the runway.

Captain MacTavish: To the east, Roach!

Captain MacTavish: I'll make a run for the next MiG! Give me some covering fire!

Roach covers Captain MacTavish as he runs for the MiG.

Captain MacTavish: I've got you covered, Roach! Move up! Move up!

Roach runs to the end of the road.

Captain MacTavish: All right, let's go!

Roach and Captain MacTavish slide down a icy hill, where there are several cabins.

''Guards run to the top of the hill, where they fire down on Roach and Captain MacTavish. They kill all the guards standing on the hill.''

''Snowmobiles drive down the hill and begin firing on Roach and Captain MacTavish. ''

''Captain MacTavish stands behind a cabin, and uses his ice picks to kill the guards on a snowmobile. ''

Roach kills the guards on the other snowmobile and takes the snowmobile.

Captain MacTavish: Roach, take that snowmobile! Let's get the hell out of here!

Roach boards the snowmobile and drives down another hill towards the extraction point, which is 2,300 meters away.

Captain MacTavish: Kilo Six-One, the primary exfil point is compromised! We're en route to the backup LZ using enemy transport! Meet us there! Over!

As Roach and Captain MacTavish drive, enemies on opposite snowmobiles drive by, and Roach can fire his G18 and kill them.

Helicopter Pilot: Bravo Six, this is Kilo Six-One, roger that, out.

Captain MacTavish: More tangos to the rear! Just outrun them! Go! Go!

After awhile of driving the snowmobile.

Captain MacTavish: Don't slow down! Keep moving or your dead!

Captain MacTavish: Go! Go! Go!

After a few turns on the snowmobile.

Captain MacTavish: Come on! Come on!

After driving over a frozen lake and right before you make the jump.

Helicopter Pilot: Bravo Six, we're at bingo fuel. What's your status, over?

Captain MacTavish: Kilo Six-One, we're taking heavy fire but we're almost there! Standby!

Captain MacTavish: Pin the throttle! Keep going!

Roach and Captain MacTavish, on their snowmobiles, make a large jump from one side of a cliff to another, with the helicopter on the other side.

After landing the jump.

Captain MacTavish: There's the chopper! Let's go!

Helicopter Pilot: Bravo Six we have you on visual. Get your ass on board! We're running on fumes here!

Roach and Captain MacTavish approach the helicopters.

Crew Chief: Okay, they got the ACS! We're outta here!

Enemy Intelligence

 * Intel No. 4 is near the entrance of the base; to your right is a tower with a ladder and scaffold; watch out for the enemy patrol and climb the ladder to find the laptop.
 * Intel No. 5 is easy to miss; just before regrouping with Soap, there is a building where welders can be seen working on a MiG through a window. Smash one of the windows and a laptop is on the other side.
 * Intel No. 6 is very easy to miss, as it is found during the snowmobile chase. At about 1850m from the extraction point, the path will split off to the left or right. Head for the trees in the middle and veer right. Drive over the laptop to pick it up.

Trivia

 * This was the first level of the game revealed, played by Infinity Ward's Jason West back at E3 2009. Early reports gave the mistaken impression that the game had multiple routes through levels, due to Soap's mention of "Plan B".
 * When Soap talks over radio, his lips aren't moving. In addition, the swarmed hostiles & Major Petrov didn't even notice Soap communicating to Roach by Radio.
 * In the early development of the level, Captain Price was scheduled to be with the player and the player would control Soap, rather than Roach.
 * Strangely enough, Petrov knows that Roach is upstairs when he and his men apprehend Soap. It could be possible that Roach was spotted on his way to Soap's position, or that one of the soldiers Soap and Roach incapacitated played dead then contacted Petrov.
 * In the intro for this level, Shepherd says that the Task Force is on a mission recovering the ACS. There were more raids, the locations of which are shown in the beginning of "No Russian". One was in a forest, another in a mine and another in a village.
 * The name of this level is a reference to the Sylvester Stallone movie Cliffhanger, which involves him as a rock climber trapped at a Ski lodge controlled by terrorists.
 * The name of this level is also an inside joke because of the fact that the player is infiltrating a hangar on the edge of a cliff, hence the name.
 * The ACR you start off with has a Red Dot Sight, Heartbeat Sensor and a Suppressor, totaling 3. This is impossible on Multiplayer, as a player can only use one, and two with Bling.
 * In the launch trailer for the game, Soap appears to be executed instead of Roach going to plan B.

Climbing

 * At the start of the level the player can take out the ice picks before starting the climbing by pressing the switch weapons button/key. The ice picks can be used to melee, however the player will switch to other equipment before encountering the first enemy.
 * At the start of the level it is possible to pass Soap on ice by just sliding past him. He will knock the player off the mountain when he starts climbing though.
 * It is possible to see Captain Price's M1911 in Soap´s leg holster. Also, a heartbeat sensor is clearly seen on Soap's M14 before climbing, but it seems to disappear after climbing.
 * It is impossible to catch up with Soap as you're climbing. Even if Soap is directly above you, if you attempt to climb, your character will look down at the icepick before climbing, and Soap will have suddenly gotten further up the mountain than he should be if he kept his current speed. This also happens when Soap disappears over the small bump in the mountain on the climb.
 * As with other large falls, it is possible to hear Roach scream by jumping off the cliff.
 * If you miss the first jump, the quote "Nobody makes the first jump" appears, a direct reference to Crew Expendable and a reference to a line in The Matrix. You would have to miss the cliff face entirely (by jumping to the right).
 * The scene with Roach being rescued by Soap pays homage to the game's prequel, in which Soap was rescued by his commander Captain Price before falling and Captain Price catching him, in the level Crew Expendable.
 * On the second climbing portion, if you look down as Roach reaches the top, you can see only his arms cast shadows.
 * On Veteran difficulty, the player will need to hold down both the triggers/mouse buttons (or just L1 in the PS3 version) to keep their hold after the first jump, as opposed to any other difficulty, where no buttons or triggers need to pressed or held down.
 * Even if the player jumps before Soap, Soap will still save them from falling.
 * If the player forgets to hold the ice picks after Captain MacTavish rescues the player, instead of the usual quote, the words "Hold on for dear life" appear on the screen.

Approach

 * Should the player decide to not shoot either of the two-man guard patrols after climbing up, Soap will do it while chastising you for not helping out, saying "I guess it I have to do everything?" (A possible reference to Call of Duty 4, where the player as Soap, had to do almost every major action). The second time, he is a bit more agitated and replies with "This would be a lot easier if you helped."
 * Should the player instead kill both guards, Soap will give his standard lines as though the player had taken them down together as normal.
 * If the player were to go ahead of Soap and shoot one of the enemies in the second pair, and damage but not kill the other, Soap will kill him and say "This is the reason we brought silencers."
 * If you kill a lone target before Soap snipes it, he will say "Then again, maybe not." or "Ah, you got 'em."
 * If the player picks up any dropped weapon, Soap will warn about using unsilenced weapons (which applies to every non-player weapon).
 * This is the only mission where you can encounter a BMP, by walking deeper into base. After planting the C4, Soap will say "I'm detecting large heat signatures, could be a BMP, I'd avoid that area". The player will not be able to plant C4 on it.
 * If there are alerted guards searching for you, the game will not auto-save.
 * If you do not kill or alert any enemies while sneaking through the base (besides the four you kill in the beginning, and any enemies after you plant the C4), you will receive the Ghost Achievement/Trophy, and MacTavish will comment, "No kills, no alerts. Impressive, Roach."
 * If the player blows up a truck without alerting the guards (you can do this easily if you have picked up a weapon with a grenade launcher), MacTavish will comment, "Wow, I wonder if they'll notice a flaming wreck in the middle of the road".

Hangar

 * In the hangar next to the one with the ACS module in it, there are two blips on the Heartbeat Sensor. If the player looks through a small gap in the large hangar door, there is someone working on a MiG-29 and another person who is barely visible at the back of the hangar. Both of these people can be killed normally, but they will not react when wounded. They also won't react if you smash the rear window with your knife to get the intel inside.
 * If the player gets seen on the way to the hangar and leads guards to the area where Soap is hiding, he will comment, "Brought some friends with you?"
 * Soap began the level with an M14 EBR, but when you meet him at the hangar he will have picked up an AK 47.
 * When Roach meets up with Soap at the hangar, the AK 47 he has is not silenced, despite him telling Roach unsuppressed weapons would blow their cover.
 * In the opening to "Wolverines!", it is seen that the ACS module is part of the US' Attack Characterization System, which would normally give accurate early warning of impending assaults based on satellite intelligence. Because the Russians were able to crack this module, they were able to spoof the rest of the system long enough to carry out their invasion. How the satellite wound up in Russian hands is not explained.
 * When you go to find Soap at the hangar, trigger the comment, "Took the scenic route, eh?" but instead of walking towards him, go back to the base. You will find that the blizzard has suddenly ended and all enemies are gone.
 * If you shoot the guard before MacTavish assaults him, MacTavish will stop and take up a shooting stance, even if the guard is dead.

Cover blown

 * If Roach isn't close enough to Soap when he gets captured, Soap won't tell him to activate Plan B and he will be shot.
 * In the hangar, after detonating the C4, the player can pick up a FAMAS rifle that has the same "white tape camouflage" as the FAMAS available in the Museum level.
 * The Hangar part of this mission is possibly a reference to Goldeneye, when your partner (Soap/006) gets captured by Soviets in an Arctic air base, and are to be executed after a countdown, resulting in a very large explosion as the hero/good guys escape over a large ravine.
 * It is impossible to kill the Russian soldier on the snowmobile that Soap eventually kills with his ice pick.

Snowmobile

 * If the player gets on the snowmobile and just so happens to hit Soap with it when driving off, the message "MacTavish was run over." is displayed.
 * The player is able to reload their Glock 18 on the snowmobile with one hand while driving away from enemies with the other.
 * When the player is close to jumping over the giant gap at the end of the level, they will hear the music from the level Crew Expendable of the first Modern Warfare, when Soap was about to jump into the helicopter.
 * There is a small piece of ledge on the other side of the cliff in which you make the large jump on the snowmobile that at first will seem stable, but actually cause you to slowly slide off into the abyss.
 * If the player were to hit the brakes on the snowmobile hard just before the large jump, it is possible to end up in a spot inches from the end of the cliff in which the player cannot move.
 * While driving the snowmobile down the large hill at the end, hitting Soap's snowmobile from behind will kill the player and send them flying.
 * If the player is killed when driving up a large hill, the camera will still go over the jump.
 * The player does not seem to have a Glock 18 until he gets on the snowmobile.
 * When at Extraction, Kilo Six-One will say "We're at bingo fuel," but the subtitles say, "We're getting close to bingo fuel."
 * It is possible to drive the snowmobile up the extracting helicopter. After jumping over the chasm, drive towards the left side of the field instead of going straight. You should come across an area of tree stumps. Drive over the tree stumps and then aim towards the helicopter and you should be able to enter it.

Miscellaneous

 * Some weapons in this level feature the Arctic Camouflage on them due to the subzero scenery around them.
 * "Time Trial", "Acceptable Losses" and "Race" are Special Ops missions are based off of this level, where the player must race on a snowmobile to a finish line or plant different explosives around the base.
 * This is one of two campaign levels the Mi-24 appears in, but in this one, it cannot be destroyed.
 * In the intro, General Shepherd says the Task Force are retrieving the ACS, but only Roach and Soap are in the mission, along with a small team to cover the extraction helicopter. It is possible that there were more similar missions.
 * In the E3 2009 demo, your objective is to download data from a computer, in the final game it is to retrieve the ACS module which are both on the same table.

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fxA26RBlP4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMpSsLeV5q0&feature=related