The Conduit is not a weapon, but a back door onto the Citadel, which is actually an enormous mass relay. Saren will use the Conduit to get onto the Citadel and unlock it, ushering in a Reaper invasion that will destroy all organic life in the galaxy!
Acquisition[]
This mission is renamed from Race Against Time: Sovereign upon completion of the prerequisite mission.
Walkthrough[]
Exit Vigil's chamber and on the way up your squadmates will comment that even the Protheans with all their power and knowledge still fell for the Reapers' traps. However, the other squadmate counters with the fact that they have no intention of ending up the same way. Get back into the Mako and stop Saren before he can reach the Conduit. Hit the gas and rocket down the path, which is now clear of the forcefields.
This entire mission is a linear drive toward the Conduit at the end of it. As before, there are no item pickups during the driving sections, so just stay inside the vehicle as much as possible. When you reach the bottom of the ramps from Vigil's chamber, there are three Geth Rocket Troopers that are around the entrance to the trench run. Take them out and then take a left and head into the trench.
Note: If, for some reason, you ditched the Mako and traveled on foot, return to it. The game will not let you into the aqueducts without it, and you cannot leave the vehicle while you're at the ledge drop area of no return. Legendary Edition: The game now allows you to drop from the ledge of no return on foot, but it still won't allow you to disembark the Mako at the very edge. Abandoning the vehicle is definitely not an option if you want to complete the mission successfully as you won't be able to enter the Conduit without it.
Move along the trench until you reach the first turn. This area is defended by a lot of geth, mainly 4 Rocket Troopers, 3 Geth Troopers, a Geth Shock Trooper, and a Geth Colossus.
Before turning the corner and exposing yourself to fire from the Colossus you can separately engage and take out some of the smaller geth whether you do so from in the Mako or outside it. After turning the corner you will see a second nearby group of geth who can often be lured back down the corridor with you to be dealt with away from the Colossus. You can now safely blow away the remaining small geth using the Mako's heavy gun if you're willing to give up the rather insignificant exp you'll gain at this time.
Finally the Colossus can be whittled down with the classic method of turning the Mako sideways and rocking it back and forth to avoid projectiles. At the last moment you can get out of the Mako and kill the Colossus on foot for some bonus experience.
Head through the former battlefield and turn left and head down the backstretch. When you reach a right turn head down it and be prepared to take some fire. At the next corner are three Rocket Troopers and again are easy prey. Take the double turn and drive along until you come under attack again. This group is the same as the last and is the last in the trench. When you defeat this group, SAVE YOUR GAME because the next area can be tricky.
Before moving on, get the Mako's shields to full strength (if it's going to be a tiresome wait, saving your game and then reloading it will save time) and fully repair the Mako because if you don’t then you will probably die.
At the end of the aqueduct there's nothing left but a downward slope and the Conduit at a distance. Your Mako will stop temporarily as your squadmates comment on the Conduit: one admiring the view, and one urging haste. A somewhat lengthy cutscene commences. Do NOT be lulled to sleep during the upcoming cutscene, as you will be in a timed combat sequence immediately following.
The Battle of the Citadel begins as the Reaper and its geth allies arrive through the mass relay and unleash a devastating broadside on the unsuspecting Citadel Fleet. The Citadel forces counterattack and attempt to seal the station by closing its arms as a defensive measure, but they are unable to do so. The commander of the Destiny Ascension then orders the evacuation of the Council. The reason for the station's unresponsiveness becomes clear as the scene shifts to the Presidium where a geth throws the lifeless body of an asari aside while Saren and more of his mechanical minions enter the elevator leading to the Citadel Tower and the Council Chambers.
When you regain control you have only 40 seconds to get to the Conduit and use it. You will not make it on time if on foot, so you must drive, and fast. However, there are four Geth Colossi in your way who will try to stop you. Therefore, you have no time to combat them, just hit the gas and take the most direct route to the Conduit while avoiding their projectiles. Following the small river and zigzagging a little to reduce the machine gun fire from the Colossi is a reasonable plan, though driving straight at the Conduit generally works just as well. Legendary Edition: While in the original game you'll probably be cutting it close even at top speed, the Mako's rear thrusters can now ensure you reach the Conduit with a comfortable lead (but still not enough of one to kill all Colossi).
Be aware that the Mako's shields will be automatically depleted to a couple of bars when it hits the bottom of the ramp. When you get close enough to the Conduit, it will automatically take the Mako and send it to the Citadel. Warning: Attempting to enter the Conduit on foot will result in instant death.
Tip: It is possible to take out 2 of the 4 Colossi before you even start the cutscene. Your best and only vantage point is a few feet from the top entrance, the boundary defined by the walls textured with many horizontal stripes: any farther out and the cutscene will start. The Colossi can be destroyed with sniper rifles, but as it will take an infernally long time to do so even with the Mako's weaponry, it isn't advisable. Kill them with the Mako gun and cannon instead.
One Colossus is to the right of the bottom of the ramp and the other is to the far left. Look for the faint blue lights. You can double zoom your sight to make it easier to see over the lip of the canyon: the left Colossus should appear as a moving white blur obscured by foliage while the right one should have much more definition.
Enemies[]
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| Ilos: Find the Conduit | Missions | Race Against Time: Final Battle |