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Sand Castle

The subject of this article appeared in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.
For the track from the Black Ops III soundtrack, see Sand Castle (Black Ops III Official Soundtrack).

"In a joint operation with the Egyptian Army, launch an air assault on the aquifer drilling platform - suspected location of the two remaining targets."
— Mission Briefing
"2075, five years later humanity has all but collapsed. WA Command locates a Cotardist Colony on a Mobile Water Refinery outside Cairo. Clear out the hostiles and eliminate the undead. Why is this mission so important?"
— Nightmares Mission Briefing

Sand Castle is the ninth (fourth in Nightmares) level in Call of Duty: Black Ops III.

Characters

Level Briefing

Encryption# 4E-49-20-62. Protocol: Alpha

Operation Sand Castle is approved. Local assault support has been granted.

The abandoned Egypt Aquifer mobile drill platforms have been identified as the hideout.

Active Mission - Day 6

Pre-Mission Scrolling Text

Scrolling Text
AAR INCOMING. WA FOB SAFEHOUSE-EGY. REPORT DESIGNATION: CO Juliet-Tango. Acting OIC: Juliet-Tango. QIC Juliet-Hotel Relieved. LNO: Romeo-Kilo. AFTER ACTION MISSION REPORT: Classified WASF. SOCWA-A Eyes Only. Encryption #4-ECH0-4-9-2-0-6-2. OPERATIONAL PROTOCOL: Termination. Target KIA: COP Defector Juliet-Foxtrot. Mission Status: OPEN. Day: 6. Our JAAT with the Egyptian Army proved both effective and. as it turns out. necessary. Upon approaching the AO, NRC Air Support was sighted moving on our Targets and DA was initiated before reaching our OZ. We moved in on the OZ to secure the remaining HVTs. With NRC forces entrenched inside the mobile drilling platforms of the old Aquifer project, our infiltration proved far more difficult than initially anticipated. With the assistance of the NRC. Target Stone was successfully extracted to an unknown location before we were able to secure him. Target Fierro was apprehended and terminated on site. Like Conrad, he appeared slightly delusional - convinced that the actions of his team were in the service of the greater good. In coordination with Lt. Khalil our LNO will continue to monitor comms for any chatter that may give some indication as to the location of our remaining Target. Current theory is that he is leveraging the support of the NRC in order to secure relationship with our LNO. I have no choice other than to rebut the allegations made - by offering my own account of the events that transpired. During the pursuit of our targets, I became trapped under water with no surface access. Close to death, it was LNO Kane who found a way to pull me from the water and perform lifesaving procedures. As I recovered from my near drowning. Kane expressed her own doubts regarding the mission's agenda, as well as her feelings for me - Suggesting that once the mission was complete, we could leave the military and start a civilian life together. I believe this was a brief lapse in professionalism on the part of Kane - borne out of stress, and should have no impact on our ability to complete the task before us. With the termination of Target Fierro, Hendricks displayed yet more signs of anger and emotional distress - Even suggesting that we were being deliberately misled by our LNO. As previously stated I cannot recommend removing him from duty at this time as he is still needed to achieve our goals, but I stand by my decision to remove him from his Commanding Post and assert myself as OIC for the remainder of the mission. Once we have confirmation on Stone's location, we will move to eliminate.

Plot

The Player, Hendricks, Kane, and the Egyptian army launch an assault at the Aquifer, where Taylor and Maretti are held in. The team takes down enemy jets, enemy defenses, and disable the NRC comm towers to help the Egyptian army. Khalil overheard from the NRC radio that Taylor and Maretti are in the lower levels of the platform. As the Player swims through a flooded hallway with Kane in the lower levels, Corvus interfered with the Player's DNI and shuts it down. Kane saves the Player from drowning, and she reveals to them that they're also infected, showing the same symptoms as Hendricks and Taylor's Team. The Player reassures that they're still themselves, and that they will stop Taylor. Once it's over, they'll "do what needs to be done", hinting that they may take themself out, much to Kane's disapproval. As they approach to the targets, it turns out to be a set up as Taylor and Maretti knew they would come, and the Player and Kane had to fight back outside and regroup with Khalil. The team provide more air support to help Khalil and his men secure the platform's control room to find the targets. Once they saw the live footage, Khalil lock the platform's key areas down and manage to trap Maretti, although Taylor managed to escape.

The Player and Hendricks fought their way to Maretti before he can escape the platform as well. As they keep moving, the Player notice Hendricks being reckless and stops him, saying that he's not himself. The two argue back and forth, and Hendricks accuses the Player of "getting sweet" with Kane, telling them that they're losing their mind because of her, which the Player refutes back saying that he's also losing his mind. The argument came to halt when they are being attacked by Maretti. Hendricks tries to convince Maretti to stop, giving his word that he will be spared if he surrenders. Once the Player reaches Maretti, the two had a short fight, with the Player kicking Maretti off the room as he falls through a long steel rod, where he met his end as Hendricks witness his death. Hendricks told the Player they put Maretti down like an animal, reminding them that he was one of their own, as well as Hall and Diaz, and questions if Taylor's next. After Hendricks threatens to kill Kane right now, the Player punches Hendricks and reminds him that the reason he's not locked away is because no one's coming to help. After they patch up, the two escape the Aquifer before the NRC destroys it.

In 2075, five years after all the Quarantine Zone Walls were down, Humanity's numbers had fallen to a few hundred million and the Undead's numbers had risen to Seven Billion. The Player was sent in alongside a crew for a routine bombing run on the Aquifers, which was taken over by the Cotardists. The team takes down enemy jets, enemy defenses, and disable the comm towers. The next objective was to take the control room to reclaim the refinery.

As the Player swims through a flooded hallway with the Support Detail in the lower levels, there was interference with the Player's DNI and shuts it down. The Player heard a voice, Dolos, telling her to not trust Dr. Salim. The Player lied to Salim about seeing or hearing nothing. She explains about being was saved by her Support Detail, now her Guardian Angel, as she told the Player about Taylor. Salim was skeptical about her, which irritated the Player as she reveals her Guardian Angel's name was Kane. As the Player and Kane approach the control room, it turns out to be a set up as the Cotardists knew they would come, and the Player and Kane had to fight back outside, where they met Lieutenant Khalil and his men. The two provide more air support to help Khalil and his men secure the platform's control room. Once they saw the live footage, they saw that Taylor and Maretti were also in the refinery. Khalil lock the platform's key areas down and manage to trap Maretti, although Taylor managed to escape on a VTOL.

The Player and Hendricks fought their way to Maretti before he can escape the platform as well. As they keep moving, the Player heard Dolos to trust Kane. The Player revealed that Hendricks wasn't happy about the order to kill Maretti by Command, as he wanted to bring him in alive, and that he was more aggressive since they left Singapore five years ago. The two were then attacked by Maretti. Once the Player reaches Maretti, the two had a short fight, with the Player kicking Maretti off the room as he falls through a long steel rod, where he met his end as Hendricks witness his death. Hendricks was angry at the Player for killing Maretti and after Hendricks berated her, the Player punches Hendricks and reveals to him what Maretti said to her, about Deimos and a man name Damien Bishop. After they patch up, the two escape the Aquifer before its destroyed as the Egyptian Army couldn't hold it anymore and went for Plan B. The Player mentions that she had last seen Bishop ten years ago from a past mission.

Weapon Loadout

Field Ops Kit
Found in level

Transcripts

Main article: Sand Castle/Transcript
Main article: Sand Castle/Nightmares Transcript

Collectibles

Main article: Sand Castle/Collectibles

Accolades

  • Untouched: Complete this mission without dying.
  • Score: Complete this mission with a score of 25,000 or higher.
  • Got 'em: Find all of the collectibles in the mission.
  • Raining Fire: Kill 90 enemies while piloting the Bullshark.
  • Bring Them Down!: Shoot down seven Wraiths.
  • Fill It With Holes: While piloting the Bullshark, destroy all A.S.P. units using only guns.
  • Fire For Effect: While piloting the Bullshark, kill five enemies with one missile.
  • Multiple K.I.A.: Kill ten enemies in under two seconds.
  • Phantom: Evade all missiles while eliminating the platform's air defenses.
  • TNT: Kill fifteen enemies with explosive containers.
  • Defense: Kill 45 enemies while defending Khalil's squad.
  • Destroy VTOLs: Destroy all VTOL troop carriers.
  • Dog Fight: While piloting the Bullshark, shoot down eight enemy VTOLs using only guns.
  • Evasive Manuever: Defeat Maretti without getting shot by Maretti.
  • All Too Powerful: Defeat Maretti using only Cyber Core powers.

Achievements/Trophies

Video

Gallery

v • d • e
Campaign Levels of Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Missions
Nightmares