Stronghold

Stronghold
THINGS NEVER TURN OUT THE WAY YOU EXPECT
Act	Falling
Player Character(s)
date	Oct. 25th, 1985
setting	Hawaiian Conflict
address	Not Given / Resort
enemies	Russian Military
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Stronghold is the 14th chapter of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, and the second in Beard's storyline, taking place on October 25, 1985.

Scene

Intro

The Colonel's Unit is relaxing on a beach, talking about their future far from the war: Barnes wants to work again as a bartender, Daniels will go back to his school teacher job and Beard expresses the desire to open a convenience store or a bar or "anything where I don't have to carry a gun and shoot people."

Beard goes to see the Colonel, who is staying inside abnormally long. He is drinking heavily, the future 50 Blessings symbol in a turtle corpse in his shack with a torn up document burning on it. He tells Beard about his future promotion to Lt General. He sighs that America won't win the war, and assures Beard that they'll be going home after this next "piece of shit mission:" storming a stronghold that has been fruitlessly sieged for weeks by local forces.

Mission

Beard and his squad attack a soviet-held resort hotel, used as a military base. There are 3 main stages.

Outro

When the unit has cleared the resort, they are joined by a "VIP," a military Commander who congratulates them on succeeding where his men failed. Then they settle camp in the newly conquered hotel and wait for the Colonel to arrive.

Music

• "Rust" by El Huervo plays during the intro at the camp.
• "Hotline Theme" by Benny Smiles plays during the main level.
• "She Meditates" by Light Club plays over the outro

Dialogue

Intro

[The game stops and rewinds from either Rosa Berg's house or The Bar Of Broken Heroes to show The Ghost Wolves on a beach. The Colonel is drinking in his cabin, Jacket is sunbathing, Beard standing next to him. Barnes and Daniels are playing cards at a table]

[08:50]

Barnes: I've been thinking. ...

Daniels: Oh yeah? Thinking about what?

Barnes: When I get back home, I think I want to open up a bar.

Daniels: Well, you do like drinking. ...

Barnes: Hey, I'm being serious. You think it's a bad idea? I used to work as a bartender. ... ... Well, what are you gonna do when we get back home?

Daniels: I'm a teacher, remember? I have a job when I get back. I'm sure you'd make a great bar owner though, Barnes. Who wouldn't want to have a sociopathic drunk as their boss?

Barnes: Yeah, yeah... Fuck you too, dude. ... How about you, Lieutenant? Got any plans?

Beard: Hmm, I'm not sure. A bar sounds nice. Anything where I won't have to carry a gun and shoot people. Maybe I'll find a little convenience store, or something. Put a little TV next to the register, just sit there all day, relaxing.

Daniels: Sounds like you've got it all planned out.

Beard: I try not to think about it too much. ... Things never turn out the way you expect them to. ... Anyway, I'm gonna go see what's keeping the Colonel. We were supposed to move out at dawn. The sun's been up for an hour now.

[Beard enters the Colonel's cabin to find him drinking]

Colonel: Lieutenant! I just received some good news. Looks like I might be promoted. They're considering me for Lieutenant General...

Beard: You don't look too happy about it, sir. Is something troubling you?

Colonel: Nah, can't you see I'm celebrating? ... Why wouldn't I want to be Lieutenant General? Well, besides the fact that we're gonna lose this war... *SIGH* ... On a more positive note, you and the boys are being sent back home soon. Unfortunately we've got one more mission before that.

Beard: The one you briefed us about last night, sir?

Colonel: That's the one! Charging an enemy camp with just four soldiers. Good thing you're an elite unit, huh? What a piece of shit mission. Nothing good about it, son! You boys stay frosty this time. Don't get yourselves killed for nothing, you hear?

Beard: Yes, sir!

Colonel: Well, alright then. Godspeed!

Level

[After clearing out the third screen, Beard radios in]

Beard: Dan here, I'm done cleaning out the suites upstairs. Have any new guests arrived? ...

Walkie Talkie: This is Mike, I'm outside greeting the VIPs.

Beard: Alright, I'll come down and collect their luggage.

[Beard exits the level through the second screen to find Jacket, Barnes, Daniels and the D Company Commander standing to greet them]

D Company Commander: Outstanding work there, soldier!

Beard: Thank you, sir!

D Company Commander: I wish my men were as well trained and capable as you. We've been trying to seize this enemy camp for weeks. Suffered some heavy casualties. ... Well, I'm glad we can put this all behind us now.

Beard: Yes, sir!

D Company Commander: Why don't you go back, set up camp and get yourselves some rest. Gotta go round up my men. My company and I will join you later.

Beard: Understood, sir!

Outro

[Barnes is leaning down next to a blood spatter, Daniels is leaning against a wall, Jacket is standing smoking]

Barnes: We're going home after this? ...

Beard: That's what the Colonel said.

Daniels: I guess that's a good cause for celebration.

Barnes: Damn straight. We should see if the commies left us anything to drink... This heat is killing me!

Beard: I wouldn't mind a drink myself. ... When do you think the Colonel will get here? I'm sure he's got a bottle or two stashed away somewhere.

Daniels: Might be a while. The roads around here are pretty rough. We should probably settle for some water for now, and catch some sleep. I'll feel a lot safer here when D Company arrives.

Barnes: Didn't you hear? Those guys are pussies! We're better off without 'em. We took down this place on our own, didn't we? What do we need them for, huh?

Beard: I guess you're right, Barnes. But there's always safety in numbers. ... I'm gonna go lie down for a while. Didn't get much sleep last night. Wake me up when the Colonel gets here, OK?

Trivia

• The intro is extremely similar to the outro to Apocalypse with Richter.
• This is, chronologically, the first instance in the series of clearing Russians out of affluent locations, rather than small military outposts. This may be why the "Hotline Miami Theme" plays over it.
• The Sprite for the level selection is a reference to the 1980 horror movie "Motel Hell," as the level takes place in a resort. "Piggsy" from Manhunt, one of Dennis Wedin's favorite games, is also based on this.
• Many of the toppled plant sprites appear to be reused from Hotline Miami's animal room, possibly giving that room an origin.
• Homicide is set exactly six years after this level. Casualties similarly takes place the day before Halloween.
• This level alludes to the Fans' failing it for weeks, It's notably placed almost immediately after Death Wish.
  • The song "She Meditates" by Light Club is reserved for the Fans' (and Jake's) outros. This is the only instance of it playing over a Hawaii level. This may be an attempt to characterize Beard's Unit as the "new" Fans of the game.
  • Beard's line about not needing D Company to fight Russians but that "there's always safety in numbers" is possibly meant to be an innuendo.
  • The swimming pool of body bags is similar to the underground body disposal Fans' level Into the Pit, possibly supposed to evoke memories of their failed siege on the resort.

Bugs

• Returning to the previous area immediately after clearing the final area, but before the cutscene where Beard uses his walkie-talkie begins, may cause the game to crash.