- "Whether we wanted it or not, we've stepped into a war with the Cabal on Mars. So let's get to taking out their command, one by one. Valus Ta'aurc. From what I can gather he commands the Siege Dancers from an Imperial Land Tank outside of Rubicon. He's well protected, but with the right team, we can punch through those defenses, take this beast out, and break their grip on Freehold."
- — Commander Zavala
Cerberus Vae III is a level 18 Strike on Mars. The fireteam's objective is to kill the commander of Cabal forces in the Exclusion Zone, Valus Ta'aurc.
Enemies
Cabal
Walkthrough
The Iron Line
Players start out in the Rubicon Wastes, and must head towards the nearby Cabal garage to have Ghost scan a console. Players can pick up the Interceptors to help them dispatch enemies. They will then be prompted to enter the caves inside the Iron Line, which is guarded by several Phalanx, Centurions, and one Colossus. Using the Interceptors will help dispatch them quickly. The vehicles can in fact be brought inside, with some careful maneuvering, to eliminate the enemies inside the caves. There are more Centurions and Colossuses inside, which can be difficult to hit with the interceptors, but since this area is not a Darkness Zone it's not much of a problem. Proceed to the exit in the left side of the cave.
Trenchworks
Objective: Kill the three bodyguards
The first Darkness Zone activates as soon as the fireteam enters the garage. It has a few Psions, as well as one Colossus, but there are also four more Interceptors. It will come in handy to keep the interceptors alive as long as possible for this part of the strike, so careful evasion of explosive attacks will help. There are several more Cabal up ahead, at the guard station as well as on the left and right flanks. Players need to kill three of the Valus's guards; all three of them are Major Phalanxes, so it can be difficult getting around their shields, especially if they hide up in the central tower. The Interceptor's cannons won't get through their shields, but the splash damage might, especially if the Interceptors spread themselves out.
The first guard, Val Bo'ourc, is already in the central tower. The next two guards, Val Ma'aurg and Val Zu'uarc, will arrive with some reinforcements by a Harvester landing on the left side, with some other reinforcements appearing on the right. The other guards will make a beeline for the central tower, while the reinforcements will take positions around it.
Mini-boss: Goliath Tank
Once the three guards are down, a Harvester will drop a Goliath Tank in the canyon just ahead. A few reinforcements, including one Centurion, will accompany the Tank. If you still have Interceptors, they will come in handy in this fight, but are not 100% necessary.
The Goliath is a tough foe in that it is very powerful and more mobile than the Fallen Walker. Its main cannon will start to glow red when it is about to fire; its blast radius is very wide, so it is advised to get well out of the way when it's charging up; the Interceptor's boost will do well in this regard. The Tank is also armed with land mines and defense turrets, so getting close isn't advised. The Tank will also sometimes charge at nearby opponents. It's weak spot are the four hover jets on each corner, which will burst into flame with enough damage.
With an Interceptor, rapid maneuvering is the key. Fire while strafing the Tank, then when its turret turns toward you and starts to charge, immediately turn away and boost to escape. On foot, stay well away from the Tank, preferably on the cliffs near the last area, and be ready to dodge cannon fire with a well-timed jump. There is a large rock between the guard station and the large open area that players, both foot and Interceptor, can utilize to protect themselves against the Tank's main cannon. Range is not an issue for the Interceptors, who can attack from either side of the rock or boost in and out to strafe and retreat.
Cerberus Vae III
Boss: Valus Ta'aurc
Take your interceptor or Sparrow down the canyon into the Valley of the Kings. The Cabal outside the Land Tank can be ignored. Enter the Land Tank and fight past the enemies within until you reach the final room. Valus Ta'aurc will appear in the far end of the room; he possesses all the normal abilities of a Colossus, including his shoulder-fired homing missiles that he will fire periodically, and his weak spot is his head. Because there are only a handful of obstacles on the ground to serve as adequate cover, especially from the homing rockets, the second floor balconies are generally safer. However, enemies will frequently spawn up there, particularly squads of Psions, Phalanxes and Legionnaires.
Valus Ta'aurc will stay where he first appears until he is sufficiently damaged, in which case he will start walking to the other side of the room. While doing so, he will fire rocket barrages. Towards the lower end of his healthbar, Valus Ta'aurc will start wandering around the room, including up the balconies, making good cover difficult to find. Simply retreat quickly to the opposite side or the ground floor if he does this, taking care to avoid any groups of Phalanxes or Psions on the way.