History Main / HoldTheLine

* ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' has this as a recurrent feature: defend a Little Sister against waves of Splicers until she's done harvesting

** Another example immediately following in the same game as the player's squad running a small retreat action to hold a landing zone for extraction, hitting the seemingly infinite enemy forces as they fall back. After taking out ''four'' tanks (not bad for a special ops squad of six), they are then told that the LZ has been moved... to the area they've just let the enemy overrun, forcing the squad to go from HoldTheLine to Attack The Line, breaking through the enemy's heavy defenses to make it to the LZ. [[TheLancer Gaz]] was pissed. Widely considered the ScrappyLevel, more so than "One Shot".

** Another example later in the same game as the player's squad running a small retreat action to hold a landing zone for extraction, hitting the seemingly infinite enemy forces as they fall back. After taking out ''four'' tanks (not bad for a special ops squad of six), they are then told that the LZ has been moved... to the area they've just let the enemy overrun, forcing the squad to go from HoldTheLine to Attack The Line, breaking through the enemy's heavy defenses to make it to the LZ. [[TheLancer Gaz]] was pissed. Widely considered the ScrappyLevel, more so than "One Shot".

* Similarly, the ''MedalOfHonor'' series is loaded with these kinds of objectives, such as defending the house in MOHAA's "Battle in the Bocage"(which is [[CallBack called back to]] in ''CallOfDuty Classic'''s Brecourt Manor and Point du Hoc from ''CallOfDuty 2''), "The Bridge", which is also a SnipingMission and EscortMission, and the penultimate battle of ''[=MoHAA=]: Spearhead''. In some levels you have to "Break the Line".

* Similarly, the ''MedalOfHonor'' series is loaded with these kinds of objectives, such as defending the house in MOHAA's "Battle in the Bocage"(which is [[CallBack called back to]] in ''CallOfDuty Classic'''s Brecourt Manor and ''CallOfDuty 2'''s D-Day mission), "The Bridge", which is also a SnipingMission and EscortMission, and the penultimate battle of ''[=MoHAA=]: Spearhead''. In some levels you have to "Break the Line".

* Similarly, the ''MedalOfHonor'' series is loaded with these kinds of objectives, such as defending the house in MOHAA's "Battle in the Bocage"(which is [[CallBack called back to]] in ''CallOfDuty 2'''s D-Day mission), "The Bridge", which is also a SnipingMission and EscortMission, and the penultimate battle of ''[=MoHAA=]: Spearhead''. In some levels you have to "Break the Line".

** The [[EarlyGameHell First Chapter]] does this to you as well. You're stuck in an area being [[ZergRush swarmed]] by Majini and chased by an executioner wielding [[AnAxeToGrind a gigantic axe]]. You don't actually have to shoot a single enemy or the boss, but each kill shortens how long you have to hold out, and the boss drops a special treasure if killed.

** The [[EarlyGameHell First Chapter]] does this to you as well. You're stuck in an area being [[ZergRush swarmed]] by enemies and chased by a BossInMookClothing. You don't actually have to shoot a single enemy, but each kill shortens how long you have to hold out.

* ''FinalFantasyVII'' had a minigame where you were supposed to send soldiers out to protect the phoenix egg... But it's much easier to just let them invade and fight them yourself.

* At least two such fights have been described in ''Literature/{{Worm}}'':

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* The end of the Island Estate mission in ''RainbowSix 3'' (console versions only). Given that you die very quickly(it's Rainbow Six no less) and there's very little cover, there's bound to be [[ThatOneLevel much frustration]].

* In the SpiritualSuccessor to ''TotalAnnihilation'', ''SupremeCommander'' the last mission of the UEF campaign is an epic one of these, as you have to hold out against IMMENSE incoming hordes long enough to get the superweapon Black Sun up and running. Possibly the most over-the-top part comes when the map expands to the north and a huge Cybran army including no less that ''four [[HumongousMecha Monkeylord]] [[SpiderTank spiderbots]]'' comes stampeding down towards you.

** [[DeadlyDoctor Mordin]] (who used to work with Kirrahe) uses this as an infrequent CatchPhrase. If you let him [[spoiler:get killed, it's even his last words]]. Of course when you first mention Kirrahe to Mordin, the good doctor mentions how he did find the speeches somewhat stirring ... if [[LargeHam excessive]].

** And in a somewhat meta example, Captain Kirrahe's signature quote was one of the primary slogans used by the game's fans to express their displeasure with the game's controversial ending.

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert'' featured a mission to protect the Chronosphere for what seemed an ungodly length of time given the siege you were under. The grim spectre of ''two dozen Mammoth Tanks'' descending on the base would have been devastating... were it not for the fact that they are [[AwesomeButImpractical so [dang] slow]] that the timer ran out before they could get there.

In chapter 4 of ''{{VideoGame/Magicka}}'' you need to defend some TNT while the (extra long) fuse is going down so it will blow open some castle doors... Or you can just cast a fire spell on the TNT instead.