If you have dropped into Astra Malorum more than once, you already know how easy it is to get turned around and wiped before you even touch the power, even if you are coming from a CoD BO7 Bot Lobby and feeling confident. Your first real goal is the Observatory Dome and the Harmonic Oculus. It will not do anything on its own, so you need the two Harmonic Components. Head over to Luminarium and Machina Astralis, check the corners and stairwells, and look for the dead zombies on the floor. Most runs, the parts are right by those bodies. Slot both pieces into the Oculus, brace for the 40-second lockdown, and do not get greedy with revives or reloads. Once that timer is done, Pack-a-Punch is online and you are finally playing the real map.
Power And Setup
After power is sorted, the run really starts to pick up. You need the LGM-1 Wonder Weapon, no way around it. It is a small fetch chain with OSCAR, that wandering robot that never seems to be where you want him. Keep him safe while you grab the Aberrant Wiring and the Car Battery, then finish the build. As soon as it is in your hands, push back to the second floor of Machina Astralis. There is a planetarium puzzle up there that feels like classic Zombies design. You hunt for notes, line up the little model planets in the right order, then shoot them with the LGM-1. Get the sequence right and the portal kicks off. That portal is how you move to Mars, and that is where the map turns from setup to boss rush.
Portal To Mars
Before you actually take that portal, make a quick stop at the Observatory Dome core. There is an organ-like device there with a chain of symbols cycling through. Do not just glance at it and leave. Either say the symbols out loud to lock them into your brain or snap a photo on your phone. Those icons match the pillars on Mars. Once you land there, you have to shoot the pillars in that exact symbol order with the LGM-1, leaving the one missing symbol until the end. A lot of players rush this part and mess it up, then they are stuck repeating rounds on Mars, which drains ammo and perks fast.
Caltheris Phases
Caltheris is where runs usually fall apart. Phase one looks simple: just a floating skull, drifting around like it wants to be shot, but your bullets barely touch her. Instead, drag zombies over to the pylons around the arena and kill them close so the pylons soak up their souls. Once they are charged, use the altar in the middle to blast her with a laser. Do that three times. It feels slow, and it is, but forcing damage does not help. Phase two turns her into a rock golem. She throws chunks at you and stomps around, but only the glowing shoulder really matters. Aim for that spot, keep some space between you and her, and let your teammates control the adds while you chip her down.
Final Push And Rewards
By phase three, she comes back with heavier armour, and you can not hit weak points until that armour is broken. Swap to high-damage guns, focus fire, and try not to burn all your LGM-1 ammo here. Phase four is the real test. She shifts into The Needle, the whole arena fills with gas clouds and exploding projectiles, and standing still for a second is usually a down. In co-op, call out rotations and split angles so you are not clumped. Playing solo, you just keep moving, keep re-armouring, and wait for gaps to shoot. Finishing the fight wraps the Easter egg and also drops 5,000 points for the Astra Malorum Leaderboard Event, which is usually enough to push you into the tier with better weapon camos and GobbleGums, making the grind feel worth it, especially if you did not just buy BO7 Bot Lobby to skip the learning curve.
