Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
- [1] Introduction
- [2] Getting Started
-- [2.1] Menus
-- [2.2] Recommendations
-- [2.3] Tweaks
- [3] Gameplay
-- [3.1] Game Modes
-- [3.2] Movement
-- [3.3] Weapons
-- [3.4] Pickups
-- [3.5] Awards & Sprees
-- [3.6] Vehicles
-- [3.7] Bots
-- [3.7.1] Bot List
-- [3.7.2] Bot Tactics
- [4] Campaign
-- [4.1] Act I: Ronin
-- [4.2] Act II: With Caesar's Coin
-- [4.3] Act III: The Liandri Conflict
-- [4.4] Act IV: Calculated Losses
-- [4.5] Act V: Disposable Assets
-- [4.6] Mission Index
- [5] Cheats & Secrets
- [6] Version History
- [7] Legality, Contact & Credits
It has been my intention to write this guide in a way that minimizes the
amount
of individual 'raw skill' required. It would be all too easy to write a
guide
that assumes a difficulty of 'Casual' and instructs you to 'just kill 50
guys.'
Such a guide would be worthless to many. For that reason, the mission
strategies detailed in this guide are assuming a difficulty of "Insane."
When I began writing this guide, I was skeptical that I would be able to
beat
the game on Insane. Any strategy that worked for me on Insane should at
least
hypothetically work on lower difficulties. It is the only way to write a
guide
that might work for everyone. To that end, I have played every level on
the
hardest difficulty, and under the hardest circumstances possible for that
map.
There are three missions which I could not beat this way without playing
a card
so I apologize if I cannot provide a solution for you, should you find
yourself
stuck fighting Loque 4 vs. 6 on HeatRay with a locked Dark Walker.
Remember
that you can always play a card, select another mission, lower the
difficulty
and\or replay the chapter to take a different path.
Most of these probably don't need further explaining, but some of them
might:
'Force Respawn' forces players who have died to respawn immediately.
'Mutators' are packaged code modules which alter the game mechanics.
'Post Processing' adjusts the way color and lighting effects are
displayed.
'Hardware Physics' reduces the workload on the CPU by using a PhysX card.
'Screen Percentage' How much of your screen is dedicated to quality
rendering.
'Texture Detail' controls the resolution of textures on surfaces.
'World Detail' controls the number of polygons, objects, and ambient
effects.
'V-Sync' makes your monitor display only complete, rather than partial
frames.
'Hardware OpenAL' is like Hardware Physics, only for 3D audio.
Note that there is currently a problem with OpenAL which can cause UT3 to
crash
so it is recommended that this be turned off if you encounter any
problems.
-- V-Sync
Shouldn't make a huge difference, but turning it off may help maintain a
smooth framerate.
- Sound
-- Volume
I like to turn down music & ambience, while turning up SFX. It's
important
to hear when you are being fired at, or when the enemy has picked up an
item
nearby. Announcements are also important, particularly in warfare, since
they
keep you up-to-date on Core, Node, and Orb (or Flag) status.
-- Automatic Taunts
Annoying for other players if you're playing online. It makes your
character
verbally taunt after every kill. If everyone did this, it would be
constant
spam, and even one player doing it can be pretty severe. It's also very
bot-esque and carries a 'noob stigma' similar to the name 'Player' since
it was
a default option which most novice players neglected to turn off in
previous UT
incarnations. Worse still, there is no way for other players to ignore
your
taunts without muting their voice volume. I suggest leaving this off if
you
plan to do any serious online playing, or if you are even the least bit
interested in being polite.
- Controls
-- Auto-Aim
I strongly suggest leaving Auto-Aim off. Becoming dependant on such
handicaps
is not a reliable way to accomplish anything, and it actually interferes
with
your ability to aim in some cases.
-- Mouse Smoothing
Isn't useful if you have a decent mouse, and it can also reduce your
performance so it's generally best turned off.
-- Mouse Sensitivity
Personal preference. I have mine set at default so that I don't go into
shock
if I play someone else's computer and that generally aligns my
character's
movement with my own, but some people swear by a 360 degree wrist
rotation
which is arguably more efficient.
-- Key Bindings
-- Crouch = L-Shift.
Having C set to crouch makes no sense. C is only a crouch button in games
where
crouch is a toggle. It isn't practical to hold down C while moving
forward and
strafing to the right, and it's really better to avoid situations where
moving
isn't practical. Left Shift can easily be held down while your other
fingers
are moving your character and it's on the side with the other non-
essential
keys. This also frees the C key to be bound to something else.
- HUD
-- Weapon Hand is probably best set to 'Hidden' to avoid the weapon model
blocking your view. This can happen a lot when you are shooting up at the
nodes, unable to see the defenders shooting rockets at you because your
gigantic weapon & map are blocking your view at ground level. You can use
small
weapons as an alternative compromise.
-- Weapon Bar
I prefer my weapon bar to only show available weapons since it clears up
screen
space and keeps it reserved for useful information.
-- Zoomed Minimap
I don't like this. I find it easier to learn map layouts if I have an
objective & directional point-of-reference rather than a rotating &
subjective
one. I also find it more useful to have an overall view of the
battlefield than
only my immediate area.
-- Vehicle Armor
This is equivalent to health when you're in one, and it's useful for
knowing
when to eject.
-- Weapon Priority
1. Redeemer You only get it when you intend to use it.
2. Rocket Launcher Good, well-rounded weapon. Usually safe to switch
to.
3. Flak Cannon Good weapon, but may not want to auto-switch from
Rocket.
4. Stinger Minigun Good weapon, but may not want to auto-switch from
Flak.
5. Link Gun Effective, but more useful as a tool than the
Stinger.
6. Shock Rifle You only want to use it when you intend to.
7. Sniper Rifle Less reliable in mid-range than the Shock Rifle.
8. Bio Rifle Too circumstantial to auto-switch. Maybe #7.
9. Enforcer Starting weapon. Maybe better as #6 instead.
10. Longbow AVRiL You don't want to auto-switch to this. Ever.
This may be more efficient to see it as matter of weapon range. If you're
not
in-combat it's safe to switch to any weapon and priority doesn't matter.
If you
are in combat, you probably won't want to auto-switch to longer range
weapons.
Those are specialized for long range combat and have corresponding
behaviors.
You might want to switch to closer range weapons though since most fights
don't
involve both players running backwards.
http://www.tweakguides.com/UT3_1.html
Attacking
(Mouse 1) Primary Fire
(Mouse 2) Secondary Fire
Advanced
Double Jump: Press space again at the apex of a jump to jump slightly
higher.
Dodge: Quickly tapping twice in any direction will cause the player to
dodge.
- Dodging is faster than strafing.
Wall Dodging: Performing a dodge next to a wall performs a wall-dodge.
- Wall dodges can be performed in the air, even after a double-jump.
Boost Jump: Press jump at the top of a lift to increase your vertical
momentum.
Impact Jump: Use concussion to advantage by attacking the ground while
jumping.
- Also known as 'Rocket Jumping'.
- Impact Jumping is best done with the Impact Hammer.
- Combine the various Jumps & Dodges, to reach areas otherwise
inaccessible.
(F) Feign Death: Causes the player to ragdoll as if they have died.
- Feigning players drop the flag\orb if they are carrying one.
- Attackers do not receive a kill message.
- Feigning players do not drop (or appear to drop) a weapon.
- Feigned players can still be killed.
- In version 1.0, feign death does not trick bots.
Enforcer
For decades, the Enforcer pistol was the combat sidearm of choice.
Veteran
soldiers appreciated the lightweight handgun's power, accuracy, and
balance. In
recent years, the ever-burning desire for greater firepower led to
general
issue of the AR770 assault rifle. Military procurement officers were
drawn to
the AR770's higher cyclic rate and underslung M355 grenade launcher, but
seasoned combatants missed the dependability of the Enforcer. Axon
Research
listened to the soldiers, and their new Enforcer MP ('Machine Pistol')
model
provides the best of both worlds. Side-fed magazines provide greater
capacity,
while balancing the shooter's aim when wielding two pistols. With a
deadly
accurate semi-automatic mode, and a selectable burst fire mode, the
Enforcer
is back, and the modern battlefield will never be the same.
Bio Rifle
The GES BioRifle processes Tarydium from its stable crystalline form into
a
reactive mutagenic sludge. It can rapidly disperse these toxins for wide-
area
coverage, or fire a virulent payload of variable, but usually lethal,
capacity.
In layman's terms, this means the BioRifle can pepper an area with small
globs
of biosludge, or launch one noxious glob at the target. The BioRifle's
ability
to carpet an area with a toxic minefield makes it a notoriously effective
defensive weapon.
Shock Rifle
The ASMD Shock Rifle has changed little since its first incorporation
into the
Liandri Tournament. The ASMD sports two firing modes: a thin photon beam,
and
a sphere of unstable plasma energy. These modes are each deadly in their
own
right, but used together they can neutralize opponents in a devastating
shockwave. The energy spheres can be detonated with the photon beam,
releasing
the explosive energy of the anti-photons in the plasma's EM containment
field.
Link Gun
Riordan Dynamic Weapon Systems is best known for their all-purpose combat
engineering weapon system, the Advanced Plasma Rifle v24. Its primary
mode is
a standard rapid-fire plasma weapon. But the alternate mode beam also
serves a
multitude of engineering uses on the battlefield, from repairing friendly
vehicles to constructing power Nodes. The beam lens incorporates IFF
detection,
so that its dynamic energy matrix automatically switches to a deadly
plasma
stream when contacting an enemy vehicle or soldier. Contact with a
friendly
target switches to a harmless carrier stream, offloading energy from the
onboard cells to the target. This boosts the output of any teammate who
is
linked to the rifle -- hence its nickname, the "Link Gun".
Stinger Minigun
Replacing the Minigun in this year's Tournament, the 'Stinger' is
actually a
Liandri mining tool converted into military service. The Stinger fires
shards
of unprocessed Tarydium crystal at an alarming rate, raking opponents
with a
storm of deadly needles. The alternate fire shoots larger hunks of
crystal that
can knock back an opponent, sometimes even pinning them to walls.
Flak Cannon
Trident Defensive Technologies continues to tweak and refine the flak
cannon
with their newly released Mk4 "Peacekeeper." In spite of its new name,
the flak
cannon remains banned from most military conflicts for high incidences of
maiming and collateral damage. Still, the flak cannon is the weapon of
choice
for unconventional warfare in urban terrain. The primary mode detonates
the
flak shell in the barrel, launching shrapnel forward in a deadly shotgun
pattern but often deafening the operator. The cannon also lobs an
explosive
flak shell that detonates on contact, sending shrapnel in a dangerously
wide
and unpredictable radius.
Rocket Launcher
Each year, more accidental deaths are caused by the Trident Tri-barrel
Rocket
Launcher than in vehicular accidents and extreme sports combined. The
kill
radius for its standard dumbfire rocket is surprisingly high by design --
so
accidentally firing upon a nearby wall, or a nearby enemy soldier, can be
quite fatal for the operator. The alternate fire adds to this suicidal
lethality by loading and firing up to three rockets at once, in a spread,
tight spiral, or lobbed like grenades. Regardless of the grim statistics,
veteran soldiers still consider the 'old 8 ball' the most expedient way
to put
explosive ordnance on target.
Sniper Rifle
The venerable Axon Research long-range target interdiction rifle is the
weapon
of choice for the discerning sniper. Acquisition of a target at distance
requires a steady hand, but the rewards merit the effort: the high-
caliber
round is lethal at any range. With a precise headshot, the target will be
neutralized by the super-sonic bullet long before they hear the report.
As
they say in the N.E.G. Marines: 'any shot you hear is nothing to be
worried
about.'
Longbow AVRiL
The Longbow Anti-Vehicle Rocket Launcher, a.k.a. the AVRiL', gives
dismounted
infantry a fighting chance in an armored conflict. Its solid fuel missile
can
be 'dumbfired' as an unguided rocket, but the AVRiL's famed kill
percentages
come from its optical tracking system. The alternate fire zooms and locks
on
to a vehicle, guiding the missile towards its target at inescapable
speeds. The
missile's microdappled control planes use increased surface area to give
unprecedented turning radius, guaranteeing delivery of its shaped
PolyDiChlorite charge into all but the most nimble vehicles. The AVRiL is
notoriously slow to reload, so it should be employed with caution in a
pitched
battle. Note, the Longbow's targeting laser is standardized for most Axon
military equipment, so it can be used in other battlefield applications
such
as directing spider mines.
Redeemer
'Even your least effective soldiers will earn a respectable body count
with
this tactical nuclear device.' So said the original brochure for the
Redeemer,
still unchallenged in its role as the most powerful man-portable weapon
system
known throughout the galaxy. The slow-moving but utterly devastatic
missile,
affectionately known as "Lola" by veteran soldiers, now uses an Enhanced
Radiation payload. This ensures maximum tissue failure without undue
property
damage, perfect for modern assault-and-capture tactics. The Redeemer's
alternate fire mode fires the missile using the disposable fly-by-wire
guidance system, though the manual recommends using this mode only in
areas of
relative safety.
Translocator
The Translocator was originally designed by Liandri R&D for rapid rescue
of
expensive mining equipment during tunnel collapses and related
emergencies.
The technology also saved countless lives, but not without cost; rapid
deresolution and reconstitution led to synaptic disruptions, and the
debilitating symptoms like Teleportation Related Dementia (TReDs). Today,
after years of lucrative military development contracts, portable
teleportation technology has been declared "sufficiently safe" for
regular use
by front-line infantry.
A bot does not have eyes or a monitor. While they do have a 'field of
vision'
the same way a player does, they don't have human limitations on that
vision -
such as reduction in quality over distance, camouflage, etc. What this
means is
that peeking out from behind an obstruction on the furthest reaches of
the map
does not make you any harder to see than you would be standing completely
out
it in the open. If they see you, even a small part of you, they see you.
A bot does not have ears or a speaker. Yet they do 'hear' you. This is an
important detail to be aware of. Whenever you do something in the level -
Fire
a shot, pick up ammo, jump, etc. The bot can 'hear' you. If you make a
sound
and they hear it, they will know exactly where you are (through walls,
floors,
etc) for the next several seconds. If you round a corner just in time to
meet
rocket that was fired before the bot had even seen you, that is why: They
heard
you and knew exactly where you were, and what direction you were headed.
A bot does not have arms or a mouse. They do not much care how fast you
are
moving when they aim at you. They do not aim at where you are, they aim
at
where you are going to be based on vector calculations. Players do not
have
access to the coordinates & velocity of their target, nor can we do
complex
math in the middle of combat. This is one of the biggest gameplay
differences.
When you Dodge\Jump against a player, the sudden movement throws them off
and
they have to realign with your new location. If you time your attacks or
adjust
to your movement accurately, this gives you an advantage. A human may be
smart
enough to wait to fire until you commit to a jump\dodge in order to lead
you
more accurately, but this is an exception rather than the rule. With
bots, it's
the exact opposite. When you move in a specific direction, you become
*more*
vulnerable and the bot's prediction comes true. They intuitively wait
until you
commit to a dodge\jump and time their shots accordingly. It's not much
harder
for a bot to hit you while you are moving than it is to hit you when
you're
standing still. Moving before the bot fires just tells the bot -where- to
fire.
The game is running a script that tells the bots to increase their
difficulty
under different circumstances and decrease it under other circumstances.
In deathmatch, this means that the better you do, the harder the enemy
team
becomes. This can quickly spiral out of control. Sometimes it is better
to try
*not* to get points, but to evade the enemy to avoid giving them points
or
increasing their difficulty (and indirectly giving them points) while you
distract them so your allies can get points. In version 1.0, the bots
also
prioritize the player over other bots, which can become problematic when
you
are outnumbered, on a high difficulty, and\or playing with vehicles.
There are
several weapons (such as the redeemer alt fire) which transfer the
player's
identity into a camera. The bots will focus-fire on this as if it were
the
player, leading to them shooting down the redeemer or artillery camera
with
amazing consistency while more or less ignoring them when used by a bot
(or
with the primary fire). Bots also time the powerups much as a skilled
player
might. They know 5 seconds in advance when a powerup is going to spawn
regardless of who picked it up last, when, or where the bot was when it
happened. They do not understand the level layout, they only travel along
pre-specified path nodes. Most of these things have a weakness which
balance
them out so equality isn't the problem. The reason these things matter is
not
because the bots are better than a human, but because the bots are
different
than a human, and require a different approach.
To summarize:
Don't attack targets simply because you see them. Avoiding unnecessary
combat
is extremely useful in Warfare & Capture the Flag. Even in Deathmatch,
attacking at the wrong time just alerts the enemy to your presence. Don't
make
unnecessary noise outside of combat. Purposeless jumping gives away your
location and is ultimately counter-productive. Don't put yourself out in
the
open, where you will be seen by many enemies, if you can avoid it. Don't
try
to move erratically against a bot. It doesn't trick them. Don't expose
yourself
to vehicle fire if you are not in a vehicle yourself. Don't put valuable
vehicles in danger by trying to pilot them yourself. Never use the
Redeemer
alt-fire.
Instead, try to sneak up on (or past) the bots. Only jump when it serves
a
purpose worth exposing yourself for. Stick to back alleys and hallways
where
the bots have trouble functioning intelligently. Strafe rapidly back and
forth
when fighting. - The bots can't predict your location if you keep
changing your
momentum. Offset the bot->player focus by using a quick & evasive
fighting
style, attacking from obscure locations where they can't reach you. Avoid
lopsided combat and focus your efforts on the Orb & the Nodes to provide
your
allies with more vehicles, and your enemies with less.
Casual Experienced
Normal Skilled
Hard Inhuman
Insane Godlike
Because of this, even on casual playing against Akasha means you will be
fighting a Masterful bot after about 13 kills. On Normal she starts off
as a
Masterful bot and is Godlike after 13 kills. This is an incredible jump
in
difficulty considering the entire rest of the campaign you will be
fighting
Average-Skilled bots so keep that in mind when you begin.
During the campaign you will get cards which can be played to influence
settings on the next map. These are effectively mutators which can be
selectively activated. I will list these in the appropriate chapter. You
will
also unlock characters and their meshes for use in customizing your own
character model in multiplayer. Not all of the characters can be unlocked
by
playing through the campaign. For more details on those characters, see
the
Cheats & Secrets section.
In the following sections I will detail each chapter of the campaign and
the
choices available to you for directing your course through the story. The
map
I have provided contains the map name and mission I.D. in parenthesis.
Use the
search function to quickly scroll between the chapter index and the
corresponding mission ID. It's clumsy, I know. In future revisions I
would like
to rearrange the mission index to make it more organized and less
redundant.
I'm not sure how they get away with calling this Act I. This is an
introduction
or prelude. They should have smashed this together with Act II and called
*that* Act I, or let us play out TwinSouls. Actually they should have
done that
anyway. Whatever. There are 5 acts and 2 of them are disproportionately
short.
This is one of them.
(002) Shangri La
(003) Reflection
(004) Sinkhole
(005) Market District
(006) Tank Crossing
(007) Kargo
The first 6 missions are always the same. After that, you get to choose
between
Hydrosis and Torlan Delta. Hydrosis represents attacking Axon, while
Torlan
basically represents fortifying the Izanagi.
(008) Hydrosis
(111) vCTF-Suspense (009) Torlan (D)
(112) WAR-Downtown (010) Suspense
(113) Defiance (118) Diesel (011) Serenity
(114) Serenity (120) Kargo (012) Downtown
(116) Kargo (119) Serenity (013) Defiance (107) Diesel
(115) Diesel (121) Torlan (D) (014) Kargo (109) Kargo
(117) Torlan (L) (015) Torlan (L) (108) Serenity
(013) Defiance (110) Torlan (D)
The first two choices determine how you conduct the war against Axon.
Because you make this choice twice, you basically have four options
between
Offense\Defense, Aggressive\Reserved. The third choice determines whether
or not you accept Axon's surrender when you defeat them.
Cards
Tactical Diversion: Beat Kargo (007)
Reduces the # of opponents in the next match by 2.
Unlockable Characters
Lauren Beat DM-Diesel (107, 118, 136)
(020) Coret
(021) HeatRay (057)
CarbonFire
(022) Islander (053) Containment (058)
Containment
(023) Strident (054) Strident (059)
Islander
(010) Gateway (052) Containment | | (060)
Strident
(055) Islander (056) Gateway (062)
Gateway
(061)
HeatRay
(064) Dusk
(065) PowerSurge (072) Coret
(066) Coret (073) Heatray (078)
Containment
(067) Containment | (074) CarbonFire (079) HeatRay
(068) HeatRay (075) Strident (080) CarbonFire
(069) Strident (077) Gateway | (082) Gateway |
(070) CarbonFire (071) Gateway (081) Strident (081) Strident
(084) PowerSurge
(085) Heatray (095) Islander
(086) Coret (096) HeatRay
(087) CarbonFire (097) Coret
(088) Containment (093) Islander (098) Containment (103)
CarbonFire
(089) Islander (094) Containment (099) Strident (104)
Strident
(090) Strident | (100) CarbonFire (106)
Gateway |
(092) Gateway | (102) Gateway | (105)
Containment
(091) HeatRay (101) Containment
The most important choice you will make is whether or not you will play
Containment before you attack Hyperion. You are also given several
opportunities to play Gateway, but this isn't necessary or meaningful.
Dusk, CarbonFire, Coret, Islander, Strident, Gateway, and Containment are
pretty much always the same. PowerSurge and HeatRay are the only missions
with
major variations.
HeatRay #017 -> Islander #063 leads to either PowerSurge #065 (a 4 vs. 8)
or a
locked Dark Walker on HeatRay #073 - the two hardest missions in the
chapter,
and among the hardest missions in the game.
Dusk #083 -> Islander #095 leads to a locked Dark Walker on HeatRay.
Unlike the
other locked Dark Walker missions, this one has no alternative mission to
avoid
it, so once you beat Islander you're stuck.
HeatRay #017 -> Islander #063 -> PowerSurge #065 -> HeatRay #068 ->
Gateway #071 is the hardest path, including the aforementioned PowerSurge
4:8
and HeatRay 4:6 with Loque and a locked Dark Walker.
Dusk #083 -> HeatRay #085 is the best path. It has the easiest versions
of
HeatRay & PowerSurge. Gateway is optional, and all the other missions are
the
same. (The only choice is whether to play Containment or Islander first.)
Once again, the easy route also makes the most sense in terms of
storyline.
Cards
Heavy Armor: Beat DM-Arsenal
Increases the armor of your vehicles by 40%.
Unlockable Characters
Matrix Beat DM-Gateway
There aren't as many variations this time around. The two routes are
reflections of each other. BioHazard is optional.
The easiest route is probably Shangri La->Corruption->Suspense->Onyx
Coast,
since this gives you 4vs4 instead of 4vs6 on corruption and bypasses
Torlan
and the other deathmatch levels. On the other hand,
Corruption -> Suspense -> Torlan might be easier for some people than the
deathmatch. The hardest route would probably be Shangri La -> Defiance -
Deck
-> Torlan -> Bio Hazard since all but Torlan are deathmatch and Torlan is
a
hard mission anyway. I do suggest stopping off at the Decks to kill
Scythe out
of principle, however.
Unlockable Characters
Kragoth Beat WAR-Islander
Damian Beat WAR-Islander
Malakai Beat WAR-Islander
Scythe Beat DM-Deck
Cards
Instagib: Beat CTF-Necropolis
Next mission is played using Instagib rifles. (Must be played now, if at
all.)
Unlockable Characters
Loque Beat CTF-OmicronDawn
Akasha Beat DM-Sentinel
Map Details
Tokaido, Ghost Legion training grounds.
The legendary Samurai of Earth's Lotus Guard used to train within the
walls of
the Imperial Palace. This small section of the Kimpu Market District was
built
to mirror those courtyards, and now serves as the entrance to the Ghost
Legion
training grounds.
Briefing
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Maintain battlefield control by holding the high ground.
- Use audio cues to track enemy movement.
Grab the link gun and head down the hallway to your left. Jester spawns
on the
opposite side of the courtyard where you entered, and will run straight
for
the rocket launcher in the center of the stage. This is a good
opportunity to
kill her before she can even leave the first hallway. From then on she
will
primarily run a Square or Triangle route between the Stinger, Link Gun,
and
Rocket Launcher (Her favorite weapon) via the trench or the corner
buildings.
The level puts a lot of focus on the mid range weapons, and she ignores
the
Shock Rifle for the most part. This creates tactical opportunities at
both
long & short range, which can be exploited.
Like the briefing says, you'll want to monopolize the center of the map.
The
Body Armor, the Health Kits, the Flak Cannon and the vials up top. From
here,
you can also restrict her access to any of the weapons. There is no
particular
reason to visit the extreme edges of the map except the Flak Ammo near
the
Link Gun. There are health vials in the front side of the trench which
should
also be claimed. You can quickly run a circuit through the trench, up the
stairs, loop through the left building to the Flak Ammo, and then
elevator
jump up to the vials above the Flak Cannon, or to the underside to
collect the
armor. You can also extend it to a half circle and integrate the vials in
both
hallways if you so choose but those hallways are vulnerable. By leaving
the
health vials in them, you encourage her to enter them. Once she enters
she is
very susceptible to splash damage and has to effectively walk into your
projectiles in order to shoot back. I found the Bio Rifle and Flak Cannon
to
be particularly useful, but the Stinger can also be very effective.
Map Details
Tokaido, Shangri La sector
The springtime blossoms of the Shangri La sector are universally renowned
for
their beauty and serenity. But the district sits along the northern shore
of
Tokaido, and the locals are forced to retreat into the sweltering heat of
the
underground mines to avoid the fierce cold snaps that leave the grounds
largely abandoned during winter months.
Briefing
"Looks like we're stuck doing some crap jobs before the Izanagi trust us.
We're headed up north to investigate some 'disturbances' along the coast.
Axon
scouts have been sneaking across the bay and setting up shop inside
Tokaido.
We've got a field respawner and a full weapons compliment, but the
Izanagi set
up some random captain to baby-sit us. Keep your cool and try not to use
the
UDamage against them. Much."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- UDamage powerup is located in the central courtyard.
Because this is Team Deathmatch, your goal is about kills vs. deaths -
not
just kills, so teamwork is important. If you leave your allies to their
own
devices they will feed the enemy points. If you tell them to hold
position,
they will cluster together, run out of health\ammo, and lose by
attrition. The
best strategy seems to be to put your team on 'Cover Me' and quickly (but
cautiously) lead them around the level. This should keep them reasonably
healthy and well-equipped. It also ensures that if the enemy attempts to
pursue you, they will have to do so one at a time, from the doorways
where
they are more vulnerable.
Knowing how to time the powerups is very useful here. On Masterful and
higher,
the bots have a 5-second head start on powerup timing, so keep that in
mind.
Map Details
Tokaido border territories
Surrounded by tranquil waterfalls and traditional architecture, these
grounds
are known as the Reflection Gardens. They're buried deep in the heart of
downtown Tokaido, where people can retreat to a place of quiet meditation
amidst the bustle of a popular mining colony.
Briefing
"The Izanagi may not like us, but they like results. Bishop, Othello,
welcome
to the team. Intel picked up another Axon cell inside Tokaido. This one's
dug
in, with a field lattice generator powering their respawner. We need to
work
as a team to retrieve the enemy FLaG units, power down their respawner,
and
clear them out."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Link with a teammate to multiply the power of your Link Gun.
- Translocators can teleport you across short distances. FLaGs can not be
teleported.
- The Helmet will give you 20 extra armor and protect you from a single
sniper
headshot.
There is a 'Super Health' in the center of the map between the two bases,
and
an Armored Helmet up above it. I didn't find either especially useful
since
everyone else is so fixated on them that they actually became a
distraction
and a liability. There is no doubt that the extra health would be useful,
so
it may be wise to follow the main path to the entrance and check for it
before
crossing over to the outer path. I'm not sure I'd risk it on the return
journey. Crossing center-field with the flag is almost guaranteed to
result in
a morbid display of affection.
Briefing
"Axon scouts were discovered sneaking through the tunnels, and we've
traced
their movements to a central base of operations. Orders are simple:
Destroy
the base and seal the tunnels for good."
Objectives
- Link your Core to the Prime Node in the center of the sinkhole.
- Destroy the enemy Core.
Amusingly, you can stand idly on the Prime Node and the enemy will
prioritize
attacking the Node. When the node is destroyed, a new one will
immediately
begin construction (since you're standing on it) and the bots will
immediately
attack the new node instead of you. They'll even sit a few feet away from
you
in a Manta blasting away at the Node, oblivious to the futility of their
existence. You can use this to destroy them with impunity. (Almost.)
The UDamage & Berserk powerups on either side of the base exits will
allow you
to quickly destroy\repair a node.
Map Details
Downtown Tokaido, Kimpu Market District
Life in Tokaido relies heavily on the infrastructure of the Kimpu Market
District. People purchase food there, shop, gather for social occasions,
and
even buy their fuel in this one centralized location. In a surprise move,
a
terrorist cell has invaded the Market, scared off the locals, and shut
down
all business in and out of the district.
Briefing
"Time to take down another power core. The old market centers both have
nodes
powering defense turrets. If we can take them both, we'll overload the
enemy
core shields and their core will be raised and exposed. Then we use the
turrets to finish them off from a distance. We're using the 'Node Buster'
Orb
and Hoverboards this time. Expect more intel on the field."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access your enemy's Core.
- Control Support Nodes to unlock mobile laser turrets.
- Use the mobile turrets to protect the Prime Node.
- Short Circuit the enemy Core's coolant system by controlling both
Support
Nodes simultaneously.
- An overheated Core raises into the open air and is vulnerable to turret
fire.
The strategy works like this: You can focus on the prime node, but if the
side
nodes are left undefended the enemy will claim them both easily. Once
they
have both nodes, all they have to do is get their Orb carrier to your
prime
node and your Core is completely exposed. On the other hand, if you focus
on
the side nodes, the enemy can take the Prime node and assault your Core
unopposed. The logical conclusion is to have a minimal force attack the
support nodes - to prevent the enemy from controlling both - while your
remaining forces (and the orb carrier) focus on taking and holding the
prime
node. If the enemy removes forces from the support nodes to fortify the
prime
node, you've successfully reversed the situation. You'll have the Prime
Node,
and both support nodes as a matter of course. If the enemy takes forces
off
the prime node to hold the support nodes, he'll still have trouble
holding
both of them and to make matters worse he won't have the necessary forces
to
do anything with them once he has them.
If your allies manage to capture both the support nodes, you can attack
the
enemy core directly from the Prime Node platform with any long range
weapon.
(Like the Link Gun) Also, if you manage to get into the enemy base, you
can
stand behind the Core on the far side (Left, when facing the Core). The
bots
sometimes get confused and don't know how to get you, so you can deal
quite a
bit of damage before you, it, or the prime node are destroyed.
The bots ignore the turrets. If you use them you can help defend the
prime\support nodes. The west turret can attack the blue core, and any
enemies
approaching yours, while the east turret can attack the orb carrier
approaching the prime node. This isn't incredibly useful on harder
difficulties since your turret will be targeted and destroyed. The bots
also
ignore most of the powerups, so if you have time, you can take advantage
of
them yourself. - Especially the UDamage in the alley across the courtyard
from
the either core.
Map Details
Tokaido border territories
This area serves as the demilitarized buffer zone between the Axon and
Izanagi
Corporations. Because the bridges along this narrow strip of land are the
only
roads that connect the two territories, the isthmus is considered a key
military objective that must be controlled.
Briefing
"We need to blow the Axon core but - surprise - it's protected by blast
doors.
We can lower the doors if we can steal a heavy tank and drive it onto the
pressure pad. Good news is there's a tank factory in the vicinity. Bad
news?
We need to get it across a drawbridge powered by the node underneath it.
So
Job One: Get the tank. Job Two: Hold the drawbridge and get the tank
across.
Job Three: Protect the tank while we take out the core. Job Four? Watch
the
fireworks."
Objectives
- Activate the Bridge Node to lower the drawbridge.
- Drive your Goliath tank across the bridge.
- Park the tank on the pressure pad to open the blast doors.
- Destroy the enemy Core.
There is a fence to your right and the enemy bots will annoyingly stare
at you
and throw things through the bars. If you have a bot in the tank with
you,
they can help gun down the hecklers, but otherwise you'll have to do it
yourself. I'm not sure whether it's faster to switch and kill them with
machine gun or to rotate the turret and make them swallow a mortar, but
either
way they have to die since there is a chance they would destroy your tank
with
their mischief if left to their own devices.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"These harbors are full of vehicles loading cargo, moving personnel, and
maintaining the perimeter. To even the odds, supply requisitioned a few
longbows for us. The Anti vehicle rocket launcher - A.K.A. the 'AVRiL
Longbow' - fires armor piercing missiles using an onboard optical
tracking
system. If all that fancy tech works as advertised, it sounds like a
sniper
rifle for blowing up vehicles. Bishop, have fun."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
There are a few ways in\out of the base, but ultimately they lead to one
of
two directions. The 'Street' curves around and leads directly to the
loading
docks for which the level gets it's name. The other is more of a back-
alley
which circles behind some obstructions, making it (nearly) safe passage
from
the troll in the Tank. The back alley also has body armor - in both bases
-
and health along the way. You can use the Scorpion's Speed Boost to hit
the
pipes in the center of the Cargo bay and use them as a ramp to launch you
onto
the other side of the field, but since the bots use the street almost
exclusively, it wouldn't be very wise to use it regularly.
Generally, the best way is to just get into the base as quickly as
possible
and then use the back alley route as an escape. The enemy usually only
has one
bot defending the flag room with a link gun, flak cannon or shock rifle
which
is easy enough to get past, but the others will cut you off in the
parking-
garage-like buildings. You can use your hoverboard, but only after you've
rounded a corner where the enemy has no line-of-sight, and only for a few
seconds at a time. It's very easy to get knocked off the board when you
think
you're safe. If you can capture the flag one time, all you have to do is
hold
out for the remainder of the mission.
Another option is to mercilessly seize and exploit the tank in the center
of
the map to make it virtually impossible for the bots to leave their base.
This
becomes most useful on the harder difficulties where flag running becomes
ever
more perilous. Somewhat counter-intuitively however, you don't want to
actually kill the bots perpetually. If you kill them, they respawn in
their
base, and that means they'll attack your allies when they come to take
the
flag. You want to time it so that their flag gets taken while they are
out
front. They'll turn around to go ambush the flag carrier, and if you kill
them
they'll respawn at their base. Too far away to do anything about the flag
runner, least of all without you forcibly sending them home again.
Beating this mission unlocks the 'Tactical Diversion' Card. Save it for a
rainy day. After the mission you can choose between WAR-TorlanDelta
(Mission
122) and CTF-Hydrosis (Mission 008). This is effectively a
defense\offense
decision, deciding whether you want to focus on the immediate war with
the
Axon, or prepare for a future war with the Necris. Taking CTF-Hydrosis
first
is not only a harder level but can lead to some of the hardest missions
in the
chapter - if not the entire campaign. This is not set in stone however. I
suggest taking Torlan, both because it is an easier mission which leads
to an
easier campaign, and because it makes more sense in the context of the
story
that Reaper would be more interested in a long-term plan against the
necris
than this trivial war with the Axon.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The canals of the Alluvion river are gated by this Axon hydro-facility,
which
serves as an emergency power backup and Tarydium processing plant.
Destroying
the plant would put serious stress on Axon energy production, but
capturing it
would mean diverting those essential resources for Izanagi use.
Briefing
"This should be a straightforward infantry assault. We take out their
respawner and we're in control. Bishop, there's plenty of high ground and
clear lines of sight, so provide cover when we cross the bridges. The
rest of
you, keep your heads up and watch for snipers."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The central bridge area has several dangerous sniping positions.
- Protect the FLaG carrier to ensure their safe return.
There are two main roads to and from the bases and a long narrow central
courtyard between them, connected by a series of narrow bridges which
span a
chasm. Obviously, falling off the bridge is fatal. There are buildings on
either side of the chasm which serve both as sniper bunkers and as
medians to
keep the two paths from the bases mostly separated. You can run between
the
chasm and the bunkers for a 'change up' but I find that dangerous and
wasteful. If you don't have the flag, you can also translocate through
the
window of the bunker rather than run across the exposed bridge. The bots
can
(and will) do that as well.
There are two paths, left and right, which will take you through
separate routes before connecting in the middle (the flag room). The left
path
is shorter and generally less confusing, while the right path provides
better
cover, armor powerups, and a little bit of obscurity. The first room on
the
left path is a winding room with generators. There is health to the left
of
the door, and a few vials up on top of the first generator. There is a
rocket
launcher on top of the second generator. Beyond that room is a hallway
that
leads to the Bio Rifle and immediately past that, the enemy flag room
with a
stinger minigun on the ledge above the door and more health by the door
opposite. Beyond that, there is another hallway which leads to the Link
Gun,
which in turn leads to another room. This room has the Body Armor in the
center, and the Flak Cannon along the wall. It's easy to get turned
around
here, because the exit to the room is on the same wall you entered
through.
Once you know your way around, a dodge\translocate and a couple sharp
turns
will take you through this room before the bots have time to focus on
you.
Past that room is a small hallway which leads to the last room - the
entrance
to the 'right path' - which spawns the Shock rifle and the Armored
Helmet.
I prefer the right path for a couple reasons. On the left path, there is
health right by the entrance - or exit - to the base, but if you already
need
health when you're first entering the base, or if you're low enough that
it
makes a difference when you're leaving, there is a good chance you'll die
in
the long courtyard anyway, and either way you're likely to be exposed to
further damage for a while before you find more. The left path also has
easy
translocator shortcuts that you cannot use while carrying the flag,
meaning
the bots will have an easier time catching you should you attempt to exit
along that route. The right path, on the other hand, can use the winding
corridors to provide cover fire from the enemies for almost half of the
journey, provides armor pickups to keep you shielded *and* has health
inside
the enemy flag room when you arrive (or to top off your health before the
escape attempt). The biggest downside to this route is that you can get
ambushed in the corridors.
There are a couple 'secrets' on this level. Between the left & right
path,
immediately behind the entrance to the sniper bunkers near where the
sniper
rifle spawns, there is a ventilation shaft in the 'ceiling' which you can
throw your translocator into. This will take you into the Flak\Armor room
and
bypass the Shock\Helmet room. On the wall behind the Bio Rifle, there is
an
access hatch which turns into the enemy Flag, allowing you to enter from
'behind enemy lines.' It's not incredibly useful, but the bots will use
this.
Finally - and this is the game winner - there is a Shield belt above the
Stinger platform in either team's flag room. The stinger platform 'loops
around' for no obvious reason, but if you look up there is a pipe running
along the ceiling. If you translocate onto that, you'll find the shield
belt.
If it's already been taken, you can also wait there safely for it to
respawn.
You can get the shield belt in the red base and use it to get inside the
blue
base, stock up on health and replace the broken shield, and then grab the
flag
and make an escape with 100/100. If you take the right path, you can
sometimes
grab an Armor Vest and\or Helmet on your way out. This factor alone
should
allow you to make it outside and to the first bridge, where your team can
(possibly) pick up where you left off if you die. Another useful trick is
to
use the Bio Rifle alt fire to clear the hallways if anyone tries to
ambush
you. A lot of people dislike the Bio Rifle, but in situations like this
it can
be more useful than the Flak Cannon. Quickly 'Zigzagging' is also a must,
since it reduces the enemy accuracy by about 60%. If you're still having
trouble with this, you can linger in your own base collecting the health
vials
on top of the generators, the armor helmet, vest, and belt until you're
175/199. That should give you enough energy to get into the blue base and
replace your shield before attempting the capture. The 175 shield should
get
you outside, and the extra 99 health might help getting across the
bridge.
After the mission you have another choice: WAR-TorlanDelta (Mission 009)
or
vCTF-Suspense (Mission 111)? This is another defense\offence choice, the
same
as the last one. Now that you've attacked Axon, do you want to fortify
your
gains or push deeper into Axon territory? Suspense is the last bridge
defending Oxida Nova, so if you take that you'll be within striking
distance
of their capital. Since you're already committed to attacking the Axon,
attempting to turn around now leads to some of the hardest missions in
the
campaign. I suggest vCTF-Suspense. If you were going to take the Torlan
Delta,
you should have done it before you moved in hard against the Axon,
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"Advance teams established an improvised base on the border, but Axon
forces
are amassing a huge force across the central gorge. We need to destroy
the
enemy core to establish a firm command of the area. When the N.E.G.
pulled
out, they left a support node intact hidden underneath the bridge. If we
can
take that node, we'll get some extra firepower we can use against the
core."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
Strategy & Tactics
Those of you who played Onslaught in UT2004 (or the Demo) are undoubtedly
familiar with this remake of ONS-Torlan. This time it's linked
differently,
and there are two extra nodes, along with the Bonus vehicles from UT2004.
The
starting base for both teams have a Hellbender, Raptor, Manta, and an
Orb. In
the red base, the Hellbender is on the south-west side of the base near
the
gate, the Manta spawns on the northwest side along with the Orb, and the
Raptor spawns up the stairs, near the PowerCore. There are also Laser
turrets
on the wall, but are only useful in a pinch.
The Red Prime-Node is south-central, west of the Red Base. From there,
you
must take the West 'Road' Node, or the East 'Road' Node, both of which
converge on the Blue Prime-Node in north-central. From there, you can
attack
the enemy core. There are three support nodes on this mission. Each Prime
Node
links to a 'Tank' Node in the Northeast or Southwest corner of the map.
The
third support Node is the 'Center' Node in the center of the map. The
'Bridge'
Node isn't linked to any other node, so it can be attacked at any time.
The
Prime nodes spawn a Laser Turret, a Manta, and a Scorpion. The Northeast
and
Southwest 'Tank' Nodes spawn a Goliath and a Manta. The East and West
nodes
spawn SPMA Artillery and a Manta. The Center node spawns a Circada
(Bridge),
and a Scorpion (Bottom). The Orb can spawn at your base, the east\west
Nodes,
or the Center node. Finally, there are teleporters at the nodes which
allow
you to quickly transport to any node which is not being attacked. (You
can't
teleport with the orb, or a vehicle.)
The bots will try to grab the orb and take it to the node north\south of
their
base. Usually this means that the Red team will have the South nodes, and
East
node, while the Blue will control the north and west. They will mostly
fix
their efforts on controlling the main nodes, so if they don't have both
the
East and the West node, they'll try to cut off your opportunities to
attack
their prime node while they attack yours. They don't pay much attention
to the
support nodes - the center node isn't linked to any others, and the
corner
nodes collapse when the prime node is destroyed - but they don't ignore
them
completely either. If they have both the east and west nodes, they'll
focus on
taking out your prime node and 'mopping up' the unclaimed nodes. If they
succeed in doing so you'll have a hard time getting back up again. If
they
destroy your prime node, you'll have to claim it, hold it, claim a side
node,
hold it, and destroy their prime node. It's doable, but it'd be an upset.
Jester will be the assigned Orb carrier on this mission, and there is a
good
chance she'll beat you to the orb. She'll probably run to the east node,
but
since she's only got a Hoverboard, she'll probably be cut-off by an enemy
-
your evil counterpart - piloting a Manta. If she fails to construct a Red
node
there before the Orb respawns at the Red base, the enemy will be in great
position to lay siege to your Prime Node. Initially I let her push the
east
node while I went and claimed the center node unopposed. There are a
couple
reasons to do this. The first is that, even if Jester dies, there is a
good
chance that the enemy will leave the node undefended, meaning she can
make it
back and claim the east node before the orb respawns. Another is that,
when
the center node is taken, the orb will respawn there instead of all the
way
back at the Red Base. It's faster than going back to the base, getting
the
orb, and coming all the way back. This worked like a charm for me,
however in
retrospect, this is very risky. Had she failed, the Orb may have
respawned at
the red base anyway (if the center node wasn't finished) and in either
case
I'd have to run it to the east node myself. Assuming I succeeded, I'd
still
have to destroy their prime node before they destroyed mine, which would
be
under attack by then. It's possible to recover from such a spectacular
failure
by -quickly- bringing the orb back to your prime node and finishing the
assault on theirs, but it may be better to avoid this altogether and
simply
assist Jester in claiming the east node from the start.
There are several approaches to this mission. You can pilot the raptor
and
attack the nodes from the air. Parking the raptor on the Tower in the
center
places you in a diamond of Nodes, all of which are important. This gives
you a
pretty clear vantage point to constantly wear away at the enemy nodes and
prevent construction. You can also use the manta to do this from the
ground,
trading mobility (slightly) for speed, ground-cover, and the ability to
participate in reconstruction. You can also forego the entire strategy
and
charge straight to the Tank node, using it as a battering ram of sorts. I
found the Manta to be the most effective strategy because, on the harder
difficulties, the tank and raptor seem to make you a larger, more exposed
target and the manta is also faster, which is important.
There are several places that let you attack the nodes from far away -
usually
too far away for the bots to hit you accurately - and if you sneak around
the
backside, you can reclaim nodes without drawing attention to yourself.
Usually
these locations are near the center of the map and out-of-the-way of Bot
patrol routes. Most notably, you can attack the enemy prime node from
near
their tank node, or from the mountains in the center of the map. Using
the
'edges' of the rocks as cover from enemy fire. The Link Gun and Shock
Rifle
are good at this, but if you can do it in a Raptor or a Manta it's even
better. In general, just try to avoid the enemy troops without drawing
attention to yourself and focus on destroying their nodes - especially
the
prime node - from places where they can't see or reach you and let your
team
mates pick up the slack.
Map Details
Oxida Nova border territories
Suspense is the only bridge across the Alluvion strong enough to support
the
weight of heavy combat vehicles. Without the bridge, it would take Axon
forces
several days to respond to any battles across of the river. As such, it
is
always under guard by an Axon mechanized division, with military
checkpoints
at each end.
Briefing
"We need to clear the military checkpoints at each end of this bridge.
Izanagi
recon took the southern point, and they called us to take the more
heavily
guarded northern point. So we'll sortie from the south to attack their
respawner. We will have vehicle support. Bishop, the central bridge
towers
should make great sniper nests. Don't forget a longbow to take out enemy
armor. Recon team also found a path under the bridge, so keep that in
mind as
our number-two option."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The towers of the bridge are ideal sniping positions.
- There is a Redeemer on the lower path, under the bridge.
Jester will pilot the Goliath, making her very useful. Trying to pilot
the
Goliath yourself just draws a ton of enemy fire, you lose the tank and it
doesn't help your allies get the flag (since they basically can't).
Hellbenders, and Scorpions will have to drive down the main road, making
them
very vulnerable. Mantas can get away with it to some extent, but it's
still
more vulnerable than the Raptor. You'll want to hop on over and get the
Super
Health on your side of the map first, then take your Raptor across and
land it
near theirs. It's much better to take the powerups in enemy territory to
deprive them of the benefit. When you've got 199 health, discreetly (wait
for
the Goliath to pass if you need to) walk into the enemy flag room and
take it.
Run back up the ramp to where the Super Health spawns and take a sharp
right.
Run along the narrow ledge against the wall of the building. Jump across
to
the doorway on the bridge's support pillar and run inside. This puts you
on
the bridge. Take a left and run outside along the edge of the bridge,
being
careful not to fall off or leave yourself exposed to fire from behind
you. You
can use the pillars as cover to some extent, but you'll want to keep
moving.
Once you get inside the second doorway, you're almost home free. I've
found it
better to keep running straight for a short way after leaving the doorway
rather than trying to cut across the bridge immediately. Either way,
cross the
bridge and put the flag away. No sweat. Then, just get the Super Health
again
and repeat the process.
The redeemer spawns on the island under the bridge. Falling off the
bridge can
result in a ragdoll, dropping the flag, and possibly getting killed by
the
bots who like to play down there. If you survive you can climb the ramp
on the
opposite side and come up in about the same place as you would have if
you'd
run along the bridge. I tend to avoid the hoverboard on this map, but
there
are a couple opportunities to use it in brief intervals inside the
buildings
and around corners.
Note: If you're playing Co-op you can use the Raptor and Hoverboard
grapple to
bring a friend into the enemy base with you, and quickly tow them back
out
with the flag. It may be possible to accomplish this kind of extraction
with
the bots as well, by piloting the raptor near them when they grab the
enemy
flag.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"With the Alluvion blocked, the Axon are trying to sneak their Leviathan
super-
vehicle behind our lines. That kind of firepower on our flank would *not*
be
pretty so we need to hit 'em quickly. Their convoy stopped near a supply
depot
to refuel, and it's ambush time. Our forces used dense forest cover to
establish a small base and now Ronin does the real work. Don't forget the
mine
node. We can use it to construct our own Leviathan. That'd wake 'em up."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
- Proceed with caution, Axon forces already have a Leviathan at their
disposal.
With you manning the Leviathan, your allies should be able to claim the
prime
nodes without a problem, and then all you have to do is push in and
destroy
the core.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
With the blockade on the Alluvion River, the warehouse district of Oxida
Nova
has been plunged into chaos. The storage facilities located there are the
only
remaining supply points available to Axon forces, and they've enforced
martial
law to ensure that their supplies remain unthreatened.
Briefing
"The Izanagi are taking Oxida Nova City and we're on point. I don't have
to
tell you about urban terrain, even 3:1 odds is rolling the dice - and
today,
we're straight up. We move downtown, flush the Axon into the open, and
take
out their power grid. The sooner we get heavy vehicles in play, the
better -
either by blowing the barricades outside the Axon base, or capturing the
tank
factory at the central node. Stay alert. We're on their home turf now and
they'll use that to advantage."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy barricades.
- With the barricades destroyed, heavy vehicles gain access to the main
battlefield.
- Axon forces have a strong foothold in this area. Defend your core at
all
costs.
For the most part, the idea of the early game is to keep the Tank node
under
your control and use it as a counterweight to prevent the enemy from
reclaiming anything your allies take from them. This is the hardest part.
Once
you've got control of both the center node and the tank node, the
dynamics
change. For one, you don't have to do anything else except maintain
control
and you will win by attrition if the time runs out. At this point you
might
find it better to switch entirely to defense using the Orb to shield &
hold
the center node while your allies fight over the enemy prime node. If the
enemy prime falls, you can then run over and build a friendly node in
it's
place, and repeat the process there while your allies attack the enemy
core.
Another option might be to assist attacking the enemy prime node
yourself,
although this can be difficult and potentially costly if the enemy
counter-
attacks.
Once you have their prime node, you can attack their core. On the easier
settings I find this more productive than defending because the bots are
so
slow and it's easy to recover the node if they destroy it. On the harder
levels there is less room to play around, I prefer to be conservative and
let
the enemy wear out slowly-but-surely, using my now-obsolete orb to defend
the
enemy prime node and preventing them from getting back up. If you have an
opening between waves of enemies, you can run over and take the Tank node
back
at this point (if you lost it). You can actually park the Goliath inside
the
prime node building, making it impossible for the enemy to reclaim their
node.
If you decide to attack their base, there is an alleyway off the main
road
that leads to their core. You can get in and shoot it a couple times
before
the bots catch on. If you've got a secure hold on the prime node and the
enemies are siege in their base, you can drive the Goliath through their
front gate without much fuss as well. All-in-all the first 50% is the
hard
part and it's all downhill from there.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Downtown Oxida Nova is a busy hub for Axon colonists. The area is
surrounded
by tall buildings, including the central rail station, employment
offices, and
shopping centers that are designed to resemble those back home on Earth.
Briefing
"Now that we've taken Oxida Nova, Axon defenses are crumbling. There's
only a
few pockets of resistance left, but that includes the Iron Guard. These
guys
are Axon-elite, ex-military--very experienced. And very pissed. They've
got a
make-shift command point near the transport center. Our job is to take
control
of the area before they spark a city-wide riot."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- The tight corridors of the lower level are very dangerous.
- More powerful items can be found in the center's upper levels.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"I don't like what's going on here. The Axon are quiet - no attempts to
recapture the Alluvion Corridor. Four recon teams went into Oxida Nova.
Only
one made it out. They reported I quote, "Overwhelming hordes of Krall
mercenaries slaughtering everyone wholesale." Before we could get
defenses
online, the Krall crossed the bay and hit our supply-lines. We need to
move
quickly, or this entire op is going up in smoke. We've seen what these
bastards can do first hand. This time, they don't have the element of
surprise
but we're still heavily outnumbered. Don't kid yourselves. Respawners or
not,
every time we fight the Krall, we're fighting for survival."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
For the actual run, the shield belt would help immensely if you can get a
hold
of it. Either way, you want to approach from the Hellbender side and stay
away
from midfield where the enemy vehicles congregate. Aside from avoiding a
lot
of unnecessary damage, it also provides you a small area to restock on
health
and armor before you enter the flag room. There will probably be two
defenders
guarding the flag since they can afford it. If you drop down into the
scorpion
garage and then use the jump pad in the back, you'll come up right in
front of
one of the defenders. If you turn around and step onto it, you can come
up
facing him and can gib him with the Flak Cannon before he has a chance to
return fire. Then you can grab the flag and jump over the rail to the
Hellbender exit.
If you moved quickly out of the base - and especially if you have the
shield
belt - you should have enough time to use your hoverboard to get behind
the
crates. You may even be able to reach the garage. Take the same route
home
that you took to reach the base and hope the enemy didn't take the tank
while
you were away. If they did, you'll probably have to kill the tank and try
again, but sometimes you can escape before it targets you. The redeemer
can
make short work of the tank, just don't use the alt-fire or they will
shoot it
down with their incredible aim.
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"With three corporations at each other’s throats, the Torlan Delta's in
chaos.
Krall forces are swarming at the central Torlan gorge, looking to take
advantage. All we've got is a forward observation post at the border. The
outlying nodes will give us more vehicles, but intel says they're already
corrupted by the necris. The Torlan Delta's about as strategic as it
gets, so
this isn't optional. We have to push out the Krall if we're gonna win
this
war. Good thing we picked up that Leviathan. Let's give the Krall a
little
surprise."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
- Krall forces will attempt to overwhelm enemies by attacking in packs.
- Some Nodes are already under the control of the Krall forces.
You want Jester and Othello on offense, and Bishop covering you. Bishop
will
get in the leviathan with you and man one of the turrets. We use Bishop
because he is the most accurate and the least useful on foot. Othello
will go
to the Prime node, while Jester will carry the orb to the center node. If
Othello has the orb, he will take it to the prime node like an idiot, but
Jester will still go to the center node. If you have Othello *and* Bishop
in
the Leviathan, Jester will take the orb to the Center node and wait for
the
Prime Node to complete the construction that Othello never started -
shutting
down your entire strategy.
You want to pilot the Leviathan to the center node. On your way to the
center
node, you will more than likely run into an enemy viper towing their orb
carrier on their way to do the same thing. Killing them should not be a
problem, but you have to kill them before they get their orb carrier to
the
node. If they get the node before you do, they will quite possibly kill
your
leviathan before you can recover it, push south and take your prime node
before the leviathan respawns, and then reassemble at your prime node, in
good
position to kill your leviathan again and destroy your core.
When the enemy prime node finishes construction. They will begin a huge
push
into the center node. You want to mobilize the Leviathan and use it's Ion
Cannon to destroy everyone in the pass. When, and if things quiet down,
go
back into tank mode and drive toward the far side of the tunnel. The idea
is
to position the Leviathan so that Bishop can attack the enemy prime node,
yet
is still protected by the mountainside. Then you want to deploy again and
use
the Ion Cannon to keep a clear area in front of the Leviathan - so that
the
enemy can't get close enough to attack it. The point is NOT to push into
the
enemy Prime node, only to destroy it and keep it destroyed. At this point
your
Leviathan would probably not survive driving out into the open and you
are too
outnumbered to make the run yourself. Even if you did, the enemy could
quickly
and easily take it back.
The purpose is to keep the enemy away from the center node as long as
possible. What will probably happen - at least if you're playing on the
higher
difficulties - the Leviathan will be destroyed shortly after you start
bombarding the prime node. You may or may not succeed in destroying the
enemy
prime, but it doesn't make a huge difference. Either way, you'll have to
wait
until the Leviathan respawns, and will be very vulnerable during this
time. We
pushed into their prime node so that they will have that much further to
run
before they are in -your- territory. The enemy will continue pushing
into the
center node. Since you are on foot now, grab the orb and use it to shield
the
node. The enemy will fire at you, so strafe around and shoot back. If the
enemy kills you, respawn as quickly as you can. Because you were
shielding the
node, the enemy was not attacking the node itself. If you are quick
enough,
you can respawn at the center node before it gets attacked again and your
orb
will still be there. Quickly pick up the orb and shield\heal the node
again.
Repeat this for as long as you can. If the enemy orb carrier approaches
the
node, kill him (if you can) and use their orb to destroy it. If he kills
you,
respawn quickly so you'll appear back at the node. Your orb should still
be
there, and you may still be able to reclaim the node. If it works out, a
new
orb will appear on the spawner, and you can repeat the cycle. If the
enemy
succeeds in claiming the center node - and they probably will - things
become
more hectic. You can still recover, however. Just repeat this process at
the
Prime Node. They probably won't claim both before the Leviathan comes
back
online. Even if they do, when the Leviathan comes back online, you can
recover
your losses.
When the Leviathan comes back online, you need to teleport back to the
base
immediately and get inside it. The only thing more important than this is
destroying the blue orb at the center node, so do that first if
necessary. If
you still have the center node in your control, drive the leviathan in
front
of it and mobilize the Ion Cannon to keep the canyon clear of enemies,
then
push north to the enemy prime node again and destroy it like we did (or
tried
to do) last time. If the enemy managed to claim the center node while you
were
gone, mobilize the turret at the canyon entrance and shoot the Ion Cannon
down
at the ground in the center. This will kill the enemies respawning at the
center node, and if you aim it properly it will damage the node as well.
You
can hold this position until the orb carrier reclaims the node, return to
tank
mode and drive up to assault the node directly, or get out of the
Leviathan
and let the bots pilot it while you follow in behind with the node
yourself.
If the enemy succeeded in pushing all the way south and captured your
prime
node, you still want to position your leviathan as above, where you can
attack
the Prime Node or the center node. Destroy the prime node (and the enemy
dark
walker). Make sure the enemies at the Prime Node are dead, and then get
out of
your leviathan and go to the Prime Node. Once your prime node is
reconstructed, go grab your orb and\or catch up with your leviathan. The
bots
are probably driving it down the canyon to the center node. This is a
perfect
opportunity to repair it with your link gun. If the orb carrier dies you
can
pick it up and use the Leviathan as a shield on your way to the node. If
the
enemy destroys your leviathan while you're fighting over the Prime Node,
you'll need to shift your focus to the Orb. You can't let the enemy have
the
Prime Node, so you'll want to carry the orb in and take the node back,
and
then use the teleporter to go get another Orb ASAP. At the very least you
need
to keep it out of enemy hands until the Leviathan returns.
The goal is to stay alive until the time runs out. Once you're in
Overtime,
all you have to do is capture and hold the center node and their core
will
count down faster than yours will. If you can destroy their prime node,
it's
even faster. Using the Leviathan and the Orb as barriers for your Nodes
should
give you enough of a defensive advantage that they will lose their Nodes
faster than you do, hold them for less time, and therefore suffer more
attrition damage.
Note: This strategy does not require playing a card, but this level is
difficult enough that it may justify playing one.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
The Arsenal is a former Liandri munitions plant whose remote location was
intended to reduce collateral damage in case of an accident. As Hyperion
expanded and modern plants came into operation, the Arsenal fell on hard
times. All human colonists were pulled from the plant over a decade ago,
and
all robotics about a year later.
Briefing
"Alright listen up. The plant is well fortified. But if we can capture it
intact, we'll have a perfect location for staging our assault on the
Liandri.
Malcolm wants us to eliminate any resistance. The main battle group is
right
behind us, and they'll move forward and establish a base when we give the
all-
clear."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Use the Jump Boots to access the Super Health.
- Jump from a moving lift to gain momentum and access the UDamage.
There aren't a lot of strategies to use on this map. Just try to provide
backup for your allies and use hit & run as much as possible to avoid
giving
the enemy points.
Completing this level unlocks the 'Heavy Armor' card.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"We need to secure the slums before we move into the heart of the city.
Then
we start climbing into the upper-atmosphere of Hyperion and strike into
the
heart of Liandri operations."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Izanagi satellites only recently discovered this secretive distribution
facility. Analysis of satellite images tells us that the facility is
fully
automated, and connected to a Liandri mining operation several levels
below
ground. Raw ore is transported to the surface where it's packaged and
moved
off for processing.
Briefing
"This facility is running low profile, so there's no heavy security.
Izanagi
expects us to walk in and pick up another tarydium mine for their stock-
holders. If we can capture all the nodes surrounding the mine entrance,
we'll
open the security doors, giving us access to a Circada. The cores are
vulnerable to aerial attack, so that airship would be a huge advantage."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Control Nodes on both sides of the mine entrance to open the security
doors
and access the Cicada.
- Use the shaped charge or a Redeemer to destroy barricades that block
large
vehicles.
- Use the Orb to instantly take control of a Node.
If that plan falls through, this can be a tricky mission. The enemy seems
to
want to attack with 3 and defend with 3. Since there are 6 of them, they
can
have 2 people on each path, while you have to choose a 2:1:1 ratio. Your
bots
will generally focus on the northern path, while the enemy will generally
focus on the southern path. Bishop is usually the one going after the
center
nodes, and he will eventually succeed at this, but it's not a real
substantial
gain and the circada will probably be shot down before it can destroy
either
of the enemy prime nodes. Once the enemy gets a hold of a node, it's
difficult
to uproot them from it. They'll have 3 people attacking your core and 3
people
healing the prime node. It's not pretty, and it's difficult to avoid. You
can't be everywhere at once, and the enemy's superior numbers will
inevitably
succeed wherever you aren't. The Circadas can help with this, allowing
you to
fly between the northeast\southeast prime nodes and try to keep them
pinned
down while your allies move in.
Still, this is an uphill battle. The early portions of the mission are
very
important. When a node switches teams, anyone assigned to defend it will
no
longer recognize it as a defensible location, and will shift their
attention
somewhere else. Similarly, anyone attacking the southern pass
unsuccessfully
will respawn at the northern pass where they will survive longer. As a
result
anyone from the southern pass that you uproot will naturally tend to
migrate
north. We cut them off at the southeast node, so the defenders default to
the
north node and the attackers are torn between them. Their entire army
clumps
itself together at the northeast node. What the plan above does is
exploit
their disorganization during that transition and use it to rush their
core. If
you wait at the south node, they will eventually get organized and sweep
through the north, likely destroying your core before you can destroy
theirs.
This also puts you in an uncomfortable position since leaving the
southeast
node to aid the northern front means losing the only node that allows you
to
attack the enemy core, and possibly allowing them to sweep the south too.
Take
their prime node before they have a chance to mobilize in the south, and
then
use that as a springboard to attack the enemy core while it's vulnerable.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories, Tarydium mine
Located a half-mile below the planet's surface, the Dusk mine was
established
by Liandri scientists in an experiment to test self-sufficient Automaton
management of resources. The overloaded systems often release a huge
powersurge that vents up to the surface in order to protect the volatile
Tarydium stockpiles below.
Briefing
"Intel says we can take control of the drill mech loading bay and send
the
mining bots into overdrive. As long as we hold that node, they'll keep
working, and the resulting power surges will funnel right into the enemy
core.
Kaboom."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Control the Mine Node to engage the mining drones.
- The drones will automatically begin to mine and stockpile Tarydium.
- The mine overload discharges a high voltage pulse that damages the
enemy
Core.
- The East and West Tank Nodes hold important Goliath firepower.
There is an orb spawner at the countdown node and it's very existence
provides
the necessary instruction: Grab the orb and hold the countdown node. When
the
countdown finishes, rebuild the node with the orb and grab the new orb
from
the spawner. The enemy will focus on the prime nodes, only occasionally
diverting to stop the countdown. This is fine. Your allies should be able
to
hold the prime node for the 5-10 minutes you require. Their orb carrier
will
occasionally make well-timed attacks on the node, so be alert. I stood in
the
doorway where I could be hidden from enemy fire while still shielding the
node.
Map Details
Hyperion Strata, Coret Acquisition Center
Prior to the war, the Coret Acquisition Center was a major social hub for
all
of Taryd's colonists. Since the fighting started, however, the militia is
enforcing a strict curfew, and the facility empties out as the sun goes
down.
Briefing
"We were sent here to meet a Liandri informant with sensitive data about
something called: 'The Strident.' Something tipped off the Liandri and
now
we're doing this the loud way. Jester: Find that informant. Stay in close
radio contact. We'll keep Liandri security busy for you."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- A UDamage powerup is located on the bridge spanning the central
chamber.
Unless you can waltz in and waltz back out, the best bet seems to be
assists.
When your allies leave with the flag, the enemy will rush out to kill
them,
leaving the base undefended. You can follow your allies to provide cover
fire,
or you can wait inside the blue base while the enemy force chases your
flag
carrier. If you grab the flag when it's returned, the bot collective will
turn
toward you, but they are in the midfield and you can usually push further
out
of the blue base before they catch you. If you happen to be in red
territory
at that time, there is a chance your allies will hold off the enemies,
complete the capture, or hold the flag long enough for you to reinforce
them
in turn. 5 captures wins the match, but chances are you'll have to win by
the
clock.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"The Krall saw the same tactical value in the slums that we did. Their
initial
wave of infantry is already in place and transport ships are in route.
That
means heavy weaponry and necris vehicles are on the way. So lets finish
this.
Quickly."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris vehicle reinforcements are already en route to Hyperion.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
As far as I can tell this mission, like that dragon you were just
determined
to fight, is a 'dead end' for bad decision making. It *is* beatable, but
I'm
not sure how you go about it on Insane, as even my best results were
still ~8
points behind. The mission briefing suggests you use the Invisibility
powerup
for a 'tactical advantage' which probably means it wants you to use it to
counter the Dark Walker, but the higher level bots can track you by sound
even
if you're invisible and they time the powerups themselves anyway. My only
suggestion here is to go back to the mission selection screen and play
CarbonFire instead.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"Izanagi H.Q. wants a foreward O.P. to monitor Krall activity in the
north.
They found a military comms facility on the Hyperion archipelago that's
perfect. Except for the Liandri bots stationed there. This is a covert
insertion so we'll have limited vehicle support. Shouldn't be a problem.
Their
only defenses are dismounted infantry and a few turrets."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Maintain control of this Node to shield your Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy enemy barricades.
- Watch for enemy turrets. They have a clear view of the central
battlefield.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"A robot army with a huge central brain has one weakness, right? If we
can
infiltrate and control the strident, we own all of Hyperion. Ronin's
taking
point on the assault. Once we give the all-clear, Izanagi techs will move
forward and hack the mainframe."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"The necris lead a full-scale invasion of Taryd and they have complete
control
of the northern onyx territories. Their infection tubes are pumping the
landscape full of nano-black, terraforming this planet into a necris
stronghold. We stop this advance, we push them back, or we're done for.
We're
completely blacked out, and Izanagi H.Q. needs eyes for us to have a
fighting
chance in this war. Our orders are to retake this commo post, and that's
what
we're gonna do. No vehicle support, just whatever we can steal on the
battlefield."
Objectives
- You are facing a dangerous and aggressive Necris force.
- Nanoblack infected Nodes build Necris vehicles.
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Using dirty tricks like that, you can beat the level with minimal skill.
If
you prefer to be defensive, you can use the Sniper Rifle to kill the
infantry
and the Avril to kill vehicles while your team whittles away at the blue
core,
but then your allies have to carry your slack on offense. You can also be
the
orb runner yourself, although that just puts more pressure and
responsibility
on you - The best balance seems to be letting your allies do what they
want
and spending your efforts securing the Air Node to tip the balance in
your
favor. You really don't have to engage in much combat to do this. Just
hoverboard over to the Air Node and use the jump pad. If there is someone
up
there, either kill them or ignore them and attack the node. If you die,
repeat. Eventually they will leave it undefended and you can take it
without a
fight. Afterwards, use the jump pad up top to launch yourself within
jumping
distance of the prime node to initiate your assault on that. The same
applies
here: Either kill the guards yourself or let your bots do it, either way,
you'll eventually destroy the node without much fighting and score some
points
on the core.
Map Details
Downtown Tokaido, Kimpu Market District
Life in Tokaido relies heavily on the infrastructure of the Kimpu Market
District. People purchase food there, shop, gather for social occasions,
and
even buy their fuel in this one centralized location. In a surprise move,
a
terrorist cell has invaded the Market, scared off the locals, and shut
down
all business in and out of the district.
Briefing
"When the necris infected Taryd, they didn't draw the line between
military
and civilian targets. All the corporations are scrambling to defend their
home
colonies. The necris have Izanagi's Kimpu market district under siege and
have
imposed martial law. This is exactly why we signed up, Ronin."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access your enemy's Core.
- Control Support Nodes to unlock mobile laser turrets.
- Use the mobile turrets to protect the Prime Node.
- Short Circuit the enemy Core's coolant system by controlling both
Support
Nodes simultaneously.
- An overheated Core raises into the open air and is vulnerable to turret
fire.
Map Details
Tokaido, Shangri La sector
The springtime blossoms of the Shangri La sector are universally renowned
for
their beauty and serenity. But the district sits along the northern shore
of
Tokaido, and the locals are forced to retreat into the sweltering heat of
the
underground mines to avoid the fierce cold snaps that leave the grounds
largely abandoned during winter months.
Briefing
"When the necris infected Taryd, they didn't draw the line between
military
and civilian targets. All the corporations are scrambling to defend their
home
colonies. This is exactly why we signed up, Ronin."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- UDamage powerup is located in the central courtyard.
To some extent it's a matter of reflexes over strategy & tactics. I only
won
by 3 points and I got at least that many 'twitch points' which might have
otherwise gone to the enemy. I also got 5 points from a perfectly
executed
ambush that killed their entire team near the end of the match.
Curiously,
there was an 'extra' bot present in this mission and I ended up fighting
Kregore who had apparently allied himself with the Necris.
Map Details
Tokaido
The Mitzushi Gardens were once a quiet retreat for the Tokaido citizenry,
a
tranquil place designed to help focus the senses and relax the mind. But
this
peaceful climate changed when the Necris invaded. Dark seemingly sentient
clouds hover in the air, nanoblack poisons the water, and strange
tentacles
are actually growing out of the buildings.
Briefing
"The mitsushi gardens were a place of beauty and peace. Now they're a
vector
for the infection spreading across Tokaido City. HQ is finally giving us
some
credit, and they've specially requested Ronin to handle this one."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Powerful pickups are located underneath the lower waterfall.
- Access caves to escape larger vehicles in the battlefield.
I didn't have much luck exiting out the east side of their base. Even if
I
entered that way, they always had men spawning or garrisoned up above who
would drop down and attack me on my way out. They have a Nemesis which
spawns
there, which doesn't help, and it's in Range of their Dark Walker as
well.
Assuming you can make it past the perimeter, there are a series of caves
you
can enter which link together and take you all the way back into friendly
territory. There is also an open field where you can sometimes run into a
friendly Goliath who will cover your retreat.
I had better luck with the west side though. I usually had time to get on
my
hoverboard before the defenders caught up with me, and the times that
they did
it was usually a Scavenger from Midfield who turned around to head me
off. The
hardest part of the run is double-jumping between the beams in the water
mill,
but after that you're home free.
You can also support your allies on their flag runs. The enemy will
frequently
abandon their vehicles out in front of your base, in decent health, and
can be
freely hijacked. A Nemesis and a Goliath can guarantee safe passage for a
withdrawing flag carrier. Even if the flag carrier dies, you can finish
off
the attackers and resume his run unopposed. It's more a matter of time
than
difficulty, so relax and try to be patient with the enemy vehicles focus-
firing on you.
Map Details
Oxida Nova border territories
Suspense is the only bridge across the Alluvion strong enough to support
the
weight of heavy combat vehicles. Without the bridge, it would take Axon
forces
several days to respond to any battles across of the river. As such, it
is
always under guard by an Axon mechanized division, with military
checkpoints
at each end.
Briefing
"We need to clear the military checkpoints at each end of this bridge.
Izanagi
recon took the southern point, and they called us to take the more
heavily
guarded northern point. So we'll sortie from the south to attack their
respawner. We will have vehicle support. Bishop, the central bridge
towers
should make great sniper nests. Don't forget a longbow to take out enemy
armor. Recon team also found a path under the bridge, so keep that in
mind as
our number-two option."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The towers of the bridge are ideal sniping positions.
- There is a Redeemer on the lower path, under the bridge.
Map Details
The Onyx Coast
The biting cold and fierce wind of northern Taryd has transformed the
landscape into a freezing wasteland, but the Axon have turned the sharp
obsidian talons and sub-zero temperatures of this region to their
advantage.
They've established several military installations along the coast that
can be
used for training and storage purposes.
Briefing
"Intel reports that Loque captured an Axon military base on the Onyx
Coast.
Perfect opportunity to put this Leviathan to good use. In the security
facility there's a heavily defended node that controls the central
bridge. If
we can hold that long enough to get the Leviathan across, we can bring
all
that firepower right into their kitchen."
Objectives
- Drive the Leviathan into enemy territory and take control of the
battlefield.
- Control the Bridge Node to provide your Leviathan access to the enemy
Core.
- The enemy Core is reinforced by a modulated nanoblack barrier.
Your best bet is to get an early start out on the nodes. One of your bots
will
probably grab the orb and head to your prime node. If they don't you
should do
so. The other bots will probably climb in the Leviathan and drive it out
to
the middle of the battlefield. It's up to you whether you go with the Orb
carrier or the Leviathan crew.
If you're on the orb crew, you'll want to take the prime node first. Your
orb
will respawn at that node, and you'll be in good position to charge the
enemy
prime node. Most of the fighting takes place between those two nodes.
Once you
take the enemy prime node you can take your orb up and use it to shield
the
node. The bots will use the jump pad to reach you, and you can get easy
head-
shots when they line up with your scope. You can also jump off the node
you
are shielding to make them think it's safe for them to take it. When they
start moving predictably, shoot them and destroy their orb, then climb
back up
and get yours. You can also leave the orb business to your bots and go
sneak
onto the bridge node via the ramp on the far west side of the field, but
this
node is so vulnerable it's more of an afterthought. The downside of
joining
the orb crew is that your leviathan crew probably won't make it across
the
bridge without your help.
If you join the leviathan crew, you'll want to edge cautiously out into
the
clearing. The enemy bots will focus all of their fire on you and despite
having tons of hit points, you'll die fast. The idea in this case is to
nose
the leviathan out so that it's behind *some* cover while you shoot at the
enemy prime node through the embrasure. You can target and destroy any of
the
nodes from the clearing, and that kind of suppressive fire should allow
your
bots free reign to capture the nodes. Once you have all the nodes, you're
supposed to drive the leviathan across the bridge and use it to attack
the
enemy core. The downside of joining the leviathan crew is that the
enemies
focus-fire on you, and there's a good chance you'll be wasting a
leviathan
before it reaches the other side of the bridge.
Ideally you would join the orb crew at the beginning to secure the nodes
and
then quickly transition over to the leviathan crew to pilot it across.
This is
easier said than done, and it turns out you're better off playing the orb
game
and only using the Leviathan as a battering ram to keep (or get) the
nodes
under control. This is counter-intuitive since you're doing basically the
opposite of what you should be doing, but it's really the only way to
make
most of the two halves you've been given. I had a bad time on this level
since
my bots surrendered at the end, leaving me fighting the enemy team
literally
by myself. I almost lost as a result, but I managed to use the leviathan
to
destroy all three blue nodes and get an orb to one of mine. Attrition
wore
them out just a little faster (since they had no nodes, and I had 1).
On the easier difficulties you can pilot the Leviathan without any such
problems.
Briefing
"The necris found Axon's stealth research facility and want to shut it
down.
For once we've got fire support. Izanagi navy has the area under constant
bombardment, but the necris are using the facility's anti-air defenses to
hold
off the attack. They want Ronin to sneak in and disable those defense
cannons
so the navy can do it's job. Axon loaned us a prototype 'stealth bender'
vehicle -strictly off the record- to get us inside."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes and access the infected Core.
Map Details
The Onyx Coast
Necris troops flood down to Taryd every day through a massive Orbital
Jumpgate. They've begun the process of terraforming the once barren lands
of
northern Taryd into a Necris stronghold. Strange structures are literally
growing out of the snow, and nanoblack is pouring down from orbit to
infect
and change the landscape.
Briefing
"Alright listen up. We're winning this war Ronin. We've pushed the necris
back
to their ingress- that huge infection tube in the mountains. It connects
to
their orbital platform and a jumpgate to Omicron 6. Our dearest friend,
the
high inquisitor Akasha, recalled all teams for a delaying action while
*she*
heads home. Heh. Not on our watch. We're gonna break-ranks and take out
their
core before that bitch bugs out on us."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Nodes inside the cavern are crucial to controlling the battlefield.
- Simultaneously control both Cave Nodes to summon an infection tube that
drains the Enemy Prime Node.
- A shaped charge is available in emergency situations.
- Use the shaped charge to release an avalanche that buries enemies and
unlocks your Prime Node.
Chances are your allies will grab the orb. It doesn't really matter this
time.
They will take it to your prime node, and the enemy will do the same at
theirs. Then the two will begin fighting over the center node, and since
the
enemy out guns you they will probably win. They may even push north with
their
orb and take your prime node. None of this really matters. What you have
to
do - and quickly - is take the manta out to the support nodes and claim
them
for your team. Both of them. You might face some resistance from another
enemy
who is trying the same thing. It's important that you defeat them, and
secure
both nodes.
Aside from giving your team access to a Goliath and a Dark Walker, this
also
damages the enemy prime node over time. Even if the enemy pushes all the
way
north in position to attack your core, the support nodes will destroy his
prime node, and that will cascade back up north, releasing your prime
node and
the middle node as well. If you play your cards right, you can take the
Goliath (or the Dark Walker) to the middle node and secure that one as
well.
If not, you have to hold the support nodes. This can be difficult, but
once
the enemy prime node falls, they will lose the center node and shift
their
focus back to their prime node, allowing you an opportunity to re-
establish
control of the support nodes.
Once you've got the support nodes and the center node, the enemy will
struggle
to get back on it's feet by shielding their prime node with the orb
carrier
while they rebuild and then push north into the center node. They will
also
send units west to take the tank node. Your allies will blindly charge
into
the enemy prime node to no avail. The constant attack does a reasonably
good
job of keeping them from taking the middle node, but the support nodes
are the
key to this map and they are both left undefended. This means your job is
to
fortify and maintain control of the support nodes. The east node can only
be
reached by passing the center node, and the bots usually get distracted
or
killed there. The west node, however, has an alternate entrance and a
'secret
tunnel' which the enemy will send their orb carrier through. The latter
is
nothing special, just a crystal tunnel that loops back behind their prime
node. The former, however, is our garrison.
The second tunnel to the west (Between the main tunnel and the crystal
cave)
has a clear shot at the enemy prime node. You can use the Goliath tank
here to
shoot down the tunnel and into the archway. This not only hits the prime
node
and damages it significantly, it also kills whoever was constructing it.
You
can easily get mega kills here, and this junction also allows you to
head-off
their orb carrier. Moreover, if they try to use the secret tunnel, you
can
rotate your turret and kill them with splash damage before they reach the
western node. This effectively shuts down their construction efforts, but
you
have to make sure you stay back far enough that they don't destroy your
tank.
Map Details
In orbit above Taryd
Izanagi's Orbital Jumpgate technology forever changed the face of
interstellar
life. Now, the constant traffic of trade, transport, and vacationing
tourists
requires the support of small orbital stations, such as this one, on the
leading edge of every Jumpgate throughout the galaxy.
Briefing
"We won the battle, but Akasha slipped through the gate and the necris
are
shutting it down. N.E.G. battle-cruisers are inbound to enforce the
cease-
fire, so we've only got a few minutes before this war 'officially' ends.
But
unofficially, this shit 'aint over until *I* say it's over. We are taking
over
this station, hijacking a ship, and going through that jump-gate to find
Akasha."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Access the laser turret by teleporting to the orbiting shuttlecraft.
- Erratic shifts in gravity are common in this region of space.
A few minutes into the match (or maybe when Reaper suffers his first
death) he
will say 'We need someone on that turret!', Jester insinuates that Bishop
should take care of it, and Bishop consents to do so. He'll then run to
the
teleporter and get in the turret. The turret itself is vulnerable from
attackers entering through the portal, so you'll want to follow Bishop.
The
first mean trick you can do, obviously, is to use the turret yourself,
which I
highly suggest after Bishop is ejected. The second trick is to stand on
the
inside of the portal with the Impact Hammer - an old trick. Anyone who
enters
is instantly hole-punched. This provides excellent protection for Bishop
while
he mans the turret and is also disturbingly funny.
Briefing
"Akasha bugged out planet-side and our ship wasn't made for landing in
atmosphere. If we're gonna get this bucket down in one piece, we need
more
power-cells to boost the shields. We've been disavowed by the Izanagi and
we're already breaking every law in the books. S'hell, we might as well
stop
here and steal a few cells for the ship. I wouldn't be surprised if
Loque's
waiting for us -with a death squad- so be ready.
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Use caution while crossing bridges. They offer only limited protection.
On my run, my first capture came from picking up the flag after Othello
dropped it on the bridge, and my second came from the reverse. My third
capture was a complete run. I was being shot at up until the bridge, when
the
firing ceased. The bots are helpful, and they spend a lot of time
fighting on
the bridges, so once you make it to the bridge you've still got a chance
of
completing the capture even if you die.
Map Details
Omicron 6, Acidus desert
The nomadic peoples of the Acidus Desert used to consider these lands an
oasis. After the Great Awakening, Necris moved into the region and began
to
convert the area and its people. It now sits abandoned, the landscape
forever
changed.
Briefing
"Our plans for a covert insertion went up in flames the same time our
ship
did. They probably saw that contrail a hundred miles away. We can expect
necris scouts at the crash site any minute, but there's a huge sandstorm
on
the way that should cover our movement."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Use the cover provided by sandstorms to mask your attempts at FLaG
recovery.
You can use the Darkwalker and Nemesis to great effect on this level,
keeping
them pinned in their base and pre-emptively destroying their vehicles
from up
near the ruins. Unfortunately all this does is allow your bots to get
*to* the
flag so the enemy infantry can kill them. On easy\normal, where the bots
are
less perfect, you can use the Fury to fly over the wall and destroy their
Nemesis, Fury, and Dark Walker before anyone even gets inside them - but
on
Hard\Insane they will shoot you out of the sky too quickly to justify
that
approach. Even on Easy\Normal, it's a useful tactic but the bots still
can't
secure any points for you so you'll have to get out at some point.
Frontal assaults simply do not work. Again, the Dark Walker and Nemesis
will
kill you instantly if you peek around the wrong corner and they are
designated
to the main road. The only option that works is to fly over the wall and
attack from behind. There are three ways to do this. On the inside of the
big
archway at the center of the level, there is a lift which will take you
up on
top of the wall. From there, you can go to the far end and jump off onto
the
stone buildings inside the blue base, and then to the ground. I don't
recommend this. You have to expose yourself to hostile fire, it takes too
long
to get there, and you'll sustain damage doing so. The second is to fly
over
the wall directly with the fury and land it behind the blue flag building
and
the third is to use the Scavenger or Viper to jump up the ridges on the
divider. Of the latter three, the Scavenger is the least viable. It takes
longer to jump over the divider and is less survivable than the Fury. The
best
option is to either use the Viper to jump onto the divider and then down
behind the enemy flag building, or fly over it with the Fury. The Viper
seems
a little bit faster and easier to use sneakily, but it's easier to defend
yourself with the Fury.
You'll want to stop on the wall for a while before actually jumping down.
Watch the enemy Dark Walker and Nemesis. You don't want to jump down when
they
are in the blue base, so wait until they drive into the archway to attack
your
base. Once they are gone, they won't be able to shoot you when you grab
the
flag. When you actually do jump down, kill anyone near the flag by
shooting
them with the Fury or running into them with the Viper. There is usually
one
person with the rocket launcher standing near the flag. If you don't kill
them, they will become a problem later in the run. When you kill them,
they
will respawn somewhere else, hopefully too far away to catch up with you.
Grab the flag and - if you survive the massive wave of plasma that flies
at
you - hit the jump pad just slightly to the northeast of the flag. This
will
propel you up onto the upper level of the ruins, which has a long catwalk
to
some health. Don't use your hoverboard yet. Just run\dodge until you make
it
to the ramp, then pull out your hoverboard and hit the ramp, jump at the
top
of the ramp so you'll clear the gap, and put away your hoverboard in the
air.
The momentum should put you down on the other side, where you can
continue
your run. If you didn't kill the defender earlier, he'll cut you off
here,
along with any other infantry who's attention you've grabbed. Kill them
if you
can. Sometimes you get here before they do, and have time to pull out
your
hoverboard again to reach the archway. Otherwise just run serpentine.
Backwards if you have to.
Unfortunately this is a gamble no matter what you do. If your team mates
love
you, then the archway is clear and the cavalry will show their affection
by
melting the enemy's face. If they don't, then you'll round this corner
and
find yourself staring down the barrel of a Dark Walker\Nemesis' Turret.
Sometimes it's a scavenger. If it's a scavenger, shoot it with the
minigun
until the pilot ejects and then shoot him with the minigun until his
pilot
ejects, etc. We use the minigun because it's more reliable damage than
the
rocket launcher- and you need all the insurance you can get to maximize
the
'chance' that you'll succeed.
If you die in the tunnel, you *may* get lucky enough that one of your
bots
will arrive and take the flag before the enemy can return it. Even if
everything goes right, it can all vanish suddenly with a laser blast from
the
sky at the base of the red flag post when the enemy fury pilot comes to
steal
your flag. If you do manage to get one capture, switch all of your
efforts to
securing the tunnel. The enemy can't return the flag without passing
through
here, and you're better defended here than you would be elsewhere. It's
much,
much easier to defend than attack so it shouldn't be a problem to hold
the
flag until the timer runs out. In fact, by the time you succeed in
capturing
the flag, you'll probably already be in overtime.
If you're playing multiplayer you can have your friend pilot the Fury
while
you leap the wall with the Viper. Grab the flag, and then grapple the
fury for
a quick extraction.
Map Details
Omicron 6, Isle of Babel
The Isle of Babel is a religious sanctuary for the Necris, a place where
they
can commune with the very essence of their being, and create a personal
connection to the nanoblack coursing through their veins.
Briefing
"Akasha's been abandoned by the Phayder corporation *and* the military,
so now
she wants sanctuary from the church. The necris Scylla didn't fall for
her
deathbed conversion so they sent her to Babel to focus the spires and
*prove*
her faith. Instead, she barricaded herself in the sacred temple grounds
and
she's waiting for us. Time to show the necris her true colors."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Glowing spires alert you to the presence of a Redeemer on the distant
platform.
Map Details
Briefing
"Akasha's last hope for sanctuary was here, on the island of the prophet,
but
when she got here the entire island was deserted. Sounds like she's
cracking
up, but don't underestimate her. I bet she's got a few last tricks up her
sleeve."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
Map Details
Omicron 6, downtown Absalom
Absalom is the capital city on Omicron. It also serves as the center of
religious faith for the Necris. Despite a very shallow pretense to the
contrary, the Necris have slowly taken over control of the government,
and it
is predicted that within the next century every living soul on Omicron
will
have undergone the Necris conversion.
Briefing
"After losing the war, Akasha is about as popular here as we are.
Malcolm's
getting intel through a secret informant - probably a leak in the Phayder
corporation. Akasha is hiding in the city of Absalom, surrounding herself
with
her last loyal crew of blackguard assassins. Lets see if they're willing
to
die for her."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker near the central aqueduct is available to both teams.
- Shoot the lights to call a wave of flames that consumes enemies near
power
ups.
There is a dark walker in the middle of the map (on the east side) which
can
be used by anyone. You can actually march it north along the east wall
and
into the enemy's flag room. In fact, you can climb up the lower ledge and
stand -on top- of their flag. It's amusing throwing the flag defender off
the
cliff with the horn, but not very useful. On the lower difficulties you
can
accomplish something similar with the Nemesis to clear out their flag
room
from below, but on the higher levels it gets destroyed too quickly to
effectively pin the enemy down.
The map has quite a few opportunities for weaving between upper\lower,
left\right paths, but generally the top-center is the fastest, most
direct,
and curiously the safest route to take. I usually take the Dark Walker
into
the enemy flag room until it is nearly destroyed and then use the jump
pad,
grab their flag, run\dodge out of the room and then get on the
hoverboard.
You'll frequently run into an ally and\or the enemy flag carrier on the
long
bridge connecting the bases but most of your opposition will be behind
you or
shooting at you from below. If you've got vipers shooting at you, you can
cross over to the opposite side of the bridge and use the floor as cover.
If
you're being attacked from the bridge itself though, you'd be better off
dodging on foot than to risk dropping the flag at this point in the
extraction. Hopefully you'll have gained enough of a head-start to reach
the
red base. If there are bots on the far end, you can kill them with the
link
gun or sniper rifle. For some reason they don't dodge intelligently from
that
far away. You can use this fact defensively as well. There is also health
inside the buildings on the far end.
Beating this level unlocks the Instagib Card. The card must be played
immediately if at all, but it's probably not a wise choice unless you are
vastly superior to the bots.
Briefing
"She's running out of places to hide. Akasha and her last few Dark
Phalanx
blades are entrenched in the underbelly of old Absalom. The necris are
letting
us fight it out for now, but keep your eyes peeled for new combatants."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- More powerful pickups are located deep within the city.
- Use your translocator to good advantage and avoid the lower levels
entirely.
- Interrupt enemy defenses by firing through the nanoblack shield that
separates the FLaG chambers.
Jester successfully captured the flag while I was off goofing around with
Akasha. She makes it pretty far on her own, so if you assist her you can
complete any captures she fails. Once you learn the route you can make a
pretty quick run yourself while the others guard your back. The enemy
managed
to get one capture when I was up by two, but the third capture was no
harder
than the second.
Obviously the quickest way down is to fall, but you can throw your
translocator to ground level as long as you're not carrying a flag. You
can
fall down\translocate up in increments. The elevators will also provide a
quick way to the upper levels. I prefer the elevators. They seem to be
both
faster and easier. I imagine the bots don't use them because of pathing
issues
and their unreliability as a primary means of transportation. Especially
in
large numbers. For once, this gives you an advantage for being human.
Map Details
Omicron 6, beneath Absalom
The Necris don't build new cities, they grow them out of, on top of, and
often
directly through existing architecture. The deepest sublevels of Old
Absalom
are dank and corrupted, held together only by the intricate network of
infection tubes that pump nanoblack through the walls like a circulatory
system.
Briefing
"Akasha is moving deeper under the city, hoping her power grid will go
unnoticed by the sentient nano-black and Absalom. If we can capture the
central node, we'll let the nano-black infect her core, disabling her
grid
without having to fight past her defenses. This is her last spawner. If
we can
disable it, we put her down. Permanently. Then we start thinking about
how the
hell we're gonna get home."
Objectives
- Link through the Center Node to access the enemy Core.
- Control the Floodgate Node to re-route a nanoblack wash and damage the
enemy
Core.
The rest of the time you'll want to be fighting for control of the flood
node.
Basically, you want to use your soldiers and the center node as a buffer.
When
the buffer is gone and you're fighting for control of your prime node,
you
want to push the enemy back to -their- prime node (to reduce the time you
spend running back and forth) and then go back to the floodgate. If you
can
get a handle on both the floodgate and the enemy prime node, then you
should
have no problem beating the rest of the level.
Briefing
"Akasha's been using this area as a safe-house. Hiding from us, the
necris
priests, even the phayder who sent her to Taryd in the first place. Now
she's
trapped. No support, no hope of escape. This is where it ends."
Objectives
- Kill Akasha.
First of all, trying to beat the map legitimately requires some degree of
reflex and accuracy. There is no piece of advice I can give you that will
allow you to quickly nail Akasha as she rounds a corner, or accurately
arc
your shots through windows and down stairs. However, there are several
things
you can do which will help ease the requirements on 'raw skill.'
The shield belt and the UDamage are the most important powerups to keep
tabs
on. The health is the third, because you will be returning there
frequently.
Throughout most of the map, the best weapon to use is the Bio Rifle. If
Akasha
is far enough away to justify the shock\sniper rifles you should probably
duck
into a hallway because she is already thinking the same thing. If she is
within range of the Minigun\Link Gun, Rocket Launcher she'll be throwing
shock
combos, and if she's close enough for the Flak Cannon it begs the
question how
she got that way and chances are she will switch to it and kill you in
one
fluid motion even if you do manage to hit her. Using the Bio Rifle allows
you
to respond to sudden threats while encouraging you to avoid
disadvantageous
encounters. It also has a few unique properties: It's alt fire can kill
Akasha
even if she has the shield. The bots do not know how to anticipate the
release
of the charge. The bots do not intelligently navigate around the goo, it
allows you to attack around corners and secure hallways while you
retreat, it
can still damage them after you've died, and ammo for the Bio Rifle
spawns all
over the map.
Akasha will go for the Shock Rifle - it's her favorite weapon - and she
will
spend most of her time using it. She will jump down from the shock rifle
perch
onto the bridge and get the shield belt. From there, she will go up the
ramp,
drop down behind it and crawl under to get the UDamage. She'll come out,
hit
the jump pad and grab the rocket launcher, and then continue along the
back to
get the Body Armor. Her next goal is the health vials down below - and
she
always comes from the trench and then takes the elevator up to the top.
She
may stop by and grab the Flak Cannon and Sniper Rifles along the way. She
also
takes that tunnel on her way to the Body Armor. Sometimes she will run
through
the trench and up the stairs to reach the shield belt - it depends on
where
she was in the level when she got the notice of it's impending spawn. All
of
this means she is almost certain to be somewhere in the triangle of the
Shield, the Shock, and the UDamage. If she's not, then she is almost
certainly
on the 'inside' between the Armor and the Health Vials.
The shield is a bad place to ambush her. She will shoot at you from the
shock
rifle window, the UDamage, or the stairs. In any of those cases you are
more
exposed than she is. If the UDamage is available, she -will- try to get
it.
There is only one way in, and she has to literally crawl through the mud
and
into a cage to reach it. This is a hilariously perfect time to kill her -
either from the front or from the back with rocket-splash. The
Armor\Vials\Health\Shock are the places you will fight her most of the
time.
In general you want to fire and retreat while you charge up another shot.
This
minimizes her opportunities to shoot at you and maximizes the amount of
potential damage you deal per shot. If you hit her, she will probably
die, and
even if you miss you may still damage her. At the very least you won't
die as
often. Using this strategy I beat her 17-13 when time ran out and only 2
of
those were 'skill' shots.
Now, for those of you who are simply frustrated and want to beat the
level by
any means necessary there are a few exploits you can use in order of
least-
cheap.
1. Retreat: The match has a time limit. Simply run away, collect the
powerups
and evade her until the time is almost up. Kill her only when necessary
to
avoid dying yourself.
2. Deceive: Allow Akasha to kill you 14-16 times. The game will lower her
skill. It won't start raising again until you tie her score, but by then
it
will be too late.
3. Hide: There is a platform outside of the shock rifle window. If you
crouch
behind the pillar she won't be able to see you except from down below.
Reposition as necessary.
4. Trap: Using #3, charge the bio rifle and release it on the health
vials,
the shock rifle, or the shield belt. Akasha will stupidly walk through
the
slime and kill herself.
5. Suicide: Kill Akasha at least twice, then kill yourself. Force respawn
is
off on this mission, and Akasha cannot kill you if you don't respawn.
Just
wait for the time to run out.
Map Details
Omicron 6, downtown Absalom
The secretive Phayder corporation has begun researching new applications
of
their nanoblack technologies. Some research has made significant
progress,
particularly in the field of battle armor and personal protection. Vaults
such
as this one serve as a testament to the dedicated research of this
groundbreaking technology.
Briefing
"Akasha went to Phayder headquarters to steal the Invulnerability
prototype.
This thing covers the body in a modulated nano-black shield that absorbs
any
attack - which is the last thing *she* needs if we're gonna stop her. So
lets
follow her into the vault and beat her to it."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- An Invulnerability powerup is located in the direct center of the
facility.
Map Details
Briefing
"Akasha's last hope for sanctuary was here, on the island of the prophet,
but
when she got here the entire island was deserted. Sounds like she's
cracking
up, but don't underestimate her. I bet she's got a few last tricks up her
sleeve."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
Map Details
Omicron 6, Isle of Babel
The Isle of Babel is a religious sanctuary for the Necris, a place where
they
can commune with the very essence of their being, and create a personal
connection to the nanoblack coursing through their veins.
Briefing
"Akasha's been abandoned by the Phayder corporation *and* the military,
so now
she wants sanctuary from the church. The necris Schala didn't fall for
her
deathbed conversion so they sent her to Babel to focus the spires and
*prove*
her faith. Instead, she barricaded herself in the sacred temple grounds
and
she's waiting for us. Time to show the necris her true colors."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Glowing spires alert you to the presence of a Redeemer on the distant
platform.
Map Details
The Onyx Coast
No one is quite sure how many hidden facilities the Axon actually have
buried
in the Onyx snow. This one was discovered when an Izanagi expedition
noted
trace amounts of Tarydium during a survey operation. Investigation
revealed
this storage facility where the Axon had been stockpiling massive amounts
of
Tarydium reserves.
Briefing
"Izanagi forces tracked a pair of necris assassins to a tarydium storage
facility. Apparently the reps at HQ are scared shitless and they want
Ronin to
move in. We've clearly got bigger fish to fry, but lets keep following
orders
for now."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris assassins are highly trained and very aggressive.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Downtown Oxida Nova is a busy hub for Axon colonists. The area is
surrounded
by tall buildings, including the central rail station, employment
offices, and
shopping centers that are designed to resemble those back home on Earth.
Briefing
"When the necris infected Taryd, they didn't draw the line between
military
and civilian targets. All the corporations are scrambling to defend their
home
colonies. The necris have Izanagi's Kimpu market district under siege and
have
imposed martial law. This is exactly why we signed up, Ronin."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- The tight corridors of the lower level are very dangerous.
- More powerful items can be found in the center's upper levels.
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"With three corporations at each other’s throats, the Torlan Delta's in
chaos.
Krall forces are swarming the central Torlan gorge, looking to take
advantage.
All we've got is a forward observation post at the border. The outlying
nodes
will give us more vehicles, but intel says they're already corrupted by
the
necris. The Torlan Delta's about as strategic as it gets, so this isn't
optional. We have to push out the Krall if we're gonna win this war."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
- Necris forces will vastly outnumber Ronin in this battle.
- Infected Nodes will only spawn Necris vehicles.
You have some good options to accomplish this. About 2 minutes into the
game,
the Redeemer will spawn on top of the central tower. You can reach it
with the
raptor. You'll want to stand on the edge, aim carefully at their prime
node,
and use the primary fire. If you try to use the alt fire, the bots will
shoot
it out of the sky with their incredible aim because they mistakenly think
the
missile is you. Which it technically is. Anyway, the missile will take a
while
to reach the node, so you'll have to make this a priority if you plan to
do it
at all. If the enemy destroys your prime node while the missile is in
transit,
you've wasted it *and* lost your foothold. Another option is to fly your
manta
into the enemy prime node building and turn around. The enemy has a
harder-
than-normal time getting to you here, and you can dish out a lot of
damage
quickly. The raptor can shoot at it from the skies from quite a distance,
and
most long-ranged weapons (such as the shock rifle) can be used from the
cover
of the mountainside. The best option, though, is to pre-empt their orb
carrier.
If you find yourself with extra time and the prime node under your
control,
you'll want to use it to solidify your hold rather than push into the
enemy
core. The reason is that the enemy will almost certainly eject any 'fell
swoop' attempts at destroying the core, and if they do, they'll have
successfully dismantled your entire operation when they take back the
prime
node. If you have the support nodes on the other hand, they'll have to
contend
with a lot more vehicles spawning closer to their base and your bots may
even
be able to reclaim the node by themselves. The most important support
node is
the one in the center. It spawns a Goliath on the bridge, and moves the
red
team (and Orb) spawn point closer to the enemy prime node. The side nodes
provide artillery, which can be used to keep the prime node suppressed.
The
corner nodes spawn Goliaths\Dark Walkers. Keeping the enemy prime node
suppressed denies them access to Dark Walkers and the value of this
cannot be
understated.
Solidifying your hold can be done very quickly by taking a manta around
to
activate all the neutral nodes. They will construct themselves while
you're in
transit to the next one. The enemy will probably have at least one
support
node on their side. Destroying and reclaiming an enemy node takes as much
time
as driving between all the neutral nodes, so don't try to do that *and*
claim
the neutral nodes at the same time, just save it for later, maybe with a
redeemer.
Other than that, you'll want to attack and defend the enemy prime node.
If
it's being attacked from the air, hide under the roof and heal it with
the
link gun. If the orb carrier is incoming, shoot him with the laser turret
or
spam him when he runs predictably toward the node. Destroy the orb if it
gets
close. Let your bots fight the enemy outside, and just focus on keeping
the
node intact as long as possible. If your allies punch through the defense
and
damage the core, great. Otherwise, hold it as long as you can. After you
lose
it, you have time to run and do something else briefly (such as get the
redeemer, activate a neutral node, destroy an enemy support node) before
you're needed back on the battlefront. Just don't allow the enemy orb
carrier
to reach your prime node.
Even knowing all this, the mission may still be difficult.
Map Details
Tokaido
The Mitzushi Gardens were once a quiet retreat for the Tokaido citizenry,
a
tranquil place designed to help focus the senses and relax the mind. But
this
peaceful climate changed when the Necris invaded. Dark seemingly sentient
clouds hover in the air, nanoblack poisons the water, and strange
tentacles
are actually growing out of the buildings.
Briefing
"The mitsushi gardens were a place of beauty and peace. Now they're a
vector
for the infection spreading across Tokaido City. HQ is finally giving us
some
credit, and they've specially requested Ronin to handle this one."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Powerful pickups are located underneath the lower waterfall.
- Access caves to escape larger vehicles in the battlefield.
While I haven't played this one 4vs4, I did play it 4vs6. In that case, I
didn't have much luck exiting out the east side of their base. Even if I
entered that way, they always had men spawning or garrisoned up above who
would drop down and attack me on my way out. They have a Nemesis which
spawns
there, which doesn't help, and it's in Range of their Dark Walker as
well.
Assuming you can make it past the perimeter, there are a series of caves
you
can enter which link together and take you all the way back into friendly
territory. There is also an open field where you can sometimes run into a
friendly Goliath who will cover your retreat.
I had better luck with the west side though. I usually had time to get on
my
hoverboard before the defenders caught up with me, and the times that
they did
it was usually a Scavenger from Midfield who turned around to head me
off. The
hardest part of the run is double-jumping between the beams in the water
mill,
but after that you're home free. If I can score captures that way against
six
bots, I can't imagine it being much harder with two less.
You can also support your allies on their flag runs. The enemy will
frequently
abandon their vehicles out in front of your base, in decent health, and
can be
freely hijacked. A Nemesis and a Goliath can guarantee safe passage for a
withdrawing flag carrier. Even if the flag carrier dies, you can finish
off
the attackers and resume his run unopposed. It's more a matter of time
than
difficulty, so relax and try to be patient with the enemy vehicles focus-
firing on you.
Map Details
Oxida Nova border territories
Suspense is the only bridge across the Alluvion strong enough to support
the
weight of heavy combat vehicles. Without the bridge, it would take Axon
forces
several days to respond to any battles across of the river. As such, it
is
always under guard by an Axon mechanized division, with military
checkpoints
at each end.
Briefing
"We need to clear the military checkpoints at each end of this bridge.
Izanagi
recon took the southern point, and they called us to take the more
heavily
guarded northern point. So we'll sortie from the south to attack their
respawner. We will have vehicle support. Bishop, the central bridge
towers
should make great sniper nests. Don't forget a longbow to take out enemy
armor. Recon team also found a path under the bridge, so keep that in
mind as
our number-two option."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The towers of the bridge are ideal sniping positions.
- There is a Redeemer on the lower path, under the bridge.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Downtown Oxida Nova is a busy hub for Axon colonists. The area is
surrounded
by tall buildings, including the central rail station, employment
offices, and
shopping centers that are designed to resemble those back home on Earth.
Briefing
"When the necris infected Taryd, they didn't draw the line between
military
and civilian targets. All the corporations are scrambling to defend their
home
colonies. The necris have Izanagi's Kimpu market district under siege and
have
imposed martial law. This is exactly why we signed up, Ronin."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- The tight corridors of the lower level are very dangerous.
- More powerful items can be found in the center's upper levels.
Map Details
Tokaido, Shangri La sector
The springtime blossoms of the Shangri La sector are universally renowned
for
their beauty and serenity. But the district sits along the northern shore
of
Tokaido, and the locals are forced to retreat into the sweltering heat of
the
underground mines to avoid the fierce cold snaps that leave the grounds
largely abandoned during winter months.
Briefing
"When the necris infected Taryd, they didn't draw the line between
military
and civilian targets. All the corporations are scrambling to defend their
home
colonies. This is exactly why we signed up, Ronin."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- UDamage powerup is located in the central courtyard.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Liandri captured a necris 'Dark Walker' vehicle and they've hidden
it in
a well guarded research facility. Izanagi techs want that walker. Bad. If
we
steal it we could learn enough about necris technology to train our
combat
forces. That means we could hijack necris vehicles directly off the
battlefield and use the bastards' own technology against them."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker in the central chamber cannot be moved, but its powerful
weapons are available to either team.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Krall found out about the Liandri facility holding a necris dark
walker,
and they overran the defenses. The Krall could use that walker to destroy
the
facility, laying the groundwork for a full-scale invasion. If the necris
can
establish a beach-head on taryd's surface, we'll have much more to worry
about
than Krall mercenaries."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker has been released and can now roam the battlefield.
I wasn't very happy with this level. The Dark Walker in the middle is
supposed
to sway the balance of power, but if you try to pilot it, the bot->player
focus really messes things up. The heavier vehicles are not applicable
for you
to pilot because they move too slowly, the bots focus on them, and
ultimately
it just hurts you and your team. While the raptor *can* work, it's
mobility
also makes it vulnerable. It's best to just go straight for the manta.
Your
bots can't pilot those very intelligently anyway, and it's your only
realistic
chance of avoiding the borg.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"A robot army with a huge central brain has one weakness, right? If we
can
infiltrate and control the strident, we own all of Hyperion. Ronin's
taking
point on the assault. Once we give the all-clear, Izanagi techs will move
forward and hack the mainframe."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"The necris lead a full-scale invasion of Taryd and they have complete
control
of the northern onyx territories. Their infection tubes are pumping the
landscape full of nano-black, terraforming this planet into a necris
stronghold. We stop this advance, we push them back, or we're done for.
We're
completely blacked out, and Izanagi H.Q. needs eyes for us to have a
fighting
chance in this war. Our orders are to retake this commo post, and that's
what
we're gonna do. No vehicle support, just whatever we can steal on the
battlefield."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Use turrets to control the central battlefield.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Strategy & Tactics
Curiously, this mission is presented as if it were the same as Mission
025. It
even instructs you to use turrets, yet you are on the vehicle side and
have no
turrets, the Necris have not invaded, and you're fighting the Krall.
Whatever.
This map can be frustrating at first since the PowerCore is difficult to
even
find. The nodes are on your side of the map so getting the orb to them is
pretty easy. Although you really only need the prime node, you'll also
want
the Air Node, which is pretty easy to maintain control of. Just fly the
raptor
over to the enemy base and circle around the back. Their core is on
ground
level literally on the back side of their base. (Fly behind their base
and
look west.)
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Hyperion strata
Work days on Taryd are notoriously long and difficult, leaving little
time for
the mundane chores of day-to-day life. As an incentive to potential
colonists,
the Liandri Corp. offers a complimentary Mark I domestic robot to each
family
that moves to Taryd. The Carbonfire production facility even offers daily
tours and incentives to first time customers.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Trap enemies within the disposal chute, or retrieve the powerups for
your
team.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Liandri captured a necris 'Dark Walker' vehicle and they've hidden
it in
a well guarded research facility. Izanagi techs want that walker. Bad. If
we
steal it we could learn enough about necris technology to train our
combat
forces. That means we could hijack necris vehicles directly off the
battlefield and use the bastards' own technology against them."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker in the central chamber cannot be moved, but its powerful
weapons are available to either team.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"Izanagi H.Q. wants a foreward O.P. to monitor Krall activity in the
north.
They found a military comms facility on the Hyperion archipelago that's
perfect. Except for the Liandri bots stationed there. This is a covert
insertion so we'll have limited vehicle support. Shouldn't be a problem.
Their
only defenses are dismounted infantry and a few turrets."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Maintain control of this Node to shield your Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy enemy barricades.
- Watch for enemy turrets. They have a clear view of the central
battlefield.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"We've been giving the Krall a beating. They're attacking less often, but
they
seem better coordinated *and* more focused. I'd wager the necris are
pulling
in the reigns after their recent losses. They timed their move perfectly.
Just
when we attacked the Liandri and distracted them, the Krall snuck a force
into
the strident unnoticed. They put a necris virus in the system that could
lower
the sky-shield and leave us all defenseless. So let's go play doctor."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"The Krall saw the same tactical value in the slums that we did. Their
initial
wave of infantry is already in place and transport ships are in route.
That
means heavy weaponry and necris vehicles are on the way. So lets finish
this.
Quickly."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris vehicle reinforcements are already en route to Hyperion.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
It helps to tell your bots to Cover you, so that they won't be wandering
alone. They'll provide some cover for you while you ruin your circuit,
support\heal you when you get in the Dark Walker, and will be nearby to
claim
the powerups when\if it gets destroyed.
Once you get in the Dark Walker, try to stay in the corner of the main
area.
If you go further down the road in either direction it widens the turning
radius required to hit the enemies who will be attacking you from both
directions. Ideally you would position yourself where they only have one
way
to reach you, but the only place where that might be possible is on the
platform the Dark Walker spawns at, which (probably intentionally)
hinders
it's ability to fire, so that isn't very defensible or productive.
Kill as many bots as you can with the Dark Walker, and when it gets
destroyed,
try to use long distance combat to hit & run. You don't want to get
cornered
in any prolonged encounters because more enemies are always on the way. A
second Dark Walker will spawn about 2 minutes from the time the first one
was
killed. Ideally you would claim this one as well and win the level
easily, but
you can still win if the enemy gets there before you do. The invisibility
helps for taking down the Dark Walker. Just hit it with everything you've
got
as quickly as possible so that your allies will assist you in destroying
it.
If it wins that exchange, you'd be better off avoiding it for the
remainder of
the match since it's probably almost over at this point. It can't get
inside
the buildings, and any of the main weapons in the level can be used to
spam
corridors. Pull your bots up into the room near the Invisibility. The
enemy
has no way to enter except single file, on foot, through a narrow
corridor.
You don't want to remain here forever. You'll eventually run low on
health\ammo and your allies will be respawning outside and vulnerable,
giving
the enemy more kills. When the invisibility respawns, you can attempt
another
assault on the Dark Walker for it's powerups or, if you're lucky, the
enemy
may have even abandoned the Dark Walker to raid your campsite upstairs.
If
they did, you can steal it out from under them and use it against them.
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"Izanagi H.Q. wants a foreward O.P. to monitor Krall activity in the
north.
They found a military comms facility on the Hyperion archipelago that's
perfect. Except for the Liandri bots stationed there. This is a covert
insertion so we'll have limited vehicle support. Shouldn't be a problem.
Their
only defenses are dismounted infantry and a few turrets."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Maintain control of this Node to shield your Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy enemy barricades.
- Watch for enemy turrets. They have a clear view of the central
battlefield.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Izanagi satellites only recently discovered this secretive distribution
facility. Analysis of satellite images tells us that the facility is
fully
automated, and connected to a Liandri mining operation several levels
below
ground. Raw ore is transported to the surface where it's packaged and
moved
off for processing.
Briefing
"This facility is running low profile, so there's no heavy security.
Izanagi
expects us to walk in and pick up another tarydium mine for their stock-
holders. If we can capture all the nodes surrounding the mine entrance,
we'll
open the security doors, giving us access to a Circada. The cores are
vulnerable to aerial attack, so that airship would be a huge advantage."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Control Nodes on both sides of the mine entrance to open the security
doors
and access the Cicada.
- Use the shaped charge or a Redeemer to destroy barricades that block
large
vehicles.
- Use the Orb to instantly take control of a Node.
If that plan falls through, this can be a tricky mission. The enemy seems
to
want to attack with 3 and defend with 3. Since there are 6 of them, they
can
have 2 people on each path, while you have to choose a 2:1:1 ratio. Your
bots
will generally focus on the northern path, while the enemy will generally
focus on the southern path. Bishop is usually the one going after the
center
nodes, and he will eventually succeed at this, but it's not a real
substantial
gain and the circada will probably be shot down before it can destroy
either
of the enemy prime nodes. Once the enemy gets a hold of a node, it's
difficult
to uproot them from it. They'll have 3 people attacking your core and 3
people
healing the prime node. It's not pretty, and it's difficult to avoid. You
can't be everywhere at once, and the enemy's superior numbers will
inevitably
succeed wherever you aren't. The Circadas can help with this, allowing
you to
fly between the northeast\southeast prime nodes and try to keep them
pinned
down while your allies move in.
Still, this is an uphill battle. The early portions of the mission are
very
important. When a node switches teams, anyone assigned to defend it will
no
longer recognize it as a defensible location, and will shift their
attention
somewhere else. Similarly, anyone attacking the southern pass
unsuccessfully
will respawn at the northern pass where they will survive longer. As a
result
anyone from the southern pass that you uproot will naturally tend to
migrate
north. We cut them off at the southeast node, so the defenders default to
the
north node and the attackers are torn between them. Their entire army
clumps
itself together at the northeast node. What the plan above does is
exploit
their disorganization during that transition and use it to rush their
core. If
you wait at the south node, they will eventually get organized and sweep
through the north, likely destroying your core before you can destroy
theirs.
This also puts you in an uncomfortable position since leaving the
southeast
node to aid the northern front means losing the only node that allows you
to
attack the enemy core, and possibly allowing them to sweep the south too.
Take
their prime node before they have a chance to mobilize in the south, and
then
use that as a springboard to attack the enemy core while it's vulnerable.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories, Tarydium mine
Located a half-mile below the planet's surface, the Dusk mine was
established
by Liandri scientists in an experiment to test self-sufficient Automaton
management of resources. The overloaded systems often release a huge
powersurge that vents up to the surface in order to protect the volatile
Tarydium stockpiles below.
Briefing
"We've stopped the necris at every turn and it looks like they're getting
desperate for tarydium. They sent every Krall they've got into the Dusk
Mine.
They tried flooding the underground structure to trap Izanagi forces
inside.
Luckily, one of the mining tributaries collapsed, opening a back door
just big
enough for a small commando force - like us. Now lets link up with our
boys,
and clear the mine."
Objectives
- Necris forces have inflicted serious damage to your core.
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Control the Mine Node to engage the mining drones.
- The drones will automatically begin to mine and stockpile Tarydium.
- The mine overload discharges a high voltage pulse that damages the
enemy
Core.
- The East and West Tank Nodes hold important Goliath firepower.
Once everyone takes the nodes which belong to them, the enemy will send a
couple guys after the Mine node. The bulk of their forces - including
their
orb carrier - will be attacking your prime node. If you ignore the Mine
Node,
you hand it over to the enemy and effectively that gives you only 5 1/2
minutes (or so) to destroy the enemy core before the overloads destroy
yours.
The enemy can afford to position 1-3 guys on the mine node and still have
you
outnumbered at the prime node so holding the enemy prime node isn't very
plausible.
If you try to divide your forces while you focus on the mine node by
yourself,
the enemies will roll right over your forces at the prime node and
destroy
your core within ~3 minutes. You may be able to successfully hold the
Mine
node during this time, but chances are you will need to use your orb to
do so,
and that means your allies won't be able to use it to reclaim the prime
node.
Even if you successfully hold the mine node, you have to *also* hold the
prime
node.
It seems like the most likely solution would be to either A) claim the
mine
node and then shift your focus over to the prime node while the mine node
counts down. or B) Run the orb to the Mine Node, and then from there to
the
Prime Node. But either way, you need to be able to secure both in order
to
stand a chance and you can't do that while you're defending the mine
node. I
was able to get the enemy core to 40% by shielding the mine node, but it
took
the enemy no effort to take 70% off my core. If you're lucky your allies
might
be able to hold out an extra two minutes. I didn't have any luck
reclaiming
the prime node after the enemy had taken it. I strongly suggest playing
either
the Tactical Diversion or Iron Guard Reinforcements card to even the
odds.
Map Details
Hyperion Strata, Coret Acquisition Center
Prior to the war, the Coret Acquisition Center was a major social hub for
all
of Taryd's colonists. Since the fighting started, however, the militia is
enforcing a strict curfew, and the facility empties out as the sun goes
down.
Briefing
"We were sent here to meet a Liandri informant with sensitive data about
something called: 'The Strident.' Something tipped off the Liandri and
now
we're doing this the loud way. Jester: Find that informant. Stay in close
radio contact. We'll keep Liandri security busy for you."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- A UDamage powerup is located on the bridge spanning the central
chamber.
Unless you can waltz in and waltz back out, the best bet seems to be
assists.
When your allies leave with the flag, the enemy will rush out to kill
them,
leaving the base undefended. You can follow your allies to provide cover
fire,
or you can wait inside the blue base while the enemy force chases your
flag
carrier. If you grab the flag when it's returned, the bot collective will
turn
toward you, but they are in the midfield and you can usually push further
out
of the blue base before they catch you. If you happen to be in red
territory
at that time, there is a chance your allies will hold off the enemies,
complete the capture, or hold the flag long enough for you to reinforce
them
in turn. 5 captures wins the match, but chances are you'll have to win by
the
clock.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Liandri captured a necris 'Dark Walker' vehicle and they've hidden
it in
a well guarded research facility. Izanagi techs want that walker. Bad. If
we
steal it we could learn enough about necris technology to train our
combat
forces. That means we could hijack necris vehicles directly off the
battlefield and use the bastards' own technology against them."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker in the central chamber cannot be moved, but its powerful
weapons are available to either team.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"The Krall saw the same tactical value in the slums that we did. Their
initial
wave of infantry is already in place and transport ships are in route.
That
means heavy weaponry and necris vehicles are on the way. So lets finish
this.
Quickly."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris vehicle reinforcements are already en route to Hyperion.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
In the former case, this mission is fairly easy. A Dark Walker spawns
about 2
minutes into the mission. No matter what else you are doing, you need to
be
there to greet it when it arrives. The Invisibility powerup spawns 30
seconds
before that, and the shield belt 30 seconds before that. The other
powerups
(The Thighpads and Armor Vest) are available from the start, so the best
bet
is to run a spiral circuit immediately when the mission starts - from the
Armor Vest to the Thigh Pads, to the Shield Belt, to the Invisibility and
then
to the Dark Walker. This should take you to each powerup shortly before
it
spawns.
It helps to tell your bots to Cover you, so that they won't be wandering
alone. They'll provide some cover for you while you ruin your circuit,
support\heal you when you get in the Dark Walker, and will be nearby to
claim
the powerups when\if it gets destroyed.
Once you get in the Dark Walker, try to stay in the corner of the main
area.
If you go further down the road in either direction it widens the turning
radius required to hit the enemies who will be attacking you from both
directions. Ideally you would position yourself where they only have one
way
to reach you, but the only place where that might be possible is on the
platform the Dark Walker spawns at, which (probably intentionally)
hinders
it's ability to fire, so that isn't very defensible or productive.
Kill as many bots as you can with the Dark Walker, and when it gets
destroyed,
try to use long distance combat to hit & run. You don't want to get
cornered
in any prolonged encounters because more enemies are always on the way. A
second Dark Walker will spawn about 2 minutes from the time the first one
was
killed. Ideally you would claim this one as well and win the level
easily, but
you can still win if the enemy gets there before you do. The invisibility
helps for taking down the Dark Walker. Just hit it with everything you've
got
as quickly as possible so that your allies will assist you in destroying
it.
If it wins that exchange, you'd be better off avoiding it for the
remainder of
the match since it's probably almost over at this point. It can't get
inside
the buildings, and any of the main weapons in the level can be used to
spam
corridors. Pull your bots up into the room near the Invisibility. The
enemy
has no way to enter except single file, on foot, through a narrow
corridor.
You don't want to remain here forever. You'll eventually run low on
health\ammo and your allies will be respawning outside and vulnerable,
giving
the enemy more kills. When the invisibility respawns, you can attempt
another
assault on the Dark Walker for it's powerups or, if you're lucky, the
enemy
may have even abandoned the Dark Walker to raid your campsite upstairs.
If
they did, you can steal it out from under them and use it against them.
If you did NOT play containment, however, the Dark Walker is locked and
only
accessible by the enemy. It is virtually impossible to win under those
conditions. My only suggestion here is to either go back and play
containment,
replay the chapter and make different choices, play a card do your best
and
hope for a good roll, or lower the difficulty and skip the mission.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"We've been giving the Krall a beating. They're attacking less often, but
they
seem better coordinated *and* more focused. I'd wager the necris are
pulling
in the reigns after their recent losses. They timed their move perfectly.
Just
when we attacked the Liandri and distracted them, the Krall snuck a force
into
the strident unnoticed. They put a necris virus in the system that could
lower
the sky-shield and leave us all defenseless. So let's go play doctor."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Hyperion strata
Work days on Taryd are notoriously long and difficult, leaving little
time for
the mundane chores of day-to-day life. As an incentive to potential
colonists,
the Liandri Corp. offers a complimentary Mark I domestic robot to each
family
that moves to Taryd. The Carbonfire production facility even offers daily
tours and incentives to first time customers.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Trap enemies within the disposal chute, or retrieve the powerups for
your
team.
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Hyperion Strata, Coret Acquisition Center
Prior to the war, the Coret Acquisition Center was a major social hub for
all
of Taryd's colonists. Since the fighting started, however, the militia is
enforcing a strict curfew, and the facility empties out as the sun goes
down.
Briefing
"We were sent here to meet a Liandri informant with sensitive data about
something called: 'The Strident.' Something tipped off the Liandri and
now
we're doing this the loud way. Jester: Find that informant. Stay in close
radio contact. We'll keep Liandri security busy for you."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- A UDamage powerup is located on the bridge spanning the central
chamber.
Unless you can waltz in and waltz back out, the best bet seems to be
assists.
When your allies leave with the flag, the enemy will rush out to kill
them,
leaving the base undefended. You can follow your allies to provide cover
fire,
or you can wait inside the blue base while the enemy force chases your
flag
carrier. If you grab the flag when it's returned, the bot collective will
turn
toward you, but they are in the midfield and you can usually push further
out
of the blue base before they catch you. If you happen to be in red
territory
at that time, there is a chance your allies will hold off the enemies,
complete the capture, or hold the flag long enough for you to reinforce
them
in turn. 5 captures wins the match, but chances are you'll have to win by
the
clock.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"The Krall saw the same tactical value in the slums that we did. Their
initial
wave of infantry is already in place and transport ships are in route.
That
means heavy weaponry and necris vehicles are on the way. So lets finish
this.
Quickly."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris vehicle reinforcements are already en route to Hyperion.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
As far as I can tell this mission, like that dragon you were just
determined
to fight, is a 'dead end' for bad decision making. It *is* beatable, but
I'm
not sure how you go about it on Insane, as even my best results were
still ~8
points behind. The mission briefing suggests you use the Invisibility
powerup
for a 'tactical advantage' which probably means it wants you to use it to
counter the Dark Walker, but the higher level bots can track you by sound
even
if you're invisible and they time the powerups themselves anyway. My only
suggestion here is to go back to the mission selection screen and choose
containment instead.
Map Details
Hyperion strata
Work days on Taryd are notoriously long and difficult, leaving little
time for
the mundane chores of day-to-day life. As an incentive to potential
colonists,
the Liandri Corp. offers a complimentary Mark I domestic robot to each
family
that moves to Taryd. The Carbonfire production facility even offers daily
tours and incentives to first time customers.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Trap enemies within the disposal chute, or retrieve the powerups for
your
team.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"A robot army with a huge central brain has one weakness, right? If we
can
infiltrate and control the strident, we own all of Hyperion. Ronin's
taking
point on the assault. Once we give the all-clear, Izanagi techs will move
forward and hack the mainframe."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Liandri captured a necris 'Dark Walker' vehicle and they've hidden
it in
a well guarded research facility. Izanagi techs want that walker. Bad. If
we
steal it we could learn enough about necris technology to train our
combat
forces. That means we could hijack necris vehicles directly off the
battlefield and use the bastards' own technology against them."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker in the central chamber cannot be moved, but its powerful
weapons are available to either team.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Liandri captured a necris 'Dark Walker' vehicle and they've hidden
it in
a well guarded research facility. Izanagi techs want that walker. Bad. If
we
steal it we could learn enough about necris technology to train our
combat
forces. That means we could hijack necris vehicles directly off the
battlefield and use the bastards' own technology against them."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker in the central chamber cannot be moved, but its powerful
weapons are available to either team.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"The Krall saw the same tactical value in the slums that we did. Their
initial
wave of infantry is already in place and transport ships are in route.
That
means heavy weaponry and necris vehicles are on the way. So lets finish
this.
Quickly."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris vehicle reinforcements are already en route to Hyperion.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
It helps to tell your bots to Cover you, so that they won't be wandering
alone. They'll provide some cover for you while you ruin your circuit,
support\heal you when you get in the Dark Walker, and will be nearby to
claim
the powerups when\if it gets destroyed.
Once you get in the Dark Walker, try to stay in the corner of the main
area.
If you go further down the road in either direction it widens the turning
radius required to hit the enemies who will be attacking you from both
directions. Ideally you would position yourself where they only have one
way
to reach you, but the only place where that might be possible is on the
platform the Dark Walker spawns at, which (probably intentionally)
hinders
it's ability to fire, so that isn't very defensible or productive.
Kill as many bots as you can with the Dark Walker, and when it gets
destroyed,
try to use long distance combat to hit & run. You don't want to get
cornered
in any prolonged encounters because more enemies are always on the way. A
second Dark Walker will spawn about 2 minutes from the time the first one
was
killed. Ideally you would claim this one as well and win the level
easily, but
you can still win if the enemy gets there before you do. The invisibility
helps for taking down the Dark Walker. Just hit it with everything you've
got
as quickly as possible so that your allies will assist you in destroying
it.
If it wins that exchange, you'd be better off avoiding it for the
remainder of
the match since it's probably almost over at this point. It can't get
inside
the buildings, and any of the main weapons in the level can be used to
spam
corridors. Pull your bots up into the room near the Invisibility. The
enemy
has no way to enter except single file, on foot, through a narrow
corridor.
You don't want to remain here forever. You'll eventually run low on
health\ammo and your allies will be respawning outside and vulnerable,
giving
the enemy more kills. When the invisibility respawns, you can attempt
another
assault on the Dark Walker for it's powerups or, if you're lucky, the
enemy
may have even abandoned the Dark Walker to raid your campsite upstairs.
If
they did, you can steal it out from under them and use it against them.
Map Details
Hyperion strata
Work days on Taryd are notoriously long and difficult, leaving little
time for
the mundane chores of day-to-day life. As an incentive to potential
colonists,
the Liandri Corp. offers a complimentary Mark I domestic robot to each
family
that moves to Taryd. The Carbonfire production facility even offers daily
tours and incentives to first time customers.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Trap enemies within the disposal chute, or retrieve the powerups for
your
team.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"A robot army with a huge central brain has one weakness, right? If we
can
infiltrate and control the strident, we own all of Hyperion. Ronin's
taking
point on the assault. Once we give the all-clear, Izanagi techs will move
forward and hack the mainframe."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Briefing
"This facility is running low profile, so there's no heavy security.
Izanagi
expects us to walk in and pick up another tarydium mine for their stock-
holders. If we can capture all the nodes surrounding the mine entrance,
we'll
open the security doors, giving us access to a Circada. The cores are
vulnerable to aerial attack, so that airship would be a huge advantage."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Control Nodes on both sides of the mine entrance to open the security
doors
and access the Cicada.
- Use the shaped charge or a Redeemer to destroy barricades that block
large
vehicles.
- Use the Orb to instantly take control of a Node.
If that plan falls through, this can be a tricky mission. The enemy seems
to
want to attack with 3 and defend with 3. Since there are 6 of them, they
can
have 2 people on each path, while you have to choose a 2:1:1 ratio. Your
bots
will generally focus on the northern path, while the enemy will generally
focus on the southern path. Bishop is usually the one going after the
center
nodes, and he will eventually succeed at this, but it's not a real
substantial
gain and the circada will probably be shot down before it can destroy
either
of the enemy prime nodes. Once the enemy gets a hold of a node, it's
difficult
to uproot them from it. They'll have 3 people attacking your core and 3
people
healing the prime node. It's not pretty, and it's difficult to avoid. You
can't be everywhere at once, and the enemy's superior numbers will
inevitably
succeed wherever you aren't. The Circadas can help with this, allowing
you to
fly between the northeast\southeast prime nodes and try to keep them
pinned
down while your allies move in.
Still, this is an uphill battle. The early portions of the mission are
very
important. When a node switches teams, anyone assigned to defend it will
no
longer recognize it as a defensible location, and will shift their
attention
somewhere else. Similarly, anyone attacking the southern pass
unsuccessfully
will respawn at the northern pass where they will survive longer. As a
result
anyone from the southern pass that you uproot will naturally tend to
migrate
north. We cut them off at the southeast node, so the defenders default to
the
north node and the attackers are torn between them. Their entire army
clumps
itself together at the northeast node. What the plan above does is
exploit
their disorganization during that transition and use it to rush their
core. If
you wait at the south node, they will eventually get organized and sweep
through the north, likely destroying your core before you can destroy
theirs.
This also puts you in an uncomfortable position since leaving the
southeast
node to aid the northern front means losing the only node that allows you
to
attack the enemy core, and possibly allowing them to sweep the south too.
Take
their prime node before they have a chance to mobilize in the south, and
then
use that as a springboard to attack the enemy core while it's vulnerable.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories, Tarydium mine
Located a half-mile below the planet's surface, the Dusk mine was
established
by Liandri scientists in an experiment to test self-sufficient Automaton
management of resources. The overloaded systems often release a huge
powersurge that vents up to the surface in order to protect the volatile
Tarydium stockpiles below.
Briefing
"Intel says we can take control of the drill mech loading bay and send
the
mining bots into overdrive. As long as we hold that node, they'll keep
working, and the resulting power surges will funnel right into the enemy
core.
Kaboom."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Control the Mine Node to engage the mining drones.
- The drones will automatically begin to mine and stockpile Tarydium.
- The mine overload discharges a high voltage pulse that damages the
enemy
Core.
- The East and West Tank Nodes hold important Goliath firepower.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"We need to secure the slums before we move into the heart of the city.
Then
we start climbing into the upper-atmosphere of Hyperion and strike into
the
heart of Liandri operations."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
Map Details
Hyperion Strata, Coret Acquisition Center
Prior to the war, the Coret Acquisition Center was a major social hub for
all
of Taryd's colonists. Since the fighting started, however, the militia is
enforcing a strict curfew, and the facility empties out as the sun goes
down.
Briefing
"We were sent here to meet a Liandri informant with sensitive data about
something called: 'The Strident.' Something tipped off the Liandri and
now
we're doing this the loud way. Jester: Find that informant. Stay in close
radio contact. We'll keep Liandri security busy for you."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- A UDamage powerup is located on the bridge spanning the central
chamber.
Unless you can waltz in and waltz back out, the best bet seems to be
assists.
When your allies leave with the flag, the enemy will rush out to kill
them,
leaving the base undefended. You can follow your allies to provide cover
fire,
or you can wait inside the blue base while the enemy force chases your
flag
carrier. If you grab the flag when it's returned, the bot collective will
turn
toward you, but they are in the midfield and you can usually push further
out
of the blue base before they catch you. If you happen to be in red
territory
at that time, there is a chance your allies will hold off the enemies,
complete the capture, or hold the flag long enough for you to reinforce
them
in turn. 5 captures wins the match, but chances are you'll have to win by
the
clock.
Map Details
Hyperion strata
Work days on Taryd are notoriously long and difficult, leaving little
time for
the mundane chores of day-to-day life. As an incentive to potential
colonists,
the Liandri Corp. offers a complimentary Mark I domestic robot to each
family
that moves to Taryd. The Carbonfire production facility even offers daily
tours and incentives to first time customers.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Trap enemies within the disposal chute, or retrieve the powerups for
your
team.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker in the central chamber cannot be moved, but its powerful
weapons are available to either team.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"Izanagi H.Q. wants a foreward O.P. to monitor Krall activity in the
north.
They found a military comms facility on the Hyperion archipelago that's
perfect. Except for the Liandri bots stationed there. This is a covert
insertion so we'll have limited vehicle support. Shouldn't be a problem.
Their
only defenses are dismounted infantry and a few turrets."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Maintain control of this Node to shield your Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy enemy barricades.
- Watch for enemy turrets. They have a clear view of the central
battlefield.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"We've been giving the Krall a beating. They're attacking less often, but
they
seem better coordinated *and* more focused. I'd wager the necris are
pulling
in the reigns after their recent losses. They timed their move perfectly.
Just
when we attacked the Liandri and distracted them, the Krall snuck a force
into
the strident unnoticed. They put a necris virus in the system that could
lower
the sky-shield and leave us all defenseless. So let's go play doctor."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"The Krall saw the same tactical value in the slums that we did. Their
initial
wave of infantry is already in place and transport ships are in route.
That
means heavy weaponry and necris vehicles are on the way. So lets finish
this.
Quickly."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris vehicle reinforcements are already en route to Hyperion.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
A Dark Walker spawns about 2 minutes into the mission. No matter what
else you
are doing, you need to be there to greet it when it arrives. The
Invisibility
powerup spawns 30 seconds before that, and the shield belt 30 seconds
before
that. The other powerups (The Thighpads and Armor Vest) are available
from the
start, so the best bet is to run a spiral circuit immediately when the
mission
starts - from the Armor Vest to the Thigh Pads, to the Shield Belt, to
the
Invisibility and then to the Dark Walker. This should take you to each
powerup
shortly before it spawns.
It helps to tell your bots to Cover you, so that they won't be wandering
alone. They'll provide some cover for you while you ruin your circuit,
support\heal you when you get in the Dark Walker, and will be nearby to
claim
the powerups when\if it gets destroyed.
Once you get in the Dark Walker, try to stay in the corner of the main
area.
If you go further down the road in either direction it widens the turning
radius required to hit the enemies who will be attacking you from both
directions. Ideally you would position yourself where they only have one
way
to reach you, but the only place where that might be possible is on the
platform the Dark Walker spawns at, which (probably intentionally)
hinders
it's ability to fire, so that isn't very defensible or productive.
Kill as many bots as you can with the Dark Walker, and when it gets
destroyed,
try to use long distance combat to hit & run. You don't want to get
cornered
in any prolonged encounters because more enemies are always on the way. A
second Dark Walker will spawn about 2 minutes from the time the first one
was
killed. Ideally you would claim this one as well and win the level
easily, but
you can still win if the enemy gets there before you do. The invisibility
helps for taking down the Dark Walker. Just hit it with everything you've
got
as quickly as possible so that your allies will assist you in destroying
it.
If it wins that exchange, you'd be better off avoiding it for the
remainder of
the match since it's probably almost over at this point. It can't get
inside
the buildings, and any of the main weapons in the level can be used to
spam
corridors. Pull your bots up into the room near the Invisibility. The
enemy
has no way to enter except single file, on foot, through a narrow
corridor.
You don't want to remain here forever. You'll eventually run low on
health\ammo and your allies will be respawning outside and vulnerable,
giving
the enemy more kills. When the invisibility respawns, you can attempt
another
assault on the Dark Walker for it's powerups or, if you're lucky, the
enemy
may have even abandoned the Dark Walker to raid your campsite upstairs.
If
they did, you can steal it out from under them and use it against them.
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"Izanagi H.Q. wants a foreward O.P. to monitor Krall activity in the
north.
They found a military comms facility on the Hyperion archipelago that's
perfect. Except for the Liandri bots stationed there. This is a covert
insertion so we'll have limited vehicle support. Shouldn't be a problem.
Their
only defenses are dismounted infantry and a few turrets."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Maintain control of this Node to shield your Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy enemy barricades.
- Watch for enemy turrets. They have a clear view of the central
battlefield.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker has been released and can now roam the battlefield.
I wasn't very happy with this level. The Dark Walker in the middle is
supposed
to sway the balance of power, but if you try to pilot it, the bot->player
focus really messes things up. The heavier vehicles are not applicable
for you
to pilot because they move too slowly, the bots focus on them, and
ultimately
it just hurts you and your team. While the raptor *can* work, it's
mobility
also makes it vulnerable. It's best to just go straight for the manta.
Your
bots can't pilot those very intelligently anyway, and it's your only
realistic
chance of avoiding the borg.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Hyperion archipelago
Liandri planners wanted an isolated communication station that wouldn't
have
to filter out background noise and interference from civilian signals.
The
islands of the northern archipelago met their communication needs but the
limited space didn't allow for extensive defensive capabilities.
Briefing
"Izanagi H.Q. wants a foreward O.P. to monitor Krall activity in the
north.
They found a military comms facility on the Hyperion archipelago that's
perfect. Except for the Liandri bots stationed there. This is a covert
insertion so we'll have limited vehicle support. Shouldn't be a problem.
Their
only defenses are dismounted infantry and a few turrets."
Objectives
- Control the Prime Node to access the enemy Core.
- Maintain control of this Node to shield your Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy enemy barricades.
- Watch for enemy turrets. They have a clear view of the central
battlefield.
- Control the Support Node to gain access to a Raptor.
Map Details
Hyperion slums
As Liandri operations on Taryd became more and more automated, the
surface
sectors of Hyperion were neglected and never received the technological
upgrades available to the upper strata of the city. This maze of ground
level
buildings is now the slums of Taryd, still inhabited by the humans that
maintain the largely automated Liandri workforce.
Briefing
"The Krall saw the same tactical value in the slums that we did. Their
initial
wave of infantry is already in place and transport ships are in route.
That
means heavy weaponry and necris vehicles are on the way. So lets finish
this.
Quickly."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Necris vehicle reinforcements are already en route to Hyperion.
- Use the Invisibility powerup and gain a tactical advantage.
As far as I can tell this mission, like that dragon you were just
determined
to fight, is a 'dead end' for bad decision making. It *is* beatable, but
I'm
not sure how you go about it on Insane, as even my best results were
still ~8
points behind. The mission briefing suggests you use the Invisibility
powerup
for a 'tactical advantage' which probably means it wants you to use it to
counter the Dark Walker, but the higher level bots can track you by sound
even
if you're invisible and they time the powerups themselves anyway. My only
suggestion here is to either replay the chapter and make different
choices,
play a card do your best and hope for a good roll, or lower the
difficulty and
skip the mission.
Briefing
"We were sent here to meet a Liandri informant with sensitive data about
something called: 'The Strident.' Something tipped off the Liandri and
now
we're doing this the loud way. Jester: Find that informant. Stay in close
radio contact. We'll keep Liandri security busy for you."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- A UDamage powerup is located on the bridge spanning the central
chamber.
Unless you can waltz in and waltz back out, the best bet seems to be
assists.
When your allies leave with the flag, the enemy will rush out to kill
them,
leaving the base undefended. You can follow your allies to provide cover
fire,
or you can wait inside the blue base while the enemy force chases your
flag
carrier. If you grab the flag when it's returned, the bot collective will
turn
toward you, but they are in the midfield and you can usually push further
out
of the blue base before they catch you. If you happen to be in red
territory
at that time, there is a chance your allies will hold off the enemies,
complete the capture, or hold the flag long enough for you to reinforce
them
in turn. 5 captures wins the match, but chances are you'll have to win by
the
clock.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Liandri captured a necris 'Dark Walker' vehicle and they've hidden
it in
a well guarded research facility. Izanagi techs want that walker. Bad. If
we
steal it we could learn enough about necris technology to train our
combat
forces. That means we could hijack necris vehicles directly off the
battlefield and use the bastards' own technology against them."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker in the central chamber cannot be moved, but its powerful
weapons are available to either team.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Briefing
"A robot army with a huge central brain has one weakness, right? If we
can
infiltrate and control the strident, we own all of Hyperion. Ronin's
taking
point on the assault. Once we give the all-clear, Izanagi techs will move
forward and hack the mainframe."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
Map Details
Hyperion strata
Work days on Taryd are notoriously long and difficult, leaving little
time for
the mundane chores of day-to-day life. As an incentive to potential
colonists,
the Liandri Corp. offers a complimentary Mark I domestic robot to each
family
that moves to Taryd. The Carbonfire production facility even offers daily
tours and incentives to first time customers.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Trap enemies within the disposal chute, or retrieve the powerups for
your
team.
Strategy & Tactics
The idea on this mission is to keep the powerups out of enemy hands. I
suggest
letting one of your allies have the powerups and then following them to
provide a distraction for their enemies. A high-level bot with berserk
and
double damage can quickly turn the tide, but they have to survive. On
higher
difficulties, the bots have incredible aim and so offense powerups really
come
down to who shoots first. This is where you come in: The enemy bots will
automatically shoot at you. Since you can evade the bots better than
other
bots can, you'll be able to 'deflect' attacks that might have been
directed at
your ally. The effect is similar to doing a flyby with an M134.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Krall found out about the Liandri facility holding a necris dark
walker,
and they overran the defenses. The Krall could use that walker to destroy
the
facility, laying the groundwork for a full-scale invasion. If the necris
can
establish a beach-head on taryd's surface, we'll have much more to worry
about
than Krall mercenaries."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker has been released and can now roam the battlefield.
I wasn't very happy with this level. The Dark Walker in the middle is
supposed
to sway the balance of power, but if you try to pilot it, the bot->player
focus really messes things up. The heavier vehicles are not applicable
for you
to pilot because they move too slowly, the bots focus on them, and
ultimately
it just hurts you and your team. While the raptor *can* work, it's
mobility
also makes it vulnerable. It's best to just go straight for the manta.
Your
bots can't pilot those very intelligently anyway, and it's your only
realistic
chance of avoiding the borg.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Hyperion strata
Work days on Taryd are notoriously long and difficult, leaving little
time for
the mundane chores of day-to-day life. As an incentive to potential
colonists,
the Liandri Corp. offers a complimentary Mark I domestic robot to each
family
that moves to Taryd. The Carbonfire production facility even offers daily
tours and incentives to first time customers.
Briefing
"We keep capturing mines but we don't have the manpower to run them at
full
capacity. Liandri domestic bots are pretty rugged, and HQ thinks they can
be
retooled for mining work. Ronin's job is to take over the Carbon-Fire
production facility and reroute all shipments to Izanagi territory."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Trap enemies within the disposal chute, or retrieve the powerups for
your
team.
Map Details
The Strident, beneath Hyperion
The Strident has always been a mystery to the flesh and blood humans that
work
on the surface of Hyperion. These subterranean chambers appear to be the
central focus of the mainframe that controls all Liandri operations on
Taryd.
Briefing
"We've been giving the Krall a beating. They're attacking less often, but
they
seem better coordinated *and* more focused. I'd wager the necris are
pulling
in the reigns after their recent losses. They timed their move perfectly.
Just
when we attacked the Liandri and distracted them, the Krall snuck a force
into
the strident unnoticed. They put a necris virus in the system that could
lower
the sky-shield and leave us all defenseless. So let's go play doctor."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Be aware of unstable FLaG bases.
- Shifting magnetic forces within the Strident cause platforms to move.
If you can secure a +3 lead in this way, switch your team to defense.
You're
unlikely to secure more flag captures once the bots go crazy, as their
miniguns will strip your shield incredibly fast and they time the
powerups to
prevent you from getting another. The idea, instead, is to stop them from
catching up in the time that remains. You can also refrain from making a
3rd
capture at all, to prevent the bots going crazy while you maintain a +2
choke
hold, but it doesn't really matter. Once you get 3, they're almost
guaranteed
to score at least 1 capture and it becomes a +2 choke hold anyway. If you
successfully scored a 3rd capture during a +2 lead, you can score a 4th
or 5th
capture with the same lead so don't fret too much if they start scoring.
If
they close it to a +1 lead, go back on offense to try and widen\maintain
the
lead, and make them fight the battle on their turf.
Map Details
Hyperion fringe territories
Little is known about this remote facility other than it is maintained by
the
Liandri Corp. Satellite images show some sort of cage in the center and
Intel
believes it holds a recovered Darkwalker vehicle. The Liandri have always
wanted access to Necris technology, and this could be their chance to
make
some advancements in nanotech research.
Briefing
"The Krall found out about the Liandri facility holding a necris dark
walker,
and they overran the defenses. The Krall could use that walker to destroy
the
facility, laying the groundwork for a full-scale invasion. If the necris
can
establish a beach-head on taryd's surface, we'll have much more to worry
about
than Krall mercenaries."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The Darkwalker has been released and can now roam the battlefield.
I wasn't very happy with this level. The Dark Walker in the middle is
supposed
to sway the balance of power, but if you try to pilot it, the bot->player
focus really messes things up. The heavier vehicles are not applicable
for you
to pilot because they move too slowly, the bots focus on them, and
ultimately
it just hurts you and your team. While the raptor *can* work, it's
mobility
also makes it vulnerable. It's best to just go straight for the manta.
Your
bots can't pilot those very intelligently anyway, and it's your only
realistic
chance of avoiding the borg.
The best route to take is the far left\right paths, which snake into the
center. You can't go through the side tunnels in the center because they
have
barriers, but past those are some ruined walls to use for cover and
beyond
*those* is a tunnel you can jump into. This usually puts you out-of-the-
way of
their main force. They will sometimes park the Goliath in front of the
tunnels
momentarily before they drive it into the center tunnel, but that is an
exception rather than the rule. Once you get into the enemy base, try to
smash
anyone guarding the flag while you park your manta on their platform.
Grab the
flag and jump off the nearest ledge.
You'll want to be careful with the hoverboard - the bots have incredible
aim
and easily dismount you if you use it for anything other than exploiting
the
straightaway after a sharp corner. I usually jump off the hoverboard to
make
sharp turns and jump back on to take advantage of the broken in line-of-
sight.
Don't try to stay on the hoverboard if the enemy is shooting at you, the
odds
are they will hit you and effectively kill you. If you jump off the
hoverboard, they still won't be able to gain on you without sacrificing
their
ability to shoot and there's a good chance you'll round the next corner
before
they do, and can resume using your hoverboard to further your lead.
You should be able to secure at least two captures this way, and then it
becomes a matter of stopping the enemy. I put my team on offense just for
the
off-chance that they secure a capture, but really, their efforts mostly
just
helped keep the center clear of enemies. I'm curious if telling a bot to
Hold
Position on the Dark Walker's spawn point would help your team maintain
control of it, or if the bots would be too stupid to actually use it.
Map Details
Taryd, various locations.
The Liandri Corporation has been working for years to perfect the portal
technology used in the Tournaments. They're hoping to increase teleporter
distances, and make the system useful on a global scale. This working
prototype has portals that can instantly move personnel and equipment to
any
pre-programmed location on Taryd.
Briefing
"Matrix is our only known source for the Hyperion security codes. We've
tracked him down but he won't surrender. He's afraid of being formatted
and
losing his last few human memories. He's been using Liandral portal tech
to
evade Izanagi forces so they called Ronin to finish the job. Without
those
protocols, we can't access the mainframe cores and Liandri technicians
could
sabotage our operations from anywhere on Taryd."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Jump Boots give you access to other, more vital powerups.
The main battlefield - and the most important - is the Sky Platform. The
Link
Gun & Shock Rifle spawn out here, as does most of the Sniper Ammo. There
is
health on either end. Jumping into the fan on the far end near the health
kits
will propel you into the sky where you can reach the shield belt. This is
a
good place to tell Othello to hold position so he will camp the shield
belt.
If you have decent aim, you can camp here yourself and shoot any airborne
bots
who try to use the fan to reach you. You can also provide support to
Othello
should he die and attempt to return, and there is health down below as
well.
Ultimately though, you'll probably have to come down and fight the bots
on the
platform. Of all the weapons to use, the Shock\Sniper and the
Stinger\Link Gun
work the best since they aren't influenced at all by the change in
gravity.
There aren't a lot of special tricks you can use on this mission, other
than
to make sure you get the Shield Belt as often as possible and stay near
Othello to provide cover, distract his enemies, and try to out-score the
enemy. I used the shock rifle at long range for most of the mission but
in
retrospect it may have been easier to use the link gun to hit multiple
targets
on the narrow walkways and forget trying to keep distance in such a
crowded
area.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Several maintenance facilities just like this one are required in order
to
keep a city running smoothly, especially a city the size of Oxida Nova.
The
Iron Guard have commissioned this particular structure as their own
little
playground, and use it to test out new Axon tech, like advanced weapons
and
upgraded respawners.
Briefing
"Alright here's how it went down. We gave Axon a serious beating and they
offered a truce. Their factories are still intact and we *need* their
vehicle
tech. So the corporations signed a limited merger. Malcolm took control
of the
coalition forces and we're heading into Hyperion - the Liandri city.
Lauren
and her Iron Guard want to train us with new equipment. Sounds more like
a
hazing ritual. Either way, take it seriously."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Color-coded lights alert you when the UDamage powerup is available.
- Enemy forces have the advantage of Axon's improved Respawner
technology.
There are several good places to ambush the enemy on this mission. The
health
on the crates near the stinger is attractive and often leads to bots
getting
stuck while trying to climb the boxes. The stairwell nearby is difficult
for
them to ascend while being attacked since they must align themselves with
the
doorway you're attacking through. Beyond that, the Shield Belt spawns on
top
of some more crates which the bots also become stuck on while trying to
climb
up. Another good place is the ramp near the rocket launcher (the one near
the
health kits) because the bots almost always attempt to come in from that
direction.
If you win the level, you get the "Iron Guard Reinforcements" card.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"Intel has proof the phayder corporation is backing the Krall army,
supplying
them with necris vehicles and technology. Just what we need: Bestial
psychotic
killers with high-grade tech. Latest news is that the Krall hijacked an
Axon
supply convoy including - oh that's just great - including a Leviathan
super
vehicle. Ronin, we're on damage control. That Leviathan could turn the
tide of
the war, and we'd better be on the right side of the wave when it hits."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
If the enemy gets a leviathan, there is really no hope. There are too
many
bots for you to try and pilot the Leviathan yourself, so the idea is to
run
the Orb north to the Mine Node. If your bots get the Orb - and they
probably
will - it can be inconvenient, but don't worry about it. Just go claim
the
Mine Node and keep it alive. The enemy will probably attack it, so try to
kill
them while they attack the node. If the orb is used or destroyed before
you
get the mine node finished, it will respawn back at the core. You can
teleport
back there and get it if you like, although this risks letting the enemy
interrupt the leviathan construction. If you get the mine node finished
quickly enough, the orb will respawn at the mine node instead.
Having the Orb at the Node is useful. It not only shields the node from
enemy
attacks, but also allows you to reclaim the node immediately when the
Leviathan finishes construction and the node returns to neutral. Then you
can
go get another orb and repeat. I decided it would be best to let my bots
pilot
the Leviathan on this map, both so that I could focus on making sure the
enemy
didn't get a hold of it (The Leviathan can disappear if the node changes
hands) and because the enemy bots aren't as aggressive at attacking a
leviathan piloted by another bot.
Up to this point the process isn't particularly difficult, but by now the
enemy has probably taken your prime node and because you've been holding
the
orb at the mine node, your bots won't be able to take it back. That means
you
have to recapture your prime node with the orb now, which means leaving
the
mine node undefended and possibly losing the leviathan. If you try to
pilot
the Leviathan, the Nemesis tanks and laser turrets, and scorpions and
link-gun-
bots will annihilate it before you can reach your prime node. The only
way it
will work is if you sneak your orb in and recover your prime node. It
helps to
Hug the wall while you circle around so that the bots can't shoot at you
when
you approach. The enemy in the laser turret is especially annoying. You
want
to reclaim your prime node before the Leviathan crew decide they have to
do
it, and before the enemy can mobilize to reclaim it.
If you've got control of your own prime node, follow the Leviathan into
the
enemy prime node with your orb while you heal it with your link gun and
you
use it for cover from enemy fire. It should be more than sufficient to
destroy
the prime node and build a friendly one in it's place. Once you get
control of
the enemy prime node, go get another orb and use it to shield\reconstruct
the
enemy prime node, or use the Laser turret to kill the enemy orb carrier.
Your
leviathan should go attack the Core. If it gets destroyed, your bots
should
have enough of a handle on the map at this point to go seize the mine
node,
or, while the enemy is doing so, to attack their core. Unfortunately,
this is
where my bots drove the Leviathan off the cliff, so I wasn't able to
complete
the operation before the enemy took the Prime & Mine nodes.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"I don't like what's going on here. The Axon are quiet - no attempts to
recapture the Alluvion Corridor. Four recon teams went into Oxida Nova.
Only
one made it out. They reported I quote, "Overwhelming hordes of Krall
mercenaries slaughtering everyone wholesale." Before we could get
defenses
online, the Krall crossed the bay and hit our supply-lines. We need to
move
quickly, or this entire op is going up in smoke. We've seen what these
bastards can do first hand. This time, they don't have the element of
surprise
but we're still heavily outnumbered. Don't kid yourselves. Respawners or
not,
every time we fight the Krall, we're fighting for survival."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
You want to approach from the Hellbender side and stay away from midfield
where the enemy vehicles congregate. Aside from avoiding a lot of
unnecessary
damage, it also provides you a small area to restock on health and armor
before you enter the flag room. There will probably be two defenders
guarding
the flag since they can afford it. If you drop down into the scorpion
garage
and then use the jump pad in the back, you'll come up right in front of
one of
the defenders. If you turn around and step onto it, you can come up
facing him
and can gib him with the Flak Cannon before he has a chance to return
fire.
Then you can grab the flag and jump over the rail to the Hellbender exit.
If you moved quickly out of the base - and especially if you have the
shield
belt - you should have enough time to use your hoverboard to get behind
the
crates. You may even be able to reach the garage. Take the same route
home
that you took to reach the base and hope the enemy didn't take the tank
while
you were away. If they did, you'll probably have to kill the tank and try
again, but sometimes you can escape before it targets you. The redeemer
can
make short work of the tank, just don't use the alt-fire or they will
shoot it
down with their incredible aim.
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"Turns out the Liandri cleared the Krall out of Torlan for us.
Unfortunately
that means the most vital supply center on the planet is lousy with
Liandri
bots. We need to take it for ourselves if we're ever gonna fend off a
necris
assault. We're rolling in full force and we can expect a quick response
from
the Liandri board."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
If you destroy the enemy prime node first, you'll want to continue being
aggressive with the orb, taking any remaining nodes on the map. If you're
not
in a position to do that, try to establish a line-of-sight on their prime
node
and attack it to keep it suppressed. It shouldn't be too terribly
difficult to
keep the enemy pinned in their base this way while you or your team takes
the
remaining nodes. The SPMA Artillery can be useful for this purpose.
Controlling both side nodes is important because you don't want to lose
the
ability to attack the enemy prime node. Controlling the center node is
important because you want the orb to be within range of the enemy prime
node.
If your allies manage to destroy the prime node while you've got all the
other
nodes under your control, you can push the orb up into their prime node
and
then teleport back to retrieve a second, which you can then use to shield
the
node.
It's a bit of a tug-of-war, but your allies can occasionally get in and
damage
the core while you are doing this, and if you make it to overtime you'll
be
able to win on attrition.
Map Details
Oxida Nova border territories
Suspense is the only bridge across the Alluvion strong enough to support
the
weight of heavy combat vehicles. Without the bridge, it would take Axon
forces
several days to respond to any battles across of the river. As such, it
is
always under guard by an Axon mechanized division, with military
checkpoints
at each end.
Briefing
"We need to clear the military checkpoints at each end of this bridge.
Izanagi
recon took the southern point, and they called us to take the more
heavily
guarded northern point. So we'll sortie from the south to attack their
respawner. We will have vehicle support. Bishop, the central bridge
towers
should make great sniper nests. Don't forget a longbow to take out enemy
armor. Recon team also found a path under the bridge, so keep that in
mind as
our number-two option."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The towers of the bridge are ideal sniping positions.
- There is a Redeemer on the lower path, under the bridge.
The sniper rifle spawns between the two halves, and another spawns up
near the
SPMA artillery. You can use the support cables on the bridge to run (or
Hoverboard) up to the top of the bridge in a scene very reminiscent of
FFX
(except they didn't fall on their face and roll off the edge to their
death.)
Most of your weapons will be acquired from weapon lockers near your spawn
point so there is much more emphasis on vehicles for this map. The
biggest
asset at your disposal will be the Super Health which spawns near the
Sniper
Rifle and SPMA Artillery, up the ramp from your flag and around the
corner.
Jester will pilot the Goliath, making her very useful. Trying to pilot
the
Goliath yourself just draws a ton of enemy fire, you lose the tank and it
doesn't help your allies get the flag (since they basically can't).
Hellbenders, and Scorpions will have to drive down the main road, making
them
very vulnerable. Mantas can get away with it to some extent, but it's
still
more vulnerable than the Raptor. You'll want to hop on over and get the
Super
Health on your side of the map first, then take your Raptor across and
land it
near theirs. It's much better to take the powerups in enemy territory to
deprive them of the benefit. When you've got 199 health, discreetly (wait
for
the Goliath to pass if you need to) walk into the enemy flag room and
take it.
Run back up the ramp to where the Super Health spawns and take a sharp
right.
Run along the narrow ledge against the wall of the building. Jump across
to
the doorway on the bridge's support pillar and run inside. This puts you
on
the bridge. Take a left and run outside along the edge of the bridge,
being
careful not to fall off or leave yourself exposed to fire from behind
you. You
can use the pillars as cover to some extent, but you'll want to keep
moving.
Once you get inside the second doorway, you're almost home free. I've
found it
better to keep running straight for a short way after leaving the doorway
rather than trying to cut across the bridge immediately. Either way,
cross the
bridge and put the flag away. No sweat. Then, just get the Super Health
again
and repeat the process.
The redeemer spawns on the island under the bridge. Falling off the
bridge can
result in a ragdoll, dropping the flag, and possibly getting killed by
the
bots who like to play down there. If you survive you can climb the ramp
on the
opposite side and come up in about the same place as you would have if
you'd
run along the bridge. I tend to avoid the hoverboard on this map, but
there
are a couple opportunities to use it in brief intervals inside the
buildings
and around corners.
Note: If you're playing Co-op you can use the Raptor and Hoverboard
grapple to
bring a friend into the enemy base with you, and quickly tow them back
out
with the flag. It may be possible to accomplish this kind of extraction
with
the bots as well, by piloting the raptor near them when they grab the
enemy
flag.
Mission 112 - Downtown ( WAR-Downtown )
Goal: 1 Core Destroyed
Faction: Iron Guard
Allies: Jester, Othello, Bishop
Enemies: Lauren, Barktooth, Talan, Kregore
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
With the blockade on the Alluvion River, the warehouse district of Oxida
Nova
has been plunged into chaos. The storage facilities located there are the
only
remaining supply points available to Axon forces, and they've enforced
martial
law to ensure that their supplies remain unthreatened.
Briefing
"The Izanagi are taking Oxida Nova City and we're on point. I don't have
to
tell you about urban terrain, even 3:1 odds is rolling the dice - and
today,
we're straight up. We move downtown, flush the Axon into the open, and
take
out their power grid. The sooner we get heavy vehicles in play, the
better -
either by blowing the barricades outside the Axon base, or capturing the
tank
factory at the central node. Stay alert. We're on their home turf now and
they'll use that to advantage."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy barricades.
- With the barricades destroyed, heavy vehicles gain access to the main
battlefield.
- Axon forces have a strong foothold in this area. Defend your core at
all
costs.
For the most part, the idea of the early game is to keep the Tank node
under
your control and use it as a counterweight to prevent the enemy from
reclaiming anything your allies take from them. This is the hardest part.
Once
you've got control of both the center node and the tank node, the
dynamics
change. For one, you don't have to do anything else except maintain
control
and you will win by attrition if the time runs out. At this point you
might
find it better to switch entirely to defense using the Orb to shield &
hold
the center node while your allies fight over the enemy prime node. If the
enemy prime falls, you can then run over and build a friendly node in
it's
place, and repeat the process there while your allies attack the enemy
core.
Another option might be to assist attacking the enemy prime node
yourself,
although this can be difficult and potentially costly if the enemy
counter-
attacks.
Once you have their prime node, you can attack their core. On the easier
settings I find this more productive than defending because the bots are
so
slow and it's easy to recover the node if they destroy it. On the harder
levels there is less room to play around, I prefer to be conservative and
let
the enemy wear out slowly-but-surely, using my now-obsolete orb to defend
the
enemy prime node and preventing them from getting back up. If you have an
opening between waves of enemies, you can run over and take the Tank node
back
at this point (if you lost it). You can actually park the Goliath inside
the
prime node building, making it impossible for the enemy to reclaim their
node.
If you decide to attack their base, there is an alleyway off the main
road
that leads to their core. You can get in and shoot it a couple times
before
the bots catch on. If you've got a secure hold on the prime node and the
enemies are siege in their base, you can drive the Goliath through their
front gate without much fuss as well. All-in-all the first 50% is the
hard
part and it's all downhill from there.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Downtown Oxida Nova is a busy hub for Axon colonists. The area is
surrounded
by tall buildings, including the central rail station, employment
offices, and
shopping centers that are designed to resemble those back home on Earth.
Briefing
"Now that we've taken Oxida Nova, Axon defenses are crumbling. There's
only a
few pockets of resistance left, but that includes the Iron Guard. These
guys
are Axon-elite, ex-military--very experienced. And very pissed. They've
got a
make-shift command point near the transport center. Our job is to take
control
of the area before they spark a city-wide riot."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- The tight corridors of the lower level are very dangerous.
- More powerful items can be found in the center's upper levels.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"With the Alluvion blocked, the Axon are trying to sneak their Leviathan
super-
vehicle behind our lines. That kind of firepower on our flank would *not*
be
pretty so we need to hit 'em quickly. Their convoy stopped near a supply
depot
to refuel, and it's ambush time. Our forces used dense forest cover to
establish a small base and now Ronin does the real work. Don't forget the
mine
node. We can use it to construct our own Leviathan. That'd wake 'em up."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
- Proceed with caution, Axon forces already have a Leviathan at their
disposal.
With you manning the Leviathan, your allies should be able to claim the
prime
nodes without a problem, and then all you have to do is push in and
destroy
the core.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Several maintenance facilities just like this one are required in order
to
keep a city running smoothly, especially a city the size of Oxida Nova.
The
Iron Guard have commissioned this particular structure as their own
little
playground, and use it to test out new Axon tech, like advanced weapons
and
upgraded respawners.
Briefing
"We need to hold our ground until reinforcements arrive."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Color-coded lights alert you when the UDamage powerup is available.
Telling your bots to follow you seems to work best. You would think that
having 4 players on freelance would monopolize the powerups by default
but
that's really not the case. If you leave your bots to their own devices
the
enemy will pretty much march in and take whatever they want, and by the
end of
the game you'll have multiple enemies with the shield belt.
The map is too small and crowded for hit and run to be as effective as it
can
be on Defiance for example, but you'll still want to withdraw to avoid
lengthy
encounters. I found the Flak Cannon and Minigun to be particularly
useful. The
Minigun spawns in a very useful place - although you can get shot down by
enemy snipers pretty quickly. The Flak Cannon's ability to shoot around
corners and over ledges makes it more versatile on this level than it is
on
larger, more open maps. It's primary fire also spans the entire hallway,
making it almost unavoidable. The rocket launcher is also useful due to
the
way the enemies cluster together.
The enemies frequently get stuck in groups next to the shield belt, the
health
by the stinger, and in the stairwell between the two, so that is a good
area
to stage an ambush. The enemy can be crazy with the sniper rifle on this
map,
so try to avoid wandering through the open hallways.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"I don't like what's going on here. The Axon are quiet - no attempts to
recapture the Alluvion Corridor. Four recon teams went into Oxida Nova.
Only
one made it out. They reported I quote, "Overwhelming hordes of Krall
mercenaries slaughtering everyone wholesale." Before we could get
defenses
online, the Krall crossed the bay and hit our supply-lines. We need to
move
quickly, or this entire op is going up in smoke. We've seen what these
bastards can do first hand. This time, they don't have the element of
surprise
but we're still heavily outnumbered. Don't kid yourselves. Respawners or
not,
every time we fight the Krall, we're fighting for survival."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
For the actual run, the shield belt would help immensely if you can get a
hold
of it. Either way, you want to approach from the Hellbender side and stay
away
from midfield where the enemy vehicles congregate. Aside from avoiding a
lot
of unnecessary damage, it also provides you a small area to restock on
health
and armor before you enter the flag room. There will probably be two
defenders
guarding the flag since they can afford it. If you drop down into the
scorpion
garage and then use the jump pad in the back, you'll come up right in
front of
one of the defenders. If you turn around and step onto it, you can come
up
facing him and can gib him with the Flak Cannon before he has a chance to
return fire. Then you can grab the flag and jump over the rail to the
Hellbender exit.
If you moved quickly out of the base - and especially if you have the
shield
belt - you should have enough time to use your hoverboard to get behind
the
crates. You may even be able to reach the garage. Take the same route
home
that you took to reach the base and hope the enemy didn't take the tank
while
you were away. If they did, you'll probably have to kill the tank and try
again, but sometimes you can escape before it targets you. The redeemer
can
make short work of the tank, just don't use the alt-fire or they will
shoot it
down with their incredible aim.
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"With three corporations at each other’s throats, the Torlan Delta's in
chaos.
Krall forces are swarming at the central Torlan gorge, looking to take
advantage. All we've got is a forward observation post at the border. The
outlying nodes will give us more vehicles, but intel says they're already
corrupted by the necris. The Torlan Delta's about as strategic as it
gets, so
this isn't optional. We have to push out the Krall if we're gonna win
this
war. Good thing we picked up that Leviathan. Let's give the Krall a
little
surprise."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
- Krall forces will attempt to overwhelm enemies by attacking in packs.
- Some Nodes are already under the control of the Krall forces.
You want Jester and Othello on offense, and Bishop covering you. Bishop
will
get in the leviathan with you and man one of the turrets. We use Bishop
because he is the most accurate and the least useful on foot. Othello
will go
to the Prime node, while Jester will carry the orb to the center node. If
Othello has the orb, he will take it to the prime node like an idiot, but
Jester will still go to the center node. If you have Othello *and* Bishop
in
the Leviathan, Jester will take the orb to the Center node and wait for
the
Prime Node to complete the construction that Othello never started -
shutting
down your entire strategy.
You want to pilot the Leviathan to the center node. On your way to the
center
node, you will more than likely run into an enemy viper towing their orb
carrier on their way to do the same thing. Killing them should not be a
problem, but you have to kill them before they get their orb carrier to
the
node. If they get the node before you do, they will quite possibly kill
your
leviathan before you can recover it, push south and take your prime node
before the leviathan respawns, and then reassemble at your prime node, in
good
position to kill your leviathan again and destroy your core.
When the enemy prime node finishes construction. They will begin a huge
push
into the center node. You want to mobilize the Leviathan and use it's Ion
Cannon to destroy everyone in the pass. When, and if things quiet down,
go
back into tank mode and drive toward the far side of the tunnel. The idea
is
to position the Leviathan so that Bishop can attack the enemy prime node,
yet
is still protected by the mountainside. Then you want to deploy again and
use
the Ion Cannon to keep a clear area in front of the Leviathan - so that
the
enemy can't get close enough to attack it. The point is NOT to push into
the
enemy Prime node, only to destroy it and keep it destroyed. At this point
your
Leviathan would probably not survive driving out into the open and you
are too
outnumbered to make the run yourself. Even if you did, the enemy could
quickly
and easily take it back.
The purpose is to keep the enemy away from the center node as long as
possible. What will probably happen - at least if you're playing on the
higher
difficulties - the Leviathan will be destroyed shortly after you start
bombarding the prime node. You may or may not succeed in destroying the
enemy
prime, but it doesn't make a huge difference. Either way, you'll have to
wait
until the Leviathan respawns, and will be very vulnerable during this
time. We
pushed into their prime node so that they will have that much further to
run
before they are in -your- territory. The enemy will continue pushing
into the
center node. Since you are on foot now, grab the orb and use it to shield
the
node. The enemy will fire at you, so strafe around and shoot back. If the
enemy kills you, respawn as quickly as you can. Because you were
shielding the
node, the enemy was not attacking the node itself. If you are quick
enough,
you can respawn at the center node before it gets attacked again and your
orb
will still be there. Quickly pick up the orb and shield\heal the node
again.
Repeat this for as long as you can. If the enemy orb carrier approaches
the
node, kill him (if you can) and use their orb to destroy it. If he kills
you,
respawn quickly so you'll appear back at the node. Your orb should still
be
there, and you may still be able to reclaim the node. If it works out, a
new
orb will appear on the spawner, and you can repeat the cycle. If the
enemy
succeeds in claiming the center node - and they probably will - things
become
more hectic. You can still recover, however. Just repeat this process at
the
Prime Node. They probably won't claim both before the Leviathan comes
back
online. Even if they do, when the Leviathan comes back online, you can
recover
your losses.
When the Leviathan comes back online, you need to teleport back to the
base
immediately and get inside it. The only thing more important than this is
destroying the blue orb at the center node, so do that first if
necessary. If
you still have the center node in your control, drive the leviathan in
front
of it and mobilize the Ion Cannon to keep the canyon clear of enemies,
then
push north to the enemy prime node again and destroy it like we did (or
tried
to do) last time. If the enemy managed to claim the center node while you
were
gone, mobilize the turret at the canyon entrance and shoot the Ion Cannon
down
at the ground in the center. This will kill the enemies respawning at the
center node, and if you aim it properly it will damage the node as well.
You
can hold this position until the orb carrier reclaims the node, return to
tank
mode and drive up to assault the node directly, or get out of the
Leviathan
and let the bots pilot it while you follow in behind with the node
yourself.
If the enemy succeeded in pushing all the way south and captured your
prime
node, you still want to position your leviathan as above, where you can
attack
the Prime Node or the center node. Destroy the prime node (and the enemy
dark
walker). Make sure the enemies at the Prime Node are dead, and then get
out of
your leviathan and go to the Prime Node. Once your prime node is
reconstructed, go grab your orb and\or catch up with your leviathan. The
bots
are probably driving it down the canyon to the center node. This is a
perfect
opportunity to repair it with your link gun. If the orb carrier dies you
can
pick it up and use the Leviathan as a shield on your way to the node. If
the
enemy destroys your leviathan while you're fighting over the Prime Node,
you'll need to shift your focus to the Orb. You can't let the enemy have
the
Prime Node, so you'll want to carry the orb in and take the node back,
and
then use the teleporter to go get another Orb ASAP. At the very least you
need
to keep it out of enemy hands until the Leviathan returns.
The goal is to stay alive until the time runs out. Once you're in
Overtime,
all you have to do is capture and hold the center node and their core
will
count down faster than yours will. If you can destroy their prime node,
it's
even faster. Using the Leviathan and the Orb as barriers for your Nodes
should
give you enough of a defensive advantage that they will lose their Nodes
faster than you do, hold them for less time, and therefore suffer more
attrition damage.
Note: This strategy does not require playing a card, but this level is
difficult enough that it may justify playing one.
Briefing
"Alright here's how it went down. We gave Axon a serious beating and they
offered a truce. Their factories are still intact and we *need* their
vehicle
tech. So the corporations signed a limited merger. Malcolm took control
of the
coalition forces and we're heading into Hyperion - the Liandri city.
Lauren
and her Iron Guard want to train us with new equipment. Sounds more like
a
hazing ritual. Either way, take it seriously."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Color-coded lights alert you when the UDamage powerup is available.
- Enemy forces have the advantage of Axon's improved Respawner
technology.
On the hardest difficulty the bots become so 'accurate' here that they
will be
shooting at you before they can even see you, and they will perform
amazing
feats such as shooting you in the head through tiny windows from the
other
side of the level, while jumping. Unless you are better than I am, you'll
want
to avoid exposed locations and prolonged encounters. I found the minigun
to be
especially useful since it spawns near two good ambush sites and is
simply
easier to use while zigzagging and shooting at dodging targets. It's also
useful to weaken targets for Othello. The Bio Rifle is also useful for
killing
enemies with powerups.
There are several good places to ambush the enemy on this mission. The
health
on the crates near the stinger is attractive and often leads to bots
getting
stuck while trying to climb the boxes. The stairwell nearby is difficult
for
them to ascend while being attacked since they must align themselves with
the
doorway you're attacking through. Beyond that, the Shield Belt spawns on
top
of some more crates which the bots also become stuck on while trying to
climb
up. Another good place is the ramp near the rocket launcher (the one near
the
health kits) because the bots almost always attempt to come in from that
direction.
If you win the level, you get the "Iron Guard Reinforcements" card.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"Intel has proof the phayder corporation is backing the Krall army,
supplying
them with necris vehicles and technology. Just what we need: Bestial
psychotic
killers with high-grade tech. Latest news is that the Krall hijacked an
Axon
supply convoy including - oh that's just great - including a Leviathan
super
vehicle. Ronin, we're on damage control. That Leviathan could turn the
tide of
the war, and we'd better be on the right side of the wave when it hits."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
Your forces will do the same. Whoever spawns closest to the orb will take
it
to the Mine node, sometimes bringing vehicle support. The rest will go to
the
Prime Node. Since both teams are doing basically the same thing, they
will
both construct their prime node at about the same time and the only
difference
in the first 30 seconds or so is who 'wins' control of the mine node.
From
there, both teams will try to use their orb as a battering ram to the
prime
node. If you defeat the enemy attempt on the Mine Node, you've got about
a
minute to spare which is best used attempting (at least) to push your orb
into
the enemy prime node by circling in from the north. If the attempt
succeeds,
congratulations. Otherwise, just head back to the Mine Node and get in
your
Leviathan. The enemy gets a Nemesis - roughly equivalent to a Goliath -
and if
everything goes well, it will arrive at your prime node just before your
Leviathan completes construction. Nemesis are annoying, even with
unskilled
bot pilots, but on Insane it's.. Insane. This stage is delicate. If the
leviathan gets exploded too soon, or at the wrong time, the enemy will
capture
your prime node, and you'll have to replace the Leviathan, thereby
leaving
your Core unprotected. In addition, the enemy orb carrier will probably
be en-
route to your Prime Node at this time as well.
You'll want to drive the leviathan out just far enough to cut-off any
opportunity for the enemy to reinforce it's assault on your base. Pay
special
attention to the laser turret, the nemesis, and the enemy orb. These are
the
backbone of the enemy plans. Once your prime node is secure and your
allies
start attacking the enemy prime node, follow in behind them and help
destroy
it. Once the prime node is down - just like last time - you can park in
the
road and shut down any attempt to reclaim it while your allies do the
work, or
you can crash through their front gate and damage the core yourself.
Either
way, you're in good position to maintain a strangle hold on their
operations.
Curiously, I also had success ignoring the Leviathan and charging into
the
enemy prime node with a Manta. This keeps them distracted attacking me
and
scrambling to defend their node, easing pressure off my defending allies
and,
amusingly, allowing my men to kill all of the distracted defenders and
destroy
the node anyway. When the manta exploded, I went and got the Leviathan
and
used it to destroy the enemy core.
Mission 120 - Kargo ( vCTF-Kargo )
Goal: 3 Captures
Faction: Krall
Allies: Jester, Othello, Bishop
Enemies: Cerberus, Gnasher, Scar, Worg, Bargest
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"I don't like what's going on here. The Axon are quiet - no attempts to
recapture the Alluvion Corridor. Four recon teams went into Oxida Nova.
Only
one made it out. They reported I quote, "Overwhelming hordes of Krall
mercenaries slaughtering everyone wholesale." Before we could get
defenses
online, the Krall crossed the bay and hit our supply-lines. We need to
move
quickly, or this entire op is going up in smoke. We've seen what these
bastards can do first hand. This time, they don't have the element of
surprise
but we're still heavily outnumbered. Don't kid yourselves. Respawners or
not,
every time we fight the Krall, we're fighting for survival."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
You want to approach from the Hellbender side and stay away from midfield
where the enemy vehicles congregate. Aside from avoiding a lot of
unnecessary
damage, it also provides you a small area to restock on health and armor
before you enter the flag room. There will probably be two defenders
guarding
the flag since they can afford it. If you drop down into the scorpion
garage
and then use the jump pad in the back, you'll come up right in front of
one of
the defenders. If you turn around and step onto it, you can come up
facing him
and can gib him with the Flak Cannon before he has a chance to return
fire.
Then you can grab the flag and jump over the rail to the Hellbender exit.
If you moved quickly out of the base - and especially if you have the
shield
belt - you should have enough time to use your hoverboard to get behind
the
crates. You may even be able to reach the garage. Take the same route
home
that you took to reach the base and hope the enemy didn't take the tank
while
you were away. If they did, you'll probably have to kill the tank and try
again, but sometimes you can escape before it targets you. The redeemer
can
make short work of the tank, just don't use the alt-fire or they will
shoot it
down with their incredible aim.
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"With three corporations at each other’s throats, the Torlan Delta's in
chaos.
Krall forces are swarming the central Torlan gorge, looking to take
advantage.
All we've got is a forward observation post at the border. The outlying
nodes
will give us more vehicles, but intel says they're already corrupted by
the
necris. The Torlan Delta's about as strategic as it gets, so this isn't
optional. We have to push out the Krall if we're gonna win this war."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
- Krall forces will attempt to overwhelm enemies by attacking in packs.
- Some Nodes are already under the control of the Krall forces.
If you destroy the enemy prime node first, you'll want to continue being
aggressive with the orb, taking any remaining nodes on the map. If you're
not
in a position to do that, try to establish a line-of-sight on their prime
node
and attack it to keep it suppressed. It shouldn't be too terribly
difficult to
keep the enemy pinned in their base this way while you or your team takes
the
remaining nodes. The SPMA Artillery can be useful for this purpose.
Controlling both side nodes is important because you don't want to lose
the
ability to attack the enemy prime node. Controlling the center node is
important because you want the orb to be within range of the enemy prime
node.
If your allies manage to destroy the prime node while you've got all the
other
nodes under your control, you can push the orb up into their prime node
and
then teleport back to retrieve a second, which you can then use to shield
the
node.
It's a bit of a tug-of-war, but your allies can occasionally get in and
damage
the core while you are doing this, and if you make it to overtime you'll
be
able to win on attrition.
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"Advance teams established an improvised base on the border, but Axon
forces
are amassing a huge force across the central gorge. We need to destroy
the
enemy core to establish a firm command of the area. When the N.E.G.
pulled
out, they left a support node intact hidden underneath the bridge. If we
can
take that node, we'll get some extra firepower we can use against the
core."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
The bots will try to grab the orb and take it to the node north\south of
their
base. Usually this means that the Red team will have the South nodes, and
East
node, while the Blue will control the north and west. They will mostly
fix
their efforts on controlling the main nodes, so if they don't have both
the
East and the West node, they'll try to cut off your opportunities to
attack
their prime node while they attack yours. They don't pay much attention
to the
support nodes - the center node isn't linked to any others, and the
corner
nodes collapse when the prime node is destroyed - but they don't ignore
them
completely either. If they have both the east and west nodes, they'll
focus on
taking out your prime node and 'mopping up' the unclaimed nodes. If they
succeed in doing so you'll have a hard time getting back up again. If
they
destroy your prime node, you'll have to claim it, hold it, claim a side
node,
hold it, and destroy their prime node.
So the goal here is to destroy their prime node - as quickly as possible
- to
put them in that situation before they destroy yours. It's not as
important to
actually claim and hold the enemy prime node as it is to keep it
destroyed.
Their tank node will collapse, and their East\West nodes will be useless
until
they get it back up. They will send their orb carrier to reclaim it, but
while
they are trying to recover their prime node, your allies will be sweeping
their other nodes off the map. By the time they get their prime node
rebuilt,
you'll be in position to destroy it again with more nodes than you had
last
time. If you can actually claim their prime node, consider going and
claiming
their Tank node as well. With a Goliath so close to their base, you can
all
but prevent their orb carrier from reclaiming the prime node, and
therefore
win by attrition.
Jester will be the assigned Orb carrier on this mission, and there is a
good
chance she'll beat you to the orb. She'll probably run to the east node
while
Bishop and Othello go after the Prime & Tank nodes. The enemy will mirror
this
tactic. There isn't much use for you following Bishop and Othello to the
prime
node, and they will probably move north to the west node afterwards. The
center node may be a viable target, and it will give you a good location
for
your orb to respawn, which you can then take to the (possibly undefended)
enemy prime node. You can also follow Jester north to make sure she
secures
the east node, to help hold it if the enemy Goliath decides to head that
way,
and to give you a good position to quickly attack the enemy prime node.
There are several approaches to this mission. You can pilot the raptor
and
attack the nodes from the air. Parking the raptor on the Tower in the
center
places you in a diamond of Nodes, all of which are important. This gives
you a
pretty clear vantage point (and a redeemer) to constantly wear away at
the
enemy nodes and prevent construction. You can also use the manta to do
this
from the ground, trading mobility (slightly) for speed, ground-cover, and
the
ability to participate in reconstruction. You can also forego the entire
strategy and charge straight to the Tank node, using it as a battering
ram of
sorts. I found the Manta to be the most effective strategy because, on
the
harder difficulties, the tank and raptor seem to make you a larger, more
exposed target and the manta is also faster, which is important.
There are several places that let you attack the nodes from far away -
usually
too far away for the bots to hit you accurately - and if you sneak around
the
backside, you can reclaim nodes without drawing attention to yourself.
Usually
these locations are near the center of the map and out-of-the-way of Bot
patrol routes. Most notably, you can attack the enemy prime node from
near
their tank node, or from the mountains in the center of the map. Using
the
'edges' of the rocks as cover from enemy fire. The Link Gun and Shock
Rifle
are good at this, but if you can do it in a Raptor or a Manta it's even
better. In general, just try to avoid the enemy troops without drawing
attention to yourself and focus on destroying their nodes - especially
the
prime node - from places where they can't see or reach you and let your
team
mates pick up the slack.
There are only 4 enemy bots in this mission, and this map is large enough
that
even 6 vs. 6 has quite a distance between targets so things should be
fairly
calm.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The canals of the Alluvion river are gated by this Axon hydro-facility,
which
serves as an emergency power backup and Tarydium processing plant.
Destroying
the plant would put serious stress on Axon energy production, but
capturing it
would mean diverting those essential resources for Izanagi use.
Briefing
"This should be a straightforward infantry assault. We take out their
respawner and we're in control. Bishop, there's plenty of high ground and
clear lines of sight, so provide cover when we cross the bridges. The
rest of
you, keep your heads up and watch for snipers."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The central bridge area has several dangerous sniping positions.
- Protect the FLaG carrier to ensure their safe return.
There are two main roads to and from the bases and a long narrow central
courtyard between them, connected by a series of narrow bridges which
span a
chasm. Obviously, falling off the bridge is fatal. There are buildings on
either side of the chasm which serve both as sniper bunkers and as
medians to
keep the two paths from the bases mostly separated. You can run between
the
chasm and the bunkers for a 'change up' but I find that dangerous and
wasteful. If you don't have the flag, you can also translocate through
the
window of the bunker rather than run across the exposed bridge. The bots
can
(and will) do that as well.
There are two paths, left and right, which will take you through
separate routes before connecting in the middle (the flag room). The left
path
is shorter and generally less confusing, while the right path provides
better
cover, armor powerups, and a little bit of obscurity. The first room on
the
left path is a winding room with generators. There is health to the left
of
the door, and a few vials up on top of the first generator. There is a
rocket
launcher on top of the second generator. Beyond that room is a hallway
that
leads to the Bio Rifle and immediately past that, the enemy flag room
with a
stinger minigun on the ledge above the door and more health by the door
opposite. Beyond that, there is another hallway which leads to the Link
Gun,
which in turn leads to another room. This room has the Body Armor in the
center, and the Flak Cannon along the wall. It's easy to get turned
around
here, because the exit to the room is on the same wall you entered
through.
Once you know your way around, a dodge\translocate and a couple sharp
turns
will take you through this room before the bots have time to focus on
you.
Past that room is a small hallway which leads to the last room - the
entrance
to the 'right path' - which spawns the Shock rifle and the Armored
Helmet.
I prefer the right path for a couple reasons. On the left path, there is
health right by the entrance - or exit - to the base, but if you already
need
health when you're first entering the base, or if you're low enough that
it
makes a difference when you're leaving, there is a good chance you'll die
in
the long courtyard anyway, and either way you're likely to be exposed to
further damage for a while before you find more. The left path also has
easy
translocator shortcuts that you cannot use while carrying the flag,
meaning
the bots will have an easier time catching you should you attempt to exit
along that route. The right path, on the other hand, can use the winding
corridors to provide cover fire from the enemies for almost half of the
journey, provides armor pickups to keep you shielded *and* has health
inside
the enemy flag room when you arrive (or to top off your health before the
escape attempt). The biggest downside to this route is that you can get
ambushed in the corridors.
There are a couple 'secrets' on this level. Between the left & right
path,
immediately behind the entrance to the sniper bunkers near where the
sniper
rifle spawns, there is a ventilation shaft in the 'ceiling' which you can
throw your translocator into. This will take you into the Flak\Armor room
and
bypass the Shock\Helmet room. On the wall behind the Bio Rifle, there is
an
access hatch which turns into the enemy Flag, allowing you to enter from
'behind enemy lines.' It's not incredibly useful, but the bots will use
this.
Finally - and this is the game winner - there is a Shield belt above the
Stinger platform in either team's flag room. The stinger platform 'loops
around' for no obvious reason, but if you look up there is a pipe running
along the ceiling. If you translocate onto that, you'll find the shield
belt.
If it's already been taken, you can also wait there safely for it to
respawn.
You can get the shield belt in the red base and use it to get inside the
blue
base, stock up on health and replace the broken shield, and then grab the
flag
and make an escape with 100/100. If you take the right path, you can
sometimes
grab an Armor Vest and\or Helmet on your way out. This factor alone
should
allow you to make it outside and to the first bridge, where your team can
(possibly) pick up where you left off if you die. Another useful trick is
to
use the Bio Rifle alt fire to clear the hallways if anyone tries to
ambush
you. A lot of people dislike the Bio Rifle, but in situations like this
it can
be more useful than the Flak Cannon. Quickly 'Zigzagging' is also a must,
since it reduces the enemy accuracy by about 60%. If you're still having
trouble with this, you can linger in your own base collecting the health
vials
on top of the generators, the armor helmet, vest, and belt until you're
175/199. That should give you enough energy to get into the blue base and
replace your shield before attempting the capture. The 175 shield should
get
you outside, and the extra 99 health might help getting across the
bridge.
Mission 124 - Suspense ( vCTF-Suspense )
Goal: 3 Captures
Faction: Iron Guard
Allies: Jester, Othello, Bishop
Enemies: Cain, Johnson, Karag, Wraith
Map Details
Oxida Nova border territories
Suspense is the only bridge across the Alluvion strong enough to support
the
weight of heavy combat vehicles. Without the bridge, it would take Axon
forces
several days to respond to any battles across of the river. As such, it
is
always under guard by an Axon mechanized division, with military
checkpoints
at each end.
Briefing
"We need to clear the military checkpoints at each end of this bridge.
Izanagi
recon took the southern point, and they called us to take the more
heavily
guarded northern point. So we'll sortie from the south to attack their
respawner. We will have vehicle support. Bishop, the central bridge
towers
should make great sniper nests. Don't forget a longbow to take out enemy
armor. Recon team also found a path under the bridge, so keep that in
mind as
our number-two option."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The towers of the bridge are ideal sniping positions.
- There is a Redeemer on the lower path, under the bridge.
The sniper rifle spawns between the two halves, and another spawns up
near the
SPMA artillery. You can use the support cables on the bridge to run (or
Hoverboard) up to the top of the bridge in a scene very reminiscent of
FFX
(except they didn't fall on their face and roll off the edge to their
death.)
Most of your weapons will be acquired from weapon lockers near your spawn
point so there is much more emphasis on vehicles for this map. The
biggest
asset at your disposal will be the Super Health which spawns near the
Sniper
Rifle and SPMA Artillery, up the ramp from your flag and around the
corner.
Jester will pilot the Goliath, making her very useful. Trying to pilot
the
Goliath yourself just draws a ton of enemy fire, you lose the tank and it
doesn't help your allies get the flag (since they basically can't).
Hellbenders, and Scorpions will have to drive down the main road, making
them
very vulnerable. Mantas can get away with it to some extent, but it's
still
more vulnerable than the Raptor. You'll want to hop on over and get the
Super
Health on your side of the map first, then take your Raptor across and
land it
near theirs. It's much better to take the powerups in enemy territory to
deprive them of the benefit. When you've got 199 health, discreetly (wait
for
the Goliath to pass if you need to) walk into the enemy flag room and
take it.
Run back up the ramp to where the Super Health spawns and take a sharp
right.
Run along the narrow ledge against the wall of the building. Jump across
to
the doorway on the bridge's support pillar and run inside. This puts you
on
the bridge. Take a left and run outside along the edge of the bridge,
being
careful not to fall off or leave yourself exposed to fire from behind
you. You
can use the pillars as cover to some extent, but you'll want to keep
moving.
Once you get inside the second doorway, you're almost home free. I've
found it
better to keep running straight for a short way after leaving the doorway
rather than trying to cut across the bridge immediately. Either way,
cross the
bridge and put the flag away. No sweat. Then, just get the Super Health
again
and repeat the process.
The redeemer spawns on the island under the bridge. Falling off the
bridge can
result in a ragdoll, dropping the flag, and possibly getting killed by
the
bots who like to play down there. If you survive you can climb the ramp
on the
opposite side and come up in about the same place as you would have if
you'd
run along the bridge. I tend to avoid the hoverboard on this map, but
there
are a couple opportunities to use it in brief intervals inside the
buildings
and around corners.
Note: If you're playing Co-op you can use the Raptor and Hoverboard
grapple to
bring a friend into the enemy base with you, and quickly tow them back
out
with the flag. It may be possible to accomplish this kind of extraction
with
the bots as well, by piloting the raptor near them when they grab the
enemy
flag.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
With the blockade on the Alluvion River, the warehouse district of Oxida
Nova
has been plunged into chaos. The storage facilities located there are the
only
remaining supply points available to Axon forces, and they've enforced
martial
law to ensure that their supplies remain unthreatened.
Briefing
"The Izanagi are taking Oxida Nova City and we're on point. I don't have
to
tell you about urban terrain, even 3:1 odds is rolling the dice - and
today,
we're straight up. We move downtown, flush the Axon into the open, and
take
out their power grid. The sooner we get heavy vehicles in play, the
better -
either by blowing the barricades outside the Axon base, or capturing the
tank
factory at the central node. Stay alert. We're on their home turf now and
they'll use that to advantage."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy barricades.
- With the barricades destroyed, heavy vehicles gain access to the main
battlefield.
- Axon forces have a strong foothold in this area. Defend your core at
all
costs.
For the most part, the idea of the early game is to keep the Tank node
under
your control and use it as a counterweight to prevent the enemy from
reclaiming anything your allies take from them. This is the hardest part.
Once
you've got control of both the center node and the tank node, the
dynamics
change. For one, you don't have to do anything else except maintain
control
and you will win by attrition if the time runs out. At this point you
might
find it better to switch entirely to defense using the Orb to shield &
hold
the center node while your allies fight over the enemy prime node. If the
enemy prime falls, you can then run over and build a friendly node in
it's
place, and repeat the process there while your allies attack the enemy
core.
Another option might be to assist attacking the enemy prime node
yourself,
although this can be difficult and potentially costly if the enemy
counter-
attacks.
Once you have their prime node, you can attack their core. On the easier
settings I find this more productive than defending because the bots are
so
slow and it's easy to recover the node if they destroy it. On the harder
levels there is less room to play around, I prefer to be conservative and
let
the enemy wear out slowly-but-surely, using my now-obsolete orb to defend
the
enemy prime node and preventing them from getting back up. If you have an
opening between waves of enemies, you can run over and take the Tank node
back
at this point (if you lost it). You can actually park the Goliath inside
the
prime node building, making it impossible for the enemy to reclaim their
node.
If you decide to attack their base, there is an alleyway off the main
road
that leads to their core. You can get in and shoot it a couple times
before
the bots catch on. If you've got a secure hold on the prime node and the
enemies are siege in their base, you can drive the Goliath through their
front gate without much fuss as well. All-in-all the first 50% is the
hard
part and it's all downhill from there.
Briefing
"Now that we've taken Oxida Nova, Axon defenses are crumbling. There's
only a
few pockets of resistance left, but that includes the Iron Guard. These
guys
are Axon-elite, ex-military--very experienced. And very pissed. They've
got a
make-shift command point near the transport center. Our job is to take
control
of the area before they spark a city-wide riot."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- The tight corridors of the lower level are very dangerous.
- More powerful items can be found in the center's upper levels.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"With the Alluvion blocked, the Axon are trying to sneak their Leviathan
super-
vehicle behind our lines. That kind of firepower on our flank would *not*
be
pretty so we need to hit 'em quickly. Their convoy stopped near a supply
depot
to refuel, and it's ambush time. Our forces used dense forest cover to
establish a small base and now Ronin does the real work. Don't forget the
mine
node. We can use it to construct our own Leviathan. That'd wake 'em up."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
- Proceed with caution, Axon forces already have a Leviathan at their
disposal.
With you manning the Leviathan, your allies should be able to claim the
prime
nodes without a problem, and then all you have to do is push in and
destroy
the core.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"I don't like what's going on here. The Axon are quiet - no attempts to
recapture the Alluvion Corridor. Four recon teams went into Oxida Nova.
Only
one made it out. They reported I quote, "Overwhelming hordes of Krall
mercenaries slaughtering everyone wholesale." Before we could get
defenses
online, the Krall crossed the bay and hit our supply-lines. We need to
move
quickly, or this entire op is going up in smoke. We've seen what these
bastards can do first hand. This time, they don't have the element of
surprise
but we're still heavily outnumbered. Don't kid yourselves. Respawners or
not,
every time we fight the Krall, we're fighting for survival."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
For the actual run, the shield belt would help immensely if you can get a
hold
of it. Either way, you want to approach from the Hellbender side and stay
away
from midfield where the enemy vehicles congregate. Aside from avoiding a
lot
of unnecessary damage, it also provides you a small area to restock on
health
and armor before you enter the flag room. There will probably be two
defenders
guarding the flag since they can afford it. If you drop down into the
scorpion
garage and then use the jump pad in the back, you'll come up right in
front of
one of the defenders. If you turn around and step onto it, you can come
up
facing him and can gib him with the Flak Cannon before he has a chance to
return fire. Then you can grab the flag and jump over the rail to the
Hellbender exit.
If you moved quickly out of the base - and especially if you have the
shield
belt - you should have enough time to use your hoverboard to get behind
the
crates. You may even be able to reach the garage. Take the same route
home
that you took to reach the base and hope the enemy didn't take the tank
while
you were away. If they did, you'll probably have to kill the tank and try
again, but sometimes you can escape before it targets you. The redeemer
can
make short work of the tank, just don't use the alt-fire or they will
shoot it
down with their incredible aim.
Map Details
Torlan river delta
Thanks to stringent monitoring by the New Earth Government, all three
Corporations have used the fields of the Torlan Delta to power their
combined
mining efforts. But with the recent threat of full scale war, N.E.G.
forces
have pulled out, and everyone is scrambling to take control of this
valuable
territory.
Briefing
"With three corporations at each other’s throats, the Torlan Delta's in
chaos.
Krall forces are swarming at the central Torlan gorge, looking to take
advantage. All we've got is a forward observation post at the border. The
outlying nodes will give us more vehicles, but intel says they're already
corrupted by the necris. The Torlan Delta's about as strategic as it
gets, so
this isn't optional. We have to push out the Krall if we're gonna win
this
war. Good thing we picked up that Leviathan. Let's give the Krall a
little
surprise."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- A Support Node below the central bridge will provide your team with
extra
fire power.
- Krall forces will attempt to overwhelm enemies by attacking in packs.
- Some Nodes are already under the control of the Krall forces.
You want Jester and Othello on offense, and Bishop covering you. Bishop
will
get in the leviathan with you and man one of the turrets. We use Bishop
because he is the most accurate and the least useful on foot. Othello
will go
to the Prime node, while Jester will carry the orb to the center node. If
Othello has the orb, he will take it to the prime node like an idiot, but
Jester will still go to the center node. If you have Othello *and* Bishop
in
the Leviathan, Jester will take the orb to the Center node and wait for
the
Prime Node to complete the construction that Othello never started -
shutting
down your entire strategy.
You want to pilot the Leviathan to the center node. On your way to the
center
node, you will more than likely run into an enemy viper towing their orb
carrier on their way to do the same thing. Killing them should not be a
problem, but you have to kill them before they get their orb carrier to
the
node. If they get the node before you do, they will quite possibly kill
your
leviathan before you can recover it, push south and take your prime node
before the leviathan respawns, and then reassemble at your prime node, in
good
position to kill your leviathan again and destroy your core.
When the enemy prime node finishes construction. They will begin a huge
push
into the center node. You want to mobilize the Leviathan and use it's Ion
Cannon to destroy everyone in the pass. When, and if things quiet down,
go
back into tank mode and drive toward the far side of the tunnel. The idea
is
to position the Leviathan so that Bishop can attack the enemy prime node,
yet
is still protected by the mountainside. Then you want to deploy again and
use
the Ion Cannon to keep a clear area in front of the Leviathan - so that
the
enemy can't get close enough to attack it. The point is NOT to push into
the
enemy Prime node, only to destroy it and keep it destroyed. At this point
your
Leviathan would probably not survive driving out into the open and you
are too
outnumbered to make the run yourself. Even if you did, the enemy could
quickly
and easily take it back.
The purpose is to keep the enemy away from the center node as long as
possible. What will probably happen - at least if you're playing on the
higher
difficulties - the Leviathan will be destroyed shortly after you start
bombarding the prime node. You may or may not succeed in destroying the
enemy
prime, but it doesn't make a huge difference. Either way, you'll have to
wait
until the Leviathan respawns, and will be very vulnerable during this
time. We
pushed into their prime node so that they will have that much further to
run
before they are in -your- territory. The enemy will continue pushing
into the
center node. Since you are on foot now, grab the orb and use it to shield
the
node. The enemy will fire at you, so strafe around and shoot back. If the
enemy kills you, respawn as quickly as you can. Because you were
shielding the
node, the enemy was not attacking the node itself. If you are quick
enough,
you can respawn at the center node before it gets attacked again and your
orb
will still be there. Quickly pick up the orb and shield\heal the node
again.
Repeat this for as long as you can. If the enemy orb carrier approaches
the
node, kill him (if you can) and use their orb to destroy it. If he kills
you,
respawn quickly so you'll appear back at the node. Your orb should still
be
there, and you may still be able to reclaim the node. If it works out, a
new
orb will appear on the spawner, and you can repeat the cycle. If the
enemy
succeeds in claiming the center node - and they probably will - things
become
more hectic. You can still recover, however. Just repeat this process at
the
Prime Node. They probably won't claim both before the Leviathan comes
back
online. Even if they do, when the Leviathan comes back online, you can
recover
your losses.
When the Leviathan comes back online, you need to teleport back to the
base
immediately and get inside it. The only thing more important than this is
destroying the blue orb at the center node, so do that first if
necessary. If
you still have the center node in your control, drive the leviathan in
front
of it and mobilize the Ion Cannon to keep the canyon clear of enemies,
then
push north to the enemy prime node again and destroy it like we did (or
tried
to do) last time. If the enemy managed to claim the center node while you
were
gone, mobilize the turret at the canyon entrance and shoot the Ion Cannon
down
at the ground in the center. This will kill the enemies respawning at the
center node, and if you aim it properly it will damage the node as well.
You
can hold this position until the orb carrier reclaims the node, return to
tank
mode and drive up to assault the node directly, or get out of the
Leviathan
and let the bots pilot it while you follow in behind with the node
yourself.
If the enemy succeeded in pushing all the way south and captured your
prime
node, you still want to position your leviathan as above, where you can
attack
the Prime Node or the center node. Destroy the prime node (and the enemy
dark
walker). Make sure the enemies at the Prime Node are dead, and then get
out of
your leviathan and go to the Prime Node. Once your prime node is
reconstructed, go grab your orb and\or catch up with your leviathan. The
bots
are probably driving it down the canyon to the center node. This is a
perfect
opportunity to repair it with your link gun. If the orb carrier dies you
can
pick it up and use the Leviathan as a shield on your way to the node. If
the
enemy destroys your leviathan while you're fighting over the Prime Node,
you'll need to shift your focus to the Orb. You can't let the enemy have
the
Prime Node, so you'll want to carry the orb in and take the node back,
and
then use the teleporter to go get another Orb ASAP. At the very least you
need
to keep it out of enemy hands until the Leviathan returns.
The goal is to stay alive until the time runs out. Once you're in
Overtime,
all you have to do is capture and hold the center node and their core
will
count down faster than yours will. If you can destroy their prime node,
it's
even faster. Using the Leviathan and the Orb as barriers for your Nodes
should
give you enough of a defensive advantage that they will lose their Nodes
faster than you do, hold them for less time, and therefore suffer more
attrition damage.
Note: This strategy does not require playing a card, but this level is
difficult enough that it may justify playing one.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"With the Alluvion blocked, the Axon are trying to sneak their Leviathan
super-
vehicle behind our lines. That kind of firepower on our flank would *not*
be
pretty so we need to hit 'em quickly. Their convoy stopped near a supply
depot
to refuel, and it's ambush time. Our forces used dense forest cover to
establish a small base and now Ronin does the real work. Don't forget the
mine
node. We can use it to construct our own Leviathan. That'd wake 'em up."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Control the Mine Node to engage the mining drones.
- The drones will automatically begin to mine and stockpile Tarydium.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
- Proceed with caution, Axon forces already have a Leviathan at their
disposal.
With you manning the Leviathan, your allies should be able to claim the
prime
nodes without a problem, and then all you have to do is push in and
destroy
the core.
Map Details
Oxida Nova border territories
Suspense is the only bridge across the Alluvion strong enough to support
the
weight of heavy combat vehicles. Without the bridge, it would take Axon
forces
several days to respond to any battles across of the river. As such, it
is
always under guard by an Axon mechanized division, with military
checkpoints
at each end.
Briefing
"We need to clear the military checkpoints at each end of this bridge.
Izanagi
recon took the southern point, and they called us to take the more
heavily
guarded northern point. So we'll sortie from the south to attack their
respawner. We will have vehicle support. Bishop, the central bridge
towers
should make great sniper nests. Don't forget a longbow to take out enemy
armor. Recon team also found a path under the bridge, so keep that in
mind as
our number-two option."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- The towers of the bridge are ideal sniping positions.
- There is a Redeemer on the lower path, under the bridge.
The sniper rifle spawns between the two halves, and another spawns up
near the
SPMA artillery. You can use the support cables on the bridge to run (or
Hoverboard) up to the top of the bridge in a scene very reminiscent of
FFX
(except they didn't fall on their face and roll off the edge to their
death.)
Most of your weapons will be acquired from weapon lockers near your spawn
point so there is much more emphasis on vehicles for this map. The
biggest
asset at your disposal will be the Super Health which spawns near the
Sniper
Rifle and SPMA Artillery, up the ramp from your flag and around the
corner.
Jester will pilot the Goliath, making her very useful. Trying to pilot
the
Goliath yourself just draws a ton of enemy fire, you lose the tank and it
doesn't help your allies get the flag (since they basically can't).
Hellbenders, and Scorpions will have to drive down the main road, making
them
very vulnerable. Mantas can get away with it to some extent, but it's
still
more vulnerable than the Raptor. You'll want to hop on over and get the
Super
Health on your side of the map first, then take your Raptor across and
land it
near theirs. It's much better to take the powerups in enemy territory to
deprive them of the benefit. When you've got 199 health, discreetly (wait
for
the Goliath to pass if you need to) walk into the enemy flag room and
take it.
Run back up the ramp to where the Super Health spawns and take a sharp
right.
Run along the narrow ledge against the wall of the building. Jump across
to
the doorway on the bridge's support pillar and run inside. This puts you
on
the bridge. Take a left and run outside along the edge of the bridge,
being
careful not to fall off or leave yourself exposed to fire from behind
you. You
can use the pillars as cover to some extent, but you'll want to keep
moving.
Once you get inside the second doorway, you're almost home free. I've
found it
better to keep running straight for a short way after leaving the doorway
rather than trying to cut across the bridge immediately. Either way,
cross the
bridge and put the flag away. No sweat. Then, just get the Super Health
again
and repeat the process.
The redeemer spawns on the island under the bridge. Falling off the
bridge can
result in a ragdoll, dropping the flag, and possibly getting killed by
the
bots who like to play down there. If you survive you can climb the ramp
on the
opposite side and come up in about the same place as you would have if
you'd
run along the bridge. I tend to avoid the hoverboard on this map, but
there
are a couple opportunities to use it in brief intervals inside the
buildings
and around corners.
Note: If you're playing Co-op you can use the Raptor and Hoverboard
grapple to
bring a friend into the enemy base with you, and quickly tow them back
out
with the flag. It may be possible to accomplish this kind of extraction
with
the bots as well, by piloting the raptor near them when they grab the
enemy
flag.
Mission 132 - Downtown ( WAR-Downtown )
Goal: 1 Core Destroyed
Faction: Iron Guard
Allies: Jester, Othello, Bishop
Enemies: Lauren, Barktooth, Drake, Cain
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
With the blockade on the Alluvion River, the warehouse district of Oxida
Nova
has been plunged into chaos. The storage facilities located there are the
only
remaining supply points available to Axon forces, and they've enforced
martial
law to ensure that their supplies remain unthreatened.
Briefing
"The Izanagi are taking Oxida Nova City and we're on point. I don't have
to
tell you about urban terrain, even 3:1 odds is rolling the dice - and
today,
we're straight up. We move downtown, flush the Axon into the open, and
take
out their power grid. The sooner we get heavy vehicles in play, the
better -
either by blowing the barricades outside the Axon base, or capturing the
tank
factory at the central node. Stay alert. We're on their home turf now and
they'll use that to advantage."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- Use the shaped charge or Redeemer to destroy barricades.
- With the barricades destroyed, heavy vehicles gain access to the main
battlefield.
- Axon forces have a strong foothold in this area. Defend your core at
all
costs.
For the most part, the idea of the early game is to keep the Tank node
under
your control and use it as a counterweight to prevent the enemy from
reclaiming anything your allies take from them. This is the hardest part.
Once
you've got control of both the center node and the tank node, the
dynamics
change. For one, you don't have to do anything else except maintain
control
and you will win by attrition if the time runs out. At this point you
might
find it better to switch entirely to defense using the Orb to shield &
hold
the center node while your allies fight over the enemy prime node. If the
enemy prime falls, you can then run over and build a friendly node in
it's
place, and repeat the process there while your allies attack the enemy
core.
Another option might be to assist attacking the enemy prime node
yourself,
although this can be difficult and potentially costly if the enemy
counter-
attacks.
Once you have their prime node, you can attack their core. On the easier
settings I find this more productive than defending because the bots are
so
slow and it's easy to recover the node if they destroy it. On the harder
levels there is less room to play around, I prefer to be conservative and
let
the enemy wear out slowly-but-surely, using my now-obsolete orb to defend
the
enemy prime node and preventing them from getting back up. If you have an
opening between waves of enemies, you can run over and take the Tank node
back
at this point (if you lost it). You can actually park the Goliath inside
the
prime node building, making it impossible for the enemy to reclaim their
node.
If you decide to attack their base, there is an alleyway off the main
road
that leads to their core. You can get in and shoot it a couple times
before
the bots catch on. If you've got a secure hold on the prime node and the
enemies are siege in their base, you can drive the Goliath through their
front gate without much fuss as well. All-in-all the first 50% is the
hard
part and it's all downhill from there.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Downtown Oxida Nova is a busy hub for Axon colonists. The area is
surrounded
by tall buildings, including the central rail station, employment
offices, and
shopping centers that are designed to resemble those back home on Earth.
Briefing
"Now that we've taken Oxida Nova, Axon defenses are crumbling. There's
only a
few pockets of resistance left, but that includes the Iron Guard. These
guys
are Axon-elite, ex-military--very experienced. And very pissed. They've
got a
make-shift command point near the transport center. Our job is to take
control
of the area before they spark a city-wide riot."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- The tight corridors of the lower level are very dangerous.
- More powerful items can be found in the center's upper levels.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"I don't like what's going on here. The Axon are quiet - no attempts to
recapture the Alluvion Corridor. Four recon teams went into Oxida Nova.
Only
one made it out. They reported I quote, "Overwhelming hordes of Krall
mercenaries slaughtering everyone wholesale." Before we could get
defenses
online, the Krall crossed the bay and hit our supply-lines. We need to
move
quickly, or this entire op is going up in smoke. We've seen what these
bastards can do first hand. This time, they don't have the element of
surprise
but we're still heavily outnumbered. Don't kid yourselves. Respawners or
not,
every time we fight the Krall, we're fighting for survival."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
For the actual run, the shield belt would help immensely if you can get a
hold
of it. Either way, you want to approach from the Hellbender side and stay
away
from midfield where the enemy vehicles congregate. Aside from avoiding a
lot
of unnecessary damage, it also provides you a small area to restock on
health
and armor before you enter the flag room. There will probably be two
defenders
guarding the flag since they can afford it. If you drop down into the
scorpion
garage and then use the jump pad in the back, you'll come up right in
front of
one of the defenders. If you turn around and step onto it, you can come
up
facing him and can gib him with the Flak Cannon before he has a chance to
return fire. Then you can grab the flag and jump over the rail to the
Hellbender exit.
If you moved quickly out of the base - and especially if you have the
shield
belt - you should have enough time to use your hoverboard to get behind
the
crates. You may even be able to reach the garage. Take the same route
home
that you took to reach the base and hope the enemy didn't take the tank
while
you were away. If they did, you'll probably have to kill the tank and try
again, but sometimes you can escape before it targets you. The redeemer
can
make short work of the tank, just don't use the alt-fire or they will
shoot it
down with their incredible aim.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"Intel has proof the phayder corporation is backing the Krall army,
supplying
them with necris vehicles and technology. Just what we need: Bestial
psychotic
killers with high-grade tech. Latest news is that the Krall hijacked an
Axon
supply convoy including - oh that's just great - including a Leviathan
super
vehicle. Ronin, we're on damage control. That Leviathan could turn the
tide of
the war, and we'd better be on the right side of the wave when it hits."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
Your forces will do the same. Whoever spawns closest to the orb will take
it
to the Mine node, sometimes bringing vehicle support. The rest will go to
the
Prime Node. Since both teams are doing basically the same thing, they
will
both construct their prime node at about the same time and the only
difference
in the first 30 seconds or so is who 'wins' control of the mine node.
From
there, both teams will try to use their orb as a battering ram to the
prime
node. If you defeat the enemy attempt on the Mine Node, you've got about
a
minute to spare which is best used attempting (at least) to push your orb
into
the enemy prime node by circling in from the north. If the attempt
succeeds,
congratulations. Otherwise, just head back to the Mine Node and get in
your
Leviathan. The enemy gets a Nemesis - roughly equivalent to a Goliath -
and if
everything goes well, it will arrive at your prime node just before your
Leviathan completes construction. Nemesis are annoying, even with
unskilled
bot pilots, but on Insane it's.. Insane. This stage is delicate. If the
leviathan gets exploded too soon, or at the wrong time, the enemy will
capture
your prime node, and you'll have to replace the Leviathan, thereby
leaving
your Core unprotected. In addition, the enemy orb carrier will probably
be en-
route to your Prime Node at this time as well.
You'll want to drive the leviathan out just far enough to cut-off any
opportunity for the enemy to reinforce it's assault on your base. Pay
special
attention to the laser turret, the nemesis, and the enemy orb. These are
the
backbone of the enemy plans. Once your prime node is secure and your
allies
start attacking the enemy prime node, follow in behind them and help
destroy
it. Once the prime node is down - just like last time - you can park in
the
road and shut down any attempt to reclaim it while your allies do the
work, or
you can crash through their front gate and damage the core yourself.
Either
way, you're in good position to maintain a strangle hold on their
operations.
Really, this mission isn't any different than the Iron Guard 4 vs. 4, it
just
has more traffic and slightly different vehicles.
Map Details
Downtown Oxida Nova
Several maintenance facilities just like this one are required in order
to
keep a city running smoothly, especially a city the size of Oxida Nova.
The
Iron Guard have commissioned this particular structure as their own
little
playground, and use it to test out new Axon tech, like advanced weapons
and
upgraded respawners.
Briefing
"Alright here's how it went down. We gave Axon a serious beating and they
offered a truce. Their factories are still intact and we *need* their
vehicle
tech. So the corporations signed a limited merger. Malcolm took control
of the
coalition forces and we're heading into Hyperion - the Liandri city.
Lauren
and her Iron Guard want to train us with new equipment. Sounds more like
a
hazing ritual. Either way, take it seriously."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- Color-coded lights alert you when the UDamage powerup is available.
- Enemy forces have the advantage of Axon's improved Respawner
technology.
On the hardest difficulty the bots become so 'accurate' here that they
will be
shooting at you before they can even see you, and they will perform
amazing
feats such as shooting you in the head through tiny windows from the
other
side of the level, while jumping. Unless you are better than I am, you'll
want
to avoid exposed locations and prolonged encounters. I found the minigun
to be
especially useful since it spawns near two good ambush sites and is
simply
easier to use while zigzagging and shooting at dodging targets. It's also
useful to weaken targets for Othello. The Bio Rifle is also useful for
killing
enemies with powerups.
There are several good places to ambush the enemy on this mission. The
health
on the crates near the stinger is attractive and often leads to bots
getting
stuck while trying to climb the boxes. The stairwell nearby is difficult
for
them to ascend while being attacked since they must align themselves with
the
doorway you're attacking through. Beyond that, the Shield Belt spawns on
top
of some more crates which the bots also become stuck on while trying to
climb
up. Another good place is the ramp near the rocket launcher (the one near
the
health kits) because the bots almost always attempt to come in from that
direction.
If you win the level, you get the "Iron Guard Reinforcements" card.
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
The harbors of the Alluvion River are the primary entry points for
colonial
supply lines. These shipping lanes are shared by all factions, and
monitored
by an N.E.G. peacekeeping force. This port is a highly contested supply
point
on the edge of Axon territory, with the Izanagi mainland just across the
bay.
Briefing
"I don't like what's going on here. The Axon are quiet - no attempts to
recapture the Alluvion Corridor. Four recon teams went into Oxida Nova.
Only
one made it out. They reported I quote, "Overwhelming hordes of Krall
mercenaries slaughtering everyone wholesale." Before we could get
defenses
online, the Krall crossed the bay and hit our supply-lines. We need to
move
quickly, or this entire op is going up in smoke. We've seen what these
bastards can do first hand. This time, they don't have the element of
surprise
but we're still heavily outnumbered. Don't kid yourselves. Respawners or
not,
every time we fight the Krall, we're fighting for survival."
Objectives
- Disable the enemy Respawner by removing its FLaGs.
- Control the boat in the mid-ground to access a Goliath.
- Line up a Scorpion boost to jump from ramp to ramp across the boat.
You want to approach from the Hellbender side and stay away from midfield
where the enemy vehicles congregate. Aside from avoiding a lot of
unnecessary
damage, it also provides you a small area to restock on health and armor
before you enter the flag room. There will probably be two defenders
guarding
the flag since they can afford it. If you drop down into the scorpion
garage
and then use the jump pad in the back, you'll come up right in front of
one of
the defenders. If you turn around and step onto it, you can come up
facing him
and can gib him with the Flak Cannon before he has a chance to return
fire.
Then you can grab the flag and jump over the rail to the Hellbender exit.
If you moved quickly out of the base - and especially if you have the
shield
belt - you should have enough time to use your hoverboard to get behind
the
crates. You may even be able to reach the garage. Take the same route
home
that you took to reach the base and hope the enemy didn't take the tank
while
you were away. If they did, you'll probably have to kill the tank and try
again, but sometimes you can escape before it targets you. The redeemer
can
make short work of the tank, just don't use the alt-fire or they will
shoot it
down with their incredible aim.
Mission 138 - Serenity ( WAR-Serenity_Necris )
Goal: 1 Core Destroyed
Faction: Krall
Allies: Jester, Othello, Bishop, Harkin, Connor
Enemies: Scythe, Scorn, Gnasher, Cerberus, Scar, Lockjaw
Map Details
Alluvion river valley
There's a small Tarydium mine buried deep in the trees of this old
forest.
While it's not large enough to be a major source of income for the Axon,
they
have been known to use it as a supply depot and refueling center for
their
shipping convoys.
Briefing
"Intel has proof the phayder corporation is backing the Krall army,
supplying
them with necris vehicles and technology. Just what we need: Bestial
psychotic
killers with high-grade tech. Latest news is that the Krall hijacked an
Axon
supply convoy including - oh that's just great - including a Leviathan
super
vehicle. Ronin, we're on damage control. That Leviathan could turn the
tide of
the war, and we'd better be on the right side of the wave when it hits."
Objectives
- Link together Nodes to access the enemy Core.
- When Tarydium stockpiles are maxed, Leviathan production begins
automatically.
You'll want to drive the leviathan out just far enough to cut-off any
opportunity for the enemy to reinforce it's assault on your base. Pay
special
attention to the laser turret, the nemesis, and the enemy orb. These are
the
backbone of the enemy plans. Once your prime node is secure and your
allies
start attacking the enemy prime node, follow in behind them and help
destroy
it. Once the prime node is down - just like last time - you can park in
the
road and shut down any attempt to reclaim it while your allies do the
work, or
you can crash through their front gate and damage the core yourself.
Either
way, you're in good position to maintain a strangle hold on their
operations.
Really, this mission isn't any different than the Iron Guard 4 vs. 4, it
just
has more traffic and slightly different vehicles.
Map Details
Oxida Nova, The Decks
One unfortunate drawback to Tarydium is the large volume of toxic bio-
waste
that is created during the processing of raw ore. On Taryd, the bulk of
this
waste is sent to the Decks, an Axon-run storage and disposal facility on
the
outskirts of Oxida Nova. It is not recommended that you enter the
building
without a complete set of protective gear.
Briefing
"Izanagi forces trapped the Krall chieftain inside Hyperion's main waste-
processing plant. He's a rabid cornered dog. He's dangerous, and we need
to
put him down. If we're lucky, losing the alpha-male will make the whole
pack
turn on each other."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- There are environmental hazards throughout the facility.
- Powerful weapons and powerups are located in more dangerous areas.
The enemy will spend most of their time near the Stinger, meaning on the
central bridge near the elevators. You can fire rockets down the length
of the
bridge and kill them in groups when they do this, or you can come up
behind
them from the elevators or the adjacent hallway and use the Flak Cannon
to
similar effect. If they push you out of the doorway and manage to enter
the
hall, you can always retreat back up the ramp and shoot flak balls down
at
them and laugh while the stupid beasts slip and fall into the slime
trying to
get to you. Occasionally one of them will spawn or wander over near the
Bio
Rifle to get the Double Damage - which is an added benefit of the Flak
Cannon.
You can kill them easily if they enter the hallways below the elevator
when
they drop down to get the Jump Boots or the Shield Belt since they have
no
practical means of dodging you. You can also use the portal down there to
get
the Redeemer and kill them with that, the way you would with a rocket
launcher. You can shoot them from around the corners in the hallways by
aiming
at the floor under the half-arch.. Mm. And shock combos. The Krall don't
seem
to be very proficient with long range weapons, so you may also be able to
abuse the sniper roost as well.
I found it easier to kill shielded bots than it was to get the shield
away
from them. Just tell Othello to follow you and stick to the surrounding
hallways.
Map Details
Oxida Nova, The Decks
One unfortunate drawback to Tarydium is the large volume of toxic bio-
waste
that is created during the processing of raw ore. On Taryd, the bulk of
this
waste is sent to the Decks, an Axon-run storage and disposal facility on
the
outskirts of Oxida Nova. It is not recommended that you enter the
building
without a complete set of protective gear.
Briefing
"Izanagi forces trapped the Krall chieftain inside Hyperion's main waste-
processing plant. He's a rabid cornered dog. He's dangerous, and we need
to
put him down. If we're lucky, losing the alpha-male will make the whole
pack
turn on each other."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- There are environmental hazards throughout the facility.
- Powerful weapons and powerups are located in more dangerous areas.
The enemy will spend most of their time near the Stinger, meaning on the
central bridge near the elevators. You can fire rockets down the length
of the
bridge and kill them in groups when they do this, or you can come up
behind
them from the elevators or the adjacent hallway and use the Flak Cannon
to
similar effect. If they push you out of the doorway and manage to enter
the
hall, you can always retreat back up the ramp and shoot flak balls down
at
them and laugh while the stupid beasts slip and fall into the slime
trying to
get to you. Occasionally one of them will spawn or wander over near the
Bio
Rifle to get the Double Damage - which is an added benefit of the Flak
Cannon.
You can kill them easily if they enter the hallways below the elevator
when
they drop down to get the Jump Boots or the Shield Belt since they have
no
practical means of dodging you. You can also use the portal down there to
get
the Redeemer and kill them with that, the way you would with a rocket
launcher. You can shoot them from around the corners in the hallways by
aiming
at the floor under the half-arch.. Mm. And shock combos. The Krall don't
seem
to be very proficient with long range weapons, so you may also be able to
abuse the sniper roost as well.
I found it easier to kill shielded bots than it was to get the shield
away
from them. Just tell Othello to follow you and stick to the surrounding
hallways.
Map Details
Omicron 6, downtown Absalom
The secretive Phayder corporation has begun researching new applications
of
their nanoblack technologies. Some research has made significant
progress,
particularly in the field of battle armor and personal protection. Vaults
such
as this one serve as a testament to the dedicated research of this
groundbreaking technology.
Briefing
"Akasha went to Phayder headquarters to steal the Invulnerability
prototype.
This thing covers the body in a modulated nano-black shield that absorbs
any
attack - which is the last thing *she* needs if we're gonna stop her. So
lets
follow her into the vault and beat her to it."
Objectives
- Keep enemies in check until their Respawner charges are depleted.
- An Invulnerability powerup is located in the direct center of the
facility.
The other two characters (Ariel & Alanna) are not accessible by playing
through the campaign. You can unlock these characters via the 'Unlock
character' button at the bottom of the customize character screen.
Character Code
Alanna Phayder
Ariel Jihan
You can also enter the following command in the console (F10)
Unlockallchars Unlocks all playable characters.
There are some additional parts & characters who are not available in the
customize character screen as well. For a summary of these parts and how
to
enable them, see the following thread on the official forums:
http://gearsforums.epicgames.com/showthread.php?t=589971
Console Cheats
God Player cannot be damaged or killed.
AffectedByHitEffects Player cannot be pushed or influenced by others.
Ghost Allows the player to fly and travel through walls.
Fly Allows the player to fly.
Walk Exits ghost\fly mode.
Amphibious Allows the player to breathe underwater.
PlayersOnly Only players are allowed to move and interact.
SloMo Speed up or slow down time.
SetGravity Increase or decrease the gravity in the world.
SetSpeed Increase or decrease your movement speed.
SetJumpZ Change your maximum jump height.
Teleport Instantly teleport to your crosshair.
Avatar Possess a specified target.
Summon Bring a specified object type into existence.
GiveWeapon Summon a weapon directly into your possession.
AllWeapons Gives the player all of the weapons in the game.
AllAmmo Gives maximum ammo for all weapons.
Loaded Simultaneously execute the AllWeapons & AllAmmo
cheats.
ChangeSize Changes the player's size to the value specified.
ViewBot Spectate a bot.
KillViewedActor Destroys the character or object being spectated.
Behindview Toggles 3rd person view.
Fov Changes the player's field of vision.
Addbots Adds the designated number of bots to the game.
AddNamedBot Adds a specific bot to the match.
Suicide Kills the player.
Stat FPS Shows the current framerate.