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JDA Walk-through
Chapter 1 - Into the Sprawl
The JDA campaign begins in the city where Sprawler sky sweeper towers prevent
the
JDA air force from striking a Sprawler base.
Objective: Eliminate the Rumblers and the Sky Sweeper Tower
You're provided with a handful of guardians and a couple rovers to eliminate the
small Sprawler threat. Group your units into a single attack group; or, if you'd
rather, place the guardians in one group and the rovers in another. This lets
you
move the rovers separately to perhaps position them in a flanking position or
simply in a line formation along with the guardians. Placing them in a single
attack group causes them to move together, which could result in clumping and
some units arriving before others. Separate the attack groups to maximize
immediate firepower once you reach the target.
To place the guardians in an attack group, select the guardians and press the
Ctrl plus the 1 key (or another number if you'd rather assign them to a
different
group). Next, select the rovers and assign them to a second group by pressing
the
Ctrl plus the 2 key. Or, as previously mentioned, you can assign the rovers to
the same group as the guardians (simply select the rovers as well as the
guardians and assign them together), or you can assign them to any number group
you wish.
You can also experiment with the unit orders - just press the button to the
right
of the mini-map to open the unit orders menu. Placing the units in scout mode
will cause your units to automatically not attack the enemy; if your unit is
attacked, it will retreat. In defender mode, your units will wait until an enemy
enters their range before returning fire, but won't leave their position to
attack an enemy. Skirmisher mode is basically a hit-and-run mode, where your
units will fire at any target they come in contact with, but if they are
attacked, they will retreat. Warrior mode, the default behavior, orders your
unit
to attack and follow an enemy unit as long as that unit remains within your
unit's line of sight. Finally, terminator mode orders a unit to follow and
attack
an enemy until it's destroyed.
Experiment with the modes, though you likely won't need to switch off warrior
mode for this particular mission. Proceed west from your starting position
(noting the mini-map in the lower right corner of the screen). Encounter the
Sprawler rumblers and return fire. Concentrate your fire on a single rumbler,
then move onto the next until all are destroyed. Continue west and locate the
sky
sweeper tower. Select your group of guardians and rovers and attack the sky
sweeper until it's destroyed.
A cutscene plays depicting a JDA command center and base under attack by
Sprawler
infantry troops; the base is located west of your start position.
Objective: Reinforce the JDA Base
Select your guardians and rumblers and head west - simply follow the city roads
toward the western side of the mini-map. You may encounter a rumbler or two
during the journey. Combine your fire from the guardians and rover onto one
rumbler; destroy one rumbler, then concentrate your firepower on his comrade.
Locate the entrance into the base and move your guardians and rovers inside.
Objective: Protect the Base from Sprawler Attack
The Sprawler infantry forces enter through the northern edge of the JDA base.
Position your guardian and rover units toward this northern edge to assist in
the
base's defenses. The JDA sentinel towers (that chew through low-level Sprawler
infantry) will be sufficient in defending the base, but it can't hurt to move
your guardians and rovers side-by-side along the northern entrance.
Shortly after you assist in base defense, a cutscene shows an earthquake
leveling
the JDA base. A massive seismic disruption obliterates power lines and levels
the
JDA command center and adjacent structures. You're ordered to assist in
rebuilding the JDA base in hopes of regaining control of the city from Sprawler
forces.
Objective: Use a Construction Rig to Build a Command Center; Buildings can be
Oriented Using the > and < Keys
You're provided with a construction rig to begin reconstruction of the JDA base.
Select the construction rig and notice the build menu open on the left side of
the screen. Choose Command Center and notice the overlay of the structure
appears
on your mouse cursor. You must place the command center away from wall edges; if
you can't place the command center in a particular area, the overlay turns red.
You can also orient the command center by using the greater-than (>) and less-
than ( and < keys; place the structure strategically,
leaving sufficient room for the precinct exit.
Objective: Order a Construction Rig from the Command Center
Building the precinct used the entire construction rig (unlike building the
solar
array), so it's time to construct a new rig for further base development. Select
the command center and open its build window. Press the construction rig icon
and
watch as the command center begins constructing the unit. When the construction
rig is ready, it appears out the command center exit.
Objective: Use a Rig to Construct a Motorpool
Select your newly arrived construction rig to open its build menu. Choose the
motorpool icon and the structure's overlay appears on your cursor. Place the
motorpool on available terrain - adjacent to the precinct or command center
should do. Orient the motorpool so its exit faces an open area. The motorpool
builds the JDA's vehicles, including both land and air.
A cutscene plays after you construct the motorpool. The flyby shows the Sprawler
base located somewhere in the city.
Objective: Move the Collector to the Taelon Outcropping
It's time to begin harvesting taelon, Dark Reign 2's resource used to purchase
new structures and units. Locate the taelon collector north of your base (down
the ramp). Select the collector and move the vehicle to the batch of taelon
positioned south of your base. There's a refinery already in place; with the
collector selected, click on the taelon shards (notice the different icon) to
begin resource gathering.
Objective: Find and Destroy the Three Remaining AA Towers
Your orders are to locate the remaining Sprawler sky sweeper towers and destroy
them; doing so clears the way for the JDA air strike. Cycle through your
structures - command center, precinct, and motorpool - to spot your build
options. You can construct more rigs from the command center to place some
sentinel towers on the northern edge of your base (or you can simply defend with
guardians and rovers). Use the precinct to build guardians and the motorpool to
build rovers. You can also build additional collectors, though you won't need
the
increased resource-gathering speed to complete the mission.
Look on the mini-map and notice the green radar blips denoting the location of
the three towers. Take the time to produce more guardians and rovers before
exploring the roads around the new JDA base. Once you have sufficient units (an
additional five of each should do fine), head north out of the JDA base. You may
encounter rumblers on the road.
Turn toward the northeast to the nearest radar blip. Destroy the rumblers
guarding the sky sweeper tower here. With the first tower destroyed, proceed to
the others; the sky sweeper tower isn't a threat to your ground units, so be
sure
to concentrate all firepower on the rumbler defenders before advancing against
the sky sweeper towers. At one sky sweeper tower, you'll encounter cloaked
fiends - but they're only cloaked when they're not moving. The fiends will
advance toward you to engage; once they uncloak, destroy them and then the sky
sweeper tower they defend.
The mission concludes once all three sky sweeper towers are destroyed. A
cutscene
plays, depicting the JDA air strike demolishing the Sprawler base.
Chapter 2 - The Seal is Broken
You begin with a handful of units trailing the Sprawler voodun (a healer)
prisoner. Survey your base and your units before using the guard command; once
you order your units to guard the prisoner, the voodun starts his course toward
the Togran outpost.
Objective: Use the Guard Command on the Voodun Prisoner
Select your units and press the G key; with the new guard cursor activated,
press
on the voodun prisoner to order your JDA units to guard the Sprawler healer. The
voodun starts moving toward the northwest; your units follow closely in tow.
Objective: Follow the Voodun Prisoner up the Mountain
As you enter the valleys leading to the outpost, you may spot Sprawler units,
including the go-go bike. Concentrate all your firepower on the go-go bike
before
attacking any adjacent infantry. Continue to follow the voodun until you spot
the
row of towers.
Back off quickly, though it's possible you may take a casualty or two - the
towers are extremely powerful! To reach the outpost, you must find a way to
circumvent the towers, such as locating their power source. Let the voodun
continue into the valley; you have the information you need, the location of the
Togran outpost.
Objective: Build Enforcers and Use Them to find the Enemy Togran Power Source
Turn your attention back to the JDA base. Construct a motorpool to build JDA
vehicles, specifically the rovers. This will complement your precinct, used to
produce guardians and enforcers (you also need the motorpool for the enforcers).
You'll need the enforcers to locate the Togran power source and scout most of
the
mountainous terrain - the enforcers are air units and can traverse over the high
terrain. Use the guardians and rovers to protect your base. Make sure you have
sufficient solar arrays to support your structures.
You'll face the occasional rumbler raiding party arriving from the area north of
the JDA base. Produce a sufficient defense force (ten guardians and five rovers
or so). Also consider building a construction rig and placing sentinel towers
along the northern perimeter of the JDA base to obliterate the weak Sprawler
infantry attacks. Go-go bikes may join the rumblers; if so, concentrate your
defensive forces on the bikes before attacking the rumblers.
Produce a sizable force of enforcers (at least ten) for exploring the map and
locating the Togran power source. As you control the enforcers, be very careful
if you glide too close to a Sprawler go-go bike; it's an extremely effective
anti-
air unit, especially against enforcers. The go-go bike's twin missiles can knock
down groups of enforcers' shields, eventually destroying the JDA air infantry
unit.
Explore the eastern edge of the map. Here, you'll find some neutral buildings as
well as some sort of launching pad. This area becomes the extraction point late
in the mission. Remember its location for later. Don't head to the northern
corner, though - head up the western side to reach the Togran power source!
Send the enforcers up the western side of the map. You shouldn't have to worry
much about the JDA base in the south. Several sentinels and a small band of
guardians and rovers should supply sufficient defense to counter the small
patrols of rumblers and go-go bikes.
Hug the western edge of the map with the enforcers until you reach the northern
corner. Attack any Sprawler ground units you encounter. Continue to produce
enforcers with your precinct and reinforce your enforcer group until you have
amassed a large enforcer army. Use rally points and waypoints to send the
enforcers up the western edge of the map to rendezvous with your group.
The more enforcers you use, the better. Move along the northern edge of the map
to locate the Togran power generator atop a high mountain. You'll encounter some
Sprawler defenses nearby, including go-go bikes. Destroy the go-gos as fast as
possible before resuming your search or dealing with rumblers and other Sprawler
ground troops.
With the Togran power source in sight, select your enforcer group and obliterate
the structure. Its destruction deactivates the towers lining the valley to
Togra's shrine, the outpost mentioned in the mission briefing.
Objective: Proceed to Togra's Shrine
Togra's shrine is located at the end of the valley in the northern corner,
previously controlled by the powerful towers. Having destroyed the Togran power
source, the towers are no longer a threat. Don't approach the shrine with your
enforcer force. Locating the shrine releases the technifact, which must be
defended and escorted to an extraction point. Your enforcers may not be
sufficient to defend the valuable artifact.
Instead, produce guardians and rovers and start advancing north of the JDA base
into the valley. Move your enforcers back down the western side to rendezvous
with your guardian and rover group. You'll meet some resistance along the way.
Make sure your attack groups are clumped to maximize your firepower. Consider
splitting the groups into three - guardians, rovers, and enforcers - so you can
spread your firepower out.
When you reach the end of the valley path in the northern corner, you'll
encounter a round symbol built into the ground. Defeat any remaining Sprawler
defenders around Togra's shrine, then approach the symbol. Watch the cutscene of
the shrine opening - an artifact referred to as the technifact emerges.
Objective: Escort the Technifact to the Extraction Zone
The technifact is extremely slow; don't advance your troops too quickly and
leave
the technifact behind. Use the guard command to protect the technifact, though
moving the cluttered group of units can be difficult through the tight alley.
Retreat toward the south until you exit the valley and return your group and the
technifact to the map's center.
The path to the extraction point lies to the southeast - as mentioned
previously,
you may have spotted the extraction point if you explored the eastern side of
the
map with your enforcers. As you near the eastern edge, move your guardians,
rovers, and enforcers up - the extraction point is heavily protected by Sprawler
forces. Consider reinforcing your attack groups further by producing more
infantry and vehicles. Defeat the Sprawler defenders, then move the technifact
on
top of the extraction point to conclude the mission.
Chapter 3 - Thinning the Herd
You begin the mission with some guardians, enforcers, rovers, and bulldogs; the
bulldog tanks are more effective against infantry than they are against vehicles
and structures.
Objective: Eliminate all Traitor Forces
Proceed forward (in the direction your units are facing) along the river to
reach
the outskirts of the traitor base. Since you're dealing with JDA traitors,
expect
to encounter their units - which will be similar to yours. For instance, you'll
encounter the JDA castigar, a powerful infantry unit; concentrate your firepower
on the castigar immediately to minimize your losses.
A Sprawler base is located east of the traitor base. Don't venture into the
Sprawler base! It's too tough for your small army and must be left for later in
the mission. Instead, stay to the west and enter the traitor base. Start
shooting
at traitor units, and a cutscene shifts the focus from the base to a small
shuttle pad just to the northwest. The traitors are attempting to leave the base
via the shuttle - you must stop them!
Head northeast from the traitor base to locate the shuttle. Time is critical; an
announcement is made once the traitors board the shuttle. When you reach the
launchpad, divert your fire to the shuttle itself. Once it's destroyed, a
cutscene shifts your focus to a mountain valley in the east. Sprawler
reinforcements are moving through the valley; if you can power the ion field
generator on either side of the valley, you can stop the reinforcements. Three
construction rigs arrive to facilitate your base construction.
Objective: Build a Solar Array on Each Side of the Ion Field Generator
Construct your base, using one rig to produce the command center, a second rig
to
place the refinery adjacent to the nearby taelon patch, and the third rig to
construct one or two solar arrays to support your small base. Once the rigs are
finished, build a motorpool and construct another rig to build a precinct.
Don't attempt to venture west into the Sprawler base; the base is quite large
and
filled with powerful towers and ground units. Once you've built the precinct and
motorpool, you can upgrade your command center and each unit-producing structure
to build bulldogs (anti-personnel tanks) and castigars (anti-vehicle infantry
units). You should also build an air control structure to produce blackstars
from
the motorpool. As you continue to produce units - a mixture of guardians,
enforcers, rovers, bulldogs, and castigars works well - start protecting your
base perimeter with sentinel towers. For instance, explore east of your base and
place two sentinel towers at the base of the bridge. Consider placing other
towers along the northern perimeter of your base.
Sprawler infantry and vehicle units will arrive from the east (across that
bridge) and from the north (usually from the valley containing the Sprawler
reinforcements). Occasionally, you may see Sprawler healers with the infantry
and
vehicles - terminate the healers as soon as possible.
With a sizable military produced, start exploring the western side and locate
two
additional taelon sources: one found along the western edge (in the middle) and
another up near the traitor base, again on the western edge. Create refineries
at
both these taelon spots to increase resource gathering; however, if you leave
these undefended, Sprawler units will attack and likely destroy your collector
or
refinery. Build three or more sentinel towers near each refinery to protect your
precious structures. You may also wish to move up your military to the second
refinery (the middle of the western edge) so you can quickly shift your army to
the northern or southern base to intercept Sprawler attacks.
Defending the Sprawler attacks shouldn't be too much trouble, as long as you
keep
your base sufficiently powered (with solar arrays) and replace any destroyed
sentinel towers. You may also want to keep a handful of guardians and castigars
at each refinery - set on defender mode - to retaliate against any Sprawler
attacks that circumvent the towers.
Once you have amassed a large mixed force, it's time to take out the Sprawler
base to the west. Don't attack from two fronts; there are too many Sprawler
towers and units to deal with. Instead, combine your force into one (though use
different attack groupings for anti-infantry, anti-vehicle, and air units) and
attack a concentrated area of the Sprawler base. Gun posts and sky sweepers line
the Sprawler base's perimeter; concentrate all firepower on the towers before
assaulting Sprawler units and structures.
Attack from the northern point first (west of the traitor base) and work your
way
through the base. Continue producing military units to reinforce your army. Once
you've cleared an area of Sprawler towers and units, eliminate the structures.
Start heading south and continue rampaging through the Sprawler base.
Once you have destroyed this northern section, move a construction rig up to the
valley (where the ion field generator is located). Place sentinel guns at the
valley's entrance (or exit for the Sprawlers). As Sprawler reinforcements
arrive,
the sentinel towers should take care of them. Monitor the towers every so often
and replace them if necessary.
Clear out the middle of the minimap and locate another taelon source. Destroy
all
surrounding Sprawler structures and send a construction rig over. Build a
refinery and start gathering additional taelon. Check your other sources; if the
taelon supply has been depleted, recycle the refinery and move the collector to
another taelon source.
Having cleared out the Sprawler base, it's time to advance to the ion field
generator's power control points. The path to the northern point lies north of
the Sprawler base. Follow the ramp up to the top of the mountain overlooking the
ion field generator. A handful of Sprawler units and a few gun posts protect the
path to the ion field generator's power zone. Clear them out, then move a
construction rig up the ramp and place a solar array on the icon.
The southern power point's entrance lies to the south over the bridge east of
your base. You may encounter further Sprawler units and structures here.
Eliminate them (and spot another taelon patch should you need the resource) and
continue up the ramp toward the ion field generator. Clear out the defending
Sprawler units and towers; move a construction rig onto the icon and build a
solar array to activate the ion field generator. With the ion field generator
online, the Sprawler reinforcements can't enter the valley without being
destroyed by the generator's force field and defensive weaponry.
Chapter 4 - Underworld
You start in the southern corner with some guardians, rovers, and a couple of
psi-
techs - the psi-techs can heal wounded units, but can't restore a unit's
shields.
Keep the psi-techs at the back of your group (assign them to a different control
group than your guardians and rovers).
Objective: Reach the Entrance to the Togran Temple
Head north along the path; you'll encounter rumblers and eventually a powerful
Sprawler judas. Move slowly so you don't trigger too many enemies at once.
Retreat after each confrontation to stop and wait for any damaged shields to
restore. Also use the psi-techs to heal any damage that penetrated the JDA
shields.
Continue following the underground path to the west and north. You'll encounter
additional Sprawler infantry. Concentrate all your firepower on any Sprawler
judases you encounter first, then finish off the other enemy infantry. Don't
forget to retreat after each battle to take the time to heal and restore your
shields. As you near the northwest corner, you'll encounter some JDA
reinforcements - consisting of more guardians, rovers, and a psi-tech - in a
small alcove that will eventually be the mission's extraction point.
Combine your forces into one, though continue to protect the psi-techs behind
the
attacking units. Locate the path to the east (near the reinforcements alcove)
and
enter the Togran temple, flanked by two ominous statues.
Objective: Find and Remove the Technifact
Descend the ramp leading past the Togran temple entrance. A cutscene plays
depicting crazed cultists emerging from the halls. The cultists explode once
they
near your units; shoot them before they reach your group, and they'll explode
harmlessly away from your pack. Once the cutscene ends, you'll soon encounter a
group of suicide Tograns. Keep your attacking units in place and concentrate all
your firepower on one suicide Togran before moving on to the next.
As you did in front of the temple entrance, move forward with caution. The
suicide Tograns appear from all sides, so it's wise not to move too quickly and
trigger too many of them. Stop moving when you spot a suicide Togran; eliminate
the Togran (or Tograns) before continuing onward.
Eventually, you'll arrive at a three-
way intersection. Two paths lead to small alcoves containing some sort of
telepad
portal. The path to the northeast, however, leads to the room you're searching
for. Head northeast and notice a short tunnel to the left; inside, you'll
discover a Togran power generator, much like the one you found in the second
mission. Destroy the generator, then continue onward. You'll arrive at a second
left tunnel; usher your units inside and notice the Togran pylons, devastating
towers now deactivated by the destruction of the generator.
Suicide Tograns burst out of the hallway flanked by the pylons. Eliminate them
all before entering the hallway. Approach the end of the hallway to locate the
technifact. As you approach, a cutscene plays depicting the JDA force acquiring
the technifact, but the statues lining the hall come to life and additional
suicide Tograns storm the room. The statues, Baron Simedi, are extremely
powerful
and not to be dealt with. As soon as you regain control, usher your troops
beyond
the technifact to the portal at the end of the room. Send your troops and the
technifact onto the telepad.
Objective: Bring the Technifact to the Evacuation Point You'll appear back at
the
temple entrance. Organize your troops quickly and start retracing your steps out
of the temple toward the reinforcements alcove, which doubles as the extraction
point. Don't leave the technifact too far behind your units, though; suicide
Tograns emerge from the temple in an effort to destroy the technifact rather
than
let the JDA retain its control. Move the technifact to the front of your
military
units while you use the guardians and rovers to defend the technifact's rear
flank.
Once you have moved the technifact into the extraction point (west northwest of
the temple near the area in which you received reinforcements), the mission
concludes in victory.
Chapter 5 - Sea of Red
You start on the sea with patrol cruisers, enforcers, blackstars, rovers, and
three construction rigs.
Objective: Find the Crash Site Before the Sprawlers can reach It; Time is
Limited
Head across the waterway to the first shoreline you reach. Move the units on the
shore and scout until you locate the taelon supply. Use one construction rig to
build the command center, a second to construct the refinery next to the taelon,
and the third construction rig to build solar arrays supplying power to your new
base.
You have a new build option - the dock - that you should construct as soon as
possible along the shoreline to the south. The Sprawlers send hydrofoils along
your shoreline; produce six or seven patrol cruisers to defend your base's
shore,
especially on the western side near the taelon supply.
As you begin to upgrade your structures (command center, precinct, and motorpool
all to level two), start producing some sentinel guns and lightning towers
around
your base; place the lightning towers near the northern side of your base with
coverage along the taelon supply. Don't spend too many resources on these
defensive towers; build just enough to protect against a surprise vulture attack
or rogue Sprawler infantry.
Once you have upgraded your precinct and motorpool, start producing a mixture of
guardians, enforcers, castigars, rovers, and bulldogs. Head east and locate a
secondary taelon supply guarded by a small band of Sprawler units, including
some
go-gos. Keep your enforcers away from the go-go's anti-air missiles. Remove all
the Sprawler units from the taelon supply. Send over a construction rig and
build
a second refinery. Defend the refinery either with JDA units or by building
several sentinel guns and a couple lightning towers.
With sufficient resources, produce an air control unit and upgrade the structure
to level two to produce strikers (an air unit that assaults ground units and
structures) from the motorpool (also upgraded to level two). Complement your
ground force with several blackstars and strikers. If you can afford the
expense,
consider a second motorpool to hasten construction of JDA vehicles.
This is the first mission in which you
can produce the radome, a special JDA structure that can create air strikes. For
this mission, you have assault bots and vulcan mines available. Both should
prove
effective. Queue one air strike and use it when you approach the cluster of
Sprawler units near the line of tough towers.
The Sprawler base lies in the northern corner of the map; once you recover the
crashed JDA shuttle and the technifact, you must venture inside the base to
reach
the Sprawler-defended airfield. Consider clearing out the outskirts of the base
with your blackstar, striker, and enforcers. Further, produce a sizable force of
patrol cruisers and explore the shoreline and eliminate the Sprawler wharf and
any hydrofoils encountered. Also explore the area north of the crash site and
clear out Sprawler towers near the bridge - you'll be traveling here soon
enough.
When you're prepared with plenty of offensive units (a mixture of ground forces
with plenty of blackstars and strikers to assist them), proceed to the crash
site
in the southwestern area of the map. A cutscene plays once you approach the
crash
site; the technifact is recovered, and you're presented with a new objective.
Objective: Protect the Togran Piece and Get It to the Airport for Transport
Proceed north of the crash site and cross the bridge. You'll encounter
additional
taelon fields; mine the taelon with a new refinery should you need additional
funds. There's no need to rush to the airfield, though; build up a sizable army
(with a priority on air units) before moving toward the Sprawler base and its
airfield to the north.
It's possible to get the technifact into the airport without destroying much of
the Sprawler base. Send in your military units first and use an air strike to
destroy clumps of Sprawler infantry or to knock out a pesky tower. Clear out the
anti-air towers and obliterate the Sprawler ground forces with your air units.
Usher the technifact into the airfield, while your military units occupy the
Sprawler defense. As mentioned, there's no rush here, so destroy as much of the
Sprawler base as possible before worrying about the technifact. Once it reaches
the launchpad, the mission concludes in victory.
Chapter 6 - Interrogation
You begin the mission with guardians, enforcers, castigars, rovers, bulldogs,
and
three construction rigs. The yellow telepad, which you'll escort Booda Shoun to
later in the mission, lies just behind your initial military force.
Objective: Infiltrate the Sprawler Base and Capture Booda Shoun; Bring Him Back
to the Yellow Telepad
Head forward until you locate the taelon supply along the left fork. Organize
your military to the north of the supply and start using your construction rigs.
Build a command center, refinery (adjacent to the taelon), and a couple of solar
arrays, then build a precinct with the construction rig used to build the JDA
power source. Select the command center and produce additional construction rigs
for a precinct, motorpool, and air control. Upgrade your structures as resources
allow. You may also wish to experiment again with the radome, restoration
center,
or the new telepad.
There are two additional taelon supplies located near your initial base, but
you'll need an adequate military to protect the refineries and collectors. The
easiest taelon supply to control lies up a ramp just northwest of your initial
base. Send a construction rig up the hill and build a refinery. Usher up a
second
construction rig and produce a couple of lightning towers and perhaps a sentinel
gun to protect the refinery from air and ground attack.
Before you search for the third source of taelon, build up your military.
Sprawler attacks could come from the north, south, or east paths. Surround your
base with a perimeter forcefield, with sentinel guns just inside the beams;
alternatively, just place several towers around the perimeter of your base to
repel attacks - at least buying enough time to move over the bulk of your
military force.
Produce a mixture of forces, including guardians, enforcers, castigars,
bulldogs,
growlers, blackstars, and strikers. You'll also want at least one warden in your
ground as protection against Sprawler traps; the warden can detect the traps,
then you can use the military units to destroy the visible trap. Once you
possess
an adequate force, investigate the paths east of your initial base. You'll
discover the third taelon supply guarded by a gun post tower and several
Sprawler
ground troops, including a judas. Eliminate the small defense force, then move
in
your construction rig to build the refinery. Protect the refinery with military
units or send over a construction rig to place sentinel guns and lightning
towers.
Additional taelon supplies can be found along the northern area of the minimap
should you require additional resources. Just be sure to protect the valuable
refineries with defensive towers and units.
Booda Shoun is located near a shrine in
the southeastern corner. When you attempt to approach the Sprawler base from the
west (from around the middle of the map), JDA command informs you that the
Sprawler base is extremely well defended and a military assault probably won't
prove very effective - unfortunately, command is correct. If you attempt to take
the Sprawler base by force, you can't overcome the plethora of towers and
Sprawler units.
Instead, produce a shadowhand, a JDA spy that can assume the disguise of a
Sprawler infantry unit. Escort the shadowhand and locate a Sprawler infantry
unit; with the shadowhand selected, place the mouse cursor over a Sprawler unit
to receive the disguise icon. You must have already received the information
from
command (about an improbable military assault) to use the shadowhand.
Disguise yourself as any Sprawler infantry unit within the shadowhand's line of
sight. Enter the Sprawler base and head south. Don't worry; if you're in
disguise, the enemy Sprawlers won't bother you. Continue along the south and the
available path. Eventually, you'll ascend up a ramp and locate the shrine
protected by a set of judas units. If you've constructed a radome, consider
queuing an air strike to clear out the judas protecting Booda Shoun (don't
worry,
you can't kill him).
Objective: Bring Booda Shoun Back to the Yellow Telepad
Grab Booda Shoun and start retracing your steps out of the Sprawler base. A
disruptor may uncover your shadowhand spy during your exit; just keep moving
Booda Shoun out of the base despite the Sprawler efforts to stop you. Once you
reach your military force, parked just outside the Sprawler base, return fire
and
make your way back to the JDA base in the southwest. Move Booda Shoun to the
yellow telepad at the mission's start point to complete the mission in victory.
Chapter 7 - Inferno
You begin the mission with a new unit, the mastiff, a powerful artillery unit
that should be handled with care. Be cautious when employing the mastiff in a
battle situation; it's powerful artillery cannon can inflict just as much damage
to your units as the Sprawlers! Consider assigning it to its own attack group;
that way, you can order it to stop, attack, or customize its behavior apart from
your main military units.
Objective: Destroy the Building Concealing the Lab in the Northern Quadrant
Move your units and four construction rigs toward the northwest until you locate
the taelon source. Build a command center, refinery, and a couple of solar
arrays. Then, use the two remaining construction rigs to build the precinct and
motorpool. Produce additional construction rigs with the command center and
build
an air control and restoration center.
A few Sprawler infantry units occupy the area north of the taelon; defeat them
before they can attack the collector or refinery. As soon as possible, surround
your base's perimeter with sentinel guns and lightning towers. Once available,
complement your sentinel guns with a defense tower, a much more powerful turret,
though at two and a half times the cost. Use psi-techs at each perimeter point
to
repair damaged towers or forcefield pylons. You'll want protection along the
northern, eastern, and southwestern roads into your base.
Expect Sprawler attacks to come from all sides; a few towers at each corner
should be sufficient to hold off most of the Sprawler attack force.
Occasionally,
the Sprawlers might send in a thunder cannon, an artillery unit possessing range
outside your towers. If you're taking damage from the Sprawler infantry, send
out
air units to eliminate the thunder cannon before it can cause much damage.
Before seeking out additional sources of taelon, upgrade your command center,
precinct, motorpool, and air control and start producing your preferred units. A
mixture of guardians, castigars, bulldogs, growlers, blackstars, and strikers
should prove effective. Securing additional taelon requires a sizable JDA attack
force. Don't proceed out prematurely, or you can't destroy defending Sprawler
forces and sustain protection for your extra refinery and base. Also, make sure
you have a warden in your attack group before investigating the taelon sources.
The Sprawlers have littered the roads with traps.
Two taelon sources are located nearby,
but both are well protected by Sprawler units and outposts. Up the western edge
of the map, you'll encounter one patch of taelon protected by units and gun
posts. Use the mastiff to damage or destroy the towers. Send in growlers and
strikers to finish off the remaining Sprawler turrets and vehicles, then use
bulldogs, guardians, and castigars to finish off the infantry.
Once you erect the western refinery, you must build several towers (include a
defense tower, lightning tower, and a few sentinel guns) near the refinery.
Sprawler units will likely attack from the north; unless you want to baby-sit
the
tower with JDA units, construct enough towers to hold off a Sprawler attack.
Proceed up the eastern side and encounter go-gos and scorpion tanks. Use the
mastiff in combination with growlers to eliminate the Sprawler vehicles quickly.
You'll find the taelon supply just northwest of the vehicles. Protect the taelon
and erect a refinery. Further exploration east will uncover another supply. For
each taelon source you locate and decide to use, make sure you defend it well
with at least three to four towers - it's much more cost effective than
rebuilding your refinery!
At some point, JDA command announces the Sprawlers are combining forces and
converging. If you have sufficient towers protecting your main base and refinery
outposts, you should be well defended. Once you spot the Sprawler units, migrate
your blackstars and strikers to help defend against the Sprawler attack.
Build a sizable mixed force of infantry, vehicles, and air units and start
making
your way up the western side of the map. Make sure you include watchmen
(anti-air
mechanized units) in your group; you'll need them once you recover the
technifact. Also, make sure you have a warden in your group to detect Sprawler
traps. As you've noticed on the mini-map by now, radar blips indicate the four
potential structures. Start up the western side to approach the potential
structure on the left. You may encounter Sprawler resistance; simply move
cautiously and eliminate any defending forces as necessary.
Each radar blip represents a building that can be destroyed. Approach the first
on the western side and, once you have cleared out any Sprawler defenders,
attack
the building with your military group. The building will explode, though reveal
nothing - it's not the lab you're searching for.
Continue east along the northern edge
of the minimap - it's a tight squeeze along the northern road. Assemble your
force to the northwest of the second radar blip or potential lab structure. A
few
towers, several ground units, and a couple of traps protect this structure - the
actual lab. Stay back and let the Sprawler forces come to your horde; eliminate
them as they ascend the ramp. Move your warden in close to detect any nearby
traps; destroy the traps with your military force. Descend into the recess and
destroy the structure, which initiates the cutscene revealing the technifact.
Objective: Escort the Technifact to the Extraction Point
The technifact's extraction point is located on the southeastern area of the
map,
just northeast of the your initial base. You'll need anti-air units with your
rescue military force (as mentioned previously) to defend against the Sprawler
vultures, which attempt to destroy the technifact. Move the technifact to the
front of your military group (returning to your base along the cleared northern
path), so you can use the attack units to protect the technifact's rear flank.
Expect Sprawler infantry and air units to assault the technifact.
Continue down the eastern side of the minimap, far from the dangers of the
unexplored west, until you reach your base in the south. Expect additional
attacks from Sprawler forces. Once you reach your base, remain within the
protection of your perimeter towers before rushing toward the extraction point.
If the taelon is available, produce additional military units (growlers,
guardians, air units) for the final push into the extraction point.
You'll find the shuttle pad (at the extraction point) protected by a cluster of
Sprawler infantry, vehicles, and even the Sprawler super weapon, the juggernaut.
Keep the technifact well behind the attack force; an exploding juggernaut can
obliterate any unit within its destructive radius. Send your strikers against
the
juggernaut, especially if it's tangled up inside the other Sprawler units.
Destroying the juggernaut will not only obliterate your nearby units, but
Sprawler units as well! You can use the Sprawlers' weapon against themselves!
Once you have cleared the extraction point of Sprawler forces, usher the
technifact toward the shuttle to complete the mission in victory.
Chapter 8 - Barbarians at the Gates
The mission begins with a JDA base nearly in full swing. You'll find a command
center, refinery, and unit-producing structures among your handful of military
units. A number in the upper left-hand corner of the screen - which begins at
twelve - indicates the number of shuttles left to land. You must rescue nine
shuttles, which means you have three to spare. The shuttles begin arriving
within
a few minutes of the mission's start - there's no time to waste!
Objective: Protect at least Nine Inbound Shuttles
The shuttles arrive from four points - southwest, northwest, west, and north.
Radar blips on the mini-map indicate these areas. Sprawler go-gos, sky sweepers,
and gun posts protect these areas - not only the point of the blip, but the
route
the shuttle takes to reach the launchpad west of the JDA base. To protect the
shuttle, you must clear out some or most of the towers, so each shuttle can
navigate safely through the Sprawler anti-air defense. The shuttles arrive from
random points, which means you never know which route the shuttle will navigate
next; this poses problems regarding which route your should clear first. But it
also permits the opportunity to save your game often and reload it if the
shuttle
took a route you hadn't cleared.
The southwest route is nearest your base and shouldn't take many units to clear
(though more than you started with). Produce additional guardians and rovers
while you upgrade your command center. Send your units southwest and clear out
as
many towers as possible - it should be sufficient to clear the route and let the
southwestern shuttles safely arrive at the JDA base's launch pad.
The other routes lie across the waterway. Use the dock to protect your shoreline
and consider producing dreadnaughts as naval artillery to bombard Sprawler anti-
air towers within their range. Upgrade your precinct and motorpool; further,
produce an air control structure as soon as possible (including its upgrade) to
concentrate on blackstars and strikers. You should also consider a second
motorpool to hasten construction of air units. Use the precinct to produce
enforcers.
Two additional taelon sources can be found quite near your initial base. The
closest is found to the west. Move a construction rig over to it and produce a
refinery as soon as possible. Build defensive towers west of the taelon to
protect from the inevitable Sprawler ground attack that arrives from the western
side of the map.
The second nearest taelon source is
located north of the JDA base, nearly all the way to the northeastern edge. When
you decide to erect a refinery here, it must be protected with units, sentinel
guns, defensive towers, and lightning towers. Don't leave the refinery
unguarded,
or you will pay the price; the Sprawlers' AI is smart enough to scout the area
and detect its vulnerability.
As mentioned previously, clear out the southwestern side first. You don't need
to
clear out every single tower; as long as you knock out some or most of the
towers
(and anti-air units, such as the go-gos), the shuttles should survive. Save your
game after each shuttle successfully navigates its route. Further, save your
game
during the interval between each shuttle arrival; that way, if the shuttle route
isn't preferred, you can reload and try again.
The northwest and north routes are the next two easiest to clear (the north
being
somewhat easier). Use a horde of air units (strikers supported by blackstars and
enforcers) to eliminate the towers. Dreadnaughts within range can also assist in
the assault. Keep enforcers, which could quickly get ripped by the towers, in a
different attack group and usher them in from a flank after the strikers begin
their assault.
Exploring and clearing the northwest will uncover another source of taelon as
well as many Sprawler units and towers. You may even have to deal with a
Sprawler
juggernaut, a vehicle with no attack but a devastating explosion upon either
voluntary or involuntary destruction. Keep the area west of your base (and that
second refinery) well scouted; use camera towers and place a forcefield
perimeter
to protect your precious taelon source.
It's a lot of work to clear all four shuttle routes. If you're a gambler, you
may
choose to only clear three and hope the fourth isn't used. Keep your collectors
gathering and well supported with towers (and psi-techs to repair damaged
towers), which should keep enough units alive and healthy to assault each
shuttle
route and clear out a majority of the anti-air towers and units. Build a radome
and use its air strikes to combat Sprawler assaults.
Once nine shuttles reach the landing pad, the mission ends in victory.
Chapter 9 - Dirty Politics
You're up against a time limit for this mission, so be prepared to work quickly.
Your mission is to control three points of the map, critical choke points that
should let you eliminate all the senators that emerge from the their meeting.
Some senators attempt to exit the mission on foot while others travel via
limousine.
Objective: Eliminate all the Senators before they Escape
You can use your initial force of military units to scout west and locate an
additional source of taelon; erect a refinery as soon as possible, but be sure
to
protect the structure from traitor ground and air attacks from the east with
defense and lightning towers. Further northwest, you'll discover a small outpost
containing a precinct and solar arrays. Either take the time to build up your
military force or attempt to clear out the small outpost with your initial
force.
Should you decide to remain within the confines of your base, be sure to produce
defensive towers and lightning towers at each base entrance to combat invading
ground and air units.
Produce and upgrade your command center, precinct, motorpool, and air control
structure. Build a mixture of tanks (bulldogs and growlers), air units
(blackstars and strikers), and infantry (guardians and castigars) and clear out
the traitor forces near each choke point. Time is extremely critical; its
important to clear out as much of each choke point as possible within the time
limit. Once the senators emerge from the meeting, you'll want your full
attention
on them to eliminating them before they escape - there's no time to worry about
additional traitor forces!
Explore the other choke point near the enemy precinct and solar arrays to locate
a motorpool and some atomic generators. While you're exploring with your
military
units, continue to produce more at your structures; that way, when you're ready
to assault the next choke point, you have plenty of units available at the base.
Use caution when eliminating the atomic generators; their explosion packs quite
a
wallop, and it's possible to lose many units if you're hovering within the blast
radius. During these attacks on the traitor structures, it's also important to
prepare for the air strikes. Keep your units spread out, if possible, and use
the
X key to spread out your force once you hear the air strike on the way.
Leave a mixed force at each choke point
you liberate; consider also moving construction rigs over to build forcefield
pylons and defensive towers to assist. Search the road east of your base and
eliminate the traitor forces surrounding the final choke point. The meeting
should be nearing an end about this time. Move all available offensive units
along the roads near the choke points. Save your game as the meeting ends (or
just before), so you can adjust your units if you fail to eliminate all emerging
senators.
If you stick near the choke points, you should have no problem finishing off the
fleeing senators. Make sure you assault the limousines as well - the vehicles
contain multiple senators! A running tally of remaining senators replaces the
timer in the upper left corner of the screen.
Objective: Clear all Enemy Units near the Commonwealth Building
Don't waste all your military units and taelon eliminating the senators -
another
objective awaits you! Your orders are to destroy the units and towers
surrounding
the commonwealth building, positioned roughly in the center of the map. Take
your
time to use available taelon to produce a large force; consider producing
mastiffs and support the artillery unit with your infantry, tanks, and air
units.
The commonwealth building is surrounded by units as well as defense (at each
corner) and lightning towers. Use artillery and air strikes (if available) to
assist in the destruction of the tough towers. Clear the way for your air units
and assault the remaining towers and units. Destroy all enemy units at the
building to cue the mission's final cutscene and end the mission in victory. You
may find success in advancing on the camera towers to gain a line of sight on
the
building and its surrounding defenses. Use mastiff artillery units to demolish
any remaining units.
Chapter 10 - Hero's End
You begin in the southern area of the mini-map with the special shadowhand
omega;
keep the shadowhand safe behind friendly units for now.
Objective: Move the Shadowhand through the Togran Portal
Begin the mission as you have so many others by building necessary
unit-producing
structures and upgrading them. You'll want a precinct, motorpool, and air
control
structure at a minimum. You may also find success with building a restoration
facility to keep troops healthy - and, perhaps more importantly, repairing
damaged defense turrets you'll place around your base. A radome and its air
strike ability could prove useful in clearing the Sprawler clutter. And if you
reach the pinnacle of the technology tree, you can produce a sky fortress
production facility - the JDA's ultimate weapon.
Start harvesting the nearby taelon. There's a second patch nearby to the west
protected by Sprawler infantry and snipers (skulks). Send over troops as soon as
you have enough available; consider waiting until you can produce more so you
clear out the Sprawler presence with as few casualties as possible. Once
cleared,
move a construction rig over and build your second refinery.
Before you start off too aggressively, you should construct lightning and
defense
towers around the perimeter of your base - place them to the west (protecting
the
second taelon patch), to the north, and to the east. If you've built a
restoration facility, produce a few psi-techs and place them near each set of
turrets; the psi-tech will repair damage to the turrets, keeping the structures
active and intact. Make sure you're keeping up with the significant power
required by all the towers; build sufficient solar arrays or, when available,
build an atomic power generator.
Once you're set up defensively and have produced additional offensive units (a
mixture of castigars, bulldogs, growlers, air units, and so on), it's time to
explore and acquire a third source of taelon. Explore east of your initial start
point to spot a public teleporter. Send some castigars through and watch as you
appear toward the northwest along the western edge of the map. Defeat the
Sprawler infantry guarding the teleport exit and send additional units through
the public teleporter.
Explore the strip of land to the south
and encounter further Sprawler defenses. Defeat all Sprawler troops here, then
use a construction rig (sent through the teleporter) to establish a refinery
near
the taelon source. You may also want to send additional rigs through so you can
construct defense and lightning towers around the new refinery.
Before you proceed toward the northwest corner - the heart of the Sprawler base
-
take time to explore the southern corner of the map. Assemble your attack squad
and include a warden as the Sprawlers have littered the forest area to the south
with traps. Defeat the skulks and other Sprawler units guarding the southern
corner, then locate the taelon patch along the eastern side. Send in a
construction rig and build another refinery. Use a second construction rig to
surround the refinery with a lightning tower and a few defensive towers.
You should have plenty of taelon coming in and a substantial unit force. Make
sure your base defenses are adequate. Place camera towers around your base to
further warn of incoming Sprawler units, especially their powerful juggernauts,
gigantic explosive tanks that can level your base in one blast if left to roam.
Your mission is to escort the shadowhand into the Togran portal, heavily guarded
by Sprawler forces. Now, it's possible to use the shadowhand and disguise
yourself as a Sprawler infantry unit and navigate your way through the Sprawler
base and into the portal. But, it's definitely not a preferred solution. First,
you must avoid disruptors - which could reveal your disguise in an instant -
and,
second, leaving the Sprawler forces in the mission area makes this mission's
second objective more difficult. It's easier, then, to annihilate the Sprawler
forces before entering the Togran portal.
An optimal route is up the eastern side of the map. Not only because the path is
relatively free of Sprawlers, but you'll also uncover additional sources of
taelon, sources that are left pretty much alone by the Sprawler forces. Clear
out
the eastern path and move construction rigs up to build the refineries. Use
additional construction rigs to erect defense and lightning towers, just to be
safe. Move your attack force into the northeastern corner; it should ideally
consist of castigars, growlers, a few mastiffs, blackstars, strikers, and other
units of your choice. You may also wish to include psi-techs and even a sky
fortress, though attaining the JDA super weapon requires a large chunk of taelon
-
which you could use instead to build a massive force of cheaper units.
The Sprawler base lies in the northern
corner. Once you reach the northern edge, start moving northwest until you start
approaching the Sprawler perimeter and its defensive towers. Keep your air units
safely behind your ground force and eliminate the towers with artillery. If you
have the available funds (and available units under the limit), include
construction rigs in your assault group to build camera towers to spot for
mastiffs and defense towers to pin the Sprawlers in their base.
Annihilate the Sprawler defenses, taking special care around the atomic
generators and juggernaut facility (you don't want to destroy your own units in
the explosion). Clear out the Sprawler base and locate the Togran portal inside
a
recess in the back of the destroyed Sprawler base. Once the special shadowhand
unit moves through the Togran portal, you're presented with a second mission
objective.
Objective: Construct Three Atomic Generators in the Specified Locations
Before you worry about the generators, consider exploring the western edge of
the
map for a vast source of taelon. You can get there west of the Sprawler base or
via teleporters. You can also find more taelon in the map's center. Make sure
you
include wardens in your group to spot any scaver traps. Take time to gather more
taelon - you'll need 6,000 for the atomic generators alone. Reinforce your
troops, but save some unit points under the limit for towers to place around the
generators. You must protect them from Sprawler attack!
If you're short on money, start recycling old refineries and even towers in your
main base as you shouldn't expect many Sprawlers invading your former domain.
Move construction rigs to each atomic generator point. Build lightning towers
around the southern perimeter of each point; also build defense towers in case
the Sprawler units depart successfully from the air barge transport.
Enough lightning towers should prevent the air barges from landing; you'll
destroy the Sprawler attack forces before they even land. Once you've built the
towers, start construction of the atomic generators. After the three have been
built, you're ordered to protect them for five minutes. If you lose a generator,
you must rebuild it and hold off another attack for five minutes. Use blackstar
units to further protect the generators; also include strikers and ground units
to defeat any Sprawler units that manage to land. The mission and campaign
concludes in victory once the atomic generators have been protected for five
minutes.
Chapter 1 - Into the Sprawl
The JDA campaign begins in the city where Sprawler sky sweeper towers prevent
the
JDA air force from striking a Sprawler base.
Objective: Eliminate the Rumblers and the Sky Sweeper Tower
You're provided with a handful of guardians and a couple rovers to eliminate the
small Sprawler threat. Group your units into a single attack group; or, if you'd
rather, place the guardians in one group and the rovers in another. This lets
you
move the rovers separately to perhaps position them in a flanking position or
simply in a line formation along with the guardians. Placing them in a single
attack group causes them to move together, which could result in clumping and
some units arriving before others. Separate the attack groups to maximize
immediate firepower once you reach the target.
To place the guardians in an attack group, select the guardians and press the
Ctrl plus the 1 key (or another number if you'd rather assign them to a
different
group). Next, select the rovers and assign them to a second group by pressing
the
Ctrl plus the 2 key. Or, as previously mentioned, you can assign the rovers to
the same group as the guardians (simply select the rovers as well as the
guardians and assign them together), or you can assign them to any number group
you wish.
You can also experiment with the unit orders - just press the button to the
right
of the mini-map to open the unit orders menu. Placing the units in scout mode
will cause your units to automatically not attack the enemy; if your unit is
attacked, it will retreat. In defender mode, your units will wait until an enemy
enters their range before returning fire, but won't leave their position to
attack an enemy. Skirmisher mode is basically a hit-and-run mode, where your
units will fire at any target they come in contact with, but if they are
attacked, they will retreat. Warrior mode, the default behavior, orders your
unit
to attack and follow an enemy unit as long as that unit remains within your
unit's line of sight. Finally, terminator mode orders a unit to follow and
attack
an enemy until it's destroyed.
Experiment with the modes, though you likely won't need to switch off warrior
mode for this particular mission. Proceed west from your starting position
(noting the mini-map in the lower right corner of the screen). Encounter the
Sprawler rumblers and return fire. Concentrate your fire on a single rumbler,
then move onto the next until all are destroyed. Continue west and locate the
sky
sweeper tower. Select your group of guardians and rovers and attack the sky
sweeper until it's destroyed.
A cutscene plays depicting a JDA command center and base under attack by
Sprawler
infantry troops; the base is located west of your start position.
Objective: Reinforce the JDA Base
Select your guardians and rumblers and head west - simply follow the city roads
toward the western side of the mini-map. You may encounter a rumbler or two
during the journey. Combine your fire from the guardians and rover onto one
rumbler; destroy one rumbler, then concentrate your firepower on his comrade.
Locate the entrance into the base and move your guardians and rovers inside.
Objective: Protect the Base from Sprawler Attack
The Sprawler infantry forces enter through the northern edge of the JDA base.
Position your guardian and rover units toward this northern edge to assist in
the
base's defenses. The JDA sentinel towers (that chew through low-level Sprawler
infantry) will be sufficient in defending the base, but it can't hurt to move
your guardians and rovers side-by-side along the northern entrance.
Shortly after you assist in base defense, a cutscene shows an earthquake
leveling
the JDA base. A massive seismic disruption obliterates power lines and levels
the
JDA command center and adjacent structures. You're ordered to assist in
rebuilding the JDA base in hopes of regaining control of the city from Sprawler
forces.
Objective: Use a Construction Rig to Build a Command Center; Buildings can be
Oriented Using the > and < Keys
You're provided with a construction rig to begin reconstruction of the JDA base.
Select the construction rig and notice the build menu open on the left side of
the screen. Choose Command Center and notice the overlay of the structure
appears
on your mouse cursor. You must place the command center away from wall edges; if
you can't place the command center in a particular area, the overlay turns red.
You can also orient the command center by using the greater-than (>) and less-
than ( and < keys; place the structure strategically,
leaving sufficient room for the precinct exit.
Objective: Order a Construction Rig from the Command Center
Building the precinct used the entire construction rig (unlike building the
solar
array), so it's time to construct a new rig for further base development. Select
the command center and open its build window. Press the construction rig icon
and
watch as the command center begins constructing the unit. When the construction
rig is ready, it appears out the command center exit.
Objective: Use a Rig to Construct a Motorpool
Select your newly arrived construction rig to open its build menu. Choose the
motorpool icon and the structure's overlay appears on your cursor. Place the
motorpool on available terrain - adjacent to the precinct or command center
should do. Orient the motorpool so its exit faces an open area. The motorpool
builds the JDA's vehicles, including both land and air.
A cutscene plays after you construct the motorpool. The flyby shows the Sprawler
base located somewhere in the city.
Objective: Move the Collector to the Taelon Outcropping
It's time to begin harvesting taelon, Dark Reign 2's resource used to purchase
new structures and units. Locate the taelon collector north of your base (down
the ramp). Select the collector and move the vehicle to the batch of taelon
positioned south of your base. There's a refinery already in place; with the
collector selected, click on the taelon shards (notice the different icon) to
begin resource gathering.
Objective: Find and Destroy the Three Remaining AA Towers
Your orders are to locate the remaining Sprawler sky sweeper towers and destroy
them; doing so clears the way for the JDA air strike. Cycle through your
structures - command center, precinct, and motorpool - to spot your build
options. You can construct more rigs from the command center to place some
sentinel towers on the northern edge of your base (or you can simply defend with
guardians and rovers). Use the precinct to build guardians and the motorpool to
build rovers. You can also build additional collectors, though you won't need
the
increased resource-gathering speed to complete the mission.
Look on the mini-map and notice the green radar blips denoting the location of
the three towers. Take the time to produce more guardians and rovers before
exploring the roads around the new JDA base. Once you have sufficient units (an
additional five of each should do fine), head north out of the JDA base. You may
encounter rumblers on the road.
Turn toward the northeast to the nearest radar blip. Destroy the rumblers
guarding the sky sweeper tower here. With the first tower destroyed, proceed to
the others; the sky sweeper tower isn't a threat to your ground units, so be
sure
to concentrate all firepower on the rumbler defenders before advancing against
the sky sweeper towers. At one sky sweeper tower, you'll encounter cloaked
fiends - but they're only cloaked when they're not moving. The fiends will
advance toward you to engage; once they uncloak, destroy them and then the sky
sweeper tower they defend.
The mission concludes once all three sky sweeper towers are destroyed. A
cutscene
plays, depicting the JDA air strike demolishing the Sprawler base.
Chapter 2 - The Seal is Broken
You begin with a handful of units trailing the Sprawler voodun (a healer)
prisoner. Survey your base and your units before using the guard command; once
you order your units to guard the prisoner, the voodun starts his course toward
the Togran outpost.
Objective: Use the Guard Command on the Voodun Prisoner
Select your units and press the G key; with the new guard cursor activated,
press
on the voodun prisoner to order your JDA units to guard the Sprawler healer. The
voodun starts moving toward the northwest; your units follow closely in tow.
Objective: Follow the Voodun Prisoner up the Mountain
As you enter the valleys leading to the outpost, you may spot Sprawler units,
including the go-go bike. Concentrate all your firepower on the go-go bike
before
attacking any adjacent infantry. Continue to follow the voodun until you spot
the
row of towers.
Back off quickly, though it's possible you may take a casualty or two - the
towers are extremely powerful! To reach the outpost, you must find a way to
circumvent the towers, such as locating their power source. Let the voodun
continue into the valley; you have the information you need, the location of the
Togran outpost.
Objective: Build Enforcers and Use Them to find the Enemy Togran Power Source
Turn your attention back to the JDA base. Construct a motorpool to build JDA
vehicles, specifically the rovers. This will complement your precinct, used to
produce guardians and enforcers (you also need the motorpool for the enforcers).
You'll need the enforcers to locate the Togran power source and scout most of
the
mountainous terrain - the enforcers are air units and can traverse over the high
terrain. Use the guardians and rovers to protect your base. Make sure you have
sufficient solar arrays to support your structures.
You'll face the occasional rumbler raiding party arriving from the area north of
the JDA base. Produce a sufficient defense force (ten guardians and five rovers
or so). Also consider building a construction rig and placing sentinel towers
along the northern perimeter of the JDA base to obliterate the weak Sprawler
infantry attacks. Go-go bikes may join the rumblers; if so, concentrate your
defensive forces on the bikes before attacking the rumblers.
Produce a sizable force of enforcers (at least ten) for exploring the map and
locating the Togran power source. As you control the enforcers, be very careful
if you glide too close to a Sprawler go-go bike; it's an extremely effective
anti-
air unit, especially against enforcers. The go-go bike's twin missiles can knock
down groups of enforcers' shields, eventually destroying the JDA air infantry
unit.
Explore the eastern edge of the map. Here, you'll find some neutral buildings as
well as some sort of launching pad. This area becomes the extraction point late
in the mission. Remember its location for later. Don't head to the northern
corner, though - head up the western side to reach the Togran power source!
Send the enforcers up the western side of the map. You shouldn't have to worry
much about the JDA base in the south. Several sentinels and a small band of
guardians and rovers should supply sufficient defense to counter the small
patrols of rumblers and go-go bikes.
Hug the western edge of the map with the enforcers until you reach the northern
corner. Attack any Sprawler ground units you encounter. Continue to produce
enforcers with your precinct and reinforce your enforcer group until you have
amassed a large enforcer army. Use rally points and waypoints to send the
enforcers up the western edge of the map to rendezvous with your group.
The more enforcers you use, the better. Move along the northern edge of the map
to locate the Togran power generator atop a high mountain. You'll encounter some
Sprawler defenses nearby, including go-go bikes. Destroy the go-gos as fast as
possible before resuming your search or dealing with rumblers and other Sprawler
ground troops.
With the Togran power source in sight, select your enforcer group and obliterate
the structure. Its destruction deactivates the towers lining the valley to
Togra's shrine, the outpost mentioned in the mission briefing.
Objective: Proceed to Togra's Shrine
Togra's shrine is located at the end of the valley in the northern corner,
previously controlled by the powerful towers. Having destroyed the Togran power
source, the towers are no longer a threat. Don't approach the shrine with your
enforcer force. Locating the shrine releases the technifact, which must be
defended and escorted to an extraction point. Your enforcers may not be
sufficient to defend the valuable artifact.
Instead, produce guardians and rovers and start advancing north of the JDA base
into the valley. Move your enforcers back down the western side to rendezvous
with your guardian and rover group. You'll meet some resistance along the way.
Make sure your attack groups are clumped to maximize your firepower. Consider
splitting the groups into three - guardians, rovers, and enforcers - so you can
spread your firepower out.
When you reach the end of the valley path in the northern corner, you'll
encounter a round symbol built into the ground. Defeat any remaining Sprawler
defenders around Togra's shrine, then approach the symbol. Watch the cutscene of
the shrine opening - an artifact referred to as the technifact emerges.
Objective: Escort the Technifact to the Extraction Zone
The technifact is extremely slow; don't advance your troops too quickly and
leave
the technifact behind. Use the guard command to protect the technifact, though
moving the cluttered group of units can be difficult through the tight alley.
Retreat toward the south until you exit the valley and return your group and the
technifact to the map's center.
The path to the extraction point lies to the southeast - as mentioned
previously,
you may have spotted the extraction point if you explored the eastern side of
the
map with your enforcers. As you near the eastern edge, move your guardians,
rovers, and enforcers up - the extraction point is heavily protected by Sprawler
forces. Consider reinforcing your attack groups further by producing more
infantry and vehicles. Defeat the Sprawler defenders, then move the technifact
on
top of the extraction point to conclude the mission.
Chapter 3 - Thinning the Herd
You begin the mission with some guardians, enforcers, rovers, and bulldogs; the
bulldog tanks are more effective against infantry than they are against vehicles
and structures.
Objective: Eliminate all Traitor Forces
Proceed forward (in the direction your units are facing) along the river to
reach
the outskirts of the traitor base. Since you're dealing with JDA traitors,
expect
to encounter their units - which will be similar to yours. For instance, you'll
encounter the JDA castigar, a powerful infantry unit; concentrate your firepower
on the castigar immediately to minimize your losses.
A Sprawler base is located east of the traitor base. Don't venture into the
Sprawler base! It's too tough for your small army and must be left for later in
the mission. Instead, stay to the west and enter the traitor base. Start
shooting
at traitor units, and a cutscene shifts the focus from the base to a small
shuttle pad just to the northwest. The traitors are attempting to leave the base
via the shuttle - you must stop them!
Head northeast from the traitor base to locate the shuttle. Time is critical; an
announcement is made once the traitors board the shuttle. When you reach the
launchpad, divert your fire to the shuttle itself. Once it's destroyed, a
cutscene shifts your focus to a mountain valley in the east. Sprawler
reinforcements are moving through the valley; if you can power the ion field
generator on either side of the valley, you can stop the reinforcements. Three
construction rigs arrive to facilitate your base construction.
Objective: Build a Solar Array on Each Side of the Ion Field Generator
Construct your base, using one rig to produce the command center, a second rig
to
place the refinery adjacent to the nearby taelon patch, and the third rig to
construct one or two solar arrays to support your small base. Once the rigs are
finished, build a motorpool and construct another rig to build a precinct.
Don't attempt to venture west into the Sprawler base; the base is quite large
and
filled with powerful towers and ground units. Once you've built the precinct and
motorpool, you can upgrade your command center and each unit-producing structure
to build bulldogs (anti-personnel tanks) and castigars (anti-vehicle infantry
units). You should also build an air control structure to produce blackstars
from
the motorpool. As you continue to produce units - a mixture of guardians,
enforcers, rovers, bulldogs, and castigars works well - start protecting your
base perimeter with sentinel towers. For instance, explore east of your base and
place two sentinel towers at the base of the bridge. Consider placing other
towers along the northern perimeter of your base.
Sprawler infantry and vehicle units will arrive from the east (across that
bridge) and from the north (usually from the valley containing the Sprawler
reinforcements). Occasionally, you may see Sprawler healers with the infantry
and
vehicles - terminate the healers as soon as possible.
With a sizable military produced, start exploring the western side and locate
two
additional taelon sources: one found along the western edge (in the middle) and
another up near the traitor base, again on the western edge. Create refineries
at
both these taelon spots to increase resource gathering; however, if you leave
these undefended, Sprawler units will attack and likely destroy your collector
or
refinery. Build three or more sentinel towers near each refinery to protect your
precious structures. You may also wish to move up your military to the second
refinery (the middle of the western edge) so you can quickly shift your army to
the northern or southern base to intercept Sprawler attacks.
Defending the Sprawler attacks shouldn't be too much trouble, as long as you
keep
your base sufficiently powered (with solar arrays) and replace any destroyed
sentinel towers. You may also want to keep a handful of guardians and castigars
at each refinery - set on defender mode - to retaliate against any Sprawler
attacks that circumvent the towers.
Once you have amassed a large mixed force, it's time to take out the Sprawler
base to the west. Don't attack from two fronts; there are too many Sprawler
towers and units to deal with. Instead, combine your force into one (though use
different attack groupings for anti-infantry, anti-vehicle, and air units) and
attack a concentrated area of the Sprawler base. Gun posts and sky sweepers line
the Sprawler base's perimeter; concentrate all firepower on the towers before
assaulting Sprawler units and structures.
Attack from the northern point first (west of the traitor base) and work your
way
through the base. Continue producing military units to reinforce your army. Once
you've cleared an area of Sprawler towers and units, eliminate the structures.
Start heading south and continue rampaging through the Sprawler base.
Once you have destroyed this northern section, move a construction rig up to the
valley (where the ion field generator is located). Place sentinel guns at the
valley's entrance (or exit for the Sprawlers). As Sprawler reinforcements
arrive,
the sentinel towers should take care of them. Monitor the towers every so often
and replace them if necessary.
Clear out the middle of the minimap and locate another taelon source. Destroy
all
surrounding Sprawler structures and send a construction rig over. Build a
refinery and start gathering additional taelon. Check your other sources; if the
taelon supply has been depleted, recycle the refinery and move the collector to
another taelon source.
Having cleared out the Sprawler base, it's time to advance to the ion field
generator's power control points. The path to the northern point lies north of
the Sprawler base. Follow the ramp up to the top of the mountain overlooking the
ion field generator. A handful of Sprawler units and a few gun posts protect the
path to the ion field generator's power zone. Clear them out, then move a
construction rig up the ramp and place a solar array on the icon.
The southern power point's entrance lies to the south over the bridge east of
your base. You may encounter further Sprawler units and structures here.
Eliminate them (and spot another taelon patch should you need the resource) and
continue up the ramp toward the ion field generator. Clear out the defending
Sprawler units and towers; move a construction rig onto the icon and build a
solar array to activate the ion field generator. With the ion field generator
online, the Sprawler reinforcements can't enter the valley without being
destroyed by the generator's force field and defensive weaponry.
Chapter 4 - Underworld
You start in the southern corner with some guardians, rovers, and a couple of
psi-
techs - the psi-techs can heal wounded units, but can't restore a unit's
shields.
Keep the psi-techs at the back of your group (assign them to a different control
group than your guardians and rovers).
Objective: Reach the Entrance to the Togran Temple
Head north along the path; you'll encounter rumblers and eventually a powerful
Sprawler judas. Move slowly so you don't trigger too many enemies at once.
Retreat after each confrontation to stop and wait for any damaged shields to
restore. Also use the psi-techs to heal any damage that penetrated the JDA
shields.
Continue following the underground path to the west and north. You'll encounter
additional Sprawler infantry. Concentrate all your firepower on any Sprawler
judases you encounter first, then finish off the other enemy infantry. Don't
forget to retreat after each battle to take the time to heal and restore your
shields. As you near the northwest corner, you'll encounter some JDA
reinforcements - consisting of more guardians, rovers, and a psi-tech - in a
small alcove that will eventually be the mission's extraction point.
Combine your forces into one, though continue to protect the psi-techs behind
the
attacking units. Locate the path to the east (near the reinforcements alcove)
and
enter the Togran temple, flanked by two ominous statues.
Objective: Find and Remove the Technifact
Descend the ramp leading past the Togran temple entrance. A cutscene plays
depicting crazed cultists emerging from the halls. The cultists explode once
they
near your units; shoot them before they reach your group, and they'll explode
harmlessly away from your pack. Once the cutscene ends, you'll soon encounter a
group of suicide Tograns. Keep your attacking units in place and concentrate all
your firepower on one suicide Togran before moving on to the next.
As you did in front of the temple entrance, move forward with caution. The
suicide Tograns appear from all sides, so it's wise not to move too quickly and
trigger too many of them. Stop moving when you spot a suicide Togran; eliminate
the Togran (or Tograns) before continuing onward.
Eventually, you'll arrive at a three-
way intersection. Two paths lead to small alcoves containing some sort of
telepad
portal. The path to the northeast, however, leads to the room you're searching
for. Head northeast and notice a short tunnel to the left; inside, you'll
discover a Togran power generator, much like the one you found in the second
mission. Destroy the generator, then continue onward. You'll arrive at a second
left tunnel; usher your units inside and notice the Togran pylons, devastating
towers now deactivated by the destruction of the generator.
Suicide Tograns burst out of the hallway flanked by the pylons. Eliminate them
all before entering the hallway. Approach the end of the hallway to locate the
technifact. As you approach, a cutscene plays depicting the JDA force acquiring
the technifact, but the statues lining the hall come to life and additional
suicide Tograns storm the room. The statues, Baron Simedi, are extremely
powerful
and not to be dealt with. As soon as you regain control, usher your troops
beyond
the technifact to the portal at the end of the room. Send your troops and the
technifact onto the telepad.
Objective: Bring the Technifact to the Evacuation Point You'll appear back at
the
temple entrance. Organize your troops quickly and start retracing your steps out
of the temple toward the reinforcements alcove, which doubles as the extraction
point. Don't leave the technifact too far behind your units, though; suicide
Tograns emerge from the temple in an effort to destroy the technifact rather
than
let the JDA retain its control. Move the technifact to the front of your
military
units while you use the guardians and rovers to defend the technifact's rear
flank.
Once you have moved the technifact into the extraction point (west northwest of
the temple near the area in which you received reinforcements), the mission
concludes in victory.
Chapter 5 - Sea of Red
You start on the sea with patrol cruisers, enforcers, blackstars, rovers, and
three construction rigs.
Objective: Find the Crash Site Before the Sprawlers can reach It; Time is
Limited
Head across the waterway to the first shoreline you reach. Move the units on the
shore and scout until you locate the taelon supply. Use one construction rig to
build the command center, a second to construct the refinery next to the taelon,
and the third construction rig to build solar arrays supplying power to your new
base.
You have a new build option - the dock - that you should construct as soon as
possible along the shoreline to the south. The Sprawlers send hydrofoils along
your shoreline; produce six or seven patrol cruisers to defend your base's
shore,
especially on the western side near the taelon supply.
As you begin to upgrade your structures (command center, precinct, and motorpool
all to level two), start producing some sentinel guns and lightning towers
around
your base; place the lightning towers near the northern side of your base with
coverage along the taelon supply. Don't spend too many resources on these
defensive towers; build just enough to protect against a surprise vulture attack
or rogue Sprawler infantry.
Once you have upgraded your precinct and motorpool, start producing a mixture of
guardians, enforcers, castigars, rovers, and bulldogs. Head east and locate a
secondary taelon supply guarded by a small band of Sprawler units, including
some
go-gos. Keep your enforcers away from the go-go's anti-air missiles. Remove all
the Sprawler units from the taelon supply. Send over a construction rig and
build
a second refinery. Defend the refinery either with JDA units or by building
several sentinel guns and a couple lightning towers.
With sufficient resources, produce an air control unit and upgrade the structure
to level two to produce strikers (an air unit that assaults ground units and
structures) from the motorpool (also upgraded to level two). Complement your
ground force with several blackstars and strikers. If you can afford the
expense,
consider a second motorpool to hasten construction of JDA vehicles.
This is the first mission in which you
can produce the radome, a special JDA structure that can create air strikes. For
this mission, you have assault bots and vulcan mines available. Both should
prove
effective. Queue one air strike and use it when you approach the cluster of
Sprawler units near the line of tough towers.
The Sprawler base lies in the northern corner of the map; once you recover the
crashed JDA shuttle and the technifact, you must venture inside the base to
reach
the Sprawler-defended airfield. Consider clearing out the outskirts of the base
with your blackstar, striker, and enforcers. Further, produce a sizable force of
patrol cruisers and explore the shoreline and eliminate the Sprawler wharf and
any hydrofoils encountered. Also explore the area north of the crash site and
clear out Sprawler towers near the bridge - you'll be traveling here soon
enough.
When you're prepared with plenty of offensive units (a mixture of ground forces
with plenty of blackstars and strikers to assist them), proceed to the crash
site
in the southwestern area of the map. A cutscene plays once you approach the
crash
site; the technifact is recovered, and you're presented with a new objective.
Objective: Protect the Togran Piece and Get It to the Airport for Transport
Proceed north of the crash site and cross the bridge. You'll encounter
additional
taelon fields; mine the taelon with a new refinery should you need additional
funds. There's no need to rush to the airfield, though; build up a sizable army
(with a priority on air units) before moving toward the Sprawler base and its
airfield to the north.
It's possible to get the technifact into the airport without destroying much of
the Sprawler base. Send in your military units first and use an air strike to
destroy clumps of Sprawler infantry or to knock out a pesky tower. Clear out the
anti-air towers and obliterate the Sprawler ground forces with your air units.
Usher the technifact into the airfield, while your military units occupy the
Sprawler defense. As mentioned, there's no rush here, so destroy as much of the
Sprawler base as possible before worrying about the technifact. Once it reaches
the launchpad, the mission concludes in victory.
Chapter 6 - Interrogation
You begin the mission with guardians, enforcers, castigars, rovers, bulldogs,
and
three construction rigs. The yellow telepad, which you'll escort Booda Shoun to
later in the mission, lies just behind your initial military force.
Objective: Infiltrate the Sprawler Base and Capture Booda Shoun; Bring Him Back
to the Yellow Telepad
Head forward until you locate the taelon supply along the left fork. Organize
your military to the north of the supply and start using your construction rigs.
Build a command center, refinery (adjacent to the taelon), and a couple of solar
arrays, then build a precinct with the construction rig used to build the JDA
power source. Select the command center and produce additional construction rigs
for a precinct, motorpool, and air control. Upgrade your structures as resources
allow. You may also wish to experiment again with the radome, restoration
center,
or the new telepad.
There are two additional taelon supplies located near your initial base, but
you'll need an adequate military to protect the refineries and collectors. The
easiest taelon supply to control lies up a ramp just northwest of your initial
base. Send a construction rig up the hill and build a refinery. Usher up a
second
construction rig and produce a couple of lightning towers and perhaps a sentinel
gun to protect the refinery from air and ground attack.
Before you search for the third source of taelon, build up your military.
Sprawler attacks could come from the north, south, or east paths. Surround your
base with a perimeter forcefield, with sentinel guns just inside the beams;
alternatively, just place several towers around the perimeter of your base to
repel attacks - at least buying enough time to move over the bulk of your
military force.
Produce a mixture of forces, including guardians, enforcers, castigars,
bulldogs,
growlers, blackstars, and strikers. You'll also want at least one warden in your
ground as protection against Sprawler traps; the warden can detect the traps,
then you can use the military units to destroy the visible trap. Once you
possess
an adequate force, investigate the paths east of your initial base. You'll
discover the third taelon supply guarded by a gun post tower and several
Sprawler
ground troops, including a judas. Eliminate the small defense force, then move
in
your construction rig to build the refinery. Protect the refinery with military
units or send over a construction rig to place sentinel guns and lightning
towers.
Additional taelon supplies can be found along the northern area of the minimap
should you require additional resources. Just be sure to protect the valuable
refineries with defensive towers and units.
Booda Shoun is located near a shrine in
the southeastern corner. When you attempt to approach the Sprawler base from the
west (from around the middle of the map), JDA command informs you that the
Sprawler base is extremely well defended and a military assault probably won't
prove very effective - unfortunately, command is correct. If you attempt to take
the Sprawler base by force, you can't overcome the plethora of towers and
Sprawler units.
Instead, produce a shadowhand, a JDA spy that can assume the disguise of a
Sprawler infantry unit. Escort the shadowhand and locate a Sprawler infantry
unit; with the shadowhand selected, place the mouse cursor over a Sprawler unit
to receive the disguise icon. You must have already received the information
from
command (about an improbable military assault) to use the shadowhand.
Disguise yourself as any Sprawler infantry unit within the shadowhand's line of
sight. Enter the Sprawler base and head south. Don't worry; if you're in
disguise, the enemy Sprawlers won't bother you. Continue along the south and the
available path. Eventually, you'll ascend up a ramp and locate the shrine
protected by a set of judas units. If you've constructed a radome, consider
queuing an air strike to clear out the judas protecting Booda Shoun (don't
worry,
you can't kill him).
Objective: Bring Booda Shoun Back to the Yellow Telepad
Grab Booda Shoun and start retracing your steps out of the Sprawler base. A
disruptor may uncover your shadowhand spy during your exit; just keep moving
Booda Shoun out of the base despite the Sprawler efforts to stop you. Once you
reach your military force, parked just outside the Sprawler base, return fire
and
make your way back to the JDA base in the southwest. Move Booda Shoun to the
yellow telepad at the mission's start point to complete the mission in victory.
Chapter 7 - Inferno
You begin the mission with a new unit, the mastiff, a powerful artillery unit
that should be handled with care. Be cautious when employing the mastiff in a
battle situation; it's powerful artillery cannon can inflict just as much damage
to your units as the Sprawlers! Consider assigning it to its own attack group;
that way, you can order it to stop, attack, or customize its behavior apart from
your main military units.
Objective: Destroy the Building Concealing the Lab in the Northern Quadrant
Move your units and four construction rigs toward the northwest until you locate
the taelon source. Build a command center, refinery, and a couple of solar
arrays. Then, use the two remaining construction rigs to build the precinct and
motorpool. Produce additional construction rigs with the command center and
build
an air control and restoration center.
A few Sprawler infantry units occupy the area north of the taelon; defeat them
before they can attack the collector or refinery. As soon as possible, surround
your base's perimeter with sentinel guns and lightning towers. Once available,
complement your sentinel guns with a defense tower, a much more powerful turret,
though at two and a half times the cost. Use psi-techs at each perimeter point
to
repair damaged towers or forcefield pylons. You'll want protection along the
northern, eastern, and southwestern roads into your base.
Expect Sprawler attacks to come from all sides; a few towers at each corner
should be sufficient to hold off most of the Sprawler attack force.
Occasionally,
the Sprawlers might send in a thunder cannon, an artillery unit possessing range
outside your towers. If you're taking damage from the Sprawler infantry, send
out
air units to eliminate the thunder cannon before it can cause much damage.
Before seeking out additional sources of taelon, upgrade your command center,
precinct, motorpool, and air control and start producing your preferred units. A
mixture of guardians, castigars, bulldogs, growlers, blackstars, and strikers
should prove effective. Securing additional taelon requires a sizable JDA attack
force. Don't proceed out prematurely, or you can't destroy defending Sprawler
forces and sustain protection for your extra refinery and base. Also, make sure
you have a warden in your attack group before investigating the taelon sources.
The Sprawlers have littered the roads with traps.
Two taelon sources are located nearby,
but both are well protected by Sprawler units and outposts. Up the western edge
of the map, you'll encounter one patch of taelon protected by units and gun
posts. Use the mastiff to damage or destroy the towers. Send in growlers and
strikers to finish off the remaining Sprawler turrets and vehicles, then use
bulldogs, guardians, and castigars to finish off the infantry.
Once you erect the western refinery, you must build several towers (include a
defense tower, lightning tower, and a few sentinel guns) near the refinery.
Sprawler units will likely attack from the north; unless you want to baby-sit
the
tower with JDA units, construct enough towers to hold off a Sprawler attack.
Proceed up the eastern side and encounter go-gos and scorpion tanks. Use the
mastiff in combination with growlers to eliminate the Sprawler vehicles quickly.
You'll find the taelon supply just northwest of the vehicles. Protect the taelon
and erect a refinery. Further exploration east will uncover another supply. For
each taelon source you locate and decide to use, make sure you defend it well
with at least three to four towers - it's much more cost effective than
rebuilding your refinery!
At some point, JDA command announces the Sprawlers are combining forces and
converging. If you have sufficient towers protecting your main base and refinery
outposts, you should be well defended. Once you spot the Sprawler units, migrate
your blackstars and strikers to help defend against the Sprawler attack.
Build a sizable mixed force of infantry, vehicles, and air units and start
making
your way up the western side of the map. Make sure you include watchmen
(anti-air
mechanized units) in your group; you'll need them once you recover the
technifact. Also, make sure you have a warden in your group to detect Sprawler
traps. As you've noticed on the mini-map by now, radar blips indicate the four
potential structures. Start up the western side to approach the potential
structure on the left. You may encounter Sprawler resistance; simply move
cautiously and eliminate any defending forces as necessary.
Each radar blip represents a building that can be destroyed. Approach the first
on the western side and, once you have cleared out any Sprawler defenders,
attack
the building with your military group. The building will explode, though reveal
nothing - it's not the lab you're searching for.
Continue east along the northern edge
of the minimap - it's a tight squeeze along the northern road. Assemble your
force to the northwest of the second radar blip or potential lab structure. A
few
towers, several ground units, and a couple of traps protect this structure - the
actual lab. Stay back and let the Sprawler forces come to your horde; eliminate
them as they ascend the ramp. Move your warden in close to detect any nearby
traps; destroy the traps with your military force. Descend into the recess and
destroy the structure, which initiates the cutscene revealing the technifact.
Objective: Escort the Technifact to the Extraction Point
The technifact's extraction point is located on the southeastern area of the
map,
just northeast of the your initial base. You'll need anti-air units with your
rescue military force (as mentioned previously) to defend against the Sprawler
vultures, which attempt to destroy the technifact. Move the technifact to the
front of your military group (returning to your base along the cleared northern
path), so you can use the attack units to protect the technifact's rear flank.
Expect Sprawler infantry and air units to assault the technifact.
Continue down the eastern side of the minimap, far from the dangers of the
unexplored west, until you reach your base in the south. Expect additional
attacks from Sprawler forces. Once you reach your base, remain within the
protection of your perimeter towers before rushing toward the extraction point.
If the taelon is available, produce additional military units (growlers,
guardians, air units) for the final push into the extraction point.
You'll find the shuttle pad (at the extraction point) protected by a cluster of
Sprawler infantry, vehicles, and even the Sprawler super weapon, the juggernaut.
Keep the technifact well behind the attack force; an exploding juggernaut can
obliterate any unit within its destructive radius. Send your strikers against
the
juggernaut, especially if it's tangled up inside the other Sprawler units.
Destroying the juggernaut will not only obliterate your nearby units, but
Sprawler units as well! You can use the Sprawlers' weapon against themselves!
Once you have cleared the extraction point of Sprawler forces, usher the
technifact toward the shuttle to complete the mission in victory.
Chapter 8 - Barbarians at the Gates
The mission begins with a JDA base nearly in full swing. You'll find a command
center, refinery, and unit-producing structures among your handful of military
units. A number in the upper left-hand corner of the screen - which begins at
twelve - indicates the number of shuttles left to land. You must rescue nine
shuttles, which means you have three to spare. The shuttles begin arriving
within
a few minutes of the mission's start - there's no time to waste!
Objective: Protect at least Nine Inbound Shuttles
The shuttles arrive from four points - southwest, northwest, west, and north.
Radar blips on the mini-map indicate these areas. Sprawler go-gos, sky sweepers,
and gun posts protect these areas - not only the point of the blip, but the
route
the shuttle takes to reach the launchpad west of the JDA base. To protect the
shuttle, you must clear out some or most of the towers, so each shuttle can
navigate safely through the Sprawler anti-air defense. The shuttles arrive from
random points, which means you never know which route the shuttle will navigate
next; this poses problems regarding which route your should clear first. But it
also permits the opportunity to save your game often and reload it if the
shuttle
took a route you hadn't cleared.
The southwest route is nearest your base and shouldn't take many units to clear
(though more than you started with). Produce additional guardians and rovers
while you upgrade your command center. Send your units southwest and clear out
as
many towers as possible - it should be sufficient to clear the route and let the
southwestern shuttles safely arrive at the JDA base's launch pad.
The other routes lie across the waterway. Use the dock to protect your shoreline
and consider producing dreadnaughts as naval artillery to bombard Sprawler anti-
air towers within their range. Upgrade your precinct and motorpool; further,
produce an air control structure as soon as possible (including its upgrade) to
concentrate on blackstars and strikers. You should also consider a second
motorpool to hasten construction of air units. Use the precinct to produce
enforcers.
Two additional taelon sources can be found quite near your initial base. The
closest is found to the west. Move a construction rig over to it and produce a
refinery as soon as possible. Build defensive towers west of the taelon to
protect from the inevitable Sprawler ground attack that arrives from the western
side of the map.
The second nearest taelon source is
located north of the JDA base, nearly all the way to the northeastern edge. When
you decide to erect a refinery here, it must be protected with units, sentinel
guns, defensive towers, and lightning towers. Don't leave the refinery
unguarded,
or you will pay the price; the Sprawlers' AI is smart enough to scout the area
and detect its vulnerability.
As mentioned previously, clear out the southwestern side first. You don't need
to
clear out every single tower; as long as you knock out some or most of the
towers
(and anti-air units, such as the go-gos), the shuttles should survive. Save your
game after each shuttle successfully navigates its route. Further, save your
game
during the interval between each shuttle arrival; that way, if the shuttle route
isn't preferred, you can reload and try again.
The northwest and north routes are the next two easiest to clear (the north
being
somewhat easier). Use a horde of air units (strikers supported by blackstars and
enforcers) to eliminate the towers. Dreadnaughts within range can also assist in
the assault. Keep enforcers, which could quickly get ripped by the towers, in a
different attack group and usher them in from a flank after the strikers begin
their assault.
Exploring and clearing the northwest will uncover another source of taelon as
well as many Sprawler units and towers. You may even have to deal with a
Sprawler
juggernaut, a vehicle with no attack but a devastating explosion upon either
voluntary or involuntary destruction. Keep the area west of your base (and that
second refinery) well scouted; use camera towers and place a forcefield
perimeter
to protect your precious taelon source.
It's a lot of work to clear all four shuttle routes. If you're a gambler, you
may
choose to only clear three and hope the fourth isn't used. Keep your collectors
gathering and well supported with towers (and psi-techs to repair damaged
towers), which should keep enough units alive and healthy to assault each
shuttle
route and clear out a majority of the anti-air towers and units. Build a radome
and use its air strikes to combat Sprawler assaults.
Once nine shuttles reach the landing pad, the mission ends in victory.
Chapter 9 - Dirty Politics
You're up against a time limit for this mission, so be prepared to work quickly.
Your mission is to control three points of the map, critical choke points that
should let you eliminate all the senators that emerge from the their meeting.
Some senators attempt to exit the mission on foot while others travel via
limousine.
Objective: Eliminate all the Senators before they Escape
You can use your initial force of military units to scout west and locate an
additional source of taelon; erect a refinery as soon as possible, but be sure
to
protect the structure from traitor ground and air attacks from the east with
defense and lightning towers. Further northwest, you'll discover a small outpost
containing a precinct and solar arrays. Either take the time to build up your
military force or attempt to clear out the small outpost with your initial
force.
Should you decide to remain within the confines of your base, be sure to produce
defensive towers and lightning towers at each base entrance to combat invading
ground and air units.
Produce and upgrade your command center, precinct, motorpool, and air control
structure. Build a mixture of tanks (bulldogs and growlers), air units
(blackstars and strikers), and infantry (guardians and castigars) and clear out
the traitor forces near each choke point. Time is extremely critical; its
important to clear out as much of each choke point as possible within the time
limit. Once the senators emerge from the meeting, you'll want your full
attention
on them to eliminating them before they escape - there's no time to worry about
additional traitor forces!
Explore the other choke point near the enemy precinct and solar arrays to locate
a motorpool and some atomic generators. While you're exploring with your
military
units, continue to produce more at your structures; that way, when you're ready
to assault the next choke point, you have plenty of units available at the base.
Use caution when eliminating the atomic generators; their explosion packs quite
a
wallop, and it's possible to lose many units if you're hovering within the blast
radius. During these attacks on the traitor structures, it's also important to
prepare for the air strikes. Keep your units spread out, if possible, and use
the
X key to spread out your force once you hear the air strike on the way.
Leave a mixed force at each choke point
you liberate; consider also moving construction rigs over to build forcefield
pylons and defensive towers to assist. Search the road east of your base and
eliminate the traitor forces surrounding the final choke point. The meeting
should be nearing an end about this time. Move all available offensive units
along the roads near the choke points. Save your game as the meeting ends (or
just before), so you can adjust your units if you fail to eliminate all emerging
senators.
If you stick near the choke points, you should have no problem finishing off the
fleeing senators. Make sure you assault the limousines as well - the vehicles
contain multiple senators! A running tally of remaining senators replaces the
timer in the upper left corner of the screen.
Objective: Clear all Enemy Units near the Commonwealth Building
Don't waste all your military units and taelon eliminating the senators -
another
objective awaits you! Your orders are to destroy the units and towers
surrounding
the commonwealth building, positioned roughly in the center of the map. Take
your
time to use available taelon to produce a large force; consider producing
mastiffs and support the artillery unit with your infantry, tanks, and air
units.
The commonwealth building is surrounded by units as well as defense (at each
corner) and lightning towers. Use artillery and air strikes (if available) to
assist in the destruction of the tough towers. Clear the way for your air units
and assault the remaining towers and units. Destroy all enemy units at the
building to cue the mission's final cutscene and end the mission in victory. You
may find success in advancing on the camera towers to gain a line of sight on
the
building and its surrounding defenses. Use mastiff artillery units to demolish
any remaining units.
Chapter 10 - Hero's End
You begin in the southern area of the mini-map with the special shadowhand
omega;
keep the shadowhand safe behind friendly units for now.
Objective: Move the Shadowhand through the Togran Portal
Begin the mission as you have so many others by building necessary
unit-producing
structures and upgrading them. You'll want a precinct, motorpool, and air
control
structure at a minimum. You may also find success with building a restoration
facility to keep troops healthy - and, perhaps more importantly, repairing
damaged defense turrets you'll place around your base. A radome and its air
strike ability could prove useful in clearing the Sprawler clutter. And if you
reach the pinnacle of the technology tree, you can produce a sky fortress
production facility - the JDA's ultimate weapon.
Start harvesting the nearby taelon. There's a second patch nearby to the west
protected by Sprawler infantry and snipers (skulks). Send over troops as soon as
you have enough available; consider waiting until you can produce more so you
clear out the Sprawler presence with as few casualties as possible. Once
cleared,
move a construction rig over and build your second refinery.
Before you start off too aggressively, you should construct lightning and
defense
towers around the perimeter of your base - place them to the west (protecting
the
second taelon patch), to the north, and to the east. If you've built a
restoration facility, produce a few psi-techs and place them near each set of
turrets; the psi-tech will repair damage to the turrets, keeping the structures
active and intact. Make sure you're keeping up with the significant power
required by all the towers; build sufficient solar arrays or, when available,
build an atomic power generator.
Once you're set up defensively and have produced additional offensive units (a
mixture of castigars, bulldogs, growlers, air units, and so on), it's time to
explore and acquire a third source of taelon. Explore east of your initial start
point to spot a public teleporter. Send some castigars through and watch as you
appear toward the northwest along the western edge of the map. Defeat the
Sprawler infantry guarding the teleport exit and send additional units through
the public teleporter.
Explore the strip of land to the south
and encounter further Sprawler defenses. Defeat all Sprawler troops here, then
use a construction rig (sent through the teleporter) to establish a refinery
near
the taelon source. You may also want to send additional rigs through so you can
construct defense and lightning towers around the new refinery.
Before you proceed toward the northwest corner - the heart of the Sprawler base
-
take time to explore the southern corner of the map. Assemble your attack squad
and include a warden as the Sprawlers have littered the forest area to the south
with traps. Defeat the skulks and other Sprawler units guarding the southern
corner, then locate the taelon patch along the eastern side. Send in a
construction rig and build another refinery. Use a second construction rig to
surround the refinery with a lightning tower and a few defensive towers.
You should have plenty of taelon coming in and a substantial unit force. Make
sure your base defenses are adequate. Place camera towers around your base to
further warn of incoming Sprawler units, especially their powerful juggernauts,
gigantic explosive tanks that can level your base in one blast if left to roam.
Your mission is to escort the shadowhand into the Togran portal, heavily guarded
by Sprawler forces. Now, it's possible to use the shadowhand and disguise
yourself as a Sprawler infantry unit and navigate your way through the Sprawler
base and into the portal. But, it's definitely not a preferred solution. First,
you must avoid disruptors - which could reveal your disguise in an instant -
and,
second, leaving the Sprawler forces in the mission area makes this mission's
second objective more difficult. It's easier, then, to annihilate the Sprawler
forces before entering the Togran portal.
An optimal route is up the eastern side of the map. Not only because the path is
relatively free of Sprawlers, but you'll also uncover additional sources of
taelon, sources that are left pretty much alone by the Sprawler forces. Clear
out
the eastern path and move construction rigs up to build the refineries. Use
additional construction rigs to erect defense and lightning towers, just to be
safe. Move your attack force into the northeastern corner; it should ideally
consist of castigars, growlers, a few mastiffs, blackstars, strikers, and other
units of your choice. You may also wish to include psi-techs and even a sky
fortress, though attaining the JDA super weapon requires a large chunk of taelon
-
which you could use instead to build a massive force of cheaper units.
The Sprawler base lies in the northern
corner. Once you reach the northern edge, start moving northwest until you start
approaching the Sprawler perimeter and its defensive towers. Keep your air units
safely behind your ground force and eliminate the towers with artillery. If you
have the available funds (and available units under the limit), include
construction rigs in your assault group to build camera towers to spot for
mastiffs and defense towers to pin the Sprawlers in their base.
Annihilate the Sprawler defenses, taking special care around the atomic
generators and juggernaut facility (you don't want to destroy your own units in
the explosion). Clear out the Sprawler base and locate the Togran portal inside
a
recess in the back of the destroyed Sprawler base. Once the special shadowhand
unit moves through the Togran portal, you're presented with a second mission
objective.
Objective: Construct Three Atomic Generators in the Specified Locations
Before you worry about the generators, consider exploring the western edge of
the
map for a vast source of taelon. You can get there west of the Sprawler base or
via teleporters. You can also find more taelon in the map's center. Make sure
you
include wardens in your group to spot any scaver traps. Take time to gather more
taelon - you'll need 6,000 for the atomic generators alone. Reinforce your
troops, but save some unit points under the limit for towers to place around the
generators. You must protect them from Sprawler attack!
If you're short on money, start recycling old refineries and even towers in your
main base as you shouldn't expect many Sprawlers invading your former domain.
Move construction rigs to each atomic generator point. Build lightning towers
around the southern perimeter of each point; also build defense towers in case
the Sprawler units depart successfully from the air barge transport.
Enough lightning towers should prevent the air barges from landing; you'll
destroy the Sprawler attack forces before they even land. Once you've built the
towers, start construction of the atomic generators. After the three have been
built, you're ordered to protect them for five minutes. If you lose a generator,
you must rebuild it and hold off another attack for five minutes. Use blackstar
units to further protect the generators; also include strikers and ground units
to defeat any Sprawler units that manage to land. The mission and campaign
concludes in victory once the atomic generators have been protected for five
minutes.