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Operation 1
Mission 1. Destroy Enemy Communications Relay
Lancemates: Casey Nolan (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
The Shadowcat is your only option at the beginning. Luckily, it is a speedy Mech
with decent weapons. Since you have not yet salvaged any gear, you have no
choice
but to go with the load-out they give you.
Briefing: Our rebellion starts here. We are going to raid and destroy the key
component of the Steiner communications net. Enemy forces are light and
resistance should be minimal. Destroy the three communications relay stations
and
Steiner communications will be cut off from Kentares IV.
Objectives:
Destroy all three communications towers
Destroy escaping enemy units
Walkthrough: The first Lunar mission is fairly straightforward. The voiceover
briefing explains who your lancemates are. You can't give them orders yet, since
you are not yet a commander. They will be there to provide support only. After
you land, proceed forward to Nav Alpha, the only navigation point on the map.
Your buddies will flank you.
When you get to the crater below, blast everything in sight. Focus your fire on
one target until it explodes, then concentrate on your next foe. Practice using
the E button to cycle through targets, and eliminate them one by one. These
ground forces provide little resistance, but you'll want to avoid the missile
barrages from the LRMs and Bulldog tanks.
Midway through the carnage, several units will attempt to flee the crater. When
his happens, use your E key to cycle through the targets until you reach
something called "Transport." Then approach each transport and eliminate it with
a moderate amount of firepower.
When the transports go down, proceed to Nav Alpha. There are three
communications
towers here that look like large satellite dishes. From close range, focus your
fire one each one until it is destroyed. When all three explode, the mission
will
end. Congratulations, pilot, you've begun a war.
Note: If you want to blast through this mission, you can proceed directly to Nav
Alpha and immediately proceed to cripple the communcations towers. Even if you
don't destroy the transports, the mission will end.
Mission 2. Destroy Steiner Missile Vehicles
Lancemates: Jules Gonzalez (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
You've gained some weapons salvage, but none of it is very tasty, so stick with
the load-out you've got. It's a good mix of short and long range, and it's all
Clan, which is key. This is a seek and destroy mission, so you'll need a lot of
bang for your buck.
Briefing: Steiner is moving missile vehicles through our operational area in
preparation for an attack. Sweep the area and destroy the Steiner launch
vehicles. The vehicles will be escorted and this escort may include enemy 'Mech
forces.
Objectives:
Destroy all enemies at Nav Alpha
Destroy all enemies at Nav Beta
Walkthrough: The point of this mission is sweep and destroy. There are two
convoys to take out: one at Nav Alpha and another at Nav Beta. Jules Gonzalez is
along for this mission and will provide extra firepower to help you complete
your
objectives quickly. When the mission begins, head toward Nav Alpha. As you pass
the first set of ridges, you will be approached by the first Mech of the game: a
speedy enemy Osiris. He's fairly weak, but will give you a sense of what it's
like to battle another Mech. This encounter will give you an opportunity to
practice circle strafing. Keep the Osiris in your sights as you move around him,
keeping the throttle at medium and turning your torso to match the Mech's
movement. Concentrate your fire on his midsection and take him down quickly from
close range with the help of Jules.
When the Osiris is defeated, continue toward Nav Alpha. There is a convoy
creeping toward the Nav Point. They are lightly armed (now that you've
eliminated
the Mech), so it is a piece of cake to take them down quickly. To make the job
even easier, switch your target until you reach a fuel truck. Blast it at from
long range. Its explosion should do some damage to the surrounding vehicles. Mop
up the scraps with the help of Jules, sure to dodge the minor SRM threat.
When this convoy is destroyed, move out to Nav Beta. Focus on the SKUD carrier
and SRM carriers, making short work of them with your SRMS and large laser. Soon
you'll see a second Osiris come over the ridge. Focus your attention on him for
the time being and let Jules blast the convoy. As with the first Osiris, circle
him and send a lot of heavy weapons his way. As long as you stay on the move,
you'll avoid most of his damage. He's a poor shot with fairly weak weapons.
Pound
at him with the SRMs and lasers until he falls. Then help Jules destroy whatever
vehicles may be left to complete the mission.
Mission 3. Destroy Steiner Dropships.
Lancemates: Sir Peter (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
You likely picked up an Osiris in salvage, but your Shadowcat is still the
better
Mech. Likewise, none of the savaged weapons beat your current load-out. There
are
three Dropships to take down in this mission, so grab a couple extra tons of
Clan
Streak SRMs which will make taking down the ships a lot easier. To free up room
for this, dump your Jump Jets.
Briefing: We have an opportunity to cripple Steiner's activities on and around
Kentares IV. Three Dropships are preparing for takeoff. If we strike quickly, we
can deliver a decisive blow. Be careful if they get powered up, Dropships can be
devastating. Target mobile APUs to slow down their launch procedure. Also, their
engines are vulnerable to attack.
Objectives:
Destroy all Steiner dropships
Destroy all APUs
Walkthrough: This mission is all about getting to the dropships quickly and
destroying them. There are three total, and each is guarded by a trio of APUs.
Destroying the APUs quickly will slow down the Dropship's ability to get online.
In addition, by destroying the APUs, you will make the Dropship much weaker.
After you drop in, head immediately forward to the first Nav Point. As you near
the ship, cycle through your targets. Take out the two nearest Laser turrets.
Then circle the Dropship and focus heavy fire on the first of three APUs. Pump a
bunch of missiles and laser blasts into the APU. When it explodes, move to the
second Alpha APU and repeat the process. After all three have been taken down,
focus your fire on the Dropship until it explodes.
Midway through the destruction of the first Dropship, you'll encounter a pair of
enemy Osiris. Engage them quickly. Sir Peter will help in the battle, so take
down the first Mech at close range with lasers and SRMs, focusing on the chest
region. Then head to the next Nav point at Beta. Peter will mop up the second
Osiris while you focus on the Dropship. Clean out any laser turrets at Beta.
Again, the goal is to eliminate the three APUs before going after the Dropship
itself. When it falls, head to Gamma and repeat the process. Take down the
Lasers, then the APUs, then the Dropship. Do not worry about any other enemies
at
this point. Simply take down the APUs and blast the Dropship until it falls.
Mission complete.
Mission 4. Defend Landing Facilities
Lancemates: Casey Nolan and Jen McQuarrie (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
You've now picked up a Hellspawn and an Osiris, but the Shadowcat is still the
best. You won't have to change its load-out at all, either.
Briefing: Steiner has taken an increased interest in our activities. We must
escape and you need to provide cover until we can power up our Dropships and
escape. Make sure the APUs that are powering up the Dropships survive. Enemy
forces may be heavy and will include Mech assets.
Objectives:
Defend the APUs while the dropship powers up.
Destroy all hostile units to clear for takeoff.
Walkthrough: This is a fairly straightforward mission. There are a mess of red
dots on the screen, and they all have to be cleared. The main objective is to
keep the Steiner forces away from the APUs, and to do this, you'll have to waste
all of the baddies. Your APUs cannot be depleted, or your mission will fail.
Luckily, you're not in this alone. Casey and Jen are a couple of apt pilots, and
will engage some of the deadlier foes so you can scoot around and take care of
business.
When the mission begins, track through your targets until you reach the LRM
carriers. These will blast your APUs from a distance, so they'll need to be
eliminated. Once you target them, circle around and approach from behind. You'll
find them stashed in a rock crevice, pointed directly at your APUs. Aplha strike
quickly and take them down, then target the Bulldogs across the landing field
and
head over to them. These puppies are focusing laser fire on your APUs. Use a
similar barrage to drop them.
With the significant long-range threat eliminated, go in close range and help
out
with the remaining vehicles and Mechs. Take down the missile carriers first,
then
help out with the Mechs. There are three total, a Hellspawn, a Shadowcat and an
Osiris. By the time you are able to help out with the Mechs, your lancemates
will
have likely destroyed one of them. From what's left, go after the Osiris first,
then the Shadowcat, then the Hellspawn.
With each of them, use a circle strafe technique, pounding them with your
missiles and using large laser blasts to tenderize their armor. Be sure to stay
out of the way of friendly lasers, though, as your comrades will be fighting the
same opponents. When all of the forces have been destroyed (and you haven't lost
more than one APU), the mission will complete and both objectives will be met.
Your first operation is over. Ice shooting, Tex.
Operation 2
Mission Recon1.
Lancemates: Casey Nolan or Jen McQuarrie (under your command)
Since Casey has decent gunnery skills to begin with, outfit him in the Hellspawn
you just salvaged. Load it up with as many long-range missiles as possible. If
you're a close-in fighter, he'll be a good compliment, tenderizing opponents
from
afar while you duke it out. If you are a long-range guy yourself, give him some
lasers so he can trade punches in close. Always remember to select Clan versions
of any available weapons.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
This is still the best Mech you've got, with the best load-out available.
Salvage
has thus far yielded few Clan weapons, so you're sitting pretty with your
current
array.
Briefing: We will be making a hot drop and conducting a recon sweep of the
surrounding area. Once this is done, it will allow us to land our forces and
begin operations on Kentares IV. This will be your first command opportunity.
Objectives:
Scout Nav Alpha
Scout Nav Beta
Scout Nav Gamma
Destroy all combat units encountered
Walkthrough: When the level begins, start heading toward Nav Alpha. Order your
lancemate to follow (F1, then F3 to form up) as you make your way to Alpha. As
you move forward, you'll encounter several Peregrine helicopters. Pick them out
of the sky with long-range lasers.
Note: Once Peregrines have been hit, they will begin to nosedive. After they
start to fall (even though they haven't been fully destroyed), switch to another
target. The ground will demolish them soon enough.
As you move nearer to the first Nav point, a Raven Mech will approach. Cycle
through until you are targeting it, then have Casey engage it (F1, then F1 to
attack your target). Be sure that the Raven is selected when you do this, or
Casey will attack something else. While he's busy with the Raven, focus you
attention on the Pergrines overhead. When you've picked them off, retarget the
Raven and help Casey take it down. Ravens are pretty fast, so you'll have to
lead
your fire to take them down. Don't waste big, slow-recharging weapons unless you
are sure of your shot.
After the Raven falls, continue to move toward Alpha. Another Raven will rush
you
at this point. Order Casey to attack, then get in close and pummel it with SRMs
and powerful lasers. When the Raven goes down, mop up any new enemies at this
area. Make sure you actually hit he nav point, or your first objectibe will not
be complete. When it is, move out toward Nav Point B.
As you approach, cycle through your targets until you find the Cougar Mech.
Order
Casey to attack it while you clean out the Bulldogs. Cycle through targets until
you reach the nearest Bulldog. These tanks are slow, so charge in and waste them
quickly, before they can turn and draw a bead on you. Since the Shadowcat is so
quick, watch your speed. If you're going too fast, you can shoot past the tanks
and leave your backside exposed to attack.
When you have dispatched the tanlks, move to Beta and take out the Laser
turrets.
If the Cougar is still kicking when you're done with this, give Casey a hand
with
a couple of quick Alpha strikes on the damaged Mech. As before, make sure you
actually trip the Nav point before moving toward Gamma. Only a pair of Bulldogs
await you here. Blast them quickly to end the mission.
Mission 2. Capture Depot
Lancemates: Casey Nolan or Jen McQuarrie (under your command)
Go with Casey again in this mission. His gunnery skills will come in handy
again.
One of the Cougars you took down yields some interesting salvage. Strip it for
its weapons. Outfit Casey with the same Hellspawn, except trade out his weapons
for Clan upgrades. This is a destruction mission, so you'll want to roll
strapped.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
Again, the Shadowcat is your best choice for success. Keep weapons systems the
same.
Briefing: We have located a Steiner base. With a quick strike, we think we can
cut off their communications and take control of the base. This will give us
some
good quality salvage. Enemy resistance will be heavy. Expect Mechs supported by
combat helicopters.
Objectives:
Destroy main base defenders
Destroy Comm Station before they radio for help
Walkthrough: When the mission begins, throttle up to full speed and head
straight
for Nav Alpha. As soon as the Comm Station appears in your sights, begin
blasting
it with long range weapons. Plug it full of fire until it goes down. It will
make
the rest of this mission easier, as the enemy forces will not be able to call
for
back up.
Now head to Nav Epsilon, and tell Casey to come with you. As you approach,
you'll
be beset on by a couple of Peregrines. Pick them out of the air and continue
toward Epsilon. As you mount the ridge, a Calliope Turret will come into view.
Target it and blast with long range weapons, the whole time moving toward the
turret to avoid its missile attacks. Head across to the final turret to insure
no
dangerous long-range interference. Now target the Cougar in the courtyard below
and set Casey to work on him.
While Casey engages the Catapult, head west to get the other Calliope. Blast the
turret as you approach the ridge. Polish it off, then turn around and help
Casey.
As you make your way back to the Catapult, pick a couple of the circling
Peregrines out of the sky. Then focus your fire on the Catapult, keeping at
medium range and circling to avoid its missile attacks. When the Catapult drops,
tell Casey to battle the Cougar and concentrate on taking out the rest of the
Peregrines.
As the battle rages on, comm will warn you that there are two incoming Mechs. Go
help Casey with the inured Cougar until it falls. The two incoming Mechs are
another Cougar and a hefty Hellspawn. If Casey is doing alright, tell him to
attack the Hellspawn while you take down the Cougar. If not, double up on the
Hellspawn, then take out the Cougar.
Use the circle strafe method to take these guys down. Also, be aware of the
hills. You can use them as cover as you dodge and weave around fire. These two
Mechs are the final opponents in this mission. When they are destroyed, the
mission will be complete.
Mission 3. Relieve and Escort Friendly Techs
Lancemates: Casey Nolan or Jen McQuarrie (under your command)
Now that you've required a Catapult in salvage, put Casey in it immediately.
Load
him out with LRMs and an ER Laser to make him a long-range tenderizer to your
short range brawler. This works best, as he's got good gunnery at this point in
the game. If you are a long-range guy yourself, give Casey the Shadowcat and
take
the Catapult for yourself.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat or Catapult, depending on your taste. Save the same
load-out for the Cat, otherwise go with LRMs and long-range lasers on the
Catapult.
Briefing: A group of technicians is pinned down by enemy units. We need to
rendezvous with them and escort them to friendly territory. Time is of the
essence. The vehicles that the techs are using are very vulnerable, so pay
attention to them.
Objectives:
Link up with the technicians
Escort the APCs across the bridge to Nav Beta
Destroy the southern bridge
Walkthrough: While it seems as if the best thing to do is head straight for the
Nav point, instead go slightly to the left and take on the SRM Carriers here.
Target the Raven Mech and tell Casey to attack. He'll beat up the Raven from
long
distance, giving you time to polish off the Carriers before delivering a fatal
blow to the weak bird.
Now head toward Nav Alpha with Casey following closely behind you. You need to
link up with the technicians there. As you draw nearer to the mark, you will run
across a smattering of Condor tanks. Destroy them with lasers as you approach--
you don't want to waste missiles on these lightweights.
Proceed further toward the Nav point. As you move, cycle through your targets
until you find the Uziel Mech off to the left. The Uziel is pretty nasty, as
it's
packing a powerful PPC wallop. Use everything in the arsenal here. You'll save
yourself a lot of damage if you can deal with this foe quickly. Alpha strikes
recommended.
Head southwest until you see a bunch of Condors in your display. You are about
to
clear some targets out of the way for the convoy to come through. Cycle through
targets until you reach the Hellspawn. Tell Casey to attack it, then move in and
take out the string of Bulldogs here yourself. Remember, they are slow to turn,
so get around behind them before you strike. Watch out for fire from the
Hellspawn as well. He should be focused on Casey, but can do a lot of damage to
you if he's strayed and focusing on you.
When everything has been crisped, continue toward Nav Alpha. There are a few
Mobile Turrets here. Have Casey attack a pair and you take out a pair, then move
forward to your rendezvous point. Here you'll meet up with Jules and the gang.
Now the objective is to escort their little convoy over the bridge.
They will carve out a path through the mountains. Go slightly ahead of them and
move toward Nav Beta, staying on the path as much as possible. Soon, the convoy
will come under attack as a Hellspawn moves out of the brush ahead. Sic Casey on
him and protect the caravan. Soon, a wave of Peregrine will begin to attack the
party as well. Leave Casey and Jules to brawl the Hellspawn and take those
choppers down.
As you move forward and continue to defend, you'll run into a couple of SRM
Carriers and another Hellspawn. If Casey has polished up on the first Hellspawn,
have him attack the second. Destroy the Carriers first, then help him out with
the Mech. At this point, don't worry about anything outside of your general
area.
If there are scraps lurking about that don't threaten the caravan, don't go
after
them. This will just lead to a vulnerable convoy, and you don't want that.
There is one more wave of Mechs to take on before you can call this mission
quits. You've probably taken a bit of fire to this point, so you'll have to
battle quickly and accurately. The first to come at you is another Raven. Tell
Casey to attack it and quickly double this Mech to take it down. Conserve your
big weapons for the next three, but end it as quickly as possible.
As the party slogs forward, three more Mechs will approach: two Hellspawns and
an
Uziel. Tell Casey to attack the Uziel. This will keep it away from the convoy.
You should go after both Hellspawn. Circle strafe around them and draw their
fire, but keep your distance from the convoy. If they get close, lead them
deeper
into the wilderness. As you keep the Mechs busy, the convoy will reach and cross
the bridge. You basically just have to stay alive until the transport makes it
safely across. Taking out Mechs will make your life easier, but it isn't
necessary.
Tip: There is a Mobile Field Base near the second Hellspawn. Use it to repair
your Mech for the final battle.
Note: If for some reason the Uziel takes out poor Casey, you may want to
consider
beginning the mission again. The Catapult is too valuable a Mech to lose at this
point in the game.
As soon as you get word that the crew is across, head to Nav point Beta and find
the bridge. Now focus all of your fire on it until it explodes. When it does,
the
mission will be complete.
Mission 4. Capture Base
Lancemates: 2: Casey Nolan, Jules Gonzales or Jen McQuarrie (Under your command)
You'll probably want to go with Casey and his Catapult again, as he provides a
much-needed long-distance death threat. Give him a Clan Medium Pulse laser to
make his life easier up close.
Jules is a good choice for your second lancemate, as his close-in fighting
skills
are finely honed. Put him in the second Shadowcat. You can pretty much keep the
load-out he has. Make sure to give him LAMS and take out his Jump Jets, however.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
Again, stick with the Shadowcat for yourself. You'll get a nice, new Mech soon,
but for now this is the best bet for you. Since this is another close-in search
and destroy mission, equip a Clan Flamer so you can quickly overheat Mechs. Once
you overheat an opponent, you can take pot shots at it as it sits immobilized.
Briefing: We have an opportunity to strike at Steiner forces, drive them out of
the region, and get a little revenge. An added bonus will be the capture of
their
launch facilities and satellite control. The war is starting to turn, let's make
this count.
Objectives:
Clear way to Control Center (Nav Beta) for technicians
Defend Control Center and technicians
Walkthrough: Head forward to Nav point Alpha right off the bat. Here, you'll
encounter a smorgasbord of baddies waiting to die. As you climb over the ridge,
target the Fuel Truck straight ahead. Blow it up to do peripheral damage to the
vehicles around it. Then, quickly clear out the SRM Carriers here, then take
down
the Mobile Turret to the right. You should be able to destroy all of this before
you see your first Mech.
The first one you will see is an Uziel. Mounted with PPCs, it is a bad boy, so
tell both of your lancemates to attack it. You should take on the other Mech--a
squirrelly Sentry--yourself. As you do this, your buddies should dispatch the
first Uziel. When all three are down, move to Nav Beta.
Target the Turret Control radio tower and take it down. This will disable the
Calliope Turrets here and significantly cut down on fire in this courtyard. Now
tell your mates to take on the second Uziel. Use your Clan Flamer to overheat
them, so that the Mech will shut down and you can take it on easily. When your
units have reached the Control Center, the first objective will be complete.
If your Mechs are damaged after this battle, send them one by one into the
Mobile
Field Base. This will renew you for the skirmish to come. Heal your friend, then
prepare for the oncoming attack. The first units that will attack are a pair of
Peregrines. Pick them off as your friends heal.
The next group will be a group of LRM Carrier, approaching from the South (near
Nav A). Go demolish them immediately, as they have the capability to strike at
your technicians from a distance. Hit them quickly, and keep approaching. They
can't hit you with their rockets if you keep coming toward them. About the time
the Carriers go down, your technicians will get the base online. Now you'll have
to protect it from a Mech onslaught.
Two Cougars and two Argus will approach from the Southeast. Go after the first
Cougar with all of your Mechs, nd just make your way through the progression. As
soon as the technicians get the base up and running, you'll get support from the
Calliope Turrets.
While in the Mech brawl, stay on the move. Circle strafe and take out the
weakest
target first before moving on to the next Mech. None of these Cougars or Arguses
are strapped with significant weapons, so they go down easily without dishing
out
much punishment.
Midway through the fight, you'll notice more forces coming in on the other side
of the base. You can pretty much ignore them and let the Turrets take them out.
If there are any Mechs left over, go finish them off to complete the Mission.
Operation 3
Mission 1. Sweep and Destroy
Lancemates: 1--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzalez
Even though Jules is a good brawler, Casey is your best bet once again. Keep his
Catapult loaded with LRMs and Medium Pulse Lasers (Clan, of course).
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
Stay in your Shadowcat and keep your current weapons config.
Briefing: A Steiner Dropship has crashed and we may have a chance to capture it
and further cripple Steiner's ability to move troops. Scout the nearby area and
brush aside the enemy Mech screen.
Objectives:
Wait for response from scout groups
Destroy all units at Nav Alpha
Destroy all units at Nav Beta
Destroy all units at Nav Gamma
Destroy all units at Nav Delta
Walkthrough: As soon as you hear the scout groups come over the comm, prepare to
move out to Nav Alpha. This is a battle-heavy mission, so remember to pace
yourself with ammunition. You don't want to get caught without weapons late in a
heavy clash.
At Alpha, you will run into a pair of Cougars. Before going willy-nilly into
combat, pause at the ridge at tell Casey to attack the units below. This will
start the long-range assault. Then move down into the valley and take on the
Cougars at close range yourself. If possible, save your larger ammo-based
weapons
for later. Use the circle strafe technique to down the Cougars, then move toward
Nav Beta.
At Nav Beta, there are three Mech units awaiting your arrival: a Raven and two
Osiris. Tell Casey to take on the Raven, and battle the two Osiris yourself. As
before, use circle strafe to stay moving. Fire alpha strikes to end the skirmish
quickly. These Mechs are too light and poorly-armed to be a threat.
Now move to Nav Gamma. Here, you'll find a Cougar and another Osiris. If you
can,
lure them into the lake south of the Nav point. Since the water will cool your
weapons, you can fire continuously without fear of overheating. Let Casey handle
the Raven while you deal with the Osiris. Do not get in too close here. The
Osiris is strapped with a ton of lasers that will slice you up if you let them.
Your fight in the lake will likely draw the attention of a couple of Vultures
from Nav Delta. These guys are big and powerful, but slow to turn, so the way to
hit them is always from the side. If they come to join your party in the pond,
finish off the other units quickly before taking on the Vultures.
If they don't come running, go meet them at Nav Delta. This battle is most
effective on land, so try to keep them up in the hills. Get in close and use
your
Flamer. This will disable a lot of their heavier beam weapons, because they will
drive heat up. Use everything in your arsenal to end this. These are the last
two
Mechs of this battle, so pair off. Give Casey one and you take the other. When
the Vultures fall, the mission will be complete.
Mission 2. Capture Supply Convoy
Lancemates: 2--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzales
Salvage from the last mission will leave you with a pair of Vultures. Strip the
LRMs off of the Vulture and give them to Casey. Stick Casey in the Catapult
again, and give one of the Vultures to Jules. Make sure you max out the
Vulture's
armor, then load it up with a bunch of medium pulse lasers and perhaps a PPC.
Add
some Heat Sinks to bring the Heat Efficiency to a usable level, then save and
prepare for battle.
Suggested Mech: Vulture
It's time to get yourself into a new Mech. Take the other Vulture and give it a
similar load-out to Jules'. Lots of Clan beam weapons on the arms and Omni Rack,
and keep some Clan LRMs for a long-range punch. Make sure you give the Vulture
some LAMs and Heat Sinks, and only armor the parts that need it.
Briefing: Steiner is attempting to move repair supplies, technicians, and
reinforcements to a Dropship. Intercept the convoy, destroy the military forces,
and capture the convoy. They are ahead of you on the mountain paths, so move
fast.
Objectives:
Overtake the convoy and destroy the guards
Destroy all Steiner forces
Walkthrough: Don't proceed directly to Nav Alpha when the mission begins.
Instead, face behind and wait for a lance of airships. Three Nightshade planes
will fly over, coming from behind you. Drop them with laser weapons as they soar
overhead.
When the planes go down, move through the mountain pass (toward Alpha) until you
see the convoy. Wait for your mates before charging into battle. The idea is to
take the convoy by surprise. Camp out in the hill and scope the convoy. As soon
as you see targets approaching, cycle through them until you reach the Vulture.
Tell your buddies to go after this unit.
Stay on the ridge a moment and plug the opposition from a distance. When they
begin to return fire, run down into the gorge and engage one of the Cougars.
Blast it with everything you've got. The reason you loaded up on lasers was to
deal with these forces at close range. Keep firing lasers until you get a
missile
lock, then unleash some LRMs on the enemy.
This battle will likely take place in a narrow pass, and the entire convoy will
be inside it at the beginning. Watch out for enemy vehicles. You don't want to
stomp any cargo supply trucks, or your mission will fail. To keep your bearings,
the outside-the-cockpit view is the best in these close quarters.
When the Cougar falls, either focus on the next Cougar or the Argus, whichever
is
closer. Both of these are fairly light and can be dispatched with relatively
little effort. By the time you polish off the second Cougar, your mates should
have destroyed the Vulture. If not, move in and finish him off.
When all of the Mechs fall, catch up with the convoy. It winds around the
mountain, past Gamma toward Delta. Destroy any remaining forces (Bulldogs,
probably). Once this is done, the convoy will surrender and the mission will
finish.
Mission 3. Destroy Dropship
Lancemates: 2--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzalez
Keep partners and Mechs the same as in last mission.
Suggested Mechs: Vulture
Go with the same Mech and load-out.
Briefing: We can take a strike at the Steiner Dropship. It is crippled, but that
doesn't mean it will not get its weapons online. If it does activate its
weapons,
use range, mobility, and friendly artillery to bring it down. If we win though,
we will have a huge advantage over Steiner.
Objectives:
Find damaged Steiner Dropship
Destroy damaged Steiner Dropship
Walkthrough: Head Northeast from the starting point. This is the quickest way to
get to the Dropship. As soon as it detects you, it will begin to power up, and
you don't want that. You'll first encounter a Mech at water's edge, an Argus.
Take it out quickly with all three Mechs. Use yur beam weapons primarily, as
you'll want to save missile salvos for the dropship itself.
Then proceed North toward the dropship. By this time, you'll have been picked up
on radar, so time is of the essence. The first targets you'll see are a line of
Bulldogs guarding the ship. Ignore these. Simply head forward and cycle through
targets until you land on the first of three Mobile APUs. These are your first
targets. Since you have a heavily armored Mech, you can pretty much ignore the
rest of the forces here. There are Turrets, Bulldogs, a Mauler and a Bushwhacker
Mech, but if you keep motoring, you won't be killed before completing your
mission.
Have your teammates fire on the Dropship while you take down the APUs. This will
prevent the Dropship from regaining any energy. Circle around it and blast them
with missile salvos until they explode, then focus on the Dropship itself. If
things get too hairy in close, drop back and fire on the ship from the ridge
above. Keep your lancemates' weapons trained on the ship as well. When you
whittle its life down to zero, the mission will end, and you'll grab some nice
salvage, including a Mauler.
Operation 4
Mission 1. Raid Base
Lancemates: 2--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzales.
Your previous lancemates will be perfect for this mission.
Suggested Mechs: Vulture
Stick with that Vulture.
Briefing: We have the opportunity to raid a large Steiner base as a part of a
combined arms action. Your job is to guard a convoy of vehicles as they enter
the
base and loot the supply warehouses. Beware of possible heavy enemy Mech forces.
Watch for the heat impact of the desert terrain.
Objectives:
Guard Convoy as they proceed to and loot first site (Nav Alpha)
Guard Convoy as they proceed to and loot second site (Nav Beta)
Guard Convoy as they proceed to and loot third site (Nav Gamma)
Cargo Tracks and Ian arrive at extraction point (Nav Epsilon)
Walkthrough: This is both a destroy and protect mission. You'll want to keep
your
convoy safe while taking down the enemy threat.
Start by heading toward Nav Alpha. The first thing that will pop up on radar is
a
Mobile Turret. Walk a bit forward and target the next object to the left: Mobile
Turret Control. This will take all of the guns down at once and provide safety
for your procession moving forward.
The Nav point is crawling with opposition forces. SRM Carriers add to two
Shadowcat and two Cougars. Sic Casey and Jules on a Shadowcat and take the
Cougars yourself. The Mechs start near some Fuel Tanks on the left side of the
compound. If you can get to the tanks early, fire on them to explode the tanks,
causing explosive and fire damage to the inbound Mechs. If you don't get to them
right away, you can always lure the Mechs over to the tanks, by firing on them
and quickly running toward the fuel. Watch out, though. If you get too close to
the tanks, the same thing can happen to you.
Note: Both the Mech Repair Bays and Mobile Field Base can be used to repair your
BattleMech. In addition, if your teammates get depleted, send them to get
repaired before moving on. Remember, if you want to use the Repair Bays, you
will
have to power-down (S) in order to get repaired.
As soon as you take down the first wave of Mechs, another group will charge in
to
defend Beta. This group includes a bunch of light Mechs: two Ravens, a Chimera
and a Bushwhacker. Send Casey and co. against the Bushwhacker and deal with the
lighter Ravens yourself. Remember, you can repair during combat, but don't get
caught in a Field Base while the enemy is firing on you, or it could be curtains
for you.
Don't do too much torso twisting in this area. It is difficult to maneuver
between the buildings like this, and besides, the opposition isn't packing much
to threaten you. Instead, charge in and take the Ravens head-on. When you finish
with them, go after the Chimera.
As you battle away, the cargo transport will go from Nav Point to Nav Point,
until they come to rest on Epsilon. As your battle rages on, four more foes will
be added to the mix late: two Uziels and two Hellspawn. Take out the Uziels
first, as they are loaded with dual PPCs that will make your life a lot shorter
if you let them. This battle is fairly easy, as you can simply go and repair any
time you feel like it. When you finally drop the Hellspawn, head to Nav Epsilon
to end the level.
Mission 2. Defend Base
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez
Take them all into combat this time. Put Casey in the Catapult and Jules in the
Vulture, keeping the load-outs the same.
For Jen, outfit another heavy, close-in Mech. The Hellspawn is a decent choice
here. Load it with a balanced array, including some LRMs and some medium pulse
lasers... all Clan. To round out the package, load on some autocannons.
Suggested Mech: Vulture
Stick and stay with your current array.
Briefing: Steiner forces are on a major offensive. We need to relieve forces at
Nav Alpha and proceed to a large allied base at Nav Beta. You can expect a
fierce
assault by enemy forces at both locations. Again, watch the impact of the desert
heat upon your Mechs.
Objectives:
Get to Nav Alpha
Eliminate guerrilla 'Mechs
Defend Mech hangars at base (Nav Beta)
Walkthrough: Head toward Nav Alpha right off the bat. As you do, you'll
encounter
a group of Peregrines off to the right. Pick them out of the sky with the help
of
your comrades, then proceed forward. You'll hear an enemy voice come over the
comm. It's the Shadowcat over the next ridge. Unleash all of your forces on it
from afar. They will rain missiles on him before he is in range of close
weapons.
As you battle this Mech, he will lead you to another Shadowcat. Stay on the
first
one until he falls, then switch to the second. If the battle goes long enough,
the Cat will circle around the bluffs toward Alpha. As you get nearer, an Uziel
will come out of the woodwork. Keep your buddies fighting the Shadowcat, and
take
on the Uziel yourself.
When the battle ends, haul butt to Nav Alpha. If your pals are scattered around,
have them rendezvous at the Nav Point rather than forming up on you. As you near
Alpha, you'll notice a group of friendly units waiting for you. There is a
Mobile
Field Base here as well, so repair will take place... but don't do them yet.
Instead, engage the next caravan of death that the enemy throws at you. There
are
a pair of Shadowcats patrolling the entourage. Tell your comrades to attack one
of them, and take on the LRM Carriers yourself Shooting their missile racks is a
good way to end them quickly. Once you have dealt with the Carriers, take down
the Shadowcat your team is not attacking.
Soon, you will see a group of Shilone Bombers. Pick them out of the air. If you
haven't taken down both of the Cats, they will run scared toward Beta. Repair
your Mechs at the Mobile Field Base if need be, then move out to Nav Beta.
If a Shadowcat got through, he will be messing with your ground troops as you
arrive. Take down the Mech quickly, before he can do too much damage. There are
four more Mechs that join the battle at this point: two Uziels and two Vultures.
The nice thing about the area you're fighting in is that it contains several
more
Mech Repair Bays. As before, make sure you power down once in the Bay, or you
won't get your repairs.
Have your lancemates go after the two Uziels. You take on the Vultures.
Remember,
hit them from the sides. They do not rotate quickly, so you can get a lot of
whallop in before they even turn to look. When all of the Mechs at this Nav
point
go down, the mission will be complete.
Mission 3. Capture Barges
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez.
Once again, put Casey in the Catapult. His long-range mastery will continue to
aid your missions. Since last mission yielded a sweet load of salvage, give Jen
your old Vulture (that's right...you're moving on). Stick with Jules in his
Vulture.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Now you've stepped up to the big leagues. Your newly-aquired Mad Cat already has
the killer load-out, but since you're in e desert, you'll want to add to its
Heat
Efficiency (although the next mission takes place mostly in the drink).
Add armor to all regions, and take off the artillery. Dump a large laser and add
LAMs and a Heat Sink or two to pump up the Efficiency. If you feel like adding
some extra zap, stick a PPC on one of the arms. This Mech can hold a lot of
weapons--be creative!
Briefing: There are a number of barges laden with supplies being moved through
our operational area. Steiner will doubtlessly be guarding these bridges well,
but civilians will be captaining the barges. If you can destroy the barge
escorts, they will surrender giving us much needed supplies.
Objectives:
Destroy all armed escorts around the barges
Capture (come within 100 meters) four of six barges
At least four barges must live
Capture (come within 100 meters of) all six barges
Walkthrough: The object of this mission is to wade through the murk and capture
supplies off of Steiner barges. Each is guarded by several Patrol Ships and a
couple of Mechs. Assign one Mech to half of your team (Casey and Jen) and the
other to Jules. Concentrate on the Patrol Boats yourself.
Remember, it is difficult to overheat when you're in water like this, so blaze
away with everything you've got. Destroy a target, then cycle through the rest
until you find another Boat. When you've sunk all of their boats, begin to
capture the barges. To do this, simply point your crosshairs at a Barge. If you
are more than 100 meters away, the Barge will appear as red. When you enter the
100 meter range, the target will turn blue, meaning it has been captured. Leave
your Mech buddies to the war for now. Make your primary objective capturing the
Barges. When all six of them have been snatched, then you can focus on taking
down the opposition.
When you do, make sure you engage the enemy away from your newly-claimed bounty.
Lure them into the water away from the barges and circle strafe around them. In
this section of the river, there is a Loki and an Argus to take down. Use the
PPC
to make mincemeat of them. For your troubles, you will be granted a Loki and a
metric ton of salvage.
Mission 4. Destroy Factory
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez
Keep their Mechs and load-outs the same. Upgrade to Clan weapons where possible.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Keep your same Mech and make sure the Heat Efficiency is in the green.
Briefing: The destruction of a key ammunitions factory may cripple Steiner
operations all over Kentares IV. We will try to strike at and destroy this
factory with the help of a local guide in a Swiftwind. Visibility is poor so
short-range weapons may be preferable.
Objectives:
Destroy First Munitions Plant
Destroy Second Munitions Plant
Destroy Third Munitions Plant
Walkthrough: This mission is foggy as hell and dense with lots of buildings. As
you move around the Nav point, be wary of bumping into buildings (especially the
ones containing fuel), as you will get rocked hard by the explosion you create.
It is best to use the outside-the-cockpit view here, as you will get a much
better sense of spatial orientation this way.
Begin by heading toward Nav Delta. As you move, you will see a line of targets
pop up, Vedettes and Bulldogs. Take them out with PPC and laser blasts, then get
on your horse to the nav point. When you get there, Swiftwind will tell you
where
the first target is. From Delta, head generally northwest. You'll have to weave
through some buildings to get there, but the munitions plant is in the upper
left
corner of the mission map.
Find the plant and immediately lay into it with everything you've got. PPCs make
this job a lot easier. Just about the time you destroy the plant, a bunch of new
enemies will pop on to the screen, the deadliest of which are a pair of enemy
Shadow Cats. Tell your teammates to drop one, and go after the other yourself.
There are a bunch of Bulldogs here as well. Snipe at them with the PPC and pulse
lasers. Beware of the Fuel Tanks in this general region. While it is nice to use
them to damage enemy craft, the converse can easily happen. What often works
well
is to blast them before they have an opportunity to hurt you. Make sure you are
at an adequate distance, though. Getting too close to exploding fuel will
destroy
you fast!
While your crew worries about the second Cat, move around and destroy the Guard
Towers here. They are easily taken down with laser or PPC fire. As you scan the
area, you will notice several Mech Bays. When the coast is clear, get in and
repair quickly.
When you've healed, load up your forces and head northeast. Here, you will find
a
Nova Cat and a Hellspawn. Get your crew to work on the Nova Cat and take down
the
Hellspawn yourself. Or, ignore the Mechs. Your team is good enough by now to
handle a paltry threat. Instead, move around and disable (ie blow up) the Guard
Towers here. As you move from tower to tower, you will come across the second
Plant. Give it the Aunt Jemima treatment. Next to this plant is another Repair
Bay. Use it if you must.
The last Munitions Plant is back near Delta. Head over there and quickly take
down the Guard Towers. Have your chums target the Awesome Mech that joins the
action, and focus on the Hellspawn here yourself. Or simply explode the Plant
and
win the mission. It's up to you.
Mission 5. Capture Prisoner Convoy
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez
Keep them in the same rides for this mission. Load-outs remain the same, as
well.
Suggested Mech: Mad Cat
You'll pretty much want to stick with the Mad Cat the rest of the game.
Briefing: A group of your father's veteran Mechwarriors is being moved to a
prisoner camp for possible execution. We have helicopter assets standing by for
a
rescue attempt. We will strike at the convoy, destroy its escorts, and then move
the convoy to an LZ for extraction.
Objectives:
Destroy Air Defense Radar and Tower at Nav Zeta
Destroy convoy escort
Destroy Targets of Opportunity
Escort buses to L.Z. (Nav Delta)
Walkthrough: Go after the targets at Nav Zeta first. They are about 1700 meters
away at the beginning of the mission. There will be no opposition until you get
to the Nav point, so floor it. Once there, take down the radar dish and control
tower first. Strike at them as you near the base with your PPCs and lasers.
As soon as you get to the complex, a Uziel will assault you. Tell your teammates
to attack him and focus on taking down the targets yourself. As the battle
commences, you'll hear instructions on how to take on the convoy. Polish off the
Uziel before taking off for Alpha. If you got damaged in the fight, use the
Mobile Field Base here to repair before heading out.
Cruise over the plains to Nav Alpha. Here, you'll intercept the convoy. It is
guarded by two Cougars and some paltry Bulldogs. By now, this sort of ensemble
will be easy to take down. Have the party focus on one Cougar. Blast it before
moving on to the second. Be sure to avoid firing on the convoy itself, as
destruction of convoy vehicles will result in mission demise. Also avoid
shooting
the Fuel Tanks. They could blow up the convoy units as well.
When you have dispatched the enemy units, a new objective will appear: escort
buses to L.Z. Now your job turns from attack to defend. As soon as the Convoy
begins to move out, a Vulture will appear on radar. Send your team to take him
down, and head out yourself with the convoy.
Once you get to Delta, a pair of Uziels will attack. By now, you're well-versed
at this sort of lame confrontation. Sic your unit on one of the Uziels and take
down the other yourself. Make sure you keep their blasts away from the departing
convoy. You don't want one of the vehicles getting fried this late in the game.
Soon, the entourage will leave and you'll just be charged with dispatching the
remaining Uziels. When you do, mission over.
Mission 6. Liberate Prisoner Camp
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales or Terra Risner
Load these guys up with long-range missiles. This is a tough mission and you'll
want your foes softened before attacking them. As for the new pilot Terra, leave
her behind. She is a kamikaze and will be no good to you dead.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
You may consider strapping a Clan Flamer on here in order to slow down some of
the more powerful Mechs you'll encounter during this mission.
Briefing: We have obtained reliable information regarding the location of the
Steiner prisoner camp. Resistance will be strong, but we need to strike at this
camp and liberate the prisoners. Be prepared for fierce fighting involving the
largest Mechs you have seen to this point.
Objectives:
Link up wit allied units
Destroy all Mechs defending base
Destroy both guard towers around first prisoner compound
Destroy both guard towers around second prisoner compound
Destroy both guard towers around third prisoner compound
Destroy both guard towers around fourth prisoner compound
Walkthrough: This is an extremely difficult mission against some superior Mechs.
The general idea is to lure them to the outskirts of the base and take them on
one by one. You won't have to do this without help, though. In addition to your
lancemates, you'll link up with on-site help.
There are targets to you left as you begin. Split your team to deal with the two
Cougars that approach, and take down the Mobile Turrets yourself. Or simply
eliminate the Mobile Turret Control to disable the guns. PPCs work well for
this.
When these original targets fall, move out to Nav Delta. Here, you'll hook up
with your extra Mechs, two tough Uziels looking to take a bite outta Steiner.
Stay at Delta for now. Soon, you'll see three Steiner units moving in on you:
two
Vultures and a Catapult (sound familiar?). Tell the group to take aim at the
Catapult and go after the first Vulture yourself. This fight won't last long,
since it's six on three. When it's over head west, sticking to the perimeter.
You'll see Steiner Forces collecting near Alpha. Forget them for now. Instead,
keep cruising around the perimeter, keeping your group close. After a short hike
(when SRM Carriers appear on the radar), head up the hill and into the compound.
Target the awakened Vulture and have your group attack it. Take down the SRM
Carriers yourself, as they will wreak havoc with your team if you let them
loose.
When the missile carriers fall, focus your attention on the Turret Control Tower
at 110 degrees. Taking this down will knock out all of the nasty guns on this
small hill.
As the battle rages, sneak away to repair your Mech at the nearby Bay. Also
instruct whatever comrades might be injured to do the same. You'll want to keep
the battle in this little square between the laser turrets, Mech Repair Bay and
prisoner barracks. Several Vultures and Uziels will join the battle from various
Nav Points.
It is almost unnecessary to order your troops at this point. Since you have
eliminated the annoying turrets and damaging missile carriers, they will have
nothing to worry about except Mechs. And your team is pretty good by now. They
will attack the closest target, and weaken all of the Mechs. You'll just need to
cycle through and finish them off.
Late in the fight, two Catapults will arrive from Alpha. Likely, most of the
other Mechs will have been destroyed and you can focus all group energy on each
as they join the battle. The Catapults should be the last of the Steiner Mechs.
When the last falls, the second objective will be complete. Now you can liberate
prisoners at your leisure. Cruise around the compound looking for Barracks, and
destroy their attending Towers with PPC blasts.
When you take down the last of the towers, James Kulin and a pair of his
lancemates will appear and demand a throwdown. Immediately target Kulin and have
your lancemates attack him. He's in a bad-ass Mad Cat with three Vulture
attendants. Focus your fire on the Mad Cat, but don't get in the middle of the
firefight. You can easily get torn up if you get hit by three PPCs at once.
Instead, hang out on the ridge and pump the baddies with PPCs and laser pulses.
Don't hesitate to go and repair if you take fire. Providing you have lancemates
left, they will keep Steiner occupied while you get fixed. Then you can take out
the remaining Vultures with a fresh rig. When everybody drops, the operation
will
conclude.
Operation 5
Mission 1. Destroy Bombers
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales or Terra Risner
Keep everybody in their respective Mechs for this mission. Take Casey, Jen and
Jules again. This core team is getting quite good and should make short work of
Operation 5.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
The Mad Cat will do you right again. Keep your load-out. It will serve you well.
Briefing: Steiner air assets based in a hidden base somewhere in the swamp land
to the south of Vale may be used as a weapon of terrorism. We cannot let them
threaten the local populace any longer. Destroy the bombers and the control
tower
to end this threat to all non-combatants in the area.
Objectives:
Search for enemy airfield
Destroy all Shilone bombers
Destroy the command tower
Destroy the Mechs defending the base
Walkthrough: You'll see a lot of action during the course of this mission. There
are tons of enemies and they'll all need some destroyin'. The ultimate goal is
to
find the hidden air base and destroy the bombers there. But you'll have to wade
through a lot of Steiner to get there.
The first thing to pop up on radar is a Missile Turret. Take it down with a PPC
or missile blast, then move to the next target. There are several Bulldogs,
Peregrines and other baddies in the immediate area. Have your teammates target
specific enemies and take them down one by one. As you move forward, you'll
eventually come across a Shadow Cat. Unleash your lancemates on him, finishing
him quickly. Then continue the swamp crawl.
The basic idea here is simply to move from through the swamps from target to
target, eliminating all of the red dots. As you move further south, you will
come
across another Missile Turret. Here, you'll find a Vulture. Attack him with all
of your units and move on.
Eventually, you'll find yourself at the base. When you do, three objectives will
pop on the screen. The first thing to do is take down the command tower. It
resides loosely in the center of the base, and can be taken down with a PPC
blast
or steady laser punch.
Once it is crippled, focus on the Shilone Bombers. You'll have to destroy each
before it takes off or the mission will fail. Use the huge Fuel Tanks to take
out
multiple bombers at once. Then, scoot around and pick them off one by one. Your
team will keep the Mechs off your back while you do this.
When all the bombers are destroyed, focus on the Mechs here: a Shadow Cat, a
Nova
Cat and a Vulture. Take down the Nova Cat yourself and have your crew focus on
the other two Mechs. When these base defenders go down, you mission will be
complete.
Mission 2.
Lancemates: None
You'll have to go it alone this time.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your load-out is pretty good for the massive group of enemies you're about to
face.
Briefing: We need to split up to cover all threats to the civilian populace.
Your
job will be to sweep through the swamp and eliminate all enemy patrols. You can
expect mostly Hovercraft, but do not underestimate Steiner.
Objectives:
Destroy hovercraft patrol Alpha
Destroy hovercraft patrol Beta
Destroy hovercraft patrol Gamma
Destroy hovercraft patrol Delta
Walkthrough: This mission is a lot like the last one. A whole lot of search and
destroy. There is not much to it until the end. Simply follow the red dots on
the
radar to hunt down each and every hovercraft and attending vehicle. Start at
Alpha. Carve up the convoy here, using PPC blasts and lasers to take down the
Harassers and Condors.
It doesn't matter which Nav points you hit first, but the easiest path through
the swamp is Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma. You can be a kamikaze to some degree as
well, as there is a Mobile Field Base on this level. Destroy all of the Steiner
forces, but leave one unit, then go to the Field Base to repair. It is located
in
the center of the triangle that Navs Alpha, Beta and Gamma create.
Once you've repaired, hunt down the last hovercraft. When you do, a cut scene
will take place. Lt. Duncan Burke, murderer of your family, will confront you.
He's been camping out for you and wants your Dresari hide. Luckily, you're a
fresh Mech and ready to take him down. Head toward Nav Gamma to meet your
destiny.
Dresari pilots a Nova Cat strapped with a pair of wicked PPCs. You'll want to
avoid battling him head-on if you can help it. You don't want to absorb a double
PPC blast. Instead, circle strafe around him, firing consistently with your
pulse
lasers and artillery and peppering him with PPC shots of your own. Since you've
healed, you'll be able to take quite a bit of punishment before going down. Keep
the target on him until you get missile lock, then send all of your salvos his
way. With PPCs and LRM20s, this will e a short fight, indeed.
Mission 3. Defend Exodus
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales or Terra Risner
Load these guys up on missiles. This mission calls for distant strikes on
heavily
armored targets.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your load-out is pretty decent, although you may want more missiles yourself as
well.
Briefing: The city of Vale is endangered, in spite of our best efforts. We have
been evacuating civilians, but time is short. Two civilian ships remain a the
docks still taking on civilians. We need to buy these ships as much time as
possible and guard them as they attempt to get out to sea.
Objectives:
Destroy all hostile units in immediate area
Protect the refugee ships until they can reach open water
Walkthrough: As soon as the mission begins, you'll find yourself in the thick of
it. Move forward to immediately begin chipping away at the first line of
hostiles. In this bunch, you'll find some tanks, a bunch of Nightshade bombers
and a Nova Cat. Take down the tanks first, conserving missiles for later in the
mission. Order your lancemates to attack the Nova Cat. When the tanks are down,
go after the Nightshade bombers. They'll circle around a few times, so you'll
have plenty of time to take them down.
After these have been eliminated, take on the Nova Cat yourself if it hasn't
already fallen. Stay on the move, though. This sucker has a couple of PPCs that
can sting you if you are too stationary. Pummel this Mech with lasers--it will
easily overheat if you keep a concentrated attack on it. About the time the Nova
Cat falls, you'll pick up an Awesome on the radar. Tell your troops to take him
on and hang back. There's no reason to put yourself at risk when they will
dispatch him quickly. The next up is another Nova Cat. Same deal; hang back and
watch your homies pound the resistance.
As you move forward, command will come over the com and tell you that Steiner is
attacking the citizens. At this point, two more Mechs flash onto the radar: a
Nova Cat and another Awesome. Pit Jules against the Awesome and put Casey and
Jen
on the Nova Cat. You can forget this fight for now. Instead, make your way to
Nav
Beta. Here, you'll encounter a group of Patrol Boats that need sinking. Take
them
down with PPC and laser blasts. Conserve your missiles for the "blue water"
ships
on their way.
After the Patrol Boats go down, hang out in the water and wait for the warships.
There are two: the Thunderchild and the Indomitable. The Thunderchild will
immediately begin firing missiles on you. They are LRMs, though, so just keep
walking toward the ship and return its fire. The missiles will sail over you.
Meanwhile, get a lock on their ship and send a ton of salvos their way.
Keep firing on them with the PPCs and regular lasers. The Thunderchild will go
down fairly quickly if you concentrate you fire on it during your approach. When
it sinks, take on the Indomitable. Use the same strategies here, except you'll
have to circle strafe a bit to offset the closeness of the vessel. If your
comrades are done pounding on the Nova Cat, bring them over to help fight, or
finish the tub off yourself with a slew of missiles and accurate PPC fire.
When the ships go down, make sure all of the Mechs have been destroyed. If they
have been, you simply have to wait until your ships get out of the harbor
safely.
Operation complete! Congratulations, Ian.
Operation 6
Mission 1. Reconnaissance in Force
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gozales or Terra Risner
Again, take Casey, but this time put him in the close combat Loki. The default
load-out is pretty decent, o stick with that. Put Jen in the Vulture. This time,
however, go for Jules in the Nova Cat. Max out his armor before fiddling with
the
weapons. For this urban mission, the dual PPCs will come in handy to take out
heavy Mechs in close quarters. Drop some of the long-range lasers in favor of
medium pulse beam weapons. Since you're headed to an urban environment,
everything is face-to-face. You'll want to be prepared.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your Mad Cat has always been designed for close battles. The current set-up
should work well.
Briefing: We are entering a thick, urban environment to deal the final blow to
Steiner. We need to scout and destroy any Steiner units that we uncover. Urban
fighting is often close range and brutal. Staying aware of your surroundings
will
increase the chance of survival.
Objectives:
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Alpha
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Beta
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Gamma
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Delta
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Epsilon
Walkthrough: You will encounter a whole lot of enemy Mechs on this mission. Now,
more than ever, it is crucial to protect yourself. In this urban environment, it
is easy to find cover. If you're in danger, simply duck behind a building.
However, it is also easy to get trapped in a corridor of pain. To pilot your
Mech
efficiently use the outside-the-cockpit view. This will make it easier on you as
you patrol the mean streets.
To begin, turn the corner and begin to head toward Nav Alpha. Tell your
lancemates to attack the Awesome ahead and move to the left, heading down the
side street until you reach the parallel road. Follow this until you are even
with your targets, then turn the corner and blast the Mobile Turret Control with
a PPC shot, following that with a laser chaser. Taking down the Turrets will
significantly cut down on crossfire and save armor.
Now focus on the Awesome. Blast it with the PPC and missile salvos until it
falls. Then target the Mad Cat and order your group to fire on it. Concentrate
your own PPC blasts to the center torso to eliminate the Cat quickly.
Instead of heading directly for Nav Beta, do the same thing you did when
approaching Alpha. Head over three streets to the left to get a drop on the
enemy. Tell your team to form on you and move out. As you cycle through the
targets, you'll notice a bunch of tanks and Carriers and an Atlas. As you
approach assign a different SRM Carrier to each Mech in your party and take one
for yourself. When those are gone, switch the entire group to fight the Atlas
while you clean up the scraps.
When this group is toast, move quickly to Gamma. Tell you crew to take down the
Argus, but run ahead and eliminate the Turret Control before they get there.
This
will save their armor from getting chewed too badly. When the turrets are down,
scour the area for a powered-down Mad Cat. While he's still offline, pound him
with PPC and missile salvos. By the time the Mech awakens, you can have your
team
help you out with him.
When everything at Gamma has been eradicated, move out to Delta. Originally,
there are three Bulldogs here, but eventually a pair of Awesomes join the fight.
Target them each separately and take them down with the whole team at a time. If
you are severely injured at this point, you can simply command your Mechs from
afar and fight the battle that way. Either way, when the Awesomes are defeated,
you have one more round of Mechs to kill.
Epsilon is in a park at the edge of the city. There are two Mechs (Atlas) and
several ground units collected here. Tell the team to attack the two Atlases and
go after the dinky stuff yourself. One shot from the PPC should take each down.
Try to lure the Mechs near the city so you can use the buildings as cover. And
don't worry too much about losing Mechs at this point. If one of your pilots has
to bail, so be it. The important thing is completing the mission. You've
salvaged
enough Mechs at this point to put them in something decent regardless. Hit the
Atlases with everything you have then run and hide, wait to recharge and go
Alpha
strike them again. Your lancemates will keep them nice and crispy so you can run
in and end it quickly. When the last Mech explodes, the mission will be over.
Whew!
Mission 2. Rescue Pilots
Lancemates: None
You're going it alone, G.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Load on a couple of Flamers. It's about to get pretty tight in the city. You'll
be rubbing elbows with a lot of bruisers, so you'll want to slow them down as
much as possible. Add some Heat Sinks to help your heat rating.
Briefing: There are friendly Mech pilots stranded behind enemy lines. Proceed
through he Nav Points to locate their position. They will reveal their position
with flares. A helicopter will proceed to your location for air evacuation.
Objectives:
Defend rescue chopper
Find the parking garage holding the downed pilots
Defend garage until pilots are in the rescue chopper
Walkthrough: The chopper you're looking for resides at one of the Nav points,
and
its location is randomized each time you play the mission. The general idea is
to
run around and check each Nav point. As you arrive, you'll hear command tell you
if the chopper is there or not.
There are a variety of Mechs on this level, none of which are fun to tangle
with.
The brutish Thor and feisty Shadowcats will provide a deadly one-two punch up
close. The Cougars are the weakest Mechs opposing you, but added to a heavy
firefight, they can turn the tide Steiner's way.
When the level begins, throttle up to full and begin exploring the Nav Points.
Both Gamma, Beta and Delta have heavy forces surrounding them, and you are most
likely to find the downed chopper at one of them. Don't worry if you draw a
crowd. Keep moving through the buildings until you find your buddies. As soon as
you do, command will tell you that evac is about to begin.
Now the idea is to draw the enemy away from the Parking Garage where the chopper
is at so evac can commence. You probably won't have to try too hard to make this
happen. At this point, you'll likely have about eight Mechs breathing down your
throat. There is no need to actually battle these Mechs, as long as you can keep
them interested in you. If you come face-to-face with one, use your Flamers to
overheat it, then pound it with a PPC strike. Just make sure no one is attacking
your transport. If they do, head back to the area and fire on those trying to
take it out. This will draw their fire to you. Take off through the streets,
either firing on the enemy or simply trying to dodge their fire. You'll hear the
updates on the evacuation progress. After a couple of minutes, the party will be
away and the mission will be complete.
Mission 3. Destroy Base
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or Damon
Squire
Your team is pretty solid now. Bring on new blood if you want to, but Casey, Jen
and Jules haven't done you wrong. Put them in the Catapult (or Vulture), Nova
Cat
and Loki respectively to pack a solid punch.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your close-range Flamer and laser punch from last mission will again serve you
well. Go with it.
Briefing: We have located a Steiner base at the site of the local university. We
may be able to get valuable intelligence from the base. Mech forces may be
light,
but reports state that static defenses are heavy. There is a generator you can
destroy to deprive these static weapons of power.
Objectives:
Destroy Communications Center at Nav Gamma
Destroy All Units Defending Local University at Nav Alpha
Destroy Turret Power Generator at Nav Beta
Walkthrough: There are multiple targets to take down in this mission: some
stationary and some Mech. Head to Gamma first, then Beta, and finish up at
Alpha.
As you move toward Gamma, you'll meet a fairly helpless Vulture. Rush in and
flame him, then let your team clean up the scraps. Dart in and bite him with the
PPC whenever it recharges. When it goes down, keep weaving through the buildings
toward Gamma. Keep the Alpha targets to your left--you don't want to have to
deal
with them yet.
Gamma is defended by a bad-ass Mad Cat Mk. II. As you near it, make sure you
have
you full team with you. As they collect behind you, tell them to attack the Mad
Cat II. Then move forward and tenderize the Cat yourself with those dual
Flamers.
If you can light him up enough, you can shut him down. Then it will be fairly
easy to take him down, as he will be unable to fight back. When fighting the Cat
II, don't linger in front of its Gauss Rifles, or it will do you quickly.
With the combined attack of your team, the Mark II will not last long, but it
will do some damage. After destroying the Communication Center, use the Mobile
Field Base here to repair your Mech. Repair your teammates as well before moving
to the next Nav.
Now set your sights on Beta. Change Nav Points (N) and move out. Make sure your
squad is behind you, then charge in and drop each of the Laser Turrets. Assign
your team to take out the Uziel here. Let your boys take care of the Uziel while
you fry the Generator here. Again, there is a Mobil Field Base, so repair anyone
who needs it, then move out to Alpha.
Here the goal is to eliminate all of the Mechs and Bulldogs collected near the
university. There are two Vultures and two Uziels guarding the place. Sic the
team on the Uziels, and concentrate on the Bulldogs yourself. When all of these
tanks and the Laser Turrets have been destroyed, concentrate on the Vultures.
Remember, whenever you get damaged, you can use the Mobile Field Base to repair.
This will allow you to go nuts and take everything head-on, because you don't
have to worry about exploding. When all of the units here have fallen, the
mission will end.
Note: You have a choice of where to go next. Whichever of the next missions you
choose will be the last of each operation. Capture Supplies is a bit easier, but
Rescue Sister is a bit more rewarding.
Mission 4. Rescue Sister
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or Damon
Squire
Since you salvaged a killer Mad Cat Mk. II last mission, you will be able to
give
your old Mad Cat to one of your lancemates--preferably Jules. Give Casey the
Loki
and Jen the Nova Cat to round out the crew.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat Mk. II
Strip the Mad Cat and load it out for close combat. If you want an extra wallop,
load on a Clan AC20. Otherwise, grab a bunch of beam weapons and some lock-on
missiles for added power.
Briefing: The unit your sister was leading has been overrun. Enter the combat
area and search for her location. You must hurry. If Steiner knows your sister
is
out there, they will not hesitate to fire upon her.
Objectives:
Locate your sister
Escort your sister to safety (Nav Zeta)
Walkthrough: This is a difficult mission with a lot of Mech resistance. You'll
have to eliminate all Steiner resistance before your sister can be found. Begin
by destroying the two Nova Cats in your drop zone. Get in close with the AC20
and
pound them. Your Mad Cat will flame the Nova Cats and shut them down, then you
can charge in and blast them auto cannon-style.
After you have eliminated the targets near Alpha, head north and engage the
caravan here. There are a string of Bulldogs and another pair of Nova Cats here.
Attack one Nova Cat at a time. Have the team soften them up, then dart in and
AC20 them. Be wary of Bulldogs here as well. You may want to take them out
early,
as some are equipped with PPCs, which can seriously chew through armor. When all
the targets here are destroyed, move west up the mission boundary to the next
group of units.
The next targets include a pair of Awesomes and a caravan of Bulldogs. Hit them
from a distance with LRMs, then charge in and bang them with the AC20. Tell the
team to take on the stronger of the two, and take the other. Use the side
streets
to quickly dart away after delivering a strike. When all of these baddies go
down, there will be only one more group of enemies--a lance of Nightshade
bombers
that circles over the city. Track them down and blast them, then listen
carefully
to the radio.
There will finally be a response from the ground team which has rescued your
sister. She is aboard a medical evac unit and can be found at Nav Beta. Set your
coordinates to Beta. Once you get there, you'll rendezvous with an ambulance.
The
goal now is to protect the medical evac team as they get out of the city. If at
any time this transport is harmed, your mission will fail, so be wary of
anything
getting near the ambulance and lure them away from it. Also, remember not to
step
on your friends.
Tell your team to form on you and set your sights on Nav Zeta. As you move down
the main street here, you will begin to see multiple targets ahead--all Mad Cat
Mk. IIs. Head toward the Cat IIs at Alpha and let your squad go after those near
Zeta. Tell Casey and Jen to take the left targets, and make Jules go after a
target on the right. You take the other.
The idea is to strike quickly with the AC20s and avoid the Gauss Rifles these
puppies are packing. Since you're in close quarters, maneuverability is low.
Stay
away from the front of each Mad Cat, and avoid getting in between them. Their
crossfire is too much to sustain. Instead, try to lure one away from the fray
separately and concentrate on fighting them one at a time. When you take yours
down, focus on getting rid of the other near Nav Alpha.
Once Alpha is secure, cruise over to Zeta to help Jen and Casey finish off their
opponents. Again, be mindful of the ambulance. You don't want to destroy it this
late in the game. If you have any AC20s left, get in there close an finish off
the remaining Mad Cats. When you do, the mission will end (and you'll get
another
Mad Cat in salvage). Sweet! Off to beat the game!
Mission 5. Capture Supplies
Lancemates: 3-- Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or
Damon
Squire
Since you salvaged a killer Mad Cat Mk. II last mission, you will be able to
give
your old Mad Cat to one of your lancemates--preferably Jules. Give Casey the
Loki
and Jen the Nova Cat to round out the crew.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat Mk. II
Strip the Mad Cat and load it out for close combat. If you want an extra wallop,
load on a Clan AC20. Otherwise, grab a bunch of beam weapons and some lock-on
missiles for added power.
Briefing: Steiner has a cache of weapons hidden somewhere in this city. Proceed
through the Nav Points to locate the cache. Beware, Steiner will be ready for
you
and an ambush is a possibility. A lot was sacrificed for this chance, so make it
count.
Objectives:
Find the weapon cache and defeat Jeanine Castro
Proceed to Gamma Bunker and check for the Weapons cache (Blow doors off)
Proceed to Beta Bunker and check for the Weapons cache (Blow doors off)
Proceed to Alpha Bunker and check for the Weapons cache (Blow doors off)
Walkthrough: When the mission begins, you will be plopped down into the middle
of
a war zone. Three Loki and one Mad Cat II stand in your way. Tell your team to
go
after the Mad Cat and focus your attention on one of the Loki. Keep pounding it
with the AC20 until it goes down. Then go after the other Loki. When
everything's
destroyed, set a course for Nav Alpha.
Jeanine Castro will be at one of the three Nav points. The one's she's not at
contain only Bulldogs and Calliope Turrets. Select one Calliope for each of your
teammates and have them attack. Take out the final turret yourself, then go
after
the Bulldogs. When the targets have been cleared out of the area, target the
doors of the Weapons cache and blow them sky high. An alternate approach is to
go
in alone and simply blow the doors off the Weapons Cache. This will save damage
to your team. Since you don't need to eliminate all of the targets at a given
Nav
point, this is a viable option. Cycle through the three points until you find
Jeanine and take her down.
Whichever Nav point she's guarding will be attended by a pair of Mad Cats. She
is
in a Mad Cat Mk. II, so beware her awesome firepower. Send your team in against
one of the Cats and take on Jeanine yourself. Stay on the move against her.
She's
got a gnarly Gauss Rifle that can tear you to shreds with a few shots. Luckily,
you're sporting an AC20, which is not to be sneezed at. Avoid sitting in front
of
her for any amount of time, and be sure to use the cover of buildings to your
advantage.
You'll want to lure her out into one of the side streets to fight, just so you
won't have to deal with the crossfire from the Bulldogs and Turrets here. In the
streets, circle strafe around Jeanie and fill her full of everything you have in
your arsenal. When she goes down, help out your friends with the Mad Cats or
find
the last bunker and blow the doors off. The mission will end when each bunker is
searched for the Cache.
Operation 7
Mission 1. End Game
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or Damon
Squire
Since you managed to get another Mad Cat from the rubble of last mission, give
it
to your buddy Jen and put Casey in the Nova Cat. Load all of these Mechs up with
long-range missiles and durable lasers. It's time to party!
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat Mk. II
Your urban load-out with AC20s and LRMs is the perfect bet for this trip as
well.
Save your AC20s for the up-close fighting and you should be a-ok.
Briefing: It is time to bring an end to this war. Enemy forces will be heavy and
desperate. Your targets are the turret control facility and the dropship
containing your uncle. Terminate all units to bring this war to an end.
Objectives:
Take out all Elite Guard Mechs
Destroy Turret Generator at Nav Beta
Stop the Dropship from taking off at Nav Gamma
Walkthrough: This mission will require all of the firepower and skill of the
last
mission, plus some. Time is of the essence as well, because the dropship is
counting down to blast off as the mission progresses. You'll have to tear
through
enemy Mechs quickly if you want to succeed.
To begin, don't head directly toward the fortress. Instead, proceed east along
the mission boundary. The idea is to circle around in front of the fortress to
keep all of your enemies in front of you. This will also allow you to attack
from
long-range to soften the opposing forces. The first thing you'll see is a Mad
Cat
Mk. II heading toward Alpha. He's in a valley below. Continue heading east until
you are even with the Mad Cat, then make a hard left turn to engage him. Head
for
the ridge in front of you, keeping the MCII directly ahead.
As you move over the ridge, target the Mark II and let him have it with a couple
of missile salvos. Tell your unit to attack him as well. This is much more of a
priority than the wimpy Nova Cat that attends him. Don't worry about the Turrets
here. They aren't online yet, just in your way. Be careful that you don't get
hung up on one--there's no quicker way to get trapped.
When the Mark II falls, help out with the Nova Cat. An AC20 blast or two should
help put him down. Now move up to the fort ahead. There are several Thors, a
Daishi and another Mark II here. Tell your squad to go after the Daishi. You
should head left at the gates toward Beta. Here you'll find the Turret
Generator.
If there is a Thor around, get in close and waste him with an AC20 and laser
cocktail. Then pump some rounds into the Generator to destroy it.
Near Beta, you'll find a Mech Repair Bay. Use this to quickly repaired if you
got
damaged in the previous fight. You'll have one more chance to repair before the
final conflict, but a fresh Mech (with replenished weapons) is always nice. By
this time, your crew will have sorted that Daishia and be working on the Mark II
and Nova Cat. Help out with these Mechs, or, if you're feeling saucy, go
straight
to Gamma to eliminate the Dropship.
The Dropship is fitted with Gauss Rifles and PPCs, so you definitely don't want
to sit on the ridge and blast it, because you'll get rocked. Instead, strafe
around it, avoiding the two Nova Cats that patrol its base. Fill the Dropship
full of everything in your arsenal, but be sure to use as many AC20s as you can.
When you achieve missile lock, fire all of the salvos you can. If your
lancemates
are nearby, tell them to attack your target to make it go faster. Eventually the
Dropship will explode, fulfilling your objective.
There may be several Mechs remaining, but don't worry about them right now.
Instead, quickly go back to the Mech Repair Bay for some quick work. Remember:
this is the last mission, so you don't have to be worried about keeping Mechs.
Even if a teammate is badly hurt, send them into battle if you think it will
help. Or, tell them to repair themselves.
When you are fixed, go after the remainder of the Mechs. When they have all
fallen, a cut scene will play. Dresari forces are victorious! But wait! What is
this? Apparently your dastardly cousin William doesn't like that you've screwed
up his plans. It's time for one last showdown: you vs. William. If you haven't
already repaired and reloaded, do it when the cut scene concludes. Then go find
that bastard.
He's hanging out near Nav Alpha, and actually isn't that tough to defeat.
Approach him from the right of the Nav point so the ridge gives you cover. As
you
come over the hill, target Dresari. Get a missile lock and pound him with a
salvo, then veer off and begin to circle strafe. Do not shy away from a close
fight. This was meant to duked out--that's why you packed the AC20s. Keep that
missile lock up and fire a salvo whenever you recharge. Likewise with the AC20s.
Dresari's Daishi is nice, but he only has PPCs and Gauss Rifles. Your AC20 can
blow him off the map, ton for ton. Keep circling him and blasting him with ammo
until goes down.
When he falls, the game is over. Congratulations, Ian. Now watch your cheesy
relatives embrace in the lush palace of a neo-monarchy.
Mission 1. Destroy Enemy Communications Relay
Lancemates: Casey Nolan (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
The Shadowcat is your only option at the beginning. Luckily, it is a speedy Mech
with decent weapons. Since you have not yet salvaged any gear, you have no
choice
but to go with the load-out they give you.
Briefing: Our rebellion starts here. We are going to raid and destroy the key
component of the Steiner communications net. Enemy forces are light and
resistance should be minimal. Destroy the three communications relay stations
and
Steiner communications will be cut off from Kentares IV.
Objectives:
Destroy all three communications towers
Destroy escaping enemy units
Walkthrough: The first Lunar mission is fairly straightforward. The voiceover
briefing explains who your lancemates are. You can't give them orders yet, since
you are not yet a commander. They will be there to provide support only. After
you land, proceed forward to Nav Alpha, the only navigation point on the map.
Your buddies will flank you.
When you get to the crater below, blast everything in sight. Focus your fire on
one target until it explodes, then concentrate on your next foe. Practice using
the E button to cycle through targets, and eliminate them one by one. These
ground forces provide little resistance, but you'll want to avoid the missile
barrages from the LRMs and Bulldog tanks.
Midway through the carnage, several units will attempt to flee the crater. When
his happens, use your E key to cycle through the targets until you reach
something called "Transport." Then approach each transport and eliminate it with
a moderate amount of firepower.
When the transports go down, proceed to Nav Alpha. There are three
communications
towers here that look like large satellite dishes. From close range, focus your
fire one each one until it is destroyed. When all three explode, the mission
will
end. Congratulations, pilot, you've begun a war.
Note: If you want to blast through this mission, you can proceed directly to Nav
Alpha and immediately proceed to cripple the communcations towers. Even if you
don't destroy the transports, the mission will end.
Mission 2. Destroy Steiner Missile Vehicles
Lancemates: Jules Gonzalez (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
You've gained some weapons salvage, but none of it is very tasty, so stick with
the load-out you've got. It's a good mix of short and long range, and it's all
Clan, which is key. This is a seek and destroy mission, so you'll need a lot of
bang for your buck.
Briefing: Steiner is moving missile vehicles through our operational area in
preparation for an attack. Sweep the area and destroy the Steiner launch
vehicles. The vehicles will be escorted and this escort may include enemy 'Mech
forces.
Objectives:
Destroy all enemies at Nav Alpha
Destroy all enemies at Nav Beta
Walkthrough: The point of this mission is sweep and destroy. There are two
convoys to take out: one at Nav Alpha and another at Nav Beta. Jules Gonzalez is
along for this mission and will provide extra firepower to help you complete
your
objectives quickly. When the mission begins, head toward Nav Alpha. As you pass
the first set of ridges, you will be approached by the first Mech of the game: a
speedy enemy Osiris. He's fairly weak, but will give you a sense of what it's
like to battle another Mech. This encounter will give you an opportunity to
practice circle strafing. Keep the Osiris in your sights as you move around him,
keeping the throttle at medium and turning your torso to match the Mech's
movement. Concentrate your fire on his midsection and take him down quickly from
close range with the help of Jules.
When the Osiris is defeated, continue toward Nav Alpha. There is a convoy
creeping toward the Nav Point. They are lightly armed (now that you've
eliminated
the Mech), so it is a piece of cake to take them down quickly. To make the job
even easier, switch your target until you reach a fuel truck. Blast it at from
long range. Its explosion should do some damage to the surrounding vehicles. Mop
up the scraps with the help of Jules, sure to dodge the minor SRM threat.
When this convoy is destroyed, move out to Nav Beta. Focus on the SKUD carrier
and SRM carriers, making short work of them with your SRMS and large laser. Soon
you'll see a second Osiris come over the ridge. Focus your attention on him for
the time being and let Jules blast the convoy. As with the first Osiris, circle
him and send a lot of heavy weapons his way. As long as you stay on the move,
you'll avoid most of his damage. He's a poor shot with fairly weak weapons.
Pound
at him with the SRMs and lasers until he falls. Then help Jules destroy whatever
vehicles may be left to complete the mission.
Mission 3. Destroy Steiner Dropships.
Lancemates: Sir Peter (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
You likely picked up an Osiris in salvage, but your Shadowcat is still the
better
Mech. Likewise, none of the savaged weapons beat your current load-out. There
are
three Dropships to take down in this mission, so grab a couple extra tons of
Clan
Streak SRMs which will make taking down the ships a lot easier. To free up room
for this, dump your Jump Jets.
Briefing: We have an opportunity to cripple Steiner's activities on and around
Kentares IV. Three Dropships are preparing for takeoff. If we strike quickly, we
can deliver a decisive blow. Be careful if they get powered up, Dropships can be
devastating. Target mobile APUs to slow down their launch procedure. Also, their
engines are vulnerable to attack.
Objectives:
Destroy all Steiner dropships
Destroy all APUs
Walkthrough: This mission is all about getting to the dropships quickly and
destroying them. There are three total, and each is guarded by a trio of APUs.
Destroying the APUs quickly will slow down the Dropship's ability to get online.
In addition, by destroying the APUs, you will make the Dropship much weaker.
After you drop in, head immediately forward to the first Nav Point. As you near
the ship, cycle through your targets. Take out the two nearest Laser turrets.
Then circle the Dropship and focus heavy fire on the first of three APUs. Pump a
bunch of missiles and laser blasts into the APU. When it explodes, move to the
second Alpha APU and repeat the process. After all three have been taken down,
focus your fire on the Dropship until it explodes.
Midway through the destruction of the first Dropship, you'll encounter a pair of
enemy Osiris. Engage them quickly. Sir Peter will help in the battle, so take
down the first Mech at close range with lasers and SRMs, focusing on the chest
region. Then head to the next Nav point at Beta. Peter will mop up the second
Osiris while you focus on the Dropship. Clean out any laser turrets at Beta.
Again, the goal is to eliminate the three APUs before going after the Dropship
itself. When it falls, head to Gamma and repeat the process. Take down the
Lasers, then the APUs, then the Dropship. Do not worry about any other enemies
at
this point. Simply take down the APUs and blast the Dropship until it falls.
Mission complete.
Mission 4. Defend Landing Facilities
Lancemates: Casey Nolan and Jen McQuarrie (uncontrollable)
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
You've now picked up a Hellspawn and an Osiris, but the Shadowcat is still the
best. You won't have to change its load-out at all, either.
Briefing: Steiner has taken an increased interest in our activities. We must
escape and you need to provide cover until we can power up our Dropships and
escape. Make sure the APUs that are powering up the Dropships survive. Enemy
forces may be heavy and will include Mech assets.
Objectives:
Defend the APUs while the dropship powers up.
Destroy all hostile units to clear for takeoff.
Walkthrough: This is a fairly straightforward mission. There are a mess of red
dots on the screen, and they all have to be cleared. The main objective is to
keep the Steiner forces away from the APUs, and to do this, you'll have to waste
all of the baddies. Your APUs cannot be depleted, or your mission will fail.
Luckily, you're not in this alone. Casey and Jen are a couple of apt pilots, and
will engage some of the deadlier foes so you can scoot around and take care of
business.
When the mission begins, track through your targets until you reach the LRM
carriers. These will blast your APUs from a distance, so they'll need to be
eliminated. Once you target them, circle around and approach from behind. You'll
find them stashed in a rock crevice, pointed directly at your APUs. Aplha strike
quickly and take them down, then target the Bulldogs across the landing field
and
head over to them. These puppies are focusing laser fire on your APUs. Use a
similar barrage to drop them.
With the significant long-range threat eliminated, go in close range and help
out
with the remaining vehicles and Mechs. Take down the missile carriers first,
then
help out with the Mechs. There are three total, a Hellspawn, a Shadowcat and an
Osiris. By the time you are able to help out with the Mechs, your lancemates
will
have likely destroyed one of them. From what's left, go after the Osiris first,
then the Shadowcat, then the Hellspawn.
With each of them, use a circle strafe technique, pounding them with your
missiles and using large laser blasts to tenderize their armor. Be sure to stay
out of the way of friendly lasers, though, as your comrades will be fighting the
same opponents. When all of the forces have been destroyed (and you haven't lost
more than one APU), the mission will complete and both objectives will be met.
Your first operation is over. Ice shooting, Tex.
Operation 2
Mission Recon1.
Lancemates: Casey Nolan or Jen McQuarrie (under your command)
Since Casey has decent gunnery skills to begin with, outfit him in the Hellspawn
you just salvaged. Load it up with as many long-range missiles as possible. If
you're a close-in fighter, he'll be a good compliment, tenderizing opponents
from
afar while you duke it out. If you are a long-range guy yourself, give him some
lasers so he can trade punches in close. Always remember to select Clan versions
of any available weapons.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
This is still the best Mech you've got, with the best load-out available.
Salvage
has thus far yielded few Clan weapons, so you're sitting pretty with your
current
array.
Briefing: We will be making a hot drop and conducting a recon sweep of the
surrounding area. Once this is done, it will allow us to land our forces and
begin operations on Kentares IV. This will be your first command opportunity.
Objectives:
Scout Nav Alpha
Scout Nav Beta
Scout Nav Gamma
Destroy all combat units encountered
Walkthrough: When the level begins, start heading toward Nav Alpha. Order your
lancemate to follow (F1, then F3 to form up) as you make your way to Alpha. As
you move forward, you'll encounter several Peregrine helicopters. Pick them out
of the sky with long-range lasers.
Note: Once Peregrines have been hit, they will begin to nosedive. After they
start to fall (even though they haven't been fully destroyed), switch to another
target. The ground will demolish them soon enough.
As you move nearer to the first Nav point, a Raven Mech will approach. Cycle
through until you are targeting it, then have Casey engage it (F1, then F1 to
attack your target). Be sure that the Raven is selected when you do this, or
Casey will attack something else. While he's busy with the Raven, focus you
attention on the Pergrines overhead. When you've picked them off, retarget the
Raven and help Casey take it down. Ravens are pretty fast, so you'll have to
lead
your fire to take them down. Don't waste big, slow-recharging weapons unless you
are sure of your shot.
After the Raven falls, continue to move toward Alpha. Another Raven will rush
you
at this point. Order Casey to attack, then get in close and pummel it with SRMs
and powerful lasers. When the Raven goes down, mop up any new enemies at this
area. Make sure you actually hit he nav point, or your first objectibe will not
be complete. When it is, move out toward Nav Point B.
As you approach, cycle through your targets until you find the Cougar Mech.
Order
Casey to attack it while you clean out the Bulldogs. Cycle through targets until
you reach the nearest Bulldog. These tanks are slow, so charge in and waste them
quickly, before they can turn and draw a bead on you. Since the Shadowcat is so
quick, watch your speed. If you're going too fast, you can shoot past the tanks
and leave your backside exposed to attack.
When you have dispatched the tanlks, move to Beta and take out the Laser
turrets.
If the Cougar is still kicking when you're done with this, give Casey a hand
with
a couple of quick Alpha strikes on the damaged Mech. As before, make sure you
actually trip the Nav point before moving toward Gamma. Only a pair of Bulldogs
await you here. Blast them quickly to end the mission.
Mission 2. Capture Depot
Lancemates: Casey Nolan or Jen McQuarrie (under your command)
Go with Casey again in this mission. His gunnery skills will come in handy
again.
One of the Cougars you took down yields some interesting salvage. Strip it for
its weapons. Outfit Casey with the same Hellspawn, except trade out his weapons
for Clan upgrades. This is a destruction mission, so you'll want to roll
strapped.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
Again, the Shadowcat is your best choice for success. Keep weapons systems the
same.
Briefing: We have located a Steiner base. With a quick strike, we think we can
cut off their communications and take control of the base. This will give us
some
good quality salvage. Enemy resistance will be heavy. Expect Mechs supported by
combat helicopters.
Objectives:
Destroy main base defenders
Destroy Comm Station before they radio for help
Walkthrough: When the mission begins, throttle up to full speed and head
straight
for Nav Alpha. As soon as the Comm Station appears in your sights, begin
blasting
it with long range weapons. Plug it full of fire until it goes down. It will
make
the rest of this mission easier, as the enemy forces will not be able to call
for
back up.
Now head to Nav Epsilon, and tell Casey to come with you. As you approach,
you'll
be beset on by a couple of Peregrines. Pick them out of the air and continue
toward Epsilon. As you mount the ridge, a Calliope Turret will come into view.
Target it and blast with long range weapons, the whole time moving toward the
turret to avoid its missile attacks. Head across to the final turret to insure
no
dangerous long-range interference. Now target the Cougar in the courtyard below
and set Casey to work on him.
While Casey engages the Catapult, head west to get the other Calliope. Blast the
turret as you approach the ridge. Polish it off, then turn around and help
Casey.
As you make your way back to the Catapult, pick a couple of the circling
Peregrines out of the sky. Then focus your fire on the Catapult, keeping at
medium range and circling to avoid its missile attacks. When the Catapult drops,
tell Casey to battle the Cougar and concentrate on taking out the rest of the
Peregrines.
As the battle rages on, comm will warn you that there are two incoming Mechs. Go
help Casey with the inured Cougar until it falls. The two incoming Mechs are
another Cougar and a hefty Hellspawn. If Casey is doing alright, tell him to
attack the Hellspawn while you take down the Cougar. If not, double up on the
Hellspawn, then take out the Cougar.
Use the circle strafe method to take these guys down. Also, be aware of the
hills. You can use them as cover as you dodge and weave around fire. These two
Mechs are the final opponents in this mission. When they are destroyed, the
mission will be complete.
Mission 3. Relieve and Escort Friendly Techs
Lancemates: Casey Nolan or Jen McQuarrie (under your command)
Now that you've required a Catapult in salvage, put Casey in it immediately.
Load
him out with LRMs and an ER Laser to make him a long-range tenderizer to your
short range brawler. This works best, as he's got good gunnery at this point in
the game. If you are a long-range guy yourself, give Casey the Shadowcat and
take
the Catapult for yourself.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat or Catapult, depending on your taste. Save the same
load-out for the Cat, otherwise go with LRMs and long-range lasers on the
Catapult.
Briefing: A group of technicians is pinned down by enemy units. We need to
rendezvous with them and escort them to friendly territory. Time is of the
essence. The vehicles that the techs are using are very vulnerable, so pay
attention to them.
Objectives:
Link up with the technicians
Escort the APCs across the bridge to Nav Beta
Destroy the southern bridge
Walkthrough: While it seems as if the best thing to do is head straight for the
Nav point, instead go slightly to the left and take on the SRM Carriers here.
Target the Raven Mech and tell Casey to attack. He'll beat up the Raven from
long
distance, giving you time to polish off the Carriers before delivering a fatal
blow to the weak bird.
Now head toward Nav Alpha with Casey following closely behind you. You need to
link up with the technicians there. As you draw nearer to the mark, you will run
across a smattering of Condor tanks. Destroy them with lasers as you approach--
you don't want to waste missiles on these lightweights.
Proceed further toward the Nav point. As you move, cycle through your targets
until you find the Uziel Mech off to the left. The Uziel is pretty nasty, as
it's
packing a powerful PPC wallop. Use everything in the arsenal here. You'll save
yourself a lot of damage if you can deal with this foe quickly. Alpha strikes
recommended.
Head southwest until you see a bunch of Condors in your display. You are about
to
clear some targets out of the way for the convoy to come through. Cycle through
targets until you reach the Hellspawn. Tell Casey to attack it, then move in and
take out the string of Bulldogs here yourself. Remember, they are slow to turn,
so get around behind them before you strike. Watch out for fire from the
Hellspawn as well. He should be focused on Casey, but can do a lot of damage to
you if he's strayed and focusing on you.
When everything has been crisped, continue toward Nav Alpha. There are a few
Mobile Turrets here. Have Casey attack a pair and you take out a pair, then move
forward to your rendezvous point. Here you'll meet up with Jules and the gang.
Now the objective is to escort their little convoy over the bridge.
They will carve out a path through the mountains. Go slightly ahead of them and
move toward Nav Beta, staying on the path as much as possible. Soon, the convoy
will come under attack as a Hellspawn moves out of the brush ahead. Sic Casey on
him and protect the caravan. Soon, a wave of Peregrine will begin to attack the
party as well. Leave Casey and Jules to brawl the Hellspawn and take those
choppers down.
As you move forward and continue to defend, you'll run into a couple of SRM
Carriers and another Hellspawn. If Casey has polished up on the first Hellspawn,
have him attack the second. Destroy the Carriers first, then help him out with
the Mech. At this point, don't worry about anything outside of your general
area.
If there are scraps lurking about that don't threaten the caravan, don't go
after
them. This will just lead to a vulnerable convoy, and you don't want that.
There is one more wave of Mechs to take on before you can call this mission
quits. You've probably taken a bit of fire to this point, so you'll have to
battle quickly and accurately. The first to come at you is another Raven. Tell
Casey to attack it and quickly double this Mech to take it down. Conserve your
big weapons for the next three, but end it as quickly as possible.
As the party slogs forward, three more Mechs will approach: two Hellspawns and
an
Uziel. Tell Casey to attack the Uziel. This will keep it away from the convoy.
You should go after both Hellspawn. Circle strafe around them and draw their
fire, but keep your distance from the convoy. If they get close, lead them
deeper
into the wilderness. As you keep the Mechs busy, the convoy will reach and cross
the bridge. You basically just have to stay alive until the transport makes it
safely across. Taking out Mechs will make your life easier, but it isn't
necessary.
Tip: There is a Mobile Field Base near the second Hellspawn. Use it to repair
your Mech for the final battle.
Note: If for some reason the Uziel takes out poor Casey, you may want to
consider
beginning the mission again. The Catapult is too valuable a Mech to lose at this
point in the game.
As soon as you get word that the crew is across, head to Nav point Beta and find
the bridge. Now focus all of your fire on it until it explodes. When it does,
the
mission will be complete.
Mission 4. Capture Base
Lancemates: 2: Casey Nolan, Jules Gonzales or Jen McQuarrie (Under your command)
You'll probably want to go with Casey and his Catapult again, as he provides a
much-needed long-distance death threat. Give him a Clan Medium Pulse laser to
make his life easier up close.
Jules is a good choice for your second lancemate, as his close-in fighting
skills
are finely honed. Put him in the second Shadowcat. You can pretty much keep the
load-out he has. Make sure to give him LAMS and take out his Jump Jets, however.
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
Again, stick with the Shadowcat for yourself. You'll get a nice, new Mech soon,
but for now this is the best bet for you. Since this is another close-in search
and destroy mission, equip a Clan Flamer so you can quickly overheat Mechs. Once
you overheat an opponent, you can take pot shots at it as it sits immobilized.
Briefing: We have an opportunity to strike at Steiner forces, drive them out of
the region, and get a little revenge. An added bonus will be the capture of
their
launch facilities and satellite control. The war is starting to turn, let's make
this count.
Objectives:
Clear way to Control Center (Nav Beta) for technicians
Defend Control Center and technicians
Walkthrough: Head forward to Nav point Alpha right off the bat. Here, you'll
encounter a smorgasbord of baddies waiting to die. As you climb over the ridge,
target the Fuel Truck straight ahead. Blow it up to do peripheral damage to the
vehicles around it. Then, quickly clear out the SRM Carriers here, then take
down
the Mobile Turret to the right. You should be able to destroy all of this before
you see your first Mech.
The first one you will see is an Uziel. Mounted with PPCs, it is a bad boy, so
tell both of your lancemates to attack it. You should take on the other Mech--a
squirrelly Sentry--yourself. As you do this, your buddies should dispatch the
first Uziel. When all three are down, move to Nav Beta.
Target the Turret Control radio tower and take it down. This will disable the
Calliope Turrets here and significantly cut down on fire in this courtyard. Now
tell your mates to take on the second Uziel. Use your Clan Flamer to overheat
them, so that the Mech will shut down and you can take it on easily. When your
units have reached the Control Center, the first objective will be complete.
If your Mechs are damaged after this battle, send them one by one into the
Mobile
Field Base. This will renew you for the skirmish to come. Heal your friend, then
prepare for the oncoming attack. The first units that will attack are a pair of
Peregrines. Pick them off as your friends heal.
The next group will be a group of LRM Carrier, approaching from the South (near
Nav A). Go demolish them immediately, as they have the capability to strike at
your technicians from a distance. Hit them quickly, and keep approaching. They
can't hit you with their rockets if you keep coming toward them. About the time
the Carriers go down, your technicians will get the base online. Now you'll have
to protect it from a Mech onslaught.
Two Cougars and two Argus will approach from the Southeast. Go after the first
Cougar with all of your Mechs, nd just make your way through the progression. As
soon as the technicians get the base up and running, you'll get support from the
Calliope Turrets.
While in the Mech brawl, stay on the move. Circle strafe and take out the
weakest
target first before moving on to the next Mech. None of these Cougars or Arguses
are strapped with significant weapons, so they go down easily without dishing
out
much punishment.
Midway through the fight, you'll notice more forces coming in on the other side
of the base. You can pretty much ignore them and let the Turrets take them out.
If there are any Mechs left over, go finish them off to complete the Mission.
Operation 3
Mission 1. Sweep and Destroy
Lancemates: 1--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzalez
Even though Jules is a good brawler, Casey is your best bet once again. Keep his
Catapult loaded with LRMs and Medium Pulse Lasers (Clan, of course).
Suggested Mechs: Shadowcat
Stay in your Shadowcat and keep your current weapons config.
Briefing: A Steiner Dropship has crashed and we may have a chance to capture it
and further cripple Steiner's ability to move troops. Scout the nearby area and
brush aside the enemy Mech screen.
Objectives:
Wait for response from scout groups
Destroy all units at Nav Alpha
Destroy all units at Nav Beta
Destroy all units at Nav Gamma
Destroy all units at Nav Delta
Walkthrough: As soon as you hear the scout groups come over the comm, prepare to
move out to Nav Alpha. This is a battle-heavy mission, so remember to pace
yourself with ammunition. You don't want to get caught without weapons late in a
heavy clash.
At Alpha, you will run into a pair of Cougars. Before going willy-nilly into
combat, pause at the ridge at tell Casey to attack the units below. This will
start the long-range assault. Then move down into the valley and take on the
Cougars at close range yourself. If possible, save your larger ammo-based
weapons
for later. Use the circle strafe technique to down the Cougars, then move toward
Nav Beta.
At Nav Beta, there are three Mech units awaiting your arrival: a Raven and two
Osiris. Tell Casey to take on the Raven, and battle the two Osiris yourself. As
before, use circle strafe to stay moving. Fire alpha strikes to end the skirmish
quickly. These Mechs are too light and poorly-armed to be a threat.
Now move to Nav Gamma. Here, you'll find a Cougar and another Osiris. If you
can,
lure them into the lake south of the Nav point. Since the water will cool your
weapons, you can fire continuously without fear of overheating. Let Casey handle
the Raven while you deal with the Osiris. Do not get in too close here. The
Osiris is strapped with a ton of lasers that will slice you up if you let them.
Your fight in the lake will likely draw the attention of a couple of Vultures
from Nav Delta. These guys are big and powerful, but slow to turn, so the way to
hit them is always from the side. If they come to join your party in the pond,
finish off the other units quickly before taking on the Vultures.
If they don't come running, go meet them at Nav Delta. This battle is most
effective on land, so try to keep them up in the hills. Get in close and use
your
Flamer. This will disable a lot of their heavier beam weapons, because they will
drive heat up. Use everything in your arsenal to end this. These are the last
two
Mechs of this battle, so pair off. Give Casey one and you take the other. When
the Vultures fall, the mission will be complete.
Mission 2. Capture Supply Convoy
Lancemates: 2--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzales
Salvage from the last mission will leave you with a pair of Vultures. Strip the
LRMs off of the Vulture and give them to Casey. Stick Casey in the Catapult
again, and give one of the Vultures to Jules. Make sure you max out the
Vulture's
armor, then load it up with a bunch of medium pulse lasers and perhaps a PPC.
Add
some Heat Sinks to bring the Heat Efficiency to a usable level, then save and
prepare for battle.
Suggested Mech: Vulture
It's time to get yourself into a new Mech. Take the other Vulture and give it a
similar load-out to Jules'. Lots of Clan beam weapons on the arms and Omni Rack,
and keep some Clan LRMs for a long-range punch. Make sure you give the Vulture
some LAMs and Heat Sinks, and only armor the parts that need it.
Briefing: Steiner is attempting to move repair supplies, technicians, and
reinforcements to a Dropship. Intercept the convoy, destroy the military forces,
and capture the convoy. They are ahead of you on the mountain paths, so move
fast.
Objectives:
Overtake the convoy and destroy the guards
Destroy all Steiner forces
Walkthrough: Don't proceed directly to Nav Alpha when the mission begins.
Instead, face behind and wait for a lance of airships. Three Nightshade planes
will fly over, coming from behind you. Drop them with laser weapons as they soar
overhead.
When the planes go down, move through the mountain pass (toward Alpha) until you
see the convoy. Wait for your mates before charging into battle. The idea is to
take the convoy by surprise. Camp out in the hill and scope the convoy. As soon
as you see targets approaching, cycle through them until you reach the Vulture.
Tell your buddies to go after this unit.
Stay on the ridge a moment and plug the opposition from a distance. When they
begin to return fire, run down into the gorge and engage one of the Cougars.
Blast it with everything you've got. The reason you loaded up on lasers was to
deal with these forces at close range. Keep firing lasers until you get a
missile
lock, then unleash some LRMs on the enemy.
This battle will likely take place in a narrow pass, and the entire convoy will
be inside it at the beginning. Watch out for enemy vehicles. You don't want to
stomp any cargo supply trucks, or your mission will fail. To keep your bearings,
the outside-the-cockpit view is the best in these close quarters.
When the Cougar falls, either focus on the next Cougar or the Argus, whichever
is
closer. Both of these are fairly light and can be dispatched with relatively
little effort. By the time you polish off the second Cougar, your mates should
have destroyed the Vulture. If not, move in and finish him off.
When all of the Mechs fall, catch up with the convoy. It winds around the
mountain, past Gamma toward Delta. Destroy any remaining forces (Bulldogs,
probably). Once this is done, the convoy will surrender and the mission will
finish.
Mission 3. Destroy Dropship
Lancemates: 2--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzalez
Keep partners and Mechs the same as in last mission.
Suggested Mechs: Vulture
Go with the same Mech and load-out.
Briefing: We can take a strike at the Steiner Dropship. It is crippled, but that
doesn't mean it will not get its weapons online. If it does activate its
weapons,
use range, mobility, and friendly artillery to bring it down. If we win though,
we will have a huge advantage over Steiner.
Objectives:
Find damaged Steiner Dropship
Destroy damaged Steiner Dropship
Walkthrough: Head Northeast from the starting point. This is the quickest way to
get to the Dropship. As soon as it detects you, it will begin to power up, and
you don't want that. You'll first encounter a Mech at water's edge, an Argus.
Take it out quickly with all three Mechs. Use yur beam weapons primarily, as
you'll want to save missile salvos for the dropship itself.
Then proceed North toward the dropship. By this time, you'll have been picked up
on radar, so time is of the essence. The first targets you'll see are a line of
Bulldogs guarding the ship. Ignore these. Simply head forward and cycle through
targets until you land on the first of three Mobile APUs. These are your first
targets. Since you have a heavily armored Mech, you can pretty much ignore the
rest of the forces here. There are Turrets, Bulldogs, a Mauler and a Bushwhacker
Mech, but if you keep motoring, you won't be killed before completing your
mission.
Have your teammates fire on the Dropship while you take down the APUs. This will
prevent the Dropship from regaining any energy. Circle around it and blast them
with missile salvos until they explode, then focus on the Dropship itself. If
things get too hairy in close, drop back and fire on the ship from the ridge
above. Keep your lancemates' weapons trained on the ship as well. When you
whittle its life down to zero, the mission will end, and you'll grab some nice
salvage, including a Mauler.
Operation 4
Mission 1. Raid Base
Lancemates: 2--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie or Jules Gonzales.
Your previous lancemates will be perfect for this mission.
Suggested Mechs: Vulture
Stick with that Vulture.
Briefing: We have the opportunity to raid a large Steiner base as a part of a
combined arms action. Your job is to guard a convoy of vehicles as they enter
the
base and loot the supply warehouses. Beware of possible heavy enemy Mech forces.
Watch for the heat impact of the desert terrain.
Objectives:
Guard Convoy as they proceed to and loot first site (Nav Alpha)
Guard Convoy as they proceed to and loot second site (Nav Beta)
Guard Convoy as they proceed to and loot third site (Nav Gamma)
Cargo Tracks and Ian arrive at extraction point (Nav Epsilon)
Walkthrough: This is both a destroy and protect mission. You'll want to keep
your
convoy safe while taking down the enemy threat.
Start by heading toward Nav Alpha. The first thing that will pop up on radar is
a
Mobile Turret. Walk a bit forward and target the next object to the left: Mobile
Turret Control. This will take all of the guns down at once and provide safety
for your procession moving forward.
The Nav point is crawling with opposition forces. SRM Carriers add to two
Shadowcat and two Cougars. Sic Casey and Jules on a Shadowcat and take the
Cougars yourself. The Mechs start near some Fuel Tanks on the left side of the
compound. If you can get to the tanks early, fire on them to explode the tanks,
causing explosive and fire damage to the inbound Mechs. If you don't get to them
right away, you can always lure the Mechs over to the tanks, by firing on them
and quickly running toward the fuel. Watch out, though. If you get too close to
the tanks, the same thing can happen to you.
Note: Both the Mech Repair Bays and Mobile Field Base can be used to repair your
BattleMech. In addition, if your teammates get depleted, send them to get
repaired before moving on. Remember, if you want to use the Repair Bays, you
will
have to power-down (S) in order to get repaired.
As soon as you take down the first wave of Mechs, another group will charge in
to
defend Beta. This group includes a bunch of light Mechs: two Ravens, a Chimera
and a Bushwhacker. Send Casey and co. against the Bushwhacker and deal with the
lighter Ravens yourself. Remember, you can repair during combat, but don't get
caught in a Field Base while the enemy is firing on you, or it could be curtains
for you.
Don't do too much torso twisting in this area. It is difficult to maneuver
between the buildings like this, and besides, the opposition isn't packing much
to threaten you. Instead, charge in and take the Ravens head-on. When you finish
with them, go after the Chimera.
As you battle away, the cargo transport will go from Nav Point to Nav Point,
until they come to rest on Epsilon. As your battle rages on, four more foes will
be added to the mix late: two Uziels and two Hellspawn. Take out the Uziels
first, as they are loaded with dual PPCs that will make your life a lot shorter
if you let them. This battle is fairly easy, as you can simply go and repair any
time you feel like it. When you finally drop the Hellspawn, head to Nav Epsilon
to end the level.
Mission 2. Defend Base
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez
Take them all into combat this time. Put Casey in the Catapult and Jules in the
Vulture, keeping the load-outs the same.
For Jen, outfit another heavy, close-in Mech. The Hellspawn is a decent choice
here. Load it with a balanced array, including some LRMs and some medium pulse
lasers... all Clan. To round out the package, load on some autocannons.
Suggested Mech: Vulture
Stick and stay with your current array.
Briefing: Steiner forces are on a major offensive. We need to relieve forces at
Nav Alpha and proceed to a large allied base at Nav Beta. You can expect a
fierce
assault by enemy forces at both locations. Again, watch the impact of the desert
heat upon your Mechs.
Objectives:
Get to Nav Alpha
Eliminate guerrilla 'Mechs
Defend Mech hangars at base (Nav Beta)
Walkthrough: Head toward Nav Alpha right off the bat. As you do, you'll
encounter
a group of Peregrines off to the right. Pick them out of the sky with the help
of
your comrades, then proceed forward. You'll hear an enemy voice come over the
comm. It's the Shadowcat over the next ridge. Unleash all of your forces on it
from afar. They will rain missiles on him before he is in range of close
weapons.
As you battle this Mech, he will lead you to another Shadowcat. Stay on the
first
one until he falls, then switch to the second. If the battle goes long enough,
the Cat will circle around the bluffs toward Alpha. As you get nearer, an Uziel
will come out of the woodwork. Keep your buddies fighting the Shadowcat, and
take
on the Uziel yourself.
When the battle ends, haul butt to Nav Alpha. If your pals are scattered around,
have them rendezvous at the Nav Point rather than forming up on you. As you near
Alpha, you'll notice a group of friendly units waiting for you. There is a
Mobile
Field Base here as well, so repair will take place... but don't do them yet.
Instead, engage the next caravan of death that the enemy throws at you. There
are
a pair of Shadowcats patrolling the entourage. Tell your comrades to attack one
of them, and take on the LRM Carriers yourself Shooting their missile racks is a
good way to end them quickly. Once you have dealt with the Carriers, take down
the Shadowcat your team is not attacking.
Soon, you will see a group of Shilone Bombers. Pick them out of the air. If you
haven't taken down both of the Cats, they will run scared toward Beta. Repair
your Mechs at the Mobile Field Base if need be, then move out to Nav Beta.
If a Shadowcat got through, he will be messing with your ground troops as you
arrive. Take down the Mech quickly, before he can do too much damage. There are
four more Mechs that join the battle at this point: two Uziels and two Vultures.
The nice thing about the area you're fighting in is that it contains several
more
Mech Repair Bays. As before, make sure you power down once in the Bay, or you
won't get your repairs.
Have your lancemates go after the two Uziels. You take on the Vultures.
Remember,
hit them from the sides. They do not rotate quickly, so you can get a lot of
whallop in before they even turn to look. When all of the Mechs at this Nav
point
go down, the mission will be complete.
Mission 3. Capture Barges
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez.
Once again, put Casey in the Catapult. His long-range mastery will continue to
aid your missions. Since last mission yielded a sweet load of salvage, give Jen
your old Vulture (that's right...you're moving on). Stick with Jules in his
Vulture.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Now you've stepped up to the big leagues. Your newly-aquired Mad Cat already has
the killer load-out, but since you're in e desert, you'll want to add to its
Heat
Efficiency (although the next mission takes place mostly in the drink).
Add armor to all regions, and take off the artillery. Dump a large laser and add
LAMs and a Heat Sink or two to pump up the Efficiency. If you feel like adding
some extra zap, stick a PPC on one of the arms. This Mech can hold a lot of
weapons--be creative!
Briefing: There are a number of barges laden with supplies being moved through
our operational area. Steiner will doubtlessly be guarding these bridges well,
but civilians will be captaining the barges. If you can destroy the barge
escorts, they will surrender giving us much needed supplies.
Objectives:
Destroy all armed escorts around the barges
Capture (come within 100 meters) four of six barges
At least four barges must live
Capture (come within 100 meters of) all six barges
Walkthrough: The object of this mission is to wade through the murk and capture
supplies off of Steiner barges. Each is guarded by several Patrol Ships and a
couple of Mechs. Assign one Mech to half of your team (Casey and Jen) and the
other to Jules. Concentrate on the Patrol Boats yourself.
Remember, it is difficult to overheat when you're in water like this, so blaze
away with everything you've got. Destroy a target, then cycle through the rest
until you find another Boat. When you've sunk all of their boats, begin to
capture the barges. To do this, simply point your crosshairs at a Barge. If you
are more than 100 meters away, the Barge will appear as red. When you enter the
100 meter range, the target will turn blue, meaning it has been captured. Leave
your Mech buddies to the war for now. Make your primary objective capturing the
Barges. When all six of them have been snatched, then you can focus on taking
down the opposition.
When you do, make sure you engage the enemy away from your newly-claimed bounty.
Lure them into the water away from the barges and circle strafe around them. In
this section of the river, there is a Loki and an Argus to take down. Use the
PPC
to make mincemeat of them. For your troubles, you will be granted a Loki and a
metric ton of salvage.
Mission 4. Destroy Factory
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez
Keep their Mechs and load-outs the same. Upgrade to Clan weapons where possible.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Keep your same Mech and make sure the Heat Efficiency is in the green.
Briefing: The destruction of a key ammunitions factory may cripple Steiner
operations all over Kentares IV. We will try to strike at and destroy this
factory with the help of a local guide in a Swiftwind. Visibility is poor so
short-range weapons may be preferable.
Objectives:
Destroy First Munitions Plant
Destroy Second Munitions Plant
Destroy Third Munitions Plant
Walkthrough: This mission is foggy as hell and dense with lots of buildings. As
you move around the Nav point, be wary of bumping into buildings (especially the
ones containing fuel), as you will get rocked hard by the explosion you create.
It is best to use the outside-the-cockpit view here, as you will get a much
better sense of spatial orientation this way.
Begin by heading toward Nav Delta. As you move, you will see a line of targets
pop up, Vedettes and Bulldogs. Take them out with PPC and laser blasts, then get
on your horse to the nav point. When you get there, Swiftwind will tell you
where
the first target is. From Delta, head generally northwest. You'll have to weave
through some buildings to get there, but the munitions plant is in the upper
left
corner of the mission map.
Find the plant and immediately lay into it with everything you've got. PPCs make
this job a lot easier. Just about the time you destroy the plant, a bunch of new
enemies will pop on to the screen, the deadliest of which are a pair of enemy
Shadow Cats. Tell your teammates to drop one, and go after the other yourself.
There are a bunch of Bulldogs here as well. Snipe at them with the PPC and pulse
lasers. Beware of the Fuel Tanks in this general region. While it is nice to use
them to damage enemy craft, the converse can easily happen. What often works
well
is to blast them before they have an opportunity to hurt you. Make sure you are
at an adequate distance, though. Getting too close to exploding fuel will
destroy
you fast!
While your crew worries about the second Cat, move around and destroy the Guard
Towers here. They are easily taken down with laser or PPC fire. As you scan the
area, you will notice several Mech Bays. When the coast is clear, get in and
repair quickly.
When you've healed, load up your forces and head northeast. Here, you will find
a
Nova Cat and a Hellspawn. Get your crew to work on the Nova Cat and take down
the
Hellspawn yourself. Or, ignore the Mechs. Your team is good enough by now to
handle a paltry threat. Instead, move around and disable (ie blow up) the Guard
Towers here. As you move from tower to tower, you will come across the second
Plant. Give it the Aunt Jemima treatment. Next to this plant is another Repair
Bay. Use it if you must.
The last Munitions Plant is back near Delta. Head over there and quickly take
down the Guard Towers. Have your chums target the Awesome Mech that joins the
action, and focus on the Hellspawn here yourself. Or simply explode the Plant
and
win the mission. It's up to you.
Mission 5. Capture Prisoner Convoy
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie and Jules Gonzalez
Keep them in the same rides for this mission. Load-outs remain the same, as
well.
Suggested Mech: Mad Cat
You'll pretty much want to stick with the Mad Cat the rest of the game.
Briefing: A group of your father's veteran Mechwarriors is being moved to a
prisoner camp for possible execution. We have helicopter assets standing by for
a
rescue attempt. We will strike at the convoy, destroy its escorts, and then move
the convoy to an LZ for extraction.
Objectives:
Destroy Air Defense Radar and Tower at Nav Zeta
Destroy convoy escort
Destroy Targets of Opportunity
Escort buses to L.Z. (Nav Delta)
Walkthrough: Go after the targets at Nav Zeta first. They are about 1700 meters
away at the beginning of the mission. There will be no opposition until you get
to the Nav point, so floor it. Once there, take down the radar dish and control
tower first. Strike at them as you near the base with your PPCs and lasers.
As soon as you get to the complex, a Uziel will assault you. Tell your teammates
to attack him and focus on taking down the targets yourself. As the battle
commences, you'll hear instructions on how to take on the convoy. Polish off the
Uziel before taking off for Alpha. If you got damaged in the fight, use the
Mobile Field Base here to repair before heading out.
Cruise over the plains to Nav Alpha. Here, you'll intercept the convoy. It is
guarded by two Cougars and some paltry Bulldogs. By now, this sort of ensemble
will be easy to take down. Have the party focus on one Cougar. Blast it before
moving on to the second. Be sure to avoid firing on the convoy itself, as
destruction of convoy vehicles will result in mission demise. Also avoid
shooting
the Fuel Tanks. They could blow up the convoy units as well.
When you have dispatched the enemy units, a new objective will appear: escort
buses to L.Z. Now your job turns from attack to defend. As soon as the Convoy
begins to move out, a Vulture will appear on radar. Send your team to take him
down, and head out yourself with the convoy.
Once you get to Delta, a pair of Uziels will attack. By now, you're well-versed
at this sort of lame confrontation. Sic your unit on one of the Uziels and take
down the other yourself. Make sure you keep their blasts away from the departing
convoy. You don't want one of the vehicles getting fried this late in the game.
Soon, the entourage will leave and you'll just be charged with dispatching the
remaining Uziels. When you do, mission over.
Mission 6. Liberate Prisoner Camp
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales or Terra Risner
Load these guys up with long-range missiles. This is a tough mission and you'll
want your foes softened before attacking them. As for the new pilot Terra, leave
her behind. She is a kamikaze and will be no good to you dead.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
You may consider strapping a Clan Flamer on here in order to slow down some of
the more powerful Mechs you'll encounter during this mission.
Briefing: We have obtained reliable information regarding the location of the
Steiner prisoner camp. Resistance will be strong, but we need to strike at this
camp and liberate the prisoners. Be prepared for fierce fighting involving the
largest Mechs you have seen to this point.
Objectives:
Link up wit allied units
Destroy all Mechs defending base
Destroy both guard towers around first prisoner compound
Destroy both guard towers around second prisoner compound
Destroy both guard towers around third prisoner compound
Destroy both guard towers around fourth prisoner compound
Walkthrough: This is an extremely difficult mission against some superior Mechs.
The general idea is to lure them to the outskirts of the base and take them on
one by one. You won't have to do this without help, though. In addition to your
lancemates, you'll link up with on-site help.
There are targets to you left as you begin. Split your team to deal with the two
Cougars that approach, and take down the Mobile Turrets yourself. Or simply
eliminate the Mobile Turret Control to disable the guns. PPCs work well for
this.
When these original targets fall, move out to Nav Delta. Here, you'll hook up
with your extra Mechs, two tough Uziels looking to take a bite outta Steiner.
Stay at Delta for now. Soon, you'll see three Steiner units moving in on you:
two
Vultures and a Catapult (sound familiar?). Tell the group to take aim at the
Catapult and go after the first Vulture yourself. This fight won't last long,
since it's six on three. When it's over head west, sticking to the perimeter.
You'll see Steiner Forces collecting near Alpha. Forget them for now. Instead,
keep cruising around the perimeter, keeping your group close. After a short hike
(when SRM Carriers appear on the radar), head up the hill and into the compound.
Target the awakened Vulture and have your group attack it. Take down the SRM
Carriers yourself, as they will wreak havoc with your team if you let them
loose.
When the missile carriers fall, focus your attention on the Turret Control Tower
at 110 degrees. Taking this down will knock out all of the nasty guns on this
small hill.
As the battle rages, sneak away to repair your Mech at the nearby Bay. Also
instruct whatever comrades might be injured to do the same. You'll want to keep
the battle in this little square between the laser turrets, Mech Repair Bay and
prisoner barracks. Several Vultures and Uziels will join the battle from various
Nav Points.
It is almost unnecessary to order your troops at this point. Since you have
eliminated the annoying turrets and damaging missile carriers, they will have
nothing to worry about except Mechs. And your team is pretty good by now. They
will attack the closest target, and weaken all of the Mechs. You'll just need to
cycle through and finish them off.
Late in the fight, two Catapults will arrive from Alpha. Likely, most of the
other Mechs will have been destroyed and you can focus all group energy on each
as they join the battle. The Catapults should be the last of the Steiner Mechs.
When the last falls, the second objective will be complete. Now you can liberate
prisoners at your leisure. Cruise around the compound looking for Barracks, and
destroy their attending Towers with PPC blasts.
When you take down the last of the towers, James Kulin and a pair of his
lancemates will appear and demand a throwdown. Immediately target Kulin and have
your lancemates attack him. He's in a bad-ass Mad Cat with three Vulture
attendants. Focus your fire on the Mad Cat, but don't get in the middle of the
firefight. You can easily get torn up if you get hit by three PPCs at once.
Instead, hang out on the ridge and pump the baddies with PPCs and laser pulses.
Don't hesitate to go and repair if you take fire. Providing you have lancemates
left, they will keep Steiner occupied while you get fixed. Then you can take out
the remaining Vultures with a fresh rig. When everybody drops, the operation
will
conclude.
Operation 5
Mission 1. Destroy Bombers
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales or Terra Risner
Keep everybody in their respective Mechs for this mission. Take Casey, Jen and
Jules again. This core team is getting quite good and should make short work of
Operation 5.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
The Mad Cat will do you right again. Keep your load-out. It will serve you well.
Briefing: Steiner air assets based in a hidden base somewhere in the swamp land
to the south of Vale may be used as a weapon of terrorism. We cannot let them
threaten the local populace any longer. Destroy the bombers and the control
tower
to end this threat to all non-combatants in the area.
Objectives:
Search for enemy airfield
Destroy all Shilone bombers
Destroy the command tower
Destroy the Mechs defending the base
Walkthrough: You'll see a lot of action during the course of this mission. There
are tons of enemies and they'll all need some destroyin'. The ultimate goal is
to
find the hidden air base and destroy the bombers there. But you'll have to wade
through a lot of Steiner to get there.
The first thing to pop up on radar is a Missile Turret. Take it down with a PPC
or missile blast, then move to the next target. There are several Bulldogs,
Peregrines and other baddies in the immediate area. Have your teammates target
specific enemies and take them down one by one. As you move forward, you'll
eventually come across a Shadow Cat. Unleash your lancemates on him, finishing
him quickly. Then continue the swamp crawl.
The basic idea here is simply to move from through the swamps from target to
target, eliminating all of the red dots. As you move further south, you will
come
across another Missile Turret. Here, you'll find a Vulture. Attack him with all
of your units and move on.
Eventually, you'll find yourself at the base. When you do, three objectives will
pop on the screen. The first thing to do is take down the command tower. It
resides loosely in the center of the base, and can be taken down with a PPC
blast
or steady laser punch.
Once it is crippled, focus on the Shilone Bombers. You'll have to destroy each
before it takes off or the mission will fail. Use the huge Fuel Tanks to take
out
multiple bombers at once. Then, scoot around and pick them off one by one. Your
team will keep the Mechs off your back while you do this.
When all the bombers are destroyed, focus on the Mechs here: a Shadow Cat, a
Nova
Cat and a Vulture. Take down the Nova Cat yourself and have your crew focus on
the other two Mechs. When these base defenders go down, you mission will be
complete.
Mission 2.
Lancemates: None
You'll have to go it alone this time.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your load-out is pretty good for the massive group of enemies you're about to
face.
Briefing: We need to split up to cover all threats to the civilian populace.
Your
job will be to sweep through the swamp and eliminate all enemy patrols. You can
expect mostly Hovercraft, but do not underestimate Steiner.
Objectives:
Destroy hovercraft patrol Alpha
Destroy hovercraft patrol Beta
Destroy hovercraft patrol Gamma
Destroy hovercraft patrol Delta
Walkthrough: This mission is a lot like the last one. A whole lot of search and
destroy. There is not much to it until the end. Simply follow the red dots on
the
radar to hunt down each and every hovercraft and attending vehicle. Start at
Alpha. Carve up the convoy here, using PPC blasts and lasers to take down the
Harassers and Condors.
It doesn't matter which Nav points you hit first, but the easiest path through
the swamp is Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma. You can be a kamikaze to some degree as
well, as there is a Mobile Field Base on this level. Destroy all of the Steiner
forces, but leave one unit, then go to the Field Base to repair. It is located
in
the center of the triangle that Navs Alpha, Beta and Gamma create.
Once you've repaired, hunt down the last hovercraft. When you do, a cut scene
will take place. Lt. Duncan Burke, murderer of your family, will confront you.
He's been camping out for you and wants your Dresari hide. Luckily, you're a
fresh Mech and ready to take him down. Head toward Nav Gamma to meet your
destiny.
Dresari pilots a Nova Cat strapped with a pair of wicked PPCs. You'll want to
avoid battling him head-on if you can help it. You don't want to absorb a double
PPC blast. Instead, circle strafe around him, firing consistently with your
pulse
lasers and artillery and peppering him with PPC shots of your own. Since you've
healed, you'll be able to take quite a bit of punishment before going down. Keep
the target on him until you get missile lock, then send all of your salvos his
way. With PPCs and LRM20s, this will e a short fight, indeed.
Mission 3. Defend Exodus
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales or Terra Risner
Load these guys up on missiles. This mission calls for distant strikes on
heavily
armored targets.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your load-out is pretty decent, although you may want more missiles yourself as
well.
Briefing: The city of Vale is endangered, in spite of our best efforts. We have
been evacuating civilians, but time is short. Two civilian ships remain a the
docks still taking on civilians. We need to buy these ships as much time as
possible and guard them as they attempt to get out to sea.
Objectives:
Destroy all hostile units in immediate area
Protect the refugee ships until they can reach open water
Walkthrough: As soon as the mission begins, you'll find yourself in the thick of
it. Move forward to immediately begin chipping away at the first line of
hostiles. In this bunch, you'll find some tanks, a bunch of Nightshade bombers
and a Nova Cat. Take down the tanks first, conserving missiles for later in the
mission. Order your lancemates to attack the Nova Cat. When the tanks are down,
go after the Nightshade bombers. They'll circle around a few times, so you'll
have plenty of time to take them down.
After these have been eliminated, take on the Nova Cat yourself if it hasn't
already fallen. Stay on the move, though. This sucker has a couple of PPCs that
can sting you if you are too stationary. Pummel this Mech with lasers--it will
easily overheat if you keep a concentrated attack on it. About the time the Nova
Cat falls, you'll pick up an Awesome on the radar. Tell your troops to take him
on and hang back. There's no reason to put yourself at risk when they will
dispatch him quickly. The next up is another Nova Cat. Same deal; hang back and
watch your homies pound the resistance.
As you move forward, command will come over the com and tell you that Steiner is
attacking the citizens. At this point, two more Mechs flash onto the radar: a
Nova Cat and another Awesome. Pit Jules against the Awesome and put Casey and
Jen
on the Nova Cat. You can forget this fight for now. Instead, make your way to
Nav
Beta. Here, you'll encounter a group of Patrol Boats that need sinking. Take
them
down with PPC and laser blasts. Conserve your missiles for the "blue water"
ships
on their way.
After the Patrol Boats go down, hang out in the water and wait for the warships.
There are two: the Thunderchild and the Indomitable. The Thunderchild will
immediately begin firing missiles on you. They are LRMs, though, so just keep
walking toward the ship and return its fire. The missiles will sail over you.
Meanwhile, get a lock on their ship and send a ton of salvos their way.
Keep firing on them with the PPCs and regular lasers. The Thunderchild will go
down fairly quickly if you concentrate you fire on it during your approach. When
it sinks, take on the Indomitable. Use the same strategies here, except you'll
have to circle strafe a bit to offset the closeness of the vessel. If your
comrades are done pounding on the Nova Cat, bring them over to help fight, or
finish the tub off yourself with a slew of missiles and accurate PPC fire.
When the ships go down, make sure all of the Mechs have been destroyed. If they
have been, you simply have to wait until your ships get out of the harbor
safely.
Operation complete! Congratulations, Ian.
Operation 6
Mission 1. Reconnaissance in Force
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gozales or Terra Risner
Again, take Casey, but this time put him in the close combat Loki. The default
load-out is pretty decent, o stick with that. Put Jen in the Vulture. This time,
however, go for Jules in the Nova Cat. Max out his armor before fiddling with
the
weapons. For this urban mission, the dual PPCs will come in handy to take out
heavy Mechs in close quarters. Drop some of the long-range lasers in favor of
medium pulse beam weapons. Since you're headed to an urban environment,
everything is face-to-face. You'll want to be prepared.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your Mad Cat has always been designed for close battles. The current set-up
should work well.
Briefing: We are entering a thick, urban environment to deal the final blow to
Steiner. We need to scout and destroy any Steiner units that we uncover. Urban
fighting is often close range and brutal. Staying aware of your surroundings
will
increase the chance of survival.
Objectives:
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Alpha
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Beta
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Gamma
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Delta
Destroy all enemy units at Nav Epsilon
Walkthrough: You will encounter a whole lot of enemy Mechs on this mission. Now,
more than ever, it is crucial to protect yourself. In this urban environment, it
is easy to find cover. If you're in danger, simply duck behind a building.
However, it is also easy to get trapped in a corridor of pain. To pilot your
Mech
efficiently use the outside-the-cockpit view. This will make it easier on you as
you patrol the mean streets.
To begin, turn the corner and begin to head toward Nav Alpha. Tell your
lancemates to attack the Awesome ahead and move to the left, heading down the
side street until you reach the parallel road. Follow this until you are even
with your targets, then turn the corner and blast the Mobile Turret Control with
a PPC shot, following that with a laser chaser. Taking down the Turrets will
significantly cut down on crossfire and save armor.
Now focus on the Awesome. Blast it with the PPC and missile salvos until it
falls. Then target the Mad Cat and order your group to fire on it. Concentrate
your own PPC blasts to the center torso to eliminate the Cat quickly.
Instead of heading directly for Nav Beta, do the same thing you did when
approaching Alpha. Head over three streets to the left to get a drop on the
enemy. Tell your team to form on you and move out. As you cycle through the
targets, you'll notice a bunch of tanks and Carriers and an Atlas. As you
approach assign a different SRM Carrier to each Mech in your party and take one
for yourself. When those are gone, switch the entire group to fight the Atlas
while you clean up the scraps.
When this group is toast, move quickly to Gamma. Tell you crew to take down the
Argus, but run ahead and eliminate the Turret Control before they get there.
This
will save their armor from getting chewed too badly. When the turrets are down,
scour the area for a powered-down Mad Cat. While he's still offline, pound him
with PPC and missile salvos. By the time the Mech awakens, you can have your
team
help you out with him.
When everything at Gamma has been eradicated, move out to Delta. Originally,
there are three Bulldogs here, but eventually a pair of Awesomes join the fight.
Target them each separately and take them down with the whole team at a time. If
you are severely injured at this point, you can simply command your Mechs from
afar and fight the battle that way. Either way, when the Awesomes are defeated,
you have one more round of Mechs to kill.
Epsilon is in a park at the edge of the city. There are two Mechs (Atlas) and
several ground units collected here. Tell the team to attack the two Atlases and
go after the dinky stuff yourself. One shot from the PPC should take each down.
Try to lure the Mechs near the city so you can use the buildings as cover. And
don't worry too much about losing Mechs at this point. If one of your pilots has
to bail, so be it. The important thing is completing the mission. You've
salvaged
enough Mechs at this point to put them in something decent regardless. Hit the
Atlases with everything you have then run and hide, wait to recharge and go
Alpha
strike them again. Your lancemates will keep them nice and crispy so you can run
in and end it quickly. When the last Mech explodes, the mission will be over.
Whew!
Mission 2. Rescue Pilots
Lancemates: None
You're going it alone, G.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Load on a couple of Flamers. It's about to get pretty tight in the city. You'll
be rubbing elbows with a lot of bruisers, so you'll want to slow them down as
much as possible. Add some Heat Sinks to help your heat rating.
Briefing: There are friendly Mech pilots stranded behind enemy lines. Proceed
through he Nav Points to locate their position. They will reveal their position
with flares. A helicopter will proceed to your location for air evacuation.
Objectives:
Defend rescue chopper
Find the parking garage holding the downed pilots
Defend garage until pilots are in the rescue chopper
Walkthrough: The chopper you're looking for resides at one of the Nav points,
and
its location is randomized each time you play the mission. The general idea is
to
run around and check each Nav point. As you arrive, you'll hear command tell you
if the chopper is there or not.
There are a variety of Mechs on this level, none of which are fun to tangle
with.
The brutish Thor and feisty Shadowcats will provide a deadly one-two punch up
close. The Cougars are the weakest Mechs opposing you, but added to a heavy
firefight, they can turn the tide Steiner's way.
When the level begins, throttle up to full and begin exploring the Nav Points.
Both Gamma, Beta and Delta have heavy forces surrounding them, and you are most
likely to find the downed chopper at one of them. Don't worry if you draw a
crowd. Keep moving through the buildings until you find your buddies. As soon as
you do, command will tell you that evac is about to begin.
Now the idea is to draw the enemy away from the Parking Garage where the chopper
is at so evac can commence. You probably won't have to try too hard to make this
happen. At this point, you'll likely have about eight Mechs breathing down your
throat. There is no need to actually battle these Mechs, as long as you can keep
them interested in you. If you come face-to-face with one, use your Flamers to
overheat it, then pound it with a PPC strike. Just make sure no one is attacking
your transport. If they do, head back to the area and fire on those trying to
take it out. This will draw their fire to you. Take off through the streets,
either firing on the enemy or simply trying to dodge their fire. You'll hear the
updates on the evacuation progress. After a couple of minutes, the party will be
away and the mission will be complete.
Mission 3. Destroy Base
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or Damon
Squire
Your team is pretty solid now. Bring on new blood if you want to, but Casey, Jen
and Jules haven't done you wrong. Put them in the Catapult (or Vulture), Nova
Cat
and Loki respectively to pack a solid punch.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat
Your close-range Flamer and laser punch from last mission will again serve you
well. Go with it.
Briefing: We have located a Steiner base at the site of the local university. We
may be able to get valuable intelligence from the base. Mech forces may be
light,
but reports state that static defenses are heavy. There is a generator you can
destroy to deprive these static weapons of power.
Objectives:
Destroy Communications Center at Nav Gamma
Destroy All Units Defending Local University at Nav Alpha
Destroy Turret Power Generator at Nav Beta
Walkthrough: There are multiple targets to take down in this mission: some
stationary and some Mech. Head to Gamma first, then Beta, and finish up at
Alpha.
As you move toward Gamma, you'll meet a fairly helpless Vulture. Rush in and
flame him, then let your team clean up the scraps. Dart in and bite him with the
PPC whenever it recharges. When it goes down, keep weaving through the buildings
toward Gamma. Keep the Alpha targets to your left--you don't want to have to
deal
with them yet.
Gamma is defended by a bad-ass Mad Cat Mk. II. As you near it, make sure you
have
you full team with you. As they collect behind you, tell them to attack the Mad
Cat II. Then move forward and tenderize the Cat yourself with those dual
Flamers.
If you can light him up enough, you can shut him down. Then it will be fairly
easy to take him down, as he will be unable to fight back. When fighting the Cat
II, don't linger in front of its Gauss Rifles, or it will do you quickly.
With the combined attack of your team, the Mark II will not last long, but it
will do some damage. After destroying the Communication Center, use the Mobile
Field Base here to repair your Mech. Repair your teammates as well before moving
to the next Nav.
Now set your sights on Beta. Change Nav Points (N) and move out. Make sure your
squad is behind you, then charge in and drop each of the Laser Turrets. Assign
your team to take out the Uziel here. Let your boys take care of the Uziel while
you fry the Generator here. Again, there is a Mobil Field Base, so repair anyone
who needs it, then move out to Alpha.
Here the goal is to eliminate all of the Mechs and Bulldogs collected near the
university. There are two Vultures and two Uziels guarding the place. Sic the
team on the Uziels, and concentrate on the Bulldogs yourself. When all of these
tanks and the Laser Turrets have been destroyed, concentrate on the Vultures.
Remember, whenever you get damaged, you can use the Mobile Field Base to repair.
This will allow you to go nuts and take everything head-on, because you don't
have to worry about exploding. When all of the units here have fallen, the
mission will end.
Note: You have a choice of where to go next. Whichever of the next missions you
choose will be the last of each operation. Capture Supplies is a bit easier, but
Rescue Sister is a bit more rewarding.
Mission 4. Rescue Sister
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or Damon
Squire
Since you salvaged a killer Mad Cat Mk. II last mission, you will be able to
give
your old Mad Cat to one of your lancemates--preferably Jules. Give Casey the
Loki
and Jen the Nova Cat to round out the crew.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat Mk. II
Strip the Mad Cat and load it out for close combat. If you want an extra wallop,
load on a Clan AC20. Otherwise, grab a bunch of beam weapons and some lock-on
missiles for added power.
Briefing: The unit your sister was leading has been overrun. Enter the combat
area and search for her location. You must hurry. If Steiner knows your sister
is
out there, they will not hesitate to fire upon her.
Objectives:
Locate your sister
Escort your sister to safety (Nav Zeta)
Walkthrough: This is a difficult mission with a lot of Mech resistance. You'll
have to eliminate all Steiner resistance before your sister can be found. Begin
by destroying the two Nova Cats in your drop zone. Get in close with the AC20
and
pound them. Your Mad Cat will flame the Nova Cats and shut them down, then you
can charge in and blast them auto cannon-style.
After you have eliminated the targets near Alpha, head north and engage the
caravan here. There are a string of Bulldogs and another pair of Nova Cats here.
Attack one Nova Cat at a time. Have the team soften them up, then dart in and
AC20 them. Be wary of Bulldogs here as well. You may want to take them out
early,
as some are equipped with PPCs, which can seriously chew through armor. When all
the targets here are destroyed, move west up the mission boundary to the next
group of units.
The next targets include a pair of Awesomes and a caravan of Bulldogs. Hit them
from a distance with LRMs, then charge in and bang them with the AC20. Tell the
team to take on the stronger of the two, and take the other. Use the side
streets
to quickly dart away after delivering a strike. When all of these baddies go
down, there will be only one more group of enemies--a lance of Nightshade
bombers
that circles over the city. Track them down and blast them, then listen
carefully
to the radio.
There will finally be a response from the ground team which has rescued your
sister. She is aboard a medical evac unit and can be found at Nav Beta. Set your
coordinates to Beta. Once you get there, you'll rendezvous with an ambulance.
The
goal now is to protect the medical evac team as they get out of the city. If at
any time this transport is harmed, your mission will fail, so be wary of
anything
getting near the ambulance and lure them away from it. Also, remember not to
step
on your friends.
Tell your team to form on you and set your sights on Nav Zeta. As you move down
the main street here, you will begin to see multiple targets ahead--all Mad Cat
Mk. IIs. Head toward the Cat IIs at Alpha and let your squad go after those near
Zeta. Tell Casey and Jen to take the left targets, and make Jules go after a
target on the right. You take the other.
The idea is to strike quickly with the AC20s and avoid the Gauss Rifles these
puppies are packing. Since you're in close quarters, maneuverability is low.
Stay
away from the front of each Mad Cat, and avoid getting in between them. Their
crossfire is too much to sustain. Instead, try to lure one away from the fray
separately and concentrate on fighting them one at a time. When you take yours
down, focus on getting rid of the other near Nav Alpha.
Once Alpha is secure, cruise over to Zeta to help Jen and Casey finish off their
opponents. Again, be mindful of the ambulance. You don't want to destroy it this
late in the game. If you have any AC20s left, get in there close an finish off
the remaining Mad Cats. When you do, the mission will end (and you'll get
another
Mad Cat in salvage). Sweet! Off to beat the game!
Mission 5. Capture Supplies
Lancemates: 3-- Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or
Damon
Squire
Since you salvaged a killer Mad Cat Mk. II last mission, you will be able to
give
your old Mad Cat to one of your lancemates--preferably Jules. Give Casey the
Loki
and Jen the Nova Cat to round out the crew.
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat Mk. II
Strip the Mad Cat and load it out for close combat. If you want an extra wallop,
load on a Clan AC20. Otherwise, grab a bunch of beam weapons and some lock-on
missiles for added power.
Briefing: Steiner has a cache of weapons hidden somewhere in this city. Proceed
through the Nav Points to locate the cache. Beware, Steiner will be ready for
you
and an ambush is a possibility. A lot was sacrificed for this chance, so make it
count.
Objectives:
Find the weapon cache and defeat Jeanine Castro
Proceed to Gamma Bunker and check for the Weapons cache (Blow doors off)
Proceed to Beta Bunker and check for the Weapons cache (Blow doors off)
Proceed to Alpha Bunker and check for the Weapons cache (Blow doors off)
Walkthrough: When the mission begins, you will be plopped down into the middle
of
a war zone. Three Loki and one Mad Cat II stand in your way. Tell your team to
go
after the Mad Cat and focus your attention on one of the Loki. Keep pounding it
with the AC20 until it goes down. Then go after the other Loki. When
everything's
destroyed, set a course for Nav Alpha.
Jeanine Castro will be at one of the three Nav points. The one's she's not at
contain only Bulldogs and Calliope Turrets. Select one Calliope for each of your
teammates and have them attack. Take out the final turret yourself, then go
after
the Bulldogs. When the targets have been cleared out of the area, target the
doors of the Weapons cache and blow them sky high. An alternate approach is to
go
in alone and simply blow the doors off the Weapons Cache. This will save damage
to your team. Since you don't need to eliminate all of the targets at a given
Nav
point, this is a viable option. Cycle through the three points until you find
Jeanine and take her down.
Whichever Nav point she's guarding will be attended by a pair of Mad Cats. She
is
in a Mad Cat Mk. II, so beware her awesome firepower. Send your team in against
one of the Cats and take on Jeanine yourself. Stay on the move against her.
She's
got a gnarly Gauss Rifle that can tear you to shreds with a few shots. Luckily,
you're sporting an AC20, which is not to be sneezed at. Avoid sitting in front
of
her for any amount of time, and be sure to use the cover of buildings to your
advantage.
You'll want to lure her out into one of the side streets to fight, just so you
won't have to deal with the crossfire from the Bulldogs and Turrets here. In the
streets, circle strafe around Jeanie and fill her full of everything you have in
your arsenal. When she goes down, help out your friends with the Mad Cats or
find
the last bunker and blow the doors off. The mission will end when each bunker is
searched for the Cache.
Operation 7
Mission 1. End Game
Lancemates: 3--Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, Jules Gonzales, Terra Risner or Damon
Squire
Since you managed to get another Mad Cat from the rubble of last mission, give
it
to your buddy Jen and put Casey in the Nova Cat. Load all of these Mechs up with
long-range missiles and durable lasers. It's time to party!
Suggested Mechs: Mad Cat Mk. II
Your urban load-out with AC20s and LRMs is the perfect bet for this trip as
well.
Save your AC20s for the up-close fighting and you should be a-ok.
Briefing: It is time to bring an end to this war. Enemy forces will be heavy and
desperate. Your targets are the turret control facility and the dropship
containing your uncle. Terminate all units to bring this war to an end.
Objectives:
Take out all Elite Guard Mechs
Destroy Turret Generator at Nav Beta
Stop the Dropship from taking off at Nav Gamma
Walkthrough: This mission will require all of the firepower and skill of the
last
mission, plus some. Time is of the essence as well, because the dropship is
counting down to blast off as the mission progresses. You'll have to tear
through
enemy Mechs quickly if you want to succeed.
To begin, don't head directly toward the fortress. Instead, proceed east along
the mission boundary. The idea is to circle around in front of the fortress to
keep all of your enemies in front of you. This will also allow you to attack
from
long-range to soften the opposing forces. The first thing you'll see is a Mad
Cat
Mk. II heading toward Alpha. He's in a valley below. Continue heading east until
you are even with the Mad Cat, then make a hard left turn to engage him. Head
for
the ridge in front of you, keeping the MCII directly ahead.
As you move over the ridge, target the Mark II and let him have it with a couple
of missile salvos. Tell your unit to attack him as well. This is much more of a
priority than the wimpy Nova Cat that attends him. Don't worry about the Turrets
here. They aren't online yet, just in your way. Be careful that you don't get
hung up on one--there's no quicker way to get trapped.
When the Mark II falls, help out with the Nova Cat. An AC20 blast or two should
help put him down. Now move up to the fort ahead. There are several Thors, a
Daishi and another Mark II here. Tell your squad to go after the Daishi. You
should head left at the gates toward Beta. Here you'll find the Turret
Generator.
If there is a Thor around, get in close and waste him with an AC20 and laser
cocktail. Then pump some rounds into the Generator to destroy it.
Near Beta, you'll find a Mech Repair Bay. Use this to quickly repaired if you
got
damaged in the previous fight. You'll have one more chance to repair before the
final conflict, but a fresh Mech (with replenished weapons) is always nice. By
this time, your crew will have sorted that Daishia and be working on the Mark II
and Nova Cat. Help out with these Mechs, or, if you're feeling saucy, go
straight
to Gamma to eliminate the Dropship.
The Dropship is fitted with Gauss Rifles and PPCs, so you definitely don't want
to sit on the ridge and blast it, because you'll get rocked. Instead, strafe
around it, avoiding the two Nova Cats that patrol its base. Fill the Dropship
full of everything in your arsenal, but be sure to use as many AC20s as you can.
When you achieve missile lock, fire all of the salvos you can. If your
lancemates
are nearby, tell them to attack your target to make it go faster. Eventually the
Dropship will explode, fulfilling your objective.
There may be several Mechs remaining, but don't worry about them right now.
Instead, quickly go back to the Mech Repair Bay for some quick work. Remember:
this is the last mission, so you don't have to be worried about keeping Mechs.
Even if a teammate is badly hurt, send them into battle if you think it will
help. Or, tell them to repair themselves.
When you are fixed, go after the remainder of the Mechs. When they have all
fallen, a cut scene will play. Dresari forces are victorious! But wait! What is
this? Apparently your dastardly cousin William doesn't like that you've screwed
up his plans. It's time for one last showdown: you vs. William. If you haven't
already repaired and reloaded, do it when the cut scene concludes. Then go find
that bastard.
He's hanging out near Nav Alpha, and actually isn't that tough to defeat.
Approach him from the right of the Nav point so the ridge gives you cover. As
you
come over the hill, target Dresari. Get a missile lock and pound him with a
salvo, then veer off and begin to circle strafe. Do not shy away from a close
fight. This was meant to duked out--that's why you packed the AC20s. Keep that
missile lock up and fire a salvo whenever you recharge. Likewise with the AC20s.
Dresari's Daishi is nice, but he only has PPCs and Gauss Rifles. Your AC20 can
blow him off the map, ton for ton. Keep circling him and blasting him with ammo
until goes down.
When he falls, the game is over. Congratulations, Ian. Now watch your cheesy
relatives embrace in the lush palace of a neo-monarchy.