GROUND CONTROL WALKTHROUGH
by Briareos Kerensky (briareos@inwind.it, briareos_HF), ver 1.3, 01/08/2002
Table of Contents
1-Update History
2-Introduction to Ground Control
3-History Briefing
4-Crayven Corporation Units Briefing
5-Order of the New Dawn Units Briefing
6-Special Weapons Briefing
7-Special Equipment Briefing
8-Tweaking Ground Control
9-General Tactics
10-Crayven Corporation Walkthrough
11-Order of the New Dawn Walkthrough
12-Cheats
13-Secret Sabotage mission Walkthrough
14-Homeworld vs Ground Control
15-Credits and Misc
****************
1-UPDATE HISTORY
****************
01/08/2002-version 1.3. Found Dark Conspirancy data disk. I'm happy ;)
For this release, minor corrections and few things added in the Unit, Weapons
and Equipment sections.
28/07/2002-version 1.2. A lot happened (basically? DreamCast, GameCube, Aliens
VS Predator 2, Warcraft 3), but eventually, an update!...BTW, corrected some
spelling mistakes and a stupid error about the photomultiplier. Added unit and
equipment descriptions. Walkthrough standing still, but started General Tactics
section. Minor corrections throughout the document.
Added a section, HomeWorld vs Ground Control.
Found original english names for every mission; rejoy!
Also, do not, repeat, D*O N*O*T, ask me for cracks or serial numbers of the
game. I won't divulge any URL to any warez-related site too, so don't bother
sending mails about this.
22/04/2002-version 1.0. This document should have been completed one year ago
(when I first get a PC effectively able to run Ground Control), but it has been
post-poned until now. Most sections have to be completed, or even started, but
Crayven Corporation as the first three mission in its walkthrough.
********************************
2-INTRODUCTION TO GROUND CONTROL
********************************
Ground Control is one of the most originals RTS (Real-Time Strategy) games ever
did. It borrows concepts from a lot of other games, such as MechCommander,
Starcraft and HomeWorld; like in MechCommander you won't be able to build new
units during the mission, nor resources to gather; like Starcraft (and Age of
Empires, too) the units in the game completes themselves as each unit has its
own strenghts and weaknesses; like HomeWorld you move in a totally
tridimensional terrain, though Ground Control is set on a planet, with hills,
trees and other feautures that can hide units or block fire.
Not enough Ground Control's graphic engine is capable of challenging other
engines, like HomeWorld's or Quake III's (not joking, really: watching all
those mobile parts and expended cartdriges when an units is firing, clouds
moving, dynamic colored lights...).
To properly play Ground Control you'll have to revise all you now about RTS.
After the Third World War, Earth lied devasted and its inhabitants wanted
peace. Two powers risen from this devastation, Crayven Corporation and the
Order of The New Dawn. The first, a multinational company dedicated in
discovering, exploring and terraforming new worlds under the flag of money; the
second, a strange cult composed of zealots, wanting to bring humanity to the
light of a misterious god. Now, on Krig-7B, an apparently worthless, desertic
planet, these two powers have engaged a bitter war for something only very few
people know about...
************************************
4-CRAYVEN CORPORATION UNITS BRIEFING
************************************
Just before beginning, a brief explanation of the parameters is a must; this
will aply for both factions, of course.
Firepower is self expliantory, though it tells only how much damage the unit
does with a single salvo, and doesn't (repeat, IT DOESN'T) consider accurancy,
rate of fire and projectiles trajectory or speed. Armor can be self expliantory
too without the Resistance value; Armor describes the amount (tickness) of the
unit's armor; this amount is then spread between front, sides and rear arcs,
usually with a 50/20/10 proportion, but this might change; a thin armor makes
the vehicle vulnerable to all weapons, while a tick one will make light weapons
useless. Resistance indicates the vehicle's capability of taking damage, or
Health Points, if you like it more. When a projectiles breach the Armor, it
allocates damage. Note that EVERY shot will allocate a small amount of damage.
Example: a Marine firing at a Grizzly in its front arc WILL allocate damage;
however, the low firepower of the Marine and the Grizzly tick armor will let
only the 1% percent of the Marine's firepowere penetrate and affect the
Grizzly's Resistence (its HPs); so, a Marine can destroy a Grizzly, but he will
take hours. Speed is self expliantory. Visual Range will describe how further
the unit can see, NOT the ability to detect hidden units; this value is called
Perception. Stealthness is self expliantory.
The best value is awesome, the worst none, passing by wonderful, very high,
very good, good, average, low and very low.
Crayven Corporation bases its army (or "self-defense" force as Crayven likes to
call it) on strong, heavily-armored tracked vehicles, the Terradynes. Though
Order's units may be faster and more powerful, they cannot match Crayven's tick
armor; their weapons are based on standard projectiles.
------------
--INFANTRY--
------------
+ Crayven armed infantry - CCMIB-2 "MARINES"
Firepower: very low
Armor: very low
Resistence: low
Speed: very low
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: average
Perception: low
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 8
Special Weapons: RMM-9 infantry mortar; CG-89mm anti-tank rocket
Special Equipment: personal medikit; portable radar
Basic infantry unit; nothing much to say here. They can damage even Grizzlies
or Wolves if they manage to get to their rear or they use their anti-tank
rockets, though anti-infantry mortars, able to dispact enemy infantry almost
instantanly is usually the best choice, as your own ground vehicles will face
other heavy ground units; they can fire at low-altitude air-targets, but do not
expect to use Marines to destroy incoming aerodynes, they are not so accurate.
+ Crayven special forces - CCSF-9 "JAEGER"
Firepower: average
Armor: none
Resistence: low
Speed: very low
Visual Range: wonderful
Stealthness: wonderful
Perception: wonderful
Technology Level: 2
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: GyroJet ammo; 140mm RPG
Special Equipment: personal medikit; satchel charge; image elaborator
Crayven Corp's advanced infantry unit. Jaegers are specialized in stealth
attacks, sacrificing armor for speed and stealthness, but not firepower: their
K516d Gauss cannon, though not known to be the fastest rifle on Krig-7B, is
actually powerful enough to penetrate front and lateral armor plates of the
heaviest ground unit. Jaegers can also track air units, but their low rate of
fire makes them ill-suited for this job; however, due to their low armor, when
(and if) spotted, Jaegers are extremly prone to recieve damage even from the
lightest weapon.
Despite these drawbacks, Jaegers are excellent unit when used with artillery,
attack or bomber aerodynes and any other kind of long-range support unit: they
can easily sneak into an enemy base, palce satchel charges to destroy power
buildings and then spot for artillery units, or just support (from afar) the
main attack force.
They are also the best unit to recon the map, thanks to the alredy described
stealthness and their above-average perception and visual range.
--------------
--TERRADYNES--
--------------
+ Crayven scout terradyne - CLSV-112 FSV "LOCUST"
Firepower: low
Armor: low
Resistence: average
Speed: good
Visual Range: wonderful
Stealthness: good
Perception: wonderful
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: uranium ammo; HE grenade
Special Equipment: repair module; minelayer
+ Crayven light terradyne - CT-917 FST "JACKAL"
Firepower: average
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: good
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: low
Perception: low
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: uranium ammo; HE grenades
Special Equipment: repair module; automatic defense cannon; defense rocket
launcher; anti-aircraft defense unit
+ Crayven main battle terradyne - SFB-209 AAT "WOLF"
Firepower: wonderful
Armor: good
Resistence: good
Speed: average
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 2
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: HE ammo; HE mk.II ammo
Special Equipment: repair module; advanced tracker; repair unit
Crayven's main terradyne. The Wolf features a single-barrel 150mm cannon
capable of piercing even the tickest armor. Its speed, combined with the strong
armor and the medium visual range, makes of the Wolf the ideal unit to handle
ground targets, whatever they are: they can easily outmaneuver larger
terradynes and then open fire on their sides or backs and they can sustain
heavy damage. Wolves cannot fire on air targets, nor they have Equipment that
partially defend them from air threats.
HE ammos are useful against infantry and lightly-armored targets, while HE
mk.II are quite useful against larger enemies or when you need to destroy
something quickly.
Repair modules affact only Wolves, while repair units are fixed turrets capable
of repairing evey unit, just like the APC's own repair gun: very useful if the
APC took damage and the mission is just started. Advanced trackers are good
only for novice units.
Firepower: good
Armor: wonderful
Resistence: wonderful
Speed: low
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception:none
Technology Level: 3
Elements in a Unit: 2
Special Weapons: HE ammo; HE mk.II ammo
Special Equipment: repair module; anti-missile system
The Wolf's big brother: it is less balanced than the Wolf, sacrificing speed
for armor. It uses twin 120mm cannons instead of the Wolf's single 150mm
cannon, partially reducing its firepower but allowing Grizzlies to fire at the
same rate of a Wolf. The Grizzly is best suited as a strong hammerhead to
destroy heavy defenses to allow Wolves (or Wolfs ?) to take out lesser foes.
Like Wolves, Grizzlies cannot fire against air targets, though they can
intercept incoming enemy missiles thanks to their anti-missile system. This
doesn't matter much, has Grizzlies can take tremendous punishment before going
down. If you are going to take AAA units with you, equip Grizzlies with reapir
modules, so that you'll be ready to face eveyhting on the battlefield.
Firepower: good
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: average
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 3
Special Weapons: Aries missile; Inferno missile
Special Equipment: repair module; photomultiplier
Medium-range fire-support unit. The Firecracker is essentially a multi-role
missile battery on two thread, packed with enough equipment to let the crew
drive it and enough armor to withstand light damage. Firecrakers can engage
ground units (except infantry) and air units thanks to its missiles; those
missiles are not highly powered, but are really accurate and then rate of fire
of a fully equipped Firecracker unit can destroy everything in short time,
provided that the unit is protected against enemy fire.
As with most advanced units, Firecrackers carry three self-repair devices and
three photomultipliers. Special weapons are dedicated missiles, the best in its
own field of action: Aries missiles are powerful, if less accurate, anti-air
missiles, while Inferno are designed as anti-tank ones.
The main drawback of the Firecracker is its low armor resistance, enough to
stop infantry and small-caliber fire, but not enough to stop large-caliber
rounds or missiles; however, being able to keep up the pace with Wolves and
Grizzlies, Firecrackers are good support units, though they might be eclipsed
by the Jaeger/Hog combo.
Firepower: wonderful
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: good
Visual Range: very good
Stealthness: none
Perception: average
Technology Level: 2
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: none
Special Equipment: repair module; photomultiplier
This terradyne is specialized in anti-aircraft roles. Ocelots cannot attack
ground targets, and need at least one Marine squad to be defended. It is better
to keep them near your strike force to give them protection against ground
forces and give your ground forces a deadly protection against aerodynes.
Against Ocelots it is better to use ground vehicles: 2 full groups of Ocelots
can literally tear apart even the strongest aerodynes in few, well-placed
shots. The Ocelot is one of the few units without special weapons; when
equipping Ocelots, at least one group should use a photomultiplier; the repair
module is higly optional, as you'll keep them near your APC (which has a repair
gun).
+ Crayven artillery terradyne - APP-671 CAT "HOG"
Firepower: awesome
Armor: average
Resistence: wonderful
Speed: low
Visual Range: low
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 4
Elements in a Unit: 1
Special Weapons: guided projectile; tactical nuclear bomb
Special Equipment: repair module; photomultiplier
Artillery. You'll love this unit. Each Hog squad contains only one artillery
piece, and this is its main drawback. As all support unit the Hog should be
placed behind your main strike force, where it can be defended against attacks.
Remember that Hogs can fire when moving (they'll lose accurancy, though) but
cannot fire at moving targets; well, tehy can, but the slow projectiles speed,
their arched trajectory and the relative slowness of the Hog's artillery will
make such shot only good for suppression fire; one of the most popular ways to
use artillery is to have multiple units fire in suppression mode (CTRL button):
with this order artillery units will begin to fire at a very large zone,
eventually destroying everything; this always works well, especially when you
are ging to assault a base, where defensive turrets are usually positioned near
walls and near entrances. An ohter way to use artillery is to used light
aerodynes, Jagers or Light Terradynes to highlight targets; of course, Jagers
are the best units for such roles, and every Crayven unit with artillery
support should have one squad of Jaegers for scouting duties. The standard
artillery rounds are vulnerable to anti-missile defenses, and remember, they
are slow: this means to wait 10/15 seconds before moving your units where Hogs
bombarded, to avoid killing your units with your artillery fire.
Repair modules affect only Hog units and photomultipliers are basically useless
on such units.
Guided Projectiles are really good, but have the same range of the standard
projectiles; do not expect them to hit infantry units at extreme ranges, they
are guided but not that accurate. Also, guided projectiles are VERY vulnerable
to anti-missile fire. Hog's other Special Weapon is a nuclear bomb. As all
artillery ordances is not accurate, but it does an hefty damage; infantry units
will be killed or severly damaged within any explosion radius; light and medium
ground targets will be destroyed with the 50% and it takes a very accurate shot
to fully destroy heavy targets. However, it is deadly and psicologically
devastating.
Both Hogs and Sagittas (Order's artillery Hoverdyne) do not fire at will by
standards. Also, they won't stop firing if friendly units are within their
impact area.
Firepower: low
Armor: low
Resistence: average
Speed: wonderful
Visual Range: wonderful
Stealthness: good
Perception: good
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 2
Special Weapons: uranium ammo; HE grenade
Special Equipment: photomultiplier; ECM; afterburner
Firepower: good
Armor: low
Resistence: average
Speed: wonderful
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 5
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: MCM-DI Tse Tse rocket; Fury HE rocket
Special Equipment: photomultiplier; ECM; afterburner
+ Crayven hunt aerodyne - AV/F-1001 FA "DELTA"
Firepower: wonderful
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: wonderful
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: low
Perception: low
Technology Level: 5
Elements in a Unit: 3
Special Weapons: advanced AI missile
Special Equipment: photomultiplier; ECM; afterburner
Crayven's fighter. Totally unable to target ground targets, Deltas are designed
to control the skies, at every altitude. Though not capable to enter or exit
the athmosphere alone, Deltas are capable of acceptable performances even at
orbital altitudes; however, Deltas were principally designed as low-altitude
highly maneuverable planes to hunt down every other hostile aircraft, a job
that Deltas accomplish with great accurancy; they are only
armed with N69-PDU "Glory" missiles, but are enough to counter the Order hunt
aerodyne, the Draco, and destroy any other kind of aerodyne with few, well
placed shots.
Deltas can be equipped with special AI missiles with greater accurancy and
explosive power than standard missiles, plus all other standard equipment for
aerodynes.
+ Crayven bomber aerodyne - AV/U-45 SRBA "CONDOR"
Firepower: wonderful
Armor: low
Resistence: good
Speed: good
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 5
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: fragmentation bomb; tactical nuclear bomb
Special Equipment: photomultiplier; ECM; afterburner
Condor aerodynes are flying versions of the Hog artillery units. They share one
the Special Weapons, the nuclear device, which is more powerful, as four
independent units release one. The Condors are slow and very fragile, and can
fire only to ground targets; they aren't very accurate (bombs are unguided),
and are best used against installation and slow moving targets (infantry, teavy
Terra/Hover -dynes) when everything capable of AA fire has being destroyed.
When ordering a Condor to bomb a zone, be sure that all turrets or generators
are gone, or they will be destroyed at once.
The Fragmentation bomb is very useful against fleeing, relatively slow units;
it is deadly against infantry and can damage every kind of ground armored
target, though chances to destroy it are slim.
Nuclear Bombs, though relatively more powerful than Hog's one and with a larger
explosion radius, should be used in the same way, by picking up vital and
semi-immobile targets; the nature of Condors' bombing run, however, makes them
more suited for ground-zero tactics.
Photomultipliers can be used for targeting moving targets and both ECMs and
Afterburners are useful to avoid some enemy attacks, though they won't save
Condors from multiple enemy fire (the Condors is big and slow; ECMs will
increase its Stealthness, but logically Deltas and Vultures will benefit more;
the same goes for afterburners).
-------
--APC--
-------
+ Crayven command APC - CLSV-601 "RHINO"
Firepower: average
Armor: average
Resistence: very high
Speed: average
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: low
Technology Level: none
Elements in a Unit: 1
Special Weapons: none
Special Equipment: none (APC repair equipment)
Your APC. If you lose it, you'll be death. It is highly armored, so its
endurance is more or less the same of a Wolf. Though the APC carries a medium
gun, it is not intended for combat, nor for scout duties. APCs can also carry
infantry squads: use them as protection for the APC.
The APC cannot use neither Special Weapons nor Special Equipment, but it always
mounts a special repair gun capable of recharging other unit's health bar.
A three barrel, medium caliber machine gun mounted on a high turret. It is
devoted to point defense against infantry attacks; it's deadly in its duty, but
when facing even light vehicles the CCT-123 finds itself in real troubles.
+ AKA-125
A blocky, twin barreled, fast firing, 125mm cannon. It has a good destructive
power, but it lacks range; also, being so short, it hasn't a very wide line of
sight, making it a good target for long-range units; when detects a unit,
however, the AKA-125 can deal some damages even to medium vehicles; it has some
difficulties in targeting infantrymen.
**************************************
5-ORDER OF THE NEW DAWN UNITS BRIEFING
**************************************
Main units of the Order are the Hoverdynes, hi-tech hovercrafts with energy
weapons. Order units are less resistant than Crayven's but they tend to have
more firepower and to move faster as they travel on air cushions rather than on
threads.
------------
--INFANTRY--
------------
+ Order strike infantry - OCRU-1001 "CRUSADERS"
Firepower: very low
Armor: very low
Resistence: low
Speed: very low
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: average
Perception: low
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 8
Special Weapons: focalized impulse; SMAUG-12 flamethrower
Special Equipment: personal medikit; portable radar
Basic infantry unit; all drawbacks and advantages of Marines apply here too,
though Crusaders might be a little easier to kill. Their special weapons,
however, seem to be a little bit more effective. Though from the name doesn't
seem, the flamethower fires grenades in an arched trajectory, like the Marines'
anti-infantry mortar.
+ Order anti-terradyne infantry - ATI-720 "TEMPLARS"
Firepower: wonderful
Armor: none
Resistence: very low
Speed: very low
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: average
Perception: low
Technology Level: 2
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: Vendetta nuclear warhead; MIRV Vendetta
Special Equipment: personal medikit; photomultiplier; personal stealth field
Where Crayven Corporation has stealth units, the Order has shock troops.
Templar units are composed only by seasoned women of the Pax Dei, and they
carry one of the most advanced missile launchers ever developed, the GrU-6
Vendetta. This missile launcher is somewhat larger than a standard backpack,
but its firepower can rival even tank-mounted weapons; this power comes
primarly from the high accurancy of the missiles fired, capable of pin-pointing
the weakest spot in targets' armor. Missiles follow an arched trajectory, and
being fire-and-forget missiles, it is possible for Templars to move while
firing without losing efficency. Each Templar fires 4 missiles per salvo, and
the recicle rate for the salvos is very low for such a small weapon.
Basically Templars are very powerful units, and the clever use of their Special
Equipment and Weapons can made them even more deadlier. The ground to air MIRV
(Multi Independent Re-entry Vector) Vendetta missiles are used only against
Aerodynes, partially covering the inability of the Templars to lock on air
targets. However, the Vendetta nuclear warhead is the real Special Weapon you
should use; it is far less powerful and its explosion is smaller than an
artillery's one, but the innate accurancy of the missiles often makes this shot
deadly even for Grizzlies. To futherly enhace the Templars' accurancy
photomultiplyers can be equipped, but personal medikit are useful if you are
going to use them as part of the assault force (and if you aren't going to use
the as an assault force, you didn't understood anything about Templar units).
Stealth fields can be used to sneak Templars into a base.
--------------
--HOVERDYNES--
--------------
+ Order scout hoverdyne - W/SAH-4 "APUS"
Firepower: low
Armor: low
Resistence: average
Speed: wonderful
Visual Range: good
Stealthness: good
Perception: good
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons:
Special Equipment: repair module; minelayer unit
+ Order light hoverdyne - 01/SAC-34 LAH "SCULPTOR"
Firepower: average
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: good
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: low
Perception: average
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons:
Special Equipment: repair module; portable defense system; portable stealth
unit
+ Order main battle hoverdyne - 01/MAT-3 "LINX"
Firepower: wonderful
Armor: good
Resistence: average
Speed: good
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 2
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons: plasma hell; plasma charge
Special Equipment: repair module; defense shield; speed pulse
+ Order heavy hoverdyne - 01/WL8 "VOLANS"
Firepower: good
Armor: wonderful
Resistence: wonderful
Speed: average
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 3
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons: plasma hell; plasma charge
Special Equipment: repair module; defense shield; speed pulse
+ Order fire-support hoverdyne - 012/BT-MV mk.II "LACERTA"
Firepower: awesome
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: good
Visual Range: good
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 2
Special Weapons: multifrequency prysm; focalizer prysm
Special Equipment: repair module; defense shields; photomultiplier
As with Crayven's Fireckaker, the Lacerta is born for long-range fire support;
this vehicle is still in experimental stage, but Order Deans are beginning to
use this vehicle more often as they understand the true capabilities of this
mobile weapon platform. As the Fireckacker, the Lacerta can fire to both ground
and air targets, though fast-moving Aerodynes might pose problems, as the
Lacerta's recycle rate and stright-beam weapon are less efficent than the
Fireckaker's deadly accurate missiles; against ground-bound targets (both
infantry and vehicles, though infantry will be hard to knock down with Lacertas
only), however, the Lacerta is deadly: the X9k weapon system not only is very
powerful, but also very accurate: it can rip apart heavy and assault vehicles
with few, well placed shots, even if they hit the frontal armor. Not enough, if
the other targets are close to the original impact point, the energy beam
produced by the X9k can bounce between them, allocating extra damage (note:
this is not like an artillery strike; I saw only five or six times the beam
bouncing through targets, so do not expect that Lacertas alone can rip armies
apart). This weapon system has also a very long range, and it is mounted on a
full-rotating turret.
Lacerta's Special Weapons improves the X9k accurancy (multifrequency prysm) and
firepower (focalizer); if you are going to take Lacertas only for fire support
(this duty includes anti-air fire-hey, I do not reccomend this), carry
multifrequency prisms, as the X9k beam tend to be less effecfive against
Aerodynes (as stated above).
As with most Order Hoverdynes, Lacerta carry Defense shields, useful to avoid
damage during high-pitch battles and repair modules for small self-repairs.
Photomultipliers can enhace thier already good line of sight.
+ Order anti-aircraft hoverdyne - 01/AAPBT-600 "PAVO"
Firepower: good
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: good
Visual Range: good
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 2
Elements in a Unit: 4
Special Weapons: none
Special Equipment: repair module; photomultiplier
An extraordinary machine. The Pavo is reasonably fast and well armored for a
support hoverdyne, and still has room for one of the most advanced Order
weapons, FUR/X9 "claw"; the FUR/X9 fires huge blue/white balls composed of
electricity, capable to lock on targets and follow them until they reach the
designated targets. However, the particular nature of this weapon makes
impossible to target ground units, to the Pavo became a dedicated anti-aircraft
weapon. The ability of a single Pavo unit to destroy enemy aerodynes taking
little or no damage is impressive, as it is seeing the blue bolts coming from a
Pavo home on their target and severly damage it.
As with Crayven's Ocelot, the Pavo doesn't carry any special weapon, and its
special equipment is basic, with repair modeules and photomultipliers.
+ Order artillery hoverdyne - 04/DN9-FO OAH "SAGITTA"
Firepower: awesome
Armor: average
Resistence: wonderful
Speed: average
Visual Range: low
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 4
Elements in a Unit: 1
Special Weapons: anti-tank charge; long-range charge
Special Equipment: repair module
Just the Order counterpart of the Crayven's Hog artillery tank. Sagittas might
be a little more accurate than Hogs but have a slightly (very slightly) less
powerful weapon; armor stats are equal, but the Sagittas move a little faster.
Both vehicles share Special Equipment, but have different Special Weapons; the
long-range charge, though doesn't increase neither firepower nor accurancy can
really make the difference in highly defendable positions (hills, ridges) and
when coupled with scout units.
Anti-tank charges increase firepower and are useful against heavy vehicles and
fixed turrets.
+ Order robot-modules mobile base - 011/BEHCCA "ORION"
Firepower: average
Armor: average
Resistence: wonderful
Speed: average
Visual Range: good
Stealthness: none
Perception: awesome
Technology Level: 3
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons: advanced robot modules
Special Equipment: repair module; defense shield; photomultiplier
There's nothing in the Crayven army capable to match the Orion for the idea.
Reading this description can make the Orion looking like a worthless scrap of
metal, to be substituted with Sagittas or Lacertas; however, the Orion has
unique capabilities, which make such units the perfect counterpart for the
other support unit in the Order army.
Orions are well protected, with good movement capabilities, but no "real"
weapons. To attack objectives Orions rely on GHE robots, small automated units
resembling spiders with a powerful shaped charge. Those robots can target
ground units (except infantry) and buildings and Orions release three of these
units per "sweep" until the target is destroyed. Relying on such small robots
rather than Order's standard energy weapons might make the attacks a bit slow,
but those units are capable of homing on their targets and have a long
autonomy, allowing Orions to stay hidden and continually pounding the enemy
with explosions; often, this tactic shatters the enemy ground force even before
Orion platforms have been located.
Orions are vulnerable to air attacks and cannot reply with the GHE robots to
infantry.
The advanced robots possess a more power explosive charge and better tracking
devices, almost capable of tracking down Apuses and Locusts. Special equipment
is standard-issue for Order units.
-------------
--AERODYNES--
-------------
+ Order scout aerodyne - OA1/FAS-T12 "LYRA"
Firepower: low
Armor: low
Resistence: average
Speed: awesome
Visual Range: wonderful
Stealthness: good
Perception: good
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons:
Special Equipment: defense shield; perception enhacer; photomultiplier
+ Order strike aerodyne - OA2/HAA-309 "PHOENIX"
Firepower: good
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: wonderful
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: none
Perception: none
Technology Level: 5
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons: fragmentation torpedo; Helios torpedo
Special Equipment: defense shield; photomultiplier
Though classified as a strike Aerodyne, the Phoenix can engage both air and
ground targets thanks to its Fire Control System and the Hugh SZX-3000 "Jaguar"
torpedoes. Those missiles are very effective against any kind of armor, as they
rely on twin shaped charges, one to open holes in the target's armor, then a
second to penetrate within the target and explode inside. Basically, it has the
same damage value of a Delta, but the SZX-3000 are less effective against
infantry, as their warhead soen't spread any shrapnel onto the battlefield.
Also, Phoenixs are able to target other Aerodynes, but the SZX-3000 relatively
slow-speed make them very limited in anti-air capabilities, leaving these
Aerodynes easy preys for Deltas and Dracos.
All Order aerodynes are more durable than Crayven ones thanks to their defense
shield, which can protect them enough to retreat or to allow support hoverdynes
to destroy any hunter aerodyne.
The Phoenix special weapons specializes in anti-infantry (fragmentation
torpedoes - not efficient as the standard ones against ground targets due to
their anti-infantry warhead) and in anti-building roles (Helios torpedoes -
slower but more powerful than standard missiles, not reccomended against any
faster than a Grizzly).
+ Order hunt aerodyne - OA3/AN-9000 "DRACO"
Firepower: wonderful
Armor: average
Resistence: average
Speed: wonderful
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: low
Perception: low
Technology Level: 5
Elements in a Unit:
Special Weapons: advanced plasma missile
Special Equipment: defense shield; photomultiplier
-------
--APC--
-------
+ Order command APC - 05/DCAPC
Firepower: average
Armor: average
Resistence: very high
Speed: good
Visual Range: average
Stealthness: low
Perception: low
Technology Level: 1
Elements in a Unit: 1
Special Weapons: none
Special Equipment: none (APC repair equipment)
Your APC. If you lose it, you'll be death. It is highly armored, so its
endurance is more or less the same of a Wolf. Though the APC carries a medium
gun, it is not intended for combat, nor for scout duties. APCs can also carry
infantry squads: use them as protection for the APC.
The APC cannot use neither Special Weapons nor Special Equipment, but it always
mounts a special repair gun capable of recharging other unit's health bar.
Anti-infantry turrets; they can be a trouble for vehicles if there is a large
group of them, but they are lightly armored, and even a Marine squad will be
able to destroy them with minimum losses.
They have a normal perception and line of sight.
+ TIER-7 GUANA
Their objective is simple: to destroy everything moving onto the ground. And
they do it too well. They have a relatively limited range, but extended enough
to reply Wolf's and Grizzly's fire. A single Tier-7 is capable of decimating a
single Wolf unit in no time, but has problems in targeting infatry and has not
a very long line of sight, nor it has an high perception. It is usually backed
up by an Outpost.
+ PULSE TURRET
Inexpensive turrets. They do not pose a proble for every fighting unit, though
they posses the best line of sight and perception of all Order turrets. Their
range is very limited, but have a fast rate of fire. Jaegers can eliminate such
structures from afar, or just move in whatever you have to quickly dispatch
them.
+ LINDAU-666
Nothing more than an artillery cannon mounted on a fixed position. All warnings
and weak points of artillery units apply here too, with the exception that the
Landau won't be able to withdraw if under attack.
+ DEFENSE CANNON
A small caliber machinegun with some firepower; it is enough to destroy
infantry units in few shots and enough to damage medium ground units, but it is
lightly armored, so even Marines will be able to destroy it before it does too
much damage.
+ HUGH TA/9 MISSILE LAUNCHER
Though classified as a missile launcher, the TA/9 fires the same energy bolts
of the Pavo, but a much slower rate. Also, when took alone, it poses no treat
to strike Aerodynes as it is too lightly armored to withstand heavy assaults
and has too low rate of fire to destroy incoming aerodynes; however, whan a
group of these concentrate fire, they become dangerous as a Pavo squad.
Type: RMM-9 infantry mortar
Available to: Marines
Load: 3
Effect: three bombs with an arched trajectory
Use: very useful against infantry, though they can be useful against light and
medium terradynes.
Type: CG-89mm anti-tank rocket
Available to: Marines
Load: 3
Effect: large rocket with straight trajectory
Use: useful against light and medium terra- and hover- dynes. Against heavy
vehicles you should circle the enemy to fire this rocket in their thinner rear
armor.
Type: GyroJet ammo
Available to: Jaegers
Load: 1
Effect: projectile with a smoke trail; they create an explosion when impacting
Use: to be used against vehicles. Can destroy medium ground vehicles with
direct hits to the sides or to the rear.
Type: 140mm RPG (rocket propelled grenade)
Available to: Jaegers
Load: 1
Effect: mortar-like projectiles, though they have a straight trajectory
Use: against infantry. Very effective. If you're lucky you should be able to
kill an entire unit with one shot.
Type: uranium ammo
Available to: Locusts, Jackals, Hawks
Load: 3
Effect: fast, straight-trajectory grenade-like projectiles
Use: anti-armor projectiles. Very effective against light/medium vehicles and,
when shot from behind and sides, against heavy vehicles.
Type: HE grenade
Available to: Locusts, Jackals, Hawks
Load: 3
Effect: mortar-like projectiles.
Use: those grenades are designed to handle infantry and lightly armored
vehicles. They allocate some damage to more armored vehicles, but not that
much.
Type: HE ammo
Available to: Wolves, Grizzlies
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: HE mk.II ammo
Available to: Wolves, Grizzlies
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: aries missile
Available to: Firecrackers
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: inferno missile
Available to: Firecrackers
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: guided projectile
Available to: Hogs
Load: 3
Effect: they look like normal artillery rounds.
Use: very accurate; use them against valuable targets, such as defense turrets
or slow moving targets; very vulnerable to anti-missile systems.
Type: MCM-DI Tse Tse rocket
Available to: Vultures
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: fury HE rocket
Available to: Vultures
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: advanced AI missile
Available to: Deltas
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: fragmentation bomb
Available to: Condors
Load:
Effect:
Use:
Type: tactical nuclear bomb
Available to: Hogs, Condors
Load: 1
Effect: large (VERY large) blue explosion
Use: Mhmm...only precise strikes. In fact, the bomb is ideal against a single,
important unit. Only direct hits will allocate decent amounts of damage, while
the explosion does only light damage. Good graphic effect, however.
Type: personal medikit
Available to: Marines, Jeagers; Crusaders, Templars
Load: 3
Effect: none visible; restore health of all units in the squad
Use: when the health of your infantry is low, use on medikit to fully restore
the whole squad's health. Note that when their health bar is below the 50%, the
medikit won't completely restore it; maximum capacity is about 40% of the
element's health.
Type: portable radar
Available to: Marines; Crusaders
Load: 1
Effect: small tripod with a small radar antenna on it
Use: basically useless. The radar scans a little portion of the map. When
deployed, it is impossible to move it (though you can destroy it).
Type: repair module
Available to: Locusts, Jackals, Wolves, Grizzlies, Firecrackers, Ocelots, Hogs;
Apuses, Sculptors, Lynxes, Volanses, Lacertas, Sagittas, Orions
Load: 3
Effect: the same of the personal medikit
Use: just like the medikit, though this is for vehicles. Like the medikit,
units below the 50% won't be completely restored by a repair module.
Type: minelayer
Available to: Locusts; Apuses
Load: 3
Effect:
Use:
Type: photomultiplier
Available to: Firecrackers, Ocelots, Hogs, Hawks, Vultures, Deltas, Condors;
Templars, Lacertas, Orions, Lyras, Phonixes, Dracos
Load: 3
Effect: increases line of sight
Use: it increases line of sight for a brief moment. Useful for scout units and
if you are going to take novice units in advanced missions for the first time.
I'll speak about combat first. The preparation sequence before a mission is
delicate, too, but let's start with the heavy metal first (moment suggestion:
Cirith Ungol's 100 MPH).
In Ground Control, as its name suggests, you'll lead various type of units,
ranging from infantrymen to heavy artilelry platforms, passing through
aeroplanes; your main strike force will be ALWAYS a ground one, and seldom
you'll need some real support from Aerodynes, which will limit their use to
fast hit-and-run attacks toward far, far away galax...ehm, targets. Also, do
not consider basic infantry (Crusaders and Marines) totally useless: they are
extremely useful for guarding the APC or to sneak some units behind enemy lines
while your Hover and Terra Dynes take the brunt of the assault; of course
Jeagers (if you play with the Crayven Corporation) are better suited for this
task and they can work completely alone and Templars (Order of the New Dawn)
should help the HoverDynes in the assault, as their firepower is amazing.
New Units:
1 infantry squad (Marine only, no Weapons or Equipment)
Objectives:
+ Destroy the Communiations Relay
+ Retreat before the Order Reinforcemnts Arrive
Dropships available: 1
Briefing:
Your objective is to destroy a small enemy outpost, serving as a Communications
Node near the Oracle's Dunes. You'll have only one Marine team, though the
optimal number would be three: it would be too costly.
Map and Weather Description:
The weather is fine. Full sunlight and no storm to obscure line of sight. The
map is small, set on a desert. There's a small plain at the center sorrounded
by low hills. The enemy base is in the upper-right side of the map. Start and
retreat points are in the south.
Unit Deployment:
Just deploy the Marine squad. Set them in offensive, if you want.
On The Field:
Quickly board the Marines on the APC and start heading toward the Order base.
You'll encounter 2 Hoverbykes at the center of the map, and three Hoverbykes
patrolling the area sorrounding the base; unboasrd the Marines when you
encounter the Hoverbykes, and approach the base from the north. Sneak the
Marines in from the small breach in the northest side of the base and destroy
the Crusader unit near the Barrack, then take care of the two Aeris-4 turrets.
Move the APC at the entrance of the base and have you men destroy the
Comminucations Relay; meanwhile the computer will inform you that the Order
reinforcments will arrive in 5 minutes, but you'll have plenty of time to
destroy the Node. Board your Marines on the APC and head toward the Extraction
Point.
De-Briefing:
The mission was a success, but the Order is too spred to counter you fast hit
and run operations; why they aren't taking care of their own structures? Is
there something more important?
Mission 2: THE DEFECTOR
New Units:
1 infantry squad (Marines only; can be equipped with AI Mortars and Medikits)
Objectives:
+ Rendez-vous with the Defecting Bishop
+ Extract
Dropships available: 1
Briefing:
The Denver Dropship will leave in 15 minutes, and there is no time to lose: a
defecting Bishop, Delendre, though unbelievable, contacted the Corporation
seeking protection. Loyal Order units are already following him to track him
down, and it is vital to save him.
Map and Weather Description: An other small desertic map, this time with more
hills and canyons, where enemy units will be able to stage ambushes. Full
sunlight. The DropPoint is in the south, the Extraction Marker in the west and
the Rendez-Vous point in the north.
Unit Deployment:
Marines, offensive set; carry along any Mortar and Medikit you can.
On The Field:
Again, board your Marines on the APC and begin to travel toward the Rendez-Vous
Point. Take the west-most route: you'll encounter 2 enemy HoverBykes and three
Crusader squads; to destroy them faster, use the Mortars again the Crusaders
and just have the Marines fire at the HoverBykes; once they are gone, board the
Marines on the APC and meet the defecting Bishop, now under attack by 4
Hoverbykes. Though he is in an APC, he won't fire back and when you'll reach
him the APC will blown up. Move the APC near the body of the diyng Bishop (it's
very little, and it is NOT near the APC wreckages) and have the Marines destroy
the HoverBykes, then board them on the APC.
Before passing out, the Bishop will give you a disk, and will pray you to stop
the Order and its Garm Project, and will babble something about Devils
disguised as Angels...
Now, move toward the Extraction Marker as fast as you can to avoid being
targeted by the Order's 5 Liht Hoverdynes.
De-Briefing:
Bishop Delendre died more for fear than for wounds; Order Bishops would prefer
to die in agony rather than seeing their robes touched by infidels, and this
one ever asked you to stop the Order.
Mission 3: AT THE SOURCE
New Units:
1 Terradyne unit (Jackals only, with all Weapons and Repair Modules)
Objectives:
+ Destroy the Energy Generators before Thomas' unit attacks
+ Help Thomas in destroying the Order base
Dropships available: 1
Briefing:
You requested more units, and the Hayes finally granted sme support; however
this support comes from major Dwight Thomas, and you'll have to be his vanguard
in a joint operation to destroy the Order's local base. This base is protected
by 7 Tier-7 Guana heavy turrets, which can destroy heavy Terradynes in few
shots; their drawback is that they consume large quantities of electrivity, so
destroying the generator will silence them, allowing Thomas' men to destroy the
rest of the base and their defenders.
Map and Weather Description:
This mission will be executed in nighttime. The map is prevalently mountanious.
The DropPoint is very near the east entrance of the enemy base. The only other
entrance is in the north-west, and it is protected by the Tier-7 turrets; the
east entrance is defended by Light Hoverdynes, Crusader units, Aeris-4 and
Pulse Turrets.
Major Thomas squad will attack from the north-west, and will be composed by two
Wolf squads and his APC. The Energy Generator is hidden between the canyons in
the north part of the map.
Unit Deployment:
Offensive set for everyone. Arm your Marines with Mortars and Medikit; Jackals
will be useful with HE Grenades and Repair Modules.
On The Field:
Ignore the Order outpost, and quickly board your Marines on the APC and move
the Jackals toward north, and have the APC follow them.
Once the small canyon you're on is ending, turn west and proceed straight until
you see a white natural ramp to the hill above. Move all your units toward the
canyon opposite the ramp and unload the Marines: use them to hunt down the
Crusader unit in the area while the Jackals use one or two shots of their
Special Weapons to destroy the Energy Generator (Uranium Rounds works better as
pure damage, bu the HE Grenades, thanks to their arched trajectory will make
targeting the structure a lot easier); if the structure is still active, you
can order your Marines to use their Mortars to bring it down, but save at least
one Sepacial Weapon for every squad.
Now tha the Generator is down, load your Marines on the APC and wait Thomas and
his Terradynes to assault the enemy base. Rather than backtrack your steps and
attack from east, join Thomas in attacking the north entrance (note: though all
turrets, even the Aeris-4 and Pulse ones, are down, Thomas' APC can still take
damage, and if it is destroyed, mission failed baby);
destroy all turrets first, and then all infantry units; Thomas' Terradynes will
take care of all structures and enemy Hoverdynes.
As soon as you enter the base, the hospital in the base will surrender, but
Thomas will destroy it; after it is destroyed, mission will end.
De-Briefing:
Thomas murdered wounded people, and Enrica Hayes even gave him an Initiative
Bonus for this; and you did nothing to stop him. Proabably the Order is right,
the hand of God will eradicate all impures.
Mission 4: IRON SHIELD
New Units:
1 Terradyne unit (Jackals only; no new Weapons or Equipment)
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available: 1
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 5: ACQUISITION
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 6: NEIGHBOURS AT THE DOOR
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 7: THE SATELLITE
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 8: NO WIN SITUATION
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 9: JUNGLE PURIFICATION
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 10: ANTI-AIR RAID
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 11: SIMPLE ESCORT DUTY
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 12: TAKE & CONTROL
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 13: UNDER THE SHIELD
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 14: BEHIND ENEMY LINES
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 15: SHOW OF FORCE
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
************************************
11-ORDER OF THE NEW DAWN WALKTHROUGH
************************************
Mission 1: LIBERATION DAY
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 2: CLEAR THE WAY
New Units:
Objectives:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 3: NOBODY HOME
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 4: ACTIVATION EQUIPMENT
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 5: INTO THE DUSK
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 6: EARLY WARNING SYSTEM
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 7: IMPORTANT CARGO
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 8: HERETIC MANNA
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 9: HAVE GUN, WILL TRAVEL
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 10: FOUR BRIDGES TOO FAR
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 11: SOURCE OF POWER
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 12: COVERT BEGINNING
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 13: WINTER WONDERLAND
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 14: DESPERATE ATTACK
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
Mission 15: THE LAST DANCE
New Units:
Objectives:
Briefing:
Dropships available:
Map and Weather Description:
Unit Deployment:
On The Field:
De-Briefing:
*********
12-CHEATS
*********
First of all you need to activate the cheat mode: to do this, go to the main
menu and press the "m", "s" and "v" keys at one time.
Now you can enter the following codes:
+ console: bring up console the key "~" (for users with a different key layout
from the english one, it is the key left to the 1, NOT the one in the numeric
pad, just below the Escape key)
+ god: god mode
+ not god: turns off god mode
+ from massive with love: strange vehicle textures and explosions replaced by
hearts
+ gimme maps: all missions
+ the new generation of rts-games: Secret Sabotage mission
+ flashlight: GUI has spotlight
******************************
14-HOMEWORLD vs GROUND CONTROL
******************************
Someone begun mailing me asking which of the two games is better. I promised
them that I would have put a section in the Ground Control document, as it is
the one under construction....enjoy, and remember that all below is striclty
subjective.
Point 1 - BACKGROUND and STORY
Both games haven't exactly the most beatiful in-game story of the world; in
fact, Ground Control is full of cliches and stereotypes, and you won't play the
game to see how it ends; you'll just play it because is a good game. As for
HomeWorld, I understood at mission 7 the origins of the Kushans, but many, many
questions where still unaswered, and, above all, every mission was a surprise.
And, a very important thing, Hiigara can be every M-class planet out there, you
just get hints on how the Kushans , and probably on the Taiidans, look like.
As for universe background, HomeWorld start from nothing, putting you in
command of an alien race; and you see only ships, not people. Ground Control is
human vs human, and the background is well defined, but, again full of cliches.
This point goes to HomeWorld.
Point 2 - GAMEPLAY
HomeWorld recreated a full 3D environment; does Ground Control do the same?
Hard, very hard to say. Ground Control is set on a planet, full of hills,
canyons, mountains, plains and whatever you can find on a real planet.
Everything? Not really, there are no caves. Only Aerodynes and flying units are
allowed to pass over other units, where HomeWorld emphasized the aspect of full
3D environment, giving each ship dffent armor values for front, rear, sides,
bottom and upsides.
However, HomeWorld is set in a relatively free environment, with no natural
features that can block line of sight or weapons fire: in Ground Control you
can set ambushes by placing your units in the shadowy slopes on a hill, order
artillery strikes from afar; and you are not bound by collecting resources or
to have a base (HomeWorld hasn't a "base" in the StarCraft/Cmmand & Conquer
terms, but it produces units, stores resources and upgrade existing units, much
like a standard base). The first HomeWorld didn't considered unit experience,
something that Ground Control and HomeWorld:Cataclysm consider well beyond the
simple kill count.
Someone might also say that terrain can limit movement freedom, but in
HomeWorld only nebulas affected sensors, and not by that much in the first
episode (Cataclysm producers realized that and expanded sensor's "rules").
The point goes to...well it's draw, here: both games have strong and weak
sides, which are striclty connected to the spirit of the game.
Point 3 - 3D ENGINE
Both games have stunning 3D engines. HomeWorld was produced somewhat earlier
than Ground Control and its engine recieved only a small upgrade for Cataclysm.
Ground Control engine was used only in this game, and was able to kill a
machine where HomeWord was able to run relatively smoothly. Both engines
features lights, bi explosions, small moveable parts, very small details and
extraordinary textures; however, Ground Control's engine can handle large
quantities of units, clouds casting dynamic shadows on articulated terrains;
every unit has a turret, and releases expended cartdriges after firing; every
infantryman in a squad has its legs, arms and has different animations, and
spit blood when destroyed. Textures are not too big but reallt impressive.
Above everything, the camera can be freely moved through the battlefield, while
HomeWorld's always track a certain unit.
Though HomeWorld artists did a better work in choosing and using colors for
backgrounds, which are never boring or give you the "already seen" impression.
The point here is for Ground Control.
Point 4 - BACKGROUND MUSICS, SOUND EFFECTS and VOICE ACTORS
Definitively for HomeWorld. The use of classical music (Samuel Barber) well
underlines important moments while other musics well define battles. The
Bentusi voice is wonderful as it is Karan Sjet's, or the Beast's one. And the
voice actors always play their role very well. Hearing an Ion Cannon firing is
a pleasure (it is the same for friendly artillery rounds in Ground Control) and
everything has its sound effct, even turrets tracking enemies or fighters doing
tight turns.
Ground Controls has some good sound effects but musics close to nothing and
Leader (the company distributing the game here in Italy) had the "great" idea
of translating it in italian. Translation and dubbing are done quite well, but
most voice actors place too much or not enough emphasys in the wrong places,
though Cardinal Aegeri's actor is really good.
Point for HomeWorld.
*******************
15-CREDITS AND MISC
*******************
Well, the first credit always goes to the software house which have done te
game...so, thanks to Massive Entertainment; then to my new computer: without it
I wouldn't be able to play this great game; then to myself for this great
walktrhough (gee...); then to Robert A. Heinlein for Stranger In A Strange
Land, which became my favourite book after the first three chapters; then to
everyone reading this walkthrough, everyone showing it with my permission and
to everyone playing Ground Control (which isn't exactly a best-seller...dammit,
forget about C&C and play real games!).
Here are all sites that have my permission to show this document:
1) GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com)
2) My site, WolfArt (http://www.geocities.com/khan_briareos/index.htm)
3) Esprit Network (http://cataclysm.esprit-str.com), translated in French
4) Cheat Code Central (http://www.cheatcc.com)
5) Gameguru Mania (http://ggmania.com)
6) Mega Games (http://megagames.com)
7) Games Over (http://www.gamesover.com)
If someone sees this document in other sites, please mail me.
To ask permission to post this document, just send a mail writing down the URL.
Copyright (c) Briareos Kerensky 2002/2003. Reproduction and translation of
this document (as a whole or parts of its) in any mode without permission is
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