***********************************************************************
*Updates and Info.
-V1.4:12/15/01. I added one more level Chapel Perilous. Final Version
will soon be finished. Spanish version delayed.
-V1.2:11/4/01. Thanks to neoseeker.com for posting this document in
their site. Spanish Version Coming Soon!. The mail
david_m2002us@yahoo.com is for questions and errors about the FAQ. The
walkthrough is in it´s last fase, I added two more levels, The Karos
Graveyard: The Shining Hiterlands and Bridge Of Sights.
-Area 1.1: Contacting me.
You can contact me only if there are mistakes in the FAQ or if you find
a website that doesn´t have my permission to use this FAQ.
-Websites with this FAQ:
www.neoseeker.com.
Maybe DLH.net.
Please don´t send computer viruses.
Thanks. The autor.
-Area 1.2: What you can´t do with this FAQ.
You can´t take credit for it, post it on a website without my
permission, charge a fee to showing it to people.
*Section II: The Story.
There are people living on the desert world of Kharak. They all think
one of two things: Their home planet is Kharak, or their home planet is
not Kharak, that the gods exiled them there. After some time, a paper
is presented to the rulers of this world. It states: "Our helix
proteins bear little similarity to most of the life on Kharak." So,
the faction that thought they were exiled grew.
Over time, space flight was developed. Pilots or those flights
reported encounters with strange debris. They brought some back to
Kharak, and found they were containing isotope combinations unknown to
Kharak - or the whole stellar system. No fragments larger then hands
were found.
Then a powerful radar satellite was launched in hopes of locating
more debris rings, possibly bearing larger pieces. But a malfunction in
a rocket caused it to do an about-face and scan the surface. About 75
feet below the surface of the harshest desert on the planet, a strong
return showed where there was supposed to be none.
After repeated radar scans, enough high-ranking people were convinced
that they pooled resources to take a team out to investigate. Through
the harshest conditions on the planet, they excavated it. It turned out
to be the first city on Kharak. It was named Khar-Toba.
While people were tracing power lines, they burrowed farther
underneath and found a power plant - much more advanced then their own
at the time. And attached to it was a complete hyperdrive module -
which catapulted their technology a thousand years ahead.
With the hyperdrive and power plant, the so-called treasures of Khar-
Toba, carted away, only a few archaeologists were left to excavate the
rest. When they opened up the doors to what was an observatory, they
found a stone. It depicted the galaxy, with a line crossing from what
was Kharak's position to the central hub. And on it was a single word,
ancient and common to all dialects: Hiigara, home.
The archaeologists brought the stone back, and a project was started
to get them back home. First the Scaffold was constructed. It would be
the construction yard needed to build the Mothership. Then the
Mothership was built. The 600,000 occupants that would travel to
Hiigara would be cryogenically frozen inside its hull. Then, they
encountered a problem.
There would be so many functions to perform the staff grew into
hundreds. With command added, it became clear that in any sort of
crisis, the Mothership would suffer from communication paralysis. Then
a neurologist stepped forward with a plan.
She was working on biological circuits. When she heard about the
program, she demanded that her system be used on her - to transform her
into Fleet Command, capable of doing hundreds of responses per second.
They built it. Now, the testing begins. And you head to the
walkthrough from now on.
*Section III: The Walkthrough.
*********
01-Kharak.
*Objectives:
-Construct Research ship
-Harvest the asteroids
-Destroy Target drones with a formation
-Destroy Target Drones using Tactics
-Salvage The Target Drone using a Salvage Corvette
*Secundary Objectives:
-Research Fighter Chassis
This stage is basically training mode in the single player. First, it
gives you a cut scene showing basically what's talked about in the
first few pages of the manual. Then it goes through the Mothership
disembarking from the Scaffold. After that, you finally get control of
the game. Start by commanding the Resource Collector to Harvest the
asteroids. While it's doing that, build a Research Ship, and get your
Scouts in a formation. When Fleet Intelligence pops up again and tells
you to destroy the Target Drones using a formation, go out there and
get them.
By now, your Research Ship should be done building. Research the
Fighter Chassis, and then when it's finished, research the Corvette
Drive. Sometime in there, Fleet Intelligence will order you to use
tactics to destroy Target Drones using tactics. Give them Evasive so
they don't run into the Drones (it's happened to me before) and destroy
the Drones. While the Scouts are out making scrap metal, build a
Salvage Corvette.
Now, hopefully you've at least finished researching the Fighter
Chassis. Research the Corvette Drive now to save time later, then use
the Salvage Corvette you built to capture the last Target Drone. After
that, you'll be allowed to Hyperspace to the next level. Make sure the
Corvette Drive Research is complete, and then click the button.
**********************
02-Outskirts Of Kharak System.
*Objectives:
-Send Probe to the Khar-Selim
-Protect the Mothership
-Salvage the Khar-Selim
-Defend salvage team
-Destroy the attacking forces
*Secundary Objectives:
-Investigate the large power signature.
Tell your Resource Collector to Harvest. Retire all your Scouts, and
build 15 Interceptors. Group the Interceptors, put them in Sphere
formation, and give them the Aggressive tactics. Research the Corvette
Chassis. Now, wait for the Resource Collector to get to the Khar-Selim
as your probe. It'll trigger a cut scene, which leaves you with an
alien force attacking the Mothership. Order your Interceptors to attack
them, and the attackers will get crushed easily.
When the enemies retreat, dock all your fighters and wait for the
Resource Collector to return. By now, the Corvette Chassis research
should be complete or close to it, so research the Heavy Corvette
Upgrade when it's done.
Launch your Fighters and your Salvage Corvette. Make sure the
Interceptors have been ordered to guard the Salvage Corvette in Sphere
formation, and then put the Interceptors in Aggressive. Fly the Salvage
Corvette over to the Khar-Selim, and have it Salvage the biggest piece
of wreckage.
Now, some more enemy Fighters and Corvettes will attack your Salvage
Corvette. When it's done salvaging the Khar-Selim, tell the Salvage
Corvette to dock with the Mothership. While it's going there, the
Interceptors will fire on the enemy attackers, destroying them before
they can attack the Salvage Corvette.
Once your Salvage Corvette begins to dock with the Mothership, have
your Interceptors abandon the Salvage Corvette and attack the pursuing
fighters and corvettes. When the Salvage Corvette docks, another cut
scene will play, showing the sound of the destruction of the Khar-
Selim. The video will just be the wreckage you've already seen.
Continue whacking the Fighters around close to the Mothership. After
a while, Fleet Intelligence will enter the scene with his obnoxious
attitude, informing you that he has detected a large power signature
nearby. You don't need to do much to investigate it. Just whack the
enemies as fast as you can the second you see them, and you'll end up
fighting further away from the Mothership... And further...
You'll see a Carrier, the source of the large power signature, if
you've been whacking enemies fast enough and headed straight for them
the second you saw them. Don't even try to attack it; it'll cut you to
pieces. It's got two ion cannons and a few accurate turrets. Stay a
fair distance away, and keep destroying Fighters.
Anyway, after a while, they'll get tired of being killed and they'll
retreat. Dock your Fighters to repair and refuel, and build Salvage
Corvettes until you have 8 total. You'll use them.
Make sure all the research is completed, and make sure your launch
bays AREN'T set to 'Stay Docked'. You need the Fighters to scramble as
soon as they can. When you're ready, click the Hyperspace button to
return to Kharak.
Hopefully, your Fighters will exit the Mothership as soon as it's
finished exiting Hyperspace. You'll immediately notice Kharak is a
cinder. Only this time, Fleet Command blurts out the obvious. As soon
as the cut scene starts, exit it by pressing the space bar, then get
back out of the sensors manager and Alt focus on a cryo tray. Now, some
enemy ships will start firing on a cryo tray. Move your 8 Salvage
Corvettes halfway between the enemies and the Mothership. Order your
Interceptors to attack the enemy Assault Frigates as a group, and let
the fun begin (Note: The number of ships you face is based on your
fleet size. If you have a small fleet, you face 3. If you have a large
fleet for that point in the game, you face 4. If you only have 1 Scout,
15 Interceptors, and 8 Salvage Corvettes, you should only face 3).
If your Interceptors are attacking all of the Assault Frigates, they
should spread out trying to hit your Fighters. When they are all
trying to get your Fighters, group select all of your Salvage Corvettes
and tell them to Salvage all of the enemy Assault Frigates. A couple
may get destroyed, but you should capture all of the enemy Assault
Frigates.
Then you have all the time in the world. Harvest, research the
Capital Ship Chassis, and get the cryo trays loaded. Repair your fleet.
Hyperspace.
***************************
04-Great Wastelands: Part 1
*Objectives:
-Begin Collection of resources
-Protect the fleet
-Destroy retreating Turanic Raider Carrier
During the intermission cut scene, Fleet Intelligence actually tells
you something you don't already know. "However, we have determined
that, in our current state, they can still easily defeat us." Or
something like that. He's talking about the fleet that burned Kharak to
a cinder. He proposes to hide out in an asteroid field and build a
bigger and better fleet-and of course; you have to go there. And, then
the mission starts.
First, build a Resource Controller if you haven't already. Assign it
to guard your Resource Collector. Now, go harvest the asteroids in the
middle of the map. After one or so loads of RUs, the Bentusi Mothership
comes and decides to take control of the ambassador's ship that was
sent out to meet it. Alas, all the control freaks in the game...
Anyway, using some sort of technology I know next to nothing about
besides the fact that it's there and works, they guide you into their
ship. Now, they start talking.
"We are the Bentusi. We welcome you to the space-faring cultures. The
Unbound. The Outer Limb Trade Routes were established in the First Time
by our ancestors.
The resources you collect are of value to the Bentusi Exchange. They
will serve as an acceptable medium for trade.
It has been our custom to equip trading partners with an exchange
unit. It has therefore been provided to your ambassador as a gesture of
good will." I think that's how it goes. Anyway, you get taken to the
exchange screen next. If you click ACCEPT OFFER, you have traded. If
you click done, you exit the screen. WITHOUT clicking Accept Offer,
click done. Now, you have a lot of time to harvest before they leave
and the Turanic Raiders appear. When they start talking again, THEN you
click the ship to get back to the Exchange screen, and quickly trade.
You should be able to harvest most of the asteroids before they leave
if you have a Resource Controller guarding the Collector you're using.
Right after you trade, retreat your Resource Collector back to the
Mothership, and the Controller will follow. Unload your Fighters. You
see, a Turanic Raider patrol will go through the area you were just
harvesting and your Resource ships would have gotten caught, and more
will attack the Mothership, where your Fighters are needed most.
Splitting them up and sending half to the Collector while leaving half
at the Mothership is a bad idea.
When the attack comes, set your Fighters to Evasive and your
Mothership to Aggressive. The attack comes in what seem like downgraded
Interceptors (or Scouts without the speed) and Corvettes that have a
capability I want-to carry missiles. Anyway, go after the missile
Corvettes first, then quash the Fighters. After a few squadrons attack,
a few Ion Array Frigates will Hyperspace in and start attacking the
Mothership. First, kill all Strike Craft in the area, then unload your
Salvage Corvettes and capture all of them. They don't even try to
resist, so there's no excuse. Now, quickly dock your Salvage Corvettes
and Interceptors.
After you capture or destroy all the enemy forces, something new
hyperspaces in. Remember that Carrier from Mission 2 (Outskirts of
Kharak System)? It's back, and now you can deal with it. First, let
the two Ion Array Frigates escorting it start firing on the Mothership
so they ignore the Salvage Corvettes when you unload them. Unload them
once they start firing, and then capture the 2 escorts. In the
meanwhile, set everything besides the Mothership to Evasive so the
Carrier has less of a chance of ramming them and killing them. Now,
bring in your captured Ion Array Frigates, and the Assault Frigates,
you should be able to take care of it.
When you decrease it to about half health, it'll realize the futility
of killing your Mothership. It'll start to retreat. You have to kill
it. If you have 6-7 Ion Array Frigates and a couple of Assault
Frigates, you should be able to take care of it.
We're not done yet. Remember when I said a Turanic Raider patrol was
Patrolling the area where you harvested? It's time to take them out.
There are two squadrons of those inferior Fighters; so 15 Interceptors
set on Evasive should be able to take them out with minimal losses.
Now, go in and finish harvesting whatever's left. Repair your fleet,
and then go on through Hyperspace.
***************************
05-Great Wastelands: Part 2.
*Objectives:
-Investigate the asteroid belt
-Eradicate all enemy ships
This will be the longest battle. Here you should have 3 Assault
Frigates and 8 Ion Array Frigates. First take your Resource Collector
and Controller to the Mothership´s upper-left side to harvest the
resources. Take 2 or 3 loads and head back to the Mothership. Set the
Launch Bays on "Stay Docked" and build your Interceptor squadron up to
20 if it isn´t there already and set them to Evasive and build about 10
Heavy Corvettes. Then move 4-6 Salvage Corvettes to the resource trail
to the Mothership´s right and a little down. Then move your
Interceptors to the same place, but put them about a screen ahead,
where you cannot see the Salvage Corvettes any longer. Research the
Plasma Bomb Technology; wait until it becomes available if you can't
yet. Shouldn't be that long if you did everything above first. Now,
build a Probe and send it like Fleet Intelligence wants you to.
6 or 7 patrols will start patrolling. Let the Interceptors engage
the first patrols they see. They should go after the Fighters first if
there are any. Hopefully, the Salvage Corvettes are out of sight. Enemy
Resource Collectors will come through that area. Let the pass, and when
there are out of sight of the battling squadron, the Assault Frigates
will show where the Interceptors are fighting. Use your Salvage
Corvettes and capture the two Resource Collectors when there are out of
sight.
Now, it´s time to get rid of the Assault Frigates. Let your
Interceptors dock with the Mothership and replace loses. When you have
15 Interceptors, launch the 10 Heavy Corvettes and put them on evasive
and in sphere formation. Do the same with the Interceptors, put your
Assault Frigates and Ion Array Frigates in Wall formation and with
evasive tactics and head where the patrols are patrolling. Now put all
the strike force in Aggressive Tactics and use your Assault and Ion
Array Frigates to destroy the Enemy Assault Frigates (Note: It is
better to destroy the Assault Frigates, because you will lose many
Salvage Corvettes trying to capture them and is better to save them to
capture the Carrier.) Let the enemy Interceptors focus in the Frigates,
and use your Heavy Corvettes to destroy the enemy interceptors, move
your Interceptor Squad and help destroying the Fighters and Frigates.
Now wait the enemy Ion Cannon Frigates and destroy them too. By now
the enemy Carrier will start moving to destroy the Mothership, and use
5 Salvage Corvettes to capture it, but wait! the Carrier starts to
unload Defenders! Destroy them with your Heavy Corvettes and
Interceptors. If you fight enough you can research a similar ship. Try
to capture the Carrier and if you wait a little you could capture the
two destroyers and the Support Frigate. Now dock all your fighters and
corvettes, harvest, repair the fleet and Hyperspace.
*****************
06-Diamond Shoals.
*Objectives:
-Protect the Mothership
"Protect the Mothership..." OK, some enemy's going to attack, same as
last level. Uhhh. No, it isn't. You see, you've just jumped into an
asteroid field, and you're heading through it, into asteroids... And
they do much more than any enemy weapon in this game, you see (Besides
the occasional ramming by a carrier) so, you have to make sure they
don't hit you. And they can't hit you if they don't exist anymore...
Any questions?
OK, blow up any asteroids that look like they're headed into the
Mothership, which is tough to determine from the 3D pictures that you
have. Any thing that has a weapon (Besides a Support Frigate or Carrier
you may have captured), scramble it and have them attack the asteroids.
It helps if you've captured a Destroyer. Park everything else behind
the Mothership. Have the Support Frigate set to Heal the Mothership
when it takes damage, and have your Collectors Harvest; when you blast
an asteroid and it breaks apart, the Collectors can harvest those
pieces that fly around.
Also, MAKE SURE YOUR SHIPS ARE SET ON EVASIVE SO THEY DON'T LET THE
ASTEROIDS MASH THEM.
OK, when you're finished with getting through the asteroid field,
the Bentusi will decide to show up. Accept their offer for the Super
Heavy Chassis. Fleet Command will then ask about the nebula they (you)
plan to venture through, and you'll get a basic "You'll die if you
enter," answer. They'll Hyperspace out. Now, harvest everything you
can. And, make sure you have at least 20 Interceptors and 20 Attack
Bombers by the end of this mission, with more Interceptors recommended.
Now, make sure everything you can research has been researched, and
click on the Hyperspace button.
************************
07-The Gardens Of Kadesh.
When you jump in, group your Cap Ships into the Wall formation and have
them guard your Collectors. Make sure you have at least 20 Interceptors
and 20 Attack Bombers, each in different Control Groups, make sure
they're on Evasive, also guarding the Collectors. Have it harvest...
On a side note, your Sensors Manager is gone for the mission. It keeps
showing red dots where there aren't any due to 'Large amounts of
radiation'... Fleet Intelligence said he'd try to recalibrate the
sensors, but the guy never gets it done. Once you've started
Harvesting, some weird radar-dish shaped alien Mothership-thingy will
approach. The Ambassador's stripped-down ship flies out of your bay.
They also dispatch one. The two come together in between the two
Motherships.
The small defender-like craft circles yours, giving you a choice.
Join us or die. If only we actually got to decide on what to do
here... Well, Fleet Command picks choice B, 'Don't join', and the craft
speeds back to its Mothership. One thing, why didn't they cream the
Ambassador before they left?
OK, small Fighters will exit their Mothership and head for yours.
They'll also concentrate on your Collectors. Leave your Frigates
guarding the Resourcers, have your Interceptors intercept Fighters,
preferably those who are trying to blast your Resourcers, and have your
Attack Bombers bomb the small Fuel Pod things that will appear. Those
refuel their Fighters and they'll be slowed down if destroyed, although
more will always come...
OK, after 8 minutes of defending, you'll be able to Hyperspace. Try
to, use Auto-Docking so you actually have ships left when you
Hyperspace, and blast out...
Guess what? They have some sort of Hyperspace Inhibitor technology,
and they're stopping you from Hyperspacing so they can blast you to
bits before leaving. Their Mothership is using it, so guess what you
do? That's right. Leave your Interceptors guarding the Resourcers, and
take all your battle-worthy Frigates and Attack Bombers and crunch the
poor thing. Once they're finally gone, you are free from attack, so
Harvest anything left, rebuild your fleet and launch out.
On a side note, there's no way you can try to kill the Nebula's
Mothership before you try to Hyperspace and bypass being stopped from
Hyperspacing, a new one will just Hyperspace in and you've probably
lost ships to it. Wonder how many they have... If there's a limit, it's
probably so high you'd spend a couple days trying to blast them all.
**************************
08-The Cathedral Of Kadesh.
I hope you've rebuilt your fleet... You'll need to. Basically the same
thing as last mission. Defend. Only this time they've got 3 Hyperspace
Inhibitors. Don't go after them; just keep using your Attack Bombers to
blast the Fuel Pods and Interceptors to blast the Swarmers themselves.
Eventually, they'll start sending Multi-Beam Frigates, small frigates
with 4 ion cannons. Do NOT destroy these; grab them yourself by
capturing them. They'll send about 9 against you, grab as many as you
can.
Once you have at least 6 Multi-Beam Frigates, you can go take out a
Hyperspace Inhibitor. Send them in Evasive tactics and have them fire
on it. Evasive makes it so it's a lot harder for them to be rammed.
Three-four volleys should kill one. But keep supervising your
Mothership. You don't want to miss any frigates for capture. Repeat the
procedure on another.
Once you've destroyed 2 Hyperspace Inhibitors, the last one will
retreat to a set point. Fleet Intelligence will inform you of a thing
in space which has a 'friendly signature but it's not one of ours.' By
now, you should have 9 Multi-Beam Frigates, but don't worry if you
don't. Finish off the last of the attackers. Put your Multi-Beams in
wall, set on Evasive and guarding your Carrier. Load your Salvage
Corvettes into your Carrier, and set that to Evasive, also. Move the
Carrier about halfway there.
If you don't encounter Multi-Beam Frigates (theirs) when you get
halfway there, move closer by about half of the remaining distance.
You should find them by now. They've got about 7 Multi-Beam Frigates
in Broad formation. And make sure they find the Carrier first.
When they start circling the Carrier, launch your Salvage Corvettes
and tell them to capture the frigates. While they try, the Multi-Beam
Frigates will probably get off a volley against your Carrier, sending
it down into low yellow-high red. Your Salvagers should capture them
before they get another one off, if you set them on the frigates early
enough. If they do get off another volley... watch the fireworks, I
guess.
Once all those are captured, group all of your Multi-Beam Frigates
into a Wall formation, and Evasive. Set them to take out the last
Hyperspace Inhibitor. Wait, there's Fleet Intel...
"Look! It's the exact same ships as the wreckage from Khar-Toba!
Our origins are the same." (Or something to that extent)
Don't let that stop you from blasting them. Wipe out the Inhibitor
and the two groups of two Fuel Pods nearby, and start harvesting. Now
go do something else for a few hours.
When you're done Harvesting, build two Destroyers while you have the
chance. Up your Interceptors to 40. Save your remaining Attack Bombers
for Kamikaze tactics. Hyperspace.
********************************
09-Deep Space: The Sea Of Lost Souls.
*Objectives:
-Investigate anomaly
-Destroy alien vessel
-Salvage the unknown vessel
You drop out of hyperspace at what looks a good deal away from the
vessel, but really isn't. You're supposed to send a Probe toward it.
First, start harvesting. Then, send the probe. Send the probe under the
vessel. Well there are some ships floating around it and are
operational. They will neutralize the probe. Move your Multi-Beam and
Support Frigates far enough away that you can´t see the vessel but you
are close in the Sensors Manager. Move your Multi-Beam Frigates toward
the vessel, close, but not on the top of it, and a little ways above.
Do not move your ships very close to the vessel or they will be
controled by the alien vessel like the other ships.
Destroy their Multi-Beam Frigates and the Missile Destroyer. Now move
your Multi-Beam Frigates backward and launch the Attack Bombers and
Interceptors. Send The Interceptors in Evasive and The Attack Bombers
on Aggressive, make sure the Interceptors arrive first to attack so the
other enemy ships will start firing on the Interceptors and they will
not notice your Attack Bombers. The strategy is this: you use your
Interceptors as a distraction for the enemy Frigates and your Attack
Bombers will neutralize the Alien Vessel. Once the vessel is
neutralized you will recover the ships that where attacking you.
Now Fleet Intelligence says to salvage the unknown vessel, salvage it
and you will have to research the Gravity Well Tech that you find
inside the vessel. The Bentusi appears and says that they want to trade
your info. Well trade the info for the Super-Heavy Chassis. Then Fleet
Command will ask for their help in defeating the enemy. The Bentusi say
something about combat not being their way and they'll bring your case
to the Galactic Council. Then they go try to do just that. Your
harvesters should close to finish, or done, by now. Wait for them and
Hyperspace. You should have by now 4 Destroyers but don´t worry if you
don´t.
******************************
10-Super Nova Research Station.
*Objectives:
-Destroy Research Outpost
-Destroy Enemy Carrier
When you drop out of hyperspace, Fleet tells you that you have to
destroy the Taiidan Research Station. But there is an Active Super Nova
just 215,000 Light Years Away and the radiation that emits affects low
armored ships like Fighters. The best choices here are Capital Ships
and Corvettes. The space dust may have shielding properties, and if you
move your ships out of the veins the radiation will start affecting the
ships. Now move your 4 Destroyers and Multi-Beam Frigates with 2
Support Frigates and the Multi-Gun Corvettes squad. Kill The
Interceptors with your Multi-Gun Corvettes and destroy the Minelayer
Corvettes with the Destroyers, to destroy the mines use Force Fire on
them and the Destroyers will blast them. Keep advancing to where the
station is and don´t forget to research the Proximity Sensor tech and
the Minelaying Tech. Keep advancing and destroying Minelayer Corvettes
and you will Find 2 Enemy Destroyers and a Heavy Cruiser. Leave your
Multi-Beam frigates where you destroyed the Heavy Cruiser and move your
Carrier to where the Multi-Beam Frigates are and build a probe. Move
your probe to the Research Station and Fleet Intelligence says that no
vessels should Hyperspace and advice the enemy. An enemy Carrier will
pass where the Multi-Beam Frigates are and use them to blast it, watch
out the enemy Carrier will start to unload Multi-Gun Corvettes but
there are no mach for your Multi-Beam Frigates. Keep advancing and
don´t get out of the space dust veins, and advance to the Research
Station. Use your Multi-Beam Frigates to Destroy the Station, meanwhile
use your Destroyers to blast the enemy Frigates and then destroy the
Defenders. Here harvesting was very difficult for the Radiation and I
only harvest the upper-right side of the map. Trigger the Hyperspace
button and click Quick Docking.
*****************
11-Tenhauser Gate.
*Objectives:
-Destroy Taiidan Fleet
When you drop out of Hyperspace Fleet Command says that The Bentusi are
here but they're in Distress. Then will trigger a cut scene showing a
Taiidan Force trying to destroy them. Use your Destroyers and Multi-
Beam Frigates and blast the Taiidan fleet. When you are over the
Bentusi will tell you what happened. They will start telling you about
that their Ancient Empire lost a great war and the remaining survivors
where exilated and putted on Prison ships with imperfect technology.
Once their stop talking they leave. Harvest and Hyperspace.
****************
12-Galactic Core.
*Objectives:
-Protect the Fleet
-Destroy Source of Gravity Field
When you drop out of hyperspace, you will encounter 2 Gravity Wells
that stoped the Quantum Wavefront (Hyperspace). Use the Destroyers to
blast the enemy Support Frigates and the Multi-Beam Frigates to destroy
the Gravity Wells, destroy the Assault Frigates and the Missile
Destroyer, Fleet tells you that you can research a similar ship. Once
you have destroyed everything, some Attack Bombers and Interceptors
will attack your Support Frigates, just use your Multi-Gun Corvettes
and blast them. Wait for the Heavy Cruiser that will come from under
the Mothership. When the Heavy Cruiser starts firing, launch
Your Salvage Corvettes and capture it, it will not try to resist. Use
your Multi-Gun Corvettes to destroy the Defenders and Heavy Corvettes.
Now move your Destroyers and Multi-Beam Frigates to where the enemies
Carriers are. Destroy all the Frigates and if you want Capture the
Carriers and Retire them, it will give you some extra RU´s. Ok an Enemy
Destroyer says that is from the Taiidan Elite Guard or something like
that and is telling that he can help us. Move your Destroyers and blast
the enemy Frigates and use your Multi-Gun Corvettes to Destroy the
Interceptors. Repair the Fleet, harvest and Hyperspace.
**********************************************
13-The Karos Graveyard: The Shining Hiterlands.
*Objectives:
-Dock With Communications Relay
Now you have a partner from the Elite Guards and his name is Elson.You
will have to spend some time here in this level because is large and
its full of Autoguns that could destroy a Fighter with one shot and
don´t forget to Research The Heavy Guns Tech. Use your Destroyers to
blast the Autoguns and Taiidan Proximity Sensors, but you will
encounter a problem here, there is a Junkyard Dog that will steal your
ships and you can´t destroy it, for the moment. Try to destroy the
Hyperspace Gates that will open and the Junkyard Dog will stop stealing
your ships so this is the time you kill it, recover your ships and lets
head to the Junkyard Office (Communications Relay) and destroy the
Autoguns surrounding it and move your Carrier and your Multi-Beam
Frigates to the Office, make sure that the Multi-Beam Frigates guard
your Carrier because could be some Autoguns operating and could
seriously damage your Carrier. Dock any Strike Craft or Corvette with
the Communications Relay and Elson says that the Taiidan know where he
is or something like that and he shows you the Best entrance to the
Homeworld. Well time to go fellas! Harvest, Repair your ships and
Hyperspace.
*******************
14-Bridge Of Sights.
*Objectives:
-Destroy The Field Generator
*Secondary Objectives:
-Destroy Hyperspace Gates.
This was a very hard level there are 3 Hyperspace Gates and a huge Orb
of Taiidan Elite Guard Ion Cannon Frigates! They do much more damage
than the conventional Ion Cannon Frigate!. The Best Strategy here is
destroying one ship by one. Research The Sensors Array Tech when is
avaliable. When you finish build Two Proximity Sensors and put them
guarding a Destroyer because three Enemy Destroyers and a Heavy Cruiser
will cloak, well you know what to do destroy the Field Generator with
your Multi-Beam Frigates and Capture the Enemy Carrier and if you want
retire it and earn some extra Ru´s. Harvest and Hyperspace.
******************
15-Chapel Perilous.
*Objectives:
-Destroy the object.
This ultra hard level is very difficult because there is a Headshot
Asteroid coming right in front of your Mothership and there is a
garrison protecting it. I suggest that destroying the asteroid first
will be a good idea and blasting the rest of the enemy ships later. I
repeated this level like about five times. Well I think that there are
no resources in this level but harvest if you want and Hyperspace.
***********************************************************************
True to its name, the Scout is a fast, cheap ship that is useful for
scouting enemy locations. Because of its high maneuverability, the
Scout is excellent for creating diversions and light harassment while
avoiding enemy fire.
While less maneuverable than the Scout, the Interceptor easily
Compensates with its much heavier weaponry. The Interceptor is a good
Fighter killer and stacks up favorably against Capital Ships when used
in greater numbers.
Although its slow speed keeps the Defender from being a primary attack
force, its gimbaled guns and high power rotational thrusters allow it
the greatest coverage of all Fighters.
With cloaking sails active, the Cloaked Fighter is the stealthiest
Ship around. Highly useful for simple surveillance, the Cloaked Fighter
is also a good attack craft. It must, however, de-cloak to fire, making
it vulnerable for a short period of time.
A technological advance created plasma bomb technology small enough to
Fit in a Fighter-sized craft. The Attack Bomber was born. While its
Slow-moving plasma bombs can be outrun by Fighters; they make short
work of Frigates and other Capital Ships.
The Defense Fighter has no attack weaponry to speak of; instead it
Fires beams from its emitter dome to shoot down oncoming enemy fire.
This makes the Defense Fighter an excellent mobile protective force,
especially when used with other Fighter craft.
It's heavy-duty engine, chassis, and armor make the Light Corvette
Significantly slower than any of the Fighter-class ships (besides the
Defender). Its salvation comes in a powerful turreted gun which is fast
enough to hit Fighters flying at full speed.
More armored than its light cousin, the Heavy Corvette adds a second
High powered turret to an already powerful craft. Its turrets allow the
Heavy Corvette to track two fighters at once and also make it a
moderate threat to Capital Ships.
The Repair Corvette is capable of repairing and refueling Fighters "in
the field." While equipped with only a small gun, the Repair Corvette
has heavy armor to protect itself and the craft it's repairing. Timely
support from a Repair Corvette can be quite useful in a long battle.
This beefy Corvette was once used exclusively for towing junk and
salvaging derelicts. After being adapted for combat, the Salvage
Corvette gained the ability to capture enemy ships that are heavily
damaged. Once captured, these ships are towed back to a Carrier or the
Mothership for refitting.
Following advances in turrets and auto-targeting, the Multi-Gun
Corvette was conceived. It sports a full six articulating turrets.
This allows it to track numerous fast-moving targets at once, making it
especially deadly against large groups of Fighters.
While the Minelayer has normal attack capability (dropping mines that
float slowly towards the target), it can also perform a force mine
drop, a where walls of mines are laid at the current location. Running
into a minefield with a fleet of Capital Ships is sure to ruin anyone's
day.
The Assault Frigate is the most general purpose combat ship of the
capital ships. It has four large turrets, which afford it excellent
coverage, as well as two fixed plasma bomb launchers. While its turrets
are too slow to track fast-moving fighters, they can take out the
slower Corvettes with ease.
When ion beam power was harnessed, the scale necessary to produce a
severely damaging beam meant that an entire Frigate could only hold one
cannon. The acceleration ladder alone runs the entire length of the
ship. What results is a devastatingly powerful, focused ion beam.
Giving support to Strike Craft in combat is the Support Frigate's main
role. It has ten Fighter docking pads and four Corvette docking arms
for repairing and refueling. Although it is well armored, the Support
Frigate has only one large turret for defense and is best left alone.
The Drone Frigate is essentially a holding and control system for the
24 drones it houses. These highly maneuverable drones each contain a
powerful gun and, when launched, form a protective sphere around the
Drone Frigate, giving it superb protection against Fighters.
Although it's total firepower is significantly less than that of a
regular Destroyer, the guided missiles it launches make the Missile
Destroyer a formidable foe to Strike Craft and Capital Ship alike. For
supply, the Missile Destroyer has a full missile-manufacturing center
in its belly.
A veritable feat of engineering, the Carrier incorporates an entire
construction center, capable of building up to Frigate-class ships. In
addition, a huge docking array provides space for up to 50 Fighters and
25 Corvettes. Its rapid-fire deck guns give it adequate defense.
The goliath of Capital Ships, this bruiser carries four twin-mounted
ion cannons and six heavy turrets, each almost half the size of an
entire Frigate. When a Heavy Cruiser shows up on the scene, things get
really quiet really fast.
When it comes to taking down other Capital Ships, the Destroyer is a
first choice. It has twin ion cannons and two modified large turrets.
With maneuverability almost equal to a Frigate, the Destroyer is able
to move around well in combat and react quickly to changes in battle.
Using a modified Phased Disassembler Array, the Resource Collector
extracts at a molecular level the base elements in any resource. It
then converts these elements into Resource Units, the generic term for
base levels of material necessary for construction.
The Resource Controller provides remote drop-off capability to the
Resource Collector, minimizing the time spent in transit. Additionally,
it supports refueling of six Fighters and two Corvettes at once via
it's docking pads.
The Probe is outfitted with a one-time use engine which provides a
huge power output for a short period of time. This results in very fast
travel, but once in place the Probe can't be moved again.
The Cloak Generator creates a cloaking field large enough to contain
up to two Frigates. Any ship inside the field is completely invisible
except when firing. The generator can operate only for a fixed amount
of time before recharging must occur.
*Gravity Well Generator
-Mass: 65000 tons. –Maneuverability: Low.
-Armor: 8000. –Max Velocity: 325 M/S.
-Special Function: Captures Strike Craft in its Field.
-Cost: 800 RU´s
The Gravity Well Generator creates a strong field around it which stops
all Strike Craft in place. Gravity Well technology is less understood
than cloaking and, as a result, the Grav Well's unstable field must be
shut down after a certain time and never restarted.
A remote sensor pack with an engine strapped onto it pretty much sums
up the Proximity Sensor. Beyond normal watchdogging its ability to
detect cloaked vessels can make the lowly Proximity Sensor a handy ship
to have around.
Expanding the sensor ability of the Mothership with it's larger-scale
design, the Sensors Array provides full data on the local environment,
letting you see the position and number of all enemy ships, as well as
resource pockets.
Each Research Ship is a fully-functioning science facility that
develops new technologies for the fleet. Newly built research ships
will link up with existing ones, increasing the aggregate armor of the
facility.
-Mass: 5.000.000 tons.
-Firepower: 7500.
-Armor: 160000.
-Coverage: 60%.
-Max Velocity: 50 M/S.
-Build Time: 25 to 80 years.
The massive mothership contains three main sections: navigation, the
fleet foundry, and cryogenics. Navigation analyzes local sensor data,
the foundry provides complete construction capability, and cryogenics
maintains the 500,000 colonists aboard.
*Fighter Drive:
-Required Tech: Nothing
-Leads to: Fighter Chassis
-Needed for: Interceptor, Defender, Cloaked Fighter, Defense Fighter,
and Attack Bomber.
The first requirement for more powerful Strike Craft is a better
engine. Fighter Drive Technology allows us to modify the plasma ducting
and reaction efficiency of our smallest reactors and create a whole new
generation of high-performance Strike Craft that can carry heavier
armor and payloads.
*Fighter Chassis:
-Required Tech: Fighter Drive
-Leads to: Defender Sub-Systems, Plasma Bomb Launcher, and Cloaked
Fighter, Defense Fighter
-Needed for: Interceptor, *Defender, Cloaked Fighter, Defense Fighter,
and Attack Bomber.
Once the full capabilities of the new Fighter drives are documented,
scientists quickly will begin designing new frames that translate this
power into better armor, longer range and heavier payloads. The
Fighter Chassis is the blueprint for a new generation of heavy Fighters
and Interceptors.
*=In single-player, yes. In Multi-player, you can build it right after
researching the Fighter Drives, no Fighter Chassis is needed.
One of the benefits of a larger Fighter frame is the ability to modify
a Strike Craft to carry powerful directed energy payloads. The plasma
bomb system draws high-energy plasma from the Fighter's fusion torch
drive and vents it into a small magnetic containment sphere mounted
aboard a direct fire missile. The plasma venting occurs in the split
second between the pilot firing the bomb and the bomb actually leaving
its cradle. Upon impact with the target, the bomb's containment sphere
ruptures and releases the neat-fusion plasma in a single massive burst.
While the missile is unable to accurately target fast-moving Strike
Craft, it can be devastating to slower-moving Capital Ships. This
ornate and powerful weapon system leaves a Strike Craft without any
room to mount other weapons.
With the need for better space superiority systems, engineers have
developed a whole new generation of targeting computer and sensor
suites and combined them into specialized Fire Control systems. These
new control systems can be adhered to gimbals mounted weapons to enable
them to track and fire upon small, fast Strike Craft.
While researching electromagnetic ram-scoops, a Kushan scientist
stumbled across a process by which intense fields could wrap photons
around an object and render it invisible. Because the ration between
the size of the field and the mass of the generator kept the effect
minimal, it was considered nothing more than a scientific curiosity.
This was until a research team discovered that a generator large enough
to emit electromagnetic fields just strong enough to render a Fighter
invisible could be mounted on a Fighter chassis.
Exploiting the Fighter frame even further, Taiidan scientists were able
to produce a design capable of supporting the large dome Array mounting
which makes the Defense Laser possible.
This improvement to the Fighter Drive trades mass for power. While far
to big to wrap a Fighter around, this new drive is perfect for the
Corvette class of ships. The higher power output allows for heavier
weapon systems and powered turrets. Unfortunately, despite a higher
degree of fusion efficiency, these drives still require reaction mass
to be injected into the fusion torch and must be refueled regularly.
*Corvette Chassis:
-Required Tech: Corvette Drive
-Leads to: Heavy Corvette Upgrade, Fast Tracking Turrets, Minelaying
Tech.
-Needed for: Light Corvette, Salvage Corvette, Heavy Corvette, Multi-
Gun Corvette, Minelayer Corvette.
With an improved engine, engineers were quickly able to expand their
initial large utility hulls into a full-fledged combat chassis. This
new generation of Strike Craft had large crew areas with multiple
control stations which would open the door for heavy, multi-role Strike
Craft with full turret capabilities and superior composite armor
plating.
*Heavy Corvette Upgrade:
-Required Tech: Corvette Chassis.
-Leads to: Nothing.
-Needed for: Heavy Corvette.
This breakthrough represents the pinnacle of corvette class design and
technology. The achievement here is beefing up the structural strength
of the Corvette hull with advanced components and EM field couplers so
it can handle the stress of carrying a second heavy turret.
Advancements in ablative armor techniques are the final part of an
upgrade package that creates the most powerful Strike Craft in
existence.
IN an attempt to further increase fleet defense against high-speed
Fighter attacks, breakthroughs were made in both computerized and high-
speed magnetic couplings. Engineers combined these into a new series of
fast-tracking turrets that can be mounted in multiple configurations on
hulls as small as Corvettes. This ability to track multiple targets and
engage them with separate turrets has allowed the creation of small
gunships that can serve effectively in the anti-Fighter role.
When scientists tried applying plasma bomb launcher technology to the
larger Corvette hulls, they accessed a more powerful fusion drive that
allowed them to experiment with the size of the plasma bomb containment
field and new deployment methods. The development of super-dense plasma
injectors made it possible to create a mine dispenser that would fir
inside a Corvette hull and still be able to produce dozens of small
plasma warheads designed to detonate on or near contact with enemy
hulls. With this technology, it's possible to create minefields around
the Mothership at a moment's notice.
*Capital Ship Drive Drive:
-Required Tech: Nothing.
-Leads to: Capital Ship Chassis.
-Needed for: Assault Frigate, Ion Cannon Frigate, Drone Frigate,
Defense Field Frigate, Support Frigate, Gravwell Generator, Cloak
Generator, and Resource Controller.
The advances in Strike Craft drives soon made it obvious that the next
step in ship engineering should be drives large enough to achieve self-
sustaining fusion torches while accelerating high mass vessels to
combat speeds. The capital ship drive finally allows for vessels that
do not require refueling.
*Capital Ship Chassis:
-Required Tech: Capital Ship Drive.
-Leads to: Ion Cannons, Super capital Ship Drive, Super Heavy Chassis,
Gravity Generator, Cloak Generator.
-Needed for: Ion Cannon Frigate, Drone Frigate, and Defense Field
Frigate.
The new heavy drives require a whole new hull technology based on
heavily reinforced alloy skeleton that can bear the stress of multi-
level decking and heavy weapon mounts. The groundwork had been laid to
design the ship's spine to incorporate theoretically very heavy beam
weapons. This breakthrough can be adapted to several special purpose
designs as well as the creation of Frigate class warships. Scientists
believe that this chassis could lead to even more massive ship designs.
*=In single player, you can build it right off the bat. In Multiplayer,
you need to research to build it.
**=Also needs Ion Cannons.
***=Also needs Ion Cannons and Super Capital Ship Drive.
****=Also needs Super Capital Ship Drive.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
***********************************************************************
*=In single player, you can build it right off the bat. In
Multiplayer, you need to research to build it.
**=Also needs Ion Cannons.
***=Also needs Ion Cannons and Super Capital Ship Drive.
****=Also needs Super Capital Ship Drive.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
***********************************************************************
*Section VI: Battle Tactics.
-Area 6.1: VS Computer.
One of the reasons I like this game so much is because of the Skirmish
mode. Here are some tips for beating the computer.
*Enemy Resource Collectors:
If anybody who reads this has played Command And Conquer, you have good
practice with managing harvesters. And, it's a LOT easier do destroy
the enemy's Resource Collectors here, since the AI doesn't do anything
about it. At least on Easy... But, instead of destroying them, capture
them instead. Still, make sure you can fend off an attack if you go
after them, because the computer does sometimes attack when you do
that.
*Scouting the Enemy:
The Computer AI attacks anything besides itself within a set distance
of it, I believe. And there is a flaw, or the set distance should at
least be bigger. You see, you can position a ship far enough above the
enemy mothership so that you can Alt focus in on the mothership and see
all the ships they're building, etc., and have the enemy not attack
you. Also, this could work in real-life multiplayer if the human
opponent is stupid, but don't count on it. I only tested it on the Easy
setting, so the radius may vary from difficulty to difficulty. It's
worth a shot, though.
*Easy Computer Kills:
There's a really easy way to kill the enemies Capital Ships, and in
theory, Strike Craft, also. Send a Probe or something and take a look
at the computer's forces. Do they have a lot of capital ships just
sitting there, say over 10? You can take out some without getting a
shot fired back in return. OK, Hyperspace a small fleet of capital
ships (say, 5 Assault Frigates and 3-5 Ion Cannons) to the end of that
line of capitals, away from the Mothership. Now, attack the last one.
Sure, it'll be knocked backward, but you should still be able to kill
it. Now, keep doing this until they start firing at you.
It's OK if the computer builds more ships, it's just wasted resources
on their part and more bounty on yours if you have that option on. Even
after they start firing back, you can kill a few. Hyperspace back away
when your fleet ends up in bad condition. Also, I've only done this
once, and on the Easy difficulty, too. It may not work on hard.
-Delta:
The standard flat triangle formation is an excellent way of organizing
groups of Strike Craft into effective squadrons, but it lacks the
flexibility and firepower concentration available to the more three-
dimensional formations.
-Broad:
This flattened line is not effective for Strike Craft as it disperses
their firepower. It is more useful for squadrons of Capital Ships,
where unit quick identification and selection are as important as
firepower. It is a useful formation to approach in if you are planning
to break ships off to strike at specific targets once the battle is
joined.
*X:
The flying X formation is an excellent Strike Craft formation,
concentrating a large number of vessels into a relatively small
three-dimensional space. Its only drawback is that the dense formation
makes individual ships vulnerable to slow turret fire they might
otherwise have avoided if they were dispersed.
*Claw:
Like its natural namesake, this formation is deadly when striking out
at an individual target. The Claw is a superb formation for Strike
Craft when they are targeting a Capital Ship. The four curving lines of
Fighters make concentrating firepower and envelopment deadly efficient.
The only drawback is identifying and selecting single ships inside this
complex formation:
*Wall:
Most effective for Capital Ships, the Wall formation allows larger
vessels to concentrate firepower without dangerously crowding each
other. The Wall is not a subtle formation but does give large groups of
big ships an effective attack mode.
*Sphere:
This is the deadliest of all formations in terms of continuous
firepower. Ships in this formation lose their ability to perform
complex flight maneuvers but gain the ability to constantly fire at
targets from every angle. This is also an effective guarding formation
as it puts the vessel to be protected in the center of the sphere.
