Upgrades
It is better to upgrade your Predator Mark 4 one step at a time with the
crystals rather than getting a Megaship from a parachute. The Megaship
lasts a short amount of time, but crystal-based upgrades are permanent.
Surface-to-air missiles
SAMs have a limited altitude range and will blow up if they fly too high.
If a group of SAMs are moving towards you, climb at full speed, wait for
them to blow up and then return for another attack run. Deploying an ECM,
as a SAM is being launched, will cause detonation and will damage or
destroy the SAM site.
Loop and strafe
To destroy buildings without having to execute a strafing run, fly up to
the target and begin looping. While looping, fire your lasers as the
building becomes a target until it is destroyed.
Parachutes
When the message "Parachute drop detected" appears on screen, immediately
go to your map screen to determine it's location. Once located, return
to the game screen, and move to those coordinates to intercept the
parachute before it reaches the ground. Parachutes will yield various
power-ups, and may even give you a Mega-ship!
Crystal Combos
Our boys in R&D have figured out some of the crystal combinations that
will give you ammo refills, and other bonuses. Keep in mind that Crystals
must be picked up in the indicated order to get the corresponding power-up,
and certain combos may even cause damage to your Predator Mark 4!!
For 2 Crystal Combos, Press1.
For 3 Crystal Combos, Press 2.
For 4 Crystal combos, Press 3
Here is a listing of the 2-Crystal combinations:
Red, Red - Increases Laser
Blue, Blue - Awards ATG Missiles
Magenta, Magenta - Awards ATA Missiles
Blue, Green - Awards ECM's
Yellow, Yellow - Increases Shields
Blue, Yellow - Increases Engine
Red, Yellow - Increases Control
Cyan, Yellow - Awards Multi-Missiles
Purple, Purple - Awards Air to Air Missiles
Light Blue + Yellow = Awards Multi-Missiles +3
These are the 3-Crystal combinations. Keep in mind that the majority of
these combinations will cause damage to your Predator Mark 4!
Green, Yellow, Green - Adds a Wingpod to your Star Fighter
Magenta, Yellow, Blue - Causes Shield Damage
Magenta, Red, Blue - Causes Engine Damage
Magenta, Green, Blue - Causes Control Damage
The 4-Crystal combinations are the most powerful, and are the most
difficult to obtain! They are:
Magenta, Red, Magenta, Red - Awards Mega-Bombs
Magenta, Green, Magenta, Green - Awards Beam Laser
Magenta, Blue, Magenta, Blue - Awards Multi-Missiles
Magenta, Orange, Magenta, Orange - Awards Mines
GreenStar, GreenStar, GreenStar, GreenStar - Awards Random fast Crystals
GreenStar, GreenStar, GreenStar, Red - Awards Mega-Ship
- Mission Hints
Our Ace pilots have compiled a list of strategies for each of the missions
you will fly. Keep in mind that there is more than one way to skin a
Venusian Grub Eel, but these tips have proven to be quite effective in
helping to achieve your objectives!
- Cadet (1st pyramid):
Alright Rookie, listen up because these strategies just may save your
butt out there!!
Mission 1 - Rookies Start Here
Take advantage of the small number of enemies found in this level to
destroy everything and collect crystals. The trees with square trunks will
yield blue crystals, making it easy to accumulate ATG missiles. Other
crystals on this level will allow you to maximize your shields and
increase your supply of ATA missiles.
Mission 2 - Aerial Strike Training
This is a basic training mission. To complete this mission, destroy the
three ground objectives while avoiding the SAMs. Eliminate other ground
targets before the mission objectives are completed to collect crystals,
and increase the power of your ship.
Mission 3 - First Wings
This is a basic training mission, with aerial and ground targets. Be sure
to fly into the mountains to locate and destroy all SAM installations.
Mission 4 - Ground Combat
This is another training mission with stationary and moving ground
targets. To complete the mission, destroy all targets, including the
lone jet fighter found flying in the vicinity of your objectives.
Mission 5 - Stratoliners
Target either cargo vessel immediately after launch. Use full throttle
to get to their location. Fire multiple ATA missiles at each target, and
use lasers, if necessary, to complete their destruction.
Mission 6 - Academy Exams!
Get friendly fighters to help attack the satellites. Find them on the
map, starting in the upper left corner. The fighters will ask to join
when approached. Press X and select "Formation Control", then select
"Regroup". Approach the satellites and change the formation to attack
or all attack. After all the satellites are destroyed, eliminate the
ground objectives to complete the mission.
Mission 7 - Aerial Combat Training
Set your formation to defensive and destroy each battleship with ATG's
and lasers. Eliminate any remaining fighters to complete the mission.
Mission 8 - The Space Station
Set your formation to defensive and destroy the space station. Once
defeated, eliminate each satellite one at a time while avoiding or
destroying the enemy fighters. These fighters may be destroyed by flying
through the asteroid field. Shoot asteroids to collect crystals before
returning to the mothership and completing the mission.
Mission 9 - Central Intelligence
To complete this mission, destroy the satellites, then concentrate on the
ground targets. Ignore the fighters, as ground fire will eliminate them.
Mission 10 - Rocket Pad
Eliminate the SAM threat by destroying each base near the rockets with
ATG missiles, and clear out the surrounding ground guns. Allow your
ship's shields to recharge between attacks on the bases. Once the SAM
bases have been neutralized, destroy any remaining ground guns and
target the rockets. Remember that SAMs have a limited altitude. It may
also help to set the number two camera to an external head-on view of
the fighter to allow incoming SAMs to be visualized.
Mission 11 - Chemical Delivery
Destroy all of the targets at the airfield using your ATG's or Lasers
before the cargo ship lands. Make sure to have plenty of ECM's to destroy
any incoming SAM's.
Mission 12 - The Wastelands
Target the radar dishes immediately after launch. Once these are
destroyed, eliminate the aircraft hangers to reduce the threat of enemy
fighters, and then find and destroy the remaining ground targets.
Mission 13 - Sneak Attack
Destroy the large building at map location E5 to destroy all of the
smaller radar dishes. Then, eliminate the two large radar towers at
either end of the line of targets to complete the mission.
Mission 14 - Supply Line
Target and destroy a single enemy transport before attacking the next
one. Try to destroy the transports quickly because each one carries
fighters that will be launched when attacked. If you become overwhelmed
by enemy fighters and ATA missiles, dive down and skim along the ground
using the landscape to your advantage. These missiles usually take a
straight path towards their target and will explode when they hit the
ground at higher elevations. The mountains will also take out enemy
fighters, since their pilots navigate poorly at very low altitudes.
Mission 15 - Transmission Towers
You must be fast to complete this mission!! Ignore the enemy fighters and
destroy the first tower using your lasers since the ATG missile will not
give you a lock on your target. Once done, fly to the second tower and
destroy it in the same manner. Remember that you will have only thirty
seconds between destroying the first and second towers. Dock with the
mothership to complete the mission, taking out any attacking enemy
fighters in the process.
Mission Hints (2nd pyramid)
Well, I see you got a promotion, Corporal. Good job! But, let's not get
too comfortable up there or we will be scraping you off of a hillside.
Mission 16 - Scanners Down
It is not necessary to engage the enemy fighters in air-to-air combat. As
in Supply Line, skim the surface at full throttle and let the terrain
take care of the enemy. As long as you are moving at full throttle, the
SAMs that are launched will not be able to hit your fighter. Although
more enemy fighters are launched sporadically, only the ten fighters
present at the beginning of the mission need to be destroyed. The
jamming tower is located at coordinates B5 and does not need to be
actually targeted. By skimming this area, the enemies own laser fire
will create collateral damage and take out the tower while they are
aiming for your fighter. Once the tower is destroyed, switch to map
view, and view the details on each fighter that is still remaining. Make
note of the fighters that are described as "must be destroyed" versus
the replacement fighters that are described as "immaterial". Destroy the
indicated fighters to complete the mission.
Mission 17 - Outpost
This is a simple mission. Set the formation control to "attack" and allow
the other friendly fighters and the asteroids take care of the attacking
enemy fighters.
Mission 18 - Down In The Valley
Destroy one excavation site before moving on to the next one. Each is
shaped in a square, with defensive structures in each corner. Be careful,
because some of these sites are defended by enemy fighters. Destroy the
large yellow hangar buildings to eliminate this threat. Then, destroy
the SAM silos, followed by the laser batteries before eliminating the
other structures at each site.
Mission 19 - Blanket Bombing
The "incendiary device" referred to in the briefing is the beam laser. A
total of 40 beam laser upgrades can be obtained by destroying the purple
warehouses grouped by themselves on the northern and western edges of
your map. The warehouses are the buildings with smokestacks. Destroying
the other purple buildings in these target areas will not yield any
bonuses. Used carefully, this will allow two or three targets in the
other areas to be destroyed. Make sure that the lasers are fully powered,
or your attacks will be ineffective. Watch for a Megaship parachute
upgrade to help finish the mission. This world is heavily defended.
Ignore all the defenses except those that must be destroyed to complete
the mission objectives.
Mission 20 - Command And Control
Take several fighters in "Defensive" formation and destroy the satellites
and stratoliners before attacking the rotating blue starbases. Draw fire
from the starbase by making close passes at high speed while the fighters
attack. Starbases can be destroyed by ramming into them at full throttle
after they are damaged and if your fighter has full shields. An alternate
method tob destroy the starbases is to approach them until they just
appear into view with a zero throttle. Shoot them until they fire back,
then go to full throttle, avoid their laser fire, and position your ship
for another pass.
Mission 21 - Traitor!
This planet is heavily defended. Let the laser batteries take out the
enemy fighters for you while targeting the mission objectives.
Mission 22 - Brainwashed
High altitude diving attacks should be used to complete this mission. The
enemy fighters will be taken out by their own lasers and enemy SAMs as
they try to reach your fighter's ceiling limit. Ground-skimming attacks
are not recommended due to the tall structures in the target zones and
large amount of water present that can not shield your fighter from
ground fire.
Mission 23 - Sea Breeze
Immediately destroy the ships and runway to reduce the threat of enemy
fighters and leave the laser batteries for last.
Mission 24 - The Dark Training Camp
This world wraps around a single island. Start at one end and eliminate
all targets, which appear on gray squares, from high altitude. Allow
the laser and SAM batteries to survive in order for ground fire to take
out any enemy fighters that may be launched.
Mission 25 - Chemical Plant
Ignore the enemy fighters. Only one needs to be destroyed and it will
be the only remaining fighter at the end of the mission due to heavy
ground fire. The buildings in the mission objective all appear as blue
or purple structures.
Mission 26 - Remote Fuel Depot
Your first objective should be to destroy the structure next to the
short runway. This will remove the threat of the experimental fighter,
leaving you free to destroy all the other targets on the island.
Mission 27 - Enemy Attack Platform
The two friendly pilots in enemy fighters will automatically join your
formation when your fighter launches from the mothership. Set your
formation pattern to defensive and attack both starbases. Since this
mission is in space, there is no point of reference for "above" and
"below" on the display. Refer to the asteroid field as the "ground"
and skim right above it. Both starbases are located just above this
point using this frame of reference. Try to destroy the starbase
surrounded by satellites first. Several high speed passes at full
throttle are necessary to avoid missiles and enemy fighters.
Mission 28 - Remote Mining Station
Since this mission is timed, the targets must be destroyed very quickly.
A low level attack works best, with zero throttle while flying over the
actual mining station.
Mission 29 - Enemy Arms Meeting
The transport that is the mission objective is heavily shielded. A
combination of a large number of ATA missiles and sustained laser fire
will eventually destroy it. Keep firing away and use ECM's to throw off
any missiles while keeping the transport targeted.
Mission 30 - Damn Rookie Pilots
Get the friendly fighters into a defensive formation. Fly at full
throttle to avoid missiles, and use your ATA missiles and lasers to
destroy the enemy fighters.
