Part 8: On Wings of Glory (Except Dusters)

When we left off, some new people blew up our factory. Unfortunate, but hey. It'd make a short game if it went "and they lived off the factory forever. The End." No, we must press on.


To the sou-- A green X? Green X's are trial maps, this game's version of the War Room. Now that we've made it here, a couple new ones will unlock as we complete missions, and completing trial maps will unlock MORE trial maps.

I'll show some of these off. Eventually. For now, the south!




: Got any suggestions what we do now, Doc?

: Oh ho! Yes...um...no. No, I don't. We're in trouble, no doubt about it.

: Are there any other factories with the systems we need?

: No, not to my knowledge.

: Automated...crop factories?

: Do you know something, Isabella?

: Yes...I do.

: What is it?

Dramatic scene change! Well, a fade to black into the battalion tent.

: You're absolutely certain about this?

: Yes.

: This is no joking matter, young lady!

Are.. are you feeling well, Dr.Morris? Should we worry about you catching the Creeping Derangea? Please don't die, you're LIKABLE
: You're saying you know the location of another factory, is that correct?

: Yes. It is located at latitude 25.345 degrees north and longitude 131.035 degrees west.

: Oh...um... Well, as long as you're sure!

: That's in the Seratta mountain range.

: There is an underground nuclear shelter at the coordinates I have given you. It contains a subterranean farm and small-scale factory capable of feeding 1,000 people.

: Do you really expect us to believe that? I've never heard of such a place!

: Nor have I.


: In the event of an all-out nuclear war, they would be able to live in the shelter for decades. Its existence is not known to the general public. Access requires a grade 4 security clearance.

: Oh ho! Now we know! You must be the president's secret daughter! Oh ho! Oh ho ho ho!

: The construction contract for the shelter was awarded to a private military firm...IDS...

Oh great, we've got her skipping. Readjust the needle, hit the hard reset button, something.

: What is it, Isabella? What's wrong?

: I'm sorry... It's my head. It's pounding so hard... I can't think.

: Captain Brenner! I'll take care of Isabella.

: You do that, Will.

: That girl may be a complete mystery, but I feel strangely confident she's not lying. Perhaps those coordinates will lead us to the answer to our dilemma, hmmm?

: Could be, Doc. It's worth checking out, that's for sure.

: Captain, sir! One of our recon units just pulled in. It's reporting a firefight in progress! There's a lone unit running or its life. It's a Rubinelle unit, sir!



Oh God no...
: Did they not see the meteors? The fires, the floods, the dead people? They act like there's still a damn war goin' on, and... Hey! Who are you?

: This is captain Brenner of the 12th Battalion.

: Aw, yeah! Now, we're talkin'! The cavalry arrives!

: Name and rank, soldier. Where's the rest of your company?

: Name and rank? Listen up, brother man. That's all ancient history! I ain't heard a peep from the big brass since the sky fell in. How 'bout you? Nothin', right? Yeah, I thought so.

: You're right. We've been operating on our own. It seems Rubinelle's government is gone for good.

: Cheer up, Brenner! Ain't nothing wrong with that. The name's Waylon. Oh, right... Captain Waylon of the 13th Airborne! Ha ha ha! Lighten up, will ya? We're survivors! We're like lottery winners! Ain't much left of the old world. Least we can do is enjoy the new one.

: Captain! The enemy has spotted us and is moving to engage.

: Understood. Get 'em ready, Lin.

: Attention, all units! The yellow fighter is a friendly.


: Right kindly of you, baby. I owe you one!

In a different world... Lin: ...You know what? Nevermind. All missiles, take aim.

Sadly that never happens. Moving on, Waylon does nothing this mission, sitting happily in his yellow fighter while we bust our balls. We can see a whole bunch of new units. Let's get started.


The indirects versus air units, Missiles are... alright. Slow moving, a range of 3-6, can't fire if they moved, and they're fairly expensive for this job. They're best used to holding points over actively trying to attack with them. That's about all I can say about them, really.


Possibly my favourite unit in the game, the Anti-Air (I later abbreviate it to AA) does what it's name suggests: puts the hurt on air units. A direct firing unit, this thing's cannon can also deal some serious damage to infantry, recons and indirect units like the aforementioned missiles. They really don't have a downside beyond "keep out of range of tanks"


Battle copters, or B-Copters, are great. Missiles for armored units, an infinite machine gun as backup/ for infantry units, a six space movement range unimpeded by that pesky ground thing. B Copters are a solid air unit, though they take counter attacks from ground units with a machine gun.


Fighters are the king of the skies. Able to only target other air units, Fighters can move the farthest in the game, will cripple anything the claims to be airborne, and compeltely obliterate B-Copters in a single strike. Their downside is the fact that they only target air. But hey, it's a niche that needs filling.


Bombers, on the other hand, are the counterpart to the fighter. Able to only target ground, they wreak havoc on anything trudging along the surface. That War Tank last map? Yeah, Bombers deal 75% damage to it. Anti-Tanks? 80% damage. Again, their downside is they can't counter a specific threat, this time being fighters. I tend to keep a fighter close by in case of this.


The text lies! Dusters are new to AW:DoR. They're pathetic. A limited ammo machine gun is their only weapon. THey deal 55% damage to INFANTRY. Their best use is anti-copter, doing 75% damage to B-Copters at full health. Not really worth the 13000G it costs to buy them from airports.

Fuck dusters.


Meanwhile, over on the enemy's side, we have a smattering of forces. There's one more new unit there, the rocket.


The rocket is the artillery's big brother. Deals more damage, has a range of 3-5, slightly better armor. It's flaw lies with the move style. It's the same as the missile, which is also the same as the recon. It takes 2 movement points to get across a tile of plains. When you have only 5 to spare, you aren't going anywhere fast if you aren't on a road. Still, great for holding a chokepoint.


Actual combat now. The enemy force started in range of the missiles. Also, capturing things for more money I hardly use.


Anti air versus Duster. No contest. Remains at 3 HP.


General troop movement. I split the forces to cover both sides as effectively as I can. End turn, let's see who we're dealing with. But first, Waylon sits around like a fool. We hear the first 5 seconds of his theme though:


Waylon's Theme - Flight of the Coward. Love this song's name. Son'gs alright, not one of my favourites, but I'm a bit biased because I don't like him anyway.


: Rejoice, brothers and sisters of Lazuria! Our enemy is before us! In the names of our ancestors, let us sow the soil with their bones!
Unlike our last encounter with new people, Tasha here identifies herself. Somehow. Not asking, at least I won't have to sidestep her name in discussing her movements. Also seems to harbor a grudge against us Rubinellians.

Her 3HP duster attacks our missiles. I don't know if I'm prepared for this... Let's have some music for it:

Tasha's Theme - Goddess of Revenge. Not the greatest theme, but it still isn't bad. There's better though. Much better.


This is after all health bar movement is finished. My missiles are barely scratched. Any other 3 HP unit would have done more, short of infantry.

I hate dusters. Thought I'd share that. Tasha also moves her southern fighter into missile range. Guess she didn't learn yet.


Class is in session. Fighters can't stand up to a lightly boosted full health missile launcher. We have a good chunk of money now, let's see what's in the factory.


Not bad, our arsenal is slowly growing. I buy an anti air now, since half the forces are directly weak to it anyway.


I choose to use the anti air against the recon rather than blowing up the duster, for a couple of reasons. One, I don't consider the duster a threat, even if it were at full health. Two, a full health recon deals 55% damage to missiles. Three, I like watching the duster suffer a little. This should also bring the bomber into range of the missile, using my AA as bait.


As expected, the bomber has come for a visit. The combined force of a recon and duster takes off three HP from the missiles. Still not enough to save that bomber.


Aw yeah, veteran status for the missiles. Any hopes that duster had are effectively dashed. Our weakened AA attempts to pick it off.


And fails, sadly. The enemy recon takes a shell from the artillery and dies, and I move the northern forces up a little. Also, I buy another AA for good luck.


Day 4. The duster hung around and shot futiley at the missiles, so the full health AA from two turns ago put it out of it's misery. Up in the north, I'm cheacking the range on that rocket. Seeing two weak spots, I make a plan. The recon swings to the south and damages it, while the B Copter finishes it off.


More troop movement. I retreat the damaged units somewhat, now that there isn't much of a threat in the south.


Or in the north, for that matter. Tasha's losing units left and right, whereas we still have our full complement. Things are looking pretty good.


Recon takes a hit on Tasha's turn, and the rockets continue to not know where they want to be.


Once again, two blind spots for me to take on the tank. I retreat the damaged recon, and replace it with our tank. Then, I bring in the B Copter.


Very nice. Though I leave the copter in the range of the duster. It won't get killed, but it nullifies any use the copter will have from here on out.


One can never have enough anti airs, so I get another one. I also move the missiles back towards the front, since at 9 HP with veteran they do slightly more damage than a full HP fresh missile. Another derp in the north, which proves a little problematic.


Had I NOT moved my missiles forward, that duster would be gone. Since that didn't happen, I move the AA in the north onto the enemy city and attack the duster, bringing it to 3 HP. Then I move the B Copter south of the bike, to where the AA was. Finally, I bring the recon back up to the west of the Copter, and box it in with the tank to the south, and the missiles to the east. It'll stay safe, and the duster can't kill anything at 3HP.


Down in the south, I've moved the AA's up a little, and begin taking out the rocket.


Checking the range of my missiles, though it ends up not mattering, as the final air units are on defensive AI, and won't move unless something gets in range of them.


Close to the beginning of Day 7, I've moved the tank into range of the duster I doubt it'll attack, but it's always worth a shot to see how stupid the AI can get. The duster attacked the missiles, perceiving them as a larger threat than anything else there. I begin by moving the missiles forward to cover the tank in case the other duster gets a case of the stupid, then use the AA to finish off the other, weakened duster.


Like so. That's the north dealt with. In the south, the mech is in range of the artillery, so I fire that, then finish it with one of the AA's.


With the southern missiles in place, the AA is safe. Well, the AA is bait, the rest of the army is safe. Close enough, right?


The rest of the troop movement. Tasha's turn.


Ugh, coward. Guess she didn't like the odds of 3 AA, and a vet missile deck? Guess we start chasing.


The missiles are a mainstay, keeping them alive will only help me out.


The bomber takes the enticing artillery bait (where's a crying arty gif when I need one?). I use the 7 HP AA to weaken down the bomber, leaving that AA at 2 HP when all is said and done. Then I use the AA with the ammo indicator to finish it off.


Placement of missiles, trying to cut off any escape by either remaining unit.


Again, enticing damage on indirects leads out the duster to the range of a couple of my AA, and the fighter is prey to the southern missile.


Yep. Map over.


: Retreat!
She seems... alright with retreating. Has a bit of a smirk on her face.



: We drove them away. For now...

Back to the wonderful world of S ranks. Took a day too long, oh well.





: Yes, sir!

: Thanks for the assist, brother! Who's the runt? You got yourself some sort of cabin boy?

: Cabin boy?

: He's one of us. We've been patrolling the region looking for survivors who might need our help.


: Wait, you serious?
That was a good one Waylon! ...Jerk.

: Of course. We'd be more effective with air support, though. Why don't we join forces and--

: Time out, Captain Courageous! You want Waylon to join forces with YOU?

I like to imagine he didn't actually clap his hands together (where would he put his leather jacket?), but just said "clap, clap"

: But if you think I'm going to do charity work, you need to think again! I didn't survive the meteors just to risk myself for a bunch of chumps!

: What in the hell are you babbling about?

: Are you truly so blind, Brenner? There is no more central command!

He has the most intersting grin. He's just so happy he has free reign over his life in the ruins of the world.

: No, I don't think I do. And you've got it wrong. The world's been broken. But that doesn't mean you're free to do whatever you want. The ties that bind people together can be reestablished. We have to do that.

: And why would I want to do that? You want to clip my wings, brother? That it? I won't live in a cage! You can do what you want, but just leave me be.

He sounds like someone important.

: Admiral Greyfield? Yes, I served under him for a while. What about him?

: He's set up shop in the capital. Word is, he wants all surviving Rubinelle soldiers to come join him. Wants to start what he's calling the "New Rubinelle Army." Creative genius, he ain't. Now I ain't hip on takin' orders, but I could make a pretty penny as a mercenary. I'd have all the food I could eat, and the ladies love a man in uniform. Know what I'm saying?


Damn Waylon, you just got ed by Brenner. How's that feel?

: Aww, that's just cold, brother man. Ain't no call for that. Looks like you and I ain't gonna be friends. And with that, the sky calls. Good luck with the charity work.

: Wait a minute! What about your wounded?


: I got places to go, things to do. You feel like playing nursemaid, go right ahead.

: You'd abandon your own men?

: You think you can guilt-trip me? You got another thing coming, brother man. My only responsibility is survivin' to eat, drink, and be merry another day.
What a charming fellow.

: Is that so?

: Uh-huh. Know what responsibility's gonna get YOU, Brenner? A broken heart and an early grave.

: ... ... ... ...

: Are we letting him go, sir?

: We can't force him to stay, and we can't force him to care.

: Is that guy really a soldier? He's nothing like you, Captain. He's nothing like any of us.

: Soldiers are people, Will. You have to take the good with the bad. Each of us has to choose how to make it in this world, and Waylon's made his choice. Try not to let it bother you.



: We've also found some airports. Perhaps the men can be convinced to join us.
Until we get too far from the airports and the planes suddenly stop working, like the tanks, right? Right? No, this is never mentioned again. They showhorn in why you can't take 50 tanks with oyu from map to map, but never again is it mentioned.

: What do they want? Have you heard any talk about them rejoining their captain?


: It seems he's used them poorly, risking their lives for nothing more than his own amusement.
Can't blame them, really. Waylon doesn't seem like much of a Captain.

: I can't believe him!

: Let Waylon's men know they're free to join us if they wish. Now let's head out for that nuclear shelter. It may give us reason to hope for a better day.


Perhaps it will, Brenner, perhaps it will...


Next time!

Characters we've seen before come back! More fog of war!