Part 3: NSDF #3 - The Mods Have Become Sentient

The NSDF launches an invasion of Venus where a main CCA base has been located, and where the Cthonian Flight Log Database has been squirreled away by the commie pinkos. The data base is a prize so valuable that an invasion larger than Normandy was planned to take it from the reds as it contained the records of the places they'd gone, and where even more dangerous and powerful relics could potentially be found in addition to the bio-metal. But on Venus, the stakes are raised as the CCA rushes to complete even stronger vehicles based on designs the NSDF is locating only after the fact. Hundreds of men die in the pursuit of this alien technology, but the race goes on...

Venus is where I would say Battlezone starts to take off. You finally have access to building all the good stuff and you are able to start using the Constructor more often. I cannot say it enough: gun towers are precious. A lot of these strategies wouldn't work in multiplayer because players would be on equal and more competitive footings obviously, but the AI starts with everything and turtling up and finding out the best defensive strategies is the ultimate way to go about the campaign.

The first mission is really easy but the start may catch you off guard with the rocket tank nonsense, although you can easily switch out with the other guy I figured I'd show it off. They're OK but really annoying in the hands of the AI because, if you played XCOM 2, they come off as this game's Stun Lancers. There is a weapon the Soviet Light Tank comes equipped with automatically which is called the TAG Cannon. It fires a little dart then launches a volley of 10 rockets if it connects. The auto-aim is pretty severe so unless the terrain is bad, they are guaranteed to hit and do 1/3rd of a regular tank's HP, worse if it's a lighter vehicle. Rocket Tanks have to lock on more conventionally and there is a defense against it. I say they come off like Stun Lancers because the AI doesn't worry about reloading and these units often just spawn in and can ruin your day because the rules are different between you and the enemy. It's ultimately minor but I generally get annoyed enough to talk about it. In the Redux version, the scout who tells you to eject into the Radar base is supposed to get in a vehicle and help you out but it doesn't work here. It's probably a bug they can fix and I'll bring it up to the devs. Once the Radar Tower goes down all you do is consolidate and build up a force to roll right over the nearby base.

The second mission is the big base building one, introducing the powerful walkers. They cost over 10 scrap and are a huge investment. They take forever to cross the map. By the time they do, you could have won in other ways. You'll face plenty of waves and 3 soviet walkers in this mission but as you'll see, having gun towers at the chokepoints makes the difference that decides the map. I still can't figure out how the fuck that one flanker got in THE BACK of my god damn base but I'm never gonna live that down. A thing you need to pay attention to with gun towers is that the scrap is going to be just at the edge of their range and when scavs (slower in this version) head out they run the risk of getting attacked out of the base boundaries. Keep an eye on them until you have your all conquering liberation force. Once you reach the base, focus on power supplies and steamroll.

I explain everything about the third mission with uncharacteristic clarity in the video

Really, the update pic should tell you everything you need to know about this video. Holy shit this was magical.