Part 122: Germany

Briefing Video: video link




Kilija isn't over-exaggerating here. This will be one of the toughest missions we've faced not only in this campaign but in the entire trilogy. Our goal is easy enough; hold out for 132 hours until Generals Fedorov and Ivanov show up to relieve us. In practice this is going to be a bloody, brutal struggle.

We have four bases we'll need to hold. I'll go through them now.



First off is the northern base. This one seems like it should be our main base, but that is a Very Bad idea and not something I'm about to try. You'll see why in a minute.



Next we have the central base. This one has very little in the way of resources but the UCS are almost obligated to take it to stage an assault on the later two bases. The longer we hold this location the better our chances.



This small western base is our third location. Again the resources here are minuscule, but the advantage this base has is its isolated location. If we force the UCS to focus on the other bases and do some clever defending we can isolate this base and use it as a final fall back position. Not that it's especially well suited to it with it's lack of choke points but I'll take what I can get.



And finally we have the eastern base. This is going to be our main base of operations. As you can see, we cannot build a Landing Zone. So all those units you've saved up are going to mean diddly here. This base has a similar advantage to the western one in that it's really far away from the UCS, but unlike the western base it has sufficient resources and enough buildings for you to mount a credible defense.

Plus it's the only base that starts with any units.

Now with that all said, let's un-pause the game and see how crazy things are going to be.



Okay, right off the bat we are under siege at the northern base. And given our funding situation I can't afford to upgrade all the buildings with the shields and weapons they'd need to repel the attack.

This is why I said we're not going to even bother trying to hold this base, despite how well constructed it is.



Within minutes the base has completely collapsed. We don't have any hope of saving it. I order everything sold, hopefully we can at least get some money out of it.



A few seconds later and the UCS have taken out our power. Hey, that's my play!

Keep in mind at this point I think the mission has only been going on for a minute and a half. 90 seconds in and we've already lost one of our four bases.



Thank the Goddess. Kilija has confirmed that the Generals and their troops will be allowed through the teleporter. It's going to take them some time to make it through Poland, although they will be sending as many scouting parties as they can to help.



The remaining buildings are all destined to be sold off. Hopefully some of them make it back so we can get credits.

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you, credits are going to be in extremely short supply this mission. We've been spending like crazy the past few missions but this time I'm going to have to actually care about how much things cost. As if this mission wasn't hard enough already.



By morning the entire base is a smouldering ruin. With the first base destroyed the UCS are going to come for our other bases. We must bolster our defenses!



I've upgraded the weapons on the central base to try and hold back the UCS assault. If this base falls as well I'm extremely skeptical that we'll pull it off.





Goddess bless the sonic cannon. Our towers are taking a beating but the sonic cannons in the rear are doing enough damage to offset our losses.



And unlike the northern base, the central base is close enough that we can move in our mobile defenders. With a combination of the mobile defenders and the Guardians I think we're going to repel the attack!



We did it!

I also turned off the atmospheric fog at this point. I'm sick of being unable to see every in-game morning.



Back at our primary base (the southern one) I order the construction of a whole lot of units. The first UCS attack was nothing, the later ones are going to be much more fearsome.





A Detector confirms what I suspected. The UCS is heavily invested in Shadow units this mission. If we move in without adequate detection they'll be able to run circles around us. Invisible circles.



If you notice to the north in this screenshot I've destroyed a bridge. That bridge is the only way into the eastern base that doesn't involve going through the central or western bases. This is why the eastern location is your best bet for concentrating your defenses.



And once this bridge is destroyed there won't be a way to access the western base except by climbing up that trail. True, it'll cut it off completely from the other two bases but we need a place to make a last stand.



That's a UCS resupply ship. Shit. That means enemy robots are somewhere near us. Start scouting!



The western base is now completely on its own. May the Goddess bless you.



Ah-hah! The robots are trying to sneak in through this little gap at the edge of the central base.





Too bad for them, I brought my whole army to the fight. All my responses are going to be absolute overkill. You can't afford to give the UCS any more ground than is absolutely necessary.



As I send another scout out to verify the UCS aren't trying anything sneaky, I get notice that reinforcements have arrived.



They're here! The vanguard of the Eurasian Dynasty Remnant! Songs will be written of their bravery and valor. These Khrushchevs may look okay, but they're in bad shape. The drivers pushed the tanks to the absolute limit to get here and as a result their weapon systems aren't in great shape. Even worse, look how close they are to the ruins of the northern base. I fear they may not be long for this world.





Yep, my fear was valid. They're immediately engaged by the enemy as they attempt to make their way south.



However, after a brief skirmish the enemy fire stops. The area is clear. I order the tanks to hold this ground. It may be our only chance to rebuild up north.



Meanwhile, our scout has found...this...this monstrosity. I've never seen anything like it. It's the Death Star of enemy bases. And just a few days ago this was a perfectly peaceful compound! How could GOLAN have grown so rapidly?



Worse, it appears there's another bridge crossing. The UCS could use that to assault our last outpost in the west. It must be destroyed! Given the danger with the bridge so close to the base I order the entire army to destroy the bridge.



Oh shit. We're under fire from invisible units!

It's a trap! Everyone take evasive action!



I manage to rush some Detectors up north and what they show me is absolutely horrifying. Look at all those Panthers. We can't possibly trade blows with them.

Damn! The northern base is lost for the second time in a little more than a day.



But then, suddenly...the Dynasty tanks have ignored my orders to retreat. They're flying right into the teeth of the attack!

TRANSMISSION FROM SELENA SHATTAN, CHIEF OF SECURITY, PROJECT ESCAPE posted:

What in the Goddess' name are you doing! Pull back! You're all going to be killed!

TRANSMISSION FROM YAO SHI, COMMANDER FIRST RECON SQUAD, MOBILE COMMANDOS posted:

Negative! Your units are out of position. We've got to hold GOLAN here. If we fall back there won't be enough time to mount a defense. We'll buy you time to get ready for the assault!

Goddess damn it! Those stupid, stupid idiots.

Move back to base everyone! We are not going to let our new friends die in vain!



I'm sorry Yao. You and your men will be the first Dynasty heroes enshrined in our Memorial.





Yao's death doesn't appear to have been in vain. I think the combo of the tanks and the static defenses have bought enough time for the army to get in place.



It's...definitely not the greatest place but we're at least able to intercept the first few units. Once we're in the base we should have an easier time of it.





Or maybe not. Why are they sending in so many Harvesters?



Oh...oh my. That's...that's their whole army. They're coming right for us!

RUN!



Must go faster, must go faster...



Damn! GOLAN is using the Harvesters as bullet sponges. They're triggering the auto-targetting from our defenses. How the hell did GOLAN get this good!?



It's worse than we thought. GOLAN's staging a pincer attack.



Hold the line!



HOLD!

Don't let any of 'em through!



Enemy walkers have entered the base. They're going right for our Detectors.





And power

I feel like I'm playing against myself right now...



With most of the base powered down I order an emergency Xyrex plant built. And remember how I said I was building lots of units? Well I've been building this whole time. I just hope that none of these guys have Anti-Air Plasma Cannons...



Power's back up, and just in time too. The UCS are making another push at the northern entrance. Without the mobile defenders I'm not sure the Main Base can hold them.

Making matters worse, some of the units are now looping around and attacking from the west! It's war on all fronts here people.



We've lost the Main Base, but I think we may have won the battle. Most of the UCS walkers have no anti-air so our Thunderers are able to knock them away with their Sonic Cannons. These two Panthers are all that's left.



We...we did it. I'm making sure we don't get hit like that again and blockading the northern entrance.

How the hell did we pull that off? Also, the two Thunderers you see there are our entire army at this point. More units are being constructed but they're not ready yet.



A second squad of Khrushchevs! These must be the Second Recon Squad. Thank the Goddess. We need your help badly!



Oh...oh no...not another attack.



At this point the best defense appears to be blocking their path with Main Bases. I once again order the entire army to respond to the threat. At this point our army has more Detectors, HP Regenerators and Shield Rechargers than it does actual fighting units. Still, those support units may let our static defenses last long enough to repel the attack.



The enemy fire is absolutely withering. The towers are truly taking a beating...but they're holding up! And the addition of a Crion means we can hit the enemy beyond the range of their plasma. This battle may finally be starting to turn in our favor.





With 72 hours remaining, it appears my prognosis has been validated. Our army, bolstered by the Dynasty units, is formidable enough that I think the central base can stand on its own.

The real issue now is resources. We simply don't have enough money to rebuild after another UCS attack. Our only hope is to re-take and hold the northern base. It may not seem like it, but this will be the decisive battle of not only the mission, but the whole campaign.



Here goes nothing...



I timed my building to line up with a UCS attack. With the majority of the army preoccupied with an attempt to breach our defenses, I think I'll have enough time to get the northern base defenses up.



4 Main Bases and 2 Xyrex plants should be enough to keep the base defended.



We're now decisively winning these engagements. Thank Goddess.



...Except now there's a crater where our Xyrex plant was. And random craters showing up where your power plants were means only one thing: GOLAN has brought his strategic Plasma Cannons online.

Mother of shit...

Now we can't be content to just hunker down in our bases. If we do that the Plasma Control Center will eat us alive. We're going to need to go on the offensive and at bare minimum knock out that PCC.

It never gets easier, does it?



The western base has completely exhausted its resources. All it's good for now is a speed bump for the UCS.



More Khrushchevs have arrived, and once again we're under attack from invisible plasma spewing robots. But this time I have a surprise planned for them.



The tanks will run to the south, dragging the attacking units along. Once they get far enough they'll run behind our army that's waiting in ambush and we'll be able to finally get the upper hand.



Wait, what are you doing? That's not the way to go!



Oh...oh no! We ran right into a trap they were planning.

I've never seen anything like this! There's no time for me to marvel at the AI's newfound intelligence though, this is the only chance we've got to hit the enemy.



I need the Main Bases to hold out long enough for the army to arrive. It's going to be close.



The first Thunderer has arrived but the enemy are still pumping plasma into the Main Bases.



A second group is now attacking the Xyrex plants! And the PCC is firing as well!



We've lost our second Main Base. Where's the army!?



Ah. There they are. Between the hammer of the army and the anvil of the base I think we've got this taken care of!





MORE UNITS!? WHAT THE FUCK!

Seriously, where are they all coming from? That base has got to be the most productive base in the history of real time strategy to churn out this many units.



This is unreal. Literally unreal. GOLAN's throwing everything it has at us.



Back at the central base, a lone Panther has decided it doesn't like the look of one of the Guardians.



After beating back yet another UCS assault I order the army to cut the bridges. I'm not even sure if it'll matter, but hopefully it keeps us from getting flanked.



Okay. Now I really have seen everything. The AI built a navy. A FUCKING NAVY.

This is incredible.



There's the PCC. All we have to do is hit it with a proton torpedo Crion shell and we'll be safe from bombardment.



With the Crions engaging the base perimeter (for some reason they built a power plant out here?) I have two Fat Girls engage the navy.



Surprisingly, the navy really, really sucks at defending against energy weapons.



Woohoo!! The PCC is down! Repeat, the PCC is down!



Of course, that doesn't mean the threat is over. The UCS seems very angry about losing its PCC and are staging a ferocious assault against the central base. With our army tied up defending the northern base there's nothing I can do but watch and hope my defenses hold out.



Meanwhile, I've ordered the Crions to just start shooting at will into the base. I don't even care what they hit, I just need to slow down GOLAN.



GOLAN is sending his units after our Crions, which I suppose is an improvement over its constant base attacks.



We've nearly busted a hole in their barricades.



And now we're going after the power. Shockingly, it doesn't seem to phase the UCS at all.



The attacks at the central base continue. We're starting to lose ground and are down to only 4 functional Guardians.

But we only need to make it another 24 hours. I...I think we might do it!



Make that 3 Guardians. And that third one doesn't look too long for the world either.



The Crions have been shelling the base for hours and they're still not through the defenses.



Oh shit! GOLAN has found our last stand base and has begun an assault. The defenses here are absolutely pitiful and we won't be able to stop them. Welp. Guess we're down to just the northern, central and western southern bases now.



18 hours to go and we're finally hitting buildings of consequence.



Oh look, even more UCS navy. Yep. That makes sense. That's not crazy at all.



My hatred of bridges is paying off. These UCS units are completely lost and can't join their buddies assaulting the western base.



We've only got one Guardian left at the central base!



Hang on little guy! I know you can do it!



We've busted our way into GOLAN's base and now the UCS Navy finally seems curious about what the hell we're doing.





Again, naval units are really, really bad against LC energy weapons.



The Crion shelling continues into its second day. Still no sign of slowing the UCS base.





Look at the size of this thing! I count 7 Weapon Production Centers and that's not even counting the dozen or so I've destroyed.



That's it! The Dynasty should be here any minute now! We've done it!





General Fedorov, I have never said this before in my life, but I am so happy you brought two dozen nuclear missiles with you.



Generals Fedorov and Ivanov make their way to the launch point. I now feel very silly for destroying those bridges.



GOLAN is almost finished destroying the western base, but I don't care any more. I have the entire Soviet stockpile of nukes at my command.

TRANSMISSION FROM GENERAL FEDOROV, EURASIAN DYNASTY posted:

Great job defending kid, now let's blow this thing and go home!

Fedorov just dropped the Dynasty's entire nuclear arsenal on the base. I don't see any movement coming from the base. I think we've stopped them!



Kilija, I'm right there with you. It's simply too dangerous to try and evacuate while GOLAN is alive. We have to kill it. For good.

Once repairs at Project ESCAPE are complete I'm ordering all able units transferred to America. I think our new Eurasian friends are more than capable of watching our backs in Europe. Our advance bases there have been waging a campaign against GOLAN since the betrayal almost a week ago. Reports indicate that they've had good success and even as we speak they're isolating and destroying pockets of GOLAN's walkers.

We're going back to America, and this time there won't be any survivors.

Lunar Corporation Victory Cutscene

Well everyone, that's it for the LC campaign. The die has been cast and in the final third of Lost Souls we're going to see Selena's campaign against GOLAN play out...from the eyes of the UCS. Plus, we finally will meet the mysterious narrator of our mission briefing videos!

Next time we begin the UCS campaign! The final 10 missions of Lost Souls and the Earth 2150 Trilogy are at hand!