Part 25: Arctic II
or Why Digging Ditches is a Bad Idea
Part Two of our evacuation from the Arctic involves us stealing all the resources from the area.
If the mission briefing mentions we can research the Gargoyle, well by George we better research it!
Our usual scouting efforts turn up a very large group of ED tanks. In case you haven't noticed, this map is identical to the map in the LC Arctic mission. Based on that, we won't be venturing into the middle where the ED base is.
We will however be venturing to this spot where there's a large resource field.
This should be enough to get our mining started. Let's hope the ED doesn't discover us. We'll be extra sneaky here and try and get them to focus on our original base area.
To help make that easier, I'm going to render one approach to our base impassible. Time for Let's Play A Ditch Digging and Babysitting Simulator!
We haven't been spotted in the west yet. That's good because I really, really doubt that one Tiger 20mm can hold off the ED army.
Our research on the Gargoyle is complete! And UCS News has a special report for us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re2AUKkRNCM
So the Gargoyle. The Gargoyle is pretty great. It's the fastest air unit in the game and unlike the second fastest air unit (the Cossack) it has some armor so it's not a complete pushover in a fight. Given how pathetic our ground forces are right now, I'll be building a lot of these once we get them fully upgraded.
I start work on the Gargoyle II.
Those Dynasty tanks from earlier have shown up. But not to worry, my army of grenadiers will blow them away!
All dead. Yay grenadiers!
Mammoth-stuck-digging-trenches count: 1.
The secret mining base is a bit vulnerable to Cossack attack so I build a shit ton of small towers to defend my precious dots that look painted on the ground.
Mammoth-stuck-digging-trenches count: 2.
The Gargoyle II is done! Hooray for more HP. Time to start work on the Gargoyle III.
Mammoth-destroyed-while-stuck count: 1
Even better, do you see those Tigers in the ditch and on the sides of the walls? Yeah they all got stuck there and even my attempt to lower the terrain couldn't un-stick them. So they're just gonna chill there and be my immobile mobile defenders.
Stuck-Tiger count: 4
The Dynasty does indeed have Cossacks. Good thing I built towers near the production buildings to shoot down any pesky copters.
Mammoth-stuck count: 3
The last Gargoyle chassis is done. 300 HP and 25% armor with 36 speed makes these guys the ideal hit and run force. Sadly we won't be doing any base attacks with them this mission. Maybe next time!
We just need to upgrade the Gargoyle's chainguns before we can start building them. I know I can just build some inferior versions and upgrade later, but with the base generally secure (minus my immobile mobile defenders) there's no rush.
We're almost done digging our ditch. What can possibly go wrong on these last 4 tiles?
Hey army guys watch out! The Mammoth is digging right underneath you. Run away!
That's...that's another stuck Tiger isn't it.
Stuck-Tiger count: 5
Put another way, almost a third of my army is currently buried in my Ditches of Doom. This army engineering thing isn't going too hot.
Thank god the Gargoyle is ready.
Ain't he purdy?
We upgrade our 20mm bullets next, because with all these chaingun units we may as well max out their damage.
Because I haven't had enough of pointless construction projects I now begin work on The Ted Stevens Memorial Bridge to Nowhere in the Middle of Our Base. A wing of Cossacks comes to celebrate our commitment to fraud and waste of public money.
And now some Pamirs and Taigas are coming to set off some fireworks! How thoughtful.
And this Gruz wants to help us build faster.
No Mr. Gruz. We already finished work without you. Behold this
Wait, what's that noise I hear? More Eurasian bridge-lovers?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxW_lQnWK9w
Wait, these aren't bridge-revelers, these are bridge-haters. They're going to destroy our bridge and laugh at us for having an unfinished bridge. Quick, kill them robots!
You're not killing them hard enough robots, that Pamir has almost gotten to the bridge.
Fortunately my dozen Gargoyles took care of everyone once the Tigers proved incapable. I'm disappointed in you Tigers.
I spend the rest of the mission researching bullet upgrades. There's not much to them.
Success! We can leave behind our Bridge to Nowhere and Ditches of Doom and other engineering monstrosities for the Eurasians to puzzle over.
Our secret base also managed to remain secret and not have any weird things built in it. Well except a lot of small towers. Maybe I should stick with that sort of building for next mission?
There's no points awarded for pointless engineering marvels I contest this score sheet
I hope they worked out the whole "explodes when used" problem the first version had. The fact it's only a point upgrade doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence.
This is the first battle theme for the UCS. I think it's pretty swell.
