Part 41: Columbia

NOAH I says we need 100,000 CR but screw that, we're going for it all this mission.



How the hell do we have a Grizzly hR at our landing zone? We lost the plans so we can't build any.

Oddly enough, the game gives you a Grizzly here regardless of what happens during The Grizzly Theft side quest. It's rather jarring to see the Grizzly here if you managed to lose Japan.



We're fortunate in that our resource field is in the back of the base, surrounded by cliffs on two sides, our landing zone on another and the edge of the map on the fourth. We're in a very open position, similar to the LC's situation in their final mission. As a result it will be difficult to defend against ED or LC incursions.



Good news from the Spider scouts: they've already found the resource field for this mission. Even better, no other faction seems to know where it is yet. We have the advantage now.



...Or maybe not.



Meanwhile, another Spider scout is taking a scenic tour of the Incan ruins. I don't think the Inca ever were in Columbia. Can someone with a better grasp on history answer that?



The LC assault group that wrecked our scout are now on our doorstep.



And they manage to destroy the Aerial Supply Depot I was building



But our final scout has discovered where they're hiding. Perhaps they'll enjoy a visit from our new air force?



The ED still have yet to use shields. Do they not have them in this timeline? What the hell?



Without shields this group stands no chance against our plasma.



Call me crazy, but I don't think the Inca built Mayan-style pyramids.



With the LC and ED currently taking a breather, now's the time to get our mining base set up. This one is going to be a doozy, we'll be building three Fortresses for defense.



In addition to the three Fortresses, I've split up half my army and sent them to guard the western side.



But maybe I should be more worried about the eastern approach. Our scout, finished sight seeing at the Incan ruins, is headed out to find the ED base. However, on the way he encounters another strike force headed for our base at the LZ.



To counter this, we'll have our Mammoth build a wall on the eastern side.



Fortunately for our fledgling mining base, the Spider scout has drawn off the attack force and they're all following him south. We can only see one in this screenshot though.



And ultimately our unshielded Spider is destroyed at the gates of the ED base. But at least we know where both enemy bases are now.



Our mining base is humming along now. Too bad it looks like some LC units have sneaked around our defenses and are on their way to the LZ.



The LC's harassment is too much. Our new air force will bury them.



The LC dive right into the teeth of our base's defenses. It did not go well for them, even though they had shields.



The LC had similar results in an assault on the mining base.



Oh shit. The ED, despite not learning anything about shields have learned a lot about their air force. This is the Thor. It's similar to our Bat but the larger concern is the fact it's carrying a bomb bay and headed right for the Plasma Cannon I'm building. I don't think it's going to make it...



Yep. We shot it down seconds after it released its first bomb, but that didn't matter. There's a second one headed for the destroyed Plasma Cannon but he's shot down quickly as well.



Our air force sneaks around the LC defenses. Don't let them know we're here!



That's not good. The LC have a Weather Control Center. It's our top priority, and the air force will fortunately be able to destroy it within seconds. The LC should've minded their flank. The oversight will doom them.



The Dynasty has destroyed our wall. And now they're jamming our Mammoth. Recall, that jammed units cannot accept commands issued to them. Our defenses should be stout enough that unit disorganization won't be a problem, but you never know.



Looks like they're carrying some lasers too. They don't pursue the Mammoth though. Which means they must be on their way to the LZ.



They manage to put quite a dent into our forces.



I'm sick of these annoying attacks from the ED. This new Fortress should put a stop to them without requiring my constant supervision.

We have our last news report! The Earth looks to be in much worse shape in this video than it does on the ground. Probably those damned special effects the news does to make the story sexier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrIXJQIz7nA



Thunderers attacking the weak western flank of our base are much more concerning. And I've got no shields on any of my buildings under attack.



Good thing the game auto-pauses when you go to the upgrade building window!



Nice job LC. They've hit our exposed Energy Transmitter and shut down the western Fortress. The mobile units are able to counter, but the Fortress takes quite a pounding in the process.



And yet more LC units sneak around our central position.



What the LC doesn't know though is that our Plasma Cannons are ready.



Fire! (There's a bunch of Guardians there, trust me I'm not just firing at nothing)



Looks like we've done the damage we need to do. Begin the attack bombers!



The LC have brought their entire army in to defend the WCC.



It fails, but we were unable to clear the path to our Aerial Supply Depot. As a result, the bombers are destroyed on their way back to base.



This is all that's left of our mighty air force. Let this be a lesson, always know what route your units will take to re-arm. If they're going to fly over the enemy's air defenses consider a different attack point.



Toppling this base will take our army. They're up for the task, as military robots always are.



The base has taken significant damage from our air force. These Thunderers and Meteors are the only significant resistance we see. The Guardians cannot match the range of our plasma or heavy rockets.



The base lays open to us. Let's move in.



The key to shutting down this base is the destruction of their Solar Batteries. They're well-defended but unshielded. A mass Plasma Cannon strike should do the trick here.



One of our Bats is able to take out a Defender. Even if this artillery strike fails I think we can manage to take the base.



Kaboom! And with that we don't need to worry about the LC.



And we're tantalizingly close to the resource goal.



All Harvesters: start mining for Project MARS!



Too little too late, ED. The Han is the equivalent of our Dragon and would pose a huge threat here except:

a) The LZ is mined out
b) We don't plan on attacking the ED, making most of these structures pointless and
c) We're less than 70,000 CR away from victory and control the largest resource field



Our air force was decimated by that attack. Yet 2 of the original Night Barons survived this entire campaign. Good work guys!



For curiosity, I send a Condor to scout out the ED base. If we really wanted we could take it, but I don't see the point.



We've won the mission, now let's win the war!



34,000 to go.



I dump all the credits I'm sitting on here on the battlefield into the Ore Transport Bases.



I also order all our mobile units to return home. I doubt they care about seeing the last rocket take off, but you never know, maybe we've got some emotional robots in our employ.



We need less now than we had to mine in our very first mission.



Let's go home, you've all done your work admirably robots.



With the last transport ship docking, we've won. Quick let's get the score screen!



Yeah, yeah who cares we already won the campaign.




We out-mined our opponents by better than 2:1. Did they not get the memo that the Earth is about to die and mining should be their first, second, third and last priority?



There goes the last rocket bound for our space dock. We did it!



Thanks NOAH I. We've saved every UCS citizen. Yay!

Now let's watch our space ship head off to Mars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOGuUFHUvik


2 campaigns down, one to go. Next time we'll see how the Eurasian Dynasty manages in their attempt to leave the doomed planet.