Part 4: Arctic

I was waiting till we got to a second page to post this since I didn't want the first page to have 4 different updates, plus the OP on it. Now that we're on a new page, let's deliver those documents to the UCS!



Well that's interesting. Seems like the LC was also courting the Eurasian Dynasty for an alliance before things got finalized with the UCS. In an alternate universe we could be playing as Igor Burkov for this campaign instead of General Fang. The letter indicates that you'll be controlling Burkov but that's not the case here. You're still Fang.



General Fang lands and attempts to find a path to the UCS base, documents in tow. This is UCS territory so things should be clear, despite High Counselor Korlan's warning.



Well that looks like an Eurasian Dynasty mining operation if I've ever seen one. Great intel again from the Lunar Corporation. How'd they sneak behind the UCS front lines? Well since it's on the way let's try to disrupt it as much as we can. I'm sure our new allies will appreciate our help in clearing the Dynasty out of UCS territory.



One power plant, a bunch of Pamir tanks and one Gruz construction unit later it seems Fang is doing a good job at blowing things up in this little mining base. This will definitely help relations with the UCS. I doubt they even know that this is going on in their own territory!



Oh. Oh shit. That's a lot of tanks. Guess the ED has a manufacturing base here too. As good as Fang is I don't think he can fight off 9 tanks and whatever defensive units the Gruz builds at once. Time to run and find a way around this mining base.



Fang runs right into some Siberians. Siberians are like the Taiga 20mm we've seen already but actually have armor and will actually be used by anyone not cheap or desperate in a fight.



Even with armor though they can't stand up to the anti-grav tank's laser gun. Unfortunately the path ends there so Fang will need to loop back past the landing zone and see if he can make it around on the West side.



Why is the landing zone gone? Did the Dynasty tanks find it? Why didn't they attack the Jupiter?

Interesting tidbit, if your LZ gets blown up and you have the Jupiter already at the mission you can still load/unload and transfer credits. However if you send the transport back to HQ you'll not be able to send it back in the field. Also if you have no active units or structures on the field you'll lose the mission. The Jupiter does not count as a unit or structure. This also means that enemies won't ever target it (although it can be destroyed, the AI just won't ever attack it).

Right now Fang is our only current active unit so we'll have to either sacrifice one of the Moon m1 Rs in our Jupiter or re-build the LZ to complete the mission. The mission will fail if you put Fang in the Jupiter without some other unit on the ground to keep an active presence. But, since the game doesn't hate you yet, they give you 500 CR if your LZ gets blown up so you can build another one.

Don't expect this kindness in the future.



General Fang punches another hole in a Dynasty wall and finds a few Pamir tanks on the other side. Easy pickings at this point.



Even though it doesn't look like it, Fang one-shots this tank. If you've been using Fang for the first two missions he should have leveled up enough to do this by now. The leveling mechanic in this game is really neat and makes keeping your veterans alive a priority. Too bad LC units are made out of paper mache at this point.



Whoa. Looks like the ED have beefed up defenses at that mining base. Running through that again would be pretty dicey. Let's hope there's a path up ahead.



Oh. There's the manufacturing base. Yeah. We probably can't go through that base either. Good thing the ED don't understand geometry and built their walls away from the cliffs. They've left a nice little path up through the top!



Bet you feel dumb, don't you Dynasty?



Oh shit. There are all those tanks from earlier. Time to run (but toward the UCS base this time)



Damned Dynasty! They've blocked the path ahead with Small Towers. Small Tower's don't require a power supply but they can only mount light weapons (chainguns, rocket launchers and some weapons we haven't seen yet). Fortunately Fang's doing a lot of damage now and can clear a path before the Pamirs catch up.



What, what is this? If I didn't know better I'd say that was a tunnel.



It is a tunnel!

So tunnels. The ED and UCS can build tunnel networks under the level. The LC can't because well, they have to have some sort of weakness. Tunnels are auto-built under any non-defensive structure you build. You can also use the Gruz or Mammoth constructor to dig tunnels for you. In most missions, digging tunnels is a bad idea. You can run into impassable hard rock and even with multiple constructors going at once it takes a long time. Plus you need to build your own tunnel exit and if that pops up in the middle of the enemy base you can be sure they'll blow it up and immediately flood the tunnels with their units.

Of course if you build it behind the enemy base the results can be fantastic. Nothing beats popping up behind the enemy's lines and blowing up all his vulnerable structures with a quick tunnel strike. Sadly, we won't see much tunnel usage till the UCS and ED campaigns. I wish the developers had sped up tunnel digging though. I know if it didn't take so damn long I'd use it a lot more. If you want to do sneak attacks it's usually a better idea to use your air forces.

Still the idea of sneaking your whole army in the back of someone's base is really appealing. I promise I'll try and do it on the of the ED or UCS missions.



Anyway, Fang pops up in the UCS base, safe and sound. I'm really glad the UCS built that tunnel there since Fang's health was getting really low.



With the documents delivered High Counselor Korlan writes one final letter to Igor Burkov. It's a shame the LC couldn't have had a peaceful resolution with both factions. I'm sure with the technical knowledge of the LC, the manpower of the ED and the mechanization and AI of the UCS the three of them could find a way for everyone to get off the planet in time. Instead they're busy killing each other as the clock counts down to Earth's destruction.



Wow. The UCS sure built a lot of units. Once the documents are signed they start marching out of the base, presumably to blow up the ED. Not like having an army would've helped out at all during this mission while I got my ass blown off. Thanks a lot guys. Some allies you are.



This is why it's a really good idea to take the tunnel. Those walls would've slowed down Fang enough for the Heavy Towers to pick him off. Heavy Towers are just like Small Towers except they need power to operate and can mount heavy weapons.



Fuck. The ED blew up the tunnel entrance. I guess all those Pamir tanks shot it to pieces right after we got in. How the hell are we supposed to get back to the Jupiter now?



Oh right, the UCS has a literal army up there. I let them go to town on the ED in the area and dart out during all the fighting.



General Fang always takes time to blow up small towers. Some tanks have peeled off from the ED outposts and are chasing Fang.



That is a lot of tanks in pursuit. I count 10, with more undoubtedly in the manufacturing base.



Fang is too quick for them though and is able to make it out while the UCS starts destroying the ED bases.



Our Moon m1 Rs are unloaded in case any Dynasty units show up. With Fang as banged up as he is I'm not sure how long he'd last against so many units. The Moon units should give him enough cover so he can heal while I rebuild the LZ so I don't lose the mission after I put Fang in the Jupiter.



The Moons end up being unnecessary as the only unit who comes by is that single Pamir. Given how much damage Fang took during this battle, I've decided to give him the Advanced Battle command list. Here you'll see a lot more options for units covering things like fire command, targeting and when to retreat. I load Fang up into the Jupiter and head for HQ.



Oof. The ED got another 3 techs this mission. I'm sure we did pretty good on the units destroyed scale, right?



Fang killed 22 guys this mission and the ED was only able to destroy one measly UCS mech. Our General is clearly superior to this Maj. Wlad fellow.

I thought the game giving your opponents names for the score screen was a cool touch. Gives me someone to shake my fist at when things don't go my way.




The Himalayas!? That sounds like the worst place to attack in the world. As long as we have some good defenses this mission should be a walk in the park, even if the ED know we're there. Assaulting the highest mountains in the world sounds like a suicide mission.



It's the Day 2 music for the Lunar Corporation this update. Sounds like music for a sneaking mission to me. Very tense stuff here.