Part 64: Egypt

After our adventures in the South Pacific we have returned to Africa. And now we've been appointed Supreme Commander of the African Expeditionary Forces. We now are solely responsible for the fight for Africa and relations with our Ashanti allies.

As stated earlier, the UCS controls the main access route to West Africa. If we are to seize the resources there we will first need to break the UCS base in Egypt.

This will be a long one, so everyone get comfy.



Once again we start with a rather pitiful base. I suppose it's nicer than starting with no base, but not by much.



The only piece of research available to us this mission is the double-barreled heavy cannon.



Our first order of business is defending our eastern flank. If you recall from the UCS version of this mission, it was quite easy to bypass the ED defenses and cripple the base. Since we won't have NEO on our side to turn the battle in our favor we'll need to rely on more traditional defenses.



While the wall is being built, I once again commission 3 Leviathan-class battleships. These will serve us only in Egypt so they'll be unnamed as the ED has no use for a river fleet.



I send a Grozny to scout the other bank of the Nile. The UCS defenses, while not as robust as in New Zealand still pose a significant threat to our operation. Making matters worse, the only viable crossing point is near the mouth of the river. A land-based attack will be very time-consuming indeed.



The LC are allying with us? Why couldn't they have done that before when I was sneaking around stealing their shields and whatnot?





The LC have a very well-fortified position (it's the same as in the UCS version of this mission). The base is in a natural valley, making assault impossible except through the mass of laser walls and towers northwest of the base. I doubt a UCS attack will do much to them.

Additionally, the LC position ensures that we'll have control over the Nile crossing. We still will need to watch out for the navy and air force, but we can go cheap on land-focused defenses.



Our navy is ready, so let's see if we can dislodge the UCS from their position. Once again, we'll try and draw out the navy first.



We don't have the UFO to act as a scout, but the navy responds just as well to aerial bait. Our superior firepower will put them to rest with the Nile Crocodiles!



One cruiser sunk, another disabled and a third only a few hits away from sinking? I think we've won this sortie.



Following the destruction of their capital ships, the UCS escorts retreat back to the safety of the harbor.



But they can't outrun our long-range rocket launchers! The air force took out the Energy Transmitter powering the Fortress before the navy moved in.



The UCS counter-attack is intense. We've already lost one battleship, but the others are at full strength still.



Shit. The UCS have managed to rebuild one of their cruisers. It also looks to have plasma cannons rather than rocket launchers. This could be an issue.



We've lost one ship, but the other was able to take it out with its lasers. Even in the late game, lasers are still a great weapon against ground troops. Now, let's make sure they can't build any more boats. And then we'll take care of this annoying shelling coming from the UCS towers.



There. No more boats! Yay no more boats!



With the naval threat neutralized and most of the interior defenses cutoff, the air force can quickly cut the power to the few remaining coastal towers.



While our attack on the UCS naval station was a success, it appears the bulk of the base is further inland. We will need a tank assault after all. Fortunately, our LC allies should be able to provide some assistance.





Meanwhile the air force and navy finishes off the last of the UCS naval outpost.



Too little too late, the UCS Gargoyles respond to our actions on the western bank of the Nile.

Actually they spend most of their time flying around in circles, trying to destroy the rubble the UCS Power Plant left behind. Yeah I don't know either.



With the western bank now in our firm control, I have the Gruz construct an underwater tunnel to connect our main base. From here we can build a resupply outpost, to ensure that our land forces are quickly resupplied.

We can also build static defenses in case the UCS try a counter-attack to rebuild their naval base.





Well look at that. It seems as if the LC have beaten us to the punch. Nice job ladies! You've been the best ally we've had so far. Recall that when we were the LC, the UCS gave us pointless escort missions and got their robots hacked to kill us all the time. When we were the UCS the LC kept an overwhelming force in their base just so we could escort a single Moon. And now as the ED our ally is finally helping out. Why didn't this happen sooner!?





Of course, immediately following this I walk into a UCS trap. The towers cannot be hit by the UFO, rendering our most potent offensive weapon useless. Although I order a hasty retreat, the UCS Gargoyles still hound us. However with the Noise Generators jamming their communications they're mostly harmless and are quickly plucked from the sky by our Khrushchevs.

We will need to find another route into the base



Hmm, what's this? It looks like UCS Harvesters are leaving the base via this open plain to the west of the UCS towers. I'm sure this large flat, unguarded expanse so close to the base is perfectly safe for us to use!





Well except for all the mines that is. Yes, for the first time in possibly my entire life playing this game I managed to run into a minefield, not notice and lose a whole bunch of tanks. Good job me. The land attack force will need to wait until I can send over new Repairers. A force this injured won't last long against the UCS Fortresses.

Axeil: 0
UCS Robots: 1



Fuck you Minelayers. The UFO hovers and thus is immune to your mine bullshit.

Axeil: 1
UCS Robots: 1



Since I lack a Minelayer of my own and really don't feel like building one and then waiting for it to get all the way over here, I have the air force try and soften up the guard towers to the east. With their lights off, no one can see them to shoot back so it goes rather well.



Huzzah! Our underwater tunnel is complete. Maybe I should build that Minelayer. It won't take 20 minutes to get to the battlefield now.



While awaiting repairs, the UFO and Khrushchevs pick off all the passing Harvesters. I hear Harvester sniping is good stress relief. It made me feel a lot better about my earlier blunder.



Finally, our Repairer arrives. Just a few minutes and then we can go and destroy the-



Oh. Looks like the LC is already taking care of that.



Welp. Head home everyone, our work here is finished!



I don't care how well-shielded you are, you're not going to be able to withstand three Thunderers parked right over your base. You've gotta try and ya know, shoot them. But the UCS look content to roll over and die. Meh. Made my life easier this mission.





While we wait for everyone to get back to the LZ, let's steal buried Egyptian treasure (again)!



Aw man, really? Do we really have to do this Marshal Romanov? It worked out so well. I built a few boats and bumbled around like an idiot while the LC did all the hard work. It's a perfect strategy! Do you know I haven't even seen half the shit I've been awarded during this campaign? I have 17 different apartments, at least 20 cars and also a random yacht. What good is a yacht in space Marshal? What good is it? Can't I just enjoy this stuff now and let the LC fight the rest of our battles?

No?



Well then. Time for a sneak attack!

The LC don't realize our traitorous intentions and are more than happy to let us walk right into their base.

The fools.



I just stabbed you in the back and you're wishing me health and happiness? Damn. Say what you want about the LC but they are polite even when betrayed and murdered.



Our sneak attack worked out quite well. The power to the LC base is down. Unfortunately, the LC mobile defenders are a bit too much for us. I send the UFO back to base for repairs and leave the rest to their fate.



The static defenses I built at the western Nile resupply base are coming in handy. See, this is what you had to do to save yourselves UCS. You need to actually shoot the enemy, not just hope that they'll get bored and leave you alone.



For Our Motherland!

Yeah, all those tanks died. But they took out some more LC tanks!





We've (somehow) managed to repulse the LC attack. The tanks were trying to use our tunnel system, which simply could not be allowed. With the threat on the western shore completely eliminated its time to move the fleet into bombardment range of the LC base.



With the death of all our tanks, we'll need to rebuild if we're to hit the LC base. But as I showed you earlier, it's quite well-defended. How are we supposed to break in?



We'll get to that in a minute. First we need to kill a Thunderer.





Right then. How are we to get about killing the LC base? Or even getting in? Oh yeah. We can just use our battleships to annihilate their defense grid. Good thinking!



Well it was good thinking until the LC decided to send some Crusher hS units at us.



One ship down, and the rest don't have shields. Yeah I'm not feeling too good about this.



At least our new tanks are all ready though.



Your deaths will be remembered, unnamed ED Leviathan-class battleships!



The battleships may have died, but they cleared the way for our ground assault. Before we do any assaulting though, lets get rid of these annoying Thunderers.



There. Much better.



The defenses of the LC base are totally in shambles now. The defense was mostly predicated on funneling hostile units into a nice kill-zone where they were under fire from all directions. A handful of poorly placed Guardian towers won't replicate that.



The base is completely exposed to attack now. It's rather pathetic actually. Recall how tough it was for us to beat back the LC in the UCS campaign. All we did this time was add some boats and a UFO and suddenly it's a walk in the park. That's why it sometimes is worth it to research stuff even if you'll only use it for a mission or two.



One Solar Power Plant down, one more to go.



They're not even putting up a token amount of resistance at this point.



And with that their last structure/unit capable of fighting back has been destroyed.



Since there is no longer any threat, I order one of the LC Main Bases captured for any intelligence. Immediately upon capture the building began slowly self-destructing. It must be some sort of defense mechanism. However, we were able to recover some information regarding a "Project Sunlight." It is unclear at this time what exactly Project Sunlight is. We've assigned the Mobile Commandos (Mobile Task Force) the task of deciphering this mystery now that they're done in the South Pacific.





The LC stuck some mines way out here. It took me a good 10 minutes to figure out where the hell their last structures were.



The way to West Africa is clear! While the UCS have not been totally dislodged from Africa, this is a serious blow. We will now be able to use land routes to move in men and material. We no longer are beholden to the Ashanti for supplies in the region.



While waiting to return to base I received a curious joint memo from Igor and Major Minsk.


SHIT! That idiot Igor must've finally realized he never got the shipments from India. Oh man this is bad, this is real bad. They'll execute me for treason for sure. Or leave me behind once the war is over. I mean, that message pretty much said "if you did it we're leaving you behind." Shit, shit, shit. If only there was some way out...

Wait. Didn't they mention another commander who was working with me? Yes, why I do believe that he was in charge of making sure the shipments reached their intended destination. I think I remember seeing him lurking about the Spaceport while I was fighting those cursed LC women and UCS robots in the trenches with my men.

Why, I'm a good Dynasty general. See how I send my excess resources back to the Spaceport to allow more of our comrades to join us on Mars? In fact, I've granted all my General Staff tickets upon my personal evacuation ship. And I'm even allowing the common soldier access too provided he proves his...usefulness. I too would hate to see my ship revoked. These men and their families would have no other way off the planet. See, only a true Dynasty general would have such compassion. Clearly, the responsible party for the missing funds must lie elsewhere




I think this is the first mission in a while where all three factions have been on generally level footing. I think if the LC hadn't allied with us almost immediately the mission would have been far more difficult.

(If you go north to the LC base instead of west to the UCS base at the start you'll be ordered to kill the LC too, negating any chance at an alliance. I know. It's what happened the first time I played through this mission for this update)




Earth is starting to look pretty bad. We need to speedup our conquest of Africa before its too late. To that end, the destruction of this UCS base in the Congo forms the second point in their so-called "Triangle Defense" of North Africa. We just destroyed the first point in Egypt. At this time we are unable to hit the third point in Algeria. If we can destroy the base in the Congo then we need only destroy the Atlantic Fleet anchored at Algeria to cement our hold on the region.