Part 75: Beta Quadrant

We've managed to find the second Project SUNLIGHT power station: Beta Quadrant. Orders are to level any LC structure in the area. Given our new artillery this should prove much more simple than Alpha Quadrant.



And on top of that we've got a really nice base set up for us! We haven't even researched the Large Tower yet and they gave us a whole bunch.



Uh...what is that?



SHIT! Meteor shower! Quick, everyone run for cover! We can repair the base when the storm ends.



Nooo! Not the Harvesters! They were so young, so completely outclassed by what we have sitting at HQ!




Well fuck. There goes our power. This barrage is way more intense than anything we've seen.

NEO, is this a natural shower? It looks way too intense





Our base has been leveled. NEO says there's no natural meteor activity around here. That leaves only one option...



This report from the President confirms it. But it's far, far worse than we thought. Our lone remaining structure, the Landing Zone, transmits a homing signal to its counterpart at HQ. Unfortunately, this has been intercepted by the LC. As we speak they are zeroing in on our HQ's location. If they can resolve the target completely we will be wiped off the Moon and Project SUNLIGHT will succeed.

Quickly! We must destroy the Weather Control Centers!



Fortunately for us, NEO was able to pinpoint the WCCs' location. Unfortunately they're on the opposite ends of the map.

I bet you all thought this mission was going to be slow and plodding like Alpha Quadrant, eh?



Alpha Group, go with Assault 2. Your target is the WCC nexus to the north.

Beta Group, you're with Assault 1. Move south as fast as you can and destroy the other WCC nexus. We don't have much time!

GO!

WARNING: Less than 20 minutes remain until WCCs acquire lock with HQ



Assuming we can destroy the WCCs we'll still need to locate and destroy the Xyrex plants here. A base would really help us out there. Get to it Mammoth, even though this construction is for naught if we can't eliminate those WCCs.



Shit! The LC have intercepted Beta Group on their way south. This Jaguar hP and Panther hR are all we can afford to divert from the strike mission. If they can't hold off the LC attack our chances are slim.



They're a bit bruised, but they did it. The rest of Beta Group is clear to sprint south.



Alpha Group has engaged the northern WCCs. There is no resistance so the only obstacle here is our rate of fire.

WARNING: Less than 18 minutes remain until WCCs acquire lock with HQ



Beta Group encounters more resistance at the southern location. The LC are, without a doubt, throwing all their effort into stopping our attack. If they can hold us off for another 15 minutes or so they will ensure the success of SUNLIGHT.



The LC's slow response time in the north has doomed the northern WCCs. Alpha Group has succeeded.

But now is no time to get complacent. Alpha Group, head south and reinforce Beta Group. If Beta is repulsed by the LC army you're our only shot.



Half of the WCCs in the south have been neutralized but the LC reinforcements are pouring in. Two Thunderers will be in range in seconds. We will be forced to retreat if they begin bombarding us with sonic waves.

And retreat could spell doom for the entire mission. Will they be able to bring down the last two WCCs in time?


























YES! WE DID IT!

Casualties in Beta Group were high, but we did it. Of course, if Assault 1 goes down the campaign is also going to be over. We need to hustle back to our base where Alpha Group can intercept the LC.


Research: With the threat extinguished I start research on the upgraded Repairer and 1800 PSU shield.



We have one advantage over the LC aircraft; we're ever so slightly faster than them. So long as nothing gets in our way we should make it back to base okay.



Beta Group is entering the base. And Alpha has engaged the LC air units. It's working! We might manage to save all of Beta Group!

Keep firing that plasma robot-boys and girls!



I have no idea how you survived, Mr. Panther but you deserve some kind of medal. You saved Beta Group's advance to the south and you were able to absorb enough hits to save all of the weaker Tigers. Well done!





Whew. That was exciting wasn't it? Let's catch our breath, rebuild, reinforce and resupply. And the best way to do that is use the terrain to force all LC units into the front of the base.

While we work on that, it wouldn't hurt to send out a Scout to try and find where the LC are hiding the Xyrex.



Hmm...looks like the first one is to the north and east of our current position. Let's see how they like a fight on their doorstep.



Move out troops! We're gonna kill us some space hippies today.



There's some minor resistance on our way. Nothing a few doses of plasma can't cure.



As for base defense, we've got small towers with Anti-Air Plasma (AAP) and I'm building Gargoyles with air-to-ground plasma to take care of any land threats. This should keep us secure.



Resistance is much heavier on the doorstep of the LC base, however, our strong anti-air capabilities thanks to AAP and overwhelming standard plasma allow us to rebuff the assault.



Our area secure, let's work on getting an artillery base up, shall we?



Those lunar ladies have seen what our artillery can do. That's why they throw out another mass assault when they see the Mammoth put down the artillery. But it's still no match for us.



And for good measure Assault 1 peppers a Guardian tower with some plasma.



Artillery's up and running. Where should we hit first?



Ah yes, the Solar Power Plants. Bye bye!



The base can still run off of the Xyrex, but if we take those out they'll be helpless. Step one is to break down these fences.



Step two is destroying yet another LC counter-attack.







Step three is neutralizing any defensive structures that can fire on us while we demolish the Xyrex.



That done, let's level some Xyrex!



Notice how the fences are all down now that the Xyrex is dead. The artillery starts shelling whatever the hell its gunnery systems tell it to.





Base clean-up is rather simple with the plasma and the artillery combined. On to the next base!

Research: During clean-up I work on the Panther I, II and III chassis.



A Scout has found the next LC base. This one is much better protected, as it sits in a shallow depression in the eastern portion of the map.





There's some mild LC resistance when we show up, nothing worth writing home about. And we've got a second artillery base set up.



Boom, boom.

Research: While bombarding the gates I start working on researching the Heavy Plasma Cannon.





The power isn't entirely down, and the Xyrex plants are where our artillery can't reach. We'll need to do a traditional assault.



Of course, given how poorly defended this base is taking down the Xyrex isn't exactly hard.



There goes the last one. We took some damage from the defense systems as we got closer to the base, but our Repairers will fix everyone up before we hit the third base.



The third base is right next to the southern WCC location. This probably explains why the LC were so quick to respond to Beta Group.



Only one guard here. That's...strange. The other bases at least fielded a skirmishing force. What's up here?



Oh shit! Is that?


IS THAT ARTILLERY!?



Yep. This explains why they kept everyone inside and waited for us. The artillery is murdering us and due to the units and towers we can't get close enough to destroy them. Fall back everyone! Fall back!



Did you know the UCS has the longest-range artillery?

You didn't? Well the LC is about to find out when we destroy their artillery with our own without taking a scratch from return fire.



Our army has been reduced to a rump. We'll need to lean a bit more heavily on the artillery to bust into this base.



A nearby Scout points out the location of a second artillery piece. It doesn't last long.



We've cleared the gates, time to move in and bring down the last Xyrex base.



Oh come on? Really? You're gonna throw down Mines all the way up there? Ugh. Time to bring in the Gargoyles to take out these annoyances.





The interior of this base is massive. The LC's defense cannot render an effective defense given this large area. So we make them pay for it.



And the Gargoyles will sit here and chip away at the Mines. It'll take a bit, but they'll blow up.



Shit. The LC have artillery up in the north of the base too I guess. I really hope the Xyrex is in the back or we're gonna need another artillery base.



All the pursuing LC units are shot out of the sky, which is nice. Annoying to have them hounding us like that.



And the Xyrex is indeed in the back of the base. Take this out and we just need to clean-up before going home.



There! Good job every...hey why hasn't the debriefing come up yet?



Really LC? You built a wall of Nests to defend the WCCs after I destroyed them? You guys really, really suck at this whole war thing.



Uh, NEO I really, really don't need any of your weird sex things. You're creeping me out.

Research: While waiting to mine out the map I research the Heavy Rocket Launcher and Gargoyle Rocket Launcher, just in case.







21.5k spent in ammo when we collected almost 200k isn't that bad.



Death Canyon? That sounds...ominous. Well I'm sure nothing bad will happen at a place like that!