Part 3: In a New York Minute - Part 1
In A New York Minute
The first proper chapter, with a bunch of things to take care of. Mostly killing Commies, but also salvaging my plans when they suddenly go south.
Music
03 - March of the Empire
Info dump
Weapons
Revolver
"This six-shot revolver is an American classic that packs a sizeable wallop."
Seems like a Ruger Redhawk, if I had to guess. Anyway, it's the other sidearm in the game and not that good. It does pack a big punch but is really inaccurate and only holds six shots. Also it's pretty hard to keep it supplied. I'm going to use it at least once, but will probably not enjoy it.
Sniper rifle
"Accuracy and power define the 7.62 mm Red Army sniper rifle. This weapon is equipped with a telescopic zoom that can zero in on human targets several blocks away."
Clearly a Dragunov, but for some reason the developers made it like a bolt action rifle. You can hear the bolt after every shot and it also affects the fire rate - making it slower than expected. Still, this is a very good weapon. Only a single enemy is able to survive a headshot, all others will die. Bodyshots are a bit less effective but it's still pretty strong. There are usually a few snipers per map, so you can kind of keep it supplied but you likely have to drop it after bigger fights. The sniping mechanic itself is pretty good, but needs a bit of practice. Mainly because the crosshair is so damn small.
Grenade
"A simple but deadly device, the fragmentation grenade consists of a cast iron ball packed with black gunpowder. A short fuse it activated by pulling the pin before throwing the grenade. The resulting explosion hurls shreds of hot iron in every direction."
The other type of throwing weapon in the game. Either modeled after the RGN or RGO, hard to say. It's pretty powerful, but will take a moment to explode. Often enemies will just get out of the way, so I think that Molotovs are better.
Binoculars
Not a weapon, but equipment. They can be used to scout out distant locations or to increase the range of your orders.
Enemies
Soviet Sniper - Special skills: Sniping
Usually they wear light green uniforms and a cap, but sometimes they don't wear headgear. They also have a more fragile figure than the other troops. Aside from their rifles, they can also use the pistol but will rarely do so. Snipers mostly hang out at predefined spots, and will fuck you over if they get the drop on you. Don't get me wrong, their aim is not perfect and they aren't insta-kill, but they can ruin your day if you get surprised by them. You will encounter them in pretty much every chapter of the game.
Soviet Commando - Special skills: Choke, Dodge roll
Bigger than the normal soldiers, and wearing darker uniforms with an orange scarf. They also shave their heads. These guys are real jerks! They use an SMG, which can spit out a lot of lead in a few seconds. Overall, they are much more aggressive and smarter than the normal troops, and can take twice the damage. It's a really good idea to not underestimate them. While they're rare in the early game, the late game is stuffed to the brim with Commandos.
Their skills also deserve some words. First, the dodge roll allows them to quickly move when you aim at them. Yes, they will roll when you use the ironsights and ruin many of your shots. But they can't just spam that move in a loop. They can also use the roll to close the distance to their targets, and get into melee. That is not too dangerous for the player, but for your fighters. See, their second skill allows them to choke your fighters. They will get behind them, kick them in the knee, and grab them in a choke-hold. If that animation is not interrupted they will often just kill your fighter. Medkits can't heal a broken neck.
Vehicles
APC
These will carry Soviet reinforcements through the maps. You can't destroy them, and have to complete certain objectives to stop them from appearing. While they have no weapons, they can run you over when you stand in their way. Your fighters will get wounded by that, and you will just die.