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___________________________________________
[ HOMEWORLD CATACLYSM GUIDE / WALKTHROUGH ]
___________________________________________
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Guide author: Orgulo
Guide version: 1.3
Game version: 1.01
System: PC
<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<-<>->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->->
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. INTRODUCTION
|<--------------->|
1.1 WELCOME
1.2 USING THIS GUIDE
1.3 CONTACT ME
2. SHIPS
|<-------->|
2.1 FIGHTER
2.2 CORVETTE
2.3 FRIGATE
2.4 SUPER-CAPITAL
2.5 MICROSHIP
2.6 NON-COMBAT
2.7 COMMAND SHIP: KUUN-LAN
3. GAME GUIDE
|<------------->|
3.1 LEVEL 1: HIIGARA
3.2 LEVEL 2: OUTSKIRTS OF HIIGARA SYSTEM
3.3 LEVEL 3: CORUC-TEL SYSTEM
3.4 LEVEL 4: DEEP SPACE (TEL SECTOR)
3.5 LEVEL 5: AIOWA SYSTEM
3.6 LEVEL 6: KADIIR NEBULA
3.7 LEVEL 7: OUTSKIRTS OF KADIIR NEBULA
3.8 LEVEL 8: DEEP SPACE (KORETH'S RIFT SECTOR)
3.9 LEVEL 9: CLOSE ORBIT, GOZAN IV
3.10 LEVEL 10: DEBRIS FIELD (KORETH'S RIFT SECTOR)
3.11 LEVEL 11: SYSTEM AZ-23769
3.12 LEVEL 12: TURANIC OUTPOST (KYORI SECTOR)
3.13 LEVEL 13: LOCATION UNKNOWN
3.14 LEVEL 14: GALACTIC RIM (GULF SECTOR)
3.15 LEVEL 15: DEEP SPACE (GULF SECTOR)
3.16 LEVEL 16: SOJENTA-RA SYSTEM (FAR REACHES SECTOR)
3.17 LEVEL 17: NAVAL BASE ALPHA
4. CONTRIBUTIONS
|<---------------->|
5. VERSION HISTORY
|<------------------>|
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<< 1. INTRODUCTION >>
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1.1 WELCOME
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is my guide / walkthrough to Homeworld: Cataclysm, the second of the (so
far) three Homeworld games. This is my fifth guide, though it took me ages to
bother finishing it.
The game version used when writing this guide was 1.01. This patch changed
little in the game which would make this guide differ vastly from your game
experiences if you're using the unpatched version, so don't worry about it. If
you're applying the patch over the unpatched version, your saved games will
probably cause Cataclysm to crash when you try to load them. I discovered this
too late after making loads of archive saves to help me with this guide.
This guide is mainly about how to most effectively complete each mission in
the single-player game. It doesn't have many stats or other minuscule details
like menus, programmers' names, etc. This is because you can see all this
stuff for yourself just by reading the game manual or by playing the game, and
it would be a pointless waste of time for me to reproduce all the manual
information in this walkthrough. This guide is meant to tell you the stuff
that ISN'T in the manual - namely, how to beat the game. If you want
statistics on ships and costs and so on, please read the manual or just look
for them in the game - Cataclysm's good for that.
Hopefully, you will have played Homeworld before and you will understand how
to use the interface and perform all the most common tasks. If not, please
play the game tutorial to learn how Cataclysm works, because this guide
doesn't cover any basic lessons.
Finally, this FAQ is made entirely by me. I visited no forums or read any
other Cataclysm guides, so any and all nipple-twistingly large mistakes or
instances of incisive genius belong to me alone. Blame me, thank me, criticise
me... whatever.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.2 USING THIS GUIDE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please view this guide in a text viewer / editor with a set fixed-width
font, or else it might look a mess. I use Courier New, Size 10.
Use the Find command (CTRL + F) with the numbered contents menu at the start
of the guide, in order to quickly jump to the section you want.
I have put the main walkthrough section of the guide towards the end, after
all the other game information. This is not a design flaw - it's deliberate.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.3 CONTACT ME
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the game is now quite old, and since I now consider this guide complete, I
have no intention of updating it in the future and will therefore no longer
respond to feedback.
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<< 2. SHIPS >>
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This section comprises my descriptions and opinions on the ships which will
make up your fleet in Cataclysm, split up by class. The manual will lead you
to believe that you should use them all, but the following descriptions are
based on my more realistic experiences of playing the single-player game. If
you don't give a toss about my opinions then just skip this section.
Please read the manual for statistical information on the ships, since I can't
be arsed putting that stuff in here.
Almost all of the ships are given one or more upgrades in the course of the
single-player campaign, in-depth descriptions of which can be found in the
Research Manager as and when they appear. Again, there's not a lot of point in
my including descriptions of the researches here - all of them are well
described by the game, and all of them are useful.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.1 FIGHTER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recon
-----
These are basically the scouts from Homeworld. They're very fast and they have
a good sensor range, but no combat abilities. Use them to scout enemy's
positions or to look for asteroids or mines, etc. They're required in certain
parts of the single-player mission, so keep one around for the sake of it.
Acolyte
-------
These are sort of like interceptors, only to be used in large squadrons. They
get various upgrades as you progress through the game, but they're best when
linked together to form ACV's.
Super Acolyte
-------------
You are only capable of building these from the very end of the final mission,
but they're worth the wait. Even a handful can eradicate the biggest,
toughest, non-unique enemy ships almost instantly. So good that it's almost
worth replacing your entire fleet with these and nothing else. Pity they suck
at hitting fast moving targets.
Mimic
-----
These are gimmick ships, required for certain parts of certain single-player
levels, but not much use for anything else. They can sneak past enemy forces
who aren't utilising proximity sensors, but once there what are you going to
do with them? Build one or two for the times when they're needed - otherwise
forget them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.2 CORVETTE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACV
---
These can be made from scratch or by linking two acolytes together. You'd
think that a ship with double the power of an acolyte would be able to move
maybe twice as fast, but they're actually slower (?). Their E.M.P. ability is
extremely useful against larger ships, but again they should only be deployed
in large squadrons if they don't have support.
MCV
---
The mimic equivalent of an ACV, with the same limitations as a mimic.
Imitating a big asteroid is much the same as imitating a small one, so they're
just about as useless as their babies.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.3 FRIGATE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ramming
-------
These are the first frigates you're allowed to build, but that doesn't make
them good. Each one can push one enemy ship out of battle for a while, but the
enemy ship will take very little damage. One or two of these will come in
handy when you're getting overwhelmed by frigates and capital ships, but don't
bother building more than two.
Multi-Beam
----------
Very useful against fighter and corvette squadrons, and deadly when deployed
alongside hive frigates. Their beams do minimal damage to larger ships, but
they're still the most destructive of your frigates. Fill out your frigate
squadrons with these.
Hive
----
Great versus small craft, and even against enemy frigates when you have enough
of them.
Assault (salvage only)
----------------------
Capture these when you encounter them (if you can fit them in). They're
powerful and well-armoured, and are a great addition to your frigate groups.
Ion Cannon (salvage only)
-------------------------
Ion frigates were not great in Homeworld or Homeworld 2, and they're not great
here either. A bit slow and a bit too fussy about their aim. Less worthwhile
than assault frigates.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.4 SUPER-CAPITAL
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Destroyer
---------
These big guys are fantastic, and they can take a hell of a beating over long
periods of time. Groups of four or five destroyers can clear out entire maps,
especially if they have their self-repair ability and are accompanied by
workers. They do take up a lot of room in your fleet, so it might actually be
worth dumping all of your frigates in favour of these.
Dreadnaught
-----------
80 SU's each! Yikes! It's just as well these are so insanely powerful, since
you can build very few of them. They do tons of damage and can last ages, but
they're also very slow - noticeably slower than destroyers - so you should
probably avoid putting them in groups together with destroyers. One cruiser
can actually be its own group, so powerful and effective are they, especially
with their repulsion ability. Just don't expect them to get anywhere fast.
Carrier
-------
You could have four carriers in Homeworld, but you only get two in Cataclysm.
They're worth building so that you can build more support units, allowing you
to expand your fleet, but they're really not much use for anything else in the
single-player game. Homeworld had you all over the maps looking for resources
and trying to grab every available enemy ship with your salvagers; but you
won't be needing more money by the time you're halfway through Cataclysm, and
salvaging opportunities are few and far between. You'll end up using them
either as mere bait to deflect attention from your far more valuable command
ship, or as simple resourcing dropoff points.
At least carriers get their own unique names in Cataclysm - that's useful,
cheers.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.5 MICROSHIP
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leech
-----
The enemy is in trouble if they're out of prox. sensors, because these things
can sneak in and (very) gradually sap the life out of any enemy ship without
being noticed. They can even suck resources from enemies and bring them back
to your command ship or carriers, though this is a bit worthless in a game
with such enormous amounts of money. Send groups of them at enemy cruisers or
carriers, then sit back and rub your hands in glee. Over several hours,
possibly. They self-destruct along with the ship they've just destroyed, but
they're very cheap to replace.
Sentinel
--------
Another of the disturbingly many superfluous ships in Cataclysm. Sure, twelve
of them can form a protective shell around a vulnerable ship, such as your
command ship or a carrier. But when are you ever going to leave those ships
unprotected by the bulk of your fleet? I could find no battles in the single-
player game which would have been swung by the addition of these things to my
fleet, so I tend to completely ignore them.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.6 NON-COMBAT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worker
------
The all-purpose (apart from combat) utility ships of your fleet. They can do
anything: resourcing, repairing, salvaging. Use them primarily as repair
vessels to protect and serve your frigates and capital ships, and just build
more from the nearest carrier when the enemy ships inevitably target them.
Since you can almost always collect all the resources in any of the single-
player maps once you've completed the missions, building more than six is
probably overkill.
Processor
---------
These are the Homeworld resource controllers, only now they can repair nearby
ships and return fire on attackers. You won't need more than one, and it will
only be worth keeping around until you can build carriers, at which point you
might as well scuttle it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.7 COMMAND SHIP: KUUN-LAN
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is Cataclysm's mothership, from which all other ships ultimately spring.
It's the only critical ship in the game, which is to say: lose this and it's
game over.
As the game progresses you will be allowed to build more and more sub-systems
on the Kuun-Lan, which will lead to further researches and ships becoming
available. These sub-systems take damage when the Kuun-Lan is under attack,
and you can see the health of the various systems by opening the systems
manager.
The Kuun-Lan is immensely slow, but its abilities in combat should definitely
not be overlooked. It's very often the ship that can win you the level, even
when its siege cannon isn't available. The command ship can last a very long
time under fire, which is really useful in a game where you have so few ships
to fill your fleet with. Bait the enemy into attacking it, while your lesser
ships dole out the serious damage.
The command ship cannot be subverted by Beast cruise missiles, and neither can
it be moved by ramming frigates.
Try to ignore its prohibitive speed and base most or all of your strategies
around the Kuun-Lan. Use the 8x speed function to hurry things along - you'll
find that the command ship can make a major difference to any mission you're
having trouble with.
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This is the main walkthrough section, taking you from the first moment of the
singe-player mission to the last.
I've included my fleet arrangements after each level to show you how I was
organising my ships and construction. I tend to ignore certain ships - such as
ramming frigates, sentinels and leeches - unless they're absolutely necessary,
which explains why you won't see them in my ship lists.
These level guides are hardly the definitive strategies for the game, but I'm
assuming you're reading this because you want tactics that are certain to
work. These following are the best I could come up with through playing the
game back, but if you can do better then please stick to your own methods.
This being a static guide, I can't give you contingencies for every
eventuality. The following mission guides comprise just one way - my way - of
completing each level. If you rely entirely on ACV's you may find that my
guide is less helpful than it could be, as I rely on the most powerful ships
as and when they become available.
Good luck!
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3.1 LEVEL 1: HIIGARA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With a mere mining ship, a Commander who sounds like Will Riker's dad, and
some good intentions, we're about to enter battle for the first time and
change the very history of the... oh, sod it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After varied bumf, the Tactical Officer informs you, in a school teacher-ish
voice, that you need to find out where you can do the most good. In the rear
with the gear, obviously; but you're going to have to build some combat
vessels if you want to enter combat.
Get building twenty acolytes, and move the Kuun-Lan into the nearby asteroid
cloud while your two workers start harvesting.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY TAIDANI BOMBERS
Friendly frigates are under attack in the middle distance, and you need to
send your acolytes to help them. The command ship can get rid of the five
incoming fighters on its own, so keep building and harvesting. Once you've got
ten acolytes built, send them over to help the frigates.
Meanwhile, send your three recon ships down into the left corner of the
sensors manager: you're looking for a clump of resources with some Taidani
collectors grabbing the loot. Your next ten acolytes should hopefully be done
by now, so send them down to attack the harvesters and their escorts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: Don't kill off the harvesters before you've dealt with the last of the
ships attacking those frigates - if you do the harvesters first you will not
get that objective and you will be stuck in the mission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY RESOURCING CONVOY
Your acolytes should have no trouble killing off the harvesters in aggressive
sphere formation, and in the meantime you can build two more workers and a
processor. Just don't chase the resourcers too far - there's a carrier hiding
nearby.
You should have been given the option to research a new technology:
Linking Technology
This will let you link two acolytes together to make one ACV.
Once the enemy resourcers are dealt with, dock all your acolytes with the
mothership and send your new processor down to that vacated asteroid cloud.
Your harvesters will being working there when they've finished on the first
batch.
Soon you get another objective.
OBJECTIVE: DEFEND PROXIMITY SENSORS
By this time your research should hopefully be complete, so dock your first
group of ten acolytes and upgrade them. When they're released send them all
over to the sensor net and then link them together to make five ACV's. Chase
down and kill the Taidani fighters and corvettes to complete this objective.
Once this is done you get a message about an enemy heavy cruiser trying to run
away. You have to cut it down while it crawls out of the battle. You'll have
to take all of your ACV's over there - five of them will probably not be
enough.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY CRIPPLED HEAVY CRUISER
Surround it in aggressive sphere formation and pull any heavily damaged ACV's
away before it destroys them. Ten should kill it off without much bother,
after which the mission is over and you can use the 8x function to clear up
the last of the resources.
OBJECTIVE: END MISSION
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Fleet at end of Level 1:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 10 ACV
Non-Combat: 4 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 1 Build Options:
Recon
Acolyte
ACV
Ramming Frigate
Worker
Processor
Level 1 Research Options:
Fighter Drive
Linking Technology
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3.2 LEVEL 2: OUTSKIRTS OF HIIGARAN SYSTEM
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We're here looking for a lost destroyer, and if we find it we need to help
repair it. This should be the goal of all deep space mining vessels.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE: FIND THE BUSHAN-RE
Before you do that you're going to build an engineering module so that you can
upgrade your workers. The ore canister gets jettisoned and you're free to
build. Once the module is up you can research these two:
Repair Systems
Salvaging Ability
Meanwhile you're going to have to fend off intermittent pirate attacks, avoid
incoming asteroids (first asteroid belt I ever saw whose components moved in
different directions) and get harvesting. Keep an eye on your workers and
processor - pirates can jump them easily if they don't have escorts.
Once your research is complete make sure you upgrade your workers and
processor. Soon afterwards you'll get told about three possible locations of
the Bushan-Re, which should be investigated post haste.
Start moving your command ship to the middle dot, and send a recon ship in to
pinpoint the Bushan-Re, which will be sitting immobile and in dire need of
repairs. Send one worker along with your command ship, leaving the rest behind
to continue resourcing - you probably won't have to protect the processor now
that it has its repair facility.
The destroyer starts off at 20% health - get it up to 40% and the mission can
progress.
At that point some friendly frigates appear in the distance, on a course with
the Bushan-Re. Command bricks it when they morph into enemy corvettes and
begin firing upon the destroyer, which must be protected 'at all costs'. Four
corvettes against a destroyer, for god's sake. Calm the beans.
Anyway, mop up the corvettes and any attacking pirates (I got jumped by about
ten at this point, to my annoyance). The destroyer can fight to defend itself
and if you brought your own command ship up to the spot then this fight should
be a piece of Battenburg.
Once the panic has been averted, continue to repair the Bushan-Re and draw any
more pirates into range of the destroyer, command ship and your processor.
Get the destroyer up to 90% health and you'll get a new objective involving a
mysterious object nearby. Tactical Command suggests salvaging the object, as
it 'may be of some value' - possibly the stupidest idea since the pubic
topiary. But you've got to do it so get over there and seal your own fate.
Send your command ship along as well, and guard your lone worker with your
ACV's.
OBJECTIVE: SALVAGE DERELICT
Some Turanic raiders will burst in, trying to get their hands on the derelict.
You have to defend your worker and successfully capture the object.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY TURANIC RAIDERS
Keeping your command ship close by should facilitate the demise of these
idiots, and meanwhile you get another research option:
Holographic Emitter
This would have been a very different game if you'd just let those raiders get
the derelict instead, but it's too late for that now. Once the derelict is
captured, the raiders will retreat once you've killed off the last one still
on the screen. Finish off your researches, repair all your ships, tidy up any
remaining resources and you're off.
OBJECTIVE: END MISSION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 2:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 10 ACV
Non-Combat: 4 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 2 Build Options:
Engineering Module
Mimic
MCV
Level 2 Research Options:
Repair Systems
Salvaging Ability
Holographic Emitter
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3.3 LEVEL 3: CORUC-TEL SYSTEM
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our crew of all-American heroes confers with the leader of their Kiith, who
bizarrely sounds like some sort of Austro-Portuguese interpreter. We're stuck
with this weird derelict for now, and we have to rendezvous with the Clee-San
who can help us work out what the hell it is.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wow, get a load of that backdrop.
The Clee-San seems to be stuck behind a load of mines, and it's up to you to
save the day. Your new research won't help:
Afterburner
But do it anyway.
OBJECTIVE: FIND CLEE-SAN
Shift your command ship forwards, heading for the spot marked in the sensors
manager. Start harvesting the asteroid cloud and park your processor there,
while your command ship pushes forwards (just dock your ACV's).
The Kuun-Lan will soon run into some mines, and in fact it will be meeting
quite a few more, so you might want to send one of your workers along to keep
repairing the command ship when it takes the damage. It will also encounter
some Taidani fighters, but nothing major.
Keep heading through the pinged location, stopping every now and then to
repair the damage the command ship has taken from all those mines. When you
get close enough to the second ping, you'll have to fight several corvettes,
including those minelayers.
Then, when you try to approach the Clee-San, you find that it's trapped in the
middle of a sphere of mines, which must be bypassed before you can communicate
properly with the Clee-San.
OBJECTIVE: SEND A MIMIC TO THE CLEE-SAN
Build a mimic and get it to imitate an enemy fighter. Send it over to the
Clee-San, past the mines, and you'll receive another objective.
OBJECTIVE: CLEAR PATH FOR CLEE-SAN
The Clee-San will show you the locations of all the mines. Take out the ones
in between the Clee-San and the Kuun-Lan using your ACV's, and when you've
done enough the Clee-San will begin to move towards your command ship.
You can also build a weapons module in the command ship, in the hope that you
can build more powerful ships than just ACV's. Once it's built you can
research:
Missile Launcher
Tactical Command recommends that you scarper pronto when the Clee-San docks,
so hyperspace out of there at your convenience.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 3:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 14 ACV, 1 Mimic
Non-Combat: 4 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 3 Build Options:
Weapons Module
Level 3 Research Options:
Afterburner
Missile Launcher
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3.4 LEVEL 4: DEEP SPACE (TEL SECTOR)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While examining the derelict pod, our scientists have unleashed some sort of
horrible virus, and we're now down one hangar module. Well played, geniuses.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, the hangar module has gone careening into space, covered in some weird
growth. Before you find out what happened to it, you're going to have to build
another one.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: Maybe there's some weird gravitational effect going on in this region of
space that we're not told about, but how come the hangar module shoots away
into the distance, twirling around all the while, then just suddenly stops?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBJECTIVE: REPLACE HANGAR MODULE
Do this while you send a recon ship to explore the map. You should find a
second asteroid cloud to the west, and you'll want to mine both clouds fully
before you complete your next objective.
Once the hangar module has been replaced you get another objective.
OBJECTIVE: ESCORT CLEE-SAN WITH 10 ACOLYTES
Wait until you've collected all the resources -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: Tactical Command will keep interrupting you, telling you to escort the
Clee-San; but just use the 8x function to get all the resources collected
quickly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- then pick your ten weakest acolytes (you can use five ACV's if you like, but
I suggest acolytes). Get those ten to guard the Clee-San in sphere formation
and it will begin moving to the west, towards where the hangar module
disappeared to. Meanwhile, shift all the rest of your ships in the opposite
direction, putting as much distance between you and the hangar module as you
can.
The Clee-San will close with the old research module, only to be subverted by
the same organism that attacked your scientists. And then you have your first
encounter with the Beast.
Now you'll see why I suggested using weak acolytes to escort the Clee-San.
Those same acolytes will now be attacking your ships, so mop them up with your
tougher ACV's. And build more ACV's now that you have room.
Meanwhile, Command wants you researching:
Infection Organism
And you're also recommended to stay away from the Clee-San and the hangar
module, which will periodically put out more acolytes and ACV's, and would
right now be harvesting that second asteroid cloud if you hadn't already
nicked it all. Keep all your ships together and try to concentrate the
dogfights around your command ship and processor, for the extra guns and the
processor's healing ability.
OBJECTIVE: RESEARCH INFECTION
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT KUUN-LAN
These objectives will both be taken care of once you've finished the research
and once the Taidani heavy cruiser has appeared in the distance with its
escorts. The captain doesn't believe a word of the story, and he barrels ahead
inspirationally. You'll have to wait for him to reach the Clee-San, during
which time you'll even have ramming frigates getting thrown at you.
The Imperialist idiot eventually manages to get every single one of his ships
captured by the Beast, and Tactical Command decides it's time to leave.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 4:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 14 ACV, 1 Mimic
Non-Combat: 4 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 4 Build Options:
Hangar Module
Level 4 Research Options:
Infection Organism
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3.5 LEVEL 5: AIOWA SYSTEM
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After sitting through a not-exactly-emotionally-detached report from our
surrogate science team ("The Beast"? - way to placate the masses, tit), we're
off to meet the Bentusi. Maybe they know something we don't, such as why we're
in an area of space that sounds like a cheap brand of car radio.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE: INTERCEPT THE BENTUSI
This objective won't last long, since as soon as you get near the Bentusi ship
you'll discover that they're under attack by more Beast vessels.
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT BENTUSI STATION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: Forget resourcing for now - you should be loaded at this point and you
can clear up later.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This next bit's tricky. Send your command ship down to the Bentusi station,
close enough to be able to see it, but not right next to it. You'll be
attacked by Beast ships from the north east, but you can ignore these for now
- instead send all your ACV's to the north west corner, to the point where all
those red dots are coming from.
You should find a carrier spitting out wave after wave of ships, as well as
acting as a dropoff point for four workers to the west. You can get rid of
that carrier right now instead of later, which should save you a lot of grief
and money. Hit it with your ACV's on aggressive sphere and it should
hyperspace away - the beauty of this is that the ships it's putting out will
just ignore you and head for the Bentusi.
About those ships attacking from the north east - the command ship can deal
with most of them, but make sure your workers are healing it all the time.
Your ACV's should be back in time to wipe out that ion array frigate, and
you'll soon be getting more help anyway in the shape of the Caal-Shto.
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT CAAL-SHTO
These guys will emerge when the Bentusi are at about 60% health and they will
offer their help to you and the Bentusi. They will send fighters up to aid
your command ship, as well as sending many more to fight off the Beast ships
swarming around the Bentusi.
In spite of the fact that you've cut the Beast ships off at the source and you
and your allies have by far the upper hand, the Bentusi bottle it as soon as
the Beast heavy cruiser appears. They scuttle their ship, taking out any other
ships in the immediate vicinity (this includes yours, so stand well back). The
blast also does heavy damage to the cruiser, though not enough to finish it
off.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY BEAST FLEET
This becomes your job, though it should be a stroll now that you've gotten rid
of the carrier prematurely. If you didn't go for the carrier when I suggested
it, you'll still be able to bait the Beast into attacking the Caal-Shto by
parking your command ship behind it and continually repairing your ally's
carrier.
Anyway, wait for the cruiser to go for your command ship then just bring it
down quickly with your ACV's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: If you do this mission my way you can end it as soon as you bring down
the heavy cruiser. You won't have to kill off the remaining Beast ships or
repair the Caal-Shto.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once that's done it's just a case of wiping out the remaining Beast vessels,
which probably includes those four workers off to the north west.
The Caal-Shto also wants you to repair it, since it took damage from the
Bentusi blast.
OBJECTIVE: REPAIR THE CAAL-SHTO
By the way, at some point during this mission you will be ordered to build an
Advanced Engineering Module and to research:
Support Systems
These should both come in very handy for a fleet as currently pish as yours.
Once the research is done I suggest you build twelve (max) Support Modules in
order to increase your fleet size and start putting some of that accumulated
moolah to use. You can also research:
Microship Construction
This will appear in the research manager as soon as that Module is built.
Anyway, once you've gotten rid of all the other Beast ships and collected the
resources, it's time to blow this joint...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: Don't attempt to salvage any Beast ships with your workers - your ships
will just be subverted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBJECTIVE: END MISSION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 5:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 20 ACV, 1 Mimic
Non-Combat: 6 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 5 Build Options:
Advanced Engineering Module
Support Module
Sentinel
Level 5 Research Options:
Support Systems
Microship Construction
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3.6 LEVEL 6: KADIIR NEBULA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We're going to have to escort the Caal-Shto through a nebula in order to get
where we want to go. It's handy for our purposes that we've picked the single
smallest nebula ever created by whoever creates nebulae.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wouldn't you know it; there's a Taidan base nearby. Well, darn! Command wants
it reconned.
OBJECTIVE: EXPLORE TAIDAN BASE
And while you're doing that with your recon ship, you could build an Armor
Module. Get harvesting the nearby asteroids and split your ACV's into one
group of ten ACV's and one group of twenty acolytes.
Your recon ship will get near enough to the base to find out it's a carbon
copy of that one from Homeworld, at which point you should send your recon
back to the command ship and get working on your new objective.
OBJECTIVE: SCOUT NAV POINTS
Just send your recon ship to the first of the yellow blips in the sensors
manager, and research:
Force Field Level 1
This will appear as soon as the Armor Module is built.
You also get given a new objective.
OBJECTIVE: GUARD CAAL-SHTO WITH COMMAND SHIP
When the first of the nav points has been explored the Caal-Shto will begin
moving forwards, so guard it with your command ship while you send your group
of fast acolytes out into the middle of the map. You may have noticed some
Taidan fighters flying around, scouting the nebula. If they spot you you'll
have to chase them down and destroy them before they reach their base.
This is why you'll need those acolytes prowling around looking for trouble. If
those Taidan fighters reach their base and alert it, you'll get far too much
attention for you to cope with, so keep one eye on the sensors manager and
react quickly to any alerts Command gives you.
Anyway, send your recon on to the second nav point, only to find that it's
guarded by mines, minelayers and interceptors. The Caal-Shto will stop before
it runs into the mines, but you'll have to clear out this blockade before you
can progress. Once you've gotten rid of most of it you'll get a new research
option:
Frigate Drive
Build some hive frigates as soon as this is done, and meanwhile use your recon
to look for the last of the mines and use your ACV's to clear them out. Head
for the next ping and explore it, allowing the Caal-Shto to move forwards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: If you do have to move your command ship and break its escort on the
Caal-Shto, just move it back to behind the Caal-Shto again afterwards and
reapply the escort if you want the Caal-Shto to start moving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While all this is going on your harvesters should be working away, and you
should be moving your processor into each concentration of resources.
The last nav point is unfortunately the most heavily guarded. There's a heavy
cruiser lurking there, surrounded by defenders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: You must explore this spot with your recon ship before the Caal-Shto
gets near it, otherwise it will just head straight in and start getting shot
at by the cruiser. Exploring the area with a recon first will make the Caal-
Shto pause where it is until the cruiser is gone. Hopefully.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY HEAVY CRUISER AND ESCORT
OBJECTIVE: RESEARCH PHASED TELEMETRY
At this point someone comes up with the idea of researching a new technology
to combat the cruiser in ways other than brute force:
Phased Telemetry
Well, that was handy. You'll need to use this new technology to build leeches,
which you can send in to sap the cruiser's health away gradually. While
they're killing off the cruiser, make sure you're escorting the Caal-Shto
towards that spot, as the enemy will launch a full-scale attack on the Caal-
Shto as soon as the cruiser goes down, and you need to be near the end by the
time that happens.
Once the cruiser's dead, scout out the last ping and make sure there are no
mines in the way. Guard the Caal-Shto with the command ship and dock all
dockable ships safely in the Kuun-Lan. The Caal-Shto will disappear through
the slipgate, leaving you to hyperspace away.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 6:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 20 ACV, 1 Mimic
Frigate: 4 Hive
Non-Combat: 6 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 6 Build Options:
Armor Module
Hive Frigate
Leech
Level 6 Research Options:
Force Field Level 1
Phased Telemetry
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3.7 LEVEL 7: OUTSKIRTS OF KADIIR NEBULA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We've reached the end of the nebula, but we're not out yet. And we've decided
to stop to aid some numbskulls who've gotten themselves into a spot of
trouble.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This mission is hell on a second-hand unicycle almost from the very beginning.
You immediately hear a distress call from some Republican Taidani ships in the
middle of the map, and I suggest you send acolytes and ACV's over there
quickly to investigate - send your recon in first though.
OBJECTIVE: INVESTIGATE MAYDAY SIGNAL
Keep all of your ships together at this point - don't bother harvesting the
asteroids nearby, because your harvesters will be very vulnerable if left
alone. Push your command ship into the middle of the map, near the yellow
ping, and keep everyone else in formation alongside it.
Your recon will reach that flaming ship to discover that it was making a big
fuss about nothing, and that it's not under attack at all. Moron.
By the way, get started on two new researches:
Armor Level 2
Quantum Explosive Charge
But pretty soon disaster will strike: Beast missiles are genuinely heading for
the passing convoy, and you have to destroy them before they can hit and
infect the convoy ships.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: This mission marks your first encounter with Beast cruise missiles, and
you should know that they will subvert any ships they hit to Beast control,
which is bad news for you. You will meet more missiles in subsequent levels,
and they should always be a priority kill - it's no fun losing a carrier or
destroyer just because you failed to spot incoming missiles, and it's even
less fun when one of your own ships turns on you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT CONVOY FROM BEAST
The first three bunches of missiles seem to spawn more randomly than the later
ones, so I recommend you have your defense arrangement in place before the
first event occurs.
I approach this hellish mission by splitting my acolytes into five groups of
eight to ten each. I then line them up along the convoy's route, from west to
east, and watch the sensors manager for approaching missiles. This way I can
use the acolytes' speed to get there fast, before the missiles have a chance
to hit any of the convoy ships.
Once those two researches are done all your ships will be flashing, but ignore
the upgrades for now - they're not much use on acolytes. I'd suggest putting </pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
three of your groups of acolytes nearer the eastern end of the convoy's route
- the exit - since this is where most of the starting missiles will appear
from. Later they tend to appear in the middle and some at the far end.
If one of the convoy ships is hit by enough missiles (two or three), they are
of course subverted to Beast ships and will start putting out their own
missiles. These will then fly to the next convoy ship and infect it, and so
on. It's essential to kill off all the missiles as soon as you spot them, even
if they are being escorted by interceptors, which some of the later ones will
be.
You get another research option halfway through the level, but again it's not
a lot of use if you're not using ACV's:
E.M.P. Weapon
If one of the convoy ships is infected, kill it off as quickly as you can -
set your acolytes to aggressive sphere and keep hitting it, dealing with any
new missiles as soon as they appear. E.M.P. helps disable infected or Beast
ships, but only if your acolytes are linked together to make ACV's. It's up to
you which you decide to use, but I just stuck with acolytes.
There's not much else I can say for this level. As long as you're quick and
alert, and you have your acolytes organised properly, you can catch most of
the spawned missiles long before they cause trouble. You will almost
inevitably lose some convoy ships, but it's not a big deal just so long as you
don't make a total tits of the level and lose all of them.
Keep saving whenever you think you're on top of things, so that you can reload
from a decent position.
Whatever you do, this level can get pretty frantic, and you have to be
watching five or six different squadrons of ships at once across a big map.
Use the sensors manager to get a proper overview of things, and remember you
can target enemy units from the sensors manager, which should make
intercepting the missiles much easier. Keep your acolytes on evasive for
speed.
Command will inform you when you've gotten rid of the last of the Beast
missiles and ships, and you can just leave the remaining convoy ships to
complete their run while you harvest in the big cloud.
OBJECTIVE: END MISSION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 7:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 20 ACV, 1 Mimic
Frigate: 4 Hive
Non-Combat: 6 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 7 Build Options:
N/A
Level 7 Research Options:
Armor Level 2
Quantum Explosive Charge
E.M.P. Weapon
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3.8 LEVEL 8: DEEP SPACE (KORETH'S RIFT SECTOR)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those refugees seemed to think that the Beast has something to do with an
Imperialist Taidan plot, and we're off to rendezvous with their spy who might
be able to tell us more.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE: COLLECT RESOURCES AND BUILD
Simple enough: just get harvesting and wait for the spy to appear. You might
also want to shift your command ship down to the dust cloud behind the
starting point - you'll be going there later.
While you're waiting for the rendezvous to happen, send your recon over to
those two purple blotches in the sensors manager. These are very valuable
crystals, and finding them will let you research:
Crystal Processing
You can come back and pick the crystals up later. The spy should be arriving
any minute now, and when he does you'll get a new objective.
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT TAIDAN REBEL SPY
This is also pretty simple: just wait for the spy to reach you and then get
your ACV's to cut down his pursuers. First there will be some interceptors,
then some multi-gun corvettes (use your E.M.P. bursts on these guys), and
finally a few defenders.
Once they're all dead the spy will communicate with you and, once the spy has
told you that your fleet sucks, a plan is formulated whereby you must capture
at least one Taidani resource collector from the group which is due to appear
in the sector any minute now.
The spy disappears and the resourcers appear immediately - it's like magic.
Get everyone down there in parade formation and meet five or six assault
frigates, two support frigates, six resource collectors and a pesky gravwell
generator.
OBJECTIVE: CAPTURE 3 TAIIDAN RES. COLLECTORS
OBJECTIVE: CAPTURE 1 IMPERIAL FRIGATE
OBJECTIVE: DO NOT ALLOW ANY ENEMY SHIPS TO ESCAPE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: For some weird reason a neutral carrier hyperspaces into the area and
just sits there doing nothing, and then after a few seconds it buggers off
again. I think it's something to do with picking up the spy and taking it to
safety, but I don't see the spy anywhere near the carrier.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That gravwell generator has to come down first to make things a lot easier for
your small ships. Your hive frigates and command ship are the best options
here - target the gravwell generator as long as it's close to the other Taidan
ships. You could also ram it out of the picture with a ramming frigate, though
I don't build these.
You only have to get one of the frigates (I've never yet managed to get the
gravwell generator), but I suggest you try to get at least one of the assault
frigates and one of the ion frigates, since you will then be able to research
(respectively):
Energy Cannon
Advanced Ion Cannon
Kill off all the frigates you don't want, then grab the others with your
workers. Then get three of the resourcers and finish off any other ships in
the area.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: If you've maxed out your fleet by the time you meet these enemy ships,
you will probably have to retire some of your ships to make room for capturing
at least four of the enemy ships. I recommend getting rid of some hive
frigates - these leave more room than ACV's and you can then just replace them
with better frigates anyway, after your new researches are done.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once all this is done you can get the hell out of there.
OBJECTIVE: END MISSION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 8:
Corvette: 1 Recon, 20 ACV, 1 Mimic
Frigate: 1 Hive, 3 Multi-Beam
Non-Combat: 6 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 8 Build Options:
Multi-Beam Frigate
Level 8 Research Options:
Crystal Processing
Energy Cannon
Advanced Ion Cannon
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3.9 LEVEL 9: CLOSE ORBIT, GOZAN IV
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the place through which we're going to sneak our strike team. What
better staging area than one with the single best backdrop in any Homeworld
map? No better, that's what better. Or something.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE: MOVE TRANSPORTS TO LOCATION
Command wants you to move the resourcers (you should now have control of any
frigates you nicked from the previous level) to the pinged spot in the sensors
manager. While you're doing that you can research:
Force Field Level 2
You'll probably get attacked by a few interceptors, but nothing major.
Once the resourcers are in position you must begin your diversionary attack.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY A PROXIMITY SENSOR
I only just had space to build one ACV and send it in (just pick a random
prox. sensor from the net). You might have to try again until you manage to
destroy a sensor with just one ACV, but once you've got one you get a new
objective.
OBJECTIVE: WAIT FOR TRANSPORTS
This is a long and tense period of the mission. You'll probably have to
retreat to the back of the map to keep out of the way of the enemy ships which
will respond to your attack by targeting your command ship. Some ships will
chase whichever ship you destroyed the prox. sensor with, so scuttle that one
to make a lot of your pursuers lose interest. Depending on which prox. sensor
you destroyed you will meet different squadrons of ships, but count yourself
unlucky if you get chased by a destroyer and some frigates (like I did).
Hold off the pursuers until your resourcers reach the edge of the map and are
let through by the guards, at which point you should begin moving your command
ship across the map while you send a recon ship over to the net again.
OBJECTIVE: ENGAGE TAIDAN PLANETARY GUARD
Try to use your recon ship to bait lots of enemy ships away from the net and
into a chase across the map. The idea is to draw all the enemy ships away from
the point where your resourcers are going to be coming back through the net
towards your command ship. You have to cut down the time it will take for your
resourcers to get home, while also making sure those resourcers will encounter
as few ships as possible.
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT TRANSPORTS
The resourcers will reappear after a few minutes of absence, and they will
need cover while they try to reach your command ship.
Get your recon to fly around the net like mad, drawing the enemy's attention
away from the resourcers. Send your workers and ACV's over to the net just in
case. Don't worry about losing any of your ships other than the collectors -
you have tons of money by now and you can rebuild your fleet in the following
mission. The one priority is keeping those resourcers alive until they reach
the Kuun-Lan.
Once you manage to get even one collector back home, hyperspace out
immediately to escape the chaos. Hopefully you managed to dock and store a few
of your ships before your emergency exit.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: If you're wondering why those collectors don't seem to want to dock with
the command ship, it's probably because the Kuun-Lan is still moving. Bring it
to a halt and they should move in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 9:
Corvette: 20 ACV
Frigate: 1 Hive, 5 Multi-Beam, 1 Ion Cannon, 1 Assault
Non-Combat: 6 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 9 Build Options:
N/A
Level 9 Research Options:
Force Field Level 2
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3.10 LEVEL 10: DEBRIS FIELD (KORETH'S RIFT SECTOR)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So the Taidani scientists were conducting experiments with the Beast
fragments? Colour us surprised. Time to hide for a bit...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Right. You can either go around the map trying to grab every last bit of loot
without getting killed, or you can just get on with it, safe in the knowledge
that you already have more money than you'll ever need. There is an argument
for taking all the resources so that the enemy can't, but this level is too
big (enormous map) and too dangerous for me to be personally bothered.
OBJECTIVE: SALVAGE SIEGE CANNON
Command wants you to grab the siege cannon your recon ship discovered, but
don't be daft - bring your command ship up to the spot instead of just sending
in workers you know will get mauled.
Get close enough to the cannon and you'll be told of enemy fighters and
corvettes vectoring in to try to grab it first. Then more fighters appear from
the debris field by the cannon. Don't even bother sending your workers in yet
- get rid of the enemy ships first, with support from your frigates and
command ship.
OBJECTIVE: RESEARCH SIEGE CANNON
Eventually they'll all be gone and you can get around to salvaging the
cannon. You'll have to do new research once it's under your control:
Siege Cannon Weapon
While you're doing this you'll probably be ambushed by some cloaked ion array
frigates, but they can be disabled and cut down quickly if you keep all your
ships together at the debris field, which you should have done.
More research appears:
Advanced Sensors
Once the cannon research is done you can build the cannon from the build
manager.
OBJECTIVE: BUILD SIEGE CANNON
Soon after you get the cannon construction underway more raider ships emerge
from hyperspace and start launching attacks on you. By this point you'll
probably have forgotten why, but begin moving your command ship down the map,
towards and past the pirates' location.
Once the siege cannon is built you get attacked by another wave of pirates,
added to the raider ships which include a heavy cruiser and three or four
destroyers. Try to bait all of these ships into attacking the Kuun-Lan while
the rest of your fleet concentrates on hitting them with all they've got. Get
your workers repairing the command ship and just wait for a bit.
After a while the Caal-Shto will reappear, to the delight of Fleet Command.
Unfortunately, no-one on your command ship seems to be able to hear that
something is very, very wrong on that 'friendly' ship, but no matter. The
pirates will break off and attack the Caal-Shto, whose occupants seem quite
pleased about it.
Keep waiting and defending your command ship until the pirates get near enough
to the Caal-Shto. The cutscene will play, revealing that both the Caal-Shto
and your old hangar module are now under Beast control, as if you hadn't
guessed.
The raiders break off their attack and head over there, so repair and rebuild
if needed.
OBJECTIVE: FIRE SIEGE CANNON
You have to move your command ship to within the 100% range of the Caal-Shto
and then fire the cannon at it (Z key). So get on with it. Getting there is
actually quite easy, despite the fact that you're really still under attack.
Just stick everyone on neutral stance and get them to guard the command ship
while it moves.
Get to within range and then dock all your little ships while you charge and
fire the cannon. You'll have to make an emergency hyperspace because the
cannon will do less than half of bugger all to the Beast ships, so get
everyone inside and safe before you leave.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 10:
Corvette: 20 ACV
Frigate: 1 Hive, 5 Multi-Beam, 1 Ion Cannon, 1 Assault
Non-Combat: 4 Worker, 1 Processor
Level 10 Build Options:
Siege Cannon
Level 10 Research Options:
Siege Cannon Weapon
Advanced Sensors
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3.11 LEVEL 11: SYSTEM AZ-23769
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Hmmm, so the cannon's broken - those pesky plasma conduits again. On the
bright side, we're away to visit the Faal-Corum, who might be able to help us
find the Naggarok.
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First things frickin' last. The Faal-Corum is under attack and you have to
destroy those Beast ships to prove to them that you're not in league with the
Beast. Bear in mind that this is a ship supposedly specifically designed to
know things about other spaceships. God help us.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY BEAST SHIPS
This is pish simple. Tactical will tell you not to return fire on the friendly
ships, but you can't anyway, even by accident. Get rid of all the Beast ships
and then the Faal-Corum will require repairs once they're gone.
OBJECTIVE: REPAIR THE FAAL-CORUM
If you don't do this the mission won't progress, which makes now the perfect
time to nick every last bit of asteroid or crystal in the area, including the
clumps off in the distance. I especially recommend you do this because you
don't want to leave all that money for any enemies who may or may not be
appearing later, after you've repaired the Faal-Corum.
Wait (8x function) until you've cleared out the map of a great many resources,
then get to work repairing the friendly carrier.
Get the Faal-Corum up to 65% health and you'll get two new researches:
Destroyer Drive
Repair Bots
At 72%-ish the Beast fleet will appear in the distance, near the place where
there used to be a big lot of resources (mwahahaha!). Two new objectives.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY ENEMY FLEET
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT THE FAAL-CORUM
Before you try to attack the Beast ships, build your two carriers and upgrade
everything to include the self-repair ability. This will make your attack much
easier.
However, don't even bother sending in your frigates or ACV's. Park the command
ship behind the Faal-Corum while you build carriers, support modules on the
carriers, and six destroyers (even three can deal with the Beast ships
easily). Let the Beast throw its ships at the Faal-Corum while you send your
destroyers forward (keep your workers repairing the destroyers, and watch out
for cruise missiles on the way).
When your destroyers reach the Beast carrier, take out the defense field
frigates first, then remove some or all of the sentinels around the carrier,
then just batter at it until it falls. Wipe away the remaining Beast ships and
you're done.
The Faal-Corum sends over its astrogation team and then runs back to Hiigara.
You might want to retire your processor now that you have two carriers.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
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Fleet at end of Level 11:
Corvette: 20 ACV
Frigate: 1 Hive, 5 Multi-Beam, 1 Ion Cannon, 1 Assault
Super-Capital: 6 Destroyer, 2 Carrier
Non-Combat: 4 Worker
Level 11 Build Options:
Carrier
Destroyer
Level 11 Research Options:
Destroyer Drive
Repair Bots
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3.12 LEVEL 12: TURANIC OUTPOST (KYORI SECTOR)
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Looks like the Turanic Raiders are the only ones who can help us pinpoint the
beacon's original location. When will the Hiigarans learn to just take this
stuff by force, instead of 'asking nicely'?
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Command will try unsuccessfully to enlist the help of the Turanic base (sigh),
and pretty soon the Raiders will attack. Fend off their first waves of
fighters and corvettes before Tactical tells you to counter-attack.
OBJECTIVE: DEFEND COMMAND SHIP
OBJECTIVE: ATTACK TURANIC OUTPOST
Send your command ship over and up to the Turanic base, with everyone else
guarding it. You may occasionally see some neutral acolytes moving towards you
- these are actually Turanic corvettes using mimic technology, so be alert. By
the way, don't bother harvesting yet - use your workers to repair your command
ships, which should be at the front of your attack and acting as bait. If
you've got a similar fleet to mine, you might also want to retire one of your
ACV's to fit in another multi-beam frigate.
Anyway, you should reach the Turanic base and carrier after dealing with
multiple ion array frigates on the way. Six more will appear in groups of
three, cloaked and hidden until they get close enough to you.
They should all be going for your command ship first, so make sure you're
repairing it like mad. You might even lose your hangar module (like I did) and
have to build another one, so try bumping this up to the top of the repair
list in the systems manager.
Once you reach the enemy carrier you will see that it and the base are hiding
amongst some debris, as well as some very destructive mines which you might
want to kill off with your ACV's or let your command ship take on the chin.
Let the Turanic fighters and corvettes throw themselves fruitlessly at your
frigates and destroyers, then target the carrier and wipe it out, ignoring any
defense ships or mines it might put out while you're doing so.
With the carrier gone you can hit the base itself. When it's in the red some
more Turanic Raider heavies will hyperspace in but then disappear almost as
quickly, after which the base will surrender.
All that's left now in this simple level is to clear out any resources, though
you might want to explore all the asteroid clumps with ACV's first, as the two
at the back are heavily mined.
One more thing, and this is important: dock all of your dockable ships with
your carriers, not your command ship, and lock them in there for the start of
the next mission.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
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Fleet at end of Level 12:
Corvette: 19 ACV
Frigate: 1 Hive, 6 Multi-Beam, 1 Ion Cannon, 1 Assault
Super-Capital: 6 Destroyer, 2 Carrier
Non-Combat: 4 Worker
Level 12 Build Options:
N/A
Level 12 Research Options:
N/A
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3.13 LEVEL 13: LOCATION UNKNOWN
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tactical Command apparently doubled security on the Kuun-Lan, while the
Turanic Raider captives are on board. And she apparently made a complete
trousers of it. Nice one, woman.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, there's quite a lot happening, but the upshot is that you need to
rebuild your engineering module and one of your support modules on the command
ship; and you need to get repairs underway fast. Especially since you're
getting ambushed by three groups of enemy ships.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY ENEMY FLEET
Eject everyone from your carriers and get repairing the Kuun-Lan. Meanwhile
begin moving your command ship up to its left, towards the nearest group of
incoming enemies. This will buy you more time to avoid the other two groups,
who are the tougher ones.
I suggest taking the command ship up to that bunch of resources, since
wherever you go you're going to have meet three cruisers and three destroyers.
Once you've taken all six of these ships down you should be able to launch any
ships from your command ship.
You may by now have noticed more and more squadrons of fighters appearing from
the direction of the asteroid cloud, so head over there to find the source.
Things are getting a bit chaotic at this point, but you'll get a lift with the
appearance of the Faal-Corum, who can offer support in the shape of their own
ships plus some free frigates and destroyers for you to add to your fleet.
OBJECTIVE: SUPPORT THE FAAL-CORUM
When the Faal-Corum appears push your command ship over there and park it
behind or next to your ally, so that any ships attacking you will have to come
up against the Faal-Corum's defenses too. There should be disturbingly strong
forces hoving into view, including more cruisers and destroyers, escorted by
frigates. There will be more and more fighters arriving on the scene too, so
spend the next few minutes getting rid of all those horrible capital ships and
making sure you don't lose any of your own.
Guard your command ship with your frigates and ACV's, while you send all of
your destroyers (I had eight by now) over to the enemy carrier which should by
now have been pinpointed in the sensors manager.
Your two priorities here (leaving aside the defense of the Kuun-Lan and Faal-
Corum) are: take out the bunch of enemy resource collectors on the way to the
carrier; take out the carrier itself. The carrier will probably try to run at
some point after you get near it, but your destroyers can catch up easily. The
carrier will have shot its load by sending most of its new ships at you and
the Faal-Corum, so this 'battle' should be a stroll.
Then just delete the remaining enemies and the mission is over.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
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Fleet at end of Level 13:
Corvette: 26 ACV
Frigate: 1 Hive, 6 Multi-Beam, 5 Ion Cannon, 1 Assault, 2 Ramming
Super-Capital: 8 Destroyer, 2 Carrier
Non-Combat: 2 Worker
Level 13 Build Options:
N/A
Level 13 Research Options:
N/A
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3.14 LEVEL 14: GALACTIC RIM (GULF SECTOR)
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The Beast is picking up pace and is spreading across the galaxy with horrific
speed. Who you gonna call?
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The Taidani ships are now in the thrall of the Beast, and are actually
repairing the Naggarok. Command can't reason with them, so battle is on.
Two new objectives, each as difficult as the other.
OBJECTIVE: PROTECT COMMAND SHIP
OBJECTIVE: GET SAMPLE
And you might have noticed that your destroyers and carriers can be upgraded,
thanks to your having been given:
Advanced Destroyer Drive
Do this now, rather than later, and build some battlecruisers if by some
chance you have room.
I recommend you take your command ship to one of the back corners straight
away, because you're about to come under the most serious attack that has yet
been launched against you. Once you've dealt with the first, weak wave of
attackers the Beast mothership - the artist formerly known as your old hangar
module - will appear and begin sending its own ships against you, effectively
doubling the difficulty.
Protect your command ship with your destroyers, frigates and ACV's, but you
might have realised that you can't fit the necessary mimic into your fleet,
because all those free ships you were recently given have bumped up your
support limit. You're going to have to retire some ships, so I suggest getting
rid of all of your ACV's and then maybe one or all of your ion frigates - the
rule is: least powerful first. This isn't really an ACV sort of mission,
though you should probably reserve one or two in order to make completing that
second objective easier.
Anyway, once you've got your mimic built and you're happy with your defense,
send what ACV's you've kept across towards the pinged Naggarok, escorted by
your mimic. When they're almost there, send your mimic down into the bottom of
the sensors manager (depth - the floor of the map, in other words), while your
ACV's get rid of two or three of the closest proximity sensors. Your mimic
will be detected by these things whether it's disguised or not, so cut a hole
in the ring to let it through.
Once the sensors are gone, send your ACV's home while your mimic imitates an
enemy ship and shimmies along the floor to sit directly underneath the
Naggarok. Send it straight upwards and once it's close enough you'll get a
cutscene.
Once this objective is completed you might have to sit for a while, scratching
your arse and thinking: what next? Don't worry, the game is not frozen. The
Naggarok will soon bugger off, taking most of the Taidani ships along with it.
OBJECTIVE: SALVAGE TAIDAN SHIP
At this point there will be several frigates heading towards you, the remnants
of the fleet. You're going to have to capture one of them, so make sure you
have enough room in your fleet to allow it. Erase the rest of them, clear out
any resources (avoid the mines), and rebuild your fleet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: You could have taken out that Taidan carrier earlier, but I tend to
ignore it and just absorb its attacks. It will have disappeared with the
Naggarok, but it does leave behind some corvettes and sentinels, so watch out
for them if you're sending workers all over the map at the end of the mission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And by 'rebuild' I mean rearrange. You're nearing the end of the game and
you'll need the most powerful ships available. At this point I tend to retire
all of my ACV's (except five, for the E.M.P.) and all of my frigates. I also
scuttle one of my original destroyers (the ones you get for free are hardly
worth any Support Units, so scuttle one of your own to make room for that
second cruiser). Take a look at my fleet below to see what changes I made -
this might not suit you but you'll make up your own mind.
OBJECTIVE: HYPERSPACE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet at end of Level 14:
Corvette: 5 ACV
Super-Capital: 7 Destroyer, 2 Battlecruiser, 2 Carrier
Non-Combat: 6 Worker
Level 14 Build Options:
Battlecruiser
Level 14 Research Options:
Advanced Destroyer Drive
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3.15 LEVEL 15: DEEP SPACE (GULF SECTOR)
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Remember that siege cannon? The one you thought you could own the whole game
with? Yeah, well, it's something to do with the Bentusi, so we'll have to
catch them before they vanish altogether.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bentusi are scarpering through a gate, and you'll have to stop them before
they're all gone.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY GATE NODES
Two things are important here.
One is to get your command ship running into some far off corner of the map,
because it may have to take some serious damage here, and it's best to get it
as far away as you can to buy some time.
The other thing is to undertake some research as soon as the mission starts.
Annoyingly, you're not told about any of the four researches which have just
become available:
Advanced Fighter Drive
Advanced Frigate Drive
Armor Level 3
Force Field Level 3
Depending on how you've built your fleet, you'll want to pick certain ones
first over others. My fleet is almost entirely capital ships, so I go for the
Frigate Drive and the Armor first. I suggest you have your favoured researches
done before you destroy that gate, because they'll help you save some ships.
Make sure you upgrade your ships as soon as the researches are done.
OBJECTIVE: BLOCK THE SLIPGATE
As soon as the Bentusi twig that you're trying to destroy the gate they'll
launch their own brand of fighter ship, whose beams can do big damage to any
and all of your ships. Concentrate on knocking out the nodes around the gate,
then head over to your fleeing command ship and just try to soak up the
Bentusi attacks.
You just have to hang around until the multiple Bentusi stations have been won
round by Command, after which you can finish off your researches and rebuild
and repair your damaged fleet. I had to wait until both my carriers were lost,
but hopefully you won't suffer really heavy losses. But hey, that's why you
have all that money. If you do have to rebuild your carriers, make sure you
build six support modules on each of them.
OBJECTIVE: END MISSION
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Fleet at end of Level 15:
Corvette: 5 ACV
Super-Capital: 7 Destroyer, 2 Battlecruiser, 2 Carrier
Non-Combat: 6 Worker
Level 15 Build Options:
N/A
Level 15 Research Options:
Advanced Fighter Drive
Advanced Frigate Drive
Armor Level 3
Force Field Level 3
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3.16 LEVEL 16: SOJENTA-RA SYSTEM (FAR REACHES SECTOR)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So the cannon's working again and it needs a test run before we go for the
Beast for real.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE: LOCATE CLEE-SAN'S POSITION
The first part of this mission is actually extremely easy, as long as you
handle it correctly, which you're about to, thanks to this wondrous guide :)
Right. Get all your ships together and send them towards the pinged position.
Once your command ship is within 50% siege cannon range of the blip, stop
everything and group all your capital ships together. Send workers along to
repair them while they head towards the Clee-San's position.
It of course has a heavy escort, including a carrier and two or three
cruisers, but you can take care of these easily using the cannon.
Anyway, have the siege cannon ready to fire on the spot just northwards of the
yellow blip (assuming your command ship is due 'east' in the sensors manager),
and when your combat ships get close enough, fire the cannon just as the
screen is closing to begin the little cutscene. The cannon should wipe out
quite a lot of the Beast ships, including the sentinels around the carrier.
OBJECTIVE: SEND WORKER TO DOCK WITH THE CLEE-SAN
If you got your shot right the Clee-San will still be alive, but heavily
damaged.
Now just pile everyone directly towards the carrier, ignoring every other
Beast ship who may be attacking you. Take out the carrier before it can
produce any more ships, then wipe out the rest of the Beast ships (don't
target the Clee-San - it's flagged as hostile so be careful).
All of this should have been easy peasy, so once the area is clear just send
your worker over to the Clee-San while you conduct repairs or whatever.
Once the Clee-San has been touched up by your worker, you get a new objective.
OBJECTIVE: HARVEST
Start moving your command ship across the map. Look for the big curve of dust
at one side of the sensors manager and take everyone over there into the apex
of the curve, including your workers.
Pretty soon the Beast mothership will be emerging from around here, bringing
with it two or three more cruisers and a few other escort ships. It will begin
harvesting and sending out fighter squadrons, as well as the dangerous cruise
missiles in batches of four.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY THE BEAST COMMAND SHIP FLEET
Hopefully your command ship is within range to give the Beast mothership a
dose of siege cannon, so let one loose while you send your heavy ships in,
just like you did with that carrier earlier. You'll probably spend some time
getting down there, plus some more time fighting at least one heavy cruiser.
By the time you've managed this, your cannon should be ready to fire again -
if not, just wait until it is while you hang your ships just out of range of
the Beast mothership.
Once it's been dealt a second shot, move in and finish it off, then take down
any other Beast ships around. Clear up the remaining resources - including the
three crystals - and it's mission accomplished.
OBJECTIVE: END MISSION
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Fleet at end of Level 16:
Corvette: 5 ACV
Frigate: 2 Multi-Beam
Super-Capital: 7 Destroyer, 2 Battlecruiser, 2 Carrier
Non-Combat: 5 Worker
Level 16 Build Options:
N/A
Level 16 Research Options:
N/A
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3.17 LEVEL 17: NAVAL BASE ALPHA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is it, the final showdown with the Beast. We'll finally face off against
the Naggarok to end the Beast's existence once and for all. Or possibly just
until Homeworld 3.
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OBJECTIVE: DESTROY THE NAGGAROK
Before you get started, you'll come into contact with a certain friendly
carrier who will tell you how to disable the Nomad Moon.
Well, forget the Nomad Moon for now. You'll want to clear out the map of the
Beast's ships to make things easier for yourself and your allies. First
priority is saving those friendly ships from destruction, because if you do
you'll have their help for the rest of the mission, and you definitely want
this.
Send your command ship forwards while you get all your destroyers and
battlecruisers to pile into the battle just ahead. Get rid of the nearby Beast
ships as quickly as you can, and try to save as many of the friendlies as
possible. When this battle is over your allies will start escorting your
command ship and joining in any battles you run into farther into the map.
There is a friendly carrier on the far side of the area, and it will also come
under attack. You can send ships over to help if you like, though it will take
a long time. I suggest you do it anyway, then engage the cruisers and frigates
just in front of the Nomad Moon. Keep all your ships together at this point -
the area is too dangerous to split them up.
Once you get close enough to the Nomad Moon you will see it sending out great
spherical waves of energy, which damage any non-Beast ships in their catchment
area. You then get given a new objective.
OBJECTIVE: DESTROY MOON REPULSE EMITTERS
You also get given a new research upgrade for your battlecruisers, which I
suggest you research and apply immediately:
Repulsor Weapon
Once you've gotten rid of those ships hovering around in front of the Nomad
Moon, and the friendly carrier looks secure enough, move back over to the area
of the map where you first entered the mission, and begin to systematically
move along and upwards, taking out all the Beast ships you encounter.
There are six ships you're looking for specifically in the map: three carriers
and three processors. The carriers are most important, since they are the only
ships capable of producing more Beast ships (and cruise missiles, by the way)
to send against you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: After the first skirmishes, the Beast ships seem uninterested in
attacking your allied carrier, which I think is pretty damn lame. Maybe it's
because your allies have taken evasive tactics to extremes and are sitting so
far down the map they're practically in the sequel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The carriers move around a lot, usually sticking close to resource clumps. You
may have met one when you first approached the Nomad Moon - it should start
off around this spot. The second one usually hangs around way above and behind
the Nomad Moon and the Naggarok, so you're going to have to go up there
looking for it. And the third is way down and to the south of this one
(assuming that big clump of crystals is at the southern edge of the sensors
manager). If you're having trouble finding the carriers or processors, try
looking for workers around the resources and then following their routes back
to their dropoff point.
You should eventually be able to track down and destroy the carriers and
processors (though once the carriers are gone you don't need to worry about
the processors, since the Beast can't do anything with the resources).
You should also have met and destroyed a great many Beast ships, mostly ion
array, ramming and multi-beam frigates. Keep repairing and watch your command
ship and carriers. It's actually not too bad if you keep your fleet together
and use the assistance of your allies.
Time to make a start on the Nomad Moon. You'll need leeches, though you won't
be able to build many if your fleet is maxed out. Send the leeches into the
vicinity of the Moon and get them to target and vent the two emitters above
and below the large sphere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NOTE: If you're wondering why the Moon keeps emitting its energy blasts even
though you're only sending in supposedly undetectable leeches, it's probably
because your allied carrier is idiotically sending more and more frigates at
it, which will cause the Moon to trigger. Wait until the latest batch of
morons have been destroyed, then quickly send in your leeches while the next
group are approaching.
Another thing I thought was just brilliant: I retired all my workers to make
room for more leeches, satisfied that all my ships were at full health. I was
bored waiting for the leeches to be built, so to amuse myself I decided to
fire my cannon at the Naggarok. The Moon chose a moment halfway through my
shot's flight to emit its energy wave, which sent the shot straight back at my
mothership, where it burst, destroying all my leeches and damaging my ships.
Which I couldn't repair, as I had just retired my workers. Don't make this
mistake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once the emitters are down you can send in your heavy mob and destroy the
Moon. However, when you've got it to about half health a bunch of Imperialists
hyperspace in across the map. They talk to you to distract you from another
squadron moving in on you in a pincer movement.
OBJECTIVE: RECON HYPERSPACE SIGNATURES
You don't need to bother reconning anything. Just finish off the Moon, at
which point the gutless Bentusi appear and hand you the greatest weapon in the
game: the super acolyte.
Soon after this the Naggarok will start flying around the map at incredible
speeds. Then the Imperialists will break off their attack and disappear. Then,
from apparently nowhere, a 'Beast strike fleet' will be attacking you. What
the f... ? I guess they hyperspaced in with the Taidani, but no-one told me.
Command wants you to undertake new research to combat the Naggarok's latest
trick:
Inertialess Drive
Researching this will reveal that you can use your ACV's' E.M.P. ability to
temporarily disable the Naggarok when it gets close, but don't bother building
any - you can do without them.
Scuttle some of your ships (I dumped my battlecruisers), as they're now almost
obsolete in the face of the amazing super acolyte and you'll want the space to
build some immediately. Send your command ship winging its way over to the
back of the map - this will buy you some time to escape the Beast ships zoning
in on you from both sides.
OBJECTIVE: DISABLE AND DESTROY THE NAGGAROK
Get building as many super acolytes as you can, using all three carriers to
hasten the construction.
The Naggarok will be scooting around the map, mad as Norris, but you'll have
to wait for it to periodically jump your fleet and suck one of your capital
ships to death, including your carriers. This is your opportunity to blast the
hell out of it with your super acolytes. The more you have, the quicker you
can take it down, though you may lose three or four of your big ships before
you finally get rid of it.
Every time the Naggarok does grab one of your ships this will leave space for
more super acolytes, so fill the fleet with as many as you can.
You might also get hassled by more Beast ships - carriers, frigates, cruisers,
the works - but the super acolytes can erase these guys almost instantly,
cruisers included. They're not too great at hitting fast moving targets
though, so keep some bigger ships around to mop up the fighters and corvettes.
Anyway, once you finally do the Naggarok enough damage it will explode,
emitting the longest death rattle in the history of everything.
Which means you've completed the game. Congratulations :)
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<< 4. CONTRIBUTIONS >>
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Version 1.0 -
01 October 2006 - Michael Sarich: Copyright Disclaimer
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Version 1.1 -
N/A
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Version 1.2 -
N/A
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THANK-YOU TO ALL CONTRIBUTORS
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<< 5. VERSION HISTORY >>
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Version 1.0 completion - 06 January 2007
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Version 1.1 completion - 01 February 2007
New disclaimer
Section 1:
1.2 USING THIS GUIDE - Improved information
1.3 CONTACT ME - Improved information
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Version 1.2 completion - 01 February 2007
New disclaimer
Section 1:
1.3 CONTACT ME - Updated information
Miscellaneous:
Corrected various typos
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Version 1.3 completion - April 2017
Guide is now considered complete
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Thank-you for using this walkthrough. I hope it helped you out, or at least
taught you how _not_ to play the game. At the very least, I hope you found it
entertaining.
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This guide was written and formatted with the excellent Metapad:
http://www.liquidninja.com/metapad/
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