The Great Hunt

This article is about the Descent: FreeSpace mission. You may be looking for the FreeSpace 2 mission with the same name.

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ACT 3 MISSION 8

Fighter squadron:
Description:

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Background

In a few minutes we will be entering the Delta Serpentis sector. We will then begin the most important engagement in our history. We will fight for the very survival of Earth.

Our plan is to rapidly close the distance with the Lucifer so that the Bastion is able to enter subspace just behind her. Once in subspace, we will attack and destroy the Lucifer.

Your task will be to provide cover for the Bastion so that it can quickly converge on the Lucifer.

That Destroyer must be stopped at all costs. Failure is absolutely not an option here, pilots.

Walkthrough

First, a word about the "Escort Delta to the Node" directive. This directive is irrelevant. It will not appear when you play most of the time unless you are slower than a tortoise with three legs and a stomach cramp. You must be within 2000 units of the node and wait for Delta wing to go to the node and depart before the directive will appear. This will occur with about three minutes left. Okay. Get ready for a lot of action. Attack the six Basilisks (Deva and Arjuna) in front of the Bastion first, then head toward the node. Command will order you to go to the node quickly. Expect resistance, a lot of resistance. 6 Manticores (Krishna and Rama) will be the first to challenge you. Then 4 Basilisks (Bheema) will attack. 3 Hammer of Light Thoths (Virgo) will be next in the gauntlet. 3 more Basilisks (Asura) will keep you on your toes. 4 Scorpions (Indra) will next be stepping in your way. By 3:55 Epsilon wing will be ready. 4 more Thoths (Aries) will challenge you. Durga wing with 4 Basilisks will be your next foe. Genma wing will be a mirror image of Durga. The Prophecy (Typhon) is exactly what you need at this point. You'll never destroy it so keep going. Lastly (finally), 3 waves of 3 Dragons (oh, great) will be your last enemy. Now that was a lot of fighting.

Alternatively you could A) get an Ursa, tell your wingmen to ignore one the Basilisks to prevent them from being destroyed (which will start the timer); this gives you all the time you want to make it to the node or B) get a fast fighter and zip past any Shivans that get in your way. In any case make sure that you wait for Delta and the Toths to spawn or else they will not appear in the next mission.

Alternative Missions

If the Bastion was damaged to below 35% in the previous mission, then the Bastion will start out with 35% in this mission.

Notes

If you'd like to cheat, this is a mission where you can feel free to do so. Since this is a "Red Alert" mission, there will be no cheat checking at the end. All cheats are thus allowed. Go ahead, try those Shivan Super Lasers, no? You can even order your wingmen to depart in the beginning, leaving you with most of the kills. Don't do that though, you'll end up with no squadmates in the final mission. (Vanilla FreeSpace 1 only)

Do not race towards the node as fast as possible and immediately jump out! If you do, and survive dashing past the enemy fighters, the bomber wings will not be deployed and Good Luck will be virtually impossible to win. Wait for all wings to be in the field of engagement before entering the node.

The Lucifer is actually not invulnerable during this mission. If you cheat with the Shivan super laser, you might be able to score a hit or 2 before she departs. Note that if you destroy the Lucifer using cheats (Alt-K), she will nevertheless reappear in the next mission.

The PVD Prophecy will warp in whenever you get to within 2000 meters of the node. Therefore, if you get to node without destroying the first waves of Basilisks, the timer will not have started yet and you will have all the time you want to kill her.

Notable ships present

GTD Bastion
PVD Prophecy (Hammer of Light)