Difference between revisions of "Into the Lion's Den"

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(Fairly extensive rewrite to put it into a less informal voice.)
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==Walkthrough==
 
==Walkthrough==
Prepare yourself for this mission, as it's widely considered the best Volition ever made. Get up and go to the bathroom first, make sure you're not going to feel the need for food or water in the middle of it, and make sure you're wearing clean underwear.
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This mission is often considered Volition's best, although others find the long minutes of straight flying to be boring.
  
Check your loadout first. My oh my, is that a Mara? Yes, it is. Kit it out however you like, but the Mara's probably the only fighter that can truly support an all-Kayser gun configuration and it would be a waste to mount anything else (save possibly a single Maxim). You'll be called upon to kill some somewhat sizeable stuff, so you could kit out a bank of Trebs if that strikes your fancy. However such deep secondary bays are practically crying out for an all-Tornado loadout.
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This is the only mission in which you can fly the [[SF Mara (Terrans)|Mara]], and even if it isn't exactly like the Shivan version, it's pretty close. Load up with at least some [[GTM Tempest|Tempests]] or [[GTM Trebuchet|Trebuchets]], as you'll be spending a fair amount of time strafing at close range, although with such large banks [[GTM Tornado]]s may fit the bill as well. Keep in mind the [[GTW Subach HL-7|Subach's]] main advantage of efficiency doesn't mean a thing in the Mara, and that the Mara's probably the only fighter that can truly support an all-Kayser gun configuration.
  
Now take a deep breath, swallow any food or drink you have in your mouth, and hit the "Commit" button.
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After accomplishing the first major challenge of this mission you're pretty much home free.
  
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You have fifteen minutes before you are able to jump, and your ride apparently won't wait; so whatever you do in this mission, get back to the node in that time. Immediately locate and head for one of the funny-looking unidentified objects, they possess spinning arms, and are rather larger than a cruiser. Those are your primary targets this mission. They're widely spaced, so consider diverting some power to your engines. Each can be killed by a well-placed dual Trebuchet hit; aim for the "Crystal" subsystem if you're going the surgical-kill route, once this is destroyed they self-destruct, otherwise continue to unload on them, and they'll give out eventually.  Deliver the final shot from a distance, because those devices blow up quite energetically. Take the first and the third, as the elite wing of SOC pilots prove capable of taking out the second of these floating targets. If you hurry you should be able to get some [[SB Nahema]] kills, and one or two [[SC Rakshasa]] kills.
  
 
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The dialog in this mission has probably at least the most humanity of anything else in the game.
Are you splattered across the front of a Sathanas juggernaut now? Well you should have done what Snipes told you! Trying to pull up is tempting and looks at as if it will work, (indeed, it looks more likely to work then diving), but appearances are decieving, and attempting it will leave your fighter's wreckage a Sathanas hood ornament.
 
 
 
Fifteen minutes 'til you can change your shorts if you happened to soil them, just like the man says. Immediately locate and head for one of the funny-looking "Unknown" things. You know, the ones with the spinning arms. Those are your primary targets this mission. They're widely spaced, so consider diverting some power to your engines. Each can be killed by a well-placed dual Treb hit; aim for the "Crystal" subsystem if you're going the surgical-kill route, once this is destroyed they self-destruct. Otherwise just pour on the firepower. They won't last too long. Deliever the final blow from a distance, because those devices blow up reaaally nice. Once one is down, head for the next one. It's tempting to dogfight it with your brand new super dogfighting machine, but restrain yourself and only bump off those enemy fighters that get in your way or prove particularly offensive.
 
 
 
Don't forget to listen to the commentary from Snipes. He's in top form.
 
  
 
Now, once you have killed all three devices, call for your wingmen to cover you and head for the node. Hopefully you've still got a good amount of time left. Diverting power to your engines will probably be a wise idea. Remember, you ''must'' be at the node at the 15 minute mark.
 
Now, once you have killed all three devices, call for your wingmen to cover you and head for the node. Hopefully you've still got a good amount of time left. Diverting power to your engines will probably be a wise idea. Remember, you ''must'' be at the node at the 15 minute mark.
  
Try not to get run over by the SD Nebiros when it jumps in. Or killed by its after SAAA.
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A wing of [[SF Astaroth]]'s will jump in, take them out quickly, and try not to take too much damage. Those will be shortly followed by the SD Nebiros, when it jumps in avoid it's AAA beam, it can kill you in seconds.
 
 
Now you're at the node, and it's fifteen minutes on the mission clock, so hit Alt-J and call it day. Or at least we hope you're at the node and not still dogfighting Aeshmas 10km off.
 
 
 
If you miss your window, you are doomed to die.
 
  
 
==Notable ships present==
 
==Notable ships present==

Revision as of 02:07, 15 March 2007

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SOC LOOP 2, MISSION 2

Fighter squadron: 99th Skulls (?)
Description: Snipes leads Alpha wing of the 99th Skulls on a mission through the second Knossos portal.


Background

Somebody has to go through Knossos 2 and see what's going on over there. Guess who's been selected?

Walkthrough

This mission is often considered Volition's best, although others find the long minutes of straight flying to be boring.

This is the only mission in which you can fly the Mara, and even if it isn't exactly like the Shivan version, it's pretty close. Load up with at least some Tempests or Trebuchets, as you'll be spending a fair amount of time strafing at close range, although with such large banks GTM Tornados may fit the bill as well. Keep in mind the Subach's main advantage of efficiency doesn't mean a thing in the Mara, and that the Mara's probably the only fighter that can truly support an all-Kayser gun configuration.

After accomplishing the first major challenge of this mission you're pretty much home free.

You have fifteen minutes before you are able to jump, and your ride apparently won't wait; so whatever you do in this mission, get back to the node in that time. Immediately locate and head for one of the funny-looking unidentified objects, they possess spinning arms, and are rather larger than a cruiser. Those are your primary targets this mission. They're widely spaced, so consider diverting some power to your engines. Each can be killed by a well-placed dual Trebuchet hit; aim for the "Crystal" subsystem if you're going the surgical-kill route, once this is destroyed they self-destruct, otherwise continue to unload on them, and they'll give out eventually. Deliver the final shot from a distance, because those devices blow up quite energetically. Take the first and the third, as the elite wing of SOC pilots prove capable of taking out the second of these floating targets. If you hurry you should be able to get some SB Nahema kills, and one or two SC Rakshasa kills.

The dialog in this mission has probably at least the most humanity of anything else in the game.

Now, once you have killed all three devices, call for your wingmen to cover you and head for the node. Hopefully you've still got a good amount of time left. Diverting power to your engines will probably be a wise idea. Remember, you must be at the node at the 15 minute mark.

A wing of SF Astaroth's will jump in, take them out quickly, and try not to take too much damage. Those will be shortly followed by the SD Nebiros, when it jumps in avoid it's AAA beam, it can kill you in seconds.

Notable ships present

Sathanas 3, Sathanas 4, Sathanas 5, SD Nebiros

New equipment