Proschemata
| The following information refers to the Solaris universe and is therefore not canon for the FreeSpace continuity. |
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Solaris - Mission 4: Proschemata
System: Mira
Description: The first shots of a new conflict are fired in a fringe system. The Artemis assaults a Combine base to uncover its secrets.
Created: March 19th, 2018
Released: June 9th, 2019
Background
Several weeks later, the Elam-Qahtadnan war is over. The Qahtadnan Navy is a shadow of its former strength and the Coalition declares victory over its opponents.
The Combine escalates their military presence on the Federation border, preparing for an invasion. Combine politicians openly discuss retaking border systems lost during the Great War and now under Federation control. Archon Sarshar plans to discard the Miranda Accord entirely, ending four decades of hard-won peace. Commonwealth Prime Minister Charles Evans still holds out hope that another Great War could be avoided, but time is quickly running out. Without prompt preparation, the Alban Commonwealth risks being unprepared and at a disadvantage when war comes.
In Akkad, victory celebrations aboard Artemis are cut short as the cruiser is deployed to the Mira system, on the far edge of Elam space. A Combine base has been established there in violation of Elam sovereignity. The aviation cruiser Semper Victoria holds sentry at the base, and must be eliminated. The marine transport Sycorax is on standby to board the station and find out why the Combine have set up the base.
Walkthrough
This is the second mission flying the Hornet striker, and introduces the Sinarus Combine as the main antagonist of the story. The Combine field high-performance modern equipment, and the cruiser is more than a match for the Artemis.
On mission start, the Semper Victoria moves to close in on Artemis, launching a salvo of heavy anti-ship missiles similar to those used by the Gharial in the previous mission. Javelin missiles are slow but powerful and can take down the Artemis in only a few hits. Taking down the missile silo will stop these attacks but if you engage without support the escorting fighters will take you down. You can order Beta and Gamma wings to cover you as you make your attack run.
After destroying the missile silo, Ahab orders Ross to help him neutralise the highlighted dorsal cannons on the Semper Victoria. These are the remaining heavy damage dealers of the cruiser and once these are destroyed, the Artemis is free to chip away at the Semper Victoria's hull armour with her autocannons. The Semper Victoria retreats after receiving heavy damage, but this can be prevented by disabling the cruiser's engines or astrogation subsystem.
Combat ends when the Semper Victoria is either destroyed or driven off and all fighters are destroyed. The Artemis calls in the transport Sycorax to board the station. Ross, McKearney, Ahab and Punchy discuss the fleet buildup at Morik to meet the Combine fleets massing at the border. Ahab and Punchy are confident of victory but McKearney cautions them, saying the Archon likely has a trump card up his sleeve that the Federation doesn't know about.
The Sycorax breaches the station and her marines reach the station control centre. Initial impressions are that it is a research base, with minimal troops garrisoning the station. The marines set up remote access to the station's computer and begin downloading from the data archives. The process is interrupted by the arrival of CS Sanctus, a support carrier. Sanctus launches two Interdictor strikers that attack the Sycorax. After a short while the battlecruiser Galaxia jumps in and fires on the station. FNS Sycorax is forced to eject from the station and jump out with whatever data she managed to grab as the station is destroyed next to her.
The Artemis is outgunned, and comms orders all pilots to land as the cruiser spools her impellers. The mission ends with the Artemis jumping out.
Notable ships present
- FNS Artemis - Leander-class cruiser
- FNS Sycorax - Miranda-class transport
- CS Semper Victoria - Praetor-class cruiser
- CS Sanctus - Khopesh-class frigate
- CS Galaxia - Archon-class battlecruiser
Outcome
- Data secured from the Combine station.
- Destruction of the Combine station by the Galaxia.
Notes
- This mission has a bonus objective for destroying the Semper Victoria, Sanctus and all fighters.
- This is the first mission where Ross uses his callsign "Razor".
- If the player takes too long to return to the Artemis, a wolfpack of Combine destroyers arrives, prompting Artemis to start the countdown to jump. If the cruiser jumps out without the player, the mission fails.
