HOMEWORLD: CATACLYSM WALKTHROUGH by Briareos Kerensky (briareos@inwind.it, briareos_HF), ver 3.X. Table of Contents 1-Update History 2-History Briefing 3-Technology Briefing 4-Tactics Briefing 5-Formations Briefing 6-Ranks 7-Ships Briefing 8-General Tactics 9-Multiplayer Tactics 10-Walkthrough 11-Easter Eggs 12-Credits and misc **************** 1-UPDATE HISTORY **************** 16/10/2002- version 3.X. Updates only. 29/08/2002-version 3.X. Updates, additions and corrections. 23/07/2002-version 3.X. Other submissions! 17/03/2002-version 3.X. Wonderful. Someone still plays this great game. A submission after nearly a year from the last one! 9/04/2001-version 3.X. I recieved a mail today. Someone asked me to give my CD key because he/she lost is package: no way. Let me clearly state this: *N*O* *W*A*Y*. Do not ask me for such things. 12/03/2001-version 3.X. Added in infos based on the new patch released by Sierra (version 1.01). Later versions (2.X). These versions will contain only your submissions. 02/12/2000-version 2.0a. Added the final (I think so) sections, Easter Eggs and Ranks. Consider them an X'mas present ;) 30/11/2000-version 2.0. Final release! Walkthrough completed. I'll upload any suggestion once every week if there are. Thanks for reading, and be ready for more FAQs ;) 27/11/2000-version 1.8. Guess what? New, missions, of course! Numbers 10, 11, 16 and 17. 25/11/2000-version 1.6a. 100 Kbs reached and passed! Added missions 8 and 9. 24/11/2000-version 1.6. Added missions 6 and 7. Other minor corrections. 23/11/2000-version 1.5. Ship description is now complete, with full Somtaaw, Beast, Turanic and Taiidan Ships. I alwasy though that these two sub-chapter would be useless, but after some mission I decide to add Bentusi and Hiigaran ships under the same section. Section 7 and 8 now online and I'm waiting your ideas. Re-started the game to write down mission objectives and refresh memory about initial missions, but reached mission 16. Walthrough section now contains mission 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Minor corrections in all sections and text formatted with WordPad. 19/11/2000-version 1.0. Section 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 fully completed. Section 6 needs Beast, Turanic and Taiidan ships deascription, but it contians all Somtaaw ships. Sections 7, 8, 9 are under way. Currently playing mission 8, but with few multiplayer experience. ****************** 2-HISTORY BRIEFING ****************** 15 years have passed after the Kushan finally reached their Home, Hiigara, and killed the Taiidan Emperor. In these 15 years, the surviving Kushan built a new society on Hiigara by waking up the colonist kept in cryogenic sleep; however, these colonist had a rude awakening, as the first thing they did know was that Kharak, the planet where they left family and friends was burned by the Taiidan Imperial Fleet just before the MotherShip left the system. A number of these colonists, called Sleepers, committed suicide. In the meanwhile, the Taiidan Empire was torn apart by internal wars, and only a small number of planets was willing to create a new Empire, this time called the Taiidan Republic, willing to help the Kushan, the original inhabitants of Hiigara, to rebuild their lifes. However, the Imperial Fleet, was willing to rebuild a new Empire, and most officers left the Republican army for independent actions against the Hiigarans, with the help of the Turanic raiders, an other plague of the know universe. On Hiigara, the Kiith built a new Council, to ensure equal rights to every Kiith; soon the power of council fell in the hands of the major Kiiths, leaving only few choices to the smallest ones. One of these Kiith, the Soomtaw, aided by other minor Kiiths conquered the right to use the orbiting MotherShip, now used as shipyard, for 45 days. Kiith Soomtaw built two vessels, the Faal-Corum and Kuun-Lan, each nearly big as the MotherShip. The Soomtaw is a mining Kiith, and these two massive ships were intended as independent vehicles for long-range mining duties. A third vessel, this time a Frigate, the Clee-San, was built for research duties. The Clee San is currently in the Coruc-Tel System, while the Faal-Corum is in a deep-space mission. You will take command of the Kuun-Lan and its fleet, which are returning to Hiigara, but... ************************ 3-TECHNOLOGICAL BRIEFING ************************ In this secton you'll find description of the technology you have to research to obtain new vessels during the game. A brief description of weapon types is also provided. ---------------- --WEAPON TYPES-- ---------------- + Mass Drivers: projectile weapons. The weapon itself is small, so you'll find at least a small-caliber gun on every Fighter. Bigger ships will have mass-drivers in their secondary turrets. In Cataclysm, projectyle weapons are useful against fast strike crafts, as they travel at an higher velocity and do moderte damage to their thin armors. They have short/medium range values. Later in the game Mass Drivers will be upgraded to Energy Cannons, a more powerful version of the Guns with same stats. + Energy Beams: Capital Ships only. The most common energy beam is the ion beam, mounted on a number of ships. Only Super-Capital Ships carry them in turrets, as an ion cannon is usually big as a whole Frigate. Medium/long range weapons with high damage values, mainly useful against Capital Ships, though a turret-mounted cannon can deal with Strike Crafts and reduce them in scraps within seconds. + Missiles: Missiles are the only weapon limited by ammunition supplies, but bigger ships can build them automatically, so just make an intelligent use of them. They were first developed to provide anti-Fighter capabilities to Capital Ships, but then engineers began to develop smaller missiles to provide a more powerful punch to Corvettes and Fighters. Though their damage value is lower than the Beam's one, they are fired in groups and have a longer range. + Fields: some ships come equipped with a field generator capable of deflecting enemy weapons or generating gravity wheels to stop enemy's Strike Crafts. Those shiled are useful to protect valuable ships (Carriers, Cruisers, MotherShips...) or to trap enemy vessels. The third type of field is the Stealth, capable of masking crafts to enemy eyes and standard sensors. Only advanced sensor suites will detect Stealth (or cloacked) units. + Plasma Bombs: large plasma spheres that do a lot of damage; they are a bit slow, however, and the only craft carring them is the Beast/Taiidan Attack Bomber. Very effective against large ships and if they hit, against fighters. + Infection Beam: Only available to the Beast. Its Super-Capital Ships, as well as the Beast MotheShip, use it. This beam infects your vessels and make them fight for the Beast. Work only on Strike Crafts and Frigates, so use the biggest ships you have to deal with the listed enemies. Note that the Beam lasts for nearly 10 seconds and can infect every Strike Craft or Frigate is hit within this arc of time. ------------------------ --SOMTAAW TECHNOLOGIES-- ------------------------ FIGHTER DRIVE Research in: Hangar Module Pre-requisites: none Lead to: Advanced Fighter Drive, Linking Technology Needed for: Acolytes, Mimics Notes: you need it for producing fighters. You have to research for it in multiplayer and in the campaign mode you begin with this ability. ADVANCED FIGHTER DRIVE Research in: Hangar Module Pre-reuisites: Fighter Drive Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Seekers, Acolytes and Mimics) Notes: this will make your fighters (but not ACVs or MCVs) move faster. LINKING TECHNOLOGY Research in: Hangar Module Pre-requisites: Fighter Drive Lead to: nothing Needed for: ACVs and MCVs (upgrade for Acolytes and Mimics) Notes: will allow to produce Composites Vehicles from the hangar bay or by linking two Acolytes/Mimics FRIGATE DRIVE Research in: Hangar Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: Advanced Frigate Drive Needed for: Dervish, Hive Notes: needed for all Frigates ADVANCED FRIGATE DRIVE Research in: Hangar Module Pre-requisites: Frigate Drive Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Dervish, Hive) Notes: like the Advanced Fighter Drive, will this will make your Frigates moving faster DESTROYER DRIVE Research in: Hangar Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: Advanced Destroyer Drive Needed for: Shaman, Deacon Notes: needed for Carriers and Destroyers ADVANCED DESTROYER DRIVE Research in: Hangar Module Pre-requisites: Destroyer Drive Lead to: nothing (upgrade for Shaman, Deacon) Needed for: Archangel Notes: needed for the almighty Archangel and like the other Advanced Drives will make your Ships move faster. ARMOR LEVEL 2 Research in: Armor Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: Armor Level 3 Needed for: nothing (upgrade for all ships) Notes: will make ships stronger ARMOR LEVEL 3 Research in: Armor Module Pre-requisites: Armor Level 2 Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Hive) Notes: will make ships stronger FORCE FIELD LEVEL 1 Research in: Armor Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: Force Field Level 2 Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Sentinels) Notes: will block incoming projectiles FORCE FIELD LEVEL 2 Research in: Armor Module Pre-requisites: Force Field Level 1 Lead to: Force Field Level 3 Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Sentinels) Notes: will block incoming projectiles and missiles FORCE FIELD LEVEL 3 Research in: Armor Module Pre-requisites: Force Field Level 2 Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Sentinels) Notes: will block incoming projectiles, missiles and energy beams. HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTOR Research in: Engineering Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: Mimics, MCVs Notes: will allow you to build and mask Mimics. SUPPORT SYSTEMS Research in: Engineering Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing Notes: will allow to produce more ships (each Kuun-Lan module will provide 10 SUs, while Carrier's 12.) AFTERBURNER Research in: Engineering Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: Minions Notes: needed for Minions and their ramming attacks. REPAIR SYSTEMS Research in: Engineering Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Workers and Chieftains) Notes: this will allow to use Workers as a mobile repair base. SALVAGING ABILITY Research in: Engineering Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: Crystal Harvesting Capavility Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Workers) Notes: essentially will allow you to use Workers as HW's Salvage Corvettes. MICRO-SHIP CONSTRUCTION Research in: Advanced Engineering Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: Repair Bots, Phased Telemetry, Advanced Sensors, Infection Vaccine (multiplayer only) Needed for: Sentinel, Leech Notes: needed for the two Pods and all other advanced technologies REPAIR BOTS Research in: Advanced Engineering Module Pre-requisites: Micro-Ship Construction Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for all Capital Ships) Notes: auto-repair capabilites for Capital Ships. PHASED TELEMETRY Research in: Advanced Engineering Module Pre-requisites: Micro-Ship Construction Lead to: nothing Needed for: Leech Notes: allows you to build Leech Pods ADVANCED SENSORS Research in: Advanced Engineering Module Pre-requisites: Micro-Ship Construction Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Seekers, Sentinels) Notes: makes certain ships' sensor arrays' range longer INFECTION VACCINE Research in: Advanced Engineering Module Pre-requisites: Micro-Ship Construction Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgraded for Minions, Workers) Notes: will allow you to reconvert infected ships. Available in multiplayer only. CRYSTAL HARVESTING CAPABILITY Research in: Advanced Engineering Module Pre-requisites: Salvaging Ability Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Chieftains, Shamans and Explorers) Notes: will make you very rich ADVANCED ION CANNON Research in: Weapon Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: Dervish Notes: needed for Dervishes. MISSILE TECH Research in: Weapon Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: Acolytes (upgrade), Deacon, ArchAngel Notes: needed for the most powerful ships in the game SIEGE CANNON Research in: Weapon Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Explorers) Notes: give'em hell, boys ENERGY CANNON Research in: Weapon Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for all projectile weapons) Notes: will make projectile weapons more powerful EMP WEAPON Research in: Weapon Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for ACVs) Notes: special action ability for ACVs; this will temporarly disrupt enemy vessels' drives. QUANTUM EXPLOSIVE CHARGE Research in: Weapon Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Mimics and MCVs) Notes: banzaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii REPULSOR WEAPON Research in: Weapon Module Pre-requisites: nothing Lead to: nothing Needed for: nothing (upgrade for Archangels) Notes: repulsor weapon for ArchAngel ------------------------ -- BEAST TECHNOLOGIES -- ------------------------ Unlike the Somtaaw, the Beast has to capture and absorbs upgraded enemy ships and then upgrade its ships. I'm going to list Beast vessels and the technology needed for them and the way to get them. GENETICAL ENGINEERING MODULE Support Systems Infection Beam (upgrade) Crystal Harvesting Capacibility (upgrade/capture) SEEKER (captured) Advanced Sensors (upgrade) Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) ACOLYTE (captured) Fighter Engine Linking Technology (upgrade/capture) Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Energy Cannon (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) INTERCEPTOR Fighter Engine Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Energy Cannon (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) STEALTH FIGHTER Fighter Engine Cloacking Ability Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Energy Cannon (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) ATTACK BOMBER Fighter Engine Plasma Bombs Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) ACV (captured) Fighter Engine Linking Technology (upgrade/capture) EMP Weapon (upgrade/capture) Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) MULTI-GUN CORVETTE Fighter Drive Fast Moving Turrets Advanced Fightert Engine (upgrade/capture) Energy Cannon (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) HEAVY CORVETTE Fighter Drive Heavy Corvette Upgrade Advanced Fightert Engine (upgrade/capture) Energy Cannon (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 (upgrade/capture) MULTI-BEAM FRIGATE (captured) Frigate Drive Advanced Ion Cannon Advanced Frigate Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) HIVE FRIGATE (captured) Frigate Drive Micro-Ship Construction (captured) Advanced Frigate Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) ION ARRAY FRIGATE Frigate Drive Advanced Ion Cannon Cloacking Ability(upgrade) Advanced Frigate Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) DEFENSE FIELD FRIGATE Frigate Drive Defense Field Advanced Frigate Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) HEAVY CRUISER Destroyer Drive Heavy Guns Advanced Ion Cannon Advanced Destroyer drive (upgrade/capture) Energy Cannon (upgrade/capture) Infection Beam (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) CARRIER Destroyer Drive Crystal Harvesting Capability (upgrade/capture) Advanced Destroyer Drive (upgrade/capture) Energy Cannon (upgrade/capture) Infection Beam (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) RAMMING FRIGATE (captured) Repair Bots (upgrade/capture) Afterburner (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) WORKER Repair Systems (upgrade/capture) Salvaging Ability (upgrade/capture) Armor Levl 3 (upgrade/capture) PROCESSOR (captured) Crystal Harvesting Capability (upgrade/capture) Repair Systems (upgrade/capture) Armor Levl 3 (upgrade/capture) SENTINEL (captured) Micro Ship Contruction (captured) Force Field Level 1 (upgrade/capture) Force Field Level 2 (upgrade/capture) Force Field Level 3 (upgrade/capture) Advanced Sensors (upgrade) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) COMMAND SHIP Infection Beam (upgrade) Crystal Harvesting Capability (upgrade/capture) Support Systems (upgrade) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) CRUISE MISSILE Fighter Drive Missile Tech Bio-Warhead Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Infection Beam (upgrade) Armor Level 3 (upgrade/capture) MISSILE CORVETTE Fighter Drive Missile Tech Advanced Fighter Drive (upgrade/capture) Armor Level 2 ****************** 4-TACTICS BRIEFING ****************** +Evasive: only Strike Crafts really benefits of this behaviour, as they are the only vessels capable of tigh maneuvers. With evasive tactics, your units will travel toward the opponent without keeping formation, each one using at maximum efficiency its engines and firing only when sure that enemy fire won't hit. Ideal for high-speed strafing runs on enemy Capital Ships with anti-fighter guns, where tight formations usually result in a single ion cannon vaporing a good number of crafts. Alos, when crafts using Evasive tactic reach red and yellow health status, they immediately return to the nearest support ships for repair +Neutral: the standard behavior of new units; in Neutral mode crafts will attach only if attached first, and then will return to inactivity until someone fires against. It will be used in the single palyer (see the walkthru below), but I've never seen someone using it in multiplayer games +Aggressive: units will maintain formations, and when a target is within range, they will fire. The drawback of this tactic is that crafts only do strafing runs or maintain position to have an optimal aim over the targets, and won't dodge any enemy projectile, missile or energy beam. Useful for Capital vs Capital and Fighter vs Fighter dogfights. ********************** 5-FORMATIONS BRIEFING ********************** +Delta: vessels will form a 2D triangle. Though it is a very classic formation and very useful for parades, the top craft will be the most vulnarable to damage, effectively broking the formation. +Broad: an other 2D formations, but this time the vessels will form a straight line. Deadly for crafts, especially for big groups, as the combined firepower of a formation should give is centered around few elements. Quite effective for Capital Ships as you can use it for positioning them along the enemy's front and sides. I will describe this tactic later on. +X: one of the best formations for fighters: the X formations allows relatively small groups (maximum 15) to concentrate fire. Drawbacks? As the formations is compact, enemy turrets will enjoy in destroying your fighters. +Claw: the best formations for fighters, and if you have some Frigates, even for them. Recomended for maximum 15 crafts, like X formation, the Claw maximizes the effects of concentrated fire of an X formation while reducing the compactness of the formation. +Wall: ideal for large groups of ships and every Capital Ship formation, the wall creates a...wall (¬_¬...) of ships, maximizing firepower. If you have large fighter formations (10+) or at least 4/6 Frigates, the Wall will be THE choice. +Sphere: though I use this formation mainly for defensive purposes, I know that someone uses it for single Capital Ships with large Fighter escorts. In a Sphere formation, the bigger ship will be the center of the sphere, while the lighter ones will produce a defensive bubble around it. When usued cleverly, this formation will break any assault. ******* 6-RANKS ******* Cataclysm records combat kills and experience of single ships; with an higher rank ships will travel faster and their weapons will be more powerful. Ranks are shown by 4 purple stars over the health bar; 0 stars means that the ship in brand new or killed very few crafts; 4 stars indicates that this is an elite ship and survive to a large number of fights. (Note: I have the italian version of the game, and the translaion might be uncorrect, and increase percentages are IMO) + 0 stars: Flight Sergeant: all ships start with this rank. Speed and firepower are the standard values liste into Ships briefing + 1 star: Lieutenant: this rank is awarded to ships which survived few battles; speed and firepower are pretty the same of the first rank. + 2 stars: Squadron Leader: Firepower and speed increased of 20-30%. + 3 stars: Wing Commander: Firepower and speed increased of 30-40%; begin to pay attention to your ships: even outnumbered 2:1 Wing Commanders should destroy a Flight Sergeant wing with few or no losses. + 4 stars: Air Marshal: the highest rank a ship can achieve, the increase of speed and firepower is about 40-50%. **************** 7-SHIPS BRIEFING **************** First of all, a brief description of ship classes and main capabilities. + Micro-Ships: a new class introduced in Cataclysm, Micro Ships are very small ships piloted by AI routines. They have specialized tasks, and are not intended to be used for a stand-up fight. + Strike Crafts: Fighters and Corvettes. Fast and Maneouverable, these ships are useful for fast-raiding parties and harras larger ships until rienforcmentes arrives. Fighters lacks the turrets and firepower of the Corvettes, though they are faster. + Capital Ships: a gruop divided into Frigates and Super-Capital Ships. Frigates features a decent firepower and armor protection while mantaining a decent maneouverability; this class features a large number of vessels, each with differents armaments. Super-Capital Ships are Carriers, Cruisers, Destroyers and every other kind of ship capable of delivering massive firepower or build Strike Crafts and Frigates. To counteract one of these behemoths, use a similar vessel or a group of Frigates. Worst of all, these crafts are usually accompained by fighter escorts. + Non-Combatant Ships: ships dedicated to recor, repair and harvesrting. Bigger ships usually mount only defensive turrets. They are not intended for combant, so use them for their main task. + MotherShips: massive ships capable of building any other vessel class, except other MotherShips. Your main task is to defend yours, though the armor and firepower (combined with the possibility to move them) can support attack vessels. However, defend it. Note: under the coverage section I put the descripton of the weapon, showing caliber (small, medium, heavy), type (projectile, missile, ion; energy will substitute projectile after you develop Energy Cannons) and DPs (Damage Points); if this depicts two values, the first describes the standard damage, the second the upgraded value; these values are the base for every vessel. The value regards a single weapon, so if a ship has 4 guns, doing 8 DPs, the total damage will 32. I divided turrets into two categories: sponson turrets can track enemies in limited arcs but they aren't fixed nor can turn 360°. Normal Turrets are mounted on a fixed mount and can fire in 360° degrees. Enjoy. 16/10/2002 adittion: while searching infos on HomeWorld 2 (can't wait it!), I stubled on this beautiful website, HomeWorld Shipyard: http://www.well-of-souls.com/homeworld/hws/index.html It contains very detailed infos on every ship in both HomeWorld and HomeWorld: Cataclysm. I'm not going to copy them in this document as they are not my work and the site definitively is worth of a visit. Check it out. ----------------- --SOMTAAW SHIPS-- ----------------- SEEKER class reconaissance fighter Mass: 41 tons Armor: 25 Firepower: 40 Coverage: 4% (single forward-fixed small projectile weapon, 7/14 DPs) Maneuverability: very high Max Velocity: 1050 m/s Required Tech: none Upgrade Tech: Advanced Sensors Advanced Fighter Engine Energy Cannons Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 40 SU Cost: 2 Available from: mission 1 A reconaissance fighter. The fastest and most maneuverable ship in the game, the Seeker is used for scounting missions. Thanks to its sensor array, this fighter has the same sensor range of a Capital Ship, and its low UR cost make it ideal for recon missions in unexplored areas (or where the enemy lurks). It is imperative to withdraw it from any engagement, as the single Mass-Driver cannot deal with any armed ship. Always keep 2 or 3 Seekers: the first will patrol the area around the MotherShips, while the second will scout for your attack force. ACOLYTE class heavy fighter Mass: 90 tons Armor: 70 Firepower: 85 Coverage: 6% (two forward-fixed small projectile weapons, 7/22 DPs; plus two missiles, 420 DPs when upgraded) Maneuverability: very high Max Velocity: 825 m/s Special Actions: Link (requires two Acolytes) Missiles Required Tech: Fighter Engine Upgraded Tech: Energy Cannon Missile Tech Linking Technology Advanced Fighter Engine Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 75 SU Cost: 2 Available from: mission 1 The Acolyte is the most powerful fighter in your fleet: though armor protection is lower than the Taiidan's Triikor and the Turanic's Bandit, the firepower, coverage and speed will compensate its relativel thin armor. The Acolyte will be your main vessel for the first part of the game, and will continue to serve you througout the entire game as escort for bigger vessels or fast desense force. Two or three groups of 20 Acolytes each can repel attacks form all but the heaviest vessel, and the combined firepower of them can deliver serious damage to everything. Missiles are useful to provide additional firepower against large vessels. Do not use them against fighters and fast-moving corvettes, they are too maneuverable. MIMIC class Infiltration ship Mass: 55 tons Armor: 20 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: very high Max. Velocity: 750 m/s Special Action: Mimic Link (requires two Mimics) Required Tech: Fighter Engine Mimic Tech Upgrade Tech: Linking Technology Quantum Explosive Charge Advanced Fighter Engine Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 70 SU Cost: 3 (2 in version 1.00) Available from: mission 2 Developed after Turanic raiders nearly fooled the Soomtaw fleet, the Mimic is capable of mimicking (¬_¬...) enemy or friendly Fighters or Corvettes, as well as small asteroyds. The main purpose of the Mimic is to gather intelligence, as the fighters ahs no weapons. The only way a Mimic can inflict damage is to slam it on a enemy ships, but this will destroy the Mimic. This kamikaze tactic is most efficent when Quantum Charges are installed on Mimics. However, I've never found suicide attacks a good way to win. SENTINEL class defense pod Mass: 21 tons Armor: 350 Firepower: 290 Coverage: 15% (single small projectile on sponson turret, 21/42 DPs, forward) Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 250 m/s Special Action: Force Shield Required Tech: Micro Ship Construction Upgrade Tech: Energy Cannon Force Field Level 1 Force Field Level 2 Force Field Level 3 Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 Advanced Sensors RU Cost: 70 SU Cost: 3 Available from: mission 5 The smallest manned class in your fleet, the Sentinel is basically a point-defense craft, capable of generating stron energy shileds capable of deflecting all enemy shots at the highest level. The form a perfect shield you'll need from ten to fifteen Sentinels: propelry positioned in sphere formation, those crafts can protect even the MotherShip. Recomended to screen mission objectives from enemy attacks or the biggest elements of your strike force. LEECH class breaching pod Mass: 26 tons Armor: 30 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: very high Max Velocity: 1250 m/s Special Action: Leech Required Tech: Phased Telemetry Upgrade Tech: Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 40 SU Cost: 2 Available from: mission 6 The second and last Micro-Ship serving in your fleet, the Leech is completely automated. This pod is capable of evading all standard sensors, attach itself to an enemy vessel and slowly eat it away. The Leech can also remain attached to a vessel and broadcast sensor datas, but this won't allocate damage to the enemy. The third special action the Leech can perform is to do damage to an enemy vessel and then dock with the MotherShip converting the damage don with resources. Not bad after all, but this pod must be used wisely to be effective, especially if the enemy has advanced sensors online. AVENGER class corvette Mass: 180 tons Armor: 140 Firepower: 170 Coverage: 6% (four forward-fixed small projectile, 8/26 DPs) Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 600 m/s Special Action: Unlink (produces two Acolytes) EMP Required Tech: Fighter Dirve Linking Technology Upgrade Tech: Energy Cannon EMP Weapon Advanced Fighter Drive Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 150 SU Cost: 4 Available from: mission 1 When you develop linking technology, you will be able to produce Avengers ACVs (Acolyte Composite Vehicle): the first consits in producing them from the MotherShip, the second unites two Acolytes in a single ACV. The Avenger has every Acolyte characteristc times two, except maximum speed (slighlty slower) and maneuverability. When an ACV unlink, it produces two standard Acolytes. The link/unlink procedure takes about five seconds, and the ACV itself is a very useful craft, though it lacks turrets and armor protection that any other corvette has; however, speed and maneuverability are superior, and the Avenger can dogfight with other fighters: usually, a gruop of Acolytes will be destroy by a group of ACVs. The EM Pulse is useful in guard duties, especially against Beast Cruise Missiles: by disabling the Missile's drive system the ACV will have plenty of time to line with the targets and blow it to pieces. MARTYR class infiltration corvette Mass: 110 tons Armor: 40 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 550 m/s Special Action: Unlink (produces two Mimics) Mimic Required Tech: Fighter Dirve Holographic Emitter Linking Technology Upgrade Tech: Quantum Explosive Charge Advanced Fighter Drive Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 140 SU Cost: 6 (4 in version 1.00) Available from: mission 2 Like the Avenger, the Martyr is formed of two Mimics. The Martyr can mask itself as Frigates or big asteroids. The suicide attack (especially with Quantum charges) are now VERY effective, and if are willing to spare some resources, a group of Martyrs can destroy Frigates and badly damage Super-Capital Ships. I love them :) MINION class Heavy Tug Mass: 12.900 tons Armor: 4.700 Firepower: 2.500 Coverage: 6% (single forward sponson turret with medium projectile, 50/100 DPs) Max Velocity: 398 m/s Special Action: Ram Required Tech: Afterburner Upgraded Tech: Advanced Ion Cannon Repair Bots Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 Infection Vaccine RU Cost: 650 SU Cost: 10 Available from: mission 1 The first Frigate you will able to build. Poorly armed for a Frigate, as the Minion features a single Mass Driver, the Frigate exists only to do its special action: ram. Though "physical attacks" may sound strange and uneffective when compared to energy beams, you have just to use them one time to fell in love with its effects; the Frigate fetures a normal engine used for moving and two afterburners used neraly the target: the afterburners are capable of moving an enemy Frigate, and combined attacks larger ships. Not enough, the Minion features a laser in its bow section, an effective close-range weapon when the Frigate touches the target. Such ramming attacks are useful to physically move Capital Ships while the lighter Strile Crafts engae the real target. HIVE class advanced drone frigate Mass: 9.900 tons Armor: 3.800 Firepower: 1.400 Coverage: 12% (two forward sponson turrets with medium projectiles, 50/100 DPs; 6 Swarmers) Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 390 m/s Special Action: Swarm Required Tech: Frigate Drive Micro-Ship Construction Ugrade Tech: Energy Cannons Reapir Bots Advanced Frigate Drive Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 RU Cost: SU Cost: 20 Available from: mission 6 The Hive Figate is the direct descendant of Homeworld's original Drone Frigate. The Hive class is more effective, as it moves faster, has fixed point defense armament and its drones are capable of swarming attacks. This may sound interesting on paper, but the Hive Frigate can be easily overwhelmed by a large number of Corvettes. DERVISH class multi-beam frigate Mass: 10.200 Armor: 4.000 Firepower: 3.900 Coverage: 90 % (5 turrets -front, top, bottom, sides- with small ion, 11 DPs) Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 370 m/s Required Tech: Frigate Drive Advanced Ion Cannon Upgrade Tech: Repair Bots Advanced Frigate Drive Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 700 SU Cost: 12 Available from: mission 8 If you loved the Ion Cannon Frigate, this will drive you crazy, only by hearing its designation. The multi-beam Frigate is a fast moving assault vessel, capable of engaing any type of target with great efficiency: the turrets allow it to hit any fast-moving objects, and the ion beams projected by them can inflict serious damages to other Capital Ships. The real drawbacks of this vessel is its relatively thin armor, and the fact that a turret cannot gather enough power to match a fixed ion cannon (yeah, right: "Call me Machine. Doomsday Machine."). SHAMAN class carrier Mass: 129.000 tons Armor: 65.000 Firepower: 4.200 Coverage: 80% (four turrets -2x top, sides- with medium projectile, 30/60 DPs) Maneuverability: very low Max Velocity: 300 m/s Required Tech: Destroyer Drive Support Systems Upgraded Tech: Energy Cannons Crystal Harvesting Ability Repair Bots Advanced Destroyer Drive Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 RU Cost: 3400 SU Cost: 0 Available from: mission 11 The only self-sufficent ship in the game. It doesn't require SUs, and it gives you 40 points in this way. Plus you can build up to 6 support systems on every Carrier. Build two Carriers (the maximum you can) and all support systems and start building Destroyers. Not enough, the Carrier can build all Strike Crafts and Frigates, repair them, offers additional docking bays and hardpoints for Workers. As the are too precious to risk in assaults, use them as replace for Chieftains, Workers will benefit in protection. Infection Beams doesn't affect Carriers, but will allocate damage. DEACON class destroyer Mass: 28.000 tons Armor: 16.000 Firepower: 8.500 Coverage: 30% (two forward sponson turrets with big ion, 11 DPs; 4 turrets -2x bottom, sides- with big projectile, 44/80 DPs; 15 missiles) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 325 m/s Required Tech: Destroyer Drive Missile Tech Advanced Ion Cannon Upgraded Tech: Energy Cannons Advanced Destroyer Drive Repair Bots Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 RU Cost: 3000 SU Cost: 38 Available from: mission 11 After the Carrier, you will build at least a Destroyer. Thouhg this massive ship features a lot of weapon systems, including the excellent anti-fighter missiles, the rear and top of it are relatively unprotected, and it must engage targets within its front firing arc. Like the Carrier, Infection Beams damage only. ARCHANGEL class Dreadnought Mass: 152.000 tons Armor: 85.000 Firepower:24.000 Coverage: 80% (2 top turrets with big ion, 16 DPs; 4 big energy turrets -2x top, 2xbottom-, 120 DPs; 47 missiles) Maneuverability: very low Max Velocity: 280 m/s Special Actions: Repulsor Required Tech: Advanced Destroyer Drive Missile Tech Energy Cannons Advanced Ion Cannon Upgraded Tech: Repulsor Weapon Repair Bots Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 RU Cost: 6800 SU Cost: 80 Available from: mission 14 It requires a lot of RUs and SU, but an Archangel can destroy a Heavy Cruiser singleheadly and its escort of fighters. This massive ship, derived from the Bentusi Ship, features the most powerful weapons array of the whole game: the 47 missiles can easily dispatch Strike Crafts, the two Ion Cannons and the Turrets can devastate a Destroyer in seconds. Its armor is so thick that only massed Ion beams will inflict considerable damage; and like all other Capital Ships, it cannot be infected. When the situation becomes critical, the Archangel can use its Repulsor: this weapon won't affect Super-Capital Ships, but it will repulse (¬_¬...) any other craft in a 360° arc, inflicting damage, and probably destroying fighters. If you face an Archangel, you have to overwhelm it, with at least two Destroyers firing on its sides and multiple Strike Crafts and/or Frigates engaging it in fast strafing runs. Or build your Archangel and be sure to engage first. WORKER class Resource Collector Mass: 5.200 tons Armor: 1.500 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 425 m/s Special Action: Harvesting, Salvaging, Repairing Required Tech: nothing Upgrade Tech: Infection Vaccine Repair Sistems Salvaging Ability Repair Bots Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 500 SU Cost: 4 Available from: mission 1 This Corvette-class craft is mainly used for collecting resources, but later in the game it will serve you as Salvage Corvette and Support Frigate. In multiplayer is also capable of returing infected ships under your control. The armor is thin, so be wary if enemy fighters get too near...the ideal thing is to assign Carriers or Chieftains for guarding/docking bay duties. Maintain at least six workers, this will garauntee a good RU injection as well as a good salvaging contingent. CHIEFTAIN Mk3 class ore processor Mass: 89.000 tons Armor: 45.000 Firepower: 2500 Coverage: 80% (4 turrets -2x top, sides- with medium projectile, 20/40 DPs) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 250 m/s Required Tech: Hangar Module Upgrade Tech: Crystal Harvesting Ability Energy Cannons Repair Systems Repair Bots Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 RU Cost: 1100 SU Cost: 13 Available from: mission 1 A mobile docking bay for Workers. Nothing more, nothing less. Though it has a good armor, it cannot stands direct attacks from Frigate class vessels. Its turrets can defend Workers from fighter attacks, but a fighter squadron should protect them. It is alos capable of repairs from its side-mounted turrets. KUUN-LAN, EXPLORER class deep space mining vessel Mass: 613.000 tons Armor: 98.000 Firepower: 5400 Coverage: 70% (six turrets -front, top, 2xsides- with big projectile, 44/88 DPs) Maneuverability: very low Max Velocity: 110 m/s Special Action: Siege Cannon Required Tech: nothing Upgrade Tech: Energy Cannons Crystal Harvesting Capability Repair Bots Siege Cannon Support Systems Armor Level 2 Armor Level 3 Your MotherShip. If it is destroyed, you'll lose. Its name is Kuun Lan, and is the second Explorer class vessel launched by Kiith Somtaaw; the first vessel, the Faal-Corum, is slightly less efficient than yours, as its modular bays are 30% smaller than the ones on the Kuun-Lan. You'll start the singleplayer game with the ship configured in this way: one Hangar Module (capable of building Seekers, Acolytes, Workers and Chieftains) and two massive cargo bays. Later on, the cargo bays will be detached and destroyed to make room for research modules and support systems. The research modules are Engineering, Weapon, Armor and Advanced Enginering, plus the Hangar module, the only capable of physically building ships. Support Systems will give you SUs for expanding your fleet, and the MotherShip can support twelve of them. Without any module the MotherShip will give you 70 SUs, the Hangar Module additional 20 SUs and each support module 10. The MotherShip features two Fighter bays on the nose and the Hangar module will provide fighter, corvette and Frigate docking bays. Under them, the large green area will build Super-Capital Ships. Note that an opponent can destory single modules, and the first thing the AI will target will be your Hangar module. If destroyed, you'll have to rebuild it first before build fighting ships. The MotherShip heavy guns and armor will be a good addition to your strike force especially in the first missions, where your fighters won't be enough to match other forces, though you must pay attention in engaging Destroyers, Cruisers and Dreadnoughts. The Kuun-Lan special action, the Siege Cannon, will deliver long-range massive firepower; you will have to research and build it first, but the great fire support it could give counterbalances the high cost and long research session. The Siege Cannon, however, is extremely inaccurate, and has a maximum range; longer the range, more inaccurate the Cannon will be; before firing, the Cannon need s a little charge time and after in needs to be recharged. Just be sure that your ships aren't within the explosion area. A collateral effect on a Siege Cannon is that enemy could track your position, has the projectile will be seen by everyone. In multiplayer games, the Kuun Lan won't start with any module. Last note on the Siege Cannon: the Kuun-Lan travels faster than a single projectile, so be sure that the Kuun-Lan is standing still before firing. I was moving the Mothership, and issued a fire order; with great surprise the Siege Cannon fired and I saw the projecile out the barrel, then the Kuun-Lan was under in yellow conditions, with all modules destroyed and no sign of the projectile on the sensor manager; ergo, the projectile hit the Kuun-Lan as it was moving slower than the Command Ship. SUPER ACOLYTE class Heavy/Ion Fighter Mass: unknow Armor: 350 (approx) Firepower: 6.000 (extimated) (2 forward fixed small ion, 45 DPs) Coverage: 6% (extimated) Maneuverability: very high (approx) Max Velocity: 825 m/s (approx) RU Cost: 300 SU Cost: 5 Available from: mission 17 You will recieve the blueprints of this slayer at the end of mission 17. It is the exact copy of the Bentusi Acolytes, and you can build them when and how many (SUs permitting) you want. Effective against anything, though other fighters can pose problems. They're not available in multiplayer. (;_;) Update: as someone asked questions on their availability, I'm going to write a breif paragraph on this; please note that this will spoil the game, though if you have read this far, it pretty useless, however... Super Acolytes are given to you in the last part of mission 17 by the Bentusi. You'll be able to build them only for this part of the game: it is impossible to build them in multiplayer or in skirmish mode or in single player campaign (well, if someone found a way to hack the code to make them always available...). I do not think that finishing the game in Very Hard will unlock them, but never finished the game with this difficulty, if someone ever tried... --------------- --BEAST SHIPS-- --------------- INTERCEPTOR Mass: 90 tons Armor: 85 Firepower: 65 Coverage: 5% (single small projectile, forward position, 9/29 DPs) Maneuverability: very high Max Velocity: 810 m/s Required Tech: Fighter Engine Upgrade Tech: Advanced Fighter Drive Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 65 SU Cost: 2 Based on Turanic Bandit class Interceptor. This ship cannot rival with the Acolyte, and they should be used in groups to use them at their theorical maximum. If you played the original Homeworld you should know that these crafts are no match even for a group of Scouts, so do not base neither attacks or defenses on these fighters. Capture enemy crafts or switch to Corvettes ASAP. CLOACKED FIGHTER Mass: 90 tons Armor: 80 Firepower: 75 Coverage: 5% (tow forward mounted small projectlie, 9/29 DPs) Maneuverability: very high Max Velocity: 750 m/s Special Action: Cloacking Reuqired Tech: Fighter Drive Cloacking Ability Upgrade Tech: Advanced Fighter Drive Energy Cannon Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 95 SU Cost: 2 This craft is based on Homeworld's Cloaked Fighter. Capable of masking its presence to all but the advanced sensors, this craft is a bit fragile but can strike efficently poor protected fighters and can establish hidden defense lines. ATTACK BOMBER Mass: 60 tons Armor: 90 Firepower: 86 Coverage: 5% (two forward fixed small plasma bombs launchers, 60 DPs) Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 640 m/s Required Tech: Fighter Drive Plasma Bombs Upgrade Tech: Advanced Fighter Drive Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 120 SU Cost: 3 Based on the Taiida Attack Bomber. My favourite fighter, both technically and graphically. Though a bit slow for a Strike Craft, the raw firepower of a group of 20 Bombers can devastate Frigates in seconds. The Plasma Bombs are slow, so they are a bit ineffective against other Strike Crafts, but the idea of a fast moving, small and cheap craft is a good idea. Do not pretend to destroy Super Capital Ships with a group of them, but they big groups in wall formation can support larger units in all-out attacks. CRUISE MISSILE Mass: 490 tons Armor: 68 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 650 m/s Required Tech: Corvette Drive Missile Tech Bio-warhead Infection Beam Upgrade Tech: Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 250 SU Cost: 4 The only "Strike Craft" "thought" by the Beast, the Cruise Missile is pratically a Corvette with no crew and weapon: its job is to slam onto enemy vessels and infect them. This tactic works best against slow targets and with their poin-defense turrets fooled by faster vessels. The Missile's armor is thin, and they can be easily destroyed by other fighters. MISSILE CORVETTE Mass: 775 tons Armor: 1.400 Firepower: 320 Coverage: 60% (two forward-fixed missile launchers) Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 490 m/s Required Tech: Corvette Drive Missile Tech Upgrade Tech: Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 320 SU Cost: 4 Based on Turanic Brigant Missile Corvette. Very efficent against all enemy fighters, as the missile are the most efficent anti-fighter weapons in the game. If the Interceptors are uneffective, these Corvettes will be a pain if you use only fighters to fight them. The most efficent way to destroy them is to use Frigates or other Corvettes. HEAVY CORVETTE Mass: 750 tons Armor: 1.700 Firepower: 200 Coverage: 50 % (two medium projectile sponson turrets, 30/60 DPs) Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 500 m/s (550 m/s in version 1.00) Required Tech: Corvette Drive Heavy Corvette Update Upgrade Tech: Energy Cannons Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 350 (250 in version 1.00) SU Cost: 5 (4 in version 1.00) One of the most powerful Corvette designs, the Heavy Corvette is based on the one found in the original Homeworld and used by the Kushan. The armor protection is excellent for a Corvette, and the two sponson turrets under the vessel's nose can inflict moderate amounts of damage to every craft. Like all other Corvettes, this one is a great asset in escort duties. MULTI GUN CORVETTE Mass: 750 tons Armor: 730 Firepower: 380 Coverage: 78% (6 medium projectiles, 14/28 DPs on turrets -2x front, 2xsides-) Maneuverabilty: medium Max Velocity: 570 m/s Required Tech: Corvette Engine Fast Tracking Turrets Upgrade Tech: Energy Cannons Armor Level 2 RU Cost: 275 SU Cost: 5 The best escort Corvette; based on the Taiidan Corvette of the same class, groups of Multi-Gun Corvette can easily dispatch fighters and other corvettes easily. Used with evasive tactic and relatively loose formations this corvette can deal some damage on Frigates and Super-Capital Ships thanks to its excellent coverage. ION ARRAY FRIGATE Mass: 13.550 tons Armor: 5.100 Firepower: 3.500 Coverage: 6% (single forward-fixed big ion, 35 DPs) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 230 m/s Special Action: Cloack Required Tech: Frigate Drive Advanced Ion Cannon Upgrade Tech: Advanced Frigate Drive Cloacking Ability Armor Level 3 RU Cost: 250 SU Cost: 4 Based on the Turanic Ion Array Frigate, this Beast version features a Cloacking device that can be a nasty surprise for forces without Advanced Sensors active. Its single Ion Cannon can deal big amounts of damage to any ship, but it is not mounted on a turret, and the Frigate is not so manueverable to aim Corvettes and Fighters, and it useless and defenseless against them. The Cloack ability can be useful for surprise attacks, but it must de-cloack like the Cloacked Fighter to fire. Nice Frigate, however. DEFENSE FIELD FRIGATE Mass: 13.000 tons Armor: 4.650 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 310 m/s Required Tech: Frigate Drive Defense Field Upgrade Tech: Advanced Frigate Drive Armor Level 3 RU Cost: 900 SU Cost: 10 Basically useless, as the Beast has the more powerful Sentinel MicroShips. However, if you had no chance to capture such ship, the Frigate might (MIGHT) become useful to partially screen your fleet against projectile attacks. There is no way to upgrade the shield, but it is always active and do not need energy to be activated. Defenseless against all types of crafts. CARRIER Mass: 121.000 tons Armor: 65.000 Firepower: 4.000 Coverage: 75% (4 turrets -2x sides, bottom, top- with medium projectile, 30/60 DPs; 8 infection sponson turrets -4x front, top, bottom, sides-) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 290 m/s Special Action: Infection Required Tech: Destroyer Drive Upgrade Tech: Advanced Destroyer Drive Crystal Harvesting Capability Energy Cannons Armor Level 3 Infection Beam RU Cost: 3500 (3400 in version 1.00) SU Cost: 0 The only Super-Capital Ship aside the Heavy Cruiser in the Beast fleet, the Carrier is based on the original Taiidan vessel, and maintains all previous stas, plus a more powerful armor and 8 Infection Beams distributed evenly across its hull. The bulk of these beams is located on the front, the only real weak side of the original Carrier: this leaves no choices but to use Super-Capital Ships for attacks. One Destroyer is enough, as the turrets won't be a problem for the Deacon's heavy armor. Every Carrier will give you 96 SUs. HEAVY CRUISER Mass: 131.000 tons Armor: 77.000 Firepower: 20000 Coverage: 30% (4 sponson turrets -front- with big ion, 24 DPs; 6 turrets -2x top, 2xs ide, 2x bottom- with big projectile, 60/120 DPs; 5 infection beams on turrets - 2x top, 2x bottom, front-) Maneuverability: very low Max Velocity: 245 m/s Special Action: Infection Required Tech: Destroyer Drive Heavy Guns Advanced Ion Cannon Upgrade Tech: Advanced Destroyer Drive Infection Beam Energy Cannons Armor Level 3 RU Cost: 6500 SU Cost: 70 Beast's ultimate weapon. Based on the Taiidan Heavy Cruiser, the Beast version benefits of 5 Infection Beams, capable of converting assault forces in escort. Armed with 4 Ion Cannons on front-mounted sponson turrets and 6 projectile turrets capable of covering sides and rear areas, the most efficent way to fight against a Heavy Cruiser is to use other Super Capital Ships, avoiding all other crafts for infection dangers. Beast armada has not Destroyers, and the Cruiser has lower SU cost: this theorically means that Beast players can build more Heavy Cruisers into battle than Somtaaw's Destroyers/Dreadnoughts. BEAST COMMAND SHIP (usually named Stradetch) Mass: 565.000 tons Armor: 94.000 Firepower: 4600 Coverage: 80% (6 turrets -front, top, 2xsides-, with big projectile, 80/160 DPs; 4 Infection Beams -top, bottom, sides-) Maneuverability: very low Max Velocity: 110 m/s Special Action: Infection Required Tech: nothing (OK, you need something for creating this Ship, but I will spoil it later...) Upgrade Tech: Infection Beam Crystal Harvesting Ability Support Systems Armor Level 3 This Command Ship is better than yours, and, IMO, of the original Homeworld MotherShip. The firepower is less powerful than the Kuun Lan's own, but have a bigger damage potential and wider covered area. It can build ships in the same way as other MotherShip class vessels, but it can temporarly pushes its systems far behyond the standard perfomances at expense of ship's health. The Beast will automatically stop this redirection after its health drops below the 50%. Its Infection turrets are really effective to stall Strike Crafts and Frigate -based attacks. Like its Soomtaw counterpart, it gives a total of 90 SUs, plus 10 SUs for each Support module you build, up to twelve. The Beast CommandShip features automatic repair ability, as it is not capable of upgrading its systems for accepting Repair Bots. No more to say, as it is basically part of an Explorer class vessels infected by a bio-mechanical virus (oops, I spoiled it! ;) In multiplayer games, the Command Ship will start with no Support Modules and no Infection Capacity; it will have its turrets and will be able to build basic fighters and research basic technologies, as per technology tree. SUBVERTED SHIPS These ship must be captured, retired and any unknown tehcnology researched before put them under full-production. I list only their names, as their are equal to their counterparts; they are all Somtaaw ship. SEEKER class Reconaissance Fighter ACOLYTE class Heavy Fighter ACV class Corvette DERVISH class Multi Beam Frigate HIVE class Drone Frigate MINION class Ramming Frigate SENTINEL class Defense Pod WORKER class Resource Collector (you can capture it, but you can build them from the begining; in version 1.01 it has a lower health of the original Worker) CHIEFTAIN Mk3 class Ore Processor (you can capture it, but you can build them from the beginning) NAGGAROK (alien vessel of unknow class) Mass: unknow Armor: 200,000 (extimated) Firepower: at least 20.000 (at least 4 ion cannons on turrets -2xfront, 2xbottom) Coverage: 100% (extimated) Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 500 m/s (extimated) Special Action: Eat Capital Ships, production of Cruise Missiles The Naggarok is the last Beast-infected ship. Its original will be revealed in the walkthrough, but it can eat Capital Ships, has no weapons of its own, moves at fighter speeds (and it's big as the Kuun-Lan) and is nearly undestructible. Addition: the Naggarok is able to produce Cruise Missiles...nice, uh ;) ? ------------------ --HIIGARAN SHIPS-- ------------------ This section contains all Hiigaran ships that take a marginal active part in the game. FIRELANCE class ion cannon frigate Mass: 13.000 tons Armor: 4.020 Firepower: 3.040 Coverage: 2% (one forward-fixed big ion, 14 DPs) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 300 m/s SU Cost: 2 Deadly against Capital Ships and slow-moving targets, but unable to engage fighters. You will recieve four of these Frigates during the game. REVELATION class destroyer Mass: 26.000 tons Armor: 15.000 Firepower: 7.055 Coverage: 35% (2 big ion, 14 DPs on forward sponson turrets; 2 big energy guns, 70 DPs on two top turrets) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 295 m/s SU Cost: 6 Not as effective as the Deacon class Destroyer, the Revelation can deal damage mainly to other Capital Ships, but it lacks turret coverage and maneuverability to track fast-moving targets. You won't be able to build these Destroyers, but you will recieve two of them during the game. IMPERATOR class Carrier Mass: 58.000 Armor: 29.000 Firepower: 3020 Coverage: 60% (four small projectile, 9 DPs on turrets -sides, top, bottom-) Maneuverability: very low Max Velocity: 210 m/s The mighty Carrier will be only a problem during the game. You won't directly control an Imperator class Carrier, but sometimes a particular Carrier will assist you, building Strike Crafts (usually Interceptors) or staging an assault without your help. CLEE-SAN, deep space research vessel Mass: 11.000 tons (extimated) Armor: 10.000 (extimated) Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: low (extimated) Max Velocity: 300 m/s (extimated) The Clee-San is the third ship built by Kiith Somtaww, and it is smaller than the two Explorer class vessels, as it can dock in their Hangar Bays. The Clee-San moves fast as a Frigate, but all other stats are extimated. FAAL-CORUM, EXPLORER class deep space mining vessel Mass: 613.000 tons (extimated) Armor: 98.000 (extimated) Firepower: 5000 (approx) Coverage: 70% (six turrets -front, top, 2xsides- with medium projectile, 40 DPs) Maneuverability: very low (extimated) Max Velocity: 110 m/s (maybe slighty higher) You won't directly control your sister ship, but its crew will assist you building new ships: so far, the Faal-Corum built Acolytes, ACVs, Ramming and Multi Beam Frigates. It has two engines, so it should be faster than the Kuun-Lan, but features less powerful guns. Armor and tonnage should be the same though it has no place for Support Modules or Siege Cannons and has two Research Modules instead of four. ----------------- --TURANIC SHIPS-- ----------------- BANDIT class interceptor Mass: 70 tons Armor: 75 Firepower: 65 Coverage: 5% Maneuverability: very high Max Velocity: 780 m/s Equal to the Interceptor used by the Beast, though this time it is the standard vehicle for the Turanic Raiders. An easy kill. THIEF class corvette Mass: 660 tons Armor: 1.200 Firepower: 200 Coverage: 10% Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 550 m/s Special Action: Mimic Steal An other nasty surprise, this Corvette was the first craft to mount Mimic technology. It can steal (not salvage) enemy ships: this mean that the required number of these Corvettes (2 for a Frigate, 5/6 for Super Capital Ships) can salvage any kind of ship even if undamaged. I don't know if this is correct, but in one mission I was losing an undamaged Processor to three Corvettes. It has also forward fixed guns and is very maneuverable. Match it with groups of Acolytes/ACVs. BRIGAND class missile corvette Mass: 775 tons Armor: 1.300 Firepower: 320 Coverage: 60% Maneuverbility: high Max Velocity: 500 m/s An other craft captured by the Beast and put in full production. The original version is faster but has less armor. ASSASIN class ion array frigate Mass: 13.550 tons Armor: 3.500 Firepower: 4.800 Coverage: 6% Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 245 m/s Special Action: cloack The Turanic version of this anti-capital Frigate has higher top speeds but less armor when compared to the Beast counterpart. Swarm them with Acolytes/ACVs. LORD class attack carrier Mass: 109.000 tons Armor: 58.000 Firepower: 7.500 Coverage: 40% Maneuverability:low Max Velocity: 235 m/s This particular Carrier-class vessel is catalogated as "attack carrier", has its weapon systems are more efficent than the other Carriers currently in service: it features a forward-fixed Ion Cannon and it is well protected by projectile turrets mainly mounted on sides and bottom. The maneuvarbility can pose a problem, as the Lord can efficently aim its cannon against Capital Ships, and the turret complements can pose more than a threat for Strike Crafts. Like all Carriers it can produces units, but I've never seen one building Frigates: the AI keeps building Corvettes. You will encounter only one during the game, and the best way to attack it is to target rear quarters and top. Do not understimate its Ion Cannon. TURANIC RAIDER OUTPOST Mass: unknown (approx. 550.000 tons) Armor: unknown (approx. 100.000) Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: none Max Velocity: stationary object You will encounter this outpost later in the game, and it won't pose a threat by itself, but its large defense fleet will pose a problem. It has no weapons, but its armor is very tick. It won't move in any way, so destroy its escort first. ------------------ --TAIIDAN SHIPS-- ------------------ SUs are used when you capture ships; Yiulius Leonard (leonard.yulius@lycos.com)sent me the SU costs and weapon stats. He also pointed out that the Heavy Cruiser stats may change from mission to mission. Neither I nor him know why this happends, but I'll appreciate any guess on it. VARIIS class proximity sensor Mass: 47 tons Armor: 600 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: very high Max Velocity: 1000 m/s Though designed to be an highly mobile sensor array, it will serve as a stationary early-warning system for most planets. Can detect Mimics, Cloacked Units, Leech Pods and other particular units. As they won't move, they will be an easy target for anything in your fleet. TRIIKOR class interceptor Mass: 60 tons Armor: 72 Firepower: 75 Coverage: 6% Maneuverability: ver high Max Velocity: 775 m/s The only fighter that can match the Acolytes: fast and powerful, the Triikor will be the standard fighter of all Taiidan fleets and groups of them (usually 5/6 in Delta formation) usually herald attacks by Destroyers and Attack Bombers. Concentrate fire on the first fighter of the formation and the others will break, exposing their back. Your Acolytes will then destoy the remaining fighters in second. They will be annoying when several Destroyers and other Capital Ships will attack. SEEJUR class defender Mass: 70 tons Armor: 78 Firepower: 190 Coverage: 70% Maneuverability: high Max Velocity: 385 m/s Usually found protecting Heavy Cruisers and Carrier, the defender has three guns mounted of normal turrets. Able to tigh turn but low top speed, the Seejur can be a problem if deployed in large numbers and you use only Acolytes against them. EMP or missile them, or simply convert Acolytes in ACVs. KAARK class attack bomber Mass: 60 tons Armor: 80 Firepower: 86 Coverage: 5% Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 650 m/s The Taiidan counterpart of the same craft used by the Beast. the Taiidan usually screen them wwith Interceptors and heavier units to let them fire at will against your MotherShip. TIIRSHAK class salvaging corvette Mass: 900 tons Armor: 1.100 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 450 m/s Special Action: salvaging You won't envountr large number of these vessels, and they won't pose a problem anyway. To capture your ships, the computer has fisrt to weaken them, and I think he prefers to destroy your fleet. The most vulnerable vessels are Workers and Chieftains, but if stationed fighters for escort, the corvettes will be sitting ducks. WOODAN class minelayer corvette Mass: 820 tons Armor: 1.250 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 425 m/s Special Action: minelayer The Corvette itself is not a problem, but the mines can kill fighters and corvettes in one hit and severly damage Super-Capital Ships. The mines are more effective than the first Homeworld, as they are maneuverable enough to track and hit fighters. To deal with them, send fighters in advance and when you pick enemy signals, immediately issue attack orders in aggressive tactics. Hopefully you won't lose any craft in this process. The corvette is a very easy kill, though you won't encounter many of them. DIIRVAAS class multigun corvette Mass: 750 tons Armor: 700 Firepower: 380 Coverage: 78% Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 600 m/s Taiidan commanders (aka the AI) will throw them in combat in groups of 5/6 in Delta formation, mostly against Capital ans Mother -Ships class vessels. Easily killed by their turrets and heavy weapons. The will be a pain for fighters. Other stats listed under Beast Ships section. HEESHK class support frigate Mass: 12.500 tons Armor: 3.800 Firepower: 2.000 (2 medium energy, 80 DPs, on frontal sponson turrets) Coverage: 50% Maneuverability: medium Max Velocity: 450 m/s SU: 10 Designed to support fighters, the Support Frigates are now basically useless, as fighters no longer require fuel. Now able to repair other vessels, this Frigate is neraly defenseless against every knid of crafts, as the two cannons on the vessel's nose cannot cover rear, top and bottom areas. The repair ability is annoying, however. KORAAL class gravity wheel Mass: 10.500 tons Armor: 3.400 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 325 m/s Totally unarmed, the gravity wheel projects a gravity field able to stop any craft smaller than a Corvette; this leaves to Capital Ships the job of attacking it. KUDAARK class assault frigate Mass: 15.000 tons Armor: 4.500 Firepower: 2548 Coverage: 75% (2 forward-fixed medium plasma, 40 DPs; 4 medium energy, 88 DPs on frontal turrets) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 325 m/s SU: 10 The best Taiidan Frigate. Armed with four projectile cannons mounted on turrets and two forward-fixed plasma bomb launchers, the Kudaark will prove itself effective against both Strike Crafts and Capital Ships. The weakest parts of the vessel are the rear areas, where no weapons can track enemy ships. Swarm them with fast fighters or ACVs (corvettes aren't maneuverable enough to evade the ship's gns) or match them with other Frigates. SAJUUK COR ion cannon frigate Mass: 13.000 tons Armor: 4.200 Firepower: 3.040 Coverage: 2% (large ion, 32 DPs, forward-fixed) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 300 m/s SU: 10 Like the Turanic's Ion Array Frigate, the Sajuuk Cor mounts only a single, forward-fixed Ion Cannon. TIIFAL defense field frigate Mass: 13.000 tons Armor: 4.400 Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 325 m/s See Beast's Defense Field Frigate stats. SKAAL TEL class destroyer Mass: 26.000 tons Armor: 15.000 Firepower: 7.055 Coverage: 35% (2 forward fixed large ion, 26 DPS and four big energy, 128 DPS -upper side-) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 295 m/s SU:24 You will find group of three Destroyers accompaying Heavy Cruisers during assaults against your MotherShip. Engage with Capital Ships, though fighters will be too fast to be shoot down, but they lacks efficent weapons against the Destroyer's heavy armor. SKAAL FA class missile destroyer Mass: 28.000 tons Armor: 12.500 Firepower: 4.550 Coverage: none (theorically 100%) Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 295 m/s SU:24 Deadly against fighters, and can deliver serious damages to other ships from afar thanks to its four missile launchers. To engage this vessel use Capital Ships and attack the rear and left/right sides, where the missiles have difficulties targeting enemies. Do not use fighters, they will be destroyed in seconds. SAARKIN CHO class carrier Mass: 121.000 tons Armor: 60.000 Firepower: 4.000 Coverage: 75% Maneuverability: low Max Velocity: 300 m/s The original version of the Beast carrier lacks the front-mounted Infection Beams and has an higher top speed. Engage with whatever you have (fighters are too maneuverable to be efficently tracked by its guns, and Capital Ship won't suffer nearly any damage if you engage the frontal areas of the ship). QWAAR JET class heavy cruiser Mass: 131.000 tons Armor: 75.000 Firepower: 20.000 Coverage: 30% (4 large ion, 42, on two frontal sponson turrets; 6 turrets -2xtop, 2xbottom, sides- with big energy, 250 DPs) Maneuverability: very low Max Velocity: 250 m/s SU: 30 This Heavy Cruiser lacks Infection Beams and has an higher top speed, but other stats match the ones of the Beast's Cruiser. COLONY SHIP Mass: 15.000 tons (extimated) Armor: 4.000 (extimated) Firepower: none Coverage: none Maneuverability: low (approx) Max Velocity: 200 m/s (approx) It is not a military ship, as it is used to ferry people across the galaxy. Has a docking bay for Strike Fighters. NOMAD MOON artificial satellite Mass: 700.000 tons (extimated) Armor: 15.000 (extimated) Firepower: at least 12.000 (extimated; six Bentusi Ion Cannons at zenith, nadir, north, east, west and south points) Coverage: 80% (extimated) Maneuverability: none Max Velocity: stationary Special Action: Repulsor The Nomad Moon is the Republicans' secret weapon. It is an artificial satellite without movement ability, but can unleash a repulsor shockwave once every 10/20 seconds thanks to the two emitters at nadir and zenith points; when the repulsor is recharging its six ion cannons can deal with the intruders. Those Cannons fire in the same way as a Bentusi Ion Cannon but do not allocate a large amount of damage (a Dreadnought alone should be able to inflict severe damage to the Moon before being destroyed). Its sensors are unable to track Strike Crafts, but has a full escort and a Proximity Sensor net. ----------------- --BENTUSI SHIPS-- ----------------- SUPER ACOLYTE Mass: 100 tons (approx) Armor: 80 (extimated) Firepower: 6.000 (extimated) (2 forward fixed small ion, 45 DPs) Coverage: 6% (extimated) Maneuverability: very high (approx) Max Velocity: 825 m/s (approx) Welcome the ultimate fighter. The original version of the Acolyte (don't you know that the Acolyte chassis was given you by the Bentusi?) is maneuverable like all other fighters, matches your own version in speed (IMO) but has superior armor and firepower. What kind of weapon does it use? Ion Cannon. TWO Ion Cannons, exactly where the guns used to be. Engage them with Capital Ships, other crafts will be destroyed in seconds. BENTUSI TRADE SHIP, belonging to the Carrier class Mass: 600.000 tons (extimated) Armor: 120.000 (extimated) Firepower: at least 15.000 (three Bentusi Ion Cannons on forward sponson turrets) Coverage: at least 40% Maneuverability: medium/low Max Velocity: 250 m/s (extimated) The Bentusy are a peaceful people, but produced the basic chassis of the Acolyte and gave you the Ion Cannon and Swarm technology in the first Homeworld. The Super Acolyte is the best fighter (and possibly the best ship) in the game, and the Trade Ship could be the best MotherShip: turn rates are awesome (they matches Frigates), they are nearly undestructible and the only weapons I've seen so far are three Ion cannons mounted on sponson turrets positioned on the vessel's nose. Even massed Super-Capital Ships will have trouble against them, especially because they can produce Super Acolytes... Last minute note: this ship belongs to the Carrier class. Now try to imagine a Bentusi MotherShip-class vessel. About the Ion Cannons of this ship, classified as "Bentusi Ion Cannons": though the program tells that they aren't more powerful than a Firelance/Sajuuk Cor frigates (big, ion, 16 DPs) the beam allocates 4 or 5 times this damage and it recharges faster than standard Ion Beams...in fact, if the target is near to the guns, the cannons will just hit the target repedeatly without pause. Only Trade Ships have this kind of beam, while Super Acolytes have "normal" Beams. ****************** 8-GENERAL TACTICS ****************** Particular mission tactics will be described under the appropriate section (number 9); this section exists to speak about some general points that haven't to be forgot. The Kuun Lan is more armed and protected tha the first MotherShip (IMO), but always keep a wing of ACV to defend it, and draw enemy fire away from its fragile modules. If the enemy launches a frontal attack, the module that will recieve more damage will be the Hangar Module, if the attack comes from sides and bottom the support modules and from top, research modules. Additionally, the Siege Cannon is a good protection for the latter modules, but be careful: a Siege Cannon requires mre time and RUs to be built than any other module, and you might need it to support your attack forces. If one module is destroyed, especially Hangar and Support types, immediately rebuild them. The ACVs are protected enough to hold their position until you build bigger crafts or attack forces return; the best thing is to unite the ACV mobility with the firepower of the Kuun Lan's cannons. In this way, fighter and corvette attacks will be always repulsed; if large number (5+) of Capital Ships attack you, move your MotherShip and call for reinforcements (build new crafts or recall the strike team). Always keep a Seeker within the MotherShip's gun, later on cloacked attacks will prove deadly, especially if Ion Array Frigates appear over your Ship. Strike teams should be composed by at least 10 Acolytes/ACVs (the one you like...Acolytes have missiles and they are maneuverable, but won't live long against Corvettes; ACVs are a bit slow but they can usually survive to any attack if backed by larger Ships), 4/6 Multi-Beam Frigates and 2/3 Destroyers. Add 1/2 Dreadnoughts if you can. With this force, and with the help of their special attacks (use the Repulsor when you are swarmed by Strike Crafts and EMP/Missiles against big foes), you should be able to destroy any opponent. Remember to keep fighters/corvette and Frigates away from Beast Capital Ships, as it can infect them. The Processor should always follow Workers, for protection and fast harvesting. When you can, retired the Processor and use a Carrier to protect your Workers. Make your ships dock frequently, and retire them from battles for repairs when they reach a red status: even a Dreadnought can be destroyed if overwhelmed. If you need new ships desperately and you have Carriers, divide production between the avaiable construction lines. If you are building a Super-Capital Ship, do not attack, and maintain a good Frigate/fighter escort around the Kuun Lan: Super-Capital vessels are built outside the MotherShip, and are susceptible to damage, and they cannot use their weapons. Try to match the enemy forces: do not send Seekers against Heavy Cruiser as tey will be destroyed and/or infected, but use the right number and type of ships. Sebastian Mundt (sebastian_mundt@gesis.de) said: --------------------------------------------------------------------- If the Beast infects your fighters with its beam immediately pause the game. Since the infection beam will hit only one ship and then jump over to the next, self-destruct the nearby fighters in the formation and also blow up the already infected ones - if possible. That should reduce losses for your fleet to a minimum and it should prevent you from being attacked by ships that used to be yours later. Marco NKB (hiforce@crosswinds.net) asks this: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Briareos, I read your fantastic WalkThrough. I want to ask u this: how can I reapair a group of damaged Strike Crafts with workers? There is a key to bandbox-repair them? Or, there is a way to configure workers to auto-repair damaged ships? --------------------------------------------------------------------- Mhmm...All ships can be repaired by Workers with the Repair System technology (select one or more Workers then move the cursor over any allied damaged ship and the cursor will change into a red cross over a white circle; right click to issue the order if you play with Cataclysm settings or double left click if you play with HomeWorld settings; see options for this) or by docking them; select the Crafts you want to be repaired and press the "D" button; they will dock with the nearest Carrier/MotherShip and will automatically exit (if auto-launch is on) when the repairs are done. Of course, Destroyers and Dreadnoughts won't be able to dock. There is no way to order Workers to auto-repair ships: Strike Crafts can dock, like Frigates, and all Capital Ships (Frigates, Carriers, Destroyers, Cruisers, Dreadnoughts, Mothership) auto repair themselves when they are upgraded with Repair Robots. Johnny Wu (someone_mk2@hotmail.com) wrote this: --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have 25 muti beam frigates in wall formation pretty much everything dies. Although that would take up 300 SUs, it's very effective. The infection beam that the beast capital ships launch usually infects 2 frigates each shot, and the max I lost was 13 frigates fighting against 3 capital ships with support. The frigates are almost impossible to kill except by infection beams. As for Naggarok, it didn't even finish eating my frigate before it got blown to pieces. --------------------------------------------------------------------- I still prefer the old tactics, with Super-Capital Ships leading and assault group, though it could be interesting. Maullar.Maullar (maullar_maullar@yahoo.com) sent me this: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey. I just read your FAQ for Cataclysm on GameFAQs. It's quite good. Here's some information you might want -On Very Easy mode, it IS possible to destroy the Carrier and its escort protecting the resourcers on Mission 1. I did it with ~25 Acolytes. -On Mission 6, if you let any Interceptors report back to base, they WILL send their ENTIRE force at you. I had a very hard time with it on Very Easy mode. --------------------------------------------------------------------- that's correct about mission 6, if you let an Interceptor report back (or just your units are within visual range of the base), the entire army will attack you. Also, when the Cruiser will be under attack (or when it will be destroyed, still have to understand), the entire Taiidan force will move toward you. ********************** 9-MULTIPLAYER TACTICS ********************** If someone reading this document played Starcraft, he/she would know that Zergs and Terrans were able to do rush attacks with their Zerglings and Marines. This tactic was one of the first someone masters, and in little maps was almost letal. If this someone passed from Starcraft to Homeworld/HW Cataclysm, he would have noticed that using the first fighters in groups is not a good choice: first because the MotherShip or the Transport you have to destroy is heavily armored and has big guns that could destroy fighters in second, and then because the other player will surely have fighters to support these guns. Like Homeworld, Catclysm features two "races", but they have almost identical abilities and technology trees. In fact, I always played with a Somtaaw fleet, and did only one or two matches with Beast fleets: Somtaaw have stronger base fighters (the Acolytes), that will turn dead if the player develops Missile Tech, plus the Hiigaran Kiith fleet has the full range of ships (Fighters, Corvettes, Frigates, Carriers, Destroyers, Dreadnoughts), while the Beast has a large number of Corvette-type crafts with few Capital Ships, and the most effective of them, the Heavy Cruiser, requires a lot of RUs, SUs and time to be completed (I'm speaking about a "normal" fleet, with no captured technology). And the Somtaaw's voices are cooler than the Beast's. + Let's start to see Somtaaw Tactics. Acolytes will be present every where, in defense and offensive role. Their mobility and firepower, combined with the capability of forming a Corvette class ship in few seconds will prove very useful, especially if you master how to use special actions. For Acolytes, use missiles against Frigates and larger vessels, as they will miss smaller ships. ACV's EM Pulse is useful against Strike Crafts, to halt them down and destroy them nearly effortlessy. The Somtaaw features a good number of Frigates, most of them with specialized in anti-fighter duties: the Multi-Beam and Hive Frigate will be useful to track and destroy enemy fighters. The Dervish is also a powerful lineholder, even if the larger covered area means that its Ion Cannons are less powerful than the single Cannon mounted on a Ion Frigate. The best way to use the Dervish is to manually maneuver them to fire in the enemy's flanks or rear sides, where its protection (both armor and weapons) will be lower, keeping an aggressive tactic, as the Frigates will continue to fire while moving. The Hive frigate is useful against Strike Crafts only, as its Swarmers are too little to seriously arm other Capital Ships; the Hive standard armament is a bit weak and forward fixed, so it will have to manuever to tracking fats enemies; combined with the relatively thin armor, this Frigate won't live long against Destroyers or Ion Frigates. The last Firgate, the Minion Ramming Frigate can deal serious damage o large vessels, especially if two or more Frigates rams in the same time and from the same direction a vessel: not only the vessel will be moved by the Frigate's afterburner, it will be damaged by the laser hidden in its nose. This action is useful when large enemy groups counting Capital Ships among them attacks fighter forces: use your Minions to move some ships, and use an evasive tactic and immediately call reinforcements for your fighters: though well armored and relatively manueverable, the Frigates will perish under the long range fire of Ion Cannons. If the match drags for some time, someone will be able to produce Carriers first and then Destroyers. So far I've never seen someone building Dreadnoughts, nor I've ever done, I always won (or beaten :P) before. Carriers will be the first Super Capital Ships in order to build, as you'll need their additional SUs to expand your fleet. Just build one, and then concentrate on producing other Frigates (you will be able to produce 2/3 Multi-Beam Frigates in one minute), and if you have enough resources, begin to build a Destroyer or two. Then you would need the second and last Carrier for you first Dreadnought. Nothing much to say about the Super Ships in multiplayer: if you can, hyperspace them near the enemy MotherShip while you Strike Crafts arrives or already engages enemies. Always concentrate their fire on the enemy MotherShip. If you hyperspaced them, your opponet will try to hyper his Command Ship to safety while the rest of the fleet engages your behemoths. What about your MotherShip? Defend it and use it in attack or defense only when the situation is desperate; rember you can move it across the map. Do this often, as this will confuse your opponent, and use a Seeker to track your enemy. Seekers should be used in this way: one circling (use circular waypoints) your MotherShip, one tracking your enemy, a third will accompain your Strike Team and a fourth will guard the area between you and your opponent. How to use the Siege Cannon: first, be sure that you ships aren't along the projectile's trajectory, then try to be closest as possible to the target: as the range increases, the accurancy lowers. Do not use it for destroying very near objectives, as the Cannon needs some seconds to charge and the projectile will need other time to reach the impact point; last, but not least, the Siege Cannon is armed with explosive rounds, so the explosion might damage your ships. You just need to be lucky with this one, really. However, if the Cannon hits, it will destroy and/or severly damage Destroyer class vessels. Fighters and Corvettes? Mhmm...Propably they won't survive... + Beast tactics: The first thing to do is to build Interceptors and Corvettes (the Multi gun will be the best, though the Missile will do fine), then research the Infection Beam: as this research is long, use the Beast's special ability to use CommadShip's health to research faster. Build a strong defensive wing (10 Multi Gun Corvettes with some Interceptors), and if the ohter player(s) does not attack, begin to research and build Frigates and Cruise Missiles. If that player attacks, try to infect as many ships as possible (I conseil Acolytes/ACVs and Multi-Beam Frigates; maybe upgraded with Energy Cannons and Armor Level 2) and repel the attack. hen begin to build a strike team: 6/8 Ion Array/Multi-Beam Frigates, one Carrier/Heavy Cruiser and Corvette escort. Go to your opponet and use your Super Capital Ship to infect other (probably even more advanced) ships, decomission them and inflict as much damage as possible, and retreat when your wing reaches 50% losses within Capital Ships. Hyperspace if the situation is desperate. Cruise Missiles should be used against small Strike Teams were Multi Beam Frigates are escorted by few fighter: use ten/fifteen Missiles, and assault one Frigate with three Missiles each. This should bring you new ships and technology. This tactic works best when escort or the Frigates are harrassed by fighters. If you don't capture any enemy ship, your assaults will be based on Ion Array Frigates: cloack them and be sure that no Advanced Sensors are in the area, reach the enemy MotherShip and attack it by surprise. The counterattack will be hard to repel, but the support of Attack Bombers would be enough. Attack Bombers acn be effective if used in large groups (15+), though do not pretend to destroy Super Capital and Mother Ships with these fighters alone. If you are going to build Carriers and Heavy Cruisers, remember to use the "build faster" capability. Theorically, two Cruisers and 4/6 Ion Frigates with fighter and Corvette escort will be enough to destroy the enemy's MotherShip. Theorically. + General Tactics: Move the MotherShip, especially when you repulsed an attack, after an hyperspace jump and after firing the Siege Cannon. Do not send all of your crafts against your enemy. You attack could be stopped and you won't have any ship defending your "base". If your enemy build Carriers, you have to destroy them too: the computer will declare victory after one player won't be able to build ships. It is possible to track an enemy MotherShip from a Siege Cannon projectile, just minimize your map's zoom, and move the camera to the zenith. Observer the moving yellow dot and trace an imaginary line from the impact point to the point where the projectile started. Send a Seeker or a Mimic and see where your enemy really is. Protect your Workers. Do not play aganst only one player: getting used to his/her tactics will make uttelry easy to defeat him/her, but not all palyers use same tactics. Fine-tune your computer: disable any useless icon-try program, and put your Message Program (ICQ, Odigo, AOL, Clique Me..) into Invisible mode. Check the matches' ping rates to avoid slow fights and avoid to slow them down. If you play on a low-end PC (I play on a P200MMX), disable all effects, reduce the model complexity, the audio channels and whatever can takes important clocks of you CPU: the net is slow by itself, and slowing down the game more could spell the difference between victory (ie: the PC does not accept or "ear" a click from your mouse becuase it's calculating the light sourcing on 1.544.186 polygons). Buy the fastest computer and modem (ISDN, ADSL, Satellite uplinks...whatever. I use a 33.6 Modem and the game is really slow) you can. Last minute note: all Soomtaw Strike Crafts (but not the Workers) need to dock with the Kuun-Lan or a Carrier to be updated. Beast ships can update their systems without docking, even if they are Strike Crafts (though they need to stop and remain inactive for some time). Also, the best tactic to destroy the Somtaaw mothership is to hyperspace right behind it, as your capital ship can be able to target the main engine; attacking from sides will usually destroy hangar moduels first, increasing killing time. Beast mothership can be attacked by all sides, as there are no modules absorbing damage. ¢ ® ì § (criz_hughes@hotmail.com) want to add this: --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. When playing as Somataww, use a dreadnaughts repulser to defend against seige cannon attacks, (as the projectile nears you, activate the repulser and it will bounce back to the source- marginally disconcerting if he/she has fired from reasonably close range!!) 2. When playing as beast, put a defence feild frigate next to the seige cannon of your opponent, this will cause the energy ball from the seige cannon to explode as soon as it leaves the barrel. (a cheeky and devastating way to cripple an opponent) 3. If timed correctly, seige cannon firing can take place while the blue hyperspace box is covering the mother ship from the front backwards. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ************** 10-WALKTHROUGH ************** So far, I ended the game in Normal mode. I do not know how the game will be in Very Hard difficulty, but probably production speed will be lower, you'll have fewer resources at your disposal and the AI will send more ships into battle. In Normal mode, you start the game with the Kuun-Lan (no modules except with the Hangar), 3 Seekers and 3 Workers. Christoph Holtzmuller (AzureWrathe@aol.com) asked me for codes, as it has troubles with the relatively complex game controls; as far as I know, there are no codes for Cataclysm. If you have troubles with the controls, practicing with them in the tutorial is a good choice; you can also lower the difficulty level, buy Homeworld for pratcing with its controls first or try to costumize the keys. MISSION 1: HIIGARA Mission Objectives: + Destroy the Attack Bombers attacking the Frigates in sector 109 + Destroy the Interceptors send to investigate on you + Recon the marked area + Destroy the Resource Collectors + Protect the Proximity Sensor net + Destroy the damaged Heavy Cruiser before it flees. While mining an asteroid belt near a planet, you recieve a distress call from the Veer-Rak, a Carrier from Kiith Nabaal defending Hiigara. Your planet is attacked by the Taiidan Navy, and Defense Fleet need every help within jump range. You arrive in sector 112, at the south-east edge of the map. Immediately move the Kuun Lan near the blue sphere near the upper-rigtht edge and build at least three Workers and a Processor and send them to harvest the nearby resources. Build two groups of ten Acolytes each. Retire two of the three Seekers. The Nabaal commander asks you to destroy a group of roughly 10 Attack Bombers which are taking the upper hand over some Ion Frigates. Do not immediately send them, as the Taiidan fleet will launch 5 Interceptors toward your Workers; send your new Acolytes to destroy the enemy fighters. Now you should have at least 10 Acolytes and one Processor: send the Acolytes against the Bombers, and the Processor near the Workers to protect them against future attacks (always staged by five Interceptors). After you have destroyed the Bombers, Tactical informs you that sensors have picked up an unknow enemy signal. Send a Seeker or directly a group of Acolytes to the marked place; you will find three or four Resource Collectors harvesting plus 2 Defenders. Destroy them before they dock with the nearby Carrier, or you will have to wait until they return to the resource field. The Carrier has full Defender support plus its guns, and your Acolytes will be destroyed in seconds. Meanwhile, Tactical should have informed you that engineers are ready to begin to research Linking technology, and Taiidan Strike Crafts are attacking the Proximity Sensors net (the yellow dots) around Hiigara. Have the second group of fighters attack them; the enemy attack party is composed of 5 Interceptors and 2 Multi Gun Corvettes, and they may need help. If you have moved the Kuun Lan, its guns will take care of them if your Acolytes fail to shoot them down. When you have finished, dock your fighters and replace every loss, you have to take down an Heavy Cruiser fleeing from battle. Send all your Acolytes, and engage the six Defenders escorting the vessel, thn engage it with evasive tactic. Repalce immediately any loss, or the battle will be long, and possibly not successful. If you want, you can help the Nabaal's ships to finish with the Taiidan to gain experience. MISSION 2: OUTSKIRTS OF HIIGARAN SYSTEM Mission Objectives: + Find the Bushan-Re + Repair the Bushan-Re + Destroy the Turanic forces + Recover the derelict An other support mission for other major Kiiths, this time for the Manaans; one of their Destroyers, the Bushan-Re, is damaged and requests assistance. Tactical advises you than Workers aren't capable of repairs and salvaging operations, and suggests the realization of an Engineering Module; the Kuun Lan crew will jettison the upper container and will begin to build the first research module. To find the Bushan-Re, you have to explore the map: the program position the Destroyer randomly; if this "treasure hunt" lasts for too much, Tactical will show you 3 points: move your Acolytes near them and see where the Bushan-Re is. Move the Kuun Lan toward the Bushan-Re, and use your Acolytes to repel any Turanic attack; it is better to swithch to ACV mode, as Turanics will throw Standard and Missile Corvettes into battle. When all Raider forces have been destroyed, dock and repalce your losses, then move your ACVs near the Bushan-Re, as well as three upgraded Workers and begin to repair it. When the Destroyer has regained half of its health, four friendly Support Corvettes will come out of hysperspace and will approach the Cruiser to repair them. DO NOT move your ACVs away from the Destroyer, these Frigates are Turanic Corvettes using Mimic technology. If you set an aggressive tactic for your ACVs, they will begin to attack them immeditely, and the Cruiser should help you in destroying them. While dealing with the Corvettes, the Kuun Lan picks up a distress call from a nearby object, and Tactical orders you to salvage it with one of your Workers. Move the Kuun Lan toward the object. When the Mimic Corvettes are no more, a larger Turanic fleet will appear, and when you asks help to the Bushan-Re, it flees as only its hyperdrive system is online. Tactical also tells you that Mimic technology is available for research. Send a single Worker to retrieve the artifact and escort it with the ACVs. After you destroy some Corvettes and fighters, the Raiders will flee. MISSION 3: CORUC-TEL SYSTEM Mission Objectives: + Find the Clee-San + Send a Mimic and dock with the Clee-San + Destroy all mines blocking the Clee-San The Kiith-Sa orders you to reach the Clee-San, a research Frigate, now located in the Corcu-Tel system for some experiments. To find the Clee-San, simply send a Seeker toward the yellow dot...the Seekers will locate several mines in the area and a large contingent of Turanic Strike Crafts. Send your Acolytes in a single group to destroy the mines and then move the Kuun Lan toward the Clee-San. Position your MotherShip very near to the firendly Frigate, you'll need this later on. Tactical proposes to send a Mimic to dock with the Clee-San; do it, and the Clee-San will show you all active mines in the area. Your first objective now is to destroy the six mines in front of the research vessel. Be careful, the mines are guarded by large numbers of Corvettes, both standard and missile, and some Interceptors. Send your Acolytes in ACV mode, and begin to research the Missile Tech after you built the Weapon module; Afterburner technology is also available. If you moved the Kuun-Lan close enough, its guns will cover your fighters if they need a "tactical" retreat, and eventualy will destroy any enemy fighter in the area. The Clee-San will begin to move after the six mines are destroyed, and will travel to dock with the Kuun Lan. One or two minutes after the Firgate started to move, Turanic will jump several Ion Array Frigates into the system . There is no chance to destroy all of them, so you need to move the Kuun Lan toward the Clee San in order to avoid their attack. Plus, the Clee San will stop if it founds mines on its path; that's why I told you to move the Kuun-Lan: it is possible to completely avoid the attack. Once the small research vessel docks with the Kuun Lan, hyperspace to safety. Be sure to do not activate the "remain docked" option, or you will loose ant docked ships. MISSION 4: DEEP SPACE (TEL SECTOR) Mission Objectives: + Build a new Hangar Module + Escort the Clee-San with 10 Acolytes + Examine the recordings The Clee-San personnel secued the derelict, an alien artifact, probably a beacon. They have just begin to open the artifact, and smoething comes out... The Kuun Lan systems are on full alert: all lower decks are infected, and one scientist reports that the artifact contained something. And this something is eating all lower decks and personnel in it. Before dying, it tells you to jettison the Hangar Module to save the entire ship...the Hangar Module is jeetisoned, and the only thign you ear are screams... The first thing to do is to rebuild the lost Hangar Module. If you had ships docked, they will be lost: you should have enough money to rebuild the Hangar Module and at least 3 Workers, but your Acolytes should have experience, and losing them is a pity... After you have rebuild the Hangar Module, the Clee-San wants to scan the infected Hangar Module to find what's happened. Tactical orders you to escort it with 10 Acolytes; choose 10 fighters with the lower experiencelevel possible, and keep them in fighter mode. Convert all other crafts in ACV mode and build your offensive fleet up to 10 ACVs, assign them to a single group and have them form into a wall or a claw. After the Clee-San reaches the Module, it will be infected by the same thing that ate you Hangar. Your Acolytes will suffer the same fate, and begins to attack you. I think it is possible to save your fighters from such a destiny, but all my efforts were unsuccessful. The Hangar Module will begin to speak (yes, speak): They Live. A minor correction: it is possible to save these 10 Acolytes: have them escort the Clee-San until you have in visual range of the lost Module, then move them away from the Clee-San. After you did so the Clee-San will move for a short distance. Repeat this until the Clee-San falls into enemies' hands. Or, like Sebastian Mundt (sebastian_mundt@gesis.de) wrote: --------------------------------------------------------------------- As you said, order your Acolytes to guard the Clee-San. When you approach the hangar module, sent your fighter back to the Kuun Lan. The Clee-San will stop. Then let one or two guard the science vessel. The Clee-San will still not move. When the rest of your group of Acolytes is half way between the Kuun Lan and the module order them to guard the Clee-San. It will then continue to approach the hangar module although the Acolytes are far away. If it starts the scans let all your Acolytes retreat. The science frigate will be infected but the rest of your fleet should be safe. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Silviu (killermosi@yahoo.com) suggested this tactic too: --------------------------------------------------------------------- in the mission where you'll have to protect the CLEE-SAN with 10 acolytes, there is a way to lose none in the moment of the infection attack. this is waht i did: i gaved a guard order to 10 ACVs, ordering them a sphere formation around CLEE-SAN. After the CLEE-SAN started to move and the sphere formation was established, i UNLINKED the ACVs. the ACVs stopped and unlinked and the CLEE-SAN continued her way unguarded. i must also say that i was playing the version 1.0 of the game. --------------------------------------------------------------------- After you repelled the 10 Acolytes you sent with the Clee-San (the best way to do this it to intercept them near the Kuun Lan in order to get some support fire), Tactical informs you that engineers are ready to research what happened to the two ships. Begin the research immediately, and be prepared to fend of attacks staged by your own forces: the Hangar Module will throw groups of 8/10 Acolytes with 5 ACVs and one Ramming Frigate. The Frigate will go directly toward the Kuun Lan, so it won't pose a trouble, but your ACVs/Acolytes will die if they do not have support from the MotherShip. Also, when the research is nearly completed, have the Workers and Processor dock. Shortly after ending the research on that thing, a Turanic Raider fleet (Ion Frigates, Corvettes, Fighters...a full attack force.) will jump into the are, directly behind the Hangar Module and the Clee-San. When you try to explain what happened, the Raiders will ignore your warnings and will get infected too. There's nothing more to do, the Turanic fleet was to large before infection, and now has support of Acolytes and ACVs. If you moved the Kuun Lan near the infected Module, quickly move it and recall all your ships, and hyperspace. MISSION 5: AIOWA SYSTEM Mission Objectives: + Intercept the Bentusi vessel + Protect the Bentusi vessel + Protect the Caal-Shto + Destroy the Beast fleet The thing that infected the Hangar Module and the Clee-San was code-named the Beast. It is a bio-technological virus that can adapt itself and uses living forms and their cells to create a self-sufficent neuronal net. The Beast spreads the infection with plasma beams, which cut the enemy's hull and injects the virus. All the infected forms are part of the original Beast. Tactical suggests to reach a Bentusi Ship to collect more informations about the Beast; the nearest Bentusi ship is the Aiowa system, and when you reach the system, immediately send a Seeker or a group of Acolytes to the marked zone, while your Workers harvest resorces. The Bentusi are attacked by Beast forces, and they reply to your warnings that no one will survive if it is so fool to attack the Unbounds; in fact, the Bentusi ship will begin to harvest enemy ships with multiple ion beams... Move one group of Acolytes to help the Bentusi vessel, and maintain a group of ACVs near the Kuun-Lan. The Beast will launch two Ion Array Frigates and some Corvettes toward your Command Ship. After having destroyed the incoming threat, send all your attack forces into the battle. The Kuun-Lan will pick up three hyperspace signatures. The Bentusi sent a distress signal to Hiigaran ships, and the Kiith Manaan replied by sending the Caal-Shto, a Carrier, and tow Ion Cannon Frigates. Continue your battle against Beast fighters until an Heavy Cruiser reaches the Bentusi ship; quickly recall your fighters for repair and repalce any lost ships. As the Cruiser begins to attack the trading vessel with infection beams, the Bentusi will begin to descript what they feel...something ancient, which is hungry, and modifies their sings and tears them apart...the Bentusi won't be bound. They self-destruct. The Beast fleet is completely destroyed, but the Caal-Shto was caught into the explosion. Move your fighters into a defensive position; you now should be able to research Support Modules and to build the Advanced Engineering Module: do so, and research Micro-Ships in the new module and immediately build 12 (the max available) Support Modules. Your forces now should be a group of 20 Acolytes and one group of 10 ACVs, plus one Processor and 6 Workers. No Frigates are needed for now. Do not send Workers to repair the Caal-Shto, but kep them harvesting resources. Fend off all attacks against the Carrier while you move the Kuun Lan very near to the Caal-Shto and until you built your forces. Track enemy movements and move you fighters toward the Carrier producing Attack Bombers, Acolytes and Ramming Frigates. Be sure to intercept all enemies before dealing with the Carrier. Once you have reached the Carrier, unlink any ACV you have and attack the enemy ship from sides, using missiles; the Carrier should retreat after a single attack. Destroy the remaining Workers, head back to the Kuun Lan and hit J to finish the mission. MISSION 6: KADIIR NEBULA Mission Objectives: + Recon enemy base + Control all navpoints + Escort the Caal-Shto to the portal + Destroy all Taiidan minelayers + Destroy all Taiidan scouts + Research Phased Telemetry + Destroy the Heavy Cruiser The Caal-Shto is badly damaged, and only its fusion reacotr continues to work. Hyperspace module is offline, like all weapons and construction lines. If the Beast stages an other attack, the Caal-Shto will fall in its hands. The only way to get the damaged Carrier out of this system is to use one of the portals located into the Kadir Nebula. The mpa of this mission is a developed into a single, relatively thin line containing the portal where you entered (behind your back) and the Epsilon portal, where you have to escort the Caal-Shto. The portal are spyrals composed by unharvestable asteroyds. When you arrives into the Nebula, Tactical telles you that there is an Imperialist Taiidan base between the entrance and the exit, and orders you to send a Seeker to gather informations about the enemy forces. DO NOT do this; instead, send your Workers to harvest, and guard them with your Processor. Build at least two groups of 20 Acolytes each. You'll need speed rather than firepower in this mission. Build three Seekers: one will remain with the Kuun Lan and the Caal-Shto, one will guard the Workers and the other will accompain the Acolytes. The seekers are the only units with full power to sensors: the nebula radiations block all other sensors, so the Taiidan base doesn't know the right number of forces that arrived, and it will continue to send groups of 5 Interceptors to scout the area. For now, they will head toward the Workers, so use one group of Acolytes to destroy them. The other group, with the help of a Seeker, will travel toward the Epsilon portal (proceed toward the second grey box and the continue in a straight line). Build the Armor Module and research the Force Field, too. The Acolytes sent toward the portal will see several mines: take them down, and when you reach the portal, have them back (the Seeker too) to the Kuun-Lan and send one Seeker to scout the enemy base. The base itself produces only fighters, but has a full complement of Support, Assault and Ion Cannon Frigates plus a Carrier. After the recon is finished, the Kuun Lan will issue the move order, and the Caal-Shto will beign to move toward the portal. Move one Seeker toward the exit, and it will find a group of Minelayers and Defenders. Destroy them with the Acolytes; one group should always remain with the Command Ships, and when Tactical detects a group of Interceptors (always five in delta formation), dispatch them for a quick shoot-down. If the Interceptors repot back to the base, it will probably launch all Frigates and the Carrier to take you down. I've never did such a mistake, so I do not really know if this is true. After destroying the Minelayers and their escort, move the Seeker close to the portal and...ta daan, an Heavy Cruiser with 10 Defenders for its escort. Engineers are ready to research for Leech technology. This won't be a great help, unless you use ten or more Leeches to attack the Cruiser. Frigate drive will also be available, but the Hive Frigte isn't excalty what you need against an Heavy Cruiser. If you want, build one or two Ramming Frigates to move the Cruiser away from the Defenders. Deploy all Acolytes against the Cruiser, and have them unleash missiles against it. Then engage the Defenders, and replace all losses immediately. After the Cruiser is destroyed the Caal-Shto will enter the portal, and you'll have to hyperspace to reach it. If you want, hang on a minute to harvest some resources, but the base already launched its forces toward you: in few minutes will be on you. Hyperspace ASAP and reach the Caal-Shto. Pete Morfill (p.morfill@btinternet.com) sent this: --------------------------------------------------------------------- I was reading your walkthrough which is great, but I had a tip for the Kadiir Nebula mission. When you discover the Heavy Cruiser blocking your path, research the leeches tech as instructed. Then build ten and send them to attack the cruiser. Make sure you have at least 5 or 6 workers too. By the time you reach the cruiser and it's fighters it will be damaged (assuming you got your recon ship there far enough in advance); you can then attack it and its fighters with all your acolytes and follow the attack up immediately with a salvage attempt (using all those workers!) I managed to capture the heavy cruiser which came in very handy for the next few missions, and all I lost was a few fighters, which you can rebuild anyway. Obviously you need to make sure you have enough SU's for the capture. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Maullar.Maullar (maullar_maullar@yahoo.com) sent me this: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey. I just read your FAQ for Cataclysm on GameFAQs. -On Mission 6, if you let any Interceptors report back to base, they WILL send their ENTIRE force at you. I had a very hard time with it on Very Easy mode. --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you let even an Interceptor report back (or just your units are within visual range of the base), the entire army will attack you. Also, when the Cruiser will be under attack (or when it will be destroyed, still have to understand), the entire Taiidan force will move toward you. MISSION 7: OUTSKIRTS OF KADIR NEBULA Mission Objectives: + Check origins of the distress signal + Protect Convoy + Destroy Beast ships + Destroy all infected ships Engineers aboard the Kuun Lan did whatever they could to find more infos about the Beast. The Beacon you salvaged comes from an alien explorer ship, called the Naggarok; its origins are unknown, but it surely came from an other galaxy. This ship was usign an hyperdrive incredibly powerful. The ship came out from hyperspace infected by the virus the the Somtaaw code-named Beast, but the alien crew sacrificed themsleves as they realized the destructive potential of this "creature", and destroyed engines and communication gears. However, the automated system launched the beacon you recovered... The Caal-Shto is now fully repaired, and enters hyperspace to report to the New Daiamand (the Council formed of all Kiith-Sa) about the Beast. They also suggests to hide, but you recieve an help signal from Republican Taiidan convoy DX-307. The escort has been wiped out, and the convoy is unarmed. The worst thing is that the convoy is attacked by 'unknown missiles'. Make four groups of Acolytes (10 each), and if you want, substitute one of them with a group of 5 ACVs. Before sending the Acolytes toward the marked area, research Armor Level 2 and Quantum Charge. The convoy is composed of 6 Colony Ships, and one is badly damaged. Keep your Acolytes in aggressive stance and wall formation, you'll need concentrated fire, and guard the central zone of the convoy. Shortly after you reached it, Cruise Missiles will start to attack the convoy. The Colony Ship are unarmed, like the Missiles, but if they hit their targets, they will infect it, and the infected Colony Ship will start to produce other Missiles. It is imperative to destroy these infected ships ASAP, or you'll have to face too many Missiles at once. Engage the first wave of Missiles; each group contains 4 Cruise Missiles. Then move one group of Acolytes to protect the Kuun Lan and the Workers. EMP upgrade for ACVs should be available, now. The second wave will have more groups of Missiles, but it's still easy. The thrid wave will increase the number of Missile groups (plus each group will contain 5 Missiles) and they will be escorted by Interceptors (5 in delta formation; they will escort the Missiles). You'll lose at least one Colony Ship, and you must destroy it ASAP, or the Missiles it will launch will infect all other Ships, making your task effortlessy. Launch a volley of Missiles from all nearby Acolytes, and then finish it with normal attacks. If you want, keep one or two ACVs ready to EMP a Colony Ship, but maintain a fighter escort on the Kuun Lan. If you managed to salvage the Heavy Cruiser in the prev mission, this mission could become a real pain: just think if the Cruiser get infected. And if not, you won't have enough SUs to replace it with the more efficent Destroyer/Dreadnought combo; Super-Capital ships cannot be retired, so it was all a waste of time to capture it... If you let the infection spread, all Colony Ships will be infected, and they will start to target your Command Ship: that's way the ACVs are there. The first target is the Processor (I think that the Crusier would be the first one to fall...), the Workers and then the Kuun Lan. Seems that Cruise Missiles only do damage, but I'm not so sure...however, if you need reinforcmentes, recall on or two groups of Acolytes, but keep the other groups targeting the Colony Ships. Eventually, you will finish this mission. After you saved the convoy, be sure that you have all 12 Support Modules installed, and expand you fleet with two Ramming Frigates and one Acolyte group, and convert them to ACVs. Your fleet should contain one Kuun Lan (¬_¬...), one Processor, six Workers, 3 groups of 10 ACVs each and two Ramming Frigates. Be sure to have research everything too. MISSION 8: DEEP SPACE (KORETH'S RIFT SECTOR) Mission Objectives: + Harvest resources and build new ships + Protect the spy from the pursuiting Taiidan + Capture one Frigate + Caputer three Resource Collectors + Destroy all other forces before they flee. 300.000 refugees thank you and your fleet. Their escort went to investigate about a signal sent by one of the Repiblican Heavy Cruisers, apparently disapperead few days before, and the now-unprotected convoy was attacked by this new Imperial weapon. Apparently, the Imperialist Taiidan are doing research on the Beast, and the Republican sent a spy to investigate about this. You decide to wait the spy. The first thing to do is to send one group of Acolytes to the two purple points of the map: these points represent crystals; crystals come in small, medium and big shapes, and you need two, four and six Workers respectively to salvage and take them to the nearest Processor, Carrier and MotherShip. Research the Crystal Harvesting Capability and have your Workers collect them. The spy will arrive soon, and will have Taiidan ships on his tail. Use a single group of Acolytes to destroy the enemy ships. You will encounter 6 Interceptors (delta formation), 4 Multi-Gun Corvettes (wall) and 15 Defenders (wall). Your ACVs should eat them in seconds. The approaching vector of the spy is randomly chosen. After this easy combat, the spy informs you that the Imperialists have a research base on a nearby planet, and they are research a bio-weapon very similar to the Beast. Too similar. However, the planet is guarded by a net of Proximity Sensors and a large number of ships, but the spy suggests to steal some nearby ships dedicated to gathering resorces. I think that the AI randomly generates the area where the ships are, roughly opposite the spy's approaching vector. The number and types composing the harvesting group is fixed, however: it contains 8 Resource Collectors, 2 Support Frigates, 2 Assault Firgates, 3 Ion Cannon Frigates and 1 Gravity Wheel. You need to capture at least 3 Resource Collectors and one Frigate, but I suggest to capture evey ship except the Gravity Wheel. You can retire all surplus ships, and capturing at least one type of Frigate (except the Support) will give you a new technology; Ion Cannon Frigates will give you Advanced Ion Cannons (Multi-Beam Frigate), while Assault frigates will give you Energy Cannons (upgrade for most ships). You have to do this within 15 minutes, or they will hyperspace back to their base, and your cover will colapse. Start by destroying the Gravity Wheel with the two Ramming Frigates, or your ACVs won't be able to move and will be an easy target for the Frigates. Then move your ACVs (one group is enough, remember, you have to capture ships) and destroy the Support Frigates. Without these units, other Firgates won't be able to repair from their damage. Then slightly damage all other crafts and send you Workers to salvage them. You need two Workers for each Firgate and Collector. After you took the first Ion Cannon/Assault Frigate to the Kuun Lan, the new technology will be available. Before updating or building any ship, complete the mission objectives (by destroying the uncaptured crafts or by capturing and retiring them). Retire the tow Ramming Frigates, build three or four Multi-Beam Frigates (sacrifice a group of ACVs for the fourth...I kept the ACVs and waited for more Frigates), retire all surplus ships and them hyperspace. MISSION 9: CLOSE ORBIT, GOZAN IV Mission Objectives: + Move Resource Collectors to the marked point + Destroy one Proximity Sensor + Create a diversion + Wait for the Resource Collectors + Recover the Collectors The ships you captured will be used as troop-carriers to penetrate the planetary defenses intact, infiltrate into the base and destroy it. However, if the Beast already infected the base and the defense fleet, you'll have to flee. OK, be prepared, this mission is very difficult. If you haven't captured at least an Ion Frigate in the last mission it will be very tough. Send you Workers to harvest resources, but when they approach the sensor net (there are resources near it), recall them and keep them docked. Ships without weapon will nothing more than sitting ducks. Have your Acolytes link into ACV mode, and retire the Frigate you captured in the last mission and build an other Multi-Beam Frigate; you need only the Collectors. Do not move directly the Collectors to the marked place, move the entire Kuun Lan instead. Having Sentinels with Level 2 Shields (research them before moving) is a good idea. Place the Kuun Lan on the marked spot, and then move it toward the net. When your MotherShip is near to the first Proximity Sensor, move the Collectors to the marked place and attack one Proximity Sensor with a group of ACVs or directly with the Kuun Lan. This will make your Collectors move toward the planet. No the Taiidan will throw nearly anything into battle. Recall your Workers and dock them (and keep them), assign the Processor to escort the Kuun Lan. Keep the Kuun Lan moving until it has passed the sensors. Do not move it too much, or you will have to face a Destroyer, plus all other forces. Now, let's wait that the enemies are near the Kuun Lan and throw your forces to counterattack. It is better to keep the battle near the MotherShip as you can benefit of its guns and the repairing capability of the Processor. If the situation is desperate, release the Workers and repair the Kuun Lan (they will be destroyed immediately if they attempt to reach the Multi-Beam Frigates). After few minutes, the Collectors should have reached the Vigilance, a Destroyer guarding the planet; it will let them through, and you must keep the defensive forces busy until they return. This will take about 5 minutes. In these 5 minutes, the Taiidan will throw a lot of Capital Ships into battle, including a Missile Destroyer. It appears that the Destroyer and its escort (Assault, Ion and Support Frigates) jump randomly near you. I've got it on my tail or directly behind me. The Destroyer will be a Pain. Attack it with your Frigates, and keep the ACV attacking smaller crafts. Remember your have the EMP weapon to create a relatively quiet moment to re group your forces and destroy the smaller enemy crafts. Replace your forces as you lose them. The Collectors are back, and they have interesting informations about the Beast, but they have Attack Bombers on their tails. If you have passed the sensor net with the Kuun Lan this won't be a problem, or you'll have to send something to protect the three Collectors. Sentinels may be a good choice, but I suggest a Frigate or a group of 5 ACVs. When the Collectors have docked, recall your ships and hyperspace. I had to do an emergency hyperspace, and I left there most of my ACVs and the Processor: when you issue the hyperspace order all ships will begin to dock or go into position for hyperspace, and this will require time. And during this time enemies will be active, and they will go after the Kuun Lan. If you want to wait for your forces, keep a sharp eye on the health bar. MISSION 10: DEBRIS FIELD (KORETH'S RIFT SECTOR) Mission Objectives: + Recover the Siege Cannon + Research the Siege Cannon Module + Build the Siege Cannon + Fire the Siege Cannon against the Beast Command Ship After the raid on Gozan, you jumped into an area full of debrises and derelicts; this large concentration of metallic objects should hide you. Datas recovered by the planetary strike team are both horrible and interesting: the Imperialist Taiidan are trying to turn the Beast into a biological weapon, but so far they only found a way to sterilze infected hosts. So far, the Beast overran every control system implatended in the hosts by the Taiidan scientists. Recon 214 is scouting the sector. It detects mines, as well as an old but still serviceable Siege Cannon. After sending you position datas, Recon 214 returns to base as it detects enemy forces. The Siege Cannon could be the only weapon that can deal damage to the Beast. Tactical suggests to salvage it and install onto the Kuun-Lan. Have you noticed the Corellian Corvette wreckage near the Cannon? Looks like a Star Destroyer lost the Siege Cannon while stalking that Corvette ;) Begin with rebuilding your losses. Increase the number of Multi-Beam Frigates to six, and if you lost the Processor in the last mission, don't bother to replace it. Keep your Acolytes in ACV mode, you'll need the EM Pulse. Have the Workers harvest any rosource in the area, and DO NOT move the Kuun-Lan. After you rebuilt your losses, send the Multi-Beam Frigates and one group of ACVs to the Siege Cannons. Have the ACVs engage mines, and destroy all Turanic crafts trying to steal the Cannon. Send four of your Workers to salvage the Cannon, and keep the ACVs and Frigates in aggressive mode. After the Workers docked with the Cannon, several Corvettes will attack your Workers. The Frigates should eat them in seconds. Meanwhile, the Kuun-Lan will be under attack by four Ion Array Frigates: these Frigates use Cloak technology, and your engineers think that they can research Advanced Sensors able to detect hidden units; start the research immediately, and use the ACVs protecting the Kuun-Lan to EMP one or two Frigates while you recall the Frigates and the other ACVs guard the Workers. After the Workers took the Cannon to your Command Ship, have them harvest resources and begin to research the support module for the Cannon. An Imperial Fleet will jump into the area, as well as Turanic reinforcements. Quickly recall you Workers and keep them docked. Send ACVs to shoot down any threat for the Workers but retreat when you see the Heavy Cruiser and the three Destroyers. These ships will go for your MotheShip, so move it away from them. Do not try to engage in a stand-up fight, even with the ACVs using EMP, the battle will be hard at best. Just go away from the Super Capital Ships to minimize losses. Shortly after the arrival of this party, the Caal-Shto enters the area, and the Turanics will go after it. However, when the Pirates approach the Imperator-class Carrier, you'll notice something wrong...the Beast infected the Carrier, and...your old Hanger Module jumps into battle. The Beats converted your old Hangar Module into a Commad Ship, and orders you to surrender. The Taiidan and the Turanic will move to engage the Beast. Do not follow them; dock all your Strike Crafts and keep the Multi-Beam Firgates near the Kuun-Lan. Tactical suggests to use the Siege Cannon, and you have to move within a 100% accurancy range before firing it. However, you have only to hit the Beast, so you can be at 70/60% accurancy range when firing the Cannon. After the Siege Cannon hit the Beast, the sensors show that the lifeform didn't suffered too much damage, and you must prepare to hyperspace. Do it ASAP, or the former Taiidan Cruiser and Destroyers will be on you. MISSION 11: SYSTEM AZ-23769 Mission Objectives: + Protect the Faal-Corum + Destroy all Beast ships + Repair the Faal-Corum + Destroy enemy fleet The first shot of the Siege Cannon burned the plasma conducts that power the Cannon, and it's now useless. Tactical sugests that engineers can tune the Cannon if they have enough datas on the original Beast lifeform. This means finding the Naggarok, but your crew is not good enough to track this 1 million years old vessel, so you decide to rendez-vous with the Faal-Corum and aks support to its astrogation (astronautical navigation) team. As you jump into teh system, a small Beast fleet is attacking the Faal-Corum. As you arrive rigthly over the Fall-Corum, the ship crew thinks that the red Acolytes and Multi-Beam Frigates are yours, and you want to destroy your sister ship. Send all you have against the Beast ships and rebuild your losses, and send them into battle as soon as they leave the Hangar. Send Workers to salvage the two crystals (one medium and one small..if you have six Workers this will require them all), and then to harvest resources. The Beast ships will be easily destroyed, both thank to your ships and Faal-Corum's ones. As the small fleet is destroyed, send 3 or 4 Workers to repair the Faal-Corum. Tactical also says that Destroyer Drive is available for research. After it is completed, build one Carrier (and then its Support Modules); after this, expand your fleet with two Destroyers (oh yeah) and then the second and last Carrier (and its support modules). Finish the production run with a third Destroyer. The Beast will send an other fleet to capture you and the Faal-Corum. Establish a defense line composed by Carriers and Destroyers until you have finished building the ships I mentioned plus six Multi-Beam Frigates and twenty ACVs. The Faal-Corum will assist by sending Dervishes toward the enemy fleet; 10 Acolytes will stay with the two Explorer class vessels for protection. Be careful: the Beast will launch Cruise Missiles, and they will be your primary target: Frigates will be infected, and these Missiles inflict a good amount of damage to Super-Capital Ships (they cannot be infected). Once you have finished building attack ships, it is time to go. Group them in a single wall formation and harvest any enemy unit so fool to fire at you. The Beast will send Hive, Ramming and Multi-Beam Frigates, and sometimes Cruise Missiles. Have the ACVs deal with the Ramming Frigates with a single EMP or by engaging them. You Capital Ships will take care of everything else. OK, you're near your target: the enemy Carrier is protected by 3 Ion Array Frigates, 12 Sentinels forming a shield around the Carrier and two Defense Field Frigates. Send the Super-Capital Ships to engage the Ion Array Frigates, and if you want use the EMP of your ACVs on two of them. Then retreat your ACVs (the Carrier can infect them) and have your Destroyers target the Carrier inside the force shield. Keep at least two Multi-Beam Frigates to destroy any Cruise Missile. After the Carrier is destroyed, the Sentinels will break formation, and will start to attack you. Fighters against dedicated anti-fighter Frigates and heavy missiles from your Destroyers? Mhmm...after the Sentinels, destroy the two Defense Field Frigates and finish with the two Workers. Or, like Sebastian Mundt (sebastian_mundt@gesis.de) wrote: --------------------------------------------------------------------- To destroy the Beast's carrier send in 20 ACV's. Order them to guard the Faal-Corum attack group. Keep an eye an incoming cruise missiles. Once you approach the carrier let your ships EMP all enemies nearby. Unlock the ACV's to have 40 Acolytes ready for battle. Attack the cruiser and only the cruiser!Fire a full volley of missiles at it. That should almost bring down the carrier.Finish it with aggressive attacks in claw formation. If it blows up in a giant fireball let your Acolytes retreat and dock. Now it's time for your frigates and destroyers and - if you had been brave enough in level 6 salvaging the Taiidan Qwaar Jet - the Heavy Cruiser. The multibeam frigates will take care of enemy fighters, the destroyers and the cruiser will bring down the remaining capital ships. --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Faal-Corum will then send its astrogation team to you, and will begin its travel toward Hiigara to warn the Council about the Beast. Before ending the mission, be sure to collect every resource in the area and repair your ships. MISSION 12: TURANIC OUTPOST (KYORI SECTOR) Mission Objectives: + Defend your Command Ship + Destroy the Turanic Outpost The astrogation team decoded the navigation datas, and localized an area where the Naggarok could be. However, the area is too large, and you must narrow the area. It is possible that a Turanic Raider outpost is in the sector, and you are going to ask them for help. Mimic 6-6-3 reports a visual confirmation of a large Turanic outpost in front of the Kuun-Lan. You declare that you come in peace, and request only access to their data charts. The Pireates reply with powering up turrets and sending their crafts to destroy you. Move as fast as you can your Capital Ships into a wall before the Kuun-Lan, 25 Interceptors and 4 Missile Corvettes are on their way to welcome you. Prepare your ACVs, you may need some help: in this first wave, the Turanics will try to sink you a large group of light and maneuverable crafts. Keep all your forces near the Kuun-Lan for now. Then send your ACVs (10 will be enough) to the resource field at your left, and destroy the four mines (the Pirates' mines are big and white, easier to see and engage). Now you can send your Workers to harvest asteroyds. Now the Kuun-Lan will be under fire of seven Ion Array Frigates. Use the EM Pulse to disable them, and shoot them down with concentrated fire. Begin to move the Capital Ships toward the Outpost, and your ACVs toward the small asteroyd belt at your right: destroy the four Corvettes, and then send all your ACVs to "escort" your Destroyers and Multi-Beam Frigates. The Turanic will keep throwing Stike Crafts: the most dangerous are the Corvettes, usually masked as Acolytes (you will see five Acolytes in X formation coming from the outpost), and they will sometimes try to steal your Frigates. The best way to destroy thief Corvettes are your ACVs and the missiles of your Destroyers. Once near the outpost, you'll see 7 Ion Array Frigates: send your Capital Ships to engage them, and them use the EMP of your ACVs. Now you should be able to see all forces sorrounding the outpost: at your right a Lord Attack Carrier, at the center the Outpost plus mines and verious Strike Crafts and at your right 6 Ion Array Frigates. Attack from the left, and repeat the same tactic used with the other Frigates (EMP + concentrated fire). Then engage the Strike Crafts and some mines, and begin to attack the Carrier. Use your ACVs to shoot down any incoming mine; then use them to destroy the Interceptors the Carrier will begin to launch after you lowered its health at 50%. After the Attack Carrier is no more, begin to attack the Outpost. It won't fire back nor produce any craft, so you can send you ACVs to the Kuun-Lan for repairs (and replace losses, though they will be very limited). When the outpost is low on health, a Taiidan fleet will jump into system. Ignore them, and continue to attack the Outpost. After its health is very low, the Taiidan will hyperspace away and the Turanic will surrender, leveing access to their maps. Be sure to dock your Strik Crafts (Workers included) into the Carriers. MISSION 13: LOCATION UNKNOWN Mission Objectives: + Destroy enemy fleet + Assist the Faal-Corum You now carry Pirate personnel on the Kuun-Lan, and you are en-route to find out the Naggarok and destroy it as long as its engines are not working. Despite Tactical increased security level, someone managed to install a strange device somewhere in the MotherShip... Most of the Kuun-Lan' systems are down. Tactical tells you that a massive EMP burst disabled the Hangar Module and destroyed one Support Module and the Enginnering Module. The Kuun-Lan cannot launch or build new ships, and you must rely on Capital Ships. Sensors also pick up multiple hyperspace signatures: it's a trap. Begin by rebuilding any lost Module, and if you stored your fighters into the Carriers as I told you, release them: the Workers will repair the Kuun-Lan, while the ACVs will provide cover for your Capital Ships; move these ships on the Kuun-Lan's left-rear side, and destroy all Attack Bombers and Interceptors. Now move them to the opposite side (forward-right) to intercept a Heavy Cruiser and one Destroyer. Let the ACVs use their EMP on these two ships, and use your Carriers for a faster destruction. Meanwhile, the Kuun-Lan will be sorrounded by two other Heavy Cruiser/Destroyer groups. Use the same tactic as above, but keep a sharp eye on the Carriers' and Kuun-Lan's health bar. When the second group is down, the Faal-Corum will arrive to assist you; it will provide Workers for faster repairs and will produce other vessels (Acolytes, ACVs and Multi-Beam Frigates) to help you. It will bring also 4 Ion Cannon Frigates, 2 Revelation-class Destroyers, 8 ACVs and 2 Ramming Frigates, and will transfer them under your control. Building and launching facilities now should be online. The Taiidan will continue to launch several fighters and Destroyers backed up by Assault Frigates, so keep your ships near the Kuun-Lan for now. Decomission as many new ships you want, except the Destroyers (you can't) and the Ion Cannon Frigates (for now). Send you Workers to harvest resources, and move your Carriers to protect them. The Faal-Corum ships will detect a Carrier, and you now must destroy it. Begin to move the Capital Ships toward the enemy Carrier ASAP. and keep the ACVs at their rear, to engage any Attack Bomber and/or Interceptor the AI will throw. Once you're near the enemy Carrier, keep your ships advancing, and the Taiidan force will hyperspace to safety. Finish to repair any damage and retire the Ion Cannon Frigates. Be sure to have at least 80 SUs available fro the next mission and hyperspace to the Naggarok. MISSION 14: GALACTIC RIM (GULF SECTOR) Mission Objectives: + Protect the Kuun-Lan + Recover a sample + Capture an enemy ship After the Taiidan/Raider trap, you can head to the Naggarok and destroy it. However, the stuation is desperate: many fleets fell under Beast control, and the other Kiith are defending Hiigara. The Republican Taiidan offer their help with a special weapon, but it isn't ompleted yet. Now you're alone, and you must destroy the Naggarok. Recon flight 2-1-4 achieves a visual lock on the Naggarok. Around this massive ship there are several Imperialist ships, and they're repairing the Naggarok drives. After you opend communications with the Taiidan flagship, the Naggraok begins to speak: the Beast and the Taiidan now co-operates, and when all menaces will be destroyed, the Taiidan will recieve half galaxy, while the Beast the other half. Send your Workers to harvest th nearby resources, and move your Carriers in front of the Kuun-Lan, one on each side. The other Capital Ships will form a wall few KMs ahead. For now let your ACVs rest. The first Taiidan wave will be composed of several fighters (Interceptors plus Attack Bombers), and they won't pose too much problem. You can now build Archangels; build only one: two will use too many SUs. At least your Capital Ship group should composed of 1 Dreadnought, 4-5 Destroyers and few Multi-Beam Frigates (they can be infected, and this reduces their value a bit; plus you should have two Revelation-class Destroyers). The Beast MotherShip will arrive at your right, and will begin to send several infected vessels toward you. Destroy them with your Capital Ships, and use your ACVs to disable the Ramming Frigates. The job of your Capital Ships and one group of Acolytes (10 will be enough) will be to hold the line and distracting enemy forces until you can send a Mimic near the Naggarok to recover a sample of its structure. You will encounter a single Heavy Cruiser with Multi-Gun Corvette escort, but you should already have a Dreadnought online. Before sending the Mimic, you have to destroy the Proximity Sensors located around the Naggarok. Send 10 Acolytes and begin to shoot them down. The Sensors are displaced as a plain circle around the alien vessel. Do not dare to pass the sensors, mines and a lot of Taiidan ships await you. You can use two groups of ten Acolytes each, but this seems to make the Taiidan very angry, and they will send ships (usually 1/2 Hive Frigates) after your Acolytes. When the Sensors are down, send your Mimic to dock with the Naggarok, and be sure that the Mimic will reach the Kuun-Lan intact. After the Mimic has docked, the Naggarok and the Beast MotherShip will hyperspace with the bulk of the Taiidn ships toward an unknown weapon. The remaining Taiidan ships will begin to attack you, and you must capture one to know where the Beast is going. The easiest ship to capture is one of the first Assault Frigates. Damage it, and send two Workers to salvage it. After you did so, you can hyperspace, but you can stay to destroy the remaining ships: the total force consists of 14 Assault Frigates, 2 Destroyers and 1 Missile Destroyer. The latter is not a great threat, especialy because it is the last ship attacking. Use the EM Pulse to disable the standard Destroyers and then use the ACVs to harrass the Assault Frigates (X formation with evasive tactic is the best choice) and let your Capital Ship finish off all ships. Before hyperspacing, harvest all resources and repair your ships. MISSION 15: DEEP SPACE (GULF SECTOR) Mission Objectives: + Destroy the gate + Block the Bentusi Ships The captured crew of the Taiidan ship confirmed that the Beast and the Imperialist are going to capture the Republican secret weapon, codenamed Nomad Moon, locted in a lage shipyard not so far from your position. Your engineers also adapted the Siege Cannon to produce a massive feedback in any Beast-infected lifeform, but you're still not able to fire it more than once. You must reach the Bentusi for asking help. As you arrive in-system, one Bentusi ship is trepassing a inter-galaxy gate. You cannot stop this ship, so you have to watch it only. Bentusi ships are immune to EMP burst and you don't want to fire on them, so you must destroy the 6 generators around the gate. Move all Capital Ship INCLUDING Carriers and any vessel with firepower except the Processor toward the portal and begin to destroy the generators. Concentrate fire on a single emitter at once. You should be able to stop the second ship trying to use the gate. After you destroyed trhee or four generators, the Bentusi will begin to launch their Super Acolytes in groups of 6. Do not send any Strike Craft against them, they will be destroyed in seconds; just wait that the fighters are in range of your Capital Ships, and shoot them down. When you destroy all generators, three other Bentusi ships (with a total of four if you stopped the second ship) will jump into system, and they will go after the Kuun-Lan (only one) and your Capital Ships (three ships will surround your group). The Bentusi ship near the Kuun-Lan won't launch Super Acolytes, so concentrate on your Capital Ships: only try to shoot down Acolytes, ignore the Bentusi ships. When the Bentusi will destroy one Capital Ship (Processor included) or badly damage the Kuun-Lan (see below), you will engage in a verbal battle with them. Eventually the Bentusi will cease fire, and will agree to help you. Four new technologies will be available: Advanced Fighter and Frigate Drive, Armor and Force Field Level 3. Before jumping to the next mission, research them and update all surviving crafts and replace your losses. If you do not shop the second ship, the Bentusi rienforcements will jump over your MotherShip, and they will send Super Acolytes. Quickly recall your Capital Ships and destroy the enemy Acolytes. When they destroy a ship or the Kuun-Lan is at red health status, the discussion will begin and the mission will be finished. MISSION 16: SOJENT-RA SYSTEM (FAR REACHES SECTOR) Mission Objectives: + Localize the Clee-San + Damage the Clee-San + Dock the Clee-San with a Worker + Harvest resources + Engage and destroy the Beast Fleet With the help of the Bentusi, the Siege Cannon should be able to sustain continued fire. The Bentusi were trying to escape from the Beast as this bio-technological lifeform keeps the alive for controlling ships. The Bentusi are in symbiosis with their ships, like Karan Sjet with the MotherShip during the Homeworld war; this is why the Bentusi helped the Kushan and why they weren't reluctant to help you. Tactical proposes to lay down a trap for your old Hangar Module, now the Beast MotherShip, infected with a small part of the Beast original form. The target will be the Clee-San, as it is the first infected ship. However, you don't know where the Clee-San exaclty is...during your research, you encounter the Kiith Manaan fleet, which knows where Clee-San is. Seems that the Beast is going to infect a whole planet. Once you jump into the system that the Manaan told you, you don't really know whre the Clee-San is. Send a Recon (or a Mimic...do not use ACVs or Acolytes) to the marked area. The Clee-San is escorted by a large fleet, including Carrier, Heavy Cruisers, Frigates and full Strike Craft support. You need to close enough to fire a glancing blow with your Siege Cannon. Begin to move your fleet including the Kuun-Lan. Keep your Capital Ships before the MotherShip, and have the Carriers guard it. Keep your ACVs (you'll need the EMP) with the Capital Ships. During your travel, you'll encounter 2 Heavy Cruisers escorted by Ramming, Multi-Beam and Hive Frigates, Corvettes (usually Multi-Gun) and fighters (Interceptors, Acolytes and Attack Bombers). Unleash the EM Pulse on the Cruisers, then engage with the ACVs their escorts and let the Capital Ships destroy the Cruisers. I forgot to say that you'll encounter these Cruisers in two separate groups (¬_¬...). You should have reached the distance for firing the Cannon now. Move away every ship in front of the Kuun-Lan, and issue the firing order. If the projectile hit, Tactical will inform you that the Clee-San is damaged but still active, and the Siege Cannon is intact; it also telles you to dock the Clee-San with one Worker before the Clee-San explodes. However, it escort is still active. Send the Capital Ships with ACV support, you'll encounter a third Heavy Cruiser and a lot of Frigates. Use the ACVs to EMP the most dangerous ship in visula range, and use concentrated fire to quickly destroy your opponents. ACVs will be useful to destroy enemy Minions ramming your ships. Once you have reached the Clee-San, recall the ACV and destroy the Carrier inside the Force Field, then deal with the Sentinels, Defense Field Frigates and Workers. Send one Worker near the Clee-San it will automatically dock. The Worker crew extimates that even the few active bio-circuits would be able to revolution their ship designs, but Tactical points out that these circuits were memebers of your Kiith...once the Worker has finished its work, the Clee-San will explode. Begin to harvest resources now. Immediately send four Workers to salvage the medium and small crystals in the area (if you didn't before) or harvest the nearby asteroyd belt. After 2 or 3 minutes, the Beast MotherShip will appear near the two crystal located on the map's side. It is imperative to destroy any ship in the area. Do not move directly the Kuun-Lan toward the Beast, but position one Seeker between you and the enemy. The first wave of crafts will be composed of Seekers. Use your ACVs to deal with them. The second wave is formed of various Frigate and Corvettes and an Heavy Cruiser. Try to shot at this group with the Siege Cannon, and finish the group with the Capital Ships. Begin to move Kuun-Lan, and when you reach an 70/80% of accurancy, fire the first shot. This shot will damage the MotheShip and destroy most of the ships escorting it. The next waves of Beast crafts will be mostly Seekers (maybe in higher difficulty levels it will use Acolytes/ACVs), usually 7 to 10, covering 3 or 4 Cruise Missiles; do not bother to engage them with your Capital Ship, use the ACVs instead. You might lose a Frigate or two to Cruise Missiles, so keep the ACVs before your main strike force or engage the Missiles only. Keep the Kuun-Lan moving, until it reaches a 100% accurancy. Fire the second shot. The Beast will be badly damaged this time, ready for a relatively quick kill by massed Capital Ship fire. Move your Capital Ships close to the MotherShip and finish it. Ignore the fighters it will release (Seekers and Cruise Missiles; if you're lucky enough the Missiles will be destroyed as soon as they exit the Hanger by your Multi-Beam Frigates or slam themselves on Super-Capital Ships), and be prepared for the explosion. The shockwave will damage your ships, and it is better to move the Frigates away to avoid stupid losses. Strike Crafts will be obliterated, so keep the ACVs near the Kuun-Lan. Now it is time to destroy the Naggarok. Before jumping to the next mission, be sure to collect all resources in the area (especially crystals), you'll may need them for the next mission. If you want, retire your Workers to free some SUs. If you have a Processor...well, you cannot retire it, so you can choose between keeping it as an escort for the Kuun-Lan or destroy it with your ships. If the Ion Frigates and Revelation-class Destroyers survived, do not retire them: they do use SUs but give you some extra firepower (especially the Destroyers). MISSION 17: NAVAL BASE ALPHA Mission Objectives: + Destroy the Naggarok + Destroy the repulsor field emitters + Destroy the Nomad Moon + Recon the unknown hyperspace signatures Here we are. The final battle against the Beast. The Imperialist Taiidan and a large Beast fleet is attacking the Republican base, and the Beast already took control of the Nomad Moon. Republican fleet is overwhelmed, and seems that the Beast wants to destroy any opposition. When you enter the system, you request informations about this weapon, but Cruise Missiles destroy the Carrier before it can send any data. (BTW, I want to know why the Kuun-Lan identified itself as a WarShip... ;) Swith the sensor display. You will notice several Beast ships attacking a small group of Republican Taaidan. Use the Siege Cannon to destroy small crafts (with 100% accurancy Strike Crafts and Frigates will be destroyed or badly damaged), and send your Super-Capital Ships to finish all survivors. You'll encounter an Heavy Cruiser. You can use a EMP burst or simply concentrate fire on it. Begin to move your fleet, including the Kuun-Lan. Several group of ships will attack you. Keep the Capital Ships as a spearhead, and at least five ACVs to guard the other ships from fighter assaults. The Beast will use Cloacked Fighters as well, so it's better to keep a Seeker near the Command Ship to detect incoming cloacked crafts. The Beast will send a lot of Frigates, and seldom Heavy Cruisers backed up by fighters (prepare to fend off strafing runs staged by Attack Bombers, Missile Corvettes and Interceptors). Do not esitate to use the Siege Cannon to kill the Cruisers' escorts, the Ships will be able to concentrate on the Cruisers and finish them quickly. Your target, the Naggarok, is directly in front of you, but send a Recon or a Mimic to scout the exact position of the Nomad Moon and the Beast. The Nomad Moon is the large spherical object, and the four smaller spheres are repulsor filed emitters; the Naggarok is behind the Moon, and there are two Beast Carriers near the Republican weapon, plus one Carrier. Each of these vessels has full escort of Strike Crafts, and the Carriers will continue to produce Hive, Multi-Beam, Ramming and Ion Array Frigates. After your Recon spotted the Naggarok and the Moon, a huge repulsor field will be fired by the station, killing your Seeker if it wasn't infected by the Beast. With this repulsor field on line, no enemy ships will be able to attack the Moon or the Naggarok: the repulsor field will force your ships away and will damage them (Capital Ships too). Do not fire the Siege Cannon, the repulsor field will deviate the shot, in most cases directly on the Kuun-Lan (with such a shot, you will lose all modules and any Strike Crafts positioned near your Command Ship). Begin to move near the Moon, but leave at least 70/80 KMs between you and the Kuun-Lan. Keep your Capital Ships near the Kuun-Lan; you will be attacked by a lot of ships: the AI will throw you several groups of ships, with different timings: four Ion Array Frigates, 2 Hive Frigates, 2 Ramming Frigates, 8 Missile Corvettes plus 1 Defense Field Frigate, 6 Cruise Missiles. Produce 10/15 ACVs, and send them to find out the Proximity Sensors. Stationary as always, these Sensor are the only things that alerts the Nomad Moon of enemy Strike Crafts in the area. There are only two sensors, located in the frontal area of the Moon. When the Senosrs are gone, the only way to destroy the emitters is to slam some MCVs onto them: the Capital Ships are detected by the Moon itself, and they will be repulsed an then attacked by the Heavy Cruiser and its escort (some Missile Corvettes), and unmasked crafts will be destroyed by the Cruiser and its escort. You'll need 11 Quantum Charge-equipped MCVs to destroy the one emitter. After the emitters, you must destroy the Nomad Moon, but before you have to kill that Cruiser (if you didn't it before) and its escort. Meanwhile, fire the Siege Cannon (as target choose the Nomad Moon, the Naggarok is now invulnerable), and send one Destroyer (I used a Revelation class, keeping my Deacons for the end...) near the first crystal at your left. Tactical says the firing on such a large crystal depot will cause a major explosion. The best way to destroy the Nomad Moon is to use the Siege Cannon combined with 2 or 3 Destroyers. Keep away most of Capital Ships from the Moon, or you will have a rude awakening. When the Moon is down to 50% health, an Imperial fleet will arrive in the area ordering to surrender. Ignore it. Near the crystal field, Tactical will pick up other hyperspace signatures, and orders you to send a Seeker and see what kind of ships are. They are Beast ships. Wait until the Carrier is near the crystal field, and use the Destroyer to blow a single crystal. The shockwave caused by the explosion will destroy all other crystal, and hopefully the whole Beast fleet. After the Moon, you should go after the Naggarok, but the alien ship will eat one of your Capital Ships. Regroup the remaining ones and form a defensive wall between the Kuun-Lan and the Naggarok. The Bentusi will jump over your Command Ship, and will send you datas aboput their Super Acolytes. Build 10 fighters, but maintains at least 10 ACVs (I reccomend 15), 1 Dreadnought and 4/5 Destroyers. The Taiidan fleet will retreat from battle, leaving only the Beast to destroy. Before attempting to attack the Naggarok, you must research a way to eliminate its anti-inertial drive. If you do not blow at the righ moment the crystals, you'll have to face 3 Heavy Cruisers with full escort, plus one Carrier that was hiding behind the Naggarok (you can attack it before, but this will trigger the Imperialis fleet event). The Naggarok will come near you to consume one of your Capital Ships (does it must recharge itself?), and then will move to the edge of the map. This "recharge" occurs once every minute, so be quick to build 15 ACVs to EMP it and 10 Super Acolytes to provide additional firepower to your Capital Ships when the Naggarok comes to eat. Replace the "cosumed" ships with Multi-Beam Frigates, Destroyers or Super Acolytes. Dreadnoughts will take too much time, and other crafts will be useless against the Naggarok. The first time I used a single EMP burst fired by 15 ACVs, the Naggarok retreated to repair its drive, and four Heavy Cruisers jumped into the area. Send your Super Acolytes to intercept the Cruisers and their escort (5/6 Multi-Gun Corvettes for each vessel) toward the nearest. With ten Acolytes you should be able to destroy two Cruisers and their escort. The other two Cruisers will be on your Command Ship, and the remaining Capital Ships will destroy them if you can concentrate their fire on a single unit per time. Then send the ACVs for an EMP burst. After an EMP burst, the Naggarok will retreat to be repaired by Workers. Before destroying the Worker, use the EMP on the Naggarok. The Beast vessel will begin to move toward your Capital Ships; attack it with everything you have, including Carriers and the Kuun-Lan. I was lucky enough to destroy the Naggarok when it was eating the second Capital Ship. I really don't know if after the second time other Cruisers will jump, but they weren't so hard to take down (thanks to the Super Acolytes), so you can afford that risk. Jae9970@cs.com sent me a particular tactic to destroy the Naggarok: ------------------------------------------------------------------- To beat the Naggarok at the last mission, there is an easy way. I built like 180 normal acolytes; it'll take some time and resources so it's good to prepare for it prior to the last mission. Them with thise massive bunch of acolytes, fire the missiles at the Naggarok when it comes back to you. In my case, the Naggarok had about a half of its health and it was finished by that single attack. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment: if a single missile does 420 DPs, the damage done by 360 missiles (two missiles fired by each Acolyte) will be around 150,000 points, enough to destroy even the Beast MotherShip. It is possible that the Naggarok can be destroyed by a single blast, though support from Super Acolytes will remove any doubt. Marc Fletcher (haelix42@hotmail.com) has an other idea, this time about the two emitters above and below the Nomad Moon: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi, I was reading over your cataclysm strategy, and I just wanted to share an alternate tactic for destroying the emitters around the nomad moon. I found that a few leechs could easily sneak in and drain the emitters of their energy, it would probably cost less than self destructing MCVs. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Oter side notes: it is possible that Beast Cruisers won't jump into the battle, as it is possible that the Taiidan will attack the Beast fleet and the Naggarok instead of retreating. The Naggarok will eat their ships too and remember that the Heavy Cruisers and the Carriers (2 and 1, respectively) brought into the battle by the Taiidans can be infected. Also, you can ignore the ACVs and send large numbers of Super Acolytes to follow the Naggarok while your Capital Ships destroy all other enemy vessels. If the Naggarok spends time in eating Taiidan ships, it could be a good chance to use the Siege Cannon: a Destroyer isn't enough to fully satisfy the massive ship, and it will look for other ships. It is dangerous if you have your ships nearby, but it's another chance. Also, If the Taiidan joined the battle, the Naggarok itself will produce Cruise Missiles to infect all possible vessels and do additional damage; a Taiidan Destroyer is enough for 6 Missiles, to watch out. Once the Naggarok is destroyed, game is over. ************** 11-EASTER EGGS ************** I opened this section after I noticed some citations in the game. If someone has something to subscribe, mail me at briareos@inwind.it. You will get credits, of course. 1) Mission 2 movie: between all Taiidan and Higaraan vessels, you can notice a Worker salvaging the Narcissus, Nostromo's escape pod. What is the Nostromo? Watch Alien (the first, by Ridley Scott NdB)! 2) The Nostromo is a commercial vessel, the Kuun-Lan too. Both vessels were assigned to mining or mining-related duties. Both vessels find something that is unknown in this galaxy, and this thing is very bad, and they are obliged to pick up those things. 3) In nearly every debris field you can see the forward section of a Corellian Corvette, the ship escaping from the Imperial-class Star Destroyer Damage in the first minutes of Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope. ******************* 12-CREDITS and MISC ******************* The first credit goes to Relic, for Homeworld. Then to Barking Dog Studios for Cataclysm. The third is to me, Briareos Kerensky (briareos@inwind.it), the fourth to GameFAQs (and all sites showing this FAQ with my permission) and the fifth to you for reading it. For now, no one sent me mails about this FAQ, but if someone writes something interesting, I will put his or her name here. Here we go: 1)Sebastian Mundt for his help about the Acolytes in mission 4 2)Christoph Holtzmuller for asking for codes (and with this I should have covered everything about HW:C) 3)Yiulius Leonard for the Taiidan SU/weapon stats. 4)Jae9970@cs.com for his tactic in the last mission 5)I'd like the thank an other guy who did the monumental task to correct all my mistakes in the Walkthough section, but I've lost the original mail and I'm not going to correct them (call me stupid sentimentalist, but I like my document as is even if there are lots of errors...ehy, it was my first attempt to write things like this!) 6) ¢ ® ì § for his tactics 7)Marc Fletcher for its Leech tactic 8)Johnny Wu for his Multi Beam tactic 9) Pete Morfill for other tactics and everyone else who submitted things for this FAQ. I would like to thank my computer, which will hopefully find rest after this X'mas; Yoko Kanno for Cowboy BeBeop soundtrack; Shiro Sagisu for Evangelion CDs; Dynamic Italy for publishing Evangelion tapes once or twice a year, though they told us that they would be released once every two months; my dog, a 11 years old boxer (probably he will be death when you will read those lines), for waking me up at 5:00 AM even on Sunday; the official Cataclysm site for Tech/Ships' English names; Leader for having translated only game's texts (knowing how their dubbers mauled MechCommander and Falcon 4.0...); FastWare for having produced FastPad; I would like to thank my girlfriend, but I haven't one. Sites authorized to show this FAQ: + GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com) + WolfArt(http://www.geocities.com/khan_briareos/index.htm visit it, it's my personal site ;) + Esprit Network (http://cataclysm.esprit-str.com), translated in French + Video Games Strategies (http://www.gameadvice.com) + DHL.Net (http://DLH.Net) + Neo Seeker (http://www.neoseeker.com) + Action Trip (http://www.actiontrip.com) + GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com) + The Cheat Empire (http://home.planetinternet.be/~twuyts) + Cheat City (www.cheatcity.com) + Free Games (www.freegames.it or www.freegames.es), translated in Italian and Spanish + Ahmad Hisyam's website (under cnstruction), only for the ship's stats. + www.cheating.de + Joseph Bancer's site (