Defender - Strategy Guide (Page 02)

Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Defender - Strategy Guide (Page 02).

 - Landers
 - Widows
 - Beta Landers
 - Gamma Landers
 - Infectors
 - Pygmies
 - (unlikely) Mutants

Your objectives:

(1.) Defend the research facility.

1.) Okay.  This will require some forethought as well as efficiency.  Your
teleporters will be located at the front of the entrance to the base.  Grab the
four colonists that are already there and use them to pump out two missile
crawlers.  You won't need tanks for a few minutes, since the Widows are a ways
down the road.  It takes a few seconds for the colonists to land and a missile
crawlers to emerge, so by all means while you are waiting go out and destroy
any Landers that are about to enter the base. You'll have to deal with new,
souped up Gamma and Beta Landers at this point, so your entrance defense will
need help.  (If you get damaged, there is a repair crawler near your
transporters.  Pick it up to get healed quickly.  Place it about where you
found it so it can repair your teleporters.)  Go back and get your missile
crawlers and distribute them evenly around your teleporters.  There should be
one or two colonists available now.  Take them to your tank factory. Wait for a
third colonist to drop off at the same factory.  Wait for the tank (while
helping your entrance defenses), grab it, and put it at the entrance.  Grab
three more and make another tank.  Put it at the front.  You can make another
tank to be safe, but the first approaching Widow should be dealt with fine by
the two tanks plus multiple missile crawlers.  While waiting for the next
Widow, make one or two more missile crawlers and put them at the entrance.  Now
make a tank.  Noticing a pattern?  At this point, you should be able to judge
more easily how many of each vehicle you're going to need.  Keep running back
and forth between teleporters and factories and you should have enough vehicles
to not worry about the Widows.   Instead, you can concentrate on the Beta
Landers and Gammas that try to invade.  After the Widow threat is removed, you
simply have to wipe out the rest of the Manti air units (which shouldn't be
many) and Memory will bestow upon you a odd excuse for a victory theme. 
Mission complete.

------------------------
 Phobos: Orbit over Europa
------------------------

0--verview

Not really over Europa...but don't let the mission title confuse you.  This is
finally a space battle, and a big one at that.  The battleship Patriot, which
your good ol' friend Colonel Adams is on, has come under attack by a huge swarm
of Manti.  It's your job to protect the battleship until technicians aboard the
Patriot can repair the plasma gun that's been damaged.  Good luck.

Enemies you'll encounter:

 - Landers (lots)
 - Yellowjackets

Your objectives:

(1.) Defend the turrets on the Patriot until the main gun can get back online.

1.) Upon starting this mission, you might have to assess whether this mission
is even possible to achieve.  There are TONS of Landers converging on the front
and sides of the Patriot.  But those turrets are hardy, and you'll be able to
clear out the bulk of the Landers in the first few minutes.  My suggestion is
to use a ship that has a wide destructive array of weapons, like the Hive gun,
Smart Bomb, and Honeypot (Honeypot is only on the Defiance).  The Ratchet
Gun/Cannon on the Nemesis and Laser Harpoon/Lance will also tear through
Landers in milliseconds.  Just don't get freaked out by the loads of Landers. 
Also, don't just focus on the front of the ship.  Most of the Manti attack
force will be there, but periodically check the sides of the ship for squads of
Landers.  If you lose one or two turrets, don't sweat.  You have to lose ALL of
them in order to lose.  Just keep a level head and all will be well.
---------------------
 Phobos: Mount Biafra
---------------------

0--verview

Well, the Patriot, despite your heroic attempt to save it, has crash landed on
Phobos and a few survivors, including Colonel Adams, are stranded with Manti
closing in on them.  You'll have to rescue Adams and the other defenseless
survivors.

Enemies you'll encounter:

 - Landers
 - Gamma Landers
 - Beta Landers
 - Pygmies
 - (possibly) Mutants

Your objectives:

(1.) Bring Colonel Adams and the rest of the survivor crew to safety in an
abandoned base.
(2.) Make sure Colonel Adams survives until reinforcements can arrive.

(1.) Before you start tackling this mission, check out the abandoned base with
the missile crawler factory (just hang left from the starting area and you'll
see it).  You can take your time before investigating the Patriot, so use it to
power up the turrets that are in the base.  The power supplies you need should
be located near the missile crawler factory.  Place all six to power up all six
turrets, two at the entrances, four around the factory.  After completing that,
go get Colonel Adams.  Go to where the Patriot is, and it'll start exploding. 
Adams will pop out in his tank with some colonists.  You need to pick him up
IMMEDIATELY and two colonists.  Bring them back to the base, set Adams down
close to the factory, and have the colonists make a missile crawler for you. 
Don't wait for the missile crawler, just drop the colonists, turn around and go
get the ones you left behind.  There will be Landers heading toward them, so
rescue them and return them to the factory to pump out another crawler. First
objective met.

(2.) Now, you have to defend the base.  You'll have some time before the
Landers start approaching the base, so distribute the crawlers you manufactured
close to the factory, one for each side corresponding to the entrances to the
base. Soon you'll see Landers and Gammas rounding the corner before the left
entrance to the base.  You'll want to engage them and help your turret out in
taking the first wave down.  After that, you'll be notified that more colonists
have made their way out of the Patriot.  Go save them!  They have with them a
repair crawler, which will be incredibly useful.  Pick up the crawler and two
colonists, return to the base.  By the time you get there, you may have a few
Gammas inside the base wreaking havoc.  Kill them. Set the crawler down near
Adams to repair him and nearby turrets/crawlers.  Return the colonists to the
factory and turn around to save the rest of the stranded colonists.  Watch out,
because Pygmies are around and will proceed to annoy the crap out of you
(remember, if you're chased by one, just go to where there are missile crawlers
and they'll help you out).  When you return the rest of the colonists, you'll
have more missile crawlers at your disposal.  Place them at the very entrances
to the base, beside the turrets guarding them, especially around the entrance
you first went through when you arrived.  There will be Beta Landers
threatening that side, so help out and take them down.  Now, all you really
have to do it turtle until reinforcements come along.  Then it's mission
complete.

---------------------
 Mars: Sirtis Major
---------------------

0--verview

Finally, we're nearing the homestretch.  Mars will probably be the hardest
planet to secure.  This level will demonstrate why.  You're entrusted with the
defense of a base crucial to repairing the Stargates all over Mars.  You have
to cover a convoy of units to the base and then defend it against advancing
Widows and finally the HUGE Dreadnaught.

Enemies you'll encounter:

 - Landers
 - Gamma Landers
 - Beta Landers
 - Pygmies
 - (possibly) Mutants
 - Widows
 - *Dreadnaught

(1.) Protect the tanks and missile crawlers as they make their way to the base.
(2.) Defend the base (specifically, the structure emmitting the yellow stuff).
(3.) Kill the Dreadnaught.

(1.) Argh.  I'll never know why they decided to set the reinforcements so far
from the base.  This will be a challenge.  Not only do you have to clear the
way of Shock Towers and Manti Turrets for the convoy, you have to defend them
from swarms of Landers and Gammas, too.  Again, argh.  Get a tough, relatively
fast ship, like the Defiance to do this, or any ship with the Detonator weapon.
 When the convoy is dropped off, they'll immediately be in a sea of trouble
unless you take out the Shock Towers and Turrets before they land.  Just watch
out, because there is a Widow with them as well.  The convoy will take out the
Widow.  The convoy moves slow, thankfully, so you'll have time to clear the
path.  Shock towers have a long range, but their shots can be avoided pretty
easily as they have no tracking.  Use weapons like the Trident, Detonator, Hive
gun to fire from a safe distance, but you can always do a sort of "dive bomb"
technique with weapons like the Firehammer, Ratchet Gun/Cannon, and Laser
Harpoon/Lance to speed by and get shots in without getting hit.  When you clear
out the path a bit, turn around and level out the Manti Flyers that are giving
your convoy trouble.  There are lots of them, but it's managable especially if
you can just distract them.  Once the convoy makes it to the base, prepare for
hell.

(2.) Defend the base, especially from Widows that are approaching. Move tanks
from the convoy to the front of the base neat the tank factory.  Now you should
get a distress call from colonists in the canyons.  Lock onto them with the
D-pad and find them before Landers do. bring them back to make tanks.  While
waiting for the tanks, kill all flying Manti that are attacking the base, or
most of them anyway.  Get your tanks and place them before the Widows.  You may
have to help out with this Widow assault.  Widows, though they may not seem
like it, get damaged by your weapons, so use a rechargable weapon to fire like
crazy.  The Ratchet Gun/Cannon and Laser Harpoon/Lance are great for this.  If
you have the Detonator weapon, use that liberally as well.  Don't concentrate
too much on the Widows, though, because you'll have to be attentive to Landers
that infiltrate your base.  Periodically check for and kill them.  You'll
eventually get reinforcements from dropships, and they leave you some more
tanks, colonists, and the holiest of holies, a repair crawler.  Distribute your
tanks, make your colonists build more, and put the repair crawler by the
Dropzone and the large, yellow-emmitting tower. When all the Widows are
destroyed, prepare, and prepare well.

3.) Kill the Dreadnaught.  Easier said than done.  The worst part about this is
that it's accompanied by about 10 Beta Landers, which can lead to severe
trouble.  What you want to do is try to get in as many shots before the
Dreanaught gets to the base.  Either that, or go out and destroy all the Betas
that are with it.  The Dreadnaught will be on top of the base at some point,
and fighting it headlong will get you killed.  What you have to do to go around
behind it and attack it from the rear.  The Dreadnaught is big and powerful,
but VERY slow and even less agile. Use that to your advantage and take your
shots from the sides and behind it.  It will take some patience, but the
Dreadnaught is no Widow in terms of endurance.  Actually, picking up a tank to
help you probably isn't a bad idea.  If you get injured, go to your repair
crawler to get fixed not all the way, but enough to let you go on.  When the
Dreadnaught dies, your job is done and your mission accomplished.

---------------------
 Mars: Bromios Desert
---------------------

0--verview

This doesn't suck as much as the Sirtis Major mission, but CAN suck a lot worse
if you don't pay attention.  There are weapons prototypes being built in Dr.
Mudo's lab in the Bromios Desert.  There are shields keeping Widows out of the
base generated by shield generators.  You have to make sure these shields stay
online so you won't be overwhelmed by the Manti and make sure the prototypes
are not destroyed.

Enemies you'll encounter:

 - Landers
 - Gamma Landers
 - Beta Landers
 - (possibly) Mutants
 - Infectors
 - Widows
 - *Brain Bug

Your objectives:

(1.) Keep the shield generators safe.
(2.) Defeat the Brain Bug so the prototypes can be safely loaded onto a
dropship.

(1.) This is where you will have to endure the most in this mission.  The two
shield generators are on the outside of the base on either side of it nestled
in a half-circle of rock.  They're connected to where the shields appear. 
There will be quite a few squads of Landers carrying Infectors to these
generators.  Kill any Lander carrying an Infector so it will fall and die.  Use
the "Select" button to display where and how close Landers are to the shield
generators so you can engage them accordingly.  If you get damaged, there are
three teleporters scattered around the area.  Hit the D-pad to target the
colonists and return them to the Dropzone if you have time.  You can also make
extra tanks in the tank factory, which may be a good idea just in case a
generator goes down.  Continue sweeping back and forth between the generators. 
Be ESPECIALLY watchful for groups of Beta Landers.  There will be a point where
five will gang up on a generator to destroy it in mere moments.  Five is all
they need to commence their super attack, so kill at least one immediately
before they can do severe damage.  Usually, these bastards attack the generator
on the right side of the science facility facing the tank factory.  If you can
keep at bay the Beta Landers, you'll be almost done.

(2.) Almost.  Away from the base behind the tank factory will arrive the Brain
Bug (Starship Troopers eat your heart out).  This will be a breeze compared to
the Dreadnaught.  It's accompanied by Betas, Gammas, and normal Landers.  You
can go out and meet it, and simply fire long-range weapons mercilessly until it
dies.  Usually, the Brain Bug won't even make it to the base before you can
destroy it.  Brain Big squashed. Mission complete.

---------------------
 Mars: Khimat Ridge
---------------------

0--verview

This is your last mission on Mars, or first and only, depending on how you play
the game.  Anyway, a base is being threatened by the presence of a Lander Forge
in the area.  It's your duty to secure the base and then destroy the Forge.

Enemies you'll encounter:

 - Landers
 - Infectors
 - Beta Landers
 - (possibly) Mutants
 - Widows
 - Podworms
 - Shock Towers
 - Turrets

Your objectives:

(1.) A convoy of transports will be moving through your base to drop off
colonists.  Make sure they get to the base to drop off their load.
(2.) Eliminate all Widows.
(3.) Destroy the Lander Forge.

1.) This part is easy.  At the start of the mission, go straight ahead to the
elevated platform behind the tank and missile crawler factories.  Notice the
teleporter.  There should be a repair crawler on that platform, so pick it up
and put it near your Dropzone.  Good.  Now go out to defend the transports from
Landers making a nuisance of themselves.  After you eliminate all of the
Landers you won't have to worry about the transports anymore, except for the
last transport.  The last transport will break down on its way toward the base,
and you'll have to be quick because Landers may be around, and even more
threatening, Widows will be approaching.  Get the colonists ASAP and bring them
back to the base to fortify defenses.

2.) Okay, now what to do with the colonists.  After you get the transports on
their merry way w/o Landers bugging them, go get the colonists at the front of
the base (the middle road from the base). Take them all to the missile crawler
factories.  They'll produce two crawlers which you should put in front of the
Dropzone before the middle road.  Now, a transport should have dropped off 4
more colonists.  Grab 3 for a tank.  Put the other one in for half a missile
crawler (remember that there is a teleporter on the elevated portion of the
base.  If there is a colonist there, take him to the missile crawler factory to
complete the missile crawler).  The transports should be dropping colonists off
regularly by this point, so do the process of taking 3 for a tank and one for
the crawler factory.  While you're doing this, put your tanks on all sides of
the base, approximately 2 per road will be barely enough.  Put your crawlers
all before the Dropzone before the middle road, evenly spread out.  You can, if
necessity demands, only have one tank for the Widows advancing up the middle
and hope that your crawlers can help as much as they can.  You have to be
pretty vigilant over the middle road, because that is the route the Landers
carrying Infectors will like to travel up.  Take them out whenever possible. 
Once you have all sides covered, help kill all of the Widows bu firing
unceasingly on any that get too close, or any that have destroyed the barricade
of tanks you set up for them.  It will be close*.  But if you manage to
eliminate the Widows without them destroying your Dropzone, then the rest of
the mission is pretty simple.

3.) Now, to destroy the single Forge giving you so much trouble.  The Forge
will be defended by Shock Towers, Turrets, a Podworm, Beta Landers, and the
normal Landers the Forge spits out.  You'll need a long-range weapon to take on
the Towers and Turrets, and if you run out, just go back to have the repair
crawler replenish your ammo.  The Beta Landers will be somewhere on the map. 
It was usually pretty random for me, but there are only a few, about 5 maybe. 
Again use long-range weapons to destroy the Podworm.  Now you can close in on
the defenseless Forge and waste it.  Mission successful.

(*This must have been a glitch, but sometimes the Manti Widows, some if not
all, would be frozen in place where they started.  This made the mission SO
much easier, but I doubt any of you catch this lucky break.  But if any of you
do, I'd be curious to know, so drop me a line if this is an issue for anyone
else.)

---------------------
 Asteroid Belt: Alchera Fields
---------------------

0--verview

I always thought that Mars was an inner planet...that is, the asteroid belt
comes AFTER Mars, relative to Earth...anyway, in order to fully secure Mars, a
early warning system has been placed in the asteroid belt by the GSA.  The
satellite arrays that perform this job have been discovered by a patroling
Manti force.  You'll have to defend the satellite.

Enemies you'll encounter:

 - Landers
 - Betas, aka Kamikazes

Your objectives:

(1.) Defend the array from the Manti, and especially from the Kamikazes.

1.) The Landers are easy to deal with, since there are only 5 of them in a
formation and don't do a whole lot of damage.  But, kamikazes?  Yep, the array
has three sides to it, and kamikaze Beta Landers will try to ram themselves
into it.  So therefore the Landers are just distractions.  Luckily they aren't
very good ones.  All you have to do is hang out close to the satellite, kill
the Landers that arrive, and when you see a red arrow outline, follow it to the
kamikaze and attack it headlong.  They're surprisingly weak, so you shouldn't
have trouble.  Just don't attack the kamikaze from the side; you won't get many
hits in because it's moving fast.  If you get damaged, there is an abandoned
vessel nearby with supplies for you.  The very last part of the mission sends
about three or four kamikazes in a row at you, so be at attention when the
Manti do their last ditch effort.  When the last of the kamikazes are
eliminated, congratulate yourself because now you'll move on to Operation:
Reckoning.  Oooh.

- To be Continued -


 *** More of this guide is on the way.  I just need to write down the names of
the missions as I go through them.  I hope this was helpful so far! ***

 If you would like to contact me concerning anything with this guide or the
information presented, or just to give general feedback, email me at
missustoast@hotmail.com.

Thanks for reading!
Copyright 2003 Amy Clements