Robotech: Battlecry - Strategy Guide (Page 02)

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

Zentraedi Heavy Foot Soldier - No, I'm not talking about morbidly obese 
Zentraedi, I'm talking about the armor wearing, gatling cannon bearing 
foot soldiers waiting to bring your VT down faster than it took Ben 
Dixon to lose bust up his fighter.  Like their counterparts, the 
regular foot soldiers, they're easy to deal with, so long as you do it 
quickly.

Tactical Battle Pod (TBP) - Like the VF-1A to the RDF, the TBP, or as 
their more commonly called, the Battle Pod, is the mainstay of the 
Zentraedi fleet.  You'll encounter tons of these on the ground 
missions, but you'll also see a good number of them in space.  Think of 
these as the rough equivalent to your Guardian mode.  They're flight 
capable, can move about quickly, and pack a decent punch.  These are 
the ostrich looking units, with two inverted legs and no arms.  The pod 
itself is blue with a red eye visor in the middle and white legs.  They 
rely on purely on dual laser cannons for their offensive strength.  All 
models of Battle Pods are easy to take down.  In Guardian mode, launch 
one salvo at each one and back it up with steady cannon fire.  In 
Fighter mode, one well placed salvo will be enough to take them down 
straight away.

Missile Battle Pod - There are two variants of Missile Battle Pods, 
heavy and light artillery, but they are the same pod as listed above 
outfitted with dual missile racks.  The missile racks mark a rather 
serious upgrade and make them even more like your Guardian mode, so 
when you see a squadron of pods with one or two of these mixed in, make 
these your primary targets.  These pods are most definitely not afraid 
to launch salvo after salvo at you and your allies.

Scout Pod - The same Battle Pod, but completely stripped of all 
offensive weaponry.  These are purely support units that can radio for 
reinforcements in some levels, and they can always jam your radar 
sensor if you get too close.  In some instances, it's best to take 
these guys down first so you can get your radar back and see what's 
ahead.  They never pose a direct threat though, and usually remain 
utterly stationary until they have received damage.

Fighter Pod - Since the Zentraedi don't have VTs to tackle any 
situation, they've come up with a dedicated air unit.  You'll usually 
see large flight groups of these, and the missiles will be flying every 
which way.  Small, quick, and maneuverable, the Fighter pod isn't very 
challenging when you're out there by yourself, but they can be 
devastating when you're trying to protect weaker allies and structures.  
In most defending levels, these will be launched to attack your target 
while the Battle Pods try to keep you busy.  Keep an eye on these guys.  
They use dual laser cannons and missile salvos to eliminate their 
targets.  They are green in color, and have triple thrusters to get 
them along.

Male Power Armor (MPA) - These units are to be feared if you don't know 
how to fight them.  Your best bet is to sneak around at a distance and 
try to snipe them down whenever possible.  If they've spotted you 
though, move in and move in quick.  The MPAs feature a heavy laser 
cannon mounted square in the middle of their chest, and three shots 
along with a little cannon fire is enough to bring down the more 
advanced VTs very quickly.  The MPAs can only use this weapon at good 
distances though, so if they spot you, close in quick and fight it out 
in Guardian mode.  That way, they'll only be able to use their 
autocannon on you, which is far less damaging.  MPAs are two-tone 
green, wearing a yellow helmet with orange stripe visor.  They're 
flight capable, have excellent evasive maneuvers, and very heavy armor.  
Two fully charged Sniper shots can eliminate them quickly though (Kill 
fifty of them like that to unlock the Stealth paint scheme).  Gorian 
uses this same armor, though his is more fortified and colored black.

Officer's Battle Pod (OBP) - Often referred to as a fifty foot ninja, 
the OBP looks pretty tough at first sight, but they can be brought down 
pretty easy by a good pilot.  You'll first encounter these on the 
Knife's Edge mission, where you will encounter the Zentraedi commander 
Skarrde.  Though this pod packs the same cannons as the Battle Pod and 
the same laser weapon as the MPAs, it has the serious flaw of slow 
movement on the ground.  The trick is to get behind one in Guardian or 
Battloid mode and just hammer away with cannon fire and missiles.  
These are tough units, but not something one should fear.  They have 
inverted legs like the TBPs, but have an elongated pod with a large red 
visor screen, two arms with laser cannons on each, and a large laser 
cannon on top.  Zeraal uses this for the last fight with the Zentraedi 
version of FAST packs.  Stay close to him in Fighter mode (preferably 
with FAST packs equipped) and keep up a steady barrage of missile and 
cannon fire.

Female Power Armor(FPA) - Made famous by Miriya Parino, this unit was 
the one she used to fight Max Sterling in the belly of the SDF-1, right 
in the heart of Macross City.  These are also the units that placed the 
fatal shot on good ole Roy Fokker.  Luckily for us, you'll only see one 
pilot using these in the entire game, Kiyora.  This is the first boss 
you will run into.  The FPA unit has uncanny speed and maneuverability, 
and that combined with tons of missiles and dual cannons on each arm 
make this unit one to be feared.  Be cautious when fighting her.  Try 
to stay out of Battloid mode, or she will just pound you to death with 
those missiles.  She is also very adept at shooting down your missiles, 
so use those to distract her while you tag her with cannon fire.  If 
you're still counting on those missiles, use the Guardian mode ones.  
She's too quick for the Fighter mode ones most of the time

Cyclops - The Cyclops units are multipurpose craft, usually escorted by 
MPA units.  They are a pretty large craft, essentially a small capitol 
ship.  They can be taken down with a few good salvos and steady cannon 
fire.  They aren't especially quick, but the laser cannons and missile 
turrets can beat you up pretty fast if you're not careful.  Your best 
bet is to perform strafing runs in Fighter mode.  I prefer to take 
these out before going for the MPA escorts, but that's really your 
call.

Reentry Pods - Though these craft have no offensive capabilities, they 
are heavily armored and store six ready-for-action Battle Pods.  These 
large, circular, green craft will usually arrive in good numbers, and 
your best bet is to try and shoot them down before they can dispatch 
their units.  Should you fail that and the craft is allowed to land, 
you can still try to destroy them before they release their second wave 
(the Battle Pods are released in two waves of three units), but I find 
it better to just leave them alone once they've landed and straight out 
jump the Battle Pods as the exit.  The armor is so heavy on these 
Reentry pods that you will not want to waste your missile salvos on 
them if they've already begun dispatching units.  Save the missiles for 
the pods that come out.

Zentraedi Shuttle Craft - Large, bulky freighters used to transport 
Zentraedi munitions and supplies.  These flying green targets are 
heavily armored, but have no weaponry to defend themselves.  They 
usually travel in packs of three and are escorted by other Zentraedi 
units.  Most times you see these, they'll be on the run and you'll have 
to shoot them down before they can escape.  Once again, I prefer to 
stay in Guardian mode and just drop everything I have on them to get 
through that armor.

Capitol Ship Laser Turret - Though stationary, these cannons launch a 
heavy, sustained laser attack.  Mounted on the sides of Zentraedi 
capitol ships, these are easy targets, but can be heavily damaging as 
well.  You will also see this same model turret on certain ground 
levels.  A few missile salvos and cannon fire can make short work of 
these.

Capitol Ship Missile Turret - Just like the CS Laser Turret, these 
targets aren't going anywhere, but if you ignore it, you'll be sorry.  
Since these turrets have nothing else to fire at you except missile 
salvos, they'll lay it on you.  Lay it on thick and get rid of these 
guys ASAP.  A salvo or two with some cannon fire and you can move on to 
the next.

Rapid Fire Ground Laser Turret - Watch yourself on these!  They fire 
the same powerful blast as the Capitol Turret listed above, but they 
fire shorter blasts at a rapid pace.  If you stand still in front of 
one of these, they'll pummel you to scrap in a heartbeat.  I try to 
keep my distance and drop salvo after salvo on these.

Ground Missile Turret - Dedicated to missile fire, these turrets fire 
missile salvos in rapid succession.  Encountered alone, one might go to 
Battloid mode and continually fire the secondary to hit this target and 
the incoming missiles.  I prefer to stay in Guardian or Fighter mode 
and do a quick strike with a missile/cannon combo while dodging and 
strafing. 



VI.	Mission Walkthrough


Okay boys and girls.  It's time for what you've all been waiting for.  
The mission Walkthrough.  Now, as mentioned in the forward, this is not 
a spoiler.  I'm trying not to divulge any storyline material, only 
mission objectives, and how to complete them.  Unfortunately, story and 
objectives often get intermingled, so I can't keep this utterly free 
from spoiling a few things, but I'm sure as hell trying.  There's 
nothing worse than reading how a game ends instead of seeing it 
yourself for the first time.



VI - A. Chapter One

Ch. 1 Mission One: Boobytrap 
Objectives 
- Help Wolf and Skull Squadrons turn back the alien threat
- Defend the Sea Sergeant Helicopters
	
Ah, your first mission.  Who better to help you through it than Skull 
Leader himself, Roy Fokker?  This level is pretty straightforward.  
You're going to be flying above Macross Island, and you'll be best of 
staying in Fighter mode.  You'll fight wave after wave of Zentraedi 
Fighter pods, and once you've reached a certain point, you'll receive a 
message telling you to defend the Sea Sergeant Helicopters that have 
just entered the area.  

Now, it's never too early to learn some good tactics, especially with 
all the far more difficult guard duty missions ahead.  When you see 
enemy missiles in the air (indicated by yellow arrows on the radar), 
you can take them out with pretty good results while in Fighter mode.   
Press the special action button to launch the decoy, which will do a 
very effective job of intercepting those missiles before they hit you 
or the helicopters.  

Continue eliminating the Fighter pods to protect those choppers until 
the cut screen appears, and that's that.

Ch. 1 Mission Two: Countdown
Objectives 
- Head to zone 209 and hold the position
- Protect the Destroid units in zone 214

After you've cleared the skies, it's time to hit the ground.  Fly 
through Macross City in pursuit of enemy Battle Pods until all have 
been eliminated.  The city is way too tight for any effective use of 
Fighter mode, so it's all Battloid and Guardian here.  Once again, the 
missile capabilities and speed of Guardian mode can be of great help, 
so use it's abilities here to topple the enemy Battle Pods as they try 
to bring down the city.  
 
Once you have cleared your assigned area, you will be told to go help 
two Gladiator Destroids protecting a small factory area.  Once you're 
there, there will be a single Missile Battle Pod to your right.  Leave 
him to the Gladiators and concentrate on squads coming from the path 
straight ahead on the left, and those coming in behind you on the path 
leading back.  I find it best to hover in the middle of this open area 
in Guardian mode and wait for the pods to round the corners before 
hammering them down.  Once they're gone, the mission is complete.

Ch. 1 Mission Three: Bursting Point
Objectives 
- Help the other veritechs defend the SDF-1 from attack

On this one, you're going straight into the heat of battle.  Enemy 
forces are attacking the SDF-1, and it's up to you and Izzy to strip 
the nearest capitol ship of its turrets while keeping the Fighter Pods 
busy.  Stay in Fighter mode and bounce back and forth from taking out 
turrets to fighting the pods.  Be careful though.  When Izzy tells you 
that the barrier is overloading, keep your distance from the SDF-1.  
Otherwise, the mission might end with the overloaded barrier enveloping 
your VT followed by a nice, comforting 'Mission Failed' message. 

Ch. 1 Mission Four: Force of Arms (Boss fight)
Objectives 
- Assist Wolf Squadron against Dolza's immense Zentraedi armada
- Defeat the enemy ace

Five million Zentraedi cruisers.  Endless waves of TBPs, MBPs, and 
Fighter pods.  Oh yeah, did I mention the Zentraedi Ace in Female Power 
Armor waiting at the end to slit your throat?  No?  Well, get ready 
flyboys (and girls), cause this is it people.  This is the biggest 
fight in all of the Robotech Saga.

First off, your squadron has been torn to shreds.  You are one of three 
VTs in your area, and that's all you've got to help you along.  The 
first thing to remember in this level is DO NOT LEAVE FIGHTER MODE.  
The enemies are too numerous and there is way too much going on around 
you to sacrifice a fraction of your speed.  You need to be continually 
moving, boosting and banking and never flying in a straight line for 
too long.  

Much like Bursting Point, you'll probably want to get rid of those 
turrets on the big cruiser to your left when you start.  Those turrets 
aren't going anywhere unless you get rid of them, and they can be quite 
a hassle if you get sloppy.  After you've dispatched a few of them, 
start chasing down the enemy fighters.  Missile Battle Pods and Fighter 
pods are your biggest threat.  The regular Battle Pods can be left for 
last.

After you've destroyed enough of them, you'll go to a cut scene where 
those two VTs you were flying with get blown to scrap metal.  Your 
mission objectives will be updated to inform you of your new target, 
the Zentraedi ace in the FPA.

	BOSS FIGHT: Female Power Armor (Kiyora)

Once again, DO NOT LEAVE FIGHTER MODE.  Going to Battloid mode here is 
pure suicide, I can assure you.  This is a high speed dogfight, and 
standing in the middle of space moving slower than a snail with only 
your autocannon to help you is about the stupidest move anyone in the 
RDF could have ever made (and yes, I am taking into account Rick's 
entire pursuit of Minmei).  

The Zentraedi ace will take out nearly every missile you fire at her, 
so don't count on those for damage.  Instead, use them to tie up her 
cannons while you use your cannon to punch some holes in that pretty 
little armor of hers.  Continue doing this, launching missiles one or 
two salvos at a time to keep her busy while you close in with the 
cannon blaring.  You only need to get her armor gauge down to half 
before she'll take off, promising to fight again.  And believe me, you 
will.



VI - B. Chapter Two

Ch. 2 Mission One: Ambush Hills 
Objectives 
- Clear out the scavengers and destroy their munition stockpiles
- Use Sniper mode to destroy all of the Zentraedi munition crates

For those of you who that are only familiar with the cartoon series, or 
all together newcomers, this is the part of the Robotech saga mostly 
covered in books #6 and #19.  Both are excellent reads and worth your 
time.  Anyways....

Here in Ambush Hills, you will be engaging only Zentraedi foot 
soldiers.  Though weaker in offense and defense than a Battle Pod, 
there are a good number of them, so don't let their weakness lead you 
to believe this mission will be a piece of cake.  Stay on your toes, 
because the second you get sloppy in just about any level is the second 
before you get a "Mission Failed" message.  The levels in this game are 
only easy if you stay alert and fight well.

If you've been dying for the right chance to get familiar with Sniping 
mode, this is a good place to start.  Several soldiers will be placed 
throughout the level on top of cliffs and buttes that make them easy 
targets.  

Use your radar to direct you towards the enemy positions.  There's no 
particular order for you to follow, just move from red radar object to 
red radar object and you'll come out just fine.  You may want to move 
from stockpile to stockpile in Fighter mode to save some time, but be 
careful, as there are snipers waiting for you behind rocks and hills.  

Once you find a stash of munition crates, clear out all surrounding 
enemies, then proceed in Battloid mode.  Go to Sniper mode and destroy 
the crates, but make sure to keep your distance, as the blast can 
easily damage your VT (the image of the blast is very small, but 
believe me, they can tear you apart.  The blast from one set, or ten 
crates, can and will destroy a lesser armored VT).  There will be a 
total of four different sets, each set consisting of ten crates.

Ch. 2 Mission Two: Trouble In Graystone
Objectives 
- Fight off the Zentraedi and protect the civic center building from 
attack

Everybody who hates defense missions, raise your hand.  Well, it seems 
we all hate having to defend objects from enemy attack.  Well, too bad.  
Cause right here, you've got one giant target to protect, and there are 
tons of Zentraedi gunning for it.

This level is pretty straightforward.  Fight off wave after wave of 
foot soldiers and Battle Pods until you hit the cut scene.  I find it 
best to stay in Guardian mode so you can make use of your missiles and 
fly directly over the civic center to engage new waves coming in from 
behind you.  

You'd do best to concentrate on the Battle Pods, but don't leave those 
foot soldiers alone for too long either.  Try to keep moving around the 
civic center and eliminate every group as they come in.  If you let any 
squad sit and fire away without jumping right on them, you have pretty 
much already lost.  Use quick changes to Fighter mode to get you into a 
good angle of attack if necessary, but try to keep them locked down and 
stay in Guardian.  Also, take very special care not to fire at any 
targets behind the building, as your missiles and cannon fire are just 
going to damage the civic center.  Nobody can bring that building down 
faster than you, so make sure to line 'em up before pulling the 
trigger.

After you've taken out enough waves, the Zentraedis will make you their 
primary target.  The building is safe from enemy attacks now, but you 
can still bring it down, so carefully mop up the rest of them and the 
mission is done.

Ch. 2 Mission Three: Special Delivery
Objectives 
- Accompany the Sea Sergeant helicopters and see to it that they arrive 
safely    

I have always hated guard duty, but you got to do what you got to do.  
Anyways, you'll start off just behind the two Sea Sergeants in a 
canyon.  Try to always stay in front of them, clearing out the enemies 
ahead before the choppers enter that area, but also keep an eye out for 
enemies that spawn behind you and the choppers.  Ignore them and fail.  

Follow the canyon out a bit until you've made radar contact with your 
first bunch of enemies (consider enemy radar contacts your navigational 
buoys.  The trail of enemy contacts will eventually lead you to the 
desired destination).   They may be regular old foot soldiers, but 
don't be shy with the missiles.  All opponents here need to be brought 
down as soon as humanly possible.

There will be a couple of teams of foot soldiers gunning for you, 
coming from behind on the right and in front of you on the left.  It's 
important to take out the soldiers with the closest proximity to the 
helicopters first, so your first priority is the ones on the right.

Soon you'll come to a bridge, where Heavy foot soldiers will be waiting 
with rapid fire cannons.  Make quick work of the three of them before 
they tear the Sea Sergeants to shreds.  Once they're down and you pass 
the ridge they hid behind, you'll be able to make visual contact with 
the base.

Think the mission's over?  Not quite.  As you close in, you'll see that 
the base is under attack, and the few Tomahawks on hand will not have 
what it takes to repel the assault.  Jack will order the helicopters 
away from the base.  When they're clear, that's when you can relax.

Ch. 2 Mission Four: Destroids in Danger
Objectives 
- Help the Destroid pilots fight off the scavenger raid.  
- All units must survive
- Recover the 3 stolen supply crates and bring them back to the 
perimeter
- Find the missing Tomahawk pilot
- Save the Tomahawk pilot and bring him back to the outpost
- Drive out the remaining scavengers

This mission starts off a whole half a second after the last one.  The 
base is still under attack, and you have got to keep those Destroids 
alive.  Luckily, you're buddy Hiro is down there, and he's no rookie.  
Finishing off the initial attack is no sweat.  Stay in Guardian mode 
and bombard the enemies with everything you've got.

After that, Hiro will radio you and tell you to recover the 3 supply 
crates taken by the scavengers.  Each will be marked by a green point 
on your radar screen.  Now, if you pull back so that the drop zone and 
all three green dots are in front of you, you'll see two path ways.

Going to the right will get you to the closest supply crate.  This one 
will be guarded by a mere two Heavy foot soldiers.  Take them down, 
steal the crate, and head back to the drop zone, which will be marked 
by the blue arrow on your radar.  This one is a piece of cake.

The second and third crate lie along the same path.  I find it best to 
grab the nearest one, bring it back, then go for the one in the 
distance.  As you near the closer crate, you'll have your first 
encounter with a GMT, or Ground Missile Turret.  These things can be 
nasty if you aren't quick to take them out and even quicker to dodge 
their salvos.  This particular one is also guarded by several regular 
and Heavy foot soldiers, but try to get the GMT down first.  It's the 
biggest threat.  The GMT will take several of your own salvos coupled 
with cannon fire to send it to the scrap yard.  Strafing runs in 
Fighter mode are an acceptable option, but with the confined space of 
the canyons, I once again find that keeping your distance in Guardian 
mode prevails here.  Use the large cliff face for protection if 
necessary.  Also, beware of the Heavy foot soldier waiting for you to 
land behind the large boulder to the left.  Keep an eye on the radar 
and he won't be able to surprise you.

En route to returning the second crate, two regular foot soldiers will 
be waiting at the low point of the canyon to put some hits on you.  
Take them out and drop off the crate.

Now double back along the same path you took to get the second crate 
and keep pushing past the spot where you picked it up(or you could pull 
a 180 at the base and take a right at the bridge.  Your call).  
Whichever path you choose, you'll have a bit of enemy free area to 
cover, so you can switch to Fighter mode to make short work of the 
travel.  Once you find the third crate, it will have the same 
protection as #2, roughly four foot soldiers with a GMT.  Repeat what 
you did for #2 and bring it home.

Bet you thought you were done, huh?  Ha ha.  You're funny.  Now for the 
tough part.  Hiro's missing squad mate is stranded somewhere, and 
taking damage quickly.  Once you drop the crate, go the route that 
takes you by the bridge and bank right. Change to Fighter mode the 
second you drop crate #3 and boost towards the missing Destroid target, 
because time is of the essence.  A second late and you get to start 
this one all over.

If you get there quick enough, you'll arrive before the Zentraedi do.  
This is very, very good.  The Zentraedi will all be traveling together 
in one group, and there are a lot of them, so lay the weapons on thick 
and get rid of them ASAP.  That Tomahawk is already heavily damaged and 
just waiting to blow.

Once the scavengers are gone, the Tomahawk pilot will get out of his 
ride and wait for you to pick him up.  On your way back, Hiro is going 
to radio you with more good news.  The base is under attack again.  
Now, it's going to be tons of Heavy foot soldiers gunning for Hiro and 
his squad mate.

Don't bother dropping off the Destroid pilot in your hand.  He's safe 
as long as you stay alive.  Just take out those HFSs, ASAP.  Give out 
some generous doses of light missiles and cannon fire and finally, the 
day is saved.  Release the pilot in the drop zone to wrap this one up.

Ch. 2 Mission Five: Unwanted Guests
Objectives 
- Investigate UFOs and eliminate them if they prove to be hostile
- Destroy all Fighter Pods

Getting tired of ground missions?  Well then, let's take to the skies.

Chase is sending you off on a recon mission, but we all know how this 
will turn out.  A few seconds after this level starts, you'll see a 
squadron of Fighter Pods dead ahead.  It should be easy to get a 
missile lock on a great many of them, so do that first and try to get 
some good damage in before you start dog fighting.

There will be several waves of Fighter pods, each packing plenty of 
missiles, so keep boosting, dodging, and occasionally dispensing 
decoys/chaff when you see yellow arrows on the radar screen.  

Most players will be tempted to stay behind an enemy and keep attacking 
him until he's dead, taking out the Fighter Pods one by one.  Not a 
good idea.  The Fighter Pods are just waiting for you to fly that 
straight line while you try to gun down one of their buddies so that 
they can absolutely bombard you with missiles.  Keep moving and 
attacking whichever pod is nearest.  Staying on one for too long will 
get you hurt, fast.  Also, bear in mind the low maneuverability of your 
missiles in Fighter mode.  Unless you've got a lot of distance between 
you and your target, don't fire at them when they're coming at you head 
on.  Wait for the right moment to strike and you'll come out a lot 
better.

That's it for this one.  Kill the Fighter Pods, and mission complete.  
After that last level, I'm sure you'd appreciate this breezy little 
mission.

Ch. 2 Mission Six: Dark Skies
Objectives 
- Destroy the Zentraedi scout ship

Continuing from where you left off, you are now in pursuit of a 
Zentraedi scout ship.  The scout ship has a healthy fighter escort, and 
the ship itself is armed to the teeth with Laser and Missile Turrets.  
The Missile Turrets seem to be concentrated on the top of the craft, 
and the Laser Turrets are, well, everywhere.  Once again, keep moving, 
keep boosting, and never fly a straight line for long.

No matter how many you kill, there will always be a certain number of 
Fighter Pods in the air, so don't waste too much time on these guys.  
Take them out when they prove to be a threat, but really try to give 
the scout ship everything you've got. 

You won't be able to target the scout ship directly (and that's why 
it's not listed in my enemy craft list), only the weapons fixed to it.  
So, those are you priority.  I'd concentrate on the three Missile 
Turrets on top, then move to the highly damaging, but nicely inaccurate 
laser cannons.  Keeping your distance from these and offering salvo 
after salvo is the best way to stay safe and get the job done.  

Once you have disarmed the scout ship, it erupts into flame and the 
mission is done.  Time to bring it on home.

Ch. 2 Mission Seven: Flood City
Objectives 
- Find the 3 missing members of the Cat's Eye crew and bring them to 
the drop zone
- Clear the city of Zentraedi rebels
 
Follow the blue arrow out of the starting area.  As soon as you cross 
the first pool of water and enter the second area, a group of Battle 
Pods will spring up to attack you from the right.  Stay high up in 
Guardian mode and watch out, as several more squadrons will soon come 
at you, many of them creeping out of the murky waters below.  

Once you've cleared the first attack group, take a right, then a left, 
and you'll fly through a narrow space where more Battle Pods will 
briefly show up on radar before a scout pod starts jamming your 
equipment.  Stay in Guardian mode and be ready to let go some missiles.  
Try to stay in the narrow stretch between the buildings and take down 
as many pods as you can from there.  The scout pod will be on the 
immediate left once you exit the narrow stretch.  Another one will be 
further off in the distance, hiding behind the collapsed skyscraper on 
the left.

As soon as you leave the narrow area and proceed to the left a bit, the 
Cat's Eye crewmembers will show up on your radar, along with a whole 
lot more Battle Pods rising out of the waters.  Dispatch all of the 
enemies before approaching the crewmembers.

Just ahead and a little to the left of that narrow stretch is another 
stretch that leads to the next group of enemies, complete with even 
more scout pods.  I like to take these guys out too before picking up 
the stranded crew.  At least one Missile Pod will be poised to strike 
at you when you round the corner, so be ready to dodge and fire right 
back at him.  The scout pods will be in clear view, so if you target 
multiple enemies with your missiles a few times, you'll probably bring 
them down without even realizing it.  It's good to get the scouts down 
first so that you can see what's on radar, but it's not worth making it 
a priority.  Just be happy if it should happen.  All of your enemies 
will be appearing right in front of you anyways.

Now, if you haven't already, pick up the pilots and bring them back to 
the drop zone.  Be careful though, as another team of Battle Pods will 
be waiting for you as you bring back the second or third pilot.

When all three crewmembers are safe and sound, home in on the enemy 
radar contact to finish out the mission.  All that's left will be a few 
more Battle Pods, and the mission will end when you take out the Scout 
Pod hiding in the back.

Ch. 2 Mission Eight: Knife's Edge (Boss Fight)
Objectives 
- Defeat Skarrde

Time to encounter your first Officer's Battle Pod.  Chase Skarrde 
through Flood City until you reach a large, open area.  Here, he will 
stand and fight for a while before running off, leaving you to give 
chance once again.

Though large and well armed, Skarrde is a joke.  There are two very 
simple tricks to beating him that any player can complete.  Stay close, 
and stay behind him.  Skarrde is really only a threat at good 
distances, where he can use his laser beam cannon to chop you up 
quicker than a chef at Benihana's.  If you manage to stay close behind 
him, he won't be able to hit you at all.  I get impatient here, so I 
stay in Guardian mode and batter him with the missile/cannon combo, but 
Battloid mode will do just fine here, and probably do better for 
keeping your VT out of his weapon range.  

After just a few good, solid hits, Skarrde will run off and leave you 
to fight his minions.  You'll face two Battle Pods immediately after he 
runs, then two more escorting him in the next large, open area.  Once 
the lackeys are tossed aside, bring your gun back to bear on Skarrde 
again, repeating the same tactics as before.  When you drop his armor 
down to half, he will run again, leaving behind a three unit Battle Pod 
team.

Follow your radar to the final fight with Skarrde, but be careful.  The 
second you round the corner to enter the area he's hiding in, he'll 
open up with a laser beam blast that can knock off at least a quarter 
of your health, and he'll follow up with plenty more.  Close in 
quickly, drop behind him, and finish the poor bastard off so he can go 
run home to Zeraal.  Chapter Two is now complete.



VI - C. Chapter Three

Ch. 3 Mission One: Rebel Revenge
Objectives 
- Investigate the disturbances at the munitions stockpile
- Eliminate the Zentraedi threat
- Protect the munitions stockpile
- Turn back the rebel reinforcements

You'll start this level off in the park of Granite City.  There are 
little civilians running all over the place, and before you even try, 
no, you can't pick them up, stomp on them, or shoot them.  If you want 
something to kill, there are plenty of blood-lusting Zentraedi just up 
ahead.  

You'll first run into a good assortment of units, including Heavy foot 
soldiers and a Battle Pod.  Destroy them and move ahead to receive your 
new objectives, i.e., defend the munitions stockpile.

Zentraedi squads will be coming in from both sides, using the route you 
just came in on, and the one directly ahead of that.  More units will 
come in from the hills above the munitions stockpile, and these are the 
Zentraedis that will be actively targeting the munition stockpiles more 
than there counterparts will.  It would seem that the Battle Pods, and 
especially the Missile Pods, will concentrate more on the stockpiles 
while the various foot soldiers bounce between aiming for you and the 
stockpiles.  Fly between these three enemy entry points in Guardian 
mode and be ready to lay it on thick on the multitude of different 
units coming in to destroy those munitions.  

There will be so many attackers that you will run out of missiles very 
quickly.  Try to keep your salvos for the Battle Pods, and make an 
effort to only use cannon fire on the foot soldiers.  This will give 
you the most effective coverage in protecting the munitions.

Once the enemy attackers have been destroyed, reinforcements will enter 
the area behind you, and Chase will come on to tell you to get to work 
on them.  You'll continue to run into a slew of different and dangerous 
units until you reach a tunnel from which countless more enemies spew 
forth.  Stay in Guardian mode and drain your ammunition supplies, 
because there are plenty of pissed off Zentraedi doing the same to you.  

After you've duked it out for a bit with these guys, a pair of Tomahawk 
reinforcements will come up behind you to help out.  Once they're on 
the scene, take out the last of the Zentraedis to conclude this fight.

Ch. 3 Mission Two: Sabotage
Objectives 
- Destroy all of the ship's turrets
- Eliminate the Zentraedi saboteurs

How well can you pilot a high speed fighter in the confines of a city 
with a massive Zentraedi cruiser dead in the center eating up a lot of 
your space?  Not sure?  Well, let's find out.

On Sabotage, you're going to straight into pure chaos.  A crashed and 
slightly submerged Zentraedi cruiser has had its weapon systems brought 
back online, and there are plenty of guns on that thing.  Add in a good 
number of regular and heavy foot soldiers and you've got yourself a 
party.

You're first goal is to clear off on side of the cruiser.  This will 
allow you to have a safe spot where no turret fire or missile salvos 
will be able to reach you while you wait for your own weapons to 
recharge.  Since there are so very many powerful weapons pointed at 
you, my advice is to actually go into Fighter mode, despite the very 
close quarters, and try your hardest not to run into things.  If you 
can do that okay, you'll also do a pretty good job of evading the 
multitude of different weapons being fired at you.  

Now, go for the missile turrets first on the side you want to clear.  
They are undoubtedly the biggest threat.  Once they're gone, or even 
just before, you can drop Fighter mode and go to Guardian.  Keep 
raising and loosing your altitude while strafing and doing quick boosts 
to avoid the powerful laser beams, and concentrate on one turret at a 
time with everything you've got.  Try to be careful with the missiles 
though.  You don't want to completely overdo one turret and drain your 
resources before you go after the next.  Keep a close eye on their 
armor gauges and know when to lay off.

Once you've gotten enough of the turrets off your back, you might want 
to get some of the foot soldiers off the field.  They're pretty few in 
number until you bring down the last turret, but they can be a nuisance 
nonetheless.  But that is pretty much all there is to this level.  
Destroy everything.

Ch. 3 Mission Three: Call To Arms
Objectives 
- Protect the armory building
- Bring Hiro to his Tomahawk Destroid
- Fight off the remaining Zentraedi

Even though we're on guard duty again, I really do like this level.  
It's one of those missions that really let's the player kind of do what 
he wants.  You can really use any mode you want for a many of the parts 
here, but that doesn't mean things are easy.

You're mission is to defend the armory building from Zentraedi 
attackers pulling a blitzkrieg maneuver.  Fighter Pods are raining 
thunder from above while Battle Pods march in underneath you.  Kill as 
many of them as you want, there will be more.  Still, you need to keep 
bashing them all down until Hiro requests a pick up and drop off where 
his Tomahawk is parked and waiting.  Once you hear that message, do it 
and do it quick, because there's no time to waste.  The Zentraedi are 
fighting hard to destroy that armory.

As soon as you drop Hiro off, he's good to go and is marching back up 
to the armory to help you out.  Fight off attackers until Hiro gives 
you the message that they're breaking off.  That's your cue that the 
armory is safe and you can move on to the other units that have 
appeared behind you.  

A large team of Battle Pods is what awaits you, and they're all waiting 
for you to round that corner.  Fighter mode works well here for an 
initial strafing run, followed by a quick change to Guardian, but hey, 
do what works for you.  

From there, follow the blue arrow to a compound guarded by more Battle 
Pods.  Destroy a few of them, but know that they never stop coming.  
Instead of continually duking it out, you should probably just drop 
straight to Battloid, go to sniper mode, and target the gate that 
fences off the compound.  Shoot a fully charged blast right at the gate 
door and conclude the mission.

Ch. 3 Mission Four: Power Struggle
Objectives 
- Destroy all the Shuttles before they can escape

Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?  Well, with a little luck, it will be.  
This mission is pretty straightforward, but there is no time to waste.  
Your targets are the Zentraedi shuttles, and pretty much nothing else.  
You will want to take out the first two Battle Pods you come across, 
but once they're down, it's all shuttles.  

To start, there will be six shuttles parked.  Come at them at all times 
in Fighter mode to make the most of your missiles, because that armor 
is very tough.  Start with a strafing run while they're still parked, 
but do not use multiple targeting with these guys, take them one at a 
time with steady cannon fire and salvo after salvo.  Try to get the 
ones that take off first, because that is the real threat: them getting 
so far into the hills that you can no longer track them down.