11: A Short Break

The objectives for this mission are fairly straight forward. The main obstacle that you will be faced with is the sheer size of this map and the logistical and intelligence problems that this entails. Don't let this walkthrough be your first exposure to this map, or you'll miss out on what makes this mission most interesting, i.e., not knowing what you'll run into next.

Another obstacle that I feel it is important to be aware of is the possibility of having trouble with saved games on this map. Each saved game makes a file of 4mb in size, so you'll really have to watch how many saved games are in your saved game folder at any one time. With saved games this big, I'd play it safe and not have more than two saved games from this map at a time in my BZ2 FE saved game folder. Delete them or move them to another directory outside of your BZ2 folder. Otherwise, you risk discovering that your saved game files are corrupt and end up crashing or freezing when you go back to use them.

On to the mission.

In keeping with the title to this mission, you are under less pressure to get building as soon as this mission starts, but you'll still want to manufacture a couple of scavengers to place on the nearby wells.

After that I go ahead and start cranking out some turrets, since there is no loose scrap at this point. Soon, you'll be called away to intercept some incoming Cerberi ships.

Keep building turrets, because after a short meeting with an officer of the Hadean Rebels, you'll find that the Imperialists have figured out where you are and will harass you continuously. You'll soon discover that there is a crucial choke point where you can place your defenses in order to intercept the incoming attackers.

I reinforce my turret defenses with a couple of gun towers. The tricky part will be deciding where to put them, since building something on this planet often terraforms the terrain, such that formerly "green" spaces are now "red".

Backed up with some repair trucks, your base is now relatively safe from attacks, but you might as well drop some heavy chain guns on those turrets.

Now that you have a basic base built out.

It's just about time to go exploring, but first, build yourself a tank with some better fire power. I like the heavy chain for dealing with fast moving enemy ships and red field for dodging mini-comets and seeker mines. Yes, the Hadeans will be waiting for you when you use the nearby portal.

After making a few initial forays to soften things up, it's time to call up a squad of tanks to help you hold your beachhead. You can place a nav beacon on the far side of the portal nearest your base, so you can order your units through it.

With such a long supply line, call in some repair trucks, next.

Then, bring in some turrets to hold this side of the portal.

Advance your way up the island towards the scrap pools. You can bring along a builder and put up some gun towers near the middle of the island to intercept sirens and xerrakises eventually bound for your base.

You can put up more gun towers in the vicinity of the two bio-metal pools, once you finally reach them. I go ahead and get the defenses in place before I actually deploy the scavengers on the wells.

Soon, it will be time to head out in search of your long lost buddy, Shultz. Take along a few tanks to fend off patrolling Hadean scouts. I leave them behind, while I take out a couple of gun towers overlooking the lagoon where Shultz is being kept.

Drop down and engage the guarding siren.

You may not immediately notice, but Shultz will show up in your HUD as a unit under your F1 key. If you already have 10 units assigned to that key, remove one, so you can see Shultz. Now you can assign him to his own F key, if you like.

Watch out for some moving predator beams, as you and Shultz try to make your way out of the lagoon. Then, escort him back to base with your convoy.

Once Shultz reports in, it will be time to build up an assault force in order to take on the Hadean base.

There are two pairs of gun towers place on some high peninsulas, jutting out from near the Hadean base. You can take them out by running in close and edge shooting them. Be prepared to be harassed by patrolling scouts during these attempts, however.

Having brought up several repair trucks to help hold the scrap pools on the nearby island will come in handy, since you don't want to run all the way back to your main base for repairs..

The Hadean gun towers are each reinforced with an atlas, which is also best dealt with from close range.

You can now move in within sight of the Hadean base and use your mortar to take out a couple of more gun towers and at least one of the nearby atlases, using the terrain for cover.

For the actual assault, I take a couple of squads of tanks and a group of turrets into the back corner of the Hadean base. There is one predator beam to avoid, but without the base gun tower that you've previously destroyed, your forces will pour into the base with relative ease.

Once the enemy recycler falls, you have accomplished your mission..

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