The Prima Games logo is a registered trademark of RandomHouse, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries.Primagames.com is a registered trademark of Random House,Inc., registered in the United States.

© 2004 by Prima Games. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be repro-duced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrievalsystem without written permission from Prima Games. Prima Games is a divisionof Random House, Inc.

Product Manager: Jill HinckleyEditor: Alaina Yee

© & P 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed by Day 1Studios for Microsoft Corporation. Day 1 Studios and the Day 1 Studios logo aretrademarks of Day 1 Studios. MechWarrior, BattleTech, BattleMech, and ’Mechare registered trademarks or trademarks of WizKids, Inc. and/or MicrosoftCorporation in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, FASA Studio,MechAssault, the Microsoft Game Studios logo, OptiMatch, Xbox, the Xbox logos,Xbox Live, and the Xbox Live logo are either registered trademarks or trade-marks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

All products and characters mentioned in this book are trademarks of theirrespective companies.

Please be advised that the ESRB rating icons, "EC", "K-A", "E", "T", "M", "AO" and"RP" are copyrighted works and certification marks owned by the EntertainmentSoftware Association and the Entertainment Software Rating Board and mayonly be used with their permission and authority. Under no circumstances maythe rating icons be self-applied or used in connection with any product that hasnot been rated by the ESRB. For information regarding whether a product hasbeen rated by the ESRB, please call the ESRB at 1-800-771-3772 or visitwww.esrb.org. For information regarding licensing issues, please call the ESA at(916) 522-3250. Please note that ESRB ratings only apply to the content of thegame itself and does NOT apply to the content of this book.

Important:Prima Games has made every effort to determine that the information containedin this book is accurate. However, the publisher makes no warranty, eitherexpressed or implied, as to the accuracy, effectiveness, or completeness of thematerial in this book; nor does the publisher assume liability for damages, eitherincidental or consequential, that may result from using the information in thisbook. The publisher cannot provide information regarding game play, hints andstrategies, or problems with hardware or software. Questions should be directedto the support numbers provided by the game and device manufacturers in theirdocumentation. Some game tricks require precise timing and may requirerepeated attempts before the desired result is achieved.

ISBN: 0-7615-4721-5Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004107127Printed in the United States of America

04 05 06 07 GG 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Preparing for Battle: Combat Basics & Weapons . . . . . . . . 2

Meet the 'Mechs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Mission One: STREET SWEEPER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Mission Two: SIGNS OF LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Mission Three: TANK RUSH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Mission Four: LET'S GET OFF THIS ROCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Mission Five: TO THE RESCUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Mission Six: 'MECH SHOPPING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Mission Seven: GO TIME ON THESTRIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Mission Eight: SWAMP ROCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Mission Nine: EIGHT FEET UNDER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Mission Ten: INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Mission Eleven: THERE'S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK . . . . . 48

Mission Twelve: I HATE SNAKES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Mission Thirteen: MOUNTAIN SONG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Mission Fourteen: SENDING OUT AN SOS TO THE WORLD . 61

Mission Fifteen: ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH . . . . . . . 65

Mission Sixteen: TO THE ARENA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Mission Seventeen: HOLDING THE LINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Mission Eighteen: GLADIATOR HAS NOTHING ON US . . . 75

Mission Nineteen: AGAINST THE SPIDERS . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Mission Twenty: SKIN THE CAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Mission Twenty-One: END GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Mission Twenty-Two: CHECKMATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Multiplayer MechAssault 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSHuge thanks to Rick Ryan and Jeff Kafer for their ridiculouslyinvaluable help and support with this book. Also, a thanks to ErichBlattner (Excell Data Corporation), John Foster (Excell DataCorporation), Adam Maloy (Volt), David Ouimet (Volt), John Potter(Volt), Jessica Randall (Volt), and Warren Qu (Volt).

Matt Wales

Prima GamesA Division of Random House, Inc.

3000 Lava Ridge CourtRoseville, CA 95661

1-800-733-3000www.primagames.com

INTRODUCTIONBUCKLE UP, MECHWARRIOR!MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf kicks the world of heavy metal 'Mech combat wide open again, with single-player carnageand multiplayer mayhem ramped up to the max! Whether a veteran or newcomer to the series, you can expect tohave your mettle tested by all-new 'Mechs, blaze across the battlefield in never-before-seen ground and air vehicles,and dish out unlimited online torment in the hugely expanded multiplayer mode—all of which adds up to some seri-ously frenzied action.

Like the first game, MechAssault 2 isn't just about firing off weapons of mass destruction and shooting like apsycho until the world sits in a mound of molten rubble. There's plenty of strategy to uncover before you can trulymaster the game. You'll need an in-depth knowledge of the sophisticated combat and weapons system, not tomention an understanding of what makes every single one of your formidable opponents tick.

That's exactly what this book aims to give. With tips and tactics for first-class fighting under pressure, a fullrundown of every 'Mech, and everything you'll need to know before and during your epic quest in the single-playercampaign, you'll find a wealth of invaluable information here. There's even a mountain of knowledge for multi-player MechAssault 2, with details on every map and mode, and even advanced strategies straight from the peoplewho know the game best.

Ready for action, MechWarrior? Then let's get to it!

Preparing for Battle: COMBAT BASICS & WEAPONS

GETTING AROUNDSure, you might have an itchy trigger finger and an insa-tiable bloodlust, but you'll get nowhere in MechAssault 2without learning the basics first. This time around, you'renot simply stuck in the cockpit of one of the game'smighty metallic behemoths; there's also a whole host ofnew ways to tear up the terrain.

BattleMechsThese toweringdeath machinesare your numberone mode oftransportthroughoutMechAssault 2.Although each'Mech is apowerhouse ofdestruction,every model hasa unique set of specifications as well as its own strengthsand weaknesses to be utilized or exploited as necessary.

The "Meet the 'Mechs" chapter examines each 'Mechtype in depth, so check it out for the completelowdown.

The upper and lower portions of a 'Mech arecontrolled independently. Use g to operate their legs andmove around the environments. k rotates the uppertorso, enabling you to fix your aiming reticle on to anytarget, anywhere—no matter what direction you happento be walking in!

To activate your arsenal, hit 7 to switch betweenweapons classes and squeeze 8 to fire. Weapons can betemporarily upgraded to a maximum of three levels andarmor is replenished by collecting salvage from downedenemies and across the terrain. Salvage will be examinedin more depth later in the chapter.

BattleArmorThe BattleArmoris a prototypebattle suit, forincreasedprotection andmobility whenoutside 'Mechsand other vehi-cles. In essence,the BattleArmorturns you into aminiature 'Mech

and, as such, controls very similarly. Use g to move aboutthe environments and k to adjust your aiming reticle.2

COM

BAT BASICS & W

EAPON

S

primagames.com

DefensesYou can take farmore of abeating in theBattleArmor thanis possible onfoot. However,when faced withthe devastatingforce of a full-sized 'Mech, itwon't last long.You'll fare much better against tanks and other smallerenemies, but all the same, it's better to think of theBattleArmor as a means of surviving the occasional hitrather than relying on it for any extended protection.

Thankfully, the BattleArmor is equipped with a basicarmory consisting of pulse lasers and mortars. Use 7 toswitch between the two firing modes and 8 to let rip.The pulse lasers provide rapid bursts of deadly energybut don't dish out a significant amount of damage ontheir own. They're best used in conjunction with mortarsfor maximum effect. It's possible to adjust the travelingdistance of mortars using the gauge that appears as youhold down 8. The tighter you squeeze the trigger, thehigher the gauge will climb and the greater the amountof propulsion on release. Mortars pack a surprising forceand can be an effective weapon in the heat of battle.Learn their intricacies at the earliest opportunity!

The BattleArmor also comes equipped with a clawthat can take down a light 'Mech in five swipes or so—thecatch is that you have to be right up against an enemyfor it to work. This tactic works best on slower-movingobjects, like vehicles or even infantry.

JumpjetsOne of the mostuseful featuresof theBattleArmor isits jumpjets.These enableyou to flythrough the airfor limitedperiods of timeby pressing g. Keep an eye on the jumpjet fuel gaugehowever—once depleted, your jets will cease to work untilthe gauge has a chance to refill.

Firing your jumpjets in short burstsdramatically increases your speed and can be agreat way to quickly dodge around enemy gunfire.

It's also possible to scale walls and buildings whenusing your jumpjets in conjunction with the BattleArmor'sclaw. Simply approach a structure and activate yourjumpjets. Close in and hit 1 while airborne to latch ontight, then wait for your fuel gauge to refill. To fly higher,hit g again and repeat until the obstacle is cleared.

NeuroHackingThe BattleArmor'sNeuroHackingfacility lets youcrack an enemy'Mech's defensesystem and ejectthe pilot. Oncethe 'Mech isunoccupied, it's yours for the taking!

To initiate aNeuroHack, fly close to your target and hit 1 to latch on.Immediately, the hacking interface appears in the lowerpart of your HUD. Hit the corresponding buttons on yourcontrol pad as they're highlighted onscreen. If youcomplete the sequence before the 'Mech's pilot does, theNeuroHack is a success—otherwise you'll be shaken off,necessitating another attempt.

Once a hostile 'Mech is down, hit 4 to exit yourBattleArmor, then approach the cockpit located in thefallen enemy's head. Use 4 again to climb inside.

Be very careful whenattempting to leave your BattleArmor in the heat ofconflict. Remember, you're completely defenselesson foot—always be sure to clear the immediate areaof hostiles first before attempting to gain control ofa downed 'Mech.

At certain points throughout the game,you'll need to hack into enemy terminals to proceed.The method is exactly the same as above. However,you'll need to approach the console on foot and hit1 to initiate the hacking sequence.

3

4

On FootThe slowest andmost deadlyway to bravethe hostile worldis on foot, usingg to movearound. Leavingthe confines of a'Mech or vehicleis treacherousbusiness as youforfeit all offensive and defensive capabilities—take asingle hit on foot and you'll be dead.

Why do it then? Simple—it's the only way to donyour BattleArmor, clamber into a 'Mech, requisition avehicle, hack into a security terminal, or mount a gunturret. Whatever you're trying to do though, remember todo it quickly and utilize all available cover.

There are some distinct advantages to being on foothowever. First, you won't show up on enemies' radars, sothe only way you'll get caught is by straying directly intotheir paths. Second, you're a much smaller target andtherefore harder to hit from a distance. These advantagesare particularly handy in multiplayer where you canscoot about virtually undetected in the heat of battle—justtry not to get stepped on!

Pilot BombingIn latercampaignmissions andthroughout themultiplayergame, you'reable to plantexplosivecharges anddetonate themremotely whileon foot. It's a risky maneuver but immensely satisfyingwhen a plan comes together. Simply sneak up to yourtarget, hit 8 to plant a charge, then press 8 again whenyou're ready to detonate it. Or, you can leave a charge inan area that an enemy vehicle or 'Mech will pass throughand it'll explode when they get close.

The charges pack a tremendous punch, so use themto decimate buildings or plant traps for oncoming 'Mechs.Whatever you do, make sure you're clear of the blastarea before detonating a charge…unless you want tomeet a premature end. Be especially wary around'Mechs—when one closes in on a planted charge, it willautomatically detonate within five seconds!

VTOLsVTOLs, orVertical Take-Offand Landingvehicles, are theonly means oftaking to theskies forprolongedperiods of timein MechAssault 2.These airbornebeauties climb into the air like a helicopter and fly likeairplanes. You'll have several opportunities to try these outin the single-player campaign, but they truly come intotheir own during multiplayer (check out the Multiplayerchapter for the beef on VTOL's multiplayer uses).

For the most part, you'll be using VTOLs in single-player mode for basic fetch-and-carry tasks, alongsidesome simple combat. This is because VTOLs are primarilygeared toward defensive maneuvers and neither take,nor pack, much of a punch in heated combat.

VTOLs steer slightly differently than other vehicles.Pushing g causes the vehicle to move forward, backward,or strafe to the sides. k rotates the VTOL in the air. Altitudeis adjusted by holding g to ascend and k to descend.Lowering yourself onto certain objects in the game causesthem to attach to the VTOL for carrying. You'll only have achance to airlift gun turrets and an APC during the single-player game, but multiplayer broadens this to includesalvage, BattleArmors, and tanks.

VTOLs are only fitted with basic missiles, so it pays toavoid engagement with larger enemies, such asBattleMechs, until you can land and locate somethingheavier hitting.

TanksAs with all vehi-cles, thearmored tankavailable insingle-player—known as theRommel MK2—issteered using g,while its turretsare adjustedusing k.

Although the Rommel might not initially seem likethe most desirable vehicle in this lineup, it does offersome interesting functions that make it more than worthyour time. It's both nimble and robust—couple this withthe tank's powerful gravity cannon and you've got aweapon that's ideal for long-distance attacks. Hitting 3

COM

BAT BASICS & W

EAPON

S

switches your gravity cannon to zoom mode, allowingfor more accurate aiming. One big plus of this mode isthat it improves your chances of knocking down large'Mechs when you aim at their legs. Scoring a hit to thelegs gives you ample time to roll in and start ripping intothem with the tank's additional machine gun.

Finally, in later missions, the Rommel is equippedwith a null sig device, making it ideal for stealth maneu-vers. For more information on the null sig, check out the"Defenses" section of this chapter.

WEAPONS, DEFENSES & SALVAGEWeaponsIn the world of MechAssault 2, very few people ever seemparticularly pleased to see you. Instead, they tend to taketheir pleasure from using gargantuan havoc-wreakingBattleMechs, stuffed with weaponry designed to blast youapart in the shortest time possible. If you plan to make itthrough the single-player campaign alive, you're going toneed know the intricacies of each weapon available andhow they can best be put to use.

One very important thing to note in regard toweapons is their class system. All weapons fall within oneof three categories: energy, ballistic, and missile. 'Mechsand vehicles are never equipped with more than oneweapon from each class, so always aim to pilot some-thing with the most powerful selection of weaponspossible, if you have the option to choose.

Energy Weapons

PULSE LASER

Pulse lasers aren't especiallypowerful weapons,meaning their usesare limited when upagainst any of thegame's more formidable opponents. What they lack inpower however, they make up for in firing speed—they'reundoubtedly the fastest weapon in the game, allowing youto get lot of strikes in a short time. What's more, despitehaving no assisted targeting capabilities, the rapid-firenature of the weapons creates a blanket effect of deadlybeams, reducing your need for accurate aiming.

You'll find pulse lasers to be most effective againstsmaller hostiles, such as foot soldiers, turrets, and tanks.While this might not seem like much, remember that thesetypes of hostiles tend to attack in groups—the minimalreload time of your pulse lasers means you can easily takeout multiple weaker targets in nearly no time!

LASER

Unlike pulse lasers, stan-dard lasers fire in a long,single beam rather thanrapid-fire bursts. They also come equipped with limitedassisted targeting capabilities, increasing the likelihood ofstriking a moving target. You'll find lasers generally don'tgenerate as much heat as pulse lasers either, meaning your'Mech will keep cooler for longer.

While lasers are capable of doing more damage thantheir pulse cousins, they're still extremely limited inpower. If you're going to use lasers, save them forsmaller targets and structures for optimum efficiency.

PPCThe PPC is the most powerfulenergy weapon available in thegame and you'll find yourself usingit frequently once it’s yours. ThePPC does, however, requirecharging before firing. The longer the weapon is charged,the more powerful the resulting blast will be. However, thispower isn't without its disadvantages. In particular, you'llnotice that the PPCs emit a massive amount of heat,causing your 'Mechs to reach their heat limits rapidly.

PPCs are ideal for bringing down larger 'Mechs, makingthem your weapon of choice in one-on-one combat. It'sworth remembering however, that their long charge timescan leave you dangerously exposed in combat. For thisreason, make good use of cover while operating theweapon. PPCs are less useful against larger groups of 'Mechsbut completely devestating to smaller enemies. To combatgroup onslaughts, switch to missiles or similar weapons.

The PPC will zap anything nearby its pathof travel. So if you're near a group of pilots orinfantry, the PPC will fry them as it flies by to itsmain target. This tactic also works on vehicles andother 'Mechs as well, though they take less damage.

PLASMA PPCNot much needs to be said aboutthe plasma PPC due to its simi-larity to the standard PPC.You'll find that all issues andstrategies outlined above, apply equally here. There aredifferences between the two however: the plasma PPC firesfaster than its cousin, but causes less damage. Since a'Mech is never equipped with both weapons, you'll neverhave to make the call between the two, so use it as youwould the standard PPC.

primagames.com 5

GRAVITY CANNON

The gravity cannon isfound on the RommelMK2 tank and is ideal for long-range combat, thanks to itszoom scope. Not only does the scope allow for combat atgreater distances, it increases the accuracy of your strikes—use it when possible.

Although powerful, you'll find the gravity cannondifficult to use in shorter-range combat due to its lack ofassisted targeting systems and long reload times.Enemies in close-quarters can easily move out of rangebetween shots, ready to target you from alternate angles.

Despite this weakness, the gravity cannon is still anextremely useful weapon and ideal against approaching'Mechs. A shot to the legs will frequently bring 'Mechs tothe ground, giving you the opportunity for additional hitswhile your opponent struggles to right itself, unable toreturn fire.

Ballistic Weapons

MACHINE GUN

Although offering slightlymore in the way of power than thebasic pulse rifle, the machine gun's short firingrange puts it at the bottom of the standard weapons set.That's not to say that it serves no purpose however:machine guns are great for taking out smaller enemies atclose range, thanks to their rapid-release fire, increaseddamage capabilities, and low heat emissions.

You'll find that level-two machine guns are good fordealing with pesky tanks and, when ramped up to levelthree, they're strong enough to deal adequate damage toa 'Mech. On 'Mechs with strong machine guns, an excel-lent style of attack is to close in on an enemy with yourmachine guns—in situations where they're powered up,this is one of the most lethal tactics in the game.

AUTOCANNON

The autocannon is thenext step up from themachine gun in theballistic weapons family. It improves on the original intwo significant ways: it packs a slightly more powerfulpunch and covers a much longer range. A single auto-cannon has excellent range, but does little damage.However, when multiplied, the damage plus excellentrange can be devastating.

It is most efficient against small- to medium-sizetargets. Also, a fully leveled up autocannon has thedamage equivalent of the level one gauss rifle, meaningyou can use it against a 'Mech for a limited time, if push

comes to shove.

GAUSS RIFLE

The gauss rifle is top of theleague as far asballistic weapons go.It also happens to beone of the most devas-tating weapons in the game.Although not quite as brutal as the PPC, it has onedistinct advantage: the immense speed of its projectilesmake it nearly impossible to dodge. Unfortunately, thegauss rifle has a long reload time, meaning that it's bestused in the vicinity of cover.

Even taking this into account, the gauss rifle shouldbe near the top of your list when it comes to one-on-one'Mech combat, based on its capacity for destructionalone. It's less ideal against multiple targets though dueto its long reload times.

Missile Weapons

CROSSBOW SRMCrossbow missiles aredesigned primarily for short-range use and dish out the secondlowest damage rate of any weapon in thegame. Although this may seem reason enoughnot to use them, they have one extremely useful advan-tage over the two standard weapons in previous cate-gories: they feature guidance systems, enabling them tohome directly in on their target.

This extra accuracy is ideal for tackling smallerenemies, particularly fast ones that otherwise mightescape the blast of your Pulse Lasers or machine gun.What's more, the crossbow is capable of producing amodest degree of splash damage—perfect for harmingenemies when grouped closely together!

JAVELIN LRMJavelin missiles are thelong-range cousins ofthe crossbow SRM andhave the distinction of being theweakest weapon in the game, as theycause less damage over time due to a slow recharge rate.However, all the advantages of the crossbow's increasedaccuracy apply here. Use them when you're not sureyou'd otherwise strike your target.

With one of the longest ranges in the game, javelinsare particularly effective at taking out smaller enemies ata distance—VTOLs and other aircraft being one of thebest examples. Attempting to use javelins againstanything bigger really isn't recommended, unless youwant an extremely long battle on your hands….

6

7

COM

BAT BASICS & W

EAPON

S

HAMMER MISSILE

Hammer missiles are the mostpowerful form of missilesequipped on 'Mechs. Their operationis a little unusual however, thanks toseveral design quirks. First, they don't have assistanceguidance systems, meaning a good aim is imperative foreffective use. Second, they operate on a timer charge.When this weapon is selected, holding down 8 displaysa smaller clock face that gradually fills over time. Thefuller the clock, the longer the hammer missiles will taketo detonate on release—don't confuse this with a powergauge, as hammer missiles explode will full force, regard-less. The rule of thumb for using hammer missiles is thatthe further away an enemy is, the longer you shouldcharge the timer before releasing.

While hammer missiles are ideal for bringing down'Mechs quickly, remember that their unguided nature andlong reload time makes them unsuitable for fast-movingtargets or enemies in large groups.

POV MISSILE

POV missiles are foundsolely on certain types ofgun turrets. They're somewhatunusual due to the fact that guidancerelies entirely on manual control. As the namesuggests, when fired you'll receive a point-of-viewimage from onboard the missile. Use k to steer themissile and press up and down (forward and back) on gto speed up or slow your approach speed respectively.Reducing the missile's speed makes it much easier to hityour mark. To detonate a POV missile near a targetwithout actually hitting it, pull 7 or press 2.

POV missiles have the same pros and cons ashammer missiles: They're incredibly powerful and perfectfor use against larger 'Mechs. However, unless you’revery adept at controlling them, you'll find it particularlydifficult to hit fast-moving targets, making alternativeweapons more suitable if available.

DefensesCertain 'Mechs and vehicles are equipped with defensesthat offer additional protection against a variety ofweapons. Defenses can only be activated temporarilyand cease to function when your HUD's defense gaugehas emptied. Although your defenses drain automaticallywhile in use, you'll find they deplete faster the moredamage they take during combat. It pays to learn theintricacies of each defense type in the game and the'Mechs that use them. The appropriate weapons can thenbe selected from your armory during combat to avoidwasted shots and, consequently, exposure to return fire.

Reflective ArmorWhen activated,reflective armorsurrounds your'Mech in a bluefield. This typeof armorreduces theimpact damageof all energyweapons.

Reactive ArmorSimilarly, reac-tive armorreduces theeffectiveness ofan enemy'sballistic attacks.Reactive armoris distinguishedby its yellowhue when activated.

Active AMSWhen deployed, active AMS (anti-missile system) uses acharge of energy to destroy oncoming missile fire andnullify resulting splash damage. While active AMSaffects SRM, LRM, hammer missiles, and rockets,remember that it doesn't recognize POV missiles andmortars. Active AMS is tricky to distinguish on oppo-nents, as it doesn't have particularly obvious visualcharacteristics. Look carefully for small bolts of energyshooting out to strike your missiles as they near yourtarget—a sometimes subtle, but surefire way to certifythat active AMS is in operation.

Target JammingTarget jamming is designed to confuse weaponsequipped with assisted guidance systems and makestarget locking impossible when activated—dramaticallyincreasing your chances of dodging inbound fire. Likeactive AMS, it can be difficult to identify on an opponent.However, if you notice that your auto-guiding weaponsare not hitting their mark, switch to an aim-dependentweapon for the duration—the gauss rifle is particularlyeffective in these situations.

primagames.com

Null SigYou'll find thenull sig on avariety of 'Mechsand the RommelMK2 tank. Thenull sig operatesas a maskingdevice, causingyou to becomeboth invisible tothe eye and toenemy radar.However, the null sig is particularly sensitive to tempera-ture, meaning that heat-generating activities such asmoving and opening fire prevent it from working opti-mally. If you need to use the null sig stealthily—to pene-trate hostile quarters undetected, for example—always besure to move as slowly as possible and refrain from usingyour weapons until the danger area has been cleared.

SalvageSalvage func-tions as healthand weaponsupgrades inMechAssault 2and comes infour colors, eachaffecting your'Mech or vehiclein specific ways.Green salvagereplenishes yourarmor, blue salvage increases your energy weapons byone level, yellow salvage has the same effect on yourballistic weapons, and red salvage ups the level of yourmissile weapons. The last three only offer temporaryupgrades—level two and three weapons have a finiteamount of ammunition. Take note of the ammo count forany upgraded weapon: once you run out, the weaponwill decrease in strength one level at a time, untilit's at level one again.

You'll find salvage in a variety of places across thesingle-player campaign—either lying around the levels,waiting to be released from trucks or other vehicles and,most significantly, in the wreckage of destroyed 'Mechs.Generally speaking, the larger the 'Mech, the moresalvage up for grabs when the dust has settled.

Note that salvage that you get from destroyedopponents differs slightly between single-player andmultiplayer modes. In single-player mode, both map-based salvage and fallout salvage remain on the mapindefinitely, but in multiplayer mode, only map-basedsalvage lingers around.

STRATEGIES FOR COMBATEvasive ActionOne of the worst things you can do during combat isstand still, even for a moment—this instantly makes you aguaranteedtarget. Alwaysremain on themove, strafingleft and rightaround youropponent. You'llfind this dramat-ically reducesthe number ofhits you take,and even makesdodging certain slower guided weapons possible—provided you maintain a medium- to long-range distancefrom your foe. It goes without saying that faster 'Mechsare more effective when it comes to dodging enemyattacks—bear this in mind when a selection is available.

Retreat!It may seem odd in a game of confrontation, but backingaway from your opponent as soon as he appears is agreat tactic to use in combat. This type of retreatingbattle has a number of uses: it's much easier to maintainmid- to long-range by reversing, you're unlikely to inad-vertently stroll into densely populated, dangerous terri-tory, and you're far less likely to alert additional 'Mechsthat may be part of the same group to your presence.

Know Your OpponentAll your 'Mech opponents have strengths and weak-nesses that can be exploited to gain you the upper handin combat. Some 'Mechs are tailored to long-rangecombat while others are better in close quarters.Familiarize yourself with the specific combat styles ofyour adversaries and work against them to underminetheir defenses.

8

COM

BAT BASICS & W

EAPON

S

Undercover AgentBuildings andobstacles inlevels makefantastic coverfrom enemy fire.Always makethe most ofnearby struc-tures and duckin and out whilereturning fire.This dramaticallyreduces the damage you'll take. Cover is particularlyuseful when you've got a powerful but slow firingweapon in your stead, such as the PPC—take advantageof your hiding spot to prevent unnecessary exposurewhile waiting for your weapon to recharge.

Bring Down the House

Almost everything you see in the MechAssault 2universe can be blasted, toppled, or blown up.Take advantage of the destructible scenery inthe game and use it to provide additionalsupport for your already devastating firepower.Coax a 'Mech alongside a fuel depot forinstance, and send a few shots its way to blastthem both sky-high.

Creating Chains ofDestructionOnce a hostile 'Mech has taken all thebattering it can, it falls to the ground andexplodes with devastating force. Anythingcaught in the blast will likely be destroyedinstantly. With this in mind, it's possible, if alittle difficult in terms of timing, to line up agroup of 'Mechs, bring the first to its knees andwatch the whole lot go up in a satisfying chainof molten metal!

Death from AboveAnother advanced, but devastatingly effective techniqueto use during 'Mech combat is the "Death from Above"strike. Simply put, this involves firing your jumpjet-equipped 'Mech straight into the air and coming downright on top of your opponent’s head—hard. It can be atricky move to pull off but has two great consequences iffully successful: your foe will be knocked clean off its feetand cause massive damage when it falls. Otherwise, yourfoe stays on its feet and just takes damage only—whichisn't so bad, either!

primagames.com

9

10

MEET THE 'MECHSINTRODUCTIONWith thirty 'Mechs available to brutalize or battle-harden across the single- and multiplayer games, it canbe an overwhelming experience to track the possiblepermutations of your enemies. This chapter breaksdown each one of the BattleMechs into their keycomponent stats. Study this information to get a goodunderstanding of what makes each 'Mech tick—wheretheir strengths lie and what potential weaknesses thereare to exploit!

Stats ExplanationWeight, Speed, & ArmorBattleMechs fall into one of four possible categories:Light 'Mechs (under 40 tons), Medium 'Mechs (weighingbetween 40 and 55 tons), Heavy 'Mechs (ranging from60 to 75 tons), and Assault 'Mechs (anything between80 and 100 tons). Obviously, the lighter a 'Mech, thefaster it can move and turn to aim. You'll find it's mucheasier to dodge fire in a light 'Mech than in one fromthe heavier classes—however, light 'Mechs are muchmore prone to being knocked down by heavy firewhen they are hit. To counter this, heavy 'Mechs arefar more durable, withstanding greater levels ofdamage and heat.

Maximum Heat & Cool RateAll 'Mechs, regardless of size, are prone to malfunction inextreme heat. The more you use weapons, particularlythose that run hot, the higher the internal temperature ofyour 'Mech becomes. When the HUD's heat gaugereaches critical, weapons will cease to fire until the 'Mechhas had time to cool down. The Maximum Heat stat indi-cates the maximum temperature a 'Mech can reachbefore weapons no longer operate—the higher thetemperature, the more you can fire your weapons. TheCool Rate stat indicates the rate at which the temperaturewill decrease once firing has stopped.

Additional Components & WeaponsThe Weapons stat is very useful when used in conjunc-tion with the "Preparing for Battle: Combat Basics andWeapons" chapter of this guide. You'll find that byanalyzing the weapons list on a particular 'Mech, it'spossible to assess their optimum firing distances and usethis information to your advantage during confrontations.For example, the Star Adder is clearly designed for short-range combat, so you'll have more success against onefrom long distance—provided your own 'Mech isequipped to operate as such, of course!

Additional Components outlines any defenses a 'Mechmay have equipped, alongside any appearance of jump-jets. If an opposing 'Mech features a certain type ofdefense, be sure to avoid using weapons that might notfunction fully when activated.

Light 'MechsUller

WEIGHT: 30 SPEED: 30MAXIMUM HEAT: 100COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS, REFLECTIVE ARMORARMOR: 2750WEAPONS: LASER, CROSSBOW SRM

Kit Fox

WEIGHT: 30 SPEED: 30MAXIMUM HEAT: 100COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS, NULL SIGARMOR: 2750WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, HAMMER MISSILES

Corvus

WEIGHT: 35 SPEED: 32MAXIMUM HEAT: 107COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS, REFLECTIVE ARMORARMOR: 2964WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, AUTOCANNON,CROSSBOW SRM

Raven

WEIGHT: 35 SPEED: 32MAXIMUM HEAT: 107COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: NULL SIGARMOR: 2946WEAPONS: LASER, MACHINE GUN, CROSSBOW SRM

11

MEET

THE

‘MECH

S

Owens

WEIGHT: 35 SPEED: 34MAXIMUM HEAT: 107COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: REACTIVE ARMORARMOR: 2946WEAPONS: MACHINE GUN, CROSSBOW SRM

Hackman

WEIGHT: 35 SPEED: 34MAXIMUM HEAT: 107COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: NULL SIGARMOR: 2946WEAPONS: GAUSS RIFLE, CROSSBOW SRM

Cougar

WEIGHT: 35 SPEED: 30MAXIMUM HEAT: 109COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS, ACTIVE AMSARMOR: 2714WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, AUTOCANNON,JAVELIN LRM

Puma

WEIGHT: 36 SPEED: 30MAXIMUM HEAT: 109COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS, NULL SIGARMOR: 2714WEAPONS: PPC, MACHINE GUN, CROSSBOW SRM

Medium 'MechsRaptor

WEIGHT: 40 SPEED: 32MAXIMUM HEAT: 114COOL RATE: 12ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS, NULL SIGARMOR: 2857WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, AUTOCANNON,CROSSBOW SRM

Stiletto

WEIGHT: 40 SPEED: 32MAXIMUM HEAT: 114COOL RATE: 12ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,REACTIVE ARMORARMOR: 2857WEAPONS: FLAMETHROWER, GAUSS RIFLE,CROSSBOW SRM

Uziel

WEIGHT: 50 SPEED: 26MAXIMUM HEAT: 129COOL RATE: 12ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,REFLECTIVE ARMORARMOR: 3214WEAPONS: PPC, MACHINE GUN, CROSSBOW SRM

Belial

WEIGHT: 50 SPEED: 26MAXIMUM HEAT: 129COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,TARGET JAMMINGARMOR: 3214WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, GAUSS RIFLE,CROSSBOW SRM

Heavy 'MechsVulture

WEIGHT: 60 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 143COOL RATE: 12ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: REFLECTIVE ARMORARMOR: 3571WEAPONS: LASER, MACHINE GUN, JAVELIN LRM

Mad Dog

WEIGHT: 60 SPEED: 26MAXIMUM HEAT: 143COOL RATE: 12ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: TARGET JAMMINGARMOR: 3571WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, AUTOCANNON,CROSSBOW SRM

Catapult

WEIGHT: 65 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 150COOL RATE: 19ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,REFLECTIVE ARMORARMOR: 3750WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, JAVELIN LRM

Bowman

WEIGHT: 65 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 150COOL RATE: 17ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,REACTIVE ARMORARMOR: 3750WEAPONS: LASER, MACHINE GUN, HAMMER MISSILE

12

Thor

WEIGHT: 70 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 157COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,REACTIVE ARMORARMOR: 3929WEAPONS: LASER, MACHINE GUN,CROSSBOW SRM

Loki

WEIGHT: 70 SPEED: 28MAXIMUM HEAT: 157COOL RATE: 18ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: NULL SIGARMOR: 3929WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, AUTOCANNON,CROSSBOW SRM

Hellbringer

WEIGHT: 70 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 157COOL RATE: 18ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,ACTIVE AMSARMOR: 3929WEAPONS: FLAMER, AUTOCANNON, JAVELIN LRM

Summoner

WEIGHT: 70 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 157COOL RATE: 18ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: JUMPJETS,ACTIVE AMSARMOR: 3929WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, AUTOCANNON,HAMMER MISSILE

Wendigo

WEIGHT: 70 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 164COOL RATE: 13ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: REACTIVE ARMORARMOR: 3143WEAPONS: PPC, AUTOCANNON

Nova Cat

WEIGHT: 70 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 164COOL RATE: 14ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: REFLECTIVE ARMORARMOR: 3929WEAPONS: LASER, MACHINE GUN

Mad Cat

WEIGHT: 75 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 164COOL RATE: 13ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: TARGET JAMMINGARMOR: 4107WEAPONS: PPC, MACHINE GUN, JAVELIN LRM

Timber Wolf

WEIGHT: 75 SPEED: 23MAXIMUM HEAT: 164COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: ACTIVE AMSARMOR: 4107WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, GAUSS RIFLE,CROSSBOW SRM

Assault 'MechsAtlas

WEIGHT: 100 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 200COOL RATE: 17ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: ALPHA STRIKEARMOR: 6000WEAPONS: PULSE LASER, AUTOCANNON,JAVELIN LRM

Prometheus

WEIGHT: 100 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 200COOL RATE: 17ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: ALPHA STRIKEARMOR: 5500WEAPONS: LASER, GAUSS RIFLE, HAMMER MISSILE

Blood Asp

WEIGHT: 100 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 200COOL RATE: 11ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: ALPHA STRIKEARMOR: 5000WEAPONS: PLASMA PPC, MACHINE GUN,JAVELIN LRM

Star Adder

WEIGHT: 100 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 200COOL RATE: 11ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: ALPHA STRIKEARMOR: 5000WEAPONS: FLAMETHROWER, AUTOCANNON,PLASMA PPC

13

MEET

THE

‘MECH

S

Ragnarok

WEIGHT: 101 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 201COOL RATE: 11ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: LOSTECH DEFENSESARMOR: 5036WEAPONS: LAVA GUN, GAUSS RIFLE, JAVELIN LRM

Ymir

WEIGHT: 101 SPEED: 19MAXIMUM HEAT: 201COOL RATE: 10ADDITIONAL COMPONENTS: LOSTECH DEFENSESARMOR: 5036WEAPONS: PPC, AUTOCANNON, LAVA GUN

Mech Comparison TableName Weight Armor Speed Max Heat Cool Rate Additional Comp 1 Additional Comp 2 Energy Weapon Ballistic Weapon Missile Weapon

Uller 30 2750 30 100 10 Jumpjets Energy defenses Laser (x2) — Crossbow (SRM) (x2)

Kit Fox 30 2750 30 100 10 Jumpjets Nul l sig Pulse laser — Hammer missile

Corvus 35 2946 32 107 10 Jumpjets Energy defenses Pulse laser (x2) Autocannon Crossbow (SRM) (x2)

Raven 35 2946 32 107 10 — Null sig Laser Machine gun (x2) Crossbow (SRM)

Owens 35 2946 34 107 10 — Ballistic defenses None Machine gun (x2) Crossbow (SRM) (x2)

Hackman 35 2946 34 107 10 — Null sig None Gauss rifle Crossbow (SRM) (x2)

Cougar 36 2714 30 109 10 Jumpjets Active AMS Pulse laser (x2) Autocannon Javelin (LRM) (x2)

Puma 36 2714 30 109 10 Jumpjets Nul l sig PPC Machine gun (x2) Crossbow (SRM) (x2)

Raptor 40 2857 32 114 12 Jumpjets Nul l sig Pulse laser Autocannon Crossbow (SRM) (x4)

Stiletto 40 2857 32 114 12 Jumpjets Bal listic defenses Flamethrower Gauss rifle Crossbow (SRM) (x2)

Uziel 50 3214 26 129 12 Jumpjets Energy Defenses PPC (x2) Machine gun Crossbow (SRM)

Belial 50 3214 26 129 10 Jumpjets Target jamming Pulse laser Gauss rifle (x2) Crossbow (SRM)

Vulture 60 3571 23 143 12 — Energy defenses Laser (x2) Machine gun Javelin (LRM) (x4)

Mad Dog 60 3571 26 143 12 — Target jamming Pulse laser (x2) Autocannon (x2) Crossbow (SRM) (x4)

Catapult 65 3750 19 150 19 Jumpjets Energy defenses Pulse laser (x4) — Javelin (LRM) (x4)

Bowman 65 3750 19 150 17 Jumpjets Bal listic defenses Laser (x2) Machine gun (x2) Hammer missile (x2)

Thor 70 3929 23 157 10 Jumpjets Bal listic defenses Laser (x2) Machine gun (x4) Crossbow (SRM) (x2)

Loki 70 3929 28 157 18 Nul l Sig — Pulse laser (x2) Autocannon (x2) Crossbow (SRM) (x3)

Hel lbringer 70 3929 23 157 18 Jumpjets Active AMS Flamer (x2) Autocannon (x2) Javelin (LRM)

Summoner 70 3929 23 157 18 Jumpjets Active AMS Pulse laser (x4) Autocannon (x2) Hammer missile

Wendigo 70 3143 23 164 13 — Ballistic defenses PPC (x2) Autocannon (x3) —

Nova Cat 70 3929 23 164 14 — Energy defenses Laser (x4) Machine gun —

Mad Cat 75 4107 23 164 13 — Target jamming PPC (x2) Machine gun (x2) Javelin (LRM) (x4)

Timber Wolf 75 4107 23 164 10 Active AMS — Pulse laser (x2) Gauss rifle (x2) Crossbow (SRM) (x4)

Atlas 100 6000 19 200 17 — Alpha strike Pulse laser (x4) Autocannon (x4) Javelin (LRM) (x2)

Prometheus 100 5500 19 200 10 — Alpha strike Laser (x3) Gauss rifle (x2) Hammer missile (x2)

Blood Asp 100 5000 19 200 11 — Alpha strike Plasma PPC (x2) Machine gun (x4) Javelin (LRM) (x2)

Star Adder 100 5000 19 200 11 — Alpha strike Flamethrower Autocannon (x4) —

Plasma PPC

Ragnarok 101 5036 19 201 11 — LosTech defenses Lava gun Gauss rifle (x2) Javelin (LRM) (x4)

Ymir 101 5036 19 201 10 — LosTech defenses PPC (x2) Autocannon (x4) Lava Gun

primagames.com

14

Mission One: STREET SWEEPERMISSION OVERVIEWWhile shopping for parts in Dante City,a surprise invasion catches your teamoff guard. With no time to properlyprepare for a counterassault, the onlysolution is to leap into the as-yet-untested BattleArmor, hit the streetsof the city, and wipe out the hostileinvaders. Be careful though—Dante'sMilitia has launched a counterassaultof their own and are cheerily indis-criminate in their targeting!

What You Need to KnowThis mission is primarily an introduc-tion to the all-new BattleArmor suit.This addition to the game enables youto roam the terrain outside of a 'Mech,while still maintaining several defen-sive and offensive abilities. TheBattleArmor is equipped with pulselasers and mortar weapons, alongwith jumpjets to reach high-up areas.You'll be using it a lot throughout thegame, so take time to familiarize your-self with it while things are still rela-tively peaceful!

OBJECTIVE TARGETSDestroy the marked truck for salvage

Destroy the tunnels to stopenemy reinforcements

Climb over the city wall to meet the invasion

Head off the invaders at the shoreline

Take out the enemy ship to stop the shoreline assault

Stop the assault on the workshop

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

NEW OBJECTIVEDestroy the marked truck for salvage

Map Target Marker:

MAP KEY

11

22

33

44

55

2233

44 55

66

11

After clambering into your BattleArmor,test the pulse lasers by squeezing 8and bring a few foot soldiers to theirknees. Use k to aim your reticle—it'slocked on target when it turns red.

22

11

66

When instructed,switch to mortarshells by hitting7, then use 8to fire. Theharder yousqueeze 8, thefarther mortarshells travel onrelease.

Spend some time practicing aiming yourmortars. It can be tricky to judge how hard youshould squeeze 8 in relation to the distance of yourenemies, so try to focus on how far back or forwardyour mortars are pitched—this will help you controlthe accuracy of your shots.

Immediately takeout the armoredtank to the northusing a mortar.Next, begin trav-eling to thenortheast anduse a mortarshell to obliteratethe tankstationed directlyaround the corner to the right.

Armored vehicles cause your BattleArmorthe most grief as you traverse Dante, but don'tunderestimate the power of the Militia Force's footsoldiers. Every successful strike from their weaponsdepletes your armor levels a small amount, so elim-inate them with a few pulse blasts once the morepowerful threats have been destroyed.

Continue moving northeast and follow the red arrow-shaped navpoint in the center of your HUD. This alwayspoints in the direction of your next target. Keep walkingalong the road leading north when you reach it. Plungeover the ledge ahead, as the path swings away to thewest, and immediately equip your mortars. On theground, lay siege to the enemy tanks waiting directly tothe north.

The heavy artillery of thesestationary tanks can be devastating. Stay on themove by strafing left and right, keeping out of theirline of fire, to minimize potential damage to yourBattleArmor.

When the tanks have been decimated, turn east anddestroy the truck in your path. Run over the blue salvageto complete the objective.

Blue salvage increases the firepower ofyour energy weapons for a short time, red salvageupgrades missile-based guns, and yellow salvagetemporarily beefs up your ballistic weapons. Finally,green salvage revitalizes your armor.

You'll find salvage by destroying vehicles aroundthe various mission terrains and by downingopposing 'Mechs. Always be on the look out foradditional salvage—it can make all the differencebetween victory and defeat!

M1: STREET SW

EEPER

primagames.com 15

16

OBJECTIVEDestroy tunnels to stop enemy reinforcements

Map Target Marker:

Rejoin the roadto the east andfollow it north.The tunnels,forming yournext two targets,lay on eitherside of thebuilding ahead.At the junction,take the roadmoving west and follow it as it bends to the north.

Approach the tunnel, disabling any tanks that appear,and launch a mortar directly above the entrance as youclose in. There's a truck in the alley directly to theright—blow it up and collect the green salvage to refreshyour armor.

Continueeast and swingto the left asyou move backinto the open.Destroy thesecond tunnelentrance asbefore.

OBJECTIVEClimb over the city wall to meet the invasion

Map Target Marker:

Obliterate thetruck stationeddirectly east andcollect the bluesalvage revealedin the debris.Follow the roadthat heads eastand stop closeto the high wall blockingyour path.

To scale the wallahead, press g tofire theBattleArmor'sjumpjets and hit1 to latch ontothe wall beforetheir powerdepletes. When

they've recharged,push T to automatically jet up and grip the surfaceabove. Repeat this method until you're clear of the wall.

OBJECTIVEHead off the invaders at the shoreline

Map Target Marker:

Immediately blast the trucks to the southeast and swipethe blue and green salvage. Blow up the pier across the water and grab the red salvage to upgrade yourmortar shells.

To the south,enemy tankshave breachedthe shoreline andare approachingthe city perimeter.Use your mortarsto take out thethree targets.

22

33

44

primagames.com

M1: STREET SW

EEPER

These tanks are a lot more maneuverablethan those previously encountered. To bring themdown, keep strafing to avoid their fire and move inas close as possible before launching an attack.Aiming from a distance increases your mortar'strajectory and, correspondingly, the time it takes tostrike your target—enemy tanks will use these extramoments to shift out of your line of fire.

You can keep firing mortarsonly if your weapon has had time to rechargebetween rounds. If you haven't finished recharging,and your first mortar missed its mark, be awarethat your BattleArmor will be wide open to attackuntil your weapon is ready to fire again!

OBJECTIVETake out the enemy ship to stop the shoreline assault

Map Target Marker:

Equip the pulselasers and termi-nate the footsoldiersswarming yourposition beforesetting yoursights on thechopper over-head. A fewblasts will bring itdown, leavingyou free toconcentrate onthe main target.Turn your atten-tion to the shipstationed acrossthe water, to theeast. Usemortars at theirmaximum rangeto destroy thevessel as quickly as possible.

The ship's gun turrets will glowgreen momentarily before firing lasers in yourdirection. Maintain your position until they begin toglow, then immediately strafe out of their path. Abrief blast of your jumpjets can boost your speed,shifting you out of harm’s way more quickly. Assoon as the danger subsides, lay on the shells untilthe ship sinks beneath the waves.

OBJECTIVENat and Foster are under attack. Stop the assault on the workshop

Map Target Marker:

It's time to return to the workshop! Swing around to facewest and jumpjet over the wall ahead. Back on the otherside, wind southwest, skirting over the rooftops, until youreach the long road running north to south in the centerof the city.

Follow it south and scale the wall ahead using thejumpjets to reach the upper level. Continue south alongthe road, deal with the tank obstructing your route, andtake a right as the path swings to the west.

Destroy the final tank blocking the workshop entrance tothe southwest, using a well-aimed mortar shell tocomplete the mission.

55

66

17

Mission Two: SIGNS OF LIFE

OBJECTIVE TARGETSNeuroHack or destroy the scout 'Mech

Destroy the enemy ship

Go to the next navpoint

Enemy 'Mechs stand between you and the crashed dropship. Stop them by any means necessary

The dropship crashed in a dense section of the city. Follow the navpoint

The friendly 'Mech is under assault. Destroy the attackers.

MAP KEYMISSION OVERVIEWAfter successfully clearing the city of hostiles and thwarting theinitial shoreline invasion, your equipment detects multiple dropshipslanding in nearby territory. One ship catches Natalia's attentionwhen it's knocked clean out of the sky; however, there are morepressing matters to deal with first. Terminate the enemy scout 'Mechand hostile cargo ships bringing troops and supplies into Dante, thenset your sights on locating any survivors at the crash site.

What You Need to KnowNow that you've become accustomed to the BattleArmor, it's timeto climb into your first 'Mech. 'Mechs are controlled a little differ-ently than the BattleArmor, so if this is your first time in thecockpit, spend a few moments getting used to the setup. You'llalso be introduced to the concept of NeuroHacking—a newfeature in the MechAssault universe. NeuroHacking is onlypossible while in your BattleArmor; it enables you to crack into

an enemy 'Mech's defenses and eject the pilot. Once the 'Mechis unoccupied, you're free to hijack it and use it for your

own nefarious needs!

66

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

112233

44

55

22

33 44

5511

66

on the rooftop

18

primagames.com

M2: SIG

NS O

F LIFE

OBJECTIVENeuroHack or destroy the scout 'Mech

Map Target Marker:

As soon as themission begins,an enemyCougar 'Mechstarts headingnorth on thestreets below. Ifyou lose sightof your target atany time, simplyfollow the rednavpoint on your HUD to locate it again. Wait for the'Mech to disappear behind the buildings ahead anddrop down to ground level. The 'Mech continuescircling the block in a clockwise direction unless yourposition is exposed.

Although you're given the choice to eitherdestroy or NeuroHack the hostile Cougar at the outsetof the mission, the latter option is infinitely preferableas you'll gain control of a prime chunk of mechan-ical death to do your bidding. Your BattleArmorcan only take so much of a beating from the'Mech, so concentrate on getting close to yourtarget to initiate a NeuroHack and onlyattack as a means of defense. If youdamage the 'Mech too much, it'll keep thehits it took—leaving it less useful to you.

Hunt down the 'Mech, using your radar,and move in as quickly as possible. Yourjumpjets are handy for an extra speedboost so regularly fire them off to shrinkthe distance between you and theCougar.

If you're spotted,the Cougar willrace away toprevent youfrom gettingclose enough toperform aNeuroHack.Keep boostingtoward yourtarget, avoidingits gunfire, untilyou're within arm’s reach. Immediately hit 1 to latch onand begin the hacking sequence.

To successfully complete the NeuroHack,hit the buttons on your control pad that correspondwith the onscreen prompts. If the 'Mech pilotcompletes the sequence first, the Cougar will shakeyou off and you'll need to begin the process over (inaddition to taking several bars of damage). Oncesuccessful, the pilot will eject, leaving you free tocommandeer the Cougar.

OBJECTIVEDestroy the enemy ship

Map Target Marker:

Once the 'Mech has been downed, hit 4 toexit the BattleArmor. Approach the Cougar's

cockpit and press 4 again to climb inside.Control the 'Mech using g to move aroundand k to target enemies.

11

22

19

The Cougar is a light 'Mech equipped withpulse lasers, autocannon, and javelin LRM. Thesefall under the categories of energy, ballistic, andmissile weapons respectively. The javelin packs thebiggest punch of the Cougar's arsenal but takestime to reload. Use a combination of the auto-cannon and javelin when tackling other 'Mechs. Thepulse lasers are best used against smaller targetssuch as vehicles.

Steer the Cougarnorth to thewaterfront,following thered navpoint. An armored shipand a secondCougar 'Mechwait out on thewater, ready foraction. Theship's lasers are difficult to avoid, so deal with it first,using the javelin to disable its gun turrets. Next, concen-trate your fire on the Cougar.

It's possible to stay out of the 'Mech'sradar by hanging back between the city buildings,enabling you to lay on some early damage using acouple of well-aimed missiles. When it gives chase,jumpjet backward, keeping your sights on theCougar. As it closes in, switch to the autocannon—when used correctly this weapon can knock alighter 'Mech clean off its feet. Under no circum-stances should you try to engage the enemy overthe water. It's all too easy to plunge into the depths,depleting your armor rapidly.

Keep blasting atthe enemy untilit's destroyed.There's addi-tional salvage inhangars alongthe street to theeast and a spare'Mech to thesouth if needed.When peace is

restored, return to the waterfront and aim a few missilesat the ship's bulk to sink it below the surface.

Avoid getting caughtin the blast radiuswhen a 'Mech goesdown. The force of theexplosion can causesevere damage to yourarmor, souring your victory significantly.

OBJECTIVEGo to the next navpoint

Map Target Marker:

Follow the greennavpoint east toreach the wallblocking yourpath. Hop ontop of a lowbuilding ordemolish aconstruction toget in close tothe wall, thenuse your jumpjets to swoop over to the other side.

OBJECTIVEEnemy 'Mechs stand between you and the crasheddropship. Stop them by any means necessary

Map Target Marker:

As you touchthe ground, ahostile Uller'Mech homes inon your posi-tion. Takeadvantage ofyour arsenaland blow it tosmithereens.Check out thehangars to the south and east of the area for somehandy salvage.

33

44

20

21primagames.com

M2: SIG

NS O

F LIFE

The Uller 'Mech is equipped withreflective armor that reduces the effectiveness ofyour energy weapons if engaged. When the tell-tale blue sheen appears over the Uller's armor,switch to missiles and ballistic weapons tocontinue the fight.

OBJECTIVEThe dropship crashed in a dense section of the city.Follow the navpoint

Map Target Marker:

Once your foehas beentoppled, collectthe armorsalvage from the smokingremains andjumpjet over thewall to the east.

OBJECTIVEThe friendly 'Mech is under assault. Destroy theattackers

Map Target Marker:

Jumpjet east asecond time toreach theclearing beyondthe dropshipwreckage. Thereare two hostileUller 'Mechs andone friendlyLoki in the area.Your aimingreticle turnsgreen whentrained on yourally so avoidhitting thewrong target.

This battle isfairly easy,thanks to theUllers lack ofheavy firepowerand plenty ofassistance fromyour comrade.Keep movingand swipe thesalvage hiddenin the hangars on the ground if required. Once bothenemy 'Mechs are destroyed, the mission is complete.

55

66

22

Mission Three: TANK RUSHMISSION OVERVIEWAfter a successful rescue mission, youbring the survivor of the dropshipcrash to HQ. Natalia is surprised torecognize an old acquaintance—thespace pirate Alera. A plot is quicklyhatched to return to Alera's orbitingjumpship and head over to Northwind,so that the team can rendezvous withthe other remaining Dragoons. Firstthough, you'll need to penetrate thehostile defenses and make your wayover to the spaceport, in the hope ofhitching a lift out of here. Before allthat though, you're going to need avehicle with a really big gun….

What You Need to KnowNow that you've put your BattleArmorthrough its paces and leveled yourfirst city in a 'Mech, it's time to try oneof MechAssault 2's new tanks out forsize. Like 'Mechs, tanks use g and kfor movement and aiming respectively.However, you won't have jumpjets tohelp you out. This won't pose much of aproblem—tanks are extremely maneu-verable across all types of terrain, making them a surprisingly nimble mode oftransport. What's more, the onboard machine guns and gravity cannons combineto create a meaty arsenal.

In comparison to earlier missions, this level ups the action considerably. You'llneed to stay constantly alert to your surroundings and use your weapons effec-tively to make it through safely.

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Commandeer an enemy vehicle

Move to the next checkpoint

Move to the next checkpoint

Destroy the guard forces tobreak into the spaceport

Use the panel to open the spaceport gate11

2233

44

55

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

OBJECTIVECommandeer an enemy vehicle

Map Target Marker: 11

Approach the tank to the north and workclockwise around its rear until you reachthe hatch on the north-facing side. Onarrival, hit 4 to commandeer the tankand immediately drive over the enemysoldiers ahead.

22

33

44

55

11

23

M3: TAN

K RUSH

The three guards stationed in front ofthe tank won't react to your presence, provided youremain quiet and out of sight. However, if you arespotted, enemies further into the level will bealerted, making for a slightly tougher trek throughthe first part of the mission.

OBJECTIVEMove to the next checkpoint

Map Target Marker:

Don't deploy the tank's arsenaluntil absolutely necessary. It's better to lie low andmove as far along the level as possible withoutblowing your cover. One blast from your guns willimmediately cause the enemy to home in on yourconvoy's position and open fire.

Steer the tankonto the roadahead andfollow it left as itbends slowlyround to theeast. At thecheckpoint,grind to a halt infront of themassive gatesand remainmotionlessinside the greenlight as the timercounts down.When the gatesswing open,continue yourjourney eastalong the road.

OBJECTIVEMove to the next checkpoint

Map Target Marker:

Stick to the road as it bends north toward the next check-point. On arrival, pull into the area and wait for thepassenger scan to commence. Like it or not, your cover'sblown once the passenger scan is complete. Equip thetank's machine gun and lay into the Elemental thatappears. If necessary, demolish the trucks lining the road-side to the south for some handy salvage.

Strictly speaking, Elementals aren'tBattleMechs at all—they're an earlier version of theBattleArmor technology. Thanks to their lightweightarmor, Elementals can only withstand a limitedamount of damage. However, it also means they'remuch swifter than your average 'Mech. AnElemental can run rings around you if you move intoo close, firing its jumpjets to shoot straight overyour head. Hang back in the distance and pound itwith ballistic weapons to finish it off quickly.

Once theElemental hasbeen destroyed,continue north-east along theroad. As youround thecorner, listen forFoster's explana-tion of thetank's cannons.Immediately come to a halt, equip your cannon, and hit3 to enter zoom mode. From your current position, oblit-erate both pairs of enemy tanks and gun turrets in thedistance to the southeast. Before proceeding, eliminatethe two gun turrets stationed on the hillside above.

22

33primagames.com

Proceed alongthe road,moving south-east, until itdisappearsbeneath theundergrowthahead. To theright of thesteep incline, infront of yourtank, are two circular buildings. Grab the blue and greensalvage concealed in the hangars to their rear, thenreturn to your previous position and drive up the slope,heading southeast.

At the brow of the hill, stop and switch to cannon zoom.Slowly inch forward and decimate the gun turrets guardingthe checkpoint ahead. Finally, launch a few missiles at thecheckpoint wall until it crumbles to the ground. Zoom out,equip the machine gun, and quickly terminate the twoElementals that emerge from the wreckage.

Try to remain concealed behind the hill toyour left as you fight off the enemy marauders.Breaking cover will alert the hostiles on the otherside to your presence, making your tussle with theopposition that much more difficult.

As the secondElemental falls,swipe anysalvage from thewreckage andfollow the roadas it swings tothe north. Useyour cannons toeradicate bothtanks obstructingyour route ahead, then blast the turrets mounted on either

side of the bridge to the northwest. Before proceeding,steam over the salvage against the wall to the east.

Next, approach the bridge but don't move onto it. Whenthe dust clears, maneuver close to the ledge and useyour cannons to decommission the tanks circling theclearing below. Once they're out of action, zoom in onthe two gun turrets stationed on the hillside opposite andshow them who's boss.

Drop downinto the clearingand take on theElemental thatsoars down fromthe skies. Keepyour eyes on thenorthern bank—any remainingtanks will try tobring you downfrom this position, so deal with them first. When peace isrestored, scale the northeastern slope to reach the oppo-site side of the valley.

At the top,take out anyapproachingtanks and investi-gate the blockedtunnel to thenorth. Yellow,green, and bluesalvage can befound hidden inthe truck andhangars to the right. From here, slip down the incline to theleft of the tunnel and travel northwest. Rejoin the road atthe bottom and decimate any tanks, Elementals, and gunturrets that welcome your arrival—preferably in that order.

After collecting thesalvage from outsidethe tunnel on the hill,there's an alternativeroute to the west.Instead of heading24

M3: TAN

K RUSH

down the incline to the left, take the western path andfollow it all the way to ground level. There's a hangarhousing a controllable Owens 'Mech at the bottom,guarded by a pair of Elementals and two turrets.

Stealing the 'Mech is optional, but it packs aheftier punch than the tank and can be extremelyhandy later on when tackling the Owens thatpatrols the spaceport. If you decide to acquire theOwens, follow the nearby road to the northwestuntil you reach the spaceport, then complete themission as directed later in this chapter.

As you movewest along theroad, explore thehangars liningthe left-handside. You'll berewarded withyellow, red, blue,and greensalvage.

OBJECTIVEDestroy the guard forces to break into the spaceport

Map Target Marker:

As you roundthe corner to thenorthwest, thespaceport risesinto view.Immediatelyempty yourcannon in thedirection of thegun turretsmounted oneither side of the entrance gate. This will alert an addi-tional tank and Owens 'Mech to your presence.

The Owens 'Mech comes equippedwith reactive armor that deflects ballistic weapons,including your machine guns, when activated.While the pulsating yellow armor is visible acrossthe 'Mech's body, the effectiveness of these weaponsis temporarily reduced.

The Owens hasconsiderable firepowercompared to the majorityof hostiles encounteredso far. This can be prob-lematic due to the tank'scomparatively limitedmaneuverability. A good strategy for bringing about theOwens' quick demise is to equip your cannons and zoomin as it leaves the spaceport to the west.

Immediately begin pounding the 'Mech's body withyour gravity cannon as it approaches. Hits from thegravity cannon frequently knock the Owens off its feet,providing ample opportunity to pile on additional damagewhile it's down. Repeat until the 'Mech is destroyed,moving back occasionally as it begins to draw near.

OBJECTIVEUse the panel to open the spaceport gate (you mustfirst exit your vehicle)

Map Target Marker:

When the coastis clear, headwest toward thejunction in theroad. Look southand use yourzoomed cannonto decimate theenemy turrets inthe distance.Finally, take care

of the two patrolling Elementals—there's green and bluesalvage situated in the two trucks directly west if you need it.

Return to the junc-tion and movewest into thespaceport parkinglot. Pull up next tothe wall and exityour vehicle using4. Approach thepanel on the leftside of the roadand press 1 toactivate it. Follow the onscreen prompts and hit the corre-sponding buttons to hack into the system. Whensuccessful, hop back into your vehicle of choice and drivethrough the spaceport gates to complete the mission.

44

55

25

Mission Four: LET'S GET OFF THIS ROCK

MISSION OVERVIEWHaving successfully fought your way through the enemy defensesinto the spaceport, it's time to requisition a ship and get the helloff the planet. The Dragoon's vessel, the Icarus, still lies inside thespaceport but requires Foster's attention before it can getairborne again. Hold off the hostile forces and block their accesspoints into the spaceport while the Icarus is primed for action. Becareful though, if the enemy destroys your ride to freedom, yourteam is doomed….

What You Need to KnowNot only must you shut down access to the spaceport, there's analmost constant onslaught of hostile units to deal with during themission. This makes the level one of the most frantic so far. You'll

need to pull all your skills together to protect the Icarus andget out alive. Luckily, you have access to the Belial 'Mech—

the most devastating machine in your charge up to this point. Makefull use of its powerful arsenal, including gauss rifle, crossbow, andpulse lasers, to battle the wave of enemy forces.

26

OBJECTIVE TARGETSLock down the spaceport by securing the gates via the control panels

Secure area

MAP KEY

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

11

22

2211

22 11

22

22

27

M4: LET'S GET O

FF THIS ROCK

OBJECTIVELock down the spaceport by securing the gates via thecontrol panels

Map Target Marker:

OBJECTIVESecure area

Map Target Marker:

While Fosterprepares theIcarus fortakeoff, youneed to takecare of thehostile forcesheading towardyour position.Your initial goalsare to lockdown the space-port and collapse the tunnels leading into the compoundto stop the influx of enemies.

Depending on your actions last mission,either the stolen tank or Owens 'Mech is currentlyunder your control. Although it's possible to fightthrough the tide of enemy units using either, you'llhave a much tougher time this way. A mountableBelial 'Mech sits to the southeast; hop out of yourcurrent vehicle and requisition it immediately.There's plenty of salvage strewn across the level, sohunt it out and beef up the Belial if things get hairy.

Head southwestand passthrough thegateway to thesouth. Next,eliminate theopposition tankson either side ofthe tunnelentrance directlyahead.

Tanks will continue to emerge fromthe tunnels around the spaceport until theentrances are destroyed. It's vital that you remainalert to your surroundings at all times—if you let thehostile forces build up too much, your task is goingto get a lot harder.

The mighty bulk of the Belial can crushopposing tanks underfoot with ease. It's often muchmore efficient to take them out this way and saveyour charged weapons for the tougher 'Mechconfrontations to come.

Quickly launch a few rockets at the area above thetunnel mouth until it collapses, then set your sights onthe nearby Elemental. When it's destroyed, head alongthe road running east to west and cave in the tunnelopenings at either end. This stems the flow of enemytanks in the southern portion of the compound.

Return to theoriginal tunnelmouth, disem-bark yourvehicle and jackinto the consoleto the right. Hitthe buttons asdirected, thenclimb backinside. Travelback throughthe gate to the north and, if you haven't already done soalready, park up in front of the Belial 'Mech. Approachthe ladder and hit 4 to commandeer it.

22

11

primagames.com

The Belial is equipped with jets, pulselasers, crossbow, and gauss rifle. The gauss riflepacks a devastating punch when upgraded usingsalvage; use the gauss when an enemy is directlyin your sights—it's particularly effective againstthe smaller enemies you encounter during themission. The crossbow is handy against nimblerhostiles when it's not possible to target accuratelywith the gauss, but is fairly weak.

By this point,enemy reinforce-ments are ontheir way. Headnorth until youreach the tunnelentrance directlyahead. As youapproach, oblit-erate the laserturrets flankingthe opening,then destroy theentrance itself.Next, take careof the tunnel tothe east ofthe road leadingeast to west.Once again,return to thenorthern tunnelmouth and jack into the computer situated to the right.

To continue farther into the mission, alltunnels must have been destroyed. If any remainopen, you'll be ordered to finish them off. Double-check the entrances to the north, northeast, south-east, south, and southwest of the compound.Collapse any tunnels still standing and return to thecenter of the spaceport.

Two Raptor'Mechs arrivenot long after.Head over to thesoutheasternouter perimeter,destroy the lineof hangars, andpilfer anysalvage left inthe rubble.There's moresalvage on the far western edge of the spaceport too, ifyou want to max out your weapons.

When the enemy 'Mechs land, yourcrossbow should be primed enough to launch anear constant volley. Use it until your foes switch ontheir null sig devices. You can't get a lock on yourtarget when this happens so lure them over to oneof the gas tankards located around the spaceport. Afew blasts to the tankards will result in a massiveexplosion, causing serious damage to any 'Mechscaught in the vicinity.

Battle theRaptors, seekingout armorsalvage from thehangars andmoving trucksaround the area,as required. TheBelial's jumpjetsare especiallyuseful fordodging enemyfire, so use them liberally. Once both 'Mechs aredestroyed, the mission is complete and it's time to take tothe skies in the Icarus.

28

primagames.com

M5: TO

THE RESCU

E

Mission Five: TO THE RESCUE

MISSION OVERVIEWWith the Icarus successfully in orbit,your team turns to Alera to make thejump to Northwind in search of theremaining Dragoons. However, some-thing goes awry and the ship reemergesover the planet Thestria. Even moretroublingly, the same invaders encoun-tered on Dante are attacking the Houseof Kurita below. Natalia quickly formu-lates a plan, resulting in your immediatedeployment to the planet's surface.Assist the Kuritan forces in clearing thearea of hostiles, then start searching forsome answers….

What You Need to KnowThe 'Mechs you're up against this timearound are a lot tougher than yourprevious opponents. Although theCougar and Stiletto 'Mechs shouldn'tcause too much strife, the numbers ofenemies attacking can be over-whelming at first. Simply keep calm,keep your weapons primed, and takeeach one out as quickly as possible.Concentrate on larger opponents first,but don't underestimate smaller units such as tanks and helicopters—you'll stilltake quite a beating if you let them roam free for too long.

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

The Kuritans are under attack—help them

Fight off the second wave of enemies

Help defend all friendly bases and gather Allied support troops

Take the forces you have gathered and attack the enemy outpost

Clear out sector

1122334455

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

22

33

44

55

11

33

29

30

OBJECTIVEThe Kuritans are under attack. Help them

Map Target Marker:

As the missionbegins, theStiletto 'Mech isin your charge.Your first task isto destroy theinitial wave ofenemy unitsspeeding fromthe west, awayfrom the deci-mated Alliedbase, toward the Icarus' landing spot.

The Stiletto is equipped with jumpjets,flamethrower, gauss rifle, and crossbow SRM. Theflamethrower is a pretty rare piece of 'Mechweaponry and dishes out a surprising amount ofdamage—but its drawbacks are that it must be usedin close quarters to have any real impact on youropponent, and that your 'Mech overheats quicklywhile using it (to combat the second problem, use itonly in short bursts). A good combination of weaponson the Stiletto to use against Cougar 'Mechs is thegauss rifle and flamethrower: if you manage toknock an enemy 'Mech off its feet with the gauss, itbecomes a helpless target for the flamethrower.

The blast radius of adowned Cougar ishuge. Make sureyou're well away from the area whenone hits the groundfor the last time—the force can be devastatingenough to obliterate your 'Mech!

OBJECTIVEFight off the second wave of enemies

Map Target Marker:

No time for abreather yet!Collect thesalvage droppedby your earlieropponents, thenready yourselffor the nextwave ofattackers.

The Stiletto's reactive armor makes ithighly resistant to ballistic weapons such as autocannons and machine guns. Hit k to activateit in a tight spot. Remember though, it can onlytake so much of a battering, so always be surethere's sufficient cover nearby in the event ofsudden failure.

The next assaultapproachesfrom the north-west so readyyourself andtake down all'Mechs andground vehiclesstorming thevicinity.

OBJECTIVEHelp defend all friendly bases and gather Alliedsupport troops

Map Target Marker:

Follow the green navpoint through the water, headingwest. As you approach the second Allied base, theattacking enemy parties turn their sights on you. Takedown the opposing forces and investigate the base foradditional salvage when the coast is clear.

11

22

33

31primagames.com

M5: TO

THE RESCU

E

As you trek from base to base, a proces-sion of Allied tanks will join your position. Yourreticle glows green when you have them in yoursights. Avoid decimating friendly forces duringcombat, as they prove invaluable to the campaignlater in the level.

In addition to theground troopsencountered so far,several helicopters arescouting the skiesabove. Their laserspack a powerful punch so use the crossbow to homein on them quickly and bring them crashing to theground. Be sure to avoid straying into their path asthey hit the earth, though!

Turn aroundand follow theobjective arrowto the north-east. There'sanother bunchof enemyattackers closeto the bridgeyou encounter.Finish them offand continuetoward the nextAllied base.Upon arrival,decimate theopposing forces.

This time around, there's an opposingStiletto 'Mech to deal with. Although relativelyweak, it uses its own reactive armor to deflect yourballistic weapons. Strafe around it in a circle andlaunch a torrent of crossbow missiles to finish it off.

OBJECTIVETake the forces you have gathered and attack theenemy outpost

Map Target Marker:

Before contin-uing, raid thenearby Alliedbase for anyuseful salvage.Next, beginmoving south-west, followingthe greennavpoint acrossthe terrain forguidance. As the route swings to the north, the enemyoutpost comes into view. Begin obliterating hostiles asyou approach the compound.

Steer the Stiletto up to the outpost entrance. Insteadof making yourself vulnerable by exiting your 'Mech tohack the gate, jump over the wall to get inside thefortress.

OBJECTIVEClear out sector

Map Target Marker:

To wrap up themission, wipeout theremaininghostile targets.

44

55

32

Mission Six: 'MECH SHOPPING

MISSION OVERVIEWAfter the successful destruction of the first enemy outpost onThestria, Natalia conjures up an audacious plan of action to preparethe team for the next assault on hostile turf. After deployment onthe ground, you must ride over to the enemy base and hijack asmany of their 'Mechs as possible—increased 'Mech supplies meanincreased firepower, which is instrumental for the success of yournext operation. Keep infiltrating the compound and returning thestolen goods to the Icarus until Natalia is satisfied….

What You Need to KnowThere's a whole new way of getting around this time, in theform of Natalia's VTOL. You can't control the aircraft directlyjust yet, but once you latch on, Natalia airlifts you straight toyour destination. Pay extra attention to your surroundingswhile airborne—you're in clear view of enemy sights and yourBattleArmor can only take so much of a pounding.

In fact, this mission can seem pretty tough to start with,thanks to the relative puniness of your BattleArmor.

The trick is to stay nimble and use the

mountainous terrain to your advantage—you're a much trickiertarget to hit when you're not at ground level facing yourenemies head-on.

OBJECTIVE TARGETSRide the VTOL into the enemy base

Steal or NeuroHack an enemy 'Mech

Return the 'Mech to the Icarus

Attach to the VTOL and ride back to the enemy base

Defend the Icarus from the counterattack

MAP KEY

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

11

55443322

22

4455

11

33

M6: 'M

ECH SH

OPPIN

G

OBJECTIVERide the VTOL into the enemy base

Map Target Marker:

For this dare-devil operation,another proto-type BattleArmoris at yourdisposal. Hopinside and headsoutheasttoward the dustcloud in thedistance. Onarrival, fire yourjumpjets and latch onto the VTOL above using 1.

The VTOLautomaticallyairlifts you overto the ridge onthe west side ofthe enemy base.The BattleArmorhas access tolevel four laserswhile attached toa VTOL (which ismore powerful than anything it gains through powerups).Take advantage of the extra firepower and destroy asmany enemy units as you can while flying into the base.Fire the BattleArmor's jumpjets a second time to detach atyour destination.

OBJECTIVESteal or NeuroHack an enemy 'Mech

Map Target Marker:

Use your highvantage point to takeout as many hostileunits guarding thebase as possiblebefore continuing. Inparticular, destroy thenumerous roof-mounted gun turrets, as these proveto be a real nuisance from the ground. Your pulselasers are ideal for this task due to their extendedreach. Save your mortars for obliterating the tanksand Cougar 'Mechs below.

Your next task isto grab anenemy 'Mech.How you do thisdepends entirelyon circumstance.If your pathtoward one ofthe Cougarsparked by thenorthern gate isclear, then simply climb inside. However, if an occupied'Mech gets in the way, use your jumpjets and NeuroHackits system, then swipe it instead.

It's vital that you perform theNeuroHack swiftly. The enemy base is swarmingwith hostile forces and your BodyArmor can onlytake a limited beating. Don't try to fight off yourfoes until you're safely encased inside a 'Mech.

Once you have aCougar undercontrol, starttaking out theenemy defensive.Pay extra atten-tion to anyremainingrooftop turrets, astheir largenumbers canmake them difficult to avoid, and wait for your next orders.

OBJECTIVEReturn the 'Mech to the Icarus

Map Target Marker:

After a shortwhile, the signalis given to returnthe stolen 'Mechto the Icarus.There are twopossible routesto take, so thechoice is yours.Either use yourjumpjets to flyover the hills tothe southwest of the base concealing your ship, or followthe green navpoint south along the ground until youlocate the Icarus.

11

2233

33

34

Although the hillside is undefended, it canbe tricky using your jumpjets to cross over to theother side, especially if your 'Mech has already takena fair beating. The hillside path is also the longer ofthe two choices. It's usually easier to quickly bravethe lower route and then launch a counterassault onenemy units that move in to strike.

When youreach theIcarus,dismount the'Mech andprepare to startover again.

OBJECTIVEAttach to the VTOL and ride back to the enemy base

Map Target Marker:

Once again,head southeastfrom the shiptoward the dustcloud. A newBattleArmor suitwaits to the left.Climb into it,latch on to theVTOL, and makeyour way to theeastern side of the enemy base.

OBJECTIVESteal or NeuroHack an enemy 'Mech

Map Target Marker:

As you near thebase, the VTOLpasses overanother ledge,high above thebase. Jumpjet off and land on this ridge togain anotheradvantageousviewpoint. Asbefore, take down as many enemy units around the baseto the north as possible before plunging down andcommandeering another 'Mech—there's a choice betweena Cougar and a Mad Dog this time around. The enemyhas been alerted to your presence by this point, soprepare for increased resistance from your foe.

The Mad Dog falls into the Heavy 'Mechcategory, meaning it's slightly slower than theCougar, but much tougher in terms of offensive anddefensive capabilities. The Mad Dog comes equippedwith target jamming, pulse laser, autocannon, andcrossbow SRM. Grab this to stand a better chanceagainst the hostile Mad Dogs in the vicinity!

OBJECTIVEReturn the 'Mech to the Icarus

Map Target Marker:

As soon asyou've grabbeda second 'Mech,follow thearrow backtoward theIcarus anddismountoutside.

OBJECTIVEAttach to the VTOL and ride back to the enemy base

Map Target Marker:

44

22

33

44

M6: 'M

ECH SH

OPPIN

G

You only needto grab onemore 'Mech tocomplete themission. Onceagain, head overto VTOL, climbinto yourBattleArmor, andlatch on to thecraft above.

OBJECTIVESteal or NeuroHack an enemy 'Mech

Map Target Marker:

The drop-offpoint is on thewestern side ofthe base. Bynow it shouldbe relatively freeof enemytroops. Quicklydispose of anyimmediatethreat and hopinto one of theparked Cougar 'Mechs.

OBJECTIVEReturn the 'Mech to the Icarus

Map Target Marker:

The hostileshave managedto locate theIcarus and areclosing in on itsposition. Quicklyfollow the greennavpoint south-west, towardyour ship, andtake down themarauding enemy forces.

OBJECTIVEDefend the Icarus from the counterattack

Map Target Marker:

Eliminate asmuch of theapproachingthreat as youcan whileLieutenantFoster entersone of thestolen 'Mechs toassist in thebattle. Once he'sin position, several hostile 'Mechs join the throng.Destroy the first approaching Cougar and any nearbytanks. Shortly after, a hostile Mad Dog 'Mech falls in fromthe northeast.

Slip into the BattleArmor located near theIcarus in preparation for the Mad Dog's arrival. Assoon as the 'Mech appears, jumpjet over to its posi-tion and initiate a NeuroHack. This is an easy wayof downing the extra powerful 'Mech and, evenbetter, you can use it to finish off the remaininghostiles in the area!

To complete the mission, destroythe enemy units marked in red onyour radar.

22

33

55

primagames.com 35

36

OBJECTIVEFind the battlefield to help the Kuritans

Map Target Marker:

Begin byclimbing into theMad Dog 'Mechto the northwestof your position.Next, exit theclearing via theroute to thesouthwest. Atthe fork, take aleft and grab theyellow salvage before returning to the fork and contin-uing right toward the west.

Mission Seven: GO TIME ON THESTRIA

MISSION OVERVIEWWith the added firepower of the stolen'Mechs now in your charge, it's time tobring an end to the Thestrian conflictonce and for all. Radio traffic suggeststhere is a large number of hostileforces in the area that must be elimi-nated, alongside some friendly Kuritantroops. Recon the swamp to locateyour allies, then make your way overto the front line. Natalia is on board theVTOL again, keeping a watchful eye onproceedings and supplying salvagedrops when the going gets tough. As ifyou're likely to need them!

What You Need to KnowThings are short and sweet here—themajority of the level consists of anextended battle against some increas-ingly tough 'Mech opponents. You'llmeet your first set of Assault class'Mechs here too, but it's not as scary asit might sound. Although powerful, thehostiles can be brought down relativelyquickly. Play to their weaknesses andkeep moving at all times.

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Find the battlefield to help the Kuritans

Win the battle

Take out the reinforcements

112233

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

11

11

2233

primagames.com

M7: G

O TIM

E ON

THESTRIA

Enemy tanks liein wait immedi-ately around thecorner. Quicklydemolish themwith a few blasts of yourcrossbow SRMand continuesouthwest, until you reachthe water.

Blow up thetoppled truck onthe island aheadfor some greensalvage, thendemolish theone a littlefarther back fora blue power-up.An enemy Uller'Mech appearson the brink of the hill to the southeast. Stay at medium-range, using the hilly terrain as cover, and quickly elimi-nate your target. Collect the salvage left in its wake.

Move south-east along thewatery passageto the right ofthe island andinto the largeclearing. Thepath swingssouthwest againas you travel.Take out theenemy tanks and decimate the truck floating in the waterfor some additional armor salvage.

As the waterypassage comesto an end, turnnorthwest andclimb the grassyslope. A shortway up, twochoppers appearfrom over thewater to thesouthwest. Use

your crossbow to blast them clean out of the air. Hopdown into the water to the southwest and destroy thecrates floating about for green, red, and blue salvage.

Return to thegrassy inclineand continueclimbing the hilltoward thenorthwest. Asyou drop downinto the wateragain, twofriendly Kuritan'Mechs will joinyour position inorder to leadyou to thebattlefield.

Follow themnorth, destroyingany abandonedtrucks you spotin the water foradditionalsalvage. As theKuritan 'Mechscome to a halt, prepare for battle.

OBJECTIVEWin the battle

Map Target Marker:

Several hostileUllers appearfrom over thenorth horizon.Concentrateyour fire onthem whileavoiding yourallies.

22

37

38

The flat terrain doesn't provide much coverfor this battle. The best strategy for success issimply to keep strafing and firing your crossbow tobring down the enemies as quickly as possible. Itcan be tricky, but try to avoid demolishing a hostile'Mech while it's in the vicinity of one of the friend-lies. The Kuritans won't try and run away from adowned 'Mech, and the resulting explosion isusually enough to take out your allies in one blast,leaving you short of assistance!

OBJECTIVETake out the reinforcements

Map Target Marker:

When the firstwave of hostile'Mechs has beendecimated,enemy reinforce-ments willquickly fall in on your positionfrom the northeast.

The Timber Wolf 'Mechs that join thethrong are pretty meaty pieces of hardware. Theycome equipped with active AMS, pulse lasers, gaussrifle, and crossbows, making them particularlydeadly at long-range. Use the same strategy as onthe Ullers, but stick close to your targets to pile onsome heavy damage and minimize their weapons'effectiveness. You'll find the active AMS eliminatesthe usefulness of your crossbow, so avoid usingmissiles while it's on.

Once they're down, look east and prepare for ninechoppers to arrive. As usual, these don't pose much of athreat, but eliminate them quickly—they can be anuisance once the next part of the battle begins.

Set yoursights to thesouth andprepare for thearrival of twoPrometheusAssault 'Mechs.Again, they'renot too problem-atic individually,but combinedthey can be an overwhelming force. Try to switch youraim between the two and gradually weaken them simul-taneously with your autocannon and crossbow fire.

The Prometheus' arsenal of lasers, gaussrifle, and hammer missiles makes it quite a force inmid- to long-range combat, especially in conjunc-tion with its alpha strike. The most effective way tobring it down is to alternate your distance regularly,strafing quickly around to avoid the Mech's fire andconfuse its targeting.

Natalia drops salvage as you fight, so scout the areaand grab what you need to max out your hardware.Finally, beware of additional hostile aircrafts patrollingthe skies. They won't damage your 'Mech extensively, butaim to down a few during battle—then you can concen-trate your forces on the enemy 'Mechs without interrup-tion. Once the two enemy Prometheus 'Mechs have beendefeated, the mission iscomplete.

33

39

Mission Eight: SWAMP ROCK

M8: SW

AMP RO

CK

MISSION OVERVIEWNatalia has located the final bastion of enemy forces, andit's a hotbed of activity. Sensors show a heavy presence ofenemy missile defenses and it's vital that these are takenout so the Icarus can land. However, Foster is unable tolocate their exact position, so it's up to you to hunt them outand destroy them. To avoid enemy detection, the Icarusdrops you down in the smallest armor at your disposal.However, with such an intense concentration of hostiles inthe area, you're going to have to find something muchbigger if you want to get out alive!

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Our sensors cannot locate the missiles. Recon the area and find them

Missile sites located. Destroy each site

The missiles have been destroyed and we are landing. Return to the Icarus

The enemy base is nearby and vulnerable. Make your way there

Destroy all targets marked on your HUD

11

22

33

44

55SALVAGE

Armor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

22

44

55

11

33

22

22

22

40

OBJECTIVEOur sensors cannot locate the missiles. Recon thearea and find them

Map Target Marker:

Almost immedi-ately, a wave ofthree enemycopters appearsoverhead fromthe south. Useyour pulselasers to bringthem crashingto the groundbefore theyinflict significant damage on your BattleArmor. Trailing intheir wake are some enemy tanks. Switch to yourmortars and decimate them quickly.

Begin trekkingsouth throughthe swamps insearch of anenemy 'Mech toNeuroHack. Asyou reach thefirst high ridgerising out of thewater, turnsouthwest ontodry land to locate a hostile Thor 'Mech bearing down onyour position. Its firepower is more than a match for yourBattleArmor so concentrate on dodging its blast andclosing in on it quickly.

The best way to reach the enemy 'Mech is tojumpjet in short bursts out of the path of anyoncoming weapons, using trees as cover if possible. It'svital you don't stay still for a second—the Thor's formi-dable firepower can obliterate your BattleArmor in acouple of strikes. If possible, circle around the Thor asyou close in to prevent it from getting a proper lock onyour position. Once ready to NeuroHack, it's importantto get the sequence right the first time. If you're shakenoff the Thor, it will turn its machine gun on you andthe BattleArmor will be torn apart in seconds.

As you near,jumpjet and hit1 to begin theNeuroHack.Once the hack issuccessful, requi-sition the 'Mech.Immediatelytake out theaircraft thatappear overheadand tackle the second Thor, approaching over the hill tothe southwest.

The Thor can take some getting usedto; they're by far the slowest 'Mech you've controlledso far. Not only is its walking speed reduced, theThor's turning speed is significantly slower too. Thisnecessitates a more strategic form of attack asyou'll need to plan your moves ahead to accommo-date the longer response time of the Thor.

It's possible to increase your traveling speed inthe Thor by using your jumpjets to spring aroundthe terrain. This can be handy for dodging youropponents as well as launching surprise attacks onthem as they struggle to move slowly into position.

The Thor's reactive armor is particularly usefulagainst the machine guns used by your 'Mechopponents. Fire from this weapon can be tricky toavoid, especially when in close range, so use itsarmor liberally. Whenever your opponent acti-vates its defenses, use your lasers—they do moredamage, and the water around the islands acts asa cooling agent.

What You Need to KnowPrepare to sweat a little in this mission—it's by far the toughestthe game's dished out yet. The difficulty mainly stems from thelarge number of Heavy 'Mech class Thors roaming the terrain.These hulking chunks of metal pack some devastating firepower,made all the worse by the level's early reliance on yourBattleArmor. What's more, even when you finally find refuge ina NeuroHacked Thor 'Mech, their slower-than-usual controlsystem requires adjusting to a much more strategic mind-setthan you may be used to. The best advice is to grit your teethand go in like you mean business….

11

41

M8: SW

AMP RO

CK

There's another, much quicker strategy, toavoid taking on the second Thor. Instead of leavingyour BattleArmor after NeuroHacking the first'Mech, simply travel up onto the nearby island tothe west and continue south until the second Thorappears in view. Initiate a NeuroHack, thencommandeer it to proceed.

Take care of theremainingenemies in thevicinity and thenext objectivewill appearshortly.

OBJECTIVEMissile sites located. Destroy each site

Map Target Marker:

Follow the rednavpoint a shortway to thesouth in yournewly acquired'Mech. The firsttwo missile sitesreside on theisland you'recurrently on.Use yourcrossbowmissiles to destroy them both. Another three lie to thenorth on the same island. Finish them off, then workyour way west across the water, taking out any hostilesthat hinder your progress. Be on the lookout for otherenemy Thor units in the vicinity—keep moving anddestroy them as quickly as possible.

Continue westacross the water,following thered navpoint. Atthe next island,destroy the twomissile defenses.One final missilesite lies to thesoutheast.Again, followthe navpointand neutralize the final three missile launchers.

OBJECTIVEThe missiles have been destroyed and we are landing.Return to the Icarus

Map Target Marker:

Once themissiles havebeen taken careof, the Icaruslands at youroriginal drop-offpoint. Follow thegreen navpointback in a north-easterly direc-tion and elimi-nate any hostileforces you encounter on the return journey.

OBJECTIVEThe enemy base is nearby and vulnerable. Make yourway there

Map Target Marker:

A Mad Dog hasbeen primedand is ready foraction. This isone seriouslypowerful 'Mech—all its weaponshave beenmaxed out.Head to thewestern side ofthe Icarus,dismount your current 'Mech, and scramble inside theMad Dog.

22

33

44

primagames.com

42

At this point, you have a few options.You can use the Mad Dog 'Mech, which makes thelatter part of the level a little harder but gives youmore dexterity when up against the game's firstboss (our preferred choice, and how we wrote thestrategy for this part of the game). Others, however,prefer the Thor over the Mad Dog due to its jump-jets, and still others like finishing the mission in theBattleArmor, since the splash of the mortar can takeout the first boss even faster. The choice is yours!

From the Icarus,head north andfollow the routeas it bends west.Immediatelydeal with theinflux of enemytanks and theThor 'Mech.

The Mad Dog is equipped with pulse lasers,autocannon, and crossbow SRM. Encounters withenemy Thors can be a little tough without amachine gun of your own to dish out damage, butthe Mad Dog has the upper hand in terms of speed.Keep circling the Thor and launch a brutal assaultof crossbow missiles until it drops.

As you movewest, twopossible routesare availabledepending onyour currentchoice of 'Mech.The Thor is ableto use its jump-jets to clear thehill to thenorthwest. Toreach the next objective, simply follow the rednavpoint along the gorge and drop down into theenemy base at the end.

The Mad Doghowever, mustfollow the rednavpoint alongthe far moreperilous lowerpath to thesoutheast. Keepmoving throughthe water,following theroute as it turns northwest and destroying all hostile unitsuntil you reach the enemy base.

OBJECTIVEDestroy all targets marked on your HUD

Map Target Marker:

On arrival, beginobliterating allhostile forcesstationed in thearea, using yourradar as a guide.Although tanksand Thor 'Mechspopulate thevicinity, helicop-ters make upthe majority ofthe enemy threat, so keep your eyes to the skies.

If you follow the mountain path usingthe Thor, expect a tougher fight upon hitting theenemy base. Several opposing Thors travel alongthe lower route to join their comrades when thebattle commences. Take the Mad Dog's waterloggedpath however, and the opportunity to eliminatethem individually arises earlier on.

Once the areahas beencleared, followthe red navpointto the largeenemy dropshipnearby anddemolish it witha few missiles toend the level.

55

43primagames.com

M9: EIG

HT FEET U

NDER

Mission Nine: EIGHT FEET UNDER

MISSION OVERVIEWHaving defeated the hostile forces on Thestria, Foster is surprised to pick upstrange energy readings from the planet's surface. Particularly as they seemreminiscent of the Data Cores you scavenged earlier. Natalia senses something'swrong and preps you for an emergency recon mission. Whatever's down there,it's big—and it doesn't look like it's going to be happy to see you….

What You Need to KnowUnlike previous missions, there's only one enemy to deal with this timearound—and it's a big 'un. This boss battle can seem downright horrifying atfirst, thanks to the enemy's brute strength and unmatched arsenal. However,it's actually easier to deal with than many of the opposing forces you'veencountered so far. This is largely due to the boss' rigid, and thereforepredictable, strike pattern. Learn its moves, alongside the best countermoves,and you should sail on through!

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Recon the area

Take it out!

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

1122

11

22

44

OBJECTIVERecon the area

Map Target Marker:

As the levelbegins, yourformidableopponent lurksin the trees tothe southeast, inthe direction ofthe greennavpoint. Beginheading in itsdirection.

OBJECTIVETake it out!

Map Target Marker:

As the gargan-tuan enemycharges towardyou, back awayfrom it, keepingcentral to its twofront legs. As itstops, its legswill lashforward.

Always ensure that you relocate to themiddle part of the terrain before your opponent canbegin charging—this guarantees you have plenty ofroom to maneuver. If you're too close to the edge ofthe map, you risk backing straight into thesurrounding rocks, making escape from theenemy's legs nearly impossible.

Getting caught by the enemy’s legsknocks your 'Mech to the ground for several moments,seriously impeding your chance of escape from itsbrutal energy attack. Once this weapon is in full force,it can devastate your armor in a matter of seconds.

When theboss beginsspewing, it willlock in positionuntil the blastsubsides. Takeadvantage of itscurrent immo-bility andquickly circlearound to theback or sides of your opponent. Use your crossbow toshatter the black armor covering its legs.

During the confronta-tion, Natalia takes tothe skies in her VTOLand drops salvage toaid your progress.Always keep your eyespeeled for power-ups and sidle in their direction asyou back away from the enemy to ensure help isalways close at hand.

Continuethwarting thecreature'scharges anddodging itsdevastatingweapon attack,concentratingyour fire on itslegs when theopportunityarises. As youdestroy the armor of each leg, the leg ceases to function.After you have destroyed all six legs, target the body ofthe boss and pile on missiles until victory is yours!

11

22

45

MISSION OVERVIEWAn SOS transmission from an outnumbered Dragoon patrol onNorthwind reveals the true identity of the planetary invaders:your old adversaries, the Word of Blake. Upon approaching thesurface of Northwind to scout for survivors, the Icarus isattacked by ground troops. Unable to land, the Icarus hot-dropsyou onto hostile terrain while Natalia and Foster do a quickrecon of the area. Fight your way through the Word of Blake'sforces and rendezvous with your team at the city to the north….

What You Need to KnowThis mission is quick and painless. You'll only fight a handful of'Mechs and other hostiles before you reach your goal. Morethan anything, the level serves as an introduction to the PPCfitted into your Uziel 'Mech. It's a little different from previousweapons because it needs to be charged up to reach itsmaximum power. This can leave you exposed to enemy fire, so

a light foot is essential. Thankfully, the Uziel is

fitted with reflective armor alongside its machine gun andcrossbow; use it frequently while you practice with the PPC!

Mission Ten: INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH

OBJECTIVE TARGETSCollect salvage to increase weapon strength

Enter the valley and remove any Word forces. Use extreme force

Cross the canyon and locate the city

There are civilians being detained in a city near this location. Free them

MAP KEY

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

11

44

33

22

primagames.com

M10: INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH

44

11

33

22

46

OBJECTIVECollect salvage to increase weapon strength

Map Target Marker:

Immediatelydrop down thenorthwesternslope and deci-mate the enemytanks in yourpath using thePPC. Next,follow the rednavpoint towardthe buildings onthe left. Destroy them and collect the salvage to beef upyour armory. Stay on the lookout for similar structures asyou travel to the city—progress is much easier withstronger weapons.

The PPC can overheat your Uzielquickly. Keep an eye on the gauge to the left of theHUD and stop using the weapon when the levelreaches the red. Allow a few seconds to cool downbefore firing it again.

OBJECTIVEEnter the valley and remove any Word forces. Useextreme force

Map Target Marker:

As you continueto the north-west, an enemyCatapult 'Mechdrops downfrom the hillsideto the left.Quickly elimi-nate the tankpatrolling thehillside beyond,then concentrate on toppling the Catapult. There's somehandy energy salvage in the building to the north, along-side the spotlights on the right. This adds extra oomph toyour PPC.

The Catapult comes armed with reflectivearmor, pulse lasers, and javelin LRM. The mosteffective weapon in your Uziel's armory is the PPC;search out some energy salvage to increase itscharge speed.

To defeat the Catapult, move in close to dodge itslong-range javelin missiles. At the first opportunity,equip the PPC and charge it up by holding 8. Whencompletely charged, let go to release its full forceonto the Catapult. If the 'Mech's armor is activatedmomentarily, switch to another weapon. A couple ofdirect hits from the PPC should bring it to theground.

At the top ofthe hill, take theleft path anddestroy thebuilding at theend of the routefor some Armorsalvage.

Return to thefork andcontinue right,traveling south-west. Startmoving downthe hill,following thepath around tothe right. Tanksand a secondCatapult 'Mechwill challengeyou from thenorthwest asyou reach theground.

Once they'reobliterated,continue north-west and collectthe salvage frombehind the largecrater. About-face and followthe green

11

22

47primagames.com

M10: INTO THE VALLEY OF DEATH

navpoint to the southwest. As you near the gateway,additional tanks will move in on your position. Blastthem to pieces before continuing.

Next, demolishthe autocannonturrets stationedon either side ofthe gate andproceed throughthe entrance.Obliterate theturret immedi-ately ahead andstart movingwest, followingthe path downthe slope.

OBJECTIVECross the canyon and locate the city

Map Target Marker:

At thebottom of theslope, seek outthe Catapult'Mechapproachingfrom the south-west. Destroy itwith a couple ofshots from thePPC. There's a

small island nearby that houses a variety of salvagepower-ups. Collect them and continue southwest, in thedirection of the green navpoint.

At the foot ofthe next incline,a trio of hostileCougar 'Mechslaunch them-selves at you.Use the PPC todestroy themquickly, butmaintain yourdistance toavoid getting caught in the crossfire.

OBJECTIVEThere are civilians being detained in a city near thislocation. Free them

Map Target Marker:

Continue south-west and followthe path as itclimbs sharply tothe northwest, inthe direction ofthe greennavpoint. Keepto the track untilyou reach thegateway sittingat the top to thesouth. Head on through to complete the mission.

33

44

48

Mission Eleven: THERE'S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK

MISSION OVERVIEWAfter successfully rendezvousingwith the Icarus, it's time to releasethe Word of Blake's stranglehold onthe city and put an end to the enemyoccupation. First, you'll need to takeout the Comm Tower on the cityoutskirts. This will cut off all hostilecommunications, but also prevent thecall for reinforcements in theprocess. Next, destroy the numerousguard towers in the area to liberatethe city. Finally, you'll need to find away to knock down the city's backuppower supply and end the Word ofBlake's activities once and for all.

What You Need to KnowYou should be comfortable using theUziel and its PPC weapon by now.You'll be relying on it a lot across thelevel, usually against similarlyequipped 'Mechs, so it pays to beproficient at this stage. This timearound, the enemy count is muchhigher, so don't expect an easy ride.The greatest threat, however, comesfrom the relatively weak minorenemies, such as tanks and turrets—always deal with these first to easethe 'Mech confrontations. Finally, asignificant part of the mission isplayed out on foot—don't even thinkabout confronting hostiles until you've located some serious hardware. Stay out of sight and out of trouble….

OBJECTIVE TARGETSGet some demo charges from a nearby munitions depot

Destroy the uplink tower

Get back to your 'Mech

Eliminate the guard towers

Destroy all guard towers to liberate the city

Find a way into the compound

The city has backup power sources. Destroy them

Exit the city through the gate

MAP KEY

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

11

443322

6655

8877

44

55

33

22

55 55

77

55

44

66

77

77 77

88

44

11

66

55

49primagames.com

M11: THERE'S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK

OBJECTIVEGet some demo charges from a nearby munitions depot

Map Target Marker:

It's vital that you remain undetectedduring the early stages of the mission, as you'recompletely unarmed and unprotected. Stay out ofyour enemy's direct line of sight to prevent themfrom locating your position.

Immediatelyface north andmove towardthe controlpanel againstthe bunkerahead. Travelquickly, keepingthe uplink towerto your left inorder to remainundetected by the nearby 'Mech. On arrival, hack into thecontrol panel to proceed. Once you've successfully infil-trated the system, the demo charges are yours.

Try to avoid the sheer drop tothe east. If you accidentally slip to the bottom of theslope, it's extremely hard to make your way back upto the tower without being spotted!

OBJECTIVEDestroy the uplink tower

Map Target Marker:

With the pilotbombs now inyour possession,head southagain, back tothe tower youpassed earlier.Stay alongsidethe east-facingwall and hit 8to plant acharge.

When done,check the radarto ensure theroute ahead isclear, then runto the south-west. As soon asyou're well awayfrom the uplinktower, hit 8again to deto-nate the charge.

OBJECTIVEGet back to your 'Mech

Map Target Marker:

Join the pathrunning along-side the rockface. Turn rightand follow it asit circles aroundto the west, inthe direction ofthe greennavpoint. Keepmoving until youreach the largerock concealing your Uziel to the right. Hit 4 to climbinside the 'Mech.

OBJECTIVEEliminate the guard towers

Map Target Marker:

Head back alongthe dirt track,moving south-east until youreach theremains of theuplink tower.Face north andeliminate theautocannon gunturret directlyahead, then dealwith the hostile Uziel.

11

22

33

44

There's an alternative and slightly lesstreacherous way of tackling the first section of thislevel. When the mission begins in front of the uplinktower, immediately turn around and high-tail itback to the Uziel hidden behind the rock. Onceinside, use your PPCs to topple the tower andcomplete the remaining objectives as directed.

You're on equal footing with the enemyUziel. With no upper hand in terms of equipment orweapons, you'll need to exploit the 'Mech's weak-nesses. Maintain your distance to reduce the accu-racy of your opponent's PPC fire and swiftly side-step the oncoming blasts. Quickly duck in closer andlet rip with your own charged PPCs beforeincreasing your distance and starting over.

Turn north-east and dropdown into thevalley. Continuetoward the rednavpoints indi-cating the posi-tion of theguard towers.Engage yourPPC and takedown the hostile Uziel 'Mechs stationed in the clearing.Finally, eliminate the enemy tanks and continue north-east toward the city.

At the cityperimeter, headtoward the firstguard tower,hidden behindthe largebuilding to thenortheast. Blastit to the groundand spin to thesouth, facing thesecond tower.

Move alongthe city streets,taking care ofthe large groupof tanks mobi-lizing on yourposition.Another Uziellies in wait tothe east. Oncethe tanks areout of commis-sion, set your sights on the 'Mech and bring it down.

You can't hang back when fighting theUziel, due to the densely packed buildings in thearea. Instead, use them as cover and charge up yourPPC while you're hidden. Strafe out from behind thebuilding and get a lock on your target quickly.Release the trigger and dive back behind a structurewhile your gunfire seeks out your opponent. Repeatuntil the 'Mech is destroyed.

When thecoast is clear,take care of thesecond guardtower. From itswreckage, travelin a southeast-erly direction,between thebuildings.Obliterate theremaining tower using the PPC when you arrive.

OBJECTIVEDestroy all guard towers to liberate the city

Map Target Marker:

Five more guardtowers lie in thenorthern half ofthe city. Turnaround andfollow the rednavpoints north.When youreach the hill-side, swingnorthwest50

55

M11: THERE'S GONNA BE A JAILBREAK

toward the bridge leading over the valley. Use thebridge to reach the city's northern section, taking careof the autocannon turrets mounted on either side of thecity entrance.

Once across the bridge, the first guard tower is situ-ated to the northwest, immediately to the left inside thecity walls. Destroy it before continuing. Follow the mainroad leading north and take down the second towerlocated a little farther away, to the right. Be sure to elimi-nate any hostile tanks as you proceed.

The nexttower liesdirectly opposite,to the westbehind a largebuilding. Destroythis target thenreturn to theroad. Continuealong and takedown the fourthguard tower, positioned between the last two buildingson the right. Finally, head north to the end of the roadand face northwest as you reach the huge televisionscreen. There's one last tower to obliterate ahead.

OBJECTIVEFind a way into the compound

Map Target Marker:

Use your jumpjets to leap over the northern wall. Onthe ground, eliminate the tank ahead and slip betweenthe rocks to collect some much needed salvage. Begintraveling southeast in the direction of the greennavpoints on your HUD. Prepare to battle the MadCat 'Mech that blocks your path.

Fight the 'Mech at mid- to close-range toavoid the threat of its long-range javelin missiles.This position also enables you to quickly strafearound the 'Mech while charging your PPC.

Continuealong the pathto the south,destroying theremaining tanksand autocannonturrets. Dismountyour Uziel andhead throughthe illuminateddoorway intothe compound.

There's a second entrance into thecompound via another door along the south-

eastern side of the rocks—follow the rednavpoint to reach it. Once inside, you'llhave to make your way through the

streets unarmed before reaching thesanctuary of a 'Mech. This first

entrance guarantees a much saferroute to the end of the mission.

66

primagames.com 51

52

OBJECTIVEThe city has backup power sources. Destroy them

Map Target Marker:

Inside thecompound, headsoutheasttoward the firstauxiliary gener-ator tower indi-cated by the rednavpoint. Placea pilot bombagainst it bypressing 8.Head northwest and duck behind the closest buildingbefore pressing 8 again to detonate the bomb.

Next, travel east until you reach the now demolishedwall on the left-hand side. Climb over the debris andcontinue north toward the next tower.

There's an enemytank patrolling backand forth just beyondthe second mound ofrubble. As youapproach, it beginsmoving east, so take cover behind the south-facingside of the debris pile. Wait for it to turn around andbegin heading west again before continuing.

Quickly sprintacross the areauntil you reachthe towerdirectly north ofyou. Place abomb against it,then climb theslope to thenorth. Whenyou reach theunoccupied MadCat 'Mech ahead, detonate the bomb and climb inside.

As soon asyour 'Mech activates, theenemiespatrolling thestreets belowwill turn andbegin attackingyour position.Quickly disablethe tanks andhostile Mad Cat.Still on higher ground, travel north, keeping to the wallon the left.

The nexttower liesbeyond thebuilding ahead.Take it downwith your PPCthen quickly turnaround anddestroy the finaltower in thedistance, keeping an eye out for approaching enemy units.

OBJECTIVEExit the city through the gate

Map Target Marker:

The gate liesalong the roadrunning souththrough thecenter of thecity. Make yourway along it anddismount your'Mech as youreach theblockade. Workquickly now!You're against the timer! Approach the console to the leftof the gate and press 1 to begin the hacking process.Once successful, remount the Mad Cat and exit the city tocomplete the mission.

78

77

MISSIONOVERVIEWAfter successfully liber-ating the city from theWord of Blake's control,it’s time to root out theremaining hostile forcesstationed on Northwind'ssurface. Careful moni-toring has revealedmajor enemy activitynearby in what appearsto be a military prison.Find a way inside thedetention facility andfree any hostages youencounter on the way.The enemy isn’t going togo down without a fightso it's vital you get all theextra support you canmuster from your allies…

What You Need to KnowYou probably didn’t havean opportunity to come togrips with the Mad Cat'sarsenal in the previousmission, so it pays toexperiment a little herebefore charging headlonginto enemy territory this time around. The Mad Cat is great forlong-range combat thanks to its onboard PPC, machine gun,javelin LRM, and target jamming system.

You'll also get your hands on an Elemental suit—essentiallyan earlier, weaker version of your BattleArmor. The Elementalcomes equipped with a laser and crossbow SRM. Thankfully,the game won't throw too much at you while it's in your control,but remember to stay on the move to avoid direct fire until youcan track down something a bit meatier.

Mission Twelve: I HATE SNAKES

M12: I H

ATE SNAKES

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Free the allies

Recon Word base camp

Get to the top of the next mountain

Destroy the uplink tower

Follow the navpoint

Get to the top of the next mountain

Help your allies

We need intel. Do a recon sweep of the camp ahead

Defeat Star Adder

primagames.com

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic11

3322

99

5544

7788

66

44

55

11

33

22

29

77

8866

53

54

OBJECTIVEFree the allies

Map Target Marker:

Immediately head northeast up the incline, in the direc-tion of the red navpoint. Deal with the tanks in your pathand prepare to confront the Hellbringer 'Mech. Movethrough the gate into the camp before engaging it—thisgives you much more room to maneuver.

The Hellbringer is fiercely armed withflamer, autocannon, and javelin LRM, making ittough, fast, and accurate from any distance. Themost dangerous weapon in the Hellbringer'sarsenal is the flamer, which has a surprisingly longreach and can cause significant damage. To defeatthe 'Mech, either engage your target jamming andfight it at mid- to long-range, alternating betweenyour PPCs and javelin, or keep in tight and runrings around it, firing your PPC while it attempts tocatch up and let rip with the flamer.

Once theHellbringer isdestroyed, followthe red navpointnorthwest towardthe prison campand use yourmachine gun tokill the enemyguards. Finally,break down thefence to free the Northwind Highlanders. Scout the area fortrucks containing salvage before continuing.

Although the Elemental suit is particularlysuited to the mountainous terrain found in thislevel, its relative fragility and lack of firepowermeans that dealing with enemies from this point oncan be tough. If you're not up to the challenge, usethe abandoned Hellbringer 'Mech to the southeast,as you enter the compound. The following strategyassumes you're controlling the Elemental suit, butthe level can be tackled identically using theHellbringer!

OBJECTIVERecon Word base camp

Map Target Marker:

Next, headsoutheast andpass throughthe gate ontothe road,following thegreen navpoint.Stick to the pathas it movessouth, obliter-ating all hostile

units as you travel. Keep to the route as it winds backand forth through the mountains until you reach thesecond compound entrance.

Eliminate the Hellbringer, turrets, and tanks beforeproceeding further. Inside the compound, take a rightand approach the Elemental suit outside the hangarahead. Exit the Mad Cat and don the suit beforefollowing the green navpoint to the east.

OBJECTIVEGet to the top of the next mountain

Map Target Marker:

11

22

33

M12: I H

ATE SNAKES

As you reach theboulder pile in thenortheasterncorner of thearea, use yourjumpjets to accessthe ledge above.Fire them againand land on topof the large gateto the north.

Instead of drop-ping down to theground, face eastand jet up to thegray bouldersprotruding fromthe mountainside.Continue climbinguntil you clear themountaincompletely andland on the other side. This little detour prevents aconfrontation with an angry 'Mech to the north.

OBJECTIVEDestroy the uplink tower

Map Target Marker:

Several tanks willclose in on yourposition as youland—quicklytake them outwith yourcrossbow SRM.Remember, theElemental suitcan't take muchdamage, so keepmoving to avoid enemy fire. When the route ahead isclear, start traveling east through the trees.

Follow the patharound to thenorth, in thedirection of thered navpoint.Pass through thegates ahead andstart movingtoward theuplink tower.

There's an enemy 'Mech here that cancause a lot of grief if you're not careful. Stay wellback and dodge its fire while you circle around it,firing your jumpjets for extra speed. Your aim is toget around to the back of the uplink tower and takecover from the 'Mech's assault. Keep the towerbetween you and the enemy and pile on thedamage with your crossbow until the buildingcollapses.

OBJECTIVEFollow the navpoint

Map Target Marker:

Immediatelybegin movingsouth, firingyour jumpjets toget well awayfrom the 'Mechbefore it canfollow. Take thepath betweenthe mountainsto the southeast,in the directionof the green navpoint.

As you reach the clearing to the east, demolish the threehostile tanks then make a right, heading southeast. Atthe runway, travel south and take out the turret in thedistance. Look out for a path off to the right, leadingwest. Move down it and requisition the unoccupied MadCat 'Mech you encounter shortly.

OBJECTIVEGet to the top of the next mountain

Map Target Marker:

44

66

55

primagames.com 55

56

Return to therunway andbacktrack north.At the very end,turn northwestand follow thegreen navpointalong thewinding pathinto the nextvalley, destroyingany hostile units you encounter.

OBJECTIVEHelp your allies

Map Target Marker:

Approach theenemy camp tothe northwestand immediatelybring down thetwo Hellbringerswith your PPCs.

It's important that you work quickly todefeat the hostile 'Mechs. Your goal is to keep as manyof the friendly Northwind Highlander Elementals aliveas possible. The greater the number of these unitsremaining at the end of the assault, the easier you'llfind the next confrontation.

OBJECTIVEWe need intel. Do a recon sweep of the camp ahead

Map Target Marker:

Move northwestinto the campand scale thehill ahead,continuing inthe direction ofthe greennavpoint.

OBJECTIVEDefeat Star Adder

Map Target Marker:

It's time to takeon the StarAdder, an espe-cially ferociousAssault 'Mech.However, insteadof climbing up tothe top of thehill, quickly backdown into theenemy campagain.

If you managed to keepsome NorthwindHighlanders alive, thebattle against the StarAdder is much easier. Asyou back down the hill,the remaining friendly Elementals will charge on aheadup the incline and immediately begin engaging the'Mech. The more Elementals there are, the longer the StarAdder's attention will be diverted away from you, andthe more damage they'll do. Use this time to hang backand pile on the pain using your PPCs and javelin.

The Star Adder is primed to the max with devas-tating hardware. It comes equipped with a plasma PPC,flamethrower, and autocannon. Once all its weapons areleveled up, the 'Mech can also launch a brutal alphastrike. However, the Star Adder is designed primarily forshort- to medium-range combat so take advantage ofthis by keeping your distance, engaging your targetjamming where possible, and staying on the move. YourPPCs and javelin are the best weapons to use here.

Once the StarAdder has beenobliterated, themission iscomplete.

78

99

77

57primagames.com

M13: M

OU

NTAIN

SON

G

Mission Thirteen: MOUNTAIN SONGMISSION OVERVIEWWhile scouting the snow-ravaged waste-lands, following a lead from the rescuedNorthwind Highlanders, Natalia stumblesupon the Word of Blake's center of opera-tions. Unfortunately, the enemy quicklygets wind of her presence, leaving theremaining Dragoons with the unenviabletask of finding a way out of this mess.With the Icarus well out of reach, the onlyoption left is to escort Foster's APC acrossthe mountain range toward the nearbyhyper pulse generator. From here, you cansend a wideband SOS in the hope ofsecuring some outside help—assuming youcan make it across the hostile landscape inone piece….

What You Need to KnowIn this mission, defending Foster's APC isjust as important as ensuring your ownsafety. Constantly work to ensure theenemy can't get within firing range of theAPC—it can withstand attack from smallerhostiles like tanks and turrets, to adegree, but the devastating firepower ofenemy 'Mechs can demolish it quickly.

Notably, this level is the first opportunity you'll have topilot your own VTOL. The VTOL is great for bypassing wholeregions of the map at speed. However, it's not particularlywell-armored and has only limited firepower in the form ofmissiles. Luckily, you'll only have minor hostiles to contendwith in this mission, so take time to get comfortablepiloting the VTOL.

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

MAP KEY

OBJECTIVE TARGETSEscort Foster down the mountainside

Find a VTOL at the base of this mountain

Destroy any comm dishes you find

Pick up Foster in the VTOL

Get to the top of the next mountain

Destroy any comm dishes you find

The hyper pulse generator is just over the next ridge. Follow the navpoint

112233445566

77

44

11

3322

55

66

33

77

58

OBJECTIVEEscort Foster down the mountainside

Map Target Marker:

Begin byclimbing into theMad Cat to thenortheast. Next,drop down intothe ditch to thesouth andjourney forward.Tanks will beginappearing fromover the brink ofthe inclineahead. Take them out, then grab the energy salvage inthe truck along the left-hand wall.

Continue southand follow thepath as it windsaround to theeast. Takeadvantage ofthe wideningterrain aheadand strafearound the Uziel'Mech duringcombat. A coupleof PPC blasts should finish the job.

Follow theroute northeastand blast thewave of enemytanks that popu-late the areawith yourjavelin. As youeradicate thelast of the gunturrets mountedon the hillsideahead, Foster brings his vehicle to a halt. The only waythe APC can traverse the rugged terrain ahead is tolocate a VTOL.

Cross overthe illuminatedditch and requi-sition the parkedUziel 'Mech onthe other side.The Uziel'sjumpjets allowgreater mobilityover the moun-tainous terrain.

OBJECTIVEFind a VTOL at the base of this mountain

Map Target Marker:

Demolish thetrucks to the leftof the 'Mechand collect thesalvage in thedebris. Next,follow the greennavpoint downthe hillside tothe southeast. Atthe bottom,jumpjet over to the little island across the water to stockup on more salvage—be sure to eliminate the tank in thecenter as well as the gun turret to the southwest.

Hop back onto the eastern bank and destroy the twotrucks for a final bout of 'Mech power-ups. Follow thegreen navpoint along the bank as it bends around to thesouthwest. Continue onward until you reach the largebody of water ahead. Blast the enemies congregating onthe islands out in front and grab the red salvage nearby.

11

22

M13: M

OU

NTAIN

SON

G

Cross overthe water, stillmoving south-west, then takecare of the MadCat 'Mechwaiting for youon the otherside. Resumeyour journeyand travel downthe slope ahead. It's pretty quiet but don't let down yourguard—there's another Mad Cat ready for some action asyou turn the corner to the east.

After defeating the first Mad Cat (butbefore you descend the slope), there's a shortcutavailable to you if you want to take it. (If you do,you can skip to the next objective when you'redone.) While still in the water, face southeast andslip through the small gap between the rocks. Dropdown over the waterfall to the level below andobliterate the turrets stationed on the islandsnearby. Finally, turn northeast, and you're ready todestroy the comm dishes as per the next objective.

Continue downthe hill to thenortheast andeliminate theautocannonturrets posi-tioned out onthe islands tothe right at thebottom. Finally,hop on over andgrab the salvagebefore heading northeast again.

OBJECTIVEDestroy any comm dishes you find

Map Target Marker:

Keep marching forward and decimate the comm dishesthat rise out of the mist to the east and northeast. AnUziel and Mad Cat 'Mech will attempt to disrupt yourprogress while you work, so bring them down swiftly.Finally, polish off the smaller hostile units in the area.

Continued useof your PPCs will over-heat the Uziel. Thistemporarily preventsfurther use of theweapon. A handy tech-nique in this battle isto loiter by the water's edge and plunge in whenyour heat gauge reaches critical—the cold water willcool down your 'Mech much more quickly, enablingyou to resume use of the PPCs!

OBJECTIVEPick up Foster in the VTOL

Map Target Marker:

The VTOL liesbehind theeastern commdish, so headover, followingthe greennavpoint.Dismount yourUziel, and hopin the cockpitusing 4.

The VTOL handles much like the othervehicles in the game. g causes the craft to moveforward, backward, and strafe left or right. Pushingk rotates the craft horizontally in the directionselected. Depressing g and k also raise and lowerthe craft respectively. Finally, 8 launches theVTOL's missiles.

33

44

59

60

Fly northwest,following thegreen navpointover the moun-tains until youreach Foster'sAPC again. Onceyou're directlyabove the APC,press k to lowerthe VTOL andlatch on to it.

OBJECTIVEGet to the top of the next mountain

Map Target Marker:

With Foster inyour grasp,begin followingthe greennavpoint to thesouthwest, overthe mountains.

Use the 'Mech to clear all enemy units onthe mountain as well as the towers. Afterward, use the VTOL to carry Foster through a now-emptied area.

Once you'vecleared the firstmountain andhave returned tothe area whereyou encoun-tered the commdishes, startflying east. Themountainsahead are toohigh even forthe VTOL to navigate. Continue to the east, sticking alongthe corridor between the mountains. Come to a halt asthe path begins turning to the south.

OBJECTIVEDestroy any comm dishes you find

Map Target Marker:

As you roundthe corner, takeout the gunturrets using theVTOL's missiles.Head southwestand proceedtoward the twocomm towers onthe left, in thedirection of thered navpoint.Eliminate thehostiles below,then concentrateyour fire on thetowers untilthey're demol-ished. Beforecontinuing, blastthe trucksstationed on theground and collect the salvage left behind to beef upyour VTOL.

OBJECTIVEThe hyper pulse generator is just over the next ridge.Follow the navpoint

Map Target Marker:

Continue alongthe ravine as itslowly bendsback on itself,moving north-west in thedirection of thegreen navpoint.Eliminate thewave of tanksbelow andresume your journey forward. As you round the nextcorner, the mission is complete.

55

66

77

61

MISSIONOVERVIEWIt's time to put Foster's plan intoaction. Having reached thehyper pulse generator, you'reready to put out a widebandSOS and attract some friendlyforces to get you off this planet.Trouble is, it's going to takesome time to hack the commsystem and once the enemy getswind of your plan, they'll be outin droves. Brace yourself forone hellish fight as you prepareto hold off the Word of Blakewhile Foster works his magic.Once the signal's out, it's back tothe Icarus for an emergencytakeoff. Get ready for action!

What You Need to KnowThis is, without a doubt, thehardest non-boss mission of theentire game, so prepare to haveyour nerves shredded andtrigger finger strained. Theearly part of the level is possiblytrickiest, as your speed and accuracy must be optimal tosucceed. This can be tough as you'll be using a completely newweapon to do your dirty work—the POV turret. There's noeasy way to fight off the hordes of oncoming enemies, butfamiliarity with the level definitely helps, so you may needa few attempts before success is yours.

To make matters worse, the mission also features amassive showdown with a ton of hostile Owens 'Mechstoward the end. Not only do you need to watch your own butt,you'll have to safeguard the Icarus from enemy fire at thesame time—lightning-fast reactions and perseverance aredefinitely required here. You might want to take a few deepbreaths before tackling this one….

Mission Fourteen: SENDING OUT AN SOS TO THE WORLD

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

primagames.com

OBJECTIVE TARGETSDestroy the bridge to slow the Word forces

Protect the comm towers until we can send a distress signal

Retreat to the backup tower and protect it

Your position has been compromised. Fall back to the navpoint

The Star Adder is ready for action. Take them out!

Protect the Icarus

11

22

33

44

5566

MAP KEY

44

11

33

22

5566

M14: SENDING OUT AN SOS TO THE W

ORLD

62

OBJECTIVEDestroy the bridge to slow the Word forces

Map Target Marker:

As soon as the level begins, a timerstarts counting down at the top of the screen. Itindicates the amount of time Foster needs to hackinto the comm system and send out the SOS. Youneed to hold off the enemy attackers, keeping themaway from the comm tower and your position longenough for Foster to do his work.

Start the level byhopping onto thePOV turretdirectly ahead.Use it to destroythe approachinghostile units andtake down themain bridge toreduce the flowof enemies. Thered navpoint indi-cates the direction of the bridge, which lies to the northeast.

Switch tothe turret'sguided missilesand aim onedirectly towardthe bridge. Twosuccessful hitsshould beenough to bringit down.

The turret is equipped with lasersand guided missiles—swap between these modesof fire using 7 and squeeze 8 to shoot. Swing theturret left or right and adjust the vertical angle offire using k. Launching a guided missile switchesto an onboard first person perspective. While inthis view, k aims the missiles and g speeds up orslows them down. You can detonate a missile earlyby pressing 7.

Finally, the turret is capable of defending itselftemporarily by clicking k. Don't use this as anexcuse to get complacent though—it's really onlyuseful when blocking certain attacks from adistance. The defenses won't work against anyweapons that cause splash damage. Also, if a 'Mechreaches the upper level, it'll finish you off withinseconds of the defenses dropping.

'Mechs cross the bridge and home in onyour position at regular intervals. By aiming towardthe very right of the bridge, you'll be able todemolish it slightly sooner, preventing an addi-tional 'Mech from successfully crossing.

OBJECTIVEProtect the comm towers until we can send a distress signal

Map Target Marker:

The enemyforces arrivefrom the south-east, across thesnow below. Usethe guidedmissiles to oblit-erate oncomingOwens 'Mechsas quickly aspossible.

Speed is essential here—it'svital that you down your opponents before theystart climbing the incline to the north. Most of the'Mechs you'll encounter are equipped with weaponsthat can destroy your turret in a matter of secondsif they lock you in their sights after reaching theupper level. What's more, even if you're successful indestroying them as they home in, the force of theirblast can often be strong enough to take out thenearby VTOL or even your turret.

11

22

Protect the VTOL at all costs! Itlies behind you to the southwest and is especiallyvulnerable when the opposition manages to climbthe slope and reach your level. If the VTOL isdestroyed during conflict, the mission won't endand you'll be forced to cross the snowy terrain onfoot. With such formidable numbers of hostiles inthe area, this is almost guaranteed to end in youruntimely demise.

When using the guided missiles againstyour 'Mech opponents, use B to slow them down asyou seek out their position. Once you've got a satis-factory lock on your target, hit T to smash the missilestraight into them. It should only take a couple offorceful hits to bring a 'Mech to the ground. Don'tforget that pressing 7 detonates the missile early. Auseful tactic is to guide a missile roughly toward the'Mech and detonate it as it passes by. As long as themissile is in close proximity to your target, you'll stillscore a certain amount of splash damage.

After the first'Mech, a lessthreatening tankwill appear fromthe northeast.Blow it up, waitapproximatelyfifteen seconds,then guide amissile east underthe bridge to getan early strike onthe next approaching Owens. Another will follow severalseconds later, so use the same method to bring it down early.

There's a degree of randomness to thepaths 'Mechs take on approaching the area—mosttake the lower route around the mountain aheadand several occasionally take the upper route. Assuch, it's not always easy to predict where andwhen a 'Mech appears next. However, the methodoutlined above indicates the most frequent scenarioin the game, provided you work quickly. You mightneed to adjust your tactics slightly to account forany variation though.

Keep youreyes firmly onthe groundbelow andterminate allremaining'Mechs as theyapproach. Don'tforget to useyour defenses tofend off long-range attacks.

When fighting the incoming enemyhordes, an advanced tactic is to use the VTOL anddeploy autoturrets in their path. The time limit andlarge number of hostile units make this a tricky butinvaluable maneuver during this initial objective.

First, climb into the VTOL and remain stationaryon the landing pad. Use A or D to cycle through the loading options until you reach the orange auto-turret icon. Hit 1 to load up the VTOL with a singleautoturret. The VTOL has four slots for itemcarriage—press W or X to cycle to an empty slot andload up a second autoturret. Each VTOL pad offersfour autoturrets for loading. When full, take to theskies and choose a suitable area to deploy yourcargo. Hit 2 to drop a turret, then cycle to the otherslots to deposit the remaining three. The turrets auto-matically open up and fire lasers at your opponents.

The level has four VTOL pads in all, making atotal of sixteen autoturrets up for grabs. Use thesewhen defending the second comm tower andthe Icarus later in the mission.

OBJECTIVERetreat to the backup tower and protect it

Map Target Marker:

As soon asFoster startstalking, ataround the fivesecond mark onthe counter,dismount thegun turret andjump into theVTOL near thecomm tower tothe southwest.

33

primagames.com63

M14: SENDING OUT AN SOS TO THE W

ORLD

There are more 'Mechs on the way and you can't affordto get caught unarmed.

Fly southeast, over the broken bridge and toward thebackup tower. When you reach the tower, land the VTOLand disembark. There's another guided missile turret to thenortheast of the tower. Mount it and quickly take out theenemy 'Mechs approaching from behind rocks to the north.

OBJECTIVEYour position has been compromised. Fall back to the navpoint

Map Target Marker:

Leap back insidethe VTOL and flysouthwest,following thegreen navpoint.Land anddismount nextto the Icarus.

OBJECTIVEThe Star Adder is ready for action. Take them out!

Map Target Marker:

Quickly makeyour way overto the StarAdder 'Mechstationed nextto the Icarus andclimb inside.

OBJECTIVEProtect the Icarus

Map Target Marker:

Immediately take out the bridge to the northeast usingyour flamethrower. This prevents enemy 'Mechs fromapproaching from multiple angles. Next, stand on theedge of the cliff and begin obliterating the hostile unitsbelow using your plasma PPC. Keep the enemy awayfrom the Icarus at all costs.

It's vital that you demolish as many'Mechs as possible early on to avoid being over-whelmed later. When you have the opportunity, usethe salvage near the Icarus to beef up the StarAdder's weapons. As the 'Mechs draw in, use acombination of the autocannon and flamethrowerto defeat them. The latter is particularly usefulwhen they move in too close to get a lock on them.

Collecting salvageraises the level of yourweapons. When allhave reached theirmaximum level, theStar Adder is capable oflaunching an alpha strike. This immensely powerfulattack fires all weapons at once but reduces them totheir lowest level instantly. The alpha strike is bestused in extreme circumstances, if at all. For example,save it for situations where numerous enemies arebunched together as they attack. It's possible to takedown one enemy using the Star Adder and watch therest explode in a chain of destruction.

Once allattacking 'Mechshave been oblit-erated, themission iscomplete.

55

66

44

64

65primagames.com

Mission Fifteen: ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH

MISSION OVERVIEWThe wideband SOS was a resounding success, attracting theattention of some welcome Allied support. Back in the sky, yournew friends agree to escort you to Planet Hesperus II, home ofHouse Steiner, in your continued efforts to track down MajorKerensky. On the surface of this industrial wilderness, Fosterpicks up signs of several Word of Blake 'Mech production facili-ties. Obliterate them to severely restrict their activities, thencontinue the search for your missing teammate….

What You Need to KnowThankfully, after the hair-raising action of the previousmission, here's a short but sweet offering. There's not muchhere to hinder the hardened MechWarrior, but you'll notice adefinite increase in the number of smaller hostiles. Withtanks, turrets, and copters swarming all over, it definitelypays to take them down quickly before wading deeper intothe action. Two varieties of 'Mechs patrol this area and you've

seen them both before. The Catapult,

while generally more mobile than your Blood Asp, won't posetoo many problems against your plasma PPC. Equally, thelone Prometheus near the level's end is easily defeatedthrough nimble footwork and careful use of cover.

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Destroy all enemy forces in the channel

Find a way inside the compound

Destroy all enemy forces and the objective buildings

1122

33

11

33

22 22

M15: O

NCE M

ORE IN

TO TH

E BREACH

66

OBJECTIVEDestroy all enemy forces in the channel

Map Target Marker:

For this mission, you're piloting theBlood Asp. The Blood Asp is equipped with plasmaPPC, machine guns, and javelin LRM. Essentially, it'sthe same 'Mech as the Star Adder, but specificallytailored for long-range combat.

As the levelbegins, use theJavelin LRM todestroy theconvoy movingin your directionfrom the west.Collect thesalvage leftbehind andswitch to theplasma PPC todeal with the oncoming tanks. Finally, use the javelin toobliterate the choppers streaming overhead from thesouthwest.

Start movingalong the pathto the west andtake care of theCatapult 'Mechs,tanks, and occa-sional airsupport.

Though the tanks can become annoyingdue to their large number, they do little damagecompared to what the 'Mechs can do to you. Goslowly and destroy things one at a time so younever have to prioritize. Also, remember that youcan destroy tanks by simply walking on them.While taking out 'Mechs you can strategically walkaround and stomp on them while fighting.

As you reach the firstroad leading off to thesouth, fire a fewjavelin LRMs towardthe tunnel situated atthe end of the road.This will stem the flow of enemy tank reinforce-ments. Two more tunnels exist in the area. Travelingnorthwest, one lies at the end of the next path to theright. The third is located directly ahead. Demolishthem before continuing.

When bothenemy Catapultshave beendefeated, followthe path as itbends to thenorthwest. Twoadditional enemy'Mechs arelocated aroundthe corner.

Rather than entering the clearing ahead,lead them back a little and take them out. Once youstep foot in the clearing, the gates will close andadditional choppers and 'Mechs will show up,making the battle more difficult than necessary.

Next, continue forward into the clearing and eliminatethe gun turrets mounted on either side of the two sealedgates. Quickly spin around to the east and engage thehostile units that approach.

11

67primagames.com

OBJECTIVEFind a way inside the compound

Map Target Marker:

Follow the greennavpoint north-west and returnto the area withthe sealed gates.Directly to theright of thenorthern gate,there's anentrancepassage into thecompound.Dismount your Blood Asp and head on through.

There's a second entrance into thecompound, to the left of the western gate. If youchoose this route, the control panel that opens thedoorway is on the right (once you're inside). You'llfind that going this way is slightly tougher though,since you encounter the Prometheus 'Mech almostimmediately. The route outlined below also offersmore opportunities to stock up on salvage beforethe confrontation.

Once on theother side, movequickly andapproach theconsole by thegate to thesouthwest, asindicated by thegreen navpoint.Hack it tounblock theroute into the compound.

OBJECTIVEDestroy all enemy forces and the objective buildings

Map Target Marker:

Quickly run through the gates and rejoin your 'Mecharound the corner to the left. Head north again andprepare to take down the Catapult 'Mech inside. Severaltanks approach from the tunnel to the northeast.Decimate them and any gun turrets in the vicinity. Finally,destroy the tunnel itself.

It's important that you downthe first wave of hostiles quickly. A Prometheus'Mech approaches from the northwest shortly. Staywell away from the Prometheus to decrease theaccuracy of its shots. Use any available cover andpound it with your plasma PPCs and gauss rifle.

As thePrometheusfalls, moreenemies appearfrom the north-west. Defeatthem, thendisable theremainingtunnel and large'Mech produc-tion facilities tothe northeast,southwest, andnorthwest. Onceall objectivebuildings andhostiles havebeen destroyed,the mission iscomplete.

22

33

M15: O

NCE M

ORE IN

TO TH

E BREACH

68

Mission Sixteen: TO THE ARENA

MISSION OVERVIEWStill searching for the Major, Lieutenant Foster decides to press onthrough the heavily armed enemy base camps littered acrossHesperus II. The arena, the Word of Blake's 'Mech proving ground,lies a short way from your current location, just beyond the region'sfinal production facility. Foster has a hunch that this is whereNatalia will be. Getting there isn't going to be easy though—you'llneed to smash or slip around the considerable hostile forces lyingbetween you and the Major's ultimate rescue….

What You Need to KnowThere are two ways to tackle this mission: you can use either theHackman 'Mech or Rommel tank. The first makes for a slightly moredifficult start and the second makes for a slightly trickier ending.Whichever you choose is largely up to personal preference, so bothare outlined here. However, on balance, it's probably worth wading

through the additional enemies early on in the 'Mech—themission's closing moments are particularly chaotic and the

Hackman's added firepower and mobility give you thatneeded edge in combat.

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

OBJECTIVE TARGETSWork your way to the WOB production facility

Get past the communications outpost

Keep moving toward the WOB production facility

Follow the path to the right and sneak behind the WOB base

Destroy the deployment tunnels and any 'Mechs

Move on to the next WOB production facility

112233

44

5566

MAP KEY

44

55

11

33

22

66 55

55

M16: TO THE ARENA

OBJECTIVEWork your way to the WOB production facility

Map Target Marker:

Begin steeringthe Rommel tankto the southeast,following thepath into theclearing. Useyour gravitycannons to bringdown the hostileforces youencounter.

Your tank in this mission is similar to theone you operated earlier in the game. This timehowever, the tank is equipped with null sig, renderingit temporarily invisible and untraceable on enemyradar. Activate the null sig by pressing k. Be carefulthough—the device is less effective after the tank fires.

There are twotrucks containingsalvage to theleft, immediatelyupon enteringthe clearing. Usethese if your tankstarts taking toomany hits. Guidethe tank over theterrain, headingsoutheast. As you near the overhead walkway, an enemychopper approaches. Take it down and come to a halt.

OBJECTIVEGet past the communications outpost

Map Target Marker:

Before proceed-ing, activate thenull sig. Next,start movingslowly to theeast, passingunder thewalkway into theenemy outpost.

The faster you move, the lesseffective the null sig is. Travel through the outpostat a crawl, keeping your finger off the trigger toavoid detection.

Steer thetank around tothe northeastand through thegate. Once onthe other side,park anddismount. Usethe console tothe left of thegate to close thedoors and trapyour opponents on the other side.

Even if you're detected as you travelthrough the outpost, it's still possible to nip throughthe gate and close the doors before any hostiles canfollow. Remember that you're unprotected outsideof the tank so make sure the coast is clear beforedismounting. If too many enemies get in betweenyour tank and the exit, however, you'll have to startshooting and fight your way through.

As you initially passunder the bridgetoward the enemyoutpost, there's anabandoned Hackman'Mech by the wall tothe right. An alternative strategy, when navigatingthe area, is to reach the 'Mech under the cover ofyour null sig then hop inside. Use the Hackman'sbrute force to clear the outpost of hostiles. Whenyou're done, head northeast and through the gate.The latter part of the level can be easier if tackledusing the 'Mech, but you stand more chance ofdrawing attention to your position as you cross the terrain.

11

22

primagames.com69

OBJECTIVEKeep moving toward the WOB production facility

Map Target Marker:

Climb back intothe tank (orHackman 'Mech)and startheading north-east. Demolishany incominghostiles andwatch out forthe autocannonturret mountedon the rock in the distance. As you round the corner,close to the enemy base, come to a halt.

OBJECTIVEFollow the path to the right and sneak behind the WOB base

Map Target Marker:

Next, activate your null sig. Drop down into the water,traveling along the right-hand side of the base perimeter,and slowly work your way forward. When the gun turretcomes into view on the left, destroy it. Continue movingto the north and pause as you momentarily join dry land.Immediately destroy the tank to the north before yournull sig fails.

If you've decided to stick withthe Hackman 'Mech, proceed with extra caution. Itsadded height, when compared with the tank, meansyou risk alerting the enemy 'Mech inside the campto your presence, should the null sig fail.

Once the null sig hasrecharged, acti-vate it, thencontinue trav-eling north. Youmight need totake out theturret positionedat the baseentrance to theleft if you'redetected.

Follow thepath around tothe west, movingcautiously andobliterating anyhostile units thatget in your way.

OBJECTIVEDestroy the deployment tunnels and any 'Mechs

Map Target Marker:

Things areabout to gettough so braceyourself for along fight.Continue west,up the hill, andtake out theguard post tothe northwest.This eliminatesthe horde of footsoldiers that spill from inside. Next, obliterate anynearby tanks, either on the lower level, or climbing thehill toward you from the southwest.

The zoom function on the tank's gravitycannon is particularly handy when taking downfar-off enemy tanks on the lower level. However,remain alert to any activity around you and don'tget plugged by a hostile 'Mech while your attentionis focused the other way.

33

44

55

70

M16: TO THE ARENA

Whenever you destroya tank in the area, it'sreplaced almost imme-diately via one of thedeployment tunnels tothe southwest, south,and southeast. It's therefore important to take out atleast one of the tunnels as soon as the battlecommences. Your best bet is the tunnel immediatelyto the southwest. Use the tank's gravity cannon orthe Hackman's gauss rifle to demolish it quickly.Demolition is much easier with a 'Mech so you'll beable to take out the tunnels in rapid succession,leaving you free to concentrate on the larger hostiles.

When theimmediatevicinity is safe,head west andclimb out ofyour vehicle.Mount one ofthe three gunturrets aheadand fire severalPOV missiles atthe Belial andHackman patrolling the lower level. You need to takethese out as quickly as possible. If any tunnels still stand,the POV missiles are also effective against them, shouldthe opportunity strike.

There are a total of five turretsmounted on the upper level. Three are POV missileturrets and the remainder consist of gauss rifleturrets. The POV missile turrets should be your firstchoice—their long reach and powerful punch makesthem ideal against opposition 'Mechs and tunnels inthe area. Use the gauss rifle turrets when the othershave been destroyed.

The turrets won't last long inthe blaze of gunfire so use their defenses liberallyand switch to another when the armor gauge nearsthe bottom.

As the 'Mechsclose in on yourposition, it’s toodangerous toremain seated atthe gun turret.Return to yourvehicle and waitfor the 'Mech toapproach. As itdoes, keeppounding it withyour strongest weapon until it drops.

If a 'Mech manages to reach the upper level,backtrack east, down into the water. The 'Mech willfollow, but all other enemies will remain in thecurrent area. This evens the odds a little, with only asingle 'Mech to tackle at a time.

After the first'Mech is down,hop on anotherturret and setyour sights onthe second. If anytunnels remain,collapse thosewhile you havethe opportunity.When the final'Mech starts closing in, return to your vehicle and take itout. Once all 'Mechs and tunnels are decimated, get backinside your tank or Hackman and clean up the remaininghostile units.

OBJECTIVEMove on to the next WOB production facility

Map Target Marker:

Start movingsouthwest, in thedirection of thegreen navpoint.Don't forget toscoop up anysalvage lyingaround as youdo. On reachingthe productionfacility entrance,disembark yourvehicle and proceed inside to end the mission.

66

71

72

Mission Seventeen: HOLDING THE LINE

MISSION OVERVIEWWith the arena and Major Kerensky just beyond the next moun-tain range, your goal is in sight. However, to take on the might ofthe Word of Blake's formidable 'Mech force in that region, you'llneed to get your hands on some beefy machinery before consid-ering an assault. Thankfully, the Blood Asp housed in the Icaruswith Foster is perfect. First, though, you'll need to clear the imme-diate area of enemy hostiles so that the Icarus and your new'Mech can land safely on the planet's surface….

What You Need to KnowAll controllable 'Mechs are fitted with hammer missiles this timearound. These are unlike any weapon you've experienced so farand can take a little getting used to. When selected, holding down8 brings up a small clock-like icon. As you continue to press

8, the icon slowly fills. The fuller the circle, the longer amissile will take to detonate on release.

A direct hit with a hammer missile

causes massive damage but, because it’s unguided, this is a rareoccurrence. Often, the most effective way of using the weapon isto aim in roughly the right direction and prime the fuse to deto-nate while passing in close proximity to your target. The missile'senormous splash damage does the rest for you!

OBJECTIVE TARGETSSteal an enemy 'Mech

Hold the landing pad or find and destroy the WOB deployment tunnels

Clear the landing area

11

22

33

MAP KEY

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

11

33

22

22

22

22

22

22

M17: H

OLDIN

G TH

E LINE

OBJECTIVESteal an enemy 'Mech

Map Target Marker:

This missionbegins on foot,so it's vital toavoid detectionby hostile forcesuntil you find a'Mech. Start trav-eling toward thegiant crystalprotruding fromthe ground tothe west. There's an enemy tank patrolling east to weston its right, so hide behind the crystal's south-facing sideand wait for the tank to start moving west again.

You can also try using pilot bombs inthe first part of the mission—they work extremelywell here.

As it does,immediately runwest, hangingback a little toavoid beingspotted. Keepgoing until youreach the largeboulder ahead,then take coverbehind it. Facingto the northwest,you should spot a comm tower in the distance andanother tank patrolling north to south. There's also a'Mech circling the area in a clockwise direction. Don't doanything until it starts moving to the western portion ofthe complex again.

When it does, wait for the first tank to begin movingeast, then duck behind the southern-facing side of the next

rock to the west. As the second tank begins moving north,immediately start running west and hide behind the west-facing side of the two buildings you approach to the right.

There's anempty Bowman'Mech a little tothe west. Makesure the coast isclear and quicklyrun up andcommandeer it.

It's also possible to requisition aPrometheus 'Mech along the northern wall of thecompound. The Prometheus is a variation of theAtlas, equipped with lasers, gauss rifle, andhammer missiles.

The enemy units in the area are alerted to your posi-tion as soon as the Bowman becomes active. Start bytaking out the tanks using the machine gun. Next,demolish the tunnel to the southwest, preventing addi-tional reinforcement from arriving, then decimate theenemy Bowman in the vicinity with a few blasts fromyour hammer missiles.

When thearea is clear,head over to thePrometheus andclimb inside. Passinto the nextarea through thegate to the westand bring downany remainingtanks and thehostile Prometheus. Before continuing, decimate the tunnelstructure immediately through the gate to the north.

11

primagames.com73

The easiest way to destroy the Prometheusis to stand well away and pile on a combination ofhammer missiles and gauss rifle shots.

Take out anyremaining gunturrets and startclimbing the hillto the south-west. As younear the top tothe southeast,you encounterseveral airbornehostiles andanotherBowman. Your lasers are great for eliminating the over-head threat, while a combination of gauss rifle andhammer missiles should finish off the 'Mech. There arealso a number of irritating turrets in need of destructionto the south and southeast.

Climb theslope leading upto the landingpad and oblit-erate theremainingenemy tanks so that theIcarus can touchdown safely.

OBJECTIVEHold the landing pad or find and destroy the WOBdeployment tunnels

Map Target Marker:

There are twoways tocomplete thenext objective:either stay putand fight off theenemy forces asthey arrive, orseek out the

reinforcementtunnels anddestroy them.

From the landing pad, the first tunnel lies along a stretchof road to the southeast. Follow it along to the end anddestroy the tunnel using hammer missiles as you reach it.

Start headingback to thelanding pad andtake a left at thefork, travelingsouthwest. Headup and over thehill, then followthe path southuntil you reacha fork in theroad. A second tunnel is visible to the left, so destroy it.Next, take the right fork and walk west.

Upon reaching the next split in the path, the thirdtunnel is positioned on the left to the southwest. Destroyit, then take the right fork, moving northwest. Follow thepath all the way around to the northeast, where yourejoin the landing pad. As you emerge back into theclearing, immediately take a left, heading northwest.You'll discover the fourth and final tunnel at the bottomof the incline. Destroy it, then return to the landing area.

OBJECTIVEClear the landing area

Map Target Marker:

To complete thelevel, follow theblue navpointand climb backonto the landingpad. Finally,clear the area ofany remaininghostile units.

22

74

33

75

Mission Eighteen: GLADIATOR HAS NOTHING ON US

MISSION OVERVIEWThe towering form of the Hesperus IIarena looms on the horizon. Foster'sequipment indicates that Natalia isdeep within the heart of the provinggrounds. To reach her, you'll have topenetrate the building's age-olddefenses and fight your way throughthe hordes of heavily armed enemy'Mechs. The question remains, why hasthe Word of Blake kept the majoralive? Is there some darker intentbehind her capture?

What You Need to KnowAlthough this mission covers verylittle terrain, it can be tough due tothe heavy presence of Assault 'Mechsin the area. The only new 'Mech you'llencounter this time around is theAtlas, a variation of the Prometheus.Although the Atlas is suited to long-range combat, you may find it difficultto exploit this strength due to thetight nature of the environments.Thankfully, your Blood Asp has a tadmore speed, so seek out any availablecover and continually dodge in andout to strike your targets safely.

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Circle around to the other side of the arena

Level the gate blocking the entrance

Destroy the Talon dropship

Activate the control panel to open the gate

Get to the inner arena and rescue Natalia

1122334455

primagames.com

44

5511

33

22

M18: G

LADIATOR H

AS NO

THIN

G O

N U

S

OBJECTIVECircle around to the other side of the arena

Map Target Marker:

Begin piloting the Blood Asp west, heading toward thefar side of the arena. As you travel, use your javelinLRM to take down the autocannon turrets lining thearena walls to the left. Follow the route and eliminatethe enemy tanks that close in on your position. Onreaching firm ground again to the south, an Atlas stepsinto your path.

The Atlas is equipped with pulse lasers,autocannon, and javelin LRM. To defeat it, staywell back to decrease the accuracy of its shots anduse cover where possible. Blast it with your machineguns at close range as opportunity strikes.

OBJECTIVELevel the gate blocking the entrance

Map Target Marker:

After the Atlashas beencrushed, followthe red navpointand use yourplasma PPC tocollapse the gateblocking theentrance to thenortheast.

OBJECTIVEDestroy the Talon dropship

Map Target Marker:

Head throughthe remains ofthe gate andprepare forbattle. There's amass of enemy'Mechs andtanks throughhere, so stay onyour toes andbe ready tofight. Follow thered navpoint to the east and approach the opendoorway. Decimate anything that tries to get in your way.

As you reachthe door, itcloses. Swingnorth and followthe new rednavpoint aroundthe inside wallof the arena.Use a combina-tion of plasmaPPC andmachine guns todown the hordeof tanks andVulture 'Mechsyou encounter.Be sure todestroy anytrucks you spoten route tostock up onmuch neededsalvage. When rounding the corner to the south, watchout for the solo Atlas 'Mech and bring it down swiftly.

Keep an eye out for the large chunks ofmasonry lining the bottom of the hill, opposite theperimeter wall—these make great cover during anystand-offs with marauding 'Mechs. Stay behindyour makeshift defense barrier and pop out to layon a few shots before sliding back to safety. If youropponent nears your position, simply strafe aroundthe rock so that you're always on the opposite side!

11

22

33

76

77primagames.com

OBJECTIVEActivate the control panel to open the gate

Map Target Marker:

On reaching theopposite gate,make a finalsweep of thearea, checkingthat all hostilesare dead, thenhop from your'Mech. Hack intothe console onthe gate's left-hand side to reopen the path ahead. Peek through thedoorway and start blasting the tanks and Vulturesguarding the dropship to the south.

It's easier to deal with the enemy threat ifyou hang back in the northern passage and pick offyour opponents as they appear in the doorway. Youcan use the walls on either side as cover, duckingout to attack and diving back behind them whenthe enemy returns fire!

When thecoast is clear,head throughthe doorwayinto thesouthernpassage. Tocomplete theobjective, useyour plasmaPPC andmachine guns todecimate the enemy dropship stationed to the southeast.

OBJECTIVEGet to the inner arena and rescue Natalia

Map Target Marker:

Freshen up onsalvage, thenhead back to thenorthern gate. Ifthe Atlas 'Mech isvisible in thepassage beyond,stay in thecurrent area andtake it outthrough the door.Again, the walls to the left and right make great cover.

As the Atlashits the ground,return to thenorthernpassage andstart followingthe greennavpoint backaround theinside wall.Another Atlasand Prometheus await your arrival.

As the Assault 'Mechs locate your position,they start moving toward you and attacking.Quickly backtrack through the door to the southagain and use the same trick as earlier to take themout while remaining relatively unscathed.

When they'rehistory, movealong thenorthernpassage againuntil you reachthe main gate onthe southwest-facing side of thearena. Climb thehill, following thegreen navpoint,and enter the interior to complete the mission.

44

55

M18: G

LADIATOR H

AS NO

THIN

G O

N U

S

78

MISSION OVERVIEWYou've made it to the very heart of thearena and Natalia, alive and well, isnearly in your grasp. If you can fightthrough the remaining defenses,rescuing the major should be a piece ofcake! That is, assuming the Word ofBlake doesn't have any nasty surprisesin store for the courageous Dragoons….

What You Need to KnowUp until now, you've gone head-to-head with no more than a handful of'Mechs at a time—even if the confronta-tions were tough enough to make youweep. Things are flipped on their headfor this arena-based level. Expect tofight off masses of hostile forcessimultaneously before the end of thelevel. The change in combat style altersthe way you need to dish out thedamage too. Instead of slowly anddeliberately breaking down an enemy'sdefenses from a safe distance, you'llneed lightning-fast reactions and aquick trigger finger to cut a swaththrough the opponents crawlingeverywhere you look. Ready?

Mission Nineteen: AGAINST THE SPIDERS

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

OBJECTIVE TARGETSSecure the arena

Prepare for the WOB’s attack

Another wave is coming

Circle around to the other side of the arena

112233

44

MAP KEY

OBJECTIVESecure the arena

Map Target Marker:

As soon asthe missionbegins, use

your javelinLRM to oblit-erate thepulse laserturrets to the

southeast andnortheast.

OBJECTIVEPrepare for the WOB's attack

Map Target Marker:

11

22

11

3322 1144

Quickly eliminatethe two Corvus'Mechs unleashedinto the arena,using your trustyplasma PPC. Asthey're Light'Mechs, theirspeed makesthem a nuisanceto get a lock onup close. Stayback and blast their puny frames to smithereens!

Shoot the large mounds of rubble when-ever an enemy is near. When they explode, they doa tremendous amount of splash damage and leavesalvage in their wake.

OBJECTIVEAnother wave is coming

Map Target Marker:

Next up, theenemy sends in three moreCorvus 'Mechs.Turn them to trash asbefore. Easy!

OBJECTIVECircle around to the other side of the arena

Map Target Marker:

As you standand scoff at theWord of Blake'sinferior gladia-tors, a swarm ofstrangelyfamiliar 'Mechsscuttle into thethrong. Fightthem off beforeyou're overrun!

Thankfully, these'Mechs are veryweak, sporting abasic missileattack andplasma PPCs.They're easilyobliterated witha couple ofrounds fromyour machineguns in closequarters. However, it's their sizeable numbers that makethis confrontation tricky.

Unlike previous opponents,these 'Mechs attempt to latch on to your armor andNeuroHack your defenses. If this happens, quicklytap the button sequence that appears onscreen tocounter the hack and shake them off. It pays tokeep them in your sights at all times and finishthem off with haste.

While these 'Mechs may try toNeuroHack you, they won't ever eject you. Instead,they do slow, constant damage to your 'Mech.

Once the firstgroup of hostileshas beendisposed of, twosuccessivewaves follow.Each groupincreasesdramatically insize. Luckily, youhave someassistance forthe final roundso keep yourguns blazinguntil every lastone is massa-cred to completethe level.

primagames.com

33

44

M19: AGAINST THE SPIDERS

79

80

Mission Twenty: SKIN THE CAT

MISSION OVERVIEWWith Natalia back on board the Icarusand your old friend Alera in tow, it's timeto track down the Word of Blake and puta stop to their nefarious scheming onceand for all. Signals indicate that thecenter of WOB operations lies at theheart of the Planet Terra. However, theplanet's defenses are too strong toenable the Icarus to slip to the surfaceunnoticed. Natalia is ready to carry youinto the heart of the city, under the coverof null sig, in the Dragoons' speciallymodified VTOL. Once you touch down,though, you're on your own….

What You Need to KnowAside from a plethora of tanks and laserturrets, there's only one 'Mech to dealwith in this mission. Unfortunately, theNova Cat is a tough cookie and you'veonly got the BattleArmor to use to defendyourself at the start of the mission. Forhalf the level, you'll need to use the cityterrain and stay out of sight. It's easy tospot the 'Mech though; it appears as alarge red dot on your radar—keep youreyes fixed on this at all times.

When the time comes to hack the Nova Cat, do it stealthily and watch out for itsreflective armor. If it’s activated, the NeuroHack is impossible. Try launching anattack when the armor is up and you'll be a pile of smoldering metal in no time!

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Avoid being detected by the Nova Cat 'Mech and find the Nemesis

We need some firepower. NeuroHack the Nova Cat 'Mech

Enter the enemy's lair

Follow the navpoint

11223344

44

11

33

22

M20: SKIN

THE CAT

OBJECTIVEAvoid being detected by the Nova Cat 'Mech and findthe Nemesis

Map Target Marker:

Immediatelydive down thealley directly tothe north andkeep going untilyou hit the cityperimeter wall.Turn west andeliminate anytanks in thevicinity usingyour mortars. Follow the green navpoint west, stickingclose to the wall on the left-hand side.

As you traverse the southern part of thecity, use the alleys and side streets as much aspossible. The surrounding tall buildings provideample cover, successfully concealing you from themarauding Nova Cat's gaze.

Keep movingalong thenorthern walluntil you spotthe gap leadingoff to the right.Duck down itand continue tothe west.

Watch out for the gatebehind you to the east.As you near it, thedoors will slide open,revealing a laserturret ready to blast you into smoldering pieces.Quickly spin around and take it out beforeproceeding. Pass through the gate to reveal a heapof armor salvage at the end of the alley.

Still moving west, stop as you arrive at the roadbisecting the route ahead. Check the radar and ensurethe Nova Cat—indicated by the large red dot—is awayfrom your current position. When the coast is clear,resume your travels west and wind through the buildingsahead in the direction of the green navpoint.

The Nova Cat should still be close toyour original starting position at this point,meaning you have a clear run through the city. Besure to take out the tanks you encounter and moveas swiftly as possible before the 'Mech has time togain any ground.

As you hitthe westernperimeter wall,turn left and runsouthwest. Windyour waythrough theremaining build-ings, followingthe navpoint,until you receivethe next command.

OBJECTIVEWe need some firepower. NeuroHack the Nova Cat 'Mech

Map Target Marker:

The route aheadis too dangerouswithoutincreased defen-sive capabilities.Follow the newnavpoint backthrough the cityand hunt downthe Nova Cat.

11

22

primagames.com 81

Once located, NeuroHack it in the usual manner. Oncethe pilot has ejected, hop on in.

When the Nova Cat's reflective armor goesup, it can't be NeuroHacked, and it'll engage itsarmor as soon as you get near it. When you firstencounter it, get close enough to force it to engageits armor, then head for the buildings for cover.When the appropriate amount of time has passedfor its armor to deplete, jump out and NeuroHack itbefore its armor recharges.

OBJECTIVEEnter the enemy's lair

Map Target Marker:

The Nova Cat isfitted with reflec-tive armor,machine guns,and extremelypowerful lasers.Use the lasers towipe out thesudden surge oftanks as youtraverse backthrough the city,following the green navpoint toward the enemy's hideout.

While the Nova Cat's lasers are devastating,they cause the 'Mech to overheat very quickly. Itshould only take three direct hits to destroy a tank,but you'll need to wait a second to cool down beforefiring again. As such, it's a good idea to take coverbehind convenient buildings, ducking in and out todefeat your opponents one at a time.

As you reach the western perimeter wall again,turn southwest. Shortly, you encounter a windy road,

leading to the gate you attempted to breach earlier. Thearea beyond is very heavily guarded by laser turrets andtanks—prepare for an intense firefight!

The concentration of hostile turrets canseem overwhelming at first, but the Nova Cat's reflec-tive armor is a blessing here. Activate it to lessen theforce of the laser blasts. Rather than moving straightinto the area through the gate, use the tall buildingsbehind you to the north as cover and nip in and out,taking shots while your armor remains. Hop back outof view whenever your armor fails or your 'Mechneeds time to cool down again.

Once thethreat has beenneutralized, passthrough the gateand cross thesquare, travelingwest. As youreach the hugemain gates,dismount theNova Cat andhack into theconsole to the right, opening the doors.

OBJECTIVEFollow the navpoint

Map Target Marker:

Finish the Skin the Cat level by exiting thegates in your BattleArmor instead of the NovaCat.You'll be able to use the BattleArmor in the End Gamelevel to 'Mech jack a MadCat and use it throughoutthe level.

Pass on throughthe gate aheadto complete themission.

33

44

82

83

M21: EN

D GAM

E

Mission Twenty-One: END GAME

MISSION OVERVIEWYou've made it past the city's outerdefenses and now it's time to clear thefinal hurdle. However, with all five stolenData Cores in the hands of the Word ofBlake, time is of the essence. Breakthrough the city's inner core and take outthe remaining hostile forces. Whateverdastardly scheme your power-hungryopponents have concocted, they must bestopped at all costs!

What You Need to KnowThis is the last leg of your journeytoward the ultimate showdown.Surprisingly though, it's not going tocause you too much grief. The Mad Cats,tanks, and turrets should be a breezeafter the trail of debris and destructionyou've left in your wake. The only aspectof the level likely to put a wrinkle in yourforehead is the later arrival of twoRagnarok 'Mechs. These towers oftorment are packed to the roof with theultimate in fearsome firepower. Luckily,the level offers plenty of cover—andyou're going to need it. More than anyother, this mission is based on long andtactical gunfights. Rather than trying totake enemies out in one burst of devas-tation, you'll need to wear down theirdefenses bit by bit. Got that? Then let's go!

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Enter the enemy's lair

Proceed to the next gate

Find the BattleArmor

Enter the enemy's lair

11223344

SALVAGEArmor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

OBJECTIVEEnter the enemy's lair

Map Target Marker: 11

Start piloting your Nova Cat north, along the road. Asthe two Mad Cats charge in, guns blazing, duck behindone of the buildings to the left or right.

primagames.com

44

11

3322

84

Your lasers are formidable weapons andcan easily neutralize the hostile Mad Cats in notime. However, as before, your 'Mech is prone tooverheating when the lasers are in use. Activateyour reflective armor to deflect any oncoming PPCfire and use tall buildings as cover. Keep strafingaround the tower so that your opponent is alwayson the other side. When your armor is in workingorder and your heat gauge is low, quickly niparound and lay a few shots down before retreating.

Once both'Mechs havefallen, scoop upany salvage leftin their wakeand rejoin theroad, travelingnorth. Follow theroute as it windsthrough the city.Decimate thegun turrets andthe third Mad Cat that greets you en route.

OBJECTIVEProceed to the next gate

Map Target Marker:

As the objectiveis announced, atruck pulls out ofan alley to yourright. Blow it upto collect someextra armorsalvage, thentake out thenext Mad Catahead beforecontinuing.

As the path swings to thenorthwest, a Ragnarok 'Mech falls in on your posi-tion. These behemoths are absolutely devastating,sporting lava gun, gauss rifle, and javelin LRM.That's not all though—their LosTech defenses canhappily deflect 85 percent of anything fired at it.Attacking when a Ragnarok's defenses are up isn'tadvisable!

The most effective wayof defeating theRagnarok is to hangback at mid- to long-range, increasing yourchances of sidestep-ping the fallout from its longer distanced attacks.Use the nearby buildings as cover and duck in andout, laying down strikes in small doses. Avoidgetting caught directly in the 'Mech's line of sight asthis invariably results in a painful blast from itslava gun.

22

M21: EN

D GAM

E

Once theRagnarok isdown, continuenorthwest to theend of the road,following thegreen navpoint.As you reachedthe sealed gateahead, disem-bark your 'Mechand hack intothe console situated on the right-hand side.

Climb backinside the NovaCat and quicklyeliminate thehostile tanksand autocannonturrets in thenext area.Again, it's easierto keep to theeastern side ofthe gate andtake down theenemiesthrough thedoorway—thewalls to the leftand right makeexcellent cover.Once the area isclear, braceyourself for asecond Ragnarok encounter.

The Ragnarok moves in on your positionas soon as you enter the next area. There's notmuch in the way of scenery to use as cover though,so quickly backtrack to the eastern side of the gateand use the same doorway trick again. If theRagnarok manages to reach the eastern side of thewall before it can be destroyed, simply sneakaround to the western side and continue attackingfrom there!

OBJECTIVEFind the BattleArmor

Map Target Marker:

After defeatingthe 'Mech,follow the greennavpoint westand scale theincline ahead. Anice newBattleArmorwaits at the topso dismount theNova Cat andclimb inside—however, avoid squashing the BattleArmorunderfoot as you approach.

OBJECTIVEEnter the enemy's lair

Map Target Marker:

Walk towardthe gate aheadto complete themission.

33

44

primagames.com 85

Mission Twenty-Two: CHECKMATE

MISSION OVERVIEWWith all five Data Cores now in the handsof the Word of Blake, their plans forgalactic domination are close to fruition.As a demonstration of their newfoundunmatchable power, construction of theultimate fighting machine is underway.Once the Word of Blake's creation iscomplete, planets will bow down inrecognition of their suprem-acy—assuming, of course, nobody managesto put the ultimate weapon out ofcommission first. It's time to step up andtake on a power, the likes of which hasnever been seen before….

What You Need to KnowThere are two stages to defeating thisenormous final boss. Since the Uber'Mech's attacks alter from one stage tothe next as does its speed, it pays to learnthe appropriate countermeasures at theearliest opportunity. Especially given thatthis hulking behemoth can obliterate yourlowly BattleArmor in no time at all.

Victory in this fight requires optimal useof your jumpjets. They're instrumental indodging the enemy's devastating medium-to long-range attacks, and success relieson knowing precisely when and where toleap to safety. Between each boss strike,you'll have a couple of seconds to laydown some return fire before the cat andmouse antics begin again—use themwisely. Your one lucky break though isthat Natalia continually drops salvagethroughout this mission!

MAP KEYOBJECTIVE TARGETS

Take it out! 11SALVAGE

Armor

Missile

Energy

Ballistic

OBJECTIVETake it out!

Map Target Marker:

Stage OneAs the level begins,immediately fire yourjumpjets and leap tothe left. Keep circlingthe boss at all times toensure he can't get alock on your position.

The boss has three attacks that he'll use to shred you to your componentparts in the first stage, and two additional in the second: ground slam, autotar-geting plasma PPC ball, mortar cluster, flamethrower, and laser beams (respec-tively). Take advantage of the few seconds between each strike and aim yourmortars at the 'Mech’s head for some quality damage—the boss will flash red andchunks of rubble will fly off of it if you manage a direct hit!

If you're not confident in your aim when using mortars, theBattleArmor's lasers are a reasonable substitute. Although they won't dish outquite as much destruction as the mortars, they have the added benefit of auto-targeting—just aim at your opponent's head and let rip! It's definitely a more time-consuming method, but it takes some of the pain out of aiming!

Boss Attacks Ground SlamThe ground slam sends out shockwaves strongenough to knock you to your knees. As your opponentraises its arm to pound, use your jumpjets to clear thefloor. If you're toppled in close range, it's vital that youmove fast to avoid the 'Mech's devastating flame-thrower. Always remember to keep your distance!

11

86

M22: CH

ECKMATE

Plasma PPC BallThe plasma PPCball move is easy tododge, providedyour timing’s good.When you see theball arcing towardyour position, hityour jumpjets andfly forward. Theplasma PPC ballshould pass right underneath you. Remember to startcircling again as soon as you touch the ground.

Mortar ClusterOccasionally, the'Mech stops deadin its tracks andfires a volley ofmortars into theair. These will landwherever youhappen to bestanding at thetime—use yourjumpjets to quickly scoot around to the sides, out ofharm’s way.

FlamethrowerThe flamethrowercauses phenom-enal damage to your flimsyBattleArmor.However, the bossusually reservesthis weapon forclose-rangecombat. Providedyou keep well out of reach, you shouldn't have to worryabout this one at all. If you do get caught on the wrongend of the flamethrower though, your best chance ofsurvival is to jumpjet to safety as quickly as possible.

Laser BeamsGenerally, thelaser beam attackis reserved for thesecond half of theconflict. As soonas the boss's eyesbegin to glow red,hop out of theway using your

jumpjets. Your jumpjets also come in handy if you inad-vertently get caught in a laser’s blast, provided you're notalready in the air at the time!

The boss's most deadly weapon is its eyebeams, so if you get caught in the beams, it's rela-tively easy to jumpjet out. If you're already in theair, briefly stop jumpjetting and then jumpjet againto fly out of the beams.

Stage TwoAfter you'vemanaged to dishout some decentdamage, thecracks begin toshow in the Uber'Mech's armor. Forthe second stageof the battle, theboss engages itsdefenses, makinga strike of any kind impossible. To down the defenses,get in close to the 'Mech and initiate a NeuroHack. Whensuccessful, immediately start piling on the head blowsagain. The head armor appears again after 20 seconds,so you have to keep NeuroHacking the 'Mech to lowerthe armor each time.

Whenever you're trying to initiate aNeuroHack, look for the claw icon in the lower leftcorner of your screen. When the icon appears, you're inrange—run up to the boss and activate your claw. Thecamera swings around and you're automatically takento his back. As soon as your NeuroHacking is complete,jumpjet to clear away from the boss as fast as you can.

Eventually, afterenough tormentfrom your mortars,the Uber 'Mechgoes crashing to theground. This leavesonly one thing leftto do: congratulateyourself on beatingthe game!

primagames.com 87

Multiplayer MECHASSAULT 2

88

INTRODUCTIONThe multiplayer side of MechAssault 2 provides a substan-tially different gameplay experience from that of thesingle-player offering. What's more, a heap of freshfeatures in this sequel—including new modes, maps, andvehicles—mean that even MechAssault multiplayerveterans are going to have plenty to come to grips with.This chapter is split into three sections: information to getboth newcomers and old hands acquainted with the slewof new features, a breakdown of the different gamemodes on offer, and finally a look at each of the mapsavailable for multiplayer mayhem.

Game StatsAs you play through Xbox Live and Conquest games, yourperformance will be tracked on a rolling average. Conqueststats are tracked independently of Solaris7, though bothwork on a rolling average of your performance.

Points, Score, and Killso Points accumulate through meeting mission objectives. This

includes capturing a flag or data core, and destroying It

Players. When points are available, they are the primary way

of determining who wins a conflict.

o Score generates in a number of different ways. The most

common way is by destroying an enemy unit. In addition,

score can be earned by meeting mission objects and earning

points. Note though that VTOL pilots do not have to destroy

enemy targets directly to earn score. When they provide a

friendly unit with salvage and that unit destroys an enemy,

the VTOL pilot receives some bonus points for the assist.

They also earn score if a unit attached to them scores a

noticeable kil l.

o Kills represent the number of enemy pilots eliminated in the

battlefield. However, 'Mech Jacking an enemy player does not

count as a kil l, since the pilot is forced to eject from the mech.

GETTING STARTEDIt's worth outlining some of the significant differencesbetween the single-player and multiplayer components ofthe game for newcomers to the series or to the multi-player mode specifically. Most of this information willprobably be familiar to anyone who's spent time blastingtheir friends into steamy lumps of molten metal in thefirst game. If this applies to you, feel free to skip to thenext section, which covers the new vehicles available inmultiplayer!

Single-Player vs. MultiplayerThe Human AngleIt goes withoutsaying that thebig difference inmultiplayer isthat you'll be upagainst real, live(hopefully)human beingsinstead ofpreprogrammedAI opponents.As smart as theenemy 'Mechs in single-player might be, they're still farmore predictable than a 'Mech controlled by anotherperson intent on carving you an extra orifice.

This is important to remember: your enemies insingle-player are designed to give you a fighting chance ofsuccess. When you're playing in multiplayer, at least half ofthe other gamers will be doing everything in their powerto make sure you don't win. In particular, good opponentswill rarely stick to one spot or miss their targets—unlikeeven the toughest single-player enemies—and humanenemies tend to exhibit strategic deviousness and cunning.If you want to get anywhere in multiplayer, you'll need tohave complete command of your selected 'Mech or vehicleand be able to think on your feet while you fight.

Salvage ShortageIn the single-player campaign,no matter howmiserly thesalvage contin-gent might seemin places, it’s stillpracticallyhanded to youon a plate. Youknow that anysalvage you spoton your travels is always going to be hanging around tobe collected at a later time—if you get desperate, all youhave to do is backtrack to top off.

In multiplayer, however, salvage is a precious andmuch sought-after commodity. Everybody on a map isgoing to grab any bit of salvage available, just to survivea little bit longer. You'll need to keep your wits about youif you intend to stay standing. There are numerous strate-gies involving the collection, distribution, and denial of

salvage among you, your teammates, and your enemies.These are outlined in greater detail in the relevant 'Mechand vehicle sections below.

Team PlayPerhaps thebiggest differ-ence in multi-player is that youget the opportu-nity to interactwith otherplayers as ateam in certainmodes. Thisabsolutelyrequires the ability to play cooperatively and strategically.You'll find that the Voice Chat function on Xbox Live facil-itates this greatly. Use it to coordinate your strikes andattack plans with your friends. Always be sure to let yourteammates know where you're going and what you planto do, and call for help if you need it!

Use 6 to toggle between Team Chat andAll Chat modes. Team Chat (indicated by the icon inthe upper left-hand corner of the screen) limits yourcommunication to team members only. This isextremely useful when organizing tactics you wish tohide from your opponents. All Chat opens up the voicechannel so all players in a game can communicate. Inaddition to using it for polite banter ("You suck!", etc.),you can use All Chat to throw the other team off trackby broadcasting false strategies. Don't forget toinform your teammates before doing this, however!

There are a couple of things to remember whenplaying as a group however. Attacking as a single unit isuseful for confusing the enemy because they'll have tomake snap judgments on which 'Mech to take out first—and whoever isn't being targeted gets to pound theopponent with offensive, rather than defensive, fire. Becareful though: it's easy to hit an ally when you're allbunched together. What's more, if you or a teammategoes down, the resulting explosion can finish off yourentire squad in one massive chain reaction of blasts.

'MECHSIf you’ve already pummeled the single-player campaigninto the ground, you should have a pretty decent under-standing of the basics of 'Mech combat and the subtle vari-

ations that each'Mech brings tothe way youplay. As such,there are only afew additionalpoints to makeabout using'Mechs in multi-player. If youneed to refreshyour brain oneach 'Mech and their respective features, check out the"Meet the 'Mechs" chapter earlier in this guide.

Something Old, Something NewAlthough thesingle-playermode tosses youheadfirst intothe cockpit of ahuge variety ofdifferent 'Mechs,there are stillquite a few thatyou'll have oblit-erated but neverpiloted. Thereare even a few 'Mechs on the roster that don't make anappearance in the single-player campaign at all! Thegood news is that multiplayer lets you get your grubbymitts on all of the 'Mechs available.

If you intend to use any of these 'Mechs in multiplayercombat, it pays to spend some time familiarizing yourselfwith their nuances. Read up on them in this guide, or evenbetter, experiment with the different 'Mech types in offlinemultiplayer mode against the computer. Either way, themore practice you get before you hit the battlefield, thebetter you’re going to be in the thick of the action.

Choosing the Right 'MechEach map offersa wealth ofdifferent 'Mechsto hop in anduse to dish outdestruction. Thetemptation is toalways grab thebiggest andmeanest avail-able. However,think carefullybefore choosing your 'Mech—be sure it suits your

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

89

current environment and preferred play style. Remember,the larger the 'Mech, the slower it turns and the longer ittakes to reach top speeds. Unless you're the absolutebest at offensive and defensive maneuvers, you mightfind it preferable to take advantage of one of the smaller,faster 'Mechs and utilize the scenery to make up for yourlack of brute force and heavy armor.

Also remember that not all 'Mechs are equipped withjumpjets. In maps featuring plenty of high ground, this canleave you seriously disadvantaged if the more nimble'Mechs climb up high and pile on some hurt from up above.

'Mech TipsEvacuate!Abandoned'Mechs leave nosalvage whendestroyed. Anadvanced tacticis to eject out ofyour 'Mech whenyou're at thevery brink ofdestruction.While it's morethan likely that you'll get pummeled the second youclamber out, at least you won't have left a pile of goodiesfor your opponents to sweep up following your demise!

Double the DestructionWant to go one better? Try shoving an explosive chargeinto the ground once you're out of your 'Mech. If youmanage to detonate it before the enemy shreds you topieces, they'll have to contend with the fallout from yourexploding 'Mech and the force of your charge. Ouch.

OTHER VEHICLESOne of the mostdrastic differ-ences in themultiplayergame inMechAssault 2 isthe inclusion ofalternate ways tothunder acrossthe terrain andsling out someslaughter.Although the 'Mechs are always going to have the biggest

draw, thanks to their size and unholy capacity fordevastation, MechAssault veterans and anyone lookingfor a take on multiplay would do well to check out the

BattleArmor, VTOLs, tanks, and pilot bombing techniques.The new vehicles offer up a wealth of strategic opportuni-ties for success and an almost limitless degree of depth tothe multiplayer mayhem. Read on for the lowdown on thelatest bad boys to join the lineup….

BattleArmorThink you needsome fearsomefirepower formultiplayersuccess? Thinkagain. It might notlook like much inthe shadow of amarauding enemy'Mech, but yourtrusty BattleArmoris a formidabletool whether going it solo or working in a team. Not onlydo you have the power to NeuroHack any 'Mech that takesyour fancy, but your small stature and jumpjets make you atricky target to hit from an opponent's cockpit.

BattleArmor TipsGet HookedYour grapple clawis easily over-looked butprovides all sortsof additionalopportunitiesduring heatedconflict. Look outfor tall buildingsand use it to reachthe top. Onceyou've gotten above the altitude of most 'Mech-equippedjumpjets, you're practically untouchable on your perch.

From your high vantage point, flick mortars down onyour unsuspecting foes and, provided you stand awayfrom the roof's edge, they'll rarely have the opportunity forrecourse. While this might not be a practical strategy whenfacing off against a 'Mech, it's ideal for picking off pilotbombers and BattleArmors intent on invading your base.

There are two things toremember if you're going to try this. First, don'tloiter in one place too long. If an enemy 'Mechlocates your position, they'll more than likely startbombarding the building you're on until itcollapses—causing you serious, if not terminal,90

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

damage. Second, scaling a building can leave youdangerously exposed. Always ensure the local areais free of hostiles before climbing, or better yet, hitcha lift to the roof via a friendly VTOL!

Can't get close enough to your enemieswithout taking fire? Use your grapple claw to attachto a friendly 'Mech and hitch a ride. The enemywon't see you on their radar, and you can oftenmove faster and get closer without taking directfire. While not as fast as the VTOL, there are oftenmore 'Mechs around to catch a ride with.

Air RaidDuring team matches, hop onto the back of a friendly'Mech or hang on to a VTOL by pressing 1, then catch aride across the terrain. This is a great way to travel longdistances from a surprisingly safe position. Let a team-mate carry your load until you reach something with abit more oomph, if you want to get inserted into the fray.

Jackin' a BoxUsing theNeuroHack to jackinto an enemy'Mech works greatagainst newplayers, but youmight have diffi-culty actuallyejecting a profrom their seats.This doesn't mean the NeuroHack is worthless though—it canprove incredibly effective if used strategically.

First, NeuroHacking provides a great distraction tech-nique. As soon as you begin, your target will have tostop fighting to counter your hack if they don't want tobe ejected. This is useful in team play as they won't beable to defend themselves while 'Mechs friendly to youmove in to take them down simultaneously.

Second, any 'Mech carrying a flag or Data Core willautomatically drop it the instant a BattleArmor attachesitself to begin a NeuroHack.

Attempting to NeuroHack a 'Mechequipped with any type of reactive or reflectivearmor is generally a waste of time. As soon as youropponent activates their armor, you'll immediatelyget chucked onto the ground.

Out of Sight, Out of MindOne last thing to remember when you're in yourBattleArmor: if you're not moving or slinging shots intothe fray, you're completely invisible to the enemy radar.This makes it easy to hide from oncoming opponents,particularly if there's additional cover nearby. Use this toget out of sticky situations, or even to launch surpriseattacks on your foes.

VTOLsYou'll get theopportunity totake to the skiesin several of theteam-basedmaps andmodes. Unlikeother transporta-tion in multi-player, the VTOLis more suited to scouting and assisting, rather than all-out gunplay. It's fair to say that teams with a strongunderstanding of tactical VTOL deployment will almostalways have the upper hand during a match.

Although VTOLs are primarily used for fetching andcarrying things across the map, this extends far beyondsimply scooping up salvage. If in BattleArmor, up to twoplayers at a time can latch on to a VTOL in order to bedeposited elsewhere—whether that might be into theheart of battle, the enemy's base, or back to the safety ofyour own camp. Additionally, the VTOL can pick up tanksand autocannon turrets, ferrying them across the map atthe request of teammates.

This can't be emphasized enough: ifyou want to win as a team, hunt down the absolutebest VTOL pilot you can. A good pilot knows theimportance of salvage collection and distribution,and is sharp enough to know exactly where heshould be with salvage and when.

When carrying BattleArmors in the air,note that they draw power directly from the VTOL.This means that their lasers can fire at advancedlevels while they're attached to a VTOL, makingthem a particularly deadly—and tough-to-hit—forceto be reckoned with.

91

VTOL TipsAutocannon TurretsAutocannonturrets might notseem worth thebother, thanksto their limitedfirepower.However, ifdeployed prop-erly, they can bea serious pain inyour opponents'butts duringmatches. Use your VTOL to pick up several autocannonturrets and place them high up on the hillside close to thetargets you're defending, such as bases, flags, or cores.

This achieves several things. First, the lasers act as anearly warning system, pointing out the presence ofintruders well before anyone on your team might other-wise spot them. When the turrets become active, simplyfollow their line of fire and take down your not-so-stealthy opponents quickly.

Second, turrets are great for taking out weakerenemies (such as pilot bombers or BattleArmors)attempting to infiltrate your base from the sides. Pilotbombers, in particular, won't last long against the lasers.

Third, turrets deployed higher up on a slope have agreat field of fire. Units often have trouble spotting them andreturning fire, which buys you time for a few more volleys.

Autocannon Turrets detonate if theystrike an object before they are fully deployed. Theycan be used effectively as bombs this way if youneed to deal damage quickly.

More Autocannon Turrets!Turrets can also be dropped down among the hostileturrets already located around enemy objective areas.Not only will your opponents get the surprise of their lifewhen they march back to the "safety" of home camp andget a laser square in the face, it'll cause all manner ofproblems for anyone camping around waiting for 'Mechsto respawn. It's a great bonus for you: since they'll beflapping around destroying your generous gift, they won'tbe out on the battlefield shooting you down!

Salvage ScavengingUse the VTOL to circle, vulture-like, while two 'Mechsbattle it out below. If your teammate is downed in

battle, wait forthe explosion tosubside anddive down andswipe thesalvage left intheir wake.Alternatively,simply wanderup to an enemybase and grabany salvage

they happen to have lying around. Not only does thisprevent the opposition from replenishing their armor andweapons, but you'll also have some juicy salvage to passon to other members of your side—guaranteed to infu-riate their rightful owners!

Tanked…Up!Finally, wipe thesmug grin off ofanyone scur-rying towardyour base in anenemy tank.Simply swoopdown, pickthem up, andcart them off tosome backwaterregion of the map! Better yet, plop them down rightback where they started, just to really get them fuming!

Sky StealthRemember that most players are going to have their eyesfirmly on the battlefield in order to take out other 'Mechs.Use this to your advantage when piloting the VTOL tosneak unnoticed into the enemy base. This is especiallyhandy when you want to deposit tanks or BattleArmorsat the site. However, firing your weapons as you near is adead giveaway to your position. Hold fire until you'resafely at your intended destination.

TanksIt's easy to lookat tanks as beingthe runt of thevehicle lineup inmultiplayer:they're slow,somewhatunderpowered,and won't holdup too long92

93

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

against a maxed-out 'Mech. While the arguments againstusing tanks are strong, they do have some distinctly usefulfeatures that make them ideal in certain team-basedscenarios, provided they're used as part of a sound inva-sion strategy. Tanks are light enough to be ferried aroundthe terrain by VTOLs and can therefore be used almost likesuper-charged, mobile turrets—great for providing backupin sticky situations.

Razor-Sharp ShootingThe tank's gravitycannon is particu-larly effective inzoomed mode.When activated,any blasts fromyour cannonhave a muchgreater chance ofknocking yourenemies clean offtheir feet.

Knocking an opposing 'Mech over whileit’s powering up a PPC or alpha strike causes it towastefully fire its charge up into the sky, ratherthan at a target. In the case of the alpha strike,this means that the fallen 'Mech will also havepointlessly reset all its weapons back to theirlowest level!

The Amazing, Vanishing TankWhen a tank'snull sig andgravity cannonare usedtogether, theyeffectivelymutate you intoan invisiblesniper—perfectfor picking offunsuspectingopponents froma distance. What's more, if you keep still and don't over-heat, you won't show up on radar at all—the enemysimply won't know what hit them!

Remember though that firing your weapon alsocauses the null sig to break temporarily, revealing yourposition—always aim for a direct hit so that your invisibleadvantage isn't wasted!

Pilot BombingFeeling fearless?One of thesneakiest andmost dangerousthings you cando in a multi-player game is torecklesslyabandon your'Mech orBattleArmor andcontinue yourcarnage on foot. With your feet firmly on the ground, youcan plant explosive charges anywhere on the map, simplyby strolling up and hitting 8. Your charge detonates eitherwhen you hit 8 again or another player gets too close.The charges pack some considerable wallop, making themgreat for laying down traps to trick your unsuspecting foes.

Watch it though: With no protective armor whatso-ever, you'll be dead meat if an enemy catches wind ofyour whereabouts. Always keep close to cover and avoidwide-open spaces if you don't want to find your insides onthe outside. Having said that, it's surprisingly easy toremain undetected while out of armor for two reasons:First, you won't show up on radar. Second, most 'Mechsare so huge that you'll barely be noticeable on the groundfrom their cockpit. Who says you need a ton of armor andblistering blasters to kick some serious butt?

While pilot bombs aren't triggered by friendly units,they can be set off by splash. Also, as soon as the pilotthat deployed them dies, their pilot bomb detonates aswell. So be careful when deploying them near your ownbase, and don't loiter around next to one!

Pilot Bombing TipsPredictive PlantingAlthough youcan happilyplant a chargewherever youthink a carelessenemy mightstroll, there arecertain places onmaps where youcan absolutelybe sure youropponents haveto traipse through sooner or later. This is especially true ofthe team-based maps: always plant a charge at your flagsite in Capture the Flag, at the Data Core spawn point inSnatch It!, at any seized checkpoint in Check It!, and atany player respawn points across the map.

You won't necessarily be the only oneusing this tactic: always sling a round of fire atthese areas before you approach during a match.That way, any carelessly abandoned charge isn'tlikely to blow your face off!

Looking Good, Feeling DeadIt might seemridiculous, butpay attention tothe look of yourcharacter whenbuilding youronline profile. Inparticular, thinkcarefully aboutthe color of yourclothing.Remember thatwhen you're on foot, it's your profile character that enemiessee. A bright pink jumpsuit might seem like the height ofretro cool when you're in the game lobby, but you'll stickout like a sore thumb when you're on the battlefield. Try todress in neutral darker colors like green, black, or brown.

MULTIPLAYER MODEBREAKDOWNMechAssault 2 features a ton of multiplayer modescompletely new to this sequel. The following sectiontakes an in-depth look at the differences between eachof them. You'll also find some extremely useful tactics forraising your multiplayer success rate, whether going itsolo or in team-based play.

GrinderAvailable maps:IN YOUR FACE

WITCH'S CAULDRON

NEW RIVER CITY

What Is It?Grinder isn't ahead-to-headmultiplayergame in the

traditionalsense. It can be played either solo or with a teammate,which is why it's listed here. The aim is to thrash it outagainst wave after wave of increasingly brutal

computer-controlled 'Mechs until you're finally overpow-ered. There's no actual winner of a Grinder match—instead you're scored on the number of 'Mechs youmanage to take down before defeat.

Once you've clambered into one of the 'Mechs thatare available, things start off easy as you work your waythrough the first wave of solo enemies. When you'veobliterated the complete set of opponents, they'll startcoming at you in pairs, then groups of three, and so on.After defeating the fourth wave of 'Mechs, the next batchhas their weapons automatically upgraded to level two—or, on some maps, a surprise enemy appears. After anadditional four minutes, enemy weapons are ramped upto level three. Don't expect to last very long after this!

Tips and Tacticso Careful management of your salvage supplies is the key to

success in Grinder. Although you won't find salvage stores

around the maps, al l defeated enemies wil l drop a pile of

the stuff.

o If you're playing with a friend, one of the absolute best 'Mech

combinations for use during the Witch's Cauldron scenario is

the Wendigo and a NeuroHacked Atlas. Use the Atlas to soak

up the enemy strikes while the Wendigo dishes out the

destruction. You'l l be able to keep afloat for a long time if

you work cooperatively. Once it starts getting too dangerous

for the Wendigo, the control ling player should return to the

'Mech cache and swap it for the second Atlas.

o Similarly, you'l l find the Ragnarok and a hacked Blood Asp

provide optimum power when pulverizing the massive

onslaught during In Your Face.

Destruction/Team DestructionAvailable free-for-all maps:GOING COMMANDO

IN YOUR FACE

NEW RIVER CITY

ON THE ROCKS

OVER THE FALLS

PROVING GROUND

UNDER COVER

Available team maps:BOGGED DOWN NO MAN'S LAND

DELIVERANCE ON THE ROCKS

GOING COMMANDO OVER THE FALLS

ILL WIND PROVING GROUND

IN YOUR FACE RUSH HOUR

KILLING FIELDS UNDER COVER

NEW RIVER CITY WITCH'S CAULDRON

94

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

What Is It?Destruction is the basic deathmatch mode, where everyplayer fends for themselves. Simply put, if you see an oppo-nent, obliterate them before they can kill you. The gameends when either the allotted time runs out or the Kill Limit isreached, depending on the settings. The winner of the matchis the player with the highest score at the end of play.

Team Destruction works on exactly the same prin-ciple but splits players into two sides. The goal is to worktogether in your team and take out as many of the oppo-sition as possible before the game ends. The team thatwreaks the most carnage wins!

Tips and Tacticso A cunning strategy that can be applied to al l Destruction-

type games is to climb out of your BattleArmor and plant a

pilot bomb whenever you respawn after being blown apart.

Since the respawn spots are set, rather than random, the

next player to appear there wil l land right on top of your

charge. One free kil l to you!

o During team games, always play defensively and al low the

enemy to come to you. This keeps everyone in roughly the

same area, making it much easier for the VTOL player to

deliver salvage to those in need without having to scout

around the terrain.

o Be careful not to destroy a friendly unit. If you do your score

wil l be lowered by the value of the unit. This counts for

chain reactions and can be used to your advantage. If you're

in a crippled 'Mech, try to take an enemy down with you.

They wil l get some score for kil l ing you, but lose points for

any friendlies destroyed in the blast!

Last Man Standing/Team LastMan StandingAvailable free-for-all maps:IN YOUR FACE

NEW RIVER CITY

OVER THE FALLS

PROVING GROUND

UNDER COVER

Available team maps:IN YOUR FACE

NEW RIVER CITY

OVER THE FALLS

PROVING GROUND UNDER COVER

RUSH HOUR WITCH'S CAULDRON

What Is It?Last Man Standing, and its team variant, plays similarly toDestruction. However, there's one key difference: Once

you're dead, that's it. You don't respawn. As well asattempting to make the most kills before the game ends,you'll also have to ensure you don't get blasted out ofplay yourself. If you're playing in a team, it's vital thateveryone looks out for their allies. Obviously, the sidethat can hang on to the most 'Mechs longest, has thegreatest chance of success!

Tips and Tacticso When going solo, one of the sneakiest things you can do is

simply hide out for the duration of the battle. If no one can

find you, then no one can kil l you! Of course, the downside

to this is that if you do get discovered, you won't have been

collecting salvage from destroyed opponents. This means

you'l l be forced to take on your challenger with the lowest

level weapons available….

o In team games, it pays to coordinate your squad so that a

large group of you concentrate on downing one single 'Mech

at a time. With several teammates attacking at once, your

opponent won't know where to start firing first. That is, if

they last long enough to fire at al l.

o Another often overlooked team strategy is simply to hang

close to your base or 'Mech respawn point and thunder over

when your armor is low. On arrival, switch into one of the

waiting unoccupied 'Mechs and burst back out into the fray!

o One way to get an advantage midway through a battle is to

steal some of the enemy mechs that are at their base! Some

teams often leave their bases undefended, al lowing you to

exchange a heavily damaged unit for a fresh and possibly

better one at the enemy base. Don't forget to plant a pilot

bomb on your way out!

Not It!Available maps:GOING COMMANDO

KILLING FIELDS

NEW RIVER CITY

ON THE ROCKS

PROVING GROUND

RUSH HOUR

UNDER COVER

What Is It?This modeprovides yetanother varia-tion onDestruction. Unlike the previous game types, Not It! onlycomes in free-for-all flavor. There're no teammates toback you up here! When the game begins, one player israndomly selected as "it." The "it" is the only player thatgets points for his or her kills. If you manage to elimi-nate that player, then you'll automatically become "it" 95

yourself. The aim of the game is to hunt out the "its,"bring them down, and take out as many of the opposi-tion as possible before you get killed yourself.

Tips and Tacticso Most of the general strategies discussed above apply to Not

It! as well. However, in addition to these, scout out the area

when play begins and try locating a 'Mech with targeting

weapons—the Uziel and its PPCs are ideal here. Once you

have the 'Mech, hang back away from the throng, and

launch attacks from afar—you'l l stay alive much longer this

way. The downside to this is that once other players spot

your new toy, you'l l probably spend more time countering

their NeuroHacks than actually fighting!

o Points are earned only from destroying other units, so if you

have a choice between a clean kil l and damaging another

unit, take the kil l! Also, destroying three or four light units

wil l yield more score than destroying a single heavy unit,

even if you die shortly afterward.

Capture the FlagAvailable team maps:BOGGED DOWN

DELIVERANCE

GOING COMMANDO

ILL WIND

NEW RIVER CITY

ON THE ROCKS

WITCH'S CAULDRON

What Is It?Capture the Flagis a team-onlymultiplayer mode. Once you've selected your side andjoined the game, the goal is to cooperatively work your wayacross the terrain and capture the enemy flag. Once youropponents' flag has been brought back to the friendly base,your team scores a point and the flag returns to its originalposition. Don't forget that the other side is trying to do thesame, so defending your own flag is just as important asstealing your enemy's!

Tips and Tacticso It's a good idea to assign the role of flag runner to players in

control of the faster 'Mechs—particularly if they're also

equipped with target jamming or null sig. The runner will be

able to sprint through the opposition with their defenses up,

making it very difficult for the enemy to get a direct hit.

o Attack the enemy base as a unit of three 'Mechs. Have a

heavy 'Mech in the center to distract the opposition and

flank it with two lighter, faster runners to sneak into the

base while the enemy concentrates its efforts on the heavy

'Mech in the middle.

o The Rommel tank can be indispensable in these matches, if

used wisely. First, power up the tank’s gravity cannon to

level three, then scout out the enemy's flag runner. Switch to

zoom mode and shoot the enemy 'Mech in the legs. There's

a high probability that the force of the blast wil l knock your

opponent clean over, slowing them down considerably. If the

runner already has your flag, then this gives you ample

opportunity to run in and retrieve it!

o Prevent the opposition from picking your flag up at al l by

standing an Assault 'Mech, such as the Atlas, over it. The

'Mech's huge bulk wil l stop your foes from getting close

enough to grab their prize!

o Alternatively, place a tank on top of the flag point. Activate

its null sig to make the Rommel invisible to the eye. As the

enemy approaches, let rip with the fire—they won't know

what hit them!

o For these battles, using a VTOL to ferry in two BattleArmors

or a tank into the objective (and out again) can easily make

the game. One excellent tactic is to have a VTOL hover just

out of sight while a null sig tank moves in to pick up the flag.

As soon as your tank has the flag and is on the move, pick it

up with the VTOL and clear out.

Check It!Available team maps:DELIVERANCE

ILL WIND

KILLING FIELDS

NO MAN'S LAND

WITCH'S CAULDRON

What Is It?In every CheckIt! map, five control points are up for grabs. Playing inteams, the aim is to capture all available points. Tosecure them, players must be on foot, then hack intothe console located at the center of each point. Once apoint is successfully captured, the automatic defensesgo online, ready to obliterate any members of theopposing team as they near. Your rivals will need tobring down the defenses and rehack the point to makeit their own. Once a team manages to secure all fivecontrol points, victory is theirs!

Tips and Tacticso Splash damage weapons, such as missiles, are extremely

useful during Check It! They can be used to detonate pilot

bombs left at control points by nefarious opposition fighters

and, even better, to take down any enemy pilots attempting

to hack a point in one quick shot.

o Several maps feature VTOL pads that are control led by

checkpoints. The only way to use a pad is to secure the

checkpoint first. If there's only one such pad in the level, it's96

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

vital you capture that one first. The team with control of the

VTOL nearly always has the upper hand in matches, thanks

to its ability to carry and deliver salvage. If you fail to grab

the VTOL point, have one of your pilots sneak up and plant

a charge on the pad so that the aircraft is destroyed when it

lands. This takes it out of action for a while, evening the

odds and giving your team the chance to secure the control

point for themselves.

Snatch It!Available team maps:BOGGED DOWN

ILL WIND

KILLING FIELDS

NO MAN'S LAND

ON THE ROCKS

RUSH HOUR

What Is It?This timearound, your team's goal is to collect all of the data coresavailable on a map and return them to base. Snatch It!tends to be fast and frantic as all data cores spawn inone place right in the center of the terrain. As soon asthe game begins, everybody charges in and starts withthe scavenging. This can lead to bouts of insanelyconcentrated firefighting as everyone scrambles over thesame prize!

Tips and Tacticso The first team to the core spawn point always has a better

chance of victory. Although fast 'Mechs can be handy here,

equipping a VTOL with two BattleArmors and zipping them

straight to the data cores is the best strategy. When the

BattleArmors drop to the ground, have them grab several

cores and "throw" them to their teammate bringing up the

rear. This is achieved by running and hitting 2, giving the

core momentum when released. You'l l find this gets them to

your squad much quicker and forces the opposing team to

waste time by trekking over to your side of the field in order

to retrieve any cores.

o Once you have the greatest share of the cores, begin playing

defensively. Place pilot bombs on your core pad to prevent

intruders from stealing them and obstruct incoming enemy

'Mechs from using powered-up weapons.

o A cunning tactic is to fly several BattleArmors over to the

enemy core pad in the final stages of the game. As the

counter reaches zero, get them to sneak up to the cores,

col lect them and drop them outside of the pad. Any cores

not on the pad at the end of play won't get counted in the

final tal ly!

Base WarAvailable team maps:BOGGED DOWN

DELIVERANCE

NO MAN'S LAND

RUSH HOUR

What Is It?The final multi-player mode inthe game is also team-orientated. Each side starts atopposing ends of the map in their own base camp. Bothbases feature an enormous generator this time around.The object of the game is to charge over to the enemy'sbase and pummel their generator into submission. Totaldecimation of a team's generator results in a victory forthe other side. A major part of gameplay involves coordi-nating a strong line of defense around your own base,ensuring the opposition can't touch your generator whileyou smash chunks out of theirs.

Tips and Tacticso VTOLs are vital in this mission. One of their most important

tasks is to deliver green salvage to the base itself and reduce

any damage. A good strategy is to have the VTOL leave the

salvage directly on top of the base. This way, when the base

is attacked, the salvage wil l take effect immediately,

canceling out the effects of a successful enemy strike.

o Since VTOLs can keep bases healthy almost indefinitely, as

long as salvage is available, the best tactic is to play defen-

sively for the majority of the match and concentrate on mini-

mizing the harm done to your own base. As the game

reaches its final few minutes, rush in with some heavy

attackers to concentrate as much damage as possible to the

enemy base (try and ignore the other players) before the

time runs out. Two powered-up BattleArmors, airlifted

directly onto the top of the enemy generator, are ideal for

this. You can even get the pilot to detonate a charge next to

your target on landing!

o Send a heavy 'Mech on a suicide run! If you can get a 'Mech

right up against the opponent's base, you'll deliver serious

damage when the enemy gunfire finally causes you to explode!

Doing this when time is of the essence or when the opposing

base is almost destroyed puts your enemies in a tricky position:

Either they try taking you down and risk finishing themselves

off once and for all, or they leave you be and face the possi-

bility of you gunning the base to pieces anyway….

o About to die near an enemy base? Exit your mech and

deploy a pilot bomb. Not only wil l your 'Mech's explosion

damage the base, but so wil l your pilot bomb.

97

98

MULTIPLAYER MAPSBogged Down

Available in these modes:TEAM DESTRUCTION SNATCH IT!CAPTURE THE FLAG BASE WAR

This marshy wasteland sports a raised outer ridge and largeopen central area for combat. The blue base lies to thenorth of the map, while the red base sits to the south.While maps such as Ill Wind provide a tangle of passagesand troughs to scout and hide in, necessitating a varied mixof play styles, the uniformly open nature of Bogged Downpractically forces players into intense combat situations.

The very center of the map houses five concretebunkers that can be commandeered as a countermea-sure—these are great for installing sentries and snipingenemies from afar. However, a good opposition will takethese down at the earliest opportunity, thus denying theother side any sort of advantage. Similarly, it's a goodtactic to take down as much of the surrounding foliageas possible—they simply provide additional cover for yourfoes, making surprise attacks much easier.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

99

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

Deliverance

Available in these modes:TEAM DESTRUCTION

CAPTURE THE FLAG

CHECK IT!BASE WAR

This team-based mapoffers a long, narrowfighting ground withlittle in the way ofcover, aside fromseveral small groups ofhills. The tight playarea makes offensivemaneuvers veryheated, as there's littleroom to spread a unitout and next to nomeans of launchingstealthy scoutingmissions into theenemy base.

What cover there istends to be focused tothe northwest andsouthwest of the map,where the red and bluebases are locatedrespectively. If you canreach them, moundsand trees can disguisean enemy onslaught—however, the bottlenecks leadingout of the wide, open central area make a great placeto set up a barrier of heavy 'Mechs to stop thishappening.

In all but the Base War mode, there's a single VTOLpad in the center of the map. It's vital that you securethis early on. Use the VTOL to power up your 'Mecharmy and prevent the enemies' 'Mechs from evenleaving their spawn site by placing most of your forcesalong their route into the central swamp.

primagames.com

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

100

Going Commando

Available in these modes:DESTRUCTION

TEAM DESTRUCTION

NOT IT!CAPTURE THE FLAG

Going Commando isa BattleArmor-onlyarena map andconsists of a U-shaped coastal cityarea, surrounding acentral island. Bothparts of the map arejoined together viaseveral bridges. Trynot to spend toomuch time on thesethough since they'reeasily demolished—plunging you intothe watery, andarmor-unfriendly,depths below.

Despite themyriad of buildings,the map actuallyoffers some decep-tively open areas forplay—the wide roadstoward the center ofthe map are goodexamples of this.That's no reason notto make the most ofthe superb coveroffered by the build-ings of course, andyou'll often find yourself sticking to the outer regions ofthe map for this reason alone.

The central island is the focus of the battlefield andoffers little in the way of protection from the neighboringbanks. As such, it's an ideal spot for snipers to train theirsights on (using the rooftops in the surrounding areas) sobe wary here.

Sniping can be a very effective tactic on this map.Simply scale a tower and lob mortars to ground level atunsuspecting passersby. Don't stay in one place for toolong though—if anyone gets wind of your position, allthey need do is pile on a few strikes and the building willcollapse, killing you in the process.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

101primagames.com

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

Ill Wind

Available in these modes:TEAM DESTRUCTION

CAPTURE THE FLAG

CHECK IT!SNATCH IT!

Ill Wind is a huge, undu-lating, basin-style map withdense vegetation. It can betricky to navigate confi-dently, due to its confusingarray of canyons and gullies.Thankfully, the northern halfof the map still displayssigns of earth underfoot,while the southern section isentirely blanketed in snow,giving an approximate visualreference point for yourlocation at all times. Alwaysremember to check whereyou're positioned on themap at the start of thegame, to save you fromlosing your way back tobase later on!

Base camps are situatedto the northeast and south-west of the terrain, both onthe raised ledge surroundingthe core of the map. Thenortheastern base overlooksa deep valley, with an emphasis on wide-open spacesand limited cover, whereas the southern portion of thearea raises up to a central peak that slowly disperses intoa wash of crisscrossing pits, slopes, and passages.Consequently, the southern region lends itself tofrantic run-and-gun action while battles to thenorth tend to be a little more cautious.

Whichever base you find yourself defending, asimple yet effective strategy on this map isto level as many of the trees aspossible around your camp, and themap in general. This makes it muchtrickier for the opposition to hide,enabling you to spot an attack on thebase much sooner.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

102

In Your Face

Available in these modes:DESTRUCTION LAST MAN STANDING

TEAM DESTRUCTION TEAM LAST MAN STANDING

This tight, arena-like map is perfect for fast, frenetic fire-fights. It's effectively a circular pit in the earth with anarrow outer trench and large central brawl area. Thelack of any cover in this inner circle makes for plenty ofintense, combat-heavy matches with high kill counts—italso makes the inner circle incredibly dangerous.

Although it's tempting to stay on the raised platformin the middle for a decent midrange vantage point of thelevels above and below, there're a few good reasons forsloshing about in the watery lower level. First, 'Mechsfitted with powerful weapons won't overheat nearly as

quickly. Second, you're not such an easy target for outer-lying snipers.

Although the raised mounds separating the trenchfrom the inner circle aren't really high enough for propersniping, they're great for launching surprise attacks atanyone in the middle ring. Provided you're equipped withjumpjets, it's very easy to spring up onto the hilltop, fireoff a few rounds at your target, then drop back behindcover before anyone can pinpoint your location.

Don't be fooled into thinking that the trenches aresafe though. One of the sneakiest tactics you can use onthis map is to scoot around and plant pilot bombs in thethick undergrowth. Your opponents won't suspect a thinguntil it's way too late….

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

103primagames.com

Killing Fields

Available in these modes:TEAM DESTRUCTION CHECK IT!NOT IT! SNATCH IT!

Killing Fields features the red and blue team bases to thenorth and south, with a whole lot of hills and convolutedpathways in between. The multiple routes makemounting surprise attacks on the enemy defenses veryeasy, so it pays to assign lookouts to the main points ofapproach to your camp.

Face-to-face combat tends to be less frequent on thismap due to the wealth of cover on offer. A good strategyis to find a hiding spot and use your jumpjets to hopabove the hilltops and lob a few mortars at your oppo-nent before dropping back down to safety.

Finally, take advantage of the plentiful flora and sendout pilots to lay charges around the landscape—rememberto keep your teammates informed however, so you don'tinadvertently dish out damage to friendly forces.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

104

New River City

Available in these modes:DESTRUCTION TEAM LAST MAN STANDING

TEAM DESTRUCTION NOT IT!LAST MAN STANDING CAPTURE THE FLAG

New River City is an update of a map from the originalMechAssault multiplayer game. It features a small citycomplex intersected by a river running across the map.Both sections are joined via two bridges that, as usual,can be dangerous places to loiter for too long due totheir destructible nature.

The smaller northern city provides a position forsnipers, thanks to its tall buildings and excellent views.The southern section is better suited to heavy 'Mechs asthe thick cluster of buildings provides excellent cover. Becareful though, if you're caught in the midst of acollapsing building, the fallout can be deadly.

Unlike many of the other, hillier maps, you won'tgain much by acquiring 'Mechs with jumpjets, so plentyof power and brute force is often the key to success.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

No Man's Land

Available in these modes:TEAM DESTRUCTION

CHECK IT!SNATCH IT!BASE WAR

Like Deliverance, this mapconsists of a large centralhub and two narrow corri-dors leading toward thenorth and south bases. Thepassageways up to eachcamp on this map, though,are far narrower, makingstealth strikes nearlyimpossible and groupassaults particularlydangerous—if one of yougoes down, then all ofyour teammates riskdestruction in the resultingblast. These narrow corri-dors are also a prime placeto lay pilot bomb traps toact as a deterrent forunwanted guests.

The hills just outsideyour base make a greatsniper point for tanks or'Mechs. You'll find that afully charged tank canknock a 'Mech clean over,holding back anyoncoming defensive very effectively.However, always ensure that this basedefender receives plenty of salvagedeliveries from the VTOL—this is yourbest defense and early warning system!

primagames.com

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

105

106

On the Rocks

Available in these modes:DESTRUCTION CAPTURE THE FLAG

TEAM DESTRUCTION SNATCH IT!NOT IT!

This map is actually fairly linear, with a narrow runconsisting of multiple pathways leading north to south. Araised spine of rock bisects a significant part of thecentral portion of the map, offering plenty of cover. Infact, this map definitely isn't short of hiding spots, thanksto the large number of hills and massive rock clusters.Consequently, you'll find yourself dodging enemies byhopping over and behind them a lot. They're particularlyuseful when attempting to steal a flag or core!

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

107primagames.com

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

Over the Falls

Available in these modes:DESTRUCTION LAST MAN STANDING

TEAM DESTRUCTION TEAM LAST MAN STANDING

As the name suggests, the centerpiece for this map is ahuge waterfall, spilling into a massive pool below. To saythat this level is multitiered would be an understate-ment—it's simply packed with platforms and ledges,making this one a sniper's delight. It's vital that you findyourself some high ground early on in the match, sincehanging around the lower levels will almost guarantee apremature death. Stake your claim to a prime snipingarea and use it to wipe out any hostiles crossing thevalley below.

As the northern-most base sits at the very lowestpoint on the map, it pays for the occupying team toreach the central ridge quickly so they're not sitting ducksfor the opposing side. The upside to this positioning isthat it’s very easy to spot enemy forces as they movetoward your base—and even easier to bring them down.The reverse is true for the team situated on top of thewaterfall to the south.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

Proving Ground

Available in these modes:DESTRUCTION

TEAM DESTRUCTION

LAST MAN STANDING

TEAM LAST MAN STANDING

NOT IT!

This is probably the most traditional arena-style map inthe game and offers up some fast-paced, in-your-faceaction. The large central portion of the arena providesvirtually no opportunity to hide whatsoever, making itmuch safer to stay in the surrounding narrow corridor.This is especially true as the highest point on the walldividing the two sections makes a perfect sniping spot forenemies in BattleArmor.

What's more, the remains of defeated 'Mechs fromchallenges gone by rest in the center of the map, waitingto detonate if shot or blow up in the face of anyonefoolish enough to get too close—the resulting splashdamage is devastating, either way.

In team play, stick to the outer corridor and split yourgroup into two. One half should tackle the upper portionof the map while the second skirts around the lowerpassage, clearing out anything in its path.

108

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

109primagames.com

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

Rush Hour

Available in these modes:TEAM DESTRUCTION

TEAM LAST MAN STANDING

NOT IT!SNATCH IT!BASE WAR

Rush Hour is a delightfor stealth nuts, thanksto its denselyconstructed city envi-ronment. The core ofthe map is rammedwith towers and build-ings of all shapes andsizes, making it idealfor hide-and-shootruns—you really haveto be on your guardwhen traversing thisone. Surprisinglythough, sniping pointsare few and farbetween due to theheight and shape ofmost buildings on themap. You're definitelybetter off sticking toground level andhoning your blast-and-dodge tactics.

It's very impor-tant to destroy all the buildings close to your home campwhen playing games such as Snatch It! and Base War.This makes it much more harder for hostiles to initiate astealthy offensive and sneak into your base unnoticed.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

110

Under Cover

Available in these modes:DESTRUCTION TEAM LAST MAN STANDING

TEAM DESTRUCTION NOT IT!LAST MAN STANDING

Your experience with this level varies massivelydepending on the type of vehicle you're piloting. Smaller'Mechs or those lacking jumpjets spend most of their timefighting in close quarters all over the map under thecanopy of trees, with little knowledge of what'shappening above. On the other hand, larger 'Mechs orplayers able to access higher ground will have somefrantic action in the wide-open lower reaches. Either way,its sprawling cover means it's very difficult to affectevents on the opposing levels.

The hillsides at either end of the map make greatsniping positions, overlooking the enemy bases and asingle patch of uncovered lower ground, so they're oftenhotly contested.

Don't forget to use pilot bombs liberally if you'rehidden beneath the canopy. Not only does the wealth ofbushes make them difficult to spot for anyone on thesame level, players that tumble through the trees fromabove will frequently suffer from them as well.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

111primagames.com

Multiplayer M

ECHASSAULT 2

Witch's Cauldron

Available in these modes:TEAM DESTRUCTION

TEAM LAST MAN STANDING

CAPTURE THE FLAG

CHECK IT!

This dark, brooding mapfeatures lots of hills anddrastically reduced visibility,making it great forambushes and stealth offen-sives. There's a tangle oftrenches to get lost in so itpays to stay alert at alltimes—if you inadvertentlystorm straight into enemyunits, you want to be readyfor action!

Like Deliverance, thekey to winning team-basedmatches lies in securing thecenter of the area. Once it'syours, it's possible to set upan impasse and thwart theenemy's offensive. Onceagain, in any modesfeaturing a solo VTOL pad inthe center, it's vital to grabthe pad before the opposi-tion—the advanced tactics itoffers frequently make orbreak the game.

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point

SPECIAL MAPSThe following multiplayer maps are available for download via XboxLive and in the Limited Edition version of MechAssault 2:

Mountain HighAvailable in these modes:GRINDER SNATCH IT!TEAM DESTRUCTION BASE WAR

CHECK IT!

Mountain High is primarily a team-basedmap set in a long, waterlogged canyon.Bases lie at either end of two narrowwinding trenches leading into a centralizedarena-like clearing that's surrounded byhuge cascading waterfalls.

The map features plenty of rugged rockyterrain, ideal for sniping, especially aroundthe middle area—making the low groundparticularly dangerous. As with similar teammaps, it's important to seize the centralportion early on, since this makes thepassage that heads away from the enemy'sbase extremely treacherous.

Troubled WatersAvailable in these modes:GRINDER DESTRUCTION

This free-for-all map arena features a smallcity area on a raised central island that'slinked to the surrounding area by twobridges to the north and south. Becauselarge grassy hills flank the island to theeast and west, this middle section providesunprecedented cover, making for lots offrenzied gun-and-hide action.

The map is unique in that it offers avariety of different terrain types, thusallowing several different play stylespossible during a match. The northernportion of the area offers plenty of flat,open ground—perfect if you have apowerful 'Mech and are facing off againstlesser opponents. The southern portion ofthe map features similar ground, butheavily studded by large boulders. You'llfind it's either possible to snipe from these

positions or simply use the scenery asuseful cover during frenzied firefights.112

Blue Team spawn point

Red Team spawn point