PC/CD Gamer UK 44/PCGAMER44.bin/walkthru/missionf.txt

Text File | 1997-01-28 | 12KB | 201 lines

Mission Force: Cyber Storm

Herc Base
Herc Management
Most games encourage you to be frugal with your finances, not so Cyber Storm
where the golden rule is: if in doubt, splash out. ThereÆs really no point in keeping
money in the bank, when an extra Herc or more advanced weaponry could make
all the difference where it really counts, out on the battlefield. Spend, spend,
spend!

Buying and Outfitting Hercs
ThereÆs really nothing complicated about purchasing new machines, simply aim to
get the biggest and hardest Hercs as soon as is humanly possible. When the
Demon, Reaper and Juggernaut become available, youÆll find that adding just a
single one of these machines will increase the power of your Herc force
exponentially.

Herc Upgrades
Okay, so itÆs all very well lashing out fifty thousand credits on a brand new,
custom built Herc, but you can save money and substantially improve the
performance of your existing team, by making sure their internal structures and
systems are up to scratch.
Money is always a consideration, so you should work out a rough order of priority
when it comes to upgrading your machines. On the defensive side, armour and
shields should probably be your first concern, after all, youÆll need to survive in
order to prosper. However, try and improve your reactor rating as soon as
possible, as this will significantly raise power levels and weapons potential across
the whole spectrum.
Sensors are a vital component of any HercÆs make-up and every machine should
be outfitted with the best sensor package available. Targeting computers and
improved life support make relatively cheap and effective acquisitions, while
reinforced legs will substantially aid your chances of er, well, remaining standing.
Hardpoint accessories are the fluffy dice and go-faster stripes of the Herc world,
those optional added extras which can turn the tide of any battle and you should
definitely take advantage if youÆve got cash to burn. As a rule, cannon and missile
heavy Hercs should always carry a supply drone as theyÆre relatively ammo
intensive and can often need a reload during heavy fighting. When nano-
technology becomes available, make sure all your premier Hercs have a package
fitted as standard. Stealth and ECM systems are also extremely handy on bigger
Hercs such as the Demon, Reaper or Juggernaut which naturally draw more
enemy fire.

Weapons
ItÆs difficult to be dogmatic about which weaponry you should fit on individual
Hercs and indeed, endless experimenting with payload is one of the finer aspects
of the game, so just enjoy! However hereÆre some general guidelines: Buy the best
of everything. Have a look in your weapons bay, if thereÆs a more expensive
option, it will usually be worth it and a quick right click will reveal the gory
details. New weapons which become available as a result of increases in rank are
particularly exciting to the easily impressed and should be fitted immediately. If
not sooner.
Individual Hercs will probably specialise in a particular kind of weapons package,
but a balanced machine which mixes several different types of payload is usually
the most effective in combat. Beware of making your bigger Hercs totally reliant
on weapons such as Energy or ELF which run off the battery, as you might not be
able to muster sufficient power to fire them all in one round.

The Bioderm Business
Bioderms are the weird, protoplasmy things which pilot your Hercs. A strange lot,
they require some fairly detailed management, but manipulating Derms
successfully is a key strategy for success as a Herc Commander.
When youÆre creating Derms from scratch in the Biovat, you should obviously
aim for quality, and lifespan and price are key considerations. Secure Derms
which have longevity and youÆll be able to build up their skills and experience
which in later missions, will produce pilots of ace status. Remember, thereÆs little
or no point in investing money in a Derm which wonÆt last the distance.
Next, consider the DermÆs base skills, and more importantly itÆs learning curves.
VR training is essential to realise a BiodermÆs full potential and itÆs a very cost
effective way of turning average Derms into reasonable pilots and good Derms
into absolute killing machines! YouÆll notice that some Derms, because of their
parentage and history, are adept at certain weapons skills. Wherever possible you
should try and match them with appropriate Hercs. For example the Tarsus Derm
is tailor-made for the Giant Herc, because of its superhuman cannon skills.
Beware of Derms which have low stability and slight resistance to toxins, they
wonÆt handle the heat of battle too well.
Take special care of the æGuest StarÆ Bioderms such as Vryl, Tarsus and Qabal
which accompany your promotions. They usually come with exceptional or
enhanced abilities and will often be able to play a pivotal role in the operation of
your Herc force.

Financial Rewards
Running a Herc squad for Unitech is an expensive business and requires copious
amounts of the folding stuff to keep the machines rolling. However, generating
sufficient cash shouldnÆt be too difficult if you choose your missions carefully and
complete them successfully.

Your primary source of income comes from completing tasks for Unitech, so
select your missions with this in mind. Remember the highest payers will
undoubtedly entail more risk, but youÆll find the rewards are much greater, not
least in the amount of bounty generated by Cybrids you destroy.

After youÆve cleared the map of enemy forces hang around and sweep up any
spare surface ore with your mining extractors. As well as gaining a percentage of
the profits from automining, this additional revenue will go directly into your
coffers.

Be patient! ThereÆs no shame in taking lower risk mining or reconnaissance duties
and gradually building up your wealth and forces until youÆre able to tackle
military missions. Likewise, the Cybrid Command Centre mission in each system
will require a substantial investment in advanced Bioderms and Hercs.

On the Battlefield
Mission Preparation
Good preparation is essential for successful missions and you should study
planetary briefings carefully and take account of local conditions before settling
on the final combination of your team. Be cautious of accepting missions on
planets which negate some of your weapons advantage or encourage premature
ageing in your Derms. Always select a Herc team which will take maximum
advantage of planetary conditions.

Force Selection
ItÆs tempting to lay all your eggs in one basket and go for the heaviest, most
powerful Hercs available but in fact, most successful Herc teams are a
combination of various types of specialist unit. Scouts are absolutely vital,
functioning as your eyes on the battlefield and you should use lightweight Senseis
and Shadows which are stripped for speed in this role. If you know the
composition and armament of Cybrid forces well in advance, youÆll have plenty of
time to organise your own battle formation. By all means deploy the heaviest
firepower available, but complement it with appropriate supporting forces.

Combat Tactics
Defensive Ploys
Hercs definitely benefit from strength in numbers, so keep your main force
together and able to support each other with overlapping fields of fire. By
displaying multiple targets to the Cybrids, you should weaken their overall
firepower and enable stronger HercÆs shields to cover their weaker brethren.
When engaged in combat, constantly tweak and modulate your individual HercÆs
shield harmonics, concentrating strength in the directions where youÆre likeliest to
come under sustained fire. Beware of being caught on the blind side though,
small, fast Cybrids like the Verminus can nip in behind you and deliver a
devastating attack on weakened rear shields.

On the Attack
When on the offensive, concentrate your forceÆs fire onto a single enemy at a
time, bringing multiple weapons to bear which will rapidly wear down their
shields and armour. Target smaller Cybrids especially, since they usually carry an
equivalent payload to their bigger stablemates, but are more vulnerable to
sustained fire. Remember, itÆs always better to take out a single Cybrid per round,
rather than just damaging several, because it reduces overall Cybrid firepower and
increases your own chances of survival.
Once youÆve actually closed within firing range, keep moving and try to
manoeuvre so that youÆre aiming for the weakest side of your opponentÆs shields.
Use weapon loads which deplete shields first, then, once youÆve created a breach,
pour fire into the exposed armour. Weapons which affect both shields and armour
and weapons which ignore shields completely can be devastating.



Top five management tips

1. Promotion is the passport to all those groovy new Hercs, technologies and
Derms. Obtaining an 80% + ranking for missions will substantially increase your
promotion chances.

2. Be ruthless about selling off redundant Hercs and equipment and returning
Bioderms to the sludge, to fund your new forces. Upgrade everything, constantly!

3. Keep an eye on your Derms between missions and use the Medvat universal
heal and detox functions to keep them fresh for the next battle.

4. Bioderms with naturally high command abilities should be nurtured carefully,
as they can alleviate the worst effects of  instability in lesser team mates.

5. You can also employ the old trick of naming Derms after your mates or people
you know, to increase familiarity with their abilities. This is especially important
after you get to Squad Leader rank, when you can own more Bioderms than
Hercs.


Top Herc combat tips
1. Speed is everything on the battlefield, it doesnÆt matter how heavily armed or
powerful your Hercs are, if they canÆt be in the right place at the right time. If
youÆre having problems getting your bigger Hercs to the front line, monitor their
speed in the Herc bay and change configuration, or use Overdrive and AG
systems to compensate.
2. Derms with good Piloting skills reduce the amount of reactor power required to
perform movement. Good pilots will be able to cover greater distances and deploy
more firepower and therefore should be reserved for your hardest Hercs.
3. Terrain plays a key role in combat in Cyber Storm and you should try and make
terrain work for you. Crouching in canyons or behind hills at the end of your
movement phase will reduce the chances of being hit by enemy fire.
4. Small, nippy HERCs such as the Shadow or Sensei can be held back behind
your front line but are good at darting in to deliver the coup de grace to exposed
targets, once your bigger guns have worn them down. Make sure you leave
enough energy left to retreat to a position of safety afterwards though.
5. Although itÆs usually best to deliver your full payload in a single round, if
Cybrids are out of range or present poor targets, reserve some of your weapons
for return fire
6. Jackup and Stimgland should be used cautiously, especially on unstable Derms.
With prudent Derm selection and appropriate training, your chances of hitting a
target should be good enough anyway without the meagre 6% increase in
accuracy. If you must indulge, have a Bioderm with good leadership qualities on
hand to stop them going crazy during cold turkey.
7. Always angle your shields towards your target before firing. Otherwise you
might find that a Cybrid thatÆs set to return fire could deal you a very nasty
surprise indeed.
8. Are you fed up with recycling, old, unwanted Bioderms back into the sludge
tank? Why not try sending them off with a bang? Suicide tactics can be incredibly
effective against massed Cybrid forces. Sneak a fast, cheap Herc fitted with a
detonation device into the midst of the enemy, press the button and watch the fun.