Air Defense Walkthrough

The story of Matthew Kane is filled with strife and conflict. From the very moment he touches down on the surface of planet Stroggos, things go immediately awry. It's your job to pick him up by his bootstraps and take the lead in the fight against the evil Strogg.

The first few missions of QUAKE 4 drop you immediately into the action, but also serve as a means to get you up to speed on combat and completing objectives. The following walkthrough outlines what you need to do to successfully complete your first few goals.

See that gun behind these dudes? Blow it up.

Air Defense Base
Similar to the start of QUAKE 2, you begin your mission emerging from the wreckage of your downed spacecraft. The air is thick with enemy gunfire and your squad suffers many casualties. When you finally get to your feet, it's time to equip your blaster and join in the fun.

Follow your troops until you come across a medic in the process of healing a downed soldier. He fixes your wounds, enabling you to sustain some damage in the ensuing combat. Any time you're fighting alongside a medic you can request assistance, so don't be afraid to ask for a health boost when you've taken some licks.

Enter the base and proceed down the winding corridors. Destroy any Strogg you encounter with shots from your blaster. Beware of explosive barrels (a staple in any QUAKE game) as massive damage results should you be standing in the vicinity of one of these powderkegs when it goes up in flames. Alternatively, feel free to light one up when a hapless Strogg is patrolling near one—just make sure your teammates are far away.

Take cover when necessary and protect your medic.

Meet up with a group of fellow marines, but your job isn't over yet. Per orders, you must backtrack to the landing area and escort a medic to his destination. Retrace your steps and pick up any weapons, ammo, and health you come across. Beware of Strogg ambushes (they love to jump through cracks and bum rush your position). Protect the medic from taking too many hits and return to where you met up with the squad.

Exit the base through the nearby door (which was previously locked) and meet up with the very likeable and battle-hardened marine Cortez. After he dispatches a few Strogg, hang a left and proceed down the walkway into the next series of tunnels.

Trenches and Hangar
Following your fight against the Strogg inside the base, navigate a series of winding trenches and fighting outdoors. Keep your distance from enemies and eliminate any that you encounter. When you regroup with your team, you're instructed to take out the Stogg defense cannon.

Continue to fight at a distance after you acquire the shotgun (in other words, save your shells for close quarters combat). Protect your squad and press onward until you reach the engine assembly room. You need to get through a blast-resistant door, but before activating the dormant device to melt the glass you must find the power box. Eliminate nearby Strogg and make your way to the upper level. Extend the bridge to connect the two catwalks and activate the switch across the way. Fend off incoming Strogg before melting the door with a blast from the engine.

Continue onward into the Strongg stronghold, wasting enemies and gun turrets as you encounter them. When you reach your target area, your job is to protect your squad's demolition expert as he plants the charges at the base of each generator. Be sure to keep your squadmate alive during his travels or you fail the mission. After all the explosives have been deployed, it's time to get the heck outta there.

You need massive firepower to take out a Harvester.

Landing Site
Now that the charges have been detonated, it's time to blast open the door to the hangar across the way. Fight alongside your colleagues through each hallway until you reach the control room. The controls to the humongous cannon are at the far side of the area. Kill any guards standing in the way and man the gun.

Once seated firmly at the controls, lower the cannon and aim it at the hangar door at the opposite end of the trenches. Let a few shots fly and blow the doors off the building, then fight your way outside and head across the gap to your next destination. At the opposite end of the hangar, witness the landing of the Hannibal—a massive battleship full of angry marines and nearly endless munitions. Run across the desert floor and enter the ship via the landing ramp at the far end.

Explore the ship's many nooks and crannies and chat up the other soldiers. There's no combat to be found while you're safely within its confines, so take your time and soak up the experience. After you've been briefed by your superior officers, gear up and move out. Heal and stock up on ammunition before returning to the planet's surface. Good luck, soldier.

Article by Franklin Beans