Kingdom of the Spiders
By Hardcore
That building you just knocked over with your Mad Cat has landed squarely on the Hardcorner, where MechAssault® 2: Lone Wolf has been running 24-7 since the end of 2004.
Much praise has been heaped upon the game's innovative online modes (especially the semi-persistent universe of Conquest mode), but 'round these parts, we don't skimp on the single player—especially with a single-player mode that's as vastly improved over the original as this.
For example, let's talk about the surprising level boss you encounter about halfway through the game. At first, you might think you've stumbled across a glitch. How can this thing possibly be beaten? With Hardcore's delicious homemade strategy tips, that's how.
Does whatever a mountain-sized spider can.
Eight Feet and One Big Head
We're simply going to call this mid-game level-ender "spider boss." (The mysterious eight-legged hulk isn't given a name in the game.)
At least you're not in BattleArmor.
After pounding through the swamps of Thestria, making alliances and some surprising connections to the first game's conflict with the Word of Blake, you think you're home free. You've got your Mad Dog, and the swamps are wide open … What could possibly go wrong?
You're about to find out. You'll get a short cut scene of warning, and then you'll have maybe five seconds to try and grab a power up before your new playmate charges.
The spider has four big advantages over your relatively puny Mad Dog: speed, concealment, speed, a knockdown attack, a massive plasma cannon, and more speed. Okay, six, because speed is really important. The big bug does follow a pattern of sorts, and naturally that's the key to defeating him.
At first, you won't even see him. You'll get warnings about strange energy signatures, but the fog in the Thestrian swamp concealed your foe.
Next, the spider boss charges. He'll be on top of you before you know it, trying to trap you between its forelegs for …
The stomping attack. This will knock your 'Mech prone and make it nearly impossible to avoid complete destruction. You might be able to survive one knock down, if you're lucky and power-ups are close.
The head-blast follows the knock-down. There's a brief charging period for the weapon, and it fires in a front-facing arc.
One stomp can knock your Mad Dog flat.
Back-Pedal to the Metal
The key to defeating the spider boss, surprisingly, comes from a throwaway line by Lt. Foster. The first time the spider boss charges, he tells you to "back-pedal"—not just get out of the way or dodge, but back-pedal.
Why is that key? Simple: Once the big eight-legged freak charges, it's too late to dodge left or right. You will be struck by the foreleg stomp. You will be knocked down. And, if the head blast doesn't kill your 'Mech in one shot, the missiles that followwill easily relieve you of that last red health bar.
If you run backward, as Foster recommends, you can avoid the stomp attack every time—though you'll be perilously close to his head. Fortunately, the main weapon's charge time gives you just enough time to get around one of the front legs and avoid anything more than a glancing blow from the mighty head cannon.
The safest place to be. Seriously.
Your Only Chance of Stopping Him
While you can dodge the thing from heck to breakfast, dodging isn't your ultimate goal. At some point, you have to damage this beast somehow.
Bring up your missiles, and you'll see target options at the joints of the limbs. Yep … you've got to go for the legs! Since 'Mechs don't come equipped with harpoons and tow cables like Rebel snowspeeders, that means good old-fashioned pummeling.
Now, maneuver around to the side.
Your firing window is brief, and you'll likely have to endure at least two or three charge attacks before you really manage to inflict damage. Begin shooting at the legs as soon as you start moving around and stay away from the charging plasma cannon on the spider's head.
Along the way, you've got to keep your eyes open for any salvage, since even the most careful MechWarrior can still catch a face-full of plasma after a single misstep.
With the legs gone, aim just behind the head.
Finish Him!
Once the legs are off (or at least the legs' armor plating is off) the spider boss is critically wounded, but still dangerous. Stay to the side and behind, and target the joint behind the big bot's head. Pound it with everything you have; this is his Achilles' heel.
When the spider boss is dead, you might not notice right away. Watch for him to collapse on his belly. Then, once again back-pedal your fool head off. If you thought an exploding Atlas had a huge blast radius, wait until you see this big, bug-ugly monster go thermonuclear.
Ka-freakin'-BOOM!
Yep, the spider boss is dead, but the Word of Blake has plenty of ideas and way too many data cores. Fortunately, Hardcore has your back.
