Walkthrough 3: Ambush

Your helicopter is shot down on route to the critical mission of disabling the rail cannons held by the Republic. This is the first mission in the game that allows you to use your new augmentations in battle.

Primary Level Goals:

• Advance with the squad.
• Resupply in the store room.
• Get to the second squad.
• Access the computer to open the nearby door.
• Continue to exit.

Secondary Level Goals:

• Clear the mines.
• Destroy the tank, so the squad can advance.

You and your squad are flying over a battle zone in a Coalition transport helicopter. As your transport is approaching its objective, the enemy tower demonstrates its deadly control of the surrounding airspace by scoring a direct hit on several Coalition transports, including yours. The chopper is damaged, and the pilot has to make an emergency drop maneuver, leaving the squad in the middle of the battle zone. The level starts facing a street full of alerted enemy troops in their own territory.

Sergeant Major Chung introduces himself though the ComSet. He is tracking the squad’s progress and will give commands and helpful communication from time to time. Follow his directions. He knows this battlefield intimately.

Multiple machinegun emplacements line the street, and a steady supply of enemies stream in on foot, making a rushing assault inadvisable. Taking full advantage of cover and moving with the squad will increase your chances of surviving the initial encounters intact. Listen for Chung’s prompts as well. He advises using the newly activated augmentations during critical moments of the fight.

At the second cover point, there is a doorway across the street that will lead into the building where the first enemy emplacement is located. Take out the defenses guarding the gun, and use it against the enemy troops. There are also shotgun and kicker pick-ups along the way to the emplacement.

Also note that a drivable vehicle parked in the alley behind the emplacement building. Keep it in mind for later. It can be used to run over on-foot enemies and transverse through the level quickly.

At the mouth of the tunnel, a Republic tank enters the battle by blowing away another Coalition squad, then focusing on your men. The squad scatters, and Chung advises the use of explosives against this new fearsome enemy. You see a Rocket Launcher in the middle of the street facing the tank. It has been dropped by the enemy. Three direct hits will destroy it—just be careful—both with the tanks main cannon and machinegun fire. There is an alley directly to the right of the tank that affords sparse cover and another Rocket Launcher pick-up. After the battle, take the time to explore for pick-ups.

Standing directly in front of the tank and slugging it out is a losing strategy. Use cover and constant movement when fighting the tank. The main cannon is it’s most dangerous weapon, as it isn’t shy in using it in these close quarters, and the splash damage from the exploding shell will damage targets in cover. The Reflex Boost augmentation is very effective at giving the extra time needed to dodge incoming tank shells.

Chung comes back on the ComSet and informs you that he’s located another squad pinned down by fierce enemy fire through the tunnel to the north. They are in nearly hand-to-hand combat with the enemy and need your help before they are wiped out. On the way to the squad is a Coalition supply room and save station to help stock up for the next fight.

The vehicle mentioned earlier is the perfect weapon to use in the tunnel. It can ram troops anywhere in the tunnel, including up on the walkway. There is a car jump midway through that can be used to surprise and crush the enemy troops manning the walkway. Just be careful not to run over your friends.

After an easy fight through the tunnel, the resupply room at the end also contains the save station. Be sure to save your progress before entering the next fight. You'll find another shotgun pick-up on your way.

As you reach the close combat fight, Chung comes back on the ComSet and informs you that they are almost to him. A computer across the street and upstairs controls the exit door. It must be used to advance. He also informs you of mines in the street that block friendly squad's progress. There is a radio upstairs that can be used to call in an air strike to clear the mines. This area is perilous because of the streams of enemies coming down from the building across the street and attempting to take the building that you're in. Rocket Launcher enemies begin attacking the building after Chung’s message, blowing out that walls being used as cover by friendlies. You must fight your way across the first and second floors of the building with enemy fire streaming across the small space over the street separating the buildings to get to the radio and call in an air strike.

A soldier will lead you to an emplacement on the second floor of the building. The enemies note the emplacement being manned and send a squad in to take it, out but they are easy pickings as they run across the field of fire and out the stairwell to the left. As you leave the emplacement, a friendly soldier mans it and opens fire. Confirming that a friend is on the emplacement before crossing the street is advisable for the cover fire he provides. There is a bio augmentation upgrade pick-up next to the radio.

Once key mines have been cleared, the friendly squad advances into the street in a counterattack. The path goes through and up the stairwell to the left. After clearing the stairwell of enemies, the way is barred by a shotgunner enemy and a rifleman. Your friends will attack them as they advance, and an explosive barrel along the enemy’s path will make short work of them if exploded at the right time.

Cornered Rocket Launcher enemies are very dangerous, as they may decide to attack with a short-range rocket. As you approach the computer room, if there are Rocket Launcher enemies still active, throw grenades through the window to clear them out.

Using the computer, override security and open the exit door. Chung prompts you to hurry to the exit. As you exit the computer room, the Republic counterattacks with a tank (it comes rushing over a wall to the East) and support troops on foot. The upper catwalk provides an adequate attack platform, but can be uncomfortably close to the tank and fire from support troops. Again, explosives must be used on this enemy. If you choose, you may dash past the tank and into the exit room, but you'll be presented with a "world is watching" moment as Chung berates you for leaving without the needed friendly squad support.

If you haven’t triggered the radio air strike, use can use it now against the tank. The air strike can do significant damage to the tank.

Once the tank is destroyed, Chung again prompts you to continue and bring the friendly squad into the next level. This is another excellent time to do a pick-up search. As you go through the exit door, the scene fades and the level ends.