Mexican Stand-Off is the tenth and final mission of the Operation Eclipse campaign in Act of Aggression.[1]
Background[]
Defeated, Wittel is forced to retreat, and Majken Lofquist reveals Chimera has him cornered. Schaefer adds they will have to act quick before Wittel could get a chance to strengthen his defenses further. Lofquist authorizes Schaefer to carry out the mission.
Unforeseen Consequences[]
Lofquist inquires Schaefer on their progress. Schaefer believes the evidence they have at hand seems to prove they have the Cartel's key members eliminated. She concludes Wittel was in fact Cartel's leader, and Chimera managed to halt their massive conspiracy. Given its scale, Schaefer speculates the Cartel is not quite done. Lofquist assures him that while Chimera's efforts will continue, so far they have "completed the most difficult part" by killing Wittel.
Schaefer's concerns turn out to be true as Cartel's Heliopolis Cell discusses their plans. "Hathor" considers the Olympus Cell nothing beyond an embarrassment with its crushing defeat and exposure by Chimera. "Osiris" agrees on that notion, but also mentions having partially mitigated its impact by decieving Chimera into believing that Wittel was Cartel's leader. "Seth" and "Anubis" suggest taking advantage of this confusion and return to dormancy. "Hathor" then asks what's their next move against Chimera. "Seth" proposes to eliminate it before they get another chance. "Osiris" promises to reveal the Commission's decision on that regard for everyone before terminating the session.
Walkthrough[]
The mission's difficulty primarily stems from the Koalitsija, whose high-explosive shells can cause some serious damage. Enemy THOR Control Centers can also be a problem, even with the AI's inaccuracy factored in. Combined with the presence of Berkuts, air superiority is crucial for victory in this mission.
The game starts with 1 Hercules, 6 Abrams (with TUSK 2), 4 fully upgraded Terminators, 4 Pumas (with Passenger Accommodations but not Spike-LR), 8 fully upgraded Deltas and 8 Exosoldiers. Before a proper base could be established, a number of enemy units must be cleared out, which include Shershens, Scorpios, Otomatics and Vextras. Abrams should take the heat while Terminators and Hercules provide support. Exosoldiers and Deltas should deal with enemy infantry and only when garrisoned in structures. Do not capture any POWs at this point.
Once all enemy resistance has been cleared, a USA and Chimera HQ will be both established, as are 6 fully upgraded MG Nests. There's very little to start you off, so don't build a Barracks yet. Build a Chimera Refinery at the Oil Fields and USA Refinery at the Aluminum Fields. Then, build a Chimera Barracks and leave enough space for several Prisons. Once it is up, use the Deltas and Exosoldiers to capture all POWs, as they'll be vital to income.
Construct a USA Refinery at the western Aluminum Field. It's better than its Chimera equivalent as it and the M993s benefit from upgrades in the Logistical Center. Use the Hercules, Terminators and Abrams to defend it. Meanwhile, build a USA Barracks for Javelins and garrison them so they could deal with enemy vehicles. An Abrams should be used to clear out the Jackal hiding near the bank so two SAS can move in and kill off the Punishers inside the bank. Fill it with Deltas, and assign the Prison to a hotkey to support them with Nanohealing.
Helicopters are absolutely necessary to fight off the Koalitsijas. The choice of Guardians and Tigres are up to personal preference.
- Guardians already come with missiles to engage vehicles and are tougher. However, the Guardians themselves and the important NLOS Guidance upgrade require Aluminum, not to mention getting to DEFCON 2 and a seperate upgrade for flares.
- Tigres can be produced early, cost no aluminum, and have flares to divert missiles. However, they are frail, require more credits, and most of their important upgrades are locked behind both SHIELD and SWORD Protocols. Without Mast-Mounted Sight and Trigat-LR Missiles, they are completely ineffective against anything.
Build a Field Generator and then a Logistical Center to research its upgrades. It is possible to hold out while rushing to DEFCON 1, as attacks from the west aren't very fierce. Even the Comanches tend to land their rockets on the Terminators or Abrams before being promptly shot down. Getting Deep Mining, Hydrofracking and Improved Chassis will help to maximize the Aluminum Field's value. Eventually, purchase both the SHIELD and SWORD Protocols as well.
Don't forget to build more Prisons and potentially a Field Hospital as they fill up. The latter can be used to trade Prisoners for Aluminum, and both can acquire Rare Earth. Keep a few FELINs or Marines around just in case.
If the SHIELD Protocol is available, build two Outposts and convert them to Repair Outposts, then get the Advanced Repair Systems upgrade so your vehicles can return and heal up once in a while. It will also help keep the MG Nests in fighting condition.
Before exchanging a full Prison for Rare Earth, make sure to research Rare Earth Extraction Protocol beforehand, and watch your storage capacity.
Build an Anti-Ballistic Center, then produce 2 Antey-2500s and their upgrades. They are far superior to the Patriots, as they cost no power, can be repositioned, have more range, benefit from Global Upgrades and do not require Rare Earth to refill. If a SPEAR Vehicle Bay is not present, build it immediately and research Weapon Tracking Radar. Produce a Rhino so you can keep tabs on the Koalitsijas attempting to lay siege to your base.
Syntech labs will be needed sooner or later, before the Aluminum Field runs dry. Power Plants should be relied upon to supply energy, as they are much more efficient than Outposts or Chimera HQs.
It's recommended to start with the western base first, as there's less resistance. Use helicopters to clear out the Koalitsijas guarding it, then destroy all other buildings but the HQ. Send in a Marine or FELIN to capture it, then quickly produce another HQ and place it behind your main base. As long as the Skycrane survives and makes it there, doing so will ensure access to all Cartel assets. With your helicopter production up and running, you shouldn't have trouble dealing with Koalitsijas, but do beware of Vextras and Berkuts. The EWR upgrade for the USA Air Control Center will help pinpointing enemy aircraft.
Research Non-Lethal Tactics and Non-Lethal Combat Training, if necessary, to make the most out of POW income.
With your units in a defensible position you can then plan to assault the eastern and northern bases. Building a superweapon of each faction is optional, but recommended. Refilling them should not be a problem, as owning a Cartel HQ means you can always dump your excess credits into Underground Stock Markets, which generate Rare Earth. Focus on getting all upgrades done first before moving forward.
The base to the east is moderately defended. Helicopters will work as they did on the west, but expect losses.
The northern main base is the most difficult part. However, a number of options do exist. Sending a Ninja to perform forward recon is recommended for all of them, and you must destroy the enemy HQ. Merely capturing it will cause the game to softlock. In such a case, simply order artillery units to fire upon and destroy it.
- Spam Superweapons and blast the base to oblivion by overwhelming the Skyguard Turrets.
- Spam Valkyries, utilizing their high speed for guaranteed alpha strikes to destroy or weaken the Railgun Turrets and Grinches providing air defense, then deploy B-2 Spirits to wipe out survivors. Both are expensive, and losses are inevitable, so make sure your resources can keep up. If you're really concerned about enemy Berkuts attacking B-2 Spirits, send Raptors to escort them.
- Spam Terminators and Abrams to push forward, allowing artillery units to move in. The HIMARS is recommended, as with the ATACMS upgrade it can even chase enemy vehicles spotted by other units. Once the Railgun Turrets have been taken down use Terminators to finish off what's left of the base.
Objectives[]
Primary objectives[]
- Destroy the main enemy base
Secondary objectives[]
- Destroy 750 enemy units
- Destroy the secondary bases
- Exploit the Rare Earth field
- Build a Peacekeeper
- Build an Omega Blitzer
- Build a THOR Control Center
- Possess at least one HQ of each faction at the end of the mission
Related Achievements[]
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Moctezuma Complete Mexican Stand-Off
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Antitrust Complete all Chimera missions
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Janus Complete all Chimera & Cartel missions
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Bloodshed Destroy 750 enemy units
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Eat a Mushroom Build an Omega Blitzer
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Wrath of Wotan Build a THOR Control Center
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Ignition Build a Peacekeeper
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All your bases belong to us Finish the mission with the US Army, Chimera and Cartel HQs in possession
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Trivia[]
- The name of this mission contain puns of its titular phrase in multiple contexts.
- It literally takes place near Mexico.
- Quite literally, no party is able to withdraw without consequences and would end up staying in it. The Chimera and US joint force are determined to finish Wittel, who in turn has nowhere to run. They have all their respective resources at their disposal, and the battle's ultimate outcome is up to the specific use of tactics.
References[]
- ↑ Eugen Systems, Act of Aggression. Operation Eclipse mission 10: "Mexican Stand-Off".