In Operation Vaccine, UEF Intelligence has managed to discover that the reasons behind the Quantum Gate problems is actually a Cybran virus. You are tasked with infiltrating Cybran space to attack the planet of Minerva to collect information about this new virus threat.
1. DESTROY THE CYBRAN BASE
The Cybran base is to the south, and attacks will come only from the south and east – but they attack with T2 aircraft and amphibious Wagner tanks, so make sure to have the southern end of your base fortified with both anti-air and point defenses. Patrolling anti-air units also help greatly to cover your expansion. You’ll want all 3 kinds of factories fairly quickly. Use T2 Point Defense on the shore and your naval units to secure the river, then move across with amphibious tanks. Cruisers help soften up the defenses; surface your subs if necessary. Make sure not to make them move through the walls, but go around into the southern base. Once your ships and tanks have defeated the anti-air, support with gunships. Since Mass Extractors are scarce here, build Mass Fabricator farms in the interior of your base; the Commander’s Resource Allocation System also helps.
2. CAPTURE 2 OF THE 4 COMMAND CENTERS
Map expands to the south
Schematics added: Tactical Missile Launcher, Air Superiority Fighter
Move your sea forces south along the river to soften up defenses, then move in your amphibious tanks to the very south of the map where the command centers are located. The Engineers should capture them only when you’re well-prepared to handle a ferocious air and amphibious assault to the east; you may even want to consider building walls along your coastline (with breaks for the amphibious tanks to get through, of course). Have Engineers build turrets on the eastern island to the south and east; when the map expands, you’ll have a beachhead on this island for free. Move your naval forces to the northeast corner of the map to take out the next base’s defenses.
3. CAPTURE THE SCIENCE FACILITY
Map expands to the east
Schematics added: Tactical Missile Defense, T2 Shield Generator, T2 Artillery, Strategic Bomber
Set to work immediately on building shields around vital parts of your base, along with shields and tactical missile defense along your eastern border. Set up a couple T2 artillery emplacements to the east and southeast to take out enemy ships if you get kicked off the seas. Send your ships to the southeast science facility as usual, then follow up with amphibious tanks and gunships. After recovering from the battle, move your fighters’ patrol route to include the science facility as well.
4. ESCORT THE DOCTOR TO THE QUANTUM GATE
Dr. Sweeney needs to be transported to the southern Quantum Gate, but as soon as you try to do it, the Cybrans retaliate with gunships from off the edge of the map. Make sure you’ve cleared absolutely everything away before you move the Doctor, and send lots of fighters to protect him. It also helps to move Sweeney with a gunship instead of a fragile transport.
5. DEFEAT THE CYBRAN COMMANDER
The easiest way to draw the Commander out of his base is to pound it with T2 artillery. Capture the island between your base and his, use air and naval strikes to knock out his own artillery, then construct yours (under shield and anti-air cover) on the eastern shore of the island. Once you’ve got the doctor safely out, construct more artillery to the east; this will help with the next objectives as well as hopefully make him wander out of the base. The Commander usually escapes to the southeast when his northeast base is in trouble; destroy the northeast base first, then rebuild and air drop T2 land units in its ruins to hunt down the ACU in the southeast. Drop everything you have on his head when you find him, making sure to include your artillery. Alternatively, stockpile 75+ gunships and have spy planes find the Commander, then have the gunships surgically strike him. You’ll lose the gunships, but with all your Engineers rebuilding them to prepare for the next objectives, you should have no trouble.
6. CONSTRUCT 3 LONG-RANGE RADAR INSTALLATIONS
This is fairly easy. Stockpile on gunships and fighters before you finish this objective, and make sure to protect the installations well, as Cybrans will attack from off the map even before the radars are finished.
7. PROTECT THE LONG-RANGE RADAR INSTALLATIONS FOR 1:30
Set your airforce on patrol over the radar and you should have no problem with this objective. Move your ground units around the Quantum Gate and your ships to the river east of the Gate to prepare for the next objective. If there are T2 torpedo launchers in the seas, use your gunships to kill them.
8. DESTROY FLEEING ENGINEERS
The engineers flee from Brackman’s base in the southwest directly across the river to the Quantum Gate. Move all remaining amphibious tanks in to stop them, while keeping your gunships and land forces ready for the next mission.
9. DEFEAT THE SPIDERBOT
The Spiderbot marches north to your base; concentrate all firepower on it. Your naval units serve as a good first line of defense, and destroy Brackman’s base with ease once the Spiderbot is out of their range. Gunships are key. *Note: Harder difficulties see more Spiderbots, check the video for the hard walkthrough
10. DESTROY BRACKMAN’S BASE
Don’t bother wiping it out, just hit the shields and then the Science Lab. With the artillery you built earlier, this shouldn’t be very difficult.