Star Wolves Limona Razvan limona_razvan@yahoo.com Legal note This faq/walkthrough belong to me. Feel free to use it,except one situation. If you obtain money from him,send some to a humanitarian foundation (Children Care, Green Peace, fight against antipersonnel mines,etc.). If posted, mail me to keep track on him. STAR wOLVES FAQ Version 1.9 Updates : 02.11.2005 - I put a new tip (r) for hard level. The main difference from easy and normal is the increased number of enemy fighters and superior motherships for your enemies. 03.11.2005 - Humanitarian Aid, Arrival in Aquarius system and Competitive Struggle missions get a new face. Humanitarian Aid could be played different to avoid taking to much beating, Arrival in Aquarius system fix some mistakes and Competitive Struggle have one more quest from Patrol base. 04.11.2005 - Added new tips (s) and (t) 05.11.2005 - Added tips (u),(w),(x) and an alternative way to play Pirate`s Admiral mission. Also i update the explanations on how trainers could create problems. 06.11.2005 - Added an easy strategy to Corporate Convoy mission and an advice for Heart of Hydra mission. 23.11.2005 - Added info about ships, missiles and systems. 16.03.2007 - Added an easy way for Heart of Hydra mission thanks to Dave S. information 28.06.2007 - Added new ways to complete the ending missions for both sides grace to DeXtErOnE Contents : 1. Basics 2. Strategy tips 3. Missions walkthrough/Bugs 4. Cheats 5. Ships 6. Guns and turrets 7. Missiles, rockets and torpedoes 8. Systems 9. Credits 1. BASICS Mainly Star Wolves is a strategy game, so the comand are similar to other strategy games, with some special features related to team work like missile defense, repair, cloaking that one or more of your wingmates could perform if you choose. Don`t forget to go through Tutorial for a more efficient understanding of game basics . 2. STRATEGY TIPS a. Choose carefully your Hero skills tree . I recommend missile or gunnery , maybe systems because in the end missile and repair will make the difference between wining and loosing . b. Keep fighters always close to Mothership turrets range of fire in order to enhance their survival.If a target is destroyed your base ship continue to fire only on enemy ships getting in her range, so pause and choose other targets near your fighters. Correct manually on the map fighters trajectory, because they have the tendency to fly at some distance from Mothership . c. Prepare your fighters and Mothership carefully before a mission . Pay attention to repair systems,shields,guns and use missile/rockets with long range as Avalanche to finish quick strong enemy fighters/battleships. d. Every mercenary have a main ability, but don`t focus only on that. If possible invest points in piloting and gunnery, except the case you decide their tasks should be only repair / antimissile defense, but even then piloting skills are necessary . e. Loot everything after a battle. Don`t hurry to leave , except escort missions when you could always go back after completing the task in hand . Especially patrol station have around loot from previous fights and sometimes items sit in space after a trader/patrol clash with pirates . f. Every station could give you a job . g. Save a lot before and after a fight or mission . Save in space when a long trip is necessary. Use Game pause to analyze the situation and change the commands issued to fighters and Mothership. If you don`t like the outcome to a fight, load again and change the orders. h. In my opinion a wing should have the following configurations : * 2 - 3 Killer ships, 1 missile carriers, 2-3 repair/antimissile support fighters. In the beginning 2 killers with Troll or Gnome repair systems installed and active should be enough until Red Corsair and Heretic join the team . * 2-3 missile carriers, 1 killer, 2-3 repair/antimissile support ships i. Don`t enhance anything else than piloting and repair skills for EL , one of your team temporary member, because you`ll regret this option . Also don`t enhance dangerous skills for Viper, if you plan to reject emperor`s side. j. Get use to constant attacks in space from pirates and others before and after finishing a battle or quest. They are designed to reduce your ships number and sometimes your success . k. After a battle check the carrier fighter(s)cargo of missile . Put him on Mothership and install new ones, if nobody attacks .Don`t forget to switch missile from off to on and viceversa, using special task button according to your plan . l. After a while (15 - n.. seconds ) special abilities go away so pause and use them again. m. Game pause allows a quick check on enemy fighters type. If they have Excalibur, Hammerhead and Hrimsturs switch one of your fighter tasks on Missile Defence. n. Put points in team members favorite weapon(for example laser on Ace). o. Buy a long distance scanner to prepare in time the counterattack. p. The scripts give ships randomly, so if you lose a heavy fighter or a missile carrier in the battle, is possible than on the next station you land those fighters are not for sale and you`ll have to accept inferior ships. r. At hard level the manual is no longer a trustfull source of information. The pirates and corporation get to use Butcher corvette, even that the manual say only Navy use it. Also killing this heavy military ships give you strong turrets as Volcano, so pay attention. s. While flying around inside a system you could shoot at traders and loot their cargo. If your wing are strong engage Triad, INOCO or USS fighters for the same reasons, but not the Patrol or Navy. The last two put a lot of fight and normally have better equipments than INOCO, so try shoot on them with ahead planing - save, create strong support fighters and at least 2 killers. t. Read carefully Ace instructions on enemy tactics. u. Always scout the entire system for items. Especially in Bersekr controled systems are a lot of remains from their clashes with Patrol and Navy. w. Trainers do not insure an easy end game. Especially inside Precursor system luck and carefully thinking keep you through. x. Wing strategies are essentials to win. Fast and easy to handle (maneouvrability) ships with guns that have rapid rate of fire, increased damage and long range could be use to "break" enemy formations. Put the wing(s) in escort mode and manually establish the Mothership direction to a path through enemy. While flying in that direction fighters receive less damage thanks to their superior speed and healing devices, allowing to pause and take enemy crafts from behind. If a wing have slow missile carrier install some ECM on them and put 1-2 fighters to healing mode. I noticed that in big battles support fighters should be set on healing, having also ECM instaled,to win. Of course this tactic could fail on you if the ECM are not Squall or Cyclons, pretty expensives systems, because Mystral and Storm cannot stop third generation missile. 3. MISSIONS WALKTHROUGH Introduction You are a small trader in 23 century space who decide, after an unfortunate clash with pirates, to set up a mercenary team called Star Wolves along Ace, friend and former patrol pilot. While being on a station somebody steal Ace`s fighter and start the game missions . Patrol Mission Tips : Buy Miniguns for Hero and a Gnome. Don`t sell the Hatchett . Create a wing and reach Liquid Oxygen Factory. Start patrolling. Nothing at Alpha, two fighter and a Mobile Pirate ship at Beta ( destroy them using only guns and beam up all items), three - four pirates at Gamma ( use abilities and missile ) and two trader at Delta ( save here and destroy them for containers ). Reach Oxygen station again,take 1.000 credits and exit system. Sell everything you don`t need . Save Lt. Raymond Tips : Buy a Troll for Ace, better weapons for Hero and long range missile. Choose Ace favorite gun lasers if you have the points On the road to Patrol Station pay a visit to Coriolis Station who gives you a transport job. Reach Patrol, speak and go deliver the goods,because on the way you get also the information about Raymond from lt. Garret. Even that they don`t have the promised money, choose first line of discussion then parts and goods to end up with a Scorcher laser. Put Ace back on Mothership, install the laser and recreate the wing. Go to lt. Raymond, beam up his capsule, destroy fast the pirates using close range missile and go to portal. On the road put Hero on Mothership and install Avalanches. Keep fighters close because next to portal two - three Bersekr show up.Use Avalanche and abilities on them, beam up their expensive lasers and exit. Smuggling Help the trader under attack for 150 credits and head for Gloria 42 station who gives you a Yari for only 2.000 credits. Go back to your client and transport the uranium. On the way patrol ships interfere, but choose the lines " Your equipment must be faulty " and " ... I pay 200 credits .." to get away. Of course this employer also don`t have all the money, so take a tone of uranium and go. On the way Patrol Station ask for a mission. First put the Mothership next to portal and destroy Rookie Pirates who lurks around if they get to close. Then send fighters against the escaped pirate on a Excalibur. When in visual range paused game, design him as target, choose abilities and missile ( Avalanche or something long range ).Take 500 credits and exit. Hunt for the Red Corsair Tips : Buy a Hammerhead for Hero if you choose missile skills tree. If not invest some points in missile and still buy the Hammerhead. Install a Gnome and a Troll to Ace`s ship. Buy a new turret as War Axe for Mothership if money problem don`t affect fighters improvement. After a jump Mothership`s shield and armor level get back in place This is the toughest mission so far and you should expect plenty of resistance. Avoid the place marked Crash Site if you don`t feel confident, loot items around Patrol Site and reach " Red Corsair probably here " point on the map. Attack with long range missile(LRM) using Mothership as cover. Destroy Pirate Mobile Base and pause game to put the Troll working if Ace ship need this. Beam up all items left and install missile if necessary. Exit. On the other side Red Corsair blow up the portal and you have to engage 4-6 , maybe more pirate ship.You have two option : destroy the first wave and hide in the asteroid field for some cover or keep pressing the enemy using Mothership`s turrets. Install new missile. Head to pirate base, destroy incoming ships with LRM and also the station. Beam up everything. Put Hero in the Corsair Excalibur, add systems, missile and weapons, then head to " Unknown Contact " where Lt. Jobs ask you to cover his exit from system. Destroy pirate ships near portal,accept Red Corsair in your team and go to Hideout(left on map) where some Mobile base lie undefended. Blow them, loot all and exit system. Making Amends Tips : It is time to enhance Mothership with turrets and shields(in this order). Buy another Gnome and the best available weapons. If possible forget the Gnome,give Red Corsair a long range healing device and put him on Repair task when flying. On the route to station Quiet Bertha dispatch some pirates and wait Heretic to make his appearance in dialogue. Choose every option that make him give you back the fighter he stole - yes , he is the guilty one - and follow him. On the route take the job from the pirate station who want a rival clan destroyed, without fearing Heretic dissappearance(he simply awaits around northeast station on map). Reach his whereabouts and head to stolen fighter in asteroids, where some pirates and a Mobile base engage you. Use short to long range missile and don`t let the pirate ship from cutscene to go after help. Loot all. Accept Heretic in your team and exit.Put some points in black market for Red Corsair Pirates Treasure Tips : Put Heretic on Repair/Antimissile tasks. Use Hatchett for this because of his 3 system slots Hammerhead fits with Red Corsair missile experience Enhance fighters and Mothership Buy advanced fighters if possible Keep close fighters in this system controlled by Bersekr(artificial intelligence units). On the road to he first asteroid you`ll face two wave of Bersekr Breeze. Destroy it, blow the rock, beam up items, enhance fighter weaponry with them and head to second rock. After 1-2 wave of Breeze you`ll have to destroy a Bersekr Chimera battleship near second asteroid and help in the same time some rookie pirates foolish enough to engage her. Use abilities and LRM. Destroy the second asteroid and go for the middle one, protect only by some easy to handle Bersekr Defense Satellite who appear after you make the rock history. If you want destroy the third rocks south on map protected by a Chimera or Breeze(scripts "give" you random enemies here so could be a Chimera, fighters or both ), but the loot isn`t so great. Exit. Humanitarian Aid Tips : Buy a Raptor for Hero and better weapons Put Ace on Excalibur Buy an advanced healing device Enhance Mothership Accept fighters support from friendly stations Here is a difficult mission because you`ll have to protect a transport ship while fighting a lot of enemy. If Astra transporter get crushed, mission is lost, so keep close to her. Refuse secondary quests if Mothership and wing are not capable to deal with multiple targets. The best choice is to avoid going straight to Astra. Fly around, keeping a safe distance from her and engage pirates and Triad ships to clear up the system, but not the Patrol. The independent base up north have a job for you - take it, will end up in Llanovar II system anyway. A station near S-E portal give also a mission in the opposite direction, but you already beam up their research, so receive a Nebula cloaking system. Then head to Astra. When in patrol base range Astra open her trap, saying something about your team deeds. Here are two possible responses : a. Choose the first one and a patrol pilot ask for your help on reaching the S-E portal. Accept and stay close to Astra while using fighters wing to intercept any leftover pirates or Navy/Patrol ships angry on your new buddy. b. Take the second option and receive a cargo from Patrol without any destination. This mission is called Succesfully Bluff and you get points when jumping to Llanovar II. Advance to north portal where a Triad strike group awaits. Use LRM and install after the battle missile on Excalibur and Hammerhead if Ace and Red Corsair exhausted their cargo. Jump. On Llanovar II head to central station where you get a new objective - visit all three station in system.Destroy Triad ship(s) close to first one and choose to destroy Triad Mothership after you reach second station, in order to get extra fighters support from her.Attack enemy mothership with LRM and abilities to destroy her fast. Loot.If you reach her near Triad base, loot everything there and destroy also the trader transport docking ( not all replays get you a freighter , be warned). Help third station and go to central one who want the Triad counterpart annihilated. Accept Astra in your team. When reaching Triad base move your Mothership in all six points to plant the bombs, then run. Go to central for reward and accept the goods who worth more than 3.000 credits. Exit. Eridan Tips : Enhance Mothership with a repair device, shields and turrets. Give Astra a better ship than her yacht, who could be sold for a nice sum. Astra and Heretic could handle the repair/antimissile task.It is better to put an AMS and a healing system on Heretic ship and a healing system to Astra. Buy better fighters and install Nebula. This mission is difficult in the end, when the enemy have the tendency to kick hard your butt.You have two options: a.Go to Central station and accept their mission against Bersekr Breeze and Chimera, but use only missile/rockets against them. On the way back to Patrol base visit the Observatory who want an asteroid sample in exchange for Precursor portal coordinates and face another group of mercenary called Wild Hunters who charge on you near Observatory, but they are not that strong like Bersekr. Attack using Mothership their leader Andreea Burn and focus the fighters on the remaining enemies. Loot. Report to Patrol station for reward and go to asteroid area where a Chimera and Breeze support ships have to be destroyed before shooting the asteroid and beaming up the sample. Go back to Observatory and receive the coordinates. Keep fighters close because near portal awaits a strong Precursor Guardian ship. Save before reaching the gate. Use on her LRM and abilities.Beam her strong and expensive laser - try again if the first time doesn`t get the laser - , then try to escape Navy ships heading south on map. If not possible engage using Mothership to destroy quickly their shield,making your wing mission much more easier.Exit. b. The portal is 4-5 square distance on the Observatory left side if you don`t want to waste time with secondary quests. By doing so you cannot avoid the Bersekr on the way back and loose some experience points or loot. Arrival in Aquarius system Tips: Don`t sell the Precursor laser, even that is worth 80.000 credits.Wait for the time when Phantom join you to install it on Ace`s ship . Enhance Mothership and fighters Buy better fighters/carriers First reach Patrol Station who want the Outcast pirates fleet destroyed. Fly with the police support and engage 3-9 fighters and 3 transporters/ military ships ( at hard level even pirates have the money to buy Butchers - I do, but no way to enhance by main vessel this way ! ). USS Debris 1 want the system cleared and 3 Bersekr Chimera plus support fighters destroyed. Avoid flying north of base because those two trader there will want to join you and you could lose them. Destroy Bersekr with LRM and abilities - at second navpoint are 2 Chimera, try to block one using Astra Evil Eye or Hero "freeze" abillities on systems skill tree -, then go back for money and take the traders along to Administration ship, flying a few steps in front of them to prevent/destroy pirates attack. When reaching the Administration vessel they send you to clear area around portal. Make it quick and use SLM - LRM, because portal ships destruction will mean 6 months no way out ( no pressure ! ). Go back and exit. Prospecting Site Tips : You already now the drill ! Kim Shumov from Triad desire to preserve his control on a Uranium site and buy your protection. Reach the place, fight everyone who get close without moving to far, waiting the 2-4 enemy waves of USS and pirates to get close enough so Mothership turrets could slice them. After that protecting site quest is complete and you have 2 secondary quests at the same time : helping Kim Shumov and respond to a trader call for help. I choose to split my team sending 3 figters to help the trader and Mothership plus 2 in Kim`s aid. Loot at all battle points ! Exit . Uranium Convoy A Triad mine give the task to protect 2 transporter full of uranium, but they move directly to portal,without consulting to you except some emergency situations. Keep not far in front of them, destroy fast pirate attacks and somewhere near the portal you have to deal with an ambush. Use LRM , telling in the same time to transporters to wait, then go straight to portal protecting his both side to allow transporters safe jump and head back to loot items from previous battles. Competitive Struggle Your job is to destroy 3 Inoco uranium convoys. Let the first one to pass through and destroy the Inoco wing near portal to reduce enemy number. After that crush 3 convoys heading or coming in the area between portal and the first two uranium mine. Visit the Patrol station and head to the illegal Triad mine. Kill transporters in range. Loot. Exit. Ambush Go close enough to station USS Debris 4000 to see her and wait for convoy. When in range, pause to analyze, use LRM and loot fast, keeping an eye to USS and Navy reinforcements who attack in full strenght with 2-5 wave of Bidents and light/heavy fighters. Save before/after each battle. Exit. Pirate`s Admiral Outcast clan admiral was bust by Navy and you`ll have to convince Patrol Station to give him back. Save a little bit before reaching Patrol Base. Now you`ll have two option : a. If money are few and you want to simply crush everyone, without much trouble, engage with SRM/LRM and abilities, concentrating first your fire on Stone Arrow military ship or putting Mothership only for this task. Loot, install missiles if necessary and choose between two options : 1. Since the Admiral is dead you could just exit 2. Head back to Outcast clan coordinates and engage the battle for their treasure, destroying first support fighters.Exit. b. The second option is difficult because you`ll keep the fire on Stone Arrow minimal. Target manually some Patrol/Navy fighters and when they get down pause and repeat the manual targeting. This way Stone Arrow get minimal damage. When all enemies around Patrol station die, Stone Arrow ask for pity. Go to Outcast position and engage a second wave of Navy in the way. Repeat manual targeting to keep Stone Arrow alive. When in Outcast range their Admiral let the navy pilots free, but keep the cruiser. This was a really disapointment for me, because I played this difficult option hoping to get my hands on Stone Arrow and ditch that easy-to-fall Mothership. Nop!! In my opinion are no ways to cheat the game in giving you a better flagship and the outcoming missions are very tough. Poseidon Right after you jump Bersekr destroy the portal and engage everyone around. In similar situation engage Mothership on enemies and wait until every fighter leave base to pause, create the wing(s) and engage them also. Only base number two up on the map have survivors, so go there and protect the Autopilot Bots that are going to repair the portal. Put Mothership on the portal right side and figter on the left side to ensure maximum cover. Attack fast Bersekr in scanner range to avoid Bots damage and wait for Navy ships to jump in. After that they ask you to participate in the destruction of four Bersekr battlegroups north on map( Some games Navy crush one of them, sometime they don`t ). Get close to the first one in the left side and engage, trying to use SRM/LRM and abilities( keep Astra luck in hand for those other three groups ) for a quick win. If the Mothership armor get damage wait for the Chromium device to heal her and engage other in the same manner. Loot and exit. From my experience in hard level the navy destroy 3 Bersekr groups if you destroy fast the first one - less work ! Nest of Hydra Easy mission because you have plenty of Navy support. Follow their ships down to encirclement area to free another group, keeping close and attacking without missile or abilities. When the blockade is over go for Bersekr flagship, a battlegroup who include a Super Chimera, a Chimera and Breeze support fighters. Use plenty of missiles/abilities and go back to beam up items on every conflict point on the way here. Exit. Heart of Hydra A difficult mission because you have to do it all alone. After 1-2 small fights with Breeze ships EL make her entrance in your team. Put her in one of your reserve ship and choose between 2 options : a. go for her ship ( Raptor ) b. if the ship you give is better or you have more other don`t bother and go for Mainframe first. Keep close fighters and Mothership on the way to avoid any casualties. In the spot concentrate the fire/missiles/abilities on Super Chimera to destroy her and after that engage the remaining 2 Chimera and Breeze fighters. Blow up the Bersekr station, loot all over the system and exit. There is also an easier way, submitted by Dave S. Thanks, Dave : Hi I have an alternate and easier route to succeed in the heart of hydra mission. Fly around the back of the mainframe avoiding the chimera and supper chimera, and position ships directly opposite but behind mainframe. Kill the single chimera ship, and then just blast hell out of the mainframe - this causes all remaining beserker units to be destroyed - including the chimera and super chimera. Dave Corporate Convoy Kim Shumov from Triad ask again for your help. Because this mission involve plenty of enemies you could choose from two strategies : a. EASY. Stalk and kill every pirate/USS ship in the system you encounter, similar with Humanitarian Aid mission. Stay away from Kim Shumov(Triad) ships until you`ve done. b. DIFFICULT. Create 2 wings with Hero and Ace as leaders and one healer for each team, option that involves buying an AMS device for Astra also. Reach contact point, then head to second mine and third one where USS fighters should be engaged fast with SRM/LRM. At fourth mine you could give a hand to his owner by choosing line three in dialogue option. Now start the messy part of this job. USS and pirates aren`t that strong to became a danger for you, but if they destroy Kim convoy mission is lost. Because of that use those 2 wings on escort settings, one for each Triad transporter and mothership slightly in front, checking always the situation on the map. Every danger need to be removed right away, no matter that it is in front or sideways and after that the wings and Mothership should take their places on the road to portal. When you reach the portal an USS team jump in, but is enough to recreate one wing and engage them using AMS if appropriate. Wait for transporters to jump and go back at every battle site for items and exit. Routine Transport Stealing of Prototype These two missions exclude themselves and my advice is to go for second one because you end up with Wyvern, the strongest light fighter in the game. For walkthrough purposes I present both. Routine Transport TS - 1732 Orion transport wait next to portal to be escorted to INOCO station. In the way use AMS against some pirates and speak with Ayaki base who ask to check on their lost ship. Reach INOCO base , where cpt. Jordan want 5 minutes break and go check Ayaki ships, after asking INOCO about their fate. Destroy pirates in the spot and go back. Choose a positive approach when speaking with Astra`s father and accept his gift, then destroy near base and on the road to portal all pirates ships trying to steal the cargo. Near Hapha portal a USS team jump in and you have to use fast/strong missile to dispose of them. Go back to loot and exit. Stealing of Prototype Captain Kidd start presenting the mission parameters and suddenly a nearby station get under attack by his men. My advice is to help the station by choosing to destroy Kidd`s men now - no middle man, no sharing the spoils!- and after that go near INOCO station, blow up defense fighters and beam the Wyvern. Leave fast before to many Navy fighters pump in and near portal dispose those Triad ships trying to steal the light fighter under the excuse that they order the mission !. Dirty Job Help to Science Practically is the same mission with different clients. It doesn`t matter which one you choose as long Phantom character get a hand from you. His abilities will come in handy in the next battles. The scientist called Phantom wants some crates with prototypes to be transported to USS and Triad bases. Because they don`t understand how this gadget works, you are sent back to scientist asteroids and obligated to engage their fighters after Phantom beam him up on Mothership. Destroy enemies fast and exit. Put Phantom points on precursor and alien technology to allow their weapons to be installed in your ships. Also EL leave your team, so is time for some new arrangements. Pipboy Chewrote: Hi, Razvan! This is the info that I've seen a bit vague, at the "Dirty Job"-"Help to Science" missions: El leaves the team and its fighter after checking the Phantom's cargo, in the middle of the mission (!). Heretic leaves the team and his fighter after finishing the mission (!!). I thought this was a bug, really, I replayed the last minute of this mission three times until giving up and continue the game as usual... But hey, what was that?!? An e-mail from him!?! From it, you can guess why he left the group: "by our fame, because it get crowded, and with a few bucks" (right now I don't know how much money he steals). -Reason for the departure of Heretic: IF you choose to join with Corsair instead of earn 50.000 credits, THERE IS NO ROOM for Viper at the next mission (!!!). BTW, even playing at hard difficulty, I don't see the effective use of a Missile Expert such as Corsair (missiles and bomb get depleted very soon, and reloading them is a real pain because the Mothership doesn't move when you are docking in -not like when you are docking out-...) just in certain cases like downing Big Capital Ships (and everyone can send a big torpedo while shooting big lasers really, really fast; so, it's not essential). Right now I'm playing like a Pendejo, a Real Buccaneer! Easy great money from the Merchants and the Patrols. So, I'm not intending to go for the Imperial Final, and planning to ditch Viper... maybe I'll find again Heretic (he says something like "maybe you are searching for me, maybe not, if you are looking for me, I'm glad about it") . I'll keep you informed. Bye! Antonio Javier. Rout of Pirate`s Base Find the Emperor agent called Viper who want to kill the traitor inside royal administration and destroy USS training base. To do that you`ll need special equipment placed on a ship near by. When reaching the place you notice that pirates destroyed the ship and you have to follow them to get back the stuff. Blow up their ships, making sure to enhance Viper`s Tiger first and beam up the Radio Pod without the mission cannot be completed. Put the Pod on the meeting place and go hide in the clouds. After the cutscenes smell the USS agents tracks to their station ( if you lose them, USS training station is the second one north on map), destroy support fighters and wait the Navy to blow up the base. Viper join your team. Loot all and leave. On the way stop at Abandoned Plant. You should have enough money yo buy an ASCL laser and an Gunslinger heavy fighter for 100 k each. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- From now one some missions will be available only 1 - 3 time in a row, then gone forever. I present them all, without mentioning the order of appearance and disappearance, only their degree of difficulty. Nevertheles you will have eventually to take a side, so I split in two the directions this game put you after the mission called S.O.S., with a small mention : choosing emperor side give fortune and glory, while corporations side will lead eventually to freedom, after you destroy their teams(no other way), but nothing else. Just freedom for all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minister Discharge Is simple if you follow the indications. Fly to information officer, then head to weapon depot where a bunch of pirates should be destroyed because of their " involvement " in stealing the weapons destined to your mission. Head fast to mining station, use strong missile against minister Fergusson and all abilities in order to destroy fast his escort. Beam items if you can and leave fast. Special Offer Triad corporation want 2 stations destroyed. Take inside system portal to pirate station and clear the way around her for support fighters and 1 bomb. After that use inside portal or travel to supply station where you have to plant the bomb in the right place and go. After that Triad agents want to blow up USS central station. Here is a slight catch - even that Phantom suggest to delay a little bit the attack on patrol ships in order to obtain the access code, if you fail is no fatal consequences. Head to central station, put Phantom back on Mothership and wait for him to hack the uranium transports computer and direct them against USS station, action that require a close position next to transporters. Beam everything and leave. Lost Convoy Check first patrol station, then Triad base for information. The corporation will give you the last known coordinates for the USS convoy if you blow up some pirates making problems. Do it, go back for coordinates and on the road keep an eye on eventual pirate attacks. On last known location you`ll met for the first time the aliens mention it on news. Save before,in the middle of action and after the battle, because this is a good opportunity to replay and study your enemy strong and weak points. In my opinion their ships are weaker than Bersekr fighters, but all the same use abilities and missile to keep them one constant pressure. After the fight beam those nice Aliens guns and obey USS order to clear the area, because if you try to robe the convoy the mission end here, without earning your money or at least loot after USS destroyed fighters. Urgent Call You receive an " invitation " from the Deneb frigate captain to join imperial forces in a system infested with Alien ships, where you get 2 jobs : a) support the attack group against an alien fleet b) scout the area and spot their flagship, then join imperial battleship Stalingrad in order to destroy it. What to do : a) attack using two ships set on heal and one on missile defense b) by the time you join Stalingrad, alien flagship use a portal to jump inside system far away, but she is half strong because of previous encounters with imperial fleet. Close in, use strong LRM and torpedoes if you have it, beam what you can and enjoy the victory. You could go after the remains of corporations fleet who engaged by her own the aliens, but I advised against it. In that area you`ll fight a swarm of interceptors and 2 - 5 big ships, so be ready to lose some of your fighters and take a pounding on the Mothership. Hired Law This job involve the assassination of a key witness against USS boss. Deal with eventual alien ships on the way, go to orderly location and head to target site where navy have been prepared an ambush. Deal fast with them, speak with the orderly again and choose between two options : a. attack the patrol station to kill the target b. destroy the transport and his navy/pirates support ships If this become difficult, send the fastest ship to destroy the transporter, while the mothership and his fighters keep enemies from protecting the transporter. Stalingrad In the moment you jump in Alien forces is all over you. Clear the area and head to Stalingrad. The admiral in charge want your team to protect Cretey station and capture for study one of their small gun, missile launcher and fighters. First two are easy, because every destroyed ship give this items. The third one is a little tricky - Cretey was able to create a special energy field, but in order to capture their ships you have to stay around that field and destroy all attacks as fast you can, hoping that one or more fighters get caught. Normally they fall pretty fast. After that protect the convoy from Cretey to Stalingrad, where the admiral ask to scout the location of a possible enemy activity. Use the fastest light fighter and the Ghost system received as reward, search fast the area - of course, Alien fleet are there ! - and join the imperial strike force. Don`t stay " up close and personal " to strike force, because their are going to support heavy enemy fire, but try to protect Stalingrad by destroying all Alien Gunship ( missile carrier ) and Frigates who attacks him using LRM, torpedoes and Mothership concentrate turrets fire ( loosing Stalingrad imply loosing the mission ). Beam all and head back to Cretey where you could find some Alien ships still trapped in the energy field. Take it all and go. Sell those ships, because you can`t use it. S.O.S. This is the crucial moment. Just after jumping in, you`ll get in the middle of a fight involving imperial fleet, on a side and corporations fleet, on the other side. If you choose corporations, you lose Viper who become a fierce enemy. Destroy one side, loot all and check the distress call. Leave using the same portal you get in, because the one next to the distress call doesn`t work. For now one your path split in two , the first one - fame and fortune ! - being considerably easy that the second one - freedom for all ! - : ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- EMPEROR SIDE Capture Your target is a INOCO convoy, protect by a swarm of corporations and Alien ships. You have two option : a. stealth - use those clocking devices to reduce enemy scanner angle of detection, flank them and take the transport from one side, destroying him fast with powerful LRM. My option is to install a clocking device for the entire team on one of my fighter and separate ones to others, but save and see what`s good for you. b. Because Mothership`s speed is pretty low and you have to fight your way through a lot of enemy, choose 1-2 fast fighters to engage the transport and use Mothership and his remaining fighters to slow down the enemy, like in the mission Hired Law . Golden Key Head to Emperor Glory battleship, fighting the Aliens on the way. There a pompous admiral send you in the direction of a navy convoy who get ahead without protection. Destroy alien ships and beam the Precursor Skull, necessary to open the Precursor portal. Put Phantom on Mothership and place her next to the portal, allowing the scientist to figure out the codes. Keep fighters around Mothership and destroy incoming attacks from corporations/Alien ships. After a while you get to jump to the other side and set right away 3 ships to heal and 2 as killers to dealt with those strong Guardians. Install their lasers. Check those two energy sources, expecting heavy resistance from Guardian ships, then head to Star Hammer. The next task is to acquire some power cells. Carefully place the Mothership next to left/right side of each power source, where two satellites are still linked by an energy line and beam the power cell. Head back to Star Hammer and destroy in the same time all four satellites. It`s difficult to establish a 100% success strategy for this task. I choose 4 identical ships with the same weapons and skills for their pilots - at least, close ! - , I put them in front of each satellites, saved the game, pause the action to issue the attack command and after that I let it play. It is possible not to work, so you could change the pilots or the ships. Other options involve missile or the use of mothership against one - two satellites in the same time with her ships charging alone or in pairs each satellites. After completing the tasks Star Hammer autopilot engage and is time to face EL. Use 3-4 missile carrier with full load of torpedoes and Alien guns, 1 - 2 Killer ship and 1-2 fighters set on heal. When close to portal EL supership emerge and some carboncopy ( AI copy ) of your team pilots. Charge directly EL using torpedoes and all abilities, keeping Mothership a little bit behind because EL`s lasers break through your shields like their are not even there. After all torpedoes hit ( keep missile attack button working, save and pause to evaluate the situation ) engage EL fast with the Mothership powerful turrets, because her destruction assure the end game. EVEN THAT THE RESULT OF THIS BATTLE COULD EASILY CHANGE - your chance are below 50% to kill EL before make sushi of you. After that the game is only cutscenes showing the Star Hammer devastating power against Bersekr Chimeras and entire systems, with you emerging as a powerful admiral, serving the emperor. This is another way to complete the mission, thanks to DeXtErOnE : Right after destroying the alien ship and recovering the precursor skull, I head to the precursor's portal. But if i do that, waves and waves of alien fighters (especially those pesky alien gunship) plus corporate fighters will attack me while waiting for phantom to open the portal. After many frustrating attempt to fight them off, either my mothership is destroyed or my whole wing was destroyed, etc. Thus, I began to do some investigation regarding where those fighters came from. So, right after recovering the skull, I explored south of the Transport Crash Area. Firstly I encountered corporate fighters, which are dealt off easily (but they kept spawning from the Endorias Portal). After a few boxes (i.e referring to the box in the tactical map) south (around that area), I saw an alien mothership. Yup, the big mothership that has insane health and firepower (remember the Stalingard mission, but this time it comes with full shield and health). Those alien fighters spawn from this mothership. I destroyed it (Phantoms depolarization, and Astra luck works like wonder here), and proceed with the mission of opening the portal. Thus while waiting for Phantom, only 1 wave of alien fighter came and attack me, the rest are waves of corporate fighters. Another thing I notice is that corporate fighters kept spawning from the Endoria Portal. In another savegame, before destroying the alien mothership (and while in the process of destroying it), I seek out the source of these corporate fighters until I trace them back to Portal of Endoria. By destroying the portal, the corporate fighters will stop spawning . But I dont know will it affect the ending. So I stick to destroying the alien mothership to ease the portal opening defense. Inside the unknown portal, about destroying the 4 satellites at once, I employ the method suggested by you, but it can be improved by reducing the health of each of the satellite to a tiny fraction of its health. With this, a single shot from those 4 fighters are sufficient to destroy all 4 satellites at once. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ============================================================================ CORPORATIONS SIDE Evacuation When getting out from portal Navy ships ask which side you support. I lie, avoiding the clash and head to INOCO station. This is Capture mission, played on the other side. Destroy the ship who placed a beacon on the transport and head to destroyed station. Here INOCO officials tell you that they want peace with the aliens, correcting the emperor`s mistake. Their scanners have been located the Alien mothership, making your job the escort of a special ship with scientists and technicien close to their big ship in order to speak with them. The emperor posses already the first communication prototype, but he choose the war in order to become absolute ruler. When in range the communication device start to work and the good relationships are established once more. Head back. The new mission involve the convoy protection till New Jerusalem portal. Take your fighters and go fast to portal where you have to engage multiple navy wings under Viper`s command. Use LRM and abilities to destroy them before the convoy reach the portal. Await his depart, loot and leave. Intercept The task in hand is reaching Precursor portal, after a lot of skirmishes on the way with Navy. When close scanners reveal that the scientists convoy is already jump in, so you have to destroy Stalingrad and his escort fighter. After a while the convoy and the Star Hammer jump back. Destroy the convoy and his protection. Put Phantom on Mothership and take a position close to Star Hammer, allowing him to hack the computer. Beam all items. Head to Endor portal, fighting through eventual resistance . Reward Star Hammer should reach New Kyoto portal. Triad officers disclose the meeting location, where a lot of USS and INOCO operatives awaits. Here they ask to give in the Star Hammer and take your reward, the weapon being prepared to destroy the emperor and seize absolute domination in space. Actually it doesn`t matter if the answer is no or yes, because either way they want to make you history. So engage dozens of corporations fighters and, if still breathing, EL show up for the final battle. You now the drill from Golden Key mission, but is harder, practically nuts, to hope that you could win after so many battle. If the miracle pump in and win, the game suggest to go in Llanowar independent system where neither the emperor or the corporations could have access to Star Hammer. FREEDOM FOR ALL ! End Game. Here are some useful tips to finish the mission grace to DeXtErOnE : In the final mission, we can reduce the amount of corporate fighters attacking us. At the beginning of the mission, dont meet with the agent at the central of the map. Instead, circumnavigate between the InCo station and the meeting point in order to reach the USS space station. There, we can destroy the station, without provoking those corporate fighters. It takes some time before the station went down (those space station do have high health). After the USS station is down, proceed to the Triad Station and destroy it. After both the USS and triad station was destroyed, I wanted to head to the InCo station to destroy it, but half way there, those corporate fighters turns hostile to me. Another thing I notice is that, if I head to InCo station first instead of USS (well it is the nearest to the portal), they turn hostile to me when I reach the station. In other words, the InCo station cannot be destroyed by this method. By destroying the USS and Triad station, the number of waves of fighters that will attack in the meeting point will decrease significantly. ============================================================================= Bugs None , thanks to a very nice and stabile engine. The only complaint, valuable for others games too, is the almost impossible to win final clash. First time I simply react to the final battles, making split seconds decisions without keeping track to what I did. So when I replayed the game I get my ass kicked bad, because I tried to create a strategy before enter the combat and , of course , " no plan survive the first encounter with the enemy ! " ( Andromeda ). 4. Cheats I find one cheat on a German site involving the placement of new scripts in the game folder called Cheatsstwolves and 2 trainers named pz-swolvestrn5 and swolvestrn6. They are easy to find on the net, if you search. Unzip the trainer on desktop, but do not open it. Play the game and press Alt + Tab. If doesn`t work right away try until you get back to Windows. Because sometime the game doesn`t stay on the bottom bar, press right away after you see the desktop image Ctrl + Alt + Delete. Minimize Windows Tak Manager, open the trainer, close Task Manager and press Star Wolves to get back on track. Some of this descriptions you could find also in the game manual. Since no control on fight and first person guns checking is allowed, you have to think thoroughly in order to achieve better results. Sometimes the turret version of a gun have different specifications and Alien/Bersekr weapons cannot be used without special adaptation, meaning you have to put points in this ability for one of your wingmates. Check ship speed/maneuverability and gun rate of fire, damage and range to enhance team survival ( see my Star Wolves faq, tip x ) and try the best combination fitted your purposes. Since a table is to big for notepad I mention ships/guns/missiles/systems characteristics before the actual presentation to reduce space consumption. Also I choose to present only things you can use, so alien fighter and gunship description are not included. 5. Ships The following characteristics should be taking in consideration when buying a ship : 1.Shields, 2.Armor, 3.Speed, 4.Maneuverability, 5.Sensor range, 6.Big gun slots, 7.Small gun slots, 8.Rocket/Missile slots, 9.System slots. Interceptors Brigand 1)20/20 ; 2)40/40 ; 3)700 ; 4)70 ; 5)135 ; 6)1 ; 7)- ; 8)- ; 9)1 Yari 30/30 50/50 800 80 135 1 - - 1 Special Purpose Fighters Hatchet 30/30 70/70 700 70 135 - 2 - 3 Trident 450/450 300/300 1305 90 135 - 3 1 4 Recon Craft Raptor 130/130 130/130 850 90 135 - 4 - 3 Superior Fighters Excalibur 50/50 70/70 750 80 135 1 - 2 2 Light Attack Fighters Naginata 50/50 90/90 700 60 135 - 2 2 1 Light Fighters Stormcrow 120/120 100/100 900 110 135 1 - 1 2 Tie-Fly 100/100 80/80 950 120 135 - 2 1 2 Evil Eye 200/200 200/200 1000 120 135 1 - 1 3 Heavy Gunships/Missile Carriers Hammerhead 40/40 110/110 600 60 135 - 2 2 1 Bident 140/140 200/200 750 70 135 - 2 4 2 Hrimsturs 350/350 450/450 850 80 135 - 1 4 2 Heavy Fighters Cleaner 110/110 250/250 800 90 135 2 - - 2 Tiger 320/320 320/320 900 100 135 2 - - 3 Gunslinger 450/450 430/430 950 100 135 3 - - 2 6. Guns and turrets Generally accuracy should be your main concern when buying something, because high accuracy ensure also high damage. T stand for turret. Every weapons have : 1.Damage, 2.Rate of fire, 3.Range, 4.Accuracy, 5.Type Light fighter guns M-91 Maksim II 1)2 ; 2)180 ; 3) 60 ; 4) Low ; 5) Small M-100 Minigun 2 270 60 Low Small M-126 Black Jack 5 120 65 Low Small M-133 Mace 5 160 65 Low Small M-150 Tetsubo 6 200 65 Medium Small Kinetic weapons M-106 Poleaxe (T) 15 60 70 Low Big M-11O War Axe (T) 15 90 70 Low Big M-200E Volcanic (T) 9 154 65 Low Big M-201 Gattling (t) 9 205 65 Low Big Plasma weapons HCB-2 Melter (T) 95 15 70 Low Big HCB-5 Inferno 170 15 70 Low Big HCB-5 Inferno (T) 170 20 70 Low Particle Accelerator MD-1 Thunderbolt(T) 105 17 80 High Big Lasers M-79 Scorcher 55 15 75 High Big M-79 Scorcher (T) 65 15 75 High AM-2 Rapier 75 15 80 High Big AM-2 Rapier (T) 85 15 80 High M-801 Polaris (T) 45 45 80 High Big ASCL (T) 60 45 80 High Big Other weapons Bersekr`s Laser 20 30 75 Medium Small Alien`s Gun 16 180 70 Medium Small Precursor`s Cannon 50 85 100 High Big 7. Missiles, rockets and torpedoes A lot of them to choose for every pocket. Of course LRM ( long range missile ) are the best and expensive choice, but for easy level and first 5-10 missions SRM ( short range missile ) are a good option. The description include : 1.Damage, 2.Anti-PRO, 3. Range, 4.Quantity Rockets S-16 Mini 1)20 ; 2)N/A ; 3)60 ; 4)16/16 S-4 Dart 35 N/A 60 4/4 Torpedos HT-4 Eraser 250 Poor 120 1/1 HT-6 Hellbringer 400 Standard 150 1/1 Missiles SRM-6E Piranha 35 Poor 125 3/3 SRM-8M Dagger 45 Standard 135 3/3 SRM-15 Warhawk 60 Ultimate 140 3/3 LRM-7 Starshark 50 Poor 350 2/2 LRM-9 Avalanche 70 Standard 450 2/2 MIRV Swarm 80 4 warheads 130 1/1 MIRV Tornado 80 6 warheads 140 1/1 ALRM 90 Ultimate 600 2/2 Others The only way to use it is to destroy some alien gunship and loot the items. Torpedo Alien Nanotechnology 10 Ultimate 250 1/1 Missile Alien Launcher 70 Ultimate 150 5/5 8. Systems Star Wolves is a "systems game" because their use insure survival, items and the necessary points to spend on mercenaries skills tree. A good use of this according to fighters/Mothership strong and weak points make the difference between death and life. a. Anti-Missile Systems Anti-missile Chaff Systems ECM Mistral - effective ECM factor 10 ; ECM Storm - 20 ; ECM Squall - 30 ; ECM Cyclone - 40. Active Anti-missile Systems AMS Boxer - efficiency factor 15 ; AMS Gladiator - 25 ABM Systems ( capital ships ) ABM Blinder - efficiency factor 15 ; ABM Haze - 25 ; AMB Myst - 35 b. Long Range Scanners Scout - detection range 160 clicks ;Eagle - 160; Ranger - 175 ; Sentry - 190; Hawkeye - 190 ; Spy - 210 ; Parallax - 220 c. Shield Amplifier Fighters Bastion - shield energy increase by 20 sp and recharge rate by 0.5 sp/sec ; Citadel - 30 sp and 1 sp/sec ; Stronghold - 50 sp and 1 sp/sec ; Prototype - 90 sp and 2sp/sec ( available only after Help to Science mission ) Capital Ships Scutum - 100 sp and 0.5 sp/sec ; Aegis - 200 sp and 1 sp/sec ; Shiva - 300 sp and 1 sp/sec d. Repair Systems Emergency ( Manual activation ) Troll - restore up to 150 hp in 15 sec ; Werewolf - 300 hp in 15 sec Automated ( working non stop ) ( fighters ) Gnome - 1 hp/sec ; Kobold - 2 hp/sec Ranged ( set fighter in healing mode to use it ) Cleric - repair rate 1 hp/sec ; Redeemer - 2 hp/sec Automated ( working non stop ) ( capital ships ) ARS Chromium - 1 hp/sec ; ARS Nickel - 2 hp/sec e. Engine Amplifier Tarpan - maximum speed increased by 10 % ; Mustang - 20 % f. Weapon Booster Systems Emergency ( Manual activation ) Snowstorm - increase rate of fire by 50 % for 75 sec; Blizzard - 100 % for 90 sec Weapons R.o.f. Increase System ( working non stop ) "F" prototype - 50 % ( available after Help to Science mission ) g. Anti-Laser Defence Systems Diamond - block in some degrees lasers fire damage h. Stealth Systems Fighters Shade - decrease RCS ( radar cross-section ) of your craft by 30 % ; Shade Mk 2 - 45 % ; Ghost - 60 % Wing Nebula - decrease RCS of all craft by 40 % ; Black Hole - 60 % and enemy sensor efficiency by a factor of 2 9. Credits All the credits go to XbowSoftware, 1C Company and to those fans who put a question/answer on the Elemental Games company forum. Copyright 2005 Limona Razvan