A highly decorated pilot is a rare finding in the world of multiplayer Freespace. There are many players with high kill counts or high rank, but the same pilots will only have a few medals in their display case. Why is it so difficult to win medals i n multiplayer? There are several reasons. First, the multiplayer missions have stricter parameters for granting medals than the single player campaign. Another reason is latency and packetloss, which hinders performance. But the most important reason is t he general lack of awareness on how to earn a medal. Most players don’t know what medals are granted in each mission or what goals must be accomplished to win them. The purpose of this FAQ is to provide players with this information.

This FAQ is not for beginners, nor will it improve your piloting skills or lower your ping. Only those who want to "stand above the stats" will benefit from this document. The information in this document is presented in a way that assumes the reader has some experience in the missions discussed below.

If you wish to submit something to the FAQ (i.e. information, comments, or mission-specific strategy guides) then mail me and if your submission is accepted and incorporated into the FAQ you will be credited under section 1.3. Please be advised that each and every submission becomes the property of the author. If you wish to ask something then do but please keep it FAQ related.

• v1.02 - Nov. 22, 1998. Updated info on Ace pins. Revised missions 3.5, 3.10, and 3.11.
• v1.01 - Nov. 12, 1998. Added tips and updated missions 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, and 3.9-3.11. Also some minor corrections regarding Ace pins and rank scores.
• v1.0 - Oct. 27, 1998. First public release. Completed mission section. Lots of corrections.
• v0.9b2 - Oct. 17, 1998. Preview release.

I'm currently a student at New York University School of Medicine. If you're wondering how a medical student has the time to do a FAQ, I don't. I only managed to do this FAQ because I had a free weekend between rotations (very rare). I'm also the aut hor of "Powerball Arena," a multiplayer mission that is on the Silent Threat add-on. There’s not much more to say about me since my career has left me with no social life. But if any of you want to know more about what it's like to be a com puter gamer in medical school, feel free to drop me a line.

There are also "star" pins granted to pilots who achieve an outstanding number of total kills. The first star is the Ace, which is given for 60 kills. The next is the Double Ace for 150 kills. And finally, the Triple Ace is awarded for 350 kills. Each pin must be won consecutively.

Most medals are ribbon-type medals that are granted when certain criteria are met in a given mission. Usually, this means playing on a harder skill level and/or completing all the mission goals, including the bonus. Unlike the other types of medals, these medals are awarded to all players that remain at the end of the mission.

The following table briefly lists each mission, the medal, and the minimum skill level required. Most missions must be played on the hard skill level while two can be played on any skill level. The Unstoppable is the only one that must be played on < i>insane. In contrast, most single player missions merely require medium skill level, if any at all.

If only one lesson is learned from this FAQ, let it be this: USE TEAMWORK! There is no way to beat most of these missions with an ad hoc group, especially on hard. Instead, organize a group of highly skilled, motivated players and use this FAQ to pla n ahead before each mission.

• Assign specific tasks to each player. Don’t worry about getting the most kills or firing the last shot at the capital ship, especially since everybody gets a medal in the end. Just concentrate on completing the goals.
• Fighter escorts should resist the urge to get drawn away into a dogfight. Learn how to protect friendly bombers from multiple attackers. For example, use hotkeys to target your bomber and press "G" to target his attacker.
• Attack the enemy’s heavy bombers first. If they already launched their payload, press "B" to target enemy bombs and shoot them down. Be careful not to shoot bombs at close range, otherwise your subsystems will be destroyed.
• Use the information in this FAQ to exploit any weak points in the mission. For example, some enemy wings have a threshold of zero, meaning that the next wave of fighters will not appear until all the ships in the current wing are destroyed. To avo id wave after wave of enemy ships, just spare one enemy ship and the next wave will never arrive. It is important to coordinate this tactic with the rest of your teammates. For example, you can announce "Don’t kill Arjuna 1." Then keep this enemy "survivor" from being a nuisance by having one player chase it while firing a few shots across its bow. Expert pilots can attempt to disable it with Disruptors or D-Advanced guns. Meanwhile, the rest of the team can complete the mission w ith minimal interference. This is called "freezing" a wing.
• When attacking a capital ship, the HUD will have a tendency to lock onto a turret. While this is useful for fighters, it will decrease a bomber’s effectiveness because they will fire their Tsunamis and Harbingers directly into the turret 6;s line of fire. The turret will shoot the bombs easily, often killing the bomber with his own payload. Instead, target one of the capital ship’s subsystems to direct the bombs away from a turret; it doesn’t matter whether the subsystem is in v iew or not.
• Pause the game to communicate important messages, don’t do it in real time.

DESCRIPTION: The Players must ensure the safe passage of all Allied vessels in the Alpha Centauri subspace node cluster.

PLAYERS: 4

RESPAWNS: 2

MEDAL: Meritorious Unit

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Any
• All allied vessels must depart successfully (Kappa and Theta).
• Protect the Mecross until arrival of Zeta wing.
• Reinforcements are not called (Delta wing).

MISSION INFO:

• If Mu 1’s hull is kept above 80%, then the Cain (Cain class cruiser) will arrive with only 41% hull. If Mu 1’s hull falls below 45%, then the Cain will arrive with 93% hull. Strangely, the Cain will have 100% hull if Mu 1’s hull is between 45-80%.
• If Theta 1’s hull is kept above 80%, then the Abel (Lillith class cruiser) will arrive with only 32% hull. If Theta 1’s hull falls below 50%, then the Abel will arrive with 87% hull. The Able will arrive with 85% hull if Theta 1’s h ull is between 50-80%.
• Destruction of Cain or Abel is not required.
• Successful completion of all goals will reward all players with a total of 1500 unadjusted points.

ANALYSIS:

• This is one of the two missions that can be played on Very Easy. Therefore this is one of the two easiest missions. No strategy is required since you can still win this mission by just mindlessly attacking anything you see. Seriously, it will be w ise to spread out since some enemy wings will arrive simultaneously in different areas.
• Most enemy ships are Basilisks, which are fairly slow. Use Seth assault fighters loaded with dual Hornets to take them out quickly with one volley.
• Don’t call for reinforcements.

DESCRIPTION: The final communications station to the outer colonies is threatened by the Lucifer. Can it be saved?

PLAYERS: 2

RESPAWNS: 4

MEDAL: Good Conduct

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Any
• Protect Aquilae Communications until the Hope moves into position.

MISSION INFO:

• The Hope will move into position approximately 12 min 30 sec into the mission.
• Failure to protect Aquilae Installation or the escape pods has no affect on acquiring the medal.
• Deva wing consists of 1 wave of 4 Dragon fighters that will appear after Aquilae Installation is destroyed. They will attack any enemy.
• Cancer wing consists of 1 wave of 4 Thoth fighters that will appear with Deva wing. They will attack the escape pods.
• Karna wing consists of 1 wave of 4 Basilisk assault fighters that will appear 1 min 57 sec into the mission. They will attack the escape pods.
• Krishna wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Basilisk fighters that will appear when Karna wing is destroyed. They will also attack the escape pods.
• Asura wing consists of 1 wave of 4 Shaitan light bombers that will arrive when Krishna wing is destroyed. They will attack Aquilae Communications.
• Rama wing consists of 1 wave of 3 Scorpion scouts that will arrive with Asura wing and guard it.
• Bheema wing consists of 6 waves of 4 Nephilim bombers that will attack Aquilae Communications. They will arrive 15 sec after the second Asura wing is destroyed. Each wave has a threshold of 1 before the next wave arrives.
• Successfully defending Aquilae Communications will reward all players with 1000 unadjusted points.
• All players will receive 300 unadjusted points if 2 or more escape pods survive.
• All players will receive an additional 200 unadjusted points if all escape pods survive.

ANALYSIS:

• This is another mission that can be played on Very Easy. However, it is slightly harder than the Exodus mission. Although it is not necessary to protect the escape pods, you will not have to protect Aquilae communications until later so you might as well try saving the pods. Just focus your attacks on Cancer and Karna wings and a few pods will survive. When bombers arrive to attack Aquilae Communications, you’ll have enough time to intercept them before they get close if you attack right away . Sometimes you will kill all of the enemy ships before the Hope moves into position. If so, do not warp out yet. Target the Hope and check how much time is left before it reaches its waypoint. Wait for it to arrive and then Command will give you the OK to leave.
• There is a way to complete the mission without fighting a single enemy bomber. "Freeze" Krishna wing by leaving one ship alive. As long as Krishna wing is not destroyed, no further enemy ships will arrive, including any enemy bombers. Wa it until the Hope moves into position and then kill the last Krishna. You can jump out after command orders you to protect Aquilae Communications.

DESCRIPTION: The players must lead a Terran assault on a Vasudan convoy.

PLAYERS: 4

RESPAWNS: 10

MEDAL: Distinguished Flying Cross

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard
• Destroy convoy. All freighters, fighters, and transports except the Johnson must be destroyed before they warp out through the jump node.

MISSION INFO:

• The enemy convoy will be 23 km from the jump node while Alpha wing will be halfway between them.
• The convoy consists of several different ship types, some faster than others. The Satis class freighters (Bay and System) will generally reach the jump node first, followed by the Isis class transports (Johnson, Quest, Star, and McPherson). The Ma ’at class freighters (Flame and Nova) are the slowest and will lag behind the rest of the convoy during the mission.
• There are two fighter wings guarding the convoy. Aries wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Horus class interceptors which will be guarding the Satis and Ma’at class freighters. Pisces wing consists of 1 wave of 3 Seth class assault fighters which wi ll be guarding the Isis class transports. If the transports are destroyed, then Pisces will assist Aries in defending the freighters.
• If all the transports and freighters are destroyed, then the fighters will attempt to escape through the jump node.

ANALYSIS:

• This is one of the easier missions in the hard skill level category. Engage the convoy as quickly as possible while it is still far from the Jump Node; as the mission continues, it will take longer and longer to catch up with the convoy after resp awning.
• Destroy all the fighters first to minimize resistance so that the rest of the convoy will be easy to pick off. After destroying the fighters, attack the convoy starting with the Isis and Satis class transports since they will reach the node first.
• Make sure you destroy all the fighters before you finish off the slow Ma’at class ships; otherwise, the fighters will race off towards the node and warp out before you can catch up to them.
• For some reason, the mission does not require the destruction of the Johnson, an Isis class transport. Spare it at your own discretion.
• The best ships to use are Valkyries and Ulysses loaded with Hornet missiles. The Hercules can be used effectively as well with dual Hornets and Phoenix Vs. Do not use bombers. In any case, 10 respawns makes life cheap so don’t be afraid to di e often.

DESCRIPTION: The GTC Orb is disabled and under fire from a Shivan attack. It is up to you and your wingman to save it.

PLAYERS: 2

RESPAWNS: 3

MEDAL: Military Defense

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard
• Protect the Orb until it reaches the Jump Node and departs safely.

MISSION INFO:

• The Orb’s engines will come online 1 min 10 sec into the mission.
• Arjuna wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Manticore fighters. They will attack the Orb.
• Krishna wing consists of 50 waves of 6 Manticore fighters. They will arrive 1 min 55 sec into the game and provide cover for Indra wing. If Indra wing is destroyed, they will attack the Orb. Each wave has a threshold of zero before the next wave a rrives.
• Indra wing consists of 50 waves of 2 Shaitan light bombers. They will arrive 10 sec after Krishna wing and will attack the Orb. Each wave has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Rama wing consists of 1 wave of 2 Basilisk assault fighters. They will attack the Orb and Alpha wing.

ANALYSIS:

• This is a straightforward defend-the-capital-ship mission. Kill Arjuna and Rama wings as quickly as possible before Krishna and Indra wings arrives. When they do, preserve one ship in each wing to prevent further wings from arriving. Have a play er pursue each enemy "survivor" and fire a few a shots to divert their attention away from the Orb. Try to disable it if possible. If executed properly, you will only have to deal with two enemy ships throughout the rest of the mission.
• This mission will allow you to play the Vasudan Horus Interceptor, one of the best fighters in the game. It’s faster, stronger, more maneuverable, and has more weapon payload than the Valkyrie.

DESCRIPTION: One of the greatest Vasudan Typhons left is the Hope. It must be preserved.

PLAYERS: 4

RESPAWNS: 4

MEDAL: Conspicuous Gallantry

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard
• Protect the Hope until Mu wing arrives to relieve you.
• The Hope must be alive when Alpha wing warps out.
• Alpha 1 must survive without respawning.

MISSION INFO:

• The Hope will be completely operational 7 min 26 sec after Isis Repair docks with it.
• Indra wing consists of 3 waves of 4 Nephilim heavy bombers. They will arrive 13 sec into the mission and attack the Hope. Each wave has a threshold of 2 before the next wave arrives.
• Asura wing consists of 2 waves of 2 Nephilim bombers that will arrive 25 sec after Indra wing is destroyed and attack the Hope. Each wave has a threshold of 1 before the next wave arrives.
• Arjuna wing consists of 1 wave of 2 Dragon fighters that will arrive 2 sec before Asura wing. They will guard Asura wing until it is destroyed, then they will attack the Hope.
• Bheema wing consists of 1 wave of 3 Shaitan light bombers that will arrive 40 sec after the first wave of Asura wing is destroyed. They will attack the Hope.
• Krishna wing consists of 1 wave of 3 Manticore fighters. They will arrive with and guard Bheema wing.
• The Lightning is a Cain class cruiser that will arrive either 45 sec after Bheema wing or 2 min after Asura wings are destroyed. It will attack the Hope.
• The Thunder is a Lilith class cruiser that will arrive 62 sec after the Lightning is destroyed. They will attack the Hope but the Mecross will arrive 9 sec later to attack the Thunder.
• Vishnu wing consists of 1 wave of 3 Manticore fighters. They will arrive 2 sec after the Thunder and guard it.
• Durga wing consists of 1 wave of 3 Dragon fighters. They will arrive 5 sec after the Thunder and will guard it.
• Kali wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Nephilim bombers that will arrive 30 sec after Durga wing is destroyed and will attack the Hope. They will appear approximately 2200m aft of the Hope.
• Rama wing consists of 3 waves of 3 Scorpion scouts. They will arrive with and guard Kali wing. Each wave has a threshold of 2 before the next wave arrives.
• Mu wing will arrive to relieve you only when both Kali and Rama wings are destroyed.
• Theta wing consists of 1 wave of 4 Ulysses that will assist you in guarding the Hope.
• Epsilon wing consists of 1 wave of 4 Anubis fighters that can be called in for reinforcements.

ANALYSIS:

• This is a long defensive mission where wave after wave of bombers appear to bomb the Hope. Attack Nephilim bombers as quickly as possible before they launch their bombs. You will not be able to stop them all in time so make sure your team knows ho w to shoot down bombs.
• Unlike other missions, the AI performs extremely well and is much better at defending the Hope than most human players. Therefore, play this mission with as few human players as possible.
• This mission contains an unusual clause requiring that Alpha 1 must not die, not even once. Switch ships with the other human player so that the host can fight aggressively without worry. Instruct the player piloting Alpha 1 to fly cautiously and to flee the battle if in danger of being destroyed. Usually, most pilots can play until the Thunder arrives before withdrawing.
• When the mission begins, order all ships to defend the Hope. Repeat the order if any AI ships get destroyed. The mission is easy until the Thunder arrives. Order all ships except the Mecross to ignore the Thunder and then try to destroy Vishnu win g first, then Durga. When Durga wing is destroyed, the final wave of Nephilim bombers (Kali wing) will arrive in 30 sec. They will warp in close and release their bombs quickly so be prepared. Call in reinforcements to assist you (Epsilon wing) and order them to guard the Hope but ignore the Thunder. When Kali wing arrives, do not attack them head on. Approach at an indirect angle and stay just close enough to shoot down bombs. Ideally, you should be able to shoot down all or most bombs with only mild int erference. Attack the Nephilims only when all the bombs have been neutralized. Once the bombers are gone, destroy Rama wing as quickly as possible so that Mu wing can arrive to relieve you. When Mu arrives, you may attack the Thunder. If the Hope’s h ull is down to 2%, it is wiser to simply warp out.

DESCRIPTION: Shivans have taken over an Orion class destroyer and taken out its power. A small task force must go in and recover it.

PLAYERS: 4

RESPAWNS: 5

MEDAL: Vasudan Alliance

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard.
• Protect the Source until it docks with the Orion. If the Source is destroyed on route, protect the Com until it docks with the Orion.
• Prevent the Minotaur from docking with the Orion.
• Destroy all enemy ships.

MISSION INFO:

• The destruction of the Source or the Com after docking with the Orion has no affect on acquiring the medal.
• The Source will arrive 1 min 50 sec into the mission.
• The Orion will come back online 1 min 15 sec after the Source or the Com docks with it.
• The Minotaur will appear 1 min 30 sec after the Source or the Com arrives.
• Arjuna wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Basilisk assault fighters. They will attack the Source.
• Krishna wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Manticore fighters. They will appear 1 min into the mission and attack Alpha wing and the Com.
• Rama wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Manticore fighters. They will appear with the Minotaur and provide cover for it.
• Vishnu wing consists of 1 wave of 5 Basilisk assault fighters. They will appear 45 seconds after the Minotaur arrives and will attack Alpha wing.
• No enemy wings will specifically target the Orion.

ANALYSIS:

• Arjuna wing poses a direct threat to the Source so kill them as quickly as possible. Then the Source will be safe until the Minotaur arrives 1 in 30 sec later. Kill any remaining Krishna fighters and try to have all players near the Source to inte rcept the Minotaur. Kill it before it docks with the Orion; apparently, the transport contains Shivan "commandos" that will neutralize your forces in the Orion and the mission will be lost. Once the Source has completed docking and the Minotaur is destroyed, just mop up the remaining enemy ships to secure the medal.
• Rama wing will appear along with the Minotaur and may immediately attack the Source. Have at least one fighter sit on top of the Source and act as a protective turret to shoo away any incoming attacks. ***Tip by Dragoon***
• Although the Com will complete the mission if the Source is destroyed, it will be easier to just replay the mission since it is harder to protect the Com.

DESCRIPTION: A Hammer of Light destroyer has been tracked down and it must be eliminated.

PLAYERS: 8

RESPAWNS: 5

MEDAL: Legion of Merit

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard
• Destroy Ptolmey
• Destroy Gateway
• Destroy escape pods

MISSION INFO:

• Escape pods can only be targeted with "target escort" key.
• Pisces wing consists of 1 wave of 6 Horus interceptors. They will be guarding the Ptolmey.
• Virgo wing consists of 3 waves of 4 Horus interceptors. They will only appear 2 min into the mission when more than 4 players are participating in a multiplayer mission. They will guard the Ptolmey. If it is destroyed, then they will guard the esc ape pods. Each wing has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Aries wing consists of 100 waves of 6 Thoth fighters. They will appear when any friendly ship closes within 1000m of the Ptolmey while the Ptolmey’s hull is above 75%. They will guard the Ptolmey first, then the Gateway. Each wing has a thres hold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Cancer wing consists of 100 waves of 4 Thoth and 2 Horus fighters. They will appear when the Ptolmey’s hull is between 50-75%. They will guard the Ptolmey first, then the Gateway. Each wing has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives .
• Capricorn wing consists of 100 waves of 1 Horus, 3 Thoth, and 2 Seth fighters. They will appear when the Ptolmey’s hull is between 25-51%. They will guard the Ptolmey first, then the Gateway. Each wing has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Gemini wing consists of 100 waves of 1 Seth, 1 Horus, 2 Anubis, and 2 Thoth fighters. They will appear when the Ptolmey’s hull falls below 26%. They will guard the Ptolmey. If it is destroyed, then they will guard the escape pods. Each wing h as a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• 2 wings of 3 escape pods will appear when the Ptolmey’s hull is reduced to 15%. They will warp out soon afterwards.
• All players will receive 1000 unadjusted points when the Ptolmey is destroyed.
• All players will receive 500 unadjusted points when the Gateway is destroyed.
• The pilot that destroys the Ptolmey will receive an additional 1000 unadjusted points.

ANALYSIS:

• It is too cumbersome to freeze each enemy wing because there are multiple wings that appear throughout the mission. In addition, no disruptors are available to disable enemy ships. Therefore, it is simpler to just use brute force to complete the m ission.
• The easiest way to destroy the Ptolmey (or any Typhon class vessel) is to hide between the two thrusters in the aft of the ship. There is a spot in the lower half of the area that will be safe from most turrets so you can fire at the hull with lit tle interference. However, enemy ships can still hit you so have a wingman in the same place but facing outward to shoot at any incoming ships. If alone, you can face outward and defend yourself while firing at the hull at the same time. There is enough s pace to hold 4 ships comfortably. ***Tip by Dragoon***
• Assign two players to attack each wing of escape pods. Be prepared when the Ptolmey’s hull is reduced to 16% and kill them quickly as they emerge from each fighter bay. Do so quickly before they warp out.

DESCRIPTION: Journey to Altair, Part 1. We have located one potential weak point in the Shivan barrier encircling us. The Deneb jump node to the Altair system is being guarded by only one cruiser, the Zenith. The primary objective will be to destroy the Zenith. Take out the Zenith's communications system first to prevent it from calling in reinforcements.

PLAYERS: 12

RESPAWNS: 2

MEDAL: Distinguished Service Cross

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard
• Destroy the Zenith.
• Destroy the Benedict before it reaches the jump node and warps out.
• Reinforcements are not called (Delta wing).

MISSION INFO:

• The Zenith and the Benedict may sometimes engage each other.
• The Zenith is guarded by Arjuna wing, which consists of 5 waves of 5 Manticore assault fighters. They will target anything attacking the Zenith, especially Beta wing. Each wave has a threshold of 1 before the next wave arrives.
• Rama wing consists of 2 waves of 3 Dragon fighters that will attack any target. Each wave has a threshold of zero the next wave arrives.
• Arjuna and Rama wings will cease to appear once the Zenith is destroyed.
• Krishna wing consists of 5 waves of 5 Scorpion scouts that will arrive 3 min into the mission. These fighters will cease to appear once the Zenith’s communications subsystem is destroyed. Each wave has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• The Benedict will arrive 3 min 10 sec into the mission and will warp out once it reaches the Jump Node.
• Aries wing consists of 9 waves of 6 Thoth fighters that will arrive with the Benedict and attack any unit. These fighters will cease to appear if the Benedict is destroyed. Each wave has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• All players will receive 500 unadjusted points for disarming the Zenith or 1000 points total for destroying it.
• All players will receive 300 unadjusted points for destroying the Benedict.

ANALYSIS:

• Unlike Vasudan Assault, it is worthwhile to eliminate all the enemy fighters before attacking the capital ship. Replace all but one of the bombers on Beta wing with agile fighters for extra manpower. Replace the remaining bomber with an Ath ena loaded with Stilettos.
• When you begin, order all ships to hold position and do not approach or target the Zenith yet. Only Rama wing will engage you so wait and let them come to you. Once the first wave is destroyed, wait for the second wave and that will be the end of Rama wing. Afterwards, remain in position until the Benedict arrives. The Zenith will call for reinforcements (Krishna wing) around this time as well, but Arjuna and Krishna wings will not attack as long as you keep your distance from the Zenith. Order al l ships to destroy the Benedict as quickly as possible. This is important since Aries wing will cease to appear once the Benedict is gone.
• Once the Benedict is destroyed, attack the communications subsystem on the Zenith. The Athena will make this task easier, but all ships should attack to insure success on the first try. Once the subsystem is down, no further waves of Krishna wing will arrive. Kill off any remaining Krishna fighters.
• By now, you will have whittled the enemy’s resistance down to Ajuna wing. Ignore the Zenith until all 25 fighters in Arjuna wing have been destroyed. Now that all enemy escorts are gone, attack the Zenith at your leisure.

DESCRIPTION: Journey to Altair, Part 2. The Rosetta is currently carrying the scientists. It will rendezvous with two transports, Omega 1 and Omega 2. All three ships should be arriving within a few minutes. Omega wing will dock with the Rosetta as s oon as they arrive. Oversee this personnel transfer, then escort Omega 1 and Omega 2 to the Jump Node.

PLAYERS: 12

RESPAWNS: 2

MEDAL: Commendation

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard
• Protect the Rosetta until it safely departs.

MISSION INFO:

• The Rosetta will depart 5 minutes and 32 seconds after Omega 2 is done docking.
• Destruction of Omega 1 and Omega 2 has no affect on acquiring the medal.
• Indra wing consists of 5 waves of 5 Nephilim heavy bombers which will attack the Rosetta. They will have a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Vishnu wing consists of 5 waves of 5 Scorpion scouts. These ships will only appear as long as the Rosetta is present. They will attack any target. They will have a threshold of 1 before the next wave arrives.
• The Lucifer will arrive 2 min 30 sec after Omega 1 completes docking.
• Arjuna wing consists of 20 waves of 4 Manticore fighters. These ships will appear after the Lucifer arrives and will target Omega. Each wave has a threshold of 2 before the next wave arrives.
• Rama wing consists of 8 waves of 2 Scorpion scouts. These ships will appear after the Lucifer arrives and will engage any enemy. Each wave has a threshold of 1 before the next wave arrives.
• Kali wing consists of 3 waves of 4 Basilisk assault fighters. These ships will appear after Omega 2 is done docking. They will attack Omega 2 and then Omega 1. Each wave has a threshold of 2 before the next wave arrives.
• All players will receive 500 unadjusted points for safely escorting one Omega vessel to the Jump Node. An additional 500 points will be awarded if both vessels depart safely.
• All players will receive 200 points for protecting the Rosetta.

ANALYSIS:

• This one is peculiar in that you can win the medal even though you failed the mission. Just protect the Rosetta and let the Shivans have the Omega transports after they’ve undocked. Make sure to keep all players near the Rosetta and ready for multiple waves of Indra and Vishnu wings. You can disable and preserve one of the Indra bombers to prevent further waves from arriving.
• As long as you stay away from the Lucifer, Arjuna and Rama wings should not attack you; however, Kali wing may attack near the end. At one point, Command will declare the mission a failure and order you to leave; ignore the message. Otherwise, th is is a fairly easy mission that can be beaten with only 2 players. Just keep reminding the AI to guard the Rosetta.

DESCRIPTION: Journey to Altair, Part 3. We have successfully extracted the records from Altair 4. They have been partially deciphered, and are being moved back to Terran Space. Omega transports will once again be handling the movement of the scientis ts and the records. Ensure that Omega 1 and Omega 2 reach the jump node. Destroying the Anvil is the best way to ensure that this goal is accomplished.

PLAYERS: 12

RESPAWNS: 3

MEDAL: Medal of Honor

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Hard
• Destroy the Anvil
• Safely escort both Omega 1 and Omega 2.

MISSION INFO:

• Omega 1’s path will bring it close to Leo wing while Omega 2’s path will bring it close to the Anvil.
• Leo wing consists of 2 waves of 3 Osiris light bombers that will appear 20 sec into the mission and will attack Omega 1. Each wave has a threshold of 1 before the next wave arrives.
• Aries wing consists of 4 waves of 3 Thoth fighters that will appear 5 sec into the mission. Their first priority is to guard the Anvil and then attack Omega 2. Each wave has a threshold of 2 before the next wave arrives.
• Virgo wing consists of 4 waves of 3 Horus interceptors. They will appear 12 sec into the mission and will guard the Anvil. Each wave has a threshold of 2 before the next wave arrives.
• Aries and Virgo wing will cease to appear when the Anvil is destroyed.
• The Anvil will warp out after both Omega transports have departed or were destroyed.
• All players will receive 500 unadjusted points for safely escorting one Omega vessel to the Jump Node. An additional 500 points will be awarded if both vessels depart safely.
• All players will receive 200 unadjusted points for destroying the Anvil.

ANALYSIS:

• Essentially, Black Omega is two escort missions in one, making this the most difficult mission in the game. Your best chance is to fly with 6-8 experienced players due to the complexity of the mission. Replace all bombers in Alpha wing with faster ships for extra manpower against enemy fighters. Have 1-2 players use Athena bombers loaded with at least 10 Stilettos each. Put all players on either Alpha or Beta wing but keep Gamma wing free.
• Order Gamma wing to protect Omega 1; the AI will do an adequate job of destroying the Leo bombers so there is no need to assign players to escort Omega 1. The rest should concentrate on protecting Omega 2 by destroying as many enemy fighters as po ssible. An effective tactic is to wait above the Anvil’s fighter bays to pick the fighters off as they emerge. As for the Athena bomber(s), destroy the Anvil’s weapons subsystem first, then disable the engines next. If available, you can use Dis ruptor missiles to temporarily stun the Anvil’s turrets so that Omega 2 can pass more safely.
• It will be extremely difficult to cover Omega 2 and the Athena bombers at the same time. Therefore, assign the best pilots to this task.
• Once Leo wing is destroyed, you may order Gamma wing to cover Omega 2.

DESCRIPTION: A Shivan destroyer is wiping out Terran outposts and heading for a critical Terran science station.

PLAYERS: 6

RESPAWNS: 4

MEDAL: Galactic Service

MEDAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Skill level: Insane
• Destroy the Hellfire
• The Omen and the Hoyle are still alive when Alpha warps out.

MISSION INFO:

• Alpha can warp out as soon as the Hellfire is destroyed. Any remaining enemy fighters do not have to be destroyed to protect the Omen and the Holye.
• Arjuna wing consists of 1 wing of 6 Basilisk assault fighters. They will be guarding the Hellfire.
• Krishna wing consists of 100 waves of 6 Basilisk assault fighters. They will appear 1 min into the game and as long as the Hellfire’s hull is above 65%. Protecting the Hellfire is their first priority; then they will attack the Omen and the H oyle. Each wing has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Rama wing consists of 100 waves of 5 Basilisk and 1 Manticore fighters. They will appear when the Hellfire’s hull falls between 33-65% and will also protect the Hellfire. If it is destroyed, they will attack the Omen and the Hoyle. Each wing has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Indra wing consists of 6 waves of 4 Manticore fighters and will appear 2 min 40 sec into the mission. They will attack Beta wing first, then Alpha, then protect the Hellfire. If the Hellfire is destroyed, they will attack the Omen and the Hoyle. E ach wing has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• Bheema wing consists of 100 waves of 3 Basilisk and 3 Manticore fighters. They will appear when the Hellfire’s hull falls below 33% and will also protect the Hellfire. If it is destroyed, they will attack the Omen and the Hoyle. Each wing has a threshold of zero before the next wave arrives.
• The Hellfire will be moving towards the Omen and Hoyle. It will fire at the Omen when in range and fighters will engage the Hoyle.
• Although no points are given for completing the goals, the pilot that destroys the Hellfire will be awarded 5000 unadjusted points.

ANALYSIS:

• This is another difficult mission, especially since it must be played on the Insane skill level. You will be outnumbered 17 to 6 in the first 3 minutes of the mission, making a bombing run close to impossible. In addition, multiple wings of enemy fighters will appear when the Hellfire’s hull is reduced to 64% and 33%. There really is no straightforward way to defeat the Hellfire and its armada of Basilisk escorts.
• However, there are rumors of a particular maneuver that will allow you to destroy the Demon-class ship easily. This FAQ will not provide any specifics but here is a hint: Han Solo performed a similar maneuver in The Empire Strikes Back. With this in mind, two pilots can take out the Hellfire before it reaches the science facilities.
• Warp out once the Hellfire is destroyed before all the remaining enemy ships attack the Omen and the Hoyle. The mission will still award the medal as long as those science stations are still alive when you warp out.
• The Hoyle is a Ulysses fighter, not a "science vessel" as described in the briefing. Therefore, do not order ships using the "all ships" command. This will cause the Hoyle to attack, which will lead to a premature death.