Multi Player Mission 2 - Cooperative Mode "Initiation"

I confess to being a big fan of cooperative missions from the original FreeSpace. The cooperative mode allows a number of players to participate in battle together with common goals, usually in missions very similar to single player. Even with the excellent AI of your wingmen, a squad filled with human beings can accomplish with ease missions that seemed impossible in the single player campaign. There is always an added sense of accomplishment and thrill when a group of people complete a difficult mission together with teamwork.

The cooperative mission, "Initiation," simulates an attack on a Shivan capital ship by Terran fighters and bombers. Up to eight players can fill the ranks of Alpha and Beta wing in responding to a Shivan attack in the Gamma Draconis system. Your goal is to destroy the initial Shivan capital ship, then engage a second capital ship that arrives until reinforements arrive to finish the job. When the cavalry arrives, you are warned to stay clear of the heavy crossfire as the Vasudan capital ship will decimate in mere seconds the capital ship which it took minutes for you to merely damage.

This mission demonstrates the importance of teamwork in taking out a capital ship. The fighters must cover the bombers on their attack runs by picking off Shivan fighters that arrive to intercept the attack, drawing the fire of beam weapons, turrets and flak cannons or destroying the turrets and subsystems of the capital ships. However, the fighters can do little damage to the tough hull of these capital ships. To cause anything more than insignificant scratches to a capital ship, the bombers must deliver their payload of Cyclops bombs. The result is a struggle for the defending Shivan fighters and capital ship to destroy the bombers and the fighters, as the Terran fighters attempt to cover the Terran bombers long enough to destroy or cripple the Shivan capital ship. This creates for some serious tension and excitement during the action, especially on the higher difficulty levels.

As you approach the capital ships from a distance on a bombing run, you are readily reminded of the vast example of the vast difference in scale between the capital ships and the fighters. The sheer size of the capital ship creates the impression that it can't be harmed by a mere fighter or bomber, at least without a significant effort. However, the destruction of one of the capital ship's subsystems will quickly have an effect. Destroy the engines and the capital ship will halt in space, a ripe target that you can approach on your own terms. Destroy the weapons subsystem and the capital ship will fire inaccurately, allowing you a better chance to approach without being hit by enemy fire. Take out the reactor and the capital ship won't have enough energy to fire its beam weapons. Start taking out the turrets and you'll be able to approach without fear.

However, taking out the subsystems isn't an easy task. The threat from the capital ship is immediate, as Shivan cruiser will begin to fire its beam weapons at the arriving player wings. It's a humbling experience as you hear the whining sound of the beam weapon powering up, knowing how difficult it is to dodge a weapon that could hit your entire wing. Luckily, the beam weapons aren't quite enough to penetrate your shields, but it will create chaos on your first bombing run. This provides the Shivan fighters plenty of time to get close to harrass the slow and slow-maneuvering bombers. Flak guns are quite effective against bombers, and will often cause you to retreat before launching your bombs close to the capital ship. Unless you can get close to the capital ship, there's no guarantee that the bombs will hit their targets because the beam weapons excel at swatting down incoming bombs.

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