| Mission index (for /m param): | 012 |
| City name on PC: | Tripoli |
| Map and level files (PC): | map025.mad, c025l001.d3, |
| PC Campaign: | Church of N. Ep. mail 08 |
| Citydrop code name: | A Mote In God's Eye |
| First objective: | Protect the order of Acolytes |
Receive our blessings, Son of Light.
By working where our foe is weakest, we have begun to establish our Church. The Syndicate is therefore attempting to regain control in a number of vulnerable cities.
Already, the Syndicate has begun to undertake covert operations in Johannesburg, Buenos Aires, Santiago and Tripoli. Those who challenge the Church of the New Epoch must join us or perish.
Syndicate agents have been sighted in Santiago and Tripoli. In Buenos Aires, the Syndicate has regained control of its garrison in an action which spilled the precious blood of your brothers and sisters stationed there. The Nine also believe that EuroCorp has planted a saboteur in our mission in Johannesburg.
Your Acolytes must ensure that no EuroCorp operative succeeds or ever returns to the Syndicate. Do not rest until you have cleansed these places of the Syndicate's sickness.
The day of reckoning draws closer with every new mind we recruit. And those who wish to survive the Cataclysm must believe.
Be brave, Acolyte. And be brutal. It is the only way.
Virgil
There is pleasure in stealing the souls of machines.
- The Book of Cataclysm.
Of the Mail 8 missions, Santiago is the easiest, Buenos Aires is probably the hardest, and Tripoli is easily the most annoying. I'd recommend the order Santiago - Johannesburg - Buenos Aires - Tripoli.
Until I got to London, I thought this was the most annoying mission in the game.
Ugh. Basically, there's four zealots you're supposed to protect. They wander around the city with Indoctrinators. Occasionally someone shoots at them, but most of the time the Unguided and the Police will be shooting at you. Still, there's good cover from the police's flying cars (hide under skyscrapers) and the Unguided aren't numerous enough to pose a threat.
What makes this mission really annoying is that there are a few agents with Clone Shields around who will attempt to kill the guys you are protecting. I mostly recommend camping out in the large open area at the top of the map. There are two of your priests here converting people, and if you keep them both safe you will be fine. Run off any attacks on them and you, and eventually they will head for the garden of meditations. Follow them.
It is almost certain that there will be a couple of Syndicate agents in the flock that follows them in. They drop their clone shields and start shooting, and you will find it hard to target them with all the civilians around. Fortunately there's lots of zealots by to help out. Unfortuately they're carrying explosives.
Anyway, try to kill them, try to pick up the bombs, and if you're lucky mission accomplished.
Prophecy transcript
Resolution uncertainty: Very low
New research: Clone Shield
New weapons: Clone Shield
Possible loot: 800k cr, 4x Clone Shield, 6+ Agents?
Even though there are no time limits in the game, this level kind of has one.
Getting the money and the Clone Shields from this level is crucial. You should be spending so much on research at this point, that after this level you should go broke if you take no income. And Clone Shields - they're expensive, and having them will open new opportunities in further missions. Make sure you have enough free weapon slots before the citydrop. Also be up to date in regards to Cryo Mods. Waiting for your health or weapon power to replenish takes time, and that you don't have on this level.
There are considerable Police forces on this level. Try to avoid them - there is no benefit in killing these, and they could even help you with eliminating the Unguided. You should have Launchers researched at this point - use them to deal with flying cars belonging to Police; there isn't any way to avoid these cars - they seem to be very good at patrolling.
There is 800,000 credits to get from the bank. But it goes a bit different than usual. Police will land near the bank entrance in flying armored car soon after you enter the upper third part of the city. You don't need to blow the bank - a suitcase will appear at its center. You have to pick it up before the Police does, or kill the officer after he picks it up.
You have very limited time to go with your strategy - start persuading, or go for the bank first, or do not enter top part of the map and focus on dealing with some of the Unguided.
Then, two Agents will appear in the crowds following the Acolytes near IML Station. Soon after, all Acolytes will begin returning to Garden of Meditations. Go there as well. When they reach the destination, more Agents will drop their Clone Shields. Their power is drained, so they won't do much damage by shooting. But they have High Explosives, which will kill everyone if not picked up. Try to pick them all up; usually you can still complete the mission if you won't be able to pick up one of the bombs.
As soon as all Agents are dead, mission is complete. So it is possible to complete the mission, even if bombs kill all the Acolytes soon after.
If you didn't handled the bank yet, you must be fast with dealing with the High Explosives, as Police is now in the process of retrieving the cash. Kill the officer who exits the bank before he reaches flying car. Or enter that car, to make sure Police won't be able to.
Tech ex machina
Agents are armed with Miniguns, Clone Shields and High Explosive. Except the two which drop disguise close to IML Station - they have Clone Shields and Pulse Lasers. Unguided are armed with LR Rifles and few Miniguns.
I was unable to persuade any Agents on this level. Maybe this can't be done, and maybe you just need a Brain mod better than v1.
It seem to be possible to get 900,000 credits from this level, though I have no idea where the additional 100,000 comes from.
You were blessed by this premonition from Tripoli episkopy, please do not reply.
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