How to solve Octan (spoiler alert)

[Blauwbaard]

So I've been at this level for hours and hours. All previous levels were not a problem, but the introductory level of SAM missiles proved unevenly difficult.

But I just did it!

And for those stuck in this level for hours as well, here's how I did it:



The start is the most difficult. You want to get the icon on the bottom left because it enables the use of SAM missile defense. It's not very clear in this image, but the first thing I actually did was build up. The center piece of the level is an extremely good place for mortars, but if you try to grab the SAM unlock first, the blob will cover the space making it impossible to recapture that ground.

So, you build upwards using relays. Try to find the shortest path possible. Build two mortars. That's enough to keep the enemy at a good distance. By this time you're attacked by flying spores. In my case they busted the relays. Just rebuild them and make sure your mortars can get ammo to push the blob back.

Meanwhile, start your way towards the SAM icon in the bottom left. You'll probably get attacked a few times by spores before you actually get it, but that's ok. Fix the grid and have patience. Once you have the SAM unlocked, defend your mortars. They take a while to build and having one destroyed means pretty much the end of the game.



Taadaa! Patience and a good defense allows you to grow your grid with collectors. Note how only 4 mortars are more than enough to keep the blob at a good distance.



Place mortars as close to the blob emitters as possible and use blasters to start cutting your way towards those green spinning escape portal thingies. Note how the upper left pool was still hard to control. I dared to place a collector at the edge of the blob, and luckily it worked.



So there's your result. It pretty much speaks for itself. Hope you find this useful. And thanks for creating such an awesome game!

[trumble]

Well done, it feels good to win the difficult ones eh?

Some extra (general) advice from my own experience so far...

As you mentioned, a mortar or two next to the pools. (It seems that the deeper the pool, the more effective the mortar (in that you kill more creeper per shot).
Consider moving the city close to the front lines (if possible). The city is far more effective up front, it makes building far quicker and it means plenty of ammo for the guns. I tend to move the city as close to danger as possible and build my resource network behind it the safe area.

Try not to build too many things at once, build your network up one or two units at a time to start off, then when you have lots of resource later on, you can build far more units at once (whilst still keeping your defence up)

If you can't get the city close to the front lines (or central - if surrounded), build as many speed units as possible (but not all at once!).

Protect all areas with SAMs.

A typical strategy for me...

Move the city (if necessary)
Build 2-3 Collectors
Build basic defences (2 mortars usually)
Start to build up a resource gathering infrastructure.
....
and then start going on the attack.

[Blauwbaard]

Looks like I'll be spending even more hours with the next level. I can't find a good tactic, but I like thinking about how to solve it.

Good advice btw, I never really thought about moving the city. Instead, I build units next to the city and move them to a place where I want them. It's a tiny bit faster than building the unit far from the city.

[knucracker]

Yes... good ole Tucana...  It is one of the more google searched  for levels.  People will search for "Creeper World Tucana".  (As well as Octan and Pyxis).
Some think the level is impossible..... trust me it isn't impossible, so don't give up:)  Focus on stabilizing the creeper advance with minimal expense on your part.   

[AndyY]

Blauwbaard - I know that figuring it out yourself is half the fun, but I've got a low down of my solution for Tucana in the strategy guide I've been working on (with additions from others!)

http://www.pc-games-and-reviews.com/creeper-world-tactics.html

(Btw: If you've got anything to add let me know!)

[Blauwbaard]

I just won Tucana. I had less trouble with it than Octan.

I watched how the Creeper covered the map a few times, to see which corner was easiest to do first. So that's basically what I did. One mortar was enough to keep the top right corner at a fair distance. Next up was the top left corner, and so on. It's fairly easy to get all corners covered. From there it's more or less patience and moving your way slowly towards each corner.

[dp]

Here's how I did it.



A lot of times, it makes sense to move your base.  The closer it is to the action, the quicker the packets get there.  I normally pause the game, move my base, and build out a little of the infrastructure.  The base will begin to power the collectors while it is flying over them!



Build out your collector grid.  You need to get as much energy as you can.  Spread out your collectors...overlapping their coverage area doesn't give you more power.  Once the grid is out and collecting lots of energy, you have *plenty* of time to build up your sam coverage.



Here I've built out more of the grid and added more sams.  I'm just now building some mortars to take care of the pools that have built up.  I almost waited too long.  The key is waiting just long enough.  You don't want to build mortars too quickly in most maps because that just sucks up too much energy that you need building your collector grid.  Note in this map my sam coverage.



I've built more grid and only built 2 mortars.  They are doing the job for now.



More sams.  Starting to build the blasters for the final push.  Rearranged my mortars and sams a bit.  Position mortars near the spawn points for best use.  They destroy a good, thick chunk of creeper so you want them hitting the deepest areas.  If they are ever hitting shallow creeper, you are wasting energy.



FTW!

Note that the key here is to put the blasters down in the low area near the totem.  If you leave them on the ridge, they end up firing 'backwards' occasionally to the hole behind them and end up wasting energy.

[Blauwbaard]

Moving the city is indeed a good strategy. It wasn't until this level that I used that tactic more often.

I just finished the story mode btw. Great fun, and the last level is a real surprise. Very nice touch.

[Ozymandias107]

Thanks for the tips- I was a bit stuck on this one :)

[Siccles]

you do realise the thread is 5 months old dont you?

[creeper killer]

how did he get the SAM tech with out a collecter network going to it?

[Aurzel]

i think there was a relay there which probably got hit by a spore a little later

[zuzufan09]

I actually beat Octan and Tucana on my first try.  The reason for beating Tucana was I saw a video on it, but the only thing I did that was in that video was put the mortars on the ledges to the left and right to hit the pools.  On Octane it took a bit, but eventually I built up a few SAMs while building collectors with some blasters keeping back the Creeper.

[creeper killer]

If you dont get a head start on the creeper on octan and you're trapped just build a mortar and dis ram it then send it on a bombing run

[Vinkor]

Good old Octan I'm just starting my second play through and I remembered this map took me over an hour to beat the first time I got stuck in the bottom corner with the middle occupied with creeper and tried to get footholds in the bottom left pool and always got pushed back by the spores. lets see how this run goes in dd mode