Shields Up!

[ski1313]

The 4th Bonus missions is giving me some trouble... I can't seem to get enough enegy or use the right strategy to keep from being over-run. I'm not looking for a walkthrough, but does anyone have any helpful hints or tips to get my foot in the door on this level? Thanks!

[ontheworld]

One thing I can say instantly: Be happy we didn't leave it at the early difficulty  :)

Will edit some tips in soon

[mthw2vc]

Yea, the 4th bonus mission was my favorite when it first came into beta... You had no structures to start with as you do now, and that blue gem was only red, very fun ;D

[ski1313]

Ahhh.... that might be part of my problem. I haven't been going for that gem. I was worried to break that extra hole into the creeper chamber.

[UpperKEES]

Be happy we didn't leave it at the early difficulty

Oh, I always assumed Virgil did all of that hard work.... ;)

[Kamron3]

Shields Up #1 was more fun, while the new one is way too easy :(

[ontheworld]

Rushing levels is a pain in the *** with minion surprise btw

[ontheworld]

Be happy we didn't leave it at the early difficulty

Oh, I always assumed Virgil did all of that hard work.... ;)

We all worked together for the ending product right? ;D

[thepenguin]

Yea, the 4th bonus mission was my favorite when it first came into beta... You had no structures to start with as you do now, and that blue gem was only red, very fun ;D

Spoiler

and the tab key roamed free on the plains

[close]

[Ytaker]

Going for the gem is risky. It'll give you a small extra boost, but probably not enough to defeat the drones and defeat the creeper.



This was my strategy. I colonised the right side, and quickly built a second, and then a third blaster. Meanwhile, the areas below were colonized, with the odd science ship. I then slowly advanced, building more reactors as I went and pushing forwards towards the enemy.

Build order. 11 reactors, built four at a time then two at a time.

4 dig tunnel, one down, three right.

1 shield.

3 reactors

1 blaster.

1 blaster. And from then on you can handle anything they throw at you, and victory is certain.

[mthw2vc]

You call 100 energy small?! Well, I'll tell you this much, you'll never get a decent score without the gem :P

[Ytaker]

You call 100 energy small?! Well, I'll tell you this much, you'll never get a decent score without the gem :P

You could make three turrets and fund about eight seconds of shooting I guess.

I'm not quite sure how you can use the gem to rush the creeper. Maybe if the drones weren't absorbing half your hits.

[ski1313]

I went for the gem, and that was exactly what I needed to do. It seemed to funnel the drones right up the new alley where it was easy to choke them off and expand out.

[Blaze]

I beat it without the gem, the Drones just don't like me and take both routes to flank me. :-\

So I kept re-building lost shields while I built up.

[ontheworld]

Gem = faster reactor building = faster energy = faster pushing up =better time

Look at it this way: without te gem, you can build 4 reactors at one time and one at a time after that.
With the gem, you can build 24 reactors at once. As you don't get to build all those, you can go straight to the blasters too