Battletech: The Crescent Hawk´s Revenge
INTRODUCTION
This version of the BATTLETECH game is much more closely aligned
with the FASA standard BATTLETECH combat system. As with all
walkthrus, it is best used as a reference when you get stuck;
however, in BATTLETECH even the right strategy will not always yield
the desired results. So, this is more of a list of strategies that
worked for me but which might need modification to suit your own
needs.
In many of the scenarios, you will start out with new mechs.
Unfortunately, you will often find there are times when you have to
use severely battered mechs, and you may even have lost some. Now,
on to the game.
Hint: Make photocopies of the maps starting on page 118 so you can
plot where enemy mechs are anytime that the satellite link is
active.
LYONS: EASTERN AREA
The first thing you will do is select the mechs for your first drop.
Grab the hardest hitting mechs you can -- especially those with
good, long-range capabilities (give Jason the Griffin). The dropship
is shot down, two mech pilots are killed, and you land in the drink
with no mechs to use. But there is a "blind" Jenner being piloted by
Grease Anderson; you need it to guide you to a Locust that is coming
in to finish you off. The manual describes an effective strategy in
the Quick-Start section for the first two scenarios.
The Dragon scenario is tough, and you will need to ensure that you
don't go one-on-one with him. Stick to a close-knit formation and
keep your mechs moving (you can't afford to slug it out).
The Mobile HQ scenario is tricky as you will need to nail it as soon
as possible because it moves very fast. The HQ starts out just to
the north of your Mech force. So, quickly plot an intercept (using
the road where possible). The Phoenix Hawk, which is pretty fast, is
your best bet (.2 MPH faster than the HQ).
Engage overburn, but keep an eye on the heat buildup when you get to
firing range. Turn on Fire-At-Will as you close. In addition, get
all your other mechs moving west as fast as they can; there's some
heavy-hitting stuff coming (including Rommel Tanks) from the east,
and you need to regroup with the Phoenix Hawk once the HQ is nailed.
Another Hint: If you can't get the satellite link to work, there's
still the chance that you can spot enemy mechs by looking for their
tracks through woods and grass!
THE KELLHOUND BASE
Here, you receive a couple Urbanmechs which are very slow; so, try
to keep them on the road. Try to keep them on intersections giving
you crossfire and good long-range capability against the
short-ranges of infantry and jump troops. The loader will pick up
the ammo from different parts of the base automatically, but you
will need to control it outside the city which is tough: An Assassin
mech is blocking the gates!
Team up the two urbanmechs and the truck behind the building near
the gate (remember the truck moves fast, so don't get it too far out
in front). Move the mechs to the north of the gate; keep them moving
and the Assassin should chase and overrun you. Put the urbanmechs
between him and the gates and get the truck moving (keep to the
road) like the blazes out the gate. You don't need to destroy the
Assassin to complete this scenario.
LYONS: NORTHERN AREA
The real trick here is in keeping together and out of sight as long
as possible until you are needed to make your attack, but you need
to stay nearby. One good strategy is to head into the thick,
forested area in the center of the map. You can make quite a lot of
undetected movement toward the north in 20 minutes. Again, there are
heavy mechs here, so concentrating your firepower is a must.
OPERATION: LIBERTY PREPARATIONS
You can take either of two routes: around the mountain or through
the passes. I would recommend the latter because you are less likely
to lose the APCs (needed for the city scenario). You will run into
Rommel tanks and Drillsons -- the most dangerous foes in this
scenario. You will need to keep the heavy mechs out front and the
APCs to the rear. When you clear the mountains (and before you enter
the city), send either a mech or the APC to the northeast: You will
find a mech repair facility, and receive four shiny new Crusaders to
attack the city.
OPERATION: LIBERTY -- THE CITY
You start just inside the gates and will need to move the APC lance
very quickly to the east. To give yourself more time, immediately
set the game speed to 1. Move the remaining mechs south to the large
crossroads, and hold them there until the APC is clear.
You will be attacked by a Drillson and some Skulkers. Disable the
Drillson as soon as you can. As soon as an enemy has a movement of
"none," move onto another target, as you can move out of a disabled
vehicle's range quite easily. Move quickly to the prison with the
Crusaders (I simply moved the lance target to the prison gate). Move
the APC lance to the east wall, and move them close to the prison as
your mechs are closing.
About now, I set the speed of the game to 8 and waited until I heard
firing, then I moved the APC lance in. Blast a hole in the wall,
move the APC in, get the prisoners out, and get the heck out of
there. Don't bother going after the infantry; they are in endless
supply and only whittle down your Crusaders (you will need all the
firepower you can muster to get out the gate).
Move the mechs back to the large crossroads and keep the APC nearby.
You can target the APC lance on lighter targets like Skulkers. The
tanks guarding the gate have no long-range firepower and won't
budge, so you can pick them off with relatively light hits, _if_ the
infantry isn't in too hot pursuit!
This is one of the toughest scenarios in the game. Once you have
escaped the city, you have to make a run back through the mountains
with whatever mechs you have left. Unfortunately, there is a Kurita
warrior, Chiun, who has sworn to roast you; the Kurita have planes
strafing the roadways, so keep moving. Interestingly, they are
almost single-mindedly after Jason Youngblood, so they will only
shoot at other mechs in passing.
Move all of your mechs (except Jason's) up the road, and take the
first left turn. Go just a little way off the road to the south,
line up your mechs (and even the APC lance!), and start firing into
the forest in different spots to set fire to it. This will
definitely help heat up the enemy mechs and give your mechs a better
shot. After a bit, much of the forest will be ablaze. Cease fire to
cool off, set the speed to none, and your firing instructions to
"fire at will."
Meanwhile, Jason's mech should move northwest a little way from the
gate and wait by the lake. As soon as the enemy mechs clear the
burning trees, they will come after you. Move west to the mountain's
edge, then north to put the forest between you and the enemy lance.
Follow the enemy mechs with your remaining force (the enemy won't be
firing much), and fire defensively (or target bits of forest in
their path -- they're still only after Jason and won't deviate). I
even set the APC lance to fire-at-will (they took out an Archer) and
they didn't get scratched.
Even if one mech breaks free, provided Jason's mech is in relatively
good shape, he should be able to finish it off. Regroup both lances,
and send the Crusaders round the mountain. Meanwhile, send your mech
and the APC at full speed through the mountain passes, and you
should not meet any resistance until you clear the opening at the
other end. Wait just inside until your other mechs arrive. Your
mechs should meet a Rommel tank and a Drillson or two at the
northern entrance to the mountain (they would've come in after you).
Because they are in a line, advance slowly and concentrate your
firepower on the nearest vehicle (again, if you disable a vehicle,
move on to the next).
Finally, the mech will meet a couple of Rommels and a Galleon or
two. Draw them off and they will follow; meanwhile you can make a
dash for the dropship coordinates and wipe the sweat from your brow!
Don't be surprised if you lose a mech or two in this scenario!
THE TRAINING GROUNDS
The training grounds are relatively straightforward but give you a
taste of using the satellite link and artillery: Use it as much as
you can.
On the assault session, hold your mechs back in a concentrated large
formation to the south of the target. Shell the heck out of the
target area where four heavy mechs should be sitting ducks (why get
shot at yourself?); you might actually destroy one with shelling,
but you will certainly make some dents in them. With about three
minutes to the deadline, make a rush at the target area (don't
forget to turn the shelling off).
Use the same strategy with the "defend position" scenario. Shell the
oncoming mechs and look out for stationary reserves: They're easy
pickings. Again, if you lose the link, look for footprints and water
ripples, and shell them instead. Rolling barrages are good for
troops on the move. But just make sure you keep it coming!
LUTHIEN CAMPAIGNS
Again, where possible, go for the heavy hitting, long-range mechs,
and especially the upgraded mechs. Make sure Jason is in something
with lots of armor.
Do stop and help the locals at the first jump-point. If nothing
else, it will raise the skill level, and in the "protect the city"
scenario, your mechs will be repaired for you.
In the first scenario, just keep your mechs in a tight formation,
concentrate long-range firepower, and you can pick off the enemy
(they seem to attack in columns).
In the city scenario, use the satellite link, and set up a strafing
run on the heavy mechs near the gate. Move your fire lance quickly
down the wide street, and have them set up shop on the far side of
town (stop strafing when your fire lance nears the fire line or
you'll get hit, since strafing a point actually strafes two lines
that cross at that coordinate!). Send your scout mechs up north to
keep an eye out for flankers, then move them in behind the enemy.
Move the heavy mechs in, set them up about one-third of the way in,
and you can catch the enemy in a crossfire. Having beaten the Clan,
you will get your mechs repaired by a grateful city.
The Luthien Campaigns can only be won by continual strafing,
shelling, working at long-range concentrating firepower, and keeping
your mechs out of firefights as much as possible. The mountainous
terrain is ideal since the enemy is channeled down passes which can
be easily strafed and/or shelled.
In one of the most difficult Luthien Campaigns, you will come across
Elementals -- nasty things; they're slow, but devastating at short
range. They appear at the northeast, so strafe the heck out of that
area. Move your mechs so that you can get your long-range weapons
working to your best advantage: Avoid close combat at all costs.
ENDGAME
The final scenario involves destroying the Clan Galaxy Commander's
mech. You will need to move your mechs immediately north and locate
them about two-thirds of the way up the map. Strafe the central
corridor until you have nailed a puma or two. After a while, try
crossing the corrider around the south of a building (roughly in the
center of the map): There are four Madcats waiting there. Wait for
the remaining Pumas and nail them when they emerge from the passes
(don't move, they'll come to you). Immediately move west at top
speed and get your mechs to a storage building (you protected this
in an earlier scenario). Somewhere along the way you will be told
that the Galaxy commander is in the area (four more Madcats).
Remember to turn off the strafing as you cross the line of fire;
turn it back on again when you are clear! Stake out the area south
of the grassy/forest peninsula and wait. You might want to strafe
the oncoming Madcats if you get a satellite link (move your mechs to
one side first).
