Also you can play Co-op if it suits you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPLEHMJ5 ... detailpage
SPOILER: SHOW
IN THE GAME
The following section will describe the different game mechanics found within the mission, starting with those you need to know, followed by more information that you may find interesting, but you can skip it if you like!
IN GAME MESSAGES
Many times throughout the game will get messages appear at the bottom of the screen updating you as to what is going on. As you get near a location, a message will pop up letting you know which location is nearby, and when you are close enough, who controls that location. You will also get updates when locations are captured or lost, and the status of mortar positions and air strikes when you have access to these. Every few minutes you will also get an update as to the overall progress of the mission, in the form of a percentage of control.
IN GAME SPEECH
You will hear alot of talking throughout the game, most of the time it will be fellow soldiers calling out targets they are engaging, so you know whats arround you, and whos firing at what. But you will also hear some other things that you should really take note of :
"Stop him!, before he can radio this in!"
When someone says this, they have spotted a enemy soldier who is running away from the battle to try and get help from a nearby enemy location. He will not be marked on the map, you will have to find him yourself and take him out (if the AI dont get him themselves) If you fail to stop this soldier, expect a quick counter attack by the enemy!
"Eyes on Commander!"
If you hear this, someone has spotted the Force Commander in your area. An objective marker will show up on your HUD, or on the Map if you are playing in Hardcore mode. Find and eliminate this unit to gain the upperhand at the location he is at.
"Incoming Mortars!"
If someone shouts this, prepare for incoming mortar fire, the mortars will fall in your area, but not always directly at your location. Spread out to minimise casualties, move from your current location, and move away from other units!
HOW TO WIN!
To complete this mission, the US forces must control all 96 locations accross Skira for at least 2.5 minutes
FORCE COMMANDERS
As you approach larger locations, you may recieve a message that Intelligence reports a Force Commander is in your area. A new secondary objective will be given to you. The Intelligence only states that the commander is in your area, not exactly where he is, so first he must be found. If any unit finds him, they will call it out, and a marker will become visible on your HUD/Map.
If you, or an AI unit kills the force commander, all enemy units at his location will lose all of there morale, and may flee!
SAVING AND LOADING
There are two situation in which the game will save for you. If you are at a location when it is captured by the US forces, the game will save automatically.
If you are not at a location for up to 5 minutes, the game will automatically save a checkpoint providing that no enemies are nearby. If there are enemies near you, the game will wait until you are clear of enemies before saving.
When you load a from a checkpoint, you will start with temporary invulnerability, this will wear off after a few seconds!
COOP GAMES
When playing the campaign cooperatively, the game does not save checkpoints like it does in singleplayer. However, the mission specific checkpoint file is still saved into your games root folder. If you wish to play the mission on several occasions, and continue from where you left of, you must create a text file in the games install folder called 'restart.iw2'. If you have this file present, when you next start up the COOP game, you will still start in the boats west of Taranay, however all the locations you had captured in the last game will immediately be under your control. See Emergency Restart for more information
CAPTURING AND CONTROLLING LOCATIONS
To capture a location, any US unit (soldier or manned vehicle) must move to within 150 meters of the location. Providing there are no enemies within this distance, the location will first become neutral, and then you will gain control of it. The entire process takes around 30 seconds. You do not need to have units at a location to keep control of it, however the AI will defend locations at there choosing.
As the game progresses and you move around the island, locations that are not directly in your area of operation will still continue to fight each other for control. The more locations in an area belonging to one side, the better the chance that neighbouring enemy locations will be captured while you are away. Keep this in mind when advancing. Capturing a single location surrounded by enemy locations will not remain under your control for long if you leave!
Larger locations act as "hubs" for the smaller locations surrounding them. If a smaller location gets attacked by a large force, the defenders may decide to abandon that location and move back to there "hub" and defend there in a larger force!
REINFORCEMENTS
In order for new units to spawn into the game world, you must control at least one location, and that location cannot be under attack from enemy units.
US forces will sometimes spawn right infront of you, this can look a little wierd, but it is unavoidable.
Small locations (such as huts and shacks) will only allow a few reinforcements to spawn. A small shack is easy to capture from the enemy, but will not have enough units to greatly assist you in attacking larger locations. Big Towns on the other hand have large numbers of reinforcements, and once captured will greatly help in bringing the surrounding area under your control, but they are not always easy to capture!
Each location has a maximum number of defenders that are allowed to be there, any more units that belong to that location will travel to other locations, or advance on enemy locations, where available.
VEHICLES
Vehicles will always spawn at locations under the control of either side. If the location is not controlled by anyone, no vehicles will spawn there. The type of vehicle that spawns depends on both the location, and which side currently controls that location.
MORTARS
There are 2 locations on the island which contain mortar guns, once you capture these locations, the mortars will then become available to you. Until then, they are available to the PLA forces!
A mortar location has several restrictions which you must keep in mind, the first is ammunition. Each mortar location only has a set number of ammunition avialable, once it runs out, thats it!
Mortar range is not infinite, they can fire up to around 5km's from there location
Finally it takes time to reload the mortar guns, when you order a strike, you will have to wait a few minutes before you can order another one
AIR STRIKES
In order to call in air strikes, you need to capture and hold more than one location at the same time. Both Radio Relay Stations, the Radio Tower itself and the Airport must be under the control of the US forces for you to use it.
Once you capture these locations, you will then be able to order air strikes.
Unlike Mortars, Air Strikes have unlimited ammunition, however the Air Strike Jet itself only carries a small number of missiles at a time. Two Large missiles and one JDAM. Once you have ordered a strike with all 3 missiles, the Jet will return to refuel and rearm, this takes time and you will not be able to call in any more strikes until the Jet is ready
CHANGING TIME
Several of the larger locations accross the island you will find American flag poles situated near the centre of the location. You can use these flag poles to speed up the passage of time if you wish to wait until nightfall, or morning before continuuing on. Simple walk up to the flag pole and stand by it for time to pass quicker. Note however that this will only happen if there are no enemies nearby, and will immediately stop should any show up.
AI ENHANCEMENTS
The AI has been significantly overhauled in two different ways.
The first is via modifications. If you are running version 1.00 of the game, this comes in the form of seperate files. For versions 1.01 and 1.02 this is built into the mission and will be loaded automatically.
These modifications improve the vision distances of the AI, aswell as there reaction times, accuracy, morale and experience levels. It also improves there use of cover, use of vehicles and use of weapons.
The second overhaul is through additional coding built into the level that give the AI access to additional "behaviours" that are not present in the default game.
The following section will describe the different game mechanics found within the mission, starting with those you need to know, followed by more information that you may find interesting, but you can skip it if you like!
IN GAME MESSAGES
Many times throughout the game will get messages appear at the bottom of the screen updating you as to what is going on. As you get near a location, a message will pop up letting you know which location is nearby, and when you are close enough, who controls that location. You will also get updates when locations are captured or lost, and the status of mortar positions and air strikes when you have access to these. Every few minutes you will also get an update as to the overall progress of the mission, in the form of a percentage of control.
IN GAME SPEECH
You will hear alot of talking throughout the game, most of the time it will be fellow soldiers calling out targets they are engaging, so you know whats arround you, and whos firing at what. But you will also hear some other things that you should really take note of :
"Stop him!, before he can radio this in!"
When someone says this, they have spotted a enemy soldier who is running away from the battle to try and get help from a nearby enemy location. He will not be marked on the map, you will have to find him yourself and take him out (if the AI dont get him themselves) If you fail to stop this soldier, expect a quick counter attack by the enemy!
"Eyes on Commander!"
If you hear this, someone has spotted the Force Commander in your area. An objective marker will show up on your HUD, or on the Map if you are playing in Hardcore mode. Find and eliminate this unit to gain the upperhand at the location he is at.
"Incoming Mortars!"
If someone shouts this, prepare for incoming mortar fire, the mortars will fall in your area, but not always directly at your location. Spread out to minimise casualties, move from your current location, and move away from other units!
HOW TO WIN!
To complete this mission, the US forces must control all 96 locations accross Skira for at least 2.5 minutes
FORCE COMMANDERS
As you approach larger locations, you may recieve a message that Intelligence reports a Force Commander is in your area. A new secondary objective will be given to you. The Intelligence only states that the commander is in your area, not exactly where he is, so first he must be found. If any unit finds him, they will call it out, and a marker will become visible on your HUD/Map.
If you, or an AI unit kills the force commander, all enemy units at his location will lose all of there morale, and may flee!
SAVING AND LOADING
There are two situation in which the game will save for you. If you are at a location when it is captured by the US forces, the game will save automatically.
If you are not at a location for up to 5 minutes, the game will automatically save a checkpoint providing that no enemies are nearby. If there are enemies near you, the game will wait until you are clear of enemies before saving.
When you load a from a checkpoint, you will start with temporary invulnerability, this will wear off after a few seconds!
COOP GAMES
When playing the campaign cooperatively, the game does not save checkpoints like it does in singleplayer. However, the mission specific checkpoint file is still saved into your games root folder. If you wish to play the mission on several occasions, and continue from where you left of, you must create a text file in the games install folder called 'restart.iw2'. If you have this file present, when you next start up the COOP game, you will still start in the boats west of Taranay, however all the locations you had captured in the last game will immediately be under your control. See Emergency Restart for more information
CAPTURING AND CONTROLLING LOCATIONS
To capture a location, any US unit (soldier or manned vehicle) must move to within 150 meters of the location. Providing there are no enemies within this distance, the location will first become neutral, and then you will gain control of it. The entire process takes around 30 seconds. You do not need to have units at a location to keep control of it, however the AI will defend locations at there choosing.
As the game progresses and you move around the island, locations that are not directly in your area of operation will still continue to fight each other for control. The more locations in an area belonging to one side, the better the chance that neighbouring enemy locations will be captured while you are away. Keep this in mind when advancing. Capturing a single location surrounded by enemy locations will not remain under your control for long if you leave!
Larger locations act as "hubs" for the smaller locations surrounding them. If a smaller location gets attacked by a large force, the defenders may decide to abandon that location and move back to there "hub" and defend there in a larger force!
REINFORCEMENTS
In order for new units to spawn into the game world, you must control at least one location, and that location cannot be under attack from enemy units.
US forces will sometimes spawn right infront of you, this can look a little wierd, but it is unavoidable.
Small locations (such as huts and shacks) will only allow a few reinforcements to spawn. A small shack is easy to capture from the enemy, but will not have enough units to greatly assist you in attacking larger locations. Big Towns on the other hand have large numbers of reinforcements, and once captured will greatly help in bringing the surrounding area under your control, but they are not always easy to capture!
Each location has a maximum number of defenders that are allowed to be there, any more units that belong to that location will travel to other locations, or advance on enemy locations, where available.
VEHICLES
Vehicles will always spawn at locations under the control of either side. If the location is not controlled by anyone, no vehicles will spawn there. The type of vehicle that spawns depends on both the location, and which side currently controls that location.
MORTARS
There are 2 locations on the island which contain mortar guns, once you capture these locations, the mortars will then become available to you. Until then, they are available to the PLA forces!
A mortar location has several restrictions which you must keep in mind, the first is ammunition. Each mortar location only has a set number of ammunition avialable, once it runs out, thats it!
Mortar range is not infinite, they can fire up to around 5km's from there location
Finally it takes time to reload the mortar guns, when you order a strike, you will have to wait a few minutes before you can order another one
AIR STRIKES
In order to call in air strikes, you need to capture and hold more than one location at the same time. Both Radio Relay Stations, the Radio Tower itself and the Airport must be under the control of the US forces for you to use it.
Once you capture these locations, you will then be able to order air strikes.
Unlike Mortars, Air Strikes have unlimited ammunition, however the Air Strike Jet itself only carries a small number of missiles at a time. Two Large missiles and one JDAM. Once you have ordered a strike with all 3 missiles, the Jet will return to refuel and rearm, this takes time and you will not be able to call in any more strikes until the Jet is ready
CHANGING TIME
Several of the larger locations accross the island you will find American flag poles situated near the centre of the location. You can use these flag poles to speed up the passage of time if you wish to wait until nightfall, or morning before continuuing on. Simple walk up to the flag pole and stand by it for time to pass quicker. Note however that this will only happen if there are no enemies nearby, and will immediately stop should any show up.
AI ENHANCEMENTS
The AI has been significantly overhauled in two different ways.
The first is via modifications. If you are running version 1.00 of the game, this comes in the form of seperate files. For versions 1.01 and 1.02 this is built into the mission and will be loaded automatically.
These modifications improve the vision distances of the AI, aswell as there reaction times, accuracy, morale and experience levels. It also improves there use of cover, use of vehicles and use of weapons.
The second overhaul is through additional coding built into the level that give the AI access to additional "behaviours" that are not present in the default game.
