CHAPTER 6 - DARKWOODS

Last modified 02/06/05

Mission: 

• Defeat Invid in New Mesa
• Meet Arturo at tower
• Rescue teammates
  • Deactivate shield
  • Support Assault on camp
  • Clear landing zone
• Proceed to Garrison
  • Protect Guppy
• Join Assault on Invid Stilt Hives
  • Protect the cruiser

Location:  Cave outside of Invid Breeding Lab, New Mesa, Darkwoods, Hydro-Electric plant,  Garrison Camp, cave outside of stilt hives, battlefield outside of stilt hive

Mecha:  Saber Cyclone and modified Battler Cyclone

Weapons:  Gallant Rifle with Sniper Scope, Wolverine Machine Gun, Wolf Auto-Pistol

Approximate Time for Competition: 30 minutes

Opponents: 

• Enforcers (27%)
• Heavy Enforcers (3%)
• Armored Scouts (40%)
• Troopers (3%)
• Shock Troopers (15%)
• Pincers  (12%)

Introduction:  Locke comes out of the destroyed Invid facility and into a cave.  He then receives the following radio communication.

• REF Communications Officer:  "This is Expeditionary Force Command.  We are approaching Earth orbit.  All Robotech Forces, these are your orders:  Support forward elements of the invasion force on attacks on Invid installations.  Good-Luck to us all" 
• Scott Bernard:  "That is our signal.  All resistance fighters, proceed to Reflex Point at once and await the command to attack."

Notes-1:  Follow the green objective arrow through the cave.  Sam will then radio you:  "Locke is that you?  This town is overrun with Invid, get down here and help us."  The cave is relatively short and will bring you right to the outskirts of New Mesa.  Immediately outside of the cave will be another checkpoint.

Head straight into the village to protect Sam.  She is under attack from numerous Invid Enforcers and Armored Scouts.  There is a health pack to the southwest, northeast of the village center and on the roof of one of the buildings right in the town center.  Once you have destroyed approximately four Enforcers and seven Armored Scouts, you have saved the city and reached another checkpoint.  Sam will tell you the following:  "A lot has happened since you bailed on us.  Guppy and Clay were captured.  Arturo and I just barely escaped and there's no sign of Silas.  We tailed the Invid into this forest and we found some sort of transmission tower.  Arturo's convinced that it could help us contact the Expeditionary Force.  He's up there right now working on it, I'm sure he could use your help.

Transform into cycle mode and head to the north of the city, towards the green objective arrow.  After approximately five seconds of travel time you will reach another check point and Arturo's health bar will appear on your screen.  Head up over the hill and you will see that Arturo is under attack from several Invid Armored Scouts.  He will tell you:  "Ah not again!  Can't they see I'm working?  Locke, keep them off me while I finish up here."  After you destroy two Armored Scouts the following conversation will occur:

• Arturo:  "There, I got it!"
• Invid Warden:  "All prisoners are allotted one hour of free time, from 3 to 4am."
• Arturo:  "What on Earth is this?"
• Invid Warden:  "Prisoners will be allowed 1 piece of bread and 1 bowl of broth at each meal.  Remember, the crust is toxic.  Please remove it."
• Arturo:  "Sounds like some sort of propaganda reel or something."
• Invid Warden:  "Requests for additional rations ... that's a beating."
• Invid Warden:  "Bothering our Invid hosts during Protoculture replenishment ... that's a beating."
• Invid Warden:  "Beating one of your fellow inmates ... oh, you better believe that's a beating."
• Arturo:  "Fellow inmates?  This must be coming from the slave camp!"
• Invid Warden:  "Everyone should keep in mind that Protocol G7-843 is in effect at all times."
• Guppy:  "Get your claws off me you big freaks!"
• Arturo:  "That's Guppy's voice!  She and Clay must be at the camp!  It can't be far.  Keep following the path and you should hit it square-on"

There are a total of eight Armored Scouts attacking Arturo, once they are defeated there is a health packet, grenades, and ammunition by the communication terminal.  Replenish your supplies and follow the objective arrow towards the Invid Slave camp.

You will head through a destroyed section of wall, when Arturo will say to you:  "Hey, was that a sniper scope on your Gallant?  You can tap the Zoom button to cycle between the different magnification presets.  Great for long-distance eye shots"  As you come up to a dam, fire off some missiles at the two Enforcers guarding the base and transform into battloid.

There are two additional Enforcers, one on the middle and one on the top level, guarding the upper portions of this side of the dam.  Retrograde down the road you came in on and snipe them with your Gallant sniper rifle. 

Head up the stairs on this side of the dam, you do not need to booster across the river.  Move across the dam to the other side where you sniped the Invid Enforcer.  At his former position there is a health packet and ammunition.  Drop down off the dam and follow the valley towards the objective.

After approximately 5 seconds of travel time, the valley will make a hard turn to the right and there will be two Enforcers at long range.  Snipe them and continue down the valley.  There is a shield to the left of where the Enforcers once stood.  Arturo will tell you:  "I wonder if that dam you passed could be controlling that shield.  Go check it out."

Continue to head up the valley, you do not need to backtrack to the lower face of the dam.  The road will turn to the right and up.  Arturo will say:  "Man, you'd think they'd have more guards posted here.  Seems like a huge oversight on their part."  There is a single Enforcer currently posted here on the upstream face of the dam.  Snipe him off the top of the dam.

Head up the path towards the dam.  There is a health packet as you enter the structure.  The machinery to deactivate the dam is right on the first level, push the action button to deactivate.  You will then see a cinematic of the the force field dropping and Arturo will say:  "Ah.... that explains it then."  You have reached another checkpoint.

There are now a four Enforcers on the rear face of the dam.  One Enforcer is immediately outside the chamber where you pressed the button to deactivate the shield, two are on the lower face where you came up, and one is out on some rocks out in the lake.  The Enforcer immediately outside your room will not react to you until you exit.  This allows you to snipe at the two Enforcers on the lower area and the one out on the rock in the lake.  Rush outside the room and take down the remaining Enforcer with your CADS.  Two more Enforcers will appear on the lower level, hop down there and finish them off.

Transform into cycle mode and head back to the now deactivated shield.  Follow the path and after a couple of seconds you will have another flashback. 

• Invid Regis:  "This world is no longer suitable for our continued existence.  We will travel the universe in search of a new one.  A planet with a large deposit of usable Protoculture has been found.  This is our destination.  We will not be stopped.   

Continue down the valley through another deactivated force field.  You have reached another checkpoint. 

• REF 3rd Invasion Fleet Sergeant:  "Sector Commander - both teams are in place.  Just give us the word."
• REF 3rd Invasion Fleet Lieutenant:  "We can't wait any longer.  Go go go!"

Continue towards the objective arrow and you have reached another checkpoint.  You will see several REF ground personnel and a large gate which leads into the Invid slave camp.  There will be a large explosion killing off REF Bravo team.

• REF 3rd Invasion Fleet Sergeant:  "Bravo team is down. "
• REF 3rd Invasion Fleet Corporal:  "We're going to get slaughtered out there!  We need to clear out those snipers"

There are four Enforcer snipers on the top of the gate leading into the Invid slave camp.  These Enforcers are much better at hitting you at long range than the standard Enforcer.  Snipe each one off the wall.

Once the snipers are down the REF Lieutenant will say:  "The snipers are down.  Vermillion team, begin your approach!  All remaining troops - protect Vermillion team."  Two demolitionists from Vermillion team will run up to the wall.  Three Enforcers will jump out of the ground and attack you.

A second wave will come from over the gate consisting of one Invid Shock Trooper and two Enforcers.  A second Shock Trooper will reinforce this attack wave.  Vermillion team will take cover next to some boxes to the right of the gate.

A third wave of one Trooper and two Shock troopers will attack as Vermillion team moves to some cover to the left of the gate.  

The Lieutenant will tell you:  "More snipers on the wall!  Take them out now!"  The Demolitionists will make their final run to the gate while you take out the two Enforcers on the wall."  Once you have taken them out, the Lieutenant will say:  "Everyone back - she's about to blow!"

You will see a cinematic with the gate exploding.  Guppy and Clay come out of the gate

• Guppy:  "Locke, I knew you would save us!"
• Clay:  "No time to get catch up.  We need to get out of here fast!
• Guppy:  "Oh no!" <the force field will reactivate>
• Xed:  "What a pleasant surprise.  I did not think you'd survive our last meeting.  You impress me more and more as time goes on.  You may yet fulfill your destiny" <he flies overhead in an Alpha fighter>
• Xed:  "Ah, as usual they have impeccable timing" <several Invid Troopers fly out of the slave camp>
• Xed:  "Perhaps we will meet again, if she decides to spare you." <He flies off>

You have reached another checkpoint.  You must clear the landing zone of Invid to allow a Horizon dropship time to land and evacuate your group.  The first wave consists of four Invid Shock Troopers.  Once the first two are destroyed another Shock Trooper will arrive as a reinforcement and then when the next two are killed another will appear.  After all six are destroyed you will see another cinematic of two Horizon dropships coming in for a landing.

• Lieutenant:  "Right on time rescue one."
• Lieutenant:  "We have alot of wounded here to get to the garrison quickly!"
• Lieutenant:  "The able body should take rescue three to new mesa."

Kills in this section - 26 Enforcers, 15 Armored Scouts, 1 Trooper, and 10 Shock Troopers

Notes-2:  You arrive back a New Mesa and all the locals are now out in the streets.  Sam will tell you:  "Locke, this is Sam.  We just received word that Guppy and Clay are both safe.  They have been brought to Garrison base along with the rest of the wounded.  Meet up with us there as soon as you can." 

You can talk to several of the locals they will tell you:

• Villager:  "Taking on these hives is a fools errand.  The Invid defense are impregnable.  You will have a hard time approaching on foot."
• Child villager:  "But father is not Uncle Roy fighting the Invid right now?"
• Villager:  "Yes he is, joining those Garrison fanatics was the biggest mistake he ever made."
• Child villager:  "But Uncle Roy is a hero.  He will come back, I know he will."
• Villager:  "We will see son."

Immediately to the left of the father and son is a Wolverine machine gun. 

Another villager in the center of town will tell you:  "We are totally defenseless.  All the freedom fighters that did not flee are killed and Garrison is no help at all.  All Garrison cares about these days is assembling their own militia.  Forget about protecting us, they are out for blood."  Remember that there are several health packs here in town and ammunition, some on top of the buildings, so replenish your supplies before you head out of town.

Transform into cycle mode and head to the south.  You will first cross a wooden bridge soon after leaving town.  Crossing the bridge you reach a check point and two Armored Scouts will attack.  Fire some missiles at them and then transform into battloid mode to finish them off. 

The path leads up were there are another two Armored Scouts.  Destroy them and your radar will show you several Invid on the other side of a downed tree.  Throw a couple of grenades over the tree to soften them up and then jump over to attack the remaining survivors of the three Enforcers.

You will reach a large wooden gate with the bodies of two REF personnel outside.  Immediately inside the gate are three Invid Heavy Enforcers.  50 meters beyond the gate are two more Heavy Enforcers.  You can snipe these from some distance as long as you do not charge through the gate at first. 

Head across two more downed trees and you will hear the following:

• Clay:  "All right.  We've reached Garrison.  From what I've overheard, the passage to Reflex Point is guarded by dual hives."
• Guppy:  "Dual!  You mean two?"
• Arturo:  "Good thing Garrison assembled that huge militia."
• Clay:  "Still, we should lend them a hand."
• Sam:  "I agree, if we leave now we might still catch them.  Let's get going."
• Clay:  "Locke, Guppy will wait for you in Garrison.  We're moving on."
• Guppy:  "What! I'm going with you guys!!!!"
• Sam:  "No you're not.  You can accompany Locke once he arrives."
• Guppy:  "No fair!  I always get the crummy assignment."

While this conversation is taking place continue towards Garrison.  Transform into cycle mode and boost up the path until eventually you will detect Invid on your radar.  Transform into battloid and snipe the one Trooper and two Shock Troopers as they come around the corner. 

Transform into cycle mode and head down the valley.  Eventually the path will take a hard turn to the right and up and you reach a checkpoint.  Guppy will tell you:  "Help, Locke!  It's and ambush, watch out!"  There will be a Shock trooper marching up towards your camp on the left as you reach the crest of the hill. 

Boost up to the camp which is under heavy attack from the Invid.  An REF commander will say:  "Earth forces, this is REF command.  Your base has been allocated 1 new model Cyclone.  It's a custom built anti-Invid unit. 23% increase in armor rating, high power missiles and a thermal vision filter."  There are health and ammunition packs in the base immediately to your front as you enter the camp.  The camp is under attack by two Shock Troopers, 2 Armored Scouts and three Enforcers.   

After the battle is over Guppy will tell you:  "Right on try it out!"  and you mount the modified Battler Cyclone.  You have reached another checkpoint.  By the modified Battler there is a Wolf Auto Pistol, and extra health packet, Wolverine Machine Gun, grenades, and additional missiles, so you should reequip if necessary.   

Multi-Player Skin:  Xed's Devastator is located by the tents up this hill by the motorcycle

Head back down the hill and continue to the left.  Guppy will tell you:  "Use your thermal mode to pick out oncoming Invid.  Just tap your thermal vision button."  You head down into a small valley where two Invid Enforcers and a Shock Trooper jump out of the ground to attack.  A second Shock Trooper and additional Enforcer will arrive as reinforcements.   

Continue down the valley, the path will drop down and then turn sharply to the left, immediately to your right is some ammunition, where a Shock Trooper will be waiting in a large valley.  Three more Shocks and two Troopers will jump out of the ground and attack.  After you kill a couple of the initial wave, three more Enforcers will join the fight.

While the fight with this large group of Invid is occurring the following conversation can be heard.

• REF Lieutenant:  "  All three stilt-busters are in motion.  That should be enough to take out the first hive.  Alright, two of the stilt-busters are in place.  We're working on the third as we speak.  That's the last one.  Detonating the charges... now.  What happened?"
• REF Corporal:  "Sir, the stilt-busters were ineffective.  The stilts holding up these hives look to be reinforced some how.  The stilt-busters aren't going to work.
• REF Lieutenant:  "What's our contingency here?"
• REF Corporal:  "Uh... we have none sir.  The stilt-busters have always proven effective in the past.
• REF Lieutenant:  "Do we have any air units available?"
• REF Corporal:  "Just the cruiser from the admiral's fleet, but it's in rough shape sir."
• REF Lieutenant:  "It'll have to do.  Protect that cruiser."
• REF Corporal:  "Sir, there are just too many of them."
• REF Lieutenant:  "All units, fall back get out of there. AAAAAGGGG"

Booster down the valley and into a cave at the valleys end.  There are three Armored Scouts flying in the cave as you enter.  Continue into the cave and use your infrared vision to spot enemies hidden in the darkness.  Another group of three Armored Scouts will attack after approximately 5 seconds of travel time.  There are health packs and ammunition here in the area where you meet this second group near the exit of the cave.  After the long conversation between the Lieutenant and the Corporal is over Guppy will say:  "That didn't sound good.  I hope the others are alright!"

As you exit the cave you will see two turrets on the ground immediately to your front and next to a downed Garfish cruiser.  Guppy will say:  "Let us use these weapons from that downed cruiser. <She runs to a turret>  OK Locke, let's blast these Invid outta the sky!"  You have reached another check point.  Guppy will then say:  "Cool! You can zoom in on your targets with these turrets!  It works just like the Gallant sniper scope.  Woo-hoo! I got one!  That's five kills for me Locke! How many have you got?  " 

You goal in this section is to protect the cruiser while it rams the Invid stilt hive.  The cruiser will take damage from Invid Pincers on the ground at fixed locations.  Destroy the Invid Pincer at one location and then move to the next as each location will receive reinforcements after you have destroyed the Pincer currently occupying a location.

Location-1 top of hill to the left of the hive

Location-2 in valley between the top of the hill to your right and downed Garfish at the Stilt hives base

Location-3 Top of downed Garfish Cruiser below the Stilt Hive

Location-4 On the ground by the engines of the center Garfish cruiser

Location-5 Top of downed Garfish Cruiser to your right

You will know that you have almost completed this section once the cruiser comes into view.  At this point you have only approximately 10 seconds remaining. 

Kills in this section - 11 Enforcers, 5 Heavy Enforcers, 12 Armored Scouts (and additional 27 with turret), 3 Troopers, 10 Shock Troopers, and 16 Pincers with the turret.

Conclusion:  You will see the Garfish cruiser ram the remaining Invid Stilt hive destroying it in the process.  Clay and Sam will join you and Guppy in watching the self sacrifice take place. 

• REF Officer:  "We are set, we are not going to make it.  Ramming speed."
• Guppy:  "Wow"
• Clay:  "Amazing"
• Guppy:  "Alot of help you were."
• Clay:  "No know, Reflex Point."
• Sam:  "Get us there, there might be some rough terrain."
• Clay:  "I call the left route.  Come on Guppy."
• Guppy:  "Arturo, what happened to him."
• Clay:  "Don't know."

The remaining group members head out towards Reflex Point.

Final kills on this level (including turret kills) - 37 Enforcers, 5 Heavy Enforcers, 54 Armored Scouts, 4 Troopers, 20 Shock Troopers, and 16 Pincers

Back to Hive Catacombs or Next Reflex Point

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