Okay. Masha is in position. We are ready to bulldoze our way in. I really need it, because taking 20 tanks trough the forest without first claering a path for them is just asking for trouble.
Eventually both bulldozers, the American and the Russian one, come in the Arabian turret range. Not like that nuisance would stop them.
My Artefacts recharge again, and I give my tanks vision, while simultaneously ridding the world of yet another self-propelled bomb. Frank Forsyth - once a sniper, always a sniper.
My tanks have problems finding their way into the base all at once, so I split them into two groups and attack from two directions. Some call it tactics, I call it necessity.
Gorky is leading the assault, and Gladkov is backing him up with Masha.
Together, they bring total devastation to their enemies.
The soldier inside the turret is re-evaluating his life choices right now.
The Arabs all use
drugs combat stims, so they don't fall unconscious when they go into red hitpoints. The wounded can withdraw, and the medics will congregate around them, trying to heal them... which sometimes might be a poor idea.
Especially considering the amount of splash damage our force composition can dish out. It is a slaughterhouse.
Note Masha in the upper right corner going MAXIMUM FUCK on a rocket turret.
Finally, Masha gets rid of the turret and forces a soldier out, who then proceeds to vent his frustration on her. The bulldozer catches fire and the engine conks out, but the limited teleportation sees us to safety before we take any more damage.
To their credit, the mercenaries do not surrender. Or maybe they just did not have time. The assault took us half a minute at most.
But what is that strange structure in the middle of their base? It does not look like it was built by the Arabs.
- What the hell is that?
- Looks like the TAWAR.
- This is incredible. The largest Artefact we've seen. God knows what secrets it holds.
- We have to set up a base there, comrade commander. We must research the Artefact, it may be the key to incredible things.
Will do. I have brought Macmillan with me as an engineer for the very same purpose. Together with Peterson they quickly take over the former Legion base.
- So now we can begin to explore the amazing structure. Make sure that the Artefact from Arabian base is nearby and just select the men you want to assign to it and send them inside.
Whatever you say, Professor. We bring the third Artefact before it, and...
TA-DAAAAH!
While we do that, I have Frank and Gleb - the guys I have left back at Powell's base - spy on the Russians and destroy any time-lapser turrets they find. Those are highly annoying.
The Behemoths couldn't make it in time for the assault on the Arabian base (speed 5, ugh!), so we repurpose them to bulldoze the eastern forest, to clear a path to the Russian base.
More counter-attacks by the Russians. Though they are getting pretty stale at this point, especially when I have automated building cranes to instantly repair any damage they cause.
We also can't forget our roots. If there is an assault on Russian base, I want a bazooka with us, if only because of their time-slowing special grenades. Macmillan will become one, as he is pretty useless as a driver anyway.
Aaaaand... we have a BREAKTHROUGH!
- Comrade, we have learnt the purpose of the Alien building. Or at least we’ve learnt how we can use it.
- Fill us in please.
- It's a mass teleport. Unlike the ones we designed, it can move any amount of people or vehicles.
- This is excellent comrade. So how do we enter?
- Whatever you wish to move, just station it around this building and tell us to activate, and that is it. They will be instantly teleported to the location you choose.
- So we can move our forces all over during the battle?
- Unfortunately the operation requires a large amount of Alaskite and the Artefact will be recharging for several days after use. It can only be used once in this battle.
- This is still fantastic.
- It’s the kind of advantage that could win us the war.
There's the button.
Alright, let's see the range on this thing. Hm, not a very big one. Which means we will have to clear the site of buildings. The power plants are in the way, as is the depot. They will have to go.
Let's pack as tightly as we can. Burlak and Macmillan both claim bulldozers of their respective factions for themselves. After all, Burlak has promised that his tank will always be in the frontline, and you can't get closer to the frontline than in a freaking BULLDOZER!
There are:
4 manned heavy gun tanks (3 Russian, 1 American)
2 manned gun tanks (both Russian)
3 remote-controlled rocket launchers (all American)
2 remote-controlled double laser tanks (both American, obviously)
4 automated heavy gun tanks (all Russian)
4 automated heavy rocket launchers (all Russian)
2 BULLDOZERS, (one Russian, one American, crewed by our glorious leaders)
21 vehicle in total!
This will be the ultimate showdown to determine who is a better man with a better 'dozer! The question of Alliance leadership will finally be solved once and for all!
Just as other Artefacts, this one requires someone to be inside the building to activate its properties. The job goes to Peter Roth. He won't be coming with us, but he is not of much use as a mechanic, so it's not a great loss.
3... 2... 1... READY? GO!!! (pushes the button).
...(pushes the button again)... (and again)...
NOTHING HAPPENS!
Intelligence check!
- Unfortunately the operation requires a large amount of Alaskite.
[...]
The power plants are in the way, as is the depot. They will have to go.
Perception check!
No depot in sight. There is nowhere to store Alaskite.
Okay, we throw Macmillan out and get the cargo vehicle in to collect Alaskite that was left where the depot once stood. At the same time, two building cranes start working on a new one.
Meanwhile, there are more futile attacks from the Russians.
And more lapser-turret sniping from me. After all, this is the location where I want to move my tanks to. I would greatly prefer it if they wouldn't be slowed to a crawl upon arrival.
As a bonus, the Artefacts also grant vision for my Behemoths who have positioned themselves right under the base. They will support our offensive.
We press the AWESUM button and are ready to go in 7 seconds. The timer is there if we want to make last-second adjustments before jumping.
I signal the Behemoths to begin the assault. Hopefully, they will distract the turrets, allowing the tanks to land safely.
There is a loud shifting sound as the space distorts around the Artefact. IT'S HAPPENING!
And then there were no-...
Wait, why didn't we take the second double-laser vehicle with us?
Roth, you idiot schlemiel! What the hell am I supposed to do with just one!?