This is your last chance to push for Aces before the penultimate Liao encounter, so choose your team wisely. If you already have one Ace Sharpshooter, leave her behind; she'll hog all the kills and prevent advancements. Or put her in a small but accurate mech for sniper cover and emergencies. You also get to rub up against that sexy Major Kelly's... elite forces. Try to control your enthusiasm.

The place is virtually deserted when you Drop, so head straight North and capture the Sensor controls, brushing aside the Centipedes and Attack Chopper that try to stop you. Then keep going North and take the turrets and the Resource Building; remember the Repair Bay here.

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to ambush we go...

Now turn sharply East, capturing the second set of turrets on your way past. By now you have noticed the first part of the convoy entering from the South; keep running East though and you'll see a Sensor tower where the road splits; beyond it is a small concrete patch. Take the small land bridge that crosses the river there, south of the bridges. Across the river you'll find a turret installation that covers the road, as well as two Resource Buildings. This is the place to set up. Arrange your team in the mountains to cover the narrow road gap, using the turrets to bolster your firepower. Then just wait.

Get 'em in the groove, baybay

The convoy splits into two parts; one circles around at the South and then heads North, being irritated somewhat by your captured turrets. It proceeds to the Base. Fuggedaboudit. You'll get back to it :)

The first part of the other half of the convoy will come down your road. In the lead are a Shadow Cat and a Jagermech; get 'em! Let the turrets deal with the tanks and troop transports. Don't let the mechs get close enough to recapture your turrets! You should have just enough time to take care of business and jump back into hiding before the second part comes. Led by a Storm tank, there are several cargo trucks, a Resource Truck, and two mechs - another Shadow Cat, and a Vulture. Don't let the turrets blow up that Resource Truck! (this will truly test your mettle and nerve, and will count highly in your favor when we review your combat footage)

You'll have to jump into the action, like this fearless
little Sha Yu, in order to save the Resource Truck

[Btw, there is a Repair Truck in the convoy but you can't capture it no matter how hard you try so just frag it]

Now retrace your steps West, over the land bridge, and turn South, all the way down along the road and then East, grabbing the turrets and Resource Building in the South. Keep going up the road until you're back at the original installation you took, and recapture it.

[This merry-go-round helped you cut the reinforcements in half, gather all your resources, and grab a nice little Vulture to use in your coming assault.]

Head North from the Repair Bay, and you'll find an excellent hollow just in front of the Base's West (right) side. It's screened by trees and makes an excellent point to begin your foray against the Base and avoid LRM fire. You'll notice your Extract marker slightly North, through the trees on the left side of your position. This base was strategically left out of the sensor grid so you'll need your Sensors Specialist here.

Prepare the barbeque pit with a liberal sprinkling of hot mechs...

Begin your assault on the Base by having a mech approach it from the direction of your Extract marker while your team waits in the hollow below. On this side approach, you'll usually stir up some Centipedes, Partisans, LRM carriers, a Wolfhound and another Vulture. Yum! Lure them back through the trees and into your prepared luau pit. Baste strenuously.

Approach Base Gemini from the southwest

Poking back a little farther (you may have to sneak your Raven in through the mountain pass Northeast of your Extract marker to get a full picture of this deep compound) may net you additional ground-crawlers as well as an Uller. You might not see the other Uller, who is deep in the back of the installation, but he's there. You'll get to him later.

After thinning out the ranks of defenders from the West, move your team East a bit along the back of the ridge, close to where the road turns North into the Base, and set up on that side of the hill. Your sensors will pick up a Wolfhound and a most valuable prize, a Mad Cat (drool) patrolling the front wall. Swing a mech around the hill and walk brazenly down the road until the mechs catch sight of you. Thumb your nose at them and hustle around the hill; they'll follow, you'll slaughter (since Longshot is now a Sharpshooter, I was able to take the Mad Cat with two shots, damaging only the head and field-salvaging it, adding it to my team).

I see dead people! Well... soon...

You should have no trouble taking the rest of the Base. Remember, you get more C-bills if you capture the turret and gate controls than if you destroy them so don't... No one said anything about destroying annoying turrets though; you can chew off a couple to reduce the LRM barrage without losing the SecOb credit :)

Left in the Base are a couple of Hunters, LRM carriers, a Shadow Cat, a Vulture and that deep Uller. Since the front is clear now, jump into the turret control area from the top of the hill and capture those. The turrets on the right/East side of the base are damaged already. Use the box-like structure of the Base's walls as cover to jump in and out of areas, destroying willy-nilly and capturing the controls, Repair Bay and Steiner HQ. Remember to salvage before you head to Extract. It's possible you'll have two shiny (well, sorta shiny) new Vultures to escort your new Mad Cat :) Keep the Shadow Cats you can buy afterwards; they mix well with Sha Yu as a quick assault team.

Tell 'em what they won, Johnny!

 

[ Meat made Elite]

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