AS-BP2-Acatana

Due to the treacherous asteroid field and the advanced defense systems surrounding the Acatana research facility, no intruders had been near the planet for years. When the Skaarj Marauders heard rumors of a highly lucrative technology hidden there, they decided to make it their own. This scenario recreates the Skaarj attack on the Acatana research facility, and the battle to penetrate the planet's asteroid field.

Invasion of Acatana

Map Description

This scenario largely takes place in a research facility on a remote asteroid. To reach this asteroid the attackers must first disable the asteroid's defense system in a space battle. After having landed on the asteroid's surface the attacking team must overrun the facility and steal a set of blueprints from the weapons laboratory.

Objectives

Destroy the Ship Engines

For the first objective both teams are put in Space Fighters. The attackers (using Skaarj Space Fighters ) must destroy a total of 4 engines. These engines are mounted near the rear of the ships, on both sides. Because the engines are very weak and exposed, it is easy to destroy them from a distance.

Both ships each have 4 Link Turrets and 3 Energy Turrets. In total there are 4 Link Turrets and 4 Energy Turrets that overlook the battlefield in between the 2 ships, to compensate the engine's vulnerability. The defenders can also use Human Space Fighters to battle the attackers. These are located outside the hanger, and thus require a little more time to reach.

Open the Security Gate

After spawning on the planet's surface the attackers must continue afoot. The defending team will be waiting on the other side of a bridge, nearby the gate's switch. The attackers can use a pipe to the right of the bridge, or the supports of the bridge itself to diverse the defenders' attention. The switch is located inside a hangar on the right side of the clearing.

The defending team can use the 2 Minigun Turrets to try and stall the attackers. The Turret's effectiveness is undermined by their limited view on the objective, as well as the attacker's swift movement. Other, more useful items include the Shield pack near the defending team's spawnpoints and a UDamage pickup in one of the crates near the bridge.

Blow up the Main Doors

Another right turn after passing the gate will take the attackers to their next objective. The defending team has respawned in the building to the left of this door, guaranteeing a safe passage to the Super Shield pack between the 2 crates on the left.

This field is, just like the last one, guarded by 2 Minigun Turrets: 1 of which also guards the objective. It only takes a few seconds for the explosives to be placed, so the Turret alone is not enough to stop a group of attackers trying to reach the objective. The defending team also has a Super Shield pack to use, as well as a superior weapon set. There are also a few explosive barrels near the door that the defenders may want to try to utilize. Last but not least, the weapon loadout in the defending team's spawnroom includes the Grenade Launcher, which can be a great weapon for setting up ambushes and protecting the objective.

Destroy the Reactor Core

2 Reactor Cores are preventing access to the Weapons Lab. 1 of these cores is on the ground level, while the other one can be reached either via the jumppad to the right (right after entering the facility) or via the lift in the reactor room itself. The first route deserves a recommendation because of the handy UDamage pickup placed on the platform in the main hall. The cores do not take that long to destroy: 16 rockets are enough to take one down. With the help of the Udamage this should be even quicker.

The defending team will be intercepting the attackers in the 2nd part of the main hall. They have another Minigun Turret, which the attackers can avoid by taking the high route. There is also a Shield Pack on this route, near the defenders' spawnpoints. Because the defending team still spawns from the same room as the last objective, they can also still get the Super Shield Pack and use the Grenade Launcher to stall the attackers.

Steal the Weapon Blueprints

The doors to the weapons lab are now open. When exiting the reactor room, turn left twice to get to a small corridor with a Super Shield Pack near an exit. This exit leads to a large hallway leading to the room with the Blueprints. The defending team will be waiting near the entrances to this blueprint room. Walk up to the large missile and touch the small object floating in front of the red panel to complete the objective

The defending team will respawn in the blueprints room, where they will have some time to gear up. There are 2 Shield packs in this room to help the defenders. There's also a Super Shield Pack on the other side of the glass hallway which a swift moving defender may be able to grab before the attackers reach it.

Escape with the Blueprints

Now the Blueprints must be carried back the the main entrance of the building. If the carrier dies (s)he drops the blueprints. Another team member can then pick them up from where the previous carrier died and continue to walk to the entrance. The crates in the glass hallway will provide decent cover for the first part. The stretch through the main hall to the entrance is a bit longer, but the doorway from the glass hallway to the main hall is easy to defend with a few well-equipped attackers. After the entrance has been reached a cutscene will follow showing the escape of the attackers and the end of the match.

The defending team does not have a major advantage for these last 2 objectives. The Sniper post near the Blueprints room will give the defenders a limited view (limited because of all the crates obstructing the view) on the glass hallway. The Grenade Launchers in the weapon lockers give the defending team the chance to plan an ambush near the blueprint room's entrances. The defending team would do best to try and prevent the attackers from reaching the room in the first place, for the final objective (trying to prevent them from reaching the entrance of the building) is significantly harder to defend.

Weapons and Pickups

Weapons

• 2x Link Gun ammo.
• 2x Shock Rifle ammo.
• 5x Sniper Rifle ammo.
• 5x Rocket Launcher ammo.
• 16x Weapon Locker
  • 6x Rocket Launcher, Shock Rifle, Link Gun, Minigun, Grenade Launcher, Sniper Rifle.
  • 4x Rocket Launcher, Shock Rifle, Link Gun, Minigun, Sniper Rifle.
  • 2x Rocket Launcher, Shock Rifle, Link Gun, Flak Cannon, Sniper Rifle.
  • 2x Rocket Launcher, Shock Rifle, Link Gun, Minigun.
  • 2x Rocket Launcher, Link Gun, Minigun, Sniper Rifle.

Pickups

• 5x Super Shield.
• 2x UDamage.

Vehicles and turrets

• 8x Link Turrets
• 5x Minigun Turrets
• 5x Floor Sentinels
• 5x Ceiling Sentinels
• 6x Turrets

Tips & tricks

Quite often in this scenario the defensive team is respawned in a hideout near the objective. This means that the teams are placed at both ends of a route/field, while occasionally valuable pickups are placed somewhere in the middle. The UDamage in the 2nd objective, Super Shield Pack for the second-last objective and the Shield Pack on the route to the Reactor Room are good examples. These pickups will give the holder (and thus his/her entire team) a significant advantage in battle. A good knowledge of the location of these pickups can be crucial in this scenario.

Trivia

• AS-Acatana was the 5th place winner in the "Best Assault Level" category in Phase IV of the Make Something Unreal Contest