---CONTENTS---
I - Introductory notes
II - Basic Game info
III - Friends and Resources
A. Characters
B. Skills
C. Weapons and Equipment
IV - General Hints/tips/observations
V - Walkthroughs
VI - Cheats
VII - Disclaimer/Credits/Miscellaneous
VIII - Version History
--- I - Introductory Notes ---
After being impressed by nFusion's Deadly Dozen series of games, I decided to
pick up Line of Sight: Vietnam (LOSV) as I discovered it was based on the same
engine with improved AI and multiplayer. There have been substantial changes
to the game that make it quite a different experience. As with my previous
walkthroughs, this will focus only on the single-player game.
--- II - Basic Game Info ---
LOSV is a tactical shooter based on the early conflicts of the Vietnam war.
Through the course of 12 missions you will control Private Chris Egan (Hm, I
wonder if he's any relation to Pvt. Robert Egan from DDPT?) through a series of
small-unit engagements set in various places around Vietnam. The missions,
taken together as a whole, tell a linear story as each mission sets up a future
mission, and several of them are almost like part 1/part 2 of the same,
extended mission. In several missions you have a squadmate you can control
with basic AI - follow, hold position, fire at will, hold fire - or switch
direct control between the two.
Each mission has a set of objectives you must complete, and then an exit zone
you must get to, to complete the mission. If any of your team dies you lose,
and if you do not complete an objective you will simply not 'leave' when you
hit the exit zone and will have to backtrack to finish what you must.
Fortunately, you have a compass which points towards the first uncompleted
objective you have, and as you complete the objectives it will point towards
the following objectives until you are ready to exit, when it will point to the
exit zone.
--- III - Friends and Resources ---
A. CHARACTERS
You will play as several different characters through the course of this game.
Brief descriptions of each character are given below.
Pvt. Chris Egan - Egan is the main character in the game, as he is in all
missions and the story told through the missions is his story. He is an expert
sniper who is given many special assignments throughout the course of the game,
often involving elimination of high-ranking VC and NVA officers. Egan is a
master of Stealth and sniping, as well as being pretty handy with other types
of weaponry and a good field medic.
Pvt. Barry Barden - Barden will be assigned as a spotter (scout and close-cover
guard) for Egan in several missions. He is proficient with sidearms, rifles,
machineguns, and grenades, so he's a perfect man to provide cover in a pinch.
Pvt. Gareth Vaughan - Vaughan is a tough SOB who's a crack-shot with a machine
gun. If you're expecting lots of enemies, you want him right beside you when
you snipe so that his M60 can clear out anyone who rushes you. He's not that
stealthy, though, and not that great with other types of weapons, so keep that
in mind.
Pvt. Harper Rhett - Rhett is a demolitions expert who accompanies you when you
have to really wreak havoc on the VC. He's pretty stealthy and good with
machineguns and sidearms as well, so he can do a good job providing cover when
necessary.
B. SKILLS
Each character you control has ten skills which affect your in-game actions.
Each skill is on a 1-100 scale, with 100 being the highest. The skills are
listed below along with an abbreviation and description.
Toughness (TO) - This affects how well the character can deal with taking
damage. Higher ratings are less affected by hits, recover faster, etc.
Infiltration (IN) - This affects the character's ability to sneak around
undetected.
Blades (BL) - This affects the character's proficiency (ability to hit, deal
damage, etc.) with bladed weapons.
Sidearms (SI) - This affects the character's proficiency with sidearms such as
pistols.
Rifles (RI) - This affects the character's proficiency with un-scoped
single-shot rifles. Rifles with scopes on them are sniper rifles and affected
by the Sniper skill.
Machineguns (MG) - This affects the character's proficiency with machineguns
and submachineguns - any weapon with an automatic fire mode.
Sniping (SN) - This affects the character's proficiency with sniper rifles -
any single-shot rifle with a scope attached. This skill takes effect whether
you are using the scope directly or not.
Grenades (GR) - This affects the character's accuracy with grenades - you will
be able to throw farther and hit closer to your target with a higher Grenades
skill.
Explosives (EX) - This affects the amount of damage dealt when using placed
explosives (Mines, demolition charges, etc.) or fired explosives such as RPG's,
LAW rockets, and the like.
Medicine (MD) - This affects the amount of damage healed with one use of a
first aid kit. If you have more than one man in the squad and one has a very
high Medicine skill, it's best to let him do all of the healing, if possible -
to heal another character, switch to your medic, point the cursor at the person
you want to heal so that their name appears over the cursor, then use the Item
scroll to select a first aid kit and hit the 'Use' key.
Skills of the main game characters:
TO IN BL SI RI MG SN GR EX MD
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Pvt. Chris Egan 95 100 95 65 75 75 95 65 75 95
Pvt. Barry Barden 65 85 95 95 85 95 65 95 75 45
Pvt. Gareth Vaughan 100 35 75 75 75 100 55 85 75 65
Pvt. Harper Rhett 65 95 65 85 80 90 75 90 100 55
C. WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT
Men are limited to eight equipment slots. Knives and guns take one slot each,
as do mines, explosive charges, and first aid kits. Grenades usually go four
to a slot. All equipment you carry contributes to your carried weight total,
which affects your fatigue level. If you carry less than 30 pounds or so of
equipment your encumbrance is not affected - but if you carry more, your weight
total will show in red instead of white, noting that you are overloaded. If
you run while overloaded you will drain your fatigue, which will replenish if
you stay still. If your fatigue level drops to minimum, you will be forced to
stay still to catch your breath - and there's nothing more dangerous than
running while under fire and being forced to stop dead in your tracks. Try to
stay light on your feet, ditching all unnecessary equipment as you lose need
for it, or at least keep an eye on your fatigue level so that you can still
take cover as necessary.
Your equipment will automatically be outfitted at the start of each mission,
and you can pick up new items as you come across them and drop items as you no
longer need them. You will have to balance your mission objectives against
your encumbrance carefully to decide what to keep and what to ditch.
AMERICAN WEAPONS:
CAR-15 Assault Rifle - this automatic rifle, a smaller version of the M16, is a
mainstay of American troops in Vietnam. It has a 30-round magazine of 5.56mm
ammunition.
M-21 Sniper Rifle - The M21 is a descendant of the M1 Garand of WWII fame, much
improved. The clip holds 20 shots of 7.62mm ammo, and the gun is outfitted
with a scope for precision sniping. On some nighttime missions you will have
it outfitted with the Starlight nightvision scope. Be aware that spare clips
are NOT interchangeable between the nightvision- and regular-scope M21s.
M-60 Light Machine Gun - Made famous by Rambo, this machinegun will chew the
enemy to pieces with it's heavy 7.62mm rounds. Ammo is carried in 100-round
belts, but if you fire steadily you will use them up in no time. As with all
automatic weapons, the accuracy decreases quickly on sustained fire, so it's
best to try to use short, more controlled bursts to maximize the weapon's
effectiveness.
M-1 Carbine Semi-Automatic Rifle - this work-horse has been in use since WWII
and is essentially unchanged - it sports a 15 round clip of .30 caliber
ammunition with a fairly quick repeat fire rate. While not silent, it's
quieter than the M21 or the CAR-15, and so it's worth considering using in
places where stealth is a bonus.
M-79 Grenade Launcher - If you encounter clustered enemies, this 40mm grenade
launcher is a godsend. It allows you to deliver grenades with much more
precision than simple throwing. Comes outfitted with 12 rounds.
M-72 LAW - the LAW is a single-shot expandable Bazooka, basically - you extend
the firing tube, fire the round, then throw the tube away (be sure your
drop-item key is handy after firing it). Useful against vehicles, clustered
enemies, and small structures (small huts, guard towers, etc.)
M1911A1 Pistol - You just can't improve on perfection. This .45 caliber
sidearm is unchanged since it's original introduction to the Army. Plenty of
stopping power, a quick re-fire rate, and a seven-shot clip make this a great
choice for close-up fighting.
Pump-Action Shotgun - It was only a matter of time before hunting weapons
caught on in military use - it just took the right fighting conditions, and the
tunnel fighting of the VC is exactly what called for military shotgun use.
It's useless beyond a few feet, but inside that few feet it's a deadly weapon.
Bring it and use it only when you need it and you'll love it while you have it.
Knife - you can't get a better weapon for a silent kill than a knife.
Machete - larger and more deadly than the knife, it can also be used to clear
vegetation.
Grenades - Grenades come in two flavors: Smoke and Fragmentation. Smoke
grenades provide cover and can distract or confuse the enemy just long enough
to blast them. Frag grenades have a fairly decent blast radius and can inflict
serious damage or death with a little work. One equipment slot can hold up to
four grenades.
SOVIET/VIETNAMESE WEAPONS:
Tokarev Pistol - This 9mm pistol is a standard sidearm for NVA and VC officers.
AK-47 Assault Rifle - The AK47 is probably the most recognized assault rifle in
the world, and with good reason - its 7.62mm rounds are powerful and come 30 to
a clip, and with a decent rate of fire to boot. If you have the encumbrance to
spare these are definitely worth picking up off of dead soldiers.
SKS Carbine - The SKS is a single-shot 7.62mm rifle with a ten-round clip.
Quite accurate and pretty powerful, but it's slow rate of fire limits its
effectiveness.
SVD Sniper Rifle - The SVD is on par with the M21 as Sniper Rifles go - it
carries a 20-round clip of 7.62mm ammunition and includes a scope for precision
sniping. Worth their weight in gold, especially if your own sniper rifle is
running low on ammo (or if you didn't even start out with one...).
RPD Light Machine Gun - The RPD isn't very different from the M60 in all the
ways that count - it has a 100-round drum of 7.62mm ammunition, and what it
lacks in accuracy it makes up for in sheer lead-throwing ability.
RPG Anti-Tank Weapon - a modern version of the bazooka. Re-loadable, unlike
the LAW, but very heavy. Usually comes with seven rounds.
EQUIPMENT:
First Aid Kit - one first aid kit will heal a variable amount of damage, based
on the medical skill of the person using the kit. To use a kit on another
person, point at them so their name shows up on the cursor, then scroll your
item selection to the first aid kit and hit the use button.
Binoculars - if you don't have a sniper rifle, this is a handy way to get a
good look at a faraway target.
Demolition Charge - A block of C4 explosives with a delay timer.
Claymore mine - a US-issue anti-personnel mine. Handy for regular patrolling
units.
Radio - some missions may require you to radio back to base for various reasons
(i.e. mission recon, calling in an airstrike, etc.)
Ammo Belt - These are only given at mission load-out, and they don't appear
directly in the equipment list. What they do is give all weapons in the
original loadout two extra clips - that is, if you start with a .45 and a
CAR-15 and an ammo belt, instead of the pistol and machinegun starting with
five extra clips each they will start with seven extra clips.
--- IV - General Hints/tips/observations ---
- This game was created with realism in mind, as you'll notice from the first
moments in the jungle and your first encounters with the enemy. As such,
regular rail-shooter or FPS-style tactics just won't cut it unless you like
dying a lot. Think like a real soldier - move slow, stay in cover, cover your
advances, and try to choose the best equipment for the job.
- High ground is your friend. It's much easier to defend and attack from high
ground than to defend low ground or attack upward.
- Always review your objectives and mission intel carefully, and then keep them
in mind as you progress towards your goals. The compass will point you in the
right direction, of course, but sometimes a more circuitous route will give you
an easier way to get things done. Don't be afraid to explore a bit.
- Also keep your objectives in mind when picking up enemy equipment. If you
pick up every gun and ammo clip from everyone you kill you'll be overloaded in
no time. I find it best to limit myself to one single-shot/sniper weapon and
one automatic-type weapon at a time, with the rest of the equipment slots
available for grenades, first aid, or that one time you may need to pick up
something quickly. Also, unless you're just a bad shot, you really don't need
more than four or five extra clips for any of your weapons. Try to remember
where you leave equipment, though, so that you can go back if you find you need
something you passed on.
- Watch your fatigue level. If you're doing slow, careful advances this may
not be a problem much, but run around a lot and you're asking for trouble. If
your fatigue meter is low, stop and rest for a bit, especially if you expect
combat soon. You also wear out faster if you are overloaded with equipment, so
ditch what you can when you're done with it. You can see your total weight
carried if you scroll your equipment slot on-screen - and if the number is in
red, you are overloaded. The magic number is 30 lbs - if you carry less than
this, you can run all day - carry more and you better give yourself small
breaks.
- Watch your cursor. It has an enemy alert (which can be switched off for a
more challenging game, BTW) which flashes a red arrow pointing in the direction
of trouble. Also, the four red lines around your centerpoint are your 'shot
spread' - if you are still, they are very tight around the centerpoint, making
your accuracy very high - but if you move a lot, run a lot, use sustained fire
from an automatic weapon, you will see these lines spread out. The farther
they are out, the farther your shots will spread. Try not to shoot on the run
and, when using automatic weapons, use short bursts and pauses to keep your
accuracy indicators as tight as possible.
- The Starlight Scope can be useful in night missions, but don't rely
exclusively on it. As with real night-sight/light-amplification equipment, it
has a fairly short effective range, and while it tracks movement well it is
fuzzy when showing stationary objects - thus, spotting patrols is easy, but
those stationed/hidden snipers will be just as hidden, if not more so. Don't
be afraid to toggle between the two modes in night missions - I guarantee that
in some spots you'll find the standard scope more helpful (like when you're on
the low ground and the snipers are on a high ridge, perfectly silhouetted by
the moonlight ;).
- A note on ammunition: Weapons that are placed on the map (not outfitted on an
enemy soldier) will have a full load of ammunition and five extra clips when
you pick them up (exeptions are the RPD and M-60, which start out with two
extra magazines). Weapons you plunder from dead soldiers will have only one
extra clip, with the number currently in the weapon depending on whether or not
the soldier you killed had fired any rounds from that clip before dying. If
you have the chance, wait until they reload before killing them so that you get
the most ammo from plundered weapons. If you're using a plundered weapon
that's almost empty on its current clip (and you're an anal-retentive type :)
), then you should opt NOT to reload if you manage to find a similar weapon on
the map, and instead drop your current one, pick up the new one, and then grab
any spare clips you had in the one you dropped.
- If you have played other nFusion games (Deadly Dozen or DDPT) before, be
aware that the maps in this game are a good deal smaller than the maps in older
games, resulting in more closely clustered enemies. Most times when you shoot
you will immediately be rushed. Be sure you (and your spotter, if you have
one) are set behind cover and ready for an ambush before firing.
--- V - Walkthroughs ---
The format for each mission's walkthrough will be similar:
- MISSION NUMBER
- BRIEFING - This is a first-person monologue by Pvt. Egan given in text and
voice-over before each mission.
- OBJECTIVES - Viewable in pre-mission intel and in pause mode while in-game.
Completed objectives will be marked so in pause mode.
- LOADOUT - This lists your squad and the items outfitted on each member at the
mission's start.
- Enemy Strength Assessment - My personal comments on the type of opposition to
expect.
- Synopsis of Walkthrough - A rough paragraph-sized description of how to get
the mission done.
- Detailed Walkthrough - A more detailed description, with specifics on
important place to take cover, locations of enemies, ambushes, places to go to
pick up important items, etc.
The items listed above in ALL CAPS are as they are given in the game. The
other items are my personal comments and information based on playing through
the missions. Keep in mind, though, that this game is non-scripted and very
open-ended, so the walkthrough as given is only one from many possible ways to
win. However, the location and makeup of enemy forces will naturally apply to
any play through these missions. Depending on your timing, any patrolling
guards may not be encountered exactly where I mention them in the walkthroughs,
but I have tried to describe as much of their patrol paths as possible so you
roughly know where/when to expect them. Still, caveat soldier, and keep your
damn head down!
-*-*-*-
MISSION 1
BRIEFING: The chopper flight to Firebase Alpha 1 was anything but uneventful.
As we neared the base, the Huey started taking ground fire. As the pilot
started to gain some altitude, an enemy machine gun shot through the control
panel and wounded the pilot.
The co-pilot fought with the controls as we skimmed over hilltops and trees. I
remember thinking "If we could slow down enough, I could at least make a jump
for it." Suddenly the helicopter banked and hung in the air about 10 feet off
the side of a hill- out the door I went!
Once I hit the ground and came to a stop, I could see the column of smoke from
the crash site beyond the next ridge. I found that I still had my knife and a
45 automatic- the rest of my gear was gone.
I had to get to that crash site and see what I could do in case there were any
survivors. I should also take out the machine gun nest that shot us down. There
was no way I could leave that standing for another American chopper to
discover.
OBJECTIVES:
- Eliminate machinegun nest
- Find your chopper and try to radio HQ
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, 1911A1 .45 Pistol, Machete
Enemy Strength Assessment: The enemy are fairly light in this mission, but
difficult at the start since you begin with only a pistol. Once you secure
some decent weaponry it will be difficult, still, but manageable. Your biggest
danger will be the rushes that VC troops make on you after they hear you fire.
Try to take out your chosen target on the first shot and immediately get ready
to be attacked.
Synopsis: You start near the north end of the map. The path you are on
proceeds south to a large, rocky east-west valley. The Machinegun nest you
have to take out is on the north face of the eastern wing of the valley. The
main path continues south, curving slightly eastward, leading to a large 'bowl'
where your chopper crashed. The exit zone is south of the chopper, as the path
continues southward, up and out of the bowl.
Walkthrough: You start in the middle of a path that proceeds uphill to your
south. The left and right sides of the path are raised ridges, and they make
good places to sneak by enemies to attack. Creep forward towards the left
ridge and go over the crest just south of you. The path descends south from
the crest and continues towards the main valley, but at the bottom of the hill
past the crest there is a small lean-to tent with a path going uphill to the
west. There is a single VC soldier with an AK-47 near the lean-to, facing
south, and another VC walking patrol up and down that path. A quiet kill might
be the best bet, if you can time it so that the patrolman is away when you
creep down the ridge. Sneak up and knife or shoot the VC at close range and
grab that AK47 to kill the patrolman.
Now that you have some semblance of decent weaponry you can continue towards
the machinegun nest. Go back up the ridge on the east side of the path and
proceed quietly until you see the valley running east-west across the path.
There are two soldiers at the bottom of the valley where the two cross, but if
you sneak quietly on the ridge top you should be able to get by easily.
Proceed along the ridgetop east, watching your compass.
The Machinegun next is on the cliff face directly below you, so if you stay on
the ridgetop you'll not only pass the few guards on the valley floor, you'll be
above and behind the machinegun nest crew when you're ready to strike. When
your compass shows you where they are, sneak right above them, edging to peer
over and line yourself up in a perfect striking position, then let fly with
your AK47. If you're fast you should be abe to pop them both without any
trouble. Sneak down to the platform and grab the AK47 ammo from one of the
men, and if you feel you need it the other has an RPD machine gun as well.
There are two First Aid Kits on the platform as well. Pick up your chosen
weapons, then crawl across the valley to the south ridge to proceed back west
towards the main path. (For a nice surprise, look around a small boulder near
the top of the southern ridge just across from the platform :) Objective
completed.
Once back at the main path, proceed south along the top ridge to the east of
the path. The path comes up out of the valley, then descends as it continues
south. There are some big rocks on the east wall of the path, and two VC are
near those rocks on the path floor, so ambush them as you see fit, using the
rocks as cover. Farther south the path opens up again as it ascends to the
edge of the 'bowl' that the chopper is in. Opposition here is quite heavy -
one officer at the crest of the bowl, on the path, two more troopers just below
him inside the bowl, and one sniper far off to the west on a ridge top across
the depression that rises towards the bowl crest. Also, depending on timing,
there's a trooper walking a beat along the circumference of the bowl, along the
west side of the bowl. If you picked up an SKS, then this part can be done
somewhat easily as a single-shot rifle, even without a scope, is exactly what
you need to take out that long-range sniper. Snipe the officer first, as he's
closer, then shoot the sniper across the way next since it may take him a while
to spot you. Then, quickly shift to an AK47 or the RPD and take out the men
coming up the path from the bowl. If you timed it right, everyone will be dead
and you'll be fine and in good form to take out the man walking a beat on the
ridgetop.
Next, creep on the path to the edge of the bowl to get a good look at the next
section of the mission. There is a fallen tree in the bottom of the bowl,
directly between you and the crashed chopper. One man is walking a patrol just
behind the chopper, and a second one is walking a beat farther south of him.
Both have a pretty good view of the path coming down the bowl. You can't see
it from here, but there is a CAR-15 waiting for you near the chopper, so don't
feel like you have to conserve ammo at this point. Wait for both guards to be
facing away from you, then creep down the bowl in cover, trying to move
slightly to the left so the rocks provide a bit of cover. Get as close as you
can without disturbing them, be sure your AK47 or RPD is fully loaded, and open
up. Take them both out, then hop over the log and get the CAR-15. There's a
first aid kit there too, but don't worry about it just yet - when you get near
the chopper, two men will come down the path following you the way you came
down into the bowl. Grab that CAR-15 and let 'em have it, then pick up what
else you need from near the chopper. Objective completed.
The path continues out the southeast edge of the bowl, with three guards near
the crest. It's best if you climb up the side of the bowl, farther away from
the path itself, then you can flank them from the ridge above the path. Take
the three guards out (two in the path, one on the ridge to the west), then
proceed down the path - Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 2
BRIEFING: The co-pilot did a good job of slowing his captors down, allowing me
to gain on them pretty quick. A couple of times they stopped and took cover as
other helicopters flew over- Our men from Alpha One Base were on the way to the
crash site. The VC didn't have much time before our Hatchet Force from the base
would start sweeping the area for the co-pilot.
The enemy picked up the pace, pulling along and dragging the airman. I could
hear their voices as they yelled in broken English at the co-pilot to "keep
moving or die". I knew I had to rescue him and get him to the LZ. There was no
way I was going to leave him in enemy hands.
OBJECTIVES:
- Rescue the downed pilot
- Make sure area is safe for extraction
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, CAR-15, .45 Pistol, 4 grenades, two first aid kits
Enemy Strength Assessment: The enemy opposition is pretty tough in this
mission, but at it's toughest you will have some help, and fortunately you
start out with some real equipment (A CAR-15 and some grenades). The part of
the mission up to the pilot's rescue is only single or paired infantry, but
many times there are shooters hidden in rice paddies or clumps of bamboo or
brush. At the pilot's rescue point there are between four and six men you'll
have to face, depending on patrol paths. Smart use of cover and some luck will
be essential to the rescue. Finally, while getting to the exit zone isn't much
trouble, once you're there you will be rushed by four or five infantry at once,
but you will have the advantage of high ground and three helpers (one with an
M-60 :) - however, if you or the pilot die you will lose, so it's not quite as
simple as it looks.
Synopsis: You will proceed north out of a short valley onto a rice-paddy plain
dotted with hidden snipers and clumps of brush. Proceed north across this
plain to a ruined church to rescue the pilot. Once you rescue the pilot, head
north while bearing slightly west to go around the west side of a small hill
that is just south of the large hill that is the LZ. Go slowly during this
portion, sniping anyone you see. Once you get to the hilltop, get ready for
the onslaught by going prone and backing away from the edge to let the enemy
crest the hill and get killed.
Walkthrough: You start at the south of the map, in a little valley-type path as
before. Just ahead the path narrows with some boulders on the right side - a
VC is just to the north of those boulders, and another is farther north, on the
plateau just north of the boulders. You can try to climb a ridge or just creep
around the rocks to blast the one near the boulders, then quickly watch north
for the one to come down the hill. Once they're both dead creep to the west
side of the path and north onto the plain.
This plain is quite wide and long, leading towards an east-west road which
crosses the map just in front of the destroyed church where the pilot is
hidden. Despite being fairly flat, there's plenty of soft cover with clumps of
bamboo, trees, and small shrubs, more than a few hiding snipers. The only real
advice here is to watch carefully, creep on your belly, and stay to the side -
that will keep one flank covered so you only have to watch in one direction.
If at all possible, try to creep up and use your knife for the silent kills.
Watch for an area where the wall of jungle on the west side starts to open
towards the west. Here you will be near the center of the map. Using the
compass, head across the plain in front of you towards the church.
The ground will rise slightly just to the south of the church, with the entire
area to your left and right still covered by clumps of brush. Keep an eye on
them as you head forward, looking for a couple of snipers hidden in them -
creep up for silent kills if you can. When you get on the top of the southern
edges of the rises you will see the church and two more buildings to the west
of it. There is one guard in the westernmost building, one guard inside the
church, one more guard outside the door to the south of the church, and then
there are patrolling guards on the road to the east and west who may end up in
earshot. If you can get to that westernmost building silently and knife that
guard you have a reasonably protected area to attack from. Otherwise, you
might be best trying to shoot from longer range and draw them out into an
attack on more open ground. However you do it, take out all the guards, then
go into the church to pick up the pilot, some grenades, a first aid kit if you
need it, and then finally your raison d'etre - an M-21 sniper rifle - JOY JOY
JOY!!!
The rescued pilot will follow you and obey your commands, but you cannot switch
to him for direct control. You can either order him to follow you or order him
to hold in a safe place as you clear out an advance path, then return and bring
him forward. Head straight north, veering slightly to the west, and proceed
very slowly using your sniperscope to scan for enemy hiding in the brush.
Snipe them as you see them, then after firing quickly switch to a machine gun
in case you are rushed. Unfortunately, the pilot only has a pistol and won't
pick up any weapons you drop for him. :( Proceed north this way until you get
near the LZ.
Just south of the LZ is a fairly large hill that you should circle around,
clearing the enemy as you find them - there are altogether about four or five
enemies hiding in various spots around the northern half of that hill. Once
they're all dead, order the pilot to follow you up the hill to the top, then
turn around and go prone when you're near the chopper. Four or five men will
come out of nowhere and rush up the southern side of the hill towards your
position. If you're prone you're under good cover on the high ground and the
two chopper men can help with their heavy machine guns. You can also chuck a
grenade or two over the hill's crest to help out. Once all the men are dead,
Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 3
BRIEFING: Once I finally settled in at Firebase Alpha One, I was given my first
mission. A local Montagnards village chieftain showed up at the base pleading
for help. The old man told us that the VC were terrorizing his village;
stealing food, kidnapping young men, beating people. The enemy always tried to
make peace with the villagers at first, but as soon as the Montagnard elders
said NO the intimidation and terror began.
The old man told us that the VC would be returning to his village tomorrow
night with some documents we would be interested in. The Alpha One Firebase
C.O. thought we should be there to say "hello" and introduce them to my new
M-21 sniper rifle. After all, I needed to break this M-21 in. I lost my old one
back in the Huey crash.
After my objective is complete, I should head back along the river to the
extraction point. Hopefully it will be an easy evac.
OBJECTIVES:
- Eliminate VC political officer
- Pick up any documents you find
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M21 Sniper Rifle, .45 Pistol, two first aid kits
Pvt. Barry Barden - CAR-15, .45 pistol, 4 grenades, binoculars, Ammo Belt.
Enemy Strength Assessment: The enemy are in stronger force now, with entrenched
snipers hidden along the river and woods and infantry appearing in either pairs
or threes. Moreover, the clustering of enemies almost insures one rush after
every attack, so it's a good thing you have an expert machinegunner with extra
ammo as your spotter. Just move carefully, spot as far ahead as you can with
your sniper rifle, and do your best to position Barden where he can cover the
expected ambush area.
Synopsis: A north-south river is the central focus for this map. You start in
a little grove just west of the river, near the north end of the map. You will
proceed to the riverbanks, head south to the village, find and kill the VC
Political Officer and pick up his documents, then head back north along the
river to the exit zone (which is where the level began).
Walkthrough: You start in a depression that proceeds west towards a river.
Head directly up the ridge side to your south/right, then head forward east
towards the river. As you near the point of the cliff near the river slow
down. Look through the reeds across the river to find a small sniper hut on
the far bank. There is one VC soldier hidden north of you and two more south
of you, so beware as you start the sniping. Try to position Barden on the
ridgetop so he can shoot both north or south, then take out the sniper in the
sniper hut. Once the rush is completed, you can try to sneak across the river
and get the sniper's SVD rifle to make sure you have enough sniper ammunition
for this mission. There are a couple of other snipers hidden down some paths
that continue east from the river, so be careful. Once your cross river sortie
is done, get back on the west side and onto the ridge to prepare to head south.
A very short way south you will see the low ground expand to the west, with the
path ahead continuing straight south along the river and also branching out to
the west. There is a hidden VC soldier behind the rocks near the river, and
two VC are near the mouth of the path branching off to the west. Snipe the VC
near the rocks from as far north as you can, then creep ahead staying on the
ridge to find the best place to snipe at the pair near the western path. Once
they are all dead creep across that low ground to the high ground and continue
south along the river.
As you start to move back towards the river south you will see that you are
coming up behind another sniper hut. From this angle you might also be able to
see two stationed guards on the far side of the river a bit farther south.
There is also a hidden guard in the river behind some rocks that are just
southeast of the hut. Finally, there is a trio of guards farther down that
western path that will come to investigate if they hear shooting, not to
mention two more guards that are farther south on the riverbanks. With only
two men, it becomes tricky to set an ambush, but your best bet depends on a LOT
of stealth and some luck. Set Barden on the ground directly behind the hut,
facing south but also where he can face back north. Put Egan just northwest of
the hut, behind some trees, so that he can hit both the sniper in the hut and
the two guards on the far side of the river. This will take some QUICK
shooting. Set Barden to fire at will, then control Egan and take out the hut
sniper, then QUICKLY switch aim and kill the two on the far side who will be
coming across the river. Barden should make short work of the three men to the
south as they come around the hut. Immediately after Egan snipes out all three
of his targets, have him get to the south of a nearby tree and switch to a
machinegun for the charge of men coming from the north. Barden should be done
with his men and take out some of the last charge on his own as well. Once
that little escapade is done you're ready to continue south.
South of the hut the river bank continues straight south, then starts to curve
west as the river opens up to a small lake. The ground you are on curves west
as well - ahead, on low ground, you should just be able to see a couple of
small stilted huts that comprise a small village. Between you and the village
is a group of rocks on the water's edge, with a guard hidden in the rocks.
Another guard is at the foot of stairs leading up to the closest building. A
civilian is near him, so be careful. The low ground path continues north from
the rocks, and a sniper is hidden at the point of the ridge above that
intersection of the riverbank and the path north. It's hard to get a good
firing angle on the man in the rocks, so position Barden for a charge and snipe
out the guard near the shack and let Barden take out the charger from the
rocks. Then, creep along the ridgetop to take out that sniper before crossing
the low ground towards the village. Two more guards farther down that path
will rush when you take out the ridge sniper, so be prepared. Once all of that
opposition is dead, get on the ridge that runs behind the village buildings for
the safest way to attack.
As you ascend the ridge on the west side, look through the window in the north
side of the closest building to see the sniper looking out the east window
across the river. Snipe him from a distance. He also has an SVD rifle if you
happen to be running low on sniper ammo. You should also be able to see a
guard standing near the southern building on the river bank. Take him out as
you see fit. Continue creeping along that ridge south until you can see into
the second building. One civilian, one sniper, and the VC Officer are inside.
There are two men patrolling the riverbank south of the building, and they may
hear when the shooting starts, so position Barden on the ground near the front
of the building, facing south, and then have Egan snipe through the window to
kill the sniper, and then move farther south to get an angle on and kill the
officer. Objective Completed. You should have seen the documents glowing on
the tabletop through the window. Circle around the front of the building and
go up and pick them up - objective completed.
Now you can head back the way you came, except that more enemy reinforcements
have arrived. You will encounter more enemies as you get near the rocks just
north of the village, then three more in the river just north of the last
sniper hut you encountered. Just north of them, near the first lowground-rock
area are four more guards. Finally, where the path turns off to the west for
the exit zone there are three guards right at the intersection and two more
farther down the path. Try to control Egan and snipe as many from as far as
you can, and make sure Barden starts each engagement with a full clip of
machinegun ammo. Dodge bullets, kill charlie, and follow the compass until you
see the magic words - Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 4
BRIEFING: The fact that we found an NVA political officer and a bunch of
documents told me we had stumbled onto something important. It was urgent that
this information get back to base right away! However, Charley was out to stop
us! They did not want us returning with those documents. We have been vectored
to an alternate LZ where we can be picked up, but we are going to have to fight
our way out there. We have one advantage over Charley. Night is falling and I
had enough foresight to pack a starlight scope.
It was going to be a long night.
OBJECTIVES:
- Get back to base with the documents
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M-21 w/ Starlight Scope, .45 Pistol, 4 grenades, two
first aid kits
Pvt. Barry Barden - Knife, CAR-15, .45 Pistol, 4 grenades, Binoculars, First
Aid Kit.
Enemy Strength Assessment: There are three main clusters of enemies - one
right at the mission's start and two in the middle of the map, one in the
burned village and one north of it leading into the mountain pass that goes to
the exit zone. Each of these will end up being firefights between your squad
and 5-7 VC troops. As always, snipe well and be sure your spotter is set to
cover you. There are many stationed snipers on high ground surrounding the
village and the paths to and from the village, but with some good scanning and
sniping they won't be much trouble. It a lot of cases it's actually easier to
see the ridgetop snipers without the nightvision scope, so don't be afraid to
toggle the nightvision on and off for the best view (use the F11 key to toggle
nightvision).
Synopsis: You start out in a small valley that proceeds north - you will head
north through a patrol to a burned-out village, through the village, and
continue north to one of two mountain passes that wind around a central
mountain to the exit zone at the north.
Walkthrough: You start in the middle of a deathtrap - men ahead of you to the
left and right, a north-south patrol group whose southern loop point is just
ahead of you, and you are standing in noisy rustling bushes. Immediately order
both men to go prone, then hold position. Switch to your spotter, Barden, and
have him ready his CAR-15 and move just ahead and to one side (doesn't matter)
so he's ahead of Egan and can provide machine gun cover. Then, switch back to
Egan, get into crouching position to see over the nearby grass/brush, and step
slightly ahead/to the right and turn on the starlight scope - look ahead for
two patrolling men who will come south down a slope ahead of you and beyond a
few low bushes. Sniping them will start an ambush of two men ahead and to your
right and at least one more ahead and to your left. Take the two men in the
patrol QUICKLY, then drop prone and scan the bushes ahead and to either side,
killing anyone you see. Between you and Barden, with a little luck, you can
kill them all without much damage. Stay prone and creep ahead both men as a
team, Egan in the lead.
When you get about even with the bushes that were between you and the first
patrol, look on the ridge ahead of you to the left and take out the sniper
hiding there. This may trigger a couple more patrolling men, so be prepared
with Barden in cover. Step ahead to the position where the first patrolling
men were killed and look to the right ridge for a sniper hiding there. Again,
make sure Barden is ready to cover. If you want extra sniper ammo, you can
crawl up the rocks and grab those two snipers' guns - they are carrying
non-Starlight M-21s, but the ammo isn't interchangeable so taking one of those
rifles will eat up another equipment slot. Drop your .45 if you have to.
There are more snipers ahead visible from the first snipers' positions, so look
for them and take them out if you want a slightly safer second part of this
mission, or simply stick closer to the middle of the map as you continue.
Continue creeping forward, edging slightly to the left/west as you do so. The
rocks will expand into a wide-open plain covered with low sparse brush - this
is the area near the village. The ground rises slightly, and at the top of the
first rise you should just be able to make out a few burned-out buildings ahead
of you. A sniper is hiding in the leftmost building, with stationed guards off
to the east and west of these buildings. Sniping out that sniper will trigger
another rush, with more men coming from the east than west. Position Barden
with his CAR-15 ready just behind a tree, guarding north-northeast, and use
Egan to snipe out the sniper then watch north and northwest for rushers from
that area.
One that attack wave is done, creep through the middle of the village towards
the northeast. You should see the plain continue north, and then form into a
pair of valleys, each of which go different ways around a large mountain to the
exit zone at the north. It doesn't matter much which path you take, as both
will result in the same thing - a clustered enemy attack just as you near the
mouth of the path, compounded by snipers on the ridge tops, then a
semi-dangerous walk down the mountain path with snipers on both ridges.
Whichever direction you choose, have Barden on the ground and use Egan to climb
over boulders or even up to the ridgetops for support. Watch ahead for
snipers, and be sure Barden can cover when Egan takes them out. You will be
near the exit zone when two paths meet at the north end of the mountain, then
continue north. Just follow the compass and be careful until you see the magic
words - Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 5
BRIEFING: After careful analysis of the documents by intelligence officers in
Saigon, some of the recent VC activities in the area have started to make more
sense. The documents specify the exact location of the local VC headquarters.
However, the entire area is trapped. There is a villager who, once a week,
brings in communications and intelligence. I need to follow her and keep her
in sight; she will lead me through the traps and allow me to eliminate the VC
officer. That should screw up Charlie's plans for the short-term.
OBJECTIVES:
- Eliminate the VC officer
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M21, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, 4 Smoke Grenades, first
aid kit
Pvt. Gareth Vaughan - Knife, CAR-15, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, First Aid Kit,
Ammo Belt
Enemy Strength Assessment: The enemy in this mission is fairly sparse, with
only single or paired guards stationed throughout the various paths. There is
a fairly large cluster of soldiers near the Officer, including a couple of
machinegunners and a man with an RPG. Needless to say this part can be a bit
tricky, but with some distant sniping and good cover you should be able to come
through fine. The paths will be reinforced on the way back, so be sure you
clear everyone out as you proceed on the way in, and then make sure you take
the same way back out. There are many booby traps on the paths, but if you
follow the girl or at least watch where she goes, you can spot and avoid them
easily, or simply stick to the ridges instead of the main paths.
Synopsis: You start just south of a village which has a VC sympathizer in it, a
woman with a pink shirt. As you near the village she will run down a path to
the east. She will wind down a maze of boobytraped paths to the east end of
the map where a VC officer and his guard contingent are stationed. Follow the
girl (if you can, or simply follow her until you lose her and follow your
compass), kill the officer, then get back to the village.
Walkthrough: This mission is a change of pace, since there is less vegetation
in the paths than in most missions, and also because you have to run fast and
stay on the move to keep up with the villager, resulting in a mission that's
more 'run and gun' than the previous missions. You start out a short way south
of the village near the Southwest corner of the map. Head north and veer
towards the eastern edge of the village, looking ahead for a woman on the east
edge of town with a pink shirt on. When you get somewhat close, she will start
running down the road to the east, and if you want to keep up you will have to
run FAST. It's a good thing you start out with less than 30 pounds of
equipment, and to stay fast on the run don't pick ANYTHING up - there really
aren't too many enemies on here that require you to pick up a lot of spare
weaponry. It's recommended to use Egan in command with Vaughan following in AI
mode, since Vaughan is an expert machinegunner and will take out the scattered
guards probably faster than you can spot them, much less shoot.
Follow the girl east down the path, sticking to the slopes or ridges or
following her steps exactly - you'll see where she jogs to the side to avoid a
tripwire. At the first intersection she will turn left to head north. There
is a guard at this intersection. The path north from this intersection is
filled with large boulders in the middle and on both sides. The rocks on the
right side form a large, high promontory at a three-path intersection, with a
guard on that hilltop and one farther to the north on another rock. Snipe them
both from a distance if you can. Creep over the rock hilltop and look down the
path that continues east/southeast for another patrolling guard - snipe him.
Continue down this east/southeast path which is fairly free of both vegetation
and rocks. It goes straight and makes a slight curve to the right. There is
one guard hidden in some brush right at the curve, and one farther down the
path around the corner. Take them both out. Just past them the path will
widen and flatten out a bit as a path branches off to the left, towards the
east, and the main path continues. Cross onto the left/east side ridgetop and
follow that side path towards the east. Continue on that east path on the
north ridge, watching for a guard hiding behind a large boulder in the northern
slope of that path.
Past that guard and large boulder another path branches off to the northeast,
so simply stay on the ridge and hug that wall to your left and continue,
watching ahead and below for hidden guards and snipers. That road heading
northeast will make a gentle curve around north then back northwest - this will
be near the VC officer and his guards. Stay in the reeds on that
north/left-side ridge, picking off every guard you see and scanning ahead for
his guards. With any luck you'll draw them out piecemeal, which is good
because he's guarded by no less than five guards - two with AK47s near you,
another AK47 and an RPG guard farther away, and a sniper overlooking the little
clearing he is in. By staying on that left-side ridge you use the curve to
your advantage, and the numerous boulders that hide his guard from your view
also provide you cover, so you can simply make some noise and draw them out or
try throwing a few grenades. After his guard is dead, simply peer around a
boulder and snipe him out - he's only armed with a Tokarev, and so not much of
a threat on his own. Objective completed.
It shouldn't be much trouble to backtrack, but be aware that the roads have
been reinforced - if you killed everyone on your path and go back the same way,
though, you'll encounter a minimal number of enemy troops. Just go slower (you
can afford to be a bit cautious now) and make sure Vaughan is in a position to
cover Egan before you start sniping. Head back to the village (Watching out
for three VC guards who are now in the village) and across to the west side,
heading down the west road out the far side of the village. Mission completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 6
BRIEFING: Intel has a new mission for us- destroying a small NVA truck convoy.
This will be my first mission "over the fence" into Laos. The plan is to
utilize a Vietnamese SOG "Roadrunner" operative disguised as a villager. As the
trucks come down the road, the operative will block the road, pretending that
there was some kind of accident. While the trucks are stopped a demolitions
specialist and I will take out the drivers and enemy soldiers. After that, we
should destroy all three vehicles in the convoy and make our way to the
extraction point.
OBJECTIVES:
- Destroy Truck 1
- Destroy Truck 2
- Destroy Truck 3
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M21, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, 2 first aid kits
Pvt. Harper Rhett - Knife, M1 Carbine, Machete, three M72 LAWs
Enemy Strength Assessment: As usual, you'll have several clusters of enemies
interspersed with hidden/faraway snipers. This is slightly problematic at the
mission start since you don't begin with any automatic weapons, but you'll be
able to grab some AK47s after the first firefight. The most dangerous cluster
is the enemy trucks, where you will have to deal with five men on the ground
near the trucks plus two more patrolling nearby, along with a few faraway
snipers that cover the area just north of the trucks. Various points along the
road and river area will be reinforced with VC troops after the trucks are
destroyed.
Synopsis: You begin near the northeast corner of the map. The map is high
ground at the north, sloping downward to an east-west road at the middle of the
map, and then from that road farther south it slopes down again to an east-west
river. The trucks are at the west end of the road, and the exit zone is at the
east end of the river, so you'll have to go downhill to the road, west to the
road, and then either back east on the road and south to the exit zone or south
to the river near the trucks and east along the river valley to the exit zone.
The road is recommended as the opposition will be somewhat lighter.
Walkthrough: You begin in a slight depression at the northeast corner of the
map, facing south. The depression continues south and downhill, and the ridges
continue to the hillcrest and then expand east and west. Two stationed guards
are just below the hillcrest on the path and two more are on the ridge to the
left, right at the cusp of the dropoff. With no automatic weapons, cover is
essential - get your spotter Rhett to cover with his Carbine ready, preferably
on the low ground or just on the rise to one ridge side, but NOT on the ridge
top. Get Egan onto the left ridge, facing south, and have him trigger the
first fight by popping both of the guards on the ridge top. Creep forward and
when Egan is at those guards' position look to the southwest for the head of a
sniper hiding behind some rocks to your left. Take him out too. Grab the
AK47s you'll need off of those guards, and if you can spare it pick up the SVD
from the sniper as well - you can't have too much sniper ammo in this mission.
From the first sniper's position the ridge continues to the south until it ends
at a high cliff overlooking the road. There is a sniper on this clifftop
overlooking two more stationed guards on the road right where the path you are
on meets the road. There is a small rock outcropping on the descent to the
road that makes a good ambush point for the men on the road, but if you creep
too far south the cliff sniper can get you. It's probably best to sneak Egan
to the rocks, position him for defense, then creep Rhett over the cliff to take
out the sniper there. When that happens the two road guards and another one
farther to the east will probably rush towards the noise, but between the cliff
and Egan hiding in the rocks you are pretty well hidden and ready to take them
on your terms. Clear everyone in this little area, then move Rhett off the
cliff to join Egan at the rock outcropping.
Your next move will be to continue west down the road towards the trucks. The
cliffs rising north of the road narrow and get steeper as you proceed west with
plenty of rock outcroppings near road level. Use those rocks as cover because
you'll have at least two small clusters of enemies to take out before reaching
the trucks. Spot ahead with Egan's scope and start to climb the cliffs on the
north when you can just make out the villager and his little overturned cart in
front of the truck convoy.
Get both men on the clifftop and order them to hold fire - you will HAVE to
keep them both quiet and undetected until you get into the best firing
position. First, creep Egan forward and try to descend to one of the boulders
just below the top cliff level for the best view - you should see three trucks
and five guards - one right in front of the villager and his cart, two
stationed on the road sides between the first and second truck, and two more
patrolling right around the trucks. There are also one or two more guards
patrolling the woods/cliff area immediately north of the trucks, just to your
west. You will be rushed by at least the four moving men when the shooting
starts. When Egan can see the whole convoy, he's set. Get Rhett on the top
level back a short ways and facing west/southwest so he can cover any men who
make it to the clifftop and cover the last part of the cliff ascent as well.
This ambush will depend mainly on Egan shooting FAST. First target the VC
right next to the villager, and make sure you kill him on the first shot or he
will charge too. On the first shot, the two patrolling near the trucks will
rush. Try to get them before the cliff angles provide cover. If they're out
of sight, quickly shift to the last two stationary guards near the trucks and
take them out while you have a spare minute and let the rushers climb the
cliffs. Don't take more than two or three shots at those two, though, because
the VC will get into firing range quickly. Switch off the scope or quickly
switch to a machinegun and hose anyone who gets near you. When the shooting
stops, if the two near the trucks are still alive, take them out. It's still
not safe yet, though, as the cliffs continue above the trucks to the north even
higher than your cliff position. Creep Egan west, on the cliff top, scanning
the clifftops north and around and take out any snipers you see. Then you are
ready to take out the trucks.
Reinforcements will appear on the map when the last truck is destroyed. First,
though, claim the three first aid kits and RPGs that are there. Each truck
will take two LAWs before blowing up, so go ahead and empty Rhett's LAWs into
the first two trucks, then finish off with the RPG. Before blowing up the last
truck, though, hide Egan in some brush just west of the last truck, facing
west, as the first reinforcements will appear there. Pop the truck, then
switch Rhett to a machinegun to support Egan as you take out the two men who
will rush you from the west. Then, head together back along the east road.
As you head back east on the road, watch for the several reinforcements in the
brush on the right/south side of the road and in the rocks just to the north.
Creep in the brush slowly on the right side of the road, watching for the
jungle to open up towards the south so you can make the final descent into the
river valley. As soon as you can turn south, do so, and you should then be on
a ridge overlooking a valley descent to the river to the south. Continue south
along the ridgetop, watching ahead for snipers and hidden guards. Just as the
ridge you are on starts to curve back to the west, you will be near some rock
outcroppings in the middle of the valley. Hide Egan there on sniper duty and
get Rhett over to the rocks. This might draw out the many snipers in the brush
at the river bottom, but between the two men and their high-ground/cover
advantage you should make short work of them. Southeast of the rocks in the
middle of that valley are a few more guards in the river and a sniper on the
south cliffs on the south side of the river, so watch for them and use Egan to
snipe them out. Once they are dead,just get in the water and head east -
Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 7
BRIEFING: With enemy activity increasing in the area, I get to spend a night
out in the woods looking for Victor Charlie. My spotter and I have been ordered
to stake out a couple of trails that Intelligence believes the enemy is using.
It's time to make like a ghost and disappear into the jungle. We will make the
VC and NVA afraid of the dark.
OBJECTIVES:
- Kill Commander 1
- Kill Commander 2
- Kill Commander 3
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M-21 with Starlight Scope, .45 Pistol, Claymore Mine,
Two first aid kits
Pvt. Gareth Vaughan - Knife, M60, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, First Aid Kit, Ammo
belt
Enemy Strength Assessment: The three main patrols are fairly dangerous - three
AK-47-armed troopers escorting an officer with a Tokarev. Aside from the
patrols, though, the opposition is very light on the way out, with only very
sparsely scattered snipers and patrolmen, either lone or at most in pairs.
After all three patrols are dead, though, the way back to the exit zone is
reinforced with three main guardpoints with three to four troopers each.
Having an automatic weapon on your spotter is a must to avoid being rushed to
death, and it wouldn't hurt to grab an AK47 for yourself as well and switch
quickly after your first sniper shot. Fortunately some of the patrols are
stationary, so if you can get close enough a grenade might do well for an
initial attack.
Synopsis: You start south of an east-west valley that has two main roads
running parallel to each other and crossing in an "X" formation just north of
you. The patrols are at the east and west ends of these roads. Get to the
roads, roam around to get your bearings, find and eliminate the patrols, then
carefully shoot your way back up the hill you came down to get to the exit
zone.
Walkthrough: You start out near the southeast corner of the map, on high
ground. Ahead of you the path you are on descends into a valley heading north
into a dense jungle. Crouch and get under cover, then head towards your
east/right, to get near the ridge on the right of the valley heading north and
down. Take Egan up the side to give him a better vantage point for sniping.
Just south of the start you should be able to make out the first of many
snipers, stationed on a rock outcropping looking west. Stay on that ridge side
and follow it around towards the north and as it curves northeast. A short
ways around the curve of the ridge you should see another hidden ambusher
behind some rocks. Snipe him out, but get ready for another nearby patrolman
to rush you. Continue around this ridge, descending onto the valley floor near
the southern east-west road. Head east along this road.
Follow this road towards the east, looking left-north for an area where an
offshoot goes off to the north towards the northern road. Head north along
this path, but watch out a few yards down it for a guard hiding in some brush.
Take him out and continue north, sticking to the east/right side of this path.
Watch for the path ahead to meet up with the northern east-west road. The
first patrol is just to the east of where the path meets the road - an officer
and three AK-47-armed guards. They are behind the ridge that separates the
last bit of path from the road, and that ridge makes a good ambush point. Get
your men onto the middle of the path, behind what cover you can find, pointed
over that ridgetop. Throw a grenade over that ridge to start off the ambush -
if you're lucky you can take out a few of the guards as well. Once everyone is
done rushing you, if the commander isn't dead, creep over the ridge, find him,
and plug him. Objective completed.
The second patrol is on the northern road at the west end of the map, past
where the two roads cross. Head west along this road, watching for a couple of
snipers in brush along the road before you get to the intersection. You will
know you are near the intersection when the path starts widening and the brush
gets thinner, and then you will see a large rock outcropping in the ridge on
the north side of the road. The rocks there form a rough ring. A sniper is on
a rocktop on the western edge of the circle, and another guard is hidden near
the north end of the rock ring. Get under cover near the eastern edge of the
rock circle, then peer over the rocks and snipe out the western guard, and wait
for the northern guard to come around and get killed. Creep around the circle
and continue west.
As you continue west, stay on the north side of the road. Scan west for a
sniper on the north side of the road. Take him out and wait for another hidden
guard from the south side of that area of the road to rush you and get killed.
Farther west from the sniper, also on the north side of the road, are two more
stationed guards, and then just past them is the second patrol - an officer and
one guard. Depending on distances, some of these sets of enemies will be
triggered to attack if they are in earshot, so simply stay careful and have
your spotter ready for ambush before shooting. Just keep heading west and
killing all you see until you kill that second officer. Objective Completed.
The third patrol is back on the east side of the map, but on the southern road,
past the point where you turned north to kill the first patrol. Since you've
cleared the jungle already just head back the way you came to the first
patrol's position, then south down that connecting road to the southern road.
Stop at the intersection and scan ahead to the west on that road, looking for a
couple of snipers stationed on the south ridge of that road. Take them out,
then cross to the south side of the road and continue west. As you proceed
west, scan the road ahead. Once you are near a large fallen tree you should
just be able to make out the patrol ahead through some brush. Position the
spotter, snipe them out, and kill anyone who rushed you. Objective completed.
After eliminating this patrol, the jungle will be reinforced, especially the
area heading back south towards your insertion/exit zone (this is why we didn't
take out this third patrol first, even though it meant doubling back across the
whole jungle). Head back west along the southern road towards the path out of
the valley. Your first reinforcement patrol is a trio that is hiding behind a
large boulder near where you first came onto the east-west roads, somewhat near
the crossroads. Take them out to keep your rear flank covered as you start to
turn south towards the exit zone.
You should now be near the small circle of rocks where you killed two guards at
the start of the mission. There are three reinforcements straight west from
this circle and two more southeast, in the middle of the north-south path. Use
the openings in the boulder circle to make chokepoints for the rush, and set up
to be rushed from the east. Then, peep your sniper over the top of the circle
and snipe out one guard that you can see - it doesn't matter which. This will
trigger the rush, so after shooting, duck and switch to a machinegun and stay
spry, dodging and popping up to kill anyone you can. When the shooting stops,
regroup and get ready to continue heading up the rise south. Continue north,
hugging cover, and watch for when you get near where you started as there will
be three reinforcements there with SKS rifles. Take them out, then continue
north to the top of the path and the exit zone. Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 8
BRIEFING: One of our recon teams captured an enemy soldier in Laos and brought
him back alive! The captured soldier pinpointed a supply depot hidden in a
small box canyon. While the recon team gets their week's R&R pass to Thailand,
I get to go out and scout ground for an enemy supply depot. My job is to find
the depot and call in an air strike. I guess it beats sitting around here
filling sandbags.
OBJECTIVES:
- Call in Air Strike at Correct Location
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M-21, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, First Aid Kit, Radio
Pvt, Gareth Vaughan - Knife, M60, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, First Aid Kit, 4
Smoke Grenades
Enemy Strength Assessment: The jungle between you and the enemy base is
saturated with stationed troops. Snipers are waiting on hillsides behind rocks
and trees. Machinegunners are in lean-to shelters. Stationed troops are in
occasional clusters. Advancing with some separation between your men will
allow you to set up many crossfire possibilities.
Synopsis: You start at the southeast with the enemy base north/northwest of
you. Just northwest of you is a fork area where three separate roads go
northward to another east-west conduit, which has two more roads heading north
to the base. Choose your path, head north carefully, call in the airstrike and
get back to the exit zone. Since the jungle will be reinforced after you call
in the airstrike, proceed back the way you came to minimize your danger.
Walkthrough: You start in the middle of a deep valley path heading northwest.
Get up onto the right-side ridge and scan ahead - you should see one guard
behind a large boulder. Take him out. Continue northwest along that ridge,
scanning the ground ahead. Another sniper is hidden in some brush just ahead.
Beyond the sniper you will see the main path start to open up as it spreads
east and west. This is the main fork area. There is a rock outcropping on the
north side of this clearing with an RPD gunner hidden in a lean-to just to the
west of the rocks on the ground level, facing south. Snipe him, then start to
head north on the easternmost of the three roads leading north from this
clearing.
Just after starting down this segment of path, split your men up with one on
each side of the path, on the ridgetops. A short way north on this path you
will see a large fallen tree that spans the valley with some rocks near the
tree's western side. There is an RPD gunner in a lean-to on the ridgetop near
that tree. Two more ambushers are just past him, also on the western side,
just out of sight. Set your machinegunner close to the RPD hut, snipe from
across the valley, and kill until they are all dead. Cross your western man
back over to the east side and continue both men north near the ridgetop.
The path will curve to the northwest as it meets up with other paths and opens
up again. Off to the northwest you should be able to see a guard on the valley
bottom. Take him out. Then, creep straight down the side to the valley
bottom, leave your spotter there, and get the sniper up to the hilltop on the
west side. Then, slowly advance north. Your spotter should be in the middle
of big patches of reeds, but as he creeps north he will see two men inside a
lean-to guard post. Get him into position in case they charge, then bring your
sniper into position on the ridge side and fire. Take out both guards. Then
bring your spotter up the east side about halfway and creep forward. Again,
the jungle will start to open up, but stick to that slope. Look ahead for
where the path starts to curve left - in the bushes to the right of that curve
there are two VC waiting for you. Before he attacks, bring your sniper forward
about even with him on the other side and switch to a machine gun. Then, use
the spotter to attack the two men on the low ground. Two more men will rush
from the west, but your sniper there can take care of them. Once they are all
dead, creep north along the path towards the box valley edge. If you look over
the side you'll just see the VC base below. The message to use the radio will
appear, so switch to your radio and call in the airstrike. Objective
completed.
In the radio conversation, you will hear that VC troops have reinforced the
jungle, so you'll have to fight your way back. Fortunately, as always, if you
stick to the same path you used coming in, it won't be that hard. There are
pairs and trios of guards scattered along the path back, but if you stick to
the ridges you can get all the way back without any real trouble. The heaviest
troop concentration is four troops right near the exit zone. Just take
everyone out as you go until you get back to the exit zone - Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 9
BRIEFING: One of the village woodcutters ran across three VC spotter outposts
near the base. Looks like the enemy is interested in keeping an eye on our
comings and goings. No wonder some of our recon teams were hit right after they
landed, the enemy would radio an alert soon as the choppers took off and headed
towards Laos. My spotter and I get the privilege of taking out these enemy
outposts before they do anymore damage.
OBJECTIVES:
- Eliminate Scout #1
- Eliminate Scout #2
- Eliminate Scout #3
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M-21 with Starlight Scope, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades,
First Aid Kit, M-72 LAW
Pvt. Gareth Vaughan - Knife, M1 Carbine, M79 Grenade Launcher, 4 Grenades,
First Aid Kit, M-72 LAW
Enemy Strength Assessment: This mission starts out easier than it finishes.
Your initial access is up a rocky valley with many snipers on both sides and a
machinegun hut with nearby stationed guards at the top. Through the jungle,
though, there are only occasional snipers and paired patrols. Each of the
three spy outposts has a scout guarded by one or two heavily-armed guards
(either an RPD or an RPG). The dense jungle may make some fighting difficult,
and this is worsened by the nighttime conditions and VERY heavy rainfall.
Synopsis: You start south of an east-west river. Proceed north across the
river and up a rocky valley to a jungle area where the three outposts are. The
first outpost is straight north, the second one is down an offshoot to the
west, and the third is in a rocky valley on the east side of the north-south
waterfall river towards the east end of the map. Once you've taken out the
three scouts, get back to your insertion point to exit the map. Carefully,
though, as the exit zone has been reinforced.
Walkthrough: The visibility is VERY low here with the night and heavy rain.
You will get used to it eventually, but for the start use that nightvision
scope. Cross the river ahead of you but then head to the left and STICK TO
THAT CLIFF. The path heading up the hill north is a depression right beside
that cliff, and is thus the best way to stay hidden. Keep heading up the path
until you get near a rock outcropping where the depression ends. Bring your
sniper up carefully then scan the cliffs on the far side, southeast of you, and
look for a faraway sniper on the mountain there. Take him out, then peer
around the outcropping just above you - there is another sniper just above and
ahead of you. Take him out as well, then creep forward still hugging that left
wall.
Creep again forward until you are at the base of the rock that the sniper was
on. The path bottlenecks right at this rock, with heavy brush just past it.
Also just past it is an RPD gunner in a lean-to position. He's facing east,
covering the road, so flanking him from the brush is a plus - except that it's
so thick. Letting your spotter's AI take him out is an option. Once you take
out the RPD gunner, again, look above and behind him for another clifftop
sniper to shoot. Continue on the path north, past a branch that goes off to
the east.
A short way north you will encounter another branch, this time to the west.
North of this intersection are two men crouching behind a fallen tree and some
brush. You should be able to see and snipe them from the northwest corner of
this intersection, but you will also alert two more men farther down that
western path out of sight. Set your spotter with an RPD (you didn't pick one
up? Why not? A Carbine is no way to take on an ambush!) on the north side of
the western path, facing west, ready for the ambush. Then snipe the two men
hiding to the north quickly. If you take them out before the fun starts to the
west, switch to an SMG and join in. Once this ambush is done, get ready to
continue north towards the first scout post.
Stick to that left/west side again as you continue north. Keep looking
north/northeast until you see a fire on a rise ahead of you - that fire is a
cooking fire in front of a guard house and guard tower that is the first spy
outpost. There is an RPD gunner on the guard house porch, two AK-47 guards on
the east side of the house, and the officer is in the tower. If you creep
forward enough you should be able to snipe the porch guard and officer. This
may trigger one or both guards to rush you, but you can make mincemeat of them.
Objective completed. Even after killing everyone, plunder the weapons and grab
the first aid kit in the house if you need it.
Head back south down the path on the west side, looking ahead for two
reinforcement troops who are coming north. Gun them down, and then keep
heading south to that turnoff to the west. Stick to the northern ridgetop as
you head west along that turnoff. The path will go west and then turn south,
and on the northern ridge facing south is a sniper near where the ridge curves
from west to south - creep slowly and gun him down. Continue along that ridge
side and follow it around as it curves to head south, so that you will be on
the west side of the path heading south. Again, creep slowly, and go up around
a cluster of boulders you will see just south of the curve. Stop when you are
right beside the boulders and scan ahead for a bush ahead of and below you that
hides an RPD gunner - snipe him. Then, creep your men to the middle of the
path in front of where the RPD gunner was hiding - set your spotter with a
machine gun behind some cover facing north, covering the rear, and get your
sniper up onto the eastern side. From the top of the ridge there you should be
able to see the outpost to the south of you on a small rise. There are two men
on the lower floor and the scout is on the top floor, but to the rear of the
building so you may not have a firing angle from your position here. Snipe out
the two ground floor guards, then creep up to the building and take out the
scout - objective completed. Once the scout dies, two more reinforcements will
come south to attack you, but since you set your spotter to guard against them
they should die in short order. Gather the goodies (there's an RPG launcher
here, and another first aid kit), then prepare to head to the last objective.
The last objective is due east of you, across the north-south river on your
map. Head back north and east to the main north-south path you've been on, and
cross to the eastern side. Head south until you get to that first turnoff to
the east, and follow it east, staying on that ridgetop. Just as you turn onto
the eastern path, there is a sniper far away to the south on a mountain top.
Two more VC troops are ahead of you on this path, hiding in brush on the path.
Watch for them and take them out. Continue east on the ridgetop, and look for
when it meets another north-south path near the river. Just as the ridge you
are on curves to the north, you will encounter another two-man patrol, but with
a large bush between you and them. Snipe them into an ambush or have your
spotter use that nifty M-79 to plug away - you'll either kill them or goad them
into rushing you and getting shot. Once they're dead, head straight east, down
the path and toward some rocks on the east side of the path.
These rocks are right on the edge of the north-south river, which is really a
small tributary with several waterfalls cascading down as the river descends
from the north. There are large rocks on both sides of the river, with about
four or five snipers stationed at various points around this section of river.
Creep your own sniper around the rock you are behind now to snipe at anyone you
can see immediately across the river, and then creep up some rocks just to your
north to move up to the next plateau of waterfalls and snipe anyone you can see
there. Once they're all dead you're ready to cross the river - while there is
a fallen tree far to the south, that's asking for trouble. Just climb down the
rocks and swim across, then climb back up on the east side and start creeping
south.
To your south you should be able to see where a path heads off to the east.
The path is far below the rock cliffs you are on, and fairly heavily guarded,
so you're best to stick to the high rocks. Creep south towards the turnoff
where the path heads east. Go slowly around the curve, staying as high on the
rocks as you can. There is a sniper east of the turn looking over the valley -
you can snipe him easily. Another guard is on a lower rock below you, so
you'll have to edge over and look to see where he is and snipe him. Once those
two are dead, your path is clear.
Continue with your sniper east on the clifftop. Soon after the sniper's
position you should be able to just make out the third outpost in a small
valley that opens up east of you. Find a good position to snipe and take out
the scout from long range - he's the one high up in the tower. Once you see
"Objective Completed", you know you got the right one, and it's time to bring
it home.
Once again, you'll have to fight through a reinforced jungle to get back home,
but as in past missions if you stick to the way you came in you'll only have
new reinforcements to fight. Stick to the clifftop you are on and work your
way back west, stopping when you get to the river. There are two guards in the
valley path on your side of the river, and several more guards barely visible
on the other side of the river far off to the southwest. There's PLENTY of
space between them and you, and being on the cliff side they can't really get
to you easily, so it's almost like shooting fish in a barrel. Plug anyone you
see, and anyone else who comes running, and once the area is clear descend the
cliff to the river's edge and cross the log there to get back to the west side.
You should now be right about on the path that runs east-west to the main
north-south path you first took in this mission. Head back down that path,
which is free of enemies, until you get to the north-south road. Turn south
and head back down that path, again sticking to the western wall as you do
(there are some traps on the main path in the middle of this valley. As you
get near the bottom of the path you will see a trio of reinforcements on the
far side of the river to your south - snipe them from across the river, or if
you think you can make it just run for the exit zone which is in the middle of
the river just to your south. Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 10
BRIEFING: Looks like the enemy has decided to make our lives more miserable at
Firebase Alpha One. The VC and NVA have moved in heavy machineguns on some of
the hills around the base in order to shoot down our choppers. Occasionally
they also fire those 12.7 millimeter guns into the base itself to keep our
heads down.
The problem is that the VC and NVA keep moving the guns around- making it hard
for our attack aircraft to knock them out. SPIKE and Hatchet force patrols have
been sent out to locate them while I get to stake out a couple of places with a
spotter. While we were waiting around for the mission green light, one of the
supply choppers was hit and crashed about a klick away. We were ordered to
vector to the crash site to rescue anyone still alive. Once we destroy the guns
and get to the crash sight, we will need to radio the situation to base for
evac. Alpha One wants to know what is going on with our downed bird.
OBJECTIVES:
- Destroy AA gun #1
- Destroy AA gun #2
- Confirm helicopter crew are KIA with Radio
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M21, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, First Aid Kit, Radio
Pvt. Harper Rhett - Knife, CAR-15, .45 Pistol, 3 Demolition Charges
Enemy Strength Assessment: Every visible gunner has two more hidden gunners
guarding him. There are quite a few faraway hidden snipers on the rocky
outcroppings early on in the mission. A few log bunkers are hidden here and
there and usually house one or two troopers, one with an RPD machine gun. As
you get towards the AA guns, the enemy clusters will be much heavier, with an
officer leading three to five enemy troops. The chopper crash site is
surrounded by six or seven VC troops, as is the area near the exit zone.
Automatic weapons and good cover are a must in this mission, and since Rhett is
a fairly decent sniper it wouldn't hurt to give him one of the many spare SVD's
you'll find here.
Synopsis: This map is fairly linear, as the main path starts at the south and
zig-zags east and west as it proceeds north to the northwest corner of the map.
Follow the path, sticking to the edges and ridgetops, preferably on opposite
sides of the path for the crossfire protection. The two AA guns are directly
on the way to the crash site, so clear out the enemy guarding them and then
blow them up. Once you get to the crash site, radio in to base, regroup, and
then head to your northeast to a small ridge and up the ridge to the exit zone.
Walkthrough: You start in the middle of a large valley running east-west,
facing east. As always, get to the ridge on one side before starting
forward/east - preferably the north/left side. A short way ahead there is a
pair of guards in the middle of the valley bottom. Just above and behind them,
in some rocks on the south face of the valley, is a sniper. Take them all out.
Farther to the east, where the valley path starts curving north, there is
another sniper on a large rock outcropping. Take him out, while guarding to
the east to avoid being rushed.
Get both of your men onto the north face of the valley and continue east. The
path will start going slightly uphill and curve around to head back west - and
where it does, under some heavy brush, there is a log bunker in a small
depression. An RPD gunner is inside it, who you should be able to snipe
through the side window (the bunker faces south, and you're on the west side of
it). When you shoot, though, several troops will rush from over the ridge to
the north of the bunker, so have your spotter in cover and ready. Once
everyone's dead, regroup at the bunker and use the first aid kit there if you
need it, then get ready to head north.
Creep your sniper north to the top of the ridge, over which you'll be able to
see where the path turns west. There is a guard near the rock wall to the
east, a sniper on a large rock above him, and farther away at the point of
rocks just north of you there is another sniper. Take the ground-level guard
first so that he won't rush you, then snipe out the other two snipers. Bring
both men over the ridge and start heading down the path west with one man on
each side. If you haven't rearmed everyone by now, do so, making sure that
both Egan and Rhett have sniper rifles (Rhett can take an SVD from one of the
many snipers you've already taken out) and machine guns (plenty of AK47s for
Egan, or give Rhett's CAR-15 to Egan and take that RPD from the bunker) so that
either man can snipe or give covering fire.
Get one man on each side of this valley and start heading west. Just ahead you
will see two boulders in the middle of the path. Take cover behind/beside each
of them, and scan forward - barely visible ahead, near some low brush, is a
pair of guards in the middle of the road. Take them out. Creep forward, again
sticking to the ridges as there are a couple of tripline traps in the middle of
the path. When you get to the position of those two guards you should see more
large boulders ahead that create a chokepoint in the path. There is a guard
hiding behind one of those boulders, and just past them to one side is a
lean-to with an RPD gunner inside. The lean-to faces AWAY from you, so you'll
be coming at it from the rear. Another sniper is higher up on the rocks to the
right. Furthermore, another path is meeting up with the path you are on just
past these rocks and there are two guards a short way down that fork who are
close enough to hear when the shooting starts. Take out the rocktop sniper as
far away as possible, then advance with both men on the left ridge to keep your
fire concentrated and give you a longer time to react down those men on the
other fork. Continue forward until you can see through the side of the lean-to
and take out the gunner there.
Stay on the southern slope and edge forward as it starts a gentle curve to the
left. Again, a short way ahead, there are two guards in the middle of the
path. Just past them, up on some rocks on the north slope, is another sniper.
Kill the two in the road, take cover behind a tree near their position, and
scan for and kill the sniper. Then, edge forward down the middle of the path
looking for where the path opens up and then forks. At the point of the fork
there is some heavy brush, with another RPD gunner in a lean-to behind a log.
Snipe him.
The two paths you can take here meet up later on, before the next main curve,
with the northern one having a bit heavier concentration of enemies. Still, I
recommend taking the north one because at the end there is a sniper position
which overlooks the main intersection, which is itself heavily guarded, so it's
best to take out that sniper early. Head down the right-hand fork, northwest.
Get your men on opposite sides again and edge forward. There is another
two-man patrol stationed in the middle of the path, and again just beyond them
is another sniper on some rocks on the north face. Take them out as
appropriate. Continue creeping forward, and look for another sniper behind a
tree on the north face just beyond the first sniper - because of tree cover on
the north face it's best to snipe him from the south face. Again, edge
forward.
Once your northern man is about where the second sniper was you should be able
to see another area where the path opens up ahead of you, where the other fork
rejoins this path, just as this path makes a large curve around to the north
and back east. From the north side you should be able to make out three
riflemen on the plain and another sniper on some rocks southwest of them. A
couple more riflemen are down the other path back to the east and may come
running when the fun starts. Get your south-face man behind some good cover
but leave him where he is, and use the north man to start the fun by sniping
out one of the ground guards, then the sniper, then just killing anyone he sees
moving. (I suggest starting with one of the ground guards since they will start
running as soon as the action starts, but the sniper will stay stationary, so
it's best to use that first shot to take out one of the potentially mobile
targets while it's standing still).
Once this opposition is dead, get both men onto the north face and continue
west, getting near the top of the ridge. You will see the path starting to
curve to the north with rock cliffs on the far side. There are some boulders
on the near side as well. Stick to the ground and climb upward until you are
behind a large boulder and can look straight north. Get your spotter right up
against that boulder, just below the crest of the hill facing north, and have
him ready for a rush of troops. Climb your sniper up to the top of that
boulder and look west for a sniper on the cliffs on the far side. Take him
out, and then switch to a machine gun and prepare for a charge of four troopers
from the north. Between your machinegunner and sniper you should be able to
take them out easily if you took cover in the right spots. Once they are dead,
take your sniper back over the rocks and take him farther west, so he can look
down to the valley floor to the west - on the floor, between you and the
sniper's position, is another log bunker with an RPD gunner inside. Snipe him,
then regroup at the bunker and claim the goodies there.
Just north of the log bunker you can see the path head north and then turn to
the east. There is a sniper on the large rock right at the point of the turn.
Take him out and then get your sniper up to his position. If you look east you
should see another sniper on a rock top far to the east. Take him out. Get
your spotter to some cover on the south face of the path as it continues east.
The south face is smooth, with cover, while the north face is all rocks and
boulder cliffs. Creep forward with your sniper, sticking to the clifftops, and
get to a point about halfway between the sniper you just killed and where you
shot him from. You should be able to look over the side at that point and see
another log bunker hiding an RPD gunner at the foot of the cliff below where
that second sniper was stationed. There are two more guards farther east, past
some brush, so you can either get your spotter on the south face into a cover
position ready for them or just continue with your sniper to a point where you
can take those guards out (since the guard in the bunker will stay put if the
action starts).
Bring your spotter up to the bunker, grab anything you need, then continue a
short way ahead. Farther down the path is another sniper on the cliff
overlooking three riflemen on the ground. Try to set your spotter behind some
rock cover and then open up, taking the sniper first this time. Once they're
all dead, bring the spotter forward to the position those riflemen were at and
your sniper to where the VC sniper was. Again, the path will open up as it
forks again, with both forks continuing east. At the point of the split
straight east there are two men stationed behind a boulder. The first AA gun
is north of them, behind some rocks from this angle, under a lean-to and
guarded by two VC troops. Your sniper should be able to hit one if not both of
the boulder-guards from his position. Then, bring both men together on the
valley floor and creep northeast, sticking to the smaller boulders on the
valley floor for cover. The AA gun and its guards are behind a string of two
or three larger boulders, an easy place to either pop over and fire or throw a
grenade. Once the guards are dead, have Rhett set a charge and blow up the
gun. Objective Completed.
It's best to continue down this northern fork. There is a sniper on a rock
east of the AA gun. Take him out and then get your sniper up onto the cliff
again. Take him to that sniper's position and get your spotter on the ground
at the foot of that rock. There is a second sniper on a cliff farther east,
but on a lower rock so that you won't be able to see him until you get fairly
close. Watch for him and snipe him out as soon as you see him. Take your
sniper to that second sniper's position and you'll see a third one on a large
rock east of you again - you know what to do. Get to his position and you'll
see a log bunker on the valley floor - two guards are inside this one, one
facing east and one facing south, with a couple of VC troops stationed outside
the bunker to the south, near some trees. The rock cliffs curve slightly to
the north, preparing for another large turn in the path, with another rock-top
sniper on the cliffs to your east. Once you've scoped the positions with your
sniper, bring your spotter forward, hugging the cliff base and the boulders
there, and get to a point where you are just behind a row of boulders in front
of the bunker. Get your sniper onto the south face of the boulder where the
sniper farther east can't see him and where you can see one of the guards in
the bunker. Then, snipe out the bunker guard, then switch to the spotter and
machinegun the other guards when they start running. Then, you can creep up to
the bunker and take out the last guard inside it, and use your sniper to take
out the other sniper on the cliffs to your east.
The path starts to curve to the northeast now, heading towards the last large
turn back to the west. The second AA gun is just ahead, where the path makes
the turn, behind some boulders. There are two guards near it in the lean-to,
and four more guards east of them, and a sniper overlooking from a rock that is
northwest of the gun, on one of the rocks on the cliff after it has made the
turn back west. Again, the cliffs and boulders give you the perfect ambushing
opportunity - get your sniper onto the rocks just overlooking the lean-to and
AA gun (while staying out of sight of the sniper), then bring your
machinegunner on the valley floor right to the edge of the strip of boulders
beside the AA gun. You can either trigger the ambush with your sniper taking
out one of the AA gun guards or by rolling the machinegunner out to hose the
guards beside the gun, but when the shooting starts switch back to your
machinegunner for control. Keep rounding the boulder to fire and popping back
under cover to reload, and your sniper will provide decent covering fire as the
men charge across the open ground from the east. Because of the large number
of enemies, this is definitely a job for the RPD. Once everyone is dead, take
out the sniper and again use Rhett to set a charge to blow up the gun.
Objective completed.
The path continues northwest from here, and then turns straight west to the
crash zone. Take your sniper to the position of the last sniper you killed,
and look onto the ground just northeast/north of the boulder you are on - there
are four guards stationed here ready for an advance from the ground, but
sniping from above they are easy pickings. Keep that sniper on the cliffs and
bring the spotter even with the sniper on the valley floor. Then, start
creeping your sniper forward again to the northwest. The path will go slightly
uphill and start to turn to the west - at this turn there is a small cluster of
boulders with a guard hidden in them, and behind him is another guard and a
sniper on the northern slope. Take them out, then bring your spotter to those
boulders. Continue edging forward, watching ahead for guards and taking them
out in crossfire as you advance west. Eventually the ridge will become
'shorter' as the valley floor rises and the path widens to the large clearing
that is marked on the map as being the crash area. Continue bringing the
sniper forward on the ridge until the ridge starts curving south - look to the
northwest from here and look for a log bunker hidden in some brush, near the
crest of the rise in the path. You should be able to spy a path where your
spotter can crawl up behind cover very close to that bunker. The brush
obscures your shot from the sniper, but you can bet your spotter close enough
to take him out. This may alert some guards who are west/northwest of the
bunker, so watch for them. Then, gather near that bunker entrance and look
west for a small fire that should just be visible near some trees and boulders
in the distance - that's the chopper site.
To complete this objective you have to use the radio when you are in the
clearing right beside the chopper. Boulders form a dotted ring around the
chopper site, and a few trees and sparse brush provide cover. All told, there
are between six and eight guards right around the chopper or within earshot.
Leapfrog towards the circle from the bunker you are in, sticking to trees for
cover and trying to spread out a bit. When you have a clear shot on one of the
guards in the circle, snipe him out to trigger the firefight, and then switch
quickly to a machinegun because you will be rushed FAST. Definitely have your
spotter use an RPD for this, because you'll need the ammo capacity - if you
have to stop to reload you are dead. You'll have plenty of spare ammo soon
enough, so feel free to start this battle with completely fresh clips.
Once the shooting stops, advance to the chopper and look around. You should be
able to find two CAR-15s, an M-21, and a first aid kit or two. When you have
collected what you need and regrouped, use the radio to call in to base. You
will get a message to get to the extraction zone to the northeast.
Head out the west side of the circle and then turn northeast, creeping
carefully. You should see a guard near a couple of boulders, with another
guard within earshot northeast of him. Take them out. Then, you will be near
the rise of the northern arc of this plateat - your exit zone is up at the top
of this and to your northeast. Get onto that ridge and creep forward, using
your compass and looking for the opening in the jungle that marks the exit
zone. Scan ahead for a sniper who is on the slope east of the exit path. When
you snipe him, you will trigger a rush of four or five troops from the exit
zone, so once again get your spotter ready with a machinegun, and switch
quickly to a machinegun after sniping. Try to move to cover, if you can, but
since they are cresting the hill as they descend to attack, you might be better
off just shooting fast and taking them out before they clear the crest enough
to fire at you. However you do it, take them all out, then continue up the
slope and out the northeast to the exit zone. Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 11
BRIEFING: No one looks forward to crawling around in a cave full of hard-core,
well-armed communists- even me! One of the village woodcutters pinpointed a
number of likely cave entrances, so several "tunnel rat" teams were formed and
sent to investigate each entrance. I could only imagine what was waiting for us
in those caves- and none of it was good.
OBJECTIVES:
- Get to the exit zone
**NOTE - while the only objective necessary to complete the mission is to get
to the exit, there are three 'objective' positions on this map that are areas
to be destroyed with explosives. You will not see them on the map and the
compass will not point to them, so you must search for them to find them, but
they will be marked when you get to them by a flashing red light and the
on-screen message "Place Charge Here".
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M21, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, 2 First Aid Kits
Pvt. Harper Rhett - Knife, CAR-15, .45 Pistol, 3 Demolition Charges
Enemy Strength Assessment: Outside the cave there are a few ridgetop snipers
and two- and three-man guard patrols. As usual, get your spotter to cover with
an automatic weapon before opening up with your sniper. Inside the cave the
enemies are much more densely clustered, oftentimes coming at you five and six
at a time. While the shotgun is a tempting weapon, it's really only good for
one-on-one encounters - automatic weapons, especially the heavier machine guns,
are your best bet. Grenades can be bounced around corners as well.
Synopsis: You start west of a small river. East of this river is a small
mountain which has roads leading both ways around it to the cave entrance.
Head across the plain and river, around towards the north of the small mountain
to the cave entrance, and then through the cave, killing and blowing up
everything along the way.
Walkthrough: You start at the west end of the map, in a small valley, facing
east. Just ahead of you the valley opens up to a small plain. Go prone, then
crawl both men to your right and forward, heading for a low boulder on the
right side where the valley opens up to the plain. Put your spotter on the
ground behind that rock, facing northwest, and have your sniper climb to the
rockto, looking on the ridge to the northwest - you should see a sniper far off
in the distance there. Once you take him out you will trigger a rush of five
men - two men coming from the plain to your south and three coming from the
plain to your north. Use your sniper to take as many out quickly as you can,
letting your spotter take them automatically. Then, use the sniper to scan
straight east to look for a sniper on a rock outcropping on the big mountain
across the plain. Take him out.
Get both men back onto the plain floor and grab up the AK47s off the dead men -
Egan will definitely need an automatic weapon of some sort. Then, once you're
armed, head east, across a small stream running north-south, and get to the
base of the mountain there. Just north of the mountain a path continues
through a valley east towards the tunnel entrance. Take your sniper up the
rock face until he's as high as he can go, then start creeping around to the
north. Look over the side to see two guards on the valley floor - take them
out. A third one is too close to the mountain to snipe from above, so bring
your spotter around and machinegun him. Look east towards a choke point to see
another guard in some brush and snipe him out, then crawl forward.
Your sniper will have to descend to get onto the rock on the southern side of
the chokepoint. Beyond the chokepoint is a small clearing with a path heading
off to the south and the tunnel opening in the east wall. An RPD gunner is
stationed beside the door, and two other guards are near where the path
continues to the south. Using the boulder you are on for cover, snipe the RPD
gunner and then the two other guards. Move down into the clearing, bring in
your spotter, and gather the weapons - that RPD will come in pretty handy in
some of the intense firefights you're about to have in the closed quarters of
the tunnels. Stay on your belly to avoid being seen by the guard just inside
the tunnel entrance.
Once you're armed and ready, crawl up to the the foot of the tunnel mouth, and
then pop up and kill the guard you can see inside. A second guard farther in
and around a curve will come running, so be ready and pop him. Move inside and
grab the grenades or shotgun laying there if you need them. Creep slowly down
that tunnel, sticking to the left wall as it curves to the left. Use the wider
view of third-person camera view to look around the corner as you advance, and
look ahead for a T-junction with an RPD gunner waiting. He will probably hear
you before you get to his position. Once you see where he is, get your spotter
with an RPD ready against the left wall and prone, so he has the maximum cover
from people rushing the tunnel, then use the sniper to pop around the corner
quickly and blast the guard. When that happens, pop back behind your spotter,
switch to a machine gun, and brace yourself for an onslaught of about eight or
nine troops - there are several VC troops down both arms of the T-junction
ahead and they will ALL rush you when you shoot. Just stay in cover and shoot
them right as they turn the corner. If you're particularly brave, you can try
bouncing a grenade or two ahead around the curve, or maybe using one of your
men to pop back out, fire off a quick burst, and then get back under cover to
break up the attack somewhat. When it ends you'll have a ton of AK47s to
plunder.
Head to that T-junction and then pick a direction. Both paths meet up later
on, forming a circle, so it doesn't matter much which direction you go. To the
left the path turns right and goes down a straightway with a room off to the
right. In that room is a first aid kit and a pair of demolition charges. The
straightway continues to an S-curve that goes right then left, and on the
straightway after that S-curve is another turn-off to the right with a guard at
the intersection. That turnoff is the loop back to the other arm of the first
T-junction. If you come at it from this direction that path goes straight,
curves to the right, and goes all the way back to the first t-junction hallway
and turns right to bring you back to that junction. Just before that last turn
is another room off to the right (inside the loop) that is one of the places
you should demolish with explosives. There is an SVD and a first aid kit in
the room, though, so collect those before blowing the place up. Since most of
the guards in this loop of tunnel were drawn off by the first major firefight,
the only men you should encounter are two or three troops in the tunnel segment
that turns off past the S-curve.
Once you've blown up the room there and taken all your goodies, get back to
that intersection where the loop closes past the S-curve. The path continues
and makes another S-curve to the left and then back to the right. On the next
straightaway there is a small alcove off to the left hiding an RPD gunner.
That straightway ends with another turn right, another short straightway, then
another S-curve right then left. Past that S-curve you should be able to see a
very large room ahead. This has some tables in it, a sandbag position, and
about five guards inside and just beyond who will come running to fight. Try
to pop them with the sniper rifle before you have to machine gun them near the
S-curve. When enemies stop coming, go into the room and you'll see that it's
another destruction point. Gather the weapons and the first aid kit there,
then head out the tunnel that continues out the other side of the room. That
short tunnel ends at a dead end, but there is a turnoff to the left. That
turnoff ends at a distant T-junction with another guard at the intersection, so
snipe him out, then you can use that turnoff as cover from the explosion when
you blow up that room. Get under cover, set the charge, and run. Boom.
Continue carefully to the T-junction, but don't go into the intersection just
yet. Edge up to it and peer around carefully. The right path continues a long
straight way and ends at the cave exit. There is a guard near the exit. The
left path continues a short way and makes an S-curve to the right and then
left. Nobody is in sight, but there are a couple of guards in earshot down
past the S-curve. To tackle this, get your sniper ready, pop out, and kill the
man to the right quickly, then turn around, bring out your spotter, and get MGs
ready to unload on anyone coming at you. Once they are dead, head around the
S-curve, but beware before the final turn - the tunnel goes a short way past
that S-curve and ends with an RPD gunner standing waiting for you. Snipe him
quickly. There is a turnoff to the right just before that tunnel ends - this
turnoff goes to the last destruction point, another room. Get on your belly
and creep forward, edging around to look at the room. There is a maze of
sandbags in this room, with three guards stationed at various points waiting
for you. By staying on your belly and firing quickly you should be able to
take them all easily. Gather the goodies (the plundered weapons off the dead,
an RPD, and a first aid kit) and then blow up the room. For a nice chuckle,
look by the barrels near the right-side wall of the room ('right' being
relative to the way you entered the room). Once the room is blown up, you're
ready to escape.
The escape on this is ridiculously easy. Head back up the tunnel past the
S-curve and go straight. You'll see the exit ahead of you. Be careful when
you're a few yards from the exit, as there's a clifftop sniper outside the
tunnel, across from the exit, waiting for you - but if you look ahead with your
scope you should be able to see and snipe him from inside the tunnel. Also,
right at the exit, there is another guard just barely visible behind some rocks
outside the exit on the valley floor. Pop him or chuck a grenade to kill him.
Then, just head out of the tunnel and up the valley until you get the magic
words: Mission Completed.
-*-*-*-
MISSION 12
BRIEFING: Firebase Alpha One is under attack by a large number of VC and NVA.
Making it all the more difficult is that surrounding area is fogged in, and
that means no air support or evac until the visibility gets better. My spotter
and I picked up our gear and started back to base. If there was going to be a
fight, we sure wanted a piece of the action!
OBJECTIVES:
- Reach commander
- Protect commander
- Radio for support
- Get to the exit zone
LOADOUT:
Pvt. Chris Egan - Knife, M21, .45 Pistol, 4 Grenades, First Aid Kit, Radio
Pvt. Harper Rhett - Knife, CAR-15, .45 Pistol, 3 Demolition Charges
Enemy Strength Assessment: The VC are in very strong force in this mission.
The plain leading to Firebase Alpha One is covered with patrols and stationed
guards, resulting in several multiple-man firefights with very sparse cover.
The opposition is just as strong at the Firebase, but more dangerous since they
have taken the entrenched positions there and thus have the advantage of the
trenches and guard towers as well as sheer numbers. Slow advances and careful
sniper use is absolutely essential to completing this mission, as is good
covering fire.
Synopsis: You start southeast of the mountain that Firebase Alpha One is on.
You will head northwest across the plain to the foot of the mountain and then
climb the mountain. Once on top, you should circle the base perimeter to pick
off all of the opposition there, then climb the central hill to find Commander
Reed. Once there, get ready to be rushed by several large squads of NVA and VC
troops. When they're dead, call for support on the radio.
Walkthrough: You start out in a small grove which opens up to a plain in front
of you. The ground ahead is flat and sparsely covered with small trees and
boulders. Such an open terrain provides problems since the enemy can come at
you from almost any direction. Be sure to think in 360 degrees when taking
cover. At the mission start, move ahead slightly and scan ahead with your
sniper rifle. You should see some rocks and burning trees ahead with a couple
of dead American troops nearby. A guard is behind one of the boulders to the
left, and taking him out will trigger a rush of men from the trees to your far
left and from beyond the rocks to your right. Stay put until the enemies stop
coming, then gather some extra weapons - give Egan an AK47 and load it with
ammo, and pick up any of the other gear laying around that you'll need.
There's an M79 that will come in handy against some clustered troops later, and
you don't need those demolition charges, so drop them to make room and shuffle
things accordingly. Then, head off to the north.
As you proceed, leapfrogging to cover positions is a must if you want to stay
alive. Just move slowly and keep advancing to your north and northwest until
you start to see the mountain rising ahead of you to your northeast. You can
see from the map that there is a gentle slope up the south face of the
mountain, the main road to the base, but that road is heavily guarded. Try to
swing north and arc in to the west so that you come up the east face of the
mountain. When you get the mountain in sight, spend a good amount of time
scanning the mountainside for snipers, picking them off as you spot them. They
are typically on the face of the mountain, not the top, so be aware. Once an
approach is clear, head to that east side of the mountain and climb up the east
face, using the large boulders as company. Have your machine guns ready and
stop just below the crest of the hill.
The top of the mountain is Firebase Alpha One. It's roughly a wide plateau
with a slight ridge at the outside, then a trench dug in a circle around a
central hill. The hilltop is a landing pad and serves as the command post -
there is a commmand post there with a tower beside it. Outside of the trench
is a set of sandbags, and then outside of that is a ring of guard towers which
are tall enough to look over the outer ridge of the base. Barbed wire
stretches control access to the base. The only real openings are the arc from
the road coming into the south of the base around the SE quadrant to the east
side of the base - which is your access point. The VC have occupied the base,
with snipers on the ridgetops around the outer ridge and in many of the guard
towers, posted guards on the plain outside the sandbags, and patrolling guards
inside the trench.
Your mission is to get to the top of the central hill, where the commander is
hiding in the command hut, but not only is this an exposed position, it also
triggers a massive wave of VC troops. Your best bet for survival is to start
by making a complete circuit of the base, killing everyone you can find before
ascending the central hill. By peering over the ridge on the east side, you
should be able to see a guard in a tower on the east edge of camp. There are
four patrolling troops within earshot on the plain to your south/southwest.
Get your spotter with machine gun ready facing along the ridge south, and then
use the sniper to snipe the tower guard. Then, keep an eye out towards the
south and kill everyone you see moving. When the shooting stops, you can
complete the climb over the ridge and into the base. Head for the tower where
you killed the sniper and head up to gather a rich prize - a fully-loaded M21
and the SVD off of the dead VC troop. With both men sniper-armed you're ready
to take the base.
From this position it doesn't matter much which direction you go - just pick
one and make a full circle, stopping to scan ahead frequently. Crawl and use
those sandbags as cover, or get inside the trench and use the depression as
cover, popping up just long enough to snipe. The heaviest troop concentrations
are on the south side, where there are several snipers both on the ridges and
the plains and even in the guard tower on the SW edge of base. More guards are
near the sandbags at the north/northwast corner of the trench system. A few
guards and patrolling trench guards are on the north and northeast corner.
Just go slowly and scan ahead, picking them off as you go. When you're back
where you started, the base is fairly secure, so it's time to head up to the
command post and finish this mission.
Climb the hill and you will see a Huey chopper on the ground burning. Across
the airfield from it, near the west end of the hilltop, is the command hut
(really just two parallel walls with a roof on top and a table inside) where
the commander is hiding, armed with a pistol, and a sniper tower beside the
hut. A first aid kit is in the middle of the hilltop near the Huey. Inside
the hut is an M60 (if you're out of RPD ammo) and another first aid kit, and in
the tower top there is another fully-loaded M21. When you get near the hut you
will complete the first objective and thus trigger the first of three large
attack waves, so do this quickly: Get to the top. Put Egan up in the tower,
facing south, then switch to Rhett, get him a heavy machine gun (either switch
to an RPD if you carry one or drop something and pick up that M60), get him
just inside the command hut, but prone and facing out to the south, towards the
main road that comes up into the Firebase. By then the first wave will attack.
You will be attacked by three waves of enemy troops: Three troops with AK47s, a
commander with varied armament, and a sniper. They will come up from the south
and charge straight up the south side of the hill towards your command hut.
Use Egan to snipe out as many as you can before they reach the hill, and as
they crest it, and hopefully you'll kill enough that Rhett can chew up the
remainders with the M60. Once Rhett is opening up on them, scan south for the
sniper in the group, who will most likely hang back (near the trenches or
sandbags) to the south and try to snipe at Egan in the tower. Killing the
first wave commander will trigger the second wave, and again use Egan to snipe
them before they hit the hill, then spy out the sniper and let Rhett take the
remainders. Killing that wave commander will trigger the third, with the only
difference here being that instead of a sniper there is an extra troop with an
RPG - needless to say, you must take him out FAST. Once they're all dead,
you'll get a notice that the second objective is completed. Then, just have
Egan switch to the radio and call in for support - Mission Completed, and
congratulations, you just finished the game!
-*-*-*-
--- VI - Cheats ---
To enable cheats, you must use the Global Talk key (defaults to the
single-quote key) to enter chat mode, then type 'cheatcheat' to turn cheats on.
After cheats are enabled, enter chat mode again and type in the appropriate
code:
All trademarks are property of their respective owners, and no infringement is
intended in their use in this document. Thanks to nFusion for creating such a
great game.
