This is a strategy guide for Level 10 of the Plymouth Campaign (on medium, although it can be applied to other difficulties,) to help other people that struggle with it.It took me a long time until I was able to beat this mission. I had no problem with the Eden campaign, nor the other Plymouth missions, but I got stuck on this one. I found it particularly challenging because I like to play conservatively, defensively, and expansively (prioritizing long-term growth,) which is precisely what you cannot do in this mission. It's challenging because:
1. The computer is constantly pumping out vehicles.
2. As soon as you step inside the base, you get swarmed.
3. The base is well defended on all sides, with no specific weaknesses.
4. The computer will re-build buildings that you have destroyed, if you let them. (I.e Tokomaks.)
5. When it hits mark 400 (on medium) the computer blitzes you, regardless of where you are and what you are doing. (It will also blitz you when you pick up all objectives.)
6. One of the Advanced Labs is in the very back of the base, well guarded no matter which direction you enter from.[/li]
As a result, several strategies will not work. You cannot sit back and simply try to capture the units that patrol outside the base to develop an army because the computer will build up units faster than you can capture them, and has even more reinforcements from inside its garages when it blitzes you. Likewise, you cannot slowly siege the base down for the same reasons. You cannot try to sneak a squadron to each objective and make a break for it because you will be swarmed, and the Advanced Lab in the back is too well guarded. While taking out the power plants (the 2 Tokomaks, the Geothermal Plant, and both Command Centers) is somewhat effective, the power plants are effectively spread throughout the base, which means you have to destroy most of the base first. You cannot charge in blindly because you don't strongly out-gun the computer.
Here's how I recommend doing it:
First, be ready to save the game multiple times. I save games repeatedly, usually without overwriting them. Remember, if you want to keep more than 10 saved games, you can copy the SGAME0 through SGAME10 files in the Outpost 2 directory to somewhere else, and then later replace them into the Outpost 2 folder. SGAME0 through SGAME9 are slots 1-10, SGAME10 is some sort of information about all of slots 1-10.
When you start, slow the game down. I played most of the game on the lowest speed possible, until I knew victory was assured. This was particularly important as I had 2 battlefronts for most of the game.
Then, send the 3 EMP Lynx along with half your Spiders (about 4) down to bottom common mine near the base, thereby intercepting all vehicles that come out of the bottom of the base. I'll refer to this as "Group Alpha". By micro-managing these units for the rest of the game, you should be able to capture at least 6 enemy Panthers (EMP and Rail Gun) that are built and sent to patrol in that direction, as well as 6 or more Cargo Trucks. The cargo trucks are essentially useless, except as fodder. Keep the Cargo Trucks in front of the EMPs and Spiders to take the first few hits from the Rail Gun panthers, then disable with EMP and capture with Spiders.
Remember, if you have non-EMP units in a fight where you're trying to capture units, have them simply attack some random spot on the ground to keep them busy from damaging the units that will soon be yours.At the same time, send the rest of your units up to the top entrance. This will be "Group Beta". Try to capture a few units with your EMP Tiger and Spiders, and be sure not to hit your Spiders with your own Stickyfoam splash damage. Once you're regrouped, destroy the walls around the Acid Cloud Turret. Then take out the Acid Cloud Turret, first distracting it with one unit from one angle (say, an RPG Panther,) then pounding it with RPG and EMP, hopefully minimizing the amount of damage you incur. There will probably be a patrol of 3 panthers in the upper right, you can capture those with your EMP Tiger, hopefully one or more EMP Panthers you've captured, and a few Spiders. Meanwhile, destroy a couple more walls to clear the way for you to flood in.
Constantly be checking back at Group Alpha for new units coming on patrol for you to capture. The Cargo Trucks don't really matter, but the Panthers are very nice to have.
Now comes the scary part, so definitely save the game first. Then send Group Beta in the new opening at the top. Try to micro-manage the battle as best you can. Feel free to use the Supernova units whenever it's convenient. Be sure not to destroy the Spaceport, though, you will need to grab the two starship components from it.
When you've hopefully destroyed their mad rush, the hardest part is over. You can proceed to eat away at their base. I would recommend first destroying the top Tokomak, then the outer Command Center, then the Geothermal Plant and the second Command Center. Obviously destroy any vehicles and Guard Posts that get in your way. Whenever it's convenient, destroy the Vehicle Factories.
Meanwhile, you can send the few Rail Gun Panthers that you have captured in Group Alpha to the bottom right corner of the base and destroy two parts of the wall and then attack the Tokomak. You have to destroy the wall first because Rail Guns cannot shoot over obstacles (i.e. walls.)
If you have destroyed both Tokomaks, the Command Centers and the Geothermal Plant, the rest of the base is now disabled, as long as you don't let them rebuild any power plants. Destroy the Garages and you're home free. Send two Cargo Trucks next to the space port, an Evacuation Transport to each of the Advanced Labs, and send them all back to the starting location (the White circular beacon.)
In summary:
1. Send EMP Lynx and a few spiders down to intercept and capture patrols.
2. Send the rest of the army up and capture a few units.
3. Destroy the top acid turret.
4. Attack in from the top.
5. Destroy the power production buildings (Tokomaks, Geothermal Plant, Command Centers.)
6. Destroy Garages.
7. Win.[/li]
Some pictures:
Group Alpha, with several panthers stolen, and an enemy panther on its way to be captured.
Group Beta, with the Acid Guard Post destroyed and the EMP units + Spiders beginning to steal the Upper Right patrol group, just before invading the base.
My ending army. Reinforcements at the end are together in the upper left. Notice that I captured quite a few units. In fact, half my army are the 17 captured panthers. Humorously, if you look carefully at the minimap, you'll see a red dot. That's a common ore storage building that I built with the captured Con Vec.
