Defcon 5 strategy

Note: The object of the game is to escape the defense station with evidence that will prove the attack on the station was an inside job. The game is a non-linear adventure. Although many events happen at a pre-determined time, the order in which items are collected is open. There are may possible paths to complete the game.

The following items are needed to escape MRP-6F and win:

Robot PAD (personal access device): Enter the area in the upper right hand corner of the Control Room and step to the right. The PAD will be at the 12 o'clock position.

Self Destruct PAD: Available on Level 7 Administration. It is used set the self destruct timer before escaping the complex.

Two Fighter Escort PADs: Available at the crash sites of ships that are shot down. Some of the crash sites marked with a green dot will have these items after the third attack wave. Fighter Escorts will protect your unarmed shuttle when during the escape.

Security Upgrade: Available at a crash site marked with a yellow dot. This item upgrades your security clearance and proves that the attack on MRP-6F was engineered by the Tyron Corporation's Defense Department.

Shuttle PAD: Available at the first crash site (marked with a white dot). This is the where the shuttle that was shot down at the beginning of the game crashed.

Software Control PAD: Available on level 6 Administration in the area immediately to the right of the Control Room access door. This item allows you to adjust the defense software so it works properly and defends the space station.

Security PADs can be found in certain areas of MRP-6F. There are three types of pads:

Droid: Allows reconnaissance droids to be sent out to search the wreckage of crash sites or combat droids to stop intruders or patrol the halls.

Self Destruct: Allows security clearance to activate the Self Destruct mechanism in extreme situations. For a definition of an extreme situation, check the Archives section of the VOS for information on Tyron Security Protocol.

Software Control: Allows adjustment to the defense software's parameters. This may be used to make the station's turrets more effective against incoming attackers or to automatically reload when the ammo runs out. More information about adjusting defense software parameters is in the Archive section of the VOS.

There are four types of enemies that will be encountered. Except for color, they are identical in appearance.

In the early portion of the game, green Berserkers will appear. They are not very tough or intelligent. Three or four shots are needed to destroy them.

As the game progresses, blue Beserkers will appear. They are tougher and a slightly smarter than the green variety.

Further along the game, red versions of Beserkers will be encountered. They are very tough and intelligent, with and attack with a new strategy. Red Beserkers will begin to swarm and back your character into a corner.

The final Beserker type is yellow. Retreat if they are encountered.

Berserker or Combat Droids that are destroyed will pollute the surrounding area on that level. Watch the oxygen meter for each area explored. Unbreathable air will cause damage and result in death. Unbreathable air can be made more breathable by opening doors to other areas (including elevators) to allow fresh air to mix with the contaminated air. This task may also be done by your combat droids.

Doors can be locked in the complex to trap Berserkers. Find a VOS terminal, preferably in a room that can be locked. Activate the VOS term and go to the tactical VOS screen. Select the station map. Place the cursor over a door and press the appropriate button. The door should turn white to indicate that it is locked. Watch the Beserkers until a group of them enter a room, then lock them in.

Note the location of accessible LIMO stations. The LIMO is used for transportation around the complex, including Hangar A during the escape. LIMO stations may shut down due to damage to the complex.

Make sure you have a path to leave the defense station. Once all necessary items are collected, enter the VOS in the Control Room and set Self Destruct. You will not be allowed to leave if Self Destruct has not been activated.

Radar: Displays other lifeforms in your area of the complex.

Current Gun Type: There are five types of guns (yellow, green, red, blue) The blue gun is the most lethal.

Air Quality: When alien intruders or your own combat droids are destroyed within the complex, they pollute the air.

Life Meter: The game ends if this reaches zero.

Ammo: The amount of ammunition in the current clip.

Number of Ammo Clips: The number of remaining ammunition clips. More can be found throughout the MRP-6F complex.

The following items will be displayed during turret sequences:

Turret Temperature: As many as six ships may attack the complex at once. Do not fire in a steady stream to avoid overheating the turret.

Damage: The amount of damage taken by the turret. When it approaches level, an evacuation warning will appear.

Missiles: The remaining number of missiles in turret.

Bullets: The remaining number of bullets in turret.

Radar: Displays the attacking ships in relation to where the turret is aimed. This is not available when a turret is accessed from the VOS remote.

The VOS is the computer system that runs MRP-6F. With proper security clearance, almost every operational aspect of the defense station can be controlled. The VOS can be broken down to four main areas, each area housing several more sub-areas:

• Tactical
  • Base Status: Determines the current defense condition (Defcon) and current station operational status.
  • Defense System
  • Defense Status: Information about the current Operational Status (life support, power systems, defense condition, and base status), the amount of damage the MRP-6F has taken (broken down by area), and the amount of damage the defense systems have taken. Any area or turret that has incurred 100% damage is impassable or inoperable. MRP-6F has an automated repair function. Damaged sections of the complex, as well as the six gun turrets all will be repaired automatically if the automated repair function is still operating.
  • Droid System: Combat and reconnaissance droids can be launched with proper security clearance. Recon droids can be sent to a salvage a specific wreckage site for useful items. Combat droids can be placed anywhere, except in elevators or turrets, in MRP-6F. They can defend against intruders or strategically block key access ways.
  • Software Control: Used to activate the station's automatic defense software. The software's parameters can be altered with proper security clearance. Altering the software's parameters will send different instructions to the turrets, such as to automatically reload missiles or to change to a different shell type.
  • Turret Control: Allows any of the six turrets to be reloaded or manned. When manning a turret through the VOS, a "low-res" view of the planet from the remote camera located in each turret will appear. Incoming ships can be fired upon, but this technique is not as accurate as actually entering the turret itself. There is no access to the MRP-6F radar system when manning a turret through the VOS.
  • Emergency Communications: Used to communicate with the Tyron Mothership, the Dinex Mining Installation, or to the Tyron Corporation Headquarters. Emergency Communications are only available in an "emergency" situation.
  • Facilities
  • Escape Systems: Indicates whether there are escape shuttles and fighter escorts in the hanger. The likelihood of a successful escape will also be displayed.
  • Inventory Control: Reloads the turrets and checks ammunition stock.
  • Self Destruct: Allows the destruction of the defense station with the proper security clearance.
  • Station Map: Used to scan any level of MRP-6F, to check the position of combat droids, or display the location of intruders. The air quality of any area can be determined by its color on the map.
• Operations
  • Base Status: Same function as entry under Tactical.
  • Droid Systems: Same function as entry under Tactical.
  • Operational Status
  • Defense Status: Same function as entry under Tactical.
  • Environmental Status: Displays the air quality and power systems within MRP-6F. The worse shape the defense station's environment is in, the harder it will be to breathe. Destruction of alien intruders and combat droids will pollute the environment within the immediate area. The VOS will automatically seal off areas that are unfit for humans. Note that alien intruders and droids can survive in polluted environments.
  • Station Map: Same function as entry under Tactical.
• Archives: This is a large online library of information that contain clues and historical data.
  • The Tyron Corporation: The company that hired you.
  • The Dinex Corporation: The company that owns the mining facility that MRP-6F defends.
  • The MXC Corporation: Tyron Corporation's main competitor. It deals primarily in computers and military hardware.
  • Miscellaneous: A variety of notes and facts, including information on the current Earth government.
  • Navigational Map: Displays your current location and items of interest in the immediate area.
• Communications
  • External Communications: Allows general communication with the outside world including other defense stations.
  • Local Communications: Allows communication throughout MRP-6F.
  • Emergency Communications: Same function as entry under Tactical.

After arriving at Hanger A, move forward and turn to the right. Move toward the LIMO door and call the LIMO. Select Admin Level 2 as the destination and active the LIMO

Exit the LIMO, turn left, move forward, then turn right to reach an elevator. Call the elevator, select Admin Level 6 and activate the elevator.

Exit the elevator and move to the right until the pink and red Tyron emblem on the wall appears. Move towards the emblem and enter the automatic doors. Continue moving towards each red Tyron emblem, which will lead you to the left to another elevator. Take the item in the corner en-route to the elevator for extra ammunition.

Call the elevator, select Control Room, and activate the elevator.

Move towards one of the two blue and white Tyron emblems that are on each side of the Control Room. These are VOS terminals. Activate the VOS terminal to receive a briefing from the Tyron Corporation. After the briefing ends, install the defense software by entering the Tactical Node, then to the Defense Systems Node, and to the Software Control Node. While in Software Control, Install from Pad should be highlighted. Install the defense software to activate the turrets that defend the mining installation.

Software control is probably the most important factor in the game. With the proper adjustments, the turrets can have the same accuracy as under personal control. Before adjusting the software parameters, locate a software control pad (such as in Admin Level 6). When you attain the pad and log into a VOS terminal, your security access will be upgraded.

Next, adjust the turrets' parameters. Set the MEF at 11111 to allow the turrets to fire missiles manually. Set the GET to 111111 to allow the guns to fire automatically. Set the ART to 000000 to allow the guns to reload automatically. Increase the TBF and DBF settings to 100 to allow the guns to take more damage before failing. Finally, set the reload weapons types for the guns. These correspond to the Turret Weapon Layout. The should be varied to conserve the weapon reserves.

The weapons for the turrets range in number from 1 to 6. As the number increases, the respective numbers related to the weapon (range, speed, power) increase, while the numbers of available weapons decreases. Take this into consideration when loading a turret. (Do not load all of your turrets with level 6 bullets and missiles or they will quickly run out).

A recommended loadout out for the six turrets is one type of each missile and bullet in each turret. (Load one turret with level 1 bullets and level 4 missiles. Do a similar combination in the other turret to conserve ammunition.)

There are three different power-up icons that can be picked up (weapon, health restore, and ammunition).

You can deploy both reconnaissance and combat droids. The recon droid will retrieve things, like compatible weapons for the turrets and other types of security pads.

Combat droids can slow down the Berserkers. However, combat droids will not stop Berserkers for long, due to their weak their damage capacity. Place them in strategic locations such as elevator doors, VOS terminals, and LIMO access doors.
Copyright © 1996, 1997 Al Amaloo. All rights reserved.