Calderas Gold v1.1

[knelson]

Oh no, ACME has another traitor General psj3809. It seems the general has comandeered one of ACME's most profitable bases and is mining for his own personally gain. Sieze the base and Kill General psj3809.

Author
Keith Nelson

History
>Released 3/19/04
>Modified map in upper left area 3/25/04

[goblin_merchant]

Can't wait to try this!

[joshlerman]

Excellent mission. I loved the layout and the way that the enemy came from all sides. ..kept me on my toes. Ample amounts of galaxite helped, especially at the end.

One thing though, there may be a bug: I got a fatal error with the following message: DataMgr. C, Line: 7386, DmWrite: DmWriteCheck failed. Not sure what this means though.

Other than that, well done...I am looking forward to seeing more creative missions like this.

[psj3809]

Damn this mission was hard !

Took me ages to do this ! Kept running out of Galaxite late late in the game.

Very difficult to do as you really have to penetrate the inner part of the map to get all the galaxite.

Finally completed it on my (cough) 5th go !

Anyway great map again from KNelson

[knelson]

Paul,

Thanks, as you know you were the inspiration behind this level. I really enjoy creating levels but I could always use some inspiration from others. I have to try really hard to be creative and sometimes I give up too easy.

[psj3809]

Hey no worries. Like i say this was one of my favourite skirmish maps on Command and Conquer so i got the idea from the C&C version.

I love a good challenge and so many times i was close to winning on this map but just failed, finally completed it the other day so i was very happy !

I look forward to many more skirmish maps !

[Jazz3D1]

Wow, what a mission. It was fairly difficult. I had to play the mission three time before I completed it.

Good News:
1.) The mission was well developed and require strategy versus force.
2.) I like the map layout and the fact that that enemy continues to make the mission challenging.

Bad News:
1.) Some of my objectives did not update once I complete them (i.e. Kill general psj3809).

Neutral:
1.) I'm not certain if you did it on purpose, but my troops / bullups always stopped in the upper left portion of the map when they came through the trees. This certainly made me keep a eye on them, but was somewhat tedious due to the amount that is required to complete the mission.

Good job and keep up the good work.

[psj3809]

I found the top left corner a bit frustrating. A lot of the enemies came through a gap right at the top but i couldnt get through it

What i like about the map is that you really have to keep an eye on your bullpups. If they run out of galaxite they'll head towards the middle or take a short cut through the middle and if you have only created bases round the sides ready for the huge battle in the middle you'll find your bullpups keep trying to get in the middle or drive too close to the side which then causes the enemy to bombard them and create a huge fight

[knelson]

I purposely blocked the upper right exit so you couldn't get to it. Otherwise you could make a quick end to the enemy by destroying his base. I am exploiting this technique in a new mission level I am currently creating.

[bilfer]

This is an excellent mission! I've only been able to complete it once. For some reason, if I attempt to build in the upper left corner of the map (towers for controlling enemies from coming through that tiny gap at the top, etc) my TG50 crashes. I've never had that problem with a level.

[knelson]

Quote:

This is an excellent mission! I've only been able to complete it once. For some reason, if I attempt to build in the upper left corner of the map (towers for controlling enemies from coming through that tiny gap at the top, etc) my TG50 crashes. I've never had that problem with a level.

I have made a change to the map layout. Please download the latest version and let me know if you are still having the same problem.

[Liberator]

I tried this mission several times without success, but still, I hope you don't lower the difficulty.

By the way, I always play missons with 100% speed & hard

[knelson]

I always test my missions on easy and try to make them reasonable difficult. With the built in difficulty settings. I have a very hard time beating my own missions on 100% speed and hard.

[bilfer]

I downloaded the updated version, but am sorry to say that I am still getting the same crash in the same place... is there anything I can do to help narrow in on the problem?

[knelson]

I have uploaded another version of the level on my server. Please download this version and let me know if it fixes the problem.

http://newage-mkt.com/missions/Calderas2.pdb

[joshlerman]

For what it is worth, I still get a fatal error with the following message: "DataMgr. C, Line: 7386, DmWrite: DmWriteCheck failed."

Any ideas regarding what could be causing this? I am on an M515 with no hacks or any other programs that (I believe) would potentially cause a problem.

[bilfer]

The crash has gone away on my TG50 with this latest version.

[Liberator]

I have to lower the difficulty to 100% normal in order to complete it. Otherwise, it will be a mission impossible for me.

[ajcross]

I just tried a different strategy for this mission.

After starting to mine, I built a power generator close to a hill. Then I could build one over the hill. Then I build some right next to the towers and cyclops that guarded the central entrances. They never attacked me, just the attackers that were built and sent to my area.

Using my three HQs, I built a tower close enough to attack two units, then the next two, then the next two, etc. When these came up, I directed them at Cyclops and quickly repaired them. The enemy towers never fired at me unless my towers attacked them. Then my cyclops strolled in and mopped up their towers.

Sure, I lost some towers at the last gate to the main base, but I had really low loss numbers.

[PhillipEarl]

ajcross wrote:

I just tried a different strategy for this mission.

After starting to mine, I built a power generator close to a hill. Then I could build one over the hill. Then I build some right next to the towers and cyclops that guarded the central entrances. They never attacked me, just the attackers that were built and sent to my area.

Using my three HQs, I built a tower close enough to attack two units, then the next two, then the next two, etc. When these came up, I directed them at Cyclops and quickly repaired them. The enemy towers never fired at me unless my towers attacked them. Then my cyclops strolled in and mopped up their towers.

Sure, I lost some towers at the last gate to the main base, but I had really low loss numbers.

If there is an unconventional way to accomplish a mission, leave it to you to find it! Great. Now I have to go back and try that...

Overall, this was one frustrating mission, for me, as I had a really hard time beating it! Of course, it was also one of the more satisfying victories!

[knelson]

Quote:

After starting to mine, I built a power generator close to a hill. Then I could build one over the hill. Then I build some right next to the towers and cyclops that guarded the central entrances. They never attacked me, just the attackers that were built and sent to my area.

I tried using the strategy above and the enemy did attack my power units and towers. I haven't played this misssion in some time and forgot how really hard this level was. I was going to make some changes to the triggers and decided against it.

I would be interested in seeing your statistics at the end of the mission, if you don't mind posting them.

[ajcross]

knelson wrote:

I tried using the strategy above and the enemy did attack my power units and towers. I haven't played this misssion in some time and forgot how really hard this level was. I was going to make some changes to the triggers and decided against it.

I would be interested in seeing your statistics at the end of the mission, if you don't mind posting them.

Ugh, play it again and win?

The patrol units were the ones that would attack Power and Warehouse. Except for a Cyclops patrol a single rocket tower with repairing could fend these off.

Hmm, I found that the preplaced units would not attack my Power or Warehouse buildings. Of course they would attack the towers. I'd place one tower to get the Hydras on the each side easy enough. Then the trick was to use 3 HQ's to build towers fast enough to take out the Cyclops, target them at Cyclops, and to hit their repair quick enough to start taking that the second and third could actually take out a Cyclops. They were built in a diagonal row starting three squares from the first Cyclops, three from the second, etc.

Now, I have to try some different base attacks.
1. Take out the side Hydras with towers. And, build an HRC behind enemy lines to send Rocket Troopers at the Cyclops from behind the towers.
2a. Set up a diagonal row of Cyclops. Place rocket troopers in a diagonal row behind. Cyclops step forward to attack towers. As enemy cyclops advance, time infantry to advance through cyclops diagonal row to attack. Also have cyclops attack advancing cyclops. This will probably eat lots of Troopers.
2b. Now using Rocket Towers instead of Troopers. Build towers three squares from enemy towers. Move Cyclops behind them to attack towers. Again switch to cyclops as they advance. This may be a lot easier to repair the towers as they get of a first shot, only deal with one-on-one cyclops and I have more time to build and repair.
3. After building a HQ in the southwest, build a HRC just over the hill, build a Power next to the HRC, set up Infantry towers near it but away from the main enemy group to pick off what it builds. Get some Liberators, Troopers and some Raiders to this HRC. Build some towers below the enemy group
4. Block off the NW base by placing a power generator with some towers in their North exit. Build the towers close to the generator so you can build a rocket tower behind cyclops as needed. Place the 2xtrooper, 2xhydra, liberator group to the south of the base to chew up patrols and bullpups. I just had fun with this on "Chiron's HQ". For some reason you can't cross a river with a Power built on the crossing.

PhillipEarl wrote:

Overall, this was one frustrating mission, for me, as I had a really hard time beating it! Of course, it was also one of the more satisfying victories!

I was surprised at how well the initial set of troops worked against the little patrols. I placed a row of them vertically or horizontally like RHLHR wherever a column of troops would advance from. I built a second set for the north mining field. One trick is to build a buildings to make a "corner" where the enemy will get in to a single file for a slaughter fest.

I also used an infantry tower backed by a cyclops once I penetrated the center field.

It was a real pain in the butt protecting three fronts.

[ajcross]

ajcross wrote:

2b. Now using Rocket Towers instead of Troopers. Build towers three squares from enemy towers. Move Cyclops behind them to attack towers. Again switch to cyclops as they advance. This may be a lot easier to repair the towers as they get of a first shot, only deal with one-on-one cyclops and I have more time to build and repair.

Poor cyclops.
Hmm, some of my cyclops were targetted. I lost two cyclops to five and 1 building. Then their towers were toast. Time to refine.[/quote]

[ajcross]

knelson wrote:

I would be interested in seeing your statistics at the end of the mission, if you don't mind posting them.

Well, I made a mistake on this last try. I tried to cut off the south exit of the NW base. And, the spawners promptly wiped my butt - in that area. Then they came to wipe out "my" central base and graciously did the single file slaughter.

Over the hill from the SW with an HRC and worked well on the central base. Towers and cyclops cleared the central entrances.

2xTrooper, 2xHydra, 1xLiberator still worked like a charm guarding the south and north.

To keep my credits up, I'd take an area with buildings, build into the next target area, then sell off the towers in the rear area once it was totally safe.

I came out with
Enemy units destroyed: 183
Enemy buildings destroyed: 49
Friendly units lost: 49
Friendly buildings lost: 120 <-- about 90 of these were sold off
Credits acuired/spent: 306314/174886
Elapsed time: 43:20
Title: Mining Operations Trainee <-- Isn't there something more for taking out a general?

[Green Lantern]

..... was SUCH a pain in the butt!!! Took me about 10 times, but so far has been the one I enjoyed the most.

For those of you that had a difficult time with the new guys coming in from the top left corner, just infest it with towers & that will take care of any future newbies from there.

Thanks for making this one. It was a blast!

[knelson]

Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it.