Core Kbot Base
The Objective
Establish a base by building metal extractors, energy generators, defensive systems and a Kbot manufacturing facility. Destroy the Core Kbot lab.
The Map
The map is composed of two land masses separated by a river that can be crossed by Kbots at two points. The Core side has the larger, L-shaped portion of the map that runs from the mid-left to the lower right. Your units will start in the middle of the upper right-hand section of the map. The two river crossings are located to the left and bottom right from your starting location. To the right of your starting location, there is a small cliff from where a few Core units will attack in the beginning of the mission.
If you travel to the upper right side of the screen, you will see a canyon opening patrolled by Core units. The Core Kbot facility is located almost directly south from your starting position.
The Strategy
You will start this map with a new unit, your Commander! He's a very powerful asset and you only have one. Protect him at all costs! Don't worry, you have plenty of time before you get attacked. But if your Commander is in danger, beware.
First, you will need to build resource generators. Select your Commander and pick the Solar Generator Plant from the Build Menu, on the left-hand side of the screen. Your cursor will change into a green square when you move it back onto your line-of-site screen. Select a location for the generator (the square should show all green if the location is suitable) and click once to build. Your Commander will move to the location and begin construction.
If you look to the top of the screen, you will see two resource meters, one for Metal and one for Energy. Each meter will change, reflecting the output needed to construct the generator.If you move the cursor over the unit being built and look at the bottom of the screen, you will be able to track the construction progress.
Once the Solar Generator is built, build a Metal Extractor in much the same fashion. You can build Metal Extractors anywhere, but place them on top of silver metal deposits for maximum effect. On this map, there are three located near your starting location -- pick the one closest to the top of the screen. Build about two more generators and two more extractors.
During construction of one of the extractors, select another extractor with a left-click. Hold the Shift key down, and select a location for the extractor. If you have done this correctly, your Commander should move right from one task to another. By holding the Shift key down in this way, you can issue a list of tasks to any unit, thereby speeding production and allowing you to concentrate on other things.
Once you have production in place, build a Light Laser Tower near the extractor on the right. The tower will protect you and your units from patrolling Core AKs that might wander into your camp from the canyon on the right. After building a tower, build a Kbot lab and start producing more units for an all-out assault.
Ready to attack? Select all of your Kbots, either by clicking and dragging a box over them, or hold down the Shift key and select each one (as you select them, a green box will appear around them). Don't select the Commander -- you don't want to use him in battle yet.
With all of your Kbots selected, press CTRL-1. A number "1" should now appear under all of your selected units, indicating they have now been assigned to Squad 1. During battle, you can select Squad 1 by pressing ALT-1.
Move your units to the top of the screen and move them toward the right. You will reach the mouth of a nearby canyon and encounter enemy units. Just like the first mission, try to attack in strength, massing your firepower against one Core unit at a time.
Your commander should be finished building the Kbot Lab by now. Now you're ready to start producing more units. Select the lab and move your mouse over the new menu that should now appear (with greay Kbots on it). Move your cursor over the units you can build (ones you can't are greyed out) and look at the bottom title bar. As you do so, you will see the cost in metal and energy to manufacture the unit. Click on the Jethro four times. You should see a +4 superimposed over the Jethro icon. This means your Kbot lab will build four Jethro's before stopping production. You certainly don't want to stop there, so click four times each on the Hammer, Rocko and PeeWee units. This should start the building of a small assault force. As units nanolaithe they walk off the platform, move them to a clear patch of land to wait for the rest of your army to be constructed.
Is your force ready for battle? Select all of them, and move them toward the bottom right portion of the map. You should encounter some Core units -- destroy them and stop your march at the river banks.
You should be able to see the shallow crossing point in the river from there. Once all of your units have gathered at the banks of the river, move them to the other side. As your first unit reaches the other side, it should start taking fire from a laser on the top of the ridge in front of you. Click your units towards that laser tower. As soon as you can see the ridge crest, click on it. You can click on the laser tower to attack as soon as you see it, but since it is on higher ground, your fire will not be as effective. Run your units to the ridge top and then attack the laser.
Once you've reached the ridge, you will enounter more enemy units -- attack them in force as you have been doing. Move your units down the ridge, destroying any units and structures they encounter. Remember that the enemy structures usually can't hurt you, but the Kbots can!
Fight your way to the Kbot base and destroy it. This will end the level.