Newcomer / Intro Next Question about clear settlement mission

[Eric Palmer]

I excepted a grade 3 clear settlement mission. I have done this type of grade 3 mission 4 times. Two times it was doable. The other two times there were patrol ships in the air, lots of ground turrets, and lots of guards. Trying to run away after setting off the alarms just got my srv and my ship killed by the patrol ship. If I arrive at a mission site that's over protected like this, can I relog to get a better "dice roll" on defenses? The air support is tuff to work around. If I was way more experienced, I think it's a stealth type of mission, sneak in take out the guards one at a time and then do the buildings one at a time. Without setting off the alarms. Way above my skill level at this time.

recap: My question is. Can I relog to get a better "dice roll" on defenses on a clear settlement mission? Or should I just dismiss my ship and go for it?

 

[aRJay]

I have no idea but losing your ship sounds like it is parked too close so dismissing it sounds like a good start.

 

[Eric Palmer]

The Last mission I did ended kind of funny. I was on foot 3k meters outside the settlement. Every time I boarded the srv the air support attacked, So while on foot I called for a pickup "because my ship had been destroyed" which worked but then I was at the local station without a ship. I had to use the stranded feature to get to the rebuy screen. For a while I thought that I had lost my ship! I was a little panicky by that point. Sitting in the bar scratching my head wondering what to do next. Boy I love this game there is always another cliff to fall from.

 

[metatheurgist]

Check the settlement type. You probably picked a base full of soldiers, weapons with a combat air patrol.

 

[Jack Winter]

Yes, military settlements can be much harder than others, especially getting away if the alarm has been raised. Even harder are the missions when the military settlement knows that you are on your way to raid them.

 

[SlickPBW]

Another tactic is to turn off the alarms. The settlement inhabitants won’t turn them back on. With alarms off, several things are easier:

• settlement static defenses and sentry ships won’t become hostile. Although I think that an errant shot that hits a static defense will cause some level of hostility; this has only happened to me a couple of times and I don’t remember the exact response when they are hit with the alarm off. I seem to remember that they turn red on radar but don’t fire, but I’m not sure.
• inhabitants won’t be able to call for help, so you can engage them individually or in smaller numbers.
• Goliath’s and Skimmers won’t get hostile, unless you fire on & hit them.

There are a few viable approaches:

- stealth, with silenced weapons; this is my preferred method. Usually a Maverick suit is used because the arc cutter will be used to gain entry to the alarm panel.

- Slow approach in a Dominator suit. Don’t engage anyone until at/near the alarm panel. Get the required access by cloning an unsuspecting individual. Alternatively you can use a E-breach, but a Dom suit can only carry 1, so use it wisely. Depending on the settlement layout, you will need level 2 or 3 access to get to the alarm panel, and to turn it off, with no weapons fire. This approach is more difficult due to the lack of the arc cutter but once the alarm is off, you will have an easier time because of the Dominator’s superior fire power.

- Hybrid approach. Use Maverick to disable alarms, then switch to Dominator suit.



Now if you have a problem and set off the alarms, my advice:

- Immediately dismiss your ship and get into a building. Ideally one with a recharge port and an ammo crate. This will prevent taking fire from static defenses, golioths, skimmers and ships.

- Find a kill zone near an ammo crate where the brainless inhabitants will funnel in to your fire.

- Use your contacts tab to determine the number of remaining bad guys (or maybe you are the bad guy). Alternatively use a data terminal to see more detail and target individual(s).

- bug: sometimes an inhabitant will become stuck underground or behind a wall; or wander off the settlement and disappear. If this happens, you can’t clear all inhabitants.