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| “ | The leader has rendezvoused with the taskforce on standby in now Chinese-controlled Kazakhstan, which keeps track on the Ironwing, an experimental invulnerable hypersonic aircraft. This jet is the only way to quickly and safely get the leader to the location of the main Revolt army. | ” |
| —Mission description |
Operation: Kill the Messenger is the second Foehn Origins campaign mission.
Contents
Briefing
Now that Our Architect has been evacuated from the Kashmir Home, getting her to the current location of Our main army is the priority task. Increasing amounts of hostile Chinese forces and growing PsiCorps activity within the region have made it difficult for Us to get her to safety by aquatic routes. Yunru believes that time is of the absolute essence, and it won't be long before Yuri puts his master plan into action. His dangerous abilities and research related to control of human mind is most likely the catalyst of the war between the Allies and the Soviets in 1982, and the abrupt dissolutions of alliances. It is plausible that a worldwide mind control is the scenario Yuri is aiming for, as he has displayed capacity of using such tech with varying area of effect around the world before.
If We are to fight Yuri and his Epsilon Army, the Revolt needs to continue developing new weapons that resist mind control and acquire collaborators in the immediate future; the Council must grow beyond its founders. Thus We will hijack a prototype jet of Kanegawa Industries origin, the Ironwing, currently held in an airbase in Kazakhstan, which has been under Chinese control since they moved into Central Asia soon after Yuri took Moscow. This jet will be used to carry Yunru away from the enemies' grasp, and return her to the main army currently hiding at Sakhalin. Our numbers in the area are not many, so We will have to take over a local Chinese outpost if We are to obtain the Ironwing. As this is strictly a recovery mission, We should spare as many Chinese forces as we can. Our goal is not to kill, but to do what needs be done._
Objective 1 & 2: Destroy the Iron Curtain Device & capture the Airbase.
Objective 3 & 4: Clear the airstrip area & get Yunru on the Ironwing.
Events
Securing a foothold
Commanding a Revolt task force, VOLKNET raided a Chinese outpost (with conveniently positioned explosive barrels and Demolition Trucks) to the west. After the outpost was razed to the ground, a Jackal Racer arrived and sent a Huntress to hijack an MCV here, which is immediately expanded into Construction Yard.
VOLKNET analyzed that if the Revolt wants to take Ironwing for Yunru, its Airbase must be captured to obtain the control codes. In addition, it also receives news that Yuri's army are still chasing Yunru. VOLKNET realized that it must respond quickly.
Just before VOLKNET pointed out that it was necessary to destroy the Iron Curtain Device, which shielded the defense structures around the Ironwing, it received news that the PsiCorps invasion forces had landed in the southeast. Their actions were so quick that the Revolt saw a red light enveloped them in less than a minute - fortunately for them, it was the Chinese army that ended up being controlled by a Psychic Beacon, not the Revolt themselves. Interestingly, VOLKNET has assessed that the Revolt should leave the Beacon alone because then they'll only have to deal with one enemy (in fact, if the Beacon is destroyed, the Chinese will summon a massive wave of reinforcements to attack the Revolt from behind).
In addition, the mind-controlled Russians had also arrived, bringing a Stalin's Fist and deployed it on the northwest side, began producing their armor divisions to attack the Revolt.
The gauntlet
VOLKNET was informed of the lack of resources along the base and positioned Tech Oil Derricks in the southwest and northwest. At the same time, it also discovered that PsiCorps built a Psychic Dominator and Tactical Nuke Silo, so it decided to build a Nuke Silo of its own.
In the next defensive battle, the endless supply of paratroopers and repeated nuclear strikes by the enemy forces kept VOLKNET in a passive position, and he was not able to see the countdown of the dominator. He therefore decided to slowly build up guerrilla taskforces and continue to capture more Chinese bases eastward. In this way, his own losses would be reduced, and it would be easier to enter the northeast. After a long time, the Revolt was deployed to the front of the Ironwing base. VOLKNET then fired his nuclear missile directly at the Iron Curtain Device.
In the previous defensive battle, VOLKNET did not forget to use Wallbuster to slowly disintegrate the Chinese base's defenses, which made the task of capturing the Airbase much easier.
"Get to the Ironwing!"
The proselyte of the PsiCorps was still exerting pressure on the Revolt's main base, and the Foehn forces had already made a road on the north side. Shortly after Airbase was captured, Yunru took an elite Jackal Racer and four Nuwa Cannons to the main base and headed to Ironwing's location. The Jackal Racer escorted Yunru directly to Ironwing and saw her boarding it. As the Ironwing took off, the Revolt was victorious.
Aftermath
| “ | With Kanegawa Industries' Ironwing hypersonic jet in the hands of the Revolt, Yunru can quickly and safely reach the current location of the main army and resume her work. Yuri's worldwide mind control is inevitable, preparations must be made to counter it. | ” |
| —Situation assessment |
Yunru finally found a way to transfer herself directly from the hinterland of Asia to the east coast, and also created the conditions for meeting the major power with far away Alaska. However, due to the fact that the existing Foehn forces were few and still weak, she decided to go to Japan to rescue their allies - the Kanegawa Industries. Since the Revolt became active, the Chinese occupying forces in Japan would never sit by and ignore these "traitor's allies". At the same time, she can also recycle some of the unused technology from the research facilities of these allies. If in better circumstances, she can also persuade the remaining Pacific Front troops in Japan to join them.
Difficulty changes
Casual
- Starting credits: 75000
- The PsiCorps enemy will build Psychic Dominator, but the player will gain access to the Nuke Silo as well. Instead, China will build a normal Iron Curtain Device too.
- The intensity of enemy attack is the weakest in this difficulty.
- Psychic Beacon countdown 1:15:00 to mind control
- Counterattack after destroy Psychic Beacon in 10:00
Normal
- Starting credits: 50000
- The Tech Machine Shop and Tech Hospital is controlled by China initially.
- Several Eradicators will guard the Iron Curtain Device.
Mental
- Starting credits: 40000
- The Tech Machine Shop and Tech Hospital is controlled by China initially.
- Several Eradicators will guard the Iron Curtain Device.
- The intensity of enemy attack is the strongest in this difficulty.
Behind the scenes
- Prior to version 3.3.5, the Psychic Beacon built by PsiCorps would control all Chinese forces on the map immediately once the Beacon is built, while the player's forces would remain uncontrolled.
- On Normal and Mental difficulties in pre-3.3.5 versions, the enemies won't build the second Iron Curtain Device but a Tactical Nuke Silo; Psychic Dominator won't be built in Casual difficulty and the player didn't have access to Nuke Silo until the enemies built their superweapons.
Easter egg
There is an invisible Red Devil that will stay in several specific areas on the map. Find and kill it will obtain a special one-time Great Tempest. The icon of the Great Tempest is blood red, and the light when it's activated is also blood red.
Trivia
- The mission's name is another term for shooting the messenger, a metaphoric phrase used to describe the act of blaming someone who bears bad news for said information.
 Allied  Soviet  Epsilon  Foehn |
| Missions in italics are not currently available and will be released in future updates |
