Mental Omega Wiki

As the war goes on, the Soviets find themselves in a desperate need of cybernetic weaponry and advanced EMP tech to fight back against Yuri. To acquire them, they decide to take over a Chinese military complex in Shanghai, posing as victims of Yuri's mind control.
—Mission description

Operation: Power Hunger is the seventh Soviet Act Two campaign mission.

In this mission, the color of the player-controlled Russian is purple and the allied Confederation forces is light purple instead of red and orange, ostensibly to reflect how these armies are pretending to be mind controlled by Epsilon.

Briefing[]

Comrade, the main Chinese fleet in the North Pacific Ocean has begun making their way down south, most likely, towards Solomon or Fiji Islands. While we have no idea why, it has given us a perfect opportunity to strike. While brief, the hold over the Psychic Amplifier in Chicago allowed our forces to regroup and move to the West Coast relatively unharmed. A bulk of them is now on standby exactly in the North Pacific. On the ocean's other side is Shanghai, the location of the Chinese Military HQ, the likely nerve center to all of China's military prowess. In order to obtain their advanced EMP and cybernetic tech that they refused to deploy in our battles against Yuri's Epsilon, we must capture it.

Though major formations of the Chinese fleet may be away, a significant defense still exists on the East China Sea and the city's perimeter to halt any invasion force. To send our navy and amphibious forces there, we have to take care of the EMP and Hammer Defenses that protect the coast; Morales will be at your command to take care of those. After the defenses are down, the landing zone must be secured before we can send in your MCV. All of this will be done under a purple coat of paint - a simple, but effective way to trick the Chinese into believing that this attack is being orchestrated by Yuri, since the last thing we need right now is a full-scale conflict with them. However, to make this plot more believable, Morales has to evacuate before the attack..

Objective 1: Destroy the Nuclear Reactors and EMP Stations.
Objective 2: Take Morales to the evacuation point.
Objective 3: Destroy the Hammer Defenses and Dragonflies.
Objective 4: Capture the Chinese Military HQ.

Events[]

Clearing the way[]

Before the siege, Soviet high command notes that outright assault will fail as the only shoreline suitable for landing zone was heavily defended by Hammer Defenses and Dragonflies. Furthermore, the task force including MCVs and armored units was to be loaded inside Zubr Transports. With the presence of Dragonflies, this will greatly jeopardize the whole operation. Not to mention several EMP Control Stations. As a result, Morales was called to blackout the power facilities that powered the EMP Control Stations scattered across Shanghai and destroy the stations themselves. Once done, Morales left the vicinity and the Russian navy began clearing the coastal defenses.

Establishing a beachhead[]

With the EMP Control Stations gone, fleets containing Zubr Transports of both Confederation and Russia arrived and the whole operation began. While the Confederation forces provided distraction on the ground, a Russian naval elite strike team arrived with the new Akula Missile Submarines to clear any defense on the ground.

Shanghai was soon littered with scrap metal from whatever remained of both sides. With a limited invasion force size and suffering heavy casualties, the Confederation force still managed to establish a base in order to continue their distraction.

As the battle raged on, the naval task force teared through the Chinese vessels to their destination. With their reactors destroyed, the Hammer Defenses had already been silenced. And the Dragonflies were shot down by Seawolves. Gordost ballistic missiles finished off whatever remained on the shore to clear the way for the landing. With his ground forces landed on the beach, the General ordered a scout party to move forward. Not long after, he spotted several Demolition Trucks and patrols ahead of the landing site. All of them were taken care of in a short skirmish. Now, the Russians were able to arrange a second attack wave against the Chinese right flank while the Confederation kept them busy in the front, or they hope so.

You have caught me off-guard, General. But now I'm ready for you.
—General Xiurong Wu seeing through the charade

The Chinese commander Xiurong Wu, realizing how much havoc the second invasion force can cause, called for reinforcement. Columns of mighty armored units began to pour into the city and towards the Russian troops. Cargo Planes filled with paratroopers, escorted by Foxtrots soared through the sky. But the Russians made use of the response timing and sent their forces into the city too. Infantry squads were dispatched to garrison city buildings, tanks were moved into positions, defensive buildings were constructed, covered both ground and sky. Moreover, the arrival of an Apocalypse Tank battalion was more than a relief for the General. Everything was prepared to face the counterattack. Soon, Chinese reinforcements arrived and began an onslaught.

To the end, the surviving Chinese troops were forced to fall back and turn to the defensive. Now, with the Chinese retreated to the final base, the General can finally begin the assault on the Military HQ.

Capturing the Military HQ[]

The General's siege forces are finally in place: The Scud Launchers was the main force in the demolition of the defensive structures, the tank division consisting of the Tesla Cruisers and the Rhino Tanks destroyed the internal remnants of the enemy base with support from Apocalypse Tank and Repair Drones, Akula Missile Subs and Typhoon Attack Subs focused on harassment at sea. Within a short while, the defenses in front of the Chinese Military HQ were all razed, and the defenses on both sides of it were eventually insurmountable, thus becoming the stuff of the Russian and Confederation forces.

Men...? Where are my men?! You wouldn't consider letting me go would you?
—General Xiurong Wu upon capture of the Military HQ

Aftermath[]

With the Military HQ captured and Xiurong Wu interrogated, we were able to reveal the secrets of the Chinese. Their main scientist, Yunru, has been working on weapons to create a unique Chinese arsenal and break away from the shared Soviet tech for a long time.
—Battlefield report

Intel from the captured Military HQ reveals that Yunru had been commissioned to develop weapons and equipment for an army with their own arsenal separate from the standardized Soviet arsenal, and had located her in Kashmir. The General subsequently deployed the Confederation forces to claim the last of China's advanced technologies.

Difficulty changes[]

Casual[]

  • Starting credits: 80000
  • Removed a large number of enemy stationary units, patrols and building garrisons from the map during the first phase.
  • Enemy AI's attack intensity is the lowest during the encountering phase.
  • Removed all Nuwa Cannons and Gyrocopters patrolling the streets.
  • Morales starts with 1 armor upgrade crate and 2 level upgrade crates.
  • There are numerous extra medical crates on the map.
  • Latin Confederation will send a large number of troops to attack the Chinese army stationed on the small island in the lower right corner.
  • 4 elite Chinese Typhoon Attack Subs on the map will be removed.
  • The player will receive additional naval units when Confederation is landing.
  • After the player's MCV is deployed, the player will gain Paradrop support power twice.
  • Before Chinese reinforcements arrive, player will be supported by 3 elite Wolfhounds.
  • 2 additional Apocalypse Tanks will be given to the player.
  • Significantly reduced amount of enemy Flak Cannons and Sensor Towers at enemy bases.

Normal[]

  • Starting credits: 55000
  • Removed fewer enemy stationary units, patrols and building garrisons from the map during the first phase, compared to Casual.
  • Enemy AI's attack intensity is increased during the encountering phase, compared to Casual.
  • Morales starts with 1 armor upgrade crate.
  • There are several extra medical crates on the map, less than on Casual.
  • 4 elite Chinese Typhoon Attack Subs on the map will be removed.
  • The player will receive additional naval units when Confederation is landing.
  • After the player landed in the second phase, more enemy troops will try to push the player back.
  • After the player's MCV is deployed, the player will gain Paradrop support power only once.
  • Before Chinese reinforcements arrive, player will be supported by 3 elite Wolfhounds.
  • There will be several enemy paratroopers garrisoning civilian buildings near player's base after landing.

Mental[]

  • Starting credits: 45000
  • The first phase features a large number of enemy stationary units, patrols and building garrisons.
  • Enemy AI's attack intensity is the highest during the encountering phase.
  • No any crates are present when start the mission with Morales.
  • Amount of medical crates on the map is the least.
  • The left side of the map will periodically spawn Terror Drones to hunt Morales, and player will receive relevant warning.
  • After the player landed in the second phase, more enemy troops will try to push the player back.
  • No Paradrop support power provided after player's MCV is sent.
  • There will be several enemy paratroopers garrisoning civilian buildings near player's base after landing.
  • Chinese enemy initially owns Tech Machine Shop, Tech Hospital, Tech Base Expansion Posts, Tech Aeronautics and Tech Maintenance Facility.

Easter egg[]

SPOILER
"She is no longer here! What are you here after, you puppets!"
—Yunru's parents
  • On the top-left corner of the map, there are 2 civilians being guarded by the Chinese army. According to the developers, they are supposed to be Yunru's parents; Yunru herself is also there. She will leave the map through Stallion Transport if she is spotted. When this Easter egg is approached, two money crates will appear.

Behind the scenes[]

  • During development, this mission was known as Irenic Red Man at first, then the name changed to See Red, before finally changing to Power Hunger.

Trivia[]

  • This mission is a spiritual successor to Red, a Soviet mission in version 2.0 that involves capturing the Chinese Military Headquarters, albeit located in Beijing instead.
  • Pearl Tower in this mission can be captured, which will remove all shroud on the battlefield.