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| “ | The Scorpion Cell is under attack. The targets are not only their people, who are now fighting for their own survival, but also the secret chemical supplies, which Rashidi has gathered as a precaution. Now, as some of them have fallen into the hands of its enemies, the Cell's assassin reemerges. | ” |
| —Mission description |
Operation: Survivors is an Epsilon Special Operations campaign mission.
Briefing[]
Brother, the insidious Yuri has turned against us and is targeting our warriors throughout Africa. While most of our bases have been either destroyed or mind-controlled after Yuri managed to activate a Psychic Amplifier somewhere on the continent, a good number of us still survive. Among us is Malver himself, who led us into hiding when Yuri rained mayhem on our stronghold in Bissau. While we can't confirm Rashidi's fate, we must take action quickly. Rashidi came to a conclusion that Yuri would become a bigger threat to the world than we previously believed the Allies and the Soviets to be, and took precautions to ensure that we could stand against him in case of the worst; our neurotoxin that prevents Yuri's mind control from working - while lethal if used long-term, is still the most effective countermeasure we have right now.
Sadly, Yuri has realized this much, and has begun to raid our neurotoxin production facilities. While a great portion has been destroyed, he had some of them captured, likely to study its composition. Malver has chosen to lead us to one of such facilities in Libya, where we are to retake these facilities. Enough supply in our hands might allow us to recreate and enhance the neurotoxin in the future. Retaking it won't be as simple as dealing with the PsiCorps forces stationed there, however; ever since the launch of their flying fortress, the Allies have been deploying forces all across Africa. Move quietly, Brother. With the neurotoxin, we may be able to trick the PsiCorps into believing our forces at the location are still on their side, but the Allies will be hostile toward us.
Objective 1: Capture and extract the Neurotoxin from 7 Plants.
Note: Recapture the Scorpion Cell bases to increase your firepower.
Events[]
Keeping a low profile[]
As Malver snuck into the area housing the Neurotoxin Plants, their companions there were already mind-controlled by the PsiCorps. With the inability to confirm the whereabouts of Rashidi, Scorpion Cell could only fight for its own survival. The goal of this operation was to capture and hold at least 7 of the 13 local plants, and extract the corresponding neurotoxins. First things first, however - Malver needed to find a nearby Mine Shaft to rendezvous with other Scorpion Cell warriors first.
Under the influence of the neurotoxins, Malver's presence was concealed from the mind-controlled Scorpion Cell troops, and he could pass through the path guarded by the enslaved forces - if he directly attacked any of them, they would be alerted to his presence. He found several Infiltrators and an Engineer hiding in a tent. Immediately after rendezvousing with Malver, the Engineer went to repair the nearby tunnel, allowing Malver to summon more surviving fighters to his location. They later discovered that PsiCorps deployed multiple Mind Readers in their hideouts - this proved to be a problem, since once any of Malver's soldiers entered their detection range, the cover would be blown, and the PsiCorps would be alerted to the Scorpion Cell's rebels' presence. Attempts at sabotaging the PsiCorps' main base were ill advised on the account of their psychic tricks being able to immediately expose the rebels' cover - Malver's forces intended to take back their own outposts instead: the southern base had a Construction Yard, and the northern base had complete production buildings.
Though the Mind Readers could recognize the identity and the intent of the Scorpion Cell rebels should they approach close enough, Malver was unaffected. This enabled him to destroy the barrels and ammo crates next to some of the Mind Readers, destroying them and making the area traversable by his forces without blowing their cover. However, as they planned to cross the valley to the rear of their former base, a new problem emerged: the Allied forces, on a destructive roll through Africa ever since the launch of their destructive flying fortress, have intervened in the area, establishing two bases here - one of which was quite in the way of the Cell's rebel forces. Even more of their reinforcements were bound to arrive to the location as well - it seems that these Allies were stationed in the North African region instead of joining the great assault in South Africa. After getting rid of the Allied infantry chasing them, Malver led the Engineers and Infiltrators through two intricate valleys, taking back some of the unmanned Gatling Tanks, capturing some Oil Derricks and successfully revolving to the northern base.
When enough troops were assembled at the mind-controlled Scorpion Cell base, the Scorpion Cell rebels devised a plan to take back the base. First, an Infiltrator would shut down the power of the base to temporarily neutralize all of the defensive structures. Afterwards, the Engineers would ready themselves next to the buildings they need and when everyone was in position, the signal would be given and they would simultaneously seize all the designated structures. When all the Engineers completed the target at the same time, the rebels immediately assembled the defense units using the retrieved production facilities, as this action attracted the attention of PsiCorps and immediately designated them as hostilities. In addition, the remaining Infiltrators infiltrated the buildings before Engineers captured the production facilities, enabling the Scorpion Cell to train and produce veteran units after the buildings were retaken, making the task at hand easier in the long run.
The toxin trade[]
As the Artillery Bunkers in front of the base were also taken back by the rebels, the armored units of the mind-controlled troops did not cause much damage to the base. Malver himself was useful in cleaning up the remaining soldiers. However, PsiCorps have deployed their Rage Inductor and a device they used to destroy the Bissau base. Time waited for no one, the rebels decided to retake the 4 Neurotoxin Plants in the base immediately.
After capturing the four Neurotoxin Plants, Scorpion Cell used Gatling Tanks to annihilate the paratroopers and Bloaticks sent by the mind-controlled forces to the base. Malver tore several enemy Brutes to shreds, and the rebels also summoned a few Hijackers next to the Neurotoxin Plants to prepare for a certain occurrence. Sure enough, the mind-controlled Tyrants were sent to the base and try to destroy Neurotoxin Plants. The Hijackers set in place were already waiting for the underground Tyrant ambush, stealing them for the Cell's cause. The Scorpion Cell have sent further Tyrant reinforcements of its own, followed by some of the Chinese equipment, such as Eradicators and Sentinels, acquired from previous deals with Yunru. Soon enough, the neurotoxins were successfully extracted from the four Neurotoxin Plants. Following this, the Scorpion Cell subsequently destroyed the plants once they were of no further use to them.
Next up, the Scorpion Cell was ready to recapture the other three Neurotoxin Plants in the southern base, and they had prepared some Drillers to transport the infantry to the opposite side. Malver wiped out the second group of Brutes that rushed into the base, while Tyrants went to the southern base in advance to soften up the the defences. The next move would prove to be far from smooth, though: PsiCorps recognized the threat and the intent of the rebels, and so they took the southern MCV away after Scorpion Cell restored the northern base; worse still, when the Tyrants arrived to join the fray, the Neurotoxin Plants were suddenly threatened by Allied Athena Cannons - one of the plants was even destroyed by the Allies. The Cell's Engineers captured two more Plants, bracing themselves for an assault coming from the mind-controlled Scorpion Cell combatants - including a mass of Mantis Tanks sent from the other direction. However, this did not pose a threat to the defending Tyrants and Hijackers. Soon, the second extraction was also complete, just in time for a nearby Allied squad to get caught off-guard by the rebels' firepower.
The rebel combatants of Scorpion Cell took the central Neurotoxin Plants as their last target, sending Tyrants to protect yet another set of plants as the neurotoxins were being extracted. This time though, almost all of the enemy troops who came to destroy the Plants were the Allies, who also chronoshifted reinforcements to attack the rebels, including the Plants. The trusty Hijackers got ahold of many of the attackers' vehicles though, foiling the Allied efforts and blostering the Cell's defences. After a while, the third extraction was also over, and Scorpion Cell eventually retrieved a sufficient amount of neurotoxin.
With the necessary supplies gathered, the Scorpion Cell forces quietly withdrew from the area as the Allies and PsiCorps continued their large-scale skirmish against each other.
Aftermath[]
| “ | It's me. I'm okay. I've heard. It seems thanks to your team alone we'll be able to preserve it. Perhaps with the help of our new allies, we'll be able to improve it. It's still deadly in the long run, but we'll need more. Move it to where we've previously decided. | ” |
| —???'s message |
Malver soon received word from an unknown source (presumably Rashidi). The source stated that they were fine and aware of the situation in Libya. They say that with the help of some new allies, they can improve the neurotoxin. While it remains lethal in the long run, they'll need more of it before this is over. They then inform Malver to move it to where they've previously decided.
Unfortunately, it was later revealed that the neurotoxins never reached their intended destination, as Rashidi admitted he was unable to secure them before fleeing to the Bering Strait. The Scorpion Cell remnants from this battle were likely enslaved by the Mental Omega Device at the conclusion of the war with the exception of Malver himself.
Difficulty changes[]
Casual[]
- Starting credits: 35000
- PsiCorps will not drop paratroopers from time to time to Scorpion Cell bases that may be captured by player.
- When the player captures Neurotoxin Plants, the least number of enemies will come to destroy them.
- Two armor upgrade crates are added near the player's initial position, and a firepower upgrade crate is added beside the Mine Entrance.
- The second Allied force is smaller and will not have Barracuda bombing Neurotoxin Plants.
- Player will receive 9 Tyrants during the battle with the PsiCorps and the mind-controlled Scorpion Cells, and an additional medical crate will be generated between the two Neurotoxin Plants in the middle of the map.
- 4 more Eradicators are added to the Chinese armament that the player obtains.
Normal[]
- Starting credits: 25000
- The second Allied forces are in medium size.
- When the player captures Neurotoxin Plants, medium number of enemies will come to destroy them.
- Player will receive 9 Tyrants during the battle with the PsiCorps and the mind-controlled Scorpion Cells, and an additional medical crate will be generated between the two Neurotoxin Plants in the middle of the map.
Mental[]
- Starting credits: 20000
- The second Allied forces are in the largest size.
- Added a Thor Gunship to the Allied outpost on the right.
- Player will receive 3 fewer Infiltrators reinforcements when approaching the Mine Entrance.
- Player will encounter an additional attack from the Allied chronoshift forces along the way.
- When the player captures Neurotoxin Plants, the most numerous number of enemies will come to destroy them.
- 2 severely damaged Tech Concrete Bunkers in the upper right corner of the Scorpion Cell base will be removed.
- Player will receive 6 Tyrants during the battle with the PsiCorps and the mind-controlled Scorpion Cells.
Easter egg[]
An easter egg support power named WooLion Trap can be unlocked through the following procedure:
- Force-fire (Ctrl + Left Click) the Engineer who comes out from a tent when approaching the Mine Shaft. Then the Mine Shaft will explode and spawn a single Engineer.
- Use this single Engineer to capture Allied and Epsilon/Scorpion Cell bases, and be sure to have their Construction Yards, along with a Tech Center and a Pandora Hub. When all of these requirements are met, this support power will be unlocked.
This support power is deployed similarly to the Bloatick Trap, but it spawns a cloaked Lion that dies shortly, releasing a purple cloud (similar to Dybbuk-Evolver explosion effect) that causes nearby enemies and friendlies to attack each other, similar to confusion ray effects. This support power is free, recharge time varies on the Neurotoxin extractions player have completed: 30 in-game minutes when lower than 5 times, 1 in-game minutes when finished 5 times and negligible cooldown when finished 6 times.
For best results, it is recommended to perform this on Easy difficulty.
A video demonstration of this easter egg support power can be found [here].
Behind the scenes[]
- The mission's name during development was Stiletto, a reference to Operation Stiletto, a Nod mission in Tiberium Wars with similar design.
