Description
Working on a 30 mission branched story campaign that takes place after the main game has ended. it's essentially the erradication of the Hammer Of Light Resistance movementÂ

Storyline:
The story picks up in the Beta Aquilae system, where a GTD Orion is headed to the Jump Node. Its goal is Vasuda Prime, where it plans to eliminate the Hammer of Light and assist Vasduan efforts to re-colonize what is left of their homeworld. On its way, the Hammer of Light attempts to intercept and destroy the GTD Orion. <p> A good story idea, with a decent premise for the Hammer of Light to attack an Orion destroyer. However, this story could have been executed much better. The briefing is flat, there are no in-flight messages at all, and the command briefing could have been compressed into one screen of backstory. More detail could have been paid to naming the GTD Orion and to filling out the results in the debriefing.

Balance:
Choose from any ship with a large selection of missiles and cannons. Some choices must be made, since the missile loadout isn't too ridiculous given the storyline of a major invasion. <p> Alpha must defend against a serious attack on the GTD Orion. The AI settings range from Captain to General, giving a wide selection of opponents to chase down. The difficulty on this mission is within reason, providing the challenge of gunning down incoming bombers while avoiding fighters.

Design:
There just aren't any events in this mission and the AI orders aren't set up to give defaults orders. Once again, the built-in AI programmed in by Volition takes over and does a competent job where a third-party designer didn't fill in all the details. The bombers attack the GTD Orion and the fighters engage other fighters. A pat on the back to Volition's designers who must have expected incomplete missions like this. <p> With only a few events, directives aren't supported. The GTD Orion isn't marked as an escort ship, so there isn't a HUD display for the GTD Orion's hull integrity. Also, every ship in Epsilon wing, as well as Epsilon, are marked as reinforcements which is redunant. Only one in-flight message. These are annoying, but not fatal flaws. <p> Perhaps the best designed part of this mission is the exiting of the GTD Orion. Every time I watched it leave, the Subspace distortion appeared exactly in the middle of the Jump Node. If anyone wants a good screenshot of a GTD Orion jumping into subspace in the middle of a HUD Jump Node, filling it completely, this is the mission for you.

Gameplay:
I enjoyed myself immensely in this mission, despite its simplistic design. Once again, the built-in AI takes over on an incomplete mission design. <p> System performance was excellent on our test machine. There are quite a number of fighters and bombers to destroy, but slow down wasn't noticable. The atmosphere was of a very large attack and the objectives were clear -- to save the GTD Orion from being destroyed before the beginning of the counterstrike. <p> Even after you are able to defend the GTD Orion, this mission can be replayed. The second main attack wave arrives too late to intercept the GTD Orion. This was by design, apparently, and it gives the foolhardy a second chance to prove themselves. The sane will follow their capital ship into the Vasuda Prime system.

Other Thoughts:
A reasonable amount of polishing could make this an excellent mission.