~ -X-5- MISSION 05 ~

Begin by building at least 10-12 collectors and a minimum of 2 mobile refineries (mobile ref). Send one mobile ref to the asteroids behind your starting position and the other into the dust cloud to the middle right of the map to start collecting resources. Continue building more carriers and upgrading them.

You will be informed about 3 garrisons protecting the oracle. While these garrisons are not massive, be prepared for them. Later, you will be notified about probes searching for you; destroying them is optional but provides activity while resources are collected. Use this time for research or fleet construction while awaiting enemy attacks. Aim to maximize resource collection and build a substantial fleet before the attacks begin, potentially leaving you with around 15,000 currency (dosh) remaining. Construct a minefield wall across your front, with a spike in the middle, to intercept enemy frigates away from your own fleet.

Enemy attacks will be dispersed, involving HMFs (heavy multi-function frigates), assaults, strike craft, and scouts. Assign your fighters and gunships (vettes) to counter their equivalents, and your bombers to target assaults and HMFs. If one group finishes its engagement first, send it to assist the other. Prioritize protecting your frigates from assaults and HMFs by intercepting them with your strike craft as soon as their attack begins. The minefield should eliminate approximately 95% of incoming frigates, leaving only strike craft to deal with.

After clearing the initial waves, you will notice two garrison sensor pings on the sensors manager (minimap (the small circular map in the bottom-left corner of your screen)) disappear, and sometimes the third at the top of the map. This indicates that remaining enemy forces are stationed at their base, awaiting your attack. This area is challenging due to the presence of a carrier and a shipyard (SY) that can reinforce their fleet.

To deal with the remaining fleet, utilize a channel of dust with a large asteroid on the left side of the map. Individually place your 5 minelayers to create a minefield within this dust cloud. Position your destroyer behind or within this minefield; this acts as a lure. Send your interceptors (ints), gunships (vettes), and bombers to an area behind the minefield, ready for engagement. Use a scout to venture into the middle of the map and draw the enemy fleet out. Once the assaults begin firing on the scout, return it towards your mothership (MS), ensuring the enemy frigates are horizontally level with your minefield before engaging. If they turn to retreat, stop the scout or send it back towards the enemy to maintain their pursuit.

Once the enemy frigates are level with the minefield, move your destroyer into the open, but not too close to the enemy. When they pursue the destroyer, lead them back towards the minefield. The mines should destroy the enemy frigates. Deploy your strike craft to eliminate enemy fighters and gunships, and bombers to target infantry (infs) attempting to capture your destroyer.

After the enemy fleet is destroyed, slowly advance towards the enemy SY and carrier near the oracle with your destroyer and missiles. Use the destroyer to absorb damage from enemy platforms (plats) while your missiles target anything they can safely attack without being destroyed by flak.

Send a carrier to the oracle and begin salvaging wreckage from the carrier and SY. Once satisfied, send a marine frig (not an infantry (inf) unit) to dock with the oracle. If you only have infs, you must scuttle or retire one to make room for a marine frig.