~ -X-8- MISSION 08 ~

This mission is straightforward and can be completed with minimal losses, primarily using movers. Upon starting, you can either gather resources or immediately send a scout squadron to the Dreadnought (DN) berth.

Once the scout arrives, the Keeper will detach from the DN and launch drones. To prepare, locate three debris pieces of about BC size in a circular pattern on your sensors, then find three smaller debris pieces (half the size of a frigate) in a circular formation just above them. Send a probe to these smaller debris, followed by three movers to them.

With your remaining movers, send them to the DN to capture it by docking. The drones pose little threat once movers are docked, as they spread their damage. Before docking, however, they can focus fire on individual movers. For fleet composition, use maxed-out ion frigates, D-class ships, and minelayers, bunched in front of your Mothership (MS) with a carrier nearby for repairs. Deploy a minefield in front of your fleet and position fighters, vettes, and bombers on the sides of the MS. Keep mobile refineries, marines, infantry, and defensive frigates behind the MS and out of danger. It's advisable to send an extra mover than required, as drones have a powerful attack that can destroy one mover.

After the movers dock and begin towing the DN, use pulsars to attack the drones. They have high health (14000!), so you'll only weaken them. When the DN is halfway captured, the Keeper will hyper-jump in and attack. Focus all fire on the Keeper immediately. If its health drops below half, it will hyper-jump to the three BC-sized debris pieces.

The Keeper will likely attack your D-class ships and frigates. If you damage it enough, it will hyper-jump out before destroying your fleet. Use your carrier to repair damaged ships. The DN will dock, but its weapons are offline and it's largely useless for this mission.

You will be instructed to send probes, but you've already completed this step. When prompted to move 'keys' into position on the three large debris, direct the three movers you previously sent to dock with each of them. Have your pulsars defend the movers while they retrieve and position the keys. If a mover is lost to the Keeper's newly arrived drones, send another to complete the objective.

Once the keys are in position, the Keeper will be trapped, and you win the mission.

A special trick can sometimes prevent the Keeper from appearing at all: build platforms and place them in the center of the three massive power modules. This appears to be a bug that prevents the Keeper from showing up, even though you'll still receive notifications about it being trapped.

As you position the last of the devices, consider retiring all but four ion frigates for flak cannons and a couple of torpedoes to prepare for the next mission.