Design by Katie Bush The GameSpot Walkthrough to Homeworld 2 will tell you everything you need to know about the Hiigaran and Vaygr fleets. The guide comes complete with combat tips, unit counters, and a full campaign walkthrough.
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Relic Entertainment's Homeworld was one of the most original real-time strategy games of its time and Relic continues and expands the Homeworld universe with their newest release, Homeworld 2. This sequel continues the struggle of the Hiigarans, who face a new enemy: the Vaygr, a warrior race bent on cosmic domination.
This comprehensive GameSpot Game Guide to Homeworld 2 includes:
Table of ContentsGeneral StrategiesCombat Strategies Hiigaran Units
Fighters and Corvettes Vaygr UnitsFrigates Capital Ships Walk-through
Mission 1 - Tanis
Mission 2 - Angel Moon Mission 3 - Sarum Mission 4 - Gehenna Outskirts Mission 5 - Gehenna Mission 6 - The Karos Graveyard Mission 7 - Derelicts Mission 8 - Dreadnaught Berth Mission 9 - Counter Attack Mission 10 - Keepers of Sajuuk Mission 11 - Sacrifice Mission 12 - Thaddis Sabbah Mission 13 - Balcora Gate Mission 14 - Balcora Mission 15 - Return to Hiigara Chapter 1 - General Strategies
This section offers several general strategies and tips for Homeworld 2 single and multiplayer games.
Chapter 2 - Combat Strategies
This section offers a collection of strategies and tips for Homeworld 2 combat situations.
Combat Strategies - cont.Homeworld Vs Homeworld 2
Chapter 3 - Hiigaran Units
This section provides unit stats and tactics for Hiigaran units. These stats and tactics are accurate for the release version of Homeworld 2 and are applicable to multiplayer and the single-player campaign.
Scout
Speed: 480
Attack Damage per Second: 9 Health: 90 Cost: 350 Class: Fighter Primary Role: Reconnaissance Fighter Squadron Strong versus: None Weak versus: Fighters, Corvettes, Frigates, and Capital Ships Prerequisites: None
The scouts aren't battle worthy ships. Instead, use scouts as mobile probes. They have a superior sensor range to other fighters and can even be upgraded with the ability to 'ping' locations to investigate an area of the map (useful for seeing your enemy's fleet or checking out resource areas for defenses) and with EMP technology to disable enemy ships for a short period of time. If your scouts are attacked, retreat; they won't last long against any other strike craft.
Homeworld 2 Mission 3
Interceptor
Speed: 350
Attack Damage per Second: 36 Health: 150 Cost: 500 Class: Fighter Primary Role: Basic Fighter Squadron Strong versus: Fighters Weak versus: Corvettes, Frigates, and Capital Ships Prerequisites: Fighter Facility
The Hiigaran interceptors are best used against other fighters (such as the Vaygr assault craft or bombers). The interceptors can also be effective in large groups against certain frigates, such as the ion beam or heavy missile frigate. Don't send interceptors to attack a group of flak frigates! The interceptors' speed makes them ideal for resource collector hit-and-run harassment. Use interceptors to protect your capital ships and frigates from bomber attacks.
Bomber
Speed: 260
Attack Damage per Second: 439 Health: 150 Cost: 550 Class: Fighter Primary Role: Anti-Capital Ship Fighter Squadron Strong versus: Frigates, Capital Ships, Subsystems Weak versus: Fighters, Corvettes, and Anti-Fighter Frigates Prerequisites: Fighter Facility
Bombers are fighters that are best used in large numbers against frigates and capital ships and their subsystems. For instance, when attacking a battlecruiser you may choose to attack the cannon platforms to help protect your own capital ships from the battlecruiser's bruising weaponry. Or you could destroy the engines to disable the craft in preparation for a marine frigate. Protect your bombers with interceptors and corvettes. If you plan to use bombers in large quantities, research improved bombs to increase their potency against those frigates and capital ships.
Gunship
Speed: 215
Attack Damage per Second: 56 Health: 1200 Cost: 625 Class: Corvette Primary Role: Anti-Fighter Corvette Squadron Strong versus: Fighters Weak versus: Corvettes, Frigates, and Capital Ships Prerequisites: Corvette Facility
The Hiigaran gunships are fighter killers. Specifically task them against enemy fighter-class vessels, including interceptors, bombers and assault craft. Avoid the Hiigaran pulsar gunships and Vaygr missile corvettes. You could use them to guard your bombers against enemy fighter counter-attacks or protect your capital ships and frigates against enemy bombing runs.
Pulsar Gunship
Speed: 215
Attack Damage per Second: 54 Health: 1200 Cost: 625 Class: Corvette Primary Role: Heavy Corvette Squadron Strong versus: Corvettes and Frigates Weak versus: Capital Ships Prerequisites: Corvette Facility
The Hiigaran pulsar gunship's ion beam cannon is most effective against other corvettes and (with a large group of pulsar gunships) enemy frigates. The pulsar gunship isn't as effective against fighter-class vessels; for instance, you shouldn't use pulsar gunships to defend against a bombing run. Though you make kill some bombers, your capital ships will suffer damage in the process. Use pulsar gunships to guard your strike craft against corvette counters. This is especially effective in the single-player game when you must protect against laser corvettes, used effectively by the Vaygr to attack your frigates.
Minelayer
Speed:
Attack Damage per Second: Health: Cost: 800 Class: Corvette Primary Role: Utility Corvette. Can deploy mines as a special action. Strong versus: Capital Ships Weak versus: Corvettes and Capital Ships Prerequisites: Corvette Facility, Advanced Research Module, Minelaying Technology
The Hiigaran minelayer corvette is similar to the Vaygr minelayer. Use the minelayer corvette to help protect resource areas. Mine the area around the resources to prevent your enemy from destroying your collectors. You could also use it to protect the area around your mothership or carriers placed at the front line to help support your fleet.
Hiigaran Frigates
Torpedo Frigate
Speed: 161
Attack Damage per Second: 305 Health: 12000 Cost: 700 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Basic Frigate. Torpedoes can be upgraded to improve effectiveness against Capital Class Ships (research 'Improved Torpedoes') Strong versus: Corvettes, Frigates (when upgraded) Weak versus: Bombers, Destroyers Prerequisites: Frigate Facility
The Hiigaran torpedo frigate is a 'multi-purpose' frigate as it can be effective against corvettes and other frigates (research improved torpedoes first). While the Hiigaran flak frigate should be employed only against strike craft and the ion beam frigates only against frigates and capital ships, the torpedo frigate can be used against both, though not as effectively as the other Hiigaran frigate class vessels.
Flak Frigate
Speed: 161
Attack Damage per Second: 50 Health: 16000 Cost: 700 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Advanced Anti-Fighter Frigate equipped with powerful Flak Turrets. Strong versus: Fighters Weak versus: Capital Ships Prerequisites: Frigate Facility and Advanced Research Module
Flak frigates are best used in large groups (around eight or more) and can be completely devastating against enemy strike craft groups. Protect your other frigates and capital ships from bombers or even protect your bombers from enemy fighters. Flak frigates are awesome support during the single-player game where the Vaygr seems to use countless squads of strike craft but should also be a staple of a multiplayer game. Beware of corvettes, which are stronger against flak frigates, and vessels that specifically counter frigates: flak frigates will fall very quickly to these attacks.
Ion Cannon Frigate
Speed: 150
Attack Damage per Second: 315 Health: 16000 Cost: 700 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Anti-Capital Ship Frigate equipped with ion beams. Capital Ship Killer. Strong versus: Frigates, Capital Ships Weak versus: Bombers, Destroyers Prerequisites: Frigate Facility and Advanced Research Module
Use the Hiigaran ion cannon frigates to counter enemy frigates and capital ships (employ in large groups if you plan to counter destroyers). Ion cannon frigates are very weak against strike craft so they must be supported with anti-strike craft units, such as gunships, interceptors, or flak frigates. Ion cannon frigates are also the slowest Hiigaran frigate. Be careful when engaging in battle and ensure your ion cannon frigates are close to the front line so they'll engage the enemy's frigates or capital ships.
Defense Field Frigate
Speed: 161
Attack Damage per Second: 17 Health: 18000 Cost: 1250 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Utility Frigate. Can protect nearby ships from most attacks. Must be activated. Strong versus: N/A (defensive) Weak versus: Bombers and Corvettes Prerequisites: Frigate Facility, Advanced Research Module, and Defense Field Technology
Protect your frigate or capital ship groups with defense field frigates. Set your defense field frigate to guard a specific frigate or capital ship and, as long as your vessels remain close and within the defense field frigate's sphere of influence, its protective field can reject enemy weapons' fire. You must activate the defense field frigate to utilize its ability; the defensive field doesn't last long, however, and slowly recharges after depletion.
Marine Frigate
Speed: 230
Attack Damage per Second: 80 Health: 18000 Cost: 700 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Frigate Facility and Advanced Research Module Strong versus: Capital Ships Weak versus: Bombers, Frigates Prerequisites: Frigate Facility and Advanced Research Module
Marine frigates are like the Vaygr infiltrator frigates: they're used to take over enemy capital ships. Use bombers to disable a capital ship's engines then move in a marine frigate to take over the vessel. It takes several seconds to take command of the vessel. If you're on the receiving end of a marine or infiltrator frigate, listen to the mission events carefully and when you hear a capital ship is in jeopardy, find the offending frigate and destroy it as soon as possible before you lose the capital ship to your enemy. When moving the marine frigate toward an enemy capital ship, protect it against strike craft with gunships or flak frigates.
Hiigaran Capital Ships
Carrier
Speed: 75
Attack Damage per Second: 40 Health: 80000 Cost: 2800 Class: Capital Ship Primary Role: Capital class production ship equipped with three production and two module slots. Strong versus: None Weak versus: Bombers, Capital Ships Prerequisites: Capital Ship Facility
Carriers are other multi-purpose vessels, though not effective in direct combat situations. Carriers are used as front line support for your fighters, frigates, and resource collectors. Keep carriers near the front line so damaged fighters can return to the carrier, dock, and emerge repaired and ready to return to battle. Carriers can also produce additional units (depending on which production platforms you choose) and can also hold other modules, such as research or cloak modules. Use carriers to pump out defensive platforms, which can be quickly ushered to the front line to support your fleet in battle or set it at a resource area to serve as a drop off point for your collectors as well as a place for your fleet to move and repair.
Destroyer
Speed: 115
Attack Damage per Second: 1034 Health: 85000 Cost: 2000 Class: Capital Ship Primary Role: Capital Class Anti-Frigate Ship Strong versus: Frigates, Capital Ships Weak versus: Bombers, Battlecruisers Prerequisites: Capital Ship Facility, Research Module, and Destroyer Chassis research
Destroyers crush enemy frigates and, in numbers, can hold up against battlecruisers (though, as with all Homeworld units, are best used with supporting vessels). Destroyers are the foundation of your capital ship force and should be used to primarily counter enemy frigates (particularly flak, torpedo, and assault frigates, which aren't as effective against capital ships). Support your destroyers with anti-bomber vessels and beware of ion beam frigates, ion beam and missile platforms, and heavy missile frigates in large numbers.
Battlecruiser
Speed: 69
Attack Damage per Second: 5200 Health: 240000 Cost: 4000 Class: Capital Ship Primary Role: Heavy Capital Class Ship Strong versus: Frigates, Capital Ships Weak versus: Bombers Prerequisites: Capital Ship Facility (on Shipyard), Advanced Research Module, and Battlecruiser Chassis research. Can only be built at Shipyard, which requires Hyperspace Module.
This is the largest combat ship in the Hiigaran fleet and it's a formidable, though expensive (especially when you add in all its requirements), capital ship threat. The battlecruiser is best used against frigates and destroyers (or other battlecruisers) and should be protected heavily against bombers, especially those targeting the battlecruiser's weapon and engine subsystems. Your strike craft can dock with the battlecruiser, so it's easy to repair your support craft when necessary.
Chapter 4 - Vaygr Units
This section provides unit stats and tactics for Vaygr units. These stats and tactics are accurate for the release version of Homeworld 2 and are applicable to multiplayer and the single-player campaign.
Survey Scout
Speed: 420
Attack Damage per Second: 9 Health: 90 Cost: 350 Class: Fighter Primary Role: Reconnaissance Fighter Squadron Strong versus: None Weak versus: Fighters, Corvettes, Frigates, and Capital Ships Prerequisites: None
The Vaygr survey scout excels at reconnaissance. This isn't a combat ship; instead, use the scout to keep tabs on enemy movements and location. The survey scout possesses enhanced sensor range and can be further upgraded via the research panel. If spotted, avoid combat; the scout will fall quickly to any other vessel in the game. But it's faster than all other ships so make a hasty retreat and use the scout again later in the game. Though a probe serves the same purpose, unlike the probe the scout can move again after placed.
Assault Craft
Speed: 325
Attack Damage per Second: 30 Health: 210 Cost: 500 Class: Fighter Primary Role: Basic Fighter Squadron Strong versus: Fighters Weak versus: Corvettes, Frigates, and Capital Ships Prerequisites: Fighter Facility
The assault craft are the Vaygr's basic fighter, similar to the Hiigaran interceptors. Assault craft are best used to counter other fighters, including bombers. Assault craft can be effective in large groups against certain frigates (those that don't counter fighters). Use them to guard your own bombers from enemy interceptors. Assault craft are also ideal for hit and run harassment against resource collectors.
Bomber
Speed: 260
Attack Damage per Second: 332 Health: 180 Cost: 550 Class: Fighter Primary Role: Anti-Capital Ship Fighter Squadron Strong versus: Frigates, Capital Ships, Subsystems Weak versus: Fighters, Corvettes, and Anti-Fighter Frigates Prerequisites: Fighter Facility, Research Module, and Fusion Bomb Research
Bombers are strike craft that are best used in large numbers against frigates and capital ships and their subsystems. For instance, when attacking a battlecruiser you may choose to attack the cannon platforms to help protect your own capital ships from the battlecruiser's bruising weaponry. Or you could destroy the engines to disable the craft in preparation for an infiltrator frigate. Protect your bombers with interceptors and corvettes. Vaygr bombers require fusion bomb research before they can be built.
Lance Fighter
Speed: 260
Attack Damage per Second: 43 Health: 150 Cost: 500 Class: Fighter Primary Role: Heavy Fighter Squadron Strong versus: Corvettes Weak versus: Fighters, Anti-Fighter Frigates Prerequisites: Fighter Facility, Research Module, and Lance Beam Research
The Vaygr lance fighter is a strike craft designed to counter corvettes (similar to the Hiigaran's pulsar gunships, though more maneuverable and far less durable). The lance fighter is also effective against capital ship subsystems; especially undefended capital ships that have few defenses against highly maneuverable strike craft. Disable a capital ship's engines in preparation for an infiltrator frigate. In battle, don't task lance fighters against other strike craft; they're best used against corvettes (better against pulsar gunships) or subsystems.
Vaygr Corvettes
Missile Corvette
Speed: 215
Attack Damage per Second: 26 Health: 1600 Cost: 625 Class: Corvette Primary Role: Heavy Corvette Squadron Strong versus: Corvettes, Frigates Weak versus: Capital Ships Prerequisites: Corvette Facility
The Vaygr missile corvette is designed to counter other corvettes and frigates, particularly ion beam frigates that have little defense against this maneuverable corvette. Keep missile corvettes nearby to support your strike craft against gunships or your frigates against laser corvettes. On the offensive side, task your missile corvettes against enemy corvettes and frigates; beware of torpedo and flak frigates (though flak frigates aren't as powerful against corvettes).
Laser Corvette
Speed: 215
Attack Damage per Second: 350 Health: 1600 Cost: 650 Class: Corvette Primary Role: Anti-Capital Ship Corvette Squadron Strong versus: Capital Ships, Frigates Weak versus: Corvettes, Capital Ships Prerequisites: Corvette Facility, Research Module, and Corvette Laser Research
Laser corvettes are called the 'bigger brother of the lance fighter'. These corvettes are specifically designed to counter frigates and capital ships. Laser corvettes make quick work of flak frigates, which are better suited to counter weaker strike craft like bombers or assault craft. Laser corvettes are also useful against capital ship subsystems and even the capital ship itself, particularly those that are left unsupported. A capital ship has few defenses against a couple laser corvette squadrons.
Command Corvette
Speed: 215
Attack Damage per Second: 0 Health: 600 Cost: 400 Class: Corvette Primary Role: Utility Corvette with improved sensors and fire control systems. Improves all nearby Vaygr ship accuracy Strong versus: N/A Weak versus: Corvettes, Capital Ships Prerequisites: Corvette Facility, Research Module, and Command Corvette Systems Research
The Vaygr command corvette possesses no attack but can be one of your best allies in battle. The command corvette increases sensor range and also improves Vaygr ship accuracy for anything under its sphere of influence (select the command corvette to gauge its influence). The command corvette does require extra research to build but it's a worthwhile addition to any fleet. Expect enemy strike craft to attempt to destroy the command corvette; therefore, use anti-strike craft vessels to protect the command corvette.
Minelayer Corvette
Speed: 215
Attack Damage per Second: 48 Health: 400 Cost: 800 Class: Corvette Primary Role: Utility Corvette. Can deploy mines as a special action. Strong versus: Capital Ships Weak versus: Capital Ships, Corvettes Prerequisites: Corvette Facility, Research Module, Minelaying Technology
Update adobe premiere pro cc 2015 download. The Vaygr minelayer corvette is similar to the Hiigaran minelayer. Use the minelayer corvette to help protect resource areas. Mine the area around the resources to prevent your enemy from destroying your collectors. You could also use it to protect the area around your mothership or carriers placed at the front line to help support your fleet.
Vaygr Frigates
Heavy Missile Frigate
Speed: 150
Attack Damage per Second: 351 Health: 16000 Cost: 700 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Basic Frigate equipped with powerful anti-ship missiles Strong versus: Frigates, Capital Ships Weak versus: Bombers, Destroyers Prerequisites: Frigate Facility
The Vaygr heavy missile frigate specifically counters other frigates (best used against flak, torpedo, or assault frigates) and even capital ships if used in larger numbers. The heavy missile frigate has little defense against strike craft groups so it should be supported with anti-fighter measures to guard from bomber attack (or even lance fighter and certain corvette attacks).
Assault Frigate
Speed: 161
Attack Damage per Second: 127 Health: 16000 Cost: 700 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Advanced anti-Fighter Frigate equipped with turrets and swarmer missiles. Strong versus: Fighters Weak versus: Bombers, Capital Ships Prerequisites: Frigate Facility, Research Module, and Assault Frigate Chassis Research
The Vaygr assault frigate specifically counters strike craft. It's not as much of an offensive weapon as the Hiigaran flak frigate; instead, the assault frigate is best used to support other vessels in defense against enemy strike craft, specifically bombers, which in large groups could take out capital ships and their subsystems. Keep assault frigates close to help guard against strike craft assaults.
Infiltrator Frigate
Speed: 230
Attack Damage per Second: 53 Health: 18000 Cost: 800 Class: Frigate Primary Role: Frigate capable of infiltrating and commandeering enemy ships using drop pods. Strong versus: Capital Ships Weak versus: Bombers, Frigates Prerequisites: Frigate Facility, Research Module, and Infiltration Pod Research
Infiltrator frigates are like the Hiigaran marine frigates: they're used to take over enemy capital ships. Use bombers to disable a capital ship's engines then move an infiltrator frigate in to take over the vessel. It takes several seconds to take command of the vessel. If you're on the receiving end of a marine or infiltrator frigate, listen to the mission events carefully and when you hear a capital ship is in jeopardy, find the offending frigate and destroy it as soon as possible before you lose the capital ship to your enemy. When moving the infiltrator frigate toward an enemy capital ship, protect it against strike craft with gunships or flak frigates.
Vaygr Capital Ships
Carrier
Speed: 75
Attack Damage per Second: 200 Health: 55000 Cost: 1700 Class: Capital Ship Primary Role: Capital class Production ship equipped with one production and two module slots. Strong versus: N/A Weak versus: Bombers, Capital Ships Prerequisites: Capital Ship Facility
Carriers are multi-purpose vessels and are used as front line support for your fighters, frigates, and resource collectors. Keep carriers near the front line so damaged fighters can return to the carrier, dock, and emerge repaired and ready to return to battle. Carriers can also produce additional units (depending on which production platform you choose) and can also hold other modules, such as research or cloak modules. Use carriers to pump out defensive platforms, which can be quickly ushered to the front line to support your fleet in battle or set it at a resource area to serve as a drop off point for your collectors as well as a place for your fleet to move and repair. Note that the Vaygr carrier features only one production slot (the Hiigaran equivalent boasts three) though the Vaygr carrier is slightly better at defending itself and is less expensive.
Destroyer
Speed: 115
Attack Damage per Second: 1100 Health: 85000 Cost: 2000 Class: Capital Ship Primary Role: Capital Class Anti-Frigate Ship Strong versus: Frigates, Capital Ships Weak versus: Bombers, Battlecruisers Prerequisites: Capital Ship Facility, Research Module, and Destroyer Chassis
Destroyers crush enemy frigates and, in numbers, can hold up against battlecruisers (though, as with all Homeworld units, are best used with supporting vessels). Destroyers are the foundation of your capital ship force and should be used to primarily counter enemy frigates (particularly flak, torpedo, and assault frigates, which aren't as effective against capital ships). Support your destroyers with anti-bomber vessels and beware of ion beam frigates, ion beam or missile platforms, and heavy missile frigates in large numbers.
Battlecruiser
Speed: 69
Attack Damage per Second: 5404 Health: 240000 Cost: 4000 Class: Capital Ship Primary Role: Heavy Capital Class Ship Strong versus: Capital Ships, Frigates Weak versus: Bombers Prerequisites: Capital Ship Facility (on Shipyard), Research Module, and Battlecruiser Chassis research. Can only be built at Shipyard, which requires Hyperspace Module.
This is the largest combat ship in the Vaygr fleet and it's a formidable, though expensive (especially when you add in all its requirements), capital ship threat. The battlecruiser is best used against frigates and destroyers (or other battlecruisers) and should be protected heavily against bombers, especially those targeting the battlecruiser's weapon and engine subsystems. Your strike craft can dock with the battlecruiser, so it's easy to repair your support craft when necessary.
Chapter 5 - Mission Walk-throughs
This section features complete walk-throughs for Homeworld 2's single-player campaign mission. Each mission walk-through includes a complete list of objectives and secondary objectives with a proven solution for each. The mission walk-throughs will also help you prepare your fleet for future mission encounters and help guide you smoothly into tricky mission triggers.
Mission 1 - Tanis
The Mothership prepares to undertake a series of trials at Tanis, a secret Hiigaran outpost in the Great Wastelands.
Objective: Begin harvesting. Collect 700 RUs.
Select your resource collector and send him to collect resources from the storage containers. Some storage containers only offer 200 RUs each so be sure to select the container that offers 700 to complete the objective quickly. The objective will be fulfilled once the resource collector grabs the storage container and deposits the container inside the mothership.
Objective: Build a fighter facility.
Select the 'Build' menu on the mothership then select the fighter facility. Your resource collector will continue to snag resources from the storage container group. Allow it to continue to fund the series of trials you're required to complete. The next objective appears once the fighter facility has been built.
Objective: Build a squadron of interceptors.
Open the 'Build' menu again and select the fighter tab. Create a single squad of interceptors. Once the interceptors have been built, the next objective appears.
Objective: Use the interceptors to destroy the target drones.
Select the interceptors and add them to a control group (press CTRL + 1, for example). The location of the drones is revealed on the sensor map.
Before attacking the drones, build a few more squads of interceptors to prepare for the next objective, which occurs suddenly after the drones have been killed. Move the interceptors to the drones and engage. Hold down the CTRL button and select the drones to attack them all.
Objective: Defeat Vaygr forces at Chimera.
Enemy forces have entered the Great Wastelands and disrupted the trials. Select your interceptors (it's easiest to group them all into a single control group and just press the corresponding number to recall the group). Attack the Vaygr forces with your interceptors. Build more from the mothership if necessary.
Objective: Protect the mothership. Secondary Objective: Build a squadron of bombers.
The next battle illustrates the importance of using your fighter units to specifically counter certain enemy forces. Fulfill the secondary objective by building a couple squadrons of bombers. Continue to battle the Vaygr bombers with your interceptors while the bombers train. You have two minutes until your next target appears.
The Vaygr are using hyperspace gates. You must destroy them before the Vaygr can send in additional reinforcements. Continue to use your interceptor group against the Vaygr bombers and task your bomber group on the gates. When reinforcements arrive, target the Vaygr frigate with your bombers and continue to counter the Vaygr bombers with your interceptors. Build reinforcements if needed.
Mission 2 - Angel Moon
Arriving in the Homeworld system, the mothership must rendezvous with its crew and mount a desperate defense.
Objective: Protect the crew transports. Secondary objectives: Build resource collectors.
Orders are to save at least four of the six crew transports attempting to make their way to the mothership. Vaygr assault craft and bombers are attacking the crew transports.
First, build another resource collector or two and start it gathering resources at nearby asteroids. This will help you gather resources quicker, which can then be turned around to produce additional interceptors and bombers to assist the crew transports.
Build an additional bomber squadron (for a total of three if you have two from the previous mission) then start building interceptor squadrons. Add the new interceptor squadrons to your existing battle group and assist the nearest crew transport that's under attack from the Vaygr craft. Target the bombers first. Maneuver your bomber squadron toward the map's center. Don't use them to fight the Vaygr assault craft or bombers--you're going to use them against a much larger Vaygr vessel.
There's a Vaygr carrier in the area that's building fighters to reinforce the attacks on the crew transports. If you can destroy the carrier's fighter facility, you can cut off the reinforcements.
Secondary Objective: Destroy the carrier's fighter facility. Build a corvette facility.
Group your bomber squadrons (three will suffice) and send them toward the Vaygr carrier. Attack the fighter facility on top of the carrier. Once the fighter facility has been destroyed, the carrier can no longer reinforce the fighter groups attacking the crew transports.
Switch to your mothership's 'Build' menu and construct a corvette facility once it's available; the corvette facility enables you to build gunships and pulsar gunships. Add a few gunships to your strike craft group; they're effective against the Vaygr's assault craft.
Continue to usher your interceptor squadrons to each of the crew transports and attack the bombers first. At some point during the battle, Captain Soban enters the map to assist your efforts. Assist him in clearing out the remaining Vaygr bombers and assault craft.
The Vaygr carrier in the map's center begins to retreat; it must be destroyed before it can escape. Send your bombers directly at the Vaygr carrier and destroy it to complete the objective.
The mission ends when the last crew transport reaches the mothership. So if you want additional attack units for the next mission, build them before the transport nears the mothership. Note that you also receive bonus units when particular crew transports reach the mothership (for instance, elite bomber groups).
Mission 3 - Sarum
Begin rebuilding the Hiigaran fleet at Sarum.
Objective: Protect the shipyard Nabaal. Secondary Objective: Begin resourcing operations.
The Nabaal shipyard is under attack and needs your assistance immediately. Assign your interceptors and gunships into separate groups. Send both directly to the shipyard. Use the interceptors to attack the Vaygr bombers and the gunships to attack the Vaygr assault craft.
Send your resource collectors to the large asteroids to the right of your mothership. Build a mobile refinery and send it to the same resource area. Assign the mobile refinery to guard your two collectors and the refinery will stay close and serve as a dropoff station for your resources. You will be able to gather resources much more quickly with the mobile refinery at this position.
Objective: Repair the shipyard. Secondary Objective: Defend the forward resourcing operation.
Once you have eliminated the enemy forces from around the shipyard, you're ordered to repair the shipyard using your resource collectors with a research upgrade. Select the mothership's 'Research' panel and research the 'Resource Collector Repair' upgrade. Build another resource collector and send it to the damaged shipyard. Don't repair the shipyard just yet, however; repairing the shipyard to capacity triggers the next attack.
Secondary orders are to defend the resourcing operation. You can now build defensive platforms. Build the platform control module for your mothership. When finished, build a gun platform and send it to the center of your resourcing operation. Now you can start repairing the shipyard.
Objective: Destroy the Vaygr probes.
Meanwhile, Vaygr probes enter the area. Use the sensor map to locate them. One is positioned near the map's center; one can be found near the mothership; and a third can be found near your resourcing operation. Use your interceptors to destroy them. Split your interceptor squad into three groups so you can engage all three probes as quickly as possible.
Objective: Destroy the Vaygr attackers.
A Vaygr carrier enters and unleashes an array of assault craft and bombers. Task your interceptor squads against the enemy bombers, your gunships against the Vaygr assault craft, and your bombers against the Vaygr carrier's fighter facility. Destroy the fighter facility quickly to prevent any additional fighter reinforcements. Once the fighter facility has been eliminated, use the bombers to attack the carrier.
You will also spot Vaygr resource collectors in the area (over the resource area). Use any of your strike craft to eliminate them.
Send all of your strike craft toward the shipyard and dock them with the shipyard for repair. The next Vaygr attack also occurs here so it's best to have all of your fighters and bombers here to assist. You should also reinforce your bomber group with two to three more squadrons from your mothership. Send them directly to the shipyard and add them to your bomber group.
Recovering the shipyard also provides use of a carrier. This carrier serves as a secondary unit construction center. It will be invaluable to defending the shipyard because you can reinforce your army much faster from the carrier since it's already at the battle's front line.
Select your carrier and build a frigate facility and a fighter facility. You'll want to build at least four flak frigates, which are excellent anti-fighter ships. With the fighter facility, you can reinforce your bomber group, which will be vital in completing the mission.
A new force of Vaygr attackers enter near the shipyard. The force consists of three carriers depositing infiltrator frigates and a variety of strike craft in the area. The infiltrator frigates move directly toward the shipyard and attempt an infiltration. You can also build marine frigates to counter a successful infiltration. But if you defend against the infiltrator frigates successfully then you won't need to build a marine frigate.
Defending the shipyard requires sending the flak frigates and your interceptors and gunships against any strike craft escorting the infiltrator frigates. Your bombers will be focused on the closest infiltrator frigate. A large bomber squad can defeat the infiltrator frigates quickly, often before they even reach the shipyard.
The problem is the enemy carriers will continue to build more infiltrator frigates. You must destroy the carriers (or its frigate facility) to stop the attack. Build a few extra bomber squads from your own carrier and send them to destroy each carrier's frigate facility or the carrier itself as soon as possible. Use the nearby resource collector to repair your flak frigates if necessary. Keep them engaged with enemy fighters; park them near the enemy carriers when you're bombing the carrier's facility to help counter any assault craft released. The mission ends once all three carriers are destroyed.
Mission 4 - Gehenna Outskirts
The fleet must slip past Vaygr patrols guarding the outskirts of the Gehenna Asteroid field.
Objective: Destroy the hyperspace inhibitors.
The key to this mission is preparation. Before heading to the hyperspace inhibitors, it's important to prepare your fleet well with specific reinforcements to face the large onslaught of attackers that await you. You should have accumulated a lot of resources upon completing the last mission. You'll certainly use them!
Homeworld 2 Mission 4 Impossible
The Vaygr hyperspace inhibitors are located on three asteroids (their location is marked on the sensor map). A Vaygr command station is located on the far side of the map. Orders are to destroy the hyperspace inhibitors first, which will allow passage toward the command station. Once there, orders are to destroy the command station.
While your fleet exits the mothership, begin your preparation by building four to six more flak frigates (in addition to those from the previous mission, so you have a total of around eight to ten) to counter Vaygr fighters, and five or six pulsar gunship squadrons to counter Vaygr laser corvettes (which can crush your frigates quickly). The remainder of your corvette slots should be filled with gunships to also counter fighters, while you complete your fighter slots with a 3:1 ratio of bombers and interceptors. Bombers will be used to counter enemy frigates, carriers, and to destroy the inhibitors; interceptors should join the gunships and flak frigates to counter Vaygr assault craft. You should also purchase armor upgrades for these ships and the improved bombs upgrade as well.
Maneuver your resource collectors to the resource area to the right of your mothership. Place the mobile refinery on guard to assist. Vaygr forces will attack this position so your collectors must be protected! Send four flak frigates and two to four squads of gunships (mix in a couple pulsar gunship squads). Check the frigates occasionally for damage; use a resource collector to repair if necessary. You could also keep a carrier nearby for dock and repair (if you only have one carrier, consider building another).
Once you've prepared your fleet with all of these reinforcements, send remaining flak frigates, your bomber squad, and your gunship and interceptor squad to the inhibitor on the far left. You should also send a carrier, which will allow you to reinforce your fleet quickly as well as provide a repair station for your fighters and gunships.
When you reach the inhibitor, you'll encounter a minelayer corvette (there are mines!) and a collection of fighters, laser corvettes, and an assault frigate or two all supported by a carrier. Assign specific targets for your unit types: flak frigates against fighters and bombers, interceptors and gunships against fighters and bombers, pulsar gunships against laser corvettes, and finally your bombers against frigates and the carrier. Build a resource collector from your carrier to repair any damaged frigates if necessary. You could also reinforce your groups with torpedo frigates to help counter the Vaygr corvettes and frigates.
Maintain your position at the first inhibitor. Destroy all enemy forces in the area. The Vaygr may send a few groups of bombers and assault craft at your mothership. Return some gunships to the mothership and assign them on guard to counter any of these attacking forces (a single flak frigate will also prove effective, especially if repaired frequently). Destroy the first group of inhibitors when there are no enemy forces in the area.
Begin moving your fleet to the second inhibitor, the center asteroid. The Vaygr have a lot of frigates in the area and may move them in a full group. Keep your carriers away from these assault and heavy missile frigates. Your carrier can fall quickly to their attack and will have trouble escaping if you don't get a head start! Just task your bombers on the frigates and eliminate them all. Torpedo frigates also provide useful assistance. Don't use the flak frigates but your interceptors and gunships can certainly provide some assistance. Reinforce any units that are destroyed and don't forget to periodically dock with a carrier for repair.
Destroy the second and third inhibitors. Check the sensor map often to spot the enemy's location and intercept any enemy units with the appropriate counter. You could also use probes to better keep an eye on the enemy's movements.
Once all three inhibitors are destroyed, you automatically initiate a tactical hyperspace jump; the mothership moves within striking distance of the command station.
Objective: Destroy the command station. Destroy the remaining Vaygr forces.
Move your fleet toward the command station. Keep them in a group (don't let anyone fly too far out front) as there are some frigate and fighter defenses around the command station. Counter frigates with bombers and fighters with your gunships and flak frigates. After destroying the defending units, task all of your fleet on the command station.
Check the sensor map for a few more marked spots where Vaygr forces (including a shipyard) remain. Move your fleet to each position and destroy any remaining forces to complete the mission.
Mission 5 - Gehenna
In the dust fields of Gehenna, the fleet must infiltrate a heavily guarded dig site to retrieve the Oracle.
Objective: Retrieve the Oracle. Secondary Objective: Destroy the Vaygr garrisons.
In order to retrieve the Oracle, you must use a marine frigate to dock with the dig site. Once the marine frigate 'captures' the dig site, the Oracle will be retrieved and the mission will conclude.
Not long into the mission, a secondary objective appears. There are three Vaygr garrisons in the area. Eliminate the three garrisons to prevent them from detecting your presence and position.
The dust fields of Gehenna actually mask your signature from Vaygr sensors. Remain in the dust clouds to stay undetected from the Vaygr. It's easiest to use the sensor map to move. That way if you do accidentally exit the dust fields, you can nearly instantly see what ship has moved out of formation and can quickly select the ship and move it back into the dust cloud. When you do exit the dust cloud, a timer appears on screen ('Time to Detection'). You must move all ships back into the dust cloud before time expires or the Vaygr will unleash their attack against you.
The garrisons aren't very big; there are some frigates (assault and heavy missile), a couple platforms, and an assortment of strike craft. Wipe them out easily by moving your entire fleet there: it should consist of a full squad of bombers for use against the frigates and platforms, a full squad of corvettes (mix of gunships and pulsar gunships) for use against the fighters, and an assortment of flak frigates and torpedo frigates to support your smaller ships.
Move through the dust clouds to the garrison on the far right. Fight smartly: task your corvettes against assault craft, bombers against frigates, and frigates against fighters (flak) and frigates (torpedo). Once you eliminate the garrison, return to the mothership and your carriers. Dock the fighters to repair them; use a resource collector to repair any damaged frigates. Move to the middle garrison and clear it out as well. Move back to the mothership and administer any necessary repairs.
While you eliminate the garrisons, build approximately five to seven marine frigates. The easiest way to capture the Oracle is to simply make a charge at it. After you clear out two garrisons, the Vaygr forces detect you with probes and launch their attack. This is your cue to make a run for the Oracle.
From your mothership, head straight to the Oracle's position. Counter all enemy forces you encounter all the way; nearly every enemy force is targeting your marine frigates! Keep them behind your other forces. That way you can attack the enemy fighters and frigates as they approach and inflict plenty of damage as they attempt to reach your marine frigates. Every time you lose a marine frigate, replace it from one of your carriers.
Secondary Objective: Destroy the Vaygr shipyard.
Push your way to the dig site. As you near, you're notified of a Vaygr shipyard adjacent to the dig site (there's also a Vaygr carrier there). It's creating reinforcements. The shipyard can withstand a lot of damage and you'll lose a lot of ships trying to blow it apart. It's much easier to work your way to the dig site and send a marine frigate as quickly as possible to attach on the dig site to retrieve the Oracle and complete the mission.
As you near the dig site, use your fighters and frigate to clear out the weapon platforms protecting the site. Attack any ships launched from the shipyard. Send your marine frigates directly to the dig site. Replace any marine frigates you lose as soon as possible and send them right to the dig site.
The mission concludes as soon as you've retrieved the Oracle--even if there are enemy ships (and the shipyard and carrier) in the area. It'll save you a lot of resources if you just get to the dig site quickly. Realize that you will need several marine frigates; because the enemy is targeting them, you may lose the first two or three marine frigates. But when your fighters and frigates reach the dig site, they can occupy enemy forces long enough for you to sneak a marine frigate to the Oracle and complete the mission.
Mission 6 - The Karos Graveyard
Under the influence of the Oracle, the mothership hyperspaces to the Karos Graveyard.
Objective: Begin resourcing operations.
Select your resource collectors and hit 'H' to send them to the nearest asteroid to begin resource operations. Use your mobile refinery to guard the resource collectors to keep it close. While you gather resources, reinforce your corvette group with additional gunships and pulsar gunships and your frigate group with more torpedo and flak frigates.
Objective: Defend the fleet.
Sensors detect anomalous signals from the surrounding debris hulks. Unidentified units emerge from the hulks and move toward your fleet. These unidentified units are called movers; they're very durable with a strong against, particularly against your frigates. The approaching movers are targeting your corvette group over your frigate group; if you have your corvette group docked, the movers target your corvettes.
Keep your corvettes positioned behind your frigates so the movers move through your frigate group. Focus your attack on the nearest movers to inflict as much damage as possible (and hopefully kill some). Engage the movers with your corvettes once they're within range. Make sure your frigates are engaged as well since the movers are not targeting them. Reinforce your corvette and frigate groups by creating more from your mothership or carrier.
After destroying the initial group of movers, the Oracle initiates a hyperspace jump on your mothership; it's sent on a short jump to another location on the map. The Oracle remains in control of the hyperspace core.
There are more movers in the hulks surrounding the mothership's new location. Move your fleet to the mothership quickly. Select your carrier (or mothership) and build two to three resource collectors in preparation for the next objective.
Objective: Salvage the derelict ship.
There's an immobile derelict ship located near your mothership. Retrieve the immobile mover with a resource collector; it will be returned to the mothership and you can reverse engineer the vessel and learn its strengths and weaknesses.
It's best to get the derelict ship as soon as possible because the reverse engineering allows you to research anti-mover weaponry, which significantly increases your weapon potency against these armed utility vessels. To get the derelict ship quickly, send three to four squads of corvettes to the derelict ship to destroy the two guarding movers. Send in two to three resource collectors immediately behind these corvette squads and attempt to salvage the derelict ship. The reason you send more is to ensure at least one resource collector reaches the derelict ship.
Keep your corvette group reinforced always; avoid having only frigates or the enemy movers will obliterate them quickly. Continue to produce corvettes from your mothership and carrier and keep them engaged with the enemy movers. Your corvettes are primarily distractions until you get the derelict mover back so you can begin the anti-mover weaponry research.
Objective: Begin anti-mover weapon enhancements research.
Within moments after the derelict mover is returned to your mothership, you can research anti-mover weapon enhancements. Select the research panel and find the anti-mover weapon enhancements on the mothership area.
The mothership moves once again; this time the Oracle positions the mothership near a specific debris hulk. Move your fleet once again to the mothership's new position.
Objective: Defend the mothership.
The easiest way to defend the mothership during this extended onslaught of movers is to use the sensor map. While on the sensor map, attack specific mover targets with your corvettes and frigates. This battle takes awhile; the enemy movers continue to pour from the nearby hulks. If any of your corvette squads are weakened, dock them with the mothership for repairs. You could also keep a resource collector handy to repair any damaged frigates.
Once the mothership reaches the hulk, the Oracle activates the derelict, powers down all movers on the map, and the mission concludes successfully.
Mission 7 - Derelicts
Pulled out of hyperspace, the mothership and Hiigaran fleet find themselves surrounded by Progenitor derelicts.
Objective: Investigate the derelict hulks.
This is a tough mission that requires good defense, a lot of micromanagement, and careful fleet planning. Plus, it's wise to start purchasing your unit upgrades if you haven't already; you'll need the added armor and firepower to survive against the plentiful Vaygr attacks during the course of the mission.
The first step is to send a probe to one of the derelicts to investigate. Build a probe from your mothership or carrier and move it to one of the derelicts marked on the sensor map. Investigating the derelict triggers the next objective.
Objective: Build movers to clear the radioactive debris.
The marked derelicts lie in radioactive clouds. Your normal units suffer damage if they move within these clouds; this is an important aspect to remember during the mission. You can lose a group of strike craft very quickly if they happen to maneuver inside one of the radioactive clouds. The movers, however, are unaffected. You can now replicate mover technology, so build the mover construction facility on the corvette panel and build the maximum number of movers available.
While building movers, send your strike craft (interceptors, corvettes) to the map's middle. A Vaygr long-range probe appears on the right side of the map and will move through the map's center to the far left. Intercept the probe to prevent detection. Don't head straight for the probe; instead, cut it off because it's too quick for most of your strike craft. Once destroyed, you're notified that the Vaygr will likely send patrols to investigate their downed probe.
And 'likely' is correct: within moments, you detect hyperspace signatures. The Vaygr forces are using shielded carriers to penetrate the radiation and unleash fighters, corvettes, and frigates into the area. Those carriers are in the radiation so you will need to use movers to destroy them. You could also use frigates or destroyers from longer range.
Objective: Use movers to destroy the radioactive debris.
Once you begin building movers, you're told to use the movers to destroy the radioactive debris marked around the map. The radiation is preventing the mothership from initiating a hyperspace sequence. Once you have built a full complement of movers, start on the far left derelict and begin destroying each debris piece in turn. If there are any defenders protecting the debris, send a corvette group (or whatever is necessary) there to clear the defenses.
Send out probes to discover when enemy units are on their way to your mothership. Realize, though, that the probes will be attacked and destroyed. The enemy's attacks move toward your resource gatherers or your mothership, whichever is more lightly defended. Intercept attackers and counter the attackers by using fighters and gunships against strike craft, pulsar gunships and torpedo frigates against corvettes, and bombers and ion cannon frigates against frigates. Don't forget flak frigates against fighters and, once built, destroyers against frigates.
Enemy ships fill the map's outskirts. A carrier lies on the left, and a second carrier and a shipyard lie to the right. Continue to work around the map with the movers. Nearby enemy units may attempt to engage your movers. It's best to avoid combat and just move them away and into a corner until the enemy group moves away. You can also help the movers by using your own strike craft and corvettes to intercept any aggressive enemy squads.
The last radioactive debris--on the far right--is located adjacent to a Vaygr shipyard. There will likely be other Vaygr forces in this area so you may need to escort the movers with strike craft and frigates to keep the enemy squads occupied long enough for you to destroy the final piece of debris.
During your trip around the map with movers, purchase the 'Destroyer' research so you can build the new capital ship. You should also research the destroyer armor upgrade (and any other armor upgrades you have neglected). Build three to four destroyers from your mothership if resources permit. You can use them to take out the carrier on the left (movers are also good for this if you want to divert them between debris assaults).
Objective: Destroy all remaining Vaygr forces.
Although the mothership can initiate hyperspace, you still can't afford to be followed so you must eliminate all remaining Vaygr forces. Destroyers are key here and can eliminate the carriers and the shipyard very quickly. Again, avoid the radioactive areas with non-movers or you will lose the ships quickly. Be careful maneuvering through resource areas as they have likely been mined by the Vaygr.
Escort the destroyers with your strike craft, corvettes, and frigates. When you're attacked, counter the enemy's units appropriately. Keep a few resource collectors near the destroyers to initiate repairs. You should also purchase the weapon upgrade for the torpedo frigate, which also upgrades the destroyer. This increases both vessels' effectiveness against the Vaygr capital ships. The mission concludes once all Vaygr non-resource vessels have been destroyed.
Mission 8 - Dreadnaught Berth
Among the derelicts lies a powerful Progenitor ship that holds the key to Balcora and Sajuuk.
Objective: Confirm location of Dreadnaught.
Before confirming the dreadnaught's location, reinforce your fleet as necessary. Primarily you need pulsar gunships and torpedo frigates to counter a new enemy and more ion cannon frigates to counter an even deadlier new enemy. You should also consider building a full fleet of five destroyers. Also, make a squad of 10 movers.
Build a probe and send it to the area marked on the sensor map; it's the possible location of the dreadnaught vessel. When the probe reaches the site, the dreadnaught is revealed. Something emerges from the derelict repeating the message, 'The keeper is aware..the keeper understands..the keeper has seen the enemy.' Not comforting words.
Objective: Use movers to transport the dreadnaught.
You must use at least six movers to transport the dreadnaught. However, the dreadnaught is protected by drones launched from the keeper. These drones aren't simple enemies; they're extremely durable and can wipe out your strike craft very quickly. The drones are essentially corvettes so counter them with anti-corvette units, specifically pulsar gunships and torpedo frigates. Research upgrades for these units for further assistance.
Move up your destroyers and ion cannon frigates near the dreadnaught. Send your movers to dock with the dreadnaught and begin hauling the huge vessel toward the mothership. The keeper will appear periodically and unleash its powerful cannon weaponry against anything in its path. It has the ability to crush a destroyer fast. When the keeper appears, concentrate all firepower on it. The keeper disappears after sustaining a certain amount of damage; so the faster you can inflict damage to the keeper, the better.
Escort the dreadnaught back to the mothership. Replace any destroyed pulsar gunships or torpedo frigates and move them quickly back into battle. You should also replace any lost destroyers (also, try to keep them repaired with resource collectors after the keeper leaves).
Objective: Protect the fleet.
As stated, concentrate all firepower on the keeper when it appears. Use ion beam platforms for additional firepower; just move them up near your fleet to help keep the keeper occupied. Repair any damaged ships after it exits. Reinforce your units when you lose any craft. You'll be told that you can't defeat the keeper with conventional weaponry. Thankfully, someone found a weakness. There are Progenitor power modules in the area. The modules can be activated and can cause the keeper to overload. New locations appear on the sensor map; send probes to all locations.
Objective: Send probes to scan for trigger devices.
Create six probes and send one to each of the marked locations on the sensor map. Also, build a full squad of movers if you don't have one; you'll need it shortly. You'll be notified if the location contains the power modules or nothing. Meanwhile, continue to pound on the keeper if he arrives. Repair and dock vessels as necessary and keep your units as healthy as possible.
Objective: Use movers to collect Progenitor devices.
Send your pulsar gunships ahead of your movers toward the location of the power modules. There are drones awaiting your arrival and your movers won't be able to withstand their firepower. Use the gunships in the lead to distract the drones long enough for your movers to nab the modules. As you approach, micromanage each mover to one of the three power modules. This will ensure you grab a module as quickly as possible. And should a mover die on the way, another mover will follow it and take its place. Keep your pulsar gunships engaged with drones as the movers haul the devices to their destination.
And as always during this mission, watch out for the keeper, who will appear near your mothership in the heart of your units. Concentrate all fire on him and keep your destroyers repaired!
When the movers haul all three modules to their destination, the devices are installed and the keeper arrives in its center. As promised, the keeper is overloaded and self destructs as you escape and complete the mission successfully.
Mission 9 - Counter Attack
Captain Soban has provided the coordinates of a Vaygr assembly point. A counter attack is planned.
Objective: Defend the dreadnaught. Bring the dreadnaught engines online.
The opening cut scene reveals the dreadnaught laying waste to a few Vaygr forces but the attack overloads the Vagyr's weaponry. The dreadnaught is dead in space and vulnerable to Vaygr assault. Use your initial units to repel the remaining Vaygr forces, which consist of a couple frigates and a destroyer. If you have destroyers, attack them frigates first then the enemy destroyer.
This mission can be very difficult if you don't prepare ahead of time. By the time you're moving and repairing the dreadnaught, the Vaygr attacks are quite vicious. You can easily become overwhelmed without adequate preparation.
After repelling the initial Vaygr forces, make the following preparations: build a total of five destroyers, build a full complement of frigates at a ratio of 75% flak frigates and 25% torpedo frigates; build a full squad of bombers; build a squad of gunships and pulsar gunships; and, as resources allow, conduct other research such as armor upgrades, fire control upgrade for the mothership, and others that might prove effective in an extended battle.
Send one resource collector to the dreadnaught and begin repairs. The resource collector will automatically work on its engines. Send the other collectors to gather resources, though expect them to be attacked at some point in the mission so be prepared to move them if necessary.
Move your destroyers and bombers to the map's center. Keep your frigates and corvettes around the mothership and dreadnaught.
Secondary Objective: Eradicate the hyperspace gates.
Vaygr hyperspace gates are revealed on the map. They're using them to send in their strike craft vessels. Send your bombers to the three gates to the left, right, and behind your mothership. Use your destroyers to eliminate the two gates in front of your mothership. Keep moving the destroyers north after destroying the gates. As strike craft enter and attack your destroyers, counter with the corvettes. Keep your frigates at the mothership for defense. Once you bombers destroy a gate, move to the next marked gate quickly. The bombers may be countered by strike craft. Ignore them and just fly to the next gate and destroy it.
The reason you should keep moving your destroyers toward the far side of the map is because there's a Vaygr shipyard there building a lot of the enemies in the mission. Support the destroyers with your corvettes and destroy the shipyard as quickly as possible. Five destroyers shouldn't have much trouble blowing apart the Vaygr capital ship.
You should also use the bombers to sweep the map because there are more hyperspace gates than the ones that were marked. Use probes to gain line of sight around the map then hunt down remaining gates with the bomber squad. Killing the gates and the shipyard will make the remainder of the mission much easier.
Objective: Dock the dreadnaught with the shipyard for repairs.
The resource collector will eventually repair the engines. Move the dreadnaught toward your mothership. The shipyard Nabaal will enter and offer to complete repairs. Move the dreadnaught to the shipyard; it will dock and repairs will commence. It takes 15 minutes to complete repairs. During that time, the Vaygr will continue their assault. If you prepared well (with suggested units and destroying the gates and shipyard), it shouldn't be very difficult to survive. You should also keep an eye out for Vaygr resource collectors. Destroy them on sight.
Vaygr carriers will enter the map. Use your destroyers and bombers to eliminate them. Keep your corvette group mobile and intercept any strike craft. Use your frigate group in a bunch to counter approaching bombers and strike craft. A high amount of flak frigates can obliterate a strike craft squadron quickly. Use resource collectors to repair frigates and your destroyers. Monitor your bombers and corvettes and replace any that are lost; you should also dock damaged squads to repair them.
The 15 minutes will seem to go by quickly if you've prepared well. If not, you will have an enormous amount of strike craft to deal with. The flak frigates really are key here. Target the lead Vaygr strike craft groups and watch them crumble against the flak. Keep destroyers and bombers targeted on carriers or frigates and the corvettes mobile to assist either the destroyers, bombers, or the frigates if they're overwhelmed. A second group of carriers will enter later in the mission; move your destroyers and bombers in to annihilate the carriers.
Objective: Destroy the remaining Vaygr.
Once repairs have been completed, you have access to the dreadnaught's weaponry (though not that impressive cannon seen in the mission's opening cut scene). The dreadnaught can quickly destroy Vaygr frigates and destroyers. Move it to the front line and assist your other ships in clearing out the Vaygr capital ships, which includes a battleship. The mission is almost over so try not to lose any of your frigates or destroyers. Keep them repaired! The mission concludes when the Vaygr forces fall.
Mission 10 - Keepers of Sajuuk
The Keepers return.
Objective: Defeat the Keepers.
Now there are two keepers to deal with and each launches tough drones. Any frigates you possess will likely crumble quickly under the drone attack. Pulsar gunships are the best counter for the drones; against the keeper, you must concentrate all firepower on the nearest one with your dreadnaught, destroyers, remaining frigates, and bombers.
Replenish any destroyed gunships or destroyers. Frigates are likely a waste of resources because they fall very fast to the drones and the keepers. Use resource collectors to keep the destroyers and dreadnaught repaired.
Take the time to micromanage your battles against the drones. Select your corvette group and run your mouse over the drone targets. Seek out drones that are near death and focus all of your corvettes' firepower on that single drone. If you're patient and focus attacks on specific targets, you can kill the drones quicker.
Keep pounding away on each keeper. One will overload and disappear. Now focus your attacks on the last remaining keeper. It too will eventually overload and disappear.
This cues the arrival of the Bentusi vessel; it offers to repair the dreadnaught's primary cannon. Move the dreadnaught toward the Bentusi vessel and enter docking formation. Unfortunately, your actions will eventually alert the keepers once again. This time there are additional keepers; each with their ability to create more drones. This is not an easy battle; expect to lose a lot of ships. Thankfully the next mission affords plenty of time to replenish your fleet.
Objective: Defend Bentus
The keepers will target everything: your carriers, your shipyard, the mothership, and the Bentusi ship. They continue to exit and enter the map, which makes countering their arrival very tough. The Bentusi ship can withstand significant damage so don't counter keepers attacking Bentus unless you see the Bentusi ship is heavily damaged. Instead, counter the keepers attacking your mothership or other important vessels. As stated, it's difficult to save everything. Try to save expensive ships, such as the shipyard and your destroyers. Should a destroyer fall in battle, build another. Use resource collectors to gather resources but also use them to help repair your capital ships during the extended battle.
It takes the Bentusi ship seven minutes to repair the dreadnaught's cannon. As soon as it's complete, select the dreadnaught and usher it into battle. The dreadnaught's cannon can pummel the keepers. It recharges quickly; the difficulty lies in the fact the dreadnaught has to line up with the keeper to get a good shot; not easy if the keeper is moving. Continue to counter the drones with your corvettes (dock any damaged squads and replenish slain groups).
Eventually the Bentusi ship realizes that there's nothing you can do against these keepers and offers to lend a helping hand--a sacrifice. The Bentusi ship initiates its self-destruct sequence. The explosion kills the keepers and completes the level.
Mission 11 - Sacrifice
The Hiigaran fleet must locate the fragments of the Bentusi core.
Objective: Retrieve the Bentusi hyperspace core.
This is one of the game's easier missions, which is good considering the difficulty of the next mission! You'll have plenty of opportunity to build up your fleet for the next mission. Try to conserve resources and keep your ships healthy against this mission's rather simplistic enemy encounters.
Scans of the Bentusi debris field have isolated the three core fragments. All three of the core fragments must be retrieved but each lies in a hazardous environment. You're told to launch probes to discover the extent of this hazardous environment. Build three probes and send one to each of the three marked locations on the sensor map.
Objective: Research radiation shielding and retrieve the Bentusi core fragments.
You must use defense field frigates to protect resource collectors while they salvage the three core fragments. Further, the defense field frigates must be enhanced through research; select the research tab and research improved defense field to add radiation shielding to the defense field frigates.
To get a fragment, set your resource collector to guard the defense field frigate. That way the resource collector will remain next to the defense field frigate as it approaches the core fragment within the radiation. If you just move the collector to the position, it will move ahead of the frigate and be unable to withstand the radiation from the hazardous environment.
As you approach the environment, focus on the defense field frigate. When its sphere of influence (the area around the frigate that will be protected under the defense field) reaches the core, activate the defense field then send the resource collector to retrieve the core quickly. The collector will automatically grab the core and start back to the mothership.
When you're on the way to the first core fragment, start to move your fleet toward the map's center. You should have a full squad of bombers, a corvette squad, your dreadnaught, groups of flak and torpedo frigates, and some destroyers. If you've maxed out all ship types, that's even better.
Vaygr forces will enter around the time you snag the first core fragment. A Vaygr carrier will dispatch a collector to grab one of the fragments; you're notified when this occurs and can even see it move on the sensor map. Quickly move your fleet to its position. When the core fragment reaches the Vaygr carrier, you have six minutes to destroy the carrier and prevent it from using hyperspace to exit the map.
The defenses around the carrier aren't strong. Counter the strike craft with flak frigates and corvettes and use your bombers and capital ship group against the carrier. When the carrier explodes, the core fragment remains. Grab it with a resource collector and it will return to the mothership.
Before grabbing the third and final core fragment, prepare your fleet for the next mission. You will need a full squad of bombers, a full squad of corvettes (75% pulsar gunships), a full squad of frigates (50% flak, 25% torpedo, 25% ion cannon), five destroyers, and two battlecruisers. If you lost the shipyard Nabaal previously, build a shipyard and use the shipyard to build your battlecruisers. Don't advance to the next level until you have these capital ships.
Objective: Destroy the Vaygr forces.
A few Vaygr forces remain on the map: some strike craft, frigates, capital ships, and a shipyard. Keep your capital ships healthy so you don't have to replace them. Remember that even if it's near death when you go to the next level, it will appear back fully repaired.
Meanwhile, you should also acquire further research, specifically armor upgrades for all your ships, including your destroyer and battlecruiser. If you haven't already, you should also research improved manufacturing for your mothership and carrier. The mission ends once you have all three fragments and have destroyed all Vaygr forces.
Mission 12 - Thaddis Sabbah
Captain Soban's emergency beacon leads the fleet to Thaddis Sabbah, and Makaan.
Objective: Assault the command station Thaddis Sabbah.
As stated at the end of the previous mission walk-through, you should begin this mission with as much of a full fleet as possible: max out your destroyers, battlecruisers, frigates, and have full squads of corvettes and bombers. You should also have at least one carrier (two is better) to help produce ion beam platforms to serve as support for your fleet: you'll need them against this mission's alarming number of Vaygr battlecruisers.
Don't worry about the command station Thaddis Sabbah. It's not going anywhere and you have much more important things to deal with before rescuing Captain Soban. In fact, it's best if you just wait to accomplish this objective after all enemy units have been destroyed.
Set your resource collectors to gather. You may also consider other resource collectors to serve as repair craft; though realize that they will be heavily targeted by Vaygr vessels (though they will certainly help in between battles). Check the sensor map and note the two resource sources in front of your mothership. The bulk of the Vaygr force lies at the second resource patch. You want to fight the Vaygr before that patch. This will help prevent you from being overwhelmed by the enormous amount of destroyers and battlecruisers the Vaygr possess.
Move most of your fleet between the first and second resource points. Put your capital ships (including the dreadnaught) in formation to keep them together. Should a destroyer get ahead of the rest of your fleet, it could be easily killed by the Vaygr's plentiful units. Keep your frigate group close by. Ideally you should have flak frigates and ion cannon frigates in near equal measure. The flak frigates lay waste to the Vaygr's fighter groups and the ion frigates help against the numerous Vaygr capital ships. Keep your carriers close as well and begin pumping out hordes of ion beam platforms.
Ion beam platforms, like other defensive platforms, can only be moved once. Ideally you should be able to build a full batch of them before the Vaygr capital ships move into position. As they approach, move the ion beam platforms just in front of your capital ships. The Vaygr will have to deal with your defensive platforms while you focus your attacks on specific capital ships. Continue producing ion beam platforms even if you're maxed out. You need the extra firepower to survive this mission.
There are a lot of variables when the Vaygr fleet finally arrives so there's no perfect solution. It's extremely important that your fleet is together so you can concentrate all firepower on specific ships. The ion beam platforms are vital and should be within range of the approaching enemy fleet. And you should watch your dreadnaught carefully. It shouldn't be the lead ship or it will be targeted first and likely quickly destroyed by the enemy's focused attack; if the dreadnaught explodes, the mission ends in failure.
Objective: Destroy Makaan.
At some point during the battle, Makaan jumps in with his flagship and additional enemies. A new objective appears to destroy Makaan. Like the station, don't worry about destroying Makaan yet. There are plenty of enemies in the map's center to deal with. Also, realize that there won't be any additional Vaygr battlecruisers. You may have to deal with more fighters during the course of the mission but no more battlecruisers. Survive against the battlecrusiers and you can win the mission.
Vaygr battlecruisers are your priority. When one moves within firing range, use all your capital ships, bombers, corvettes, ion frigates, and ion platforms to target a single battlecruiser. When it's destroyed, move to the next. If a Vaygr destroyer moves within range first, destroy it instead. Don't hesitate to retreat toward your mothership. You can place ion beam platforms at a secondary position and move to that point. Don't forget to start building destroyers or battlecruisers to replace those that are lost. It's also wise to build frigates and bombers to keep your fleet strong. Research armor upgrades if you haven't already (ion beam, capital ship, etc).
Use probes to keep tabs on the Vaygr fleet. Some may attempt to move down the right side of the map to attack your mothership. Intercept with your capital ships. Focus fire is important in every battle. Destroy the battlecruisers as quickly as possible. Keep your flak frigates mobile to intercept the Vaygr fighter and bomber squadrons.
As you begin to whittle down the Vaygr capital ships, locate the shipyard and carriers and destroy them. Then continue toward the station and destroy Makaan's flagship--though he escapes before he's completely annihilated.
Before you use a marine frigate to rescue Captain Soban from the station, rebuild your fleet in preparation for the next mission: it's another tough battle against numerous Vaygr capital ships. You want to max out battlecruisers, destroyers, flak and ion frigates, bombers, and corvettes. You should also use carriers for your defensive platforms (don't build them until the next mission because they don't carry over). If you need resources quicker, use your collectors to grab from the ship wreckage and specifically target the most plentiful resource chunks.
Don't advance to the next mission until your fleet is in place. Save your game after clearing the map's enemies and patiently prepare your fleet for the next mission. When ready, move a marine frigate to the station. Dock the frigate with the station; Captain Soban will automatically exit and proceed toward your mothership. Once he arrives, the mission concludes.
Mission 13 - Balcora Gate
The Vaygr make a desperate attempt to cripple Balcora Gate and prevent access to Sajuuk.
Objective: Destroy the Vaygr forces attacking the gate's power generators.
The Balcora gate has three power generators; fleets of Vaygr frigates and strike craft are attacking each generator. To make matters even more complicated, a large Vaygr force also patrols nearby; this force consists of battlecruisers, destroyers, and plenty of frigates and strike craft. The power generators will not last long against the Vaygr attack. You must intercept those attackers before dealing with the Vaygr battlecruisers.
Move your fleet toward the Vaygr ships attacking the gate's bottom power generator. Keep all your ships together. Don't let your frigates get too far out in front or even your strike craft. It's best to be patient and attack as a large group. Use your flak frigates against the strike craft and your capital ships and ion frigates against the Vaygr frigates.
Meanwhile, use your carriers and mothership to build ion beam platforms to prepare your defenses. As the Vaygr capital ships approach, you'll move the ion beam platforms as a group to intercept their path. Attempt to coordinate the defense in conjunction with the rest of your fleet so you attack as a complete group.
It's best to retreat to your mothership and let the capital ships approach toward you. That way you can position your ion beam platforms carefully and focus all of your attacks on the lead battlecruiser. Keep replacing destroyed ion beam platforms. And don't forget to keep reinforcing your group with additional units when any perish during the tough battle.
Objective: Investigate power signature.
You may be notified of a power signature; it will be marked on the sensor map. Use a probe to investigate. It's a Vaygr shipyard. It's possible to discover the shipyard without being notified about the signature. Either way, discovering the shipyard activates another objective.
Objective: Destroy Vaygr shipyard.
Don't be in a rush to destroy the shipyard. Worry about the approaching capital ships first. The shipyard may create more strike craft but it won't build more battlecruisers, your main adversary during the mission. As the Vaygr forces approach, concentrate all fire on the battlecruisers (except flak frigates, which should be used against strike craft). Be sure to fight close to your ion beam platforms so they're involved in the battle.
If you leave the shipyard for last, don't destroy it. Destroying the shipyard completes the remaining objectives and will conclude the mission. Instead, gather resources around the map and start reinforcing your fleet. You know the drill: max out your capital ships, frigates, bombers, corvettes, and acquire any research you haven't already. Be patient and only advance to the next level once you have created a full fleet.
Mission 14 - Balcora
In the heart of Balcora, a battle will decide the fate of Sajuuk, the Great Maker.
Objective: Protect the mothership.
The enemy is heading to you. Don't move out from your mothership. Instead, form up your fleet there and allow the enemy vessels to move within range of your ships. Use your mothership, shipyard, and carriers to build ion beam platforms. Position them just in front of your ships so the platforms assist in any battle around the mothership. Upon completion of the battle, if resources allow, scuttle the platforms so you can build more to send to the other battle areas.
As you have in the previous missions, it's important to focus fire on the largest approaching threat. Typically it's a battlecruiser but it could also be a destroyer. Counter strike craft with flak frigates and send everything else at the capital ships. Focus fire on one ship at a time to destroy it as quickly as possible then focus fire on the next closest enemy capital vessel.
After successfully protecting the mothership, you're told that the Vaygr are regrouping around Makaan's flagship.
Objective: Destroy Makaan. Destroy the Vaygr shipyard.
Take the time to reinforce your fleet. Maintain a defensive position and counter anything sent at you. Rebuild your fleet to maximum strength before proceeding. Move your fleet as a single group out from your mothership. Use the sensor map and attack any 'red dot' within range. Continue to push toward Makaan's flagship. You're also told of a shipyard providing additional reinforcements. Seek it out and destroy it before moving to Makaan's flagship.
As in the previous missions, you should hold off on completing the final objective until you have taken the time to rebuild your fleet. The next mission is the final mission of the game and it's wise--and very important--to have the maximum fleet possible when engaging the forces in the next mission.
But the requirements for the last mission are a bit different. Instead of building bombers, build interceptors. You'll also want corvettes (a mixture of gunship types is fine). Split both into two control groups (half interceptors, half corvettes in each group).
Conduct any other research before advancing to the last level: you won't be able to acquire any research there! Get even the speed upgrades. Be patient and gather resources from the map to fund your reinforced fleet. Micromanage collectors and grab the debris from ship wreckage, making sure to snag the largest pieces first.
When ready, destroy Makaan's flagship (it may send out more strike craft, easily countered with flak frigates) to complete the mission successfully. The mothership powers down and ejects its core; all three cores are integrated into the Sajuuk progenitor ship. You'll use it in the last mission in the game.
Mission 15 - Return to Hiigara
Lift the siege of Hiigara.
Objective: Destroy the Vaygr blockade forces.
Move your capital ships, frigates, and carriers toward the map's center. Stick together so you can fight as one group. Keep your interceptors and corvettes behind for a future objective. Start building ion beam platforms from your carriers, which will be used to help defend your capital ships against Vaygr forces. You'll need the extra firepower!
Keep your fleet together and focus fire on Vaygr capital ships. Counter strike craft with your flak frigates and conduct the battle as close to your ion beam platforms as possible.
Note that you will be able to move the Sajuuk vessel but it's so slow that it's unlikely you will be able to get it close to these enemy forces. It has a much more important use!
Objective: Use Sajuuk to destroy the three planetary bombardment platforms.
You detect multiple mothership-class hyperspace signatures. Some sort of weaponry warps on the map; there are three of these planetary bombardment platforms and each is immune to conventional weaponry.
You don't necessarily need to rush toward the planetary bombardment platforms but they pose grave danger to mission success.
Objective: Protect Hiigara from destruction by destroying any missiles that are launched.
Each planetary bombardment platform continuously launches destructive missiles aimed at Hiigara. These missiles dive toward the planet at specific locations (marked on the sensor map when the missiles are revealed). You can only survive approximately five to six missile blasts. Each one decreases Hiigara's population by millions.
There are three platforms: the left, middle, and right platform. Position your two interceptor/corvette groups on the left and right and place them just in front of the point where the missiles dive to the planet's surface. The best way is to assign each of these strike craft groups to their own control group so you can recall them easily and target incoming missiles.
The missiles that approach from the middle platform can be countered by your middle force. You could position your flak frigates here or even branch off a few interceptors and corvettes to handle the missiles here.
Select your Sajuuk ship and task it onto one of the platforms. It will move slowly toward the platform and fire its huge cannon once it moves within range.
Be on the look out for the Vaygr shipyards on the far left and right of the map. Divide your capital ship forces and target these shipyards while the Sajuuk vessel moves between planetary bombardment platforms.
Remember to keep an eye on your interceptor/corvette groups and don't let any missiles get beyond their position. Switch to the sensor map frequently to check for incoming missiles. Select the appropriate strike group and quickly counter the missile. As you destroy platforms, the frequency of the missiles increases so make a mental note to check the sensor map often!
The mission and campaign concludes successfully once all planetary bombardment platforms are destroyed and the Vaygr forces have been vanquished.
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In 1999, Relic Entertainmentâs groundbreaking Homeworld took the gaming world by surprise. Still widely regarded as the gold standard of space real-time strategy games, it successfully coupled lush graphics with a sleek interface that made manipulating camera angles and toggling between build and formation menus in 3D space incredibly easy. Homeworld 2 takes the original and upgrades it. With a new game engine, especially during massive battles of all ship classes, you canât help but admire its finer points, from its lovely dynamic lighting to its chilly ârealism.â
The Homeworld universe is âhardâ science fiction, as opposed to, say, StarCraft. The large, complex battles it depicts have an austere, clinical feel thatâs more admirable than immersive, regardless of the camera angle. But itâs great hard sci-fi, and the visuals really suck you in âliterallyâas you zoom in closer like a jeweler with a loupe, and the distant flashes gradually coalesce into thousands of stories unfolding. For a game totally devoid of visible living organisms, Homeworld 2 compensates by making you care about simulated husks of flying machinery. Your people live inside those fragile husks, fly them, die in themâthe exhaust trails become their souls. As in Homeworld, you feel for these poor trusting bastards scrounging for asteroids out in the middle of genuine nowhere.
Which is partly what makes much of the martinet story campaign such a bummer. Homeworldâs poignant air of cosmic mystery is largely absent; here everythingâs all grueling puzzle and puzzling grind. Instead of offerings like Homeworldâs wonderfully eerie Garden of Kadesh, the sequel gives you exhausting debacles like the fourth mission, in which doing things in sequence directly opposite from whatâs suggested is not only possible but proves a tenth as ulcerous, and the outright sadistic red herring of the tenth one. Thereâs no let-up, just an overriding sense of attrition and hopelessness as you watch your entire âpersistentâ fleet get persistently pulverized many times over.
Itâs not just the difficulty either, but the logic. The third mission introduces marine frigates, which âcaptureâ enemy ships in multiplayer, but in single-player only give the misleading impression of being able to do so (including attaching to the ship and displaying a steadily increasing âcapture barâ). Also annoying is the automatic collection of resources. The lack of such an option was, ironically, one of the few valid criticisms leveled at Homeworld. Here, automatic collection occurs the second youâve completed your mission goals, which entails starting the next level short-handed.
The storyline has its moments, but after Cataclysmâs strange, daring waters, Homeworld 2âs scavenger-hunt plotline feels for most of its length like an almost spitefully conventional rehash, top-heavy with extra-galactic ancient races that no longer exist except as convenient plot devices. (The whole thingâs an anthropomorphized riff on David Brinâs Uplift novels, which take space combat imagery to heights Homeworld 2 can only dream of). Your new enemies, the Vaygr, have swanky vertical missile launchers but donât seem inherently distinct as a culture from your own Hiigarans; they are supposed to represent a âconglomeration of races.â
Homeworldâs interface involved toggling to separate screens for building ships and researching technologies, but there were few options, it never seemed cumbersome. Here the menu takes up a third of the screen, obscuring your view of the luscious space graphics, and you canât move or shrink it. Hitting R minimizes the research menu, but B doesnât minimize the build menu. For all their bigness, the menus donât seem to use their space wisely; it makes you long for the minimalist simplicity of the sensors manager.
Many basics feel harder, although you get used to them. You now build the smaller ships in complete squadrons, presumably to make the battles bigger and more spectacular, but clicking on an individual ship gives you the relative health of the entire squadron at the bottom of the screen, which is less precise. Why not an AI setting to have ships auto-dock when theyâre near death? Why canât collectors auto-repair? Why no patrol? How about being able to assign docked craft to groups? Alt-bandboxing a group of ships that includes hostiles doesnât show a list of all those selected, as it did in the original and Cataclysm
The beloved formations such as sphere and claw have been abandoned for new, more efficient âstrike groups,â fleets that can include multiple ship types but move at the speed of their slowest unit. Familiarity with these is a major factor in combat, but the rock-paper-scissors consequences of using each type are barely touched on in the slender manual, itself a mockery of the original gameâs thick, detailed documentation.
For all its clumsy new baggage and rushed feel, Homeworld 2 takes itself seriously, designed from the ground up as a reward to the faithful rather than an olive branch to the casual newcomer. The lucky few up to its Sisyphean challenges will find themselves rewarded for their loyalty.
System Requirements: Pentium 500 MHz, 256 MB RAM, 32 MB Video, Win98
Tags: Free Download Homeworld 2 PC Game Review
Homeworld 2 is a real-time strategy video game sequel to Homeworld, developed by Relic Entertainment and released in 2003 by now defunct publisher Sierra Entertainment. Its story concerns Hiigara's response to a new enemy called the Vaygr. Its gameplay takes a new direction with the enhancement of its graphics and audio. In contrast to the closely equivalent Kushan and Taiidan forces of the original game, Vaygr and Hiigaran spaceships differ significantly in design and application.
Gameplay[edit]
Homeworld 2 shares the movement system and three-dimensional play area of its predecessor. Units are moved three-dimensionally using a combination of mouse movements and key presses to modify the z-axis of the destination position.
Gameplay in Homeworld 2 depends on so-called 'Resource Units,' (RUs) which are collected by harvester craft. RUs are the currency for both ship creation and technology research, placing limits on what combination of shipbuilding and new technology research can be carried out in a single game.
The player's fleet is centered on the Mothership, the destruction of which results in an immediate Game Over in a single-player game, and is a critical loss in a multiplayer game. The Mothership is capable of constructing all but the very largest ships, which must be built using Shipyards (the game states these are built at orbital facilities and arrive via hyperspace). The Mothership can also build Carriers, which themselves can build any ship from the Fighter, Corvette and Frigate families. Although the Mothership is initially the center of new research, Carriers and Shipyards can build their own on-board Research Labs.
All units in Homeworld 2 are starships of various classes, from small to large: Fighter, Corvette, Frigate and Capital Ship. Although the larger ships are more powerful and durable, they are also much slower and less maneuverable. Ships within each class specialize in certain areas and are vulnerable to certain other ships, although there may be ships in the same class that do not share the same vulnerability. Ion Cannon Frigates, for instance, are very vulnerable to fighters due to the unwieldy (albeit powerful) nature of their single weapon. Flak Frigates, however, are specifically intended for use against fighters, but lack the firepower to defend themselves against other frigates. Effective use of the relative strengths of each ship is essential for success.
Homeworld 2 allows players to co-opt enemy ships using specialized frigates, much like the original game. These maneuver close to enemy vessels and dispatch boarding parties, which capture the vessel after a short period of time; capture can be sped up by using multiple Frigates against the same target simultaneously. However, these frigates are completely exposed to attack during the boarding process, and all capturing progress is lost if they are destroyed.
Although Homeworld 2 nominally has no difficulty setting, it features dynamic difficulty adjustments, in which the strength of a level's opposition is determined using the composition of the fleet the player enters the level with (the fleet remaining at the end of the previous level). This led to an exploit in which players 'retired' all of their ships at the end of the previous level, reducing them to RUs, and entering the next level with a huge store of raw materials to use against a very weak enemy. The game also codifies the support caps introduced in Homeworld, and explained in Homeworld: Cataclysm, by placing overall limits on how many ships of each class the player may control at once.
Mission objectives in the single-player game are primarily achieved by destroying key enemy elements, capturing particular targets, protecting certain units for a particular amount of time, or towing an object back to the Mothership. In addition to the storyline objectives, a significant portion of the missions require the destruction of all enemy units.
Multiplayer[edit]
Homeworld 2 can be played online with 5 other players.
Plot[edit]
Homeworld 2 continues the struggle of the Hiigarans and their leader Karan S'jet. While in the original game the player could select either the Kushan or Taiidan races, in the sequel the Kushan are established as the canonical protagonists.
During the events of the original game (and played out in the prequel Deserts of Kharak), the Kushan race of the planet Kharak discovered the wreckage of the Khar-Toba, an interstellar transport starship, in the Great Desert. Inside, they found an ancient Hyperspace Core, and a galactic map etched on a piece of stone that showed that the Kushan had been transplanted to Kharak long ago, and pointed the way to their long-lost homeworld, Hiigara. The Kushan built an enormous self-sufficient Mothership, powered by the Hyperspace Core from the Khar-Toba, to carry 600,000 people across the galaxy to Hiigara. Throughout their journey, the Kushan battled the forces of the Taiidan Empire, which had exiled them, and endured numerous other hardships along the way. With the aid of the Bentusi, a powerful and enigmatic race of traders, the Kushan reached Hiigara and destroyed the Taiidan Emperor, laying claim to their homeworld.
The story continues that the Hyperspace Core found in the Khar-Toba was the second of only three known to exist in the galaxy, left behind by an ancient race known as the Progenitors. The First Core was possessed by the Bentusi; the third was lost until approximately one hundred years after the Exiles reclaimed Hiigara, found by a Vaygr Warlord named Makaan. With his massive Flagship empowered by the Third Core, Makaan began a campaign of conquest, seizing control of the remnants of the Taiidan Empire and surrounding star systems, andâas of the beginning of Homeworld 2âbegan attempts to capture Hiigara. The story states that religious beings of the galaxy consider the discovery of the Third Core to announce the End Times, during which Sajuuk, thought to be an immensely powerful being, will return. Makaan believes himself to be the Sajuuk-Khar, a messianic figure that will unite the Three Cores and herald the return of Sajuuk.
The game begins with the commissioning of a new Mothership, the Pride of Hiigara, at the Great Derelict at Tanis. The Pride of Hiigara is similar in shape and design to the original Mothership and commanded by Karan S'jet, as in the original game. The ship is attacked by the Vaygr during the final stages of construction, but escapes to rally the Hiigaran fleet. Makaan's fleet lays siege to Hiigara, and the Warlord offers a deal to the Hiigarans: if they surrender the Second Core to him, he will spare their Homeworld.
The Bentusi inform the Hiigarans that they must find Balcora Gate, left behind by the Progenitors, behind which is something essential for stopping either the Vaygr threat, the End Times, or both. The Hiigarans find a Progenitor Dreadnought in the wreckage of a massive vessel, and find that it is required to unlock Balcora Gate. The Great Harbor Ship of Bentus, last of the Bentusi, sacrifices itself after being ambushed in a Progenitor AI attack, leaving its Core for the Hiigarans to claim in order to stop Makaan. But the Warlord learns of the Balcora Gate as well, and the game's penultimate mission takes place on the other side, where Hiigarans and Vaygr alike discover that Sajuuk is in fact a Mothership-sized Progenitor starship, with sockets for the Three Hyperspace Cores.
The Hiigaran fleet engages Makaan's Flagship and destroys it, claiming the Third Core from the wreckage. With all three Cores, the Hiigarans reactivate Sajuuk, abandoning the Pride of Hiigara, and bring it back to Hiigara to break the Vaygr siege, destroying the Vaygr's planet-killer weapons and saving Hiigara from destruction. Sajuuk is later found to be the key to a galaxy-wide network of hyperspace gates, ushering in a new age of trade and prosperity for all civilized races in the galaxy - the Age of Karan S'jet, the true Sajuuk-Khar.
Characters[edit]
Like the original Homeworld, there are only a handful of individual characters with a prominent place in the narrative:
Factions[edit]
There are four major factions in the storyline of Homeworld 2: the Hiigarans, the Vaygr, the Bentusi, and the Progenitor. However, only two, the Hiigarans and Vaygr, are playable.
Hiigarans[edit]
The Hiigarans are the playable race in the single player game. Their story began in the original 'Homeworld' as a number of Kushan clans on a desert planet called Kharak. They detected a large metal formation in the Great Desert after a deep-space scanning satellite encountered an error in its propulsion system, which turned it around and scanned the planet's 'Great Desert'. It was revealed to be an ancient space ship, turned into a city, known as the 'Khar-Toba'. Inside was a stone with a galactic map and the text, 'Hiigara', which, despite other linguistic drifts, still meant 'Home' in every dialect on Kharak. The discovery of the stone served as a powerful enough symbol to end all wars and unite the entire global population into an effort to travel into space to discover their origins. The technology discovered allowed the Kushan to build a massive Mothership which took 60 years, according to the opening cutscene. However, no computer was powerful enough to command the Mothership, as there would be too much data to be processed at any one time. A young scientist named Karan S'jet volunteered to become the living core of the Mothership after creating the technology to neurologically link her brain to the Mothership's systems (this action, however, led Karan to become inseparable from the core, but it is revealed at the end of Homeworld 1, she survived being disconnected from the vessel). Within the Khar-Toba was one of the three known Hyperspace Cores, which allowed the Mothership to perform its hyperspace jumps.
After generations in exile and a perilous journey across known and unknown space, the Kushan/Hiigarans fought their way to Hiigara, reclaimed their homeworld, and became a well-established nation controlling much of the Inner Ring of the galaxy. During the game it is learned that the Kushan were the exiles of the Hiigaran Empire, which had historically spanned throughout a great area of space within the galactic core. However, the Taiidan Emperor believed the Hiigaran expanse was too great, and thus under duress forced them into exile. The Hiigaran refugees fled to Kharak, secretly taking their hyperspace core with them.
However, the true test for the Hiigarans may not be the new threat of the warring Vaygr, but a prophecy that Sajuuk â 'He Whose Hand Shapes What Is' â will return and herald the coming of the End Time. The Hiigarans, as always, are divided on religious lines. A number of apocalyptic sects see portents of doom everywhere. To them, the rumor that their enemies the Vaygr are the Sajuuk-Khar- 'The Chosen One'- is a dire omen and proof of Sajuuk's anger.
In Homeworld 2, a new Mothership has been created, named The Pride of Hiigara. Karan S'jet must once again prepare for war. Shortly after the Pride of Hiigara was built, the Vaygr attacked in order to destroy it. The Pride of Hiigara escaped with its hyperspace core newly installed. The main story line picks up from this point.
The Pride of Hiigara has the same role as the mothership did in the original Homeworld, although it now bears a more militaristic look in keeping with its new role. While the old Kushan mothership was the heart and soul of the Kushan people during their great migration, the Pride of Hiigara is the flagship of their space navy. It is the mobile base from which all the crews and resources are ultimately derived. It is the only vessel that cannot be manufactured or replaced.
Vaygr[edit]
The Vaygr are a warrior clan originally from Vay, an isolated planet in the eastern fringes of the galaxy. The discovery of early and inefficient hyperdrives enabled these warriors to travel and raid widely across their sector of space. Always a nomadic race, the strongest warlords brought groups together into crusades. A Vaygr crusade is entirely independent. The build capacity of their Motherships (Also known as flagships) combined with the resource harvesting of their individual craft enable them to live self-sufficiently in space. Communication between separate Vaygr crusades is minimal.
Over the centuries, the Vaygr have integrated many separate races, civilizations and technologies including - as is learned from the opening scenes of the game - what remains of the Taiidan Empire. The planet Vay is now forgotten; the name they take is its only living reminder. Constant infighting between separate crusades and struggling for position among warlords has kept the eastern fringe a warzone for a long time. However, under the guidance of the warlord Makaan, the various Vaygr tribes have formed into a cohesive force. While still operating independently, the overall strategic aims of the Vaygr have been coordinated and focused by Makaan, a master strategist.
Homeworld 2 opens with a massive Vaygr invasion of Hiigarran territory. However, by the end of the single-player campaign, Makaan was destroyed at Balcora and the main invasion force defeated in the Siege of Hiigara. It is not clear if remnants of the Vaygr continue to exist in the Outer Rims.
Bentusi[edit]
The Bentusi are an enigmatic race of highly advanced, nomadic traders. Calling themselves 'The Unbound', the Bentusi have no known leader and are all cybernetically integrated into their ships (much like Karan S'Jet but believed to be much more advanced). The Bentusi are a very ancient, wise race who do not claim any planet for themselves, instead opting to live exclusively among the stars. It would probably be impossible for the Bentusi to even survive outside of their ships, since they are physically connected to them. The Bentusi are one of the three races to possess hyperspace cores, along with the Vaygr and the Hiigarans. They made their debut in the original Homeworld and traded the Hiigarans the ion cannon technology. They also brought the Galactic Council to Hiigara to persuade the Taiidan to allow the Hiigarans to have their homeworld again. The Bentusi were instrumental in revealing the history of the Hiigarans. In Homeworld: Cataclysm they helped perfect the siege cannon and gave the designs for the Super Acolyte in the end. They are seen leaving the Homeworld galaxy in a mass exodus, due to the events in Cataclysm.
At the beginning of Homeworld 2, the Bentusi are described as having one ship, the Great Harbourship of Bentus. It was revealed that 4,000 years before the events of Homeworld, the Hiigaran Empire's fleet abused the use of their hyperspace core. Due to Bentusi pressure, they were ordered to give it up, but in an act of defiance they attacked the Bentusi fleet. As a consequence, the Hiigaran ships were obliterated by the Bentusi, enabling the vengeful Taiidan to conquer Hiigara and drive the people into exile on the desert planet Kharak. The Bentusi thus are indirectly responsible for the Hiigaran exile and felt compelled to help the Kushans return to their Homeworld. Because of their guilt the Bentusi adopted a peaceful existence.
Eventually, the Bentusi ship self-destructs to save the Hiigarans from an attack by Progenitor Keepers, thus apparently ending the presence of the Bentusi in the Homeworld universe.
The Progenitors[edit]
The Progenitors were an immensely powerful and technologically advanced race that apparently died out about 10,000 years ago. Much of what remains from them is found in the Karos Graveyard, Great Wasteland, an area full of spaceship derelicts and debris.
The three Hyperspace Cores were created by the Progenitors in the forge module of one of their greatest spaceships, which was also the berth for the dreadnoughts. One of the cores was discovered by the Bentusi 6,000 years ago, which brought forth a great age of galactic prosperity by making possible interstellar travel over long distances. The second core was discovered by the pre-Exodus Hiigarans, who through misuse of the device ended up being exiled to Kharak. The third core was found by the Vaygr. The central conflict of Homeworld 2 revolves around acquiring all three cores and unlocking their secrets.
Tfwa cannes 2019 dates. The Progenitors possessed great knowledge of interstellar and even intergalactic travel. Their hyperspace gate network, which uses The Eye of Aarran as its main gate, is one of the many constructed by this ancient race which possibly 'seeded' intelligent life throughout the universe.
Sajuuk - 'He Whose Hand Shapes What Is', also called the 'Great Maker' - was before the Homeworld 2 plot thought to be a god in the eyes of many races in the Galaxy. Though this theology is not disproven by the events of the game, Sajuuk was also the name of a Progenitor and a warship. It was found by the Vaygr at the center of the galaxy, and accessed through the Hyperspace Gate at Balcora. It is only reactivated when the Trinity of the Three Hyperspace Cores is restored within it.
How the Core Trinity was initially separated thousands of years earlier is not spoken of. Oddly, Makaan - through some supposed influence of the Third Core - foresaw that the Hiigarans would bring the other two Cores to him, instead of the Vaygr having to fight to acquire them.
Like the Dreadnought, Sajuuk is armed with a Phased Cannon Array; though it is several times more powerful than a Dreadnought's, and can easily destroy even Mothership-class vessels in a few volleys. Defensive weapons include numerous pulsed energy arrays along the hull. It is also one of only two ships in the single player game that can be commanded to make tactical hyperspace jumps. In addition to a near-perfect resistance to conventional weapons, the Sajuuk is the only weapon capable of damaging (and destroying) the Vaygr Planet Killers - themselves based upon Bentusi technology.
In the game's epilogue, Sajuuk is the key to activating the long-forgotten Eye of Aarran - a portal to a galaxy-wide hyperspace network left behind by the Progenitors. This activation signaled both the End of the Third Time that the Bentusi had prophesied, and the beginning of the Age of S'Jet. It is named this because Karan S'Jet was now linked to the Sajuuk vessel in much the same way she was to both the Kushan Mothership (from 'Homeworld') and The Pride of Hiigara. The meaning of the phrase Sajuuk-Khar is cloudy, as at least three translations are heard in-game: Manipulator, Chosen One and Custodian.
Development[edit]
Homeworld 2 uses a proprietary scripting language, known as SCAR (SCripting At Relic) in addition to others. The SCAR language was created for the express purpose of coding in Homeworld 2 and deals mainly with events in the single-player campaign (zooming out with the camera, creating enemy ships, moving the player to the next level, etc.). Homeworld 2 also makes use of version 4.0 of the Lua programming language. Homeworld 2 uses Lua for in-game levels, formatted as .level files, AI, and as a Rules Engine for game logic. The developer sets many variables inside a Homeworld 2 game, including ambient light, background, placement of start positions and asteroids, among many other things.
The soundtrack of Homeworld 2 was created by Paul Ruskay, like the former parts of the series.
Reception[edit]
Homeworld 2 received a score of 85.1%[5] at GameRankings and 83% at Metacritic.[6] It also received a 9 out of 10 from IGN.
The scenery background graphics were particularly well-received.[7][8]
Legacy[edit]Intellectual property history[edit]
Approximately a year after the release of Homeworld 2, in August 2004, Relic Studios was purchased by THQ for approximately $10 million USD.[9][10] As THQ was considered to be a competitor of Sierra Entertainment and Vivendi Universal, the prospect of a Homeworld sequel remained unlikely as Sierra was still the owner of the HomeworldIntellectual Property (IP) until September 2007 when it was announced that THQ was in talks with Vivendi to purchase the license Homeworld franchise. In November 2007, THQ finally confirmed that it had acquired the license for the Homeworld franchise but didn't confirm a sequel maintaining that it had no comments on future games from THQ based on Homeworld.[11] However, Eurogamer reported in November 2008 that Relic was 'definitely looking' at creating Homeworld 3. 'Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II' lead designer Jonny Ebbert commented that 'We're really happy the IP has made its way home, and yeah, we're definitely looking at it. We'll see what happens in the future,'.[12] Ebbert also commented that there was always a chance that the sequel could be in development behind closed doors. The strongest evidence indicating that Homeworld 3 is in development came from Relic's General Manager, Tarnie Williams indicating that 'three or four' titles were in development while declining to elaborate further.[12] In 2011 Relic confirmed that they would 'like to develop Homeworld 3' but they did not confirm or deny working on it. In early 2013 THQ suffered financial difficulties and liquidated their assets due to bankruptcy; Relic was sold off to SEGA. The Homeworld IP was not part of this sale. Despite early speculation that SEGA would attempt to rescue the IP,[13] ultimately the Homeworld IP was sold to Gearbox Software. Gearbox announced that their initial plans would be to bring the existing Homeworld games to multiple digital sales platforms,[14] but also created a forum on their website specifically asking for fan ideas about how the series should proceed.[15][16] Blackbird Interactive, a newer developer made up of many of the designers of the original Homeworld, later offered their support of Gearbox's purchase of the IP.[17]
Prequel[edit]
Recently, Blackbird Interactive, announced the creation of their game: 'Shipbreakers'. Originally, the game developers focused on a game that carried the 'essence' of Homeworld, but not directly related. However, Gearbox recently made an arrangement with Blackbird to re-brand Shipbreakers into 'Homeworld: Shipbreakers'; officially tying the game as part of the Homeworld universe. However, rather focusing on a true sequel, the game focuses on the past; it's a prequel, now known as Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak. It was released on January 20th 2016.[18]
Remake[edit]
On July 19, 2013 Gearbox announced the release of Homeworld HD and Homeworld 2 HDremakes, along with the original versions of the games, for 2014.[19] In March 2014 Homeworld HD was renamed to Homeworld Remastered Collection.[20] After missing the original deadline in 2014,[19]Homeworld Remastered Collection was released on February 25, 2015.[21] The collection includes the original (with LAN multiplayer gaming removed[22]) and remastered versions of Homeworld and Homeworld 2. The Remastered versions are both built on the Homeworld 2 engine[23] and have high resolution textures and models, new graphical effects, recreated cinematic scenes, and support for HD, Ultra HD and 4K resolutions. Multiplayer for both games has been combined into one centralised mode.[24] The Homeworld Remastered Collection was released on February 25, 2015. Aspyr Media released the Homeworld Remastered Collection for OSX via the Mac App store on August 6, 2015.[2]
References[edit]
External links[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Homeworld_2&oldid=889787467'
In 1999, Relic Entertainmentâs groundbreaking Homeworld took the gaming world by surprise. Still widely regarded as the gold standard of space real-time strategy games, it successfully coupled lush graphics with a sleek interface that made manipulating camera angles and toggling between build and formation menus in 3D space incredibly easy. Homeworld 2 takes the original and upgrades it. With a new game engine, especially during massive battles of all ship classes, you canât help but admire its finer points, from its lovely dynamic lighting to its chilly ârealism.â
The Homeworld universe is âhardâ science fiction, as opposed to, say, StarCraft. The large, complex battles it depicts have an austere, clinical feel thatâs more admirable than immersive, regardless of the camera angle. But itâs great hard sci-fi, and the visuals really suck you in âliterallyâas you zoom in closer like a jeweler with a loupe, and the distant flashes gradually coalesce into thousands of stories unfolding. For a game totally devoid of visible living organisms, Homeworld 2 compensates by making you care about simulated husks of flying machinery. Your people live inside those fragile husks, fly them, die in themâthe exhaust trails become their souls. As in Homeworld, you feel for these poor trusting bastards scrounging for asteroids out in the middle of genuine nowhere.
Which is partly what makes much of the martinet story campaign such a bummer. Homeworldâs poignant air of cosmic mystery is largely absent; here everythingâs all grueling puzzle and puzzling grind. Instead of offerings like Homeworldâs wonderfully eerie Garden of Kadesh, the sequel gives you exhausting debacles like the fourth mission, in which doing things in sequence directly opposite from whatâs suggested is not only possible but proves a tenth as ulcerous, and the outright sadistic red herring of the tenth one. Thereâs no let-up, just an overriding sense of attrition and hopelessness as you watch your entire âpersistentâ fleet get persistently pulverized many times over.
Itâs not just the difficulty either, but the logic. The third mission introduces marine frigates, which âcaptureâ enemy ships in multiplayer, but in single-player only give the misleading impression of being able to do so (including attaching to the ship and displaying a steadily increasing âcapture barâ). Also annoying is the automatic collection of resources. The lack of such an option was, ironically, one of the few valid criticisms leveled at Homeworld. Here, automatic collection occurs the second youâve completed your mission goals, which entails starting the next level short-handed.
The storyline has its moments, but after Cataclysmâs strange, daring waters, Homeworld 2âs scavenger-hunt plotline feels for most of its length like an almost spitefully conventional rehash, top-heavy with extra-galactic ancient races that no longer exist except as convenient plot devices. (The whole thingâs an anthropomorphized riff on David Brinâs Uplift novels, which take space combat imagery to heights Homeworld 2 can only dream of). Your new enemies, the Vaygr, have swanky vertical missile launchers but donât seem inherently distinct as a culture from your own Hiigarans; they are supposed to represent a âconglomeration of races.â
Homeworldâs interface involved toggling to separate screens for building ships and researching technologies, but there were few options, it never seemed cumbersome. Here the menu takes up a third of the screen, obscuring your view of the luscious space graphics, and you canât move or shrink it. Hitting R minimizes the research menu, but B doesnât minimize the build menu. For all their bigness, the menus donât seem to use their space wisely; it makes you long for the minimalist simplicity of the sensors manager.
Many basics feel harder, although you get used to them. You now build the smaller ships in complete squadrons, presumably to make the battles bigger and more spectacular, but clicking on an individual ship gives you the relative health of the entire squadron at the bottom of the screen, which is less precise. Why not an AI setting to have ships auto-dock when theyâre near death? Why canât collectors auto-repair? Why no patrol? How about being able to assign docked craft to groups? Alt-bandboxing a group of ships that includes hostiles doesnât show a list of all those selected, as it did in the original and Cataclysm
The beloved formations such as sphere and claw have been abandoned for new, more efficient âstrike groups,â fleets that can include multiple ship types but move at the speed of their slowest unit. Familiarity with these is a major factor in combat, but the rock-paper-scissors consequences of using each type are barely touched on in the slender manual, itself a mockery of the original gameâs thick, detailed documentation.
For all its clumsy new baggage and rushed feel, Homeworld 2 takes itself seriously, designed from the ground up as a reward to the faithful rather than an olive branch to the casual newcomer. The lucky few up to its Sisyphean challenges will find themselves rewarded for their loyalty.
System Requirements: Pentium 500 MHz, 256 MB RAM, 32 MB Video, Win98
Tags: Free Download Homeworld 2 PC Game Review
Homeworld is a real-time strategy video game developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Studios on September 28, 1999, for Microsoft Windows. Set in space, the science fiction game follows the Kushan exiles of the planet Kharak after their home planet is destroyed by the Taiidan Empire in retaliation for developing hyperspace jump technology. The survivors journey with their spacecraft-constructing mothership to reclaim their ancient homeworld of Hiigara from the Taiidan, encountering a variety of pirates, mercenaries, traders, and rebels along the way. In each of the game's levels, the player gathers resources, builds a fleet, and uses it to destroy enemy ships and accomplish mission objectives. The player's fleet carries over between levels, and can travel in a fully three-dimensional space within each level rather than being limited to a two-dimensional plane.
Homeworld was created over two years, and was the first game developed by Relic. Studio co-founders Alex Garden and Luke Moloney served as the director and lead programmer for the game, respectively. The initial concept for the game's story is credited to writer David J. Williams, while the script itself was written by Martin Cirulis and the background lore was written by author Arinn Dembo. The music of the game was written by composer Paul Ruskay as the first title from his Studio X Labs, with the exception of Samuel Barber's 1936 Adagio for Strings, considered the defining theme of the game, and a licensed track from English rock band Yes, 'Homeworld (The Ladder)'.
Homeworld is listed by review aggregator Metacritic as the highest rated computer game of 1999, and the fourth-highest on any platform for the year. Critics praised the game's graphics, unique gameplay elements, and multiplayer system, though opinions were divided on the game's plot and high difficulty. The game sold over 500,000 copies in its first 6 months, and received several awards and nominations for best strategy game of the year and best game of the year. A release of the game's source code in 2003 sparked unofficial ports to macOS and Linux, and three more games in the Homeworld series have been produced: Homeworld: Cataclysm (2000), Homeworld 2 (2003), and Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak (2016). Gearbox Software purchased the rights to the series from then-owners THQ in 2013, and released a remastered collection of Homeworld and Homeworld 2 in 2015 for Windows and macOS which was also highly regarded.
Gameplay[edit]
Homeworld is a real-time strategy game set in space. Gameplay, as in most real-time strategy titles, is focused on gathering resources, building military forces, and using them to destroy enemy forces and accomplish an objective. The game includes both single-player and multiplayer modes; the single-player mode consists of one story-driven campaign, broken up into levels. In each level, the player has an objective to accomplish before they can end the level, though the ultimate objective of the mission can change as the level's story unfolds. Between each of the 16 levels is a hand-drawn, black-and-white cutscene with narrative voiceovers.[1][2]
An in-game screenshot from the original version of the game depicting a battle near the mothership. The mothership is being attacked by beam and missile weapons, and is on fire. The game's user interface is hidden, as is usual during gameplay unless the player has pressed an interface option key.
The central ship of the player's fleet is the mothership, a large base which can construct other ships; unlike other spacecraft, in the single-player campaign the mothership is unable to move.[3] Present in each level are stationary rocks or dust clouds, which can be mined by specialized harvesting ships which then empty their loads at the mothership in the form of 'resources', the game's only currency. Resources can be spent by the player on building new ships, which are constructed by the mothership. Buildable ships come in a variety of types, which are discovered over the course of the game. They include resource harvester ships, small fighter ships, frigates, destroyers, and heavy cruisers, as well as specialized ships such as research vessels and repair corvettes.[4] Fighter ships need to return to the mothership periodically to refuel, while salvage corvettes can capture enemy ships and tow them to the mothership to become part of the player's fleet.[2] In some levels, new ship types can be unlocked by capturing an enemy ship of that type, through research performed at the research vessel, or through plot elements.[1] At the beginning of the campaign, the player may select between controlling the 'Kushan' or 'Taiidan' fleet; this affects the designs of the ships and changes some of the specialized ship options, but has no effect on the plot or gameplay.[2]
Each level's playable area is a sphere, bisected by a circular plane. Ships can be directed to move anywhere in that sphere, either singularly or in groups. The game's camera can be set to follow any ship and view them from any angle, as well as display the ship's point of view. The player may also view the 'Sensors Manager', wherein they can view the entire game map along with all visible ships. Ships can be grouped into formations, such as wedges or spheres, in order to provide tactical advantages during combat with enemy ships. Non-specialized ships are equipped with weapons to fire upon enemy ships, which include ballistic guns, beam weapons, and missiles. As a ship is damaged by weapons its health bar depletes, visual effects such as fire and smoke are added, and it can eventually explode.[3]
When all mission objectives are completed, the player is given the option to make a hyperspace jump to end the level. This may be postponed in order to gather more resources or build more ships. When the hyperspace jump is initiated, all fighters return to the mothership while larger ships line up next to it, and blue rectangles pass over the ships and teleport them to the next level.[2] The player retains their fleet between levels, and the difficulty of each mission is adjusted to a small extent based on how many ships are in the player's fleet at the beginning of each level.[2][5] In multiplayer games, the objective is typically to destroy the enemy motherships, though other battle-oriented victory conditions are available. The mothership is capable of movement, and as there are no levels, the research done at the research vessel follows a technology tree with each upgrade or ship design taking a set amount of time, rather than also being dependent on a plot point.[1] Multiple maps are available, as are options to turn off the need to research technologies or fuel consumption for smaller ships.[1][2]
Plot[edit]
The final hand-drawn cutscene of Homeworld, showing Karan S'jet as the last person from the fleet to set foot on Hiigara.
A century prior to the start of the game, the Kushan, humanoid inhabitants of the desert planet Kharak, discovered a spaceship buried in the sands, which holds a stone map marking Kharak and another planet across the galaxy labelled 'Hiigara', meaning 'home'. The discovery united the clans of Kharak, who knew they were not indigenous to Kharak and craved to solve the mystery of how they came to this hostile planet.[6] Together, they spent the next century developing and building a giant mothership that would carry 600,000 people to Hiigara, with neuroscientist Karan S'jet neurally wired into the ship as Fleet Command to replace an unsustainably large crew.[7] The game opens with the maiden voyage of the mothership, testing the hyperspace drive which teleports the fleet to a new destination. Instead of the support ship that was expected to be there, the mothership finds a hostile alien fleet. After defeating them, the mothership returns to Kharak, to discover that the planet has been razed by another alien fleet, and that only the 600,000 migrants in suspended animation have survived.[8] A captured enemy captain claims that the Kharak genocide was the consequence of their violation of a 4,000-year-old treaty between the interstellar Taiidan Empire and the Kushan, which forbids the latter from developing hyperspace technology.[9]
After destroying the remnants of both alien fleets, the nascent Kushan fleet sets out for Hiigara, intent on reclaiming their ancient homeworld. Their multi-stage journey across the galaxy takes them through asteroid fields, a giant nebula, a ship graveyard and several Taiidan outposts. Along the way, they fight other descendants of their Hiigaran ancestors who have turned to piracy. They also meet the Bentusi, a race of traders, who sell them advanced technology. After discovering that the Bentusi have given aid to the exiles, the Taiidan attempt to destroy them, but are stopped by the Kushan fleet.[10] The Bentusi then reveal that the Kushan had once ruled their own empire, before being destroyed by the Taiidan and exiled from Hiigara. In gratitude for the Kushan's intervention, they promise to summon the Galactic Council to consider the Kushan's claim to Hiigara.[11]
As their journey continues, the Kushan fleet gives sanctuary to the Taiidan rebel Captain Elson. With his help, they rally a rebellion to distract the Taiidan fleets.[12][13] He aids them in penetrating the Hiigaran system blockade, and in engaging the central Taiidan fleet led by the Taiidan emperor. The emperor manages to knock Karan into a coma for the duration of the battle, but the combined Kushan and rebel fleets defeat the Taiidan regardless.[14] The Galactic Council arrives shortly thereafter and confirms the Kushan's claim to Hiigara, a lush world in contrast to the desert planet of Kharak. When the Kushan make landfall, Karan insists to be the last one to set foot on the planet.[15]
Development[edit]
Relic Entertainment was founded in Vancouver, Canada, on June 1, 1997, and began work on Homeworld as their first title.[16] Relic co-founders Alex Garden and Luke Moloney served as the director and lead programmer for the game, respectively, while Erin Daly was the designer and Aaron Kambeitz the lead artist.[17] Garden was 22 years old when he founded the company.[18] Writer David J. Williams is credited with the original story concept, while the script itself was written by Martin Cirulis and the background lore was written by author Arinn Dembo.[17][19] Cirulis and Dembo, credited jointly as 'Marcus Skyler', were selected by the publisher, Sierra Studios, partway through development to expand the story concept of Relic and Williams.[19] Sierra agreed to publish the game early in development based on, according to Garden, 'two whiteboard presentations and no demo'.[20] The development of the game took over two years; the game systems were largely complete by the final eight months, which Relic spent polishing and improving the game, including adding the whole-map Sensors Manager view.[21] In a February 1999 interview, Garden said that the game's testers had found it to be much harder to play than it was for the developers, leading to the addition of features like short briefings at the beginning of levels to explain new concepts.[22] The game was initially expected to be released at the end of 1998; Garden stated in a 1999 interview that the team found creating the core game itself much easier than getting it to the quality level they wanted, and that if they had known how difficult it was going to be they may have chosen not to do the project.[23][24] He claimed that Sierra did not put much pressure on the studio to release the game before it was ready, and that Relic felt much more pressure from impatient fans.[22] Several ideas for the game, including ship customization, convoy routes, and different unit types for the Kushan and Taidann fleets were cut during development as they could not be done well enough for the project.[20][24]
Relic did not specifically set out to create a real-time strategy game; Garden and Relic were primarily focused on making a game with exciting large-scale space battles, and chose the genre in order to support that. As a result, they did not try to make innovative gameplay changes in the real-time strategy genre, but instead worked on making implementing the genre in a fully 3D space to make the space battles they envisioned.[25] Garden told Computer Games Magazine in 1998 that 'there's no sort of design philosophy behind it. The fact that it's real-time strategy was almost a fluke.'[25] The original Star Wars film trilogy was one of the game's primary inspirations, along with the 1970s television series Battlestar Galactica: in a 1998 interview with PC Zone, Garden stated that his original concept for the game was 'a 3D game that looked like you were watching Star Wars but had a storyline like Battlestar Galactica'. He drew further inspiration from correcting what he felt were the limitations of the first-person space flight game Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter.[23] He felt that having the player control a ship from a cockpit view detracted from the feeling of the overall battles, and so chose to have the player control a whole fleet from an external view.[20]
The focus on the combat drove several other areas of focus for the development team: according to Garden, Relic spent considerable effort on making high-quality ship models, computer-controlled flight tactics, and maneuvers like immelmann turns because 'everyone is going to zoom right in on the first battle, just to watch'.[20] They felt that the advanced unit-level maneuvers in the context of large fleet-wide battles would increase immersion in the game for players, and create a 'Star Wars feeling' to the battles.[20] To accentuate this, instead of recording stock sound files for units to use when maneuvering, the team instead recorded several thousand smaller clips which are combined to describe exactly which ships were taking which action, and are then modified by the game's audio engine to reflect the position and motion of the ships relative to the player's camera.[26] The working title for the game was Spaghetti Ball, chosen for Garden's early vision of the battles in the game as a mass of tangled flight paths as ships maneuvered around each other, contained within a larger sphere of available space.[23] Although early previews expressed concern about the difficulties of controlling so many ships in 3D space, according to Garden the team felt that moving the game's camera and controlling the fleet were two wholly separate actions, and by treating them as such it made designing them and using them much simpler.[26]
The sound design, audio production, and music composition for the game was contracted to composer Paul Ruskay and Studio X Labs, which he founded in February 1999 after starting on Homeworld in October 1998.[27] In addition to his original music compositions, Ruskay used a recording of the 1936 piece for string orchestra by Samuel Barber, Adagio for Strings, in an early scene in the game when the player finds the destruction of Kharak. The piece, in turn, became a central theme on the soundtrack.[28]Adagio for Strings was proposed by Garden, who heard it on the radio and felt it fit the mood of the game 'perfectly'; Ruskay had a new recording of the piece made by a University of California choir, as the license fees for the recording Garden heard were too high for the studio.[22] The closing song of the game, 'Homeworld (The Ladder)', was licensed from English rock band Yes.[29] The soundtrack was released in a 13-track album that was bundled with the Game of the Year Edition of Homeworld in May 2000, and again in a 37-track Homeworld Remastered Original Soundtrack digital album alongside the Homeworld Remastered Collection in March 2015.[30][31]
Reception[edit]
Homeworld was highly regarded by critics upon release; it is listed by review aggregator Metacritic as the highest rated computer game of 1999, and the fourth-highest on any platform for the year.[32][36] The graphics were highly praised; Michael Ryan of GameSpot claimed it had 'some of the most impressive graphics ever', while Jason Levine of Computer Games Magazine said that 'no gameâeverâhas made space itself look like this'.[34][35]Eurogamer's review praised the 'big, brash and colourful' backgrounds, which was echoed by Levine and John Keefer of GameSpy.[1][2][35] Multiple reviewers, such as Vincent Lopez of IGN, also praised the detail and variety of the spaceships, and Jason Samuel of GamePro noted that Relic was able to use their graphics engine to create the game's intricate cutscenes rather than relying on prerecorded videos.[1][4][33][34] Greg Fortune of Computer Gaming World added that the rotatable camera was one of the 'real joys of the game', allowing the player to view the action from any angle or ship's viewpoint and 'creating an impressively sweeping cinematic feel'.[3] The sound and music were also lauded; Levine claimed the sound was 'on par with the graphics', praising how it changed when the player zoomed into or away from a battle, while Eurogamer and Lopez applauded the 'atmospheric' soundtrack for creating the mood of the game.[1][4][35]
The gameplay advances were also highly praised by critics: Lopez claimed that 'Relic not only tackled space, but may have just changed strategy games forever.'[4] Reviewers praised the full 3D nature of the game as elevating it from its otherwise standard real-time strategy gameplay systems; Levine said that the 3D was what made the game unique, and Ryan explicitly termed the base gameplay as 'fairly similar to any tried-and-true real-time strategy game' but said that the 3D elements and connected mission structure turned it into a 'different breed' of game.[34][35] Fortune, however, focused instead on the difficulty of the missions themselves, praising the challenge and variety of tactics needed to complete the game and lauding it for having 'some of the best fleet battles ever seen in a computer game'.[3] Levine, Ryan, Keefer, and Lopez all noted the connected mission structure as an innovation in the genre: by limiting the resources to build ships and pulling the same fleet through the missions, Homeworld converted what would usually be a set of disconnected missions into 'chapters' of a continuous game. They felt this connected the player to their fleet as more than disposable units, and added a level of strategy to the game.[2][4][34][35] Keefer and Levine did note, however, that this added a great deal of difficulty to the game, especially for more casual players, as the player could make decisions in earlier levels that rendered later ones very difficult to complete without an explicit difficulty level to counteract it.[2][35] Ryan and Keefer also considered the 3D movement disorienting at first, though Levine and Samuel said the controls were 'as easy as possible'.[2][33][34][35]
Homeworld's single-player plot received mixed reviews; Lopez claimed it would keep players 'rapt with attention', Samuel summized it as a 'superb story', and Levine said that it was 'the first computer game to capture the grandeur and epic feel of the Star Wars movies'.[4][33][35] The Eurogamer review, however, considered it only '(mostly) engaging', and Keefer said that 'although the story line is fluid and intriguing', for each mission 'the overall theme is the same: Kill the enemy', while Ryan criticized the length for such a 'meager single-player game'.[1][2] The multiplayer gameplay was praised, especially against human opponents: Levine stated that 'multiplayer in Homeworld is a joy', while the Eurogamer review called it the game's strongest part.[1][35] The Eurogamer review, along with Samuel, also called the multiplayer mode more difficult and engaging than the single-player game.[1][33]
Legacy[edit]
Homeworld was released to strong sales and won multiple awards;[37] it sold more than 250,000 copies in its initial weeks,[38] and over 500,000 in its first six months.[37] In the United States alone, the game's sales surpassed 95,000 copies by the end of 1999,[39] while sales in Germany reached 60,000 units by April 2000. It debuted in third place on Germany's computer game sales rankings for October 1999, before dropping to 25th, 31st and 32nd in the following three months, respectively.[40]Homeworld also received a 'Silver' sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA), indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[41][42]
Homeworld won Best Strategy Game at the 1999 Game Critics Awards prior to release,[43] and was nominated for Computer Game of the Year and Computer Strategy Game of the Year at the 2000 Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Interactive Achievement Awards.[44] It was awarded Game of the Year by IGN and PC Gamer, won Strategy Game of the Year by Computer Gaming World and was nominated for the same by Computer Games Magazine, and won Best Original Storyline and Best Original Score at the 2000 Eurogamer Gaming Globes awards.[45][46][47][48][49] It also won PC Gamer's 'Special Achievement in Music' and 'Special Achievement in Art Direction' prizes.[46]Maximum PC claimed in 2003 that Homeworld 'did what no game had successfully done before: create a truly three-dimensional space-combat strategy game'.[50]HardwareMAG similarly claimed the 'revolutionary' and 'ground-breaking' status of the game in the real-time strategy genre in 2004, as did Computer Gaming World in 2003.[51][52]
Homeworld inspired a series of real-time strategy games in the same universe, beginning in September 2000 when Sierra Studios released a stand-alone expansion by Barking Dog Studios, Homeworld: Cataclysm. Taking place 15 years after the events of Homeworld, the story centers on Kiith Somtaawâa Hiigaran clanâand its struggles to protect Hiigara from a parasitic entity known as the Beast.[53] A full sequel, Homeworld 2, was developed by Relic Entertainment and released by Sierra in late 2003. The game, set a century after the original Homeworld, pits the Hiigarans against a powerful, nomadic raider race called the Vaygr.[54] A fourth game in the series, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, was developed by Blackbird Interactive and published by Gearbox Software in 2016. A prequel to the series, it is set on the planet of Kharak instead of in space, and features a war between Kushan clans during the discovery of the buried spaceship from Homeworld.[55] Additionally, in 2003 Relic released the source code for Homeworld under license to members of the Relic Developer Network.[56] The source code became the base of several source ports to alternative platforms, such as Linux.[57]
Remaster[edit]
An in-game screenshot from the remastered version of the game depicting a battle near the mothership. The mothership is being attacked by beam and missile weapons.
In 2004, Relic Entertainment was bought by THQ, which confirmed in 2007 that it had acquired the rights to the series from Relic and Sierra.[63] No further game in the series was made before THQ declared bankruptcy in 2013; on April 22, 2013, Gearbox Software announced that they had bought the rights to the series at auction for US$1.35 million.[64][65] On July 19, 2013, Gearbox announced the production of remakes of Homeworld and Homeworld 2 as Homeworld HD, later renamed Homeworld Remastered Collection.[66][67] The following month, collection producer Brian Burleson stated that Gearbox had purchased the property with the express purpose of making a collection including the original and remastered versions of the game. He also noted that neither game had code in a releasable or playable state when purchased, and they ended up recreating many of the original development tools with the assistance of the Homeworld mod community.[68] A later posting by a developer at Gearbox further praised the mod community for their assistance in getting the original code to be playable on modern computers.[56] The stand-alone expansion Homeworld: Cataclysm was not announced for a remake, despite the outspoken interest of Gearbox, as they were unable to find the original source code for the game.[69]
Released digitally on February 25, 2015, for Windows computers by Gearbox and on August 6, 2015, for macOS by Aspyr Media, the collection includes the original and remastered versions of the two games.[70][71] A retail edition of the PC version of the game was released by Ubisoft on May 7, 2015.[72] In addition to compatibility fixes for modern computers, the 'classic' version of Homeworld removes local multiplayer and the licensed Yes song; the 'remastered' version adds a new game engine for the two games, and upgraded visuals, graphical effects, models, and sound.[29] It also initially removed some functionality not present in Homeworld 2, such as the fuel system, ballistic projectile modeling, and tactical ship formations; some of these were restored in a 2016 patch.[73]
As of February 2017, Steam Spy estimates that over 700,000 copies of the Homeworld Remastered Collection have been sold on the Steam distribution platform.[74] The remastered version was warmly received by critics; reviewers such as IGN's Dan Stapleton and Game Informer's Daniel Tack praised the story as still 'fantastic' and 'emotional', while Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot claimed that the gameplay was still entertaining 16 years later, and Tom Senior of PC Gamer applauded Gearbox's visual updates to the game.[59][60][61][62] Reviewers were more mixed on the gameplay changes included as part of the upgrade to a new game engine; VanOrd noted that some of the changes did not fit with the original game, while Tack made note of several bugs due to the gameplay modifications.[59][60] Overall, the updated game was highly praised, however, with Senior concluding bluntly that 'Homeworld is simply incredible and everyone should play it.'[62]
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