17A: Rebuilding the Ark

If something can go wrong, it will go wrong.  Although you bought your side more time, by taking out the Cerberi Assembler in your last mission, the whole Scion race is in dire straights, now that their Ark has been forced down.  The Cerberi have located the Scion mothership and threaten to prevent it from ever lifting off again.  You're charged with seeing that the repairs on the Ark II are completed, which means seeing to the defense of the Ark II and escorting the needed Neohydrium rods.  But the Cerberi seem to be anticipating every move that the Rebel Hadean forces are making on Core.  When the Scion haulers first appear through the portal, along with their escorts, they are being hotly pursued by a Cerberi Triton.  

The progress of the Neohydrium convoy is thwarted by the appearance of Cerberi portal, and it is determined that the situation has become too dangerous, since the possibility of losing the convoy's precious cargo is unthinkable.  The convoy is returned to the shipyard, until the area can be secured.

The Hadean Rebels send in a builder and construct a portal, which connects with the Scion mothership, allowing the Scions to provide you with a few more ships.

You may want to have a couple of heavy Titan tanks assigned to your small force, since these "gun towers on tracks" will come in handy, later.

Meanwhile, you are informed of a supply depot that may still contain equipment which you could use, but before heading out, position your units to cover the top of the ramp leading up to the portal area.  This way they can easily deal with a patrolling Krul, which will wander by.

When you reach the supply depot, consider exchanging your Xypos for the Warrior.  It is pretty banged up, but you can start the repair process by morphing to assault mode.

There are quite a few weapon crates scattered about, and these include several that are mountable on the Warrior.  Consider upgrading to Sonic Cannon, Absorption Shield, and either the Arc Mine or Blink.

On your way back, you may find a Drath making it's rounds.

Depending on where you run into it, you might draw the walker up onto the plateau, where your other units will make short work of it.  

Before moving out to regain control of the captured Matriarch, you may want to position your Guardian to cover the area near the ramp.  This will be helpful later, when the Neohydrium convoy makes another attempt at reaching the Ark II.  A nav beacon is this area might also come in handy, later.

The forces that the Cerberi have left to guard the Matriarch and the Ark II are not that numerous.  You should already have dispatched the Krul and the Drath.  There is a turret that you will likely run into, but your Sonic cannon easily outranges it.  

There also is a Harpie laying a mine field, but the long range cannons at your disposal will make short work of it, too.  

Your first real concern will be how to contend with the three Gorgons positioned around the Ark II.  They can be handled by a combination of shooting at them from the ledges above them, ...

And distracting them, by getting them focused on one target, while other units attack.  You can be the bait, yourself.

Or, you may find that the hidden turrets will hold the Gorgons' attention, while you and your wingmen attack ...

And destroy.

There remain a patrolling Drath and Siren to contend with.  Once again, you may find that the hidden turrets provide a convenient distraction.  The Siren, in particular is vulnerable to this, and thereby easily destroyed, while drawing the Drath within range of your Titans will quickly finish it off.

Only a lone turret remains, after which you and your small force can free the captured Matriarch.

The Scions quickly get to work building up a base ...

And securing the Ark II, by putting a ring of Gun Spires around it.  Once this ring is complete, the Neohydrium convoy will be sent back through to try and make another run towards the Ark II.  

In the meanwhile, the Cerberi will set up a couple of Portals and try to push you and the Scion forces off the map.  This is where your Titans can earn their keep.  Position them, along with your healer, to provide the initial line of defense for the Matriarch.  You may want to place the Xares in a rear guard position, which also insures their availability later.  The Cerberi will send plenty of heavy ground and air units at you.

You will eventually be given command of a couple of Scion units, a Brawler and a Sentry.  You can either just direct these units at what you determine to be the most important targets of the moment, or you can swap back and forth between your Warrior and the Brawler, leaving the unused ship on the repair bay to re-arm and repair.  

Another tactic to help the Scions is to move your two Titans and your healer over to where the Scions have put up a Gun Spire, about half way down the length of the Ark II.  This Spire will come under attack from two directions, so holding this point will be difficult and critical.  Reinforcing this Spire with your units will make it easier for the Scions to move on and get up the next Spire.  You then can reinforce this next spire, which will be near the far end of the Ark II, with your Brawler and Sentry.

Eventually, you'll hear an announcement that the Convoy is being sent back through the portal.  You'll have to hurry to meet up with and escort it.  The Guardian that you left behind will provide initial cover, but the convoy needs to be protected along the whole length of its route.  If you still have your Xares, send them to the nav point back near the Guardian.  You can also drop another nav. roughly where the Harpie was laying mines, and order your Titans to cover this area.  The Cerberi will try to intercept the Neohydrium shipment, by popping up portals, as it makes its way along to the Ark II.

Although both haulers need to be protected, once the first hauler reaches its destination, the mission ends with success.

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