Silent Thunder is the first operation in the Jade Falcon Campaign. It is a simple strike against two communication facilities, and destroying any secondary targets.
Your starting mech will be a Storm Crow A, which is equipped with an LRM-20, two Streak SRM-6 launchers, and four medium pulse lasers. It is more than enough to defeat the three Kit Fox mechs, and two laser turrets.
Objectives:
- Primary: Destroy the HPG uplink at Nav Alpha
- Primary: Destroy the communications array at Nav Beta
- Secondary: Destroy all enemy ‘Mechs in the area (3 Kit Fox)
- Tertiary: Destroy any targets of opportunity (Nuclear Plant near Nav Alpha, Mining Facility towards Nav Beta)
Deployment[edit]
Your mech will be dropped in an open field, with the first nav point to your right. Shortly after deployment, a recon helicopter will arrive to see what's going on, before returning to its base. It may be killed by any shot that hits the tail, but otherwise can be destroyed when it lands.
From the east, the first Kit Fox mech will arrive from over the hill. Once it crosses the hilltop, it can be attacked with the long-range weapon to soften it, and should fall to the shorter range weapons. If one of the legs is destroyed, quickly move to its flank, as AI opponent will not change its aim after being immobilized.
Shortly after the first mech engages, a second Kit Fox will power up near the HPG Uplink. This time, the encounter is likely to be at shorter range due to the terrain. As such, it will likely be able to use its short range weapons more quickly.
[edit]
At Nav alpha, you should see the HPG Uplink. It is surrounded by walls, which can be ignored. Simply target the central structure, and the explosion will completely destroy the facility.
To the east of the facility is a nuclear power station hiding behind some low mountains. Destroy these buildings to complete the tertiary objective. The smoke relief on the side of the installation is oddly hard to hit
[edit]
While heading to Nav Beta, you should see a mining facility on the right. This is the second target of opportunity, and can be destroyed easily.
The communications array is defended by two laser turrets. A single volley of the LRM-20 can destroy one of the turrets. If a turret somehow survives, it likely would have received enough damage to have it easily fall to short range weapons.
The last line of defense is a single Kit Fox, which awakens behind the mountain to the south-east. In this case, it is far enough for you to soften with missiles before you switch to the pulse lasers.
When the communications array, mechs, and two targets of opportunity are destroyed, you can head to nav gamma for dustoff.
The communications array is slightly more resilient to attacks, as the four building components need to be destroyed individually.