Welcome, commanders!
Before you lies the beginning of the Storyline Campaign. Are you ready? We hope you are, because we all have a long road ahead of us.
First things first – if you haven’t registered, please do so, otherwise you won’t be eligible for the event’s rewards.
Secondly, if you are wondering what the Storyline Campaign is, please visit our dedicated web page for a short FAQ as well as the state of the campaign. Now, let the story begin!
- June 2028, Chicago
I woke up drenched in sweat and shivering. The nightmare’s been the same for a couple of years now and I was already familiar with it, each picture burned like a still frame into my memory. A day on the beach. Parents smiling. A dinner at my favorite childhood place. And then only darkness, a thick black cloud swallowing it all. First it took my mother, then my father, both of them so familiar and yet so distant. I couldn’t remember their faces, but I was sure it was them all along; felt it in my heart, one of the few certainties left in my life. And then it was all gone, moved to the edges on my mind by my racing heart and acute thirst.
Like every morning lately, I looked around first and noted my surroundings as if it was the first time. It was still early but the heat reflected by all that concrete surrounding the flat I was living in was already creeping in. A few hours more and it’ll become unbearable. Chicago in summer, I hate you with every fiber of my being.
The whole building has seen better days. On the other hand, in the “better days”, it would have likely already been condemned. At least there were no bugs in the shower and no mold in the fridge, which is a significant upgrade over some of the third world conditions I’d been living in before. The life of a mercenary takes you all across the world, all the amazing people you can meet (and shoot), all the cold water you can take a shower in (unless, of course, it’s actually hot outside) and all the cheap food you can cram into a piece of tin. But it’s a life I chose in the vain hope of becoming more than another armed vagabond fighting for scraps in this world and, perhaps, to make a difference.
Nah, who am I kidding. It was the prospect of money and the action movies.
My idle musings were interrupted by the sound of my phone ringing. One glance at the cell’s screen sank my mood even lower. Then again, I reminded myself, beggars can’t be choosers and two months of lying low have chipped away more than just my pride. I know it and the guy on the other end of the line knows it as well. Fuck.
Took my time pressing that green button. My instincts have mostly served me well and in this case, they were screaming to let it go, but I just couldn’t resist. A man’s gotta eat and you can survive on bad pizza and even worse beer for only so long. America gave a lot of good things to the world, but in my eyes, food definitely wasn’t one of them. Alright, here we go.
“Hi there, Hector. Long time no hear.”
Yeah, that was my best unconcerned voice impression. He knew what was up, I knew what was up, but that’s the way the game’s played. Me being a grumpy asshole would hardly do me any good.
“Hola, amigo! Que pasa!”
Again with this Mexican bullshit. Hector was a third generation American, Chicago born and bred, a self-stylized member of the local “mafía”, a little king of a little hill fighting other scavengers for scraps. He didn’t even look the part but his desperate need to connect to something – his family’s distant heritage, roots, anything – made him act this way. Sad, really. But he had his ten fat fingers in a lot of pies and if it meant a nice, easy gig somewhere cozy, I was willing to indulge him.
“Nothing much. Just getting some R&R after that last job.“
And now he’ll show off how he knows all about the Dubai mess. And, surely enough...
“Ayyyy, I heard about that. Couple of cabrones messed up really bad, sí? Bad for business, that. But not you, my friend. You stayed straight as an arrow. Walked away. Now, I can respect that.”
So that’s how it is. That meant he really needed something from me, otherwise he’d have rubbed my face in it, but he knew I had my limits. Now this was starting to get interesting. Either he needed someone respectable – and I looked very respectable in a tux – or he needed a fall guy. Didn’t seem like the second case though. He had cheaper and easier to convince options. I decided to cut to the chase.
“Yeah, you know how it is. You turn away for a second and someone always fucks things up for you. Hurt my feelings, that, and my reputation. Now I’ll never work in Dubai again, but, to be honest...” I paused, “Fuck those guys, really. So, what can this down-on-luck merc do for you?” He grew serious. So serious, in fact, he even lost some of the accent shtick he loved so much.
“So, listen. There’s a rich corp looking for a merc. One merc, to show their boys the ropes. Nothing major. A company’s worth of infantry, some armor. Or, as a matter of fact,” he paused, “that would be the first job. To pick up the right tools for the forces you’d then take command of. Tanks, lieutenants, you know the drill. Drag them through the mud a few times, shoot some bandits in the Texas wastes, a little survival training in Alaska...”
Indeed, I knew the drill. Something like that always happened when a corporation was ready to expand, discreetly. Someone expected to get their hands on a lot of wealth or power real quick and couldn’t go through the official channels. Such jobs have always been really rare at the best of times as they came with a lot of strings attached and a lot of expectations. Corporations typically wouldn’t trust a random small-time merc with their secrets, even one with experience such as me.
“....and then they’ll give you a proper flat, you’ll marry a nice pencil pusher girl with a career, have kids... you know, everything people like us don’t get a have. So whaddya say, partner?”
And now he’s switching to Texas drawl. God, kill me now. Just when I thought we’d have a normal conversation for once. Regardless, the feeling of unease didn’t subside. Not one bit. I wasn’t sure what to think, so I decided to play for time.
“Don’t know, Hector. I mean... why me, you’ve got your own people.”
Laughter on the other end. Sounded a tiny bit forced. Just a bit, but the hint was there.
“You want me to send my crooks to a corp tango? Who? Cezar? Angela? Although, thinking about it,” he paused again, “she’d look great in a dress. Maybe you’re on to something, compadre. Anyway, they wouldn’t know how to behave and they hate those corp pendejos. They’re not...” Another pause.
“Civilized. Like you and me.”
He got that right. Cezar would start busting kneecaps the second day in the office and Angela... best not to think about it. And those were Hector’s top lieutenants. But, still. I laid myself down on the bed, my left arm behind my head. Closed my eyes, taking a moment to collect my thoughts and realized I was missing something really obvious.
“How do you even know about all this? And don’t give me that ‘word on the street’ bullshit, Hector. People like us, we don’t move in such circles. We don’t get the opportunity to work for a bona fide corp. I mean real work, without getting our hands really, REALLY dirty. And I’m not that kind of guy, you know that.” Several seconds of silence, followed by a poorly concealed sigh.
“Alright, fine. Someone came by. A really classy-looking chica. First, she knew where to find me, so that got me thinking, you know? Second, she knew all sorts of shit she wasn’t supposed to know. The kind you can’t ignore. So, uh, we made a deal. She was interested in you, specifically. Even knew where you live. How weird is that?”
I frowned. “How long ago was that?”
“Couple of hours.”
Okay, at least some good news. If this was a set-up, I’d already be dead. Not a vengeful corporation then. “Why didn’t you start with that?”
“Sounds like some really shady bullshit, amigo, for real. Didn’t wanna scare you off. Nothing gets by you though, am I right? She left some instructions, if you want. Either way, she seemed for real, so either you got some powerful friends you didn’t tell me about somewhere along the way, or... I don’t know. So how about it?”
I sighed and closed my eyes. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?
“Yeah, I’m listening.”
***
A few hours later, I found myself in front of an inconspicuous-looking gun shop near the suburbs. A bad part of town, even for the Windy City. The seedy place looked all but closed with derelict buildings all around it. A couple of unsavory types eyed me from a distance, but my beat-up Chevelle, my determined look and, most important, the AR-15 in my hands kept them away, or so I thought.
I entered the shop via its rickety wooden front door, an old-school bell announcing my present to the elderly owner ostentatiously reading an old newspaper behind the counter. He barely looked up. The place was stacked with low-quality hunting rifles, certainly not something I’d have expected in the area. No hunting to be done, unless the prey walked on two legs.
“We’re closed.”
I expected as much, judging from what Hector told me. I repeated the sentence I was told over the phone, word for word, hoping I remembered it correctly. Writing it down felt embarrassing at the time, but now I felt sorry I hadn’t done just that.
“Even the summers are cold in Chicago, let me warm up a bit in your humble abode.”
Standing there all sweaty, I felt really stupid saying that. Who knew running a sixty-year old car without an A/C in a city where the sunlight amplified by the glass panels of highrises melt the tarmac below was a bad idea. And what the hell is an abode, who talks like that?
The old man finally looked up and raised his eyebrows. He reminded me of a kind grandfather figure with his age-old sweater, old-time silver-rimmed glasses, fading grey hair... I couldn’t have been more wrong. His eyes betrayed his true nature, blue and cold as steel.
“Ah yes. Master Thorpe, is it?”
I nodded.
“That’s right.”
He got up slowly from what turned out to be a wooden rocking chair. How quaint. The massive revolver hidden behind the news sheet made a loud thud despite being laid down rather gently on the wooden counter. That thing must weigh.... a lot, I thought. One shot and you’re done for, even with body armor. And the guy didn’t like the type that would miss. I swallowed hard. He could clearly see my nervousness and cracked a cold smile.
“Ezra Rosenstein, at your service. Please follow me, sir.”
I couldn’t quite place his accent. British perhaps? Canadian? I’ve been around, but I’ve never met a man like that. Few have and lived to tell about it, I suspected. The man had the air of a retired killer about him, probably ex-special forces, maybe even the CIA. I wasn’t dying to find out just much death had he seen, and how much of it was his own making.
He opened a door at the back of the shop, but instead of a dusty storage room that I expected, there was a set of concrete stairs leading to the bowels of the building. As I passed through the door, I noticed it was made of steel, at least an inch thick. Armored, I’d wager. This guy was not playing around and I realized in an instant just how he stayed safe in this neighborhood. Nobody was stupid enough to try to rob him.
As I was running a few escape scenarios if things went awry, we reached the bottom and entered a rather large room filled with tables, maps and, most importantly, weapons. Not the kind that was upstairs – cutting edge stuff. Assault rifles, combat shotguns, you name it. The ma deuce in the corner looked deadly in particular; clean, well-oiled, loaded and ready to go. The man pointed silently at an empty chair, and sat himself on another one facing towards me.
“Now then. Miss Norah asked me to evaluate you. I don’t normally do this anymore, but...”
Again that soul-chilling smile, like a snake preparing to swallow its victim whole.
“...she’s quite charming and persuasive, isn’t she.” he concluded, as if talking to himself while sifting through a pile of papers lying on the table to the left.
“Ah yes, here you are. Samuel Thorpe, born in 1995 in New York, yes?”
He cast a quick glance at me over the top rim of his glasses. I simply nodded. He read this file, mumbling to himself through the process.
“Orphaned at the age of 10, yes... gang violence, quite tragic. Hmm, it was a sad era... grew up in various foster homes... had a penchant for running away... joined the military but never truly felt like belonging... indeed, a common trait amongst the men of your profession... went private after Pollard...”
Confused, I interrupted him. “Pollard?”
He frowned, his voice dripping with reproach. Suddenly, I felt like a kid again, a kid who hasn’t done his homework.
“Pollard versus New York, Master Thorpe. The Supreme Court sentence that cast down all Second Amendment restrictions, allowing private citizens like you to operate all the weaponry previously restricted to the United States military. Except for nuclear weapons, of course,” he added, smiling again ever so slightly.
I kept on nodding as he spoke, not willing to appear even more foolish than I already did.
“Right, right...”
“Quite,” he continued. “Now where were we... ah yes, your career as a private contractor. A couple of jobs, several engagements, nothing of significance though. Average success rate only. Hmm.” he mused. “Not the usual type then.”
I wasn’t sure what he meant by that or how he knew so much about me, but somehow felt it unwise to ask him to elaborate. He finished studying the document, giving it one more cursory glance before discarding it back on the top of the pile.
“Let us begin.”
For the next several hours, he dissected every operation I’ve been a part of in excruciating detail, from my first mundane guard duties to the shoot-out at the Meydan Hotel in Dubai. He quizzed me extensively about my tactics and firearms knowledge, language skills and problem-solving abilities, until we finally reached a topic I wasn’t entirely confident about. Armor.
“As you now know, Master Thorpe, the landmark Pollard ruling allows private citizens of the United States of America to freely operate armored vehicles, even those using what was previously legally known as ‘destructive devices’. That includes, but is not limited to tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, or even artillery. Should you succeed obtaining the job...”
I truly did not like his emphasis of the world “should”, but was too exhausted to argue at this point.
“...you’ll be asked to add armored vehicles into your employer’s arsenal while completing any and all missions assigned to you. Now, imagine your employer has unlimited resources at their disposal. Quite literally, you can pick any vehicle you want for the job. But you can only choose once and remember you’ll be tasked with undergoing a wide range of missions. What would you choose?”
I started opening my mouth to answer, but he immediately interrupted me.
“And, just to be clear, Master Thorpe, there isn’t a correct answer. Your choice will tell me more about you, how you approach and overcome the obstacles laid before you. With that being said,” he nodded, “do go on, please. I am dying to hear your answer.”
The interruption gave me pause and I started to mull over the problem in my head. I had a distinctive feeling that a lot was riding on my answer...
In this episode, you’ll be assisting Samuel Thorpe in outfitting the team for future operations. You’ll have several vehicle categories to choose from, each with its advantages and drawbacks. Weigh your options carefully; they will be extremely important down the line.
How to Choose?
The way you choose the Storyline Campaign vehicle is simply by playing. Participate in as many battles (of any type) as possible with the vehicle you’ve chosen. At the end of the Prologue episode, we’ll compare the statistics of the vehicles for the duration of this event to a similar period of time before the event to see which group saw the highest increase. The group with the highest increase will be chosen by Samuel Thorpe for his outfit with the most-played vehicle from the group being chosen as his personal vehicle.
To summarize:
- To qualify for the basic reward, simply play at least 80 battles in any vehicle listed below and any standard mode between June 2 and June 30, 2021
- You can use only the vehicles specifically listed below in the “What to Choose From?” section
- The vehicles you choose will be required to complete future Storyline Campaign objectives
- Additional optional objectives with extra rewards will appear during the course of Prologue
Please note:
- You need to have registered to participate in the event (the registration will be available through the Prologue so you can register at any point)
- You need to complete the basic objective (play at least 80 battles) of the Prologue to qualify for the main Storyline Campaign event and to become eligible for any prizes
- Difficulty modifier refers to the basic difficulty of the event (which is 3 played battles per day or a derivation thereof) – in other words, a hypothetical future 30 day objective will require you to play 90 battles, while a 10% difficulty modifier will increase the requirement to 99 battles and so on
- The list of standard modes includes standard PvE, standard PvP (Random Battles), Global Operations, Special Operations and weekend modes (War Games)
- Skins and reskins (vehicles with hard-coded skins) do count (for example, T-72AV ICE counts as a T-72AV)
- Hades vehicles are not admissible
- Inactive participation in battles won’t count towards the result (we’ll discard the battles where the vehicle just went AFK)
- We’ll be conducting a special investigation at the end of the episode and all serial AFKers will not only be punished in accordance with the existing rules, but also permanently disqualified from the Storyline Campaign
- Tracking your progress is very easy, simply compare the amount of played matches before and after the event
Prizes
The prizes are as follows:
- Every player completing the 80 battle objective will receive 3 days of Premium Time plus the option to continue the Storyline Campaign (which really is the main prize of Prologue)
- Top 20% of players with most played battles will receive 3.000 Battle Coins for the Northern Wind Battle Path
- Top 10% of players with most played battles will receive additional 10.000 Battle Coins for the Northern Wind Battle Path
- Top player by the amount of battles played during the Prologue will receive the RST-V Shadow Tier 10 Premium AFV (or the ability to gift it to another player of their choosing)
- Reward for the Secret Objective: REDACTED (Secret Objective available)
What to Choose From?
There will be three eras to choose from:
- Cold War (covering Tier 4-6 vehicles)
- Modern (covering Tier 7-9 vehicles)
- Experimental (covering Tier 10 vehicles)
Cold War vehicles are easy to come by and cheap to maintain, these are the baseline and come with no difficulty penalty. These include retrofitted older vehicles, as you’ll see further below. Modern vehicles are, on the other hand, the mainstay of the official militaries and corporate forces. Their parts are hard to come by and they are more difficult to maintain, which means you need to earn more to keep them running. Experimental vehicles are the hardest to keep running. Any repairs need to be made by hand-fitting existing components, original parts are almost impossible to obtain and fixing any damage will inevitably be extremely expensive.
You need to choose your vehicle type as well. Each category comes with a special set of rules that may be useful down the line, depending on your choices. Once again, choose carefully – some of these rules are obvious at first glance, but may not be as big as you might think. And, vice versa, some of these rules may not seem like much, but could turn into an extremely high advantage, providing you play your cards right.
With that being said, here’s what you can choose from:
Unlike the T-64 and T-80 series, the T-72 series tanks were exported all over the world after the fall of the Soviet Union. Tens of thousands are still in service in the late 2020s, with many in the hands of PMCs after a massive wave of import. When it comes to PMC choices, these are the most popular heavy armored vehicles on the planet and the storyline campaign baseline.
- Difficulty modifier: -10%
- Includes: T-72 Ural, T-72A, T-72AV, T-72M1, T-72B
Special rules:
- We Are Many: Spare parts for these vehicles can be found anywhere and the tanks are cheap to maintain (Baseline campaign difficulty decreased)
- Obvious Choice: Every rookie mercenary outfit, militia, or wannabe warlord and his grandma drives one of these. These vehicles won’t impress your foes. While sufficient against other PMCs and militias, corporate armed forces and national armies will look down upon you with disdain (Difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: +30%, difficulty level when fighting national armies: +100%)
- Mods: These vehicles will be possible to upgrade using a Modification mechanism in later episodes
The collapse of the Soviet Union released a tidal wave of armored surplus, not all of which came from the Soviet Union. With the downsizing of the NATO forces, many of the older vehicles became available on the market and were promptly snatched by PMCs, typically based on the area of operations. French PMCs would therefore operate French vehicles and so on. In the late 2020s, these vehicles are typically operated in small numbers by minor corporations (but big enough to need its own security detail) and more solid PMCs. On the downside, they aren’t nearly as easy to maintain.
- Difficulty modifier: 0%
- Includes: AMX-30B2, AMX-30B2 Brenus, M60A1, M60A2, M60A3, Chieftain Mk.10, Chieftain Mk.11, Leopard 1A5, M1 Abrams
Special rules:
- National Pride: If the campaign takes you to a place of origin of the most played vehicle from this group and you fail your objective, the failed objective will automatically count as passed for the purpose of campaign results (although you will only receive half the objective prize)
- Respectable: You aren’t using the cheapest equipment on the market and people notice. Corporations might even mistake you for an auxiliary unit of another corporation, or you may pass as a PMC respectable enough to be entrusted sensitive tasks. You’ll still be no match against a regular military, but to engage actual armies in open combat would be foolish anyway (Difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: +10%, difficulty modifier when fighting national armies: +100%)
- Mods: These vehicles will be possible to upgrade using a Modification mechanism in later episodes
You don’t always need a tank to do your job. Sometimes, it’s better to have a platoon of light, highly mobile vehicles that are air-transportable, can be deployed on moment’s notice and can take an objective before anyone has a chance to react. The bad news is, that’s exactly what raiders, bandits and shady PMCs think as well, which won’t put you in a good company. Additionally, having to fight off an armored assault in a box with less armor than your aunt’s Prius is not exactly a pleasant experience.
- Difficulty modifier: -40%
- Includes: LAV-150 90, Scorpion 90, LAV-300, BMD-2, BMP-2, ERC-90 F4, OT-64, M551 Sheridan, VBL, BMP-3, BMD-4, FV721 Fox, Stingray
Special rules:
- Hit and Run: Fast in, fast out. Using your easily transportable and fast vehicles, you can overwhelm the target quickly, making your mission much easier in the process (as reflected by the difficulty modifier). If at least 50 percent of the players participating in the episode don’t manage to complete all episode objectives within half of the allotted time, it means you weren’t fast enough and will have to fight enemy reinforcements. An additional, very difficult objective will appear and not completing it in time will result in episode failure, in which case you will receive no rewards whatsoever
- Mechanized Infantry: It pays off to carry some infantry with you all the time without having to wait for the “squishies” to catch up (All rewards are increased by 20%, objectives requiring Infantry involvement are passed automatically)
- Vulture: Due to the shady nature of the outfits using this vehicle type, pretty much everyone you encounter in your travels will look down upon you or will think you’re out to rob them. You’ll have very hard time with any diplomatic solutions. Anyone you encounter will see you as extremely weak and fighting heavily armored enemies is definitely not advised (Difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: +150%, difficulty modifier when fighting national armies: +400%)
These vehicles are considerably rarer than their older Cold War era counterparts, but a number of them made it to the American market. They are expensive to buy and even more expensive to keep running, but only a few of these will give your outfit the firepower normally reserved for actual military units and corporations, and the respect that goes with it. This category also includes two Terminator-class vehicles.
- Difficulty modifier: +30%
- Includes: T-80U, T-90, T-72B3, T-90A, T-90MS, BMPT-72, BMPT Mod.2017
Special rules:
- Professional: Only professional PMCs and large corporate units can afford contemporary military-grade hardware. Your opponents and allies will take you very seriously, which is not always a good thing, as you will definitely not pass unnoticed. On the bright side, with one of these vehicles, you can take on pretty much anyone. (Difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: 0%, difficulty modifier when fighting national armies: +20%, all rewards are increased by 10%)
- Russian: With these vehicles in your outfit and some preparations, you can (at least generally) pass as a member of the Russian military (may lead to some contextual bonuses, depending on your choices), but don’t expect a warm welcome in the United States of America
- Mods: These vehicles will be possible to upgrade using a Modification mechanism in later episodes
These beasts are as fuel-hungry as they are heavy. Additionally, they are expensive to purchase and even more maintenance-heavy than their Russian counterparts. But they will get the job done, no question. These vehicles are, unsurprisingly, used only by the American military and the richest of U.S.-based corporations.
- Difficulty modifier: +40%
- Includes: M1A1, M1A1 Storm, M1A1 AIM, M1A2, M1A2C
Special rules:
- Professional: Only professional PMCs and large corporate units can afford contemporary military-grade hardware. Your opponents and allies will take you very seriously, which is not always a good thing, as you will definitely not pass unnoticed. On the bright side, with one of these vehicles, you can take on pretty much anyone. (Difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: 0%, difficulty modifier when fighting national armies: +15%, all rewards are increased by 15%)
- American: With these vehicles in your outfit and some preparations, you can (at least generally) pass as a member of the American military (may lead to some contextual bonuses, depending on your choices), but don’t expect a warm welcome in Russia.
- Mods: These vehicles will be possible to upgrade using a Modification mechanism in later episodes
High-tech, high-maintenance; definitely the top shelf stuff used only by the richest and most powerful corporations and, of course, the European militaries. To have your unit outfitted with these vehicles is a mark few will fail to notice, but exclusivity comes with a price tag. The maintenance costs of these vehicles are very high and you have to be careful not to let them ruin your bottom line.
- Difficulty modifier: +60%
- Includes: Challenger 1, Challenger 2, Leopard 2, Leopard 2A5, Leopard 2A6, Leclerc, C1 Ariete
Special rules:
- Elite: Only professional PMCs and large corporate units can afford contemporary military-grade hardware. Your opponents and allies will take you very seriously, which is not always a good thing, as you will definitely not pass unnoticed. On the bright side, with one of these vehicles, you can take on pretty much anyone. (Difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: -10%, difficulty modifier when fighting national armies: +10%, all rewards are increased by 20%)
- Corporate: With these vehicles in your outfit and some preparations, you can (at least generally) pass as a member of pretty much any corporation on the planet (may lead to some contextual bonuses, depending on your choices)
- European: With these vehicles in your outfit and some preparations, you can (at least generally) pass as a member of a European military (may lead to some contextual bonuses, depending on your choices), but don’t expect a warm welcome in Russia or the United States
- Mods: These vehicles will be possible to upgrade using a Modification mechanism in later episodes
Modern MBTs are notoriously costly to keep running, but some units do want to keep things modern and advanced without having to pay the full price. Modern IFVs offer just that, providing you use them in the right manner. Instead of rushing into battle, their users need to bide their time and advance slowly and methodically. The reward will be the ability to stand toe to toe with pretty much any enemy while keeping the costs at a fraction of what a tank unit would.
- Difficulty modifier: +10%
- Includes: BMD-2M, BMP-3M, Centauro 105, Centauro 120, KTO Rosomak, Rosomak M1, Type 16 MCV, Warrior, Bradley, AMX 10 RCR, Harimau, K21, M1128 Stryker, Sprut-SD, Hunter AFV
Special rules:
- Elite: Only professional PMCs and large corporate units can afford contemporary military-grade hardware. Your opponents and allies will take you very seriously, which is not always a good thing, as you will definitely not pass unnoticed. On the bright side, with one of these vehicles, you can take on pretty much anyone. (Difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: +10%, difficulty modifier when fighting national armies: +20%)
- Mechanized Infantry: It pays off to carry some infantry with you all the time without having to wait for the “squishies” to catch up (All rewards are increased by 30%, objectives requiring Infantry involvement are passed automatically)
- Methodical Warfare: You cannot take on a tank unit head to head and expect to survive. You have to rely on a series of carefully laid ambushes and long-range combat. Such tactics require planning and, of course, dedication. If at least 80 percent of the players participating in the episode don’t manage to complete the episode main objective within the allotted time, it means you failed to entangle the enemy in your way of warfare and were forced into close combat. In other words, at least 80% of all episode participants must complete any given episode. Failing that, an additional, very difficult objective will appear and not completing it in time will result in episode failure, in which case you will receive no rewards whatsoever
Only very few prototype vehicles ever make it to the market, which typically only happens once every few years as a result of an official military program closure. These are invariably one-off vehicles and keeping them operational requires an extremely high amount of resources, time and dedication. Most customers stay away from such machines – the cutting edge technology they offer is rarely worth the price. Some PMCs and corporations buy these machines for their distinguished commanders as a status symbol, but the times they were used in combat can be counted on the fingers of one hand. This is by far the least subtle option.
- Difficulty modifier: +150%
- Includes: T-14 Armata (including the 152mm variant), Challenger ATDU, Altay, XM1A3, Leclerc T4, Leopard 2AX, Panzer 87-140, Type 99A2-140
Special rules:
- Shock and Awe: Owning even one of these vehicles designates your outfit as the best of the best, even if you are not. That can be both a boon and a curse, as while it might make anyone knowledgeable enough to think twice about attacking you (difficulty modifier when fighting corporations: -40%, difficulty modifier when fighting national armies: -40%), it will also paint a massive target on your back and every warband out there will want to take a shot at you.
- High Tech: These vehicles carry technologies few others can dream of and can single-handedly turn the tide of any battle. Once per campaign, a failed episode result may be overturned (the episode will count as completed even if the objectives were not met)
- Notorious: The world is a small place and news travels fast in the mercenary world. By using experimental vehicles, you’ll quickly become notorious and any attempts to pass as someone else will automatically fail
That’s it, commanders. Let us know about your choices by playing your favorite vehicles to learn more about the story. We’ll be updating the storyline as the Prologue progresses; you can find all updates either on the portal, or on our dedicated web page.
See you on the battlefield!
