- is on
the switch, it will turn red. Hit the spacebar or click the mouse button to shoot
it. Once the switch is hit, there will be some type of action or movement
(usually you can hear it). This can be anything from a platform moving, a door
opening, anything. In the case of TGII, a platform descends.
Many times the reaction is timed, and will only stay positioned in this new way
for a fixed amount of time before returning to
it's original position. This means you have to move fast to complete the
level.
Anyway, the trick to finishing these buggers off is to keep moving. NEVER, and I mean NEVER stay still when you abruptly hear what sounds like a hurricane wind coming up (that's the sound of their shots). One strategy that I have learned from other pilots is that you can usually dodge their shots and avoid being hit. If you jump right when their fire approaches within a few meters, it will land harmlessly on the ground under you. I find it easiest, when playing the levels that have a lot of these psycho's, to have a light hull. It is much easier to dodge what the enemy blows at you from their noses. The downside to this is that you are carrying fewer missiles and grenades and are lessed armed...I guess a medium craft would be about right.
Actually killing these UFO's isn't all that easy, especially for a newbie. The first thing you can do is to learn to control the HECTOR on the keyboard with one hand, and use the other hand with the mouse. The best weapon to use on UFO's is the missile. Notice that once a missile is loaded and is targeted on a UFO, an "X" appears on that UFO. This means that you have locked the missile on the target. Now even if you drag the targeting cursor thingy off the UFO, the "X" will remain. This is where it gets good: shoot, and the missile will curve and hit the UFO. Do that a few times. Unless the UFO has extra armor or something, it will be destroyed. Play the UFO levels again and again until you get the hang of killing them.
There are two main strategies I've learned for killing guards. The first is simply by smashing it with a missile. Sure, you'll take a few shots, but one missile almost always kills a guard. The second strategy takes advantage of the fact that guards can't move, and won't shoot unless they know they will hit you. With that in mind, try this: Find a wall near where the guard is. Align yourself behind it, like in the picture below(fig1).
 Figure 1 |  Figure 2 |
Aim your HECTOR east (to the right), but face south (down). Now zoom in with the "z" key where you know the guard will soon be visible (fig2).
Next move forward slowly, so that you get to the point where only a little bit of the guard is visible. It should look like this:
Now you get to experience the joy of pegging it off - Note that the same can be done for guards in a tower, like this:
Parasites are very annoying little creatures. They like to cling on to you and drain all your energy. If possible, try to shoot them before they get to you. If they do happen to stick onto you, try and shoot them off. If your guns can't reach, use a booster, and they'll fall off dead.
You've decided to play against some real people, I see. Here are some tips to get you started.
Well, that's about all. Good luck out on the battlefield!
