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[twillight]

Found it, and made it work. You only need to switch compatibility mode (under right click -> properties) to Win98/ME, and it works!

This is a real-time strategy game with WATER LEVELS ONLY, haha. I love it. So bad it's good.
I don't think the lore got finished, as the manual starts with technology, switches on the magic-users, but the game itself says the post-apocalyptic state was caused by meteors. Take your pick I say and move on.
Do NOT alt-tab this, it'll stop working until you shut down the game!

The game has 3 race: unchanged humans, biologicaly evolved mutants, and technologicaly advanced humans (technicaly the are mutants, whose mutation is high IQ).
Don't get too excited, these are the three DIFFICULTY LEVELS.
So start with the Clans, aka. unaltered humans. Not that there's any big difference between the two besides what is the main raw material, and that the mutants have a very slim HP-regeneration on its units (no on the buildings though).

Clan, lvl 1: build 4 mines.
Mission briefing:
"Greatings, your highness! I am chancelor Gnaron, representative of your honourable father in the Council of the Clans. The king has sent me to congratulate for completing your education. He also told me to give you the first official orders. Scouts have reported to the Council on raw materials in the northern areas, a region that up until now has been neutral territory. We need these resources to build a powerful fleet to fight the awful Gens and the cybernetic Cytex. Build four mines in the northern areas to exploit the raw materials there. Be cautious, because you may encounter hostile activities: they might be interrested in the same area. Take care of yourself and good luck for your first mission!
Building (and repairing) is intantenous, and the defense-capability of any building is immense, so caputring one for you or the enemy will be a hassle.
You CAN'T build a HQ in this tutorial-mission.
Oh, ye, tutorial: it will move your surcor and units automaticaly, and wait for you to click for some reason. Than without any warning, in the middle of a fight it'll stop doing it, and you should take over. Hope you got suprised. Fortunately you don't need your fighting units yet.
The controls are: left click is to select something, right click is to move, or bring up a menu.

Clan, mission 2: capture the Gen city
Briefing: Welcome, Prince! I'm glad to see that you have returned successfully from your first mission, but I have bad news. Our enemy has succeeded in intruding into the palace of your honoured father to steal our secret war plans. The spy Cho-Jin has been arrested, but he had already forwarded the plans to the enemy. Thanks to Lagus (he is the Good Wizard in the backstory, sentenced to immortality by the sect of Chaos) we have learned from Cho-Jin which harbour the plans have been sent to, but time is short. Bring back the plans as fast as possible, commander! You are our only hope!
NOTE: so technicaly we are Star Wars' Empire, lol.
The enemy is directly south of you, and the map is very small. Every level starts with a zerg-rush for mining locations, fortunately the enemy is slow yet. It'll still capture/start with the south-western mines, but don't mind those. Your goal is to capture the CITY, and that's it.
Good news is, none can re-build half-destroyed fortifications, so at first just shoot out ONE of its turrets - if it is completly destroxed, there's nothing it can do about it. To capture a city, you must send in a builder-shiőp I guess, just so you know.
Buildings in the cities are (if you build them):
- town hall: this improves the daily materials you get (this day-by-day progress only plays part until you build up your city, and yes, it is annoying), and will be needed to unlock more advanced buildings. Prime directive.
- garden, fountain: they do nothing aside eating your resources, but they are requirement for some buildings to buld.
- forts: yes, you need this
- shipyard: this builds your units. Only on advanced stages you'll be able to create 4 unit simultaneously. There's an icon to make it build continuously.
- workshop: most of the times you won't need this, but you can scrap your units for materials (bad idea), or repair surviving ships for the next assault.
- engineer: here you develop technolgies, meaninig units. What you want with the Clan is flying units, as those can attack EVERYTHING: ships, submarines, air units.
- wizards: you can develop spells. "Mostly Useless".
- market: you can exchange your resources to other resources.
- guild: if there's a trading post on the map, you must build trading ships, build this, put your materials on your trading ships, move them to the trading post, move the trading ships back to your city. The exchange-rate and variety will make this process a must.

About the autosave: it save every ingame day, or something, so do not rely on it!

Clan, misson 3: "get 500 raw material form the Guild"
Briefing: Well done, Commander! With your help we are now in the position to build a powerful fleet, which will drive the Gens once and for all from our territories. But because of the continuing attacks by the Gens, we are suffering from an increasing shortage of supplies and the situation is becoming more and more catastrophic. Fortunately there is a new settlement of the powerful Merchant Guild in the Blue Water region. Your father orders you to strenghten our position in this area, and start trading with this guild. We need 500 units of any of the raw materials to build our war fleet. Good luck, my prince!
Note: to trade with the Merchant Guild, you must build a guild office in your harbour. Further, you have to research design of merchant ships, and build one. To get offers from the Guild, left-click on the Guild-office to go to the trading screen. In the upper part of the screen offers from the Guild will be shown, costs at the top / profit at the bottom that can be cycled through with the right and left cursor keys. Bellow you can select the single piers. A merchant ship waiting at the pier can be loaded by clicking on it, and then confirming. To accept the deal, you only need to sail the ship out of the harbour. By right-clicking with the mouse on the Merchant Guild, you can always find out which kind and how many raw materials have been traded.
This tutorial-level will obviously introduce the Trading Posts (I'd be interrested in the ingame lore what faction this is), but I have no idea if just one of your stacks have to hit the 500 value, or bring in 500 material summed. I suspect you need to trade for one certain type of material from the bottom row of the materials listed, eg. paper or water-flasks, but this is mostly guessing.
Just so you know, there are no automatic segments in this.
The enemy is not very active, so you do not need warships. Still, if you find the time...
The mining locations, if you want any (I had none) are at the corners of the map.
If you sail directly south, you can build a second city. The enemy might send there a builder too, capturing YOUR city if it has no fortifications yet, but if you enter the location when THEY have no fortification yet, you get the city PLUS their construction-ship.
An unmentioned feature in this are the blueprint-eagle-islands. If any unit of yours manages to touch them, you get a free invention, don't even need to lower inventions to have. There's one just a bit to the southwest of your starting city, and one more way south of that. Neither are really needed, but you know.

Clan, mission 4: capture all Gen city! (from now on we'll go to the basics of RTS, I see)
Briefing: Greetings, my Prince! Congratulation on your successful operation on the Blue Water region. But once again I have some with very bad news. Thanks to their disgusting magical powers, the mutant Gens have succeeded in breaking into the King's palace and kidnapped Gunner the first! the King is still alive, but as soon as they transport him into their headquarters, they will have us in their grip. I cannot command you, but I implore you to rescue your father! Good luck, Commander!
Note: Use your abilities and win your first battle after this tutorial!
There is an eagle-island far to the souteast, you'll not get that. There are 3 cities, and they spam units on you, so position troops to the key narrow positions between islands and play for safety until you accumlate some numbers. You'll need 2-3 construction ships to repair stuff and cpature things. Once you have enough units, start destroying stuff. Watch out so your constructor has enough seconds from the day to capture the building.
Start mixing in submarines on the base that's more unit per hex. Oh, and you can stop visiting the merchants, you'll be able to rely on passive resources.
If you manage to capture the nearest city, the enemy will start to run out of units!
Problem is, the mission briefing lies, oyu have to destroy EVERY SINGLE UNIT on the map, not just capture each enemy city, and the map is so big, on the minimap the last surviving "hostile" unit will not be visible. Grrr.

Clan, mission 5 (first mission not marked as tutorial): "Repulse the Gens"
Briefing: Welcome, Commander! It hurts to tell you, the cowardly Gens have killed your honoured father and the king of our clan. May you have the strength to take revenge for his death! But now we must take action. Listen to me, Commander: the cursed Gens have conquered one of our outposts, and they started plundering our outer colonies! We must stop them. I entrusted you with my fleet, my Prince. You have to hurry. If the mutants start destroying the outpost there won't be much to get back.
If you go south, you'll be able to capture 3 mines. I'd check what if you go west first, you might be able to capture the mine there first (then come back and capture the mines you'd capture anyway).
The enemy doesn't make much effort, but does have attacking flyers occasionaly. Force-attack them with your troops to lessen their factor.
TIP: when you capture a city, you might want NOT to build a fort to it, so you can capture the AI's builders. This is cheap, but whatever!
Note: do not stop trading with the merchs until you captrue the other city (there's only one on the southeast), else you'll run low on material (you basicaly only need the first three: gold, tools and wood, the others are just things to exchange for).
Btw, if it was not clear, you only need 1 wizard school, and 1 engineer (though engineer is requirement for the repair-building, so you might end up with more).

Clan, mission 6: War! Kill all hostile Gens! (All Gens will be hostile)
Briefing: The attack was a great success, my commander! It was a real pleasure to see the Gens fleeing cowardly. The war council has asked me to ensure you of their full support. There should be no obstacles chasing the enemy's forces. But we should start quickly annihilating the Gens before the mutants are scattered around and hard to find. The council has sent you another fleet for your command, that should set you in the position to exterminate the backward Gens. Good luck, Commander!
This map is relatively small, and has no trading post. the enemy city is on the northwest. I think your job is to eliminate all units - because I had enemy mines around when the victory board came up.
Btw, start going northwest for a mine, then move towards the southwest corner capturing 3 mines, this'll maximise your income. Do NOtá spend resources fastening research, but use your trading facility inside the city to cover your needs. Build the usual war-baloons.

Clan, mission 7: Trapped! Stay alive for 50 days.
Briefing: It was a trap, commander! The Gens have concentrated a big fleet in this area, and they are eager to kill you, and to destroy your fleet. To top it all, the Cytex have become aware of you, and their forces are closing up quickly. Try to survive as long as possible, as I have sent reinforcements. But I am afraid they won't make it at the right time. I will pray for you.
Because the AI is not very good, technicaly speaking this is a very easy mission: just manouver one of your airship to a corner of the map, and they'll never find you!
On the other hand, let's do it properly: build a city at the starting location, and start capturing mines, as many as possible to delay the enemy. they are all around the equator of the map, so it's a smooth sail. Do NOT try to defend the mines, it is hopless and needless. Position your troops instead at your city, where start developing the town hall, the workshop, and invent the flying corsairs (your attack baloons), because those are the least susceptible to damage. Then just camp there, bringing out your construction ship to fix the towers of the city, and if possible collect the wreckage of the ship sunk.
NOTE: if you didn't notice until now, if you are within the city as the player, the time does not move, so allocating cargo, deciding what to build is not problematic.
NOTE there is a merchan post on the map - you won't be able to use it.
Lastly: technicaly speaking, the enemy will run out of forces around Day 40, lol. Just look at the charts at the end how many ships each party had at the victory (50 days passed). This is the first time too when the Cytex shows up, but they are simply another enemy city, so whatever.

Clan, mission 8: New technologies: find the eagle rocks.
Briefing: Commander! I am glad to see you alive. We all feared that you were lying on the bottom of the sea. It seems the Council underestimated your strategic abilities. But the fights during the last weeks have proven, that we need more advanced technologies to come off a winner in this war. The mighty Lagus has ordered me to give you the coordinates of the region where some eagle rocks might be located. These rocks are hidingplaces of time-honoured magicians. We might find some scrolls and writings in their catacombs helping us to win against our enemies. I wish you good luck, Commander!
Seems this Lagus-fellow is really into Pureblood Humans. Also nice we get an explanation on the eagle-islands.
For this mission you won't be able to build anything, but touch 4? Or maybe just the last Eagle Island - the first 3 will give extra units, the last has the condition "Victory" written on it. Unfortunately, airbaloons can't touvh these things.
The first island is directly north, then go N-NW, then NE, then to the NW corner. but you might as well not give a darn to anything but the last island, because all you get are 2 basic ships from each island, no innovation, and you are definitely not able to fight through the enemy lines. What you should do instead is start sailing, and never stop. Turn off the AI-button even. Keep pushing to the islands. The islands can not be touched by fliers or submarines, but can be touched by any regular ship, you don't need to preserve your construction ship. And no, it's hopeless trying to repair units during battle. One: the AI will always move away your constructoor from enemy fire, but if you turn it off, your troops need to make fire manualy. Also, trying to repair troops under each other is a nightmare, does not work out as it should. Btw, what really messes up this mission are the enemy submarines, which are hard to target at (your normal ships can't hit them), and they have quit an amount of HP, so just fok em.

Clan, mission 9: Secrets: Sail to the shipyard on V-island!
Briefing: You have been usccessful again, Commander! These new technologies should help us fight back our enemies on the battlefield. Good job, but now to something completely different. The great Lagus has informed us, that once there have been a weapon of mass-destruction, called Golem. It changed Earth into what it is now. It had been created by the unscrupulous magican Debagh, and after its one and only activation, it has been taken apart. If we succeed in rebuilding a smaller version of this machine, we had the right weapon to finally defeat our enemies. Lagus knows, that this would save the lives of a lot of men, and thus he transmitted us the coordinates of a shipyard, where part of the Golem's contruction had taken place. Find this shipyard and bring us the blueprints, Commander. But be cautious: as well as Gens and Cytex are operating in the same area.
Note: dunno who this Debagh. I though he's the ancient Chaos-wizard, but that was Woogonnis.
On this map the Gen and the Cytex are against each other, not that it'd matter too much, or would be noticeable during the forst could tendays. The city-to-capture is just a screen east from the very center of the map, and is heavily fortified, so don't get hopes.
You'll be able to capture 3 mines: start going a bit norteast, then go a bit northwest from your city, then go a couple screen east. All the others are lost cause, though there are eg. 4 more mines to the north, but there are simply too many enemies. Also, the eastern mine will be crucial, as a ton of enemy will arrive to it. You'll need to upgrade it soon to 2nd level of fortress to be able to repell the enemy, and it'll likely still require a ton of repairs, so make another constructor just in case.
I see no merchant guild. (Built a scout ship and sent it around using reload to test the waters.)
You'll do a heluva lot of micromanaging with this one, try not to miss any day in your city. The "port" it wants as requirement is done from the worldmap, not from the city.
Did I tell you there's a cycle-button in the shipyard which makes production of ships continuous? Also, there is a straight arrow there, which puts all ship on the water in front of your city instead of filling your harbour.
Well, when you start to have a SMALL army, the AI will start to hit you wave after wave. There'll be a LOT of micramanaging. Sell everything for wood what is not tool or gold!
For inventions, you'll get way bigger blueprints than you previously had, and I mean a lot of it. The goal is to develop the latest airship and submarine, and set production 1 and 1 (not enough material for more).
Oh, what to build: make every building max level! They actualy produce a very tiny sum of material, but on the long term, and even on the medium termit'll profit out, and you are resource-hungry.
tbh, I suspect the Gens get units by spawning from thin air, so while my startegy was to clean the west side of the map from them, they returned, and captured my northern mines. I was either allowing them to do so, or progress with the level. The goal is to capture the Gen City, or whatever, but it is just a victory-object without forifications. Problem is, it is on an island, you can ONLY approach from the north, where a (the?) Gen city resides - they again, I'm at this point convinced the Gen ships are not coming from there, but from thin air. Whatever, capture it for convenience-sake and on principle, then ride in the victory-condition wih your constructor.
Not on units: these 2nd grade units are no longer omni. The ships and subs still only attack ships and subs, the airship stop attacking subs, so only attacks air units and ships. Actualy, there is an "Air Fortress" unit, which exclusively attacks air units! It is a pretty terrible bargain, but I cani magine in rosource-depraved environment where there are lots of enemy flyers, it can be useful. but mostly skip it.

[twillight]

Clan, mission 10: Espionage: destroy all enemy units and conquere all ports (aka. destroy everything)
Briefings: Welcome, Commander! Our enemies have beaten us to it. It seems as if they also knew from Golem by spying, and they spare no effort to keep our engineers and constructors off the work by attacking them as often as possible. But it is vital to finish Golem, because the Gens are outnumbering us, and Cytex technology is far more improved than ours. Beat of the enemies and conquere their ports!
You'll start with a fully built lvl 2 city, with a mine you can see on its west. Also send one of your sailship to the west in line of your city, 'cause there's a free blueprint (eagle island).
From the mine go southeast, and capture a mine south of the eagle island, then come back west, and directly south of your city is another mine. Go southwest from there for another, and right north of it in the neighbouring island is another. Then sail to the northwestern corner, where is one more. That's about the mines.
While doing this, manuvre your troops southest from your ity to be able to control the passage to the merchant post. Build 3-4 merchant ship for this, and prepare to repair them regularly.
If you find the resources, why not develop what the engineers can offer.
If you manage to do all this, you'll rule over like half of the map, and that's a good start if you ask me. Unfortuinately I don't see bigger aircraft to develop, what feel will be a problem, but what do I know, maybe those will appear when the engineers do more research, or just more days pass.
The enemy is not very active, and you get truly zillions from the merchant post, and these new units can even hurt fortifications from out of range.
Also, the briefing LIES, you only need to capture all buildings, even maybe only all cities (there are 2, at the south border and in the SE corner). The statistics at the end shown surviving enemy units.

Clan, mission 11: Revenge: destroy everything
Briefing: Greetings, Commander! Bad news: our enemies have driven us into a corner. They are trying everything to distract us from building Golem. We have suffered hugh losses in countless attacks. We can not take this any longer! The War Council has ordered our best Commander, You, to start destroying enemy's ports, allowing our engineers to finish Golem.
You start with a nicy city, and an adequare army, but no inventions.
You'll immediately see a mine, capture it ASAP. To the same direction (E-NE) is another mine. East of it is another. Be fast, this is a "gold rush" - though you WON'T be able to capture this third mine before the enemy does. Also: be overprotective of your airforce, the enemy has also a supply of it, and when sent atacking, these things are very woulnerable, so make them as a second group, and leave them always behind the front line! Also for you to know, in your harbour you have some ships for the ready, one is a merchant ship just in case, one is a scout ship (they are fast, has some chance reaching a deep-seated eagle island before being shot), and 2 war-baloons too! They are lowest level, but every little bit counts. South of that is an eagle-island with "galleon" in it (a type of normal ship, so mostly pointless). Bring your troops for this capturing, the enemy has forces all over, and might build mines before you do.
The southeastern quadrant of the map looks empty, don't bother.
To north form your city, around halfway of the map is another mine, but the AI starts with it, so it's up to you if you attempt it.
The enemy starts with 2 city in the northwestern quadrant, and one on the east.
There is Merchant Guild at the very center of the map. You'll obviously not be able to use it for quit some time (until you capture the eastern city).
There're also 2 more eagle island, but you'll not be abe to use the one in the nothwestern quadrant (unless you don't bother with the U-241 submarine, capture the east, than smuggle through a ship to it). There's also an island on the northeast, with the best baloon, but to slide a ship there... We'll see.
With your troops constantly pressure to the eastern city of the enemy, capturing first the mines mentioned above, then settle down with your remaining troops, and send out that scout to capture the technologies. Don't forget to research technologies on lowest cost during the campaign aking building your buildings, just in case. But yes, it is very much possible to get the best sub from the eagle island crowning the first phase of this campaign. Then just start building war zeppelins and U-241 until you can capture everything. From the eastern city, trading is easy, though still unnecessary.
Ah, a button-command: P is pausing the game, so you can roll the map where you want it without using up time.

Clan, mission 12, Golem: sail into the middle of the volcano
Briefing: Welcome, my Prince! You have been very successful. The War Council is more than satisfied with your results. So they will entrust you with the next critical mission. Our engineers need a specific object, called Crystal Focus. It can transfer the magic energy of magicians into Golem to make use of their enormous power. But the focus is considered lost. Only, the wise Lagus suspects where it would be. He is thinking of a region full of lava. Lagus' power will protect you from the heat, and he will enable your divers to take in the focus. Sail fast, because our intelligence suspects hostile activities in this sector!
I have 0 idea what exactly you are supposed to do here, or what the loose condition is. You get a group of ships on a small map, half of them are useleff in fight, but as there's nothing to be discovered nor built, let them be meatshield.
What oyu definitely should do is to sail to the middle of the map - and just stand there? I have no idea. If you go in, and then leave the place, you definitely get a failed condition. I thought this is some time-limit, but it's not. I also tried placing my remaining airhips over the four islands in hope it helps - I'm not sure. and yes, definitely just hope you won't loose your air-support, because the enemy definitely has some. For starter, just move a bit, don't get in the offensiv,e let the enemy come to you, because then oyu have the range-advanateg. Can't say more.

Clan, mission 13, New Technologie II: destroy everything
Briefing: It's a pleasure meating you again, Commander! You are returning as successful as usual, my Prince! Our scientists have done a good job, and the new technologies are ready to use. We need you to test these new units on the battlefield...
This one is hard to explain w/o showing the uncovered map. You start with barely anything, the enemy has, or asap will have 4 cities. Your place to build a city is on your west. There are a couple of mines around you can capture too, but these are not the main point of the map and your supposed strategy.
One of the major point is, to your east is the merchant guild, and you are in pretty good position to use it. Given your lack of mines, this'll be a point. South of that is the city the enemy will use to trade, just so you know. If you don't force a confrontation about it, you'll probably be able to trade pretty ok.
The other thing is, there care 3 high-level eagle island. It's pretty hard to tell how to manouvre through the emey lines to get them. Because how the AI expands, I'd first go south from the city-place, and a bit west. The blueprint will be around the quarter of the map from its bottom. Then sail east with your scouting ship, heading a bit south for another blueprint. Then sail NE until you circle around that enemy city and mines, then head north, and lean a bit back to west. The 3rd blueprint is east from the merchant guild.
If you manage to build these advanced troops w/o the resources used to engineer stuff all the way up, you should be good, I assume. Of course capturing the enemy city at the center of the map would be most welcomed.
---
Pushing hard, I've managed to first capture the mine you can see at the start, then build the city, then capture 4 more mines at the start of day 6. The same time the scout-ship discovered the two south eagle island, and I realised how close the northern one is to that mine, so sent the builder to get it. That is the honey-spot, as while the unit U-515 costs a ton of resources, includiong coal - a new resource compared to what we used until now, which was wood -, it worth every ounce of resourced, as it is humongous, and can hit anything (air, water, underwater).
You COULD build your troops from the other two blueprints, which compplement each other, but while you'd have 2 troop doing that, they'd cost more than the single hugh submarine, and covering all your needs is not just convenient, but at the start of a map is essential. But to each their own I assume.
You also have to build engineers building to invent merchant ships, which'll be essential I assume. I mean the AI has 4 cities, and 20 mines (21 if you don't hurry like I did).
WARNING! The mega-submarines seems to be bugged, and either never hitted aircraft, or stopped after a while. You MUST build baloons yourself too! (you don't need many though)

Clan 14, We are hitting back: conquere all sulphur mines and the Gens' harbour, and destroy all Gens! (aka. destroy everything)
Briefing: Welcome, Commander! Thanks to the new technologies, this has been a big success! Now it is time to hit back. Our spies are reporting of an alliance of Gens and Cytex. We can not accept this; sail with your fleet to the Gen sector, and cut off their reinforcements. Conquer their sulfur mines, so that they can not pay their tributes to the superior Cytex. If possible, try to scatter their fleet and conquer their harbours! Hurry up, or our enemies will send reinforcments that will outnumber your troops. Good luck!
I suspect untis will spawn out of nothing periodicly for tha AI. There is no trading guild, and only a handful of mine to capture on the north, big nothing in the midle third of the map, 1 enemy city in each southern corner. There are 3 eagle islands, 1 sub, 1 ship, 1 baloon, but they won't be easy to capture given their position, and that the enemy is patroling the centre of the map, but then again, if you know where they are, you can try.
When I'm done with this race I'll upload the maps somewhere, and give link.
Anyway, you want to build the sub exclusively, as that hits everything, and has way better stats than the others. The ship also able to hit all, and costs noticabely less in a resource, but it is a ship, and has like half the stats of the sub. The baloon can't hit subs, so it is out (unless the info on the unit-screen is false, but whatever).
What oyu want to build in your city is the market. Do not research anything, just expand the market as soon as you can for the best trade-rate, and start building those subs asap.
In the meanwhile, it seems the Gens and the Cytex actauyl are against each other, so all the better for us.
If you loose your scou-ship, who cares, ok? Let it be lost. I picked up the western blueprint with a constructor ship anyway. Oh, yeah, probably a good idea to make an extra of those just to be safe.
Also, when you start to reach Market lvl 3, the enemy will start to attack your periferial mines instead trying to reach your city, so you'll have to micromanage your troops. A good idea probably to move the small army you start with towards the west, and use your new subs to cover the rest: you'll need 2-3 on the west because of the distance in one group to protect the mines there, then start to accumlate your main force in front of your city.
On the positive side the AI is active in the endgame, so you don't have to worry about hunting down the sole remaining unit on the map.
NOTE: yes, the unit-info lies, and the subs won't attack baloons, so you'll have to build some baloons, but only do that after you have 4-5 subs, which are a considerable force in themselves, and will be able to covered by fortifications of the mines for a long while.

Clan, mission 15, superior enemies: seek and destroy everything
Briefing: Welcome, Commander! The Cytex and the Gens have recovered quickly from your mighty intervention. Our intelligence reports, that our enemies are in possession of superior technologies. Even worse are reports of invasion into all our territories. We are being attacked on all frontlines by many enemies. The most disturbing reports say that both Gens and Cytex seem to be working on a Golem themselves. They must have solved the problem of the missing Crystal Focus. We need your help, Commander! Save our harbours and allies, and come back alive, my Prince!
Well, there are a couple of mines around which I won't explain here, seriously, a drawing is much simpler, but the main thing is, you start with a kinda low production, but almost maxed city (no advanced unit developed, and at least on the first day the engineers don't have anything to research), but more importantly your first thing to do is to send your constructor staight south to found another city! Mines are nice, but cities are awesome!
After buffing your second town (or just some time passing) there will appear some stuff to be engineered, but to be honest, I'm way too busy enlarging the cities and dumping out the ships (sub + baloon) I do not have to research.
PS: as suspected, the newly developed bigger units were not yet in production when the map already got cleaned.
Worth knowing, oyu can onloy research new technology (or spell)in a city that has high enough building for it, despite all research-facility will show all researchable technology. Also, you can only research 1 technology the same time, even if all conditions are met to research two at the same time.

Clan, mission 16, The Golem: eliminate all enemies to be able to fire The Golem! (aka. destroy everything)
Briefing: Everything seems well again! Our scientists have completed the Golem. Now we need to get (the) powerful Lagus to the Golem, and give him enough time to transfer his power to the death-machine. The War Council and our spies are expecting massive resistance from our enemies, but you will surely defeat the mutant Gens and the machine-like Cytex. Remember: if you succeed in stopping the enemies, and if the Golem is able to eliminate all Gens and Cytex, we will need a new Emperor for the United Clans. Being the son of the late king Gunnar the first, you are of course predestined for this position, my Prince! Defeat our enemies, and become KING! We wish you the very best.
Your starting position is at a very bad place, right halfway where the other two armies will marsh. One is in the northwestern corner, the other in the southeat.
The map is ca. diagonaly mirrorred, so there is another city-place around the center of the map, and there are 1-1 city place in the NE and SW corner.
The initial problem is, the AI starts with some insane skirmish, so I suggest send the (a) constructor to the NE to make a new city. Also, put all your starting combat units inside your harbour in hope of saving them, hoping the enemy will sail not noticing you. The city would worth keeping, as it is the best city-type, and has all buildings built to alkmost max level. Too bad you can't capture enemy buildings when you capture their cities, only the units they strand at the harbour at that time.
Just to mention, there are 2 eagle islands on this map, both providing extra units if you can reach them. It's not impossible... one is near the NE city-place, for the other go south until the border, and then west a little.
First send your 2 constructor (yes, you initialy have 2) to the city-places, and when they reach that, make them grab the extra units from the eagle islands. Do NOT bother fortifying your mines, only even try if you see enemy constructors. Also, right at the start send you scout ship to a bit west, there is a THIRD eagle island with a third small army! Now you can hold your position during the initial phase. Also build an extra constructor, so you can re-inforce your city's fotrifications (you can't replace it just because ONe of the turrets is destroyed. They have to destroy both to do so).
With your quit massive army, I suggest to try to eliminate one of the enemy cities. It's a bit crazy idea, but if you succeed, you practicly won.

[twillight]

Gen, mission 1, The conflict: escort the Blood Shark to the base in 20 days
Briefing: When Debagh gave the blueprints of the Golem to Borghal, the legitimate leader of the Gens, his brother, Gracznogh tried to hinder him. Three months ago Gracznogh let someone steal the blueprints, and made the engineers who were in charge of building the Golem his confidantes. Since then the unity of the Gens has evaporated, because many commanders-in-chief and fleet-captains have switched to the side of the traitor.
Borghal was extremly upset. Despite all his efforts, including the threat of brutal force, he could not win back his old confidantes. The only solution, Borghal says, is to eliminate Gracznogh in order to unite the Gens again. As his closest confidante Vorghal has chosen you to help him to do this. He has given you a small fleet, and sent you to the Sea of Smurgh, that is been occupied by the followers of Gracznogh. Your mission is to cross the enemy's lines, and reach a friendly base in the northeast with the prototype of a Blood Shark. You will get new troops there to continue the fight against Gracznogh. Good luck, you will need it.
You don't need to worry about the time-limit, worry instead about the lack of firepower. So just stick to the border of the map. You need to bring the big, obvious ship to the port, which the enemy won't capture by the way, so don't bother.

Gen, mission 2, teaching a lesson: build a new fortification, and eliminate all the enemies and conquere their city! (aka. destroy everything)
Briefing: When you arrive at the base, all your troops are together again. With these reinforcements you have to fight against the superiority of the enemy Gens in sector 23. Borghal demands you build a fortification in Sector 23 to start the production of war ships. It is extremly important to put the fast-sailing units of Grecznogh's fleet out of action, so that we can overtake the enemy's harbour. To do so, you first need to destroy the city's defence-walls, and to conquere the harbour with a Watus Constructus. One of Gracznoogh's confidants, Smirghol, the mayor, is in the base. Arrest him! We can put Gracznogh under pressure in order to unite the Gens again for the fight against the United Clans and the Cytex!
I feel a wee bit of broken english slipped through in the briefing. Also, the Gens notoriously name everything "Watus". Remember: their regeneration worth like nothing.
You should do scouting with your dragonflies, as the map is small and giving directions to all the mines... But note this: you are resource-poor, it is essential to get the NE sulphur mine. Actualy, start going west until you hit a mine, than aim the NE corner, and along the way you'll find another mine too. And there is yet one more to the west and just a bit to the south from the NE mine. further west from there is a merchant guild - quit far, but maybe worth trying to utilize it. Still be your first job to build the market, and intensvely buy sulphur, which you use instead of wood now.
Also, the units are quit the same attack and statwise, so you know what you are after (the air-unit that can shoot).
Because of your resource-stravation you should know, you need 10 sulphur in stroe to build a mine, and need 10 more to build fortifications on 'em. So it's quit problematic.
Also because of your lack of raw material, I'd go for the healer building - costs less than making new units, and you'll definitely have to hold out for a while.
Oh, news: you only have 1 autosave, and it does not care what race you are playing, keep that in mind.
Also: archive dot org has a copy that windows don't like that much, but has all the movies. The movies can be seen from the "replay intro" menu, and all of them for the race you play unlock when you win the last map of the campaign of the current race, so definitely make an archive-save. The movies will not stay unlocked, you have to end those maps every time you want to watch the movies. Uncomfortable, but it works.
Note: the dragonflies suck, they don't keep distance. Base your power on submarines instead, with some flier support.

Gen, mission 3, Taking over: eliminate the enemies, conquere their city, and all resources within 70 days!
Briefing: By arresting Smirghol you have completed a coup! The connection between Gracznogh and the northeast territories has been cut. Borghal is satisfied with your work. It's time to eliminate the traitor. Gracznogh's fortress is far west of Sector 27. This area is extremly important to Borghal, as the resources in these waters are needed for the production and develpoment of the enemy's fleet. Eliminate Gracznogh, and secure the waters by conquering all mines, and fortifying them with walls. Hurry - and bring Gracznogh's head with you. This should be sufficient to win back the disloyal Gens to our cause.
It seems the key to this map is a secure access to the merchant guild in the middle, so going for the mines which you can see is begginers' mistake. Telling where the mines are are naturaly too comlicated, will uploed the map somewhere. Well, ok, so let's go west, and a bit south. Then SE until you get 2 mines. Then come back, and capture 3-4 mines around your city. The enemy will still have a heckload of mines, and 70 days is anything, but, but do what you can. With intensive trading it should be ok. I mean this is early 2nd difficulty, how though can it be, right?
Though you start with no research, only sucker, lowest level ships, not even merch ships, plus you are kinda resource-starved at the start, so you can't even build forts to all your mines. So constantly watch over the map - and don't mind flying scout units, only war units and constructors. Building a second constructor will help you capturing more mines, starving the enemy sooner. And given the small size of the map, and your supply-and research-proble in light of the time-restriction, you want to do as little fighting as possible.
This mission teaches to trade for trading sake, then trade your goods at the market if the Guild does not supply you with what you actualy want.
NOTE: the game literaly asks you to capture all mining-sites, EVEN if the AI did not capture it, until that the game will not end. The mine in the exact SE corner is hard to notice.

Gen, mission 4, the lost blueprints: find the lost blueprints in one of the eagle-rocks!
Briefing: Gracznogh is dead, the betrayal is nullified, and the advisers of the traitor are out of action! Now we can concentrate on what is really important: the Golem. One of our captain has found blueprints of a new warship in Gracznogh's fortress. It is an enchanced model of the Watus Atakus that is supposed to become a death-delivering war-unit through its complicated mutations. But you are still missing some important details to build this Watus Imposus, as your engineers call it. The missing blueprints are said to be hidden in one of the rocks, where the eagles nest on the Archepilago of the Kings. Find them, and we will have an effective weapon against the enemies. But watch for the cytex ships: we are not the only ones who know of the existence of these blueprints.
This is a quicky if you want it. I don't think the enemy hase a base, there are no mines, and the eagle islands are all marked as "already visited" despite don't, so your task actualy is to find that exact one. It is in the middle. Of course it is protected by a large group of enemies, but your scout ship is capable enough to slip through and touch it - and that fulfills the mission objective!

Gen, mission 5, the metamorphosis: destroy all enemy unit and city! (aka. destroy everything)
Briefing: After disvovering the blueprints in the Archepilago of the Kings, your engineers have started constructing the Watus Imposus, and now there is an opportunity to test these units in a battle for the first time. The Cytex have build a base at the border of our territories. This is unacceptable. Borghal has ordered you to drive our enemies from our territory, so that our shamans can continue transforming our land. The changes of the earth's surface will enable us to control the power of the earth. The Cytex are interrupting this work, and must be eliminated, so that we can continue the metamorphosis.
Surprisingly, this is another very quick one. You get a pretty large army (that watus imposus isn't very imposing by the way, it is just another ship), head on NW, to the center of the map, where the enemy city is. thatŰ's the single object on the map aside a moderate amount of enemy ship. Capture it, and just as it happens, you get another bunch of troops, so you are really kinda invincible, even if you just started to explore the map in whatever direction, and attack what comes in sight manualy.

Gen, mission 6, Atlantis: destroy all enemy units and capture their city! (aka. destroy everything - well, mabye not the mines?)
Briefing: That should be a lesson to the Cytex! Reports from our spies say, that the United Clans have discovered important parts of the Golem in the sunken city of Atlantis, and that they already started recovering it. Borghal orders you to conquere the Clan's base, and to drive the enemies out. As soon as the waters around Atlantis are free, engineers can start collecting the parts of the Golem. Remember that this mission has the highest priority, and you must be successful.
The good thing is, for this and the previous mission the connection/overlap with the United Clan missions is pretty clear. Sadly, I fail to see the Gens winning anything, they don't even seem building their own Golem, just trying to go after the fact.
This is an interresting map, though I hate the fact you don't start cwith a city, don't even see a place to build a city. the AI though is programmed in the way to not capture any city if you don't do it for a long while, so cudos for that. The fog of war removed though the map ofers 3 possible scenarios for you: capture the mines you see, and hold the north portion of the map, or try to cut the map by capturing most mines, or go straight just for the cities, which there are 3 city-places, plus the enemy city on the border, in the middle of the south. Capturing the city straight to west is a "good idea", as that is next to the Merchant Guild.
There are also 3 eagle islands, each containing 3 advanced airships, so right at the begginning you want to send a ship S-SW, one to the SW corner, and one W-NW.
Important thing is, you start with TWO constructors, so if you manage to not overspend the budget, you'll steamroll this map. Things will be of course more complicated, because the AI reacts to what you are doing, so no "capture all cities", but you'll still be able to capture most things, thus gain hugh advantage over the enemy if you know the map.
The map has a flaw though: while you have clear air-superiority, and economic dominance, you have nothing to deal with submarines. So it's a lot of standing around developing technology (the 2nd submarine is already fine, can attack fortifications from out of range, change the production as you develop new ones) and producing units.

[twillight]

Gen, mission 7, revenge: Defend your city, and eliminate all UC (United Clan) and Cytex units! (aka. destroy everything)
Briefing: We have recovered parts of the Golem, and driven out of the Cytex. Borghal is very satisfied with you. Your engineers have begun examining the parts. In the meantime more components of the Golem's have been finished. Reconstruction has already started. We now have time, but we need to see wether the Cytex will be hungry for revenge or not. Some of our scouts say single Cytex ships have been sighted close to our capital, but they should not be a threat. For the last two weeks the construction of the Golem continued - until yesterday! Our scouts sounded the alarm upon realising a hugh fleet of the United Clans is approaching our capital. But our main forces are still in Cytex's territory: Grimbhar is not ready for such a hugh attack. Our posts in Sector 22 and 23 have already been conquered, and the fleet of the Clans is too strong for our fortifications. Borghal commands you to go directly to Grimbhar, and protect this city at all costs. Should Grimbhar fall, everything will be lost. Hold out, until reinforcements arrive from the north. You must succeed!
NOTE: can't not notice we barely get anything of what the Cytex is doing.
This is an interresting mission, but potentialy very frustrating. You start with a fully buolt lvl 2 city, WITH all the research done too! AND you have every mine on the map!
But the enemy has zounds of units, while you only have a single, only somewhat capable army. And you are able to see an enemy city? Woah, why not attack that! At least that was my reastion, you on the other hand might decide to sit tight - there is a promised reinforcement after all (there won't be in reality), and you have resource-superiority. Probably. Unless the AI has more cities. Point is, if you only buy lvl 1 fortifications to only those mines that get enemy in their visual range, and you build 2 contructor asap (one to support your army, one to repair your city's fortifications - it'll likely be destroyed once, but rebuilding it while frustrating might work out better). Given how strong fortifications are, this will be enough to decimate the enemy to a more tolerable level. And if you manage to capture the city, that'll obviously help even more.
the last stage is you build scout ships like crazy to find the last surviving unit.

Gen, mission 8, the Crystal Focus: defend the centre of the volcano for 20 days!
Briefing: Grimbhar has been saved, but only because reinforcements arrived on time. Borghal is very upset about your carelessness. It has been your fault that the people of Grimbhar have been exposed to danger at all. How could you withdraw the troops from Sector 22 and 23 - the United Clans have simply overrun them. This will have consequences for you: Borghal sends you personally to the north to the former pole waters to search for the Crystal Focus. Our engineers report, that the Crystal Focus is a kind of lens that has sunk to the floor of the ocean near to the North Pole when the first Golem exploded. This lense is indispensable for the new Golem. According to the maps the lens must lie somewhere beneath the surface in the centre of a volcano. It will take time for the mutant divers to search the crater. To secure the crater for 20 days, Borghal has set a prototype of the Verderber under your command. This may resist your enemies even if they largely outnumber you. Be successful - or the Borghal will change your future dramaticaly!
This is a small mission on the map with the 4 island I had barely idea what to do with the United Clan. Now you just stand there for 20 days. Do you actualy do something? Yes, you can. When a unit of yours gets eliminated, pull aside you remaining troops, so they don't block each other standing on each other - you have a repair ship! That's what you can do. Pull your troops to a 3*3 grid, and repair what gets damaged (and isn't instantly destroyed).

Gen, mission 9, storming Armorata: eliminate the main port of the UC!
Briefing: Your mutant divers have searched the whole area, but have not found anything. According to your spies, the Crystal Focus is on its way to Armorata. Armotara (no, I did no did a typo with this one, the original text did), an impregnable fortress, is the centre of human power. You are in Borghal's bad books. To prove your loyalty, you should get hold of the lens as soon as possible. If you get the Crystal Focus back, and make Armorata fall, this should convince Borghal to trust you again. The message of Lagus' death should calm him. This might be the only chance to escape death. It's on your shoulders to prove your abilities. A defeat would be the end of you.
You start with a lvl 2 city, you can immediately can upp to lvl 3. You also get a small army, but it's only enough to secure a mine's place until the constructor can get there and build a fortification on it. There are also 2 eagle-island with extra units hiding in them - obviously you want those asap.
The AI is fast to capture any and all mines on the map, and they are not exactly close to your HQ - the AI is in the better position now. There's a Guild around too in the NW corner - very far from you, again the enemy seems in a much better position. You still might want to secure the route there, so my guess is to start going N at the start (with the constructor - send the other troops NE), capture the mine, go NE to get more troops, SE for a second mine. E of this is the second island, NE another mine which'll probably be captured already by the AI, and S-SE another mine for you. And as the AI is usualy too lazy for such things, I'd try to get the mine still on the south side, at the eastern border, ca. 20% from the south border. Then just play the map you feel like. They have only 1 town, so if you can even cut them from the Guild capturing a mine on the east side of the Guild and upping its fortifications as possible, you shouldn't have too much problem, as we all know the AI will just throw its waves after waves at you until you'll outpower it with your troops sticking together.
Note: if you develop lvl 3 engineers (i mean Matsers here), you'll be able to develop even more advanced units, and those ships can attack everything. Sounds fun.
Interresting fact, the healing-factor of the units come in handy, you can send your contructor looking for mines. Not that you actualy need any, this mission is done suprisingly fast.

Gen, mission 10, The pursuit: Conquer the base of the Cytex!
Briefing: You did it: Armorata has been totaly destroyed! The United Clans are scattered, and the admirals of the human fleet have fled in all directions. Lagus, up to now as invincible, killed by your hand laughed out his dying breaths: "You fool, the Cytex managed to reproduce the Crystal Focus! They are close to completing the Golem, and my admirals are on their way to help them secure the area. Borghal will lose!"
Prevent - at all costs - the Cytex inserting the Crystal Focus into their Golem on time. Destroy the base of the Cytex, and bring Borghal their blueprints. Be prepared for a hugh number of Clan ships, but above all, you must WIN!
You start with no town, and only a small platoon. There is a mine right next to your city-place, one in the SW corner, you can probably capture 2 saling directly north, but the majority of the mines of this middle-sized map are all ion the centre, and the AI DO/WILL have them. So sit back, and start inventing.
Oh, before you ask: there is no Guild here. And if it was not obvious: start building a 2nd contrucor asap to send out to the other direction. It's beneficial either way, as with two you can repair each other along army-units.
Actualy, build 4 constructor for each mines (3 miones + your main force), and slowly fortificate your mines to repell the enemy. Do not despair if one of your mines fall though, the AI will rarely have constructor to actualy capture it, so it's still good to bleed it out, out anyway, you only have to focus on its city. You'll win before developing the "last" technology. Maybe worth noting, but I think new tech becomes available by time, so rushiing research at all cost is not a good choice.

Gen, mission 11, the ambush: conquere the city of Cytex!
Briefing: Too late! The Cytex have moved the blueprints to a safe place. It is said that they have withdrawn to Sector 48 to complete their Golem. In the former waters of the United Clans they are preparing their final strike against us. By possessing all blueprints, the Cytex will be able to complete the mighty Golem. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN! Take all units under your command in this area, and lead them to battle. Destroy their production harbour in the southwest at all costs, or everything will be lost!
NOTE: it might worth noticing, nothing says the UC actualy managed to activate their Golem, or if it would have any part in their victory, accorfding to their settng. And the Gens seem more occupied preventing anyone accessing theGolem than building their own.
The enemy actualy has TWO cities, so I assume conquere both.
There is 1 mine to the east - make a 2nd constructor to capture it while you send your ship to the west, where you'll first find two mines, than an Eagle Island with a hefty invention, and south of the that 2 more mines, if the AI is not faster.
South of your city (at this point with lvl 1 structures) is the Guild. South from its western corner is another Eagle Island, to which you probably should send your scout-ship to find, as it gives a ocuple more advanced units - but if you want to own them, you better hurry, the AI has troops all over the map.
The enemy cities are SW and SE from the Guild.
There is an extra mine NE from your city, so your 2nd constructor will have something to be occupied for a few days.
Btw, those extra units are super strong. I've practicaly not needed anything else but repair-support for them to win in less than 25 ingame days, what is super fast, especialy that that invention takes 7 days to create. So I assume this map was created you not knowing the map in mind? Actualy, given how the everything works, what's the point of these mage-units - if not for the potential multiplayer party. But people would probably just zerg those.

Gen, mission 12, the final battle: Eliminate the Cytex and their Golem
Briefing: Borghal has mercy on you. You have managed to destroy the production buildings of the Cytex. Further, all missing parts of the Golem are now in our possession. The Cytex have done a good job. Our engineers say, that the weapons should be ready in two months, and there will be nothing to keep us from ruling the world. They have gathered all their troops in Sector 51 to build a new production. If you succeed in defeat them one last time, we will have succeeded. We will then have the opportunity to rule the world. Make us immortal!
The map is a long belt, aka. it is thin, you being on one en, them being on the other. I bet it's all kinds of interresting stuff, but I was in the moode, so I decided to kick the table, took my starting troops, and just pushed all the way to the other end, because why not. When I realised this is a valid strategy, I started to develop my city, which fortunately I did found, just to be safe.
An addition to this .. approach: send the scout ship to the north, around halfway of the map. There is a single Eagle Island, which'll provide a hefty group.

[twillight]

Cytex, mission 1, raw material shortage: conquere all mines within 70 days!
Briefing: Our computers have confirmed that the degenerated Gens and the cursed United Clans are trying to recover the old blueprints from Debagh! Your mission, drone, is to ensure that we will have sufficient resources for the coming battles! Scans are showing that already some enemy units have entered the target area, and even more reinforcements are on their way. You will have 70 days to conquere and fortify all mines!
Wow. This IS hard. There are a lot of mines, and while the map is not big, that poses a problem, especialy that the AI captures a lot asap. You have 2 choice initialy: go east or west. To the east are coal mines, what your race needs. To the west are other mines (sulphur, wood, etc.). I started to the east, but who knows. You are also resource-poor, so it might not even be possible to capture all the mines initialy.
There is also the problem the enemy starts with baloons, while you don't. So it's either being annoyed as F and rely on mines to cover that need, or engineer your zeppelins. What will cost a lot both in resources and time. Time, you have precious little of. And before you ask: no, you don't have either the time or resources to produce a second constructor. And even if you had, then you would not have resources to capture and fortify the mines. Ye, that's a hassle too.
There are 15 mines on the map, so it'll be a busy task. Note, that those bloody slow white square units are able to withstand shots from the enemy (if you are lucky, approach with caution etc.), so producing those, escorted by repair ships might be a solution.
Drop all that, and start attacking the enemy mines with your starting troops. I'm dead serious. Put the white squares in front, and hide just behind them the other two, inferior ships for extra attack power, and manouvre your contructor where it's needed, and grind down the resistence. This approach allows you to develop technology without interruption, and I mean zeppelins of course.
I won at day 60. The order of capturing the mines is best approached in an anti-clockwise fashion. A lot of darn canals are obstacle.
It is also fortunate you don't have to capture them city, it's at very bad position for that.
PS: zeppelins are excellent support-units, but are terrible for assault, so build some of those white squares mostly, and if you find the resources to develop some submarines, switch on those in production.

Cytex, mission 2, the first offensive: Eliminate all Gen units! (aka. destroy everything, lol)
Good job, drone! Now that we have secured the production of our battle units, it is time to take the offensive. The degenerated Gens and the United Clans have signed a truce, and will not be on high alert!Your primary aim is to obtain a strategic advantage for us against the Gens. Eliminate the Gens, and don't show any mercy, drone!
Despite this being a small map, we have 2 enemy cities, but one from each race? And turly, you only have to eliminate the Gens, none cares about the other faction here! That's a nice surprise. Also, you likely noticed you get white squares to start with, so that's a relief, you can immediately start conquering. But be cautious and build fortifications, the AI will do a Hail Mary when you capture the Gen city (I had one mine of them left).
And for starting the map: found the city, then capture the mine you see at the start. there is a second to the west of your city, you have a scout ship, shouldn't be any problem finding it.

Cytex, mission 3, survive: survive 50 days!
Briefing: You have successfully driven out the Gens from the target sector, drone! Our technicians report that by conquering the Gen harbour, we have also obtained some important parts of the Golem. Well done! But this information has been placed into the hands of the United Clans, and now they have sent their armada to get these parts back! Sadly our fleet is too far away to help you in time. You are on your own at first. Defend the parts until reinforcements arrive. We expect you to survive 50 days.
To make your life easy, capture the mine you see asap, then head west (and a bit south) - there's another city-place! Don't be afraid the enemy will capture it, it can't keep it, because it needs 2 days to build fortifications for it, and that'd need cover, and it does not have that.
Also, start building an extra constructor, so you can repair your fortifications as needed in both city.
Then the AI will dump on you massive waves. You COULD eventualy win, so close is a Guild, but in 50 days, that won't happen. So you might as well rush engineering, and set your production line to build 2 of the biggest submarine and 1 airship (they suck, but they are better than nothing against anamey baloons). then just camp at your starting city - the other won't be attacked, so if you are a nerd, you can build an extra army there, which can go and start conquering.

Cytex, mission 4, eagle rocks: eliminate all units, and destroy all buildings! (aka. destroy everything)
Briefing: It's good to meet you alive, drone! Our engineers have started building the Golem, and they are proceeding quickly. The computers have calculated the new coordinates for your next mission. The target area is of enermous starategic importance for us, as we will be able to reach and attack voulnerable outposts of the Gens and the cursed United Clans. But there is also one important disadvantage: you can not make use of a safe harbour to plan your actions. But there are also some eagle rocks, where once powerful magicians studied their mysterious arts. First visit those places before attacking our enemies! Perhaps you will find some help to hit our deadly enemies.
I find it weird this race gets a "destroy everything" objective at its Eagle Islands mission. My expectations are subverted. And yes, this mission is a cruel joke, as you have zero idea where the islands are, and there are 3 enemy cities waiting for you. Plus the mines if you care.
I started to send my scouts north and south. There was nothing on the south, but bumped into 2 mines and a city on the north. As the AI was not in a hurry, I captured both mines. Turns out there is a city too in the middle, and in the SE corner. For a cruel joke, one of the eagle islands is NNE from your starting position / SSE from the NWern city. Very easy to miss if you don't know the map. The other one is right N of the SEern city, so you'll deifnitely find that, and though you barely get anything from it, they must be enough to capture that city.
The AI is either very passive, or don't get the usual extra units over you, so it's fun.

Cytex, mission 5, fight against the Gens: eliminate all units and buildings! (aka. destroy everything - unless again the UC exists here too, but you don't have to conquere THEM)
Briefing: Very well, drone! While our fleets are forming again, you must fight the degenerate Gens to give us much-needed time. We are receiving parts of the Golem from all frontiers, and we need all energy to speed up the construction. Drive all Gens out of the target sector, drone, and teach them what dreadful enemies we are.
I feel a bit racism towards the Gens here, but at least this faction seems to be interrested in the Golem, and knows what they are doing. I wonder where are we compared to the other two campaign though.
This is an extra larfe map with no funny business. The enemy has 2 cities, you cna have 1, and if you are quick enough, can have 2 mines: one right south of the city-place, the other NE from your starting position.
Around the middle of the map are 4 mines an a city. On the top are 3 mines and a city. That's it. The middle-city has some extra units (nothing big though), so don't try to be too quick.
The mission is very hard, as the AI is very active, and has much more resources, so save often, and do a lot of micromanagement. Your first problem will be its air superiority, but only after you realise, it has lvl 2 buildings too, so you won't be able to outreach its fortifications. and one thing that your units have a massive HP, but repairing them is a hassle. Also, you aren't exactly rich in resources. So you can't even research what you want, and will have to compromise. You'll need some air-support asap, but only buy 1 zeppelin, and wait until you can afford 2 of those stupid tripple-baloons, because those is positioned somewhere, will have a giant range. That at least will clear the sky, but next the AI will throw at you zounds of HUGH ships, I dunno how they can afford them, but they do.
But if you play your cards right, you'll be able to capture the 2 mines in the centre of the map. That's not as much as I'd hope, but ya know. Also: never start just attacking anything. The AI is setting up ambushes, so first lure those accumlated units out. Always.
At this point I'm not sure which city to go for. Sure, the eastern one is right here, but sorrounded by islands, and another mine. The other is far away, but maybe a bit more accessible.
Went for the eastern one, and needed to build 3+biggest airship, because those are just that much advanced. Then it was just time.

Cytex, mission 06, Lagus: eliminate all units and buildings, and find the(?) Lagus
Briefing: You havebeen successful as expected, drone. Our working drones are reporting, that the magician Lagusis helping the United Clans to build the Golem. It is time to slow our competitors down! You need to fine Lagus in the target sector, and arrest him, drone. Let him live, as long as he can be helpful to us, otherwise eliminate him!
.

[twillight]

It was a while ago when I hit this up, but now I'm done with Safrone City and all that.

Hitmanchan is lvl 61.

I've lost once, because I forgot to save frequently enough, and couldn't bother, especialy when relaised, the statboost items don't work, because leveling, or somthing. Almost funny, this.
Also, I've "cheated" a little bit, as the ghastlys kept confusing me, so when they were slower, I did swap in the farfetched to make the effect go. This is little enough, only a couple of random fights worth exp lost, and never in the next round swapped hitmon back, so I think it's fine.
against the Psy Gym everything stood on Mega Punch hitting the boss' mons.


Doing Fuchsia City and its Safari Zone (if you have the location of the items, you CAN grab all in one go!) Hitmonchan reached lvl 70.



------------------

More stuff:
NOTE: the assistants of the prof count every pokemon you owned, so if you capture something, and trade it for something else, that worth TWO pokemon.

Pokemon count:
1 - you start with a pokemon
2 - on Route 4 you get a Great Ball (capture a fearow)
3 - on the SS.Anne you find a Great Ball (use it in Celadon city to capture a slowpoke - excellent HM-slave)
4 - trade fearow (wild capture) for a farfetched (good HM-slave)
5 - in Celadon City you find an Evee
6 - in the Safron City Fighter Gym you can choose between a Hitmonchan and a Hitmonlee
7 - at Sylph Co you get a Lapras
8 - from the Mt. Moon fossils either an omanyte or a kabuto
9 - in Pewter City form Old Amber a pterodactyl
10 -

you get 5 pokeball if you did not buy any, nor catched any pokemon until you beat your rival on Route 22.
in the safari zone you get 30 balls... So if you just need those extra mons for the HM, it's perfect, I think. Though that costs money if I'm correct.
on Route 4 you can buy a magikarp for 500$

on Seafoam Island you find an Ultraball
on Route 23 you find an Ultra Ball
on Victory Road you find an Ultra Ball
And of course if you have to, you can just buy some pokemon from the casino.
in the Cerulean Cave you find an Ultra Ball


------------------


Make slowpoke learn Dig, because of the whataver-Mansion. I could not come out of it without an escape rope (or dying). Not sure where i had one, I was lucky. Dig out of combat is to get out of dungeons instantly, thus a very good thing to have on your HM-slave.
And as I'm pretty high level (lvl 75 before the Cinnebar Gym, and did not hunt for the legendary birds yet), I'm considering skipping the legendary birds after all. Because, you know.

[twillight]

Some pro-player said it is impossible, so I looked it up, and actualy isn't. I mean if the mon has enough craft to win the game with just tackle, then it should be even more possible, if you solve magikarp to be able to harm ghost types.
there's 2 method to achieve this goal: import a magicarp from Gen 2, OR have a University Magikarp, what is an event-pokemon.

But how do you get these?
Well, transfering pokemon between emulators seems a hard call, at least harder than using the cheatcodes, so I went with the university pokemon version.

I'm using a VisualBoyAdvance Emulator ver.1.8.0-beta 3, whatever that means. I find it great for the black&white .gb Gen 1 games.
First, let's solve to start with the pokemon we want. The Game Shark version of starter cheat is unstable, so use the Game Genie version. Immediately disable the cheat after the character picked up the ball, definitely after the stats are shown, and absolutely before the Rival picks up his one. Vongratulation, you have a stable, bugless your-choice starter.
The hard part comes now, it took me a while to figure it out, and it'll irrevocable ruin your active save (the last oyu used) if you mess it up.
As Game Genie has no move-code, we have to rely on the Game Shark code. Fortunately the move-swap code works with currently unused slots too, so I've set it as move 2 (magikarp starts with only 1 move: splash).
The code ONLY effects YOUR pokemon, and only the starter, so it's fine. It is also stable, so if you don't mind that the cheat is running actively and you can't turn it off, then you have no other task with this. If you on the other hand WANT ot disable the code, read further.

NOTE: you get the move with 0 PP, meaning you'll have to sleep/get healed before you can actualy use it, so you'll fail the tutorial-fight in the lab (with an unaltered magikarp, you'd fail it anyway, though I miss the money, as Pokemon Red somehow missing a core element: you can't capture MEowth in the game, the money-creating pokemon).

So, find a battle. You'll still be able to run from it, or fight it, don't worry. Select "Fight", then push "Select" (this is a gameboy button, not an ingame label!), and swap the move you added to you pokemon with another move.. In this case, swap Dragon Rage with Splash. NOW DISABLE THE CHEAT, and to be on the safe side, use the skill(s). Finish the battle one way or another, and check your pokemon. If all is fine, you have your moves in the new order. Eevn if you glitched it, the PPs will be in order.
On the other hand if you messed it up, your added move will be doubled, and your other move lost. This can be funny, 40 Dragon Rage on your magikarp IS funny, but c'mon.


This is how you capture a 4% (more like 2%, but whatever) mon in the Safari zone: go to the right sector, and find the mon. Save. Throw a ball on it until it runs away. Reload, and throw a rock at it. If it runs away, reload. If not, save, and try the ball, but don't expect to finish. When it runs away again, reload, and throw a 2nd rock at it. If it does not run away, save. Throw balls at it until you capture it.


Btw, as Magikarp doesn't get moves, and isn't particularly strong anyway, you'll have to play backtracking a lot, especialy for 2 instances: one is the Grass type gym boss, and the second is the Rival at the Silph Co. Now these two hurt like heck, so you'll have to come back way overlevelled, or, especialy for the Rival, bring items to heal and stuff.

[twillight]

For GB - that's pokemon gen 1 games - THIS rocks. Sure, it's monochrome and stuff, but that's how these games were released. Absolutely perfect.



For GBA - that's like pokemon gen 2-3 -, most of the emulators either don't even run the programs, or distort the sound on peak level. THIS is what I found the best of the bunch.


For NDS - pokemon gen 5 - use THIS. Again, if you pick something else, you'll face sound-distortion. If you are lucky. If you are not - agn, won't even start.

[twillight]

Red: I've done all the grinding, so with the 12 rare candy, I can be lvl 100 niversity Magikarp. Went on the shopping sprea, got rid of the Splash PPs, everything ready for the Elite Four + Rival Final. The first 2 Elite Foure will be easy, the most problematic will be the 3rd, for it has all those ghosts, and those can only be hurt by dragon rage - no critical, no X-item boost.

Platinum: I dislike this game, awefuly paced. Doing it with a solo hippo, struck wall 3 times already, at the 2nd I decided to not evolve as long as possible. there are 14 Rare Candies (at least) that help, the 14th being locked behind collecting all the Unown. Fortunately the game is very generous with pokeballs, so my 4 HM-slave, all the trade-pokemons the 28 unown and more are perfectly feasable for free.
So the problem with this is the lack of trainers to battle (Gen 1 had twice-thrice the amount per area), the aweful roadblocks that railroads you, and the ginormous difficulty-spikes. With this pokemon specificaly the grass type gym (lvl 35 - twice the level that is required for like any solo mon in the gen 1 games for the 2nd gym), the water type gym (lvl 61+, I don't know what this gym is: the apprentices are pathetic, don't even have water types, but sea-birds, and thenthe boss has grandiose stat pokemons), and no, not the ice type gym, you get plenty enough exp until there, and you can support yourself with a handful variety of held items. the problem is Cyrus, right before Giratina. That's like a lvl 85+ challenge, and that's way more than is sohuld be, even then heavily luck-based if my suspicion is correct. the only good thing is, thanks to the Rare Candies and the new, clear EV-system, you know you won't get hindered if you eat the candies after grinding to a not-that--high level, what'll still take forever of course. point is, why isn't an elevator at this fight that'd bring you back to the exit to gather more exp if needed? Darn!

Emerald: with the disappointment platinum was, I am curious how this game was. Gen 2 had disgusting graphics, so none cares for that, but I see no Latios/Latias playthrough for this on youtube, so another reason to boggle down with this.

X: I found a working copy of this, so we'll see why this is such a neglected part of the core series.

----------

One compaint of mine, at least definitely for Emerald is, if you want to do EV-training with your starter, you are pretty F-ed up. Well, you can find decently HP, Attack, Speed, even Defense EVs, crap, even Special Defense has a place with 20% chance to appear, but you'll be shredded by a hedgehog if you need SpecialAttack.
I'm like 4 paged in the walkthrough (friggin hidden items! - actualy, I don't even bother with them this time, so why I even use a walkthrough), and there's 2 places to fins SAtk, one with 4% chance (that's more like 1%), the other 10%, and that's just not enough.
Emerald also suffers form the fact, to get your optimal HM-slaves, you need to level them up a bit, to lvl 14 and 16, unlike other games where you just capture the beasts, and all is fine and dandy.

-----------

Some criticism:
- Gen 1: sure, it's kinda buggy, like Fallout 2 without its patch (that patch ruins everything), but you can work around that, like for Fallout 2 without its patch (that patch makes everything worse).
Its faulty mechanics is a list too: the Hidden Item system is entirely garbage, its multilevel puzzles are a chore, there's no telling what is where, you can't catch 'em all, you can't just come up with your own group you like (without insane level of grinding), and the Elite Four is a massive trollblock for most parties.
Still, it has its charm, and the maps are small enough to make backtracking manageable. The game is also mostly open-world within its route-system.
- Gen 2: sure, it's in colour now, but it's darn ugly! It's also still a buggy mess.
Can't tell much about its Pkegear (no fresh memories about it), but the apricorns are truly the origin of the abhorrent berry-system. This "1 thingy per day" is ridiulous.
The god news is, Speed no longer effects critical rate, and there is no one unified Special stat.
The breeding-system is on the other hand furiously bad for me. Maybe it targeted competitive gamers?
- Gen 3 is pretty bad. It pushes you to be constantly overlevelled, and especialy for special attackers, just wastes your time. And it's not just the new eV-system, but for example there is the pokeflutes, non-consumable niceys, which makes you walk a lot in Tall Grass, aka. encountering pokemon, and that'll make you oneshot all of them, and that accumlates to even more levels.
Plus while you get to pretty high levels, the ... no, no story, but the game just does not advancing, and there's kinda nothing to do. Doesn't help either there are no maps with all the items, especialy hidden items on them, so I'm currently skipping those. In the other games there are stuff happening, but here it seems they focused on the Battle tents, and those were a horrible idea. Random battles with random conditions, where moves are executed randomly. Talk about gambling integrated...
There is also no Town Map. Just WHY? (EDIT: ok, there is the map in the pokenav - which I seen no reason to use, and only checked for misclicking)
Also, the pokenav's constant calling, combined the lack of ability to delete the useless trainers is absolutely infuriating feature.
The abilities/natzres/held items/etc. make the game way to complex for a proper design, resulting in the later (gen 5+( generation just being way too easy.
there are double-battles, and even the promise of tripple-battles. Annoying, because there is a promise by design you can still just do solo battles, but that option is soon taken away, and you have to do obligatory double battles. And no tripple battle is possible, depsite the clear intention.
Lastly, the contests: pure uselessness.
There's also the problem you can't run inside buildings (next gen fixed this).
Lacking feature: why don't you get some reward, any reward for getting the best rate on the cycling road?
My main complaint will be, there's rly nothing happening, and the Fly, aka. Fast Travel option is not useful anymore at the point you gain it. Not as useful as it is in any other game up to gen 6, which I've not played yet. This game is VERY linear. And before I forget again: there's nothing that pushes you to catch pokemon. In all the other games I know of, you gain stuff for doing so, but here - nothing.
What annoys me to no end, and for that this will never be a good game, is the limited inventory space.
Bonus: the champion is Wallace. Your "Second Rival" is Wally. There was an obvious rewamp here, and was just executed lazly.
- Gen 4: the puzzles are all too easy, and Giratina's puzzle is way too hard. The power-spikes are pretty harsh. Not enough population.
The good news is, the Hidden Item finding hits the bare minimum.
The poketch is a fine addition - until you accumlate an infinite number of apps, which you can not delete. Ever. there are also massive chunk of multiplayer-only parts everywhere, and that just anoys me to no end.
While this gen fixed running, it destroyed using bikes. They are too sensitive, becoming a nuisance.
- Gen 5: Lackluster story, way too easy, you still can't capture the cool pokemons early. There's neither a game+ mode after completion where you can start the game with whatever you want. Would be a clear improvement.
Again massive amount of multiplayer content - without the customisations that'd improve that experience.
And seasons? Seasonal changes? Season-exclusives? You went too far, GameFreak.
The company also doubled down on double-battles with triple-battles, and the even more complicated rotation-battles.
The good news is, finaly TMs are not one-time-only.
"HM"s no longer requiring badges to use outside of battle doesn't interrest me much, but that was pacing-opportunity, so that's not good in the end.
- Gen 6: why is "Sky Battles" a thing? People did nt use flying type enough, or what? Also, the item-finder is horrible in this one. But otherwise, it's surprisingly good until now, though the pacing seems odd, as gyms are few and far between, and good pokemons are also rare. This volume heavily suffers from the Cutsiemon Syndrome.
- Gen 7: ?
- Gen 8: ?
- Gen 9: terrestralysing changes your pokemon's type - of course for the "small prize" of microtransaction.

[twillight]

If you have Dragon Rage, you'll just burn yourself to Vicotry Road eventualy, with enough leveling up. And yes, Magikapr is a terrible pokemon, will need plenty of levels, and items over that, so don't be lazy, and fight every single trainer along your way, and be patient to not spend that money until the very end, when you absolutely have to.
Well, it'd be fun to run a Bubble Magikarp once just for comparison-sake, a much less famous event-pokemon than University Magikarp, and it was released for Gen2, but it can be transfered backward. Point is, if Magikarp can reach Pokemon Tower just with Tackle and Strougle, there is no reason why adding Bubble to the list of moves would not work.


The main trouble is grass attacks against the poor thing, so if you do not have Tackle, unlike I had, because who payed attention that UniKarp came at lvl 15, without knowing Tackle, thus never learning the move, you'll need defensive items to consume. There's a run with Proper UniKarp on Yellow version, but the tuber was one of the impatient people who spent his money on stuff along the way, instead of spending all at the very end, but the point stands.


It was an interresting thing to do, and as said, barely anything would have changed if I did not have Tackle, so I'm fine in my book.