Topic: Descent 3 Secret Level 2: High Velocity Weapons Research - Insane Guide

[Ziqidel]

First of all, my opinion on this level: This is what I consider to be the second-hardest level in the entire Descent Series, which is why I am giving it special attention. The only one I think is harder is the last level of Mercenary, but that is only for the big boss at the end. This is also my second-favorite level, after PTMC Spacecraft Factory.

The problem with this very fast yet large (well, vertically large) level is its use of (as if you didn't expect) High Velocity weapons. The enemy's Vauss cannons slowly grind your ship to dust, and the heavy lack of shield-boost powerups makes it an even more dangerous place. Also, prepare to be a projectile yourself, as the long one-way corridors may make you crash unless you deliberately go against the flow. Despite this ever-present factor, you will find that the hardest parts are caused by a number of Champion Tailbots - which I would vote for being the most annoying type of robot. Frag missiles from both the Swatter turrets and Champion Tailbots can deal a lot of damage.

Your best bet would have been to have selected the Magnum ship on level 11 in order to prepare for this heavy level. You start in one part of a cross-shaped area, and there are a number of powerups in the other parts. There are two ways out, but there are Swatter turrets guarding each way. Note that you are unlikely to run out of Vauss. Don't be tempted to use the "at least 4 Mega missiles" (which you should have saved...) until a harder situation arises. You should have a lot of energy at first, so the Plasma cannon is the best bet. If you don't want to lose any shields, hit them from the top with a few bursts, then move where they can't see you, move to the bottom and do the same there - they'll still be looking up when you start, but you won't get many shots (though they luckily turn slow compared to most things). Do that up and down until they're both destroyed.

The exits are behind where the turrets were. Now, the room is kind-of disorienting, because you have to go down one side and not the other. To see which, go on the automap and go down (which takes a long time due to the long tunnels) until you see which side the blue door is on. Look down the opposite side, so you can get to the white door. As you go down, fire the Plasma or Vauss cannon because there is a Swatter turret right below that you'll get thrust right into. When you get to the bottom, if it isn't already blown up, try to get further down and out of its way. Then when you pop back up you can take advantage of its turning speed being quite slow as you quickly finish it off. Go in the white door, and get rid of the Grey Stormtroopers (preferably with individual Vauss shots unless they're in a corner, so you are more accurate and can make them tumble over to avoid being hit much). Then shoot the force-field generators with Vauss also.

Going down, you should hold "reverse" because half way there are a few powerups and switches that deactivate flames which protect some nice powerups below (e.g. Mass Driver stuff). Now go down further and you find yourself faced with more turrets and Stormtroopers. Get out of the turrets' sight (by moving up again) and use Vauss to push one of the Stormtroopers out of view (preferably not down the orange passageways though). Then use plasma on the one that is left, so it can't invariably fall to the next part. Next, you notice that the lower turret is very vulnerable so just stay in view of its base and shoot it. But the upper one isn't so easy, as it shoots Frag missiles at the wall behind you and always hits you with its Vauss if you try to glimpse it. Instead, just attack it full on like the one in the previous area, moving out the way of its many launch holes.

There is a choice of what to do next: either go in the turquoise tunnels or the orange tunnels. The turquoise ones lead to some Stormtroopers and a flame set, which leads to an energy center and powerups (nothing you shouldn't be able to handle), but then you have to go back to the starting room. The orange tunnels lead eventually to the blue key (like in a D1 or D2 level), but here is where either 2 Mega Missiles or a lot of speed are necessary. If you want to get the powerups in the next area, you'll probably have to fire a mega missile down each orange tunnel. Aim it using the Mass Driver and point at the turret below, and it will be heavily weakened. Just to make sure, you could fire a few other types of missile in there as well. They won't disappear (like projectiles do in Descent when left for long) because the speed increases dramatically in the tunnels and the target will be hit quite quickly. Once the turrets are out of the way, go down but there is a Champion Tailbot in its element - a fight you aren't likely to win without many Smart missiles (which you may indeed have). The way to beat it is to go straight to the next area quickly, which has an easy Swatter turret guarding the blue key. Look back and you might see the angry Champion Tailbot. It is likely to come up the tunnel after you, so look out! Fortunately you can get a lot of Plasma and missile shots at it as it comes up, which should be enough to wipe it out.

Continue up to the start and take the blue door, which leads to the red key. Exactly the same defenses are in the way as there was for the blue key.

With the red key, you can enter the red access part and go down to the final area. On either side is a force-field generator guarding the reactor. A black-shark missile should have been around somewhere also. The reactor guardians are two Champion Tailbots, which are surprisingly fast when they're coming after you. The black-shark doesn't seem to be the end for them even if you manage to get it to suck them both in. But smart & cyclone missiles will be a great help as usual, if you have them. Also, individual Vauss blasts are pretty hard for them to dodge, and using your own Frag missiles for revenge can cause a lucky shot when they come down the narrow corridor. It's a really good fight usually. Now, at the very end, you notice that the reactor has an impenetrable defense anyway, and it zaps you whenever you hit it. The trick is to fire a slow-moving projectile (preferably a flare) at it, then move out of sight before it hits, to it zaps itself instead of you. After a few times, its zap shield will deactivate as it is deemed to be a hazard by the reactor itself. Now you can just shoot it like a normal reactor and that will start a short countdown. At the very bottom of the level is the exit, which could be the longest tunnel ever made in any computer game. You move very fast through it, and get nowhere near the end by the time the level finishes itself.

Note: the exit tunnel is about as long as the rest of the level (in the automap, it takes about 2 minutes 10 seconds to get to either end of the level from the reactor room).

[Kaiaatzl]

First of all, my opinion on this level: This is what I consider to be the second-hardest level in the entire Descent Series, which is why I am giving it special attention...

Do you mean on insane difficulty, or in your experience?  Because on hotshot and lower (haven't tried this level at a higher difficulty than that), I find D3 secret level 2 to be pretty easy.  D1 secret level 3 is definitely harder for me.

[NUMBERZero]

This level is pretty difficult, but make liberal use of your frags behind the frag turrets. Because they're backed into a wall, they get hit by pretty much everything.

If you shoot the BS at the forcefield at the end for those two tail bots, they take super heavy damage and die.

And you mean

this Level 7 Mercenary boss?

edit: fixed your link, no need for quotes in bbcode --WillyP

[Scyphi]

It takes skill to take down that boss that well, though. Or a much lower difficulty. On Trainee, all I have to do is fire off any and all Black Sharks I have at him, and then hold down the missile fire button in his general direction. He's dead before he has much chance to even fire at me.

[Kaiaatzl]

If you shoot the BS at the forcefield at the end for those two tail bots, they take super heavy damage and die.

I will go ahead and not imagine any other ways to read this.  I will also not imagine that you said "fan" instead of "forcefield".

[Shroudeye]

The trick is to fire a slow-moving projectile (preferably a flare) at it, then move out of sight before it hits, to it zaps itself instead of you.

OR...

[TechPro]

An easy way to get the reactor is to place a Gunboy directly above the reactor (and facing the reactor), then kill the shield control, pop a flare in the reactor's direction to get it started and the reactor will attack the Gunboy while the Gunboy fires shots at it.  All you have to do is wait for the reactor to drop it's defenses (GB will tell you).

[NUMBERZero]

Or you can slide your butt into the slot that the reactor is sitting in and flare it that way like Shroudeye's picture shows.

[Shroudeye]

In my way, I pulverize the core with plasma

[Kaiaatzl]

Get beside it and pummel it with plasma power!

Or vaporize its hull with the fusion!

Or blast it to smithereens with your lasers!

Or...