Sneaking

[Calloused]

So I've been having a lot of trouble with this one as I recently started playing the game again after remembering I had it on Steam, and nothing seems to help.

While I know that I'm supposed to use the radiation fields to cover me when the cloak drops, to stay outside of a 5k range when cloaked of ships and sensors, to basically go from nav point 3 to 7 to around 14 so I can deploy my commando's to get into the base without being detected, it just doesn't work for me.
I have checked all the old walkthroughs, I have watched the Youtube videos about the mission, but none of it helps me as I'm actually regressed in my progress. First dozen or so attempts I'd get to nav point 3, lose my cloak then leave to go on to nav point 7 once I had those 10 seconds left on recharge, I could make it as far as entering the cloud at 7 where my cloak would drop...and I'd be instantly spotted everytime, but now its happening when I reach nav point 3.

The only changes I'm aware of are update patches that weren't included in my original retail box version of the game, no mods or any of that but I'm slowly getting detected further and further away.

I have tried going straight to nav point 7, evading the scout that's patrolling around, but again, soon as I enter that cloud, detected without fail. Does anyone have a save for immediately after Sneaking? I can deal with difficult, I can deal with frustrating, but this is starting to turn into a bad joke and I'd like to finish the game, yet I don't think I'm going to continue trying many more times at this rate.

[Rhophius]

only the waypoints that are red are safe and they change after a certain period of time, i cant
remember off the top of my head what the order is to travel by.

[Calloused]

Originally posted by Rhophius:

only the waypoints that are red are safe and they change after a certain period of time, i cant
remember off the top of my head what the order is to travel by.

It seems to be gradually turning into my being detected as I reach the radiation clouds, but I've gone from being detected as soon as I get to the second field to being detected as soon as I reach the first, while having plenty of time left and without changing any ship settings, not even speed.

[DrewUniverse]

I never used the radiation zones when I first played growing up. My basic strategy was to start skirting the.. "right side?" Right-up.. something. Sorry, it's been a long time. I formed these rules for myself:

- Always keep a distance of 15K from active patrol ships and sensors.
- Head for a nav I can definitely reach before the cloak goes on cooldown.
- Anytime I get to a navpoint with no enemies around and time to spare, I disable cloak manually to reset it for a fresh timer.
- Ensure no extra devices are on for whatever reason. You don't need Sensors for the stealth portion, and cutting engine power may marginally help.
- Short on time to reach the next nav before you decloak? Boost engines so long as nobody's around.

In more recent years I have made a few custom nav points but they really aren't necessary for Sneaking. Hope some of this helps - I know what "absurd difficulty" feels like from other games.

[Rhophius]

Using the "Stealth" Behaviour button will eliminate the need to disable systems, I fount that moving a distance max of around 10k-15k was a failsafe, but the radiation will mask your ship during the cloak recharge times, even the tactical officer during his briefing in mission will help you. As far as the route is concerned, here what i remember.

Jamming Shield will help a bit as well,

Seems the route is NAV 1 > NAV 3 > (radiation zone) Wait here for 30 seconds to recharge the cloak, at 15seconds head for NAV 7 then at NAV 7 wait for the cloak to drop and recharge, at 10 seconds head direct to THETA BASE, when you are at 15k range depoly your commandos, the moment you launch them, stop the ship with F3. They should reach the base undetected and grant you the bonus objective.

Note: The rad zones will change depending on how much time has passed. IIRC that route should work as long as your fairly accurate with your timing.

[Rhophius]

Originally posted by Calloused:

Originally posted by Rhophius:

only the waypoints that are red are safe and they change after a certain period of time, i cant
remember off the top of my head what the order is to travel by.

It seems to be gradually turning into my being detected as I reach the radiation clouds, but I've gone from being detected as soon as I get to the second field to being detected as soon as I reach the first, while having plenty of time left and without changing any ship settings, not even speed.

Dont alter anything in regard to ship systems, only thing you should change is the power allocated to engines on the far right. These scripted missions are fairly rigid when it comes to what they want you to do. Let us know if your successful.

[Calloused]

Originally posted by Rhophius:

Using the "Stealth" Behaviour button will eliminate the need to disable systems, I fount that moving a distance max of around 10k-15k was a failsafe, but the radiation will mask your ship during the cloak recharge times, even the tactical officer during his briefing in mission will help you. As far as the route is concerned, here what i remember.

Jamming Shield will help a bit as well,

Seems the route is NAV 1 > NAV 3 > (radiation zone) Wait here for 30 seconds to recharge the cloak, at 15seconds head for NAV 7 then at NAV 7 wait for the cloak to drop and recharge, at 10 seconds head direct to THETA BASE, when you are at 15k range depoly your commandos, the moment you launch them, stop the ship with F3. They should reach the base undetected and grant you the bonus objective.

Note: The rad zones will change depending on how much time has passed. IIRC that route should work as long as your fairly accurate with your timing.

Had the jamming shield, and as I said in the first post, I'd tried the 3 to 7 route but it had gone from being detected as soon as I got to 7, down to eventually being when I got to 3 with the wait times as I'd checked a few walkthroughs because it got to that point.
Managed to eventually get round it by going 2, manually disabling stealth behind the asteroid while waiting out patrols before re-engaging to edge my way around asteroids to hit 14 and sliding in just under 15k range before launching. Now they detected me while my commando's were on route but that was fine as they didnt have enough time to stop them. It was long, it was tedious and I didnt have a great deal of leftover mission time, but the long nightmare ended.

It took an unnecessary amount of restarts, but it seemed to be the most beneficial thing for me was completely avoiding 3 and just using asteroids, how I loathe forced stealth missions. I'm currently having issues with the fight for earth as they are destroying relay's before I can reach them, but at least I know I wont have to go through dozens of resets for that like with Stealthing, just needs some fine-tuning of the offensive systems and its all good.
Stealthing is just...not good. It was the most disappointing part of the game besides ya know, not being Imperium Galactica 3 like it was supposed to be originally, its just frustratingly rigid with its scripting unless you make it excessively boring with an alternate method.

[Rhophius]

Very true, the stealth mission is a absolute nightmare, its something that could do with a major patch, but i'm glad your through it, the game will become more fun as you progress through and get some of the more advanced tech and ships.

[Xautos]

I went through this a few times, i tried the advice in the marked, it seems like a good route, but you'll have to wait out Ranger patrolling between navs 2 and 10, so use Scout as a measure for when to go, that is if you go from nav 0 to nav 2 immediately at the start of the mission.

After that, travel toward nav 8 until nav 10 shows up and head towards 10 and stop off just short of nav 10 between two big rocks in a narrow passage, make sure Ranger is behind one of the rocks, preferably at the end of one of the patrol points, recharge and then head for nav 15.

Avoid Sweeper and Bloodhound along the way and from nav 15, head towards the gate, don't stay still for too long except at nav 2. Launch your commandos with as little distance as possible to cut down being spotted at the theta base.

I had no jamming shield, didn't need it.

I hope that helps.

[Deadly Shadows]

Don't use the asteroids. Just use your information on the side and arrange enemy ships by range. Try and keep a distance of 20 000 from any ship or sensor when you are uncloaked. Keep any weapon, sensor, or shield off and even turn your engine off. Going around the side makes things easier.

Use asteroids as a last desperate attempt not to be detected if some ship or sensor is within 20 000 range. Keep the asteroid between you and ship/sensor. Hopefully you have being keeping distance from most things so you will only have one thing to keep between you and the asteroid.

When you clocked you can get up to 5k distance, maybe closer with your engine turned off.