Read all about it in this week's diary.
What are Operations?
Operations are, on the most basic level, a series of 3 to 5 missions. Each mission is a single tactical battle fought on a procedurally generated tactical battle map. The missions are connected in a tree-branched fashion so that players have a choice of which mission to take on next on each level of the operation.
All Operations will resolve in a single final mission, but the nodes before will usually offer more than one mission to choose from. It is important to note that only one mission can be resolved on each level, so the player can not backtrack or do multiple missions on a certain level.
All vehicle losses and damages will carry over between missions as well as elements lost in squads, so players have to be extra careful to not take too much damage early in the operation or to ensure that they have enough reserves to replace losses.
Once an operation is completed, certain rewards are gained, and all squad elements are refilled and vehicles repaired. Squad Leaders or Pilots who permanently die will, of course, not return. The same goes for vehicle chassis, as they can also be permanently destroyed.
Operation Rewards
If players beat the final mission of an operation, they will receive hard-to-come-by OCI points used for upgrading their strike cruiser. They will also gain Authority, which is important for keeping the crew aboard the Impetus in check. Finally, they will increase their trust in the Wayback Faction that tasked them with the particular operation. Increasing trust will gradually unlock more upgrade options for the Impetus as the locals offer to supply knowledge and space wharf capacities to upgrade the Impetus.
Failing an operation can come easily, as failing a single mission will have the whole OP fail. In this case, no OCI points are gained, and also trust with the local faction will not rise but fall. Rewards earned for individual missions that have been completed until that point can, of course, be kept. Squads and Vehicles will be restored either way to ensure that players are not as easily heading down a spiral that is impossible to recover from.
Above is concept art of how operations will look in MENACE. This screen is heavily WIP and uses some placeholder text and art, but it shows all relevant elements.
On the right-hand side, the mission tree is visible, with the currently available missions, the mission path, the strategic assets connected to each mission, the mission difficulty, and the successfully completed missions.
On the left-hand side, the mission summary of the currently selected mission is visible with all relevant details like Mission Type, Biome, Weather, Daylight, Objectives, Supply Limit, and rewards. Based on this information, the player can choose which node to hit next. This will, of course, depend on the expected rewards but also on difficulty, personal preference, and how well prepared the player is for that particular mission type.
Mission Rewards
As shown in the concept, each mission has a variety of rewards that are granted on successful completion. All of these will be kept even if the operation fails at a later stage.
- Promotion Points: These are used to promote and “level up” squad leaders, and how many you get depends on the mission performance.
- Strategic Assets (more on this further down)
- Items and Equipment: Each mission grants an item of a certain type, ranging from body armor to weapons, accessories, and even vehicle parts.
Strategic Assets
We have not really discussed strategic assets yet, and we will most likely have a dedicated dev diary on them later.
Essentially, these are special boons granted to the player for the remainder of this operation that are acquired on mission completion. However, some assets might give permanent upgrades like items or OCI points. They are also thematically tied to the planet and the faction of the planet on which the operation is fought.
Examples of strategic assets are a mortar base that provides off-map fire support in following missions or an intelligence network that increases the player's intelligence rating until the end of the operation. It could also be something like a POW camp that adds auxiliary infantry units to the player's roster for the final mission.
Enemy Assets
While strategic assets are positive, there are also enemy assets that work very similarly but are buffs granted to the enemy side of the operation. These could be a SAM site that stops the player from using air support, an armorer workshop that increases enemy vehicle armor rating, or a propaganda center that increases the enemy’s discipline.
Once a mission with a connected enemy asset is completed, that asset will be removed from the campaign, and the enemy will lose access to it. Enemy assets will only start appearing later in the game as they substantially increase the difficulty level. Once they show up, players will face difficult decisions as they can only gain a strategic asset on a mission or disable an enemy one, not both.
Example Operation
Each operation will have a thematic story that explains why the Marines are needed to help out and what type of conflict is going on. Each operation will have a unique selection of missions that are pooled for the first mission, middle missions, and final mission.
While the pools of missions are fixed per operation, the missions that actually show up are randomized within their constraints, so that you will get a fresh mission tree every time you start the same operation. This way we make sure that there is context and a coherent story, but at the same time, there is as little repetition as possible.
Some missions might be shared between Operations, but most missions will be unique and appear only in a certain operation for maximum variety. We will also add more missions to each pool over time to further increase replayability.
Operation: Turn the Tide
Rogue Army forces have overrun local defenses and are advancing quickly and mostly unhindered. The RMC has to sweep in and stop them so that an effective defense can be mustered and prepared further back. Be prepared to operate behind enemy lines and fight outnumbered and outgunned.
First Mission Pool
| Name | Description | [/tr]
|---|---|
| Delay | The enemy is advancing quickly and is threatening to overrun retreating friendly forces. RMC needs to deploy and perform a fighting retreat to delay the enemy as much as possible. Keep the defense zone clear of enemies by engaging the Rogue Army early and pinning them down. |
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| Stop Marauders | Advancing Rogue Army units have split from the main force and are pillaging and devastating a nearby civilian settlement. If not for the RMC, nobody would stop the carnage. Head straight for the settlement and save as many civilians as possible from certain death. |
[/tr]
| Relief Outpost | News reached us about a friendly COP (Combat Outpost) that was bypassed and encircled, which is now under siege. Friendlies are still fighting back but are running low on ammunition and manpower, they will be overwhelmed soon. Send out a Marine detachment, defeat the besieging enemies, and relieve the defenders before the vital position is lost. |
[/tr]
Middle Mission Pool
| Name | Description | [/tr]
|---|---|
| Mine Roads | Now that the enemy's advance is slowed down we have to grind it to a halt. Enemy GLOCs have to be disrupted to help create more room for friendly forces to rest and refit. A covert ops team has to land behind enemy lines and mine roads that are used by the enemy to supply frontline units. |
[/tr]
| POW Rescue | During the chaotic stages of the conflict many friendly units were taken prisoner and moved to camps. Raid the target camps and free the POWs so that they can join the fight once more. | [/tr]
| Defend Outpost | An outpost at the fringes of the fast-moving frontlines is under threat from an enemy attack. There is no guard to speak of, but the position is vital to the whole sector. Defend the outpost at all costs until reinforcements arrive. The enemy will throw wave after wave at you, so you'd better be prepared for a long and gruesome fight. |
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| Search and Rescue | Friendly Dropships on retreat have been ambushed by enemy anti-air units and shot down. Head out to the crash site and search for any surviving crew members. Capable pilots are a rare asset and have to be rescued at all costs. |
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| Raid Command Post | Intelligence has identified an enemy command post that is being used to coordinate attacks and troop movements. High-ranking officers are supposed to be on site at all times. We need to send a fast detachment to raid this compound and destroy it. Bring explosive charges to take down the structure and make sure to exfil after completion. |
[/tr]
Final Mission Pool
| Name | Description | [/tr]
|---|---|
| Decapitation Strike | Operational Intelligence pinpointed the location of a leading Rogue Army Officer who will be inspecting troops close to the frontlines. The ideal opportunity for us to sweep in and take him out in a decapitation strike. A seasoned pair of Army Walkers is said to be in the area to provide extra security. Make sure to bring AT weapons to dispatch them. |
[/tr]
| Breakthrough | After our initial successes, the enemy is now on the back foot and has retreated behind heavy fortifications. We need to use the momentum and punch through to deal a devastating blow. You are the spearhead and assault the defense line head-on, so make sure to bring heavy explosives and make use of cover and concealment. Once you have pushed through and cleared a path, all elements need to be extracted. |
[/tr]
Keep in mind that this is just an example, and there will be many more operations to play through.
Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed
That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.
You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/
And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515207543396499582
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/642433677808108044
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515206275424846335
