Q&A: Missions, tips (may contain spoilers)

[Art Blade]

If you have any trouble with missions, here's the place to ask for help or to post tips.

[Art Blade]

I've encountered a strange situation when two Russian missions went missing independently.

Sometimes I didn't get the "prevent Surkov's escape" mission (appears after Brakyo's Mansion mission), and this time I didn't get the "trainyard" mission (where you meet SIE for the first time). Should have been there before I went to check on Brakyo (and I think it was) but for some reason unknown it disappeared.

The "prevent Surkov's escape" mission depends on accessing Surkov's computer (don't forget it, it's after you met Surkov and used the ladder to get upstairs, around the corner after passing the camera, there it is) during the Embassy mission and I've read it also depends on how you dealt with Grigori (be suave with him).

However, I read that leaving Moscow after the Brakyo's Mansion mission causes the "prevent Surkov's escape" mission to disappear ("either a glitch or Surkov escaped").

Now I come to believe that although it is possible to randomly choose missions from all three cities, it might be better to stick to Moscow without leaving town until you finished those missions, best if you start with the trainyard mission before taking on other missions involving Surkov.

[PZ]

Good to know  :-X

[Art Blade]

I think I know what caused the trainyard mission to disappear.

Generally speaking there are two types of missions to select from a menu. The "normal" type that only read the mission name and then there are most probably "finalising" missions that also show the Greek letter "alpha." When taking on those, remaining normal missions for that city apparently vanish.

I just went back in my savegames until I found both the "investigate weapon shipments" (trainyard) mission and the Embassy mission (that one sports the letter alpha). Usually I leave those alpha missions until no other missions are available any more in that city and this time I experimented (and afterwards forgot I did) by taking on the alpha mission despite the fact that there was another mission available.

Alright boys and girls, don't do that  ;D

[Art Blade]

Due to the above mentioned human error, I decided to delete all savegames that came after the Russian mission went missing and I started from there, doing that trainyard mission (where I finally met SIE).

Now when you do the Embassy mission (having met Albatross earlier on), you'll be presented with the option to use either SIE or Albatross as your handler for that mission (given you haven't screwed up regarding SIE).

Now the tip:

• If you're the brute type that goes in guns blazing, use SIE as your handler.
• If you're the stealth-loving precision type, opt for Albatross.

They will reward you with a perk matching your style.

[Art Blade]

Regarding the mission in Rome when you first meet G22 / Albatross (you planted bugs in the Shadownet Servers of G22), here is a tip what you should do about those six bugs during your conversation with Albatross to get a probably unexpected but valuable result.

Spoiler

Once you have escaped the warehouse, Albatross will contact you via your PDA. During the conversation you'll have to decide what to do about your freshly planted bugs: One option is "bluff" -- choose that one. You'll pretend to remove "all five bugs" but leave the last (6th) one active, which won't interfere with Albatross (he doesn't know) but the secret remaining bug will supply you with valuable intel during the game :)

[Art Blade]

After the Middle East campaign.

Regarding emails with intel that can be sent (sold) to someone, what effects and how much money it will bring, and how to get those emails.

How to get emails:

Spoiler

To get emails, you need to bug computers. There are several missions during which you'll have to bug computers. The NSA listening post requires you to get past the gelato shop guy (wait patiently, use the passphrase, do either a bluff or security update, and leave the guy in peace). The CIA listening post is best done without any harm whatsoever done to the CIA guys, try to get past them with stealth and invisibility, this will get you a great perk. If you can't, at least don't kill anyone there, only use tranquilisers, shock traps and martial arts. The warehouse district investigation requires you to bug six servers, if you can keep one bug alive.. it will be worth a lot.

How to benefit from those emails:

Spoiler

You may send each email ("reply") to either one of those recipients.

• Scarlet: +1 reputation with her each time and 1,000$
• Black Market: 5,000$
• Halbech: 15,000$

[Art Blade]

ROME
Mission: Bug CIA Listening Post

Happened twice to me: the mission may bug out a little if you go for the maximum score 8/8.

How to get 8/8 (and what to do if you got 7/7 instead).

Spoiler

To avoid confusion:
British English: basement, ground floor, first floor, second floor
American English: basement, first floor, second floor, third floor. The game uses AE.

Don't kill any CIA agents.

Disable security cameras (hacking a computer)

Download Data and bug the listening post (hacking a computer)

In general, while you're at it, search every room there is and collect everything there is and hack every computer there is. Pay attention to the 3rd floor, there is a room which is not connected, you need to walk around the atrium

What is in there:

Spoiler

There is gear to be collected, especially the best silencer "Mk3".

Bonus objective "use creative problem-solving" -- there is an air condition that can be manipulated (you'll see an icon hovering there, the same you see in front of TV screens) from inside one of the rooms on the second floor to get access to the room which doors are locked. There will always be one CIA guy on yellow alert after that, can't help it, that's normal.

Bonus objective "avoid detection completely": Don't even incapacitate them with tranquiliser rounds, shock traps or martial arts. Don't attack at all. Don't alert any other CIA guys -- except when escaping the listening post, the two guys at the exit will most certainly go on yellow alert while you open the door to escape. I use stealth armour suits and upgrades that avoid detection and, most effective, I use the invisibility skill of the stealth ability to sneak around unnoticed.

For some reason, even if you did everything right, the game does not show the last bonus objective in the debriefing. That is a bug, I reloaded from the beginning of the mission to make sure I did everything right and it went well, got 8/8 after that. So pay attention to the score, if it's 7/7 then something went wrong.

[PZ]

I like reading these spoilers - and didn't know that nested spoiler tags would w@&k.  :-X

[Art Blade]

 ;D