Mass Effect 3: N7 Special Operation LODESTAR
Operation: LODESTAR (Mar 5th-10th)
We are coordinating the largest-scale attack in the brief history of this war. N7 unit actions will pave the way for resistance and conventional forces trying to retake the population centers of our homeworlds. There is no retreat. When an objective is finished or a target destroyed, you will immediately focus on the next. Our assets will provide cover to network ships that will update your targets in real-time. Rally points are at your disposal in the event that all space assets meet with catastrophic casualties. From there, you will fight as your CO sees fit or until further orders arrive.
I cannot fully express my deep respect for all of you, the sapients of the Milky Way who serve together under our banner. When future generations look back on this war, they will see the courage and commitment it takes to change the fate of a galaxy. It has been a hard road, but at last: the end is in sight.
Finish it.
–Admiral Steven Hackett
Individual Goal: This challenge is tiered:
- Participation (extracting on any difficulty) earns the 1st-tier reward.
- Extracting against all four enemy factions on Silver difficulty or higher earns the 2nd-tier reward.
- Extracting against all four enemy factions on Platinum difficulty earns the 3rd-tier reward.
Rewards:
- 1st tier – Commendation Pack.
- 2nd tier – A second bonus Commendation Pack and a banner, (“Stood Fast, Stood Strong, Stood Together”)
- 3rd tier – A third bonus Commendation Pack.
Man, I am so bummed that I’m in Miami this week and can’t play!!! Le sigh. This would be super easy, too. I wonder if extracting against all four enemy factions on Platinum counts toward the 1st and 2nd tier rewards as well. If so, it would be easy just to do four Platinum matches. I’d probably do the following combinations for efficiency’s sake:
Reaper/Rio
Geth/Glacier
Cerberus/Glacier
Collector/Giant or Reactor
How are you doing the special operation? Let me know in comments!
I did the silver one and the participation one, but I only got one of them, glitch maybe?
same thing for me
Try social.bioware.com/n7hq/account/weekend_challenge_fix/ you will have to create an ME3 Origin Account, but this did the trick for me.
The banner disappointed me a bit… Too much information, just the character renders stacked up. And the “Stood Fast, Stood Strong, Stood Together” is so small due the text limit that I can barely read it. ^~
But it`s worth the challenge and the Challenge Points!
Just finished the tier 3 and only got a second pack, sounds like it may be glitched, looks like I get to deal with EA’s wonderful customer support tomorrow
There’s no glitch. The first pack (gift pack) is rewarded without even playing. The commendation packs are rewarded for each completed tier. The most you can get are 3 packs. The blog post is incorrectly worded.
Yes, you can complete the whole thing in just four platinum matches. That’s how I did it. But, since you can’t have two comm packs show up at once for some Bioware reason, after you redeem the first one, go here (you might have to log in):
http://social.bioware.com/n7hq/account/weekend_challenge_fix/
Then go back to the store and you should have a new comm pack. If N7HQ or the in-game store aren’t up-to-date, wait a minute or refresh the page a couple times, though it should be pretty quick.
On another note, thermal clip pack and cobra missile capacities have both been increased to 6. They’ve been added as “rare” drops.
I’d actually suggest Collectors on Dagger for Platinum. That’s where I did mine and it wasn’t too bad. Just watch out for those Scion marksman. And Pretorians.
Giant is fine for the rest, as long as you DO NOT CAMP IN THE CONTROL ROOM!!!1 That place is a death trap. Stay at the LZ and only go to the control room when you get overrun. They won’t spawn behind you as long as someone is there, but they will spawn in the little hallway on the other side of the bunker.
Also, on N7HQ, go to “Challenge Awards” at the top. They’ve added some alternate banners.
So far done the first two , will do the platinum one when i can be bothered . I think the banner is one of if not the best i have seen yet !
Plat against Geth? Hard, but doable.
Plat against Cerberus? Pain in the ass but still doable (the horde of Phantoms makes a mess of things)
Plat against Reapers? Root canal, but still done.
….
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Plat against Collectors…thats where I’m stuck. Literally, getting the floor mopped with me on this one. The key issue being the Scions. Their attacks completly ignore Hex shield, and Pretorians can trap you in an infinant stun lock. Anyone have some tips or advice on this one?
I like Collectors on Giant or Reactor. Yes, Reactor. It’s surprisingly easy on Reactor because the Scions can’t shoot you from all the way across the map like they can on other maps. I’ve beaten Collectors/Reactor/Platinum with a team of 4 Voluses before :) But, it you want an easy win, a mix of Turian Ghosts and AIU’s will probably do the trick – both characters have enough boosts that you shouldn’t die permanently. Also, they can chain Cryo Explosions together. Camp in the back of the Reactor and not the front! The front is death.
Would the hazard version be advisable? I have had enemies close it on me before during a hack (I know it was enemies since I was playing solo) but aside from that problem you could use the reactor to kill mooks and weaken elites..
Aside from that, its the same thing that kills my team every time. Objective waves. To be more specific, we keep getting ‘escort’ for 2/3. I’d be happy with a hack or pizza delivery over the escort. I swear that drone is hacked and controlled by the enemies, it ALWAYS goes the direction enemies spawn in – _ –
Almost forgot, thanks for the tip of course lol. I’m just loosing my patients with this because the Collectors are all that stand between me and completion of this event, and have been doing so since yesterday afternoon.
Haha, np! Yeah the hazard version of Reactor could be good, too. Though, I often find it doesn’t have much of an effect on Scions or Praetorians. The objectives are definitely a mixed bag. The escort ones are best done with someone ready to fire a missile at any time. For activating objectives and pizza delivery, it’s easiest to have one person go for them and the 3 others stay in the back of the reactor – enemies will be drawn to them and distracted. For hacks, if you all take cover within the hack zone and don’t move and only shoot from cover, enemies come into the hack circle much less frequently.
True, the reactor doesnt harm elites, but on Plat its going to be a mixed bag, and at minimum it could save you some ammo. If I could find a good Cabal player I’d use them as bait thanks to their ability to bamf.
Still thanks for the tip, I’m actually looking foward to round two this afternoon now.
Enemies can’t vent the reactor. It vents automatically after a certain time. And that time seems to be getting shorter and shorter.
Yeah, Firebase Giant is the easiest, in my opinion.
– Have a team with at least one Geth Juggernaut and a Volus (I like the Adept, Stasis evolved for Bubble is great for trapping Possessed Abominations and eventual Geth Hunters and Phantoms).
– As for the other members, a N7 Paladin, Collector Adept, N7 Slayer (specced for Biotic Slash), N7 Shadow (specced for Electric Slash), Geth Trooper Soldier or Vorcha Soldier/Sentinel. I personally enjoy the N7 Paladin+Geth Trooper combo for infinite Fire Explosions.
Idk if you’re a XBOX player, but in case you need any help, my gamertag is BINGBANGPOE.
Also, on hacks, if you activate it and immediately leave the circle (best with teleporting characters) it will still count you as in the circle. I’m not 100% sure, but believe you have to be host in order for it to work and only your screen will say “4 players hacking,” while everyone else’s says 3 (or however many people there actually are). I’ve only remembered to try it twice, and easily did it with the Cabal, but my timing must have been off with the Ghost, unless his dodge isn’t quick enough.
If successful, I’m sure you can figure out what you can do to be the ultimate team player. Just don’t get careless. Banshees are especially lonely on Platinum. Except on wave 6.
Ah interesting, I never knew that!
Wow, thanks for the info everyone (especially rd0013)! Will be playing pretty regularly this week/weekend if you want to group up: The Royal SSS
i have 3/4 done but like most, its the collectors kicking my ass on platinum.
Personally I hate platinum, so I did this the easiest way I could, as a support volus engineer in the box of shame, spec your mine for scan range and debuff, pop it at the entrance, and shield boost away. Equip an acolyte to strip shields and let your teammate clean up the rest. We had a Geth Juggernaut, AIU, and a scub of a krogan warlord who scored less than I did because he got sync killed every time he went in to biotic hammer a boss.
I don’t think I could have made it without a volus on Rio. Was so much help! glad I didn’t have any krogans on my teams. I actually managed to survive the collectors on FBW with 3 AUI’s (one was me) and an Asari. Didn’t think it was possible but it was.
You seem to be really invested in this game. Any chance to team up anytime soon?
Sure! Leave your GT and i will add you next time I’m on!
GT: Max Dmian
Looking forward.
Ma’am, I don’t think you added me yet. Can’t tell if your lying.
Ha, it’s possible … I’m away this week but I’ll add you when I get back home if I haven’t already! Can you repost your GT? :)
Well, it took a few tries, but my team managed to complete the Insanity challange. Collectors are still a nightmare even when you are ready for them lol. Still it turns out that Hazard Reactor is a pretty effective map for Plat. The reactor doesnt do much damage but it can kill weaker mooks and can buy you some time for objectives by slamming the door shut and closing the shortcut paths.
Done geth and reaper easy peasy lol first attempt at collectors wave ten mission complete then wiped second attempt , joined on wave 3 with everyone needing to be revived ………. Right now wave 11 stupid ridiculous lag so bad the enemies haven’t spawned FML this would have been a definite extraction .
I have 2 names. Little man and leviathan. It’s Ferial56. Remember? Or did you even look?
Did you do the challenge already or are you still away? :)
No, still in Miami! :( Le sigh. Another missed challenge!
Too bad! But well, since the promotional weapons are in the UR pool now, it’s not too dramatic :)
When are you going to be back?