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Battlezone 2 Tips & Strategies
for Battlezone II PC game by Activision
by Orlando C. Fernando
Version 2.0
Updated: January 15, 2000

This guide shows some tips, strategies from my war adventures in Battlezone 2,
an exciting sequel to the original PC game. This FAQ will grow as I gain more experience
and receive any corrections. This guide also will try to explain how to do some
fundamentals not explained or explained badly (in my opinion) in the manual. :)

Cheat tactics, mapmaking techniques, and advanced software/hardware troubleshooting are
beyond the scope of this guide. This guide assumes you are already familiar with
Battlezone 2 enough to play the first 2 Pluto missions. It also assumes you have played
in multiplayer deathmatch a few times and are familiar with "ping" and "lag".
The first
section assumes you are moderately familiar with Battlezone I. The guide is based on
playing the game with the 1.01b beta patch in Windows 95 with a 3dfx Voodoo 3 2000 PCI
card.

Web version of this guide is at http://www.orlandofernando.com/g_bztips2.html, look
also for screenshots at http://orlandofernando.com/g_bz2screen.html.

VERSION 2.0: THIS VERSION. MULTIPLAYER STRATEGY GENERAL & TEAM STRATEGY SECTIONS ADDED.
MORE SINGLE PLAYER MISSION TIPS. VARIOUS CORRECTIONS.
VERSION 1.0: ORIGINAL VERSION. FIRST 2 SECTIONS CREATED.

Table of Contents
1. Changes Overview from Battlezone I
1. Who is fighting whom now?
2. How do the planets and scenery look?
3. Is there still scrap and pilot management?
4. Are all the building units back?
5. Do the vehicle classes operate the same?
6. Do you operate the command interface the same way?
7. As a pilot, do I still have the plasma and sniper guns?
8. Has computer AI improved?
9. What other classics have improved in Battlezone 2?
2. Single Player Activity
1. How can I skip the cinematic videos during the missions?
2. Why don't I get all the vehicles as in the multiplayer with each mission?
3. Can I save the game during a mission?
4. What is Instant Action?
5. Will these single player games improve me for multiplayer?
6. Any tips on the single player missions?
3. Multiplayer Activity in General
1. What are the multiplayer games in Battlezone 2?
2. Why don't I get all the single player units in multiplayer?
3. What bizarre things happen in Battlezone with bad ping or lag?
4. How do I talk on the text screens?
5. How do I talk during a live game?
6. In the game preparation screen, can I chat with players already launched?
7. If I leave a live game, can I come back?
8. I am ready to enter the live game. Why can't I launch from the preparation screen?
9. Can I change my name in multiplayer?
10. How can I get new multiplayer maps?
4. Multiplayer Team Strategy Activity
1. Why is it called "team strategy"?
2. How can I command or give up command of my team?
3. What is my role as commander?
4. Can I switch teams during the game?
5. How do I use the number/F keys on my top command line?
6. How can I group vehicles to command them as one F-key?
7. How can I order single vehicles in a F-key group?
8. Why can't I make any more vehicles?
9. How do scavengers and extractors work?
10. My scavenger is not scavenging anymore. Why?
11. How does the constructor work?
12. Why can't I make "" weapon with the armory?
13. Why can't I build health/ammo supplies with the armory?
14. I keep forgetting what unit builds what! Help!
15. How does a tug work?
16. How can I build a gun tower?
17. What buildings can I enter as a pilot for further functionality?
18. On foot, do enemy turrets and gun towers detect me?
19. Do computer offensive or defensive units ever use all their weapon hardpoints?
20. A player/I left the game mid-battle. What happens to all their units?
21. Any tips for A Bridge Too Far?
22. Any tips for Ground Zero?
23. Is there any general etiquette when playing strategy?

Section 1: Changes Overview from Battlezone I

1.1: Who is fighting whom now?
In the story of this great December 1999 sequel, the setting is somewhere in the near
future. The intergalactic biometal Cold War between the Americans and Russians are now
over. Both have combined into the International Space Defense Force (ISDF). They now fight
an indescribable alien race, the Scions, on planets Pluto and beyond. As the book
poetically describes, these two major forces have radically different building
technologies. Really. Some alien units bear different names to the human equivalents and
operate with different weapons and uses of power. Their "kind" looks graphically
different
from human power - much more diversity than in BZ1.

1.2: How do the planets and scenery look?
Much better! Many more blue hues were used this version around to create some fascinating
night scenes and crystal structures. The green forest planet gets rainy weather (play the
demo version to see this, enabling the graphic weather option). Rocks, ruins, and even
animals populate the scene. Animals love wandering pilots. There's even shallow and deep
water which affect travel and tolerance of certain vehicles. Travel underground through
tunnels to other sections on the planet. Bridges can be crossed or destroyed, complicating
enemy invasions. Pilots can even enter certain buildings and enclosed structures.

On a Pentium II 266 MHZ with 128 MB RAM on a Voodoo 3, you will need to reduce some
graphics capabilities off for better framerate in heavy fighting situations. On a Celeron
dual-400 MHz with 112 MB RAM on a Diamond Viper 32-bit, however, you can put everything
to the max. With different processors and generation 3d accelerator cards, your mileage
may vary. :)

1.3: Is there still scrap and pilot management?
This major question brewed on the alt.games.battlezone Usenet newsgroup for quite some
time last year during production. Scrap management is in BZ2 with additional methods.
Pilot management is drastically reduced. It is only a consideration when you want one
to occupy a captured vehicle or you want to send out an APC.

1.4: Are all the building units back?
The recycler, constructor, factory, armory, and gun towers are back and have mostly the
same functions. However the constructor, which is now robotic in appearance, bears full
responsibility for making all the building units, including the factory and armory
themselves. Barracks are now Training Centers. Communication towers are now Relay Bunkers.
All the unit voices respond the same ("Building complete! Recycler here!")

1.5: Do the vehicle classes operate the same?
Turrets, scouts, and tugs are basically the same. Rocket tanks are slower now but pack
better firepower. The other tank classes are very slow high firepower machines which
can rotate the gun independently from the body (hope you have a good joystick!). Walkers
also can gun twist independently. APCs and bombers are now aerial uncontrollable
vehicles. APCs will land to drop their pilots to attack a target (about 3 of them).
If successful, the APC will pick up any surviving men. Bombers launch from a bomber
bay and will actually bomb their targets from the air. Eagle landers and minelayers,
however, are gone. Fast mortar bikes are now introduced which pack dozens of mortars-
perfect for taking out a turret long distance.

1.6: Do you operate the command interface the same way?
The command interface has some significant changes which will require some time to
relearn some key commands. Like in BZ1, you still select one or many units, choose
what to do with them, and point to a location if applicable. However you now call the
units with the function keys as well as a few number keys.

1.7: As a pilot, do I still have the plasma and sniper guns?
Yes, but there is much more other hand weapons that you can have. You also come
standard equipped with a jetpack and can carry an assortment of other rather powerful
guns. Hmm, the Quake evolution is slowly happening...

1.8: Has computer AI improved?
Yes, the enemy artificial intelligence in the single player missions and instant action:
(1) enemies strafe fire, (2) if you fire at an incoming enemy scavenger, it will
sometimes turn back, (3) gun towers always sense enemy pilots presence now, (4) enemies
will not fire at their own if you are close to or under them as a pilot, (5) enemies that
kill your vehicle will continue to assault you while you are ejecting, (6) if you take
out a key scavenger or defense, the enemy will work as quickly as possible to
reconstruct it or even have a spare handy!

Your friendly units have also gained a boost in IQ: (1) units are VERY careful now not
to fire at you by accident if you are in the way of an enemy, (2) pilots ejected from their
vehicles will try to fire at enemy vehicles before returning to base, (3) if you give
vehicles an order then jump out of your vehicle and come back, the vehicles will still
remember your last order, (4) if you order vehicles to follow you, they will defend you
against oncoming enemies then continue to follow you, (5) they seem much less prone to
getting stuck and will not go through lethal environments (scavengers will avoid
the water).

1.9: What other classics have improved in Battlezone 2?
Bear in mind that this is an overview and not a complete features list:
- use of the satellite view for commanding units
- game list descriptions for multiplayer (including the required map file to play
a hosted game)
- ammo usage. Over time, your ammo in any vehicle/pilot will eventually replenish.
- Phantom VIR activation. You can now leave it on as you choose and fire another
weapon. No grouping required.
- mortars. Cool smoke trails illuminate the path which it's traveling.
- turrets deploy quicker and are VERY effective defense units now.
- recycler can now produce for you an ammo powerup with health combined.
- recycler has tougher armor now but slower self-repair.
- name changing while in multiplayer.
- instant action now included in the game

Section 2: Single Player Activity

2.1: How can I skip the cinematic videos during the missions?
During the animations at the beginning of a mission (when the narrator speaks), you
can skip it by hitting the SPACE key once it starts. It will not skip, however, until
all the game mission map and dll files are fully loaded.

2.2: Why don't I get all the vehicles as in the multiplayer with each mission?
It's the game creator's intention. The commanders generally run the show while you
drive and shoot in the early missions. However, as they introduce to you more building
units, you will soon gain full access to your recycler, the command interface and
building units. Likewise for building certain units (for example, you won't be able to
operate bombers and APCs until the commanders see a compelling need for one.)

2.3: Can I save the game during a mission?
Yes. The entire mission does not have to be complete in order for you to save it. In
fact, you could save the game just after the first few seconds of the mission if you
wanted to (including during a battle). Just hit ESC to go to the OPTION screen. Select
FILE and pick a name to save or overwrite an older one. This is where you can also load
an existing game if you feel you can't go on with the current one. Bear in mind that
when you reload a previous game, the exact same situation does not always happen. For
example, on one reload, an enemy can suddenly attack from their base, while another
time, an enemy may not attack for a few minutes. So be wary at what point in the game
you want to save. I do not advise saving in the middle of a battle.

2.4: What is Instant Action?
Instant Action is another type of single player strategy which consist of only one
mission: destroy the enemy's recycler (or matriarch if the enemy is the Scion force).
It is basically like playing a multiplayer strategy game, but versus a computer player.

2.5: Will these single player games improve me for multiplayer?
Definitely. During the missions, you will slowly get the gist of using the different
mobile units and attacking the enemy as well as getting used to your
joystick/keyboard/mouse controls. You run no threat of enemies sniping you when you
destroy their vehicle. You usually concentrate on one to three vehicles to attack at once.
I highly advise to listen to all the dialogues and read all the objectives as they
will go a long way in explaining the purpose of many of the units.
I also strongly advise to play some instant action games. Practice with the ISDF unit
on the Bridge map or work on being the Scion unit on the Alien Dunes map. In both cases,
the enemy is far enough away to give you plenty of time to build your units with
trial and error.

2.6: Any tips on the single player missions?
This is Not a Drill (Pluto) - If you have problems on this first mission, it's highly
likely your controller. Set up your joystick/keyboard/mouse appropriately so that you
can comfortably jump hills and strafe fire enemies. You should eventually get
comfortable taking out two Scion sentries by yourself.

A Simple S and R (Pluto)- Hard time protecting Shabayev's constructor from the constant
Scion sentries? Be sure to always fire at the one attacking her first, so that you divert
its attention and cause it to retreat for a while and return. Do the same for the second
Scion.

We Have Hostiles (Pluto) - In the beginning, after exiting the tunnel and killing the
first hardware-stealing Scion hauler, head back toward the tunnel. Inside the tunnel
entranceway just before the down ramp, pick up the purple pummel weapon on the left.
Each pummel shot does about 20% damage on the enemy. Helps significantly! WARNING: The
1.01b beta patch makes the pummel weapon slow down gameplay for Force Feedback controllers.

Dark Planet (Dark Planet) - When you encounter a circle of guardian turrets, Shabayev
will warn you to pull back and retreat. From a reasonable distance, you can hop out and
safely snipe every guardian out there. Bring a scout in case any stray Scion sentry tries
to follow you. The commander will commend you if successful.

Through the Looking Glass (Mire) - Deploy your recycler and set up your units right where
you are at the beginning. You have a scrap pool immediately behind you and the enemy
generally approaches from the north direction. Be sure to set up 2 turrets around your
recycler to help secure your position as you build the other units the commander orders.

Rumble in the Jungle (Mire) - Even after you save Shabayev and says "we got to
stop meeting like this, people will talk," your mission is not over if you didn't
clear the rest of the enemies on the map. You may have done the objectives in reverse
order (unconfirmed), so the objective to use the APC won't change.