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* Russian Campaign, Alliance Branch                                         *
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Mission 12a: Cat and Mouse
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Main Objective:

   1. Help Gossudarov and his team to escape.

Medals:

   1. All scientists saved.
   2. Resources saved.
   3. Former friends saved.

Team Selection:

Pick three soldiers, a mechanic, and a scientist.  You’re not allowed to
change the class of the units here, but you’ll be able to change them during
the mission.

Vehicle Selection:

You’ll have to kill several soldiers and bazooka soldiers on the way from
Platonov’s base to your base, so your best choice is a vehicle that can kill
infantry from a range -- but which will still be useful for the rest of the
mission.  So I’d suggest taking a heavy tracked rocket launcher.

Walkthrough:

You start out in the southwestern corner and need to get to the northeastern
corner.  The route is circuitous, and you’ll either have to outrun or kill
some regular and bazooka soldiers along the way.  If you use a rocket
launcher as your vehicle you can kill them; otherwise you’ll have to play
things by ear.

So set out north from Platonov’s base, and then go east when you get to the
northern edge of the map.  You’ll need to take a trail back south so you can
cross a river and get to your base, and you’ll have two choices.  The best
choice seems to be the eastern trail.

When you get to your base, you’ll have a five-minute grace period before
Platonov’s base starts attacking you (that’s what the timer is showing).  So
remove the western bunker and replace it with an armory, and add an upgraded
factory with rocket, track, and Siberite extensions.  With Burlak in his
vehicle and three soldiers in the armory, you can probably hold off
Platonov’s attacks indefinitely, so feel free to research for as long as you
want.

When you’re ready to clear a path for Gossudarov, build a (second) heavy
tracked rocket launcher, and then dismantle your base.  (With 950+ crates,
750+ oil, and 100+ Siberite, I still get the second medal for the mission.)  
Then head slowly from your base to Platonov’s base, taking the same route as
before.  This time you’ll not only have to face regular and bazooka soldiers,
you’ll also have to deal with a wide range of vehicles, including a time
lapse vehicle.  So move slowly and try to take enemies one or two at a time.  
And don’t be shy about saving.

Once you get to the northern edge of the north-south trail leading to
Platonov’s base, go a little ways south and then stop.  You can now click on
Gossudarov to let him know it’s time to go.  He’ll get into a cargo vehicle
(with the artifact), and some scientists will join him.  They’ll exit the
base and head north, but they won’t switch to your control until they’re a
little ways out of the base (meaning they won’t be attacked until then
either).  At this point you just need to run them to the red spot that will
appear on the northern edge of the map.  They can withstand some fire from
bazooka soldiers and whatnot, but if things look bad, bring in your units to
help them out.