“An urgent distress call from
Project Greenskin came in just as the Qularr invasion fleet
struck the city.  The transmission was somewhat garbled by interference,
but as best we could make out, the base there is under assault by a
group of radioactive mutants and in danger of being overrun.

I have sensed troubling changes
in the mystic currents of that area.  I am going there to investigate
and I need your help.  I hate to ask after all you’ve done here,
but a hero’s work is never done.  Every second counts, so we
must leave soon.”

-Witchcraft

You’ve saved Millennium City from
the Qulaar invasion, not only earning the eternal respect of the Champions,
but the key to the city from Mayer Bissell himself. No sooner have you
begun to celebrate your victory amidst a crowd of cheering onlookers
than your attention is diverted by two Champions greatly in need of
your assistance; Witchcraft and Ravenspeaker. The former requests that
you fly with her to Project Greenskin, where the PRIMUS soldiers are
under siege from radioactive zombies, and are in desperate need of your
help to ward off the sheer number of them. 

Think of the crisis zones in Champions
Online as a cool story arc spanning a few issues of your favorite
comic series, only instead of watching the action unfold with each turn
of the page, you get to be part of the action and play the hero. This
guide will provide a walkthrough of the Desert Disaster crisis zone,
and we’ll do our best to keep you from getting radiation poisoning
while you’re out there.

Before diving headlong into the details
on what makes this particular crisis zone tick, here are a few basic
tips that should prove useful in your mission to rid the desert of radioactive
zombies and help PRIMUS get back on their feet in the area:

• You have the option to travel
  between the Crisis in Canada and Desert Disaster at will, though you
  can only complete one of the two zones’ final boss missions to complete
  the mission arc.

• While you’re not required
  to select a crafting profession to complete the crisis zone, the result
  of the quests listed below will be a Radiation Shield device that will
  be extremely handy once you reach the final boss confrontation at the
  end of the mission arc.

• Around the statue of Grond,
  you’ll find radioactive bomb carriers.  Be careful to defeat
  them quickly and then disarm the bomb using “F” before it explodes
  in your face.  Or just run away like Sir Galahad if you’d prefer.

• Most of the enemies in the
  desert have ranged attacks, so don’t be too surprised if you wind
  up being pelted with radiation from afar.  The only real danger
  you’ll face is when the hulking mutated behemoths are running amuck. 
  They’ll be the guys with four arms… can’t miss ‘em.

• Built Ferd Tough
  is an optional quest specific to the Desert Disaster zone.  It’s
  not necessary for you to complete it, and it requires a team of at least
  three heroes, but the battle is a ton of fun, and the rewards more than
  worth it.

• Each mission listed below
  will have the mission level in brackets for easy reference.

• While the entire crisis
  zone can be completed solo, grouping can increase the challenge (and
  potential rewards) thanks to the Reinforcements system. This holds especially
  true for the final confrontation with Gigaton, which becomes a much
  more challenging (and fun) mission should you opt to go into the Forest
  Tomb with a few friends.

  
  

  
  

  A Crafty Contrivance 
  

  
  Upon reaching the desert, your first
  stop will be the head of Project Greenskin, Robert Kaufman.   The
  soldiers right next to the helicopter when you land will direct you
  to an elevator that will take you up into the fortress and to Kaufman
  himself. He will serve as your primary contact throughout the mission
  arc of Desert Disaster. Along with the opening missions in the main
  quest chain, he will also offer you a quest that will set you on the
  path to selecting one of the three primary crafting professions. While
  full details on the crafting system are beyond the scope of this guide,
  the following information and quests will get you headed in the right
  direction. 
  

  [7] A Crafty Contrivance  
  

  CONTACT: Robert Kaufman

  QUEST TYPE: Locate NPC

  OBJECTIVES: Speak with the Arms,
  Science and Mysticism Crafters.

  DETAILS: After speaking with
  each of the trainers located at Project Greenskin, select which of the
  available professions you want to learn. Each one will tell you just
  what each profession is capable of creating, and there’s no wrong
  choice here.  Pick whatever suits your fancy! 
  

  [5]
  Begone Fission! 
  

  CONTACT: The crafting trainer
  for your chosen profession

  QUEST TYPE: Collection / Crafting

  OBJECTIVES: Gather 3 common
  components based on your chosen profession.

  DETAILS: The requested components
  can be gathered fairly quickly by checking your map for a highlighted
  area where a small grouping of Skill Items is located. Once you’ve
  collected all 3, return to your trainer who will give you a Development
  recipe for a Radiation Shield device based on your profession, as well
  as the final component needed to create the device. Upon creation of
  the device the quest will update automatically and grant you a decent
  amount of XP and Resources for your efforts.  You can repeat this
  recipe as many times as you’d like to increase your crafting skill
  while in the crisis zone. 
  

  Optional Missions 
  

  style="margin: 2px; width: 210px; float: right;">
  

  href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/72632" target="_blank"> style="width: 200px; float: right;"
  alt="Force Station Steelhead" src="/image/view/72632">

  Robert Kaufman is your main go-to guy
  for all missions in the desert, but there are a few additional quests
  that can be discovered as you head out from the protective walls of
  Project Greenskin. While optional, these will add a nice boost to XP
  and can be completed fairly quickly in areas where you would already
  be questing.  Some good rewards for your level are involved too. 
  

  [8]
  Built Ferd Tough 
  
  

  CONTACT: Colonel Vanderbilt

  QUEST TYPE: Super-Villain Fight

  OBJECTIVES: Defeat Ferd (Suggested
  3 Party Members)

  DETAILS: Ferd’s a big ol’
  nasty mother of an Irradiate, and he’s causing PRIMUS a heap of trouble
  out in the desert.  Bring a couple friends for this one, as it’s
  not at all intended to be solo-able.  When you see the warning
  that he’s about to use a charged attack, bring your block up and keep
  pounding him the rest of the time in between.  With three or more
  heroes to contend with, he’ll never stand a chance. Once you’re
  done, head back to the Colonel for your reward. 
   
  

  [5]
  Grond Theft Altercation 
  

  CONTACT: Object found on ground
  near Ferd

  QUEST TYPE: Item Discovery

  OBJECTIVES: Take a piece of
  Grond statue back to Robert Kaufman.

  DETAILS: Near where you fight
  Ferd, you’ll see pieces of debris on the ground.  Interacting
  with one will start a quest to return the broken piece of Grond’s
  statue back to Project Greenskin.  Do so for some decent XP and
  monetary rewards. 
  

  Main
  Mission Arc: Disaster in the Desert 
  

  The following list details the main
  quests you’ll need to complete in order to advance through the story
  arc in the Desert, the majority of which will be granted by Robert Kaufman
  at Project Greenskin, while others will come from Colonel Vanderbilt
  just outside the fortress. You’ll spend your time pounding a lot of
  Irradiates into the ground, as you unravel just who caused the shield
  around Project Greenskin to go down.  The whole thing will culminate
  in a massive battle, that will test all the skills you’ve learned
  up to this point. 
  

  [5]
  Assault on Greenskin 
  

  CONTACT: Kaufman

  QUEST TYPE: Combat/Rescuing

  OBJECTIVES: Defeat Irradiates
  (10) / Rescue Scientists (5)

  DETAILS: Right down the way
  from the helicopter where you landed in the desert there are herds of
  the Irradiates beating on the Project’s scientists.  Kill the
  Irradiates and rescue the scientists to complete the mission. 
  

  [5]
  Rounding Up Rads 
  

  CONTACT: Kaufman

  QUEST TYPE: Collection

  OBJECTIVES: Collect 5 planted
  rockets from around the Grond statue.

  DETAILS: All around the statue
  of Grond are Irradiates with rockets strapped to their back, trying
  to blow up the homage to the Desert’s behemoth.  Your task is
  to pummel the Irradiates and collect their uranium-armed rockets after
  doing so.   
  

  [6]
  A Question of Suppression 
  

  CONTACT: Kaufman

  QUEST TYPE: Activate

  OBJECTIVES: The defense turrets
  surrounding Project Greenskin are offline due to overheating. 
  Go out and reactivate them.

  DETAILS: This one’s a rather
  straightforward task.  There are small green circles denoting where
  the turrets are, and all you have to do is interact with them to bring
  them back online.  Be careful though as some are guarded by Villain-level
  Irradiates who hit a little harder than average.  
  

  [7]
  A Second Helping 
  

  CONTACT: Kaufman

  MISSION TYPE: Contact

  OBJECTIVES: Head north into
  the Burning Sands and locate Colonel Vanderbilt to continue the mission
  arc.

  DETAILS: Really simple, as it’s
  marked on your map.  North out of Project Greenskin you’ll find
  the Colonel holed up around some hum-vees and sandbags.  Talk to
  him to advance the mission arc. 
  

  [7]
  Doomsday Clock Ticking 
  

  CONTACT: Colonel Vanderbily

  QUEST TYPE: Combat / Device
  Deactivation

  OBJECTIVES: Defeat Brother Alamogordo
  and use the code found on him to deactivate the massive nuclear device
  nearby.

  DETAILS: This one’s entirely
  doable solo, but it may be a little difficult due to the radiation surrounding
  Alamogordo.  If you have any extra radiation-defense items, now
  could be a decent time to use them, but you may wish to save them for
  what comes after this quest.  Alamogordo is a straightforward enemy,
  just with a lot of hitpoints.  Use block when he’s charging his
  attacks, and pound him the rest of the time with your own.  When
  he drops, use the Sequencing Code found on his person to deactivate
  the bomb in the middle of the pool of radiation. 
  

  [8] Radiation Domination 
  

  CONTACT: Colonel Vanderbilt

  QUEST TYPE: Item Activated

  OBJECTIVES: Take the note found
  on Alamogordo to Colonel Vanderbilt – Defeat Gigaton within the Radiation
  Vault

  style="margin: 2px; width: 210px; float: right;">
  

  href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/72631" target="_blank"> style="width: 200px; float: right;"
  alt="Force Station Steelhead" src="/image/view/72631">

  DETAILS: The note tells of a
  servant of Dr. Destroyer, Gigaton, and his plans to destroy Project
  Greenskin at the behest of his master.  It states that he is hiding
  away inside the Radiation Vault and using his powers to power the radiation
  shield that surrounds Project Greenskin.  If he’s behind this,
  you’ll have to confront him and bring him to justice for his actions.  
  

   
   
  

  The Radiation Vault 
  

  Apparently Black Talon wasn’t the
  only Master Villain enacting plans as dictated by the one and only Doctor
  Destroyer. Kigatilik is a force to be reckoned with, and it’s up to
  you to see to it that he’s not summoned by Rakshasa or who knows what
  terrible fate he could unleash on Canada or the rest of the world? 
  

  [8]
  Gallant Major Gertz and His Courageous Crew 
  

  CONTACT: Colonel Vanderbilt

  QUEST TYPE: Rescue

  OBJECTIVES: Find Major Gertz
  and his Courageous Crew within the Radiation Vault.

  DETAILS: This is really just
  the beginning quest to get you to go inside of the Vault.  Once
  in, you’ll receive a contact from Colonel Vaderbilt detailing what
  you need to do next.  Apparently, inside of Major Gertz’s backpack
  is an anti-radiation device you’ll need to fight off Gigaton and his
  minions.  As you fight your way through the fairly straightforward
  instance (be sure to toss the many forklifts lying around as weapons
  at your enemies, they pack a nasty punch), you’ll face quite a few
  villain-level Destroids.  But it’s nothing you can’t handle. 
  Save the radiation device for when you must face Gigaton. 
  

  [8]
  Radiation Domination (Boss Fight) 
  

  CONTACT: Colonel Vanderbily

  QUEST TYPE: Master Villain Confrontation

  OBJECTIVES: Defeat Gigaton

  DESCRIPTION: Once you’ve found and
  rescued Gertz’s crew, you’ll make your way to a large cavernous
  opening in the Vault, where you’ll see Gigaton hovering in all his
  glory above a trapped and deranged Major Gertz. As you approach, a
  brief cutscene will play showing that unfortunately you’re too late
  to prevent Marjor Gertz from being harmed. If you haven’t already
  done so, now is the time to activate your Radiation-shield device, as
  the whole area is filled with radiation.  
  

  First you’ll have to beat up on Major
  Gertz, which should prove an easy task, as he behaves like a normal
  enemy.  But he can pack a punch, and once you’ve drained his
  hitpoints enough he’ll shout something insane and run off… leaving
  Gigaton quite peeved and ready to mop the floor with you.  
  

  style="margin: 2px; width: 210px; float: right;">
  

  href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/72630" target="_blank"> style="width: 200px; float: right;"
  alt="Force Station Steelhead" src="/image/view/72630">

  He hits extremely hard, but your Radiation-shield
  device should go a long way to helping you remain protected.  Just
  watch out for his charged radiation attacks, and use any objects around
  the Vault you can find to hurl at him.  If you’re in a group,
  he’ll have more defense and health, but we always found it easier
  to handle him with 2 or 3 partners on our side.   
  

  Once you’ve defeated him, the Vault
  will start to collapse.  No worries, as it’s just for effect. 
  Run back out to the front entrance and leave the Vault and find Kaufman
  for your reward… and the chance to move on to the real Desert zone!