FMs - Ghost/Perfect Thief Results (Part 9) [SPOILERS]

Galaer on 23/5/2023 at 13:55

You must understand one thing functionality rule in damage property rule has been only added, because some damage can be invisible. So you can't really use it towards broken bar in Heartcliff Islands, because that's visible damage. I understand that this valve in Spy can be interpreted in many different ways, but there is even bigger problem and that's flood. And it's not only mine interpretation this time, it's also interpretation made by Mechanists in basement. I will quote their conversation:

"We've got a leak! Some fool closed the flood gates in the sewer. I managed to stop the water before we were flooded."

"Wasn't it enough just to open the flood gates?"

"Now we need a diver to operate a switch so we will have to wait until morning."

"I will find out who is responsible for this mess."

This conversation tells that someone closed flood gates and this created flood. The person who closed flood gates is you. They also call it a mess, which means that they count flood as damage of their property. But in game nothing is destroyed due to water, so we may have to deal with invisible damage property. Because of that we need to check if functionality of sewer tunnel is the same as before flood. Before flood this sewer tunnel was for maintenance of sewer system. After you flood it it's impossible. You changed into swimming pool. This also is indicated by Mechanist talking about diver swimming down there to open flood gates and fix the situation. Therefore we can count flood as invisible damage property, which is forbidden for ghost mode. After all, if your house would be flooded, it would be impossible to function in it normally.

You could argue that the same conversation happens even after you choose other way, but there are 2 things. First Zontik didn't take into account that players can find another way in. And second, since you never were in sewers this flood mentioned by Mechanist isn't caused by your actions.

klatremus on 25/5/2023 at 18:50

Game: Thief 2
FM: Patriot, Mission 3: Spy

Ghost - Success
Perfect Thief - Success
Supreme Ghost - Failed
Perfect Supreme - Failed
Time - 1:11:41
Loot - 1500/1500
Pockets Picked - 3/14
Secrets - 4/7
Locks Picked - 7
Backstabs - 0, Knockouts - 0
Damage dealt - 0, Damage taken - 0
Consumables - None

See the entire report with screenshots (https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot3.htm) here!
Loot list (https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot3_L.htm) here.
YouTube let's play (https://youtu.be/bSHY5Vuw9m8) here!

Comments:
Another very solid mission in this impressive campaign. I love how the first three missions provide very different settings and vary up the gameplay style substantially. Zontik continues to impress with his intricate, yet easy-to-follow storyline. This is a semi-ghosting mission, but easier than the previous two for that exact reason. The puzzles are clever, yet not overly complicated. Plenty of readables provide clues on how to solve them, if you take your time to read everything.

First I had to make my way into Cog Tower, the Blackbrook mechanist headquarters. I had to find information on their new weapon, along with the location of their captives. I wasn’t allowed to make them aware of my presence, including the use of any weapons. A few more objectives could be triggered during the mission.

Right at the start, a nearby guard alerted to Garrett falling from the starting position. I do not think this should be a bust, as it is completely out of the player’s control. I remember such situations discussed before by some of the mode’s original creators, often compared with camvator sequences. If the player isn’t in control of Garrett and gets detected, it is not a bust. The Ghost run in effect doesn’t start until the player has full control over Garrett’s movements.

Main Building
Big thanks to Galaer for several cool strats in this mission. I doubt I would have discovered all of those on my own. The first one was how to get into Cog Tower without using the sewers. This would necessitate causing a leak in the underground pipes and flood the system. Although I don’t think this would count as property damage, it was very intrusive and definitely not in the spirit of Supreme. Galaer found a method of climbing on top of the fence and roof of the sewer maintenance building and use the cables to get to the main building (image below). This was a very reliable method once I knew what surfaces to mantle. The western wall had an invisible layer that was somewhat funky to get used to, but it all worked out well.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot3_files/image001.jpg

However, my joy of entering the building this way was short lived. In order to complete the first objective, I had to enter the room with the sewer grate in the basement. Well, there was no way of doing that for Supreme. The closest door to the guards triggered a first alert, and the other door was lit up by a nearby gas lamp, with no way of entering unseen. I thus had to restart and enter via the sewers after all. I don’t think it involved any Supreme busts, as there was no way to reset the water level, nor raise the security gates. I would, however, need to find a way back out to close the sewer hatch and turn off the signal lights, before the mission ended. I had a plan in mind, but would have to wait and see.

Now I could clean the basement and lower floor without issues. I could not utilize the doors to the hall in the west, as both of the guards in there heard the doors. I thus found no way to get to the upper floor from this part of the map. I tried climbing bookcases in the archive, but was not successful. I decided to use another strat by Galaer and enter the tower by frobbing the balcony button in the conservatory. The way to do that was by way of a rope arrow into one of the pillars (image below). From atop the rope I had to make two mantles in quick succession, which didn’t always work. Plus the camera had to be facing away (north) when I got to the top of the railing. Once I found the method, it wasn’t difficult. I could drop back onto the plant below without taking damage, again when the camera swung away.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot3_files/image002.jpg

Tower
I could close the gate with a button in the central tower, plus turn off the red beams of death in the vault. That was the main reason for being here. I stole the key from the patroller also. I also opened the gates leading to congress hall. They would get shut automatically later, but I would have to manually turn on the red beams.

In the temple I had to flip the vault lever in front of the priest. The intended way was to kill him by breaking the string to the huge statue above. This was both property damage and causing a human casualty, both of which were busts. Galaer used a crate from the ledge north of the lever, frobbing it while jumping onto the gas lamp. You don’t need a crate, however, to do this. I mantled the doors, then further onto the ledge, and then finally hopped towards the wall, frobbing the lever in the process (image below). If I pulled up a different inventory item like a scroll, then I could see when it got smaller during the jump, which meant I was highlighting the lever behind the ledge. This was a good way to judge when to frob it successfully. I would also have to flip this lever back later, but that was not a problem.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot3_files/image003.jpg

Congress Hall
The living quarters was unproblematic, except I couldn’t pass the lower floor outside Capellan’s quarters. I instead entered the east side of this floor via the power station. One of the readables for the Capellan objective was in a guard station on the upper floor, but I couldn’t reach it without a first alert. Luckily, I could skip it and still find other readables to fulfill that objective. To get the coins in the laundry room, I had to use the patrolling guard to open and close the door, otherwise the servant gave a comment. Then used the rafters in the power station to head back to congress hall.

The only Supreme bust came in the dining hall. The room was brightly lit and a camera stared north (image below). I tried rushing over to grab the map on the wall and get back without getting spotted, but I wasn’t even close. The camera didn’t swing that far east and west, so it covered the room very well. I had to turn off two of the three light switches to get the map. I was also able to get the loot on the table this way, but it was difficult.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot3_files/image004.jpg

I could now enter the main building’s upper floor from congress hall without alerts. I cleaned this floor easily and then went to the roof. It was possible to mantle the cables and head back down to street level without the pulley. That way I could close the sewer hatch and turn off the signal lights for Supreme. I couldn’t do that after robbing the vault, because several enemies spawned blocking the entrance to the Cog Tower courtyard. I climbed the cables back up again and returned inside.

The final task was to clean the depository, which was easy. After this, the gates around the tower’s bottom floor closed up, so I had to return to the conservatory and use the balcony button one more time. This was why I had picked up the balcony key earlier. Then reset both the red beams and the lever for the vault door. Returned the key to the guard’s patrol route also. To end the mission, I had to get the pulley and use it on the cables. It wasn’t enough to ride them down to the streets manually.

Notes:
- Got a first alert from the guard when starting the mission. This happens out of the player’s control, because you cannot move until after getting heard, similar to a camvator sequence. I think this Supreme bust should be excused.
- Had to turn off 2 lights in congress hall in order to take the mechanists’ map. Supreme bust.

Galaer on 11/6/2023 at 18:48

KARRAS' DIARY: PROPHESIES OF GOLD

Mission reported by Peter Smith, Vanguard, dafydd and goldsla as failure, because:

- Had to kill two spiders in secret corridor en route to Diary Room.
- Destroying the Flesh Transmuter machine alerted the nearby guard.
- The guard in front of the door that you have to blow-up with a mine always alerts or dies or both when you blow-up the door.

In my ghost run patrolling Mechanist got stuck near bakery, which made it a bit harder to get on high ledge to get later to bank via window, but it wasn't big problem. There are 2 invisibility potions in this mission: in secret above starting point and in hotel. In warehouse B I used moss arrow to trigger secret switch. Pub has 2 bottles on shelf, but this area is fully bright, so I didn't bother going for it. I didn't realize that barkeeper turn around for short time, so it's possible to nudge noble left and Mechanist right or simply use invisibility potion to get it easily. I skipped these bottles (100 loot in total), because I thought both potions will be needed for spiders leading to Karras' Diary.

So problem #1 are these spiders. Goldsla as the only one managed to use both invisibility potions to ghost them. It's possible though to use only 1 potion. You can get as close as possible to spider on the right and jump over other spider to ladder and for return you must drink 1 invisibility potion. Also you must get Karras' Diary before you destroy Flesh Transmuter, because after destruction bot near elevator becomes sensitive and it's impossible to enter diary area or even ride elevator. Bot is on the other side of town than Flesh Transmuter, so it's impossible for it to hear explosion.

Next I decided to ride elevator to park, so through hole in wall I will go to church entrance. In park is happening fight between treebeast and 2 Mechanists. I wanted treebeast to win. Unfortunately there is other treebeast in cage and it always alerts to other treebeast, so both treebeasts are 2nd alerted. Becvause of that beasts have really long range of seeing us. It's possible to get 5 coins from water behind statue, but not other 5 coins and if treebeast go closer to other treebeast you can sneak for necklace in empty cage. But the problem is that enemies in this mission hear through walls, so not only treebeasts are always alerted, but also Mechanists from church.

So I reloaded and decided that treebeast must kill one Mechanist and then die from second. In this scenario I can't get any loot from park, but also I can't sneak to hole in wall, because tree beast from cage always sees me. Ultimately I decided to skip park for now and go to church from graveyard side. Here I doused gas torch and waited for bot to move north from church entrance and Mechanist turn west, so I will run along right side, open door and get inside. To get loot I needed to use 2 moss arrows on metal floor. Candlesticks have short frob range, for moneybox I need to strafe run to corner behind turning Mechanist and drop down. Return the same way.

Time for problem #2 - destroying Flesh Transmuter. Peter Smith, Vanguard and dafydd failed it. Though dafydd tried nudging turning Mechanist. From his description it looks like he tried nudging guard south along canal and it didn't work. Goldsla claims success until problem #3, but doesn't mention this problem at all, so I don't know if he avoided alert or just assumed it's a script.

So originally I wanted to nudge him north, because I wanted to nudge him NE closer to pub where is also a lot of shadow. South is too well lighten to be my choice. But he was seeing me, so i decided to nudge him east. I doused torch and 2 gas torches near bathhouse and also moved very slowly forward, so i would be undetectable for him. It worked. I nudge Mechanist past crates and that was enough. This short push took me 30 min. Turning Mechanist wasn't alerting to explosion, but patrollers did.

Here I learned that explosion is heard on street anywhere close to canal. That's why dafydd's nudge didn't work. This means that street to the south going along canal to old fort and street behind it in front of warehouse B are danger zones and patrollers being there can hear explosion. Mechanists from old fort and thieves from warehouse B don't hear explosion, so it's only about timing patrollers. Also when you are in transmuter room patrollers freeze, because they are too far away. Go outside to unfreeze them. Also for whatever reason dafydd destroyed transmuter with fire arrow, but you only need to use control panel. I checked for alerts by drinking other invisibility potion.

Now is time to return to park, but I can't use elevator, because bot shoots me. Instead I returned to graveyard and strafe jumped from tombstone to mantle on wall. By dropping on north side I'm avoiding spawning tree beast in park. It means that there are 3 spawn trigger points. First one is elevator door and it's unavoidable. Second is passage near bricks leading to hole in wall. You can avoid it by mantling on highest bricks near wall. Third spot is outside gatehouse, but you can avoid it by hugging hedge. This means that nobody is extremely sensitive, so I can grab every piece of loot from park and easily go to north gate.

Here I need to use 2 moss arrows to shoot switches above north and east statues, then I shoot 3rd moss arrow on gravel to nudge Mechanist left to pillar. This way I can get inside lava cave to steal 3 masks. East passage leads to locked door. There is no key and intended way is to blow it with explosive device. And that's problem #3.

Peter Smith used intended way, but was forced to gas nearby Mechanist to save him from death. Goldsla used mine, which alerted Mechanist. Funny thing that none of them mentioned that exploding door is damage property. Vanguard and dafydd realized that it's possible to open door by throwing at it lit flare. Does this count as damage property? I wouldn't say so as throwing flare is very non violent and it never opens locked door like that. So I count that as oversight from author. I did the same way - went into niche near door, looked up and threw flare, so it will unlock door while falling.

STATS:

Time: 1:58:39; Loot: 5950/7050
Pockets Picked: 1/1; Locks Picked: 5
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Secrets: 5/5

GHOST: CHEMICAL SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: CHEMICALLY POSSIBLE

Galaer on 11/6/2023 at 18:49

SNEAKING THROUGH VENICE

Mission reported by Hexameron as failure, because:

1. Cannot kill Negretto (obj) without alerting him and two other thieves.
2. Cannot drop down into secret grotto with treasure chest (obj) without alerting a number of AI.

Thieves hideout is tricky to ghost. After turning off light I need to nudge thief right, so he will fall to bottom of stairs. In marble corridors are carpets, but they don't work, so it sounds like marble. I go behind thief to casino, quickly douse 2 gas torches without any 2nd alert (sometimes happens, sometimes not) and then jump on shelf without mantling. Go on right side of noble to get all loot. Below turn off light and go to shelf. After 1st alert you can douse gas torches.

Then return to nudged thief and go right. Douse 2 gas torches and mantle on table for all plates. I doused floor to fall quietly from it. In next room turn off light and nudge thief forward. Then I mossed stairs and 2nd lamp. When woman goes back to bedroom mantle on stairs, on 2nd lamp and drop for 3 coins on window. No shadow, so wait for woman to leave bedroom, quickly mantle on lamp and hide in bedroom.

Time for both ghost problems that are connected. When going to chest room don't close door, because after spawning Negreto and his bodyguards, thieves from above floor will 2nd alert to this door. Yes, in this mission enemies can hear through walls. Then go to chest, crouch and strafe run on tiny ledge in front of it. Open chest and floor will vanish. Negreto and his henchmen will show up in previous room. Go to door and shoot rope arrow into right side of lower part of chest, which is ropable. Archers can't be nudged, but you can sneak in front of first one and KO Negreto. Bring his body to chest room and strafe jump on rope to quietly descend into water. Wait for Negreto to die and then leave his body at the bottom of water. This way he will die quietly. If you would drop his living body into water, he would make noise and alert other thieves. Swim for waterproof chest to finish this mission.

STATS:

Time: 0:15:21; Loot: 1320/1320
Pockets Picked: 6/6; Locks Picked: 6
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 1
Damage Dealt: 1; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 1
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Secrets: 3/3

GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT GHOST: SUCCESS

lordhern on 8/7/2023 at 21:29

Rockpool

A new T2 FM so when I downloaded it I decided to blind ironman it.

Sadly I didn't scribble any notes when I was playing it and when I ended the mission on this first (and my only) playthrough with ghost success I discovered that I also was a perfect thief getting all the secrets. I do recall one secret door that cannot close so the loot behind it will not be available for Supreme. don't remember much else.

STATS:

Time: 1:41:53; Loot: 3180/3180
Pockets Picked: 6/6; Locks Picked: 12
Back Stabs: 0; Knock Outs: 0
Damage Dealt: 0; Damage Taken: 0; Healing Taken: 0
Innocents killed: 0; Others killed: 0
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 0; Disabled: 0
Secrets: 4/4

Blind Ironman: SUCCESS
GHOST: SUCCESS
PERFECT THIEF: SUCCESS!

klatremus on 9/7/2023 at 01:56

Thank you for the report, lordhern. A blind ironman perfect thief success is pretty crazy stuff! If that secret door cannot be reclosed it is not a Supreme bust. You only have to close what the engine allows you to.

lordhern on 9/7/2023 at 20:41

I should have said its a potetional supreme bust as I did not check if the AI's report on it's open state. I agree if they do not alert to it it could be ok.

downwinder on 10/7/2023 at 00:51

i am wondering if alerting a rat would be a bust?

klatremus on 8/10/2023 at 19:43

Game: Thief 2
FM: Patriot, Mission 4: Partner

Ghost - Failed
Perfect Thief - Failed
Supreme Ghost - Failed
Perfect Supreme - Failed
Time - 49:14
Loot - 1500/1500
Pockets Picked - 1/2
Secrets - 1/3
Locks Picked - 5
Backstabs - 0, Knockouts - 0
Damage dealt - 0, Damage taken - 0
Innocents Killed: 0, and others Killed: 2
Consumables - 2 Fire Arrows & 2 Explosive Charges

See the entire report with screenshots (https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot4.htm) here!
Loot list (https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot4_L.htm) here.
YouTube let's play (https://youtu.be/1VcTHBdswFw) here!

Comments:
This mission is enjoyable, but overall doesn’t reach the quality of the previous three. However, the gameplay mechanics in this one are very interesting and alone makes it worth it. The Patriot campaign continues to impress in its ingenuity and story, and not at any point have I considered giving up on it. I hope as many players as possible take the chance to experience Zontik’s brilliance.

This mission was split into two distinct areas, playing as two different characters; Garrett and Victoria. Garrett had to stop the train by barricading the tracks using equipment found in some nearby coal mines. Victoria had to get on the train, neutralize the crew, and remove the brake system before jumping off. I could skip back and forth between either character at will. A very clever game mechanic that I have not seen utilized to this extent before.

Garrett
I could get into the caves by slowly sneaking down the slope and up the staircase by the barracks. I couldn’t get the loot inside the barracks for Supreme, as the guard outside heard the door. I dropped to ground level and crept inside unseen. The cave to the south on level 1 wasn’t accessible just yet. The guard saw or heard me go by. The tunnels from behind was only reachable if breaking boards, which is property damage. I’d have to ascend using the lift later.

There was a diamond in an office safe connected to an alarm system. However, there was a button under the desk that turned off the alarm once active, and I could reach it before any guard heard the commotion (image below). I could frob it from the front of the desk even. Only one guard alerted to this to my knowledge, so I could easily check whether he alerted after opening the safe. This had to be skipped for Supreme though, as security systems can’t be disabled for that mode, following rule #8.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot4_files/image001.jpg

On level 2 there was a tricky piece of loot in a mining cart. A guard stared straight at it, so I definitely had to come from behind. I snuck over to the cave wall on his right side unseen. I couldn’t pass along this wall without a first alert, but I managed to reach the north end without triggering hunt mode. From here, I could lean in and get the nugget from outside the cart (image below); I luckily didn’t have to mantle into it. Most items in this mission had very short frob range, but this nugget was different. I ended up grabbing a lantern on this level also. I could finish the mission without it, but it was a real pain, and I knew the mission couldn’t be Supreme ghosted anyway.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot4_files/image002.jpg

The bottom two levels weren’t that difficult. A roaming lanternguard patrolled two of the levels. Two more patrolling guards spawned once I opened the gate on level 4, but they weren’t a problem avoiding. Grabbed the explosives, two fire arrows from the secret cave and headed out. Returned the lantern and the key for Supreme. I could take the alternate exit from level 1 back up to the starting mountain. The manhole closed on its own. After placing the charges, I switched to Victoria.

Victoria
The easiest way by far into the train station was via the cargo lift in the southeast. I could drop without any alerts, sending the lift back across the alley. Creep-crouched all the way into the train. The alternate way in might be possible for Ghost, but not for Supreme. It involved turning off lights, as well as picking up a key that couldn’t be returned without alerts. I also had to turn off a vent to lure the outside guard away from the entry door. This might be allowed as it is a scripted response, but since it is avoidable, it definitely should be skipped.

On the train the biggest problem was gassing the two crew members. Galaer came up with an excellent method of using the bedroll to cushion the gas mine (image below), so big thanks to him for that method. I left the brake pads on the train after removing them. The bedroll had to be brought along in order to survive the hop off the train, and at that point it couldn’t be thrown back.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot4_files/image003.jpg

Garrett Again
The only way to set off the explosive charges was by way of fire arrows. This alerted 3-4 guards below (image below). There was no way around it, but definitely a Ghost bust. This was fairly easy to accept, as it was a bust forced by design. I hoped lit flares would set off the charges, but no to avail. Galaer reported that more guards heard the train crash, and although I didn’t see it, I’m sure that is correct.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot4_files/image004.jpg

Notes:
- Skipped a stack of gold coins from the barracks for Supreme. The outside guard heard the opening the door.
- Skipped a diamond worth 125 in the directorate’s office for Supreme. The alarm had to be turned off, which is a bust for that mode.
- I picked up a lantern in order to navigate the mines easier. I could have used flares or no light source at all, but I took the easy route since I knew the mission couldn’t be Supremed.
- Skipped a gold nugget on level 2 of the mines for Supreme. Getting it spawned a first alert from the nearby guard.
- At least 4 guards alerted to hunt mode when shooting the explosive charges. Ghost busts.
- The train crash might possibly also have put some mechanist guards into search mode, but this is arguably not a bust, since they don’t alert from detecting me.

klatremus on 18/10/2023 at 19:31

Game: Thief 2
FM: Patriot, Mission 5: Saboteur

Ghost - Failed
Perfect Thief - Failed
Supreme Ghost - Failed
Perfect Supreme - Failed
Time - 1:11:56
Loot - None
Pockets Picked - 1/1
Secrets - 7/7
Locks Picked - 2
Backstabs - 0, Knockouts - 0
Damage dealt - 0, Damage taken - 0
Innocents Killed: 0, and others Killed: 23
Iron Beasts Destroyed: 5, Disabled: 0
Consumables - 1 Invisibility Potion and 5 Explosive Charges

See the entire report with screenshots (https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5.htm) here!
Loot list (https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_L.htm) here.
YouTube let's play (https://youtu.be/7J8K2mPk_Bk?si=HkSAlY2Tua3cFKcT) here!

Comments:
This is probably the most impressive mission in the campaign so far design wise. The mechanist factory feels very natural, yet unique in construction. Building explosive charges and then placing them is very satisfying, and ties well in with the overall plot. Zontik continues to astonish me with his varied settings and creative building style. I only hope it can continue with the same beat.

I had to visit Blackbrook Robots and place 5 explosive charges in key locations, then detonate them remotely. Problem was I had to give up my charges before entering the facility, adding an objective of finding additional explosives along the way.

Main Factory
Dropping the charges into the chute at the start could be done silently, once I discovered the method. I had to stand right up against the chute, then lean and immediately press drop. If the charge hit the metal frame, it would set off the nearby guard. Said guard also had to be dealt with. I found a predictable way to nudge him over to the right of the exit (image below). Guards in this campaign normally cannot be nudged without second alerting, but this guy could be fooled. I had to crouch and just walk into him from behind, no leaning or standing up. He gave tons of first alerts, but that was acceptable. The alternative was the blackjack.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image001.jpg

On my first playthrough I found a big bot stuck in the foundry. This eliminated the possibility of sneaking through this room southward, so I headed for the cannonballs in the west raw materials storage first. I wouldn't need to go through the foundry again after that, as there were ways around it. Timing the camera in the materials room was a bit tricky, but doable. Then picked up the empty shell from the outside dumpster and filled it with gunpowder from the armory.

Went south from here through assembling. Used the conveyor belt to enter soul forge. A stationary mechanist made life difficult here. I needed to use the upper walkway to avoid any alerts. To get there I found a method by mantling up the windowsill directly from the belt, then furthermore up the big robot here, and lastly up the metal walkway (image below). The mechanist working on the robot didn't give first alerts, so he only busted if he started hunt mode, which he didn't. Encircling the room I had to time the windows opening into the forge itself. They emitted a bright light when open. Got the wrench from the worker in Packing & Shipping, which was the only reason for coming down here. Headed back the same way, but had to make a hop from the upper walkway directly to the aforementioned conveyor belt (image below). Landing in a mantle is quiet, so nobody detected me.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image002.jpg

Grabbed the explosive charge and an invisibility potion from the lab, as well as the detonator from the parts storage. I couldn't enter Experimental Design without an access card, so I'd return here later. The security robot could see me through the double doors, so I treaded carefully. Used the bay door back into stamping and went to the alley with the dumpster. Since I now had two charges ready, I could place those in the two sockets in this area. The first was beyond the gate, but there was no lever from this side. I had to mantle up the lamp and onto the gate itself (first image below), then climbed onto the roof and dropped down a bit further east. The surfaces up here were noisy, so I listened for alerts. Then in the northeast I could reenter the facility via the canal in the water power station, dodging the camera and a worker (second image below).

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image003.jpg

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image004.jpg

Placed the charge in the fuel station and picked up an empty can nearby. Then went back to the armory and built most of the next charge; this one had to be finished in the experimental design area later. The last thing in this part of the facility was getting the charge from the director's office. This posed a problem, as there was a camera staring straight out from the office's main entrance. There was a security office where I could turn the camera off, but that is a Supreme bust, plus I'd have to pass the camera in order to get to said security office. This is what I needed the invisibility potion from earlier for. However, I found that if fast enough, I could sprint down the hall, into the office, get the charge and leave again, just in time before the potion wore off (first image below). This was still a bust for Supreme, but it circumvented the need to turn off the camera. Plus the camera would have to be left in the off position, so this essentially brought the Supreme bust count down from 3 to 1. I also realized I didn't need to get the access card from the director's office at all. I could instead climb the roofs from the gate by the dumpster like before and mantle the railing of the small bridge to the south (second image below). I was in no need of returning to the northern section of the facility again anyway.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image005.jpg

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image006.jpg

Experimental Design
This entire area was much easier to navigate, due to the lack of enemies in important rooms. Made the next charge in the stamping room and headed down to the test area. The giant robot presented several new challenges. First, it had a cloaking device that made it phase in and out of visibility. If it disappeared, I could simply wait and it would reappear. To begin with, it was stationary, facing east outside the northwest entrance to the outer rim. As long as I stayed on its west side, it didn't see me. I used the wrench to get the impulse source. The panel I had to drop further south, otherwise the robot would hear it. Whenever I used one of the four doorways to the outer halls, the robot had a scripted response where it would patrol over to the entrance to the same doorway. This was not an alert, but a programmed script and thus no bust. I could use this to decide where the robot would go. After placing the impulse source in the fuse slot, I needed it to go to the far south in order to destroy it. If stationed to the west, I could use the southeast doorway and lure it close enough to the impulse to destroy it, even outside the wall (image below). Although it didn't show up as a kill or iron beast destroyed in the stats, this was still property damage. Destroying the robot is not explicitly stated in the objectives, so this unfortunately was a Ghost bust, albeit forced by mission design. Removing the fuse also turned off the lights, which was a Supreme bust.

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image007.jpg

Shortened the robot shell back in the armory using the saw, and placed it in the last slot in this very room. Exited to the streets and got ready to detonate. Had to jump on the top crate in the shed in order to reach the lever. Picking up the crates was possible, but they broke when I set them down. I wedged my way down behind the bottom crate in order to finally highlight the lever (image below).

Inline Image:

https://www.klatremus.org/Patriot5_files/image008.jpg

The guard next door heard the explosion, and that is a clear Ghost bust. However, everyone in the facility also died, along with the security bots. Is that a bust also? Rule #11 of the regular Ghost rules says: “Unavoidable consequences triggered at the same time as completing a required objective are also excused, but must be reported.” The interpretation section furthermore says: “Events that happen at exactly the same time as the objective being completed, but not resulting in Garrett being seen or heard, are ok.” I would say these deaths follow along with both of these statements, and therefore I argue that they are not busts.

Notes:
- Had to nudge the guard in the first room to the side in order to pass. Allowed as a last resort for Ghost, but disallowed for Supreme. He also gave lots of first alerts. Early busts.
- Used an invisibility potion in order to obtain the explosive charge from the director's office. Supreme bust.
- Had to destroy the special iron beast in the test chamber in order to obtain the last explosive charge. Property damage and a Ghost bust.
- Also had to remove the fuse and thus turn off the lights in order to destroy the aforementioned iron beast. Supreme bust.
- Alerted the nearby guard when detonating the charges from the shed. Ghost bust.
- Are the guards and iron beasts destroyed in the explosion a bust? Or are they an immediate consequence of completing a mandatory objective? I think no bust.