Difference between revisions of "Caliginous Caper (mission)"

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{{Mission infobox
 
{{Mission infobox
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|mission-name=Caliginous Caper
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  | mission-name         = Caliginous Caper
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|mission-file-name=mvm_coaltown_event
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  | mission-file-name     = mvm_ghost_town
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|mission-map=[[Coaltown Event]]
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  | mission-map           = [[Ghost Town]] (Coaltown Event)
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|mission-waves=1 wave, 8 subwaves
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  | mission-type          = Endurance
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|mission-diff=Nightmare
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  | mission-waves         = 1 wave with 8 subwaves
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|mission-startingmoney=5000
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  | mission-diff         = Nightmare
 +
  | mission-startingmoney = 5000
 +
  | mission-totalmoney    = 8300
 +
  | mission-maxmoney      = 13300
 +
  | mission-minrespawn    = 3
 +
  | mission-maxrespawn    = 3
 +
  | mission-fixedrespawn  = Yes
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  | mission-tour          = None
 +
  | mission-busterspawn  = 120 seconds
 +
  | mission-busterrespawn = 120 seconds
 
}}
 
}}
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'''Caliginous Caper''' is a nightmare endurance [[Mann vs. Machine mission|mission]] available on the [[Coaltown Event]] map. This mission has only one incredibly long wave, Wave 666, consisting of 911 enemies (not counting support-only enemies) and 9 [[Tank Robot|Tanks]] with no checkpoints whatsoever. All robots in this mission, with the exception of [[Sentry Buster]]s, are [[Voodoo-Cursed Soul|reskinned]] to look like zombies, though this is purely cosmetic.
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'''Caliginous Caper''' is a nightmare endurance [[Mann vs. Machine mission|mission]] available on the [[Ghost Town]] map. This mission has only one incredibly long wave, Wave 666, consisting of 911 enemies (not counting support-only enemies) and 9 [[Tank Robot|Tanks]] with no checkpoints whatsoever. All robots in this mission, with the exception of [[Sentry Buster]]s, are [[Voodoo-Cursed Soul|reskinned]] to look like zombies, though this is purely cosmetic.
  
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As an endurance mission, Caliginous Caper features a timer that will appear over the bomb when it is not being carried, similar to the timer that appears over the briefcase in Capture the Flag or Special Delivery. When the timer runs out, the bomb is reset back to the robot spawn area.  
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As an endurance mission, Caliginous Caper features a timer that will appear over the bomb when it is not being carried, similar to the timer that appears over the briefcase in Capture the Flag or Special Delivery. When the timer runs out, the bomb is reset back to the robot spawn area. In addition, the respawn time for the defenders is set at a constant 3 seconds.
  
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==Waves==
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__TOC__
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{{clr}}
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== Waves ==
 
{{Mvm mission caliginous caper}}
 
{{Mvm mission caliginous caper}}
  
 
== General Strategy ==
 
== General Strategy ==
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Caliginous Caper doesn't have its own difficulty for no reason. Beating this mission requires the right team composition, knowing what to expect in each sub-waves and good teamwork.
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Contrary to popular belief, Caliginous Caper isn't actually that hard of a mission. The "Nightmare" moniker is more for flavor and to fit with the Halloween theme than any actual indication of difficulty. However, this mission is very different from any other in the game, and approaching it with the right strategy is helpful.
  
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* Your team requires multiple heavy damage-dealers in order to destroy the Tanks fast enough. As a rule of thumb, ''at least'' 2 Soldiers or Demomen are required, but 3 are recommended. You will also require an Engineer and a Pyro to reset the bomb. This leaves one more class to choose. A Scout is recommended, but other classes can work under certain conditions.
+
* Your team requires multiple heavy damage-dealers in order to destroy the Tanks and giants fast enough. Soldiers, Demos, Pyros, and Snipers are all great choices for the main damage classes. Having one or two support classes like Scout, Engineer or Spy is recommended.
−
** {{class link|Scout}} is an excellent support class. Besides his money-collecting skills, his [[Mad Milk]] greatly increases your team's survivability, and his [[Sandman]] can mark Giants, softening them up. He can also upgrade his Primary to contribute extra damage or upgrade his resistances to tank damage and draw enemy fire.
+
** {{class link|Scout}} is an excellent class to have here. Although players start the wave with plenty of money, collecting all that drops during the wave will help the team buy and use as many canteens as desired, in addition to keeping the Scout's health at ridiculously high levels. His [[Mad Milk]] is a great asset, increasing the survivability of any Soldiers, Pyros, Heavies, or Demomen on his team. Marking giants for death doesn't hurt, either, and the amount of money on this mission allows a Scout to fully upgrade his [[Scattergun]], allowing him to deal massive damage, especially to tanks. Dealing damage to tank comparable to Soldiers and Pyros, Scout can easily jump on top of a tank and unload his weapon into it without fear of being back-stabbed.
−
** {{class link|Soldier}} provides a combination of high damage and team support. By maxing out the damage of his rockets, the Soldier can deal heavy damage to Tanks, Giants, or waves of zombies altogether, and his [[Buff Banner]] provides him and his allies increased damage with no damage fall-off. During the second half of the mission, when all enemies become crit-boosted, consider switching to the [[Battalion's Backup]] to increase protection for your teammates and to nullify the critical damage of all the enemies.
+
** {{class link|Soldier}} provides a combination of high amounts of explosive damage and team support and is arguably the best class for this mission. The [[Beggar's Bazooka]] is by far the best primary weapon choice for Soldier here. Coupled with his [[Concheror]], he is able to spam rockets upon groups of robots, giants, tanks, and makes it much harder for Spy bots to backstab him, especially if he positions himself on top of the tank and rocket jumps himself into the air. He is also able to quickly fly back to spawn via Overload Jumping to take out anyone who has slipped through to take them out quickly. Since the [[Two Cities Update]], the Soldier can update his Rocket Specialist ability to allow his rockets to stun giant robots temporarily, as well as increasing their blast radius to allow him to deal massive damage to larger groups of small robots.  
−
** {{class link|Pyro}} is an essential class, capable of dealing high damage and resetting the bomb. Pushing the bomb carrier into the pit whenever the opportunity presents gives his team a much greater chance in winning the mission, and the damage boost upgrade to his [[Flamethrower]] means he can provide lots of damage. Maximizing resistances and movement speed helps the Pyro accomplish these tasks. Using an Übercharge Canteen allows you to distract zombies for your teammates to get a clean shot, while dealing high damage yourself.
+
** {{class link|Pyro}} is a useful class, capable of dealing high damage, killing Spies, and resetting the bomb. Pushing the bomb carrier into the pit with airblast can be helpful if the bomb gets too far, preventing a lone Scout from sneaking through and delivering the bomb before anyone can react. However, the bomb will reset itself periodically, so resetting is not as useful as on other maps. Upgrading Damage and Health on kill on the [[Flamethrower]], coupled with Movement Speed and Resistances, can make the Pyro almost invincible. Consider using the [[Backburner]] or [[Phlogistinator]] to maximize damage against giants or tanks, respectively. Let robots target your teammates first so that you can ambush them for maximum damage.
−
** {{class link|Demoman}} provides raw damage, like the Soldier. The Demoman can use his [[Stickybomb Launcher]] to clear a wave of zombies and deal concentrated damage against Giants and Tanks, and eliminate those pesky [[Medic Robot|Über Medics]] before they can even do anything. On the other hand, the Demoman can also equip a [[Chargin' Targe]] and upgrade resistances to tank loads of damage and use his [[Grenade Launcher]] as his primary source of damage.
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** {{class link|Demoman}} is another class that can take advantage of splash damage here. Although his raw DPS might not be as high against tanks as the Soldier's, the Demoman can use his [[Stickybomb Launcher]] to deal blanket damage to hordes of robots. The ability to eliminate those pesky [[Medic Robot|Über Medics]] before they can do anything is helpful, but not essential since Soldiers should already have enough upgrades to do the same. Equipping the [[Chargin' Targe]] and upgrading resistances to tank loads of damage and using the [[Grenade Launcher]] or even melee as your primary source of damage here are viable options as well.
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** {{class link|Heavy}} provides constant damage against zombies and Giants. If he has readily available sources of mini-crits or crits, he can deal high damage from long distances, where he's safe, and his sustained damage works well with [[Mad Milk]], dealing damage while healing with little gaps. If he has the [[Natascha]] equipped, he can slow down zombies to a crawl, giving your team a bigger window of opportunity to deal damage. However, his lack of a damage boost upgrade on his Primary means that he won't be dealing as much raw damage as the Soldier or Demoman.
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** {{class link|Heavy}} is not as useful class here as on most missions, unless he has a Medic that is willing to pocket him with the right loadout and upgrades. His relative ineffectiveness against tanks and the amount of the money players begin the mission with making him less effective than normal compared to most other classes, but his ability to kill giants can still be quite helpful. It is not advisable for beginners to play Heavy without the support of a Medic or a Scout using Mad Milk. It is essential for a Heavy to have Penetration, Destroy Projectiles, and Health on Kill upgrades.
−
*** Alternatively, the Heavy can pair upgraded resistances with [[Fists of Steel]]. Combining this with the Heavy's naturally high health allows him to "tank" incoming fire like no other.
+
** {{class link|Engineer}} is virtually an essential asset in most missions, especially in this one, depending on the set-up you are running (such as Scout, Heavy+Medic, Sniper, Soldier). Teleporters for quick transport, a Dispenser for ammo, and a Sentry to keep Scout bots from slipping through will always be helpful. The Engineer should be responsible for taking care of stragglers and guarding the bomb, as well as making it easier for your teammates to have a steady supply of ammo, health, and a quick way to get back to spawn for upgrades and canteens.
−
** {{class link|Engineer}}, like in any other mission, is an essential asset. His [[Sentry Gun]] is great at eliminating waves of zombies without letting any slip away, and can draw fire to it. His [[Teleporter]] allows his teammates to get in the front lines ASAP, and his [[Dispenser]] provides health and ammo when needed. More than one Engineer is not required, and even not recommended.
+
** {{class link|Medic}} is a very recommended class for this mission if you have a friend or teammate running Heavy that will cooperate with you. With the [[Kritzkrieg]], your Heavy will annihilate any and all robots, giants, and tanks, and your shield will block all incoming damage. If you and the Heavy are running the correct class and upgrades, the wave will be a walk in the park. Upgrading to have a fast ÜberCharge will ensure you will keep your heavy in constant crits, and having the max shield and overheal upgrades are essential, shield to keep your heavy from dying and overheal to make it so he doesn't die so quickly when your shield is down. Having the ability to share canteens is also very important when you absolutely need crits in tight moments when you are down on ÜberCharge.
−
** {{class link|Medic}} does not provide much direct firepower, but boosts his allies' instead. With the [[Kritzkrieg]], the Medic keeps his teammates alive, and Übercharge provides a ton of damage in crit boosts. The Medic's ability to share canteens is also vital. He can combine his Übercharge Canteen with his teammate's crit boost Canteen to safely and quickly take out a group of Giants.
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** {{class link|Sniper}} excels against giants and Heavies, both of which appear aplenty in this mission. With Explosive Headshots and Projectile Penetration, the Sniper can headshot two giants at once and deal heavy damage all surrounding zombies. The end result is similar to spamming Beggar's Bazooka rockets into massed targets. His upgraded [[Jarate]] provides support to his team and makes his shots even easier. The Sniper can even do appreciable damage against tanks by noscoping them with maximum Reload Speed (it may be helpful to stand on top of the tank to avoid Spies). Also, equipping the [[Bushwacka]] with maximum fire rate, coupled with a Soldier's [[Buff Banner]], the Sniper can deal constant melee crits. The [[Hitman's Heatmaker]] can be very effective against giants, as its 'focus' mode allows for a fast rate of headshotting giants, made even more powerful through damage, projectile penetration and explosive headshots upgrades. Be sure to target the slowest-moving robot of the in a group.
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** {{class link|Sniper}} excels against Giants. With the [[Machina]] and damage boost upgrade maxed out, a fully-charged headshot deals over 1000 damage. With Explosive Headshots, the Sniper can also simply headshot a slow target and deal heavy damage to every other zombie around it. His [[Jarate]] keeps him useful by providing mini-crits and a slow. However, the Sniper's biggest flaw is that he provides little damage against Tanks, and he will have a lot of trouble against the waves of crit-boosted zombies.
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** {{class link|Spy}} is basically a novelty class here, although he can prove to a helpful class at times. Due to the number of tanks and the sheer number of non-giant robots, Spy will have difficulty contributing his "fair share" of damage. His giant-killing ability is impressive, though, and his ability to draw the robots' attention away from teammates can be quite helpful. He can be useful as the primary money collector or simply as a fun class to have on a server where the other players don't mind doing a little extra work. Due to the sheer amount of money available, Spy can even afford to upgrade his gun and spam crit canteens to help a bit with tank-killing. Equipped with the [[Diamondback]], [[Dead Ringer]], and [[Big Earner]], Spies can easily help contain giant robots and destroy tanks.
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** {{class link|Spy}} is extremely risky to play, due to the constant barrage of fire and how naturally fragile he is. On the plus side, his [[Sapper]] is extremely potent at disabling and slowing, and with attack speed and armor penetration maxed out, although risky, he can deal heavy damage to Giants, or even kill one by himself. The Spy is terrible when it comes to dealing with Tanks, however.
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* Each subwave on Caliginous Caper can be split into three categories: Giants (Subwaves 1-3, 5, 6B), Tanks (Subwaves 4, 5, 7, 8G), and Crits (Subwaves 6A, 8A-G). Each part requires different strategies.
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* Each subwave on Caliginous Caper can be split into three categories: Giants (Subwaves 1-3, 5, 6B), Tanks (Subwaves 4, 5, 7, 8G), and crit-boosted zombies (Subwaves 6A, 8A-G). Each parts require different strategies.
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** Giant waves: The closer you let them get to the spawn, the less chance of winning you have. At that point, the Giants will spawncamp you, preventing you from getting into a favorable position to attack them. Apply mini-crits and Mad Milk whenever possible. Use crit boost Canteens if you need to take them out fast, or an Übercharge canteen if you're cornered by them or to tank their attacks.
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** Giant waves: The closer you let them get to the spawn, the less chance you have winning. At that point, Giants will "spawn camp" you, preventing you from getting into a favorable position to attack them. As a Soldier, Demoman, or Heavy, keep your distance so that your Pyro or the Sentry Gun can draw fire towards them. Apply mini-crits and Mad Milk whenever possible. Use crit boost Canteens if you need to take them out fast, or an Übercharge canteen if you're cornered by them or to tank their attacks.
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*** On Subwave 6B (Giant Deflector Heavy & Giant Medic), be sure to take out the Giant Medic first since it heals at a virtually infinite rate. It is best to take out Giant Medics with large bursts of damage.
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*** On Subwave 2 (Super Charged Soldiers & Über Medics), there are a few ways to one-shot the Über Medics. A crit-boosted sticky bomb carpet, a reflected crit rocket, or Jarate + Explosive Headshot are a few ways to kill the medics fast. You can also delay killing the bomb carrier in the first subwave so that by the time the Giant Soldiers spawn, the bomb is reset, preventing it from appearing until the next subwave.
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** Tank waves: Your Tank busters (Soldiers, Demomen, and Pyros) should focus on dealing enough damage before moving onto the zombies. Be sure to keep an eye on the bomb while killing tanks. Crit boost canteens may be helpful for these waves.
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*** On Subwave 6B (Giant Deflector Heavy & Giant Medic), be sure to take out the Giant Medic first, since it heals at such a fast rate. One tactic is to hide, then ambush the Giant Medic from behind while the Giant Heavy is distracted.
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*** On Subwave 7 (Spies & Tanks) avoid getting backstabbed while you kill the tanks. Strafing while you attack, constantly checking behind you, and shooting everything that moves should be enough to keep you alive. Classes that don't deal explosive damage should consider standing on the tank for safety.
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** Tank waves: Your Tank busters (Soldiers, Demomen, and Pyros) should focus on dealing enough damage before moving onto the zombies. As for Pyros, be sure to keep track of the bomb, so that you can leave, reset the bomb, and come back. Be sure to stock up on crit boost Canteens for these waves.
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****Zombie Spies always spawn at the exit of your team's spawn, so it might be helpful for even just one member to stay at spawn and get the Spies' attention, allowing your teammates to focus on taking care of the tanks.
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*** On Subwave 5 (Giant Rapid Fire Demoman & Tanks), make sure to concentrate on the Giant Demomen as well, since if they get too close to the spawn, it can become very problematic. Push the bomb carrier into the pit whenever possible.
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** Crit waves: With little or no resistances upgraded, they will be able to kill you in a single shot. At this point, you should invest some money into upgrading resistances. Maximizing crit resistance will let most classes survive at least one hit. Übercharge canteens may help.
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*** On Subwave 7 (Spies & Tanks), your Pyro should aim so that they're both dealing damage to the Tank and Spy-checking at the same time. Don't let the Spies backstab you while your Crit boost canteen is active! Also, Soldiers, Demomen and Heavies should consider keeping their backs onto a wall while attacking tanks. Spies will attempt to stab you in the front, but will be much easier to dispose of.
 
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** Crit-boosted zombie wave: Without little or no resistances upgraded, they will be able to kill you in a single shot. At this point, you should invest some money into upgrading resistances. Maximizing crit resistance will let most classes survive at least one hit. Buy Übercharge canteens whenever you can.
 
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*** If you upgraded your resistances considerably, one strategy is to maximize your Health on kill upgrade and use your Übercharge canteen when you're about to die. Since the zombies are at least fragile, you should be at full health by the time your Übercharge wears out.
 
 
*** If the crit-boosted zombies are too much for you, as a Pyro or Heavy, you can take cover behind the walls on either side of the map between the middle building and the side buildings and constantly fire to the sides, creating a "wall of death". This gives the zombies less time to react, depending on how fast you kill them.
 
*** If the crit-boosted zombies are too much for you, as a Pyro or Heavy, you can take cover behind the walls on either side of the map between the middle building and the side buildings and constantly fire to the sides, creating a "wall of death". This gives the zombies less time to react, depending on how fast you kill them.
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*** The crit-boosted Soldier zombies are the most frustrating enemies in the entire wave, as their constant barrage of super-powered rockets can throw off your aim, even with an Übercharge activated. Be sure to have someone distract them for Soldiers, Heavies, or Demomen to take out from afar. The same goes for crit-boosted Demoman zombies, but at a lesser extent.
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*** The crit-boosted Soldier zombies can be the most frustrating enemies in the entire wave, as their constant barrage of super-powered rockets can throw off your aim.
 
*** As a Soldier, be careful against the zombie Pyros. They are very skilled at reflecting rockets, and one reflected rocket can end up killing you or an ally.
 
*** As a Soldier, be careful against the zombie Pyros. They are very skilled at reflecting rockets, and one reflected rocket can end up killing you or an ally.
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*** The final stretch (final Tank & Heavy-Medic combos): Split your force between the Tank and the Heavy-Medic combos. The player(s) dealing with the Heavy and Medics are to distract them long enough to keep your Tank busters away from them. If you don't have a convenient way to dispatch the Medics, your best bet is to let them trigger their ÜberCharges and activate your own Übercharge canteens long enough to outlast the Medic's Übercharge and kill them.
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*** The final stretch (final Tank & Heavy-Medic combos): Split your force between the Tank and the Heavy-Medic combos. The player(s) dealing with the Heavy and Medics are to distract them long enough to keep your Tank busters away from them. If you don't have a convenient way to dispatch the Medics, your best bet is to let them trigger their ÜberCharges early so you can finish them off before they make it too far.
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* When to buy, what to buy and when to use your [[Power Up Canteen|Canteens]] can mean victory or defeat. Critical Hit canteens are essential in taking out Tanks on time and Giants when in a pinch, and Übercharge canteens are almost necessary in order to survive the onslaught of crit-boosted zombies halfway through the wave. Don't be afraid to switch canteens if you have to.
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* Canteens can be helpful to players having difficulty. Plenty of money is available to buy them, but make sure you're getting upgrades as well!
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* While you start the wave with a ton of money, don't forget to collect the money whenever possible. You need all the money you can get for upgrades, buybacks and canteens.
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* While you start the wave with a ton of money, don't forget to collect the money whenever possible. You need all the money you can get for upgrades, respawns, and canteens.
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* Most Giants will have a hard time tracking you if you circle-strafe them with enough movement speed. Use this to distract enemy Giants.
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* An easy class balance for beginners to beat the mission with is 4 Soldiers with the Buff Banner and Beggar's Bazooka, with an Engineer and Scout for support.
 +
 
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== Trivia ==
 +
* An alternate version of this wave can be found in the game files named {{code|mvm_ghost_town_666.pop}} with some minor tweaks in credits dropped, robot health, amount of robots spawned, and cosmetics.
 +
* "Caliginous" as a word means "dim", "misty", and/or "dark".
 +
 
 +
== Update history ==
 +
'''{{Patch name|10|26|2012}}'''
 +
* Added the map [[Coaltown Event|Mvm_coaltown_event]] with a special Halloween [[Mann vs. Machine mission|mission]]
 +
 
 +
'''{{Patch name|11|2|2012}}'''
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* Added more credits to Caliginous Caper, Wave 666
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* [[Coaltown Event]]
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*[[:File:Mvm ghost town 666.txt|The pop file for Caliginous Caper]]
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{{MvmMissionsNav}}
 
{{MvmMissionsNav}}

Latest revision as of 22:01, 6 September 2023

Caliginous Caper
Basic Information
Name: Caliginous Caper

File name:

mvm_ghost_town
Developer(s): Valve
Map: Ghost Town (Coaltown Event)
Mission type: Endurance
Waves: 1 wave with 8 subwaves
Difficulty: Nightmare
Starting credits: 5000
Maximum possible credits: 13300
Minimum respawn wave time: 3
Maximum respawn wave time: 3
Fixed respawn time: Yes
Tour: None
Sentry Buster spawn time: 120 seconds
Sentry Buster respawn time: 120 seconds

Caliginous Caper is a nightmare endurance mission available on the Ghost Town map. This mission has only one incredibly long wave, Wave 666, consisting of 911 enemies (not counting support-only enemies) and 9 Tanks with no checkpoints whatsoever. All robots in this mission, with the exception of Sentry Busters, are reskinned to look like zombies, though this is purely cosmetic.

As an endurance mission, Caliginous Caper features a timer that will appear over the bomb when it is not being carried, similar to the timer that appears over the briefcase in Capture the Flag or Special Delivery. When the timer runs out, the bomb is reset back to the robot spawn area. In addition, the respawn time for the defenders is set at a constant 3 seconds.

Waves

Sub-wave Class Count Delay(s) Credits
Wave 666
1
Scout bonk
 Hard Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance
 10 10 30 0 0 300
Pyro
 Easy Fires continuously 8 8 32 3 7 200
Demoknight
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance
 4 4 12 5 5 200
2
Soldier crit
 Normal — 4 20 20 5 2 400
Medic uber

Über Medic		 Normal Pictogram plus.png Spawns with full Über

Pictogram plus.png +400% ÜberCharge rate
Pictogram minus.png -90% heal rate
Pictogram minus.png -3 seconds Über duration
3
Soldier
 Easy — 5 10 40 8 2 300
Heavy
 Easy — 5 10 40 8 2 300
Soldier infinite
 Expert — 1 2 5 8 30 200
Heavy
 Expert — 1 2 5 8 30 200
4
Scout
 Easy Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance

Spawns from all three sides 		5 10 80 10 8 600
Tank
 35,000 — 1 — 3 0 50 600
5
Demoman

Type 2		 Expert — 5 10 40 10 10 500
Demoknight
 Hard Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance
 5 5 40 30 8 500
Tank
 40,000 — — — 1 55 0 600
6A
Soldier
 Expert Direct Hit The Direct Hit
Buff Banner The Buff Banner
Pictogram plus.png Spawns with full rage

Pictogram plus.png +800% buff duration
Pictogram plus.png +100% damage dealt
Spawns from all three sides 		10 20 40 15 2 300
6B
Heavy deflector
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance
 2 8 8 0 30 400
Medic
 Expert —
7
Tank
 42,000 — 1 — 4 10 30 1100
Spy
 Expert — 8 16 96 40 5 200
8A
Sniper bow
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance

Pictogram plus.png +50% damage dealt
Pictogram plus.png +80% faster reload rate
Spawns from all three sides 		5 20 75 10 1 300
8B
Soldier
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance

Pictogram plus.png +100% damage dealt
Pictogram plus.png +180% faster reload rate
Pictogram plus.png +40% fire rate bonus
Spawns from all three sides 		5 20 75 10 1 300
8C
Demoman
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance

Pictogram plus.png +100% damage dealt
Pictogram plus.png +180% faster reload rate
Pictogram plus.png +100% projectile speed
Spawns from all three sides 		5 20 75 5 1 200
8D
Pyro
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance

Pictogram plus.png +100% damage dealt
Pictogram plus.png +50% movement speed
Spawns from all three sides 		5 20 75 10 1 200
8E
Scout
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance

Spawns from all three sides 		5 20 75 5 1 200
8F
Heavy
 Expert Pictogram plus.png 100% crit chance

Pictogram plus.png +50% damage dealt
Spawns from all three sides 		4 22 48 5 1 200
Medic uber

Über Medic		 Normal Pictogram plus.png Spawns with full Über

Pictogram plus.png +400% ÜberCharge rate
Pictogram minus.png -90% heal rate
Pictogram minus.png -3 seconds Über duration
8G
Tank
 60,000 — — — 1 20 0 0
Support
Sniper
 Hard Vision range 3000 2 — — 120 210 —
Spy
 Expert — 2 — — 180 180 —

General Strategy

Contrary to popular belief, Caliginous Caper isn't actually that hard of a mission. The "Nightmare" moniker is more for flavor and to fit with the Halloween theme than any actual indication of difficulty. However, this mission is very different from any other in the game, and approaching it with the right strategy is helpful.

  • Your team requires multiple heavy damage-dealers in order to destroy the Tanks and giants fast enough. Soldiers, Demos, Pyros, and Snipers are all great choices for the main damage classes. Having one or two support classes like Scout, Engineer or Spy is recommended.
    • Leaderboard class scout.png Scout is an excellent class to have here. Although players start the wave with plenty of money, collecting all that drops during the wave will help the team buy and use as many canteens as desired, in addition to keeping the Scout's health at ridiculously high levels. His Mad Milk is a great asset, increasing the survivability of any Soldiers, Pyros, Heavies, or Demomen on his team. Marking giants for death doesn't hurt, either, and the amount of money on this mission allows a Scout to fully upgrade his Scattergun, allowing him to deal massive damage, especially to tanks. Dealing damage to tank comparable to Soldiers and Pyros, Scout can easily jump on top of a tank and unload his weapon into it without fear of being back-stabbed.
    • Leaderboard class soldier.png Soldier provides a combination of high amounts of explosive damage and team support and is arguably the best class for this mission. The Beggar's Bazooka is by far the best primary weapon choice for Soldier here. Coupled with his Concheror, he is able to spam rockets upon groups of robots, giants, tanks, and makes it much harder for Spy bots to backstab him, especially if he positions himself on top of the tank and rocket jumps himself into the air. He is also able to quickly fly back to spawn via Overload Jumping to take out anyone who has slipped through to take them out quickly. Since the Two Cities Update, the Soldier can update his Rocket Specialist ability to allow his rockets to stun giant robots temporarily, as well as increasing their blast radius to allow him to deal massive damage to larger groups of small robots.
    • Leaderboard class pyro.png Pyro is a useful class, capable of dealing high damage, killing Spies, and resetting the bomb. Pushing the bomb carrier into the pit with airblast can be helpful if the bomb gets too far, preventing a lone Scout from sneaking through and delivering the bomb before anyone can react. However, the bomb will reset itself periodically, so resetting is not as useful as on other maps. Upgrading Damage and Health on kill on the Flamethrower, coupled with Movement Speed and Resistances, can make the Pyro almost invincible. Consider using the Backburner or Phlogistinator to maximize damage against giants or tanks, respectively. Let robots target your teammates first so that you can ambush them for maximum damage.
    • Leaderboard class demoman.png Demoman is another class that can take advantage of splash damage here. Although his raw DPS might not be as high against tanks as the Soldier's, the Demoman can use his Stickybomb Launcher to deal blanket damage to hordes of robots. The ability to eliminate those pesky Über Medics before they can do anything is helpful, but not essential since Soldiers should already have enough upgrades to do the same. Equipping the Chargin' Targe and upgrading resistances to tank loads of damage and using the Grenade Launcher or even melee as your primary source of damage here are viable options as well.
    • Leaderboard class heavy.png Heavy is not as useful class here as on most missions, unless he has a Medic that is willing to pocket him with the right loadout and upgrades. His relative ineffectiveness against tanks and the amount of the money players begin the mission with making him less effective than normal compared to most other classes, but his ability to kill giants can still be quite helpful. It is not advisable for beginners to play Heavy without the support of a Medic or a Scout using Mad Milk. It is essential for a Heavy to have Penetration, Destroy Projectiles, and Health on Kill upgrades.
    • Leaderboard class engineer.png Engineer is virtually an essential asset in most missions, especially in this one, depending on the set-up you are running (such as Scout, Heavy+Medic, Sniper, Soldier). Teleporters for quick transport, a Dispenser for ammo, and a Sentry to keep Scout bots from slipping through will always be helpful. The Engineer should be responsible for taking care of stragglers and guarding the bomb, as well as making it easier for your teammates to have a steady supply of ammo, health, and a quick way to get back to spawn for upgrades and canteens.
    • Leaderboard class medic.png Medic is a very recommended class for this mission if you have a friend or teammate running Heavy that will cooperate with you. With the Kritzkrieg, your Heavy will annihilate any and all robots, giants, and tanks, and your shield will block all incoming damage. If you and the Heavy are running the correct class and upgrades, the wave will be a walk in the park. Upgrading to have a fast ÜberCharge will ensure you will keep your heavy in constant crits, and having the max shield and overheal upgrades are essential, shield to keep your heavy from dying and overheal to make it so he doesn't die so quickly when your shield is down. Having the ability to share canteens is also very important when you absolutely need crits in tight moments when you are down on ÜberCharge.
    • Leaderboard class sniper.png Sniper excels against giants and Heavies, both of which appear aplenty in this mission. With Explosive Headshots and Projectile Penetration, the Sniper can headshot two giants at once and deal heavy damage all surrounding zombies. The end result is similar to spamming Beggar's Bazooka rockets into massed targets. His upgraded Jarate provides support to his team and makes his shots even easier. The Sniper can even do appreciable damage against tanks by noscoping them with maximum Reload Speed (it may be helpful to stand on top of the tank to avoid Spies). Also, equipping the Bushwacka with maximum fire rate, coupled with a Soldier's Buff Banner, the Sniper can deal constant melee crits. The Hitman's Heatmaker can be very effective against giants, as its 'focus' mode allows for a fast rate of headshotting giants, made even more powerful through damage, projectile penetration and explosive headshots upgrades. Be sure to target the slowest-moving robot of the in a group.
    • Leaderboard class spy.png Spy is basically a novelty class here, although he can prove to a helpful class at times. Due to the number of tanks and the sheer number of non-giant robots, Spy will have difficulty contributing his "fair share" of damage. His giant-killing ability is impressive, though, and his ability to draw the robots' attention away from teammates can be quite helpful. He can be useful as the primary money collector or simply as a fun class to have on a server where the other players don't mind doing a little extra work. Due to the sheer amount of money available, Spy can even afford to upgrade his gun and spam crit canteens to help a bit with tank-killing. Equipped with the Diamondback, Dead Ringer, and Big Earner, Spies can easily help contain giant robots and destroy tanks.
  • Each subwave on Caliginous Caper can be split into three categories: Giants (Subwaves 1-3, 5, 6B), Tanks (Subwaves 4, 5, 7, 8G), and Crits (Subwaves 6A, 8A-G). Each part requires different strategies.
    • Giant waves: The closer you let them get to the spawn, the less chance of winning you have. At that point, the Giants will spawncamp you, preventing you from getting into a favorable position to attack them. Apply mini-crits and Mad Milk whenever possible. Use crit boost Canteens if you need to take them out fast, or an Übercharge canteen if you're cornered by them or to tank their attacks.
      • On Subwave 6B (Giant Deflector Heavy & Giant Medic), be sure to take out the Giant Medic first since it heals at a virtually infinite rate. It is best to take out Giant Medics with large bursts of damage.
    • Tank waves: Your Tank busters (Soldiers, Demomen, and Pyros) should focus on dealing enough damage before moving onto the zombies. Be sure to keep an eye on the bomb while killing tanks. Crit boost canteens may be helpful for these waves.
      • On Subwave 7 (Spies & Tanks) avoid getting backstabbed while you kill the tanks. Strafing while you attack, constantly checking behind you, and shooting everything that moves should be enough to keep you alive. Classes that don't deal explosive damage should consider standing on the tank for safety.
        • Zombie Spies always spawn at the exit of your team's spawn, so it might be helpful for even just one member to stay at spawn and get the Spies' attention, allowing your teammates to focus on taking care of the tanks.
    • Crit waves: With little or no resistances upgraded, they will be able to kill you in a single shot. At this point, you should invest some money into upgrading resistances. Maximizing crit resistance will let most classes survive at least one hit. Übercharge canteens may help.
      • If the crit-boosted zombies are too much for you, as a Pyro or Heavy, you can take cover behind the walls on either side of the map between the middle building and the side buildings and constantly fire to the sides, creating a "wall of death". This gives the zombies less time to react, depending on how fast you kill them.
      • The crit-boosted Soldier zombies can be the most frustrating enemies in the entire wave, as their constant barrage of super-powered rockets can throw off your aim.
      • As a Soldier, be careful against the zombie Pyros. They are very skilled at reflecting rockets, and one reflected rocket can end up killing you or an ally.
      • The final stretch (final Tank & Heavy-Medic combos): Split your force between the Tank and the Heavy-Medic combos. The player(s) dealing with the Heavy and Medics are to distract them long enough to keep your Tank busters away from them. If you don't have a convenient way to dispatch the Medics, your best bet is to let them trigger their ÜberCharges early so you can finish them off before they make it too far.
  • Canteens can be helpful to players having difficulty. Plenty of money is available to buy them, but make sure you're getting upgrades as well!
  • While you start the wave with a ton of money, don't forget to collect the money whenever possible. You need all the money you can get for upgrades, respawns, and canteens.
  • An easy class balance for beginners to beat the mission with is 4 Soldiers with the Buff Banner and Beggar's Bazooka, with an Engineer and Scout for support.

Trivia

  • An alternate version of this wave can be found in the game files named mvm_ghost_town_666.pop with some minor tweaks in credits dropped, robot health, amount of robots spawned, and cosmetics.
  • "Caliginous" as a word means "dim", "misty", and/or "dark".

Update history

October 26, 2012 Patch

November 2, 2012 Patch

  • Added more credits to Caliginous Caper, Wave 666

See also

v • d • e
Mvm navicon.png Mann vs. Machine Missions
Tour of Duty
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Maps
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