Convoy Decoy (STAG Arc)

Cash Earned: $10,000

Respect Earned: 2,500

Unlocks: New Vehicle—STAG F-69 VTOL

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Steal a High-Tech Fighter

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Pierce has a one-track mind and for a change he is putting it to good use by playing chess with the Oleg. Unfortunately, he is very distracted and right now the Saints need to focus on the latest and greatest threat—STAG. The Saints need to clear out their HQ to avoid the high profile the penthouse gives them. It’s time to create a distraction for STAG so that Pierce can pack up shop.

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Drive to a STAG base and cause some mayhem to provide a good decoy. Smash through the weak chain-link fence and quickly trade up your vehicle for one of STAG’s N-Forcers. The left side of the building looks more secluded for your infiltration but it can be tricky to navigate because of the large concrete barriers. The right side is even worse! If you are going fast enough, you can smash through one barrier but there won’t be enough space and speed to knock out the others. Go slow to steer around the blockades but be careful not to stop or go too slow because the STAG soldiers can run up and boot you from their ride. Ultimately, it won’t matter once you’re behind the wheel because the machine gun on top should be able to keep STAG at bay until you make it to the back of the base to hijack an F-69 VTOL.

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Sprint to one of the airships and hop on board. This is a high-tech plane with utterly devastating firepower. One trigger controls the laser canon that slices through enemies like a hot knife through butter. The other trigger launches rockets that can lock onto their targets. When the trigger is pressed, a red gauge appears above the fighter and begins to fill up. The longer the trigger is held, the more rockets will be armed and ready to seek out their target. Even when the curved red bar is full, the button can still be held down to keep the rockets charged for a maximum volley when needed. Hover above the base to try out the sleek toy and take great satisfaction in destroying everything below.

Destroy STAG Bases

The first base was easy to demolish but you still need to keep STAG occupied for a while. Blowing up their base definitely got their attention, and STAG puts the word out to all of their other bases. Luckily the plane you jacked has the locations of three other STAG bases. Get some altitude and check the map and HUD to find the closest base, as indicated by the blue marker with the lowest number.

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Not only is this plane an excellent fighter, but you can convert from hover mode to jet mode. Weapons will still be available in jet mode but the aircraft moves very fast and this makes it difficult to shoot small stationary targets. However, the flight mode is excellent for traveling long distances. Switch to it now and go to the first of three bases that is just north of your current position. When the red markers appear on the HUD, toggle back into hover mode and wipe out the rooftop base. There is not a lot of resistance from the base in the sky but the others will be a lot more challenging.

Clear a Path for the Convoy

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A call comes in from Pierce, who is stuck at a bridge with the Saints’ convoy. Switch back to jet mode and quickly soar to the troubled spot to clear a path for the convey. There are two sets of STAG blockades: one in the middle and one on the far side of the bridge. Approach the bridge from the same side the Saints are on and wipe out the enemies in the middle first. This will keep the other group, on the opposite side, from launching an effective offensive. When the middle is clear, turn your weapons on the second group and blow them away to open traffic for the convoy. When the blockade is gone, look out for and destroy any enemy F-69 VTOL before you take off.

Blow Up the Third Base

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Switch into flight mode and fly to the next base that is under a freeway near two identical buildings. From this point on the mission gets really tough. Planes and tanks, armed with laser canons, come out in force, along with other STAG forces. It’s essential to check the minimap and look for the plane and tank icons before they cut you to ribbons. It should go without saying, but these must be eliminated as soon as possible to avoid taking heavy damage to your fighter. A few blasts from those cannons and you will be looking for another plane.

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It might be best to approach the second base by flying around the buildings rather than hovering over the water or bridge. Staying close to a building protects one side of your plane from damage.

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Make sure to take out any STAG forces before attempting to wipe out the base. It’s also important to note that there is grounded F-69 VTOL next to one of the twin buildings, if your plane takes too much damage. Destroy everything you can from this spot and hover to the other side of the freeway to blast any remaining structures.

Eliminate the Fourth Base

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The final STAG base awaits...