Community Replay Kicks Off Prophecy

After nine busy months, the Community Replay event has reached Wing Commander Prophecy. The game will start slow due to the possible mission branching early in WCP. Up this week are the introductory missions in the H'rekkah System. DaveO has already posted video walkthroughs here. While he works on his Prophecy writeups, here's another look back at the end of WC4.

The Saint Helens is pressing its pursuit of the Vesuvius near Saturn. Pliers stops me and asks if he should get the Flash-Pak ready so that we can use it on the Vesuvius. Pliers tells me that specs from Captain Eisen recommend us to use the Flash-Pak on the insides of the Vesuvius. I know that it’s now or never to stop Tolwyn from reaching Earth and tell Pliers to load the Flash-Pak on my ship. I get up to the CIC, and Admiral Tolwyn comes on the communication line to gloat. He congratulates me on being tenacious, but says that the Saint Helens has taken too much damage to continue its pursuit. Tolwyn then says that he’s invincible, and that I can do nothing to prevent his address to the Great Assembly as a newly promoted Space Marshal.

Unknown to me, Admiral Tolwyn tells Seether to take care of me personally. Tolwyn thinks that I’ve always been a thorn in his side, and that I could have achieved greatness if I had not turned my back on Confed. Seether prepares himself for this upcoming struggle for survival.

Captain Eisen comes on the communication line and confirms what Admiral Tolwyn was saying. Stopping the Vesuvius will be up to us, and I have a big bang present waiting to be delivered with the Flash-Pak.

Blade, Excell, Tex and I head to our encounter with the Vesuvius. I accidentally order Tex back to base immediately, and he turns around. Excell wastes no time in taking down an enemy Hellcat, and Blade and I make a combined fighter kill. I fry a Hellcat at very close range with the Dragon’s guns, and then Excell and I down another Hellcat together. I decide to cloak since it seems like the Vesuvius could send an endless stream of fighters. I head straight for the hangar bay while Blade blasts a Hellcat out of space. The Flash-Pak gets locked on the Vesuvius, and Excell takes down yet another Hellcat. Blade makes his mark against another enemy fighter, and I uncloak in the middle of the Vesuvius’ hangar bay. I let loose with the Flash-Pak and it fries the Vesuvius. Lt. Sosa tells me that a ship was detected leaving from the Vesuvius before its explosion. Sosa tells me that the way is clear for me to land, but I want to help out against any stray Hellcats. Blade gets one of the remaining fighters, and Excell is taking a bit of a beating in her Dragon. She manages to kill a Hellcat, and I help in destroying the last fighter. Looks like Admiral Tolwyn will be able to keep his promise to address the Great Assembly on Earth.

Making the Games: Manta Artwork

The first fighter the collection is the Nephilim Manta, arguably Wing Commander Prophecy's emblematic alien ship (similar to the Dralthi in the Kilrathi games). Here we see Syd Mead's original Manta sketch, two high resolution renderings and a set of rendered Claw Marks style 'line art' for the craft.

Thanks to Captain Johnny for both archiving and providing this material!