WEP '12, Day 45 - Old Republic Log XIX

We hit Taral V last night.  The result?  Failure.  Everything had been going fine until the final section.  Taral V feels like you're adventuring outdoors for the most part.  You've got a primary objective, some secondary ones, and even a sequence of staged objectives where you kill wildlife, then kill Imperials, then hack security terminals, then finally kill off a side boss, the base commander.  There's another sequence where you blow up research stations, after which you can use a terminal to blow up a couple of the sentry guns protecting the final boss.

Unfortunately, the last three bosses, including the base commander, are stone cold bastards.  There's a giant robot with near instant kill missiles that you have to avoid.  We eventually got past him, but then there was the Sith Lord optional boss who could Force Storm and pull everyone in then blast the shit outta them.  We lost to him a few times then opted out of the option.  Finally the big boss hits like a truck, has sentry guns, and halfway through calls in some guards to help him out.  It was a pain, and we were all tired and frustrated by the time we got to him, so we called it a night after our fourth defeat.

By comparison, the early bosses, one a guy and his giant cats, the other another guy and his tamed monster, went down on the first try each.  Probably we need more levels to take out the big guys, which is annoying, but what can you do?  We also discovered that the three Flashpoints we thought we were going to do are really two Flashpoints.  The Jedi Prisoner Flashpoint only exists to give you some story elements before sending you straight into Taral V.  Why the need to call it something else and make us think there's an extra Republic Flashpoint, I've no idea.

I finished Alderaan, and put the finishing touches on chapter one of the Trooper story, which is pretty cool. I'll talk about Alderaan in the customary spoiler section after the portrait.  Speaking of which, it occurred to me that I've got a couple of non-combat outfits that Kelynn can wear.  I'll start with the first one I picked up, a Coruscant High Society Dress....

Kelynn, Level 35 Vanguard, Republic Fleet
Tasia, Level 21 Sith Sorceress, Balmora
Alia, Level 12 Jedi Shadow, Coruscant
Leanra, Level 3 Imperial Agent, Hutta

It is a time of civil war...and SPOILERS.

SPOILERS for the rightful Queen of Alderaan!

No, despite the silly outfit, you don't end up being the Queen of Alderaan.  The dress does look pretty royal, though.  Anyway, Alderaan is all about the Alderaanian Civil War.  Obviously, as a Trooper, I'm also there to hunt down the traitor Gearbox, but that's actually pretty easy.  Three missions, none of them very hard, and bam, one blown to hell traitor.  However, since Garza also ordered me to help the Republic's mission to Alderaan, I spent a hell of a lot more time saving House Organa, putting a beatdown on their rival houses, and, eventually, deposing the usurper and restoring the Alderaanian throne.  

After all that, I got word from base where to finally find Tavus, stormed his Star Destroyer, and captured him.  Oddly enough, there was no Light Side/Dark Side to whether or not to execute him, so I kept him alive for interrogation purposes.  After which, Garza gave me some time off!  I can start the next chapter by holo-calling the boss, but until then, I can do what I want.  And since Kelynn Vashe (having just earned her Legacy title) is now level 35 and ready for the next two guild runs as is, I'm just going to let her relax on Carrick Station.  Maybe I'll play Tasia or Leanra for awhile instead.