Secret Weapon

Overview

Secret Weapon is the first sub-chapter of Chapter 10: Counterattack, covering the 138th through 142nd main missions of Crimson Desert. The sub-chapter takes place entirely in Gorthak, the orc homeland within the Delesyia region. Its central thread is the coalition against Caliburn and their sky fortress hovering above Fort Musket. To bring it down, Kliff must forge an alliance with the orcs of Gorthak and obtain their secret weapon: the A.T.A.G., a walking mechanical fortress loaded with explosives.

The sub-chapter is light on combat for most of its length. Four of the five quests involve cutscenes, NPC follow sequences, or puzzle interactions that require no fighting. The fifth quest, Clockwork Insect Clash, is a large-scale combat mission best handled inside the A.T.A.G. mech unlocked during the preceding quest.

Quest List

Untouchable

Untouchable is the 138th main mission and the opening quest of the Secret Weapon sub-chapter. It begins immediately after completing Lust for Power from the previous sub-chapter.

Quest Description

"Factions from across Pywel rallied at the outpost in opposition of Caliburn. A flying fortress hovering above Fort Musket was identified as the greatest obstacle."

Walkthrough

This is a short, story-driven quest with a single objective. Travel to the quest marker in the Gorthak area of Delesyia and approach the large white tent at Fort Musket's outpost. The moment you near the tent, a cutscene triggers in which allied factions convene to plan their assault on Caliburn. The coalition identifies the sky fortress as the primary threat blocking any advance on the fort, and the decision is made to seek the help of the orc leader Valgash. The quest completes once the cutscene ends.

No combat or puzzle-solving is required. The quest is scene-setting for the quests that follow.

Key Details

The Gate of War

The Gate of War is the 139th main mission. It sends Kliff to the Gate of Peace, the main entrance to Gorthak, which has fallen into chaos following an assault by clockwork insects.

Quest Description

"The Gate of Peace, the entrance to Gorthak, was in chaos following an assault of clockwork insects."

Walkthrough

1. Go to the Gate of Peace. Travel to the stone tower at the quest marker. The surrounding area is crawling with mechanical bug enemies fighting the orc guards, but you can ride straight past all of them without engaging. Approaching the tower triggers a cutscene that sets up the objective.

2. Climb to the top floor and activate the device. After the cutscene, enter the tower and head up the stairs to the top floor. You will find a large machine there. On the right side of the machine is a cog: interact with it to insert the Disruptor component. Then move to the large handle in the center of the machine and pull it. A short cutscene plays as the air defense device activates.

3. Speak with the Orc Captain. Descend back downstairs and find the Orc Captain standing on the fortress wall outside. Speak with him. He directs you to Valgash, the orc chief, and explains that Valgash is somewhere deeper in Gorthak amid the insect chaos. This conversation completes the quest.

Combat is entirely optional here. The clockwork insects in the area are aggressive but slow enough to avoid on horseback. Save your stamina and healing supplies for the Clockwork Insect Clash later in the sub-chapter.

Key Details

Master of the Ironworks

Master of the Ironworks is the 140th main mission. The objective is to locate Valgash, leader of Gorthak, who is caught up in the insect crisis engulfing his territory.

Quest Description

"Valgash, leader of Gorthak, is in a difficult position. Unable to cooperate due to the chaos caused by the insect swarm, he proposed that mutual aid could resolve both situations."

Walkthrough

1. Ride to the quest marker in the center of Gorthak. The path takes you through areas where clockwork insects are clashing with orc warriors. You can ride through without stopping. When you reach the marker, a cutscene introduces Valgash and shows the scale of the insect problem threatening his ironworks.

2. Follow Valgash downhill. After the cutscene, Valgash begins walking toward his base. Stay close to him as he moves downhill through the orc settlement. Do not rush ahead or stray too far behind. When he reaches the base, a second cutscene plays: Valgash reveals that he has a secret weapon capable of turning the tide and proposes a deal. This completes the quest.

Key Details

Hidden Ace

Hidden Ace is the 141st main mission and the most mechanically distinct quest in the sub-chapter. It introduces the A.T.A.G., a large mechanical combat unit built by the orcs of Gorthak. The quest is a training tutorial for the mech before deploying it in battle.

Quest Description

"Valgash's secret weapon, the A.T.A.G., is unlike anything seen before. Loaded with explosives, the machine is essentially a walking fortress."

Walkthrough

1. Find Valgash's secret weapon. Head to the marker at the top of the area, where you will find a dwarf standing in front of a large blue robot. Speak with the dwarf. A tutorial popup appears explaining how to mount and operate the A.T.A.G. The game treats the mech similarly to a horse: approach it from the back to mount.

2. Learn how to operate the A.T.A.G. After the tutorial prompt, a cutscene follows that shows the artisan orc who built the mech. Follow the artisan's guidance by reading the on-screen control prompts. You will see the available weapons: a rapid-fire gatling gun and a rocket launcher, both effective against different enemy types.

3. Operate the A.T.A.G. on the training ground. Ride the mech downhill to the ruins where 15 practice targets are set up. Destroy all 15 targets. The rapid-fire gun clears them the fastest. A counter in the top-right corner of the screen tracks your progress. You do not need to use every weapon type; just destroy all targets by any means.

4. Return and open the gate. After destroying all targets, ride the A.T.A.G. back toward Valgash's base. Pull the lever on the right side of the gate to unlock the second, fully armed unit. A cutscene confirms the mech is ready for combat deployment, completing the quest.

A.T.A.G. Controls

Key Details

Clockwork Insect Clash

Clockwork Insect Clash is the 142nd main mission and the final quest of the Secret Weapon sub-chapter. It is a large-scale elimination mission: deploy the A.T.A.G. into the heart of Gorthak and destroy every clockwork insect in the region.

Quest Description

"The clockwork insects swarming Gorthak were driven out, and the ironworks is secure."

Walkthrough

1. Enter the mission area in Gorthak. A large red circle appears on the map marking the combat zone. Mount the A.T.A.G. before entering if possible. An enemy percentage counter appears on the left side of the screen showing how many clockwork insects remain in the area.

2. Eliminate all clockwork insects. Sweep through the red zone and destroy every mechanical enemy. The A.T.A.G.'s gatling gun is the most efficient tool for clearing groups, while rockets help against tougher individual units. If the mech sustains heavy damage, locate one of the repair sites within the zone and drive to it to restore its health before continuing.

3. Continue on foot if the mech is destroyed. If the A.T.A.G. is destroyed before you clear the area, dismount and finish off any remaining insects using Kliff's standard combat abilities. The insect enemies in this wave are not especially durable compared to earlier boss encounters.

4. Clear the counter to 0%. Once the last enemy is defeated and the counter reaches 0%, a cutscene plays. The orcs of Gorthak declare the ironworks secure, and the coalition prepares to advance on Fort Musket. The quest completes and the next quest, Beating Heart, becomes available.

The entire elimination wave takes a few minutes depending on how aggressively you sweep the zone. Stick to the A.T.A.G. for as long as possible, as its firepower and range allow you to defeat multiple insects at once without taking significant personal damage.

Key Details

Tips and Strategies

• Skip optional combat. In the first three quests (Untouchable, The Gate of War, Master of the Ironworks), nearly every clockwork insect encounter can be avoided entirely. Save your healing items and stamina consumables for Clockwork Insect Clash.

• Stay mounted during Clockwork Insect Clash. The A.T.A.G. is far more durable and deals far more damage per second than Kliff on foot. Use it for as long as it holds. Even if it gets destroyed partway through, any insects eliminated while mounted still count toward the 0% goal.

• Use repair sites proactively. Do not wait until the A.T.A.G. is nearly destroyed before visiting a repair site. Ducking in for a quick repair early in the fight means you keep the mech for the full wave rather than finishing the last third of the fight on foot.

• The gatling gun is your default tool. The rapid-fire gun dispatches individual and clustered insects quickly and does not require precision aiming. The rocket launcher is better saved for denser enemy clusters or the tougher variants.

• Follow the marker closely in Master of the Ironworks. Valgash moves at a steady walking pace downhill. If you ride too far ahead or fall too far behind, the follow sequence may reset. Stick within a moderate distance of him throughout the escort.

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