I need some tips and strategy so I can get a gold medal on Battle Above Taloraan. Can anyone help me out?
I have taken the liberty of pasting here some excerpts from a walkthrough I have written on the subject. Some of it just tells you how to beat the stage, but I think you can sort out the surplus info from the rest. Hope it helps.
Begin the mission with the brake depressed. Knock out all the Imperial canisters on the first platform. DO NOT DESTROY CIVILIAN CANS! If you hit too many, the mission will fail. The civilian canisters are plain except for a wide blue stripe at the bottom, whereas the Imperial containers are a paler color and bear the Imperial star symbol.
Platform 2: Now move on to the next platform, which is at a considerably lower altitude. As soon as you can see it, floor the brakes and fire at the four Imperial cans. They are on the inside of the platform surrounding the center pole. Then shoot the three on the top.
Platforms 3 & 4: Ascend to your previous altitude for these platforms. Again, brake as soon as they come in to view, and fire not at the canisters, but at the gun turrets. These will be on the perimeters of the platforms. If you have read the enemies and strategies section of this FAQ, then you know about these sinister weapons. The first four on these two platforms should not be too difficult to dispose of, but be ready for anything. Now rid the area of Imperial containers and move on to the 5th platform.
Platform 5: Set lower in the atmosphere like platform 2, this is the second most dangerous in the stage: approach with caution. EVERTTHING on the floor of this platform is Imperial. SHOOT EVERYTHING!!!!!! It is covered with those nasty turrets at their minimum tangibility. You may find this area frustrating, and it will probably be the first place you die. However, learning to live through this part will be nearly essential to completing the mission so practice hard. Upon destruction of this accursed locale, you will again rise on your way to...
Platforms 6 & 7.: Okay, this is kind of hard, because if you haven’t noticed it at previous locations, this area contains INTANGIBLE CANISTERS as well as turrets. So if you don’t see your blasters making contact, don’t keep flying toward your target as if it will inevitably blow up before you get there. It won’t. At least 7 out of 10 deaths at Taloraan can be contributed to pilots who were shooting at a canister, it didn’t blow up, and so they ran right into the dang thing. Try no to let that happen. Fly out a ways, then turn around and try again. When shooting canisters in this part, fire down on them so that if your shots go through one, they won’t hit an innocent can behind it. Once you track down the cans and destroy them, fly toward the final platform.
Platform 8: Here’s where you want to have some seekers saved up. A huge swarm of TIE fighters and TIE interceptors will blacken the sky in front of you. Try to hit as many as you can, taking minimal damage. You should soon see a large platform city closely resembling that of Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back. Fly over the top, swerving and varying your speed to avoid laser fire from incoming TIEs. The 8th platform is set below and behind the city. You might want to take off the Auto Roll and Auto Level to optimize your performance. This platform contains missile launchers. Coming in from above prevents the turrets from getting a clear shot at you. Destroy them all before they blow up the blue canisters. Now take out the remaining Imperial cans and whalla! You’ve completed the Taloraan stage.
Gold on Taloraan is not easily won. Believe it or not, one of the hardest objectives to achieve is the friendly save. You need to protect the Rebel Blockade Runner that flies through the stage. At the first few platforms, worrying about it is not crucial, but by 5, 6 & 7, you need to execute all the guns within range of the blockade runner, and all the TIEs as well. If you leave it alone, chances are the Imperial forces will run roughshod over it, erasing your chances at gold. It stops at platform 7, so you won’t need to fuss over it after that, unless you’re worried about that big swarm of TIEs headed in that direction...
Also you’ll need to go the extra mile to shoot down enough enemies, a task immensely simplified by what else? Seeker missiles. Ooooooo...
The bonus is to be found near the center of the city between the two towers. Dive bomb your craft to pick it up, and then go straight up into the sky to avoid becoming just another statistic on the building wall.
"Nice job, Skywalker. I'm beginning to see why they say you're the best."
-Kasan Moor, Taloraan
[This message has been edited by star turtle (edited March 28, 2000).]
<font size=-2>*lol* *snicker*
If I may comment, I have found that the Taloraan level requires a certian amount of surgical precision. My preferred craft for the level is the Naboo starfighter. Since the original question involves the pursuit of a gold medal, I assume that person has already played successfully through the Battle of Calamari. Once Calamari is completed all the vesels in the hangar are available for use in most levels. On Taloraan, the Naboo starfighter's narrow firing trajectory and streamlined shape come in handy for the many tight spaces. Also, its firepower is greater than that of the default A-wing. Two shots takes out a canister,four takes out a turret, and one or two take out a TIE depending on where you hit it. The Naboo starfighter's greater speed and agility also make it ideal for chasing TIEs of every kind, for preceding the transport, and for getting the bonus unscathed.