Video summary
The video documents the creator's attempt to complete the notoriously difficult "Iron Nest" mission in *Heavy Turret Simulator*, specifically focusing on the "Phantom Battery" scenario which has been criticized for its steep difficulty spike and broken mechanics. The core of this challenge involves defending a position against relentless enemy attacks while managing complex timers, such as counter-battery countdowns that pause only when specific emergency moves are executed or targets are destroyed. Throughout the gameplay, the creator struggles with precise calculations required to hit moving spotter planes and fire detection centers before time runs out, often facing frustration from missed shots due to distraction or miscalculated angles despite having superior firepower available.
As the battle intensifies, the mission shifts into a chaotic siege of Barcelona where the player must destroy enemy reinforcements arriving by rail and neutralize various high-value targets while under constant pressure. The creator employs strategic maneuvers like deploying spy planes for reconnaissance and utilizing emergency moves to pause critical timers, though resource limitations regarding requisition points prevent spamming these actions. Despite several setbacks involving distracted gameplay and failed calculations that force restarts, the player eventually manages to dismantle the enemy's organized resistance by systematically eliminating their fire direction centers and supply bunkers, effectively breaking the final line of defense around the city.
The climax of the video takes a humorous turn when the creator discovers an experimental nuclear missile capable of ending the engagement instantly but chooses instead to investigate its capabilities out of curiosity. This leads to a dramatic sequence where the player fires at their own commanding general, triggering a massive explosion that destroys Barcelona and reclassifies the Iron Nest unit as hostile traitors. The video concludes with multiple possible endings depending on whether the nuclear option is used or if the mission completes through conventional means, ultimately highlighting both the intense strategic depth of the game and the creator's willingness to embrace absurdity for entertainment value before wrapping up with plans to mix this title with *Project Zomboid* in future streams.
Read the full video transcript
He's dead.
He's dead. I don't know what this thing
does.
We're turning the wrong way. Ironness,
what are you doing?
Our records indicate you are your
bearing is towards the general.
Your bearing is toward Iron. Turn your
guns the other way. Ironness, do you
read? Iron Nest, please respond.
Sir, there's radio silence.
I'm sure the ironess knows what he's
doing. Bring me my bubbler.
>> [laughter]
>> General, today is your doom.
[laughter]
Welcome to the mission wall. And we are
up here. Ye old phantom battery. Still
haven't finished this guy. There's been
a lot of negative feedback. Apparently,
I've been hearing negative feedback
through the Twitch chats and uh some
people on Discord have been talking
about it. Although, I haven't done an
extensive search, but people are
complaining that this mission is broken
and are not happy about it because of uh
probably the difficulty ramp is the main
thing. And I can kind of agree with
that. It's like the game goes along at a
certain difficulty and then it just
peaks here, just skyrockets. It's a It's
a fun mission though. It is fun having
to constantly dodge and run from this
other Iron Nest. Basically, it's Iron
Sess V Iron Nest. Yeah, it's it's kind
of fun. So, today I'm going to use it as
a learning experience and take my time.
If I don't finish it today, then so be
it. But, uh, yeah, I'm just going to
enjoy the game today. Iron is now
active.
Not stretchy, is it? No.
Always remember close the door behind
you.
All right. Start and start. So start. I
think I go a little bit beyond it and
then Oh, no. No. A little bit before it.
Mhm. engines
are on. All right, we're going to E-
move. I call it E-Move for short. I
don't know why.
All right, what else we need? We need
Ford observer,
APhe need he
uh we might need powders. We might need
scout plans.
Okay, so we are somewhere within into
Come here, boy. Somewhere within into.
And I got a trick shared with me this
morning that I'm going to try. He says
to pinpoint your location instead of
using the method I use to move. Do a
manual move and then to determine where
you are. He says to use this uh this
feature in 302 the position
report to use that in two squares
surrounding you kind of like two
spotters.
So I just did an O2,
right? And then O2 says that it is 253
from 0289.
253
degrees from 02
89. So if I go to 0289
and do 253°,
we'll have this. And what we'll get is a
cross-section. And that will tell us
exactly where we are. So I'll do it
again at uh N3. And I didn't even think
about this. I was like, man, that's
brilliant. Yeah, I was like, "Yeah, says
cheap, too, because these only cost
these only cost three requisition
points." And so the other one is uh
N319.
152 degrees from N319.
152°.
So we are right here. So look at that.
That's exactly where I am at. See how
much easier that is than the move thing.
So I got my exact location now. N4310
N4310 555 N4310
We're gonna set a spy plane out to see
what's out there. Got to find these
scouts and shoot them in the face.
2 + 2 is four. That's quick maths. And
look, we got a hits already. Look at
that. Three clusters. Man, that's going
to be nice. Can I use a a on these guy?
Oh, these are um AC. See? And let's
delete that. Now, I can't get both of
these in here. Can't get both of those.
All right. So, we're going to take those
out. The plan is is that soon as I
attack, we're going to do an E move.
Going to do an emergency move, right?
And we'll have 16 seconds. So, I'm going
to fire this into the air. And I'm not
going to have time to get two off. I'm
going to fire this into the air. And as
soon as I fire it, I'm going to move.
Now, if he tracks me and hits me, we
we're going to confirm some some
theories today. Boy. Okay. So, the
distance is 7.69 kilometers.
69.
But why?
Okay, now I'm confused. Why are they
firing?
So, there was a timer going on.
There was another timer going on. It
wasn't just cuz that thing was paused.
All right, we did an emergency move.
We're at P1. I guess I got to go faster,
Chad. I'm running my mouth.
P1
down here. So, we're going to do Q1 and
P2
or location
Q1 and P2.
Q1
and P2
doing all right. Good, man. It's good to
hear.
So, iron is right there.
Okay.
Can we get a shot off this time? My
goodness.
Like I I I haven't even got a shot off.
That's why I'm like, how did I thought I
had to fire before the uh the countdown
started, so
that wasn't the case. All right, we're
using Heihei.
He
321.2 two.
I've technically already E moved.
I moved too early.
We're learning. So, I should wait for
them to shoot before I e move. I don't
do it. Don't do it ahead of time.
Okay.
Then we do an E move. It pauses the
clock, right?
Yeah. I think I got it. But there's I'm
telling you, man, that that internal
clock of whatever that was. I don't I
don't know.
All right, wait for the We're at 560.
It stopped. Emergency move.
So, after this hits, if nothing else
gets revealed, we got to do a spy plane
up here. We'll do like F7 that way to
reveal that map, that part of the map.
That's a hit.
And nothing else got revealed. We got a
new location at Q6. So iron. Oh, I got
two hits.
I should do a third, huh? Let's do P6
trifecta to answer this question.
Yep. Ironness is right here.
You may fire when ready.
Disperse battery does not relocate. A
rail gun does not. Okay, it's not
counting down. A rail gun does not
withstand 800 mm shell. This one did
both.
I think he's going to move again.
Is he going to move again?
Enemy iron hit. Still mobile.
Repositioning. Okay.
Forgot where we're shooting. Got him.
All right, let's E- move.
So, next move, if I don't see another
spotter, we're going to spy plane right
where he was just to get an updated
position.
He's shooting at me.
Look at these cards. Let's
just hit number three.
Dude, it's tough, man.
Still mobile. Repositioning. Severely
crippled. One more hit. Should finish
it. Oh,
could it be the final
blow to phantom battery?
He's dead.
Enemy ironess out of action. Recovery
detachment has already been dispatched.
Threat neutralized. You may stand down.
[cheering]
False fortress falls.
The Royal Empire of Castile is no longer
the only nation to field an iron nest.
Ambushed without warning, the iron nest
stroked off multiple direct hits without
shifting position, held the aim, and
ended the engagement with a single shot.
The imitation unmarked saved the 40
anti- monarchist colors, never fired
again. The ministry extends its
congratulations to whoever nation
[music] built it and his condolences
whoever built it so poorly. The future
of warfare, officials confirm, has
arrived, inspected it, and found it
entirely made of Castellian iron. The
age of the iron nest has begun. And the
general notes with some smuggness that
the Castile got there first, best, and
already has more in production.
Man, that's some good accuracy. Not
[laughter]
maintain exceptional average accuracy.
Well, come on, man. I didn't miss one
shot. What are you talking about? Shots
fired. Total kills.
I don't remember missing a shot, chat. I
went in with all Look at Look at all
these shots iron that the the phantom
battery took at me. Look at all these
holes over here. This is at me, man.
I was just sticking and moving the whole
time. H the last organized resistance
the anti- monarchist has caused has left
stands uh on the outskirts of Barcelona.
High command has ordered its total
destruction. In detail the siege of
Barcelona, the final bastion of the
anti-manarchis is underway. Allied
infantry and armor are engaged along the
full front. Iron will provide fire
support to that effort. Continue
destruction in detail until enemy
resistance in this sector collapses.
Direct your fire to inflict mass
casualties on enemy forces, targets, and
method at your discretion. Counter
battery fire will commence once first
shell lands. So, this is a counter
battery mission, too, but you got to
kill everybody at the same time. Um,
enemy fire direction centers are present
in this sector. Destroying an FDC pauses
the counter battery timer entirely.
Enemy fire detection centers. I don't
know what those look like yet, but
sounds like they're going to be a
priority because if you destroy those,
then the counter battery timer stops
forever in this mission. Enemy
reinforcements are inbound by rail.
Intercept them in transit or account for
them on arrival. Oh, they got trains on
this one, too. Planes, trains, and
automobiles. Allied units under fire may
request fire support. Response is at
your discretion. All right, we got three
spotters.
Um, and Iron Nest is at uh
G178
de Castaridos. The man station is at
J80. Arrival at Oh crap, there's some
time based stuff. Reference point alpha.
Oh, here are the fire detection centers.
Okay, I definitely want to get kill
those first if I can. It might be a
mistake, but that's what I want to do.
And we're under the clock on this one.
So, I'm I'm gonna take my time and if it
fails, it fails.
1026.
Make sure I have that ready.
Uh well,
seems someone miscalculated. [laughter]
I ain't going to say no names.
But somebody miscalculated chat
measuring
>> measuring. Let's split the uprights
here.
I missed both of them.
Gulp.
Infantry 2 stop responding. Position
overrun.
chat. They were asking me for help all
this time [laughter]
[snorts]
lol
[gasps]
like ironess help. I'm like, h, is it
44.9°
Celsius or Fahrenheit? I can't remember.
Got it. Finally.
Dang it.
Oh. Oh, we're counting down now. I
thought I got rid of the battery
systems.
And since we're doing an AP, hopefully
it'll uh
hopefully it'll account for some time
errors.
Got it.
Oh, he's dead. Never mind. What did I
kill?
Enemy supply bunker. Oh, I thought it
was an iron nest.
Okay.
Huh.
Well, now I'm sad. [laughter]
I
remember I said I was confident in my
calculations, chat.
It turns out
that they were wrong.
Yeah, that's what happened, chat.
Yeah, I got it wrong. I don't know what
I did. I don't know.
I don't want to do all these
calculations again. I just want to shoot
people.
This is like my fourth time starting
over. It's because of dumb mistakes. I
just need to take my time. The problem.
Okay, I've been in and out all stream.
I've been distracted like crazy. And
when I focus, I do well. At least in
theory. So, if I stay focused and not go
AFK or do something else, I might get
these calculations correct, you know?
But man, it's like I I came back. I was
like, what would I do? You know, I just
like in the middle of
like if I do like right there.
APhe
Yeah, that'll get both of them.
Just kind of an experiment here. I'm
going to take out a spotter
or whatever that was.
I got to figure out a way to pause that
clock.
I've already killed both of the fire
stations
and I know an emergency move will pause,
but that thing is expensive, man.
I ain't got enough requisition points to
be spamming E moves.
39.36
So maybe I can earn 60 with a couple
targets.
65
with a couple targets here.
See what it does to the timer here.
It paused it.
Why did it go away?
I I don't know what happened, but I
think we won. The anti-manarchist final
line of defense around Barcelona has
broken. What remained of an organized
anti- monarchist resistance has
committed here and what survives has
fallen back towards the city itself. No
surrender as of yet has been offered.
Primary objective complete. You may
stand down.
I don't I guess it was just a a number
of kills maybe.
But I'm very happy about that cuz I
didn't know what to do about that timer.
I was out of ideas.
Glory to Castine.
>> The Viper is defanged. Outskirts of
Barcelona. November 1st, 1928.
The anti- monarch's last organized
military force has been destroyed,
ending in every meaningful sense their
capacity to continue defying the
general's vision for a peaceful unified
peninsula. The ministry extends its
sympathies to a cause that never
understood it was already defeated the
moment it chose division over unity.
Only Barcelona remains and with it one
final [music] choice to join the peace
the general has always intend intended
for it or to be the last small corner of
the peninsula that must be shown away. I
didn't get away. What was this? Rapid
engagement. Fire the first shot swiftly
after receiving orders. I didn't know I
was supposed to do that. Anti-
monarchists are broken and the city of
Barcelona lays in the sights of iron.
[snorts] White shells.
This [clears throat] is about to be
crazy. I can feel it.
You know what you must do? You know what
shell you must fire to end this? And it
shall end once and for all. End this
operator. Wait a minute. Did I get a
nuke?
Experimental missile.
We got a nuke.
Your doom approaches.
I don't know what this thing does.
That's a Moab. Crab.
Barcelona is silent and flat this
morning in the most literal sense of the
in the ministry as ever occasion to use
that word.
The example no longer exists in any form
it architects would recognize. And the
cathedral that once stood over it has
been reduced to a shape officials have
not yet found the correct term for. The
general describes the operation as a
total a word he asked the ministry to
begin using more often. Often often yeah
whatever.
What?
Get ending one. Get ending two.
There's multiple endings. Curious.
I'm going to shoot the general.
[laughter]
I'm going to shoot the general, chat. I
got to know.
You're going down, general.
You're going down. [laughter]
What was the name of the show? Pretty
sure you're in the blast radius.
Exactly.
>> [laughter]
>> 18.6.
Oh, we're doing it.
You know what to do. Iron Nest.
Only one powder needed.
18.6.
We're turning the wrong way. Ironness,
what are you doing?
Our records indicate you are your
bearing is towards the general.
Your bearing is toward Iron. Turn your
guns the other way. Ironness, do you
read? Iron Nest, please respond.
Sir, there's radio silence.
I'm sure the ironess knows what he's
doing. Bring me my bubbler. [laughter]
44.4.
General, today is your doom.
[laughter]
>> [screaming]
[laughter]
>> cut.
Goodbye, General.
Gun crew. Irons reclassified. Status
hostile. Traitor.
TRAITOR.
>> [laughter]
>> THIS IS BLOWING UP.
I can't get any more stuff.
I'm an actual traitor, chat. Look at me.
[laughter]
[screaming]
Oh,
okay. I had to know what was going to
happen. I had I had to know.
All right, chat. Thanks so much for
joining us today. We had a great time.
[cheering]
>> Thanks for joining us. Hope you all had
a great Saturday, Saturday stream,
what's left of it. So, next stream I'll
likely be playing some more of this and
also uh going back to some Project
Zomboid, which was a lot of fun. I miss
Project Zomboid. So, we'll probably be
do a half and half with Zomboid and with
Iron Nest. And I'll see you all then. I
may stream today. We'll see. We'll see.
So, stay tuned. Follow me on socials.
I'll see you guys next time. Have a good
one.