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* The classic arcade game ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''. "Defend Your Cities!" A few other games for the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, Imagic's ''VideoGame/{{Atlantis}}'' and U.S. Games' ''M.A.D.'', are also based around the same premise.

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* The classic arcade game ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''. "Defend Your Cities!" A few other games for the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, Platform/Atari2600, Imagic's ''VideoGame/{{Atlantis}}'' and U.S. Games' ''M.A.D.'', are also based around the same premise.
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* ''VideoGame/NobodySavesTheWorld'':
** One side quest tasks Nobody with protecting an artifact hunter on the other side of a fence using ranged attacks, starting over if they run out of health.
** In the final battle, [[spoiler:Nobody has to keep Randy protected so he can charge up his spell to make the Calamity vulnerable. Any hit on Randy will drain his spell charge, and if he loses all his health, his charge empties, his health refills, and the wave starts over]].
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* ''VideoGame/Pikmin4'' introduces the Lumiknoll which are special structures that come from the ground in places your Onions have touched down. They are the only way to propagate the [[MasterOfAll Glow Pikmin]] as well as the [[FindTheCure glow sap]] which can cure Leaflings. However, the Lumiknolls have to last til morning intact before they can produce it and on PNF-404 [[NiceDayDeadlyNight the various organisms grow even more ferocious]]. Not only that, but the Lumiknoll itself [[LuringInPrey glows brightly to lure these creatures]] so they can (hopefully) be defeated and reduced to glow pellets to procreate the Glow Pikmin. Thus, the player is frequently tasked with using [[CanineCompanion Oatachi]] and the Glow Pikmin to guard the Luminknoll from the vicious, nocturnal fauna long enough for the glow sap to be produced.
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* The main objective of ''VideoGame/KingAndBalloon'' is to protect the titular king from the hot air balloons that rain from the top of the screen and prevent them from kidnapping him. If a balloon manages to make it past your cannon and grab the king, it will attempt to fly away with him, but you can shoot it down to save him before it makes it offscreen.
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* In ''VideoGame/Persona5Strikers'', when infiltrating Jails, the Thieves come across locked doors that require Futaba to hack them open, which also requires them to protect her from attacking Shadows until she's finished.


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* Both the ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZeroAndTrailsToAzure'' games from the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'' have missions in which you have to protect [=NPC=] characters that accompany them in battle. In any of these games, the first time this happens, you're provided with a warning that one of these characters being [=KOed=] is an automatic Game Over. At least one of these missions also requires that you not allow the [=NPCs=] to take any damage at all in order to earn bonus rank points, with this being [[GuideDangIt secret condition]]. Sometimes even just making sure they survive is easier said than done, especially on higher difficulty levels in which just one hit can take them out. Normally the accompanying [=NPCs=] will try to run towards the edge of the battlefield when it's their turn, but you can't always count on this. Occasionally they can even be helpful in battle such as having skills that can blind, though sometimes their getting close may do more harm than good. Thankfully, this mechanic was dropped in the third arc, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel''.

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[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/BattleCity https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tankforcetask.png]]]]
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*** Journey Home starts out a simple ceremonial flight [[TemptingFate with no combat expected]]... until Yuktobanian planes begin attacking you and the crowded sports stadium the Vice President is speaking at. Fortunately, [your planes were armed just in case.

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*** Journey Home starts out a simple ceremonial flight [[TemptingFate with no combat expected]]... until Yuktobanian planes begin attacking you and the crowded sports stadium the Vice President is speaking at. Fortunately, [your your planes were armed just in case.



* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': When you escape TheAlcatraz at the end of Act I, [[TheHeavy Dallis]]'s forces intercept your ship, forcing you to protect your AloofAlly Malady while she readies the magic for an ExtradimensionalEmergencyExit. You ''can'' win the fight outright and force Dallis to retreat, but you only get a CombatCompliment out of it before the scene proceeds as usual

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* ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': When you escape TheAlcatraz at the end of Act I, [[TheHeavy Dallis]]'s forces intercept your ship, forcing you to protect keep your AloofAlly Malady alive while she readies the magic casts a spell for an ExtradimensionalEmergencyExit. You ''can'' win the fight outright and force Dallis to retreat, but you only get a CombatCompliment out of it before the scene proceeds as usualusual.

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Alphabetizing examples, adding folder tags, commenting out a few Zero Context Examples, and adding Divinity Original Sin II example.


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[[AC:TabletopGames]]
* Basic ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' adventure [=IM1=] ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Immortal_Storm_(module) The Immortal Storm]]''. A {{PC}} must act as a defender against the attacks of Spectral Hounds as his Hierarch uses an artifact to stop the title storm.

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[[AC:TabletopGames]]
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[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Basic ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' adventure [=IM1=] ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Immortal_Storm_(module) The Immortal Storm]]''. A {{PC}} PlayerCharacter must act as a defender against the attacks of Spectral Hounds as his Hierarch uses an artifact to stop the title storm.

[[AC:VideoGames]]
storm.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AceCombat'':
** It's a series tradition to be assigned a mission to shoot down a flight of enemy bombers about to destroy [[BackFromTheBrink the last allied base]], usually in the first mission.
** ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies'': In the mission "[[TitleDrop Shattered Skies]]", [[PlayerCharacter Mobius One]] is tasked with defending Riass Space Center while the crew on the ground attempt to launch a spy satellite. You're only up against fighters trying to secure air superiority, until bombers attempt to attack the base halfway through the mission.
** ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar'':
*** White Bird (Part I) is similar to the above-mentioned Shattered skies, protecting a launch facility from enemy attack. Though instead of fighters and bombers, the enemy this time is air-dropped tanks and cruise missiles.
*** Chain Reaction tasks the player with protecting a civilian airport from a few squadrons of fighter-bombers... only to discover they were a distraction while Yuktobanian tanks begin attacking the airport by coming out of transport planes on the runway disguised as airliners.
*** Journey Home starts out a simple ceremonial flight [[TemptingFate with no combat expected]]... until Yuktobanian planes begin attacking you and the crowded sports stadium the Vice President is speaking at. Fortunately, [your planes were armed just in case.
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'' has a few in campaigns. In the El Cid one, one of your goals is actually to defend the ''body'' of El Cid because it was propped up on a horse to [[OfCorpseHesAlive convince people he was still alive]]. And yes, a dead body has hit points. Don't ask how. In almost any other scenario though, you're more likely to protect weaker cities or buildings.



* ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'' had a mission involving protecting a pig from incoming sharks.
* ''VideoGame/BattleCity'' series. Player has to protect the bird located in the bottom middle of the field from enemy tanks while staying alive as well.
* In ''VideoGame/BattlestarGalacticaOnline'', you can call in mining ships to handle resource-bearing planetoids. The payoff from these is greater than spending an equal amount of time doing normal {{Asteroid Min|ers}}ing. However, the game spawns mooks to go after the mining ships, as well as creating an indicator on the sector map that may attract enemy players. Of course, you can invert this by going out and hunting enemy mining ships.
* ''VideoGame/Bioshock2'' has ADAM gathers, where the player must keep a crowd of splicers away from a Little Sister while she gathers ADAM from a corpse. While the splicers won't kill the sister if they get close, they will interrupt the gathering process.
* A number of missions in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' are of this type. The last phase of one of Tiny Tina's missions requires protecting a generator from a stream of bandits; a mission in Opportunity requires protecting a hacked drone while it destroys Handsome Jack's statues; one of the Slab King's missions requires protecting generators hoisting Slab flags in hostile territory; a story mission requires protecting a beacon from waves of loaders.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyGhosts'' has one in the "Clockwork" mission where you need to defend Hesh as he hacks the data center of the Federation base. You get a turret, several mines, claymores and tear gas, along with your teammates to help as the enemies try to flank you.
* ''VideoGame/Centipede1998'': One of the most common sub-objectives in a level is to protect buildings in the area from the invading bugs.
* The first stage of ''VideoGame/ChaosHeat'' have an area where you need to cover one of your {{redshirt}}s for 30 seconds as he tries hacking his way through an electronically-locked door, just as a horde of {{Giant Spider}}s pops out of surrounding vents and attacks you from all sides. If the redshirt dies, you'll need to restart the area.
* The ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'' franchise have more than one level where the player is tasked with defending instead of attacking. Notably, ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'' has the mission in the Ural Mountains where they must defend a Soviet laboratory from a seemingly-endless horde of Allied invaders teleporting into the area thanks to the Allies recently developing the Chronosphere. The mission ends after fending off around fifteen waves of Allied units and destroying all invading forces.
* The mausoleum levels in ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' are this. None of the {{Mooks}} can directly hurt you, but if they reach the urn in the center of the screen [[spoiler:where the Legendary Chalice is imprisoned]], it's an instant Game Over.
* Several times in ''VideoGame/Conduit2'', protagonist Michael Ford must protect the Free Drudge during the campaign.



* Upon your second visit to China in ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', [[PlayerCharacter Jensen]] and Malik are shot down by Belltower mercenaries and while Jensen managed to jump out, Malik stayed behind and they continue to shoot at her downed VTOL. If you can kill them and their robot quickly enough you earn the "Good Soul" achievement and save Malik's life, but if you abandon her or take too long the VTOL explodes, killing her.



* Some of the missions in ''VideoGame/WingsOfGlory'' involve defending allied observation balloons from German fighter planes. The observation balloons have no defenses, can't move, and they explode after one or two hits. You also sometimes have to defend various military targets from enemy bombers, including your own Aerodrome.
* ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' has you protect a room blocked by a reinforced glass barrier while an ally works there and later a deployed toxin pump designed to flush out underground infected.
** Interesting variant would be the collection of biomatter outside of a hive that the military shows up to destroy. As long as you collect quickly enough, you may not even have to touch the military due the pair of hunters defending the hive against both them and you.
** ''VideoGame/Prototype2'' has one where you will need to defend a downed helicopter with a plot-important person inside. In this case, considering you intend to [[spoiler:consume him]] anyway, it makes little sense that you can't just pluck him out and get it over with instead of defending him first.

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* Some of ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': When you escape TheAlcatraz at the missions in ''VideoGame/WingsOfGlory'' involve defending allied observation balloons from German fighter planes. The observation balloons have no defenses, can't move, end of Act I, [[TheHeavy Dallis]]'s forces intercept your ship, forcing you to protect your AloofAlly Malady while she readies the magic for an ExtradimensionalEmergencyExit. You ''can'' win the fight outright and they explode after one or two hits. You also sometimes have force Dallis to defend various military targets from enemy bombers, retreat, but you only get a CombatCompliment out of it before the scene proceeds as usual
%%* A number of quests in ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'' are this,
including your own Aerodrome.
two of the quests of Korthos Island.
* ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' ''VideoGame/FableII'' has quite a few of these, one where you have to protect Garth whilst he activates a gate.
* The ''VideoGame/FairyBloom'' series: Across both games, the player will be doing this:
** ''VideoGame/FairyBloom1'': Defending a plant in the center of the area from attackers.
** ''VideoGame/FairyBloomFreesia'': Vortexes of forest life energy must be defended in some levels. The first being in level 5.
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has you fend off a Legion raid at Bitter Springs during Boone's companion quest, "I Forgot to Remember to Forget".
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' has a few parts like this. Once near the start of the game where you have to protect an unconscious Terra from Imperial troops, and again with a similar mechanic later on when
you protect a room blocked frozen Esper from more Imperial troops.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', events called "[=FATEs=]" spawn at random times, and one type involves a selection of objects appearing out of nowhere that must be defended from ''hordes'' of attackers. While not too bad for tank characters, who can peel the monsters off the targets with their standard tanking abilities, there's a reason these specific [=FATEs=] are ignored even
by players specifically grinding the other types of [=FATE=]. As with the obnoxious EscortMission [=FATEs=], there is a reinforced glass barrier much less annoying leve version; protection leves are located in areas with no other monsters and generate only 1-2 enemies at a time, making them among the easiest available.
* ''VideoGame/FinalLegacy'' has the last remaining warship (or submarine, as the game is ambiguous on that point) defending a set of cities from missiles,
while actively seeking out the missile launchers.
* Numerous examples from ''VideoGame/FireEmblem''. Most frequently, it's
an ally works incapacitated "Ally" NPC, or some other figure such as [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Royals who aren't as talented as yours at fighting]]. While many missions are "Seize the throne", there and later are a deployed toxin pump designed to flush out underground infected.
** Interesting variant
few where it's inverted which would be also fit this trope. Some of them are also [[LuckBasedMission Luck Based Missions]], since if you are unlucky, the collection of biomatter outside of a hive that the military shows up to destroy. As long as character you collect quickly enough, are supposed to protect can get killed before you may not even have a chance to touch reach them -- most infamously, "Battle Before Dawn" in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade''.
* Protecting
the military due American and Mexican presidents in ''VideoGame/GhostReconAdvancedWarfighter''.
* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'':
** The penultimate battle in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarI'', where Kratos (you) has to protect
the pair memory of hunters defending the hive his wife and child against both hordes of evil versions of himself. ItMakesSenseInContext, really!
** In ''VideoGame/GodOfWarII'', you have to protect a translator from a bunch of enemies so you can have him read some writing. Naturally, Kratos kills him immediately after.
** Averted in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarIII'', twice. First there's the [[spoiler: Possidon princess]]. You don't have to protect her; she just sits there while you fight enemies. Of course Kratos kills her soon after that. The next comes late in the game with [[spoiler: Pandora.]] You think you have to protect her from enemies but she does a good job of evading
them and you.
** ''VideoGame/Prototype2'' has one
while kill them. Meaning she never gets hurt by enemies, ever. However there are times where she falls into death traps you will need have to defend a downed helicopter get her out of before she's killed though.
* Occurs in ''VideoGame/GoldenEyeWii'' when you must protect Natalya from enemy gunfire while she tries to stop the Goldeneye satellite.
** Same
with a plot-important person inside. In this case, considering you intend to [[spoiler:consume him]] anyway, ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997 64'', except it makes little sense that you can't just pluck him out and get it over with instead of defending him first.was much more frustrating.



* Pops up a few times in the tactical strategy ''VideoGame/{{Odium}}''. Four times you have to kill the enemies before they kill a stationary NPC (who, of course, just stands there while enemies attack him). Once you have to protect some security monitors (why do the mindless monsters have an apparent temporary grudge against them is unexplained.)
* ''VideoGame/ZombieHorde2''. Every once in a while you have to protect a box from zombie attacks.
* ''VideoGame/BattleCity'' series. Player has to protect the bird located in the bottom middle of the field from enemy tanks while staying alive as well.
* A (rather frustratingly difficult, at least compared to the rest of the game) battle towards the end of ''VideoGame/SakuraWars: [[VideoGame/SakuraWarsSoLongMyLove So Long, My Love]]'' has the party of [=PCs=] protecting various vital parts of an airship they're on.
* The classic arcade game ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''. "Defend Your Cities!" A few other games for the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, Imagic's ''VideoGame/{{Atlantis}}'' and U.S. Games' ''M.A.D.'', are also based around the same premise.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' has a few parts like this. Once near the start of the game where you have to protect an unconscious Terra from Imperial troops, and again with a similar mechanic later on when you protect a frozen Esper from more Imperial troops.

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* Pops up ''VideoGame/{{inFAMOUS}}'' has a few times in particularly harrowing mission involving protecting a medical crate. If you've started down the tactical strategy ''VideoGame/{{Odium}}''. Four times [[KarmaMeter Evil path]], the waves of baddies can be subdued with a little [[ChainLightning mass damage]]... but if you have Good Cole's abilities... well, be ready to kill restart the enemies mission a couple times until you manage to take out the gunner trucks and rocket launchers before they kill a stationary NPC (who, of course, just stands there while enemies attack him). Once you have make your crate go kablooey.
* The "Invasion Mode" in ''VideoGame/IslandWars'' is this. You need
to protect some security monitors (why do your [[VideoGameLives palm trees]] on the mindless monsters have an apparent temporary grudge against them is unexplained.)
* ''VideoGame/ZombieHorde2''. Every once in a while you have to protect a box
island from zombie attacks.
* ''VideoGame/BattleCity'' series. Player has to protect the bird located in the bottom middle of the field from
getting destroyed by enemy tanks while staying alive as well.
* A (rather frustratingly difficult, at least compared to the rest of the game) battle towards the end of ''VideoGame/SakuraWars: [[VideoGame/SakuraWarsSoLongMyLove So Long, My Love]]'' has the party of [=PCs=] protecting various vital parts of an airship they're on.
* The classic arcade game ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''. "Defend Your Cities!" A few other games for the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, Imagic's ''VideoGame/{{Atlantis}}''
attack, and U.S. Games' ''M.A.D.'', are also based around the same premise.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' has a few parts like this. Once near the start of
the game where you have to protect an unconscious Terra from Imperial troops, and again with a similar mechanic later on is over if your trees are all destroyed or when you protect beat the final boss after 50 waves.
* At the climax of ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'', Silk Fox and Dawn Star (you control one) are defending
a frozen Esper from more Imperial troops.bridge while Kang the Mad sets up explosives.



* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'':
** The penultimate battle in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarI'', where Kratos (you) has to protect the memory of his wife and child against hordes of evil versions of himself. ItMakesSenseInContext, really!
** In ''VideoGame/GodOfWarII'', you have to protect a translator from a bunch of enemies so you can have him read some writing. Naturally, Kratos kills him immediately after.
** Averted in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarIII'', twice. First there's the [[spoiler: Possidon princess]]. You don't have to protect her; she just sits there while you fight enemies. Of course Kratos kills her soon after that. The next comes late in the game with [[spoiler: Pandora.]] You think you have to protect her from enemies but she does a good job of evading them while kill them. Meaning she never gets hurt by enemies, ever. However there are times where she falls into death traps you have to get her out of before she's killed though.
* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' has a mission on Elysia during which you have to kill all the Space Pirates and their ships before they destroy the Spire Pod, which is carrying [[NitroExpress the bomb that you need to destroy the shield protecting the Leviathan Seed]]. You're standing ''on'' the Spire while it's being attacked, so the life of Samus is at risk too.
* ''VideoGame/{{Onmyoji|2016}}'': Kingyo-hime's skin dungeon where she takes over as your onmyōji. Letting her fall in battle ''makes you lose instantly'' whether your other shikigami have fallen or not, effectively turning the battles into protecting her.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has several of these. One where you have to protect a crystal from several waves of enemies, and another where you have to protect the Hourglass of Eternity, with some help from your future self. Later, you get to do it again, this time as the future self, helping your past self.
* In ''VideoGame/WolfQuest'', one of the missions is to protect your pups from the hungry coyotes and bears. It gets more difficult when you must [[EscortMission move them to the summer hunting grounds]] and an [[DeathFromAbove eagle]] decides they look tasty.



* The second of the mid-game missions in ''VideoGame/MegaManZero2'' contains a segment toward the end where Zero must protect Ciel as she disarms a bomb, which takes 90 seconds. The enemies coming after you two are quite weak, [[ZergRush but there are a lot of them]].



* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'':
** In the original, a few of the Zerg missions require you to protect a mysterious Chrysalis. Eventually it hatches, revealing [[spoiler:infested Kerrigan, who the Zerg had stolen in the penultimate mission of the Terran campaign]]. Only some of the missions technically count, as in the first few, it's small enough to be carried around by a Drone.
** In the sequel, you have to protect a laser drill while the Protoss send waves of troops against you. Fortunately, you get Siege Tanks in this mission, and you can aim the drill manually, making short work of any enemy unit that's not in the FogOfWar.
** Ariel Hanson's missions involve you protecting a fleet of refugees from a variety of threats as they seek out a new home world. These threats range from infested zombie-like Terrans to full-on Zerg assaults to a purification squad helmed by Executor Selendis.
** [[spoiler:The final mission has you protect the Xel'naga artifact as it prepares to expunge the Zerg influence from Char and de-infest Kerrigan. Naturally, she wants to wipe it out, and she will throw the kitchen sink at you to make certain you don't get to fire it off.]]
** ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' continues the long, glorious tradition. The final mission of ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' is probably the most prominent: the object to be protected is ''the WorldTree''. Except you're not just protecting it -- you're protecting it while it gets rigged into a gigantic magical ''bomb'' meant for an archdemon. The mission is also fairly unique in that you get two allies with bases in front of the enemy's advance than you must try to aid to further protect the objective.

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* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'':
** In
''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' has a mission on Elysia during which you have to kill all the original, Space Pirates and their ships before they destroy the Spire Pod, which is carrying [[NitroExpress the bomb that you need to destroy the shield protecting the Leviathan Seed]]. You're standing ''on'' the Spire while it's being attacked, so the life of Samus is at risk too.
%%* There are
a few of these in ''VideoGame/MiniRobotWars'' as "[[MiniGame Mission Stages]]"
* The classic arcade game ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''. "Defend Your Cities!" A few other games for
the Zerg missions require you UsefulNotes/Atari2600, Imagic's ''VideoGame/{{Atlantis}}'' and U.S. Games' ''M.A.D.'', are also based around the same premise.
* In both of the ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' games, there is a mission where the player has to defend a stationary objective. In the first one, the player's Marine squad has
to protect a mysterious Chrysalis. Eventually it hatches, revealing [[spoiler:infested Kerrigan, who M1 Abrams tank that has been disabled. If the Zerg had stolen in enemy get close enough, they'll use satchel charges to blow it up. In the penultimate mission of second game, the Terran campaign]]. Only some of player's squad has to defend a portable hard drive as it downloads the missions technically count, as contents of a terrorist leader's computers while dozens of mercenaries rappel in the first few, it's small enough by helicopter to be carried try and destroy it.
* A boss fight in ''VideoGame/NappleTaleArsiaInDaydream'' is based
around by freeing Treant, a Drone.
** In the sequel, you have to protect a laser drill while the Protoss send waves of troops against you. Fortunately, you get Siege Tanks in this mission, and you can aim the drill manually, making short work of any enemy unit that's not in the FogOfWar.
** Ariel Hanson's missions involve you protecting a fleet of refugees
WiseTree character, from a variety parasitic monster that is causing it to grow bombs instead of threats as they seek out a new home world. These threats range from infested zombie-like Terrans to full-on Zerg assaults to a purification squad helmed by Executor Selendis.
** [[spoiler:The final mission has you protect
fruit. Treant serves up bombs for the Xel'naga artifact as it prepares heroine to expunge the Zerg influence from Char and de-infest Kerrigan. Naturally, she wants to wipe it out, and she will throw the kitchen sink at you to make certain you don't get to fire it off.]]
** ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' continues the long, glorious tradition. The final mission of ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' is probably the most prominent: the object to be protected is ''the WorldTree''. Except you're not just protecting it -- you're protecting it while it gets rigged
[[TennisBoss knock into a gigantic magical ''bomb'' meant for an archdemon. The mission is also fairly unique in that you get two allies with bases in front of the enemy's advance than you must try to aid to further protect boss]], but the objective.bombs can hurt Treant as well.



* A [[ThatOneLevel particularly frustrating mission]] of ''[[VideoGame/{{Tribes}} Tribes: Vengeance]]'' is centered around Victoria protecting Daniel from onrushing Blood Eagles while he extracts the data from an enemy computer. The main problem is that the location is very poorly suited for prolonged defense, your resources are painfully limited, and there is no backup whatsoever (except a few automatic turrets).
* ''VideoGame/Bioshock2'' has ADAM gathers, where the player must keep a crowd of splicers away from a Little Sister while she gathers ADAM from a corpse. While the splicers won't kill the sister if they get close, they will interrupt the gathering process.
* Upon your second visit to China in ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', [[PlayerCharacter Jensen]] and Malik are shot down by Belltower mercenaries and while Jensen managed to jump out, Malik stayed behind and they continue to shoot at her downed VTOL. If you can kill them and their robot quickly enough you earn the "Good Soul" achievement and save Malik's life, but if you abandon her or take too long the VTOL explodes, killing her.
* In both of the ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' games, there is a mission where the player has to defend a stationary objective. In the first one, the player's Marine squad has to protect a M1 Abrams tank that has been disabled. If the enemy get close enough, they'll use satchel charges to blow it up. In the second game, the player's squad has to defend a portable hard drive as it downloads the contents of a terrorist leader's computers while dozens of mercenaries rappel in by helicopter to try and destroy it.
* Occurs in ''VideoGame/GoldenEyeWii'' when you must protect Natalya from enemy gunfire while she tries to stop the Goldeneye satellite.
** Same with ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997 64'', except it was much more frustrating.
* ''VideoGame/{{inFAMOUS}}'' has a particularly harrowing mission involving protecting a medical crate. If you've started down the [[KarmaMeter Evil path]], the waves of baddies can be subdued with a little [[ChainLightning mass damage]]... but if you have Good Cole's abilities... well, be ready to restart the mission a couple times until you manage to take out the gunner trucks and rocket launchers before they make your crate go kablooey.

to:

* A [[ThatOneLevel particularly frustrating mission]] of ''[[VideoGame/{{Tribes}} Tribes: Vengeance]]'' is centered around Victoria protecting Daniel from onrushing Blood Eagles while he extracts the data from an enemy computer. The main problem is that the location is very poorly suited for prolonged defense, your resources are painfully limited, and there is no backup whatsoever (except Pops up a few automatic turrets).
* ''VideoGame/Bioshock2'' has ADAM gathers, where
times in the player must keep a crowd of splicers away from a Little Sister while she gathers ADAM from a corpse. While the splicers won't tactical strategy ''VideoGame/{{Odium}}''. Four times you have to kill the sister if enemies before they get close, they will interrupt the gathering process.
* Upon your second visit to China in ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', [[PlayerCharacter Jensen]] and Malik are shot down by Belltower mercenaries and while Jensen managed to jump out, Malik stayed behind and they continue to shoot at her downed VTOL. If you can
kill them and their robot quickly enough you earn the "Good Soul" achievement and save Malik's life, but if you abandon her or take too long the VTOL explodes, killing her.
* In both of the ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' games, there is a mission where the player has to defend
a stationary objective. In the first one, the player's Marine squad has NPC (who, of course, just stands there while enemies attack him). Once you have to protect a M1 Abrams tank that some security monitors (why do the mindless monsters have an apparent temporary grudge against them is unexplained.)
* ''VideoGame/{{Onmyoji|2016}}'': Kingyo-hime's skin dungeon where she takes over as your onmyōji. Letting her fall in battle ''makes you lose instantly'' whether your other shikigami have fallen or not, effectively turning the battles into protecting her.
* ''VideoGame/PointBlank1994'':
** The series in general
has been disabled. If the "Protect [[SeriesMascot Dr. Dan and Dr. Don]] from the _____" stages, where you must shoot enemies to prevent them from knocking out the mascot you're protecting until the timer reaches 0.
** ''Point Blank 2'' has "Defend Earth from [=UFOs=]", where you must hold off an AlienInvasion by shooting the [=UFOs=]; the larger ones [[AsteroidsMonster split into four smaller UFOs when shot]]. If a single UFO goes below the screen, it's stage failed for both players.
* Chapter 26 of ''[[VideoGame/ProjectXZone Project X Zone 2]]'' has you defending the Dragonturtle from
enemy get close attacks on four sides. You have to deal with [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Pyron and Lord Raptor]], [[Franchise/DotHack Skeith and Azure Kite]], and [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 Nelo Angelo]] and waves of enemies surrounding them. If any of the enemies or bosses touches the Dragonturtle, it's an instant GameOver.
* ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}''
** At one point, you protect a room blocked by a reinforced glass barrier while an ally works there, and later a deployed toxin pump designed to flush out underground infected.
** Interesting variant would be the collection of biomatter outside of a hive that the military shows up to destroy. As long as you collect quickly
enough, they'll use satchel charges you may not even have to blow it up. In touch the second game, military due the player's squad pair of hunters defending the hive against both them and you.
* ''VideoGame/Prototype2''
has one where you will need to defend a portable hard drive as it downloads the contents of a terrorist leader's computers while dozens of mercenaries rappel in by downed helicopter with a plot-important person inside. In this case, considering you intend to try [[spoiler:consume him]] anyway, it makes little sense that you can't just pluck him out and destroy it.
get it over with instead of defending him first.
* Occurs Almost every level in ''VideoGame/GoldenEyeWii'' when ''VideoGame/RawData'' involves you protecting one or more data cores from waves of robots. If the player character dies, they respawn and lose points. Only the loss of a core results in a game-over.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'':
** There's one of the BSAA members, Josh, inputing a code in order to turn on the power for the elevator for him, Chris and Sheva to escape on. You also have to do it again. He even [[LampshadeHanging remarks how much of a pain it is for you]].
** The second half of the Water Room in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', where
you must protect Natalya Ashley from enemy gunfire respawning Zealots with sniper cover while she tries hits a pair of switches to stop raise a bridge.
* A (rather frustratingly difficult, at least compared to
the Goldeneye satellite.
** Same with ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997 64'', except it was much more frustrating.
* ''VideoGame/{{inFAMOUS}}''
rest of the game) battle towards the end of ''VideoGame/SakuraWars: [[VideoGame/SakuraWarsSoLongMyLove So Long, My Love]]'' has a particularly harrowing mission involving the party of [=PCs=] protecting a medical crate. various vital parts of an airship they're on.
* ''VideoGame/SierraOps'':
If you've started down the [[KarmaMeter Evil path]], player investigates the waves of baddies can be subdued with a little [[ChainLightning mass damage]]... but if DistressSignal coming from Rhines, you will have Good Cole's abilities... well, be ready to restart defend the mission UTV's dry-docked flagship ''Beerkelium'' from a couple times until you manage to take out squadron of enemy ships.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Solatorobo}}'', during Red's JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind,
the gunner trucks and rocket launchers before they make your crate go kablooey. software begins by creating a warmup for him from his memories. He winds up defending Elh from a bunch of bugs, seeing as that's what he considered the most laughably easy thing to come up with. A later simulation reuses the "don't let the bugs near Elh" objective, but that one was [[spoiler:a RescueRomance situation [[ShipperOnDeck specifically set up by Merveille]].]]



* A number of quests in ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'' are this, including two of the quests of Korthos Island.
* The first stage of ''VideoGame/ChaosHeat'' have an area where you need to cover one of your {{redshirt}}s for 30 seconds as he tries hacking his way through an electronically-locked door, just as a horde of {{Giant Spider}}s pops out of surrounding vents and attacks you from all sides. If the redshirt dies, you'll need to restart the area.
* Several times in ''VideoGame/Conduit2'', protagonist Michael Ford must protect the Free Drudge during the campaign.
* ''VideoGame/FableII'' has quite a few of these, one where you have to protect Garth whilst he activates a gate.
* The ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'' franchise have more than one level where the player is tasked with defending instead of attacking. Notably, ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'' has the mission in the Ural Mountains where they must defend a Soviet laboratory from a seemingly-endless horde of Allied invaders teleporting into the area thanks to the Allies recently developing the Chronosphere. The mission ends after fending off around fifteen waves of Allied units and destroying all invading forces.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'':
** There's one of the BSAA members, Josh, inputing a code in order to turn on the power for the elevator for him, Chris and Sheva to escape on. You also have to do it again. He even [[LampshadeHanging remarks how much of a pain it is for you]].
** The second half of the Water Room in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', where you must protect Ashley from respawning Zealots with sniper cover while she hits a pair of switches to raise a bridge.
* The entire point of Sector Z in ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' is that the Great Fox [[TooDumbToLive just stops in the middle of nowhere]] while the enemy fires 6 large missiles in 1-2-3 sequences at it. Thankfully, you have plenty of time to destroy each missile, and they always come from the same direction. This mission is also paid homage to in Level 8 of ''Star Fox Assault'', when you have to protect the Orbital Gate from a lot more missiles coming from all different directions.
* Numerous examples from ''VideoGame/FireEmblem''. Most frequently, it's an incapacitated "Ally" NPC, or some other figure such as [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Royals who aren't as talented as yours at fighting]]. While many missions are "Seize the throne", there are a few where it's inverted which would also fit this trope. Some of them are also [[LuckBasedMission Luck Based Missions]], since if you are unlucky, the character you are supposed to protect can get killed before you even have a chance to reach them -- most infamously, "Battle Before Dawn" in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade''.

to:

* A number of quests recurring challenge in ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'' are this, including two of ''VideoGame/SpidermanShatteredDimensions'' is keeping {{NPC}}s alive while they open the quests of Korthos Island.
* The first
next stage of ''VideoGame/ChaosHeat'' have an area where for you (after which, presumably, they escape). In the 2099 world, this is often a TwoKeyedLock, so you need to cover one of your {{redshirt}}s for 30 seconds as he tries hacking his way through an electronically-locked door, just as a horde of {{Giant Spider}}s pops out of surrounding vents and attacks you from all sides. If the redshirt dies, you'll need to restart the area.
* Several times in ''VideoGame/Conduit2'', protagonist Michael Ford must protect the Free Drudge during the campaign.
* ''VideoGame/FableII'' has quite a few of these, one where you have to protect Garth whilst he activates a gate.
* The ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'' franchise have more than one level where the player is tasked with defending instead of attacking. Notably, ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'' has the mission in the Ural Mountains where they must
defend a Soviet laboratory from a seemingly-endless horde of Allied invaders teleporting into the area thanks to the Allies recently developing the Chronosphere. The mission ends after fending off around fifteen waves of Allied units and destroying all invading forces.
* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'':
** There's one of the BSAA members, Josh, inputing a code in order to turn on the power for the elevator for him, Chris and Sheva to escape on. You also have to do it again. He even [[LampshadeHanging remarks how much of a pain it is for you]].
** The second half of the Water Room in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', where you must protect Ashley from respawning Zealots with sniper cover while she hits a pair of switches to raise a bridge.
* The entire point of Sector Z in ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' is that the Great Fox [[TooDumbToLive just stops in the middle of nowhere]] while the enemy fires 6 large missiles in 1-2-3 sequences at it. Thankfully, you have plenty of time to destroy each missile, and they always come from the same direction. This mission is also paid homage to in Level 8 of ''Star Fox Assault'', when you have to protect the Orbital Gate from a lot more missiles coming from all different directions.
* Numerous examples from ''VideoGame/FireEmblem''. Most frequently, it's an incapacitated "Ally" NPC, or some other figure such as [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Royals who aren't as talented as yours at fighting]]. While many missions are "Seize the throne", there are a few where it's inverted which would also fit this trope. Some of them are also [[LuckBasedMission Luck Based Missions]], since if you are unlucky, the character you are supposed to protect can get killed before you even have a chance to reach them -- most infamously, "Battle Before Dawn" in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade''.
''both'' [=NPCs=] simultaneously.



* In ''VideoGame/{{Solatorobo}}'', during Red's JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind, the software begins by creating a warmup for him from his memories. He winds up defending Elh from a bunch of bugs, seeing as that's what he considered the most laughably easy thing to come up with. A later simulation reuses the "don't let the bugs near Elh" objective, but that one was [[spoiler:a RescueRomance situation [[ShipperOnDeck specifically set up by Merveille]].]]
* [[VideoGame/{{Turok}} "You must save the totem, Turok!"]]
* At the climax of ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'', Silk Fox and Dawn Star (you control one) are defending a bridge while Kang the Mad sets up explosives.

to:

* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'':
**
In ''VideoGame/{{Solatorobo}}'', during Red's JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind, the software begins original, a few of the Zerg missions require you to protect a mysterious Chrysalis. Eventually it hatches, revealing [[spoiler:infested Kerrigan, who the Zerg had stolen in the penultimate mission of the Terran campaign]]. Only some of the missions technically count, as in the first few, it's small enough to be carried around by creating a warmup for him from his memories. He winds up defending Elh from Drone.
** In the sequel, you have to protect
a bunch laser drill while the Protoss send waves of bugs, seeing as troops against you. Fortunately, you get Siege Tanks in this mission, and you can aim the drill manually, making short work of any enemy unit that's what he considered not in the most laughably easy thing FogOfWar.
** Ariel Hanson's missions involve you protecting a fleet of refugees from a variety of threats as they seek out a new home world. These threats range from infested zombie-like Terrans
to come up with. A later simulation reuses full-on Zerg assaults to a purification squad helmed by Executor Selendis.
** [[spoiler:The final mission has you protect
the "don't let Xel'naga artifact as it prepares to expunge the bugs near Elh" objective, but that one was [[spoiler:a RescueRomance situation [[ShipperOnDeck specifically set up by Merveille]].Zerg influence from Char and de-infest Kerrigan. Naturally, she wants to wipe it out, and she will throw the kitchen sink at you to make certain you don't get to fire it off.]]
* [[VideoGame/{{Turok}} "You must save The entire point of Sector Z in ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' is that the totem, Turok!"]]
* At
Great Fox [[TooDumbToLive just stops in the climax middle of ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire'', Silk nowhere]] while the enemy fires 6 large missiles in 1-2-3 sequences at it. Thankfully, you have plenty of time to destroy each missile, and they always come from the same direction. This mission is also paid homage to in Level 8 of ''Star Fox Assault'', when you have to protect the Orbital Gate from a lot more missiles coming from all different directions.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsGalacticBattlegrounds'' has Monument victories, which involve building a huge
and Dawn Star (you control one) are expensive structure and then guarding it for a while. The second mission in the final Wookiee campaign involves rebuilding the Government Tree, which uses the Wookiee Monument building, and then defending it from waves of Imperial troops, not helped by the Empire being a Tech Level higher than you. Expect to lose a ''lot'' of Anti-Air Troopers.
* Several levels in ''VideoGame/StarWarsRepublicCommando'' become an impromptu protection mission when progressing forward requires you or your squadmate to hack a console in a room constantly attacked by hostiles, as your squad member cannot fight back when he's hacking.
* ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation'' features one in the Arm campaign,
defending a bridge large mine from attacking naval forces. It can rapidly become ThatOneLevel.
* ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation'' has several sections where you must protect [[TheSmartGuy Wheeljack]]
while Kang he makes field repairs to something. His health regenerates when he's not taking damage, but on higher difficulty levels he's still fragile enough for it to be ThatOneLevel.
* A [[ThatOneLevel particularly frustrating mission]] of ''[[VideoGame/{{Tribes}} Tribes: Vengeance]]'' is centered around Victoria protecting Daniel from onrushing Blood Eagles while he extracts
the Mad sets up explosives.data from an enemy computer. The main problem is that the location is very poorly suited for prolonged defense, your resources are painfully limited, and there is no backup whatsoever (except a few automatic turrets).



* In ''VideoGame/BattlestarGalacticaOnline'', you can call in mining ships to handle resource-bearing planetoids. The payoff from these is greater than spending an equal amount of time doing normal {{Asteroid Min|ers}}ing. However, the game spawns mooks to go after the mining ships, as well as creating an indicator on the sector map that may attract enemy players. Of course, you can invert this by going out and hunting enemy mining ships.
* The second of the mid-game missions in ''VideoGame/MegaManZero2'' contains a segment toward the end where Zero must protect Ciel as she disarms a bomb, which takes 90 seconds. The enemies coming after you two are quite weak, [[ZergRush but there are a lot of them]].
* ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'' had a mission involving protecting a pig from incoming sharks.
* Protecting the American and Mexican presidents in ''VideoGame/GhostReconAdvancedWarfighter''.
* There are a few of these in ''VideoGame/MiniRobotWars'' as "[[MiniGame Mission Stages]]"
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has you fend off a Legion raid at Bitter Springs during Boone's companion quest, "I Forgot to Remember to Forget".
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'' has a few in campaigns. In the El Cid one, one of your goals is actually to defend the ''body'' of El Cid because it was propped up on a horse to [[OfCorpseHesAlive convince people he was still alive]]. And yes, a dead body has hit points. Don't ask how. In almost any other scenario though, you're more likely to protect weaker cities or buildings.
* A number of missions in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' are of this type. The last phase of one of Tiny Tina's missions requires protecting a generator from a stream of bandits; a mission in Opportunity requires protecting a hacked drone while it destroys Handsome Jack's statues; one of the Slab King's missions requires protecting generators hoisting Slab flags in hostile territory; a story mission requires protecting a beacon from waves of loaders.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyGhosts'' has one in the "Clockwork" mission where you need to defend Hesh as he hacks the data center of the Federation base. You get a turret, several mines, claymores and tear gas, along with your teammates to help as the enemies try to flank you.
* ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation'' features one in the Arm campaign, defending a large mine from attacking naval forces. It can rapidly become ThatOneLevel.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsGalacticBattlegrounds'' has Monument victories, which involve building a huge and expensive structure and then guarding it for a while. The second mission in the final Wookiee campaign involves rebuilding the Government Tree, which uses the Wookiee Monument building, and then defending it from waves of Imperial troops, not helped by the Empire being a Tech Level higher than you. Expect to lose a ''lot'' of Anti-Air Troopers.
* A recurring challenge in ''VideoGame/SpidermanShatteredDimensions'' is keeping {{NPC}}s alive while they open the next stage for you (after which, presumably, they escape). In the 2099 world, this is often a TwoKeyedLock, so you need to defend ''both'' [=NPCs=] simultaneously.
* ''VideoGame/PointBlank1994'':
** The series in general has the "Protect [[SeriesMascot Dr. Dan and Dr. Don]] from the _____" stages, where you must shoot enemies to prevent them from knocking out the mascot you're protecting until the timer reaches 0.
** ''Point Blank 2'' has "Defend Earth from [=UFOs=]", where you must hold off an AlienInvasion by shooting the [=UFOs=]; the larger ones [[AsteroidsMonster split into four smaller UFOs when shot]]. If a single UFO goes below the screen, it's stage failed for both players.
* ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation'' has several sections where you must protect [[TheSmartGuy Wheeljack]] while he makes field repairs to something. His health regenerates when he's not taking damage, but on higher difficulty levels he's still fragile enough for it to be ThatOneLevel.
* Chapter 26 of ''[[VideoGame/ProjectXZone Project X Zone 2]]'' has you defending the Dragonturtle from enemy attacks on four sides. You have to deal with [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Pyron and Lord Raptor]], [[Franchise/DotHack Skeith and Azure Kite]], and [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 Nelo Angelo]] and waves of enemies surrounding them. If any of the enemies or bosses touches the Dragonturtle, it's an instant GameOver.
* It's a series tradition in ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' to be assigned a mission to shoot down a flight of enemy bombers about to destroy [[BackFromTheBrink the last allied base]], usually in the first mission.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies'':
** In the mission [[TitleDrop Shattered Skies]], [[PlayerCharacter Mobius One]] is tasked with defending Riass Space Center while the crew on the ground attempt to launch a spy satellite. You're only up against fighters trying to secure air superiority, until bombers attempt to attack the base halfway through the mission.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar'':
** White Bird (Part I) is similar to the above-mentioned Shattered skies, protecting a launch facility from enemy attack. Though instead of fighters and bombers, the enemy this time is air-dropped tanks and cruise missiles.
** Chain Reaction tasks the player with protecting a civilian airport from a few squadrons of fighter-bombers... only to discover they were a distraction while Yuktobanian tanks begin attacking the airport by coming out of transport planes on the runway disguised as airliners.
** Journey Home starts out a simple ceremonial flight [[TemptingFate with no combat expected]]... until Yuktobanian planes begin attacking you and the crowded sports stadium the Vice President is speaking at. Fortunately, [your planes were armed just in case.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', events called "[=FATEs=]" spawn at random times, and one type involves a selection of objects appearing out of nowhere that must be defended from ''hordes'' of attackers. While not too bad for tank characters, who can peel the monsters off the targets with their standard tanking abilities, there's a reason these specific [=FATEs=] are ignored even by players specifically grinding the other types of [=FATE=]. As with the obnoxious EscortMission [=FATEs=], there is a much less annoying leve version; protection leves are located in areas with no other monsters and generate only 1-2 enemies at a time, making them among the easiest available.
* The mausoleum levels in ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' are this. None of the {{Mooks}} can directly hurt you, but if they reach the urn in the center of the screen [[spoiler:where the Legendary Chalice is imprisoned]], it's an instant Game Over.
* Almost every level in ''VideoGame/RawData'' involves you protecting one or more data cores from waves of robots. If the player character dies, they respawn and lose points. Only the loss of a core results in a game-over.
* The "Invasion Mode" in ''VideoGame/IslandWars'' is this. You need to protect your [[VideoGameLives palm trees]] on the island from getting destroyed by enemy attack, and the game is over if your trees are all destroyed or when you beat the final boss after 50 waves.
* [[ThatOneLevel The “Redemption” mission]] in ''VideoGame/XWing''. Protect the Corvette ''Korolev'' from a bunch of TIE Bombers as it transfers wounded troops to the medical frigate ''Redemption''. Oh, and they are launched by an Imperial frigate that pops in and out of hyperspace from different (generally opposite) sides of the engagement area. And escorted by flights of TIE Fighters. And any one of the bombers, if it gets close enough, carries enough torpedoes to kill the corvette. It’s infamous enough to show up as a much dreaded training simulation in [[Literature/XWingSeries the X-Wing novels]], where the pilots refer to it as the “Requiem” scenario.

to:

* In ''VideoGame/BattlestarGalacticaOnline'', you can call in mining ships to handle resource-bearing planetoids. The payoff from these is greater than spending an equal amount of time doing normal {{Asteroid Min|ers}}ing. However, the game spawns mooks to go after the mining ships, as well as creating an indicator on the sector map that may attract enemy players. Of course, you can invert this by going out and hunting enemy mining ships.
* The second of the mid-game missions in ''VideoGame/MegaManZero2'' contains a segment toward the end where Zero
%%* ''VideoGame/{{Turok}}'': "You must protect Ciel as she disarms a bomb, which takes 90 seconds. The enemies coming after you two are quite weak, [[ZergRush but there are a lot of them]].
* ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'' had a mission involving protecting a pig from incoming sharks.
* Protecting
save the American and Mexican presidents in ''VideoGame/GhostReconAdvancedWarfighter''.
totem, Turok!"
* There are a few of these in ''VideoGame/MiniRobotWars'' as "[[MiniGame Mission Stages]]"
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has you fend off a Legion raid at Bitter Springs during Boone's companion quest, "I Forgot to Remember to Forget".
* ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII'' has a few in campaigns.
''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'': In the El Cid one, one of your goals is actually to defend final mission, the ''body'' of El Cid because it was propped up on a horse object to [[OfCorpseHesAlive convince people he was still alive]]. And yes, a dead body has hit points. Don't ask how. In almost any other scenario though, be protected is ''the WorldTree''. Except you're more likely to protect weaker cities or buildings.
* A number of missions in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' are of this type. The last phase of one of Tiny Tina's missions requires
not just protecting a generator from a stream of bandits; a mission in Opportunity requires protecting a hacked drone while it destroys Handsome Jack's statues; one of the Slab King's missions requires protecting generators hoisting Slab flags in hostile territory; a story mission requires protecting a beacon from waves of loaders.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyGhosts'' has one in the "Clockwork" mission where you need to defend Hesh as he hacks the data center of the Federation base. You get a turret, several mines, claymores and tear gas, along with your teammates to help as the enemies try to flank you.
* ''VideoGame/TotalAnnihilation'' features one in the Arm campaign, defending a large mine from attacking naval forces. It can rapidly become ThatOneLevel.
* ''VideoGame/StarWarsGalacticBattlegrounds'' has Monument victories, which involve building a huge and expensive structure and then guarding it for a while. The second mission in the final Wookiee campaign involves rebuilding the Government Tree, which uses the Wookiee Monument building, and then defending it from waves of Imperial troops, not helped by the Empire being a Tech Level higher than you. Expect to lose a ''lot'' of Anti-Air Troopers.
* A recurring challenge in ''VideoGame/SpidermanShatteredDimensions'' is keeping {{NPC}}s alive while they open the next stage for you (after which, presumably, they escape). In the 2099 world, this is often a TwoKeyedLock, so you need to defend ''both'' [=NPCs=] simultaneously.
* ''VideoGame/PointBlank1994'':
** The series in general has the "Protect [[SeriesMascot Dr. Dan and Dr. Don]] from the _____" stages, where you must shoot enemies to prevent them from knocking out the mascot
-- you're protecting until it while it gets rigged into a gigantic magical ''bomb'' meant for an archdemon. The mission is also fairly unique in that you get two allies with bases in front of the timer reaches 0.
** ''Point Blank 2'' has "Defend Earth from [=UFOs=]", where
enemy's advance than you must hold off an AlienInvasion by shooting the [=UFOs=]; the larger ones [[AsteroidsMonster split into four smaller UFOs when shot]]. If a single UFO goes below the screen, it's stage failed for both players.
* ''VideoGame/TransformersDevastation'' has several sections where you must
try to aid to further protect [[TheSmartGuy Wheeljack]] while he makes field repairs to something. His health regenerates when he's not taking damage, but on higher difficulty levels he's still fragile enough for it to be ThatOneLevel.
* Chapter 26 of ''[[VideoGame/ProjectXZone Project X Zone 2]]'' has you defending
the Dragonturtle from enemy attacks on four sides. You have to deal with [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Pyron and Lord Raptor]], [[Franchise/DotHack Skeith and Azure Kite]], and [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 Nelo Angelo]] and waves of enemies surrounding them. If any of the enemies or bosses touches the Dragonturtle, it's an instant GameOver.
* It's a series tradition in ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' to be assigned a mission to shoot down a flight of enemy bombers about to destroy [[BackFromTheBrink the last allied base]], usually in the first mission.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies'':
** In the mission [[TitleDrop Shattered Skies]], [[PlayerCharacter Mobius One]] is tasked with defending Riass Space Center while the crew on the ground attempt to launch a spy satellite. You're only up against fighters trying to secure air superiority, until bombers attempt to attack the base halfway through the mission.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar'':
** White Bird (Part I) is similar to the above-mentioned Shattered skies, protecting a launch facility from enemy attack. Though instead of fighters and bombers, the enemy this time is air-dropped tanks and cruise missiles.
** Chain Reaction tasks the player with protecting a civilian airport from a few squadrons of fighter-bombers... only to discover they were a distraction while Yuktobanian tanks begin attacking the airport by coming out of transport planes on the runway disguised as airliners.
** Journey Home starts out a simple ceremonial flight [[TemptingFate with no combat expected]]... until Yuktobanian planes begin attacking you and the crowded sports stadium the Vice President is speaking at. Fortunately, [your planes were armed just in case.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', events called "[=FATEs=]" spawn at random times, and one type involves a selection of objects appearing out of nowhere that must be defended from ''hordes'' of attackers. While not too bad for tank characters, who can peel the monsters off the targets with their standard tanking abilities, there's a reason these specific [=FATEs=] are ignored even by players specifically grinding the other types of [=FATE=]. As with the obnoxious EscortMission [=FATEs=], there is a much less annoying leve version; protection leves are located in areas with no other monsters and generate only 1-2 enemies at a time, making them among the easiest available.
* The mausoleum levels in ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' are this. None of the {{Mooks}} can directly hurt you, but if they reach the urn in the center of the screen [[spoiler:where the Legendary Chalice is imprisoned]], it's an instant Game Over.
* Almost every level in ''VideoGame/RawData'' involves you protecting one or more data cores from waves of robots. If the player character dies, they respawn and lose points. Only the loss of a core results in a game-over.
* The "Invasion Mode" in ''VideoGame/IslandWars'' is this. You need to protect your [[VideoGameLives palm trees]] on the island from getting destroyed by enemy attack, and the game is over if your trees are all destroyed or when you beat the final boss after 50 waves.
* [[ThatOneLevel The “Redemption” mission]] in ''VideoGame/XWing''. Protect the Corvette ''Korolev'' from a bunch of TIE Bombers as it transfers wounded troops to the medical frigate ''Redemption''. Oh, and they are launched by an Imperial frigate that pops in and out of hyperspace from different (generally opposite) sides of the engagement area. And escorted by flights of TIE Fighters. And any one of the bombers, if it gets close enough, carries enough torpedoes to kill the corvette. It’s infamous enough to show up as a much dreaded training simulation in [[Literature/XWingSeries the X-Wing novels]], where the pilots refer to it as the “Requiem” scenario.
objective.



* Several levels in ''VideoGame/StarWarsRepublicCommando'' become an impromptu protection mission when progressing forward requires you or your squadmate to hack a console in a room constantly attacked by hostiles, as your squad member cannot fight back when he's hacking.
* ''VideoGame/Centipede1998'': One of the most common sub-objectives in a level is to protect buildings in the area from the invading bugs.
* The ''VideoGame/FairyBloom'' series: Across both games, the player will be doing this:
** ''VideoGame/FairyBloom1'': Defending a plant in the center of the area from attackers.
** ''VideoGame/FairyBloomFreesia'': Vortexes of forest life energy must be defended in some levels. The first being in level 5.

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* Several levels in ''VideoGame/StarWarsRepublicCommando'' become an impromptu protection mission when progressing forward requires you or your squadmate to hack a console in a room constantly attacked by hostiles, as your squad member cannot fight back when he's hacking.
* ''VideoGame/Centipede1998'': One
Some of the most common sub-objectives missions in a level ''VideoGame/WingsOfGlory'' involve defending allied observation balloons from German fighter planes. The observation balloons have no defenses, can't move, and they explode after one or two hits. You also sometimes have to defend various military targets from enemy bombers, including your own Aerodrome.
* In ''VideoGame/WolfQuest'', one of the missions
is to protect buildings in the area your pups from the invading bugs.
hungry coyotes and bears. It gets more difficult when you must [[EscortMission move them to the summer hunting grounds]] and an [[DeathFromAbove eagle]] decides they look tasty.
* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has several of these. One where you have to protect a crystal from several waves of enemies, and another where you have to protect the Hourglass of Eternity, with some help from your future self. Later, you get to do it again, this time as the future self, helping your past self.
* [[ThatOneLevel
The ''VideoGame/FairyBloom'' series: Across both games, “Redemption” mission]] in ''VideoGame/XWing''. Protect the player will be doing this:
** ''VideoGame/FairyBloom1'': Defending
Corvette ''Korolev'' from a plant in bunch of TIE Bombers as it transfers wounded troops to the center medical frigate ''Redemption''. Oh, and they are launched by an Imperial frigate that pops in and out of hyperspace from different (generally opposite) sides of the area from attackers.
** ''VideoGame/FairyBloomFreesia'': Vortexes
engagement area. And escorted by flights of forest life energy must be defended TIE Fighters. And any one of the bombers, if it gets close enough, carries enough torpedoes to kill the corvette. It’s infamous enough to show up as a much dreaded training simulation in some levels. The first being in level 5.[[Literature/XWingSeries the X-Wing novels]], where the pilots refer to it as the “Requiem” scenario.



* ''VideoGame/SierraOps'': If the player investigates the DistressSignal coming from Rhines, you will have to defend the UTV's dry-docked flagship ''Beerkelium'' from a squadron of enemy ships.
* A boss fight in ''VideoGame/NappleTaleArsiaInDaydream'' is based around freeing Treant, a WiseTree character, from a parasitic monster that is causing it to grow bombs instead of fruit. Treant serves up bombs for the heroine to [[TennisBoss knock into the boss]], but the bombs can hurt Treant as well.
* ''VideoGame/FinalLegacy'' has the last remaining warship (or submarine, as the game is ambiguous on that point) defending a set of cities from missiles, while actively seeking out the missile launchers.

[[AC:Webcomics]]

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* ''VideoGame/SierraOps'': If the player investigates the DistressSignal coming from Rhines, ''VideoGame/ZombieHorde2''. Every once in a while you will have to defend the UTV's dry-docked flagship ''Beerkelium'' protect a box from a squadron of enemy ships.
* A boss fight in ''VideoGame/NappleTaleArsiaInDaydream'' is based around freeing Treant, a WiseTree character, from a parasitic monster that is causing it to grow bombs instead of fruit. Treant serves up bombs for the heroine to [[TennisBoss knock into the boss]], but the bombs can hurt Treant as well.
* ''VideoGame/FinalLegacy'' has the last remaining warship (or submarine, as the game is ambiguous on that point) defending a set of cities from missiles, while actively seeking out the missile launchers.

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zombie attacks.
[[/folder]]

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[[/folder]]
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* ''VideoGame/DemonHunterTheReturnOfTheWings'': An early mission in Infenro requires Gun to defend Dayl from waves of level 1 Varians until he finishes analyzing the firewall.
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* ''VideoGame/{{Onmyoji}}'': Kingyo-hime's skin dungeon where she takes over as your onmyōji. Letting her fall in battle ''makes you lose instantly'' whether your other shikigami have fallen or not, effectively turning the battles into protecting her.

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* ''VideoGame/{{Onmyoji}}'': ''VideoGame/{{Onmyoji|2016}}'': Kingyo-hime's skin dungeon where she takes over as your onmyōji. Letting her fall in battle ''makes you lose instantly'' whether your other shikigami have fallen or not, effectively turning the battles into protecting her.
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* A boss fight in ''VideoGame/NappleTale'' is based around freeing Treant, a WiseTree character, from a parasitic monster that is causing it to grow bombs instead of fruit. Treant serves up bombs for the heroine to [[TennisBoss knock into the boss]], but the bombs can hurt Treant as well.

to:

* A boss fight in ''VideoGame/NappleTale'' ''VideoGame/NappleTaleArsiaInDaydream'' is based around freeing Treant, a WiseTree character, from a parasitic monster that is causing it to grow bombs instead of fruit. Treant serves up bombs for the heroine to [[TennisBoss knock into the boss]], but the bombs can hurt Treant as well.
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to:

* ''VideoGame/FinalLegacy'' has the last remaining warship (or submarine, as the game is ambiguous on that point) defending a set of cities from missiles, while actively seeking out the missile launchers.

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* The classic arcade game ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''. "Defend Your Cities!"
** A few other games for the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, Imagic's ''VideoGame/{{Atlantis}}'' and U.S. Games' ''M.A.D.'', are also based around the same premise.

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* The classic arcade game ''VideoGame/MissileCommand''. "Defend Your Cities!"
**
Cities!" A few other games for the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, Imagic's ''VideoGame/{{Atlantis}}'' and U.S. Games' ''M.A.D.'', are also based around the same premise.



* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' requires you to protect milk jugs on the back of a wagon from Romani Ranch.

to:

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
**
''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'' requires you to protect milk jugs on the back of a wagon from Romani Ranch.Ranch [[ProductDeliveryOrdeal while they're being delivered to Clock Town]] for their sale in Milk Bar.



* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime 3: Corruption'' has a mission on Elysia during which you have to kill all the Space Pirates and their ships before they destroy the Spire Pod, which is carrying the bomb that you need to destroy the shield protecting the Leviathan Seed. You're standing ''on'' the Spire while it's being attacked, by the way.

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* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime 3: Corruption'' ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' has a mission on Elysia during which you have to kill all the Space Pirates and their ships before they destroy the Spire Pod, which is carrying [[NitroExpress the bomb that you need to destroy the shield protecting the Leviathan Seed. Seed]]. You're standing ''on'' the Spire while it's being attacked, by so the way.life of Samus is at risk too.



* TowerDefense games are pretty much entirely focused on this idea.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'', a few of the Zerg missions require you to protect a mysterious Chrysalis. Eventually it hatches, revealing [[spoiler:infested Kerrigan, who the Zerg had stolen in the penultimate mission of the Terran campaign]]. Only some of the missions technically count, as in the first few, it's small enough to be carried around by a Drone.

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* TowerDefense games are pretty much entirely focused on this idea.
''VideoGame/MetalWarriors'': The fourth mission revolves around Stone protecting his fleet's spaceship from the incoming enemies that aim to destroy it. The background ShowsDamage, so defeating each enemy ASAP is important (and when none remains, the mission is cleared).
* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'':
**
In ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'', the original, a few of the Zerg missions require you to protect a mysterious Chrysalis. Eventually it hatches, revealing [[spoiler:infested Kerrigan, who the Zerg had stolen in the penultimate mission of the Terran campaign]]. Only some of the missions technically count, as in the first few, it's small enough to be carried around by a Drone.



* Several missions in ''VideoGame/NarutoUzumakiChronicles'' are like this.

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* %%* Several missions in ''VideoGame/NarutoUzumakiChronicles'' are like this.



* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' has one of the BSAA members, Josh, inputing a code in order to turn on the power for the elevator for him, Chris and Sheva to escape on. You also have to do it again. He even [[LampshadeHanging remarks how much of a pain it is for you]].

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* ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' has ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'':
** There's
one of the BSAA members, Josh, inputing a code in order to turn on the power for the elevator for him, Chris and Sheva to escape on. You also have to do it again. He even [[LampshadeHanging remarks how much of a pain it is for you]].
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It doesn't have to be one object. Sometimes it's an array of objects, and if a certain number are destroyed, you fail. These missions often have an explicit NoHarmRequirement that outlines just how much damage (if any..) the target is allowed to take before mission is deemed a failure.

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It doesn't have to be one object. Sometimes it's an array of objects, and if a certain number are destroyed, you fail. These missions often have an explicit NoHarmRequirement that outlines just how much damage (if any..any...) the target is allowed to take before mission is deemed a failure. Players will often get a GameplayGrading depending on how well the target was protected.

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It doesn't have to be one object. Sometimes it's an array of objects, and if a certain number are destroyed, you fail.

to:

It doesn't have to be one object. Sometimes it's an array of objects, and if a certain number are destroyed, you fail.
fail. These missions often have an explicit NoHarmRequirement that outlines just how much damage (if any..) the target is allowed to take before mission is deemed a failure.
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* Several missions in ''Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles'' are like this.

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* Several missions in ''Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles'' ''VideoGame/NarutoUzumakiChronicles'' are like this.
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* The first stage of ''VideoGame/ChaosHeat'' have an area where you need to cover one of your {{redshirt}}s for 30 seconds as he tries hacking his way through an electronically-locked door, just as a horde of {{Giant Spider}}s pops out of surrounding vents and attacks you from all sides. If the redshirt dies, you'll need to restart the area.
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* ''VideoGame/PointBlank'':

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* ''VideoGame/PointBlank'':''VideoGame/PointBlank1994'':
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* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'': one of the class quests for the paladin stronghold involves guarding a civilian from assassination attempts, until her father comes to relieve you from the duty. Thing is, her alleged father comes in abruptly in the mid of the night, without any signs of identification except his claim about what he is, therefore he could be as well a spy in disguise. The player has 50% chances of him being the true father or not, and must decide whether or not delivering the civilian or fighting him. If he's the true father and you kill him, or if he's a spy and you let him take the girl you're guarding, the mission fails. You can [[spoiler:use the spell "detect evil", which paladins get in abundance as a special ability, to check if he's evil (spy) or not (real father)]].
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* ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'':
** Secret Mission 6 requires you to kill all Chimera Seeds without letting any of them take over the lone Scarecrow.
** In the [[CreativeClosingCredits playable credits]], Nero has to protect Kyrie from a horde of Scarecrows within a given time in order to unlock the bonus ending cutscene.
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to:

* A boss fight in ''VideoGame/NappleTale'' is based around freeing Treant, a WiseTree character, from a parasitic monster that is causing it to grow bombs instead of fruit. Treant serves up bombs for the heroine to [[TennisBoss knock into the boss]], but the bombs can hurt Treant as well.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* Chapter 26 of ''[[VideoGame/ProjectXZone Project X Zone 2]]'' has you defending the Dragonturtle from enemy attacks on four sides. You have to deal with [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Pyron and Lord Raptor]], [[Franchise/DotHack Skeith and Azure Kite]], and [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Nelo Angelo]] and waves of enemies surrounding them. If any of the enemies or bosses touches the Dragonturtle, it's an instant GameOver.

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* Chapter 26 of ''[[VideoGame/ProjectXZone Project X Zone 2]]'' has you defending the Dragonturtle from enemy attacks on four sides. You have to deal with [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Pyron and Lord Raptor]], [[Franchise/DotHack Skeith and Azure Kite]], and [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry1 Nelo Angelo]] and waves of enemies surrounding them. If any of the enemies or bosses touches the Dragonturtle, it's an instant GameOver.
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* The ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert'' franchise have more than one level where the player is tasked with defending instead of attacking. Notably, ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'' has the mission in the Ural Mountains where they must defend a Soviet laboratory from a seemingly-endless horde of Allied invaders teleporting into the area thanks to the Allies recently developing the Chronosphere. The mission ends after fending off around fifteen waves of Allied units and destroying all invading forces.

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