Operation Desert Spear – Alpha Protocol Operation

This guide will go over Operation Desert Spear, the primary set of missions you have to do while in Saudi Arabia. We will go over how to unlock and start the missions, as well as provide tips on which missions to do first.

Operation Overview

When you arrive in Saudi Arabia, you’ll receive a transmission from Westridge, and he’ll tell you about your first three missions in the area: Bug Al-Samad Airfield, Investigate Jizan Weapon Stockpile, and Intercept Nasri the Arms Dealer. Your goal in these missions is to track down the missiles that Al-Samad stole from Halbech, and also to deal with Sheikh Ali Shaheed, the leader of Al-Samad. You’ll only need to complete two of the three missions to trigger the final mission for the area, but you can complete all three if you want.

Note: After learning about the missions, you might want to disconnect from Westridge. You’ll lose reputation with him, but you’ll get one step closer to the Transmission’s Breaking Up perk.

Another Note: While you can go on the missions in any order, it’s best to complete Bug Al-Samad Airfield before Investigate Jizan Weapon Stockpile. That’s because Mina will give you dossier information on Darcy during her briefing for Bug Al-Samad Airfield, and then you’ll be able to ask Darcy about it during his briefing for Investigate Jizan Weapon Stockpile. If you do this, then you’ll receive Darcy’s secret dossier fact.

A Third Note: If you’re planning to kill all of the bad guys in the game (rather than arrest them or extort them), then you should complete Investigate Jizan Weapon Stockpile before Intercept Nasri the Arms Dealer. That’s because killing Nasri will remove a purchasable piece of intel for the Investigate Jizan Weapon Stockpile mission, but if you’ve already completed it, then it won’t make any difference.

After completing your conversation with Westridge, you’ll need to jump through a few more tutorial hoops. You’ll need to visit your computer (where you can read emails and purchase intel and equipment), then visit the weapon locker (where you’ll be able to choose what to bring with you in the next mission), and then finally visit the TV (where you can watch news reports and talk to your handler). You might also want to explore the safehouse. Besides the three spots you just visited, you’ll also be able to change your appearance (in the bathroom) and examine some mission mementos (including plaques for each of your orientation courses). Then, when you’re ready to start a mission, just head to the front door.

Note: The game will (silently) create a “safehouse autosave” when you leave the safehouse, so you’ll never lose anything you did in the safehouse.

Another Note: It’s always a good idea to buy intel (especially the dossier intel) before going on a mission.

A Third Note: You’ll start out with a handful of upgrades for your weapons (including a Silencer for your pistol). Be sure to install them before heading out.