Part 150: Pham

Me, a machine? How could a scientist possibly have created all fourteen of the necessary components that a self-aware artificial intelligence would require?

_{He knows too much...}

Also, jng2058, if you're devious plan is just hoping you get a build for the same pilot several times in a row, then I wish you the best of luck, because you'll need it. If you intend to abuse a loophole or something to make it happen, I won't allow it.

Frankly, I'm not thrilled with anyone even intimating that they intend to reserve a pilot for themselves.

Wanzer Retrospecticus: Pham

Build Cycle #1-2: Missions 16-24



Good Friday
Submitted by: Driven Batty

Parts
Body: Genie
L. Arm: Zeros
R. Arm: Zeros
Legs: Jinyo Mk 110 (Previously Kyokei Mk 108)
Backpack: BPT3A

Weapons
L. Shoulder: Empty
R. Shoulder: Empty
L. Hand: Mk 10 Fist (Previously Fear Fist)
R. Hand: Buckler (Previously SN-100G)

MVP of Missions: 22, 23
Fatal Flaw: May have literally been made of glass, also, Pham survived the many times it exploded.

Just looking at the parts list for this wanzer make me angry. The idea here is that the sheer amount of excess power that the wanzer has means that it'll hit for a ton of damage with its fist. And, to be fair, that's true.

But, that also means it has a body unit made of glass and shitty legs. The priority chart for weapons means that melee weapons normally go after projectile weapons. That means that, unless the Good Friday was fighting another melee wanzer, it was going to get shot at. And if it was fighting a melee wanzer, it better fucking pray it knocks the other guy out because this wanzer could not take a hit. The slow legs compounded the problem because it left the Good Friday open to attacks to which it could not respond. I appreciate the willingness to try something different, hell, that's the entire point of this LP, really, but this didn't work.

Build Cycle #3: Missions 25-28



Talk to the Hand
Submitted by: Slaan

Parts
Body: Meledyne M1
L. Arm: Zeros
R. Arm: Grapple MkI
Legs: Zeros
Backpack: Mk6 Pack
Computer: COMC754

Weapons
L. Shoulder: Empty
L. Hand: Buckler
R. Shoulder: Type13GR
R. Hand: Mk10 Fist

Fatal Flaw: Wait, are we sure I ever used this wanzer? I did? For one mission? I don't know, I guess its biggest weakness was some sort of metaphysical ability to erase itself from my long-term memory.

So, remember this wanzer? Probably, not, because I only used it in one mission...and it promptly got destroyed only a few turns in. It's the Moonlight Graham of thread wanzers.

That said, I'd imagine the reason I didn't use it more is that it combined the problems of the previous wanzer with new, more exciting problems! It lost the power advantage that gave it the ability to do massive damage with its attacks, but kept the hideously low HP that only a missile wanzer body can provide.

Build Cycle #4: Missions 29-34



T-52 Enryu
Submitted by: Nick Buntline

Parts
Body: Yongsai 3
L. Arm: Zenislev
R. Arm: Yongsai 3
Legs: Kasel M2
Backpack: Mk5 E-Pack
Computer: COMB603

Weapons
L. Shoulder: Empty
L. Hand: Mk 22 Spike
R. Shoulder: Empty
R. Hand: Huosai 2

MVP of Missions: 29, 31
Fatal Flaw: Made me grateful to Nick Buntline, an unforgivable offense.

I can always count on Buntline to give me exceptional wanzers. Now, that occasionally means it'll be an exceptionally bad build, but, more often that not, he'll use his knowledge of the game for good, not evil.

This just a solid design created by a guy who actually has played the game. That's always nice. The parts all work together perfectly, fast legs, a relatively strong body, arms with skills that work brilliantly with the weapons equipped. I was toying with using this design as the basis for Pham's final wanzer, but ultimately decided against it for a variety of reasons. Still, probably my favorite of Pham's wanzers.

Build Cycle #5: Missions 35-41



The Tank
Submitted by: DonTirri

Parts
Body: Kasel M2
L. Arm: Tiandong 3
R. Arm: Zeros
Legs: Grapple M1
Backpack: Mk5 E-Pack
Computer: COMB603

Weapons
L. Shoulder: Empty
L. Hand: Mk12 Fist
R. Shoulder: Empty
R. Hand: Heavy Shield

MVP of Mission: 37, 39
Fatal Flaw: Too much steak, not enough sizzle

Not much to say about this one. A solid unit with solid parts. It's a tank. I'd have used something besides a Tiandong arm, personally, but it's not a terrible choice. Maybe a Zenislev body to get more HP and power. I don't know, a tank is a tank is a tank.

Build Cycle #6: Missions 42-50



Stuck Up
Submitted by: tanasinn

Parts
Body: Lanze
L. Arm: Wude 3
R. Arm: Wude 3
Legs: Lanze
Backpack: BPT9MAX
Computer: COMC654

Weapons
L. Shoulder: Empty
L. Hand: Mk22 Spike
R. Shoulder: Empty
R. Hand: Mk12 Fist

MVP of Mission: 48
Fatal Flaw: Was present in something like 90% of my failed attempts to clear missions.

This is not a bad design, but, for whatever reason, it felt like whenever I used it, tragedy followed. It's definitely a solid design, although it probably would be better off with a shield arm, especially if you have a Lenghe 1 arm to hold that shield, but there may not have been one available.

It also is practically the same design as the Tiger Blood, in the same generation, which probably didn't help matters.

Build Cycle #7: Missions 51-55



Passionfruit
Submitted by: Dr. Video Games 0071

Parts
Body: Grezex
L. Arm: Yongsai 3
R. Arm: Yongsai 3
Legs: Kasei M2
Backpack: BPT9MAX
Computer: COMC754

Weapons
L. Shoulder: ---
L. Hand: Buckler
R. Shoulder: ---
R. Hand: Hot Gazel

Used in Missions: 51-55

Whoops. I originally had written up a description of the un-revised passion fruit. In fairness, it gets a bit hard to keep track of all of these builds, especially when you guys keep tinkering with them.

Anyway, this revision is pretty good. I'd have preferred a slightly tougher body than the Grezex, since, after all, the flamethrower only has a range of 2, so it needs to be able to take a few hits, but it's not that big of a problem. Now, me blowing all of my AP on a flamethrower attack and then not being able to use the shield, that's bad, but I'm not sure I could blame Dr. Videogames 0071 for that...although, the flamethrower does inherently tempt me to do such things, and you should know that I tend to play aggressively whenever I can, given my long-known disdain for missiles and any other long-range gimmickry. Why, this was all a trap by the Dr. Videogames 0071 to torment with a wanzer design I could not help but run into the ground! Damn you, Dr. Videogames 0071!!! Is there no end to your villainy?

All-Star Endgame Showcase: Missions 56-59



Tankenstein

Parts
Body: Zenislev
L. Arm: Lenghe 1
R. Arm: Kasel M2
Legs: Grapple M1
Backpack: BPT9MAX

Weapons
L. Shoulder: Empty
L. Hand: Mk 10 Shield
R. Shoulder: Empty
R. Hand: Fatal Buster

Okay, it's a shitty name, but I could think of a better one.

Anyway, whereas Kazuki had always had a melee wanzer with two weapons, Pham usually had a shield. I based this design mainly off of the Good Friday and The Tank. I liked the T-52 Enryu, but I already had two members of the team locked into using flamethrowers, so I went in a different direction.

I picked the Zenislev body for the extra power and the relatively high HP. I chose the Lenghe 1 arm because Pham has a melee weapon and a shield, allowing her access to Shield Attack III. I picked the Kasel M2 arm because I like Stun Punch, and I'm reasonably sure that you can't force-eject certain late-game bosses (although, I might be wrong.)

Beyond that, I picked a fist because I don't like how the Venus looks, and because the Last Strike, despite having a cool name, and looking pretty neat, isn't nearly as powerful. The Mk 10 Shield was picked for its extra durability.