Part 16: Mission #15: Grand Theft Jinyo

Mission #15: Grand Theft Jinyo



As you'll recall, we had recently conquered Negros Fortress.
: Good work.
: Hey, rich girl. Now do you trust us?
: It was okay, for you guys.
: She trusts us.
: She's still a pill.
: You guys were lucky. Don't get too cocky.
You know, I'm pretty sure we're doing more harm than good by letting Pham's family effectively take over the Philippines.
: We can't rest very long. The military is moving in on us.
: How?
: The fleet on South China Sea is heading over here.
: Dagat Ahas is moving now, huh?
: It'll be the biggest obstacle of this mission.
: Is Dagat Ahas really that strong?
: It's probably impossible to sink it. Even if we do, it'll cost us too much. We won't have enough forces left to take Batangas.
: Are you serous!?
: Doesn't sound very optimistic.
: But we can't let it be. If we don't take the fortress, that'll be the end.
: Yes. It's the only option we have.



That's pretty overwhelming. Apparently the super-fortress of the seas that can effectively crush the rebellion all by itself looks like two freighters welded together, or some sort of Catamaran of Doom!
: What a piece of work. There's no way we can sink this!
: It's not necessary to sink it. Just keep it from moving while we advance north.
: What, knock the gate and ask nicely?
: We could bring a gift, too... But what if they don't like it?
: Shut up, all of you... Any ideas, Liu?
Kazuki still hates fun.
: Send a small unit inside the fortress to conduct a pinpoint strike. Attack the wanzer hangar, the flight deck and the engine room. Destroying the 3 locations will briefly disable the fortress.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, we'll be doing this with wanzers. In a design choice that is impossible for our pre-singularity minds to understand, every passageway in this ship is big enough for a wanzer to move through.
: By entering the fortress, you can disable it. But how do you get inside!?
: How about sneaking in aboard an aircraft?
: You'd be shot down before you got close enough.
: How about by ship?
: They'd just sink it.
: There's nothing we can do. So what do we do, old man?
: We'll do something unexpected.
: Unexpected, like what?
: We put the wanzers in assault pods and smash our way in.
: Wha!? We're gonna be human torpedoes?
: Don't worry, they won't explode.
Yeah, there's nothing dangerous about being shot in a torpedo against a steel hull!
: No, I'm not worried about that...
: It would be best to send 2 units inside the fortress. Divide our forces to hold the engine room and the hangar.



: But it's the only way.
: We're attacking Dagat Ahas from inside?
: Are you crazy? It's like committing suicide. I'm sure you won't have the guts to do it.
Wait, is she trying to get us to kill ourselves to spite her? Because I'm tempted...
: Let's do it.
As is Kazuki.
: Kazuki, are you serious!?
: Once we enter the fortress, you guys attack Mindoro.
: All right. Come back alive.
: I don't plan on dying here.



Why are you in my sub? WHY ARE YOU IN MY SUB?!
: What is this stinky place! I'll get sick! How do you guys manage?
: Quit complaining!
: Why are you here?
: Do you have a problem? You should be thankful that I'm helping you.
: We're not going out to play!
: Yeah. Rich girls should go on picnics, not to war.
: Shut up! I'm a fighter for democracy! I won't let you order me around.
But a majority of the party wants you to go away!
: Ugh. Too bad. I think she's coming along, Kazuki.
: Whatever!
: My lady never listens once she makes up her mind.
: Pham, we can always use more soldiers. But protect your own life. We don't need a liability.
: What are you saying!? I hope that YOU don't become a liability!
: We won't! We'll try.
: Miho is such a nice girl...
: I'm here now. The mission is going to be a success!
Why won't you go away?
: I can't let her go by herself. I'll be her shield.
: So... What's the plan?
: You guys take the storage, while Pham and I take the engine room.
: Just the two of you?
I see, you want to ensure there are no witnesses. Very good, then.
: It's not enough, but that's all we have.
: I'll be coming along.
: !?
I wonder what that expression sounds like.
: I must protect my lady.
: Um... Is he going to pilot a wanzer?
Isn't Alisa supposed to be a nuclear physicist or something? How does she know how to pilot a wanzer?
: I am trained to do many things.
: Wow. He's amazing!
Miho is rather easily impressed.
: Is he going to be okay?
: He might be better than you!
: I guess we have all the forces we need. Let's go!
I like that Liu essentially just throws everyone into armed combat and hopes for the best.



Well, then, off we go. It's a good thing that the people of the future evidently have forgotten how to detect submarines, or our plan would make no sense whatsoever!



I'm not exactly sure what Dagat Ahas is supposed to do. I guess it's a giant wanzer carrier or something? Excapt wanzers can't really swim and no wanzer we fight is going to be equipped with hoverpods. It does make a neat set piece, though, and it's not like it's the dumbest fortress in the game.



: Yes.
: We'll begin the fortress retrieval mission when we arrive.
: ...Yes. Once the wanzers leave, we'll move to support their operation.
: Yes, sir!



Meanwhile, Operation: Bullet Train to Nirvana has begun.



Okay, here's what I don't get. In order for our plan to make any sense, our torpedoes have to be able to penetrate the hull at least reasonably close to the critical locations of the ship, so why couldn't we use regular torpedoes?



: An enemy submarine is approaching! It fired torpedoes!
: ...Evasive maneuvers.
: It's too late!
: ...Brace for impact.
Yep, the Dagat Ahas is completely invincible, so long as everyone agrees, in the spirit of sportsmanship, to never use submarines against it.



Impact



You'd think we'd have accidentally flooded at least parts of the ship when we penetrated the hull, but apparently the Dagat Ahas is literally unsinkable.



: ...Damage report?
: No explosion damage, the warhead was a dud!
: Have the wanzers dispose of the warhead.
: Yes, sir!
So, no one finds it odd that out of the four torpedoes that hit the ship, every single one of them was a dud?



: Right on the money! In the middle of the hangar! Battle positions!

Back on the bridge...

: Enemy wanzers! They came out of the unexploded torpedo!
: ! It wasn't meant to explode. Send the wanzers to engage. Prepare for close combat. Evacuate the remaining crew.
Um....Captain, couldn't you flood the chamber they're in, or do something that doesn't involve a fire fight in the middle of your ship?
: Yes, sir!



: Here comes the welcome wagon!
: Let's go. Don't let the enemy get close!



Finally, it's time for a fight. This is a different sort of battle. At the outset, it's Kazuki, Ryogo, Alisa and Miho versus six soldiers on foot. But, there are six unoccupied Jinyos that the soldiers will run towards and try to board. Any Jinyos you prevent them from occupying, you get to keep. How many Jinyos can I steal?



Kazuki tries to kill a soldier by falling on him. Amazingly, this only wounds the poor bastard.



Here's the thing you aren't going to be able to prevent the enemy from boarding all of the Jinyos, even if you stand in front of the vacant suits, the soldiers can move past you and board them. So, your first objective should be killing as many of the foot soldiers as you can until they are either all dead or in Jinyos.



Looks like we might just get one more Jinyo...



Except Kazuki immediately chains into another tackle, destroying the suit. Even though the pilot ejected, he still counts as dead, because his wanzer was destroyed in the sequence.



Meanwhile, Alisa hits a guy with a missile. See, The Yellow Wallflower isn't a total failure.



Miho gets a Jinyo to surrender. All told, I end the mission with 5 out of the 6 Jinyos in my possession. The MVP goes to Miho and Enforcer for efficiency reasons.



Ah, the price of success. Shooting at the foot soldiers causes your average damage score to go way down as, for whatever reason, they take greatly reduced damage from attacks.



: Hey, easy win! This fortress is amazing!
: Aren't you getting a little carried away! How's Liu doing...?

Next Time: How is Liu doing?

Kazuki, Ryogo, Liu and Miho still need builds! DrivenBatty, I leave the upgrading of the Good Friday up to you! Lotish, you have pleased me....perhaps you do have a future in this organization.