Part 54: Mission #51: Liu the Conqueror

I'm not changing the submission rules to force you guys to use certain weapons. That would go against the ethos of the wanzer design process. Hell, the only reason I set aside some slots for voting is because I didn't want to penalize people who weren't checking the thread every hour.

Mission $51: Liu the Conqueror


Email. Email! This one's for Mayer/


: Dad is so overprotective.
: Mayer, you lived in Japan?
: Didn't I tell you? My mother was Japanese.
And I still don't care!



: I'm fine. You are fighting the coup?
: Yes. I'm JDF Colonel Isao Takemura.
: I see. Thank you. What now? Can you take back the capitol?
: Yes. We need your help.
: Me?
The prime minister assist in a political crisis? That's crazy!
: First, I need you to re-open the parliament. Then I'd like you to tell the people about the coup.
So apparently the coup can be stopped by the Prime Minister publicly announcing that he isn't particularly pleased with the military taking control of the country.
: I'll do whatever I can to protect our citizens.



: He'll denounce us as traitors!
: Calm down. The capitol is under our control. We can use the lives of millions as a human shield.
: We can't do that!
That's a defeatist attitude, the Japanese people could grow to love a military government that threatened to vaporize millions of their countrymen!
: We can't turn back now!
: Sasaki... We can't follow you anymore.
: We're arresting you as the coup ringleader.
: ! Are you making me the scapegoat?
: You started the coup. We were merely following orders.
: People like you ruined this country! Kuroi! Where are you! Capture them!
: It's over, Sasaki! Tell Colonel Takemura we arrested the man responsible for the coup!



: You're going to leave Chief-of-Staff Sasaki?
: Don't bother. He sold out. Our path is different. I'd never give up my ideal.
Exactly what that ideal is, I couldn't tell you. Probably something about the military taking power from the corrupt politicians. You know it's an overstuffed game when the party fights in three different civil wars.
: What do we do now?
: We must capture Lukav. He'll become an obstacle sooner or later. Then we'll use MIDAS to finish the revolution. I won't force you to come with me.
Not to mention that the Japanese coup forces don't seem to have a particularly good plan. Apparently, they wanted MIDAS so they could force the people of Japan to accept them as the legitimate government, or else it would nuke them, which doesn't seem like it could possibly work in the long-term.
: We will follow your orders, Major.
: ...Thanks. Everyone on the transport! We'll begin the mission.



: From the enemy headquarters!?
: What did they say?
: They arrested the coup ringleader, Sasaki.
: An arrest? What's going on?
: Maybe it's a trap.
: Probably not.
: How do you know that!?
How about because it makes no fucking sense for it to be a trap. How about that? What do you think is going to happen? That you're going to march into to Tokyo when, suddenly, a thousand ninja wanzers jump out of shadows and kill you?
: The ones who arrested Sasaki chose reality instead of idealism.
: He became a scapegoat.
: What a pity. He tried to make this country a better place, and got betrayed by the ones who believed in him.
I'm reasonably sure that the Japanese people living in mortal terror that their government would vaporize them with MIDAS would not have been a better country.
: What now, Colonel?
: They want to end the coup. We must go see them.
: I'll get a helicopter ready.
: You're going by yourself?! What if this is a trap!?
: You can come with me, if you want.
: They're so indirect with their feelings.
: Yes. That's how they worry about each other.
I swear to God, if Kazuki took out a pocket knife and stabbed his father right in front of them, some one would interpret it as Kazuki's way of giving a hug.



Tokyo will fall to our mighty...diplomacy.



: He's the ringleader. We arrested him. We're turning him in.
: You are as guilty as he is!
: You conspired with Sasaki to capture the prime minister!
: No. Sasaki ordered us to do so.
: We never wanted to participate in a coup.
: We'll prosecute all the participants.
I'm not sure whether that new X-Men movie is going to be any good, but I'm reasonably sure that it's going to be better than Green Lantern, then again, Green Lantern was never going to be any good. I mean, yeah, this coup business is thrilling, especially since its importance is mooted by the fact that Lukav already fled this region of Japan several missions ago!
: We can't overlook the military's actions. We have our own means of dealing with them.
: You're just being petty because you didn't get to take part in it.
: You would've participated if there was something in it for you.
: Stop it! We're not here to discuss such petty matters.
: What do you think, Takemura? Those are the monsters you saved.
Using the hideous due of process of law to prosecute those who break the laws of government. Monstrous!
: Sasaki...
: Do you regret it now? I hope you like what you've protected.
: We don't decide this country's future. If the people chose these men as their leaders, we follow them. That's how the military should be.
: Then there is no future.
Uh, didn't some really bad things happen the last time Japan had a military government. Atomic things.
: Don't you understand? Your ideal isn't everything.
: I see how your future will turn out.
: Lieutenant Mori is asking for you.
: I'm on my way. Takiguchi take care of the rest.
: Yes, sir.



: What's wrong?
: Major Kuroi and Lukav are missing from the coup squad that surrendered.
: Lukav got away!?
: Where did they go?
: Kuroi and his cohort headed for Aso! I don't know about Lukav.
: What about Emma!?
: Lieutenant Mori, what happened to the female scientist?
: Emir is also missing. She's probably with Lukav.
: Oh no...
: What's going on? Are they gonna continue the coup?
: I thought they were finished!
: Nothing is finished as long as Lukav is alive.
: We can't leave them alone. Kazuki, go to Kumamoto.
: !
: I have to stay. Only you can stop Kuroi and Lukav. I'll contact the Kumamoto Base. Stop them!
: We will. You just sit back and watch!
You know, there are times when this game feels like it's never going to end.



Off to Kumamoto, which is on Kyushu. Progress?



: What's going on with Kuroi?
: We're searching for him.
: We need to find him soon.
: What's Kuroi doing here in Kumamoto?
: Continuing the coup, right?
: But why come all the way to Kumamoto?
: That's true. Maybe he needs to do something.
: Maybe he's sightseeing in Mt. Aso.
: Quit joking around.
: That's it!
: What?
: He's going to Aso!
: You wanna go sightseeing, too?
Actually, that would be a nice change of pace.
: Kirishima Industries's weapon testing grounds are in Mt. Aso.
: Oh yeah, for the large mobile weapons.
: And?
: Yes, they're testing a new mobile weapon.
: That's what Kuroi is after!
As was established last mission, the Japanese army's policy towards securing equipment is hoping really hard that no one decides to steal it.
: We need to stop Kuroi from getting the weapon!
: Let's get ready and leave right away!
I have some important business to attend to first.



: I guess the coup is finally over. Colonel Takemura was never involved in it. I knew that from the beginning, though. I know Colonel Takemura very well. He is a most trustworthy soldier.
And then Kazuki murdered this man for saying such things about his father.
: I didn't step out of my house during the coup. Now that it's over, I can come here and drink again. Wars are scary. I like peace.
This guy's in-game name is 'Coward.' I guess that goes to Front Mission 3's schizophrenic vision of war. Sure, war is hell, but only a pussy is a pacifist!
: I was so excited about the coup, but it's already over! War isn't as thrilling as I thought. Where can I find some thrills?
The future bloodsport of MayhemBall. It involves land mines, chainsaws, and a robotic assassin known only as "Red 47."



: Yes, it was developed to be equipped with a beam weapon. It's even equipped with a miniaturized CWDS unit.
: Can this be used in actual combat?
: Both have finished their test phase. But they eat so much power that only one may be used at a time.
: Even just one is ample. We should be able to stop Lukav with this. Have we been able to trace Lukav?
: Yes, he's headed for Misumi Harbor. He must be after that new hovercraft so he can get to Okinawa.
From Okinawa we came, and it is in Okinawa that our final battle must surely be fought. The cycle must be made complete!
: There's no time to waste then. Can you slow them down while we get ready?
: All right. Then I'll be taking command of it.
: Thanks. We're running out of time! Move it out!



I don't think you've got that expression quite right there, Ryogo.
: It's Kuroi! Hurry, he'll be loaded out!
: I see you've found this place kid. But you're too late. Right now, I don't have time to waste on you. Initiate the attack. Annihilate them.
: Hey, he's getting away!
: Tch, take them out quickly! Don't let him get away!



Finally. Okay, new wanzers. Ryogo has the SupportGunnr, Pham has the PassionFruit, Mayer has the Longbow, and Liu has the White Devil. And here's where I have to admit that it's always a bit of a struggle for me to figure out how to use your designs, if only because it can be tricky to gauge exactly how they'll work in the game, so, that's the excuse I'll being going with.



The White Devil brings fear to his enemies!



Here's mistake number one. I'm used to Ryogo having a shield, so I let him get a little too close to the enemy, and, more specifically, this Kasel. Now, if he had a shield, I'd block this attack instead of hoping for the best out of the shotgun...but the SupportGunnr doesn't have a shield, so...



That's not good.



Mistake number two, I'm used to Pham having a pretty rugged body unit. This wanzer is pretty tough, but not quite tough enough. Also, since she has a flamethrower, I keep blowing all her AP on attacks, leaving her unable to use that shield. Damn.



Meanwhile, Liu keeps blowing things up with his invincible new wanzer.



With Ryogo and Pham dead, the enemy can now focus more shots on Mayer, who eventually succumbs. So far, I haven't destroyed a single enemy wanzer. If I'm going to beat this mission, Liu is going to have to defeat the entire army by himself.



And the enemy starts surrounding poor Liu.



Liu isn't going down without a fight!



The issue is that the White Devil is the most powerful wanzer that can be build in this game, but the sheer number of enemies takes its toll.



So Liu busts out his ultimate battle skill, Body Smash. When Body Smash triggers, the next attack automatically destroys the enemy's body, killing him in one hit.



Although, given the amount of damage that Liu can do with his Heavy P-Gun, it's really more useful for the fact that it means that attack will definitely hit the body.



And another one down.



And then this happens. Leg Smash breaks the White Devil's legs, robbing Liu of his last remaining damage sink. It's going to be a close one.



But it's just not enough, as Liu finishes off the last enemy. Victory!



Frankly, I had no business winning that fight anyway. Liu wins MVP because, you know, he was the only surviving wanzer of the battle.



Well, the important thing is that we stopped Kuroi before he...wait, his goal was getting away with the tank? And he did? Fuck.
: Kazuki, let's use this.



: Okay, load the wanzers! We'll stop him before he leaves Aso.

Next Time: Kuroi's last stand! Kazuki gets blown up...again!