Part 86: Mission 48 - A Single Flower and a Green Planet - Part 2
Vegan Beast Guragura (Commander Gandal)
- Prevail L6
- Support Attack L2
Big, bulky, classic Super Robot midboss. Accuracy is piss due to no accuracy modifiers on weapons but that’s a bit compensated by Prevail.
Good stats where it matters but too little HP to take things on the chin.
This mission’s a very good opportunity to catch some of our less used Shuffle Alliance members up to speed.
Easy money.
But Duke has already weakened Zuril a bit, so let’s get him off our hair.
: Ah, Duke Fleed’s sister! I’ll deal with you right after I’m done with him!
: Don’t be ridiculous! My brother will never be beaten so long as I’m present to help him!
: So you’ve been hiding this huge base right under our noses, huh? But today’s the end of the road for all of you!: I don’t think so! The Vegan army is invincible while our Skull Moon Base still stands!
They actually edited the sprite to add Boss’ graffiti!
: (Daisuke… I’ll save wondering what happened between you and Rubina for later…): (I’m also a defender of Earth and I’ll fight with you as one!)
: Kouji Kabuto! Now that I think about it, you’ve always been a persistent thorn on our side!
: Damn straight! I’ll never turn a blind eye to evil… that’s the code of Kouji Kabuto!
Zuril can’t believe his end would come at the boonies of space and Duke commands him to feel the weight of the pain his weapons caused on so many people. He blows up and only Gandal, and King Vega, remain.
And the Age of Fatso has reached its apex. The Black Great is a suped up MP Great that’s actually better than the original. All its weapons have +300 attack power, a boost to range and are more EN efficient, it’s got more HP, EN, Armor and movement range too.
It still can’t use Tetsuya’s bigger tricks but Double Lightning Buster IS still available (the Black Great and MP Great can do it as well).
Oh, and it works like the Dijeh in that it has S ranks on all terrains that matter, so even Boss should be getting very good numbers.
And that’s how Boss became the protagonist!
Enemy Phase!
The mooks start closing in from the get-go, a few of them attacking Sai and Kouji. Sai actually gets hit on a 15% but that triggers his Prevail and everything’s good.
He takes three Midifoos that get too close.
Player Phase!
Forward, starting with whatever got slapped in the previous turn.
By the by, this is one of those missions where I wouldn’t recommend going after EVERY enemy just to spare your patience. The MP Greats themselves have some 17k HP and your MAPWs are limited to Domon and George’s which haven’t too big an area of effect.
The other Jinjins fall to Argo and Chibodee, while Boss nabs a Midifoo and sets himself up as a juicy target.
Tag your Mazingers with Iron Wall and send them ahead because sooo many of these mooks have Support Defense. It’s simpler to have them bash their heads against our crew and then move to finish the job.
Meanwhile, just attack whoever and do some chip damage.
As always, watch out for the Koakoas because they’re quite accurate for mooks.
Enemy Phase!
Gandal surprises me by actually attacking now. Thankfully, he went for Tetsuya.
: Observe the Guragura’s power, the strongest Vegan Beast!
: Hah… whatever name it’s got, save dubbing it the strongest for after you’ve beat me!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rMblTNqZwY
Boss to the rescue!
And the AI really plays ball, going solely after my hardy Supers or Sai. Would’ve been perfect had these saucerbeasts not moved out of this excellent MAPW formation for Domon.
Player Phase!
Whatever, I’ll still take it just to weaken Gandal and a couple others.
The Bong gets wrecked.
As Chibodee and Rain nab a couple more, George moves ahead in hopes of a later MAPW.
Excellent.
We’ll be dealing with Gandal this turn, so Argo and Boss start working on him.
: I, Cmdr. Gandal, will strike down anyone foolish enough to oppose the Vegan Empire!: Heh… If the commander himself is taking to the front lines, then I know you’re at the end of your rope!
: The time has finally come for us to face one another, Grendizer! En guarde!
: I will not fall to you, Cmdr. Gandal…! Rather, I’ll defeat you and force King Vega to show himself!: Impudence! Behold the might of the strongest Vegan Beast!
As Gandal shakes his fist at Duke and our crew, Duke proclaims today to be the final day of the Vegan army – he’d best accept it. Gandal is doubtful and asks the King to handle us before exploding.
: Rrrgh! Both Zuril and Gandal proved just how incompetent they truly were! I suppose if you want something done properly, you must do it yourself!
: Here you are, King Vega!: Your servants are already gone and you’re next! You’d best accept your end!: Silence! The Vegan Empire will not falter while I still draw breath! I’ll crush you all here and now... and the Earth – and the entire universe – will be mine!
: I see villains always stick to the same stock phrases.
: Yeah, and small-time baddies are the ones who yell the loudest when their back is against the wall.: What?!
: So many worlds you’ve destroyed and conquered – Planet Fleed included – with your dishonorable tactics. You are not deserving of the title of King!: Much less to say you’ll rule the universe! Save that sort of craziness for when you’re dreaming!: Curse you… how dare you, brats—!: Rebellion is breaking out across planets conquered by the Vegan Empire, right? And once you’re gone, all of them will be free!: Hrrmm…: Come, King Vega! You and your army will fall today – so that peace may return to the entire universe!
: I challenge you to try! I, King Vega, will not make this a simple task to accomplish!
King of Vega (King Vega)
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L6
- Support Attack L2
- Debuff Immunity
- Barrier – Reduce all incoming damage by 1000
Take what I said about Brai and repeat, only he’s got a MAPW up front and a Barrier for a bit more survivability.
Approach from the sides and you’re good, though I suggest you make sure your team is right next to him before you start piling up the damage. Just to be safe.
Allenby and Tetsuya wreck another pair and we hold the line.
Enemy Phase!
Oh, you huge fools. That’s the entirety of the Vegans’ left flank wasting their move on the TFO.
The other half deals some decent-ish damage to Duke, which’ll promptly be healed.
Vega’s keeping back, though one of his support defending Mother Burns obviously skimmed over his job description and charges in.
Player Phase!
Might as well get rid of this one on approach.
Easily dispatched by Hikaru.
There goes the other one, courtesy of Rain and Chibodee. I wreck a couple of MP Greats as well just because.
Headed straight for King Vega next turn, though.
Enemy Phase!
Hah! x90
Player Phase!
Off we go!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJc4qpUOVSk
: So you’re Kouji Kabuto! Destroying Duke Fleed would’ve been a simple matter if you weren’t around!: But he’s my friend, so that ain’t happening! Besides, folks who try to screw with peace in space are also on my “needs an ass-kicking” list!
: Urk…! Blast you, Magnate Ten! How are you this strong…?!: Sorry but it’s too late to start apologizing!: We cannot excuse all the crimes you’ve committed to this day!: Damn… I am King Vega, the ruler of space! I refuse to die in such a meek fashion!
*King Vega starts flying away.*
: The hell, he’s trying to make a run for it?!
: No…! That course is… he’s gunning for Earth!
: What do you mean?!: King Vega! You’re not actually thinking of dropping your battleship onto Earth, are you?!: I will not die alone, Duke Fleed! My death will rain radiation onto your beloved planet!
: If all the Vegatron radiation inside his ship reaches Earth…
: The same thing that happened to Planet Fleed will happen again!
: Absolutely not! My Master sacrificed his life to defend Earth’s nature and I will not allow a worm like you to pollute it!: Focus all your attacks on King Vega! Victory’ll be ours if we can sink his ship before it leaves the moon!
: HAHAHAHA! Stop me if you can!
So there’s the problem. King Vega will reach the deadline in three turns, so your best option is to have people close when you get him down and then surround him from all sides as he’ll always prioritize moving.
If that’s not an option, then you’ll just have to hurry and hope there aren’t too many mooks blocking your path. If anything, he’s only recovered 30% HP.
: So many people – my family included – call Earth their home… And I will keep that beautiful world safe!: Look on, earthling girl! You’ll be witness to the death of your family’s planet!
: King Vega! In your greed, you’d taint my planet’s beauty and I will not stand for it!: Don’t make me laugh, Earthling! I am the absolute ruler of space, meaning all planets are meant to belong to me!: While justice is the absolute rule of the cosmos! And now my fists will put it into effect!
: Can you even wrap your head around how beautiful Earth is, King Vega?!: Indeed. Even at the universal scale, it is rare a planet that shines that bright… which is precisely why it deserves to be mine!: You don’t get it at all! A planet doesn’t belong to one person… it belongs to all the people who live in it!: And I won’t let a monster like you pollute our beautiful world!
: I’ve heard that Planet Vega also disappeared from the face of the universe. So why are you trying to repeat a catastrophe like that?!: Silence! If Earth will not be mine, then it should be destroyed!: How many worlds did your selfishness destroy?! : King Vega! You are a demon and I will not see you taint that beautiful planet!--
: I’ve fought many evil overlords but this is my first time seeing such a sore loser!: Silence! I am the ruler of space and while you may push me to death’s door, I will not traverse it in accordance to your whims!
: it’s over, King Vega!: I… I am King Vega! The ruler of space! GWAAAAAAAAAARGH!!
: Duke!
: Daisuke!
: You finally did it, brother!: He’s gone… that demon has been defeated at last…: Mother, father… Mors… the Vegan Empire is no more…: And Rubina… this marks the return of peace to the universe, just as you wished…: Daisuke…: My thanks, everyone… It was only because of you that this moment’s arrived.: It’s all good – relax. No need to stay on ceremony among your friends!: Thanks, Kouji… It was by meeting you that I rediscovered what courage really is.: Duke…: And I now have something to tell all of you…Goodies earned today: a Super Alloy nu-Z, Super Repair Kit and a High Spec. Radar.
Also, convos we missed:
: Maria Fleed! I’ll destroy you and your brother and bring a definitive end to the Fleed bloodline!: I don’t think so! It will be your Vegan Empire that meets its end today!--
: So you’re the commander? Then I just need to defeat you and the Vegan army will fall apart!: You bite off more than you can chew, girl! I’ll make you regret challenging my Guragura!--
Duke and Maria have a convo with Vega before he starts his kamikaze run:
: You’ll pay, Duke Fleed! Rubina’s death lies on your hands and now mine will bring about yours if it’s the last thing I do!: … I won’t make any excuses for what happened. : Still, how many similar tragedies to Rubina’s did your campaign cause across the universe, King Vega?!: Hrm…!: King Vega! Here is where I strike down your evil!--
: Prepare yourself, King Vega! Today we take revenge for all of Planet Fleed’s peoples!: No, Maria Fleed! What you and your brother will do today is die at my hand!: A part of Fleed’s royal family and a sworn defender of Earth, I refuse to fall to someone like you!--
And after that event happens:
: I am impressed that you’ve managed to push me to this point, earthling! However, Earth will be mine one way or another!: No way, no how! A baddie like you isn’t getting even one of your evil things on my planet!--
: Earth is our second home… it will not go the way of Planet Fleed!: MWAHAHAHAH! Yes, it will! Planet’s Fleed, Vega and Earth will all perish!
So Duke’s passed on the news of Planet Fleed’s revival, as told by Rubina. Maria is very happy that they might be able to return home and Duke figures the loss of King Vega will send the Vegan Empire crumbling throughout their territories. Planet Fleed, and so many others, are free once again.
Hikaru is very happy for him and Domon is quite touched by the thought of Planet Fleed fighting and prevailing against the Vegatron radiation. It shows the strength of that world’s life. Moreover, Rain figures other survivors of Fleed may return as the news spreads.
But when Kouji asks when Duke’ll head back there, he says he doesn’t know yet. Duke WILL return, mind, as he has a duty as one of the survivors to help the restoration of his world… but he also has things he must do here, as Daisuke Umon.
Would Maria have a problem with delaying their return for a bit? None at all, as she figures that can wait until peace has also returned to their second home. Now that he's seen the light beyond his rage, he can fight without second thoughts, both as Duke Fleed and as Daisuke.
Kyral approves and even he can see Duke’s fine smile. Tetsuya himself re-welcomes Duke as part of the team.
Still, Sayaka asks if Hikaru’s alright with the idea of Duke leaving. She is as, one, it’s his decision to make and, two, it’s not like it’ll mean goodbye forever. Jun raises another option, though: why doesn’t she just accompany him to Planet Fleed?
Allenby likes how that sounds, a romantic trip across the stars, and Rain says they all stand ready to help her with that. As Hikaru thanks them, Mari looks on as another interstellar couple takes roots – just like Kazuya and Erika. Speaking of, Akira wonders if the Nadesico C team is doing alright with its offensive on Mars – to say nothing about the Argama and the assault at the Giganos. Tetsuya figures we’ve nothing to worry about, though.
Regardless, Kouji says we have to work hard to bring peace back and help the Fleeds go back to their world as quickly as can be. And Maria has an idea: why doesn’t he come with them, just to see the sights?
Kouji would be HAPPY to, proclaiming to an angry Sayaka that the trip could really advance the field of space development. As Sayaka fumes, Maria presses the advantage and says Kouji is more than welcome to simply move to Planet Fleed for good.
REALLY?! … Um, could Sayaka come along? Sayaka stomps away – tough times are ahead for her. Inwardly, Duke thinks to his parents and asks them to wait a bit longer while he carries on fighting for his second home now.
Once peace has returned here, he’ll dedicate the rest of his days to preserving it across the universe and helping with Fleed’s restoration. And he figures it won’t be long before that happens.
Now that Grendizer is 100% finished, I’ve come to realize the absence of something present in Z: Lady Gandal. Was she added in a later movie and that’s why she wasn’t in this game? One odd thing is that while combing through the portraits, I found what appears to be Gandal in drag:
These faces are in the data but I haven’t seen them used anywhere – not even in battle. Any Grendizer expert can explain?