Super Robot Wars MX Part #57 - Mission 32 (Moon Route)

Part 57: Mission 32 (Moon Route) - Moonraker

Our folks have made a pit-stop by the La Vie En Rose to resupply and Emary quickly gets in touch. She praises our victory over the Gulfer but, of course, the bigger battle will be starting now.
The La Vie En Rose is headed for the site of the Federation’s battle against the Giganos, so she offers to give the Nadesico a ride over – it’ll save us time. As for how Operation Moonraker is going, Emary relates that the Dragoons have made it all the way to the Giganos’ third defensive line.

That’s quicker than Quattro expected and Emary agrees; she’s been getting info that the enemy’s counteroffensive has, suddenly, gotten much weaker. Is there a reason behind that?
Amuro remembers seeing something similar before, back during the battle of A Baoa Qu in the One Year War. Char remembers, of course, the collapse of Zeon’s defenses and chain of command after Gihren Zabi was killed. Did something like that happen with the Giganos?

Mission 32 (Moon Route) – Moonraker

: Captain, over there!

: Our units are in one piece!

: Excellent. I’d expected them to have been destroyed by now…!

: This way, Cpt. Plato! Your Metal Armors are ready to deploy!

: You’re…!

: We all share in your will, Captain!

: Forgive me… I am indebted to all of you!

: That doesn’t matter – you must leave, quickly! The Federation’ll soon be breaking through our forth defensive line!

: They’ve already made it that far?!

: Y-Yes, sir…!

: Then we’ll make use of this situation! Board your units, men!

: Aye, aye!

: Godspeed, Cpt. Maillot Plato…!

: Captain, the gate’s lock has been released!

: Good. I’d wager Dorchenov’s faction awaits us outside… So I’ll carve a path through them. You three will escape via that opening.

: What?!

: What do you mean by that, Captain?!

: I will stay and carry out Marshal Guiltorre’s dying wish – I’ll destroy the Mass Driver.

: Then we’ll help!

: No, you won’t. You’re to flee this base immediately.

: B-But! We cannot just turn tail and run away!

: That’s an order!

: C-Captain…!

: Dorchenov will surely use the Mass Driver to strike back at the Federation. Whatever the cost, I must at least stop that from happening.

: But…!

: Listen, you must gather like-minded soldiers and await an opportunity to make a comeback.

: What about you?!

: …You needn’t worry about me.

: …

: U-Understood, Captain. We’ll do as ordered.

: But we will not bid you farewell.

: Rather, we’ll believe in you and wait for your safe return.

: Forgive me…

: I’m relaying data on the Mass Driver’s construction to you, Captain. If you want to keep it from firing…

: Then you must destroy that section.

: Roger that.

: And the Mass Driver is already being readied to attack. The indicated area has to be destroyed within five minutes.

: Understood. To battle!

Losing anyone’s a game over (as well as failing the five minute timer, of course), though you needn’t worry about Maillot. His boy band’s nowhere as dodgy as him, of course, but that’s why you have Karl’s EWAC for.
Do note that this is our first instance of destructible objects: the spot Karl marked is an actual target you’re meant to attack (it works like any regular enemy). It’s got 10k HP but absolutely no defenses, so Maillot will easily twoshot it.

Draus are absolutely no match for the Falguen.

It’s very dead. Also, I only noticed when the attack started by our Metal Armors start grounded – Maillot’s got S in Air and Space, so you really want him flying.

The groupies are a whole lot slower, so they don’t get in range of anything.

Enemy Phase!

Dorchenov gets the report that Maillot’s headed after the Mass Driver and already sees that the guy wants to destroy his trump card. He orders a mook to ready his Metal Armor – he’ll crush Maillot personally.
The klaxons start blaring right then, indicating that the Feds are approaching their last line of defense. Dorchenov is very annoyed at the trouble their troops are having with the Dragoons and commands them to defend that line with their lives.

And where the hell is Hokushin? Why isn’t he helping with all this? The mook says the guy’s incommunicado and Dorchenov fumes that the Jovians are apparently waiting to see how things’ll play out.
The priority now is to hasten the Mass Driver’s launch: time to give Earth and the Feds a taste of Dorchenov’s Hammer of ~~Justice~~ FURY!

Dan’s the only one who made it outside, though the Draus are so weak even he can oneshot them.

Player Phase!

Maillot figures this is good enough and tells his men to run off. They do, wishing him luck and asking him to meet up with them later. As they leave, Maillot inwardly tells them to stay alive.
Dorchenov deploys right then, shaking his fist at the “rebel murderer” – he will not allow him to destroy their Mass Driver! Prepare to die!
That wouldn’t make for a very fitting end of the Giganos’ Blue Hawk, Maillot quips. “Still, the Mass Driver will fall, even if the price is my life! Open your eyes and behold the Hawk’s flash!”

Don’t worry about Dorchenov because he’ll just recover to full under 50%.

Enemy Phase!

Here he comes.

: Dorchenov, you traitor! Prepare to meet your end!

: What are you babbling about, Cpt. Plato?! You are the traitor – the fugitive who killed poor Marshal Guiltorre!

: You snake…!

: Brave soldiers of Giganos! I, Dorchenov, will strike down the traitorous Maillot Plato! So carry on fighting as well, all of you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02XfVqRzvnA
Dorchenov is voiced by Ryu Jose’s VA, by the way, and for some reason that really tickles my funny bone.

We kill another mook for the road but leave the rest alive.

Player Phase!

And there it goes.

: Gaaaaaah! Th-The Mass Driver!!

: And now your trump card is no more…!

: D-Damn you! Damn you straight to Hell! How dare you destroy the Mass Driver!

: The Federation is already encroaching upon here, Dorchenov. Your fate is sealed.

: Silence! SILENCE! That’s my line! I'll end you even if it's the last thing I do!!

: !

: Fight as much as you want, you’re not getting away from this, Maillot Plato!

: I am he who’s been named the “Giganos’ Blue Hawk”… If anything, I can tell when the end has come.

: Then, DIIIIIEEEEEE!!

: Your Excellency… I’ve carried out my promise.

: I… have no regrets…

: Gahaha! Death take you, traitor! WAHAHAHAHA!

*Alarm!*

: Wh-What?!

: LtCol. Dorchenov, please return! The enemy’s broken through our last defensive line – they’ll be here very soon!

: Uurgh! Order all remaining Metal Armors to intercept! Destroy them before they get any farther!

: Yes, sir!

*Dorchenov retreats.*

: We’ve entered the enemy base’s area, Captain!

: Prioritize the destruction of the Mass Driver – ready the Gravity Blast.

: Yes, ma— …Huh?!

: What is it?

: The… The Mass Driver’s already destroyed!

: !

: How?!

: I have no idea but the chamber block has suffered massive damage…

: It seems some infighting erupted within the Giganos while we were headed this way…

: Whatever happened, it’s real lucky for us! Let’s keep going and wrap this all up good!

: That’s right. Deploy, everyone.

: Now to bring Operation Moonraker to a close. You’re to enter the base’s underground and make your way to its innermost parts. Capture the enemy’s command center.

: Roger.

: Oh, and in order to reach said command center, you’ll have to destroy that bulwark.

: Open fire.

We didn’t get a chance before but here’s what you need to know about the Dendoh + Kiba: it’s almost a pure ranged attacker, which very much a problem. Only its FA is post-movement, though I think the PSP version changed one of its other weapons to that. Not in the PS2 version, though.
It’s far stronger than any of our other Data Weapons, though it also takes more EN than the others. This one’s really meant, in this version, to be used either as a pure boss-killer or a counterattacking weapon: pop Iron Wall and send Dendoh into a big group for it to destroy... problem is, more often than not, I can just as easily kill everything with all my other units.

Oddly enough, the Giganos outside seem not too interested in defending the base – these five men groups NEVER move. Still, one is close enough that I can use it for some quick morale before heading underground.

Do you think they’re not moving because they’re secretly in Maillot’s camp?

Well, it doesn’t matter now!

All Newtypes are starting to learn Zeal, I see.

Roux prepped one for Saburouta.

Bonus to Prevail and Support Attack.

Enemy Phase!

The troops that were actively engaging Maillot’s group DO move, though, and Hugo takes three of them.

Player Phase!

Last one here.

Easy pickings.

I left a few Gebais left up here for our more morale-hungry folks.

Bam.

One more for the road.

And now we start heading inside.

A mook reports our troops advance into the base’s interior, so Dorchenov orders troops sent to intercept us (four Dollas).
Inwardly, though, he can see the way the wind is blowing. Still, even if this place is lost, he’ll still have THAT.

Most of big units can only barely make it in, but Jet takes a potshot.

Dragon Flare lets Dendoh snipe this one down, though.

Barely enough damage but still good.

Enemy Phase!

Ohoho, you’re cute.

I keep Hugo from wrecking the other three.

Player Phase!

Rom, Amuro and Kazuya take those.

The Nadesico can’t go inside, so it and the Purus will guard our rear.

Aaay, we can use their combined attack now!
Puru Two takes another one.

And down goes that bulwark.

The mook reports that we’ve broken through area one… and realizes that Dorchenov’s already bailed! More important to us, Harry pings a Boson Jump happening inside the base and in come the Hokushin mooks – Dorchenov is still useful to their cause, so they’re here to hold us at bay for a bit.
Ryouko and Saburouta are surprised to find these guys around (they’re very dedicated, indeed), and Kazuya’s not amused by their attempt at deterring us. Drill isn’t worried but Camille warns not to underestimate them. Plus, Hokushin himself is nowhere to be found.
The alarm starts blaring again as Harry detects yet another Boson Jump – is it the boss man coming over?

Nope, it’s Akito again and he’s still not answering Ryouko’s frantic hails. He wants to know where Hokushin is but his cronies, obviously, aren’t telling – they tell him to go and search for himself. That is, if he can!
Akito’ll take them on their offer and tells Lapis that they’re engaging. Ryouko demands to know why he’s not answering her. What happened to him? Still nothing.
Ruri slowly tells Saburouta that our priority right now is the mission. She points out another bulwark to destroy, where we’ll find the command center.

We’ll plow the road quick and keep on our trek.

Barely alive but Quattro finishes the job.

Enemy Phase!

Off goes Akito.

Loads of damage, as usual. This one’ll dies as soon as he attacks Camille.

Finally, a willing volunteer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHU54_UYkUw
PURUPURUPURUPURU!

Player Phase!

All clear.

Fast forward some five turns while I get everyone down this longass hallway and in position.

As we break the final bulwark, however, Hokushin and more of his mooks Boson Jump right over. He praises our efforts and proclaims us to be the victors of this battle.
The sight of him really ticks off Kazuya and he casts Invincible, Iron Wall and Spirit. He demands to know if Erika’s safe but Hokushin doesn’t answer – he’s only here to provide us with suitable “entertainment” for a little while.
Akito (who’d been busily making his way outside to hunt the surviving Giganos) Boson Jumps towards Hokushin; the guy isn’t surprised to see the avenger here, ever adrift in an ocean of despair. Still, Akito says that’ll end once Hokushin’s dead.
It’ll take more than tenacity alone to defeat him, though.

We’re in the home stretch now, so it’s time to start popping Valors. With Ryouko and Saburouta taking point, two of the three mooks are almost oneshotted.
They all die easily.

Now for Hokushin.

: Hokushin! Of all the people I’ve to fight, you’re the only one I insist on taking out with my own fists!

: Idiocy… So much strength you possess, yet you devote yourself to that lone woman?

: I’m not fighting you just for Erika! Ending you – and your backers – will help bring peace back! That is what I, and Erika, want!

: The Jovians were those Jupiter folk who lost hope over the stupid things mankind did, right?

: So why the hell are you bringing something as stupid as war back for another round?!

: I’ve no ideals or principles at stake here… I am simply carrying out my mission…!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k24FKv0PHE8
Finally managed to use this!

: It is truly a shame that your short lives will end here, children…!

: Like hell it will!

: We got too much stuff to do to get dropped by you!

: Let your mind sink into the abyss, Newtype…!

: I’ve just made it back from there…! All so I could destroy warmongers like you!

: The pressure wafting from this man… it’s unlike anything I’ve felt…!

: Very impressive, Amuro Ray. However, having peered into the darkness within me, I shall now consign you to the Underworld!

: Though you are humans from such a distant world, your fixation with Earth remains…

: Is this because human souls remain bound by gravity…?!

: Humans can be nothing but human. And where there are humans, there is greed… and, thus, are we also.

: This man’s heart… it’s like it is hollow! Yet, its depths stand as pitch darkness!

: Naturally…! We’ve no need for ideals or prospects… All that matters is the task and fulfilling it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iol_5sWK_fc
I was all but sure Hokushin was going to survive but Rom had other ideas.
Felt the need to make a captioned video by way of an apology!

Items won here were a Lamune, Jammer and EWAC (Weak).

Hokushin had fun with this but he’s stalled us long enough. Bidding farewell, he Boson Jumps away and Akito immediately follows suit. Ryouko isn’t happy.
Harry relates a transmission from the Federation fleet: the Giganos HQ has declared its surrender. Seems like Operation Moonraker has ended a complete success! Leina (Stoll) and Judau cheer in relief and Beecha and Ginga figure the Giganos Empire’s 100% done now that they’ve lost both their Command and the Mass Driver.
Quattro disagrees, saying that the war isn’t over yet: the Giganos still have something of a mobile space fortress on a different sector. They’ll continue to strike against the Federation until that’s also taken care of. Plus, Vega says, they still have troops on Earth’s surface. While they certainly can’t take on the entire Federation, she figures they’ll start executing several guerilla-style attacks.

Ginga asks if this means the situation’s still pretty much the same but Vega says it’s not like that: for one, we’ve rid of the world of the threat of the Mass Driver. Plus, the loss of their GHQ will throw the entire Giganos’ chain of command in disarray.
Ginga doesn’t get it, so Saburouta puts it simply: we’ve given the Giganos a huge wallop and now they’re real woozy. They won’t be able to attack as well as before… of course, that can change with a bucket of cold water to the face…
But, regardless, the Federation fleet will be coming here soon. Ruri calls everyone back to the Nadesico while we hang on alert – she’s assigning a few units to patrol the area.

*Leina, Jim, Kazuya, Kyoshiro/Nena, Dendoh, Cellbooster, Saburouta, and Hugo/Aqua deploy back outside.*

: … The operation came and went and the Medius was nowhere to be seen, huh, Hugo?

: Yeah. I kinda expected Albero and Elde to have been called over… Maybe they’re still with the Gon Jem Squad, back on the surface.

: Bah… And here I was, hoping to take a nice soak in the bath.

: Nothing we can do about it, Ginga. Patrol duty is patrol duty.

: Yeah, but…

: I’ll give you both a bit of time off once this is over, Ginga. How does that sound?

: Really?!

: Yes, so be patient for now.

: Heheh, alright.

: Huh? You’re piloting by Cellbooster by yourself, Vega?

: Yes, I asked Kirakuni to run some maintenance on our spare batteries.

: Oh, I just had an idea! Why don’t we have the Leo, Boar and the others help with the patrol, Hokuto?

: Huh?

: That way we’ll have some more eyes keeping watch, right?

: I guess but…

*ALARM!*

: !

: It’s the enemy?!

: Don’t be stupid! The base’s troops have all surrendered!

: What is it, then?!

: C-Captain! We’re detecting vibrations in space-time above this area!

: Vibrations…? Is it—!

: An enormous object has just materialized! It wasn’t a Boson Jump!

: Shift to red alert, pattern A—

: W-Wait! We’ve got incoming, units leaving the object and descending right on top of us!

: Aah!

: Th-The Gulfer?!

: Jeez, where did they get all these?!

: Damn it…! Why’d now?!

: Ginga! Above us!

: !?

: UWAAAH!

: Hokuto! Ginga!

: Knight Ogre!

: Urk! That freak’s back?!

: … I was looking forward to seeing how much you’d improved since our last encounter… and this is all you have to show me, Dendoh?

: Damn it! We just had a huge battle!

: Still, my business today is not with you… Vega… do you hear me?

: He’s opened a private channel to me…?! What is the meaning of this, Altair?!

: Vega… why must we fight? We are siblings – the only ones who remain – so why must we do this?

: !!

: What are those two doing?!

: They’re… talking?

: Have you forgotten, Vega? The peaceful days we spent together in Arktos?

: B-Brother…! Have your memories…?!

: Come with me – we’ll right all these wrongs.

: Ah…aah…!

*Vega starts flying towards Altair.*

: Vega! What’s wrong?!

: S-Stop! Don’t go that way!

*The Dendoh moves after her.*

: Do not interfere!

: Uwah!

: Hokuto!

: Aah!?

*The two Gulfer take the Cellbooster away.*

: !!

: V-Vega!

: After her, Aqua!

: R-Right!

: I thought I told you not to interefere!

: U-Urgh!

: We— We’re being attacked from overhead!

: A Gulfer warship, that’s what’s up above! It just bombarded us!

: Jeez, isn’t this a bit excessive for picking someone up?!

: You give Vega back to us, Ogre!

: “Give her back”…?! It’s because of you two that she’s…!

: Because of us, what?!

: It’s because of you that Vega’s suffering…! And because of the Dendoh’s battles, the universe will be engulfed in the maelstrom of war!

: ?!

: Will you beckon that much conflict, foolish humans?! Do you fancy bloodshed so?!

: Lasting peace will never bless this universe if the Dendoh continues to fight! Knowing that, will you continue to oppose we, the Gulfer?!

: Th-The hell is this guy talking about?!

: Give her back! Give Vega back!!

: Vega is the one I was separated from during the battle for Planet Arktos, in the year 4085… She is my sister!

: Wha—!

: Your sister…?!

: Yes, my foolish sister… who was taken by the enemy and indoctrinated into thinking the Gulfer were a threat to the universe. And, thus, she joined in this conflict…!

: Vega’s… his sister?!

: N-No way!

: Know my words to be the truth and that, if the Dendoh continues to fight, there will soon be no way to save the universe from the flames of war!

: …!!

: The ones who set Vega on this path are the true enemies! Your misguided campaign has gone on for far too long, Dendoh!

: “T-true enemies”…?!

: “Misguided”…?!

: Continue as you have and you’ll bring war and chaos to every corner of the universe. You will genuinely be the destroyers of it all!

: We’ll bring war and chaos to the universe?!

: We’ll be the destroyers of the universe?!

: U-Us?!