Part 43: Mission 15 (Europe Route) - Operation Overlord

Back again in the Europe Route, our next mission will see Mazinkaiser and all of Liu Beis crew deploying as event units. Add in the Macross crew, and we set ourselves up accordingly:
Arnie
Tsubasa/Canaria
Shinn/Klan
Eida/Luna
Fei-Yen/Saya
Alto/Michel
Ozma/Luca
Off we go.













*Punch!*













Over by the Quarters bridge, Sayas relaying intel that the AEUs putting together a major counteroffensive in all regions thatve been occupied by Garans Forces. The SMS (and UX) have been set up as the spearhead of that offensive, taking a stab at the Normandy base.
Lalamia remembers all the major cities close to that base what if the worst case scenario occurs and Garans folks actually attack those? Then thats all on us. As Richard sees it, this is a win-win for the AEU regardless: if it goes off without a hitch, they get all the glory; if it goes south, well take the blame (not like he isnt already used to us getting the short end of the stick).
Alto sighs that were all just expendable tools here, but Arnie disagrees: while its true that the UX has a bad rap with the world at large, as far as hes concerned, theyve never fought for the wrong reasons. The world can badmouth us all it wants, were still fighting to protect the peoples lives were fighting for whats right, he says. If anything, thats what I want to believe.
He apologizes if that sounded too pretentious, but Alto likes the way he thinks he also wants to believe that mercs can be just. Arnie thanks him and both pilots quickly exchange names with one another. Bobby very much likes the sight of the two young studs (Nene tells him to watch the drool).

All that aside, Ozma asks how well approach our part in this operation and Zhuge Liangs suggestion is that we simply wait for now. Doing nothing? Yes. Shinn figures hes doing that to let Magami recover, but still
But the meetings interrupted when Tsubasa calls in, yelling that theres an emergency and asking for Scarlet. What happened? Kaido and Magami have deployed without permission.

Location: Normandy Federation Weapon Storage Base


*Machinegun!*

*Slash!*

*Dead.*






*Sword clash!*

*Slash!*










*Bang, bang!*

Back to the Quarter, Monicas already pinged the Skull Pilder having headed straight for the Normandy base. Scarlet fumes, but Zhuge Liang is quite pleased: waiting was, indeed, worth their while.
What, did he expect this would happen? Indeed; he worried that a frontal assault could lead to the neighboring metropolis coming under attack, so he figured we could capitalize on Kaido and Magami wreaking havoc on the enemy from within before making our move.
Shinn isnt too happy that the guy apparently made sacrificial pawns out of two of our guys, but of course he didnt. Hes already got a plan in place and ready to go. What does he mean? Tsubasa calls in again, relaying a message from Liu Beis team that theyre breaking into the Normandy Base as we speak.
Wait, when were those guys sent out? Richard sees the ghost of Sun Tzu saying that all warfare is based on deception; ergo, Zhuge Liang secretly put together a support crew for the SKL duo but kept us in the dark as a way to not tip off the enemy.
Sun Tzu also says: when campaigning, be swift as the wind; as unfathomable as the clouds, move like a thunderbolt. And now it is time for us to make our move, Zhuge Liang proclaims. A counteroffensive executed in this land once marked the turning point in a great war So what say you we mirror that famous operation?
Sounds good to Scarlet and Jeffrey, who command our team towards the Normandy base. This mission will go by the name of

Mission 15 (Europe Route) Operation Overlord





































*Burns pushed back!*






















Kill everything, dont lose anyone. You have until the START of turn 4 to kill Burn and get his Skill Part, before the plot takes over and you lose the goods. Problem is youll need morale to pull that off, which means sending your guys deep into the enemy lines (where Burn can start cutting you up).
Its risky, as there are plenty of enemies and evasion decay can really screw with Liu Beis crew (especially Zhang Fei, who only has Invincible for defensive spirits), and its also a tight squeeze if you havent massively upgraded these guys. Still, build up enough morale, position your folks well to use their best attacks (especially Zhang Fei, who needs a buffer of 3) and maximize supports. I barely missed it because I thought the plot kicked in at the end of turn 4, not the start



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDdgem6BvwY




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C3_izKZTI0
Heres Burns strongest weapon.
And the next turn...




































































*Tweeep!*




















Take out Garan, dont lose the Quarter or the SKL.
Garans the same as he was in the previous mission, but his Riot Cs are way better than his regular troops. The northern and southern batches are running solo and will move in right away, so youll want to use those to feed morale to your newer guys.
After that converge with our vanguard team, deal with the inbound western group of Riots (these are in pairs) and, as they go down, Garan should finally be moving in, whereupon you can swarm him.




















https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKUplsLxGWc
And heres Klans best attack.








Battles are supposed to be fought for peace! How can battle itself be anyones goal?!











































Garan the people would know no joy in this world you desire!
And we get a Magamis Marksmanship Teachings from him.

























And we cut to New York, where Marina and Shirin are watching the news reporting the AEUs successful recovery of the Normandy base, as well as repelling Garans Forces throughout Europe. Its like this on all channels: the AEU did everything, with absolutely no mention of the UX or, even, the Frontier Fleets help.
Still, despite the rampant propaganda, theres another worrisome story making the rounds: one concerning suspicious activities from Orbs Rep. Cagalli Yula Athha. It even mentions her ties to the UX and Arcadian Project an average journalist would hardly be privy to all that, so Shirin doubts one wrote this.
Rather, it seems clear to Marina that someone is manipulating the news to his or her advantage and a man agrees with her suspicion.

Shirin introduces him as Axel Hughes, agent of the NIA (an intelligence agency that answers directly to the Union president), and hes currently conducting an investigation on the less-than-savory elements within the Federation army and government.
Does he mean the Martian Development Bureau? Not just, as Shirin says information control of this level would be beyond even them. She and Axel suspect therere more people scheming in the shadows of the Bureau, and the agent needs their assistance in revealing the truth to the entire world.
Marina understands where hes coming from, but isnt sure if she could be of help. Axel is sure, however Marinas an ambassador of the Federation, and Shirins renowned for her work as a freedom fighter with Catharon so he asks that they lend him their considerable might.

Back to the Quarter, Tsubasa has no idea what Garan was up to with all this: he was on the verge of conquering all of Europe and now hes pulled everything back almost without a fight. Kaido has no idea whats going on through the geezers head, but Magamis rather silent.
Fei-Yen is off in a corner, thinking: shes certain there was someone watching, surveying, her during our battle and she feels like shes forgetting something really important. What could it be? Still, what she does know is that everyone here is so nice to her, so she wants to work hard and not only help us out, but also to bring us happiness.
Nearby, Arnie ponders that Garans sure to have collected more than enough data on the MP Riots, and fears that he might start making more with his production plant at Machine Island. Does he think it likely that Garanll try another invasion?
Magami, however, speaks up: No, Im rather certain he wont set off into the outside world again. What makes him say that? He just knows that thats the case. Well, Kaido doesnt care to make sense of whats going on inside Magamis head either, but tells him not to think too hard and blow a gasket again. Sounds good.
Now, with this done, whatll be the UXs next mission? Richards just received a request from ALVIS the Fafners are finally done being set-up and ready to come work with us, but they want our help with a certain operation first. Ozma enters the hangar and says the SMS will help us with that: the powers that be have allowed them to keep working together with the UX.

Guan Yu sees no downside for us in having more capable warriors at our flanks, but Eida finds it odd. The Frontier now has that treaty with the AEU, yet they allowed the SMS to work with a terrorist group like ours?
Well, Michel figures all the Frontier government wanted with this was to get intel on whats going on at Earth, so they likely dont care so long as thats being done. Um, is that something they should tell us about? Canaria says theyre mercenaries, not spies, so they have beliefs of their own. Alto points out, as Arnie said before, that mercs can also be just, right? Way Zhang Fei sees it, were all one big bundle of concentrated JUSTICE!
While thats going on, though, Zhuge Liang is deep in thought: Our groups encounter happened like clockwork as though drawn to one another by some force. Is that something the will of the heavens, or, perhaps

Signs point to no, as we cut to the Rubens Foundation, where the boss is happy to hear that the Macross Quarter has joined up with the UX right as planned. Thats another hurdle cleared, and well worth the money invested. A speaker on the phone says they dont mind playing fixers, but they do ask that Rubens refrain from becoming a problem to their agenda.
That request goes both ways, of course, and Rubens wonders if the speaker shouldnt save his baseless suspicions for after his groups made progress on their little plan? The speaker huffs an affirmative and cuts the call. And, with that done, Rubens sets his sights on the next task at hand: securing the lost requiem

Finally, back to ALVIS, they finally have the Siegfried Systems terminal ready to be used, whichll allow the Fafners to operate far beyond the island. Toumis not too keen on sending the kids to work with the UX, but Makabe says theres little choice: even if they stayed here, theyd have to contend not just with the Festum, but eventually with the Federation army as well.
With that in mind, he figures it best to have them learn as much as they can from a group thats managed to survive through such hardships. And, then, we have the same scene we did in the other paths, with Makabe wanting Tatsumiya be moved, Kariya reporting the uninhabited island being found in their path, and them deciding to send a team to investigate the place.