Part 207: Mission 53 - Lunar Showdown - Part 1

Chapter 52 Part 1

Last time on Super Robot Wars Z:


We learned The Truth About the Black History.

And it was a doozy. Also, Kazami went full crazy evil. Darn it Ginger Dr. Wily, I trusted you!

Current Top Aces:
1. Setsuko - 190 Kills
2. Amuro - 137 Kills
3. Quattro - 128 Kills
4. Shinn - 125 Kills
5. Kappei - 117 Kills

Kappei's been hanging around the sixth position in kills for a while now. And now that Talia's gone () he takes a place in the top 5!


So, my first goal is to teach Haman Hit&Away, up her Skill by 10, and teach her three levels of SP-Up. This gives her enough SP to cast both Valor and Zeal.


Why? So I can bring out the Super Gundam and stick her in it of course! The Long Beam Rifle is a pretty strong long range attack, and most importantly it's a PLA attack! With Haman's Squad Leader Bonus, Hit&Away, and the new and improved Skill Stat, she'll be doing strong double attacks like nuts.


Next, I do something for the first time this entire playthough. I upgrade weapons. The Super Gundam's, the Dijeh's, and the Impulses. All Mobile Suits I'm using as Squad Leaders, but a could use a bit of an extra kick for endgame use. As such, I put enough money into their weapons that their strongest attack is now 4100 Power.


And, of course, I upgrade a bunch of Squad Leader units so they have 5 upgrade bars in their relevant stat.


I stick a High-Spec Rader on the Super Gundam, more sniping and all. As well as an Inertial Control System. Which, combined with Haman's Level 8 Newtype means that it pretty much can't ever get hit.


The Double X gets a Solar Panel and a Tin Plate Goldfish.


I put the other Solar Panel on the Destiny.


I equip the Baldios with a Sensory Helmet and a Nanomachine Unit. This particular Nanomachine Unit I got from blowing up Gym last stage. Yeah, I did it. _{Unlike Brunom I could actually use the money.}


Aquarion gets the other Tin Plate Goldfish, while the Assault Aquarion gets a Hypnosis System.


Harry learns backup attack. Luna gets +10 Melee.


Rieka gets Coooperative Attack, and Tsugumi gets a 7th level of SP-Up.


Incidentally, this is the reason I've been throwing SP at her. Tsugumi learned her final Spirit Command, Love(60). With all those SP-Ups she can cast it twice! Sure, her stats are bad but that's what the Element System is for.


Speaking of stats, I up Reika's Melee and Jun's Range.


At a loss of what to do with Brume, I just throw SP-ups on him.


Kira learns Hit&Away, Will Limit Break, and E Save. Thus greatly increasing his flexibility.


And Duke gets three levels of SP-Up, because Love is expensive.


So let's get ready for the stage itself!

• Setsuko, Witz, Corrin
  
• Garrod, Pala, Carris
  
• Kamille, Maai, Hilda
  
• Shinn, Neo, Gauli
  
• Haman, Lancerow, Katz
  
• Toga, Adette, Faye
  
• Marin, Roberto, Enil
  
• Banjou, Kappei, Rubina
  
• Duke, Fa, Hikaru
  
• Kouji, Tetsuya, Maria
  
• Roger, Miashey, Apolly
  
• Apollo, Sayaka, Brume
  
• Jun, Matthew, Jun
  
• Kei, Olson, Atena
  
• Gainer, Sara, Tekkouki
  
• Luna, Stella, Birin

Location: Lunar Surface, Skull Moon Base – Eldar Command



Teral delivers his report to Gagarn, concluding with the recommendation to pull out the army. He notes quite reasonably that even if the Eldar achieve their aim, the best they can do is create a parallel universe, not somehow fix their own.
In the end, the Eldar will need to fight them Earthlings themselves and in their own universe. Mesa sniffs that he’s been won over by the Earthlings and Dalton isn’t amused that he’d dare show himself before Gagarn.
Jeela doesn’t appreciate their lip to the Eldar’s former commander but Gagarn tells her to shush, lest she want to end like Leets. Teral hadn’t gotten that memo yet and Gagarn says he simply applied suitable punishment to insubordination, as is the duty of the commander… and those who question his or the army’s strategy will also be treated as such.
Teral fumes at his ignorance, asking if he doesn’t understand that this Earth is already a different world from the one they fought against and keeping this up won’t change anything.
Gagarn doesn’t agree, though, saying the Earthlings WILL be sending troops to conquer the entire Galaxy – they’ll do so under his command!


You see, Kazami has offered his insight to Gagarn and this means Trinity Energy will be pretty much his to use as he sees fit. Teral is very surprised to see that he’s betrayed Earth and Gagarn confesses to have been just as amazed when he received the professor’s request.
Kazami says Earth has no future, so he’s decided to throw his lot in with the Eldar.
Once this world is split apart by the Black History, the war between Earth and the Eldar will begin: Gagarn means to take over the planet as the foothold from which to stage his Trinity Energy-powered conquest of the universe and, thus, the future that Teral knows will come to be.
ZEUTH must be eliminated first however, especially God Sigma which is the only other thing which has possession of the Trinity Energy. Gagarn loans Kazami some troops and tells him to go settle the score himself.
Teral isn’t happy that Gagarn would betray the motherland just to satisfy his greed and, indeed, the guy finds it very amusing that this battle that started in the name of Eldar will actually be the opening act for the very conflict they were trying to quash. Gagarn even reckons that the leaders of Eldar deserve it for foisting this dangerous mission onto him in the first place.

He has Teral thrown in prison and Jeela, at length, tells him it’s pointless to try and resist Gagarn’s will, so he should simply accept his fate. Gagarn laughs at him losing his last ally and Teral yells at them to remember this moment of idiocy when ZEUTH crushes them.
As he’s taken away, Kazami’s certain it won’t be long until ZEUTH attacks now that he’s sided with them. Gagarn reports they’ve already made preparations for that – the Skull Moon Base will be our tomb.
That said, he does request that Kazami be careful – he’s got to come back safely after all – but Kazami is sure he can't lose with all his knowledge of how ZEUTH operates.


Over by the Aldebaron’s Algol base, Aphrodia has also informed Gattler of S-1 being a future Earth and requests that he stop this battle that has ancestors and descendants spilling each other’s blood.
She wants him to break the alliance with the other aliens and for them to set out in search of another world…but Gattler says it’s far too late for that. He himself began to suspect the link between Earth and S-1 the moment he started simulations for the Earth Flood Operation, so Aphrodia asks why he still went ahead with it.
The harsh truth that Aphrodia hadn't been told is that the Algol is running out of energy fast, jeopardizing all the cryo-sleep pods that the S-1 population is sleeping in. The Algol lacks even the energy needed for another subspace jump, so Gattler sees only one possibility left: take over Earth as soon as possible.
Furthermore, he says that the Skull Moon Alliance has already begun final attack preparations, spurred by Butcher's apparent impatience of their mistakes so far. The guy’s been acting crazier than usual nowadays, mumbling about some “God” and snapping at everyone around.
Regardless, Gattler say she needn’t worry as he’s managed to acquire the means with which to make all Earthlings surrender to him, though he’ll only use it as a last resort.

Aphrodia’s shocked and asks when he managed to get anything of the sort. After a while, Gattler sees how much she’s changed and wonders what caused that.
He can pretty much guess that it's Marin who melted the ice around her heart and sighs that, indeed, women aren’t suited to command ( ). Aphrodia protests that she’s stopped being one when her brother was murdered and while it's true she's fought more than any man under Gattler's command, he reckons it's time she resumes being a woman at last.
He's already appointed Negross to fill her command spot and, by rights, he should have her executed for being shown pity by the enemy. Aphrodia had been ready for that ever since she decided to come back but Gattler says he cannot let her die.
Why? Because he wants her to be his wife! Aphrodia says she’ll always see him as her superior and a father figure but Gattler tells her to forget about all that, including Earth and Marin. He sends her off to house arrest, informing that it won’t be long until Marin and ZEUTH are struck down.
And once that happens, the S-1-ians will leave Skull Moon Base and begin their own preparations to take over the Earth. He wants her to see that day come within his arms...



Chapter 53 – Lunar Showdown



Vega and Gandal have FINALLY taken to the field once more, with all the remaining troops of the Vegan army. Gandal isn’t too sure about this strategy of sacrificing the Skull Moon Base but this was Vega’s own suggestion – losing a base or two’ll be nothing if they can eliminate Duke and his allies.
Gagarn, still on the base, is amused at his determination but Vega asks why he hasn’t left with the other troops to rendezvous at “Goma”. He says he wanted to witness the Vegan army’s struggles and ZEUTH’s defeat but, inwardly, Kazami figures he’s keeping an eye on him.
That’s fine, as the good professor has upgraded the Eldar’s Cosmosauruses and means to give him an eyeful of what they can do.




ZEUTH arrives right then, amazed with the number of enemies deployed – no Gaizock, Aldebaron or Zeravire troops are here, though.
Toga wonders if they’ve moved elsewhere and while Kazami confirms, he adds this’ll still be the end of the road for us. He seems quite convinced that his knowledge of us makes him unbeatable but Kappei isn’t about to be intimidated by some traitor running at the mouth.
“Your peppiness does you credit, Kappei. But you wouldn’t blather on if you knew the strength of the troops I’ve prepared”, Kazami sneers and Julie tells everyone to watch it as its unlikely this is a bluff.

: Julie…you’re really going to fight?
: Yes… we’re going stop him ourselves!
: I’m ready too – gonna make him pay for what he’s done!
: Please. Do you actually think you can best me with a machine of my own making?!
: It’s true that you built the God Sigma, professor…
: But we’re the ones who make it tick and we’ll show power way beyond your imagination!
: Come, ZEUTH! This base shall be your grave!
: Emperor Vega… taken to the frontlines yourself, have you?
: Please stop this, father!
: Your army, the vanguard of the Skull Moon Alliance, is already virtually destroyed! Why do you insist on fighting?!
: Be silent, Rubina! You’ve turned your back on me and ran off to Duke Fleed’s side! You’ve no longer the right to call me father!
: You’ve let anger and hatred corrupt even your love for your family, Emperor Vega?!
: …I’ve already decided to break away from my father. He and his men would crush the happiness of others’ to satisfy their greed, so I’ll stand against them!
: Fine, Rubina! Then you’ll die here alongside ZEUTH!



: As if we’d get taken out by someone like you! Now we’re going to finish what started in the old world!
: We’re ending you here and then the main force of the Skull Moon Alliance will follow!
: Prepare yourself, Emperor Vega! In the name of everything we’ve to protect, we will defeat you!



Turn 1

And it is on! Compared to the last stage, which you had to rush and burn through everything, this one is much simpler. I have an army to fight, and six turns to defeat them. There even aren't very many jerk reinforcements! And six turns to do it, which is plenty of time.


Also, take note that I now have more Confuse casters then turns this stage will take.


Two of them are battleship subpilots even! I mean, what else am I going to spend this guy's SP on? Scan?



The enemies are a bit spread out, annoyingly enough, while I'm conceledated in a corner.


By this point everything here is Will fodder really. Maybe the big spiky Cosmosaur is a minor threat, but you know, Confuse.






Good job Duke.


Seriously, look at all these guys. And I'm not even worried.


Stella does what she does best, rush ahead for the first few turns.








What follows is a pretty standard opening salvo.


With Haman ready to show off though!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nfEDilsohs
Not bad, once she's in range for Double Long Beam Rifles it'll be great.



God Sigma is like, the only multi pilot Super to not have Accel or Boost. Now that he's a forced deploy, it's coming up in an annoying fashion.




Toga didn't dodge because he didn't need to.


The prisoners in the dungeon are wondering what's going on outside and Teral guesses that ZEUTH must be here by now. Taichirou tells Teral not to give up hope: Toshiya will surely bust in here any minute now and save them all.
Teral wants to believe, but he has to wonder why the Gaizock and the rest of the main force aren't here. Could it be that this whole battle is merely a trap for the ZEUTH?
Indeed, says Jeela who steps out from the shadows.



Uh, huh. This is worrying. It seems that Stella is not particularly dodgy. Granted, the Gaia's VPS makes up for that a bit...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZvcC1e9Ar4
Blocking helps too.


The Vegans are content to stay there this turn. Don't want to make things too easy, after all.

Turn 2


They're a bit more bunched together now.















Shinn's SEED starts up from blowing up some jets.


One of the nice things about the DX+G-Falcon is that it gives Garrod a Post-Move All.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qm1uftjn2Y
Of course these large enemies just have to survive!



Another problem solved.









Wiping out a squad with a Valor boosted Tri gets Adette her fourth level of Oversense.



Go Mazin Power!



Atena gets her seventh Counter level.



And further clean up is done.



Kei getting a counter kill triggers the Assault Aquarion's Element System.


The Vegans start moving down this turn!



It goes as well as you'd expect. Plus, Hilda learns her final Spirit command!

* Renew(55) - Fully restores the selected unit's Energy and Ammunition.

Another really good Spirit Command! With Renew you can instantly resupply someone without regard to distance or the Will loss that comes from using a resupply module.


Kazami snipes at Toshiya.


: Toshiya, Julie, Kiraken... you're about to see how foolish you've been!
: What are you gonna do with Godsigma, Professor?
: Don't you see? I will unlock the full, infinite potential of Trinity Energy!
: Godsigma will be my experimental platform!
: You'd even let Gagarn have the Trinity Energy for that?
: Even though that might start a war across the universe?!
: Just an byproduct... a consequence of the advancement of science!
: And you'd just accept that? Despite the fact that our goal was the prosperity and advancement of the human race?!
: That's also just a byproduct... it all comes back to my research!
: Professor... you've let the lure of science lead you astray...
: Our duty is to stop you and keep Trinity Energy from being used for war!
: So here we come, Professor Kazami! We'll pay you back for all you've done for us by stopping you!


“Julie…a novice like you could never surpass me!”




Turn 3

: Those Cosmosauruses are REALLY strong!
: They’re reading all our moves before attacking…!
: Seems to me that Kazami’s put the data he had on us to use.
: Indeed! Do you now understand the might of my fortified Cosmosauruses?!
: Damn…! We were expecting a tough fight but they’re really making us work for it!
: Can we actually win this…?
: Don’t give up! You cannot show weakness to him, even if it means risking your life!
: Julie, you…
: We have to win! Failure here would mean the Trinity Energy’d become a force of evil!
: You’ve got it all figured out, hm? That’s exactly what I’d expect from my apprentice.
: What’s that supposed to mean?!
: The Earth, using Trinity Energy, went on to try and conquer other worlds… and I dare say that future will come to be due to the professor!
: Say what?!
: You mean he’s the one who’ll use Trinity Energy for war?
: Hmhmhm…and that’s why I won’t die. I’ll live on and make my science known across the entire cosmos!
: Like hell you will! I won’t let our God Sigma be used as a tool to invade other worlds!
: That’s right, Toshiya! Hurry!
: Teral?! What are you doing in the Skull Moon?!
: Talk later! This base is a trap!
: They’ve rigged it with a self-destruct system that’ll wipe out everything in its vicinity!
: What?!
: Rrgh! Who set him free?!
: I-It was Jeela! She betrayed us and rejoined him!
: She probably planned this from the beginning…!
: Damn it! Teral’s telling them everything!
: There’s nothing we can do about that now…! But don’t think you can leave here, ZEUTH!
: Are you trying kill us at the expense of your life, Emperor Vega?!
: I’m prepared to do so, if necessary!
: Then fight to your last breath, Emperor Vega. I’ll be withdrawing when the time is right.
: We won’t be able to escape until we’ve dealt with the enemy!
: Then our only option is to attack! All units, concentrate your fire on the enemy commanders - Emperor Vega and Professor Kazami!
: I will not allow it, humans!



: Zeravire!
: Oh, what the hell! Enemy backup at a time like this?!
: Wait! The Zeravire are projecting something!
: It’s a guy?!





: Uncle Hugi…
: Hugi Zeravire…Sandman’s brother-in-law…
: And the creator of the Genocidron System!
: So the big boss has decided to declare war on us in person, eh?
: Do not let him dampen your spirit!
: Lady Diana…
: We cannot falter if we’re going to defend Earth from the forces of evil!
: If they wish to challenge us, then mankind will meet them with all its might!
: Right, Lady Diana!
: Heheh…the Queen slapped us back to reality!
: You can bring out whatever you want! I don’t even know what a “Goma” is but we’ll take it on!
: But we need to get out of here before we do that!
: You struggle in vain! This is the end of the road for you!
: I don’t think so!



: Gran Fortress?! Earthgertz is here!
: We’ve come to fight with you – in the name of Earth’s future!
: Ya gotta win this, Kappei!
: We’re all here rooting for you!
: Kouzuki, Michi!
: I also believe in ZEUTH’s victory, brother!
: Jane…!
: Bah! And what could a single carrier possibly do?!
: Silence! Someone who’s lost his way and schemed against humanity couldn’t possibly understand the strength of belief!
: Whoa, pops is there too!
: Belief, emotions, resolve… All of them grant strength!
: Behold now the face of a resolved man!






: God Gravion?!
: No…! The core unit is--!
: The Gran ∑!
: That’s right.
: Father!
: But what’s with your hair’s color…?
: It’s proof that my G-Factor has been revived.
: You fool, Sieg! You’d throw away eternal life and descend to the levels of mere humans?!
: You lost your immortality in order to pilot the Gran ∑, Master Sandman?!
: This is my battle to fight, so I’ve no regrets.
: (He’d been doing this for longer than I could ever imagine...all to protect this world...)
: (And here I was, only fighting to prove him wrong…)
: Faye…
: Y-Yes!
: You’ve grown strong…and beautiful.
: Sandman…
: Sandman… everything’s riding on yours and ZEUTH’s shoulders.



: Hang in there, Toshiya! We’ll disarm the self-destruct system!
: Is that you, dad…?!
: We’ll also fight to the end – I’ll help out in any way I can!
: Let’s go, Toshiya. I’ll stand with you with this God ∑ Gravion!
: God Sigma Gravion?!
: Two ∑s, dancing across space…sublimely, beautifully…and bravely!
: You’d oppose me as well, Sandman?!
: Professor Kazami, I respected you as a scientist and, thus, offered to fund God Sigma’s development.
: But now that you’ve fallen to darkness and become a demon, I won’t hesitate to strike you down!
: So, you’re finally taking to the field, Sandman!
: The big man’s pissed now! Y’all better get ready!
: Earth has no future! You’re an alien yourself and, yet, you’ll still fight?!
: I’ve seen Hell with my own eyes… and that’s exactly why I will not stand to see it happen again!
: We feel the same way, Sandman!
: Here we go, people! The guys inside can handle their end, so we’ll worry about wrecking the enemies out here!!



So we've got ourselves a new unit! Well, technically it's 4/5ths an old unit. But with some altered animations and a new pilot!


Gravion Zewi
Klein Sandman - God Σ Gravion
Voiced by Sho Hayami (Japanese), Jason Douglas (English)

Skills:
* Support Attack (Level 4) - When Adjacent to an allied character before having attacked that turn, can perform a Support Attack after the ally attacks. The support attack will be slightly weaker then a regular attack.
* Cooperative Attack - Whenever the pilot performs a Support Attack, that attack will automatically be a critical hit.
* Genius - +20% Accuracy, Evasion, and Critical Hit Rates.
* Commander(Level 3) - Allies in an area (denoted by yellow squares when highlighting the character) have an increased hit and evasion rate. The size of the area and bonus increases by level.

Spirit Commands:
* Sense (20) - Casts both "Strike" and "Alert" on the caster.
* Bless(50) - Grants one Ally Squad the effect of the "Luck" Spirit Command.
* Cheer(50) - Grants one Ally Squad the effect of the "Gain" Spirit Command.
* Love(55) - Casts Accel, Valor, Strike, Alert, Spirit, Luck, and Gain.

Squad Leader Bonus
* +20% Damage to Zeravire enemies.

Sandman He's on our side and he's pretty good. And he's brought back the old God Gravion! Well, mostly. The God Σ Gravion does have one slight upgrade over the old God Gravion in terms of stats. Namely all of its weapons now have 100 more base power. So yeah, statistically the old God Gravion is still a fine Super Robot. Of course, it no longer has six pilots, which is a bit of a downgrade. Sandman himself is a pretty strong pilot. He has a ridiculously good set of skills, Commander, innate Support and Cooperative Attack makes him handy to bring out if you want, even if just to take temporary advantage of Support Attacks and Command Auras. His Spirit Command list fits him being an Offensive Support character. Both Bless and Cheer are handy. Sense is a bit redundant, with Genius he isn't going to have hit rate issues so it's really a pricier Alert. Love lets you bust out offense and still bringing in more cash and EXP.

Of course, his Squad Leader Bonus is niche, but if there's a stage with Zeravire he's absolutely worth a leader spot for that stage at least.


Since he's here, and there are Zeravire, why not?

: Gran ∑, I must wield you once again... but not to make the same mistakes!
: Yours is the power of creation, not destruction... the power to forge a new future!
: Go forth, Gran ∑! By our comrades' side, bravely...and beautifully!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kbtmYZiqMU
There are actually some animation differences! Which is a nice detail.



These three are stragglers. I send Gainer to deal with them.




Everybody else I send forward to deal with the UFOs. RIP Most Courageous Grunts. This will be the last time I fight you in all your weakness.



Blowing one up teaches Stella her final Spirit Command, Bless(35).




Then another set triggers Apollo's Element System.




Followed by Dizer Full Power.



I hate it when this happens.


Come Enemy Phase, something magical happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAbMNk4IsMM
Sandman-sama~


Then this happens. Thankfully, with Confuse I can evade enough that Sandman survives the turn!



Shinn getting a Counterkill activates the Biosensor.

And the rest will be on Monday!