The Let's Play Archive

Super Robot Wars Z

by Brunom1, Dr. Pepper, Caphi

Part 71: Mission 21 (Setsuko) - Prologue

Setsuko Route Chapter 21 Prologue


Last time on Super Robot Wars Z: . Probably one of the funniest scenes in the game, and we've formed ZEUTH. Hooray.

Current Top Aces:
1. Setsuko - 50 Kills
2. Kei - 41 Kills
3. Holland - 37 Kills
4. Kamille - 33 Kills
5. Roybea - 33 Kills

Congrats Setsuko, you've hit Ace Status. A character becomes an Ace when they get 50 kills. Being an Ace means that the character starts the stage with 105 Will and they gain 1.2 times more money per enemy defeated, doesn't stack with the spirit command Luck though.



Now, the big news today is at the Bazzar!


There are two mechs for sale! These things will be available until a new mech is for sale and overrides their slot, but there's no reason not to buy them both right away.


First we have the Caprico...


And next we have the Prometheus. They're both Walker Machines, and both basically squad filler, but they're infinitely better squad filler then the Trads, and the Prometheus has a post movement Tri which is handy. For a mere 300 Blue stones two good support mechs is a good deal


I also buy another Strategy Manual because more PP is always good.


With two new mechs and only eight deployment slots this next stage, I figure now is a fine time to mess with swapping pilots around! Select this option in the menu to head to the pilot assign screen.


Once there a list of all your mechs that can have pilots swapped around is shown. Select the one you want to put someone new in. So in this case I select my shiny new Caprico.


Some mechs have a main pilot slot and subpilot slots, if you're picking one of those you can choose which slot to put the pilot in.


Next you select which pilot you want running this mech. Natrually you can't just put any pilot into any mech. Some mechs can't have their pilots changed at all, and mechs can only be piloted by characters from the series they're from. As a Walker Machine, the Caprico can only be piloted by Xabungle characters.


I pick Dike for the Caprico, the game then gives you and overview of the mech and pilots stats, if you're swapping pilots then you can press triangle to compare the stats of the two pilots. But since I'm just talking Dike out of the Trad and putting him in the empty Caprico, there's no need.


Oh yeah, if by pilot swapping you take a character of a squad, the game warns you, so the Squad Dike was in is now down one member.


And ta-da! Dike is now piloting the Caprico.


There is, however, one exception to the "Characters can only pilot mechs from their own series" rule. ∀ Gundam and UC Gundam characters and mechs are in the same pool, so ∀ Gundam characters can also pilot UC Mobile Suits and vice-versa.


Since there's only a few character slots, I have some fun with pilot swapping this stage. I'm bringing;


Amuro gets the ∀ for a stage, while Katz borrows his normal Gundam Mk II. I'm going to need to feed them both some kills, the level requirement for the secret Brunom mentioned is not particualrly hard to get, so the 25 average kills between Amuro and Katz is the main concern. Also I condolidated the Xabungle cast since I don't need many slots, a nice thing about almost all the Walker Machines being two seaters! I'll put up a list of who can pilot what later, so if anybody has any particular Pilot/Mech combo they'd want to see I'll try and show it off.


Next there's the usual accuracy upgrades, I'm almost done with these so soon more stats will actually be able to be upgraded!

At least until my hit rate needs another boost.



We find Renton aboard the Argama, telling his sister that he searched the UN for that “Del Cielo” Holland and Tiptree spoke of and discovered something amazing.
The Ciudades Del Cielo, Cities of the Sky…this holy land of the Vodarac was destroyed by the Federation of Predgio Tower’s Special Forces; Eureka shows up and sees that he’s found out about the place and Renton asks if she and Holland know Tiptree.
He asks because Holland seemed pretty worried that Tiptree would hurt her but Eureka says there’s nothing to be done – she’s just paying for her actions; Eureka says she killed a lot of people in Del Cielo: “”Exterminate everyone living in that town”…those were the orders given to us – to the SOF”, she says.
Indeed, she and Holland were part of the Special Forces of the Federation of Predgio Towers and that’s where the Gekkostate began: as a unit of murderers, following their orders.
Renton realizes that the rumors that Holland and others had fled the army were true but what he really wants to know is why she did such a thing; Eureka says she had no reason other the fact that executing orders was the only way she could prove her existence...and, at the time, she only trusted Holland and Nirvash.
Thus, when Holland, the leader of their squad during the Del Cielo raid, gave her the order to fight, she did so; it was during that attack that she found Maurice and the other kids.
Still, Renton figures she didn’t have a choice, what with her being a soldier and it was war, but Eureka yells that he doesn’t understand – even now, she’s still fighting a war.


She says what they’re doing isn’t a game or sport and, as she fights, other people are getting hurt or killed; and while Renton may not realize it, he’s already part of that war.
She says they intend to atone for their crimes in whatever way possible but, above all that, they need to survive so they can complete their mission and, for that, they’ll do anything; Renton asks, then, if she took him in from Bellforest just to fight and she confirms, saying the Nirvash doesn’t move properly if he isn’t present.
They need the Nirvash to complete their mission but Renton’s had enough now: “What the hell is that?! If you’re bound to that mission, aren’t you the same as any soldier following an order?!”.
He believes she’s wrong because she saved Maurice and the others at Del Cielo – she wasn’t simply following her orders from that point on; Eureka’s stunned that she might have changed and Renton adds that Tiptree herself said so.
Eureka ponders this and how she further changed since Renton came over; she leaves and, before Renton can go after her, Setsuko and Toby enter, wondering why she left in such a hurry.
Toby wonders if Renton’s being too hasty with Eureka in that little competition he was with Gainer and Garrod but Renton says that’s not it – he’s just not really sure what’s going on.
Inwardly, he thinks that, while he might not understand much, he still wants to help Eureka; he’s made up his mind and, apologizing to Setsuko, sets off after the girl.
Toby tells Setsuko to let the kid be, as meddling too much in his business won’t help; Camille notices that Renton was looking for something on the UN and Setsuko wonders if it’s why Eureka was acting like that.


Emma’s a bit curious as to why Renton came to the Argama to do that and Katz wonders if the Gekko didn’t have an UN terminal installed.
As Camille heard, the Gekkostate isn’t too keen on using the UN, which confuses Katz as it could be very useful to them; Setsuko agrees, thinking their magazine would get a whole lot more readers if they released it via the UN.
Either way, Toby figures that’s enough talk as they still have their own job to complete: finding, in the UN, anything that’ll lead them to Asakim; as Camille begins searching, Emma wonders if that’ll really work and Toby says there are places on the UN where people are free to post information besides just the general news – they could find some eyewitnesses accounts for Asakim if they look there.
Reccoa figures the info won’t be very trustworthy but Setsuko says they’ve no other option available – both the Zaft and Emaanian information network yielded zero results, so now it’s time to grasp at straws.
Still, Emma wonders why Asakim’s targeting the two of them and Katz wonders if his goal would be their prototypes; Setsuko and Toby did consider that but destroying Denzel’s unit makes no sense in that context – Asakim would’ve tried to capture it in one piece.
Furthermore, Reccoa notes that the Virgola now has almost no significance as a prototype for a next-generation unit but Toby concedes that the Virgola might have some sort of secret that they’re not aware of; because of that, Toby asked Kazami and the other tech-savvy people to take a look at it.
Still, Setsuko says it wouldn’t matter if there is or not something valuable inside the Virgolas, as their objective remains the completion of the unit – she’ll do this for Denzel, as that’s the purpose he gave her.


Either way, Toby figures they should just make Asakim tell them what he’s up to once he’s captured but, to do that, they’ll need to figure out where he’s hiding.
Camille’s search comes back empty, though – he tried a wide range of search parameters but not a single piece of relevant information came up; Toby thanks him, regardless, and Camille apologizes for not being able to help.
Setsuko doesn’t blame him, though, as they knew this was a long shot; Toby thanks everyone for sticking around patiently and, as they start to leave, Reccoa tells them not overdo it.
They plan on searching a bit more but, since Camille couldn’t get much, Toby isn’t very hopeful…

: …
: What’s wrong, Setsuko? Are you not feeling well?
: Um…that’s…
: What is it? There’s no one else in here, so tell me if something’s bothering you.
: Didn’t the Chief say that? Taking care of your mind is also very important.
: Then, I’ll tell you…
: ...It’s about that mind-reading Overman from the other day…
: A-ah..that…?
: Toby…did you hear my thoughts…?
: Err…well…
: …
: …
: …Please, say something…
: Hm…yeah…
: Well…honestly, I was very happy…
: Toby…
: But, Setsuko…that’s...I just can’t right now...
: I-it’s alright…! I…My mind just wandered off…
: Still, I…

*Beep, beep!*

: A message from the UN…?!
: That’s…!


At the Argama’s hangar, Amuro’s asking Kazami if he found anything with the Virgolas and while Mobile Suits aren’t his expertise, he doesn’t see anything super-special about the units aside from their high adaptability.
Said adaptability impresses Julie, though, as it allows the machine to reflect its pilot’s skill directly; Kazami agrees, adding that the Virgola’s drive components are flexible and customizable enough that it could suit the needs of any kind of pilot.
Astonaige thinks it’s truly worthy of being called the next generation of mass-produced units; Amuro and Kouji figure what makes it unique is that it’s, essentially, a blank slate mech that changes according to the style and skill of any pilot.
Either way, there’s nothing wrong with the unit itself and they don’t see a reason for someone to target them specifically – “Not the machines, anyway…”, Kazami says.
Amuro asks what he means but…

: Move over, Lt. Amuro! We’re taking the Virgolas out!
: We’re all on standby right now, Toby! What happened?
: It’s him…! That bastard Asakim called us over!
: Asakim...Denzel’s killer…!
: He contacted us through the UN!
: Come on, Setsuko! Even if it’s a trap, we have to go!
: Roger!
: Oi! Wait up, Toby! Setsuko!!