Into the Breach: 30k Perfect Victory Hard (Zenith Guard)

Into the Breach Hard Mode Victory with Perfect 30k Score using Zenith Guard!
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This is a perfect victory on Hard using the Zenith Guard. Some specifics:
30k score (no grid damage)
All objectives complete
No pilot or mech deaths
No grid resists
Zenith Guard squad
1hr 26min run time
The Zenith Guard are a middle-of-the-road squad, similar to Rift Walkers. They don't excel in any particular area, and even fully upgraded, are only "so-so". The Laser Mech is decent - damaging an entire row regardless of range, it's great vs spiders/eggs, blobs, leapers, & robots, since they tend to come in numbers and with only 1HP. Charge Mech is similar to Unstable Mech but objectively worse, as it doesn't let you knock yourself back and doesn't come with Nanobots. The Defense Mech is pretty underwhelming, probably the worst science mech. Shield Projector quickly loses appeal when you realize a cross-shaped shield aura is really pointless against the waves of alphas you'll face toward the end. The best synergies for Zenith Guard are tanks, especially push and pull. For the Science Mech, consider trading one of its items for something that does direct damage or another tank.
You'll notice I actually do sacrifice grid during the hive fight. This is for two reasons - the first, grid damage in the hive fight does not count against your score, so you can give up grid intentionally to make winning a bit easier. Two, I had poor luck with items this time around, so my hive gear wasn't that great despite having excess cores.
List of all my perfect runs:
Rift Walkers - • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Rusting Hulks - • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Hazardous Mechs - • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Frozen Titans - • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Flame Behemoths - • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Zenith Guard: • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Secret Squad: • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Blitzkrieg: • Into the Breach: 30k P...
Steel Judoka: • Into the Breach: 30k P...

[@MattrexDeux]

The squad does look like it struggles a bit, but when everything lines up (literally as well as metaphorically) like on the last mission of Pinnacle, that laser mech looks real good.

[@soulmata]

Yeah Laser Mech is the redeeming feature of the squad. You can get into trouble with it, which Defense Mech can compensate for, which is perfect illustrated in that 6-tile blast it pulls off in the final Pinnacle mission.

[@gguy17]

I have managed to get 30k score with zenith, tho it wasn't perfect by your definition: I had to sacrifice my charge mech early once, cuz I forgot that ice can actually block the laser and it was one of those 'break 5 buildings out of ice' maps. Luckily I got Bethany soon afterwards to replace the lost pilot. One thing I can add is that I found Harold quite useful on the defense mech. Having the option to choose between pulling or pushing is very powerful, and it seems to be true for all these pull mechs, like hook or gravity mechs.

[@soulmata]

Harold and the Mantis are both surprisingly powerful, because they functionally give you a "third" weapon.

[@soulmata]

List of all my perfect runs: Advanced Edition: Arachnophiles - kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2jYe2yroNtmb6c Classic Edition: Rift Walkers - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGe5m4aqjrynndE Rusting Hulks - kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4LLeJRri9mZbNk Hazardous Mechs - kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGaXiXl3jtChmJo Frozen Titans - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jX-oq3eMp5uWZ6s Flame Behemoths - kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIWmkmxqf6ZmrJo Zenith Guard: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJCTnnStbrKUhas Secret Squad: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6DUeJ1risx0Z8U Blitzkrieg: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYazoZ6wosymf6s Steel Judoka: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaHXXqqhbpWEj6M

[@narD0426]

making playlist ! :D

[@soulmata]

@@narD0426 I do have a playlist for the 30k runs, but for whatever reason youtube does not make any mention of that when you look at the videos themselves. You have to go looking for them... which is kind of weird. Maybe they show up for other people though.

[@Hellwolf36]

The Zenith Guard seems more like you need to manipulate movement and sacrifice armor to get things done

[@soulmata]

A fully upgrade Laser Mech pairs well in late game with shielding, since you can light up a whole rank and the shield can protect any grid in the way.

[@Wolf-Nyan]

Idc what anyone says, laser mech is totally just metal gear REX with different weapons. (barely, that laser looks kinda like a railgun to me!)

[@soulmata]

If I knew what that was, I'm sure I'd agree with you!

[@randomplayer8797]

Oh shoot it does look like REX, more so if you make it green

[@Annokh]

Something I do differently, especially with killy squads, is that I prefer to block less than I can if there are 0-1 Vek alive so that I end up with one more vulnerable Vek one turn earlier, to sorta de-stack their appearance. Probably I end up playing zero sum game unless it's done late enough in the mission, eh.

[@soulmata]

I will favor blocking virtually always, but there are some cases i won't; killing a dangerous alpha like a crab or blobber will often be a higher priority since there's a chance an emerging vek will be less dangerous.

[@stickybuds05]

aw crap i only just finished my zenith playthrough last night! struggled my ass off with it too, just by the skin of my teeth. If only I waited a day longer heh

[@soulmata]

Try, try again!

[@nojohns1748]

you like Prospero a lot, is he your go-to?

[@soulmata]

Prospero is an all-around powerful pilot that can be useful in any squad. Plus, his flying ability helps to demonstrate movement techniques. My actual favorite in terms of OP-ness would be Archimedes.

[@Dragooncore]

You rock, thanks for the uploads!

[@soulmata]

More coming soon, now that I have finally recovered from covid.

[@Raptor747]

Zenith Squad always looked ridiculously impractical to me: while the Laser Mech can be good, the Charge Mech is godawful (taking damage even when it attacks, having three health, and needing to repair itself taking up a precious action in a game where action economy is king), and the Flying Mech can be useful, but its lack of reliable damage output makes the whole combination extremely problematic. Replace that Charge Mech with a good Prime, and I could see it working very well.

[@soulmata]

The secret to charge mech is Abe!

[@Firebrand6610]

@@soulmata So, why you not used Abe in the video ? It is strange

[@soulmata]

@@Firebrand6610 Because it makes the squad too easy IMO. So I don't use Abe to show how to use the squad without him.

[@Firebrand6610]

@@soulmata great 😔👌

[@Eonflare55]

I love your videos, but they make me feel like I must be missing something. No matter what I do, I can never seem to replicate this level of play, even on normal with this squad.

[@soulmata]

I got two sets of videos: these, which aren't narrated and are "perfect" play, and the narrated ones, with me and my friend explaining in detail why we're doing what we're doing. The latter might help you with the thought processes in play. You can also join the discord and there are a lot of skilled players there that would be happy to help you too.

[@mikhaelgribkov4117]

In Snake voice: "Metal Gear?"

[@soulmata]

Metal Breach Solid

[@whelperw]

57:31 What is this?

[@soulmata]

It's me noticing that I missed the Strange Pod. I knew it was there but I couldn't spare the actions to go fetch it. You can see it's a cracked mountain with a yellow glow, indicating the pod is underneath.

[@whelperw]

So is it secret pod or something? Because I never seen this before.

[@soulmata]

@@whelperw It's the Strange Pod beacon, which is how you unlock the 3 secret pilots. It always shows up either in a cracked mountain or cracked ice. If you destroy the mountain/ice, you can collect the beacon, which causes the pod to drop, and you will get one of the 3 secret pilots.

[@stilymunky]

this one is the hardest so far for me (i played the first 3 squads so far), it took multiple tries for me to even complete Normal.

[@soulmata]

My personal hardest is SJ, I hate them.

[@Nikita__Konovalov]

Why do you skip missions with core as a reward sometimes?

[@soulmata]

When I'm going for a perfect run, I always pick the mission I feel I'm most likely to succeed at, I don't care so much about the mission rewards.

[@Nikita__Konovalov]

@@soulmata makes sense, I can see the reasoning now that I started going for perfetc islands more

[@alexandrpeterberg390]

This is your 6th squad, right? If so, then there is 3 more squads to go which are Blitzkrieg, Steel Judoka and Secret Squad.

[@soulmata]

They're all done, now.

[@alexandrpeterberg390]

@@soulmata Well congratulation! You did it man!

[@rollingdice3679]

You did take grid damage on the last mission

[@soulmata]

Damage on the hive fight doesn't count against score.

[@rollingdice3679]

@@soulmata Btw, what you be the best squad in general according to you

[@Contevent]

Ha yes, the "realize ypu don't know how to play the game" squad.

[@hodgepodge5901]

It's harder now cause you only get 1 point for any pilot.

[@soulmata]

In reality it doesn't make a big difference, I find, since many weapons are now also cheaper too.

[@MexicanKneecap]

I'm here for Metal Gear Rex. Sorry to hear it's underwhelming

[@MegaNerevar]

I thought Zenith guard = abu

[@soulmata]

What's abu?

[@MegaNerevar]

@@soulmata Abe guy who gives armour to mech

[@themobius5798]

@@soulmata Was there a specific reason you picked Lily at start? You used Abe when doing Hazardous, so you know his armor can help with Charge Mech.

[@soulmata]

@@themobius5798 If I am using a specific pilot too much I switch to avoid getting too familiar with just the one. I had just used Abe a ton when doing the Hazardous Mech run a few days earlier, so I was practicing Zenith Guard with Lily. Turns out she worked out OK in the end!

[@themobius5798]

@@soulmata Oh I see. Although with that restriction I think it's better if Abe is used in Zenith (because they don't have nanobots) and Lily in Hazard. With your skill though it won't matter since they came out perfect in the end regardless.

[@devinperez7547]

40:32 lol ur like a kid in a candy store

[@soulmata]

Too lucky.