Let's Play Valkyria Chronicles Part 21: The Pincer Attack

[@Berserker976]

What a stressful episode! You really got some unlucky Evade rolls in that fight. Freesia is usually particularly good at dodging (although you wouldn't know it from this battle). I think the takeaway here is that things aren't always as bad as they seem. You ended the mission with no troop deaths and a B rank. Things could have gone so much worse. As for the "save scumming": nah, don't sweat it. That was a retry, not save scumming. As someone who has reloaded certain games hundreds of times trying to get specific outcomes, I feel very qualified in saying that you didn't save scum that fight. And if it makes you feel better, my, and probably many other people's, experience with that mission goes basically the same way at first. Enemies can be frustratingly, bafflingly good at sniping the Edelweiss in the radiator from across the map. That doesn't just apply to this mission, either. It's definitely something to remember for the future. And just to answer a couple of miscellaneous questions: yes, stat orders carry over to the enemy's turn, they only end once your next turn starts. Also, Montley has Aichmophobia, a fear of pointed objects, which gets triggered by being close to lancers. Overall, I think you should give yourself a bit more credit for getting through that mission! It's a tough, unfair mission and you got through it without losing Jane. And in the end, that's what's most important, right? I can't wait for the next video, and I hope you're having a happy holiday!

[@pixelbudum]

Ahh you're right. All in all, I basically came out unscathed. And with a B! Even if half the squad was lying on the ground by the time the mission was over, it was still a success x) I know it wasn't, like, super save-scummy. It wasn't like I was screwing around until RNG blessed me or anything. But I still feel bad. But you're making me feel better about it. Thank you. You are so precious to reassure me like this

[@videotroll72]

There are units who like Welkin and Zaka, and those and related potentials do trigger while they are inside the tanks. Montley has all their potentials unlocked, that last box had a cross though it, meaning he is only a 3 potential unit. Explosives clear smoke, you can still shoot rifles and other such firearms from within them, in fact doing so will prevent enemies from dodging your shots, as well as return fire. Yeah, the game does "lie" to you about the mission objectives. But thats how war is, its not just about fulfilling your plans, sometimes you have to react to enemy plans too. And to be fair, you did totally call the bait, it really was too easy to just grab the flag like you said. This is also why I don't think its that important to clear on your first attempt, sometimes you just gotta go in there, mess around, see what actually is up with an encounter, and then redeploy with what you learned in mind. The Shamrock is a modular unit, you have to choose between its AP rounds, chaingun, or flamethrower to equip. Personally I have never been a fan of its AP rounds and mortar, because its just a weaker Edelweiss like that, instead I like using the chaingun or flamethrower, depending on the mission, and using it like its a super-shocktrooper immune to interception fire. Yeah, armored radiators are something you will have to be aware of, luckily though there will be a command you can learn later to allow scouts and shocks to get around that. You did exactly what I did to beat that mission, move a lancer to the back, cap the flag, kill south tank, then spawn in another lancer to take the north one. Walter really shown bright this part, need some sunglasses to even look upon his radiance, looking forward to the next part!

[@pixelbudum]

Oh what really?? So the tanks can join in on attacks with Zaka and Welkin's friends?? That is really precious. I'm happy to know that-- not only strategically, but just in general. I am glad they can have friends too :D Ah, so you're saying don't use Montley? The anti-luck charm should maybe be exchanged for another guy? Yeaaah that might be smart. I just weirdly feel like I've never used him, even though I've clearly brought him to missions several times. Oho so smoke is good for shooting, not blowing up. Good good. That makes it super useful. Yeah it kinda felt like that kidnapping mission in that way. I don't think it would've been possible without a little prior knowledge of how the mission was going to play out. I guess it might be a decent strategy in the future to mess around a little before actually committing to an attempt. Even if it does feel good to do missions blind. Oh what what? Am I a dummy? Did I just miss the fact that I gotta choose a loadout for the Shamrock or something??? Ah jeez, I feel like I've been misusing the thing this whole time D: Walter really did come in handy. It's crazy how this game can make me love characters so quickly. One moment he's just a joker in some sunglasses, the next he's the hero of the whole mission.

[@emiliosanchez4610]

This is kinda what I mean when I say some missions are so much harder the slower you take them. The war of attrition wears you down way worse then the enemy when they have infinite spawns. It took a little elbow grease but you got there in the end. This mission if you don't know to rush, is such a difficulty spike I must admit. Luckily you don't have a dazed Alicia in the middle of the map tearing you up while taking on the tanks, that would be so unfair and I wouldn't have been surprised if they did do that lol. Lancers are funny in how at the start of the game they are objectively worse tanks in every way and I never used them. But they slowly creep up and become invaluable after a few upgrades and arguably better thoughbeit squishier tanks.

[@pixelbudum]

Yeah, I can definitely see what you mean now. I never thought the enemy would just get a fresh clown car of guys every single turn like this. It's definitely not a mission that you can take step by step, so I'm all the more grateful for your advice to be aggressive. Previous me would've played so defensively that the mission would've never ended x) I was surprised they took Alicia away so fast! I really thought she was going to be shooting blindly out there on the field the whole time. It would've made things harder for sure, but also a whole lot more chaotic and fun. Ahghh she would've slaughtered my whole squad, who am I kidding? Yes! I'm finding myself using less of the Edelweiss and more of my lancers nowadays. They've got half the turn cost, plus no weak spots. And sometimes sunglasses :D