FRONT MISSION 1ST
BEGINNER'S GUIDE
VERSION FINAL(2.75)
By Angelo Pineda(
[email protected])
VERSION HISTORY
---------------
26-11-2012 - Added Front Mission Products and Front Mission 1st Changes
section.
19-11-2012 - Further fleshed out game mechanics, added information on terrain
types.
7-11-2012 - Minor clean-up, fleshed out some game mechanics.
12-6-2012 - Minor clean-up.
9-6-2012 - Arena section separated from Intermissions section. Duel Mode
information added.
17-3-2011 - Updated Front Mission History and did minor fixes.
12-2-2009 - Cleaned up information. Added some details forgotten from the
previous update.
12-12-2007 - Minor grammar changes made and additional data on pilot and
battle skills added.
26-11-2007 - Changes made according to the North American version. Added
battle skills and differences between each level. Guide complete.
8-10-2007 - Beginner's Guide done. Will update material according to changes
in the North American version.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Sections Search Codes
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1. INTRODUCTION [INTR]
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Front Mission History [FHIS]
Front Mission Products [FMPR]
Front Mission 1st Changes [F1ST]
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2. BASICS [BASE]
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Game Flow [GAME]
Mission Play [MISS]
Intermissions [INMS]
Arena [AREN]
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) [TFAQ]
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3. BATTLE SYSTEM [BATT]
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Battle Phases [PHAS]
Wanzer Combat [WCOM]
Wanzer Actions [WACT]
Terrain Effects [TERR]
Job Types [JTYP]
Weapon Types [WTYP]
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) [BFAQ]
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4. WANZER SETUP [WSET]
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Wanzer Design [WDES]
Wanzer Parameters [WPAR]
Wanzer Types [WANT]
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) [WFAQ]
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5. CREDITS [CRED]
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To quickly find the section you want, press Ctrl + F at the same time to
access the Find options. If you want to access something, type in the word
in [] and the [] themselves. If you want to find the Credits, type in [CRED].
AUTHOR'S NOTE
-------------
Finally, the original Front Mission gets an official Western release after
waiting for more than a decade since the Japanese release! To those who are
unfamiliar with Front Mission, this guide will get you up to speed! Any Front
Mission is not easy to get into and they tend to be confusing for newcomers.
Thus, I decided to make this guide with the sole purpose of explaining how
the fundamentals of Front Mission work. Enjoy!
Sites allowed to post this guide:
http://www.gamefaqs.com
http://www.gamespot.com
http://www.neoseeker.com
http://www.supercheats.com
http://www.1up.com
I will consider allowing other sites to post this guide if I get an email on
the address shown above. I'm usually open to allowing other sites to post my
guides provided that I am credited for my work. I assume anyone reading this
is aware of the guide's purpose so I don't think I need to explain that.
Also, don't try and pass this work of as your own. I've created this guide in
a certain way that allows me to identify if someone has plagiarized from my
guide. Respect those who spend a great deal of time making guides to help out
other people. We don't do it just because guide writing is fun, you know!
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1. INTRODUCTION [INTR]
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This is a beginner's guide to Front Mission 1st, titled "Front Mission" for
the game's North American release on the Nintendo DS. The guide will document
the foundation and game mechanics that are found in the game. This will not
document any material pertaining to the game's missions and whatnot so please
don't send any questions to my e-mail address about that. Go to GameFAQs if
you are looking for walkthroughs of the game. This guide is written for those
who have never played Front Mission or this one in particular if you have
already played other Front Mission installments before.
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FRONT MISSION HISTORY [FHIS]
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So what exactly is Front Mission? Well, it's a Square franchise that was
developed by series visionary and creator Toshiro Tsuchida. Although it was
technically developed outside of Square under Tsuchida's development studio,
G-Craft, it was their very first intellectual property (IP) that ventured
into the turn-based strategy genre. While it's often known for this style of
gameplay, this doesn't quite fit Front Mission. Just as much as it enjoys its
strategy and role-playing game (RPG) elements, Front Mission is also equally
known for experimentation through genre spin-offs. Even within the turn-based
strategy entries themselves, there are titles that focus more on the strategy
elements and others with very strong RPG elements. Counting the remakes, 13
video games have been released under the Front Mission banner.
There are two main types of Front Mission games: numbered entries which play
out as turn-based strategy games, and non-numbered entries which play out as
real-time action-based games. Numbered entries include Front Mission, Front
Mission 1st (the remake of Front Mission), Front Mission 2, Front Mission 3,
Front Mission 4, Front Mission 5: Scars of the War, Front Mission 2089, Front
Mission 2089-II, and Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness. The non-numbered
entries include Front Mission: Gun Hazard (side-scrolling shooter), Front
Mission Alternative (real-time strategy), Front Mission: Online (massively-
multiplayer online third-person shooter), and Front Mission Evolved (third-
person shooter).
Beyond the video games, Front Mission boasts an incredibly diverse media
presence that includes comics, films, novels, and even radio dramas. In fact,
it's worth noting that Front Mission actually started out away from the video
games themselves! Its non-video game media, especially its comics and novels,
have enjoyed levels of success comparable to the source material itself! As
such, the Front Mission franchise is incredibly popular in its home region of
Japan. Unfortunately, its overseas performance has been shockingly poor as
only four entries have been localized: Front Mission 1st (renamed as "Front
Mission" for the release), Front Mission 3, Front Mission 4, and lastly,
Front Mission Evolved. Much of this can be attributed to Square and Square
Enix's incredibly poor handling of the franchise overseas.
UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
---------------------
So, what defines Front Mission and sets it apart from similar offerings in
the turn-based strategy genre? For starters, Front Mission takes place in a
near-future Earth which greatly resembles modern-day life, as opposed to the
fantasy-based settings that prevail in games such as Fire Emblem or Ogre
Battle. As a result, stories and themes of Front Mission focus on real-life
issues that are prevalent in our societies and the world around us. Military,
political, and technological topics are commonplace, as is the presentation
of the characters. There are no real "good" or "bad" guys in Front Mission,
and the narratives never follow the typical save-the-world cliche. Instead,
Front Mission is a realistic, heartfelt drama revolving around mankind versus
itself.
The storyline of Front Mission also stands out for its unique storytelling
approach. Modeled and styled after serial dramas, Front Mission is one long,
continuous storyline. Although the video games contain standalone stories,
these interconnect with ones from other entries and tie back to a larger,
overarching storyline. Consequently, they show a very clear cause-and-effect
relationship as events from one game are an aftermath effect from a previous
one chronologically. This is accompanied by a large cast of over 70 recurring
characters who make multiple appearances in the entries. What makes this more
remarkable is how the storyline is not restricted to the video games alone.
As all of its media are linked to each other, Front Mission practices what is
known as "transmedia storytelling". In transmedia storytelling, all stories
from each medium come together to tell the greater whole. All media products
are considered canon, and their stories are usually penned by a core group of
writers. This notion of transmedia storytelling also applies to the spin-off
Front Mission: Gun Hazard and its related media, which are set in an alternate
universe. This means that Front Mission: Gun Hazard is not considered canon to
the main Front Mission universe.
When Toshiro Tsuchida envisioned Front Mission, he and his writers mapped out
a very elaborate main storyline that involved telling the stories beyond the
video game medium. Starting in 1994, this was made into a reality through a
comic series titled "Front Mission Zero", and a live-action movie of Front
Mission that was shown on television. These two set the foundation for the
main storyline, and began a trend of media lead-ins prior to the release of a
new Front Mission video game. After the original Front Mission was released
on the Super Famicom, it was followed up by a new comic series and a novel
which foreshadowed Front Mission 2. This practice continued until the release
of Front Mission 5: Scars of the War, the final planned entry of the grand
storyline.
Storyline aside, another major defining feature of Front Mission is its use
of mecha. The mecha of Front Mission is known as the Wanderpanzer (German for
"walking armor") or the wanzer. For the uninitiated, mecha is the term for a
bipedal robotic machine which is controlled by a human pilot. Most mecha are
unrealistic in terms of real-life applications in that they are portrayed as
all-powerful, one-man army machines. Wanzers, however, are more grounded in
realism in their design and they are assisted by other weapons platforms
despite being a versatile weapons platform themselves. The official term used
to classify a wanzer is WAP.
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FRONT MISSION PRODUCTS [FMPR]
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For anyone who wants to dip into more Front Mission offerings, the following
is a quick summary of the major Front Mission products released. Most of them
are in Japan, so you will have to import most of these products:
MAIN SERIES GAMES
-----------------
Front Mission - Super Famicom and WonderSwan Color. The original Front Mission
is available only in Japan and can only be gotten by way of imports. It's
fairly easy to find in auction sites...or you could try the fan translation
route. The WonderSwan Color port is a much tougher find though.
Front Mission 1st - PlayStation and Nintendo DS. As mentioned above, this
remake of Front Mission stayed in Japan only. There's no point in getting it
as this version of the game contains more content to enjoy.
Front Mission 2 - PlayStation. Front Mission 2 is Japan-only so importing is
your best option. This is a rare find, even in auction sites, so consider
yourself a lucky one if you can get it.
Front Mission 3 - PlayStation. Front Mission 3 has been released overseas,
but it is hard to find nowadays. Fortunately, this can now be found on the
PlayStation Network (PSN) Store for a reasonably cheap download.
Front Mission 4 - PlayStation 2. Front Mission 4 has been released overseas
and is fairly easy to find nowadays. Game retailers should still have a copy
or two lying around, at least online ones.
Front Mission 5: Scars of the War - PlayStation 2. Front Mission 5 was only
released in Japan, so you will need to import from an online retailer or buy
it from an auction site.
Front Mission 2089 - Mobile Phones. Front Mission 2089 was only released in
Japan as part of Front Mission Mobile. As Front Mission Mobile ended its
services on February 28, 2011, you have no chance of playing it anymore.
Front Mission 2089-II - Mobile Phones. Front Mission 2089-II was only
released in Japan as part of Front Mission Mobile. As Front Mission Mobile
ended its services on February 28, 2011, you have no chance of playing it
anymore.
Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness - Nintendo DS. This remake of Front
Mission 2089 was only released in Japan. It's a fairly easy find at online
retailers or auction sites.
SPIN-OFF GAMES
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Front Mission: Gun Hazard - Super Famicom. Front Mission: Gun Hazard is a
Japan-only release, but there is a fan translation available on the Internet
if you're interested. This is the only non-canon entry of Front Mission.
Front Mission Alternative - PlayStation. Front Mission Alternative was never
released outside of Japan, so you will need to import. As with Front Mission
2, this is a rare find so search hard if you want to play this.
Front Mission Online - PlayStation 2, PC. Front Mission Online was only
released in Japan. It also requires signing up for Square Enix's PlayOnline
service. Front Mission Online ended its services on May 31, 2008, so you
have no chance of playing it anymore.
Front Mission Evolved - PlayStation 3, XBox 360, PC. The most recent Front
Mission title was released overseas and is readily available in retailers.
It's also quite cheap these days, so you have no reason not to buy it.
COMPILATIONS
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Front Mission History - PlayStation. This is a compilation that consists of
Front Mission 1st, Front Mission 2, and Front Mission 3. Front Mission 1st is
the PlayStation remake of the original, an enhanced Front Mission 2 with bug
fixes and a Quick Battle option, and an unchanged Front Mission 3. As with
most of the Front Mission products, it's only in Japan. Since this one had a
print run of just 20,000, this is arguably the rarest product out of the
video game line to get.
FILMS
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These live-action TV films are canon, expanded universe supplements to the
Front Mission and Gun Hazard storyline. All of them were released only in
Japan.
Front Mission
Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard
COMICS
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These comic series are canon, expanded universe supplements to the Front
Mission and Gun Hazard storyline. All but Front Mission Dog Life & Dog Style
were released in Japan only. Front Mission Dog Life & Dog Style has been
released in Japan and translated into Korean for South Korea, and in French
for France.
Front Mission Zero (3 volumes)
Front Mission Comics
Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard
Front Mission 2: Wanzers of the Elite
Front Mission: The Drive
Front Mission Dog Life & Dog Style (10 volumes)
NOVELS
------
These novel series are canon, expanded universe supplements to the Front
Mission and Gun Hazard storyline. All of them were released only in Japan.
Front Mission: Front Line Report
Gun Hazard: A Mercenary's Iron Legs
Front Mission 4: Elsa (2 volumes)
RADIO DRAMAS
------------
The Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard radio drama is a canon, expanded universe
supplement to the Gun Hazard storyline. This 10-episode radio drama was only
released in Japan.
OTHER NOTABLE ITEMS
-------------------
Front Mission World Historica: Report of Conflicts 1970-2121 - A reference
book. World Historica documents the entire world of Front Mission in one
giant book. It covers Front Mission, Front Mission 1st, Front Mission 2,
Front Mission 3, Front Mission 4, Front Mission 5, Front Mission 2089, Front
Mission Alternative, and Front Mission Online. Front Mission: Gun Hazard and
Front Mission 2089-II are only briefly detailed. Additionally, World Historica
does not cover the additions to the Nintendo DS Front Mission 1st, the remake
of Front Mission 2089 "Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness", and Front
Mission Evolved. This was released only in Japan.
Action Figures and Model Kits - With the exception of the Front Mission 3
action figures, all of these releases saw the light of day only in Japan.
Auction sites are a good place to find these.
Original Soundtracks (OST) - All of these are Japanese releases, but online
retailers tend to carry them. Some like the Front Mission 2 or Front Mission:
Gun Hazard OSTs are very rare so you may have to search harder to find them.
For more information on Front Mission products, please visit the following:
frontmission.info
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FRONT MISSION 1ST CHANGES [F1ST]
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Okay, so what about Front Mission 1st? Front Mission 1st for the Nintendo DS
is the third title to see an overseas release in North America. The game is
actually an enhanced port of the PlayStation version of Front Mission 1st,
which was released only in Japan. This version of the game comes with a bunch
of changes and additions that make it the definitive version of this Front
Mission. Changes between the original Front Mission to Front Mission 1st,
the PlayStation Front Mission 1st to this version, and the Japanese and
North American Front Mission 1st versions will be detailed below. Lastly,
changes between the Super Famicom Front Mission to the WonderSwan Color
version will be detailed as well.
Something interesting to note is that this is the first official Western
release of Front Mission. The original Front Mission for the Super Famicom
was translated by a group of fans years ago. You may or may not have played
the fan translation, but this iteration of Front Mission is not the same as
the original.
CHANGES BETWEEN ORIGINAL SUPER FAMICOM AND WONDERSWAN COLOR VERSIONS
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1. There are several changes made to mission play for better accessibility.
There is a now Battle Scene Skip option. When activated, only the HP bars,
the total damage dealt, EXP gain, and bonus EXP for Pilot Level increases
will be shown on the map. A quick animation is shown for attacks and when
using support items. Likewise, instead of selecting three options to check
unit status, this has been merged into one Status option. The player can
switch between the Pilot Status and Machine Details windows to view the
data, or use the Pilot Select option to view the status of all player or
enemy units, if an enemy is selected, fighting on the map. The changes to
viewing unit status is exclusive to the WonderSwan Color version.
2. Duel Mode can be played with two players, provided that each player has
their own WonderSwan Color and copy of the game. Additionally, a link cable
is required for this to work. As a result of the link cable, it is possible
to send or receive vehicle data from one player to another through the
Exchange option.
3. There are changes to several of the graphic elements in the game. For
example, the picture in the briefings has been changed from a rotating 3D
graphic to a still 2D graphic. During unit customization, the player has
the option of scrolling the picture of the currently selected unit in four
directions: up, down, left, and right. Lastly, during missions, the map
will be blacked out for attacking and movement. The blacked out map can be
changed back to the original map by pressing the Map Change button. The map
changes and scrolling during unit customization are only found in the
WonderSwan Color version.
4. When traveling on the world map, a menu will appear with two options:
Into Point and Move. Into Point lets the player enter the location they are
currently at. Move is self-explanatory - the player can move to a new
location on the world map. This change is exclusive to the WonderSwan Color
version.
5. Game mechanics have been reworked slightly. For example, Peewie can no
longer learn Speed III. Additionally, the bonus EXP earned during Pilot Level
increases are now cumulative. If a pilot increases their Pilot Level by three,
then the bonus EXP awarded will reflect three levels gained as opposed to one.
Lastly, mobile weapons, supply trucks, and other special enemy units now give
out bonus EXP when they are destroyed. For example, destroying the Mir Orlen
will result in over 1000 EXP gained. This particular change is only found in
the WonderSwan Color version. Lastly, the Equipment option has been merged
with the Resupply option when using the supply truck; this change is also
exclusive to the WonderSwan Color version.
CHANGES BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND REMAKE VERSIONS
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1. There is a new scenario revolving around the U.C.S. The story of this
scenario explores the unknowns of the O.C.U. story and is told through 23
missions. In addition, two recurring characters who are later formally
introduced in Front Mission 4 make their debut in this scenario.
2. The presentation aspects of the game, the graphics and sound, have been
updated. Map graphics, including the ones for battle scenes, have been redrawn
with more detail and with special effects incorporated. For example, a map
may feature heavy rain or faint lighting to indicate the appearance of dusk.
The music tracks have improved sound quality through synthesizer upgrades
and there are five new tracks, which are exclusive to the U.C.S. scenario.
3. Several missions have been changed for better game balance. All of these
changes occur in the O.C.U. scenario. For example, the military commission
bonus for O.C.U. Mission 4 has been increased from 2000-4000 to 4000-7000.
In O.C.U. Mission 30, the Mir Orlen's Machine Gun has its range reworked from
1-4 to 1-1 squares. This prevents the Mir Orlen from attacking up to three
times on the Enemy Phase.
4. Game mechanics have been further reworked for better balance. The Geo
Effect rates for some terrain have been further reworked for better balance.
For example, the Geo Effect rating of Jungle terrain has been changed from
40% to 25%. For another example, the Geo Effect rating of Jungle (Rain)
terrain has been changed from 25% to 40%. In terms of Battle Skills, Alder
can now learn a second skill in Melee. The Battle Scene Skip option has some
slight changes too. Animations are no longer shown for support items and
bonus EXP for Pilot Level increases are no longer shown. Total damage dealt
is no longer shown, however the damage is still shown on the parts of a unit.
5. Several wanzers have been renamed. Here is a list of them:
Clavecin - Crabesant
Fagot - Flugel
Grop - Groppe
Pavot - Pabotte
6. There are new wanzers, parts, weapons, and mobile weapons exclusive to the
U.C.S. scenario. Here is a list of them:
(Wanzers)
Pheasant
Phantom
(Parts)
Riff
(Weapons)
Hexa G3
Joker
Mostro 10
PSG-5
Ziege P - Enemy only
(Mobile Weapons)
Prototype Clinton
OSV-T
Gigas
CHANGES BETWEEN PLAYSTATION AND NINTENDO DS VERSIONS
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1. There are ten new missions to play, split evenly between the O.C.U. and
U.C.S. scenarios. With the exception of the O.C.U. tutorial mission, the other
nine missions are hidden unlockables throughout both scenarios.
2. There are new dialogues and event scenes found in the O.C.U. scenario.
Furthermore, some of the dialogue in the O.C.U. scenario has been altered to
better fit with the new dialogues and event scenes. For example, in O.C.U.
Mission 1, Driscoll's first line to Karen when he attacks her has been
altered. For a new event scene example, in O.C.U. Mission 11, there is a new
flashback event scene with Royd, Karen, and Ryuji. This is not the case for
the U.C.S. scenario though.
3. Recurring characters from other Front Mission titles have been added to
the game. This is not to be confused with the two recurring characters who
appear in the PlayStation version. The new recurring characters come from
Front Mission 2, Front Mission 5: Scars of the War, and Front Mission Online.
These characters can be found in both the O.C.U. and U.C.S. scenarios, and
some are even playable...
4. Some missions feature new enemy units. For example, the OSV-T mobile weapon
in U.C.S. Mission 9 has been replaced with the K.O.N.G. X-II mobile weapon.
Also, the Battle Scene Skip option has been replaced with a new option, Battle
Speed. Unlike Battle Scene Skip, Battle Speed shows battle scenes. However,
the action speed is double the normal rate.
5. The Geo Effect rates for some terrain have been further reworked. For
example, the Geo Effect rating of Jungle (Rain) terrain has been changed from
40% to 25%.
6. Enemy units now use support items during battle. An enemy unit can use
Acid Bombs, Chaff Grenades, Flash Grenades, and Smoke Grenades at any given
time in a mission.
7. Game mechanics have been further reworked for accessibility and balance. In
terms of equipment, old parts now remain in the Shop list once they have been
made available for purchase. This alleviates the need to revisit towns and
cities to purchase older parts. Battle Skill requirements (more on this later)
have been reworked for pilots on the O.C.U. scenario. For example, Keith can
no longer learn Double by increasing his Pilot Level - he must amass enough
Melee EXP to learn it. Another example of this is with Ralph; Ralph now has a
third skill slot and can learn the Guide skill.
8. There are new wanzers, parts, and weapons from other Front Mission titles.
Here is a list of them:
(Wanzers)
Frost HW - Front Mission 5: Scars of the War
Igel Eins Horn - Front Mission 4/Online
Numsekar - Front Mission 5: Scars of the War
Pious - Original unit exclusive to Front Mission 1st, Nintendo DS version
Strega - Front Mission Online
Vaje - Front Mission 2/4/Online
Zelt - Front Mission 4/Online
(Arm Parts)
Boggart - Original part exclusive to Front Mission 1st, Nintendo DS version
Dragon Fang - Hidden weapon from original Front Mission, now made into a part
Hornet - Front Mission 4/Online
Sphinx - Front Mission Online
Spriggan - Front Mission Online
Vampire - Front Mission 4/Online
(Leg Parts)
Godwit - Front Mission Online
Ours - Front Mission Online
(Weapons)
Artassaut G - Front Mission Online
Covet V300 - Front Mission Online
Crusader - Front Mission 4/5: Scars of the War/Online
Rock Jack - Front Mission 4/Online
Winee Plus - Front Mission Online
9. Mobile weapons, the "boss" units of the game, are now playable. These
mobile weapons are hidden unlockables throughout both scenarios. Furthermore,
there are new mobile weapons added to the game - here is a list of them:
(Playable)
Buren - Original unit exclusive to Front Mission 1st, Nintendo DS version
K.O.N.G. X-II - Front Mission Online
T.C.K. Assault - Based off of the T.C.K.-010 from Front Mission Alternative
(Enemy Only)
Conrado - Original unit exclusive to Front Mission 1st, Nintendo DS version
10. A number of weapon parts have been redesigned to fall closer in line with
their designs from other Front Mission titles. Here is a list of them:
Artassaut/Artassaut SP/Artassaut Deux
Black Star
Glowtusk/Glowtusk SE
Ibis/Ibis 2/Ibis 3
Iguchi Type 5/Iguchi Type 502
Leostun/Leostun B
PAP 55/PAP 66
CHANGES BETWEEN JAPANESE AND NORTH AMERICAN VERSIONS
----------------------------------------------------
1. The biggest change is that the mature content from both the O.C.U. and
U.C.S. scenarios have been censored and toned down. If you want to read more,
go to
http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2007/071207a.html.
2. When starting a new game, the game will ask the player if they have played
previous versions of Front Mission 1st before. If the player answers with a
"NO" to the question, then the game will ask the player if they want to play
the tutorial. The tutorial question can also come up if the player answers
"YES" to the Front Mission 1st question and then selects the O.C.U. scenario.
If the player answers "NO" to the tutorial question, then the O.C.U. scenario
will begin. If the player answers "YES" to the tutorial question, then the
game will begin with the player being able to change Royd's name and callsign.
Once this is done, the O.C.U. tutorial mission will begin. The O.C.U. scenario
begins after clearing it, with EXP gained and a $400 kill bonus carrying over
to O.C.U. Mission 1.
In the North American version, the Front Mission 1st question is not asked.
Additionally, the O.C.U. tutorial does not lead into the O.C.U. scenario upon
its completion, so the player is not locked into the O.C.U. scenario. As a
result of this, the player is still able to choose which scenario they wish
to play. The O.C.U. tutorial gives no kill bonus and even if the player opts
to go with the O.C.U. scenario, the EXP gain is not carried over.
3. The Password section in the Pilot Status window and the Password option
in Duel Mode have been removed. The Password section was used to register a
player's units for Duel Mode in the original Front Mission for the Super
Famicom. Since the original Front Mission had no way of loading or saving the
unit data through a save file for Duel Mode, players relied on passwords.
However, as the later versions of this game were able to do just that, the
Password section could be seen as redundant and was therefore removed.
However, with the removal of the Password section and the Password option in
Duel Mode, players will no longer be able to access the game's special units
in said Duel Mode.
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2. BASICS [BASE]
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This section will detail how Front Mission works as a whole. If you are more
interested in learning specific mechanics about the game, please check the
other sections.
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GAME FLOW [GAME]
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Front Mission progresses like any typical game: the player goes through a set
amount of missions before beating the game. In-between each mission, the
player can manage their characters in preparation for the next mission. Event
scenes occur at certain periods of time before, during, or after a mission.
These are plot-related events that reveal more about the topics covered in
the game and the characters themselves. The player travels to locations on a
point-and-click style of world map, which consist of battlefields, towns, and
cities. Although the game follows a linear path, the player is free to visit
past towns and cities to gather information and whatnot.
Special in this version of Front Mission is the ability to choose between two
sides of the game from the start. The original side starting Royd Clive of
the Canyon Crows is available, but the new side staring Kevin Greenfield of
the Black Hounds can be selected as well. This side made its appearance in
the Front Mission 1st remake for the PlayStation and is a completely
different experience from Royd's side. New to the DS version of 1st are the
inclusion of new event scenes and missions on both sides that can be accessed
at certain time periods. Apart from these, this is how the game flows and
progresses.
To recap game flow:
1. Play and complete missions.
2. Intermission: prepare and setup units at towns and cities.
3. Progress plot by watching scenes before, during, or after missions.
4. Repeat until the player beats the game.
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MISSION PLAY [MISS]
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Missions in Front Mission work similar to other strategy RPG offerings. Prior
to most missions, the player can see a basic briefing of the enemy forces and
the main threat or objective for the mission. The player can make adjustments
to their units accordingly before commencing the mission. Once in a mission,
the winning conditions must be met in order to complete the mission. At the
completion of any mission, the player is rewarded with monetary funds from
military commission (if possible) and the amount of enemies destroyed. This
is then subtracted from the repair costs, which are incurred for every unit
destroyed in battle.
Each mission has a limit to how many units can be deployed for the mission,
but Royd and Kevin are mandatory participants in every mission. Peewie, the
supply truck driver for the Canyon Crows, is also automatically deployed in
every mission. On several occasions, non-playable characters (NPC) fight in
missions although the AI controls all of their actions. As far as mission
variety is concerned, most missions are involved with the destruction of all
enemy units. Some missions have different conditions, such as protecting a
particular unit or destroying enemy units without the given time limit. This
covers the flow behind mission play in a nutshell.
Briefing Screen interface:
------------------------------------------------
| TARGET || BOSS DATA |
|-------------------||-------------------------|
||-----------------||| MELEE [************] xxx|
||PicturePicturePic||| SHORT [************] xxx|
||PicturePicturePic||| LONG [************] xxx|
||PicturePicturePic||| DODGE [************] xxx|
||PicturePicturePic||| |
||PicturePicturePic||| TOTAL xxxx |
||PicturePicturePic||---------------------------
||-----------------|| -------------------------
--------------------- | ENEMY DATA |
-----------------------|-----------------------|
| YOUR DATA || NORMAL UNITS xx|
|---------------------|| BOSS UNITS xx|
| UNIT xx|| SUPPLY TRUCKS xx|
| AT [**********] xxxx|| AT [**********] xxxx|
| DF [**********] xxxx|| DF [**********] xxxx|
| ACE PILOT || ACE PILOT |
| NAME LV. xx|| NAME LV. xx|
------------------------------------------------
Briefing Screen guide:
TARGET - the main target for the mission.
Picture - the picture of the mission target.
MELEE - the boss unit's potency in the Melee class.
SHORT - the boss unit's potency in the Short class.
LONG - the boss unit's potency in the Long class.
DODGE - the boss unit's potency in the Dodge class.
TOTAL - the total potency of the boss unit in all classes.
UNIT - the amount of player units that can be used for the mission.
NORMAL UNITS - the amount of normal enemy units fought in the mission.
BOSS UNITS - the amount of special enemy units fought in the mission.
SUPPLY TRUCKS - the amount of supply truck units fought in the mission.
AT - the cumulative offensive strength for all of the player or enemy's units.
DF - the cumulative defensive strength for all of the player or enemy's units.
ACE PILOT - the name of the player or enemy's best pilot and their levels.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERMISSIONS [INMS]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intermissions are sections of the game in which the player is currently not
participating in a mission. During an intermission, the player has access to
a few options. Normally after a mission ends, the player is returned to the
world map. The player's only option is to head for a town or city nearby the
area of operations. At any town or city, the player can access the following
options:
Shop/Hangar
Military Ward
Command Room
Barracks
Bar
Arena
Pilot Status
Setup
Save/Load
Exit
The Shop or Hangar is where the player can buy or sell parts and items for
mission play. This is the place to go for upgrading wanzers any time during
the game. Plot progression and mission briefings take place at the Military
Ward and Command Room for the U.C.S scenario. The Barracks on the U.C.S.
scenario is where the player can speak with their teammates. The Bar is home
to the common folk encountered in the game. Some folks offer helpful tips
about playing the game or reveal more details about the game's backstory.
Exclusive to Royd's side, certain individuals can be recruited at the Bar.
This is possible if certain conditions are met.
If the player wants more funds, the Arena is a side feature that pits a
player-controlled unit against the AI for the purpose of accumulating money.
A select few individuals can be recruited after beating them if playing Royd's
side. Pilot Status is self-explanatory; the player can see the performance
parameters of all playable units. The Setup allows the player to configure or
create wanzers, as well as configure the Battle Skills for the pilots (more on
this later). Save/Load are both self-explanatory features and so is the Exit
option. One item to make note of is that you cannot leave a town or city in
most cases until you visit the Military Ward or Command Room.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARENA [AREN]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Arena, the player can choose from fighting an opponent in a solo battle
or another player through the Duel feature. When fighting in a solo battle,
the player must choose a unit to use for the fight. Next, the player must
select from a list of opponents in a given town or city and fight one of them.
After selecting an opponent to fight, the player must choose a fixed amount
of money for the bet. If the player wins, they win an amount of money equal
to the bet multiplied by the Odds rate. If they lose, the amount of money bet
will be deducted from the player's total amount of funds. The Odds rate
fluctuates based on the unit's composition against the enemy's.
When a battle commences, the player gets to select what weapon their unit
will use for the turn. After the action is completed, the player can choose
their next action and so on. The goal of the battle is to destroy or disable
the Arena combatant before your unit gets destroyed or disabled. Destroying a
wanzer is relatively simple, but you can opt to destroy the wanzer's Arms
instead. To disable a wanzer means to eliminate their ability to attack with
their weapons so destroying their Arms is an alternative means to winning.
There is no draw; the player successfully defeats the Arena combatant or vice
versa.
On a final note, weapon priority plays a role in who acts first. Melee takes
priority over Long, but loses out to Short. Short takes priority over Melee,
but loses out to Long. Finally, Long takes priority over Short, but loses out
to Melee. If you can guess what weapon an enemy will use, you can use the
information above to gain initiative when it comes to actions.
Arena Screen interface:
-----------------
| ENEMY | -----------------
|---------------| | ODDS XXX.XX|
| COMBATANT | -----------------
| COMBATANT |
| COMBATANT | --------------------
| COMBATANT | | VEHICLE DATA |
| COMBATANT | |------------------|
|---------------| | NAME: |
----------------- | |
| MELEE [*****] xxx|
| SHORT [*****] xxx|
---------------- | LONG [*****] xxx|
| FUNDS xxxxxxx| | DODGE [*****] xxx|
---------------- --------------------
Arena Screen guide:
COMBATANT - the name of the Arena combatant.
ODDS - the chance of victory against the Arena combatant. If the unit is more
powerful than the Arena combatant, the Odds rate will be low. High Odds rate
reflects a stronger Arena combatant and a weaker player unit.
NAME - the name of the WAP unit that the Arena combatant uses.
MELEE - the Arena combatant's potency in the Melee class.
SHORT - the Arena combatant's potency in the Short class.
LONG - the Arena combatant's potency in the Long class.
DODGE - the Arena combatant's potency in the Dodge class.
FUNDS - the amount of funds available to the player for usage.
DUEL MODE
---------
Front Mission boasts its own two-player Duel Mode. By selecting the Duel
option in the main menu, you and a friend can duke it out to see who is the
better Front Mission player!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Auto Battle player in a duel. AI controls vehicle actions.
Manual Battle player in a duel. Players control vehicle actions.
Register Register vehicle data. Open up Register menu.
Delete Delete vehicle data.
View View pilot and vehicle data.
Save Save vehicle list.
Load Load vehicle list.
Exit Exit Duel Mode.
Notes:
- Only one vehicle can be registered or deleted at a time.
Register Menu Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regular Register vehicle by loading save data.
Send Unit Send vehicle data using DS wireless communications.
Receive Unit Receive vehicle data using DS wireless communications.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQ) [TFAQ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: How do much of the game uses the stylus? Could I opt to use the regular
controls instead?
A: The stylus control is used for every menu and option in the game apart
from using them in battle. Stylus usage is 100% optional, although it feels
more natural on the hands in terms of controlling the battles. It's up to you
whether or not you want to play the game with stylus or regular controls.
Q: I just completed a mission and went back to the nearest town. When I exit
the town, I can only access the same destinations! Any idea on how to get
past this?
A: New destinations are only unlocked under the following criteria: the next
mission assignment is assigned, talk to a certain individual, or through plot
progression. For the most part, going to the Military Ward or Command Room
unlocks a new destination.
Q: I need help on a mission! I saw the briefing prior to the mission and made
preparations, but there are things the mission didn't go through! What gives?
A: The briefings are only designed to give the player a general idea of what
to expect in an upcoming mission. The missions themselves tend to have extra
factors to take note of that the briefings never detail. If you feel that you
aren't properly prepared for the mission, you can always make adjustments in
the Setup menu.
Q: During an Arena battle, I fought a combatant and for some reason, it was
over! I didn't even destroy the combatant so I'm not sure what happened. Can
you explain how I did this?
A: As stated earlier, there are two means of winning Arena battles. If you
are not capable of destroying the combatant, you can disable them by taking
off their Arms. Not that I'm saying this is an easy task to do, but it is an
option worth taking if necessary.
Q: Can I earn EXP for fighting in the Arena?
A: Yes, you can earn EXP for fighting in the Arena. The amount awarded is
very small and if you overpower your enemy combatant, you gain no EXP.
Q: How is money calculated through Odds in the Arena? I fought a combatant
at 1.01 Odds and barely got any money back!
A: The amount of money you earn is basically how much you bet multiplied by
the Odds rate. So if you bet 5,000 and had an Odds rate of 1.50, you will get
7,500. Subtract from the 5,000 bet and 2,500 is the amount won.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. BATTLE SYSTEM [BATT]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section details the fundamental mechanics of Front Mission's battle
system. If you are looking for information on how the battles work, you are
in the right section. Reading information on Wanzer Setup is also recommended
as information here goes hand-in-hand with the aforementioned section.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BATTLE PHASES [PHAS]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Combat in Front Mission is different from the standard strategy RPG in that
it does not rely on a dexterity parameter to determine turn priority. Front
Mission uses the concept of Phases; the player's units go first and when they
have finished acting, the AI-controlled enemy units act next. These Phases
are appropriately titled as Player and Enemy Phases. A full turn, therefore,
is the combination of one Player and Enemy Phase. While the player-controlled
units act only in Player Phases, they can counter enemy attacks during Enemy
Phases when the opportunity is possible. If the player does not need to act,
they can force a Player Phase to end. Thus, the general flow of a mission is
as follows:
1. Player Phase.
2. Enemy Phase.
3. Repeat until the player wins or loses.
Within the general flow, the player can press the Start button to open up
the System menu.
System Menu Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End Player Phase End Player Phase.
Game Settings Open up Game Settings menu.
Quicksave Save mission progress.
Cancel Exit System menu.
Game Settings Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Controls Change control settings. Manual or Semi-Auto.
Speed Change game speed. Normal or Fast.
Battle Speed Change battle speed. Normal or Fast.
Sound Change sound settings. Stereo or Monoaural.
Back Return to System menu.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WANZER COMBAT [WCOM]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the main fighting unit in any Front Mission, wanzers are unique in several
ways. Wanzers are compromised of four specific parts that have their own
special purposes and durability parameters, known as Health Points (HP). The
Legs control the wanzer's ability to move around the battlefield. The Arms
allow the wanzer to attack using hand and shoulder-equipped weapons. Finally,
the Body keeps the wanzer unit operating on the battlefield. Attacks damage
parts on a random basis and do not focus on any specific part.
Destruction of any part severely cripples a wanzer's effectiveness in battle.
Without the Legs, the wanzer's movement is cut in half and thus it becomes an
easy target for the enemies. Destruction of an Arm is self-explanatory;
weapons equipped on it cannot be used. Lastly, destruction of the Body is the
only way to eliminate a wanzer completely. Needless to say, the fastest way
to destroy a wanzer is by destroying their Body parts. Most of the time, this
isn't possible without taking out the Arms or Legs first.
This may sound confusing at first, but the wanzer mechanics are quite easy to
get into. Basically, as long as a wanzer's Body is functional, it has uses in
a mission. Even if a wanzer has nothing left except a Body, it can provide
assistance to the other units in some way outside of attacking. Destroyed
parts can be restored with a supply truck (more on this later), so no wanzer
is truly "dead weight" until they are eliminated for good.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WANZER ACTIONS [WACT]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wanzer mechanics aside, wanzers can do a variety of actions in mission play.
The most basic actions are moving, attacking, and using items. When under
attack, wanzers can elect to guard and perform evasive maneuvers. Movement
and attacks are self-explanatory, but attacks become unavailable if there is
no enemy within weapon range or both Arms are destroyed. A unit that chooses
the Guard command will defend against an enemy's attack. While guarding, the
unit will take no damage until the attack exceeds its damage tolerance. If a
unit has a Shield equipped, they can elect to use it instead of Guard when
under attack.
Using items is more of a support action as opposed to an offensive one. The
basic purpose of items is being able to repair damaged parts, however they
cannot restore any that have been destroyed. Repair items can only be used on
the unit which has them equipped. They cannot be used on other ally units.
Unit Commands Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Move Moves the unit.
Attack Attacks an enemy unit.
End Ends the unit's turn. (appears after Move)
Use Item Uses an item.
Guard Perform evasive maneuvers. (appears only during Enemy Phase)
Cancel Closes the command window and cancels movement.
Aside from repair items, there are support items which affect the performance
of player or enemy units. Their data is detailed in the following:
</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
Support Item Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Range Effect
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B.A. Mine 0 Places a mine in the current location.
Flash Grenade 1-4 Stuns target.
Smoke Grenade 1-4 Lowers target's accuracy.
Chaff Grenade 1-4 Protects against long-range attacks.
Acid Bomb 1-4 Lowers target's defense.
B.A. Mines damage units that end their movement on the square which they
were placed in. This affects both ally and enemy units, and all parts are
damaged. Flash Grenades cause Stun status, which means that the unit is
defenseless and all attacks have 100% accuracy rates against it. Smoke
Grenades lower the unit's weapon accuracy by 50% for all weapons in the
Melee and Short classes. Chaff Grenades decrease any attacking unit's
accuracy by 75% for weapons in the Long class. Acid Bombs decrease the
unit's Defense to 0 for the entire mission. Units hit by Chaff Grenades,
Flash Grenades, and Smoke Grenades have a 50% chance of recovering from them
on each passing turn.
SPECIAL ACTIONS
---------------
In regards to special actions, the player can interact with Peewie's supply
truck in Royd's side. Interacting with the supply truck requires a wanzer to
stand adjacent to it. With the supply truck, the player can refill weapons out
of ammunition or change weapons if the situation demands it. The supply truck
is also the only unit in Royd's side that can restore destroyed parts, which
makes it a vital unit to protect. If a wanzer is adjacent to the supply truck
and does not move away from it, all of its parts will be repaired by a certain
percentage every turn. Any destroyed parts will also be restored to 1 HP. The
amount of HP repaired to damaged parts varies based on their current HP; at 1
HP, parts will recover 5% per turn. This value drops if the part has more HP.
The supply truck is a unit unique to Royd's side as there is no such unit for
Kevin's side. Kevin's side does have access to a Repair Backpack known as the
Riff. This part has the same restoration and ammunition reload features as
the supply truck. However, it cannot be used to switch weapon loadouts. The
Riff also comes with a basic repair feature, which restores 50% of a wanzer's
part HP. Like the supply truck, the Riff can repair damaged parts of wanzers
standing adjacent to it. The amount of HP recovered on each turn is the same
as the supply truck's.
Unlike the supply truck, the Riff does not restore destroyed parts by default.
The unit equipped with it must manually select a destroyed part to restore.
In addition, the unit with Riff cannot use its repair features on itself.
Special Commands Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resupply Resupply ammo.
Equipment Changes equipment. (Supply Truck)
Repair Restores or repairs damaged parts. (Riff)
Supply Truck Commands Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weapons Equip weapons.
Items Change item loadout.
Exit Exit setup menu.
On a final note, the player can check the status of each unit on the top
screen of the DS. In the original Front Mission and PlayStation version of
Front Mission 1st, checking status of a unit and its pilot involved selecting
three options. In the WonderSwan Color version of Front Mission, it involved
selecting one option and switching between two screens. With the DS, unit
status is displayed any time a unit is selected on the bottom screen.
Unit Status Screen interface:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| VEHICLE STATUS || PILOT STATUS |
|------------------------------------||--------------------------------------|
| UNIT NAME: || PILOT NAME: LV. xx |
| -NOW- / -MAX- || -LEVEL- -EXP- |
| BODY xxxx / xxxx || MELEE xx xxxx |
| [****************]|| SHORT xx xxxx |
| LEFT ARM xxxx / xxxx || LONG xx xxxx |
| [****************]|| DODGE xx xxxx |
| RIGHT ARM xxxx / xxxx || TOTAL xxxxx |
| [****************]|| |
| LEGS xxxx / xxxx || SKILL: --- |
| [****************]|| --- |
| MOVE: xx || --- |
| STATUS: --- --- || --- |
| --- --- || --- |
-------------------------------------||---------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| UNIT NAME: -NAME- -AMMO- -RANGE- |
| BODY BODY WEAPON xx / xx x - xx |
| L. HAND L. HAND WEAPON xx / xx x - xx |
| R. HAND R. HAND WEAPON xx / xx x - xx |
| L. SHOULDER L. SHOULDER WEAPON xx / xx x - xx |
| R. SHOULDER R. SHOULDER WEAPON xx / xx x - xx |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unit Status Screen
(Vehicle Status)
VEHICLE STATUS - shows details of the selected unit's vehicle.
UNIT NAME - the name of the selected unit's vehicle.
NOW/MAX - the current/maximum HP values for the selected unit's vehicle.
BODY - the current/maximum HP values for the selected unit's Body.
LEFT ARM - the current/maximum HP values for the selected unit's Left Arm.
RIGHT ARM - the current/maximum HP values for the selected unit's Right Arm.
LEGS - the current/maximum HP values for the selected unit's Legs.
MOVE - the movement value of the selected unit's vehicle.
STATUS - the current status of the selected unit's vehicle.
(Pilot Status)
PILOT STATUS - shows details of the selected unit's pilot.
LV - the overall level of the selected unit's pilot.
LEVEL - the current amount of Job levels that the selected unit's pilot has.
EXP - the current amount of EXP that the selected unit's pilot has.
MELEE - the selected unit's pilot potency in the Melee class.
SHORT - the selected unit's pilot potency in the Short class.
LONG - the selected unit's pilot potency in the Long class.
DODGE - the selected unit's pilot potency in the Dodge class.
TOTAL - the total potency of the selected unit's pilot in all classes.
SKILL - the equipped skills of the selected unit's pilot.
(Equipment View)
UNIT NAME - the name of the selected unit's vehicle.
NAME - the name of the selected unit's weapons.
AMMO - the current/maximum amount of ammo for the selected unit's weapons.
RANGE - the minimum/maximum range values for the selected unit's weapons.
BODY - the weapon equipped into the selected unit's Body.
L. HAND - the weapon equipped onto the selected unit's Left Hand.
R. HAND - the weapon equipped onto the selected unit's Right Hand.
L. SHOULDER - the weapon equipped onto the selected unit's Left Shoulder.
R. SHOULDER - the weapon equipped onto the selected unit's Right Shoulder.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TERRAIN EFFECTS [TERR]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unlike most strategy RPGs, Front Mission makes use of the terrain as a vital
part of any mission. Each square on a map has a geographical rating known as
Geo, which is renamed as "Cover" for the North American version. Basically,
Cover affects two parameters in regards to wanzer combat: the unit's movement
and weapon accuracy. A weapon's accuracy is deducted directly from the Cover
rating of the target's square. For example, a unit on forest terrain tends to
have a Cover rating of 20% or higher. Thus, the unit is hard to hit on this
terrain. In urban terrain, Cover ratings are generally around 5% so any units
on this terrain are easy to hit.
The player can equip four unique Leg types for their wanzers: Normal, Hover,
Treads, and Tires. All Leg types require a certain amount of Move points to
traverse one square on a map. All Leg types move well on urban terrain, but
their movement will vary when they are moving across other terrain. Referring
to the forest terrain example, Tires Leg types expend 3 Move points to move
one square. Normal Leg types, however, expend 4 Move points for every square
of movement on this terrain. Leg types that move well on a certain terrain
will always have a Move cost of 2. However, on terrains where a Leg type is
unable to move well, the Move cost can be as high as 5. The Cover and Move
cost information can be viewed on the top screen of the DS during a mission.
Elevation also plays a role in what terrain each Leg type can move on. So,
while Tires Leg types may seem great on flat surfaces, they can ascend or
descend one elevation level at a time. Normal Leg types can ascend or descend
two elevation levels at any given time. Ascending or descending inclines
requires an extra Move point. If a unit with Normal Leg types is moving across
forest terrain with a Move cost of 4 and is scaling an incline, then the
actual Move cost is 5.
Leg Types Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type Elevation Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Normal 2 Good for quickly moving up or down inclines.
Treads 1 Good movement on ground terrain.
Hover 1 Good movement on ground terrain and bodies of water.
Tires 1 Good movement on paved surfaces.
Terrain Types Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Terrain Cover Normal Treads Hover Tires
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airport 10% 3 2 2 2
Airport (Dusk) 10% 3 2 2 2
Airport (Night) 15% 3 2 2 2
Beach 0% 4 5 2 4
Bridge (Rain) 20% 3 3 2 2
Carrier Deck 10% 3 2 2 2
City 15% 3 3 2 2
City (Dusk) 15% 3 3 2 2
City (Night) 20% 3 2 2 2
City (Rain) 15% 3 3 2 2
Concrete 10% 3 3 2 2
Concrete (Dusk) 10% 3 3 2 2
Concrete (Night) 20% 3 3 2 2
Concrete (Night Vision) 10% 3 3 2 2
Concrete (Rain) 10% 3 3 2 2
Desert 3% 4 2 2 3
Dirt 8% 3 3 2 2
Dirt (Dusk) 8% 3 3 2 2
Dirt (Night) 17% 3 3 2 2
Dirt (Rain) 8% 3 3 2 2
Dirt (Snow) 3% 3 3 2 2
Factory 15% 3 3 2 2
Grass 8% 3 3 2 2
Grass (Dusk) 8% 3 3 2 2
Grass (Night) 17% 3 3 2 2
Grass (Night Vision) 8% 3 3 2 2
Grass (Rain) 8% 3 3 2 2
Jungle 25% 4 4 3 4
Jungle (Dusk) 25% 4 4 3 4
Jungle (Rain) 25% 4 4 3 4
Park (Dusk) 8% 3 3 2 2
Park (Night) 8% 3 3 2 2
Port 10% 3 3 2 2
Port (Dusk) 10% 3 3 2 2
Railroad Gun 10% 3 2 2 2
Railroad Tracks 10% 3 2 2 2
River 0% 4 5 2 4
River (Night) 15% 4 5 2 4
River (Rain) 0% 4 5 2 4
Road 10% 3 2 2 2
Road (Night) 20% 3 2 2 2
Road (Night Vision) 10% 3 2 2 2
Road (Rain) 10% 3 2 2 2
Rock 5% 3 4 2 4
Rocks (Night) 10% 3 4 2 4
Rocks (Rain) 5% 3 4 2 4
Ruins 15% 3 3 2 2
Underground Base 15% 3 3 2 2
Woods 20% 4 3 2 3
Woods (Dusk) 20% 4 3 2 3
Woods (Night) 20% 4 3 2 3
Woods (Rain) 20% 4 3 2 3
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOB TYPES [JTYP]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A standard mechanic found in every strategy RPG, Front Mission incorporates
a Job class system. There are four Job classes found in Front Mission: Melee,
Short, Long, and Dodge. Melee is a class that specializes in melee weaponry
such as rods and a wanzer's arms. Short is a class that specializes in ranged
weaponry at close range such as machine guns, shotguns, flamethrowers, and
rifles. Long is a class that specializes in ranged weaponry at long range
such as missile and rocket launchers. Finally, the Dodge class is simply a
class that specializes in defensive and evasive maneuvers. All pilots have a
specialty, although some specialize in more than one Job class.
In mission play, the player units gain experience towards any of the four Job
classes. Using weapons designated for the Melee, Short, and Long classes will
result in experience for those Job classes. It is also possible to gain some
experience in Long by using Acid Bombs, Chaff Grenades, Flash Grenades, and
Smoke Grenades. To gain experience in the Dodge class, a player unit has to
be attacked by an enemy unit on either the Player or Enemy Phase. Experience
gained is directed towards a specific Job class depending on the action used.
For example, if Royd attacks an enemy with a Short weapon and EXP + 100 shows
on the battle screen, 100 EXP is added to the Short class. The EXP amount
fluctuates based on enemy composition; strong enemies yield large EXP gains.
Extra EXP is gained by destroying enemy parts, especially if the Body part
is destroyed.
In the event of improving Dodge, the EXP gain is determined by Pilot Level.
A higher Pilot Level results in more EXP gained whenever the Guard command is
used. It is also possible to get EXP in Dodge when electing to use an equipped
Shield. However, the EXP gain will differ depending on what range the Shield
is used from. The EXP gain will be the same as Guard against Long weapons, but
it will be much smaller against Melee or Short weapons. Furthermore, using a
Shield during counterattacks prevents the unit from evading enemy attacks.
Lastly, Dodge EXP can also be gained whenever you attack with a Melee or Short
weapon, so long as the enemy target counterattacks the attacking unit.
Constant use of weapons in a particular Job class will lead to an increase in
Job Levels. Higher Job Levels in a particular Job class will increase the
accuracy and damage of weapons which correspond to that class. In the case of
the Dodge class, higher Job Levels will increase the maximum damage tolerance
when using the Guard command. For example, at Dodge Level 9, a unit's damage
tolerance is only 5 points - this means that the wanzer will only be damaged
if the attack deals over 5 points of damage. By successfully guarding against
numerous enemy attacks, the unit's Dodge Level will go up and its damage
tolerance will increase. A higher Dodge Level will also improve a unit's
ability to dodge enemy attacks.
BATTLE SKILLS
-------------
At certain point values for each Job class, a pilot can learn Battle Skills.
Basically, they are pilot abilities that increase the potency of weapons used
in battle at random. There are seven Battle Skills in total that a pilot can
learn, but pilots are limited to five skills maximum. Likewise, not all
pilots can learn all skills or have the five skills maximum. To learn skills,
a pilot must level up apart from meeting the point value requirement. Pilot
levels are increased up accumulating a certain amount of total EXP in all Job
classes. Bonus EXP is added to all Job classes during each level increase. If
a pilot reaches the maximum of 50 levels, they cannot learn any more skills.
Most pilots have three point value intervals and thus three chances to learn
a skill from the Melee, Short, or Long Job classes. There are no skills for
the Dodge class unfortunately. The point value intervals vary depending on
Job class and the pilot's specialties. A pilot that specializes in Melee will
get skills early whereas a Long specialist training in Melee takes more time
to learn skills. It is important to note that skills cannot be removed and if
the pilot's skill slots are full, no more skills can be obtained.
Example:
1. Royd uses a Melee weapon and gains 55 EXP.
2. 55 EXP is added to Melee, which gives him over 700 in this class.
3. Royd gains a Pilot Level increase.
4. Royd is only at Pilot Level 40 and has two skill slots left so the skill
list for Melee appears.
5. Royd chooses to equip the Melee skill "Double".
6. If Royd does not choose to equip a Melee skill, the list appears whenever
Royd gains a Pilot Level increase and has one skill slot left.
7. Royd will not learn any more skills if he is at Pilot Level 50 and has no
more skill slots left. The Melee skill list does not appear in this case.
Battle Skills start at Level 1, though a few pilots can get their skills at
Level 2. Constant usage of Battle Skills will increase its level and therefore
increase its potency. The final level is known as "Max", which has a very low
chance of happening. The chances of getting the "Max" level are 1/2000, so
you really have to get lucky for this to appear.
Job Level Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Level Total EXP
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 0
10 256
11 512
12 768
13 1024
14 1280
15 1536
16 1792
17 2048
18 2304
19 2560
20 2816
21 3072
22 3328
23 3584
24 3840
25 4096
26 4352
27 4608
28 4864
29 5120
30 5376
31 5632
32 5888
33 6144
34 6400
35 6656
36 6912
37 7168
38 7424
39 7680
40 7936
41 8192
42 8448
43 8704
44 8960
45 9216
46 9472
47 9728
48 9984
Pilot Level Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pilot Level Total EXP
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 0
2 200
3 400
4 700
5 1000
6 1300
7 1600
8 1900
9 2200
10 2500
11 2800
12 3100
13 3400
14 3700
15 4000
16 4400
17 4800
18 5200
19 5600
20 6000
21 6600
22 7200
23 7800
24 8400
25 9000
26 9600
27 10200
28 11000
29 11800
30 12600
31 13400
32 14200
33 15000
34 16000
35 17000
36 18000
37 19000
38 20000
39 21200
40 22400
41 23600
42 24800
43 26000
44 27400
45 28800
46 30200
47 31900
48 33600
49 35500
50 37500
Pilot Specialty Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pilot Specialty Skill Slots
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(O.C.U. Scenario)
Royd Clive All-purpose 5
Ryuji Sakata Short 5
Natalie F. Blakewood Short 5
Keith Carabell Short 5
J.J. (Joynas Jeriaska) Short 5
Frederick Lancaster Dodge 4
Meihua Yang Melee 3
Paul C. Greiber Long 4
Alder Weiss Melee 3
Hans Goldwin Long 3
Gregorio Maias Melee 3
Molly O'Donnell Dodge 4
Bobby Hopkins Short 4
Porunga Dodge 5
Yeehin Yang Short 4
Ralph Dian Melee 3
Gentz Weizer All-purpose 2
Peewie Richberg Jr. Short 1
(U.C.S. Scenario)
Kevin Greenfield All-purpose 5
Johnny Sanders Short 5
Matthew D. Lorenzo Melee 5
Halle Fiennes Dodge 4
Howard Wong Long 4
Gina Davies Short 3
Ghetta Cedric Melee 3
(Other)
Darril Traubel Melee 5
Billy Renges Long 5
Pilot Bonus EXP Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Range Melee Short Long Dodge
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(O.C.U. Scenario)
Royd Clive 2-10 14 14 14 14
---------- 11-20 18 18 18 18
---------- 21-30 22 22 22 22
---------- 31-40 26 26 26 26
---------- 41-50 30 30 30 30
Ryuji Sakata 2-10 11 19 13 12
---------- 11-20 12 28 16 14
---------- 21-30 13 37 19 16
---------- 31-40 14 46 22 18
---------- 41-50 15 55 25 20
Natalie F. Blakewood 2-10 13 16 15 12
---------- 11-20 16 22 20 14
---------- 21-30 19 28 25 16
---------- 31-40 22 34 30 18
---------- 41-50 25 40 35 20
Keith Carabell 2-10 14 16 15 11
---------- 11-20 18 22 20 12
---------- 21-30 22 28 25 13
---------- 31-40 26 34 30 14
---------- 41-50 30 40 35 15
J.J. (Joynas Jeriaska) 2-10 12 17 15 12
---------- 11-20 14 24 20 14
---------- 21-30 16 31 25 16
---------- 31-40 18 38 30 18
---------- 41-50 20 45 35 20
Frederick Lancaster 4-10 13 12 13 19
---------- 11-20 16 14 16 28
---------- 21-30 19 16 19 37
---------- 31-40 22 18 22 46
---------- 41-50 25 20 25 55
Meihua Yang 6-10 17 15 11 13
---------- 11-20 24 20 12 16
---------- 21-30 31 25 13 19
---------- 31-40 38 30 14 22
---------- 41-50 45 35 15 25
Paul C. Greiber 7-10 12 12 19 13
---------- 11-20 14 14 28 16
---------- 21-30 16 16 37 19
---------- 31-40 18 18 46 22
---------- 41-50 20 20 55 25
Alder Weiss 8-10 16 16 13 11
---------- 11-20 22 22 16 12
---------- 21-30 28 28 19 13
---------- 31-40 34 34 22 14
---------- 41-50 40 40 25 15
Hans Goldwin 11-20 16 14 24 18
---------- 21-30 19 16 31 22
---------- 31-40 22 18 38 26
---------- 41-50 25 20 45 30
Gregorio Maias 11-20 28 16 12 16
---------- 21-30 37 19 13 19
---------- 31-40 46 22 14 22
---------- 41-50 55 25 15 25
Molly O'Donnell 6-10 13 12 12 16
---------- 11-20 16 14 14 22
---------- 21-30 19 16 16 28
---------- 31-40 22 18 18 34
---------- 41-50 25 20 20 40
Bobby Hopkins 15-20 14 22 22 14
---------- 21-30 16 28 28 16
---------- 31-40 18 34 34 18
---------- 41-50 20 40 40 20
Porunga 15-20 18 18 16 20
---------- 21-30 22 22 19 25
---------- 31-40 26 26 22 30
---------- 41-50 30 30 25 35
Yeehin Yang 17-20 16 22 20 14
---------- 21-30 19 28 25 16
---------- 31-40 22 34 30 18
---------- 41-50 25 40 35 20
Ralph Dian 22-30 31 25 19 13
---------- 31-40 38 30 22 14
---------- 41-50 45 35 25 15
Gentz Weizer 18-20 18 18 18 18
---------- 21-30 22 22 22 22
---------- 31-40 26 26 26 26
---------- 41-50 30 30 30 30
Peewie Richberg Jr. 6-10 12 16 12 16
---------- 11-20 14 22 14 22
---------- 21-30 16 28 16 28
---------- 31-40 18 34 18 34
---------- 41-50 20 40 20 40
(U.C.S. Scenario)
Kevin Greenfield 2-10 14 14 14 14
---------- 11-20 18 18 18 18
---------- 21-30 22 22 22 22
---------- 31-40 26 26 26 26
---------- 41-50 30 30 30 30
Johnny Sanders 2-10 13 17 13 12
---------- 11-20 16 24 16 14
---------- 21-30 19 31 19 16
---------- 31-40 22 38 22 18
---------- 41-50 25 45 25 20
Matthew D. Lorenzo 2-10 17 15 13 12
---------- 11-20 24 20 16 14
---------- 21-30 31 25 19 16
---------- 31-40 38 30 22 18
---------- 41-50 45 35 25 20
Halle Fiennes 4-10 14 13 13 16
---------- 11-20 18 16 16 22
---------- 21-30 22 19 19 28
---------- 31-40 26 22 22 34
---------- 41-50 30 25 25 40
Howard Wong 4-10 14 12 17 11
---------- 11-20 18 14 24 12
---------- 21-30 22 16 31 13
---------- 31-40 26 18 38 14
---------- 41-50 30 20 45 15
Gina Davies 15-20 12 28 14 14
---------- 21-30 13 37 16 16
---------- 31-40 14 46 18 18
---------- 41-50 15 55 20 20
Ghetta Cedric 21-30 22 16 16 22
---------- 31-40 26 18 18 26
---------- 41-50 30 20 20 30
(Other)
Darril Traubel 15-20 14 12 10 14
---------- 21-30 16 13 10 16
---------- 31-40 18 14 10 18
---------- 41-50 20 15 10 20
Billy Renges 13-20 10 12 14 14
---------- 21-30 10 13 16 16
---------- 31-40 10 14 18 18
---------- 41-50 10 15 20 20
Pilot Skills Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Melee Short Long
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(O.C.U. Scenario)
Royd Clive Stun/Double/First Duel/Speed/Switch Guide
Ryuji Sakata Stun/Double/First Duel/Speed/Switch Guide
Natalie F. Blakewood Stun/Double Duel/Speed/Switch Guide
Keith Carabell Double Duel/Speed/Switch Guide
J.J. (Joynas Jeriaska) Stun/Double/First Duel/Speed/Switch Guide
Frederick Lancaster Double/First Speed/Switch Guide
Meihua Yang Stun/Double*/First Duel/Speed/Switch Guide
Paul C. Greiber Stun Duel/Switch Guide
Alder Weiss Stun*/First/Double Duel/Switch Guide
Hans Goldwin None Duel/Speed/Switch Guide
Gregorio Maias Stun*/Double/First None None
Molly O'Donnell Stun/Double/First Duel/Switch None
Bobby Hopkins Stun/Double Switch Guide
Porunga Stun/Double/First Speed None
Yeehin Yang Stun/Double Speed Guide
Ralph Dian Stun*/Double* None Guide
Gentz Weizer Stun* Duel/Switch/Speed Guide
Peewie Richberg Jr. None None None
(U.C.S. Scenario)
Kevin Greenfield Stun/Double/First Duel/Switch/Speed Guide
Johnny Sanders Stun/Double/First Duel/Switch/Speed Guide
Matthew D. Lorenzo Stun/Double/First Duel/Switch/Speed Guide
Halle Fiennes Stun/Double Switch/Speed Guide
Howard Wong Stun/Double/First Speed Guide
Gina Davies Double Duel*/Switch/Speed Guide
Ghetta Cedric Stun*/Double/First Duel Guide
(Other)
Darril Traubel Stun*/Double/First Duel/Switch/Speed None
Billy Renges Stun/Double/First Duel*/Switch/Speed None
Notes:
* - pilot already has the skill equipped.
- Meihua's First starts at Level 2.
- Gregorio's First and Double both start at Level 2.
Pilot Skill EXP Requirements Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Melee Short Long
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(O.C.U. Scenario)
Royd Clive 700/1900/3500 2000/5000/7000 1500/6000
Ryuji Sakata 1000/2300 2500/5500/8500 2000/7000
Natalie F. Blakewood 1000/2200/3600 3100/5000/7000 1900
Keith Carabell 1200/3000 2000/5000/7000 2000
J.J. (Joynas Jeriaska) 2000/3600 2000/5000/7000 2500
Frederick Lancaster 3000/9000 5000/7000 6000
Meihua Yang 1800/2800 3000/5000/7000 2200
Paul C. Greiber 3000/4000/5000 3000/5000 1500
Alder Weiss 1500 4000/7000 1700
Hans Goldwin 0 2900/5900/7900 900
Gregorio Maias 500/1800/3000 0 0
Molly O'Donnell 1200/5500 4000/6000 0
Bobby Hopkins 1300 2000/4000 1500
Porunga 900/2200 3000/6000 0
Yeehin Yang 2000/3500 4000/4500 2600
Ralph Dian 0 0 2000
Gentz Weizer 0 3000/5000/7000 2500
Peewie Richberg Jr. 0 0 0
(U.C.S. Scenario)
Kevin Greenfield 1000/2200/3500 1800/4800/7000 2000
Johnny Sanders 1100/2300/3800 1600/4500/6500 2000
Matthew D. Lorenzo 700/1900/3500 2100/5100/8000 2000
Halle Fiennes 1000/2200 3100/5100 1900
Howard Wong 800/2200 3500 1500
Gina Davies 3000 4800/6500 3000
Ghetta Cedric 2200/3500 5000 3000
(Other)
Darril Traubel 2200/3500 1800/4800/7000 0
Billy Renges 1000/2200 4800/7000 0
Battle Skills Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Type Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stun Melee Stuns target with a melee attack.
Double Melee Strikes target twice with melee attacks.
First Melee Grants first strike during battle.
Duel Short Aim at selected wanzer parts.
Switch Short Attacks again with a different weapon.
Speed Short Adds extra attacks to burst weapons.
Guide Long Aim at selected wanzer parts.
Battle Skills Level Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name Level Potency
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stun 1 Stun status lasts for up to three turns. 40% activation.
Stun 2 Stun status lasts for up to three turns. 60% activation.
Stun 3 Stun status lasts for up to three turns. 80% activation.
Stun Max Stun status lasts for up to three turns. 90% activation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Double 1 Up to three extra attacks are made. 40% activation.
Double 2 Up to three extra attacks are made. 60% activation.
Double 3 Up to three extra attacks are made. 80% activation.
Double Max Up to three extra attacks are made. 90% activation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First 1 40% activation.
First 2 60% activation.
First 3 80% activation.
First Max 100% activation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Duel 1 Weapon accuracy is reduced by 50%. 100% activation.
Duel 2 Weapon accuracy is reduced by 25%. 100% activation.
Duel 3 Weapon accuracy stays the same. 100% activation.
Duel Max Weapon accuracy is increased to 100%. 100% activation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Switch 1 Up to two extra attacks are made. 30% activation.
Switch 2 Up to two extra attacks are made. 50% activation.
Switch 3 Up to two extra attacks are made. 80% activation.
Switch Max Up to two extra attacks are made. 90% activation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed 1 One extra round is fired. 50% activation.
Speed 2 Two extra rounds are fired. 60% activation.
Speed 3 Three extra rounds are fired. 70% activation.
Speed Max Three extra rounds are fired. 80% activation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guide 1 Weapon accuracy is reduced by 50%. 100% activation.
Guide 2 Weapon accuracy is reduced by 25%. 100% activation.
Guide 3 Weapon accuracy stays the same. 100% activation.
Guide Max Weapon accuracy is increased to 100%. 100% activation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
For Duel and Guide, there is a chance of the skill gaining a level even if you
choose not to use it. When leveling up Double and Switch, the maximum number
of activations stays the same. The only difference is that the chance of
reaching the maximum number of activations will increase. Double and Switch
will be far more likely to reach three and two activations respectively at
higher levels. The same mechanic also applies to Stun.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEAPON TYPES [WTYP]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No strategy RPG is complete without weapons and Front Mission does not forget
to include some weapons for the wanzers to use. The following sections will
detail all of the weapons that can be equipped and used by wanzers for the
purposes of mission play and Arena battling.
MELEE
-----
Weapon Types: Punch, Rod
Weapon Location: Hand
Weapon Range: 1
Description:
Melee weapons are single-hit weapons that deal a large amount of damage and
rarely miss. Melee weapons are last in the attack priority so expect to take
damage before being able to attack. This is balanced out by the fact that a
Melee weapon often hits the Body and therefore leads to easy kills. Rods are
self-explanatory but Punch refers to an Arm of the wanzer. If that Arm has no
Hand weapons equipped, it can be used as a Melee weapon.
SHORT
-----
Weapon Types: Machine Gun, Vulcan, Shotgun, Flamethrower, Rifle
Weapon Location: Hand
Weapon Range: 1
Description:
Short weapons are either multi-hit or single-hit weapons. Multi-hit weapons
consist of Machine Guns and Vulcans, which have weak single round damage.
These weapons do fire multiple rounds at random parts, however, which is
useful on numerous occasions. Shotguns, Flamethrowers, and Rifles fall under
the single-hit category. Single-hit Short weapons operate similarly to Melee
weapons but have a higher attack priority. Shotguns have excellent accuracy
for lower damage, whereas Flamethrowers and Rifles have lower accuracy for
greater damage. They are not concentrated on a particular part and generally
are less accurate than Melee weapons with the exception of Shotguns.
LONG
----
Weapon Types: Missile Launcher, Rocket Launcher
Weapon Location: Shoulder
Weapon Range: varies, base 3-4
Description:
Long weapons are single-hit or multi-hit weapons that can be fired from a
distance. The selling point of a Long weapon is that the enemy unit cannot
counterattack the user and thus, these weapons are essentially free damage.
Long weapons do have a minimum range and cannot be fired at point-blank
ranges though. Long weapons are the only weapons that have ammunition limits
and must be reloaded when ammunition has been used up. There is no difference
between a Missile Launcher and Rocket Launcher as both have the same purpose.
DODGE
-----
Weapon Types: Shield
Weapon Location: Shoulder
Weapon Range: 0
Description:
Dodge weapons are purely for defensive purposes. They are used to raise a
wanzer's Defense parameter and increase the damage tolerance value when the
wanzer uses the Guard command. Shields are very useful in defending against
attacks from Long weapons. That's all there is to know about Dodge weapons.
HYBRID
------
Weapon Types: Bazooka, Grenade Launcher, Rifle
Weapon Location: Hand
Weapon Range: varies, base 1-4
Description:
Hybrid weapons are single-hit weapons that can be fired at point-blank or
from a distance. These are advanatageous in that a unit can train their Short
And Long skills, apart from being free damage to an extent. These suffer from
low accuracy so they are not reliable damage dealers. This applies to the
Bazookas and Grenade Launchers, which are the same in functionality. Some
Rifles that operate as Hybrid weapons do have respectable accuracy for the
price of lower damage.
BUILT-IN
--------
Weapon Types: Punch, Machine Gun, Shotgun, Flamethrower, Bazooka, Cannon
Weapon Location: Hand
Weapon Range: varies depending on weapon class
Description:
Built-in weapons are self-explanatory: weapons incorporated into a wanzer's
Arm parts. Built-in weapons tend to weigh less than equipping a normal Arm
and a Hand-mounted weapon, making them quite useful. These are balanced out
by the fact that the Arms tend to have low Defense and HP, making them easy
to destroy. Cannons are the same as Machine Guns and Vulcans; they are under
the Short class as multi-hit weapons.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQ) [BFAQ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What is the maximum amount of Move that can be attained in the game?
A: The maximum amount of Move that can be attained is 25. This is equal to
12 squares of movement with a Move Cost of 2 per square.
Q: What is the maximum amount of damage that can be inflicted in a single
attack?
A: The maximum amount of damage that can be inflicted is 999.
Q: What is the maximum amount of Guard that can be attained in the game?
A: The maximum amount of Guard at the highest Dodge Level is 108. When using
a certain Shield, the maximum Guard is 135.
Q: What is the maximum amount of Dodge EXP that can be gained from using the
Guard command?
A: The maximum amount of Dodge EXP when using the Guard command is 101.
Q: What are the bare minimums and maximums of Cover?
A: The bare minimum for Cover is 0%. The maximum is 25%.
Q: What is the maximum amount of money that can be gotten in the game?
A: The maximum amount of money that can be gotten is 9,999,999.
Q: If I manually end the Player Phase, does that mean the Enemy Phase ends as
well?
A: No, the Enemy Phase does not automatically end if you manually end the
Player Phase. It continues as usual until all enemy units have made their
actions. For the most part, manually ending the Player Phase is never a good
idea.
Q: One of my wanzers got both Arms destroyed! What am I going to do with a
unit that can't attack?
A: You several options in this case. The first is to restore the destroyed
Arms via supply truck or Riff as soon as possible. The second is to keep the
unit's Body operating until your other units come to its aid. The last is to
complete the mission before the damaged unit is destroyed.
Q: I want to access the supply truck in Royd's side to exchange my weapons
but I don't see any commands about this. Is there something that I have to do
to access the supply truck?
A: Whenever you want to access the supply truck, one of your units must be
one square adjacent from the supply truck. On the following turn, you can use
the supply truck to exchange your weapons. If you are already beside the
supply truck and haven't acted, you can access it on your current turn. The
option to interact with the supply truck disappears once the unit moves out
of the supply truck's range.
Q: Every time I try to attack this unit in a mission, my shots keep missing!
I have Arms with a high accuracy parameter on my wanzer that's attacking it
but that's not helping out! Why is this?
A: There are only two explanations for this. The first is that the enemy is
on a terrain with a high Cover rating. Lure the enemy out of the terrain so
your attacks will connect instead of miss. The second is that your weapons
have low accuracy. While Arm accuracy augments the accuracy of the equipped
weapons, it is important to use weapons with high accuracy parameters. A
weapon with low accuracy parameters will result in a lot of misses even with
high accuracy Arms.
Q: I have all of my pilots equipped with Short weapons but I notice that some
of them do more damage and get better accuracy rates than others. During the
level ups for pilots, some get more bonus EXP for Short. Is this expected or
am I missing out on something?
A: Pilots specializing in a Job class will gain boosted accuracy and damage
as a result of focusing the EXP gains in that class alone. All pilots can
receive these bonuses with enough training and proficiency. However, you are
right in that some pilots will level up more quickly in a certain Job class
which they are naturally gifted at. In any case, it's far better to
specialize than to train in multiple Job classes for your pilots.
Q: Is it possible to gain experience from using any of the support items?
A: Yes. Using Acid Bombs, Chaff Grenades, Flash Grenades, and Smoke Grenades
will yield EXP in the Long class.
Q: Is it possible to remove Battle Skills or am I stuck with what I chose?
A: Battle Skills cannot be removed once they are equipped. The only way to
get them off is to play a new game file. Make sure you choose your skills
wisely.
Q: What weapon should I equip for my pilots? I know that each weapon falls in
one of the four classes but there's not much of a difference with each weapon
that I see.
A: It's personal preference really. If you want to train under a certain Job
class, you should consider equipping weapons designated for that class.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. WANZER SETUP [WSET]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section details the mechanics and features behind the customization and
creation of wanzers. Reading information about the Battle System is highly
recommended as information here goes hand-in-hand with the aforementioned
section.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WANZER DESIGN [WDES]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designing wanzers is a daunting task if you are new to Front Mission. This is
where Front Mission really stands out of the strategy RPG crowd and thus, it
has its own section. Designing a wanzer will be broken down into sections as
to ensure that you understand the process behind wanzer configuration.
FRAME PARTS
-----------
The wanzer frame consists of the parts that make up the actual wanzer. This
consists of a Body, a Right Arm, a Left Arm, and the Legs. A unit cannot be
created unless the wanzer frame is complete. The Body part is top priority
over the Arms and Legs for a good reason. Special to the Body is the Power
parameter, which is essentially the lifeblood of any wanzer. Every part has
a Weight parameter that is subtracted from the Power parameter. The overall
Weight value of a wanzer must be always be equal to or lower than the Power
value or it cannot be used in battles. Therefore, choosing the right Body
is key to creating a powerful wanzer.
Next in terms of design priority are the Right and Left Arms. A wanzer's only
means of attacking are through its Arms and without them, it is helpless. The
Hit parameter is special to Arm parts; it enhances the accuracy values of an
equipped weapon. A weapon that has low Hit values can benefit from an Arm
with a high Hit value. An Arm without a hand-mounted weapon can be used as
a Melee attack that has its own Attack and Hit values. Built-in weapon Arms
are viable options as they result in lower Weight values for a wanzer. Their
drawback lies in the fact that no hand-mounted weapon can be equipped on
Arms of this type.
The last part in designing a wanzer is the Legs. The only purpose of the Legs
is to allow the wanzer to traverse over various terrain and elevation. The
Move parameter is special to Legs only and dictates how much a wanzer can
move of course. The amount of Move needed to traverse a square depends on the
Leg type and the square's terrain type. Some Leg parts can raise the wanzer's
Power value. Normal Leg types will suffice for the entire game, but Treads,
Tires, and Hover Leg types have their uses on certain terrains.
One last notable detail to mention is that the Move value can be increased
depending on a wanzer's Weight/Power difference. For every 10% of free Weight
that a wanzer has, 1 point is added to its Move value. Those extra Move points
can make a difference, so try to keep your wanzers as light as possible.
Extra Move Guide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Move Weight/Power
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 80-89%
2 70-79%
3 60-69%
4 50-59%
5 Less than 50%
SUPPORT PARTS
-------------
After a wanzer frame has been fully assembled, support parts can be equipped
to boost the effectiveness of the wanzer. Backpacks are parts mounted onto a
wanzer's back that increase the following: item storage, Power value, and the
range of support items such as Chaff Grenades. Backpacks have no drawbacks of
any kind and therefore should always be equipped onto a wanzer. In regards
to items, items can also be traded between other units or discarded entirely.
These two actions can only be done in the Setup menu.
A special Backpack exists for Kevin's side, which is the Riff. The Riff is
the only way for units to reload weapons and restore destroyed parts on
wanzers in Kevin's side. As a special Backpack, the Riff does not have the
same features as the normal Backpack.
The second support part that a wanzer can equip are Computers. Computers are
parts that raise a pilot's proficiency in all Job classes. Computers tend to
specialize towards one of the four Job classes, though there are ones that
enhance all Job classes equally. Computers raise weapon accuracy in the Job
classes, and in the case of Dodge, raises evasion rates. Thus, equipping the
proper Computer for the right pilot is an easy task to do.
ATTACKING PARTS
---------------
Now that the wanzer has been equipped with its frame and support parts, it's
time to give it some firepower. A wanzer can equip up to four weapons: two on
the Hands and two on the Shoulders. Technically, a wanzer can have a fifth
one in terms of a Body with built-in weapons, but this is exclusive to mobile
weapons. Knowing what weapon to equip depends on the pilot who will use the
wanzer and their Job specialty. Hand weapons are generally lighter than the
shoulder weapons so they should be your first concern. For Long specialists,
shoulder weapons should be their top priority. While it is possible to fully
load a wanzer with weapons, this is bad wanzer design in most cases. No more
than two weapons should be equipped on any wanzer for optimal performance.
Wanzer Design priority:
1. Body
2. Arms
3. Legs
4. Backpack
5. Computer
6. Hand Weapons
7. Shoulder Weapons
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WANZER PARAMETERS [WPAR]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wanzer parameters for all parts will be documented here and split into the
appropriate sections.
(Commonly Shared Parameters)
DF - the Defense parameter. High Defense values result in reduced damage.
HP - the HP parameter. High HP values result in greater part durability.
WEIGHT - the Weight parameter. Low Weight values result in extra Move points.
POWER - the Power parameter. High values result in more design flexibility.
(Body)
INT. WEAPON - weapons integrated into the Body part (built-in weapons).
AT - the Attack parameter. High values result in greater damage potential.
HIT - the Hit parameter. High values result in less attacks missing.
(Arms)
HIT - the Hit parameter. High values result in greater weapon Hit values.
INT. WEAPON - weapons integrated into the Arm part (built-in weapons).
AT - the Attack parameter. High values result in greater damage potential.
HIT - the Hit parameter. High values result in less attacks missing.
(Legs)
MOVE - the Move parameter. High values result in greater movement distance.
(Computers)
MELEE - the Melee parameter. Raises pilot's proficiency in the Melee class.
SHORT - the Short parameter. Raises pilot's proficiency in the Short class.
LONG - the Long parameter. Raises pilot's proficiency in the Long class.
DODGE - the Dodge parameter. Raises pilot's proficiency in the Dodge class.
(Backpacks)
ITEM - the Item parameter. Raises the maximum amount of equipped items.
RANGE - the Range parameter. Raises the maximum range of support items.
(Weapons)
AT - the Attack parameter. High values result in greater damage potential.
HIT - the Hit parameter. High values result in less attacks missing.
RANGE - the Range parameter. Dictates the minimum and maximum weapon range.
AMMO - the Ammo parameter. Ammo must be replenished by supply truck or Riff.
TYPE - the Type parameter. Classifies weapons under the Job classes.
(Overall)
MELEE - the wanzer's potency in the Melee class.
SHORT - the wanzer's potency in the Short class.
LONG - the wanzer's potency in the Long class.
DODGE - the wanzer's potency in the Dodge class.
TOTAL - the wanzer's overall potency in all classes.
MOVE - the wanzer's Move value.
W/P - the difference between the wanzer's Weight/Power values.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WANZER TYPES [WANT]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assuming that you have read the Wanzer Design and Wanzer Parameter sections,
it's time to learn about viable wanzer builds that can be used.
STRIKER
-------
Striker builds are designed for Melee specialists. The basic idea behind a
Striker build is having a wanzer geared for close-range combat and to act as
a tank unit. Parameters that a Striker build focuses on are HP and Defense
mainly since they attack last against ranged enemy units. The combination of
high HP and Defense makes a Striker build hard to kill, which allows them to
operate as tanks. Striker builds generally are used to finish off enemies due
to how Melee weapons operate in general.
When shopping for new parts, go for ones with high Defense since they are
easy to identify. Rods should be equipped for the most part, but they lack
power later in the game. Arms with the highest Attack ratings for their Punch
weapons should be used when that time comes. Fortunately, these Arms tend to
have the highest Defense ratings so they're also easy to identify. Finally,
a Shield should always be equipped on Striker builds for more durability.
Build checklist:
Frame - HP and Defense.
Support - Backpack and Melee-specialty computer.
Attacking - Rod/Punch x 2 on Hand. Shield on Shoulder.
Sample build:
Body - Valiant
Left Arm - Valiant
Right Arm - Valiant
Legs - Valiant
Backpack - Bag Worm
Computer - Evolucion WW-87
L. Hand - Crusader
R. Hand - Crusader
L. Shoulder - WS-14B
R. Shoulder - None
ASSAULT
-------
Assault builds are designed for Short specialists. The basic idea behind an
Assault build is having a wanzer geared for close-range combat and act as
the main attacking unit. Parameters that an Assault build focuses on are Hit
and Move for hit-and-run tactics with enemy units. Short weapons lack the
accuracy that Melee weapons possess so an Arm with a high Hit value results
in more damage dealt. Assault builds do most of the fighting so being able
to reach enemy targets is key with a high Move value. Lastly, having high
HP is essential to building a strong Assault unit.
When shopping for new parts, choose a balanced Body to suit the needs of an
Assault build. Buy Arms with high Hit ratings for the purposes of better
accuracy. For the Legs, high Move is important but stick with Normal Leg
types to get the most mileage out of them. A Machine Gun or Vulcan paired
with a Shotgun, Flamethrower, or Rifle is a good balance of multi-hit and
single-hit weaponry. Top it off with a Shield.
Build checklist:
Frame - Hit, Move, and HP.
Support - Backpack and Short-specialty computer.
Attacking - Machine Gun/Vulcan and Shotgun/Flamethrower/Rifle on Hand.
Shield on Shoulder.
Sample build:
Body - Zenith V
Left Arm - Zenith V
Right Arm - Zenith V
Legs - Zenith V
Backpack - Bag Worm
Computer - Yeata RG-0624z
L. Hand - FV-24B
R. Hand - Firebird
L. Shoulder - WS-14B
R. Shoulder - None
MISSILEER
---------
Missileer builds are designed for Long specialists. The basic idea behind a
Missileer build is having a wanzer geared for distance combat and acting as
a support unit. Parameters that a Missileer build focuses on are Hit and
Power above all else. The weapons designated for a Missileer build are the
heaviest of all weapons so Power is vital to these builds. Missileers are
best used to soften or finish off enemy units from afar. As long as they are
not forced into a fight at close range, take advantage of their weaponry.
When shopping for new parts, go for the Body with the highest Power rating.
Follow the same guidelines for Attackers when searching for Arms. The Legs
don't matter to a Missileer build so do whatever you want with them. As for</pre><pre id="faqspan-3">
the weapons, load both Shoulders with Missile and Rocket Launchers. If you
still have Weight left over, equip a Bazooka or Grenade Launcher on one Arm.
In the event your Shoulder weapons have no ammo, you can still attack from a
distance with your Hand weapon.
Build checklist:
Frame - Hit and Power.
Support - Backpack and Long-specialty computer.
Attacking - Bazooka/Grenade Launcher on Hand. Missile Launcher/Rocket
Launcher x 2 on Shoulder.
Sample build:
Body - Igel Eins Horn
Left Arm - Igel Eins Horn
Right Arm - Igel Eins Horn
Legs - Igel Eins Horn
Backpack - Bag Worm
Computer - Yeata RG-0624z
L. Hand - Rock Jack
R. Hand - None
L. Shoulder - Donkey DX2
R. Shoulder - Donkey DX2
MECHANIC
--------
Only available in the U.C.S. scenario, the Mechanic build has one specific
purpose: to repair wanzers and keep them fighting. The Mechanic build is
essentially similar to a Fighter build, but their focus is mostly defensive.
In addition, a high Move will be needed so the Mechanic build can reach
ally units and repair them. The only things that should be equipped on a
Mechanic build are Shields and nothing else.
Build checklist:
Frame - HP, Defense, and Move.
Support - Repair Backpack and Dodge-specialty computer.
Attacking - Shield x 2 on Shoulder.
Sample build:
Body - Eldos
Left Arm - Eldos
Right Arm - Eldos
Legs - Eldos
Backpack - Riff
Computer - Evolucion WW-87
L. Hand - None
R. Hand - None
L. Shoulder - WS-14B
R. Shoulder - WS-14B
HYBRID
------
Hybrid builds consist of fusions between two of the three builds or all three
builds combined. Hybrid builds may seem attractive due to their all-purpose
capabilities, but these builds are the hardest to make. Balancing all of the
parts to have an effective hybrid build takes a lot of number-crunching and
analysis of the parts available. It is doable to create hybrid builds but
you will have to spend some time searching for the right parts.
Build checklist:
Frame - Balance.
Support - Backpack and balanced computer.
Attacking - 1 Melee and 1 Short on Hand. 1 Long on Shoulder.
Sample build:
Body - Phantom
Left Arm - Zenith V
Right Arm - Numsekar
Legs - Igel Eins Horn
Backpack - Bag Worm
Computer - Karen Device BD-6kr
L. Hand - FV-24B
R. Hand - Crusader
L. Shoulder - None
R. Shoulder - Donkey DX2
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQ) [WFAQ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Why should I follow the wanzer design priority list? I've already made a
few wanzers and it seems that I'm doing things right.
A: The wanzer design priority list is a guideline on how to successfully
create wanzers in the easiest way possible. Logically, a player will start
off with the frame parts and leave the attacking parts for last. The wanzer
design priority breaks these steps down to its simplest steps. You don't have
to follow it, but it helps out a lot if you're new to Front Mission.
Q: When I try to equip a part on my wanzer, the game tells me that I can't
equip it! What am I doing wrong?
A: The most common issue is that your wanzer's Weight value exceeds that of
its Power value. You can easily solve this by equipping lighter parts and
weapons. The second issue is that you are trying to equip a Hand weapon on an
Arm with built-in weapons. Hand weapons cannot be equipped onto these types
of Arms no matter what you do. Shoulder weapons, with the exception of a few,
cannot be equipped on these Arms as well.
Q: What is the Dodge parameter for when it comes to unit customization? I
don't know what it's supposed to do.
A: The Dodge parameter determines the chances of a unit dodging an enemy's
attack. This parameter can be increased by equipping stronger wanzer parts
and by equipping Shields. The effect is relatively minor though - the only
way you can see the difference is if you pit an early-game wanzer against a
late-game model. The Cover rating is far more important when it comes to
unit evasion.
Q: Can you explain what the range on a Backpack stands for? I'm clueless on
what is affected by the Backpack's Range parameter.
A: Range on a Backpack increases the maximum range of support items. Support
items don't play much of a role in battle, so the boosted Range isn't that
useful. However, if your units are up against strong opposition or are about
to be hit with loads of missiles, it pays to have some Chaff, Flash, and/or
Smoke Grenades in hand.
Q: How many items can a unit hold with and without a Backpack?
A: A unit can hold four items without a Backpack, and up to eight with one.
Q: What is the maximum amount of copies I can have for a part or item?
A: The maximum amount of copies you can have for a part or item is 99.
Q: What is the selling price for a part or item?
A: The selling price for a part or item is 25% of its original price when
you purchase it.
Q: Is there any benefit to creating a wanzer frame made up of the same parts?
I could get better performance by mixing parts up instead of sticking with a
pure wanzer frame.
A: There is no benefit to creating a pure wanzer frame unless you like to
use pure wanzers. Do whatever you must to make a good wanzer.
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5. CREDITS [CRED]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to:
- GameFAQs obviously
- GameFAQs posters for pointing out several mistakes
- Front Mission: World Historica book for battle skill level differences
- Square Enix for the Front Mission series
This FAQ copyright 2012 to Angelo Pineda. Redistribution in any form,
including reprinting in electronic or print media, without express permission
of the author is strictly forbidden.
