Harbingers of NEVEC - C3

Harbingers of NEVEC

Chapter 3

Get in the Nida VS parked west of the first bridge you come to and use it to clear out the enemies on and around the railway gun.

You must activate the three Data Posts in the area to move on. Activate the first Data Post across the bridge to mark the locations of the other two Data Posts on the Radar.

The Nida VS has a special function that allows the pilot to activate Data Posts while still in the VS. To activate a Data Post while in a Nida VS (or a Bleed/Baylid VS), click and hold the Left Stick and tap the B/Circle button like you normally would until the Data Post is online. You can activate a Data Post more quickly while in a VS, but there is one downside: you won't gain any T-ENG this way.

Akrid X

Once all three Data Posts are online, a massive Cat-G Akrid will appear. They call this one Akrid X. To avoid getting killed, head for the railway gun at the east end of the area and jump onto the cannon. Remain on top of the railway gun during this sequence and Akrid X won't be able to damage you.

Objective: Aim for the Core!
Core Fighter -- Severely damage the Category G's weak spots four times to earn this GJ award. Akrid X's weak spots are its orange, regenerated head and the orange bundle of tentacles that make up its right claw. Since attacking these weak spots is the only way to damage Akrid X, you are sure to earn this GJ award before the battle's end.

There are Disc Grenades and Rocket Launchers scattered throughout the area, but the best weapon available to you is the three-seat Drion VS parked at the east end of the area (across from Data Post 2). Attached to the seat on the left side of this VS is a Gatling Gun and an Auxiliary Weapon, and attached to the seat on the right is an Auxiliary Weapon and a Grenade Launcher. The VS body itself is armed with two Auxiliary Weapons.

Although the weapons attached to the Drion VS aren't very powerful, you are relatively safe while in one of its seats, allowing you to lay down a constant stream of fire on Akrid X's weak spots. You won't be entirely free from harm, however you will likely be able to reduce the Cat-G's life bar by a large amount before it turns its attention to you.

Leave the Drion VS parked where it is and hop in the seat on the left side. Concentrate your fire on Akrid X's core and don't stop until you are forced to eject. If Akrid X destroys the seat you were in, only that seat will be destroyed and not the VS body or the seat on the right side. So, if one of the seats is destroyed, hop in the other and continue firing at the Cat-G's weak spots.

The Drion VS is surprisingly effective against this Cat-G.

Concentrate your fire on Akrid X's head, but shift your fire to its appendage when it lifts it up and is readying an attack. If you can manage to severely damage Akrid X's appendage before it unleashes the attack, you can prevent it from attacking.

Be careful when using the Grenade Launcher attached to the seat on the right side of the Drion VS, as its fire tends to bounce and you could end up doing more damage to your VS than the enemy. When firing the Grenade Launcher, aim under the akrid's neck rather than directly at its head.

If the second seat is destroyed before you are able to deplete Akrid X's life bar for the first time (that's right -- you have to kill him twice), leave the VS body for the second part of the fight and instead use the Rocket Launchers and Disc Grenades scattered about the map or your Machine Gun to finish off the akrid. Akrid X's attacks are much more difficult, if not impossible, to avoid during its second phase, which is why you'll want a VS to hideaway in.

Objective: Use the Pile Bunker
Pile Bunker: 3 Times -- Hit Akrid X's core with the Pile Bunker three times to earn this GJ award.

This objective will trigger when Akrid X is down to about one-third of its first life bar. If you plan to earn this GJ award, definitely attempt it while Akrid X is on its first life bar, as the attack it uses during its second phase is seemingly impossible to dodge.

Look for a Pile Bunker under the bridge between Data Post 1 and Data Post 3.

You can find a Pile Bunker attached to the broken-down VS under the bridge near Data Post 3. Equip the Body Armor that's under the bridge between Data Post 1 and Data Post 3 before going after Akrid X with the Pile Bunker. This Pile Bunker is good for three uses, but if that's not enough, you can find another Pile Bunker attached to the broken-down VS west of Data Post 1.

When you have a Pile Bunker, you can go at Akrid X on foot with Battle Armor equipped, or you can attach the Pile Bunker to the side of the Bleed VS across the tracks from the Drion VS. You have to be quite close for the Pile Bunker to reach, so it's best to aim for the core on Akrid X's appendage.

Objective: Defeat the Category G!
Total Victory -- Deplete Akrid X's second life bar without a single death on your team to earn this GJ award. AI partner deaths do count, so this is best attempted with human allies.

The Cat-G's second life bar will deplete much quicker than the first, so hop back in the Drion VS (or a seat if one is still intact) and fire on its weak spots. As mentioned above, Akrid X's attacks during its second phase are very difficult if not impossible to avoid, so remain in a VS for as long as possible.

Deplete Akrid X's second life bar without any deaths on your team to earn the Total Victory award.

Objective: Team Cheer
We Did It! -- To earn this GJ award during the 'chapter complete' countdown, all four players must be performing an Emote at the same time. To perform an Emote, hold the Start button and press one of the shoulder buttons or one of the buttons on the D-Pad.

Human teammates aren't required to earn this award, however AI partners aren't always reliable. You may need to perform an Emote a few times to trigger theirs.

Defeating Akrid X