Destroy The Internecine

AC Setup

While this mission can be done with possibly any AC design, several designs work very well and are shown in the videos.

The most common is something called the Lobster which is a reverse joint fitted with the CETUS linear cannon arms and the 98E EO core.

Another is dual wielded solid weapons. If you have the HP handguns with stored backups, they work well if you know how to use them. Dual wield rifles work well also.

Tanks can do it too, but that requires a bit of skill. One of the videos below shows it.

Quad-leg built for maximum maneuverability with LX cannon and SHADE 2. Two well placed shots with the cannon takes out the legs, and then it's a game of not being out-maneuvered.

Missile-centered build will take advantage of the predictable maneuevers of the boss. High accuracy missiles are recommended: hi-act missiles, or barring that, the small or micro ones. Combine with relation missiles for maximum firepower - the boss lacks in the AMS measures.

It is also possible to exploit the boss' AI and get them stuck on the ceiling, although this requires a very specific design: low drain boosters, energy extensions, a powerful blade (LB3 or ELF3) and some luck to do. LORIS arms and low drain parts for the rest of the AC are vital to give you the edge you need.

Finally, you need rockets and the ability to eject weapons, like the rockets. You'll need the speed to keep up with the boss.

Mission

You start in a ventilation shaft like system with the Unknowns flying around. Unlike in other missions, they don't home in on you and come in four possible areas, lower left, lower right and the respective upper regions. This makes them easy to dodge if you take your time. Stay under the high flying ones (refraining from boost hopping) and skip over the low ones.

There are three paths that you can go through: two of the three feature three laser bars, while the third features only two. Most bipeds can get through the two, but tanks can only get through with one. These can be destroyed, but just make sure an Unknown doesn't ram you. The Unknowns can be shot down if your weapons are quick enough, but do not rely on it. Exercise special caution when passing the corners on your way; clear them as quickly as possible. A radar and a lock-on weapon will let you figure out the pathway of the incoming unseen Unknowns, giving you a better chance of evading them.

After getting past the Unknowns and laser bars and hopefully not taking much damage, you enter the Internecine. This is the same scenario as in Eliminate AC Intruder. Here you have six energy generators that fire SHADE like lasers at you. A simple trick is that they have very bad targeting and a bit of strafing one way of direction will prevent them from hitting you. All you have to do is to stay away from the center of the room (another source of beam attack) and run in the circle towards the targets. Shoot some rockets (large rockets take one shot to destroy the generators, while small ones take three) and you're done... with the second part. It is not over yet. As the room turns blue, drop the rockets and any excess weapons and prepare for the final boss.

And it is... Zinaida or rather, her "Ultimate" form. In this final confrontation, Zinaida's AC (Fascinator) is tuned to the unbelievable levels of cheapness. All of her weapons are tuned to deal more damage than normally possible, she has unlimited energy and you're probably beat half to death from the first two phases of the mission.

At long range she tends to use the SPARTOI + FUNI combo missiles, at mid range she employs the PYTHON, and she will unleash the NIX barrages closer up. However, if you stay close for too long, the LAMIA2 will shred you. Like all single shot weapons, you can trick the PYTHON into hitting the ground if you jump right as the weapon is done charging.

While Fascinator's hand weapons and the missiles are not that powerful on their own, LAMIA2 used by such a fast opponent is going to be sufficienty brutal. Worse yet, Ultimate Zinaida is ultra aggressive and displays an ability to change weapons nearly instantly, further enhancing her combined offensive threat. She will fire NIX immediately whenever you are in range, often leading to two (or even three) weapons' attacks going in your direction. If you stay near her (or simply cannot boost fast enough to gain distance), Zinaida is going to put you on a veritable carousel of death while boosting indefinitely.

If you do not rely on heavy firepower crippling her legs as soon as possible, you are going to have to be very fast. The most important part to engaging Ultimate Zinaida openly with any chance of success is to have an AC with lots of speed. As her Fascinator has a ridiculous turning potential, you will have to stay away from her as much as possible via backpedaling in order to break her circlestrafe routine. Aim for upwards of 400 km/h boost speed - then you have a shot at remaining at enough distance to be able to react to her attacks. PYTHON can be thrown off relatively easily if you time your dodge good enough (and its telegraphing is enormous); NIX has good accuracy so needs to be swerved away when boosting backwards as much as possible; the missiles can be fired nearly on the spot anytime she is outside close range so be ready to lure and sway them away (alternatively, consider taking antimissiles or decoys); and LAMIA2 is best negated by denying Zinaida the chance to latch on you in close quarters. The CQC fighting is Zinaida's element, and if you stay close to her all the time, she is going to bombard you with an absurd volume of firepower from all directions - do not let her do that.

You need to be quick on the trigger and a bit lucky to fight her here. For the Lobster design, pop up the EOs and set the linear cannons to their second firing mode. For the missiles, aim to release the missiles while she is reaching the peak of her boost jump. Dual wielders make sure the EOs are active and that both weapons are going at once. She tends to stay on the ground in the PS2 version but in PSP she tends to stay airborne making her a lot tougher.

For the bladers, begin to boost up and hope that she flies the right way. Use the extensions the first time to give you more energy and if she gets stuck on the ceiling and a piece of the support structure (which frequently happens because of her AI and unlimited boosting) start slashing her and use the extensions when you get low. It turns into a damage and energy race, the former of which you'll win with the right blade.

With a bit of skill, right design and luck, you'll defeat her. Congratulations, you have earned the title of The Last Raven.