Metal Marines
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Metal Marines is a Japan-based videogame created in 1994 by Namco for both the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Windows 3.1. The setting in the Game is 2117 AD, about two years after the Antimatter War. The game's graphics for the SNES version were mostly provided by Computer Generated Graphics and anime art. However, the most noticeable aspect of the game is the Metal Marine: it is a 16 meter (or 50 foot) high, 93 ton (or 103 ton, depenting if the Marine was built up) Mecha.
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[edit] Story
(Taken from Both versions and modified slightly. SNES version story in Italic text. Windows Version in Bold text.)
2115 AD: Research scientists make a breakthrough in antimatter energy technology. However, the same technology was applied to weapons research
San Francisco was the first city to be destroyed with antimatter weapons
Another Disaster: A minor border skirmish saw the second use of Antimatter weapons
The weapons set off a chain reaction of explosions across the globe exploding all antimatter weapons
All major cities were wiped from the face of the earth in days
The Earth was shattered.
Nikolai I. Zorguef (also known as Zorgeuf the Great) emerged from the ranks of the militaries of the Earth and Moon Colonies and took control of the Earth.
Then, 2117 AD: The space colonies and the remaining governments unite in reaction to the threat from Zorgeuf's control.
A powerful battle ship is built to support the Earth Campaign
THE METAL MARINES!
[edit] Version Differencies
Most important difference in SNES and PC version is the story.
In PC version you are a member of the United Earth Empire ("Empire" in short) a futuristic version of United Nations. Although it's called "Empire" , organization you serve is not a dictatorial force. However, Zorgeuf's force is. After conquering all space colonies Zorgeuf sets his eyes to Earth and you take up arms to protect your planet.
In SNES version however, you are the member of the alliance formed by the independent space colonies. Your mission is to take the battle to the Earth which is currently in iron grip of Zorgeuf's empire and save your brothers/sisters in Earth who are being oppressed by Zorgeuf, while securing your future.
It's possible to arm your Metal Marines with different weapon configurations in SNES version.
In a special edition "Master" version released by Namco in 1995, The characters were given voices, the overall look of the GUI changed, and better sounds and warnings.
[edit] Weapons for Metal Marines (SNES Version only)
Normal: Your metal marine is armed with a beam rifle and a beam saber. Does same damage to all targets.
Anti-MM: Your metal marine is armed with a large autocannon and a battle-axe. While its damage to hostile metal marines is increased , damage to buildings (especially Gun-Pods) is lowered.
Anti-Pod: Your metal marine is armed with a rocket launcher and a beam whip. Contrary to Anti-MM configuration , in this form your Metal Marine will do extra damage to Gun-Pods and structure while damage to enemy Metal Marines dropped.
[edit] Structures
[edit] Offensive Structures
Metal Marine Hangar
Large hangars that can house Metal Marines. If your base is attacked by enemy Metal Marines , your Metal Marines in the hangars will engage them as long as they are in range. If the MM inside the hangar destroyed, you can build another one using the "Build Up" icon (PC Version only). It's also possible to upgrade the Metal Marines using "Build Up" icon. Their color will change to Gold from Silver. (See Attack & Defence for how to attack. )
Metal Marines are resilent to all kinds of attack except ICBMs. They take lowered damage from enemy MM and moderate damage from Missiles.
Note: In SNES version , you cannot rebuild destroyed Metal Marines in hangars. You must bulldoze the empty hangar and rebuild the MM.
Cost to build $20M
Cost to build up $60M
Fuel to launch 20k
Fuel to Build up 20k
Surface-to-Surface Missile Battery
Missile launchers designed to attack enemy's island. They are powerful enough to destroy most structures. (Excluding Bases , Gun-Pods) However missiles are rather easy to shoot down with interceptor missile systems and missile launchers are very easy to destroy and completely defenceless. They can be upgraded to launch two missile at one time. They damage to all units in a 3x3 square radius.
Cost to build $10M
Cost to build up $40M
Fuel to launch 4K
Fuel to Built up 8K
ICBM Silo
An gigantic silo housing one of the doomsday weapons that turned the Earth what it is now. This building is a large structure which requires 3x3 building space. It takes a long time and enormous resources to build. Also , if even one of its parts are destroyed during the enemy attack , you must build it from scratch. After it's completed you will also need a large amount of fuel to attack enemy's island.
When you finally attack however, this missile will destroy everything in its blast radius except bases. It's impossible to shot it down with interceptor missiles and your only chance of stopping it to destroy it before its construction is finished.
Cost to build $255M
Fuel to launch 950K
[edit] Defensive Structures
Interceptor Missile Battery
Those anti-air missiles are your only chances of defending your island from enemy missile strikes and air landings. While they can destroy enemy missiles in one shot , a few shots are required to shot down the enemy dropships. Their accuracy is determined with their range to target and how many AA Radar system you have. They can be upgraded to launch two missiles at one time , which increases their damage. (Their accuracy is same however. ) Interceptor missiles don't need any energy to attack and they are completely defenceless except enemy missile attacks.
Cost to build $15M
Cost to build up $40M
Gun Pod
Defence pillboxes armed with cannons and machineguns to defend your base from attacking metal marines. They are cheap and easy to produce. Although their firepower and range is rather weak , their defences are good against missiles and especially enemy metal marines.
Cost to build $10M
Interceptor Anti-Air Radar
Each of these radar installations will increase the hit rate of your interceptor missiles by 5%.
Cost to build $50M
Mine field
Anti-Tank mines buried to the ground will damage any Metal Marine walk on them. Although their firepower is weak , they cannot be spotted by enemy units , including missiles or dropships.
Cost to build $10M
Decoy Base
A fake structure that looks like a base. It can be used to fool your enemy. Although it's not as tough as real bases and cannot stand to ICBM's , it is still durable and can hold several hits , especially missile attacks. In single player games , computer uses more decoy base as the game progresses.
Cost to build $15M
Camouflage Structure
Those fake civilian structures can be built on any clear terrain , base or decoy base to hide them from enemy. Since enemy must first destroy it to reach your base , it can also be considered an additional armor for your bases.
Although they can fool the enemy , a civilian structure in the middle of an enemy base will surely draw attention. (A usual mistake which computer does all the time. )
Cost to build $15M
[edit] Logistics & Support Structures
Base
Your command and control center. You can place three of those to your island. If all three of them are destroyed, your will fail your mission. And victory will be yours if you destroy enemy's all three bases, vice versa. Although they are durable and can withstand to ICBM attacks, they are defenceless. Bases do not require any money or fuel to construct. Metal Marines are especially effective against bases while missiles do moderate damage.
War Administration Headquarters
These administration buildings will give you extra $1 for every 2 seconds. Normally you will gain $1 for every couple of seconds regardless of your situation. Increasing those buildings will in return increase your fund accumulation. Unfortunately they are weak and defenceless. And it's rather hard to build this kind of structures while you focus on attack and defence. This building has only moderate protection against enemy missile attacks.
Cost to build $75M
Energy Plant
These energy plants house the rocket fuel required for your missile attacks and transports. Normally, just like money, you will gain 1 energy point in every 2 seconds. Increasing number of this structure will increase your fuel accumulation. Another important fact you should keep in mind that, since these buildings hold additional fuel for your missiles increasing number of Energy Plants will also greatly reduce the time required your missiles to reload. They have moderate protection against missile attacks.
Cost to build $75M
Factory
Every thing you construct in your island requires a certain amount of time to be completed. Building more of these buildings will decrease the time required to construct and upgrade your weapons & equipment. They have moderate defence against missile attacks just like Energy Plant and Administration Hq.
Cost to build $75M
[edit] Characters
[edit] Earth Empire Forces(PC) / Space Colonies Allied Forces(SNES)
(Most of this information are taken from manual of Metal Marines : Master Edition. (PC))
J.R. Bowman (PC) / Ernest Bowman(SNES): Intelligence Advisor. On Extremely Rare Occasions, he helps you with hints in the Windows Version. On Every mission in the SNES version, he gives you advice on how to go into the battle. In PC version he looks slightly younger and has brown hair while he has white hair in SNES version. His past is unknown except the fact that he was recruited by your forces three years ago.
Sergeant Onaka Kraft: Sergeant Onaka Kraft was born on the post Antimatter War island of Hiroshima, Japan. She attended public schools and studied electronics in post-secondary school. She enlisted in the Army of the Empire after graduating five years ago.
She received intensive communications training from the Army and soon qualified as a radio operator. She received the Meritorious Service Award for maintaining her post during the energy refinery disaster on Perth Island two years ago.
She joined the elite 43rd Communications Squadron this year and assisted in setting up the new worldwide ultra-short wave secure radio communications network. She subsequently became the primary operator for all video/message and message only transmissions routed through Empire Headquarters.
She is on loan to us from the 43rd for these operations. She will be your single conduit to the outside world. All communications with the rest of your crew, our allies, and enemies will go through her.
Your communcations officer. Her only duty is to relay messages of enemy commanders to you.
Sergeant Harlan Sanders: First Sergeant Harlan Sanders was born on Johannesburg Island shortly after the Antimatter War. His mother and father were members of the United African Army Corps of Engineers and he showed aptitude to follow in their footsteps early. At age fourteen he submitted drawings that later became the plans to the first secure fresh water source on Delhi Island.
He enlisted in the Army of the Empire after graduating from the Dr. Stacey Santa Cruz School of Engineering. He immediately distinguished himself by designing the multiple deflection system that is currently used on our armored gun pods. He was also responsible for the primary design and prototype construction of our Metal Marines.
Calling Sergeant Sanders a logistics genius is an understatement. He and his crews have performed near miracles when faced with construction challenges under fire. Having him on your crew is a testament to the importance of these operations.
A African military engineer from South Africa. He only appears in PC version when a Metal Marine unit's constructed. Why he is a mere sergeant despite the fact that he graduated from engineering school is unknown.
[edit] Space Colonial Forces(PC) / Empire(SNES)
(Most of this information are taken from manual of Metal Marines : Master Edition. (PC))
Commander Bill Garland: The first character you encounter in the game. Bill Garland was born on Earth in the old North American Protectorate. He was educated in public schools and attended the General H. Norman Schwarzkopf Academy of Military Sciences. As a junior officer he was assigned to Embassy duty at the Io Colony. It's believed that this experience is what drove him to become aligned with the Colonial Rebellion Legions and to desert the United Allied Earth Forces (UAE Forces) just before the Antimatter War.
He attained the rank of Commander under Zorgeuf the Great after leading several guerrilla raids on the moons of Mars. Profile of his tactics is based largely on information gained during these raids.
Commander Garland is a bull-headed opponent, often going into battle at the first chance he gets. He has little experience leading a highly mechanized army or defending a standing base. It's rather dubious that Zorgeuf the Great has high hopes for his success. In fact, Zorgeuf the Great probably has you facing Commander Garland and his minimum assets first in the hope that he will either accidentally defeat you or you will get discouraged and go away.
Commander Garland is not a very aggressive opponent, he tends to be somewhat defensive in his tactics, and will use his assets to build defenses. His professional military training prevents him from making mistakes when he gets upset. On the other hand , his attack strategies are poor and he does not use his reconnaissance information to his advantage.
Commander Joan Rile: One of the other opponents you'll face during the game. Joan Rile was born somewhere off planet either shortly before, or after the antimatter war. Her education and general background are unknown, but it is clear that she has had a rapidly ascending career. She is definitely a product of the new generation of warriors.
Incredibly ambitious and hot-headed , she has a tendency to make mistakes when the pressure is high. She is somewhat smarter than Commander Garland about planning her tactics and building new assets accordingly and although she has great knowledge of offensive tactics, she spends little time on defensive tactics. Like Garland, she doesn't use knowledge gained from previous attacks to her advantage.
High Commander Liften Schwaltz: Basically the right-hand man to Zorgeuf the Great, this tough German was born in Berlin shortly after World War III united Europe once again. He was a student of Obenfurur Heickel and soldiered as a mercenary for the oil producing countries. Many believe that his terrorist tactics are solely responsible for continued dependence on oil decades after cheaper energy sources became readily available. Some also blame him for starting the Antimatter War.
He may appear to be out of control when you are playing, but he actually keeps a cool head and places his defenses and offenses properly. He does not often make mistakes with his attack strategies, but his one weakness is long term planning. It is believed that he starts each battle with a specific plan in mind and then is incapable of making midcourse corrections. You may also notice that if he discovers assets where he did not expect them, he may ignore them or forget that they were there.
Nikolai I. Zorgeuf (Zorgeuf the Great): The early life of Zorgeuf is unknown, but it has been said that Zorgeuf worked his way through the ranks of the Earth and Moon Colony Militaries. The early history of Nicolei I. Zorgeuf, Commander of the Colonial Forces, is unknown. It is rumored that he may have worked his way up the ranks of the old Romanian Army as a strategic advisor or possibly a member of the Secret Police. His first confirmed appearance was during the workers' rebellion at the ore processing plant on Galileo. Since then, he has left a bloody trail of conquest across the entire solar system.
He has managed to convert, bribe, or intimidate a huge army with vast resources. There is no doubt that his ultimate goal is complete dictatorial control of the entire human race. Eventually after the Antimatter war, he took control of the remaining governments.
If you have to eventually face Zorgeuf, he will be a tough opponent indeed. By then he will have used up his lesser commanders and taken control of his army personally. You will see that he is an incredibly aggressive leader, with no regard for the well-being of his personnel. He will tenaciously destroy any of your assets that he discovers. If he is given enough time before a battle starts, he will be well dug into a defensive position, but those forces will pretty much be on their own, and will receive little or no reinforcements.
His greatest weakness is that he is easily upset by setbacks, especially setbacks in building an antimatter missile, and tends to make tactical mistakes when he is pressured. He also has an elite Metal Marine unit called "The Wolf Division" consisting of extremely talented pilots fiercely loyal to Zurgeuf and state-of-the-art metal marines.
Zorgeuf is obsessed on getting his hands on the Antimatter missiles, and you must prevent this from happening no MATTER what.
