FRONT MISSION ALTERNATIVE BEGINNER'S GUIDE VERSION FINAL (1.10) By Angelo Pineda(rpger77@yahoo.ca) VERSION HISTORY --------------- 9-6-2012 - Fleshed out Basics and Battle System sections. Added PlayStation Mouse options. Guide complete. 21-10-2010 - Beginner's Guide done. Will update material and do grammar fixes when they're found. TABLE OF CONTENTS ----------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sections Search Codes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. INTRODUCTION [INTR] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. BASICS [BASE] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Game Flow [GAME] Mission Play [MISS] Intermissions [INMS] Target Select [TARG] Mission Rankings [MISS] Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) [TFAQ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. BATTLE SYSTEM [BATT] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WAW Combat [WCOM] WAW Actions [WACT] Terrain Effects [TERR] Pilot Types [PTYP] Weapon Types [WTYP] Backpack Types [BTYP] Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) [BFAQ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. WAW SETUP [WSET] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WAW Design [WDES] WAW Types [WANT] Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) [WFAQ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. CREDITS [CRED] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ------------- It's about time I got the Front Mission Alternative guide set done! 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! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. INTRODUCTION [INTR] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This is a beginner's guide to Front Mission Alternative, released in Japan on the Sony PlayStation. The guide documents the foundation and game mechanics that are found inside the game. This guide will not document any material about 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 the walkthrough 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 titles before. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. BASICS [BASE] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This section will detail how Front Mission Alternative works as a whole. If you are more interested in learning specific mechanics about the game, please check the other sections. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ GAME FLOW [GAME] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Front Mission Alternative 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. Cut-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. To recap game flow: 1. Play and complete missions. 2. Intermission: prepare and setup units. 3. Progress plot by watching scenes before, during, or after missions. 4. Repeat until the player beats the game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MISSION PLAY [MISS] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Missions in Front Mission Alternative are done in real-time strategy. Prior to most missions, the player are given a detailed briefing of the operation, which includes information on the enemy forces, terrain conditions, and mission objectives. The player can then make adjustments to their units accordingly before commencing the mission. Once in a mission, the winning conditions must be met in order to clear the mission. At the completion of any mission, the player is rewarded with monetary funds from military commission. On several occasions, non-playable characters (NPC) fight in missions, but 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 may have different conditions, such as protecting a particular unit or destroying enemy units within the given time limit. The player is given 30 minutes to complete a single mission, which is more than enough time for most of them. Unlike the other Front Mission entries, failing a mission does not lead to a game over situation. The player is allowed up to four tries to complete a mission and if they fail to clear it the fourth time around, then they will receive a game over. Additionally, if a player accumulates 20 failures at any point in the game, they will also receive a game over. This covers the flow behind mission play in a nutshell. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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. These options include: Mission Lecture WAW Equipment Target Select Battlefield Utilities Mission Lecture is where the player receives detailed briefings for upcoming missions. In here, players can check the following information: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ About Enemy Details about special enemy units in the mission. About Operation Details about the mission's objectives. About Topography Details about the mission's terrain conditions. WAW Equipment is where the player can customize their WAWs at any time during the game. At certain moments, the player will also be able to purchase new parts to use for missions. More information on this can be found in the WAW Setup section. Target Select is where the player can plan out their attacks and movements to complete the mission. This option is also available during missions if the player wishes to change their actions. More information on this can be found in the WAW Setup section. Battlefield is where the player sorties to begin their next operation. This is rather self-explanatory, so it needs no details. Lastly, Utilities is where the player can change the game's settings. These settings include: BACKUP: In here, the player can save or load their game data. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upload Create a save file. Download Load a save file. Comment Change a selected save file's name. LANGUAGE: In here, the player can change the language of the user interface (UI) text. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Japanese Changes UI text to Japanese. U.S. English Changes UI text to English. COLOR: In here, the player can change the colors of the UI and the text. Colors include: Gray Green Umber - This is the default color. User - Manually change the color of the UI and the text. Options include: Base, Red/Green/Blue (The default setting is 128/128/128) Text, Red/Green/Blue (The default setting is 128/128/128) SOUND: In here, the player can change the sound settings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Normal SE Normal sound effects will be used. Real SE Realistic sound effects will be used. Mono Sound output will be used in Mono. Stereo Sound output will be used in Stereo. Wide Sound output will be used in Wide. Volume Manually change volume of the sound effects and the music. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TARGET SELECT [TARG] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ As mentioned earlier, the Target Select Mode allows the player to plan out their strategies in order to clear missions. This is a feature that you will be using a lot and even though it appears simple to use, looks can be quite deceiving. BASICS ------ In terms of the basics, you can order your platoons to follow set waypoints on the map. These waypoints are marked with small blue dots. Their general purpose is to give the player a means to progress through the battlefield and fight enemy platoons. Alternatively, you can have a platoon follow another platoon's lead by targeting them in Target Select Mode. In any case, you'll want to get the hang of using these two methods of moving around the map of a mission. During Target Select Mode, you can also target enemy platoons to chase after them, then engage in battle. Enemy platoons are easy to identify on the map as they are marked by red T-shaped objects. Don't forget that your platoons are the blue T-shaped objects! In any case, one of your platoons is allowed a maximum of three targets or waypoints to follow. Once all three targets or waypoints have been reached, the aforementioned platoon will stop moving. You obviously don't want them standing around forever doing nothing. When this occurs, dive back into Target Select and chart a new course for them. Like in most real-time strategy games, the player is free to change or reset a platoon's intended course. In other words, you don't need to chart a path through three targets or waypoints all the time. You may opt for just two of these, or even one target or waypoint! If you are using the PlayStation Mouse to play Front Mission Alternative, you will also work with pop-up menus in order to use Target Select. Simply use the left-click button to access the pop-up menu. Mouse Pop-Up Menu Guide: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Close Up Enter Close Up Mode. Simulate Enter Simulation Mode. (After Close Up is selected) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Overview Exit Close Up Mode. Simulate Exit Exit Simulation Mode. SUPPLY PLATOON -------------- On a number of missions, you will see a bracket square covering a waypoint and a numeric value beside it. Whenever you see this, you will be allowed to call in a supply platoon for assistance. Basically, a supply platoon grants the player the ability to restock on ammunition, and replace damaged shields with new ones. It's a very helpful feature that can help turn the tides of battle in a tight situation. Whenever you want to call in your supply platoon for aid, go to the Supply option during battle. In here, you must check off what sort of aid each unit will receive. These include: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shield Get a new shield to equip. Reload Reload shoulder weapon ammo. As the player, you'll have to do this manually for each unit. When you have finished with your requests, select the Execute option and your platoons will automatically head back to the waypoints that the supply platoon is stationed in. When they reach the waypoints, a WAW will appear to supply your units. These WAWs become units on the battlefield so be wary of any enemy forces that are in the area. SUPPORT FIRE PLATOON -------------------- Whenever you enter Target Select, you might be wondering why the option for Support is grayed out. Well, in a number of missions, this option will not be grayed out and is available for use. So, what does this do? Allow you to call in a support fire platoon! A support fire platoon aids the player by raining fire on a targeted area on the battlefield. For the targeted area, all units will receive heavy damage, friend or foe. The attack's targeted area, as well as the time it takes before it occurs, can be configured in the following settings: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Input Assign a target or waypoint for support fire. Time Input Assign an amount of time before support fire occurs. Non Support Reset the Target Input to no targets or waypoints. Target Input is self-explanatory and needs no explanation. Time Input is an interesting setting in that you can control when the attack will occur. The attack can occur as early as two minutes into the mission, or towards the end of it at 30 minutes. When used correctly, support fire can cripple an enemy platoon enough that you can easily pick them off. Support fire platoons come in one of three varieties: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support Platoon Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Assault Boats Fires a barrage of mortar rounds at the area. Artillery Tanks Fires a barrage of cannon and rocket rounds at the area. Helicopters Fires a barrage of missiles at the area. This is a one-time only feature so make the most out of it in missions they are available in! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MISSION RANKINGS [MISS] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In Front Mission Alternative, all missions are graded on how efficient the player was able to clear them. There are five different ranks given for each mission completed and with excellent performance comes rewards...part rewards to be specific. That's right, doing well in missions yields new parts that can be equipped and used by your units. The criteria for doing well in any mission revolves around the following factors: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Criteria Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Operation Time The amount of time it took to complete the mission. Enemies Killed The number of enemy units killed in the mission. Units Lost The number of player units lost in the mission. Supplies Used The number of times that Supply used in the mission. To earn higher ranks, you'll need to complete missions within a short period of time, destroy as many enemy units as possible, keep the player casualties to a minimum, don't use the Supply option too much. It's easier said than done, but this is how the mission ranks work. Rank 1 is the lowest possible rating the player can achieve, whereas Rank 5 is the highest. For the most part, you'll gain part rewards by achieving Rank 3 in missions. Getting this rank is easy as long as you complete a mission on the first try. You'll know what Rank you've earned based on Sangohr's comments about your performance. As easy as it looks, the ranking criteria does factor in mission failures. For every mission failure the player has, they are given Rank 1 by default. When a player clears a mission after failing it, their overall ranking is based on the Ranks for all of their attempts. For example, let's say that you failed two missions, then managed to score a Rank 5 upon clearing the mission the third time around. What's your final Rank? Rank 1 + Rank 1 + Rank 5 / 3 attempts = 2.33, or Rank 2. Basically, you add up the rankings that you are given, then divide it by the amount of attempts needed before the mission was completed. It won't matter much if you're really gung-ho on getting the best rewards. However, this does factor into the potential scenarios and endings that you might qualify for. Keep this in mind when you play the game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQ) [TFAQ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 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 at WAW Equipment. Q: Um, how do I use the Supply option? I know it has something to do with the supply platoon, but I'm confused. A: All you have to do is check off the Shield and/or Reload options for any unit, then select the Execute option. The platoon containing that unit will then head towards its designated supply point for the requested supplies. You have no limits on how many supply requests can be made, so use it when it's necessary. Q: When I was playing a mission, I started to see a T minus countdown below the mission timer. What is this? A: The T minus countdown implies that you are less than one minute away from calling in your support fire platoon to bombard a targeted area. If you want to change the wait until your support fire platoon comes in, or the targeted area, change during Target Select prior to starting the mission. Q: How come I didn't get Rank 3? I beat a mission, but Sangohr gives me some bad comments and no rewards. Did I miss something? A: You must have failed the mission before clearing it. Mission failures are counted towards your overall rankings, which are assigned Rank 1. To earn a higher Rank and get part rewards, try your best not to fail missions. Q: Hey, the game just ended for me! I was playing a ton of missions but after failing the latest one, it's game over! Is this a bug or what? A: No, this isn't a bug. If you accumulate 20 mission failures throughout the game, you will automatically be given a game over. The only solution you have is to either keeping playing and don't fail any more missions, or start the game over again. Q: How is money calculated? I beat two missions, but in one I got 20,000 and in the other, I got 30,000. What gives? A: Military commission is based two things: the time it takes to clear the mission, and the rank given for mission performance. Basically, the faster you manage to clear a mission, the more commission you'll get. Ranks do play a role as well, but it all comes down to how fast you got the job done. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. BATTLE SYSTEM [BATT] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This section details the fundamental mechanics of Front Mission Alternative's battle system. If you are looking for information on how the battles work, you are in the right section. Reading information on WAW Setup is also recommended as information here goes hand-in-hand with the following section. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WAW COMBAT [WCOM] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contrary to the other Front Mission entries, there are no wanzers that can be used. This is mainly due to plot reasons as they have yet to be created. The units you control, the wanderwagens or WAWs, are the predecessors of wanzers and act very similar to them. WAWs do not have part-specific damage so the four-parts system does not return in Front Mission Alternative. All WAWs have one health bar and if this is depleted, the machine is destroyed. In exchange for the lack of the usual means of tracking health, WAWs have a second health bar in the form of their equipped shields. Shields function a bit differently in this Front Mission; instead of just decreasing the amount of damage taken, they absorb the damage as well. So instead of both your WAW and shield getting damaged, only the shield will take it. Once the shield is out of Health Points (HP), it will be destroyed. As you might expect, all attacks will then directly hit the WAW. WAWs are also susceptible to being knocked down by weapon fire, which leaves them vulnerable for direct hits. This may sound like a downgrade from anyone expecting the usual Front Mission style combat, but it's not. Since combat takes place in real-time, there are a number of features that give WAW combat a level of depth equal to the turn- based Front Mission titles. Read on for more information about them in the following sections! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WAW ACTIONS [WACT] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WAW mechanics aside, WAWs can do a variety of actions in mission play. The most basic actions are moving and attacking. Movement and attacks are quite self-explanatory and don't need to be explained. As Front Mission Alternative plays out in real-time, WAWs have a wider range of actions they can do. These include: using shields to defend against incoming enemy fire, jumping either to ascend/descend elevation or avoid attacks, dashing to traverse through the battlefield quickly, or roller dashing for high speed offense and defense. A lot of the WAWs actions are actually not directly controlled - it's the artificial intelligence (AI) that controls them. Nevertheless, you have some means of ensuring some of these actions are prioritized over others. On the battlefield, there are four commands that control the AI's behavior. BEHAVIOR: Behavior implies how the player AI will control the player units. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Offensive AI prioritizes offensive actions: attacks, roller dashes. Defensive AI prioritizes defensive actions: shields, jumps, dashes. ATTACK TYPE: Attack Type implies how the player AI will target and attack enemy units. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Local Raid AI will concentrate on one enemy unit within range. Diffusion AI will concentrate on multiple enemy units within range. These are the basic actions that the player can do with their platoons. You can freely change these options at your own convenience in mission play. The actions that the player AI does is affected by the new range system. Simply put, range dictates how battles play out. For starters, both player and enemy platoons have a field of vision - the area by which the platoon can detect and respond to incoming threats. Field of vision affects how the units inside a platoon react to enemies. A platoon that manages to spot incoming enemies will be able to avoid being attacked. In contrast, a platoon that has not spotted any enemies will be hit hard by incoming fire and have no chance of dodging it. Range also affects how weapons can hit enemy targets. While all weapons have their own accuracy value, this is misleading and does not account for these factors - proximity to target, shot velocity, and target's evasive capabilities. Some weapons may have fast moving projectiles, but are unable to hit a fast target. Likewise, weapons with tracking abilities will hit enemies regardless of shot velocity. In regards to special actions, the player can request for aid from their supply platoon, view detailed information about the selected platoon, or have the selected platoon retreat from the battlefield. Information about using the supply platoon can be found in the Target Select section. In regards to retreating, having McCoy's platoon retreat will automatically result in mission failure. Keep this in mind so you don't accidentally fail a mission. In regards to other actions, the player can configure a number of UI options. SCOUTING: Scouting allows the player to scout out the enemy platoons in the mission. Any enemy platoons that have been eliminated will be grayed out. CAMERA: Camera allows the player to change the dynamic camera's settings for a more visually pleasing experience. Multiple options can be checked at once, or all of them can be blank for full manual camera control. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Auto Change The camera will always change its angles during battle. Auto Move The camera will always move as your units move during battle. Behind View The camera will always be placed behind your units in battle. SOUND: Sound allows the player to change the volume of the sound effects and the music settings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ SE Sound Effects; the default sound level is set to 80. BGM Background Music; the default sound level is set to 80. COLOR: Color allows the player to change the colors of the UI and the text. This is largely the same as the Color option in Utilities, except the player cannot manually configure the User color scheme. Gray Green Umber - This is the default color. User - Uses whatever color scheme that was set up in Utilities-Color. RADAR: Radar allows the player to track enemy forces from either close range or long range distances. Narrow - Radar will track a certain portion of the battlefield. Currently selected player units appear as green triangles, other player units will be marked by white triangles, and enemy units are highlighted by red triangles. Waypoints are marked by a blue triangle, and the charted course that platoons will follow is marked by a pink line. Wide - Radar will track everything on the battlefield. Currently selected player units appear as green dots, other player units will be marked by white dots, and enemy units are highlighted by red triangles. Waypoints and charted courses will not appear on this radar type. PLAYSTATION MOUSE ACTIONS: In the event that you are using the PlayStation Mouse, you will also be able to use pop-up menus in addition to the above UI options to play the game. These pop-up menus can be accessed by using the left-click button. Mouse Pop-Up Menu Guide: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Select Enter Target Select Mode. Headmark Toggle WAW HP and Shield indicators ON or OFF. Inside View Enter Cockpit Mode. (After Target Select is selected) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Close Up Enter Close Up Mode. Battlefield Return to Battlefield (resume mission). (After Close Up is selected) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Overview Exit Close Up Mode. Battefield Return to Battlefield (resume mission). (After Inside View is selected) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Command Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Target Select Enter Target Select Mode. Headmark Toggle WAW HP and Shield indicators ON or OFF. Outside View Exit Cockpit Mode. On a final note, the player can check the status of each unit in a platoon through the Platoon Information option. Platoon Information interface: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |PSA XXXX||Behavior ||Attack Type ||Camouflage | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Platoon X||Unit 1 ||Unit 2 ||Unit 3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |WAW ||Unit 1 WAW ||Unit 2 WAW ||Unit 3 WAW | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Pilot ||Unit 1 Pilot ||Unit 2 Pilot ||Unit 3 Pilot | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Learning Points ||Unit 1 ||Unit 2 ||Unit 3 | |Mobility ||Unit 1 ||Unit 2 ||Unit 3 | |Striking Power ||Unit 1 ||Unit 2 ||Unit 3 | |Durability ||Unit 1 ||Unit 2 ||Unit 3 | |Shield ||Unit 1 ||Unit 2 ||Unit 3 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Main Arm ||Type, Weapon ||Type, Weapon ||Type, Weapon | |Power/Hit ||Power/Hit ||Power/Hit ||Power/Hit | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Shoulder Weapon ||Type, Weapon ||Type, Weapon ||Type, Weapon | |Power/Hit ||Power/Hit ||Power/Hit ||Power/Hit | |Range/Bullets ||Range/Bullets ||Range/Bullets ||Range/Bullets | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |Bolt-on ||Bolt-on ||Bolt-on ||Bolt-on | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Platoon Information Guide: PSA - The Personal Skill Ability total of the platoon's units. Behavior - The current Behavior setting of the platoon. Attack Type - The current Attack Type setting of the platoon. Camouflage - The platoon's currently selected camouflage. Platoon - The platoon's designation. Unit 1 - The commander unit of the platoon. Unit 2 - A support unit for the platoon. Unit 3 - A support unit for the platoon. WAW - The WAWs of the platoon. Unit 1 WAW - The commander unit's WAW. Unit 2 WAW - A support unit's WAW. Unit 3 WAW - A support unit's WAW. Pilot - The pilots of the platoon. Unit 1 Pilot - The commander pilot. Unit 2 Pilot - A support pilot. Unit 3 Pilot - A support pilot. Learning Points - The amount of Learning Points each WAW has gained. Mobility - The Mobility rating of each WAW. Striking Power - The overall attack power of each unit (Main Arm + Shoulder) Durability - The current armor levels of each WAW. Shield - The current armor levels of each shield. Main Arm - The platoon's main arm weapons. Type - The type of weapon being used. Weapon - The name of the weapon. Power - The attack power of each weapon. (Damage = Attack Power x Hits) Hit - The total accuracy ratings of the weapon. (in %) Shoulder Weapon - The platoon's shoulder weapons. Range - The range of the shoulder weapons. (Minimum - Maximum) Bullets - The current amount of ammo in the shoulder weapon. Bolt-on - The platoon's bolt-on backpacks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TERRAIN EFFECTS [TERR] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Front Mission Alternative retains the terrain effects of the previous Front Mission titles, but not in the usual fashion. Taking place in real-time, the terrain affects the mobility of the player's units. For example, on a paved surface, WAWs have no problems moving through the terrain. On beaches and deserts however, their movements are impaired. How well a WAW moves on the terrain affects its ability to evade attacks as well. Elevation also plays a role in how a WAW traverses the battlefield, as well as weapon trajectory. In terms of movement, a WAW has the ability to jump across terrain of varying elevations. This kind of terrain normally includes jumping across small obstacles or a small hill. If a WAW is attempting to jump across a large hill, they will not be able to do so. In this case, the WAW must find an alternative means to reach its intended destination. This limitation can be bypassed by two means. The first is to learn a Jump skill, such as Forward Jump or Backward Jump. Jump skills increase a WAW's jumping power, making it easier to scale large elevation differences across terrain. The second approach is to equip a high mobility booster bolt-on on a WAW, which will dramatically increase its jumping power. When combined with a Jump skill, a WAW can scale almost anything on the battlefield. In terms of weapons, elevation differences can affect how well they hit their targets. For example, a WAW faces an enemy on higher elevation. With a missile launcher, it will not have a problem hitting the enemy because of its homing properties. However, with a cannon, it might have a harder time doing so as its rounds travel in a linear fashion. Grenade launchers are excellent weapons to use in this case too, because their firing trajectory bypasses this issue. Speaking of weapons, elevation differences also affect how enemies can hit your units too. The elevation differences described above apply to enemy WAW units, but not for other enemy units though. For example, armored vehicles like tanks can only shoot targets on the same elevation it is at. So, if a WAW is on higher or lower elevation than the tank, it can't hit the WAW. A helicopter, on the other hand, does not have this elevation restriction. As terrain effects play a larger role in Front Mission Alternative, it is a wise idea to keep the terrain in mind when planning for missions. Terrains that limit a WAW's ability to move are better fought with ranged weapons such as rocket launchers. Likewise, you can opt to equip a high mobility booster bolt-on to overcome slow terrain or scale terrain with elevation differences. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ PILOT TYPES [PTYP] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unlike the other Front Mission installments, there are no specific job class systems implemented. All WAws essentially have the same functionality: fight and destroy the enemy forces. Where it does differ is in its Pilot Types. In mission play, the player units gain Learning Points towards three different parameters: Mobility, Attack, and Defense. Each of these parameters affects how the player AI will act in battle, as well as abilities that can be used in battle. Mobility dictates a pilot's evasive capabilities, Attack dictates a pilot's offensive capabilities, and Defense for defensive capabilities. The amount of Learning Points gained, as well as the player AI's tendencies, are determined by the amount of points allocated to each pilot. Every pilot has 100 points for allocation and they all start with this configuration: Mobility - 30 Attack - 40 Defense - 30 For every full minute that passes, the pilot will gain 30 Learning Points for Mobility and Defense, and 40 for Attack. In terms of player AI, it will opt for a balanced approach between evasive, offensive, and defensive actions. Of course, first priority is offensive actions. Learning Points are also learned by destroying machine-type enemies: other WAWs, armored vehicles, helicopters, and mobile weapons. Destroying infantry does not yield Learning Points. At certain point values for each parameter, the pilot learns new skills that are used by the player AI in battle. These are not randomly activated; the player AI will use these abilities accordingly. The player AI will, however, prioritize skills based on how much points are allocated towards the three parameters. Putting all 100 points towards Mobility makes the AI focus almost exclusively on Mobility-based skills. Likewise, 100 points on Defense means that the player AI will focus almost exclusively on Defense-based skills. Learning how to use them is the key to victory and earning high rankings. Skills Guide: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Skill Name Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Mobility) Mobility: Dash, Level 1 1000 Walk, Level 2 2000 Dash, Level 2 3000 Side Jump 4000 Backward Jump, Level 2 5000 Forward Jump, Level 2 6000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Attack) Attack: Right Shot 1000 Left Shot 1500 Up Shot 2000 Down Shot 3000 Auto-Fire Back Weapon 4000 Barrage 5000 Auto-Fire Barrage 6000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Defense) Defense: Crouch Guard 1000 Left Guard 2000 Right Guard 3000 Up Guard 4000 Down Guard 5000 Squat Guard 6000 Notes: - Dash enables a WAW to run instead of walk, granting it more movement. - Walk, Level 2 increases walking speed by 30%. - Dash, Level 2 increases dashing speed by 30%. - Side Jump increases a WAW's lateral sideways movement by 100%. - Backward Jump, Level 2 increases a WAW's backwards jumping power by 50%. - Forward Jump, Level 2 increases a WAW's forwards jumping power by 50%. - High Mobility Boosters enhance all Jump-related skills. - Auto-Fire Back Weapon allows a shoulder weapon to be fired without kneeling. - Barrage allows for all-directional fire. - Auto-Fire Barrage allows for all-directional fire while moving. Combination Skills Guide: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Skill Name Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Mobility + Attack) Mobility + Attack: Walk Shot 1000 Dash Shot 1500 Retreat Shot 2000 Backward-Forward Jump, Up Shot 3000 Backward-Forward Jump, Down Shot 3500 Walk, Side Shot 4000 Dash, Side Shot 5000 Retreat, Side Shot 6000 Backward-Forward Jump, Side Shot 7000 Backward-Forward Jump, Side-Down Shot 8000 Roller Dash Shot 9000, WAW with roller dash Roller Dash, Side Shot 10000, WAW with roller dash ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Attack + Defense) Attack + Defense: Crouch Shot 5000 Squat, Side Shot 6000 Squat, Auto-Fire 7000 Guard Shot 8000 Guard, Side Shot 9000 Guard, Down Shot 10000 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Defense + Mobility) Defense + Mobility: Backward Jump, Guard 4000 Forward Jump, Guard 5000 Backward Jump, Side Guard 6000 Forward Jump, Side Guard 7000 Notes: - Walk Shot allows a WAW to fire while walking. - Dash Shot allows a WAW to fire while dashing. - Retreat Shot allows a WAW to fire while backpedaling. - Roller Dash Shot allows a WAW to fire while roller dashing. - Crouch Shot allows a WAW to fire while crouching. - Squat, Auto-Fire allows a WAW to fire while squatting down and moving. - Guard Shot allows a WAW to fire while guarding. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ WEAPON TYPES [WTYP] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This section discusses the weapon types that are used by both friendly and enemy units for the purposes of mission play. MELEE ----- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: 0 Description: Melee weapons are very rare in Front Mission Alternative, and are only used by the enemy. As the game plays out in real-time and not on grids as in the other Front Mission entries, melee weapons are almost never used unless the target is at point-blank range. They are, however, very powerful and always knock down their target if a hit connects. Also, melee weapons automatically bypass shields so beware of any enemy units armed with these weapons. SHIELD ------ Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: 0 As mentioned before, Shields in Front Mission Alternative have a different purpose to fulfill. Instead of just reducing the damage taken by a certain percentage, they act as a secondary health bar for the WAW. Anything that directly hits the shield will deplete its own health bar and when it reaches 0, the shield is destroyed. Shields also affect the overall Mobility of a WAW in combat - some will decrease its speed, others will not. MACHINE GUN ----------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: base 0-1, varies Machine Guns are the bread-and-butter of WAW combat. They are medium-sized guns that possess high damage output and respectable accuracy. Machine Guns do have slow reload times and are strictly close range weapons. They are best used in conjunction with a shoulder weapon. VULCAN ------ Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: base 0-1, varies Vulcans are essentially upgraded Machine Guns that possess tremendous damage output. While they are restricted to close range, the amount of punishment a Vulcan can deliver offsets any of its drawbacks. Its one major drawback comes from its long firing duration - the user is vulnerable to any enemy fire as long as they are still using the Vulcan. SHOTGUN ------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: 0-1 Shotguns are powerful weapons that fire a hail of bullets at the enemy. While the weapons lack ranged combat capabilities, they make up for it by being a powerhouse at close range. No enemy or shield is safe from the wrath of the Shotgun's full spread at point-blank range. HANDGUN ------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: base 0-1, varies Description: Handguns are a new kind of weapon not seen in other Front Mission entries. They are small, hand-mounted guns that are optimized for close range combat. Handguns have high accuracy, fast reload times, and can shoot through shields in combat. Their drawback primarily comes from their low damage output and lack of ranged combat. ASSAULT RIFLE ------------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: base 0-2, varies Assault Rifles are another new kind of weapon in Front Mission Alternative. These weapons have the same advantages as Handguns, but are more effective as they have higher damage output and are ranged weapons by default. Assault Rifles are very useful in almost every situation. HAND MISSILE LAUNCHER --------------------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: 0-3 Hand Missile Launchers are long range weapons that launch missiles at the enemy. These weapons possess a reasonable reload rate, decent accuracy, and have a huge range advantage compared to most hand-mounted weapons. The Hand Missile Launcher lacks offensive firepower, which is its only weakpoint. HANDCANNON ---------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: 0-3 Handcannons are powerful weapons that fire a high velocity, high damage round at the enemy. Used only by the enemy, they are dangerous weapons that deliver tons of punishment with each hit and have a high knockdown rate. Handcannons are balanced out by their long reload times and inability to hit fast-moving targets due to their linear line of fire. RAILGUN ------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: 0-4 Railguns are the ultimate weapons for all-purpose, ranged combat. Boasting unrivaled range, excellent damage output, near-perfect accuracy, and even knockdown power, they are the strongest hand-mounted weapons. A Railgun's one and only drawback? Its long reload times. CANNON ------ Weapon Location: Shoulder Weapon Range: base 2-4, varies Cannons are shoulder versions of Handcannons, offering the same high velocity rounds that can knock down its targets. They boost respectable damage output, accuracy, and range to boot. Cannons have some drawbacks though; its low ammo capacity and inability to be used at close ranges makes them a hard weapon to use. Pair it up with other shoulder weapons for maximum effectiveness. GRENADE LAUNCHER ---------------- Weapon Location: Shoulder Weapon Range: 0-2 Grenade Launchers are artillery-based weapons that shoot a small grenade in an arc-like trajectory. These weapons are unique in that they target a small area, as opposed to a particular target. Any units that are near the target will take damage from the resulting grenade explosion. Grenade Launchers are balanced out by low damage output, poor range, and below-average accuracy. In areas where there are many obstructions, these weapons can still attack targets due to the nature of its firing trajectory. MISSILE LAUNCHER ---------------- Weapon Location: Shoulder Weapon Range: base 1-4, varies Missile Launchers are homing-based weapons that launch missiles at enemies. These missiles track their targets extremely well and almost never miss the mark. Its high single round damage and excellent range makes it an excellent weapon against helicopters. Missile Launchers have very low ammo counts and long reload times, so their uses are quite limited. They do have knockdown power so it's great for interrupting enemy attacks. ROCKET LAUNCHER --------------- Weapon Location: Shoulder Weapon Range: base 2-3, varies Rocket Launchers are artillery-based weapons that function similar to Missile Launchers, but lack their homing properties. These weapons have great damage output, tons of ammo, and reload fairly fast. Poor accuracy, inability to hit any moving targets, and slow shot velocity makes Rocket Launchers a bit hard to use properly. They're best used against large and/or stationary targets. BEAM CANNON ----------- Weapon Location: Shoulder Weapon Range: 0-5 Beam Cannons are the be-all and end-all for shoulder weaponry. Much like its Railgun counterpart, these weapons possess superb damage output, range, and knockdown power. Unlike Railguns, Beam Cannons always hit the mark no matter what happens. With an extremely high ammo count, these are undeniably the best shoulder-mounted weapons. Their only weakness? Very long reload times. BUILT-IN -------- Weapon Location: Hand Weapon Range: varies depending on weapon class Description: Built-in weapons are self-explanatory: weapons incorporated into a WAW's arm parts. These built-in weapons include Vulcans, Shotguns, and Hand Missile Launchers. Enemy units are capable of using built-in weapons with Vulcans and Cannons, which function similarly to their equipped weapon counterparts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BACKPACK TYPES [BTYP] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This section discusses the bolt-on backpack types that WAWs can equip and use in mission play. AUTO-GATLING GUN ---------------- Auto-Gatling Guns are a unique type of bolt-on backpack that has one specific purpose: missile defense. These gatling guns don't attack enemy units per se, but they will attempt to shoot down any missile that it sees. Auto-Gatling Guns target any missile that enters its firing range, whether aimed at the WAW equipped with it, or otherwise. These are the most expensive bolt-ons that you can get, but they are extremely useful as anti-missile defense. INFRARED CONTROL EQUIPMENT -------------------------- Another form of anti-missile defense, Infrared Control Equipment are nifty devices that jam missile locks. Instead of shooting them down, it redirects its course away from the intended target. Not all missiles will be jammed, and Infrared Control Equipment only protects its user. Still, for something that isn't quite as expensive as Auto-Gatling Guns, these devices are worth purchasing and using. FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM ------------------- Fire Control Systems are devices that boost the main arm weapon's accuracy.
To be specific, this bolt-on increases the main arm weapon's ability to hit
targets at varying ranges. Fire Control Systems are fairly cheap to buy, and
have their uses on the battlefield.

NIGHT VISION SCOPE
------------------

As the name implies, Night Vision Scopes are devices that allows a WAW to see
in dark and night conditions. This device greatly increases the main arm
weapon's accuracy at night conditions, regardless of proximity to the enemy
target. It also adds shades of green to Cockpit Mode, making it a true night
vision scope. Night Vision Scopes are cheap and predictably are best used in
night conditions.

SPARE MAGAZINE
--------------

Spare Magazines are what the name implies: extra ammo magazines for shoulder
weapons. They have no other function than to boost the overall amount of ammo
that a shoulder weapon can carry. These are best used with weapons such as
Cannons and Missile Launchers - these weapons naturally have low ammo counts.

HIGH MOBILITY BOOSTER
---------------------

Want to move faster on the battlefield or better evade attacks? Use the High
Mobility Boosters! These devices augment a WAW's ability to walk, dash, or
jump...basically it enhances its overall Mobility. While these bolt-ons may
not have many uses early on, they become very good once the selection of main
arm weapons gets better.

SMOKE DISCHARGER
----------------

Smoke Dischargers are devices that creates a smoke screen, decreasing overall
weapon accuracy of both player and enemy units. These bolt-ons don't have a
lot of uses, but when facing multiple enemies at once, consider purchasing
one of these. Smoke Dischargers are also relatively cheap and can be bought
in large numbers.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQ)					[BFAQ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: I want to access the supply platoon to reload my weapons and shields, but
I don't see any commands about this. Is there something that I have to do to
call in the supply platoon?

A: Whenever you want to access the supply platoon, you must select the Supply
option and check off the Shield or Reload requests. This has to be done for
at least one unit from a platoon in order to call in the supply platoon. Take
note that not all missions have access to the supply platoon as well.

Q: Every time I try to attack this unit in a mission, my shots keep missing!
I have weapons with a high accuracy value on my WAW that's attacking it, but
that's not helping out! Why is this?

A: There are several explanations for this. One, don't forget that due to the
range system, both player and enemy units can always evade incoming attacks.
Two, the accuracy parameter of weapons is only an indicator of its optimal
accuracy if the target remains stationary. Lastly, the target may be engaged
in evasive actions that would lead to your shots missing.

Q: Is it possible to remove skills or am I stuck with what I get?

A: Skills can never be removed once they are learned. The player AI will use
them accordingly based on the combat situation. The only thing you can do is
ensure that some skills are used more than others by configuring a pilot's
Pilot Type.

Q: What weapon should I equip for my pilots?

A: It's personal preference really. If you want to fight up close, stick with
Vulcans and Grenade Launchers. If you prefer ranged combat, try using Assault
Rifles and Missile Launchers.

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4. WAW SETUP							[WSET]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This section details the mechanics and features behind the customization and
creation of WAWs. Reading information about the Battle System is highly
recommended as information here goes hand-in-hand with the aforementioned 
section.

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WAW DESIGN							[WDES]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Designing a WAW is really easy in Front Mission Alternative. Not only are
there fewer customization options compared to other Front Mission entries,
but it also comes with a nifty Help guide option if you're new to it!

WAWS
----

Customizing WAWs is as simple as 1, 2, and 3: Just equip a better WAW once
the opportunity presents itself. The option Change WAW will appear if you
can equip a better model. Using Change WAW replaces the current WAW with the
selected, new WAW. That's all there is to it!

ARMANENTS
---------

Unlike the other Front Mission entries, there is no weight or power output
parameter to be concerned about. So, you're free to equip whatever weapons
and bolt-ons that you like!

Main Arm - Equip a main arm weapon.
Shoulder - Equip a shoulder weapon.
Shield - Equip a shield.
Bolt-on - Equip a bolt-on backpack.

CAMOUFLAGE
----------

In Front Mission Alternative, camouflage does have an effect on missions.
Basically, based on the terrain conditions of a battlefield, camouflage will
allow you to avoid detection from an enemy platoon's field of vision. Simply
review the mission briefing details and chose an appropriate camouflage paint
scheme to match. It's that simple!

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WAW TYPES							[WANT]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Although the player is free to customize their WAWs in any way they see fit,
they can get help from the Setup Types option. This option is handy for those
who are not familiar with how the system works. When using Setup Types, the
WAW setup and Pilot Types of a whole platoon will be changed accordingly.
There are three Setup Types that can be used by the player:

AVERAGE
-------

The Average setup puts an emphasis on balance. Balanced offense and defense,
as well as ranged combat. This is a good setup to use for the typical mission
in the game. Using this particular setup will result in the following:

WAW Armanents - Handguns, Assault Rifles, Shotguns, and Missile Launchers.
Shields - Shields that are moderately armored.
Pilot Type:

Mobility - 30
Attack - 40
Defense - 30

STORM
-----

The Storm setup puts an emphasis on defense. Close range combat is the main
focus of using this setup. This is great for missions that require fighting
in limited space and puts a premium on getting up close and dirty with the
enemy. Using this particular setup will result in the following:

WAW Armanents - Machine Guns, Vulcans, and Grenade Launchers.
Shields - Shields that are heavily armored.
Pilot Type:

Mobility - 40
Attack - 10
Defense - 50

SUPPORT
-------

The Support setup puts an emphasis on offense. Long range combat is the main
focus of using this setup. This is great for missions that take place in wide
and open spaces, making it easy to pick off enemy units from afar without the
need to get close. Using this particular setup will result in the following:

WAW Armanents - Machine Guns, Vulcans, Assault Rifles, and Cannons.
Shields - Shields that are lightly armored.
Pilot Type:

Mobility - 10
Attack - 70
Defense - 20

All Setup Types will consider Railguns and Beam Cannons for equipment, if the
weapons are available.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS(FAQ)					[WFAQ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: When I went and used the Change WAW option, I noticed that I couldn't use
it after beating the next mission! What happened here?

A: The Change WAW option only appears if you have earned a new WAW model from
clearing a mission. This option disappears if the next mission does not have
any new WAW models that you can earn. Any WAWs that are not equipped by any
members of your platoon when doing the next mission are removed. Keep this in
mind when changing your WAW models.

Q: What good is Setup Types for? I'm new to this whole customization thing,
but I don't see a reason to use it.

A: Setup Types is great for first-time players who are learning how the game
mechanics work. Although it's best used early on, this option has its uses in
a number of missions throughout the game.

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5. CREDITS							[CRED]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to:

- GameFAQs obviously
- Front Mission: World Historica book for part wording and such
- 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.