Strikers 1945 Plus

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# Strikers 1945 Plus                                                          #
# Walkthrough/Tips/Hints with the Spitfire MK VI                              #
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# Written by Daniel Y Chan                                                    #
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# Email - RollingNapalm at Hotmail.com                                        #
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I - Introduction
II - Basics/Tips/Hints/Rants
III - Spitfire MK VI
IV - Walkthrough - Levels One to Eight, First Loop
V - Miscellaneous
VI - "How to Use the 10 Bombs in First Loop to Clear First Loop"
VII - Legal Stuff
VIII - Credits

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Version History

Version 1.0 - 11/21/2003 - Began writing.  This is my first attempt at a FAQ.
Hopefully it will turn out all right.

11/26/2003 - Finished writing Version 1.0.  Wanted to finish this before
schoolwork.  Haha.  I think it turned out all right.

Version 1.1 - 12/1/2003 - Beat the game with the Pancake.  Whew.  Love the
tracking lasers and super-shot.  Update on strategy on the last part of the
last boss.

Version 1.11 - 12/1/2003 - Clarified that I've only beaten the first loop.
Still have the whole second loop to go.  It's gonna take a while.  Update on
ending sequence.

Version 1.12 - 12/2/2003 - Minor correction on railroad mech boss.  Minor
update on ranking title.  Added power-up location on 1-7.

Version 1.2 - 12/4/2003 - Beat first loop with the Spitfire(finally).  Updated
strategy on fighting the last part of the last boss with the Spitfire.  Updated
the third part of the last boss.  Minor correction on the sky boss.  Added name
of the big rocket(according to the Playstation Strikers 1945 instruction
booklet).  Location of power-up in 1-7 in detail.  Possible safer technique in
dealing with the railroad boss exploding pink/fast blue spray attack on 1-3 and
1-4 added.  Updated introduction.

Version 1.3 - 1/5/2004 - Happy New Year!  Minor corrections(spelling, grammar)
all over the place.  Probably still some lurking around.  Seems like they pop
out no matter how many times I proof-read.  Funny how I don't proof-read for
schoolwork but I do for this.  Minor updates throughout.

Version 1.31 - 1/21/2004 - Couple of minor updates including 1-8 boss third
part semi-safe way to counter the blue sprays.  Hit 2-2 the other day with the
Pancake, due to favorable stage order.

2/3 - Happy birthday Miriam!!!!!

Version 1.32 - 2/7/2004 - Correction on the first four stages of the second
loop.  Turns out they are not random.  It is the same as the first loop.  Let's
say you get sea, railroad, sky, land/air in first loop, then the second loop
will also be that order.  I am 95% positive.  Update(again) on final boss final
form technique.  This one seems to work the best. :)  Update on rank and end
art.  One lifed the first loop in a bomb fest the other day(they gave me 10
bombs for the first loop, and I put them all to good use), only to get my ass
handed back to me in seven flavors in 2-2.  It'll be very hard for me to
progress past 2-2. :(  This might the last update for a while, since I can't
think of anything more to add.

Version 1.33 - 2.21/2004 - Ok, this time it might be the last update for a
while.  Correction on end art caption.  For the Pancake, it is "Angel Fase",
not "Angel Ease".  For the Spitfire, it is "Vaiolent Bee", that's right,
"Vaiolent".  I think my spell check is not gonna like it.  :)  Had best gaming
day the other day. Hit 2-3(Just like Miriam's birth date) with the Pancake.
Got new rank of "The Genius".  Got my money's worth that game.  Also beat first
loop with the German plane(Very fun plane to use too).  The max-powered
missiles/supershot shield combo is unbelievable.  ^_^  These were accomplished
after munching down Little Debbie's Ho-Hos and a 20 oz orange soda during
class.  Plenty of sugar to "help" the reflexes.  It really works.  I have
probably reached my limit in this game.  Right now with two starting lives, and
the extend I don't see myself getting past 2-3.  I also don't have the
discipline to learn the second loop patterns.  :(  Also added my own bomb use
chart for the Pancake.  "How to Use the 10 Bombs in First Loop to Clear First
Loop"(On a good day with even one life).
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I - Introduction

Hello all, my name is Daniel and I am a big fan of shmups.  When I was around
seven years old living in Hong Kong I watched some guy played Dragon Spirit.  I
patiently waited around 20 minutes while the guy beats the game, then it was my
turn!  Less than a minute later I was at the back of the line again.  Needless
to say I was more than happy when Dragon Spirit came out on the NES and I
didn't die all my lives in less than a minute.  That game and Sky Shark turned
me into a shmup fan.

I was pretty surprised my school put in Strikers 1945 Plus, since arcade genres
nowadays seem to be all driving, fighting or those gun games, since they make
money.  Anyway Strikers 1945 Plus is a vertical shooter by PSiKYO with eight
stages of intense fun (maybe not the first 1 1/2 stages, which is not as
frantic, but still fun).  Fans of Strikers 1945 II will noticed the
similarities between the two.

I have beaten the first loop with the Pancake and the Spitfire and the German
plane(I have made the most progress lately, probably because I found a couple
of spots where I can save bombs ^_^)  Usually, I could get to the last part of
the last boss quite consistently, and most of the time I am one bomb short or
one super-shot connecting from beating it(now that my school added Raiden
Fighters Jet, which surprised me again, I am splitting time and money between
the two). I feel I know enough to write a FAQ. Hopefully any fellow pilots
reading this guide can find it helpful in anyway.  For this walkthrough, it
will be written in the perspective of the Spitfire MK VI.  My fighter of
choice.  Feel free to use whatever plane that suits your individual playing
style.

There are video replays around the net for this game and other shmups.  Now
those guys are experts.  I have not actually seen a replay for this game,
because I am still on 56K and it'll take around six months to download it. :)
From the descriptions, they can clear the game and get well into the second
loop.  I worship the ground they walk on.

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II - Basics

The point of this game is to guide the plane of your choice through a hail of
flak, bullets, and other nastiness the enemies are firing/throwing/spitting at
you, while collecting power-ups(represented with a P), bombs(represented with
a B), and gold bars(represented with, yes, gold bars) and shooting back at them
with your own goodies.  My English teacher would not approve of that sentence.
Getting the above goodies is up to the player's discretion.  If you want a
challenge, try not to get many Ps or Bs.  If it is too risky to get the gold,
or if going for the gold will put you in a "strategically-negative"(is that a
term?) spot, then I would recommend you not do so.  I lost count of how many
times I lost a life or have to waste a bomb because I went for those 4000 point
bars and ended up in a very, very "strategically-negative" spot.  However
getting points is a good thing, because at 600,000 points the game rewards you
with an additional fighter.  So in a game that you start with only two
fighters(or depends on how your friendly local arcade people programmed it),
that's 50% more plane!

Unlike many other shmups, crashing your plane into an enemy, will not result in
your fiery death, but a "power down", in which your shot power will go down one
level.  Of course picking up another power-up will restore that.  Crashing into
a bullet will forever lead to a quick and fiery death(except in Ikaruga, but
that is a whole new game).  For an in-depth and excellent description of
weaponries and aircrafts of the game, please refer to the walkthrough by Mav.

Should you meet an unfortunate death, either by the enemies' well-aimed shots,
a lucky shot, a stupid bullet hidden behind an explosion, or any of the other
900 ways to get blown out of the sky in this game, your plane will explode(of
course), and your power-ups icons(usually a couple of them), and maybe a bomb
and sometimes two(depends on how many you have when you got shot down) will pop
out.  If that is your last life, your will see the infamous Continue 9
countdown. If you still have lives left you continue where you left off, but
the game speed will slow down.  Enemy bullets will be slower.  This lasts for
around one full level.  Then the game goes back to full speed.

Power-Ups - Represented with a P icon.  They float around, and if you don't get
them by touching them, they will float away.  Get four of them to reach full
power.  Each P you get after that will be *gasp* "Four thousand dollars, erhh I
mean points" Muahahahaha.

Bombs - Represented with a floating B icon.  Well bombs in this game are
support forces.  Big cool ones too.  They are not the traditional bomb where
when you shoot it and it results in a big thermonuclear explosions.  In 1945
Plus, when you call your bomb, a single big bomber or a formation of
fighters/bombers will come out to protect you and fire at the enemy.  They'll
stay on the screen for about 3-4 precious seconds.  The Spitfire's bomb is
described later.  There's even a big rocket!  A German V-2 I think.  Once again
they float away after a while.  Please refer to Mav's guide for more detailed
information.

Update/Correction: - According to the Playstation Strikers 1945 instruction
booklet, the rocket is an A9A10.

Gold Bars - Try to get the maximum value of these babies.  To do so, wait until
the gold bar "blinks".  Get it when it blinks.  For the single gold bars, the
range is from 200, 500, 1000, and 2000 points.  For the big gold bars, it is
500, 1,000? 2000, and 4000 points.

Once again, 600,000 points will get you a 1-UP.  Unless they programmed it to
800,000 or something.  Then you will get the 1-UP at either the end of 1-7 or
somewhere in 1-8.  Ouch.

Note:  Some people say using a lot of bombs is not that good.  Others say the
opposite.  I don't know what is right or wrong about bomb use.  My advice would
be if you are in a tight spot, or just can't figure out a certain pattern, then
use a bomb to save yourselves.  That's what I do.

Another note:  One thing I like to do is to fire at a target, and right before
it's about to be destroyed, I am already moving to the next target.  For
example, I will be firing at target A, and right before my last missiles have
hit target A, I am already moving toward target B, and by the time my missiles
hit target A and destroys it, I am already firing on target B.  This can give
you that precious half of a second head start.  After playing a while, you will
get a sense of the power of your weapons, and you can anticipate when a target
will be destroyed.

Yet another note:  Try to "manipulate" the enemies' shots.  Once you have a
general understanding of what enemies fire what, you can get them to shoot at
a certain spot.  For example, a big bomber that shoots volleys of two blue and
then three blue aimed shots at you; you can stay in the center to get it to
shoot at the center, at the last second right when it fires, you move to the
right.  This comes in handy in certain spots.  Notably 1-7 with the green
bombers and spinning turrets and those orange tanks.

More Note:  It seems to me when fighting big enemies and bosses, the later you
use your super-shot, the stronger it is.  For example, I would use 3
super-shots to destroy something.  But if I use my regular shots to weaken it,
and I use just one super-shot, it would be destroyed.  It takes about the same
amount of time too.  So mostly I tend to save my super-shots, but I definitely
use them to take out external weaponry on boss.

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III - Spitfire MK VI

As much as I like the Pancake, I still fly the Spitfire the most. The Pancake
has those nice tracking lasers cleaning up those annoying little fighters(200
points each, they add up!)  Its super-shot and bomb is above average too.  One
day I tried the Spitfire. I forgot whether it was by accident, since they are
located right next to each other.  I didn't do so well at first, but eventually
I've grown to love this plane.  This might sound silly, but this plane seems to
be the most graceful.  It's just really fun to strafe, and letting the napalms
roll.

Since there are no tracking lasers, those annoying little fighters(ALFs) will
be all over the screen, and those annoying little pink bullets they shoot will
fill up the screen with nice little pink dots.  The graceful movement of the
fighter maneuvering through a hail of bullets is just too majestic, and
hypnotic.  Another reason I love shmups.  The Spitfire has a strong regular
shot, an above average super-shot, and a life-saver bomb, which wipes out all
bullets the moment it is released, followed by a formation of five bombers
which protects you and fire straight shots.  The Spitfire's speed is a big help
too.  Plus it is my favorite World War II fighter.  There's plenty of excellent
information about its role in the Battle of Britain all over the place.

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IV - Walkthrough - Levels one to eight, first loop.

Note: This is the strategy that I mostly use when I play.  Some of them are not
perfect, so I apologize in advance.  If anyone finds better and safer
techniques, feel free to share them.  On with the walkthrough. The levels are
identified as 1-1(first loop level one), 1-2(first loop level 2), and so on.
The first four stages are in random order, which means it will be in a
different order each time you play, but will always be the same four levels.
Regardless of which order, level one will be the easiest(of course), and it
will get progressively harder.

There is an order that seems to be the easiest.  I will list the first four
stages in the easy order, but with tips on how to deal with that same level in
the harder difficulty.  Ladies and gentlemen, pop in a quarter, put your drinks
on the second player side(unless you like playing in second player side or are
playing two players), be careful not to knock the drink over by accident or in
a fit of rage, and "let's rock"(Al Bundy), maybe he would say "let's fly", and
he'll put on pilot sunglasses.

Warning. Remember which button is for bomb, and which button is for regular
shots.  You don't want to accidentally shoot a bomb by accident.  *cough cough*
Happened to me before both in RF Jet and this.  I think there was a cute girl
nearby both times.


1.  Mission 1 - Half Land Half Sky Stage

As with most shumps, when you start your first level, the first flight of enemy
fighters in formation will give you a power-up.  In this case, shoot the red
annoying little fighter(ALF) and it will give you your first power-up, the
first of many in the game.  Note: ALFs will always show up throughout all the
levels.  Sometimes they'll be in formation, sometimes by themselves.  Sometimes
they'll fly at you; sometimes they don't.  After the power-up, your Spitfire
will have two little missiles in addition to stronger bullets for its regular
shots.  Annoying little tanks(ALTs) will emerge, one or two of them, and on 1-3
and 1-4, I think three or four.  Pick up the gold they left behind if your
wish.

There will be a couple of dark color tanks that show up in the middle.  They
are a little bigger than the ALTs, and they are stationary and don't do
anything on the first loop(on the second loop they fire straight pink shots).
Take them out and take out the little turret on the right, and the ALTs on the
left.  Be careful on 1-3 and 1-4 and take out those little tanks and turrets
quickly, because those slow pink bullets can trap you while the fast blue shots
from the turrets can nail you.  Another turret on the left.

Soon you will come upon three or four tanks coming out from the right, a turret
on the right, and two medium-size dark color tanks in the middle(they shoot).
On 1-3 and 1-4 this area can be quite a pain.  What I do is drop a supershot on
the right side to eliminate the ALTs, then drop one right between the two dark
color tanks, and then clean up any remaining enemies.  Look for gaps in the
pink bullets to squeeze through.  Try to draw their fire and "herd" the bullets
to give you space to escape.

Next will be more ALTs and another stationary tank(doesn't shoot on first
loop).  This is followed by two ALTs coming out from the left, another medium
size tank(always shoot), and a turret that pops out(you will get a bomb from
this guy).  Get the bomb when it's safe.  Destroy them with a super-shot on the
later levels.

After the many land enemies you've faced, you will now face air enemies.  A
medium size bomber will show up on the right.  In 1-3 and 1-4 it will shoot
volleys of three/two, and four/three blue shots respectively.  In 1-1, there
will only be two bombers, both on the right side.  On 1-2, there will be three:
right, right, left.  On 1-3 and 1-4 there will be four: right, right and left
at about same time, then left.  On 1-3 and 1-4, when the left and right one
show up(actually the left one show up a little bit faster) take out the left
one with a super-shot to make your life easier.  Before the plane even shows I
have my super-shot charged and ready to fire.  When it comes out I let the
super-shot go, then I go near the center, dodge it's fire, then I do a little
counter-clockwise move to draw the fire from the right one.  Take out the right
one, then try to stay near the center, so when the last bomber comes out, it'll
shoot toward the middle at you, and you simply move to the left and pour fire
into it.

Things will be quiet, just a few ALPs buzzing around.  Then a squad of five
ALPs will fly down, after that some small bombers will show up.  They will fire
aimed blue shots at you.  On 1-1, you get three of them, on 1-2, four, 1-3
five, and 1-4 six of them will harass you.  If you want to use a super-shot,
just wait till they fly toward the center, then drop one in the middle to take
them all out.  However I recommend that on the later levels that you save your
super-shots for the boss, which is coming soon.  To beat them without a super-
shot, take out the small bomber that first comes out one the bottom-right
first.  Then simply move to the left slowly.  After they fired the first wave
at you(which you should be able to dodge because you have room on the left),
cut back right right before they shoot and take out the remaining ones.
Nothing but some ALFs stand between you and the boss.

Boss - Air Carrier + Mech (Three Total Parts)

If you get this level as the first or second level, call it your lucky day.  I
can fight this boss without a bomb on the first three levels.  On 1-4 I always
have to use a bomb on the Part three.  Can't figure out the pattern. -_-

Part 1

Part one of the boss is the bottom section of the air carrier.  It has five
turrets firing a lot of bad things at you, especially on 1-4.  There are two
turrets each on the left and right side, and one on the center.  The left and
right ones only shoot pink.  The center one shoots aimed blue shots.  None on
1-1, two on 1-2, three on 1-3, and five on 1-4.

To start off, if you have a couple of super-shots this part will be much
easier.  Take a few pot shots at the left turrets, then drop one or two super-
shots on them, depending on whether you are on 1-2, 1-3 or 1-4.  Then simply
stay near the bottom, and sweep left and right.  On 1-4 you might have to
squeeze between the blue shots, because sometimes as you are sweeping, there
will be pink bullets that block your momentum, and you can't do anything but
squeeze between the blue shots or use a bomb.  After a while, the left and
right turrets will spin and shoot pink shots in all directions, while the
center turret continue to shoot blue.  If you have a lot of super-shots, you
can destroy the left and right turrets, making this part a breeze.

Part 2

As part one explodes, part two faces you.  Part two is the mid-section of the
carrier.  It is actually a launch pad I guess because it launches helicopters(I
think, it looks like helicopters).  The helicopters come out from the left and
right, usually two from each side at a time.  They shoot pink shots.  The
middle of the mid-section is one giant box turret.  It shoots aimed blue shots
at you.  In later levels, each volley has two waves of blue shots.  Quite a
headache if you are trapped in a corner with slow pink shots everywhere.  It
also shoots slow pink shots.

Once again sweep works, and try to take out the helicopters before they
shoot(although most likely they will shoot before you are able to destroy
them).  You should try to manipulate the shots, but cutting slightly left/right
to get the boss to throw its aim off.  Halfway through the battle there will
be a slight pause and a beeping sound, signaling the boss is about to change
the pattern of the blue shots.  Now it will shoot blobs of fast aimed blue
shots at you.  Just keep sweeping, and shoot the helicopters while dodging its
pink shots, and soon this part will join the first part.

Part 3

A mech will fly out(or is it escaping) as part two is busy blowing up.  I guess
it's not escaping, since it wants to fight you.  Time to give it the beating it
deserves.  After it settles down it will begin its first attack, which is
streams of slow pink shots with fast aimed blue(two streams of pink each from
left and right side).  On 1-1 it fires only pink, no blue.  On 1-2 to 4, more
and more pink and blue.  On 1-3, I dodge this part by moving right and up to
dodge the first volley, then diagonally southwest and up, southwest and up
again, then southeast.  On 1-4 I can only dodge the first volley, then I am
trapped in the corner, and I have to use a bomb.  On 1-4 bomb time!  I will
figure this part out someday.

After the first attack, the boss will let fly slow pink and sprays of blue
shots.  Then the boss will move from left to right while shooting four
streams(two from each side, to create a cross-fire) and aimed blue shots.  On
1-3, start on the left side of the screen.  When the boss shoots the streams of
slow pink, time it so you slip into the stream coming from the boss's left
side(on the screen the right side), as the blue shots coming down, slip into it
to the right, then finally slip out the right part of the outer part of the
pink stream.  Another way to do this is you can stay all the way to the left,
right when the pink stream come down, cut like mad to the right, past the outer
most stream of pink shot, cut like mad up, and the spray of blue shot will
barely miss you.  Do that to impress you friends.  If you mess up the timing,
don't hesitate to use a bomb.  On 1-4, the same trick works as on 1-3, but the
timing has to be near perfect.  70% of the time I use a bomb.  :(

Next the boss will shoot different patterns of blue shots with pink shots
depending on the level.  It will do this twice.  There are gaps in between,
just make sure you don't wiggle your joystick too much, or you'll smack into a
bullet because the gaps are quite small.  Some gaps are bigger than the other,
but it's hard to tell because the bullets are coming down quite fast.  On 1-4 I
tend to stay near the center, then right when it shoots, I cut left and right
quickly, and there are big gaps there.  The bullets in the middle of the
pattern have narrow spaces between them.  The ones near the edges have bigger
gaps.

After this the boss will begin its first attack again.

Note:  On bosses(at least the first two, I assume maybe the first seven), if
you don't destroy them after a while, they will self-destruct by blink red
rapidly, then exploding and releasing fast big pink shots.  Pretty funny
actually.


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2.  Mission 2 - Land Stage With Railroad Tracks All Over The Place.

Get ready for railroads and trains galore!  This level gives you a dark and
gloomy feeling.  First two ALTs and some ALPs will greet you.  After they are
burning, a bomber comes out from the right side(which only shoots pink shots),
a turret and a train will also come out.  Take them out anyway you wish(with
the Pancake the super-shot does wonders).

Next there will be a turret on the right side, follow by a train coming from
northwest to south east(which only shoot pink shots), a turret on the right and
left, and a train coming straight down from the right.  Whew.  The train coming
straight down is the one you have to worry about, since it shoot a lot of blue
shots on the later levels.  There are a couple of ways to handle this.  You can
drop a super-shot right before it shows up, and destroy it quickly while you
run, I mean, move away.  Or you can hover on top of it and it won't shoot.  Be
careful if you go on top of it, sometimes it shoots at you when you are flying
up toward it as it is making his appearance.  I take a few shots at the train
coming out from the left first before I attack the right train.  Then I cut
back after the right train is destroyed and clean up the remaining enemies.

After that part, a turret will be on the right, and a bomber will come out on
the right side.  Two ALTs will be in the middle, and another of those annoying
trains will come straight down from the left.  Same strategy as the other one.
Try to destroy the ALTs first, because if you choose to hover above the train,
you want to hover leisurely.

Next ALTs and a big house on the right.  Just as you are wondering what that
is, it opens up and shoot blue shots at you.  Ok it's not friendly.  On 1-3 and
four the first volleys will be four fast blue shots.  Be careful because there
will be lots of slow pink around from the ALTs and ALPs.  After the house is
demolished, it gives you a bomb.  I like to drop a super-shot on it then move
to the left and squeezing between the blue shots it fires.

More ALPs will show up, and a hard part is coming up.  Two of those annoying
trains will come out, from the bottom this time(where were they hiding?), one
on each side.  There will also be two bombers in the middle.  This part is
tricky and take good timing.  What I do is right before the train on the left
comes out; I drop a super-shot on the left side.  Hopefully the train will be
destroyed by the super-shot while I weave through the pink shots to get to the
train on the right side as it comes out.  I then hover above it and send it to
the scrap yard.  Be wary of the pink shots from the bombers as you hover above
the train.  The same technique can be used with the Pancake, but it's a little
riskier to get from the train on the left to the right, because sometimes the
train on the left will still be alive.  Then you will have both trains firing at
you, along with pink shots.

The next part will be a bunch of bombers that only shoot pink shots.  On 1-1
there's two, on 1-2 there's two or three, on 1-3 there's three or four, and on
1-4 there's four.  They'll try to stop you before the boss.  One or two might
get away from you, on the later levels.  They can count themselves as lucky.
Before their wreckage hits the ground, the boss is here!

Boss - Big Train Assault Weapons Vehicle(that sounds cool) + Mech(Two Parts)

Part - 1

Note:  Most of the technique on bosses that works on 1-3 and 1-4 will work on
1-1 and 1-2.  It actually will be much easier since 1-1 and 1-2 has fewer
bullets.  If you can do it on 1-3 and 1-4, 1-1 and 1-2 will not give you much
trouble, unless you are having one of those days.

Part one is a big boxy object that moves around on the tracks.  Its first
attack will be releasing lots of slow pink shots whose purpose is to trap you
while the boss moves from right to left.  Two turrets will come up on the boss,
and they will shoot aimed blue shots at you.  Taking them out is your first
priority.  With the Pancake it is easy, as you just sweep them with your super-
shot.  With the Spitfire, it takes practice to drop the super-shot(s)
accurately to destroy both turrets.

Next the boss will shoot a lot of pink shots at you.  If the turrets haven't
been destroyed this part can be tough.  Start at the bottom left, and slowly go
right to head the bullets, then quickly go up to avoid the whole mess of pink
shots.

Next the boss will shoot a variety of blue shots, depending on the level.  Most
of them, I think around 1-2 and 1-3, stay in the middle through the first two
waves, then cut left or right because there will be a bullet coming right at
you.  On 1-4, it shoots volleys of streams of blue shots(three or four or five
each stream)of what I called "claw formation streams".  That is one stream down
the middle, two streams diagonally to either side.  The streams have extra blue
shots next to them to make it even worst for you.  One volley of streams will
come from the left, then right, and so on.  Try to super-shot it and destroy
this part before it does this attack.

Part 2

As the BTAWV blows up, a mech will come out.  I want my escape pod to be a
mech.  Anyway it begins by shooting sprays after sprays of blue shots at you
from its shoulder cannon.  The easiest way, and I mean easy, is to go on top of
him on its left shoulder, on the right side of the screen.  Obviously not on or
under its gun shoulder.  That happened to me once on two players because I
wanted to shoot down the little ALPs before they shoot to mess up the pattern.
On 1-1 too!  That one belongs in the bloopers.  More on that later.

Correction: The mech is actually holding a big rifle typed weapon.  The weapon
is not mounted on its shoulders.

Anyway stay on the shoulder and keep shooting and charging up the super-shot
meter.  Next, the boss will attack differently depending on the level.  On 1-1
and 1-2 the boss will "jump" to the southeast, and launches five little
spinning droids, then let loose with more sprays.  Pancake users can sweep the
droids then fly to the shoulder again.  Spitfire users should drop a super-shot
on the gun shoulder as the droids are coming out then go to the safe spot.  The
super-shot will take out 2-3 of the droids.  The droids will shoot blue shots
as they are coming out, and then they will shoot pink shots, so they are pretty
harmless unless all five are there, then they can be unpredictable.  The droids
move around too.  Then the boss will jump back to the top and launch the five
droids again.  This time they shoot aimed blue shots at you.  You should be
able to destroy the boss before the droids open fire.  If not I think the boss
will shoot an exploding big pink bullet that explodes into more big pink
bullets flying in all directions(one of the funniest sentences I have ever
written).

On 1-3 and 1-4 the boss will stay near the top and launch the five droids,
which will then shoot aimed blue shots at you.  Dodge by shooting the ones on
the left, then cut right and left.  The boss then will jump to the right shoot
this big pink bullet that will spray big pink bullets in all direction(funny
sentence again), follow by sprays of blue shots.  This is tough because the
slow big pink bullets are still coming at you and the fast blue sprays are
coming at you too, really fast.  I do this part by staying near the left,
quickly curl around the big pinks and weave like crazy over the fast blues.
Mostly I just use a bomb. -_-  The boss will then jump to the top and launch
five more droids, which will shoot aimed blue shots at you.  Destroy the boss
before they shoot, because on 1-3 and 1-4 the blue shots are fast.  I think the
boss will then shoot another exploding big pink bullet.  Wouldn't it be cool
if you get those exploding bullets as your super-shot?

Update: While watching my friend play, I noticed after the boss shoot the
exploding pink bullet, around a dozen of the bullets goes upward.  It might be
possible to dodge the droids' blue shots, then quickly curl upward and go to
the top of the screen, dodge the big pink, and be safe.  I think the blue spray
is only aimed downwards.  The trick is the dodge the blue shots from the
droids.  I will test this out.

Update:  There is indeed a "safe spot".  Do this on 1-3 or 1-4 if you wish.
Once you reach up there, just dodge the big pink shots, and you will be safe
since the blue shots are all fired downward.  The only setback is you will need
to destroy the boss with one or two super-shots, since if you did not use a
bomb, the boss will not be damaged enough.  If the next level is the sea level
at 1-3 or 1-4 or mission 5, then you might use a bomb instead and save the
super-shots for those levels.
-------------------------


3.  Mission 3 - Sky Stage

Get ready for some intense air-to-air combat!  There are no ground enemies in
this stage.  You begin the level, like all others, with some ALPs swooping down
on you.  This is follow by a big white bomber slowing appearing on the right
side.  Seconds later its buddy would join it from the left side.  On stages 1-1
and 1-2, it would only shoot slow pink bullets at you.  1-3, 1-4 it will add
fast blue shots to the mix.  On stages 1-3, and 1-4 I would napalm the right
one, and then take out the left one with regular shots.  Try not to do too much
exaggerate movements, because it's easy to smack into a bullet in this part,
like in many other parts of the game.  I've seen many players who move their
fighters wildly, and winding up smacking into a bullet.  I like to keep my
movements precise as much as possible.

Next there are more ALFs and some small bombers that swoop in from either side.
They shoot single pink bullets, but not that overwhelming.  While you are busy
taking them out, a huge, grayish bomber will make its appearance from the top.
It will shoot pink bullets to try to trap you, then shoot a long stream of twin
blue shots at you.  All the while those little bombers and ALFs are swarming
around harassing you.  On 1-1, it only shoot around two blue shots each time.
On 1-2 to 1-4 it will shoot a whole long stream.

What I do on the higher levels is right when the guy shows up, I drop a
supershot on the left side, taking out three of the small bombers, then I move
to the right side.  I then either drop another supershot, or use my regular
shots to take out more small bombers.  Then when it shoots the blue stream, I
would just move to the left, and there will be a gap to go through.  After the
initial stream, it will shot two fast blue shots; follow by two more, or
another stream.  So it is in your best interest to take it out as fast as
possible.

After the huge bomber goes down(have a nice swim), it releases a power-up.
More ALFs(like they can avenge their buddy) will show up, and then three
triangular-shaped planes will swoop down from the top right, then three more
for the top left.  On 1-1 and 1-2, it will only shoot pink bullets.  At 1-3 and
1-4 it will shoot a lot more pink, plus aimed blue shots.  Leave yourself room
to maneuver in the higher levels by moving in small increments to left or
right; that way when the planes are about to fire the blue aimed shots at you,
you can try to manipulate the shots to get them to shoot at where you were
while you move away.  Try to avoid the corners.  They will leave by flying off
the side of the screen after a while if you haven't destroyed them.

Next up is a medium sized green bomber appearing on the left side, follow by
its wingman on the right.  Once again on the 1-1 and 1-2 it only shoot pink
bullets.  On 1-3 and 1-4, it will shoot blue shots in twos and threes.  Try to
down the right hand side green bomber quickly, before four more triangular
shaped planes will show up, and add their bullets(pink and blue) to the party.

After all that, one last green bomber and some ALFs stand between you and the
boss.  Taking out this green bomber will give you a bomb.  You can actually see
the boss about now, on the water.(Please see corrections in the next paragraph)
Big seaplane kinda thing.  It will take off to meet you.  Boss whooping time!

Correction: - I had it confused with Strikers 1945 for the Playstation.  In
that one this boss is on the water, and you can actually see the water trails
as it takes off.  For Plus, the boss is just among the clouds, then it flies up
to meet you.

Boss - Big Seaplane + Air Mecha (Three parts)

Part 1

The boss will appear from the top, and its tail will stop about half way on the
screen.  Doesn't seem like it left much room for you.  Stay in the center and
fire at will at the tail.  With the Spitfire you should blow out the tail with
your regular shots before the boss opens up with its first salvo.  This salvo
involves fast blue shots from the boss's right and left side.  On 1-1 and 1-2
simply move to the right or left and up.  I move to the right and up.  On 1-3
and 1-4, be careful, and move to the right or left more slowly.  Especially on
1-4, because if you move to the right too fast, you will be trapped against the
side of the screen and a blue shot will hit you.  Move maybe one inch at a time
and you will have room to avoid the last few blue shots.

Next stay on the right or left side, depending on which way you went, and shoot
the wing.  You can blow off the edge of the wing for 5000 points, but it is not
required.  On 1-1 and 1-2 it will shoot clockwise/counterclockwise slow big
pink shots.  Getting hit by these is like getting hit by a dodge ball thrown by
a six year old.  On 1-3 and 1-4 the big pink shots changes to fast blue
shots(from dodge balls to Randy Johnson fastballs).  On 1-3 and 1-4 just move
up and down when necessary.  Be careful on 1-4 because after these fast blue
shots it is follow by a stream of three fast aimed shots from the boss's
middle.

Next the boss will release a whole cloud of slow pink shots, and some tracking
blue shots.  If you are on the right side, simply drop an anti-boss(haha)
super-shot on the right wing, then move to the left ahead of the blue shots.
This part of the boss should be destroyed now, and just dodge the remaining
pink bullets.  If it hasn't been destroyed, the boss will repeat the first
attack.

Part 2

The boss's wing/tail/shell thing blows off, and now becomes a roundish object
with two arm gun things.  It would move the gun arms and shoot pink bullets and
blue bullets from them, and shoot two or three straight(on the lower levels)
and aimed(on the highter levels) blue shots at you from the middle of the boss.
Simply stay a little off center to avoid most of the crap, and cut left/right
when it shoots the aimed shots.

The boss will then raise it gun arms and let loose with a lot of blue shots
from both arms, and it is both pretty and deadly.  On level two to four, it
will throw in slow moving big pink bullets too.  On level one, just go to
either the left or right, or right underneath the boss's nose, and blast away.
On the higher levels, I stay at the little gap near the bottom of the screen
between the furthest 2 blue bullets, and a little up.  So when the big pink
bullet comes down, I have room to move down, then up again.  On level one, the
boss shoots shots of three blue shots from the gun arms.  On level two, I
believe it is fours.  On 1-3 and 1-4 I believe five from each arm.  The big
pink shots are faster and more rapidly on higher levels, but only one at a
time, thank goodness.  If you see that you misjudged the position, or that a
big pink shot is about to hit you on 1-3 and 1-4, feel free to use a bomb.  The
bomb will certainly help you destroy this part of the boss.  Otherwise stay
between the blue shots, dodge the big pink shots, and shoot a couple of super-
shots to destroy this part of the boss.  Easier said then done.

Note:  There is something I like to call the "1-3 curse".  Countless times I
have died on 1-3 with five bombs because I got greedy or I made some stupid
mistake.  For some reason it is always 1-3.  It then messes up my whole game
plan.  So if you feel you are in trouble, use a bomb, and watch all the
bullets/flak/shots disappear magically. -_0

Part 3

After being lazy for the first two parts, the boss will now move around
diagonally.  Firing off more, you guessed it, pink bullets.  On the higher
levels, it will shoot aimed blue shots too.  It is important that right after
blowing up part two, to be ready for part three right away.  After blowing up
part two, move either right and then up, then left and down, or left to draw
the fire of the blue shots(higher levels), then move left and up and do your
best to dodge.  Not hard at all compared to part two.

The boss will then shoot two streams of blues shots as it move right/left, and
you have to stay in between them.  Move with the boss and you will be ok.  The
boss will then spew a cloud of more pink bullets and blue shots straight
downwards, follow by two streams of blue shots again, this time going the other
direction.  Once again, stay between them and keep firing and pretty soon this
boss is history.  If it is still alive it does this cool attack where it mixes
blue and pink shots that comes at your in waves from left/right or right/left.
Shouldn't be a problem if you stay in the middle, and just keep shooting the
boss.  Chances are it will be destroyed before the bullets ever reach you.

-------------------------

4.  Mission 4 - Sea Level

I love ocean-themed levels in shmups.  Especially ones with huge battleships,
destroyers, submarines, patrol boats, and carriers.  Too bad there's no
carriers in Plus, but there is in 1945 II.  Anyway to start off take down the
ALFs, then you are gonna have major company in the form of two medium green
bombers(the same from the sky stage) on the right side, and a big
battleship(not that big compared to the boss, more to come on that) on the
left.  On 1-1 and 1-2 the green bombers only shoot pink.  Later levels it will
shoot pink and blue.  Later levels this part can be a headache.  On later
levels drop a super-shot right between the two green bombers to take them both
out.  Then move to the battleship and take out the two turrets.  Be careful of
return shots.  After that fire like crazy on the superstructure until it is
destroyed.  If you can't destroy it before the rear stern turrets show up, use
a super-shot to destroy it.  You will get a bomb once it is destroyed.  Pick up
bomb icon only when it won't put you in a "strategically-negative"(I love that
term).

Quickly rush to the right and take out the lone ALT who's been taking pot shots
at you the whole time you were busy with the battleship.  That little guy is
especially annoying.  Rush back to the left to take out the submarine that
surfaced.  Try to use regular shots.  It will shoot pink and aimed blue shots
at you.  Another sub will surface to the right of the first one.  Trouble spot
coming up.  While shooting that sub, you will have three green bombers come in
from the northeast traveling southwest slowly.  On 1-3 and 1-4 they will shoot
pink and lots of blue shots at you.  Blue shots will come in volleys of
three's.  If the right submarine is still alive, then you are gonna have a lot
of blue shots headed your way.  They are all aimed too.  So I recommend using a
super-shot on the second sub to sink it quick, and then do wide sweep from left
to right or the other way to dodge the blue shots from the green planes.  Good
news is that they stop shooting blue shots after two barrages I think.  Once
they stops shooting, try not to use super-shots on them because you will need
them later.

After that, you will have two more green bombers, first on the left, then
right.  There are some ALTs between them.  Once again, they only shoot blue
shots on the higher levels.  Use regular shots to dispatch them.  For the right
one, while shooting at it, make sure you take out the ALT that shows up near
it.  Start moving to the left as you are shooting both of them.  If you timed
it right, you last remaining fires and missiles will wipe out the bomber and
the ALT and you are already in position to assault the next set of targets.

Next up you will have two docked destroyers with three ALTs.  I go from left to
right, because the left destroyer shows up first.  First take out the ALT on
the left, then drop a super-shot on the left destroyer, then take out middle
ALT, then the right ALT, then finally the right destroyer.  Destroying the
right destroyer will free a power-up icon.  All power-ups now should give you
4000 points(drools) because you should be fully powered up by now, unless you
hit something that caused you to powered down, or if you got shot down.

Almost to the boss now.  All that stands between you and the boss is two
submarines, and a big white/grayish bomber.  The white bomber will shoot pink
bullets and pink and blue on high levels.  The subs will shoot aimed blue shots
at you.  Dispatch them with regular shots, because we will need the super-shots
very, very soon.

Boss - Battleship + Mech (Three Total Parts)

Part 1

I hate the first part of this boss on 1-3, and especially 1-4.  The first part
of the boss is a huge battleship sitting sideways, and its 210 guns(seems like
it) are all aimed at you.  The most imposing ones are the big turret and the
medium sized turret on the bow of the ship that shoots fast aimed blue shots at
you.  Those two scares me the most because sometimes it feel like the turret is
swinging around to track me, and before the cannon faces me head on, it's
shooting at me directly already!  The ship also has a bank of mini-turrets
facing you, and other guns hiding in every nook and cranny.  They shoot slow
pink, fast aimed blue, and fast blue sprays shots, oh my.  Quite an impressive
display of firepower.  Fortunately you have some serious firepower yourself.
It is called the 100% British Made and Guaranteed Anti-Boss Rolling-Napalm
Super-Shots.

On 1-3 and especially 1-4 this boss is quite a pain without using a bomb.  So
to make life easier, right when the battle starts, take a few potshots at the
row of mini-turrets, then cut right and take a few pot shots at the huge turret
and its partner, the medium sized turret, before they fully come onto the
screen.  Now press and release two super-shots as quickly as you can(now you
know why we need all the super-shots) and quickly cut to the left because the
two turrets will rain destruction up on you in the form of very quick aimed
blue shots.  Hopefully the two super-shots will have taken out the two turrets.
If not then just the medium sized one, and the big one will be blinking red
and a few shots away from joining its buddy.

If you have one more super-shot feel free drop it on the superstructure/mini-
turrets, while cutting back right to finish the big turret.  If the two turrets
are not destroyed, and you are stuck on near them, you are in trouble, because
the superstructure is about to shoot some fast sprays at you.  That along with
the shots from the turrets, and the slow pink bullets all around makes for some
fancy dodging.  I have only done it a few times on 1-4.  The same bullet always
hits me.  It's pretty funny and depressing.  Usually if I have no supershots
left, and I get stuck in that position, I use a bomb. The times I died with six
bombs in that part I almost fell down.  After the fast sprays, it will shoot 4
single aimed shots at you, one by one, in two waves.  Keeping shooting the
superstructure, and pretty soon, it will blow up(it always amazes me how a
single well-placed super-shot from the Zero, at the medium turret, can take
this boss out even at 1-4).  Out of the wreckage flies part two of the boss.

Part 2

Part two of the boss is a orange/brownish/reddish triangular cool looking
machine with a cannon pointing downward.  It will move left and right, and
shoot different patterns of shots to try to send you digging for another
quarter.  For its first attack it will shoot a big pink bullet toward the
center of the screen, and once there it will explode into a bunch of big pink
bullets.  There should be gaps on the left and right side of the screen.
Quickly move back to the middle of the screen, and about 1/3 from the bottom of
the screen.  Next the boss will start from the left and move to the right while
firing a bunch of slow pink bullets.  Don't be intimidated by them.  It may
look scary, but to avoid getting hit simply stay in the middle, when the
bullets are about to reach you move a little to the left and curl around and go
through the gap.

Next the boss will hover near the top right and disgorge three streams "claw
formation streams" blue shots.  Simply stay between them, and move left or
right when necessary.  Try not to panic.  The boss with repeat this attack
again, this time on the top left side I think.  After that attack the boss will
go to the top right, transform into a cool looking thing, and move to the left
while letting loose with lots of pink bullets.  Right about the same time a
flight of five ALFs will come down on the left side.  This attack is avoidable.
Simply cut to the right and up to avoid the whole mess, and it puts you in an
excellent defensive position for the next attack.  If you are using the
Pancake, your tracking lasers will take out the ALFs.  Spitfire users, if you