After completing all normal stages, I’ve finally reached the EX Stages, and they’re tough!
For EX I, I’ve used a moderate team, as it was after completing SEED stages, the pilots and units were in good form, though I couldn’t complete all War Breaks (I reloaded after one of my units got IHKO by a Geara Doga O_o).
For EX II, my team was formed by many level 1 grunt suits and a few good leveled pilots, so I gave up even before the 1st Wars Break.
For EX III I used good suits with all main characters possible, though many of them are still in low level (got Kira and Usso as my two last scout links), so I stopped at the last Wars Break once again.
- What’s up with SEED series and all the time limited stages, really?
- V’s stage is tough if you let Angel Hailow affect your team
- EX Stages I, II and III: antagonists showdown, no Wars Breaks for me
- Let the grinding begin!
New Generation, Cosmic Era, Descending Sword
Archangel finally reaches Alaska, though having lost Strike and Kira going MIA. By the prelude to the stage, one who never watched SEED can easily misunderstand that both were lost during Archangel’s reentry to Earth.
Natarle and Mwu are transferred, and Archangel is now affiliated to Alaska’s defense forces. But ZAFT starts a massive attack against the base, while the Alliance’s plan is to annihilate them using the microwave bomb Cyclops System. Mwu comes back to alert the Archangel crew of this, while being welcomed by both Yzak and Creuset. The Cyclops activates in 14 turns and, after a few turns, Kira arrives in the Freedom Gundam.
Confront Creuset with Mwu, and the Union’s Overflag squad comes in to pursue the Archangel. Defeat Graham with the Master Unit and Char sends in Garma to intervene.
New Generation, Cosmic Era, To the Sky of Dawn
The desolated Archangel escapes from the Alliance’s plan, but now has no one else to rely on but Orb, the neutral country. Unluckly enough, the Alliance has lost their last Mass Driver, so they’re after Orb’s. With Orb’s denial of cooperation, the Alliance goes for the use of force, declaring the neutral country to be allied with Plants.
Archangel and Kusanagi are preparing to launch but the Alliance forces surround them. Archangel launches in 7 or so turns, while Kusanagi will take an extra 3 turn. The 3 Extendeds launch, so it’s up to Kira to defeat either one of them.
As the druggies retreat, the 3 Throne pilots deploy and confront Kira in a full CG movie. But he’s got Justice’s sudden help. Defeat either one of the Thrones with Kira and Union forces arrives once again leaded by Graham.
Origin Generation, Next-Generation Conflict, At the Angel Hailow
Zanscare’s massive force are ready to protect the Angel Hailow, which has several psychics inside it that will pray for the end of fighting. Their power would dry mankind’s will for combat, and Shakti is one of them. The Liga Milita is ready to take on them with the Federation’s help.
Confront Katejina with Usso and one more crazy woman appears: Fara in the Gengaozo, alonside Tashiro. Behind you, the Black Troops commanded by Zanbine appear. Once the Angel Hailow’s effects are unleashed, all allied forces’ tension will reverse: all units in Super Strike mode will get into Confusion, while those in low tension will get high tension (strangely enough). Just stick all units into a battleship to avoid this effect (at least for non-battleship units).
Confront Fara with Usso and Gym will activate the Kaylas Guillie using the Moonlight Butterfly. After destroying the Angel Hailow, Gym advances toward you.
Extra Generation, EX I, Storm that Runs Through
The expected scenario is the finale from 0083, with Gato in the Neue Ziel leading the Zeon remnants into the slaughter while waiting for the colony to reach the limit line. But this time, there’s no Federation, just you.
Gato and the Zeon remnants are easy to take on. Defeat Gato with the Master Unit and Delaz is killed by Cima, who escapes. But before dying, Delaz wishes for the Generation System to take on his task over his dead body, making Cima confused. Cima retreats to her fleet, while the Titans deploy with the mirrors to counter the colony.
Turn over and take on Cima and the Titans. Defeat her with the Master Unit and Haman arrives with her Neo Zeon fleet to cover Delaz’s will. But as soon as she arrives, Char and his Neo-Zeon troops also intervene, saying she’s not up to the task of freeing Earth’s mankind from gravity.
But there’s one more actor to complete the cast: Scirocco arrives, saying the world needs to be driven by a genius. But for Char he’s just another puppet being controlled by fools. Scirocco leaves surprised by Char’s words, and gets Sara and Reccoa’s company. Now it’s up to you to take on Neo-Zeon from both sides (on the upper map), while Scirocco awaits near the mirror (bottom map).
Defeat either one of Haman, Char or Scirocco with the Master Unit and the show goes on. The Crossbone Vanguard also demands some part of the feast, with the Iron Mask deploying some bugs and the Lafflesia. At the west, Fara, Tashiro, Chronicle and Katejina come out too.
Defeat Garozzo with the Master Unit and other bosses complete the cast: Glemmy and Ple, Ple Two, alongside Newtype forces at east; Gyunei and Quess at west.
I gave up the last Wars Break in exchange for my survival, as I could barely defeat Lafflesia by surrounding him and taking bits of his HP until he could no longer attack, cast into Confusion.
My team consisted of heavily underleveled pilots using underleveled units, with Relena being my highest leveled character (level 15), although she’s a co-captain. My best unit, or the one who dealt most damage, was the Epyon piloted by Quattro, and he wasn’t even the Master Unit (shame on me).
With this in mind, for now, I’ll choose Kou as my next scout link and postpone this stage’s full madness after I complete the regular series and get some grinding done.
Another Generation, After Colony, Clashing Space
Finally came to Wing’s finale, after postponing it for a good while. Here, White Fang takes over Libra and is ready to fire its cannon at Earth. Meanwhile, Treize is gathering his troops at MO-II.
The Wing boys get together to confront Milliardo, but he presents them with Vayate and Mercurius, both programmed using Heero and Trowa’s data. Defeat both Vayate and Mercurius with Heero and the confrontation occurs.
Treize asks Milliardo for a one-on-one battle, which the latter declines. The cutscene movie ensues, Milliardo orders the Libra to fire against MO-II, and Treize watches the outcome. The blast is absorbed by Alvatore’s GN Field, as Alejandro Corner is willing to take over the world. Treize, however, has other things to worry about. Wu-fei presents himself for a challenge. Defeat Treize with Wu-fei and the Titans make their last attempt to prevent the loss of OZ.
At this stage, I experimented the use of Gundam Aquarius, which has a map attack called Anti-MD Virus, which drains all energy of all Mobile Dolls within range. My concerns for the Planet Defensors were eased at least for one front of the battle.
Another Generation, Earthlight Moonlight Butterfly, Impact Dark History
The Wilgeim reaches Moon’s town, but they’re attacked by Gym’s troops led by Sweatson. While Glen is negotiating with Maintener, the Wilgeim clashes into his building. Turn A and others launch to protect the Wilgeim. Meanwhile, your forces confront a Zssan army from their Moutain Cycle counterpart. Defeat Sweatson with Loran and Gym calls Loran for a challenge. Loran goes out to the moon surface, while the attack against Wilgeim continues.
The combat at land is separate from the main battle, so one must be careful not to lose important units like the Kapools. Confront Gym with Loran and Harry arrives at the castle bringing Diana. They unveal the Dark History, which tells them the truth about the Turns and their participation in history.
Mashmar appears once again to interfere, unaware of the Dark History’s impact.
Another Generation, Earthlight Moonlight Butterfly, Moonlight Butterfly
After seeing the truth about Dark History, Glen turn’s his will against Diana and joins Gym’s forces. They head to Earth to conquer the Militia and Diana Counter. Being left at Moon, Loran and co. make use of the only spaceship left, to come back and help the remaining Diana Counter. Gym deploys to destroy the Soleil, but Loran arrives in time.
Confront Gym with Loran and Gym retreats back near his ship. The Wilgeim arrives and Turn X’s Moonlight Butterfly activates Glen’s Black Doll Psyco Gundam.
Defeat Glen with Loran and Urube, now completely taken over by DG cells, appears in the Grand Master Gundam, surrounding your forces.
Extra Generation, Ex II, Endless Waltz
One year after the battle between White Fang and World Nation, Earth finally seemed to be in peace. However, while mankind exists, war never ends. Mariemaia Kushrenada kidnaps Relena and plans to colony drop the X-18999. Down at the presidential shelter, everything is running according to the Generation System.
However, an unknown forces are ready to take on them. They deploy the Serpents and Wu-fei, who wants to verify our justice. Defeat Wu-fei with the Master Unit.
At this time, I had a very underleveled forces, with too many level 1 grunt suits and a few experienced pilots, so I didn’t dare to trigger even the first Wars Break. I’ll leave it to the next time.
New Generation, Cosmic Era, Light of Closure
After the runaway from Earth Alliance forces, the Triple Ship Alliance gather their strength at colony Mendel. Meanwhile, Earth Alliance is ready to take on ZAFT’s fortress Jaqin Due. However, Patrick Zala has other means to end the war and orders the Genesis to fire, decimating the Alliance’s forces. The Triple Ship Alliance deploys to destroy Genesis, but Dominion arrives to take on both Archangel and ZAFT. Destroy Dominion with Archangel and Creuset launches in the Providence Gundam.
Confront Creuset with Kira, and Patrick is assassinated by those who are against his genocide. Axis forces arrive, and Char feels that the murderous intent is gone. He deploys in the Neue Ziel II.
New Generation, Break the World, At the End of Retaliation
Djibril reaches the Alliance’s ultimate base of Dydalos, at the darkside of the Moon, to fire the Requiem. Even though it’s shot misses Aprililus, Plant’s governamental colony, it still destroys many other colonies. ZAFT’s Minerva reaches the base to destroy Requiem’s control center, but Djibril deploys the base’s defensive forces. Lunamaria prepares to sneak into the control center, while Rey and Shinn will draw the enemies’ attention under 6 turns.
Let Shinn reach the base first and Lunamaria destroys the control center safely.
The Zanscare intervenes with Katejina and Chronicle’s fleet. Djibril launches in the Girty Lue in order to escape under 4 turns. Destroy Girty Lue with Shinn and the Frost brothers arrive with D.O.M.E. bits.
Extra Generation, Ex IV, Destiny Set Free
In order to erradicate wars from mankind’s soul, Gilbert Dullindal declares the activation of Destiny Plan, a measure that will define one person’s role in society by gene, extinguishing ambition and desire from people’s mind.
Shinn is hesitating about this, but he can’t turn back now, as an unknown forces approach Dullindal’s fortress Messiah. Dullindal mentions that the world’s mess is caused by Generation System, and it’s his will to undo this trouble. Shinn and Rey deploy against the unknown forces, those who are willing to stop Dullindal’s plan.
Defeat eaither Shinn or Rey with the Master Unit, and Dominion appears. Azrael is willing to take over the Messiah to his own, so he orders not to destroy it, and deploys the 3 Extendeds.
Defeat either one of Clotho, Orga or Shani with the Master Unit and Phantom Pain arrives. Neo launches himself on the Exus alongside the 3 Extendeds.
Defeat Neo with Master Unit and the GN-X forces arrive, led one side by Sergei and Soma, and the other by Patrick.
Defeat either one of Soma, Sergei or Patrick with Master Unit and Alejandro Corner appears in the Alvatore.
At this stage, I solely ignored the 4th Wars Trigger, since I presumed I wouldn’t survive it, even though my team was more balanced than the last Ex stage.
So, I’ve finally reached the 4th Ex stage, and I assumed it’s best I start grinding now, since I barely survived the 3 Ex stages with absolutely no grinding so far. So I’ll restart playing the normal stages again until I’m confident enough to face all the Ex stages once again, and complete all Wars Breaks.
I’ve yet to complete the profile at 95%, and I didn’t even get Freedom or V2 or the Crossbone Gundams yet. Oh well, there’s still a long road ahead.