Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets are stationary tower enemies that fire streams of very fast bullets, targeting the player's Plane directly. Another variation appears later, whose bullets dramatically slow down after a while but the Turrets themselves discharge a radial swarm of projectiles on destruction.
Appearance[]
A Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turret appears mounted on top of a gray metal tower in a shape of a rounded rectangle, with two base supports on the shorter edges. Connecting from the armament to the front and rear on each side is three straight bars, with the notched one in the middle pulsing with pink lights. On the longer sides is a bulging part each, with a long purple light atop.
The second variation has a slightly different design: the corners of the main tower body are painted white, while attached to the side of each bulge is a black cylinder with patterns of pink lights on top.
The armament is a gray hemisphere with darker patterns on the sides and rear, featuring a spinning cone-shaped barrel at front surrounded with blades and divided into three parts. Beneath the armament is a purple ring adorned with many rotating purple lights.
Overall, they resemble a more futuristic version of regular Mantis Cannon Turrets.
Behavior[]
General[]
As a tower enemy, Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets are stationary and have more health than some other turrets. A red health bar is displayed above the armament when damage is dealt to it and fades after being left intact for a while.
The Plane cannot collide with Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets, it simply passes through them instead.
On destruction, Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets rarely drop Health Restore items.
Armament[]
Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets target the Plane directly but prioritize any active decoys placed by the Holo Granny Technician first instead. They fire a stream of 30 thin pink bullets with slight spread, each dealing slight damage. Two volleys are fired in rapid succession before a reload period, though they fire only once when first appearing in screen.
All projectiles discharged by the Turrets only damages the Plane while harmlessly phasing through other enemies. Each can be absorbed by Energy Shields, annihilated by either Mega Bombs or Iron Clad's Main Weapon Supercharge shockwaves, and slowed by Slo Mo Chan's ability.
Some traits are different among the first and second versions of Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets:
Type I[]
The first variation to be introduced fires bullets that travel at very high speed. It appears on Stage 11 and Stage 12.
Type II[]
The second variation fires bullets that initially travel at very high speed, but dramatically slow down after a while and often disappear later. This effectively causes the Turrets to have a limited range, which can be further reduced by equipping the Slo Mo Chan Technician.
As a second trait, a type II Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets discharges a Radial Cannon volley when destroyed, sending twelve swarms of four projectiles (48 in total) flying in all direction around itself. These projectiles also initially travel at very high speed but slow down after a while, acting as a temporal mine before disappearing. Each projectile deals high damage on contact and appears similarly to those discharged by most red Radial Cannons.
Second variations of Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets discharging their radial swarms on destruction.
Strategy[]
- Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets immediately fires once appearing on screen, which combined with their very fast bullet speed can catch players off-guard. Prevent this by studying their appearing locations beforehand and bursting them down before they retaliate, preferably by using Main Weapon Supercharge ability.
- Use the safe windows provided during the Turrets' reloading periods to deliver high damage with Main Weapon Supercharge.
- Against the type I variation, avoid moving the Plane too much or long distances, otherwise the Turret will spray its bullets everywhere in response, but moving it just fast enough to sufficiently evade a volley. The farther away from a Turret, the shorter you should move. Take advantage of the gaps created during cooldown periods to fly the Plane through if crammed.
- Against the type II variation:
- Once more, evade by take advantage of the gaps created during cooldown periods, which may be made easier when the bullets slow down.
- Stray from moving too much or long distances, the sprayed bullet when slowed down will form a long wall of hazards that forces you to retreat.
- Keep in mind about the radial swarm to not be surprised by the high-speed projectiles, as getting hit by only two of them is fatal. Pull the Plane away when you are about to destroy the Turret and navigate through the swarms after they slow down.
Trivia[]
- The Heavy Defense Drone uses a type II Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turret as its first armament, which is one Stage earlier than their official introduction.
- The ability to release a radial swarm on destruction is also shared by Volatile and Large Volatile Drones, Energized Spider Railguns and Experimental Heavy Gunships. Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turrets are the first enemy to introduce this trait.
- A bug on Stage 12 involves the three fixed Plasma Cannon Turrets and the Supercharged Mantis Cannon Turret behind them: if the laser raptors are successfully rescued and all four of these enemies are destroyed before the raptors fire their lasers, the last one of the group to be destroyed will become invulnerable and continue to function forever. This enemy is still counted as destroyed, however, as stars and points are rewarded and Chain Bonuses remain after the screen pass by it.[1][2]
Images[]