The Ironclad Commander — Strinova Walkthrough

Defeat The Ironclad Commander in Strinova's Steel Sentinel mission. Exploit its environmental weaknesses and manage multiple threats effectively.

The Ironclad Commander is a formidable mini-boss you'll encounter midway through the "Steel Sentinel" mission. This heavily armored human-piloted mech acts as a gatekeeper, testing your ability to manage multiple threats and exploit environmental hazards. While not as complex as a full boss, underestimating the Commander can lead to a swift defeat.

Your primary objective is to disable its heavy weapon systems and then expose the pilot. The arena is littered with explosive barrels and cover points, which you'll need to utilize effectively. The Commander itself has two main attack phases, indicated by its weapon loadout.

• Phase 1: Gatling Barrage. The Commander will unleash a continuous stream of bullets, suppressing your position. Focus fire on its shoulder-mounted Gatling Cannons to overheat them.
• Phase 2: Missile Salvo. Once the Gatling Cannons are disabled, the Commander switches to launching homing missiles. These can be shot down or dodged by using the arena's cover. During this phase, a weak point on its back will briefly glow after each missile volley.

Strategy:

1. Immediately take cover behind the large concrete barriers at the start of the encounter.
2. During the Gatling Barrage, peek out and target one of the Commander's shoulder-mounted Gatling Cannons. Use your highest damage-per-shot weapon.
3. Once a cannon is destroyed, reposition and focus on the second.
4. When the Commander switches to Missile Salvo, prioritize shooting down incoming missiles or using quick dodges behind cover.
5. After a missile volley, sprint behind the Commander and unload into the glowing weak point on its back. Repeat until defeated.