Episode 18b - Shadow of the Valkyrur ("Final Showdown")

Your final showdown in Valkyria Chronicles! Learn the strategy to destroy the towers and defeat the Shadow of the Valkyrur boss with this detailed walkthrough.

Alright, we've made it to the final showdown: Episode 18b, the Shadow of the Valkyrur! This battle might seem a bit anticlimactic, but don't let that fool you. The key here is to destroy the towers before you can really take down the boss. You've only got 3 phases to snag an A rank, and honestly, the longer this fight drags on, the tougher it gets. The boss has a nasty screen-wide attack that can melt your tanks, so we need to be efficient!

Preparation is Key:

• Tanks: Make absolutely sure both of your tanks have at least two mortar rounds each. Upgrade their HP and defense with the best body armor you can get. Seriously, respec entirely for HP and defense; aiming isn't the priority here.
• Ground Units: By now, you should have top-tier armor for your ground troops and weapons ranging from 10R to 30R. Your shocktroopers, lancers, and snipers should all be around level 18.

Deployment:

For your starting lineup, place two snipers in the back. Put Rosie and another shocktrooper in the front two spots (one on each side). Behind each of your shocktroopers, deploy Largo and another lancer. Don't forget to slot Alicia in there for extra Command Points (CP).

You'll also notice some rubble falling throughout the battle. Don't worry about it; it's harmless and you can drive right through it.

Phase 1: Clearing the Towers and Initial Assault

1. Objective: Destroy the close-range towers and the far-off tower.
2. Action: Use your two shocktroopers to run along the outer edges of the walls in front of them (stay out of the middle!). Shoot the towers directly ahead. These have miniguns, but your shocktroopers should handle them fine.
3. Targeting Tip: These towers have incredibly small weak spots. You'll need to go into targeting mode and hit 'next enemy' to ensure you're actually hitting them. Keep an eye on the 'shots-to-kill' count.
4. Action: Once both side towers are down, use those walls for cover so the boss can't see your units.
5. Action: Select your best sniper (Ultimate Accuracy is a huge help here) and target the tower on the far side of the map. It should only take one shot.
6. Cover: You'll likely need to duck behind the nearest tank for cover before popping out to shoot. Make sure to end your turn in cover.
7. Action: Move both of your tanks forward and up the ramps on either side of the boss. Drive through any rubble you encounter – no need to go around.
8. Action: Use your tanks' mortars to attack the boss. Mortars deal more damage than standard tank shots, but if the Shamrock's anti-personnel weapon is stronger, use that.
9. Action: Select Welkin and mortar the boss again. This should bring him to just over half health, triggering a cutscene.
10. Boss Action: The boss will power up and reposition himself further back.
11. Positioning: Try to end Welkin's turn just west of where the boss started, facing that spot. Then, move the Shamrock forward just enough to mortar him again, and back up to end east of his original position, facing it.
12. End Turn: Save your last CP and end the phase.

Phase 2: Destroying the Power Towers and Finishing the Boss

On his turn, the boss will heal a bit and slowly advance, but he won't attack. Then, he'll unleash that devastating screen-wide attack and move back towards his starting point. Your tanks should survive this if they're sufficiently upgraded; if not, you might need to invest more in their upgrades (you should have plenty of money by now!).

Now, three more random towers will activate and power the boss. You can identify them on the overhead map by the special blue lines connecting them to the boss.

1. Objective: Destroy all three power towers in 5 CP or less.
2. Tower Weaknesses: Each tower can be destroyed in two shots or fewer. Forward towers can be taken out by shocktroopers in one shot (try to save Rosie for later if possible). The far back and side towers require two sniper shots each, but they're easier to hit. Armored towers (closer to the boss) need two lancer shots.
3. Lancer Strategy: Your lancers will need to move into positions where they can hit the towers but remain hidden from the boss. Having one lancer on each side, perhaps near where your shocktroopers shot the initial towers, is a good spot. You might need to save and reload a few times to get this right.
4. Example: For instance, you might need to destroy one front tower, one side tower, and one armored tower. This should be achievable within 5 CP.
5. Finishing the Boss: This leaves you with 8 CP to defeat the boss, as your tanks can't withstand another power attack.
6. Orders: Use the Attack, Neutralize, and possibly the Defend order on your best shocktrooper (Rosie is a good choice).
7. Welkin's Role: Select Welkin and move him north of the boss. Fire a mortar to make the boss face north (towards Welkin) and bring him close to half health. This might not be essential if you used the Defend order.
8. Rosie's Assault: Run Rosie up near the Shamrock and position her so the tank fires when she does. Shoot the boss – headshots probably don't matter. Quickly end your turn, then reselect Rosie and repeat.
9. Final Blow: You should only need about 3 CP with the Shamrock's assistance (her double-attack potential is a huge help if you have it). If you need 4 CP, just skip the Defend order and hope the boss doesn't target you between shots.

Once he's down, congratulations! You've completed the final showdown!