Fortress Wahnen (城塞バネント) is the second stage in Strider 2. The stage's official full name is "Invade and attack the armed fortress" (武装城塞侵攻, lit. Armed Fortress Invasion). The fortress's name comes from the German word "wahnen", which translates roughly into "delusion".
Story[]
Fortress Wahnen is a stronghold that has been remodelled from an old castle[4]. Originally an ancient castle located in the "Niedersachsen" (Lower Saxony) region in Germany, it was obtained by the excentric scientist Herzog Schlange and rebuilt extensively with modern technology, transforming the ancient castle into an "anachronic fortress" where old and new technology mixes together[2][5]. Fortress Wahnen became Schlange's base of operations, from where he provides Grandmaster Meio's allies with his mechanical creations, in an effort to make an exhibit of his country.[2][5]
The fortress houses Schlange's personal army, consisting of trained soldiers, old-fashioned armored knights, military an assortment of vehicles and bizarre autonomous machines and weapons of his own making.
Following his battle in Neo Hong Kong City, Hiryu tracks down the origin of the "distorted technology" into this fortress[6], and infiltrates it looking for clues about Schlange's purposes[2][5]. Eventually reaching the secret basement beneath the fortress, Hiryu is confronted by Schlange and his Aluminium Hydra. After their defeat in battle, an injured Schlange can only call Hiryu a fool for challenging their Lord while the Strider slowly approaches him for the final strike.
Layout[]
Fortress Wahnen Outer Wall (城塞バネント外郭)
Known as "The outside area of Fortress Wahnen" in the English script.
A small walled yard with a few buildings, found in the outside perimeter of the castle itself, before the castle's moat. Hiryu starts outside one of the walls he must climb in order to enter. From this point extends a small area with a large building in its center, which can be traveled through two routes: either jump across to reach the rooftops, or drop below and continue on land until one reaches a small yard. There's a switch in the lower path, however, which once stepped activates a cage door that blocks the yard, forcing Hiryu to backtrack. Both areas lead to a large tower in the second half of the building.
The area is crowded by Fortress Guards, who run back and forth trying to attack or shoot at Hiryu. After reaching the top of the tower, Hiryu notices the Skewer Cannon and slowly walks down to face it.
Fortress Wahnen Armory (城塞バネント武器庫)
Known as "The weapon storage area of Fortress Wahnen" in the English script.
A small armory right next to the previous area which houses vehicles used by Schlange's army, including two tanks labeled S-21 and T43b and a few mechanical horses visible in the background. Piles of breakable boxes and metal barrels can be seen at each end of the room, which can be destroyed to uncover Score Up items.
As soon as he arrives at this place Hiryu is confronted by the Knight Leader and its powerful steed, Metall Hengst.
Fortress Wahnen Connecting Bridge (城塞バネント連絡橋)
Known as "The bridge of Fortress Wahnen" in the English script.
A long bridge over the castle moat made of stone parts and metal foundations, connecting the outer areas to the fortress itself. It is not fully straight, going into high ascending and descending areas at points. Several breakable wooden boxes stand as obstacles, as well as Fortress Guards and the ocassional ground mine.
In this place Hiryu is pursued by the Pulverizer Armored Vehicle codename T-54 as it attempts to run him over. The armored vehicle destroys the stone parts of the bridge as it passes over them, leaving Hiryu no other choice but to run ahead until the end of the bridge, which is separate from the castle's entrance by an open pit. While Hiryu can easily jump over this chasm, the T-54 simply drives out of it and sinks in the waters below. After that, Hiryu must destroy the Sturmgeschutz V in order to cross the entrance into Fortress Wahnen.
Fortress Wahnen Prison Tower (城塞バネント監獄塔)
Known as "The prison tower of Fortress Wahnen" in the English script.
One of the four towers in Fortress Wahnen housing a dungeon inside. The Alchemist lurks in this area, using the prisoners trapped there for his own experiments. The starting area is a long hall with machinery and gears in its background. A single metal pipe runs above the area, installed with several burners which fire a stream of flames downwards. The path is blocked by Modified Guillotines, and includes a trap door at the very beginning.
Following this area is the prison tower itself. This is a long ascent upwards across several cell blocks, whose metal doors are visible in the background. The whole area is protected by the medieval-styled Armored Guards, found standing in the metal platforms and balconies seen across the tower's walls. The Alchemist awaits at the top of the tower, where he summons the Dullahan to eliminate Hiryu.
Fortress Wahnen Inner Quarters (城塞バネント内郭)
Known as "The walls of Fortress Wahnen" in the English script.
The fortress' largest area as it goes throughout the walls and towers surrounding the inner quarters of the fortress. Hiryu starts out climbing through one of the towers while avoiding electric emitters, taking on enemies in front of a two-barreled cannon in its top and then descending into a nearby wall. This area is a large empty space with Floating Mines and more enemy soldiers. This leads into the second tower, where fireballs constantly fall from the sky, marked by two yellow crosshairs indicating where they will land.
There's a hidden area going around the second tower, blocked by electric emitters and which leads into a path with several hidden Score Items. The final stretch is another long path reaching the final tower, which is protected by more electric emitters and the Search Lantern. Crossing over the tower leads to the exit, protected by the black armored Elite Guard.
Fortress Wahnen Underground Cave (城塞バネント地下洞)
Known as "The dungeon of Fortress Wahnen" in the English script.
A rather large cavern found beneath the fortress, where Herzog Schlange awaits. This area is an underground lake with a simple circular stone walkway build over it, surrounding the Aluminium Hydra, Schlange's most powerful creation. Hiryu drops from the entrance on top and is greeted by Schlange as he commands his Hydra and some Light Armored Guards to kill him.
At one side of the cavern, in the background, stand what appears to be a large pipe organ, possibly meant to be played by Schlange during the battle.
Stage Enemies[]
Enemies present in this stage include:
- Fortress Guard (Scenes 1, 2, 3 and 5)
- Knight (Scenes 1 and 3)
- Iron Ball Guardian (Scene 1*)
- Skewer Cannon (Scene 1 Boss)
- Metall Hengst (Scene 2 Boss)
- T-54 (Scene 3)
- Ground Mines (Scene 3*)
- Spike Bomb Machine (Scene 3*) -Arcade version only-
- Sturmgeschutz V (Scene 3 Boss)
- Armored Guard (Scenes 4, 5 and 6)
- Modified Guillotine (Scene 4)
- Rasenmäher (Scene 4)
- Floating Mines (Scenes 4* and 5)
- The Alchemist (Scene 4)
- Dullahan (Scene 4 Boss)
- Search Lantern (Scene 5)
- Armored Guard (Scene 5 Boss)
- Aluminium Hydra (Scene 6 Boss)
- Herzog Schlange (Scene 6 Boss)
Note: Scenes marked with an asterisk indicate the enemy only appears during the harder stage layouts, only accessed if the stage is not played first.
Hidden Items[]
A listing of locations for all known hidden Score Up items in this stage.
Scene 1 Locations | ||
---|---|---|
Order | Hidden Item | Information |
#1 | From the top of the wall at the beginning, perform a Hassou Jump left and jump at its apex, then strike at the area to reveal the item floating high above. | |
#2 | Stand on the wall and perform a double jump upwards, then strike the area. | |
#3 | Strike at the base of the wall. | |
#4 | Move through the lower path until reaching the switch and cage trap, then cling and strike the area at the left of it, next to the little incline in the ceiling. | |
#5 | On the upper path, strike the area in front of the right-side windows in the first building's rooftop. | |
#6 | In the tower before the boss, perform a Double Jump upwards and strike at the area high above. Move carefully since this item can't be picked if the boss cutscene is activated. |
Scene 2 Locations | ||
---|---|---|
Order | Hidden Item | Information |
#1-4 | (RANDOM) | There are a total of four score items in this boss-only scene, found beneath the three wooden boxes on the left side and the set of metal oil barrels on the right side. Each wooden box takes 8 hits to destroy, while the oil barrels take a total of 16 hits. The items hidden beneath appear to be randomly generated. |
Scene 3 Locations | ||
---|---|---|
Order | Hidden Item | Information |
#1 | Near the last set of boxes in the scene, there's one box floating in the air and two standing together in the path. The first item is hidden high above to the right of the floating box. | |
#2 | Some distance away right from #1, above the other boxes. |
Scene 4 Locations | ||
---|---|---|
Order | Hidden Item | Information |
#1 | At the beginning of the stage activate the trapdoor and let the approaching Rasenmäher to fall into it. The enemy will explode and reveal an item. | |
#2 | Cling the ceiling next to the Modified Guillotine and strike at the right-most side. | |
#3-4 | Strike the area under the first metal girder to reveal two hidden items. | |
#5 | On the second metal girder, strike the left area at the base of the wall. | |
#6 | Stand at the edge of the ledge directly above the girder from #5 and strike left to reveal the item floating above the "N-5" in the wall. | |
#7 | Following from #4, the very first ledge on the left wall. |
Scene 5 Locations | ||
---|---|---|
Order | Hidden Item | Information |
#1 | At the beginning of the scene, go left and cling from the ledge Hiryu starts on, then strike left to reveal the item. | |
#2 | Stand on the first cannon and perform a double jump upwards to reach the hidden item. | |
#3 | Destroy the first set of spinning Floating Mines and the item will appear floating where they were. | |
#4 | Destroy the 2nd set of spinning Floating Mines and the item will apear floating where they were. | |
#5-6 | After passing the part with the raining fireballs there's an alternate path down, covered with electric emitters. Climb down and move into the small alcove left, then strike left a few steps ahead to reveal two hidden items. | |
#7-8 | From #5-6, strike at the area before the small incline leading into the end of the alternative path. | |
#9 | Stand on top of the Search Lantern's round part and, when it extends fully, perform a double jump upwards and strike at the item hidden high above. |
Scene 6 Locations | ||
---|---|---|
Order | Hidden Item | Information |
#1 | Above Schlange just as the scene starts. | |
#2 | In the first gap left of the starting point, climb down and strike the middle. | |
#3 | In the third gap right of the starting point, climb the left side and strike right. |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Fortress Wahnen was apparently the first stage to be worked on, and the first stage to be playable during the game's showings at the 1999 E3 and Tokyo Game Show events. The build used during E3 ended up stored in the programmer's hard disk as a "memorial" of the difficulties the team had during its development.[7]
- The map displayed in the beginning is actually that of Vancouver, Canada.
References[]
- ↑ Capcom (February 2000, PlayStation). Strider Hiryû 1&2 (Japanese). Mission 2: Armed Fortress Invasion; Scene 1: Old Germany Niedersachsen Area. Fortress Wahnen Outer Wall
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Capcom (September 1999). JAMMA AM Show Game Flyer (English).
- ↑ Capcom (February 22, 2014). Strider Hiryu Visual Chronicle (Japanese). Pg. 41
- ↑ Staff (Autumn 1999). "Strider Hiryû 2". CFC Style Fan-Book CAP! (11). Pg. 4
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Capcom (1999). Strider Hiryu 2 Pamphlet (Japanese).
- ↑ Capcom (December 1999, Arcade). Strider Hiryu 2 (Japanese). Stage 2 Briefing
- ↑ Yamamoto, Setsuo; Yoneda, Etsuko (January 21, 2000). Strider Hiryû 2 Official Soundtrack. [CD]. Suleputer, CPCA-1035. Liner Notes, pg. 3-4.