Cards/Card 9

**Card 9** or **Main Weapon Supercharge** is a Permanent Bonus Card, which grants a unique ability to supercharge the Main Weapon.

## Card 9

* Front
* Back

## In-game Description

*Supercharge module has been installed. To use it - add second finger just next to the one you're controlling your plane with. Weapons will stop firing and begin to charge. When you release the finger, the cannon will fire accumulated bullets for a short time. Charging process requires the navigation computer to be halted, so the plane will not be able to move for a short time.*

***Warning:** If you charge the weapon for too long, the module will explode.*

## Function

Upon acquiring the card, pressing your second finger right next to the one controlling the Plane on mobile devices (or by pressing an assigned key on the Steam/Console version) will cause its weapons (Main, Wing Cannons, Missiles, Technicians and Support Drones) to be temporary inactive. This does not apply to Magnet and the abilities to rescue survivors or charging power-up dispensers. Lucky Shield still functions like normal if you receive a fatal blow. As charging the module requires both fingers to be pressed, the uses of power-ups is disabled on the mobile version. When charging, your Plane's movement will also be disabled, making your Plane especially vulnerable to damage.

By releasing the second finger, the Main Cannon will discharge all the bullets that it would have fired during the charging duration, all at once during a very short period. This leads to a mighty surge of firepower and can be very helpful when used wisely. However, other weapon systems will just start firing like normal.

When charging, there are yellow particles that the Plane will absorb, as well as the Plane itself start glowing bright-yellow and will flash a few times. If the second finger is not released shortly after the flashes, the Plane will explode, killing the player and immediately ending the Stage as a "Game Over". Charges are not refresh entirely when the finger is released, therefore if the player charges and releases the finger in short bursts, then the charge will accumulate and can eventually lead to an explosion as well.

There are a few Planes with unique supercharging patterns. Iron Clad's supercharge causes a shockwave that blows away enemies' projectiles (radius is dependent on charging duration), and Octopus's supercharge (Steam/Console version exclusive) will cause it to discharge multiple high-damaging missiles instead of shooting the Main Cannon, whereas it functions like any other plane on mobile. Supercharging with Gladius will cause the end of its attack range to focus into a point, allowing for massive damage at a distance.

## Strategy

Main Weapon Supercharge (MWS) is a crucial mechanic in the game, used extensively to swiftly take out high health or dangerous enemies. MWS is most useful in Boss fights, especially during their animations when appearing or in between phases. By remembering the patterns of Stages or Boss phases, the player can use the MWS to take out those armaments as soon as they appear, even on Nightmare difficulty. This is an expertise of the Octopus Plane on Steam and Console version.

With The Classic, the high damage from MWS can be used to take out long vertical fleets of Prop Planes or Drones, or lines of turrets placed after one another thanks to its superior piercing ability. One of its best use cases is against the Nuclear Ballistic Missiles on Stage B2 which normally have ridiculously high health, since they not only have one hitbox, but four (Laser power-up can do the same job).

While rescuing survivors or charging power-ups from dispensers, MWS can be used during the long period of just waiting in order to annihilate any enemies once the charge/rescue is completed. Make sure that the Plane will not leave the radius required for those actions during the MWS, due to automatic screen scrolling.

## Gallery

An Iron Clad's shockwave that blows away many bullets discharged by one of Omega's engines.Octopus's supercharge releasing a spectacularly destructive missile swarm.Gladius's slightly focused beam of bullets after using MWS.