Bee Preying: Online DoDonPachi Conquest Manual
Although all of the six fighter type varieties will help you earn a high score, some fighters require more commitment. It is up to you to find which one suits you best. Consider the following points:

Fighter speed

When the fighter is moving but is either not firing a weapon or firing the powered weapon, type A is faster than type B, and type B is faster than type C. When the fighter is moving and the laser is fired, laser-powered fighters are faster than shot-powered fighters. It has been unconfirmed whether the shot-powered fighters are faster than laser-powered fighters when the fighter is moving and the shot is fired rapidly.

Fighter speed is not much of a concern when you're trying to string together a massive chain and collect bonus items. It is a concern, however, when you're trying to evade bullets. Much of the game throws bullets that aim for your fighter instead of those that spew in random directions or orderly patterns. A fast fighter would evade these aimed bullets easily. Later in the game, however, the game begins to mix aimed bullets with the other mentioned ways the enemies spew bullets. A slower fighter would be more suitable for squeezing through such a bullet mess.

When I began playing DoDonPachi rigorously, I started with the type C-S and found that I had trouble evading aimed bullets. I switched to type A-L and found that fighter to be better suited for my skills. Thus, I recommend to begin with a slow fighter, and as you experience more of the game, consider whether a faster fighter is more suitable.

Powered weapon

Shot-powered fighters have stronger shots, but they have a small, weak aura and a laser that is unable to cut through rows of small enemies quickly. Laser-powered fighters have a larger aura and a strong laser capable of cutting through these small enemies, but they have weaker shots.

Since DoDonPachi mixes weak enemies and stronger enemies throughout the game, choosing which weapon to strengthen depends on how much you want to move. Shot-powered fighters are for those who prefer to sit in a small area while letting the bullets quickly destroy smaller enemies in a larger field. Laser-powered fighters are for those who like to move around and destroy the larger enemies quickly.

A powered weapon is only effective if the option formation complements it. The type A fighter has a limited shot range so powering its laser would be more useful than powering its laser. The type B and C fighters have a larger shot range so powering their shots would be more useful.

Option formation and behavior

The option formation you choose greatly depends on the way you would like to attack DoDonPachi. Type A is best for those who want to string together long chains. Its powerful forward-firing shot can pick off enemies one at a time, so there is less of a chance of cutting off a chain too early. Type C is best for those who want to survive, because its firing range can destroy multiple enemies quickly. Type B is best for those who wants versatility. Careless piloting of the type B fighter will result in chains cut off too early and options firing at nothing, but one who harnesses its strong shot power effectively will enjoy its type-A-like power with type-C-like range.

I prefer type A. Once I learn to live with the limited range, I can rack up humongous scores from both living long and connecting enemies together to continue a chain. Yet it is possible to learn how to chain well with type C and to do anything good with type B, so it is up to you to decide which aspect of DoDonPachi you would love to exploit.

Fighter ranking

If you remain unsure of which fighter to use, the following is how I rank the fighters from the best one to the worst one. Note that I have yet to use types A-S and B-L rigorously enough to rank them properly. (I would rank the B-L higher than the B-S just because the Arcadia record for the type B uses it.)

1. A-L: Once you practice squeezing through tight bullet masses, this fighter's speed and power will help you earn the highest of scores. It's fast enough to evade bullets and connect enemies to continue a chain, plus it can destroy bosses quickly with its laser. A fun ship to use!

2. C-S: It's more difficult to learn to chain with this slow ship, but once you do, you can endure through the many bullet fights you'll have to put up throughout the game. It can cover the screen with bullets so lots of enemies can die quickly when you need them to die quickly. Lots of DoDonPachi players use this ship so receiving help for using this fighter well is readily available.

3. B-S: It takes more practice to control this ship properly, but once you master this ship, you will enjoy the shot power and range that this ship packs. And since barely anyone uses this fighter, fellow DoDonPachi players will commend your efforts.

4. C-L: Survival is important in DoDonPachi, and covering the screen with weak bullets is a weak way to survive. Connecting enemies is difficult since small enemies can sustain two hits and surviving is tough with only the laser being the powerful weapon. Plus, the ship remains to be slow. Have fun...


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