R-Type/Stage 3

Gigantic Warship
For this stage, you will be flying along a giant warship. It will fly in from the right, and slowly migrate to the left. It is loaded with guns and other weapons, but most of them fire rather slowly. The first section that you will encounter is the rear engine. It fires large orbs of energy in three directions, and blasts fire directly behind. Do not remain directly behind it, as your Force cannot absorb the energy. However, you should attempt to destroy it as quickly as possible with Wave Beams or sending the Force to hit it. A power-up transport will appear, offering the Ground laser. Against this warship, it’s not a bad way to do damage to it, but you must position yourself above or below the ship, or the flames will not do any damage. A second transport will also give you ground lasers as well. You will first have the opportunity to use them against the top of the ship, to take out the cannons mounted on the rear.

Eventually, the warship will float up, exposing its underside. More tanks line compartments of the ship which, when shot enough, begin to break off and fall to the ground. If you continue to shoot them, they will be destroyed. When the ship floats far enough to the left, you will see the underside thrusters that keep the ship aloft. There are a set of four of them, and they are protected by a box which fires red laser beams to the left. Your Force will not absorb these red lasers. Do your best to avoid the laser fire and shoot the box until it breaks away from the thrusters. Then destroy each thruster from left to right. Around this time, a power-up transport will appear containing Anti-Air lasers. It would be a good idea to switch to these now. As you do, the ship will be lowering, and trapping you in the lower left corner of the screen. Wait for the ship to rise again, and fly through the gap to the right.

As you fly through the gap, the front of the ship should become visible. You can continue to keep the Force head of you to destroy the bottom cannons, but eventually, you will want to switch formations, and attack the Force to the rear of the R-9a. This will enable you to more accurately target the cannons on the front and along the top of the warship, considerably reducing the threat. Release the Force ahead of you, and fly above or below it in order to get ahead of it, and attach it to the rear. Shoot the top of the warship to get rid of the cannons protecting the path to the boss. As the ship floats down, a transport will appear, providing Reflection Lasers, but it may not be such a good idea to take them.

Boss: Warship
Eventually, the ship will stop floating to the left, and simply hover up and down. In the upper left corner of the screen, a purple component will extend and retract from the middle of the ship. When it extends, it fills the space above it with small blue orbs. Wait for a moment until it retracts back inside the ship. Then position yourself along the left side of the screen and sink down so that you’re low enough to shoot it. It's only vulnerable for a brief period of time while it is retracted into the ship. While you can nail it with the Force, one powered up Wave Beam should actually be sufficient to knock it out and blow the warship up.