Thunder Blade/Stage 2

The second stage takes place in a wilderness setting, where you fly through a canyon, and then over fields and through caves.
 * Overhead view:Thunder Blade ARC S2 Overhead.png The overhead view of this game starts you out flying through a canyon. There are high cliff walls on either side, and the space between them can become quite narrow.  Even at the highest altitude, you must steer the helicopter clear of the cliff walls.  The narrow space hurts you in that you don't have as much space to evade enemy fire, but it helps you in the sense that it is easier to target and destroy many of the enemies on the ground.  There's no need to fly all the way at the top, or at the fastest speed, unless you feel you're under too much fire at once.  The enemies will be a mix of tanks, mobile artillery vehicles, and helicopters.  The first two shoot at you from the ground, while the helicopters rise into the air and try to collide with you.


 * Behind-the-cockpit view:Thunder Blade ARC S2 Ahead.png After the view shifts, you'll be flying over an open field with some trees, and headed towards the entrance to a cave. Two helicopters and some tanks will be waiting to ambush you from behind the stalagmites and stalactites that are strew throughout the interior.  Keep your altitude around the middle level of the screen.  Continue firing both weapons as you approach the two exits from the cave, choosing either the right or the left.  A squad of enemy choppers will attack you as you try to leave.  Fly above the trees as you face more enemy choppers and some tanks on the way to the next cave.  Inside, you should slow down in order to give yourself more time to weave around the columns.  Back outside, a lone tank greets you as several helicopters will rise up from behind the trees in a surprise attack.


 * Choose the left or right entrance to the next cave. After weaving around the columns and avoiding more tanks, you'll fly through a central entrance that leads to a short second cave behind it.  Exit out through the back and watch out for the two tanks waiting on either side.  More helicopters will rise up from behind the trees, and you'll fly over a group of tanks as you enter into another cave.  This time, there are no enemies, but the stalagmites and stalactites are arranged in patterns that force you to fly up and drop down in order to avoid colliding with entire rows of them.  An entrance in the back leads to a short normal chamber.  You'll fly back out into the open, and back into one final cave before you reach the boss.

Boss: Mobile HQ
The boss of the second stage is similar to the first stage, except that it a giant all-terrain mobile base of operations, outfitted with very sophisticated anti-aircraft artillery. The goal is the same as before: simply reach the front of it, and survive the attack while doing so. The base is broken up into four sections. Each section contains three energy guns situated on top of the tread on either side, for a total of six guns. The base is occasionally punctuated by sets of missile launchers, which are are as easily destroyed as the energy guns. These guns emit beams. You can keep three of the guns off the screen by remaining on either far side, but you'll have to keep moving in order to avoid getting struck by the beams. Focus your efforts on one side of the base or the other. After you fly over the fourth and final section, two more guns mounted near the top are the last that the base as to shoot you with. Continue on to the front to complete the stage.