Metal Marines

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

A relatively obscure Real-Time Strategy War Game developed by Namco and released in 1993 for Windows 3.1 PC and the Super NES, originally released in Japan under the name Militia.

The story takes place over 100 years into the future. Antimatter production research has been going on for decades. However, this research comes at a price. An antimatter war is started after a minor border skirmish causes stockpiles of antimatter missiles to explode, resulting in Earth becoming completely devastated. In the midst of all the chaos, a mysterious, previously unknown evil dictator named Nikolai I. Zorgeuf, along with 3 of his closest military followers; Commander Bill Garland, Commander Joan Rile, and High Commander Liften Schwaltz, takes control of the entire planet and promises that Earth will be rebuilt where people will be safe under his power. A small, but powerful group of rebels are not convinced, and so declare war on Zorguef and his 3 allies to free the Earth from his grasp.

Tropes used in Metal Marines include:
  • Alas, Poor Villain: Zorgeuf gives a near-death speech about how he was going to change the world, as his final base is being attacked in the last communcation of the game.
  • Antimatter- Used as the explosive payload on the ICBMs.
  • Awesome but Impractical- the Windows 3.1 Version has TWO of these. One is a Pig-Latin mode, and the other, you can drag files from your desktop or explorer window onto a clear square patch of your island map. However, this tends to work against you as it promptly explodes, leaving behind nothing but a damaged piece of land on which you have to spend extra money to remove.
  • B F S- The Metal Marines use these as one of their weapon choices.
  • Big Bad- Nikolai I. Zorgeuf
  • Blondes Are Evil- Commander Bill Garland, and Commander Joan Rile.
  • Beauty Is Bad- Again, Commander Joan Rile.
  • Combat Stilettos- Commander Joan Rile wears a red pair of these, apparently.
  • Elaborate Underground Base- The bases are apparently large (about the size of a building), and are lowered through a specially-constructed antimatter-resistant hatch into the ground, which is then sealed.
  • Evil Minions- All 3 of Zorgeuf's allies: Bill Garland, Joan Rile, and Liften Schwaltz.
  • Final Speech: Again, Zorgeuf's final communication at the end of the game.
  • Glorious Leader- Zorgeuf is considered to be this in the Windows 3.1 Version. Heck, he even has the title "Zorgeuf the Great"!
  • Humongous Mecha- the Metal Marines themselves. They're apparently 60 feet high.
  • Island Base- Pretty much, since most of the world has been split into small islands by antimatter missiles from the accident that caused the war in the first place.
  • Macross Missile Massacre- This can happen when you fill your base island with mostly anti-aircraft missiles and the enemy attacks.
  • Not Evil, Just Misunderstood- Possibly Zorgeuf, because at the end of the game, when he is defeated, he mentions a new world order where everything would be perfect. However, this could be his idea of total "Big Brother" control.
  • Stuff Blowing Up- Dude... This is WAR.
  • Smug Snake- Zorgeuf, when you see him at the end of the game, is sitting on his "throne" in a badass pose with a smug smile on his face.
  • Starter Villain- Bill Garland is the first Enemy Commander you fight against in the game.
  • The Unseen- Nikolai I. Zorgeuf, until you see him about halfway through the game Even the help file on the Windows 3.1 version doesn't show what he looks like.
  • Too Powerful to Live- Zorgeuf.
  • Tyrant Takes the Helm- FREAKING ZORGEUF. He took over the planet in the midst of WWIII promising a new safe cvilization. (See "Not Evil Just Misunderstood" above)
  • Villain with Good Publicity- AGAIN,... ZORGEUF. The Windows 3.1 version says this about him.
  • Villains Act, Heroes React- What happens when Zorgeuf takes over the planet.
  • Visionary Villain- You get the picture... (YES, IT'S ZORGEUF.)
  • World War III- Basically the idea of the game.
  • You Nuke'Em- With the right amount of money and energy, you can nuke your enemies with an antimatter ICBM.