Rock Gunner

Rock Gunner
Manufacturer	Macbeth Weapons Factory
Attack(s)	Laser Cannon Missiles (Assault)
Role	Starfighter
Affiliation	Andross's Empire
Appearance(s)
Location	Star Fox 64/3D: Meteo Area 6 Star Fox: Assault: Mission 1. Fortuna Mission 3. Sargasso Space Zone

Rock Gunners are starfighters manufactured in the weapons labs on Macbeth and utilised by the Venom Army's space fleets during the Lylat Wars.

Appearance

Rock Gunners are brown, twin pod starfighters that tend to wait in ambush behind certain obstacles such as asteroids (hence the name). They have only been sighted in deep space areas. Rock Gunners were also launched by the Gorgon battle station.

Rearguard action

“Falco says to watch out when three Rock Gunner asteroids attack from the rear. hit the brakes, let the Rock Gunners zip ahead, then lock on the middle enemy and roast them all with a single laser shot.”

—Official Nintendo Power Player's Guide, pg 37

Formation frying

“When you first reach the first Lock-on site shown, lock on the middle fighter in any formation to fry as many of the surrounding ships as possible with one shot. In some cases, you'll find items in the debris.”

—Official Nintendo Power Player's Guide, pg 38

In the games

• 1997
• 2005
• 2016

Rock Gunners were prominent at the Meteo Asteroid Field where they tailed Fox McCloud after the Star Fox team encountered the Flip Bots, until Falco Lombardi altered him to beware of them. With Butterflies, Vipers, Star Warriors and Venom Space Fighters, Rock Gunners were stationed at the Venomian air defence zone where they made up three defensive lines and were launched out of the Gorgon battle station.

Rock Gunners also appear in "Assault" as star fighters in the army of Andrew Oikonny and also in the hired guns led by Star Wolf. Rock Gunners appear in various areas in the 1st Mission at Fortuna, most notably in the second half of the space fight and somewhat widespread throughout the ground fight. In the 3rd Mission at the Sargasso Hideout, they are carried into battle by Sargasso Battleships, where they will follow the player everywhere. These fighters outclass older Venomian Fighters for several reasons. First, they are noticeably faster, while having improved armor. The nose mounted laser bolt cannon is slightly more powerful and concentrated. These Rock Gunners also will aggressively follow the Arwing until it leaves their zone of influence or destroys them. Optionally, they can also carry several missiles, as the last group of five interceptors attempted to bring Fox's Arwing down and buy Oikonny enough time to flee.

Rock Gunners reappear in "Star Fox Zero" under the name: Attacker III.

Trivia

• Rock Gunners that accompany the Gorgon are not worth any Hit Points, but they may drop Supply rings behind.

Gallery

A Rock Gunner (Attacker III) in Zero.

Rock Gunner model from Star Fox 64.

Aparoid Invasion era Rock Gunners.

References

• NINTENDO POWER Star Fox 64: Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Redmond, WA, Nintendo of America. 1997.
• http://f.starfox-online.net/archives/starFox64.comReconstructed/minions.html