Vespula



"You fiend! I will permit you no further!"

Vespula is the boss of Zone 2. She makes use of her Wasp swarm to try to overwhelm the player, as well as a number of bullet and tendril patterns.

Backstory
The Section Lord of gardens and labs, Vespula maintains science and medical equipment but her passion is for the orchards, which filter air, provide fresh produce and are crew recreation areas.

Commanding the largest Wasp network on the ship, Vespula is awkward around humans and remotely observes their interactions in order to improve.

-In-game Codex entry for Vespula

Overview
Vespula is a difficult boss consisting of 6 alternating "ball phases" (where she is invincible and you fight a swarm of Wasps), and "solo phases" where you fight Vespula herself. In the final phase there are some wasps present but they are not the primary threat.

If you stand too close, she will respond with a melee attack which is very fast and has a wider range than its activation radius. This attack is an instant knockdown if it connects. This attack can be Weapon Swapped through if you see it coming.

Phase 1: passive Wasp swarm
"Establishing connection. Summoning the Swarm..."

Vespula surrounds herself with a swarm of Wasps and slowly follows the player. The phase ends when enough Wasps have been defeated.

This swarm is fairly passive and doesn't move around much, just swirls around Vespula in a clockwise direction. It is not easy to avoid, but standing in it will quickly get you killed.

Phase 2: Solo, red flowers + triple splitting balls
"It seems that I must take care of matters personally."

Vespula unfolds, the Wasps are dismissed, and she begins moving around the edge of the map, alternating between two attacks:


 * 1) Vespula fires five slow but large red flower projectiles, which travel in a straight line. Touching one is an instant knockdown, although a brush with one can be survived with Accelerate). Can be repelled with Plasma Shield. Their hitbox is slightly smaller than their appearance.
 * 2) Vespula fires a quick burst of 3 large blue ball projectiles. Touching one is an instant knockdown (a brush with one can be survived with Accelerate). A short time after being fired, each one will break into 5 bursts of 5 accelerating bullets. The balls are unaffected by Plasma Shield, but the bullets they split into are repelled like any other bullet.

Both these attacks come out where Vespula is facing, and her player tracking is fairly weak. It's not difficult to get around her and completely negate these attacks.

Phase 3: expanding and contracting Wasp swarm
"My paint is getting scratched."

One of the most difficult phases. This time the Wasp swarm turns counter-clockwise and will aggressively expand and contract, often trapping you inside the ring when it expands.

Try not to get trapped in the first place, but sometimes it cannot be avoided. Weapon Swap or DPS your way out using Firepower or secondary weapons.

Phase 4: Solo, triple tendrils + bullet fan
"You are becoming a nuisance."

This time Vespula will move around the edge of the map and alternate between two different attacks:


 * 1) A triple "tendril" attack that radiates outward and curves towards you, very similarly to a Blaster Titan attack. One tendril is shot forwards, and the other two are shot to her sides. Brushing with it is not an instant knockdown, but being in contact with it while it's active damages you very quickly.
 * 2) A "fan" of bullets made of 13 lines of 3 bullets that expand out in a hull shape. Past a certain distance it is fairly trivial to fit yourself between one of the gaps, and is easy to Weapon Swap through at any distance.

Since the tendrils attack to the sides, it is more difficult to out-maneuver her in this stage.

Phase 5: aggressive Wasp swarm
"Swarm! Protect me!"

The Wasps once again turn clockwise, and instead of expanding they will "lunge" in groups at the player.

Arguably not as difficult as Phase 3, as the lunges can be easily anticipated and sidestepped. The lunge can be seen before it begins, since Wasps that are part of the lunge begin to accelerate rapidly within the swarm.

Phase 6: Wasps, quad tendrils + double red flowers
"You fiend! I will permit you no further!"

Vespula will take the centre of the map and alternate between two attacks:


 * 1) Four tendrils rather than Phase 4's three. They are equally spaced around her, 45 degrees to her right and left, and the same behind.
 * 2) Turning while producing two streams of red flowers simultaneously. No player tracking is used this time.

To make matters worse, there is a loose ring of Wasps moving around the outside.

The safest place to be is actually close range, since you won't have to worry about the Wasps. Anticipate and avoid her attacks based on her facing direction, and DPS her down quickly.

Recommended androids
Cactus is a solid, no-nonsense pick, as her Flamethrower cuts through Wasps like butter and can DPS down Vespula herself very effectively. Lemon also works quite well.

Peanut is currently the reigning champion due to being able to drill rapidly through the wasp swarm, but this requires some skill to pull off.

Multiplayer strategy
Unlike Embryo, focus-shifting is much less of an issue with Vespula - she doesn't turn very quickly and a lot of her attacks are easily anticipated from her facing direction, so all players can get up close and personal.

The main problem is her melee attack - since it is omnidirectional, fast and has enormous range, triggering it can potentially knock down the entire team. Let your team know before you Weapon Swap through her to grab a Shutdown.

Achievements
Defeating Vespula earns you the Garden Pruning achievement.

Cactus
Vespula:

Cactus:

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Cactus:

Vespula:

Cactus:

Holly
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Holly:

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Holly:

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Holly:

Lemon
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Lemon:

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Lemon:

Vespula:

Lemon:

Coral
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Coral:

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Coral:

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Coral:

Starch
Vespula:

Starch:

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Starch:

Starch:

Aubergine
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Aubergine:

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Aubergine:

Vespula:

Aubergine:

Shiitake
Vespula:

Shiitake:

Vespula:

 

Shiitake:

Vespula:

Shiitake:

Peanut
Vespula:

Peanut:

Vespula:

 

Peanut:

Vespula:

Peanut:

Liquorice
Vespula:

Liquorice:

Vespula:

 

Liquorice:

Vespula:

Liquorice:

Melee attack
"Don't touch me!"

"Keep away!"

"No!"

Player knockdown
"Disappointing."

"Unfortunate."

"A pity..."

"And stay down!"

Final phase defeated
"But... my garden..."