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CF-345 Black Fly (in Japanese: CF-345 ブラックフライ) is a single-seat aerospace craft that appears only in a 1991 dystopian post-apocalypse horizontal arcade shooting game Metal Black. Developed by the Human race on planet Earth as an answer to the powerful energy beam weapons used by an extraterritorial invasion force, it is thought to be the closest, albeit still distant, cousin to Silver-Hawk model ARCF-ROTA PLUS.
History[]
The Black Fly was created under "Project: Metal Black" after the discovery of Newalone particles, a power source used by a hostile alien force, known as the Nemesis, that began an invasion of Earth in 2042. Despite the tide of war being heavily against Earth due to the aliens possessing highly-devastating Newalone-powered beam weapons, Earth scientists were able to quickly devise a cannon that uses the same power source and duplicates the destructive effects of the alien weapon, and after successful testing of a prototype, 20,000 Black Fly fighters armed with the beam cannon were mass-produced by 2052. Upon the production run's completion, however, Earth diplomats struck a treaty of "peaceful" surrender with the Nemesis and demobilized Earth's military, including Project: Metal Black and thus preventing the Black Flies' deployment. After a period of aliens strip-mining Earth's resources, with the planet increasingly struggling to sustain its diminishing population and much of its surface infested with alien organisms and alien-subverted former Human war machines, rogue elements of Earth military seized the Black Fly prototype and launched a counter-attack directly at the source of the alien threat in a desperate bid to free Earth and Humanity once and for all.
The Project Metal Black (File link no. 0547) is an acronym for:
- MILITARY
- ENFORCE
- TOTAL WAR
- ABSOLUTE
- LIBERTY
- BEAM
- LESSON
- AIRCRAFT
- CARRIER
- KILL OFF
Description[]
Newalone, alien matter which Black Fly must manipulate to defeat Nemesis
The main feature of the Black Fly is its primary weapon, an energy beam cannon powered by the Newalone particles. This cannon normally operates as a rapid-firing weapon; the power of individual bursts is weak (although this can increase when the cannon has sufficient Newalone energy reserve), but the weapon is easily capable of sustained fire when used in this manner due to its low-energy consumption. Against particularly-resilient or well-protected targets, however, the cannon can discharge a single very-powerful beam capable of obliterating everything within its path- it can in fact withstand a charged blast from an equivalent weapon used by larger Nemesis organisms, leading to a phenomenon known as a "beam duel". When "beam dueling", a Black Fly pilot practicing proper energy management can even overpower the enemy, with beams from both sides accumulating into a destructive energy matter being launched right back at the alien opponent. Alternatively, it can project lightning-like energy blasts that can decimate everything within the Black Fly's proximity. These more-powerful attacks will drain the cannon's power reserve, forcing the Black Fly to revert to using it as a rapid-fire weapon. The Black Fly is designed to automatically collect Newalone particles that are in contact with its frame.
The Black Fly also possess an array of SAAM90E air-to-air micro missile launchers. The target can be manually-designated by the Black Fly's pilot, and up to four missiles can be launched against a single target. These missiles are highly-agile and known to be able to overcome all but the most violent evasive maneuvers of their intended victims although the missile launchers' limited payloads means that they are to be used sparingly in a long sortie.
The Black Fly is equally maneuverable in Earth atmosphere and in space although it still does not possess enough engine thrusts to achieve orbit under its own power and must rely on a ventrally-mounted booster to do so. Carrying the booster produces only marginal negative effects on the Black Flying's flight performance in Earth atmosphere, however, and the booster can be jettisoned as soon as the Black Fly reaches low orbit.
Equipments[]
Weapons[]
- Newalone-powered Energy Beam Cannon with selectable rapid-fire, charged, and all-around proximity-sweep modes
- SAAM90E Guided Missile with LCOS (Lead Computer Optical Sight) targeting system (used on the Bonus Stages)
Extras[]
- Rocket Booster (used to leave the Earth's atmosphere)
Trivia[]
- In the official plot, there is only one Black Fly fighting Nemesis. The second Black Fly that appears in the game is there merely for a game play convienience.