Bolse Fighter

Bolse Fighter
Statistics
Manufacturer:	Macbeth Weapons Factory
Weaponry:	Laser Cannon
Attack(s):	Lasers Collison (2002)
Role:	Starfighter
Armor:	Weak
Shielding:	ForceField provided by Bolse's Core
Weakness:	Loses shields after forcefield disappearance
Hit Point(s):	1 Hit Point
Political Stats
Affiliation:	Andross's Empire
Appearance(s):
Game(s):
Comic(s):
Location(s):	1997: Bolse 2002: Orbit & Dragon Rock

“Enemy Recon:
The swift-flying Bolse fighters are aces at tailing the Star Fox team. Sharp turns and loops may shake some, but there are plenty more that will take up the chase. From their stations inside Bolse, the fliers spew out in countless droves, firing their lasers to keep you from reaching the core.”

—

The Bolse Fighter is the name given to the starships that defend the Bolse Defense Satellite from would-be invaders.

Schematics

These highly-maneuverable ships were able to draw power from the satellite to power their own shield systems that proved nigh-impregnable to even the strongest fighter-grade weaponry. Once the forcefield protecting the core of the satellite is down, this also diminishes the protective shields of the fighters too.

In the games

• 1997
• 2002
• 2016

“Medal Tips:
Destroy all of the energy towers to drop the force field around Bolse's power block. Once down, enemy fighters will pour out of the base. Destroy as many of these as you can before Star Wolf arrives. Once they get there, try to knock them out as quickly as possible, since they will really go after your wingmen. If you defeat them quickly, you can earn up to 10 bonus hit points per Star Wolf team member.”

—Star Fox 64.com

The Star Fox Team confronted these fighters when they launched their attack on the Bolse satellite. They were able to defeat the fighter's shields by knocking out their source of power, the force field that protected the station. With their primary defenses down, the fighters proved equally vulnerable to their weapons as any other Venomian craft is.

In "Adventures", Bolse Fighters reappear as airborne enemies during the Arwing space missions and defences on Dragon Rock. During the final boss battle, Andross also uses Bolse Fighters as homing attacks on Fox, following the start of the 2nd phase.

Boise Fighters reappear in Star Fox Zero under the name Manta, since Bolse does not appear in the game.

In the Comic

Bolse Fighters repeat their role in the Lylat Wars Comic,  where they are proving tough to penetrate with their forcefields. After Peppy suggests using charged blasts at the energy towers and shooting down all the Bolse Fighters, the satellites core is revealed, leaving it open to the combined Arwing firepower. The reactor goes into meltdown, destroying the satellite and leaving the air space open to the Star Fox Team. But Andross's elite Acedevil fighters block their flight path, they execute plan 9 by making a loop.

Gallery

A Bolse (Manta) Fighter in Zero.

Swarms of Bolse fighters flying out of the core after the shield is turned off.

Bolse fighters in the Comic.

Bolse Fighter in Star Fox 64.

Trivia

“Those ships are shielded too!”

—

• Slippy makes a reference to the 1996 film Independence Day, specifically before the ForceField surrounding the satellite's core is down when trying to take down one of the Bolse Fighters, calling out that the fighters are shielded too, which is similar to the film when one of the character's lines in regards to not being able to penetrate the alien space-fighters shields ("...they've got shields too!").
• For some reason (possibly a bug in the programming or intentional), if Slippy is Retired during this mission, the Bolse Fighters that normally attack him will turn against one of their fighters and assist you in attacking other Bolse Fighters. In the original 64, they would attack in groups of 2, but in the Remake, they attack their fighters by themselves.

References

• NINTENDO POWER: Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Redmond, WA, Nintendo of America. 1997.
• .com
• Star Fox Zero: DK/Prima's Official Strategy Guide
• Lylat Wars Comic