Area 6 — Andross Fleet

Overview

Area 6 is the penultimate stage on the true ending path, reached from Sector Z after perfect missile defense or from Macbeth via the train shortcut. Fox McCloud leads the final fleet assault against Andross's armada — a massive all-range space battle featuring frigates, fighter squadrons, and the flagship carrier. Star Wolf may intercept one last time before the warp to Venom II.

Area 6 is the last stage before the true ending and the final opportunity to score hits before the Venom II finale. The 200-hit medal threshold rewards aggressive fleet combat.

Route Triggers

Area 6 has a single exit:

• Venom II (automatic): Destroy Andross's fleet flagship and clear the armada to proceed to Venom II. This is the only exit and the gateway to the true ending.

Two paths lead to Area 6: the hard route through Sector Z (primary) and the Macbeth train shortcut (accessible from any route reaching Macbeth). Both converge at the same fleet battle.

Boss Strategy

Area 6's "boss" is Andross's fleet itself — particularly the flagship carrier at the center of the armada. Destroy escort frigates first to reduce incoming fire, then focus on the carrier's bridge and engine sections.

Star Wolf may ambush during the fleet battle if they have appeared consistently throughout your campaign. Defeat Wolf, Leon, Pigma, and Andrew in sequence if they intercept — each falls individually before the next engages. Use smart bombs on clustered frigate formations for area damage. The flagship deploys fighter waves continuously — destroy launch bays on the carrier's flanks to reduce reinforcements. Charged shots to the carrier bridge during its broadside attack pattern deal the most structural damage.

Medal Tips

Area 6 requires 200 hits — the second-highest threshold alongside Meteo, Fichina, and Aquas. The fleet battle provides abundant targets: frigates, fighters, turrets, and the flagship itself all contribute hits.

Use smart bombs aggressively on frigate clusters — a single bomb can destroy multiple ships worth 10+ hits each. Do not ignore small fighters while focusing on the flagship; they accumulate significant points over the stage duration. Star Wolf members yield substantial hits if they appear. This is your last medal opportunity before Venom II, so spend all remaining smart bombs and maximize charged shots. Consult the all medals guide for campaign-wide medal planning.

Wingmate Advice

Wingmates excel in Area 6's open all-range combat. Falco duels Star Wolf members effectively — let him engage Wolf while you destroy fleet targets. Peppy provides fleet tactical analysis via radio, identifying flagship weak points.

Slippy may need rescue during dense fighter swarms — clear surrounding enemies before he takes critical damage. All wingmates must survive for Expert Mode eligibility on the final stages. Coordinate bomb deployment to protect the formation during Star Wolf interception sequences.

Switch 2 Remake Notes

Area 6 is the largest all-range battle before the finale. Frigate clusters are ideal smart bomb targets — a single bomb can destroy three or more ships worth 10+ hits each. Star Wolf's appearance here depends on whether they have intercepted you at earlier stages. Destroying the flagship triggers the warp to Venom II automatically; there is no boss timer, so farm remaining fighters for hit score before the stage ends.

Escort frigates shield the flagship until destroyed — clear escorts first to expose the carrier bridge. Fighter launch bays on the carrier flanks spawn reinforcements continuously; destroy the bays early to reduce incoming fire during the final flagship approach.

Related Missions and Routes

Area 6 leads exclusively to Venom II. Review the hard route walkthrough and Andross strategy guide before the finale.

Related Guides

• Venom II Mission Guide True ending final stage
• Sector Z Mission Guide Hard route entry to Area 6
• How to Beat Andross Both Andross forms explained