Blarg trooper

Template:Appearances

General information
Species	Blarg
Location	Ratchet & Clank (2002): Logging site, Eudora Bomb factory, Hoven Ratchet & Clank (2016): Kyzil Plateau, Veldin Tobruk Crater, Novalis Aleero City, Kerwan Outpost X11, Aridia Blarg Research Outpost, Gaspar Jowai Resort, Pokitaru Skorg City, Quartu Deplanetizer
Offense	Gun

Blarg troopers are enemies in Ratchet & Clank and the 2016 re-imagined game. They are common blargian troops that worked for Chairman Drek. They were encountered by Ratchet and Clank on various planets in the Solana Galaxy.

History

Ratchet & Clank

In the original release, blarg troopers were encountered twice and carried a gun firing three successive energy bolts. First, they were encountered during "Explore the mills" in the logging site on Eudora, defending the lumberjacking operation, and fought Ratchet upon lowering a drawbridge during "Explore the mills". Later, they were again encountered in the bomb factory on planet Hoven, defending the PlanetBuster Maximus factory, and were fought during "Destroy the Planetbuster" and "Explore the Icy Wastes". Here, they were often found hiding behind trees, crates, walls, or tunnels.

Re-imagined

The 2016 re-imagined game is primarily an unreliable retelling of events by Qwark.

The re-imagined game primarily describes Captain Qwark's account of events. As Qwark is an unreliable narrator, and contradictory events are in-universe fiction (though those which correspond still apply). Please see Project:Bulletin board/Canon for the wiki's coverage of canon.

In Qwark's retelling of events, blarg troopers appeared more frequently, had a slightly different appearance, and fired lasers. Blarg troopers were first sent to the Kyzil Plateau on Veldin to hunt for Clank after he escaped Quartu, and were fought during "Return to the garage" as Ratchet took Clank back. They were next attacked the Tobruk Crater on Novalis and Outpost X11 on Aridia after Mayor Agnogg Buckwash' nephew, Skidd McMarx, had accessed hydroharvester plans. They were fought in the missions "Defend the planet" around the mayor and "Find someone to help you repair your ship" in the waterworks on Novalis, and also found attacking Don Wonderstar on Aridia in the mission "Find Skidd's Agent".

Blarg troopers were next found in the invasion of Kerwan, left behind after Ratchet and Clank destroyed the warship. Here, they were fought after Ratchet fell to Downtown Aleero City following his attack on the warship, in missions "Find a route to the Hall of Heroes", "Find a train to the Hall of Heroes", and "Ride the train to the Hall of Heroes". Blarg troopers were then fought in the Blarg Research Outpost, Gaspar, in the mission "Fight the Blarg", and throughout the planet while collecting telepathopus brains in missions "Trade 20 brains for an infobot" and onwards. They were fought again during their attack at the Jowai Resort on Pokitaru during the mission "Find the technician", and again in Skorg City on Quartu, outside the warbot factory in "Infiltrate the factory", and inside in "Investigate the factory". Finally, blarg troopers were fought in the Deplanetizer's first visit during "Disable the Security System" and "Head to the Bridge", and in the Gadgetron Headquarters on Kalebo III during "Find the Focus Lab".

Characteristics

Concept art for the original game

Blarg troopers are foot soldiers wearing gray and black armor carrying a gun and are roughly the same height as Ratchet. In the original release, they appear somewhat muscular, wear bulky armor, and have metallic boots, firing energy blasts. In the re-imagined release, they are much slimmer, have smaller armor, fire lasers, and are very agile. They also have the same appearance as the blarg bombthrower in both releases, and the blarg heli-commander pilots in the re-imagined release.

Combat

A group of Blarg troopers on Hoven.

In the original release, on planet Eudora, blarg troopers fire slow-moving yellow energy blasts. They fire three consecutive blasts aimed at Ratchet, though these are easily dodged, and after firing three blasts, they will remain stationary for a short moment before they resume firing. If Ratchet reaches melee range, they will attack by kicking, though if he is merely a short distance away and outside melee range, they will run back until enough distance is created to allow them to fire. Blarg troopers' attacks are easily dodged, and they are best defeated with either the Bomb Glove or the Glove of Doom, as each weapon kills them in a simple hit. However, regular strikes with the OmniWrench are also viable, as they will run away before a hyper-strike is completed.

On Hoven, in the original release, blarg troopers act differently. They instead rely on ambushing in large groups and appear from behind crates, trees, corners, or walls behind doorways. After appearing, they will walk towards Ratchet and stand a short distance away, then aim, fire fast-moving energy blasts, aim, shoot again, and repeat, with no reload intervals, only stopping to rotate if Ratchet runs behind them or to get a better angle if he leaves their line of sight. In these cases, it is best to dodge their energy blasts (which are not aimed well) by jumping over them, and use the Walloper to hit them close, as they no longer have a melee attack. As running around them is not always an easy option, the Glove of Doom is a viable alternative.

In the re-imagined release, blarg troopers have the same gameplay style throughout. They are more deadly, as they instead fire laser blasts that scatter around, and are more agile. They also often appear in groups with more powerful enemies, meaning that they should be killed first to create breathing room to then deal with larger threats. These blarg should be dispatched with weapons such as the Combuster or Fusion Grenade.