Salmonid Field Guide

The Salmonid Field Guide is a section of the manual for Salmon Run, and can be read in the Grizzco building, or in The Shoal. It contains descriptions, images, and tips for dealing with Salmonids and Known Occurrences in Salmon Run.

The full text is reproduced below.

Chum, Smallfry, and Cohock

 * Basic Information
 * They tend to appear in groups rather than alone.
 * Defeating them will earn you Power Eggs.
 * Attack Behavior
 * They use their sense of smell to locate and close in on targets who have entered their territory.
 * Once they close in on a target, they perform close-range attacks using frying pans or other cookware.
 * Elimination
 * Can be neutralized relatively easily with a direct hit of ink.
 * Supporting Information
 * They inhabit a restricted ocean zone, and any unauthorized contact with them is expressly forbidden by law.
 * The Smallfry might be weak, but they're very fast. They often ambush their targets from below.
 * The larger Cohock moves slowly but packs a real punch with direct, strong attacks.
 * On their own, they don't pose a significant threat, but ignore them and you may quickly find yourself surrounded.

Snatcher

 * Basic Information
 * Tasked with procuring Golden Eggs, Snatchers will emerge from the sea when Golden Eggs are present, and try to seize them and return to the depths.
 * Any snatched Golden Eggs can be retrieved by defeating this Salmonid before it returns to the water.
 * Attack Behavior
 * Not known to attack directly.
 * Elimination
 * Can be neutralized relatively easy with a direct hit of ink.
 * Supporting Information
 * New recruits usually start as Snatchers to give them a taste of the battlefield.
 * Provided they demonstrate sufficient aptitude at collecting Golden Eggs, they will be allowed to join the front lines.

Steelhead

 * Basic Information
 * An extraordinarily large specimen, it moves very slowly.
 * Its body is covered in hard, protective scales. Shooting it with ink has no effect.
 * Attack Behavior
 * Generates bombs from its head, which it throws at enemies. It can't throw these bombs very far.
 * The resulting explosion covers a large area.
 * Elimination
 * The only way to defeat the Steelhead is to shoot ink at the bomb on its head as it inflates.
 * Supporting Information
 * The company commander of a Salmonid troop.
 * Its powerful physique capable of supporting heavy armor and its ink-resistant scales are the result of arduous conditioning.
 * It forms the bomb on its head by collecting its own explosive saliva.

Steel Eel

 * Basic Information
 * A weapon made of connected ink-spraying devices for the suppression of large areas.
 * Locks on to and relentlessly pursues a single target.
 * Attack Behavior
 * Its extensive length is used to block routes while it rains down ink.
 * Elimination
 * Can be neutralized by shooting the driver in the very rear of the Steel Eel.
 * Supporting Information
 * The driver of the Steel Eel wears a mask to protect itself from the spray generated by the machine.
 * The great length of the Steel Eel is attributable to the large number of interconnected ink-sprayers used to create it.

Scrapper

 * Basic Information
 * Protected against almost all ink damage by their shields.
 * Their ability to turn rapidly allows them to keep their shields facing their target.
 * Attack Behavior
 * The protection afforded by their shields allows them to charge forwards.
 * Elimination
 * Sustained ink attacks will damage their shields and bring them to a standstill.
 * Once the Scrapper is immobilized, move round behind it to fire through the chink in its armor and take it out.
 * Supporting Information
 * The Scrapper's vehicle is a much-desired item for many Salmonids.
 * The shields are made from odds and ends of scrap metal.
 * If the shields are broken, the Scrapper will have to stop in order to make repairs.

Stinger

 * Basic Information
 * A Salmonid sniper atop a stack of pots and pans.
 * Not known to move from the beach.
 * The Salmonid on top can't be harmed with ink-based attacks.
 * Attack Behavior
 * Attacks from a distance with powerful jets of ink that can pass through walls and other obstacles.
 * Elimination
 * Use your ink to knock pots away one at a time until the Salmonid lands on the flame below.
 * Supporting Information
 * Boils ink in its pots to generate the pressure required for its long-range attacks.
 * The pots are stacked high on top of a gas burner to allow the Stinger to effectively sight and attack enemies from a distance.
 * The Salmonid on top wears protective equipment to absorb the shock from the jet of ink.

Maws

 * Basic Information
 * Lurks under the surface of the ink.
 * Can swim in ink to scale walls.
 * Attack Behavior
 * Appears from directly beneath its prey and swallows it in an instant.
 * Elimination
 * You can deal damage by shooting ink at it when it surfaces to attack, but defeating it this way will take some time as it is rather robust.
 * To bring it down in one fell swoop, trick it into swallowing a bomb by placing one at its point of attack.
 * Supporting Information
 * In order to sustain its large size it must perpetually roam around searching for prey to consume.
 * Uses sonar to detect the location of suitable prey whilst submerged.

Drizzler

 * Basic Information
 * A flying fighter specializing in surprise attacks.
 * Covered in armor that renders it essentially impervious to ink.
 * Attack Behavior
 * Fires midrange attacks using special projectiles.
 * These projectiles explode into a shower of ink.
 * Elimination
 * It is susceptible to attack immediately after it fires.
 * With good timing, it's possible to reflect the shot and hit the Drizzler with its own projectile, taking it down in one go.
 * Supporting Information
 * The ranks of the Drizzlers are made up by renegade Salmonid who prefer to go it alone and fight on their own terms.
 * Well-protected against ink by unusual umbrella-like armor.
 * The immense recoil from discharging its weapon temporarily exposes the Salmonid within its armor.

Flyfish

 * Basic Information
 * Each flank is equipped with missile launchers capable of firing up to four missiles each.
 * Uses jet propulsion technology to hover about.
 * Covered in ink-repelling armor.
 * Attack Behavior
 * Capable of locking on to two targets and firing up to four missiles from each missile launcher.
 * Elimination
 * Throw a bomb into one of the missile launchers to destroy it.
 * Take out both of its missile launchers to bring down the Flyfish.
 * Supporting Information
 * The latest model of weapon from leading Salmonid engineers.
 * Only the most elite Smallfry are selected to undergo the special training to become Flyfish pilots.
 * Equipped with a space-grade reaction control system on each flank to enable a smooth, stable hover.

Water Levels (high and low tides)

 * Low Tide
 * When the tide goes out a large amount of land that is usually underwater will be exposed.
 * Salmonid warriors use this land as a staging ground from which to launch coordinated attacks.
 * During low tide, the egg basket will be near this newly exposed land.
 * High Tide
 * When high tide is in, there'll be much less land available.
 * The egg basket will be in its normal place.
 * Advice from Mr. Grizz
 * During low tide, you gotta get together and move, move, move down to that exposed land, kid!
 * During high tide—I don't care how hard it is—you gotta survive against those Salmonids!
 * Supplementary Information
 * The sudden and irregular changes in the water levels are a rare phenomenon found only in this area.
 * The cause is as yet unknown, and is the subject of much research throughout the academic world.

Rush

 * What Happens
 * Large groups of ferocious Salmonids appear and carry out rush attacks at furious speed.
 * These crazed Salmonids gather in response to the appearance of Glowflies.
 * How to Get Golden Eggs
 * Take out the Goldie hidden in the school of Salmonids.
 * Advice from Mr. Grizz
 * Stand your ground with your allies and concentrate your fire on the incoming Salmonids!
 * Watch out for the Glowflies—if they buzz around you, a concentrated attack won't be far behind.
 * Supplementary Information
 * It is claimed that the Salmonids' increased aggression is tied somehow to gravitational shifts due to the planet's celestial course, but there is still much that is unclear.
 * It is said that in pre-medieval times, before effective defense measures such as long-range ink attacks were available, many cities fell before the rage of the Salmonid rush.

Fog

 * What Happens
 * The area is covered in a dense fog, drastically reducing visibility.
 * Enemies will take advantage of the fog and attack from all directions.
 * How to Get Golden Eggs
 * Defeat Boss Salmonids.
 * The extremely rare Goldies may appear in foggy conditions.
 * Advice from Mr. Grizz
 * Try to maintain contact with your teammates at all times while in the fog.
 * Being alone in the fog is extremely dangerous.
 * Supplementary Information
 * Goldies are extremely rare Salmonids&mdash;only one of every 10,000 hatchlings is a Goldie.
 * They live longer than and possess far superior intelligence to normal Salmonid specimens.

The Griller

 * What Happens
 * Armored vehicles called Grillers spawn one after the other. Grillers lock their sights on to a target and will pursue it relentlessly.
 * Smallfry are known for hitching a ride on the Griller and interfering with its targeting.
 * How to Get Golden Eggs
 * Attack the weak spot on the back of the Griller to stun it.
 * Stunning Grillers will reveal further weak points. Attacking these weak points is the key to taking down Grillers and getting Golden Eggs.
 * Advice from Mr. Grizz
 * If the Griller has you in its sights, you're better off running away and letting your friends handle it.
 * Supplementary Information
 * Operating costs for a single Griller would be enough to deploy 100 regular Salmonid fighters.

Cohock Charge

 * What Happens
 * Cohocks will attack in large numbers from exposed sandbanks.
 * Mr. Grizz will deploy a cannon for you to use in dealing with these foes.
 * How to Get Golden Eggs
 * Defeat Boss Salmonids.
 * Advice from Mr. Grizz
 * Use the cannon well to clear the way for your coworkers!
 * Supplementary Information
 * Apparently there are special rooms in the Salmonid barracks set aside for large numbers of Cohocks to gather and practice.

Goldie Seeking

 * What Happens
 * Large numbers of Gushers will appear in the area.
 * A Goldie will be hiding in one of the Gushers.
 * You can shoot the Gusher to make it erupt, but chances are a regular salmonid will pop out instead of a Goldie.
 * How to Get Golden Eggs
 * The Goldie lurking in one of the Gushers will drop loads of Golden Eggs when hit with ink.
 * Advice from Mr. Grizz
 * Spread out, and find that Goldie FAST.
 * When you find the Goldie, call your buddies over and let loose with all your firepower!
 * The Gushers emit light when you hit them--the brighter the light, the closer you are to that glorious Goldie.
 * Supplementary Information
 * Salmonids obtained the technology to create Gushers through trade with Octarians.
 * The Goldie loses scales when hit, so it's able to move faster the more you damage it!

The Mothership

 * What Happens
 * New troops are brought to the battleground from the Mothership.
 * A large number of Chinooks will bring containers of lesser Salmonids from the Mothership to join the fray.
 * Periodically, the Mothership will draw close to the egg basket and try to suck up and reclaim any Golden Eggs inside.
 * How to Get Golden Eggs
 * Shoot the containers carried by the Chinooks to make them explode.
 * If you manage to blow up the Chinooks as well, they will drop Golden Eggs.
 * Advice from Mr. Grizz
 * Split up to take out the Chinooks.
 * If the Mothership comes to take back the Golden Eggs, everyone should focus on pushing it back!
 * Supplementary Information
 * The Mothership is a vital cog in the Salmonid distribution chain.
 * Deploying the Mothership is said to be the last resort of the Salmonid army. When it is dispatched, all troops stationed nearby gather together to see it off.