Wartrain Gouon, also known as the Charger of the Crimson Rim and T696, is an Infernal Demon introduced in Bayonetta 3. A combat train that was originally created for national defense, it eventually became a demon after being possessed by a vengeful spirit.[1] Like other demons in Bayonetta's arsenal, its power is fused into a weapon, the Dead End Express, and comes with a matching Demon Masquerade.
An armed combat train known as "T696" that was built for national defense on one of the most remote worlds of the Multiverse using its most advanced technology, but that was later possessed by a vengeful spirit and ultimately became an Infernal Demon.
Its body is thickly plated with a unique alloy armor, and it is equipped not only with two sets of front-facing dual cannons and four sets of triple cannons along the top, but it also hides six long-barrelled cannons and six chainsaw-like crushing weapons inside its body, and due to an array of transformative mechanisms it can deploy those weapons at high speed to prepare for battle at any range.
It's said that a leader by the name of Rokuro Todoroki, driven mad by countless battles, sent the train speeding through cities and burning them as he went, finally crashing into an ammunition dump and being dragged into Inferno.
Story[]
Bayonetta 3[]
In an alternate China, Wartrain Gouon is the contracted demon of that world's alternate Bayonetta, a general who uses the demon to lead the Chinese army against the Homunculi. After getting separated from its master, the demon enters into a brief pact with Bayonetta to navigate the war-torn landscape. Eventually, Wartrain Gouon departs from Bayonetta when it senses Bayonetta β2 near; after they reunite, the two then rescue Bayonetta and battle the Pyrocumulus.
During Bayonetta's battle with Singularity in space, she summons Wartrain Gouon into Singularity's summoned Cumulonimbus, ramming the two into orbit as the train fires all of its weapons on the Homunculus which triggers an explosion that destroys them both.
Appearance[]
Wartrain Gouon is an unusual demon, taking the shape of a train with a mostly mechanical appearance. Numerous veins and eyes run along its plating and a demonic head is hidden within the locomotive itself which reveals itself when attacking. There are also portions of flesh resembling a brain protruding outside what seems to be the tender.
As an combat vehicle, Wartrain Gouon is armed and decorated with numerous turrets for ranged combat, along with retractable chainsaws and bladed wheels within its structure.
Abilities[]
True to its name, Wartrain Guon can charge through enemies thanks to its weight, speed and armored body. Wartrain Guon also has the ability to fly through the air using magically-summoned tracks. Its chassis has multiple cannons to shoot at enemies, retractable chainsaws mounted on its sides to tear enemies apart, spew a fiery mist that freezes enemies from the jets on its sides, shoot out lumps of coal from its chimney and call upon Hideous to battle.
Gameplay[]
When summoning Wartrain Gouon with Demon Slave, Bayonetta "draws" flaming tracks for it to follow using while the flow of time around her is severely slowed down. She can place signal markers along the drawn route to command the train to do specific actions when it reaches them: for a series of forward bites with its head, for a flame jet extending to its sides, and for cannon fire. The tracks Wartain Gouon follows can be elevated off the ground with , but cannot return to a lower elevation if this is done.
When is released, the demon will proceed on the designated path and use its attacks accordingly as it reaches each signal marker, along with causing damage to enemies it comes into contact with. While powerful, effective use of Wartrain Gouon requires a degree of planning as enemies may move out of the path before they come within reach of its attacks.
Skills[]
Special[]
Rage Whistle ()
Blows a steam whistle that increases rage by one level. The attack power of increases as rage does, and this includes rage induced by being attacked.
Burning Rage
Increases the rage-induced attack power boost.
Burning Rage II
Further increases the rage-induced attack power boost.
Punch[]
Loop Signal (+)
Places a vertical loop on the track to run down airborne enemies.
Infinite Signal (+)
Places a figure eight on the track to charge through a wide area.
Kick[]
Sideswipe (+)
Stops and swings an array of chainsaws from both sides, attacking all nearby enemies.
Assist Signal (+)
Deboards two Hideous that temporarily fight as allies.
Shoot[]
Stack Blow (+)
Fires a blazing lump of coal from the smokestack that comes down on an enemy and explodes.
Brake Barrel (+)
Triggers the emergency brake and fires the main cannons straight ahead. They are difficult to aim, but deal heavy damage.
Mythology[]
While not having a specific inspiration, Wartrain Gouon's concepts appear to be inspired by turn-of-the-century superstitions and beliefs of advanced technology being ominous and even demonic in nature, from Japan and even the United Kingdom in the late 19th Century. Japan in this instance became deathly afraid of foreign technology upon the arrival of the American Black Ships, which fired upon Uraga Bay near Tokyo and instilled the dread of foreign invasion amongst the populace, to the point of causing the Bakumatsu age of civil wars and the modernization period of the Meiji Restoration.
Trains were not spared from this, as they were believed to be explosive death traps that could detonate at any minute, and in the United Kingdom, mental anguish known as locomotive derangement was documented where sensitive individuals riding or being near speeding trains would exhibit extreme emotional distress and hysterical actions.
Gallery[]
Wartrain Gouon concept art
Wartrain Gouon Demon Slave Glyph
Trivia[]
Wartain Gouon's uncommon design of a 4-6-4 wheel configuration is a Baltic wheel configuration. In the US, this was known as the Hudson wheel arrangement used by this locomotive class, with the tender having 8 wheels as well. However, the modelling seems to be missing the Walscherts valve, a rod in the driving wheels that connects part of the crank pins to the pistons, and it is used for inversion of the engine.
The name of the Japanese leader, Rokuro Todoroki, may be a pun based on the potential kanji or kanji homophones used in the name:
Rokuro is written as 禄郎 (rokuro) with 禄 (roku) sharing its pronunciation with 六 (meaning "6").
Todoroki is written as 轟 (meaning "roar", "thunder", or "boom"), which is itself made of the character 車 (meaning "vehicle", "train" and "wheel") repeated three times. This kanji is also used in 轟怨 (gouon).
The train's designation as T696 is itself a reference to Rokuro Todoroki: The T stands for Todoroki, and 696 represents Rokuro as written out with the numbers' On'yomi readings (ro-ku-ro) in the style of Japanese goroawase wordplay.
The 696 are a simultaneous reference to the sexual innuendo and position of 69, and the association of the number 666 with the Devil in Christianity.
Gouon is written as 轟怨 (meaning "roaring grudge" or "booming vengence"), including the kanji for todoroki.
while the flow of time around her is severely slowed down. She can place signal markers along the drawn route to command the train to do specific actions when it reaches them: 
for a series of forward bites with its head, 
for a flame jet extending to its sides, and 
for cannon fire. The tracks Wartain Gouon follows can be elevated off the ground with 
, but cannot return to a lower elevation if this is done.
is released, the demon will proceed on the designated path and use its attacks accordingly as it reaches each signal marker, along with causing damage to enemies it comes into contact with. While powerful, effective use of Wartrain Gouon requires a degree of planning as enemies may move out of the path before they come within reach of its attacks.
Special[]
