The Robot Tank is an Allied scout and detector unit which is an equivalent to the Soviet Terror Drone and Epsilon Stinger.
Description
The Robot Tank was previously a Japanese commercial security robot. Programmed with powerful friend/foe recognition algorithms and hover engines for naval patrols, its main role was to defend vital Kanegawa Industries research and military compounds from intruders.
Once Epsilon arose and the threat of their mind control techniques become known, the Robot Tank was incorporated into all Allied arsenals and outfitted with a "Jupiter" laser cannon to counter Epsilon Adepts and Elites. Robot Tanks are also excellent in preventing enemy infiltration of Allied bases as they can easily "see" past disguises.
Overview
Repurposed in Mental Omega as an early anti-infantry vehicle and detector, the Robot Tank no longer requires a Robot Control Center, unlike in the original Yuri's Revenge, to construct it and remain operational.
Cheap and easily available, the Robot tank is an excellent early game unit against infantry. Together with its hover drive system, it easily surpasses its robotic counterparts like Stinger and Terror Drone in water traversing ability, allowing it to eliminate amphibious infantry lurking in the waters that are normally unreachable by ground units. Some examples include rogue Navy SEALs, Crazy Ivans and Duneriders.
Another main function of the Robot Tank is to detect stealth and infiltration units. Defensively, a wise Allied commander would produce a couple of Robot Tanks to prevent sneaky enemy infiltrators from entering the base, even if the enemy has applied the Shadow Ring to them in Epsilon's case. Robot Tanks can also serve as anti-infantry escorts and detectors for fellow Allied vehicles.
Other plus points possessed by the Robot Tank include immunity to mind-control and hijacking. It is also immune to poison and radiation. These attributes combine to make the Robot Tank an excellent counter to Epsilon Adepts, Epsilon Elites, Viruses and Desolators.
Unfortunately, Robot Tanks are lightly armored and fragile. They cannot attack enemy aircraft, and are ineffective against structures and armored vehicles. Ships, tanks and air units are therefore easy counters against them. Furthermore, any Robot Tanks happened to be disabled when over water would sink, thus making them particularly susceptible against EMP or cryobeam attacks.
Assessment
Pros
- Effective against infantry.
- Immune to mind-control, hijacking, poison and radiation.
- Inexpensive ($500).
- Amphibious.
- Can fire on the move.
- Detects disguised, cloaked and submerged enemies.
Cons
- Ineffective against armored vehicles and structures.
- Lightly armored.
- Cannot attack aircraft.
- Vulnerable to anti-armor threats.
- EMP sinks them when over water.
Trivia
- In 3.0 the Robot Tank uses a shotgun instead of a laser cannon.
- The Robot Tank uses the voiceset and the modified voxel of the same unit in Yuri's Revenge.
