Assault destroyer

The Assault destroyer was an Allied amphibious warship in Red Alert 3 and Uprising.

Background
As the Soviet Union further encroached on its neighbors from every direction, the Allied Nations sought a versatile solution to coastal threats that could press onto the shore to secure a beachhead. Years of design conducted in secret, headed by the finest panel of international military vehicle specialists ever assembled by the Allies, resulted in the assault destroyer--an amphibious warship featuring a highly accurate armor-piercing cannon suitable for land and sea warfare, as well as layers of specially-designed armor that can be activated to draw enemy fire away from otherwise-unprotected targets.

Assault destroyers were so massive that only Allied seaports are large enough to manufacture them, even though the vessels themselves were fully as capable on land as they are at sea. In fact, on land, the relative girth of assault destroyers was such that they dwarfed most other vehicles. On land, the assault destroyer could simply crush smaller vehicles, let alone enemy foot soldiers. Infantry were still considered a threat to these vessels, however, since its main gun is too bulky to be effective against them. Assault destroyers have similar handling characteristics both at sea and on land, though their typically-gruff, typically-proud captains scoff at this suggestion, pointing to myriad nuances such as how the vessels can only move in reverse while on land, and so forth.

The greatest strength of the assault carrier may be its defensive capability. Its reinforced hull could shrug off all but the most violent of concussive blasts, and each assault destroyer has the capability to activate a special magnetic field (allegedly based on stolen Soviet magnetic technology), which caused nearby ordnance to gravitate toward the assault destroyer instead of its intended target. Activating the black-hole armor field meant having to avoid use of their main guns for fear of internal combustion, though Allied forces tuned to the same encrypted frequencies as assault destroyers may fire through the black-hole field as normal.

Assault destroyers' black hole armor made them probably the single most reassuring sight that other Allied forces could hope to encounter on the battlefield. After returning from a successful counterattack against Soviet forces in France, one mirage tank commander famously quipped, "Today I love the assault destroyer more than my own mother, and I wouldn't be here if not for her."

Description
The assault destroyer provides the Allied fleet with heavy anti-surface and anti-submarine defense. To assist the taking and expansion of beachheads, the ship may deploy onto land on four treads as a tank. Befitting its immense mass, once on land it may simply run over lesser vehicles, destroying them instantly.

The assault destroyer is equipped with black hole armor, a magnetic force field that alters the trajectory of nearby enemy fire toward the ship. This allows the destroyer to absorb fire that would otherwise impact less durable friendly units. The armor only works on material weapons such as bullets, shells, and missiles. It has no effect on beam-type weaponry such as lasers and tesla-bolts. When the armor is active the ship's cannon may not be used. The technology may be based on stolen Soviet research.

Of note is that the black hole armour also attracts V4 and Dreadnought missiles and even Artemis Precision bombs from the protocol Surgical Strike, which means that they will be assured of hitting a destroyer with the armour activated, even if it is moving.

Game unit
The assault destroyer is somewhat similar to the Destroyer of the Third World War. It is similarly armed, but no longer needs an onboard aircraft to attack submarines. It is fully amphibious, but can only be constructed from an Allied Seaport with access to Heightened Clearance. It is much slower on land than at sea. The assault destroyer cannot fire when the black hole armor is activated (but gains much increased armor) and, like its Red Alert 2 counterpart, cannot attack aircraft. The main gun is effective against vehicles and buildings, but highly ineffective against infantry.

The main role of the assault destroyer is to provide anti-submarine protection, support Allied beach landings, and to use its black hole armor to protect more vulnerable units (such as Mirage tanks or Athena cannons) from incoming fire. Allied players often used assault destroyers to draw fire away from weak armored units while the units they protect destroy the threat.

Its closest analogues on sea are the Soviet Akula submarines and the Imperial Naginata cruisers. While lacking the raw firepower of either one, it has the advantage of being amphibious. In addition, it is somewhat cheaper to produce. With black hole armor activated, it is also significantly tougher.

Its closest analogues on land are the Soviet Apocalypse tank and King Oni. The assault destroyer is significantly weaker than either one, but is cheaper, available earlier (tier 2, as compared to tier 3 for the others), and is amphibious.

Changelog

 * Red Alert 3 beta patch 1.3: Black Hole Armor bonus decreased to 25% from 75%.
 * Red Alert 3 beta patch 1.5: Assault Destroyers can now target submerged units.
 * Red Alert 3 beta patch 1.6: Assault Destroyers now target correctly.
 * Red Alert 3 patch 1.08: build cost reduced to $1500 from $1800.
 * Red Alert 3 patch 1.11: Black Hole Armor bonus increased to 35% from 25%.
 * Red Alert 3 patch 1.12: a related exploit has been fixed.

Upon exiting a Seaport

 * Assault destroyer, proud to serve!

Select

 * Stand by for orders!
 * What do you have, command?
 * Finest in the fleet!
 * Look tight, gentlemen!
 * Destroyer, standing by!
 * They're not getting past this ship!
 * Assault destroyer, taking to the waters!
 * Destroyer crew, standing proud!

Moving

 * Flank speed!
 * Make way!
 * Stay alert!
 * Out of our way!
 * Full power!
 * How we looking?
 * Keep your eyes peeled!
 * Anything on radar?
 * Steady as she goes, people!
 * We've got a new heading!
 * Copy that, helmsmen?
 * Make some waves!
 * Plot this course!
 * Set the rudder!

Moving to land

 * Ready the landing gear!
 * Unlock those treads!
 * Ready for land approach!
 * Let's get up on there!
 * Making landfall!

Moving to water

 * Ready naval systems!
 * Seal those tread ports!
 * Time to get wet, people!

Attacking ship

 * Now!
 * You got that, gunners?
 * Send 'em to hell!
 * Take them out!
 * Put 'em away!
 * They have nowhere to turn!
 * Fire away!
 * Nail 'em!

Attacking sub

 * Subs on scan - get 'em!
 * Make 'em fish food!
 * Kill that sub!
 * They can't hide!
 * Sink 'em!
 * Feed 'em some charges!

Use Blackhole Armour

 * Get ready for some incoming!
 * We're gonna take some hits, men!
 * Armor deployed!
 * Things are gonna get pretty busy, crew!

Move to Attack

 * Man up people, this is it!
 * Battlestations!
 * Make me proud!
 * Target bearing set!
 * Radar's all lit up!
 * Load that turret!
 * Make short work of 'em!
 * That main gun ready?

In combat

 * Come on, battlestations!
 * Let's see this through, gentlemen!
 * Don't fail me now!
 * We're in it, command!
 * Keep loading those guns!
 * We're not done with them!
 * Let 'em take their best shot!
 * Earn your salary, men!

Retreating

 * Disengage!
 * Chance up, men, we're getting outta here!
 * Draw them back!
 * They'd be fools to follow us!
 * HQ, we're heading back!

Under fire

 * This ship's not going down, not on my watch!
 * Engine block, you guys okay?
 * I need a sitrep now!
 * Deck 2, status report!
 * Deck 1, talk to me!
 * We've got incoming fire!
 * It'll take more than that to stop us!

Trivia

 * Originally, the Assault Destroyer was supposed to launch depth charges at submarines instead of firing its main cannon. The model for the depth charges, the weapon launch points, the trajectory, and the weapon itself (named "AlliedAntiNavyShipTech1_DepthCharge") all exist within the game files. However, the weapon is unused, and it lacks explosion effects.
 * If an Assault Destroyer using Black Hole armor absorbs incoming torpedoes, it will not be damaged if it is on land.
 * The assault destroyer is the only allied unit that can crush other vehicles.