Tick tank (Rivals)

"Tick tank hungry for blood"

- Rick tank when selected

The Tick tank is an epic Nod vehicle in Command & Conquer: Rivals.

Background
The Tick tank is a Nod battle tank specialized for defensive operations. When stationary, it has the ability to entrench in the ground, reducing the amount of damage taken. The Tick tank’s unique Baryshnikov Dual-Drive tread system allows for both high speed transit and the ability to entrench in the ground, heavily reducing the amount of damage taken from incoming enemy fire.

Abilities

 * Takes less damage (70% reduction) when setup.
 * Fires while moving.
 * Fires while moving.

Game unit
Tick tank is an anti-vehicle tank. It's fragile while moving, but when it stops moving, it digs into a defensive position, where it has about the same health as similar to a temple or tech unit.

Although Tick tank has stats that are similar to Scorpion tank, they lend themselves to different play styles — Scorpion relies on its mobility and is easy prey when stationary, whereas the Tick is vulnerable on the go and relatively safe while burrowed.

The defensive nature of the Tick tank makes it most suited to hold choke-points and pads. If the Tick tank can get to the opponent's Tiberium fields, it can significantly disrupt their economy.

When on the move, Tick tank is vulnerable to all kinds of anti-vehicle attacks, the most devastating of which are burst attacks from Orcas. Getting to control points quickly with cheap anti-vehicle units will deny Tick tank an opportunity to dig in. Even when burrowed, it will struggle against infantry and aircraft, especially sustained air-to-ground attacks from Mohawk gunship. It is then recommended to reply by defending it with Militants for infantry, or anything else anti infantry; while using Stealth tanks and/or Phantoms for anti-air.

The Tick tank cannot attack while in the process of burrowing.

Changelog

 * 2018-10-04: Introduced to the game.
 * 2018-11-28:
 * Reduced deploy time to 2 seconds (was 5 seconds)
 * Reduced undeploy time to 0.5 seconds (was 2 seconds)
 * 2018-12-06:
 * Health increased to 1800 (was 1400)
 * Damage reduction decreased to 70% (was 75%)
 * 2019-05-01: Add 0.25 second lock-on timer
 * 2019-07-31:
 * Cost reduced to 70 (was 80)
 * Time between attacks reduced to 2.8 (was 3.0) (ineffective)

When created

 * Tick tank tick tick tick
 * It's burrowing time
 * Ready to burrow in

When selected

 * Burrowers doing better
 * Tick tank hungry for blood
 * Ready to dig deep
 * Happy to see the sun for a change

When moving

 * Tick tank moving position
 * Finding a new home
 * Let's dig in there
 * Tick tank heading out, get it?

When moving to attack favorably

 * Gonna suck the life out of them
 * Time to gorge!
 * It will be a blood bath!

When moving to attack neutral

 * I smell blood
 * Can do
 * Alright

When moving to attack unfavorably

 * Ooh, I don't want to get squeezed
 * I'd rather eat haggis
 * Doesn't look that tasty

When unable to attack target

 * I no do that
 * Cannot do that
 * No point
 * Oh, no lad

When attacking

 * Sticking them in the ground!
 * Tick tank's ravenous!
 * Hah, I can dig it!

When under attack

 * Tick tank getting squeezed!
 * Ripping me head off!
 * I'm going to burst!

Videos
Tick tank burrowing.

Trivia

 * The Tick tank was inspired from it's counterpart in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun.
 * A happy little Scottish tick. Male.
 * Sometimes is called thick tank due to it's robustness when burrowed.

Behind the scenes
"The Tick Tank, as well as being a classic Tiberian Sun unit, is designed to give to give Nod some sustained tanky-ness at strategically important points, but at a lower cost unit than units such as the Rockworm."

- MrBlack