Stormrider

"Incoming Alien Air! Blow those suckers out of the Sky!"

- GDI Soldier

Stormriders are Scrin fast-attack aircraft designed for extended operations in a combat zone, produced at the Gravity Stabilizer, which is the Scrin equivalent of an Airfield. Fast and versatile, the Stormrider has an exceptionally strong airframe, and is armed with a single, omni-directional plasma cannon with an unlimited power supply. This weapon is capable of engaging both ground and airborne targets but suffers from a relatively weak power output. Therefore Stormriders are free to pursue their targets across the battlefield for an unlimited duration, but to little effect, and have proven to be more an annoyance than threat to GDI and Nod forces, unless utilized in large numbers.

The Stormrider's name is derived from observations made by GDI field operatives, who noticed that the craft operated more effectively in an ion storm. The Scrin possess the technology to generate a localized ion storm at will, which is outfitted on board their Planetary Assault Carriers (PACs) and Storm Column base defenses. While human technology is disabled or even destroyed by ion storms, all Scrin air units, including the Devastator Warships, can utilize these storms to gain a tremendous boost in protection as well as self-repair. Because of this, groups of PACs and Warships escorted by groups of Stormriders are an exceptionally powerful combination.

The Stormrider's only true weakness is that it cannot hit moving infantry with it's plasma bolts. This can be exploited by making Missile Squads/Militant Rocket Squads continuously move, stopping once in a while to take potshots at the Stormrider.

The Stormriders bear a striking resemblance to the now retired Nod Banshee, which was known to have been based on reverse-engineered Scrin technology. Therefore, there are those who assume that the Stormrider was the basis upon which the Banshee was developed.