Zone raider (Kane's Wrath)

"We can handle it!"

- Zone Raider

Zone Raiders are an elite GDI infantry class, utilising a heavily modified variant of the standard Zone Trooper armour.

Background
Zone Raiders are equipped with dual, shoulder mounted, anti-air rocket pods, and a specialised cannon, designed to fire rocket-propelled sonic grenades. These shells are a unique ordnance that release a massive burst of sonic energy upon impact. As such, these grenades are useful for removing Tiberium, which allows them to participate in reclamation projects. While not causing as much damage as the railguns of Zone Troopers, their sonic grenades have a wide area effect, making them better equipped to deal with masses of enemies.

Zone Raiders, with their area of effect Sonic shells, excel at eliminating large groups of enemy infantry, and enjoy the same level of protection from Tiberium and enemy tanks, as the standard Zone Trooper. Thanks to their anti-air rockets, Zone Raiders have some defense against enemy aircraft, while Zone Troopers would be mowed down helplessly by a Venom or Stormrider. That must have caused GDI to rethink the trooper class. Also, like the Zone Trooper, the Zone Raider is especially vulnerable against anti-infantry specialists, such as the Nod Shadow Team, Black Hand, and Scrin Buzzers. Rogue GDI Sniper Teams can also decimate them easily from a distance.

Zone Trooper power armour was designed with flexibility and survivability. It was designed to be independent, able to deal with any type of enemy. Unlike the bulky Zone Trooper armour, the Raider's armour is slimmer, with smaller shoulder pads, scaled down arm armour, and body armour that hugs the body. Jump jets have also been integrated, necessary to travel through the vast ruin of the Red Zones. Armour can be upgraded with Scanner Packs, helpful for detecting ambushes, and Power Packs. Additionally, they are able to call for transport when needed. Drop pods can deploy Zone Raider veterans from orbit.

Zone Raiders are deployed under GDIUP Zone Operations Command, and have been in service for an unknown period of time. Originally, the Raiders were developed with the idea of working with Zone Troopers. However they wound up replacing Zone Troopers in ZOCOM. Interestingly, Zone Raider forces only consist of women. ZOCOM's R&D developed their power armour with a "bikini style" chest plating with this in mind.

In-game
While Zone Raiders and Zone Troopers use the same armor, it is interesting to note the effects of the Nod Cloaking Field on the two. While the Zone Troopers gain heavy damage and may lose one or two members of the squad, the same power will wipe out an entire squad of Zone Raiders, because of a bug that causes sub-faction heavy infantry to take more damage from Cloaking Field.

Pros:
 * Can hit aircraft.
 * Does splash damage with its sonic grenade launchers.
 * Effective against tanks.
 * Devastating against buildings.
 * Devastating against light infantry.
 * Can survive in tiberium like Zone Troopers.
 * Can be transported quickly and anywhere on the battlefield using drop pods
 * Garrisoning them in Hammerheads will allow them to attack both ground AND air units.
 * Can Jump Jet.
 * Immune to suppression.

Cons:
 * Again like Zone Troopers certain heavy armored infantry (especially the Black Hand) armed with flamethrowers can do severe damage to Zone Raider squads.
 * Like Mammoth Tank missiles it is not very effective against certain aircraft (especially Scrin Devastator Warships and PACs).
 * Not accurate when it comes to firing on fast-moving targets such as buzzers.
 * Dozer Blades can run them over.
 * Shredder Turrets (especially upgraded ones) and Obelisk of Light are deadly to them.
 * Shadow Teams could beat them easily.
 * Confessor Cabals can be a problem due to their large squad size and lethality against infantry.
 * Once again, like Zone Troopers, expensive.