Shadow Team

"The wings of Nod."

- Shadow Team

Shadow Teams are elite special forces units of Nod.

Description
They are trained much like the ninjas of ages past, providing them with great skill at stealth and infiltration. Much like their famed forebears, Shadows are capable of seemingly appearing from nowhere and moving at lightning speed, usually in groups of four. Perhaps this was because they were trained in stealth. Shadows wear body-fitting jumpsuits with lightweight body armor and a full-head plexiglass helmet with rebreathers. The armor is equipped with collapsible powered hang-gliders, giving them the ability to fly. In combat, they wield dual fully automatic pistols that make short work of infantry. They also carry a special explosive that can destroy vital structures; the chemical composition of this weapon was acquired by Nod spies from GDI laboratories.

GDI, soon after the deployment of Shadow Teams, began introducing borderline paranoid security measures, especially learning of the Shadow strike teams. After noting the effectiveness of GDI Juggernauts being spotted for by sniper teams, Nod has equipped its Shadow teams with special artillery beacons, allowing for a devastating barrage from Nod Specter artillery units. These beacons may also be deployed in-flight.

Although powerful, the Shadow Teams have several drawbacks. First, while gliding, they are incapable of defending themselves, and units with both stealth detection and anti-air capability can make quick work of them. Second, while capable of shredding infantry, the sub-machine guns they carry are ineffective against most types of vehicles. The guns also lacked range, and if their targets were not eliminated, it placed the Shadows at risk due to their lack of armor. Sniper teams and Buzzers are also very effective at decimating them.

History
The existence of Nod stealth infantry had been present in the previous two Tiberium Wars. During the First Tiberium War, the Brotherhood made use of Black Hand elite soldiers wearing Stealth suits making them a dangerous foe against the Global Defense Initiative. In the Second Tiberium War, Nod used Chameleon Spies as operatives in special missions. Capitalizing on this earlier effectiveness, the Brotherhood created Shadow Teams at some point after the Firestorm Crisis.

Kane deployed several teams of Shadows on a mission commanded by his loyal AI LEGION in order to retrieve advanced GDI technology as well as the plans to the enemy's Ion Cannon's. These Shadows were supported by a Nod Commando in order to complete the mission.

In-Game Unit
They Shadow Teams are comparable to the GDI Sniper Teams in ways such as their strong damage towards infantry, their stealth, acting as spotters for their respective artillery pieces and their Tech tree requirements of an infantry Tech Center. Shadow Teams are excellent for hit and run tactics, as they can slip into enemy bases and take down key structures such as power plants and war factories. They are not nearly as resilient as Zone Raider or other heavy infantry, and should be used inventively.

Pros:
 * Very fast infantry unit, capable of evading most vehicles and infantry with ease.
 * Carry explosives that can damage or destroy key structures
 * Machine Pistols give them the ability to kill most types of infantry in mere seconds, including commando's
 * Gliders enable Shadow Teams to attack from otherwise inexcessible routes.
 * Excellent for scouting and placing beacons for Specter artillery strikes.

Cons:
 * Machine pistols are utterly useless against heavily armored vehicles and structures.
 * Shadow Team explosives do a set damage rather than instantly kill structures like Commandos' Explosives, so may require multiple uses.
 * Very weak armor, only takes a few seconds to cut a shadow team down.
 * Very vulnerable to snipers and other stealth detection systems.
 * Stronger Infantry can take and do damage more quickly, and more numerous infantry can overwhelm them.
 * Helpless when using gliders against anti-air defenses.
 * Unable to take out walkers with explosives
 * Very small squads at a max of four per squad.
 * Expensive(800 credits)