MBT-6 Predator

"Predator crew ready to roll"

- Common response by Predator tank commanders

The MBT-6 Predator was a tank that served the Global Defense Initiative during the years that led to the Third Tiberium War.

Service History
"Commander, the Predator Tank has been released to you for this mission. You may construct them at your War Factory. You will find the Predator Tank to be most effective against Nod's vehicles and structures."

- EVA to the GDI Commander at the Battle for the White House

After reevaluating the performance and costs of maintaining Titans as a main battle vehicle, GDI engineers designed a new tank to supplement the walker and later replace it after the Second Tiberium War. Expensive to maintain, with complex and often vulnerable legs, the Titan could also not be transported by GDI's new Ox aircraft. Hence the 65 ton Predator, which resembles a conventional battle tank, currently forms the backbone of GDI armoured corps (compared to TW1 M1 Abrams it is actually lighter by 2.6 tons).

During the opening stages of the Third Tiberium War, the Brotherhood of Nod staged numerous strikes against GDI held Blue Zones around the world. One of these attacks led to the capture of the region surrounding the White House leading to GDI staging a counter attack. At the Battle for the White House, the GDI Commander was provided access to the Predator Tanks in order to combat Nod's vehicles and structures in the region. With their aid, the Commander was able to drive out the Brotherhood's presence in the area and secure a victory.

Once the Scrin Invasion was defeated, the Predator remained in use til the Tiberium Control Network Conflict where its inability to deal with the Nod Separatists hit and run tactics led to a number of the tanks being retrofitted at the Battle of Waukesha. This led to the creation of the AT-22 Hunter Tank which served as a much more quicker version of the Predator which merged elements of APC design into its frame.

Description
It is effective against most armored units, with speed guaranteed by four articulated sets of treads. The tank's main armament is a powerful 150mm cannon upgradeable to a high velocity railgun, granting it exceptional firepower to direct against enemy units. Originally, the tank was designed with a fixed rocket pod, similar to those on the Mammoth tanks, but eventually it was removed. Predators represent the finest and most powerful ground unit available at Tier 1. The Railgun Upgrade for Predators replaces the main cannon of the tank with a railgun, significantly boosting its attack power, though it does nothing about the range, or speed. It is left in the dust by it's enemy counterparts, the Attack bike, Seeker, Scorpion tank, Devourer Tank, or even rogue Pitbulls.

The tank has a crew of four; a driver, gunner, commander and combat engineer. The commander is the one who communicates with commanders. Its armour is highly resilient, in particular when compared to the comparatively thin armour of Nod's equivalent MBT, the Scorpion tank. However, the tank requires support from other units when facing significant enemy firepower, in particular air power, against which it has no defence. Similarly, enemy armor of the higher tier (such as the Avatar) can be problematic for the Predator to deal with. Fast and hard-to-target infantry can be dangerous to the tank too, if they possess proper anti-tank weapons.

In-game
"Reload, RELOAD!"

- A Predator tank on the assault

The MBT-6 Predator is GDI's Tier 1 tank appearing in the Third Tiberium War. It's the basic workhorse of the faction, with a decent lifespan and a powerful primary weapon (the 150mm cannon) which can be upgraded with a railgun from the tech center. The predator is the heaviest Tier 1 tank in the war, and it is capable of easily dispatching other enemy Tier 1 vehicles such as the Nod Scorpion tank and the Scrin Seeker. As with most other GDI vehicles, it can be shuttled across the battlefield by V-35 Ox.

Assessment
Predator's good points:
 * Probably the best tier 1 vehicle in the war.
 * Superior firepower and armour.
 * Available at a relatively low tech level, albeit at a somewhat high cost.
 * Has the extremely powerful railgun upgrade.
 * Can be carried by V-35s
 * Powerful in large numbers.
 * Can be used as a cheaper, more flexible version of the Mammoth Tank, albeit without AA capability.

Predator's bad points:
 * Nearly useless against infantry (though this can be slightly offset with the railgun upgrade) and vulnerable to anti-tank infantry, such as the Shock Trooper and Militant rocket squad units.
 * Somewhat expensive for a tier 1 vehicle (1100 credits) but still cheaper than Titans.
 * Relatively slow compared to other Tier 1 tanks.
 * Fully vulnerable to aircraft
 * Outranged by Avatars and other units.

Tactics
Deadly in large numbers, it's probably the most feared unit in the starting of the game. Its armor and firepower are unmatched when battling 1 to 1 against any other Tier one unit. It is a highly effective unit when combined with APCs and Missile Squads, but its damage is comparably small, regardless of whether or not it is upgraded with a Railgun, when your enemy has advanced armoured units (like the Mammoth tank, Tripod and Avatar). Predator tanks can also be crushed by large walkers; therefore, careful usage and micromanagement of the Predator is required if used to face off against Tier three units.

Development
Originally, the Predator was to be outfitted with a rocket pod, similar to the ones on the Mammoth 27. For reasons unknown (balance probably) this feature was removed.