Apocalypse Tank

"You now have access to Apocalypse Tanks - the most toughest armor in the world."
 * USSR Advisor Dasha, telling the commander that Cherdenko is granting access to Apocalypse Tanks on the Battle of Mount Fuji

"Apocalypse Tanks on the roll - be careful Commander."
 * Allied Advisor Eva Lee, warning the Commander of incoming Apocalypse Tanks

The successor of the old Soviet Mammoth Tank, the Apocalypse Tank is a force to be reckoned with.

Description
"The Apocalypse has begun."
 * overheard from Apocalypse Tank, both in GWWIII and Real WWIII

The Apocalypse Tank was the most powerful tank in Great World War III, mounting a pair of powerful forward facing cannons. These cannons were loaded with high explosive shells which were devastating against vehicles, capable of eliminating IFVs or other light vehicles with a single double volley. Against infantry, the weapons were less effective, but the explosives would still cause some damage. Lt. Zofia once described them as 'War in a Can'. Like the earlier Mammoth Tanks, the Apocalypse was designed to meet any opposition and expected to be the last unit standing.

The tank itself was much larger than Grizzly and Rhino tanks, the better for mounting a massive turret. The turret also featured a pair of small missile launchers. Although these missile launchers were slow firing, they were more powerful against air targets than were the missiles found on IFVs, for example. This allowed the Apocalypse Tank to defend itself reasonably well against aerial threats, especially given its heavy armour. An on-board engineering crew allowed the Apocalypse tank to regenerate itself to full health.

Unfortunately, there were still a number of drawbacks. First, the Apocalypse tanks were very slow, though not nearly as slow as Kirov Airships. In fact, Apocalypse tank commanders often urged field commanders to 'be patient' when dealing with Apocalypse Tanks. The missiles themselves were also slow and were not especially suited to destroy the Allies' speedy Harriers. Lastly, like most tanks, the Apocalypse is relatively weak against infantry. Despite its primitive look, it is also clear that the Apocalypse tank is the next generation of the Soviet Mammoth Tanks used in GWWII.

In WWIII they are still the same thing only again faster that Kirovs and this time they got dangerous materials that stop units from escaping.

Counters
"Be patient."
 * Apocalypse Tank commander

"Hope they're wearing seatbelts!"
 * Tanya preparing to detonate the Apocalypse

The best defence was a long range naval strike using Aircraft Carriers, Boomers or Dreadnoughts, which avoided the entire problem of dealing with the Apocalypse's firepower. Failing that, the next best option was a massive network of Prism Towers. Enough prism towers, and the resulting massive beam would be enough to destroy an Apocalypse tank in a single shot. Tanya with C4 was also reasonably effective, as Apocalypse tanks were too slow to escape her. Guardian GIs were also reasonably effective. Apocalypse tanks are also extremely susceptible to Chrono Legionnaires provided a team of them gets close enough without being killed in the process. Many Soviet field commanders believed Apocalypses were nigh invincible and send them out in un-escorted columns, leaving them vulnerable to a Chrono Legionnaire counter-attack.

In WWIII, the latest Apocalypse Tank does not have a great defense against most aircraft and infantry - the worst of which is that the Tank can be easily bribed with the fee of $1000. Shrink Beams, "Yuriko" and Allied Mirage Tanks were additional reasons why Apocalypse Tanks require support. Their M-Harpoons are effective on vehicles, structures and ships and on them only.

Usage
"Look! Real Apocalypse tanks! Back up! BACK UP!!"
 * Giles, in sight of the real Apocalypses

Once developed, Apocalypse tanks were a formidable foe with its dual 120 mm cannons and 14 Tusk II missiles, much so that the Allies considered it worthwhile to launch a special Chronosphere strike on the Battle Lab in the Ural Mountains where they had first been developed, although this attack was repelled. Premier Romanov believed Apocalypse tanks to be extremely formidable, and the Black Guard - which was formed of the most advanced and most powerful Apocalypse tanks anywhere in the Soviet Union, was an incredibly formidable force. It was also useful in the war against Yuri, mainly because it can be used on the Moon.

In the real WWIII, Oleg was the Soviet assault General that widely used this monstrous tank, but all were either bribed or destroyed by Lissette and the Allied Commander.

In Crumble Kremlin Crumble Krukov send these tanks after the Shogun Executioner but got cut down by the big Katanas. Also two Sudden Transports disguised as the tank.

In the Last Red Blossom Trembled it was summoned by Gregor and were the last remains of the soviets to help the Allies but got destroyed by Mecha Tengus, Rocket angels and the King Oni.

On a scouting Mission, Giles and the Commander can't believe that the Soviets were stupid enough to mistake a disguised Mirage Tank for one of theirs. Even the 2 real Apocalypse Tanks were bribed so easily or easily mistook the Mirage Tank for one of theirs.

When the Allies invaded Leningrad in the last days of WWIII to capture Cherdenko and Krukov for their crimes against humanity, the Apocalypses were called to battle once more to stop the invading Allies and their Mirage Tanks, but again either bribed or destroyed like the Tesla Tanks by the Allied Commander and Warren.

In the Battle of Mt. Fuji, the Apocalypse Tanks proved to be more than a match for the Imperial military in terms of firepower and durability - even Yoshiro's personal King Oni fell apart from the destructive power of their Drakon anti-armor cannons, serving as a nightmarish reminder of their firepower.

In The Stone Faced Witnesses after Zhana and the Commander destroyed the Allies Cherdenko attempt to kill them with this tank but were destroyed.

Changes made in WWIII
"THEY WILL RUN IN FEAR!"
 * Overheard from Apocalypse tank crew

Recovered intel shows a new generation of Apocalypse Tanks. While lacking the anti-air weapons and possessing the horrendously low speed of the previous generation of the Apocalypse Tanks, these new vehicles are still as fearsome as ever. The chain-like Myasorubka cutting treads built under the tank give it greater traction for its massive weight, and can be combined with a new feature: the magnetic harpoon, an product of Soviet research into the military applications of magnetism.

Lesser vehicles caught by the Schuchka (Pike) Magnetic Harpoon are dragged underneath the cutting treads, destroying them completely. This is similar to the Yuri's Magnetron of the Psychic Dominator Disaster period, but the Magnetron had no means of harming vehicles besides dropping them on other vehicles, buildings or in the sea. Additionally, the harpoon can be used to drag the Apocalypse towards an anchored structure, increasing its low speed. However, the harpoon is very energy hungry; requiring the tank to power down the main guns while it is activated. Vehicles may still fire (perhaps futilely) at the Apocalypse while being dragged towards the tank. Even without the M-Harpoon, the Apocalyspe Tank is still capable of crushing smaller vehicles by simply rolling over them.

The Apocalypse Tank has 16 layers of heavy armour, and extremely powerful twin 125mm "Drakon" cannons. The original designers of the Apocalypse, the Archangelsk Tank Plant, assures the Soviet public that the name "Apocalypse" refers to the tanks purported ability to survive anything. As one may imagine, they are very expensive to construct and require significant technical skill. The tank also features a Tesla reactor that eliminates 70% of emissions, but despite that, still produces a lot of exhaust. The turret also tends to wobble a little as the Apocalypse rumbles along, which might inhibit accuracy while firing on the move.

The Apocalypse Tank is not amphibious, given it's huge weight, and is much more specialized than it's counterparts: The Allied Assault Destroyer and the Imperial King Oni. However, it is possible that the Apocalypse is a better anti-armour platform than both of them, to balance them.

The counters for these tanks include Assault Destroyers, King Oni, Mirage Tanks and aircraft or anti-tank infantry.

According to additional information, the apocalypse tank even became popularized in a morning cartoon show and toy line ("They Are Not Allies"), at which point it truly became an icon not in the Soviet Union's military arsenal, and all over the world.

Notes from the field
"This will be their last moments!"
 * Apocalypse

Battlefield reconnaissance has revealed these facts about the Apocalypse Tank:

• Unstoppable -- The Apocalypse Tank can simply roll over anything that survives its main guns. Main battle tanks, let alone smaller vehicles, can easily be crushed under the Apocalypse Tank's treads.

• The sinister M-harpoon -- The Apocalypse can effectively spear and reel in other vehicles using the M-harpoon, or even drag itself toward structures. However, the magnet requires an extreme amount of energy, so the tank's main guns are rendered inoperable while the M-harpoon is active. IT also grinds up structures.

• Pure anti-armor -- While the Apocalypse Tank has nothing to fear from lesser vehicles, its crew's limited visibility combined with its armor-piercing ammunition means it is less effective against very small targets, namely infantry. Commanders also admit that the apocalypse requires anti-air support.

• Worth its weight in ore -- The Apocalypse Tank and its two main guns and 16-layer armor don't come cheap. On top of that, the schematics for manufacturing these vehicles in the field are authorized only by battle lab technicians required to study the tank's performance characteristics.

http://www.cncgames.com/redalert3_sovunits/ra3_sov_apoc.jpg

Also it is rumored to self repair itself.

Behind the Scenes
This tank, in its early form, is reported to resemble the PLA Overlord Tanks.

The GWWIII one is similar to the Mammoth Tanks of GDI and the USSR only it destroys Grizzly tanks in one attack.

Conceptually, the M-Harpoon is similar to Yuri's Magnetrons, the only difference between the two is the Apocalypse uses it to drag vehicles underneath its grinders, while the Magnetron lifts the victim unit in the air and pulls it towards the Magnetron.

Its Grinders are similar to the Yuri's Grinder only it is only meant for grinding tanks not infantry, nor does it provide any cash from units ground. However, as of patch 1.03, it is capable of grinding buildings too.

Photographs of GWWIII generation Apocalypse tanks were found displayed on the walls of a museum within the first Cairo Temple of Nod in the First Tiberium War, suggesting that the Brotherhood may have been aware of them or involved in their development at some point, possibly relating to their former activities in the USSR.