Pilot

Pilot is a generic term for anyone operating a vehicle. However when most American commanders refer to a 'Pilot', they are referring to Pilots who had survived the destruction of US vehicles.

Background
The US Military still has the finest pilots and combat training regimes in the world and these men are no exception. Their experience against GLA proved invaluable in the war. Able to escape from decimated vehicles and aircraft, they could return to thier base and relay intel, give experience advice to other pilots and vehicle crews, and each one was more than willing to return to the fight, providing some demoralisation against the GLA.

US vehicles have titanium-plated cockpits and US aircraft equipped their pilots with ejection seats, as well as parachutes and basic survival kits, giving them a good chance of survival. Since Pilots able to survive such destruction were highly skilled, they were deemed a valuable asset. If they could be escorted to another vehicle, they could show its crew what they had learned on the battlefield, making them more efficient. They can not be trained from a barracks.

Game unit
Pilots cannot be trained, he appears when a US vehicle with veterancy is destroyed, either from the wreakage if its a ground vehicle, or parachute if its an aircraft. Pilots can only emerge from newly made US vehicles. Vehicles that has their original pilot killed by Neutron Mines, Neutron Shells, Jarmen Kell and taken over by another infantry, or hijacked by a Hijacker will eject the infantry instead.

Unarmed at all, Pilots' only use is to grant his veterancy to a friendly vehicle by entering that vehicle, regardless of what he originally drives. he can access Jet fighters while they are standby in an airfield, or Comanches when they are repairing at an airfield.

Pilots can also enter vehicles on the player's same team, but the veterancy will be granted to the teammate instead.

If the vehicle already has veterancy, the pilot's veterancy will stack on top of it, up to heroic rank.

Vehicles Available for Pilots
Pilots can occupy all of the game's factions' (GLA, China, USA) vehicles, but can only re-emerge from destroyed US vehicles again thanks to their superior driver protections.
 * Pilot cannot enter non-combat vehicles such as s and supply trucks.
 * Pilot cannot enter a vehicle that is already at heroic rank.
 * A pilot can only enter the passenger seat of any vehicle with transport slots. He cannot provide them with veterancy.
 * Pilot can enter ECM tanks, which normally can only gain veterancy by running over infantries.
 * Pilots cannot enter scout drones or bomb trucks.
 * If a pilot enters a combat cycle, he can grant veterancy to its driver, even if the latter is a terrorist or a saboteur that normally cannot earn veterancy.
 * Pilots cannot enter the combat cycle if it is driven by a worker.

Upgrades
"Anything to drive?"

- Pilot

Important Note: These upgrades apply to the pilot only in the patched versions of the game.

Counters
"Sure beats walking!"

- Pilot

Being unarmed and poorly armoured, any attack likely kills the pilot, in spite of the fact that they are fast runners. Quad Cannons, Humvees and Gatling tanks can easily chase down and slaughter pilots before they get a chance of entering another vehicle, or even kill them while they are still in the air. Killing an enemy pilot is a smart move, as he can transfer his veterancy to his next vehicle.

If the ground vehicle is destroyed by powerful anti-infantry attacks such as Fire, Nuke, or Toxin, the pilot will also likely dies before he can even start running. Pathfinders can also snipe pilots right when he emerges.

In general, the Pilot's nature means that if the vehicle is destroyed in the middle of an attack force or near the player's base, he can easily escape and find another vehicle to jump in, but if he is alone or isolated, he will likely perish.

Changelog

 * Zero Hour patch 1.03: now shows upgrade icons for chemical suits and advanced training

Trivia

 * A pilot's health and speed depend upon his rank.
 * There can be only three pilots in one vehicle.

Behind the Scenes
The pilot is voiced by Quinton Flynn, who also voiced the Humvee, Missile defender, Raptor and Pathfinder.

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