Mammoth Armored Reclamation Vehicle

"The Earth will be ours again."

- MARV

The Mammoth Armed Reclamation Vehicle (MARV) was an ultra-heavy tank/Tiberium-processor hybrid designed by GDI Zone Operations Command (ZOCOM) during the Third Tiberium War. The Mammoth Mk. III-based design was used to support ZOCOM's Tiberium-abatement operations in red zones which were traditionally vulnerable to Nod and separatist mutant attacks. The MARV was extremely powerful and versatile, and it was capable of defeating most ground units in an one-to-one battle. It somewhat filled the role of the old Mammoth Mk. II as the ultra heavy assault unit in the GDI arsenal.

Like the Nod Redeemer and the Scrin Eradicator Hexapod, the MARV must be built from its own specialized construction building - the Reclamator Hub - and commanders were only authorized to deploy one MARV at a time to the battlefield.

Background
The MARV has integrated Tiberium harvesting and processing facilities. While this removes the need for a conventional Tiberium refinery, it is not as efficient in converting the collected Tiberium into resources.

The MARV has immense firepower and can annihilate most units with ease. Its infantry bunkers also make it extremely versatile as a Commander could turn it into an efficient AA unit by garrisoning 4 missile squads, or making it self-repair extremely quickly using 4 engineers. The MARV three-barreled cannon did incredible damage and was even effective against infantry to an extent, due to its huge splash damage.

However the MARV does also have some weaknesses. While it is durable enough to survive even a nuclear missile, groups of Nod Vertigo bombers can wear it down and destroy it if the MARV lacked support, even if garrisoned with four rocket trooper squads. It is also vulnerable to artillery, especially rogue Juggernauts, due to its limited range. MARVs are also highly susceptible to multiple third tier base defenses (Obelisks of Light, Sonic emitters and Storm Columns). Furthermore, it is extremely expensive and time-consuming to produce and is only available very late in the battle, although if used correctly, the vehicle is worth many times its cost.

It is also noteworthy that the MARV is also very vulnerable to electromagnetic-pulse attacks. An EMP strike from an Annihilator or Reaper Tripod, EMP grenades, the blast from Enlightened and Awakened cyborgs or a cloaked Raider Buggy with EMP coils will render it immobile and helpless. A sizable number of Enlightened with well-timed EMP strikes could annihilate MARV without proper support. Even a single Awakened trooper spawned from a destroyed building could momentarily disable the entire epic unit.

History
Nod first encountered the MARV after the opening offensive on the Blue Zones during the Third Tiberium War. Several scout patrols were eliminated after encountering ZOCOM MARV's in the African Red Zone before one managed to transmit a warning before being destroyed. The projected result of ZOCOM's reinforcement was the loss of Nod influence in the Red Zone.

Abbess Alexa Kovacs deployed LEGION into the Red Zone to locate and capture the Reclamator Hub where the MARV was maintained. An analysis of MARV wreckage and captured data allowed the Brotherhood to complete its own Epic Unit, the Redeemer, during the battle. Designs for the Redeemer and its production facility, the Redeemer Engineering Facility, were transferred to LEGION for immediate field testing. Ultimately, three MARVs were destroyed during the ferocious battle.

MARVs were not known to operate after the Third Tiberium War as the Tiberium crystal mutated once more that made them unharvestable or broken down. They were replaced by the new Mastodon Walker in terms of brute firepower of the Fourth Tiberium War.

Game unit
The MARV produces much less credits per Tiberium patch than a regular Harvester: 115 credits per green Tiberium patch, and 230 per blue Tiberium patch, compared to 350 for green Tiberium and 700 for blue Tiberium. However, the MARV does not need to offload at a Tiberium refinery; it instantly converts into credits any Tiberium patch it moves over as long as one has enough storage. It is also extremly slow, due to its heavy armor, but even with all those downsides, it is very handy to help turn the tide of battle, put the finishing touches on an assault, or be used for just plain overkill.

Four infantry squads may be permanently garrisoned inside which adds weapons or abilities to the vehicle. The first infantry unit creates the front-left turret, the second creates the front-right, the third creates the back-left, and the last creates the back-right.

Among the epic units, the MARV has the heaviest armour, the slowest speed, and has the most number of garrison points (Redeemer = 2, Eradicator = 3).

In a one-on-one fight, ignoring garrisons and veterancy, the MARV loses to any other Epic unit, but garrisoning it stands a higher chance. The number of garrisons and vareity of options also makes it the most flexible. It is the only Epic unit that can fire whilst on the move, giving it a significant tactical advantage. It is also the only Epic unit to feature directional armor (that is, it's frontal armor is stronger than the armor elsewhere on its body, with the rear being the weakest point); this, coupled with the use of the "reverse move" command, can help a careful commander save a MARV that may have waded into a conflict it cannot handle, although it can also be exploited by a wiley opponent. The main sonic weapon deals heavy splash damage, making the MARV slightly more effective against groups of clustered infantry than the other epic units. The MARV is capable of crushing any other non-epic unit.

The MARV may be used to hamper an opponent's economy by quickly depleting Tiberium fields convenient to the enemy.

Clues found in the MARV's concept art and in-game model imply the vehicle's canons were originally supposed to rotate after each shot so that only the uppermost barrel was the one firing, however this graphical feature is not present in the final game.

Pros

 * Can garrison up to four types of infantry
 * Heaviest armored unit available
 * Can crush an non-Epic unit
 * Most profitable Epic unit
 * Invulnerable to Commandos, unlike Tripods, Purifiers, and Avatars
 * Tribarreled sonic cannon can cause massive damage to enemy infrantry
 * Can harvest large amounts of Tiberium
 * Can quickly deplete enemy Tiberium fields and disturb enemy Harvesters
 * Can crush defensive structures

Cons

 * Presents a very large target
 * Slowest Epic unit; vulnerable to artillery, long range weapons and hit-and-run tactics
 * Vulnerable to swarms of heavy anti-armor units
 * Aircraft can present a problem
 * Susceptible to EMP attacks
 * Most expensive GDI unit; slow and difficult to deploy
 * Shortest attack range of all available Epic unit
 * Directional armor: Takes more damage from the rear, unlike other Epic units
 * Vulnerable without support units or garrisoned infantry
 * Harvesting Tiberium won't generate funds if respective player is already at maximum storage capacity
 * Too slow to chase Harvesters effectively
 * Steel Talons' lack of advanced infantry makes the MARV useful only as a self-healing meatshield.
 * Annihilator Tripods' short-range EMP effect eliminates the MARV's crushing ability
 * Can be defeated by an ungarrisoned Redeemer: MARV's cannon deals splash damage; Redeemer's laser weapon deals precision damage (video to be cited)

Upon Selecting

 * Overwhelming!
 * Global defense initiated.
 * Systems online.
 * MARV online.
 * MARV.
 * Fearless!
 * Size matters!
 * Ready to roll.
 * Ready to deploy.

Moving

 * MARV assembly complete.
 * Power engaged.
 * Reclamation ops commencing.
 * The earth will be ours again!
 * Tiberium abatement commencing.
 * Reclamation in progress.
 * En route.
 * Revising deployment vector.
 * Make some room.
 * On my way.
 * Adjusting position.
 * This way.
 * Emitters charged!

Attacking

 * Heavy firepower!
 * Deploying armaments!
 * Assault initated.
 * Assault vector alpha!
 * Enemy sighed!
 * Full power!
 * Take 'em out!
 * Take back the planet!
 * I'll clear the way.
 * Crush them!
 * Bringing in the big guns!
 * Combat vector engaged!

Retreating

 * What?!?
 * Refactoring objective.
 * Retreating!
 * Pulling back!
 * Watch my six!