Annihilator tripod

"That Tripod left a husk. I think an engineer can reactivate it!"
 * GDI troops talking about the dead Tripod

The Annihilator Tripod is considered the Scrin's most dangerous terrestrial unit. While slow, this apparently bio-mechanical walker can sustain a considerable amount of damage before being toppled. Referred to as an 'Annihilator' with good reason, the Tripod sports three articulated 'arms' tipped with high-powered proton beam weapons. These weapons, combined with the Tripod's sheer durability, mean that it can lay waste to vast numbers of smaller units. The armour protection of the Tripod appears to be supplemented on occasion by some form of energy shield, similar to that notably present on some other Scrin units, including their Devastator Warships; this is likely to be an upgrade. Units with these shields are even more dangerous than normal, and are considered priority targets in battle. Owing to their sheer size, Tripods have been known to literally walk over smaller vehicles, often destroying them outright. At close ranges, Annihilators have been seen using a kind of EMP attack to disable vehicles that venture too close before destroying them with the proton beams or crushing them. This gives them a definite edge in close-quarters fighting. The EMP attack can also disable structures.

However, as has been proven by both GDI and Nod, the Annihilator Tripod is by no means invincible. A well-trained Commando can run up to a Tripod and disable it almost instantly with an explosive charge applied to the vulnerable underside of its 'body'. Once disabled, GDI Engineers, Scrin Assimilators, and Nod Saboteurs can take control of the Tripod for their respective factions. Tripods also have no defense against aircraft. Other than this, large numbers of anti-vehicle units or very heavy vehicles such as Mammoth Tanks are required to take them on.

Battlefield reports indicate that the Annihilator has better firepower than the standard Mammoth 27 (and a longer range) along with better speed. However, its armour (especially without the energy shield) is the weakest of the three faction's 'Tier 3' units. Its firepower is also inferior to the Avatar's laser. At 3000 credits, it is also the most expensive Tier 3 unit in the war. Having said that, the Annihilator Tripod is not to be underestimated and is easily capable of causing great devastation if not properly dealt with. The Scrin cult Reaper-17 uses a horribly Tiberium mutated, but nonetheless stronger variant of the Annihilator Tripod, called the Reaper Tripod.

Assessment
Advantages:


 * Powerful
 * Strong Armor
 * Might outrange even MARVs
 * Can be upgraded with shields
 * If destroyed it can create a husk
 * Can crush Predators
 * Can crush Infantry
 * Effective on taking out most base defenses
 * Got EMP weapons for epic units
 * Can defeat most of the ground units in a one on one fight.

Disadvantages:


 * Hard to repair
 * Expensive
 * Slower than Mammoth Tanks
 * Vulnerable to commandos
 * Also weak to the Orca gunships
 * Certain Epic units will crush it
 * Not effective against Zone Troopers