Marauder tank

The Marauder tank is the bigger cousin of the and thus the more powerful tank of the GLA.

Background
Assembled by arms dealers, the Marauder is more heavily armoured than the Scorpion. Its cannon and armor can be upgraded using salvaged parts to a greater extent than the Scorpion - Marauders can sport twin cannons a la the Chinese Overlord.

Unlike it, however, the Marauder tank however is a self propelled gun system, a configuration commonly used by tank destroyers. This means that the main gun was mounted directly to the tank's hull and the entire machine has to face the target in order to fire upon it. In the strictest sense, the Marauder should probably be classified as an assault gun, rather than a tank. Because of the lack of a turret, the Marauder tank is virtually defenseless against pursuing armor, being as it can not retaliate when retreating (unless moving in reverse).

GLA generals have to spend a promotional point in order to obtain the Marauder. It is obtainable as a 1 star general.

Salvage
Marauder tanks could also be upgraded with parts salvaged from destroyed enemy units.
 * It's first salvage upgrade improves it's main cannon to do more damage
 * It's second salvage upgrade gives it two main cannons which do the same damage as the first upgraded cannon but fire two shells in a single salvo.

Tactics/Counters
Marauders are very cheap (only $100 more expensive than the Chinese Battlemaster and the same price as the American Crusader) and quick to build. If tank-on-tank warfare is unavoidable, the Marauder is often the preferred choice for GLA commanders. A Marauder upgraded with salvaged parts can often deal a surprising amount of damage and is certainly a better option for taking on enemy armour and structures than the lighter Scorpion.

However, both have no answer to enemy aircraft and are highly vulnerable to anti-tank infantry (unless upgraded with Toxin Shells). Therefore, they should be used in conjunction with other units able to deal with such threats; the Quad Cannon is probably best since it is highly effective against both infantry and aircraft. The Marauder's design means that it cannot fire at anything that is not directly in front of it while moving, which is a potential vulnerability.

Compared to the Scorpion, the Marauder is generally tougher but does not offer significantly more firepower, even after both are completely upgraded. The Scorpion (with Scorpion Rocket upgrade) is generally favoured for tank rushes and early game actions, due to its low price and quick build-time, in addition to the fact that a Marauder costs a Generals Point to enable construction. It is mostly during the late game phase that the Marauder is favoured over the Scorpion, especially once the American Paladin and Chinese Overlord start appearing on the battlefield.

The Marauder tank is quick, despite its size, and also surprisingly cheap to construct, more so than the Paladin tank, which the Marauder can easily match. With experience, it is also a threat to inexperienced Overlord tanks when fully upgraded, though it requires patience, care and micromanagement. However, with heroic status and fully upgraded, the Marauder should be able blast through entire tank squadrons and even go toe-to-toe with multiple Overlords.

Behind the scenes

 * The Marauder is similar to the Allied Tank Destroyer, mainly because it is self-propelled gun system, albeit with more "normal" cannon size and effect.
 * When upgraded, the Marauder also looks like the USSR's twin-barreled ASU-57 Tank Destroyer.
 * On the first upgrade, the Marauder actually looks like the Soviet Union's ISU-122 self propelled gun.