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For organisation of the same name, see Black Hand. For Tiberian Twilight unit, see Black Hand (Tiberian Twilight). |
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| “ | The Black Hand has arrived! - Black hand rolling out of the Hand of Nod |
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The Black Hand were elite soldiers from the Nod's Black Hand. They served as the Brotherhood's shock troops during the Third Tiberium War and the conflicts that led to it.
Background
Black Hand unit
The Black Hand was originally founded as a form of religious police tasked with enforcing adherence to the teachings of Kane. However, the cult later grew to become a powerful and influential religious group that operated mostly in secret. This changed after the Second Tiberium War, when Kane disappeared. A high-ranking member of the Black Hand, Anton Slavik, rose to power within the Brotherhood and revealed himself as a Black Hand prelate.
Many within the Black Hand chafed at the cult's new public profile, including a popular preacher named Marcion, who would come to be the leader of the anti-Slavik faction. This conflict quickly spun out of control, leaving Slavik dead at the hands of an assassin and Marcion and his followers retreating to self-imposed exile in the Australian outback[1].
Within a year of his break from Nod, Marcion had organised his followers into a disciplined theocratic army - the "new" Black Hand[2]. Within this new army, a group of well-trained and loyal soldiers, clad in black heavy armour and armed with flame throwers[3], came to be Marcion's right hand. These soldiers were feared even within the ranks of Marcion’s forces, and they were often attached to infantry formations to keep order and retain the message of the Word[4].
After Marcion was captured by LEGION, his forces, including the Black Hand heavy infantry, rejoined the Brotherhood, retaining their role as elite shock troops[5].
Abilities
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Call for transport | If an air tower is deployed, Black Hand can call in a Nod Transport for pickup for a small fee of $200. This ability has a 2 minute cooldown (Ctrl+A). (Except for the Black Hand or replaced by Tiberium trooper for the Marked of Kane) |
Upgrades
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Purifying flame | Burning blue-hot with a potent Tiberium-based fuel, purifying flame enhances the damage of each Black Hand squad member to 100.5 damage per second, a 50% increase. (Ctrl+S). | Purchasable at Black Hand Secret shrine $3000 and takes 1:30 to research. |
In-Game Unit
Their flamethrowers are good against infantry and structures, but do little damage against most vehicles such as heavy tanks, so the best method of countering them is to use any vehicle with anti-infantry capacity. Furthermore, they are capable of instantly clearing garrisoned buildings. Their flamethrowers are quite effective against light vehicles if under prolonged fire though. With the Purifying Flame upgrade, however, light vehicles and even tanks are at grave risk.
As a note, their flamethrowers deal splash damage - any structure or unit caught in the cone of flame will take also take damage.
Effective weapons against them include most anti-infantry weapons although their heavy armour allows them to survive at least a few head-on enemy attacks. sniper teams, commandos, and Shadow teams are good counters.
Black Hand squads deployed by the Black Hand subfaction are trained as veterans, and can be upgraded with the purifying flame upgrade to increase their damage. Ironically, they are rendered largely redundant by the Black Disciple unique upgrade, which adds a Black Hand member to confessor cabals and militant rocket squads, meaning Black Hand commanders have little need to train separate Black Hand squads.
Assessment
Pros
- Incredibly durable, easily the toughest infantry squad in the game
- Somewhat cheap ($900) and available relatively early in the tech tree
- Incredibly resistant to cannon damage from tanks and heavy units (such as tripods and Juggernauts)
- Very effective against infantry and structures - further enhanced with purifying flame (Black Hand only)
- Splash damage - can hit multiple units with its attack
- Can clear garrisoned buildings
- Good squad size (6 members)
- Can survive a sniper shot - requiring two shots from a sniper team to eliminate a single member
- Does not explode when killed unlike flame tanks
Cons
- Can be crushed by medium and heavy vehicles
- Relatively slow movement
- Ineffective against heavy vehicles (Purifying Flame upgrade can negate this)
- Vulnerable to anti-infantry weapons
- Short-ranged weapon
- Defenseless against air units
- Affected by Tiberium exposure
- Very hard to gain veterancy
- Ironically, becomes a meatshield unit in the Black Hand sub-faction
- Short range makes them ineffective against commandos unless deployed en masse
Quotes
Creation
- The Black Hand is in control!
- The Black Hand has arrived!
Select
- We have orders.
- We are the chosen!
- The Black Hand awaits.
- They will fear us!
- There is work to be done.
- One vision, one purpose!
Moving
- Take the area!
- We're in control here!
- This way!
- We've been called!
- Forward!
Garrisoning Structure
- It is ours to take!
- Inside!
- We must have it!
Attacking
- Kill them!
- They must die!
- Eliminate them!
- Attack!
- Burn them alive!
Clearing Garrisoned Structure
- Clear them out!
- Expel them!
- They cannot hide from the Black Hand!
- Walls will not protect them!
- They think they are safe in there..
Move to Attack
- Enemies of Kane!
- Pursue them!
- They stand in our way!
- They oppose Kane!
In combat
- We're not finished here!
- Let none escape!
- Exterminate the weak!
- Spare no one!
- They reek of fear!
- Clear a path!
Retreating
- Regroup!
- We'll be back!
When suppressed
- Down!
- To the ground!
- Find cover!
Gallery
Concept art
Concept art
Beta icon
References
- ↑ Electronic Arts Los Angeles, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath. Nod Background, "Black Hand - Origins".
- ↑ Electronic Arts Los Angeles, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath. Nod Background, "Brother Marcion, Biography".
- ↑ Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars manual. Los Angeles, California: Electronic Arts Los Angeles, 2007.
- ↑ Kane's Wrath Marked of Kane & Black Hand Unit Spotlight. EA Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars - News. 2008-02-06. Archived from the original on 2008-09-06.
- ↑ Electronic Arts Los Angeles, Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath. Nod mission 4: "A Grand Gesture".
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