Demo trap

Demo Trap
Structure
Faction	Global Liberation Army United States
Role	Explosive trap
Armament	Dynamite sticks and flammable chemicals
Tier	Basic
Properties
Hit points	100
Armor type	Structure Armor
Production
Cost	$400 $600 (Thrax)
Build time	0:05 0:08 (Thrax)
Produced by	Worker
Hot key	D
Combat
Ground attack	600 (Explosion) 250 (Explosion) (Thrax)
Sight range	150
Function
Abilities	Stealth

Demo traps were basic GLA defenses. They are single-use Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that will detonate if a ground unit comes within range.

Game Structure

Demo Traps gain stealth once they have been constructed, and can be either detonated manually or be set with a proximity fuse. The explosion deals heavy damage to all units in its area of effect. Like normal buildings, the area immediately around the trap will be visible to the player. The trap will be triggered by stealth units, although it does not actively detect stealth.

Usage

Using Demo Traps, the GLA could considerably slow down enemy advances and give an explosive surprise to overconfident enemy generals who attempted rush tactics, as well as frustrating saboteurs, scouts and hero units. They were typically placed at choke points and near base entrances. Each Demo Trap packed a considerable punch, often enough to destroy a main battle tank in a single blast.

However, once detected by stealth-detection units such as the Listening Outposts, almost all units could destroy Demo Traps outside of its blast radius (and earn experience in the process.) Worker units in Zero Hour can defuse them safely as well, though this risks the owner of the Demo Trap manually detonating it as they approach. Additionally, the process of placing the traps was somewhat time-consuming and limited by the slow speed of the worker, who had to be commanded to build each individual trap.

In the faster-paced General Challenges and multiplayer games, the trap is of somewhat limited use, as the player is usually too busy to create enough traps to significantly damage the opponent. At most, a few were placed at choke points as an afterthought, if an opponent were known to be negligent in deploying stealth-detection. Placed in front of visible defensive structures, they can destroy unsuspecting enemies that have already begun an attack. They are also potentially useful against the Sneak Attack if the player can anticipate where one will appear. Traps placed in the Worldbuilder can also serve to make player-created challenges more interesting.

Abilities

Proximity Fuse The demo trap is detonated when an enemy unit gets near.

Manual Control The demo trap is detonated on the player's command.

Detonate! The demo trap is immediately detonated.

Variants

• Rodall Juhziz' Demo Traps are replaced with Advanced Demo Traps, which are cheaper and more destructive.
• Dr. Thrax' Demo Traps cost more, but release a cloud of Anthrax on detonation.

Curiously, the United States also used these demo traps, as seen in Jarmen Kell and the Forty Thieves, although these might simply be examples that were captured from the GLA and being studied.

See also

• Land mine