Flak cannon (Red Alert 2)

File:Flakicon.png Flak Cannon
Structure
Internal ID	NAFLAK
Faction	Soviet Union
Role	Anti-air structure
Armament	Flak cannon
Tier	1
Tech level	4
Properties
Hit points	900
Armor type	Steel
Production
Cost	$1000
Build time	0:40
Produced by	Soviet construction yard
Requires	Soviet barracks
Combat
Air attack	40 (FFlakWH)
Cooldown	20
Attack range	12
Sight range	5
Function
Power	-50

“

The Allied Air Force posses a massive threat to our base. Build Flak Cannons and they will turn the Allied air Force into scrap. - Soviet Adviser

”

The Flak Cannon is a type of Soviet anti-aircraft emplacement.

History

Following the end of the Second World War, the Allied Forces disarmed most of the Soviet Union's military arsenal as part of the peace treaty. One of these was the SAM site, which was the first anti-air missile developed in history. The puppet Premier Romanov had decided to secretly re-arm the Soviet military and, exploiting another loophole in the treaty, commissioned the development of a cheaper anti-air emplacement to repel the expanding Allied airforce.

The flak cannon ultimately replaced the SAM site of the Second World War. The weapon fired explosive shells whose blast or fragments was a hazard to aircraft in close formation. The flak cannon was so successful that the weaponry was soon used by infantry and deployed on wheels. The latter two though had the advantage of firing the flak on enemy infantry.

It was revised in the new Third World War due to the temporal manipulation of Anatoly Cherdenko. Instead of a single large cannon, the Flak Cannon used two smaller caliber Cannons with lacked the area effect of its temporal cousin but with a much higher rate of fire.

Deployment

Being the cheaper version of the SAM site, it was widely used in every deployed Soviet base. It was first seen during Eagle Dawn in case the Allies recaptured the Colorado Air Academy and used the docked Harriers against them.

In-game

The Soviet Flak Cannon is a basic form of defense against aerial units. It is extremely effective against all Allied air units, including Rocketeer. However the Flak Cannon relied on power. A severe power shortage would render the AA emplacements offline, allowing enemy air forces to launch strikes against the base without harm.

Compared to the Allied Patriot missile system, the Flak Cannon's splash damage is better at taking out clusters of targets, making it an excellent counter to Rocketeers, Harriers, and Kirov Airships, units that tend to group together before striking.

It cannot harm ground-based units, or interfere with them in any way other than potentially distracting them from attacking a more valuable target (e.g. the Construction Yard).

Gallery

• 

  Early beta footage, with flak cannons belonging to the Allies

• 

  Buildup animation

• 

  In a snow theater

Cameos

Pre-release cameos, in order: alpha variant 1 (Allied), alpha variant 2, alpha variant 3.

In order: English, French, German, Korean, Chinese.

File:Flakicon.png

Trivia

• During early-to-mid alpha stages of Red Alert 2 development, flak cannons were also used by the Allies.
• The flak cannon's primary role and appearence was inspired by the Nazi German 8.8cm Flugzeugabwehrkanone ("anti-aircraft cannon", abbreviated FlaK), also known as the 88, used during the Second World War, which was infamous not only as a deadly anti-air emplacement against allied aircraft, but also as a very effective anti-tank weapon. Unfortunately, the latter function is not available for the in-game Flak Cannon.

See also

• Patriot missile system (Red Alert 2) - Allied equivalent
• Gattling cannon (Yuri's Revenge) - Yuri's equivalent
• Flak track
• Flak trooper (Red Alert 2)
• Sea Scorpion