| “ | Microwave weapons cleared for battle. - Microwave Tank leaving the War Factory |
” |
The Microwave tank is an advanced support tank introduced by the USA in the latter stages of the conflict.
Game Unit[]
The Microwave Tank's beam weapon can paralyze enemy structures and clear garrisoned civilian buildings, instantly killing any infantry within. When its weapon is not in use, it emits an energy field that burns nearby enemy infantry.
Against perimeter defenses, it is often used in lieu of artillery. Structures would be rendered inoperative as long as the beam was focused on them, allowing combat units to move in and destroy them with impunity. This is particularly important for Townes, who does not have artillery units.
The beam can shut down other enemy buildings as well, such as Arms Dealers and even Superweapons, during base assaults. It can disable Sneak Attack Tunnels in the same manner, which will be unable to deploy any units. Microwave tanks' damaging auras can also eliminate any enemy infantry in its AOE, preventing Hijackers from stealing them.
The Microwave Tank has next to no means of dealing with vehicles, and its anti-personnel aura disappears as long as its beam weapon is focused on a building. A Hellfire drone escort can provide limited defense, but it should still be accompanied by combat units for protection. Although it is sufficiently armored to survive small arms fire relatively unscathed, missiles fired by anti-armor units can whittle it away quickly, especially rocket-armed infantry which can fire from well outside of its anti-personnel field.
The tank's beam did no physical damage to the target building, so conventional units were required to finish it off. Although the microwave was instantly lethal to infantry inside civilian buildings, China's Bunker variants and GLA's Palace are exceptions and would protect their occupants, even if it disables their attacks.
Upgrades[]
| “ | Wave generators activated. - Microwave Tank going in to disable enemy building |
” |
 |
Scout Drone | The Scout Drone increases the vehicle's sight range and reveals nearby stealth units. Costs $100. |
 |
Battle Drone | The Battle Drone is armed with a small machine gun, and could also repair its parent vehicle. Costs $300. |
 |
Hellfire Drone | The Hellfire Drone, available in Zero Hour, fires a small but surprisingly powerful missile against enemy ground units. Costs $500. |
Drones can be further upgraded with Drone Armor.
Structure-specific[]
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Composite Armour | This upgrade improves the armor of each Microwave tank. | Purchasable at any Strategy Center for $2000 |
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Advanced Training | Allows Microwave tanks, along with all other USA units, to gain experience twice as fast. | Purchasable at any Strategy Center for $1500 |
Changelog[]
- Zero Hour patch 1.01: fixed an issue where hackers would stop hacking if the Internet center they were garrisoned in was attacked by a microwave tank
- Zero Hour patch 1.02: fixed a bug that caused Stinger site occupants to remain forever disabled after they have been attacked by a microwave tank
Selected Quotes[]
| “ | Microwave weapons cleared for battle. - When emerging from the War Factory |
” |
| “ | Power coupling optimized. - When selected |
” |
| “ | HPM vehicle standing by. - When selected (HPM stands for High-Powered Microwave) |
” |
| “ | Wavelengths calibrated. - When selected |
” |
| “ | Microwave emitters ready. - When selected |
” |
| “ | Modulating pulse width. - When moving |
” |
| “ | Adjusting systems for transport. - When moving |
” |
| “ | Moving wave generators. - When moving |
” |
| “ | Maintaining wavelength integrity. - When moving |
” |
| “ | Target location set. - When moving |
” |
| “ | Escalating energy pulse. - When ordered to disable building or clear garrison |
” |
| “ | Wave generators activated. - When ordered to disable building or clear garrison |
” |
| “ | Initiating microwave surge. - When ordered to disable building or clear garrison |
” |
| “ | Frequencies amplified. - When ordered to disable building or clear garrison |
” |
| “ | Broadcasting energy field. - When ordered to disable building or clear garrison |
” |
| “ | Cook 'em! - When ordered to disable building or clear garrison |
” |
Trivia[]
- The Microwave Tank is mentioned twice in the introduction script - first as the Microwave Tank, and then again, with the exact same description, as the "Warlock Tank". The introduction also mentions that it can disable units, which it cannot do in the final version (this change was most likely made to differentiate it from the ECM tank).
- Actual model of the Microwave Tank can be seen in the files. But ıt's unused. However, Microwave still uses the cameo of unused model while a cameo with true model exist in the files.
- The Microwave Tank looks similar to the Russian MT-LBu artillery observation vehicle.
- The principles behind this vehicle is similar to the real-life Active Denial System developed by the US Military. Though it may not have the same lethality to burn humans or disable structures, it is compared to a hot oven suddenly opened towards your face while standing close to it, prompting natural heat intolerance and instantaneous reflexes afterwards.
- Friendly infantry standing around the Microwave tank are somehow immune to being fried by the tank's microwave field.
Gallery[]
-
The alternate Microwave Tank cameo
See also[]
- Dragon Tank and ECM Tank, Chinese counterparts
- Toxin Tractor, GLA counterpart
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