| “ | Let's go on a raid! - Raider Buggy |
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The Raider buggy is Nod's anti-infantry/anti-air recon vehicle in Tiberium Wars and Kane's Wrath.
Background[]
A predecessor of the Attack Buggy from the last war and one among the long history of Nod buggies, the Raider Buggy was one of the most common Nod vehicle during the Third Tiberium War, and served a variety of practical roles, seen as early as in 2034 during the Rio Insurrection marking the return of the Brotherhood. Easy to build and fairly sturdy, Raider Buggies were equipped with burst-firing machine guns that could make short work of infantry and other light targets. When upgraded with EMP coils, Raider Buggies could play a key role in countering enemy armor divisions.[1]
Game unit[]
With good speed, relatively sturdy armor and a fair price, the Raider buggy is an excellent early scout vehicle for Nod commanders, while their machine gun is capable of both quickly mowing down early-game infantry and bringing down light aircraft. It can be further upgraded when a Tech Lab is built where EMP Coils are provided as an upgrade, providing the Raider with the ability of temporarily shutting down vehicles and base defenses in an area (though it also shuts down the buggy itself). Spitfire laser capacitors are also provided for standard Nod buggies which upgrades the machine gun into a laser, further increasing the damage output of the buggy. Black Hand and Marked of Kane raider buggies can detect stealth. They can also Call for Transport like most other Nod vehicles once an Air Tower is built.
Usage[]
In early game stages, the Raider acts as a basic anti-infantry and anti-air unit, sometimes paired with Attack bikes to create an early-game ambush force and mow down infantry while the Attack bike blasts the base with their missiles. Their speed (about the same as Attack Bikes while much faster than their GDI equivalent APCs) and armor (more than twice of that of an Attack Bike and even with further protections against rockets, meaning that dealing with anti-armor infantry such as Missile Squads would be easier) also means that they can utilize hit-and-run tactics while losses are mostly sustainable due to their relatively low price. However the Flame tank does a better job in dealing with hordes of infantry since its flamethrowers do splash damage.
That does not mean that the Raider buggy is useless in mid-game and later, though. Once the Tech Lab is built, the Raider can be upgraded with a pair of EMP Coils that shuts down vehicles and base defenses in an area for a while, which makes them invaluable support vehicles, capable of quickly putting even the best armor divisions and defense lines into disarray while other units (e.g. Avatar Walkers or Specter Artillery) do the rest. Spitfire laser capacitors are also provided for standard Nod buggies which upgrades the machine gun into a laser, further increasing the damage output of the buggy. Black Hand and Marked of Kane raider buggies can detect stealth, allowing them to replace Attack Bikes as stealth detectors in heavy armor divisions.
Counters[]
As an Tier 1 anti-infantry vehicle, the Raider can be easily destroyed with any decent anti-armor weapon, from hordes of anti-vehicle infantry (though expect some losses), early-game scout units (though perhaps not the Attack Bike which is so poorly armored that it can be easily destroyed) and MBTs (Titans can even crush them, making dealing with hordes of buggies much easier). The cyborgs of Marked of Kane are especially effective due to their relative resistance to anti-infantry machine guns and their handhold EMP devices that shuts down buggies quickly.
More important is how to deal with their sudden EMP raids. For Steel Talons commanders, the Adaptive Armor can be purchased at the Tech Center and can block EMP effects if used in time. The Master Computer Countermeasures can be purchased at the Temple of Nod which can be used AFTER the EMP strike, instantly returning everything affected to life while the enemy buggies are left sitting ducks. Anti-armor aircraft such as Orcas and Devastators can also be used since the buggy is not capable of attacking during the EMP effect.
Abilities[]
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Calls in a Carryall to transport the Raider Buggy anywhere on the map.
Costs $200 and has a cooldown of 2:00. Requires Air Tower. Hotkey: Ctrl+S
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The Raider Buggy fires an EMP attack that disables itself and all vehicles in a radius of 100 for 10 seconds. Has a cooldown of 10 seconds, which starts after the EMP wears off.
Requires EMP Coils upgrade. Hotkey: Ctrl+A
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Upgrades[]
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The addition of Nod's prized laser technology onto Raider Buggies adds a tremendous boost to their firepower, making them even more dangerous to infantry and light aircraft on the battlefield.
Purchasable at the Tech Lab for $2500 and takes 1:15 to research.
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Nod technicians have found ways to add a crippling EMP burst to Raider Buggies, which their reckless drivers enjoy using to disable large enemy vehicles.
Purchasable at the Tech Lab for $1000 and takes 0:30 to research.
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Changelog[]
- Tiberium Wars patch 1.05: attack power vs. infantry reduced by 25%.
- Kane's Wrath patch 1.02: Black Hand raider buggy stealth detection range increased from 200 to 400
Quotes[]
When created[]
- Let's go on a raid!
When selected[]
- Raider here!
- Where they at?
- I got something for 'em!
- They won't keep up!
- Let's go find 'em!
- Ready to go!
- Where's the next raid?
When moving[]
- On the move!
- Quick!
- Going!
- Moving!
- Over there!
- Hurry!
- Let's go!
When ordered to attack[]
- Let's go, let's go!
- Hit it!
- There!
When attacking[]
- Hit 'em 'n run!
- Now, now!
- Mow 'em down!
- Take 'em out!
- Attack!
- Get 'em!
When ordered to fire an EMP blast[]
- Shut 'em down!
- Hit the switch!
- Take the power out!
- Got something special for you!
- Welcome to the Stone Age!
- Enjoy!
In combat[]
- Keep firing!
- Do it quick!
- Stay on 'em!
- Keep it up!
- Wipe 'em out!
- Pretty sweet, eh?
- Watch this!
- No mercy!
- How you like the taste of that?
- No extra charge!
- How do you like this?
When retreating[]
- Let's get outta here!
- Time to go!
- I'm outta here!
Trivia[]
| “ | This is my concept for the NOD Raider. It was inspired by dune buggies. The driver sits in a cavalryman position which lent the unit a Mad Max-like quality to it which fit the NOD theme well. This design decision favors something looking cool and having an attitude over something being safe or practical.
There are 2 versions of this unit. The rendering is the "real world" version and can be seen in the CNC3: Tiberium Wars strategy guide. The other version is the in-game unit which is simplified and more closely resembles the line drawing. I modeled both versions in 3DS Max. |
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- In the game's source files, the Raider buggy is known as "ScorpionBuggy" and the Scorpion tank is known as "RaiderTank".
- Though the Raider do not have a windshield and the driver is exposed to the air, the buggy somehow protects the driver from Tiberium radiation.
- The reason of such a design is said to fit the theme of Nod, preferring coolness over safety as seen above.
Gallery[]
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Render
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Raider buggy in the Kane's Wrath replay/saved game loading screen
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Beta icon
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Jason Bender. 2007-03-13. Command & Conquer 3 Faction Feature. IGN.
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