 | For other units of the same name, see Scorpion tank. |
|---|
| Scorpion Tank | |
|---|---|
 Scorpions: basic, upgraded once, upgraded twice | |
| Unit | |
| Affiliation | |
| Role |
Light tank |
| Armament |
30mm chain gun |
| Protection |
Light |
| Tier |
1 |
| Properties | |
| Hit points |
370 |
| Production | |
| Cost | |
| Build time |
0:07 |
| Produced by | |
| Hotkey |
S |
| Combat | |
| Ground attack |
20 (basic) |
| Speed |
40 (30 when damaged >50%) |
| Attack range |
150 |
| Sight range |
125-300 |
| Function | |
| Upgrades |
Scorpion rockets |
| “ | Scorpion, ready to sting! - Scorpion rolling out of the Arms Dealer | ” |
The Scorpion tank was the GLA's primary armoured vehicle during the War against the GLA.
Background
While fast, they are a poor match for more modern armour in direct combat. This was demonstrated amply in Iraq, when a division of USA Crusader tanks took on an equally-sized division of Scorpions, annihilating the latter without suffering any losses. Nevertheless, the GLA have plenty of upgrades available to make the Scorpion a viable weapon, such as the Scorpion rocket and the toxin shells upgrades. Like most combatant GLA vehicles, they could upgrade their primary weapon by salvaging parts from destroyed enemy vehicles in Zero Hour.
Upgrades
Base
| Scorpion Rocket | When purchased, all Scorpions are given a crude rocket launcher able to fire at ground targets. | Purchasable at any Arms Dealer for a cost of $1000. |
| Toxin shells | When purchased, all Scorpions fire shells laced with toxin. | Purchasable from a regular GLA Palace for a cost of $1000. |
| Anthrax Beta | When purchased, all Scorpions' toxin shells use a deadlier mixture. | Purchasable from a regular GLA Palace for a cost of $2000. |
| Anthrax Gamma | When purchased, all Scorpions' toxin shells use a mixture improved to the regular Anthrax Beta. | Purchasable from Dr. Thrax's Palace for a cost of $2000. |
| AP Rocket | When purchased, the Scorpion rocket does 25% more damage. | Purchasable from any Black Market for a cost of $2000. |
| Junk Repair | When purchased, all Scorpion crews slowly repair their vehicles with improvised materials. | Purchasable from any Black Market for a cost of $2000. |
Salvage
In Zero Hour, the Scorpion can also be upgraded with salvaged parts. The first upgrade improves its cannon, while the second upgrade will improve its cannon even more and add a second rocket to its weapons systems, bringing the Scorpion tank up to par with the Battlemaster and Crusader tanks in terms of damage output. A Scorpion can only receive the second improvement if Scorpion rockets have been researched. Otherwise, the salvage will be converted into money.
Game unit
Speedy and inexpensive, Scorpions are good for hit-and-run missions in the early phases of a battle. The Scorpion's cannon is most effective against lighter vehicles and structures. The Scorpion rocket upgrade is very useful, significantly adding to the Scorpion's firepower and giving it an edge against stationary anti-tank infantry.
However, direct confrontation with technologically advanced USA and China heavy weapons is ill-advised in most cases. Furthermore, Scorpions remain vulnerable to anti-tank infantry (although the toxin shells and rocket upgrades help resolve this) and aircraft.
On the contrary of other MBT in the game, upgraded scorpion tanks can be extremely effective against enemy infantry, as scorpion rockets can exterminate hordes of enemy infantry and toxin shells can deliver a fair sum of damage too. That gives scorpions an ability not available to any other anti-armor tank (except the gattling cannon overlord) making the use of scorpions less risky.
Assessment
Pros
- Cheap and fast
- Good for hit-and-run attacks
- Scorpion rocket upgrade improves anti-vehicle damage, benefitting from the AP Rockets upgrade
- Toxin shell upgrade improves its chances against infantry, benefitting from the Anthrax Beta/Gamma upgrade
- Salvaged parts increase firepower and add a second rocket
- Highly effective against hordes of enemy infantry (even anti-tank infantry)
Cons
- Inferior to other MBTs, loses in one-on-one battles with other MBTs while unupgraded
- Rockets can be countered by point defense laser and ECM tanks
- Helpless against aircraft
- Ineffective against infantry without toxin shells or scorpion rockets
Quotes
| “ | Scorpion, ready to sting! - When emerging from the Arms Dealer | ” |
| “ | Scorpion tank. - When selected | ” |
| “ | No lack of courage! - When selected | ” |
| “ | I will do my best. - When selected | ” |
| “ | Our will is strong! - When selected | ” |
| “ | Light tank of the GLA. - When selected | ” |
| “ | I will do this. - When moving | ” |
| “ | As you request. - When moving | ” |
| “ | Yes, I understand! - When moving | ” |
| “ | It is good. - When moving | ” |
| “ | Very well. - When moving | ” |
| “ | Fast as I can! - When moving | ” |
| “ | My horse was faster! - When moving | ” |
| “ | This people will not be mocked! - When ordered to attack | ” |
| “ | Infidel! - When ordered to attack | ” |
| “ | They must die! - When ordered to attack | ” |
| “ | It will be taken care of! - When ordered to attack | ” |
| “ | We are the just ones! - When ordered to attack | ” |
| “ | No one stands in our way! - When ordered to run over | ” |
| “ | They will pay for such insolence! - When ordered to run over | ” |
| “ | How dare they stand there like that! - When ordered to run over | ” |
| “ | Arming Stinger missile. - When ordered to fire the rocket | ” |
| “ | Loading up a Stinger. - When ordered to fire the rocket | ” |
| “ | Arming Scorpion tank rocket. - When ordered fire the rocket | ” |
| “ | Firing Stinger. - When firing the rocket | ” |
| “ | Sending the missile. - When firing the rocket | ” |
| “ | It will hit its target. - When firing the rocket | ” |
| “ | Stinger launched. - When firing the rocket | ” |
| “ | Feel the scorpion's sting! - When firing the rocket | ” |
| “ | Scorpion rocket installed, sir. - When the Scorpion rocket upgrade is completed | ” |
| “ | Toxin shells upgrade complete! - When the Toxin Shells upgrade is completed | ” |
| “ | The Junk Repair upgrade has been installed. - When the Junk Repair upgrade is completed | ” |
Gallery
Add an image to this galleryTrivia
- The model/design Scorpion tank is similar to several medium tanks of the real World War II, such as the P-40 and the Panzer 38(t).
- The concept and unused turretless model suggests the Scorpion was originally going to be a modified M113 or M114 APC.
- The Scorpion tank was originally meant to be a Chinese tank. While only an unfinished model (shown in the gallery) is available inside the game files, the original Scorpion tank looked like an actual scorpion, with its double barrels and a rocket launcher "tail".
- The second model of the Scorpion tank looks like the real life King Scorpion.
- If a Scorpion tank is destroyed in vanilla Generals, it uses the wreckage model of the Crusader tank. This is corrected in Zero Hour, where the Scorpion receives its own wreckage model.
See also
- Crusader tank
- Laser tank
- Battlemaster
- P-40 on Wikipedia
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