Designation: Medium Assault Tank
Affiliation: Scrin
Role: Anti- vehicle, Anti- infantry
Armament: Ion Lighting Cannon
Type: Medium Tank
Speed: Medium
Background
The Scrin harvesting force faced many different human units during the invasion. Although a combination of their Razorbacks and Seekers was effective against light assaults and merely defended bases, the human main battle tanks were able in decent numbers to destroy that light forces. That created the need for the Scrin to use a tank on their assaults. The Devourer was too costly for mass production and unable to deal with Nod's huge militant armies or GDI's well trained soldiers to be used as Scrin's MBT. The answer to their problem was a transport vehicle which was almost unused because of the Scrin wormhole and teleportation technology. By removing its infantry transportation areas, they had space to add a stronger Ion Lightiong Generator, a hybrid of the Planetary Assault Carrier's Ion storm generator and the Lighting Spike's Ion Storm Gun. Then, some more armor was added and the Manta MBT was born.
Big armies of Mantas were used for destroying the incoming human vehicles and infantry alike, as their lighting bolts could burn infantry and melt armor fast. Also, being hover units, they were fast enough to catch up with Nod's Scorpion Mk2s and retreat fast if the situation was bad. It also had a weapon of desperation in it. Their Foreman could upgrade them with Ion Storm Generators, which could generate localised Ion Storms which were destructive to any kind of unit, air or ground. One of them could generate an Ion Storm and cover the other Mantas' retreat while the enemies were being massacred by the Ion Storm. But, although being fast and relatively cheap and strong, a single Scorpion Mk2 could take one down in one versus one because of the Scrin units having much more primitive armor than the human tanks.
"The front was lost, as those Aliens attacked without warning. Their big battleships couldn't get close to us though as our AA batteries were still active. We had a big problem though. Some flying saucer like things attacked us. Their numbers were big, so we were forced to retreat to a safer position. They chased us, but we took most of them down, but with losing many brave men and women to their Ion Lightings. We had the last one surrounded, and when we though it was over, a Ion Storm just spawned over us. The Ion Storm attacked our units only and not the Aliens. When it stopped, I was cut off of the rest of my team, and I believed most of them were dead..."
--Lt. Fullerton, Retired War Hero, About the Fall of Stuttgard--
Remember this?
The Manta can be upgraded with Ion Storm Generators, which allows it to create an Ion Storm over it. The Ion storm is deadly against any target. The ion Storm hits the enemy units only, leaving allies alone. It is also the only and very effective anti- air defense the Manta has. Also, trigerring it inside an enemy base would cause total destruction.
You are losing to many guards with my headshoots =P
Really well made profile. As well, I loved the reference to the early Manta, that was a transport unit.
Me too. Good explanation BTW and cool unit profile as well.
Well manta was quite cheap idea for new scrin unit, but i still like it, sort of tesla tank for scrin, so why not :D.
Those Scrins have the best appearing crafts as for design & craftwork, awsome job there! Use your imagination & create more outworldly Scrin units!
Doesn't the Black Hand have a Manta too?
The Black Hand have a unit in Kane's Wrath called a Mantis, its an Anti-Air vehicle.