As I promised yesterday, here's the first in a series of updated faction arsenals. Once again, I present to you, the Black Hand:
Part 1 - Infantry
Confessor Rifle Cabal - The Black Hand's basic infantry. Based on Falchion's design. Equipped with rotary assault rifles and hallucinogenic grenades. Can be upgraded with Black Disciples and X-Ray Pulse Lasers. Has a area-of-effect morale-boosting aura that improves the combat effectiveness of nearby friendly infantry.
Confessor Rocket Cabal - The Black Hand's basic anti-tank/anti-air infantry. Based on Falchion's design. Equipped with FLASH rocket launchers. Can be upgraded with Black Disciples. Has a area-of-effect morale-boosting aura that improves the combat effectiveness of nearby friendly infantry.
Saboteur - Nod's standard engineer infantry. Can capture enemy buildings and tech structures, repair friendly structures, repair civilian buildings, and plant Booby Traps on any neutral structure.
Fanatics - Suicide infantry. Explodes upon contact with enemy units or structures.
Black Hand Enforcers - Nod's advanced combat infantry. Equipped with powerful flamethrowers that can clear garrisoned buildings. Based on Falchion's design. The Black Hand's version can be upgraded with Black Disciples, Purifying Flame (now moved to Tech Center), and Advanced Training (adapted from TWA and takes PF's place at the Secret Shrine).
Elite Cadre - The Black Hand's elite heavy assault infantry. Armed with heavy assault rifles and explosive charges to damage buildings. Comes trained with veteran ranks automatically. Can be upgraded with Advanced Training and X-Ray Pulse Lasers. I have this design in mind for them.
Commando "Twin Sisters" - The Black Hand's most elite soldiers. Two heavily armed and armored battle sisters equipped with power armor, anti-infantry flamethrowers, and anti-tank laser miniguns. Also equipped with C4 explosives to destroy buildings and walkers. Comes with elite ranks automatically. Can be upgraded with Purifying Flame and Advanced Training.
Part 2 - Vehicles
Attack Bike - Nod's standard scout and basic anti-tank/anti-air unit. The Black Hand's Attack Bikes can be upgraded with Thermobaric Warheads for their missiles.
Raider Buggy - Nod's standard basic anti-infantry unit. Along with the standard EMP Coils, the Black Hand's Raider Buggies can be upgraded with X-Ray Pulse Lasers. Design based on TWA's design.
Scorpion Tank (Black Hand Variant) - The Black Hand's unique basic tank variant. Based off of Tiberium Essence's Scorpion Tank design. Can dig in to gain greater defensive protection and weapon range. Can be upgraded with X-Ray Pulse Lasers.
Subterranean Reckoner APC - The Black Hand's variant of the standard Reckoner APC. Exchanges the ability to deploy into a bunker for the ability to burrow underground to travel to any point on the map. Can carry two infantry squads.
Harvester - Nod's standard Tiberium Harvester. The Black Hand's harvesters have their stealth fields removed and replaced with basic flamethrowers for self-defense.
MCV - Nod's Mobile Construction Vehicle. Deploys into Construction Yard.
Devil's Tongue II Flame Tank - The Black Hand's unique Flame Tank variant. Based off of Tiberium Essence's Devil's Tongue design. Can burrow underground to travel to any point on the map. Can be upgraded with Purifying Flame (now moved to Tech Center).
Basilisk Beam Cannon - Nod's standard medium artillery. Name and model takes after Tiberium Essence's design, but retains original in-game abilities.
Mantis SAM Drone - The Black Hand's unique robot unit. Exclusively anti-air. Can be upgraded with Thermobaric Warheads. New redesign pending (I'm still working on a new one...).
Mole Artillery - The Black Hand's advanced heavy artillery. Based off of Twisted Insurrection's design. Can burrow underground to travel to any point on the map. Must deploy to fire.
Illuminator SSM Tank - Custom new unit of my design. The Black Hand's replacement for the Stealth Tank. Fires two tactical nuclear surface-to-surface missiles to annihilate targets. Limited ammo and long reload time forces it to "shoot and scoot".
Purifier Warmech - The Black Hand's heavy assault walker. Prototype chassis for the mainline Nod Avatar. Equipped with Obelisk Laser module on right arm, a high-power flamethrower on the left arm, and a holographic propaganda projector on its back (similar to Tiberium Essence's Avatar's Voice of Kane upgrade). Can be upgraded with Purifying Flame(now moved to Tech Center).
(Epic Unit) Redeemer - Nod's epic heavy assault walker. I currently have no plans to give any of the Nod subfactions their own unique Epic Units. However, if I do end up deciding on doing that, then the Black Hand's Epic Unit would most likely be Tiberium Essence Beta 1.6's Montauk II, which seems like a perfect fit for them.
Part 3 - Aircraft
Radiance Missile - Custom new unit of my design. Silo-launched incendiary-ballistic missile for the Black Hand. Build limit of 4 for each Air Bunker (new structure to fill in for the Air Tower for the Black Hand). Can attack any point on the map from the safety of the Air Bunker if given target-spotting data.
Raven UAV - Custom new unit of my design. Unarmed scout aircraft for the Black Hand. Spots targets for the Radiance Missile. No build limit. Expendable. Built at Air Bunker (new structure to fill in for the Air Tower for the Black Hand).
Harpy II Attack Helicopter - Advanced air unit for the Black Hand. Based on Tiberium Essence's design. Retains the Venom's Beam Cannon Mirrors. Built at Air Bunker after researching Hangar Authorization (custom building-specific upgrade; researched at Air Bunker).
Part 4 - Primary Structures
Power Plant - Provides power. Can be upgraded with a Liquid Tiberium Core to provide more power.
Tiberium Refinery - Processes and stores Tiberium. Comes with Harvester.
Hand of Nod - Produces and heals Nod infantry (in this case, the Black Hand's infantry). New Hand of Nod design based off of Twisted Insurrection's design.
War Factory - Produces and repairs Nod vehicles (in this case, the Black Hand's vehicles).
Operations Center - Provides radar as well as basic Upgrades and Support Powers for Nod (in this case, for the Black Hand).
Air Bunker - The Black Hand's replacement for the standard Nod Air Tower. Custom new structure of my design.
Shrine of Nod - Nod's infantry upgrade structure. Provides Upgrades for Nod's infantry (in this case, the Black Hand's infantry). Also provides Support Powers.
Tech Lab - Nod's advanced upgrade structure. Provides various advanced Upgrades and Support Powers for Nod (in this case, for the Black Hand).
Tiberium Chemical Plant - Nod's advanced tech structure. Provides Tiberium-based Support Powers.
Crane - Provides an additional construction queue. Unlike the Construction Yard, cannot build the Obelisk of Light, the Temple of Nod, and the Emissary. It also cannot build more Cranes nor the Redeemer Engineering Facility.
Redeemer Engineering Facility - Constructs the Redeemer.
Part 5 - Secondary Structures
Blaze Turret System - Replaces the Shredder Turret System for the Black Hand. Inspired by these YGO cards. The latter would be an upgrade for the turret system. Comes with a Hub and three Turrets.
Laser Turret System - Nod's standard anti-vehicle defense. Comes with a Hub and three Turrets. Can be upgraded with X-Ray Pulse Lasers.
SAM Turret System - Nod's standard anti-air defense. Comes with a Hub and three Turrets. Can be upgraded with Thermobaric Warheads.
Voice of Kane - Support structure that gives a morale-boosting aura. Improves the combat effectiveness of surrounding friendly infantry while sending enemy infantry into suppression.
Obelisk of Light - Nod's advanced anti-infantry/anti-vehicle base defense. Can be charged by Basilisk Beam Cannons for extra range, increased damage, and faster rate-of-fire.
Wall Hub - Nod's basic passive defense. Place Wall Hub, then extend where you want the wall to be.
Tunnel Network Entrance - A Subway-like system for the Black Hand. Allows travel between entrances across the map. Taken from TWA's system. Replaces the Disruption Tower for the Black Hand.
Temple of Nod - Nod's superweapon. Provides the Nuclear Missile superweapon.
Tiberium Silo - Stores excess Tiberium.
Emissary - Nod's ground-control expansion unit. Deploys into Outpost.
Part 6 - Support Powers
Power Signature Scan - The Black Hand's basic intelligence support power. Scans the battlefield for enemy Power Plants.
Radar Jamming Missile - Nod's standard intelligence support power. Launches a missile that knocks out the enemy radar for 10 seconds.
Decoy Temple - The Black Hand's advanced intelligence support power. Spawns a fake Temple of Nod onto the battlefield.
Master Computer Countermeasures - Nod's standard advanced intelligence support power. Restores radar and EMP'd structures to operational status.
Uprising - Nod's standard basic reinforcement support power. Spawn Militant reinforcements. Militants come in three varieties: Rifle, Rocket, and Sniper. Design also based on Falchion's artwork.
Subterranean Strike - The Black Hand's intermediate reinforcement support power. Spawns a BH Reckoner APC that drops off 2 Black Hand Enforcer squads. Inspired by the Tiberium Essence support power of the same name and similar function.
Mine Drop - Nod's standard intermediate reinforcement support power. Spawns an Armageddon Bomber that drops a field of landmines at the target location. The Armageddon Bomber gets a new design based off of the C&C4 Vertigo Bomber design.
Seed Tiberium - Nod's basic Tiberium-based support power. Spawns an Armageddon Bomber that drops a spray of Liquid Tiberium at the target location, which in turn spawns a small Tiberium field. The Armageddon Bomber gets a new design based off of the C&C4 Vertigo Bomber design.
Catalyst Missile - Nod's advanced Tiberium-based support power. Launches a missile that, when it contacts Tiberium or Tiberium-related units & structures, detonates the Tiberium and causes a chain-reaction, resulting in extreme damage to whatever was nearby. Now causes damage to all Scrin units and structures.
Tiberium Vapor Bomb - Nod's advanced Tiberium-based support power. Spawns an Armageddon Bomber that drops a Tiberium-based fuel-air bomb, causing devastating damage to the target area. The Armageddon Bomber gets a new design based off of the C&C4 Vertigo Bomber design.
Tiberium Vein Detonation - Nod's advanced Tiberium-based support power. Causes a target Tiberium field to violently detonate, destroying (or at least causing crippling damage) to whatever was in-or-around the Tiberium field.
Part 7 - Upgrades
Shrine of Nod Upgrades:
Black Disciple - Gives Confessor Cabals and Black Hand Enforcers a squad leader equipped with a flamethrower.
Advanced Training - Gives a veterancy rank to Black Hand Enforcers, Elite Cadre, and Twin Sisters. Taken from TWA.
Operations Center Upgrades:
EMP Coils - Equips Raider Buggy with the ability to EMP vehicles and structures in a short radius around it.
Tri-Blaze Accelerators - Upgrades the Blaze Turret System with more powerful turrets. Inspired by these YGO cards. The latter would be the upgrade for the turret system you see here.
Microwave Pulse Generators - Equips the Harpy Helicopter with a powerful anti-air energy weapon. Taken from Tiberium Essence (presence here pending; I was coming up short-handed for a BH replacement for the Signature Generators).
Tech Lab Upgrades:
Purifying Flame - Gives all Flamethrower weapons an increase in damage. Moved from the Shrine of Nod to here.
Thermobaric Warheads - Gives Attack Bike, Mantis Drone, and SAM Turret an increase in damage.
X-Ray Pulse Lasers - Gives Confessor Cabal, Elite Cadre, Raider Buggy, and BH Scorpion Tank an increase in damage.
Laser Fences - Increases armor and hitpoints of all Nod structures. Taken from TWA.
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And that covers basically all of the revisions and updates I've made to the Black Hand since last time. I'll get to the Marked of Kane and the Armies of Nod (vNod) in the next few posts.
Any thoughts, suggestions, questions, or comments are welcome. All of the things I referenced here, such as Tiberian Essence's Scorpion Tank, Twisted Insurrection's Mole Artillery, and TWA's Advanced Training upgrade, are all property of their respective owners, and no attempts to use mentioned materials will be made unless permission is given.
