The Seeker was a Scrin light tank first seen during the Third Tiberium War.
Background
The Scrin often revealed themselves to human settlements with waves of forces spearheaded by small, agile hovercraft known as the Seeker. Apparently designed for scouting and light skirmishing, the Seeker is equipped with advanced scanners that can expose optical camouflage, as well as plasma disc launchers whose ionized, superheated target-seeking warheads prove effective against armor and aircraft[1].
Game unit
As would be expected of an alien faction, the Scrin have a peculiarly small Tier 1 lineup of only two vehicles that fulfill the same roles as GDI's and Nod's light scouts. The Seeker, with its anti-tank weaponry and stealth-detecting abilities, can be best equated to the GDI Pitbull and the Nod Attack Bike, but significantly deviates from the standard formula of exchanging high speed in for light armor and more periodic damage. In a way, it became a blend of scout and tank, compensating for the heavier armor of the Devourer Tank locked further up the tech tree.
Compared to its human equivalents that launch a pair of missiles before reloading and repeating, the Seeker fires a torrent of plasma disks at its target with a minor spread. The spread and higher quantity of these disks makes them better at dealing with squads of infantry than Pitbulls and Attack Bikes, though their different method of attack also means they lose out on the anti-air bonuses that missile weapons receive. Still, they retain the ability to attack aerial units, an ability that is shared only by the Gun Walker and upgraded Shock Troopers among the Scrin's entire ground arsenal.
As a scout-type unit, the Seeker also possesses reasonable speed, which allows it to pick its fights. While it can be outrun by its human counterparts, it is fast enough to outrun most main battle tanks, and boasts a larger healthpool to survive engagements more reliably. Their stealth detection is a valuable asset in Scrin columns, especially owing to the fact that the only other detector within the entire arsenal is the expensive and endgame Planetary Assault Carrier, whose services can still be denied by withering anti-air.
However, the Seeker is far from perfect. Their slower speed compared to their fellow scouts allows them to be outmaneuvered by them in early stages of a match, and they are outmatched in armor and firepower by any main battle tanks they encounter. They also suffer heavily when pitted against anti-armor infantry, and lack the speed to flee the scene if they find themselves in a hopeless situation.
Especially in the earlier legs of matches, Seekers are often paired with the Gun Walker (or the Shard Walker if playing as Reaper-17). Seekers provide anti-armor damage, stealth detection, and can scout ahead slightly while the slower but sturdier Gun/Shard Walkers bring heavier armor and potent anti-infantry and additional anti-aircraft to the table.
Like all Scrin ground vehicles, a swarm of Buzzers can be combined with a Seeker to provide anti-infantry protection to the vehicle. They will automatically kill any infantry who stray too close to it, and cannot be injured themselves while combined. The Buzzers can be ordered to detach from the vehicle at any time. If the vehicle is destroyed, the Seekers will be released from it and roam freely as if detached.
Seekers in Kane's Wrath can be upgraded with shard launchers, which increases their attack damage and changes their armament from plasma discs to green Tiberium shards. The baseline Scrin and Reaper-17 sub-faction can further upgrade their Seekers with attenuated forcefields, which absorbs either 500 points of damage or an EMP blast before shattering. The shield regenerates automatically after 105 seconds.
Abilities
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Uncombine with Buzzers | Orders the Buzzer swarm attached to the vehicle to detach and roam freely (Ctrl+A). |
Upgrades
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Attenuated Forcefields | Provides a fair amount of protection to Seeker, adding a shield that can take up to 500 points of damage or one EMP blast. Shields take 100% damage from all damage types except Sniper (1%). Shields return 1:45 after taking damage or being destroyed (Ctrl+A). | Purchasable at Scrin or Reaper-17 Nerve Center for $2000 and takes 1:00 to research. |
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Shard Launchers | Alters the weapons of the Seeker from plasma discs to lethal Tiberium shards propelled towards their targets at high velocity (Ctrl+S). Increases damage. | Purchasable at any Technology Assembler for $2500 and takes 1:15 to research. |
Changelog
- Tiberium Wars patch 1.09: hit points reduced by 13%.
- Kane's Wrath patch 1.01:
- damage taken from cannon-type weapons increased 10%, damage taken from gun-type weapons doubled
- fixed a desync that occurs when engaging Firehawks with Seekers
- Kane's Wrath patch 1.02: resistance to rockets increased by 10%, resistance to gun-type weapons increased by 10%
Gallery
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Early concept art -
Final concept art -
A normal and upgraded Seeker
See also
- Pitbull, GDI scout vehicle
- Attack bike, Nod scout vehicle
References
- ↑ Jason Bender. 2007-03-20. Command & Conquer 3 Faction Feature -- The Scrin. IGN.
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